The sound of my cutlery clinking against the ceramic plate is the epitome of excitement as the absence of dinner conversation swells the tension. I'm almost frightened to breathe in fear that it will disturb the deafening tranquility.
I trail my fingers on Jared's arm.
"We need to speak." I whisper to Jared.
His eyes raise to meet mine, still the unrelenting obsidian black. I swallow audibly and Jared squints at me. His hands grip more tightly around his knife and fork, dwarfing the silverware in his enormous hands. He suddenly unclenches his hands and his cutlery clatters against his plate, sending drops of rich gravy onto the tablecloth. My eyes widen as I take note of the crumpled metal knife and fork.
"Jared what's wrong?" I ask.
He averts his eyes and grips onto the table. I can see that the wood will soon splinter unless he releases it.
"Jared stop." I say fiercely. His fingers begin to turn mauve.
"Jared." I snap. He sighs heavily and let's go.
"Are you alright?" I ask.
"I'm....I'm..." His brow furrows as formulating a plausible sentence seems abhorrent. His fists curl and bear the majority of his weight against the table. Is he still angry at me from earlier? Perhaps leaving behind a trail of fist marks is his speciality.
"Yes?" I press. I glance nervously up at the Leto but their attention is not on us.
Jared sighs again and stares miserably at the piece of meat on his plate. "I'm a vegetarian."
"Then don't eat the meat." I say. Jared simply shakes his head in response as if I don't understand.
He finally meets my gaze again and his eyes seem to have somehow lightened their hue. I reach for my glass of water and swallow the unnerved feeling. The meat and potatoes on my plate have lost their appeal. It's the first time a human has been able to unhinge me so effectively.
"You were saying we should speak?" Jared says.
"Yes."
"Pet names are often used as terms of endearment - we should try them." Jared says.
"How would you know?" I ask scornfully.
Jared's eyes flash black once more and he tenses.
"Begin." He commands. I scowl.
"Jared honey, can you please pass the potatoes?" I ask sweetly, raising my voice to an audible level.
Jared, the Leto Rex and a couple of other high ranked Leto's surround a white circular table for a casual dinner. 6 male Leto's, 6 women, the Rex and Jared and I. .
"Of course muffin, would you like anything else?" Jared asks, squeezing my hand that rests on the table.
He passes the white container of potatoes. On the table is only food from natural earth, not a processed or manufactured food in sight. I feel a slight shake of unease shudder through my body as the Leto sit in their chairs, orderly and sternly with no food set before them.
"No thank you sweetheart" I say, reaching up and fiddling with the hair at the nape of Jared's collar. He freezes, his eyes focused in the Leto. Has he seen something? Have they looked up and watched us? My eyes follow his.
The Rex and the remainder of the Leto's haven't even acknowledge our actions. They don't speak either and instead stare right at each, communicating telepathically as Jared predicted.
"Lara, please remove your hands from my neck." Jared says lowly, his eyes darkening by the second. My hands fall to my sides.
I glance at the Leto again.
YOU ARE READING
90 days to love (COMPLETED)
RomanceWhen every last technology-obsessed human is kidnapped from the Earth what choice do you have as one of the last two but to accept the conditions? At the age of 19 years, Lara Hall has seen little of the planet she calls home. When she's called up...
