Five years after her mother tried to kill Mirra and Ramiel, Trina Covern is living her life with a goal of setting herself apart and making a future on her own. She lives in a small apartment alone and spends most of her spare time studying to advance herself.
The spring full moon festival is being held near where she lives. As she considers going, she realizes she really needs a woman to talk to about sex. She calls her uncle Ramiel, but ends up speaking with Mirra, who informs her they are on their way to the festival. It seems slightly strange that she is sharing her secrets and seeking advice from the human her mother tried to murder, but Trina feels oddly comfortable with Mirra.
Hayyel's three year old son Lare is an interesting little character, but when Trina meets Lare's mother's brother Gazardel, she is overwhelmed by his presence. Gaz is rich, sexy, and extremely intelligent. Michael is his friend and partner and they tell her openly and honestly they have a bi-sexual relationship. Trina has always been envious of Mirra, and she is intrigued, but when faced with the idea of living a similar life, Trina is uncertain if she is willing to give up everything she has ever worked for to be with the two men.
Trina glared at the phone as it buzzed and looked to see who it was. She hated to be interrupted when she was studying.
With a grunt, she swiped the phone open. She had lived with Kelsey's family after walking out of her mother's house. Kelsey was her friend, but the woman had a one-track mind. If it didn't involve finding a mate, it wasn't high on Kelsey's scale of preferences. "Hello, Kelsey. What's up?"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm studying for the exam I told you about. The one that will give me a shot at a better paying job so I can stop eating instant noodles and get a better apartment."
"I keep telling you to get a man who can give you those things."
"I don't need a man. From what I've seen, they are too much trouble."
Kelsey groaned in disagreement. "I know the shit you went through living at your mother's house. Not all men are assholes. Is my mother a horrible individual because your mother was one?"
"Of course not. I love your mother. I love your father, too, but I've told you what my life was like. My mother treated my father like dirt, and when he died, she went after her late sister's husband. She almost killed him, and then she found a human man who was the same things she had condemned Ramiel for. I don't have time to get involved with shit like that. Relationships take work, and I already have a job."
"You are always so damned cynical, Trina. You may have a job, but you don't have a life. Have you ever even had sex?"
"No," she replied softly. She had no idea what the big deal was. It was a physical act. Granted it was supposed to create pleasurable feelings, but so did eating a nice, cheesy pizza with meatballs and mushrooms. Of course she might be thinner if she traded one for the other.
"You are twenty-four years old, Trina. You shouldn't be a virgin."
"That's not a nasty word, Kelsey. It is my choice."
She giggled. "Are you a closet lesbian?"
The woman was amusing. "No."
"I'm changing the subject. Are you aware the high moon spring festival is this weekend?"
"I wasn't. Where are they having it?"
"Right down the street from you. Tomoka State Park. It's also bike week, so all the hot bikers will be there. You will fit right in. How do you not know this? I live in Kissimmee and I'm going."
"It's not high on my priority list."
"Well, it should be. Finding a man in our nationality isn't easy anymore. We're too spread out, and I, for one, don't want to spend the rest of my life with a human who knows nothing of our reality. I don't want to be like my sister, who is forever fighting with her husband because she does volunteer work with the shelter and gives money to animal charity. I want a man who understands what I am and what my needs are."
In a way, Trina wanted this also. Did such a thing really exist? Her home life surely hadn't given her any proof.
"Well? Are you going?"
She did want to see them. Since moving to Ormond Beach, she really hadn't made any friends. "Okay. What day are you coming over here?"
"I'll be there on Friday night, right after work. We are going to be camping out at the park for the weekend. You can join us if you want to."
"Then I need to get this studying done. I'll see you on Friday."
"Good. See you then."
Kelsey hung up, and with a chuckle, Trina went back to her reading.
Friday came all too quickly. She had taken her exam and had great hope she had passed and could get the advancement she had been working for. It was a better position, with more responsibility, but it was also considerably more money.
As she tidied up her small apartment, making sure everything was where it belonged, she considered Kelsey's words. It might be nice to have someone around she could count on. She wanted to try sex, but there were always the horrible things that could go along with it. It was not fair national males couldn't get human diseases, but females could. Maybe if she wanted to have sex, it would be a good idea to buy some protection. Trina suddenly regretted not having a female she could talk to about these things. She certainly had no intention of contacting her mother. The woman was simply unbearable to be around. Her attempted murder of Mirra and Ramiel was the last straw. Well... the second to last one.
She felt slightly odd doing so, but picked up her phone. She had Ramiel's number and a desire to talk to someone. She looked him up in her directory and swiped his name. A woman answered and she almost hung up. "Um, hello? I was looking for Ramiel."
"Hi, Trina. This is Mirra. Ramiel is driving, so I answered his phone for him. Is there something I can do for you, or do you need him to pull over?"
She hesitated. "I'm suddenly not sure what to say."
"Is something wrong?"
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