Page 37 of Beauty and the Alien Beast
How am I going to find a compromise that will let me keep my connections on Earth and with him?
I sighed.Survive first. Worry about your love life second.
Wait, did I say love life? Shit. Well, it looks like I got attached to the alien.
I slipped free of the double circle of his arms and got up to stretch. My joints and muscles popped, and I ached a little in unfamiliar places.
Being with Teken was the best sex of my life.And just that thought had me shook.I need to keep my head together.
Brax yawned hugely and leaned into a good head scratch, then settled back down to sleep. His fur was damp, and he seemed tired.
He was guarding us all night, poor, loyal thing. And I’m damn glad of it.
It was still raining and thundering loudly, but the earlier monsoon had lessened to a downpour. Dawn had broken outside, flooding the cave with thin light. I drained the water bottle, then moved to the cave mouth to refill it and rinse off in the rain. The weird calls of unfamiliar creatures were starting to rise from the jungle as the storm slowly began to dry up.
Then I heard what I swore was the hoot of a nearby owl, and I blinked. I looked back at the dog again, sleeping soundly.More imports from Earth?
I enjoyed the earthy scent of Teken’s body on my skin, but the itchiness of dried sweat got to be too distracting after a while. The rain was still warm enough to be comfortable, despite the early-morning hours. I wondered just how hot it got here.
I know so little about this planet.
I didn’t know if the slavers were outlaws or accepted by this society. And I was still perplexed about where Teken stood on the subject of his people buying hostesses from the Omers. He seemed to dislike the whole slave thing, but according to what I learned at the facility, his people needed females to mate with or his race would go extinct.
Is that all I am to him—a birthing vessel?
No. That’s a ridiculous theory.No one in their right mind would risk their life over a potential baby mama. There had to be more to Teken’s story.
Is he some sort of cop? A vigilante?
I paused, a brief chill washing over me.
A competitor? Is he just kidnapping me and seducing me so he can pimp me out later?
The shock of suspicion ran through me and away so fast that it barely made an impression.
No, that’s silly.He wouldn’t have treated me so kindly and protectively if all that were true. But my immediate reaction did point out just how little I knew about my new lover, aside from his devotion to me.
Maybe someone hired him to rescue me.
No. That doesn’t make sense. Who would hire him?
Mom didn’t know any aliens. I was pretty sure she would have mentioned that shit, given she was crappy at keeping secrets. And she was the only one I could think of who would be willing to pay a ransom for me.
She must be so worried. I must get back to her or let her know that I’m okay somehow. Teken will help me. He must—once he sees how important this is to me. Right?
I finished rinsing out my hair and combing my fingers through the thickness as I stared out over the jungle. The rain was now down to a misty drizzle. I stepped back, wringing my hair out, and let myself dry while I pondered my next moves.
The warm air brushed against my skin as it rose from the jungle, scented heavily with flowers, greenery, and mud. Now and again, the musk of some animal slipped past my nostrils.
It’s beautiful. Especially after Teken left me feeling this good. But it’s still hard to enjoy it while I’m scared for my life.
I had to trust that my new companion had my best interests in mind. He certainly acted that way, but because I couldn’t talk things out with him, I had no idea how to ask about his motives. And why did he think I was his mate?
I wanted to know where we were going and how long it would take to get there. And interrogate him about important things like who he worked for and what would happen once we reached our destination.
It was like walking around blindfolded and trusting a stranger to guide me unharmed. But at least Teken was working hard for my trust and not just expecting it.
Oh, and there was the fact that he was amazing when it came to sex. Which made me wonder why he was so skilled and tireless.Is that a Wulfaen Gladiator “I can go all night long” thing?
