An Alien Easter

by Sadie Carter

  “Moroco! Please! Fuck me!”

  “With pleasure, my mate.” He reached under her to toy with her clit as he fucked her as he knew she desired. He slammed his hips up against her red ass. Sometimes it shocked him how perfect she was for him, with her fire and strength.

  He felt her find her release, her passage rippling around his shaft, and he let out a roar as he followed her over. Collapsing to the side of her once he was spent, he lifted her onto his chest as he lay on his back. Their skin was slick with sweat, their breathing still rapid.

  “That was fucking fantastic,” Saffron told him.

  He had to grin. “The fucking was fantastic?”

  “You betcha. If I had a cigar, I would smoke it.”

  “Smoking is bad for your health,” he scolded, well aware of the effect of smoking on human health. All of the Zerconian healers had educated themselves on human health. “I would not allow you to smoke a cigar even if you did have one.”

  Saffron sighed. “I’m too damn sated and satisfied to explain that one to you.”

  Her explanation would not matter. He would not abide her risking her health and safety. And that was that.

  He rolled to his side and cupped her cheek, staring into her beautiful eyes. “My mate, you are everything to me. I apologize for neglecting you. As soon as this latest crisis is over, I will speak to the emperor about reducing my hours at the medical center. I will also make it clear to all that medical inquiries must be directed to the medical center and not to my house.”

  Her eyes widened. “Reduce your hours? But you can’t do that. You’re the head healer.”

  “I can do what I like,” he stated arrogantly.

  She brushed her lips lightly against his, but when he tried to deepen the kiss, she pulled back. He growled at her.

  “Thank you,” she told him. “I know you feel guilty, but it’s my fault too. I didn’t say anything earlier and I should have.” She shrugged. “You know I don’t like to seem needy or that I’m relying on anyone else. But I do miss you.”

  He knew that was difficult for her to admit and there was no mistaking her sincerity.

  “I would love for you to be around more, but I don’t want you to reduce your hours. If you could stop people from coming here to ask for you, then that would be good. Also, if you could give me more of what we just did, that would be fucking perfect.”

  “Oh, there will definitely be more of what we just did.”

  She sighed. “It seems like there is always a crisis. Maybe one day things will settle down. But I know, for now, that you’re needed.”

  He rubbed his forehead. “You are right about there always being a crisis.”

  “What’s happened? Zoey’s okay, right? I got the message about everyone staying inside unless they had an escort, and Sophie said it was because there have been several cases of mating fever?”

  “Zoey is well. But we had to operate to take the baby out early. However, the baby is healthy. A very good weight. Excellent lungs,” he said dryly.

  Saffron had to grin. “Well, Zoey has some pretty good lungs on her.”

  “She is certainly fond of talking.”

  Saffron snorted. “Are you allowed to say that about your Empress?”

  “I trust you not to tell on me.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.” She pressed her lips together and the twisted her fingers at the end of her mouth and pretended to throw something.

  “What was that?”

  “Oh, I was miming locking my lips and throwing away the key. Nothing important. So what about the mating fever cases?”

  “It is very odd. Five cases of mating fever, all of them within the space of a few hours, all of them displaying violence.”

  “Is violence normal with mating fever?” Her forehead crinkled into a frown.

  “It happens, but I would not call it normal.”

  “So that’s why we were put on lockdown? Out of fear of another warrior attacking someone?”

  “Yes. Larzen attempted to hurt the Empress. And Axel broke into the bakery and destroyed it. The others affected by mating fever attacked other warriors.”

  “Oh hell. Was anyone hurt?”

  “No one was seriously injured. There were a few small injuries amongst the warriors who had to subdue them.”

  “What will happen to them? Can you do anything for them?”

  “There is a researcher who claims to have a cure. We brought him over from the academy. Only problem is, he is known for being eccentric and difficult and his cure has not been tested properly.”

  “So you don’t know if his claims are true. Will you use his so-called cure?”

  He opened his eyes and met her gaze. “We already have. The Emperor had little choice but to give the go-ahead. Keeping the affected warriors in stasis indefinitely is not a viable option.”

  “Holy crap. That’s a big move.”

  “They are being monitored closely. We have used it on just Larzen currently, since he was the first to present. Now all we do is wait.”

  She hugged him tight. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  That was his mate. Always generous with her time. Always ready to help where it was needed.

  “Just stay safe. Only go out with an escort. I know you humans do not like to have escorts; however, this is about safety, and I will not be able to concentrate if I am worrying about you—”

  She slammed her lips against his. He froze then kissed her back.

  When she pulled back, she gave him a small smile. “I promise I won’t go out without an escort until this dies down.”

  “You do?” he asked in shock.

  “Yes.”

  “That was easy. Why was that easy?” He looked confused.

  She burst into laughter. “Don’t question it. Just go with it.”

  “I will never understand you, will I, mate?”

  “Probably not. Is that okay?”

  “As long as I have you in my life, I am beyond happy. I can put up with a few strange sayings and your inability to be literal.”

  She just shook her head. “I love you too, babe.”

  Epilogue

  Racar walked into the bakery in search of his mate. He had made it just in time for the re-opening of the bakery.

  “Racar! You made it!” Ellie raced over to him, flinging herself into his arms.

  He tightened his arms around her, breathing in her scent. He knew many of his fellow warriors did not believe that mates should be allowed to show affection in front of others, but humans needed touch. It was essential for their wellbeing.

  And the truth was, he needed Ellie’s touch. Her affection. Especially since they had both been so busy these past few weeks. Ellie with re-building the bakery after it was destroyed by Axel. Racar with his research into why mating fever had taken hold of so many warriors at once.

  Her friends, Keely and Blue, looked over at the two of them before disappearing out the back to give them some privacy.

  “Of course I made it. I would not miss it. You have done a very good job, my mate.” He glanced around at all the decorations that were apparently necessary for this holiday the humans called Easter. He looked suspiciously at the image of a giant furry animal on one wall, carrying a basket filled with colorful eggs. He still did not understand how this Easter bunny did not terrify children.

  Humans had some strange holidays. A big jolly man who delivered gifts at Christmas and a giant rabbit who delivered eggs at Easter.

  “I feel more nervous than the first time I opened the bakery,” Ellie confessed as she stood back and looked at the display in her cabinet. There was row after row of what she called Easter goodies.

  It hadn’t taken too long to get the bakery put back together, not with everyone who had come to help them repair it. Not just human or Joyadans either. A number of his fellow warriors had also turned up.

  Then Ellie had worked long hours to prepare the chocolate treats.

  “It looks b
eautiful, my mate.” He pulled her close and she tucked her head into his chest. He had been terrified when Axel broke into the bakery. He thought he had grown wings, he had run so fast to get to her. He had found it extremely difficult to let her out of his sight since.

  Amazingly, Ferhard’s cure had worked. So far, none of the warriors had shown any signs of having been negatively affected by the fever or the cure.

  Ferhard had become a hero in the eyes of the Zerconians. The whole population was rejoicing. Of course, warriors still wished to find their mates, but this gave them the time to do so. Ferhard had been given rooms at the medical center to continue to perfect the liquid cure. He’d been offered assistants, but said he preferred to work on his own.

  Axel had already apologized profusely to Ellie and the others. Even though Racar had felt a surge of protectiveness at having him near his mate once more, he knew the other warrior had not meant to go on a rampage.

  “I’m glad the Emperor postponed Easter,” Ellie said. “It gave me time to get everything perfect for the Empress. This seems really important to her.”

  “She will be very pleased, my mate. I am proud of you.” He turned her towards him, hugging her tight. Then he kissed the top of her head.

  She hugged him back. Then she looked around, but there was no one else in the room. “How is your research going? Have you found any common element that would explain why those warriors all got mating fever at the same time?”

  He turned grim. “I have discovered a foreign antigen in their blood. It was small and almost undetectable, and I still have to prove it was the cause of the mating fever rampage.”

  “You think it could be the cause, though? That it wasn’t just a coincidence?”

  “There has to be a reason five of them went into mating fever at the same time and became so violent. The Emperor believes this too, which is why he has bid me to quietly look into this. To discover if there was something, and if so, whether those five warriors all came into contact with this antigen naturally or whether they were given it intentionally.”

  She shuddered. “How would anyone do that? And why?”

  He shrugged. “We have many enemies, my mate, who would love to destroy us. We will discover what happened.”

  He was also suspicious of Ferhard and his cure that he just happened to have on hand. But he had no proof that male had anything to do with any of this. And he could not accuse him of anything without that proof.

  “I have seen very few cases of mating fever like that,” he reassured her. “I still want you to be escorted around until we have this figured out. I do not want you here alone.”

  The Emperor had asked that all females have escorts again since they did not know why so many warriors had been affected by the mating fever at once or if it would happen again. Many of the females weren’t pleased, but his Ellie was sensible.

  She sighed. “Fine. I get it. But please tell me it’s not forever. Yesterday, I got stuck with Ilam escorting me home. That man needs to learn how to speak words. All I got from him were grunts. Not even a ‘hi’.”

  Racar had to hide a smile. Ilam was not known for his communication skills, but he was a good fighter and he would protect Racar’s mate with his life.

  And Ellie was what was important.

  “Let’s go. I want to be first in line,” Zoey demanded.

  “Zoey, you’re the Empress. You get to be first in line automatically,” Mila told her with exasperation.

  “Right. True. Empress perks. Sorry, I’m grouchy because Liula told me today that I had to cut off Cadman’s hair. That it wasn’t becoming of the future Emperor of Zerconia to have hair that stood up like that.”

  Mila bit her lip. “And what did you say to that?”

  “I told her to kiss my ass. She made a suitably disgusted noise and stormed out.” Zoey had to grin at the memory. “Good times.”

  Then she looked down at her little boy, who was already lying in his hover-pram. Giz was currently trying to jump in with him. “Don’t listen to Granny, Spike. I think your hair is cute. Gonna get you all the ladies. Giz! You’re not going to fit in there.”

  “What did she think of your nickname for Cadman?” Mila asked as she attempted to take Elodie and Quentan’s hands. Quentan kept pushing her hand away.

  “Don’t think she’s heard it yet. Saving that one for another day. Are we all ready? Dex said he’ll meet us there.”

  “Quentan, hold Mommy’s hand,” Mila said with exasperation.

  “No. Me hold Eldy’s hand. Mine.”

  “Let him hold her hand,” Zoey said with a shake of her head. “Quentan, you need to stop being so possessive. You’ve got a lot of growing up to do before you can claim her.”

  “Mine,” he demanded, taking Elodie’s hand gently in his.

  Elodie smiled at him.

  “Do you think they’re going to be mates?” Mila asked.

  “Quentan sure seems to think so.” Zoey pushed the hover-pram out of their quarters. Giz bounced alongside. Boris and Nassir moved in silently behind them. “But let’s not tell Dex that. He’s not ready to think of his little girl being an adult.”

  “Quite cute the way these big bad warriors are brought to their knees by little dictators wearing diapers.”

  Zoey just snorted. As they left the palace, a lone warrior stepped towards them. Boris quickly moved in front of Zoey and Cadman, placing himself between them and the warrior.

  “Boris?” Zoey queried his over-protective behavior. She peered around his wide shoulders, freezing when she saw Larzen. He looked at Boris, his eyes blazing blue with sorrow before he lowered his gaze to the ground. Suddenly, he moved to his knees, his head bowed. Zoey’s stomach dropped.

  “Larzen? Boris, I think you can move out of the way. He’s himself again.” Although she wasn’t certain that was the best way to describe his current state. She’d never seen a warrior on his knees before. He seemed broken.

  Boris moved to the side but shot her a look that clearly said she wasn’t to get too close to the other warrior. He was being kind of ridiculous; she didn’t think Larzen had some secret agenda to assassinate her. He hadn’t been in a right state of mind the other day.

  “Larzen? Is everything all right?”

  Jeez, Zoey, clearly, it’s not.

  “I have come to offer my deepest apologies, Empress. For nearly harming you. I. . .I do not remember it, but I have heard accounts of my behavior. It is inexcusable that I nearly harmed the Empress of Zerconia. You have my life to take as you see fit.”

  Life to take as you see fit?

  Did that mean what she thought it meant?

  She wasn’t sure what the protocol was in these circumstances. She was kind of getting used to people trying to kill her, but she’d never had one apologize after. She was all too aware of the people around stopping and watching this unfold.

  Acting on instinct, she held out her hand. “Get up, warrior. You don’t need to be on your knees. There is nothing to apologize for.”

  Larzen looked up at her in amazement. Did he seriously think she would have him killed? He took her hand, but typical of these warriors, didn’t allow her to pull him up. He stood and immediately released her hand.

  He bowed his head. “Thank you for your kindness, Empress.”

  Zoey snorted. “Don’t know that it’s kindness. You just made my security detail. You can start on the roster tomorrow.”

  His eyes widened. “You would trust me with your safety?”

  She waved a hand. “I figure if you feel this badly about trying to kill me when you weren’t in your right mind, you’ll be extra careful to make certain I now stay alive.”

  “I will serve you well, Empress,” he said reverently.

  “Good. Hope you’re good at changing diapers.”

  “D-diapers?” He actually went pale.

  “All warriors on my security detail change the children’s diapers, didn’t you know?”

  “N-no, I did not, Empress.”<
br />
  “Do you have an issue with that?”

  “No, Empress.”

  “That’s good. See you in the morning. We’re off to Ellie’s for chocolate Easter eggs. You’re welcome to join us.”

  She felt a rush of warmth through her bond and turned to see Dex striding towards her, Koran behind him, along with two of his personal guards.

  “Dada!” Elodie cried, waving her hand.

  Dex gave his daughter a warm look then leaned in to run his hand over Cadman’s head. Finally, he moved to her side. He looked over at Larzen.

  “Everything is well, my own?”

  “Yes, just explaining to Larzen his new duties as part of my security detail.”

  “I will serve you both well.” Larzen bowed to them both. “And I would be happy to escort you to the human bakery.”

  He moved in behind them. Mila leaned forward. “You are so mean.”

  “I know. I’ll tell him the truth tomorrow.”

  Maybe.

  “Do I wish to know what that is about, my own?” Dex asked.

  She grinned up at him. “You definitely don’t. Let’s go eat so much chocolate that we get tummy aches!”

  All of the Zerconians as well as Nassir just looked at her blankly.

  “You want a tummy ache, my own?” Dex asked.

  She sighed. “No, of course not.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Zoey sat on a blanket on the ground outside the bakery and watched Elodie and Quentan running around with chocolate smeared over their mouths. Others had joined them with their own blankets. The bakery was too packed to sit in, so they’d all set up out here. She glanced over to see Sophie and Toriq sitting with their little girl, Marnie. Morocco and Saffron sat with them, Saffron leaning in against Moroco as he gave her a rare smile.

  Across from them, Macon frowned down at an Easter egg as though about to interrogate it for its secrets. Annabel leaned in and he put a protective arm around her as she whispered to him. In the bakery, Ellie’s friends were helping her keep things going smoothly. Racar and Safan had stood close by, ready to help. Groupings of Joyadans and Zerconians had also joined them.