“Buroudei to eat meat.”

Her brow crumpled inward, as if she knew that wasn’t quite right (it wasn’t) but I was honoured by her effort all the same. She shook her head quickly, then grabbed a bone plate from the nearby shelf.

On the plate was a choice selection of dakrival meat from tonight’s feast. I hadn’t joined the tribe for the meal – I had been too busy with Galok, planning our raid on Gahn Fallo. I took the plate from her small hand, sitting down, curling my tail around myself, patting the dakrival hide next to me. Her cheeks red, she sat, smoothing the tunic over her knees as she drew them up to her chest. Seeing her in the clothing of our people, with her hair braided like ours, was going right to my groin. I grunted, turning my attention to my meal, eating quickly. Soon, I would have a much sweeter taste upon my tongues.

I finished the food, tossing the plate aside, then leaned over. Zeezee’s eyes got wide as I settled one hand behind her back on the sand, the other hitching at the hem of her tunic, yanking it up over her hips, revealing her soft thighs and that dark patch of hair that was so very odd and so very enticing. Need was coursing through me, hot and hard. I had been away from her too long today. Tonight I will mate her.

But, as I should have come to expect by now, my lovely little mate had other plans. Just as I was lowering my head to lap at the goodness between her legs, I felt something small but strong close around one of my ears, halting my head’s descent. I stopped, letting my eyes roll upward to look at Zeezee’s face. One of her hands was clenched around one of my ears, her other hand was wagging her finger in my face in a gesture I did not recognize. I bit back a growl of irritation. Though I did not recognize the gesture, I could understand the meaning. Stop what you are doing this instant.

This woman, my mate, the strange and perfect creature who had brought such renewed meaning to my life, would most certainly be the death of me.

OceanofPDF.com

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Cece

It was getting easier and easier to be swept up in Buroudei’s alien seduction techniques. Not that he exactly had seduction techniques beyond you’re here, I’m here, let’s do stuff. But more and more, I wasn’t questioning whatever it was that was between us. After spending the day with Rika, I had been looking forward to seeing him, and when he’d walked into the tent I couldn’t deny that my body had responded immediately – my heart rate increasing, my blood rushing hot, pulsing between my legs. The way he’d kissed me, so immediately, so naturally, had made me just a little too happy. It felt like I was meant to be here, like I belonged, like I had someone. And after losing Grammy and having no one, that was the most seductive thing of all.

So I really had to fight the urge to let my legs fall open under Buroudei’s mouth. But I did so, the quickest way I could see: by grabbing one of his ears.

That did the trick. The look he gave me was a combination of are you serious and I should have known, but I hardened myself, wagging my finger, scooting my bottom back and away from him. We had to discuss serious things. I released Buroudei’s ear, keeping a close eye on him, but he seemed to sense what I wanted, as unhappy as it appeared to make him. He raised his head back up, but did not adjust his position. He loomed over me, his hands on the sand on either side of my hips. His dark eyes swirled with copper stars, just inches from my own. I blinked, shifting my gaze to keep myself from falling headfirst into them. But then my gaze ended up on his mouth, and that was just as distracting. I settled firmly on his chin, face on fire, casting my mind back to the various words I had learned to try to craft my request.

“Buroudei Cece to walk sand.”

Crap. That wasn’t right. Not even close. I raised my gaze, unable to help myself, watching as the shimmering parts of Buroudei’s eyes tightened up as he focused on me.

“Buroudei Cece to walk to retrieve sand.”

Oh, God. I really needed to work on my verb conjugation. And I wasn’t sure about the placement of the objects, direct or indirect. I was trying to tell him that I needed him to take me back out over the sand to the ship so that I could get some supplies. As terrible as it was, it seemed less and less likely every hour that any of my friends were left alive. But I was. I had survived. And I needed to do everything I could to ensure that survival. Buddying up with Buroudei and his people had been a big step towards that, but I needed more – more clothing and extra boots, more sunscreen, and whatever other useful stuff I could pull out of the cargo bay. Even the small amount of time I’d spent without my solar jacket today had left me sunburned, and Rika had had to smear some more of that radioactive milk on me to get things back to normal.

Buroudei hadn’t moved. I could feel the puffs of his breath against my mouth, and my lips parted involuntarily. Focus, Cece. I had to make him understand my request. I knew he wouldn’t let me just walk off alone, and I definitely wouldn’t survive such a field trip alone.

“Buroudei Cece to walk... sand... to retrieve...” I blew out a frustrated breath. Now I was just rearranging the words I’d already said. My vocabulary was failing me. Half the stuff I needed to say they probably didn’t even have a word for. I had a feeling that “space ship” wasn’t something that would translate.

“Come on, I’ll show you,” I said in English, scooting back further and standing. Buroudei’s tail twitched, and for a second it seemed like he was about to grab my ankle and yank me back down.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere without you.” I held out my hand.

He stared at it, then looked up at me questioningly.

“Come on, stand up!” I waved my arms up and down, bending and straightening my legs dramatically so that he’d get the picture. He did, getting to his feet, raising himself to his full, impressive height. I ignored the drying of my throat, the quickening of my pulse, and reached for his hand, taking it in my own. “This is what I was trying to get you to do. Holding hands.” I gave his huge hand a squeeze, and watched in fascination as the specks of his eyes flew outward, his nostrils flaring.

“Not sure I like the look in your eye. Don’t distract me. Let’s go.” I tugged on his hand, leading him out of the tent.

Outside, the night was cool. I pulled Buroudei around the side of the tent, thoroughly enjoying the way he was following without question. I stopped, pointing out over the desert, hopefully somewhat in the direction of the ship. It was way too far away to be visible from here.

“Buroudei Cece to walk to retrieve.” With my free hand, I gestured violently out towards the horizon. Then I turned to look up at him. “Please, please understand me.”

Buroudei said nothing, his face impossible to read. We faced each other in the gloom, and he captured my other hand with his, holding them between us. Then he uttered a sentence, some of which I actually understood... “Something something go something something retrieve...”

I gasped.

“Are you saying you know what I’m asking. You’ll take me? You’ll take me back to the ship?” I pointed out towards the horizon again, and Buroudei’s tail twitched in acknowledgement. He repeated his sentence, and I was even more sure that time that he was agreeing to do what I’d asked.

I gave a whoop, almost as excited about our communication success as I was about actually going back to the ship, and I leaped forward, throwing my arms around his waist. I felt his tail thump the ground, hard, and his own arms wrapped around me, cradling me in a cage of steel. I pressed my forehead into his chest and sighed.