Something about him spoke to me, as if we were similar beings from two different walks of life who had met in such an unexpected way.
He was a gentle—and lonely—soul who desired nothing more than to be understood, to settle down with someone and spend the rest of his life alongside them as they raised a family.
For some reason, I felt compelled to be everything he had ever desired: to look after him while he looked after me.
I couldn’t believe he was willing to use his own money to take me in, provide for and protect me, while also assisting me in furthering my education so I could support myself. He never asked how I planned to repay him and simply took my word for it.
That made him even more appealing.
When I walked outside my room last night, his words made me feel strong and powerful… like I was some goddess. He appeared to be in a trance as he watched me with his piercing amber eyes… it caused something deep within me to bubble with a sudden arousal.
Maybe it was all the paranormal romance books I’d read about aliens, monsters, and shifters that made me less afraid of and more drawn to the unknown. There was something about exploring the unfamiliar while making a deeper connection that made outward appearances irrelevant.
If I was going to survive away from Earth, I needed to keep wrapping my head around the fact that humans weren’t the only intelligent beings in the universe. If that meant that all of my friends and potential partners weren’t human, that was the sacrifice I would make… because, in the end, what was on the outside didn’t matter. I’d dealt with enough customs and traditions with my friends and coworkers on Earth to be comfortable adjusting to and respecting their cultural norms.
I’d take my time getting to know Axel and learning from our interactions, hoping that our connection would blossom into a friendship one day.
Sighing, I looked down at my skin, unable to believe that the cleanser—his high-tech version of a shower—could clean every part of my body—hair, teeth and skin alike—and provide it with all the nutrition it required to survive the planet.
He’d explained how they were programmed to be able to care for all species within the IPA, including humans, rendering shampoos, conditioners, and lotions obsolete for selfcare. They were regarded as exotic, a form of art performed in establishments that sounded similar to day spas.
It astounded me that everything that was automated still existed in the universe, given how expensive such a cleanser was to obtain and how programs were in place to keep the products and their supply chains intact.
Hearing this news only fueled my desire to begin my lessons and establish myself as the first human galactic mixologist.
Walking out of the refresher, I was greeted by the view of Axel speaking with an emerald colored plant-like humanoid with bright violet eyes and long grass for hair. He stood in a 3D projection on top of the display table where we’d had dinner last night.
There were two trays of various meats, nuts, fruit, and a couple pudding-looking blobs, as well as a few small dishes to allow us to choose what we wanted to eat and then place the individual food portions in front of us on the table.
It was as if he had called in the middle of breakfast about to be served.
“Do you call yourself Lyave?” I approached the table, and the sound of my voice startled Axel. “What have you done to Soraya?”
“Your companion is well taken care of, much like you,” the male projection replied smoothly, scanning my robe. “She’s currently enjoying the Giving Pool and what my hometree can offer her.”
“I’d rather see her for myself than take your word for it,” I replied, jerking my head. I refused to appear weak to the male, especially since I didn’t know him and had no connections to him other than Axel’s friendship. “I was told how you took her away from the crash site and claimed she was your fated mate. She deserves to be able to live her life as she sees fit, rather than being tethered to a tree for all eternity.”
“She is free to do whatever she wants,” Lyave snapped; his vines flared up behind him, ready to attack, resembling a peacock’s tail in full display. “Until she tells me she wants to leave my hometree, she will remain here with me by her side. The Mother Tree entangled our fates, and I refuse to let anyone take my chance to mate with my luwaeri. You’re brave to make such demands on my land.”
“She doesn’t know better,” Axel squawked, sounding more like a growl as he puffed his feathers to make himself appear larger. “But she’s allowed to worry about her companion. You know what they’ve been through, and my Ami deserves to be able to request confirmation about your luwaeri.”
“You’re absolutely correct.” The plantman nodded and pressed his lips together. “Please give me a few moments to visit the Giving Tree.”
“I’ll leave the comms open.”
The projection shimmered and dissipated into the display table in an instant, leaving only the food and dishes on top.
“That was your friend?” I directed my attention to the table where the projection had vanished. “And we’re on his territory?”
“Yes, that was Lyave.” Axel turned to face me, his feathers still poofed up on his body as he gazed down at me. “I wished the two of you would’ve been introduced to each other in a better way than what happened.
“As I’ve previously stated, this villa is entirely mine, but it is on the outskirts of his domain. I make certain that he is compensated in credits for watching over it while I am away, and in exchange, I represent him in off-world trades, and he receives any products he desires and requires from the galactic trade center, as he is unable to leave the planet.
“It’s a fair trade, especially since his species lives in trees, and he had no need for the cliff ledge I’d chosen.”
“So he was just being arrogant…” I scowled. I despised people who liked to puff up their chests and glorify something in a white lie just to look better. “It just makes me want to take Soraya away from him even more.”
“He was simply being protective. It will be much worse if she agrees to seal their fate and mate with him. He would give everything he had if it meant protecting and caring for her.”
