Forbidden Law (An Alien Love #1)

Chapter Eighteen

Jace's POV

Christmas passed, along with New Year's, giving me new experiences in the traditions of humans. Fascinated was I to the point of getting a Christmas tree myself, along with hosting a New Years' party. Skyler's face would glow with excitement when I would broach the ideas, causing the reciprocating warmth to grow in my chest. My house was a new haven of new memories, burning these times into my brain for as long as I would live.

Because nothing at home came close to this.

Her family was chalk full of recipes and odd customs, from what I could compare of other families, such as Skyler's friend Laurel and Jaden and Rayne. I was introduced to graham cracker pie, a trail mix called 'nuts and bolts', biscuits smothered in white gravy, hanging large socks on the fireplace, wearing a shiny plastic hat on New Years and blowing a horn at midnight...just intriguing. So odd that a race of peoples would center their society around specific events and dates simply for the fact of socializing.

Behind it all, I could see the good in humans. Charities reached out to help others with presents and food, fake Santa Clauses ringing bells at grocery store entrances to collect coins. Churches set up volunteer opportunities for those who had spare time to dedicate to those in need; it did not pass me by that Rowan was a part of this and that he pointedly invited Skyler along for the time.

But also, the bad reared its' head. Stores were filled to the brim with people who had greed and desperation brimming from their eyes, their auras a dark mixture of depression and anger. The news was full of stories of tramplings, looting, and fighting. It seemed that, as much as people smiled, they were just as unhappy as the picture of merriment they portrayed. Baffling. It was literally the conundrum that I came across everywhere I went.

Jaden and Rayne were introduced to Skyler's family, Riley taking a particular interest in Rayne. The way he looked on her was like seeing a starving man look at a steak. Rayne took no notice, preferring to go about her humorous conversations and Jaden hanging around her like a silent bodyguard. Skyler's mother would act strange, taking breaks to use the bathroom every so often, while in fact she was going to her bedroom. Her behavior around them- and me, admittedly- specifically was interesting; I would watch in fascination as her aura shifted from dread to panic to anxiety. Skyler got one more crippling headache episode, happening while at a place called Hobby Lobby. Needless to say, we were there for about an hour longer than expected.

By the end of it all, I had a few new video games, books, and a pocket watch from Skyler. She said the watch was an antique, and in fact, it was. The outer golden shell shone with a dull gleam, the edges etched with intricate vines. She'd had my real name engraved inside. In turn, I gave her something specific to Morfilinik that I had made. It was a silver necklace, but it was not the element silver. The metal was stronger than titanium, only found on our planet. It held a teardrop shaped stone at the end, the same quartz-like material of my communication stone. I informed her that it would be able to send my stone a signal if she needed me.

Her eyes stared up at mine, wide with curiosity. "How will it do that?"

I shrugged and smiled, turning her around so that I could place it around her neck. "You will know at the time. It does not take much. Wear it always."

"Of course," she said quietly, and I could not tell if she liked it or not. Worried, I turned her back around and gazed at her.

"Is it a good present?" I had no idea what a 'good present' was, but her silence was sending me into worry.

"Yes. Thank you." Then she got on her tip toes and kissed me, really kissed me. The type that sent my head into chaotic territory. I supposed that meant that yes, she liked it. A lot.