Pausing, Levi met my gaze. He seemed to want moral support, so I put my arm around him and nodded. Meanwhile, Paz glanced between us as if trying to figure out the secret before the big reveal.
“I’m... pregnant,” Levi finally said.
Paz’s mouth split into a grin, like he was about to burst into laughter, but he suddenly stopped. He must’ve remembered Levi’s warning. His blank face turned into an expression of shock, then powerful curiosity.
“Seriously?” Paz asked, double-checking.
“Dead serious,” Levi replied.
Paz looked at me in wide-eyed wonder, as if I’d accomplished a great feat, then back to Levi.
“So, are you trying to be the stereotypical lead in a sci-fi romance, or...?”
Levi sputtered, a flustered blush exploding on his cheeks. “What?”
“C’mon, dude. It’s like you crashed the ship on purpose ‘cause you wanted to land on the hunky-alien planet,” Paz jeered playfully. “Andyou got knocked up to boot? Could you get any more generic?”
“What’re you talking about?” Levi choked out. “I didn’t do any of that on purpose!”
Paz laughed. “Uh huh, sure. Too bad the ship got messed up, or I’d search your quarters for smutty alien books.”
Blushing furiously, Levi spun around and dragged me with him. “C’mon, Zat’tor. Let’s leave Paz to his brooding since he wants to make up nonsense...”
14Levi
A week passedsince the revelation that I was carrying new life inside of me. By now, my crew knew the truth, and Zat’tor was happily telling anybody who would listen—which, of course, was the entire village. All the Maeleons were ecstatic about the news. Their kindness and attention were overwhelming but nice. On Earth, nobody was excited about my existence, but here on Eukaria, the whole village celebrated me. The difference was night and day.
I’d made up my mind a million times over. I wasn’t going back. Not now, not ever.
And that wasbeforeI found out I was pregnant with Zat’tor’s child.
* * *
Every morning felt like a blessing. I’d managed to convince Zat’tor to sleep in a soft, comfortable bed with me instead of the weird branch he slept on. Although it didn’t take much to convince him. He eagerly agreed to sleep beside me the moment I asked. I adored that about him. He leapt at every opportunity for physical contact, for any sort of connection with me. Hewantedto be with me, every second of every day.
That was leagues more than I could say for any of the human men back on Earth, which was starting to feel like a hazy memory. Eukaria was my home now, and I liked it that way.
Those fuzzy, happy thoughts floated in my mind as I drifted towards consciousness one morning. I hummed and snuggled closer to the giant alien next to me. Zat’tor slept with his arms and tentacles draped over my side, making me feel safe and snug.
Except, for some reason, I couldn’t get as close as I usually did. I squirmed my body to inch towards him.
It didn’t work. Again.
Frustrated, I opened my eyes and grunted.
“What...?” I muttered.
Zat’tor was awake instantly, like a car going from zero to a hundred. “What is wrong, Levi?”
“I dunno. I just can’t get as comfy as I usually do,” I grumbled. “Like something’s in the way.”
Annoyed that I couldn’t snuggle my man, I pulled back and scowled at the space between us.
That’s when I saw it—the swelling of my belly.
It felt like the air had been punched out of my lungs. I stared, my jaw dropping. I blinked and shook my head, but it didn’t change.
“Levi?” Zat’tor asked when I didn’t speak. Then he followed my gaze and saw it, too. He gasped. “Oh, Levi!”
