Page 23 of Claimed By the Alien Barbarian

“I don’t understand half of what you say to me.”

“Welcome to my world. You appear stunned. Look at it as if I have my own gods who provide for me like yours does for you.”

“Do you?”

“Not really. Like I said, we have religion on Earth, and many believe in one god or another, but as far as tangible things go, miracles are a rarity. Most of us have learned that if we want to get things done, we need to do it ourselves.”

“Your gods no longer listen?”

“I don’t know, and it hardly matters any longer.”

She was right. She would live here now, and our gods would take care of her just as they did us.

If only I could get the ones in this area to help me protect my mate. I’d call out to them later and explain what I needed. If any still listened, surely, they’d help.

I cleaned the fish and returned to find her tubers simmering inside the pan she’d placed over the flames. After calling for the right sort of sticks, I speared the fish and set them to the side to wait for a decent pile of coals to form for cooking. Settling with the enormous tree trunk to my back, I asked the trees to give me a few branches suitable for carving a new spear. When they arrived, I selected the best and started removing the bark.

Kerry continued to stare at me with wide eyes. “If I didn’t see it happen, I’d never believe it.”

“Would you like the trees to send you appropriate branches for new arrows?”

“Sure.”

I grinned as the trees responded to my hum.

“This . . . Can you talk to the trees and ask them to protect us tonight?” She stroked Molly’s fur. The creature had climbed into her lap and was dozing in the warmth of the flames.

“I can ask, but there’s no guarantee they’ll do anything if someone approaches. Sometimes, they do as we ask. Other times, they ignore us.”

“Sounds like most gods, ignoring us, that is.” Tipping her head back, she peered up. “You said we’ll sleep on a branch again?”

“It’s safest.”

“Alright,” she said with a sigh.

As the sun went down, I built the fire higher, calling for more wood to hold us until it was time to sleep. The light played across Kerry’s face, and intense longing suddenly gripped me deep inside my chest. She was pretty in an unusual way, and I liked that her features and coloring were different from mine.

Each of my inhalations felt heavy, weighed down by the words I couldn’t say. I yearned for her touch, her affection, her love—seemingly within my reach, yet so far away. The silence between us screamed louder than the roar of the river behind us and the crackle of the fire. I swallowed hard, trying to disguise the lump of pain in my throat. The agony of wanting what I may never have gnawed at my insides, leaving me hollow and aching.

What would it take to convince her to welcome me as her mate? I’d do almost anything to make it happen.

She gently settled Molly on the ground close to the fire and stood. “Is it safe for me to wash in the river?”

“It’s getting dark.” I stood as well. “I’ll stand guard.” I’d never leave her alone with a possible predator nearby.

After staring at me for a long moment, she nodded. “I appreciate it.” Taking some items from her pack, she walked over to the bank of the river.

I could actually remain near the fire and still protect her but that didn’t feel like enough. I wanted to stand beside her and growl at anything that might think of coming near.

She lowered her things to the ground and straightened, rubbing her lower back while staring across the water. Mist scooted across the surface, caught by the wind, and swirled into a dance.

“It’s pretty here,” she said. “That was the thing I noticed right away, along with the crisp clean air, water that was so clear I could see all the way to the bottom, and the way everything tastes so much fresher than where I come from. I suspect we’ve slowly leached most of the nutrients from our soil, where your world feels brand new and untouched.”

“I’d like to say we’ve done all we can to preserve the beauty of Zuldrux, but I suspect we’ve done nothing. This is the work of the gods who joined us long ago.”

“I’m going to take off my clothing and swim a bit. I’ve made do with quick washes, but I need a complete bath.”

“Wait,” I jerked out the last word before she could say or do anything else. “I admire you very much.”

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