Alien Prince's Mate: An Auxem Novel

by Lisa Lace

  “I’ve got a friend who works at the club,” Samuel agreed, grinning. “I can call him right now and make sure he gets us the best room. Just say the word and I’ll make it happen.”

  “What a splendid idea.” Prince Jethro stood up, and the rest of the Keepers rose in unison.

  “That’s not the word I would use.” I took a deep breath, hardly believing what I heard.

  “Michelle, you can find your way home, right?” Tate pushed his chair into the table. “Or should I call a taxi for you?”

  “I can take care of myself, but thanks for the concern.” I rose from the table. Dad slipped his arms into his jacket and started towards the men, who were gradually making their way out of the restaurant. “You’re leaving too? You’re not going to stick around and catch up with your daughter?”

  Dad looked back at me, his face falling.

  “Don’t bother saying anything. It’s fine. Have a good night.” I shook my head and walked past the party toward the exit.

  Chapter Ten

  CAS

  “Go on without me. I’ll catch up later tonight.”

  “Suit yourself, brother.” Jethro was halfway through the back door of Tate Sheen’s long black car. The rest of the Keepers and Tate’s companions had already boarded the vehicle, making themselves comfortable on the plush leather benches. “Will you know where to find us?”

  “I’m sure I’ll have no trouble finding my way.”

  Buttoning up my coat, I checked both sides of the street before crossing over to the opposite sidewalk. I heard mellow music and conversation from the liquor lounges and bars lining this side of the street. I walked up to The Tipsy Beaver, pushing open the doors under a yellow neon sign.

  The lounge bar was more upscale than its name insinuated. Couches and stools were all white, and the tables and bar counter were made from thick transparent glass. The strictly ice-blue lighting cast a cool tint over the furniture and the liquor bottles on display, giving the joint an underwater feel.

  “Welcome to The Tipsy Beaver. Would you like a table, or are you here on your own?” A woman in an ice-blue dress greeted me by the door.

  “Nay, I won’t be needing a table. But I do seek companionship.” I stopped my train of thought, something diverting my attention to the bar. “I see a friend of mine. Is it possible for me to join her?”

  “Go right ahead.” The woman stepped aside. “Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”

  “Appreciated.”

  It required no effort to identify Michelle at the bar. She sat at the edge of the glass counter with a wine glass in her hand, a noticeable distance away from the clusters of friends and lovers. The patrons wore nice clothes, but none of them came close to being worthy of comparison to Michelle. She wore a long red gown with a trail that ran across the floor, and her hair was done up in an elegant bun.

  There was no contest. Michelle was clearly the most beautiful woman in the room.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Michelle set her drink down, her dark eyebrows curving up. “No.” She turned back to face the front of the bar, gold earrings swaying. “Weren’t you headed to the Diamond Tower with the rest of your crew?”

  “I might go later.” I sat down on the stool next to her. “I thought you could use some company.”

  “Thanks. That’s nice.” Michelle smiled weakly. “But I’m not going to be the best company tonight. Are you sure you don’t want to go with them? They weren’t lying. The buffet there is pretty impressive.”

  “Then they can enjoy it. I would rather stay here right now.”

  “Sure, okay. I’d like that.” Michelle drummed her fingers along the stem of her wine glass. “Do you want a drink? I’m buying.”

  “That sounds perfect. I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

  We stayed silent until the barman returned with our drinks.

  “Was the man in the gray suit your father?”

  “Yup, that’s my Dad,” said Michelle curtly, sniffing. “He’s a real charmer, isn’t he?”

  “I’m sensing that you aren’t on the best of terms with each other. Do you mind if I ask why?”

  “Tonight was the first time I’ve seen that man since I was eleven years old. He left my mother for another woman. As a matter of fact, he divorced Mom two months after the doctor diagnosed her with cancer. What kind of spineless asshole does that?” Michelle stared into space, the muscles on her face tightening. “It doesn’t matter anymore, or it shouldn’t, at least. We didn’t need him. He was living his new life, and we were living ours. Even with cancer, Mom worked her ass off and did an excellent job of raising me by herself.”

  “She sounds like a good woman. Is she still with us?”

  “No. The cancer spread. Mom held on until I was seventeen, but she passed away two weeks before my high school graduation.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too. Mom was the best. This might sound like a cliché, but she was my best friend. I still miss her.” Michelle’s last words sounded strangled. She swallowed hard, making the tremor in her voice disappear. “With the help of one of Mom’s friends, I sued my dad for the child support he neglected for six years, and used the money to pay for college. After I graduated, I found a job by myself and paid back every cent of his filthy money. As of last April, we are completely even. I didn’t need any of his reluctant support. I just needed a loan.”

  “That must have taken a lot of determination, but you did a good job following through.”

  “When Dad first left, I called him a couple of times, but he never returned any of my calls. So I realized he wanted nothing to do with us. Dad never showed up once in person to handle any of the court business. He had a team of lawyers to handle it. Even when he paid the child support, he sent the credits up front, no questions asked, but there wasn’t a word out of his mouth. When he found out I was seeing a big-time movie star, guess who came knocking at my door.”

  “Your father doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

  “Damn straight,” said Michelle emphatically. There was a conviction in her voice, but the drooping corners of her eyes told a different story. “This is going to sound stupid, but when he showed up tonight, a part of me thought he was sincere. I don’t know why he could still bother me. Why would I want anything to do with the man who abandoned us?”

  “Sometimes, there isn’t a logical explanation for our feelings. He’s your father, after all. You said he left when you were a little girl, so you must have formed an attachment to him. It isn’t necessarily something you have any control over.”

  For a while, Michelle stayed quiet.

  “You know what? Maybe I was wrong.” She tipped her head back and polished off the rest of her drink. “You’re pretty good at giving advice.”

  “Aye. I’m not just a beautiful face, you know.” I grinned, winking at her.

  “Uh-huh, sure.” Michelle rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she refreshed her glass. “That’s more than enough about me. I can’t believe how much I’ve been going on about myself. Tell me about you. What’s your family like?”

  “My family? I was brought up by my mother, too. Her name’s Deloise. She lives back home in Luna Maris. She still lives in the same house I grew up in, as a matter of fact.”

  “Deloise? That’s a lovely name.” Michelle swiveled in her stool, turning her whole body toward me. “Did your father leave, too?”

  “Not voluntarily. He died on a mission when I was three. I don’t remember much about him, but from what I’ve heard from the older Keepers, he was a good family man.”

  “I see. That couldn’t have been easy, but I’m happy to hear your mother is still around.”

  “She’s a blessing to me. She’s healthy, active in the community, and spends most of her time gardening. It’s about time she gets to relax, and I’m doing everything I can to make sure she owns her time for the rest of her days.”

  �
��I would have never guessed you were such a mama’s boy.” Michelle propped her arm against the bar, her head tilting back as she rested her chin against her hand. “It’s sweet.”

  “It’s the least I can do.” In Michelle’s current position, I could see the outlines of her full breasts and puffy nipples poking through her red gown. I peeled my eyes off her chest, adjusting my legs.

  “I’ve been dying to ask you something. What’s it like being a Keeper?”

  “My father was a Keeper, so it was what I was born to do. I started training part-time when I was twelve, and after graduation, I joined the Keepers right away. We get deployed to different planets for a few weeks at a time to help out the less fortunate communities, but most of the time we’re guarding the palace. The Thorton run was the most significant mission I’ve ever undertaken. That’s all there is to it. Like any other profession, a job is a job.”

  “That sounds way more exciting than sitting behind a screen all day, but the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, right?” Michelle took a meaningful sip from her glass. “But how do you know the prince? I’ve seen how different he acts with you. It’s almost like you’re old friends.”

  “Well, we are. Jethro trained with us for two years when I started full-time. I suppose we hit it off. He can be an arrogant ass sometimes, but he is royalty. Other than that, he’s more of a brother to me than a ruler.” I leaned forward and folded my fingers. “So why the obsession with Yaria?”

  “It’s not an obsession. That makes me sound creepy. I prefer to call it fascination,” said Michelle, sniffing. “I know it’s a little weird, but I’ve always been drawn to that place. I’ve never told anyone this, but Mom used to read me books about all the different planets when I was a kid, and that was our favorite. We planned a trip one day, but we never made it out there. When I was old enough to go, she was too weak to get out of bed. Soon she was gone forever. I promised that I would make the trip for both of us one day.”

  “Is there a reason why you haven’t done it yet?”

  “I don’t know.” Michelle rubbed her arms as if she were consoling herself. “I’ve always had a full schedule at work. I like stability and knowing that I’ve always got money coming in so I have something to fall back on. I have to look after myself. I’ve done it almost all my life, and I can’t stop now. But I will get out there, and soon.”

  “So, no reason, then? Because all I heard from you was one excuse after another.”

  “Excuse you.” Michelle’s face twisted into a grimace. But as her eyes flitted from side to side in thought, her face and shoulders softened. “Okay, I’ll give it to you. I deserved that. You’re absolutely right.”

  “I always am.” My playful grin wavered. “What happened tonight with Tate? Was this the first time?”

  “The first time? No, but I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been this pissed off about it,” Michelle admitted. She turned away from me, pressing her fingers to her temples. “I mean, I don’t mind him going to strip clubs once in a while. I don’t approve of it, but I trust him. I’m upset because I never wanted to come out in the first place, but I did it for him. Not to mention Tate and my father ambushing me. All in all, this night was almost a disaster.

  “Almost?”

  “Well, I’m sitting here talking to you now, aren’t I?” said Michelle softly. She lowered her eyes, gazing at me for a few seconds before straightening up in her chair. “You know, because it’s always nice to make new friends.”

  “Sure. And as a friend, let me say something to you. For someone who is dead-set on principles and vocal about her worth as a woman, as one should be...why do you allow Tate to treat you this way?”

  “And which way is that?” Michelle finished her second drink and ordered herself a third one. “Tate’s not perfect, but he does have some redeeming qualities about him.”

  I laughed. “What you said just now is something you say about a restaurant near your house that you go to all the time because it’s convenient, not because you enjoy the food.”

  “Let me break it down for you. You’re from a different planet, so I guess you don’t know what a big deal Tate is around here. I’ve always had a massive crush on him, so when he asked me to dance at a Textra fundraiser event, I was over the moon. How many girls end up with the guy from the poster on their bedroom wall?”

  Michelle took a long gulp of her drink, slumping down in her seat.

  “I built up a fairy-tale image of who I believed Tate was, but it didn’t take me long to realize that in real life he was nothing like he was on the big screen. But I didn’t want to give up on the relationship. Tate has some things he needs to work on, but so do I. We’ve been making it work.”

  “I stand by what I said. I think you’re selling yourself short.”

  “We all think a lot of things.” Michelle’s face and the tip of her fingers were starting to grow pink from the wine. “What about you? Do you have a special lady in your life?”

  “Nay.”

  “I find that hard to believe. Do Keepers have to take chastity vows or something?”

  “Nay. I’ve had my fair share of experiences, but I’ve never been too interested in relationships.”

  “You talk big, but there must have been a girl at some point in your life who made an impact on you.” Michelle was keeping her head up on the counter lazily. “You know more about Tate and me than my therapist. You’ve got to give me something.” She kept her eyes on mine intently, hanging onto my every word.

  “Her name was Twanda.”

  “Was?”

  “She died in a freak accident when we were young. We were out by Malu Beach when she was swept away by a rogue wave. Jethro and I were there, throwing a ball when it happened. By the time I got to her and pulled her back to shore, she was gone. There was nothing I could do to save her.”

  When I felt Michelle’s hand on my knee, I froze. I gazed back at her, feeling an odd sense of release in my chest. She squeezed my knee, eyes filled with warmth.

  “Twanda was my best friend. I suppose you could say she was my first love.” I felt my shoulders start to square up at the sharp prick in my gut. For some reason, Michelle appeared to sense my discomfort. She gave my knee another encouraging squeeze. “We grew up next to each other. Twanda was training to be a Keeper, too. She was one of the best in our class and always came out on top during training. She dueled with male trainees and beat the crap out of them. She was going to make a name for herself.”

  “I like the sound of her already,” said Michelle, smiling ruefully.

  “All the hope and all that promise were wiped out in a matter of seconds.” I took a drink from my glass. The wine turned sour, stinging as it went down my throat. “No one saw it coming.”

  “I’m sorry, Cas. I can’t imagine what that must have been like.” Michelle’s fingertips spread open and wrapped around my knee. It tickled, but I kept my leg in place. I liked how her hand felt on my body. “Just as you said, there isn’t always a logical explanation for everything. There’s never one for tragedy. I apologize for bringing this up. I have a horrible habit of not knowing when to shut up.”

  Suddenly, Michelle swallowed, jerking her hand away from my knee. “Sorry about that,” she mumbled, looking away from me.

  She ran a finger along her collarbone, reaching for her purse. “This has been a great talk, but I really should get going. Um, why are you looking at me like that?”

  “My apologies,” I replied evenly. “I tend to stare at beautiful things.”

  Michelle bit down on her lip, beaming. “Who knew you were such a cornball?”

  “I don’t know what that is, but I meant what I said. You look unbelievable tonight. That was the only thing going through my mind when I saw you at the restaurant. I didn’t think I would get the chance to tell you tonight, but there you go.”

  “Thank you,” Michelle stuttered, her breaths starting to come quickly. I pulled her stool closer to me. She braced her
hands against the sides of her seat, but she didn’t move farther away. I leaned into her, feeling her soft, warm cheeks against the back of my hand.

  “Cas, what are you doing?” Michelle whispered, her lips parting slightly.

  I held the base of her chin gently and inched towards her ear.

  “If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say so.”

  When Michelle didn’t respond, I studied her eyes. The cacophony of the lounge music and the increasing number of Friday night patrons had grown louder throughout the evening, but all at once, everything quieted down in my head. My mind synced with hers without a hitch, but this time, something was different. Everything around us dimmed. All I could see was her face. All I could hear were her thoughts. They weren’t merely fragments. It seemed like she was speaking out loud.

  “Is he really doing this? This is wrong. I should stop him. But if I stop him now, I know I’m going to regret it. What is he doing staring at me like that? Kiss me now, you fool. What are you waiting for?”

  When I pressed my lips on her, the rest of our surroundings spun back into place. Michelle moaned softly into my mouth, kissing me back. She traced her fingers along the side of my face skeptically, but her lips caressed mine fervently.

  All of a sudden, she pulled away from me, staggering backward.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do this.” Michelle gripped the sides of her stool to keep herself from falling over.

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Are you leaving?”

  “Yes. I am definitely leaving.” Michelle refrained from returning eye contact. “I have to go.”

  She snatched up her purse and fled out the side door.

  As I turned back to the bar, the tips of my leather shoes squeaked against the glass wall under the counter. I chugged back the rest of my wine and tipped the barman before heading out the lounge myself. But when I pulled back the front door, I was waylaid by a flash of red and a pair of arms that flung around my neck.