by Zara Zenia
"No," Cara muttered avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment, "it just surprised me."
Egrix stepped out of the way, letting her slip past him into the room, where she headed straight for the couch. She sat down, obviously trying not to look as flustered as she apparently felt.
"Do you want to keep playing that game from yesterday?" She gestured to the consoles, still avoiding his gaze.
"Sure," Egrix agreed, admiring his cute human girlfriend perched charmingly in front of him, "but first…"
He approached Cara, sitting just beside her on the couch cushion and drawing her eyes to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and another under her knees and pulled her into his lap.
"Good morning," he said with a smile in his voice, nuzzling his face against Cara's shoulder. "Did you sleep well?"
Cara nodded, smiling cheerfully while hugging closer to Egrix. He moved both of his arms to wrap around her small torso, holding her tight.
"Did you dream about me?" He turned his face toward her, smiling coyly.
Cara's flushed face and bright smile were addictive. She nodded, feeding the butterflies in Egrix stomach. Egrix laughed, squinting his eyes closed in delight.
"I dreamt about you too." He paused, pulling his head back like he had something he wanted to tell her. "Also, I talked to the Space Guild headquarters yesterday."
"Oh? Did you give them an update or something?"
"Yeah, I've been reporting to them once a month on my findings."
"How did it go, then?" Cara was a bit confused about why he wanted to tell her this, but she was glad he wanted to talk to her about what was happening in his life.
"It didn't. The report, I mean… Usually I talk to a group of superiors, but, this time, the only one on the call was Nornax," he paused, "the Daxian whose wife I slept with."
Her eyes grew wide as she realized what he was saying. "He cornered you?"
"Yeah," Egrix smiled at her surprise, "he wanted to torture me about being sent here where I didn't want to be."
"I'm sorry."
"No, it didn't work. He wanted me to get mad and fight with him because he sent me here, and it almost worked, but I couldn't stay mad. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I didn't have a reason to be mad anymore."
Cara smiled, obviously understanding where he was going with this.
"I felt bad for him instead of being angry. It wasn't pity exactly, rather it was the first time that I had really thought about what had happened and blamed myself for it. I realized that I felt bad that I had done that to him and that there wasn't anything I could do to make it better." When he looked at Cara, his thoughts brightened and he relaxed. "I apologized to him. He wasn't happy about it, but I wasn't doing it to get him to forgive me. I was doing it because it was the right thing to do and he deserved to hear it from me."
Cara wrapped her arms around him tightly and Egrix hugged her back.
"That's great. That was so brave of you. I'm sure you feel relieved, carrying something like that around must have been heavy. I'm proud of you, Egrix."
Egrix nodded back happily. "I couldn't have done it if I hadn't met you. I was too absorbed in myself before. I wanted to tell you as soon as it happened, but instead I waited all night to say that I'm really glad you're here. In such a short time, you really pulled me out of a dark place. It doesn't feel real." He gave her a deep kiss before sliding her off of his lap and standing up.
"Anyway, let's play some games?" He looked down at her to see her blue diamond eyes sparkling back at him. In one movement she quickly shifted to dig her camera from its bag, turning and snapping a picture of his curious expression before he had time to react.
"Let's do the games in a minute. Please let me take some photos of you." If she hadn't begged, he would have said no, but the way her eyes pleaded made it impossible for him to resist. Instead, the smile on his face grew, and leaned down close to Cara's face.
"What do I get in return?" He gave her a mischievous grin, but the look she exchanged was strict and determined. "Will you grant me a wish when you're done?"
"Yes, I will. I really want some pictures of you, Egrix." She requested of him sincerely, making his heart skip a beat.
"Okay. I've never modeled before though. What should I do."
Cara's smile was bright like the sun. "Let's just get the game set up. It'll be better to do candid shots. People are most beautiful when they aren't trying to be."
Egrix watched Cara fiddle with her camera after saying something so profound and felt his heart beat heavily in his chest.
The two started playing games together again, Cara's camera strap now firmly attached to her neck. Every once in a while she would quietly lift the viewfinder to her eye and snap a picture, evidenced only by the click of the shutter as it captured him. Every time seemed to catch Egrix off guard, which made Cara giggle. Despite his unsteady heartbeat and the feeling of being on edge, he felt happier than he had ever dreamed.
"How did you get good at this so quickly? I beat you every round yesterday!" he whined.
Cara laughed at his pouting. "Practice makes perfect?" She shrugged, her eyes glimmering with pride.
Suddenly, a ping sounded in the room and Egrix went silent.
"Cara, be quiet for a minute. I need to check something." He spoke in a whisper then jogged to a panel beside the pod door. With a touch from his finger, the wall opened to show a hidden console within.
As Cara watched, a screen displayed text in the language Cara had seen Egrix write in several times. As she watched, he moved frantically, jumping from image to image on the screen, with long strings of typing in between. Cara lifted her camera and snapped a picture, noticing her lover's pointy ears quivering.
She stood cautiously, padding over to him as quietly as possible and peeking around his tall frame. The screen showed the inside of the cave, each transition showing a different angle of some section of the cavern. In the upper corner, a red dot blinked repeatedly. Egrix studied the screen, a look of panic on his face. Cara stepped back a few paces and took another picture before moving to stand beside Egrix, watching him carefully. Finally, Egrix let out a heavy sigh, his expression still distressed.
Cara spoke up, just barely above a whisper. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"
Egrix looked at her, concerned. "I have some equipment placed around the cave that detects movement and runs a constant stream of surveillance footage to this console. It picked something up a minute ago and the sensor is still activated, but I can't see anything." His voice was hushed as he looked back to the screen. "These are what alerted me when you came in here, and they're all working. I make sure to check them every day for any damage or malfunction. Someone is in the cave right now."
He sighed again, bringing his hand to his forehead as he tried to think of a solution.
"I don't know if they'll come in any further, but I never activated the defense mechanism on the security devices. They can be programmed to make sounds and cast images to scare off trespassers, but I was too lazy and—" He clenched his teeth, clearly aggravated. "We'll just have to stay quiet for now and hope they don't come down far enough to find the camp. The pod isn't sound proof, so we'll have to be careful not to draw—"
Both Cara and Egrix jump at the shrill sound of Cara's cell phone ringing, a look of shock and fear on their faces as they stared at each other. Cara fumbled in her pocket for the violently buzzing phone, answering it as quickly as she could.
"Hello?" she said in a hushed voice. "Now's not a good time, I'll have to call you back."
"Cara?"
Sheer panic and anger swept through her at the sound of Oscar's voice.
"Cara, that's you right? You didn't change your number again, did you?"
Egrix glanced at her and she knew her face was contorted with anger.
"Why are you calling me?" she asked coldly.
"Aw, don't be like that, baby. I miss you." His voice sounded like poison in her ears.
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"Tough luck, Oscar. I don't have the time or patience to speak with you right now."
Cara knew Egrix recognized Oscar's name as the ex who'd attempted to steal from her parents. She'd told him all about him just the other day. "Cara, please, I'm not calling to bother you. I really do miss you and I wanted to see if you were available to go on a date sometime."
Cara laughed, appalled that he would still think she was gullible enough for that to work.
"Oscar, I would pay to never have to see or listen to you again. There is absolutely nothing that would convince me to go on a date with you. You are seriously out of your depth here if you expect me to forgive you."
"Wow, you've turned into a real bitch, huh? Oh well, I'd be willing to overlook it because I care about you so much. You should reconsider though. Won't you regret it if you end up alone forever?"
She could hear the familiar grin in his voice and had to restrain herself from shouting. "Oscar, don't call me again," she spoke through her teeth, sounding strained and harsh. "If you do, or if you bother anyone around me again, I will report you to the police."
She was about to hang up when she heard him chuckle on the other end. "You wouldn't do that, Cara. That's one of the things I love about you, you're too nice."
She slammed her finger on the end call button and slid the phone back into her pocket balling her hands into fists at her sides.
Egrix quickly glanced over his shoulder to see that the red light was no longer flashing, then he took two quick strides to Cara. She looked up at him with her face flushed and eyebrows knitted together. Her eyes glinted with the smallest trace of tears and she was tense all over. He gave her a worried look then scooped her into his arms, carrying her over to the couch. He sat down pulling her close to him and whispered in her ear, "Are you okay?"
Cara adjusted in his lap, pressing the side of her face against his bare chest and leaning her weight into him.
"That was Oscar. He and I dated for a year and we broke up last Christmas."
"I remember. He's the jerk you said tried to steal from your parents."
Cara nodded. "Yeah. He's a real piece of work." She clenched her fists again, but Egrix quickly trapped her hands with his and she relaxed them, smiling at him. "He actually spent the entire time we were together stealing from me and I… I let him. He didn't have a job or any of his own money when he asked me out. We lived together and I drove him everywhere. Essentially, it was very one-sided, but when I dumped him, he surprised me. He would come to my house every day trying to get me to take him back. Eventually he stopped, but I honestly got scared to be alone because I was sure he was following me."
Cara sighed, running her index finger across Egrix's chest. "I'm sorry I got so worked up. His stalking used to really freak me out and I guess I'm still not over it."
Egrix stroked her hair gently. "Don't be. Honestly, I'm pretty upset, myself." Cara looked up at him, confused. "I wish I had been here to protect you when all of that happened. I'll try my best to make up for it by keeping you safe now, okay?"
Cara smiled warmly at him, clearly surprised by his care for her. She must have remembered the camera around her neck because she looked down and picked it up. She leaned into him and held the camera in front of their faces, snapping a picture of them happily cuddling.
13
"It's probably getting close to time for me to head out." Cara realized as she thought back on the day's ups and downs. She suddenly remembered the deal they'd made earlier that evening and looked into Egrix's eyes. "Oh, but what about your wish?"
"Huh?" Egrix looked at her, confused until the request he'd made before dawned on him. "Oh, right. I was actually just gonna drop it. Although… At this point there might be good reason for me to ask anyway. Are you up for granting my wish after this day?"
"I don't know, I'm a bit worried now." She laughed a little awkwardly. "What is it that you wish for?"
"Hmmm." He gave her a critical look, then placed his chin on top of her head as he asked. "Would you want to stay the night here? I can't tell you how wonderful it would be to wake up to you in the morning and I would feel safer with you here after your stalker called out of the blue." He looked down at her again. "You'd have to sleep on the couch since I need the bed to replenish my energy, but it's pretty comfortable."
"We can't share the bed?" Cara asked nonchalantly, but a moment later both of them flushed, one red and one yellow, at her innocent question.
"We — well you could, I just assumed…"
"No, I mean, I didn't mean anything…" Cara paused, not able to form a coherent thought and getting more flustered by the second. "It's really hot in here, I'm gonna step outside and let my parents know I won't be home tonight."
Cara jumped from Egrix's lap and sprinted to the door, leaving a gold glowing Egrix to his own devices. She zipped out into the cavern and called her parents, knowing it was going to be an involved conversation. "Hi, Mom…" she started. As she spoke, she wondered what Egrix could be doing inside, and she was anxious to get back to him.
After quite a while Cara came back to the pod perturbed with her parent's mountain of questions. She approached the door to knock, but as soon as her hand got close it opened on its own, surprising her so much she let out a small squeal. She poked her head in and found Egrix with his back facing her cooking in his small kitchen. It made her smile to see him cooking for them. It didn't look like he'd heard her. She cleared her throat as she approached so he would know she was behind him.
"Sorry that took so long. My dad's pretty clingy." She giggled softly. "Sometimes I feel like I'm his parent." She paused, realizing something. "Wait, if you're in here, and didn't notice me at the door… did the door just open for me on its own?"
"Yeah, I programmed in your biological signature so you can come in whenever you'd like."
His ears and the back of his neck took on the familiar golden glow, making Cara smile at how cute he could be. The smell of food hit her like a boulder and her stomach rumbled in response.
"Oh, that smells delicious. What are you making us for dinner?"
Egrix grinned, not turning away from the pan in front of him. "You'll see."
Cara was touched at his thoughtfulness. "Then I'll try to pick up a bit while you cook."
The night they shared was lighthearted and simple. To Egrix's obvious pleasure, Cara praised his food tirelessly as they ate. Afterwards the two cuddled on the couch and watched a movie, stealing kisses from the other every once in a while. At some point, Cara's eyes grew heavy and her breathing more shallow, until she unintentionally fell asleep lying on Egrix.
A small snore escaped Cara's mouth and Egrix looked down to see her relaxed, sleeping face. He flushed as he ran his eyes over her softly closed eyelids and slightly pursed lips. He sat up as much as he could without shifting her too much, putting down some pillows behind him on the couch. As gently as he could manage, he moved out from under her and set her head on the pillows. He grabbed a blanket and spread it over her before turning the television off. He sat, studying her innocent face until sleep began to creep behind his own eyes and he decided to move to his bed. As he lay there waiting to sleep, he smiled to himself, imagining Cara's beautiful face on the pillow next to him.
Cara woke to the familiar smell of breakfast cooking nearby. She pulled the blanket covering her up, snuggling into it, but something felt off. She tried to open her eyes, squinting against the strange light invading her vision as she sat up. This wasn't her quilt. Cara's eyes went wide as she remembered where she was. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes peeking past the back of the couch, to find Egrix in the kitchen.
"Oh my, I can't believe I almost forgot where I was," Cara mumbled under her breath, dropping her head into her hands. She felt something slide around her waist and jerked her head back up, coming face to face with Egrix. He was crouched next to her with his arms holding her in a gentle embrace.
"Good morning, my dove."
Cara felt
her face catch fire as his sweet breath drew closer. He placed a soft kiss on her parted lips, then another on her forehead, smiling coyly at her speechlessness.
"Are you okay? Would you like some breakfast?"
She nodded, allowing him to lead her to the table where she sat down, slowly waking up from her tired morning state. As she stared at the table in front of her she gained back some semblance of control over her mental faculties.
"Is there coffee?" she asked, a little distressed. "I'm used to having a cup every morning, I don't know if I can manage without it."
"Just a moment." He moved quickly with several plates of food, setting the table in front of her. As a final gesture, he set a fresh mug of coffee in front of her before giving an exaggerated bow. "Your breakfast is served, madame. Do you want anything for your coffee?"
Cara snickered at Egrix's showmanship. "No, I take it black usually. Thank you for the food."
The two sat and enjoyed their breakfast together, talking only a little in the morning air, but mostly just enjoying each other's company. Once Cara finished her plate she began to gather dishes and take them to the kitchen sink. She washed as she went, until she only had Egrix's dishes left on the table.
"May I have your plate?"
Egrix nodded, holding it out to her, but as she reached for it, he quickly grabbed her wrist with his available hand, pulling her to him. He set the plate down again, firmly holding on to her sitting in his lap.
"What do you think of spending a long time with me today? It would be a shame if you went straight home after staying the night."
"Are you going to tease me all day if I do?" she demanded to know, crossing her arms as she called out his intentional actions.
"Cara, I'm not teasing you." He feigned innocence with a knowing smile on his lips. "I just don't feel like keeping my hands off you right now." He tried to give her an innocent look, making her heart skip a beat despite herself as she paused to consider his seductive words.
