Chapter 22: No, it can get worse.When they landed on Kel's home planet, Murry was told to wait on the ship. Kel said he had to go with his siblings to be greeted by their people in a celebration. After that, his alien told Murry that all the royals met in the Report Room. He said they would go over any pertinent information on their travels. Pertinent information probably meant what to do with Murry. As the ship docked and pulled into an enormous parking hanger, Keltrix hugged him and told him everything would be fine. He said he would be back after the welcome home greeting and after the ruling body assembled. Although Murry wanted some explanation of what some of that meant, he only hugged Keltrix and said goodbye.As he waited for Kel on the ship, Murry chatted with Petey.Shortly after Kel, JP, and Rhylent had visited him, Murry started to hear the whispering from his Nebos. At first, Petey said only a few things in Murry's head, but he seemed to speak mainly in Kel's native tong
Chapter 23: What's love got to do with it?The tentacle around Murry's bicep dug in until the pressure caused an ache. JP swore under his breath as he guided Murry toward Octnavin and Rhylent. Keltrix either couldn't or wouldn't get up from his knees. He lifted his eyes to Murry and then to his siblings. Murry read his fear though Kel tried to hide the emotion.Rhylent took up the spot directly on Murry's left, and JP was still on his right. Octnavin stepped in front of Murry and stared down at him. "This is the issue?" Octnavin smirked. "This thing?" He shrugged. "You could have just killed it, Rhylent.""There is something wrong with Keltrix. Our sibling cannot leave it alone." Rhylent explained. "I said we should.""I'm not it." Murry frowned. "He and I.... We just…""He?" Octnavin held up his tentacle for silence."The human uses he as the pronoun to describe us." Rhylent shook his head like Murry was the dumbest creature on the planet. Murry could be the dumbest creature on this
Chapter 24: Who is Petey?Kicking and struggling, Murry fought the tightening hold cutting off the air to his lungs. So much for this not being painful. If Murry knew meeting Octnavin would mean his death, he wouldn't have bothered to comb his hair.Rhylent held Murry's left arm. With his right, Murry tried to yank at the tentacle that was cutting off his air supply. Octnavin's skin was rock hard and unforgiving. JP walked a few steps away from his siblings like he couldn't watch. Keltrix fought his bonds. Murry was going to die. After all he'd been through, who would have figured this was the end? Death by an alien king.-Grip his right bottom tentacle.- Petey sounded frantic and he was practically yelling in Murry's mind. -Do it now.-Murry flailed his arm outward. A gut instinct of self-preservation shot through him, fueled partly by Petey. The whisper was insistent and authoritative. How could such a small piece of silk around his arm be that bossy? Murry snagged the right tentac
Chapter 25: That is not Nebos.Murry couldn't seem to talk. His head was splitting apart. He closed his eyes and set his cheek on the cold floor. He tried to shut out the light. His brain throbbed, but he didn't feel like he was crushed any longer. Now he just felt tired and drained like everything had sucked him of his energy."Murry-cat," Kel's voice, calm and sure, kissed Murry's ears. "Who did you drink from?""What?" Murry lifted his head and wished he had stayed on the floor. He almost threw up again when the room dipped and spun. JP and Rhylent stared at him with wide curious eyes. Octnavin crossed his tentacles over his chest and still looked a little like he wanted to kill him."You are saying that Petey is not this human?" Octnavin asked. "Who is Petey? His command of our language is superb. His knowledge impressive.""Who is Petey?" JP asked. "I heard him as well.""As did I." Rhylent nodded. "This name is familiar.""Murry-cat?" Kel's voice was coaxing like Murry might run
Chapter 26: True, that could've been handled better.Murry awoke wrapped in a soft bed of Nebos. He opened his eyes and glanced around the room. He was on Kel's bed on the ship. Everything was where it was supposed to be. He scrubbed a hand over his face. The alien baby had been a nightmare. Rolling over, Murry tossed his feet over the bed. As he stood, his stomach rumbled. He glanced down his body. He looked thin. His belly wasn't overly fat. Yes. It had all been a dream. Walking to the bathroom, Murry used the toilet and then showered. After he was done, he studied the furniture. The room hummed with discord. Something about all this didn't feel right. He ran a hand over his belly button and then lower. The skin was smooth. The Nebos had dried his body and then dressed him in blue pants and a matching robe shirt. After he dressed, Murry strolled around the bedroom. He headed to the coffee table. Everything looked like the ship, but the room didn't feel right. He couldn't put his f
Chapter 27: How to stay with Keltrix.Murry frowned and wrapped his arms around his body. There wouldn't be a 'next' time. Kel wanted Murry to leave. JP and Rhylent were taking him home.Turning to the window, Murry studied the buildings, roads, walkways, and the peach sky. The clouds misted around mountains in the distance. Kel's home planet was beautiful, and he was leaving it. He was leaving Keltrix. Their relationship was over. "Now that I provided you with an offspring, you are done with me." Murry swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He'd been a fool. He'd been used. The love had been an illusion. Murry never thought that Keltrix only wanted him to create his next generation, but what did Murry know about relationships, alien or human? "That was all it was about? You wanted to use me.""You will go home, but I will not have you thinking that about me." Kel crossed the room and grabbed Murry by the biceps. He spun him around Murry was staring at Kel's chest. When Murry final
Chapter 28: The end of... Sex and Space.Murry shot his target. Bullseye. His eyes flipped to Keltrix and Petey who stood with him in the shooting gallery."Perfect." Keltrix stood behind him. "Now you."Petey shot at the next moving target. Against one wall, the patterns flipped and switched to make the shots more difficult with every pass."That was a good one." Murry turned to the offspring he had carried in his body. Now the alien was taller than him and Murry had to look up at Petey when they spoke."I'm hungry." Petey bent his head and whispered in Murry's ear. As the young alien sidled up to the shooting mark on the floor, he aimed his weapon at the target. "But you know Keltrix is never going to let me take a break.""Let me see what I can do," Murry whispered back and then moved to the side.Murry shot at the next set of targets and got a perfect score. Kel grinned at him and then motioned for Petey to do the next course. After Murry checked to make sure his weapon was not loa
Chapter 29: Money problems.Place: City, Anywhere United States of America.Rolling over in bed, Sloan berated himself as he slid away from his sleeping ex-lover. Ex, as in, he shouldn't be with him again. Ex like the former. Ex as in, how could Sloan be this stupid? He had broken up with Reese, but when Sloan's loneness had gotten to him, he accepted meeting the man in this seedy motel. What did people say about insanity? Craziness was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well… no more. Sloan wouldn't keep making the same lapses in judgment. This was it. He was done.Swearing in his head, he spotted his pants in a crumpled pile on the floor. Fuck, Reese couldn't even get it up last night. Sloan was still wearing his underwear.As silently as he could, Sloan dressed in his torn jeans, a white shirt, and an old flannel that had missing buttons. The fabric of his clothes smelled of the bar last night and spilled beer. Reese had gotten so drunk before
Chapter 136: The end of... Life and Death.Standing between his grove of apple trees and his rows of orange trees, Ike stopped and inhaled the blossoms in the wind. The bright star of the Dagerstanteen planet had him closing his eyes and sighing in delight. He'd never been outside this much, and he was addicted to the warm fresh air. He grinned. There were a few things he was addicted to now, one of which was the three humans laughing, chatting, and strolling toward him.Ike opened his eyes and smiled at the three men walking between his carrots."Ike," Chasm called. "We are here to learn.""Thank you for agreeing to take care of my plants while I travel with JP." Ike nodded."Caveman." Sloan approached him using the nickname he'd given Ike after they met. Sloan held up his hand, and Ike slapped Sloan's palm before his new friend jogged over to where the row of raspberry bushes was growing. "This is badass."Ike glanced at Chasm and raised an eyebrow."It means good," Chasm translated.
Chapter 135: Taking the fire back.JP didn't make a sound after Lee's announcement, but Ike could see his thoughts moving in a whirl. JP was making plans. The alien was rigging up a way to pull him from the fire if he said yes. The alien was also simultaneously trying to figure out how to keep Ike alive for a long time if he didn't hold the fire and if they didn't get the lifesaving water. Ike was very old and his Dagerstanteen blood would only do so much. Plus, all the humans needed the healing water. It wasn't just his life they were talking about here."I…" Ike pictured going back to the rain planet. He would have to watch time tick by while he held the fire again. The loneliness would eat at him. "I will have to return to the sanctuary," Ike murmured."Never," JP snapped."You do know that you burned that to the ground, right?" Keltrix asked."I will forbid you from returning to your old home." Octnavin's sentence was unmovable stone. "If you were to take the ember and regrow the P
Chapter 134: Life after the fire.As soon as Ike had the sensation of being set on a cold table, his eyes opened wide. It had been a long time since Ike felt the sensation of cold."JP?""He is here."Ike looked into Keltrix's eyes and then pushed away from the tentacles holding him. He sat and swung his legs until he was on the edge of an exam table in a laboratory."Where am I?" Ike glanced at Keltrix and then at Octnavin. Next to him on a second table was JP. The alien looked burned from head to toe. He wasn't moving, and Ike felt panic. Did the fire kill JP? Why was everyone acting like it didn't matter?"JP?" Ike set his hand on his blackened skin. The hard surface was rippled and rough."What is that thing that Sloan likes to say?" Keltrix asked Octnavin."He bounces back fast." Octnavin crossed his middle tentacles over his chest."Yes," Keltrix agreed. "That's it.""Where are we?" Ike glanced at the leader of the Dagerstanteens. "Is JP dead?""This is our ship, and we are parke
Chapter 133: At the fire temple.Ike kept himself conscious by listening to the Dagerstanteen that carried him. JP found the most boring things to list in Ike's head until he had to fight not to sleep. Although Ike struggled to stay awake, he did agree that JP kept his emotions and the fire calm.As the air got colder, the cooler air had him focusing. The six of them started to climb up a wide rock staircase on the closest side of a small mountain. The guards that had followed them stayed at the bottom. All around them was water, and there were no sides or railings to the steps. One move to the left or the right, and they would fall into the dark, murky moat.Ike lifted his chin and tipped his head as they marched. His heart beat a little faster when he spotted the Panchen Fire Shrine.This is where he would die.When they reached the end of the staircase, JP stepped onto smooth marble. Ike noted that the water lapped at the highest point and splashed like the liquid wanted to take ove
Chapter 132: Albeon.When Ike awoke, he was cradled in JP's tentacles, but the skin was not soft and silky. The tentacles that held him were stiff and hard and throbbing with heat. The alien had turned his skin into armor, and Ike didn't know why.Blinking rapidly, Ike was about to explain again how he was heading to Albeon no matter what JP said, but as he focused his eyes, he was shocked and speechless at what was happening around him.JP stood in front of Princess Lee and three old Albeon women. Ike knew who those women were. Shay had told him about the three elders. There was Dilma, Payson, and Rolla. He was finally on the planet Albeon and besides the women in front of him, all around the open field, stood male Albeon guards of every shape and size. The number of weapons pointed at him was concerning, and he found himself holding his breath.On the right of JP stood Octnavin holding a sizeable pink bundle in his arms. On JP's left side stood a fully armed Keltrix like a silent sen
Chapter 131: Out of control. Fenton and Shay stood in his living area. As Ike walked out of his bedroom, he began to roll a cigarette. He felt nauseous and wanted to curl up and cry and rail against the unfairness of life. But he wouldn't do that in front of anyone. He could fall apart later when he was alone. Right now, he had to get dressed and leave with some dignity. He could hear Baja in his head. He needed to get it together and keep the fire calm."Ike—" Fenton stopped when JP strode out of Ike's bedroom. "JP? What are you doing here?""Greetings," Shay murmured as her eyes went from JP to Ike. "I didn't know he was...." Shay lifted her eyebrows and then grinned. "What were you doing in your bedroom?""Talking." Ike gave Shay a warning look to let it go and then brought his cigarette to his lips."Arguing," JP said at the same time."Did you bring me a new ship?" Ike asked as he lit his cigarette and ignored the Dagerstanteen."I brought mine. I will escort you." Queen Shay nod
Chapter 130: Time to leave.Ike used JP's tentacle as a pillow as he stared at the ceiling above his bed. For the last two days, he'd had sex, talked, ate, laughed, and had more sex. In the end, he did everything he could so that he wouldn't have to tell JP that he was going to his death. He'd never been this happy, and he hated to end his relationship with the Dagerstanteen but....He knew he had to, and soon.Any moment Lee or Shay would show up with a ship, and he was leaving to fly to Albeon. He must get rid of the fire. The flame was staying calm right now, but the blaze could get out of control, and it was only a matter of time before the fire burst from him. His exhaustion was rising from trying to keep the fire from blowing, and he was scared to find out what would happen if he ran out of energy. He would not be responsible for that kind of destruction. Ike had to tell JP and explain. It was the right thing to do.Ike rolled over and cushioned his cheek against JP's shoulder. H
Chapter 129: Playing."I cannot believe I am about to make a fool of myself." Ike sat in the middle of the bench and stared up at the massive instrument. The strings were on the right and left and came down from a long bar across the top. He couldn't even reach some parts of the instrument unless he got up and ran around. He refused to be that ridiculous.Cracking his knuckles, Ike paused as he decided he would play the easiest song he knew, and even though he couldn't hit all the notes, it would probably sound good enough that his ears wouldn't bleed."Any time," JP teased."You'll regret this." Ike glared at the alien and then reached his hands outward and wiggled his fingers.JP made a slight giggle under his breath.Ike ignored the alien and began the song. He plucked at each string until the notes shimmered in the air. The sound waves rolled off the loominairin, and he grinned at the beauty of the music. The song was simple, and he had just reached halfway went JP moved behind him
Chapter 128: Flying back home.When Ike awoke, he pulled himself into a sitting position and leaned against the front window of his ship. He was naked and covered in a blanket. After he rubbed his eyes, he glanced over his shoulder. His home planet was coming into view."What happened?" Ike bounded to his feet in shock and then wrapped the cloth around his waist. He hunted for his armor and picked up the pieces of clothing strewn all over the command deck."I do not know what you are asking me. Nothing happened." JP gave him a quick look before he went back to flying his ship. "You fell asleep after you reached your third climax. You have quite the stamina. I think that is your Dagerstanteen blood." The alien sounded amused. "When we were free to leave the ocean floor, and there were no threats to the ship, I took over flying and let you rest. I said goodbye to Tullie for you.""I bet you did," Ike muttered as he pictured what JP probably said about Ike being placed in a sexual stupor