Sohut's Protection: A Sci-fi Alien Romance (Riv's Sanctuary Book 2) A.G. Wilde (best way to read an ebook TXT) 📖

Wawa was relaxed on her shoulder so she took that as a good indication that she was safe.

In no time, the bushes rustled again and Cleo gripped her piece of metal.

When Sohut appeared, her shoulders sagged a little.

“It’s safe,” he said. “Come.”

It was a small stream nestled in the middle of the undergrowth and Sohut took the time to fill his water bottle before passing it to her.

“I think we sleep here tonight,” he said, looking around them. “We could continue pushing forward but,” he glanced at her, “you should rest.”

Cleo frowned.

If he was stopping because of her…

“I don’t need sleep.”

Her eyes fell on Wawa as he approached the stream, his tail brushing against Sohut’s leg as he took a sip.

“You do.” His gaze fell on Wawa too. “I’m sure he agrees.”

As if Wawa understood them, he turned to blink at her before he began drinking once more.

Fine.

Looking upward, she realized there were no tall trees nearby.

He must have read her mind because Sohut stood suddenly and began pulling some vines together.

“We’ll rest here.” He glanced around again. “If anything comes near, I’ll smell them before they can get close.”

Swallowing the water, Cleo cast her gaze around at the darkening jungle.

She trusted Sohut.

What she didn’t trust was the potential danger chasing them.

26

Cleo’s eyes fluttered open and it took a few moments to focus.

She felt warm, protected…safe…and she realized the reason why immediately.

Somehow while they slept, Sohut had draped his body around hers completely.

It was like she was in her own little blue alien cocoon.

Yawning, she rubbed her eyes.

The light from his light disk made it seem as if it was already morning, but now that her eyes were open some more, she could see that the jungle beyond was still dark.

Above them, nestled in a bunch of vines, she could just about make out Wawa’s white fluffy tail. He was asleep too…but something had woken her up.

There was a slight sound of shuffling and, with much effort because of the heavy alien stuck to her like a second skin, Cleo managed to rise on her elbows, her gaze moving near to Sohut’s feet.

His satchel was moving and out of the open end poked the butt of one of the jungle-penguins.

There were three of them. The other two were standing close by, poking the satchel with their red beaks.

Yawning, Cleo shook her head.

To think they’d come this close without running away, even though she was their predator.

How they survived this long in the wild was a mystery.

The one with its head in the satchel gave a shake and some of the things in the bag went rolling out.

Groaning at the noise, Sohut lifted his head.

“Clee-yo?”

The jungle-penguin lifted its head then, with the bag still stuck over it, and began waddling away.

Cleo had to giggle.

“They’re so cute. I hate having to eat them all the time,” she murmured.

“Cute?” Sohut rose beside her and she felt him stiffen.

There was a tickle at her throat and she rubbed her hands there absentmindedly. It felt almost like a ring of itchy nerves was around her neck.

Sohut moved so fast, she lost her balance, and when her wide eyes reached him, her mouth fell open a little.

He was gripping one of the little birds so tightly, she was sure it risked being popped like a balloon.

For the first time since being around the animals, she saw an expression other than innocent ignorance on their faces.

The one Sohut was holding was bug-eyed as it looked at Sohut, its mouth slightly open with one of Sohut’s gadgets between its beak.

The gadget was blinking and the more she looked at it the more that feeling around her neck tightened.

It took her a few moments to realize Sohut had his fangs out, snarling at the little bird before he snatched the device from its beak.

And when he turned to look at her…something deep inside her turned into cold, cold marble and fell.

Something bad was about to happen.

She knew it.

The look of absolute horror and dread in his eyes had her swallowing hard.

“Sohut?”

The feeling around her neck was tightening now and her heart was beginning to hammer against her chest.

“Sohut, what is that?” Her gaze fell to the device blinking in his hands.

But he didn’t answer. The next thing she knew, she was being hoisted over his shoulder as he dashed into the bushes.

If she could see in the dark, her view would be that of the back of his legs because she was upside down.

She could feel his chest heaving, feel the fear in his bones and even though she’d consider herself a mentally sturdy gal, his response was beginning to terrify her.

“Where are you going?!” He didn’t answer. He was running. Running much faster than he was supposed to be able to in the darkness in a jungle, but he was managing it anyway.

Vines and bushes slapped against them, as he all but flew through the darkness.

He was moving as if he was running away from something, and that scared her.

This was the same alien who’d told her to run while he fought the literal darkness-come-to-life.

He wasn’t afraid of anything.

“Sohut! We left our stuff…and Wawa…”

She didn’t understand what was happening, but whatever it was, it clearly had something to do with the device he carried in his hand.

“Wawa will find us. He knows your scent. The little phekker has bonded to you.” It didn’t sound like the Sohut she knew.

His voice sounded…strained.

“Sohut…talk to me…” She swallowed hard and reached up to touch her neck. There was no physical thing there, but it felt like a chain was around her neck, constricting against her vocal cords. And the more she fought it, the harder it squeezed.

“What’s happening to me?” Fear was laced in her voice and at her question, it was as if his breaths started to come harder, harsher—and not because of his exertion.

It was almost as if he was hyperventilating.

She could feel the huge, hurried breaths