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Chapter Sixteen

Roth’kar

It was a fascinating experience to do that with a human, especially with Amara.

Karthinian females have a single vagina with two channels departing from it, and the culans are designed to fill both at the same time.

Having them pressed tightly together inside Amara’s singular passage was like no feeling I’ve ever experienced.

My pleasure was so profound I struggled immensely just to wait until she had reached her conclusion, and then her glorious scream pulled me over the edge of my control.

By then, my culans were writhing inside her, and I hope that did not feel too strange.

I don’t think it did, though, by the look of sheer carnal bliss on Amara’s face. Her lashes swing low over her eyes as she runs one of her hands through my hair.

“Wow,” she murmurs, kissing the tip of my nose in a way that’s both adorable and delicate. “That was incredible.”

I remain seated in her as my culans twine back together, and the blood slowly drains out of them.

“As it was for me, as well.” I let my belly press down into hers, holding up my chest on my elbows. My lower hands smooth down her sides, just reveling in her soft swells. “I hope I get to do it many more times.”

Amara giggles, her cheeks dark and her eyes alight. “Yes, please. In many more ways, too.”

I am curious what other ways she has in mind.

“Roth’kar.”

I stroke her cheek, pushing some of her long, dark hair aside. “Yes?”

She looks at me shyly, then away again. “Do you want to, um, sleep in my bed with me?”

It’s so gingerly spoken that I smile down at her. This human is so eager and yet so tentative, carefully peeling back the layers of her heart for me.

“Yes.” I kiss her lips, my fingers wandering down to cup her chin. “I would enjoy this very much.”

At last, I withdraw from her, my culans now limp, and my spend spills out deliciously.

Amara lets out a delightful little moan as I sit back, surveying my handiwork.

She’s sprawled naked across the couch, and I fetch a towel from the kitchen and wet it in the sink.

As I clean her up, I can’t believe she let me inside her, that she was willing to accept me.

I take Amara’s hand and lift her to her feet, then, still holding onto her, lead her back to the bedroom. She sighs with contentment when she flops down on the bed, and then she pulls me down next to her.

And shavek , is this bed soft. It’s not at all like the futon in my room, but lush and giving under my body, conforming to my shape. I can’t help a groan of pleasure as I lean back on the pillow.

“Memory foam,” she says in my ear, slinging one arm over my chest. “I think you’ll like it.”

Eventually we find our way under the blankets, and Amara flips off the light. In the darkness, she curls up at my side, and I bring her in even closer with my arms.

“That was really fucking great,” she whispers to me.

I have to smile. “As it was for me, too.”

“Good.” Amara strokes my bare chest a few times before her hand slowly stops, and her breath evens out. It’s rather easy to drift off with her, sleeping on a cloud.

I’m awoken by the sound of a blaring noise. Amara groans next to me, then reaches for the bedside table and smacks some object there. The noise ceases immediately, but by then I’m already sitting up in bed, wondering if our ship is about to crash.

“Sorry,” she mumbles, sitting up. “That stupid thing is the only reason I can get up in the morning.” She yawns and stretches, then slides out of bed to put on her clothes. I do the same, now that my things are in her drawers, and we emerge ready for the day.

Quickly Amara throws together breakfast, then heads off to work. Once again, I have the day to myself—something which is no longer as novel as it once was.

So to keep myself busy, I clean. I scrub the counters, even the walls behind them, which have splashes of red sauce on them. I climb up on Amara’s step stool to reach the high corners of the living room, where some kind of white string has accrued.

I nearly fall off it when a tiny animal with eight legs drops onto my hand. I have no idea what sort of creature it is, but reflexively, I toss it away. It lands on the ground easily and runs, vanishing behind the television.

Gross. I consider looking for it and crushing it, but I don’t know if I ever want to see it again.

I’ll have to ask Amara about that. She probably does not want tiny eight-legged creatures living in her condo.

Then I move on to the bedroom, making the bed, organizing our belongings in the dresser, rearranging my clothes in the closet.

I don’t dare to touch Amara’s in case she has them in some type of order, but I pick up clothing that has fallen on the floor and straighten all her shoes, most of which look like the kind that hurt her feet.

What an odd choice. But the shoes did make her butt look very nice.

When I’m done, I clean up the room that was formerly mine, taking all the bedding off the futon now that I won’t be using it. I fold and pile it up, then clean the corners and walls of this room, too.

When I’m finished, it’s only early afternoon, so I head out of the apartment to walk to the park. I’m used to the stares I get. Today, a small Earthling child with thick black curls breaks away from her mother and runs toward me.

“Alien!” She stops in front of me as her mother chases her. “Wow! So cool. What are you?”

I crouch so I can get a better look at her. “I am Karthinian.”

“So sorry,” the woman says, grabbing the little girl’s hand. “Izzy’s only four.”

“It’s all right.” I smile at the two of them, as I have not had the chance to interact with a human child yet. “You are new to me, too.”

The girl cocks her head. “You have so many arms.”

“I do. I can carry many bags of groceries.”

The mother barks a laugh. “I bet someone in your life finds that very useful.”

They are on a walk, and so the mother, Sylvia, invites me to walk with them so her child can ask me more questions. Izzy is very eager to learn all about New Dro’thar II , and I try to spin a tale that is much less sordid than reality.

“I am glad I came to Earth, though,” I tell them. “Your sun is beautiful, and I have a very lovely wife.”

Sylvia, who has bountiful curls like her daughter, beams at me. “I thought you might be with the Matching Program. I’m sure she’s a lucky lady.”

“I know that I am a lucky Karthinian male.”

When we reach the end of the path, we say goodbye, and I walk the rest of the way home much lighter on my feet. But when I reach the condo, my communicator chirps.

Who could be trying to reach me? For a moment, I worry that it’s Gazargo, the little alien matchmaker, calling to tell me that I must go home. But surely that isn’t it.

When I answer, my communicator displays a hologram of someone familiar. It is my friend Zono once again.

“Ah, Roth’kar!” he says when I accept the call. “It’s good to see you.”

I cannot say the same. Seeing Zono inside his room, the walls dark and dirty, the ceiling leaking, takes me back to a place in my mind that I rather would not be. I am grateful to see a familiar face, of course, but it also reminds me of what I chose to leave behind.

“Hello,” I say, instead of returning the greeting. “I didn’t expect your call.”

“You thought I wouldn’t check in on you?” Zono gives a grudging laugh. “You were wrong, friend. We all talk about you, you know. How you escaped the Hole.” He clucks as he studies me. “Shiny new clean clothes, I see. The new ‘wife’ must be caring for you well.”

He makes it sound as if I am a kept pet, like one of those four-legged dogs .

“She did buy these, yes.” I keep the indignation out of my voice. “She is a kind and responsible woman.”

Zono cocks a brow. “Ooh. So you like her? I didn’t think that was part of your plan.”

It pains me when he utters these words, this reminder of how I came into this marriage. I did not yet know Amara, and now that I do, I’m certain it would hurt her to learn this.

“Plans change,” I mutter.

“I like to hear this.” Zono wears a sincere smile. “I’m glad that you are finding happiness there.”

I suppose I am, one day at a time. Especially after last night, knowing that more nights like that lie ahead of me buoys me.

“I would do anything, as you did, to have clothes like yours and some fresh food to eat. You’ve already gained weight.”

I suppose I have, and it’s not unwelcome. I have been doing some exercises to stay healthy, and now I have the nutrition to fuel my body.

“Amara will be home soon,” I say, because it makes me too guilty to continue this conversation. “I ought to go.”

Disappointment crosses his face. “All right. Perhaps one of her friends might apply to the Program.”

I don’t dissuade him from his belief, and then we end the call.

Even after I’ve put the communicator away, though, guilt gnaws at me. Speaking to Zono today made me realize just how callous I was with Amara’s feelings coming into this, and that wasn’t right, not with such a tender person as she is.

I’m overwhelmed with relief when she finally returns home, singing, “It’s Friday! It’s Friday!” as she swoops in the door. I catch her, and Amara wraps her arms lovingly around my neck, kissing me on each cheek.

“Good to see you, handsome,” she says in a sultry tone. “Shall we go out tonight? My coworker Kendall invited us.”

Another evening dancing and drinking and spending time with Amara? I would never say no.

“I look forward to meeting her.” I head into the bedroom to change. “What color should I wear?”

Amara’s eyes light up. “Oh my god, can we match? That would be so cute.”

“If you would like.”

“Oh, I would like .” She giggles as she follows me through the doorway. I can’t help grabbing her again, imagining throwing her down on that bed and kissing her thoroughly.

“We don’t have to be there until eight,” Amara says, her eyes following mine. “Want to take off my work clothes before we put the nice ones on?”

“Absolutely.” I’m already peeling off my shirt. “I want to try these other ways you spoke of.”