by Sue Mercury
Finally, they exited the Eshunna Passage. As they neared Earth, Myadd’s cheerful voice rang out over the transmitter.
“I am headed to a city called Houston that’s located in the United States,” Myadd said. “I forgot to ask the both of you—where exactly are you headed?”
“My mate also lives in the United States,” Axall replied. “A place called Bitterroot Lake in the state of Montana. My readings show it is a rural location, far from any current warzone.”
“My report shows pockets of unrest in Houston,” Myadd said. “Good. I wouldn’t mind a real fight. It’s been too long. What about you, Khann? Where does your mate live?”
“My mate lives on the east coast of the United States, in a city called Baltimore.” Khann quickly looked over the news reports that were coming out of the city, scanned the area for weapons’ signatures, and tracked the movement of American troops and police forces nearby. Well, it appeared he might actually run into a fight. The very idea left him eager to land in the city.
He soon became aware of a voice calling his name and realized he hadn’t heard something Myadd had just said. He cleared his throat and tried to focus.
“Repeat that, Myadd.”
“I asked whether or not you’re entering a warzone?”
“Negative, however there is a great deal of civil unrest, and some areas of the city are locked down. My mate’s not in the worst location, for which I am glad. I hope she is currently safe.” And her daughter too. He didn’t say this last thing aloud, for he hadn’t yet told his brothers he was going to suddenly become a father.
They increased speed and approached Earth, a blue-green dot in the black vastness of space. Finally, they bid one another goodbye and set off to find their respective mates.
Realizing Belle and her daughter might be in a dangerous location roused a fierce protectiveness within Khann. Though he hadn’t yet met them, didn’t even know what they looked like, he still felt a powerful need to keep them safe. He couldn’t pilot the ship fast enough.
After descending through Earth’s atmosphere, the city of Baltimore came into sight. It was a port city and he glimpsed many huge water vessels nearby in the ocean. An odd sight, as Vaxxlians typically didn’t use water vessels. Instead, they employed the use of hovercrafts and guided them over the water when necessary. However, as he came closer, he noticed most of the smaller crafts on the water were in fact hover vessels.
Tearing his gaze away from the boats, he pinpointed Belle’s exact location provided to him by the mail order bride service. A large hotel that overlooked the city. He thought it odd she was staying in a hotel, rather than a permanent residence, and wondered about the reason for this. Had something happened to her real home? Or did she not have one?
Dozens of plumes of smoke rose over the dilapidated city. Hover tanks patrolled the streets, along with many units of soldiers. A large crowd of people, numbering in the thousands, was gathered near the port. The soldiers had them cornered, but Khann soon moved on and didn’t glimpse what happened next. He was eager to reach Belle and Amie and ensure their safety.
This abrupt eagerness brought him hope. Perhaps he wasn’t as hardened as he had come to believe. Perhaps there was a part of him that could truly care about another person, a female and child, for instance.
A short while later, he landed his vessel atop the hotel. He wasted no time in disembarking the ship. He had a mate to claim and a new daughter to meet.
Chapter 3
“Amie, darling, I need to talk to you about something. It’s very, very important.” Belle gave her daughter a reassuring smile and reached for her tiny hands.
Amie stared up at her, a suspicious look on her face. “What is it, Momma?”
“Well,” Belle began, her throat suddenly dry, “we’re going to be leaving Earth soon.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to live on a planet called New Vaxx.” She paused, wondering if Amie knew anything about Vaxxlians. She normally didn’t turn the television on, but she knew many of Amie’s babysitters often did. Chances were, Amie had at least heard of Vaxxlians. The little girl was interested in learning about different alien races and always perked up and paid attention when she heard about a new species.
Amie’s eyes widened. “New Vaxx? You mean the planet with the big aliens who’ve got lots of muscles?”
“Um, yes, that’s the planet. How do you know what Vaxxlians look like?”
“I saw the commercials, Momma. The ones asking for human brides.” Amie hugged Mr. Melvin tighter to her chest. “Molly said she was going to sign up and get herself a real man and leave this shithole Earth behind.”
Belle fought back a smile. “Molly said that, did she? Well, I suppose I ought to vet your babysitters a little better from now on.”
“But she’s right, Momma,” Amie said with a gesture at the closed curtains. “Earth is a shithole. It’s the worst planet we’ve ever visited.” A second later she lowered her head a notch. “Sorry. I know this is a vacation and vacations are supposed to be fun, but I don’t like it here. It smells funny and people are always fighting.”
“It’s all right, darling, you’re right. This wasn’t a good place to come for a vacation. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you here,” Belle said, wrapping an arm around her daughter. Her stomach clenched at the next part, the part where she must divulge her plans to marry a Vaxxlian. “Listen, Amie, I know what I’m about to tell you might be difficult to understand, but I promise you everything is going to be okay and you have nothing to worry about.”
Amie looked nervous and didn’t say a word. She hugged Mr. Melvin even tighter and stared at Belle.
“Okay, here it is,” Belle said. “I-I am going to marry a Vaxxlian named Khann and we’re going to go live with him on planet New Vaxx.” Luckily, Belle had never told Amie about her experiences with the Vaxxlians on the Dreusha Outpost. She hoped that meant her daughter wouldn’t fear them.
“Momma, you’re getting married?” Amie’s blue eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect o-shape. “Wow! Is he a big muscle man like in the commercials? How tall is he? Does he like children? What’s his favorite color?”
“Well, I’m not sure what he looks like, as I’ve never seen a picture of him, but I imagine he’s probably as big as the Vaxxlian males in the commercials. Most of their males are huge.” She fought back a shudder. The warrior who’d dragged her father away had been well over seven feet tall, with arms and legs like tree trunks, his entire body a block of pure solid muscle, green eyes flashing with rage.
“But does he like children?” Amie appeared worried, biting her lip and glancing around the room.
“I’ve never spoken to him before, sweet darling, but I am certain he will adore you. How could he not? You are the sweetest, most caring little girl in the whole world.” She patted Amie on the head and playfully flicked her nose, then gave the same affectionate treatment to Mr. Melvin, causing Amie to giggle.
Belle’s heart contracted. God, how she loved her daughter.
I can do this. I can mate with Khann.
But would she be able to pretend she was happy for Amie’s sake? That part might be a little difficult. More than a little. Vaxxlians had killed all the Irrcons on the Dreusha Outpost, and many of them, including Mikkal, hadn’t had anything to do with the war. Mikkal had owned a shipping center on the outpost—he’d never raised a hand in violence to anyone during his lifetime, let alone a Vaxxlian. Sometimes, she heard his screams in her nightmares. She pushed the thoughts away and focused on Amie, who was still staring up at her in wonder.
“Do you have any questions about what’s about to happen?” Belle asked her daughter.
“What is Khann’s favorite color, Momma? You never told me.”
“Um, green, I think,” she replied, not wanting to disappoint Amie. Apparently, knowing Khann’s favorite color was important. “Planet New Vaxx is very lush and green, so it must be green.”
“Ca
n I go draw pictures now?” Amie asked, already scooting off the bed.
“Of course you can, Muffin.”
And just like that, Amie skipped off to the table where all her coloring supplies were spread out, her curls bouncing and Mr. Melvin dragging on the floor. She looked as though she hadn’t a care in the world, despite the seriousness of the conversation they’d just shared.
Belle envied Amie’s innocence and carefree acceptance of the whole situation. God, she wished she didn’t know how awful the Vaxxlians could be. If only she’d never seen firsthand the level of blind violence of which they were capable.
“Play music!” Amie said, lifting her head to the ceiling briefly. A second later, cello music, Amie’s new favorite, filled the room. “Thanks, computer!” The child went back to her coloring, her eyes narrowing and her lips pressing in a straight line as she concentrated on the task at hand.
Belle ventured to the bathroom and checked her appearance. No matter her feelings about the Vaxxlians, she wanted to make a good impression. The sooner Khann liked her, the sooner he would give her the lifesaving nanobots she so desperately needed.
The phone in her pocket beeped, reminding her it was once again time to take her medicine. She retrieved her pills and swallowed several with a long drink of water. At least she felt better today than she had in awhile. Perhaps it was the sudden hope she was experiencing, the knowledge that her greatest fear—that Amie would be left all alone in the universe—would not be realized.
A knock on the door startled a gasp from her. She exited the bathroom and hurried for the entryway, her heart beating faster with each step. Was it Khann? Or only a hotel worker? It wasn’t uncommon for a maid to drop off fresh towels, or for the front desk to send up a treat for Amie. They were staying in one of the hotel’s nicest suites and had enjoyed a number of surprise amenities since their arrival in Baltimore a little over a week ago.
Belle continued approaching the door. She could hear Amie in the other room, humming along to the music. Clearly, she hadn’t heard the knock, or she would have come running.
After taking a deep, fortifying breath, Belle opened the door. A second later, she fought the sudden urge to scream, slam the door, and run and hide.
Her whole body trembling, she froze in place and stared up at him.
At Khann.
The biggest Vaxxlian warrior she’d ever seen.
Chapter 4
The little human was beautiful. Khann couldn’t tear his eyes from hers. When he noticed her shaking, he wondered whether she was nervous or cold. In any case, he longed to help her feel better. He stepped into her room, closed the door behind him, and proceeded to gently place his hands upon her upper arms. A spark of electricity passed between them when he touched her for the first time, his entire body tingling with awareness as he held her gaze.
“Are you Belle?” he asked in Galactic Common.
She nodded. “Yes. Are you Khann?”
“I am.” He stepped even closer, allowing the heat of their bodies to mingle. If she was cold, she wouldn’t be for much longer. He leaned down and stared deeper into her dark eyes, and he released one of her arms in order to touch her long, soft curls. Her hair was dark, too, though her skin was pale, almost too pale, as if she might be sick, though he sincerely hoped that was not the case. “I am happy to meet you,” he finally said, and the truth of his words shocked him.
Happy. In this moment, he felt a glimmer of happiness, a warmth unlike any other, as he held the petite beauty called Belle in his arms.
Her lips parted, then she closed her mouth abruptly, as she appeared to struggle for a response. She looked worried, which confused him. Wasn’t she also happy to meet him?
“I-I am pleased to meet you, Khann,” she eventually said.
She trembled harder in his arms, which concerned him. Given the worry clouding her gaze, he supposed she was nervous or perhaps even frightened of him. He tried to put himself in her position—a single mother on war-torn Earth meeting her otherworldly mate for the first time. She had good reason to feel nervous, though he hoped to soon calm her. More than anything, he wanted her to feel safe in his presence.
“Is your daughter here?” he asked.
“Yes, she’s in the other room.” A slight smile tugged at her lips, transforming her features and making her appear younger. “She’s busy coloring a picture. I don’t think she heard you knock, otherwise she would’ve come running and she would be talking your ear off right about now.”
A daughter. A heavy but not unwelcome sense of responsibility settled upon Khann. In moments, he would meet his new daughter. Soon, he would mate with Belle and they would become a family. Despite all the darkness still lurking inside him, he experienced warmth at the thought of a family.
A sudden longing filled him, to possess Belle and bring her and her daughter back to New Vaxx. He imagined them living in his wing of the large house he shared with his brothers and a deep satisfaction spread through him.
“I am looking forward to meeting Amie,” he said, glad that he recalled the girl’s name from the information the mail order bride service had provided him about Belle. “Tell me, I am curious, why is it you’re staying in a hotel? Do you live here? Did something happen to your real home?”
A shadow crossed her face and she tried to back away and escape his arms, but he tightened his hold on her, unwilling to let her go. She was still shaking somewhat, and he couldn’t fathom releasing her until she’d calmed down.
“Well, my daughter and I only arrived on Earth a few weeks ago. My late husband worked at an outpost, so this is my first time being back on my home planet in quite some time.”
“I see. Your late husband, when did he pass away?” Khann asked, keeping his tone gentle.
“Oh, he died over four years ago.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” he said, though it felt like an odd thing to say, since he wouldn’t be here if not for her husband’s passing. “Does Amie miss him?” It hadn’t occurred to him that he might be competing with the memory of a beloved father when it came to his new daughter. The uncertainty he’d experienced earlier returned.
“She doesn’t remember him. She’d just started walking the month he passed away. He was also always very busy with work and rarely home, so even if she would’ve been older at the time of his passing, I doubt she would possess many memories of him.”
Khann exhaled a deep breath, relieved by Belle’s response, even though his reaction to her answer left him feeling guilty, for it was undoubtedly tragic that Amie possessed no memories of her biological father. He cupped Belle’s face and stared at her intently. “I vow that I will be a good father to Amie. I will care for her and give her my protection. I vow the same to you, little human. I will strive to be an honorable mate to you.” He thought of the mating vows they would soon say and his blood heated.
Until this moment, he hadn’t considered what it might be like to physically mate with Belle, it had simply seemed like an abstract idea in his mind. Now he could easily imagine carrying her to bed, stripping off her clothes, kissing her all over, and driving his hardness inside her. He took several deep breaths to calm himself. They couldn’t mate just yet. He had to meet Amie first, and they would likely have to wait until the nighttime hours, when the human child was fast asleep.
“Thank you, Khann, I am glad to hear it,” Belle said, though the look of worry remained in her gaze. “And I vow that I will try my best to be a good wife to you. I, um, I also have a considerable amount of galactic credits I’m bringing into our union. I’m not sure if that makes a difference to you. My late husband was a wealthy man.”
Khann found her mention of money unusual. Males were supposed to provide for their females, not the other way around. He would not feel right using her money for any purpose and he found himself shifting uncomfortably in place. Her wealth was also unexpected, as most human women signed up for Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides because they were destitute or even desperate
for a better life on a planet far from Earth.
“If you possess wealth,” he said, unable to stop himself from asking the question, “why is it you have signed up for the mail order bride service? Surely you can afford to live on your own and take care of your daughter.” Even if she feared for her safety, wealth could buy protection. He also found it strange she’d come to Earth in the first place, even if it was the planet of her birth, as this world was not safe. Though he longed to claim her, he wanted to know her precise reasons for signing up for Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides.
Belle’s eyes widened. Again, she struggled for a response. Finally, she said, “I am lonely, and I don’t want my daughter to grow up without a father. I didn’t want to try meeting a human man—Earth isn’t the safest planet at the moment and I don’t wish to linger here. And I’ve heard good things about Vaxxlians and planet New Vaxx, so I thought…” Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. “So I thought I would take a chance and sign up for the mail order bride service.”
Chapter 5
I’ve heard good things about Vaxxlians.
She was such a liar. But what else could she say?
Fortunately, Khann seemed to accept her reply. She breathed an inward sigh of relief when he gave a calm nod.
“I understand,” he said, “and I think it wise of you to sign up for the mail order bride service. Vaxxlians are an honorable race and we cherish our females. We also always take care of our offspring, including full-blooded human children brought into the mating union.”
Oh how Belle wished she could believe him. But an honorable race wouldn’t slaughter innocents or attack an outpost without provocation. A dark thought struck her. What if Khann had been among those warriors who’d descended upon the Dreusha Outpost on that fateful day? The very notion made her sick to her stomach. In fact, she didn’t feel well at all. Her head was spinning, and she needed to sit down before she collapsed.