Claimed by an Alien Warlord

by Stella Dawn

  12

  Tsunis

  The joke is so unexpected after everything I’ve seen from her that it takes me a moment to laugh. It’s the first time she’s said something clever that’s not at my expense or in response to a barb of my own. Eliana turns back to sketch the fish and I have to admit that it’s a much nicer feeling than what we have been doing so far.

  I’ve already learned that she’s not a fragile as I first suspected and seeing her at work is another pleasant surprise. She’s clever. She answers my questions without condescending and easily applies her knowledge from Earth to this new environment. I might have gotten her wrong those first few days. Maybe.

  Sitting back, I let her work and keep watch for any dangers either environmental or Xok. She was probably just expecting something different when she first got off the ship. If I had thought this was going to be some tropical marine paradise and got dumped in a dangerous forest…Well, I can see why she would have been upset. And a long, challenging hike through dangerous unfamiliar territory is hardly a warm welcome.

  Eliana was irritated about missing daylight hours of work so we stay out a little later. She barely even notices nightfall. She just points out that some more nocturnal creatures are arriving and the others are making themselves scarce. Finally, I have to pull her away from the water’s edge.

  “Eliana, that’s enough for today. We have to get back.” My hand is gentle on her shoulder and I have to admire her long hair drifting down her back.

  She makes a quiet noise of protest then looks up and notices the growing darkness. Standing up, Eliana sighs and starts packing up her things. “There are some fascinating creatures here.” The small human is interrupted by her own growling stomach and I laugh softly at her surprise.

  “If we’re lucky, we’ll get back just in time for dinner.” I try to reassure her, “I’m starving too.”

  It doesn’t take too long to make our way back to the colony, even with the daylight fading. When we do arrive, dinner is already in progress. Several long tables are arranged in a U-shape in the middle of the camp. Almost all the seats are taken by people talking and laughing over filled plates. In the center of the U is another table piled high with food that was gathered and prepared today. I think it smells delicious but a glance at Eliana shows me that it will be a new experience for her.

  I lead the way and load up my plate while describing what I know of the food and staring blankly when she says things like, “Oh, so potatoes but from trees.” And, “Like a cantaloupe with a big avocado pit.” We find a couple empty chairs near the middle of the set up and I waste no time digging into my own meal.

  As I spend time trying out some of the newer dishes as well as some food that I’ve grown up with, I watch Eliana closely. She’s obviously not enthusiastic about the food but she dutifully tries everything on her plate and by the time everyone else is starting to clean up, she has had enough to quiet her stomach. It’s another point in her favor that she understands that sometimes it’s necessary to sacrifice the familiar for substantial filling food. Not that I’m keeping score.

  Some of the younger colonists are gathering up plates to wash and others are packing away any food that wasn’t eaten as Eliana leans back with a contented sigh. I push aside my own plate and gesture toward the front of the U where one of the elder colonists has pulled up a chair. Some light is brought around him and Eliana looks at me with a question in her eyes.

  “It’s part of our culture to tell stories and myths from our past in each new place we explore. Usually it’ll be done by the oldest of the Ih’il but as it’s not exactly hospitable yet, Jor’li has taken up the mantle. He’s hardly an elder but he’s the oldest we’ve got at the moment so the duty falls to him.”

  He starts speaking and Eliana falls silent, listening with rapt attention. I can tell she’s itching to pull out her notebook again but she manages to stop herself. Every once in a while, she’ll lean over to me and whispers a comment or another question. “It’s a creation myth then?” or “We actually have a similar story on Earth, though Atlantis is a sunken city not a risen one.”

  The air is cooling down and the humidity makes it clammy. I scoot closer, put a cautious arm around her, and speak close to her ear so as not to disrupt the story.

  “The Ih’il are wanderers and we love to explore new places. We put down new roots everywhere we go and this is one of the ways we do that. All of my people here have heard these same stories since they were children on their own planets, their own colonies. We bring them with us and tell them in this place and now each is connected to the other. The past to the present, my first home to this new place.”

  Eliana leans into my embrace and though we’re both still sweaty and tired, I appreciate the closeness. The smell of her hair is still very pleasant and I’m pleased that I’ve managed a way to get closer to it.

  “It might seem silly, telling the same things over and over again, but it ties our people together despite the vast distances between us. And it makes every new place feel like home just that little bit faster.”

  She’s still watching Jor’li but a soft smile creeps across her face and I’m fairly certain it has nothing to do with his story.

  He finishes tale a short time later and everyone begins to separate to their own spaces. Eliana and I untangle ourselves with reluctance. I walk beside her as she returns to her hut and she doesn’t protest the escort. She actually hasn’t been arguing with me at all and I’m a little embarrassed to realize that I like this relationship much more this way.

  Eliana pauses just inside the door and turns back to me. “It was a productive day. Thank you for your help. And…thank you for that.” She gestures vaguely back to the tables that are already being cleared away.

  I give her a grin and a bow, “It was my pleasure. Anything to help out a beautiful scientist.”

  She drops her head and laughs and I can’t help lean in and press a kiss to her cheek. The air stills and she doesn’t move away. I meet her eyes and they’re wide and bright and I kiss her in earnest this time. Her lips are soft and warm and I put an arm around her waist to support her. She’s kissing back and it’s divine. I press my tongue into her mouth and she opens for it, twining her own around mine. She tastes like honey and mint.

  I take a step forward, pressing into her and into the hut. Then I pull away, taking a deep breath and smiling widely at her. I want so much more than that kiss. But not tonight. I hold her cheek and brush my thumb over her soft plump lips and turn to leave.

  “Goodnight Eliana. Sleep well. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow.” I let the door close behind me. I hear her mumbled response that sounds a little shocked and I can’t help but smile to myself.

  Looking around the emptying camp, I catch Navi’s attention and jog up to her. “Hey, I need you and your brother on Eliana’s hut again tonight.”

  Navi looks me over and a spark flares in her eyes. She grins at me and I do my best to keep a straight face. “She’s important to the mission, Navi. You know that.”

  “Right. The mission. I just hope you know that Re’lio and I will kick the ass of anyone who tries to get into that hut. Once we’re on duty, we’re on duty.” She raises her eyebrows at me and I wave her off, embarrassed.

  “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble tonight. Thank you. And thank Re’lio for me.”

  As she walks off, I look to the unfamiliar sky and sigh. “Busy day tomorrow.”

  13

  Eliana

  I feel like I’m floating. That kiss was amazing, I’ve never been kissed before but if it’s always like that, I want more of it. I can’t stop thinking about it. The warmth of his lips. The gentleness of his mouth. I need more. It ended way too quickly, but I’m so happy I was able to experience it with someone. Experience a kiss with someone who I’m starting to grow fond of.

  A flow of heat courses through me like a spark of fire has ignited within my chest. I wonder what it means. I wonder if that flame can stay
ignited. It feels wonderful. I feel wonderful. Though, I’m somewhat disappointed that Tsunis didn’t stay longer. I want to see him again soon, but I don’t want to run out of the hut yelling for him to come back. That would be idiotic, and unlike me to do so.

  Instead, I stay put inside the hut and decide to go to sleep. It’s getting late anyways, and I need to wake up early tomorrow. As I slip into bed, I can’t stop thinking about the kiss. The nice thought of it puts my worries to the side and eases me to sleep.

  The next day, I wake up feeling absolutely great. I don’t recall sleeping so well before. As soon as I’m awake, I hop out of my bed and get ready. I need to get to work, but I can’t stop thinking about last night. Damn, is that going to be stuck in my mind all day? If that’s so, I’ll allow it. As long as it keeps me in a good mood, it’s fine. It’s perfectly fine because everything feels amazing right now.

  When I get ready, I head over to my computer and start cataloguing my findings on the pink fish. I dubbed the fish as, ‘The Pink Danger’ for now, I’ll think of a more scientific name for it later. I chuckle at the name I give it, it’s appropriate since the species is definitely a kind that shouldn’t be messed with. Looks can be quite deceiving.

  As I continue to jot down my notes, I hear gentle footsteps approaching my hut. I pause and turn to see that Tsunis has entered. My jaw drops, for some reason he’s handsomer than before. Perhaps it’s because I can’t stop thinking about the kiss. Perhaps I’m simply growing more comfortable with him. Whatever the reason I can’t stop staring at him.

  Tsunis is carrying a tray filled with breakfast, and he sets it down on the table. He smiles at me, even his smile is nicer than ever.

  “Good morning, did you sleep well?” he asks me.

  “Yes,” I answer in a heartbeat. Speaking of which, my heart is drumming quickly in my chest. I can’t calm myself down.

  “Good,” he says and glances at the computer, “I see that you’re already working.”

  “Yes, I’m just jotting down my notes on the Pink Danger.”

  “The Pink Danger?”

  “Oh, that’s the nickname I gave for the pink fish we saw the other day.”

  “Ah,” Tsunis nods, “that’s an interesting name to give them.”

  “It’s something for now, I’ll call it something else later,” I state.

  Tsunis chuckles. “I like it.”

  Even the way he laughs is nice.

  After breakfast, we return to the pool of water to see more that fish. Though, I notice that Tsunis is acting a bit off. He’s avoiding eye contact when we talk, and his looks off and away, as if he’s looking for something. I would ask but perhaps something’s on his mind that he doesn’t want to tell me about. Maybe it has to do with the kiss? Does he regret it?

  No, that can’t be right. He’s the one who kissed me, and he looked happy afterwards. It has to be something else. It just has too.

  Tsunis kneels in front of the pool with a blank expression on his face. He extends a hand into the water and I gasp, what is he doing? Before I can properly yell at him, he flinches and pulls his hand back. His hand is red and swollen, he was bitten by one of those pink fish.

  “Shit.” I curse and pull him up to his feet. I take his good hand and bring him back to my hut to get my medical supplies. We need to act quickly. Damn it, why the hell did he do that? Idiot.

  “Lay down on my bed,” I gesture him to the bed and rummage through my supplies to get the medical kit. I feel sweat building up on my skin and my throat feels dry. I try not to think about it as I finally bring the kit over to Tsunis and pull out the tourniquet.

  “Stay still,” I tell him as I wrap the tourniquet around the wound to keep any poison from traveling through him.

  “You doing alright?” I ask as I return to the kit to get a knife.

  “Yeah, it just stings,” Tsunis answers weakly, though he winces in pain. It sounds more than ‘just stings,’ so I need to finish this quickly.

  A bead of sweat rolls down my cheek as I sterilize the knife with a match. The knife glows a bit and I turn to Tsunis who is staring up at the ceiling, trying to relax as his body subtly shakes.

  “Please stay still,” I tell him in a whisper. “This is going to hurt, but I need you to stay still.”

  “I’ll be fine,” he tells me as he swallows the air.

  His eyes stay focus as I bring the knife to the bite and lance it. Tsunis flinches and grits his teeth as his neck stretches back. His good hand grips at the bed sheet and his breathing becomes heavy.

  My nose scrunches. A foul smelling greenish yellow ooze leaks out of the wound. Sickness swells up inside me, but I need to stay calm. I need to stay calm to. I breathe in and out slowly as I carefully got rid of that disgusting ooze. I shudder at the thought of it, but I keep myself calm and collected.

  I glance briefly to Tsunis, he’s still baring his teeth and his eyes still focus above him. His body has stopped shaking, but sweat is evident on his face.

  “You’re doing good.” I assure him as I continue to get the rest of the ooze out. “You’re doing good.”

  Soon enough, the ooze is replaced by blood, but I use a cloth to stop the bleeding. I press it down for a few minutes before I release the tourniquet. Then I get up to retrieve some ice. When I have the ice, I get a new cloth to wrap around the ice and press it down onto the wound.

  Tsunis shudders briefly from the chill, but relaxes back into the bed. He releases a small sigh and finally looks at me. His eyes show a look of gratitude and I smile slightly to him.

  “You alright?” I ask him gently.

  “A bit better,” he tells me in a whisper before closing his eyes.

  After pressing down the cloth for a few more minutes, I wrap the wound in a bandage. I gently pat it to make sure it’s secure, and I smile slightly at my work. I think I did a pretty good job. I turn to Tsunis, he appears to have fallen asleep.

  I’m still a bit annoyed that he got himself bitten, but I can’t stay mad. After all, we do dumb things all the time. Though I do wonder what was on his mind when he put his hand in the water. Maybe his mind just wasn’t in the right place. It happens I suppose.

  That night, Tsunis comes down with a fever. I stay with him the entire time, keeping him cool and comfortable. He lays there quietly in my bed, and occasionally wakes up to tell me he needs water or something else to relieve the pain. I sit by him on a chair, holding his good hand to keep him comfortable. He doesn’t complain about that, rather he tells me it’s soothing. Though, he says this in his sleep so I’m not sure if he really means it. There’s a part of me that hope it does. I want to make sure that he’s comfortable. I keep checking to make sure the swelling hasn’t spread and that’s he’s cool enough.

  I touch his head, there’s still a bit of a fever but it’s not as bad as before. He’s doing better, which is a relief. He’s doing much better but I want him to stay here for as long as necessary. Though since he’s in my bed, I’ll probably have to sleep on the floor. It’s fine, there’s some extra blankets and pillows I can use. Besides, even this floor appears more comfortable than my bed back home.

  When I’m sure that Tsunis doesn’t need any more of my help, I collect those extra blankets and pillows and lay down on the floor. Before I fall asleep, I listen to Tsunis’s steady breathing before I drift off.

  At the crack of dawn, I wake up. My back aches a bit from sleeping on the floor, but I ignore it as I look over to Tsunis. He’s still sleeping. I check his temperature, it has gone down and the swelling has disappeared. I let out a big sigh with relief, but not so loudly that it wakes him up.

  I’m glad that he’s much better now. So glad. I was so worried. If I’d lost him, I wouldn’t know what to do. Now that his fever’s gone and the wound is healing up, there’s nothing to worry about now. I’m so relieved, but also very exhausted. I don’t want to sleep on the floor again, so I decide to lay next to him.

  I carefully slip myself into the bed and face
Tsunis’s sleeping face. He looks so peaceful and calm, it makes me smile. A warmth spreads in my chest, and I feel wonderful. I close my eyes, happy to know that there’s nothing to worry about now.

  14

  Tsunis

  The first thing I notice when I wake is my hand stinging. I lift it up in the air to see it bandaged up. There isn’t any more swelling. It isn’t even red any more. It still hurts slightly but besides that I feel fine. It’s as if I merely received a pinch.

  I glance over to see Eliana’s sleeping face. Her body is pressed up against mine, and she mumbles something in her sleep. A few strands of hair are loose over her face, and I brush them away from her.

  Her skin is so soft as I trace my fingers across her temple. The stinging pain disappears altogether as I look at her. Eliana’s long eyelashes brush her cheeks, and her full lips are open just slightly. Her head rests comfortably on the pillow, and her chest rises and falls steadily. She looks so beautiful. I don’t recall seeing her this beautiful before.

  I watch her as she sleeps, grateful to know that she just saved my life. It’s ironic because I’m the one who’s supposed to be protecting her, not the other way around. I glance at my hand again.

  There really is no more pain. Eliana did everything to make it better. It’s as if nothing had happened. Like I had a scratch or something. I really am grateful. Truly, I am. Eliana is amazing. I want to do something for her to show my gratitude. I want to do something to make her feel more welcome here.

  I turn back to Eliana, she’s still sleeping. She mumbles something again, but I can’t hear it. It’s gibberish, but it sounds sweet. A smile even curls on her lips. She seems amused by something, I wonder what it is. Perhaps she’s dreaming of something funny or something nice, either way she looks precious as she sleeps.