Not wanting to be rude to Leelee, as she has been kind to me, I fake a yawn, instinctively knowing that she will rush to get me comfortably settled. I need time to think, and I can’t do that with her hovering close.
With a gentleness I’m coming to associate with this strange female, Leelee helps me get settled under the thick covering. Her soft touch is unlike anything I’ve been introduced to on this planet since my initial crash landing. The smell of something floral and sweet, a soothing scent unlike the sterile scent of the human military facility, fills the air as she slowly lowers me onto the surprisingly soft mattress.
Leelee places the glass of water on the bedside table, her movements tender and her eyes filled with something I don’t understand. She turns off the light and dark settles over the space. Once she’s left the room, closing the door behind her with a soft creak, I’m left alone with the pulsing silence. My eyes find their way to the glass of water on the table, lit by the soft moonlight seeping through the window. It’s a simple act of kindness, one that leaves me staring at the glass in silence in the emptiness of the cabin room for what feels like an eternity.
The shrill cry of her communication device jerks me from my spiraling thoughts. I hear her in the other room, her chatter growing faint as she begins conversing with another female, a new unfamiliar voice.
Now, alone in the quiet room, I find myself dwelling on my duty to my species, a responsibility I’ve always borne with great pride… but something feels different now. For the first time since discovering this planet, I hesitate, even rebelling against the prospect of claiming this resource for Cryzor. The thought of repaying Leelee’s unprovoked kindness by allowing my kind to consume her world doesn’t feel right.
Instead, perhaps I should convene the Cryzor fleet elsewhere. I’ve crossed a multitude of galaxies and there will be other worlds, other prospects that can secure my reputation. As I arrive at this conclusion, it’s as though the weight of red star giants lifts from my shoulder, replaced subtly with a relief that bubbles unexpectedly from within. I resolve then that once I return to my ship, I will mark this solar system as uninhabited and move on to the next system to explore.
As sleep beckons, I make a silent promise to myself. Leelee, and even Mango, are all beings worth protecting – they’re my secret to keep.
With that decision made, I find it easier to fall asleep
Exhaustion nearly overpowers me as I lay in bed. When the scent of Leelee reaches my nose, I realize that her smell lingers on the cushion on which I’m resting my head. She’s just close enough for me to hear, to remind me of her existence. As my eyes gradually surrender to overwhelming fatigue, my mind takes me back to earlier.
The memory flits across my mind of how she had strained to get me off the floor, the muscles of her petite figure shaking as she pulled, determination marked in the set of her jaw and spark in her eyes. However, I can’t stop dwelling on the sensation of her leaning against me once she got me on my feet. I could feel her trembling with fatigue, her quickened breath heated against my bare chest. I remember her pressing close to me, her body an intriguing puzzle of soft curves against my firm expanse. Her scent, something sweet and unique, filled my senses, embedding itself into the fabric of my memory. Her closeness sparked a myriad of unfamiliar feelings, stirring within me a strange mix of protectiveness and desire that was both baffling and intriguing – a sensation so foreign and yet oddly comforting. I find it hard to comprehend or regulate these emotions.
As I drift off into darkness, my last conscious thought is of Leelee’s surprising warmth, remarkable resilience, and shocking compassion for someone like me.
And the way she had looked at my body when she didn’t think I was watching.
CHAPTER 24
Lily
My phone sings a cheerful tune, shattering the silence of the cozy cabin. I jump a little, hastily pulling it out of my back pocket. I think the number flashing on the screen is Koko’s but I’m not sure. I quickly answer, glancing toward where I left Ravok, hoping the phone didn’t wake him.
“Hello?” I whisper.
“Lily? It’s Koko,” a mellow voice echoes through the quiet room, as warm and comforting as freshly baked bread.
“Oh. Hi, Koko. How can I help you tonight?”
“Just checking in on you. How’s the cabin working out? Need anything?”
“It’s lovely. I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to stay here. There’s nothing I need – you’ve had everything I could possibly need already stocked,” I reply. I wonder what would’ve happened to Ravok if I hadn’t been here. It makes an ache lodge itself under my sternum. He could’ve easily died.
Thinking of Ravok, and his magnificent bare chest, I realize that there is something I need. “Actually, I just thought of something I do want. I could use an extra-large pair of sweatpants and… maybe an oversized t-shirt or hoodie.” A blush creeps up my cheeks as I hastily bridge the unexplained request with a simple lie. “I didn’t pack warm enough for the cabin, you see. I prefer to sleep in oversized clothes – the bigger, the better – but I forgot to pack some.”
Koko laughs. “Of course, dear! I’m sure I can find something in the general store. I’ll bring them by tomorrow morning if that’s alright?”
My breath falters, “I’ll pay you back for them, Koko. Just let me know how much it costs.”
This time, she scoffs, dismissive of the mere thought. “Nonsense, Lily. You wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for my clumsiness. It’s the least I can do. Just text if you think of anything else you need.”
I chuckle, feeling a sense of warmth at her generosity. “Thank you, Koko, I will. Good night,” I hang up, staring at the phone for a while before setting it on the counter. God, if only I could call and tell Aunt Zizi about everything. She would know what to say. However, the last thing I want is to put Ravok in danger in case the government really is listening to our phone calls.
The cabin is silent as I quickly wash the last few dirty dishes. Then I take a quick inventory of the fridge and freezer. I need to figure out something hearty for Ravok.
I find a chuck roast in the freeze. I check if I have the rest of the ingredients to make a beef stew. Pleased that I have everything I need, I put the cut of beef in the fridge to thaw for tomorrow.
Once I finish setting the kitchen to rights, I silently tiptoe back to check on Ravok. My heart drums a frantic tattoo as I open the door and peek inside. My gaze lands on Ravok, his form sprawled out on the mattress. The moonlight seeping through the solitary window paints his skin a deep silver, emphasizing the contours of his muscular form.
His bare chest rises and falls rhythmically, the peaceful cadence somehow soothing my restless soul. Behind his closed eyelids, his eyes flicker, a testament to the vivid dreams he must be having. There’s an uncanny beauty in his alien stillness, an image akin to a dark angel cast from the heavens above. At this moment, he’s less of an otherworldly warrior and more of an enchanted wanderer lost in a world that is not his own.
I start to turn away, wanting to give Ravok his privacy when I notice that Mango is curled up at his side.
“Mango,” I venture, my whispered plea breaking the silence of the cabin. One of his golden eyes cracks open, regarding me with an almost human contempt before shutting again. A soft huff is the only response to my call. I resist the urge to burst into laughter, instead beckoning him more urgently. “Mango, come here, buddy!”
Mango merely flicks his tail in dismissal, a feline version of ‘talk to the paw.’ I sigh, rolling my eyes at the absurdity of it all. “Fine,” I mutter, throwing my hands up in surrender, “Stay there snuggling with the intimidating alien for all I care.”
With a huff of amused exasperation, I pivot on my heels. Resigned to letting Mango enjoy his unconventional snuggle buddy, I head back to the living room. Curling up on the couch under the homey quilt I found laid over its back; I close my eyes, the sight of the alien-cuddling cat etching a smile upon my face as I drift to sleep under the soft lullaby of the vibrant night.
CHAPTER 25
Lily
When I crack open my eyes next, I’m immediately blinded by the sunlight streaming in from the nearby window. Groaning, I try to shield my eyes, wincing at the bright sunrise. My body aches in a way I haven’t felt in a long time, but it isn’t an unwelcome sensation. I have a crick in my neck from sleeping on the sofa. I slowly stretch, trying to work out the kinks in my aching muscles. That’s when memories from the last two days flood me.
Fumbling for my phone on the side table, I squint trying to read the time – it’s early morning, the digits almost washed out against the dawn light. Images of yesterday’s events flood back onto the surface of my mind. The alien. Ravok. His wounds. Removing the bullet. His… well… endowment… I would think that it’s just a vivid dream, but I know better. There is a massive, injured, naked alien sleeping in my bed.
Despite knowing that it all really happened, I pad down the hall to where I left Ravok and Mango sleeping and peek inside the room.
