Victoria and the Alien Doctor (Intergalactic Brides 2)

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “I want the same thing, but you’ve seemed so reserved. I was worried I would push too hard and ask for too much from you. Trust is important to me, and I wanted you to trust me.”

  She placed her hand on his arm. “I do trust you, Xonos. I have from the very first, I think.”

  “Let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll go back to bed. It won’t be long before the sun rises, and our daughter seems to wake up early.”

  She smiled wistfully. “You really think of her as your daughter?”

  Xonos wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. “I think of both of you as mine. We may not have known one another very long, but I’ve come to appreciate the strength and courage in both of you. Even when Evie has to be in a great deal of pain, she suffers in silence so she won’t upset anyone. She has the spirit of a warrior, and I’m very proud to call her my daughter. We will cure her, Victoria. I won’t settle for anything less than a full recovery. Syl has the best scientist in all of the galaxies coming to help.”

  “What will life be like for us on your world? Evie will be the only human child. I don’t want the others to look down on her.”

  “A Terran would never make her feel like less because she’s fully human. Just because they didn’t want to become her father doesn’t mean they don’t care what happens to her. But you may not have to worry about it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m going to ask the council if I can remain here and staff the clinic full time on a permanent basis. After seeing the things Syl has been able to give his mate, I want to do the same for you. On Terran, I’m not wealthy like I am here. Warriors are paid more than doctors and scientists, even though we’re the ones keeping them alive so they can fight.”

  “Xonos, I don’t need fancy things or lots of money. I can’t miss what I’ve never had.”

  “But I want to give those things to you. You’ve lived such a hard life, Victoria. Let me spoil Evie and you for as long as I can. If I remain here, the council may cut my earnings.”

  “You said you cashed out several hundred thousand. If we don’t go on wild spending sprees all the time, that money can last for years, Xonos.”

  “I want to buy you a house like Syl bought for his mate.”

  Victoria shook her head. “I don’t need anything that big. I’d hate to clean it.”

  “We’ll discuss it later.” He swung her up into his arms. “For now, we’re going to get you cleaned up and tucked back into bed.”

  Victoria sighed in contentment. She loved that he wanted to give her things, but it wasn’t necessary. A small home in a nice neighborhood would be more than sufficient. She thought about the life that could very well have been created just moments ago and amended that to a medium sized house.

  Regardless of the money, the one thing she’d learned tonight is that she wanted Xonos in her life always. She’d felt close to him before, but now she couldn’t imagine going back to her lonely existence. He was kind, caring, and made her tingle in all the right places. She’d be a fool not to fall in love with him, and if she wasn’t mistaken, she was already halfway there.

  Chapter Eight

  Xonos came awake suddenly, feeling as if he were being watched. Bolting upright in bed, he came nose to nose with Evie, who smiled and clambered onto the bed. He was rather thankful at the moment that he’d thought to put on more of those pajama pants Victoria had purchased for him, and insisted on his mate putting on the sexy nightgown he’d picked up the other day.

  His daughter sat in his lap and leaned back against him. “I thought you’d never get up. I’ve been up forever and ever.”

  Xonos looked out the window at the pink streaks of the rising sun. “Did you get up when it was still dark?”

  Evie nodded.

  “Why couldn’t you sleep? Are you hurting?”

  “No, but…”

  “Is there something you want to do today?”

  “I’ve never been to an amusement park before. There was a commercial for Kentucky Kingdom and the roller coasters look like so much fun.”

  “Hmm. Well, you know, I’ve heard those roller coasters can jerk you around a lot. I think the amusement park would be better after you’re well. What do you say we find something a little safer to do today?”

  “No roller coasters?” she asked, her lip sticking out in an adorable pout.

  “Not right now. What about a museum?”

  “A horse-back ride?”

  “Too dangerous right now. It’s right up there with roller coasters. I don’t want you to break something if you fall off. Your bones are still very brittle, but I promise we’ll do lots of fun things. What about going swimming?”

  She tilted her head and seemed to think about it. “I don’t have a swimsuit. I’ve never been swimming before. Mommy said the pool where we lived was too dangerous, that bad people hung out there.”

  “Your mommy is very smart. But the pool here is very safe. Although if you don’t know how to swim, it might be more dangerous than I think.”

  Evie looked up at him. “What if I had some of those arm floaty things? They’d keep me up in the water so I wouldn’t drown.”

  “Hmm. I suppose that would work. What do you say we let your mommy sleep a little longer, and you and I can go out and find you a swimsuit and floaties?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Just you and me?”

  He nodded.

  Evie squealed and scrambled off the bed, running back to her room. Xonos chuckled, checked on Victoria, and then quickly changed clothes. He tapped his fingers against his black leather pants and pondered what Victoria had said not too long ago. He’d seen the denim pants she’d claimed to want to purchase for him. They looked more comfortable than these were. Maybe he’d surprise her and buy a few human clothes while he was out. Guessing his size shouldn’t be too hard. He knew his measurements so that should help.

  Closing the bedroom door quietly, he left a note for Victoria on the sofa in case she woke and wondered where they were, then made sure he had his phone with him in case she called. Evie bounced out of her bedroom with a crooked ponytail and her purple unicorn shorts outfit on. It had been her favorite of the things he’d purchased for her that first day.

  She clasped his hand and they softly walked to the door, closed it quietly, and then rode the elevator down to the lobby. He hadn’t thought to call Ned, but Xonos figured there had to be someone who could give them a ride to the store. But as he exited the elevators, he was surprised to see not only Ned sitting on the couches nearby, but several other drivers.

  “Is something going on I should know about?” he asked as he approached Ned.

  “There are several dignitaries staying at the hotel right now. We just dropped off a new batch and were told to make sure drivers were available in case we’re needed. But if you need to go somewhere, I can call the station and have them send another driver to take my place here.”

  “Evie wants a swimsuit and some of those float things for the pool. And I’ve decided it’s time for me to change my wardrobe a bit. Do you know of any stores open this early?”

  “There are two stores nearby that are open twenty-four hours. I can take you to one of them. The clothes won’t be the quality you’re used to though. You might want to wait on human clothes until you can go to the mall.”

  “I want to surprise Victoria so I’ll grab at least one outfit while I’m there.”

  Ned looked at the boots on Xonos’ feet. “Might want some sneakers too.”

  Xonos eyebrows rose.

  Ned pointed to a young man across the lobby wearing clothes like Xonos wanted to purchase. “That guy is wearing sneakers.”

  “Ah. Yes, of course. I’ll make sure I get some.”

  “And socks,” Ned added. “You don’t want to wear sneakers without socks.”

  Xonos nodded. “I’m sure I’ll need some… what do you call it? Underwear?”

  “If you’re wearing jeans, I’d recommend it. The zipper can b
e painful if you get anything important caught in it.”

  Xonos laughed. “Yes, we definitely don’t want that. All right, Ned. We’re all yours. Take us to whichever store you think would be best.”

  Evie held tightly onto his hand as they approached the limo, then she cuddled up next to him when they had climbed inside. It didn’t take long to reach the store and Xonos was impressed with the wide variety of inventory. They seemed to carry a little bit of everything, and while Ned claimed the quality of the clothes wasn’t as good as some of the shops in the mall, he didn’t see anything wrong with them.

  He allowed Evie to pick out her bathing suit, grateful that he remembered her size. Then they shopped for the arm floaties, and she convinced him to get a blow up whale for the pool as well. She waited patiently as he browsed through the men’s clothing and shoes, and on their way up front, she tugged him over to an aisle filled with small bottles and boxes.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “Perfume and cologne. Mommy’s never owned any perfume, but she’s commented before on how nice a guy smelled. You should get some smell good stuff.”

  “I’ll tell you what; you pick out something for me and I’ll pick out some for your mommy so we can surprise her.”

  After they’d made their selections, they checked out up front and got back in the limo. Xonos checked his phone to make sure he hadn’t missed any calls and wondered if Victoria was still asleep. He’d kept her up rather late and hoped he hadn’t worn her out too much.

  At the hotel, Xonos carried their bags in one hand and held Evie’s with the other. The hotel room was still dark and quiet when they entered, and Xonos noted the bedroom door was still closed. He sent Evie to her room to change while he did the same, donning the swim trunks he’d picked up with the two outfits he’d purchased. His mate lay curled on her side, her mouth slightly open, and gave the softest snore he’d ever heard. With a smile, he left her to her sleep and rejoined Evie in the living room.

  “We’re going to leave mommy a note and then I’ll take you down to the pool,” Xonos said.

  “Mommy doesn’t have a bathing suit either.”

  “Then I’ll leave her instructions to go purchase one and join us downstairs. How does that sound?”

  Evie nodded, grabbed her floaty things and then waited while he left a note for Victoria. When he was finished, he took the things from Evie and led her downstairs. He hadn’t been to the pool before, but he remembered where it was. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to see Thrace lying beside the pool, not as much as the warrior had talked about it, but for some reason, Xonos had thought he would only see humans enjoying the water, especially so early in the morning.

  Xonos did his best to ignore the warrior’s curious looks and blew up Evie’s things, helped her into the arm floats, and then got in the pool with her. The water was cool as it swirled around him.

  “You’re supposed to get your hair wet,” Evie said.

  Xonos smiled then dunked himself under the water. “Better?”

  She nodded. “I can’t get wet with these things on my arms though.”

  “That is a problem, isn’t it? What if we took them off, and I could hold you while you tip your head back and get wet?”

  Her eyes lit up. “Can I jump to you from the side of the pool?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  Xonos helped her remove the floaties and then carried her over to the steps. She clambered up them, trotted around to the side of the pool, and gave him her biggest smile before launching herself into the air. Xonos caught her and dipped her down into the water, making her squeal.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and begged him to go deeper in the pool. He carried her until the water reached her shoulders and then decided that was far enough. His mate would kill him if he accidentally drowned their daughter.

  “You should teach her to swim,” Thrace said, joining them. “Then she won’t need those things on her arms.”

  Xonos looked down at Evie. “Would you like to learn to swim?”

  Her eyes went wide as she stared at something over his shoulder. “Don’t look now, but I think we’re in trouble, Daddy,” she whispered.

  Xonos whipped around, expecting danger, and instead finding his mate furiously tapping her foot, arms crossed over her chest. The dark look on her face didn’t bode well, neither did the fact she wasn’t dressed in a swimsuit.

  “You.” She growled. “You took my daughter swimming for the first time without me?”

  “I thought you might want to sleep in.”

  Thrace snickered next to him, enjoying this far too much. Xonos waded closer to Victoria, Evie clutched in his arms.

  “And where did she get a bathing suit?” Victoria asked. “Or you for that matter?”

  “We went shopping this morning. I’d have purchased one for you, but I didn’t know what you would like or what size to get. I thought you might enjoy purchasing your own. I’m sure Ned would be happy to take you shopping and then you can come back and join us.”

  “Don’t be mad at Daddy,” Evie said. “He was just trying to make me happy.”

  Victoria’s expression softened as she looked at Evie. “Are you having fun?”

  Evie nodded.

  “Go purchase a swimsuit and join us,” Xonos said. “We’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Maybe tomorrow, while I’m in a meeting, the two of you can come down here together. Have some Mommy/daughter time.”

  Thrace cleared his throat. “I would be honored to watch over your family tomorrow.”

  “See, you’ll even have a bodyguard while I’m gone.”

  He could see her relenting and finally she dropped her arms and sighed.

  “All right. I’ll go shopping and hurry back. You promise you won’t leave the pool area?”

  “We swear it, don’t we, Evie?”

  Evie nodded again.

  Victoria shook her head, turned, and walked off. Xonos winked at Evie. “I think we dodged a bullet that time. Maybe in future, we should wait until mommy is awake to venture off.”

  “Can we go in the deep end again?”

  Xonos chuckled and carried her back into the deeper water. She splashed and giggled, using her hands to spray water at Thrace, who gave her a mock glower, growled, and tickled her.

  It made Xonos realize that Thrace would make a good father. He was lucky the warrior hadn’t wanted to claim Victoria. If Thrace had said yes that morning, then he wouldn’t have the blessings of a mate and child in his life. And would most likely still be living in the clinic, or damn close to it. He’d taken more time off this past week than he had in his entire life, and he knew the Terrans were getting upset with him for closing the clinic so much. As much as he hated to trust another assistant, he really did need one. He’d bring it up during his meeting tomorrow.

  Chapter Nine

  It had been nearly three weeks since Kronk had arrived on Earth to assist Syl with the cure for Evie, three long weeks. When Syl had called with the news, Xonos had rushed them to the lab to meet with the two scientists. Evie had been so excited; she’d barely been able to sit still while they administered the serum. And now, two days later, the little girl had shown so much improvement, if it weren’t for her hair, it would be hard to tell she’d ever been sick.

  Evie lay on Xonos examination table as he scanned her from head to toe. Victoria held Evie’s hand, waiting for the news. The blood test Xonos had performed that morning proved that the serum had worked, but they weren’t sure it would reset Evie’s body completely. Xonos frowned as he scanned her arms and the affected leg. When he set his instrument aside, Victoria stared at him expectantly.

  “Her bones haven’t healed as much as I would like, but there is slight improvement. It’s possible they will continue to improve over time, but I’d like her to start a special diet high in vitamins and nutrients that promote bone health.” Xonos smiled. “Otherwise, we have a very healthy daughter.”

  Evie squeal
ed and jumped off the table into Xonos’ arms. As close as the two had become, it was hard for people to fathom that Evie wasn’t Xonos’ biological daughter. They’d been asked several times if she was his and just took after her mother in her looks. The questions always seemed to please Xonos, who never failed to respond with “she’s my daughter in every way that counts.”

  “Does this mean I can go to the park now, Daddy?” Evie asked.

  “Not quite yet. I don’t want you tumbling with other children until we’ve strengthened your bones a bit more, but I don’t think it will be much longer. Be patient for a few more weeks and then I think it will be safe for you to play with the other children.” Xonos smoothed a hand down her hair, pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and then set her down.

  “Will my hair get thicker?” Evie asked. “I want to have enough for pigtails.”

  Victoria ran her fingers through Evie’s fine, thin hair. “I’m sure it will. And maybe Xonos knows of some vitamins that will help it grow faster.”

  Xonos nodded. “I’ll do some research and see if there’s something safe for her to take that might speed up the process.”

  Evie held her arms up to him and he picked her up again. As they left the clinic, Xonos locked up and placed his hand at Victoria’s back, ushering her toward the limo waiting at the curb.

  Thrace came up to them and paused, looking uncertain. Victoria had seen him several times at the pool when she’d taken Evie down to swim, and the big warrior always made time for her little girl. Xonos seemed to trust him, and that was good enough for Victoria.

  “I heard Evie has been cured,” Thrace said.

  “She’s on the road to recovery, but there are still things she’s unable to do,” Xonos said.

  “I thought…” Thrace folded his arms over his chest. “I thought maybe I could take Evie for some ice cream and a movie. Give Victoria and you some time alone.”

  Xonos looked at Victoria and she shrugged. He knew the warrior better than she did, but she’d sensed no malice in Thrace. The warrior had always been kind and gentle when dealing with Evie. Truthfully, from what Victoria had seen and heard about the Terrans, she would trust her daughter with any of them. They seemed like a trustworthy lot, and seemed to have a soft spot for women and children.