Alien Romance: RAYER: Space Warrior's Mail Order Bride (Space Beasts Book 2)

by Alyssa Ezra

  Rayer raked his fingers through his long hair and sighed into the quiet room.

  “I suppose they were only going to allow us to duck everyone for a couple of days.” Rayer turned at the sound of Coletta’s voice.

  “It appears that way. Unfortunately, these meetings tend to go all day – you will have to entertain yourself, I am afraid.”

  “I am sure I can find something to do. Maybe I will be able to find all of my things that Sigert’ech removed from my apartment.”

  “Hah, well that is a good productive goal. And before you ask, no, I have no idea where your things were put. Are you going to bring them here? To the tower?”

  “That was my plan…is that alright?”

  “Of course. If you need to reorganize things, feel free to do so, just be sure to tell me later where you moved what.”

  “Absolutely,” Coletta returned with a smile.

  “Good. Take your time getting up. No sense in rushing.” Before he realized he was, Rayer turned fully so that he could lean over the pretty dark-golden woman and kiss her softly. Before the kiss could get heated, Rayer heard a low gong signaling the imminent start of the meeting. Sighing, he stood and proceeded to dress. Coletta lounged among the twisted bedclothes, the wild tumble of her hair fluffed around her face and shoulders, as she watched him dress.

  At the door, Rayer looked back and let his gaze linger over her lush curves as she settled back down to sleep a bit more of the morning away.

  *

  Cole finally dragged herself out of bed. Rayer had been gone a few hours before she finally decided to get up and face the day. A flash of red that she hadn’t noticed in recent days caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She wandered over to a bench set into a bubble of windows that domed out into the air from the side of the high tower room. Spread across the bench was a kaftan of swirling reds from flame, orange-tinted red to a hue as pure crimson as blood. Beside it lay a pair of red slippers that looked as if they should fit her feet.

  Nude, Cole tested the slippers before ever touching the iridescent red robe. She was delighted to find that they fit. Cole lifted the robe, and wearing only the slippers, she wandered from the bedroom down the flight of stairs into the room directly underneath. The bathing chamber was an open space of stone with fountaining fixtures to splash or pour water. Laying the red garment on a safely distanced bench, and leaving the shoes with it, Cole made her way over to the sunken pool. She found it empty, but apparently her presence was detected by some sensor as the pool began to rapidly fill with scented water.

  Well that was probably one of the most luxurious things I have ever done. Dressed in the soft, flowing red kaftan and matching slippers, Cole decided that she had had enough with indolence – it was hard to break the habit or working every day and as far as her subconscious was concerned she needed to go back to work. Cole’s feet tapped on stone as she made her way down the stairs down from the tower.

  Her appearance startled one of the older women that worked in the compound. Seeking to soften the woman’s surprise, Cole figured that she should be sociable.

  “Hello,” Cole offered with her waitressing smile.

  “Oh! Good day Princess Coletta.” Cole managed to still the wince she instinctually felt at being called ‘Coletta.’ Deciding that it was probably best to just ask her questions instead of correcting the woman on a preferred nickname, Cole continued.

  “Yes. Umm, I was wondering, do you know where my personal effects brought from Earth have been stored? Or who I should ask that might know.”

  “Hanneth would most likely know, but he is in session with the Royal Houses.”

  “Anyone else?”

  “Perhaps Lahla, Hanneth’s…person.”

  “Alright, where would I find her?”

  The woman cleared her throat awkwardly, “him…”

  “Pardon?”

  “Lahla is a man.”

  “Oh, OK. Well where would I find him?”

  “I-I’ll take you Princess.” Cole didn’t bother to quell the cringe at the title once the woman turned away to lead her to Hanneth’s man.

  *

  Despite his feminine name, or perhaps in spite of his feminine name, Lahla was a boisterous man nearly as tall and broad as Rayer.

  “Princess Coletta, I am honored to have the pleasure of meeting you. My mate told me it would be inappropriate for him to introduce us at so early a stage. Please, how may I be of service?”

  Ok, I officially like him better than his mate. Why can’t Hanneth be as friendly?

  “Thank you for the warm welcome. It was suggested that you might know where all of my things, brought from Earth ended up.”

  “Oh yes. That I do. I take it that you are staying in the tower then?”

  “Yes, was it not expected that I be?”

  “I think that because the High King and Queen maintain separate spaces that it would be the same for you and the High Prince.” Lahla explained.

  Cole glanced around and saw that she and the large Sii man were alone. “You don’t like her.”

  “Like who?”

  “The Queen. Montala,” Cole clarified.

  Lahla glanced around himself before answering, “Princess, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who does.” As a couple of women entered the room, Lahla instantly changed topics, “Now, I believe that your things were put in a chamber in the Zural wing. I will show you.”

  “Zural?”

  “It is a treasured stone of our world – all of the rooms in that wing have been decorated in its color.”

  *

  Zural turned out to be an amber-hued shade of brown. Cole was glad that she was staying in Rayer’s brightly lit tower instead of the brown rooms. While they were lovely – the décor was a little too much, which surprised her, considering the elegance of the rest of the compound.

  “Why these rooms?” Lahla, had stayed to help her move some of the larger items before leaving the smaller ones to her to move.

  “What do you mean Princess Coletta?”

  “Why was I supposedly assigned these rooms? They seem quite different than the rest of the compound – aesthetically speaking.”

  Lahla glanced toward the door before answering quietly, “The High Queen. She insisted that you would deplore living in the tower and had your things placed in these chambers. The Zural wing of the compound is her domain.”

  “I see…She isn’t around here right now, is she?”

  “No – she is not. She spends the days entertaining friends from her Royal clan during the day. She is doubtless entertaining all of the mates of the Royal House representatives, while the meeting is ongoing.”

  “That is good then.”

  “Why do you say that?” Lahla asked curiously.

  Cole scrambled for an answer, “I would hate to offend her by going so obviously against her expectations. I would like for things to go peacefully.”

  Lahla pondered that for a minute but never got the opportunity to respond.

  “What is going on in here?” Cole saw a nearly imperceptible change cross Lahla’s features. It was as if a wall of steel had silently slid down. She turned toward the door, and the male, middle tenor voice that sounded from just outside the room. Lounging in the doorway was the man that had set her teeth on edge when she saw his face at her arrival. Graith.

  Plastering a smile on her face, Cole faced him fully; “I have been looking for my belongings that were brought with me from Earth. Lahla was kind enough to show me where they were.” Cole declined mentioning that she was moving her possessions out from beneath his mother’s thumb to the safety of the tower. Living beneath the 100th floor on Earth for twenty-three years taught a person how to read others. Everything Cole had learned about reading people was screaming in the back of her mind to watch Graith the way a mini-mart operator watched the boys decked out in the QDC-67s green and black, unless they wanted to be robbed blind.

  “Well, now that you know where everything
is, I know that the head grounds-man was looking for Lahla.” Cole didn’t appreciate Graith’s dismissal of Lahla, but she wasn’t ready to put her foot down. There were some individuals that you had to get to show their hand before you broke their nose, took the pot off the table, and then filched their wallet – Graith was one of those assholes.

  Cole turned to Lahla and gave him a reassuring smile and a nod since she could tell that he was tempted to buck Rayer’s stepbrother. She didn’t want him in trouble. Lahla slowly made his way across the room and slipped past Graith in the doorway – in the hallway, he gave her one last searching look before mouthing over Graith’s head.

  Keep your eyes on him.

  Once Lahla’s footsteps faded down the hallway and she was left alone with him did Graith step into the room – her room for all intents and purposes, though it wouldn’t be by the end of the day.

  “So,” he let the word stretch out. Cole figured that there would be women who would find the man, a prince she supposed, to be an attractive specimen. Cole felt he was washed-out, weak compared to his stepsibling. “How are you enjoying Siiger thus far? I promise, not all of us are as lacking in conversation as my brother.”

  Could you sneer anymore on the word ‘brother?’

  “High Prince Rayer, has been excellent company – he has been quite solicitous and has shown me many beautiful aspects of the locality.” Cole watched as Graith’s face tightened when she failed to gripe about her alien.

  “Of course, of course.”

  Didn’t like me throwing Rayer’s rank in your face, did you? Oy! Geeze did no one ever teach you about personal space. What the hell are you doing? Do NOT touch me, you presumptuous prick! As much as she wanted to rave at the man, she kept her façade serene, calm, she didn’t allow the plastered smile to fade, or for the scowl to reach her eyes. Even when Graith set a hand on her shoulder, and turned it to stroke her neck faintly, she didn’t react.

  “Well, if you would like some personal attention…someone to show you about a little further afield. Rayer is often busy with Royal business. Come find me, I promise that you will be more entertained than you ever have been.” Graith lowered his face toward Cole’s, as if to kiss her. She waited until the last moment and shifted so that their cheeks merely bussed.

  Stepping away from him, Cole kept her façade intact. “Thank you, I will be sure to keep that offer in mind.” Not in this lifetime. “It has been a pleasure to have this opportunity to speak with you”, Cole lied before she stepped around him and strode out of the room. She kept her pace even, yet strong. She could feel Graith watching her back as she walked away from the chamber. As soon as the large door into the Zural wing closed, Cole bolted. She raced for the stairs that would lead her back to the safety of Rayer’s tower.

  *

  Needing a break before facing an evening in the presence of Montala, Rayer escaped back to the tower. He entered the lounging level and saw that it was filled with all manner of new things.

  Coletta must have found where her things had been stowed. I wonder if that is everything… Not that it mattered – if there was more, Rayer would break open another sealed layer of the tower, clean it out and re-do it as he had the two levels that had become the lounging and bathing areas, so that Coletta could have her own space.

  Maybe I should do that anyways… Already contemplating the necessary preparations, Rayer walked into an explosion of silks and feminine chaos in the bed room. He stood agog in the doorway as he watched Glanna and Shali arguing over the best robe for Coletta to wear to the evening meal. Both women were clutching different robes and the argument was starting to get loud. Coletta had taken a seat on one of the window benches. And was she trying to resolve the dispute? No, she was watching and sipping…Rayer squinted at the crystal cup in her hand – he wasn’t sure of the cup’s contents, but he was certain that it was some form of fermented beverage.

  Wanting some peace and happy to take it with the Earthling sharing his bed, Rayer cleared his throat – loudly. The two attendants instantly stopped mid screech and turned to look at him. Before they could begin speaking at once, he quickly interjected.

  “I will handle dressing the Princess from here. Thank you Glanna, Shali. As always, your assistance is much appreciated. When you go down, would you send a notice to the stoneworker, Blad? Please let him know that I would like to meet with him tomorrow morning, early. Here in the tower. Thank you again.” Rayer finished by stepping away from the doorway and subtly gesturing at it with an outstretched hand. Both Glanna and Shali laid their respective preferred robes on the bed and slipped past Rayer, out the door, and down the stairs. Rayer closed and latched the door behind them.

  “Thank you,” Coletta commented. “I was seriously considering bludgeoning them into unconsciousness, before skipping out of the tower to dinner while naked.”

  Her quip sent a smirk stretching across his lips. “As much as I would have been amused, I am glad that I came in time to save you from having to go to the effort of such a display.” Rayer glanced at the options, of which there were many, for the over robe. “Did you see one that you would prefer?”

  “I was thinking the black and bronze one. It is underneath the pale blue one,” Coletta said, pointing at one of the robes near the head of the bed.

  Rayer found the desired robe and held it up. He glanced between it and her, before commenting, “I wouldn’t have put you in black…”

  “Yes, I know – you would rather gold. However, I want something that will clash with Montala’s favorite color. Black is the best option. Not because it conflicts aesthetically, but because it is a more commanding color than her browns.” Rayer laughed.

  “And what has she done to annoy you so?”

  “Well first, she had all of my things put into some room in her wing.” Rayer stilled at the news, but said nothing as Coletta continued. “Then as Lahla and I are trying to move everything out, the egotist that you are forced to claim as a sibling of sorts comes in, dismisses Lahla and then tries to come on to me. I was forced to bail and not finish collecting everything. However, I am not going back without help. Could I handle the rest by myself? Yes, absolutely. I am not willing to risk having to deal with him on my own again, if I can help it.”

  His blood was running cold while his heart pumped it angrily – as he stared at Coletta, he could tell that she could see his icy rage. He looked closer, and could see hers as well.

  “Other than that, I have had a perfectly lovely day. I very much like Lahla.” Coletta tossed him a grin. “How was politics?”

  “Tedious.” Rayer retorted as he approached Coletta with her desired black robe. She stood and turned her back to him so that he could slide the heavy silk up her arms. “I wish that we did not have to spend our evening dealing with more, but I am hoping that by being accommodating, we will be left alone some more.”

  “There’s some legitimate motivation.”

  “Yes, yes it is,” he agreed.

  *

  Dinner had passed tolerably. Cole was prepared to bet money that the High King’s presence had a great deal to do with that. Rayer was forced to carry her to bed again. This time, he appeared to be as tired as she. He stripped them both and climbed beneath the bedclothes and wrapped his large arms around her. Cole couldn’t even manage to wish him pleasant dreams before sleep took her under. Rayer was right behind her.

  Chapter 9

  Apparently, Rayer had been correct with his hopes – they were left alone the entire next day. After meeting with some man, the stonemason he had requested the day before, Rayer elected to take advantage of the opportunity and once asking for some of the compound workers to finish bringing Cole’s affects from the Zural wing, he snuck Cole from the High Royal compound.

  She pestered him as they worked their way through a new area of the grounds with questions, trying to get him to slip-up on the ‘mystery’ location that he wanted to show her. Rayer dragged her down a narrow path through a thickly wooded area.
He pushed them past some overgrowth that was threatening to swallow the path, into an open field. Dead center in the field was a small vehicle. Unlike the one that had brought them from the spaceport, this one could only fit a few people. Furthermore, it had wings.

  Rayer tugged her forward, but Cole dug her feet into the sort dirt as they got closer to the small transport. Confused, he turned to look at her.

  “You can fly that thing, yes?”

  “Of course,” he tossed back at her with a grin. “Now come, so that I can show you.”

  *

  After he had gotten her into the small flight-craft, Coletta had distracted herself from him piloting the vehicle by staring out the window as he cruised around the floating falls that littered the landscape. He had directed the craft toward the mountains, and she was now peering down at the stepping levels of the slopes. She would occasionally comment on the beauty of the occasional small body of water.

  While he knew that each of those pools was lovely, Rayer was determined to show off the most impressive one, in his opinion, on the whole planet – the Mountain Lagoon. It was a beautiful, magical place. The water bled from blue to green and every shade in between. Soft waves lapped the grass covered shores and flowering water plants threw and explosion of color, and perfume over the whole place.

  There were very few who ever got to see the Mountain Lagoon as it was nestled between Royal House territories. The insurmountable mountains that surrounded the lagoon had created a speck of no-man’s land that Rayer had chosen to claim for himself, as he was a skilled-enough pilot to be able to come to the place. No one had contested his claim.

  Coletta squealed as he set the vehicle into a vertical climb and then swore at him in her native language when he cleared the frozen mountain peak, only to direct the craft into an intimidating dive. Even after he landed in a field next to the bank, Coletta remained plastered against the back of her seat. Laughing, Rayer hopped from the small shuttle and strode to drag his Earthling from the cab.