The Alien's Obsession (A SciFi Alien Warrior Romance) (Warriors of Luxiria Book 6)

by Zoey Draven

  “That was not my understanding when I spoke with him.”

  “Right,” she whispered. She looked down at her bare feet and then around the living room, as if Kirov would appear out of thin air the longer she looked. She forced a smile and said, “I need some fresh air. I’ll be out on the terrace.”

  She walked quickly to the door and slipped outside before Vixron could protest. Outside, she drew in lungfuls of cold air and immediately looked down the terrace, to where Kirov’s house was.

  Disappointment threaded through her again when she saw his hovercraft was gone. Vixron hadn’t been lying when he’d said Kirov was at the command center.

  Slowly, she wandered to the balcony, glancing next to her at the place Kirov had stood at when they’d talked, when she’d hurt him.

  He was leaving. This afternoon.

  Had he even planned on telling her? Had he planned on saying goodbye?

  Something in her broke at that thought and more goddamn tears rolled down her cheeks before she dashed them away with her wrist.

  Lainey let herself cry for a bit. Nadine had always said that it was good to cry, that it was quote unquote just as much of a release as an orgasm was.

  She almost laughed, her sadness for the loss of her friend mingling with her guilt, with her cracking heart, and she cried.

  It took a while for them to taper off. But when they did, Lainey knew Nadine had been right. She felt better, calmer.

  “I can’t keep doing this,” she whispered to herself.

  She couldn’t keep hurting people she cared about just because she was scared.

  It was no secret that relationships were difficult for her. Her father had been absent most of her life, preferring to run his business over spending time with his family. Her mother had loved her on the condition that she performed well and only seemed to truly show her affection after the end of a concert, when other people were looking.

  Her ex-boyfriends had been disasters, but looking back on it, Lainey knew she’d picked them for a reason…because she was certain those relationships would end, that she’d never risk her heart with them.

  And Nadine. Nadine, who had been a sister to her, a best friend, a confidant. Her beautiful life and soul had been stolen by a lump in her breast, her body turning against her. Her death had left Lainey…empty. Detached.

  After Nadine, she hadn’t opened herself up to anyone. She never put herself in a position to feel vulnerable.

  Then her abduction happened, the Luxirians rescuing them shortly afterwards.

  Then Kirov crashed into her life, unexpected but real.

  And ever since, she’d been reeling.

  Ever since, she’d been jerking him around, her emotions swinging wildly from one moment to the next but he’d kept up with her, he’d challenged her.

  The moment she realized she might not want to say goodbye was the moment when he left her behind. The irony was not lost on her.

  She couldn’t keep doing this.

  Lainey needed to decide what she wanted and she needed to commit. And the two options were this: stay away from Kirov no matter how painful it would be until the Luxirians sent them back to Earth…or beg him for another chance and really give this thing between them another shot.

  One option meant she could still go home to Earth with her heart—mostly—intact.

  The other meant she had to be vulnerable, she had to open up and let him see all the ugly places inside her, and she would probably do the thing she feared most: fall in love.

  Lainey stood at the balcony until the sky slowly began to turn a blush pink. She watched, in awe, as the twin suns began their ascent, casting beautiful, unearthly colors over the landscape, colors she didn’t even think possible.

  A new day, she thought.

  Clarity came with the sunrise.

  She knew what she wanted to do.

  Kirov was in a foul mood and he stood, alone, in the technology wing of the command center, hunched over a table that held the armor he was creating.

  He was nowhere near finished with it, would need to bring it with him to Troxva. Pain radiated from the base of his neck, a booming headache forming, frustration and anger and disappointment only making it worse.

  He’d been in the technology wing for hours, since the dead of night. He’d needed something to distract him from what his female had told him or else he thought he might go mad.

  His work was only frustrating him further. There was very little that Kirov couldn’t work out, that he couldn’t understand. Like the armor.

  Like Lani.

  Kirov growled, running both hands over his horns, straightening from the table. His eyes felt tired, strained. He needed sleep and food and…release.

  “Kirov,” a voice came from the doorway.

  Kirov turned to look at Vaxa’an. “How long have you been there?”

  Vaxa’an didn’t move. “Long enough to know you are no nearer to completion.”

  Kirov gritted his jaw, looking at the fragments of metal on the table which wouldn’t sync and perform properly once he inputted their coding into the Coms. Thousands and thousands and thousands of lines of code he’d tried.

  Vaxa’an eyed him, frowning. “What has you like this? When you first told me of this project, I assumed it would be easy to complete.”

  “I did too,” Kirov said. “I have been distracted lately. It is hard for me to find my focus.”

  His Prime Leader and friend didn’t ask him why, thankfully, just studied him from a distance.

  Kirov forced his gaze away from the table and asked, “What time of the span is it?”

  “Late morning,” Vaxa’an replied. “Come with me. Cruxan is connected on one of the Coms with an update.”

  Kirov’s breath hitched, dread pooling in his stomach. Had Cruxan found the crystal?

  He was running out of time and Kirov was still at a loss about what to do with Lani, how to proceed with her. Because despite what she’d told him on the terrace last night, Kirov had no intention of giving up. Not until it was over.

  And it wasn’t over. It never would be.

  Kirov followed Vaxa’an to the war room, where he saw Cruxan on the screen of the Com.

  Cruxan nodded his head at Kirov and addressed them both when he said, “I have a lead on the crystal.”

  A slight relief went through Kirov. Cruxan hadn’t found it yet.

  “And?” Vaxa’an asked. “Is it viable?”

  “The warrior I questioned seemed sure that he knew who had taken it. He is here, at my outpost, and conveniently had been stationed at the command center during the theft, a warrior I questioned myself. I know where he is.”

  Vaxa’an exhaled a short breath. “Good. Find it. And then return it to the Golden City immediately. I will not keep the human females waiting any longer than they already have.”

  “Yes, Prime Leader,” Cruxan replied. “And the warrior responsible?”

  “Bring him too,” Vaxa’an replied, his voice darkening.

  Cruxan nodded in acknowledgment and then signed off the Coms, the screen fading.

  Vaxa’an turned to Kirov. “It seems we will recover the crystal quicker than expected.”

  Kirov’s mind raced. If Cruxan tracked down the crystal at his outpost before the end of the day and immediately left his outpost, he would arrive by tomorrow evening.

  No doubt, Vaxa’an would send the females away the moment the crystal arrived safely.

  He was out of time.

  No, you are not, he thought, an idea that had been in the back of his mind forming.

  Looking at Vaxa’an, Kirov resented that he would have to betray his friend’s trust.

  But Kirov had warned him before. Kirov had told Vaxa’an the truth when he said if he found his fated mate, he would do anything to keep her.

  Vikan had stolen his female away, from the command center, in the middle of the night. Vaxa’an had been furious and had gone after them, but by the time he reached them, Vikan ha
d won his female.

  Could Kirov do the same with Lani?

  He was scheduled to depart for Troxva that day, earlier than expected, but could he truly betray Vaxa’an and steal Lani away, just like Vikan had?

  Absolutely, he thought, thinking of his female. His loyalty was and always would be to her and their matehood. Vaxa’an would do the same if the positions were reversed.

  Kirov drew in a deep breath, the plan forming in his mind quickly.

  If he stole Lani and took her with him to Troxva, it would only buy him a couple spans. No doubt Vaxa’an would be right on their tail.

  But it was more time.

  Kirov would take it.

  “You return to Troxva this afternoon?” Vaxa’an asked, shutting down the Coms.

  “This night,” Kirov amended. “I still have much to prepare.”

  “Very well,” Vaxa’an said. “If I do not see you, have a safe journey, brother.”

  Guilt ate at him but his resolved hardened.

  “Thank you, my friend.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Later that afternoon, Lainey was sitting in her room, at the end of her bed. Her leg was bouncing up and down and her fingers fidgeted over her thighs.

  All morning, she had waited for Kirov to return to his house. All morning, she listened for the sound of a hovercraft with a racing heart.

  He never returned. She felt sick about it. Vixron had told her he was leaving in the afternoon. Surely he would return to his house to pack up some things, but now Lainey wasn’t so sure. Perhaps he would leave straight from the command center.

  I might not see him again, she thought, throat burning.

  She needed to speak with him. She had to.

  She had to tell him—no, beg him—that she wanted another chance. That she wanted to explore whatever was between them, as crazy as it seemed. Kirov was worth taking a chance on and Lainey was finally ready to.

  If only he would come back to her.

  Her ears perked up when she heard a gentle whirring sound coming from the terrace, but it was different than the sound of a hovercraft. Her shoulders sagged when she recognized it as the mini-hovercraft that delivered their meals.

  A moment later she heard Vixron murmur something to Crystal in the living room. Another moment after that, she heard Crystal’s surprised gasp as she exclaimed, “Oh, they’re beautiful! Lainey! Come out here and see!”

  Curiosity piqued, Lainey rose slowly from her bed and walked out to the living room.

  Crystal was standing, holding up…a dress. A dress much like the one Kate had worn when she’d visited yesterday.

  The dress was a lovely peach color, the color of a sunset. A shimmering band went across the waist and wide, cinched straps, secured with gold clasps, led to a plunging neckline. The dress swished, feather-light, across the floor when Crystal approached her.

  “There’s four here,” Crystal said, her eyes bright with excitement. “Two for each of us.”

  “Or one for Bianca and Erin,” Lainey corrected, eyeing the package that was lying open at Crystal’s feet. Inside, she saw three other dresses, all similar Grecian-like styles, in differing colors.

  Crystal picked up a small, business-card sized, rectangular piece of metal that came with the package. She handed it to Lainey and said, “Kate said she sent some to them too.”

  Lainey saw the piece of metal was actually very similar to the technology of Crystal’s tablet. She wondered if Kirov had created it to.

  Written on the card, in neat, evenly spaced letters, was:

  Sorry these have taken so long, girls—I hope I guessed your measurements correctly! I’ve sent some along to Erin and Bianca as well and I already have the seamstress working on more for you. These will get you by in the meantime until they’re finished. Hope you like them.

  Love, Kate

  It was strange seeing written English, Lainey realized, as she reread the card.

  She smiled, thinking the gesture was sweet.

  “Thank God we don’t have to wear these night shirts anymore,” Crystal said, sorting through the dresses. She held up a beautiful emerald green dress, followed by a cobalt blue one and grinned as she handed them to Lainey. “Guess these are yours, Miss Redhead.”

  Lainey laughed. It felt good to laugh. She’d been upset since last night, worried about Kirov, that it felt nice to have something else occupy her mind for a bit.

  It was nice that Kate had thought to pick out colors that wouldn’t clash with her hair. Lainey would’ve taken anything to get out of the damn grey tunics they’d been wearing, so it was nice to wear her favorite colors again.

  Lainey marveled over the dresses, the material light and airy and so smooth that it felt like silk. They were beautiful.

  “And these,” Crystal said, holding up the peach and sky blue dresses, “must be mine, since the waistline is bigger.”

  Crystal was curvier and at times Lainey had definitely been envious over her hourglass figure. She had a 1950’s pin-up physique, with the features to match, all sculpted cheekbones, smooth skin, and pouty lips.

  “Come on, let’s go try them on,” Crystal said, excited about the prospect of actual clothes. Hell, Lainey was too, but it didn’t keep her from listening for Kirov’s hovercraft.

  They both changed into the dresses quickly. Lainey picked the cobalt blue to wear because it was one of her favorite colors…and it reminded her of how dark Kirov’s eyes got sometimes.

  God, how cheesy was that?

  She sighed and smoothed it into place. Looking down, she saw that the dress was slitted on both sides, coming up to her mid-thigh. It certainly made the dress not only sexier, but easier to move around in. Not that it wasn’t comfortable. It was probably the lightest, most comfortable thing Lainey had ever worn and she smiled, pleased.

  She wondered if Kirov would like it. She wondered if he would ever see it on her.

  Biting her lip, she went back out into the living room. Crystal had already changed and was admiring the material when she returned.

  Vixron turned to look at her, his eyes scanning her from head-to-toe. Lainey did a little twirl and asked, “What do you think, Vixy? We clean up nice, don’t we?”

  Their guard grunted and looked away.

  Crystal was shaking her head, smiling, before she plopped down onto the cushions around the fit pit. The blonde sighed and said, “Okay, I’m happy now.”

  “Finally,” Lainey teased.

  Crystal pushed her shoulder but then quieted and asked, “Are you okay? You’ve been in your room all morning. Still tired?”

  “Yeah,” Lainey said.

  Crystal looked at Vixron and then asked slowly, “Are you sure that’s the only reason?”

  The blonde gave her a pointed look and Lainey’s spine stiffened. Of course, she didn’t think that Crystal was stupid by any means. Her friend had to have picked up on the tension between her and Kirov the night before.

  Lainey swallowed, looking away. She didn’t want to lie anymore, but it wasn’t like she could tell Crystal that she might be Kirov’s fated mate with Vixron in the same room.

  Luckily, something unspoken went between the two women and Crystal squeezed her forearm. Quietly, she whispered, “Just be careful okay?”

  After a brief moment of hesitation, Lainey nodded, clearly confirming whatever suspicions Crystal had.

  The blonde looked worried, but then sighed and gave her a soft smile of reassurance that made Lainey feel a little better.

  “I will,” Lainey whispered back.

  That was, if Kirov ever gave her another chance.

  The afternoon came and went before night settled in, the darkness casting shadows across the floor of her room.

  Lainey stared at them. As they deepened and stretched, she wanted to cry because they meant that Kirov wasn’t coming back.

  He’d probably left for Troxva hours ago.

  She’d driven him away, just like everyone else in her life. And she was the only o
ne to blame.

  Maybe I can get a message to him, she thought, trying to figure out what to do. But would he get in trouble with Vaxa’an? Would the Prime Leader suspect something if she demanded to speak with Kirov?

  Lainey was running her fingers over the metal sphere Kirov had given her. It had become a kind of stress reliever for her when she wasn’t using it as sun protection. When she wasn’t pretending to play the piano on stone window ledges or balconies, she usually had the ball in her hands, tossing it back and forth, giving her fingers something to do.

  A distant sound met her ears. Just a slight sound, but it made her heart stop in her chest.

  When she was certain that it was a hovercraft, Lainey flew to the open window, listening.

  She heard the hovercraft land further down the terrace and she gasped, knowing that it was Kirov.

  Would he come see her? Or was he just there to pack up his things and leave?

  Determination went through her. No, she needed to take action. She wouldn’t wait for him. She would go to him, for once.

  Tossing her ball back onto the bed, she turned to the window and as quietly as possible, she tried to pull herself up, her arms straining and shaking.

  I seriously need to lift some weights, she thought, huffing.

  After a very ungraceful shimmying motion and more than a few quiet expletives, she’d managed to sit on the ledge and swing her legs through. And then, she jumped down softly, her bare feet hardly making a sound.

  Lainey paused, listening for movement inside the house, wondering if Vixron would catch her.

  When she heard nothing, she made her way through the alley and rounded the back of the house before following the path that Kirov had taken when he’d snuck her out.

  Soon, she was at Kirov’s house and she tip-toed down the alley she knew well, the one she’d been in when she’d watched Kirov masturbating through the window.

  She went to that same window and with bated breath, she peered inside.

  He was there, crouched over a chest against the wall, sorting through it.

  Dizzying relief made her knees shake and without another moment of hesitation, she tapped her fingernail on the window.