Only Human

Detained in another hut for what seemed like hours, Hook sat near me, looking ruffled. “Rape, Kate? I bring you out here to met the locals, and you claim rape?” The roach looked indignant, but what I said had been the truth.

“What? I don’t know that you were going to be true to your word.” I shrugged. “I’ve been through a lot okay? I don’t really trust people anymore.” I hugged my knees. “No offense, its nothing personal.”

Hook started. He stared at me for a minute then asked softly. “What happened to make you not trust?”

I almost answered him, but the hide covering the entrance to the hut pushed aside, and Samael stepped in, a small figure at his heels, half-hiding behind his left leg.

Samael looked at the small figure then at me. “My daughter wished to see you.” His eyes considered me then he hummed at the little figure, and Daisy stepped out.

“Daisy.” I whispered.

The little scorpion’s eyes were puffy around the edges, and bloodshot, but she looked otherwise alright. Daisy smiled. “Hi Kate. I’m sorry I played with your pepper spray.” She grinned. Then she lowered her voice, and said. “Did you think Hook was really gonna rape you?”

I nodded.

Daisy laughed. “Hook wouldn’t do that! He’s too nice!”

Samael hummed at his daughter again, and Daisy hummed back with a grin. Samael sputtered, glanced at me then at Daisy, narrowed his eyes, and pointed out. Daisy scurried away with a giggle.

I tried to hide my smile as Daisy’s giggled trailed out of the hut.

Samael turned to me, his gaze fierce for a moment. My smile faded, and I sat up straighter. He blinked, and his face softened.

“I...” He shifted his gaze. “Apologize for my daughter, she says...” He shrugged one shoulder, the pinchers hanging over his back shifting, and clicking a bit. “She speaks her mind.”

Hook snorted, all four of his hands over his mouth as he stifled his laughter.

Samael glared at the roach.

“She’s right!” Hook shrieked with laughter. “You totally do!”

I raised an eyebrow. “He totally what?”

Hook kept laughing as he leaned toward me. “Daisy -“ He snickered. “She says Samael has a -!”

The large black scorpion grabbed Hook, lifted him up, and tossed him out of the hut. I stared wide-eyed as Samael muttered something, and turned back to me with a slightly pink tinge to his face.

I shrugged. “I don’t speak your language, so I don’t know what your daughter said that made you - “ I chose my words carefully, but all I could do was smile apologetically as I said. “Embarrassed?”

Samael sighed, closed his eyes for a moment, turned, and walked out of the hut. “You’re free to join us.” He said, his back still to me as the hide swished closed.

I let my nerves settle for a few seconds before venturing out into the village.

The fire still blazed bright, the pompeiians sitting around it talking, eating, or staring at me, though a few did all three. I tried to look unconcerned as I walked, but knew I was a world-class fail when it came to dealing with pressure.

“Kate, come sit by us!” Daisy waved at me. They sat on the opposite side of the fire from where I stood. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and glanced at my pathways.

To the right, eyes leered at me, daring me to go past them. To my left, more eyes leered with accuse in their varying gold gazes. I’m right handed, I thought, so I’ll go right. I distinctly heard a low hiss as I passed behind the scorpions.

“Hi Kate, sit here, sit here!” Daisy patted the ground next to her.

I sat down, keeping my eyes on the fire.

“Here, eat this! It’s tasty!” Daisy held up a plate of pink meat. “Go on, you gotta eat something.”

I pursed my lips, and tentatively grabbed a small piece. “Look out, stomach.” I muttered, and stuffed the whole bit into my mouth, and chewed. I don’t know what I expected it to taste like, but it wasn’t bad. Like eating raw steak, at most.

“How is it?” Samael asked as he picked through bits, and selected a small one. he passed it to a little white shape on his back, whom stared intently at me with big, round eyes.

I managed to force a swallow. “Mmmm.” I hummed with a tight smile.

Daisy started, her eyes growing wide a smile slowly spread across her face. On my other side, Hook coughed, and choked on his swallow of food.

Daisy looked at her father then at me then at her father.

Samael blinked at me, staring in shock.

I looked at Hook. “Hook,” I hissed. “Why are they staring at me?”

Hook finished coughing, and caught his breath. “You just asked Sam to marry you.”

“What?!” I shrieked.

“Well, marry is the English term. You basically offered yourself as his mate.” Hook said looking thoughtful. “Basically.”

“Ah- I -!” I turned, and looked at Sam, but he was walking into a large hut behind the fire. In his place, the little white figure sat, staring up at me unblinking.

“What’re you staring at?” I frowned, and folded my arms. “It was just a yummy sound.”

Daisy grinned, and hugged me. “I knew it! I knew you liked us, Kate!”

I sighed. “Daisy, wait, this is just a misunder...standing...”

The fire went silent as Samael emerged from the hut with another scorpion. This one was hunched, and had a lump on its back. It walked with a thick, intricately carved cane as it approached me.

Daisy jumped up, and hugged the older scorpion with a grin.

I swallowed hard as they both approached, and in a hoarse voice it said. “My kin are foolish.” Not what I expected to hear, and I wasn’t sure how to respond. “They call you terrible names, and judge you for what you have done rather than what you have said.”

That made sense in a way, and I gave a shallow, unsure nod. “I-“

“My son is the most foolish of them all.” The old one turned, grabbed Samael by the tail, and pulled him over with an indignant squawk from the latter. “He claims you wish to mate him.”

“Told ya.” Hook muttered.

The old one reached out with the cane, and bopped Hook on the head. Hook doubled over clutching his head, and cursing.

“Silence, loud mouth.” The old one croaked.

I bit my lip. “I..um...”

“Speak up, child!” The old one barked.

I took a deep breath. “I don’t know how to speak your language, so I don’t know how I could say I want to be his mate.”

Ridges above the old ones eyes rose. “Oh?” The hunched form turned, looked at Samael then back at me. “You don’t know yourself?”

“No, I didn’t say that.” I stammered. “I don’t know your language. It - “ I looked at Samael, who’s expression mirrored something between shock and distraught. “It was a misunderstanding. I’m sorry if I offended you.”

The old one burst out laughing. “Offense, child?!” I failed to see what was so funny, but I let it go quickly. “No offense, my son has asked for my approval of you!”

“What?!” Hook spat.

“Oh, no, I - I couldn’t. We just met today, and I already got one of his kids hurt!” I stood up. “You don’t want to be with me -!”

“Yes, I do.” Samael said simply.

“No, you -...what?” I blinked at him as he shifted. “You what?” I stared at him in blatant disbelief, my mind suddenly blank of all the complaints I was about to make against him.

Samael sighed. “My children adore you. They have never come out from under the bed for company before. Not even my own people can coerce them out some days.” He looked to where two of the younger girls crouched behind Daisy. “You show up here, and within hours they are asking me, papa, who is she? Papa, is she going to stay? My youngest, Buttercup,” He gestured to the little white form staring up at me. “She stares at you with such intent.”

I watched the baby scorpion watching me.

Samael picked up the baby, and passed the baby to a shorter adult scorpion, and Buttercup began to wail like a banshee. “She does not like the females of my species.” He took Buttercup back, and she stopped screaming. Then he held her out to me with a smile. “Please, take her.”

I grimaced, no stranger to baby cries, but didn’t want to provoke anything from the infant. I squinted my eyes as I took Buttercup, prepared for that god awful screech, but nothing came out.

I opened my eyes, and heard Daisy giggle. “She likes you, she likes you!”

I adjusted my arms so I held the baby proper. Buttercup’s eyes closed for a moment then opened, fighting sleep to stare intently at me as long as possible.

“Woah.” I breathed. I looked at Samael, who’s toothy fanged smile was a bit unnerving. I shrugged. “I’m good with kids, so what?”

Buttercup reached up, and groped the air by my face, her little fingers crushing my cheek as she clenched and unclenched her hand. She made a face like she was going to cry, and I gulped.

Samael adjusted Buttercup so she lay against my shoulder. “She wants to hear your heartbeat.” He said.

I sighed. “Okay, I get it, your kids like me, and that’s unusual, but I was just making a yummy sound. y’know, mmmm?”

Hook sputtered.

“Oh what, what, what? What did I say now?” I turned to the roach, and propped my hands on my hips. Buttercup clung to my shirt, but kicked her little legs, and whimpered. “Oh, sorry.” I propped her up with my arms. “Sorry, baby.” I patted her head with one hand. I turned my attention back to Hook. “Seriously, Hook, what?”

Hook shook his head. “Nothin’. I’d stop humming though, or you’re gonna get jumped by your new lover there.”

I turned, and looked at Samael with a quirked eyebrow. He smiled a different smile than before. This smile I’d seen on Able. It spoke untold volumes of lust and promise, and made me blush. I tried not to glance at his crotch area, but my eyes - hussies that they are - briefly ogled the shell around his pelvis growing loose. My eyes snapped up to his face. He purred.

“You see, child? My son is not mistaken in his feelings, foolish as they are.”

I’d been raised to respect my elders, but I was also aware when someone was insulting me. I looked at the old one, and tried to smile, but it came out very Cheshire Cat, and malicious as I said. “Listen. I’m sorry you think your son is a fool for having a crush on me. Believe me, I don’t understand it either, and until this moment, I didn’t know he even liked me. I mean, for pity sakes, his daughter got ahold of my pepper spray!”

“My daughter forgives you.” Samael’s voice rumbled.

I nodded. “Yes, I know. She’s very sweet, but how does that spawn feelings of attraction for me? Don’t you think that’s a little strange?”

“My feelings for you did not spawn of my daughter’s accident.” Samael said vaguely.

I stared at him expectantly for the count of five. “And?”

“You smell good.” Hook interjected nonchalantly as he continued to eat.

I whirled on him, mindful of the baby in my arms, who seemed to be happily suckling my shirt. It reminded me briefly of Piyoh, and made me homesick for a moment.

“Kate.” Hook said.

“What?” I sighed. “I smell good, you said?”

“Yeah. Really good. I wouldn’t rape you over it, but that’s how insects and arachnids choose a mate - scent.” He chewed a piece of meat then spit it out, and shuddered.

I turned slowly to Samael. “Is that true?” I asked. “You think I smell good?”

Samael looked ready to pounce.

“By god,” I rolled my eyes skyward. “Really? I can’t go one day without attracting attention?”

“My son insists he mate you.” Said the old one. “Daisy, your sister if you please.”

Daisy stood up, and pried Buttercup off my shirt. The baby screamed.

I closed my eyes, and shook my head. Daisy whispered to Buttercup, and the child’s crying ebbed.

I looked at Samael. “I don’t want you to mate me.”

Samael looked stunned, and once again the village hushed.

The old one hissed something at me.

“Hey, hey!” I stepped away from the old codger. “No offense, but I’ve been through rough times recently, and don’t want a relationship right now.”

One of the Pompeiians stood up, and in a decidedly female voice shouted. “Why do you scourn Samael?! He is a gift of the gods to you! You should be grateful he wants you!”

“It isn’t like that!” I shouted at her.

“Nanani, be at peace.” the old one held up a hand.

Nanani hissed something then sat back down.

Samael slowly crouched on the ground, looking dejected.

“I’m sorry.” I said. “It’s...complicated.” I rubbed my arm as pins and needles reminded me of Kelli, and the months I spent in the hospital. “It’s been fun, and thank you for your hospitality, but...” I looked at Hook. “I think I should leave now.”

Hook stood up quickly, made a wave at Samael, grabbed my arm, and pulled me behind him to his truck. I heard Daisy cry, and Buttercup shriek, but I didn’t look back.