Page 17 of Invasion of Sorority Z

“Of course they didn’t,” I say proudly. “You’re a badass.” As we get to the living room, Marrec stands and notes our locked hands. “Hey big guy, this is my friend Anna. She shot at Drak a couple of times, if you remember.”

He chuckles along with me and dips his head. “My greetings, Anna. I hear you are fierce with your hu-nim weapons. Many impressive shots fired during your hunt, I am told.”

She purses her lips in disbelief. “If you were having a nap this whole time, how do you know?”

“Drak often corresponds with me through my arm.” He holds it up, flashing the red metallic appendage for display. “I can receive messages through here.” He points. “I have just listened to his many notes while waiting.”

“Oh.” She clears her throat. “Well, all right then.”

I give her a little elbow to the ribs and smile teasingly at her. “Let’s go get toasty by the fire,Miss Zombie Slayer.”

Her eyes roll, and she lets go of my hand to lead the way, ever the fearless goddess.

I walk the short distance to the fire by Marrec’s side, watching Anna’s path so that I don’t trip. When she’s a little bit further from us, I look up to the alien. “Did Drak really send you messages about Anna? Like a lot of them?” I whisper.

He grunts in agreement. “Many,” Marrec tells me. “He is most impressed with her weapon handling. He is a collector of such things, and it seems she once was as well.”

That makes me so happy for her, but before I can say it, we’ve arrived at the campfire. There are old lawn chairs and new wood stumps spread around it, all of the aliens sitting on the wood since it is big enough to fit them. I don’t bother asking if we should be having a fire, since up until now we’ve deemed them to be too risky. I know that we’re safe with Marrec and the other Aprixians. I feel it in my gut.

“Oh, hey,” Sarah says, noticing me first. “You’re alive,” she teases. “Good to know.”

“You thought I was dead and didn’t try to come save me? I’m hurt.”

Rem snorts with laughter. “Do not let her fool you, Stee-vee. She yelled many strange words at me until I showed her that you were safely sleeping in Marrec’s capable arms.”

I don’t even care that Rem just implied people looked at me sleeping without me noticing. I don’t care at all that they know I cuddled with an alien hours after meeting him. I only care that I have such a good friend.

“You came looking for me?” I ask, almost getting choked up.

“Duh,” she sniffs. “You would have done the same thin—” I knock the words from her throat, hugging her tightly. “Okay, okay,” she complains. “I was just checking on you. No need to suck my tits about it.”

“What are ta-its?” Rem asks, bewildered as we separate.

“Tits,” Megan corrects. “Breasts, boobies, ta-tas, melons.” Groping herself through her shirt, she lifts them as an example.

Brooke slaps at her hands, chastising her playfully. “Don’t grab your boobs and wiggle them at our guests. You’ll scare them off.”

Megan gasps in mock outrage. “I take offense to that.” Turning to Drak at her left, she asks him, “Do my tits scare you?”

“I do not understand this question,” he replies. “No part of you brings me terror. You are tiny.”

Anna laughs and Megan pouts. “Did he just say I have small boobs?”

All of the girls burst into a fit of laughter, Megan included, while the aliens look at us like we’ve grown six heads each.

My chuckles die out as a soft breath touches my neck. “I enjoy that sound from you,” Marrec tells me, quiet enough so that it’s just for me.

I swallow at the compliment. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome, Stee-vee. Shall we sit?”

Smiling, I say, “Yeah, let’s hang out for a bit.”

8

Potentilla: Chiefly perennial northern hemisphere herbs and shrubs.

Marrec

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