Page 100 of All You Need is Alien Love
“Sorry, babe. Your health needs to be our top priority right now. I didn’t mean to get so distracted.”
Kai kisses my cheek. “Relax. I’m not worried. I feel completely fine. No different from usual. I think Adeline’s concoction was a dud. I’m sure I will get a clean bill of health, so don’t stress.”
Ellie paces the small space. “It’s possible whatever Adeline created just hasn’t taken effect yet.”
Maddox crosses his arms. “That’s what I was thinking as well.”
My heart jumps with worry but I put on a brave face when I see Kai’s brow furrow with his own concern.
Looking a bit more uncertain now, Kai takes a seat on the exam table as Driego, the med tech with pointy ears and two small, adorable horns on his head, gets situated with the bio scanner machine. He gives us all a curious look before consulting with Kai.
“Is… everyone staying in the room while we do this?”
Kai surveys our family members from both sides and sighs. “For now, yeah. It’s best to get this over with and have them here, otherwise they’re all going to demand answers afterward. Better to just tell everyone all at once.”
I move to his side away from the scanner and squeeze his hand, trying to invest every ounce of support into it that I can. “Good call, babe. But if you need me to kick them out, just tell me.” I flex my bicep. “I can strong-arm them out.”
He chuckles. “Thank you, darling. I want to hurry so we can go back to the others.”
I know how worried he is about Wilder and I don’t blame him. But right now, he needs to focus on himself. And if he won’t, then by golly, I sure as hell will!
Driego starts scanning Kai while asking questions about the substance Adeline administered to him.
Doing my best not to give in to my simmering rage, I explain what happened and when I get to the part with Adeline injecting him against his will—and her even more insidious reproduction plan—it looks like each and every single one of them is ready to go kick some Darth Layne-der and Adeline ass. Although my money’s on my mom and Ellie.
I’d be more than happy to join them too. Now that the danger has passed, my outrage is rising to dizzying new heights.
How very fuckingdarethey?
Driego pauses what he’s doing to some data on the bio scanner’s screen. “I do detect a chemical cocktail of sorts in your system that appears to be a synthetic hormone trigger.” He frowns. “Have you experienced any symptoms of Tentaculum Calefaction since it was administered?”
Kai shakes his head. “None. And believe me, I know what to be on the lookout for by now. I feel perfectly fine.”
Driego frowns. “There doesn’t appear to be anything toxic or poisonous in the substances I’m seeing here but, in theory, thecombination of them should be stimulating your hormones and triggering an episode, even if it were only a mild or incomplete one.”
“Like Ellie suggested, maybe it hasn’t kicked in yet? Can we administer a hormone inhibitor to stop things in their tracks?” I offer, relieved to know that at least the substance isn’t dangerous to my boo.
Driego considers this. “Perhaps, but it appears to have attached to the hormone receptors, so something should have happened by now.”
Grandma Iris’s gaze is laser-focused on Driego. “You’re saying this substance that traitor Adeline used on him actually works?”
Driego hesitates. “I can’t say for sure, since I’ve never encountered a situation quite like this before. But from what I’m detecting on a molecular level, the substance should work. It’s quite ingenious, actually, the way it—” He cuts himself off when he’s inundated with angry glares from all around him.
Iris strokes her chin thoughtfully. “Scan his lower abdomen and focus on the tentacles.”
Kai jolts, and I stare at her. “Why do we need to do that?”
Ellie stares at her son with an odd look on her face. “No fucking way,” she whispers.
Maddox holds her tightly in his arms, a worried frown on his face.
Iris is the one to respond again. “There is one thing that can decisively halt a current or future episode of Tentaculum Calefaction.”
Kai pales and looks like she just sucker punched him.
“Oh my,” my mom says, her eyes wide.
“Oh my, what? Da fuck is happening right now?” I’m hella confused and seriously starting to freak out.
