by Sam Crescent
The sound of her pleasure filled the air, and he loved the sound. That was all he wanted to hear. Her pleasured sounds. They were perfect.
Pulling out of her, he then slammed inside.
Over and over, he took her, making love and fucking his woman. Making her his. For the rest of his life, he would be devoted to this woman, their children, and it was the best fucking feeling in the world.
He was even starting to think like an Earthling.
****
Two days later
Dhiro was tense.
They’d been in space in the repaired aircraft for two days, and Ella knew something was on his mind. He hadn’t slept in forty-eight hours. It wasn’t healthy.
Their goodbyes with his brothers had been tense and emotional. There was no denying it. Dhiro struggled with not being able to take them. She could understand how torn he was. They were a close-knit family.
The ship had seen much better days. It made a lot of odd noises that kept her nerves on edge.
Bronn had taken her to one side and told her what would happen in the event of the engine breaking down and what she needed to do, where he’d stored the additional oxygen and how to communicate with the planet to come and get them.
If the ship didn’t make it, they only had twelve hours before an emergency rescue.
She didn’t know if Bronn had told his brother the truth. If Dhiro knew exactly how risky the trip was, he may never have agreed to bring her back to Trenu Zel. She knew it was imperative for her to return. The future of a world depended on it.
“You need to sleep,” Ella said.
“No. My brothers sacrificed themselves for this. I will not fail them again.”
She slid into the seat next to him. There were so many buttons on the board, she was terrified of accidentally touching the wrong thing.
“I need you to look at me.”
Dhiro pressed a couple more buttons and then turned to her. “Do you need me to be inside you again?”
She smiled. Since her pregnancy, she’d been insatiable. It must have something to do with the alien DNA as she’d never heard of such a phenomenon before.
“No, I don’t need you again, but thank you for the offer.” She was getting used to Dhiro’s blunt answers. In his way, they were charming.
His brothers had the ability to blend in on Earth where he didn’t.
“Dhiro, please, talk to me.”
“I cannot talk right now.” He shook his head. “There is too much at stake. I need to get us back. I will do everything for you, Ella, as soon as we land. We have advanced hospitals with all the right diagnostic equipment.”
She reached out and put her hand on Dhiro’s arm. “They wanted this.”
He shook his head. “No one wants to be left alone on an alien planet.”
She raised her brows. “And I did?”
Dhiro frowned. “Our people are not as primitive as yours.”
She snorted. “Please, this all happened because you thought they were going to terminate me. Do not for a second say otherwise, Dhiro.”
“I… They are my brothers, Ella. My father had always told me to take care of them. To make sure they didn’t get into any trouble, and all my life, all the decisions I’ve made have been for their safety. I will do anything for them.”
“Dhiro, they wanted to stay on Earth. They’d been so focused on getting this ship ready after they found out I was pregnant that they didn’t tell you their hopes. They want to find females of their own. Kaalen told me to tell you that this isn’t about you. Yes, they would have come home if the ship were ready, but they also wanted the chance to find mates. They want to be fathers as well.”
Dhiro sighed and he turned toward her. “Thank you.”
She got up and forced him to move back just a little bit so that she could sit on his lap. “You don’t have to thank me. Tell me what else is on your mind.”
“It is nothing.”
“Dhiro, I love you. I’m about to spend the rest of my life on an alien planet having lots of babies with you. I will not allow you to lie to me in any way. That is my condition for you to have all the sex you can have.”
He chuckled. It wasn’t deep or heartfelt, but it was a start, and she would take it.
“I am not lying to you. I just don’t want you to worry. This is the worst ship I have ever had the pleasure of flying. Even training, we had much better test flights. I fear what this means and that we won’t make the trip.”
“We will make the trip.”
“Engine one is already failing on me. It is struggling to keep up with the speed I am asking it to.”
“Then slow it down.”
“I need to get you home.”
“Dhiro, my home is wherever you are. Not a planet. We could land on Mars and I would be happy.”
He opened his mouth, likely to dispute her and give her some facts about life on Mars, but she pressed a finger to his lips. “What I gave you was a term of endearment. Listen to it, enjoy it, embrace it. Now, will you get some rest?”
Dhiro shook his head. “I cannot. The ship is not in the best condition. I must attend to it at all times in the event of something going wrong. I am not trying to be a pain. I am being precautious. My brothers knew the risk, as did I, but I need to do this.”
Just then, the panel made a buzzing sound, and Ella jumped.
“It is Mother calling,” Dhiro said.
“Dhiro, are you there?” His mother’s voice filled the cabin.
“I am here, Mother. So is Ella.”
“Hello, my blessing,” his mother said.
She greeted her and listened to the mother and son talk.
“Why can I not see you?”
“I gave the main communicator to Kaalen and Bronn. They are back on Earth, but I do not want us to lose touch with them. A rescue mission must be put together immediately. When I am home, I will head it myself. My brothers will come back home.”
“Oh, son, they have already been in touch. They have found a small property, a farm, I think, and are currently working on it as we speak. They are in good spirits.”
“They have not been taken?” Dhiro asked.
“Your brothers are far more capable of looking after themselves than you give them credit,” his mother said, and Ella couldn’t help but smile.
Kaalen and Bronn had told her as much during their time together. They had told her Dhiro often treated them like children rather than grown men who were capable of taking care of themselves.
Before Dhiro made the trek to Earth to find her, he would often go to their grocery store, buy weekly supplies, and go to each of their houses, filling their cupboards and fridge. Kaalen said he would sometimes be upstairs with a woman when his brother entered and he’d have to pretend to be quiet so he didn’t know he was home.
The brothers sounded so very close.
She wished she had a family like that, but she had no one back home. No family memories to relish. Dhiro and his family were now her own, and she would take care of them as such.
“Mother, I do not mean to alarm you, but getting back home, it is … I do not know if that is going to be completely possible.”
“I know you, Dhiro, you will get yourself and Ella back home. People are waiting to talk to you. They want to make sure you’re aware they did not mean what you thought they meant. There was no ill will toward Ella.”
“Why do they even know?” Dhiro asked.
“Your brothers have been in contact. They wanted your re-arrival to go without a hitch.”
Dhiro nodded, and she saw his face filled with emotion. Tears were in his eyes, and he had a frown between his brows.
“I am going to sign off now, Mother. I will keep the engines moving. Please, make sure we’re being tracked when we get a little closer.”
He signed off, and Ella pulled him close against her. “Your brothers love you.”
“I will bring them back, Ella. You know that. I have seen how Earth people a
ct when they fear the unknown. I will not have anything happen to them.”
She kissed him on the head. “And I will be here for you, always.” She tried to offer him comfort.
“I love you, Ella. I know that I will be hard to live with at times. I … for a long time, I have trained my emotions to stay put, not to get in the way. I … I do not want you to be upset with me.”
Ella kissed him. “Dhiro, all I feel when I’m with you is happiness. You will never disappoint me. I cannot wait for our child to be born. For hope and happiness to once again flood your planet.”
Dhiro sank his fingers into her hair, pulling her in close and kissing her. She felt instant desire and then the ship jerked. The lights on the panel lit up red, and she saw true fear in her mate’s eyes.
Chapter Eleven
Dhiro jolted upright, his heart hammering in his chest. This wasn’t good. He immediately got Ella buckled in the co-pilot seat. He was too far from Trenu Zel for assistance and too far from Earth to return safely. They were deep in space in a ship that would be better fit for the salvage yard. So many thoughts and regrets filled his head. Why couldn’t he have been satisfied with a life on Earth? Why risk his mate in such an unfit ship? Was he being punished for leaving his brothers behind?
“What is it, Dhiro?”
He wouldn’t have Ella alarmed. “Nothing to worry about.”
Just about every major system was malfunctioning. His sensors were firing off left and right. He pulled out his diagnostic pad and began his scans, the reports flashing up one after another. More bad news after the other. How cruel would fate be to cause them to fail right now, so close to saving all his people? Everything would have been for nothing.
The only consolation would be Bronn and Kaalen possibly finding happiness on Earth or another Trenuian making the voyage to Earth now that they knew pregnancies were possible. Life could go on without them. He pushed those thoughts from his head. He needed to save Ella and their child, to get them safely home.
Giving up on them wasn’t an option.
“Is there anything I can do?” Ella asked.
The alarms were ear-piercing, coming from all areas of the ship. Even the faint scent of burning rubber lingered in the air. The atmosphere was chaotic, and he could sense her rising anxiety. He wouldn’t show her his fear.
“I need to tend to the systems now. Please stay calm.”
He rushed off and lifted the hatch to the underbelly, grabbing a support rod and sliding inside feet first, determined to get the ship stable. He prioritized the alarms, handling the most important first. Life support was in jeopardy. It had been their biggest issue back on Earth, the reason his brothers had to be left behind. They were supposed to have enough power for two beings to get home safely, but now it showed only one could make it back alive.
One.
He swallowed hard after discovering the devastating news. There was no way around the facts, no way to fix the oxygen system. Bronn and Kaalen were some of the best ship mechanics, and even they couldn’t repair the issue.
He pounded his fist against the panel again and again.
What the fuck was he supposed to do now? He’d have to sacrifice himself for the sake of his mate and unborn child. It was the only way. He would never experience the joy of fatherhood, never see the love in his mother’s eyes as she held her first grandchild. So many hopes and dreams would be lost forever. Ella would have to raise their child alone far from Earth.
He expected to fight for her, not have to kill himself to protect her.
What other option did he have?
Dhiro worried about Ella being alone on a ship set on self-destruction. She’d be terrified by herself. She had no knowledge about their ships or the complex controls. There was only so much he could teach her in less than an hour—and that was all the time he had. Any longer would make the trip home for even one being impossible.
He wished he had more time.
How would he tell her? She’d panic and demand he find a way to fix the ship, but there was no other way. Unpleasant surges of emotion made it impossible for him to move. His feet felt like lead. A deep-seated sadness rained down on him. The sensors continued to sound off around him, the lights flashing red and orange.
He was broken.
“Dhiro!”
Her voice called down into the lower level, echoing around him.
“A ship. There’s a ship on the viewscreen!”
His brow furrowed. How had his people managed to get this far so fast? A ray of hope shone through his despair. This truly was a miracle. He picked himself up, took a breath, and climbed up to the main level. He took hold of Ella’s hand as they returned to the cockpit together.
Dhiro expanded the viewscreen to full size, zooming in on the ship in the distance as he leaned over the controls. He narrowed his eyes.
“That’s it. Our rescue. It’s a miracle, Dhiro. We’re going to be okay.” She held on to his arm, nearly bouncing up and down.
But he knew the truth.
“Ella. Please don’t get excited.”
“Dhiro, stop being so serious. This is fantastic news!”
He took hold of both her shoulders, giving her a little jostle to get her full attention. “Ella, it’s a Scyathra ship.”
Her joy drained away, leaving her face void of expression. She completely blanched. There was nothing more he needed to say. She knew exactly how dangerous their enemies were from her time on Trenu Zel. Their ship had no defenses, no weaponry. It was barely held together with salvaged parts. The best he could do was to push the ship as hard and fast as it would go, hoping to close the distance between them and Trenu Zel. It would give them the best chance for a rescue.
Being captured wasn’t an option. He wouldn’t even entertain the thoughts of what they would subject his mate to. They were ruthless and violent beings.
He turned on the communication channel to home. His commander’s familiar voice filled the cockpit.
“Have your sensors picked up the other ship?” Dhiro asked.
“What are you seeing? We have no other ship on our readings.”
“They must be cloaked. The Scyathra are fast approaching, and our ship is not space-worthy. Or systems are failing, and I fear they will attempt to destroy our vessel.”
“If they know the human female is with you, they will attempt to board, not destroy. They have been trying to capture her since she arrived on our planet. I will send two of our best ships immediately. Still, I fear we will not get to you in time.”
He didn’t answer. It was the hard truth.
“I will try my best to evade them and get closer to home.”
Dhiro turned off the communications and stood there, staring at the ship closing in on their location.
“I thought they were primitive. They have ships? How is that possible?”
“Primitive in their minds, in their beliefs. They still have advances in many areas,” Dhiro said. He paced back and forth, running one hand through his hair.
If only he could turn off the alarms, he could think straight.
He’d resigned himself to the fact he’d have to die to save his mate. This was worse. The Scyathra would not have mercy on them, especially a lush Earth female like Ella. He had to protect his mate. They’d wanted to get their hands on the breeding female since word got out about his successful voyage back from Earth.
“I won’t let them take you alive,” he said.
“What does that mean?” Tears filled her eyes, and he hated how scared she was. It was his job to shelter her, keep her safe.
“They are ruthless. If they attempt to board, it would be better for us to die than be taken prisoners.”
“Don’t say that, Dhiro! Oh, my God, we have to get back to Trenu Zel.”
He turned away from her, pushing the controls to maximum speed. The ship creaked and groaned, the alarms incessant with no way to turn them off. She held his hand.
“I love you, Dhiro. No matter what.�
�
“If there were any way, know I would do anything to save you. Our life supports will be the first to go. Oxygen is leaking out at a steady pace.”
“Bronn said there were extra oxygen canisters in the hold under the sleeping chamber. He didn’t want you to know how bad the life support systems were. It was too important for me to get back to your planet.”
He growled. His brother should have told him. Risking his mate like this was unacceptable.
“Stay buckled in your seat. The ship is unstable. I will get the oxygen. Once life support is stable, I can focus on the other systems. Hopefully, it will be enough to get us into Trenu Zel space.”
She nodded, not saying another word.
He rushed off, hardly able to catch a breath as he ran. Time was of the essence. The hold was in an awkward place with many bolts to remove in order to access it. Once he finally had the hatch removed, he heaved it aside and slid stomach first into the darkness.
That was when the ship rocked as if a bomb had gone off. The impact sent him crashing into the metal side of the ship’s interior, the oxygen canisters ramming against him.
His first thought was with his mate. Ella.
****
When she opened her eyes, there was only a thin slice of light to the side. She sat up straight, feeling groggy. Where was she? What happened to Dhiro?
It had all happened so fast, she scarcely remembered a thing. Something struck the ship, metal on metal at impossible speeds. The entrance of their ship opened soon after and, rather than open space, she could see a flexible corridor leading to another ship.
That was all she could remember.
Now she was here, wherever here was, and she wanted to whisper Dhiro’s name but was scared she wouldn’t get a response, or worse, another man’s voice would answer. Instead, she breathed, focusing on not panicking. At least she was alive—for now.
They must have drugged her, or did the lack of oxygen pull her from consciousness?
There was commotion and muffled voices on the other side of the wall. The Scyathra had a vicious reputation. She’d only been told bits and pieces about them, but knew they had the same fertility issues. Would they rape her? Kill her baby to impregnate her themselves? She was terrified about the prospects.
