Page 35 of An Alien for the Future

“Donna?” I pound on the door. “Are you alright?” There’s no response, just another muffled groan. I try the handle—it’s unlocked. A blessing, because I would have punched my way through the thing otherwise. Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and step inside.

The sight that greets me sends a chill through my body. Donna is on the floor, half-slumped against a toppled seat. Her face is pained, her breathing labored. A sheen of sweat covers her forehead, and her eyes are unfocused.

Oh Gods, no.

I’m at her side in an instant, kneeling beside her, pulling her into my arms. “Donna?” I’ve seen a lot of things. Things that would strike fear into any normal citizen, and none of those things made me shake the way I’m shaking now as I run a claw down mykahl’sjaw. “Can you hear me, lira’an? What happened?”

Donna blinks slowly, her gaze finally focusing on my face. “Tovan?” Her voice is weak, confused. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know.” I’m not going to argue about that. She’s right. I shouldn’t be here. She told me explicitly to leave several sols ago. “I heard a sound. You’re not well.” I swallow hard, my claw moving over her jaw again. She’s clammy to the touch. “We need to get you to your sleeping cushion. Where is it?”

I lift my head, briefly scanning the room. It’s a small lodge. Homely. If my core-beat wasn’t stop-starting in my chest, I would have spent more time appreciating the way she’s decorated the interior. There’s a sweet scent in the room though, one that’s not my mate in my arms, and I look up to see a tableladen with what looks like several different…I don’t know what they are, but they look like food.

She tries to push herself up, but her arms tremble with the effort. She’s weak. “You’re not taking me to my bedroom.”

I could grunt a laugh, but it won’t come. Even in this situation, she’s indignant. She doesn’t want me here. It should hurt, will probably hurt later when I return to my camp and have time to think about it, but right now, looking down at my mate in pain and not knowing why, has erased everything else from my mind.

Without further hesitation, I scoop her up into my arms. The fullness of her body against mine pushes the heat of her body even through my scales. For a moment, she tenses in my grip, and I fear she’ll push me away. But almost as if her body’s needed this for a while, a sigh causes her to relax, her head resting against my chest.

I head to the room I assume holds her sleeping cushion. It’s not. It’s the washroom. That only leaves one other door in this small lodge, and I head there instead. It’s a small sleeping cushion. If I shared it with her, it would force her to press against me each dark cycle with nowhere else to go. I push the thought away as I lay her down, but as I start to pull away, Donna grabs my wrist. Electricity sparks at the spot, spreading through my entire being.

“Why are you here?” she whispers. “I told you to leave.”

“I know.” My voice is soft, much softer than it ever has been. “And I will, as soon as I know you’re alright. But right now, you need help. Please, let me help you.”

She looks at me for a long moment, those eyes, despite the weakness in them, studying me. “You smell like dirt.”

I blink at her. The unexpected utterance has me speechless. Again, on another occasion, I would laugh. I can’t now.

“You don’t have to stay,” she continues. “It’s just low blood sugar. I forgot to eat. Been too busy trying to figure out how to make the damn bluebread perfect.” She takes a moment to rub her eyes as her mouth opens in a yawn. “It’s nothing serious.”

“You didn’t eat?” While I’ve been snacking on meal squares, my mate was going hungry?

She shakes her head, trying to rise. “No.”

A growl rumbles in my throat before I can stop it. “Stay here. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Turning, I head out the door, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. But before I can leave, Donna’s voice reaches me. “Tovan, you’re not supposed to be here.”

I stop, looking at her over my shoulder. “I know.”

There’s a flash of something in her eyes but it isn’t anger. It’s something else. Before she can force me away again, I head out of the room to the meal preparation area.

Mykahlneeds food, and I will provide it. The fact that I’ve only ever prepared meals for myself, and rarely, is a minor detail I choose to ignore.

Surveying the room, I take in the various utensils and appliances. I have similar ones in my nestkan but have never had to use them. Meal squares are easy to buy and fulfill basic nutrition. It’s what most Kari like me live on. I could go out to my camp, grab a few, but Donna needs a proper meal. So, I push aside my uncertainty and focus on the task at hand.

First, I need something to prepare the meal in. My eyes land on a large cooking pot, and I grab it. Water seems like a good start, so I fill the pot and place it on the heating element. Now for ingredients.

I rummage through the storage units, pulling out anything that looks remotely edible. Dried root vegetables of various shapes and colors find their way into my arms, along with some dried herbs and a package of what I think might be grain.

Returning to the pot, I dump everything in. The water splashes over the sides, and I hastily wipe it away. Now what? Heat, of course. I fiddle with the controls until I hear a satisfying hum and see a faint glow beneath the pot.

As the concoction begins to bubble, I realize I should probably be stirring it. I grab a long-handled utensil and begin to mix, sending more water sloshing over the sides. Okay, slower, softer. The smell that rises from the pot is…interesting. Not necessarily bad, but certainly unique.

After what feels like an eternity, I decide the food must be ready. I ladle a generous portion into a bowl and grab a small curved utensil that will be perfect to scoop mouthfuls into my mate’s small mouth. Heading back to Donna’s room, I try not to spill the steaming mixture.

Sight of her sends my core-beat into disarray and my skin heats underneath my scales. She’s propped herself up on the sleeping cushion and she is…luscious.

---