Alan

 

I tossed and turned all night, unable to rest peacefully in spite of finding Krista alive and happy. Angry that I still couldn’t sleep, I threw off the covers and pushed up to the side of the bed. I thought that once I found her, everything would be okay and I’d start to sleep peacefully, but something felt out of sorts. I couldn’t explain it, couldn’t even really describe the odd sensation in my chest.

When I heard light knocking on my door, I grabbed a pair of trousers as an irritated sigh hissed through my lips. I knew my irritation didn’t make sense as I almost jerked the door open. Almost.

“Good morning.” Krista’s eyebrows shot up as she took in my messy hair and red eyes. “Bad night?”

“Just couldn’t sleep.”

“Okay.  Well, I thought you might need these.” She held out a large bundle of clothes.

“Thanks.”

“Kollin and I are about to head down for first meal. Get dressed and you can go with us.”

“K. Thanks.” I gently closed the door in her face.

Dressed in a pair of loose dark trousers and a pullover shirt, I solemnly trailed after the two of them as we headed down to eat. If I wasn’t so tired I would’ve been impressed with the grand room with its huge oblong dining table set with fine crystal. It looked expensive. Servants, dressed in plain brown dresses, fluttered around, setting plates of food on the table. Nothing looked familiar, but it smelled good enough to make my stomach sing with low rumbles.

There were several women—the Azziarins referred to them as human females—here with their mates, along with a couple of kids. Everyone talked as they passed plates around, obviously comfortable with the routine. I didn’t know what to say, what to do, so I sat silently and listened to the light chitchat. Being the only human man on this planet would prove to be a feat.

“Here you go.” Krista smiled as she handed me a plate filled with seared, oddly shaped meat. I took a couple of pieces and then passed it on down.

I was just about to shove a bit of food in my mouth when I caught sight of an Azziarin female, the first one I’d ever seen. I froze, the food mere inches from my mouth. Long, silky white hair swept across her left shoulder in curls. It made her look regal. High cheekbones led the way to full luscious lips that hid all but the tips of two pointed fangs.

Instantly, I grew hard. My heart picked up an intense beat and when she caught me staring, I thought I would drown in her beautiful cat eyes with their endless pools of blue. They reminded me of the vibrant blue Earth sky. My heart pounded like it wanted to escape my chest. I was falling into her gaze, and when she smiled, my heart soared with happiness.

Which was when I realized that my reaction was not normal. Not for me. My smile faded and as difficult as it was, I looked away.

What just happened?

That wasn’t like me at all. I didn’t swoon over someone I’d never spoken to. It only served to remind me that I wasn’t on Earth. I should have talked to Ava more, found out what powers the Azziarins could impose on others. Because that reaction I just felt, it wasn’t normal. Not at all.

I ate as fast as I could, never once looking her way again. Oh, I wanted to. Believe me. I even wanted to see if she was looking at me.

The urge to be near her, to talk to her, never let up and I needed to put distance between us as soon as possible. Figure out how she had this invisible grip on me. And it was a grip. I could feel it pulling me toward her. I needed to leave.

Swallowing the last bite, I stood up from the table. Krista snatched my wrist.

“Where are you going?”

I could see her worry, which made me feel like an ass. I’d just found her yesterday and today I was running away. But not from her. Never her.

“Don’t worry”—I flashed her a quick, insincere smile— “I’m just going for a walk.”

“Would you like some company?”

Not able to hold back any longer, my eyes flickered over to the white-haired female. She was looking down at her food. “No. I just need some time alone to think.”

Krista let go of my wrist, her eyebrows pulling close. “Okay,” she said, sounding uncertain.

One last glance in her direction and I spun around and headed for the main doors. A little fresh air and some exploring might help me get a handle on whatever the hell this was.

When I pushed open the front doors and stepped outside, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me. And why wouldn’t they? I was the fucking alien there, and probably the only human male they’d seen. I ignored them and focused on the forest straight ahead. Now that was a sight.

It looked like the perfect place for a little solitude. The ground provided a spring to my step, literally, which left me befuddled as I headed for the canopy the trees provided with their massive height and limbs.

This world was beautiful, but different. Warm air brushed my cheeks with every step. It felt like a fall day on Earth. My mind cleared with every step, and reality set in. What would I do here? There didn’t seem to be a need for police officers. And now that Krista had Kollin, she didn’t need me.

I felt a little out of place, and even with Krista here, I felt alone. I missed my old police buddies, Mom and Dad. Hell, I even missed Toran and the others.

It had taken some time, but the Curazins were my friends. Wonder if I can get back to their ship? I dismissed that idea as soon as it popped into my head. For some reason, I needed to be on Azziar. There was this strange pull to stay and I didn’t understand why.

Walking deeper into the forest, I took in the amazing surroundings. Everything was more exaggerated. The color of the flowers, the size of the trees.  I found a clearing that let sunlight streak though. There was a little slope where I could stretch out and have a great view of the clear sky. The foliage wasn’t exactly grass, but it was thick, cushiony, and comfortable. With one arm behind my head, I stared at the treetops, hoping to spot some kind of small animal running the branches. Back home, I would often head to the park and watch the squirrels scour the ground for nuts.

One thing I could say about Azziar, the air smelled fresh, clean. There were no factories that I could see to pollute the air, nothing that I could recognize to give off any pollutants, but surely, they had some. No planet could really be this peaceful.

A twig snapped in the distance and I knew in my heart it was Krista. I should’ve expected it. Deciding to take advantage of this private time with her, I lifted up on my elbows and waited. In the distance, I heard the sound of faint footsteps that kept getting louder.

I pushed up a little farther and leaned back on my hands as I waited. This would be a great time for us to talk, even though I wasn’t really in the mood.

When I spotted her coming, I knew I was in trouble. Everything I’d finally got under control—my heart, my senses, my dick—all came roaring back with each confident step she took toward me. She radiated grace. Lithe and wearing only a simple blue sundress that matched her eyes, she was pure beauty.

When she neared, her lips curled in a smile. “What are you doing out here,” she asked as she glanced around.

Her voice sounded musical even though the words didn’t match the movement of her lips.

I tilted my head up and shielded my eyes from the small stream of light shining through the canopy. “I came to get a little fresh air,” I said absently, staring a little too long.

She walked over and gracefully lowered herself down lady-like, her knees curled together underneath. “My name is Kattlyn.”

“I’m Alan,” I said on autopilot as I kept staring. When I realized, I quickly averted my eyes, looking straight ahead into the distance.

“I know. You are Krista’s brother.” I heard the smile in her voice.

The first genuine smile since arriving spread across my face. “And you are?”

“Kollin’s sister.”

Holding her gaze, I had to know. “Did you follow me out here?”

Kattlyn glanced away momentarily. She looked a little guilty before she admitted, “I did.”

“Why?” Even though I didn’t really care why. I was just glad that she had.

“I wanted to welcome you to Azziar.”

I grinned while my heart did a happy dance.

“Thank you.” As I looked back at the treetops, my grin faded and I silently sighed. This female made me feel things I’d never felt before. It was strange and wonderful and I had to question if it could possibly be real. My face must have showed my true feelings.

“You do not like it here?” Kattlyn’s eyebrows pulled close and a look of sadness darkened her face for a brief second.

“I don’t know. Everything’s changed.”

“Like what?”

“Krista doesn’t need me. She has Kollin.”

“But, is that not a good thing?”

I scoffed. “I suppose. As long as she’s happy.”

“Then I do not understand.”

I hesitated for only a moment. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I have no purpose here, no place to live, and I don’t want to live with Krista and Kollin.” Looking at Kattlyn, I asked, “Does that even make sense?”

She nodded, and in a slight voice, I heard, “Yes,” just as she grabbed a handful of the brownish-green foliage and pulled it from the ground before letting it drift from her hand only to grab some more. “I want something better than just having young.”

I drew my knees up and leaned forward, my hands clasped in front of them as I searched her eyes. There was a sadness deep within the pools of blue. She looked as lost as I felt. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

She bit her lower lip and glanced at me before staring into the distance. “I want what my brothers have. Someone to love only me. Someone to build a happy life with.” She turned her gaze back at me. “Is that so wrong?”

The longing in her voice tugged at my heartstrings. It made me want to wrap my arms around her, make everything better. My hands clinched tight to keep from doing just that. I couldn’t. At one point in my life, I thought I’d have that too. But knowing the pain of losing . . .

I understood, but . . . “No, it’s not wrong.”

“What do you want, Alan?”

I glanced her way and then leaned back on my elbows and searched the sky, what little I could see of it through the trees. If felt strange to be on a new planet after spending so long on a spaceship. What did I want?

With a smile on my face, I winked at Kattlyn. “When I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

Her laugh caused something inside me to shift. My dick hardened to the point of pain and I fought back the need to find out how different the two of us were. Could she tell that my heart was pounding? Gray monsters, drug dealers, paperwork. That’s it, paperwork. Mounds of paperwork that I must finish. My heart slowed, I softened slightly, but not much.

“What was it like out there?” She glanced up at the sky.

Her voice drew me right back in.

“Different. A year or so ago”—I shook my head— “I can’t keep up with time anymore.” Kattlyn laughed at my admission. “So once upon a time on a planet far away, I never knew aliens existed. And then suddenly . . .” I said in a playful, exaggerated voice, “I’m the alien.”

She giggled. “That almost sounds made up.”

“Yeah?” I chuckled. “This all feels unreal. I’m sitting on another planet!”

“Is it that much different from yours?”

“Yeah,” I said with amazement. “Our planet is industrialized, and the last time I drove into town, most of the buildings were just heaps of block and rubble piled on the ground.”

“That sounds horrible.” Her hand flew to her chest.

I scoffed. “It was. But before that happened, we had parks and trees. I used to go to the park for some peace and quiet. It helped me think.”

From the corner of my eye, I could see her sneaking glances at me and I liked it more than I should. I liked her. She was easy to talk to and the attraction I felt was uncanny. But I remained leery of things I didn’t understand.

“What else did you have?”

“Hmm . . . well, I’m from Nashville and there’s this strip called Music Row. Bars lined both sides of the street, music blared constantly with people trying to make it big.”

She scrunched her nose. “I don’t understand.”

I laughed. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.”

“Tell me more about this musicrow . . .”

A smile tugged my lips from the way she pronounced it.  It sounded like musey crow.

I thought about home. It wasn’t perfect, but it was familiar. “Bars lined the streets and you could always hear good music.”

“Bars?”

“Let’s see. Hmmm. . .  Bars are a place to go drink Fire’s Breath.”

“I see.” Her face twisted in confusion and I had to laugh. Maybe telling her that wasn’t giving her the best impression of Earth. Too late now.

“Earth also had parks, national forests, hiking trails. There were plenty of places to get away from it all.”

“That sounds intriguing.”

“I guess.”

“Would you like me to show you around Azzair?”

I would love to see more of this planet.  Exploring and hiking were two of my favorite hobbies on Earth. 

I jumped to my feet. “I would like that very much.” And then I offered her my hand to help her up.

When she put her hand in mine, the mood changed. Electrified. My breath grew ragged as I stared into her desire-filled eyes. The sky-blue darkened as I slowly pulled her to her feet. Her lips parted and she took a step forward.

I could feel her breath brush across my face. Our eyes locked in a heated moment. Her tongue darted out, licking her lips. I watched her mouth, my dick straining against my trousers, begging to be let loose. I wanted to kiss her, wanted to run my fingers through her hair. The look in her eyes told me she felt the same.

Drawing on my one tiny thread of willpower, I swallowed hard and stepped back.

What the hell just happened? Never had I felt this tense, overwhelming desire to take a woman . . . female . . . on the ground, lose myself deep inside her body, especially when first meeting her.

There were so many badge bunnies chasing after cops, I’d learned to be cautious, always opting to get to know them first. There was the occasional drunken hookup, but this time I was sober and she was a fucking princess. Looking at Kattlyn, I remained painfully hard, and my heart . . . my heart hammered in my chest. The slight distance from her helped, but not much.

She stepped forward, gently cupping my cheek with the palm of her hand. “Please, Alan.”

Please what? Without thinking, I reached up and covered her hand with mine. Closing my eyes, I savored the feel of her skin touching mine, the warmth of her fingers as she stroked my cheek with her thumb. It felt so good, so right.

When my eyes popped open, I knew I had fallen under her spell. Again. I took a ragged breath and stepped back. “This is a bad idea. I can’t.” And then I turned my back to her, hoping to break whatever invisible connection was making my thoughts turn to mush.

I heard her step closer, then she gently wrapped her hand around my bicep. I wanted to groan out loud, tell her that she was making it damn near impossible to say no. I think I might have groaned, a little.

“Why?”

I glanced over my shoulder and could see the confusion on her face. Hear the pleading in her voice. I felt the same way.

As painful as it was, I slowly turned back around, took a step back, and almost stumbled over a vine. When I righted myself, a loud sigh escaped. I wanted her to understand but I was starting to doubt myself when I forced out, “It just is.”

“Can you not feel it?” She stepped forward again. “This pull toward each other?” Her words sounded more like a plea. But I couldn’t . . .

Yes, I could feel the pull. This strong, undeniable pull toward the most amazing female I’d ever laid eyes on. But this wasn’t a normal reaction.

I glanced at Kattlyn and reluctantly admitted, “Yes, I can feel it. But I don’t understand it. It’s not normal. And I have so much to figure out first.”

“Like what?” Her voice was still almost pleading and it pained me to know I’d caused it.

I averted my eyes and stared at the treetops. How could I possibly make her understand what it’s like for a man not to be able to provide for himself. Relying on Krista and Kollin was not an option, and before I could ever commit to any relationship, I needed to be independent.

“Your trees are huge.”

“And you are changing the subject.”

My lips quirked up. “Are you always this direct?”

“Only with my true mate.” My gaze shot to hers and held. Her eyes were daring me to deny it.

I looked away first. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“A true mate?”

“Yes. I know when we met Zekke, Toran said that he had his mate with him. I know that Krista is with Kollin, but a true mate?” I shook my head. “I don’t know the meaning.”

“A true mate”—with her hand still wrapped around my arm, she took a small step forward, not an inch separating us now— “a true mate is the one person created for you. There is only one.” She pressed her lips to mine.

They felt warm and tender, and they tasted like heaven. Startled, I opened to her briefly, and then I felt her teeth nick my tongue. It didn’t hurt, but it broke the trance and I reared back. “What are you doing?” My voice came out harder than I intended, but dammit, I was already on edge and she was playing with fire. She kept pushing and it took everything in me not to take her right there on the forest floor.

“I . . . I have seen the other humans press their lips against their mate’s. I just . . . I just thought that . . .”

Her voice cracked. I rubbed my forehead. “Dammit, that’s not what I meant and I’m sorry it came out wrong.”