Nikhil(32)

It was a covering with long sleeves that was meant to be worn by a warrior if he were suddenly caught out in a Pontus ground storm. It was made from a very thin, but nearly impenetrable material that was easily stored in a Warrior’s kit. If a storm suddenly appeared, all a warrior needed to do was pull it on over his head and he was protected.

It would have to do for now until he was able to provide his True Mate with proper coverings. The sound of the cleansing room door opening had him turning to find his Mackenzie slowly walking toward him.

"I'm sorry about coming unglued on you back there." She gestured to the cleansing room with her head.

"Unglued?" Nikhil frowned at the word.

"It’s a figure of speech. I yelled at you for no good reason."

"You felt you had a reason."

"But not a good one."

"You have been through much, Mackenzie. I did not mean for my actions to make you feel uncomfortable."

"They didn't. You have been nothing but kind and understanding, Nikhil, going way beyond what was necessary. It's my own actions that have made me uncomfortable, and you too it seems."

"I do not understand."

"I realize that, after all, we’ve just met, are two entirely different species, and literally don't speak the same language. It makes 'misunderstandings' really easy. Especially on my part." She looked at what he was holding in his hand. "Is that for me?"

"What?" He looked to where she pointed and remembered the covering in his hand. "Yes. It is just a storm covering, it's all I have for now. But I will acquire something else for you. Something better, prettier, more...”

"Nikhil, stop!" she cut him off. "I'm sure whatever it is will be fine after wearing the same coverings for... I don't know how long. Anything would be better. You don't have to acquire anything else for me."

She reached out for the shirt but stopped short of touching him. She wasn't going to force herself on him again. She knew he said she was his True Mate because of the bead in her hair. She had assumed that it was something like Soul Mates back on Earth, that they would share a deep love and affection for each other. Something she found she was already feeling for the large male. But for her that included touching and kissing, but Nikhil had stopped her from touching him and not responded to her kiss. Was it something different for a Kaliszian? Until she found out, she would proceed with caution.

Nikhil braced himself for her touch, ordering his body not to respond and frighten her again. But it was all for nothing when she just held out her hand and waited. She'd willingly done so in the cleansing stall the night before, and again as she rested. She'd even willingly caressed his jaw with her tiny hand. Had his actions caused her to fear touching him? Carefully, making sure not to touch or startle her, he placed the covering in her hand.

"I'll... I'll just step back into the cleansing room and change." Turning, she hurried away.

Nikhil watched her go with troubled eyes, not liking how quickly she moved away from him. He needed to win back her trust, to show her he was worthy of being her Dasho and True Mate. He just needed to figure out how to do that.

Mac just stared at herself in the mirror for several minutes taking in her appearance. The shirt, no covering, Nikhil had given her had been loose when she'd first put it on, the ends of its long sleeves going way past her fingertips. The neckline hung like a cowl neck, and the bottom went past her knees. But after wearing it for several moments, she felt it begin to tighten, to conform to her body.

The sleeves were still long, reaching halfway down her fingers, but she found she liked it there. The cowl neck had receded to become more of a tight turtleneck but didn't feel restrictive in any way. The rest of the covering had changed too. It now hugged her body like a second skin, and the hem was now several inches above her knees.

She'd seen other woman wear dresses like this on Earth, but they had always had those perfect, amazingly toned bodies to show off. She didn't. Turning slightly, she looked at the way the material seemed to hug her ass. She had to admit it didn't look half bad, and there wasn't a line or seam to be seen since her underwear was one of the first things to succumb to the harsh conditions they'd endured. It's what she got for indulging herself in lacy bra and panty sets instead of practical ones. Facing forward again, she realized the material lifted and cupped her breasts better than any bra could. When she moved they didn't bounce around, but that was probably because of how small they were now.

Her brown hair, that Nikhil had taken so much time cleansing, fell around her face in soft waves that reached the upper curve of her breasts. She'd never had her hair this long before. It had to be at least three inches longer than when they'd been taken from Earth. Could that in any way tell them how long ago that was? She had no clue how fast a person's hair grew. Maybe Jen or one of the guys did.