Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

9. Nancy

Chapter 9

Nancy

I t kind of made sense if I didn’t try to analyze it. The aliens living on this planet found a way to hijack robocops and the spaceship heading to Mars. I suspected the robocops kidnapped a bunch of women and brought them here as gifts for Zuldruxian warriors.

Were other women waking up and finding themselves lost in a new world with males who were eager to call them “true mates”? Although, Khol was pretty much rejecting me, just like Richard had back on Earth when I told him I was pregnant.

Khol had loved someone and lost her just like me, and if anything, that should draw us together. But even if I wanted to be with him, how could I compete with someone he’d not only loved and lost, but who was also his fated mate?

Unless I believed I was now his new fated mate .

People deserved to be happy. We muddled through life, doing our best, but having someone standing by your side, someone who was proud to be with you, who cared for you, was priceless.

Could Khol be that person for me?

I wasn’t sure, and I certainly didn’t need to decide anything like that now.

Even if I dared try again with Khol, there was no guarantee he’d ever want me. His rejection would suck as much if not more than when Richard walked out of my life.

I swallowed hard. “I don’t know what I want to do.” I was safe here; this I knew in my heart. Khol would never hurt me or Flora.

But how could I accept being gifted to an alien, especially one who was making it clear he didn’t want me?

Through the window, I could see it had gotten dark. The world kept spinning, faster and faster, hauling me along with it. I wasn’t sure what to make of this, but exhaustion kept dragging down my mind, making it hard to think.

“You’re tired,” he said, rising. “You should sleep. We can talk more in the morning. I have an idea.”

Normally, I might be curious to hear his idea, but right now, I could barely stay awake.

“I’ll put Flora to bed.” I said. “Do you have any toothbrushes we can use? Nightgowns?” Though I could wear the white thing I’d arrived in if it was dry. Flora would probably want to wear the shell princess gown to bed, but I’d talk her into something else. Maybe one of the tunics the water spirit left me .

“I’ll sleep out here.” He waved to the couch. “I don’t know what toof-brushes are, however.”

“I always floss and brush my teeth before bed.”

“Ah.” He nodded, though a frown creased his face. “We use something on our tusks and teeth in the morning and evening. Let me show you.”

I followed him to the bathroom with an odd upright device I hoped was a toilet, since I’d used it as such. A bathtub large enough for three Khols took up a big part of the room, and it had been placed beside the small basin I’d used as a sink. He opened the top of a wooden cabinet and pulled out a jar of something that glowed milky white. I could swear it was made out of crystal. I’d normally be curious about it, because I hadn’t seen any evidence of manufacturing here that might create such a thing, but I’d ask him about it and everything else in the morning.

“If you’ll be so kind,” he whispered, and two crystal tubes with shards jutting up from one end appeared inside the top of the cabinet.

No, they didn’t appear like magic. I wasn’t going to let my mind dwell on where they’d come from, or I’d start falling apart—again. Clothing appearing on the floor and food emerging from a counter was enough for me for today.

He held out the tube and the jar. “You and Flora can use these to cleanse your teeth.”

“Thank you.” I took them and lifted my voice. “Flora? Come into the bathroom, please.” She still needed help, or she’d eat the toothpaste and pronounce her teeth clean .

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Khol said softly, his gaze searching mine.

What did he want from me?

Perhaps the water spirit would one day tell me.