Chapter 12.

Reja had been purring softly in Sylvester's ear, when he abruptly stopped and lifted his head to stare at the door. "Someone's coming."

The Foll wriggled out of Syl's arms and the Human sat up, tugging his suit back on. It wasn't comfortable dressing without a bath first, but he didn't want to be naked in front of strangers, if he could help it. Reja's claws had torn the fabric, exposing most of his hips. He hoped Elvyre wouldn't be mad.

"It's probably just room service." Syl said, but his heart rate quickened.

This wasn't like any of the hotels Syl had grown up in. This was a foreign planet, where he was considered a 'pet'. He wouldn't be able to defend himself or Reja.

The round door lifted and Elvyre entered with Metyn in his arms. For a moment, the Talaya stilled and took in the ravaged room, before sighing deeply, voices slithering like a cool breeze. "Reja, my dear?"

"I'm here." Reja emerged from beneath the table and rushed forward, hand- and footprints shining bright pink for an instant, before they dissapeared. Syl followed slowly, stepping with care on the slippery floor.

"Do you know what your destruction will cost me, my sweet?" The Talaya ducked down to stroke the Foll's spine.

"No." Reja rubbed his side against Elvyre's leg. "Can we go home now?"

"No. We've only just arrived and Cynen and I have been looking forward to this." The Talaya scritched Reja's fluffy cheek and looked at Syl. His elegant face changed, eyes narrowing at the tears in the Human's suit. Syl cringed.

"But I don't like it here." Reja hissed, spine beginning to twitch.

"Hush. Did you ruin Syl's clothes?"

"I did. It was itchy!" Reja's tail lashed and his violet eyes were wide with distress.

Elvyre placed Metyn's limp body gently on the floor and lifted Reja. His duo voices crooned softly as he nuzzled the boy, kissing his grey mouth, until Reja started purring.

Syl wondered what would happen to him, if he started acting like Reja. Probably nothing good. His heart gave a small twinge and he sighed, gazing up at the Talaya, like a puppy pining for attention.

Elvyre placed the Foll back on the floor and pulled a strip from the wall, until it stretched into a thin emerald chord. He wrapped it around Metyn's neck and the edges connected with a low buzz.

Finally, Elvyre turned to Syl and beckoned. Syl moved quickly into the alien's arms and tilted his head up, hoping for a kiss on his mouth.

He made an embarrassing sound of pleasure when he got one. The Talaya's armor felt cold where it pressed against his skin, but Elvyre's mouth was warm and tasted faintly of mint.

Elvyre lifted his head and combed his fingers through Syl's bangs. "Your hair is getting long." The alien tilted his head. "I think I prefer it short. I'll book you a trim before we go."

Syl smiled and pressed his cheek into the Talaya's palm, he liked that Elvyre cared about his appearance. He hoped for another kiss, but Elvyre lowered him to the floor.

"I have a meeting. I won't be long. Watch Metyn, my dears." Elvyre straightened and strode quickly out the door. It snapped shut on Reja's yowl.

The Foll's small ears flattened and he turned to Syl, pressing into the Human's arms and toppling him to the floor.

Sex as a stress relief, Syl had to admit, was very effective. He soon lost himself in Reja's rough kisses and grinding hips, until the Foll lifted his head with a jerk.

"Is he back already?" Syl asked and they both looked expectantly at the door, but it wasn't Elvyre this time.

Reja scuttled back under the table and Syl backed away a few steps. It was one of the orange skinned aliens.

She was as tall as a Talaya, with a slim and pretty face, but she had three startling green eyes. They widened as they darted around the room. She muttered under her breath and dissapeared out the door, leaving it open.

"Do you think she's..." Syl voice trailed off when another alien peaked inside.

This one was smaller, with parchment white skin and black horns peaking through messy dark hair. He looked like a child, but he was at least three heads taller than a Human.

Mercury eyes with slit orange pupils landed on Syl and the child grinned, revealing two sets of fangs. A chill washed over Syl's skin.

"Syl!" Reja called and the Human ran for the table.

The boy started towards Syl, but the orange alien reappered and caught the child's shoulder, steering him out with a sharp word.

The orange female, along with an orange male, set about tidying and cleaning the room; hosing the urine into ducts and sweeping up the beads and broken ornaments. When they were finished, they left platters and bowls on the floor.

The dishes smelled good and Syl's stomach rumbled. He hadn't had the nerves for breakfast that morning and he eased out beneath the table.

"Syl..." Reja rasped again.

"Nobody's here and we didn't have breakfast." Syl reasoned.

"...will you bring me some?" The Foll was pressed flat against the floor, but he eyed the food hungrily.

"Sure." Syl smiled and moved to the plates. They were piled high with foreign fare and easy to slide across the floor. Metyn was beginning to stir and Syl left a platter, and a bowl, beside him.

Reja sniffed the plates and selected a dish of green meat floating in a creamy sauce. Syl cautiously sipped from a bowl and was pleasantly surprised by a fruity tickle of bubbles on his tongue.

It wasn't quite like a carbonated soda, but it was close. The bubbles were crisper and they contained all the flavor, not the liquid. He offered it to Reja, but the Foll only lapped the drink once, before pushing it away, coughing and wrinkling his flat nose.

Across the room Metyn's turquoise eyes had slit open, the boy's nostrils flared and his eyes flicked over the platter and the room.

His eyes grew wide and he leapt to his feet, running three steps before his leash snapped taut. The Dreen released a hoarse cry and tore at the chord around his neck.

Syl remembered the first day he had seen Metyn all too well. The boy's broken body and shorn tail had been horrifying to witness. God only knew what he expected to happen to him now.

"It's ok." Syl stood and moved a step towards the Dreen. "You're safe. We're just in a hotel. Elvyre will be back soon."

The boy's eyes had snapped towards Syl when he started talking, but his attention soon wandered, chest rising and falling in quick pants. He struggled against the leash, until Syl feared he might strangle himself.

"Should I call Cynen?" Syl looked at Reja.

"Maybe." Reja had pressed his chin to his hands on the floor and watched the Dreen expressionlessly. "He doesn't trust us."

Syl touched the device on his ear and was about to speak, but his voice trailed off when the door opened.

The alien child, from earlier, stepped inside, followed by five more children. Their skin varied from bone white to bluish grey, but they all had the same mercury colored eyes.

Those eyes fixed on Syl. One of them, a female, cried out in excitement and rushed towards him, clawed hands outstretched. Syl had seen toddlers playing with toys and knew they usually handled animals the same way.

He yelped and ducked back under the table. Reja's violet eyes were round as saucers and his hackles lifted.

"Cynen!" Syl could hear the panic in his own voice.

The child crawled beneath the table and grabbed Syl's ankle, dragging him out with iron strength. "Help!"

With a snarl Reja latched onto the child's wrist and bit savagely. The alien shrieked and released Syl.

Greyish blood ran from the bite and she sniffled, glaring at the pets as she cradled her wrist. Another child kicked the table vengefully, nearly toppling it and Reja hissed, snapping his sharp teeth in warning.

Another child spotted Metyn and called to his friends in a foreign tongue. The Dreen retreated against the wall and growled.

The aliens hesitated, eyeing the pink boy warily. But one male, the one that had kicked the table, snatched Metyn's leash and pulled. Metyn jerked forward, choking.

Another child dared to reach out and pull on the Dreen's tail. Metyn screamed and clawed at the leash. From beneath the table, Syl could see the boy was trembling from head to toe, eyes glassy with terror.

Syl's chest tightened. Before he gave himself a chance to think, he was sprinting across the room. He yelled out and waved his arms. He was no threat, but the aliens didn't know that.

The children ran from him, startled. But they didn't go far, before they stopped to watch him, slit eyes sharp and curious.

Syl stepped in front of Metyn, baring his dull teeth and hissing loudly.

One of the kids barked a laugh and lunged forward. Syl flinched back and another child shoved him, sending him skidding over the floor and colliding hard with a chair. Pain tore up his side and Syl gasped, hunching in on himself. Reja yowled and the door opened.