Bidan was efficient, Kate would give him that.And he didn’t talk much but that was okay.Kate was still reeling from this alien planet and she didn’t feel like talking much.She’d always been one to observe first to try to get her bearings and then jump in.
As per Vaxa’s orders, Bidan called Keriva.He’d gone over to a silver screen imbedded into the sandstone/marble wall in the corner of the living room.When he touch the screen, it activated and she assumed he sent off a message.
“Keriva will arrive shortly,lavrix’an,” Bidan said, turning to her.He was slow in his speech, as though he didn’t quite know how to form the sounds of her language.“I have sent her to get your language implanted before coming here.”
“Thank you,” she said, because she didn’t know what else to say.“And, um, you can call me Kate.”
Bidan jerked his head in a nod.“Kat.”
She almost smiled.What was it with Luxirians not being able to pronounce hard ‘a’s?Oh well.It was only fair.She was butchering their names too.
Silence descended, but for some reason, it didn’t feel awkward.Bidan studied her, but it was more of a general curiosity, not like he was trying to intimidate her or waiting for her to speak.
“Have you ever seen someone like me before?” she asked him.“A human?”
It was still weird saying that.Human.She had to remind herself thatshewas the alien on Luxiria.
“No,” he said, his gaze unmoving.“There have been many…species to visit Luxiria.No humans, until you.”
“And…you’ve…”Served?“Worked for Vaxa’s family for a long time?”
“Tev,” he said.“War is not for all.I enjoy serving the Prime Leader.It is a great honor for me and for my family.”
She would have to ask Vaxa about all this war stuff and military training.She wasn’t sure she quite understood what it meant.Were the Luxirians actually at war?Or would they be soon?
She thought of Vaxa.He had a warrior’s body, that was for sure.She’d seen his scars.She’d seen Lihvan’s scars.She’d seen the training pits.And yes, seeing him fight had evoked a primal response from her, but to imagine him actually fighting in a war…
The idea tasted like ash in her mouth.
And that worried her.
Oh no, she thought,please don’t tell me you’re falling for the big guy.
She grew flustered and her belly dropped.She stumbled around for another question to ask Bidan, to distract herself.Except, she found herself asking, “What was Vaxa like as a child?”
“How he is now,” Bidan replied, clasping his hands in front of him.“Serious.Strong-willed.His sire raised Vaxa’an to be a leader.”
For a brief moment, Kate let herself imagine what Vaxa would be like as a father.She imagined a small baby with beautiful mirage-like skin that reflected light, with human green eyes, and tiny black horns.
Stop, she ordered herself.And she cut that thread with a mentalsnip.She could not afford to be thinking like that.It wouldn’t do her any good.She blamed the serious pheromones her alien gave off.It was giving her loopy daydreams, in addition to her constant state of arousal, even when she was upset with him.It simply wasn’t fair.
Kate grew silent after that, a little unsettled by her imaginings.She felt feverish.Sweat continued to roll down her back in little droplets and she was positive that her hair was stuck to her slick forehead in the most unattractive way possible.
“Have you had your first meal, Kat?” Bidan asked.“I can send a request for sustenance for you.”
“Actually,” she said, “yes, that sounds great.”She realized that she hadn’t eaten since the night before and she’d been awake—and nervous and slightly overwhelmed—for a few hours now.A light breakfast would help settle her and not make her feel so queasy.After all, she’d never been one to skip a meal, judging by the soft curves of her body.
Vaxa loves them, her mind whispered and she blushed, thinking of the way he clenched her hips and palmed her waist whenever they’d been…intimate.He couldn’t get enough of her.And that didmajorlygood things for her ego.A hot alien warrior leader loved her body.
Take that, Peter, she thought, thinking about all the times her ex had hinted that she could drop a few pounds.She liked her body just the way it was.Looking back now, she wished she’d told him where he could shove those extra pounds.
“Is there anything that humans can not eat?” he asked.
“I eat anything,” she said.“I’m not picky.I ate that meat on the ship…” What had Vaxa called it?“Tricks-ah-va?”
“Trixava?” Bidan clarified, accenting the word properly and doing a little tongue roll.
She nodded, “Yes, but honestly, I usually just have eggs and fruit for breakfast.”
