Saaxx Alien Halfbreed: A SciFi Romance (Human Female Abduction Book 6)

by C. Y. Croc

  “A Human! So the rumours are true.”

  6

  Saaxxatee

  I carry Bupple and Kerty carries Tex. Mimette clears the table and we lay them both on there, side by side, my two brave males.

  Mimette rushes out of the room and returns with a bottle. She looks at me with a small smile. “I have one bottle of balm. What do we do, give most of it to the male and a small portion to Bupple?”

  “Yes, we must give some to Bupple too, he fought two dalmirs trying to protect me from the township’s males.”

  I watch her go to Bupple first and rub the front of his neck as she drips a tiny amount on the back of his tongue. He attempts to swallow. Mimette looks up at me with her brow creased.

  “He’s very weak, Saaxxatee. All I can do is drip feed him small amounts of balm and hope that it works.”

  The liquid that fell from my eyes earlier threatens to fall again but I blink it away. I don’t want Mimette to see it. None of the other full blooded Kimanka females I’ve ever come into contact with before have leaked liquid from their eyes before, I don’t want to bring further unease to this already anxious time.

  She walks over to Tex. “Kerty raise his head!” I watch helplessly as she does the same to him. She tips just a few drops on his tongue and rubs the front of his neck. Tex gulps. “He has a better response so we can give him the full dose now. We just have to get it into him this way. It’s slow but effective because we know for definite that it's going into his stomach and not in his lungs.”

  I nod and bite the bottom of my lip as I watch Mimette and Kerty go through the same routine over and over until three-quarters of the bottle is gone. She goes back over to Bupple and tries again but this time I don’t see him swallow when she rubs his throat.

  My stomach twists and a hard lump forms in my throat. I can barely get my words past it.

  “He’s not dead is he, Mimette?”

  I search her face but it doesn’t leave Bupples for a long time. Finally, she looks up and meets my eyes. “No, he’s a fighter but he’s very weak. He’s too weak to swallow anymore. All we can do is wait and give those few drops he did swallow time to get into his system. I’ll try again every hinc, but rest is the best healer of all. It will help his body do its own healing.”

  Kelty is examining the wound on Tex’s side. “This looks like it was made with a weapon. A dagger by the looks of it.” He looks up to me. “What happened? Why did males from the township attack you and why do you have a Human? Was he there when Mimette came to purchase from you?” His face is contorted with anger, obviously worried for his mate’s safety.

  Mimette senses the tension and moves him aside while she bends to examine Tex’s wound. “She can answer our questions later. Go and fetch me my binding pack! This wound needs closing. This red liquid is his blood and he’s lost a lot of it.”

  I gasp. “There’s so much blood!”

  Kelty huffs and marches from the room. Mimette looks up at me and smiles but I can see the strain on her face.

  “I don’t want to cause bad feelings between us Mimette but...I didn’t tell you about him because he was in a terrible state anyway, passed out on my floor. I bought him from the Taraquets to help me fix things up on my property. You know I like to do it myself but unbeknownst to me, the pheromones have been sapping my strength and I was getting behind with my jobs.”

  She sighs and looks at me with kind caring eyes. “Why didn’t you ask me for help? You know Kelty and I would have been there in a flash!”

  I nod with a thin smile. “I know Mimette. I’m sorry.”

  “You know what the clans are like about Humans.”

  She closes her eyes and sucks in a ragged breath. “You know what I mean don’t you Saaxxatee. I don’t mean any offence by that.”

  I frown not sure what she means. I know I’m different from her—not a full-blooded Kimanka, but why would she think I’d be offended by that comment.

  Kerty walks back into the room and hands Mimette a small pouch. She unravels it and takes out a small binding pointer.

  “Kerty fetch some meg to clean away the blood and disinfect the wound!”

  Kerty walks over to the countertop and grabs a large bottle, then he carries it back over to Mimette. “Shall I pour some on?” Mimette nods.

  Never having tasted meg before I have no idea what it looks like but I’m surprised that it is clear when it's poured out. It washes away the red liquid leaving a gaping slit. Mimette holds the wound together and then taps either side of the wound in precise minuscule zigzag movements. I watch as fine almost translucent thread begins to bind the wound together.

  “There. That should do it. Kerty carry him to the guest chamber!”

  Kerty is a big strong male but I can see how much of an effort it is for Kerty to carry Tex now that the adrenaline has left my blood.

  “Will he okay Mimette? I try to keep the affection I feel for Tex out of my words but I can see by Mimette’s face that I haven’t fooled her.

  She lays a hand on my arm. “The balm will work. You got him here just in time.”

  I turn my attention back to Bupple. “And what about Bupple?”

  She purses her lips. “I really don’t know Saaxxatee. I wish I could tell you he’ll make it too but...a lot of his spines have been ripped out. Chinsers don’t normally do well without them.”

  I look down at the numerous holes where Bupple’s spines used to be. “Can we close them together like we did with...the Human’s wound?”

  She shakes her head slowly. “I really don’t know if that would work Saaxxatee, their spines have other jobs other than protection, they act as thermostats too. I don’t know if closing them off would damage the way he regulates his body heat.”

  I feel as though the weight of the planet is on my shoulders. “We need to try Mimette, I owe it to him and if his chances are low anyway...we just need to try.”

  She nods and lifts the corners of her mouth. “Yes... Yes, you’re right. Anything is better than nothing.” She does the same thing to each of Bupple’s wounds that she did to Tex and a little of the weight pushing down on my heart lifts.

  I fall into a chair and my shoulders drop in relief. I did it. I got them some help. I look up to Mimette. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “What are friends if they can’t help out? Why don’t you go and take a shimmer? I’ll place Bupple somewhere warm to recover and then I’ll cook you something to eat.”

  I look down at myself. I’m covered in Tex’s red blood. I gasp. “I didn’t realise there was so much of it.”

  “Kerty will see to the dray and Piff. There will be some clean clothes of mine in a pile to the right of the door, put some of those on. Mind you don’t take Kelty’s from the left pile mind. He’ll do anything for you but he won’t take kindly to you wearing his togs.”

  I laugh and the feeling of joy that the laughter brings is a welcome relief after the last few intense hincs.

  Mimette and Kelty’s shimmer is much more modern than mine. In fact, their whole dwelling and belongings are a decadion or two in advance of mine. My dwelling has been locked in time since I lost my parents. They even have a built-in drying system and the warm jets help take out the last bit of cold that seems to have taken permanent residence in my bones since the attack.

  I dress in Minette’s modern clothes, bundle mine up in a tight ball, and follow the tantalising aroma that is making my stomach make weird noises.

  Kelty and Mimette are sitting at the table that less than an hour ago, had two injured males lying on it. One that was my world, and one that could quite easily claim that role too.

  Kelty motions for me to sit opposite him. “Come, sit and eat Saaxxatee. Both of your males are still passed out but they are stable. They have not deteriorated in the time you took your shimmer.

  I sigh in relief on hearing the news, planting myself on the chair. Kelty lifts the huge bottle of meg and hovers it over my empty
mug. “Drink?”

  “I’ve never had any before.”

  He smiles warmly. “Well, it’s not as if you are too young.” I nod and he fills my mug. “I’m going to ride into the township after I’ve eaten and tell the council about the occurrence at your property. This attack cannot go without consequence to the perpetrators, whether you’re emitting mating pheromones or not. Males should be made accountable for their actions. I’m sick of this one-sided bigotry.”

  The warm smile is gone and bulging veins and a clenched jaw have replaced it.

  Mimette pats Kerty on the chest. “Calm down my love.” She looks at me with the same kind smile. “What Kerty is trying to say is we care for you and your wellbeing Saaxxatee. You are like the nip we never had and we want to make sure something like this never happens again.”

  I reach across and place my hand over Kerty’s and squeeze. “Thank you. I appreciate that. Yes, I agree, the council needs informing and the males need punishing. I hate to think what could have happened to me if Bupple and Tex hadn’t intervened.”

  Mimette leans forward. “Do you want to tell us about Tex?”

  Kerty crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Is he the ill-treated Human the Taraquets were selling in the sooq? The half-dead one?”

  I nod. “Yes, he’s the one. There was no balm to purchase at the sooq so I planned to heal him the old-fashioned way. I thought it would take at least a wid until he was back to normal, but after hydrating him and feeding him parnif and chigmut gumbo, he was up and about in doons. I planned on getting him to help out with the harder manual work, sort of pay off what I’d paid for him, and then letting him go after that.”

  Kerty growls. “Did you not think about your safety around him? For all you know he could have been a murderer, and from the rumours I’d heard about him, his mental state is questionable too.”

  Mimette gives Kerty a frowned sideways glare and then looks back to me with her brow slightly rippled. “We’re just worried about you Saaxxatee, out there all alone.”

  I take a mouthful of the plated food and chew, contemplating their words. I’m old enough to take care of myself. I’m twenty-seven. Most females are mated and have a handful of nips tugging at their ankles by my age. I swallow. “I appreciate your concern. You’ve both always looked out for me and I thank you for that, I really do. But although I may be naïve in certain aspects of my life, I am old enough to make my own decisions now. They may not be the right ones, but I have to learn by my mistakes.” Kerty growls again. “I think my decision to buy the Human was the right one. If I hadn’t, who knows what those males would have done to me if he hadn’t been there to stop them... As for his mental health. He has shown signs of being troubled. But I think he is battling his own demons, and he has done nothing to make me suspect that his mental health is a danger to me.”

  Tex

  I CAN VAGUELY HEAR a woman’s voice. “She can answer our questions later. Go and fetch me my binding pack! This wound needs closing. This red liquid is his blood and he’s lost a lot of it.”

  Another female sounds worried about me and her concern is touching. I vaguely recognise her voice. “There’s so much blood!”

  Now there’s the different female’s voice again. But there are no females in my troop. I drift in and out of consciousness.

  “It’s an unknown mass grave. This is a war crime, call it in corporal!”

  A zipping sound rings out and I hear a heavy thud to my left. I turn to see the corporal dead. The satellite phone still in his hand and a bullet hole in his helmet.

  “Snipper! Get down troops!” I look through the telescope on my rifle and scope the area where the shot came from. More pings fire out and I see another of my men, face plant the ground dead.

  “Jones! Take the radio and call in these co-ordinates on my mark!”

  I need to move. I need to find the snipper and save my men. Scrambling to my knees I scan the horizon until I see a flash of light. I feel a sting in my side. “Target located. Coordinates, D014.7 elevation D0923. Tell them to fire immediately. Another sting in my leg and it gives way. Moments later all hell breaks loose when the incoming heavy artillery hits the target. My men cheer. “Sir, sir we did it...! Medic! Medic! Officer down...

  “Aaarrgh!”

  My eyes flicker open. Everything is hazy. I don’t recognise where I am. Am I in the barracks hospital?

  I can hear footsteps. I make a move to get up but the bullet wound to my side hurts like a bitch.

  The door bursts open and two weird hairless looking females with green skin, crescent bones on top of their heads, and thick tapering skin tubes on either side of their heads barge in. I blink a few times and sway, unsteady on my feet.

  “Tex! Tex! It’s me, Saaxx!”

  The voice and name are familiar—comforting even. My legs give way and I fall back onto the bed.

  “My soldiers. My troop. Are they all right? Did they make it?”

  The one who’d spoken to me kneels at my feet and places her four digited hands on my thighs. “I think that happened a long time ago, Tex. I don’t know anything about them but I can reassure you, you are safe!”

  I don’t know what it is about her but I believe every word she says. I fall back onto the bed and close my eyes. Blackness follows.

  I HEAR A DOOR CREAK open and the same female voice. “He’s still asleep. I’m worried he’s forgotten about me Mimette.”

  “No he hasn’t, he was clearly delirious earlier. As soon as the balm has healed him sufficiently Saaxxatee he’ll be fine. I’ve even heard the tale of balm being able to fix injuries to the brain.”

  Saxatee, I remember now. I’m on another planet.

  Another door opens.

  “Kerty, you’re back at last. What news?”

  I hear a male voice. “You two had better come and sit down to listen to what I have to tell you.”

  My heart leaps up into my throat and my military training kicks in. I sit up and press my side where I’d felt the pain the last time I’d awakened. Surprisingly, it has almost diminished.

  I get out of bed and pad over to the door. It’s been left open a creak so I place my ear by the gap and listen. The voices are coming from further back in the house. I try the door for creaks and there are none, so I sneak out into the next room and head for the low murmur of voices.

  At another door, I pause and place my ear against it. The voices are coming from a room on the opposite side.

  It’s the older woman that speaks first. “That’s enough meg, Kerty. I want to be able to hear the coherent version of events! ”

  The male makes a low growl in his throat. “I arrived halfway through an emergency meeting, but I was blessed to get there at a crucial time. Only the clan who were fortunate enough to be in the township today were at the meeting so in total there were only about half. If I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have known the events of today.”

  “I’m so glad you had the foresight to go. Thank you, Kerty.” It’s Saaxx’s voice.

  “You are like family to us Saaxxatee, no thanks is needed.”

  The older woman’s voice is impatient. “Why was there an emergency meeting anyway?”

  “A male from the troubad clan was there, negotiating a truce and talking about joining clans in the mating season to reunite us and try and get rid of bad blood caused by the incident that happened in the past.”

  Saaxx’s voice is small. “What incident?”

  The older woman’s voice is hesitant. “We can talk about that another time Saaxx, let’s hear what was said today. Go on, Kerty, tell us!”

  He sighs. “The males who attacked you stood brazenly in front of the council and told them that the Human male was bewitching you. They said they went to buy pijjits from you and you set your chinser on them.”

  I can hear the disbelief in Saaxx’s voice. “What! Bupple only attacked because they set the dalmirs on him!”

  He growls angrily. “They were very convincing. They went on to
say the Human appeared from nowhere as if he’d been hiding in waiting, and that he took them by surprise and began to attack them. The whole council and clan members who were present believed every word they uttered until I stepped forward.”

  The older woman’s voice is now laced with pride. “What did you say Kerty?”

  “I told them it was a blatant falsehood. I told them that Saaxxatee had arrived at our dwelling with the Human and the chinser in the back of a dray near death. I stated the Human was only just recovering from being ill-treatment at the hands of the Taraquet and there was no way he could have conducted that attack in his condition. I made it clear the males had instigated the attack, and they had gone there because Saaxxatee had begun the mating cycle.”

  The older woman gasps. “What was the outcome?”

  “Well at first they refused to believe me. That was until Niddoo the ex-councillor stepped forward as a witness to the Human’s weak condition. He stated he saw him at the sooq and there was no way he could have staged an attack on one male, let alone three in his condition. Then he questioned why they would have taken two dalmirs in his condition. They claimed the Human could have been given balm to recover quicker, but Niddoo stated Saaxxatee was unable to purchase balm while she was at the sooq. Luckily, two stallholders stepped forward and corroborated that fact. Then they tried to twist it on Saaxatee because of her heritage, saying she needed to be banished from the clan. Again, Niddoo defended Saaxxatee by stepping forward and reminding them of the promise they’d made to her parents all those yanas ago. Niddoo was incensed and he made sure the council still agreed to adhere to the first promise.”

  Saaxx’s voice is small. “What promise?”

  The older woman sighs a sad sigh. “We’ll talk about that a little later Saaxxxatee... What about the punishment? What are they going to do with the males?”

  The male growls louder. “All that’s going to happen is the males are to be banished from all contact with females for the mating season and for the remainder of this yana...that’s it!”