Kringl (Rescued by the Alien)

Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

J oy sat cross-legged on the spiral rug in front of the fire, Kringl beside her and Snowball curled contentedly between them. The room was dark except for the warm glow of the low flames, the scent of burning wood filling the air. Cinders smoldered red hot as the evening wore on, and they brainstormed ways to sabotage Velsnickel and his army of elves.

When their glasses of mulled wine were nearly empty, Joy reached for the bottle, offering Kringl a refill.

"I'm sorry this is all we have to drink," she said, “it's sad Velsnickel forces Christmas down our throats even though he claims to have despised Santa. I think he just wants to ruin it, so everyone hates it as much as he does."

Kringl accepted the glass, his golden eyes reflecting the firelight. "What is a normal Christmas like on your home world?"

Joy sighed, leaning back against the base of a chair. "I've only ever lived in human colonies, but I know from stories of Earth that Christmas was a time of parties and family gatherings, but ones people wanted to attend.” She smiled wistfully. “On Earth, there was the legend of a 'real' Santa Claus, who lived at the North Pole of the planet and had elves that were cute and jolly. Children would go to sleep dreaming of Santa filling their stockings with presents and leaving piles of gifts around the tree."

“But if Velsnickel escaped from the North Pole, then it’s real?”

Joy sighed and lifted her shoulders. “It’s real, but even for everyone on Earth who thought it was only a myth, it was the best time of the year. At least that’s what my mother said, and she grew up on Earth.”

She closed her eyes as she spoke, letting memories wash over her. "My mother loved Christmas and all the things that went along with it—cookies and garland and Christmas carols.”

She opened her eyes, realizing that she was starting to be overwhelmed with sadness. This was why she tried not to think about the past too much. It only made her unhappy, and she needed to be mad. Only anger would give her the courage to leave the planet. “Not that any of this matters.

Kringl put a hand on her knee. “I will take you away from here, Joy. Then maybe you can have a real Christmas one day.”

She smiled at him but brushed away his offer. “Don’t talk to me about Christmas. I won’t want to see red or green again for years.”

His words had touched her, but they’d also made her pulse flutter uneasily. Although Joy felt closer to Kringl in that moment than she had to anyone in years, she was well aware that it was foolish to think that way. He was her ride off the planet. Nothing more. Still, it felt good to share her thoughts with him and to feel that he truly cared.

As she looked at Kringl—really looked at him—her heart stuttered, and her mouth went dry. Her gaze traced over his broad shoulders and muscular chest, admiring the way the firelight played across his blue skin and shimmering gold markings.

It was definitely the spiced wine talking, but Joy didn't care if she was being reckless. After all, everything she'd done lately had been a risk. Why stop now?

Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned forward and pressed one hand to the alien’s bare chest. His flesh might have been blue, but it defied expectation by being warm. She traced her fingers over one curling gold mark, startled by the softness of his skin despite the muscle being so rigid. Then she caught herself and looked up, meeting his gaze and finding it molten.

She snatched back her hand. “Oh, crap. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking touching you like that without asking. I—”

“I don’t mind,” he rasped, interrupting her rambling apology.

She met his gaze, and as she lost herself in the heat of his eyes, Joy forgot how to breathe. “You don’t?”

He closed the distance between them without even seeming to shift his body, and then his hand cupped her face, his thumb brushed her bottom lip, and his gaze drifted to her mouth. Joy’s heart thundered so loudly she was sure it could be heard from outside, but she was also certain that it might stop at any moment.

She opened her mouth to say something, although she couldn’t think of a sensible thing to utter, but Kringl’s mouth was on hers before a sound left her lips. She sank into the kiss as his lips moved urgently against hers, her body becoming boneless as his strong arms encircled her, pulling her closer.

Joy’s head swam as the alien’s lips moved against hers, gentle yet passionate, but then she remembered. She remembered why the kiss was a huge mistake.

She pushed her hands against his chest, forcing him back. They were both panting when he finally tore his mouth from hers.

“We can’t, “ she said. “I can’t.” She pinned him with a knowing look. “You can’t.”