by Elise Jae
“They have a massive jaw strength. If they get their teeth into you, you’re done for. But it only works one way. If you can manage to trap it closed, wrapped with some sort of cordage, they have little chance of getting it back open.”
“Like an alligator.”
“If you say so.” He glares out the window and clasps my hand against his chest. “But getting their jaw closed only removes one danger. Their claws are.... Well, come look.”
He leads me to the wall beside the door where he stores his weapons. I see now they’ve distracted me from what is on the other side of the entryway.
A pair of shadow boxes bolted to the wall hold bits and pieces of the monsters. Not enough to get a full picture, but enough to illustrate how much I don’t want to wind up in their grasp.
“We can’t afford to try to kill one of them cleanly enough to get a full specimen. We don’t even have a clear picture of them.”
He hates that he’s telling me this. But I can’t risk reassuring him. If I talk, he might stop.
“They have three of these ugly things on both of their front legs.” He taps the glass overtop of a set of claws.
There are enough of them that I know they’ve been collected from multiple monsters.
The claws are like shark teeth, sharp triangle points and serrated edges along the inner part of the curve.
He turns away from them as though they’re the most offensive thing on either of our worlds.
The other box holds a piece of bone with sharp teeth. It’s a mangled mish mash of things I’d guess were from ten species on Earth. Some are needlelike, others sharp canines…. Still more look like they’d do more damage to the creature’s mouth than they would something outside of it.
Richter is glaring at the thing, disgust writ on his features. “That’s only part of their jaw…”
He draws a finger along the lower left side of his. “The lower portion has three bones. A duplicate of this on the opposite side, and a sharp, spear like protrusion on the bottom.
Any part of it can kill or maim.”
The explanations are stressing him out. I can feel it across the bond. So, I slip my hand in his and tug him gently away.
“I think that’s enough for tonight. I won’t need it right away.” And I’m better at assimilating things when I’m given time to process. “Let’s go to bed. We can talk about this some other time.”
RICHTER
I’ve come to learn that Laurel specifically chooses to say “go to bed” rather than “go to sleep.
There has yet to be a night where sleep was the first thing on her mind.
And maybe that’s because there has yet to be a night where having her wasn’t the first thing on mine.
She’s pressed against me, her leg thrown over and twined with mine. I don’t have to look down to know that her eyes are closed as I stroke her hair.
“A girl could get addicted to the sort of feelings you have for me.”
Her words are thick with sleep and her drowsiness is sliding through our connection. If I was a cad, I could kiss her awake and exhaust her all over again. But I’m not sure I could survive that.
She needs her sleep, we both do.
But talking about the monsters has me on edge. The idea that something might happen to put her in one of their paths. Or worse, that something might happen to put her in one of their jaws….
I shudder at the thought, and Laurel shifts in my arms. She’s asleep, but I know my thoughts are giving her bad dreams. And I hate it.
Hate that I can’t even protect her from the fear inside me.
It’s that depth of feeling that drives so many of us mad when we lose our mates. The visceral tear of the pain… the emptiness that follows.
Before, I could barely imagine how a person could hurt so much they’d be driven to the things I’d seen.
Now….
I glance at Laurel, fast asleep. Now, I can’t imagine how anyone would stay sane if they lost her.
A small part of me wants to apologize to her family for taking her away.
The wind howls outside, and the moonlight shifts over the icy landscape that wasn’t truly my home until Laurel came into it. The night is all I’ve known for so long….
NINE
LAUREL
Richter’s gone the next morning when I finally drag myself out of bed.
I’ve been deliciously exhausted, but I’m going to have to start acting like a real human being again and figure out something to do with myself during the days.
But today isn’t a day I plan on putting on real pants.
In the pajamas I have yet to wear for a whole night’s sleep, I pad to the kitchen with bare feet.
There’s a box on the counter with my name on it. Not a gift, just mail.
Inside… the tea I’d just run out of.
The receipt has Richter’s information on it.
“Somebody’s been paying attention.”
Snatching a sachet from the box, I drop it in a mug and go to the hot water dispenser. Not as nice as a kettle, but immediate and the perfect temperature, every time.
Wrapping my robe more tightly around me, I flip through the rest of the mail while the tea steeps. There isn’t much of it.
But there’s still more than I expected. I’d thought they were entirely digital on this planet.
More the fool me.
I scan through it, thankful there’s nothing that my C/O would want me to “accidentally” open.
There’s another item for me in the stack… an envelope with strange routing information, from the town. The return address just has my last name. But which of the four possibilities…?
Taking a deep breath, I tear the top seam open and pluck a small card from within.
I know exactly who it’s from before I have to flip it open.
No one else in the family would send me a pink card with cutesy flowers surrounding a very anatomically correct Sian heart.
But then again, there’s only one biologist in the family.
The interior is plain, simple, and straight forward.
Call me.
--Jess
Tea done and creamer poured, I take the card and torn envelope with me to the couch. I have to look up the time differences, to be sure, but nine thirty at night isn’t too late to call her, so I punch in the codes and wait as the fluttering symbol tells me the call is connecting.
And there’s Jess.
Fresh from a shower and half way done braiding her ridiculously long hair.
“I was going to call you sooner or later,” I say as she goes to shut the door to her room. “You didn’t have to send me orders.”
She smiles and adjusts something on her end. “Not orders, just a reminder. Chris told me not to, but I had a feeling you were going to be distracted and would need the nudge.”
“How are things on Earth?”
She cringes. “Oh, you know… the same as usual.”
There’s something she isn’t telling me, but I know better than to jump on her right from the start. And she doesn’t give me the chance anyway.
“I can’t decide if you’re the bravest person I know… or the most cowardly. Running off to a completely new planet like that.”
“Let’s land somewhere in the middle and call it good. How about that?”
She hums. It's one of the few agreements I’ve been able to coerce from her in our lives.
“I thought Chris would be there to give me hell too?”
“She’s a little occupied right now. But if it’s safe to get her before you have to go, I will.”
“I have no idea what to say to that.”
“Then don’t. I’m sure it’ll come up later.”
An awkward pause hits us. It’s unfortunately familiar.
“So…” Jessica waggled her eyebrows at me. “What are they like in person?”
“Are you asking about personality, or anatomy?”
She smiles and scrunches her nose. “Ca
n’t turn the biologist off.”
“They’re wonderful, the very few I’ve met.”
“Any chance you’d be willing to take measurements or samples?”
“Not even for my favorite sister. And I don’t think Christina’s going to take your side.”
“That hurts.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
There’s a commotion somewhere in her house and she sighs. “Mom’s come to make sure neither of us decide to hop on a spaceship and follow in your footsteps.”
“If I remember correctly, I was the one who was always chasing after you.”
“And now, you’re blazing your own trail.”
Another sharp, unintelligible yell from the depths of Jess’ home.
“Is mom really that upset?”
“I mean, it’d be worse if it was her first born.” Jessica pressed her hand to her chest, and then waved toward the door. “Or the baby of the family. But you’re the middle child. She’ll get over your loss soon enough.”
I laugh, but even I can hear how false it feels.
“Hey,” Jessica scowled at me from a million lightyears away. “You know I’m joking right? I thought it’d be better to joke than tell you the truth. Mom’s a wreck. Dad’s just confused, but mom… you know how she can be. Chris pointed out that’s why you sent the email when you knew she couldn’t go nuclear on you.”
“I didn’t mean to make her descend on you.”
She throws a hand into the air as though swatting a particularly pesky fly. “I’m sure you can make it up to me.”
“I dread the thought of what you’re going to ask.”
“Will you ask him if you can take pictures?”
“Ew. No.” I glance over my shoulder even though I know he’s not here to have heard it. “Go to a damn porn site.”
“But I don’t know if those are accurate. We both know things are…” She waved her hand at the ceiling. “Augmented.”
“I can tell you that much at least. The pictures are real, if my random sample is any indication.”
The thought of Richter’s cock has me ready for it again. It’s ridiculous how horny he makes me.
I’m addicted, and I’m one hundred percent okay with it.
“Hello… Earth to Laurel.” Jessica waved her hand in front of the camera. “Did I lose you there?”
“Sorry… day dreaming.”
She hums in a sound of disbelief. “Sure. Are you sure you’re not just sucked into the black hole of the honeymoon phase of your relationship?”
“I’m completely certain I am.”
RICHTER
I hadn’t realized how grating it would be to be away from her for this long. It was all I could do to keep from fidgeting.
“I feel it too.” Core said from beside me. “They say it gets better with time.”
Distracting as it is… I’m not sure I want that.
Core smiles. “She’s singing. I hadn’t realized it would feel different, but it does.”
“Is our meeting boring you, gentlemen?” Drift asked.
Trench chuckled from behind me. “They’re newly-mated, boss. We can’t count on them for anything right now.”
Snickers echoed through the room.
Drift silenced them with a sharp whistle. “We all know that’s no excuse. Now, if it was you, Trench, I’d be worried.”
More snickers.
It was difficult to pay attention. Something was upsetting Laurel. I hoped it was nothing more than another call from her mother.
When it was my turn to give my report, I was as brief as I could be.
Drift wasn’t happy to hear I’d had two incursions in as many days.
“I think we all know it’s because of Laurel.” Clearing my throat, I glanced at the others. “Core and I are the first to take a mate, and he has also had to deal with one.”
No murmurs met that theory. We all knew the monsters hunted women. Drift motioned for me to sit down. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say next. Didn’t want the horrific thought given words. “We all know how dangerous the monsters will become when your mates fall pregnant…” He shot us both hard looks. “If they aren’t already.”
The ugly war of emotions that thought shot through me wasn’t one I wanted to experience. Now. Or ever again.
The reminder had me ready to bolt home.
It brought to the forefront of my mind Laurel’s request.
The idea of her, alone and cold in the wastes of the tundra.
“Stop.” Core knocked my shoulder with his own. “If you dwell on it, all you’re going to do is make her more anxious until you get home.”
He was right and I knew it.
Knew that there was no point in causing her to stress.
I’d feel it if something was wrong. And until then, dwelling wasn’t going to help anyone.
TEN
LAUREL
The peal of a doorbell was the last thing I expected to hear all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. But maybe there was more mail, or maybe Cindy had come for a visit.
The screen beside the door told me it definitely wasn’t Cindy. And the man outside didn’t look like a courier.
But he also didn’t look like he was going anywhere any time soon.
I opened the front door, leaving the security screen in place.
He was like every other Sian man I’d encountered. Tall, muscled and dangerously handsome.
So why did he creep me out?
Maybe it was his dark eyes, or the way they traveled up me like he was assessing livestock.
He’s not one of Richter’s friends. There’s nothing of that recognition I felt with Core. “Can I help you?”
His eyes drag over me and my skin crawls. But I don’t let it show. Years of college creeps have prepared me for guys like him--no matter the species.
“You,” He said, “aren’t supposed to be here.”
Something in the way he says it--like he plans to remove me--makes me immeasurably grateful for the bars separating us.
“Funny, that’s what I was about to say about you.” Wrapping my robe more tightly around me--and not because I’m cold, I nod toward his car. “If you’re lost, turn left out of the driveway and stay on the main road. It’ll take you back to town.”
He didn’t look relieved to hear it. Didn’t look like he wanted to take the directions and go.
But after a moment’s pause, he flashed me a too-bright smile, turned, and walked the short distance to his car.
I didn’t close the door until he’d turned out of the drive--to the left as I’d suggested.
The encounter has reminded me that I need to shower--or maybe I don’t need to, but I certainly want to.
I turn the water to scalding, letting it burn away the memory of his eyes on my skin.
I’ve just turned off the water when Richter arrives home.
He comes to me before he has even taken off his coat and gives me a long once over. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just got a little weirded out by a lost motorist. How was the meeting?”
“Informative. But otherwise, not the place I wanted to be.”
He’s as stressed as a cornered cat.
Covered in the blood of a monster he’d dealt with on the way back from Drift’s, he needs the shower more than I did.
With the water running, I leave Richter to get clean--we both know that joining him will defeat the purpose.
I make another cup of tea and sit on the couch, waiting for Richter to rejoin me. My computer is on the low table and Jessica’s call reminded me I had two other forms of communication I’d been ignoring.
My email was a mess. One giant pile of things I’d been meaning to unsubscribe from for years--and really didn’t need to have at all anymore.
But among them was a piece of spam that was intended only for me.
The wording was a twisted, convoluted mess of code that wasn’t worth calling covert. But the gist of the communique was to no
tify me of a contact who would soon make contact.
I look at the timestamp. Two days ago.
Maybe their guy had made contact this morning….
A shiver laced through me… a reaction to him, or to Richter getting out of the shower, I didn’t know.
The rest of the email was a slightly larger pile of emails from people who had learned what I’d done and--despite having nothing to say to me in the decade before--decided to toss emails across the expanse of space with varying messages that trended toward a few very specific opinions.
The curious ones looking for me to share more than a few TMIs, and the ones looking for something akin to permission to follow in my footsteps were uncomfortably amusing.
The ones that more or less said “you go girl” felt weird.
But it was the third category--the one filled with people who had to have gone searching for my email address--was the one I’d expected and also been mildly unprepared for.
“Whatever it is,” Richter pressed the laptop screen closed. “I don’t want you to read it. Ever again.”
“Hate mail.”
“Definitely don’t read that.”
“Some of it was from here.”
His lips twitched.
Almost a scowl.
“There are always people who think… anything you do is a sin. And inter-species relationships haven’t managed to dodge that.”
Slipping the computer into its sleeve, I slid it onto the table and tugged him down beside me. “Guess you guys aren’t perfect after all.”
“Not as a whole, no. But I like to think that a certain individual might be… for you?”
He wrapped his arms around me, turning and lifting me so that I was on his lap, shoulder to chest.
“He’s doing a good job so far.”
Teeth flashing in a smile, he kissed me. “Then let’s work on distracting you from those imperfect ones.”
RICHTER
Drifts words were still bouncing around in my head.
The idea of her pregnant, of a child growing inside her…. It has me almost feral.
“What would you do,” I ask, backing her toward the bedroom. “If I tied you to the bed until we know?”