ABDUCTED: HOW THEY MET (bwwm)(completed)(EDITING)

CHAPTER 27 * My new Xeris *

VICTORIA'S POV

I opened my eyes.

I felt weird. I knew I had fallen from a tree and that Xeris had found me. With their amazing advancements in technology and medicine, I thought I would wake up feeling perfectly fine. But I didn't. I moved my head to one side and saw a screen with slow beeping sounds coming from it. I turned it to the other side and saw a head lying on the bed. It was Xeris. He had fallen asleep on a stool. He held my hand in his. His head was facing mine and I could see the dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted.

How long have I been unconscious this time?

I wanted to let him sleep a little longer. He looked like he needed it. I took the opportunity to admire him. His stubble had developed into a beard.

When was the last time he shaved?

I decided, I liked it on him. The entire time, he held onto my hand. That hand was getting a little sweaty but I didn't mind one bit. This was the most intimate contact we had ever had, I wasn't going to let it end so quickly.

My hand looked so small in his. Maybe he just had unnaturally large hands. His hair was dishevelled. His clothes looked wrinkled.

When was the last time he showered?

I looked at his forehead, then his closed eyes and eyelashes, still envious of their length. I then moved to look at his nose and finally his lips. The faint beeping in the background sped up. I swallowed heavily and tried to clear my mind of the thought of kissing him. I would have continued scrutinizing his features if it weren't for my traitorous stomach.

It rumbled long and loud.

This got him to wake up with a start and stood up.

He looked at me while blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

"You're awake." He phrased it like a question.

"I'm awake," the only reply I could think of.

"Thank heavens," he sighed heavily and sat back down.

"How long was I out this time?" I smiled a little.

He didn't smile back. He checked his watch and said, "Almost three days."

I looked at the ceiling, "A record, even for me," I smiled again and turned to look at him. He still had a serious expression and wouldn't take his eyes off me.

"Did I fall on my face?" I asked.

"No, you fell on your back."

"Then why are you looking at me so intensely?" He still wouldn't look away.

"I thought I lost you," he stated softly.

Those five words took my breath away. I couldn't look at him anymore and turned back to look at the ceiling.

Don't read too much into it.

I didn't know what to say, but an unlikely saviour came to my rescue.

His stomach rumbled.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was cut short by my stomach deciding to rumble too. This had him chuckling.

"I guess it's time we ate," he said while standing up.

I was about to do the same when he reached down and scooped me up in his arms. I instinctively wrapped my hands around his neck for fear of falling at the sudden assault. This reminded me of the first time he carried me like this, when I first got here. Only this time, I fit snugly in his arms. Each contour of my body melding with his.