This chapter is 1,700 words+! Enjoy! 😋

"I freaked the fuck out when I first saw him. Everything about him was so stunning and... unapologetic. I didn't understand him, and he didn't understand me. Still, he stuck by me, protecting me from my own shadow. You have no idea how bad it is out there. There is quicksand, plane-sized birds, poisonous plants, and coy predators. If it weren't for Vrox, I would be in something's digestive system right now."

The thought of swimming in teeth and stomach acid made her shudder.

"Vrox is a mercy I don't deserve. I formed terrible assumptions of him, but I couldn't have been any more wrong. He's soft. Not physically, of course," she smiled. "He's tender, protective, and sometimes playful."

The smile on her face was wider than the gap between Earth and whatever planet they were on.

"You've gathered all of this through short, broken conversations?" Nebula asked.

"The big guy is easy to read."

"Well, I'm glad that coming here wasn't a complete loss for you."

Kira gave the other girl a questioning look.

"You've got an alien boyfriend," Nebula elaborated. "You two seem smoldered with each other."

"S–smoldered?" Kira spluttered, quickly rising to her feet to escape Nebula's verdict. Her knees were unprepared for the adrenaline, and she lost balance.

Hands that she was very well acquainted with gripped one of her arms, pulling them to a mattress of a chest. She thudded against Vrox, but there was no stutter in their gaze, which remained locked.

Remembering Nebula, Kira shook his hands off and returned to the floor, hanging her head embarrassedly.

Back on Earth, she had no problems being the center of attention. She was used to standing on stages and facing dozens of flashing cameras, yet here she was, unable to handle the stare of an alien and a woman.

She cleared her throat in an attempt to punch the silence.

"I have no intention of dating an alien. Besides, I've only known him for a few days."

Why do those days feel like years?

"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry," Nebula offered.

Kira smiled thinly and then started a staring competition with the dirt. She failed at distracting herself from the male that stood behind her, raining his breath down on her, hovering his dick atop her head.

Her thighs clenched.

"Well, thanks for sharing all of that with me. I feel more comfortable being around him. I think it's only fair if I tell you about me," Nebula spoke out.

Kira nodded eagerly, desperate for a distraction.

"I'm twenty-eight. I was just starting my PhD this fall. I'm studying geography. I know a little about engineering since Brandon was always going off on nerdy rants," she chuckled before remembering that she'll never see her brother again.

The light in her eyes faded.

"I'm sorry that you're here," Kira sighed, taking Nebula's hand into her own.

Unlike her, Kira hadn't lost much of her family. Her mother had become an acquaintance a long time ago.

"Brandon was a great engineer. I worked with him at the very beginning when I was working on my translator. He went down his own path and started working on his own."

"Your translator? Oh, right! Does it work? Can't we use it to talk with Vrox?"

Kira shook her head. "No. It's severely limited here since it can't connect to the database I have on Earth. It can't recognize speech patterns or anything of the sort. It can only record words I manually teach it."

Nebula's shoulders slumped with defeat, her hand reaching for her necklace.

"So we have no idea what Vrox has planned for us, huh?"

Kira knew that she had to tell Nebula her suspicion of this planet having no women, or at least ones that didn't look like them. Ultimately, she was unable to deliver the news. Nebula's eyes were already glistering with tears. She didn't want to toss the woman into another breakdown.

I'll tell her later.

"Can you tell me more about geography? Did you notice anything about this planet?"

Excitement shone over Nebula's sadness.

"Yes," she grinned. "It's insane how similar the oxygen levels and gravity are to Earth. The sky here is blue, meaning that this planet's atmosphere is more similar to Earth's than Mars'. Mars' sky tends to be brown-ish because of how thin its atmosphere is."

Kira gave Nebula her undivided attention, glad that she found something to be thrilled about.

Seeing that they were engaged in conversation, Vrox made his way out of the cave. He had to feed them so that they could get going. Knowing that he couldn't go very far, he rounded the cave in search of food. After a few minutes, he decided to feed the boys nuts. He climbed a duna tree, using its clumpy trunk to help him scale. Once he was high enough, he knocked down the round nuts.

He returned later, noticing how Kira looked at him from under her eyelashes. Confused, Vrox walked and offered the food. Kira mumbled something in English, and he figured it was some sort of gratitude.

He sat by the entrance, watching the boys continue their conversation as they ate. His own stomach was empty, but hunting meat wasn't an option. He didn't want to leave the kids alone.

He gave them a few minutes to eat and then began to pack up, storing the silver in Kira's bag.

Nebula slipped her tennis shoes off her feet, laying them beside Kira.

"Try those on. I think we're about the same size."

"Oh, no. I couldn't take them."

Nebula shook her head. "You need them more than I do. What if we run into something and have to run? I don't want you to worsen the injury."

Knowing that she was right, Kira sighed and accepted the shoes. The socks needed washing, so Kira made sure that her injured foot was wrapped with enough leaves before slipping it inside.

Vrox watched, obviously not recognizing the accessory that cast Kira's foot.

"Thank you."

Nebula nodded and turned to Vrox, but he was more interested in Kira's eyes. She refused to give them to him, choosing to look at his scaled arm than his face.

His discomfort with Kira's sudden distance grew. He walked to her, giving her his back and lowering himself to his knees. Hesitant, small fingers gripped onto his shoulders.

Vrox palmed her fleshy thighs, which he was torn over, and stood up. Kira's legs went around his waist. Although there was no space between their bodies, Vrox felt as if they were miles apart.

He began walking, feeling Kira's shoes tapping his thighs ever so often. Nebula walked beside him silently, carrying Kira's bag.

The journey was hot and long– though this was nothing new. To avoid running into animals, he guided them through colorful trees and plants which he knew were poisonous enough to steer wildlife away.

He kept a watchful eye on Nebula to make sure she didn't touch anything. Other than brushing sweat off her forehead ever so often, she kept her hands by her sides.

His thoughts scattered when his ears picked up the unmistakable sound of metal meeting flesh. He stopped walking, listening for more. Loud footsteps followed the growl of an animal, and then another swoosh of a sword.

Vrox relaxed, recognizing the pattern of the arrogant footsteps.

"Ak!" he called out.

Leaves began to rustle, and Vrox waited patiently for his hot-headed older brother to appear.

"Vrox?" Ak called loudly. He had never cared much about how much sound he made in the forest. He was a confident warrior, convinced that he could take any predator that came his way.

Vrox had always considered him to be reckless.

"Where have you been? The others have been waiting days for..."

The planet stopped spinning once Ak cleared the trees and locked his dark hazel eyes on Kira.

Kira's lungs emptied. She had seen a nightmare on the alien's expression. She had seen recognition.

He charged; a sword in-hand and blood on his chest.

Vrox jumped to action. He dropped her on the grass more roughly than he would have liked, then rushed energy into his thighs and ran to meet Ak head-on.

Kira stood and began to hop away from the clearing. "Nebula! Where are you?" she wheezed, her lungs pierced by the look Ak had given her.

The clashing of males erupted. The frequency of the terrible sound sent her back down to the ground. She watched, horrified, as her protector tackled her predator to the ground.

Ak spun their bodies, placing Vrox below him. Vrox sent a punch to his chest, trying to subdue the equally large man.

Ak growled, rolling off Vrox and trying to charge toward Kira. Vrox's hand clamped down on his ankle, pulling him down.

"Get off me! I have to know!"

"I will not let you harm the boy!" Vrox snarled as he began to drag his brother backward.

"That's no boy, Vrox! That's an adult female!"

Vrox's fingers fainted, slacking their hold.

Ak jumped back into action, rising to his feet and continuing to close the distance between himself and Kira. Her injured foot kept her restrained on the ground, but in her grasp was a long slip of metal that she was determined to protect herself with.

Her heart palpitated and her thoughts clashed as they tried to connect.

Speed builds force. Use his speed against you. Raise the metal once he's close enough, angle it forty-five degrees.

The plan was easier thought than executed. Her hands became sweaty, and her knees shook even though she was already lying on the ground.

Ak was just a few feet away when Nebula appeared from a tree, a pitifully thin stick raised high above her head.

Kira's brain kept running even as she witnessed the scene.

Downward motion requires less energy than upward motion. Gravity contributes to the building of force.

Wood splintered once Nebula struck the alien in the back, their height difference being too great to allow her to reach his head.

Ak halted, stumbling forward. He then turned.

"No!" Kira yelled once Ak changed his interest in prey and dove for Nebula.

He tucked the human under his arm and dashed for the trees.

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