Maid For An Alien Prince: A SciFi Alien Romance (Intergalactic Exchange Program Book 1)

by Roxie Ray

  I opened my mouth to tell him that the cook had come by and brought his dinner, and that I’d set it on the dining room table for him, but he just stalked past me and headed straight to it himself, not speaking and barely even acknowledging my presence.

  What was that about? He seemed like he was irritated that I was here, which didn’t make any sense unless he was just like everyone else I’d ever worked for—treating me like I meant nothing, like I was just someone he could ignore.

  I wanted to be angry about it and was frustrated when I realized I wasn’t mad but merely disappointed, even though I couldn’t define why. If he wanted to be an asshole, fine. I shouldn’t let it bother me. And I hated that it did.

  Sure, I preferred it when people showed their true colors and weren’t fake, so I couldn’t exactly find fault there. But it was a huge disappointment that my initial thoughts about him were correct. I guess after my morning with Dina, I thought perhaps I’d misjudged him. Obviously not.

  He was turning out to be just as awful as the rich dicks I’d worked for on Earth, treating me like I was less than him. Like I was his servant. So much for his grand speech about me not being in servitude. I shouldn’t be surprised.

  With a sigh, I followed after him, standing to the side of the dining table and reported on all that I’d accomplished and what Dina had shown me.

  When he didn’t respond, I tried to keep my voice neutral so he wouldn’t realize his silent treatment was upsetting me. “Also, there are quite a few cleaning supplies you’re running low on. I would replenish them myself, but I don’t know how to get around the city yet, and I don’t have the funds to purchase them.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked kind of like a credit card, but not one I’d ever seen. He slid it across the table without even looking at me.

  When I picked it up and examined it, noting that it was smaller than credit cards on Earth and had an almost holographic quality to it, he finally deigned to speak.

  “That’s a currency card. All you have to do is tap it when you’re in any establishment, and the business will automatically recognize it as my household funds. As my housekeeper, you’re an authorized user, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting what you need. And I told you, you have the use of my driver. If you need to go anywhere, he can take you.”

  His voice was flat, and he still hadn’t bothered to look at me, and I was growing more and more irritated with every passing second. It was as if he were just dismissing me. Like I wasn’t even worthy of being in his presence and he couldn’t wait for me to move along.

  I stared at him for a full minute, anger and frustration building. Finally, he looked up at me, his carved features twisted in annoyance.

  “Is there something else you need?”

  It took everything I had in me to bite my tongue and not tell him just what I thought of him. After all, he was my employer. I couldn’t exactly snap at him, could I? I wasn’t sure what the details of the contract specified in that regard, and it was probably wise to keep my mouth shut. So I swallowed down all the things I wanted to say and spoke through gritted teeth. “No, I guess there’s nothing else to be said.”

  He waved his hand dismissively, turning his gaze back to his meal, and I had to fight the urge to scream out in frustration. What an ass!

  Fine. If he didn’t want me around, great. I didn’t want to be around him any more than necessary, either. Not if he was going to treat me like that.

  I spun on my heel and strode out of the room and headed straight to the hallway that led to my private quarters. It felt like my blood was boiling and steam was ready to spout from my ears.

  If I hadn’t been certain earlier, I was certain now—Dina had just been blowing a bunch of smoke up my ass. Prince Niall Holland was definitely not “one of the good ones” and no one could convince me otherwise now.

  He’d shown his true colors. And I was stuck with the asshole for the next 364 days. Great. Just great.

  7

  Niall

  The pressure in my chest was reaching a point that was nearly unbearable. It had been three days since I’d read the book about the mating gene. Three torturous days where I did my best to avoid Brittany.

  Being near her made it even worse, but it had escalated over the past few days to where I was feeling the undeniable pull even when I was far away. Like now, as I sat in a chair in a meeting room up at the main palace.

  I couldn’t even enjoy the fresh breeze blowing through the open archways or appreciate the bloom of flowers that seemed to be spreading over the grounds by the hour.

  “What’s wrong with you, brother?” Soren’s voice came to me as if from very far away.

  I shook my head, trying to clear it and focus on my brother. “Sorry. What?”

  “You look like you might be coming down with something. Do you need a checkup?”

  Where I had studied technological sciences and intergalactic politics, Soren had chosen to study the biological sciences, and was a physician here on Hollander. He also happened to be my personal doctor.

  I attempted to laugh it off, but it sounded flat even to my ears. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Just busy lately.”

  That much was the truth, at least. I’d been extremely busy—trying to avoid Brittany. I stayed away from the house all day and tried not to come back until I absolutely had to. I’d even taken to eating all my meals with my family so I didn’t have to be around her more than the bare minimum.

  Still, it wasn’t doing anything to lessen the draw I felt toward her. It was as if my chest were caving in every time I walked into my own home. The need to be around her, to go to her, was almost overwhelming. It took extraordinary willpower just to keep from going to stand outside her door at night—which was absolutely ridiculous.

  But now, even being away from her was strengthening that pull as if something primal within me recognized that I was avoiding her and was doing everything possible to keep her at the forefront of my thoughts.

  No matter how much I might want to, I couldn’t ignore that what the damned book had said seemed to be true. I was experiencing all the signs of the mating gene. And I had no fucking clue what to do about it.

  “Hello…” Soren waved his hand in front of my face. “Where’d you go there?”

  I cleared my throat and silently cursed. Even now, I couldn’t get her off my mind. Couldn’t stop thinking about that damned mating gene and what it might mean for me and the beautiful brunette currently in my home.

  “Sorry, I’m a little preoccupied today.”

  “Yeah, no kidding,” Soren said, his brow furrowing as he studied me more closely. “What’s going on with you, Niall?”

  I pressed my lips together, hesitant to give voice to my thoughts. Soren would likely think I’d lost my mind entirely. It sounded absurd, even to me. A long-forgotten dormant gene that indicated a human woman was my mate?

  It was laughable.

  But with the way Soren was watching me, I knew he wouldn’t let up. He could be like a dog with a bone when he wanted to.

  Before I could decide whether I should tell him or not, he repeated what he must have said when I zoned out. “What I was saying is that an esteemed guest from the planet Macros is coming for a diplomatic visit with Father and Mother in the next week or so. Rahl Prospero, also known as Rahl the Nourisher, is the newly elected Macros leader.”

  I’d heard how the Macros had just elected a young new leader—he was even younger than myself. From what I understood, his father had ruled for a time before his death, when another faction had come into power. Apparently, now the power was back with the Prospero family.

  “Rahl is supposedly very well versed in the sciences, full of ancient knowledge of plants and animals. In fact, while he’s here, I’m hoping to find some time to talk. I think his wisdom could be very useful in my own studies. Perhaps we could work on some medicinal uses of plants and tinctures.”

  Soren was getting worked up about it,
obviously excited at the prospect of talking shop with another scientifically inclined person. He was always eager to absorb as much knowledge as he could in the field of medicine. But I’d zoned out so much I wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

  He must have seen the confusion on my face because he rolled his eyes and spoke slowly, like I was a child. “What I was getting at—as you would know if you’d been paying attention—is that perhaps you’d like to meet with him while he’s here. He’s a bit of a healer in his own right from what I’ve heard. You don’t seem thrilled with the prospect of me giving you a checkup, and something is obviously going on with you…” He lifted an eyebrow in question.

  With a sigh, I decided I might as well tell him. I couldn’t let him go on thinking I had some illness or something. And who knew, maybe as a physician he’d have some advice for me. Anything would be better than this perpetual state of discomfort I was in. Maybe he would even know how to alleviate some of these annoying symptoms.

  Clearing my throat again, I forced myself to make eye contact with him. “Have you ever heard of some ancient thing called a ‘mating gene’?”

  Soren nearly choked on the sip of water he’d just taken. “What?”

  I grimaced, and then told him about the book Father had shown me in the library, as well as detailing all my symptoms to him. His eyes grew wider, his expression more incredulous as I went on about what it had felt like when I first laid eyes on Brittany, and how it had only grown stronger the longer she’d been here on Hollander.

  When I was finished, Soren leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his broad chest and shaking his head. “This is unbelievable.”

  “I know. You probably think I’m crazy.”

  “No, that’s not what I mean. I just can’t believe this is actually happening.” He gave me an assessing look, something like awe in his eyes.

  “You mean you don’t think it’s a bunch of nonsense and I’m actually just losing my mind?”

  “Not at all. This is serious shit, Niall. It’s not some joke or some ancient myth. This mating gene is the real deal.”

  I frowned. “You’ve heard of it before?” I’d thought he would surely just laugh it off as an urban legend or something.

  “Yeah, I read about it in some of my studies in medical training.”

  That was even more of a shock. “How have I not heard of it, then? Father knew about it too.”

  Soren shrugged. “I guess it’s not something people really talk about anymore, since it’s assumed to be completely dormant. But learning about genetics—even those that don’t exist any longer—was part of my training. It’s real, and I can tell you this: if you keep avoiding it like you are, the pressure you’re experiencing now will only get worse. In fact, it could get to the point of unbearable pain.”

  I ran a hand over my face, stunned. “What the hell am I supposed to do, then? This…feeling is already escalating from discomfort to actual pain.” I rubbed at my chest as I said it.

  “Well, I’d say the only way to get this to stop is to claim your mate.”

  I scoffed. “Yeah. Right.”

  Soren frowned deeper. “Why would you not? Why are you hesitating in the first place?”

  I quickly briefed him on Brittany’s attitude and apparent distaste for me. “She can’t stand me at all. The way she looks at me… Well, let’s just say that she doesn’t want to be here in the first place, and to find out that she’s supposed to be my mate would probably send her running for the nearest ship off this planet.”

  Just saying that caused a pang in my chest, which was annoying. I shook my head. “I don’t like her attitude and how judgmental she is. But the idea of her leaving is pretty much intolerable in spite of all that.”

  Soren cocked his head thoughtfully and pursed his lips as he continued to study me. “Look,” he finally said. “Maybe you need to change your approach. Stop avoiding her. Maybe you need to woo her. Show her you aren’t such a bad guy. Who knows, maybe she’ll come around. Maybe you’ll discover you actually like her after all.”

  “I don’t think it’s that simple, Soren.”

  “Perhaps not. But you won’t know unless you try, right?”

  I couldn’t really argue with that, and Soren continued. “It’s worth a shot. I mean, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to claim the person meant for me. I don’t think you should, either.”

  Soren’s words stuck with me all through the afternoon, long after he’d gone about his own business. Was he right? Was it worth trying to see if I could get Brittany to come around?

  By late afternoon, I realized I wasn’t getting any work accomplished, so I decided to call it a day. Instead of heading straight home, though, I took my transport pod to the outdoor market situated along a river that flowed from the top of Mount Holland all the way to the ocean. The cook usually kept my kitchen pretty well stocked, but I had a craving for some of my favorite snacks, ones that were only available at this time of year.

  As I strolled among the stalls set up along the riverside, I reflected once more on what Soren had said. How he wouldn’t hesitate for a second to claim his mate. And how I should work on wooing Brittany, whatever that meant. I was fairly certain any attempts at that would be met with a haughty glare.

  But how was I supposed to show her that I wasn’t such a bad guy? She had her opinions of me set in stone, it seemed. I wasn’t sure any amount of wooing—I rolled my eyes at the word—would do any good.

  Just as I was about to enter a stall that sold one of my favorite spring berries, I felt that familiar ache in my chest. It pulsed harder than it had all day, and I knew instantly that Brittany was near. I’d already come to recognize the fluctuations in the pull of the mating gene, and I glanced around, trying to find her in the crowd. I knew she was here somewhere, and I figured she must be taking advantage of her free time. For a moment I wondered what she thought of my city and hoped she was enjoying it.

  When I finally located her about twenty yards away, just outside of another stall, I was shocked by the tone of her voice. She sounded upset, and without a second thought, I pushed my way through the crowd. As I closed in on her, I realized she wasn’t alone. She was talking with a young Hollander male, who couldn’t have been much older than eighteen judging from the small smattering of tattoos on his arms. He was young, inexperienced, but he still towered over Brittany’s small human frame and was at least twice her size in weight.

  He also didn’t seem to recognize that she was totally and completely not into the attention he was giving her. I was only a few yards away when I realized the kid was flirting with her. I caught a few words of him bragging about his new piercings, and I cringed.

  The kid had no game whatsoever. When Hollanders came of age, they were given a choice to receive piercings that were intended to enhance sexual experience. And this guy seemed to think that would impress Brittany.

  Sighing and shaking my head, I moved faster through the throng of shoppers until I was standing at Brittany’s side. One glance at her face told me he was making her more than a little uncomfortable.

  I cleared my throat and glared down at the kid; whose eyes went wide when he saw me.

  “Prince Niall,” he stammered, bowing slightly. When he looked up, noting the way I angled my body between him and Brittany, his eyes went even wider, practically popping out of his head, and he stepped back. “I…I—”

  “Apologize to the lady,” I ordered, surprised at the viciousness in my own voice. I wasn’t exactly the kind of prince who ruled with a heavy hand. In fact, I prided myself on being kind and relatable to my subjects. But this kid had sparked a protective instinct that must have been related to the mating gene. I didn’t like the way he was talking to Brittany one bit. Nor did I like how distressed she was by his behavior.

  “This is not how Hollanders treat a lady. I will remind you that you are not a barbarian like some men on other planets. Hollanders treat women with respect.”

  Brittan
y glanced back and forth between the two of us, and I realized I must look like a brute myself, but I didn’t care in that moment. All I cared about was that he show her a little respect.

  The kid mumbled an apology, his voice wavering, then he bowed again, apologizing to me as well.

  “See to it that it doesn’t happen again.” I turned my back on him, effectively dismissing him. He scampered away, but I didn’t give him a second glance. My attention was entirely on Brittany now.

  “Are you okay?”

  She blinked a few times, her big brown eyes wide with shock. “Um, yeah,” she said after a few seconds. “Thank you for stepping in. I thought for a moment that my communicator must be malfunctioning, and he didn’t understand that I wasn’t interested.”

  Her voice was softer than I’d yet heard from her when she thanked me, but it was what she’d said that had me grimacing. I shoved down the sudden rush of anger that another man had been moving in on what was mine. But she wasn’t mine. Even if everything in me was suddenly screaming out that she was.

  I took a deep breath, knowing I was close to coming off like some possessive barbarian myself. “He obviously has a long way to go in learning how to treat a woman.”

  Brittany just stared at me, mouth open slightly, and I rushed to change the subject. She probably thought the same about me. And who could blame her with the way I’d ignored her so far. No man of my standing should snub a woman who was probably still suffering culture shock. That thought didn’t sit well with me, and I was reminded again of Soren’s words. I needed to show her that I wasn’t the barbaric jerk she thought I was.

  “If you’d like, I can teach you some of our language. It might make you feel more comfortable. A little more at home in a place that’s so foreign to you.”

  The surprise on her face told me all I needed to know about what she thought of me, but her words drove it home further. “So you’re speaking to me now?”