An Alien Love Bk. 01 Ch. 16

I am going to write a story about Octnavin. I must. I just got this really, really great idea for him. Now I am super excited to work on that... instead of my Ice Era Chronicles. My other half is all like... "Will you please get back to Sky's The Limit?"

I will.

I like that story too. I still love the chronicles, but I have to say these aliens might be my jam. In a way, I feel like I'm married to the Ice Era books and this is like my girlfriend on the side. I think I understand cheating a little better.

Anyway, that's my ramble for now. Back to Murry!!

M. from C.M. Moore.

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*Chapter 16*

What's love got to do with it?

The tentacle around Murry's bicep jug in until the pressure caused an ache. JP swore under his breath as he guided Murry toward Octnavin and Rhylent. Kel either couldn't or wouldn't get up from his knees. He lifted his eyes to Murry and then to his siblings. Murry read his fear though Kel tried to hide the emotion.

Rhylent took up the spot directly on Murry's left and JP was still on his right. Octnavin stepped in front of Murry and stared down at him.

"This is the issue?" Octnavin smirked. "This thing?" He shrugged. "You could have just killed it, Rhylent?"

"There is something wrong with Keltrix. Our sibling cannot leave it alone." Rhylent explained. "I said we should."

"I'm not an it." Murry frowned. "He and I... We just..."

"He?" Octnavin held up his tentacle.

"The human uses 'he' as the pronoun to describe us." Rhylent shook his head like Murry was the dumbest creature on the planet. Murry could be the dumbest creature on this planet right now.

"You are not dumb," Petey said in his head.

"Thanks, Petey." Murry returned the thought.

"Yes. I remember now. No matter." Octnavin rubbed his temples with his middle tentacles. "I will tell you when you are allowed to speak, Slave. For now, be silent."

Murry's anger shimmered. So much for Octnavin being a fair leader. He stayed silent and felt Petey flutter with annoyance.

"This guy is a real..." In his head, Petey used a word Murry had never heard before. That wasn't even English. Even without knowing it, Murry knew that wasn't nice.

"Slave." Octnavin's eyes narrowed. "How dare you speak to me in such a way? You are not Dagerstanteen and you are in a precarious position. I am the ruler here."

"He did not say anything." Kel raised his eyes to his oldest sibling. "Please Octnavin, Murry-cat is gentle and harmless. I have done my duties. I was resting after I was injured."

"Do not go over it again." Octnavin exhaled dramatically. "I can forgive much of what you did. I would even accept if you had the intent to use this alien as an incubator for your offspring, but you keep this slave for no practical reason."

Murry's mind processed that. Incubator for Kel's offspring. His brain recoiled at the idea. Kel wouldn't use him like that. Would he? They didn't mean for him to carry a baby alien. His eyes flashed around the room to each of the Dagerstanteens and then fell to Kel.

"You can use me to carry your babies?" He involuntarily tugged against the tentacles holding him. He had the urge to run. "I'm not a woman. I can't... I don't have a..."

"I would never use him like that." Kel looked to Murry. "I promise I would never do that. It would kill you."

Murry's eyebrows rose. Incubator sounded damn scary. Having an alien baby probably would kill him. He pictured an alien with tentacles bursting out of his body. The offspring would rip through his chest cavity. What a way to die.

"We could implant offspring inside of you if we wanted." Octnavin lifted his head like Murry was a silly child. "Although, Keltrixtionlenz is correct. It would kill you."

"That will not happen," Kel soothed. "Look at me, Murry-cat. I will not do that."

"Do you see what I mean?" Rhylent let go of Murry and threw up his tentacles. "This is not Keltrix anymore."

"I see, Rhylent." Octnavin scanned Murry and then Kel. He inhaled and then walked back and forth. "There is something different here. Your attachment is unnatural. You want this human for no real reason I can come up with. You are risking your life for him. You coddle him and care for him. You lie to protect him." Octnavin paced until he came back to stand in front of Murry again. He wrapped a tentacle around Murry's neck. Slowly, the grip began to tighten. Murry struggled for air. Bit by bit, Murry was lifted off the ground. He pushed JP's tentacle off his bicep and started to claw at the tentacle strangling him. He kicked his legs as his air supply ran short. The hold on him was like a rope of steel.

"No." Kel tried to stand. His alien got to his feet and lunged, but something must have hurt him. He buckled and dropped to the floor. Keltrix looked like he was electrocuted by the glowing orb on his tentacles. The sound Kel made was an eerie scream that echoed off the tile floor.

Octnavin let go of Murry. He fell to his knees gulping for air. Dizziness swamped him.

"You would kill me to help him?" Octnavin ran one of his appendages over his face. "What am I going to do, Keltrixtionlenz? I do not want to hurt you, but what choice do I have? Do you not see how wrong this is? You do not want to reproduce... you want..." Octnavin turned to face Keltrix on the floor. He knelt in front of him. "I do not understand what you say to me. I think this human has infected you like a virus. You are weaker because he alters your decisions." Octnavin and Kel stared at each other. "This alien is not yours in any way. He does not belong here."

"He belongs with me."

"Why?"

"Because I love Murry." Kel fought with the orb and then fell backward. Once again, he looked like he was electrocuted or hit with a cattle prod.

"I cannot watch you hurt yourself like this." Octnavin stood. "This kills me inside. I must do what is right to protect you. What is right to protect all of us."

Murry gained his breath and then struggled to his feet. Rhylent grabbed his arm. Murry tried to get to Keltrix, but Rhylent was too strong. His tentacle dug into his flesh. No matter how hard Murry tried with his other hand to push him off, the alien didn't budge.

"Please, stop." Murry caught Octnavin's eyes. "Please stop hurting him. This kills you inside? It kills me too. That's what love is. Don't hurt Keltrix. Please."

"I am not hurting anyone, Slave." Octnavin shook his head. "Keltrix is fighting the hold. If my sibling would still, Keltrix would be fine."

"I do not know what Keltrix means when he uses this word love," Rhylent commented as he tugged Murry backward. "I think that means obsession or attraction. I have tried to study the word. There is no answer I can offer."

"I also do not understand it." JP nodded. "The best thing for Keltrix right now is to remove the human so our sibling can get better."

"Keltrix needs to clear his head." Rhylent tugged Murry another step away from Kel. It was one step, but those inches could have been miles.

"I hate to agree but I think maybe the pleasure has infected both Murry and Keltrix." JP rubbed his jaw. "The human would never be happy in our world. He would be lonely, and he knows nothing of us or our planet. He is ignorant."

"I'm only ignorant because no one has taught me. I can learn."

"You cannot even learn to be silent in a meeting," Rhylent pointed out.

Murry swore in his head. How did they expect him to stay silent when this was about him? Plus, Murry wasn't stupid. This conversation was like being back on Earth. Because he couldn't talk on his home planet, everyone assumed he was dumb. He could learn. He could figure out how to navigate this planet if he had the info. Kel could teach him and he would do it to be with Keltrix. With Kel, Murry would never be lonely. They spoke a language that was deeper than words.

"I will take Murry back to Earth," JP offered. "It is best for everyone involved."

"No." Kel got to his knees.

"You have broken many rules that were put in place for our safety and the wellbeing of other aliens." Octnavin shook his head at Kel and his long tube hair curled around his hip. "Do you not remember those who were wiped out because of the obsession with pleasure slaves? Do you no longer recall the history of all our dead offspring trapped inside of those species?"

"I remember," Kel whispered.

"And do you not feel guilty that you are spending all your time gaining pleasure from your slave instead of figuring out where Fentontailia is?" Octnavin asked. His lips were a sealed line of disappointment. Murry felt the reprimand down to his toes. "Fenton is missing," Octnavin continued. "Or has your brain been so clouded that you no longer care about your sibling's fate?"

"I will hunt for Fenton until I die, just please..." Kel curled forward again. Murry picked up on a wave of pain. Kel shut their connection like a medieval drawbridge slamming.

"The human shall be destroyed," Octnavin said quietly. "It is necessary."

"What?" JP sounded shocked and grabbed Murry's arm. "I can take him to Earth."

"No." Kel lunged for Murry but ended up squirming on the floor in agony.

"Kel stop moving." Murry tried again to shove out of Rhylent's hold. He got free of JP and the alien began to restlessly pace.

"Octnavin." JP spun toward the king. "I owe the human—"

"I was informed of what happened." Octnavin waved a tentacle. "I am aware that this is an unpopular decision, but I must do it. If I return the human to Earth, Keltrix will go get him later. The problem must be dealt with swiftly. If the human is dead, Kel will move on and heal. If you cannot watch because of your feelings, you are dismissed."

"I will stay," JP whispered more to himself.

"I must cut your life short, Human." Octnavin turned to Murry and stepped closer. "But I promise I will make your end as painless as possible. This is for Keltrix's benefit."

Murry stopped struggling against Rhylent and his eyes flipped to Kel silently screaming on the floor.

"Kel." Murry caught the alien's pain-filled eyes. "Stop moving."

"Octnavin. My leader. Please have mercy." Kel froze and got to his knees. "Return Murry to Earth." Kel bowed his head. "I promise I will not go after him. I will not go see him. Let him live."

"I cannot trust your word when it comes to his human. Your addiction is too far gone. I no longer know what you are capable of when it comes to this creature."

During this part of the conversation, Murry started to feel Petey become more and more agitated. Now the Nebos spoke angrily in his brain.

"I want to talk to Octnavin." Petey twitched furiously inside of Murry's head. "When he comes closer, grab his bottom right tentacle. The one that is his main senses."

"No." Murry shook his head and then realized he spoke out loud. JP turned away from them like he couldn't watch Murry's demise.

"Yes," Petey argued.

"Murry-cat," Kel whispered.

"This is how it must be. Sometimes as the king I must do what is best for the whole." Octnavin moved closer to Murry. Once again, he wrapped a tentacle around Murry's neck.

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If you are still with me, a big thank you.