Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Logan's skin itched with dried sweat and... other things... from the night before. The trek through the snow hadn't helped either. He needed a shower, desperately, but that meant leaving Valen unsupervised. The alien prince currently hovered in the middle of his living room, azure skin glowing faintly and tentacles swaying gently as he examined everything with those striking topaz eyes.

"I need to..." Logan mimicked washing his hair, feeling ridiculous. How did you explain a shower to someone who probably cleaned themselves with sonic waves or whatever advanced alien technology they had?

Valen's tentacle brushed his arm. Cleansing cycle?

"Something like that." Logan tried not to flinch at the contact. He felt too raw about everything right now. "Just... stay here, okay? Don't touch anything."

Through their connection, he felt Valen's mild amusement. I will remain still.

"Right." Logan glanced around the room, then had an idea. He grabbed the TV remote and pressed the power button. The screen flickered to life, showing what appeared to be a news report.

Visual entertainment device, Valen observed through their link. Primitive, but familiar concept.

"At least you won't be bored." Logan pulled away, breaking their connection. "Just... stay put. I'll be quick."

As he headed for the bathroom, he could feel Valen's curiosity radiating through their bond, focused intently on the TV screen.

Well, good.

Maybe he'd learn something.

Logan emerged from the bathroom feeling marginally better, toweling his hair dry as he walked into the living room. He stopped short. The news program was gone, replaced by bright colors and exaggerated holiday cheer. On screen, someone in garish Christmas clothing bounded through New York City with childlike wonder.

Valen hovered closer to the TV, totally wrapped up in the movie. "Chri... Christmas," Valen said aloud, testing the word. "Humans celebrate?"

Logan's chest tightened. "Yeah, we do." He kept his voice neutral, fighting back memories of decorating trees and hanging stockings. Of brighter times.

"Important holiday?" Valen's voice was clear, the way he spoke almost too precise.

"Very important to some people." Logan tossed his towel over a chair, trying to redirect the conversation. "You're picking up language fast."

A tentacle reached toward him, hesitating. "Can touch?"

Logan nodded, and the gentle contact was immediate.

The entertainment device helps, Valen shared. Many new words. Natural words.

"The natural speech patterns help you?" Logan suggested.

Valen's tentacle withdrew as he attempted the words aloud. "Natural. Yes." His skin pulsed with soft light as he gestured at the TV with another tentacle. "Entertaining."

On screen, the movie's protagonist was now attempting to decorate a department store, causing cheerful chaos. Valen reached out again, touching Logan's arm.

Reminds me of my first diplomatic function. Many mistakes.

Despite himself, Logan found his curiosity piqued. "Oh yeah? What happened?"

Valen's tentacle stayed lightly wrapped around Logan's arm. I was young, barely past metamorphosis. The delegation from the Crystalline Worlds arrived for trade negotiations. Their customs are... illuminating.

"How so?" Logan found himself settling onto the couch, Valen hovering beside him.

They communicate through light patterns. Very subtle. I was supposed to greet their Head Resonator with a specific pulse sequence. The glow under Valen's skin flickered in what might have been embarrassment. Instead, I got excited and...

"And?"

I lit up like a supernova. Overwhelmed their sensory arrays. Three of them crystallized in shock. It took days for them to return to normal.

Logan's eyebrows rose at the absurdity of it all. "So you've always had a talent for making memorable first impressions?"

Valen's skin pulsed brighter. My father was not pleased. But the Crystalline delegation... His tentacle squeezed Logan's arm gently. They said I had 'refreshing enthusiasm.' The trade agreement was very favorable.

On screen, the movie's protagonist was now tangled in strings of Christmas lights. Valen's attention drifted back to it.

"Lights important... for Christmas?" he asked verbally, withdrawing his tentacle.

Logan's smile faded slightly. "Yeah. Very important. People put them everywhere. Trees, houses, streets..."

"You do not have lights here," Valen observed, gesturing at Logan's decidedly undecorated cabin.

"No," Logan said quietly. "I don't."

Before Logan could sink too deep into his memories, Valen's physical form began to shift again. This time, however, he did not transform into a human. In fact, he took no solid shape at all. His azure skin dissolved into pure light, swirling patterns of purple and blue dancing through the air like an aurora. The room filled with a soft, pulsing glow that reminded Logan of Christmas lights, but infinitely more alive.

Logan stared, transfixed. How was any of this real?

And had this alien just turned itself into Christmas lights for him?

"What are you…?"

The light condensed slightly, reaching out a tendril to touch his arm. I am made of light. Do you like it?

"This is your true form?" Logan asked, recalling the strange light he'd seen in the woods.

It's close to it.

"Then why the other form?" Logan gestured vaguely at where Valen's tentacled form had been moments before.

I chose that form for you, Valen's thoughts carried a hint of amusement. It is customary for us to take a form pleasing to our mates.

"Jesus." Logan ran a hand through his damp hair, fighting back a mix of embarrassment and defensive anger. "You thought I wanted you to have tentacles?"

Did they not please you? The lights swirled in what could only be described as a teasing pattern.

Holy shit, this was embarassing, because how could Logan deny how pleased he'd been?

No need for shame, Valen's mental voice held a distinct note of satisfaction. I can be whatever form you like.

"So you just pulled the idea of that tentacle monster straight from my mind?" Logan's voice was rough with discomfort and a hint of lingering desire he'd rather not acknowledge.

You had such detailed imagery, Valen shared, his lights pulsing with clear amusement now. It seemed... optimal for our interaction.

"We're done talking about this." Logan stood up, needing space. "And stay out of my head."

There are more interesting forms in your mind. Should I choose one of them?

"Don't even think about it."

Logan retreated to the kitchen, needing space and food. He rummaged through his cabinets, painfully aware that his supplies weren't exactly fit for alien royalty. Canned soup would have to do.

From the living room came the sounds of the movie, punctuated occasionally by Valen testing out new words. His pronunciation was improving rapidly, though Logan didn't think he'd ever sound entirely human.

Logan dumped the soup into a pot and turned on the burner. He'd have to figure out if Valen even needed to eat. Did beings of pure light require sustenance? And if they did, would Campbell's cut it?

When he returned with two bowls, Valen had shifted back to his tentacled form and was hovering near the couch. His eyes fixed on the steaming bowls with obvious curiosity.

"It's soup," Logan explained, setting them on the coffee table. "Chicken noodle."

Valen drifted closer, examining the bowl. A tentacle delicately lifted a noodle. "This is... sustenance?"

"It's food, yeah."

Valen did not seem entirely convinced of this.

Logan offered him a spoon. "Just... try it."

Valen's tentacles manipulated the spoon with surprising dexterity. He took a taste, then went completely still.

"That bad?"

"It is..." Valen seemed to search for diplomatic phrasing. "Different from meals I am accustomed to."

Logan snorted. "Yeah, well, sorry it's not fit for royalty."

"The texture is most..." Valen paused. "Interesting." His speech was so much better already. Logan couldn't help but admire the speed at which this alien learned.

He tried to take the bowl back from Valen. "You don't have to eat it."

"No, no. I will... appreciate this cultural experience." Valen's tentacle lifted another spoonful with what could only be described as an adventurer's determination.

They both settled on the couch and ate in silence for a moment, the movie still playing quietly in the background. Finally, Logan asked the question that had been nagging at him.

"What happens when your people find you?"

Valen set his spoon down carefully. "I hope they know of a way to fix my mistakes."

"Your mistakes?"

"Our bonding."

Logan's chest tightened unexpectedly. "Oh."

"I won't make you leave your world," Valen continued softly. "And I... I cannot stay. The bond would make leaving... difficult."

"Difficult how?"

"Painful," Valen admitted. "For both of us. But my family might know a way to break it cleanly."

Logan stared down at his soup, no longer hungry. "Right. That would be... that would be best."

Valen's tentacle twitched, as if wanting to reach out, but remained withdrawn. "Yes," he agreed, though his voice held an odd note. "Best."

They sat in heavy silence.

After a few minutes, Valen spoke up. "This soup," he said, "does it typically contain such high levels of sodium?"

Despite everything, Logan found himself laughing. "Shut up and enjoy your cultural experience."

"I shall."

Logan dipped a cracker in his soup and looked out the window. It had begun to snow, fat white flakes. Just wonderful.

Eating his cracker, he turned back to Valen, contemplating how little he still knew about this alien. "How old are you?"

"In Earth measurements?" Valen's topaz eyes flickered with consideration. "I do not know how your planet marks time."

"How do you measure it on your world?"

"We measure by the resonance cycles of our binary stars." Valen's tentacles moved in what might have been a scholarly gesture. "I have existed for approximately three-quarters of a full harmonic convergence."

Logan stared at him. "That means absolutely nothing to me."

"How do you measure time?"

"We..." Logan paused, realizing how arbitrary it might sound. "We measure how many times our planet goes around our sun. That's one year. I'm thirty-four years old."

"Your measurement is based on planetary rotation?" Valen sounded fascinated. "Primitive but... elegant in its simplicity."

"Thanks. I think." Logan stirred his soup. "Where exactly is your planet, anyway?"

"Nexa exists in what you would call..." Valen made a series of musical tones that definitely weren't English.

"In what I would call what?"

"Your language lacks the proper sounds."

"How far is that from Earth?"

Valen tilted his head thoughtfully. "I was in… sleep… when I crashed so I can't be sure. My ship's instruments… They are no longer useful."

Logan nodded. "So… if your people do come for you, how long do you think it'll take them?"

"I still don't…" Valen cut himself off, frustrated with something. One of his tentacles reached out to touch Logan again. Logan got the impression of a clock, an hourglass, days turning into nights. "Seconds, minutes, hours, days…" Valen mused. "I think I understand."

"What do you understand?"

"Your time." Valen withdrew his appendage. "It would take… a few days?"

That might not be too bad. "Your people travel fast."

"They're already traveling," Valen corrected. "I was not alone. Alone in my pod, but there were other pods."

"I see." Logan set his half-eaten soup down and ran a hand through his hair.

"Am I… a burden to you?"

"It's just a lot to process." Logan sighed. "Yesterday I was alone in my cabin, and today I'm bonded to an alien prince from a faraway galaxy who thinks Campbell's soup is a cultural experience."

Valen's skin brightened slightly. "This soup is very… exotic."

"You're a snob, you know that?"

"I'm discerning."

Logan snorted. "Right. So what's the food like on Nexa?"

"We don't always need to... consume like this," Valen added, gesturing at the soup. "Sometimes we simply absorb energy from surrounding stars."

"Like photosynthesis?"

Valen tilted his head, clearly accessing the word from what he'd learned. "Similar, yes. And sometimes..." His skin glowed brightly. "Sometimes a good coupling can sustain us for days."

Logan nearly choked on air. "A good what now?"

"The sharing of energy during mating." Valen grinned. "It is very... nourishing."

"Are you telling me that last night was basically dinner for you?"

"More like a feast." Valen studied him. "Was it not like that for you?"

Logan felt his face heat. "That's not... I mean, humans don't..."

"No?" One of Valen's tentacles reached out, hovering just inches from Logan's arm. "May I show you something?"

Logan hesitated. What did Valen want to show him, and did Logan want to see?

Whatever it was, it would 100% be related to sex, and Logan was already struggling to keep his mind from going there. It was bad enough that he could still feel where Valen had entered him last night.

Fuck, what a night that had been.

"Logan?" Valen waited for a response.

Logan exhaled and gave in. He might as well learn as much as he could.

The moment Valen's tentacle touched his skin, his mind filled with sensations that weren't his own. He saw their encounter last night from Valen's point of view. Energy, flowing and pulsing, an exchange more intimate than mere physical pleasure. He felt what Valen had felt, a desire for connection, for intertwining with his mate, fulfilling his every need.

He saw himself in Valen's eyes, blissed out, twitching and squirming as Valen's tentacles thickened inside of him.

Logan jerked back, breaking the contact. "That's... that was..."

"You enjoyed that," Valen said. "So did I." His tentacle curled around Logan's wrist, almost possessively.

Blood rushed to Logan's groin.

Fuck.

I could show you more, Valen's thoughts purred through their connection. Last night was just instinct. Now I understand your form better...

Images flooded Logan's mind: tentacles caressing every sensitive spot, wrapping around him with delicious pressure, sliding inside him to claim him more thoroughly than any human could.

I know how much you enjoyed being filled, Valen's mental voice was rich with promise. I could make you lose your mind slowly this time. Keep you on the edge of pleasure for hours. Make you forget everything else.

Logan's whole body throbbed with want.

Why did this alien have to have intimate knowledge of all of Logan's kinks? He could feel himself hardening, his skin flushing with heat as Valen shared more detailed imagery of exactly what he could do with those tentacles, how he could stuff his mouth, his ass?—

"Stop." Logan yanked his arm away, stumbling to his feet, though every cell in his body screamed at him not to break the contact. "Just... stop."

Valen's light dimmed slightly, his eyes studying Logan with obvious confusion. "Your body responds. Your mind yearns. Every part of you wants this. Why do you resist?"

"It's not that simple." Logan's voice was rough.

"Explain?" Valen's tentacles curled inward, making him seem smaller, less threatening, though Logan could still feel the charged energy between them. "Have I misunderstood human mating customs?"

Logan ran a hand through his hair, pacing. His skin felt too tight, too hot, and Valen's presence wasn't helping. Those promises of pleasure still echoed in his mind, making it hard to think straight. "No. Yes. I mean..." He exhaled sharply. "Look, humans... we don't just... Some of us need..."

"Show me?" Valen extended a tentacle in offering.

Logan stared at it for a long moment before accepting the contact. He thought of Jeff, of their first Christmas together, decorating the tree, the way Jeff's eyes lit up when he laughed. The accident. The empty house afterward. The grief that still felt raw even years later.

Valen withdrew his tentacle slowly. "You still love him."

"Yeah." Logan's voice cracked. "I do."

"And this prevents new pleasure?" Valen's tone held genuine confusion. "New... connections?"

"It shouldn't." Logan slumped onto the couch. "But every time I feel something for someone else, it feels like... like I'm betraying him."

"Even though your body craves touch?" Valen asked. "Even though you ache with loneliness?

"That's not fair," Logan whispered. "You have no right to dig through my mind."

Valen tilted his head as if he did not understand this protest. "You are my mate. Of course I know your mind."

"I never asked to be your mate."

Valen recoiled.

A gust of wind rattled the cabin windows, drawing both their attention. The snow had picked up considerably, creating a white wall beyond the glass. The forecast hadn't mentioned a storm, but mountain weather was unpredictable at best.

"We're going to be stuck here for a bit," Logan said. "So let's lay down some ground rules. First," Logan held up a finger, "no more reading my thoughts without permission. My mind isn't yours to explore whenever you want."

Valen's tentacles coiled in what might have been discomfort. "But we are bonded. Sharing thoughts is... natural."

"Not for humans." Logan's voice was firm. "We keep our thoughts private. It's important to us."

"Your rule goes against the very nature of bonding."

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you bonded with someone from a different species without their permission."

The words hung heavy in the air between them. Valen's light dimmed considerably, his tentacles drooping. "I..." Valen shook his head. "I did not intend... The mating heat..."

Logan's anger softened slightly at the genuine distress in Valen's voice. "Look, I get that you weren't exactly thinking clearly. But now we have to deal with the consequences. And that means respecting each other's boundaries."

"How..." Valen seemed to struggle with the words. "How will I know what you need if I cannot feel it?"

"You could try asking."

Valen absorbed this for a moment. "May I... share something? Through our bond?"

Logan hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

A tentacle reached out, touching his arm gently. Through their connection, Logan felt a complex mix of emotions: remorse, confusion, fear of isolation. He saw glimpses of Nexan culture, where the sharing of thoughts and emotions was as natural as breathing.

"Oh," Logan said softly as Valen withdrew. "It's really that important to you, isn't it?"

"Yes." Valen's voice was quiet. "But I will... try. To respect your human ways."

The wind howled outside, rattling the windows again. Logan looked at the alien prince hovering in his living room, trying to bridge a gap between their species that seemed impossibly wide.

"Maybe," Logan said carefully, "we can find a middle ground. You can ask before sharing thoughts or touching. And I'll... I'll try to be less offended by it."

Valen's skin brightened slightly. "This is... acceptable."

"Okay. Second rule. You don't try to seduce me anymore. We're not going to have sex again."

Valen's entire form stilled, his topaz gaze fixing on Logan with an intensity that made the human shift uncomfortably.

"That is..." Valen's tentacles coiled tightly. "Problematic."

"Excuse me?"

"For the bond to be formed properly, it is necessary that?—"

"No." Logan stood up, needing the height advantage. "Whatever alien biology you're about to explain to me, the answer is still no."

"Before you make that decision, there is... something you should know."

Dread settled in Logan's stomach. "What now?"

"The nectar I shared with you during our..." Valen paused, searching for the right word. "During our coupling."

Logan's face heated at the memory. That sweet, intoxicating liquid that had made everything feel so good. Yeah, he remembered that. "What about it?"

"It is part of our bonding process," Valen explained. "For a few days, it creates a... physical dependency."

"You drugged me?"

"No!" Valen's tentacles spread wide in what looked like alarm. "It is not a drug. It is... a biological necessity for bonding between species. It helps your body adapt to mine."

"Adapt how?"

"The nectar contains elements of my energy signature. It allows your human form to... resonate with mine." Valen's topaz eyes fixed on Logan. "Without continued contact, the resonance will become unstable."

"And then what? Does it kill me?"

"No, no." Valen's tentacles moved in what seemed like a calming gesture. "Not death. But your body needs time to adjust to the initial bonding. The nectar helps with this transition."

Logan's eyes narrowed. "How long?"

"A few days. Perhaps a week." Valen's skin pulsed softly. "You will need regular... doses during this time."

"And if I don't?"

"Fever. Muscle pain. Disorientation." Valen's topaz eyes fixed on him. "Very uncomfortable."

"Right." Logan ran a hand through his hair. "And the nectar itself? Any side effects I should know about?"

Valen was quiet for a moment. "It is... highly stimulating."

"Meaning?"

"The nectar enhances physical desire. Significantly." Valen's tentacles curled inward. "It will make you crave sex."

For fuck's sake. "You're telling me it's some kind of alien aphrodisiac?"

"Yes." At least Valen had the grace to look uncomfortable. "A very potent one."

"So those are my options?" Logan laughed bitterly. "Either I suffer through withdrawal symptoms, or I drink your sex juice and spend hours fighting off the urge to jump you?"

"I would not... force the intimacy," Valen said carefully. "Even if you are... aroused."

"How generous of you." Logan slumped onto the couch. "When do I need the next dose?"

Valen drifted closer, his skin pulsing with a soft glow. "Soon. Your body temperature is already elevated."

Now that Valen mentioned it, Logan could feel a dull ache settling into his muscles, an uncomfortable warmth spreading under his skin. Nothing unbearable yet, but...

"And you're sure there's no other way?" Logan asked, though he already knew the answer.

"The nectar contains elements necessary for your adaptation." Valen shot him an apologetic look. "I cannot alter its... other effects."

Logan paced the living room. The ache in his muscles was getting worse. "How long does the aphrodisiac effect last?"

"I don't know." Valen's topaz eyes tracked his movement. "The intensity varies between individuals. The effects are immediate."

"Great." A memory of the previous night flashed through Logan's mind, the sweet taste, the way the nectar had made his whole body sing with pleasure, how desperately he'd wanted more... He looked at Valen. "You'll stay away from me while I'm... affected?"

"If that is what you wish." Valen's light dimmed slightly. "Though fighting the urge alone will be challenging for you. I do not wish for you to suffer."

"Yeah, well, I've had practice with self-control." Logan winced as another wave of discomfort rolled through him. "Let's just get this over with."

Valen hesitated. "Are you certain? The withdrawal symptoms might be preferable to?—"

"To spending a few hours horny and frustrated?" Logan laughed without humor. "Pretty sure I can handle that better than fever and muscle failure. Just..." He exhaled sharply. "I'll be fine."

One of Valen's tentacles extended toward Logan, the tip already glistening with that silvery nectar.

Logan's heart hammered in his chest. He parted his lips, trying not to think about the last time he'd tasted this, trying not to remember how good it had felt, how much he'd wanted…

The first drop touched his tongue, sweet like honey. His whole body shuddered at the taste.

"Slowly," Valen murmured. "Let it absorb."

Logan swallowed, feeling the warmth spread through him immediately. The aches in his muscles began to fade, replaced by a different kind of tension.

Already, heat pooled in his gut.

"That's enough," he gasped, pulling back.

Valen withdrew immediately, putting distance between them. "The bed room," he said. "You can... deal with the effects there. I will remain here."

Logan nodded jerkily, already feeling too warm, too confined in his clothes. He needed to get away from Valen before he did something stupid.

"Logan?" Valen's voice was soft. "I am sorry. About all of this."

"Yeah." Logan's voice was strained. "Me too."

He practically fled to the bed room, slamming the door behind him. His whole body was on fire now, every nerve ending screaming for touch, for friction, for sex .

It was going to be a very long few hours.