Page 5 of Alien in the Attic

Arccoo jumped up. “If you don’t mind me having that. It smelled delicious earlier,” he said. “But I can heat it up. I’ve learned how to use the instant heating chamber.”

“No, you can’t heat it in the microwave. It’ll get all soggy. Let me.” She smiled brightly at him, and he thought his heart would stop from how beautiful she was.

She turned on the oven and decanted the food into a ceramic dish.

“Did you turn off the oven that first night?”

Arccoo grimaced. “I did. I smelled gas, and I thought you were going to blow up the place. Our cooking appliances are all electronic,” he said apologetically. “When I heard you yelling at your siblings, I felt terrible.”

Carmen laughed. “I really thought they were playing a trick on me!”

After putting the food in the oven, she sat down again, resting her arms on the table and leaning forward eagerly.

“What about Sofia’s backpack? That must have been you. Were you looking for something?”

Arccoo sighed. “I saw the bag of equipment when she came in, and I had hoped I would find something I could have used to fix my ship. I did not mean to wake her, or to make such a mess.”

“Is there some technology on Earth that could fix your ship? I’ve always wondered if some people know how to travel space and just haven’t shared it with the world.” She trailed off, her eyes flicking to a photograph of her grandparents on the wall.

Arccoo followed her gaze, frowning as he wondered why the older couple had not told their family about their space travels. It was not his place, he decided.

“The advanced camera equipment on my planet has similar power devices to what we use to power our ships, albeit on a smaller scale. They’re called frillin crystals. I was curious whether that technology existed here.”

Carmen nodded thoughtfully. “I’m guessing not?”

Arccoo shook his head. The smell of melted cheese filled the kitchen as the timer dinged, and Carmen served him the food. It tasted even better than it smelled.

“So, are you stuck here for good? If your dad’s the king, won’t they miss you?”

“I sent a signal to a nearby sentry ship,” Arccoo said between bites. “Hopefully they won’t be much longer. I will not impose on you further. I will return to my ship and remain there until they come.”

Carmen shook her head quickly. “No, no, that’s okay. If you were staying here, it means it’s more comfortable than the ship. Right? So just stay. My sisters won’t mind. They’ll be too fascinated.” She laughed. “I can’t wait to tell them!”

Arccoo smiled at her, knowing he couldn’t ask her to keep this secret from them. He sat back, stomach satisfied, and studied her. She really was gorgeous, and he liked looking at her.

“Tell me more about them. I’ve seen things here and there, but I am looking forward to meeting them. Properly, that is.”

Carmen laughed again, her smile lighting up as she started describing each of her siblings. Arccoo listened intently, her face animated as she told him about Sofia’s failed ghost-hunting career and Elena’s amazing accomplishments with her studies. He found himself hoping the sentry ship would take a few more days so he could spend more time with Carmen, and he instantly felt guilty.

No, he had to get back. His people needed him.

Chapter 3

Carmen

Carmen woke slowly to the morning sun streaming through the light curtains in her bedroom. Groaning, she pulled a pillow over her head to block it out. She was usually an early riser, but after her discovery last night, she was tired. She sat up in bed in a rush, the realization shaking her out of her slumber.

“Holy shit,” she whispered. “Aliens exist. And one is living in my house.”

She blushed slightly as she thought of him. Arccoo, with his glimmering skin and hypnotic violet eyes. Once the fear had subsided, she hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off him. She couldn’t help wondering how his skin would feel against hers or whether his lips tasted as soft as they looked.

She quickly got dressed and rushed downstairs, preparing some coffee.

“Good morning, Carmen.” She turned to see Arccoo walking into the kitchen, his hair slightly mussed. Though he’d probably slept less than her, he was perfectly put together. He wore a tunic and tight-fitting pants, the fabric looking silky to the touch and shimmering in the morning light.

“Good morning,” she replied shyly, struck by his handsomeness. She bit her lip, and then her eyes went wide as she heard Elena calling down to her.

“Like we planned?” she whispered to Arccoo.

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