Page 58 of Reluctantly Abducted
"Get it together, Hayes," I mutter to myself, shaking my head.
I sink into the hot water, feeling it envelop my tired body. Despite my attempts to stay focused on the present, memories surface with vivid clarity as I close my eyes. Ry'eth in the hydration pool, the subtle patterns of light pulsing beneath hisskin as he explained its biological benefits. His initial shyness, the way he would avert his eyes, only to be caught looking when he thought I wouldn't notice.
The water brings back other memories too. More intimate ones. Ry'eth in my quarters, the controlled scientist giving way to something far more primal. The stunning cascade of light across his blue skin as he came apart beneath me. The surprising strength in his lean body when he took control, the way his eyes seemed to glow from within when he looked down at me.
I feel my body responding to the memory, blood rushing south despite my exhaustion. It's been happening all week—these unexpected moments of arousal triggered by the most random memories of him. The way he tilted his head when confused by an Earth expression. The subtle change in his voice when he was trying not to show emotion.
I slide lower in the water, giving in to the inevitable. My hand moves down my chest, across my stomach, finally wrapping around my hardening cock. I don't fight the images that come—Ry'eth's face, his eyes, the patterns of light beneath his skin that betrayed his emotions regardless of how much scientific detachment he tried to maintain.
I remember the moment his scientific reserve finally broke completely. The way his bioluminescence had flared so bright it lit the entire room. The surprising heat of his normally cool skin against mine. The sounds he made—so controlled at first, then increasingly abandoned as he lost himself in pleasure.
My hand moves faster as I replay these moments in my mind. The feel of him against me, around me. The way his body responded to my touch, his skin glowing brighter wherever my fingers traced. The surprising intensity of connection that went beyond the physical—something I'd never experienced before, not even in my longest relationships.
I come with a strangled groan, my body tensing and then relaxing into the warm water. For a moment, the release dulls the ache of his absence. But as the pleasure fades, the hollow feeling returns, somehow deeper than before.
I finish bathing, drain the tub, and dry off mechanically. The brief escape only makes reality harder to face. I pull on clean sweatpants and a t-shirt, then move to the window, looking out at the city lights. Somewhere out there, people are living their normal lives, falling in and out of love with other humans, dealing with ordinary human problems. Meanwhile, I'm here, pining for someone who isn't even from this planet. Someone who might have already forgotten me, filed me away as a completed research project.
The thought makes me wince. Sleep. I just need sleep. Maybe tomorrow will be easier.
It won't be, of course. Tomorrow will be exactly like today. Gym in the morning. Maybe a job search in the afternoon, though I have no idea what I'm qualified for in civilian life beyond combat medicine. More exercise until exhaustion. Another night trying not to dream of golden eyes and blue-tinted skin.
I fall into bed, my body finally giving in to fatigue. As consciousness fades, I find myself imagining the subtle hum of Ry'eth's ship—that barely perceptible vibration that had become so familiar during my time there. I imagine him working late in the lab, that look of intense concentration on his face as he analyzes data, occasional pulses of light beneath his skin when he discovers something interesting.
Would he even recognize what we had as something worth missing? Or am I just a footnote in his research now?
I stare at the ceiling, exhausted but still awake, wondering if there's a universe where I get to see those golden eyes again.
Chapter Eighteen
Ry'eth
My quarters feel empty. Devoid of purpose. I move through the familiar space with mechanical efficiency, packing equipment for my next assignment—environmental samples from the eastern coastal regions require analysis before the seasonal shifts alter their composition. Work that would normally engage my full attention now feels like a hollow obligation.
It has been two days since my Council presentation. Two days of attempting to focus on upcoming research projects. Two days of failing to silence the persistent thought that follows me everywhere:I miss him.
The admission, even to myself, feels like a betrayal of scientific objectivity. Three days of assessment should not be sufficient to form a meaningful attachment. Not for a Nereidan researcher who has dedicated his life to data, not emotion.
And yet.
I place another sample container in my field kit, checking its seal with perhaps more thoroughness than necessary. The eastern coast assignment is straightforward—routine environmental monitoring that will keep me occupied for approximately ten days. Under normal circumstances, I would find satisfaction in this work.
Normal circumstances did not include meeting Owen Hayes.
The door signal interrupts my methodical packing. I'm not expecting visitors. My departure isn't scheduled until tomorrow morning, and most colleagues know better than to disturb me during preparation periods.
"Enter," I call, continuing my work.
The door slides open to reveal Kav'eth. My oldest brother stands in the doorway, wearing the formal Council robes he rarely removes these days. His expression is carefully neutral, but I can see subtle patterns of concern in the light beneath his skin.
"Kav'eth," I acknowledge, surprised. "I didn't expect you."
"Clearly," he replies, stepping inside and allowing the door to close behind him. His gaze sweeps over my quarters, noting the packed equipment. "You're preparing for your coastal assignment."
"Yes. I depart tomorrow at first light." I seal another sample container, focusing on the task rather than meeting his eyes. "Was there something you needed? Council business?"
"No," Kav'eth says, moving further into the room. "This is a personal visit."
That gets my attention. Kav'eth rarely makes personal visits. Since his appointment to the Council, he has become increasingly focused on formal protocols and official duties. The brother who once taught me to identify mineral compositions in ocean sediment has gradually disappeared behind Councilor Kav'eth's formal demeanor.
