Page 38 of The Dalgur’s Pet

“Not long,” Thase said, giving her hand a squeeze.

“When does it get dark?”

He chuckled, glancing her way.

“A day on Occaro X7 lasts 29.3 Earth hours. It will be a while until darkness is upon us.”

Another thing she’d have to get accustomed to, she supposed. There was still so little she knew about this planet, and the two aliens that resided here.

“Are there other… Dalgurs around?”

Thase shook his head.

“Not very near, but there are some in this area. Other deviants. There is a small town that we visit occasionally, but we prefer the peace of our home.”

A funny thought, either of these two being associated with the word peace in any way.

It wasn’t long before she heard a rush of running water over the drone of the trees, the forest clearing slightly to reveal a small cascade. Gushes spilled over smooth boulders before collecting in a pool. Lights twinkled from bioluminescent vines that wrapped around branches and trunks, blinking faintly in the dimness.

Thase pulled her along, stepping up to one of the trees as Vrix followed. Giselle’s eyes widened as she noticed the small fruits dangling from the vines. They were about the size of a plum, deep blue with tiny, glowing specks, like stars in the night sky.

When she looked at Thase, he grinned.

“They’re edible,” he said, plucking one from the vine and handing it to her.

“You’re sure?” she asked, eyeing the fruit eagerly.

The neogel had filled her, provided the nutrients Vrix had promised, but there was no pleasure in eating the tasteless gelatin.

“I’m sure. I had our computer analyze it compared to the human digestive tract.”

How romantic.

Giselle nodded, then took a bite, the sweetness immediately shocking her senses after days of flavorless neogel. The flesh was jelly-like—a delicate blend of tart and sweet—and cooled her mouth as she chewed. She couldn’t stop herself, letting the juice drip down her chin as she devoured the fruit, her eyes practically rolling in her head.

When she was done, she dropped the pit to the ground, licking the remnants from her lips as she eyed Thase hopefully.

“Would you like another?” he asked.

She nodded, already craving more.

Vrix quickly plucked one, offering it to her with a hopeful grin. She paused for just a moment before grabbing it and taking another blissful bite, trying to savor the sweetness.

“Do Dalgurs ever eat food?” she asked between nibbles.

She’d never seen them consume anything, and though basking in the sun for energy seemed nice, there was something about chewing and swallowing that was so satisfying.

“We can eat small amounts,” Thase answered. “Though mainly algae. It contains chloroplasts we can turn into energy.”

“Have you tried this?”

Giselle held her hand out, offering a bite of the half-finished fruit.

His eyes narrowed, though a smirk curled his lips, and then he grabbed her wrist, lowering his head. His tongue extended like a slithering snake, plunging into the flesh of the fruit before curling and returning to his mouth.

Heat flushed her cheeks as she wondered what else that tongue could do. She didn’t have to wonder long, because Vrix extended his, dragging the tip through the tender jelly and flicking with an inhuman speed.

She didn’t think they knew what they were doing, but she swallowed hard, trying to ignore the arousal stirring between her thighs.