Alien Freak - Calista Skye Page 0,28
to take off, the plant burned off it, the enemy Gurandu close by. But he got me. It almost killed him, but he’s not even grumpy about it.
I can’t stand it anymore. So I put a hand on the other side of his head, pull him close, and kiss his cheek. That’s my intention, anyway. But Zaroc turns his head so my lips strike the corner of his mouth. Before I can disengage, his hand is at the back of my head and his split tongue runs across my mouth. It’s warm and soft and tactile.
It only lasts for a moment, but there are so many sensations that it takes me a couple of breaths to process. Well, at least he didn’t bite me again. And now I can’t stop thinking about how that split tongue would feel a little bit further down.
Zaroc doesn’t seem surprised. He just looks me up and down with those intense blue lights. “You look ridiculous.”
“Hey, these things all came from your ship. I did the best I could. And it’s not like you are an icon of fashion, either. Do you only own that one pair of pants?”
He looks down himself. “Yes. Only the one. I am considering cutting them off and so turn them into shorts.”
I frown. “Are you serious?”
“Shorts provide great ventilation for legs.”
“I’m not sure I believe you,” I state, gulping down more brandy. “But I’m more elegant.”
“It is well done, your rag outfit.” he concedes. “But still ridiculous. We get better things for you from Kur.”
I finish the glass of space brandy, then have to hide a big yawn with my hand. “Who is Kur?”
“You’ll see. That opening of mouth – you are angry?”
“Huh? Oh. No, just sleepy. Is that a sign of anger in your species?”
He looks out the windshield. “No.”
Ooo-kay. “Not in mine either,” I state helpfully, staring at his groin, where there is definitely activity.
“If sleepy, should maybe sleep,” Zaroc says, reasonably enough. “Is safe. Ship in hyperspace for many hours still.”
It’s probably not a bad idea. It’s been a pretty full day. And I’m not sure how long I can stay this close to this mysterious guy without doing more inappropriate stuff. “I will. Thanks for the brandy and… well, saving me. From the plant.”
He just nods.
I walk over to the elevator, maybe not in a totally straight line, because the brandy must have been stronger than I thought. I zoom down and find the cabin where I woke up, then go straight out again and retrieve my old bed cover from the cargo hold.
After some experimentation I’m able to figure out how to turn off the psychedelic light show on the wall, and then the cabin is pitch black.
I tear off most of the rags I’m wearing. None of them are big enough to even be a decent throw.
Finding the big, firm mattress with my hands, I crawl onto it and try to get comfortable. I don’t know what kind of material it’s made of, but it takes my weight so perfectly that it feels like lying on air. What with the exhaustion and the drink, I should be in dreamland in thirty seconds.
I close my eyes, and immediately I’m back inside that plant. Dark green all around, held totally still, unable to move as much as a finger. Choked by the horrific smell.
Knowing Zaroc had closed the hatch to his spaceship and was probably already well away, racing hard to get to space.
The inside of that plant pod thing was a bad place to be. I could barely breathe the hot air on the planet, and not much of it leaked into the cocoon. There were definitely tendrils searching their way up my body when I was in there, and I don’t want to know what the plan was with that. Nothing good, I’m sure.
Then the Gurandu aliens, so ugly and obviously evil. Zaroc giving himself up, me spontaneously stabbing the alien so we could get away. It was such an obvious thing to do. Even if they had taken me back to Earth, I’m more and more certain nothing good could have come of it. The Bululg would have made sure of that.
I guess I won’t be sleeping anytime soon, so I might as well take out the phone.
“Sorry about the darkness,” I tell the not-viewers. “But it’s weird. Now that I’m away from Earth, I’m relieved. I’m no longer a prisoner on my own planet. I’m in space, not in chains. The