by Eden Ember
“I never thought I’d mate with a pale-skinned Terran. Believe me, this is as much a surprise to me as it is to you,” Gandrox replied.
“Then we’ll figure this out together. I’m with you on aiding Zeta, though. Whatever we face, it will be together.”
Soon, his breathing slowed, and I relaxed into his embrace. I slept better that night than I had in many weeks. The sound of his comm alarm woke us.
“Speak,” Gandrox said.
“Sir, the ship will be ready for flight in a matter of hours. Should we head to the market for supplies for the journey?” Elgan asked.
“Yes, can you take care of that? I have something else to tend to here on the ship,” he said as he eyed me, the smile stretching across his face.
“Ah, to wake up next to my little Terran. I slept and had the most wonderful dream, but it wasn’t a dream, was it?” he asked.
I lifted on my good shoulder and traced over the muscle definition under the blue skin. “It really happened. It’s like a dream to me, too. I never in a million years thought I’d fall in love with an alien,” I told him.
He pushed me onto my back and rolled to me, hovering over me. Being careful not to put his full weight on me, he gazed into my eyes as his giant hand tenderly stroked my cheek. “In love with me? Is that the Terran term for being claimed by your mate?”
I chuckled. “I suppose so. We fall in love with the person we want to spend the rest of our lives with,” I said.
“Really? You want to spend the rest of your life with me?”
“Don’t you want that too?” My heart pounded.
“I wouldn’t have mated with you if I didn’t. For an Aaran, love means we’ve found our fated mates and we’ve claimed them,” he told me.
“Good enough. Gandrox, I love you,” I said as I wrapped my good arm around his neck.
Once again his kisses took over, and we explored one another with our newfound love.
Chapter 14
GANDROX
The smile stayed on my face as I readied the Torq Runner for flight. With the hull repaired, and the boosters replaced, she would fly faster at stealth than ever before. With Allegra on the mend and by my side and in my bed, life presented a whole new set of challenges, albeit pleasant challenges. My new found mate became my top focus, and I would not allow harm to befall her again. The crew would just have to understand. And they were abuzz about it when I faced them. Allegra gathered her crew to explain things. I’m sure it changed many of the plans she had with them.
I took a few moments while the engines primed to look up Terran traditions. Allegra called it love and stated when they found the person they wanted to spend the rest of their life with. The history of Earth revealed what Terrans did when they found their everlasting person. A ceremony called a wedding, or a marriage took place to seal the union. On Arka, the Aarans merely claimed their mates, and that showed the everlasting union. I had done that. To me, it’s a sealed deal. I’m not sure what it meant to Allegra, as she is Terran and I needed to provide her with something for her to show me her intentions.
She smiled as she stood on the bridge while the Torq Runner took off. When we left Darniner, I set course for Thronde to pick up the weapons for Zeta. When I turned, she motioned.
“We need to talk,” she said.
I inhaled deeply. “Yes, we do,” I said as I led her back to my room.
She perched on the bed, smiling, and launched into it. “I spoke to my crew. We are in agreement, we need to get to Zeta. Earth Relief entrusted us with the Narada and even though we crashed it on Zarsola, we promised to bring relief to Zeta in any way we can. I figured this is a win-win since you are to deliver weapons there anyway,” she said.
My mouth grew dry at her words. Did this mean that she would stay with her crew once we reached Zeta? I wouldn’t become something I’m not and start begging her to stay with me. No, I’m much bigger and better than that. I’m an Aaran barbarian and I’m held to a certain level of pride.
“Okay, yes. We’re headed there anyway once I retrieve the weapons at Thronde. We’ll arrive within a week should our hyper speed boosters stay strong. Of course, the closer we come to the Zeta Empire, the more likely we’ll encounter the Kwobus Kzar.
“Oh, you told me about that ship when we first came on board the ship,” she said.
“As stow-aways,” I corrected and grinned at her, letting her know that I meant it as a joke.
“Yeah,” she said absent-mindedly.
“Look, we’re always running from them. They scour the Zeta Empire and have us marked. But since we had the hull repaired and redone, I’ve had the call numbers scrubbed and replaced. We are disguised as just a simple cargo ship now. Perhaps they won’t even notice and we’ll skirt in undetected,” I told her.
“I hope so. It seems as if we’re doomed to arrive at Zeta as promised. I’m sure the other Earth Relief workers have given up on us by now,” she said.
I put on a brave face as we headed to Zeta. With Allegra set on being there, I wasn’t sure what it meant for us. Would she stick with her crew indefinitely? Stepping into the radio alcove, I pulled up the 3D computer and researched more on Terran habits. The Terrans didn’t believe in fated mates. They would claim to love another person only to pitch them to the side later. Some Terrans had many what they referred to as partners throughout their lives. Not all, but it was prevalent on Earth. My heart sank as I considered what this meant for the one I claimed as my mate. Would she toss me to the side once we reached Zeta?
“We’re stopping at Gael tomorrow. It’s the moon of Tann’de and fuel for landing on Thronde. We’ll need just a quick stop to make it back to Zeta,” I said over our meal.
“Why can’t we fuel on Thronde?” Allegra asked.
“Thronde is a secretive planet, they don’t fuel large ships like the Torq Runner. Gael is a moon and small and rough, but they offer complete ship services,” I said.
“Okay, so why not stop on Tann’de then? Why a moon?”
I loved her curiosity. “Tann’de is a Jovian planet, just a ball of gas, really.”
“Oh, like Saturn,” she said and laughed.
I tried to laugh with her; I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. My heart sank at the thought of landing on Zeta and possibly losing her. I didn’t want her to know that, so I tried to act strong.
“Hey, what’s wrong? You seem down, somehow,” Allegra said as she peered into my eyes.
Dammit. Though I tried to hide it, like a true fated mate, she saw through it. My heart surged when she reached out and touched my hand. “I’m not down, just focused. We need to grab the weapons on Thronde without alerting the Kwobus. They have many ships across the systems in this sector. I’m trying to get you and your crew to Zeta along with the weapons to help them fight,” I said, hoping that she’d let it drop.
Lurching forward, she planted a kiss on my cheek. “And I love you for doing this for me. It means a lot,” she said.
I nodded as I stood and threw an excuse at her about needing to head to the bridge. Once there, I sat at my command seat and mulled over the choices I have with Allegra. I wish I knew of her true intentions towards me once we landed on Zeta. For all I know, she could be like the Terrans I’ve read about who takes on a lover and then tosses them to the side once they have finished with them. I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.
“Sir, I can handle the bridge, if you’d like to retire,” Elgan said as he regarded me. I nodded and left my post without a word.
I took time in checking over the ship, trying to mull over the possibilities in my mind. I could turn the ship and fly off in the opposite direction of Zeta and take Allegra to one of the outer systems, where there were primitive planets, fresh for the taking. She’d have no choice if I gave Elgan the ship and kept Allegra with me with no way of leaving the planet. We could live out our lives as fated mates. Yes, that sounded like a magnificent idea. When I walked through the door to my room, Allegra sat up in bed, her face s
tretched in a sweet smile. She patted the bed beside her.
“Come here, I think we need to talk,” she said.
I relaxed on the bed once I removed my boots. She tenderly snuggled into my side and ran her hand over my chest.
“You know, in due time I’ll get used to your blue skin. I wonder if we had young, what they’d look like, or even if it would be possible,” she said.
I gave her a quick look. If we had young? “Well, I’m not sure. Aarans have mated successfully with other races in producing young. That we can be together shows we’re a splendid match,” I said.
“Gandrox, you leave me in here too much. I can’t do a lot on the ship because of my healing wounds, but I grow bored and I snoop,” she admitted.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Allegra sat up and regarded me as she tilted her head. “I pulled up your 3D computer. Interesting device, I rather enjoyed perusing it. I saw the last items you read on there, I hope that’s okay?”
I blinked at her. “You did? The stuff about Terrans?”
She smiled and nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, and I want to tell you please don’t compare the flighty Earthlings to me. I’m not like that. When I said I have fallen in love with you, I meant it just like you said you’d found your fated mate in me. Gandy-boy, I’m not aiming to leave you, ever. Please relax and trust me, will you? I love you forever. If you want to have a Terran wedding to cinch the deal as you read, I’ll go for it. I don’t need it. Just the fact that you told me Aarans mate for life is enough. I love you and I never want to leave your side,” she said.
“What about Zeta?” I asked.
“What about it? I want to deliver my crew there, since that’s what we set out to do. I figured the weapons you’re bringing along with us more than makes up for a lack of aid worker in me. I’m in this with you for life, if you’ll have me.”
The words fell into my heart, making it pound with love. Allegra made me complete, happy, stronger.
“Together, we can face the future and build one stronger,” I promised.
Epilogue
ALLEGRA
Gael, the moon of the Jovian giant, held little of a place to visit. At most, it offered a chance to refuel the giant ships passing through. At the least, it held ghettos where different beings lived off the streets, working in any little jobs they could find. It reminded me of the ghettos in the big cities back on Earth. I stuck close to Gandrox and helped him gather supplies. Some of our crew disappeared for their own supplies, things we didn’t question.
We settled on the ship, set to take off the following morning. Gandrox and I admired Tann’de rising in the night sky, reflecting the distant star. The spectacular view took my breath away.
“Allegra, I have a big favor to ask of you,” Elgan said as he startled us when he stepped up.
“What is it Elgan?” Gandrox asked.
“I’ve met a young Terran on the streets of Gael. She’s the one for me. She doesn’t know it yet. I need you to buy her and bring her to the ship.”
I looked at Gandrox before asking, “Is she a slave for sale?”
“She’s selling herself. I think she’d trust another Terran if you offered to pay her to come on board the Torq Runner, for me,” Elgan replied.
I thought for a moment before nodding my head. “Yes, I can do that.” As I turned to look at Gandrox, I could see that he was deep in thought. “What is it?”
He smiles. “If we do this, it means that there will be even more of your kind on the ship. That will mean that the others might get the same idea. It could be a very interesting turn of events.”
I nod my head. “Yes it could.” Looking then at Elgan, I said again, “I can do it. Just tell me when and where to go.”
“Thank you, Allegra. You are the truest of Terran friends.” He bowed and left Gandrox and I alone.
“You encourage him a great deal,” my love told me. “It will become contagious among my crew.”
Getting closer to the commander of the ship, I replied, “I should hope so, my sweet lover. I should hope so.”
Check out Bought by the Alien Warrior Elgan.
AARAN BARBARIANS
About the Authors
Eden Ember
Eden Ember found her passion in writing sci-fi romance. She spends her days either pounding on the keyboard or dreaming up the next stories. Her active imagination never lets up and the perfect outlet comes through in her books.
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Eve Laird
Eve’s days are spent creating steamy romance adventures filled with fantasy, alien and paranormal beings. She loves writing about hot alpha males and the strong, empowered women they can’t help but love. Her evenings are spent telling her ever-patient husband about the crazy antics of the imaginary friends she writes about. She thinks it’s just about the perfect life.
Heavily influenced by growing up in the Northern Irish countryside and spending her childhood roaming free through forests and farmland, Eve’s imagination ran wild as she listened to stories about banshees, faeries and hidden pots of gold. When she got older, the stories in her head became bolder, and definitely more grownup too.
A complete romantic at heart, Eve is always on the side of the underdog and believes that true love exists for us all. She’s also convinced that love is more than just an emotion, it’s a way of life.
Be first to find out about her upcoming books, sneaky peek previews, recommendations, secret giveaways and gossip on her writing at EveLaird.com/aaran
