by A. R. Ford
“Your toes.” It was all I could think to say.
He chuckled, lips pressing against my forehead. “The fever is not as high, now. Would you like more water?”
“Yesss!” I drank two glasses of water, and begged for more. When he refused, I wept like a child denied a favorite stuffed toy at bedtime.
Zayn soothed my tears of frustration by caressing my back after he pulled me into his arms. “Too much will make you sick,” he insisted. “Vomiting on top of this mess would be awful.”
My eyes grew round at his words. A halo of light appeared behind his head. An angel. Could he be one of those? I wondered if angels lived in this day and time when innocents convicted of crimes were shot into the stratosphere to godforsaken lands like this one.
The breath caught in my throat as I admired his features. Each plane of his face was sculpted from stone. The high cheek bones would be admired by the modeling industry. Evidence of his battles marked his face. A vertical scar a few inches long ran through one eyebrow. Three thin lines marked one cheekbone. The markings did not detract from his rough, raw beauty. My eyes lingered on his scruff. Gods help me, it was delectable. I wanted to touch it desperately. I did, fingers scratching through the dark hair roughening an otherwise kissable chin.
Delirium set in. That explained the surge of heat that shot straight through my core, and nipples hard enough to cut steel.
“Gracie, stop squirming before I drop you,” he cautioned, an arm pulling me closer to the broad, sexy alien chest of his. Thankfully, Zayn was unaware of my suffering.
“You are no warlord,” I hissed, struggling to be free before my panties burst into flames.
Laughter rumbled deep in his chest. Perspiration slickened my skin. I gave up the struggle to be free. He was far too strong and intent on holding me still.
“Tell me what I am then,” he demanded in a velvety voice that only made things worse. The folds between my thighs grew slick with need.
“The history teachers lied about uncouth aliens living on Lonus N88.” I shivered in his arms as the heat in my body abated, only to be replaced by more chills. “You’re an alien sex god.” My teeth chattered so hard the muscles of my jaws ached.
Zayn’s lips found my temple this time. He inhaled my scent, a chuckle following his assessment. “Let me get you into bed under a blanket, little one. I think you are delirious.”
*****
Awareness snatched me from a restless, tormented sleep that provided no real rest. I sat upright with a gasp. My nude body felt sticky with dried sweat. Zayn lay beside me, his massive frame taking up most of the bed. He snored softly, completely unaware that I was now awake, and mortified at my situation. I could not remember how long I had been unconscious. Only random bits and pieces of the past however many days were a part of my memory.
Chancing a glance at Zayn, I wondered if anything other than shivering, sweating, shaking misery had taken place between us. Fingers thrust between my legs assured me that everything down there appeared normal. Nothing had ripped me open. I was not in pain. Any male of Zayn’s impressive stature had impressive equipment to match. Equipment that would rip me apart.
Wobbly legs did little to improve my ability to sneak from the bed. I managed to make it to the bathroom before weakness overwhelmed me. The tiny bit of urine emptied from my bladder tinged the water dark yellow. A glass sat on the sink. Without wondering if it was permissible, I turned on the tap, and immediately forgot about the glass. I sucked water straight from the faucet as it ran into one hand. I drank until my stomach cramped. Only then did I turn the tap off.
The bathroom was utilitarian in its simplicity. A walk-in shower beckoned. Hot water would make all the aches feel much better. Before I could turn the water on, someone yanked the bathroom door open. I shrieked when I saw Zayn in all his half-naked glory. Pajama pants? No one warned me that aliens wore those sorts of things. His upper body was bare. Steel blue skin glistened like satin. An intricate pattern of markings and scars intrigued me.
“What the bloody hell do you think you are doing out of bed?” he muttered.
When did Zayn get angry eyebrows? His tone, combined with his dominating presence, broke through my reverie. I snatched a towel from the rack to cover my naked body. Holding it in front of my body gave me some security. What did it matter anyway? Zayn had slept with me naked in bed for who knew how long.
“I stink. Dried sweat and fever and ... stuff. Did you—I mean, we, you know.” My face flamed at the mere thought.
“What kind of mate do you think I am?” Zayn growled. “You were ill, Gracie. I would never force you to do anything like that. Mating in Lonus is undertaken only with full consent of both parties.” He walked past me to open the shower and turn on the tap. “It takes a bit for the water to get hot. I will remain here in the event you feel weak, or dizzy.”
“I think I can …” Zayn’s full-on glare, emphasized by his angry eyebrows, was enough to snap my mouth shut after a few words escaped. No wonder he was a warlord. His glare alone probably sent opponents scurrying like little girls in a school yard threatened with handfuls of bugs.
The towel dropped onto the floor before I climbed into the shower. Leaning against the wall with hot water cascading over my body felt heavenly. I sighed, head bowed, content to let it beat against my skin. Zayn stood patiently waiting outside the shower. He handed me a cloth and a bar of soap that smelled like exotic flowers. The scent was so intoxicating I washed my hair and body with it.
By the time I finished in the shower, my knees trembled. Zayn wrapped me in a bath sheet before he carried me back to the room. He held me on his lap while a servant changed the bed, and straightened up the room.
“Why are you holding me?” A halfhearted squiggle brought Zayn’s soft growl. My core clenched in response. “You’re growling. Don’t do that.”
“I growl when my disobedient mate refuses to allow me to care for her. Acclimation is a process. Be still and let it happen.” His passionate profession inspired my giggle.
“You have angry eyebrows. Do all of your people have those?” It felt good to rest against Zayn’s muscular warmth.
“Explain this concept.”
My finger traced over his thick, dark brows. A scowl brought them closer together. A single tap on the area between his eyebrows preceded my explanation. “There, when you do that. Your eyebrows are angry. Actually, I would say somewhere between enraged, and furious. You have probably won entire wars with your eyebrows alone. When you scowl …”
His finger at my lips halted my explanation. “No further explanations are needed, little one. I understand. My angry eyebrows are never meant to strike terror in my mate. Only enemies need fear them.”
The warmth and comfort of Zayn’s body made me drowsy. He chuckled while drying my hair. “You should feel much better now,” he observed. “Would you like something to eat?”
My stomach growled at that moment as if answering for me. “I am starving.”
Once again, a servant delivered a tray of food. I remained on Zayn’s lap while eating something that tasted very much like chicken noodle soup. My stomach roiled when I thought what sort of creature would be used to make the soup, but pushed the thought away as my stomach begged to be filled.
“The doctor visited while you were sleeping. He said you should be on the road to recovery.”
I sat up, absently picking at a bit of fuzz on his shirt. My mind strayed back to his comment in the bathroom. “Can I ask a question?”
“Ask me anything.” His deep voice reassured me I could ask questions.
“Why did you say you were my mate?” Zayn’s revelation confused me. When I thought of mates, I thought of animals, like wolves. They retained the same mate for life--an act humans were nearly incapable of doing.
Silver eyes with vertical pupils caught and held my gaze. Zayn’s eyes were hypnotic. It was the first time I had experienced the full effect.
“Because I am,” he announced.
“There will be an official ceremony later. I have claimed you as my mate to protect you from the advances of other aggressive males. There are more details, but I will explain when you have recovered.”
A wave of dizziness overwhelmed me. With it came a memory of a room that smelled of antiseptic, of people wearing scrubs. And a doctor’s announcement. She should experience estrus within a few months if the genetic material bonds with hers. The chances she will become pregnant during the first estrus are high.
My brows drew together at the recollection, an ache beginning in the base of my skull. The struggle to be free was fruitless. Zayn clutched me close, his mouth against my ear as if he knew why I wanted to escape.
“Be still, little one.” His breath caressed my ear. The sensation forced me to shiver.
“What did they do to me at the medical facility?” I had to know the answer to the question. Something inside me felt different. I knew something more than medical testing took place at the facility. If only Zayn would be honest.
“I have explained…”
“Not all of it. They did something to me, implanted genetic material somewhere in my body. I remembered what the doctor said. He said I would have an estrus and I could get pregnant. Is that what I am here for? I am a surrogate mother for a baby you will take from me when it is born. That’s it, isn’t it?” My voice rose to a hysterical shriek by the time I finished speaking. The struggle to be free began in earnest, only to have my strength fade completely after no more than a few minutes.
Zayn held me with an iron strength, tempered with gentleness. “No! This is a complicated matter,” he murmured after I collapsed panting in his arms.
Tears trickled down my cheeks. My mind whirled at the horror of it all. A muffled sob broke free regardless of how hard I tried to hold it in. “I have read the articles. I saw the reports on the COMM. That’s what aliens do in the galaxy.”
“Reports are manipulated to make it appear we are uncouth savages. Why would I bring you here only to make you leave if you give me the most precious gift I could hope to receive?” His bulk and warmth soothed the worries away. A big hand stroked from the crown of my head, down the side of my face, and along an arm. He repeated the motion.
“Someone I trusted once lied to the police. He said I stole money. Wait. I told you that before, didn’t I?” The details were blurry given the events of the past weeks. The fever had clouded my mind.
Zayn listened while I talked about the last six months of my life on earth. Of how I had been wrongly accused by my employer, Desmond Lorrie. I respected my employer a great deal. Desmond promised to help me learn advanced accounting, something he swore would make me priceless in his firm.
“The police came to work one day. They arrested me while Desmond looked on. He smirked when they put the handcuffs on. The defense attorney was the only person to show me any kindness. He was old enough to be my grandfather.” More words tumbled out. Sometimes they were a jumbled mess. Zayn never complained. He listened while stroking my hair. “Now, I am a convicted felon. They shot me into outer space because felons are not allowed to live on earth.”
“What happened to Desmond Lorrie?” Zayn asked when I paused to catch my breath.
“The bastard came on the last day of the trial. He sat behind the prosecutor in the audience. He smirked the entire time.” I raised my face, breath catching when I saw the expression on his face. His brows were drawn together, lips pursed. The skin at the corner of his eyes crinkled when he smiled at me. It appeared he was genuinely concerned and interested in my story.
“I will send an assassin to terminate Desmond Lorrie.” His voice came in a low rumble tinged with steely intent.
“You would do that?” I squeaked, my hand settling on his forearm. My hand mimicked the motion of his caressing my hair.
“I would do anything to keep you safe, to make you feel adored as you should be. You need only say the word and Desmond Lorrie is a dead man. Tell me your heart’s desire.”
“Kiss me?” Regardless of my concerns, I could not deny my attraction to Zayn.
His mouth came within inches of mine before he paused. “I would not want to take advantage of you. You are recovering from the effects of the procedure, and your experience with flight at warp speed.”
A whine of disappointment broke free. Zayn chuckled before he carried me to the bed. Massive hands, no doubt capable of ripping an enemy limb from limb, tucked me in with astounding gentleness. He retreated to a closet where he retrieved a gold foil gift bag.
“This is for you.”
I opened the bag, gasping when a multi-colored pillow and blanket, created from the same rich silk as my gowns, came into view. Holding them carefully on my lap, my fingers traced over each one. Bright colors meshed together perfectly. It was apparent each item was created by a master craftsman.
“Thank you.” My voice came as a whisper.
Tears stung the backs of my eyelids at the thoughtfulness of this alien being. He roused more emotion than either of my two past boyfriends. His gentleness and compassion shocked me. No, it cannot be. I could not be falling for this man so quickly. I barely knew him, yet found myself drawn to him as strongly as opposite poles of a magnet are to each other.
“You are welcome.”
The pillow and blanket cradled against my chest brought a sense of contentment. For a fierce warlord, Zayn certainly was adept at making me feel special. He was much different from any man I had known on earth. Maybe being his mate would not be so bad after all. I fell asleep while dwelling on the possibility.
*****
Whispering in Lonusian between two people woke me. Morning’s bright light had faded into late afternoon. I lay unmoving while listening to the ongoing conversation. I recognized one voice as Zayn’s. He was unsuccessful at his attempted covert conversation. The deep bass of his voice reminded me of a bear’s grumbling. I had no clue who he was talking with.
Stretching eased the soreness in my body. The whispering ended abruptly when I levered my body upright on both arms.
“You are awake. I have someone I would like you to meet.” Zayn approached the bed with a Lonusian female standing at his side. Her skin was a paler shade of steel blue, the tattoo-like markings barely visible. Wrinkles lined her face. A braid down the center of her back held graying hair neatly in place. She stood at least a foot taller than me, but was still small compared to Zayn.
“Zanzi, I would like you to meet Gracie. Gracie, Zanzi parented me after my parents were assassinated.”
Zanzi took my hand firmly between hers. “It is a pleasure to meet the future queen. You are a pretty humanoid. Has Zayn told you about me?”
“It is good to meet you. He hasn’t talked a lot about,” I paused, one hand waving expansively around the room, “those sorts of things.”
“Would you like to sit on the balcony for a while?” Zayn murmured; a hand offered to assist me.
“I would love to get some fresh air.” I took Zayn’s hand and stood in one place until the trembling in my legs passed. He remained at my side, a hand resting against my back.
The view of the city was breathtaking from this vantage point. I could not take my eyes off of the buildings, people, or the geodome. “What is the name of the city?”
“Yresa is the capital city. The geodome protects the palace, and other important landmarks from rapid climate changes, or assault. One day, when you grow stronger, you may take a tour with either myself, or Zanzi.” Zayn’s fingers carded my hair. His explanation came with infinite patience.
Zayn answered my questions until I tired of asking them. Zanzi took a seat across from us. Zayn beckoned for me to sit on a love seat before he joined me.
“I wish to welcome you to Lonus,” Zanzi offered. “I have waited for Zayn to find a mate to make a future with. You have hips suitable for carrying a child, dear.”
My face turned red. Words stuck in my throat. How could I respond to that comment? Zanzi already had me pregnant, giv
ing birth to the next generation of warlords.
“Zanzi!” Zayn muttered. “You presume too much. Allow Gracie enough time to recover before you foist your dreams on her.”
I sat staring at my hands. A hangnail claimed my interest. A sting of pain followed by a droplet of blood welling where it once resided came when I yanked it unmercifully away. I popped the bleeding finger in my mouth. Anything to avoid the comment’s aftermath. The entire scenario was awkward, and embarrassing. Zanzi continued to chatter away. I hummed and nodded at appropriate moments.
Zayn took my hand in his. My eyes closed when he whispered reassuringly in my ear. “Ignore Zanzi. Focus on me, little one.” The heat of his breath combined with the musky scent of his body drew me. I was forced to squirm uncomfortably at the magnetic attraction between us.
“You can say what you want. Deny away,” Zanzi insisted as she leaned forward, eyes fastened on our hands. “I see what is already obvious. This one is good for you, son.” She stood with the dignity of a queen, and smiled. “Take care of her. It was good to meet you, Gracie.”
My eyes fastened on her retreating back. Once the door closed behind her, Zayn grumbled. “My apologies. Zanzi is very direct in her interactions with everyone.”
“I like her.”
One of Zayn’s thick fingers tilted my chin. His lips brushed my cheek. “Good. We are off to a good start in becoming acclimated to one another.”
“What happens when we are acclimated?”
His mysterious smile was the only answer I received.
We sat outside watching the setting suns. I learned that Lonus was graced with three suns much smaller than the solitary sun in my former world. I wondered which was more beautiful--the setting suns, or the charming, intense warlord at my side.
Chapter 6: Zayn
For some reason I could not fathom, the human female pulled magnetically at my heart. Maintain distance. Remain impersonal. It was the sage advice given to me by my father before he died. But for some reason I found it increasingly difficult to remain aloof, or distant. I wanted to spend time with her, to know everything about her.