The Alien’s Obsession by Zoey Draven

Chapter Eight

Kirov - 3, Lainey - 0, she thought, irritated.

Ugh.

Last night, that morning, and that afternoon, he’d gotten a leg up on her, had caught her off guard and used that to his advantage.

Damn him.

Lainey could feel herself pouting, like a petulant child, as she stared into the flames of the fire pit. When she looked up, she half expected to see Kirov, with his stormy gaze locked on her, but Vixron had returned in the early evening. Kirov had left a short while later, after ensuring that she and Crystal received their dinner on time.

Lainey would never admit it to anyone that she felt disappointed when he’d left. Disappointed but relieved, because without him around jumbling up her thoughts and sending her hormones into a frenzy, she finally felt like she could breathe.

When she could breathe, she could finally think, without being distracted by him.

And what she thought was that she might be in trouble. Big trouble.

She thought that maybe, just maybe, his Instinct—or whatever Cecelia had called it when she’d told them about it—had somehow been triggered. By her. Last night.

He’d alluded to her already knowing this, as if it was obvious.

What he didn’t understand was that she was human, not Luxirian. Humans didn’t have Instincts guided by these ‘Fates.’ Besides, she didn’t want to trigger his Instinct. She just wanted to go home.

Lainey sighed, watching the flames dance. Crystal was beside her, doing much the same. After being cooped up together for the past few weeks, without anything to do, silences were normal and common.

What she really needed was to talk to someone about what the hell was happening. Whether it was even happening, or if her mind was just playing tricks on her.

“Hey, Vixy,” she called.

The warrior guard grunted.

“Are Cecelia, Taylor, or Beks in the city, or are they all still away on their honeymoons?”

Crystal cast her a sharp look, but didn’t say anything.

Vixron frowned. “All the mated human females are with their males at their respective outposts.”

“So…no?”

“Nix, female,” he grunted.

Lainey sighed, figuring as much. Then she alighted on another idea, but she had to play it cool, so Crystal wouldn’t get suspicious about her motives.

“What about Kate?” Lainey asked next.

“What about her?” Crystal asked, finally butting into the conversation, her eyebrows raised.

Lainey shrugged, picking at the edges of the cushion wedged on her lap. “I love you and all, but we’re both bored out of our minds. Maybe she could spend the afternoon with us one day. We could get to know her a bit. We didn’t really give her much of a chance.”

“There’s no reason to get to know her if we’re leaving soon,” Crystal argued.

“But we’re here now,” Lainey countered. “There’s no harm in it, if she’s willing to come hang out. Besides, what else do you have to do? Nap some more?”

“Fine,” she grumbled.

Lainey turned her eyes back to Vixron. “So about our play date, Vixy…”

Their guard was watching her with a narrowed gaze and she smiled at him, hoping it looked innocent and less piranha-like than it felt.

His eyes narrowed further but he said, “I will bring it to the Prime Leader’s attention this next span.”

Lainey relaxed.

Now the only issue was how she would get Kate alone to ask her some very specific, very embarrassing questions, without Crystal or Vixy hearing.

I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, she decided, settling back into her cushions for another long, mentally stimulating night of fire-watching.

* * *

“I hearfrom Vixron that you took over watch of the females this span,” Vaxa’an said, his tone a little too nonchalant that Kirov was immediately on guard.

“Yes, I did,” he replied, his eyes never straying from the Com screen, though his fingers paused in his work of reprogramming the network.

“There are other warriors that can provide Vixron’s relief. It is not your duty as an Ambassador,” Vaxa’an said. “It is beneath your rank.”

Kirov stopped and turned to face his friend and warrior brother, eyeing him. It was late at night and Vaxa’an was more irritated at the fact that he wasn’t with his luxiva at that moment, not about Kirov standing guard over the human females.

“It was the easiest choice,” Kirov told him. “I had already been exposed to the females last night and it seemed a waste of time to send for another warrior guard when my dwelling is on the same terrace.”

A minor untruth, one that ate at him. But his luxiva was involved in this and Kirov would not risk her being separated from him if Vaxa’an found out the truth.

“You intend to be Vixron’s relief from this point on?” Vaxa’an asked, incredulous. “No, I will not allow it. Your time and your mind are better spent on your projects.”

Kirov didn’t push too much, or else Vaxa’an would become suspicious about his motives.

“Yes, you are right,” Kirov relented, eyeing his friend. “I was eager to return to my projects.”

Another untruth. He would never choose his work over his luxiva, which was something he thought would never happen. Kirov had always chosen his work, over anything. It was a compulsion, his obsession. His work was the only thing that centered him, that made him feel like he wasn’t descending into madness.

Until he found her. Already, she was a balm on his mind, a soothing presence that calmed him unlike anything else.

And Lani refused to acknowledge what they were to each other.

Give her time, his mind whispered, though his Instinct was restless.

She was human. And while he was right in his suspicions that the other mated females might have told the remainder of the group about Luxirian Instincts, Kirov could guess it was overwhelming information to process.

So, Kirov would give her time. Only he feared they didn’t have much time left.

“Have you decided when you will return to Troxva?” Vaxa’an asked, confirming his thoughts. “I have already alerted Lihvan that he will need to return to the Golden City in your absence. The lunar celebration draws near.”

Kirov swallowed and reverted his eyes to the Com screen. The lunar celebration would take place in five spans. All across their planet, in the Golden City and in all six outposts, Luxirians would celebrate the full moon with feasting and music and dancing, as they did after every lunar cycle. And as Ambassador, it was his responsibility to oversee and appear at Troxva’s.

Five spans. It would take him a full span just to reach Troxva by hovercraft, so Kirov only had four spans to win his female, as promised.

Because he fully intended to take her with him to Troxva. Kirov could not even fathom being away from her. Even then, in the command center, his Instinct was prowling inside his chest and the buzzing in his mind returned full force. Not even working on reprogramming the Coms could distract him from that buzzing.

For the first time, doubt entered his mind.

What would happen if Kirov couldn’t win her?

What if Cruxan found the stolen Luxirian crystal in his outpost—where it was rumored to be—and Lani returned back to Earth?

Kirov’s punched in an input code with a little too much force and the Com screen cracked, brittle under his fingertips.

Vrax!

Vaxa’an eyed the screen and then him. Kirov would repair the screen in the morning, but he had a feeling that any further work that night would prove fruitless.

He stood. To Vaxa’an, he said, “I will return to Troxva in four spans.”

“Three,” Vaxa’an said. “You will need a span to prepare for the celebration and any issues that arose at your outpost in your absence.”

Kirov blew out a breath. Three spans.

He hardly had any time left.

“Have you received word from Cruxan about the crystal? He should have arrived to his outpost by now,” Kirov said next, to distract himself from the rising panic he was beginning to feel. He began to shut down the Coms for the night.

“No,” his friend replied. “He has made inquiries but so far, nothing.”

Bright relief almost made his hand shake over the cracked screen.

Vaxa’an’s gaze went to the crack and he said, “Find a female tonight, Kirov. Slake your lust and your aggression. You are beginning to worry me again.”

Kirov almost laughed. There would be no other female for him from now on. No other female but his luxiva. Just the thought of mating another made his stomach churn.

Because Vaxa’an was watching him closely, he jerked his head in a nod.

“I will try.”

* * *

Lainey was lyingawake in bed. For the past couple hours, she’d desperately tried to get to sleep, tossing and turning in the comfortable bed, counting sheep, replaying songs in her mind from memory that always used to soothe her.

Nothing worked.

Eventually, she got out of bed and walked over to one of the two windows in her bedroom. She debated going out into the living room, but she knew that Vixron would still be there. As he always was.

None of the windows in her room showed the impressive view of Luxiria as the ones in the living room did. Her bedroom was at the back of the house, but one of them showed a sliver of it if she craned her head just right. She went to that one, looking for a way to open it.

Lainey eventually found a small button on the side and when she pressed it, the glass silently slid into the wall on metal tracks, completely hidden from sight. When she pressed the button again, the glass reappeared.

She smiled. Cool.

Lainey left the window open, letting the cool breeze from the night air soothe her face. Her skin felt tight and hot and Lainey knew that she’d gotten sunburned from standing on the terrace too long that afternoon with Kirov.

Despite her stinging skin, just thinking about him made her stomach clench with desire. And frustration. And unease.

She shook her head, trying to erase him from her mind.

Overhead, she heard the familiar whirring of a hovercraft engine, the sound growing louder as it approached. Her breath hitched and she pressed closer to the window.

Similar to last night, she heard the hovercraft land on the end of the terrace and Lainey knew that it was him, returned from wherever he’d been since he’d left earlier that evening.

Even though she told herself she didn’t want to see him, she craned her neck out the window even further just to catch a glimpse of him. But the house next door didn’t allow her a view and that frustrated her.

Her breath hitched when she heard footsteps on the terrace stone, approaching their house. And like a coward, Lainey ducked back inside the window, biting her lip as she heard him enter the front door.

Would he come see her?she wondered, not sure if she wanted that or not.

Stilling, she listened for his voice and heard him speak in low tones with Vixron. Just checking in, it seemed, though she couldn’t distinguish the words, couldn’t even tell if they spoke in English or Luxirian.

After another moment, she heard the front door open and close again. Footsteps echoed, but disappointment made her sag when she heard them retreat back down the terrace.

Lainey blinked, frowning, and she raced back to her spot at the window, craning her head out to see if he’d truly left.

There was no sign of him.

Lainey blew out a long breath, not sure what to think about that. Shaking it off, she decided it didn’t matter whether he came to see her or not.

So why did she feel so disappointed?

It was better for her if he stayed away, right? At least she wouldn’t be tempted to do something stupid.

Lainey breathed in the fresh, cool air, letting it fill her lungs and clear her mind. Nothing had ever felt so good, especially after the scorching afternoon.

She closed her eyes, savoring it, trying to think about nothing at all except how wonderful it felt.

A slight rustling sound reached her ears and her eyes flew open. She gasped, her eyes bulging with surprise, when she saw Kirov.

He’d come from the back of the house, not the front. Probably so as not to alert Vixron.

Lainey opened her mouth, but Kirov’s hand flashed out and he pressed his fingers to her lips to keep her quiet.

He was wearing a black, tight tunic that hugged his body, his black hair swaying behind him, blending into the dark fabric. But it was his eyes that caught and held her attention. Those goddamn beautiful eyes that pinned her in place and made her think and want things she shouldn’t.

Lainey licked her suddenly dry lips, forgetting for a moment that his fingers were there. He stiffened when her tongue touched his flesh and Lainey saw his throat bob at his swallow.

Slowly, he pulled his hand away, but he pressed closer, close enough that Lainey had to crane her neck up to meet his gaze. His arms draped over the window sill, his posture relaxed, but his eyes held that intensity she’d grown familiar with.

“I needed to see you, luxiva,” he said, his voice so quiet she hardly heard it.

Lainey stayed quiet, not quite sure how to respond. And when had she ever been at a loss for words?

Practically never.

But he had her tongue tied up in knots and that knowledge grated on her.

When she didn’t reply, he asked, “Have you given any thought to our discussion earlier?”

Her eyes narrowed and his lips quirked up.

Maddening alien, she thought.

“To which discussion are you referring to?” she whispered, her spine straightening, her chin lifting. “The ridiculous part of me being your ‘mate?’” She made air-quotes, though she knew their relevance went over his head. “Or the other ridiculous part where you think I’ll be ‘warming your furs?’”

Just saying it made her feel a little breathless, which irritated the hell out of her.

Because why did it sound so sexy, so primitive?

Ugh.

“Both,” he replied, his eyes glittering with something. Amusement? Desire?

“You’re crazy, you know that right?” she whispered.

His neck turned, his gaze sliding down the alley between the two houses. Then his eyes returned to hers.

“In three spans, I will need to return to my outpost. To Troxva,” he said. “You will be coming with me.”

Lainey’s mouth dropped. She would’ve laughed if she didn’t think Vixron would hear.

Maybe it was best if her guard did hear, on second thought. At least then he would burst into the room and break up whatever was happening between them.

So why did she drop her voice even lower? “You are crazy if you think I’m going anywhere with you.”

Kirov didn’t seem put off by her words. He had that same calm expression on his face and his body language told her just how relaxed he was, talking with her in secret at her window late at night. It was only his eyes that showed how much he wanted her to agree.

“I expect a fight from you about the matter,” he told her. “I am simply informing you so you are prepared to leave when the time comes.”

The nerve of this male!

“You—you,” Lainey started, her heartbeat stuttering. “No way.”

Smooth, Lainey, real smooth.

She scowled.

Then she froze, her lips parting when he suddenly reached forward through the window to cup her cheek. His fingers were rough, cold, but they felt good on her skin.

He frowned suddenly, his thumb brushing over a sensitive spot on the bridge of her nose that made her wince.

“What is this?” he whispered, his eyes suddenly intent on her. “Did something happen? Did someone harm you?”

Lainey’s brow furrowed at the alarmed concern in his gaze, which quickly morphed to anger at the prospect that she’d been harmed.

Stunned, she said, “No. No, no one hurt me.”

Kirov relaxed, but only slightly. His fingers shifted to her cheekbone. “What is this then? It looks like you have been marked.”

“It’s sunburn,” she said, still not sure why she was letting him stroke her cheek. Any moment now she would pull away. Any moment now she would tell him to leave.

“Sunburn?” he repeated slowly.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m fair-skinned. I burn easily in the sun and you guys kinda have two suns here, unless you haven’t noticed.”

Kirov’s brow bone lowered. “You burn from sunlight?”

“That just makes me sound like a vampire,” she tried to joke. Why did she sound so nervous? When he didn’t even blink in comprehension, she sighed and said, “Usually I cover up with a hat, to keep the sun off my face.”

“I will find you this hat,” he declared softly.

Lainey almost smiled because her guard had lowered without her realizing it. She wondered if he even knew what a hat was, but something told her that he would figure it out.

“Does it hurt you, luxiva?” he asked, his other hand also coming up to cup her other cheek, until her face was cradled in his palms. “Is there a way to heal it?”

How did this even happen?

And more importantly, why was she letting it happen?

Because it feels good, she thought silently, as she looked at him.

For once, it felt good to just talk with someone, someone who intrigued her, who kept her on her toes. It felt good to whisper with someone in secret, at nighttime, through an open window.

And it felt good that Kirov was watching her with concern, touching her as though he thought a mere sunburn was the worse possible wound she could endure.

It felt nice to be cared for.

Which was pathetic. But Lainey ate it up like candy on Halloween.

“I hardly noticed it,” she lied. For some reason, she didn’t want him to worry. Kirov frowned, his cool fingers brushing over the burns. And she didn’t know why, but she whispered, “That feels good.”

His fingers stilled. Their eyes connected and held.

Then, he began to press his fingers over her warm skin again, smoothing over it, learning the dip of her nose, the fullness of her cheeks, the slope of her forehead.

It was surprisingly intimate and Lainey felt…too many things at once.

There’s no harm in this, she tried to tell herself, closing her eyes for a brief moment and she was tempted to smile when she felt him brush her eyelashes, learning those too.

There was no harm in letting him touch her. There was no harm in dropping her guard, if only for that moment.

It didn’t matter that her heart was stuttering in her chest, or that her nipples were tight with desire, or that she wondered if Kirov would explore other places of her body with equal reverence and patience.

No, it was only for that night. Because she was bored and lonely…and he made her feel decidedly not bored and not lonely.

That was what she told herself, at least.