by Sonia Nova
His voice was so calm as he said all this. It almost irritated Hazel – as if she didn’t know they would starve without food. Don’t patronize me, she wanted to snap, but she knew anger wouldn’t help anything. If they started bickering, there was no way they were getting off this planet.
Plus, she needed him. He was right. If he was healthy, he would be able to defend her from pretty much anything. Except the cold…
Hazel shook that thought from her mind.
“Okay,” she said, and watched as Zeriq started to move toward the shuttle exit. “Hey, wait!”
“What?”
“Wait for me to get ready. I’m coming with you.”
Zeriq frowned. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to actually agree to come with him. Whatever. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t about to stay alone in a little metal box on an alien planet when she could be out there, helping to find food.
She found her scarf under a seat, where it had fallen off while she slept, and wrapped it so it covered her ears, mouth, and neck. Even though the temperature had warmed above freezing, it wasn’t comfortable out there by any stretch of the imagination, so she also took one of the foil blankets and used it as a shawl.
“Okay. Let’s go then.”
CHAPTER 8
ZERIQ
They decided to head back toward the blue trees to look for food.
Trees meant undergrowth, and maybe some of those smaller plants would grow and produce food in the snow. If this planet – or even just this area of the planet – was always like this, then the animals would have to eat something, somehow.
Zeriq forged ahead, not stopping to look behind.
His footsteps created a path for Hazel in the snow, and he could hear that she was following. That was enough for him. He couldn’t bear to look at her. He’d hoped to catch some air – without her – but of course the damned female had stuck along.
Ever since she had laid down with him, with her scent and body so close, it had been impossible for him to stop wanting her. Even now, just the memory of her slow breathing as she curled against him aroused him to no end.
What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never been this affected by a female before. It was unnerving.
“Did you see that?” Hazel gasped, bringing him back from his thoughts.
The sound of her scared voice forced him to stop and look at her. She was behind him, knee-deep in the snow, with her foil blanked wrapped around her, and pointing toward the trees that were only some fifty feet away now.
“No,” Zeriq said. “What did you see?”
“A shadow. I think. I don’t know, I might just be seeing things.” She bit her lip nervously.
“I didn’t see anything.” He turned around and strode forward.
“Are you sure?” He could hear her scrambling through the snow to keep up behind him.
“Yes. My eyesight is much more developed than human abilities. I will tell you if I see anything that could be out of the ordinary.”
“Okay…” She still sounded uncertain, but at least she didn’t argue. They continued on in silence.
Zeriq let out a dark laugh. It was funny, somehow, that Hazel was afraid of some mysterious, unseen beast. She should be afraid of him.
Having her so close… So dependent on him… He wanted her so badly and he wasn’t sure he could hold it together.
Focus on finding food.
He trudged forward faster, trying to erase the female from his mind. They entered the trees, and droplets of water sprinkled from the branches onto them. A drop trickled down from his mane and down his back, making him shiver.
“Watch out for falling icicles,” he called back to Hazel. “If it gets any warmer, they might break.”
He didn’t turn to see if she nodded or acknowledged him. Instead, he lifted his head into the air and took a deep breath in through his nose. Analyzing the scents of the thin woods, he tried to detect anything that smelled edible.
The first scent that overwhelmed him was Hazel’s. It made his cock rise in his uniform, and he nearly groaned. He savored the sweetness for a moment before breathing in again to get a fresh start.
There was the earthy, woody smell of the trees, the faintly salty smell of small mammals, and… something sweet. Sweet in a different way than Hazel’s scent: more cloying, less gentle.
“This way,” he grunted, following the scent. If he was right, they would have something to eat within minutes. The scent was so strong that whatever was emitting it had to be nearby.
“What did you smell?” Hazel asked.
Zeriq frowned at her question. It really was impossible to avoid speaking to her or looking at her. Not only because she was the only other creature that he knew of on this planet, but also because she was unfailingly curious.
If only she had stayed back in the shuttle, he would be able to find food for them undisturbed by her many forms of distraction.
“Food,” he said shortly, marching on.
Soon, he stopped by a small grove of trees. The smell was strongest just across the grove, but before they entered, he wanted to ensure that it was safe. He smelled animals around, and who knew? Maybe on this planet there was some creature that used the smell of food to lure its prey.
“Look at that!” Hazel whispered beside him.
A tiny, fluffy brown creature was gliding across the snow toward a small plant at the base of one of the trees. Zeriq instinctively put his arm out to stop Hazel from approaching, but she had already stopped at his side, half hiding behind the nearest tree.
As the creature approached the plant, what Zeriq had thought were seed pods began to uncurl. Four leaves spread outward on each branch to reveal a small pink fruit.
The little creature reached up, grabbed a fruit with its snout, and moved smoothly across the snow away from them and out of sight. The plant curled its leaves back around the fruit.
Hazel was already pushing through the snow before Zeriq could caution her.
“We don’t know if it’s safe,” he said, easily catching up with her as they stood before the little green plant. “Are you sure you want to eat it?”
“That animal did,” she said, kneeling down and waving a hand in front of the plant. The leaves began to part. “Wow,” she muttered. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this. Have you?”
“No. That’s why I’m unsure if you should eat it. Let me try first–”
“Don’t tell me,” she said with a flat voice. “Your digestive system is also stronger than a human’s.”
“Well, yes,” he said, furrowing his brow.
“I’m so hungry right now,” she said. “I know these could be dangerous but I don’t know how much I care.” The seriousness of her tone told him she was telling the truth. Even her voice was shaking.
“There’s only one way to find out,” he said. He knelt beside her and started to pick each fruit as the leaves uncurled to give them access. “Help me put them in this bag and we can eat when we get back. At least there are some first aid supplies in the shuttle just in case.”
“If you say so… I think I can make it,” she said weakly, and started to help him put the fruits into the small bag he had clipped to his belt loop.
An uncomfortable feeling filled Zeriq’s chest. Was she so hungry she didn’t have the strength to argue with him? Or had she actually agreed with him? He wasn’t sure, and the thought of her starving made him feel even uneasier than her alluring scent did.
He threw more of the fruit in his bag.
They had almost all of them – about fifteen or twenty small, pale fruits in all – when… something… caught Zeriq’s attention.
“What? Why’d you stop?”
He ignored Hazel’s questions and looked around them. Nothing but tall, slender trees and snow.
Even so… all of his senses were on edge, but he couldn’t put a finger on what it was or why. Just a horrible, sickening feeling.
And then he heard the howl.
&nbs
p; The high, predatory shriek of it sent the hair on the back of his neck on end.
“Zeriq,” Hazel breathed, looking around with her eyes wide.
The sound had been faint, but apparently it was close enough that even Hazel’s human hearing could detect it.
“We should get moving,” he said.
He put the last fruit into his bag, pulled the drawstring closed, and then began to head back in the direction of the edge of the woods where they had come from.
His senses were on high alert, and he made sure Hazel followed close behind.
CHAPTER 9
HAZEL
Hazel hurried behind Zeriq, following his footsteps in the snow. The strange howl had put her on edge, and when they finally got back to the shuttle, she nearly threw herself into the pile of pillows and blankets in the aisle. She was freezing and hungry and just wanted to curl up and cry.
But they had found food. There was no way she was giving up quite yet.
Zeriq took the bag of fruits and emptied it onto a small tray that attached to one of the seats. They both looked at their “harvest” for moment. For some reason, Hazel had thought the fruits had been bigger before. Now, they looked small and barely enough for one snack, let alone a meal for two adults.
Each pale pink fruit was about the size of a walnut, and had a smooth, shining skin that reminded her of a plum. It looked like it would be sweet and juicy, but there was no real guarantee that something that looked like a fruit here would taste anything like an Earth fruit.
She hadn’t expected to see anything so colorful and fruit-like growing in this type of climate. But the fruit’s leaves must serve as some kind of protection from the cold. And that animal had eaten one, so it had to be some kind of edible… For an alien creature at least.
“You first,” she said, staring at the little fruits.
Her stomach growled, and she was pretty sure Zeriq could hear it too. But if Zeriq’s digestive system was actually stronger, like he’d said, then it only made sense to have him try it first. She was starving but she wasn’t ready to just shove something that could be poisonous in her mouth if she could avoid it.
“Why, you want to see if it kills me?” Zeriq asked mockingly, but he promptly picked one up and put it in his mouth. Hazel watched his face carefully as he chewed, trying to gauge his reaction. His expression didn’t change.
“So? What do you think?”
“It tastes good,” he said. “There’s no seed.”
That was strange, Hazel thought. Most fruits that looked like that on Earth had a pit or at least some kind of detectable seed structure.
Zeriq swallowed. “I’m going to eat another one,” he said. “But you should have most of them. I’m not so hungry yet.”
“So you think they’re edible for humans?”
His quick glance to the side told Hazel everything. No, he wasn’t one hundred percent sure. “Our physiology is similar enough that if it isn’t making me sick, then you should be fine… Or at least, it shouldn’t kill you.”
How encouraging…
“So it comes down to whether I want to starve or puke myself to death,” she muttered quietly. She had meant it as a joke but it came out more seriously than she had intended.
Zeriq just looked at her. “It’s your choice. I can always go back out there and look for more food. Maybe catch one of those small mammals we saw.”
The idea of trying to eat any part of a small, furry alien animal – or the disgusting lizard-like creature – made Hazel nauseous. She shook her head and popped one of the fruits into her mouth.
The flavor burst in her mouth and surprised her.
She had hoped the fruit would be sweet and juicy, like any fruit on Earth, but it was more than that. It was absolutely delicious. Even before she had swallowed the first fruit, she grabbed another and bit open the tender skin. The heavenly flavor filled her mouth.
“Oh my gosh,” she said with her mouth full. “This is so good.”
Zeriq nodded. He pushed most of them toward her, leaving himself only a few. “Eat them,” he commanded.
“I am,” she said and sat down in the seat nearest to the tray they were using as a table. If Zeriq didn’t want them, she certainly did. Not only did the fruit taste good, but also just knowing that they had any food at all was such a giant relief. Her body was starting to be able to relax again.
She took off the blanket and scarf she had been using for warmth and sat back into the chair.
“I’m not feeling sick at all,” she said. “We’re so lucky we found these.”
“Hopefully, there are more,” Zeriq said, his expression turning serious.
“Really?” Hazel gave him an unimpressed look, a fruit in hand. “How about we just enjoy this moment and take a break from worrying about starvation? We found some fruit. Let’s eat and then get started again trying to get off this planet.”
The look on Zeriq’s face made Hazel think he was still thinking those pessimistic – realistic? – thoughts, but he didn’t voice any of them, which she appreciated.
He ate another fruit, chewing slowly.
“So,” Hazel said, filling the silence. “You know that I’m an Alliance trainee. But what about you? How long have you been in the military?”
“For the past year,” he said. “I’ve been training since the Alliance freed my people from our makers.”
Hazel felt instantly guilty. She hadn’t meant to bring up memories of the Krezlians that were probably traumatic for him.
“Sorry,” she said quickly. “I… How did you end up on the E’lania?” she asked awkwardly, trying to change the subject.
“I’m on leave,” he said, looking a bit uncomfortable.
Apparently, when it came to talking about anything other than survival, he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. She would have to carry his weight in the conversation.
“Have you been to Inea before?”
He shook his head, taking a seat as well. “No. But I was told it is a popular tourist destination.”
“That’s an understatement,” Hazel said. “Almost everyone goes there. I can’t believe…” Her voice trailed off. In her relaxation, her thoughts were straying to things other than survival, and she was starting to feel tears build up in her eyes.
“If the Krezlians hadn’t attacked, I would be in my apartment on Inea right now. I would have gone to my first day of training for the new recruits, and have met new friends, have somewhere comfortable to sleep…”
She looked away, not wanting him to see how emotional just talking about this was making her.
“And I would be able to contact my family,” she said quietly.
Hazel felt a warm hand on her shoulder and she whipped her head around, surprised. She had mostly been talking to herself and hadn’t expected Zeriq to care at all. Yet here he was, trying to comfort her.
He had an odd expression on his face and his dark eyes were inscrutable. It seemed as if he didn’t know what to do with himself or how exactly to comfort her. But he was trying, and Hazel appreciated the attempt.
If only there was something he could actually do to make this situation better. But as it stood, they were stuck here. On a frozen alien planet.
She smiled weakly at him, acknowledging his gesture. He squeezed her shoulder slightly, but didn’t drop his hand. Hazel meant to look away and break the connection, but something made her continue to stare into his dark eyes. As if she was unable to pull away.
“Your pupils,” she breathed, her eyes widening in realization. “They’re huge. Are mine dilated too?”
She was suddenly hyperaware of the hand on her shoulder. And the warmth of his skin.
“My eyes are black.” Zeriq frowned. “You can’t see my pupils.”
“Well, I mean…” Hazel shook her head in an attempt to clear it. Suddenly, all her senses seemed on high alert. “Your eyes look bigger somehow.”
She continued to stare at him and Zeriq stared back. They stayed l
ike that for a long time, frozen for the moment: with her looking up into his deep black eyes, and his hand on her shoulder. His expression was… strained. Tight. He looked uncomfortable.
She felt strange as well. Her shoulder was burning hot where he touched her, and warmth spread from the spot throughout her body. Her mouth was also tingling and still stained with the juices from the fruit.
Zeriq’s hand on her shoulder wasn’t enough comfort. She wanted more.
What was she thinking? What was that even supposed to mean? More what?
“Are you… Are you okay?” she asked him, trying to ignore her body’s strange signals.
“Yes,” he answered, but his uneasy expression told her otherwise.
Hazel shifted her eyes away from his, unable to look at him any longer. Her gaze wandered from his penetrating black eyes to his high cheekbones, to his gray lips, to the dark strands of hair from his mane that curled against his strong, sculpted jawline.
That jaw…
She couldn’t resist the urge any longer. Without thinking, she reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. His skin was cool beneath her palm, but it did nothing to cool her own temperature. She was so warm that she felt like she must be blushing from head to toe.
Zeriq’s eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed at the touch. The expression made her feel somewhere between thrilled and scared, and she wasn’t sure what she should be feeling. The only thing she knew was that she wanted to touch him.
“Hazel,” he said, drawing out her name in a low, warning tone that sent a shiver along her spine.
His grip on her shoulder tightened and without warning, he was on her. He pushed her against the wall of the shuttle, making her gasp.
“What are you–”
The warmth of soft lips against hers answered her question before she even had a chance to ask. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and brought her other hand to reach for Zeriq’s face, neck, shoulder, horns, and mane – anywhere she could grab onto to pull him harder against her.
