“I’m to let you all go,” Ramos said sourly. “Apparently, you all have diplomatic immunity and the governor is threatening to have our balls decorating the office tree this Christmas if we don’t let you go.”
“What about The Human Right members who tried to kidnap my mate?” Gundar demanded.
Ramos pursed his lips. “They are being detained until the feds come collect them. Their group has been classified as terrorists, so that’s their bailiwick.”
Gundar grunted. “As long as they face justice,” he said, eager to take Darla away. Honeymoons were supposed to be romantic and carefree. He needed to salvage this, somehow. Darla’s silence on the way back to the hotel did not bode well to him being able to give her a carefree feeling. He tapped his kunnarskyn, placing a request to Xeranos to see what they could do.
“Sir,” one of the desk clerk’s called out to him. “The manager wishes to speak to you. If you could wait here a moment, please.”
Darla began to cry softly. “Great, now they are probably going to throw us out.”
“Not all, ma’am,” Makaho said, striding from the elevator and approaching them. “We here at the Hilton Family of Hotels would like to extend our deepest condolences for tonight’s event. Our on site security contacted the police as soon as it became obvious that an attempt was being made on Mrs. Gundar, but we understand that this must have marred your experience with us, nonetheless. We’d like to comp the rest of your stay as well as offer you a replacement booking at the Starlight Luau.”
“I was thinking it might be best to book somewhere else for the remainder, if at all possible. I know it is short notice and that we have premier lodgings, but I wish my mate to not be reminded of the unpleasantness and get to enjoy the rest of our honeymoon,” Gundar said. “It is not your fault and I am sure we will enjoy staying here another time.”
Makaho’s smile slipped, then brightened back up. “Of course, I completely understand. I can see if one of our other Hawaiian resorts has an opening?”
His kunnarskyn lit up. “A moment, I must check this.” It was Xeranos. He’d gotten them an offer of a booking at the Outrigger Hotel for the remainder of their week, on a honeymoon package for them. A last minute cancellation had occurred, and the manager was happy to have the Mylos grace his resort. Management had even managed to find rooms for their detail. He accepted the booking and turned to face Makaho. “Your offer won’t be necessary, thank you. We have secured other accommodation.”
“May we offer you three free nights at a Hilton resort of your choice, at a later date? As well as seating at one of our Starlight Luaus while you here,” Makaho pressed.
“That would be acceptable.”
Makaho looked relieved. “I’ll get confirmation of our offer to you printed out. It’ll be available for you to pick up when you come down to check out.”
Darla had stood quietly by during this exchange. “Where are we going? Are we going tonight?”
Gundar turned to her. “No, we go in the morning. The new hotel has agreed to let us check in at eleven, so we’ll pack, check out, and then go have breakfast.”
“Okay. Are we eating here or...?”
Gundar smiled. “We will be staying at the Outrigger right on the beach.”
“Oh! Duke’s again?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all!”
Gundar felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him. His mate was excited about their honeymoon again and the lines of worry were easing from her face. Hopefully now that they had some of the members of The Human Right in custody, they’d not be bothered any further. As Darla would say, ‘Fingers crossed’, he told himself.
Chapter Twenty-eight: Darla
“Oh my God, Darla, I had no idea they were wackos,” Angie said, tears running down her face. It was the last day of their honeymoon and Darla had been surprised to find she had a message request, routed through the Bride Registry Office back in her hometown. “Honest to God, I thought I was just in a group chat with other students and the subject of the Mylos came up. One girl said she’d applied and gotten one of the scholarships and then I said, 'Me too,' and then I mentioned that you’d also gone to apply and all. I never said you’d been taken against your will or anything. In fact, I told them I hoped you weren’t mad at me over it, as you were going to Hawaii for a honeymoon and everything. That must be how they found you.”
Indeed, it had been. The woman who’d met her during their check in turned out to be one Louise Karcher, licensed travel agent and a local founding member of The Human Right in Waikiki. It hadn’t taken much for her to find out through local industry gossip just who had scored the coup of having the Mylos commander and his bride book a honeymoon stay with them. Domestic terrorism charges had been filed against all of those involved in her kidnapping as well as the attack on one of their registry offices. She felt much safer knowing they were being held without bail and couldn’t hurt anyone again. She refused to think about members and sympathizers still on the loose. Hopefully they learned a lesson and won’t go causing any mayhem.
“It’s not your fault, Ang. I’m not mad at you and neither is Gundar. In fact, we wanted to invite you to join us during the first week of January. That’s when we’re booking our stay using the coupon the Hilton gave us, so we get three free nights free, so we only have to pay for a few days worth. They’re comping your room and our security guys’ too, so won’t cost you a thing. Food is on us, just bring some money to go shopping!”
Angie squealed. “Really? Oh my gosh, I’ll have to check the calendar, it might clash with school. Scratch that, I’ll just start a couple of days late if I gotta, I can’t miss this!”
“Yeah, it’s not every day your best friend since pre-K returns from her home in outer space and offers to take you on an all expenses paid five star resort vacation. Especially after not almost getting kidnapped by anti-alien weirdos.” Darla knew she was laying it on thick, but damn it, she really wanted Angie to come. Amy, Steven, and their mates were also coming. She pouted. “You can meet my besties in space that way, too!”
“Oh, I see,” Angie teased. “I’m really just tagging along to meet my replacements and their hunky alien hubbies. I’ll be all on my own,” Angie placed a hand on her forehead dramatically, “while you and your new best buddies are all loved up.”
Darla cackled. “You’ll have all the hot single guys there to yourself.”
Angie brightened. “Ohhhhh. That’s true! Okay, I’ll go. Who knows? Maybe I’ll end up going with a mate too, I have to reapply for my scholarship for that semester. I could end up matched with some new guy in the system.”
Darla swallowed. “So, you’re going to apply again, for reals?”
Angie looked at her steadily. “You don’t seem to have it so bad. And I’m tired of dating losers. Finding the perfect guy and having to continue my studies on one of the space ships doesn’t seem so bad, now that I know you’re there. Hey, where are we going on this trip, anyways?”
“You’ll need a passport, so be sure to have it ready! We’ll pick you up from your nearest Bridal Registry Office and then it’ll be straight on to... dun dun dun... Aruba!”
“Aruba! Oh my God! I was thinking it would be like, Florida, or something.”Angie began to jump up and down. “I’m going to go to Aruba! Woohoo! I feel like I won the Price is Right or something!”
“I know! This has been so incredible and wonderful! Well, except for the kidnapping part. Hey, did you know Gundar actually asked his dad why he was registered to be matched? Seems Gundar and the guys serving on the flagship were supposed to be last to registered or something. Anyways, his dad asked him if he was unhappy, and he said, ‘no’, so his dad told him to just leave it at that and not to question their Council or whatever.” Darla giggled.
Angie had stopped dancing about and now stood slack jawed. “His dad works that high up in government?”
“Umm, yeah, sorta,” Darla said, not wanting to go into
it. Gundar hated having his family’s position talked about. “Anyways, so, the other guys here on the ship have now all been registered, so, who knows? You could end up on the same ship as me.”
“Now that would be cool. But hey, in any case, we’ll have Aruuuuuuuubbbbbbaaaaaa!”
Darla laughed and began dancing about as well. Gundar entered the room, hearing the commotion. He stared. “You both seem excited. I take it she will be joining us in Aruba, then?”
“Yes!” Darla and Angie both shouted.
“Good. It is time to say good bye, Darla, unless you plan to not have breakfast with the rest of us,” Gundar said.
“Oh, Ang, I’m sorry. I’ll arrange to comm you later, okay, once we’re back home.”
“Have good time!” Angie wished her. “Hope it’s somewhere good. Enjoy!”
“It’s the Wailana Coffee House,” Gundar informed her.
Darla blew her bestie a kiss and shut off the comm. “Okay, let’s go eat! I’m ready for some nice Kona coffee! Coffee, food, then home!”
“Coffee, food, pack, check out, then home,” Gundar amended.
Darla smiled. All that mattered was that they were going home, together. Everything else was, as her mama would say, just gravy.
About the Author
Hi! I'm a housewife with her head usually in the clouds, dreaming of romance and far away places. One day, I thought, why not write them down? So here we are. I hope you enjoy hot men, gutsy women, and happily ever afters because that's what you'll get from me.
Preview: Junrig
Coming very soon, look for it in October 2017! Enjoy the sneak peek and please follow me on Amazon to get notified when I have new releases.
Chapter One
Melissa
Melissa peered into the mirror. So this is what thirty-two looks like. A little wrinkly, some cellulite, three kids, and a divorce. She leaned in closer. The bags under her eyes had bags of their own, and they were bruise colored. Great, just great. Happy birthday to me.
“Mommy, Jeffrey farted at the table,” her three-year-old daughter, Maisie, said through the bathroom door.
“I did not! You’re just mad ‘cause I got the last of the marshmallow cereal!” Jeffrey shouted from the kitchen.
Melissa winced. The mobile home they lived in was only a fourteen by seventy, so there wasn’t that great a distance between the rooms. At least they didn’t have any neighbors close enough to hear their ruckus, living on the back half of her uncle’s ten acre parcel just outside of DeFuniak Springs, Florida might not be the most exotic place, but it gave plenty of shouting room. Good thing, too, as my kids can shout with the best of 'em.
She rummaged in her make up bag for her bottle of concealer. It was almost out as was her foundation and mascara. She eyed herself critically. It’d have to do. She was due on shift shortly. She grimaced, glancing at her phone. If she didn’t get a move on and drop the kids off at the daycare, she’d not make it in time. She’d already been warned that if she was late one more time, that’d be it.
She opened the bathroom door. “Grab your backpacks and let’s go!”
“But I don’t have my shoes on,” Johnny said.
“And why not?” Melissa asked, trying not to panic. “You had them on before breakfast.” She knew all three of them had, she’d checked before allowing them to pour their cereal while she got ready.
“Because I don’t like red no more,” he said in a reasonable tone.
“Johnny Lamont Clark, you get your shoes and march to the car right now. By the time we get to daycare, you best have them on and fastened.”
“But that’ll get my socks dirty,” he whined.
“Should’ve thought about that before you took them off. Oh, never mind,” she groused, “where are your shoes?”
“Here they are, Mommy,”Jeffrey said helpfully. “I got my backpack, too.”
Melissa took Johnny’s shoes from Jeffrey and sat them on her kitchen table. Picking Johnny up, she sat him on the table next to his shoes. “You and your sister go get in the car and fasten yourselves in.” She thanked the good Lord for built in child seats.
“Okay, Mommy,” the child chimed. “Come on, Maisie, you heard what Mommy said.”
Melissa thrust Johnny’s feet into his shoes and velcro'd them shut. Picking him and her phone, purse, and car keys up, she rushed to the door. She hurriedly fastened him and then climbed into the driver’s seat. A quick glance at her phone showed her that she was now ten minutes late leaving, thanks to that escapade. This was so not good. She turned the keys, eying the gas gauge as the car turned over. Really, she needed to stop for gas, but hopefully it’d last her until she got ready to leave work. She could always fill up at the station there.
She thought she was home free when she got to the daycare center and got the kids signed in without any delays. Her stroke of good luck ran out when her engine refused to turn over. She was out of gas. “No, no, no!” One of the mothers tapped on her window. “Car trouble? You need me to call AA?”
One of the fathers overheard and came over. “You need a jump? I’ve got cables.”
Her face reddening, she replied, “No, no. I’m just out of gas. I was hoping it’d last me ’til I got to work, as they have cheaper gas.” They exchanged glances. Yeah, go ahead and think it. “Why didn’t she get gas yesterday?” Okay, sure, I should have, but I worked late enough that I had to really skedaddle to get here before five to pick the kids up. Not like Uncle Clem would be any help. He’s off gambling in Biloxi again. And the kids’ daddies are long gone.
“Sorry, I don’t have a gas can,” the man said slowly, as if she’d asked him for one.
“Me neither,” the woman piped up. Both of them ambled off to their cards, uninterested now that they knew it was something mundane and that they couldn’t be of any help. Melissa gritted her teeth. She didn’t have a gas can, either. She eyed the auto parts place across the street from the college extension campus where her children attended daycare. Hopefully they’d have a gas can then she’d just have to walk to the gas station. First though, she’d have to call in to work. Dread seized her as she flicked through her phone’s address book and pulled up the store.
“Thank you for calling Wal-Mart-" a cheerful female voice said. It sounded like Marcia, Melissa thought.
“This is Melissa,” she interrupted. “I need to speak to the supervisor.”
“One moment.” She heard the canned music and decided to go ahead and start walking to the auto parts place. This time of day, Highway 90 was fairly busy. Whoosh! Cars whipped by.
“Hi,” came the wind muffled voice of the supervisor on duty.
“Hi, it’s Melissa,” she replied loudly, hoping she could be heard and didn’t sound as if she was angry and shouting. Whoosh! An eighteen wheeler went past. She stepped out hurriedly. Traffic was clear on her side of the road. Beep! A car coming the other way blared at her, even though she was still on the other side of the road. “I’m gonna be late, I’m having car trouble. I’m heading to the car parts place now.”
“Okay, see me when you get in.” The call disconnected. The road was clear now, enabling her to finish crossing. She purchased her gas can and began the trek to the gas station. She snorted, remembering the woman at the day care asking if she wanted her to call AA. “As if I could even afford an AA membership," she said out loud to herself, ruefully. Truth be told, she couldn’t even really afford the gas. She was going to have to skate a ten dollar check at the gas station. She hated doing that, but she’d not bounced a check yet.
Finally, soaked in sweat and now over an hour late, she made it to the Tom Thumb. She filled her gas can and walked up to the cashier who rang her up. She wrote out her check and passed it to the cashier with her driving license. The cashier scanned her check. “I’m sorry, but payment has been rejected. Do you have another way to pay?”
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