Mama and the Alien Warrior

by Honey Phillips

  After he’d returned Lucie to their cabin for her nap—and spent a few delightful minutes kissing Abigail—he returned to the bridge and drew Inzen aside.

  “I was wondering…” he said slowly.

  “Yes, Captain?”

  “If you had known how it would end, would you still have wished for a child?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Even if I’d had only a single day with Zentia, it would still be worth it. She and my mate were everything to me.”

  “And you lost them both.”

  “Yes. It is a pain that never goes away, Hrebec, but I would never give up my time with them.”

  “You never considered using the memory eraser?”

  “No.” He gave Hrebec a shrewd look. “Everyone copes with grief in different ways, but I suspect you will never make that decision either.”

  Hrebec nodded and turned the subject to their remaining flight. Deep down, he already knew that Inzen was right. When he had considered using the memory eraser before, he had been overwhelmed by his sense of failure and despair. Abigail and Lucie did not cause him despair, only a happiness that he would never choose to forget, no matter how much pain his memories would cause.

  He found that he did not want to be away from his family in the short time that he had left, and he made an excuse to join them as they prepared the evening meal. Pravit grumped and scowled, but he obviously enjoyed having the females in his kitchen. Lucie bounced around excitedly while sneaking more than one pastry, but he didn’t have the heart to scold her. Even if Abigail had not been his mate, he would have been impressed by the way she worked with her females, directing their tasks with firm patience and easy laughter.

  The resulting meal was delicious, and once again, dinner proved to be a relaxed occasion. He and Jedan had set up a schedule so that each of the younger crew members had a chance to encounter the human females, and he was pleased to see that they had taken his words to heart. His warriors remained polite and respectful despite their obvious awe.

  As he fed Tiana, he noticed that two of the females also used bottles to feed their infants.

  “You have switched to the nutritional formulas?” he asked Abigail.

  “Yes. Cassie wanted to be able to feed her baby herself, and Amber volunteered to feed Lily so that TeShawna could concentrate on her own daughter.” She looked at Jedan, who was intently focused on Ginger, and laughed. “I think Jedan may encourage Elaina to let him try bottle-feeding soon as well.”

  “It is a… special feeling to provide for one’s child,” he agreed.

  He thought of mentioning to Jedan that continuing to bond with Elaina’s children might add to his sorrow when he was separated from them, but he decided that the man must make his own decisions.

  The only dark spot was the youngest pregnant female. Her pale face and despondent posture worried him. She had taken only a minimal role in the meal preparation, apathetically feeding chunks of vegetables into a slicer. Abigail, too, gave the girl concerned glances and left him for a while to cajole the girl into eating a few bites.

  “I’m so worried about her,” she said when she returned. “I’m almost ready to throw one of Ribel’s shirts over her and see if that will make her eat.”

  His young ensign had chosen to stay away from the females entirely, deliberately taking other assignments during meal times, but Hrebec had noticed that he also looked pale and unhappy.

  “Perhaps we should consider letting them spend some time together,” he said hesitantly.

  “What if it makes it worse?”

  “Could it be much worse?”

  She followed his gaze and shook her head. “I don’t know. You might be right. I thought she would have moved on to someone else by now. Honestly, I’m surprised she wasn’t attracted to Inzen.” His chief engineer stood next to Cassie, holding Angel carefully and beaming with delight. “He has that older, protective air she’s always responded to in the past.”

  “If it is a true bond, there is no substitution.”

  She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unspoken emotion. “I know, Hrebec. I know.”

  The evening passed in a blur of bottles and bedtimes stories, in what he recognized had already become a familiar routine. His chest ached as he finally joined Abigail in the front room after they took turns preparing for bed. Despite that, his body responded immediately to the sight of her waiting for him, dressed once again in the alluring white nightgown.

  “You are a vision of loveliness, my ma… my flower.”

  He knew she caught his slip, but she let it go, surveying him appreciatively as she scanned his bare chest and the loose sleep pants that did nothing to disguise his erection.

  “You look pretty good yourself.”

  Joining her on the couch, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her until all he could taste was her, until he felt her essence surrounding him. She squirmed against him, rubbing the hard points of her nipples against his chest. He lowered her back so he could take a turn teasing the tempting peaks, while his tail slipped under her gown. The narrow dimensions of the furniture didn’t allow him to spread her out as fully as he wished.

  “I need a larger couch,” he said, thinking somewhat wistfully of the big bed in the next room.

  “Or a bed we don’t share,” she agreed, arching her back as his tail teased her swollen clit.

  “Yes. As much as I love having my fam… having all of you with me, it would be nice to sleep with you alone in my arms, so that I could turn to you in the night and wake you with pleasure.”

  Damn, his feelings kept trying to slip out and once again, he knew that she had noticed. She didn’t say anything, simply raising her hand to caress the lamella curving back across his skull.

  Determined to ignore the ache in his throat, he moved off the couch, kneeling in front of her and using his shoulders to part her legs. Her delicate folds glistened, flushed with arousal, but he could see that the sensitive flesh was reddened. He probed gently at her tiny entrance and she quivered.

  “Are you sore, Abigail?”

  “Maybe a little,” she admitted. He pushed his finger deeper inside the snug sheath of her body. As tightly as she gripped the single digit, it seemed impossible that his cock had ever managed to penetrate the narrow passage. “But that feels amazing. Please don’t stop.”

  “Never.”

  He licked the length of her tempting slit, her taste flooding his senses. His cock ached, longing to be buried inside all of that delicious sweetness, but he ignored it. Even though their time together was short, he would not take the chance of harming her delicate body. She needed time to recover. Tonight, he would be satisfied with bringing her pleasure.

  His mouth fastened over her clit, circling and tugging, as his finger stroked gently in and out and his tail echoed his actions, teasing and plucking her taut nipples until she trembled beneath him, her hands clutching his skull in mindless pleasure. As her tremors subsided, he kissed his way up her body, pausing to feast on her nipples, until they too were pink and swollen, before finally reaching the delectable haven of her mouth.

  Her tongue dueled with his as he devoured her, desperate for every morsel of her sweetness. His cock came to rest between her legs, and he gave into temptation, sliding it back and forth between the slickened folds. She curled her legs around his hips, lifting against him to increase the pressure. His tail followed, dipping briefly into the tiny, tempting entrance that he could not—would not—enter, before the lubricated tip probed at her second small hole. She gasped into his mouth but didn’t protest. As he breached the tight ring of muscle, the pressure against his tail’s sensitive tip had him ejaculating in one long heated wave, while she cried out a second time into his mouth and he felt her climax beneath him.

  While it couldn’t compare to the ecstasy of being actually buried inside her luscious body, it was deeply satisfying to climax in her arms. He raised his head and smiled at the sight of her heavy lids and flushed cheeks
. By Granthar, he adored seeing her pink with pleasure.

  Dropping another quick kiss to her lips, he stood up and removed his now dampened sleep pants. With some reluctance, he cleaned his fluids from her body. Returning to his original seat, he lifted her back on to his lap. She snuggled closer, but instead of drifting off to sleep as he expected, she started playing with his fingers thoughtfully.

  “Is something troubling you, my flower?”

  She took a deep breath before she looked up at him, her pale eyes dark with concern. “I’m worried that Lucie is growing too attached to you.”

  “Attached? I do not understand. She is not fastened to me.”

  “It means she’s very fond of you.”

  “I see. I have grown very attached to her as well.” He cupped her face. “To all of you.”

  “I feel the same way. You know I do.”

  His chest ached. “Do you really, Abigail?”

  “Of course, I do. You’re the finest man I’ve ever known. I—” She bit back her words and looked away, forcing a smile as she ran a hand down his chest. “And you definitely have the finest body.”

  “Thank you. I find yours most delightful as well.” Despite his immediate response to her touch, he refused to accept her change of subject. “Are you scared of how you feel? Of how Lucie feels?”

  “Yes, I’m scared. I’m going to go home and never see you again, and I don’t think any man will ever match up to my memory of you.”

  “There is a machine,” he said reluctantly. “It will erase this portion of time from your memory. It has been strongly suggested by the High Council that it be used on all of you when you are returned to Earth. They feel that your planet is not ready for the knowledge of our existence.”

  “None of us would ever say a word about this,” she said indignantly, pulling away from him with a shake of her head. “Even if we did, they’d lock us up for being crazy.”

  “I know you wouldn’t reveal anything. I would never force that upon you. I’m simply telling you that you could choose to forget.”

  “Forget this? Forget Tiana? Forget everything that has happened between us? No, Hrebec, I couldn’t do that. No matter how much it hurts, I want to remember.”

  As she echoed his earlier thoughts, he could contain himself no longer. “I love you, Abigail.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Hrebec. I think I love you too. It’s just that it’s all been so fast… and so confusing.”

  “Shh, I know.”

  Using his tail, he pulled her back against his chest, his heart full. She had not denied her feelings for him. For now, it was enough.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Abby lay awake long after Hrebec carried her to bed. His arms were wrapped around her and his tail was a comforting weight across her stomach. He loved her. The knowledge filled her with a mixture of joy and sorrow. While she had told him that she wasn’t sure, she had no real doubts that she felt the same way. If she had been the only one involved, she didn’t think she would have hesitated to join her life with his and explore this strange new world at his side. But she wasn’t the only one. She had a responsibility to the girls, of course, but even more, she had a responsibility to Lucie. What would become of her daughter in this alien environment? Lucie might want—possibly even need—a father, but she also needed a home, an education, and the promise of a future.

  After a restless night, she awoke to find Lucie already dressed in her new pink dress and watching her anxiously.

  The words rushed out of Lucie as soon as Abby’s eyes opened. “We’s coming to the planet and Leonardo says we can watch, but not ‘til you wakes up and I can’t wakes you.”

  “Guess I’m awake now,” she said, smiling at her daughter.

  “Yay!” she shrieked. “She’s awake, Leonardo!”

  “Softly, Lucie,” Hrebec said, appearing in the doorway. Tiana was in his arms, feeding contentedly. “I can see that. Did you sleep well, my flower?”

  “Well enough.” She shrugged, pretending she didn’t see the concern in his eyes. “We’re arriving at Trevelor?”

  “Yes. We’ll be landing in about an hour. I thought perhaps your females would enjoy seeing the approach. I have had a message sent to them.”

  “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled. It will just take me a minute to get dressed.”

  She climbed out of bed as she spoke, and his eyes surveyed her appreciatively. “You are dressed most delightfully.”

  “Silly,” Lucie giggled. “That’s Mama’s nightgown. She can’t wear that outside!”

  “No? I suppose you’re right. I would not want anyone else to see how beautiful she looks.”

  “She’ll feel a lot more beautiful after she’s had a chance to wash her face and brush her teeth,” Abby said firmly. “Lucie, did you brush your teeth?”

  “Yes, Mama. See?” She opened her mouth wide. “Leonardo helped me, just like a papa would do.”

  Her words fell into a stricken silence, but Abby managed to clear her throat and respond. “I’m sure you did a good job, baby. Now scoot on out of here while I get ready.”

  A short time later, the four of them walked onto the bridge, and Abby couldn’t help but gasp at the sight. It looked exactly like something out of a science fiction movie, from the consoles sparkling with colored lights to the wide screens that dominated the front of the room. On the center screen, she could see a planet approaching. Even though the continents weren’t remotely similar to any pictures she had seen of Earth from space, the mixture of blues and greens was familiar enough to bring a lump to her throat.

  “It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

  “I believe it to be a very pleasant place,” Hrebec agreed. “Their population has always been low, but they didn’t lose many to the Red Death, so their civilization remains intact.”

  “Isn’t this cool, Miss Abby?” TeShawna asked.

  She was standing to one side with Vanessa in her arms. Mekoi stood behind her, and Abby noticed that his tail was wrapped around TeShawna and the baby. She couldn’t help wondering why they were together so early in the morning. Had they spent the night with him? Maybe it had been as inevitable as her ending up with Hrebec.

  As she continued to look around, she saw that Jedan, Elaina, and their two babies were also present.

  “Where’s Cassie? Is she coming? Or Molly and Amber?”

  “Cassie went to get Molly,” TeShawna said frowning. “She didn’t want to come and Amber didn’t want to leave her, even though she wanted to see all this too. Cassie isn’t going to put up with that sh—nonsense.”

  “I hope she can convince her. I’d hate for them to miss this.”

  The planet grew closer, filling the large screen, and she could begin to distinguish the many shades of green covering the land masses. The blues of the water were equally varied. In both the oceans and the many lakes that speckled the land, they ranged from a dark, almost purple color to a light and delicate turquoise.

  “Here we are!” Cassie said from behind her. Despite her attempt to sound cheerful, Abby could hear the twinge of frustration in her voice.

  “That’s good,” she said, turning to face them. All three girls stood in the entrance, Cassie and Amber with babies in their arms, while Molly drooped listlessly on one side. “Isn’t this a magnificent sight?”

  Cassie and Amber nodded, stepping forward in awestruck silence. At first, Abby thought Molly wasn’t even going to look, but then her head came up. However, instead of looking at the screen, she searched the bridge, her eyes feverish. There was a crash at the far end of the bridge, but Abby didn’t even need to look to know who was there. Molly took one step forward before her face turned white and she started to crumple.

  Ribel lunged for her, pulling her into his arms with desperate urgency. “Molly, Molly! Speak to me, my mate.”

  Mekoi joined them, running a scanner over the unconscious girl. “I don’t like this. She appears to be dehydrated and malnourished.”

&n
bsp; “This is your fault,” Ribel snarled at Abby. “You separated us.”

  Hrebec stepped in front of Abby, every inch an intimidating warrior. “You will never speak to my mate that way.”

  Ribel dropped his head in shame. “I’m sorry. I just… Please help her, Mekoi.”

  “I will,” the medic promised. “Bring her down to the lab.”

  No one stepped forward to take Molly away from Ribel, and Abbie didn’t have the heart to suggest it.

  “I think I’d better come, too,” Amber said quietly as she sucked in a deep breath. “My water just broke.”

  The approaching planet was forgotten as the bridge erupted into confusion. Someone took Lily, and Inzen stepped forward, lifting Amber into his arms despite her weak protests that she could walk. Mekoi led the way out of the room on the run, Ribel and Inzen close behind.

  “I have to go with them,” Abby said.

  “Go,” Hrebec responded immediately. “I will take care of our girls and the landing and join you as soon as possible.”

  “Thank you.” She gave his hand a grateful squeeze and dashed off after her girls.

  By the time the ship landed and Hrebec arrived at the lab, Amber’s contractions were still mild and she was more excited than nervous. Abby left TeShawna with her in the newly created birthing room and went to speak to Hrebec.

  “Where are the girls?” she asked.

  “They are with Pravit.” A grin fought its way through his concerned expression. “He is wearing Tiana in the sling and Lucie is trying to tell him how to make something called ‘cookies.’”

  “That’s my girl.” Abby managed a smile in return.

  “How are the females?”

  “Amber is a little anxious, but she’s doing well.” She looked into the other room, where Molly lay silently on Kwaret’s bed. “Molly hasn’t regained consciousness, although Dr. Mekoi is giving her internal fluids. He asked me if he should let Ribel stay, but I don’t know what’s best. She fainted at the sight of him.”