Page 11 of Veras (Nozaroc Alien Warrior #2)

M y first full night’s sleep in years… maybe. Because I couldn’t see the sky, I had no idea of the time of day. But it made me happy to imagine I made it through the night in Veras’ arms. I was reluctant to move, so I snuggled into his chest.

“Veras, are you dying?” I asked. In the hazy time between wake and sleep, I tended to ask the most inappropriate questions.

In this case, there wasn’t anything more pressing than my survival.

My sole focus for the last five years. His little pronouncement about killing everything on the planet had been shoved to the back of my mind.

But now, after a shower, a meal, toe-curling sex, and sleep, my imminent survival came back front and center.

“What?” My sleepy alien’s mohawk stood on end, flowing over his head and down his back.

So beautiful. Shiny and black, his hair reflected the mist coming off his body.

“No. Why? Do your people have the ability to make such predictions? Will I die before I can exact my revenge?” He stretched, not overreacting for once.

Dios . Such a confusing alien. “No, of course we don’t. I was just trying to figure out why you have a death wish.” I propped myself up on an elbow. “Wait a minute. I can make that prediction because you literally told me you were going to murder everyone on the planet.”

He flopped onto his back and crossed his arms, refusing to look at me. “ I wouldn’t be killing anyone. It would be the Guardians. Which is their right.”

I hated this Nozarocan looking-away thing he did when he was upset.

I crawled on his stomach and straddled him, refusing to be ignored.

“But you’re not even trying to stop it. You’ll be responsible for the death of…

everyone.” I had no idea how many damn aliens lived on this rock, but it had to be a lot.

“They killed my people.” He sat up and gripped my thighs, kneading them in his agitation. “This is our way. A system set in place in case our defenses were ever breached. It protects the Oro as well as the creatures of this planet.”

“After what we shared, you’re going to let me die?”

“No. I will not.” He finally turned to me. “ Never .”

“How—”

A roar sounded through the outpost, reminding me we weren’t completely out of danger up here.

“You are fine. The forcefield is in place.”

“But it doesn’t matter because I’ll be dead soon, anyway. By a beast out there or giant golden tornadoes.”

“Guardians.”

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath. Think, True . That’s what you do best. Plan your way out of this like you always do. First step, gather information.

“You’re shouting your thoughts again. I can’t be responsible for hearing them.”

“I want you to hear them. Tell me what happened.” I slid off his stomach and sat next to him, gripping his hand and pressing it against my chest. “We can figure it out together. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’m smart. If we plan—”

“It is done.” He let me go and gave me serious alien side-eye. “You are brilliant, of this I have no doubt. But it is destined.”

Again, with the carajo destiny. I wanted to make my own choices.

Had wanted little else for five years. “At least tell me why. I deserve that, don’t I?

” When he nodded, a short lift of his chin, I let out a breath and centered myself, ready to get down to business. “The Guardians. What are they exactly?”

“They protect our world.”

“Your people created them?”

“No, they are the keepers of this treasure. Our planet. A living, breathing extension of the Oro. My people, in ancient times, were allowed to reside on this planet because we respected it. We cherish the gift of the Oro. Along with the consequences.”

“And they’re really going to attack us? The Guardians?”

“Yes. Of course.” Veras said as he adjusted himself. So far, Vinny hadn’t shrunk much, but he was quiet. For now. “Did I not say this already?”

“Not in detail.”

Veras sighed and sat up. “I find it difficult. All this talking. If you would just open your mind, we could communicate much more quickly.”

“No.”

“Fine. Where was I?” He sighed and scratched the side of his head. “Ah, yes. Everything will be dead. Anything not native to Nozaroc.”

Anything… Like me?

“Like the Aavvee.”

I’m going to die. The words came, unbidden. Like rapid-fire. And I was looking Veras right in the eye as they slammed through my mind.

“Fear not, little Earther. You are safe.”

“You keep saying that but not how . Is it because I can speak to them?” I sat up.

“Do you remember when you were still an alien-dragon, and I was on your back? That really happened, right? Tell me you saw that.” I had spoken to Nito, my gust of wind, for years and didn’t think anything of it.

I leaned in and whispered, “Those big tornadoes, I think they heard me.”

“I am not sure what I saw. I almost did not believe it, but they appeared to pause. If that had not happened, I would not have made it through the portal. We would have been destroyed.”

“But how?”

“The Guardians would have ripped us to shreds with the force of the winds. Are you not paying attention?” He tapped his thumbs against his thighs, clearly agitated.

“I wasn’t asking about the Guardians.” Veras . I looked up and counted to ten. “How did I do it? How did I make them pause, or whatever?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps we share an ancient ancestor.”

I cocked a brow. “Or others of your kind went to Earth and gave some Earth girls the hot beef injection.”

“Impossible.” He crossed his arms and turned away. “We live by a code. The females of our race made that very clear.”

Poor Veras. Always playing by the rules and getting nothing for it. “Maybe.”

His gaze snapped back to me. “Don’t lie to me. You know I can feel your doubt. You think I am wrong?’

“Yes, I do.” I shook my head. “Why are you assuming the worst? It’s possible, an Earth girl and a Nozarocan made a genuine connection. Like we did. We aren’t mates, but we found a way.” I pointed at Vinny, who perked up at the attention. “Would that be so wrong?”

“No.”

Vinny started to hum.

Damn, I was quickly becoming obsessed with the vibrating love bug.

“Or maybe some of your people found a way around the rules.” Yes, I said it.

“And they boned their way across the universe. There could be Nozarocans everywhere.” I crossed my arms when his thumbs began tapping again.

“Which I think was a great idea, considering there might not be many of you left anymore.” The words stung.

I knew. But a part of me felt he looked down on humans, as if it were impossible for other Nozarocans to find humans attractive, even though he was guilty of it himself.

“You mock my sacrifice. I did everything to uphold my people’s beliefs. I thought you understood that.”

“When it comes to the planet killers, I do not . Why would you think I understood?” I shook my head. “I want to stop the Guardians from destroying the planet. I also wanted to jump your bones, and thank God, you let me talk you into it, or else you’d have a serious case of blue balls.”

His thumbs stopped tapping, and his eyes went wide. “Parts of you turn color without sexual release?”

“No! It’s an expression. It means Vinny would be aching from the need to come.

” I leaned closer, getting sucked into the mist that now surrounded us both.

Que rico. “He would be throbbing because he couldn’t be inside me.

” I ran my hand down his chest. “I want us to make our own rules. Together. Remember? We get to decide. Think about that.”

“I don’t have to think about it.” He grabbed my hand. “You are right. You are the single most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. You banished my loneliness. Challenged me. Made me feel the most intense pleasure of my life. I would die without you. Wither from within.”

Damn, beautiful alien. I melted on the spot. “That’s why I think I might be able to talk to the Guardians. What if I could stop them? Think Veras. Help me figure this out.”

“Control the wind…” he whispered.

“What?”

“There were women among my people who could sway the Guardians. Perhaps you have some of that ability. Or maybe you were so foreign to them, they were curious.”

“Curious?”

“Oh yes. They watch everything. They protect. They observe. And they judge. That’s why we will all be obliterated.”

My mind spun with the possibilities. They’d heard me, I knew it. There was a connection, however brief. It’d been thrilling. If I could make them listen, I could stop them. And save us.

“No, Truena. You cannot.” He tapped his double thumbs on my hand.

“There is a reason they only paused momentarily. The women who whispered to the wind were bathed in Oro on a cellular level. They prepared their whole lives. The Guardians are proud and volatile. So powerful your mind cannot fathom. One wrong tone, one wrong thought, and they could destroy you on the spot. I will not take that chance. Even if you wanted to,” he squeezed my palm, “you would need a massive infusion of Oro. An impossible amount of the purest form.”

But what if I could?

“Impossible.

I turned away so he wouldn’t hear me. Because it seemed I had formed Plan D.

There were so many now. Plan A: Go home.

TBD. Plan B: Take over the world. In the works .

Plan C: Make out with Veras and suck his tongue dry.

Check . Plan D: Get enough Oro in my system so that I can ask the Guardians for help. I’m on it.

“I don’t need to hear your thoughts to decipher them.

Even if you could find enough of the Oro, by a miracle, it would almost definitely kill you.

The Oro judges you worthy. It also heals every cut, every bruise, every break your bones may have suffered.

Instantly. But it is unforgiving, and your fragile Earther body could not handle the conversion. ”

Now he was just pissing me off. Vamos a ver. We’ll see.

“I told you I would keep you safe. You have nothing to worry about.”

“If you don’t start explaining how you plan to keep me safe, I’m going to stop believing you.”

“Come with me. I’ll show you.” He pulled me up. “Which means covering your delicious body.” He swiped that giant spotted tongue over my nipple, and I almost came again.

I sighed, feeling refreshed. “Did you give me Oro?”

“In a manner.” He picked me up and walked me back to the pool. “The Oro is in me. When I released into you, your body absorbed it from me.”

Huh . That was why there wasn’t anything trailing down my leg after sex . No muss, no fuss. I gazed longingly at my soaps, unwilling to leave my few possessions behind.

Veras went back and retrieved them. Guess I shouted those feelings as well.