Page 14 of All I Want For Christmas Is An Alien
“Go to sleep,” Ruby says beside him. I didn’t even hear her enter, but she’s never far from him. The connection of mates. I look inside myself and feel Havok in my soul. He’s okay. I knowit, but I need to see it with my eyes, to wrap my arms around him and breathe him in.
I flash them both a quick smile. The bedroom door clicks shut and I lie down. “Sholan, I’m waiting for you,” I whisper as I close my eyes.
I wake up with a start.I don’t know what woke me, but it’s dark as can be outside and the house is completely quiet.
Except a faint knock at the front door.
I race to my window and see a ship has landed in the distance. My heart sinks. It’s a small ship, the type the military uses for quick travel on Zyan, not the larger vessels they use for interstellar missions.
Dread weaves through me with every step I take down the stairs. The white lights flickering on the tree, individual ornaments Melikk designed, cast a soft light over the room and the sea of sleeping children. Crispin and Clementine lie curled up against their cousins.
Slowly, I tiptoe through the maze of children in their colorful pajamas, and head to the door.
I take one deep breath before opening it.
Havok is fine. This is not bad news. He’s late. That’s all.
Finally, I open the door. My eyes shoot to the incredibly broad shoulders and silver eyes of a Zyanthan male, but it’s his uniform that shatters me. A zyanthan soldier who has no reason to be here, except to deliver bad news.
Just as my entire body begins to shake, a shadow overtakes me from behind. “It’s okay, Jade,” Makov says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “This is my cousin Jaizon. Who apparently re-enlisted in the military since I last saw him a week ago. A head injury Jaizon?”
Jaizon takes in the site of all the kids sleepingon the floor. “Are you looking for a beating, Mak? We can go outside if you’d like.”
“You’re not here with news about Havok?” I ask.
“I’m not part of the ZDC anymore. The uniform is in case anyone catches me landing on Zyan illegally.”
“Illegally?”
“Not through a base or port.”
“I’m stopping in to say hi to Torin. I had to make a delivery nearby and I can’t stay long. I need to get home to my family for Christmas.”
“Christmas?” I repeat. “Oh, that’s right. You’re married to a human as well. We haven’t met before. I’m Jade.” I extend my hand, then quickly withdraw. Zyanthans don’t shake hands. With my thoughts on Havok, I’m not thinking clearly. “I’d love to have you and your family over the next time you’re on Zyan. We humans who are mated to Zyanthan warriors are close, but there’s always room for more.”
“This is my first time…home… in years, but I will tell Anya of your invitation.” He struggles with the word ‘home,’ even as his eyes meet Makov’s.
“Come, we’ll wake Torin,” Makov says.
I don’t ask Makov what he’s carrying in the bag as he leaves the house, or why he’s stopping outside the door to grab a hand full of snow. Jaizon’s silver eyes light as Makov packs the snow into a sizeable snowball, and forms a snowball of his own. I watch as the two sneak off toward the ship, and I do meansneak. They’re in warrior mode, planning an attack.
I laugh, as a sense of normalcy returning as I head upstairs with a new idea. Just because Havok didn’t make it home before Christmas Eve doesn’t mean we can’t extend Christmas until he does. This is Zyan. New world, new rules. It has been since the beginning, but somewhere along the way I got so wrapped up in making everything perfect for the holiday I forgot whatChristmas and living on Zyan with my family, new and old, is all about.
I actually bounce as I take the stairs. In a few hours, I’ll wake up to the giggles, screeches, and sounds of kids bursting with joy as they open their presents. And I will remember and recount every screech and smile to my sholan. And maybe leave the mess for him to enjoy as well. Nothing says Christmas like wrapping paper and ribbons all over the floor. Or in this case, zyanthan cloth bags and twine with flowers and fovi sprigs attached.
I fall asleep easier than expected, dreaming of my sholan and the Christmas we’ll have when he returns.
CHAPTER EIGHT
HAVOK
I’m standing on the roof of my own home pulling up the rope with the bag Makov attached below. With an arm full of snowballs, he and Jaizon head off towardThe Relentless.
‘Incoming,’ I type into my comm to Torin. That’s the only warning I’ll give him. He’ll figure out the rest soon enough. I wonder if Makov has the code to enterThe Relentless.
Amidst the falling snow, I strip and change into the clothing Makov gave me. With this and the use of the cleanser aboard Jaizon’s ship, I’m ready for Operation Santa Claus Will Be Coming Tonight.
In a controlled descent, I rappel down the side of the house to my bedroom window. Inside, my beautiful sholani lies on her side, her back to me. My cocks are already hard but never has my heart been so full of joy as to see her safe in our home.
