Taken By The Alien Next Door

by Tiffany Roberts

  His tail swept from side to side behind him. It felt good to have someone around whom he could be undisguised. He’d not had to hide that he was a faloran during every operation he’d conducted, but he’d always had to keep his presence mostly hidden. Being himself, being out in the open, even if it was only with her, was a refreshing and welcome change.

  Tabitha owned a collection of books about human females being taken by aliens as mates, and her desire for Zevris was apparent almost every time she looked at him. He would use that to his advantage as often and heavy-handedly as he could.

  He pushed away from the doorframe and was about to enter the room—with imaginings of his imminent seduction of Tabitha coursing through his mind—when his pocket vibrated. Zevris halted.

  The vibration did not repeat, but it didn’t need to. He knew it had come from Tabitha’s phone. She’d received a message of some sort, and he would need to address it in order to deflect any potential suspicions.

  He could not do so in front of her.

  “I’m going to take Dexter out back,” he said after a moment’s pause. “I’ll return shortly.”

  Tabitha turned her face toward him. Zevris didn’t miss the way her eyes dipped along his body before they met his gaze. She smirked. “Okay. I don’t plan on going anywhere, so…see you in a few.”

  He snickered, appreciating her humor. It was clear that she wasn’t entirely satisfied with the arrangement they’d made—not that he was, either—but she’d been so much more vibrant in the hours since breakfast.

  He hoped he would witness such excitement and joy on her face every single day, until all his days had been spent.

  Forcing himself to turn around, he walked away from the room. Every step was heavier and quicker than the last. As he neared the back door, he called for Dexter.

  The dog bounded down the hallway to join Zevris at the sliding glass door. As soon as the door was open, Dexter darted outside, lowered his nose to the ground, and sniffed around.

  Zevris closed the door and reengaged the forcefield. With a single glance back to ensure Tabitha wasn’t watching, he strode along the patio to a spot where he’d be out of sight, only taking her phone out of his pocket when he was away from the windows.

  The screen flashed on, displaying a text message from Mia.

  Zevris glanced over at Dexter, who had his front paws over the concrete curbing that separated the flowerbed from the grass.

  “No,” Zevris said firmly. “Keep it in the grass, Dexter.”

  Dexter released a drawn-out whine that ended with a huff. One paw at a time, he backed away from the flower bed.

  Returning his attention to the phone in hand, Zevris tapped on the message and entered the passcode.

  Mia’s name had a small picture beside it, a woman with brown hair and skin. She’d texted, Everything good, Tabby? Hope Dex didn’t get you in too much trouble yesterday!

  Frowning, Zevris scrolled up, scanning the messages previously exchanged between Tabitha and Mia. Fortunately, both women seemed to use relatively proper English in their communications. It might have broken his brain if he’d had to mimic the texting style of the last female he’d dated.

  Dropping the conversation back to the latest message, he typed out a reply. Sorry, Mia! Dex was trying to dig under the fence, so I had to get him inside. Then I just got so caught up with unpacking I totally lost track of time.

  Zevris lifted his gaze to Dexter. The dog sniffed the ground in the center of the yard, moved a few steps, and stopped to sniff again.

  The phone vibrated as Mia’s reply appeared. Don’t worry about it, Tabs! I know you’re busting your sexy butt over there. Just remember to stop and take some time for yourself when you’re done. Bubble bath, glass of wine, a romantic book, and maybe some one-on-one time with your old pal Big Buck.

  Zevris’s brow furrowed as he read the message a second time. There was a little picture accompanying each of the things Mia had listed—a bath with bubbles rising over the rim, a goblet of red wine, an open book, and, for some reason, what appeared to be an eggplant after Big Buck.

  Who was Big Buck, why would Tabitha have one-on-one time with him, and what did eggplants have to do with it?

  He moved his thumbs, meaning to type a response, but how could he reply when he had no idea what she meant? His eyes fixated on that eggplant. It was almost reminiscent of the long, purple sex toy he’d discovered hidden under Tabitha’s underwear.

  Zevris clenched his jaw, growling low in his chest. Was that what Mia was referring to?

  Another message popped up before he could stew on that any further.

  OMG, you’ll never guess who came by last night.

  Before Zevris could even type who, Mia texted again.

  Cody fucking Everton!

  Can you believe that he had the nerve to come looking for you? He looks totally different, like he’s on roids or something. He gave me a bunch of BS about how he was really sorry and just wanted to see how you were doing, that he’d been thinking about it the whole time and he wanted to make things right with you. He did his best to look pathetic, but his inner asshole came out when I said you weren’t here.

  So he was all like “where is she, then?” I told him you moved out and that you moved on, and that you had a boyfriend that made him look like a wet sack of potatoes. I think he was about to go full dickhead on me, but Josh stepped up and made him leave.

  Again, Zevris wasn’t sure how to respond; again, Mia sent another message before he could.

  Ridiculous how your asshole ex who did nothing but treat you like shit thinks he can just walk back into your life, probably because he got his dumbass dumped or something and thinks he’s too hot for you to resist. I’m so glad you broke it off with that douche.

  Another growl rumbled up from Zevris’s chest. Ex was typically used as shorthand—ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, ex-husband or wife. Tabitha had been in a relationship with this Cody Everton. That alone was infuriating enough, but to know that the man had mistreated her nearly threw Zevris into a rage. He forced himself to breathe, slowly but heavily, through his nostrils. He needed to send a text back before Mia grew suspicious.

  Me too, Zevris replied. He doesn’t deserve me, and I deserve a whole lot better than him.

  He winced, wondering if that was too bold, too out of character, but Mia responded with what looked like a pair of clapping hands.

  You’re damn right, girl! Anyway, enough about that piece of human garbage. Any more news on your smoking hot neighbor? I neeeeeeeeed pics, Tabby! Did you man up and ask him out yet?

  A grin stretched across Zevris’s lips. Had Tabitha told Mia about him? Had she expressed her interest in him? He couldn’t help the swell of pride that filled his chest at that notion.

  Well…we actually had breakfast together this morning, he typed, his grin only widening at the memory. He’d definitely make an excellent mate.

  Frowning, he deleted that last line; it wasn’t how most humans—or Tabitha—would’ve phrased it. He only sent the bit about breakfast.

  Mia’s reply came with a flare of fireworks across the screen. Damn, Tabby, get down with your bad self!

  I need to get going, Zevris typed. Got a lot of work to do today if I want to get everything on track. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?

  Oooooh, you’re lucky. I love you, Tabby. Go get to work! But I expect full, explicit details ASAP. Love ya!

  Love you too. Zevris sent that last message and was about to press the lock button on the phone when he stilled his thumb.

  His frown deepened as he closed the message application. There was a social media app right there on Tabitha’s home screen, taunting Zevris. Though Tabitha had mentioned she made and shared videos online, she didn’t strike him as the type of person who publicized much of her life. Going into that app wasn’t likely to tell him much about her.

  But there was someone else he wanted to see.

  He pressed on the icon, and as soon as the app loaded,
he pressed the magnifying glass to initiate a search. He gritted his teeth as he entered the name, straining to keep his thumbs from slamming down on the screen.

  The name Cody Everton yielded no results—at least not any who were located within several hundred miles. After a few seconds of thought, Zevris navigated to Tabitha’s block list. Surely enough, Cody Everton was there, having the distinction of being the one and only profile Tabitha had blocked.

  Zevris locked Tabitha’s phone, returned it to his pocket, and took out his own phone to perform another search. Somehow, he knew just by the man’s picture that the first Cody Everton on the list of search results was Tabitha’s ex. Zevris tapped the name.

  His jaw muscles only tensed further as he scrolled through Cody’s profile. The man had posted numerous pictures of himself, many of which were in expensive looking shirts and ties. He seemed to never have his sunglasses off, even when indoors. But scattered through those were pictures of Cody in athletic wear or without a shirt, flexing in front of mirrors or in the middle of a gym. He was tall, with brown eyes and blond hair that was pulled up in a bun atop his head, and his body was muscular and toned.

  The self-taken images were broken up by posts of what Cody must have considered wisdom—platitudes pertaining to things like positive mindsets, hard work, and not complaining unless one could offer a solution for the problem. Sprinkled throughout were also what Zevris assumed to be jokes, though he found no humor in them.

  Zevris tapped on the photos tab and scrolled down. There were numerous images of Cody with different women, several of which were marked with captions like Feeling so blessed or So happy to have met the love of my life! As he delved deeper, he noticed the changes to Cody’s body in reverse—the man must’ve packed on a significant amount of muscle over the last couple years.

  Zevris had scrolled through hundreds of images when his finger halted, and fire flared in his belly. Because there, buried deep in all the bullshit, was a series of pictures of Cody and Tabitha.

  Zevris’s hand tensed, and he had to exert most of his willpower to ease it so he didn’t break his phone. In most of the pictures, Cody seemed to be the one holding the camera. He was often angled to be in front of her, giving himself prominence. In the earlier pictures, Tabitha was smiling, looking happy, but that changed over time. She looked shyer in the later photos, like the light had faded from her eyes. In the last few, she appeared to be uncomfortable, avoiding the camera.

  The blend of fury and jealousy that boiled inside Zevris was as volatile as a star on the verge of exploding. Seeing his mate with another male was more than he could bear, but knowing that male had treated her poorly, had failed to care for her and cherish her as she deserved, filled him with a murderous rage he’d rarely felt outside of traveling human roadways at rush hour.

  If he ever encountered this Cody Everton face to face, there’d likely be one less male on this world before everything was done.

  He forced himself to exit the application and lock his phone, stuffing the device in his back pocket before he could be tempted to open it again. The past didn’t matter; he couldn’t let it matter. Cody and any other males she’d dated had had their chances. Now was Zevris’s time.

  Tabitha was his. All he needed to do was win her over…

  And Mia had given him a good idea to pamper his female and help her relax.

  Sixteen

  Tabitha sat on Zevris’s sofa with her elbow propped on the armrest and her head cradled in her palm. Dexter lay next to her, his head in her lap, as she absently petted his back. It was late, and her belly was full after another delicious dinner. The food had tasted all the better because she hadn’t had to cook it. Zevris had insisted on catering to her. He’d even shooed her out of the kitchen when she’d offered to clean up afterwards, and once he’d finished, he’d taken Dexter out before disappearing upstairs. So here she sat.

  Despite the circumstances of her being here, she felt…good. It’d been a good day.

  Well, apart from him leaving her tied to his bed and on the verge of peeing herself for over an hour that morning. But she had forgiven Zevris for that incident shortly afterward, while she’d taken her shower. His expression when he’d released her from the restraint had been so contrite, so ashamed, and his apology so sincere… She knew he hadn’t done it on purpose.

  The day had passed faster than Tabitha thought it would, and true to his word, Zevris had allowed her free rein of his home. She’d explored, but there hadn’t been much to discover. His house really was decorated like a model home, furnished tastefully but sparsely enough that it left room for prospective buyers to envision themselves living here. It was nice, but there were no personal touches, there was no décor that showcased his personality, there was no real vitality. Just the basics. This place said nothing about the man who lived in it.

  What was his favorite color? What did he enjoy? What were his hobbies?

  Did aliens even have hobbies?

  Of course they have hobbies, Tabby. He’s still a person.

  Well…Tabitha was determined to find out what they were. The time she’d spent with Zevris today had only further endeared him to her. He was kind, thoughtful, and funny, and he flirted with her at every opportunity. She wasn’t used to that kind of attention from men, and most definitely not from any who looked like Zevris. But she found that she wanted to take the time to get to know him.

  Four weeks.

  Could things actually work between them? Once those four weeks were over, could she actually agree to become his…lifemate, after so short a time? He must’ve been sincere in his proposal, in his attraction to her. Why bother going through all this trouble if he didn’t really want her? And if what she saw in his eyes every time he looked at her was real…

  Tabitha’s entire body flushed, and she turned her face into her hand.

  Now that it was night and bedtime was fast approaching, she didn’t know what to expect. But if this morning had been any indication, well, she’d be struggling against a whole lot of temptation pretty soon.

  Take it slow, Tabby. You have four weeks. Don’t rush into anything you’re not ready for.

  “He wants babies, Dex,” she whispered, looking down at her dog.

  Dexter raised his eyes to meet hers, and his ears perked.

  “Oh, don’t you look at me like that. Four weeks is a little soon to be asking me for babies, don’t you think?” Tabitha scratched the top of Dexter’s head. “Isn’t it supposed to be first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby? The key word in all of that being love?”

  Dexter rubbed his face against her belly, his tail wagging.

  Her brows shot down, and she pushed his nose away. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”

  God, was she even ready to be a mother? Would she make a good one? She’d never known her birth mother. Amanda Davidson had abandoned Tabitha when she was an infant, leaving her in the care of her father, Luke Mathews—who had also soon run off on his child, leaving Tabitha in the care of his mother. Nan had been Tabitha’s mother in every way that mattered. She had set the example for Tabitha to follow.

  Tabitha would do everything in her power to make sure her baby was happy and knew it was loved.

  Though there was no rush for a baby to begin with…

  You have four weeks, Tabby. Better get used to the idea, especially because you know you’re going to get in too deep.

  “That’s if we’re even compatible,” she said quietly, frowning.

  But she was already falling, and she had a feeling it would be just like he’d said—even if the mating bond thing his people made didn’t work with her, she’d want him anyway.

  Yet would he truly still want her if that was the case? His race was dying, and his mission came down to popping out some super-attractive alien babies to save his people. If she couldn’t produce, what reason would he have to stay with her?

  Four weeks. I can stop myself from falling head-over-heels in love with him for
at least that long, right? I can enjoy this, but be strong…

  She frowned. The faint pang in her heart suggested that no amount of self-encouragement would change the truth. She’d never wanted anyone as much as she wanted Zevris, and she’d never been as scared of her desire as she was now.

  “Tabitha,” Zevris called from upstairs.

  The sound of his voice startled her from her thoughts. Dexter lifted his head and regarded her, his tail flicking uncertainly.

  Tabitha swallowed back her surprise, stuffed her doubts into the dark hole she’d dug for them in the back of her mind, and replied, “Yeah?”

  “Come upstairs. I have something for you.”

  Is it his throbbing dick?

  Her cheeks heated instantly—not merely because of the nature of that thought, but because of the little flare of excitement it sparked at her core.

  What was wrong with her? What kind of spell had he put her under?

  But once that initial thought had faded, a tiny lump of dread formed in her belly. Though he’d given her his word, she couldn’t shake the frustration and helplessness she’d felt while tied to his damned bed. That little voice in her head, the one that questioned everything, told her there was always a chance he was about to do it again, anyway.

  Trust. She needed to trust him.

  “Just a sec,” she called. Standing, she turned to Dexter, rubbed the sides of his face with her hands, and kissed the top of his head. “Goodnight, Dexter.”

  She released him and made her way to the stairs, looking up to find Zevris waiting for her at the top, wearing only his jeans and looking down at her with that wickedly sexy smile. The light was off in the little hallway at the top of the steps, and the glow of his tattoos cast his sculpted muscles in an ethereal radiance that rocketed his sex appeal off the charts.

  As she walked up the steps, her anxiousness, as well as her anticipation, grew.

  “Hi,” she said nervously when she reached him, clutching the banister like a lifeline.