“Honey, my name is Evie. Can you call me Evie?” I said.
“Evie,” she said. “Evie girl.”
I smiled. “Good enough.”
She rubbed her hand across my chest. “What these, Evie girl?”
“They’re called breasts,” I said.
“Breasts,” she mimicked.
“That’s right. Girls – women – have breasts. When you grow up, you’ll have them too.”
“I look,” she said. She pulled my neckline out and stared at my naked breasts. I let her look her fill, figuring if I didn’t, she’d be constantly trying to peek at them. After a few minutes, her curiosity was satisfied, and she let go of my tank top. “Evie girl play with Bella?”
I couldn’t resist her sweet and hopeful look. “Sure. Just let me get dressed first.”
I slid off the bed and put on my bra and a t-shirt and layered my sweater over top of that. I’d have to ask Court or Bran where their laundry machines were. I didn’t have very much in the way of clothes and this sweater was the only one thick enough to keep me somewhat warm in the house.
“You cold?” Bella said. She was studying the goosebumps on my bare legs.
“Yes, it’s very cold in here.” I studied the t-shirt and pants combo she was wearing. “Are you not cold, honey?”
She just shrugged. I took off my shorts and slipped yoga pants on. My ribs and back protested, but compared to how it used to be, I could handle the pain. Although – my mouth watered – a glass of gallberry juice would definitely help.
Bella leaned forward on the bed and stared at my ass. “Where your tail?”
“I don’t have a tail.” I sat down on the bed next to her, smiling a little when she used her tail to tug on the hem of my sweater. “I’m a human and humans don’t have tails.”
“Human?” Bella cocked her head at me.
“That’s right.” I pointed to myself. “I’m a girl human and you,” I pointed to her, “are a girl Draax.”
She giggled and took my hand, jumping off the bed and pulling me toward the door. “Play with me, Evie girl.”
I followed her down the hallway to her room. Her room was small but stuffed full of toys and books. We sat down on the floor and Bella handed me a purple doll. “Draax girl.”
“What’s her name?” I said.
“Noola.” Bella picked up a toy spaceship and zoomed it around in the air. “Noola go in spaceship.”
I handed her the doll and she stuffed it inside before waving the spaceship in the air. “Noola flying.”
I picked up a stuffed animal. It was brown with yellow spots on its hindquarters, a bushy yellow and brown striped tail, and antlers protruding from its head. “This is a grundleswat, right?”
“Yes. Grundleswat.” Bella made a snorting noise before giggling.
I’d done some research at the library about the Draax and knew that the grundleswat was very similar to deer on Earth. They were the main meat eaten on the planet Draax, along with…
I frowned, rubbing my side absently as I tried to remember. “Bella, what is the animal called that turns white in the winter.”
“Winter?” Bella cocked her head at me before setting the spaceship down.
“The cold months,” I said. “The animal that turns white…it’s small and you eat it.” I made an eating motion, chewing in an exaggerated motion.
Bella jumped up and ran to an overflowing toybox in the corner. She rummaged through it, tossing out books and stuffys, and spaceships and land vehicles of all shapes and sizes before making a triumphant squeal.
She returned with a brown stuffed animal in her hand. “Maluken.”
“Right, maluken,” I said. “In the winter, they turn white to blend in. Kind of like our rabbits.”
Bella grinned at me before pressing a button on the stuffed Maluken’s head. I watched in amazement as the stuffed animal’s fur turned from brown to white. “Wow. That’s very cool.”
“Very cool,” Bella mimicked.
She dropped the stuffed animal and skipped across the room to yank a plastic sword from the toybox. She turned and swung it in a wide arc before jabbing it at another stuffed animal sitting on the floor.
Was it weird that she had a toy sword? I thought so. “Bella, where did you get that?”
“Papa give me,” she said. She jabbed it at the stuffed animal again. “I fight like Papa and Uda fight.”
I frowned. Court had said they were farmers. I was sure of it.
Bella had returned and she plopped her tiny body into my lap. She was holding a children’s book and she opened it to the middle. “Read, Evie girl.”
“Um…” The book was written in Draax. “I can’t, Bella.”
“No read?” Bella pouted at me.
“She can’t read Draax, meena.”
I glanced up. Court was standing in the doorway. His lovely copper eyes dipped briefly to my chest, and for some reason, my stomach muscles fluttered, and my nipples hardened. I looked away quickly as Bella jumped out of my lap and ran across the room to Court.
“Uda, I hungry.” She grabbed his hands and swung her body back and forth.
“It is supper time, meena. Wash your hands and then go to the kitchen, please,” Court said.
Bella ran from the room and I stood up, acutely aware of how sore my back was from sitting on the floor.
“How do you feel?” Court asked.
“A little sore,” I admitted. “Would it be all right if I had some more gallberry juice?”
He nodded. “You do not need to ask. Just help yourself to it whenever you want.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Looking directly into his gaze made me feel a little fuzzy in the head so I stared at his chest instead. Big mistake. His shirt was tight across it and brought back memories from this morning. I’d been too shocked to take a close look at his naked chest. Was it smooth and hairless like Bran’s? Did he have a six-pack?
My gaze wandered down to his stomach and then to his crotch. He’d had an erection this morning. Both him and Bran. That I could remember. In fact, the way their dicks had pushed at their briefs seemed to be burned into my brain.
My face was flushing and the chill I was always feeling had disappeared. Now I was warm, much too warm, and I resisted the urge to fan my face.
“Human?”
I tore my gaze from Court’s crotch and stared at his face. There was a look of – was that amusement and lust? – on his face and I quickly looked away again as a fresh new blush covered my skin. I studied his hands instead. They were big and strong and callused. I knew that because they’d been cupping my ass and playing with my nipple this morning. His hands were rough and hard and –
Evie, stop it!
I took a deep breath as Court cleared his throat. “Will you eat dinner with us or in your room?”
“Oh, um, I’ll eat with you if that’s okay?” I still couldn’t look at him. I was suddenly afraid I might do something inappropriate… like hump his damn leg.
“Yes, we would like it if you joined us.”
There was silence and then Court said. “We will see you in the kitchen?”
I nodded. “Yes, I’ll be right down.”
I waited until his footsteps had faded before I walked from Bella’s room to my own. I checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror, groaning at how red my face was. My hard nipples were hidden by my thick sweater, thank God, but my pussy felt swollen and achy and my panties were definitely damp.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Chapter Ten
Court
The human was a mixture of anxiety and arousal. I disliked that she was anxious but couldn’t deny that her arousal was intoxicating. I glanced at Bran. His face was a blank mask, but I knew he could smell her arousal as well as I could. And after what happened this morning, there was no way he didn’t enjoy her arousal just as I did.
“Eat, human,” Bran suddenly said.
I frowned when I realized the li
ttle human was just stirring the stew in her bowl rather than eating. She did that a lot.
“You must eat more, human,” I said. “The gallberry juice will help heal your bruises, but proper nutrition is vital as well.”
“I know,” she said. “Hey, do you, um, think you could try calling me Evelyn or Evie?”
Bran turned a dark green and nodded. “Yes.”
I felt my own rush of embarrassment and nodded in agreement. “Sorry, hum – Evie.”
She smiled at me and my embarrassment turned to pleasure. Krono, she was pretty. Her pink lips were the same shade as her pink nipples, and for a moment I allowed myself to imagine her lips red and swollen and wrapped around my cock.
The front of my pants was now too tight, and I berated myself internally. Not only was Bella sitting at the table with us, but wishing that our future queen would suck my dick was a stupid idea.
Still, I couldn’t deny that if I knew for certain the king would never find out, I would have the soft little human on her knees in front of me. Krono, how beautiful she would look.
“Evie girl, eat.” Bella picked up a piece of the warracot off her plate and held it out to the human – no, Evie, her name was Evie. Evie smiled and took it before popping it into her mouth.
“Thank you, Bella.”
Bella grinned at her and ate a few more bites of food, then slid out of her chair. Before Bran or I could stop her, she was climbing into Evie’s lap.
“Why Evie girl no eat?” Bella asked her.
“I’m eating, honey,” Evie said.
“Too hot?” Bella leaned over and blew into Evelyn’s stew. Evie and I both laughed and even Bran smiled as Bella handed the spoon to Evie. “Eat, Evie girl.”
Evelyn took a few bites of stew. “It’s very good. Is this, um, grundleswat?”
“No,” I said. “It’s maluken stew.”
“I like it. It kind of tastes like chicken,” Evie said.
“Those are the feathered creatures that lay eggs?” Bran said.
“Yes. You don’t have anything like that here, huh?” she said.
“No,” I said. “We have creatures that lay eggs, but they are more like your,” I searched for the word, “lizards.”
“There is talk in the market of bringing in some of these chickens from Earth,” Bran said.
“Market?” Evie asked.
“There is a town not far from us,” I said. “We go there for supplies when the weather is good.”
“Oh. How big is the town?” Evelyn asked.
“About ten thousand Draax,” Bran replied. “It has a few different markets and other businesses, a hospital, and a school.”
“I read that you guys have hospitals and doctors, um, they’re called…”
“Kadanas,” I said.
“Right. Anyway, I read about that, but I never really understood why you have hospitals. Doesn’t the gallberry juice heal everything?”
“It does,” I said. “But the kadanas help guide our elders to the other side when the gallberry juice no longer heals, and they help the humans deliver our babies and administer gallberry serum in intravenous form to the gravely wounded to heal them faster.”
“The gallberry plant helps to heal us,” Bran said, “but sometimes even it is not enough. If a Draax does not receive it fast enough, they can and will die.”
“The king’s own mother died in childbirth,” I said.
“Really?” Evie said.
“Yes. She was giving birth to her third child, a girl, and it was too much for her and the child. They both died even with the gallberry plant.”
“That’s so sad,” Evie said.
Bella, who’d been leaning quietly against Evelyn, suddenly sat up. “Papa?”
“Yes, meena?” Bran scraped the last of his stew from his bowl.
Bella pressed her hands against Evelyn’s breasts. “Breasts, Papa. Evie girl’s breasts.”
Evelyn turned a bright red and Bran quickly looked at his empty bowl of stew as Bella grinned at me. “Breasts, Uda.”
“Uh, I know, meena,” I said.
Evelyn cleared her throat. “Sorry, she wanted to know what they were so I, um, told her. I hope that isn’t a problem.”
“It is not,” Bran said. He was still staring at the bottom of his stew bowl, his tail flicking back and forth behind him.
“So, she’s never seen an adult female before?” Evelyn asked.
Bran shook his head. “No. There are only a few human females in town mated to Draax, and Bella has never seen them.”
Evelyn pulled on her bottom lip with her teeth and I had to look away. Krono, my erection would not go away.
“So, um, you guys are farmers, right?”
“We are,” Bran said.
Evelyn glanced at Bella. “When I was playing with Bella in her room, she had a toy sword and she said that papa and uda fight.”
“We used to be in the military,” I said.
“Almost every Draax male joins the military,” Bran says. “It is not required, but it is encouraged. The more of us who know how to protect our world, the better.”
“That makes sense,” Evelyn said. “It’s a good thing so many of you know how to fight, it’s why our world doesn’t belong to the Gokmards.”
“Gokmards!” Bella made a face and growled before hooking her hands into claws and swiping the air. “Gokmards, rawr!”
I laughed and so did Bran, but Evie gave us a nervous look. “Has she seen a Gokmard before?”
“Only in books or on her tablet,” Bran said.
“Have you seen Gokmards?” Evelyn asked.
I glanced at Bran before nodding. “Yes. The war for Earth was over before we were born, but we were a part of the Vokine war.”
“Vokine?” Evelyn said.
“Another planet, not far from here. The Gokmards attacked the Vokine planet and we provided military assistance.”
“For the same reason you helped Earth?” Evelyn asked.
“No. The Vokine females are not compatible with us for breeding,” Bran said. “They provided us with some of their advanced technology and we provided them with the gallberry plant.”
“Does the plant grow on their planet?” Evie said.
“Under certain conditions,” I replied. “They cannot grow it in a field like we do – their planet has an extremely hot climate - but the atmosphere of their planet does not kill it immediately like earth’s does.”
“Do you have lots of planets in your solar system?” Evelyn asked.
“Many,” Bran said. “Your Earth knows of some of them but not all.”
“Why are the Draax the only ones who come to Earth?” Evelyn said. “I mean, I get why the Gokmards came, but why haven’t any of the other worlds? Is it because you protect us?”
I didn’t know how to say it without insulting the little human. Bran had no such fears.
“Your planet and its inhabitants are primitive. Your technology is laughable, and your natural resources are close to depleted,” Bran said. “The Gokmards wished to have it only because that is what they do, they seek out other worlds and conquer them. Other planets know there is nothing of worth on Earth.”
Evelyn gaped at him and I scowled. “Bran, enough.”
“What?” Bran gave me a genuinely confused look. “It is true, Court. We ourselves would never have gone near Earth, if their females had not been breeding compatible.”
“You hurt the human – Evie’s – feelings,” I said.
Bran stared at her. “How?”
“You insulted her entire planet,” I replied.
Bran studied Evelyn. “That was not my intention,” he finally said.
She nodded. “I know and really… I suppose you’re right. Our technology does improve with every generation, but we are far behind the Draax.”
“And we are not even that technically advanced. Compared to the Vokines or even the Scuun, we are almost as primitive as Earth.”
“Scuun?” Evelyn said.<
br />
“Great yellow beasts,” Bran said. “Big brains, many tentacles.”
“Scuun!” Bella shouted. She moved her arms in a wavy, ripple-like motion. “Scuun!”
She smiled at Evelyn and the human gave her a small grin before patting her arms. “Are these your Scuun tentacles, Bella?”
Bella giggled. “Bella not Scuun. Bella Draax.”
“That’s right,” Evie said. “And what am I?”
“Evie girl human.”
“That’s right!” Evie crinkled her nose at her in a cute little way that made my cock twitch in my pants again.
“Kiss, Evie girl?” Bella puckered her lips and Evelyn gave Bran a nervous look.
“Kiss Bella!” Bella pulled on Evelyn’s arm. “Kiss!”
“It is fine,” Bran said.
Evie bent her head and kissed Bella. She giggled and leaned against Evie’s chest before smiling at Bran. “I colour now, Papa.”
“All right, meena. But make sure you colour in your colouring book only. I do not want to find the walls and all the pictures in your bedroom coloured on like last moon. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Papa.” Bella slid off Evie’s lap and skipped out of the kitchen.
“She’s very sweet,” Evelyn said.
“Yes, she is.” Bran drank some water before pointing at the juice sitting in front of Evelyn. “Drink your juice.”
She drank a few swallows and ate a bit more stew before smiling tentatively at us. “So, you guys have been friends for a long time?”
“Since we were small boys,” I said. “Our families lived next to each other and our mothers were very good friends.”
“That’s nice. Were your mothers’ human?”
Bran shook his head. “No. The breeding program had already started with the humans, but our mothers were some of the last of our female kind. It was a miracle that either of them even bred successfully. They were both very old when they had us and even at that point, our females were having difficulty conceiving children – male or female. My mother died when I was ten and Court’s when he was thirteen.”
“I’m very sorry,” Evelyn said.
Her tone was genuine and the look on her face suggested she knew of the same pain that Court and I felt. Before I could ask, she said, “How long do the cold months last on Draax?”
Rule (The Draax Series Book 2) Page 10
