by Zoey Draven
He was out of options and it was his only choice. If only he could show her what her life would be like on this planet, with him…perhaps she would choose him, just like how Vaxa’an’s mate, Kate, had chosen him.
Determination flowed in him. For the first time since he’d woken in the medical bay, he felt hope.
It would be the most important battle he had ever waged, but his Beks was worth it. And if there was any possible way that he could convince her to stay, to be with him, to bear his offspring, and accept his love…he would give it everything he had.
Lihvan had never lost a battle in his entire life span. He didn’t intend to start now.
* * *
Warm wind brushed over her cheeks as a freaking hovercraft hurtled them over the deep valley below.
Okay, this was better than skydiving, she decided. She closed her eyes and smiled, clutching Lihvan a little closer. When she opened them, she saw the Golden City, cast in a pure golden light. It looked like something out of Game of Thrones, carved into the mountainside with infinite precision and care. The city was massive with different levels of activity on the terraces, which she could make more and more out as they got closer.
The bottom level seemed to be a market, full of food stalls and goods for sale. The vendors were setting up their carts and different spiced smells wafted into the air. The next level, accessed by a set of stone stairs that looked like they’d be a bitch to climb, were…perhaps houses? They were circular homes, with domed ceilings, and a plethora of windows. Luxirians liked their light it seemed. The homes were open and airy, each with a wide terrace just beyond the doorway.
The middle terrace, after a few more levels of homes, had a city center of some kind, with a large, domed building, an amphitheater with stone seats, and pathways that wound in and out of shop-like structures. The remaining terraces mostly consisted of homes and they wound all the way back into the mountain.
Lihvan directed their hovercraft, his fingers moving effortlessly over the controls, to the very top of the city. When he parked the hovercraft on a wide terrace, which already contained another hovercraft, she looked at him in confusion. He’d said his dwelling was the next level down.
He read the question on her expression and ran his thumb over her lips. “The Prime Leader wishes to speak with me and to meet you.”
“Meet me?”
“Tev.”
Suddenly, she was nervous. She knew that Lihvan and the Prime Leader were close friends and she wanted to make a good impression. She smoothed down the shirt that fit more like a dress and stepped down off the hovercraft with Lihvan’s help. The terrace was smooth and warm beneath her bare feet and she spied movement in the doorway of the house.
A hulking Luxirian, the same size and build as Lihvan, stepped out from the house. His long, black hair fell down to the middle of his back, a few strands braided together. He was bare-chested, showing off sculpted muscles and defined shoulders, and wore familiar leather-like pants that showcased thick thighs.
His features were perfectly symmetrical, she realized, as she studied him. He was handsome, refined, with proud dark horns that curved over his scalp.
Jesus, she thought. Were all Luxirians hot or what?
The Prime Leader of Luxiria approached them, reaching out to clasp Lihvan on the forearm in greeting.
“I knew I would see you again, my brother,” the Prime Leader said, his voice low and warm.
Lihvan inclined his head. “I am glad you received my transmission in time.”
“I sent a vessel to seek retaliation against the Jetutians. War is inevitable, but has been coming for a long while,” Vaxa’an said. “The warriors wished to go. We are expecting a transmission any moment from Rixavox.”
Lihvan jerked his head in a nod, but then his gaze strayed to Beks. His eyes softened slightly when he saw her and he motioned for her to step forward.
“Vaxa’an, I would like to introduce you to—” Lihvan started but was cut off by a loud screech of surprise.
“Beks!” a loud, feminine voice exclaimed. A familiar voice. One she thought she’d never hear again.
Beks’ head jerked toward the doorway of the house that Vaxa’an had just stepped out from.
And all of her breath left her when she saw who was standing at the threshold.
“Oh my…” Beks started, but found she couldn’t speak anymore as emotion made her throat close. More tears. Terrific.
It was Kate. Kate, her best friend, who had truly been more like a sister to her, who she loved like family, was on Luxiria. Alive. Well. Pregnant.
Beks started sobbing and ran to her, while Lihvan and Vaxa’an looked on in astonishment. “O-oh my God, what are you—what—you…”
The two friends slammed into each other, although Beks was conscious of her baby bump, and embraced. They’d met in college, but Beks felt like she’d known this woman for all of her life. They’d been inseparable, seeing each other almost every day, up until Kate’s disappearance. There wasn’t a single thing that they didn’t know about each other and Beks felt like it had been years since she’d last seen Kate.
Kate was the first to pull back and she clasped Beks’ face in her hands. Her best friend was crying as well.
“I thought I’d never see you again!” Kate exclaimed, shaking her head. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I c-could ask you the same thing,” Beks returned, trying to get her sobs under control. “You’re pregnant!”
“I—I can’t believe this,” Kate said, laughing through her tears, shaking her head.
“You…” Beks was finally starting to connect the dots. “You’re his mate? You were at the Pit and he took you? You’re the human woman that everyone keeps talking about?”
Concern flew into Kate’s eyes. “You were taken too? How long were you there for?”
“I—I don’t know,” Beks said, overwhelmed, not knowing where to start. It felt like they had a million things to talk about, to discuss, and Beks was having a hard time focusing on any one thing.
Kate seemed to feel the same way because she said, with more calmness than Beks could ever possess, “We’ll get there. We have time.” Kate’s eyes softened. “I’m just so happy you’re here. I can’t believe it,” she whispered and then her eyes looked over her shoulder. “Thank you, Lihvan. For keeping her safe.”
Beks turned to her alien and saw that both Luxirians had come to understand what was going on. Lihvan’s gaze burned into her, something in his eyes that she couldn’t read.
“You are most welcome, Kat,” Lihvan replied.
Kat?
Beks shook her head. They’d known each other, this entire time. And Beks hadn’t even realized it.
Lihvan approached Beks and looked between the two women. Regret shone in his features when he said, “I am sorry, female. I did not realize this was the friend you talked about. I could have saved you much grief if only you had known she was well.”
Beks reached up and laid a palm on his bare chest, feeling his warmth and the pounding of his heart. “You didn’t know,” she said softly. “All that matters is that I know now.”
Kate was studying their interaction, understanding dawning in her gaze. Beks had seen that expression a lot, considering Kate knew her better than anyone.
Vaxa’an stepped forward, putting his arm around Kate. “I am most honored to finally meet the female that my luxiva speaks of so often,” he said down to her, inclining his head. “You are her family and thus mine as well.”
Beks gave him a soft smile and looked at the pair of them. Her best friend was radiant. So happy that it was almost blinding.
“Thank you,” she said to the Prime Leader. Not only for his words, but for keeping her best friend safe. Even though the words went unspoken, Vaxa’an seemed intelligent enough and he nodded in understanding.
“Let’s go inside,” Kate suggested, looping her arm with Beks’. “We have so much to talk about,” she said, casting a knowi
ng look at Lihvan. “Don’t we?”
“We do,” Beks whispered.
NINETEEN
Beks should’ve known how deep she was in with Lihvan when it was hard leaving him just to have some girl chat with Kate.
Like, seriously. It gutted her.
There was no possible way that she’d be able to walk away from him, knowing she’d never see him again. Impossible. And perhaps it was puppy love, but she just knew that there was something deeper going on, beneath the surface, that told her the two of them were the real deal.
Just looking at how glowy her best friend was whenever she looked at her mate, Vaxa’an…that was what she felt inside. It didn’t make sense, it was ridiculous, but that was love.
It was messy and glorious and it made her feel like her heart was outside her body, vulnerable.
“Oh boy,” Kate whispered, leading Beks into what she assumed was her and Vaxa’an’s bedroom. There was a lounge area, set into the ground, with cushions surrounding a fire pit. Beks watched as her very pregnant best friend lowered herself against the cushions and patted the spot next to her. “You have that look on your face.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around how you’re here,” Beks whispered, sinking down onto the cushions. They were soft and plush and she instantly relaxed. She reached out to grasp Kate’s hands and held them. “I’m so, so happy that you’re okay. I—I thought the worst. I really did.”
Kate’s face softened. “How were you captured?”
Beks laughed, racking her brain. It had seemed like ages ago when it had happened, but she told Kate, “I was in your apartment, actually. I was cleaning it out because your landlord contacted me, saying I had a week to pack up your stuff. The bastard.”
Kate chuckled, shaking her head. “He was a dick, wasn’t he?”
“Anyways, I was taking a trash bag out to the bins and it was dark and cold. I remember being in my pajama shorts and wishing I’d brought my sweater…” she sighed. “And that was the last thing I remember. I woke up in a cage, with these other women. I was naked. I thought I’d been kidnapped and drugged by sex traffickers or something. Until I actually saw who our captors were.”
“The lizard aliens?” Kate asked quietly.
“Yeah,” Beks said, nodding, squeezing Kate’s fingers.
“Did you see the fights? In the Pit?”
Beks nodded again. “Yes, but thankfully, I wasn’t chosen. It was…horrific.”
“I was lucky,” Kate murmured. “Vaxa’an was literally the first fight that I ever saw there. And he chose me. I rebelled at first, but eventually I realized…he was probably the best guy I’d ever met. He only wanted to protect me. And love me.”
Beks’ breath hitched because it reflected many of her thoughts of late. Teasing, she murmured, “And knock you up. God, Kate, I can’t believe you’re pregnant. You’re going to be a mom.”
“I know,” Kate said, laughing. “Sometimes I can’t believe it myself. I’m scared. I really am, just because it will be the first human Luxirian child ever born. I’m worried something will go wrong.”
Beks shook her head. Kate was a worry wart, always had been. She probably kept herself up at night, going over and over all the bad things that could happen. “The baby will be beautiful, Kate, considering that its father looks like that.”
Kate’s lips pressed together, her cheeks flushing. “They are all pretty damn attractive, aren’t they?”
Beks thought of Lihvan and yes, while she could appreciate the beauty of Luxirians, he was still the one that her eye would always be drawn to. That alien did things to her…
Kate went silent, looking at Beks. Then she said, “Now, tell me everything that happened since Lihvan breached the Pit.”
So, Beks did.
It took a long time, but she managed to recount every last detail. She told Kate about her time on board the ship, about how Lihvan stirred something in her that scared her, how attracted she was to him, which Kate seemed to understand. Kate said something similar happened when she first met Vaxa’an.
Beks told her about the Jetutians, about how she’d followed Lihvan and been captured with him, about how Lihvan had saved them and managed to commandeer an escape pod that landed on Jalun.
The beginning of their story on Jalun was easy enough to tell. She thought of the first couple days together, that even though the weather was shitty, Lihvan had more than made up for it. Beks kept most of their more intimate moments to herself, hinting just enough for her best friend to understand.
The last few days on Jalun, however, were harder to recount. She told Kate about his injury, about her fear as the infection began to spread, about how hopeless she felt when Lihvan couldn’t stay lucid for more than a few moments. Beks started tearing up when she recounted that werewolf-like beast attacking her, how Lihvan had saved her just in time, but had received life-threatening wounds in the process.
Finally, she talked about their trip back to Luxiria, about Lihvan recovering and the turmoil she’d felt, wondering what she was going to do.
Kate was silent when she finished telling her tale. Beks felt better, saying everything out in the open, to the one person that had been there for her when no one else had.
“You love him,” Kate stated, as if it was so easy to see. In a way, Beks supposed it was.
“Yes,” Beks whispered.
“Did you decide what you’re going to do?”
“Yes,” Beks said. “I decided before he ever fully recovered.”
“You haven’t told him yet though?”
“No, I just…he’s seemed a little distant since he woke up. I know it’s because he thinks I’m going to leave. It’s a big decision. I don’t need to tell you that. You understand. I just wanted to make sure that I was making the right one and not doing anything so…”
“Impulsive?” Kate finished for her, cracking a smile.
“You did call me reckless once,” Beks reminded her, laughing a bit.
“That’s because you took our Professor’s car on a joyride.”
“That’s because he hit on me. He should’ve known better not to come onto his students, that creep!”
Kate shook her head but a bubble of laughter rose. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Beks whispered. “It felt like I lost my sister when you went missing.” Kate squeezed her fingers. And Beks said, “Now, tell me what happened to you.”
But Kate shook her head. “It’s a long story. We’ll get there eventually. We have a lot of time now that you’ve made your decision.”
“We do,” Beks agreed.
“Besides, I’m sure your mate is missing you,” Kate singsonged. Mate. That word made her flush.
“We—um—haven’t had sex yet,” Beks told her, voice lowered.
“My, my,” Kate started, astonishment coloring her tone. “Beks Bridgett…I’ve never seen you act shy about sex before. This is a first.”
Beks rolled her eyes. “I’m being serious. We haven’t. I’m a little nervous about it to be honest.”
“Don’t be,” Kate said, eyes twinkling. “Seriously. After you…ahem…adjust to his size, you won’t want to let him out of bed for a week or two or three. Luxirian penises? Game changers.”
“Oh my God,” Beks breathed, her lips twitching. “You did not just say that.”
Kate flashed her a secretive smile and then continued with, “But be careful. Luxirians are potent, if you know what I mean. I’m pretty sure Vaxa’an got me pregnant that very first time.”
“Oh,” Beks murmured, looking down at their hands. She remembered the conversation with Lihvan, the longing on his face when he talked of children, of family. She smiled softly. “I don’t think I’d mind.”
“Okay, who are you and what did you do with my best friend?” Kate demanded.
“I mean, obviously I’d like to have Lihvan to myself a little while longer, to carve out a place for myself here and get settled. But if it happens, it
happens. I know he’d be a great father.”
“Jeeze, you have it bad, don’t you?” Kate teased, shaking her head. “My best friend is in love and talking about babies. I’d never thought I’d see this day.”
“Hell, me neither.”
TWENTY
Their span was busier than Lihvan expected.
It frustrated him slightly, considering all he wanted to do was get his female back to his dwelling, where he could have her all to himself.
The span had other plans for them, however.
They spent all of the morning and early afternoon at Vaxa’an’s dwelling, giving Beks and Kate time to reconnect, and giving him and the Prime Leader an opportunity to discuss what had happened after the infiltration of the Pit.
Lihvan learned that all the females safely reached Luxiria and that one even wanted to stay on their planet, which surprised him. They currently only possessed a single Luxirian crystal that could power a vessel to the Fourth Quadrant—to Earth—and it would be used the next span. They didn’t know when they’d be able to mine another that equaled its strength.
“Why?” Lihvan couldn’t help but question. “She does not wish to return home?”
“Privanax says that she is sick,” Vaxa’an said. “Earth medicine cannot cure her, but ours can. They have already begun her treatments, but it will take some time.”
Quietly, Lihvan asked, “Then why not delay the vessel until she is fully recovered?”
His mind started racing. It would give him time…time to convince Beks to stay with him. He could show her Kroratax, show her all the places he loved best about Luxiria. The possibility of it prepared him to beg his friend.
Vaxa’an studied him and then slowly said, “You would wish this?”
Lihvan’s breath hitched and then he admitted, “Beks is…she has not told me she will stay.”
“Cruxan told me you called her your luxiva.”
“She is,” Lihvan said, his chest puffing with pride. “If the vessel was delayed, I could perhaps convince her that I am hers as well. But while selfishly motivated, it would at least give the other female a chance to decide her own fate once she is cured, even if it meant the others would need to wait longer.”