Stranded with the Alien (Starbound #1)

Thirty Five

The next morning she waited for shame and self-recrimination to set in. It didn’t happen. She drifted in a warm sea of contentment, happier than she’d ever been since… well, she couldn’t remember when.

She turned to examine the alien sleeping next to her. How was it possible, she wondered? How could it be that a creature she’d been taught to hate, to kill , could make her feel so complete?

Her body still ached from what they’d done last night. A good ache. He was bigger than she was used to but she knew now they fitted together spectacularly well. It wouldn’t take long for her to get used to him.

She realized she was already thinking about the next time. Her hand drifted between her thighs where she was still sticky from the combination of their fluids. His ejaculate was pale blue – something else to get used to. God, they’d come together so hard. She didn’t think it was possible for two people to orgasm so…

She sat bolt upright.

“Fuck.”

Vahn stirred, his eyes flickering open in alarm.

“What is it? Is something the matter?”

“Yes! I mean no, but… maybe. We didn’t take any precautions.”

“Precautions?” He frowned, puzzled.

“Against pregnancy.”

Vahn relaxed.

“There is no possible way I could have made you pregnant, human.”

Kara let her shoulders drop in relief.

“You’re right. I’m being stupid. A Vraxian couldn’t knock up a human, we’re two different species. Sorry.”

Privately, Vahn thought it was very possible a Vraxian could ‘knock up’ a human. He doubted his kalehsh instinct would have kicked in with Kara if he was unable to impregnate her. But he kept that to himself.

“That is not what I meant,” he said mildly. “Vraxian males are sterile until we decide otherwise. Then we switch on our fertility by stimulating our balinzh gland.”

“You do what with your what now?”

Vahn turned onto his stomach.

“Take a look under the last thorax spike.”

Kara ran her hand down his spine, feeling the flattened spikes stirring under her palm. The last one was just above his tailbone. It lifted as she reached it and she bent for a closer look.

The scales beneath were different. Paler, more silver, and slightly raised. Intrigued, she ran her fingertips over them. Vahn inhaled sharply.

“That is my balinzh gland. It releases breeding fluid into my reproductive tract. I suggest you stop touching it.”

She snatched her hand away and he rolled onto his back, eyes glittering wickedly.

“Unless, of course, you want to carry my hatchlings.” Her face flooded with color and he rumbled with laughter. “Do not worry, human. In Vraxian society, any decision to procreate is a mutual one.”

“Good. Okay. Good.”

She lapsed into silence. Suddenly feeling awkward about her nakedness, she pulled on her shirt. Vahn had no such qualms. He raised himself onto one elbow.

“Shall we talk about last night, Kara?”

“What is there to talk about? We did what we did.”

“Yes. And I greatly enjoyed it. Which is a problem.”

“It is?”

“Yes. Because it means I want to do it again. And again. In fact, I want to do all manner of things with you.”

He looked at her steadily and tendrils of heat crawled into her belly.

“Well, I mean, if we’re trying to desensitize ourselves…”

“Is that what we are trying to do?”

“It is,” she said firmly. “Everyone knows that lust is short-lived. Before you know it we’ll be arguing over whose turn it is to cook and then it’ll be over.”

“Is that how it works in the human world?”

“Sure. Unless, you know, you fall in love.”

“Have you ever fallen in love?”

“Nope. Never. Don’t worry, snake-boy. I’m not the type of girl who falls in love. And definitely not with an alien.”

He cocked his head.

“I am not sure love is something you can control.”

“It is for me. I’ve seen first-hand the damage love can do. The heartbreak when you lose someone. My mother…” she ducked her head. “She became a different person when my dad died. I don’t want that. I’d rather not fall in love at all.”

Vahn’s expression didn’t change.

“It’s stopped raining,” he said. “Let us get up.”

“And eat. I’m starving.” She stretched her arms above her head. “You wore me out last night.”

“But you… you enjoyed it?” It was suddenly important for him to know.

“It was amazing. But now you need to feed me, alien, or I won’t be in a fit state to do it again.”

Again. She wants to do it again. He hid the goofy smile that threatened to break out on his face and followed her from the tent.