“But Rayzor,” Kayzon continued, “there’s a reason why I’ve suddenly contacted you after all these years. A reason that is so great, it’s worth breaking the Scales of Xylan Law that ban our communication as a banished line.”
“Really?” Becca blurted out. “What happened?”
“Yesterday I received a message from our mother, Melachine.”
“What?” Joyzal shouted. He tossed down his food, passed his daughter off into the arms of his Bride and strode across the room to stand on the other side of Rayzor. “Wait, this part of the story I didn’t know. Kayzon has been holding out on me. Yesterday? Melachine messaged you yesterday? How?”
“For a few years now, our mother has been sending me the occasional coded message embedded in the data streaming through the Leaderboards. She’s only sent a few and they are necessarily short.”
Rayzor’s jaw dropped open. He turned to meet Joyzal’s stunned gaze. “I had no idea,” he said. “Did you know about this?”
Joyzal threw his claws up. “I didn’t know either. She didn’t say a word. Damn, that Melachine is wily.”
“What did she say?” Becca asked.
“Before I pass on her message, I have to tell all of you something first. I’ve recently come to the realization that due to Kroga’s kidnapping and our mother’s sudden disappearance, that the old rules of non-communication no longer apply.”
Rayzor glanced at Joyzal and grinned with delight. “You did? Because we’ve recently come to the same conclusion that these rules are ridiculous in this situation. We are Melachine’s sons and we want Kroga captured and judged for what he’s done more than anyone else in the four sectors. Why is it that we are sidelined while others are allowed to try, and fail, to track him down?”
“We’ve messaged the High Command,” Joyzal said, “asking for a reprieve on the ban so we could find you and work together to plan Kroga’s capture. But they haven’t responded.”
Jacole snorted. “That’s because the High Command is full-on ghosting us,” she remarked.
“Assholes,” Rayzor grumbled under his breath, agreeing with her blunt statement.
“‘Ghosting us?’ Not sure what that means,” Kayzon’s Bride said, cutting into the conversation from the vid screen. “But something new has happened that helps to change our situation. I’m not sure if any of you know this but Kayzon was here on New Earth when the Xylan fought to rescue our planet from the Hurlians. We live here now, and my husband is the Xylan Ambassador to New Earth…and this means that he’s befriended the Imperial Warlord, Zhoryan of Eighty-Two, who guards this sector.”
Joyzal gagged. “Zhoryan? I hate that warrior with the force of ten thousand suns.”
Rayzor nodded, agreeing.
“It’s true that he’s a conceited asshole,” Kayzon responded, “No one can deny that observation. But, my work includes regular contact with the Imperial Warlord and we’ve bonded over our mutual hatred of Kroga. Rayzor, don’t forget that Zhoryan is an Ulmath, therefore he’s actually our cousin. He does a good job hiding that we’re relatives and treating me as nothing more than a banished Xylan and a throw-away Bounty Hunter, especially in the presence of other Xylan, but in private he likes to reminisce of his youth, when Melachine was the youngest female ever promoted to co-Manager of his line. He cares deeply about our mother and was devastated by Kroga’s treason and her banishment.”
Rayzor exhaled.
Joyzal shook his head. “Nope, I still hate him.”
“Understood,” Kayzon remarked. “But we can use this relationship with Zhoryan. If I left New Earth to join you…”
“Zhoryan could purposely not notice,” Rayzor remarked, finally understanding where his brother was going with this, “He’d be the only Warlord who wouldn’t report to the High Command the fact that we’re breaking the communication ban and forced disbursement. Any other Xylan would eagerly report us, but not Zhoryan. This would give us the freedom we need to work together.”
“Fuck yeah, let’s use that asshole for all he’s worth.” Joyzal shouted, pumping his fisted claw at the sky. “I like this plan. Let’s run with it. Kayzon, get your ass over here and let’s get to work. Are you bringing your family with you?”
“No, my Bride recently discovered she was pregnant with our second offspring. Besides, I think we will all end up leaving our Brides and offspring behind.”
“What?” Jacole barked. She stood from the table. “Why would I have to stay behind?”
“Because,” Kia answered, “we discovered that Kroga took Melachine to the most remote and dangerous location in the known universe.”
Rayzor’s chest constricted. “Where?”
“The message I received yesterday said, ‘Help me, I’m in the Swirl with Kroga.’”
Rayzor clenched his fists. The fucking Swirl. Of course.
Kroga’s Redemption
Kroga’s Redemption
Waking up in med bay with temporary amnesia is terrible.
But Melachine is managing to live through the trauma of memory loss with the help of her doting mate, Kroga of Seventy-Five. He’s vowed to love her with unspoken devotion until days turn into time. And he has. He so has.
She’s desperately attracted to this sexy warrior, happily sharing his bunk, and living with him (and their kittens) in the Swirl. He’s told her why they’re hiding on the edge of the universe and why they have to keep their whereabouts secret, but she can’t seem to remember…
And then one day a flood of shattering memories invades Melachine’s mind, wiping away the amnesia and turning her world upside down with the blazing light of knowledge. She’s left standing shakily on the bridge, realizing nothing is as it seems.
Everything Kroga told her was a lie.
But does that include his love…?
Author’s Note: This second chance romance is more enjoyable if read as the culmination of the Alien Bounty Hunter series arc.
Copyright © 2019 by Michele Mills
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover artist: Meljean Brook
Editor: Aquila Editing
Created with Vellum
1
Melachine woke in the arms of her mate, Kroga of Seventy-Five, and smiled.
Life was good, despite the fact that she had amnesia and couldn’t remember a damn thing about her past…and despite how they were living in isolation on an outdated recycling facility in a harsh, remote corner of the universe where typically no one would choose to live if they had any other choice.
Okay, maybe she shouldn’t be quite this happy while working to recycle space junk, under the specter of a healing brain injury that resulted in amnesia. This wasn’t something that normally made a being happy.
But…
She snuggled deeper into their bedding. It was hard to fret over the memory loss or the isolation when she was in the presence of her mate because in the end, what mattered most was that she was lying next to Kroga. Her hearts were in his claws. He held her naked body with mighty arms dark as ancient night, and as a result she couldn’t seem to get the goofy smile of delight off her face.
She desperately loved this male, therefore she enjoyed living with him here in this wild place called The Swirl. Although she couldn’t remember why they’d gone through the bother to bypass four hungry black holes to come out here in the first place. Traveling to the Swirl was literally a matter of life or death. Beings only risked this trip if there was literally no other choice. She had faint memories of him telling her why they’d come here, but she continued to forget. It was really annoying.
But all that mattered was that they were together, because home was wherever Kroga was.
He shifted behind her in their bunk. “My Be’Ih,” he growled with a rough vo
ice.
The area between her thighs instantly heated and her smile widened.
It was always like this. If he spoke to her, or touched her…or if a hint of his scent floated in the air nearby…her core heated and her nipples begged to be sucked. She was addicted to this male in the worst way.
When she’d first woken up in the tiny, barely usable med bay of section five and found an imposing warrior standing over her, she’d known he was someone important in her life. She hadn’t known his name then, or exactly who he was, because her mind was an echoing chamber of nothingness, but she’d felt the physical tug of their bond.
She’d reached out and grasped his forearm, digging her claws into his dark skin. “Who are you?” she’d rasped, begging to be told the important facts that were missing from her mind.
He’d gazed down at her with golden hazel eyes blazing with love and devotion. “I am your mate, Kroga of Seventy-Five. The med bay system reported to me that you are physically fit but as a result of your head injury you have temporary amnesia. Tell me, Be’Ih, what do you remember?”
Amnesia? Flashbacks skittered across her mind, vivid images of a shaky bridge, Kroga shouting commands to the computer, while she was strapped to a seat with blood dripping from her head onto her hands.
Holy hell.
That had been a terrifying moment, learning that her entire past had been wiped away due to that injury. She’d been someone before, but she couldn’t remember who… And the magnificent warrior looming over her was her mate? Actually, that made sense. She felt comfortable in his presence. Trust, love and caring blazed in her hearts for this male. “I remember our testing ceremony on the clasping stone,” she whimpered. “And I remember our claiming, but there isn’t anything else. Nothing.”
“That’s all?” He reached down and brushed her braids back from her face and tenderly kissed her ridges. “What else do you remember about your life?”
Her eyes grew hot. “Nothing. I remember nothing else.” She searched her mind, thinking hard, hoping to find even just one thought or image…but there was nothing. And she suspected she only remembered Kroga because of the power of their bond, dragging those few iconic moments to the surface. The rest of her brain was a hall of decay. No past, present or future. Her first name was Melachine and she was a Xylan of royal pigment and…Kroga was her mate…and that was all. “How long have we been mated?” she asked, desperately trying to root herself in time and space.
“Our claiming ceremony was thirty years ago.”
“What?” she’d gasped. She dropped his arm and sat up. “Thirty years? Thirty…” Every time she thought of it, it continued to seem impossible. How could she be old enough to have a mate she’d been with for thirty freaking years?
She’d glanced down and quickly examined herself and then looked back up at Kroga and realized they were older Xylan. They both had that tell-tale gray hair threading through their braids that identified distinguished Xylan. There were lines on Kroga’s face. She lifted her claws and groaned at the creases on her wrists. She glanced around, desperate to better examine herself, and saw a door in the corner. She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and raced over, slamming her open palm on the panel next to the portal and rushing inside. The lights blinked on and she studied her features in the mirror, amazed at the gray that framed her temples and the tiny lines that seemed to flash everywhere on her face. She might have zero memories, but she did have a sense that this wasn’t how she was supposed to look. “Kroga,” she wailed at the male who stood behind her. “I’m old. What happened?”
A rueful smile slashed across his face. He placed his claws on her shoulders and turned her toward him. “My Be’Ih, you are not old. Yes, both of us have years added to our bodies, but we are still strong. Did you see how fast you ran over here? How do you feel, physically?”
She blinked. “Well, I can’t remember anything, but…” She rotated her arms and shifted on her feet, realizing she felt perfectly fine, in fact brimming with energy. “Physically I feel the same.” Really, her body felt almost normal, not that she knew what normal was, but—her waist seemed thicker and there were lines on her face and body, and gray threaded her braids, but other than that, she felt strong and vibrant. Well, except for the damn memory loss… “Is my memory going to come back?”
“Yes, the system said it will return within the next few moon cycles as your brain continues to heal.”
She sighed with relief.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his hard chest. She rested her cheek there and inhaled his luscious scent. An immediate sense of peace flooded her system, calming her nerves. She started to tear up again, so damn grateful to have him near. She didn’t know why her feelings were this intense; it was as if she hadn’t seen him in ages.
“You are already much better than you were before,” he said. “I am happy that you are well. I watched you these last seven diurnals in this med bay, under the surgery shield, and then resting in an induced coma while your brain healed. I was terrified that I was going to lose my Bride.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that alone.” She moved her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight. “I’m here now.” Then she paused and looked back up at him. “Where are we?” she asked. “How did I get hurt? I remember being on a bridge, with my head bleeding but that’s it…”
“You were injured while we traveled in my personal flyer to the Swirl. I had you strapped in close next to me. But I was unable to protect you when we were sling shot past the last black hole and a beam broke overhead in the ceiling of the bridge and crashed down. You were knocked unconscious and bleeding. The moment I got you to our destination here at section five, I rushed you inside. Precious minutes were wasted while I restarted the computer and this derelict med bay, but I was able to get it functioning at peak capacity—and get you the help you needed.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. It was as if she could feel his pain, how he must’ve felt watching her like that, unable to keep her safe and terrified he might lose her. If the situation had been reversed, she didn’t know what she would’ve done but she would’ve been desperate to keep him alive.
“Yes, you are older,” he told her, “we are both older, but we are also alive and together, and this is what matters. I am grateful my Bride is healing and by my side. And”—he placed a claw under chin and lifted her gaze to meet his—“you are still the most desirable Xylan female in the entire four sectors. Your inner strength and beauty shine bright with incomparable honor.”
Every lovely word in his statement continued to bring soothing warmth to her jangled nerves.
And Kroga…Kroga was still stunningly handsome, virile and strong. Her mate had all the tell-tale signs of aging that she did, but none of this dimmed her desire for him. In fact, she thought it made him look sexier. A male who’d been through so much, learned so much, and was still strong. His four claws on either hand were as sharp as ever. His waist was thicker but still firm. As firm as his cock.
Speaking of… Her male rubbed his impressive erection against her ass and his claws dug into her flesh. Her mind switched back to the present as she felt the intensity of her own desire.
“You are so beautiful,” he groaned.
Her stomach swooped and heat instantly pooled between her thighs. Their passion for each other apparently hadn’t muted in the least. He must’ve spent the last thirty years learning exactly how she liked sex. He’d made a study of her pleasure points.
He was bespoke to her.
And in return she knew exactly what he liked and how to bring him intense pleasure. She didn’t even have to ask him, this was again something she seemed to remember, even though she didn’t remember much else. She reached behind and grabbed his large cock and gave him a few tight, rough strokes—exactly how he liked to be touched. He groaned with delight. He was hard, but then he got harder, seed leaking from the slit at the crown of his shaft.
He cupped her breast and pinched her nipple just how she liked. Oh gods, this male. He was everything.
She let go and turned to face him. They were both naked—they liked sleeping this way so each morning they could easily have sex prior to starting their day.
He reached between her thighs and stroked her core. “You are so wet for me.”
Somehow this always surprised him, she didn’t know why. If they’d been together every day for the last thirty years you’d think this male would know of her overwhelming attraction for him. Yet he always treated her as if they were on a honeymoon—as if they’d just gotten back together after being separated for a long time. It was sweet.
He captured her lips in a passionate kiss while he spent time stroking his claw against her clit in exactly the way she liked. Oh gods, it was amazing. Already she was panting, so close to orgasm, right there on the edge.
“More,” she begged. “Now.”
He moved on top of her. She spread her legs and welcomed him inside her heat. Every single time he slid inside, it was like the first time. It never, ever got old. She scraped her claws down his back as he bottomed out, his girth filling her up entirely. Really, sex with Kroga just got better and better. It was so easy now for her to orgasm. They both knew how this worked and her body seemed to be primed. He began roughly pulling out and pushing back in, and she thought she might pass out from the bliss. She moaned and thrashed under him. He began speeding up and the orgasm inside was building and building.
“Kroga,” she choked.
It crashed over her in waves, one after another, on and on. And he kept fucking her through it, making it sharper and longer. He bent his head and captured her mouth, tracking his fangs along her tongue, just as she liked. Gods, she loved it when she hit that peak of pleasure with her male’s tongue in her mouth.
The Alien Bounty Hunters Complete Series: Books 1-8 Page 73