“So soon?”
“I was interrupted the last time…”
Avie nodded; goosebumps littered her skin. Only a matter of days ago he went through the same process, stopped short of getting his fill. She was nervous, not sure what would happen, but the uncertainty of the unknown also caused anticipation to burn alongside the uneasiness.
There went the plan to meet tomorrow...
With the truxen needing to feed, there was no way Owen would be so much as looking at the forest. God… What would he even say if he knew what she was doing?
She packed a few items in an overnight bag, as well as some bottles of water and entertainment in the form of movies, books, a puzzle, and a notepad, just in case. While she was there, she could also ask about the gun. But she didn’t want to retrieve it for Owen, he could collect his property and talk with Rhulle like a big boy.
If they could only communicate properly... Avie knew eventually Owen would jump at the chance to get to know an outer space creature.
Rhulle waited for her just beyond the sight lines of the trees. There, he offered his arm and they walked together until they arrived at the manor. The wind had picked up during their walk, Avie needing to pull up her yellow scarf to warm her nose, snow desperately trying to pummel her.
“I don’t know how you can stay so warm; do they have weather like this on Celisc?”
“Almost, although it does not come with wind like this, the snow simply falls to the ground.”
She practically moaned, “I’m jealous, that’s when it’s the most beautiful.”
They walked in, met with a fire already burning inside, warming her skin as she sighed. Shedding layers, Avie relaxed in front of the burning logs, watching Rhulle shake and brush off any lingering snow in the doorway before joining her.
“So, the feeding, is that going to happen tomorrow?”
He shrugged, “It may, I only get a feeling before it starts to become full blown hunger, it may be longer, it may be shorter in time. I did not want you to miss it if it helps stop your sickness.”
“It will help, I’m sure it will. I also wanted to ask about the gun Owen kind of just, left here. Is it still out in the snow?”
Rhulle grimaced, rolling his head away in a show of revulsion before returning, “Of course it is! I would not touch that if it were a last resort!”
“I don’t like to either, he just doesn’t want it getting into the wrong hands, he may pick it up sometime soon.”
“To be expected, but not alone I presume?”
She laughed, “He is still a little wary of you, Rhulle. I might have to tag along.”
They both shared a laugh, the noise dying down to silence while Avie stared at Rhulle. She rested a cheek on her knuckles, imagining what he must have gone through on his own planet under the feeding circumstances.
He shifted under her gaze, “What is it?”
“I was thinking, would you tell me more about your home?”
“That is all? What would you like to know?”
Avie smiled in an unsure manner, “It’s a silly question, but when you fed there, did they look like us too?”
Rhulle threw his head back, a hearty laugh following before shaking it in dismissal, “Not in the slightest. We had creatures, nearly entirely full of liquids that contained everything we needed for sustenance—they were abundant, always coming to us when we had the need. The things not even sentient in existence, they were small and nude in colour, perhaps the size and likeness of one of your vermin with the fur and the long tail?”
Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline, “Rats?” she asked, incredulous.
“Ahh, yes, a rat; about their stature, but exoskeleton akin to your insects here. They were the only thing we needed, but we had other foods. Although those were only to sample the taste, the more affluent one was, the more access to these other foods we had—”
She had been giggling, turning into full blown laughter as he was cut off.
“What is so funny?”
Avie still laughed, trying to take in oxygen as she waved at him in an attempt of an apology.
“I’m sorry, I… It’s no wonder you viewed us so lowly, we were just rodents to you! Larger versions for you to feed on!”
The laughter bubbled out again, leaving Rhulle looking a little flabbergasted… He started to laugh too, joining her in a thought process put so bluntly.
CHAPTER 14
“You know I do not view you as one of those vermin, right?”
The pair were watching a movie, cozied up in the chesterfield residing in Rhulle’s bedroom, conversations since then had come and gone. Avie turned to him, half thinking he was referring to the kids in the movie, before she realized what he meant.
“Of course. Rhulle, you’ve done everything to show me that.”
His eyes were serious, “I used to… Before, I mean.”
Still, she smiled, “I know, but that was before I had the privilege to get to know you, get to talk with you, spend time with you. Who else has done that?”
Rhulle took in her words, thinking over what could have been their conversations, or even conversations with others before her, “Only you. My view on humans has shifted. I would never want to hurt you, what if there are others that I do not want to either?”
“Then that is up to you. Yes, there may be others; you do still need us to stay alive though. I don’t know what else could be used yet…” she trailed off, looking down. Avie felt selfish, in that moment a spark of envy filled through her at the mention of others meeting and knowing Rhulle as she did. She wanted, in a way,
