by Hope Hart
I know I need to sleep if I’m going to be able to think on my feet. The moment we arrive, Varian has some sort of Arcav doctor brought in. While all Arcav are huge, this one is smaller than most, with smile lines around his glowing eyes and slightly hunched shoulders.
“This is our healer, Brin,” Varian says, and I nod at him.
The healer smiles widely at me. “Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”
Every muscle in my body tenses at the greeting, but I send him an awkward smile.
“You will heal my mate,” Varian orders and I snort.
“Please,” I mutter.
Varian stares at me for a moment and then turns to the healer. “Please,” he says finally, and the healer’s mouth drops open, displaying short fangs.
“Of-of course. May I?” He gestures toward my wrist, and I hold it out to him. He begins removing the bandage, and I can’t keep a small groan from escaping when it’s finally free. A low growl fills the room, and I stare up at Varian, who looks murderous. His horns are elongated, and the healer turns pale at the sound.
“Uh, maybe you should step outside.” It’s obvious that he doesn’t like to see me in pain, and I’ll process that little bit of information later. He shakes his head sharply once, and I roll my eyes, determined to ignore him.
Brin mutters over my wrist and pulls out a weird looking wand. With the press of a button, it begins to emit a strange blue glow.
“This may be slightly painful, Your Majesty,” he says, with a wary look up at Varian. “But it should only be for a moment.”
I nod, and turn my face away from Varian, who stiffens in response. Brin holds the wand an inch from my wrist and begins to slowly run it back and forth. I can feel a slight heat, and then tears prick my eyes at a sudden stab of pain. I hiss and growling fills the room again.
“You said you wouldn’t hurt her.” Varian is displeased.
“Give the guy a break,” I snap. “He’s just doing his job.”
The growl cuts off, and I hear a low chuckle instead. A warm hand cups my face, and I look up into glowing eyes.
“I apologize ma— Harlow. It hurts me that you are in pain.”
“I told you to step outside,” I say, and he slowly shakes his head, eyes on me.
“I can’t do that.”
I frown at him, and then realize my wrist feels great. I shake off his hold and turn my wrist from side to side before meeting Brin’s curious eyes.
“Holy shit.”
“Uh, are you okay, Your Majesty?”
I want to tell him to stop with the weird title, but it may not be a good idea to push Varian any further.
“It feels completely fine.”
He nods. “Of course. May I take a look at your other injury?”
I move my head closer to him, ignoring Varian as he looms over us. I’m prepared for the sharp pain this time, and bite my lip. I almost throw up as my wound tightens, and I can feel the edges knitting together.
“Uh, I feel a little sick.”
Brin hands me a bucket. “Perfectly normal, the nausea should pass in a moment. Human physiology is unused to this type of healing.”
“Man this would be great on the job.” I imagine how many lives could be saved if all cops, firefighters, and EMTs had one of those weird blue sticks.
“You may be a little more tired than normal,” Brin tells me, right as I feel a wave of exhaustion overtake me. I drove all night before I was discovered, and it’s now early afternoon.
“I’ll leave you to rest. Please let me know if you have any issues or questions.”
I meet his eyes. “Thank you.”
He smiles at me, and with a quick bow to Varian, strides out of the room.
An awkward silence fills the room as he leaves, although maybe it’s just me that feels awkward, I realize when I look at Varian. He seems perfectly content.
I eye the large bed, which is packed with feather pillows and looks incredible.
“I want to take a nap,” I tell Varian, looking anywhere but at his hard body. Every time I meet his eyes, I’m reminded of what we did the last time we were in a bed.
“Excellent idea.”
“Alone,” I say, and I’m surprised when he nods.
“You should rest while you can,” he says indulgently, and I grit my teeth. “I need to meet with my men. Do not worry, you will be kept safe.”
He opens a curtain and points outside, where the grounds of the hotel are positively crawling with Arcav. All human guests immediately checked out when we arrived, and I felt bad when I saw the terror on their faces as they drove off.
I know Varian isn’t assuring me of my safety. He’s warning me not to try to run by pointing out the sheer number of men he has with him. I nod and turn, waiting for him to leave.
I tense as I feel his hand on my shoulder, and close my eyes as he turns me toward him.
“Mate,” he says, and my eyes fly open and narrow at him.
The corner of his lip tips up. “Harlow,” he corrects himself. Then he leans down and brushes his lips against mine. I sigh, wishing I didn’t enjoy the feel of his firm lips so much. He pulls away and gazes down at me with satisfaction.
“I will see you soon,” he says, and leaves me to rest.
I climb into bed fully clothed and begin to plot.
Chapter 14
Varian
My mate is fast asleep when I return, and I’m hit with satisfaction when I see her curled up in bed, safe and close enough to touch.
No more will she run from me. Tomorrow, we will start our lives together. All I want to do is slide between the sheets and between her legs, but I know she needs time. Soon, I promise my raging cock. Soon I’ll wake Harlow with pleasure each morning. I almost groan as I picture her round with my child, and blow out a breath of frustration.
Patience.
Harlow stirs, and I step back, conscious that she won’t be happy to find me watching her when she wakes. I focus on the data on the viewing screen in my hand, and mentally calculate how many men we will have here when the Grivath get close. We will be prepared, I vow. Nothing will stop my people from finally finding their mates.
I lift my head at a growling sound and meet my mate’s eyes. She is sitting up, running a hand through her hair, looking sleepy and disheveled. My body aches with the urge to roll her back between the sheets, and I think she can tell this from the look on my face, because she turns a charming pink and looks away.
The sound was her stomach, I realize, and mentally kick myself for not thinking to feed her sooner. Of course she is hungry.
I get to my feet. “I will get you food,” I tell her, proud to be able to do this one thing for her.
She nods, and an expression I don’t recognize flashes across her face. “Will you eat with me?”
I pause, staring at her as she looks at me expectantly. Sharing food with a mate is a significant milestone in Arcav mating. But here, it likely means little. Still, I will take any opportunity I can to get closer to Harlow.
“Of course.”
“I think I might take a bath while I wait.”
My mating bands vibrate slightly again, but I can find no problem with her words, so I ignore them. I watch as Harlow takes her backpack into the small bathing room with her. I have already given her weapon to Jaret, who will have it destroyed.
I open the door, and find Methi standing guard. As one of my most trusted men, he has been given the task of keeping my mate safe, and he stands tall and alert.
Jaret has returned to our base, and will ready the ship for our trip home. My heart races at the thought of finally bringing Harlow back to Arcavia.
“I would like food for my mate,” I say.
He nods and gestures to a human who quakes under my regard.
“Wh-what would she like to eat?”
I pause, considering. I don’t know what type of food Harlow will prefer, and I frown, determined to get this one thing right.
“What do you hav
e?”
“Uh, lots of different things. Pasta, burgers, sandwiches, meats, vegetables, desserts…” his voice trails off and he eyes my horns.
“Bring some of everything,” I say, then nod, satisfied. Surely Harlow will find something she likes. Arcav find Earth food bland and unhealthy, but I will never pass up the opportunity to eat with my mate.
The human’s eyes widen, but he nods and rushes off, and I turn to scan this place. There is an area for swimming, although the water has a chemical smell. The gardens are extensive, and my men are posted throughout, ensuring no one will attempt to enter… and no one can leave.
“Halve the guard so they can rest, then alternate them through the night so they will be fresh tomorrow.”
The trip back to our base and up to our main transportation ship is the biggest security risk. I think of my mate, languidly bathing and resting. I will be with her all night, and Methi will remain on the door, switching off with another experienced guard when he needs to rest. Nothing, and no one will get to Harlow.
Harlow
I’m getting out of here.
Okay, so Varian hasn’t been the absolute worst. But it’s not like we can chill and get to know each other over the next few years. Tonight is simply Varian allowing me a chance to rest before he hauls me kicking and screaming onto his giant spaceship tomorrow.
I’m not an idiot. I know what happens to Arcav mates. And they’re not hanging around on Earth, that’s for sure. They’re taken to a completely different planet, away from everyone and everything they know, with no real choice about whether they go.
That’s not happening to me.
I feel a pang of regret when I think about how Varian’s eyes lit up when I mentioned him eating with me, but then, as usual, I shake it off. Sure, I may enjoy it when he kisses me, or when he brushes my hair back from my face, or when he gazes down at me like he can’t quite believe I’m real. But if there’s one thing my foster families taught me, it’s that people come and go. But you’ve got to look out for Number One.
Any time I begin to feel weak, or I imagine waking up to Varian in the morning, I only have to remember everything I’ve lost. I’ve wanted to be a cop my whole life. I was three months away from taking the detective exam. I’m about to be an aunt to my best friend’s baby. My life is valid too.
I’m flooded with determination as I stare down at the bottle of Ambien in my hand. I have no idea if it’ll work on Varian’s alien body but I have to try. Given that humans can have babies with Arcavs, I’m hoping we must be somewhat the same, but who knows.
God, I really don’t want to hurt him. I just want him to sleep for a while. Just long enough for me to get the hell out of here. Despair fills me at the thought of running again, and I almost throw my plan out. Maybe I can reason with Varian. Convince him that I should stay here for just a little longer. He compromised with the hotel, after all.
I sigh, leaning my head back against the bath, and I think about everything he said during our dream meetings. He truly believes that he knows best. I hear the dismissal in his voice when he referred to my ‘small human life,’ and I straighten my shoulders. I won’t go down without a fight.
I pull the plug and stand up, grabbing a towel. Sure I didn’t need a bath, but it was an excellent excuse to get away from Varian’s hot eyes and come up with a rough plan. I shake out a few pills, consider Varian’s massive size, and shake out a few more. Then I grab one of the heavy candle holders on the bathroom counter and crush them up as best as I can. I curse as one of them goes flying, and freeze as Varian knocks on the door.
“Harlow?
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I call, hands trembling.
I hear his heavy footsteps as he moves away from the door, and look down at the crumbly powder. This will have to be enough. I pour the powder into a small, empty plastic bag, pull on my jeans, and stash it in my pocket.
All I need to do is knock Varian out and take his weapon. I have no idea how to actually use Arcav weapons, but I’ve seen them used in videos from early on in the invasion. From what I can tell, they work similar to tasers, only at a distance and with immediate unconsciousness. These weapons can be used at wide range to take out hundreds of humans at a time, or pointed directly at one, although I have no idea how.
I grab my backpack, take a deep breath for courage and then blow it out in shock as I open the bathroom door. Varian has arranged a feast, and my mouth drops open at the amount of food. Someone has set up some extra tables, and almost every surface has been covered with anything I could possibly want to eat. My mouth waters at the smell, and I realize there’s a whole table devoted just to burgers.
“Uh, this is a lot of food.”
“Yes,” Varian smiles proudly, and my heart thumps at the sight. “I wanted to make sure you had food you would like.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You didn’t want to ask me?”
His smile falls, and I feel like an ungrateful bitch. “It’s great!” I say quickly, “but we’ll need to share with your men. I don’t want it to go to waste.”
He nods slowly, and the light returns to his eyes. “They can have anything you don’t want.”
I grab a burger, mac and cheese, and some fries, and sit at the table. There is a variety of drinks to choose from, and I grab two cans of Coke, pour them into glasses, and gesture for Varian to join me.
He chooses lasagne and cheesecake and sits down, facing me. I meet his eyes, and he seems slightly… nervous.
“Is everything okay?”
He nods, waving his hand as he indicates that I should eat. “Of course, I’m just enjoying this time with my ma— with you.”
I almost smile at him as he avoids the ‘m’ word, and his eyes catch on my mouth. I look away, and then sit back in my chair.
Maybe I don’t have to run. Maybe he’ll listen to me.
“Varian?”
“Yes?” He puts down his fork, giving me all his attention.
“What’s happening tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow? We will go back to our base, where you will be introduced to our guard. Then, you will have a public coronation before we board the ship back to Arcavia.”
I look down, and take a deep breath.
“I’m not ready for that.”
“We must go back to Arcavia.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s our home, and you need to be seen by our healers.”
“It’s not my home, and I’ve already met your healer.”
His lips firm. “These are different healers. Arcavia will soon feel as much home as this place,” he waves his hand, and I realize there’s no getting through to him. I try one more time.
“I don’t want to go. Can’t we just stay here for a little longer?”
Varian immediately shakes his head, opening his mouth, and then stiffens at a knock on the door. His horns straighten at the intrusion, and he gets to his feet, casting me an apologetic look.
“My men know not to interrupt me unless it is important.”
I nod and wave him toward the door, heart almost beating out of my chest. This is it.
I tried. He refused to listen.
Varian gets up, and cracks the door enough to talk to one of his guards. My hands shake as I reach into my pocket and pull out the small plastic bag. I don’t know how long Varian will be at the door, and I try to position my body to hide my hands.
I grab his drink and hold it up as if I’m drinking from it, pour the powder in, and give it a quick stir. I don’t know how it will taste, but hopefully he won’t have tried Coke before. I place it down with a thump and some of the Coke spills over the side of the glass. I’m mopping it up when Varian returns, eyeing me curiously.
“Sorry,” I say. “I’m a hopeless klutz.”
“What is a klutz?”
“It means I’m clumsy.”
He frowns as if he still doesn’t quite understand, and I hold up my drink, gesturing for him to do the same.
“Cheers.”
“Cheers,” he parrots back to me, and takes a gulp, before wrinkling his nose.
“You don’t like it?” I make my tone disappointed, although I couldn’t care less if he likes human food.
“It’s more bitter than I expected, and it fizzes on the tongue.”
The bitterness is likely the Ambien, and I suddenly want to knock the drink out of his hands.
Stay strong, I tell myself. No turning back.
I wonder if I’ll be able to look myself in the mirror after this.
Chapter 15
Varian
My mate has turned pale and is even quieter than usual. I know she is hungry, yet she picks at her food. I wish I was more practiced at reading human expressions, because for a moment she seemed to be guilty or worried, yet she now simply stares down at her plate, lost in thought.
The mating bands hum, but have felt different since we arrived at this place.
I take another drink of the strange human concoction and grimace. I don’t know why anyone would drink this, but perhaps humans have different taste buds. It’s sickly sweet, with an underlying bitterness I’ve never tasted before. The bubbles make me want to sneeze, but if Harlow likes it I will try to tolerate it to please her.
Her gaze meets mine, and that inscrutable expression crosses her face once more.
“You don’t need to drink any more if you don’t like it,” she says.
I take a big gulp. “I want to enjoy the things you like,” I tell her, and she winces.
“You should eat some more,” I urge, and I know something is wrong when she simply shrugs and takes another bite.
“Are you… upset?” I’ve asked this question before and she has reacted negatively, declaring that she will always be upset with me in her life. But she seems worse than before. Earlier, she almost smiled at me when she saw the food I arranged for her. Now, she will barely look at me.
I bite back my frustration as I frantically search for a reason for this change. Did she not like us being interrupted by our men? No, she seemed strangely relieved when I left the table. Our previous conversation flashes through my mind. Oh. She was hoping that we would not leave tomorrow.
