by Lynnea Lee
“And what’s this between him, Lettie, and Vore?”
“It’s a long story, but I think it’s best if you ask Lettie about it. Lettie will never leave Vore for Kean’s power and money. I’m just teasing him about it because that’s what Vore and I do.”
“Last question, what’s the Alliance? I have never heard of it. I felt like an outsider listening in onto a conversation.”
Was that why Emma seemed to draw away? It was a lot to take in. It was a good sign that Emma was curious and wanted to know more about the details of the mission. It meant that she saw herself as part of the crew.
“The Alliance is a group of mercenaries, individuals and crews, who work together to ensure the Dominion can not pick us off individually. The Defiant is part of the Alliance. The Alliance maintains a fortified compound for our families and retired members.
“Zeylum, Sidas, and myself were raised as children inside the compound. Zey’s father was one of the founders. We send back a certain percentage that we make to ensure the upkeep of the compound.”
“Wow! I didn’t know. And here I thought it was every man for himself.”
“Not with the Dominion breathing down our necks. It is safer in numbers. The Dominion has bounties on the heads of most of the crew of the Defiant, myself included.”
Cal regretted it the moments the words came out of his mouth.
Emma’s big round eyes stared back at him in horror.
“You are going to go fight them now. What if they catch you?” Then Emma looked around. “We are in the training area.”
“Yes, I want to show you the simulator.” He led her to the virtual training simulator. “I will not be caught. We have fought them before.”
Emma chewed her lip nervously.
“You are worried about me. You care.” Cal beamed. It was wonderful to be cared for.
“Of course I do. You are the first person to show me any type of kindness since I left Earth. Naturally, I care for you back.”
She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, rubbing her face against his chest. She gave him a slow sniff and then frowned.
“It’s too bad that you don’t find me nice smelling. You smell wonderful to me. I didn’t notice it at first, but the past day or so, I’ve been really enjoying the way you smell. Did you put on something new?”
“No.” Cal also didn’t mention that he still hadn’t recovered his sense of smell since his accidental inhalation of the olfactinull a few days ago. He was beginning to worry that it had done permanent injury to his senses. “I’m glad you enjoy my scent. That is a very good sign.”
If his sense of smell was permanently destroyed, he might never recognize Emma as his mate. Cal wasn’t sure if scent was a required criterion for mate recognition, but he knew that it was important.
“My sweet, when we finish our mission on Vosthea. I want to start a partnership of convenience with you.”
She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out most adorably. “What is that?”
He pulled her into the simulator.
“Some couples stay together even if they are not mates. Think of it as mates chosen by the heart and head.”
Cal had thought she would be ecstatic, but instead, she frowned.
“But you are looking for your mate. You can’t just settle for me, knowing I’m not the one. I’ll never stop worrying if I’m good enough for you.”
“But you are! Emma, you are perfect.” Desperation strummed in Cal’s chest with each heartbeat. He needed her to agree.
“What if you find your mate one day and—”
“No! I don’t want this unknown mate. I don’t want anyone else but you. I will hide in this ship with you all the days of my life if that’s what it takes to ensure I never meet anyone who will take me away.”
Tears glazed Emma’s eyes.
“You are crying again. Why?”
“I’ve always been a cry-baby.” She wiped the corner of her eyes. “Your words make me so happy, but at the same time, I don’t want you to settle.”
“Being with you is not settling.” Cal willed her to believe it.
“You are so sweet, Calix. Getting abducted from Earth and spending a few months as a slave was totally worth it, just to meet you. I shouldn’t let you give up on finding your mate, but I also can’t say no to you.”
“So was that a yes? You will enter into a partnership of convenience with me.”
“Yes, Cal. I will. But can we omit the convenience part? It makes it sound wrong.”
“I don’t care what we call it. I just want you to be mine. That’s all I care about.”
Emma smiled at him. And Cal wished once again that he had his sense of smell back. He was sure a happy Emma would smell amazing, regardless of extraneous hormones. Happiness engulfed him. Lifting her up to wrap around his body, Cal covered her mouth in an Earth-style kiss. She kissed him back desperately, wrapping her armed around his neck and pulling his mouth to hers.
“Before we get too carried away, I have something to show you.”
He punched in the code for one of the new Earth locations they had programmed into the simulator and set it to the custom settings Zeylum had told him about. The surroundings flashed, and they were transported to a small field with manicured hedges on either side. To one side was a paved area with some benches and trees. It looked like an urban park, but without the crowds. But the showpiece was a metal tower. Cal was a bit confused. What was so special about this tower?
“Wow! That’s the Eiffel tower.”
“Zeylum says Ashe liked this scene.” Cal guided her to a mattress set up on the field with a pile of pillows. “I don’t understand the appeal. It’s just an old tower.”
Emma giggled. “It’s the cultural significance and history. But I agree, it’s just a tower. It’s still a beautiful place to visit.” She smiled at him and settled down onto the mattress. “And I have the best company.”
“The sun should set soon. We can enjoy the sunset together. A human from Reka 5 programmed this. It’s not the same as the real thing, but it’s his rendition of it.”
“I didn’t know humans have already created so much in the galaxy. I thought we were just slaves.”
“You spent most of your time in the Dominion, and in there, you would be correct. But out here, humans have started to make their mark. There are other Earth locations available, do you want to see them?”
“Yes! Show me.” Her smile was radiant, and it warmed Cal through and through.
Emma dangled her legs off the Grand Canyon. They had chosen to make love perched at the edge of the deep-sided gorge with the sunset around them. And for a moment, Emma had forgotten that they were floating in space in a fortified tin can.
As Cal had selected different scenes from his controller, the mattress had followed them to every location. Human programmers and artists had worked together to render some of the wonders of the world, old and new, natural and manmade.
Emma was tempted to explore a few of them, but curiosity about the next scene pushed her to urge Cal for the next setting. She made a note to come back and check out Machu Picchu and Victoria Falls later.
When Emma saw the beauty of the Arizonian wonder, she had gasped, and Cal had chosen to stay at this scene. It was magical, and Emma knew she would never forget this night for as long as she lived.
Cal had asked her to stay with him. And while the term “partnership of convenience” didn’t sound particularly romantic, Emma understood that it was the equivalent of asking someone to marry them. Like a marriage, a partnership is with the heart and the head. It didn’t have the mating bond backing it, but it had everything else. Unions on Earth didn’t have mating bonds either. For all intents of purposes, Cal had proposed. And Emma was giddy with happiness.
They had made love until the sunset faded, and the bright half-moon rose. Now the scene was lit by the artificial moon and a sky full of stars. Emma gaze
d up in wonder.
“I wonder where we are up there,” she mused to herself.
Cal came to sit next to her at the precipice and wrapped her up in his arms.
“I’m not sure if the stars are an accurate representation. Just like everything else, the stars are the artists and programmer’s rendition of the location.”
“They did such an amazing job. Although I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, so I don’t have memories to compare it too.”
But the rendition was so realistic that Emma was scared to go near the edge at first. Cal demonstrated how safe it was by stepping right over into the canyon. Emma had screamed and reached for him, terrified, and tumbled off the cliff, but only for a few feet. Cal had caught her, and they had stood in the middle of the air, suspended over the canyon.
Emma had laughed. Of course it wasn’t real! Duh! They were in the simulator on the ship.
“You were worried about me. You lunged for me when you thought I was in danger.” Cal's voice held a sense of awe.
“Why wouldn’t I worry about you? I care about you.”
“When Zey formed a mating bond with Ashe, I was worried for him. Humans do not form mating bonds, and Ashe could leave him at any time. But I learned that like Tallean couples who stay together for life in a partnership, humans fall in love. And love makes them loyal.”
Emma guessed at the question that was coming. Did she love him? She thought she did. But this intense feeling she had for Calix could be gratitude and not true love. Emma had never fallen in love before. What if she had mistaken the two emotions? It was so easy to believe that her knight in shining armor came to rescue her, and she fell madly in love with him, just like in the storybooks.
But this could simply be hero worship, like how a young girl might become infatuated with a firefighter who carried her to safety. Maybe she only thought she loved him because of the amazing life he had given her, the new home, the new friends. Emma was afraid to speak. She didn’t want him to doubt what they had. A feeling of dread inched in, suffocating her. She tried to act as normal as she could.
She hadn’t noticed him spraying the simulator with the olfactinull. But he had spent the whole evening with her without reacting to her scent. And if he could smell, he would surely notice her dread now. Cal must have sprayed the room earlier and planned this in advance.
Cal was oblivious to her internal dilemma. He didn’t even ask the dreaded question. He just held her, with a blissful smile on his face, and rocked her as they gazed across the canyon.
Chapter 15
Emma snuggled further into the plush fur throw on the couch, enjoying the silky, comforting feel, as Mia clicked a few more photos of the majestic looking hall with her comm. Kean’s compound had the look and feel of a lodge with a myriad of big, heavy pieces of wood furniture and rustic décor.
“These photos will be perfect for my next blog post. They might even make it into my digital travel guide!”
“It reminds me of a ski lodge I once stayed at.” Lettie had a massive smile on her face. “I love this rustic feel. Especially after being stuck in space for so long.”
“You don’t want either Vore or Kean to hear that. They might take it the wrong way and start a fight.”
Lettie had explained earlier that during a recent mission, Kean had made a play at her, thinking that she was simply Vore’s slave instead of his mate. Kean had offered her a permanent spot on his bed, a large estate to live in, and all her needs taken care of. Lettie had turned him down. She loved Vore.
“I’m not interested in staying here. But you’ve got to admire the décor. The man’s got good taste.”
“This planet has a lot of trees,” Ashe said. “A lot of enormous trees. Maybe it’s less taste and more necessity.”
Kean had placed the females in a well-guarded wing of his compound. Emma was supposed to be safe here, but she didn’t like being separated from Cal. It made her nervous. Cal and the rest of the crew were in a briefing with the owner of the estate.
She hated that the males were going to fight while the females hid in safety. What year was it? The females should fight too. But one look at a Tallean male, and she realized that she was pretty useless against one. Even with a weapon, she wasn’t trained and would just get in the way. Even Moira, who was a good shot, had to sit back for this mission.
So, Emma forced herself to relax back on the luxurious leather couch. This place really was beautiful. Even if the hardwood furniture and details were a necessity rather than a choice, whoever put it together had a talented eye for details.
Kean had amassed a small fortune producing Euphora. But instead of flaunting it with a garish display of wealth, he opted for subtle, understated, rustic charm. The whole place radiated warmth and coziness despite its grand size.
A few pods of Euphora, diluted for human consumption, were scattered on the table. Lettie had assured her that his product was “the bomb,” but Emma was a good girl. She’d never done drugs a day in her life, and she wasn’t interested in starting now. Back on Earth, she didn’t even drink, except for at weddings and Christmas parties.
One of the guards stationed at their door approached them. He was young and built like Grissom, tall and lanky, but starting to fill out in his broad shoulders and chest. He was cocky like Grisly too.
“Today must be my lucky day. I get to spend it guarding these gorgeous females. Hello, beautiful.” The guard grinned at Ashe, his fangs on full display. “My name is Zake, and if any of you need anything, I’ll be more than happy to give you a hand.” He took Ashe’s hand and made a grand show of kissing it. “I learned that from watching human vids from Earth.” He winked at her, the gesture strange on his face.
Another guard, still by the door, shouted, “Zake, do you have a death wish? You just kissed the hand of Zeylum’s mate.”
“Fuck! Zeylum of the Defiant?” the young guard stammered. He dropped Ashe’s hand and backed away, his tanned complexion turning a scant shade paler.
Ashe laughed. “I won’t say anything—this time.”
“Thank you. That’s one fucker I don’t want to mess with.” He turned his eyes to the other females in the group.
“But just as a warning, most of us are mated.”
The young Tallean, having recovered his confidence quickly, grinned. “Most of you? That mean’s one or some of you are unmated.
The guard at the door, still listening in, guffawed. “Young males never know when to quit.”
“Beats being old!” the young guard shot back.
Their exchange reminded Emma of Vosken and Grissom’s exchange that day in the training room. It was just a few days ago, but it seemed so long ago. She smiled, thinking of how much her life had changed.
“Aha! It must be you.” Zake beamed at her.
“I’m not single.” She didn’t clarify that she wasn’t a mate either.
He shrugged. “I still mean it. If any of you need anything, I’ll be happy to help.” Then he returned to his post by the door.
“He seems like a good kid.” Moira picked up her glass of wine and took a sip.
Emma hadn’t had the chance to spend much time with the Tallean female. But the medic’s mate came off as genuine and caring. She accepted the human females on her ship and considered them friends. She was particularly close to Ashe.
Moira continued, “Sidas said Kean has some strict rules about how they treat females in his compound, a rarity on this planet.”
“A good-hearted hardened criminal? Does that even exist?” Mia poured herself a glass from the decanter at the center of the table, then held it out towards Emma.
“No, thank you. I don’t drink.”
“Suit yourself. It’s a damn good wine. All we are missing is chocolate.”
Lettie cleared her throat. “Talking about missing chocolate, who the hell took the rest of the chocolate from the crate?” She put her hands on her hips and looked around the table a
ccusingly. “Cough it up, ladies. One of you did it or know who did. Spill it!”
Thoughts of Emma dominated Cal’s head, making it impossible to pay attention to the mission brief. He didn’t like leaving her alone, especially not in a stronghold full of testosterone-filled males. Cal was almost glad for the hormones changing Emma’s scent. It would keep other males from getting too close.
Luckily, Cal didn’t need too many details. He knew his job: pilot the Destroyer and chase off the Dominion ships, preferably with as much destruction and mayhem as possible. He had a knack for blowing things up while avoiding being blown up himself.
Memories surfaced of him scenting Emma’s arousal on the bridge of the Defiant when he had shot at and outmaneuvered the merchant’s ship. He had turned Emma on, or maybe the excitement had. The scent haunted him. If he closed his eyes, he could still imagine it despite currently having no sense of smell at all.
It had been days since his accident with the bottle of olfactinull. At first, he had been sure that the effects would fade quickly. But as hours turned into days, Cal started to worry. He’d ask Arus about it after the briefing.
Meeting over, the guards and soldiers filed out of the room. The mated males of the crew got ready to head towards the wing where the females were staying.
“Vosthea always smells so clean and fresh. Such a contrast to the type of people who inhabit it.” Arus inhaled deeply as he stretched and got up from his seat.
“I can’t smell a thing,” Cal huffed. “I should have asked you about it back on the ship. You said no to inhale the olfactinull, how bad is it if I did?”
Arus paused mid-stride. “I’m assuming you are asking because you did.”
“I walked into a cloud of it and inhaled by accident. It was a few days ago. I still can’t smell a fucking thing.”
Kean walked towards them from the podium at the front of the auditorium.
