by Amber Stuart
He was going to be the man she’d spend the rest of her life with. According to Vlosh, he would give her a mating bite that extended that lifetime. She wanted to get along with him. She wanted to support him as if he really was her husband. Otherwise, the next hundred years were going to be a real bitch.
Chapter Twelve
After they were done eating, the girls helped Indigo carry all of her things back to her transport vessel. They loaded everything and said their goodbyes, promising to visit again soon.
“I’m going to have my mate talk to yours about your living situation,” Lexi said.
“Please don’t. Vlosh is already under so much pressure.”
“You’re way too nice, Indigo,” Tabby said.
“I’m not that nice. I just want to be a good wife for Vlosh. I understand how much responsibility he has. I don’t want to be a greater burden than I already am. The distraction of his mating impulse is already beginning to wear at his sanity. I need to be there for him.”
“You are there for him,” Lexi said. “Now he needs to be there for you, too.”
“If your mate does say something to mine, please ask him to be gentle about it. The Mulgor are still out there, orbiting Venus. Vlosh is doing everything he can to push them out of the solar system and away from our planet. I don’t think it’s time for me to be thinking about myself.”
“Listen to this girl,” Loretta said. “She just lost her family, she got mated to a strange alien, and she hadn’t eaten for two days. But she doesn’t think she should be thinking about herself. I understand your integrity, Indigo. But if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of Vlosh either.”
Indigo sat down in her chair and heaved a heavy sigh. Loretta was right. If she let herself get worn out, then she wouldn’t be much of a support for Vlosh. The girls might have been joking about being able to “accommodate” Vlosh, but she knew there was truth in their words. If she wasn’t comfortable in her life, how could she ever let him claim her the way that he needed to? Claiming her was the only way to ultimately quiet his dragon and restore his sanity.
“You’re right. I do need to take care of myself. For everyone’s sake.”
“Good girl,” Lexi said.
They helped her get strapped into her seat and everyone said goodbye. Lexi even waved little Violet’s hand in a farewell. Indigo couldn’t help smiling at how absolutely adorable the baby was. She had a warm feeling in her heart and her belly at the idea of having a baby of her own.
After losing everyone she loved, the prospect of a man, a child and such sweet friends gave her hope for the future. She had a lot to be grateful for.
A technician helped set the autopilot, then walked out as the exit door shut. A few moments later, Indigo felt the transport vessel lift from the ground of the docking bay and begin to propel forward and into space. She could see the moon glow below her as she passed between the mating armada and the military fleet.
The site of the moon circling above the Earth was so beautiful and awe-inspiring, she almost missed the sight of another small craft speeding by in the corner of her window.
She tried to get a better view, but the ship was already out of sight. It was probably just another transport vessel going between the fleets. She decided it wasn’t anything to worry about.
But she was wrong.
She heard a large crash, and her vessel jolted, jostling her around in her seat. She was thrust forward against the harness across her chest and lap. The force was so strong, it almost gave her whiplash.
Red flashing lights and a wailing alarm burst on inside the cabin. Another hard crash hit her vessel from behind. It pushed her forward in space, then suddenly she was tumbling in a freefall towards the surface of the moon.
Indigo screamed. She didn’t want to die. She might have been willing to give it all up a few days ago, but now she saw a light at the end of the tunnel of despair. She wanted the life that Vlosh had to offer.
She saw the other vessel shoot in front of her window and lasers pepper the outer hull of her craft. She couldn’t stop screaming, and the sound of her voice mixed with the sounds of the sirens wailing within the cabin.
Her ship hurtled toward the surface of the moon, and she could see the silver outline coming closer and closer with each passing second.
As she fell downward impossibly fast, it felt as if her craft was caught and suspended. The fall slowed, and her ship gently landed on the surface of the moon.
The sirens and flashing red emergency lights filled the cabin. Indigo’s mind raged with fear. Her breath heaved so quickly she nearly hyperventilated.
Calm down. Just calm down.
She tried to convince herself that everything was going to be okay. If she panicked, her chances of survival were slim. She knew that was the case in any emergency situation, especially a crash landing on the moon.
She looked out her front window and noticed a crack in the glass. Trying to gather her wits, she looked around the cabin of the vessel. What the hell was she supposed to do?
She unfastened her harness and slipped from her chair, moving to the control panel of the small craft. She flicked on the holographic control screen and tried to figure out how to turn off the blaring sirens.
There were some fairly obvious buttons that were labeled in Draconian that blinked with the flickering red lights.
She pressed the button reluctantly, hoping it would turn off the deafening sound.
To her relief, the sirens quieted and the flashing red lights went off. Indigo let out a deep sigh and tried to get some bearing on what was happening.
She flicked through the hologram, trying to see if there was anything else that she could make sense of. Could she send a distress call?
“Where am I?” she said aloud.
“On the dark side of the moon,” a computerized voice said in English.
She jumped from shock. She was not expecting the ship to speak back to her.
“Can I send a distress signal to general Vlosh?” she asked the computer.
“All communication systems are down.”
“How long can I safely stay here?”
“Life support will run out in forty-five minutes,” the computer said.
“Forty-five minutes? What am I supposed to do? Does anyone know I’m here?”
“Life support will run out in forty-five minutes. You cannot stay aboard this vessel and remain alive. There is a Draconian space station two miles to the west. All communication systems are down.”
“How can I get to the space station?”
“Human size spacesuits are available at the rear of the cabin.”
Indigo turned around and strode towards the rear of the cabin, but she couldn’t see anywhere that spacesuits might be stored.
“Where are they?” she asked.
With that, a door popped open to reveal a line of spacesuits within. She grabbed one that looked like it was a smaller size and inspected the garment. It was shiny silver with a domed helmet.
“How do I put this on?”
“Part the front panel and step into the suit one leg at a time. Bring the back up over the arms and slide arms into armholes…”
“Wait, wait, wait.”
She set the spacesuit across her chair and opened the front panel. The headpiece slipped back and a hole large enough for her to step into was revealed. She looked at the suit and then looked down at her cute new outfit. It was unlikely that her dress and heels would be appropriate under the spacesuit.
Then she remembered that she still had the Draconian uniform on under her dress. She had only retracted it when she tried on all of her clothes.
She stepped out of her pumps and pulled off her dress. After she took off her panties and bra, she flicked the spot at the base of her neck that made her Draconian uniform cover her body. At least she would have something on under the spacesuit.
Indigo stepped in
to the spacesuit one leg at a time and then pulled it up over her shoulders, pushing her arms through the armholes.
“Continue instructions,” she said.
“Close the front flap over your chest. Make sure to fasten tightly. Bring helmet over your head and fasten into the neck of the spacesuit.”
Indigo follow the directions, but she still wasn’t sure that she had it on the right way. She certainly wasn’t going to step out onto the moon without knowing she would be able to breathe.
“How do I know I have this on right?” she said, more to herself than to the computer.
“Running diagnostic on spacesuit… The spacesuit is fastened appropriately. One hundred percent life support. You have enough oxygen for five hours. Approximate time to space station calculated for your weight and physical condition is approximately one hour.”
“Well, that’s good news,” she said. “How do I get out of here?”
“Hatch will open at your request. It is advised that you take newly retrofitted weapons as there are enemy combatants flying above.”
“Enemy combatants?”
“This ship was shot by the Mulgor lasers.”
“Yeah, I got that,” she said. She looked inside the spacesuit compartment and found something that looked similar to a human handgun.
“How do I use this?”
“Aim and pull the trigger.”
“That’s it, huh?”
“Further instruction will commence now.”
The computer started rambling on about the intricacies of the laser pistol, but the instructions of aim and pull the trigger seemed to be pretty much all she needed to know. The pistol performed essentially like a human handgun, and Indigo already knew how to use one of those.
“I’m ready as I’ll ever be, computer. Which direction is west?”
“Setting GPS for space station. Spacesuit internal guidance system commencing. Opening hatch.”
“Thanks, computer,” she said under her breath.
“You’re welcome,” the computer said.
Whoever had programed the system really had done it for human women, and for that, she was doubly grateful. The hatch slowly slid open and the surface of the moon was revealed beyond.
She stepped down the ramp and took in the startling site of the curvature of the moon against the blackness of space. She had to keep telling herself to stay calm.
This was not a place for a girl like her. She should have been back in college, studying for finals and hanging out with her friends at coffee shops. Instead, she was carrying a laser pistol in a spacesuit and walking across the surface of the moon.
Her life got crazier and crazier every single day. But she supposed she had to take the bad with the good. The thought of Vlosh, the baby they would share, and the support of her new friends had to keep her going. Otherwise, she might break down in a panic attack. If she did that, she probably wouldn’t make it.
Indigo slowly moved across the surface of the moon, following the GPS that blinked on the screen inside her headpiece. The gravity on the moon was less than on Earth. Adjusting her gait to accommodate the bouncing took a lot of getting used to.
If she could master the balance, she could probably make it to the space station in less time than it would take to walk on Earth. But she kept bouncing in the wrong direction and had to backtrack.
She focused on her muscles and the angle of her body. With how she had been bouncing around, she was getting an idea of how she could control the gravity and make it work for her.
She experimented jumping forward at a different angle and velocity and it worked beautifully. She landed gently on her feet and continued walking across the surface of the moon.
With each bounce, she flew further, until she could see the space station on the horizon.
Determination grew in her gut and she bounded onward, feeling more confident with each step. After another fifteen minutes of jump flying, she was close enough to make out the structure more clearly.
It was like a series of domes and tunnels made of beige colored material. Soon she would be safe inside.
Her legs felt tired and her lungs sore from labored breathing inside the spacesuit. Just a few more jumps, and she stood outside the building. How was she supposed to get in?
So close and yet so far away.
“Where is the entrance?” she said aloud.
The map of the station came up on the screen inside her helmet, showing her exactly where the entrance was located. The blinking white light indicated that it was on the other side from where she was now.
Already exhausted, she took a deep breath and let it out. It was a good thing that she was in shape and had just eaten a good meal.
Using the same bounding motion she had before, she made her way around the space station to the other side. Sweat trickled down her cheek and she felt hot inside the confining suit.
Finally, she made it to where the map had led her and found what appeared to be some kind of entrance. She approached the door, looking for a way inside.
Why had no one come out to greet her? She looked around, biting her lip. This was her one chance at survival; the transport vessel had been totaled.
She walked back several paces, inspecting the building.
Her heart dropped.
A massive hole had been blasted into the side of the building. The station had been bombed or there had been an explosion.
Indigo squeezed her eyes closed and fell to her knees. After all this, she was still stranded. The computer hadn’t told her the station was inoperable. With hope quickly seeping away, she began to weep.
“Vlosh, where are you?” she stuttered through her tears.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a line of text flick across her screen.
Contacting General Vlosh Torr… Transmission connected.
What? Could it be? Could she really contact him?
His face popped up on her screen, and he looked as surprised as she was relieved.
“Indigo, where are you?” he demanded.
“I’ve been stranded on the moon. My return vessel was hit by Mulgor lasers. I had to leave the ship and try to get into the station but it’s been bombed, too. I don’t even know how I’m contacting you right now. The computer said all communication systems were down.”
“Are you still wearing your Draconian uniform?”
“Yes,” she sniffled.
“The uniform can interface with the spacesuit. There was a minor attack on the armada. You were caught in the crossfire. Stay where you are. I’m coming to get you.”
“Please hurry. I’m running out of oxygen.”
“I will be there promptly.”
Vlosh’s figure flicked off the screen, and Indigo breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up into the dark sky and spread her arms. Once again, Vlosh was there for her, ready to save her from disaster.
All she could do was wait now. She stood and walked to the station to sit against the wall for support.
The moments ticked by as she waited. She looked out into the distance and saw a ship coming her way. It had to be Vlosh.
It quickly sped up on her and fired lasers that barely missed her legs. No. Not going to happen. She jumped to her feet and drew her own laser gun.
These asshole Mulgor picked the wrong girl. She might be down, she might be traumatized, and she might be totally out of her element, but she was sick of being pushed around by these freaks.
The vessel flew over and doubled back. She waited, taking aim at the weapons. She wasn’t going to sit there and allow herself to be blown to smithereens by some lizard-man asshole.
As it flew overhead, she shot. Lasers blasted toward her, and without thinking about why, she shot at the laser itself.
The blast she hit pummeled backwards and exploded into the speeding craft. With a scream of grinding engines and electrical components, the ship crashed behind her and slid across the ground.
Indigo stood panting inside the spacesuit. Seconds later, a hatch opened and a giant form emerged. Indigo gasped. It was a Mulgor pilot.
She tried to run, but the gravity on the moon only made her bounce away. She glanced behind her to see the pilot aim its weapon at her.
She screamed and slammed herself down to the ground. A laser shot over her back. Indigo scrambled to her feet just as another ship screamed overhead.
She turned around to find the Mulgor staring at the second ship.
Please be Vlosh.
Chapter Thirteen
Vlosh sped his ship through the distance between the command ship and the moon. A cacophony of emotions blasted his mind as his dragon screamed and his heart raged in his chest.
His bride was in danger, and he had allowed it to happen. If anything happened to her he would hate himself until his dragon eventually drove him insane. As he saw the shape of the space station come into view, he noticed a crashed Mulgor ship and the figure of a Mulgor soldier stalking towards another tiny form.
The figure was his beloved mate! A well of rage and hatred burst in his brain like an explosion. Vlosh landed his jet beside the Mulgor ship, skidding across the ground. He thrust himself out of the craft and onto the surface of the moon. He flicked his uniform, retracting his suit, and jumped into his dragon form. His dragon could withstand the pressure of space and could survive without oxygen for several moments. Long enough to dispose of the threat.
His mind was so hot with anger that he did not notice his bride shoot a laser at the Mulgor soldier. It shot him in the chest just as Vlosh in dragon form bit the Mulgor’s head right off. He crunched on its skull and swallowed it whole. The body slumped to the ground slowly in the moon’s low gravity.
Vlosh turned his onyx dragon eyes towards the human female. The dragon could no longer wait to claim its mate. Her face was a mask of terror, and she stepped backwards. Did she not recognize her mate?
The mind of the man inside the dragon fought for dominance and pushed the beast away, forcing it to transform into a man. With a scream, he contracted and shrunk, moving from four legs to two. He quickly replaced his uniform and the helmet that would protect him from the pressure of space. His beloved looked at him through the glass shield of her own helmet. Confusion mixed with relief in her features.
