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

you are in a relationship. Something that other humans would recognize and not try anything.”

She thought for a moment, “Well, a ring is an easy indicator if you’re involved with anyone if it’s on a specific finger.”

“May I give you a ring?”

Avie blushed, the hot pink flushing her neck and cheeks, “Is this going too fast? Rings are regarded pretty seriously in any case.”

He simply smiled, “This is customary where I am from. Please do not let me pressure you into something you are uncomfortable with.”

“No, you’re right, it’s not like we’re getting married. I’m worried about messing something up. I really like you, and I really do want to show that I’m with you.”

Rhulle smirked, eyeing the mark he left on her collarbone, “That mark will fade in time, it is almost a shame, no one would dare approach you with my marking on you so prominently.”

She looked down at the light bruising that began to form around the puncture marks.

“Thank you again for that,” she jokingly berated, “I didn’t think you would be so passionate.”

He stirred, “I could not help myself. I have never lost control like that before; all I knew was that I needed to mark you—have a part of me with you.”

“Is that what you were saying during?”

“I… no, actually, was I that unintelligible?” He looked away, evidently a little self-conscious.

Her eyebrows raised, incredulous that he didn’t register the switch, “You were speaking in a completely different language.”

Rhulle balked, “I was? I spoke Truxen to you?”

“I’ve never heard you speak so much of it. It was incredible,” Avie spoke with a nod, eyes sparkling at the recent memory.

He ruffled his feathers in response to her praise, his smile coming back full force and causing him to glance off to the side in a rather shy manner.

“Would you like to learn it?”

Her eyes doubled in size, “Could I? Really?”

“Yes, I think you would pick it up quite well.”

The next few hours were spent learning vocabularies and pronunciations. Simple beginner words presented with examples written down for her to absorb, his alphabet resembling braille and odd loops. Even basic introduction sentences and questions were grasped in the short time, reciprocating the words well, but struggling when reading to translate and sound out. It was all very fun to teach and be taught.

She started a sentence, being interrupted when Rhulle grabbed her chin, turning her to face him while pressing his lips to hers.

“It is incredible to hear my language flow from you, but we should get some rest. It has been an eventful evening.”

Avie agreed, head light from the mix of drowsiness and the rush of kissing him.

She slept cozy and warm while the harsh winter wrapped around them, Rhulle kept her warmer than any blanket could with him practically radiating heat. She sighed, content, while falling into the bliss of sleep.

Rhulle wanted her to feel the same as he did. His heart sang with every glance in her direction, dancing in his body when she smiled, those glorious green eyes illuminating in every sense of the word. It was a shame Avie could not see what he did.

This human really did capture his heart, he thought his life was over, that he would be alone forever, doomed to be confined on a planet in his punishments… Yet, here was a ray of sunshine that cut through his darkness. She wouldn’t give up. She wanted to see him, to know him, despite everything… Everything he said and done. They were even compatible! Each viewing things in a similar fashion, it was delightful to talk, learn and teach with her.

Rhulle never thought this day would have come. If he told his past self about these future events, surely, he would have killed the ‘imposter’ that told him grandiose tales about humans.

No, he still didn’t like humans… just this one.

He wanted Avie to be beside him through whatever the circumstance, to be with her forever, symbolized as truxi do with their union, and humans with their marriage. He was hopeful that getting a ring for her would be that first step in having her accustomed to the idea he wanted her eternally, and that they could be just so.

But how would he go about getting one?

He couldn’t very well march into town to purchase one. Rhulle figured he could make one yet had no idea what he could use that could be forged in a similar fashion. He needed to get one, possibly from another human.

The truxen had an idea on where one just may be.

CHAPTER 18

Owen was pacing, walking tight circles around his bedroom for what could have been hours, his gun clenched tightly in his fist. Every so often he would look at it, trying to summon courage.

Last night as soon as the sun started to dip behind the horizon, he headed out to the old manor, hoping the guise of darkness would help protect him from being seen searching. If that monster was there, he didn’t want to linger for long, if Avie was also there; she could have at least explained away him searching for his gun. However, if she was there, Owen didn’t want her to see him frantically searching through the snow. He couldn’t stand to see her since that afternoon, hearing news that she let herself be victimized by the thing, having her blood taken, the creature no doubt had a taste for her now.

If she saw him feverishly digging for his revolver, the desperation clear in his movements, well, she used to be smart, she might put two and two together.

Finally, he found the silver handgun, its frame gripped within warm gloves. Taking no time, he got the hell out of there, not wanting to risk his presence; the snow falling would help fill in the disruption he created.

He looked down at the gleaming metal—could he really do it? Shoot to kill? Could he really end a life? Owen never saw himself as someone with the ability to