Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

ZOE

" S o the situation is not ideal," Rist states, brushing a hand through his black hair. "I'm sure you've all seen them by now. We have pests."

I slip discreetly through the doors before they close. All the staff have gathered together. Even the girls who aren't comfortable around aliens are here. My eyes pan around the room searching for one male in particular. I don't want anything to do with him, including being in the same room. Not after how he treated me last night.

"That's an understatement," Sutek states, standing beside Rist. "We've got guests complaining, and several parties have refused to check in and have already left."

As I watch, Sutek wraps his ruby-colored arm around a small brunette girl. Elana beams up at him, nuzzling into his side. A jolt of jealousy goes through me, my blood pumping hard in my chest as I watch them together. She has someone to rely on, someone to lean on when things get tough… and I feel more alone than ever.

I'm even standing alone. All the girls have gathered into their little clusters and friendship groups. As I glance around the room, with my heart in my throat, I notice a couple of eyes pointed in my direction.

I stare at the floor as I press myself further against the wall, just wishing I could disappear. So far, no one's outright blamed me—again—but I've seen the looks everyone's giving me. They are all thinking it. Everyone ends up saying the same thing: I'm just a burden. I just mess up and cost them. I lost my job recently for what I thought was a little mistake. Heck, even my boyfriend ditched me not long after, claiming I was just letting him down.

"So, what's the plan?" a girl asks. I glance up at the speaker. I think her name is Maisy, though I haven't had much of a chance to talk to her. She's always got her head buried in a book. Somehow, despite the abduction and everything else that's happened, she's managed to keep that book in her possession. How many times has she read that thing by now, or is she just the universe's slowest reader? "Are they dangerous? Do we need to arm ourselves?"

"Unlikely," Sutek replies. "So far, the Yum-yums have not attacked anyone; they've just made a nuisance of themselves. Besides, I do not have enough weapons to give each and every one of you. Though now you bring it up…"

"No shooting the beasts with laser pistols, no poisoning them, and definitely no shooting ships from the sky!" Rist shouts, pointing directly at Sutek.

Everyone gapes at him, wide-eyed and with hanging mouths. Shooting ships from the sky? What the hell? Seriously, is that a normal thing out here in the middle of the universe?

"Don't worry Rist, I'll keep an eye on him," Elana stifles a giggle. "But to answer your question, Maisy, I think we have to focus on rounding them up. Guests are indeed complaining, and we can't afford this. We need all hands on deck, and I mean all."

A chorus of groans echoes around the room. I absently rub at my chest, my heart hammering hard. Most of the women are just being lazy, giving excuses as to why they can't work. It's the terror-filled eyes of the women who are truly scared of aliens and this new universe we've found ourselves in—like Laura, who hides out in the kitchens all the time—that has sweat breaking out over my skin. I've done this to them.

"Split off into teams of at least two, and come to the workroom. Taruk's got gear printing for us, nets and cages and stuff. And whatever you do, do not tell Rathdalia anything! He's got a big mouth, you see, and we can't afford to let this disaster get away from us. No, we are going to hunt these cuties down, dead or alive."

"Elana, has anyone told you that you are way too bloodthirsty?" someone mutters. Giggles erupt around the room. Despite myself, I crack a smile. Rather than cower, she took out our abductors in a laser gunfight. She didn't hesitate or anything, if the story she tells is true. And ever since, she's had this carefree and confident attitude that I wish I could replicate. It's like her life is perfect.

I wish mine was too.

When everyone starts to team up, I slide out of the door behind my back. I make my way to a stairwell, one that's rarely used, glaring at a little clone of Tumeric that rolls past my feet as I pass. There's so many of them! I wouldn't be able to come up with a name for each even if I tried.

A bitter laugh springs forth. To think, I only wanted a friend!

"Excuse me, little female," a Volscian alien steps up to my side. He's wearing a long white jacket and pants and somehow has even managed to plop a wide-brimmed hat over his black horns. With his bright red skin, he obviously likes to make a statement.

"Mr. Rathdalia," I force a customer-service smile that hides how dead I am inside. I don't want him to see how miserable I feel. "How can I help?"

"Is this an event?" he asks. "You see, all the guests are asking. We know that you've been planning something, you see, and surely there's no other reason for the Yums being everywhere."

"Oh," I reply. What do I tell him? Do I just casually say that I released a yum-yum infestation upon the hotel, risking everyone's livelihoods? Or what about how I apparently fucked a male who wants nothing to do with me? Yeah, I'm not at all a screw-up.

"So, you see, this is why I'd like to know when the event starts?" he repeats.

"Soon," I tell him. I run a hand through my hair, thinking. "Rist was just meeting with the staff to discuss everything. You know, getting prepared and all. Something's going to happen really soon, I promise."

Something like all the guests leaving, and our home falling to ruin. All because of me.

"Excuse me… I gotta be somewhere."

I flee, searching for somewhere that I won't be disturbed. I get why Taruk likes his stables so much now; he's a bit of an introvert and doesn't like to be constantly disturbed. I can't go there, though. I can't risk running into him. The only other place that I know of, though, is the pool yard.

With brisk steps, I rush through the hotel and past guests. I wave and shout excuses as I ignore guests trying to grab my attention. I practically run past everyone until I burst through the hotel doors and into the abandoned yard.

A yard is a bit of an understatement. It's a freaking theme park of hot and cold pools, a miniature fake beach, and even a freaking lazy river. The tropical plants that have overgrown everything really give it an exotic vibe. It's peaceful, and more importantly, I'm the only living soul present.

I sit down on the stone step and bury my head in my hands. My shoulders heave as tears well up, falling unchecked. I tried so hard. I kept telling myself to just keep going on, that life moves on whether you're ready or not. If I kept smiling, everything would be fine eventually…right?

For the first time since the abduction, I feel something other than numbness—only it just had to be this overwhelming sense of despair, didn't it?

I stiffen when I hear a door open and the sound of footsteps echoing. Can't I even get a moment of peace to myself?

I hastily try to brush away my tears, but they keep falling. Panic wells inside my chest at being caught. I don't want to be more of a burden than I already am. The last thing I need is to make others worry about me.

I try to scramble to my feet, ready to make a run for it, but the thing is that aliens are fast. Way faster than humans, apparently. One moment I'm undiscovered, and the next he's standing in front of me.

Taruk.

Even with that dumbfounded expression upon his face, my body responds to him. It doesn't help that he's stripped himself out of his normal clothing. Across his chiseled chest is an array of straps, each dotted with pouches and metallic objects of unknown purposes. His chest heaves like he's been running a marathon. He's wearing leather pants that mold to his legs like a second skin. They leave so little to the imagination. I don't know if it's better or worse now that I know what they contain. Curiosity really did kill the cat named Zoe.

"Zoe?" he asks, kneeling before me. "Are you hurt?"

His unexpected reaction, the concern in his eyes, breaks me. A wail leaves my throat as I bury my head in my hands, doing all that I can to hide my shortcomings from him. Everyone else is being so strong, and here I am being so weak. I'm pathetic.

"Zoe?" Taruk's large hands run up my arms, no doubt searching for wounds. When he doesn't find any there, he proceeds to stroke my legs. I shove his hands away, try to push him away, but he just captures me against my will. He scoops me up in his arms, holding me close. He sits on the step and rocks me, speaking soft words as my tears fall and I ugly cry.

"I'm sorry. Please don't cry," he says quietly, his chin resting gently on the top of my head.

"It's all my fault! I've ruined everything!" I hiccup, as fresh self-pity overwhelms me. "If I'd just given you Tumeric in the first place, none of this would have happened. I've destroyed the hotel, and it's going to close down, and we are all going to become homeless and have nothing to eat and..."

"You are grinding," Taruk remarks.

"I…what?" His absurd statement gives me a reprieve, a moment to take a breath. He thinks I'm grinding… against him? Does he think that by pulling me into his lap this is some sort of come-on, that I'm flirting with him or something?

We don't like each other like that. Not anymore. He doesn't like me at all, apparently.

So why the hell is he even here, comforting me? Worse, saying that I'm grinding on him?

I mean, I'm not blind! He's sexy as all hell, especially wearing this leather outfit, and if the circumstances were different then… It's so easy to imagine his powerful arms wrapped around me, holding me close to his body, as we rock together in ecstasy. I can still feel how his breath ghosted my skin, how his claws pricked me, how…

I pull away from him, leaning back as far as his powerful arms will allow me to, and glare at him as best I can. My cheeks heat as a blush takes over. Reality is, I want to grind against him. But he can't know that. He's the enemy.

"I'm not grinding against you," I tell him in as firm of a voice as I can. Still, it comes out as a squeak.

Taruk scowls down at me, his default state. It's like when I'm around all he does is grump and disapprove.

And I hate how a desperate part of me wants him to like me.

"When Volscians are stressed or unhappy, they rub their horns regularly. Sometimes with their hands, sometimes against other objects. It helps relieve the tension, like sore muscles getting a massage. But when that stress doesn't go away for a long time, the action grinds and wears away their horns. One can look physically healthy, smile to the world even, but it does not mean they are well on the inside. This state is called grinding."

"It sounds like what you're describing is depression," I tell him. I wouldn't have thought myself depressed, but now that he mentions it, it certainly feels like something has been missing from my life. I haven't felt the same since the abduction.

Taruk surprises me by drawing me back against his chest. For a moment I fight his hold, pressing my hands against his chest, but he's an unmovable object, and if I am truly honest with myself, I want something to hold me. Didn't this whole mess start because I wanted a cuddle?

"You haven't ruined anything, Zoe," he speaks softly, words stirring the hairs on my head with a teasing caress. I lean my head against his firm chest, feeling the muscles flex beneath my cheek. I can't stop my fingers from gently stroking, a thrill at the forbidden touch drifting through me.

I close my eyes. I want to believe him…

"You were right when you said this was all my fault," I tell him, hanging onto old beliefs. "You were right about me being a mistake."

Taruk scowls down at me, his expression thunderous. "You are not a mistake, Zoe. I thought my actions were the mistake, but never you. You are perfect."

His words bring fresh tears to my eyes. If you'd asked me, I would have never said I needed to hear them, but apparently I do.

Taruk heaves a huge sigh, like he's letting out a weight from his soul. "I'm the one that must ask for your forgiveness, little human. I was scared and lashed out at you. It was unacceptable behavior. I… for a long time now I've struggled with letting anyone get close to me, and then here you were, and I…"

I look up at him. Truly look at him. My warrior is covered in scars and avoids everyone. It's clear something happened in his past to make him like this. When he forgot about his wounds, for those brief moments that we were hunting the Yum-yums together, he acted like a different person. He was friendly and sweet and caring and carefree. Pushing him the way I did probably didn't help. Assuming that we had something more than just sexual tension was a fault on my behalf.

"Apology accepted. It was just sex after all," I say, shaking my head. I stare out at the plants around us, refusing to meet his eyes. "It doesn't have to be anything more."

Liar. I'm such a liar. I so desperately want something more. And with this guy specifically, I realize. No other alien has attracted me as much as him; both body and soul.

"Was it though?" Taruk asks, his finger tilting my face up to his. "I cherished our time together, and always will."

"You did?" I ask, strangely breathless. I've never had a conversation like this with an alien before, one that feels like your soul is being bared.

"I'm asking you for more, Zoe," he says, his voice raw. "As much as you are willing to give me. I'll spend my life convincing you that I'm worth your love."

Fresh tears leak down my cheeks as my vision blurs.

"Are you proposing to me?" I ask. Because this is totally not how I imagined a proposal would go. I mean, who wants to be bawling their eyes out in front of their guy? Oh, let's face it. I'm such an emotional person that I cry watching cute cat videos. I'm totally a cry-when-proposed-to type of girl.

"Yes," Taruk replies. "I am proposing to you that we become mates."

Oh jeez, always literal with these guys. At least there is no mistaking his intentions. All of us women have been warned that the aliens are quick to make a move. Once they know, they know. Apparently, I'm it for Taruk.

I throw myself into the hug, burying my tear-stained—and hopefully not snot-stained—face against his pecs.

"Yes!" I wail, and then laugh as I cling to him all the more. "Yes, I want to be with you, Taruk. Yes, I'll be your mate."

Before Taruk can reply, the door behind us swings open, casting us in a light.

"Zo—oh, I didn't mean to interrupt," Elana states, eyes wide. She watches me scramble to my feet, a rather concerned expression on her face. She turns angry eyes to Taruk. My mate. I can call him that now.

"No, not interrupting. Everything's fine!" I squeak. I grin, probably just adding to her confusion—I'm a crying mess with a fanatical smile on my face right now.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to join me and Sutek in our hunt," Elana tells me slowly. "Everyone else has teamed up already."

Behind Elana, Sutek looms in the doorway. Always her protector. He casts a quizzical eye over us, but doesn't comment.

"My mate will hunt with me," Taruk tells Elana firmly. I gaze up at him as he comes to stand close beside me. I can feel the heat radiating off of him. An incredibly rare feat happens—Taruk smiles. He's devilishly handsome, scars and all. I may or may not be swooning right about now.

Elana squeals, throwing herself at me. I'm wrapped up in a vice, barely able to breathe as she hugs me tight. "Congratulations, sis! Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

Sutek claps Taruk on the arm, giving the most awkward congratulations ever. The two men both look like they want to hug, but neither are ready to cross that physical boundary yet. No doubt they'll claim something like "warriors don't hug or show emotions" or something silly like that. As if that makes you weak. Males.

"You two go ahead," I tell Elana, wiping off my cheeks. "Taruk and I'll catch up soon."

Elana waggles her eyebrows at me. "Hopefully not too soon, huh, girl?"

I blush at her very poorly concealed innuendo. I mean, did she even try to be subtle? Still, I'm grateful when she grabs hold of Sutek and drags him after her, leaving my mate and me alone.

Taruk's hand hesitantly touches my shoulder.

I turn and wrap my arms around his waist, squeezing him tight. I wanted nothing more than someone to love, and to love me in return. I've finally got it, but still everything threatens to fall down around me if I don't act soon.

"You can remain here if you wish, Zoe. You do not need to do anything more if you are not up to it," he says softly, stroking my hair.

I shake my head and look up at him.

"I want to help. I want to fix my mistakes," I tell him, gathering my courage again. I feel remarkably refreshed, like I am ready to brave the alien world again. I'm a bit battered and bruised, but I'm able to stand up again thanks to Taruk. I would have eventually found the strength on my own, but there's no shame in asking for help when you need it. And I needed it.

"Just give me a moment," I say, gathering strength from his arms. As I hug him, I gaze out at our surroundings. It's actually a really nice place, if not needing a bit of cleaning. The tropical plants and vines everywhere, along with the gentle gurgling of flowing water. It's like Taruk's taken me to some exotic location just to propose to me—you know, like a whole different planet. It's even quiet and peaceful, without guests or those blasted Yum-Yums running amok…

No Yum-Yums.

"Hey Taruk?"

His arms hold me firm, not wanting to release me. "I will hold you as long as needed, and then more because I want you," Taruk rumbles in his growly voice.

"I like this too," I tell him. "But question: did any guests complain about Yum-Yums in bathrooms?"

"I do not think so. Why does that matter?" Taruk asks.

"Because," I tell him with a vicious, triumphant grin, "I have a theory. And if I am correct, because I always am, I know how to defeat the Yum-Yums."