Vaka

by Keira Conrad

  "More," she begged, and he added another finger and pressed deeper inside her. She leaned against his chest. He felt the warmth of her breath on his skin and explored her mouth with his thumb. The skin there was so hot, so wet, and so eager. He released his grip on her and lowered her to her knees.

  "I think that hot little mouth needs something bigger to suck on." He freed his cock and positioned it in front of her mouth. He fisted it as she sucked the head, but she pushed his hand away as she struggled to devour more of him. She forced him an inch deeper before she paused for a breath and turned her attention to his swollen balls. She buried her face in them as her tongue bathed his skin.

  He couldn't wait any longer. He pushed her onto all fours in front of him and yanked her pants down. The sight of her engorged pussy lips poking out from her pale ass cheeks was more than he could stand. He dropped to his knees and sank into her with one torturously slow thrust. She heaved against him, trying to force him deeper, but he held her hips immobile. Part of him still wanted to punish her, and he planned on making her earn every sweet inch of his throbbing length.

  She swiveled her hips and mewed like a cat in heat. He raised his hand and brought it down on her ivory ass cheek. The slap echoed just as hers had, moments earlier. She gasped as her skin reddened. He moved his hand to the place where her cheeks joined as he sank deep inside her. He rubbed her tight rosette with the pad of his thumb. She pushed against him. She wanted more.

  He gave it to her. There wasn't time for a leisurely coupling. Their absence would be noticed soon. He pounded her tight opening and his balls began to tighten. He felt the now familiar tingle start at the base of his spine and he waited for the impending explosion.

  Electric pleasure pinged through him as he emptied himself. He pushed his seed deeper with each thrust and held her against him.

  He thought claiming her like this would ease his troubled mind, but he was more confused than ever. Years ago, he had sworn he would never allow himself to be weakened by his love for a woman. But Callie had brought him to his knees in a matter of weeks. He was falling for her. He couldn’t stop it. He told himself he was doing it all for the child, for his people to survive, but it had quickly grown into something more complicated.

  He’d trusted her, and she’d been dishonest with him. Part of him wanted to hear her side of things. To start fresh. He was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt as long as his heart was the only casualty at risk. After all, it’s not as if he hadn’t withheld some crucial information from her. He was willing to extend her forgiveness because he hoped that one day she would return the favor.

  27

  A storm was roiling in Callie's soul, and the scorching-hot angry sex she and Vaka had indulged in only complicated matters. She awoke early and had spent the precious hours before dawn staring at the wall of their tent and taking stock of her relationship.

  Being involved with him was exhausting. Exhilarating. Frustrating. Sensational. She appreciated that their situation was unique and that probably added to the stress, but she'd never been in love with a man before, so she had nothing to compare it to. Not that love was the right word for what she was experiencing. It didn't rise to that level yet, and she refused to act like a heart-eyed school girl and pretend that it did.

  It was different than any of her other fledging relationships had been. It was hotter, she was damn sure of that, but, as far as she was concerned, that wasn't the most interesting or important difference.

  She adored Vaka. Admired him, even. Sure, she wished he would open up to her more, but that was a complaint women had been lodging about men since the beginning of time. She hoped he'd share more of himself the more time they spent together. She wanted to tell him more about herself, too.

  "I want you to swing by the med bay first thing this morning for a physical," Andromeda said. Callie rolled over and opened her mouth to argue, but the doctor cut her off. "It's not a suggestion. It's an order."

  Callie complained, but she ultimately complied once she had washed, dressed, and grabbed some breakfast. She entered the clinic and saw her friend waiting.

  "Hop up on the table," Andromeda said. "I promise this won't hurt a bit. Or take much of your time. I just want to run a few tests." She held a whirling device the size of a deck of cards and moved it over Callie's body. She felt a slight tingle as it skimmed her skin.

  "What exactly are you looking for?" Callie asked.

  Andromeda set the device back in its cradle and reached for an instrument that looked like a silver tube of lipstick. "There's an entire host of things that could go wrong when you talk about bodily contact with a new group of people. Remember pilgrims and Native Americans and the blankets loaded with smallpox?"

  "Yeah, it would be a great idea to avoid that type of scenario here," Callie agreed. She hadn't even considered the kind of physical risks the doctor was referring to. She wondered if Vaka was aware of anything. Her mind drifted to his enthusiasm during their lovemaking and she realized there was probably nothing that would have stopped him from claiming her. Physical danger be damned.

  "So far, so good." Andromeda held the instrument an inch above Callie's skin and ran it up and down her extremities. "I'd like to do some blood draws, as well."

  "Go nuts," Callie said as she offered her arm. "Actually, while I'm here, I thought it would be a good time to discuss our conversation about the cryotubes and their subsequent disappearance."

  "I'm just going to pretend we never had that conversation." Her expression hardened and Callie could tell she was uncomfortable discussing it. It made her start to question the conclusions she had drawn from the whole ordeal. "I had to tell Captain Hudson when they went missing," Andromeda said, "but I didn't tell him anything you said."

  "I didn't take them," Callie stressed. How could Andromeda think she'd be stupid enough to actually perform an act of sabotage days after casually mentioning to the doctor? "I assumed you did. I wanted to thank you."

  "I had nothing to do with it," Andromeda said. "I'd never tamper with company property." She was displeased with the hint of impropriety that accompanied Callie's assumption.

  Callie was displeased, too. "Hey! I—"

  "Holy shit." Andromeda was holding the tablet and reviewing the scan results. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched it.

  "Oh, God," Callie said. "Please tell me it's not anything super gross. Like worms or a parasite."

  "Callie, it's the ultimate parasite." Her face was a mask of disbelief. "You're pregnant."

  “That’s not possible,” Callie said. She suddenly felt light-headed. “You said so yourself.” She looked to her friend for an explanation.

  “Callie, I wish I knew what to tell you, but I’m at a total loss,” she said. Her eyes scanned from side to side as she plumbed the depths of her extensive knowledge for any possible explanation. “I suppose it could be some sort of asexual reproduction. I know of a few instances of that phenomenon in the animal kingdom back on Earth. But I’m no expert in zoology and I can’t give you any definitive answers.”

  “I’m a real trailblazer, huh?” Callie pressed the back of her hand against her forehead. She was suddenly feverish.

  “The key here is not to panic,” Andromeda said.

  “That’s easy for you to say.”

  “I’ll run some tests.” Andromeda jotted notes with her stylus. “Read up on the literature. I’ll do everything I can, but maybe there’s another source we should investigate.”

  A lightbulb went on in Callie’s mind and a smile spread across her face. “Vaka,” she whispered to herself.

  Callie hurried from the med bay after she finalized next steps with the doctor. A brisk walk around camp was the perfect remedy for her troubled mind. Andromeda was a world-class rule follower, but she had begrudgingly agreed to give Callie a few days to come to terms with her new situation before sharing the news with the security and science teams. They'd make a lab rat of her, and she wasn't looking forward to it.
From what she had heard, being pregnant was miserable enough. Morning sickness, swollen feet, headaches. The last thing she wanted was to be held hostage in the med bay, being poked and prodded as she grew a baby alien.

  She was eager to share the news with Vaka, but she suddenly wanted to talk to Shiva as well. Callie realized she didn't know if Shiva had children of her own, but she would still be familiar with the gestation and birth of a Verakai baby. She might even have insight into the mechanics of their reproduction on a cellular level.

  Deep down, Callie was terrified, and she wished more than anything she had a way to contact Vaka. His calm confidence and quiet reassurance were exactly what she needed to stop her racing thoughts. She wondered if he was still angry with her. Shiva worked magic during the dinner and seemed to plaster over the cracks in their alliance, but she couldn’t tell if Vaka was in agreement. What if he never sought her out again? What if he—

  "Callie?" She was approaching the security gate when she heard her name. She recognized the deep, husky voice immediately. He stood there awkwardly, and she realized he was as unsure of the status of their fledgling relationship as she was. But showing up here meant he was willing to try. He wasn't ready to give up. Neither was she. Especially now.

  She smiled and ran to him. He welcomed her in his arms. "I'm sorry I was such an ass at dinner," he said.

  "You're forgiven." She stood on her tiptoes and whispered her secret in his ear. “You’re going to be a father.” An enormous smile exploded across his face and he lifted her in a bear hug and swung her around. It warmed her heart to see his joy.

  "I can't wait to tell the others," he said.

  "I appreciate your excitement,” she said, “but could you stay here for a day or two?" She was felt vulnerable and longed for a little extra support.

  "What troubles you?" His eyes were filled with concern.

  "Andromeda means well, but I know I'm about to become the village freak." Once the dam broke, all Callie's fears spilled out in a frantic tumble. "They're going to want to study me, so there will be lots of tests and monitoring and everyone will whisper about the Earth girl carrying the alien baby, and they'll probably start being mean behind my back again."

  "Who was mean to you?" He was deeply troubled by the thought, and she felt a little in love with him at that very moment. He leaned down to kiss her lips. "Pack your bags, little bird," he said. "I will take you to my home, if you will have me."

  28

  TWO MONTHS LATER

  Callie ventured to the edge of the village when she heard the transporter enter the tunnel. When she had moved to their village months age, Vaka presented her friends with a speeder, a map to the village, and a little futuristic garage-door opener they could use to access the mountain village. They were welcome any time, and all visited frequently, but Andromeda made the journey at least twice a week to check on Callie.

  Callie was grateful for the company. She was hesitant to admit it, but things were different than she thought they would be. She didn't regret making the move. Not at all. Vaka, Shiva, and the other warriors tended to her every need. They were so accommodating that she started watching what she said; an off-handed mention of a specific food or drink or item of clothing usually led to a race to provide it for her.

  Shiva shared all her knowledge of Verakai infants and Callie's anxieties were calmed. There was still much she didn't know, mostly involving the scientific logistics of conception, but she learned to let it go. The information she was given was a balm to her worried mind. She learned Verakai mothers only carried a baby for ten to twelve weeks, and she was relieved at the prospect of ejecting this kid sooner rather than later. Her belly was already the size of a beachball and she couldn't imagine it growing much larger.

  Verakai mothers relied on a vaginal delivery, just as human women did, and she found that strangely reassuring, but they had a ceremonial water birth. That terrified her a little. Shiva claimed the pools below the mountain were fed by hot springs and the water contained a natural opioid that would ease her pain. Callie became a lot more enthusiastic about the ritualistic birth plan after hearing that.

  Callie couldn't keep the smile off her face as Juno sped out of the tunnel and approached the village. She waved as her friend parked the speeder and approached on foot.

  "It's only been a few days since I saw you, and I swear you're bigger!" Juno stripped off her driving gloves and hugged her friend.

  "That's fucking hilarious," Callie said as she fought the urge to pinch the back of Juno's arm, right where she knew it would really smart. She'd heard all about those women who glowed when they were pregnant. The ones who loved every part of growing a new life. Callie was not one of them. She still threw up multiple times a day, she had cankles for the first time in her life, and heartburn that made it hard for her to sleep.

  "I'm telling you, that kid is ready to make his debut," she rested her hands on Callie's belly and felt the movement within. "Any day now, I bet."

  "I sure hope so," Callie said as she led Juno to the yurt-like tent she and Vaka shared.

  "Where is the big guy?" Juno asked as she stepped into the tent and noticed his missing belongings. "Still not back?"

  "Nope, and it's getting old really fast." Juno was familiar with his frequent trips away from the village and she knew how they worried Callie.

  "Honestly, I know he has responsibilities here and business to attend to in other places." Callie settled herself into a chair by the fire and prayed she'd be able to get up when the need arose. "Do I wish he would hand some of the work off to the other warriors, so he could spend more time here with me? Of course." She reached for the pitcher of water that rested on a nearby tabletop, but Juno waved her off and served herself. "I wouldn't struggle so much with his ever-more-frequent absences if I knew a little more about what was going on. But he's so hesitant to share anything."

  "Yeah, that's not just an alien trait." Juno helped herself to a few strips of jerky. "Human dudes struggle with it, too. I lived with a guy in college who forgot to tell me he was leaving the state for spring break. He just didn't come home for a week, like it was no big deal. I was all worried and then he sent me a fucking postcard."

  "Exactly." Callie loved talking with someone who understood. Her emotions were all over the place with this pregnancy, and it was reassuring to know she wasn't crazy. "He tells me an hour before he leaves and I never know when he's coming back. I don't have any way to reach him if some big event were to happen." She motioned to her bulging belly and sighed. "He's ninety percent of the man I always dreamed of. But the ten percent he's withholding is the ten percent I really, really need."

  "Have you told him?" Juno asked.

  "I've hinted."

  "Hinting is a questionable gambit." Juno sank into the chair next to Callie. "Men aren't mind-readers. I've always found it's a better plan to just ask for what you want."

  "You make it sound so easy." Callie hated the hint of a whine in her voice, but she couldn't stop it.

  "It is easy," Juno replied. "Things only get hard when you ask and he doesn't deliver. Then you have to make some choices."

  "It's not like I would ever leave him." Callie was shocked at the suggestion. "We're having a child. He's ninety percent of my dream man. I feel guilty even complaining."

  "You have to do what's right for you."

  "He does so much right by me," Callie said as she started counting off qualities on her fingertips. "He's a fantastic listener, he makes me laugh, we have fun in the sack, he treats me with respect..."

  "You don't have to convince me. I adore the guy. If he had a brother, I'd be all over him."

  "He is great." Callie was having a hard time putting her thoughts into words. Sometimes she felt like the baby was eating her brain cells. "He doesn't fully trust me. And I need us to trust each other to take this relationship where I want it to go."

  "Why do you think that? Besides him not opening up to you with all his deepest, darkest secrets, I
mean."

  "There are areas around the village where I'm not allowed to go. And when he's gone, he always has people looking after me." It sounded a little crazy out loud, and Callie suddenly wished she could take back the words.

  "That might be the pregnancy hormones talking, because that sounds like totally reasonable behavior to me."

  "Maybe you're right," Callie conceded. Still, she planned on having the chat recommended by Juno as soon as he hauled his warrior ass back home.

  29

  When Vaka arrived home three days later, Callie was ready. She wouldn't be put off by his bullshit platitudes or his clever diversions. She wanted real answers. She needed him to understand how much his trust meant to her. Needed him to believe in her.

  She waited for the right time to approach him. He spent most of the afternoon with his warriors as Callie watched from a distance. She decided to broach the subject over dinner, but he brought Cyril over as a guest. Both of them went to the baths after dinner and by the time he arrived home, she was readying herself for bed. Her emotions had been stewing all day and she knew she should wait for a better time, but it was like a scab she'd been touching all day and she just couldn't leave it alone.

  "I need you to trust me," she said as she stood before him in her nightgown.

  He looked like someone who'd just been sucker-punched, but he recovered quickly. "I do trust you."

  "Then why are you so distant sometimes?” She heard the whiny edge to her voice again and she cursed the pregnancy hormones surging through her body. "You never tell me anything."

  "What do you want to know?" He had a slightly smug oh, I'll appease my pregnant girlfriend look on his face and she wanted to slap it right off.

  "I want to know about your wife," she said. Whoa, where did that come from? The ex-wife hadn't even been on her radar. Maybe she wondered, from time to time, about the woman who managed to claim him as her own. Wondered what had happened between them and where she was now. Wondered why he never talked about her. Maybe she even wondered, from time to time, what made her good enough to marry when Callie clearly wasn't? Did his heart still belong to her?