Luna was glad to see the little monkey doing well, and part of her was secretly thrilled at the idea that there was at least one creature around that liked her more than Noxx.
After the monkey scrambled back up into the canopy with its adorable babies, Luna finished the meal prep by making a salad from the various leafy greens and blues they had picked up on the way home.
She even topped it off with a few petals from the blue flowers when Snake wasn’t looking. It would be good for him to try new things, and she was sure it was the same flower they ate as a delicacy on Terra-4.
The plates and cups in the treehouse all matched, an unheard-of luxury back home. And there were even napkins, and a nice pitcher for water.
The treehouse looked like a home out of the old storybooks.
And Luna felt like the mother from one of the books, baby in her arms, dinner set out, a house full of good smells and happy people.
Noxx emerged from the bathroom, and she smiled at his reaction as he took in the scene. She was pleased if a touch of homeyness made him happy. She could not imagine the things he had seen as an Invicta warrior. She was glad if she could bring him peace.
“This smells amazing,” he said, his deep voice sending little shockwaves through her.
“Snake was such a help,” she said, indicating the boy, who beamed back at her.
Though they still couldn’t understand each other’s language, they were definitely finding ways to communicate, a bit anyway.
He seemed like a great kid. She felt terrible for his parents, who must be worried sick about him.
They would get him home again at first light. She was determined.
Noxx gestured for her to sit, so she did.
Snake watched Noxx and sat when he sat.
They passed around the bowls and loaded up their plates with the fragrant meal.
She watched as Noxx took a big bite of the venison with mushroom.
“So good,” he groaned, closing his eyes.
Snake beamed.
Luna smiled back at him and took a bite of salad.
The flavors of the leaves were incredible. Some were bitter, others full and sweet. And the tangy bite of the blue petals was the perfect foil for them.
She felt an odd buzz on her lips, and reached for her water.
But she couldn’t part her lips to take a drink.
Across the table, she saw Snake about to take a bite of the salad.
“Mmm,” she moaned, waving at him.
He nodded in agreement, as if she had just told him the salad was delicious.
She leapt up from the table and tried to grab his fork, but she was too late.
“Luna?” Noxx said.
She watched helplessly as Snake’s lips got stuck together too.
“Is it the salad?” Noxx asked. “Is something wrong?”
Snake looked up at her in horror and then looked back at the salad.
He reached in and pulled out one of the blue petals. His eyes widened.
“Did you use that flower he was trying to tell you not to use?” Noxx demanded, his voice was furious.
Luna hung her head in shame.
The boy was from the forest. Of course knew the plant life better than she did.
Her lips began to warm slightly.
She rubbed them with her hands and found that she could open her mouth again.
She gasped in a breath of relief.
“I swear it’s the same flower we ate on Terra-4,” she said. “It tastes the same, too.”
“Why would it seal your mouth shut?” Noxx asked.
“It must be some kind of chemical reaction,” she realized out loud. “Like when you chew it up along with something else it forms a glue?”
“Well, you’re lucky you didn’t blow something up,” Noxx growled. “Next time, listen to the kid.”
Across the table, Snake smacked his lips open and shut again.
“Oh, Snake, I’m so sorry,” Luna cried, making apologetic motions with her arms as best she could. “You were right. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Snake blinked at her and then began to laugh so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.
Luna laughed too and after a moment Noxx joined them.
Even baby Sol chuckled and banged Luna on the head with a small fist.
“He’s a good kid,” Noxx said decidedly, as he sat down to eat again.
Luna glanced over at the big blue warrior.
In spite of his tough exterior, he was softening on the inside.
She felt that maybe she was beginning to know the real Noxx, the one she would be sharing a life with.
17
Noxx
Noxx paced the floor with Sol against his chest. The whelp was fussier than usual tonight.
“I can take him,” Luna offered.
“No, no, we’re fine,” Noxx said. “Go on to bed.”
“Where is Snake going to sleep?” she wondered out loud.
But the boy was industriously digging around in the little rucksack he’d had over his shoulder when they found him.
He pulled out a bit of netting fastened to a rope and with a practiced ease, swung one end and then the other over two ceiling beams.
Noxx watched as the kid scrambled into his little hammock and curled up to sleep.
“Wow,” Luna said. “I guess that’s a smart thing to keep around when you live someplace where you can’t be on the ground after dark.”
“We should make some to take with us when we go out, just in case,” Noxx agreed.
Until I’m gone. Then it will just be you.
He tried not to picture her getting caught out after dark, Sol wrapped in her arms, terrified as the little purple ground creatures began to emerge in waves.
“Everything okay?” Luna asked.
“Fine, fine,” he growled. “Go to sleep.”
“You sure you’re okay with him?” she asked.
“We were fine before you came along,” he snapped.
His words hung in the air for a moment, ugly and sharp.
“Did I do something wrong?” Luna asked softly.
Guilt washed over him and he couldn’t find the words to answer.
“I mean, besides the salad,” she joked weakly.
“Everything’s fine, Luna,” he said. “Please get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow.”
She crawled into the furs and curled up, but he could tell by her breathing that she wasn’t asleep.
All he wanted was to put Sol in his little cradle and pleasure his mate until she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
But the boy was here.
And Luna wasn’t his mate. He couldn’t claim her if he wasn’t planning to stay.
It felt like his heart was burning in his chest.
Noxx paced the treehouse floor until Luna’s breathing evened out, and the baby slept hard on his chest.
He knew he should put the little one in his cradle and try to get some sleep himself. But somehow, he couldn’t bear to put him down.
He lowered his face to nuzzle Sol’s little head.
This small being had worked its way into Noxx’s heart. Though he was never meant to be Noxx’s own whelp, there were times when he felt Sol was his.
Pull it together, soldier. Homeland first. Homeland forever.
The night stretched out ahead of him, both too long and too short.
He decided to stand guard.