Page 62 of An Alien for the Farm

When he crouches, searching for supplies in the trunk, I look down to see that it’s filled with what looks like medical items. Retrieving a device, something that looks like a barcode scanner, he continues following the instructions relayed through his communicator.

Gently, he positions the scanner over my head. A soft hum fills the room as it activates, emitting a faint blue light. He watches the readings with complete focus, adjusting the device as instructed.

“Keep your eyes open, kahlesta,” he says softly, his eyes flicking from the scanner to my face. “I need to check for any serious injuries.”

“I really am fine,” I murmur. “It’s just a little bump. I can walk it off.”

His gaze flickers with doubt as he listens to the person on the comm.

“I will do my best,” he says to them before ending the ping and taking out a small patch that looks like a circular Band-Aid.

“This will help with the dizziness,” he explains before gently pressing it against my neck. Immediately, I feel a cool sensation spreading through me.

Next, he takes out a bandage. I don’t move, allowing him to part my hair as he looks at my scalp.

“It isn’t deep,” he murmurs, reaching back with one hand for a bit of gauze, which he uses to clean the area. “But Zynar will have my throat for not arriving soon enough to protect you.”

I shake my head, wincing again with the movement. “This isn’t your fault. I went to help the silly ooga and found out it was simply spooked by some furry demon.”

Varek tilts his head, the protective suit he’s wearing rustling with the movement. “Fuhree demon?”

I shrug. “I don’t know what it was. First time seeing an animal like that. It was small and round and filled with fur. Tiny little legs I almost couldn’t see underneath the fur. It looked like a rolling cotton ball.”

“Ah, an umu.”

I wince as another pang goes through my head. “Are they dangerous?”

Varek chuckles and I wonder how he can laugh when it feels like everything is falling apart around us.

“No,” he says. “Sounds like the ooga stepped on it and it got angry. “They can turn into terrible little beasts when annoyed.”

“Just my luck,” I grunt. “It was snarling at the ooga and spooked it. I don’t think the ooga meant me harm. I was just in the way.”

“I should have been here. If we knew there was a chance…” He trails off as he secures the bandage over the wound. A cool sensation spreads from the spot, too.

“Thanks,” I whisper, gaze shifting up to him as he steps back and closes the trunk. “Did you check on Zynar?”

Varek stills before nodding so slightly I wouldn’t have seen it if I wasn’t looking at him.

“So, you saw that he isn’t alright.” I frown, closing my eyes for a moment to ward away the pain still in my skull.

“No,” Varek’s voice lowers. “He is not.”

Whatever he’s done is making me feel a bit better already. The dizziness is fading fast but the pounding in my head is still there. I open my eyes, my gaze moving over the suit he’s covered head to toe in.

“What’s this about…about this contamination?” I gulp. “What’s that about?”

“A precaution,” he says. His claw clenches and releases on the handle of the trunk as if he’s not quite sure what to do with his hands.

“Precaution?”

Varek nods again. That slight, almost easily missed motion. “I cannot touch you.”

I blink at him through my still-pounding headache. And then it dawns. The hazmat-like suit. The fact he refuses to touch me. The fact he won’t go near his brother. “Oh no…” My heartbeat slows down as dread slowly fills me. The longer I think about it, the clearer it seems. Zynar’s change in color. His fever. The way his whole demeanor has changed.

“Oh, no no… He’s sick, isn’t he? Did we… Did I…” I can’t even say it. I don’t know anything about pathogens. Who knows if us having sex did something. Some people are allergic to semen and Zynar had copious amounts of it. What if it’s a reverse reaction to being mixed with my fluids?

Varek keeps his gaze down but shakes his head. “No, kahlesta. What is happening to Zynar is no disease or illness.”

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