Page 26 of Veras
“Like the Aavvee.”
I’m going to die.The words came, unbidden. Like rapid-fire. And I was looking Veras right in the eye as they slammed through my mind.
“Fear not, little Earther. You are safe.”
“You keep saying that but nothow. Is it because I can speak to them?” I sat up. “Do you remember when you were still an alien-dragon, and I was on your back? That really happened, right? Tell me you saw that.” I had spoken to Nito, my gust of wind, for years and didn’t think anything of it. I leaned in and whispered, “Those big tornadoes, I think they heard me.”
“I am not sure what I saw. I almost did not believe it, but they appeared to pause. If that had not happened, I would not have made it through the portal. We would have been destroyed.”
“But how?”
“The Guardians would have ripped us to shreds with the force of the winds. Are you not paying attention?” He tapped his thumbs against his thighs, clearly agitated.
“I wasn’t asking about the Guardians.”Veras. I looked up and counted to ten. “How didIdo it? How did I make them pause, or whatever?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps we share an ancient ancestor.”
I cocked a brow. “Or others of your kind went to Earth and gave some Earth girls the hot beef injection.”
“Impossible.” He crossed his arms and turned away. “We live by a code. The females of our race made thatvery clear.”
Poor Veras. Always playing by the rules and getting nothing for it. “Maybe.”
His gaze snapped back to me. “Don’t lie to me. You know I can feel your doubt. You think I am wrong?’
“Yes, I do.” I shook my head. “Why are you assuming the worst? It’s possible, an Earth girl and a Nozarocan made a genuine connection. Like we did. We aren’t mates, but we found a way.” I pointed at Vinny, who perked up at the attention. “Would that be so wrong?”
“No.”
Vinny started to hum.
Damn, I was quickly becoming obsessed with the vibrating love bug. “Or maybe some of your people found a way around the rules.” Yes, I said it. “And they boned their way across the universe. There could be Nozarocans everywhere.” I crossed my arms when his thumbs began tapping again. “Which I think was a great idea, considering there might not be many of you left anymore.” The words stung. I knew. But a part of me felthe looked down on humans, as if it were impossible for other Nozarocans to find humans attractive, even though he was guilty of it himself.
“You mock my sacrifice. I did everything to uphold my people’s beliefs. I thought you understood that.”
“When it comes to the planet killers, I donot. Why would you think I understood?” I shook my head. “I want tostopthe Guardians from destroying the planet. I also wanted to jump your bones, and thank God, you let me talk you into it, or else you’d have a serious case of blue balls.”
His thumbs stopped tapping, and his eyes went wide. “Parts of you turn color without sexual release?”
“No! It’s an expression. It means Vinny would be aching from the need to come.” I leaned closer, getting sucked into the mist that now surrounded us both.Que rico.“He would be throbbing because he couldn’t be inside me.” I ran my hand down his chest. “I want us to make our own rules. Together. Remember? We get to decide. Think about that.”
“I don’t have to think about it.” He grabbed my hand. “You are right. You are the single most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. You banished my loneliness. Challenged me. Made me feel the most intense pleasure of my life. I would die without you. Wither from within.”
Damn, beautiful alien. I melted on the spot. “That’s why I think I might be able to talk to the Guardians. What if I could stop them? Think Veras. Help me figure this out.”
“Control the wind…” he whispered.
“What?”
“There were women among my people who could sway the Guardians. Perhaps you have some of that ability. Or maybe you were so foreign to them, they were curious.”
“Curious?”
“Oh yes. They watch everything. They protect. They observe. And they judge. That’s why we will all be obliterated.”
My mind spun with the possibilities. They’d heard me, I knew it. There was a connection, however brief. It’d been thrilling. If I could make them listen, I could stop them. And save us.
“No, Truena. You cannot.” He tapped his double thumbs on my hand. “There is a reason they only paused momentarily. The women who whispered to the wind were bathed in Oro on a cellular level. They prepared their whole lives. The Guardians are proud and volatile. So powerful your mind cannot fathom. One wrong tone, one wrong thought, and they could destroy you on the spot. I will not take that chance. Even if you wanted to,” he squeezed my palm, “you would need a massive infusion of Oro. An impossible amount of the purest form.”
