by Sue Mercury
Once all the missiles were eliminated, a sense of accomplishment rushed through him. His muscles tensed and the excitement of battle raged within him, a sensation he hadn’t experienced in quite some time. Not since the war against the Irrcons. He drew in a deep breath, savoring the thrill of victory.
He watched the radar screen for any signs of trouble, but he saw no further incoming missiles. No battle-equipped vessels were headed this direction either. The sky was strangely clear of any ships.
“What just happened?” Sienna asked, rubbing her arm as she glared at him.
He looked at his mate and reached for her, but she shrank away from him and scooted to the other side of her chair.
“Don’t touch me! I can’t believe you did that!” she said. “I-I had started to think that maybe I could trust you, but for you to hold me down like that and…and…” Her voice trailed off and she lowered her gaze, a full body tremble taking over.
He set a course out of the city and put the ship on autopilot, then turned to give Sienna his full attention. “Please, come here, little human. Let me hold you.”
She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered harder.
“Sienna,” Skylar said, leaning closer. “What are you talking about? What did Myadd do to you?”
Sienna looked at her friend and opened her mouth, but before she could reply, Myadd was quick to interrupt her.
“As soon as the building was hit by the first missile, I gave her a shot of healing nanobots,” he replied with a glance at Skylar. “Sienna, my little human, I am sorry if my actions frightened you. We were under attack and it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn’t yet administered your dose of nanobots—every Vaxxlian warrior is given a dose intended for his mate—and I wanted to give you the shot immediately in order to keep you safe. If you would have become injured during the attack, you would have healed quickly and from almost any injury, save the gravest sort of rapid injury, such as decapitation.”
Sienna’s eyes widened. “Healing nanobots?” She gulped hard and exchanged a look with Skylar. “You’re the expert on Vaxxlians. Have you ever heard of this sort of thing before?”
Skylar shrugged. “I never claimed to be an expert. I’ve only watched a documentary about Vaxxlians and read a few tidbits about them on the internet. That’s it. I didn’t know they possessed healing nanobots, but that’s kind of cool.” The blonde grinned and winked at Sienna. “Lucky you. Sounds like you’re invincible now. Well, as long as you don’t go losing your head.”
When Myadd reached for Sienna this time, she didn’t pull away. She didn’t exactly lean into his touch, but she held still when he placed a hand upon her upper arm, massaging the area where he’d administered her shot. Normally, such a shot wouldn’t hurt, but he’d given it to her quickly, while she was tense and thrashing about.
“It doesn’t hurt now, does it?” he asked.
“No, and I barely felt it when you gave it to me,” she said, averting her eyes from his. “I was frightened because I had no idea what you were giving me, and I didn’t like—” She ceased speaking and froze.
“You didn’t like what?” he prompted.
“She probably didn’t like being manhandled and held down,” Skylar announced. “You ought to say you’re sorry for that.”
A glance at the blonde female showed her smile had faded and she appeared quite serious, perhaps even a bit angry on Sienna’s behalf. Though he felt as though he were being scolded, and no doubt rightfully so, it brought him happiness to know Sienna had a friend like Skylar who apparently cared about her. It had bothered him when she’d announced she didn’t have any friends or family members to whom she must bid goodbye before departing Earth, but at least she had a protective friend like Skylar.
His ears burning, he peered at Sienna and grasped her hands, lacing his fingers through hers. “I am not sorry I gave you the shot,” he said, speaking honestly, “however, I am deeply sorry that I frightened you while doing so. I should have taken another moment to explain my reasons for giving you the shot. Your safety is important to me, little human, as is your happiness. I hope this event doesn’t cause you to fear me any more than you already do.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” Sienna replied quickly. “But we’ve only just met, and you happen to be quite large. If I ever needed to defend myself against you, I wouldn’t stand a chance. What just happened in my apartment proves that.”
“I would never harm you, little human. May the Star God strike me down if ever the thought enters my mind.” He lifted her off the co-pilot’s seat and drew her into his lap. He wrapped one arm around her and used his free hand to stroke her hair, reveling in the feel of her soft locks, short though they may be. He recalled the conversation they’d been having right before the attack, when Sienna had admitted she was a natural blonde and used to have longer hair.
She was the female of his dreams, his one true mate.
“Look, I really hate to interrupt the sweet moment you guys are having,” Skylar said, “but I feel I should tell you. I think the attack happened because of me. There are people looking for me. People who want me dead.” Tears glimmered in the human’s eyes. “It’s my fault we almost died. Oh God, what if they already got to my sister? What if Macy is dead?” She buried her face in her hands and broke into heaving sobs.
Myadd exchanged a look with Sienna. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”
His mate nodded. “Yes. Her father ran for office a few years ago. His poll numbers were great, and it looked like he was going to beat the sitting president, who was running for a second term. But then he was poisoned, along with his running mate. Several of his supporters ended up getting murdered and attempts were made on Skylar and her sister’s lives. They escaped and ended up separated. Skylar has been in hiding ever since, though she’s been trying to find her sister. That pretty much sums it up.”
Sienna appeared as if she were about to say more, but then she hesitated and fell silent. A moment later, she crawled off Myadd’s lap and walked over to her friend. She wrapped an arm around the crying female and made soothing noises as she hugged her. “It’s going to be all right. We’re safe on Myadd’s ship, and he shot down the rest of the missiles. I doubt anyone in our building died. And don’t you worry about Macy. I’m sure she’s doing well and you’ll find her soon.”
A sinking feeling came over Myadd as Sienna met his eyes while she made promises to her friend. He had hoped to leave Earth today, but how could he leave Sienna’s friend on this planet, unprotected while her father’s enemies were hunting her down? If she weren’t searching for her sister, perhaps he could offer to take her to New Vaxx, but he doubted the crying female would wish to leave this planet without her sister. From what he’d observed of human women, they were similar to Vaxxlian females. They kept promises and cared deeply about their family and friends.
He cleared his throat. “I will help you, Skylar,” he announced.
The blonde human looked up at him, her eyes swollen and red. “You what?”
“I said I will help you. I will contact Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides and see if they can provide assistance. They are good at tracking people down.”
Skylar smiled through her tears and then looked at Sienna. “See? I told you Vaxxlian males are wonderful. You’ve got yourself a good one, too.” She wiped at her tears and glanced at Myadd. “Thank you,” she said. “Truly.”
Sienna peered at him, tears glimmering in her eyes too. “Yes, Myadd, thank you. You are most kind.”
Chapter 7
At Myadd’s urging, Sienna escorted Skylar to the guest quarters, a spacious room near the end of a corridor. On the way there, they passed a larger room that clearly belonged to Myadd. The door zipped open briefly as they moved by, giving her a quick view of the massive bed.
Despite all that had just happened, heat suffused Sienna’s cheeks. Would they mate on that bed later?
Though he’d apologized for scaring her when he’d held her down and given he
r the shot, she now understood why he’d done it. But though she understood his reasons, some of her fear lingered. He’d been so strong, so powerful.
“Sorry about all the dramatics,” Skylar said. “I’m just so shaken. I’ve lived in that apartment building for three months—the longest time I stayed put anywhere during the last year—and I’d started to feel sort of safe. I let my guard down.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad we’re all okay,” Sienna said, patting her friend on the back.
They entered the guest quarters and Skylar took a seat on the bed. Sienna sank into a nearby chair and exhaled a long breath, feeling the tension brought on by recent events start to fade from her body.
But she couldn’t entirely relax, because what Skylar believed had happened might not be true. Both of them were wanted people, though Sienna didn’t think Brett and the entertainment company would try to kill her. Capture her and force her back into servitude? Yes. But kill her? Not likely. She was worth too much alive. She could still bring them a fortune.
There was too much publicity riding on her next scheduled appearances at Brett’s side. He was the big, steroid enhanced cage fighter, and she was his arm candy who participated in over-the-top, entirely scripted interviews before his fights.
She would make the most ridiculous claims during such interviews—like say Brett ate a diet of nothing but rheatrovian hearts during his training for the fight, all plucked straight out of the hairy alien beasts and devoured while still beating, or that he traversed the Yofrallian desert without stopping for even a brief rest or a drink of water.
While she’d gleefully participated in the interviews during her first year working for the entertainment company, when she’d been hired on as Brett’s pretend girlfriend, once she’d started dating him in real life, her outlook had soon changed. While she had no doubt the performance enhancing drugs likely affected his moods and caused him to behave violently, it didn’t excuse the horrible things he had done and said to her over the years.
Years. Four to be exact. She had spent four long years in a relationship with a man she wished she could forget. A man who’d beaten her and screamed at her and made her doubt her own sanity. A man who’d wanted to make her terminate her pregnancy. As terrified as she’d been after learning she was carrying Brett’s child, she now realized it was a fortunate event, because in her desire to provide a real future for her baby, she’d finally worked up the courage to escape Brett and the entertainment company that had practically owned her. Well, the company had owned both of them.
Sometimes, despite all the awful things he’d done to her, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for Brett. They’d ordered him to pump up and continue taking stronger steroids, claiming it was necessary if he wanted to stand a chance against the aliens he battled during the cage fights. He didn’t get paid if he didn’t win. And while the cage fights weren’t to the death, there was still the risk of huge bodily harm and long recovery times spent at a hospital on a distant outpost.
“You okay? You look super deep in thought,” Skylar remarked. “Are you worried about your impending wedding night? I saw the look on your face when we passed the master quarters.”
Sienna forced a smile and shook her head slightly. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. Just thinking about the past. About Brett and how Alien Combat basically forced him to take all those steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Sometimes I wonder what he was like before all the drugs. I never knew him before, though.”
“He made his choices and he made some very bad ones. Don’t overthink things and defend him and don’t you dare feel sorry for him. He treated you like crap and you’re lucky he never killed you when he went into one of his rages.” Skylar sat taller on the bed, a look of determination falling over her. “You need to put him out of your mind, as much as you can, and try to focus on your future with Myadd. He seems caring. Whenever he looks at you, his eyes start to glow a little bit. It’s a sign he’s attracted to you. Anyway, you need to stay safe and remember—staying safe means mating with him ASAP.”
A flush came over Sienna at the mention of mating. “I know I need to mate with him soon. I-I plan to do so as soon as he propositions me, even if I am a bit nervous about it.”
“Nervous? Why are you nervous?” Skylar appeared genuinely confused.
“Um, he’s ginormous. His size makes me think of Brett. When I’m sitting near him and I glimpse him out of the corner of my eye, there’s a split second where I feel as though I’m next to Brett. I-I’m worried I might start panicking while we’re mating. And he’s also likely well-endowed. What if mating is physically difficult too? I feel like a virgin being given to a giant for some kind of weird sexual sacrifice.” She sighed and ran a hand through her short locks.
“Well,” Skylar said, her tone thoughtful, “I bet those healing nanobots will come in handy when you’re mating. Have you ever considered that?”
“What do you mean?”
“If his size hurts you, the nanobots will probably help. I mean, sure, maybe you’ll experience a little discomfort due to his size, but he won’t be able to cause you any real damage. If he hurts you, the nanobots will kick in and you’ll feel better pretty soon.”
“Thanks. That makes me feel a little better.” Sienna eyed her friend and decided to change the subject. “Do you really think your father’s enemies are capable of shooting multiple missiles at our apartment building?”
“Absolutely, and I bet they did it for the news headline. Would-be First Daughter Perishes in Mysterious Missile Attack. That sort of thing would make anyone who opposed the president think twice before voicing their dissent, or daring to run against him when he tries for his fourth term. I still can’t believe he managed a third one. Four is insane. But a lot of family members of my father’s supporters have ended up dead over the years, too. The body count is scary high. All in order to make an impression and make even the bravest person hesitant to speak out.”
“We’re both going to get off Earth soon,” Sienna said. “I promise.” She couldn’t imagine simply leaving Skylar and Macy behind, assuming Skylar’s sister was found alive, but maybe they could simply hitch a ride to New Vaxx with Sienna and Myadd. She made a note to ask Myadd about it once they were alone, but she felt hopeful that he would help, especially considering he had planned to leave Earth with her today but had delayed his plans after Skylar started sobbing and talking about her missing sister.
Her heart lifted. Cliché as it sounded, actions spoke louder than words, and thus far, Myadd’s actions showed he was caring and not self-centered in the least. His personality was a far cry from Brett’s. Even when he’d held her down and forced her to take the shot, he’d been doing it to protect her.
She rose to her feet, deciding that perhaps it was best to get their mating over with as soon as possible. The longer they delayed, the more time she would spend worrying about it. Plus, the sooner they mated, the sooner she could confess her pregnancy to Myadd. Her stomach flipped at the thought, and she tried to push this particular worry away.
Guilty as she felt over deceiving him, she had to ensure the safety of her baby. Being mated to a Vaxxlain for life would guarantee her child’s future and keep her out of Brett’s reach, as well as the godawful entertainment company she ought to have never worked for.
Alone and struggling to make ends meet after the death of her beloved grandfather, who’d raised her all by himself, she’d jumped at the opportunity to work for Alien Combat when a representative of the company had discovered her waitressing in a seedy bar in Tallahassee. It seemed like a lifetime ago rather than a few years. And God how she felt way older than twenty-four. Nothing aged a person like worry and fear and grief, she decided.
“I’m going to go talk to Myadd,” she said. “Will you be okay here?”
Skylar glanced around. “I’ve got a comfy bed, a huge bathroom with a tub the size of a small pool, and a food replicator I’m itching to try out. Girl,
I could live here forever. Go talk to Myadd and feel free to take your time, if you know what I mean. You have a mission to accomplish,” she said, waggling her eyebrows as her eyes lit with mischief.
Sienna departed the guest quarters, a spring in her step. Skylar’s enthusiasm could be infectious sometimes and gave her the slight confidence boost she so desperately needed right now. Oh how she wished she could be more like her friend—almost always cheerful despite all the reasons she had to roll over and give up.
Yes, Sienna had a mission to accomplish all right, but would she chicken out at the last second? Would she freeze up when she got into bed with Myadd and tried to mate with him? Would the nanobots really keep him from hurting her?
Her steps slowed once she was halfway to the bridge. She paused in the corridor and tried to decide whether or not to turn back and continue hanging out with Skylar. Her mouth went dry when she stared at the entrance to the bridge, a large door that would zip open if she walked a few paces closer.
Before she had a chance to decide, a tall figure emerged from the bridge, his massive muscular form taking up the entire doorway. Glowing green eyes met hers, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.
Myadd stared at her, a primal gleam in his gaze, his nostrils flaring as he walked closer, his movements deliberate and slow. She felt like a lamb being stalked by a ravenous lion, even as warmth quaked between her thighs. Fear and desire coalesced within her, making her tremble harder.
Her gaze dropped and she gasped. An immense bulge tented the front of Myadd’s fitted black pants. He reached her and took her in his arms, a low growl rumbling from his throat.
“I was on my way to find you, little human, and here you are. My beautiful mate.”
He leaned down and his lips crashed against hers.
Chapter 8
The little human moaned into his mouth as he kissed her most thoroughly. He delighted in every small noise she made, as well as the slight vibrations issuing from her throat. She tasted like pure sweetness. Nectar from a moonflower, he soon decided.
