Page 10 of Healer (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #4)

A hobbit hole!

I got the feeling Hakkar wasn’t happy about my acceptance of Vienda’s hospitality. He mumbled something about them being Kerzak, not hobbits, before Talamus dragged him off to hunt for our supper.

Hobbit or not, they were a lovely family.

One could tell that Vienda and Talamus were devoted to each other and their little girl Irsay—the embodiment of a walking, talking teddy bear.

Her fur was a mix of her father’s brown and mother’s gray, but her eyes were the same round honey-brown color as Vienda’s.

The child played happily with carved wooden blocks near the hearth while her mother and I sat at the table, chopping vegetables for the stew.

“How old is your daughter?” I asked. A smile played on my lips as I watched the little girl try to stack blocks. I would guess she was only five or six from her dexterity.

Vienda shot her daughter a glance full of parental pride. “Irsay is twenty-two summers.”

“Twenty-Two?” I sputtered, nearly slicing off the tip of my finger instead of the skin from oddly shaped alien turnip I peeled.

“Is it strange to you?” The discoloration in the female Kerzak’s fur, which resembled a brow, raised slightly.

“Well, yes,” I admitted. “A twenty-two-year—summers—old human is considered an adult.

Vienda laughed, a deep rumbling sound that echoed about the room. “A Kerzak’s childhood lasts seventy rotations.”

“Wow.” I finished with the turnip and snagged what looked and smelled like a cross between a carrot and a lemon. “How long does your kind... the Kerzak live?

Vienda sighed sadly. “My father died when he was 304 summers old and was still considered in the prime of his life.”

“Wow.” I said again, not attempting to hide my surprise.

“Humans do not live that long?”

“We live about a third of that... if we’re lucky,” I shrugged. “After going through the Garoot Healer, I’m not so sure.”

I’d heard the Ulkommanian say the healer extended human lifespan at least a hundred years.

At the time, I hadn’t considered what that meant—tied down to be experimented on and all.

On Earth, with ALS, I wouldn’t have made it to sixty-five.

If Hakkar succeeded in healing me, the sky, or make that the stars were the limit.

A small angry grunt took my attention, and I turned to see Irsay destroy her block tower with a single swipe of her furry paw—completely adorable.

I’d always loved children. Wanting to care for them lured me into pediatric medicine.

I’d planned to have a dozen of my own, but ALS robbed me of that dream.

Of course, if Hakkar cured me? My hand stole over my stomach, an indication of a desire so deep that I feared to give it voice.

“May I ask you a question?”

I turned my head to find Vienda staring at me, her pale pink face displaying a curious expression.

“Of course?”

“Are you mated with the Vaktaire?”

My mouth fell open, and I struggled to find the right words, feeling my cheeks flush. My body reacted to the question, sending a rush of tingling excitement over my skin, and causing a fluttering sensation deep in my stomach.

“Why do you ask?” I tried to seem nonchalant but felt my cheeks grow hotter.

Vienda’s shoulders shrugged, but a telling smile played across her brown lips as though she knew my secret. “You move around each other as though you feel a mate bond.”

“Oh!” I felt caught. The undeniable truth was that I felt a powerful attraction towards Hakkar.

Every aspect of him was alluring to me—from his sharp features and intense gaze to his genuine kindness and compassion.

In my eyes, he ranked as one of the most remarkable men I had ever encountered.

A fact that apparently, I didn’t hide well from others.

“I ask only because I know the nature of the Vaktaire mating ritual. I would find it curious if he mated to a human,” Vienda explained.

“Why?” Now, she had my attention.

With deft fingers, Vienda peeled a strange, bulbous vegetable that resembled a potato. Her voice sounded almost clinical, but each word pierced my heart like a sharp blade, leaving a strange, lingering ache with every syllable.

"The ritual where a Vaktaire claims his mate is fatal for anyone except their own species. Unlike the Kerzak, who mix blood between mates, a Vaktaire’s heart stops and starts many times until it beats in unison with his or her chosen. Many have died during the ritual.”

“Oh.” I kept my head down, an odd stinging sensation affecting my eyes.

A sharp pain echoed in my chest that I couldn’t blame on ALS this time.

Was I upset because I couldn’t be Hakkar’s mate?

My heart clenched at the thought, mixed emotions swirling within me—excitement, despair, longing.

Yes, I realized with a flutter in my stomach.

Yes, I was.

When Dereck left me, I retreated deep into myself, shutting down all emotions.

Dealing with the relentless progression of ALS and my approaching demise was already more than I could bear.

I couldn’t fathom adding any further heartbreak into the mix.

What was the point of me finding someone to love when my time was limited?

How would a potential first date even play out, knowing any time together was hampered by my illness?

What exactly are you looking for in this relationship?

Like anybody, I want love and companionship. Oh, and how do you feel about drool, incontinence, and funeral planning?

Although I took myself off the market, my heart still skipped a beat at the sight of a handsome man.

And while I held a deep abiding love for my celebrity boyfriend, Keanu Reeves, it was pure fantasy.

Lusting after someone you could never have was one thing.

But being up close and personal with someone that set your body on fire was a whole other ballgame.

Despite my efforts to deny it, Hakkar mesmerized me from the first moment our eyes met. It was like a fire burning inside of me, impossible to extinguish with every touch, every word, making the flame grow hotter.

For the first time in what felt like forever, hope settled into my heart.

A future that wasn’t overshadowed by the constant fear of death lay before me, promising endless possibilities.

And while it might not be a traditional life on Earth, the thought of living among the stars held a certain allure.

But more than anything, I yearned for the simple warmth and family that Vienda, Talamus, and Irsay modeled—something I had been lacking for so long.

The image of their cozy home and peaceful moments together filled me with a sense of longing and contentment.

To have something like that with Hakkar. ...

I pulled myself out of the fantasy when Irsay climbed into my lap.

The little girl might be covered in fur, but she proved as adorable as any child I’d ever known.

She attempted to teach me the correct pronunciations for alien versions of corn, potatoes, turnips, and carrots.

Her adorable grunts and growls translated into strange words had me laughing while attempting to pronounce them.

Along with kindling a desire for a child of my own that caused a painful spasm in my soul.

As the sun descended, Hakkar and Talamus returned from the hunt, carrying two graceful creatures resembling deer that Talamus called latoppeen.

They began dressing the animals with skilled hands to prepare for roasting and smoking.

Irsay oversaw the task with an adorably keen eye.

The smell of fresh meat mingled with fragrant smoke from the fire and bubbling stew, filled the air with an enticing aroma.

I settled on one of the wooden benches, enjoying the subtle chill of the darkening night.

I might be on an alien planet, but the scene proved reminiscent of every neighborhood barbecue I’d ever attended.

Irsay’s eyes sparkled with adoration as she gazed at Hakkar.

His handsome features and kind smile seemed to captivate her.

I knew the feeling. She spent every moment sitting by his side, soaking in his presence, or perched on his knee, hanging onto his every word.

As I watched from across the fire, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy, a silliness I quickly dismissed.

After all, who could blame her for being so smitten with such a handsome, charming, and charismatic man?

Vienda pulled the freshly baked bread from the coals just as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The warm dough and toasted crust aroma filled the air, mingling with the savory scents of bubbling stew and roasting meat cooking over the outside fire.

Despite the sweltering heat of the planet during the day, once the sun set, a cool breeze from the nearby river made it a perfect night to gather around a crackling campfire.

The flames danced and flickered, casting shadows on the surrounding trees while sparks leaped into the starry sky above like fireworks.

Memories of med school flooded my brain.

I remembered late nights spent huddled around a bonfire—laughter and chatter filling the air as we celebrated surviving another stressful test or lab.

But instead of Boones Farm Strawberry Ripple or Maddog 2020, I sipped on Talamus’ homemade brew, which became more delicious with each mouthful.

In place of hot dogs and chips, we ate roasted meat, bread, and stew, despite being alien, proved as delicious as anything on Earth.