Seduced by the Alien Warrior

by Hope Hart

  The room is silent. “And Varic?”

  “Zarix didn’t see him. We believe he survived.”

  I grit my teeth. Once, news of the warrior’s survival would have been met with joy. Unfortunately, the years have changed him. I never expected him to leave my tribe three revolutions ago, and if he decided to follow Lafa and join with the Voildi, he is now an enemy.

  We were friends as children. And yet, even after he abandoned my tribe, he never told us of Lafa’s plans.

  Obviously he is not the same male I once knew.

  “Find out anything you can about him.” I get to my feet, disgusted. “I will have my midday meal alone.”

  Not alone. I will finally eat with Alexis again. But these males don’t need to know this.

  I stride back to my quarters and call for a servant. “Tell Alexis that she will join me for the midday meal.”

  The servant nods, and within a few moments, they are laying food on the table. Alexis appears, and I drink in the sight of her.

  She frowns at me. “You know, you can’t just snap your fingers and get what you want all the time.”

  “I can’t?” I smile at her.

  “You think you’re charming, but you’re really just bossy,” she says sternly, although the hint of a smile plays around her lips.

  “Eat with me, Alexis. I have been busy these days, and I miss the sight of your face.”

  She hesitates, raising her brow, and I almost smile. Any other female would blush and stutter if I said such words to them. This female is narrowing her eyes at me suspiciously.

  Is it any wonder I find myself fascinated by her?

  “Why are you so busy?” she asks.

  “Eat with me and I’ll tell you.”

  She shrugs, the movement nonchalant, and I have a feeling that she is somehow mocking me. She moves to the table, and I square my shoulders. Unlike our last meal together, this one will not end with harsh words.

  She takes a seat, reaching for a cup of water. “So?”

  I join her, heaping food onto her plate. It is unusual for a qatai to serve others, but I find myself soothed by the action of giving this female food and watching her enjoy it.

  “As you know, Zarix and your human friend traveled to Tecar’s tribe.”

  “Beth. Her name is Beth. Which I’m sure you know.”

  I eye the female, irritation rising. “Do you wish to fight?”

  “No. I wish you to use the name of the woman who dragged one of your wounded warriors onto a mishua and found help so he didn’t die.”

  I push down the urge to snap at her. Instead, I consider her words.

  “You are right,” I say, and it’s worth the concession to see the surprised pleasure in her eyes. “I apologize.”

  She rewards me with a smile. “Maybe an old dog can learn new tricks after all.”

  I don’t know what this means, but I nod anyway.

  She takes a bite of her food and hums in obvious pleasure as she swallows. “You were saying?”

  “Zarix and Beth traveled to Tecar’s tribe, and there was a battle.”

  Alexis pauses, leaning back in her seat. “Are they okay?”

  “Yes. They killed the Voildi who thought to take Tecar’s tribe along with Lafa—the traitorous tribe king who worked with him.”

  “Awesome. So what happens now?”

  “Now my warriors return to camp and we strategize. Any Braxian warriors who joined with Lafa must swear allegiance to new tribes or meet their deaths.”

  “Deaths?” Alexis’s face is pale.

  “Betrayal is not tolerated. Those warriors may have sworn allegiance to Lafa, but they knew better than to follow him into battle beside the Voildi. They are lucky to have a second chance.”

  Alexis pushes her plate away. “So Zarix and Beth will return to this camp?”

  I frown. “Zarix is one of my warriors. I do not know what he will do with the—Beth,” I finish as Alexis’s eyes narrow warningly.

  She smirks at me. “You think he’ll leave her? You know they’re a thing, right?”

  “A thing?”

  “Yeah, they’re together.”

  I laugh. The idea is preposterous. Alexis’s face is serious, and I shake my head.

  “Zarix will never take a mate. His life’s work has been hunting the Voildi and making them pay.”

  “A mate?”

  I forget that these human females do not know the ways of our people. “One female to sleep next to for the rest of his life. To protect and have children with.”

  “Oh. Like a wife.”

  I shrug. I don’t know this word.

  “You honestly think Zarix is just going to ditch Beth now?”

  “I do not spend time thinking about the females my warriors are tumbling.”

  “You can be a real jackass, you know that?”

  “Be careful, female.”

  “Female? There’s just no hope for you. None at all.” She shakes her head, and I grind my teeth. Once again, our conversation has devolved to harsh words. Frustration makes my hands clench. Perhaps this is pointless. Perhaps I will never be able to understand this female.

  “You are not happy unless you are pushing me.” My words are a frustrated growl.

  “Well, we can solve that problem. Let me go.”

  “Never.”

  Her eyes widen, and I curse myself, backtracking. “You promised to stay for one revolution.”

  She sighs, and then a strange look comes over her face, and I narrow my eyes.

  “You know what?” she says, tilting her head. “Let’s make a bet.”

  “A bet?”

  “Yeah. I bet you that Zarix will take Beth as a mate.”

  I laugh. The idea is ludicrous. “Zarix may have felt responsible for her, may have saved her from one of the Voildi’s traps, but that does not mean anything other than he is an honorable male.”

  Alexis smiles. “Then you won’t mind betting on the outcome.”

  “And what is it you’re hoping to receive if you win? Jewels? Credits?”

  She laughs. “No. If I’m right, and Zarix takes Beth as his…mate, I get one favor to use anytime I like.”

  “A favor?”

  “Yes. You’ll give me something I want.”

  “And I will receive the same from you,” I say, pleased with this idea. I let my gaze travel over her body, lingering on the soft curves of her breasts and hips.

  She scowls at me, crossing her arms, and a tiny flicker of uncertainty crosses her face. Then she seems to come to some decision, firmly nodding her head. “Deal.”

  “A favor,” I say. “Be prepared to give me something I want very much, Alexis.”

  She raises one eyebrow. “Same goes, Your Bossiness.”

  Alexis

  “Here are your shoes,” Nara says, and I smile at her. She smiles back. Maybe she’s finally warming up to me.

  We’re in my rooms, and I’m getting ready for the day. As much as I’ve insisted that I can get dressed alone, I have to admit that it’s nice to not have to think about what I’m wearing each day.

  “Will you eat with the qatai today?” Yari asks.

  I pull on my shoes and shake my head, sharing another smile with Nara. Yari is more than a little obsessed with making sure I’m dressed appropriately for the qatai. At first, I assumed Dexar was a hard-ass who actually cared about how much gold thread was sewn into my dresses, but I’ve never once seen him examine my clothes. If anything, his dark gaze seems to look through my dresses.

  I wouldn’t be surprised if he has X-ray vision at this point.

  “Nope,” I reply. “I’m going to spend my day annoying the people in this camp.”

  Yari tilts her head, confused, and I clarify, “I’m going to be here for a few weeks, so I thought I could collate some data for you guys. You know, maybe write a timeline detailing when people began to notice fewer female babies being born and a list of environmental changes.”

  Yari nods slowly, rais
ing her eyebrows. “You believe you can solve this problem?”

  “No,” I say. “I’m not that kind of scientist. But I am good at collecting data, and at the very least, it’ll give me something to do while I’m here. Do you think you could help me find something to write with so I can keep track?”

  Yari gestures for me to turn in my chair and begins brushing out my hair.

  “Nara will ask the qatai,” she says, gesturing toward her, and Nara nods, turning to leave. “Such things are unusual for a female to do,” Yari says.

  I sit silently while she arranges my hair in some complicated style and we wait for Nara to return. After I called out Dexar for his inherent misogyny yesterday, we seemed to come to an uneasy truce.

  I’m picking over my breakfast when Nara returns, a piece of paper rolled up in her hand. Nara has a blush on her face, and her eyes are sparkling. Perhaps Dexar was in a flirty mood this morning.

  The thought doesn’t sit well with me, but I’m cheered up as Nara hands me a fat writing implement. I study it, grinning. It’s almost like a pencil. I’m not sure what the material is—it doesn’t seem as soft as charcoal when I make a tiny line on the paper—but it’s definitely not lead.

  Whatever it is, I can now write. I thank Nara and Yari and leave my rooms. It’s not until I’m standing in the long hall, surrounded by ruby-colored walls, that I remember I have no idea how to get out of here.

  I glance at Rowax, who carefully ignores me. No help there. Tavis meets my gaze, and I grin at him.

  “Would you show me how to get outside?”

  He glances at Rowax, who nods, and I follow him out of the kradi.

  “Don’t you get bored standing outside my door all day?”

  “No, qa-Alexis,” he stutters in a rush. “It is an honor to guard one so close to the qatai.”

  I frown at him. “You realize I’m just a short-term guest here, right?”

  He nods, glancing away and reaching for one of the hidden doors. He gestures for me to go through, and I blink as I’m suddenly outside.

  “Was this a different route than usual?”

  Tavis blushes. “We have been instructed to choose different exits each time you leave.”

  I grind my teeth. Another little gift from Dexar. That’s enough to make me want to get real good at directions just to spite him.

  “Can I ask you a couple of questions?” I ask.

  “Of course.”

  “When did you begin to notice that fewer females were being born here?”

  Tavis blushes again at my regard, his gaze flicking away.

  “I did not grow up in this tribe,” he says. “I chose this tribe a few years ago.”

  “Which tribe did you come from?”

  “Lafa’s tribe.”

  I nod, attempting to make a note on the paper. I question him for a few more minutes, but apparently Lafa’s tribe was much smaller than this one, and there were just a few girls Tavis’s age when he was a kid.

  I thank him for his help, and he moves back into the kradi. I stand in place for a moment, the sun on my skin, ignoring the eyes on me as people walk past.

  Sweet, sweet freedom.

  I’ve never been shy about talking to people, but for some reason, butterflies are taking up residence in my stomach as I walk through the camp. It’s like I’m a bug under a microscope.

  “You’re just different, Alexis.” I mutter. “Imagine if an alien arrived on Earth.”

  That thought bolsters me, and I head to the healers’ kradi. It’s likely that anyone responsible for the health and well-being of the people here will have the most information about the decline in female births.

  “Hi,” I say as I walk in, and multiple women bow their heads. Okay, this is a little ridiculous. Maybe this is Dexar’s idea of fucking with me, since he doesn’t love the idea of letting me roam free. He’s decided to make my life full of one awkward interaction after another.

  “Can I help you?” a woman asks, stepping close. She has long dark hair, and her eyes are kind as she smiles at me.

  There are at least ten beds in this large kradi, spaced a few feet apart. In the far corner of the room, a woman sleeps on one of the beds while an older woman places the back of her hand against her forehead, likely checking for fever.

  Another woman is in the opposite corner of the room, standing in front of a large table. She crushes some kind of herbs, the sweet smell reminding me of cut grass.

  I lower my voice. “I was wondering if one of you would have time to answer a few of my questions. It doesn’t have to be right now,” I say quickly. “Just whenever you have a few spare moments.”

  The woman glances at the other two healers, and they both nod. She wipes her hands on a cloth and gestures toward a small room I didn’t notice at the back of the kradi.

  “Why don’t we speak privately?” she says.

  All righty then. I follow her through the doorway and blink. There must be thousands of wooden containers in here, all stacked neatly on the huge shelves that line the walls. One corner holds a small forest of plants growing in wooden pots. In the center, another worktable sits next to a few wooden stools.

  The woman gestures to one of the stools, and I take a seat.

  “My name is Elliz,” she says.

  “I’m Alexis.”

  She smiles and then sits back. This woman has a calm, peaceful air about her, and I feel my shoulders relax.

  “I have a few questions about babies,” I say, and Elliz nods as if she was expecting this. She gets to her feet and picks up a small knife before walking to the plants in the corner, cutting a bright-red flower, and bringing it to me.

  “One petal with your breakfast each day,” she says, and I stare at her, confused.

  “Um…”

  “You would like to prevent conception, correct?”

  “Oh, God no. Well, maybe,” I say, flushing bright red at the thought of my bet with Dexar. I have no doubt that the qatai will want a roll in the furs in the unlikely event that he wins our little bet. Truthfully, I’m not opposed to it. Okay, I’m more than a little curious about whether he can back up all that arrogance in bed. I’m damn sure that Beth and Zarix will end up mated, but if they don’t…

  I reach out and take the flower.

  The sexual tension between Dexar and me is real. If we both ever shut up and stop arguing long enough to have sex, I have a feeling it will be incredible. But the last thing I need is to arrive back on Earth pregnant with his baby.

  “Now that we’ve got that out of the way,” I say, “I’m actually hoping you can give me some information about the decrease in female births on this planet.”

  Elliz raises her eyebrows, and I almost laugh. An alien coming to her for birth control doesn’t faze her, but asking about birth rates is obviously unexpected.

  “Of course,” she says. “Do you mind if I ask why you want to know?”

  “A few reasons. First, I’m nosy. I don’t have a lot to do here, and mysteries fascinate me. I’ve been this way since I was a kid—just can’t seem to help myself when it comes to puzzles. Second, I’m not going to be on this planet for long, but I’d like to help out if I can. It’s not uncommon for this type of thing to be environmental, so maybe I can help narrow down some of the potential causes for you guys.”

  Elliz stares at me for a long moment. “Perhaps you are right,” she says finally. “Perhaps something has changed on this planet. Many of us have felt that Braxians were simply cursed by the gods. If you believe you could help, I will tell you anything you need to know.”

  Chapter Six

  Alexis

  I’m deep in thought as I make my way back to the kradi. My stomach is rumbling, and I realize I’ve missed lunch.

  According to Elliz, her mother was also a healer, and she began noticing fewer female babies born a few years after the birth of her own daughter. Elliz said that this has been a problem for every Braxian tribe on this part of the planet.

  But whil
e it’s assumed that there are other Braxian tribes elsewhere, across the “colossal water,” Elliz shook her head when I asked if she knew of anyone who had crossed it.

  “Mishua cannot swim, and the water is deep with no land in sight. There are other races that come to trade in Nexia, but they have huge contraptions that allow them to traverse the water without getting wet.”

  I’m guessing she’s talking about boats. If I could somehow talk to a Braxian from across the sea or lake, I’d be able to understand if this is a planetwide problem or if it’s just something impacting the Braxians on this part of Agron.

  I blow out a breath of frustration, coming to a stop in front of Dexar’s huge kradi, as I mull over what Elliz told me.

  I wish I had more information about this planet. I have no idea how big it is, how many continents it has, or even if Agron is part of the same galaxy as Earth.

  “Work with the information you have, Alexis,” I mutter as I begin to pace.

  Elliz’s mom first noticed the slowdown in female births around thirty years ago. I need to study the number of females in each generation and attempt to figure out the rate of decrease. It’s not going to be hard data by any means, but I’ll work with what I have.

  I stare down at my notes and then flip over the long piece of paper. I’m also using this opportunity to figure out where Charlie could be. Dexar said that looking for the dragon’s lair is suicide. That means he’s not going to tell me what he knows even if he has a good idea where it could be.

  I can’t do much for Ivy. From what Beth said, she’s a fighter, and without leaving this camp, I can’t figure out where she is. But Elliz said there have long been rumors about where the dragon could make his home. Since I plan to talk to the people in this tribe anyway, I may as well get some idea of where he could be keeping Charlie.

  If she’s alive.

  I feel eyes on me, and I blink, realizing I’ve been standing in front of the kradi for a while now, staring at the massive structure as if it can tell me everything I need to know. I walk to the side, away from the main entrance, and smile at one of the guards. His name is Maric, and he’s a man of few words, giving me a nod and leading me back to my rooms.