Alien Pirate's Bride: A SciFi Alien Romance (Moon Company Brides Book 2)

by Tia LaBeau

  I think I ought to at least act like I’m okay or else she’ll be even more pissed at me. There’s nothing I can do about the bump on my head, so I will have to let it ride. Bastian tries to grab me so that he carry me out. “No,” I say. “I can get out myself. Let me.”

  I get out of the transport very slowly. As soon as my feet touch the red dirt, the hatch to the other transport opens, and I see Cleo, holding a bundle in her arms with big beautiful bluish-purplish almost completely translucent Xerxes standing behind her.

  I hobble to them. I can’t help but cry and not because I’m in pain. These are tears of joy. I’m so happy to see my sister.

  Cleo kisses me on the cheek. “I’d smack the shit out of you, but it looks like somebody already beat me to it,” she says, whispering in my ear.

  “Oh my universe, Cleo. Is this my niece?” I pull back the cover away from the baby’s face. She is gorgeous. She has big black eyes like Xerxes and pale and slightly translucent skin. Her skin also has a bit of a blueberry tinge to it. She also has white hair. “Aww, please can I hold her?” I ask.

  Cleo hands my niece over to me. “Aw, baby Jules,” I say.

  “Thanks for picking that foo-foey name,” Cleo says.

  “But you used it, and that’s all matters,” I say. I’m pretty proud that Cleo allowed me to name the baby. I had two names picked out for the baby before Cleo way before Cleo went into labor. I picked one name for a boy and one name for a girl. “What about knick knacks? Did you buy some for the kitchen?” I ask, trying to get underneath Cleo’s skin.

  Xerxes laughs. “No knick-knacks yet, but I did get Cleo to eat the flippiants.”

  I shudder. Cleo told me about those flippiants. She even showed them to me over comm. Yuck.

  “Hello, Xerxes. My brother from another mother. It’s good to see you,” I say.

  I lean over and kiss him on the cheek.

  Cleo hisses. She takes Jules out of my arms. “And who the fuck is he?” she asks tipping her chin towards Bastian.

  I turn around. “Let me introduce you to Bastian the Pirate King,” I say.

  Cleo makes a stink face. Bastian steps forward and bows. “Pleasure to meet you, Cleo and Xerxes.”

  “Well, aren’t you formal for a kidnapper?” Cleo asks.

  Bastian bows again. “Please come inside my palace. We can get to know each other there.”

  The huge transport ship that Bastian stole has been moved someplace else. The compound is huge, so who knows where the ship is, but I assume it’s somewhere. As we walk toward the entrance to the palace, I lean over and ask, “Where are the prisoners from the lock-out?”

  “Hidden,” Bastian says. “For now.”

  “Say, Cleo, any sign of the Governor?”

  Cleo stops and hands baby Jules over to Xerxes. Xerxes looks awkward holding such a tiny baby, but I’m sure he’d have it no other way. “Let me go retrieve my parents from the transport,” he says. “If they are welcome, Pirate.”

  “They are quite welcome,” Bastian says.

  Bastian, Cleo, and I stop our trek and watch Xerxes head back to the transport. “So the Governor?”

  “Mr. Drek says he has some goons following us. Considering you’re a high mark, he may also be on his way. Maybe he’s even hiding out on this world already. Time will tell. You haven’t been in contact with him anymore, pirate?” Cleo asks Bastian.

  “You can call me Bastian, and no I haven’t been in contact with him since I told him that I would not be handing Freda over.”

  Cleo nods. “So basically you told him to go fuck himself. Well, that’s good.”

  “Come, let’s go inside,” Bastian says. “We should eat.”

  Bastian stalks toward the palace, while Cleo walks slow on purpose. I guess so she can get me alone. “He’s hot, okay, fine,” Cleo says.

  “He is?” I ask.

  “Oh yeah, H.O.T. Are you getting any?”

  “Cleo, ew. You’re my mister. I’d never tell you that.”

  Cleo shrugs. “So you are going back to Moon Company Moon once we leave here, right? You can always come stay with me if you’d rather.”

  “If we don’t shut the Governor down, I don’t think it would be a good idea to be where Jules is. I wouldn’t want to see her hurt. Frankly,” I say right when we get to the entrance to the palace, “I don’t appreciate you showing up here. It’s like you don’t think I can take care of myself. You’re treating me like a baby again. Also, you’re putting Jules in danger.”

  “And I don’t appreciate you telling me what you don’t appreciate. As far as I’m concerned you are my baby. As such, I’m here to take care of you. You’re my little sister, Freda. I’m sorry, but I vowed that I would look after you. Not even your disapproval is going to stop me.”

  My shoulders fall. “Aw, Cleo, that’s so sweet,” I say with a smirk. I go in for a hug, but she pushes my hands away.

  “Whatever,” Cleo says. She goes inside. Before she can go in on me again about my future plans, Bastian saves me by showing Cleo where she, Xerxes, and the baby will be staying while here.

  “I don’t think we’ll be here long enough to stay here in your palace,” Cleo says. I can tell that she’s impressed but that she’s suppressing it.

  I nudge her. “Come on, it’s nice, isn’t it?”

  Cleo whirls around on me. “This is Havenu, Freda. Goodbye fucking Havenu Havenu. And besides, it’s hot as fuck in here.”

  She’s sweating like everyone else. It is hot, but I guess I’ve sort of gotten used to in my short time here. Besides, heat can feel good sometimes. My skin is the most radiant it has ever been.

  “I know what Havenu is,” I say. “And I know it’s warm in here.”

  “Warm is an understatement, Freda. I’m sweating my balls off in here. How can you stand it?”

  I can’t help it. I wiggle my eyebrows without saying one word.

  “So you can’t fucking stay here, Freda,” Cleo says. She fans hers. “Gah. yuck. Ever heard of air conditioning?

  “I know I can’t stay on Havenu,” I say. “And stop being such a big baby about the heat. It’s no worse than Earth’s desert.”

  “What does that matter to me? I don’t live on fucking Earth, Freda.”

  “I know. I’m just trying to look on the bright side.”

  “Always trying to look on the bright side. That’s Freda. So what the fuck are you going to do? I know you’re not planning on staying here with,” air quotes, “this fucking Pirate King. No offense dude, but you know you did kidnap my sister with the fucking intention of turning her over to the motherfucking Governor. No matter how fucking sexy you are, with your muscles, your pouty mouth, those fucking dimples, and that fucking red skin, I don’t approve of you fucking kidnapping my sister. Freda’s a Moon Company Bride promised to a soon to be fucking Senator from Edenu. That fucker looks like a Thundercat, and he has a tail. You think you can top that?”

  Cleo is going nuts. I can’t believe she just said all that. Oh, who am I kidding?

  “I’ve apologized to Freda for my mistakes, and I’ve apologized to you,” Bastian says with a slight bow. “I am very sorry. Please give me a chance.”

  “Don’t fucking bow to me,” Cleo says, leaving me horrified. “Where’s the grub, I’m starved. Maybe if it’s good, Bastian the Pirate King, I won’t have to kick your fucking ass for keeps, you know?”

  “Sheesh Cleo, your curse word quota has gone way up since the last time I saw you,” I say.

  “Sure in the fuck has,” Cleo says. She slaps me on the back. It’s already sore.

  “Ow.”

  “You weren’t saying ow when Bastian the Pirate King was up your butt were you?” Cleo asks.

  “Seriously, mister. Come on, sheesh. He has never been up my butt.”

  Bastian turns to me. “That’s a thing you humans do? Go up the butt?”

  I turn redder than Bastian’s natural color and push him out of the room towards the cooking hearth.

&
nbsp; Cleo screams. “What the fuck is that?”

  Bingo waddles up to her. “That’s Bastian’s friend Bingo.”

  “He’s not my friend, Freda. He is my pet. There is a difference,” Bastian says, frowning.

  “I resent that,” Bingo says. “And who is this lovely creature?”

  “This is my sister, Bingo. Cleo, meet Bingo. Bingo meet Cleo.”

  Bingo extends his hand for Cleo to shake. “If I shake your hand, how do I know that you’re not going to bite it off?”

  “You can never be sure what one will do,” Bingo says. “But your eyes tell me that you are very brave. I suspect that you’d shake my hand even if you thought there was a chance I’d bite it off because you wouldn’t want anyone to think the less of you.”

  Cleo bites her lip. “Er, uh, okay.” Cleo reaches down and shakes Bingo’s little furry hand. “You’re kind of cute.”

  “I know. I tell Bastian this every day, but he insists otherwise. I think he’s just playing hard to get.”

  “That’s what I think too, Bingo,” I say. I reach down and scoop Bingo up into my arms. He kisses me on the cheek. Bastian seems annoyed at this as usual.

  “Bingo, please go ready the rooms for our guests,” Bastian says.

  “Fine then. Put me down now, Freda. I have work to do. We will cuddle later.”

  I put Bingo down and watch him waddle off.

  24

  Bastian

  When I found Freda on the ground amidst all those people, I was terrified. Thank goodness she’s okay.

  Still, Freda’s sister hates me. I know Cleo’s opinion matters to Freda a lot. I’m almost certain that Cleo doesn’t want Freda to stay with me, and I suppose I can’t blame her.

  I go into the cooking hearth with the women behind me. I kiss Yulu, my cook on the cheek. She leaves food for me behind all the time, things I can warm later in her absence. She also prepares special treats for Bingo.

  When I heard that Freda’s sister Cleo was coming, I decided that it might be in my best interest to have Yulu come in and cook for her.

  I’ve already given Yulu a raise. I’ve also promised Yulu safe passage to Teros along with her son. Yulu’s son was amongst those locked up, so she is ever so happy that he is free now. Her son is currently hidden with the rest of those who we’ve sprung free from the lock-up. They wait in safety for their passage to Teros.

  “What the fuck is that?” Cleo asks, pointing at the fire blazer over in the corner that Yulu has fired up. “It looks positively medieval.” Cleo wipes the sweat from her brow. “It’s so hot in here,” she says.

  “We cook our food on that. It’s real Havenu fire.”

  “What’s so special about that?” she asks. “Isn’t fire, fire?”

  “I don’t know? Is it?” I ask Cleo.

  She narrows her eyes at me. “And who is that over there?”

  “That’s my pet, Bingo.”

  “You’re friend,” Freda says with a wink.

  “He’s cuter than you,” Cleo says to me.

  I laugh. I sit down at the table and gesture for the women to do the same. “Please, wait a tick,” I say, getting up just remembering. I make my way to the Eferli storage.

  Eferli is a special drink that we Haveners drink to celebrate special occasions. Since I’m a pirate always making a big discovery, there are many celebrations around here to raise Eferli to. I grab two jugs for the women. I take none for me.

  I pour the Eferli in the jugs. Eferli has a sweet smell, but a sour taste. The sour taste subsides the more you drink, and the more you drink, the more you get intoxicated, and how should I say, aroused.

  “Go on, drink,” I say to the women.

  “Are you trying to poison me so that I’ll shut up?” Cleo asks.

  “No, I would not do this,” I say.

  Freda laughs. She is used to her sister’s, how um, should I say, coarse manner. I suppose I will get used to it too eventually. I’ve known many like her including myself when I’m first getting to know someone.

  Freda drinks first. She winces. “Yack, sour.”

  Cleo’s husband, the Sewvian, Xerxes, enters the cooking hearth with his parents and the baby in tow. I haven’t had much of a chance to get a closer look at Cleo and Xerxes's offspring.

  Freda catches my eyes. She sees me looking at the baby. “Xerxes, can Bastian hold the baby?” Freda asks.

  Cleo spits her Eferli back into the jug. “Hell to the no! He won’t be getting his piratety paws on my kid.”

  “He’s fine. Trust me. He won’t hurt her,” Freda says.

  “No, it’s okay,” I say, sitting down in a chair. “Please everyone, have a seat.”

  Xerxes hands me the baby to my surprise. It has been such a long time since I’ve held a little one. He sits the baby in my arms and makes sure that my arm is the right place to stabilize the baby’s head.

  “What’s cooking?” Xerxes asks.

  “All of our specialties,” I say. “These are your parents?”

  “Yes,” Xerxes says. “My Madra and Padra.”

  Sewvian children never give the names of their parents to the public. I tip my head at them in greeting.

  “I am Marduk, and this is my mate, Ophistra,” Xerxes’s father says.

  Xerxes’s parents favor him quite a bit. His father is shorter than him, but his mother is tall. They are elegant looking beings.

  “And the baby, what is her name again?” I ask.

  “Jules,” Cleo says. “Say, don’t kill my baby, okay?”

  “I have no plans to do so. I would protect her with my full life. Same as you and your entire family.”

  “That’s noble,” Cleo murmurs.

  I try to imagine what it would be like if Cleo was kind to me. I’m having a hard time forming the picture in my mind.

  Yulu moves about the hearth, preparing the food. It’s my hope that the smells of the food coupled together with the spirits of the Eferli will soothe Cleo a bit and make her happy.

  “What’s this called?” Freda asks.

  “Eferli,” I say.

  Freda leans forward. “What’s this Eferli made from?”

  Cleo speaks before I can answer. “Please, don’t tell me,” she says.

  “Tell me, pirate,” Xerxes says, taking the baby from me. “Have you ever tried flippiants? They come from my homeland.”

  Cleo smiles. I believe it is the first time I’ve seen the expression on her face. She does have a lovely smile. It’s a smile so lovely that it’s almost shocking when juxtaposed with her personality. Well, maybe not so shocking. Freda shares a smile similar in beauty.

  “Flippiants. No, what are they?” I ask Xerxes. He’s very friendly. I haven’t known many Sewvians at least not intimately. Although, I admit that I have stolen some ships from the Sewvi before.

  Xerxes jumps out of his seat and runs out of the cooking hearth. Soon he comes back carrying a jar.

  Freda frowns. “Yuck!” she yells.

  “What’s wrong? They do not taste good?” I ask her.

  “Ew, no.”

  “Aw come on, they’re not that bad,” Cleo says.

  I decide to try one if Cleo says they’re not so bad.

  I bite into one and continue chewing even though my stomach turns and turns. I don’t want to be rude, so I basically suck the flippiant down my throat while trying not to gag.

  Cleo claps. “He tried the flippiants. At least now I know he’s brave.”

  “Seriously,” Freda says. “Oh, he’s brave. Believe me.”

  Cleo rolls her eyes.

  One of my crew members, Caui enters the cooking hearth. He motions for me to see him outside in the hall.

  I excuse myself to see what he wants.

  “I found this,” he says, “on the transport ship. It must have fallen under a seat.”

  It’s Freda’s comm. I tuck it in my pocket. I go back into the cooking hearth. I have later plans for her comm.

  “So, tell me, Freda,” Cleo says. �
��What makes this kidnappery pirate so brave, eh?”

  Her brown hair falls over her shoulders. It’s very long and pretty and very different from Freda’s wonderful curly hair.

  “He saved a bunch of people,” Freda says. “Sprung them from the lock-up. The Governor was trying to keep them locked up so he wouldn’t have to provide the means for their exodus.”

  “Is that so?” Cleo asks. She scratches her head.

  “That’s only the beginning. I’m getting word that no exodus ships have come since I’ve left from here the last time,” I say.

  I hadn’t told Freda this until now because I didn’t want to pile too much on her plate, but it seems that my problem with the Governor is even larger than I thought. Aw well, at least I took care of Luce. Now my Saffri, that’s another matter altogether. That issue is still an outstanding one. I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes to see me.

  “Hmm,” Cleo says.

  Xerxes rubs her shoulder. “Don’t get any big ideas, Cleo.”

  Cleo looks down at the spot on the table in front of her. She twists her mouth up.

  “Ideas like what?” I ask.

  “She tries to save the system one beef at a time,” Freda says.

  “That’s not true,” Cleo says, “but he can’t stop the Haveners from making the exodus. That’s not right. Imprisoning Haveners so that he doesn’t have to bring them over, that’s terrible, but not sending ships is even worse. It means a misappropriation of funds and an attempt at genocide as far as I’m concerned.”

  “I think that it’s best that we stay the night here if it’s okay with Bastian,” Xerxes says. “We will have strength in numbers.”

  I agree.

  “So what’s the plan after that?” I ask everyone at the table.

  “We’ll take Freda back with us. Make sure she’s safe,” Cleo says.

  I glance over at Freda. Freda stares at me wide-eyed.

  “The food smells good,” Freda says.

  I stand up from the table. “I’d like it if Freda stayed with me,” I say directly to Cleo.