Page 10 of Zinnia and the Zombie (Alien Abduction #26)

CHAPTER TEN

Z innia studied Jaxx’s face, thinking about what he’d said. A permanent shelter. The finality of his words confirmed what she’d been avoiding since they crashed.

“You don’t think there’s any way off this planet, do you?” she asked quietly.

He met her gaze directly. “I inspected the ship while you were gone. It is beyond salvage.”

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Earth seemed impossibly distant now, a memory growing fainter with each passing hour.

“I suspected as much.” She hugged her knees to her chest. “Strange, but it doesn’t terrify me like it should.”

“Why is that?”

She glanced over at him, his golden skin gleaming in the firelight.

“Because I’m not alone,” she admitted. “I will miss Earth…” She trailed off, thinking of the Jensens, of the flower shop, of the small apartment that had become her home. “But at least you’re here.”

His expression softened. “Yes. We are here together.”

They were stranded on an alien world, but they had each other. After a lifetime of feeling alone even in crowded rooms, there was comfort in this strange partnership. Perhaps more than partnership, she thought as he stood and moved around the fire, his purple eyes glowing.

He knelt beside her, reaching for her hand. A current of electricity seemed to arc between them. She swallowed hard, unable to look away.

“My Zinnia,” he murmured, lifting her hand to his lips. “I am honored that you wish me as your companion.”

“It’s not like I had a choice,” she whispered, unable to keep a small note of challenge from her voice.

“No. We did not choose this path, but I find myself grateful for it.”

“I am glad you’re here too,” she admitted, the words seeming inadequate.

He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to her palm. Another spark shot through her and her breath caught.

“Jaxx,” she said shakily, “what are you doing?”

“What do you wish me to do?” His voice was a low rumble, vibrating through her body and settling in the pit of her stomach.

“I’m not sure.” She should have pulled her hand away, but she didn’t. “I told you, I’m…”

“Afraid? I swear I will never hurt you.”

Despite everything, she believed him.

“I know,” she said, a shiver running through her body.

“Then may I kiss you, my Zinnia?”

“Yes.” The word came out barely louder than a breath, but his eyes blazed and a wave of golden light rippled across his skin.

His big hand cupped the back of her head, holding her still as his mouth descended. The moment their lips touched, the world seemed to fade away, leaving nothing but heat and need and the feeling of his lips moving against her own.

“Zinnia,” he growled, deepening the kiss, and the sound of her name on his lips sent another wave of heat through her body.

Her free hand curled around his neck, pulling him closer, and he responded by drawing her into his lap, kissing her hungrily.

Her hands traveled over his broad shoulders, then skimmed across the armored planes of his chest, his skin warm and hard beneath her fingers.

She followed the trail down his stomach, then suddenly remembered that it continued uninterrupted down over his loins.

His people must be able to have sex, but how?

“How do you have sex?” she gasped, pulling back.

“With my mating organ,” he said, trying to recapture her lips.

“But where is it?”

He finally raised his head, giving her a confused look.

“My lamellae protect it while it is dormant.”

“And if it’s not dormant?”

“Then my lamellae draw back and out of the way.”

“Out of the way for what?”

“For mating,” he said, his voice dropping. “And for pleasure.”

She stared up at him, the implications slowly sinking in.

“You mean you actually have a… a cock? Like a human male?”

“I doubt it is like a human mating organ.” He looked down at her, his eyes glowing purple. “But I believe it will fit your body well.”

“Fit my…” Her cheeks heated, the image filling her mind.

“You are aroused.” It wasn’t a question.

“Um.” Her face flamed, and she pulled away, embarrassed by the sudden rush of desire.

He let her go, watching her intently.

“How did you think we mated?”

“Well, humans use mouths and hands and—” She realized she was babbling and shut her mouth.

“An unusual but enticing prospect.” He ran a finger over her cheek and her mouth opened involuntarily. “Would that please you?”

God, yes. She bit back the words, but he must have read her expression because he gently cupped one of her breasts in his big hand.

“Is this pleasurable?” He feathered his thumb across her nipple and a strangled moan escaped. “Zathix females do not experience sexual excitement from such contact but their breasts are not so full and soft.”

He ran his thumb over her nipple again and a pulse of desire shot through her.

“Oh!”

“Apparently you do. And this?”

He bent his head and took her nipple into his mouth, hot and wet even through the fabric of her dress.

“Yes,” she gasped, arching against him. He made an impatient sound and yanked the material aside. She heard it rip as the cool night air hit her exposed flesh and she suddenly panicked. ‘No! Wait.”

He stopped immediately.

“What is wrong, my Zinnia?”

She tried to pull her dress back in place, her hands shaking.

“I did not mean to frighten you,” he said softly.

“You didn’t. Not exactly. I just…”

The words wouldn’t come, but again he seemed to understand. He pulled off his shirt and slipped it over her head, covering the torn fabric.

“Time for you to rest, I think.”

She almost protested—in spite of her burst of panic, part of her still ached with frustrated arousal—but in the end she simply nodded.

“I will remain out here by the fire,” he assured her, but she took a deep breath and held out her hand.

“I’d rather we slept together like we did last night. Is that all right? To just sleep?”

“Of course, my Zinnia.”

He banked the fire then preceded her into the shelter, sitting with his back against the wall as he had the previous night.

She settled down next to him, then carefully tugged his arm around her shoulders.

Most of the men she had dated would have taken that as an invitation, but he simply held her and she sighed and nestled against him.

“This is acceptable?” he asked.

“Yes,” she whispered, and despite her afternoon nap, she quickly fell asleep in his arms.

As they made their way to the fountains the next morning, Jaxx insisted on scouting ahead and checking each building for any signs of predators. He still had not entirely regained his golden coloring, but his movements were smooth, and he no longer leaned against the wall to rest.

She was still wearing the shirt he’d given her and she found herself watching the play of muscles beneath the gleaming skin more than their surroundings.

Her fears of the previous night had seemed foolish in the morning light, but before she could figure out how to let him know she wanted to try again, he was busy preparing for their trip.

As they emerged into the plaza, morning sunlight reflected off something above them. She shaded her eyes, looking up at one of the smaller structures at the edge of the plaza

“Jaxx,” she said, pointing. “Is that glass? It looks intact.”

He followed her gaze. “I believe so.”

“Maybe we should check it out?” she suggested. “If the glass is intact, it could provide shelter.”

He nodded. “And we would be aware of anything approaching. Let’s see if we can find access.”

They circled the building before finding a breach in the eastern wall partially hidden by climbing vines.

He carefully tested each section of the remaining structure before allowing her to follow, navigating their way through the debris-strewn interior.

It appeared to have contained retail units at one point, although little remained.

A wide staircase, remarkably preserved, wound upwards through the building’s core. The floors were higher than they appeared and her thighs were burning by the time they reached the roof.

The top floor landing opened onto a sight that stole her breath away.

“Wow,” she whispered as she stepped past him.

The entire roof was a massive arboretum, enclosed by a soaring dome of cracked but largely intact glass.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, dappling the lush vegetation that had clearly been thriving here for centuries.

But despite its age, the plants grew in organized sections—some in orderly rows, others in artful arrangements around small pathways.

“Look at this.” She moved deeper into the space, overwhelmed by the abundance surrounding them. “There’s fruit everywhere.”

He followed more cautiously, scanning the environment. “Interesting. It appears to be a cultivated food production facility. It’s remarkable that it continues to function.”

She brushed her fingers against what looked like a cross between a tomato and an apple, its skin a vibrant purple. Next to it was a vine bearing fruit that looked uncannily like grapes. “Some of these plants look almost like Earth varieties.”

A soft hissing sound startled her, and she jumped back towards him. Then she realized what was happening—a fine mist was being released from small nozzles embedded in the glass ceiling, raining down on a section of leafy plants.

“I can’t believe the irrigation system still works.” She laughed in disbelief. “There must be power somewhere.”

“Impressive engineering,” he murmured, studying the ceiling mechanisms. “Self-sustaining technology was rare even among advanced civilizations.”

She wandered through the garden, cataloging their discoveries with growing excitement. There were root vegetables nestled in rich soil beds, climbing vines heavy with pod-like structures, and trees bearing fruit of every imaginable color. An astonishing array of flowers were mixed in with them.

“We won’t starve,” she said, grinning over her shoulder at him. “And I think we just found our shelter.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “It is defensible, provides sustenance, and offers protection from the elements. An optimal location.”

She laughed. “Just say it’s perfect.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “It is… perfect.”

She moved deeper into the garden, marveling at the diversity of the plant life. She could identify many of the basic structures—these were definitely pollinating flowers, those were tubers of some kind—but the specifics were alien.

“Look at this bush,” she called to Jaxx, who had begun examining the irrigation system more closely. She pointed to a bush bearing plump, blue fruits like oversized blueberries. “These look ripe.”

She plucked one carefully, the skin yielding slightly under her touch. When he came to join her, she offered it to him. “Want to try it?”

He took it from her, bringing it to his nose first. “No detectable toxins,” he said after a moment. “Though our physiologies differ significantly.”

“Only one way to find out if it’s edible,” she said with a shrug.

He broke the fruit in half, revealing juicy, deep indigo flesh. He handed one piece back to her, their fingers brushing in the exchange. “Together, then.”

She counted down. “Three, two, one?—”

They bit into the fruit simultaneously. Sweetness exploded across her tongue, followed by a subtle tartness that balanced the flavor perfectly. Juice dribbled down her chin, and she laughed, wiping it away.

“Oh, that’s incredible,” she moaned, quickly finishing her half. “Better than any blueberry I’ve ever had.”

He nodded, looking pleasantly surprised. “Nutritious as well. I can detect significant energy values.”

“You can taste its nutritional content?” She raised her eyebrows.

“My species evolved as energy processors. We can assess potential fuel sources through multiple senses.”

“Handy trick,” she said, reaching for another fruit. “Especially now.”

They sampled several more varieties after he confirmed them as safe. Her spirits soared with each new discovery. This garden wasn’t just survival—it was abundance.

“We could actually make a home here,” she said, smiling at him.

He watched her, his expression thoughtful. “You adapt quickly to new circumstances.”

“Necessity,” she replied with a half-smile. “Mama was always moving around. But I’ve always liked a challenge.”

“This is an unprecedented challenge,” he pointed out.

“True. But…” She hesitated, then decided to be honest. “There’s a certain freedom in knowing that I can’t go back. I don’t have to worry about getting deliveries on time or wondering if I’ll be able to pay the bills. Everything we need is right here.”

Their eyes met on the last words and she saw the realization that had suddenly struck her reflected in his gaze.

They had food and shelter—and each other.

Suddenly shy, she turned back to the garden, spotting a particularly unusual plant nestled between two larger shrubs. It resembled a crystalline sculpture more than a plant, with translucent, faceted leaves catching the sunlight and fracturing it into rainbows.

“Have you ever seen anything like this?” She leaned closer, enchanted by the way light played through its structure.

The plant bore small fruits that looked like perfectly formed jewels, glittering with internal light.

Without thinking, she reached out to touch one, but her arm brushed against one of the glass-like leaves.

Pain sliced across her forearm and she jerked back with a cry, clutching her arm as blood welled from the long cut.