“Then we must remedy that at once,” Hrebec said, obviously impatient to feed her daughter.
Abby rolled her eyes but nodded. “Fine. TeShawna, please go get the other girls and take everybody to the lab for supplies. Then I’m sure that Mekoi can bring you to this ready room?”
“Of course.”
“Dornic, you will accompany the females as well,” Hrebec ordered. “If you begin to attract undue attention, contact me immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before Hrebec’s tail was at Abby’s waist, urging her gently but firmly towards the stairs.
“Make sure Molly goes with you!” Abby called over her shoulder before she gave in and let Hrebec take her away.
An hour later, Hrebec circled the young warrior in the ring, fighting the desire to return to Abigail and ensure that she and her daughters were adequately fed. He was still appalled that he had neglected to provide for their comfort. The fact that it had occurred because of the necessity of feeding the infant did not appease his conscience.
Taking advantage of his distraction, his opponent managed to get him in a partial hold. Hrebec cursed under his breath but forced himself to concentrate, sending the other man flying in three controlled moves. A soft gasp came from the entrance and he looked up to see Abigail and Lucie standing in the opening. A hush spread through the room.
Dismayed that the females might be upset by the violence of his actions, he flipped out of the ring and went to meet them. As he approached, he noticed that Abigail looked far from dismayed. She bit her lip and her eyes dropped down over his body. He realized that he was clad only in brief training shorts, as were the rest of his men. At her avid gaze, his shaft started to respond and he firmly forced it back under control. Since he did not want her looking at anyone else with the same degree of appreciation, he moved to block her view of the room.
Lucie bounced excitedly. “I knewed it. I knewed you was Leonardo.”
He frowned at Abigail and she laughed. “Leonardo is a… superhero that she’s seen on television. A fictional character.”
The child thought of him as a hero? His shoulders stretched back with pride. “I am most honored.”
“Can you teach me how to do that?” Lucie added.
“Females are not warriors.” The very idea appalled him.
“Why not?” Abigail straightened at his words, and he had the distinct feeling that he had said something else to offend her.
“Because they are to be cherished, protected.”
“A woman has to be able to protect herself.”
“But that is a male’s job. It is his honor and his privilege.”
She gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, sometimes no male is around to do the job.” Her chin came up. “And even if he is, I want to stand next to him, not behind him.”
A thousand objections rushed through his head, but he had gained enough wisdom not to utter them.
Sedlit was not so wise. The young ensign stepped forward eagerly. “A woman is not capable of violence. I would gladly stand between you and danger.”
Hrebec growled and only just refrained from challenging Sedlit to step into the ring. The youngster thought he could have the privilege of defending Hrebec’s woman?
Abigail’s eyes narrowed. “I assure you, I am quite capable of violence.” She turned back to Hrebec and huffed. “What are you teaching these boys?”
Before he could attempt to defend himself, Lucie tugged on his hand. “Teach me too.”
Gazing down at her eager little face, he could not find it within himself to refuse. “Of course, little one. But perhaps now is not the right time. Did you need me, Abigail?”
Her cheeks flushed that delightful pink color again and her eyes roved over his body a second time, causing his shaft to respond. “Um, yes. I wanted to speak to you about the journey back to Earth.”
His arousal disappeared as if dashed with cold water. Of course. How could he have forgotten that he had promised to return her to her planet? He forced down his instinctive protest and gave a formal bow. “Very well. I will meet you in my office as soon as I have dressed.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter Twelve
“Captain.”
Before Hrebec could return to his office, Lieutenant Jedan intercepted him.
Jedan was the one who had first put the thought of leaving Ciresia into Hrebec’s head. Although they hadn’t known each other well at the time, Jedan had worked for him as part of the security for the lab complex. He had come to report one day and found Hrebec staring at a memory eraser. The machine had been developed because of the high rates of suicides among the survivors. It allowed them to forget the past, to forget the pain and suffering endured by their loved ones; in some cases, they even chose to forget that their loved ones had ever existed.
“Sir, what are you doing?”
Hrebec hadn’t answered at first, turning the device over and over in his hands. His father had just died and the experiments were still failing. Could he erase enough of his memory to be able to start over with the sense of optimism he had once experienced? Would there be anything left of what made him uniquely himself?
“Sir—Hrebec—I have another suggestion.”
“Yes?” he asked finally, dragging his thoughts away from the past.
“You know that the Confederated Planets are recruiting volunteers for their Interplanetary Reserve?”
Frowning, he dropped the device and looked up at his head guard. “I had heard something to that effect, yes.”
“If you were to outfit a ship and assemble a crew, you could leave Ciresia and join the Reserve.”
Leave? His first reaction had been an immediate denial, but then he rose and went to the window, staring out at the long buildings holding the incubators… the useless incubators. And beyond them, the desolate buildings, the empty streets. For the first time in a very long time, he felt a flicker of interest, almost eagerness. He could do no more here.
Perhaps out there, he could make a difference.
In the end, he had made the decision to leave and purchased a ship. Jedan had been the first to volunteer for his crew and Hrebec had made him second-in-command.
Now Jedan stood at attention, waiting for a response.
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“Sir, the Ciresian High Council has responded to our message regarding the suggestions to improve infant viability. They are most excited.”
“I’m sure they are.” He could only pray that this attempt did not result in the failure that had haunted all of their previous efforts. Impatient to get to Abigail, he started to turn away, but Jedan continued.
“There is more, sir. They… strongly suggested that we proceed to Trevelor immediately to see if there are additional Cire females on the planet. They will contact the Interplanetary Reserve to make sure they understand the importance of this mission and approve the exploration.”
This was not good. While he was not directly under the authority of the Ciresian High Council, he had agreed to follow the orders given by Reserve headquarters.
“I made a commitment to the Earth females.”
“Yes, sir. I did mention that. However, they suggested that another ship could perform that task. They also encouraged us to take possession of the infant as soon as possible.”
“What?” He scowled at his lieutenant. “Do they understand that it is only because of Abigail that Tiana is even alive?”
“I don’t know.” Jedan looked grim and unhappy. “I believe they think that we have discovered the answer to the infants failing to thrive and they do not trust an alien female.”
Anger roared through Hrebec with such ferocity that he drove his fist into the wall. The resulting pain was nothing to the pain in his heart.
“They would take a child from her mother?”
Jedan sighed and rubbed his face. “Hrebec, I understand. Abigail treats the child as tenderly as my female…
as Elaina treats her son. But you know how desperate they are to restore Ciresia.”
Of course he did. He had been part of the madness for many years. “But at what cost?”
The two men stared at each other, then Jedan asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I need to talk to Abigail.”
Abby paced the cabin impatiently. Lucie was visiting with the ship’s cook, a grizzled old Cire with thick head ridges and dark markings denoting his age. When they had met Pravit earlier to go over food that would be palatable to the humans, Lucie had used big eyes and a pleading face to worm a variety of sweets from him. Concerned about the safety of the food, Abby had protested, but he had shown her a food analyzer that had already been programmed to human dietary requirements.
After their brief visit to the gym, Lucie had decided to go back and “help” Pravit with the mid-shift meal, and when Abby left her, she was happily seated on a high stool, regaling him with the story of her adventures. Now Tiana was napping peacefully in the big bed and Abby was once again going to be alone with Hrebec. She couldn’t help but remember seeing him in the gym, muscles bulging as he threw the other Cire across the space with a few quick moves. For a man of his size, he moved with surprising agility.
Her breasts tingled, and she looked down to see her nipples straining against her tank top. She pulled on her cardigan and resolutely ignored the ache between her legs and her gathering excitement. He was coming to discuss plans for her return to Earth, not to satisfy her newly reawakened sexual urges. However, when he appeared at the door, she couldn’t resist a hungry look at his body, once again covered—but not concealed—by the tight white uniform. When she got to his face, thoughts of sexual need disappeared. He looked stern and worried.
“Hrebec, is something wrong?”
He looked startled, then gestured for her to sit.
“How did you know?” he asked.
Because she could read his face already, despite his strange alien features. Before she could decide how to phrase that though, he continued speaking.
“We informed the Ciresian High Council of your suggestions about the nutritional supplement and how to feed the infants.”
“Yes? Did they disagree?”
“No. In fact, they are excited.” He paused, looked surprisingly hesitant. “We also informed them about Tiana and that a Cire female was on Trevelor. They want us to investigate.”
“I can understand that. I’m sure they’re very excited. But I don’t see—”
“Immediately. They want us to take the ship there now.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in, and to her surprise, she wasn’t quite as upset as she thought she would be. Nonetheless… “You promised to take us back.”
“I know. Which leaves two alternatives. You can come with us to Trevelor while we investigate, and I will return you to Earth once the investigation is complete. If that is not satisfactory, I will arrange for another Confederated ship to make the journey.”
“Would they be Cires also?”
“No.” He looked conflicted, but finally added simply, “I’m sure they would be honorable men.”
He didn’t sound as convincing as Abby would have liked. She stared at him, her mind spinning as she considered the options. If it were up to her, she would rather stay with him, but she had to consider the girls. The girls…
“Does Doctor Mekoi have any training in childbirth?” she asked.
Hrebec slowly shook his head. “I doubt it. It has been many years since we have had a live birth on Ciresia.”
“How far is Trevelor?”
“Approximately four days.”
“And Earth?”
“At least fourteen days, per the information we retrieved from the Vedeckian ship.”
She sighed. “Kwaret said that there was a hospital on Trevelor. I think it’s best that we accompany you. Both Molly and Amber are due to give birth in the next week or so.”
His face actually paled. “I will inform Mekoi at once. We will make whatever preparations we can.” He moved over to his desk and sent a quick message before turning back to her. “There is something else.”
“Yes?”
“Your people—they are accepting of outsiders?”
“That’s an odd question.” She frowned at him. “I suppose some are, and some aren’t. Why?”
He stared at his hands, but he finally raised his head and looked at her, black eyes full of sorrow. “Tiana.”
For a moment, she was puzzled, but then his meaning became clear and her hands started to shake. Of course. As much as she loved the little girl, she was an alien. How could she take her to a place where she would be treated as a curiosity, perhaps even as a lab experiment? A vision of E.T. dying in his bubble popped into her head and tears started to roll down her cheeks. Hrebec cursed, then he was next to her on the couch, lifting her onto his lap and letting her cry against his big warm chest, his tail curling around her waist as she gave in to her misery.
A very long time later, her tears finally eased and she scrubbed at her face with her sleeve. She felt limp with exhaustion and sorrow but she looked up at him. “What will become of her?”
“I thought, perhaps…” He hesitated for a long moment, staring across the room at his desk before his voice firmed. “I thought, perhaps, that I could adopt her.”
“You?”
“Yes. Unless you object?”
Her first instinct was to give a bitter reply, but gazing at that strong, stiff face, she couldn’t do it. “No, I don’t object. You would make a wonderful father.”
“You truly think so?”
She remembered how sweet and protective he already was, with both the baby and with Lucie, and nodded. “I do think so. And thank you for asking my opinion. If I can’t be with her, then I would rather she was with you than with any—”
His head descended before she finished speaking, and he kissed her with a passionate intensity that had her responding instinctively, her hands curling into his shirt, wanting him closer. Her breasts rubbed against the wonderful texture of his chest and she was suddenly a needy, throbbing mess. His cock was a rigid bar under her butt and her mind flashed back to the previous night.
She slid off of his lap. His hands resisted for a second, his tail a fraction longer, and then he let her go. Instead of moving away, she went to her knees in front of him. His eyes widened as her hands moved to his pants. With shaking fingers, she began to unfasten them.
“Abigail, what are you doing?”
“Remembering last night.” She wrestled with the pants and they suddenly parted. She had a brief glimpse of a very large, very erect, very green cock before his hand came down to cover it.
“I don’t understand. Are you prepared to take my seed?”
Yes. No. She suppressed the flash of heat that scorched through her at the vision of that huge cock filling her. For right now, she only wanted to bring him pleasure and lose herself in giving him fulfillment.
“I want to taste you,” she whispered, as she tugged at his hand.
“That is a forbidden—oh, Granthar.”
Since he wouldn’t move his hand, she slipped her tongue between his fingers and took a quick lick of hot, delicious—nubbed?—flesh. His resistance weakened as soon as he felt her tongue and she pried the rest of his fingers away to reveal his cock in all its glory. It was enormous, covered with the same raised nubs that covered his skin. The basic shape was similar to a human penis, but it had a wider, flatter head, and the shaft had a thicker section beneath the head and another, even thicker, at the base. Her fingers didn’t quite meet around it but she grasped as much as she could and gave him a long, slow tug.
His whole body tensed, his hand grasping the arm of the couch so tightly she heard something crack. His tail twined around her upper body, reaching for her breasts. She let go of him long enough to tug off her sweater impatiently while she used her tongue to explore, the bumpy surface adding to her des
ire. As soon as the cardigan was out of the way, his tail immediately went to her breasts, dipping inside her tank to tug and squeeze her nipples, and she moaned with delight.
“Abigail, it is forbidden,” he gasped.
His hand came to her head, but instead of pushing her away, he tightened his grip. She took hold of him again and positioned the wide head at her lips. He didn’t have a single hole like a human male, but three narrow slits, already weeping precum. She licked experimentally, then sighed with pleasure. He tasted amazing, clean and citrusy, like a lemon ice on a hot summer day. She licked again, running her tongue along each slit as he groaned and his hand tightened in her hair.
Stretching her lips apart, she took the whole head into her mouth. It was a tight fit, but she loved feeling him quiver beneath her. She gave one gentle, experimental suck and he exploded. Crying her name in a hoarse voice, he held her in place as a fountain of cool lemony seed rushed over her tongue and down her throat. She swallowed eagerly, using her tongue to urge him on as he shuddered and jerked for an endless minute. When he finally stilled, she gave him one last gentle lick and raised her head to smile at him.
Instead of smiling back, his face was rigid, every muscle taut. He looked every inch an alien warrior, and before she could ask him what was wrong, he had lowered her to the floor. She heard a ripping sound and then her pants were gone.
“Hrebec, what are you doing?”
He bared his teeth. “My turn.”
Chapter Thirteen
Part of Hrebec knew that he should be horrified. He had committed a forbidden act—and enjoyed every second of it—and he was not treating his woman with the respect and dignity she deserved. However, that part was buried beneath the primitive male whose only focus at this moment was to satisfy his female. The maddening scent of her arousal filled the air, stronger now that he had removed the fabric barring his way. He spread her legs, feasting his eyes on the delights hidden between them: a small patch of dark curls guarding a silky pink slit. He parted them impatiently, revealing even more flushed, glistening flesh surrounding an impossibly tiny entrance and a small pearl of swollen flesh.
Mama and the Alien Warrior Page 7
