Yelt sighed, but he quit grumbling. I heard him thump down into one of the seats on the bridge.
A few micro-moments later, I wrapped some insulating tape around the wires to hold them together. “That should do it, if I am remembering my com engineering classes well enough.”
By the time I slid out from under the control board and closed the access panel, Yelt was already at the com control, keying in the code to ping Central Command. “This is Station 21 Shuttle Three calling Central Command. We have lost Agent Lanov’s tracking signal. Can you confirm?”
Static crackled through the speakers.
“Repeat, we have lost Agent Lanov’s tracking signal. Can you confirm?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think this shuttle can boost the signal enough. We need to relay it through Station 21.”
“How do we do that?” Yelt frowned.
“We’ll have to bounce the signal off Earther communication equipment.” I leaned over and tapped in the information. “Like this.” Our computer spun up and sent out our signal to various communication towers across the globe. Doing that risked Earth stations picking up the information that we had lost Zont Lanov. But it exponentially increased the chances that we would find the missing military agent and his runaway bride.
A few moments later, a response came in from Station 21. “Shuttle Three, this is Vos Klavoii on Station 21. We have relayed your message to Central Command and are awaiting a reply.”
My jaw clenched and I closed my eyes, glad that Vos couldn’t see me. The Games Administrator had an unpleasant habit of always being in the middle of everything that went through his station. Perhaps unsurprisingly, since he was technically the commander of Station 21. But he ran it more like the entertainment division of a corporation than an actual military installation.
I couldn’t possibly be the only one irritated by that. Could I?
“Message received. Awaiting further communications,” Yelt replied in his most formal military tone.
It didn’t take long for Vos to reply. “We’re sending down Cav and Natalie Adredoni to act as liaisons. We have been monitoring the Horde situation on Earth. Can your shuttle make it to these coordinates?” He rattled off a series of numbers and Yelt tapped them in.
“Yes, sir,” he replied. “Diagnostics shows that communications are the only part of the shuttle that sustained damage.”
“Excellent,” Voss replied. “Cav has the latest intel on Agent Lanov’s last known location. He and his bride are beaming down momentarily. Be there to pick them up.”
Natalie Adredoni, Cav’s new bride, came reeling out of the transporter first, pausing briefly to clutch her abdomen and then vomiting into a receptacle the transporter tech handed her.
Cav exited the tube next, rushing to his mate’s side to pat her back until she was done retching.
“I’m fine,” Natalie said, taking the wipe the tech handed her with a grateful nod and cleaning her lips. “As long as I can brush my teeth once we’re on board the shuttle.”
“Right this way,” I instructed them, giving a sharp salute. Even though we technically held the same rank, he had been assigned point for the rest of this mission. “We arrived here only moments ago,” I told Cav as we headed out of the small governmental building on the outskirts of the Earth city of Los Angeles. “It may take a little time to reach the coordinates Vos sent with you. This was easiest rendezvous point, but it’s in the opposite direction from Zont’s last known coordinates.”
“No problem,” Cav said. “We have some new information regarding the vehicle that was stolen in Chicago—the one we think Amelia used to abduct Zont.”
“You think he was abducted?” I glanced at Natalie, with her dark hair and pale skin. Human women were so tiny and frail. At least compared to Khanavai warriors. How could Amelia possibly have forced Zont into the Earther vehicle?
Cav saw the flicker of my gaze and laughed aloud. “Doesn’t seem possible, does it? But you’d be amazed what human women can convince Khanavai males to do.”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “Well, good for her, I think,” she said. “I think if they’re traveling together, it’s a good sign for the two of them.”
Cav reached down and took his bride’s hand in his, giving it a little squeeze.
Human females, I thought. I do not understand what our warriors see in them.
But I was glad the Adredonis were there. With the information and repair materials they’d brought down from Station 21, it didn’t take us long to get back on Amelia Rivers’ trail.
It seems like a lot of trouble to go to for one Earther female.
Or so I thought until I exited the shuttle at the lodging where Amelia had been hiding my injured commander. I had just stepped out onto the dark gray pavement they called a parking lot, when I glanced into the building and caught sight of a human woman trying to remain out of the Khanavai warriors’ field of vision by remaining inside the main gathering hall for lodgers.
It was like an energy weapon shot a bolt straight through my chest—and that bolt made a 90-degree turn to pierce down to my loins. My cock jerked in response, and I shifted my weight from one leg to the other, trying to hide my visible reaction to the beautiful female I’d just caught sight of.
Like Natalie, she had dark hair. Unlike Cav’s mate, however, this Earther female wore her hair cut straight across at chin length—long enough to make me want to curl my fist into it, but short enough to be able to cover it with a space helmet, should we ever get into trouble.
Where Natalie was full of curves, this female was compact, her hips and breasts slight swells that made me want to uncover them, grasp them in my hands, take them whole into my mouth.
It was all I could do to keep from proclaiming myself then and there.
As it was, I let out a small growl.
Mine.
That one is mine.
Chapter Three
Dee
I should go help Amelia and Zont.
That was all I had been able to think as I ducked behind the desk, waiting for three giant Khanavai bounty hunters to finish striding past the sliding glass doors opening and closing automatically as each alien male stepped on the mat welcoming them to the hotel.
At least, I assumed they were the same bounty hunters I’d seen in the vids I had watched and rewatched over the last few days—the ones who had cornered Amelia in the Chicago bus station.
The ones Zont had saved her from.
Go help. Go help, I told myself over and over. But I couldn’t force my knees to stop shaking and straighten.
God. I’m such a coward.
I finally managed to stand and take a step toward the door when a huge rumbling shook the building. I grabbed the edge of the reception desk and held on.
Earthquake?
No. That wasn’t right.
A large, bright green ship touched down in the almost-empty parking lot. Lines appeared around the hatch as it unsealed, and then it popped open. Five helmeted and armored Khanavai soldiers ran out of the ship, brandishing weird, spiky guns, shouting at the two remaining bounty hunters to drop their weapons.
The bounty hunters instantly complied.
Smart move, guys, I thought.
As their swords clattered on the ground, the leader of the Khanavai, another bright blue alien, pulled off his helmet and called out.
I slid up to the window beside the sliding glass door and peered after him as he strode across the parking lot, pointing his terrifying gun directly at Amelia.
“You need to come with us!” he shouted at Amelia.
She stared at him blankly, but Zont pushed away from the wall where he leaned behind her and raced over to the blue Khanavai warrior, who I finally recognized as Cav, the first winning bachelor from this season’s Bride Games.
Zont didn’t see it, but a panicked expression crossed Amelia’s face as he pelted toward the other Khanavai, and she took a step toward them, clearly ready to jump in to save him.
I leaned back to keep anyone from seeing me as I continued watching.
The two Khanavai embraced, and then stepped back and gave each other a thumping salute. Amelia slumped back against the wall in relief.
Cav’s new bride, Natalie, stepped out of the ship, pushing back her dark red, wild curls and calling out to Amelia to introduce herself and her husband. Then she glanced over her shoulder at the ship. “And thank God we don’t have to use the transporter to get back to Station 21. That shit makes me puke every damn time.”
Back to Station 21? That was the last place Amelia would want to go.
Taking a deep breath and pushing away from the safety of the corner, I finally forced myself to walk outside—now that the danger’s passed, I berated myself silently as I wrapped my arms around my stomach to hold in my guilt for not getting Amelia out of there before the Khanavai showed up.
Amelia dashed over and threw her arms around me. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll be all right. I promise. Thank you so much for all your help.”
I returned her hug. “If you ever get back and need anything, come find me,” I whispered.
One of the Khanavai warriors who had accompanied Zont’s ship took off his helmet. “We need to get out of here,” he called out.
I froze, struck suddenly silent as I stared over Amelia’s shoulder at the warrior who had just spoken. He was enormous, like all the Khanavai, but with bright green skin that matched the ship. His gaze met mine, and he went still.
He was absolutely stunning.
Oh, holy hell.
For the first time ever, I could see why a human might agree to marry one of those males.
“Time to go,” Natalie said.
Amelia broke away from me and brushed a hand over her eyes. I swallowed hard and broke eye contact with the gorgeous green alien, this time wrapping my arms around my chest to hide the fact that my nipples had gone hard.
Don’t be stupid, Dee.
“I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Natalie said to me, mistaking my dry-mouthed reaction to the green guy for fear for Amelia’s safety.
I nodded as they all turned to board the ship, unable to force myself to say anything.
As everyone else boarded the ship, the gorgeous green alien made his way toward me.
I fought two conflicting desires—to bolt away from him at top speed and to throw myself at him. As a result, I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes growing wide as I tilted my head back to stare up—and up and up—into his face as he approached.
His bright, emerald-green eyes bored into me intensely and I didn’t move, pinned to the pavement by his stare.
“Can I help you?” I finally squeaked, unnerved by his unwavering stare.
“What is your name?” His bass voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke.
“Dee. Deandra Casto.” I swallowed, hoping to get rid of the lump in my throat, uncertain if it was the result of fear or desire.
Probably both, I thought.
“And do you reside here, Deandra Casto?”
“Just Dee. And…are you asking if I live in town?”
“In this building.” He waved a hand to indicate the hotel. I flinched at his abrupt gesture, and he frowned.
“I work here.” My voice was finally settling back down into its normal register.
“How do you know Amelia Rivers?”
My whole body began trembling, and once again I couldn’t tell if the shaking stemmed from terror or desire. “I don’t know her. Not really. I met her when they checked in. When she checked in. When she brought Zont here.” I knew I was babbling, but I couldn’t seem to stop the words spilling from my mouth. “She brought him here to heal him, you know. She didn’t hurt him. She helped him. She had me go get bandages and everything.”
I finally managed to clamp down on the torrent of words pouring out of me before I gave him even more unnecessary information.
“Where do you live?” he asked, still holding my gaze.
My address tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself, before my father’s warnings about ever giving too much information started screaming in my mind.
At that point, I finally shut up.
The green alien stared at me for another few moments, then reached out one hand as if he were about to touch my face. I couldn’t move, that dual desire to run away and to lean in still battling inside my body.
At that moment, another of the aliens—I couldn’t tell which one, as he wore the Khanavai soldiers’ opaque helmet—leaned out of the open hatchway of the spaceship and called out, “Time to go, Wex. Liftoff in forty micro-moments.”
The alien broke eye contact with me to turn around and acknowledge his shipmate.
It was like being released from a physical tether. I dashed back toward the hotel lobby, not turning around to look again until I was safely inside.
By then, the green alien was striding onto the ship. But he glanced back one last time, his gaze holding mine hostage again for a few seconds—until the hatch slid closed between us, and the ship’s engines roared.
Then the gorgeous alien and his ship were both gone, and I was free.
But my hands trembled, and a sense of foreboding settled in my stomach, periodically rising through my throat. No matter how often I tried to swallow it down, it wouldn’t go away.
So I wasn’t terribly surprised a few hours later when a police car pulled into the hotel’s semi-circular drop-off drive, lights flashing.
Two officers moved into the lobby, their faces grim.
“Deandra Casto?” the shorter of the two officers asked, his dark eyes narrowing as he scanned me up and down, his thumbs hooked in his belt.
“Yes,” I confirmed, albeit reluctantly.
“Do you have anyone here to cover for you?”
“Alejandro just got here. I should be off work in about…. Well, now,” I said as Alejandro emerged from the office behind the check-in desk.
“Then I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to come with us,” the other officer, an older, heavier bald man, said.
Fuck.
As I stepped out from behind the desk, the shorter officer spun me around and handcuffed my hands behind my back as the other one said, “Deandra Casto, you are under arrest for aiding and abetting a fugitive from the Khanavai Warrior Bride Lottery and Games.”
As he Mirandized me and they marched me out of the lobby, only one thought kept running through my mind over and over again.
I never should have told that green bastard that I helped Amelia.
Chapter Four
Wex
The first thing I did when I got back to Station 21 was look up everything I could find about Deandra Casto.
There wasn’t much to find. Her mother was deceased. Her father was on several government watch lists, of concern to Earther officials because of his anti-government leanings.
I didn’t care about that. All I wanted to know was how I could arrange to make his daughter my bride.
When I came across her marriage record, it was all I could do to stop myself from pounding my fist through the control panel in front of me.
No. She cannot be married.
Reining in my anger, I began searching for more information on this supposed husband of hers.
Samuel A. Wesson.
Through Earth’s public records, I tracked him down to a city some considerable distance away from Deandra’s home—at least when traveling by Earther methods.
It wasn’t entirely uncommon for human women who were completely opposed to ever joining the Bride Lottery to marry just before they turned 21, the age at which their names were dropped into the lottery. The practice was illegal as Zagrodnian hell, but fraud was often hard to prove.
Except, of course, in cases where the newlyweds immediately went their separate ways—as it appeared Samuel and Deandra had done.
If they were caught, they faced some stiff penalties. But, more
to my purpose, the marriage would be instantly dissolved and declared void.
Best to make sure first, however.
Glancing around the Bride Games control room to make sure no one was paying any attention to what I was doing over at my station, I logged into one of Station 21’s lesser-known systems. A system that technically, only Vos Klavoii was supposed to have access to. But as the chief communications officer, it was my job to keep those secret systems running for him. They were designed to allow Vos and his staff to conduct what he called a deep dive into the Bride Lottery candidates’ backgrounds.
Because although he made a huge production of drawing the brides’ names live on vid, Vos actually drew the names much earlier, checked their backgrounds, and then, if they did not meet his standards, he discarded the names and drew again.
Access to this information was protected by the Bride Alliance between Earth and Khanavai Prime. There would be trouble if I were caught accessing the information of an individual otherwise unconnected to the Bride Lottery.
But I won’t get caught.
No. Samuel Wesson had not ever been to Deandra’s home, as far as I could tell, nor she to his. Their credit chips had not been used at any car charging stations between their homes. Nor at any restaurants, convenience stores—or anywhere else, for that matter.
They had never contacted one another via their private communication devices in the years since their sham marriage had been performed.
She wasn’t really married.
Good. Because there was no way I was going to allow her to get away from me.
Now I simply had to find a way to get Vos to draw her name and let me participate in the Bride Games.
As I was trying to figure out how to convince the Games Director that he should do just that, an alert scrolled across my screen—the one open to Deandra’s information.
She had been arrested for her role in Amelia Rivers’ escape.
I frowned at the screen. Her arrest put a crimp in my plan to make her mine immediately.
Enemy of the Alien Bride Lottery Page 2