Her Alien Captor: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Alien Pirates Of Cania Book 1)

by Zara Zenia

  “Yeah,” Melody growled, staring her right in the eyes, unafraid.

  “Mother,” Devron hissed, sitting up on his makeshift cot. “What is your problem?”

  “She hates me,” Melody cried, everything bubbling to the surface all at once. “I don’t know why, but she does, and she can’t put it aside for two freaking seconds to—”

  Melody snapped her mouth shut mid-tirade, realizing the way everyone was looking at her, like she’d just sprouted another head or something. Regardless of how Naela had treated her, she’d been nothing but cooperative and helpful with the rest of the group. Melody just kicked their puppy.

  “I don’t hate you,” Naela said, breaking through the silence with a shaky voice. “I hate that this happened. That Devron was so desperate. No mother wants that for their kid, and even to save her from a shit like Nor, what you did to this girl was wrong,” Naela said with firm conviction that rippled through Melody, bringing tears to her eyes.

  “People aren’t property, Devron. I taught you better than that,” Naela scolded, though Melody felt like she had whiplash after the way Naela had been treating her a moment before.

  Was she really just upset with her son for giving in to his Frenzy? Or was she very good at convincing others of her innocence? Melody didn’t know anymore if it was her paranoia telling her that her boyfriend’s mom hated her, or if it was her intuition telling her to look out for another backstabbing.

  “You did,” Devron conceded, slowly pulling himself up to his feet, taking his place next to Melody. “I know my intentions and my actions have not always aligned in the clearest way, but I hope there’s time to make up for it. I can’t undo what I’ve done to you, Melody, but I’m willing to do what’s necessary to make it as right as I can.”

  She knew he was back to the discussion of sending her far, far away like they’d planned before his mother was kidnapped.

  It seemed like another lifetime ago.

  The Melody who’d agreed to that was so different.

  “We’ll see,” she said, itching to take his hand but all too aware of the eyes trained on her every move. “But first, I think it’s pretty obvious what we need to do.”

  “What’s that?” asked Devron, brows knitting together.

  Melody grinned, already anticipating everyone’s reaction when she said, “We need to steal a ship.”

  35

  Stealing a ship would have been crazy under any circumstances, but with planetary security, not to mention Egeon’s own force, out looking for them, how did Melody think they had any hope of getting away with it?

  “You can’t be serious,” Devron said, shaking his head.

  “This isn’t the place to discuss it,” cut in Lezin, looking tense. Devron wasn’t sure about having two of Nor’s men with them, but the rest of the group seemed to trust them.

  Everyone except his mother, but Devron couldn’t worry about that. His mother had been acting strange lately. It made sense that it was because she was disappointed in him, but that was another thing he couldn’t afford to worry about for the time being. He’d work on regaining his mother’s favor and Melody’s trust after they were safe somewhere far from Cania.

  “What do you suggest?” asked Rayhan, the other of Nor’s former guards.

  “My place,” Lezin said. “No one knows that I’ve switched sides, and it will be ages before they bother to take stock of who’s missing and where they’ve gone. I’ve room enough for us to eat, sleep, and plot our next move. We can attempt to contact your missing comrades, as well.”

  “Sounds good,” Melody said, her dark eyes sliding over to look at him. Devron had no idea how bad he looked, but he saw the pain reflected in her eyes and knew it couldn’t be good. It had to look worse than it felt, though. As bad as he felt in that moment, it was nothing to the moments before he saw Melody again.

  Before he knew she was alive and well.

  That had been worse than any of the other torture Nor had put him through, but he’d never show his vulnerability to a man like that. He’d never asked if she was alive, if he’d captured her or had her put to death. He didn’t know.

  But then he saw her again and the fog lifted, the clouds parted, and sunlight shone through, warming him from within.

  He knew better than to get his hopes up, though. The fact that Melody had joined the rescue mission to find him didn’t mean anything. It could have been necessary for her to secure passage on a ship. Perhaps someone offered her a tidy sum for her help. He couldn’t be sure. What Devron did know was that Melody Blake was far more than an Omega to him.

  “Can we really afford to slow down for that long?” Naela asked, jaw tight.

  “We can’t afford not to,” said Sina, stepping forward. “Your son wasn’t the only one injured. My mate and I both need to recuperate. What the boy says makes sense,” she finished, looking to Lezin who looked taken aback. He wasn’t old, but there was no way he could be called a boy. He had to be nearly Devron’s age, plenty old to be on his own, to have a mate and child if he wanted. If he didn’t have the Frenzy.

  “Fine,” Naela huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “But if we’re ambushed in the night, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  Melody frowned, and Devron couldn’t say he blamed her. That was a strange thing for his mother to have said, and he didn’t like the implication. Since when was she so negative about things?

  Something had changed with her. Perhaps Nor had mistreated her more than Devron realized. She hadn’t seemed beaten and bloodied like some of his other captives, but maybe he hurt her in other ways.

  Devron’s fists clenched at the thought, his teeth grinding over the failure to protect his mother.

  He’d make Nor pay if it was the last thing he did.

  “Lead the way,” Melody said, gesturing widely to Lezin. He nodded.

  “Keep close. My home is remote, but the roads are likely patrolled at the moment.”

  They got the message, forming a tight-knit group shambling through the underbrush.

  Sina wasn’t kidding about Devron being the only one who was injured. He’d been too consumed with his own wounds to notice those around him, but everyone in the group seemed to bear some bandage or injury for him. It was a wonder that they’d all been willing to sacrifice so much for him. Why? His mother, he could understand. Even Sina and Gaddis to an extent, but Melody? Nor’s defectors? Even Mabav and Jorwon—they’d known him his whole life, but Devron never would’ve expected them to be the type to risk their lives. It was mind-blowing.

  He and Melody brought up the rear of the group, his pace dragging him back. Melody stuck by him, even when he slowed enough to lag behind the others.

  “You can go on without me,” he said, waving her forward.

  Melody snorted, rolling her eyes. “You’re joking, right? After everything we’ve been through? Leaving you now? You’re nuts.”

  Devron didn’t appreciate the classification.

  “I’m not joking. I’ll catch up. I’m dragging you back.”

  “So? We’re all going to the same place,” she countered. She sat there with her hands on her hips, staring at him while Devron watch the rest of the group slip through the trees, nerves starting to rise up in him at the thought of being lost in this jungle.

  Melody looked far less worried, and Devron didn’t know if it was confidence or stupidity. Maybe both.

  “Oh, come on,” he huffed, reaching for her wrist. He did it on instinct, but the moment his fingers closed around her narrow wrist, they both froze.

  Melody swallowed, then licked her lips.

  Devron yanked, and she stumbled right into him. Melody put her hands up to steady herself against his chest, but there was no pulling away from him in this position.

  “Why did you come for me?” he asked, voice low and gravelly. He’d thought of almost nothing but her for the endless days—weeks? He couldn’t be sure—he was in captivity. He’d dreamed of her scent, her soft skin, the way he
r breath hitched when she wasn’t sure what to say. Like now.

  “Melody, why?” he asked, dipping low enough that his lips were nearly on her throat.

  “B–because,” she muttered, shivering as her body went rigid, fighting the pull to fall into him.

  “Because?”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know. I just did, okay?”

  It wasn’t the answer he was hoping for, but it was a start. It was better than any excuses or lies she might concoct.

  “Thank you,” he said, fingers dancing around the perimeter of her palm. Melody began to pull away, then stopped herself. For just a moment, she let him skim his fingers over the lines that crisscrossed her hand, tracing the creases of her fingers. As he touched her, Melody’s face warmed with a red tint, her eyes fluttering.

  “We need to . . .” she said, pulling away to point in the direction the group had gone. Devron nodded as he sighed.

  “Yeah, they’ll wonder where we’re off to,” he said.

  Sure enough, footsteps through dry leaves announced his mother’s presence before either of them saw her coming.

  “Are you all right?” Naela asked, stern and demanding.

  Devron itched to reach for Melody again but resisted. “Yeah, Mom, everything’s fine. Just moving slower than the rest of you,” he said, settling a hand on Melody’s back. His mother might not approve of their relationship, but she wasn’t the woman Devron was worried about convincing. Melody was at the top of that list, and as long as he managed to convince her it would work, he was sure the rest would fall into place.

  “Well don’t take too long,” Naela said shrewdly, eying his hand that was behind Melody’s back. His mother was no fool. Devron didn’t expect her to be. Was he supposed to hide his affection for Melody because his mother didn’t approve of his methods?

  Again, it wasn’t his mother he was concerned about.

  “The place is just up ahead,” she added, jerking her head. “You’ll see it just past those trees there.”

  As usual, it was foggy on the surface of Cania, but the trees she pointed out weren’t far enough to be totally obscured. Devron fixed the location in his mind and nodded.

  “We’ll be there as soon as we’re able—”

  “We don’t want him to push it,” Melody said, surprising Devron and his mother—Devron, because she’d referred to them as ‘we,’ a word that filled him with hope he wasn’t sure he had any right to harbor, and Naela, because she’d never heard an Omega speak out with her Alpha like that. It was unusual, to say the least.

  “Of course not,” Naela said with a thin-lipped nod. “If you need help—”

  “I’ll come for you,” Melody said sharply. Devron didn’t think she believed his mother’s claim that she didn’t hate the Omega. He couldn’t say he blamed her with the way Naela had been acting toward her. But Devron knew better. His mother had a big heart under that rough exterior. She used it as a shield, but there was a reason her crew members were still loyal after decades despite scrawny payments while Nor’s were defecting no matter how fat the checks.

  Melody couldn’t know the sweet, generous, caring woman under all that, though, because Naela hadn’t shown her a bit of it. Devron suspected that his mother already knew Melody wouldn’t be sticking around for long. She didn’t want to get attached. He wished he’d taken the same precautions. Instead, he was going to be crushed when she left.

  “Be careful,” Naela said, looking at them both. Devron wasn’t sure who she was telling, or why. As much as she might want to, Melody had already discovered she couldn’t hurt him because of the bond. But if Naela wasn’t warning him to be careful around an unwilling Omega, what was she warning Melody of?

  It was a question that would remain unanswered. His mother retreated back the way she came, and Melody blew out a heavy breath, shoulders sagging slightly.

  “She doesn’t hate you,” Devron assured her.

  Melody exhaled a silent laugh. “Sure.”

  “I know my mother, Melody. She doesn’t hate you. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s not that. I wouldn’t be worried about it if I were you, anyway,” he said, throat tightening with the subject shift. Melody frowned, pushing aside rubbery branches for them. All of Devron’s strength was designated to keeping him upright and moving. He’d never make it without her help and he knew it. Did she?

  “Why’s that?” she asked.

  “Well,” Devron said, a ball of dread in his chest, “once we have a ship, we’ll be able to take you back to Earth.”

  It wasn’t something he’d planned to be able to do, but if they were going to have to steal something to go off-world anyway . . .

  It would be cruel to deny her what he’d already promised or at least implied. He’d never outright told her he’d take her to Earth, only that he’d get her far away from him, but he’d said it was because that was all he could manage. If he could obviously manage more . . . well, Melody was a smart woman. She’d no doubt see right through any excuses he tried to make. So he wouldn’t make any, as much as it pained him.

  “Oh,” she said as they passed the trees his mother had pointed out to them. Sure enough, through the fog, Devron could just make out the straight lines of a roof among the wild, untamed nature.

  That wasn’t the response he’d expected.

  “Oh?”

  Melody paused, leaves rustling underfoot. From this distance, Devron could smell the natural spicy-sweet scent of her mingling with the damp musk of the midday jungle. With every breath, he felt like she was reeling him in close to her, beckoning him.

  It was in his mind, though. He knew it was. She’d made that much abundantly clear.

  “I . . . I’m not sure Earth’s really the best place for me,” she said. Devron’s heart leaped, his pulse freezing in place, waiting in anticipation for her to confirm or dash his hopes.

  “It’s never really felt like the right place for me, if I’m honest.” She looked up at him, eyes deep, dark, and soulful, so full of vibrancy, vitality, fire, and vigor. He itched to hold her one last time.

  “I won’t force you to leave,” Devron said, hardly trusting his own voice to say the words he wanted. “You know I want you to stay, don’t you?” Admitting it in so many words was harder than he’d thought it would be, but once it was out, he felt a weight lifted.

  Melody nodded slowly. “I know . . .”

  With the safe house in sight, Devron knew their time to work this out in privacy was running out, and he feared if they didn’t do it now, they never would.

  “Devron . . .” Melody started, licking her lips as her gaze flicked up to meet his. Her eyes shifted, shimmering with undisguised conflict. “I hate how our relationship started. You already know that. It’s still hard to come to terms with the fact that this is just the way things are going to be, but . . . I think if you’d given me the choice, I would have wanted you of my own free will. I know you weren’t given much of a choice in things either, which is why I think it might be enough. That I would’ve wanted you anyway, I mean.”

  He didn’t know what to make of what she’d said. It sounded like . . .

  Well, it sounded like she was agreeing to be his. But Devron couldn’t believe that was real. He couldn’t be that lucky, could he? He’d never been before—except when it came to Melody, he realized. When she was involved, things seemed to work out.

  Strange, that.

  “Oh, my God, are you going to say something after I just made a huge dork out of myself?” she asked with a desperate plea in her voice.

  Devron grinned, the spell snapping.

  “You mean it?” he asked, stepping closer, heart pounding.

  “I don’t really know what it means, but . . . yeah,” she said, her full lips calling to him, her rounded hips the perfect place for his hands to settle.

  He kissed her before either of them could ruin the moment. Her warmth seeped into him and grew into a fire in his blood, a blazing need he could onl
y express by deepening the kiss, digging his fingers into her hips as he dragged her up against him. Melody moaned softly, almost a whimper with how needy it sounded, and she leaned into him, arms going around his neck.

  Devron staggered backward, unable to support the both of them in his current state. Melody pulled back like she’d been shocked, eyes going wide.

  “Shit, I’m sorry,” she cursed, shaking her head.

  “Don’t apologize for that.”

  “Not for the kiss,” she said, rolling her eyes even as her face heated with the warm pink tint he loved so much. “For not doing it while horizontal,” she teased with a small grin, offering her hand to him. He hesitated a moment before taking it, following her toward the safe house.

  He almost didn’t know how to react to a Melody that wasn’t holding a knife behind her back, waiting to strike. It was going to take some adjusting, that was for sure.

  “There you are,” said Naela the moment they walked in the door together. The way she looked at them, Devron felt like his mother knew something had changed, but none of them were going to acknowledge it at the moment.

  “Were you waiting for us?” he asked.

  “Yes, actually,” said Gaddis from the table where he, Rayhan, and Lezin were sitting. Sina was busy in the kitchen—it seemed that was where she always turned when she had a lot on her mind—and Naela hovered between the two rooms, determined to be involved in everything.

  Devron took a seat with the other guys at the table, then pulled out a second chair for Melody. He didn’t care about the odd looks that garnered from the others.

  Once she was seated, Lezin cleared his throat.

  “I’ve been thinking about what you said, about needing a ship that’s capable of off-world travel,” he said.

  “There’s no way,” said Naela harshly. “Anyone with a ship that big is going to have security on it. I don’t care how good the human is at picking locks. That’s not enough to steal something so huge.”

  “Normally, I’d say you’re right,” said Lezin with a nod. “Thing is, there’s someone who’s got all their security focused on other things and a shiny new slaving ship he’s been too lax to update the systems on since he got it. The passwords are all still set to the defaults. I know it for a fact.”