By this time, we’d had sex often enough that I’d grown accustomed to N’kal’s knot. The swell of it, the feeling of fullness, the way it locked us together and created the most delightful friction inside me.
N’kal slowed his hips to a rhythmic, circular grinding before coming with a satisfied sigh. He buried himself to the hilt and jerked a few times before bending to kiss my neck. He slid out slowly, and I whimpered at how empty I felt.
I never in my life thought I’d miss a man’s dick.
Between my squirting and N’kal’s cum dripping down my thighs afterwards, I knew we’d have to change the sheets. To my relief, N’kal took over that task, even going so far as to pick me up and carry me to the couch while he got fresh linens.
Once the bedding was changed, we snuggled back under the covers together. Through some miracle, the night tremors didn’t return that night. I slept like a rock, safe and secure in N’kal’s arms.
Chapter 27
N’kal
I could watch Timber sleep and never grow weary of the sight. Her plump lips parted, her dark lashes fluttering, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed … It was all so perfect. She was perfect.
Stroking her hair while she slept had a hypnotic, calming effect on me. My concerns seemed less when I was watching her, like all was right in the universe.
Unfortunately, that feeling was all too fleeting, vanishing like mist in the morning sun when she opened her eyes. Memories of all the troubles we faced came barreling back to the forefront of my mind. Timber yawned and stretched, and I knew without a doubt that I had to protect that perfection at all costs.
I plotted just how to protect her while we ate breakfast, while we showered together, while we dressed for the day.
The simplest way to keep Timber safe would be to go far away from her, to eliminate the threat hanging over my headfrom her presence. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her, though, so that idea was out.
Another flash-in-the-pan idea was to solve the case of my would-be assassin, but I was not as clever as Timber in those matters, and if she hadn’t figured it out yet, what chance did I have?
The lack of a clear path of action frustrated me. There had to be a solution that didn’t involve leaving Timber’s side for long.
I found myself wishing I could locate and confront the scarred Xalanite. He knew who had hired him, who had hired Timber’s former partner. It was just a matter of making him talk once he was caught. I was sure Timber could get the information out of him—once he was secured, of course. But how to find him?
Then it hit me: I could act as bait.
If it was really me he wanted, I just had to make myself into a sufficiently attractive target. That meant getting away from the AARO detail somehow, and—loathe as I was to admit it—away from Timber as well. Not for long, I hoped, just long enough to coax the escaped assassin out from hiding.
With that decision made, my next move was to seek the best opportunity to carry out my plan. Since Timber refused to leave my side, that would prove tricky. It also didn’t help that she refused to let me leave the cabin, with or without her.
How was I supposed to solve my attempted murder if I couldn’t even set foot outside?
The answer came from a surprising source:Moya’aShil.
The Xalanitemoyaarrived the next day to perform a physical, something apparently required of all the Xalanite visitors to Earth. It had been overlooked in the agency’s haste to get me safely housed, but with several days having passed without a new attempt on my life, I supposed they had realized their omission.
Moya’aShil asked the standard questions: Was I eating well and often? Did my scales itch? Had I submerged since I took Ha’ana to the lake?
Timber’s eyes widened at the last question, and she turned to me. “Why is he asking that?”
I tried to answer without worrying her. “It is possible for a Xalanite to get … dried out. We require periodic submersion to absorb the necessary nutrients that our bodies cannot get by other means.”
“Yes,”Moya’aShil affirmed. “Our bodies do not get vitamin D from sunshine like human skin does, for example.”
She frowned. “Can you take supplements for these nutrients?”
He scratched his chin. “I had not considered that. It would not be as efficient, nor as effective. Xalanite bodies also rely on the moisture from our environment to keep our scales supple and fit.”
Timber stroked my arm, peering closely at my scales. “How can we tell? Is it something I’d notice? What signs should we look out for?”
I wished I had a way to signal to themoyathat I needed to visit the lake again. That would make me a tempting target, and since Timber could not breathe underwater, she would be safe on shore with the other AARO agents. I could have simply stated my plans in Xalanite, but I always felt guilty leaving Timber out of the conversation. Besides, it was rude.
Moya’aShil smiled. “Do not worry, Agent Millwood. A short trip to the lake, a day at most, should suffice to hydrate Prince N’kal.” He pulled a pad of paper from his pocket and began to write. “Normally, we just open the old swimming pool on the campgrounds, but in your case, your highness, I shall prescribe the lake. The paperwork will take a couple of days to process, but after that it will be a small matter of arranging transport.”
