Project: Adapt - Develop: A Space Fantasy Alien Romance (Book 3)

by Jade Waltz

  V’dim knew there weren’t many Nyaviel remaining in the galaxy, and the commanding female was the only one in her generation. He was glad that her species was rare; the idea of a population the size of the Quaww, all as powerful as Oeta and incredibly long-lived, was alarming. He’d always believed that a cosmic power kept the universe in balance. If a species boasted great strength in one attribute, then it lacked something of equal value. The Nyaviel were, in his opinion, too powerful for their own good, with abilities that strengthened exponentially throughout their long lives. The cosmic power had to handicap them somehow, which explained their reproduction problems.

  In a way, Oeta was much like Selena, the only female of her kind. V’dim didn’t count Kaede and the Fab Five as part of her kind, for though they were elite demi-humans like Selena, they’d been built as soldiers instead of breeders.

  At least Selena had access to older generations to potentially mate with. He understood why Chamber Master Mwe had wanted his daughter to join Selena’s research team to solve their species’ fertility issues.

  V’dim hoped that they weren’t approaching his nestqueen to use her for nefarious reasons, like trying to convince Selena to mate with a Nyaviel male to guarantee more offspring in Oeta’s generation. If Xylo was correct about Selena entering her heat cycle once every moon, then she could quickly contribute to repopulating the Nyaviel.

  He wasn’t a Favored in their clan, but if anything close to the topic came up, V’dim would go against tradition and bypass her Primary and Second to state his disapproval directly to Selena. He hoped the other clan members would support him in preventing her from mating a Nyaviel.

  He refused to watch his nestqueen become someone else’s puppet, used for someone else’s gain. He was already concerned that she’d fallen unconscious once again, and he had a feeling the mysterious voice that had attacked her before was responsible.

  What did he want from her? And to what lengths would he go to get what he sought?

  “Are you going to stare at each other all night?” Kaede growled. “Or are you going to step aside so she may heal Selena?” He stepped in front of Xylo and stared down the clan’s unofficial Primary. “Let. Her. Pass. We both know Oeta isn’t here to harm her, and every moment you delay her is another moment you’re allowing that ishing frax to invade her mind. All because you’re forcing your nestqueen to face him all alone.” He cocked his head to the side. “I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want that on my conscience when she wakes.”

  Without waiting for a response, Kaede snapped his fingers and disappeared.

  “I am starting to like that moody male,” Oeta chuckled, straightening her wings. “He doesn’t have a filter.”

  “He gets worse when he’s around our nestqueen, believe me.” Xylo waved off his crew. “If you can help Selena, please do so. I’ve tried everything I can think of to wake her up.”

  Oeta nodded, a furious determination settling in her eyes as she approached Selena’s bed.

  The room relaxed, its occupants adjusting their appendages around their waists to save as much room as possible in the already-crowded infirmary.

  Z’fir came to stand next to V’dim, and they watched Oeta trace Selena’s body with her fingers. Her fuchsia glow brightened, almost blindingly so, completely overtaking the blackness of her skin.

  A snap filled the air, and two dark figures appeared on the infirmary’s doorstep.

  “Where is my Nova?”

  Chapter Twelve

  Zirene

  Zirene sat at his desk in the private office he’d built above the villa’s warehouse to attend to what his Nova called his ‘princely duties.’ He’d wanted a workspace on the grounds of Selena's villa, to be near his clan while he was moon-side between missions, but he wanted to keep its location hidden. He planned to keep this office a secret from the empire. Not because he was ashamed of Selena, the cubs, or their home life, but because he didn't want his father to know exactly how much time he spent on Destima.

  As long as all of his star system’s paperwork was done and managed well, he should be free to do as he wanted.

  Zirene had done all of that, plus some. No other Aldawi star system had made the technological advances his had. His fleet was unparalleled in the empire, enhanced by his super soldiers; he dared others to try and take over.

  Anyone who tested him swiftly met their doom, rejoining the Stars as dust and awaiting Fates’ judgment.

  He growled in frustration, his flicking tail showing his agents exactly how agitated he was about the news.

  The male who’d attacked Selena on the space station was arrogant enough to attempt—and somehow succeed in—another attack, on her land.

  How was he supposed to protect her from an unknown force while he was away?

  Zirene rolled his nails on his desk, eyeing the flickering message on his display screen titled with his most recent summons, as he tried to come up with another way to delay the inevitable.

  His father, the Aldawi Sovereign, was demanding his presence at the palace, growing angrier each time Zirene declined his summons.

  Just like the mysterious voice sneaking through Selena’s mental shields and breaking another wall of their void chamber, he knew the Sovereign wasn’t afraid to use dishonorable tactics to get his way.

  Zirene was afraid that sooner or later, he might anger his father enough for him to threaten Selena and their cubs to force him to cooperate. If she’d thought the CEG Assembly were brutal interrogators, they were nothing compared to his father. Zirene would rather face the Assembly a hundred times than be subjected to the Sovereign’s scrutiny.

  He could only imagine what his father would tell his Nova to cut her down and demoralize her, breaking apart all his clan’s efforts to build her inner strength. His father believed females made males weak, and only wanted two things: power and credits. That was why Zirene wasn’t close to his sister. As she’d matured, she had begun to rebel against the Sovereign, so she’d been sent off to an all-female Aldawi colony.

  Zirene had only managed to protect his two half-brothers from his father’s torment after he gained rulership of Aldawi’s second-star system. He’d offered them a job, and they had belonged in Lunkai ever since.

  This Xenak of Verya, the mysterious cyan presence, currently bugged him the most.

  He believed Selena was his enemy because of her connection to her masters, the Yaarkins. In Xenak’s mind, the creation of his enemy was an enemy, too—regardless of the creation’s actions. Zirene didn’t follow his logic. Another thing that irked him was that Xenak had said his ‘Cosmic Soul’ had communed with the Stars and learned that Selena held the key to retrieving his brother.

  What the Stars was a Cosmic Soul? And why was Selena being dragged into a fight she had nothing to do with, yet again? He’d hoped that once he brought her to Destima, all the trouble that seemed to revolve around her would cease, but he now realized that hope had been futile.

  “Report.”

  Kaede stood from his kneeling position and saluted, in full agent mode.

  “Xylo reports Selena suffered from a minor concussion and slight blood loss,” Kaede replied. “She is still in a deep sleep, but her vitals are stable. Oeta has been in contact with her father about what we should do about the invader, Xenak—if that’s even the male’s true name.”

  Zirene lifted an eyebrow. “You think it isn’t?”

  “Who in their right mind would reveal their true identity to the enemy—unless they’re arrogant enough to think they won’t be caught?” he scoffed. “Or they’re too much of a dim star to realize their mistake?”

  “But Oeta reported that she told him her name,” Zirene said. “What was her reasoning?”

  “The former.” Kaede crossed his arms. “Clearly, with her mental abilities and her precious father’s support, she’s an unstoppable force. We would be insane not to ally with her, regardless of whether our goals align.”

  Zirene nodded. “I agree,
but that doesn’t mean that I enjoy having Chamber Master Mwe’s daughter here, to report back everything that happens on this moon. He knows too many secrets as it is, and I don’t need him joining my father and demanding compensation for his ‘generosity.’”

  “I agree, but we must remember that we’ll need their help when the Quaww finally decides to break the CEG peace treaty and attack. What would you do then?” Kaede pushed a button on his wristband, enabling a displayed projection of the Euph Galaxy. He waved his hand over one section to expand it, revealing the Aldawi and Quaww territories. “See these dots? Those mark territorial disputes in the last three years. Slowly, the Quaww are getting closer to both the CEG Space Station and your star system. How will you protect your people if the enemy attacks while you’re away?”

  “What are you saying?” Zirene demanded.

  “I believe that the same person who leaked the information about your precious gems also told Selena’s invader of her true identity,” Kaede growled. “Oeta told me that the male’s presence felt close, but she wasn’t able to pinpoint his exact location. But what if this ‘Xenak’ is working with the Quaww to distract you so they can invade? We have to assume that the traitor will notify them when you leave to visit your pompous father—wait, I’m sorry—the Aldawi Reign Supreme Sovereign Zarcaw.”

  “I’m not afraid to leave the Lunkai star system to fulfill my summons because Destima is heavily protected and prepared for anything.” Zirene rested his elbows on his desk and rolled his paws before him in deep thought. “You make valid points, but it’s too early for the Quaww to declare war on us, especially when we’ve won almost all of those scuffles. No, I believe they must be testing new weapons on us to note our reaction. However, we should welcome Oeta as an ally, and by extension, her father. You’re right; they could be strong allies. If Mwe hears whispers of a new war on the horizon, we can prepare ahead of time. I want you to search for proof that the same person who spread the rumor about my gems on the space station is working with Selena’s stalker.”

  Zirene studied the five females kneeling in his office. He was still disappointed in them for the club incident that had caused Selena to bite Kaede. While they hadn’t acted with cruel intentions, they had failed once again to protect Selena. It would be a while before he fully trusted them to escort her—or their cubs—on another excursion.

  Until then, they were more useful to him hunting, acting as ambassadors for the demi-humans, and helping with construction than idling around Destima. Now that the moon’s population was starting to settle, he could use them for what they excelled in: hunting prey.

  “Agent Bryeca.”

  “Yes, Sire.” She stood from her kneeling position and bowed her head.

  “Have you been in contact with Q and his crew?”

  Her eyes widened as she quickly shook her head. “No, Sire. The last time I heard from him was when he was on the space station, waiting for his next mission. His crew was pressuring him to run trade routes for rich merchants to pass the time until you called on them again.”

  He pursed his lips. “That’s unfortunate. I was hoping they could aid you in searching for our traitor—or even better, Xenak's location. However, sending you five will have to suffice for now,” he sighed, flicking his tail in annoyance. “If you come across Q and his crew during your mission, send them my way, and I’ll give them the same assignment.”

  “Is that wise?” Kaede asked, waving his display off as he flopped down onto one of the chairs in front of Zirene’s desk. “Q is a Quaww—”

  “And you’re an ishing frax, but you don’t see us refusing to work with you,” B snapped.

  Zirene could see Kaede roll his bright eyes behind his visor as he entwined his hands behind his head. “No, but when was the last time I worked with the five of you? I have a new mission.”

  “Hasn’t Selena said something about your drones doing your job for you recently?” Zesha huffed, still kneeling on the floor.

  Zirene waved the rest of the Fab Five to stand, eyeing them while they climbed to their feet.

  “I know the six of you are engaged in some sort of sibling rivalry, and while that’s healthy, I don’t want it to interfere with your jobs. If it becomes a problem in the future, then I will split the six of you up. Your brother has been extremely helpful in guarding Selena, so I would appreciate the five of you considering his perspective. He will no longer be joining the missions the five of you consider 'fun.' His mission, until I release him, is to protect Selena from the universe.”

  He sighed. “I need you to stop harassing your brother because we all know he has single-handedly killed more than the six of us combined, and would rather be working in the field than stuck as Selena’s bodyguard.”

  “Then why do you hire him?”

  “Because even though he and I may butt heads from time to time, he’s the only being in the universe who I can trust with the job,” Zirene deadpanned, letting his disappointment over their most recent failure lace his tone. “His reputation and skill strike fear in the hearts of anyone looking to hurt my Nova and our cubs.”

  The five of them shared a glance before B spoke, “We understand what you’re saying, and only want the best for him.”

  Zirene nodded. “Good. Now that we got that settled, you’re dismissed. Mission details will be provided for you in the morning.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Xylo

  Xylo leaned back in his office chair, his lower back pressed against its backing. He fluttered his petal wings, allowing them free from his vines restraints as he tried to relax from the weight of the recent event’s press upon him. He sighed as he stared through the skylight, noticing the sunrise's colors upon the few clouds as Lunkai shone down on them. Selena’s vitals were projected all over the displays within the room, showing no signs of change, only the stable rhythms of deep sleep.

  It had been a long night, and Xylo had gotten no sleep. He couldn’t rest when his nestqueen was lying on his infirmary’s table, unconscious to the world. He was relieved that Oeta had been there to help. She’d been able to defend his nestqueen from the deranged intruder.

  How dare he invade another’s mind without their consent? Selena wasn’t a criminal, nor had she done anything to deserve such a violation.

  When the princes had scried her mind and accidentally triggered her deepest survival instincts, they hadn’t appeared within her bare void chamber but the mental construct she’d visited all the times Zirene had dreamwalked to her. Xylo couldn’t understand how this male had bypassed that defensive layer unless he had severely damaged the chamber’s walls.

  Maybe the key difference was that Selena had allowed the princes to enter, while this male had entered through brute force.

  Xylo and Odelm had never asked Selena if they, too, could experience what the princes had because they didn’t want to pressure her. Not after she was recently attacked—and now, they might never ask if her invader wasn’t caught. He didn’t want her to feel obligated to allow them access only because they were connected to her, especially if their intrusion could trigger some sort of traumatic memory.

  He hoped she didn’t—for the clan’s own good—but if she woke from her sleep unable to maintain her mental shields, he would stand beside her to support her, for all times. The same was true of her clan. They all knew how strong she was and how much she’d grown throughout the two moons they had spent together. Selena was truly meant to adapt, even if her transition wasn’t always graceful.

  The most important thing was to see his nestqueen wake up and gracing him through their connection once again. He didn’t like the veil that had cloaked his connection to his nestqueen since she’d been injured. Xylo knew the barrier was her mind’s defense mechanism as it tried to heal the damage done to its walls, but it still unnerved him that she wasn’t in control of the veil.

  Xylo’s fists shook in anger, his vines quivering around his torso with the urge to strangle something.

 
During the whole process, he’d had to remain level-headed for his nestqueen’s sake, to try to aid her with a clear mind. Oeta had been correct to put Odelm into a deep sleep, for his nestbrother’s extreme emotions had made it impossible for him to focus at the time. He knew it wasn’t his fault he reacted strongly; Xylo blamed his time as a severed male. Studies had proven that severed males tended to be more unstable and sensitive to their position in the world. Last night had shown how accurate that research was.

  But if he were in Odelm’s position, and their nestqueen had been injured while he had finally been alone with her on their first date, Xylo had a feeling he would have been devastated as well. He couldn’t fathom how it must’ve felt to turn around after Odelm had played his dedicated song to his nestqueen, only to find that his declaration of his feelings had gone unheard. Instead of smiling with happy tears, Selena had been lying in a pool of her blood on the floor, unresponsive... Somehow Selena had been mentally attacked, knocking her out of her chair with enough force to smack her head on the floor, leaving a concussion.

  A groan sounded from the infirmary’s lobby, followed by a thud and grunt.

  Xylo smirked. Odelm must be waking up from his forced slumber.

  Now he didn’t need to face this burden alone, as the princes occupied the cubs to distract them from their mother’s absence. The last he’d heard, they planned to take them fishing with Pavryn and Vikvez, in hopes the exciting adventure would keep them entertained.

  The princes knew they would’ve been no help waiting in the infirmary’s lobby for their nestqueen to wake up, yet they were too distracted by her status to lead. The moon’s citizens could wait a few days for the princes’ presence, and Vagren was more than capable of assisting them in the meantime.

  Sitting up in his chair, Xylo greeted his nestbrother with a nod and gestured to the chair in front of his desk. “Morning, nestbrother. Do you need any medical assistance?”