Page 33 of Her Alien Neighbor

Sam thought it was bullshit that Trevor got away with it but wasn’t surprised. She didn’t leave my side after it happened, but I think she could tell I wanted to put it behind me, so we didn’t talk about it at all.

Aunt Franny knew something had happened but wasn’t sure what. When she asked, I said I didn’t want to talk about it. I think eventually my dad told her, long after I moved to L.A., but she never broached the subject with me again.

Seeing Axil on the verge of losing control, it makes me feel…cared for. Like I’m worth protecting. It’s the reaction I wanted right after it happened––for someone, anyone, to be as furious and emotionally shredded as I felt. When I didn’t get that, it made me think what happened wasn’t a big deal. That any lingering pain was an overreaction on my part, and I just needed to get over it.

Clearly, I haven’t, though, because a mere string of words put in a particular order turned me into a trembling, sobbing mess. In L.A., there were no reminders of him, of what happened. I’ve seen a therapist for several years, but I’ve never discussed this part of my life. Not with anyone. I was able to shove it all into a deep, dark corner of my mind and forget about it. But now that I’m back, the wound feels fresh.

“What if he attacks someone else?” Axil yells, getting in Zev’s face. “What if he hurts Vanessa again? We cannot allow this to stand. We must do something.”

“Enough!” Zev shouts, getting behind Axil and shoving him toward the back door through the kitchen. Zev looks back at us as he opens it, then gestures to Axil. “He needs a bit of fresh air. We shall return.”

I sit there, sagging back into the couch as, now completely sober, and Aunt Franny’s face appears in my head, and I’m angry. Angry at her for not letting me run back to the life I know three thousand miles away. She’s the reason I’m stuck here, why I need to show my face around town, and why I’ve had to see the very people I hoped I never would again.

It’s not fair to feel this way. I know that, and I know that my resentment is misplaced. Trevor is the one I hate. Him, Officer Burton, and Beth too. They are the ones who broke me apart and stomped on the pieces.

At some point, I would’ve had to come back here after Dad’s death, I realize, whether for Aunt Franny’s death or for Willa. There are parts of me that remain in Sudbury, as much as I hate to admit it. I suppose it’s better to deal with this now than to let another decade pass with this trauma waiting to rise to the surface.

And if it’s going to happen now in the wake of Aunt Franny’s death, I guess it’s a good thing I’m not alone.

Zev enters through the back door, then holds it open for Axil. Axil does look calmer, but in a way that makes it clear he’d much rather be severing Trevor’s head with his bare hands than remaining composed in my kitchen.

His fiery gaze meets mine and softens as he walks toward me. He kneels in front of me and sighs. “I do not know how to comfort you in this moment,” he reaches into his back pocket, “but I thought this may help. Women seem to like it.” He places a peanut butter cup in my hands.

A laugh escapes me as I look between the treat in my hands and Axil’s face. He didn’t know what to do with his anger, so he got me chocolate. I can’t imagine a more perfect distraction from my past. “Thank you,” I say, tears falling once again, but these are happier. “It’s perfect.”

He smiles, and it knocks the air out of my lungs. I never realized he had dimples hidden beneath that beard, but there they are.

“What else can I do?” he asks, taking one of my hands in his.

I toss the candy to the side and crash into him as I wrap my arms around his neck. He chuckles, surprised by the contact, then splays a hand on my lower back. “Just stay,” I say with a sniffle. “Stay.”

CHAPTER 10

AXIL

She wishes for me to stay, and I shall grant her wish. For a little while, at least. My fury has not waned, but I will hide it for now because that is what Vanessa needs. Zev reminded me the moment we stepped outside that Vanessa is scared and hurting, and while I want nothing more than to find Trevor and pummel him so badly that he can taste his own spine, that would require me to leave Vanessa’s side. She does not want me to do that, so I will not.

Trevor cannot remain free, though. I will not allow this injustice to continue. The sentence for rape on Sufoi is death by flame, the attacker kept alive as their victim shifts into draxilio form and slowly burns the attacker’s skin off their bones. The sentence, while brutal, mirrors the brutality of the crime committed, and thus, has made rape an infrequent and rare crime.

Humans may see this option as too barbaric for their delicate sensibilities, but is not allowing these attackers to remain free even worse? When a rapist is made to pay for their crimes immediately after said crimes have been committed, they can no longer harm others. The structure the humans have put in place to hold rapists accountable makes no sense. There is nothing stopping these wretched beings from causing more pain.

Vanessa’s grip tightens around my neck as she sobs into my shoulder. She tries to muffle her cries using my shirt, but the more I rub her back, the more she lets go. Sharp pain slices through my chest at the thought of her being on the receiving end of an attack like this, from someone she once considered a friend. I cannot imagine a more vile betrayal. It is becoming clear to me why she was so eager to abandon this town.

After a while, Zev pats me on the arm to tell me he is going home. I lift Vanessa as I stand, and her legs instantly wrap around me, her feet crossing at my lower back.

This causes friction between our bodies, and my cock hardens in response. I must ignore this, however, because it is the worst possible time to want her.

“I’m going to stay in case she needs anything,” Sam says, grabbing her shoes and carrying them to one of the guest rooms. “Not sure I’d be okay driving home now anyway.”

“I wish you a restful slumber,” I tell her in an attempt to acknowledge the pain she, too, has carried without actually mentioning it.

She shoots an amused smile my way. “You too, Axil.”

As I turn off the lights around the house with Vanessa still attached to my front, I notice her sobs have ceased. She still trembles, but she is quiet as her breath tickles my neck. When I pull back to look at her, I find her cheek mashed against my shoulder and her eyes closed. I chuckle at the sight of her asleep as pride fills my chest.

It is entirely possible that the stress of the confrontation and the crying that followed has exhausted her. But I want it to be me. I want to be the reason she was able to reach this place. I want the warmth and strength of my body to make her feel protected. Because that is what I plan to do: protect her.

I also find it deeply concerning that such a sinister creature possesses a gun. Bullets will not hurt me, but I have seen enough human news to know how easily they can harm or kill other humans. Hurting others seems to be something Trevor enjoys, as he continues to do so.

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