Page 20 of Treasured By the Alien Rogue

Maybe he was a logger on the side. Or . . . he competed in triathlons. I was going out on a limb with this, but there must be a reason his body was so ripped and luscious.

“Your job as your traedor’s second must give you plenty of exercise,” I said.

He frowned.

Why was he cute even while doing that? My hormones had gone haywire, that was why I felt that way. Maybe I was due for my period. Who knows? I’d been locked inside a pod for what could’ve been years.

“My duties take up much of my time,” he said. “I hunt, guard the village when it’s my turn, attend to my garden, cut wood for the firepit we all share in the evening.”

“Wood is heavy. That explains it, then.”

His brow knit further. “Explains what?”

“How you’ve bulked up.” I tapped his thick forearm. “You have lots of muscles.”

“I see.”

I doubt he did but that was okay. “What else does your shroom god do for you?”

“They keep our structures clean.”

“Like a central vac. That’s nice.”

He nodded, though I could tell he didn’t know what in the world I was talking about. “They advise us and do many other things. You’ll soon see.”

“How do they advise you?”

“We ask, they reply in their own way. Don’t you speak with your god?”

“Not often,” I said.

“I can’t imagine such a thing. It’s hard not to speak with our god.” His arm swept out to the enormous mushrooms around us. “Our god lives within our homes.”

“Like Alexa?” I was trying to understand, but there was no comparison on Earth. “Alexa’s a computer. She listens and answers questions. She’ll tell you how to make a dish from a recipe, play music at your request, and she’ll even order things online if you ask.”

“Perhaps you do understand. Your god lives in your homes too.”

Not really, but I was going to nod and go with that for now.

“I’m sure you’ll show me the bounty of your god.” It felt strange saying that, but this appeared to be how he saw it. I wasn’t a religious person. I trusted there was someone or something out there and that whoever that was had my best interests at heart. But I couldn’t fathom a physical being who vacuumed, did the laundry, plus provided other tangible items that proved their godliness. There was a first time for everything, I supposed.

He stopped in front of a shroom stem that had to be three of my arm’s length around.

The center split, gaping to the sides, revealing a small space within.

“This way, my reluctant mate,” he said with a sultry smile that tripped through me like a stiff glass of whiskey on a Saturday night. Using his limp purple plant, he waved for me to enter the stem ahead of him. “I can’t wait to show you my home.”

Chapter 7

Xax

“There you are,” someone said from behind us before we could enter the stem of my shroom. We turned, and the doors closed.

“Bork,” I said as the oldest male in my clan strode over to stand with us. His grandson, ten-year-old Cresar, walked with him.

Bork’s gaze fell on Amanda, and his eyes widened. “You said you were going to the Veerenad city. Did you find her . . .”

“This is Amanda,” I said. “Amanda? This Bork and his grandson, Cresar. Bork is raising Cresar.”

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