PEARL

It was night, judging by the blackness that swallowed me. I wasn't exactly sure how or when I fell asleep. My memories caught up to me and I rolled over, reaching out for him.

He sat on the far end of the bed. Upon touching his thigh, I noticed that he was dressed, given the smooth fabric that brushed my fingertips. I could only make out his silhouette. Despite the darkness, I knew his eyes were on me.

He was waiting for me to speak.

I frowned, my voice coming out tired. "Dumuzi?"

"I am here."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. Your things are ready."

I didn't respond. There was space between us now, regardless of the fresh territory we traversed with our bodies. My inability to keep my mouth shut put it there. Despite the discomfort in my protesting muscles, yesterday was the best thing I'd ever experienced.

Judging by how I was in his head, it had been the same for him, and he had a few thousand years over me. Everything felt so right.

He knew something was off with me in my head about the counsel's refusal to listen. Maybe he was giving me space. I wanted to go back in time and slap myself for asking what set him off. I was an excellent journalist, but a shitty lover, because we could have been basking in that wonderful afterglow.

The very one that warmed my cheeks.

My chest ached to be closer to him, to wrap my arms around his neck, but a stubborn sadness caused by my broken social filter kept me from doing so. That, compounded with grief for an entire world.

My world.

It was going to end no matter what I did. The fact ate at me, souring my belly, putting a void in my chest. My eyes prickled.

He placed his hand on mine, enveloping it with warmth. "I am sorry for your tears."

I didn't respond, turning away, fighting back the very things he was sorry for.

***

When I returned home, I submerged myself in a hot tub of water, hissing. We took the same route I did to get to Dumuzi—through the strange alien portal. Having already bathed before leaving, to rid of the traces of him between my thighs, I wanted the hot water to relax and soften my muscles.

It wasn't working.

Everything was a bit... sore. I chewed my fingernails, staring at the scratches on my knees, unsure of how I got them.

I ached to see him, even now, with my emotions so raw and distracting. His rejection still hurt regardless, and I needed time to sift through that.

We were to only focus on enjoying each other. And now, because I was human and my emotions and questions got in the way, that would not happen.

All because of me.

How unfair to him. How unnatural for him. He would have been better off with an Enuki. An Enuki woman was probably stronger, prettier, and a hell of a lot smarter than me.

Letting my eyes close, I dozed off until the water was no longer scorching. I must have actually fallen asleep at some point because when I opened my eyes, the curtain was pulled back and Dumuzi was crouched by the tub. My breath got lodged in my throat.

No matter how many times I saw him, he always took my breath away. I am mated to an ancient god whose ancestors created humanity. How bonker is that?

He looked comically huge in this room, with his arm muscles bulging in his tight white shirt. He pushed the sleeves up to his elbows. His white hair was swept back neatly, held together by a copper clasp.

He reached into the water and pulled the bath plug. "It is not safe to sleep in a tub."

I shifted my body away from him as the water level bobbled close to my chin. The sound of the water going down the drain was piercing my calm. Soon, I would be cold if I didn't get out. "I was just dozing."

He gazed at my body yearningly, but only for a second before his walls came down and his face smoothened out. That weird thing happened again: feeling his emotions. Half of them were longing, the other half, upset about something I was thinking. My face heated, and I frowned.

I wanted him out of my head. It felt wrong to be in his.

"Sorry," I said, and scrambled out of the bath.

He wrapped a large, fluffy towel around my body as I stepped out. His arms remained around me as he towed me to the mirror. I gazed at my reflection.

My face looked like it belonged to a woman well-loved; swollen, pink lips, and a bit of a flush to my cheeks. But there was sadness dancing around in my eyes. Dumuzi was behind me, but so tall that all I could see was me in his arms.

I hugged the towel closed to my body. "What are you going to do today, then?"

I wasn't really sure what answer I was looking for.

He pulled a dripping wet strand of hair out of my face, twirling it around his finger. His voice was husky and it made my stomach clench. "Work."

That surprised me. "That's what you're going to do?"

"That is what I am going to do."

"What kind of work?" I asked, my voice shooting up an octave. He was going to leave me here—after everything that happened between us—to work?

"A problem has arisen with some of our technologies. Normally, this could be handled easily, but the issue is widespread." He sighed, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer to him. "Shadrach and François are both working on a project. Since there is a lot to do, I will assist them remotely."

"What's wrong with your technology?"

"Osa."

I twisted my head to look up at him. "Something is wrong with Osa?"

His purple eyes were still wild, but they were determined. He's trying to distract himself with projects. I guess that was one way to do it.

"Hmm. I am not sure. It is... strange. It is still functioning, but not to the extent that it normally does. It is acting in unpredictable ways. Whatever the reason, I will resolve the issue."

"I know you will." I leaned my forehead against his shoulder, taking a deep breath of his petrichor scent that made my mouth water. God, I really want him to stay. But if there were actual issues with Osa, I wouldn't beg him. "It's nice that Shadrach and François are spending time together, by the way."

"Yes. Shadrach would do anything for her. He has taken on the role of a mentor."

I blinked. "Wow."

Silence ensued, and I stared at myself again in the mirror. After a while, it got awkward, so I wiggled my toes into the fibers of the rug I stood on and bit my lip.

I sighed again, wanting to talk to him about what was bothering me, but I wasn't sure how. Would it be wrong to actually ask him to stay?

"I will not have sex with you while you are troubled."

Dang it, I really, really wanted him out of my head.

He continued when I said nothing. "If you cry with me inside of you again, it will be because of pleasure rather than sadness. It is also important that you do so because you want me, not just because you think it will save my life. My life has already been saved, so do not feel obliged."

What? Anger made my words sharp. "But I wanted you! I always did. I didn't do that out of guilt! Didn't you say you could have renounced the bond?"

"I could have, yes, but I didn't. Our bond has been solidified for an eternity. You are upset about the council's decision, and I understand." A hand reached up to caress the reflection of my jaw in the mirror. "Despite how desperately I want you or how much you want me, I'm leaving you be for now. I'm sorry I failed you."

He turned to leave, and I grabbed him by his arm. "You didn't fail me. The council did! Will... will you be okay?"

"I will be alright." He stared at my clenched fingers around his bicep. "You know how to reach me if you need me. I'll return at sunrise. Although my character analysis indicates that you like to cry in peace, you frequently surprise me. Please let me know if this changes. I will be here."

"How long does Earth have now?" I asked, ignoring the last part he was right about. I didn't want him to coddle me when I cried.

The thought was embarrassing.

Even as a child, whenever I hurt myself, I ran away from my guardians instead of going to them for help. For a Band-Aid to be applied, they had to pretty much tackle me. It seemed I never outgrew it.

Although that particular question alone opened up an emotional can of worms in my heart, I needed his answer. I needed to know how long I had to grieve. The fact that he was leaving saddened me, since we were supposed to spend time together...

But I also had other questions. I wanted to know how I could hear his voice in my head, and how I could feel his emotions. It was invasive and seemed to go both ways. Was this part of being a bonded pair with him?

"Fourteen days."

Fourteen days.

Fourteen fucking days.

I released his arm. He didn't leave me as I expected. He pulled me to him, putting his lips on my forehead. I hugged him back, but only with one arm; the other arm held onto my towel.

I didn't ignore the erection straining against the fabric of his pants, nor the need that roared like a stampede in his head, and later, in mine. I licked my lips and purposefully leaned into him, because I liked I could do that to him.

"I am leaving." He kissed the top of my head. "Please get some rest. I will stay out of your head for the night."

My shoulders relaxed a bit at what he said. When he left, I wanted to say the words to get him back, but they remained stuck in my throat.

I stared at the door he walked through for what felt like forever.

At some point, I snapped out of it and wiped away the condensation on the mirror that formed. I began working through the tangles in my hair with a brush, muttering under my breath. "So Earth is doomed and I'm not getting laid. Osa is broken. Can things get any worse?"

Sighing, I put my head in my hands and leaned forward, planting my elbows on the sink.

You must leave Lare.

I jolted, dropping the hairbrush in my hand. It skittered across the bathroom floor, hitting the wall with a thump. I stared at it, holding my breath.

Blinking, I looked up. Then I looked down. I held my breath, trying to make sense of what I just heard.

You must go to Earth.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize... that wasn't Dumuzi's voice. It wasn't my thoughts, either. The voice was neither male nor female, both high-pitched and low-pitched, and echoed as if I was in a room.

I very stupidly muttered, "Huh?"

Listen!

I shrieked and dropped my towel, bolting into the hallway and bursting into my bedroom. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, but my heartbeat took off like helicopter blades in my chest, and all I could think about was hiding.

Like a goddamn five-year-old afraid of the boogeyman.

Not the best of plans, I'd admit.

I dove for the covers, smashing my head between two pillows. My bedside lamp was on, throwing yellow light across the lush and decorated rug at the foot of the bed. I squeezed my eyes shut. What was that?

After long minutes of silence, I bravely opened my eyes.

If you want humanity to live, you must go to Earth. You have little time.

"Oh man," I whimpered, tears forming in my eyes. "I'm really friggin' losing it. Dumu—!"

Do not call for him. If he comes, it will be too late for your kind. He cannot know about this.

"What's happening? Who are you? What do you mean, leave?"

I shivered from the cool air nipping at the beads of moisture on my body. Huddling closer in my nest of blankets, I swallowed hard. My head pounded with a massive headache, and my sore limbs shook with fear.

I am Osabtep Ke'sin Adrklep. Humble servant of the Enuki, and the voice of Enki and his predecessors.

I blinked, trying to make sense of the name the voice gave me.

When I made the connection, my mouth popped open, and I gasped. "Osa?"