The First She ✓

THIRTY ONE

The day fell steadily, and eventually, it faded altogether.

Rokan had returned with furs, which to her surprise had already been cleaned. The men curtained their reproductive systems by tying the loincloths around their hips. No one complained, but she was sure that it hurt them to shelf their trophies.

She was lying on a bed made of leaves, sticks, and hay. The quality of the material wasn't much compared to the king bed and quality sheets that were waiting in her Washington DC apartment, but she didn't mind.

There were countless stars in the sky, each representing a centimeter of Vrox's immense body. The giant was lying next to her on his own bedspread, too far for her liking.

Although the sky was absolutely stunning, she'd rather have the meteorite of his body hovering above her. She sighed as she gave into the daydream.

Fire erupts as the meteorite enters the Earth's atmosphere. My body burns as he comes closer, ready to crush me once we make impact.

We collide, his single thrust shattering and sending shards flying.

I lay there destroyed, indented with a crater that can only be filled once my meteorite crashes into me again.

"Kira?" Vrox voice went off, sounding so guttural that she could swear the night became darker.

She swallowed when she realized that she had been panting through her daydream.

"I– I'm okay. I'm just... uh, scared. We're out in the open, and an animal could get us, you know?"

"If anything comes for you, I will kill it and make it breakfast."

She smiled.

That was such a Vrox thing to say– protective and wild.

"Goodnight, Vrox."

"What does this mean?"

Her smile widened. "It means that I hope you rest well."

"Likewise."

"Quiet, both of you, or I will enslave you in a te-vision box," Kyros groaned.

She chuckled, laid on her side, and fell asleep under the stars and Vrox's silent scrutiny.

– • –

The men ate their raw meat, and she nibbled on a fruit.

The air was still cold as if it hadn't woken up from its slumber. With a shy shudder, she ran a hand up her arm. She noticed the state of her dirty hands and took note of the rest of her. Dirt was crawling up her legs and arms, and she didn't want to think about her hair.

"Vrox," she called out.

"Yes?"

"Is there a lake nearby?"

"You will find a lake after taking ten steps in any direction. Ezron has many bodies of water."

"Ezron?"