Page 13 of Xefe (Nozaroc Alien Warrior #1)

I sat up on my elbow, sensing he was as awake as I was.

His mouth. His tongue . He had a tongue, didn’t he?

Oh God, maybe I’d blocked it out because of Freckles.

Nausea gripped me for a few seconds, but I pushed that spotted bastard from my mind.

It was the smell that had been the worst. And the rubbery texture.

I’d been talking to Sunny for hours and hadn’t caught a whiff of anything rancid. “Hey, Sunny.”

“Earther! I. Am. Sleeping.”

“Nuh uh. Now who’s telling untruths? You’re awake.”

No reply.

“Open your mouth.”

“Go to sleep.”

“Pretty please, with sugar on top. I won’t bother you again. Well, not too much.” I laughed weakly when his stormy eyes snapped open.

“What are you up to now?”

“Just curious about alien anatomy. You did say…” I dropped my voice to its lowest octave. “You may ask me any question between these walls. So, I’m asking.”

His bony brows snapped down. He stared a few seconds more and eventually opened his mouth.

Sharp canines, two sets of three, and a full row of pearly whites were on full display.

To my utter delight, a thick juicy tongue stuck straight out.

It looked similar to a human tongue except for its unusual golden color. And length. And girth.

I leaned closer—

He rolled back his tongue and closed his jaw with a snap.

I whimpered.

He growled.

Did his tongue vibrate when he made that noise? My girly parts were on fire. “Can you make that sound with your mouth open?”

He sighed. “I know what this is. Loxo mentioned it. My scent. From the Glrtsstlllloroggg . It has made your strange alien slit weep. Do not worry. It will pass.” He ignored me, again , and went back to sleep.

“My slit is not weeping —” I closed my mouth when I saw his broad shoulders tense—“…is what I would have said before. But definitely not what I’m saying right now. Because I don’t lie anymore. In here,” I whispered the last two words.

He settled back in. Sunny was a straight-up cabrón . He knew what he was doing and didn’t even care. He also made it quite clear he had no attraction toward me whatsoever, and that sucked. I hadn’t even winced when he called my pussy a slit . That was how bad I had it. Wanted it. Would I beg?

No. Not yet, at least. “It’s the Oro that’s responsible for this…this…” I looked at my crotch and back at him.

“Yes.”

“All of you super warriors are supped up with the stuff, right?” I narrowed my eyes, for once thinking beyond my need. Was he really so ambivalent? Did he not care at all ? “You don’t have more of the Oro than they do, right?”

No answer again.

“No worries. I mean, now that I understand it’s the Oro and not you that’s making me feel this way. I’ll just…” I let the sentence hang unfinished.

“You’ll just what?” His entire body tensed but he didn’t face me.

“I’ll take matters into my own hands. Maybe I’ll start talking to one of the other warriors and get what I need.

There’s nothing special about it. Just meeting a biological need, right?

Scratching an itch, as they say.” I startled when he flipped over, and his blazing orange eyes were inches from my face. Gorgeous.

“You will not!”

I sucked in a breath, feeling superior yet hoping he’d move a few inches closer.

“Why not, big guy? Not like any of them could give me a knee-deep boning. Unless… Oh my God. Are they all built like you? No alien junk? Did you have an accident or something?” I reached out to pat his arm and then snatched my hand back.

“Is that what happened? You lost your dick in a house fire. Pobrecito. ”

“I did not lose… what are you saying now? You make no sense.”

I was a cruel bitch, but even I wouldn’t make him retell whatever happened to his alien pito .

But I would enact a little plan. It wouldn’t help me tonight, but maybe it could get him to be more receptive to my tongue idea.

Because, truth be told, I didn’t want anyone else but Sunny.

His smell was the only one that did it for me.

“You will not seek relief from another.”

“Are you volunteering to help me out?”

“I will not. I will not be distracted from my duties to my supreme.” He grabbed the blanket that had slid off my lap and gently arranged it around my body. Like…he was tucking me in. “Do not make me rouse again. We have a long day tomorrow. You will be properly trained on your duties.”

I hugged my blanket, stunned at how his actions were so different from his words. But then I paid attention to what he’d just said. “Duties? You heard your supreme.” I let the tiniest bit of disgust flavor my tone when I said the leader’s name. “He wants us to compete. To train.”

“You will train when your duties are completed for the day.”

“Fine, but I’m telling you right now, whether you believe it or not, I was not made for serving.

Or cleaning. Or working, in general. It is a waste of my hard-earned talents.

I’ve trained my whole life to compete. When your supreme sees what we can do, he’ll be pissed if we’re exhausted from doing chores. ” Gross.

“Pissed? Why would he relieve himself?”

“Forget it! I hate you.”

“Untruth.”

Gah. Forget Plan B. Nothing could make me straddle his stupid face. Make me a nine-to-fiver. Into a basic bitch? Hell, no. Tomorrow was all about kicking ass and finding some relief.

Silence fell between us, and as time ticked by, the gravity of what I needed to accomplish overwhelmed me.

Work. Train. Find Valentina or make my escape.

The weight of the mountain pressed on my weak human shoulders.

The stupid sexy alien wasn’t even attracted to me, so I couldn’t count on his help.

I flopped on my side, facing Sunny’s glorious back. He radiated molten lava-level heat. Was everything on this planet over a million degrees? Reflexively, I tapped my palm to say goodnight to Valentina. Damn it. I keep forgetting.

“Is this a human custom? To strike your hand?”

How had he seen me if his back was turned? “Yes. Go to bed.” I was tired of talking, giving away my secrets, and always telling the truth. Boring. And unproductive. Most things got accomplished when I was lying—and lying well.

“What purpose does it serve?”

“To remind you of your loved ones.” A giant lump formed in my throat.

I prayed he wouldn’t ask another question.

Tears leaked from my eyes. My entire body was a tense ball.

My sister. Alone. On Earth or here. Fear—no— terror , assailed me.

I was supposed to take care of her. I was supposed to have won the match and gotten us the hell out of New Angeles.

I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath as long as I could, trying not to make a sound. I didn’t want his derision or, worse, more probing questions. Instead, I rode through the pain, coasting along with the sorrow, trying to let go of the worry and hope for a miracle.

Anything for Valentina.

When I could speak again, I couldn’t control the words that flew from my mouth, “Sunny?

“Earther!”

“This is my last question. I promise.” I took a deep breath and braced for his response. “If your supreme ordered you to kill someone, would you?”

His eyes blinked open, and the orange swirl filled the dark room. “Someone like you?

“Yes.”

“Before you took your next breath.”

Yup. That’s what I thought. His words weren’t a surprise, but they hurt like a shiv in the gut. The tiniest kernel of hope shriveled. My attraction didn’t mean connection or trust. Sunny was the enemy, and I could only count on myself.