I carefully placed her on the bed, concerned that she would associate it with her illness. If she needed me, I would clear out this room and replace everything with whatever she desired as long as it made her happy and made her mine.
Viola covered her mouth with both of her hands, muffling her giggles and laughter before I could back away. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she laughed at me and gasped for air from her antics.
“Zyre!” she exclaimed, smacking the petal blanket I had crafted her as she let out a small screech. “I’m fine! You have nothing to worry about.”
She said what I wanted to hear, but her actions told a different story. Something was wrong with her to cause her to react in this manner.
“What happened?” In a pleading gesture, I raised my hands in front of me. “What was the point of your outburst?”
“You’re just so innocent,” she laughed, her smile fading as she sobered. “It’s difficult not to find your reaction to something simple amusing. My poor plantman is at a loss as to what to do about me. For the first time, there isn’t a male who is on an ego trip or enjoys overhyping themselves when, in reality, they suck as an individual... a total asshole... instead of admitting that they don’t know something. This is refreshing.” She sighed as she motioned to my body. “The fact that you only want to provide for me and aren’t afraid to ask questions are both turn-ons. Keep it up, plant-boy, and you’ll have me accepting whatever you ask of me.”
“Viola,” I sighed, my gaze locked on hers. “This pleases me to hear, but it saddens me that I can see your doubt. And I believe that no matter how I explain everything, you will still believe this isn’t real.” I made a hand gesture to demonstrate our connection. “However, I am! I’m as genuine as it gets. And this isn’t a fantasy. You wanted facts, so I’ll give you all of them before you accept me for who I am and then discard me. Unlike other species, I will not be given another chance. That’s it. You’re the one. The sooner you believe that, the better for both of us. I refuse to have my hearts broken and curse myself to a life of solitude because of a misunderstanding.”
“Then tell me,” she said, rolling onto her knees and curling closer to me, oblivious to the fact that her living robe had come undone and was hanging open for me to see. Her eyes begged me to provide her with the answers she sought. “I promise, I’ll listen this time.”
“I know we’re two different species, but I don’t care.” That throbbing sensation pulsed deep within me as I clutched my chest, reinforcing my belief that my instincts were correct—she was indeed myluwaeri. “You were sent here by the Mother Tree for a reason, to meet me—”
“But why me?” She imitated me by placing her palmed hand on her bare chest. I averted my gaze, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable if it wasn't wanted. “Why now? If what you’re saying is true, why did they have to wait for me to work so hard to achieve everything only for your Mother Tree to take it all away?”
“I’m sorry you had to go through everything you did, but there’s always a reason.” Frowning, I wiped the lone tear from her cheek with one of my flower-ended vines. “You must have needed to complete some task before coming here.”
"How did I get here?" Her brow furrowed in thought. “My species, humans, have yet to leave our own solar system. We just finished expanding to our home planet’s moon and another nearby planet.”
“There have been numerous unexplained phenomena.” I shrugged, motioning to the hometree we were currently seated in. “The plant life and certain creatures on my planet are capable of change.... merging with technology and becoming a living entity in and of itself in order to survive.”
“That’s how our hometrees are capable of contacting galactic communications and other basic necessities useful for off planet guests, such as food and drink dispensers.”
The three dominant species that coexist on this planet live off the land and have no need for anything extra.”
"So you're some kind of high-tech forger and gatherer," she muttered, scratching her chin. “That makes sense. You’re a plant... man....” Her hand came to a halt as her brow furrowed. “So, where are we if what you’re saying is true?”
“We are currently on X’thyrl, a planet within the Interstellar Protections Agency that is home to my species, the Calyzis, and two other species that control the skylines and water depths respectfully.”
“When you teleported out of thin air in my territory, you instantly alerted the local plants to your arrival. And I know this because there have been no reports of unidentified spacecraft or other anomalies from my neighbors or anywhere else in the world.” I frowned and crossed my arms, trying to make sense of what had happened and what I would need to do about her future existence. The IPA would expect me to report what had occurred and determine what to do about her. “But that doesn’t even explain how you got here... You were naked except for the black shredded rags that covered your body.
“I was carrying a phone.” She took my hand off my chest and placed it onto the bed, covering it with her own. “Unfortunately, it was broken when I arrived... It was a small rectangular device with a cracked screen on one side and a picture of my team on the other.”
“I’m sorry to break the bad news, but when I undressed you for the Giving Pool, there was no such device on your body.”
"Then it must be close to the pafeldae's dead body." She squeezed my hand, her gaze fixed on mine. “Is it possible for us to scout the area there?”
“If that’s what you want, we’ll do it to put your mind at ease.”
Suddenly, her lips were on mine.
She grabbed my face and straddled me as my back slammed against the bed. My vines came to life, unraveling to wrap around her body and hold her tightly against me, preventing her from falling off the bed with the sudden movement.
Nothing was more important to me right now than for her to claim me as hers—mind, body, and soul. If this was what she needed to be at peace, I would gladly give it to her; if it was time she needed, I would gladly give it to her too. For she was the one who was forced to leave everything behind in order to be here with me, and I would make sure she never regretted it.
My hands moved along her sides with their own mind, lost in the sensations emanating from her.
She moaned as she nibbled on my lips. I gasped, having never felt someone kiss me, let alone try to eat my mouth.
Had myEkilatriggered a desire in her to possess me? I knew myEkilawas an aphrodisiac to our mates, but I never expected it to make her so aggressive.
Her tongue took advantage of my confusion and curled around mine.
I relaxed, gave in to her demands, and let her do whatever she wanted with me as I closed my eyes. My vines caressed her smooth skin as they moved beneath her living robes, mapping out her body for memory.
