《A Spaceship Romance》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter One


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Holly stood in the lineup at the cash register. She was anxious to get home and cook up the package of tortellini she had picked out a few minutes earlier. Her other items included a jar of Alfredo sauce, a carton of apple juice, and a chocolate bar. There were two other people in front of her, and about six other people waiting to her right at the only other open register. She paid little attention to them, and preferred to keep her eyes glued to the ground, inspecting the laminate flooring that was dotted with various scuff marks and dirt. Her eyes drifted towards the huge pair of boots standing across the way. They were black and well worn, but it was the size that was surprising to her. Holly was used to seeing nonhumans; it wasn''t unusual anymore. She found most of the ones she interacted with very polite, and she was fascinated by them, but Holly never knew any personally.


    Holy felt like she was being watched, and when she chanced a small glance, found the owner of the boots staring at her curiously. It was a humanoid alien with skin that was a dark mix between grey and blue. He wore a pair of worn black jeans that had a rip in one knee, and a dark grey hoodie. The hood had been pulled up around his face, but he peered at her with nearly silver eyes. Holly hastily looked away when she realized he had seen her staring, and felt her cheeks burning. She knew he was looking at her now, and her eyes instinctively glanced back over when her line began to move.


    Mabron smirked, and then licked his lips, watching as the girl''s eyes widened and she quickly turned away from him. Her face was now bright red, and he thoroughly enjoyed the effect he had on her. He studied her for a moment, appreciating the black yoga-type pants that showed off her generous behind. She shuffled forward, and reached into the pocket of her light blue sweater to get her wallet out. Her shirt was a plain dark purple t-shirt. Holly''s long brown hair had been pulled into a sloppy bun, and some of the strands had fallen out and fell down past her neck.


    Holly was finally next. She shuffled forward and dropped the basket down into the pile of other empty baskets and began placing her items on the conveyer belt. She knew the alien was still there, but she refused to look at him anymore, and instead focused on the cashier that greeted her when she walked closer to the counter.


    "How''s your night going?" The older woman asked kindly.


    "G-good, thanks."


    Holly nervously chewed her lip while she punched in her pin on the debit machine. When her transaction was finished, Holly quickly grabbed the plastic bag and began walking towards the exit. She was in too much of a rush to notice the same alien was waiting outside for her, and she walked right by him. He followed several paces behind.


    "Is there something you like?"


    Holly paused near her car, with her keys in hand. She clenched the grocery bag and slowly turned around to find the same Humanoid alien standing near her, looking at her with that same smug little smile.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You don''t have to play shy," he continued, and Holly''s heart skipped a beat as he drew closer. "I saw the way you looked at me."


    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about..."


    Mabron laughed, his voice deep and full. He was highly amused by the nervous girl.


    "Have you never been with an alien before?" He continued, watching in pure glee as the girl squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze and began inching towards her car. Her face was brighter than a tomato.


    "I-I don''t see... th-that''s not... I never..."


    "Relax."


    Mabron held up both hands, and Holly clutched the grocery bag to her chest.


    "If I misread you, I apologize. I just thought a pretty little lady like yourself might be up for some fun... I must be wrong."


    Holly was silent for a moment as his words sunk in. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she struggled to breathe.


    Did he just... suggest... having a one-night stand?!Her mind screamed. She was barely able to comprehend it.


    Mabron took her silence as a hint to bugger off, and so he apologized again and turned around to leave, with his own grocery bag in one hand. Holly suddenly didn''t want him to go. She didn''t know why, and it was completely out of her nature, but something inside of her made her blurt out.


    "Your place or mine?"


    Mabron turned back around, a look of surprise on his face. Holly nervously rubbed her arm and stared down at the ground, wondering to herself if this was a good idea. She''d never had any sort of one-night stand, and barely had sex to begin with, let alone with a nonhuman. Her stomach twisted into knots and she felt sick, but there was something else. Something sent a tingle of excitement up her spine, and she shivered as the hulking alien came closer. He was grinning this time.


    "I live where I work, so that''s out of the question tonight. How close is your place?"


    Holly sucked in a deep breath and unlocked her car. She opened the back door and placed the grocery bag down on the floor.


    "Not far from here, maybe five minutes."


    "Deal."


    Mabron walked around to the other side of her car and opened the door. He spent a few seconds adjusting the seat so he could fit his long legs, and Holly got into the driver''s side and started the car. When he was seated and buckled in, Holly pulled out from the parking spot and began heading back towards her townhouse. She gripped the steering wheel hard, her palms sweaty, and she couldn''t breathe very well. Mabron eyed her curiously, still smiling.


    "What''s your name?" He asked, and she glanced over at him.


    "Holly."


    "Holly. I''m Mabron."


    "M-Mabron," Holly repeated, and Mabron nodded.


    "Yep."


    Mabron looked out the window, watching curiously as Holly pulled into a gated community. The sun had just set, and most humans were settling in for the night or getting ready to hit the party scenes. Mabron wondered curiously why Holly didn''t have plans on this mild Saturday night. From what he had observed she was clearly very pretty and young.


    She''s too nervous, that''s her problem,Mabron mused quietly. He could smell it on her.


    Holly pulled into her driveway and turned the car off. They sat there for a moment, and Holly struggled to form a sentence.


    "L-listen I uh... I''ve never done anything li-like this before. I''ve got neighbours t-that are very close by."


    "No problem, Mabron responded smoothly. "I can control myself. No promises for you though."


    Holly blushed, and she shot Mabron a small glare as he laughed and got out from her car. Holly followed suit, and she retrieved her grocery bag before heading up to the front door. Mabron stood close behind her as she struggled to get her key in the lock, and she jumped when she felt a hand on her ass. Mabron chuckled softly, and gave her cheek an affectionate squeeze. He liked how soft and full her butt was, and liked the reaction he got when he grabbed it even more.


    When the door was finally opened, Holly jetted inside. She dumped her keys on the table after kicking her shoes off. Mabron stood patiently near the stairs, assuming her bedroom was on the second floor, and watched as the girl began putting her groceries away in the kitchen. It almost seemed she was stalling, and after a couple of minutes Mabron walked over to her. He took the plastic bag out of her hands and placed it on the counter before tipping her chin up towards him.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She stared up at him with soft green eyes and bright red cheeks.


    "There''s nothing to be nervous about, I promise. But you''re stalling..."


    Mabron leaned down and kissed Holly deeply. It took her breath away, and she could only squeeze her eyes shut and kiss him back. When they broke apart, he took her shaking hand and squeezed it tight. He turned around and began walking back towards the front of the house.


    "Upstairs?" He asked, and Holly nodded.


    A cat darted by them as they reached the landing. Holly took over and shuffled down the hall until they reached her bedroom.


    "You''re not a virgin, are you?" Mabron inquired, and Holly shook her head.


    "N-no."


    "But you''ve never been with someone like me?"


    Holly nodded.


    "Mm, okay," Mabron responded quietly, and he dipped his head towards her neck.


    At this point Mabron''s hood fell down, and she was able to get a better view of his figure. He had no hair on his head, but instead the same ridges and ripples continued up from his neck and swirled around his skull. He had several horn-like projections on either side of his head and chin in equal proportion, and they felt firm yet soft when Holly reached up and hesitantly touched them. She couldn''t tell if he had ears or not, but hazarded a guess that the small holes on either side of his face were something of an ear canal.


    Her thoughts quickly escaped her. Holly sucked in a deep breath as Mabron wrapped his thick arms around her waist and kissed her neck, nibbling softly. His hands slipped under her shirt and felt her soft flesh, causing her to shiver under his touch. Holy felt like she was in a daze. She barely comprehended as Mabron removed her sweater and shirt, all the while kissing and biting gently at her, and she rested her hands on his broad shoulders. Her eyes were closed as she felt him tugging at her bra, which was unclasped in a second and on the floor with the rest of her clothes. Mabron growled softly, and pushed Holly down onto her bed.


    "Your breasts are heavenly," Mabron mumbled against her chest.


    His thick hands groped and fondled her full, round breasts. Holly gasped when she felt his warm mouth trail down her skin and he took one of her perk, tan nipples in his mouth. Her hands tightly gripped her blankets and she writhed under his touch as Mabron pulled back and began tugging her pants down. In a moment he had them off, and he grinned down at Holly.


    "You''re already soaked, you little minx," Mabron teased.


    Holly covered her face with her hands as the alien trailed one thick finger between her thighs and rubbed her clit through her light blue panties.


    Holly panted and felt her face burning, and she kept her eyes closed as Mabron stroked her through her panties, which were soaked with her juices. Fire erupted in her belly, and a small moan escaped her lips.


    "Mm you''re so shy for somebody so beautiful," Mabon continued, thrilled by the reaction he was eliciting from the girl.


    Holly cracked one eye open and peered down at Mabron, who was grinning at her. He slipped his thick fingers between the thin material of her panties and stroked between her slick folds. Holly gasped as she felt him touch her with his bare skin. She''d never experienced anything like that before. She had had two sexual partners in total, and they had been straight to the point. If she was comparing him to her previous partners, Mabron was miles ahead of them. After a few moments of stroking, Mabron pulled his hand back and began slipping her panties down with both hands. They joined the growing pile of clothes on her floor.


    "Are you accustomed to oral, Holly?"


    Holly let out a shaky breath, and she quickly shook her head.


    "P-please, it''s too much... I-it''s overwhelming."


    "Oh alright, your call Miss."


    Mabron had to admit her shyness was endearing, but he knew the young woman had her limits, and it was her first time with a nonhuman. He knew he could blow her mind and turn the poor girl mush, but didn''t want to do anything she didn''t consent to.


    It was no problem for Mabron, as his erection pressed painfully against his jeans, and so Holly watched as the alien stood up and took his sweater and shirt off in one swift motion, revealing his extraterrestrial physique to her. He was attractive in her eyes, and his body, although different from a human, was still perfectly sculpted and toned. It was shaped like a human, but his entire body had ridges and ripples and markings that were fascinating to Holly. He looked like he could effortlessly break an arm with one hand, but when he was touching holly his skin was smooth and silky with little ridges. He had broad, thick hands that knew how to touch her in all the right places.


    "How much... experience do you have with humans?" Holly asked quietly. She shivered on the bed despite the fact her body felt like it was on fire.


    "Some, I suppose. Mostly dated in my own race when I was younger," Mabron responded while he kicked off his boots and began pulling down the zipper to his jeans.


    "I did venture out eventually."


    Holly''s eyes widened in surprise as Mabron shoved his jeans down and stepped out from them, finally revealing his anatomy to her. His cock was something she''d never seen before. It rose up straight and hard, a deep red color, with a series of ridges bumps similar to the rest of him that looked mighty intimidating. What made her more nervous was the size. Mabron seemed to sense her nervousness.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you, I promise. If you want me to stop, I will."


    "O-okay," Holly mumbled, and she sucked in a deep breath when Mabron drew closer and knelt down on her bed.


    Mabron ran his hands along her creamy white thighs and then leaned down and kissed along her belly. Holly shivered, and shuffled backwards so she was more comfortable on the bed. Mabron adjusted himself so he was positioned between her legs and lightly stroked the tip of his foreign looking cock between her legs, coating it in her juices.


    "Mm," he murmured softly, and he pressed the tip of his cock against Holly''s entrance. "I''ll go slow okay?"


    Holly bit her lip and nodded. She gripped the bedsheets hard and gasped as Mabron slowly inched his cock inside of her.


    "Did I hurt you?" He mumbled in a concerned tone.


    Mabron panted softly, a little delirious by the silky feeling of her cunt wrapped around part of his cock, but he had self-control. Holly moaned softly and shook her head. She wiggled her hips slightly and let out a deep breath.


    "No... n-no keep going."


    Mabron needed no more encouragement. He thrust his hips so that he was completely inside of her, and then he firmly grasped Holly''s thick thighs., He began thrusting rhythmically, his strong hands digging into her tender flesh. His eyes closed, and he was blown away by the way Holly clenched around his cock like a vice. He panted and grunted as he fucked her, and Holly writhed beneath him, completely stunned by the sensation of his ribbed alien cock.


    "H-holy fuck," she moaned a little louder, and her head lolled back as she became overwhelmed by a rising climax.


    Mabron grinned and leaned down to suck on her breasts. He thrusted a little faster, and deeper, feeling himself close to climaxing as well.


    "C-can I cum inside of you?" He asked, his voice ragged.


    "Yeah," Holly gasped, and she reached up with one hand and grasped his thick arm.


    She came first, her body spasming beneath him as her walls suddenly clenched impossibly tight around Mabron''s cock. Her head shot back and a series of whimpers escaped her lips as she clenched her thighs around Mabron''s waist. She''d never experienced an orgasm like it before and it completely blew her away.


    It was enough to set him off, and Mabron came a few moments later. His cum exploded inside of her, filling Holly to the brim. Some of it oozed out from her and was smeared against the blankets as Mabron rose his orgasm out, gasping for breath as he weakly thrusted for a few more moments before he collapsed on the bed beside Holly.


    Holly lay where she was for several minutes, her chest heaving and flushed bright red as she reveled in the aftermath of her orgasm. She could feel Mabron''s cum, and realized she had just let an actual alien climax inside of her without protection on. Something she''d never let anyone do, let alone an extraterrestrial.


    "Uh, Mabron?" Holly asked quietly, and she glanced over at his form.


    Mabron lay on his side with his head resting on his hand. He smiled at her, and reached out to rub her thigh.


    "Yes Holly?"


    "I-I can''t get... pregnant, can I?"


    Mabron chuckled.


    "No, no. I would never be so irresponsible if that were the case."


    "Okay, good." Holly let out a deep thigh, and Mabron laughed.


    "You rarely ever let loose, don''t you?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Nothing cruel," Mabron continued, and he reached up and cupped her soft breast. "I just find it humorous that literally moments after fucking an alien you''re worried about getting pregnant."


    "You don''t know me," Holly retorted, frowning.


    "That is true, I don''t. I''ll probably never see you again after tonight."


    Mabron shuffled closer and her gently grasped Holly''s waist with his thick hand and drew her close. Her hair had come out of its tie during their session, and Mabron ran his fingers through her long, brown locks. He kissed her deeply for a moment. Holy reached up and stroked his neck, still fascinated by the feeling of his foreign skin. When they broke apart he was still smiling. Holly blinked, and stared up at him, feeling confused.


    "You''re a beautiful woman, even by human standards. You''ve got curves and weight in all the right places."


    Mabron''s hand trailed down to her ass, and he gave it a light squeeze.


    "It doesn''t take a genius to see you''re the quiet type, and there''s nothing wrong with that. I want to thank you for inviting me into your home and allowing us to be intimate."


    Holly was silent for a moment, unable to conjure a response. She didn''t know what to say to the cocky, yet polite alien. She didn''t have to say anything, for after a moment Mabron got up from the bed and began getting dressed. When he was finished, Holly made to get up, but Mabron held up his hand.


    "You''re going to be dead tired any minute now, I have that affect on humans. I''m actually surprised you''re still awake."


    Mabron pulled the blankets back and tucked Holly in before he kissed her once more.


    "Take care little Miss. Don''t forget to try new things every once in a while."


    Holly simply stared at Mabron, and he winked at her before making his way to the hall.


    "Goodbye Holly."


    "G-goodbye Mabron," Holly called out quietly. He shot her one last smile before heading downstairs.


    Mabron left her house and began walking down the street, whistling a small tune as he went. When he was gone, Holly was out cold within minutes of his leaving and did not wake until late the next day.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Holly stood in line with her suitcase next to her and a ticket in one hand. She was barely able to contain herself. On one hand, she was blown away by the fact she had won a ticket to be on what was reportedly the best inter-galactic space traveling vacation ever created. On the other hand, she was terribly afraid of doing new things; and so, she felt a mixture of nervousness and utter excitement as she stood in line to board the massive space ship along with the other passengers. She gawked up at the huge ship, in awe of the scientific marvel that it was. She knew she could never understand all the science and math behind it all, but it nonetheless fascinated her.


    After waiting for nearly half an hour to board, Holly finally stepped foot on the ship and she was able to get a better view of the inside of the ship. She understood why it was taking so long, as two stations had been set up to check in passengers and provide them with the necessary gadgets they would be using for the next four months. She shuffled forward every so often, dragging her suitcase on wheels behind her, and nervously played with the charm to her necklace while she waited.


    A nonhuman stood near one of the stations and checked names off of a list on his pad, which was little more than a projection that came from the device on his wrist. When he was finished checking the passengers in, he handed a small device similar to a normal tablet and instructed the ecstatic family on where to go to wait for orientation.


    He happened to glance up as Holly drew close, and his gaze landed on her. His eyes widened as recognition dawned on him, and he watched as Holly shuffled forward again. She curiously looked around while nervously rubbing her necklace, and eventually her head turned towards his direction.


    Holly stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted Mabron. Her mouth nearly hung open, and her eyes widened. Her cheeks immediately turned pink, which only made him grin.


    Oh my god, her mind screamed. Why is he here?


    She hadn''t thought she''d ever see the alien again, and the sight of him made her heart pound in her chest. Somebody mumbled something behind her, startling Holly, and quickly shuffled forward to catch up with the cue. She didn''t like the way he was grinning at her, and she could already hear his smug voice in her head as she drew closer and closer. She finally reached his station, and Mabron leaned nonchalant against the podium, smiling down at her.


    Now he was dressed in a smart looking uniform that seamlessly hugged his form, and Holly tried not to look at him as she waited to be checked in. He scrolled through the list for a moment until he found her name, and checked it off.


    "My goodness, I never thought I''d see your pretty face again. How did I get so lucky?"


    Holly sighed and rolled her eyes, feeling her cheeks burning. She nervously glanced around, feeling uncomfortable now. A part of her wanted to run off the ship and ditch it altogether. But, it was a once in a life time opportunity and the desire to travel in space and visit another planet won over.


    "Neither can I," Holly responded coldly, and Mabron chuckled.


    "Now... you''re not unhappy to see me are you, Holly? I am hurt."


    "Please," Holly whispered angrily, feeling flustered. "Not right now. I''m surprised you remember my name."


    "Okay... okay... you''re too easy to get worked up. I never forget a sweet face like yours. Here..."


    Mabron handed her the tablet and instructed her on where to go. Holly took the device from his hands and, all the while avoiding eye contact. She quickly walked forward in the same direction that the other passengers were headed. She glanced down at the device, confused by all the buttons and banners on the display. When she reached a large hall looking area with a lot of seating, she found an empty chair to sit in. Holly was impressed and enchanted by the design of the whole spaceship, with its futuristic interior. She ran her hand along the smooth, white chair that hugged her butt and legs comfortably with its ergonomic design.


    When all the passengers; which was a lot larger of a group than Holly had been expecting, were all seated, a voice suddenly spoke from all around them.


    Welcome aboard, dear guests, to the Lavurna; a luxury space craft that has provided safe passage to neighbouring planets for over fifteen years. We strive to make your intergalactic travelling experience the most comfortable and relaxing event.


    Holly listened intently to the female generated voice, and she didn''t notice that Mabron stood off to the side with all the other staff members. He leaned against the wall next to his friend and work partner, a Cenasaur by the name of Rick, but his eyes were glued on the girl sitting nearby.


    Mabron watched, a small smile on his lips as Holly attempted to navigate the tablet that he had provided her using the instructions that the intercom supplied. She stared down at the device, concentrating, as she pressed different buttons on the sleek glass screen.


    "What are you staring at?" Rick teased, noticing Mabron was distracted. "Got your sights set on a poor victim already?"


    "You see that woman over there?"


    Rick turned his head towards the direction Mabron was referring to, and his soft blue eyes landed on Holly sitting nearby.


    "Which one?"


    "The one with the blue sweater."


    "Oh, alright, I see her. Pretty little thing."


    "Remember when I told you about that sweet little one nighter I had the other week?"


    Rick''s eyes widened, and he turned back to Mabron and punched his shoulder.


    "That''s her?"


    Mabron chuckled, and he nodded.


    Holly, sensing that somebody was watching her, lifted her head up and looked in their direction. When she found Mabron and the Cenasaur staring at her, she blinked for a second, and then frowned and looked away.


    "Woah, seems like she''s not all that thrilled to see you."


    "She''s a shy girl, easily embarrassed. But she made such lovely sounds when I was with her."


    Rick laughed. He rolled his eyes and crossed his long, slender arms over his chest. The Cenasaur stood a good several feet taller than Mabron, who had to crane his neck to look up at the guy.


    "Sounds like the exact opposite of what you go for."


    "It usually is, but she surprised me¡­"


    Mabron''s eyes drifted back over to Holly, who had turned her back to them and was still fiddling around with her tablet like the rest of the passengers.


    When orientation was finished, members of the Lavurna began walking forward and started guiding groups of passengers to their appropriate living quarters. Holly still sat on the bench with her head bowed, more interested in exploring the tablet. Only after the room was almost empty did she look up and realize she had been left behind. Mabron watched as she glanced around and then slowly stood up, still clutching her tablet.


    "Come on then," Mabron started, and Holly jumped. "I''ll show you to your room."


    He watched, amused, as Holly eyed him suspiciously for a moment, not saying a word.


    "What? You don''t trust me?"


    "I don''t think I want you knowing where I''m sleeping," Holly responded, feeling her cheeks grow warm.


    Mabron laughed, and he stepped closer. Holly stiffened as he slung his arm around her shoulders and began walking her off in the direction of her room. She didn''t find it particularly funny, and had been slightly serious.


    "Well, unfortunately for you I could find out whether you told me or not."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Holly shrugged out of Mabron''s grasp, but allowed him to continue guiding her through the halls of the Lavurna. It was a beautiful and sleek space ship, and she found herself mesmerized by its flawless design. Mabron glided down the polished black halls, and shot Holly a smile every so often while they walked, but Holly couldn''t return it. She felt a lump rise in her throat. She didn''t know if she''d make it the next month in space stuck with Mabron tormenting her every chance he got, and then another month coming back once their two-month vacation had ended in Dapurnatra. Even the thought of it gave her anxiety.


    She had to admit that Mabron looked mighty attractive in his space uniform. It was sleek and form fitting, in the colors of light blue, black, and silver. She couldn''t help but look at him while he walked, his boots making no noise on the polished floor. After a few minutes they arrived at a door that lay flush with the wall. It had no handle, and Mabron held up his wrist towards the sensor at waist height. A light blinked and the door slid open, revealing a cute little sleeping cabin inside.


    "Wow," Holly breathed as she stepped inside. "It''s bigger than I was expecting."


    "Only the best for our passengers," Mabron responded, his voice low.


    Holly took a moment to look around. Her suitcase was sitting on the floor near her bed, which lay parallel with a small window that gave a view of outside. The room held a small desk attached to the wall, a bookshelf, and to the left was a compact bathroom.


    Mabron watched, amused, as Holly walked around, stunned by the simple things such as a sleeping cabin. It was terribly cute.


    "You can stay in here while we depart, if you want. But most people will be in the hall to watch."


    "Okay."


    Mabron had a feeling she''d stay in her cabin, but was surprised when she began walking towards her door. Holly stepped into the hall and Mabron followed behind her, and the door automatically shut behind him. He was quiet, watching Holly as she glanced to the right and then the left. She turned to Mabron and looked up at him.


    "Where is that, exactly?"


    "This way," Mabron chuckled, and he turned to the left and began walking.


    When they reached a different area of the spacecraft Mabron slowed down and allowed Holly to pass. She wore her same blue hoodie from their night together, but her shirt was black this time. She wore dark blue jeans and a worn pair of black boots that went up just past her ankle. Mabron waited until Holly had begun walking past him to join the other passengers as they mingled about, talking among one another. He couldn''t resist giving her ass a light slap as she walked by. Holly jumped and turned around with a glare. She quickly walked up to him with her fists clenched, and Mabron held up his hands in surrender.


    "Listen," Holly whispered angrily, her jaw tight. "You need to stop trying to embarrassing me in public. We slept together one time, that doesn''t mean you can torment me forever."


    "Okay, sheesh," Mabron responded hastily, but he was still smiling. "You don''t have to get so worked up. Although... you''re really cute when you''re angry."


    Holly frowned at him for a second longer, her cheeks bright pink, and then she spun around and went to join the other passengers. The room was filled with a mixture of species, but most were humans, particularly families and kids. There were a few younger kids that were running around being obnoxious, and their shouting annoyed Holly so she stayed off to the side, staring out the huge window. Below, people milled about, going about their tasks to help the spacecraft take off safely. After about twenty minutes, the voice spoke again, instructing passengers to please take a seat and buckle in. When everyone was seated, the Lavurna began to take off from Earth.


    It was the most fascinating experience Holly had ever seen with her two eyes. She had a feeling that over the next four months she''d be saying that a lot, but it was true. She could barely believe that she was really on a space craft, that was leaving Earth''s atmosphere and taking her into the great wide-open world of Space.


    Holly and most of the passengers remained seated for a few hours. Refreshments were eventually provided, and the voice came back and informed everyone of dinnertime. Holly didn''t really care, but she sipped on her glass of iced tea and continued to mess around on her tablet, trying to get to know it better. It had many features, one of which seemed to be an internet type service. She was able to get Facebook up and she logged on briefly, but Holly never really used it that much back home to begin with. She connected to a couple other apps and then finished her drink and continued watching their departure. It grew darker as they reached the new atmosphere, and it was a beautiful sight to be among the stars.


    Mabron was nowhere to be found, but when Holly made her way to the dining hall later on she saw him standing near one of the counters, talking with the Cenasaur she had seen him with earlier. Not wanting to speak with him, Holly stayed near the other side and picked up a tray before moving over to the line waiting to get food. She hadn''t been expecting such delicious options, and Holly settled on a hearty bowl of macaroni and cheese with a generous slice of soft garlic toast. When she had her food, Holly wandered over to a free table and sat down. She placed her tablet on the table beside her and browsed her Twitter feed while eating.


    Mabron sat with some of the other crew members and Rick, but he could see Holly eating by herself. He had half a mind to go over to her, but decided to give her a break.


    "Staring at her again are we," Rick teased, and Mabron glanced over at him.


    "What can I say? She''s peaked my interests."


    "If I didn''t know any better I''d say you''re smitten."


    Mabron simply shrugged, and took a swig of his drink. If he was being honest, he was interested in Holly in more than just a casual sex partner. He couldn''t quite explain why she interested him so much, only that he knew he wanted to spend more time with her. But she was terribly awkward and shy in her interactions, which spurred him to tease her so much. He didn''t think of it as a flaw, but rather a sweet part of her personality. Holly took him far too seriously.


    After dinner, most passengers began returning to their rooms for the evening. Holly finished up her dinner and stayed seated for a while, content to read a few articles that she had saved earlier in the week. When she was finally caught up, she was one of the few remaining people in the Dining hall.


    Mabron was there as well, for he had hung back, but Holly didn''t see him at first. He watched as the girl finally got up from her seat and walked over with her tray to the drop off area. Then she walked over to the hallway and paused. He knew she didn''t have a clue how to get back to her room, and so he strode over to her.


    "Need help?" He asked, and Holly turned to him.


    "Why do I have the feeling you''re watching me more than I would like," Holly retorted quietly, and Mabron shrugged.


    "I think you''re just paranoid, dear."


    Holly sighed, and then she turned back to the hallway.


    "I don''t want your help."


    "Fine," Mabron crossed his arms over his chest. "I won''t help you then."


    "Good."


    "Good."


    Holly watched as Mabron strode away from her, and began walking down the hall. She watched him for a moment, and then let out a sigh and rubbed her eyes. She was ready to lay down, but first she had to find her room. She had been too stubborn to let Mabron help her, and now she had to find it herself.


    If her tablet held the answers, Holly hadn''t gotten the hang of it yet, and had no idea how to look. She wandered around for a while, and she managed to get back to the main hall where they had first gathered for orientation. Holly tried to trace her steps back from there, but at the time she had been paying more attention to Mabron in his uniform than every left and right they had taken.


    Curse his athletic hide, Holly thought to herself with a small scowl.


    She rounded the corner and ended up back in the seating area where they had all gathered for takeoff. Holly let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to the sleek glass window, feeling her motivation leave her. She stared out the window for a few minutes, feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps it was because she was so tired, or that she had had so much social interaction for the day, but it was enough to get her emotions going. She was done, and wanted to curl up and sleep.


    A few tears welled up in her eyes, and Holly blinked, forcing them to stream down her pale cheeks. She continued looking out the window, sniffling softly.


    "Do you give up?"


    Mabron''s voice scared Holly so bad she jumped. He watched as she began wiping at her eyes, but she remained facing the window. He frowned.


    "Why are you crying?" He asked softly.


    "I''m not," Holly retorted quickly, and she hastily rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater; but Mabron wasn''t fooled.


    He stepped forward and gently grasped her shoulder, forcing Holly to turn to him. Her cheeks were pink and she avoided looking into his eyes.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "N-nothing," Holly whispered firmly. "I''m just... tired."


    "Come on."


    Holly allowed Mabron to take her hand and lead her back towards her room. When they arrived, Holly went in first, and Mabron followed behind her. She didn''t know what to say, and her eyelids felt heavy, but Mabron took the lead. He slipped her sweater off her shoulders and placed it on the back of the chair resting in front of her desk.


    "What are you doing," Holly mumbled, and she yawned.


    "Would it kill you to let someone help once in a while?"


    Holly was silent, and Mabron sighed and tugged at her shirt.


    "Lift your arms up."


    Holly lifted her arms up and Mabron swiftly took her shirt off. He put it on the back of the chair behind her and then made quick work of her bra clasps. He tugged it off of her, and Holly shivered, unsure of how to react to him undressing her.


    Mabron didn''t waste time. When he had finished removing her bra, he knelt down on the floor and began tugging at the laces to Holly''s boots. Holly sucked in a deep breath and leant with one hand against the chair as Mabron freed her foot from one of her boots and then started on the other. After he had them both off Mabron reached up with his long arms and tugged at the button to her jeans. When they were undone he pulled them down to her ankle and Holly stepped out from them.


    Holly quietly waited as Mabron moved over to her suitcase and opened it. When he pushed back the flap, he glanced inside for a moment, and he let out a small laugh. Almost half of the suitcase was filled with books.


    "Did you bring the whole library?" He teased, and Holly shrugged.


    Holly watched as the alien rifled around her clothes for a moment. She felt like she should say something, or do something, but she didn''t know what. So, she kept standing there, wearing nothing but her panties, and waited for Mabron to finish what he was doing.


    "What''s this?" He asked after a moment, holding up a light blue nightie. "Do you sleep in this?"


    "Yeah," Holly whispered.


    Mabron stood up and balled the nightgown with both hands. He put it over her and Holly shoved her arms through the proper spots as Mabron let the material fall down to just past her butt. Then he led her to her bed and pulled the covers back. Holly climbed under the blankets and laid down, still feeling confused and in a daze.


    When she had settled down and was resting on her side, facing him, Mabron tucked the blanket around her shoulders and leaned down. Her eyes were closed, but Holly could feel his lips as they softly kissed her cheek.


    "Sweet dreams," he whispered quietly.


    Holly''s eyes opened just as Mabron was leaving her room. The door slid open, and he took a step forward.


    "Goodnight," Holly called after him.