Cosmic (18+)

┉┈◈†𐐎𐌴𐍀†𐌸-𐍆𐍊ⱱ𐌴◈┈┉

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Good morning, my love. It's time to wake up."

The softly purred words against her ear roused her from sleep. But she didn't want to wake up. Warmth surrounded her, from his body pressed to her back and from the fire sending waves of heat to her front.

She'd woken up the past four days like this. Dekar always woke up before her just to lay in her presence and watch her rest. He'd take care of her, feed her, give her anything she needed. He wouldn't broach the subject of sex until the sun set, and then after their session he would rub a serum on her lower belly—the same one Nula had given her. She found out it encouraged hyperovulation.

A memory flashed through her mind of Tük'hala gently applying the serum to her belly. Her heart clenched.

A small part of her was still hanging onto the hope that humans and Daki weren't compatible to conceive together. But considering PENDI, or Dekar, had gone out of his way to make sure she took contraceptive when she was with Tük'hala... her hope was more like a delusion.

Charlie did want to have kids one day. But not on this planet. Not when her daughters could be met with the same fate as Jen, Stacy, or herself. The very thought of any male preying on her future children made her blood boil. She'd have to ask Tura'alel to make her a very special weapon just for those stupid enough to mess with her family.

"You're angry."

Dekar's abrupt voice pulled her out of the unpleasant thoughts.

He brushed a lock of dark hair out of her face as she turned her head to look up at him. His orange eyes were warm as he gazed into hers. "What are you thinking about?"

Charlie sighed. "I'm thinking about protecting the babies. I want to ask Tura to make a weapon for me."

His arm tightened around her waist. "You cannot ask her. You won't see her again."

Her brows furrowed and she sat up, narrowing her gaze at him. "Why the fuck not?"

His claws traced featherlight patterns on her naked back. "Because she would take you from me. We will have each other and our hatchlings from now on. I can protect you, I can protect them. You don't need anyone else."

She scoffed, "Search your memories as PENDI, all the research you've done on humans, and tell me again that I don't need anyone else."

Dekar frowned, his hand stilling. He let out a heavy breath. "I... understand. But unless your friends accept me as your mate, I cannot risk them taking you away. They may be blind enough to believe they can protect you, but they would fail. They've already failed. The only one who can protect you from other Daki males, the only one they'd be too scared to challenge, is me."

"Is that why you killed Tugo? Because he was the only one who could have won against you?" she questioned, choking up at the memory of him dying in front of her.

He grunted, getting up from their makeshift bed. His back was turned to her, but she saw the tension in his movements as he dressed himself. "He would have stopped me from escaping with you. And... one half of me hated him for failing to protect you."

"It wasn't his fault," she muttered, eyes drawn to the dancing flames as she pulled her knees to her chest, resting her cheek against them.

There was no response. The reptilian alien was shuffling about the place, but she didn't care to see what he was doing. There was a heavy feeling in her body, more than just sadness. Hoping would only bring her disappointment, but she allowed herself one hope in all this: that Stacy would be rescued.