by Terri Lane
“I can’t believe they’re going to commercial right now!” Maya exclaimed. She should have put a go pro on one of those warriors and live streamed everything that went on. She wished she was tech savvy enough to think to do so.
“My lady, we have word that Prince Kohl should be arriving soon with some of the others,” Rowe told her, his expression hopeful.
“He’s coming? Who did you speak to? Kelhan?” she asked anxiously.
“Yes I can call him again if you’d like,” he offered. Maya nodded vigorously and watched as Rowe pulled out a Ve’dran personal communicator. He tapped on the screen for a few seconds and then waited. His brows furrowed and he slowly put the phone down.
“He is not answering…” Rowe said sullenly, he looked a bit sheepish too. Maya took a deep breath and sighed.
“That’s fine…we just have to wait. As long as he told you they were on the way…that they’re coming with Kohl,” Maya stared Rowe down. He nodded, his expression almost like a little kid who didn’t want to get into trouble.
“That is what Kelhan told me, my lady.”
Maya sighed again, her hand reaching to her swollen womb. If she waited nearly two hours without self-destructing, she could wait a little more.
Chapter 2
Kohl
“Did you get everyone on a space craft?” Kohl asked. He forced the words out through his teeth. One Ve’dran doctor they’d just rescued had risked her life going back into that facility for an antidote she knew was there. She’d swore that it would combat the poison entering Kohl’s system. After administering it to him, he could tell the painful effects were receding. Even though it was happening quite slowly.
“I did my prince. Your father sent sufficient transportation and protection to get everyone back,” Kelhan said. Kohl had Erine arrange for several spacecraft to land in a secret location nearby to pick up the rescued Ve’drans.
“I am remaining here Kelhan, if you wish to go. You may return to Ve’dras,” Kohl said hoarsely. He felt the feeling in his right arm slowly returning. The pain of the shot he took in his shoulder began to recede.
“If you are staying my lord, then I shall as well,” Kelhan said. Several of the guards who’d overheard their conversation opted to remain as well. Soon after Kohl watched the last of the Ve’dran spacecraft disappear into the atmosphere, they drove away for the safe house. Kohl was eager to get back to Maya. He knew she must have been worrying about him. He wanted nothing more than to rest in her arms for a good long while.
Kelhan nudged him awake and Kohl shook his head slightly. Kelhan said, “Prince Kohl, remember you must remain conscious for the antidote to work completely.” Kohl straightened in his seat and focused on Maya to keep him awake.
“If you don’t mind my asking Prince Kohl, but why do you wish to remain on this planet? They do not want us here any longer,” asked one guard seated somewhere behind Kohl. He barely had the energy to turn and see who it was.
“Because I have to try…I won’t let them beat me back like some whipped dog. I will settle things peacefully with the humans and peacekeepers. Then I will get what I want, which is a seat for us on the UAP,” Kohl said adamantly.
“Of course Prince Kohl. Honor is you,” said the guard. The praise was a high one for Ve’drans even of royalty to receive. Kohl did look back then to thank the guard. Before long they were pulling up to the safe house. Kohl was revived with a bit of energy as he got out. He was eager to see his Maya.
As soon as he stepped through the door he heard a loud male voice. It sounded as if it were coming from one of the televisions. Kohl stepped into the living room and found Maya pacing around with both Rowe and Jaye’s eyes on her. They all stopped to look his way when he took a deep breath.
“Kohl!” Maya exclaimed, relief all over her face. She bolted right to him and he caught her in a hug even though it hurt his shoulder. “I was so worried!” she cried. “Are you okay? They said you went down?” she asked anxiously. Maya pulled back to pat him down and check for his injury. She found the angry red scar on his shoulder and gasped.
“Do not worry so much. It will be healed by dawn tomorrow,” Kohl assured her. He smiled as she continued to fuss over him. She began taking off his armor after she led him to take a seat.
“So what is next my lord?” Kelhan asked.
“Where is Erine? Has he returned to Ve’dras?” Kohl asked.
“No, Erine is on his way back here,” he said.
“Good…good, we should remain hidden until some of this excitement settles down,” Kohl said with a wince. Maya twinged his shoulder to get the vest off.
“I say we let two days pass. Then I will make myself known to the public once more. I’ll see about speaking to that Alora and Earth’s leaders then. Perhaps everyone would have calmed by then,” Kohl murmured.
“It appears they are now discovering we didn’t actually harm any of their soldiers…” Kelhan gestured to the TV which was then muted. The screen was showing the aftermath of the battle in the monitor room.
“Did any of you guys get injured? Other than Kohl?” Maya asked.
“Yes, two of ours. But they were administered an antidote and sent to Ve’dras to be treated. They are in good hands for the trip,” Kohl assured her.
“And what about you? Do you need any more medicine?”
“No, it is up to my body’s natural processes now. Do not worry Maya,” he said. He took her hand and kissed her palm. A comforting gesture for both he and Maya.
There were nine of them; Kohl, Maya, Kelhan, and remaining guards who elected to stay. They sat in the room watching the news reports and speculations of the night’s events.
“I think that’s enough television…” Maya murmured after some time.
“We will take leave of you now Prince Kohl?” Kelhan inquired.
“Yes, but do keep yourselves well hidden. Do not draw any attention to yourselves. We still have important business on this planet. And you’ve all seen how sensitive the humans can be,” Kohl murmured.
“Of course my prince,” Kelhan said, echoed by the other guards. They all stood to salute Kohl before they filed out of the house.
“Come on Prince Kohl. Let’s get you into bed. You look tired,” Maya said while helping him onto his feet. Kohl glanced at his shoulder. The wound was no longer puckered or so red and angry looking. He no longer felt the sting of the poison being neutralized within him either. It was safe for him to rest and he was eager to do so with Maya by his side.
“That sounds good…” he murmured. “You can play at being my war bride. Tend to my wounds and administer the medicine of your love,” he said in her ear, making her laugh.
“War bride huh? I don’t think so…” she giggled. “I’m good being your regular bride. The one above all else.”
“You’re the only one,” Kohl said and paused in their ascent up the staircase. He pressed a sound kiss to her lips then whispered against them, “I love only you.”
Chapter 3
Maya
Maya was beyond relieved to have Kohl sleeping sound next to her. She was relieved that he was alive. All they had to look forward to was figuring out the delicate situation with the UAP and the Union of Earth Nations leaders. Then they could figure out how they’d go about their future. Of course she had every intention of marrying Kohl. But she still wasn’t sure she could let go of Earth. She knew that rationally she’d have to move to Ve’dras, so that their child could have Kohl in its life. Not only that, it could have its grandparents there too.
Maya would have loved to have more family than her mom around while growing up. She knew how much Avira wanted to be a part of the baby’s life, and how good it would be for the baby to have a grandmother like her around. She also knew that when Kohl took the throne over Ve’dras his schedule would likely be hectic. She continued to study him as he slept. Even in his sleep his expression was serious. As if down to his subconscious he knew he had quite the road ahead of him. She trac
ed her finger along the curve of his nose and the shape of his lips. After all the excitement of the day she couldn’t sleep. She likely still had adrenaline circling through her system.
Sighing, Maya gingerly got out of bed. She wandered around the house until she came across a small nook on the first floor, near the front door. It had a key hook with one set of keys for one of those SUVs the Ve’drans often drove around in. Then below, in a bowl, Maya recognized the keys to her house, as well as her cell phone. It had been taken apart, the battery and SIM card pulled out of course. Immediately she thought of Tilly, who must be seven kinds of worried about her. Maya hesitated. But then acted on impulse. She grabbed the keys to the SUV and her cell phone along with its contents.
She slipped out of the house quietly and went around to the garage, the SUV was parked inside. When she got into the driver’s seat she silently thanked the vehicle’s manufacturer for building a quiet engine into it. She made sure not to roar away from the house either. She didn’t really step on the gas until she was off the safe house’s land. Then she pulled over and reassembled her phone. When she turned it on she found she had half a battery left. But at the rate her phone was downloading messages and voicemails she wasn’t sure that battery would last. She quickly called Tilly.
“Maya?” Tilly answered in disbelief. “Maya is that you? Are you there?” she asked in rapid fire.
“Yeah, it’s me Tilly. Relax I’m okay. Are you home?” Maya asked quickly. She didn’t want to give time for any sort of tracking to happen on her phone.
“Yes, I’m home! What happened, where are you?” Tilly asked, concern and upset all over her voice.
“Tilly I’m on the way over. You don’t need to panic,” Maya sighed then ended the call. She dismantled her phone and made the long drive to the city and Tilly’s house.
Maya was relieved not to find police cars or unmarked vehicles swarmed around Tilly’s townhouse as she drove up. She glanced around though, just to be sure no one was watching her or anything like that. Before hurrying up to the front stoop, before she could even knock on the door, Tilly swung it wide open and yanked Maya inside for a tight hug.
“Maya! I thought you’d been killed or worse,” Tilly murmured. “They didn’t torture you, did they? They didn’t make you abort the baby?” she whispered the last word as they walked deeper into the house.
“No the baby and I are fine, more than fine. We’re…” Maya held up her left hand and Tilly gasped when she saw the ring.
“So you guys really are engaged to be married?” she asked.
“Yeah Kohl loves me. He stood up to his parents about me. He introduced me as his wife, practically, to others on his planet. He’s not a monster Tilly. He’s not what everyone is making him out to be,” Maya said in a rush.
“So what happened? I came back with food after you took the tests and then you were gone. Not only that but the pregnancy tests were gone and the front door open and you were gone…I didn’t know what to think. So I called the cops and of course the whole situation blew up in about three seconds. I didn’t know whether I should come clean about the pregnancy or not and figured I would just not say anything about it until I knew what was going on. Since everyone seemed to be concerned about getting you back anyway and—”
“Till relax. It’s okay, you did everything you thought to do for me and I love you for that. I love you even more for not telling the public about my being pregnant. I can only imagine what the news and such would do with news like that…” Maya cringed at the thought.
“So what happened?” she urged. Maya pulled her down onto the living room couch with her.
“Well two of Kohl’s diplomats were suspicious of him and found out that Kohl was seeing me. They kidnapped me and of course had seen that I was pregnant. They showed me to the King of Ve’dras and accused Kohl and me of basically trying to wreck the Ve’dran Empire. Then Kohl shows up like Superman and just squashes everything…Tilly, Kohl’s killed for me,” Maya told her.
Tilly’s features registered shock, then Maya could see the wheels turning as she digested everything. “Oh…well then I guess I just didn’t know how serious you guys were. I thought you were like his booty call or something,” she admitted sheepishly.
“Now Till, when would I ever allow myself to be a booty call?” Maya asked with a chuckle.
“Yeah, I was just concerned you know. He wasn’t a good guy…” she said. “You used to complain about him all the time, when he first came to the hotel.”
“He’s changed, a lot. Trust me he isn’t out to bully everyone on Earth or take it over. He just wants the best for his people and he sees ways to find that peacefully and diplomatically now,” Maya said.
“Well I trust you, and since you’re here alone on your own free will… Are you?” Tilly paused to study Maya’s reaction, she nodded reassuringly. “Then if you trust Kohl, I won’t hate the guy. After all I’ll be the baby’s godmother,” she said with a tentative smile.
“Of course you’ll be godmother…” Maya hugged Tilly who returned the embrace tight.
“So what’s going to happen after he fixes this mess here? Are you going to marry him on Ve’dras? Are you going to live there?”
“Well…I haven’t thought about it much. I just don’t know yet, leaving Earth isn’t quite like taking a vacation overseas or even immigrating to another country. It’s big,” Maya said.
“Yeah, but you being pregnant with Prince Kohl’s baby isn’t a small thing either. Not to mention you’re engaged to the guy,” Tilly pointed out. Maya sighed and sat back against the couch cushions.
“I love him…maybe I can get used to life on Ve’dras for him?” she said, more to herself than Tilly.
Chapter 4
Kohl
Kohl woke to an empty bed. Immediately, adrenaline surged through his system as he couldn’t sense Maya close. He quickly slid out of bed and searched the bedroom suite. She wasn’t in the bathroom, or in the closet. He hurried to search every room in the house for her. She was nowhere. Memories of the last time she went missing flashed rapid fire through his mind and upset him.
“Kohl…?” the sweet sound of her voice washed through him as it floated through the house. He practically sprinted to the kitchen’s backdoor. “Hey…I figured you’d be awake by now. I’m sorry I didn’t leave a note or anything. But I had to go see Tilly. Then we—”
“Don’t ever do that again Maya Lu,” Kohl said hoarsely. He wiped a hand over his face and took a heaving breath. Remorse flooded her features as she studied him. “I woke up to an empty bed. You were nowhere near. I cannot stand the thought of you being…” Kohl trailed off as she crossed the space between them and took him in a tight embrace.
“I’m sorry Kohl. I didn’t think,” she murmured against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. “I have good news though,” she said.
“First, will you promise to always tell me of your whereabouts?” he asked seriously.
“I’ll never leave you wondering again. I promise,” she said, smiling up at him reassuringly.
“And will you promise to let one or two guards—”
“Kohl, that’s excessive,” she chuckled.
“I’d like to have you protected at all times. At least let me assign a guard to you. He would wear normal human fashion and simply shadow you from afar, as well as take you wherever you wish to go,” he said. Maya considered it and then slowly nodded.
“Okay, that’s fine,” she conceded. “Now I have good news. Let’s sit down.” She led him to one of the kitchen stools behind the raised island. “I know you wanted to lay low for a couple of days, to let things die down…but I think it would help if I gave a statement to the public.”
“I do not like the idea of owing people anything past what was already divulged about our relationship Maya,” Kohl said absently. He glanced down at his shoulder and found the wound completely healed. He needed to clean himself and change cl
othes.
“Kohl pay attention, it’s sort of already been set up…” she said with a wide innocent smile.
“How?”
“Well like I said, last night I visited Tilly and we were talking. She said that it would help your cause if I made a statement letting everyone know I was okay. Then I could talk you up a little too,” she said.
“Talk me up?”
“Yeah, show everyone how you aren’t this monster they’re making you out to be,” she said eagerly.
“I still do not like the idea of you being on display…or a propaganda device,” he murmured.
“It won’t be propaganda, it’ll be truth. And the interview can be without cameras. Tilly called the officer that helped her file my missing person report to higher government officials. She told him that I was fine. Of course he wanted to come by her place right away with a gaggle of people to take ‘statements’ from me and whatnot. I refused, but mentioned that I wouldn’t be opposed to speaking to one person clarifying what happened. I also suggested it be a reporter…” she said.
Kohl stared at Maya for a while and considered what she wanted to do. He knew she only wished to aid him and he appreciated her sentiment. But he was still wary of potentially making her a target.
“If it is something you wish deeply to do. Then you may speak to one reporter without cameras…talking me up of course,” he said and smirked.
“Great! I’ll tell Agent Russo…can I use my phone here?”
“Yes, feel free. There are measures to mask and divert outgoing signals,” Kohl said. “But first come bathe with me?” Kohl held his hand out to her and she forgot all about making her call. She eagerly followed Kohl up to their bathroom where he quickly undressed himself and then took his time peeling her out of her clothes.