When She’s Common – Risdaverse Read Online Ruby Dixon

Categories Genre: Alien, Alpha Male, Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal Tags Authors: Ruby Dixon Advertisement

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We enter the store, and the avian shopkeeper squawks with pleasure at the sight of us, clapping his clawed hands together. "Ah, my new best customers. Glad to see you again, though I am surprised you have returned so quickly. Did you have a good night?"

That keffing bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing. There's a knowing smirk on his face.

But Maeve plays it off, her voice flirty and teasing. "Skritch, you need to warn me the next time you give us something like that."

"Is fun night, though? Yes? You can buy more from me. There's a newlywed discount." He ruffles his small wings, delighted at her response. "I have a good connection here. Know a woman that grows noli up high in the hills."

This fool doesn’t seem to realize he’s keffing around and being careless with the most potent of aphrodisiacs. I resist the urge to choke the pleased avian. However it turned out between us, he didn't mean harm. He doesn't know who I am. It's just a shopkeeper trying to make a few extra credits off his clients. There's nothing to be done about it.

"I appreciate the hit," Maeve tells him cheerfully. "But we've got enough to last us a while now, thanks."

"You say that, but all the praxiian human mates come back for more. Trust me." He moves his long legs, hauling his ungainly body across the shop. "Let me get your order. Eggs and spices, yes?"

"And oil," Maeve calls after him, leaning over the counter as the avian heads to the supply room in the back. "Don't forget the oil!"

I relax at my spot by the door, waiting for him to return. Foolish avian thinking he can dole out noli to every praxiian wife that comes through his door...

And then I pause. "Did he say there are other praxiian-human mates here?"

"I think so?" Maeve shrugs, glancing back at me. "Why?"

I'd forgotten that there are other praxiians on this planet. Or it hadn't registered to me that there would be enough of them that the shopkeeper would decide to carry noli to sell to them. "Exactly how many?"

Her expression turns puzzled. "I don't fricking know. Why?"

"Because I want to know who is here. Do you think he will have answers?" I nod towards the back storeroom. "This Skritch?"

"I think the better question is why do you want to know?" Maeve throws her hands out, palms up. "Do you have any idea of how suspicious it will look if you start asking shit like that?"

I do, and I don't care. Let them view me as a little suspicious, but if I know of all the praxiians in the area, I will know who I need to look out for. "We must bribe him for information, Maeve."

My human wife groans as if pained.

CHAPTER

FORTY-SIX

MAEVE

I swear Zhur thinks the galaxy just rains credits down. That I'm made of money and my wallet is bottomless. Every time I turn around, the man is trying to spend my credits when there's a simpler solution waiting to be had.

I put my hands on his arms to stop him before he gets all worked up about me bribing everyone we run into. "Let me handle this, okay? If you want to find out what other praxiians are around, I can do that without spending a dime. Observe."

He arches a feline brow in my direction.

"Now, look busy while a professional gets to work." Turning away from him, I pretend to shop, picking up a bolt of the ugliest plas-fabric ever. I'm not sure if they think humans have shit taste or if aliens have shit taste, but man, all the colors and textures of the cloth we get here leave a lot to be desired. I take the fabric with me to the front counter, where Skritch is manning things. There's an entire avian family that handles the shop, but Skritch is the only one that ever gets chatty. He's the perfect one to get information from.

"You got this in pink?" I ask, setting the fabric down. "Or maybe a baby blue?"

Skritch takes the fabric, his feathers fluffing. "I don't know what a 'baby' blue is. The color of a mesakkah infant? Or something else?"

"Oh, I guess that's a human thing. Silly me." I make a dopey face. "You know how we get, rattling on about things and expecting everyone else to know what we're talking about."

He chuckles. Or caws. It's a little hard to tell. "Let me pull the stock list and see if we have any other colors in storage."

Using his talons, he types into his data pad. As he does, I lean against the counter, looking bored. "So are you going to start carrying more praxiian stuff? Like shampoos and such? You've got lots of them living here now, right?"

"Not really. Less than a dozen. I can probably name them all by heart. It's not nearly enough to carry something regularly, but if you have a request, I can put it in and ask the supplier for a special shipment. It costs extra of course."

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