by Liz Paffel
“This is a shitty first date.”
“Is a date not a mating ritual?”
Nausea rose in her throat. The glow seemed to be getting into her system even though she had her eyes tightly closed. Realizing she must have said something, Priya willed her brain to focus. “Yes… it is a mating thing.”
“This is not a date.”
A whoosh sounded around them and he took a couple more steps before depositing her onto her feet. She put her clasped hands out in front of her for balance as the room spun.
“Take the cuffs off, please. Please.”
Too afraid to open her eyes, she kept them tightly clenched until the cuffs were finally removed. A strange, pungent scent invaded her nose. The hum of silence rang in her ears. Slowly, her wits and strength began to come back. Opening her eyes, she did a three-sixty to take in the stark white room, the walls lined with cells sporting doors with clear panels.
Only one cell was occupied. The person inside sat on the floor with legs spread wide and upper body hanging low over bent knees. She noticed a mane of shock white hair… and two huge bulges protruding from his shoulder blades. Doing a double take, she couldn’t pull her gaze away. Less than three weeks ago, she’d been working in her laboratory at University hospital, going to clubs with her friends after work; spending lazy weekends binge watching reality television. Now, she was in an underwater alien compound, trying to wrap her head around the creature behind the glass who looked like a first-class movie prop.
She took one small step backwards and shifted closer to Quixx. He sidestepped closer to her as if sensing her unease. Knowing he was close by was surprisingly comforting.
“Why was this female restrained?”
She turned to the Axxeon physician Yawnlit as he strode their way. He was shorter and huskier than Quixx, his blue hair long enough to be braided down his back.
“Because she is human.”
“She is a friend of our Queen, who I imagine would not be pleased to know about the restraints.”
Quixx crossed his hands in front of himself and looked away. “I have not received orders from our King to do any less than standard precautions.”
Yawnlit smiled at Priya and gestured that she should hold out her wrists for his inspection. She complied, and he turned each of her arms over and ran his fingers over her skin. With a grunt, he released her, seemingly satisfied that she hadn’t been harmed.
“If not for this female and our Queen, we would not have been able to defeat the Nozing two short weeks ago. I would take care, Quixx of Third Command. Not all humans are inferior to you.”
Yawnlit placed a fabric bag on the table in the center of the room and opened it. Unrolling a stretch of cloth, he took out various instruments, along with sample collection tubes similar to what she’d used earlier. Feeling much more like herself now that the cuffs were off, Priya moved to his side to watch.
“Why did you ask that I accompany you here today?”
“I require assistance in collecting samples of the Nozing Prince’s tissue. As I stated when I contacted you this morning, he appears to be sprouting wings, which are not native to the species.”
“I’m a biologist, not a--”
“Doctor? You are a licensed physician, are you not?”
Her face went cold, a slight tremble racking her body. “Not anymore.”
“Mmm. Well, you don’t lose knowledge and skill because a piece of paper is no longer valid.”
Her spine stiffened. “I know nothing about Nozing anatomy or physiology.”
“You may be surprised to hear that neither am I. The Nozing King subjected the entire race to various forms of genetic mutation, which did not end well for any of them. Their biology is a mystery. We will study and learn together.”
“No.” The word burst from her lips, but she meant it. She trembled, unable to control it. “I’m not interested in helping you.”
Yawnlit eyed her steadily with a hint of sympathy. “If you’re worried about killing this patient, do not be. I assure you, that will not happen.”
All the heat drained from her face. Curling her fingers into fists, she shook her head, not quite believing what he’d just said. “How dare you.”
“Oh, I meant no harm. Only to assure you that--”
Priya whipped around to face Quixx and thrust her arms out to him. “Put the damn cuffs back on and take me to my room. I’m done here.”
He regarded her with his arms crossed over his muscular chest, his bare arms showing off the unusual pattern of greenish red solarderm. He made no move to do as she asked.
Less than a month ago, she’d been confronted by the Axxeon and delivered a Summons to become a required breeder for them-- expected to leave her career and entire life behind to make alien babies. In the time since, she’d been locked in this underwater compound to create a bioweapon for these assholes so they could kill off their enemies, then watched in horror as her best friend went into heart failure and received a bionic alien heart. Now, they wanted her to step back into a role that she’d vowed to leave behind forever.
What did she get in return? Oh, right. The knowledge that she’d be shipped off at some point with all of the other human women forced into mating. They’d dared dredge up the most painful time of her life and threw it in her face under the guise of an opportunity. She wasn’t a doctor anymore for very personal reasons that were none of their damn business.
Alora might be happy being their new Queen, but Priya was over it. There was nothing for her here. She didn’t want a life on a new planet, or to help an alien doctor, and she certainly didn’t want to find a fucking mate. She was done.
“Did you hear what I said?” She cocked her head with a flash of her eyes.
Quixx gave a curt nod. “I did. But I do not take orders from you.”
Suddenly, there was a bang from the cell behind them. They both spun to look. The Nozing prince stood with both hands on the glass. His preternaturally blue eyes were wide, his gaze strong and enigmatic. Priya’s breath struck in her throat at his unexpected beauty and commanding presence.
He was shirtless, his muscular body covered in what looked like a fine layer of silver scales. He wore light blue pants that resembled medical scrubs, the hems much too short as they pulled tight around his large calves. He was intimidating, even locked securely away. Deadly. He could probably bust out of that containment chamber and rip all their heads off. In fact, she was sure of it.
A whisper went through her mind… agreement with her inner thoughts. Confirmation that he was a bundle of tightly reserved, violent energy. He could kill them all.
So… why didn’t he?
Priya pressed a hand to her forehead and the whisper disconnected with a snap that made her stumble. Quixx steadied her swiftly, then approached the cell, head cocked to one side as if anticipating danger. The prince watched him approach like a tiger weighing the threat in another. He rose even higher, his full height impossibly intimidating.
“Your doctors will stay away from me, Axxeon.”
Quixx didn’t flinch. “They will do as they wish.”
The Nozing pressed closer to the glass, his face distorted in pain. “I am untouched from my father’s genetic science. My DNA is pure. I will kill anyone who dares modify me or tamper with the eruption of my wings.”
Priya caught the prince’s gaze. He pressed a palm to the glass, his face contorted in agony, but there was a desperate pleading shadowed there, calling out to her. “I wish to remain pure,” he gasped. “I am the last true Nozing.”
She moved forward, as if drawn to the glass. She needed to help him, to do something. Quixx grabbed her arm, but it didn’t deter her. “What can we do for you?”
He slumped again to the floor, his back against the glass where the sharp points of his wings looked like impalements driven into his flesh and bone. “Leave me to transform or die. I have half a chance of either.”
Chapter Three
“My King, did you kn
ow about the Nozing’s transformation?”
Quixx ushered Priya into Tryllin’s royal chamber and plopped her down on a softly cushioned royal blue seat to the side. She didn’t protest. She’d been unusually quiet and complacent when he’d tossed her over his shoulder and hurried her back out of the prison tunnel, then set her on her feet and pulled her here.
She appeared dazed, stunned as if under the effects of the neural cuffs though he had not placed them back on her. Now that he thought of it, she’d fallen silent after the confrontation with the Nozing. She’d acted strangely, going toward the cell the way she had, as if drawn to it.
Odd.
Tryllin pulled on a black metafabric jacket as he approached a table to the side of the room. Crossing one hand over the other, he quickly spread them apart and a galactic map populated on the table’s surface in lightly shimmering outlines of white and blue.
“I am as surprised as you. They have been mutating themselves for human decades. I am unsure if their true biology is known any longer.”
“Could the wings be genetic mutations?”
“No,” Priya said softly. “He said he is pure. He didn’t lie about that.”
Both men looked at her before turning to each other.
“He is already their prince. If he is also genetically pure, he’ll be even more valuable to any of his kind left alive.”
They had no way of knowing yet how many Nozing may still be alive after the attack they delivered two weeks ago. They hoped any that survived would assemble and come after their prince. Quixx looked forward to it. Let them come. The Axxeon would entrap them and finally kill the rest of them off. A fitting end of revenge for what the Nozing had done to the Axxeon women.
And then, he’d finish the prince.
“He may change into something we cannot control before we put the rest of our plan into place. His transformation is not something we expected. It complicates things. We must regroup.”
Tryllin nodded. “Yes. First, I want to show you something encouraging.”
Priya shifted in her seat behind him. “May I see Alora?”
Tryllin leaned over the tabletop to study the map. “She’s been given a sedative to help her sleep. Yawnlit says she needs more rest to keep stress from her new heart.” He glanced at Priya with a warm smile. “I will send for you when she wakes.”
She moved her fingers restlessly together. “You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?”
Quixx guttered a click of disgust. “What is this interest in the beast? Whether he lives or dies is of no concern to you.”
She sat straighter. “It is if I am expected to treat him.”
“You denied Yawnlit’s request to provide medical assistance, doctor.” He said the word with a sharp, quick tone. Her eyes narrowed and he was glad to see the fire inside her come back. Something about the Nozing had thrown her off balance. Or, perhaps it was how Yawnlit had casually brought up her past as a physician. She’d been uncomfortable, angry, when he’d mentioned it.
Quixx didn’t want to insult her, but he figured mentioning it again would bring her back to herself.
Just then, the door opened and Hahn, Prince of Axxeon slid in and joined them at the map with an eager smile on his youthful face. “Have you told him about B-2 Delta?”
A zing of excitement flashed through Quixx. Tryllin did not know how he’d been self-monitoring the planet and making his own plans. He retained tight control on his excitement as Tryllin scrolled through the map and homed in on the young galaxy, Itseedie Unruh. B-2 Delta was barely visible from its nest inside the tumultuous atmospheric storm. Quixx nearly touched the image displayed before him. This model was so much clearer than the one he’d studied earlier, showing the angry swirl of debris, funneling winds and sparks of electric energy pulsing from the storm with more detail and clarity. Though it was still violent, the storm was lessening, just as he’d thought.
His heart leapt, eagerness and excitement pumping through him.
“The atmospheric storm on B-2 Delta is lessening.” Hahn ran a hand through his mussed blue hair.
He’d been focused on the planet since probes administered by the Axxeon Discovery Team found B-2 Delta to be similar to earth and Axxeon 8. They’d been searching the galaxies for three years, sending probes in hopes of finding a new planet that could eventually become their new home. They had the Axxeon 9 base station recently completed to house their people until a new planet could be found.
Tryllin nodded. “I had little hope that the storm would lessen enough to allow our expedition team to breach its atmosphere.”
Quixx couldn’t draw his gaze away from the planet. Excitement welled into his throat. He’d been struggling with unbridled emotions over this planet for months. The more he thought about it, the more his excitement grew. Perhaps excitement was the wrong word for what he felt. It was more like a need, a strong drive. Determination.
He couldn’t hold it back any longer.
“I want to go to B-2 Delta.” He set his jaw once the words were out, slowly raising his eyes to gauge the reaction of his King.
Tryllin gave him a sideways look but said nothing.
A flush of adrenaline made Quixx’s solarderm heat. His body tensed against the anticipation coursing through his body. The edginess he’d been feeling for so many passes of the Earth’s moon was at a boiling point. He couldn’t hold back his words. “I would like to accompany the expedition team.”
“You are the leader of the Third Command. You remain here.”
“I am prepared to relinquish my title.” Quixx met Tryllin’s eyes, his heart thumping. He never showed emotion in front of his King, but it was difficult to do so right now. “I willingly lower my rank to join the discovery crew.”
Tryllin’s brow fell, concern and curiosity clear in his eyes. He motioned to Hahn. “Please escort the human back to her quarters.”
Quixx mentally cursed himself for speaking so soon. He’d planned to reveal his wishes a different way, and not in front of others. Certainly not in front of the human. Tryllin closed the screen and drummed his fingers on the tabletop until the human and prince left.
“Are you angry with me in some way that you wish to abandon your rank as Third Command of all of Axxeon?”
“Of course not, my King.”
He stood tall as Tryllin walked a slow circle around him, looking him up and down. There was no malice on his King’s face, only concern… and deep thought. Finally, the man stopped before him and clasped his hands behind his back, feet wide in the common stance of power. “Quixx, you cannot continue to lacerate yourself with guilt over what happened on Axxeon 8.”
The words hit him like a powerful blow to the center of his chest. He struggled to pull in a tight breath, censoring himself so he didn’t appear weak in front of his King. Quixx raised his chin and looked at the wall over Tryllin’s shoulder. The excitement he thought he’d been feeling shattered inside his chest, flinging shards of regret and guilt and pain. They had been the true center of his emotions, though he crafted them together to trick himself into feeling something else.
Anything else.
Even so, he would not be deterred.
“The blood of our women is on my hands.”
“No.” The word was sharp and final. “Their blood is on my father’s hands. He was King, and he alone failed his responsibility to protect our people. He ignored the Nozing threat. He did not take proper precautions to protect our people.”
The ghostly memory of wailing and grief-laden screaming filled his head, men holding the bodies of their daughters and mates as they grieved. He saw her so clearly… his mother, looking sightlessly up at him from the cradle of his lap, his sister by her side, both unblinking and cold. The Nozing were to blame, yes. But so was he.
So was he.
He stood tense and resolute. “I was Security Master and aware of the threat. I was prepared to take preventative measures to counteract an attack. My King commanded that I stand down. I
should have acted on my own accord, instead, I followed my Kings’ order and our females were viciously killed.”
“Following your King’s orders are what you should do. You are not to blame.”
“Telling me this repeatedly does nothing to make me believe it, my King.”
Tryllin threw up his hands with a growl and turned his back. Quixx couldn’t stop now. He needed this more than anything. He was dying inside and completely at a loss over how to stop it.
“I promoted you to Third Command when I became King. I would not put anyone without honor in a position to rule and command in my absence.”
He refused to accept the compliment. “As a warrior and a high ranking official, I should have the opportunity to make peace with my failure. I need to be a part of the mission that finds our people a permanent home to replace the one I was responsible for destroying.”
“You want retribution.”
“I need retribution.”
Tryllin nodded in understanding and hope flared inside Quixx’s chest. It may be easier for another warrior to make peace with himself after an epic failure, but it wasn’t in his nature. The bio-attack on their women had changed him, made him question who and what he thought he was. Until then, he’d considered himself a competent, effective protector of his people as a high-ranking security master. After? He’d not been able to look at his own reflection since without the desire to smash his own image.
Tryllin remained silent for so long, that Quixx shifted uncomfortably, feeling as if he had been excused without a direct command. Finally, Tryllin tapped his comlet and riffled through images that populated into the air. He spread his fingers apart, anchoring three screens before him. All showed riots in various locations.
“The unrest has spread to cities beyond the one outside our compound, as have the fires. The mayhem is spreading; the humans are panicking and turning onto each other. I understand your need to make right the damage to your soul. This chaos is not the human citizen’s fault.” Tryllin closed the screens and eyed Quixx steadily. “It is the product of corrupt and self-serving leaders. Something you and I are familiar with.”