Page 58 of Space Daddy and a Boy Called Twink

The intensity of the Vorcon rage was so sharp, I reared my head back, screaming in fury at the thought that she might do anything to my Twink.

22

TWINK

“This has tobe AI,” Eric said, studying the image on Roger’s screen.

I knew this would happen, and really, I shouldn’t have been nervous about anything because odds were, Roger wouldn’t work out that the Vorcon on the TikTok video was Daddy. I mean, even if I said the wordVorcon, he wouldn’t know what the hell I was talking about. But as someone who was a shit liar, I feared the whole story was written all over my face, and that my best buddy would easily catch on—one of the reasons I hadn’t spent as much time with him since I figured out why Daddy was in town.

But seeing Daddy in the video, struggling through town, didn’t help my stress levels, and neither did worrying about Daddy being in that sewer again by himself, potentially running into that monster of an ex.

I’d become protective of my Furker. I really liked Daddy, and seeing his true form last night had only intensified my feelings for him. I liked knowing he was willing to share this part of himself that he didn’t share with most. And contrary to all my fears, he was gorgeous.

Roger’s brow creased as he studied the image on the screen again before glaring at Eric and me. “You have to be kidding me. This isn’t AI. You know that’s the first thing we checked for.”

“Who is thiswe?” Eric asked. “Are these guys even real?”

“Of course they’re real! And they’re into this stuff and want to track down whatever this is.”

I was tempted to clarify they weren’t even hunting a single alien, but obviously, that wouldn’t have helped anything.

“Whatever,” Roger muttered, then went on. “There was a sighting in an alley by Filth, so some of the guys are planning to scout around there tonight.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I didn’t like how close these guys were getting, and I felt the need to say something to protect Daddy.

“Roger, what are the odds that of all places in the world, an alien would land in a little town like Harmony Springs? Not New York City? Not Los Angeles? Not DC? What would the point be?”

“Most abductions take place in small towns where there aren’t a lot of people.”

That’s a fucking good point. See? This is why I don’t lie! I’m shit at it.

“Well, in that case, why didn’t they choose somewhere more rural? We’re too big for them to snatch people up, and too small to be of much use for anything else.”

Guilt knotted up in me, even more so when Roger’s expression fell as he considered my bullshit logic.

I was about to apologize when Eric interjected, “Charlie’s right. If anything, the frightening part about this is how good AI’s gotten. That basically looks like it could be a real alien, but hell, it might be one of the guys in this group you’re in. Maybe laughing his ass off that you are all falling for it.”

The light in Roger’s eyes dulled even more, and he tucked his head low, sliding his phone back in his pocket.

Seeing him so dejected, I wanted to say,“Eric’s wrong. And I’m wrong. Aliens are real, and I’ve been seeing one for the past few weeks, and I’m worried as hell right now that he could get hurt or worse.”I bit my bottom lip instead, stifling the impulse to burst out with the truth.

“I’m sorry, Roger,” I said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Nothing really happens in this town, and being a temp with no sign of things moving anywhere, I guess it got me thinking how cool it would be if…”

“If what?” I asked, more compassion in my voice than when I’d been trying to get him to question his theories.

“If my life were more than this…than Harmony Springs. If I really had a mission. If my life actually mattered.”

My heart broke for my friend. In all the time we’d known each other, I’d never seen him so vulnerable, so lost.

“Your life matters plenty,” I insisted, which earned a raised brow from Eric, whom I glared at so he wouldn’t make this any worse.

“You’re right, Char. Probably is AI. I just… Don’t you ever feel like we were meant for more? Like there must be a bigger adventure out there?”

I didn’t really think like that. Despite my current work situation, I’d always wanted a simple, quiet life. It’s what I’d hoped for, really, but clearly, it wasn’t enough for Roger.

“I get that,” Eric piped up, which surprised me since he was good at acting disaffected. I was also just surprised to hear him take Roger’s side on anything.