Aykeetan

by Harpie Alexander

  “Help me?” I gasp, arguing with my false reality. “You can help me by disappearing back into thin air, so I don’t feel like a nut case. Go away!”

  I push the apparition, but my hand hit something hard.

  Huh?

  “You think you’re crazy but look here.” He motions me to look at my painting. “You see this? This is you and me right here.” He points to the adult male and female. “My gift for you.” He gestures to the daisy. “And this is a mixture between my world and your world.” He waves over my overly creative art. “You may not have realized it when you painted this, but you were subconsciously creating our future, here, in this painting. It’s incredible.”

  I take in everything he says to me. It sounds crazy, but I can’t deny the striking similarities, the coincidences. I painted this before the flower in the fields, before he appeared.

  Either I’ve lost touch with reality, or there really is a blue man claiming strange things. I don’t know what one's worse.

  “How is this happening? What IS happening? Actually, just tell me everything. All of it. Please,” I request as I take a seat.

  He kneels in front of me, and I turn my head away to not gaze at his nakedness. He must realize I’m shy because he tries to cover himself with one of his burly arms. He takes my hand in his, and for a moment I hesitantly pull it back, but he doesn’t let me. My eyes roam his face. He’s very blue, and it’s strange because he seems so human, but it’s obvious that he’s not quite human at all.

  His facial features are strong. Bold brows, defined cheekbones, and a chiseled jawline. Incredibly, his eyes are the exact shade of hazel mine are. His hair is dark and braided at the top and loose in the back. His body frame is massive, and his muscles bulge with strength. I stop examining him when I notice he’s basking under my appreciation.

  “What’s your name,” he asks me.

  “Jane.”

  He seems to ponder my name for a moment. “Jane,” he repeats slowly as if savoring the sound like a delicious meal. “I’m not from here. I’m from a world called Ay’Kea’Terra. When my people reach maturity, we leave to find our mates, fated to be together, even if we're worlds apart. Sometimes we find them, sometimes we don’t.” He glances away somberly.

  Uh, Ok? That makes little sense to me. I raise my hand to stop him. If I thought I was crazy before with the hallucination, I can’t quite wrap my head around what he’s talking about now, even if it does sound beautiful.

  “You’re not really making any sense, and what you say is preposterous. I mean really. You’re saying you’re an alien who has come to earth to find true love. Where’s the ship?” I glance around, waving my hand in a swooping motion just to make my point across. “I can’t help you find your mate, if that’s really what’s going on here. I have enough problems to deal with. I’m sorry.”

  I yank my hand out of his. What was I thinking? I want to believe this is a prank, truly, but aliens? While I always found it hard to believe humans were the only ones to exist in the universe, now that I’m in this situation, I find it no easier to believe his story is true.

  We stand up at the same time. Wow. I wasn’t paying attention to how tall he is, or how dangerous and handsome he looks. I glance away. I can’t afford to develop attractions or feelings for someone else. This guy is searching for his mate.

  Either way, I have a friend picking me up to take me to the hospital. I don’t accept his story; it can’t be true. If aliens existed, wouldn’t we have known about them already? Especially if people are being whisked away in these mating’s?

  I mean come on; he doesn’t even really look all that alien. Blue skin and that’s it? I would have expected some real freaky unearthly features from an alien. Also, he doesn’t feel alien. When I pushed him, or when he grabbed my hand, it just felt like regular skin.

  Wait a minute! I touched him and he touched me. Hallucinations cannot be touched. That defies logic.

  I reach over the space between us and pinch his arm.

  Yup, he’s actually real, here, in person.

  “I’m not going to deflate, if that’s what your hoping.” He eyes me suspiciously.

  I grab his arm to take a closer look. “How did you make it blue?”

  He stares at me blankly. “What?”

  “Your skin. How did you paint it blue? I’m an art major and I don’t recognize the dye you used. It’s clearly not paint, or spray. There’s no texture from a brush, sponge or tool. The color is smooth, leaving no evidence on how you dyed your skin.”

  I drop his arm and stare at him. “So, how’d you do it?”

  “It happened during my kavesta. If what you say is true, there’s no indication of dye used, then why don’t you believe me?” His quizzical eyes have me questioning that myself.

  There’s so much that happens in life that can’t be explained. I guess aliens can be one of them, for now at least, until I can prove otherwise.

  Alien or not, this is still good news. It means I can stay here. I jump up with excitement and glee before running back inside. The amount of sheer tension evaporating this moment is palpable. This is one problem I can toss in the can, no more freak outs.

  I call Stacey. “Hey, it’s me. Yeah, everything is good, I don’t need that ride after all, thanks. No, yes, I’m sure. Don’t worry about it. I’ll call you later. OK. Love ya hun, bye.”

  I hope I’m not making a mistake. There’s still a strange, naked male at my front door that I should probably get rid of.

  Aykeetan follows me in the kitchen and waits silently for me to finish my call. I thought he understood I’m not able to help him. Why is he following me around when he has a mate to find? If he’s looking for help, he is asking the wrong woman. I live in the middle of nowhere, my neighbors are miles away and frankly I’d rather be left alone to my own devices.

  I shudder when I recall the experience in the forest, the bear, my injured foot, waking up in my grandparents’ bed. Wait a minute, that did happen, didn’t it? How can I be so stupid? I thought it was just my imagination, but it makes sense. I’m sore, I’m dirty, and with cuts and scrapes...I look down to my foot. A blooded ribbon wrapped around my foot. The fact I’ve been wandering around without noticing just goes to show how out of sorts I’ve been today.

  So, he did save me from that bear, and then returned me here. No wonder I woke up in my grandparents’ room. I turn and eye him suspiciously. How did he know to bring me back here?

  “Are you going to cover up at least, you know...put that thing away?” My eyes avoid looking downward.

  “I’ve left my stuff at the beach; I’ll grab it later.”

  Really? So now I have a self-proclaimed alien following me around in my cottage, stark naked, claiming I’m his mate, and he refuses to cloth himself right now. Lovely.

  I head into my grandparent’s room to strip the dirty bedding and carry it back into the kitchen where I do my laundry.

  I was hoping that by ignoring this man he would leave. I certainly can’t make him, given he’s so much bigger and obviously stronger than me. If I called the police, even they would have a hard time dispatching him. A deep sigh escapes my mouth and I can’t help, but almost chuckle at the ridiculousness.

  “You’ve mistaken me, my Jane.”

  My Jane? What the hell? I turn and stare him dead in the eyes. Gosh, what would my grandparents think of my having this strange, sexy. No, not sexy. Definitely, not sexy, brute in my house? I groan. Lord help me.

  “Aykeetan. I appreciate you saving me from the bear, truly, I accidently got too close to their den, and I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you. Typically, I don’t get visitors out here unless I call for them, and you don’t look quite human, that’s why I ran from you,” I rub my forehead.

  “I freaked, but I have things I need to do. Today was supposed to be a good day, and I don’t mean to be rude, but you kind of turned my life into a level of crazy I’m not equipped to deal with. I can’t help you find your mate. If you hav
en’t noticed, I live out in the middle of nowhere for a reason. I like to be alone.”

  He glides toward me until he’s only few inches away. I inhale and I’m immediately rewarded with a delicious aromatic lemongrass musk. He smells just like that blue Gerbera. It’s intoxicating and I began to breathe through my mouth, because if I don’t, I think I’ll start licking the air around him to try and get a damn taste. Now that would be a sight. I chuckle.

  “YOU are my mate, Jane,” his says, his voice loud and clear. “You.”

  He grabs my hands back into his own, giving me no choice, but to listen to what he has to say.

  “I went through my kavesta for you. I traveled to Earth for you. I waited here for you.” He gestures to the space around him. “I protected you from the beast, even if it was my fault that you ran off and got hurt. Please forgive me for that.” He kisses the top of my hand. “I need you like the air I breathe. I called to you and you answered,” he mutters while he tries to caress my face.

  “Kavesta? I’m not sure what that is, and I didn’t answer any call.” I try to grab my hand back, but he doesn’t let me. I think he has more to say, but it’s like he’s is waiting for something. “What call?”

  He smiles proudly, puffing up his chest, like an arrogant...an arrogant something. Turning my head to the side, I look away for a moment. I can’t think of analogies right now. But he seems sexy and arrogant right now.

  Ugh, definitely not sexy I lie to myself. I glance sideways and catch a glimpse of his lip curving upward. He’s smirking. Damn him, and his damn arrogance and sexy smugness. I don’t even try to bother arguing with myself further. It’s obvious he’s sexy and I’m attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be?

  “The Kavesta is a physical change our people go through, allowing their bodies to align with their mates. I went through mine recently.” His facial features soften, beaming with proudness. “I performed the sacrifice every day, until my bond gift was ready for you. The daisy outside you found is a tavayk, a plant from my home world, which also went through a kavesta because of my blood bond with it. You feel the pull, the attraction to both the bond gift and me. You can deny it all you want, but I can see it on your lovely face,” he says, licking his lips.

  But before he could lean in and do whatever it is that he was planning to do, I pull myself free, race into the bathroom and shut the door. My heart is pounding, my breathing uneven.

  I can’t be his mate. I’m dying.

  All these symptoms started months ago and will lead to my eventual death. I can’t have a relationship with someone just to leave them. I refuse. Even if I do find him sexy, I’m not starting a relationship with him, just to be snuffed out from under his big blue nose. I couldn’t do that to someone.

  I pull off my dress and let drop it on the floor and start the water, this time for a shower. While the water warms up, I pull the ribbon off my foot and take a good look. It’s not too bad, and it’s not bleeding anymore. A good wash and a real bandage should keep this from getting infected. I check the water temperature, it’s not as hot as I want it to be.

  Damn laundry. I sigh. Oh well.

  I step into the shower and scrub my body for the second time today. I think again about what Aykeetan said and it pulls on the strings of my heart. It’s not that I don’t want to be in a relationship. I just can’t. Even if I managed to live a long life, which according to the doctors I won’t, I fear losing another person I love.

  I just met Aykeeten, but if we’re together, as strange as this entire situation is, it’s a risk I don’t want to take. It’s better if I just live the rest of my days here, in my cottage, doing what I love to do. Painting and exploring, minus the bears. I can do without any bears for a long time.

  I shudder.

  Chapter Six

  Aykeetan

  I stand here in the cookery while my mate runs off to the cleansing unit. I hear her muttering to herself, the sound of water spraying and her clothing dropping to the floor. I groan. The thought of her wet and naked behind that door rushes blood to my loins.

  She’s just attending to her injuries because she won’t let me do it for her.

  I know I messed up again, scaring her into retreat because I couldn’t keep my hands off her. This is much harder than I anticipated. I long to touch her and complete our Kea’Vah so I can claim her soul, as she has undoubtedly already claimed mine. She doesn’t even realize how I’m already completely hers in every single way.

  I’ll wait for her to finish cleansing. Surely, she won’t be too long. I wait and wait until my stomach rumbles and I need to eat something. I think of the treasure between her creamy thighs. I know she desires me, even if she’s afraid.

  This body may be new to me, but I know the smell of arousal coming from my mate. Whiffs of her scent still perfume the air from when we spoke earlier, before she fled off to the cleansing unit. But this is not the hunger my stomach longs for, I need to eat. Stomach beats my aching shaft one to none, but I don’t doubt there will be a rematch.

  I grin.

  My nose detects something meaty, and I lumber my way over to the counter and open a steaming hot container with food in it. It smells so vrakk’n good and I can’t help myself as I dip a finger in to taste it. I’m not disappointed. I can only imagine the concoctions my mate will whip up in the cookery with my mother.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Vrakk!

  I’m was so hungry I didn’t hear her coming. I peer over my shoulder and use my body to cover as much space as I can while I quietly place the lid back on.

  “Nothing,” I lie, grimacing.

  “Men, aliens. You’re all the same. Trying to sneak food that isn’t yours and lying about it.” She pulls a bowl and a spoon from her cupboards and pours a hefty amount before sitting down at the table. She slowly lifts a healthy amount of food up to her mouth before opening her jaw wide. She watches me with intensity.

  By the god’s! I’m salivating really vrakk’n hard right now. There might actually be drool sliding down my fangs and onto my chin. I can’t even be embarrassed because I’m so hungry right now. Between the meat stew on her spoon and her open mouth, I can’t decide what I want more. The stew she’s about to eat, or her mouth against mine or on my shaft. I shudder. We need to complete our Kea’Vah.

  She bursts out laughing and I can almost taste the salty tears escaping her eyes. “You should see the look on your face right now. You look like a giant toddler who had his candy stolen.” She smiles while dropping the spoon and pushes the food towards an open spot.

  Dammit. Stomach wins again. I hate rematches.

  The stew doesn’t last long, and before I know it, my bowl’s empty. A low whine comes out of my throat.

  That’s new.

  It’s like my mate already knows me, because before I know it, she’s pouring me a second round of this vrakk’n stew. My whining stops. I contemplate and act like a starving beast, hoping she will feed me more. There is something incredibly sexy about my mate feeding me and it heightens the primal urges in my body.

  “So...,” she quietly says, “you didn’t answer all my questions. Where’s the ship? I didn’t see one outside.”

  Ahh, yes. The ship. “It’s not here.”

  She looks confused. “What do you mean it’s not here? Where is it then?” she replies, looking flustered compared to a moment ago.

  I finished my second helping and gesture to my empty bowl, hoping she will feed more some more. “It’s not here is what I mean. I don’t know where it is. Who knows, it could be anywhere.”

  She fills my bowl for a third time. I can see her knuckles whiten when she grasps the scoop. “Ok, fine, can you tell me how you found me then?”

  Of course, I know some of these answers, but I can’t help myself as I toy with her. So, I feign more stupidity because I like this feisty side of her. I’d rather her be angry than sad, confused and scared. “Hmm, not sure about that one either. Strange really.
”

  “Arggg!” She frowns, squinting her eyes. “Are you messing with me?”

  I chuckle. “No, of course not. Never,” I lie.

  Lying is bad. I think I just stepped into a giant hole and the earth is going to swallow me up. The look on her face screams death and destruction. Even a strong hunter such as myself will struggle against the wrath I’m creating inside of her.

  “I’m sorry,” I try and look as pathetic as I can. “You were upset from earlier and I wanted to cheer you up.”

  “That’s not how you cheer someone up,” she huffs, but her lips curve slightly.

  I glance over at the pot of food wondering how much is left, and if there could be more stored elsewhere.

  “The blood bond with my tavayk allows me to feel you. If you are far away there’s a slow painful pulse in my hearts. The closer you are, the pain becomes more tolerable and the pulse quickens. I knew you were from Earth, but my tavayk made it easier to locate you. This is the way our gods have made it.”

  I can see understanding form on her face.

  Maybe she will be easier to convince after all. She does appear to be in a better mood that we first met, and she hasn’t forced me to leave. I’m filled with warmth. The Kea’Vah may be much close than I thought.

  “The ship isn't here because my people don’t fly out in space unless we are finding out mates. We trade goods with other species and in return they fly us across the galaxies. I have a comm to communicate with them for when we are ready to return.”

  I catch the frown on her face as she looks away for a minima, before standing up out of her chair.

  Why is she frowning? Was it something I said?

  She heads over to the pot of food and pours the remainder into a different container and then tidies up.

  “This was my grandma’s recipe. You obviously enjoyed it. You should take some when you leave. My grandma loved to feed people.”

  My hearts nearly stop; the warmth from a minima ago, disappears.

  When you leave.

  I’m not leaving her. What in the world is she thinking? Does she think I’m going to go back home without her? Does she think I don’t want her?