by Lisa Lace
“I liked the apartment at the top of the other building.”
“But there’s no yard,” he pointed out.
“You’re right. And I did adore the bathroom in the house on the acreage, too.”
“There’s a nice big tub in there,” he said, lifting one eyebrow. “Big enough for two.”
I tried to look prim, but my attempt fell apart when he grinned at me. The idea of a tub big enough for two was a plus. “Did you hear from your mother yet?” I asked, changing the subject.
“She sent a message when you were talking to the real estate agent,” he said. “I forgot to tell you.”
“What did she say?”
Khellen’s mother had been communicating with us every day after we let her know we were safe and expected a child. She was considering taking an early retirement so she could move to Shveitz to help after the baby came. She wasn’t going to stay permanently and was keeping her house on Biyaha. I thought the Warden had something to do with her decision since they were officially a couple now. She had forgiven him for his part in Khellen’s disappearance. I hadn’t, but I wished them well.
I wasn’t sure how to feel about her coming to stay with us. I didn’t want her trying to tell us how to raise the baby, but I knew we would need assistance.
“She’s put in for retirement.”
“Great.” I don’t think I succeeded in keeping the ambivalence out of my voice. The extra set of hands would be helpful. She was supposed to take care of the housework so I could focus on the baby, which sounded like a dream.
“She doesn’t believe in what her department is doing any longer.”
“I hope not,” I said, finishing my drink.
“Did you ever get a response from Nora?” he asked.
I shook my head sadly. “No. She’s angry with me for quitting and giving up on everything she believes. I tried to explain in my message that the vow didn’t mean anything on Biyaha. There’s no overpopulation problem where we’re living now, but she doesn’t understand.”
“I’m sorry. I know how much you valued her friendship.”
“You know, I still feel the need to do something about Earth’s population problem.”
“Why don’t you start a rival organization? Even Singler for Life.”
“Nothing like that. It’s just the beginning of an idea. Maybe we can think it through when the baby’s older. It doesn’t have anything to do with me being single.”
“As long as I get to stay married to you and you have my baby, that’s all I care about.”
“Really? That’s all that matters?” I repeated.
“Well, maybe not everything.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “Let’s go. We’ll take the house with all the land.” Khellen swept his new computer over the scanning tab in the middle of the table, paying for our meal. He glanced at my baby bump as it came into view. “You look lovely,” he murmured into my ear as we moved to the door. “I can’t wait to get you alone.”
“Khellen,” I said, blushing. “Someone might hear.”
“Someone’s going to hear you all right because you’ll be screaming like before.”
I shushed him but knew I was looking forward to it. So was Khellen.
Chapter Seventeen
SOPHIE, ON EARTH
“A girl came in today, Khellen,” I said, ruffling my hair in the mirror. I thought I still looked pretty good after having a baby. I hadn’t lost my figure, and I had worked hard to lose the extra weight. I thought it made me intimidating, which was good for business.
“Doesn’t that happen every day?” he called out from the kitchen of our tiny Earth cottage.
“She wasn’t very pretty, and I told her. I think I was too honest. You know I don’t usually care about superficial things, but she wasn’t trying at all. She was getting on my nerves too.”
“Yes, dear.” I heard the clink of dishes. I hoped dinner was almost ready. I was starving.
“Are you even listening to me? She says, ‘How do you know I want to apply? Especially after what you said about my appearance.”
“Don’t be too hard on those girls, Sophie.” He came behind me and put his arms around me. I smiled, laying my head against his shoulder and reveling in the familiar feeling of safety and happiness. Khellen had found ways to keep in shape on Earth despite the lack of swimming, and his body was still amazing.
I refocused, coming back to the conversation. Maybe I was hard on the girls, but they had to be tough if they wanted to become mail-order brides for aliens. If they couldn’t handle a rough interview, how would they survive a whole year on an alien planet in a foreign culture?
“I said something back to her.” I adopted the haughty tone I used for TerraMates. “‘How do I know you want to apply? Because you didn’t walk out when I said you were ugly.”
“I can’t believe you, Sophie!” Khellen burst out laughing.
“I most certainly did. It was the truth. Anyone who wasn’t already committed and had been offended by my comment would have walked out immediately.”
“You’re right. Still, I feel sorry for the girl. You don’t need to be completely honest all the time,” he said. “Come and eat.”
He took my hand and led me to the table. “She kept her application open, I assume?”
“Of course. She’ll need to be tough. She’s going to a planet without technology.”
Khellen nodded, dishing out the food. “I wonder how long Maria is going to sleep,” he said, changing the subject.
“Let’s enjoy it while it lasts,” I said. I loved my daughter, but having a break once in a while felt fantastic.
Maria was the reason we had moved to Earth. Despite its problems, I loved my planet, and I wanted to raise my family on my home world. It didn’t take long for me to convince Khellen. We needed to make money, and I rapidly formalized the business plan for TerraMates.
I still wanted to solve the overpopulation problem, but I would do it my way. I had gotten the idea from an off-hand comment Khellen once made about me being like a mail-order bride. That’s what we did - we arranged marriages between women of Earth and alien men.
With all the franchises across the globe, we manage to send approximately a hundred thousand women off-planet every year. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but every woman counts. Since we only have a low divorce rate at the end of the one-year marriage requirement, we were also helping couples find each other.
When we were ready to retire, we were thinking about returning to Biyaha. There was a new political movement starting there with a different platform than the existing government. The new party had made information about the breeding centers available to everyone, and the intergalactic reaction had been universal outrage. Biyaha was starting to think there were better ways to address their population problems, and had begun a new program catering to people from overpopulated planets. The ex-pat community on Biyaha was growing.
Khellen’s mother had said we could have the cottage on the island whenever we wanted it. But that was a long time away, and I had lots of work to do with TerraMates before I was ready to retire.
“Our life on Earth is just about perfect,” I said.
“Almost perfect. How long do you think Maria will stay asleep?” Khellen’s hand had moved to my thigh.
I met his eye. “What were you thinking, Mr. Lynch?” I recognized a familiar tingling in my body.
“I thought we might have the house to ourselves for another hour.” He leaned in to kiss me.
“And why would that please you?”
“Because I want to make love to you,” he said. My breath caught in my throat. “I love you, Sophie.”
“Still?” I said, losing myself in his eyes.
“Always.”
Savage Alien
A TerraMates Novel
Chapter One
MICHELLE
I had never seen a sky so blue as the one in front of my eyes.
Majestic birds with long, hooked beaks and b
right orange wings soared across the brilliant azure canvas. The soft bubbling of an endlessly winding stream filled my ears. Violet lily pads the size of my palm floated down the still, glassy surface of the water. When I took a closer look, the white flowers sitting on top of the pads appeared to be gently breathing.
On the other side of me was a remarkable range of snow-capped mountains and green hills. Humble clay huts dotted the bottom of the mountain range. I could see a hint of an enormous silver moon peeking out from the gaps between the hills.
I continued strolling down a sandy path.
A group of laughing children came running up to the river. Their eyes were stunning shades of amber and gold and gleamed with glee. They picked up yellow pebbles and skipped them down the stream, bringing the still water to life.
Smiling with delight, I left the peals of childish laughter behind me and resumed my stroll.
The air smelled crisp and clean. Countless grains of smooth white sand caressed the bare soles of my feet. A hauntingly beautiful tune from a distant drum circle drifted through the open air. My muscles and shoulders felt loose, and my limber legs practically glided underneath me.
Everything about this moment was freeing. I felt blissful, and I couldn’t imagine ever being happier.
A sequence of jarring bells and whistles blared from my headphones. I lifted my chin up from my fist, instantly straightening in my chair. As the computer started its automatic shutdown sequence, the screensaver of the Luna Maris landscape faded away to black.
When the beeping died down, a metallic voice replaced it.
“End of Work Day 1,460. Thank you.” The woman on the recording paused, then started talking again. “Fletcher, Elizabeth, for your loyalty to Textra Corp. We at Textra Corp appreciate your service and encourage you to keep up your good work. You may clock out and return the company headphones and tablet to cubicle 238 on the first floor. Have a pleasant day.”
I lifted myself off my chair and gathered my things. The noise of other desk jockeys doing the same thing I was filled the room. With my purse on one arm and a bundle of company equipment clamped under my other arm, I slipped out of the cubicle. I squeezed out into the narrow walkway, falling in line behind a dozen people waiting for the elevators.
Today marked my fourth year at Textra Corporation. When I first started, I burst with ambition. You could track your placement in the company by your position in the sixty-story Textra building. All the interns worked on the bottom floors, and the executives were on the top. Starting out at the bottom of the barrel, like the rest of the interns, I had set my mind on working my way up the tier and getting myself out of the awful orange trainee coats as soon as possible.
Four years later, I had a personal cubicle on the fifty-sixth floor. I wore a crisp white blazer, something I had coveted for years. It fit perfectly and felt like it was hand-tailored just for me. On top of that, I made good money, and I lived with Tate Sheen, an obscenely famous movie star and my ultimate crush since I was fourteen. Tate’s movies have grossed hundreds of billions of credits over his career, and that’s just counting Earth revenue. Needless to say, millions of women would kill to be in my shoes.
It’s not that I wasn’t grateful. I was acutely aware of exactly how lucky I was. But I felt like I was stuck. For the last four years, I had to work five or six days a week, forgoing any social life outside of Tate. Sometimes, Tate would shake me awake to tell me I was typing in my sleep again. I even brought work with me on a three-day trip to Cancun. It was how I’d managed to climb the corporate ladder so quickly. But I was starting to feel like there might be something more for me out there. Even though I was sitting on untouched savings that were steadily growing, I didn’t know why I was saving.
I found myself a spot in the corner of the cramped elevator. To escape the stench of body sweat and cologne in the tiny room, I forced myself to hold my breath until we reached the ground floor. I yawned, glancing up every few seconds to check which level I was on. Finally, the doors opened, and my jostling colleagues cleared the elevator simultaneously. When everyone had left, and I could breathe again, I let myself out, returning the company equipment to cubicle 238 before making my way to the exit.
As I stepped through the threshold, I saw a stressful situation developing in front of me. Blinding camera flashes and a mob of screaming adult women formed a circle on the bottom of the steps. Tate was a magnet drawing them to himself, flashing an infectious grin as he signed autographs and posed for quick pictures with his swooning fans. Next to him, a sleek black limousine was parked by the curb, with four men in identical suits and reflective sunglasses posted around the vehicle.
Who could blame the swooning females? Tate was just as gorgeous in real life as he was in the movies. He was tall, naturally tanned, and had the hard stomach of an avid swimmer. Tate’s wavy dishwater-blond hair and perfect white teeth seemed made for the film industry. But his cobalt-blue eyes were what reeled in the ladies. They were the same eyes that prompted me to twirl my hair unprompted when I first saw him on television, and my teenage heart swelled with hormonal desire.
“I don’t know how he does it.” Richie Lehman, who worked four cubicles away, appeared behind me. He whistled, draping his blazer over his shoulder.
“Me neither,” I admitted, shrugging. “But Tate’s a good sport. He loves the cameras as much as they love him.”
“I’m going to take off.” Richie nodded at me, heading off in the other direction. “Catch you later, Michelle.”
“Bye!”
When the crowd dispersed, I jogged down the steps to join Tate. I tapped him on the shoulder, standing on the tips of my toes to peck him on the lips.
Instead of returning the kiss, Tate pinched his lips coldly and leaned away from me.
“Is something wrong?” I felt deflated, and I knew my smile was fading.
“Who was that?” Tate crossed his arms and glared at me.
“What are you talking about?” I frowned, furrowing my eyebrows. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the stoic faces of Tate’s security team. “Do you mean Richie? He’s just some random guy I work with.”
“Yeah?” Tate wasn’t even trying to hide the accusatory tone in his voice. “It’s funny. I’ve never heard you mention anyone named Richie before.”
“There are six thousand employees in Textra Corp,” I replied coolly, tilting my head to one side. “Do you want a copy of the company roster? I bet we have two Richards.”
“Don’t get smart with me.” I knew he wasn’t going to let it go. “What were you talking about with him? It couldn’t have been about work, could it? It’s after hours.”
“I hope you’re trying to be funny. We barely said two words to each other.” I stopped, cutting myself off. “This conversation has gone on for too long. I’m not talking about this with you any longer. I just got out of work. I’m tired, and I’m not in the mood for whatever you’re trying to make this into.”
“This conversation isn’t over until I say it’s over.” Tate paused, his eyes darting around nervously. When he noticed the lingering stares of a few fans lurking in the background, his fake smile swiftly returned to his face. He leaned close to me and reduced his tone to a whisper. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“Excuse me? Mr. Sheen?” An elderly woman started limping toward us. She straightened the pearl brooch pinned to her shawl, giggling as Tate turned around to look at her. He bowed courteously, taking the woman’s frail, spotted hand.
“How can I make your day, beautiful?”
“Oh!” The woman erupted into another fit of girlish giggles. She was positively glowing. “Mr. Sheen, my name is Trudy. I’m in love with your work. I adored you in Murdoch: Space Detective. Could I bother you for a quick picture?”
“Certainly, ma’am. It’s no bother at all.” Tate took her camera and handed it to her younger companion. “Perhaps your sister can take it for us?”
“Oh, Mr. Sheen.” The woman clasped Tate’s
elbow between her hands, beaming. “This is my daughter, Molly.”
The corners of my mouth twitched at the sweet exchange. I was still irked with Tate, but his act tugged on my heartstrings. Tate had the ability to make anyone feel like the most beautiful woman in the world if he so desired.
Molly took the picture and gave them a thumbs up.
“Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Sheen.”
“Anytime, sweetheart.”
“Before I let you go, I wanted to know something. Are the rumors true? Are you running for governor in the upcoming election?”
“You heard right,” Tate confirmed proudly. “I am honored to be in the race, but I have high hopes of moving this great state in the right direction. I will be in town to give a speech a few weeks from now, on August 8th.”
“How wonderful! I’ll be sure to watch you. I hope you have the best of luck, Mr. Sheen. You can count on my vote.”
“I knew I liked you, Trudy.” Tate winked, turning away from her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my lady friend and I have dinner reservations. Have a lovely night, ma’am.”
“Of course. I won’t keep you any longer. Goodbye, now!”
I pulled on my lip absentmindedly, studying the long list of delicious-looking appetizers on the menu. Tate sat across from me in the black velvet chair of our private booth. I felt him staring at me, but I was more interested to see if the crab chowder came with breadsticks. I could tell he sensed my foul mood. Shifting in his seat, he rubbed his palms together and reached across the table for my hand.
“Listen, Michelle. I’m sorry about what I said earlier.”
I glanced up at him, setting my menu down slowly.
“I know you had a long day at work,” Tate continued. “I didn’t like the way Richie was looking at you, but I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did. Will you forgive me?”
“I don’t think Richie was looking at me in any way, but okay.” Against my will, I found myself softening at Tate’s apology. “Let’s try to forget about it and have a nice dinner together.”
