Barbarian Alien

She’s fierce, my Liz. I like that.

His weapons are gone, and there’s a small bruise on his jaw.

Maybe all of this is getting to me, because at the sight of him, I burst into girly tears.

His expression immediately changes to the possessive one and he pushes through the crowd in the cave to get to me. I hear murmuring, but I don’t care. My cootie has started vibrating, singing a song to his. He sweeps me up against him and presses me against his chest, his big arms holding me close. I can hear his cootie vibrating in time with mine, and I give a small little sigh of happiness.

I’m in his arms. Everything’s okay.

“Liz?” He brushes his hand over my cheek. “What is wrong?”

I scrub a hand over my eyes like a child. “I’m just tired. I want to go lie down somewhere quiet and talk.”

His hand strokes my hair. “Of course.”

Maylak continues to speak, and she gestures at my stomach. Georgie breaks out into a smile and looks at me.

“Let me guess,” I say before she can translate. “I’ve got a bun in the oven.”

Her eyes widen. “You knew?”

“Uh, I shake like I’ve got a vibrator tucked inside me every time Raahosh gets near,” I say in a dry voice. “We might have banged a few times without protection.”

“A few?” She chuckles.

“Okay, a few times a day. But seriously, that’s what the cootie’s about, right? So I’m not surprised. I don’t know how I feel about it, but I’m not shocked.”

She gives me a sympathetic look. “Not sure how you feel about it because it’s Raahosh’s?”

“No.” Dang, why does everyone think I hate the guy? “Not sure how I feel about it because I’m not sure I wanted to be a mommy, and I’m kinda young. I’m only twenty-two. You’re only twenty-two. We’re all only twenty-two and now we’re going to be having kids if the cooties have their way.”