I can't decide where to go with this book. Whether it should be LGBT or traditional romance/erotica. So, it sits at the turning point. I hope to figure it out and have it done within the year... maybe.
The excerpt is out of the second chapter. Snort's full name is Snort The Wonder Pig, and he is the MC's much beloved pet.
The Paladin
“Did you miss me? Did mean old Pops make you sleep in the kitchen?” I scrubbed my fingers over his head as he told me all about his woes as only Snort could.
“Don’t believe a word he says. Your mother let him sleep in the bedroom— twice! You know he snores something awful, sounds like he’s dying.”
I glanced up at my father, and from my angle I couldn’t miss the resemblance Rose had to him. Same sunny hair, fine features, burnished skin and tawny eyes. I looked like our mother. I had inherited her strong face, tarnished copper hair, ivory skin, and wide open violet eyes. Rose hated my eyes. Told me they should have been hers.
“Hey, Pop, how was you’re day?”
“It appears a sight better than yours.” He gestured to the bottles of juice. “Did you eat anything?”
I nodded. “I had some almonds... and an egg,” I added when his face puckered disapprovingly.
He grumbled something about me being an adult as he sat down in his rocking chair. He was so proud of the thing. Made it with his own hands, and even though it was a bit off kilter, I had to admit, the thing was sturdy.
“Did you take your AG?” he asked, trying for conversational. Yet I knew better.
“No, I will before I go to bed.” I tried not to grimace, obviously not succeeding since his jaw tensed. “It makes me feel icky.” Even though the alga was in a capsule, I hated the taste that came back on me for hours. My stomach even complained about it.
“Yeah, well, without it you’ll be feeling dead.”
“Does anyone actually know that for a fact?” I asked. Snort grunted as he rooted his wet snout under my hand. I went back to scratching his neck and he sighed happily. My father hadn’t answered so I looked to him. He was watching Snort snuggle deeper into my lap, a faint smile on his face.
He took a deep breath and shook his head, clearing the smile right off. “No, but please don’t be the first to test the theory. It would crush you’re mother.”
“Jesus, I’m not suicidal, just curious.” I saw his mouth open. “And don’t say it.” I pointed at him. He clamped his mouth shut.
Stupid book read like an electronics manual; Users guide to keeping your Tellurians alive. It was the only thing that accompanied our species to this planet, and my grandfather, who was the keeper, kept trying to pass it down to me. I didn’t want to be responsible for it. It was full of important little anecdotes about surviving on this planet.
Such as; Make sure you mate with your own kind, consume no less than 1/1000th of your body weight in algae each day, grain alcohol kills, do not work in a polypropylene factory, don’t expose food to Teflon, don’t touch latex, and on and on.
The silver book was full of one line instructions meant to keep us alive in an environment unnatural to our kind.
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