by Milly Taiden
“Why did you come to my rescue at the bar?” she asked. She’d been eternally grateful he had shown up. Gerard’s much bigger frame made it hard for her to get away.
“I saw him slip something into your drink. You didn’t drink it, did you?”
She growled. “That rat bastard. No, I didn’t. I learned a long time ago not to drink anything left sitting with anyone you don’t know and trust.”
“I’m glad you knew better. I was ready to kill him for trying to take advantage of you.”
She pressed her body into his. God, he was warm. He was a human heat pump. He caressed her back, sending tingles down her spine.
“Sleep, beautiful. I’m here to take care of you.”
She grinned. She didn’t normally have anyone offer to care of her, but he sounded so serious. She felt bad telling him she could take care of herself. She had all her life.
TEN
Karel paced the living area of Liv’s apartment. Something was wrong. He felt it in the depth of his bones. His animal pushed for a shift, wanting loose.
The buzz of his communicator had him reaching into his pocket. Even though a smaller version of what Gerri used, this one still showed a hologram of the person calling.
“Alyx,” he said, watching his best friend’s image appear in the darkened living room.
“Karel,” Alyx’s features were set in grim lines, “I have bad news.”
“How long do I have?”
Alyx met his gaze. “Not long.”
A very pregnant Bella came into view, curling her arm around Alyx. “I’m sorry, Karel. We heard from your people that your mother really wants to see you.”
He nodded. His chest ached. Sorrow roped his heart, squeezing so painfully, he could barely get air into his lungs. The Yaghar didn’t live in prides. They were one of the smallest tribes in Aurora. Mothers protected their cubs fiercely against anyone, including their fathers. That’s what happened with Karel. His mother had to kill his father the first time he tried to kill Karel because he was a male.
He swallowed hard and glanced at the hallway where his mate slept. Human. He was supposed to give her time to adjust to him. He had no time.
“I’ll be there soon.”
“We’ll be here, keeping things under control,” Bella said, her lips turning down in sadness.
He shut off the communication and pressed the button that connected him with his contact on earth. He gave the man a brief rundown of his problem and told him he’d be ready to leave shortly. Someone would pick him up to rush him to the portal.
He marched to Liv’s room and watched her sleep. He hated to do this. He sat on her side of the bed.
“Liv,” he said, pushing the hair from her face and caressing her cheek.
She fluttered her lids opened and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to go, right now. But I can’t leave you.”
She sat up slowly, her eyes wide with concern. “Where are you going?”
“My mother. She’s dying. She’s far away and I have to see her.”
“Oh no!” She licked her lips and nodded, a deep frown covering her brow. “I’m really sorry.”
He grasped her hand, his heart pumping hard and unsure. “Come with me.”
She blinked. She didn’t say anything, but he saw the wheels turning behind her eyes. “How long until you return?”
He shook his head, glancing down at their linked hands. “I don’t know.”
She glanced around the room. “I don’t know. I mean, we just met and things are going a million miles an hour.”
He should have known Gerri was right. Humans didn’t understand being mates. She was his. He didn’t want to go anywhere without her. “Do you feel it?”
Her tiny perfect teeth nibbled on her lower lip. “I do. I know there’s something here,” she admitted with a soft sigh. “I just…I don’t know if it’s enough for me to go with you wherever you need me to go. What if this is a fluke? What if I’m imagining the connection I feel?”
He brought her hands to his chest, letting her feel his beating heart. “This isn’t a mistake. It’s real. I don’t want to leave you, but I have to go. Come with me,” he said. “Please.”
He watched indecision play over her features. She stared at his chest for a moment, silence hanging between them. “I’m probably going to regret this, but I’m due a vacation anyway.” She met his gaze and nodded. “Okay. I’ll come with you.”
He hauled her into his arms, hugging her tightly and kissing her lips. She opened her mouth in an invitation. He’d get a chance to show his mate to his mother before she left.
ELEVEN
Liv dressed in a rush. She shoved clothes in a bag, half asleep and unsure what she was doing was sane. She didn’t follow men. That wasn’t her thing. She’d heard of women who left everything for a man, and she’d shaken her head and wondered what got into them. Yet here she was, doing it too.
Karel left to get his own belongings, saying there would be a car coming to get them in a few minutes. She should be worried. She just met him. What if it was some kind of ploy to kidnap her and sell her on the black market? Was there a market for big girls in the sex trade?
She picked up her cell phone and sent Gerri an email letting her know she was leaving with Karel to visit his mother and be back in a few days. She wasn’t sure how far his mother lived. He’d been evasive about it, just saying it was far.
It was the concern in his voice and fear in his eyes when he mentioned his mother that got her. Maybe she was a softie, but meeting a man this close to his mother was unusual for her. Not a man who was clearly alpha with a commanding presence. He was no mama’s boy, but he clearly loved his mom.
Liv didn’t get a chance to be with her parents as a kid. Her mother and stepfather, along with her baby sister, died in a car crash when she’d been small. Her sperm-donor father didn’t want to be in her life, so she ended up depending on her grandmother.
Life could be brutal. She’d been saved from the crash because she’d been spending the day with her grandmother. But living didn’t mean she got love. She’d always longed for a warmer family. Her grandmother was not a nurturing person. She’d always made Liv call her by her name instead of grandmother. All she’d wanted in her life was that perfect family some of her friends spoke of. Even Monica’s mother seemed nicer, but she’d only met Monica a few years back, and at thirty-six, a lifetime had happened before they were introduced.
* * *
Karel and Liv followed a man after going down the world’s longest elevator. She sensed Karel’s worries, but the fact he held her fingers entwined with his reassured her that he was happy she was with him.
Surveying the strange environment, she started to think they were going to an underground train, until they reached a giant, brightly lit hallway with a bunch of doors. They stopped at the one with G. Wilder etched into the wood.
She glanced at Karel with confusion. “Why does the door have Gerri’s name, and what’s behind it?”
The man guiding them opened the door and motioned them inside. Karel met her gaze and cleared his throat. “I come from really far away.”
Yeah, no kidding. He was huge and his eyes had a distinct hazel color she’d never seen. This wasn’t far from where she lived though. So how were they getting to his mother?
“How do you propose we get there.” She laughed nervously. “Teleport?”
He gave a quick nod. “Yes.”
“Wait, what? We can’t teleport. We don’t have that kind of technology, and quite frankly, the fact you believe we can worries me.” She tried to tug out of his hold, but he held firm.
He pulled a ball out of his pocket. The sphere levitated in front of them, then moved several feet away before expanding into a giant window. She saw an odd forest on the other side.
“Are those purple trees?” She frowned, interest overtaking her fear. “What kind of magic is that?”
“Come with me,” he said again,
pulling her toward the open window. “Let me show you how beautiful my home is.”
“I’ve lost my mind. I must have.” She took steps forward and felt the pull of the window. “What is that on the other side?”
“Nova Aurora,” he replied, readying to go through the opening. “You’ll love it there.”
She’d never heard of that city. It sounded Europe-ish. She didn’t believe they were teleporting anywhere. No way. Then again, what if he worked for the government? She hadn’t asked what he did for a living. He had that military feel with the big square shoulders and continuously serious face. What if he did know something she didn’t?
Curiosity grew inside her. She took a step into the window and felt as if oxygen was being pulled from her until she swore she was dying. She could hear Karel ordering her to breathe. She wanted to snap at him that she was trying to, but something kept sucking out the air. She didn’t get a chance because darkness took hold, taking Karel away, and sending fear crashing through her.
TWELVE
Liv’s head pounded. She opened her eyes and blinked at the soft lighting and soothing sound of crashing waves. They were at the beach. She sat up slowly and watched the shades roll up the windows, letting light in. The walls, previously a pretty yellow-flower print, changed to a sandy white in color and texture.
Her jaw dropped open as the room transformed before her eyes. “I died. I had to have died.” She shoved off the incredibly soft covers, noticing she no longer wore the same clothes, but a super-soft yellow pair of shorts and tank top.
She stepped on the warm stone floor and frowned. She had only seen stone like that in castles she’d visited when she’d traveled with her grandmother. Where on earth were they? The air felt crisper, cleaner than usual. She scurried to the large window and gasped.
“This is some kind of joke.”
“Good morning!” She whirled around to find a very pregnant woman standing at the bedroom door.
“I’m Bella. Welcome to Aurora.” Bella peered at the hair at the bottom of Liv’s ponytail. “Is that purple? I love it!” Bella’s gaze roamed Liv’s sleeveless arms. “Oooh! What pretty ink you have.”
She blinked and glanced out the window again, watching the crashing pink waves hit the sandy white beach. “Thank you. Are we in Europe?” she mumbled. “I’ve never heard of a pink ocean. Ever.”
Bella laughed and shook her head. “No, that’s what I’m here to explain to you.”
“Where’s Karel?” she asked, worried that something happened to his mother and things were worse.
Bella’s smile dimmed. “He’s making arrangements for you both to see his mom. He is the chief of security here, but with me pregnant, Alyx, my husband, had Karel on babysitting duty watching over me like I’m going to pop any second.”
Liv nodded. She hated to tell Bella, but she did look like she was ready to pop any moment. “Where am I?”
“So you know how they say aliens don’t exist and there’s no life on other planets?”
A knot formed in the pit of Liv’s stomach. “Yes.”
“It’s not technically true.” Bella smiled.
“Which part?”
“All of it. You’re currently millions of light years away on a shifter planet called Nova Aurora. This planet is inhabited by shifter aliens.”
She glanced out the window again, noting the purple trees surrounding the area, and a sea of rainbow flowers moving with the wind, creating a soft wave of multicolor. If she wasn’t on another planet, then she’d been brought to some undiscovered part of earth. Highly unlikely.
“Have you been mentally evaluated, Bella?”
Bella grinned. “Trust me, I would have been the first person wondering what the hell kind of joke this is, but I used to work for Gerri and I came here wide awake. It is probably harder since you passed out mid-travel.” Bella shrugged. “I won’t ask you to believe me, because it’s something you have to see for yourself. Just look outside. The oceans are pink. The forests are purple. Snow is blue! I can go on and on, but this room alone should show you how far advanced this planet is,” she said, pointing to the walls. “Mood walls. Everything changes based on your feelings and what you want.”
Okay, yes. That was unarguable. She’d seen the damn thing change in front of her eyes.
“This is kind of hard to believe, you understand. I was in my bed a few hours ago.” After the most amazing orgasm of her life, she left unsaid.
“I come from earth, too.” Bella walked in and sat on a chair, sighing as she did. “I fell in love with Alyx and this is now my home.” Her gaze pierced her with curiosity. “You obviously feel strongly for Karel or you wouldn’t be here.”
That was true. She’d gone on blind faith where Karel was concerned; something she’d never, ever done. She hadn’t even bothered to send her grandmother a message she was going away. Their last argument left a bad taste in Liv’s mouth and all she wanted was to keep her grandmother at bay for a while.
“I’m just having a hard time with this other planet thing.”
Bella nodded. “Well, think about it. Karel is probably taller and beefier than any man you’ve ever dated. His eyes are a distinct color and he will do anything to protect you. Anything.” Bella raised her brows. “Met many men like that on earth?”
That was easy to answer. No. She shouldn’t ignore common sense. Her mind told her Bella spoke the truth. But how and why were answers she probably wouldn’t get until she spoke to Karel, and even then, she might not be in agreement with what he said. But she was on another planet. Another planet!
She glanced out the window again and gasped when she saw a dragon fly by. “Holy crap!”
“Yes, we also have dragons in this world. Very real dragon shifters.”
She was on another planet. Now was not the time to explore, even though she wanted to. They were there to see Karel’s mom. She wanted to support him. He’d looked so torn when he’d told her.
Someone knocked on the door and a tall woman entered with a tray.
“Ah, there’s our tea and cookies.” Bella sat up, eyeing the platter like she was going to consume it all with her eyes.
Liv guessed the woman was a family member from the adoring smile she gave Bella.
“Enjoy,” said the woman as she left the room.
“Come on.” Bella turned to the table next to her where the tray had been placed. She grabbed a thin bite-sized square and munched.
Liv’s stomach growled. She was starving. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep, but figured probably longer than shorter. “Let me go to the bathroom.”
Bella nodded, chewing on a green cookie. “There’s toiletries in there. Just wave your hand in front of the lower part of the mirror by the sink.”
She rushed to the bathroom and noticed how bare it was. Wave a hand? She did, feeling stupid until the glass slid open and a tray popped out with a brush, toothpaste, and a full grooming kit. It was like the coolest five-star hotel ever.
Once she’d brushed her teeth and washed her face, she returned to the bedroom where Bella sat, drinking tea.
“Great, you’re here. I was hoping you’d return before I ate everything. That was going to make me feel all kinds of guilty.” She grinned.
Bella’s happy personality was hard to dislike. She had an infectious smile and made Liv feel welcomed in the insanity of what was going on.
She took a seat on the other side of the small table and picked up a green cookie. It felt soft, like a freshly baked oatmeal cookie. It smelled like one too, but it was green.
THIRTEEN
“Try it,” Bella encouraged. “I promise it won’t be bad. I had to teach one of the cooks to make my favorite oatmeal cookies. Alyx tries to make me happy however he can so he watched me make a mess of the kitchens until we got them right.” She shrugged and the material of her top shimmered. “The only thing is that flour here is made of green seeds. It was weird at first, but if it tastes good, I don’t care about the color
.”
Liv bit down and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor. It was better than an oatmeal cookie. The fruit was sweeter and the dough softer, yet crunchy. “This is really good.”
Bella nodded and picked up another. “You’ll be hooked on these. My best friend, Charlotte, lives in the ice mountains with her mates and she comes here just to eat my cookies.” She opened her eyes wide. “That didn’t sound right, but you get the idea.”
Liv laughed and picked up a teacup. She sniffed, a bad habit she had, and tasted. The drink was like lemon tea with a hint of honey. It was nice.
“So there’s other humans here?”
“Yes. There’s me, Charlotte, and her sister Rebecca, and now you,” she said excitedly. “Becca and I are the only ones pregnant though.” Bella eyed Liv with interest. “For now.”
“Do you like it here?” she asked, changing the subject. No way she was getting into any baby talks when she had no clue what the hell was going on.
“I love it,” Bella gushed. “Although, I’d love anywhere as long as I was with Alyx.” Her eyes filled with love and a happy smile curved her lips. “It will suck when Alyx goes away in the next few days. He’s got a big meeting with a bear clan on the other side of the planet and that means I get to stay here with other guards but none as nice and friendly as Karel. I’ll miss him.”
A buzzing sounded had Bella reaching into her pocket. “Oooh! It’s Gerri!”
Bella pressed a button and a holographic image of Gerri showed up by the wall.
“Liv? Are you okay?” Gerri asked with a frown.
“Hi! I’m great. Well, now that I understand more or less what’s going on.”
“That boy is just as bad as Alyx,” Gerri muttered. Liv was sure she referred to Karel. “I told him to give you time to get to know him. To talk to you first and explain the whole shifter planet situation before dragging you off to Aurora. Did he listen? Hell, no.”