Alien Resistance (Zyrgin Warriors Book 4)

by Marie Dry

  She balled her fists and beat them against Viglar’s chest. “It’s not fair. I want her to live so I can be mad at her and make up and be friends again.”

  Viglar took her hands in his and simply held her. She was vaguely aware of him giving instructions on what to do with Rachel. She should do it, but she couldn’t face it yet. Wanted to pretend Rachel would phone her anytime now and invite her over for pizza. Madison didn’t want to acknowledge that her friend lay dead in a pool of her own blood.

  “He ran away, the man who shot her ran away.” She hoped he rotted in hell.

  “We have him. He will face justice,” Viglar told her.

  Viglar picked her up. Everyone stood aside and allowed them to pass. He carried her to their apartment and took her to the bathroom. She stood dazed while he took off her clothes and ran a bath. “I should shower first. Get the--get the blood off.” She’d been covered with blood before but this was different. A constant reminder of a friend’s life snuffed out much too early.

  Viglar hesitated, stepped out of his clothes, and pulled her into the shower with him. He held her against him while the warm water flowed over them. He rubbed her hands until all the blood was gone. At last he shut off the shower, helped her out, and placed her in the bath. He pressed her back. “Relax. I am coming back.”

  She lay with her eyes closed, trying to empty her mind, to get rid of this feeling of dread that had settled over her. Viglar returned and handed her a small silver cup. “Drink it all.”

  She swallowed it without comment. He stayed with her and, after an eternity--she’d lost track of time--he lifted her out of the bath and carefully dried her before putting her in the bed and getting in next to her.

  “I can give you something to sleep.”

  He knew she hated being given any sleeping aids, but right now she’d give anything for some sleep to forget everything that had happened for a short while. “Please.”

  She woke feeling physically better, but still shell shocked. No matter what Rachel said, Madison felt responsible. She should’ve noticed something was wrong, listened to Viglar and Joshua. Except she’d seen the fanatic glow in Rachel’s eyes. The way she’d fixated on Joshua after only meeting him once. Maybe the seed of a kind of madness had been dormant in her until she met Joshua.

  “Good morning, my breeder,” Viglar said and came in carrying her breakfast.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  He set the food on her lap. “It is normal for you not to be hungry. In my research, I have seen frequently that humans who lose a family member lose weight.”

  “So then please take this away.”

  “Rachel’s funeral is tomorrow.”

  She frowned down at the food and then at him. “What does that have to do with me not feeling like eating anything?”

  “You will need your strength.”

  Madison stared down at the food and her stomach turned. He was right, she would need her strength.

  “Would you do something for me?”

  “Anything, my breeder.”

  “Will you take me to see my mother after the funeral.”

  “It will be done.”

  She grimly forced down a few bites and then insisted on going back to work. “I will go crazy and just think about it the whole time if I’m not busy.”

  He nodded, went with her to the first ward, and then pressed his forehead against hers and left her alone.

  The funeral was as bad as Madison had expected. Seeing the coffin and Rachel’s sad parents was heart-breaking. Madison was so heartbroken herself that it took a while to realize everyone was glaring at them.

  A tall middle aged man walked up to them. “We are grieving for Rachel and would appreciate it if you’d leave. Your kind is not welcome here.”

  Madison gasped, but Viglar merely nodded and guided her back to the shuttle. She sat next to him at the console while he flew them to Alabama. “She was so serious. Always trying to get my brothers to stop fighting.”

  “Rachel?”

  “No, my sister Ana. She was two years older than me, but the way she acted, sometimes you’d think she was ten years older.” She smiled, remembering the times they’d sneaked into each other’s rooms to talk late into the night.

  On that long flight to Alabama, she told Viglar about Ana, about everything that made her unique, how much she missed her, and how she’d never be able to stop blaming herself for her death. But she also told him of her desire to move on. Not to let her guilt dictate her actions anymore. She was a healer and she would heal, and she would still be upset and probably cry when she lost a patient, but she would try to learn acceptance.

  When she stopped talking, they flew in silence for a while. “My family disowned me when I refused to be only a warrior and work until I could lead an expedition to conquer a planet.”

  “They didn’t want you to become a doctor?”

  “No, they accepted me back when I was known as the best scientist in the empire. When I refused The Zyrgin’s offer to be his personal physician, they banished me again. They were afraid he would destroy them for my actions.”

  “Would he, did he.?

  “No, he never blamed me. He understood and suggested I apply to go with Zacar.”

  “What did your family do when you joined Zacar’s team,? Were they proud of you?”

  “Zacar is what you would call The Zyrgin’s son. They did not dare disown me. I did not care for their opinion.”

  Her heart ached for him. How terrible to be only accepted by your family as long as you were perfect and important.

  Her mother waited for them outside the house when they landed. She drew Madison into her arms and just held her. They went inside and Madison told her how she felt that they blamed her for her sister’s death. That she should’ve saved her somehow. That her mother said it was her fault.

  Her mother started to cry. “Oh, Madison, I can’t even remember saying that. It must have been the shock and grief. I never blamed you.”

  “I tried so hard, Mama, but I just didn’t know what to do, and then Rachel was shot and I tried, but nothing helped her.”

  “Madison, you cannot save everyone. You have to let go, my darling. Rachel made her choices.” Her mother hesitated. “I do not want to speak ill of the dead, but she was a very troubled young woman. I heard some of the calls she made to Joshua. I always thought she wanted to destroy herself.”

  They said a tearful farewell. Viglar appeared and helped her into the shuttle.

  Madison sat with her knees drawn up, her arms around her legs, Viglar sitting next to her at the console.

  “In the end, Rachel tried to save me When it mattered, she tried to save my life.” Madison looked up at Viglar. “She was still my friend at the end. In a way, I can understand what she did. Why she did it. She lost her fiancé and two brothers at the Battle of No Name Town.”

  Viglar looked down at her. “She saved your life. I will forgive her for endangering you.”

  Chapter 19

  “Does your mother ever speak to you or is she still mad that you didn’t want to be a warrior conqueror.”

  “Our family units are different from humans’. We do not live with parents like you do. After our first change, our training starts.”

  “First change?”

  “Zyrgins go through three changes after we are born. We are fully grown within five years.”

  “Five years, so you’re never children?” That would take some adapting to if they ever had children.

  “No, we are born with the knowledge of our ancestors and, during our lifetimes, we build on that.”

  “And Zyrgin women don’t mind that their children are never babies they can cuddle. It must be sad for them.” Add the way the women seemed to be second class citizens and she thanked her lucky stars she wasn’t living on their planet.

  “There are no Zyrgin women. For many generations no women have been born. We take our women from the conquered worlds.”

  “Do
you give them a choice? No wait, you said you give that bear skin thing and then the woman is yours.”

  “Eduki and, yes, that is the custom.”

  “That’s barbaric. So your mother is from another planet. Do their children on that planet also go through three changes.”

  “There are similar occurrences, but we have observed that their family units function much like that of humans.”

  “Could you phone home? If you wanted to, could you phone her?”

  “Yes.”

  They landed at the hospital and Madison went back to work. For a short while she’d forgotten her terrible grief while Viglar told her about his home world. Now it all rushed back.

  “Want to go for coffee?” Viktor asked and she smiled and agreed, even though she didn’t feel like company, glad to once more be accepted by her colleagues.

  Through her grief and dealing with everyone’s sympathy, she kept thinking of Viglar’s mother. Of her being married off against her will and having to live on the planet and among the invaders who’d conquered her people.

  That night, after dinner she insisted they talked about his mother.

  He stared at her. “Why would I want to talk to her?”

  “I insist that you contact her.”

  “She would not be able to understand you, Madison.”

  “We can both talk to her,” she said. It disturbed her, that he showed no need to talk to his mother.

  He shook his head. “You would have to have a translator implanted that allows you to speak Standard Galactic.”

  “How long does the operation take?” she asked.

  “It will take minutes. We have upgraded the system, and now the translations starts to work the moment it is implanted.”

  Madison battled a queasy need to let it go, to accept that he didn’t want to talk to him parents. “Do it.”

  She expected him to take her to his infirmary but he merely touched her temples and it was done.

  Viglar phoned home. A beautiful woman answered and was obviously glad to see him. He spoke courteously to her, but not warmly. Madison promised to phone as much as she was allowed and invited her to come and visit.

  The bald, very beautiful woman smiled at her. “I look forward to talking to you both.” Her smile was almost human, her face softer than a Zyrgin’s.

  “Are you satisfied she is all right?” Viglar asked when the call disconnected. “You will never find a bruise on her,” he told her seriously.

  Madison cupped his cheek. “There are worse bruises on the heart sometimes than there can ever be on your body.”

  He stared down at her for a long time and then nodded. “I will phone her frequently and tell her about Earth.” He leaned down and kissed her. “You will now again attempt to tempt me to the dark side.” He suddenly stiffened and stepped away from her. “I apologize. It is not the human custom to do this when a close human has died recently.”

  Madison walked into his arms and held on.

  She wanted to make love with him, needed to make love to him to reassure herself that she was still alive. That losing Rory and Rachel did not eat a part of her soul.

  “I need you, Viglar.”

  He made love to her, slow tender love, as if he knew that was what she needed at that moment.

  “What would you have done if I was with the resistance? If I used your blood to create a virus that can kill Zyrgins?”

  “I would have taken your punishment and kept you as my breeder. You do not have the skill to create a virus, therefore The Zyrgin would have been merciful.”

  Madison stopped kissing his taut stomach and looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “You have one moment to amend that statement before I reverse direction. And once I do that I will never take my lips in that direction again.”

  He tilted his head and she could see the struggle going on. He really wanted her to use her mouth on him, but for a literal guy like him to say she could create a virus was almost impossible. She waited, curious to see what he would do.

  “I will teach you to become good enough to create a virus,” he said at last.

  Madison didn’t waste time celebrating her luck. She continued down his unbelievably muscled chest. “Do you feel this?”

  “Yes.”

  She carefully nipped lower. “And this?”

  “Yes.”

  She moved even lower. “Do you feel the dark side coming over you?”

  “Yes.”

  Chapter 20

  A long time later, after he had exhausted her with his lovemaking, he pushed her hair off her face and drew her into his arms. “I have read the manuals and talked to the warriors with breeders.”

  “Okay.” Please let him not have discussed our private lives. She couldn’t stomach the thought that he could be that kind of creep.

  “It is proven that a breeder thrives when she is cuddled regularly,” he told her seriously.

  Madison hugged him closer, enjoying the feel of his warm body. She bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the smile, took a deep breath, and then burst out laughing. She laughed until she was helpless to do anything but cling to him. He merely held her tight, not seeming bothered that she laughed at him. It felt good laughing again after the tragedy of the last few days.

  At last she stopped and lay quietly, stroking patterns over his chest.

  “I am glad you are pleased with your warrior’s honor. We will cuddle after fucking, every morning before I give you breakfast and every night.”

  Madison started laughing again. It seemed she was on a hug schedule. “I love you, Viglar, I must be crazy, but I love you to bits.”

  He was quiet for a long time and she worried that he would never recognize the emotion, even if he felt it. How could he feel love with the way he was raised?

  “I love you until my chest aches sometimes. I am a Zyrgin warrior, I do not need to be crazy to love you.”

  Madison bit her tongue, hard. She could not start laughing again. She held him tight and traced the defined muscles and veins in his abdomen. Her warrior was seriously ripped.

  They lay silent for a long time. Madison had never been so satisfied and relaxed. Her muscles ached, a pleasant ache in all the right places. She still wondered what happened to Rory, and she missed Rachel, missed the friend she had been before she became fanatical about killing the Zyrgins.

  Viglar lifted her chin and leaned over her. “Remember when I bit you. When you tried not to speak to me for a month.”

  Madison glared at him. “You’re spoiling my post-coital peace.”

  “Do you remember?”

  “Yes, and I would’ve given you the silent treatment if you didn’t use unfair means to make me talk to you.” She covered her neck protectively. “You’re not gonna do it again.”

  “I do not need to do it again for many years. The venom will ensure that you live for many centuries,” he said.

  She stared at him and knew he could see the horror on her face. “But I don’t want my ears to get that big.” Ears and noses never stopped growing. She’d endured enough teasing for having red hair and freckles. She didn’t want to be the freak with the big nose and elephant ears. The silence from her warrior registered and she blinked to find him leaning slightly away from her, staring at her.

  She never thought she’d see Viglar stumped for words. He opened his mouth once and then closed it again. After they’d stared at each other for what felt like hours, with the silence in the room becoming chilly he stroked a careful finger over her ears.

  “I am the best doctor in the known galaxies. The Zyrgin wanted me for his personal physician. I can ensure your ears remain the same,” he told her.

  She loved his confidence. “And my nose.”

  That big finger moved and traced the bridge of her nose. “Your nose as well.”

  “Can you rid me of my freckles?”

  “No.” He stared her in the eye and, somehow, she knew he was lying.

  She tried to grab his ear, but it w
as too recessed into his head to get a good grip on. “I know you are lying to me. Why won’t you fix my freckles? They’ve been the bane of my existence since I was four, when Tommy Wilson held me down and connected them with a pen.” She gritted her teeth at the memory. She’d walked around looking like a road map for days.

  Viglar jumped up so fast she nearly rolled off the bed. “Where do I find Tommy Wilson?”

  He sounded so menacing, all the hairs on her body stood up straight. “I think I heard he died, a long time ago.” Sometimes you had to lie for the greater good. Poor Tommy had grown up to be a pretty decent guy and was the father of three little girls.

  “Do not lie to me, breeder.”

  She clutched her chest and widened her eyes dramatically. “I would never lie to my warrior.”

  He got into bed again and arranged her against him. She knew from the tense way he held his body that he was thinking of way to find out if one Tommy Wilson really died. Distraction was needed. Fast.

  “You said I will live for centuries?” She casually stroked a finger down his abs. She never got tired of touching him. Of feeling those abs on his abs. Following the raised veins on his body to intriguing new places on his body. Maybe she had another few hours in her left.

  “Yes, do you accept it now?”

  “It would be wonderful, I think.” She couldn’t imagine living for so many centuries without some serious problems cropping up. For one thing they might get sick of each other. “What if we get bored with each other?”

  “My breeder has hair the color of an eyeball. I can never be bored.”

  She wasn’t going there. If he could love her with hair he thought the same color as eyeballs, she wouldn’t complain. “I’m flattered that you would take me with such ugly hair.” She tried to pinch him in revenge for his condescending tone but couldn’t get a grip on his tough skin.

  “You are a very lucky human,” he said.

  Madison stared at him. Again, she didn’t know if he was joking or dead serious. She tended to go with the latter option. “We need to work on your sarcasm meter.”