The reality here is twofold:

Firstly, I have myself an alien husband. As far as aliens go, I could be much, much worse off. Kanuz is… hot. Like, super buff. For a human, that kind of musculature would be impossible, and I like sex and men too much not to appreciate it. His face is handsome, even by human standards, though his features are sharper and more rugged than any human I’ve ever seen.

Heat runs through me, despite the soaked clothes and my dripping hair.

Secondly, I need him. I’m stuck in an alien jungle with no weapons, no knowledge of this place, and he’s kept me alive pretty much single-handedly.

It should irk me. Usually, it would.

It’s a sign of how fucking exhausted I am that I can’t muster up more than gratitude and relief that he’s on my side.

At least he’s not a Roth.

I peel off my sodden tank, wringing it out, yet again.

At least, I’m clean.

At least, I can finally fucking talk to him. The amount of relief the thought gives me has me sagging as the weight lifts. I may have had him as a companion for the last week and half, but not being able to communicate has made this week a lonely hell.

“Why human women?” There are hundreds of alien species out there, and that’s just the ones Earth knows about.

Kanuz huffs out a breath, turning to glance at me over his shoulder before facing the wall again. “Because you can bear our children.”

My stomach flips. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. “Bear your children? Babies? Why can’t you do that with your own people?”

“There are no Suevan women, not anymore.”

“But there were Suevan women at the welcoming,” I choke. “Marriage ceremony.”

“They are elders. There have been no females born in generations.”

“Babies,” I say again, light-headed. “You want to breed us.”

“My wife, if you keep speaking of breeding, I will not be able to control myself. Your beauty already tempts me beyond all reason.” His voice is a low, husky growl, and the promise in his words sends a thrill through me.

Which it absolutely shouldn’t! Sure, I can’t help feeling slightly delighted by his obvious fascination with me, but…

I don’t want babies.

Well, that’s not entirely true. My mouth twists to the side, and I scooch as close as I dare to the flaming wall. I’ve always wanted a family, always wanted little sassy kids and fat toddlers to squish.

Until the Roth came and destroyed that dream, just like they destroyed so much of Earth.

“My mate,” Kanuz says, “I can smell your arousal.”

“You can do what now?!”

“Does the thought of me rutting you and making you swell arouse you as much as it does me? Your body tells me it does.”

“You can smell me?” I don’t even know what to do with that information. Frankly, we went from zero to sixty on the communication scale. Sixty is a little too fast.

And I should not be thinking about sixty-nine.

“Your scent is the most delectable thing I have ever experienced.” His diamond pupils expand as he watches me from over his shoulder, his translations forgotten. “Say the word, and I will gladly bury myself in your eager cunt.”

“Whoa,” I say, my eyes wide. “Listen buddy, I’ve had my share of dirty talking partners in bed, but I can’t say anyone’s ever told me that.” And I’ve always loved dirty talk, and even now, knowing that this alien wants to get me pregnant, that that’s why he married me… I’m turned on.

This is… a lot.

He stands up, towering over me, and I swallow hard. “Do you want that, my flower?”

My stomach growls, and I blink, the spell of attraction suddenly snapped.

Kanuz’s lip curls, disgust clear on his green features. His tail whips behind him, and he mutters something to himself before turning back to the wall.

I sink to the floor, crossing my legs and putting my face in my hands. What am I doing? Am I seriously thinking about fucking this massive alien?

Yeah, yeah I am. Yep.

Maybe it’s a combination of dehydration and hunger and exposure.

Or maybe I want him. Maybe I, the most stubborn, meanest person I know, likes the idea of someone else shouldering some of the burden for a while. Of being protected by a huge dude.

Of not having to worry about when the Roth will attack again, because I’ll be here, away from the reality of their assault.

Or maybe I’m losing my mind. A memory of the Roth attack surfaces, and bile fills my throat, my pulse quickening. The smell of burning buildings, so many on fire that the sky rained ash for a day after. The sound of screams. The frenzied run from Houston down highways packed tight with cars that would be incinerated by the Roth in the coming hours.

“I was right,” he says suddenly, and I flinch, slamming the door to those memories shut.

“About what?”

“This temple. This is no ordinary temple.” His voice is full of excitement, the words tumbling over each other.

“Is that a good thing? Does that mean we can get out more easily?”

“It is the best thing, my human flower.”

“That sounds… gross. Don’t call me that.”

He frowns at me, then beams, flashing fangs in a boyish grin that’s so charming I can’t help but smile back a little. “What would you have me call you, then? My starlight? My soft moonbeam? My little mate? Tell me, so that when I bury my cock inside you, I know what you want to hear me moan.”

“Gen is fine,” I croak, face heating. “Let’s just get out of here before we worry about that.”

“No, I will think of something perfect for you, my Gen.” He steps closer, his chest brushing against my breasts. “I will be the only one to call you this name, so that when you hear it, you perfume the air with the scent of your arousal, and I’ll know you long to have me inside you.”

“For crying out loud.” I scrub a hand over my face. “Just tell me what the damn wall says.”

“Dam wall? No, it is just a regular wall. There is no water behind it.”

Ugh.

“This is the temple of the snake goddess. One of the many faces of the mother goddess.”

“Ooookay,” I say slowly. “Tell me more.”

“This is the temple where the true treasure of Sueva is hidden.”

“Is that treasure food?” I say, arching a brow at him. “Because we can’t eat treasure, and your wife is hungry.”

“Hungry for food or cock?” he says, smirking at me. “I can still scent you.”

“Fucking hell,” I say, shoving him away from me. “For food.”

“Food will not be a problem.” His eyes shine in the firelight, his third eyelid blinking open and shut as he stares at me. “The pool behind us is full of fish and fresh water. It’s filtered, too. I could feel it pulling on my toes as I swam with you soft in my arms.”

“So we’re safe in here.” I narrow my eyes at him. There’s something he’s not telling me. “Because treasure doesn’t fucking matter if we die trying to get it.”

“Eh,” he says, shrugging. “We are no worse off than we would be in the jungle with the separatists and Crigomar after us.”

“Separatists… That’s why we’re in the jungle?” I have vague memories of an explosion, of blinding pain, before I woke up in a downpour with Kanuz’s worried mug swimming overhead. “They attacked the welcoming ceremony.”

“Marriage ceremony,” Kanuz corrects, and I blow out an irritated breath. “But yes.”

“They would attack the prince?”

“They have many reasons to despise me, but the most important of them is that they do not approve of our choice to blend our species, even if it means the survival of Suevans. They believe the mother goddess disapproves, too.” His tail smashes against the stone wall, his expression tight with displeasure.

“Riiiight. So… I’m not safe here, then.” Fuck. Talk about bursting my bubble. He skewered it.

“I will keep you safe, my flower. I will keep you safe, and happy, and treasure your every breath. You are the most enchanting female I have ever seen. I like your spikes as well.”