A Claim for Calix: A Sci Fi Alien Romance (Tallean Mercenaries Book 4)

by Lynnea Lee

  “Fuck. No! You are mine! But not just my property. You are my everything. If I could force a mating bond to happen with you, I would. There is nothing I want more. I’m not looking for a mate anymore. I do not care if the bond never forms because I don’t need it. You are the mate of my heart. I want no other. I love you.”

  And Emma was bawling her eyes out again.

  “Me loving you upsets you.” Cal’s face looked as if she had stabbed a knife into his heart.

  “No, Cal. These are happy tears. I love you too.”

  Chapter 17

  It didn’t sit well with Emma that Cal was up in space, heading into a fight while she sat safely sequestered in the protected inner sanctum of Kean’s compound. It was clear the other females thought the same. Ashe and Lettie were pacing parallel trenches into the ground, while Mia was chewing all her nails off. Moira sat next to Emma, both of them quiet, but unhappy.

  Kean finished giving his orders and stopped by their little group. He, too, was leaving his fortress. But instead of fighting in space, he would face down the Dominion representative in negotiations, bringing a small army with him

  “I hate to leave my home, even if it’s defended by a portion of my army, especially with you females in here.”

  Lettie stopped her pacing and spoke. “If anyone gets through, they’ll have to face some angry females. They might regret it right away.”

  Kean’s lips turned up at her remark.

  “If Dominion troops get this far into my compound, you take the other females through the escape tunnel. Do not hesitate. Keep going until the end, close the door, lock it, and enter the code I told you to trigger the tunnel to collapse. Anyone following you will be buried in the rubble. The code will also trigger an encoded comm to go out to the Defiant and the Destroyer. There is a small cave next to the river close to the exit. Wait in there, and your mates will come for you.”

  In the short time that Emma had known her, Lettie had always been happy-go-lucky, but now she worried. Her apprehension oozed out palpably in her fidgeting and the tone of her voice.

  “What if we wait and they don’t come? What if they get captured?”

  Kean stepped close to Lettie. “Then I will come for you. I’ll always come for you,” he said, emphasizing the word come. “Just don’t tell Vore.” He smirked.

  As the meaning penetrated, Lettie’s mouth formed an O of indignation. “Argh! You made that sound dirty!” Lettie smacked him hard in the belly with the back of her hand, then grabbed her own hand. “Ow!” She moved away from their host, a scowl on her face.

  Emma almost laughed at Lettie’s frustration. Their host was a flirt, and Emma was sure he did it just to get a rise out of Lettie. He might have been serious about wanting her at one point but had come to terms with the fact that Lettie belonged to another.

  Kean departed on his mission, leaving the females in the protected core of the compound with a handful of guards. Outside their blast-proof door, he left a portion of his army to guard his fortress.

  “That male needs a mate,” Moira commented when they were alone. “He has a bad reputation because of his work, but he’s a good male.”

  “He’s going to be an immensely powerful male if this mission is successful. Zey said that with the Dominion gone, he would own all of Vosthea.” Ashe had stopped pacing now and was chewing her nails.

  “If he could keep control of it. Vosthea is a port for those with illegitimate business, and I heard Kean plans to implement some rules that would cause some kickback.”

  “Maybe he’ll pay our guys to help him out, especially since Arus has a share in the lab here.” Mia grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her body.

  Emma had been curious about their project and asked, “How close are they to figuring it out? When I was in the breeding facility, one of the women got pregnant with a mixed baby. They came in and dragged the guard away the next day. She miscarried right after.”

  “One of the merchants backing the research tried dosing his slave—he calls her his slave, but Arus assured me he treats her very well— with the same fertility drugs, but they had the same results. After two miscarriages, he refused to let her continue even though she wanted to keep trying. So, we know conception isn’t the problem.

  “The women are rejecting the fetus after conception. Arus thinks it could depend on who the father is. He wants to try fertility drugs with a mated couple. He thinks that if the male forms a mating bond, it signals that the female is correct for him, and her body may accept the baby. Kean agrees.” She took a big breath and sighed. “But he won’t let us volunteer.”

  “Are they sure the merchant is not mated to his ‘slave?’ If he isn’t and mating was the solution, won’t he pull his funding?”

  “Actually, when pushed, the merchant claims she’s his mate.” Mia shrugged. “Arus suggested they take a look at her individually to see if there were other causes. But the couple refused.”

  “I can understand that. I didn’t want to see Arus at first either,” Emma offered. “I know now that he won’t hurt me. But if her previous experience was with Dominion scientists, she’s probably scared, and for a good reason.”

  “Imagine if the solution really was that simple! Fertility drugs to help conception and a mated couple to make sure the woman doesn’t reject the baby.”

  “Who says it can’t be that simple. No one’s tried it yet. But I’m not ready for a baby. I enjoy going on mission with Vore too much to give that up.”

  “You are so brave to go on missions with him, Lettie. I’ll just stay behind and work the comms. I’m ready for a baby with Arus!”

  They talked to pass the time. It was easier to chatter nervously than to sit silent and wait for their mates to return.

  Their mates. Not hers. If it was true that the secret to Tallean-human procreation was a course of fertility drugs and a mating bond to stop the mother from rejecting the fetus, then what about her and Cal? She wasn’t Cal’s mate. If Cal were looking to continue his line and make some little Cals of his own, he would have to find another female. That would destroy Emma. But who was she to condemn a good man like Cal to a childless future?

  The enemies were on the ship already. Cal checked his weapons. He hadn’t thought he would need to fight hand to hand, but plans had changed.

  He was glad he’d managed to take at least one of the big warships out of commission and impaired another before they had snuck up with a cloaked shuttle. It was a stealth operation, something the Destroyer was not equipped to detect. They had latched onto the hatch and taken control of the ship’s door with a pulse of localized electrostatic wave and forced their way in. The security feed and the comms had shut down moments after, rendering Cal and his new crew blind.

  Cal checked his personal comm. It was out as well.

  He had sent the crew they had hired in teams to locate the intruders. They were supposed to scout the enemy’s location without being detected, send a comm out to the rest of the crew and regroup so they could present a unified front. At that time, their personal comms had been still functional. The enemy must have sent out another EMP blast to disable them.

  This was a tactical mistake on his part. This was why he preferred to let Zeylum lead. He should not have split their already tiny crew up. He hoped that once the teams realized their comms were down, they would return.

  One of the teams returned quickly.

  “We realized the comms were out and came back as soon as we did. We have to stay together.”

  Cal agreed.

  Blasters sounded somewhere on the ship. One of the groups had found the intruders and vice versa.

  “It’s coming from the common lounge!”

  They filed out of the bridge to help their crew. Another group had gotten there before them.

  “Loop around the crew quarters and attack from the back,” Cal ordered.

  They moved quickly through the narrow hallways of the crew quarters, en
countering a few scattered Dominion troops. A door to one of the rooms was open, and a soldier filed out. Calix reacted quickly, drawing his blaster and shooting the intruder. He fell to the ground, lifeless.

  Cal grabbed one of his crew. “You come with me. We will check the rooms to avoid any surprises. The rest of you, keep going and take the main group from the back.” Then to the young male he had grabbed, “Koren, right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You check the rooms on the right, and I will take the rooms on the left.”

  Cal hurried towards the open door of the first room on the left, and as expected, it was empty. The next room was empty as well. He opened the door to the third room and found a Dominion soldier hovered over a device. It looked like an explosive. The male looked up and fumbled for his blaster. But Cal was quicker. His enemy fell back, soaking the floor with blood.

  Stepping in to look at the device, Cal was glad to see that it was not armed.

  The door, which has slid shut behind him, opened again. Cal turned, expecting Koren, but instead found a male in a Dominion uniform looking just as surprised as he did.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” The male lunged at Cal and grappled at nothing as Cal swiftly evaded to the side.

  “I should be asking you the same thing.” Cal punched at his opponent, landing a good shot across the male’s face before the male could dance back.

  Claws flashed in front of Calix’s face as the male kicked out with his feet, but Cal was faster and ducked under the kick. As the male landed, Cal charged, taking him to the ground. They fought in a violent ball, punching, and kicking. Unable to use his blaster in such close combat, the Dominion soldier reached for his blade, slashing at Cal. But Cal was faster and well-trained. He dodged each attack with skilled precision, unsheathing his own knife.

  The soldier, desperate and unskilled, allowed his rage to control him. He slashed wildly, leaving himself wide open between each strike.

  Cal lunged at an opening, slashing the male across the face with his blade. Blood ran into the male’s eyes, and he panicked. Cal circled in for the kill, slashing the soldier’s neck.

  But before Cal could celebrate his victory, something heavy crashed into his back, knocking the wind from him. He looked down as red spilled across his body. He turned just in time to see the butt of a blaster aimed at his face. The last thing on his mind before his world went black was that he would never see Emma again.

  The door to their protected sanctuary opened, and Kean rushed in. Behind him, tugged along by her arm, was a human girl. No, not a girl, a woman. She was tiny, like Lettie. Kean must have a type.

  “We have returned to drive the Dominion troops out of my compound. Stay in here. Do not open the door for anyone.”

  Kean pulled the woman over to the group.

  “Stay with these females, Sarah. I will come for you when I have driven the Dominion scum from my fortress.”

  On second look, Sarah wasn’t just small. She was malnourished. She also didn’t look too thrilled.

  “The Dominion will have gotten news by now that I have killed their rep. They may rally the troops already on the planet to make a final attack,” Kean addressed the group before leaving to fight among his males.

  They all took turns introducing themselves to Sarah. And while she nodded, she did not look like she wanted to be there.

  “What’s wrong?” Lettie asked. “Did Kean force you to be here? You don’t look too happy.”

  Sarah sighed loudly. “I might as well just say it. I didn’t know Kean had a harem. And a harem of mostly human women at that.” Her face showed her disgust. “Well, at least you all look well-treated and well-fed. It’s still a move up from where I was.”

  Mia giggled and covered her mouth. Ashe and Moira exchanged a look and tried not to laugh. But Lettie dissolved in a fit of laughter, holding her sides.

  “Oh em gee! No!” she exclaimed between chortles. “We are not his harem. We are not his at all. Our males are out in space fighting the Dominion ships. Kean is keeping us safe.”

  “Oh!” Sarah relaxed. “Does Kean have any female slaves?”

  “Not that I know of. I don’t think he agrees with slavery at all.”

  “Good. I would stay even if he did. It would be an improvement to being screamed at all day and starved. But,” her lips twitched up at the side, “I had my fingers crossed that he was single. He kind of implied that things would happen. Sexy things. And I don’t like to share.”

  Ashe put a hand up. “TMI! We just met!”

  Mia laughed. “Ignore Ashe. She’s a prude.”

  “Just because I don’t fuck all over the ship, doesn’t mean I’m a prude!”

  Emma chuckled.

  “See! Emma and Cal don’t get it on on the table when I’m trying to eat. I don’t see you calling her a prude.”

  Emma was glad Cal was private with their intimacy. She was awkward in social situations as it was. She was, however, getting more comfortable with these ladies. But not comfortable enough to give them a show.

  Lettie put a hand on Sarah’s arm and smiled. “Don’t worry. I don’t think you will need to share.”

  Sounds of fighting increased outside their door, and their conversation died down. Suddenly, the door burst open, and two fighting males spilled in from outside. They all jumped and ran towards the opposite side of the room.

  Kean took down his opponent with a swift kick to the side of the face, the claws on his feet slashing long gashes across his enemy’s face and throat. Red gushed out, staining the thick pile rug under his feet.

  He jumped over the couch and ushered the females into the last chamber, the room with the hidden tunnel.

  The Dominion had sent all the troops that they had on the planet to attack and had punched through the first layers of defense. The fighting was now inside the main part of the fortress.

  Kean pulled Lettie aside and held her in front of him. “Promise me this. If I do not survive, you get these females out through the tunnel. Get them back safely on the Defiant. If I fall, other big players will fight for Vosthea—Ulrek among them. It will not be safe here.”

  Lettie blanched visibly. Emma kept hearing things about this Ulrek, and it seemed that while Kean trusted this friend to have his back, he was not a good person.

  Kean continued, “He is my friend. And he is loyal to me. But Vosthea, under his rule, may not be a good place for human females. Unlike Arus or myself, he still retains much of his Dominion upbringing.”

  He released Lettie and reached for Sarah, holding her in front of him.

  “You follow these girls. If I don’t come back for you, get on the Defiant. The males onboard are good males. They will care for you.”

  “But—”

  “No buts.” He turned to Lettie. “Promise me.”

  Lettie nodded solemnly. “I’ll make sure she gets to safety. You hear that, ladies? If this place gets all FUBAR, we run down that tunnel.”

  Kean grunted, satisfied. He closed the heavy metal door and left them to fight again.

  After a long moment, a buzzing broke the weighty silence.

  “Hello?” Ashe answered her comm. On the screen, Zeylum smiled back. “You are okay!”

  “Yes, we made it. The Dominion ships not yet docked on Vosthea are retreating. We have suffered some losses, but we’ve won.”

  “Thank the Stars!” Moira exclaimed.

  “You better hurry down and help fight on the ground. I think Kean’s forces are struggling. He locked us in the bug out room and went back out to fight. The Dominion sent all the landed troops in after negotiations went sour.”

  “Fuck! Hang in there. We are coming.”

  Chapter 18

  Emma stared at the sterile white walls of the Defiant’s med bay. The past few hours had been a blur, and she wasn’t sure if it was a dream or if she really was living this nightmare. Maybe this was someone else’s life, and she was si
mply watching, being taken for a ride.

  Kean had emerged victorious after the long battle with the Dominion forces. He, along with the crew of the Defiant, had burst into their room, all smiles, and cheers. They had won.

  Ashe had run to Zeylum, and he dropped to his knees, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. One by one, every female ran to join their respective mates. Their mates held them close, happy to see them again.

  Even Sarah had looked relieved when Kean had walked in. He was injured and bleeding from a wound, but he was alive. She did not run to him, however.

  Everyone was reunited—all except for Emma. Cal was nowhere to be found.

  A sense of dread filled her. She had looked frantically at each face, trying to find an answer. But the mated males were too lost in their female’s presence to notice her.

  Vosken approached, a solemn look on his face. “Cal was not conscious when we landed on Vosthea, but he was alive. He is back on the Defiant’s med bay. The Destroyer was boarded, and the crew took heavy damages before the Dominion called a retreat.

  “Grissom, who was on the other ship with him, found him with a blaster wound in the back. He was also knocked out by a head wound. Thanks to Grissom’s quick actions, he is still alive. But I’ll be honest, it’s bad, and he isn’t through the worst of it yet. It’s up to the med bed now.”

  “But you guys are strong. He will be fine, right?”

  But Vosken did not meet her eyes.

  Emma’s entire world imploded. All sound faded except for the pounding of her heart. She grabbed at her chest, struggling to breathe. The world spun, and when she tried to move her legs to right herself, they were rooted in place. She fell forward.

  Vosken lunged and caught her. “Come, let’s get you back on the Defiant so you can be with Calix.”