Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

He scoffed, an incredulous laugh falling from his lips as pieces lined up, “You have feelings for that thing? When he-he’s not even human, Avie!”

She tried to shush him, “Owen shush! Look, I’m not going to lie to you—”

“Why him? Hmm? Why him and not me?”

She stopped, “What?”

He grasped her face in his hands, leaning down and pressing their lips together. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, Avie pushing him away.

“We were always supposed to be together, Aves. It made so much sense; just tell me it’s not real. Tell me the real Avie is in there still.”

She reeled, distressed at his actions, “I think you should leave. You keep saying I’ve changed but you’re the one who’s changed. I’ve been defending you and making excuses, but this draws the line. I don’t like you in that way; I never will.”

“What, you wanna kiss the monster instead?” She looked down, away from his sad eyes. “You don’t… Avie, you haven’t!” He stomped toward her, causing the woman to flinch backwards.

Rhulle appeared behind her, his hands falling lightly on her shoulders, a wing blocking Owen’s path, “Avie has asked you to leave. I suggest you do.”

She watched through the gaps between feathers as the fearful cerulean gaze locked to Rhulle. Avie stared up at him, his eyes that were once seen a tarnished gold, now completely encompassed in a threatening crimson. The blond fell to the ground and scuttled back, finding the strength to stand up, run for his coat, throwing open the exit to flee into the night. She was heartbroken. A sob escaped her; Rhulle turned her to support while she cried over the transpired scenario.

“What just happened? I thought… I thought he was my friend. He kept saying he would try. He would at least try… We have been through so much, but he just… He didn’t,” she hiccupped through the sobs, grasping his feathered chest.

“He did not view you as an equal, but a prize. Come; let us go back to the fire.” She could only nod, sniffling and sobbing getting the best of her.

CHAPTER 15

She finally stopped shaking, a blanket draped around her shoulders and a water bottle in her grip, Rhulle drew light patterns on her back over the hour.

“Did I overreact? Did he deserve any of that?” Avie asked.

“I do not know him as you do, but it may be something that needed to happen. He tried to change you. He tried to use you. He had tried to claim you. A friend does not do that.”

She nodded, craning her neck to look back at him, “What do you think will happen now? What will he do?”

“He can try to gather humans to search for me, I have been here a very long time with no luck on their part. He may try to come after me alone, however.”

“You won’t hurt him, if he does?” He was silent. “I don’t want him to die, please promise me that you won’t.”

“… I promise, Avie, he will not die by my hand if it ever came to that.”

“Thank you…” She rested her head on his chest, “Rhulle, how long have you been on this planet?”

“I do not know years in specific, I have lost track. But it has been numerous, at least.”

“How old are you?”

“Truxi live for a few hundred years by your cycles of the sun. To us, it feels a normal life span. If humans live to be 100 years old on average, I suppose I would reach around the 30 years mark, simply speaking, of course.”

Avie laughed, “Of course…” She turned to face him, “I was thinking about it… and I’m wondering why the call came to me now, why didn’t it affect me later? Same with the other people who come here, it’s all different times in their life. How does that work?”

“We still do not know what goes on in the bodies of them, let alone yours. Are you certain you are okay to keep going?”

She nodded strongly, “It just keeps getting worse. This will help, I know it will.”

“You are very brave, dear Avie.” He brushed hair out of her face, taking in her features. The look was gentle, eyes drinking in her being. She glanced over him in turn, lingering over his lips… Lips that she kissed moments ago…

The redhead changed the topic, “Maybe we should talk about something else. It’s tough to think about.”

He hummed, “We could talk about what happened earlier between the two of us? I rather enjoyed that.”

Was it just her, or did his tone sound flirty? She blushed brightly, not really expecting him to bring the kiss up. “O-oh? I wasn’t really sure if what I did was appropriate, do you do anything similar?”

“We show affection in this way,” he cupped her face, kissing her chaste on the lips and rubbing her jaw line with both thumbs, “it is for vovii. But what you had done… I have never experienced that before.”

Her body flushed with heat, thinking about how her tongue danced in his mouth, she still had her face so close to his, lust filing her gaze, “... Vovii?”

Rhulle smiled in that soft way that made her heart flutter, “I like you, Avie. It took a long time, but I like you a lot. I do not know what your customs are, but if I get to kiss you like that, they must be similar.”

“Would you like to again?” she whispered, her breath hitting his lips just inches from hers.

He crooned, a whisper barely funneling out, “Yes.”

The pair talked about complicated feelings that built in between them both, kissing into late hours all the while. He spoke about reciprocating the same affection Avie had, unsure how to break the barrier that separated the two physically, or whether it was proper of him to even dare try. Thankful that she took the initiative after sending so many signals to her that he wanted more, but too afraid to try anything else.

His species