Page 7 of Veras (Nozaroc Alien Warrior #2)

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Everything moved in slow motion. I could only perceive the rumble of the transport as we zoomed through the forest. I felt untethered.

Lost. To combat the disconnect, I hyper-focused on Veras.

He wouldn’t look at me, but he kept a death grip on my hand.

It was all I could feel besides the frantic beating of my heart.

Because he wouldn’t meet my eyes, the psychic link between us was broken. Not one ounce of emotion leaked from him, and I instinctively knew he had shut down on a molecular level.

His words weren’t the usual dramatic overreaction.

He believed them. Which meant we were at odds.

Because I’d had one singular focus through my enslavement on this planet.

Sobrevivir . To survive. The kernel of hope, the one that whispered I might have found someone I could trust, shriveled and died.

We came to a rumbling stop, floating hundreds of feet above the ground.

The entrance to the outpost would be impossible to spot from below us.

We moved through massive canopies of trees, floating through and around alien flora.

Everything sparkled and glittered like it had been dusted in gold—painted lines of molten yellows and oranges flowed through their veins.

The Oro touched every inch of nature, making it sparkle with life.

The sounds, the strange cries and chirps, were lost on me as I mulled over Veras’ words. Why even come here if we were all going to die? I contemplated running away, but where would I go?

Plus, I was promised a shower, damn it. And I would get it. I deserved it. Focusing on the small stuff allowed me to breathe through the shock.

We came to a landing and stepped off, facing an oval-shaped entrance.

“Although it looks similar, this is not a portal. It is a field that can only be accessed with my marking.” He pointed to the tattoo on his arm.

“Or the staff the Aavvee’s guards used. Technology stolen from my people.

” Veras clenched his hands, his double thumbs tapping against his balled fists.

“The Aavvee are the absolute worst.” I took a tentative step toward him and offered something I almost didn’t recognize anymore.

Kindness. I patted his back and sighed. The steam floating off his body was heated, and it enveloped my hand, swarming over it, surrounding me in more than just warmth.

It felt like his essence. An integral part of him .

With the high temperature of the jungle, it should have been suffocating, but instead, his mist felt like a soft blanket.

The skin on his back wasn’t rough; it flowed like smooth stone. His muscles jumped when I touched them. Engrossed, I couldn’t stop. I inched closer. Again, I was tempted to taste the soft mist. I resisted and kept my gaze and horny-as-hell thoughts away from Veras’ probing mind.

When I finally pulled myself from my stupor, I caught his eye. His breaths had slowed and become more intense. Then I remembered. He was repulsed by my smell. He probably hated me anywhere near him.

Reluctantly, I stepped back.

His arm tattoo lit up and glowed. A small opening grew and then quickly shrank around us after we walked through.

At first, it appeared as if we had stepped into the mountain. Familiar dark caves sparked and came to life as we walked through the massive facility. When I glanced back, the forcefield blended with the scenery, making this place practically invisible.

We walked into a landing where all sorts of alien vehicles and technology sat neatly stacked against the walls. Cruisers, alien-motorcycles, and tank-like vehicles. It was clearly military. The open area branched into different tunnels, each entrance glowing with an opaque forcefield.

“This is amazing.” It must have been close to twenty stories high. “It’s massive but it completely blends in with the scenery.”

“That is intentional. This is where the travelers lived. We weren’t allowed to join our people, or else we would become dependent on the Glrtsstlllloroggg , so we lived inside the mountain.

Here, the Oro isn’t as pure as it is in the core of the planet.

Where my people lived.” He chuffed, and his bitterness seeped through.

Veras never lived with his people? How long had he been alone? I had so many questions, but I was also desperate to get clean. I was promised a bath.

“First, we eat.”

I opened my mouth to object, but my stomach rumbled so loudly that I paused.

“Are you well?” Veras felt around my stomach and back. “Is your body shutting down?”

“I think you’re right. I need food.” The hunger overwhelmed me, eating away at my insides. It had been a full day since my meal of killer caterpillars, and it had only been a few stolen grubs.

“Will you survive?” His large golden eyes swirled with intensity, obviously, his response when he felt strong emotions.

The wave of his feelings battered me, and I lived his agony.

“I must protect you, little Earther. At all costs! You have become my newest focus, and I… please tell me I’m not too late.

” He scooped me up and ran me through the outpost.

“I’m fine.” I patted his arm. “The damage isn’t permanent, but I haven’t had a good meal in a long time.” I tried to stay as far from him as possible because I knew my smell offended him. I’d grown nose-blind, so I had no idea how bad it was.

Gross.

We zoomed through the outpost. It stretched out for miles. It was equipped to house an army. We approached the living quarters.

My heart dropped. It was completely abandoned. There was no way there’d be any food. Maybe Veras planned to hunt for me. But that could take hours. I took a deep breath and calmly reminded myself I’d gone much longer without eating. He must have a plan.

“You will have a meal. I swear this.”

I smiled. I couldn’t help myself. He seemed so upset, and I wasn’t as put off by his dramatics. Not as I got to know him. He felt everything so strongly. It was sweet if you discounted the fact that he planned to let killer tornadoes take me out. One problem at a time. “Thank you.”

We entered a large black room. The stone of the mountain looked solidified, as if they had poured cement into the mountain.

No dust or dirt flaked off. He walked over to a solid panel and began tapping on the glass.

Glyphs and symbols floated off the machine in holographic images and floated around him as he pushed through to tap the ones he wanted.

“What is this?”

“A food panel. Tell me what you require. I have traveled many worlds and made the mistake of choosing the wrong nutrition. What have you eaten here that hasn’t bothered you?”

“Mostly bugs.”

He paused and his nose slits flared. “By choice?”

“No.” I rolled my eyes. “That’s a delicacy for the Aavvee, and it was my job to liquify them. They don’t have teeth, remember? Most of the time, they forgot to feed me.”

He slammed his fists against the wall.

“Please, stop. I just want something warm. Not spicy, kind of bland because my stomach won’t be able to handle too much.” My abuela would be so disappointed by my words, but I couldn’t chance it. No salsa quite yet.

“We have a dish that we feed our young. That has to work,” he mumbled the last part to himself and swirled his hands over a large panel. “But I will try different items to see what you prefer.”

I no longer had enough of the Oro in my system to translate the foods he referenced. The Oro usually gave me an idea of fruit or meat. But now, I had no reference point.

The first meal that materialized was the shape of a football and the consistency of a hairy coconut. Instead of cutting it open, he shaved off the little hairs and had me taste one. After a diet of primarily bugs, I didn’t judge. They sort of tasted like dirt, but it wasn’t terrible.

“These are bland but filled with nutrients. Try to choke a few more down. Here is the children’s dish.” He set a bowl of green, soggy leaves in front of me that resembled steamed spinach.

I grabbed the bowl, ready to slurp it out of the bowl, when he handed me an eight-pronged spork.

Blushing, I thanked him. I hadn’t eaten like a human being in years.

I jabbed it in and managed to get a few leaves in my mouth.

It tasted a lot like yuca, and I gulped it down.

Far faster than I liked, my belly filled, and I hadn’t even finished half the bowl.

Veras ate the rest. “The meal is not as fresh compared to what I ate as the brutoo. But satisfying.” He balled his fists. “It has been a long time since I’ve used my hands. I may have stayed in the beast form too long. Its fiery personality hasn’t quite receded.”

He looked over at the dent in the wall. The one his fist had gone through.

Not going there. Focus on you, True. “Veras. Show me how you accessed the food and how to order this.” I pointed at the green dish. “And the football thingy. Please.”

“Why? I can aid you—”

“I don’t know how long we’ll be together.” His words from earlier crashed through my mind. His plan to help the Guardians destroy the planet—over my dead body. Or until I beat feet and found a way home.

His mouth tilted up at the edges. “So strong. Very well. None of us knows what tomorrow brings.” He went through the motions over and over until I repeated it seamlessly.

“Okay.” Exhausted, I rallied myself, knowing I wanted a bath almost as much as I’d wanted a real meal. “Just so you know, we will be revisiting your death wish.”

“Death? Wish?”

“Your plan to, you know, kill me and every other living thing on the planet. Yeah. That.”

“Only the sentient aliens. None of the creatures that are natural to the planet will be destroyed.”

“In case you didn’t remember, I’m not native here.

So that includes me. And I’m not cool with it.

But…” I held up my hand. “All I need right now is a shower, bath, whatever you people use to clean yourselves. Because, as you’ve pointed out many times, I stink.

” I gave him some serious side-eye over that one, which he completely missed. Or maybe it didn’t translate.

He spun around and lifted me again. “I wonder if you’ll smell any better afterward.”

I punched him on the shoulder, but this time he let out a deep laugh. But the damage was done. What if he was right? Even after the shower, I may still gross him out.

“Wait! Can the replicator make anything? Or just food?”

“Rudimentary items. Yes.”

“Do your people use soaps or shampoos for your hair and body?”

He picked up a strand of my hair. “Nothing is as soft and silky on my planet, but we used to have some alien dignitaries visit. What would you like?”

My heart beat out of my chest in excitement. Not just a shower, but I might get some product too. “Just something that will get me clean and allow me to get the tangles out of my hair. I’ll also have to cut the ends.”

“ Cut it? You will not!” He tightened his hold. “That would be too painful.”

“No, it’s basically dead cells.”

“Please stop sharing these horrific details about humans. So unappealing.” He strode back toward the replicator and plugged in different items. I memorized each one.

This time, I giggled, not caring if he teased or not. He tipped up the side of his mouth. “Oh, wait, now that I think about it. Hair remover!” Yes .

“You will not remove it completely. I forbid it.” He stabbed the replicator. “I don’t care if it’s made of dead things.”

“ Dios mio . I wasn’t talking about—”

“I have grown attached to the death sprouting from your head. I stroked it earlier, and I’ve never felt anything so wondrous. Plus, it is the least smelly part of your body.”

I crossed my arms. So ridiculously dramatic. “It’s not for the hair on my head.”

His swirling eyes grew wider. “Between your legs? I stroked that as well, but you groaned so loud, I stopped. It… pains you?” He stared at my crotch.

Jesus! I slapped my hands over my face. Maybe that was why I was in a constant state of arousal. He’d been petting my chocha ! I didn’t know how to deal with this guy. “That’s none of your business. Can you get it for me?’

He tapped his chest. “What is this emotion I feel from you? It feels warm. Too warm. Are you fevered?”

“It’s embarrassment!”

“Embarrassment? For what?”

“People don’t just go around and pat each other’s pussies. Or…” I blatantly avoided looking at his non-existent pito . “Private parts.”

“Why feel shame? There is no shame in your body.”

“ Your actions embarrassed me.”

“For touching your slit? Earthers do not stroke each other there?”

“We do, I mean, yes, of course, but—When we’re familiar with the person. That’s an intimate act. Between lovers.”

“Oh, I see.” His sadness floated over and around her. “I am not this to you?”

“Stop it with your drama. I’m not to you either. We don’t know each other.”

“Fine!” He accessed a whole new holographic panel and produced soaps, and what I assumed were shampoos. Plus, a tiny laser that would zap the hair on my legs.

I made him set me down. But before I headed to the cleaning chamber, I set my treasures on the floor and examined, tested, and even tasted each surprise.

“Why are you taking so long?” He huffed and paced around me.

“Because I want to.” I ignored him and reveled in my gifts.

“You have never acted this happy with me . Your glee is overwhelming, but it has to do with the things I gave you. Are all Earthers this materialistic?” He tapped his thumbs against his waist and grumbled, “I want to bathe now.”

“Go for it.”

“Without you?”

I didn’t bother to answer. Instead, I glopped on a liquid-like cream that smelled like cinnamon and vanilla.

He’d been dismissed, and the sooner he recognized it, the better.

I was having fun for the first time in a long time.

I wouldn’t allow anyone to ruin it, especially an impatient and broody alien.