Asiri and the Amaru (Pisqu Sweet and Sour, #1)

by Natalia Hernandez

The center of the universe felt like being back inside the womb.

She was cradled by life, and the earth, existence, and the folds and fabrics of space and time itself.

The center of all things was always quiet and tranquil, but if Asiri listened hard enough, she could sometimes hear the whispered warnings of the universe.

He had made being a holy man into a business.

She didn’t think her father was a wicked man, just not a particularly good one either.

His last relationship hadn’t lasted long, his novia eventually got fed up with canceled plans, animal hair all over his (and then her) clothing, and the steady stream of four-legged patients he brought home with him for extra supervision. Though the straw that broke the llama’s back, as it were, ended up being a patient without any legs at all.

“Release me, or I will find a way to crawl into your bedroom at night and nibble off your toes! I will eat your hair! I will leave pellets in your bed!”

“I will gouge out your eyes with my claws! I will hide all your undergarments!”

“My gift,” Paloma continued, winking conspiratorially, “is that I can tell just what a person wants to eat, sometimes, even before they do!”

The pastry crust was buttery and rich, crumbling daintily into flaky pieces around her teeth. The whipped, creamy center was decadent, thick, and rich. The sugary sweetness of it slid across the top of her tongue. Finally, the crisp, slightly acidic bite of the fruit on top rounded out the dessert with the perfect combination of flavors.

Ever since he was young, people told him that he came on too strong, that he was too loud, too animated, too passionate. Too much.

He was always spouting off random facts about animals, sneaking frogs and lizards into his home, or bringing squirrels into school. Over the years, he had played “the quiet game” more times than he could count, been told to “hush,” to “calm down,” to “settle.”

Friends had tired of his energy, and girls had thought him too strange to date.

Dario had worked very hard over the years to rein himself in. To make himself quieter, more reserved, less excitable. He stifled the urge to talk at length about things that he was interested in and passionate about. And it worked! He had started making friends, had started dating, people began respecting him in his profession. He had carved out a good life for himself, and the distracted, impulsive kid people thought of as “too much” faded into a distant memory. But every now and then, that side of him would reemerge, leaving Dario feeling vulnerable and embarrassed.

“Welcome to Alpacasa!