by Nikki Clarke
Amina
Kwarq’s mother is beautiful. I see now where Bati gets his looks from, and I see why Kwarq thought my nervousness about meeting his folks was misplaced.
We’re sitting in what I guess would be a living room in an American home. The space is large and open with a fireplace and plush cushions situated around a low communal table. Kwarq’s mother has brought me some kind of fruit drink. I laugh when I take a sip and realize it very closely resembles red Kool-Aid. It’s thicker, however, and less sweet.
Again, I glance over to his mother, who sits beside Ah’dan. She’s holding her son’s head in her lap, gently stroking his hair back from his face. Ah’dan, however, is staring at me. His drowsy eyes linger on my face. It’s a little awkward, but I figure that like the constant physical contact the people of this planet engage in, staring must not be a big deal. Still, I avoid his gaze and study his mother. She’s asking Kwarq questions about his time on Earth.
Like Bati, her skin is a rich black, but it’s tinged with the reddish undertones of Ah’dan’s skin. Her hair is an almost ashen blonde, like Kwarq’s, and like his, it’s thick, but curls about her head wildly.
I let my eyes stray to his equally handsome father. Bait joined us shortly after I met Kwarq’s parents, and I came to the startling conclusion that his whole damn family is just really really good looking. His dad is basically an older Kwarq with Ah’dan’s hair. His is also a very dark black and straight. It hangs around his ears and forehead boy-bandishly, lending a charming, playful quality to him.
In turn, my eyes move from him, back to his beautiful wife, to gorgeous Bati, quickly to Ah’dan, who’s still staring, and then to Kwarq, who’s sitting on a cushion with me cradled in his lap, his arms linked around me protectively. It’s so strange to look at them. It’s almost like someone took every phenotypical trait available on Earth and played pin the feature on the Lyqa. It’s confusing as hell and also lovely. In this context, my nagging need to place Kwarq disappears. As does my lingering feeling of being out of place. It suddenly has no place here, and I feel terribly relieved.
“Lehti.”
I blink away from where I’ve been staring at the side of Kwarq’s face and glance around the room. Five sets of eyes are glued on me. Kwarq’s mother wears a knowing smile, and one glance at Ah’dan lets me know he’s still being a creeper. I look away, and my eyes meet Bati’s. To my surprise, he winks and grins widely.
“What? I’m sorry. I’m still taking all of this in.”
“I was wondering if perhaps you were hungry?” his mother says.
“Your stomach is making noises,” Kwarq supplies quietly.
I look down at my middle, and almost on cue, my stomach lets out a loud growl. How many hours have passed since I puked my brains out in Kwarq’s apartment on Earth? One? Five? Do I need to account for space travel when determining how long it’s been since I’ve eaten?
“I’m sorry. I haven’t had a chance to eat today.”
Everyone’s eyes immediately shoot to Kwarq, and he shifts uncomfortably beneath me. Even Ah’dan is no longer looking at me and is scowling at his brother over my shoulder. His mother sucks her teeth in an apparently universal display of displeasure and starts rambling off a quick bit of Lyqa that I can only assume is a scolding. I turn in Kwarq’s arms to see that he’s doing that pulsing blush that signals his embarrassment. An odd desire to protect and defend him overcomes me. I kind of don’t like that they’re all ganging up on my man.
“It’s not his fault,” I say turning back to them. “Everything happened so fast, today. I was pretty sick earlier. Don’t be too hard on him.”
Kwarq’s mother smiles at me but her eyes shoot to Kwarq with the silent admonishment only a mother can show.
“They are right, my lehti, I should have been more careful with you. I have been remiss.”
Remiss. This man and his overindulgent use of the English language. I roll my eyes and turn back to the room. The fact is, I am pretty hungry. If anyone wants to feed me, I’m down. As long as it isn’t something weird.
“I could eat,” I say, finally responding to his mother’s initial question. “Kwarq also hasn’t had anything all day.”
Again, his mother sucks her teeth and rises from the cushion, letting Ah’dan’s head fall without ceremony. He shoots her a glance and huffs, but she ignores him.
As I wait for his mother to bring us food, I can’t help but feel that same apprehension creep up on me. I’m a brave eater. I don’t shy away from much, but this is another planet. There haven’t been too many crazy surprises since I’ve been here, but am I really ready for Lyqa cuisine? I mean, really?
“Do not worry, it will not be anything with tentacles or fangs.”
Kwarq’s voice is an amused murmur in my ear, but he wasn’t kidding about the super hearing because Bati hoots a laugh and Ah’dan snorts. Even his father is smiling slightly, although he tries to pretend he isn’t listening. I guess I can rule out any ideas of privacy during our stay.
“Tentacles I can do. Octopus is delicious. Anything weirder than that, and I can’t make any promises.”
Ah’dan snorts again. Kwarq smiles and nuzzles my neck.
“It will be neither of those things. Lyqas do not eat flesh.”
“You’re vegetarians?”
“More like vegans. There is no part of the animal that we consume.”
I’m impressed. I expected them to be chowing down on raw meat. I guess, I really don’t have to worry about anyone eating me.
A moment later, Kwarq’s mother returns with a large platter piled high with various vegetable looking items and several different kinds of what I am assuming is fruit. The familiar scent of vinegar reaches my nose, and I realize that some of the vegetables must be pickled in some way. She also carries a small plate piled high with what is clearly bread. Bread. Thank god.
She sets it in front of us and waves her hand over it.
“Please eat as much as you can.”
I hesitate with my hand over the platter. Kwarq reaches around me, picks up one of the veggies and takes a bite. It has the distinct, satisfying crunch of a pickle. Maybe it’s the preggo in me, but I suddenly really want a pickle. As if reading my mind, he passes me the remainder of the one in his hand. I take it, bringing it to my nose to sniff discretely. I smell vinegar and spices. Tentatively, I take a bite, more worried that it may be poisonous and I’ll drop dead in two seconds flat than apprehensive about the taste.
I hold the small bite in my mouth, waiting to see if I feel anything bad. When nothing happens, I start to chew, slowly at first and then more comfortably.
This. Thing. Is. Delicious.
Imagine Korean pickled radish and the best artisan dill pickle on planet Earth, and that is what I put in my mouth. I quickly devour the rest of it and grab another, my hunger hitting full blast. When Kwarq’s hand knocks into mine as I reach for the last one, I swat it away and snatch it up for myself. I hear several chuckles, and I look up from where I’ve been shoveling food in my mouth to see everyone watching me.
“Kwarq, let your lehti have what she likes. Clearly the babies enjoy it.”
I pause with the pickle half-way to my mouth. Kwarq, who has grabbed a different vegetable and taken a bite, chokes on his mouthful.
Did she say ‘babies’?
I know my eyes are wide on my face. I can’t seem to make them blink. Kwarq rushes to say something in Lyqa and his mother gasps, bringing her hand to her mouth as if to take the words back, but I know what I heard. I turn slowly to look at him, and he looks sheepishly back. Really, did she just say ‘babies’?
“Please don’t tell me that I’m having some kind of Lyqa litter.”
My voice is a tight, low whisper that I know everyone can still hear. I don’t really care. I’d rather not offend anyone, but apparently I would have to mime in order for that not to happen.
Kwarq executes his customary slow, exaggerated eye roll.
“No, my leht
i, you are not having some kind of Lyqa litter. I keep trying to tell you. We are not dogs or squids. It is not—“
“Like the movies, I know, but your mother did just say babies.”
“She did.”
I wait for him to elaborate, and when he doesn’t, I prompt, “And?”
He sighs deeply and relents. “You are having twins. It was highly probable. For my kind, twins will almost always have twins.”
Suddenly, I remember something and turn to look at Ah’dan. He seems amused by my and Kwarq’s little conversation. I’m not exactly sure I like Ah’dan. Even if he is kind of adorable.
“Thank you and thank you,” I say to him dryly. He doesn’t respond, but smiles like he actually gets my sarcasm.
Everyone is still watching me, particularly Kwarq, and I feel like he’s waiting for me to flip out or something. I probably should, but at this point, nothing is really a surprise anymore. Meet an alien at the movies? Sure. Have amazing sex? Why not. Get knocked up and taken to an alien planet? What’s so crazy about that. Find out you’re pregnant with twins? Of course. Even if I wanted to freak out, I’m suddenly too tired to even attempt it. Instead of answering, I open my mouth and yawn really long and loud. It’s kind of rude, but I’m taking some liberties. This day has been stressful.
“Dahnai, you must be exhausted. It is well past the evening hour. How about we all go to sleep?”
Kwarq’s mother is doing the mother thing, and I let her. She helps me to my feet, and I wobble a bit before Kwarq’s hands at my waist steady me.
“Thank you for welcoming me,” I say to her and she hugs me before one by one, Kwarq’s brothers and father wrap their arms around me in a round of quick embraces. Ah’dan repeats his earlier embrace, and I kind of glare at him when he steps away. He only laughs and ruffles my hair, which I don’t think anyone has actually ever done to me before. It’s kind of endearing. Maybe I do like him a little.
I’m too sleepy to look around as I follow Kwarq through the long, cool hallways of their house. They seem to be a series of wings that connect to the main living area. When we reach a tall, heavy door, similar to the one that leads outside, Kwarq pushes it open and guides me in inside.
“This is my apartment,” he says quietly, even though it doesn’t seem like anyone else is here. “We will live here until you are ready to go home.”
I nod. Kwarq takes my hand and pulls me through a smaller living room area and to a room off to the side which turns out to be a bedroom.
“Yes, a bed!” I gasp out when my eyes fall on the huge, platform bed in the middle of the room. Kwarq lets out an exasperated sigh behind me.
“Amina, of course we have beds.”
I turn back and give him the side eye.
“What do you mean of course you have beds?”
“Lehti, my people can travel across galaxies. Did you really think we slept in the dirt like animals?”
I turn back to the bed and snort. “How would I know? You were sleeping on the floor with a sheet.”
The corner of his mouth turns up, and my overwhelming sense of sleepiness disappears. Suddenly, I’m hot. My inner thighs clench as I take in Kwarq standing next to me. Before we left, he changed into the light garb of his culture. The fabric whispers over his muscles. The deep v in his tunic shows the rigid curve of his pecs. They bunch and ripple with every of his slight movements.
My eyes slide lower where behind his thin drawstring pants, I can’t see the thick bulge of his penis. Even flaccid, he’s impressive. I gulp as I’m overcome with the desire to feel him inside of me again. To feel the delicious ache of us coming together.
Chapter 16
Kwarq
I stand by the door to my bedroom and watch as Amina pulls down the jeans she’s wearing and kicks her feet out, leaving her in a fitted t-shirt and panties. She stretches her arms over her head, and from the side, I can just see the slight bulge of her new belly when her shirt raises. Our babies are in there.
And Amina is here. In my home. In my bedroom, about to crawl into my bed. Any nervousness she was feeling appears to be gone. I’m still amazed she didn’t react when she learned she’s carrying twins. I’d expected shock and perhaps anger that I kept it from her, but I guess in the context of the day’s events, it does not seem like such a big deal.
Amina makes her way to the tall edge of my bed and pauses to consider it. She lifts her leg then drops it before planting her hands on the side as she tries to figure out how she will comfortably navigate it. She’s so small. Even taking the steps was tiring for her. I move away from the door and go to her, taking her by the waist. I lift her, again surprised at how slight she is, and toss her onto the bed.
“Mm,” she mewls as she wiggles her body into the firm mattress. “This is a really comfortable bed.”
“I’m glad.” My voice is a little strangled. Amina is laying on her back with her legs open. My eyes fix to the impression of her pussy behind her thin scrap of panty. My cock twitches in my loose pants just as my first heart begins to speed up.
“Do you know what would make it even more comfortable?” she purrs out, and I want to groan.
“What?” I’m ready to give her whatever she needs.
“You in it with me.”
She’s being flirtatious, and my body responds immediately. This is an unexpected contrast to her previously anxious state. I scent the air and detect heightened pheromone levels. She’s very aroused.
“I would tell you that how you are feeling is a result of your pregnancy. The babies are making you—happy. This may not reflect how you truly feel.”
She sits up and rolls her eyes in the way that she does, and I find myself doing more and more.
“Kwarq, I’m still a mess, don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten that I’m knocked up on an alien planet with your insanely beautiful parents and hot brothers, and your fine, charming ass. I’m just trying to make the best of an unexpected situation.”
“Okay.” As long as she isn’t afraid, I will accept it. Her eyes shift to the side before training back on me.
“So, I think I’ve forgotten something, and I might need you to remind me.”
My confusion is accompanied by a frown.
“Remind you of what?”
The slight tilt to her mouth is followed by a seductive murmur.
“Of why your tongue is so long.”
A slow smile spreads over my face just as a distant but distinct hoot of laughter sounds out somewhere else in the house. I am really going to strangle Ah’dan. Amina’s eyes widen before she falls back on the bed, covering her face.
“Are you serious? How the hell did he hear that?” She rolls to her side, closing her legs and groaning. “Ugh, never mind.”
“I must apologize for my brother. He is an ass.” I feel the loss the moment she closes her legs, shielding her pussy from me. “It does not mean that we cannot have sex.”
Amina looks up at me from beneath her hands with a look of horror that’s so serious I have to stop myself from grinning.
“Kwarq, I’m not going to do you in this house where everyone has friggin spidey hearing. I think we’ve established that I am not exactly quiet.”
She’s whispering. Her voice is low and harsh. I fight a smile and resist the urge to explain just how the Lyqa aural system works. Her attempt at being quiet is actually more likely to be heard.
“My brothers should not be listening,” I say slightly louder than necessary, and hear the faint snorts of response from elsewhere in the house. “I think that unless they wish to embarrass you, they will mind their business.”
A sly smile spreads across Amina’s face. Even she knows after this short time that intentional injury in any form to another being is a grave Lyqa offense.
“That’s right, babe, you shame them.”
“I will shame anyone who tries to keep me from you,” I reply seriously as I kneel at the bed and take gentle hold of her ankles to pull her to the edge. She slides with a
little squeal, and the scent of her arousal grows more intense.
“Are you sure it’s okay?” Her knees press together although her feet are spread. Through the space, I can see the wet center of her panties.
“It is okay, but I will only do it if you want me to.” I reach one of my hands between her spread feet and run my fingers lightly over her pussy. “Although, I must admit that I want you very badly, my lehti. I also think you need this.”
She shivers, a slow moan escaping her mouth as she throws her head back. I continue to stroke her over her panties, feeling the fabric become more and more soaked with her wetness.
“Kwarq, it’s too much, do something.”
“I will help you, my lehti, and you can be as loud as you want.”
I remove my hand from between her legs and grab the edges of her panties. She lifts her hips for me, so I can slide the fabric over her knees and down her legs.
The smell of her hits me hard, and I groan as it overwhelms my senses. Taking hold of her knees, I push them apart until they lay flush to the mattress. The light of the room is dim, and her pussy glistens in the soft glow. I slide my hands beneath her ass, lifting her to my face. Her legs shake, and her breath huffs out in anticipation as she waits for me to pleasure her. In my pants, my cock rises to its full length, wedging between my body and the mattress.
My first lick is slow and precise. I run the full length of my tongue through her slit, curling it under when I get to her clitoris.
“Ah!” Amina lurches off the bed, her startled cry is loud and sharp in the room. I wait until she falls back to the bed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
I lick her again. This time, I wiggle my tongue along the inside of one of her pussy lips. Amina twitches, her moans muffled in her attempt to remain quiet. I treat the other side to the same attention before I press my face close, trying to get as much of her as I can.
“You taste so good, Amina. So pure. So delicious.” I continue to lap at her, bathing my face and catching every bit of her arousal.