“She is. She’s with me,” he told her. “Why wasn’t she brought up to my suite?”
“She wasn’t listed as a guest and it’s our policy not to allow strangers entry into hotel rooms. Just because she claimed to be here with someone didn’t mean she really was,” the woman said defensively.
He touched her pale cheek and winced at how cold she felt.
“Move,” Larimar said, shoving everyone out of his way.
He lifted Abbie into his arms and carried her out to where a line of limos stood waiting for any of his kind who needed a ride. He stopped at the first one.
“Can you take us to the Terran Station?” he asked the driver. “She needs the clinic.”
“I’ll get you there as quickly as I can,” the driver said, holding the door open for him.
Once he was settled on the seat with Abbie in his lap, the door shut and a moment later they were pulling away from the curb. She whimpered and burrowed closer to him, her teeth chattering slightly, but she didn’t open her eyes. Her entire body felt like it was a block of ice, she was so cold, and he cursed himself for a fool to leave her alone like he had. If he’d stayed with her, if he’d kept his temper and shoved his wounded pride aside, then she’d be fine and probably sleeping in their bed.
The limo pulled to a stop outside the Terran Station and the driver opened the door for them. Larimar stood, still holding Abbie, and carried her inside. He walked past reception and toward the back where the clinic took up part of a long hallway. The lights were still on even though it was nearly three in the morning. The doors slid open as he approached and he pressed the bell on the counter. A very tired Prylo appeared moments later.
“I didn’t realize you were on Earth, Councilman Larimar. It’s good to see you.”
“Abbie is sick.”
“You know we’re only allowed to treat mates.”
“She’s mine. We just haven’t made it official yet. Borgoz said it was as good as done once I got word to him,” Larimar said. “Please. She’s freezing to the touch and won’t stop shivering.”
Prylo motioned for Larimar to follow him down the hall and they entered an exam room. Larimar laid her on the table but stayed by her side. Prylo pulled out a bioscanner and checked her vital signs.
“We’re going to slowly warm her back up,” Prylo said. “It looks like she was out in the elements for a while. Did you let her leave the hotel without a coat? The temperatures are below freezing and the wind makes it even colder.”
“I didn’t know she’d left. I went for a walk and when I came back, she was gone. I’ve been worried about her and found her on a sofa in the hotel lobby.”
“So she’s been in a warm environment for at least a little while. I’m going to heat some blankets and bring them in to wrap around her and then I’m going to give her some warm oxygen just as a precaution. Her heartbeat is slow, but I think she’ll pull through just fine.”
“She’s pregnant,” Larimar said. “With my child.”
Prylo smiled a little. “I’m aware that she’s carrying a baby. And I assumed it was yours. We’ll take care of her, Councilman. She’ll be warm in your bed by morning.”
“Is there nothing else we can do for her?”
“I’m going to inject her with a serum that will help warm her and should help her awaken shortly. She’s showing signs of hypothermia, but I think we caught it in time. The fact she went into someplace warm probably helped. If she’d stayed outside…”
Larimar’s heart clenched at the thought of losing Abbie. He held her hand while Prylo got the things he needed, then helped wrap Abbie in the warm blankets. Within an hour of Prylo giving her the serum, her eyes fluttered open and she reached for the oxygen mask that was over her mouth and nose.
Larimar took her hand. “Leave that there.”
“It’s fine now,” Prylo said. “She can remove it.”
Abbie pulled the mask loose and looked up at Larimar. “What happened?”
“I found you in the hotel lobby, freezing cold and unresponsive. Where did you go, Abbie? I looked for you.”
“I went for a walk,” she said. “And then I got lost. Brexton sent me back to the hotel in a limo, but they wouldn’t tell me what room number we were in. So I sat on the sofa downstairs and thought maybe you’d find me.”
He held her close, stroking her hair. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I never should have left you like that.”
“I made you angry,” she said softly.
“You hurt my pride, but I should have stayed with you. If I hadn’t run off, then you wouldn’t have gotten sick.”
“I don’t know what I said that upset you so much. I thought I was giving you what you wanted,” she said. “I never meant to offend you.”
“We can talk about it later. Right now, I think you need a hot bath, maybe something to eat, and sleep.”
Prylo did another bioscan of her. “Your heart rate is back to normal and everything looks good. The serum I gave you may give you an energy boost, but don’t overdo it or you’ll regret it later. Listen to Larimar and let him take care of you for at least another twenty-four hours. After that, you should be in the clear.”
Her hand went to her stomach. “The baby?”
“The baby is fine,” Prylo said.
“I can take her back to the hotel now?” Larimar asked.
“Yes, just keep an eye on her for another day. If it looks like she’s relapsing, bring her back, but I don’t expect any problems.”
Larimar lifted Abbie into his arms and carried her back to the line of limos outside of the Terran Station. It was still dark out, and extremely cold. When they got into one of the cars, he asked the driver to turn the heat up, worried his Abbie could catch another chill. She’d finally stopped shivering and he didn’t want it to start back again.
At the hotel, he took her straight to their suite and prepared a hot bath for her. He helped her undress and get into the tub, then he sat on the floor nearby to keep an eye on her. Abbie sank into the water up to her neck and closed her eyes, but he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest, assuring him that she was fine.
“Our food is probably cold again,” he said. “I can warm it up after you’re dressed for bed.”
“They didn’t purchase pajamas for me,” she said, sounding tired.
“Then you can put on one of the complimentary robes while we eat and I’ll keep you warm tonight while we sleep.”
“Larimar?”
He inched closer. “What is it, Abbie?”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run out into the cold. You left me and I was scared you weren’t coming back. I didn’t mean to go so far.”
“Where did you go?” he asked.
“My old house. The one I grew up in. It’s falling apart now. I don’t know what happened to my parents, but they weren’t there. The windows were broken and the curtains were torn. Everything was covered in filth and cobwebs.”
“Would you like for me to find out what happened to your parents?” he asked. “Even if it’s not pleasant?”
“I need to know.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “I left and never looked back. Did they ever search for me? Did they even care that I was gone?”
“I’ll see what I can find out for you.”
She pushed herself up and tried to stand. Larimar helped her, then dried her off and tied the fluffy robe around her. Keeping an arm around her waist in case she was unsteady, he helped her to the small dining table in the living area, then went to heat their food.
“I’m not sure how this will taste reheated,” he said. “If it’s not good, don’t eat it. I’ll order something else for us.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.” She smiled wistfully. “It was my first time having seafood.”
“And I ruined the moment by being a coward and running away,” he muttered.
“Are we okay?” she asked.
He kissed her brow and smoothed her hair back. “We’re more than o
kay. I’ll contact my council and ask that our mating papers be filed. I should have done it days ago.”
“You said you were going to prove to me that you would be a good mate. What had you planned to do?” she asked.
“I was going to take you dancing, take you to a nice place to eat, and I had planned to buy you a ring. I’ve heard it’s customary for human females to wear a ring when they are mated. I wanted you to have that.”
“And you planned to do those things before you found out about the baby?” she asked.
“Yes. I wanted to show you how much I value you, and that you mean something to me. I know you think what we’ve shared was casual, but it wasn’t. It’s very rare for my people to have casual relationships with females. I’ve heard some have since coming to Earth, but most of us want mates. When I brought you to my home and kept you there, it’s because I wanted you there always.”
“Maybe we need to work some more on our communication skills.”
He smiled a little. “That might be a good idea. I obviously have a lot to learn about human females, and I think there’s still much for you to learn about my people. Perhaps we just haven’t known one another long enough and in time the matter will resolve itself.”
Abbie finished eating and Larimar tossed the food containers away. She yawned widely and he helped her out of the robe and into bed, where he curled his body around hers to keep her warm. They were sent to Earth for a specific purpose, but Larimar had already decided it would have to wait. As soon as Abbie was rested enough, they would return to Zelthrane-3, where he’d keep her until their child was old enough to travel. If something as simple as the weather could nearly take her from him, he didn’t want to know what else on Earth might be lurking to claim her life, and he wasn’t staying around to find out.
“Your world is dangerous,” he said.
“Compared to yours I suppose it can be a violent place. We have thieves, liars, murderers, rapists. But there are good people here too. Sometimes it’s just hard to tell which kind you’ve met until it’s too late.”
“I’ll make arrangements soon for our return trip to Zelthrane-3. I want you home where I know you’re safe,” he said.
“I like your world, even if there are things I’ll miss here.”
“Whatever you want to take with us, I’ll make it happen.”
She mumbled something he couldn’t understand and then her breathing evened out, letting him know she’d fallen asleep.
Larimar stayed up a while longer, well after the sun rose. How strange that there was only one. He eased out of bed long enough to contact Borgoz. The Chief Council was already at the large table in the council chambers, and appeared to be going over paperwork alone.
“You look worried,” Borgoz said.
“Abbie was really sick last night. I think I could have lost her if I hadn’t gotten to her in time. We haven’t accomplished our mission, but I’d like to bring her home. I don’t think this place is safe for her and our child.”
“Am I filing mating papers?”
“Yes,” Larimar said. “And I need another favor. Abbie would like to know what happened to her parents. She found their home abandoned and in a state of decay. She said even if the news is bad, she wants to know.”
“I’ll have a report to you in a few hours. We have her parents’ names on her application form, as well as their last known address. It should be simple enough to track them down.”
“Thank you,” Larimar said. “Once the clinic clears her for travel, I would like to return home.”
“We have a shuttle coming here tomorrow and another the day after. One is bringing more brides and the other is bringing supplies, so you’d be the only passengers on board. Let the Terran Station know which shuttle you’ll be on. I’ll make them aware of the situation.”
Borgoz signed off and Larimar crawled back into bed with his Abbie. When his portable Vid-comm dinged a few hours later, he opened the report with trepidation, not knowing what he’d find. The last thing he wanted was to give his mate bad news, but he understood her need for closure. As he scanned the document, he bolted upright in bed.
“What is it?” Abbie mumbled, half asleep.
“Abbie, your mother has been looking for you.”
Her eyes widened and she sat up. “When?”
“After you left, your father tried to kill her then committed suicide. Your mother was put into a rehab facility then went into a halfway house, where she remained for two years.”
“Are you telling me my mother is no longer an addict?” Abbie asked.
“Your mother…”
“Larimar, what is it?”
“This isn’t easy to say. Your mother is damaged from the incident with your father. There was permanent brain damage. According to the medical notes the council was able to obtain, she’s more like a teenager than an adult. She can carry on conversations and can hold a simple job, but she’s not the woman you once knew.”
Abbie seemed to mull over his words. “I want to see her.”
“Borgoz provided an address where we can find her. I’ll find out from Prylo if you’re allowed out of the hotel suite today. He may want you to rest one more day.”
Tears gathered in Abbie’s eyes. “You don’t understand. All this time I thought they forgot about me, that I was unwanted. You said she’s been looking for me.”
“She remembers you, and seems to retain all knowledge of her past, but she has mood swings like a teenager and her impulse control has been impaired. She can’t live on her own. She’s in a state facility.”
“All of that was in your report?” she asked.
“That and more, but you don’t want the other details. Let me check with Prylo about when you’re allowed to go back out into the cold. You could have died last night, Abbie. I won’t take the chance that could happen again.”
She nodded her acceptance and got up and went into the bathroom.
While she was gone, Larimar checked with Prylo and was given clearance for Abbie to go outside, as long as she didn’t stay in the cold for long, and assurance she could be on tomorrow’s shuttle home. Assuming he could pry her away from her mother. He couldn’t imagine what he would do if he were in her position. She’d thought her family was lost to her, and now she had her mother back. He would give anything to have more time with his parents.
Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to hold Abbie back for long, he placed a call to the facility where her mother lived and explained the situation, getting permission for a visit. As it happened, her mother didn’t work today and would be home. He only hoped that Abbie was prepared for what she would find. There were no pictures of her mother and he didn’t know what other damage may have been done. If her mother didn’t physically look the same, it might be hard on Abbie.
He leaned against the bathroom doorway, admiring her curves through the glass shower wall. “We can visit your mother any time today.”
“After we eat?” she asked.
“Yes. After we eat. It’s after lunch, but we can grab a bite downstairs. The restaurant should be open. Maybe you can try something else you haven’t had before, and this time you’ll get to eat it while it’s hot.”
“I won’t be long. Do you need to shower too?” she asked.
“I probably should.”
She opened the shower door and peeked out. “Then come join me.”
Now that was an invitation he couldn’t refuse. It didn’t take him long to strip and step under the spray, pulling her tight against his body. His cock, always at least semi-hard when in her presence, was fully erect and wanting to play. His body didn’t understand that she’d been seriously ill the night before.
And judging by the mischievous look in her eyes, she didn’t either.
“Abbie, whatever you’re thinking, we shouldn’t.”
“Oh, but we should,” she said, falling to her knees.
His eyes nearly rolled back in his head as her lips closed around the tip of his co
ck and then slid down to the base. Her tongue lashed the underside and her cheeks hollowed out as she sucked him hard as she drew away. He sank his fingers into her hair and fought to stay upright. Her lips and tongue drove him to distraction, but when she reached up to cup his balls, he nearly came down her throat. She rolled them gently, then gave them a bit of a squeeze and he couldn’t hold back another moment.
Without time to give her warning, he cried out and shot spurt after spurt of hot cum down her throat. Abbie didn’t seem to mind and swallowed every drop before giving him soft licks and kisses. Even his fast release hadn’t deflated his poor cock and with a growl, he gripped her around the waist, spun her to face the shower wall, and bent her over.
“You’re playing with fire. Isn’t that the Earth saying?” he asked.
“Maybe I was hoping to get burned.”
He lined up his cock with her slit and sank into her, holding tight to her hips as her luscious ass cushioned his pelvis. She felt like heaven wrapped around him. He wanted the moment to last forever, but he knew it wouldn’t. The minute she started coming, started squeezing him, it would all be over. With the sex bots he’d used at the floating brothel, he could go for hours. But with how incredible Abbie’s pussy felt, it was a miracle he didn’t come the second he slid inside of her.
He took her slow and easy, his hand sliding around her belly to delve into her curls and stroke her little clit. Her fingers fisted against the shower wall as her head dropped and she pushed back against him. He stroked her faster as he powered into her, every thrust taking her up onto her toes. Larimar pinched her clit and she came, screaming his name, her pussy milking every drop of cum from his balls.
He slowly withdrew from her body and trailed kisses up her back to her neck, giving her a gentle nip. When she turned to face him, he couldn’t help but kiss her.
“We should dress and eat so we can go visit your mother,” he said.
“I’m both excited and scared. What if you’re wrong? What if she wasn’t searching for me? What if she doesn’t want to see me at all?”
“Is that what you’re most afraid of, or are you worried that seeing her in her present condition might change things? Maybe you aren’t ready to let go of your anger from the past and you’re worried you won’t be able to hold onto it once you see what’s become of her.”
Abbie and the Alien Official (Intergalactic Brides 14) Page 9