by Ava Walsh
Physical touch always soothed him when he was feeling in emotional turmoil. For a human, it had to be even more vital, since they were so much more emotional than stlozyn were. Libba turned her hand over, twining her fingers through his.
Brask swallowed hard as his flames leaped just from this small gesture. "Legally I don't have to turn you over to the Science Board now. I'll send them a message about the two of us. I hope that they won't press to speak with you, but if they do…"
"I'll tell them that we got involved on Earth," she replied, flashing him a grin. "And if they ask me about what I'm giving up to be with you I'll tell them the truth. Abso-freaking-lutely nothing."
Brask tilted his head to one side, frowning. "You've given up nothing on Earth?"
"That's what I just said. And I might as well be an alien bride since I've done diddly-squat with my life."
An uncomfortable silence fell. What was he meant to say? Was he supposed to comfort her? Or perhaps a change of conversation would be the better answer?
"You've been cooped up in here for days now," he said, standing. "Would you like to take a walk? It's not a big ship, but we do have a hydroponics bay. It'll help you feel better to be in an oxygen-rich environment."
"I'm not sure I was feeling especially unwell," Libba said but stood with him.
To his surprise, she linked her arm through his as they left the small room that was Libba's quarters. Technically they were Brask's, but given they were the most comfortable quarters in the ship, he thought it was best for the human to have them. He had been bunking with Biryl since they had brought Libba in.
Biryl and Trafin were both in the hydroponics bay when Brask and Libba entered. They were playing a card game and looked up with smiles. Trafin eyed Libba with interest, then smirked when Brask frowned at her. She elbowed Biryl in the ribs and nodded at their joined hands. The Justice Warrior released the human's hand.
"We were just going to make sure the ship is on the right course," Trafin said, gracefully getting to her feet. "We ought to be back at the moon in, oh, two days. Congratulations on your coming baby," she added, looking at Libba again. "I have not yet had the opportunity to be a mother myself, but I hope I will receive the cure to reverse my infertility soon."
Libba nodded at her stiffly. Biryl gave Brask a knowing look as the other two stlozyn hustled from the bay. Once they were alone, Brask offered Libba an apologetic smile, which the human ignored.
"So what's the story there?" she asked instead.
"What story?"
"Are they a couple?"
Brask snorted. "No. Trafin has a mate on the moon. She was a scientist, but when she moved in with her mate–he's a Justice Warrior, like me–her research grants dried up. Traditionally, he'd have gone to live with her, since she had a higher rank, and when she decided to go with him, it was seen as an insult to her position. Biryl isn't interested in having a mate."
"I see." Libba walked through the plants, her muscles visibly relaxing.
Brask found himself daydreaming about how she would look in the colorful robes that stlozyn wore in their homes. Scientists always wore their robes and had elaborate colors to designate rank, but Justice Keepers wore loose fitting trousers and tunics that wouldn't rip when they took their beast's form when on duty, and robes of whatever color they pleased when at home.
With Libba's proportions, a robe that went to her knees and cinched at the waist would have every dragon in the moon base where he lived drooling. They'd all be jealous that he was the one she was with.
Unless she decides she doesn't want a true relationship. Just because we're having a child doesn't make her my mate.
He turned away, surprised at how his flames cooled at the thought that Libba might not want to be with him, even though he know the reasons they were having a child together were not conducive to a long-term relationship.
"When you say you don't have anything on Earth to return to, what do you mean?" He plucked a flower shaped like a funnel from its stem and sucked the sweet nectar from it. "I'm not a scientist, but even I can see that humans have strong social bonds. Maybe even stronger than among stlozyn."
Libba's shoulder's tensed.
"Well?" he pressed. "If we're meant to be in a relationship, I need to know these things."
"You do, I suppose." Libba crushed the petals of a pink flower between her fingers. "I don't have anything on Earth. I've been in university getting various diplomas for a decade now. My parents… well, my dad left me and my mom when I was a little girl, and my mom only had one loser boyfriend after another. She died a few years back. And I only had one real friend. He died of cancer last year."
She gave him a tense smile. He opened his mouth.
"Don't tell me you're sorry," she said sharply. "It's for the best. Especially since I can't return."
Brask hesitated. Opening up about his own past to her wasn't something he really wanted to do. But, as he had said, they needed to know things about each other since they were meant to be in a relationship.
"My parents are both scientists. Not extremely well-known, but still very successful in their chosen fields of research. They were very disappointed when I became a Justice Warrior. They did not come to my graduation from the academy, and I haven't spoken to them since I moved to the moon base."
"That's terrible." Libba returned to him, squeezing his hand. He liked how it felt to have her hand in his. "Well, they can both go screw themselves, because you're fantastic. If they can't see that then it's their loss."
"Thank you." He laughed, his flames glowing. "Not many would agree with you."
Libba hummed. Her gaze flickered to his lips and she wet her own. Brask held her hand tighter as she went to pull away, his gaze fixed on her mouth.
Why did he feel so nervous? He thought about just pulling her into his arms, but that would probably frighten her. "I want to kiss you."
She turned wide eyes on him. She opened her mouth, closed it, and pulled away. Her eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips, staring at him.
"I never kiss a man on the first date," she said.
Brask grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "Then it's a good thing I'm not a man."
For a moment he thought she was going to pull away, but instead, she put her arms around his neck. He lowered his mouth to hers. His flames leaped and danced, burning hotter. He pulled her closer, hungering for her taste. Libba moaned, pressing herself against him, then suddenly broke free. She panted, smoothed her shirt and gave him a smile.
"You're not a man so you got a little exception to the rule," she said. "But that was your one free taste. You want more, you have to work for it."
She scooted out of the room. Brask sat down on the bench, dazed. He'd never been affected by kissing a female like that before. Perhaps it was the knowledge that she was carrying his child that had made him react too strongly. Whatever the case, Libba had said he was going to have to work to get more.
The hunt was on, and what a delicious hunt it would be…
Chapter Five
Teasing Brask was fun.
Libba had never been much of a flirt. She always knew exactly what she wanted, and if a guy showed interest, she was blunt in whether she was interested in his attention or not. Maybe it was this crazy situation that made it different with Brask. She was pregnant with his baby–without even having slept with him–and so she teased. She flirted. She was trying to figure out exactly how he felt towards her.
After that first kiss, he did plenty of flirting back but didn't try to kiss her again. It was a little disappointing.
The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. If she had felt this way about a guy on Earth, she would have suggested moving in together. But the fact that circumstances had forced them together gave her doubts. Between the pregnancy hormones and the fact that he had saved her from being melted down, she didn't know if her feelings were genuine or not.
Still, once they w
ere in the moon camp where Brask, Biryl and Trafin lived, she was all too happy to spend all her time with him. She quickly got used to the glittering, scaly appearances of the stlozyn, but the open curiosity they all showed towards her was overwhelming, to say the least. The morning sickness that accompanied her through the first month didn't help, either.
If it wasn't for Brask holding her hand when they were in public and explaining things about their culture when the two of them were alone, she was certain she would have broken down and demanded to go to the Science Board to be put with the other abducted women. It was just all so strange. So frightening. She longed for just one thing she could hold onto and say that she actually understood.
When it was just her and Brask teasing each other, she had that feeling, like something had finally fallen into place. Like even on this alien moon, she was home.
A couple of months after their arrival on the moon base, Libba watched Brask cutting up a carrot-like vegetable for the soup he was making. She was supposed to be setting the table, but she was too fascinated by the way he deftly wielded his knife to do anything but stand and stare. He wore a robe that was open to the waist, revealing sculpted muscles covered in tiny scales. Were they warm? Would they catch her fingers if she trailed her hands down his abdomen?
"I hope I didn't scare you off," she blurted suddenly.
He didn't even glance at her. "Scare me off what?"
If she was some sexy model in a movie, she'd have jumped up onto the counter and parted her thighs just enough for him to catch a glimpse of her underwear. Maybe shrugged a shoulder and let her robe fall off it. She felt her face going red as she imagined it. "Um… nothing."
Brask tipped the vegetables into a pot of water and turned to her. "I hope I haven't frightened you."
"How would you have frightened me?"
"My clumsy attempts to seduce you." His blood-red eyes twinkled. "I don't have a lot of female experience."
"When have you tried to seduce me? You haven't even kissed me since the hydroponics bay." Libba folded her arms and frowned at him. "Is this a cultural thing? Is kissing something entirely different from seduction?"
"No."
"Then why are you saying you hope you haven't frightened me?"
"You're right. I misspoke. I hope I won't frighten you." Brask was next to her before she could reply, bracing himself against the wall, trapping her between her arms. "Because I am going to seduce you. Tonight."
Libba opened her mouth to refute him, but his mouth caught hers, swallowing her half-hearted protests. She moaned, wrapping her arms around him. Her body heated and she felt it tighten. Her nipples hardened, so extra sensitive that the feeling of being pushed against his chest had her almost crying out for mercy. Brask's hand traced the curve of her hip, moving to her thigh…
And at that moment the door flew open, startling Brask from her embrace. Libba groaned. Just my luck.
Biryl strode in, his face pinched. He carried a tablet with him and didn't look at the two of them. Libba realized that her robe was open and quickly covered herself again.
"Sorry to interrupt," the pilot said. "We've received a message from Din."
A cold ball of fear sunk into her stomach, no matter how much she tried to push it away. Brask will protect me. He won't let that sadist near me.
Her dragon cursed and reached for the tablet. He tapped in a few commands, and soon the voice etched into her mind and nightmares filled the room.
"Justice Warrior Brask," the alien greeted. "It's good to see you. The Science Board has sent me to retrieve the human female you took from Earth."
Libba's skin crawled and she quickly backed away from Brask and the tablet, so that her abductor would not see her. She felt sick and pressed a hand to her mouth. A muscle twitched in Brask's jaw, but Libba was too wrapped up in her own fear to notice. Had they really sent him to get her? Why? Brask had told her that he could legally have her with him since she was pregnant with his child. Was Din lying, hoping to get her back again? Why not just go find another woman to abduct?
Libba felt guilty about wishing that fate on another woman, but it was true. She would rather Din looked for another subject for his experiments than continue to hunt her.
"What is the meaning of this, Din?" Brask growled. "I informed the board that I had the female, and she sent a statement assuring them that she wished to be with me. She carries my child, and we have every legal right to be together."
"Wrong." Din sounded delighted. "Just before you sent in your information, the Science Board put a ban on unauthorized human pregnancies."
"And why come now?"
"Because your situation was under debate. It's been agreed upon now, though. Your relationship with the female is not protected under the old laws, and so she is to be taken to the Board. Since you were unaware of the changes you will not be punished, but her pregnancy must be terminated and she must be placed with the other females taken from Earth."
"Over my dead freaking body!" Libba shouted. She rushed forward, but Biryl caught her and held her back. "I'm not going anywhere with a sadist like you, you freaking asshole!"
Brask shot her a warning look. "I will bring the human to Bronæl myself. The child was conceived before the laws were put in place, I'm sure the Justice Board will allow—"
"If you don't hand her over, I have been authorized by both the Science Board and the Justice Board to arrest you." The Science Alpha sounded more than delighted now. He was positively gleeful. "So what's it going to be? Brask the—"
Brask turned off the feed. He put the tablet on the counter and closed his eyes. His muscles were bunched so tightly that he trembled. Smoke curled from his mouth and nose. Libba pushed herself out of Biryl's grasp and began pacing. One thing was certain, she wasn't going to go with that sick, twisted alien. He'd kill her on the way there and make up some story about her purposefully spacing herself or something. She'd kill him first.
She'd kill herself first.
"Biryl, prepare the ships. This is beyond unethical. We will fight the… 'asshole'," he managed a small smile at Libba before he grew serious, "but only if we must. I have received no orders from the Boards themselves, and must assume Din is lying for his own means."
Biryl nodded. He dashed from the house and Brask turned to Libba. His gaze softened and he held out his arms to her. Her fears welling again, she was grateful to collapse into his embrace. His strength helped her believe there was a way out of this.
"I won't let anything happen to you." He kissed her gently. "But I'm afraid that seduction I promised you will have to wait."
Libba forced out a laugh. "Don't wait too long. I'm not a patient woman."
Brask kissed her again. "Understood."
Chapter Six
There weren't many hiding places in the moon base itself, but a series of tunnels led deep underground several klicks away. Given the scope of these tunnels, it was almost impossible to be locked in by ground forces. It was why Brask had chosen this location for a base in the first place. There was a chance, however unlikely, that once he declared his intentions of setting up a colony, not under direct supervision of the Science Board, he would be branded a traitor, and the community he had built here would have to go into hiding.
For now, though, he sent Trafin with Libba to the tunnels. He needed to make sure she was safe in case things got out of hand. Hopefully, this could be resolved without violence, but he wasn't going to give up his human to the blasphemous dragon.
Brask's hands clenched and his fires smoldered, sending curls of smoke from his nose as he watched Din's transport ship land. It was worth more than all the supplies their agricultural department had received the previous year. Their farming equipment was falling apart, putting stlozyn lives at risk, and yet Din had a shiny new vessel to continue with his unethical practices.
This is what's wrong with our society. There is too much emphasis on research and not enough on keeping our people from starving. Are scientists the onl
y ones of worth?
Din descended from the ship with half a dozen huge dragons behind him. Brask had to work at not smirking, seeing the thugs Din had chosen. He could tell from the way they strutted and held themselves that they were not Justice Keepers. If Din thought they would be able to stop the Justice Warrior, he was sorely mistaken.
He bowed slightly, reminding himself that the first rule of being a Justice Keeper was to avoid violence. With his hopes for the future especially, he could not afford to create enemies among the Boards. It would be best to try to reason with Din first.
"Science Alpha Din," he said, coolly.
Din nodded at him. "Justice Warrior Brask. Where is my… the human? If you hand her over now, I won't arrest you. You didn't know about the new laws when you took her from Earth, after all."
"Are we going to play games, Din? You and I both know that you stole her from her planet illegally with the express purpose of performing unethical experiments on her."
"I did no such thing." Din's greedy eyes swept over the other Justice Keepers who had gathered behind Brask and he shifted backward. "Well? Where is the woman?"
The Science Alpha really didn't understand anything. Brask folded his arms. He had elected to wear trousers and go bare-chested for this confrontation, just in case Din couldn't be made to see reason. It was looking like he had made the right choice.
"She's not here. If you think that I would hand her over to you so you can melt her down for her DNA to sell on the black market, you are sorely mistaken. But I have another solution to your obvious financial problems."
Din scowled but nodded once to indicate he was listening.
"I have a pint of her blood. The methods of synthesizing human DNA are public knowledge. All you need are her genetic marks and you can synthesize your own. There is no need to kill her so that you can sell human DNA to those who are too impatient to wait for the Science Board to deliver the cure to them."
Din folded his arms and tilted his head to one side, studying the Justice Warrior. "But that would be illegal since I have not been given human DNA by the Science Board. If I accepted such an offer, you would arrest me as the Justice Keeper that you are. No, as a citizen of Bronæl, I must do what the Board asks of me, and bring the human back to the home planet and you into custody…" A wicked grin lit his face. "It would be a shame if something happened to the human while on the journey, though."
