Page 57 of Alien Rescue

He grunted something and fell asleep. Just fell asleep as if he had nothing on his conscience. He should be begging her to forgive him, burning with unrequited passion for her.

The next morning, she woke to find him leaning over her. “We will do morning sex now.”

Rose wanted to tell him not to bother with an inferior human, but she wanted him, too. His arrogance was part of him, and she liked every part of him. But the next time he told a human to know their place, they were going to have the mother of all fights.

He aroused her and then made love to her until she was a quivering ball of pleasure. When at last he let her up for air, she lay on the bed, boneless. She didn’t even have the energy to worry about the nanos in her blood. Or him thinking humans should know their place.

He kissed her and got up. “I am looking forward to doing much morning sex with you every day.”

Rose watched him uneasily. She had the worrying feeling that he was going to insist on doing this every morning. No matter if she was mad at him or fed up. And what if she was sick?

“The morning sex does not count with your hours,” he said when he emerged from the bathroom.

She frowned at him. “What hours?”

“The hours at night we will spend in the sleeping place.”

“Okay.” She didn’t remember agreeing on any amount of hours, but who cared?

“I will be back soon,” he said and was gone before she could answer him.

She quickly grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom. When she came out, the aroma of coffee hung in the air. A steaming mug sat on the table. Rose sat down and stared at the mug in front of her. This was the same alien who had told that poor man yesterday to know his place. What was she supposed to think? To do?

She sat down and absently scratched at her arm. She knew it was only her imagination, but she could feel those little machines crawling in her blood. Killing her a little more every day.

The door opened and Zanr came in carrying a brown paper bag. “I brought you a human New York breakfast.”

Rose couldn’t hold back the smile. “It smells divine.” While he opened the brown paper bag, she took a sip of the coffee. It used to be the favorite drink of every American. These days only the very rich could afford it. She’d tried to fit in with her colleagues and had never flaunted her money, but coffee was the one luxury she’d allowed herself.

Rose stared down at her breakfast and then asked the question that had been haunting her since they saw Morgan. “What do you think Morgan meant when he said my family took everything from him?” For some reason, seeing those people in their sad little club had reminded her of Morgan’s words.

“I think he is a disturbed human who needs to blame someone for his mistakes.”

Rose wasn’t so sure. There’d been something in his voice, a deep, angry grief in his eyes that was too honest to doubt. She thought about the reports of her kidnapping she’d accessed on the TC Zanr had given her. Lately, since she had to accept that Parnell had used her for his own cruel amusement, she doubted everything she thought she knew. What could her family be involved in?

They ate and Rose wiped her hands and mouth. “Thank you, that was so good.” She picked up her cup and then frowned, put it down. She stared at Zanr, her anger forgotten. “I don’t think I have any feeling in my fingers.” Terror gripped her so hard she could barely speak. Was this the beginning; would she lose sensation and then the use of her limbs?

Zanr took her hand in his. “Close your eyes.” She felt his big, warm claw on the back of her hand. “Do you feel this?”

She frowned. “I feel your hand cradling mine.”

He carefully laid her hand down on the table and she missed his comforting hold. “Now do you feel me touching you?”

She swallowed. “No.”

“Open your eyes. You have lost sensation in your fingertips. I will talk to Viglar.”

Rose opened her eyes and they stared at each other. “Those horrible little machines are starting to kill me,” she whispered. Somehow, she’d hoped that they’d remain dormant.

Zanr grunted and it was only when the image of the doctor appeared that she realized he’d been speaking.

The doctor instructed Zanr in English to do a few scans and asked Rose some questions. He and Zanr talked in their language for a while longer before the image of the doctor disappeared.

“What did he say?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted to know.

“The nanos are attacking your nervous system. They are moving slow, but it is only a matter of time. The scientists on the ship to home world are looking for the correct data among the confiscated material to send to the home planet.”

“I will go crazy if I think about it too much. Let’s just concentrate on the assignment.”

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