by Marie Dry
“I will ensure you eat enough to gain the necessary weight you need for optimal health.” Obviously, sarcasm went over his head.
Madison kept her face expressionless with effort. Let him try to fatten her up. With her metabolism, it would only make her lose weight instead of gaining. After her previous hint about chocolates he’d provided some almost every day.
When he turned back to her, he had another tablet in his hand. He set it down before her.
“Study that until I come back.”
Giving the door he left through a dirty look, she started reading. Within minutes, she grabbed her TC and started making notes. The air changed, the way it did every time Frankenstein’s monster came into a space. She looked up to find him studying her TC. She’d used it to make notes since she was more familiar with it.
She sat back and rolled her shoulders that had gone stiff. Madison glanced at her watch and blinked her tired eyes. “I’ve been reading three hours straight.”
“You did well.”
She nearly fell over. A compliment, surely it would start snowing. Madison relaxed and sat back. “What was that thing you put on my bed this morning?” It had been worrying her, a nagging at the back of her mind the whole time she’d been reading the fascinating research he’d given her.
“On our planet, when a man claims a woman he gives her the pelt of an Eduki.”
“And if the woman doesn’t want to be claimed?” Her heartbeat changed, readying itself for flight.
“The Eduki is all that is needed, a female does not interfere with the decisions of warriors.”
She got up and walked to the door. “I need a break, I’m going to get some coffee from the canteen.” If he tried to stop her or make her have coffee here, she’d brain him with that tablet. “I don’t consider myself claimed so don’t even try any funny business.” It galled her that he was studying his silver gadget, barely taking notice of her after telling her something so shocking.
“You have half an earth hour,” he said without looking up.
She glared at him and went to the cantina. Rachel came to queue behind her for coffee. “What happened this morning, I saw Frankenstein carrying you out of our building.”
“And you didn’t come and help me?”
“Are you serious?”
Madison sighed and rotated her shoulders. She was stiff and sore from sitting in one position for so long. “Yeah, I don’t suppose you could’ve done anything.”
“Why did he come get you?”
“I now have the dubious honor of being retrained, since our training is so inadequate and us lousy humans can barely call ourselves doctors,” she said bitterly.
She didn’t want to tell Rachel about the E-something pelt he gave her and him telling her she was claimed. She was seriously hoping she misunderstood and that he only meant he wanted to take her on as protégé. If she did tell someone and they went to confront him he might chop of their heads.
Rachel leaned closer to her. “What? What is he teaching you?”
“He gave me one of his gadgets that work like a tablet and made me work through some serious research.” She leaned over the counter and grabbed a coffee. The cafeteria coffee was weak and not close to being as good as Viglar’s. “Rachel, I’ve never read anything like it. It’s advanced stuff.”
“Was it human or alien?”
“That’s the worst part, there’s a lot in there they didn’t teach us, but it’s old human research.” She paid for her and Rachel’s order and walked over to a table in the corner where they normally sat. “And the worst part is I now have the pleasure of being the only doctor that accompanies him on his visits to the shelter and the orphanage.”
Rachel looked at her, a strangely speculative look in her eyes. “Maybe he likes you.”
“I doubt that. He talks to me like I’m a lazy, not-very-bright child.” Madison had stood in front of him in a thin T-shirt with no underwear on, and those freaky red eyes didn’t wander all over the place. In spite of saying he claimed her, he’d been more concerned with her being late than taking advantage of her scantily clad body.
“Hmmm.”
“What’s that supposed to mean,” she snapped at her friend.
Before Rachel could answer, two other doctors joined them, curious about her trip the previous day. She was telling them about the orphanage and how he’d healed the little boy’s leg when a silence fell over the cantina. Madison closed her eyes. She didn’t have to look behind her to know why everyone was silent. The strange electricity in the air told her everything.
A long, muscled green arm, clad in that alien uniform placed a plate in front of her. “Eat, human.”
Chapter 11
Madison kept her eyes closed and prayed for patience. “Thank you, I’m not hungry right now,” she said through her teeth.
“You need nutrition to feed your feeble human brain for your studies and training,” he said. Everyone around them hastily cut off their sniggers.
Glaring at him, she took a bite of food hoping that would make him go away. He leaned down, pressed his forehead against hers. Madison sat frozen, not sure what to do. What was with the forehead touching. His skin was warm and leathery against hers, inviting her to touch. Before she could react, he straightened and then left them with that blurring speed.
“My, aren’t we special?” Sandra said into the pregnant silence, with a syrupy sweet smile.
Madison balled her fists. Viglar, who’d almost been out the door, turned and came back to lean over Sandra. The other woman looked ready to have a heart attack. Several of the other interns slithered away and if Viglar wasn’t blocking her way Madison might have run too.
“I have observed that you are a particular lazy human. Your interactions with the other humans are confrontational. I judge you deficient.”
Pale and trembling, Sandra stood and scurried away, and Madison didn’t know how to feel. On the one hand, she was human enough to enjoy seeing Sandra put in her place. Madison had been living with her digs and nasty comments since they entered uni together. On the other hand, she fought her own battles. You didn’t grow up in the swamps with six mean brothers without learning to toughen up.
“I can stand up for myself,” she told him.
“I am your warrior. I stand up for you.”
She rolled her eyes at Rachel. “I’m not going to win this argument. So let me eat this food. I’ll see you tonight,” she said, ignoring Viglar she turned to face Rachel.
“I’ve got a few more minutes,” Rachel said. She’d been about to leave when Viglar returned to deal with Sandra.
Madison appreciated Rachel’s loyalty.
Viglar stood over her with his arms folded across his chest until she ate everything on the plate. Everyone except Rachel made a getaway. Madison knew from the looks her colleagues gave her that she was in for a tough time with them.
Madison thought Viglar might be sticking around to protect her against more nasty remarks. He’d been ready to leave her alone before Sandra started with the comments.
“Okay, I’m ready to return to the salt pits of Egypt.”
He stared at her and then took her arm and steered her to his office. “We are going to my office, not the salt pits.”
Now that they were alone she kept thinking of that pelt in her flat, of him using words like claimed. Was he attracted to her as well. He despised humans so she can only guess the attraction was in spite of his dislike of her species. In his office, she turned to face him. “What did you mean when you said you claimed me?”
“It means you are my breeder.”
Her stomach turned and his shoes were in danger of being decorated again. She’d expected him to say he was attracted to her and wanted them to live together or have regular sex or something. Not this. “What exactly does that mean?”
“It means I am your warrior, and we will make small warriors to serve the empire.”
Oh hell no. Her brothers would chop him into little p
ieces. No matter how strong he is. If anything was left of him when she got through with him. She was nobody’s breeder.
“I will not be anyone’s breeder. No way are you forcing me into anything that barbaric.”
How many other human women did they force to have alien babies? Nightmare visions of women kept in cages or locked behind doors and bred like animals haunted her.
“We will do the human kissing now,” he told her. Ignoring her objection with his usual arrogance.
It set her teeth on edge. “Did you even listen to what I said. You don’t tell me you’re going to breed me like an animal and then think I will kiss you, I won’t be used by you and you’d better just get used to that.”
“It is an honor to be a breeder in our empire. We do not breed like animals, we breed like warriors.”
“Unbelievable. Listen you, I do not find it an honor.”
“I have seen you look at me. You find my body pleasing.”
Her face burned so hot, she was surprised steam didn’t come out of her ears. She did like to look at his body. He was ripped. The, coupled with his obvious intelligence was irresistible. But he could’ve pretended not to notice instead of embarrassing her like this.
“So you’ve got a good body, it doesn’t mean I want you. Didn’t you hear me just telling you that I will not be forced into being your breeder.”
He stepped closer, touched her hair. “From the first time I saw you I wondered what it would feel like to kiss a woman with eye-colored hair.” He sounded uncharacteristically hoarse.
“Eye colored hair?”
“Your hair are the color of war eyes.”
“If red eyes are war eyes, why do yours turn red every time you look at me?”
“Kiss me and I will tell you.”
“No, I told you--”
He pulled her close, molding her against his warm muscled body, and moved his lips over hers, preventing her protest from escaping. A light almost-there touch. As if he wanted to feel the texture of hers. His lips always looked stern and unyielding, but they were as soft as she remembered against hers. Harder than those of a human male. He held her head still while he moved his lips over hers a few times. His eyes were open staring at her. In the history of kissing, it had to be the most impersonal, unromantic, and hottest kiss ever. Then he deepened the kiss. Madison swore the Earth moved. Her lips tingled with pleasure and suddenly she wanted more. More of his kiss and more of him. She forgot that he’d claimed her to breed her like an animal. That she should fight him, make him acknowledge that it was wrong to claim her as if she had no say in her own life. Breeder, she repeated over and over in her mind and found the strength to push at him. He lifted his head, stared down at her and then allowed her to break out of his arms. He was so strong, how would she defend herself if he insisted on continuing to kiss her. What if he wanted to do more?
She sidled away from him, trying to look relaxed, but keeping a wary eye on him.
He stepped back and handed her a silver cup.
“How do you do that?”
He’d produced the cup as if from thin air.
“Zyrgin efficiency.”
“What is this?”
“Vitamins. You will take it daily to ensure you function at optimum efficiency.”
“You mean you want me strong so you can work me into the ground and breed me like an animal,” she mumbled.
“You have to be stronger to be my breeder.” He conjured something that looked like a tube. “You will put this on your skin at all times.”
“What is it?” She half expected him to say it was an aphrodisiac or fertility drug. “And I’m plenty strong enough since I’m never going to be a breeder.”
“Protection against the sun.”
“Will it make my freckles go--”
Whenever they talked he was focused on her, as if the rest of the world did not exist. Now she lost his focus. He stilled and she thought he might be listening to someone. She’d tried to look without him noticing, but couldn’t see any receivers in his ears. “I have to go,” he said. “You will not paint anymore,” he pressed his forehead against hers.
“Yeah, that will make me miss popular.”
“I do not understand and do not have time for this conversation.”
“I prefer to continue with the painting, everyone thinks we’re sleeping together when I’m in your office. If I stop painting they’ll be convinced you’re giving me privileges in return for sexual favors.”
“Their opinions does not interest me,” he said with pure disdain.
“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one enduring the snide remarks.” She bit her lip. She’d been the one that approached him, had wanted to remain a doctor and she’d jumped at the chance. This breeder business aside, he’d been pretty decent to her.
“We will go to reception. The medical units have arrived.”
“This discussion isn’t over. You don’t just tell me you’ll try and breed me like an animal and go merrily on your way,” she warned him.
“I will not breed you like an animal. I will present you to my leader and after that we will have small warriors and live in my quarters.”
“Never mind, let’s go and see the medical units.” She was relieved at his explanation. At least it sounded more like he expected a relationship than a sex slave. She’d explain the concept of two people in a relationship deciding on how many children they would have. Wait, since when did she have a relationship with the irritating alien?
They went to the reception area without talking, passing interns who gave her pointed looks she ignored.
Madison was excited to see the medical units that could replace a person, a doctor but, like her fellow doctors, she resented the machines that would take a lot of her duties.
Something large pushed through the double doors. Madison and Rachel, who’d taken a call at reception, turned and watched as a huge silver crate floated down the hall. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to watch.
“Humans, commence working,” Viglar said and walked up to the crate that seemed programmed to go to a specific location. It was eerie seeing them move through the corridor about a foot off the ground, with no one pushing or steering them.
The hallway had been widened with four square hollows built into the wall. The crate stopped at each hollow and unloaded rectangular tube-like objects about six feet long and three feet wide. What impressed and fascinated her was the way the machine did all that by itself.
When it was installed, Viglar pressed buttons on each of the tubes. Madison walked up to him.
“How does it work?”
“A human walks in, it heals them, and the human walks out,” Viglar said.
Man, was she tempted to feed the superior alien a knuckle sandwich. “I was hoping for a little more detail than that?”
“You cannot comprehend the intricacies of Zyrgin technology.”
“Why don’t you try explaining it to me instead of assuming I won’t understand.” One of these days he was going to make one superior comment too many and someone would kill him in his sleep.
He pressed several more buttons on the devices and then came to stand in front of her. While she glared up at him he gave her a detailed description of what she supposed was how the units worked. It was so technical she had no hope of understanding what he was talking about.
“Do you wish to discuss this more?” he asked.
“No, I’d love to stay and discuss this fascinating subject but I have to do the women’s clinic”
She turned smartly and walked away, half expecting him to call her back or grab her and make her admit she didn’t understand a word of what he just said. Glancing over her shoulder, half expecting to find him on her heels, she hurried. No way was she admitting that out loud. She’d expected to see him standing there, looking at her but he’d disappeared.
Chapter 12
She was doing the woman’s clinic when she heard a murmur among the patients wait
ing in the hall. She closed her eyes. What now? She still felt raw about being told she’d be his breeder. On top of that, she’d had to refer a patient she did not know how to help to Dr. Paulson. When would she have enough knowledge to make a difference? What would she do if he wasn’t around. Viglar and Dr. Paulson were the only experienced doctors in the hospital. The rest were interns.
Even before he spoke, she knew Viglar stood in the door. She’d been surprised to notice that the patients treated him like a celebrity. “Your friend Rachel will replace you here. Come with me.”
Not wanting to get into an argument in front of the patients, and not appreciating him interrupting a consultation, she merely got up and followed him. One of the strange things about him was his understanding and acceptance of her friendship with Rachel. In spite of the way he warned her against Rachel.
He never asked her strange questions about that like he sometimes did about other human relationships. Like the time he asked her if human women preferred to have babies that took two years to learn to walk.
He took her to the shuttle and strapped her into the bench behind the pilot seat.
“Oh great, another opportunity to recycle the contents in my stomach.”
He pressed something against her neck.
“It won’t help, nothing does.” She shook her head. “Where are we going? Are we needed at the shelter or the orphanage?”
He crouched before her, those red eyes boring into her. “I am taking you to my leader to present you. You will never speak of this to other humans.”
“I know, if I speak about it, you will kill them and their families.” Then she realized what his words meant. “What? No, you can’t expect me to meet him in my work clothes.” Her heart worked overtime. If he was presenting her to his leader, that meant he’d take her to their headquarters. She didn’t know if she wanted to see it, wanted to be in the presence of the alien whose hologram transmission had shattered her world.
