Alien Prince's Mate: An Auxem Novel

by Lisa Lace

  I took a step back, blinking furiously at the unexpected sound of Prince Jethro’s voice. He came out of an elevator, adjusting the open neck of his designer button-up shirt as he approached Tate in the lobby. An extravagant emerald pendant dangled from the thick gold chain around his neck and swung from side-to-side with every step he took. Tate pushed his aviator sunglasses to the top of his head, leaning in for a double-hand handshake with the prince.

  The pair said something to one another before Tate turned around to address his bodyguards. In response, the guards exchanged questioning looks, but the one on the far left of the line nodded silently. They hung back, looking uncomfortable on the lobby sofas as Prince Jethro led Tate towards the elevators.

  With all the xenophobic bullshit Tate had continually spouted in the past, there was something off-putting about the way he interacted with the alien prince. I supposed it was possible for Tate to have a change of heart, but it seemed unlikely. The air hanging over the unlikely pair stunk of fish, and I could smell the stench from all the way over here.

  “Good evening, ma’am. How can I help you?”

  “Do you guys happen to do takeout?” I supported my weight against the edge of the bar countertop. “Sorry, I know you’re busy, but I think I might have gotten food poisoning from the breakfast buffet this morning. I’m not feeling too good, and there’s not much of a soup selection on the room service menu.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” the waitress apologized, her short ponytail bobbing. “Of course. What kind of soup would you like?”

  “Let me get some of the chicken noodle soup. It’s all I can stomach today. Have any other guests come forward to say that they feel sick after breakfast?”

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Must just be me then. I mean, I did devour four shrimp cocktails first thing in the morning.” I brushed away the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. “You can go ahead and put it on my tab. The room’s under Elizabeth Fletcher. I’m staying in the Ivory Jade Suite.”

  “Let me put in the order for you. Would you like a few slices of plain toast as well? It might help your upset stomach.”

  “Sure. Thank you so much.”

  When the waitress left to place my order, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror behind the glassware. My skin was waxy, and my lips looked chapped from my dehydration. I decided to head to the drink station for some water. When I arrived, a blonde woman in a short leather dress stood at the end of the long table, fixing herself a glass of juice.

  “Hi. Indira, right?”

  The Keeper gave me nothing but a sidelong glance.

  “I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Michelle Fletcher.”

  “I know who you are,” said Indira tonelessly. “What do you want?”

  “Oh. Okay. Good.” I frowned at the unexpected animosity. “I was wondering if you knew where Cas was. I haven’t seen him all day.”

  “He’s at the shop, overseeing the repairs on the ship. Are we finished here?” Without waiting for me to answer, Indira spun around and flounced off in her leather stilettos.

  “I wonder what crawled up her ass and died,” I mumbled to myself, grabbing a clean glass.

  “Ms. Fletcher, your soup is ready!”

  I finished my water on the way back to the bar, thanking the waitress as she handed me a brown bag. But as I prepared to exit the dining room, I found myself eye-to-eye with a giant emerald. I took a step back, rubbing my throat.

  “Prince Jethro.”

  “My apologies, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” The prince shortened the gap between us with another half-step forward. The aroma of his booze-riddled breath washed over me.

  “That’s fine,” I said slowly, taking another step backward. “Now that you’re in front of me, I wanted to ask you something. I saw you and Tate in the lobby earlier this morning. I didn’t know you had become such good friends.”

  “Aye, but I don’t feel like talking about Tate right now.”

  My skin prickled as the prince took another step toward me. I had to find an excuse to get out of here.

  “In that case, if you’ll excuse me, I’m feeling a little sick. I’m going to head back to my room now.”

  “What’s your hurry?” The prince took hold of my wrist, pulling me toward him and up against the counter.

  “Whoa. What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I understand you and Tate are now separated.” The dirty look in his narrow, unfocused eyes appeared menacing with all the black smudged around it. “And I believe my brother Cas has taken quite a shine to you. In fact, anyone can see he was the cause of your relationship’s demise.”

  “This is a highly inappropriate conversation, and you need to let me go right now.” I pulled my arm away from him.

  “I know what Cas sees in you.” The prince stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “On my world, brothers are taught to share.”

  I leaned back against the counter, wincing as I felt his cock push up against my thigh. When I saw movement from the corner of my eye and realized he was reaching up to touch my face, something in me snapped. My hand snapped up and grabbed his wrist just as I felt the light wind of movement against my cheek.

  My hand seemed to move with a mind of its own, twisted his fingers back with all the force it could muster, making sure to grab tightly around his multiple rings. The prince flinched, withdrawing his erection from my leg almost instantly. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it, looking around him furtively.

  “I don’t care how things happen on your planet, and I care less that you’re a fucking prince.” Smiling through my words, I tightened my grip around his rings, taking advantage of his sluggish, inebriated state. “But that’s not how men treat ladies around here. If you touch me again, I’m going to slap your ass with a sexual harassment lawsuit so fast not even your Daddy will be able to save you.” I released him and snatched up my bag of soup. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my soup is getting cold.”

  Whirling around on my heels, I stormed out of the dining room with a pair of sweaty armpits and a heartbeat gone haywire.

  Chapter Sixteen

  CAS

  My bare feet sunk into the sand, leaving imprints in the purple path behind me. As I walked toward the rocky shore, the feeling of cold dread pierced through my stomach. It was a contrast to the beautiful view around me. Waves of salt water crashed against large boulders, leaving piles of foam behind them. Above me were barren cliffs leading to rocky hills that ran along the edge of the shore. My roving gaze landed on the murky green water.

  “Where are you?” I whispered.

  I sprinted across the ground, legs pumping vigorously underneath me, and dove head-first into the ocean. The adrenaline in my body compensated for the sudden rush of frigid water. I forced my eyes open, gazing at nothing but an endless emerald fog.

  My head popped out of the surface, eyes stinging as water sputtered out of my mouth and trickled warmly down my ears. Above me, the sky was getting dark, clouds looming overhead and obstructing the little remaining sunlight.

  I plunged my head underneath the water once again. Throwing out my arms and kicking my legs, I groped in the darkness, fighting against the strength of the elastic waves. The water resistance made me feel like time was slowing down. Eventually, the numbness of fatigue swept through my limbs. When my lungs threatened to explode from lack of oxygen, I finally surfaced. Looking around me frantically, I coughed and gasped as I coaxed my weak legs all the way back to the shore.

  “Give me a sign. That’s all I need.”

  “I’m up here, Cas.”

  Billowing clouds parted above me, making room for the flaming golden ball in the sky. Covering my sore eyes from the glaring rays of the sun, I slowly turned around.

  Twanda sat on the peak of the rock formation closest to the shore. She waved at me, dark springy curls blowing back from the breeze as her legs swung blithely over the edge. She wore the same orange tunic burned into my mem
ory when I pulled her bloated body from the ocean long ago. Twanda’s smooth clothes, fluffy hair, and rosy face were completely dry.

  I wrung out my sleeves and pant legs before joining her.

  “Hi, Cas. It’s good to see you again.” Twanda smiled brightly at me, tapping the spot next to her.

  I sat down and crossed my legs.

  “Why are you so quiet?”

  “I know this is a dream. The recurring nightmare has plagued me for years. This is the first time I’ve ever found you. Tell me something. Are you real, or are you just an imagined product of my grief?”

  “Does it matter?” Twanda nudged me playfully in the ribs. “I’m here now, and I haven’t seen you in more than a decade. Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”

  “I miss you.” I compressed my lips in a straight line, looking up at her sadly. “Every day.”

  “You’ve gotten old.” Twanda’s smile faded at my silence. “What’s wrong?”

  “What do you think?” I breathed out sharply, my shoulders and face hardening. “You’re gone, and there’s nothing I can do to bring you back. You didn’t deserve to die, Twanda.”

  “I’ve made peace with my fate.” Twanda placed her hand over mine, squeezing it tightly. I swallowed the lump in my throat. The warmth of her hand felt so real that I could imagine she was really in front of me. “It’s time for you to accept it as well. You’ve been doing well over the years. I don’t think I need to tell you that I’m proud of you. But you have to keep going.”

  “I do everything I can to avoid thinking about you. Every time I close my eyes and see your face, I feel like there’s a boot trampling down on my chest, squeezing the air out of me. I’ve become adept at changing the subject away from you throughout the years.”

  I pulled away from Twanda, fixing my eyes on the dirt underneath me. “I used to have this recurring nightmare, but recently the dreams have stopped. Even the feeling in my chest when I think about you is not as bad as it used to be. The crazy thing is that when I was still having the nightmares, I would have given anything for them to stop. Now, I can’t help but feel guilty that they’re gone.”

  Twanda shook her head, leaning closer to me. “It’s a good thing. Just because you’re not dreaming about me as much anymore, or hurting all the time doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten about me.”

  “I’m sorry.” My voice broke. I sniffed, wiping off the tear in my eye with my thumb.

  “What could you possibly be sorry about?”

  “I couldn’t save you. I swear to you, I did everything I could.”

  “Cas, stop.” Twanda lifted her legs from the edge of the cliff, kneeling beside me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, stroking the back of my neck. Her amber eyes were brimming with tears. “Nothing was your fault.”

  “I told you that I would protect you no matter what, and I failed you.”

  “Nay, I will not allow you to blame yourself for that,” Twanda interrupted sternly. She held onto my shoulders, leaning away from me to look into my eyes. “It was a foolish accident and something that I could have avoided. If anything, it was more my fault than anyone else’s. I ignored the storm warning signals and paid the price for it. I’m grateful you didn’t get sucked into the waves, too.”

  “But Twanda...”

  “Don’t argue with me.” Twanda gently took hold of my chin. “I have things to say to you, too. I figured if you weren’t going to listen to Splynter, you might listen to me.”

  “Here it comes.” I dropped my hands to my lap.

  “Treasure what you have with Michelle. Stop being stubborn and listen to your heart for once. You might see her many times in the future, or you may never see her again. Are you willing to risk losing her forever?”

  “It’s not that simple. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else, not since I lost you. I can’t imagine something happening to her. I’m not going to put myself through that pain again.”

  Twanda folded her arms and pursed her lips. “I didn’t realize you would become a woman when I left you.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The Cas I remember was fearless. He rode down Zyrie Hill blindfolded to get my attention.”

  “Aye, and I nearly killed myself in the process.”

  “You never used to let anything hold you back. No one knows what’s going to happen. Imagine someone else saying your words. What would you say to them?”

  “All right. You might have a point.”

  “Good. All this self-pity is not a good look for you.” Twanda smiled, punching me lightly on the arm. “Listen to me, Cas. I may not have lived for many years, but I lived a full life, thanks to you. An empty life is one that is wasted. That’s the last thing I want for you.”

  “I hear your words, Twanda. Thank you. I needed that.” I leaned forward, rubbing my hands. “Is Michelle my flaura?”

  “That’s a question to which I don’t know the answer. You need to find out for yourself.” Twanda pushed herself off the ground, dusting the dirt off her tunic. “It’s time to say goodbye.”

  “Already?” I sprung to my feet, holding onto her hands. “Wait, Twanda, please don’t go. Not yet.”

  “I’m sorry, Cas. I don’t have any control over it.” Twanda stood on her toes and kissed my face softly. “I know it may look and feel like I’m gone, but if you listen and pay attention, you’ll realize that I’m much closer than you think.”

  “What does that mean?”

  My eyes popped open. For the first time in weeks, I woke up feeling well-rested instead of tense. I sat up on the bed, my head slowly turning as I heard a soft knocking on my door. I rolled out of the bed and pulled on a pair of jeans hanging over the armchair.

  “Hang on. I’m coming.” I zipped up my pants and answered the door. Michelle stood on the other side of the doorway, her hand still raised in mid-knock.

  “Hi.” As she lowered her arm with an embarrassed look on her face, I caught her glance at my chest and stomach. “Did I come at the wrong time?”

  “Nay. I was just sleeping.”

  “Oh, okay, good. Er...did I wake you up?” She glanced down at her watch, her forehead wrinkling. “It’s six in the evening, you know.”

  “Aye. There is nothing on the agenda today, so I thought I would lie down for a quick nap.” I held my palm against the doorway, leaning toward her. “Now, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “I was wondering if you’ve had dinner yet. My stomach feels better today, and I think I’m ready to eat solid food again.”

  “Ah, so you’ve come to ask me out on a date.” I tilted my head slightly, grinning at her.

  “I didn’t say that, but you can call it what you want.” Michelle sucked in her cheeks to keep herself from smiling.

  “I’ll come if you admit you came over because you missed me.”

  “Keep dreaming. I haven’t seen you in the dining hall for a while. I’m a concerned guest of the Beaumont, checking in with another guest to make sure they’re getting enough to eat. It’s a little thing called common decency on Earth.” Michelle scoffed, but her smile had finally broken through.

  “In that case, Nala and Botu haven’t had much to eat all day. Shall I invite them to join us?”

  “Well, I was hoping it would be just you and me. There’s something I need to tell you. Alone.”

  “Because...?”

  “Fine, be juvenile,” said Michelle crossly, shaking her head. “Ever since I’ve met you, I have thought about you an alarming number of times, particularly during slow hours at work. Do I find it difficult to control myself around you? Yes, but I feel the same way about chocolate. Is it fair to say that I’ve never felt more comfortable being myself when I’m with you, an alien I’ve known for less than a month, than humans I’ve been around for years? Sure, why not. But missing you? I don’t think so.”

  She blinked, her nostrils widening as if she realized she had said too much.

  “As I was saying, if you want to c
ontinue being a child, fine, but I’m going back to my room for a quick change of clothes. I’ll swing by when I’m finished. If you’re not ready, I’ll be going without you.”

  I pulled Michelle into my room, closed the door, and slammed her up against the wall. She relaxed in my arms as I kissed her hungrily. As my tongue wound past the supple lips of her small mouth, she threw her arms around me and attacked my tongue with twice my intensity.

  “I missed you too,” I whispered. As I kissed down Michelle’s neck, I breathed in the familiar scent of her perfume and sweat.

  Michelle groaned in reply. With a raw, fierce look shining in her narrow eyes, she ripped open the black blouse within her blazer. Buttons flew everywhere, landing on the carpet around us from her impatience. She reached behind her back with one hand, tugging on the waistband of my jeans as she unfastened her bra.

  Running my teeth across her ear, I slipped my fingers under her loosened bra. Her breast was the perfect size for my palm. I straightened my hand, rubbing her nipple awake. Michelle whimpered, her forehead and mouth expressing an increased agitation. I continued to tease her, a grin forming on my face as I felt the quivering bud growing firm from my touch.

  Michelle’s whimpering turned into a little growl. She unbuttoned my jeans and reached inside, grabbing my cock forcefully. I stared back at her, heavily breathing as I throbbed in her grasp. As she explored my length with one hand, she went deeper with her other, caressing my balls with her fingers.

  “I’ve wanted to do that all day.” Michelle leaned forward, flicking her tongue against the tip of mine. I hadn’t realized it was sticking out from the side of my mouth.

  As we ground against the wall, Michelle’s bun unraveled and fell past her shoulders. I rolled up her tight skirt and pushed aside her soggy panties. She jerked at my cock faster; I could sense a yearning for me touch her.

  I slid two fingers straight up her pussy.

  Michelle released my sack and seized my wrist instead, her breasts swelling with her heaving chest. I lowered my head and caught one of her elusive nipples with my mouth. As I sucked and lapped at her puffy nipple, my fingers probed deeper between her slick walls.