Blossom and the Alien Actor

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “Brexton. It’s my daughter’s birthday. Why are you bothering me?” the imposing alien asked.

  “I apologize, Chief Councilor. How is Arabella?” Brexton asked.

  “She’s doing well. Why are you calling?”

  “I would like to claim Blossom as my mate, and make her children my own,” Brexton said.

  Borgoz’s gaze fastened on her and Blossom felt a chill race down her spine. He didn’t seem like a kind, forgiving man, and she hoped she never met him face to face. Her hand trembled in Brexton’s.

  “Is this the human Ranvik contacted me about? The one in trouble?” Borgoz asked.

  “Yes,” Brexton said. “But I knew from the moment I saw her that she was meant to be mine. I’m not claiming her just as a way to keep her safe.”

  “And the children? I’ve heard there are rumors that they’re yours. Did you father two children and not take this woman as your mate before now?” Borgoz asked.

  Brexton hesitated, but Blossom wasn’t about to let him get into trouble by lying to the leader of his people.

  “The children aren’t his,” Blossom said. “But he would like for them to be. Neither of their fathers are in the picture.”

  “Fathers? Plural?” Borgoz asked.

  Her cheeks warmed and she dropped her gaze.

  “Blossom hasn’t had an easy life, Borgoz. I don’t judge the decisions she’s made to keep herself and her children safe, sheltered, and fed. The humans already believe her children are mine. Neither of them lists a father on their birth records. I was hoping…”

  “That we would forge documents to prove you’re their rightful father?” Borgoz asked, his eyebrow arched. “You want me to make a decision to lie to Earth’s government and humans in general?”

  “The human Blossom lived with wishes to sell her and the children to evil people, Chief Councilor. If the children were mine, then the crimes against them would hold a harsher punishment. I wish to keep them safe,” Brexton said. “I want the man threatening my family to never see the light of day again.”

  “You want his crimes to be against our people,” Borgoz said softly. “So that your mate and children will feel safe and know that man will never bother them again, and send a message to anyone else who might wish to come for them.”

  “Yes,” Brexton said.

  Borgoz sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He focused on Blossom again, making her swallow hard and fight not to fidget. He was mated with a daughter? She wondered if his family was as afraid of him as she was right then. It was hard for her to picture him as a doting daddy.

  “You understand that if you accept his protection, his claim on you and your family, that there’s no going back? It’s permanent. And if he should decide to come home, you’d have no choice but to come with him,” Borgoz said.

  “I understand,” she said.

  “Very well. I’ll push the paperwork through. Congratulations! You’re officially a mated couple. The papers on the children may take a little more work, but I’ll see that it’s done. By the end of tomorrow, no one will question who your mate and children belong to,” Borgoz told Brexton.

  “Thank you, Chief Councilor. I’ll be sure to send a special present to Arabella on the next shuttle. Tell her happy birthday from us.”

  Borgoz smiled a little, softening his face, and the love for his daughter shone in his eyes. “She would like that.”

  After the screen went dark, Blossom nearly collapsed. She’d had to lock her knees to keep herself upright, and now that the alien leader wasn’t staring at her, she felt relief flood her body.

  “Please tell me I don’t ever have to meet him in person,” she said.

  Brexton smiled down at her. “My sweet mate, I can assure you that he’s not all that terrible. Not since finding his mate and having his daughter. They have mellowed him.”

  “That was mellow? What was he like before?” she asked.

  “Cold. Hard. Unforgiving at times. Charlotte showed him what it was to be in love, and with the birth of his daughter, the walls around his heart cracked even more. He’s a good male, and fair.”

  “Now what?” she asked.

  “Now we’re going to meet with security and you’re going to give them the name and description of the man who is after you and the children. Any place you think he could be hiding, or friends he may have… tell them everything.”

  “All right.”

  Brexton paused a moment and pulled her close. “No regrets? No second thoughts?”

  “None,” she said, reaching up to cup his jaw. His beard was soft, and she shivered as she remembered the feel of it as he’d kissed her. What would it feel like elsewhere on her body?

  “Come on,” he said, his tone soft. “We’ll take care of this, and then I’m taking you home.”

  He led her through the station until they reached a door that said Security. Brexton knocked before pushing it open and stepping inside, pulling her along with him. A male who was smaller than her mate, yet who looked fierce with the scar running down one half of his face, turned to stare at them.

  “Zlerak, this is my mate, Blossom,” Brexton said.

  “I’d heard you rescued a female,” the older male said.

  “Yes. Borgoz just approved our mating, but Blossom has someone trying to hurt her. A human male who wishes to sell her and our children to someone evil.”

  Zlerak scratched at his jaw, then nodded to two chairs across from a large desk. “Sit and give me as much detail as you can on this male and anything else that might help capture him.”

  Blossom took a seat and gave the alien her ex-boyfriend’s name, physical description, and last known place of employment. She hadn’t dealt much with Mike’s friends, but she told the head of security the names she could remember, and anyplace that Mike had mentioned as a hangout.

  The alien, Zlerak, typed on his keyboard a moment, then frowned and turned the screen toward her. Blossom nodded when she saw her ex-boyfriend’s face.

  “That’s him,” she said.

  “Michael Moretti. Nephew of Silas Moretti, Italian kingpin in Las Vegas. Your ex has a trail of crimes, and a lot of arrests, including human trafficking spreading from Las Vegas down into Colorado, then across into California. He’s been picked up several times, but nothing ever sticks.”

  Blossom felt the blood drain from her face and she swayed in the chair. Brexton wrapped an arm around her and tried to soothe her. She’d been with that kind of monster? Had let him touch her, tried to get him to claim her kids? What the hell kind of mom did that make her? Shouldn’t she have sensed the evil in him? She’d put her babies in danger by letting that man into her life.

  “He won’t hurt you, or the children,” Brexton swore. “Isn’t that right, Zlerak?”

  “Absolutely,” the head of security said. “No one would dare capture the mate and children of a… Terran.”

  She blinked a moment and focused on the alien, momentarily pulled from her dark thoughts. “You paused. When you said Terran, you hesitated.”

  Her mate shared a look with Zlerak before the older male cleared his throat.

  “Now that you’re family, there’s no harm in you knowing. Our people were not originally called Terrans, and that’s not how we’re known anywhere other than Earth. Our actual name is Zelthranites, and we’re from a planet called Zelthrane-3. Our council believed humans would be more accepting if we were called Terrans. There’s been discussion of coming clean to your Earth government, but it’s been so long now our people aren’t sure it’s worth the risk.”

  “You mean the risk of Earth being angry we were lied to and the program being shut down?” she asked.

  Zlerak nodded. “Yes. A lot of us still don’t have mates. While human females sign up all the time, only a handful are actually compatible with our males and accepted, and out of those even less are actually claimed by a male.”

  “But the women who sign up, they’re still compensated even if they aren’t chosen as a ma
te?” she asked.

  “Yes. Why do you ask? Do you require compensation for agreeing to be mated to Brexton?”

  “No! No, not for me, but… I was just thinking that if your people were open to accepting single mothers, especially those in a similar situation to mine, you might find more women who are to your liking. I know that single women who have never been married are more typical as a chosen mate. At least, from the ones I’ve seen on TV. But a single mom who has had to fight nonstop to provide for and protect her children? She would be loyal, if you could break through her walls and convince her that her kids would be safe.”

  He nodded. “That’s true. Some of our males are hesitant to accept the children of another. We love all children, but moving to another planet can be difficult enough on an adult.”

  “You’d be surprised at how well children would adapt to new surroundings,” Blossom said. “Besides, not all of you live on your home world. Has no one other than Brexton decided to raise a family on Earth?”

  “There are others, even those who accepted human children. We’ll take it under advisement.” Zlerak stood. “Until Michael Moretti is captured, I will assign a guard to follow you and the children. There will be two, so they can rotate and be well rested for their shifts.”

  Brexton frowned. “You didn’t have the resources before.”

  “She was just a human before,” Zlerak said. “Now she’s your mate. Do you know what the council would do to me if I didn’t put forth every effort to protect your new mate and children?”

  “Thank you,” Blossom said.

  Zlerak paused. “You’re willing to have more children? With Brexton?”

  “Yes. I mean, we haven’t really discussed it, but I’d always dreamed of having a big family,” Blossom said. “I just started having kids sooner than I had expected. Drew is three and RaeLynn is only a year old.”

  “In your opinion, would women, who are considering abandoning their children for whatever reason, be open to an adoption with someone not of the human race?” Zlerak asked.

  “Your mate can’t have children?” Blossom asked.

  “I don’t have one,” Zlerak said. “But I’m getting older and I wish to have children. I realize some males don’t find their mates until later in life, and mine could still be out there, but for now… I’d like to have a family. The Intergalactic Adoption Agency prefers mated pairs, but I hoped perhaps a human adoption would be easier. I’m not opposed to having fully human children.”

  “I don’t really know how all of that works,” Blossom said. “But I do know that single people have been able to adopt in the past. I think it’s more difficult, but not unheard of.”

  He nodded. “Thank you. I’ll look into the matter.”

  Blossom stood and took Brexton’s hand.

  “For what it’s worth, I think they would foolish to turn you away,” Blossom said.

  Zlerak smiled and nodded.

  Brexton led Blossom out to his SUV and there was another Terran -- no, Zelthranite -- waiting nearby. He appeared young, but seemed strong and capable. Wearing the standard leather pants she’d seen most of the aliens wearing, and only a leather vest, his muscles were on display. He was nowhere near as big as Brexton, but still impressive. She would imagine the female population went crazy when he passed by.

  “Joril,” Brexton said, slapping the other male on the back. “I take it you’ll be one of the guards protecting my mate and children?”

  “Yes, Brexton,” Joril said. “I will lay down my life to keep them safe.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” her mate said.

  “I’ll follow in my own vehicle,” Joril said. “I believe they’ve asked Ranvik to take the morning watch.”

  “Thank you,” Blossom said.

  Once Blossom was buckled, Brexton pulled out of his parking space and they drove home. She could see the headlights in her side view mirror of Joril’s vehicle the entire way, and he pulled through the gate behind them. Blossom was tired from such a stressful evening, but she was also looking forward to her first night with Brexton. She entered the house and found Mrs. Connors in the living room flipping through a magazine.

  “Everything go all right?” Mrs. Connors asked, standing and coming toward her. “I got worried when you were gone for so long.”

  “The children?” Blossom asked, her stomach tightening.

  “They’re fine,” Mrs. Connors said. “Both had dinner, watched a little TV, and fell asleep. I carried them up to bed.”

  “Thank you.”

  She felt the heat of Brexton’s body behind her, before he settled his hand at her waist.

  “Ready, mate?” he asked.

  “Mate?” Mrs. Connors asked. “I thought you were engaged.”

  Blossom felt her cheeks warm.

  “We decided to make things more official after dinner,” Brexton said. “Chief Councilor Borgoz has approved our mating and the papers will be filed.”

  “Oh, that’s so wonderful!” Mrs. Connors gushed, then hugged Blossom hard. “The children will be excited I’m sure. Are you going on a honeymoon?”

  “What’s a honeymoon?” Brexton asked.

  “You remember that post-wedding trip you took in Because She Loves Me? That was a honeymoon,” Blossom said. “They even called it one.”

  “Yes, like Blossom said, it’s what humans do after getting married,” Mrs. Connors said. “A trip for the bride and groom where they can bond away from friends and family.”

  “I do recall that scene, but I guess I didn’t remember the term. Maybe once the threat to Blossom and the children has been dealt with,” Brexton said.

  “Threat?” asked Mrs. Connors.

  “A man is trying to kidnap my mate and children,” Brexton said. “He plans to sell them. There will be a guard around at all times to ensure their safety. If you see anyone you don’t recognize lurking around the property, call the head of security at the Terran station in Los Angeles. This man has a habit of avoiding your human jails.”

  Mrs. Connors clutched at her throat. “Oh my. I’ll be extra vigilant and make sure the children are safe. I noticed you had a baby monitor for each room. I’ll take them to my quarters with me so the two of you won’t be disturbed tonight.”

  “Thank you for the offer,” Brexton said. “But I would like to take care of them since it’s the first night we’re officially a family.”

  Blossom melted a little more at his words. The guy really was just about perfect. She refused to believe he was one hundred percent perfect because such a thing didn’t exist. Right? If she put him up on that pedestal, he’d likely topple off and disappoint her. He was definitely amazing though, and now he was all hers.

  “I’ll prepare a special breakfast in the morning,” Mrs. Connors said. “Remember that I’m not far if you need anything.”

  She gave them each a hug, then hurried out of the room.

  “She lives here?” Blossom asked.

  “There’s a small suite at the back of the house. She has her own bedroom, sitting room, and bathroom, with a separate entrance for the days she’s off. I give her every Wednesday and Sunday off so she can have time with her friends and attend church.”

  “I’ve never really had a chance to cook much of anything since my kitchens have always been small and cramped, if they worked at all. I’ll have to cook for us the days that she’s not working. It will be a treat to have so much space.”

  Brexton gave her waist a squeeze. “Let’s check on the children and go to bed.”

  “I sure hope that was code and doesn’t mean you’re ready to go to sleep,” she said as they walked upstairs.

  Brexton chuckled. “No, I’m not the least bit tired, but if you need to rest I’ll understand. You’ve had a busy day with a lot of changes.”

  She stopped midway up the stairs and looked at him over her shoulder. “If you even think of getting out of our wedding night, I’ll think of something truly horrible to do to you. Like… buy
only pink socks for you to wear, or bleach your favorite pants.”

  “If that’s your version of horrible, then I think I’ll survive. Although, if you buy me only pink socks, be prepared for my fans to suddenly start wearing only pink socks. I’ve found if I wear something several times, it tends to stick as a trend, which is the oddest thing.”

  Blossom rolled her eyes and kept climbing to the second floor. “Yes, it’s completely awful to be you and have people want to copy the things you wear, do, or say. Such a rough life.”

  “Mate?”

  “Yes, Brexton?”

  “Walk faster.”

  She laughed, then quietly checked on the children before following Brexton down to the hall to the room they would now share. She already felt more comfortable with him than she had any of the past men she’d been with, and she’d only known him for a day. Part of her wanted to scream that she was acting crazy and being irrational, marrying someone who was still very much a stranger. Then she’d silence the voice and remind herself that Brexton wasn’t like human males. He wasn’t going to break her heart, or hurt her. Not intentionally anyway. There were bound to be communication breakdowns when one or both of them would say something that would hurt the other, but they could work through those.

  The door clicked shut behind them and she heard Brexton turn the lock. She faced him, and her heart raced in her chest. It wasn’t like she was a virgin, but for some reason, being with Brexton was different from anything she’d experienced before. Maybe because they were mated and she was his, maybe because he didn’t have sexual experience, or maybe… maybe it was just because he was Brexton, the kindest, most caring, sweetest man she’d ever met. And he was hers.

  Slowly, she removed her clothes, watching the heat flare in his eyes as she exposed herself a little at a time. The purple of his eyes darkened after she’d removed all but her bra and panties. His breathing seemed labored as she reached back and popped the clasp on her bra, then let it slide down her arms and fall to the floor. Brexton groaned, and his face tightened as he licked his lips, but he didn’t reach for her. Blossom lowered her panties and let them drop to the carpet at her feet before stepping out of them.