Chapter 4
Chapter Four
POLLUX
He came back. Why? I look in his bag, fingers running over the flowers he picked through the plastic. For these? What does he need them for?
The human whose name I’ve yet to get wriggles in my nest. He makes soft breathing sounds that turn into this loud kind of snorting, reminding me of the pig creatures I’ve run into out here a time or two.
His hand slaps at his face when a feather lands on his nose. Good to see the venom is wearing off. He was nearly a goner by the time I reached him. His voice had echoed through the trees this time, like a type of summoning, and I’d followed it.
I’d been worried my mind was playing tricks on me again. I’ve been hearing him all week, his humming and laughter. But it was real this time, and not some tricky plants trying to manipulate me after watching me save his life.
He wriggles, mumbling something in his sleep, and I pat his head with some leaves I soaked with water that works as an antidote of sorts. It slows down the effects of any venom or poison, fighting against its advances.
More sounds come from the man in front of me, and I stroke his cheek with one of my talons. His skin is soft in some places, while rougher in others. Hair dusts his chin and cheeks. I don’t remember it being there before. Eyes shooting open and filled with panic, he tries to squirm away.
I do my best to settle him, grabbing onto his arms and saying, “Safe.”
He goes still, lips spreading into a lazy smile. “Well hi again, pretty little bird.”
My pulse pounds in my ears. “Pret-ty?”
“Yeah. Very, very pretty.”
My brows push together. “Very, very?”
“Yeah. It means…” Pausing, he scratches his head. “Like extremely. A lot.”
I look at him with more confusion. He’s always saying such strange things. “Hurt.” I narrow my eyes on the torn fabric of his clothing.
Glancing down, he nods sharply. “Yeah. Always seems to happen on our dates, huh?”
“Dates?”
“Yeah.” He laughs lightly. “Hang-outs. You know…being here together and wanting it to last longer.”
He wants it to last longer too? My cheeks heat and I reach behind me, grabbing a jar of sap. “Medicine.”
He lifts his head and grabs it from my hand, skin brushing over mine. Sparks dance between us and a shiver runs through me. His eyes lock on mine and he tugs the glass free from my fingers.
“Thanks. You always take such good care of me.”
He hasn’t really given me a choice, always falling into some sort of dangerous position. “Food.” I lift one of the straps of his bag.
“Yeah. I guess I should eat something. You can eat with me. I do wish I had some candles to set the right mood, though.”
“Cand-les?”
“Yeah. We use a fire source to light the wick. It’s like a small flame that brightens the area it’s placed in. They smell nice too.”
“Smell…nice.” I add emphasis to each word.
“Yeah. Like you.” He sniffs the air, leaning closer. “But not as good.”
My stomach flutters. “You. Smell…me.” I point to my chest.
“Yes. You have carried me once or twice, so it’s not like I was trying to be creepy.”
“Cree-py.” I test the word out on my tongue.
“Yeah. You know, like a weirdo…someone you don’t want to spend time with.”
“You.” I point. “No creepy.”
He snorts. “Thanks. I appreciate the compliment. And you are fucking adorable.”
My face wrinkles. “Fu—fu—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He waves a hand, laughing. “It’s not a word that should be used often anyway—or at all really. It’s a bad word in our world. Frowned upon.”
I nod in understanding and push at the bag again. “Food.” I lick my lips and something sparks in his eyes.
“Oh, I see. You want to know what I brought this time. Did you eat everything I had in my other backpack?”
“All gone,” I say, pointing at what was left of the bag laid out in my nest. My bottom lip pops out as guilt strikes me in the chest. I tried to only eat a little, but everything in the small packages was so good, and before I knew it, it was all gone.
I had a bit of a stomach ache that night too.
I should have eaten slower but it was like I couldn’t get it in my mouth fast enough.
“You tore the bag up. You didn’t think that was food too, did you?”
My head quickly moves from side to side. “Warm. Soft.”
“Is that like a bed you made for yourself or something?”
“Nest.”
He shrugs off his thick piece of clothing, tossing it my way. “Feel free to have this too…for your nest.”
My fingers poke at the tiny openings of the knitted material. I rub it over my face and he smiles.
“Warm, huh?”
I tuck it under my chin, folding my arms around it.
“Warm.” Is this what they call a blanket where he’s from?
Doesn’t seem big enough to me. My friend says they’re big enough to cover someone’s whole body.
Sounds like a dream. This is nice too, though, and it can also be worn.
It has sleeves and everything. Not that I can wear anything with sleeves.
My wings and feathers get in the way. I frown, looking down at the only type of clothing I’ve been able to wear.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like the sweater?”
I dig my claws into the…sweater? Is that what he said? I shake my head and then nod. “Like.”
“Then why the frown?”
I touch my mouth, sagging my shoulders. I hold the sweater to the front of my body. lifting up one of the sleeves. “Don’t.” I nibble on my lip.
“You mean it doesn’t fit?”
My head bobs.
“Oh. Yeah. I guess not, huh? I’ll have to bring you something that will.” He stretches his legs out, pulling one of the backpack’s zippers to the other end. “So, which food was your favorite?”
He holds a finger up.
“Wait, let me guess.” He lifts a brown squishy cake wrapped in clear plastic between us.
I touch it with the tips of my fingers, claws accidently ripping a hole in it. Retracting my hand, I slink away, and he grabs onto my arm. “It’s okay. I was going to give it to you to eat anyway. Was I right, by the way?” His face inches closer to mine. “Was this your favorite?”
I suck in a breath, slowly taking the item from his hand and licking at the white swirls, nodding. “Favorite.”
He barks out a laugh. “I knew it. They’re mine too. These are pretty good too, though.” He plucks out another item wrapped in clear plastic. It’s yellow and looks softer. Spongy.
I twist the item, looking at it from every angle while nibbling on the brown dessert.
Sweet things are desserts in the human world.
That’s what my mom said at least. She knew a lot about them because she’d been around longer than me.
She’d seen so much more, and had ventured too far out in the sky before, nearly crashing with a plane.
Random tears in our world appeared everywhere, breaking the barriers between worlds and working the way portals would.
It could be bad for us and humans if the wrong people find them.
That goes for all species. Anyone can be bad, I’ve learned that the hard way.
Another bird humanoid, who’d wanted my mother as his mate, killed my father.
My father bled out shortly after winning the fight.
It was only me and my mother for a long time, and then I met Stephen.
Another kind of monster with wings. I thought he loved me, but he tried to trick me into crossing through an undiscovered tear in the sky so he could sell me.
There’s so much evil everywhere, and apparently there’s a place in the human world where our kind are sold for the fantasies we can create for others.
Three sirens saved me from being taken to that island; they saved me from having my freedom taken away.
I stay away from others with wings now, especially fairies and flying bug monsters.
“You want to try it? It’s called a Twinkie.”
“Twinkie.”
“Yeah.” He shoves the cake into my palm. “Take a bite.”
Setting down the brown cake, I peel the wrapper on the yellow one and lick the white cream at the end. A moan slips from my lips and I dive back for more, taking large bites until there’s nothing left in my hand.
Watching me with eyes full of amusement, he hands me another. “For later. We should have real food at least once today.”
“Yes, real food,” I say in agreement.
“What do you usually eat for dinner?”
“Dinner?” I lift a brow.
“Yeah. Your last meal of the day.”
“Last meal?” I ask.
“Yeah. We typically have three, with some snacks in between.”
“Snacks?” I pick up the brown cake again.
“No. That’s sweets. Dessert.”
“Yes, dessert.” My mom was right. Man, do I miss her.
“How many meals do you eat?”
I hold up a finger, hoping I got the hand gesture right.
“Only one?” His brows rise.
“Big.” I stretch out my hands, almost dropping my dessert.
A laugh bubbles out of him. “A big meal, huh? What’s that consist of?”
“Consist?”
“Yeah…include? What all do you eat?”
“Fish.” I pick up the jar of orange liquid-filled balls I’d picked this morning, shaking it a little.
“Fruit,” he says. “At least it looks like fruit.”
I offer him one to try and he makes a sour expression. “Yup. Very ripe fruit. It’s very sweet and delicious.”
“Delicious,” I copy him.
We trade food some more. He calls what he has Lunchables, listing all the ingredients inside—crackers, ham, cheese, and a cookie. My favorites are the cheese and cookie.
I hand him what he calls nuts, and he slips beef jerky between my fingers. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten this much before, not even last time when he left his bag behind. My stomach is nice and full by the time he’s looking for a way out of the tree.
“You think you can help me back down?”
“Not safe.” I crawl between him and the opening.
He looks outside again and jumps back when rain splashes at him. “Poison?” He points.
“Hurt.”
Letting out a sigh, he sags against one of the walls. “Well, that was my last chance at getting back before dark. Is it cool if I crash here? Stay the night…sleep until morning.”
“With me?”
“Yes.” He smiles. “With you. That’s if you’re okay with it.”