by Sue Mercury
But, unfortunately, the crew didn’t fulfill their obligation to deliver her safety to Eufromma and instead dropped her off on Earth, in Houston, halfway through the journey to the tourist planet, claiming there was too much unrest occurring in the surrounding sectors. This ordeal had depleted most of her funds, making it impossible for her to charter a vessel off Earth, so she had done her best to remain hidden in Houston, even as conditions in the city worsened around her.
She’d taken many risks to see to the safety of her baby, yet her own mother left her and never bothered to send a message or visit even once, that’s how little she’d meant to the woman who’d given birth to her.
Sienna vowed to do better. She would pour all her love into her baby and try her best to raise a happy, healthy child. She glanced at Myadd. Please let him accept my baby.
“My sweet mate.” He reached for her hand. “I am so sorry. I must admit this information is shocking to me. In my culture, a mother would never abandon her child. It’s unheard of.”
“It’s all right,” she replied with a dismissive shrug. She liked to pretend her mother’s actions didn’t affect her. “I turned out okay. I’d like to think my grandfather did a fine job raising me. I know he tried his best.” Don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry.
“Did any other family members help raise you?”
“No, just my grandfather. He had a few brothers who visited on occasion, but they didn’t help raise me.”
A troubled look overcame Myadd. “I-I believe I will feel a bit guilty when it comes time to tell you about my upbringing. I had two loving parents and a huge extended family.” He laced his fingers through hers and gave her a serious look. “Of course, they’re all dead now. All my family members are gone, killed by the Irrcons, all except for my two brothers.”
Sienna wasn’t sure which was worse—never knowing the love of a big happy family, or knowing such love but then losing it all during a horrific war. Her heart ached for Myadd and his brothers. “You have nothing to feel guilty about.” She squeezed his hand. “In fact, I’d like to hear about your family and your upbringing on Vaxxlia. That is, if you feel like telling me. If it pains you, you don’t have to say a word.”
Chapter 13
Myadd had never met a female quite like Sienna. How strong she must be to have survived childhood without the nurturing care of a mother, even if she’d had a grandfather who’d cared about her. His little mate was resilient, and he admired her. He also appreciated the compassion she was showing him over the loss of his family.
“Despite my sadness over losing my parents, uncles and aunts, as well as cousins,” he finally answered, “I do enjoy speaking about them and I will be happy to tell you anything you wish to know. But first, I would like you to continue. What was your life in Florida like? Was it as dangerous as life in Houston?”
She exhaled a long breath. “It wasn’t very safe there,” she said, frowning. “My grandfather had to homeschool me because there were too many fights in the local public school. I tried to defend one of my friends one time and got beat up pretty badly. After that, he pulled me out of school. He was a retired teacher though, so he knew what he was doing—he never let me slack off.” She smiled, though her gaze remained distant and sad. “Anyway, I’d planned to go to college in Upstate New York, but then he died and I technically never showed up to take the high school equivalency exam I needed to take in order to receive a high school diploma. So, going to college never happened.”
“I am not certain what high school is,” he replied, “but the test sounds important. Why did you not take it?”
“Because I was seventeen years old and too angry at the world to do the smart thing and show up. I know I could have passed with flying colors, but my heart just wasn’t in it. So I bounced from job to job until I found myself working as a waitress in a bar at the age of nineteen when…” Her voice trailed off and she appeared to hesitate. She swallowed hard and fidgeted in place.
“What happened when you were nineteen?” He set his utensil down and gave her his full attention. She did the same and he took both her hands in his.
“A representative from an entertainment company called Alien Combat came into the bar. He, um, thought I was pretty enough to be a model for the company. The next thing I knew, I was being whisked off Earth to the next planned cage fight, where I made my debut as…” She paused again and looked pained.
He stiffened. He had heard of Alien Combat and knew of a few Vaxxlians who had participated in the cage fights organized by the company. But he also knew what role attractive females played in such a seedy business. He’d attended a cage fight with his brothers once and recalled several scantily dressed females who’d accompanied the fighters.
“You belonged to a cage fighter?” he asked, fearing her answer. He had liked to think she’d spent her entire life on Earth, waiting on him to arrive and save her. The thought of her traveling around with Alien Combat, as one of their fighter’s females, made him hot with anger. He wanted to find the male she used to belong to and kill him with his bare hands.
“If you want to get technical about it,” she said, her voice quavering, “I belonged to Alien Combat more than I belonged to one of their cage fighters. Myadd, I-I need to tell you something, but it’s difficult, for I am terrified you will be angry with me.”
She tried to pull away from him, but he gripped her hands tighter, refusing to let her go. Irrational thoughts sped through his mind. He had to force himself to take a calming breath. Never in his life had he felt so jealous as in this moment, even though Sienna clearly wasn’t in a relationship with a cage fighter anymore. “What is it?” he asked, frowning when his voice came out sharper than he intended.
She lowered her gaze and shrank away from him as best she could with her hands still gripped in his. “When we were getting ready to mate, you asked if I was nervous because it was my first time. I-I ought to have told you the truth then. I wasn’t a virgin.” Tears glimmered in her eyes. “Please forgive me for misleading you. I hope that does not anger you. I was paired with a cage fighter named Brett and after a year of pretending to be his girlfriend, we entered a relationship.”
“You mated with this male?” he asked, even as a voice in the back of his mind whispered that he needed to calm down. Logically, he knew Sienna was entitled to a life before meeting him. He also knew humans frequently engaged in casual sex, whereas Vaxxlians did not. When Vaxxlians had sex, they exchanged mating vows and stayed together for life.
“I wouldn’t call it mating,” she said, a tear escaping down her cheek. “I never loved him and I don’t think he loved me either. It was convenient because our contracts with Alien Combat were joint. We were supposed to pretend to be in a relationship for the excitement it caused in the crowds. There was always a script I had to follow before the fights, whether I was giving an interview or getting into a fake argument with another cage fighter’s female, all for the entertainment factor.” Her face crumpled and all the anger drained from Myadd.
Guilt racked him over the tone he’d used with her. So much for always treating her with tenderness and compassion.
Fluxx. He fought back a growl of frustration.
What a fool he was to experience jealousy over a past relationship of Sienna’s. When he had arrived on Earth, he had not detected the scent of another male on her, which meant she hadn’t been with the cage fighter for quite some time. She had signed up for the mail order bride service because she had obviously needed to escape Earth, but perhaps she had other reasons.
“Do not cry, my sweet mate.” He released her hands and reached to brush away her tears, but her eyes widened and she flinched just before he touched her. She wrapped her arms around herself and cowered, as if fearing he would strike her.
Though he longed to touch her and comfort her, he had no wish to scare her, so he lowered his hands to his sides. A dark suspicion formed in his mind and he once again felt murderous.
“This cage fight
er, what was his name?”
“Brett,” she whispered.
“Did Brett ever hurt you?” He wanted to reach for her face and wipe away her tears, but he didn’t want to make her flinch again. Star God, didn’t she know he would never lay a hand on her in anger? He braced himself for her answer, even though he already knew what she would say.
“Yes.” She glanced up at him quickly, then her eyes lowered to his chest. “I-I didn’t want to tell you about that part. I-I only meant to tell you that I lied about being a virgin. At the moment, I was nervous and afraid to tell you the truth. Please forgive me, Myadd.”
“You need not apologize, Sienna. I am thankful you have told me the truth and I would like to apologize to you.”
“Apologize to me? For what?”
“For my reaction a moment ago,” he said. “I am sorry for using an unkind tone with you. I am not angry with you. It does not matter how many relationships you had before I met you. All that matters is that now you’re mine. My mate.” He paused and considered his next words carefully, wanting to be entirely honest with the female who held his heart. “I confess the idea of another man claiming you physically made me jealous, however, and the knowledge that this male hurt you makes me want to kill him. In fact, I swear on the Star God, if I ever encounter this cage fighter named Brett, I will not only kill him, but I will make him suffer and regret ever harming you.”
Sienna peeked up at him, her gaze wary. “You-you really don’t mind that I wasn’t a virgin?”
“No,” he said, in as gentle a tone as he could muster. He lifted a hand and started reaching for her, ever so slowly. “May I touch you, my sweet mate?”
She swallowed hard and nodded, moisture glimmering in her eyes. He cupped the side of her face in one hand and stroked the tears from her cheeks. At first, she froze at his touch, but gradually he felt her relaxing. Eventually, she leaned into his hand and closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled a deep breath.
“Look at me,” he said softly.
She obeyed, her sorrowful gaze searching his.
“I meant what I told you on the bridge. I will never harm you, Sienna. You’re my precious mate and it’s my sacred duty to keep you safe from all harm. It’s also not my place to judge you for your past—not that I think you did anything wrong.”
“Thank you, Myadd,” she whispered, “but there’s more I must tell you, and I truly fear you will not like what I have to say, but I cannot hold it in any longer.”
Chapter 14
If guilt could eat a person alive, Sienna would already be a goner.
She had planned to keep the secret about her baby just that—a secret—until she got to know Myadd better. But he had already revealed enough of his personality to her. Now that she realized his inherent goodness, she could not lead him on any longer.
She felt a tad silly for cowering and flinching when he’d reached for her face earlier. When she looked in his eyes, she saw him—a strong and capable warrior who possessed a gentle heart. He wouldn’t hit her or hurt her in any way. She doubted he would even scream at her if they ever got into an argument.
“Tell me,” he said, stroking her face. “Tell me the troubles that are making you cry. I vow I will do everything in my power to help you. Your troubles are mine, little human.”
She inhaled a shaky breath and prayed for strength.
“I escaped Brett a little over two months ago, as well as Alien Combat. My contract with the entertainment company was for ten years, which meant I still had five to go. I heard they have a warrant out for my arrest, though technically they aren’t allowed to have me arrested in any sectors that are protected by the Universal Alliance, since the UA will not allow companies to own people the way Alien Combat does.”
“Though Vaxxlians are not yet a part of the Universal Alliance, we would never allow a company such as Alien Combat to enter our territories or bother any of our citizens, our human females included. You will be perfectly safe on New Vaxx. I promise.”
“I’m pretty sure they’re looking for me. I-I think Brett might be looking for me too. He was probably very angry when I left.” A shiver ran through her. “Maybe-maybe if I get a well-paying job on New Vaxx, I can buy my way out of the contract. I don’t want to be a burden on you. I don’t want you to be constantly fighting off the company if they discover where I am. They’re quite powerful and own a fleet of interstellar ships, many of which are well-armed. I-I could very well bring war to your doorstep.”
“I should have asked you why you signed up for Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides when we first met,” he said, still caressing her face. Each time a tear escaped her eyes, he wiped it away. “I assumed you wished to leave the poor conditions on Earth and perhaps escape a violent city, but I should have clarified your reasons for signing up for the service. Forgive me for not showing more care when I first arrived.”
“Myadd, you need to stop being so perfect.” She couldn’t help but smile, but her smile soon faded. “You shouldn’t be apologizing to me right now for anything. It’s me who ought to be apologizing to you and begging you not to leave me on Earth. But yes, this is a big part of why I signed up for the mail order bride service. I-I need to get off Earth and find a safe place to live, where Brett and Alien Combat won’t find me.”
But there’s more. I’m carrying Brett’s baby.
How could she find the words?
“The company you worked for is no match for a few Vaxxlian cruisers. Furthermore, even if ships owned by Alien Combat managed to enter any of the sectors surrounding New Vaxx, there is a protective shield around our planet. You will be safe.” His brow furrowed suddenly. “Is it possible the attack on your apartment building today was done by Alien Combat, rather than by those who wish to kill Skylar?”
Oh how she wished she knew for certain. She sighed. “I suppose it’s possible, but I always assumed they would wish to capture me and force me to serve out the remaining five years of my contract, rather than kill me.”
He rose to his feet and hastily put his clothes back on. “I must go analyze the weapon signatures from the missiles. If the projectiles were fired by Alien Combat, I should be able to discover this soon. I ought to have analyzed the data my ship collected earlier, but I assumed the missiles were deployed by those seeking to kill Skylar.”
“I don’t see how it would be in Alien Combat’s financial interests to kill me,” she said, but then she suddenly recalled the reason Skylar was in hiding. Because her father’s enemies wished to make an example of her. Could Alien Combat be trying to do the same thing? To dissuade other models from breaking their contracts early?
She rushed to put her dress back on, and Myadd then drew her in for a warm embrace. She snuggled against his chest, appreciating that he was taking the time to comfort her. But she still had to confess her biggest secret yet. Should she tell him now, or wait a day or two? Tears burned in her eyes and she blinked rapidly, not wishing to cry any further.
“Would you like to come to the bridge with me?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation. If Alien Combat had indeed fired the missiles at her apartment building, she desperately wished to know. She felt guilty for possibly putting so many lives at risk, but she’d never expected them to use such deadly force against her, even if they truly wished to take her life.
He grasped her hand in his and led her to the bridge. She wasn’t certain which outcome she hoped for. As she sat in the co-pilot’s seat and watched Myadd work, his hands flying over the controls at rapid-fire speed, she continued praying for the courage to tell him the final part of what she’d been trying to say while still in his quarters.
We’re mated now. Vaxxlians mate for life. He can’t get rid of me.
But would he grow to despise her for keeping such a huge secret? Would he curse her for not confessing all before they mated? She had pretty much trapped him into being her protector, her hero.
“I’ve finished analyzing the data,” Myadd a
nnounced, his tone serious.
“And?” She held her breath, awaiting the results with her heart lodged painfully in her throat.
He turned in his seat and met her eyes. “It was Alien Combat.”
“They want to make an example of me,” she blurted, unable to stop her rising panic, even though Myadd had promised to keep her safe. “They want to keep other girls from leaving their contracts.” She paused for a moment and considered her friend. “Poor Skylar. I ought to go talk to her. She thinks this is her fault. But instead it’s mine. I almost caused people to die today.”
“It’s not your fault.” Myadd’s voice was adamant yet gentle. He opened his mouth, preparing to say something further, when one of his consoles lit up and beeped. The screen it contained looked like a video comm.
He pressed a button and the face of an older Vaxxlian male appeared. Myadd glanced at Sienna. “Why don’t you go check on Skylar?” he said.
She wanted to protest and stay on the bridge, for she very much wanted to hear whatever this male had to say. She assumed he was the friend of Myadd’s uncle who was helping to search for Skylar’s sister. But after all the care Myadd had shown her, she didn’t want to cause a fuss in front of one of Myadd’s fellow warriors.
She nodded and exited the bridge quietly, her mind spinning with all that had happened in the last few hours.
Chapter 15
“I have located the human female called Macy and already retrieved her,” Reshun announced.
“Where was she? And was she in danger when you found her?” Relief flowed through Myadd. He had one problem taken care of—the one which had prevented their immediate departure from Earth. Now that Macy had been located, he could collect her and they could all leave for New Vaxx, where Sienna would be safe from Alien Combat.
