“People saw you, Evie,” Jaimie said.
“Please, tell them I’m not being held against my will.”
“I’m not going to lie for you,” she said.
How very Fremmian of her. “You’re not lying. Aster is treating me well. I want to be here.” As I said the words, I knew they were true.
A long pause. “Fine. But I want to talk to you every day, just to be sure.”
“Not a problem, as long as the ship is in range. I’m not sure where we’re going.”
Chapter Seven
Aster
This is me trying to reason with the unreasonable.
I sat at the table in my cabin. I placed a cloth napkin in my lap and ate carefully. Evie paced the room like a caged animal. The quality of the food was not as outstanding as what she prepared on the station, it was quite good for ship’s food. I chewed slowly, humming with pleasure and making every bite sound like the most fantastic morsel to ever touch my lips.
The look of anger and rage from Evie was worth it.
“You’re free to join me,” I said.
“I’m not hungry,” she said and turned her back.
It’s a small cabin and the aroma was strong. She’ll be back. I continued my meal.
Within minutes, Evie was at the table, poking at her plate. “What is this? Flash frozen and microwaved?”
The chef was mortified.
“On a ship, we don’t get the luxury of fine cuisine for every meal,” I said.
“Or fresh ingredients.”
“No,” I said.
She took a bite. Not horrified, she took another.
I can’t keep my eyes off her. I want desperately to sweep the meal to the floor and toss her on this table and have her instead. I remember that caramel I had on Earth as a child, the way the gooey cube melted on my tongue into sweetness. Her skin the same color and I want her to melt under my fingers and on my tongue. Vibrant marks of desire flush on my face at the thought.
She must be able to read my markings or sense what I am thinking because she blushes, moving her eyes away from my face too quickly.
“I’m not talking to you,” Evie said. The firm set of her chin proved she meant it.
“I don’t need you to talk to me,” I said briskly. Not a lie. I want her to talk to me. I don’t need it. “I need you to listen.”
Evie folded her arms over her chest and cocked one eyebrow at me. “Fine. I’m listening.”
“Mates,” I started to say but paused when she rolled her eyes. “We have a connection. It is rare and precious. You are my kompli. I am your komplan. You feel this, too.”
“You took me against my will.”
“You said you would come!” I slammed my hand against the table. She did not flinch but gave me a cold, hard look. By all the stars in the sky, this magnificent woman has nerves of herdet steel.
“In time,” Evie said. “Not that instant. I thought you understood how Terrans do things, our rules for courtship.”
“I did play by your rules! I asked you to drinks,” I snapped.
“What? You think having a drink and a conversation counts as courtship?”
“We do not have anything like it on my world,” I said. “It is unknown how long human courtship lasts.”
“Years,” Evie said. “It can last years.”
I shook my head. Terrans rule their private lives with a lack of disciple and emotional volatility. “I do not have that kind of time. I do not have the time to wait for you to be certain about what you already know.”
She drew herself up; shoulders held back and chin up, like a queen. “You know nothing about what I am thinking and feeling.”
I growled in frustration. There is no reasoning with the unreasonable. Humans were too high strung and emotional. They never say what they mean and they hide away their thoughts behind that inscrutable, pallid face. Why were they not luminous like normal people?
Overflowing with the conflicting emotions of desire and rage, I swept Evie into my arms. She trembled, small and delicate. My skin glowed where it made contact with my mate, sky blue against a field of caramel.
My lips claimed hers, a firm and gentle reminder of the joy we shared and will experience again. Her balled up hands flexed open and close. The tension melted from her body, hostility replaced by her body’s recognition of her mate. Eventually her mind would catch up to what her heart knew instinctively.
I pulled away, releasing her, the glow in my hands and arms fading. “Continue to speak with your friend if you wish.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a prince?”
I left my cabin.
I returned several hours later. Evie was asleep on the bed. I took a spare blanket and slept on the floor. Her breathing filled the silence; I am certain that her head will come to understand what her heart already knows.
Chapter Eight
Evie
I called Jaimie the next day as agreed.
“I will remain for the conversation,” Aster said.
What? No. “You don’t need to be here,” I said.
“I will remain.” He folded his arms over his big blue chest, mind already made. Stubborn as a big blue ox.
“Can’t a girl have some privacy?”
“There are no secrets between mates.”
I could pull a muscle from rolling my eyes so hard. There was no reasoning with him when he started on the mate stuff. “Fine,” I said. “But don’t say anything. You lurking here and taking over the conversation will make it look like I’m being held hostage.”
“You are not held hostage,” he said with a frown.
“Then keep your blue mouth shut.”
Jaimie called right on schedule. There was no picture today, just a black screen. “Evie! Are you there?”
“I’m here,” I said.
“I have someone here with me,” Jaimie said.
“Wait, who?” Police, a diplomat, the military...the list could be endless.
“Cutter Martinez,” a new voice said. I recognized the name from a news network.
“I didn't agreed to talk to a journalist,” I said, panic rising in my. I wasn’t prepared.
Jaimie said, “You told me to tell people you were fine and this was a misunderstanding. So who better?”
Who better? A legitimate reporter and not a tabloid hack that specialized in celebrity scandals.
“She said you wanted to be interviewed,” Cutter said.
I nodded then realized they couldn’t see me. “Yes,” I said. “I’m...I’m just surprised she found a high profile journalist so quickly.” Might as well stroke the ego now.
“Fantastic,” Cutter said, in a polished, smooth voice. “Might I ask why there's no visual on this call?”
“A complication of space travel,” Aster said. “To maintain an image while traveling would take more energy than the ship can produce.”
What the hell? I raised my hands towards Aster in a frustrated, questioning gesture.
“You’re not alone,” Cutter said.
“No,” I said. “Aster, my fiancé, is with me.”
“You mean Prince Aster.”
“I guess I do,” I said, “but I didn’t know that when we met.”
“Since there are no visuals,” Cutter said, “how can we be certain that you are speaking of your own free will? That you are not being coerced or coached in what to say.”
I breathed out slowly to steady my nerves. Good question. I’m a cook, not a diplomat and not prepared to be interviewed by a big name network star. This audio would be played over and over again, until the story was dead or something more scandalous came around. I’ve been watching the news. The story was just as Jaimie said. Aster was in hot water from this stunt. I don’t know him well but I want to know more. There is something between us, he’s right about that.
Well, you can’t bullshit a bullshiter. Might as well be honest.
“Jaimie has known me for years. She’ll know if I’m not candid
in my replies,” I said.
“So you’re asking our audience and me to trust you?” Cutter asked.
“Considering I did not agree to or expect an interview,” I said calmly, “the coercion is not on this side of the interview, Mr. Martinez.”
The talking head chuckled.
Aster raised an eyebrow and watched me. His fate was in the hands of a chef but he seemed relaxed and confident. No, scratch that. His fate was in the hands of his kompli, thus he was relaxed and confident.
I wish I felt the same.
“Are you being held against your will, Evie?” Cutter asked.
“No,” I said, voice calm and steady. “I have full access to the ship. If you know anything about Fremm mates, they tend to spend a lot of time in close proximity with each other. Where Aster goes, I go.” Not exactly the truth but a gamble. Let’s see how it plays out.
“Footage from the station would call you a liar.”
“That is misleading,” I said but the journalist spoke over me.
“Explain how two dozen people saw Prince Aster carry you over his shoulder through the station, with you screaming at him to put you down and striking him on the back? That certainly looks like more than a misunderstanding.”
I took a deep breath before replying. “If I tell you, you won’t believe me.”
“Indulge me,” the journalist’s voice said. I really wish I could see his face, to see if he believed me or not.
“I meet Aster the day before. We had an instant attraction. Love at first sight, if you're the sentimental type.”
“You don’t sound like you are,” Cutter said.
This man needed to stop interrupting me. Time to get control of the conversation. “I’m sure there are plenty of networks that would give their best eye for this exclusive interview. You will listen,” I said, “and not interrupt me.”
Aster nodded, an impressed looked on his face.
A pause, then, “How very Fremmian of you.”
“Giving the best eye” was a Fremm turn of phase I always admired; very visceral and sincere. I continued, “Aster asked me to marry him, to be his mate. I agreed.”
Aster’s expression was unreadable now. That was a flat out lie.
I continued, “He said he was leaving soon. I assumed he would return to the station. Aster assumed I would join him immediately. Thus, my surprise when he brought me to the ship.”
Cutter spoke, “Taking a woman against her will is considered one of the greatest offenses on Fremm. No one is above the law, not even a prince.”
My eyes held Aster’s gaze. His dark blue eyes flashed. Without realizing it, I smiled. “No part of our encounter has been against my will,” I said. “I was surprised and not prepared for leave my friends behind without saying goodbye.”
“If you’re not being held against your will,” Cutter said, “why did it take you two days to contact the friend you were so desperate to speak with?”
I laughed. “Are you familiar with the Terran custom of a honeymoon, Mr. Martinez?”
I could hear the embarrassment in his voice. “I, um...of course.”
“We were busy,” I said, pausing to allow the audience time to soak in the implications. “But, as a gesture of goodwill, Aster will present himself to the proper authorities when we dock at the next station, which will be…” I looked towards Aster and motioned my fingers in a ‘speak’ gesture. He didn’t look pleased with my announcement.
“Stasjon,” he said.
“There you have it,” I said. “Stasjon Station.”
The interview terminated quickly after. My story was not the tabloid fodder of human woman kidnapped by Fremmian prince that the networks wanted. My story was positively a snooze fest for the around the clock news network. They probably wouldn't run it at all.
Aster stood there, arms folded over his chest, face inscrutable. It would be nice to have a clue what was going on in that blue head.
Finally, he said, “You lied.”
I shrugged. “I’m not restrained to this room, am I?”
He shook his head. “You are my mate. My ship is your ship.”
“Then I hardly see how I lied.”
His top lips pulled back in a snarl, exposing razor sharp fangs. “I will not submit myself to questioning on Stasjon. It is beneath the dignity of a prince.”
Suddenly being a prince was so important now. “No one is above the law,” I said. “I’ve already explain this away as misunderstanding. This is a formality.”
“You say that now, but I see how easily truth and lies leave your lips.”
“And the truth would be better?” I asked. “That you believe in a fairy tale and your crew thinks you’re nuts?”
A pained expression crossed his face before he broke into laughter. “I knew it was you for a reason,” he said. “My father will like you.”
“I really don’t think he will.” I can’t imagine the king being pleased his youngest son ran off with a human woman.
“My father has always valued intellect and cleverness over brawn. You are perceptive and feel no compulsion to spare me your tongue. You are good for me.” He nodded his head, agreeing with his statement.
“But everyone thinks you’re nuts,” I said.
Aster swept me into another bone crushing embrace. I could tell he held his full strength back, afraid to hurt me. The strength of his arms was reassuring. Another kiss, like the one from yesterday. My pulse raced and thoughts emptied out of my head. Damn this blue man. I needed to stay mad. Stay alert.
His fingers and hands glowed where they caressed me. My face pressed into his chest, I worked my hands under the tight fitting white shirt he wore, pushing the fabric up. His sky blue skin illuminated was with my finger prints. It’s pretty damn hard to stay angry when every part of my being what to touch and be touched by this man.
His hands tugged down the front of my shirt and freed my breasts from the bra. He kissed the sensitive tips of my nipples, rolling his tongue over the buds and sucking on the flesh like it was candy. I was wet and ready in an instant. I moaned, despite myself, because of myself. Damn him.
Aster pulled away and released me. I shivered from the sudden lack of his body heat.
“This is real,” he said, before leaving the room.
Chapter Nine
Aster
We received the first distress signal two hours out from Stasjon. The transmission arrived urgent and full of despair. The Edder were attacking the station. Stasjon had defenses. Every ship and structure had defenses against the Edder. The spider-like aliens were the monster in the darkness of space that bound Fremm and Terran together, because we were very tasty to them. The first alien species the Fremm contacted were the Edder.
It was a short lived affair.
The Edder classify alien life forms into two categories: edible and non-edible. May the stars help you if you are edible.
Stasjon could defend itself against one ship of Edder, perhaps two. But according to the distress signal, three were on the scanners.
The color drained from Chem’s face as we listened to the messages.
This was my fault.
The Edder were waiting for me.
Evie stood next to me, her little hand slip inside mine. “It’s a trap,” she whispered. Of course it was a trap.
A tall, particularly brutish crewman, turned to Evie and snarled at her. Extensive scaring on his face gave him a permanent scowl. She took a step back in surprise, dropping my hand. “This,” Glin said, “is your fault, human!”
In an instant, the back of my hand knocked the man away. Glin is a hothead and needs to be reminded who is captain on this ship. He rubbed his jaw, cheeks burning with the marks of rage and embarrassment. I never liked him much.
“Place blame with the proper authority,” I said, looming over the man. “This is my ship and this is my fault.”
“Yes,” Glin said, “it is.” He lunged at me.
Glin is big but he is slow, and no
t too bright. I easily side stepped him and brought both fists down to the small of his back, sending the big man sprawling on the floor. He began to roll away but my foot connected solidly with his jaw. He landed flat on his back; lips bloodied.
I pressed my foot onto his throat, applying just enough pressure. The confrontation was over before it began. “Anyone else have a suggestion for their captain?”
Chem stepped forward. “Actually, yes.”
Evie stood next to Chem, watching me. I tried not to look at Evie. I didn’t want to see her horrified eyes. Human’s liked violence in their entertainment but paled when confronted with it in real life.
“Speak,” I ordered.
“Your mate is correct. This is a trap. We are foolish to rush in and give the Edder what they want.”
“Which is?” I asked.
“You. A prince of Fremm.”
I nodded. Three Edder ships. Even with the ranged support from the station, the odds are not in our favor. “It will be a hard fight but we Fremm do not run from our foes. We fight. Prepared to board the Edder command ship.”
I finally turned to Evie and looked her in the eyes, finding fear, rage and pride. The corner of her soft lips twitched up in a smile: my mate.
Chapter Ten
Evie
I raced towards the only part of the ship I had any skills: the kitchen. The Edder will eat anything that smells like food. I need to make us smell not like food. No giant sentient spiders were going to eat my komplan on my watch.
Huh. The instant I thought those words, I knew them to be true. The head finally caught up to the heart.
The dark azure man Aster argued with on the bridge followed me.
“I’m Chem,” he said, entering the kitchen after me.
“Aster put you on babysitting duty to make sure I didn’t do something silly.” I opened cabinet doors, looking for the pantry or food stuffs.
“Why would I sit on a baby?” Chem asked. “I am here to help and keep you out of danger.”
Claimed by the Alien Prince: Alpha Alien Romance (Alpha Aliens of Fremm Book 1) Page 3