Her Alien Protector: A Sci-fi Romance

Part 5

Rigel

How did I overlook purchasing an additional bed?

Based on Ava's behaviors (let alone the marks on her body), it is evident Loviatar was abusive. That means sleeping next to another male, even a non-scourge such as myself, is likely to terrify her. I will not do that to her.

Thank the stars she is still quiet in my arms. I open a few wall storage drawers, pull out clean blankets, and throw them onto the floor. During my childhood, I slept in cliff caves; by comparison, sleeping on a pile of blankets on the floor of the heated Hydra ship is a luxury.

I put Ava onto the bed, pulling the sheet up to her chin. Before I leave her, she grips my arms.

"No, Ava. Sleep."

My wall unit translates, but I suspect she does not understand, because the moment I dislodge one hand, her other hand becomes enmeshed in my feathers. I remove her second hand, and the first one grips me again. She is like a multi-limbed creature. Her legs join the fight, wrapping themselves around me. I fall, crashing onto the bed and her.

"Ava, Ava, are you hurt?"

She is underneath me and a high-pitched laugh comes from her. Her face is in my stomach and when she laughs again her voice vibrates, running through the surrounding skin and muscles, tickling the flesh not only of my stomach, but my abdomen, my waist, and... Oh, my stars, the sensation races to my twitching cock.

I want to claim her as mine. Nip her on the shoulder the way scourges do.

Staying in the same bed with her is not an option.

"Ava, no!"

For someone so small, prying her fingers off my arms is challenging.

She speaks what sounds like gibberish.

The wall unit translates for her. "Please. Stay with me. Don't want to be alone. Please, Rigel."

Her eyes shine and tears run down her cheeks.

Seeing Ava in such distress pains me.

Fix this! "You will not be alone. You will sleep in the bed, and I will sleep on the blankets," I say, pointing to the floor, hoping that when she sees the layout, she will understand... "I will be no more than a wing's-length away."

She rubs her cheek against the back of my hand. "Please..." she begs, as another tear runs down her cheek. "No scourge, no scourge, no scourge, no—"

She wants me to lie down next to her. It would be simple for me to give her what she wants.

This is her first night. My presence could provide comfort. How can I deny her?

I get into bed with her and in a clumsy attempt to soothe her, I place my wing over her. "Sleep, Ava."

She curls into my side, her fingers combing through the undersides of my wing. With every part of my body awakening, sleep seems unlikely. Lying next to her feels right, though.

***

Her soft voice wakes me. "Scourge? Scourge here?"

The fact Loviatar made her so fearful of scourges angers me. Awareness of my anger right now might make her more fearful, so...

"No scourges are in this room," I say.

Even after the wall unit translates my words, her eyes dart around the room.

"Scourge, scourge..."

I get out of bed, remembering the words of the scourge nurse; Ava needs frequent feeding. Plus, food might help distract her. I open the bag of pellets and fill her food bowl.