Jennifer and the Alien Badass

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “I think someone has a crush,” Charlotte said. “Watch. When she’s older, when they’re both grown, I bet he asks permission to take her on a date.”

  The smile slipped from Jacie’s face. “She could never have a relationship like her siblings. I know Down Syndrome people get married on Earth, but usually it’s with someone just like them. She wouldn’t be able to give him the kind of relationship someone else could. In some ways, she’ll always be childlike. No, Jenny will probably live with me and Barimere all her life.”

  “And if she outlives you?” Charlotte asked softly. “Don’t deny her the chance at a mate because you’re worried or scared. I’ve seen Fyro with her. He would never push her for more than she could give. Maybe companionship would be enough for both of them. They could live a long, happy life together.”

  Jacie nodded.

  Haven hugged Jacie and conversation switched to another topic. Jennifer was glad she’d let Charlotte talk her into coming out with them today. Not only was she not constantly thinking of Siril, but she was having a great time. Maybe they could make it a weekly thing.

  “So, Jennifer,” Haven said. “What’s it like being mated to Siril? He seems so intimidating.”

  Jennifer smiled. “He’s been so wonderful to me. I’ve smiled more since meeting him than I probably did in the last eighteen years.”

  “He’s a sweetheart,” Charlotte agreed. “Well, as long as you aren’t the enemy.”

  The women laughed.

  “All I’ve seen is the tender side of him,” Jennifer admitted. “But he looks fierce enough that I’m sure he scares anyone who faces him in battle.”

  “Oh, it’s not just that,” Jacie said. “He’s ruthless from what I’ve heard. Barimere gets this awed tone to his voice whenever he talks about Siril. You’d think a god lived among us.”

  Charlotte snorted. “A battle god. Borgoz insists peace wouldn’t have reigned on this world for so long if it weren’t for Siril. We owe him so much. I’m glad he’s finally found a mate to make him happy.”

  It was odd hearing them talk about Siril like that. To her, he was just Siril. Her mate. The man she loved. It was hard for her to think about him in a battle situation. She’d done little last night other than worry about him, but even then, she hadn’t pictured what he would be like on the battlefield. Pride swelled inside of her that her mate was so well thought of, and she hoped he was just as proud to have her by his side.

  “I knew he was my hero,” Jennifer said. “I guess I never thought about him being a hero to someone else too.”

  “You picked a good one,” Charlotte said.

  Jennifer smiled and nodded in agreement. She’d definitely picked a good one, although it had been more like him picking her. And she’d be grateful every day for the rest of her life.

  Chapter Nine

  Siril should have known that things were going too smoothly. As they’d neared the edge of the galaxy, the Destrentes ship had turned, and seemingly out of nowhere, two more ships had joined it. There was no way they were getting out of this without being boarded. The odds weren’t in their favor. The C-class ships the Destrentes were using required a crew of at least eight each, but could hold a crew of twelve. So, twenty-four to thirty-six males against his screw of seven? Even if his crew used blasters, which could damage the hull of the ship if misfired, it still wasn’t likely they were going to walk away without injuries and possible casualties.

  “Prepare to be boarded,” he announced over the system.

  Opening communications with his council, he quickly relayed their coordinates and situation. “Prepare five ships and have them orbit Zelthrane-3 in case they get past us. Alert the warriors of incoming danger, but don’t scare the population just yet. We’ll hold them off as long as we can, and take them out if possible.”

  “Be careful, Siril,” Councilman Larimar said.

  “I always am.”

  He ended the connection and checked his weapons.

  With the distance between his ship and theirs, he didn’t worry about the docking port, but the teleportal was another matter. It could hold as many as five at a time and it wouldn’t take long for every Destrentes on board those ships to enter his vessel. His heart clenched as he wondered if this would be the day he didn’t return home. If that were true, Fate was a cruel bitch since he’d just found his mate.

  Siril cleared his mind, set the controls to autopilot, and headed for the teleportal. He knew the rest of his crew would already be there. His blades cleared their sheaths as he gripped them tight. His boots clanged on the metal floor of the ship as he raced toward the battle. His ears picked up sounds of fighting as he neared the chamber. At least twenty Destrentes were already on board, and the teleportal lit up with more incoming.

  One of his crew lay dead against the wall, the others were fighting for their lives. Siril jumped into the fray, hacking and slicing at the Destrentes. He felt the heat of a Noctu slice into his arm, the ebony blade forged in the hottest fires of Noctorin, holding the heat for decades. His skin sizzled around the wound and cauterized, but he knew it would scar. He faced the Destrentes that had attacked and went after him, his Corian blades doing some damage but not nearly enough.

  The Destrentes laughed. “My skin is hard coated, Zelthranite. You’ll never pierce it.”

  Fuck. The Destrentes had essentially laid a permanent blast and blade proof coating on his skin, and nothing short of a bomb would take him down. If Siril could get close enough, he could possibly blind the warrior, or damage his throat so that he couldn’t breathe as easily, but every step he took was countered. The Noctu bit into him again, going deeper this time as it sliced into his side.

  A wave of dizziness hit Siril, but he remained upright and went on the offensive. Coming in low, he slammed the heel of his hand against the Destrentes’ knee, making the joint pop and sending the warrior to the floor. Siril leapt onto him and went for his eyes with the Corian blades, but the Destrentes was prepared for the attack. He bucked Siril off and reversed their positions, pinning him to the metal floor.

  “So you want to play dirty?” the Destrentes asked. His hand clamped on Siril’s side, his fingers breaking open the cauterized wound until it freely bled.

  Siril ground his teeth together to keep from crying out. He brought up his knees, slamming them into the Destrentes’ back, but the male barely wavered. The warrior laughed and slammed the Noctu into Siril’s other side, even deeper than before. Blinding hot pain seared him, making his vision blur and the room spin. His gaze looked to his crew, hoping someone would notice he needed help. Four were now dead, and the others were barely surviving.

  He briefly closed his eye and prayed that Jennifer would be all right without him, that his son or daughter would know that he loved them, even if he couldn’t be there. When he opened his eye, the Destrentes had a smirk on his face. The warrior looked at the chaos around them before returning his gaze to Siril.

  “All we wanted were a few women,” the Destrentes said. “If you’d just left us alone, we’d have snatched your single females and we’d have left. Even we aren’t cold-hearted enough to break up families.”

  “What single females?” Siril asked. “We have to exchange money for females to even come to our world to consider mating with our males. Our race would have died out if it weren’t for the bride exchange.”

  “We’ve been watching and listening. Even a handful of single Earth females would be worth the trip. It’s not like you’d miss them. You’d just get more.” The Noctu hovered over his heart. “Give me one good reason to spare your life. Your crew is lost. It’s just a matter of time. But everyone has heard of the revered Siril. Your life is worth something.”

  “I have a mate, and a child on the way. They’ll be alone if I die.” Siril hated admitting his weakness, but he’d do anything to return to Jennifer’s side. Almost anything. He wouldn’t give up the females on his planet, even the unmated ones.

  The Destrentes hesitated
. “You’ve mated?”

  “Yes. Recently. She already carries my young.”

  The blade eased away from his heart. “Then I will spare your life, but I can’t run the risk of you coming after us again. I know your planet will send others to try to wipe us out in retaliation for coming near your precious planet, but they are mere ants in an army. You… you are a different matter.”

  He couldn’t promise to leave them alone because it wasn’t his decision. If he went home and his council demanded it, he’d have to go after them again. He wouldn’t lie, even to save his own life. He heard the fighting stop and knew his crew was gone. The other Destrentes gathered around, their weapons still drawn.

  “What are you going to do with him?” one of them asked.

  “He’s going to live, but we’re going to make sure he’s permanently retired.”

  His heart stuttered and he wondered what the warrior meant by that. If they cut off his other leg, he’d just get another Corian one. If they cut off his hand, he’d replace that too. There wasn’t anything they could do to him that would keep him down for long, except end his life, and the warrior had said he wouldn’t do that.

  The Destrentes got a calculating look. “You were going for my eyes, weren’t you? Trying to blind me since you couldn’t take me down?”

  Siril remained mute, but horror filled him. If they took his remaining eye, he’d never get to see his child, never behold Jennifer’s beauty again. He’d be unable to return to this ship, and unable to train future warriors. His life would be over and he’d be utterly useless to his people and his mate. He’d be alive, but it would only be a half life.

  The Noctu rose and the warrior brought it close to his face. Siril turned his head, and closed his eye, trying to avoid the heat of the blade.

  “Hold him,” the warrior demanded.

  Hands gripped his head and turned it while fingers pried his good eye open. More hands gripped his arms and legs, holding him completely immobile. He saw the blade drawing near and was powerless to stop it. The heat made his skin burn and his eye felt like it might explode. The warrior halted a few inches from his eye, but the heat was intense.

  A film settled over his vision and the longer the blade remained near, the worse it became. Within seconds, his vision was nearly gone. He could see shapes, but little else. The heat was removed and the weight holding him down lifted. Siril remained motionless, defeated. His crew was gone. His sight was nearly gone. His life was gone. No longer could he command this ship or lead warriors. And when he returned home, his mate… Gods. He’d be helpless. She’d have to take care of him and their child.

  Moisture leaked from his eyes as the last of his vision faded and the shapes blurred. Soon there was nothing but darkness. Boots clanged around him as the Destrentes left him to his fate. He had no idea how to pilot his ship home. Could he even reach the command center? If there were a way to reach his council, they could send others to aid him. He’d be humiliated, but nothing compared to being removed from duty permanently.

  There was a noise to his right. “I’ve set your auto pilot to return this ship to your world. We’ll leave your planet in peace for now, but come after us, and we will retaliate. We will kill every male who comes for us, whether they have families or not. Tell your council that the mercy we have granted you comes with a price. If they don’t want their precious planet invaded, they will send us a female from each shuttle that arrives through the end of the lunar cycle. When the new moons rise, the Destrentes will offer peace to your people. But only if our terms have been met.”

  “Understood,” Siril said.

  A hand gripped his forearm and the warrior helped him stand.

  “I grew up hearing stories of your exploits,” the warrior said. “It would have saddened me to end your life. The great Siril. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you, but the well-being of my people must come first.”

  “Who are you?” Siril asked.

  “Santor.”

  “Heir to the Destrentes throne?” Siril asked.

  “Yes. I only sought a princess to have by my side. Remember what I’ve said.”

  Siril swayed on his feet as he listened to the warrior leave. Feeling along the wall, he slowly made his way through the ship. He tried to remember the twists and turns and eventually made his way to the command center. Collapsing into a chair, he allowed the tears to fall. First was relief that he hadn’t left his child without a father, and then the humiliation of returning to his people without his sight. The most feared warrior in the galaxies, and now he wouldn’t even be able to walk through his home unassisted.

  Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t realize how much time had passed until the ship slowed and then shuddered as it landed. Siril remained seated, knowing when he didn’t disembarked his people would investigate. It didn’t take long before he heard voices and shouts. They must have found the bodies.

  “Siril!” a voice called out.

  “Ryoku?”

  Booted steps drew near and then he heard the warrior curse. A hand lightly touched his shoulder. “What did they do to you?”

  “They took my sight. They let me live, but they took away my status, my ability to care for my family, and my pride.”

  “Come, friend,” Ryoku said softly.

  The warrior helped him stand and led him off the ship. He felt the cool breeze on his face and only stumbled a few times. There were murmurs around him as those nearby realized what had happened to him. He should be grateful to be alive, and he was, but without his sight he couldn’t be the great Siril anymore. He was no one. Just a washed up warrior who wasn’t good for much of anything.

  “Let’s take him to the clinic,” Kelvyk said, taking his other side.

  The warriors on either side of him made sure he didn’t trip and humiliate himself further. When they reached the clinic, Vyrex was on duty. He suffered through eye washes, injections, scans. None of it returned his sight to him. Reaching up, he removed his eye patch and tossed it aside. If he was blind in both eyes now, there was no point in hiding only one of them.

  “Am I too scary this way? Should I wear some sort of covering over my eyes?” Siril asked.

  “The dark purple has faded to a color three shades lighter than your skin. It’s apparent you are sightless, but not scary. What other wounds did you suffer?” Vyrex asked.

  “A Noctu slice on my arm. One that pierced both my sides.”

  They helped him remove his shirt and Vyrex tended to the wounds. Because the skin had cauterized on one side and his arm, there was only a need for stitches on the side that had been reopened, but Siril knew it would leave ghastly looking scars. The cauterized wound in his side would never close all the way. Would Jennifer ever be able to look at him the same way? Perhaps it was a blessing he wouldn’t be able to see her reaction.

  “The council needs to be notified,” Siril said. “I have a message for them from the Destrentes prince.”

  “Wait here,” Kelvyk said. “Ryoku will stay with you. I’ll return with a council member or the Chief Councilor.”

  The room grew quiet, which was far worse than the murmuring had been. He knew they pitied him, and he hated it. He wanted to scream, to punch something. He wanted to rip apart every Destrentes warrior and bathe in their blood. But he sat quietly, adjusting to the absence of light. He’d never seen such darkness before. He blinked his eyes, but still nothing but blackness.

  The minutes ticked by and after a while he heard the door open again.

  “Siril,” Borgoz said softly. “I’m so sorry, my friend.”

  “Santor said that if we don’t give the Destrentes one female from each shuttle that arrives until the new moons, they will retaliate. But if we give them that offering, if we keep peace with them, they will leave our people alone. Any warrior who goes after them will be killed.”

  Borgoz cursed. “I can’t agree to those terms without first discussing the issue with Earth’s government. Do you think they would abduct them st
raight from Earth if we don’t comply?”

  “It’s possible. They seem desperate.”

  “The council will convene tonight to discuss the matter and we’ll contact Earth. Until an agreement can be made, all shuttles will be cancelled.”

  He heard someone snicker. “That means he’s stuck with his new daughter because she’s still here, raising hell for all to hear.”

  “Do you think Jennifer would be upset if we offered her daughter to them?” Borgoz asked.

  Siril chuckled. “You’d have to ask her.”

  “Let’s get you home to your mate,” Borgoz said. “I didn’t notify her after your communication came through because I didn’t want to worry her more. I’ll walk with you.”

  “You’ll have to guide me since I can’t see where I’m going.”

  “Wait a minute,” Vyrex said. “You aren’t as helpless as you think. Count your steps. Pay attention to the sounds around you. If you hear the animals in the pet shop, you’ll know you’re a few blocks from your turn to go home. In your home, keep your furniture in the same spots and learn where everything is. Just because you can’t see with your eyes, doesn’t mean you can’t see it in your mind.”

  Siril nodded.

  “I’ll guide you home,” Borgoz said. “And if you wish me to remain while you speak with your mate, I will. Or if you want privacy, I’ll leave the two of you alone.”

  Borgoz gripped his arm and Siril faltered only a moment as they exited the clinic. The night was still, which meant it was late enough the shops were closed. He could smell food though, so it wasn’t past the dinner hour. It had been early morning since he last ate and his stomach rumbled. The walk home was long, perhaps made longer since he was counting his steps as Vyrex had suggested. When they came to a stop, he knew they’d reached his home.