Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

12. Khol

Chapter 12

Khol

I was grateful when the panic left Nancy’s eyes. Even more grateful that the spirit knew what Flora needed to make her happy.

“I have a plan,” I said softly as Nancy sat and finished her doo-nut. I took one from the pile and ate it in one bite, chewing and swallowing before eyeing the others. What other interesting food could Nancy introduce to Zuldrux? I suspected my friends would enjoy what I’d tasted so far.

“You mentioned a plan that last night,” Nancy said, her hand dropping to lay on mine sitting on the table. She was so much tinier than me and seeing our hands touching only reinforced it. If I could dismiss my past and look toward the future, I might be willing to accept the water spirit’s plan. That would mean Nancy was my new mate, someone who would stand by my side and make my life feel complete .

Yet she was so much smaller than me. I’d give anything not to hurt her.

I was of average size for a Zuldruxian, but I was bigger than her all over. Even if we somehow decided to trust in the water spirit’s plan, were intimate relations possible between us?

Aizor and Vanessa were in love and clearly together in every way. It was the same with Nevarn and Kerry, plus Amanda and Xax.

Intimacy was physically possible between our two species.

I couldn’t quite fathom something like this. Not our bodies joining, though I hadn’t yet tried something like that, but the thought of no longer being alone.

But my cock . . .

The spirits wouldn’t send her to me if it . . . wouldn’t fit, so I wasn’t going to worry about that.

I reminded myself that she and I would not be mating. Soon the storm would pass, and I’d take her to the Indigan Clan, where she’d settle. Within no time, the gods would give her a new mate, and she’d be with him.

Never me.

“What’s your plan?” she asked, taking another doo-nut and biting into it.

I leaned close to her, keeping my voice low. “I want to give Flora the griss-maas she longs for, but I’ll need help.”

Her frown smoothed. “Aw, that’s very sweet of you. ”

Sweet wasn’t handsome or a word a female might use if she was eager to mate with a male, but I’d claim it for now.

I could tell myself I didn’t deserve more, but my heart refused to listen. It kept flipping over whenever she was near and longing.

So much longing . . .

I needed to focus on my plan and forget about being with her.

I continued to speak in a soft tone so Flora wouldn’t overhear. “We need a twee and—”

Nancy’s laugh burst out, low and husky and incredibly attractive. My cocks took notice, and the larger one started shifting beneath my pants. I told it to behave.

“Tree,” she emphasized. “Though I love how you pronounce it.” Her gaze shot to her daughter who continued to look through the book on her lap. “Flora was going to speech therapy. I’ll have to continue that here. She’s still learning how to pronounce her words. She’s only four-years-old, and as she grows older, language will come easier to her.”

“Ah.” I’d wondered how old she was. “She’s very tiny.” So much smaller than a Zuldruxian at that age. And smart. I could see this already.

Flora was reciting a story that may or may not be related to the book she scrolled through. I’d only seen a few books before, thick tomes the elders sometimes referred to for how to settle disputes or interact with distant clans. They’d seemed dull and dry to me, but I suspected Flora’s books were anything but. I would study them later .

“She’s average sized for her age,” Nancy said. “But I suspect all humans would appear small to a Zuldruxian. Are your women as large as your males?”

“Most. They’re warriors as well, and quite muscular. They have four breasts.” My gaze dropped to her two. They were smooth and round and full, and I ached to discover what they felt like. “Zuldruxian females nurse their young from tubes that project below their relatively flat breasts after a youngling is born.”

Nancy’s frown returned. “That’s very interesting. We have nipples.”

“What are nipples?”

Color filled her face, making her even prettier. “I think that’s something we can discuss later.”

“Perhaps you can show them to me, and I’ll better understand.”

Her face got even darker. “Right.” She took a sip of her tea and returned the mug to the table. “Back to Christmas.”

“Yes, tell me about your traditions, because I want to bring them into my home here on Zuldrux.”

She explained about the tree, stockings—whatever those were—the meal, and presents, and how they celebrated all while making sure they held hope and joy in their hearts.

It sounded complicated to me, but I was intrigued enough to give this time of joy a chance. Joy had not been part of my life for a very long time.

“Some believe in Christmas miracles,” she said.

“What’s a miracle?”

“Something special that happens that almost feels like magic or as if the fates are intervening. ”

I did not deserve a griss-maas miracle. I’d had my chance, and it was gone forever.

“We can do this,” I said, determined to make this good for Flora and Nancy. “When should we hold our griss-maas?”

“It was a few days away when we were kidnapped from Earth. I have no idea what the date is here.”

“We don’t have anything called dates. One day passes into the next. Certain areas of Zuldrux see different seasons, some cold and others very hot. Here on my island, one day is much like the next. The only difference between them is whether it rains or not.”

“This looks like the tropical islands I read about on Earth, but I’m sure we can make Christmas work anywhere. It’s more about the feeling in your heart than tangible things, though that’s what Flora’s focusing on now.”

“Shall we hold it in three days time, then?” That gave me time to work on my plan.

“That would be amazing. Thank you.” She squeezed my hand still on the table.

“You’re welcome.”

We weren’t holding hands, but I’d been reluctant to draw away after she made the initial contact.

Despite telling myself I wasn’t worthy of a new mate, that I’d had my chance, and it ended, I was beginning to crave this woman in a way unlike any other.

If I wasn’t careful, my eyes would start leaking water of sadness like a human’s did, and I didn’t want to cause Flora or Nancy further distress.

My heart warmed whenever I looked Nancy’s way, and I was filled with such intense longing that I worried it would eat through me and tumble out the other side.

“Let’s cut a tree,” I announced to distract myself.

Flora squealed and tossed aside her book. She slid off the sofa and raced over to stand in front of me. “Can we, Daddy? Can we?”

“Khol isn’t your daddy,” Nancy rushed to say. Her cheeks had turned pink, and she shot me a look I couldn’t quite interpret. “I’m terribly sorry,” she told me. “She and I have talked about this. She knows she has a birth father but that he’s not part of our lives.”

“I want a daddy, Mommy,” Flora said, her lips quivering and water filling her eyes. “Khol can be my daddy.”

I left my chair and stooped down in front of her. “I’ll always be your friend, little one. Trust in that.” Yet once I left her with the Indigan Clan, someone else would woo Nancy. They’d adore Flora as much as me, and if he and Nancy mated, Flora would call him daddy.

My heart was breaking, and I’d only known Flora and Nancy for a short time. How could the gods be so cruel as to send me two special people like them only to make me give them away?

I didn’t deserve love and happiness, not when it was stolen from Weela.

Yet my heart ached to give this a try.

No, I couldn’t. I’d stick to my plan to give them a special griss-maas, and once the storm was over, I’d take them to the mainland.

Then I’d find a way to tell them goodbye.

“What kind of tree should we get?” I asked, truly not knowing, but also wanting to distract myself from my thoughts. My heart also ached for this youngling to call me her father. Was I foolish to let that feeling grow inside me? Probably, but I couldn’t seem to help it.

“A green one,” Flora said pertly. “Bushy and wit needles.”

“That you suck up.”

Nancy blinked at me. “We don’t suck on the tree”

“I, um . . .” I must’ve misheard her the evening before.” I frowned. “We don’t have green trees here on my island or anywhere else, actually. Zuldrux vegetation is purple.”

“Purple will be gorgeous with red and white decorations.” Nancy clapped her hands. “Let’s walk around and pick out a tree. We can bring it inside and see if the water spirit will help us make decorations.” From her frown, I could tell she remained skeptical, but who wouldn’t be? It didn’t sound as if her people worshipped anything like the beings who’d landed on Zuldrux long ago.

We left the house and walked out into the middle of the meadow.

“How we gonna cut da twee?” Flora asked, peering around at the jungle full of enormous trees, vines, and lush, thorny vegetation.

“Let me grab my tool.” I jogged to the smaller building where I kept my supplies and emerged with a saw. I’d cut all the trees to build my house, and the water spirit had helped turn the thick tree trunks into boards for my building.

We walked into the jungle, Nancy holding Flora’s hand .

“Where’s the Cwis-mas trees, Mommy?” Flora asked, her head tilted back and a frown on her face. “Dees aren’t right.”

“We use evergreens back home,” Nancy said. “They’re dark green and they have needles rather than leaves.”

Needles that she did not suck up.

I paused to think of the various vegetation on my island. “Our trees are purple. That can’t be changed, but . . .” Ah, yes. “Follow me.”

I led them down a winding trail that snaked toward the middle of the island.

“I’s tired a walking, Mommy,” Flora said.

“Hold on.” Nancy glanced my way.

When she started to lift Flora, I strode over and handed her my saw. “Can you hold this for me?”

“Oh, um, sure.” She frowned down at it, and it was comically large in her hands.

“It’s not too heavy?”

The strips of hair above her eyes lifted. “I’ve carried my daughter around her entire life.”

“Which I’ll do for you now.” I lifted Flora, and she squealed with excitement. When I sat her on my shoulder and held her in place, she latched onto my hair.

“Yay,” she cried out. “We’s goin’ for a ride.” She rocked forward, kicking her heels against my chest. “Fast. Go fast, Khol.”

My low laugh rang out. “Do you want me to run, youngling?”

“What’s a yung-ling?” she asked, her cute face scrunching.

“You, little one. You’re a youngling. ”

“I’s a yung-ling,” she cried, rocking faster. “We’s gonna run through da jungle. Yay.”

“We’re going to walk,” I told Nancy quietly.

Nancy bit down on her lower lip. “Are you sure? I don’t mind carrying her.”

“She’s a pleasure to hold.”

Taking the saw in my other hand, I started walking.

Nancy strode along beside me. “It’s lovely here. So warm and tropical.”

“What’s your climate like where you came from?”

She talked about their cold winters and warm summers, how the in between seasons were more moderate.

“I can’t imagine snot,” I said.

She paused on the trail, blinking up at me before her laughter trilled out. “I’m not making fun of you. Snow. Not snot, though when they throw sand and dirt on it to keep people from slipping, it does resemble snot.”

“Snot,” Flora said, wiggling on my shoulder. “Snot!”

“We’ll find trees straight ahead,” I said with a laugh, continuing walking.

We chuckled as we strode out into a big clearing full of new growth trees. They didn’t bear needles, and I wasn’t sure why anyone would get excited about trees covered with tiny sharp objects, but they might do for our holiday.

Zuldruxians held celebrations for various reasons, but we didn’t have anything like griss-maas. I was already as excited about this as Flora .

How could I make the rest of my plan work? Tonight, after they went to bed, I’d think about ways I could do this for them.

I stopped beside one of the trees, unsure how big they’d want or how I’d keep it alive inside my house. “What about this one?”

Nancy walked around the tree, frowning.

Flora continued bucking, calling out for me to go faster. I scooped her up off my shoulder and gently placed her on her feet, keeping a hold of her hand.

“As you said, it’s purple,” Nancy said. “The branches are kind of thick and it doesn’t have many leaves.”

Her frown wasn’t going away.

We could look for other trees. It didn’t have to be this one. In fact—

“But I love it,” Nancy said, smiling up at me. “It’ll be perfect.”