12. Coconut

TWELVE

COCONUT

Naomi

"Oh, that was excellent." Faktil rubbed his belly as he leaned back on the stump.

"Wonderful." Naomi smiled, glad he enjoyed the pan-fried fish and yams.

She'd attempted to make a big lunch to feed an equally big man. It meant she didn't have as much fish to dry, but it made her happy Faktil had eaten his fill.

"I have to admit I wasn't sure when you used that fish oil, but it was great." He sheepishly smiled.

"Ha!" she snorted. "The rendered oil is unappetizing looking before it's skimmed off the rest of the fish guts." She nodded in understanding. "I thought Nana was crazy when she showed me. Now I am grateful Kiana and I spent our summers with our grandma."

"Goddess bless those patient enough to teach the young. I am forever grateful my second sire taught me to fish and hunt. I was impatient and constantly distracted." Faktil shook his head as he chuckled .

"No doubt. My teachers should be awarded a medal, and sainthood, and knighthood, and anything else they can come up with." She shook her head, feeling some serious sympathy for teachers.

"What next?" Faktil stood.

Naomi thought for a moment as she glanced around the compound. "We need to resupply our water. It's a bit of a walk to the creek, though." She considered his leg. It was healing surprisingly fast, but still she worried about him.

"I'm ready to go when you are. Should I wash this?" Faktil gestured to the pan at the edge of the campfire.

"No, it's cast iron, so we wash it a little differently than the other dishes." She shook her head. "And Bandit likes to scavenge the scraps." She glanced at the cabin roof to see if Bandit was still lurking there. He wasn't but he was probably watching from a nearby tree.

"Ah." Faktil nodded in understanding. He reached over and took the large banyan leaf she had used as a plate and tossed it into the fire, along with his own. "Well then, the rest of the dishes are done," he proudly announced, brushing off his hands.

Naomi snorted as she stood. "Come on, goofball."

She led Faktil to the side of the cabin where she kept the water jugs lined up. She lifted a pair of short bamboo poles and loops of rope, and showed them to him.

"I balance the poles on my shoulders with a jug on each end." She demonstrated looping the cord through the jug handle and over the pole.

"Great, I can carry them." Faktil took the poles from her.

"Oh, I see how you are. You carry them to the creek empty, then it's my turn once they're full." She tossed up her hands, feigning offense.

Faktil paused, one dark brow arching. "Female! Make a decision. I was under the impression you wanted all the hard labor because of my delicate condition," he said, though it was obviously a put-on.

"Bwahahaha," she burst out laughing.

Faktil's serious expression cracked and he grinned at her.

"Delicate condition has a different meaning than what you intended." She cradled and rubbed her non-existent pregnant belly.

He scrutinized her gesture. "Oh." His eyes widened as understanding dawned.

She snorted again at his expression and the way his tail froze then shot straight out for a moment.

"No, that is not what I meant at all," he chuckled, making the pregnant belly gesture then gripped his gut as he laughed.

She laughed as he lost the water jugs and poles in the process, and laughed harder. It was that wonderful infectious kind of fit she'd sorely missed. And Faktil had a pretty great laugh. It was deep and rumbling, and he wasn't embarrassed by it, so he let it all out.

"Here let me help before you stab yourself with one of those poles," she giggled as she grabbed them.

"I think I can manage," Faktil chuckled as he collected the jugs, strung them on the poles, and propped them on his shoulders again.

"Mahalo." She nodded to him in appreciation and grabbed her trusty canvas bag as they crossed the yard.

"It's no trouble. I do enjoy the differences I have encountered as I've traveled," he commented as they headed into the woods leading to the creek.

"So, you've met a lot of different people?" she asked, curious about all the things the exotic man had experienced in his travels.

"Yes." Faktil paused to think. "I've met people from nine different races, but there are many more that I don't know the names of."

"Over nine." Her eyes widened. "Wow!" She believed aliens existed but somehow hearing there was a pantheon of other races was still surprising. "Tell me about them."

"You understand that the more you know, the more difficult it will be to forget all of this when you get back home," he pointed out, his expression serious, no trace of the mirth of a moment ago.

It was considerate that he was worried about her mental health later on.

"As if I could ever forget your giant red ass complete with a tail." She cast him a lopsided smile. "You might as well tell me. In for a penny, in for a pound."

A resigned look crossed his face. "Well, I already told you about the Miran Sona, the Grays as you called them. Then there's the slavers, the reptile Jurou Biljana."

"I remember. Those are the ones you're trying to keep from finding Earth. And there's the people helping you," she added.

"Aye, the Osivoire. They have bone-plated armor all over their bodies. I asked my friend Thorac how he's able to move or make facial expressions since their faces look like one bony plate. Apparently, their bony shell is constantly flexing from little fractures that then rapidly heal. Their body uses everything it consumes for that reason, so they don't defecate or make water."

"Wow." Her mouth gaped.

She imagined there would be all types of people, much like the vast array of animals in nature, but hearing about the Osivoire was just wild.

"And then there's the Anguis. I am glad they are our allies. Their skin camouflages, so you could be standing next to one and not know it. They also have razor sharp spikes on their arms. It's not a race I'd want to meet in battle." Faktil grimaced.

"Who else?" she eagerly asked.

"We share our planet with a race covered in fur called the Toufik. I have been told they look like some pretend character from your fantasy stories."

"Beauty and the Beast?" she asked as they walked.

"I can't recall, sorry." He shrugged. "Then there's the Dremin. All the other races I mentioned are what you'd call humanoid, the Dremin are not. They're silica based and appear similar to a fried egg or a sea creature with all the tentacles coming out from their main orb. No face at all." Faktil wiped his hand over his face and gave her a wide-eyed funny look. Clearly the Dremin were unusual even by Faktil's standards.

She smiled, utterly enthralled by what he was sharing and also his animated face. He'd mastered handsome and goofy all at once.

"We originally mistook them as security systems in the Jurou Biljana ships. The nasty reptiles are still unaware the Dremin are sentient. It's a good thing they don't know, though. From what my Dremin friend shared, they are capable of a lot more than simple ship security, they're apparently exceptional builders. Although I must say, communicating through a version of telepathy takes a lot of getting used to," he explained.

"I can imagine." She blinked as her brain assimilated the new information. "That's really interesting, but not entirely surprising. I guess I always figured when we discovered real aliens, not the rumors, they would be more like the Dremin, not humanoid. "

"We have a theory that an ancient race seeded various worlds, which explains why many sentient species are so similar. The Miran Sona believe in it so much it seems to be driving their society. They vainly think they're the ancients, and that gives them justification for abducting you, since supposedly you're their descendants." Faktil shook his head wearing a look of disgust, clearly expressing how he felt about the Grays.

"They sound a lot like a cult." Naomi scowled. She recalled him mentioning these assholes before. "Great, there are cults and slavers in the universe." She tossed her hands up in frustration. "That's really disappointing. I hoped people would've moved beyond that crap!"

"It is disappointing." His frown deepened as he nodded. "But my people can't claim innocence or superiority either. We were in a war that lasted generations. We're trying to be better, though." He cast her a wan smile.

"I guess that's all we can strive for." She patted his arm sympathetically.

Naomi paused, catching a swath of red amidst the trees. She smiled knowing exactly who was spying on them.

"We all have to strive to be nice and be friends even though we're all different," she said louder for Bandit's benefit.

Faktil eyed her funny, then followed her gaze. Bandit let out a little disgruntled caw, ruffled his feathers and took off into the forest.

"I'm sorry I've scared your pet away." Faktil frowned.

"Oh, I'm not sure I could call Bandit a pet," she snorted. "He pretty much does what he wants, and is currently in a snit. He'll warm up to you eventually."

"If you say so." Faktil incredulously shook his head.

She chuckled at him, then her gaze landed on a coconut palm with a nice bunch that looked not too ripe, just the way she liked them.

"Dammit," she muttered.

"What is wrong?" Faktil stiffened, taking a defensive stance as he followed her gaze.

In that moment he definitely looked every bit a soldier. It was sexy as hell.

"Nothing that serious. At ease, soldier." She smiled at him.

He gave her an amused chuckle, his shoulders easing as his tail resumed its casual but curious flicking back and forth.

"I am constantly amazed that whoever set up this outpost didn't bring a ladder. They have solar lights and a composting toilet, but no ladder!" she explained with an annoyed huff.

"Perhaps it was something that was going to be replaced, but didn't happen," Faktil offered.

"Probably," she conceded. She liked that he saw things in a kinder light than her grumbly self. "I suppose I'm a little pissed after having needed one repeatedly in the last year. You'd think I'd learn to climb or make one, but I'm apparently not that clever."

"I think you are very clever. I have watched you cook and heal. Very impressive." He sweetly rubbed her arm in encouragement.

She smiled at him as she melted a little further.

"I know, I'm self-deprecating," she added with a grimace.

"I am familiar with this skill. I am good at it, too," he laughed. "What do you need climbed?"

"See that palm?" She pointed just beyond the path, not far from where Bandit had been lurking.

"Aye," he replied.

Except, the way Faktil squatted, getting closer to her eye level as he followed her finger, she had a feeling he really didn't know what tree she meant. She suppressed a giggle. It was cute seeing the giant man hunker down to her level.

"It has a cluster of about six round green coconuts." She continued pointing as they left the worn dirt path. "They look just right. Coconuts taste different as they ripen. The juice and meat change. I like mine about that color, except they don't usually drop until they're ripe. See my dilemma?" She pouted.

"I do. I will go get them." Faktil set down the jugs and poles.

She considered the palm and then Faktil. The man was undoubtedly physically capable; he was in peak shape. Her gaze then landed on his leg and the scabs in the shape of a shark's mouth.

Maybe not peak shape.

"Whoa! Wait a minute," she said as he reached the trunk. "I know your leg is looking tons better but you gripping a tree with it hardly seems wise. The bark will rub your wounds raw again." She grimaced at the idea.

"So, I won't grip it with my calves." He cast her a cheeky smile.

"I wasn't angling for you to climb the tree," she was in the middle of saying, then her mouth dropped open in awe as he leapt.

She'd seen humans climb palms, but Faktil jumped at least five feet in the air then latched onto the tree.

Holy shit! She gaped at the feat.

He gripped the tree with his hands, his claws digging into the thin bark, while his feet clasped the relatively narrow trunk. She knew from looking at the alien Adonis that he was muscular, but somehow that didn't totally translate until now.

"Wow, well I guess that's one way to do it," she chuckled as he started climbing .

Her chuckle faded as she watched him, turning into another emotion entirely. The way Faktil's biceps bunched and flexed made the butterflies in her stomach flutter and her nipples harden. Impressed by his prowess and the need to see his muscles a bit better, she was drawn closer to the base of the tree.

"Oh!" The sound popped out of her mouth when she discovered she had a perfect view up Faktil's kilt.

She should've realized that would be the case, and yet she'd been so mesmerized by the rest of him she was thrown off guard.

That's his cock and balls.

Naomi blinked, not sure she was seeing right. After all, she hadn't been successful when she attempted to get a peek before. She shaded her eyes from the sunlight filtering through the tree and focused on the sight. Faktil had a set of smooth, hairless balls. She never had a ball fetish, but suddenly had the urge to pop one of those bonbons in her mouth. Though they paled in comparison to his inhumanly large dick. It reminded her of a flashlight with its long, thick shaft and broad crown. Aroused, the beast would jab her tonsils, and that was from the vagina up. Maybe that was an exaggeration, but it didn't look like it.

Is that a pattern on his cock? She squinted, trying to get a better look at the details of his impressive endowment, except he was rather high at this point. Pattern or not, there was no unseeing what she had spied.

"Oooh my," she declared, then bit her lip as a twinge of desire ricocheted through her, making her pussy cramp with need.

Faktil was definitely a big boy, and yet she wanted to ride him like a bucking bronco .

"Did you say something?" Faktil paused near the top and looked down at her.

There wasn't enough time to rearrange her face, and god only knows what he saw. His questioning expression changed, his eyes narrowed and heated. He wanted her as much as she did him. Then he masked his desire. She suppressed a smirk of frustration. The sexy man really was a boy scout.

"I said nice view," she fibbed.

"Naomi," he rumbled in warning.

"I thought there were only coconuts, but there's also a banana up there." She blinked innocently.

Faktil may not know all the trees but he knew what a banana was and it was apparent by the way his eyes flared. She suppressed the urge to grin maniacally. She still licked her lips and grinned, but hopefully it wasn't an insane or desperate smile, though she was rather proud of the jibe.

"Naomi," he growled again, but considerably deeper, yet she refused to heed his warning.

"Hey, I'm not the one who climbed a tree wearing a kilt with nothing covering my bait and tackle. My lady bits are covered, if you want to come down and check." She gestured to her crotch and suggestively wagged her brows.

Faktil's jaw clenched and flexed as he pinned her with his dark gaze. She felt the weight of it even with him all the way up in the tree. She was testing his patience, though she also noticed his cock was no longer limply hanging there.

"Female, you are trouble!" He shook his head.

"You're not wrong," she conceded, then forced herself to rein it in.

She hadn't given up, but the way his dick was now jabbing into the tree trunk didn't look comfortable .

Faktil looked back up and was focusing on his task, when one of the coconuts fell, smacking him in the forehead.

"Ow!" she barked and winced.

"Son of a metcor ," he declared.

"Crap!" She leapt back, not wanting to get hit by the falling coconut, but Faktil's tail whipped out and coiled around it before it got very far.

"Thank you!" she sighed in relief. "Just come down, please. People get seriously injured by falling coconuts," she insisted, now worried about him.

"I'm here, I will get the rest. Back farther away," he stubbornly insisted.

"Okay. Okay." She backed up a safe distance.

Faktil frowned at her and she backed up another few feet.

"Better?" she asked.

"Aye," he grunted.

He released the coconut and it didn't come anywhere close to her, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Faktil was worried about her and no one had worried about her in ages. It felt nice to matter to someone.

Also concerned, she watched him ascend the last few feet of the palm. He gripped the bunch of coconuts where they connected to the fronds. With a little twist and tug, he ripped them free with his bare hand, then dropped the bunch to the ground. She was still gaping at how easily he did that, as he ambled down the palm. She greeted him just as he leapt down the last few feet.

"I'm so sorry you got knocked in the head. Bend down here so I can take a look." She frowned as she gestured.

"You didn't force me to go up there." He hunkered down on his knees, bringing him to eye level. "I should've remembered my luck has been abysmal lately."

"But you were doing it for me." She cupped his cheeks, turning his head so she could get a good look at the spot above his eyebrow. "There's a small welt, but not too bad."

"That's where the spider bit me. The coconut hit me over here." The tip of his tail pointed to just inside his hairline at the forming knot and slight scrape.

"Oh, Faktil, that's awful." He hadn't mentioned that the spider actually bit him this morning and now she felt doubly bad. The man was racking up the head injuries. "Your luck really has been awful."

She leaned in and kissed the spot on his forehead where the coconut struck. When she pulled back, something had changed. She felt it simmering in the air. Then she saw the desire churning in Faktil's dark eyes. Kissing his injury had been an innocent gesture, but the way Faktil reacted was anything but.

His desire instantly reignited hers. Though she was reluctant to act on it with the way the man stubbornly clung to his principles. Slowly she shifted to kiss the spider bite over his brow, certain he'd deny her and move at any moment. Surprisingly Faktil didn't retreat and her lips met his brow. She kissed the bite a little more tenderly, while gently stroking his stubbled cheeks. Faktil's warm breath tickled her neck. She shivered, her nipples puckering as need coursed through her.

"Is that better?" she whispered, worried if she spoke louder, it would break the spell.

Faktil's intense dark eyes followed her, saying nothing as she pulled back. She desperately wanted to kiss his full ruddy lips, but hesitated. Maybe she was wrong in that moment about him desiring her. His people probably didn't kiss injuries to make them better. He probably thought she was an absolute loon.

"Sorry you're hurt. Thank you for the coconuts," she added with a soft, awkward smile, feeling the need to say something to fill the silence.

Still, Faktil silently stared, and her stomach did a somersault. The voice in her head screamed, retreat, stupid! This was quickly becoming one of those weird situations again.

She was pulling her hands away from his cheeks when Faktil's massive arms banded around her. Naomi sucked in a sharp, surprised breath. She didn't think Faktil could get more intense, but the hunger that exploded in his dark eyes sent her reeling. Her instincts hadn't been wrong. She didn't need any more encouragement than this. Her lips slammed against his and she kissed him like her next breath depended on it. Naomi wanted to cry as she gripped Faktil's thick shoulders and kissed his soft, firm lips. It had been way too long since she'd felt a connection like this.

"Mmm," Faktil groaned, gripping her tighter, one large hand palming her ass.

With his lips parted, she dipped her tongue into his mouth. Her eyes flared open in surprise at his taste, sweet yet spicy, almost like cinnamon candy. It was a heady taste and she wanted more. Her tongue slid across Faktil's teeth and his fangs spurted more of the sweet flavor she was tasting. He was certainly alien and she should probably question if this was some sort of poison, except a delicious, tingling warmth was making her mouth come alive. She'd sooner die than cut this moment short. Naomi pressed into Faktil and couldn't help but rub against the cock tenting his kilt. It was unnervingly large as it poked her hip, yet she wanted him anyway. When Faktil arrived, Naomi thought he was a demon, but he was the answer to her prayers .

Faktil quo Laus

This is a kiss, Faktil groaned, his tongue tangling with Naomi's.

He'd witnessed the humans do this, but never imagined mating of the lips could be so pleasurable. At first, he wasn't sure what to do, but he swiftly caught on when Naomi's tongue hungrily delved into his mouth. She tasted unbelievably good as he explored her in return. He was so enthralled he didn't notice when his fangs spurted conjugo serum, the spicy hormone that demanded he test a mating with Naomi.

Goddess! his mind screamed. The petite human was swiftly driving him mad.

She smelled as good as she tasted. The scent of her desire perfumed the air and he wanted to follow it to its source, tasting every inch of her pliant little body. The need grew by the moment. It didn't help his plight the way her breasts pressed against him. Her nipples were tight points that teased his chest. He desperately wanted to suck them.

Perdition! He'd settle for seeing the little erect buds.

If that wasn't enough to test his honor, Naomi rubbed against his arousal. She was practically riding it, her thighs capturing the bulge in his vestment. His heart thundered in his chest, pumping more blood into his eager shaft. He gripped her full ass, kneading it, imagining how it would feel to mount her.

"No-me!" the piercing screech came a heartbeat before Bandit attacked him.