Page 31 of Whisked Away By the Alien

“I will fit.”

I ponder that as I lead the charge out of the kitchen and into the Birnbaum battlefield.

* * *

STENIKOV

Golda’s behaviorchanges the moment we leave the kitchen. Her previous tension returns and she barely looks in my direction. But when she does, her color deepens and I know she’s thinking of our interlude in the kitchen. I, on the other hand, cannot take my eyes from her.

She made my cocks rise. Both of them. A zyanthan male’s mating cock only rises for his sholani, the female he’s destined for. I can no longer deny the truth.

Golda’s my heart mate.

Never had I expected to find my sholani at such a young age or among another species. I’ve heard of other warriors mating humans and producing younglings, which means our two species are compatible. But many zyanthan males live for decades without ever finding their heartmate. While I’m ready for a mate and a family, I worry that Golda is not.

I know all I need to know about her. She’s a warm, intelligent female who cares very much about her family and her people. True, she and her mother have an unusual relationship, but she listens to her mother, helps her, and clearly cares about her. This caring nature is what I want in a female…in my sholani.

“Stenikov, did you hear me?” Mr. Birnbaum asks.

“My apologies. I’m distracted. Please repeat your question.”

“I asked how long you’ve been working for GI7.”

“Three months. I worked as a marshal on Tunzen before coming to Earth. Zyan Defense Command assigned me to GI7 due to the marshal shortage. Before that, I handled recon as part of a special ops team.”

“You’ve only been on Earth for a few weeks and already your commander promoted you to New York. That’s impressive.”

“I would not call it a promotion.”

“You’re here alone. Before the field office has been built. Sounds like your commander believes in you.”

“I’m a warrior. I go where I’m ordered. Commander Kesk ordered me here because he believes I need additional interaction with humans. And some… supervision.”

Mrs. Birnbaum stops pouring the coffee. “Why?”

“While in Los Angeles, I had a confrontation with a male. I fired my blaster and was reprimanded as a result. It’s why I no longer carry a blaster.”

“What happened?” she asks.

“I met a group of males playing a game called basketball. I asked them about it. They did not like my presence. One of the males challenged me. He told me to take my best shot and threw the ball at me. I shot it. It was a good shot, too, though not a true demonstration of my skills. I can shoot much smaller items at greater distances. The basketball exploded, and the males ran off.”

All four humans laugh at my story. How very confusing. None of the males playing basketball laughed. Nor the policemen who reprimanded me. Or Zirkov. He sent me here fortraining.

Not that I regret it. I never would have met Golda otherwise.

“Finish up, Golda,” Mrs. Birnbaum says. “Your father and I will clean up. I don’t want you to miss the last bus. Stenikov can walk you to the bus stop.”

Mrs. Birnbaum has that look in her eyes again, one that I cannot interpret. As always, I turn to Golda.

She’s glaring at her mother as she puts down her coffee. “She’s right. I have to get going. Are you sure you don’t mind walking me to the bus?”

I’ve been looking forward to the chance to be alone with her again. While I find her family intriguing, they don’t occupy my thoughts as much as Golda. Which makes sense. She is my sholani.

CHAPTERTEN

GOLDA

Heavy snowflakes glide to the ground as we leave my parents’ brownstone. Despite the chill in the air, I love how fresh and hopeful my neighborhood looks coated in a fresh, crisp-white layer of snow.

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