Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
She did shave her armpits and pubic hair, however. If she let the latter grow out, it rubbed against her close-fitting uniform and felt itchy and uncomfortable between her legs. The Serpentines had no body hair and this small concession made it easier to fit in among them, since her body was mostly visible through the fine black mesh of her uniform bodysuit.
Baring her teeth, she ran her tongue over the bright white set of fangs which were where most Mammalians had their canine teeth. It was her fangs, more than almost anything else, that helped her fit into Serpentine culture. They were also what had caused her mother to move the two of them to Portex Three after Sky’s father died, when she was just a child.
“They’ll never accept her on Tranq Prime,” Sky had heard her telling someone, right before the move. “A female Blood Kindred with fangs is bad enough. But a Pitch Blood Kindred female—one who needs blood to live? No—she’ll be an outcast here. I need to take her someplace where she’ll fit in—someplace she won’t be made to feel a freak and an outcast when she reaches sexual maturity and starts needing blood.”
Her mother had chosen well when she picked their new home, Sky thought. The Serpentines were an ancient people and cold-blooded, which meant they weren’t susceptible to the tribalism and snap judgments of warm-blooded, Mammalian humanoid species.
Oh, Sky had often been called “flat face” and “string head” and “round eyes” due to her different facial characteristics, but there was no malice in these nicknames. Serpentines simply called things how they saw them and they accepted Sky into their culture when they learned that no matter how different she looked, she took nourishment in the same basic way they did themselves.
Taking a cleaning laser from the shelf, she ran it briefly over her teeth, paying special attention to her fangs. Then, satisfied that they were white and gleaming, she put away the laser, straightened her uniform one last time, and left her living quarters.
The transport tube—located as many public spaces were, beneath the surface of the sandy desert earth—was only a few treels from Sky’s domicile. She descended many steps to get to it, passing other commuters along the way.
She made enough since her recent promotion to “Special Agent” that she could have afforded a domicile beneath the surface. But she liked the feeling of being above ground—the tunnels below could get so crowded and smelly and the air flow was often sluggish. Sky preferred the sunshine—blazing hot though it was—beating on her skin and the feel of the hot, dry air of the surface flowing through her hair.
Still, the descent into the tunnels didn’t bother her. She hurried down the steps, wondering if she had time for a quick bite before her work period. If the tube was on time, she wouldn’t. But it was often a few meems late which afforded a chance for an early morning snack.
As a Pitch Blood Kindred, she needed more blood than most of the Serpentines around her. Possibly it was because Serpentine blood didn’t sustain her as well as the blood of another Mammalian would have. Or maybe it was just the way she was built—Sky didn’t know. Her mother had often told her that she was unique—there had never been another like her and likely never would be again. So it was difficult to know if her thirst was abnormal or not.
Well, it was normal for her, so Sky didn’t care—she simply made time to feed often, taking quick bites whenever she could to sustain herself, rather than the protracted, drawn-out feedings most Serpentine females took.
At last, after a few meems of walking through the crowded transport tunnels, she reached her stop. Glancing at the lighted 3-D signboard hovering near the roof of the tunnel, she saw that the tube was late—good.
Turning, she headed for the nearest Blood Kiosk, located near the rounded wall of the tunnel. The small cart with its blue and white striped awning was her usual spot and she knew the workers there.
“Why, Officer Sky’lar! My favorite customer!”
Vm’plx, the proprietor of the kiosk came around the cart to meet her, his forked tongue flickering out of his lipless mouth with pleasure.
There weren’t many Blood Kiosks that were own and run by males, though all of them were staffed by them. Some females considered it beneath them to deal directly with a male blood seller instead of his female handler, but Sky didn’t mind. Males didn’t have much opportunity for advancement in Serpentine culture and besides, she liked Vm’plx—he had a friendly, forthright character which she valued. So many Serpentines could be cold and evasive—it was refreshing to meet one who wasn’t.
“Hello, Vm’plx—I only have time for a quick bite,” Sky said briskly. “What have you got?”