Page 18 of Veras
I made him set me down. But before I headed to the cleaning chamber, I set my treasures on the floor and examined, tested, and even tasted each surprise.
“Why are you taking so long?” He huffed and paced around me.
“Because I want to.” I ignored him and reveled in my gifts.
“You have never acted this happywith me. Your glee is overwhelming, but it has to do with the things I gave you. Are all Earthers this materialistic?” He tapped his thumbs against his waist and grumbled, “I want to bathe now.”
“Go for it.”
“Without you?”
I didn’t bother to answer. Instead, I glopped on a liquid-like cream that smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. He’d been dismissed, and the sooner he recognized it, the better. I was having fun for the first time in a long time. I wouldn’t allow anyone to ruin it, especially an impatient and broody alien.
CHAPTER 8
Never,everhada shower been this glorious. The water flowed like a mini waterfall, streaming into a carved-out section of the mountain rock. It ran into a small pond just big enough to step into. The water there rose and emptied every few minutes, acting as an automatic flush toilet. Any waste deposited into the area drained out within minutes.
It was a shower and toilet in one.Ingenio.Absolutely ingenious.
The waterfall was tinged with Oro, enough that I gulped it down, trying to replenish the sparse amount flowing through my veins. It made all the difference in the world. Then I experimented with every one of my treasures: soaps, shampoos, lotions… and only had to redo a few blunders.
Eventually, I’d removed all the hair on my legs, underarms, arms, and part of my girly bits. Not all of it, but enough that it looked pretty…and tamed. I’d been sporting a giant bush for years.
Next came the hair on my head. I trimmed and combed for what felt like hours, but I allowed myself to relax into the repetition, soothed by the familiar actions. Memories of myabuelacombing and braiding my hair when I was younger made a lump grow in my throat. She’d died before I was abducted, and I was grateful she’d never known I was taken. The rest of my family had been fractured. My mother had abandoned us for some loser, and my father died before I was old enough to remember him.
Ready and sparkly clean, I studied the warm brown of my skin. Everything about me looked shrunken and emaciated. I’d had plenty of weight to spare before the abduction. This new body was leaner and meaner, but it was still me. I was still here. I’d beaten the odds.
Thanks to Veras.
I sighed, realizing I hadn’t been as kind to him as I could have been. From what he’d said, he’d been alone for over a hundred years. He was grateful I’d saved him and obviously felt responsible for me. In a short time, I’d come to trust him enough not to worry that he would lash out or punish me like the Aavvee. I could act bratty, talkative… be the real me in front of him. And for that, he deserved my thanks, not my outbursts. I needed to exercise more patience.
I threw on an oversized gray uniform, one Veras had thoughtfully slipped into the pile of creams and lotions. It was made of a sturdy material that felt like thick cotton. To my surprise, the jumpsuit conformed to my body, shrinking and adjusting until it flowed over me from head to toe. And even though the air was humid, the material protected my skin from the elements. Remaining cool in the heat.
Alien technology. Amazing.
I still had so many questions for Veras. Why the hell was he fixated on killingeverybodyon the planet? How about only the bad guys? His plan sucked. Luckily, he had me now. We could figure this out. Together.
I made my way out of the showers, searching for where he bathed. Down a long, winding hallway, I came to a sparkling paradise. The grotto wasn’t inside the facility but outside, covered in a canopy of pink and purple leaves. Even now, in the perpetual twilight, the place took on a magical feel. Twinkling geodes far above looked like stars in the night sky.
It was easy enough to find him. I watched him bathe and got the full blast of his feelings—annoyance and longing emanated from my moody alien. The sorrow that bled from him made me feel even worse about dismissing him. Maybe the last years had numbed me out—or maybe his people were just extremely open with their emotions.
He stood in the stream, naked, his dark mohawk sticking straight up. The dark strands looked thicker than human hair, and they rose and fell against his head like porcupine quills, not quite as sharp but thick and distinct. They almost reminded me of cartilage.
I stood before him, butterflies rioting in my stomach. I wondered what he’d think of me now. Before I lost myself to anxiety, I took the time to study his broad shoulders and washboard abs. Again, the physiology was similar to humans, but he definitely had an extra set of muscles bracketing his flat stomach and muscular chest.
My eyes traveled lower to his missing member, nothing more than a smooth golden bump. Such a shame. My body responded strongly to him, yet he was so… alien.
He didn’t look at me, which meant he’d probably “heard’ me coming a mile away. Obviously still annoyed with me, he refused to meet my eye. The spikes lining his spine were relaxed. They circled around his back, flush against his skin.
All of the bruised feelings, the neglect, the pain of the last few years bubbled up, and I was seconds from lashing out. How could he judge me? He had no idea what I’d been through.
But neither did I.
His experiences could have been a thousand times worse. I wouldn’t allow my abduction to strip me of compassion and gratitude. I wouldn’t let the Aavvee rob me of decency. Of my humanity. “Veras.”
He didn’t turn around.
“Thank you for your kindness.”
