Free Pieces of Three by Kim Carmichael Page B

understood. “She’s a human and she’s a virgin.”
    “We all have our faults and we will be careful. At least we’ll have each other to keep us under control.”
    “Fair enough.” He raised his chin. “Here she comes. Keep quiet about the lunar cycles. Humans are more emotion driven.”
    Alyssa came out from around the trees. The moonlight illuminated her form and she stopped when she saw them on the beach. An assortment of various items overflowed from her arms, some leaves, flowers and what appeared to be fruit. Fruit? “Damn it!”
    They both bolted up and dashed for her.
    “Stay away from me.” She held out one hand dropping several of her treasures.
    “Did you eat?” Julian swiped her hand away.
    He skidded down on his knees and scanned what fell, tensing when he spied the tell tale hourglass shaped fruit. Sweet enough to make any human smile before they became violently ill, and that was the best scenario. “Did you have anything to eat?” He kicked the fruit aside. At least the one on the ground didn’t have any bite marks.
    “Leave me alone.” Alyssa hugged the remaining items to her and tried to pass them.
    “Stop!” Julian grabbed her arm.
    She resisted and jerked away, succeeding in dropping the rest of her things. “Jerks!” She freed herself and fell to her knees, scrambling to pick the items out of the sand.
    Porter stopped her from touching anything else. “Alyssa.”
    She narrowed her eyes.
    “Did you or did you not eat anything?” He picked up one of the fruits.
    “What do you care?”
    “Answer, Alyssa.” Julian joined him in the sand and rifled through the items, making two piles.
    She reached over and retrieved one of the flowers and a stick, pressing them to her chest. “Just a piece of fruit.”
    “What did it look like?” He held up the hourglass fruit. “Please be honest.”
    Julian stopped his sorting.
    “That one.” She pointed down at the sand.
    “How much did you eat?” Julian reached over and with one side of his mouth twitching to abate a smile, held up a different fruit, a plump pink one, round, juicy and known for a whole different set of side effects, but ones they could handle. The two of them stared at each other for less than a second, but it was enough to exchange an entire conversation.
    “One before, and that one.”
    Certainly enough to do the job and then some. Before celebrating their good fortune, Porter needed to ask the next question. “What about this one? Did you even take a taste?” He lifted the hourglass fruit and held his breath.
    She glanced between them and shook her head.
    “This will make you sick.” He threw the fruit away.
    “You make me sick.” She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “At least I won’t have you throwing up.”
    “That is debatable.” With the scant few items she decided to keep, she stood.
    “If you’re still hungry, you can have this.” He handed her another one of the pink pleasure fruits.
    “I suddenly lost my appetite.” She took a few steps back.
    “Then when you decide to eat, don’t put anything into your mouth that we haven’t approved.” Julian coughed, no doubt to cover up a laugh.
    “Don’t worry I won’t be putting anything in my mouth.” She stomped away.
    Julian kicked the last of the poisoned fruit aside. “She’s going to have to put something in her mouth eventually.”
    “She doesn’t like being in a state of need.” Well, if Alyssa didn’t know the pain they were in before, the fruit would seal the deal.
    “It is torture.” Julian rubbed his hands together. “At least we know she wanted us before.”
    The both walked toward the ship.
    “Remember she’s a human.”       
    Julian stopped and once more held his hand out. “She’s our human.”
    Porter shook his hand.
     
    * * * *
     
    Alyssa cupped her hands full of water and splashed it on her face, but the icy liquid did nothing to cool her down.
    “I’m a mess.” She frowned. The simple act of seeing them