“What about those who don’t?”Like Bidan.Vaxa had said something about him not continuing with military training and chose to serve his family instead.“Are they discriminated against?”
The way his lips pressed together told her that yes, to a certain extent, they were.“There are some who think this way, yes.But the majority do not.Without them, our society would fall.Not all can be warriors.We need hunters, fuelers, researchers, traders, builders.Luxiria would collapse in their absence.”
The conversation had made her feel restless and uneasy, so she was slightly relieved when Vaxa changed topics and asked her about Earth.
In turn, she told him about where she lived—Chicago—and whathercity was like, with its skyscrapers and bustling sidewalks.She told him about Navy Pier and her favorite coffee shop and her best friend, Beks.She told him about winter, about snow, which he seemed fascinated by.She guessed it didn’t snow on Luxiria, although he did mention something that sounded like rain.He was fascinated about everything she told him and it had taken her a good half hour to explain what coffee was, much to her amused delight.
Talking about Earth made her heart pang with longing.The more she talked, the more she got lost in her memories.She felt like shecouldget back there, but she was starting to wonder if she evenwantedto.After those thoughts, her eyes would refocus on her alien warrior and she felt another sense of loss, but whether it was for him or for her home, she didn’t know.
What scared her most of all, however, was that she was beginning to realize that her life on Earth hadn’t been so great.Yes, she missed her best friend and her city…but beyond that, she didn’t have much else.She had no family that she knew of, her dream job was turning out to be more of a nightmare with each passing day, and she’d often felt stuck, wondering if that was all life would offer her.She’d longed to meet Mr. Right, to settle down and have a family, because maybethenshe would find the happiness that eluded her so often.
She didn’t feel lonely when she was with Vaxa, but she’d felt lonely on Earth among her own species, and a part of her was scared to return to that.
But you don’t have to, she thought softly.
During the nights, it was cold.But not as cold as she had first experienced on the planet.And the days were no longer unbearably hot.After she’d mentioned it to Vaxa the afternoon before, he’d told her that it was his blood, changing her, helping her body adapt to his planet.Instead of being wary and creeped out, she marveled that such a small amount of blood could cause so much change.Mostly, she was just happy she wasn’t sweating like a pig anymore whenever the suns were high in the sky.
And during the nights, she could see the Luxirian moon through the small opening at the top of the tent, which she’d assumed was for the fire.Unlike the Earth’s moon, this moon was a soft, shimmering blue, instead of a silvery white.She’d think about the agreement she’d made with Vaxa as she lay in his arms and wonder what the rush was to return to her planet.
The sex was messing with her head.But what great sex it was.
What was messing with her head even more?
The fact that she was falling in love with her alien warrior…and she didn’t know what the hell she was going to do about it.
* * *
Vaxa’an roared in ecstasy, releasing his seed into his mate, feeling the remnants of her orgasm rhythmically pulse around him.He dragged his lips over her skin, biting her neck.The primal part of him loved to see his mark on her.
He continued to lazily thrust between her legs, while they both caught their breath.It had been a hard couple of spans on his female.His human mate had admitted to him the span before that she had not mated in over a rotation.So, naturally, she was completely exhausted, unused to the insatiable sexual appetites of Luxirians.
Perhaps, it was best, he thought, that they would be returning to their home once the suns rose.His duties would separate them for longer periods of the span, giving her time to rest and recover.Even though she hadn’t complained, he knew that her body was sore from the demands of the blood bonding and the last thing in the entire universe he wanted to do was cause her pain.
With a satisfied grunt, he rolled off of her, tucking her against his side.Her skin was damp with perspiration from their activities and he purred, stroking a hand down her back before letting it rest on her rump.
Craning his head to look down at her, his eyes traveled over her soft skin as she sighed contentedly against him.
“What is this?” he murmured quietly, his fingertips tracing over little dark marks that were scattered over her body.
She saw him tracing one on the back of her hand and her lips curled in an expression he found immensely pleasing.“Moles.Freckles.People call them different things.I had these checked out by a doctor and they are harmless.”
He made a sound in the back of his throat.“Sometimes they are dangerous?”
“Sometimes,” she murmured.
Vaxa’an’s face pinched, trying to imagine what harm these tiny dark spots could possible cause.He smoothed his thumb over the adorable hairs above her eyes.“What are these?”
“These?” she asked.“They are called eyebrows.”
“Eyebrows.What is their purpose?”
“I—you know, I don’t really know.Maybe to help protect our eyes from sweat and dirt.”
“And these?” he asked, sliding the pads of his fingertips over her blunt nails.“Do humans not have claws?How do you protect yourself if you are in danger?”
“Well, I have this thing called pepper spray.”
“Pepper spray?” he repeated.
