Only Human

“You look like crap.” Hook said the next day. He had been sitting outside my room when I opened the door to go down for breakfast.

I looked him up and down, lazily sitting on the floor. “Have you been here all night?” Both eyebrows arched on my face as I stared at him.

He shrugged.

I shook my head. “Whatever.” I walked past him to the elevator, and punched the button hard with my thumb. “Go away.”

Hook stood, and walked over to me. “Samael, ain’t it?” He asked.

I twitched, remembering the night before. I felt bad for ruining what might have been a very gentle experience, but the painful memories of my rape were just too fresh; I’d even started to rethink my departure date, and considered going home earlier than I’d planned.

“Thought so. He came back last night, didn’t he?” Hook grinned, and prodded my shoulder with one hand.

I jerked away from him as the door opened, and a mantis with a maid’s cart maneuvered between us. I sidled around the tail end of the cart, and onto the elevator. I pushed the door close button, as the roach was distracted by the female mantis maid, but he caught the door, making it rattle as it started to close. I resigned to riding down the elevator with him, but knew I didn’t have to talk to him.

“So what happened, huh? Samael came back, but I know Pandinus rutting is really loud, and-…”

“Just stop!” I shouted.

“What?” Hook sidestepped away from me.

“You’re such a jerk! You all are! Every last one of you!” I turned to him, raging.. “What is it with you people, anyway?! Why the hell am I such an interest?! You wanna fuck me?! Is that it, huh?!”

Hook stared with wide, teal eyes. “Kate…”

“WHAT?!” I shouted.

“You’re crying.” He said.

“So what? I have a lot to cry about! The only man I ever loved unconditionally is dead, and when I finally get the nerve to try dating again, I’m brutally, painfully raped! I have a right to cry, and I have the right to not want Samael, or you around, so just take your slugs, and your chips, and your pretend-to-be-nice act, and stay the hell away from me! I’m on vacation, DAMMIT!”

The door opened on the tail-end of my screaming, and when I looked up there were humans, and Pompeiians alike all staring unblinking at the elevator door.

The door started to close, and Hook and I both reached out and stopped it.

A teenage girl and her mother sidestepped me as I charged out of the elevator, and toward the breakfast area. The smell of food calmed me slightly, but I also wasn’t watching where I was going, and collided with a child carrying a tray piled with food.

I cursed softly, and rubbed my head.

“Kate!” The child grinned.

I looked at the child, and started. “Daisy? Wha-!” I looked around. “What are you doing here?”

Daisy slumped slightly. “I was gonna bring you breakfast.”

I shook my head. “You shouldn’t be here! Don’t you have chores, or something?” I stood up, and brushed off my shorts.

“But, I wanted to see you.” Daisy reached out with a cloaked hand.

I clenched my fist, and jerked it away from her. “I can’t take care of you all the time!” I exclaimed. “I came here to go on vacation, and relax, not take care of someone else’s kids! I’m not your mother, Daisy, and I’m sure Samael has no idea where you are right now!”

Daisy recoiled.

“Go home, Daisy!” I shouted.

Daisy whimpered.

I started, and really realized who I was yelling at. A child – not just a child – Daisy. I had my own problems, and reservations about Samael, but it was no excuse to yell at Daisy.

The little scorpion bared her teeth as her eyes filled with tears.

“Daisy,” I felt my chest hitch, and I reached out.

She hissed, and lunged then turned and ran away.

“Daisy!” I gasped. “Daisy, come back, I’m sorry!” I slid on the food covering the floor, and realized what a mistake I had made. “DAISY!” I shouted. “Daisyyyy!” I ran across the lobby, and barely saw her cloaked form run into the shadows of an alleyway as I ran down the front stairs of the hotel. By the time I reached the alleyway, she was gone.

“Schoolin’ Kate girl!” A voice rose above the morning crowd.

I turned, and gasped. “Limdo!” I met him halfway across the courtyard. “Limdo!” I exclaimed as we met.

“Is Trykah.” He said.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, whatever, I need your help!” I gasped, trying not to sob, but failing mostly.

“Wrong trouble schoolin’ Kate girl bein, yah?” Trykah asked.

“It’s Daisy, Samael’s daughter!” I sobbed. “She came to see me, and I was already frustrated, and I yelled at her, and now she ran away, and I have no idea -!” the sobs overcame me, and Trykah patted my shoulders.

“Right doin’, Kate girl.” He turned, and whistled.

Out of the crowd came a stick bug, and a tall, skinny winged creature.

“Schoolin’ Kate girl!” the stick bug grinned then a worried expression passed over his face. “What wrong bein’ Kate girl?”

“It’s Daisy, Limdo.” I sobbed.

“Is Sehrah.”

I groaned, and rolled my eyes.

Trykah spoke rapidly to Sehrah, and Sehrah gasped then rushed off.

“Be schoolin’ Kate Girl.” Trykah introduced the insect to me. He nodded. “Kate Girl, is Fly.”

Fly nodded.

I arched an eyebrow. “Is he a fly?”

“Fly Dragon.” Said Trykah then he said something more to Fly in their native tongue, and hurried off.

Fly leaned down, and patted my back. Before he could say anything, a black whip of a tail lashed out, and pulled him away.

I shrieked, and dodged.

Fly was then held up by a massive claw, the form belonging to it roaring at him.

“SAM!” I screamed. “No, put him down!” I rushed over, but he gently held me back with his tail.

Fly choked, and squirmed, shaking his head.

“Sam, stop it! Put him down! PUT HIM DOWN!”

Samael glaned at me. “Did he hurt you?”

“No! It’s Daisy!”

Samael growled, and Fly choked harder.

“No, he didn’t hurt Daisy, she ran away from me!” I shouted.

Samael dropped the dragonfly coughing to the pavement, and hissed something. Fly made haste, and it didn’t look like he was coming back any time soon.

“Where?” Samael demanded.

“I don’t know!” I stomped a foot. “Fly was going to help me look, and you almost killed him! Why the hell did you do that?!”

“I saw you distressed, and assumed the one at fault was the dragonfly.” Samael rumbled.

I started. “You…” I swallowed hard. “You were coming to my rescue?”

Samael nodded once.

I slumped. “After I rejected you last night?”

Samael shifted, and straightened up. His eyes averted for a moment then came back to me. “You have rejected me then.” It was a question, and a statement.

I sighed, and closed my eyes. “Can we talk about this later after we find Daisy?”

Samael lifted his head, and let out three short barks in succession. There was only the din of the small morning crowds at first. Then a far-off version answered.

I blinked in the directon of the sound.

“This way.” Samael ran toward the marketplace, cloak flapping around him as I followed.

We came to a stop by Hook’s tent, inactive, and without the smell of charring slugs and vegetables. Daisy sat on Hook’s lap as the roach clicked, and rocked her back and forth.

Hook glanced at me as I caught up to Samael, and grunted. “You really laid into ‘er.” He shifted his lower arms as Daisy sniffled, and pulled her legs up tighter to her chest.

I slumped.

Samael climbed over the extinguished grill, and crouched in front of Hook.

Daisy tucked herself tighter against Hook, and shrieked.

“I’m sorry.” I sighed.

Hook snorted. “I wasn’t talkin’ t’ you.” His words clipped. “Not like you ain’t at fault here.”

Samael glanced at me. “You yelled at Daisy.” He stood up, and towered.

I nodded. “Yes, that’s why she ran. I’m sorry.” I felt my chest hitching again.

Samael’s gaze lowered. “She came to you,” He grumbled. “After I told her to leave you in peace.”

“You what?” I started.

Samael shifted. “Daisy wanted to come to see you today, but I specifically told her to leave you be.” He glanced at me. “You did reject me last night, and I wanted her to respect your wishes that we leave.”

I sulked. “Oh god, stop it, I’m not rejecting you!” I exclaimed.

“Then why?!” Daisy jumped off of Hook’s lap. “Why didn’t you lay with papa last night? He came back to the village, and went straight to sleep!” She stormed up to me, most of her tears gone. She climbed on top of the cold grill, and stuck her stubborn face close to mine, pincers free of the cloak.

“It’s an adult thing.” I said firmly. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I was just frustrated.”

“I’m not upset about that!” Daisy shrieked. “When you yelled at me, I knew it was papa you wanted to say those things to! It made me mad that you rejected papa!”

I gave Daisy a stare for a good minute before I replied, but nothing came out.

Samael hummed at Daisy, she glanced at him, and then climbed down.

“You gotta tell her now, papa! If you don’t she’s gonna leave, and we’ll never see her again!” Daisy snapped.

Samael grumbled.

“I don’t wanna! I want Kate to understand, papa! You have to tell her she hurt your feelings, or she’ll just think you don’t wanna be with her!”

I stared at Daisy then slowly lifted my gaze to Samael’s face. “Is that true? You really care about me that much?”

Samael didn’t say anything.

Daisy huffed, and turned toward me. “Yes, he does!” She folded her arms.

Samael tried to pull Daisy behind him, but she pushed his arms away.

“He loves you ‘cause you’re not afraid of ‘im, and lotsa other stuff, too!” Daisy shouted. “He didn’t want me to tell you ‘bout the mailman ‘cause he -!”

Samael growled roughly, and pulled Daisy away from where she stood.

I sighed. “I already know.”

Hook jumped to his feet. “Heeey! Lookit that, it’s opening time – hehe – so let’s get this going. Hey kiddo, why doncha -!”

“Hook told me!” I exclaimed over his obvious distraction. “For god’s sake, Sam, think of your children!”

“I AM!” Samael bellowed, attracting the attention of the slowly growing morning crowds. He shifted his gaze around, and glanced to where his oldest daughter was watching her shuffling feet with growing interest. He lowered his voice, and leaned close to me across the grill. “I protect my kin with every fiber of my being; how I do it is no longer your concern.”

“But you’re hurting yourself, Sam.” I hissed.

“You will refer to me as Samael, or O’o.” Samael frowned.

I started. “What does that have to do anything?”

“Sam is a love name.” Hook said. “It’s no wonder he thinks you want to be his mate. First you proposition him with a yummy sound, and then you keep calling him Sam?” he scoffed. “By the gods, Kate, if I’d known you were a tease I would’ve just fucked you, and been done with it.”

My hand lashed out, but the grill impeded it’s impact with Hook’s face. The roach had the audacity to look surprised.

I clutched my armpit where it had impacted awkwardly with the metal grill. “You sunuvabitch!” I cried. “I am not a tease! I’m apprehensive at best, and I’m not a mind reader! I don't know anything about the Pandinus language, so how the hell am I supposed to know what’s a come on?!” I hiccupped, realizing I hadn’t eaten yet, and spent most of the morning crying, which was starting to give me a headache. “I’m done.” I sighed.

“You’re done?” Hook arched a brow. “Done with what?”

“Like you care!” I snapped. “That’s it, I’m done! With everything! With you, and yoru stupid slugs, and you!” I turned to Samael. “I’m sorry I yelled at Daisy, it was unintentional.”

“I’m not upset.” Daisy interjected.

Samael barked at her then turned back to me.

“You yelled at me, too!” Daisy huffed.

“Enough of your insolence, child.” Samael scolded without raising his voice. “You want Kate to understand then fine! But you are my child, not hers, and you will heed me, or you will be punished, is that clear?”

Daisy shuffled her feet, but didn’t say anything.

“Answer me.” Samael growled.

“Yes, papa.” Daisy muttered, lower lip trembling.

“You will be quiet.” Was the last thing I heard Samael say before I turned, and walked away. Even though I hadn’t meant to yell at Daisy, I heard my words coming out of Samael’s mouth.

Daisy is not my child, I told myself as I walked away, and it’s clear Samael was hurt by my reluctance the night before, but it seemed no one had heard what I had said about my recent experiences to remember me saying that I was on vacation, and I had recently been raped.

“Whatever.” I murmured to no one as I walked back to the hotel.