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

There was something warm and welcoming about seeing the well-fed, happy animals, feeling the cool breeze, and the fact it was out in the middle of nowhere with people that were now to be her extended family.

“So, this is the Sanctuary,” she murmured.

“Yep!” Lauren answered and Cleo’s eyes widened in surprise a bit.

She hadn’t realized she’d spoken loud enough for the other woman to hear.

Staring at her now, she still couldn’t believe there was really another human on this strange planet.

“Do you like it? I know it’s not much in terms of facilities, but we try hard and the animals are nice.” Lauren grinned at her and Cleo got the impression she was the type that usually tried to find the sunshine on rainy days. “You can have Sohut’s room.”

Lauren’s cheeks grew warm. “I mean, of course you’re going to stay in Sohut’s room. You’re together.” Her cheeks grew warmer. “Nia is using the spare room anyway.”

“Nia?”

As she said the name, another human female rounded the corner, a bucket in hand.

“Nia!” Lauren exclaimed, waving the woman over. “Meet Cleo. She just arrived. I know we have a lot to talk about, but we can do it later after you come in.”

“Nice to meet you,” Cleo said, awestruck.

Nia smiled and extended her hand for a handshake before she grimaced and pulled it back.

“Hey! I’d shake your hand but mine is full of umu poop. Not the best of introductions.”

Lauren chuckled and Cleo smiled.

This was unbelievable.

To meet not one, but two more humans, after she’d spent so long thinking she was alone.

“How’d you come? Did Geblit bring you in a box?” Nia asked.

“No, I came with Sohut.”

She was about to ask about Geblit and the box before Lauren spoke up.

“She’s Sohut’s gnora.” Lauren beamed.

Nia’s eyes bugged out.

“Really? Wow.” She smiled, but there was a sudden sadness behind her eyes. “That’s…That’s amazing.” Nia forced her smile wider.

“Thank you,” Cleo answered. The woman’s response was a bit confusing and she couldn’t help but wonder if Nia and Sohut had met before.

He hadn’t mentioned her.

As if she summoned him, Sohut and his brother rounded the corner of another building.

“What are you ladies talking about?” Sohut’s eyes found her immediately and he moved to stand by her side.

“Sohut, this is the other human I was telling you about.” Riv all but growled the words. “She is called Nee-ya.”

Sohut pulled his eyes away and they landed on Nia. “Nice to meet you.”

When Nia met his gaze, there was no recognition there. Still, sadness lingered behind her eyes. “Nice to meet you too.” She smiled. “Well, this is nice! You’re all paired up!”

Sohut pulled Cleo closer against him.

“I’m delighted to be,” he said.

There was a beat before Lauren spoke up.

“Well, it’s almost dinner time! I hope you like rai and braised meat!” Lauren grinned as Riv pulled her small body against his.

“Everybody loves rai and braised meat,” Riv growled, casting a serious eye their way that said they shouldn’t protest.

Chuckling, the party headed into the house.

As the three beings walked ahead of them, Cleo slowed her steps and Sohut turned a questioning gaze her way.

“Clee-yo…is something wrong?”

Cleo moved her gaze from the Sanctuary and the view of the plain beyond to the man that had literally entered her life and turned it completely around.

“No, I just…”

Sohut moved close to her and pulled her into his arms. “I know it’s not much, but—”

“It’s perfect,” she interrupted him. “It couldn’t be more perfect.”

Tears filled her eyes and she willed them back.

She wasn’t the emotional type, damnit.

Sohut reached a finger to her face and wiped a tear away, just as Wawa pushed his head out from under the hood.

“I’m not making her cry,” Sohut said to Wawa and Wawa bumped his head against her cheek.

Burying her face into Sohut’s chest, she wrapped her arms around him.

“Clee-yo?” Sohut whispered.

“I just…that day when I escaped from the orc’s cart, I never imagined I’d ever have this…”

Sohut was silent for a few seconds and when she looked up at him, there was a bewildered look on his face.

“But your eyes leak…are you not…happy?”

Cleo chuckled and sniffled at the same time.

“Oh, Sohut, I’m more than happy.”

Sohut pulled her into him. “Sure?”

“Sure.”

They stood like that for a few moments before she whispered into his chest, “I love you.”

Sohut pulled her tighter into him.

“I love you too, my gnora.”

And if that wasn’t the best feeling in this alien world, she didn’t know what was.

Epilogue

“Ka’Cit is coming to help me get that thing off your neck.” Sohut walked toward her and massaged her neck.

Cleo leaned back into his touch. She’d begun to get used to the pressure there to the point that it was almost just a part of her existence.

The blue ring only bothered her when she had any sort of high emotion and being on the sanctuary, life was calm.

Still, that didn’t mean she wanted to keep it on her neck.

“When will he get here?” she asked.

“Maybe after dinner,” Sohut answered.

In the kitchen, she could hear deep chuckles that could only belong to a man and she knew Riv was in there laughing with Lauren. How the woman managed to do such a feat she didn’t know.

For the most part, Riv only seemed to smile for Lauren and his brother.

She was thinking about that when a huge figure suddenly loomed in the doorway.

Instincts kicked in quickly and she reached into the boots Sohut had given her for her trusty piece of metal.

The intruder was male, and he was wearing a sort of welding mask.

“Ka’Cit. You arrived much sooner than I thought you would.” Sohut smiled, moving over to touch the male on his shoulder.

“I was in the area,” the stranger replied.

She didn’t know how she knew it, but this Ka’Cit was staring straight at her. She could feel it.

She couldn’t see his face because of the mask he wore but she could sense his gaze anyway.

“This is Clee-yo. I need that disruptor for her.”

“A bio-tracker,” Ka’Cit mused as he moved toward her,