Read Online Celestial Beauty by Angela Castle - Free Book Online Page B

of dusk spread across the land as the
planet’s sun sank behind the horizon.
    “ I honestly don’t understand your brothers.” Her words
came out in a sigh, as she suddenly felt the need to talk to someone.
    “ What have they done this time?”
    Celeste hesitated, unsure. He was calmer and more in
control than the other three, and she felt she could rely on his calm patience.
    Drawing in a deep breath she drew up her knees. “Not
what they’ve done, it’s what they keep saying to me.”
    “ Forgive me, but I doubt they would set out to insult
you.”
    “ They haven’t. It’s just…”
    He glanced down, his black eyebrow cocked on his red
forehead as he remained silent, waiting for her to continue. “They keep saying
stupid things like I’m lovely, beautiful, but it’s not true.” There, the facts
of the situation were laid out on the table.
    “ The last part is possibly true. My brothers do wish to
pleasure you, but I am puzzled. Why don’t you believe you’re beautiful?”
    Why indeed. Oh, Celeste knew she was like so many human women,
their self-images trodden in the dirt by the considered “norms” of society,
thin and model perfect looks. Of course when told something long enough you
start to believe it. When you combine that with an upbringing of being passed
on like someone’s unwanted shoes, it wore at a person’s soul.
    “ Look, I’ll be straight with you. I’m fat and ugly for
a human, okay? I’ve been nothing but a burden since my birth. I get in the way
and always get things wrong. Hell, I killed everyone on that ship. I am nothing
special, and if I stay with you I’ll end up getting in the way.”
    He was silent, simply staring at her, before climbing
slowly to his feet before offering his hand to help her down.
    “ It’s growing dark and is unsafe out here. It’s best I
get you back to the safety of the ship.”
    Her heart stuttered in her chest. Did he get it, get
her and what she believed? It seemed so. Warmth spread through her fingers and
down her arm putting her hand in his. His grip was firm but gentle, and he
helped her off her perch.
    “ You know, Celeste, perhaps you should stop listening
to what you think is truth and listen to the real truth of how others really
see you, especially my brothers and I. My brothers, as foolish as they are
sometimes, only ever speak the truth. To us you are beautiful. Belief doesn’t
always equal truth. I would like to rip apart the one who made you feel ugly and
a burden, because you’re not.”
    She opened her mouth to argue, but the firm squeeze on
her hand and his hard glare stopped her. “If you tell me I’m a liar, I will not
be pleased. Accept what is, see things our way for a while, then re-evaluate
how you feel, all right?”
    She swallowed and nodded, her mind spinning over Zeb’s
words. Her pulse upped its tempo, as a small part of her still not dead,
pounded at the walls of her heart, wanting to revel and roll in the sunshine,
in wonderful feelings of believing, of being adored and thought beautiful.
    She at least could try. There was nothing left of her
life to lose anyway.
    But there was one niggling question. If Zeb was
planning to pass her off at the next star port, why did he bother telling her
this in the first place?
    ****
    Zeb stared at the closed door, his mind going over
their conversation that showed so much of the human female’s character. Enough
to have conflicting emotions warring within him.
    Indeed she was the complete opposite of any female
he’d ever encountered, let alone their first sheraz . A complete lack of confidence in her outer appearance,
mixed with a sweet caring nature. She’d also demonstrated a courage and inner
strength you would find in a strong Demos soldier. Why couldn’t she accept her
own worth and beauty? What kind of fucked-up planet was Earth to treat their
females as nothing? Perhaps their race was going about this whole Jorval
abduction racket wrong. Instead of outlawing it,