Alien Resistance (Zyrgin Warriors Book 4)

by Marie Dry

  “Please, I’m not ready. Jacobson will make my life miserable if he hears I’m living in his old apartment.” She could sympathize with the man. One moment the hospital was his little kingdom, and the next he was thrown out of his own office.

  “You do not have to be concerned about him.”

  Great, he’s probably going to cut off Jacobson’s head too. “Please don’t hurt him.”

  As usual, he ignored what he considered unimportant and focused on what he wanted. “When will you be ready?”

  She had to think about what he meant--oh, to move in with him. Man, he had a one-track mind when he set his mind to something.

  When she could be sure he didn’t kill her brother. Madison couldn’t make herself ask him if he’d learned anything more about Rory. “I have to talk to my parents,” she stalled. It was true she had to talk to them. Had to tell them about Rory.

  “I could claim you as my breeder. I killed an Eduki for you. I do not need permission to take you to my dwelling.”

  The very soft, deliberate way he said that scared the pants of her. She stumbled back from him. “Do you really want our relationship to be like that? With me being nothing more than your slave. Do you think we could ever be happy like that?”

  The silence thickened and lengthened as he stared at her and thought about her words. At last he said, “I will speak with your family.”

  “No, that’s not necessary.” If she ever moved in with Viglar, she’d keep it a secret form her family. It wasn’t as if they were going to find out. They never came to the city and she could find a reason why she should go and visit them without Viglar. Rachel would never betray her.

  He took her arm and she just knew he was going for a shuttle. “I will go with you now. We will take a shuttle.”

  “No really, it’s not necessary. Besides, you don’t know where they live.”

  He recited their address, and Madison didn’t know if she should be impressed or scared out of her mind. She dug in her heels, or tried to. It was like trying to stop one of those old freight trains. “Now would not be a good time to visit them.”

  He stopped, took her chin in his hand, forced her to look at him. “Are you ashamed of me, Madison?”

  “No, but think about it, Viglar. If my brother died at the Battle of No Name Town, how do you think my family would feel about me having a relationship with one of the aliens that might have killed him.”

  “I did not kill a red-haired human.”

  “What?”

  “I killed many humans that day, but I did not kill a man with red hair like your Rory.” Her legs gave way beneath her. He picked her up and sat down with her on his lap. “I should have told you sooner,” he said and stroked her hair.

  “I couldn’t have lived with the thought of you killing him. It would always have come between us.”

  “Our probes show him at the battle but he was not among the killed. I will find out what happened to him. Now we will go to your family.”

  They took a shuttle to Alabama. Even though she was frightened out of her mind, and her stomach acted up again, she couldn’t help but appreciate the comfort of traveling via alien space shuttle. It was so much nicer than going down in a rickety bus that kept breaking down. She’d counted the breakdowns and fourteen times in one trip was the record. Her grandmother said that her grandmother had told her of a time when people would fly between states. These days only the very rich flew in planes. Madison remembered their whole county once going to look at an airplane that landed on a private estate.

  Of course, Viglar parked right in front of her parents’ door, and she thanked her lucky stars they had no neighbors. She wasn’t ashamed of him, quite the opposite. He was a very intelligent male and, despite his surly attitude, she’d never seen anyone work so hard to help people. On top of that, the way the children reacted to him told her everything about his character. But their relationship was going to cause her problems. With literally everyone.

  She jumped out and stood panting, but thankfully her stomach declined to expel its contents.

  Normally, she wouldn’t knock on the sturdy wooden door that was made by one of her ancestors when trees were still plentiful. But with Viglar at her side, her brothers could start shooting before they realized she was with him. Madison lifted a shaking hand to the door and knocked, praying they were not at home so that she could put this off for another day far, far in the future.

  Obviously, Viglar didn’t think much of her knock because he added three hard knocks that nearly brought the door off its hinges. Footsteps pounded to the door, and Joshua threw it open.

  His broad shoulder filling the doorway, he glared at them. “What the--”

  This was the first time she’d seen her big older brother speechless. He stared up at Viglar and then his eyes narrowed and he reached for the shotgun Madison knew he kept beside the door.

  She jumped in front of Viglar. “No, Joshua, he’s with me.”

  Viglar immediately put her behind him and stood looking calmly at Joshua, who pointed the shotgun at him. Madison tried to get around Viglar, but he held her firmly behind him. “Stay behind me, Madison.”

  From where she peered over Viglar’s arm, she could see his protective attitude penetrate Joshua’s fury and need to kill one of the aliens that probably killed his brother. His eyes flickered, and he lowered the shotgun. Madison knew her brother and that didn’t reassure her. He wouldn’t put the gun down until he’d decided Viglar wasn’t a threat to them.

  “Come in.” He stood back and waited for them to precede him. She could’ve told him there’d be no opportunity to get Viglar from the back. But she knew he would try.

  She didn’t turn when she heard the scuffle. Viglar had promised not to hurt her family, and she believed him.

  She found her parents in the lounge, her father watching old football games and shouting at the screen and her mother knitting. Seeing the familiar flowered couches that clashed magnificently with the bright curtains and checked covered chairs, Madison felt that sense of home, of welcome she always experienced when she came back. Their smiles faltered when they focused behind her.

  “Mom, Dad, please listen to me.”

  “Why did you bring that thing into our home?” her father demanded and reached for his gun.

  Honestly, did they always have to try to fix everything with violence? On second thought, they might get along splendidly with Viglar. She only had to tell them he chopped off his enemies’ heads, and they’d get right along.

  “Please just hear me out.”

  She tried to seat Viglar in a chair, but he moved them to the couch. They might be with her family, but she knew he’d never allow her to be alone until he was assured it was a safe environment for her. She just hoped her mother’s couch could take his weight.

  Jeremiah strolled in and stopped to stare at Viglar.

  “He’s with me, Jeremiah, don’t go for your gun,” she said hastily. She shouldn’t have gone to the effort. He reached behind the living room door and brought out his laser gun. She hoped Viglar didn’t enquire too closely about where they got the guns. Or how they made their living.

  With two of her brothers pointing guns at Viglar, and Viglar leaning back from her to ensure she didn’t get accidentally shot she gathered her courage.

  “This is Viglar. He is a doctor, and he works with me at the hospital. He’s--I’m--”

  “She is my breeder and I am very satisfied with her. I have come to ask you for her hand in breeding as is the human custom.”

  Madison had feared that they would start blasting him, but everyone just stared while Viglar waited for an answer, appearing oblivious to the undercurrents.

  “Well, now I have heard everything,” Joshua said.

  “Do you want to be with him?” Her mother’s quiet voice cut through the room.

  “What the hell is a breeder?” her father asked and sighted down his gun at Viglar.

  Madison focused on her mother. If s
he could convince her, she’d won half the battle. “Mama, I know it will be difficult to accept, but please just give him a chance. He’s rude and superior, but you should see what he’s done for the hospital. And he built shelters and orphanages, and he protected me when the resistance attacked us.”

  “Why would they attack you?” Joshua asked.

  “The resistance attacked you?”

  “They planted a tracking device in my bag and then shot us down while we were cloaked. That’s when you can’t--”

  Joshua held up his hand. “I know what cloaked means. I watch movies too. How did they get to your bag?”

  “I don’t know. Someone must’ve placed the tracker in there after I packed it for the trip.”

  Joshua scowled at her. “It’s that odd friend of yours. Rachel is short a few bricks, if you ask me.”

  She could see Joshua and Viglar bond right there over their mutual dislike of Rachel.

  Viglar nodded. “I have informed her of this. Rachel is not a good friend to her. It is good to see her family protect her,” he said.

  Samuel, who’d been listening outside the door, strolled in with his gun casually held over his shoulder. He rudely looked Viglar up and down. “Boy, you fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on your way down.”

  “Samuel,” Madison exclaimed.

  As usual Viglar was oblivious. “Zyrgins do not fall out of trees.”

  “Not very bright either,” said her brother, who didn’t finish high school. Her mother frowned at him and he shut up and leaned against the wall.

  “Being his breeder is like a marriage. He doesn’t mean any disrespect. He stepped in front of bullets for me.” She’d never talked so fast. “And he helped rebuild the hospital and made Jacobson pay me every month.”

  “That asshole didn’t pay you?” Joshua said very softly.

  “I shook him until he understood that is not acceptable behavior,” Viglar said. He cocked his head. “He pissed himself.”

  Madison slapped her face into her palm and didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. At least now he was bonding with her brother--with all her brothers and father, going by the satisfied grunts around her.

  “You will stay for tea, of course,” her mother said.

  Everyone relaxed. Her mother offering tea meant she would allow Viglar to prove himself worthy of Madison. Had she said her brothers would show him the shed, they’d have had to fight their way out of there.

  Now that no guns were pointed at them, Viglar drew her close to him. When she’d first seen him, she’d thought him cold and unfeeling. If she’d thought about it then, she would’ve said he was not a very demonstrative person at all. She’d been wrong, he always touched her or drew her to stand or sit against him. Her father and brothers noticed and correctly interpreted his actions, and everybody relaxed.

  “So you’re a doctor? Didn’t think aliens needed doctors,” Daniel said.

  He sauntered in and came over to kiss her, keeping a wary eye on Viglar. He had his gun in his hand. She bet Viglar approved of her family’s many weapons.

  Joshua curled his lip at him. “Try not to embarrass our family in front of the merciless invader who will probably enslave humans and who is our sister’s only hope of living a half way decent life. It would be in our best interests to keep him very, very happy.”

  Madison glared at him and her father quickly spoke, knowing they’d be at it for the rest of the day if he didn’t break their argument now.

  “He really stepped in front of bullets for you? He doesn’t look injured.”

  “It’s amazing, Dad, he only had a sword, and he managed to hold them off until we were rescued.”

  “I did not need help with a few puny humans,” Viglar said.

  Her mother came in carrying a tray. She had obviously softened. “He saved you.”

  “His armor protected him and, yes, Mom, he saved me when the resistance shot us down.”

  Joshua took the tray from her and she saw Viglar tilting his head in that way he did when he thought over something. Please let him not say anything inappropriate while things were going this well.

  “I still can’t believe the resistance shot you down,” her second youngest brother snarled. They all exchanged looks she didn’t understand. “They’re supposed to kill the alien scum, not our sister.” He seemed to realize in front of whom he said it and shrugged. “No offense,” he said to Viglar.

  “No offense taken. Your resistance couldn’t shoot down alien scum if they tried for the next hundred years,” Viglar said in his usual emotionless voice.

  They all stared at him. Madison still couldn’t figure out if he was serious or if he just made a joke.

  “Well, I like your modesty,” Joshua mocked.

  “Thank you,” Viglar said in all sincerity.

  “They wouldn’t do that. They’d never use a woman like that,” said her youngest brother, who climbed through the window he’d been lurking outside of. He had a serious case of hero worship for the resistance and her parents feared he would join. For the first time, she saw doubt in his eyes.

  “Why are we drinking tea? It’s not a drink for men,” her father said with false heartiness.

  “Daddy, no.” She should’ve saved her breath. They poured liberal amounts of the clear liquid you could use to strip paint. “Uh, Viglar--” She didn’t know how to warn him without injuring his pride in front of her family.

  He took the tin cup her brothers insisted on using to drink their brew and took a large swallow. He didn’t blink or cough or change color like everybody did who drank her family’s brew for the first time. “It is very good ale, almost as good as the ale on Aurelia. Would you be willing to sell large quantities?”

  Madison moaned and hid her face in her hands. And here she thought her brothers might kill him. They’d trample her to get to him to sell their vile brew.

  After that everything went well until they started to say their goodbyes. Her father glowered at him. “I’m watching you, alien. Harm my daughter and I will skin you alive.”

  Viglar seemed to accept her father’s attitude as a sign of his caring for her. “I will look after her, make sure she eats, and we will swap spit regularly and spend much hours in the sleeping place.”

  Madison moaned and hid her burning face in her hands again. Her mother actually giggled. “May I go inside your space ship,” Jeremiah asked.

  Viglar turned to her. “Is it human custom for a warrior to do this for his breeder’s family?”

  “Oh, yes, it is. If you came to visit her in a car, we’d be all over it too,” David said who’d appeared out of nowhere.

  He allowed them into the shuttle and couldn’t have done anything else to win over her brothers faster. Just as she suspected, they immediately started to request to be taken to see the space ship they arrived in.

  “No,” Viglar said and they said their goodbyes and took off.

  “You will move in with me,” he said quietly. “Everyone knows you are with me and that put you in danger. In the hospital and when you are with me, I can protect you.”

  She nodded. There was no reason to put it off anymore. No use pretending to herself she didn’t love him more than her own life. “You won’t try to stop me from becoming the very best doctor I can be?”

  He turned his seat around. “I will never stop you. I will help you keep your promise.” He seemed unusually hesitant.

  “What is it, Viglar? Just tell me.”

  “You can learn to heal people. I will teach you as much of our methods as I am allowed. But, Madison, you cannot save everyone. It is a truth every doctor must learn.”

  She lifted her chin at him. “I will never stop trying.”

  Moving her few belongings into his apartment at the hospital was not even an afternoon’s work. They both had duties to return to and, after he pressed his forehead against hers and she kissed him, they both went to work.

  She’d planned to make the occasion special, but by the
time her shift ended she was so tired she just wanted to fall down somewhere and sleep for a year. It didn’t even have to be a soft spot. As long as she could sleep uninterrupted for a year.

  The apartment doors opened when she approached them, she bypassed the office to go directly to the apartment. It was an eventful day, and she hadn’t unpacked yet. She would just grab what she needed to sleep in, take a nice long shower, and then go to bed. She stopped in the spacious living room. Viglar sat on the couch, which was the only piece of furniture they had, apart from the unpleasantly soft bed.

  On the screen, a creature with skin that looked crudely sewn together was chased with torches by vindictive humans. He must’ve gotten curious after she’d called him Frankenstein. She shrugged. He’d acted like a monster before she got to know him so he could just suck it up.

  “Where on earth did you find that? I thought no copies survived the crash.”

  “I am Zyrgin, I can find anything I need.”

  “Oh, and why would you need a copy of a Frankenstein movie?”

  “I am trying to find the logic of sewing together dead people. I have never done that.”

  “You know that’s what--uhm--they call you?” Best not tell him that most people called the monster Frankenstein.

  “I know that is what you call me.”

  “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s because you brought Viktor back to life.” She wouldn’t mention she’d called him that before he healed him. If she was very lucky, he didn’t hear her with that sharp alien ears of his.

  He pulled her down on the couch and across his knees and kissed her. A long lazy kiss that had her forgetting about being tired and wanting to go to sleep.

  “You might be an alien, but you’re a damn good kisser.” She scowled at him. “How many alien ladies did you kiss to become this good.” Madison bit her lip and wished she’d kept her mouth shut.

  “Zyrgins do not kiss.”

  She leaned back and just kept her mouth from falling open. “You lie.”

  “I have honor.” Menace in every word.

  She shook her head and rushed to tell him, “It’s just a human saying. When we can’t believe our ears. You know when something is too good to be true.”