Page 128 of Citrine

Instead, it makes my heart feel full. I was concerned that, at best, all he would ever manage is a relationship with me. I mean, it's a weird relationship, but it still feels like one.

I was afraid that he might simply stop himself from killing everyone else and never progress past that, but I think I'm seeing the development of his very first friendship.

Not counting us, of course. If you can call grumping at each other and having amazing sex friendship.

What am I saying? Of course you can.

Even so, the idea that Kira is his first platonic friend ever is blowing my mind, and it hurts my heart to think about how many years he went without something so simple, so important, but it makes the look on his face all that much sweeter.

He twitches his tentacles, pulling the one held near Kira back slowly. "I enjoyed that, Kira. When can we do it again?"

She grins at him. "To be honest, my dude, probably not very often. We should split up our efforts so I'm more inland and you and Eli check the shorelines. Hunters are bound to come close to a body of water like this."

"And you should find out if the river that way," Ree points off into the trees behind us, "dumps into the lake. It would expand your hunting opportunities."

He looks excited, which kind pisses me off, considering how much time I have spent trying to get him to explore. Then I remind myself that he isn't human. To him, the hunt is the basic foundation of his reality.

I've been putting it in terms of exploring just to leave, but they offered him something that makes sense. I tuck that away as Ree looks us both over.

"Did your body expel the bullets, Wroahk? I see some of them covered in your blood on the ground," she says as she points to one of them.

"Yes, of course."

She raises an eyebrow. "Yes, ladies, we officially got the short end of the evolution stick, just like I've been thinking since I met Thiv. That just looks like a simple flesh wound, Eli. Just get it cleaned off and your nanites will take care of it."

Then they leave to grab more supplies before we all meet back at the island.

57

Wroahk

It took far too long for me to convince Eli to come back with me to our underwater cave. I doubt I would have convinced her had her newfriendsnot expressed the desire to sleep.

She's still restless when we get down there. "We should seriously go beyond this lake. There has to be more to see."

How is this still an issue? She has hercommunity. They even said they will bring the enemy to us to kill.

"No."

I can sense her annoyance as she droops in my arms, mumbling things I cannot understand under her breath.

I don't like her like that. I want that happy look back.

"Oh, I mean to hunt," she says, cutting her dark eyes at me.

"Not to leave me?"

She turns to face me fully. "Of course not. Wherever you go, I go."

It sends a good feeling through my body to hear those words. She has changed me. From trying to eat her to now trying to understand her feelings and appease her.

She's a troublesomecompanion, but I chose her myself.

Ikissher forehead, holding her tighter in my arms. I know she likes when I do that, and she especially likes when I stroke her yellow weeds. Her tentacles wrap around my arm as I rub my grasper through them, feeling and sensing me.

Once I can taste her arousal, I know she likes it.

If they are like mine, the information her tentacles are sending back to her is overwhelming. My excitement rises as I feel her body grow warmer.

---