by Jaylee Davis
Suddenly, Morshant yelled a gruff-sounding order and pointed to the shuttle. To her complete amazement, her captor immediately carried her to the ship. As soon as they entered, the door shut behind them. Bethany tried to locate Vren, but the warrior’s huge bulk completely blocked her view as he placed her on a seat and then secured the seatbelt-like restraint across her upper body. The alien craft shuddered as it took off.
The sudden movement instantly made her aware of how much she ached from head to toe. The pain almost distracted her from exploring the inside of the strange ship. Bethany could barely make out any features of the interior. She looked around, but for some reason, only certain things about the surroundings stuck in her mind. The whole scene turned into a series of pictures, still frames here and there, jumbled together to make absolutely no sense at all. Gradually, the images coalesced into a circular field of darkness. Then there was nothing.
Chapter Eight
Vren jerked awake. He was furious and ready to attack… His arms and legs struggled to follow his mind’s command to jump up and protect his female. Sturdy metal clamps circled his wrists and ankles. He struggled to a half-seated position before the realization hit him. He was on his ship, shackled to a medical bed in a treatment room of the infirmary. His infuriated full-throated roar shattered the silence.
Salla was at his bedside in the next instant. “Be calm, Vren. There’s no danger,” she assured.
Her steady hands pushed and shoved against his shoulders until he stopped fighting and sank onto the bed. Two areas on his back hurt, but the worst pain radiated across his chest. It reminded him all too well of the impact from the last projectile.
As he settled into the cushioned surface, he snarled at the memory. The male who’d threatened Bethany would never do so again. He’d buried his claws deep into the vile human’s throat seconds after the man pulled the trigger and shot off the third and final bullet. He wondered if any blood remained on his hands. He hoped so. He wanted to smell it, to see if he could detect the male’s fear before he’d died. Bethany was his—his mate, and he’d give his life again to protect her.
“You just woke from hibernation. The healing is progressing rapidly, but you must relax,” Salla explained as she adjusted his pillow. “You wake in the same mental state you were in at the time. Try to remain calm and think.”
He hissed as he glared at her. “Release me!”
“Not until you’ve overcome your anger.”
“I must find her! Now!” He jerked on the wrist cuffs and growled. “Let me go!”
The Explorer’s chief medical officer simply stepped back a few paces from the bed and stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest. She shook her head.
“Now, Salla. That’s an order!” He hated it when his sister pulled rank on him.
“No. Not until you’re thinking has cleared.” She didn’t speak again until the echo left over from his second roar had faded. “Your mate is safe here in the medical unit. I treated her injuries and she’s healed.”
“I need to see her!”
“In time. Right now, she’s in a stasis pod, sleeping until you’ve regained your senses and recovered enough to be at her side when we wake her. She might be disoriented at first, and I believe your presence will keep her calm.”
Salla’s words finally penetrated his rage. “She’s here?”
She nodded, and he breathed easier knowing Bethany was on his ship.
“You’ve hibernated for three days. Much has happened while you’ve been healing. Earth elected to join the Alliance, and you’re partly to blame. You’re a hero to the humans. Today, while you rest, you can review all the details.”
“What?” It was too much information to take in all at once. His body had shut down? Hibernation? Earth is an Alliance member? “I’m no hero!” He snarled in defiance.
Salla grabbed an object off a nearby shelf and approached the bed. She dropped a thin vid-screen onto his stomach.
He grunted in surprise and then took long, slow breaths. She was right. He had to calm down. Salla had the power to keep him in medical and deny him his freedom until she deemed him fit for duty. He reacted instinctively, not thinking, and he had to catch up on all the latest developments. Apparently, he’d missed a great deal.
“If you’ll give me your word that you’ll remain calm and rest, I’ll release the restraints.”
Their gazes clashed. He refused to look away. For him, it was a challenge, a fight over who was in control. Tense seconds ticked by before Salla blinked in an overly casual manner, an indication that she knew he was in no position to issue orders. She made no comment as she waited for his answer.
Vren stared hard at the medical officer who was also his littermate. As he studied her, he noted how her posture remained relaxed—not a shred of concern. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of her bushy white tail slowly swaying back and forth. His sister was good at her job. She wasn’t panicky or excitable, both of which were terrible traits for a medical doctor, especially for one on board a space vessel. Salla was an excellent officer, and she was correct to challenge him. He had to recover and focus on his duty, but more than anything he wanted to see Bethany again.
He accepted defeat and yawned. It was a D’Lyrian sign that meant, “I give up and I’ve lost interest,” at least for now.
“You have my word,” he grumbled.
He stared at the ceiling as she worked to release him. As soon as the cuffs were removed, he jerked to a seated position despite the pain. He remembered to check his hands for blood and took a quick look. There was no trace of the human’s blood. His claws were clean also. He took a shallow breath. Sure enough, the medics must have placed him in a cleansing bed at some point while he’d been unconscious. His entire body was unsoiled.
However, he immediately picked up a new fragrance. It intertwined with his normal scent. Bethany. Mate. Mine. No matter how much he wanted to make a mad dash toward the door, he couldn’t. He’d given his word. Disgruntled, he shifted his weight to free his tail, and a twinge of pain shot through his chest, making him groan.
“Deep tissue healing takes a few days. The pain will ease by tomorrow. You’re fortunate to be alive. The metal projectile barely missed your heart. A nicked artery caused a sudden drop in blood pressure. You went into hibernation before losing too much blood.”
“I’ve never experienced a hibernation cycle before.”
Salla huffed softly. “Most warriors never do. They die from their wounds before it can begin. It’s a reflexive response to certain forms of life-threatening trauma. All your bodily functions slowed, which gave my medical team the time necessary to repair the vital organs damaged by the projectile. You can also thank the Taurans for bringing you to Explorer so swiftly. As I told you, brother, you’re very fortunate to be alive.”
“Thank you, Salla.” He heaved a deep, heavy sigh. “I apologize for being so vocal.”
She patted his shoulder. “I’ve endured your noisy complaints for many years, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you roar quite so loud.”
He held his breath and looked at her. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement as the corners of her lips drew up in a knowing smile. She gave his shoulder a strong nudge, and he gulped air.
“She’s in unit A. Use the bedside monitor if you’d like to see her for yourself.”
At that moment, the door to medical snapped open and Theral, his first officer, strolled in sporting a broad smile.
“Good to see you awake, captain. Since you’re stuck here, I brought all the reports you’ve missed.”
Vren narrowed his eyes as he focused on Theral. The D’Lyrian male’s demeanor changed in an instant. His smile waned and his ears swept back slightly, displaying a more formal attitude. He handed a small bundle of square info-chips to Vren, but he didn’t retreat.
Vren tossed them onto the mattress at the foot of his bed and snarled. “Is there anything else?” The smaller male winced.
“Um, well, y
es, there is. The crew is curious, sir.”
“Curious? About what?”
“About your mate,” Theral answered. He dipped his head slightly. “Would you like me to update your personal records?”
Vren didn’t know how to respond so he clamped his mouth shut and clenched his jaw to make sure it stayed that way. If his bridge crew knew he’d taken a mate, then the entire ship’s complement was probably buzzing with the news. Even worse, if his crew knew about her, then it was a sure bet Commandant Tram had been informed.
Salla jumped in before he could answer. “I’m sure the captain will take care of the formalities once he’s cleared for duty, Theral. He needs to rest. No visitors.”
The first officer glanced sideways at her. A sly smile tugged at his lips. “Just trying to be helpful.” He turned his attention to Vren. “We’re all relieved to have you back safe, captain.”
“Thank you, Theral. I’ll contact you if I have any questions about the reports.” Once the male left, Vren asked, “How many know about her?”
“All who need to,” Salla responded. When he growled in frustration, she sighed and went on to explain. “Most of your crew and Commandant Tram. He may have notified a few select ambassadors. As far as I know, they haven’t shared the information with Earth’s government. However, NASA has told the NWG that the female came to our ship for her own safety. They don’t know she’s your mate. Tram suggested that when she’s able it’d simplify matters if she requested to stay here. Since both of you are quite famous now, the Alliance and NWG won’t deny her.”
“Good,” he muttered. “Why are we famous?”
“She did a very brave thing by helping you and giving you shelter after you crashed. The others would have killed you. She saved your life. As for you, NASA has video of what happened on the surface from the time they arrived and took off. They haven’t released all the recordings yet, but they did broadcast the part where your female was threatened by one of the human males and you stepped in front of the weapon to protect her.”
“Did they show what I did afterward?”
“Yes.” Her lips curled in a proud grin. “You were magnificent. Courageous and brave is how the general population views you. They have several medals and keys to award you.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure what significance the keys have, but you’re a hero. Public opinion helped sway the NWG’s vote to join the Alliance. The ambassadors and commandant are meeting with Earth’s leaders at this very moment to finalize the agreement. Afterward, I’m sure there will be many parties and formal gatherings for you and your mate to attend.”
He bowed his head and groaned at the very idea. He despised all diplomatic functions, and only went if he was forced to go. No doubt, Tram would insist.
“Don’t fret. I can keep you on medical restriction for a while longer if you like,” Salla offered as she stepped closer.
“I feel fine,” he said with a soft laugh, then lifted his gaze. “When will you wake her?”
Salla looked at him with a strange expression, as if she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. Suddenly, she moved closer and dipped her face to his neck. She inhaled deeply. The hair on the back of his neck bristled and he barely stifled a hiss.
Unlike Vren, Salla hissed and jumped back. “I examined the female and know you haven’t sealed the mate-bond. How could your scents have already blended?”
At first, he simply stared at her in astonishment. It was true. Bethany’s scent was part of him now, permanently mixed with his own, and had obviously grown stronger. Salla had the most sensitive nose on the ship. It was a pre-requisite for her job, but her reaction infuriated him.
He snarled and bared his teeth. “She’s mine! You will show respect.” Ears flattened down tight to his head and claws extended, he slid off the bed and stalked toward her.
She immediately cowered. “Of course, brother. Forgive me. I was surprised.”
He swallowed the growl that threatened to rumble from his chest. Confused and embarrassed by his reaction, he stomped back to the bed. He climbed in and settled down onto his side to face the wall. He closed his eyes. The lower part of his tail beat against the mattress top. The bumping sound reminded him that he was powerless to stop it.
A gentle hand touched his upper arm. Salla’s scent, laced with fear, came to him. Now he felt even worse. What was wrong with him?
“I regret my actions, Salla. I frightened you, and I’m truly sorry. I don’t understand what came over me.”
She huffed softly. “I also reacted unwisely. Your two scents are bound so perfectly it took me a few seconds to isolate them. Human scent is…unique. While you hibernated, your metabolism was slowed so I wasn’t able to get a strong impression. I’d just assumed the mating was at first stage. Theral noticed the change, and he thought the same thing.”
“I was hard on him too.” He groaned. “Why?”
“You’re newly mated and have been separated. It’s natural for you to be irritable.”
“Irritable?” He chuckled wryly. “My female would say I acted like an asshole.”
Salla laughed heartily. “I didn’t know assholes could do that.”
“Please, Salla. If you won’t wake my mate, then allow me to rest.”
All he wanted was a few private moments to think about everything that had happened on the planet. He’d need to file a report, and Bethany would be an important detail, a delicate one. For the first time in his career, he wasn’t sure how to proceed.
“Since you’re capable of moving about without suffering too much, follow me. It’s time. She sheds tears during sleep.”
Galvanized by the news that his mate needed him, he leapt from the bed, but made sure he didn’t grunt in pain as he trailed after Salla.
“You can read the reports and find out what you’ve missed while I make preparations to revive her,” she added.
Chapter Nine
Bethany awoke to a shocking sight. Two pairs of oval-shaped eyes surrounded by feline features stared down at her through a watery haze. She recognized one of them.
“Vren! How…” She blinked and wiped a palm across her face to remove her tears. Tears? I must have been reliving that nightmare.
“You’re safe, Bethany, on my ship.” His large hand grasped hers and held tight. “No one will harm you here.”
His reassuring touch and words banished the anguish inside her. He was alive! She didn’t know how it was possible. She’d believed he’d died. Confused and not sure if she was completely awake, she held his gaze as the other D’Lyrian blotted away the last of her teardrops with a soft cloth. To her, Vren was a beautiful sight, next to naked, wearing only a tapa.
“This isn’t a dream? You’re alive, and I’m really on your ship?”
“Yes.”
He sat beside her and then pulled her into his arms. Heat poured from his velvety skin, warming her to the bone. He grunted, then softly growled when she hugged him as hard as she could. She didn’t loosen her hold. He’d come back for her, and by some miracle, he’d survived. There was no way she was about to let him go.
A soft purr that didn’t come from Vren distracted her. They broke apart. She took a closer look at the other alien. She was feline, like Vren, but she wore a uniform, and her coloring was vastly different. From what Bethany could make out, she was solid white. Her eyes were so light blue they seemed to sparkle like two aquamarine gems. The woman held up a small black case and spoke in a language that sounded vaguely familiar.
“I’ll tell her,” Vren said with a slight nod. He gently stroked his fingertip up the side of her neck and didn’t stop until her reached a point behind her ear. He gave the area a light tap. “You’ll need a translator to communicate with my crew. Everyone on board has one. The implant goes here.” The woman nodded in apparent agreement.
Unsure, Bethany pulled away a few inches. “A what? You want to put something in my head?”
His expression changed to one of concern, but he gave her an encouraging smile.
“It’s a quick and painless procedure. Afterward, you’ll be able to understand and communicate with everyone. It’s very important.”
“You know I trust you, but I’m not sure about this.”
“Do you remember the human female who was with the NASA team?”
Bethany bit her lip as she thought back. “Yes. I think her name was Marisella…something.”
He removed his hand from her neck and rested his palm on her shoulder. It was an act of comfort, but it roused an insane need within her. She wanted to feel it cup her breast. The thought led to other more carnal desires. Vren’s nostrils flared as he inhaled. A soft purr came from him as he exhaled.
“Soon,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. He swallowed hard before speaking. “That woman had a translator implant. Several NASA employees and your government officials have them. There’s no danger.” He glanced at the feline woman who waited at the bedside. “This is Salla, my ship’s chief medical officer. She’s done the procedure many times.
Bethany drew in a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.” Even though the woman held a small gun-shaped object in one hand Bethany plastered on her bravest of smiles.
She and Vren exchanged words. Although they were meaningless to her, Bethany recognized the sound of his language from the few times he’d spoken to the Tauran male.
“Are you right handed?” Vren asked.
“Yes.”
“For humans, the implant works best if it’s inserted near the dominate hemisphere of the brain. Salla will place it behind your left ear. Lie down, turn your face toward me and relax.” He gave her shoulder a gentle shove, and she did as he instructed by resting her right cheek on the mattress.
Relax? Not likely.
Most of her nervousness melted away as he crouched beside the bed and clasped her hand. His expression exuded confidence. His very presence assured her that everything would be fine.
“Don’t move,” he added.
Bethany closed her eyes and held her breath, still unsure what to expect. Gentle fingertips brushed her hair away from her ear. A moment later, the cool touch of the instrument pressed against her skin.