Page 35
He grasped her hand, and they started walking toward home.
The streets of Starzzia had grown quieter as the night progressed, though the city was far from silent. Insects chirped from the gardens and shrubbery that bordered the white-stone walkways, while distant voices drifted out from open windows. The occasional snarl of a forest beast could also be heard over the chorus of nighttime insects.
Light glowed from inside the dwellings they passed, and clusters of luminous vines climbed the outer walls of several houses as he guided her along a street they hadn’t ventured down before. The leaves on the vines pulsed with blue-green radiance.
Holly slowed to admire the strange vegetation.
“Oh, how beautiful.” She reached for her camera, snapped a few pictures, and even recorded a short video.
Errik paused beside her, smiling to himself. He still didn’t quite understand what an influencer was, as it was a profession that was unheard of in his culture. But it was important to Holly. It made her happy and brought her a sense of purpose, and that was all that mattered.
“Thanks for waiting,” she said with a small smile as she tucked her camera back into her purse. “I hope I don’t annoy you by stopping all the time to take pictures and record content.”
He clasped her hand and leaned down to brush his lips across her fingers, a lingering kiss that brought a healthy flush to her face. As he straightened, he thought he caught a whiff of her arousal in the cool night air.
“I don’t believe I could ever find anything about you annoying, my darling mate,” he said. “I like watching you work. I like the way your eyes light up and how sometimes when you need to get the right angle for a photo, you bite your bottom lip as you concentrate. Your work is interesting to me, and I am proud of you.”
She stared up at him with tears suddenly gleaming in her eyes. “Oh, Errik. You always say the sweetest things.” She blinked fast a few times, and they finally resumed their trek home.
“I mean it. I am very proud of you.”
She said something quickly in English that he didn’t quite understand. A curse? Then she brushed away a tear. “You just made me cry. Are you happy now?” she asked playfully.
“As long as the only tears I ever make you shed are tears of joy, yes, I am happy.”
She laughed. But her laughter faded when something else caught her eye on the way home. She paused beside a community garden and pointed at a cluster of tiny, winged insects that drifted above the flowers, their round bodies illuminated by intermittent flashes of blue.
While she stared with her mouth agape, he reached into her purse, withdrew her camera, and placed it in her hands. “Here. Perhaps this is the sort of content that will go viral,” he said, testing out some of the words she often used while talking about her influencer work.
“We have bugs like this on Earth,” she said excitedly as she snapped a few pics and recorded a short video. “Humans call them fireflies or lightning bugs.” As she named the insects, she switched from Galactic Common to English.
“They’re quite beautiful,” he said, “and I’ve encountered more of them in the evenings near a garden that’s beside the arena. Perhaps we can walk there after dark sometime so I can show you.”
“Oh, that sounds delightful. Thank you, Errik.” She beamed up at him.
They finally resumed their walk, and their home soon came into sight at the edge of the city. Errik had placed solar lanterns in each window. They absorbed sunlight during the day and glowed throughout the night, making their home easy to see in the darkness.
Once they reached the front door, he called out a verbal command for it to open, since he hadn’t yet turned the security system off. Then he swept Holly into his arms before she could even step over the threshold. She gasped and giggled before leaning her head against his chest.
“Well. I suppose you’re taking me upstairs to ravish me yet again,” she said. “You really are insatiable.”
Lifting her higher in his arms, he growled into her ear. “Me? Insatiable? Need I remind you that I can always detect your arousal, my darling mate? Not only did I smell your excitement as we walked through the city earlier, but the instant I swept you into my arms, the pungent sweetness of your arousal increased tenfold. I know for a fact that once I get you upstairs and strip your clothing off, I will find you soaking wet and eager to be claimed.”
“Hmm,” was all she said, but he caught the brief smile that passed over her lips. He also caught the fresh wave of her arousal that wafted in the air.
He growled again and carried her upstairs.
Chapter 13
As Holly passed by the library, she heard a strange beeping noise. She glanced around, looking for Errik, but he was probably still upstairs getting ready for the day. After showering and getting dressed, she’d kissed him and promised to meet him in the kitchen shortly. They were both running a bit late this morning, since after he’d escorted her home from the restaurant last night, they’d stayed awake well past midnight making love.
The beeping persisted, and she finally stepped inside the library to investigate. Bookshelves lined the walls, interspersed with several seating areas arranged throughout the spacious room. A massive, ornate desk stood near the far wall, and in a corner beside a window, she spotted what she assumed was a video comm. It looked similar to the interstellar video comms she’d seen on Earth. Arnold had had one installed in her parents’ home not long after landing his fancy job.
She approached the device. Yes, the beeping was clearly coming from it. She settled into the chair before the screen, examined the controls, and finally glanced at the small display showing the incoming caller’s number.
Her heart nearly stopped.
It was Arnold’s video comm number.
