by Mel Teshco
“I’m sure.”
She drew back a little further, viewing his reserve. “Then what’s wrong?” She sucked in a sudden breath, her heart crashing. “Oh. My. God. I promised my first born daughter to Lillian’s son,” she whispered.
He didn’t say anything for a minute, just let the truth wash over her as she adjusted to this latest revelation. Her voice cracked. “And they’ll find us again, won’t they.”
It wasn’t a question but he nodded anyway. “I’m afraid so, kitten. When our daughter comes of age, she will become Carèche’s most sought-after queen-to-be.”
She slid a hand along her flat belly. “Perhaps we will never have a daughter? Lillian may never have a son?”
Renate nodded. “Perhaps.” But his expression revealed the unlikelihood.
She closed her eyes, feeling the blood rush from her face. “What have I done?” She tore her eyelids apart and looked up at him, her stare burning. “I should have listened to you, should have trusted you.” She swallowed back a rush of self-pity. “You must think me a stupid fool.”
“No. That is the old Ally talking,” he said gently. “The Ally I know realizes I love her deeply and see not only a beautiful woman, but one who is strong, loyal and smart. One who’d choose to live away from the people she could make a new life with to find the one friend who kept her sane.”
“Bonnie,” she whispered. She bit her bottom lip, clearing her mind, her emotions. “You’re right. I can’t give up on her now. I have to find her.”
“Yes.” His eyes smoldered. “That’s the Ally I know and love.”
Her smile wobbled. “Thank you.”
His kiss was hard, possessive and quick. His stare withholding much of the passion she’d earlier glimpsed as he asked, “Any ideas of where else she might be? A place she loved?”
She shook her head, “No, I—” Her mouth dropped open, the vision she’d had earlier rushing back. “Of course!” She put a hand over her mouth. “I think I know where she is.”
Renate shrugged off the backpack and dug out a bottle of water. He handed it to her with a pleased nod. “How far away?”
She took a long sip, calculating the walking distance. She knew Sydney well, but she’d always used public service to get from A to Z. “I’m guessing four, maybe five hours.”
She handed back the bottled water and he took a mouthful before recapping and replacing it carefully into the backpack. “Then we’ll take the motorbike I saw a few blocks from here.”
As they walked out the front door she asked, “You know how to ride?”
“You could say that.” His smile was more a frown as he added, “Before my planet’s population was decimated I was the undefeated cercanne champion.”
“Cercanne?”
“It’s a form of your humans’ motorbike racing.” He shook his head. “You’d have to see it to believe it.”
And suddenly she really did want to see it, wanted to personally witness his skill. Minutes later she really was experiencing his riding abilities firsthand. He pushed the motorbike through the carnage on the streets, dodging cars and debris and often sticking to the sidewalk.
She pointed directions, but mostly she simply clung on to Renate and enjoyed the wind whipping through her hair. Her clasp tightened around his waist. The office building she’d once worked at shimmered out of the smoke haze ahead, as though it was a mirage emerging in slow motion. She pointed to the building. “That’s where I used to work.”
Seemed so hard to believe now that she’d seen her career as the pinnacle of her life, her greatest achievement. Funny how death kicked that notion right in the guts.
Minutes later she was directing Renate to Luke’s townhouse. And even before he’d parked the motorbike a dog limped out, barking with unrestrained excitement.
Ally jumped off the bike, laughing and crying all at the same time as she raced over to Bonnie and hugged her tight. “You’re safe,” she shouted, “you’re safe!”
Epilogue
Ally paused, clutching hold of the basket handle filled with the alien vegetables and herbs, which she and Renate had been growing right alongside earth plants.
Using her free hand, she absently ran a finger along the permanent, barely noticeable markings on her throat, feeling more proud of them than any wedding ring.
How things could change, she mused, smiling at the picture-perfect scene of Renate and their four-year-old daughter, Aline.
Renate was using the cricket bat they’d found in the garage of the country homestead they’d moved into just north of Sydney. Aline tossed the ball to him, her teeth pressed into her lower lip with concentration.
Ally’s smile widened. Aline was such a little tomboy, out to prove she could do anything her daddy could do, only better.
Renate cracked the ball into the air and Bonnie let out a yip before dashing after the ball, her fluffy ears pushed low, snout and tail thrust straight out as if she was nature’s own wind deflector.
Leopold let out a sudden meow and brushed in and out her legs in a figure of eight, looking up at her with his big round eyes.
Ally laughed. “You want some attention too, eh?” She shook her head. “Wasn’t it enough we spent a week trying to find you?” She nodded toward the shady patch under the tree, where four kittens pounced and swiped at their beautiful, Persian cat mother. “Not to mention having to bring home your girlfriend.”
Aline shouted, snaring Ally’s attention. “C’mon, Mommy! Come and play with us.”
Ally rubbed her belly, swollen with child. Then placing the basket on the ground, she walked toward her husband and daughter, fully aware that right then life couldn’t get any better. Now was the moment in which she had to live.
Together, they’d deal with the future when it came.
About the Author
Mel Teshco lives in rural Australia with too many animals, too many children and not enough hours in the day to write!
Her loving husband is in training as a real-life hero and waits patiently to retire on the success of his wife’s writing.
Mel welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Tell Us What You Think
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Also by Mel Teshco
Carnal Moon
Discovering Sofia
Galactic Burn
Kallie Revealed
Moon Thrall
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 1 anthology
Winged & Dangerous 1: Stone-Cold Lover
Winged & Dangerous 2: Ice-Cold Lover
Winged & Dangerous 3: Red-Hot Lover
Print books by Mel Teshco
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 1 anthology
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
www.ellorascave.com
Galactic Inferno
ISBN 9781419940538
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Galactic Inferno Copyright © 2012 Mel Teshco
Edited by April Chapman
Cover art design by Syneca
Photography: Syneca and fotolia.com
Model: Nick
Electronic book publication June 2012
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