The Alien's Mate (A SciFi Alien Warrior Romance) (Warriors of Luxiria Book 2)

by Zoey Draven

  Just when he opened his mouth to speak, the silver pad on the column of the living room chirped to life. Kate jumped and Vaxa immediately strode over. A video call appeared and she recognized Cruxan’s face on the screen.

  Immediately, Cruxan burst into Luxirian, the words flying from him. It must have been bad news because Vaxa asked sharply, “Rebax?” What in Luxirian.

  Cruxan spoke and shortly after, Vaxa jerked his head in a nod, ending the call with a short sentence. When he turned to face her, Kate asked, “What is it?”

  He clasped her cheeks between his palms and pressed a slow kiss to her lips. “Luxiva,” he murmured, his voice ragged. “I will tell you everything…just not at this moment. I must attend to something.”

  She looked down at his chest.

  “Luxiva, please trust me,” he pleaded. “When I get back, we will talk.”

  “I believe you,” she whispered, looking up at his eyes. “Be careful,” she said, even though she didn’t know what he was walking into. But something told her it wasn’t good.

  “It is Lihvan who needs to be careful now,” he murmured.

  She frowned, her brows furrowing, but before she could question him, he was already out the door of their house and firing up the hovercraft.

  He was gone before she could blink.

  SEVENTEEN

  “What happened?” Vaxa’an growled, heart thudding from his sprint into the council room at the command center.

  Rixavox, Kirov, and Cruxan were present, although the elders were not. He strode over to one of the Coms and scanned his eyes across the screen.

  It was a message from Vikan. A distress call.

  “It is fortunate that you returned early, Vaxa’an,” Rixavox said quietly. “This just came in.”

  “I did not expect them to arrive at the Pit until later tonight,” Vaxa’an said.

  “They went through Jetutian territory,” Kirov said from his place at the Com. The light from the holograph screen made his skin look blue as he tried to configure their vessel’s coordinates. “The infiltration was a success and the Krevorags are in a panic. The Urunian Federation has already been in contact, but they will not send aid since we acted before we received their confirmation. They see our actions as rebellion.”

  Vaxa’an growled. What a mess. One that was entirely his fault.

  Kirov continued. “The last message we received from Lihvan was that they saved the females that remained on the Pit. He said they had seven. But that’s not all.”

  “What is it?”

  “The Jetutians managed to intercept them on their return from the Pit. They captured the vessel but struck a deal,” Cruxan said. “They would spare the vessel and the crew if Lihvan surrendered and went aboard their ship.”

  “And of course he went,” Vaxa’an finished for him, running a hand over his horns in frustration.

  “We assume the Jetutians wanted to leverage him against us. They know that Lihvan is one of your ambassadors,” Kirov said.

  Rixavox cut in, “One more thing, Vaxa’an. Vikan reported that one of the females is missing.”

  “What?”

  “The Jetutians may have taken her,” Cruxan said, crossing his arms over his chest. “We do not know. Vikan’s message is unclear.”

  The beginnings of a pounding headache started at the base of his neck and pulsed. How had it just been last night that he’d been relaxing with his luxiva in the lallarix? It seemed like spans ago now.

  “Where is Vikan now?”

  “He has passed through Jetutian territory with the remaining females, but he is still a span away from Luxiria. We have received no further word on Lihvan. Do you think they will try to negotiate with us for his release?”

  “Yes,” Vaxa’an said, narrowing his eyes. “They have taken enough from us, have they not? Why not Lihvan as well?”

  The council room sobered.

  Vaxa’an was quiet for a moment, trying to process everything, trying to think of a plan. This was part of what they trained for. The unexpected. They had not planned for this, a shortcoming on their part.

  “I have faith in Lihvan,” he finally said, his voice low, looking up at his ambassadors. “He will protect the female if she is with him. And I trust that he is an excellent warrior and that he will keep a level head, as we all must do. He will do nothing to endanger Luxiria.”

  “And us?” Kirov questioned. “What do we do?”

  Even though it pained him to say it, he murmured, “We wait.”

  “Vaxa’an,” Rixavox started. “I do not think—”

  “Rushing into this attack is why this happened in the first place,” Vaxa’an said. “We should have planned for a possible interception once they left the Pit. Their weapons were most likely depleted once the Jetutians reached them.”

  “Do you think the Krevorags are aligned with the Jetutians?” Cruxan questioned. “Is this why the attack happened? As retaliation?”

  Vaxa’an thought about it but it didn’t make sense. “No. The Jetutians acted alone in this. If they were aligned with the Krevorags, they would have demanded the females. Instead, they only wanted Lihvan.” He met the eyes of his ambassadors. “The Jetutians have always wanted one thing and one thing only from us: our crystals. That will be their demand, but it would be foolish of us to believe that Lihvan will be unharmed or even returned to us, if we give into their ransom. We need to formulate another plan and keep the worst in mind.”

  “Agreed,” Kirov said from his post at the Com.

  Cruxan said, “Agreed.”

  Vaxa’an turned to look at Rixavox. Lihvan was like a blood brother to them all. He knew that Rixavox immediately wanted to form a rescue mission, but that wouldn’t be smart. They’d already fucked up one mission. They didn’t need to fuck up another.

  Rixavox knew this, even though he wanted to fight it. Eventually, his war general inclined his head and gruffly murmured, “Agreed.”

  They needed to trust in Lihvan’s ability and strength as a Luxirian warrior. Because if anyone could navigate their way through this Jetutian mess, it would be Lihvan.

  Vaxa’an jerked his head in a nod. “Let’s get to work.”

  * * *

  The dungeons in the Golden City were located deep below the facev, the mountain, that could only be accessed through one stairwell in the command center.

  Exhaustion weighed heavy on Vaxa’an as he descended the stone steps. They had spent the majority of the span creating a plan, looking from all angles at what the Jetutians might do next, whether they would decide to kill Lihvan to send a strong message or if they would try to ransom him. They reviewed their protocols in case of an imminent attack and began the process and discussion of attacking the Jetutians first. Luxiria had long been at war with the Jetutians, but it was Luxiria’s turn to take the offensive.

  And even though Vaxa’an wanted nothing more than to return to his luxiva and get rest before he had an inevitable early morning of more discussion and planning tomorrow, there was something that he needed to do first.

  The dungeons had always been mostly unoccupied, something that the Golden City prided itself on. Crime was low on Luxiria, but the dungeons were a necessity, especially during blacker moments in their history where uprisings had turned bloody and violent.

  They were temporary holding cells mostly. Any Luxirian who found themselves in the dungeons knew their fate. Luxiria tolerated little crime and the punishment was almost always swift execution once a formal trial was held and the accused had been convicted by the council.

  This Luxirian male’s fate would be no different.

  Despite being deep below the mountain, the dungeons were brightly lit. They resembled the labs if anything with almost clinical hallways and rooms separated by strong panes of glass. All of them except one were empty.

  The male who had tried to take his life during the Trials with a silver dagger, the male who he had just discovered bruised his luxiva and called her a human whore in the mark
etplace was pacing around in his cell like a caged beast.

  Vaxa’an knew this male and had always been wary of him. Something in the glint of his eyes had always unsettled him. One single gold cuff gleamed on his wrist under the harsh lights of the dungeon, which meant he had never completed military training.

  “You knew my blood brother,” Vaxa’an murmured, his voice surprisingly calm when deep inside all he wanted to do was take this dishonorable male’s life with his bare hands.

  Rrixan came to a halt beside the glass. Even though it was strong, it didn’t block sound, so Vaxa’an heard him clearly when he replied with, “Yes. He told me much about you in our youth.”

  Vaxa’an’s face surely resembled stone. “Are you in contact with him still?”

  He still remembered the imprint of his blood brother from earlier that morning. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt for quite some time. Siblings always had a close bond, tied perpetually together by the same blood. Luxirians who had no brothers or sisters would never understand what it was like.

  Vaxa’an knew well that Jaxor’an had been a rebellious youth. He was the complete opposite of Vaxa’an and he’d often suspected that his brother resented him in some way, given that he was the eldest, given that he was fated to be Prime Leader and not Jaxor’an.

  “Why would I tell you even if I were?” Rrixan questioned, his face pulling into a scowl.

  “Because I will be your executioner,” Vaxa’an said, his voice sharp enough to cut flesh. “And I can make your death either very swift or I can choose to make you suffer, which at this moment I am leaning towards.”

  Rrixan pressed his lips together. He looked pale and sickly under the lighting, his skin leeched of any color. His scales looked dry, his muscles weakened and undernourished. Vaxa’an did not feel pity for this male.

  “I have not heard from him since he left the Golden City ten rotations ago,” Rrixan finally spat. “I figure he has long left us for the blackworld.”

  “He lives,” Vaxa’an said, feeling the truth of it.

  Rrixan crossed his arms over his chest and asked, “Then why question me about him if you know that?”

  Vaxa’an did not quite know that himself. The absence of his brother, the hurt from his abandonment continued to eat at him. Even so, if Jaxor’an returned to the Golden City the very next span, he would welcome him with open arms and put their past behind them.

  Given what had happened that morning, when his calls for his blood brother went unanswered near the lallarix, he figured his brother still did not want to see him, even if he was alive.

  The rejection hurt anew, but he pushed it away. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, not when he had other important matters to attend to.

  Vaxa’an straightened.

  “I am here as a formality, to hear your reasons for your actions during the Trials,” Vaxa’an stated, trying to keep his temper under control. It threatened to snap when he said, “And your violent actions against your lavrix’an.”

  Rrixan bared his teeth. “That whore is not my lavrix’an.”

  “Watch your tongue,” Vaxa’an said softly, pressing closer to the glass, “before I cut it out with a dull blade.”

  “You truly believe that your decision is just,” Rrixan said, a booming laugh sounding. “You tarnish us, Vaxa’an. You soil our race with that filthy blood.”

  His eyes narrowed at the disrespect. This male dared to speak his name, dared to insult his female in front of him.

  “And you would rather our race be doomed,” Vaxa’an said, growing tired and impatient at having to explain the obvious. This male was no better than the sand he treaded upon and yet he had to stand in the dungeons and look upon his face. “My Instinct chose her. And then I chose her. Whether you like it or not, my luxiva is the rightful lavrix’an of our people and you will respect that during your last spans before I send you down to the blackworld.”

  “I will never accept that. And I will gladly go to my death than live to see our great race fall,” Rrixan spat.

  Vaxa’an looked at this hateful male and saw the fury and anger in his eyes. Earlier, when Kat had told him about Rrixan’s actions against her, he’d wanted nothing more than to storm down into the dungeons and rip him limb from limb until there was nothing left. Now, he realized that getting angry was a complete waste. He felt absolutely nothing for him.

  “It is done,” Vaxa’an said softly. “I decided that I care not whether your death is prolonged or quick. You do not have my respect. I think you’re a coward for trying to take my life and then turning your back to run. At least the other Luxirian warriors during the Trials honored the old ways, the true Luxirian way. I think you’re a disgrace to my people for harming my luxiva, for harming an innocent female who had no means of defending herself. No one will mourn your death, Rrixan. The sooner that you meet the blackworld, the better. Expect a swift trial and an even swifter death. This I promise you.”

  Vaxa’an turned his back and walked away.

  He did not want to waste another moment in Rrixan’s presence, not when the person he cared for most in the universe was waiting for him.

  * * *

  Kat was perched on the terrace ledge when Vaxa’an landed his hovercraft, where she often greeted him. She liked the view, liked to see the soft, glowing orbs of light from the Luxirian dwellings below. She liked the night sky, glittering with silver and blue stars, and liked learning the names of the ancient constellations that his people had often turned to for guidance. She said that they were beautiful.

  That night was no different. Her face was upturned to the sky, before flickering across the plains of the Ravrax’tor, before settling on him as he disembarked.

  The span had been draining, but he immediately felt life return to his body when he went to her, wrapping her in his arms and inhaling her soft scent. The baby kicked between them and he knew his child greeted him. He was home, where he always longed to be.

  Kat read him easily. It was almost frightening how well she seemed to know him, so it didn’t surprise him when she pressed a small kiss to his lips and then said, “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  So, he told her, as he said he would.

  He told her about how her words about the Pit had struck something in him, about how shameful he’d felt afterwards about his involvement, about how he’d sent Lihvan and Vikan away on an infiltration mission with a full crew of warriors, one of them being his last challenger in the Trials.

  And then he told her about that span, about the distress call and the following messages from Vikan. About how Lihvan had been taken captive by the Jetutians and about the human females that were on their way to Luxiria.

  His Kat listened patiently and quietly, hearing the words that were pouring out of him, seemingly unable to stop, without judgment or interruption.

  When he finished, he murmured, “I am at fault for all of it, luxiva. I endangered Lihvan, and Vikan, and the warriors’ lives by sending them away. I worry for them.”

  Kat’s eyes softened and she grasped the sides of his face so that he focused solely on her. “They believed in it as well, Vaxa. They believed that they were doing the right thing.”

  “I fear that I have welcomed war, now that the Uranian Federation has refused us aid.”

  “War was already here by the sound of it,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ve been at war with the Jetutians for many years. This is just another encounter, one that you will fight and emerge from successful. You trust in Lihvan, don’t you?”

  Vaxa’an nodded. “I do.”

  “Then he will be fine. Like you said, there is not much you can do right now. You will wait for the Jetutians to make their next move and then you will counter.”

  “And what of the female they reportedly took? What do you make of that?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kat admitted, gazing up at him. It was dark out on the terrace but the moon was enough illumination to see her clearly. He stroked her cheek. “But you have
to trust that both of them will be okay. Do not feel like this is all your fault, Vaxa. It isn’t. All of your ambassadors chose this once you explained it to them, didn’t they? They made their own choices, as did you.”

  “As Prime Leader,” he said, remembering words his own sire had said to him, “every action taken under my command is my responsibility.”

  Kat watched him carefully and then said, “Then that makes you a good leader. A lesser one would wash their hands of this and point the blame elsewhere. You care deeply for your friends and your people. You are doing the right thing, Vaxa.”

  Vaxa’an let out a rumbling sigh. What he needed right now was a long soak in their hot springs and try to refresh his mind before the morning brought a new span. A fresh mind might see more possibilities, more courses of action to take.

  But his luxiva was right. Of course she was. It would do him no good to shoulder all the responsibility and let it swamp him, weighing him down with guilt. He had very capable and very strong ambassadors with some of the best minds in all of Luxiria.

  They would get past this. They would find a way to help Lihvan and this female. They would succeed. He needed to remember that.

  “Why do you always make me feel better?” he asked, leaning down to kiss his mate.

  “Because that was part of the job description as your mate,” she teased, although he had no idea what a ‘job description’ was.

  “I apologize for what happened between us earlier, luxiva,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “I did not mean to accuse you of something we were both guilty of. I was not thinking. It was wrong of me.”

  “I forgive you,” she said and then smiled sheepishly. “I think it’s something we will both need to work on in the future.”

  “I have faith we will,” he said.

  “Me too,” she whispered, a little smile on her face. “There’s still a lot to learn about our relationship, but there’s no where I’d rather be than right here. With you. On this crazy, hot planet. And pregnant with your kid.”