CHAPTER FIVE

 

Xar turned to face his clan, spreading his arms slightly, allowing his mate to shelter herself behind his body. Anything to make her feel safe.

“Xar! We thought you were lost.” His brother clapped him on the shoulder, just before cuffing him on the head. “We’ve been sick with worry. What were you thinking, disappearing on us? And what is that behind you?”

“Her name is Madison, Rin. She is my mate.”

He was met with shocked silence. “It’s a long story, one we don’t have time for. The short of it is that I was stolen by evil creatures who also stole my mate along with many other women. We escaped, but these humans are ill-equipped to survive in our world. They cannot even climb our trees.”

Worried whispers broke out. Not being able to climb was death.

Torox stepped forward. As the clan leader, it would be up to him to manage the crisis in whatever way he saw fit. Just not Xar’s mate. It was up to a man to take care of his mate, and no one, leader or not, could interfere with that. “Where are they?”

“I took them one by one up the tallest tree I could find. I left them with food and water, but many of them are injured, and they can’t even sleep in trees without another holding them up. We need to send a party to rescue them. The flying cave landed in the middle of the western forests, just south of the lake.”

Torox glanced up at the sky. “It’s too dark to travel safely now. We’ll leave at dawn. Before we do anything else, I want everyone to find their mating bracelets and put them on. They’re to stay on until I say otherwise.”

“Mating bracelets?” Madison peered cautiously around him, looking at the others.

“She speaks our language?”

“Yes. She also knows much about the realm of the stars, where they took us. Had she not told me about the dangers, we may all have died up there.”

Rin stepped around me and held out his arms to Madison. “Welcome, little sister. The mate of my brother is always welcome.”

Madison hesitated, not knowing what to do.

“The traditional Xenshi greeting is to link hands like this.” Xar intertwined his fingers with hers. “You squeeze the others’ hands as you look into their eyes.”

Madison took a brave breath and took Rin’s hands. Xar could tell she was still afraid, but she did it anyway, what must seem a strange ritual to her. She didn’t have four arms, of course, but her two were good enough.

“Thank you for taking us. We won’t be on your hands long, just until we can get that ship working.”

Rin exchanged a dark look with Xar. “She is your mate.”

“She does not realize this yet. Her people do things differently. You will give her time.”

He backed up at Xar’s fierce tone. “I think I should go find my mating bracelet now.”

“Yes, I think you should.”

Everyone dispersed. Xar could hear the sounds of rooms being turned upside down in searches. The mating bracelets hadn’t been needed in so long, he doubted many of the men remembered where they’d put those.

“Don’t you need a mating bracelet?” Madison stepped out from behind him, looking around.

“No. I am already mated to you.” She frowned but didn’t say anything, so he continued. “When a man finds his mate, his instincts to protect her kick in. These are difficult to manage, and it wouldn’t be feasible for the clan to have more than one newly mated male at any time. In times past, when we had females, we all wore mating bracelets until there was a suitable time for us to mate. Our chief decides who gets to take theirs off, and when. Since we lost most of our females, we haven’t needed them. I know this is a strange, frightening world to you, but to my people, you and your friends are all their dearest dreams come true.”

“They may not want mates.” Madison looked worried again, and he didn’t like to see it.

“No man would ever force a woman to mate. If one of them removes his mating bracelet and finds his true mate is one of the other humans, it will be his job to woo her into coming to him willingly.”

“What if she doesn’t?”

Xar shrugged. “It has never happened before, to my knowledge. Most Xenshi are eager to have a mate and family. We mate for life, so if a man is rejected by his mate, he will never know another. But we all resigned ourselves to this a long time ago when we lost our females. We’re just glad to have a second chance, even if there’s a possibility that chance won’t work out.”

She wondered if these people even had a concept of rape or assault. If humans could be more like these aliens, Earth would be a much better place.

“Come, I will show you your new home.”

Madison opened her mouth but closed it again. Xar knew what she was thinking. She still didn’t understand that this was her home now, too. He didn’t like the idea of her leaving, but if she wished it, he would come with her to her home planet. Judging by the damage to the flying cave, though, that didn’t seem likely to happen.

She followed him to his room. He pulled the vines aside, showing her his bed, made of furs, as well as a few items of furniture that had been passed down in his family. She examined the wooden chair with wonder, exclaiming over the fine work. She was particularly curious about the vines hanging down thickly, shielding his room from the view of the others.

“Don’t you have doors? Or walls?”

“Of course.” Xar gestured to the hanging vines. “Here are the walls.” He walked over to one wall and parted the vines with his hands, wide enough for her to walk through. “Here is a door.”

Madison shook her head, though she didn’t seem unhappy. Xar started searching through his simple clothes chest for the smallest shirt he owned. After finding it right at the bottom, he held it out to Madison.

“See how this fits you.”

The shirt went to her knees and had two extra holes where his other two arms were, but she was delighted. “You have no idea how good it is to have proper clothes. Do you have a belt?”

“What is this belt?”

“Never mind. Can I borrow one of these vines?”

“You wish to tear down our walls?”

“Um, not exactly what I meant. What I mean is, can you get me something I can tie around my waist? This shirt is too loose. I want to make it fit better.”

Xar knew just the thing. He came up with a thin leather thong that held an old pendant given to him by his mother. He pulled it off and tucked it tenderly away, handing over the leather. Madison tied it around herself and exclaimed in delight. She tugged at the shirt until the holes were mostly bunched up under the leather, so much that he barely noticed them.

Xar missed seeing her skin. He longed to touch it, not just the casual touch of carrying her, but a purposeful touch, one that gave her pleasure. Soon. First, he must see that all her other needs were attended to.

“I should show you where you can relieve yourself before dark. We have a river where we bathe. It runs through a particular spot where the water is warm. The rocks underneath are hot, so you must be careful where you stand. We have to bathe in groups though. It is always safer to have a few people on watch for predators while the others are distracted.”

He saw longing on her face. It had been a long day climbing through the trees, and they were both sweaty and dirty. “Tomorrow, I will see if I can get a group together to bathe. For now, let me show you our other facilities.”

Madison was surprised when he showed her the line of wooden seats set on the far end of the tree. Holes had been painstakingly gouged into the branches so that waste fell down below.

“What happens to it? It just falls?”

Xar nodded enthusiastically. “We have cleared the branches in this area all the way down to the ground. The waste makes the ground below fertile. We grow some of our own plants there. It’s easier for Zazora to have the things she needs for her healing readily at hand.”

“You don’t have… walls… between them?”

Xar noted her worry and remembered that humans were more modest than Xenshi. “I will make you some tomorrow.”

“I can help. I want to learn.”

He was so proud of his mate. She was stranded on a strange planet, but she faced it with bravery and determination. “I will teach you. Will you be able to get here on your own?”

On the way to the relief seats, she had held onto his arm for much of it, wobbling alarmingly as she walked along the straight, broad branches.

She hesitated before shaking her head, staring miserably around her.

“No matter. For now, wake me when you need to go, and I will take you.” He looked contemplatively at the surrounding area. “I will get the strongest vines I can find and string them along the route. If you can grab onto them when you lose your balance, you should be safe.”

Madison brightened a bit. “Maybe we could also make some ladders so that all the humans could get around easier.”

Xar wouldn’t have suggested it for fear of offending her; the Xenshi only used ladders for the old and sickly. She seemed happy about the idea, though, so he guessed her people did things differently.

“I will see it done. We can’t have them going all the way to the bottom or the gora may climb up them. They are not skilled enough to climb trees, but they are resourceful and could take advantage of a ladder.”

“Perhaps a retracting ladder that has to be pulled up at least part of the way.” Madison seemed to check herself. “But I don’t want the clan going to too much trouble, not when it’s not things you’ll use after we’ve left.”

Xar took her arm and started guiding her back. “Even if you can get the flying cave working, it’s likely to be some time. Trust me, the other men will be eager to gain the favor of the new females. We will have more volunteers than space to do the work. Besides, do you really think that thing will ever fly again? I don’t know about space, but I know what something looks like when it’s broken.”

He wished he hadn’t spoken, because Madison looked sad again. “Maybe not, but I’m going to try. You’re probably right. It’s probably hopeless. I may never get home.”

“This is your home. I cannot promise you it will be the same as Earth, but I can promise to do everything in my power to make it a good home for you.”

She rewarded him with a glowing smile. Xar would have fetched the sun for her if she’d asked. Night was falling. The others were gathering at the eating platform. Madison followed behind him, holding onto his tail for balance like a pup. Rin hailed them jovially and moved over to make space.

Xar offered her a variety of foods, but while she ate, she didn’t seem to relish it. He would have to find foods that she enjoyed. She did love the sweet hubaka nectar, finishing a while pipe of it.

The others were all talking about the mission to save the other humans. They would leave as soon as the sun was up and travel fast. Torox wanted everyone to get an early night. It would be a hard day of travel for them the next day.

As the rest got up to leave, Xar picked Madison up, holding her securely in his arms. “Come, my skies. Now, we will mate.”

 

* * *

 

“What?” Madison squawked.

“I intend to mate with you.”

The way he said it, with that heated look in his eyes, made her go all weak and fluttery. Before she knew it, they were back in his room. Xar laid her on the furs.

“Xar, wait. I don’t want to mate.” That was a lie. She wanted him very much. She had never agreed to marry him, even though he insisted she was his mate, but he’d been amazing to her, and she couldn’t deny the attraction. Her body wanted him very much, but she just wasn’t sure about starting a physical relationship with an alien. She waited to see what he would do.

Xar rolled to the side, propping himself up on his elbow. He wasn’t touching her, but they were very much in the same bed.

“No matter. I can wait. I wish to get to know my mate better, and not just her body. Tell me about your homeworld.”

He was so sincerely interested, she couldn’t resist. Xar listened to even the most trivial detail with serious attention. He answered any question she had about his home. While Madison still wanted to see if the ship could be repaired, she felt a little better about possibly having to make a home here.

It seemed Xar would do anything for her. She didn’t know what she’d ever done to deserve such adoration and devotion. She must have been a saint in a past life. As much as she enjoyed talking to him, exhaustion finally won out. She laid her head on the pillow, finding the fabric surprisingly soft.

Xar slowly put his arm around her, giving her a chance to push him away. She didn’t. It felt good. When she allowed it, Xar went ahead and wrapped her up in all four of his arms. Feeling more safe and secure than she had in a long time, Madison drifted off.

She was woken in the morning by the sounds of people moving about. The platforms vibrated slightly at the footsteps. She tried to sit up, but Xar’s arms tightened around her.

“Xar, wake up, we’re leaving.”

He mumbled something reluctant. “I suppose Rin won’t forgive me if I don’t wish him a good journey.”

Madison was already up, tugging nervously at her borrowed shirt. “Will you be able to keep up with the others while carrying me?”

Xar gave her a look that suggested he was worried for her sanity. “We’re not going.”

“What! Yes, we are. I’m not just going to leave them there.”

“You are not just leaving them there. We’ve sent a group to get them. It is too dangerous for you to leave the home trees, at least until you have learned more about Xenshar.”

“No, Xar, I want to go. Can you imagine how scared they’ll be when a bunch of aliens come for them? They’ll need to see me.”

“I will not put you at risk for the security of others. I promise, the clan will be gentle with them. They know that the humans are new to this world, know they are afraid.”

Although he was usually happy to get her whatever he thought she might want, on this, Xar was firm. It was infuriating, especially as she knew he was only concerned for her. She couldn’t even fault him for his concerns. Xenshar was a dangerous planet. Still, she was mad. This wasn’t his choice to make.

“Fine, if you won’t carry me, I’ll find someone else who will.”

“You will not.”

“Watch me.” Madison stalked out.