Summer and the Alien Guard

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “Summer, I need to step outside for a moment. If the waitress returns, please tell her to give me just a few minutes.”

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “Everything is fine. I just need to touch base with work for a moment.”

  She nodded and went back to looking over the menu. Vordro went outside and called the station. He explained that he was courting a human female and wanted more time with her. After making sure his schedule was clear for at least a week, he went back inside just in time to order lunch. He wasn’t sure how he was going to tell Summer about their upcoming trip, but he’d figure things out. There was a large Terran Station in Washington D.C. that had suites for visiting Zelthranites. He just needed to make sure there was a suite available for them, and then he’d set up a trip to the Smithsonian. And after that, Virginia Beach.

  Chapter Seven

  Summer’s nose had been glued to the car window from the moment D.C. had come into view until they pulled into the parking lot at the Terran Station. It was a massive glass structure that was six stories high and wide enough it nearly took up a city block. She’d never seen anything like it before and marveled at everything around her. Vordro carried their bags, and she tried to keep up with him. The receptionist greeted them warmly, perhaps a little too warmly. Summer nearly glared at the woman as she simpered over Vordro. There might have been a bit of teeth baring on Summer’s part. She knew she didn’t have the right to snatch the woman bald, but it was tempting.

  “If there’s anything you need during your stay,” the woman said, “Please let me know. My name is Candy, and I’m here to service all of your needs.”

  Yeah, Summer just bet she’d like to service all his needs. Wench.

  Vordro stared down his nose at her. “You’re going to proposition me with my female standing right here beside me?”

  Summer perked up a little at hearing him claim her as his woman. It made her heart skip a beat, and she couldn’t help but smile.

  The woman glanced at Summer and back at Vordro. “I only meant to offer…”

  He growled, cutting her off. A guard standing nearby approached.

  “Is there a problem, Vordro?” he asked.

  “This female propositioned me with my female standing right by my side. You need to better train your workers, or perhaps this one needs to work elsewhere.”

  Summer could think of a few places she wouldn’t mind the woman working. Cleaning toilets would be a good use of her time.

  The guard nodded. “I’ll see that it’s taken care of, and I apologize for any upset your human may have felt over the incident.”

  Vordro gripped both bags with one hand so he could hold onto Summer. She wondered how the guard had known who he was, or if they had maybe been friends on their world. She figured now wasn’t the time for questions, as Vordro still looked fierce. They approached a desk on the far right of the Terran Station and procured a key to a suite. Since he’d convinced her to sleep in his bed last night, she was assuming they would share a room again, but for all she knew the suite held two beds.

  Vordro ushered her onto the elevator and pushed the button for the sixth floor. When it dinged and the doors slid open, Summer followed him down the hall to the door marked #602. He unlocked the door and pushed it open, motioning for her to step inside first. Summer’s jaw nearly dropped at how gorgeous the suite was. There was a living area and kitchenette and then two open doors. One led to a decently sized bathroom and the other was the bedroom, with a massive bed.

  “This place is really nice,” she said, as she ran her hand over the back of the couch.

  “It’s reserved for high-ranking warriors. The council member suites are even nicer.”

  “You’re a high-ranking warrior on your world?” she asked. “You never really talk about home.”

  “Earth is home now. There isn’t much I miss about Zelthrane-3, to be honest. At least here, I’m not going off to fight in wars.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Your world isn’t called Terran?”

  “The council decided to call ourselves Terran when approaching Earth’s government because they thought it didn’t sound as fierce as Zelthranites. We wanted to be welcomed to your world, and so they chose a name they thought would make humans feel at ease.”

  “I guess I can understand why they would do that. Not all humans embrace change, and Terran makes you sound more human.”

  He held up his hand. “I don’t think I could be mistaken for a human with this skin coloring.”

  She admired his lavender skin and remembered how sexy it had looked against her paleness. She had to admit that it made him stand out but in the best of ways. Summer thought their differences were amazing, especially since it was all on the surface. Where it counted, they were similar enough to make a relationship work, or so she thought. Convincing Vordro of that was another matter. He’d commented before on her age, and she wondered if it bothered him.

  “You like me, don’t you, Vordro?” she asked.

  “What kind of silly question is that? Of course I like you. Do you think I take off work on go on trips with just anyone?”

  “But you like me as more than just a friend.”

  He moved a little closer and stopped a few feet away. “Is something bothering you, Summer? If there’s something you want to ask, don’t hold back.”

  “It’s just that we slept together, and you seem to like me, but I’m not sure what this relationship is to you, or if we even have one. Are we just pals hanging out and having a good time with some sex on the side? Or do you see us as a couple?”

  Vordro took her hand. “You’re more than just a friend, Summer. I care about you, and yes, I see us as a couple. I wasn’t sure how you felt about that, though, with me being so much older than you.”

  “Age is just a number,” she said with a smile. “All that matters is you like me, and I like you. I don’t care what anyone else thinks, and you shouldn’t either.”

  “There’s a group of males we do need to worry about, though. My council would have to approve a mating between us. It’s like marriage, but there’s no ceremony. We get approval from my council, and they file the proper paperwork.”

  “So, no dress shopping or worry about where to seat the guests?” she asked.

  “Not unless you wanted a human wedding.” His hand tightened on hers. “Are you saying you wish to be mated to me?”

  Summer nodded slowly. It was crazy, them having just met, but she felt like she’d known Vordro all her life. Being with him was easy and fun, and she wanted many more days with him. Forever, if he’d have her. She didn’t care about human weddings. As long as they were together, that was all that mattered to her. She didn’t even need an approved mating through his council. Although, she had a feeling that was something he wanted, or maybe even needed. And she wouldn’t deny him that.

  “You mean that?” he asked softly. “You wish to join your life with mine? Because we don’t have divorce like humans do. If you agree to be mine, it’s forever.”

  “I want that,” she said. “More than anything.”

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and deep. Summer’s toes curled, and her hands fisted the back of his shirt. All it took was the touch of his lips on hers, and she wanted him. Vordro broke away, smiling down at her.

  “Let’s go downstairs and use a Vid-comm to speak to the council. We can ask for their approval now.”

  She smiled and nodded, anxious to get it out of the way.

  Downstairs, they found an empty conference room with a Vid-comm, and Vordro placed the call. When the image on the screen came into focus, it showed a table with four Terrans seated around it. They were all dressed in black leather, except for one who wore all white.

  “Chief Councilor Borgoz,” Vordro said. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

  “Not at all, Vordro. We just wrapped up some business and were about to leave, but we can stay a little longer.”

  “Chief Cou
ncilor, this is Summer, my chosen mate,” he said, pulling Summer closer to his side. “We’d like to ask the council to bless a mating between us.”

  “Summer, would you like to tell us a little about yourself?” Borgoz asked. “Do you have family there?”

  “Well, not here exactly. We’re visiting Washington D.C. right now, but I have parents and an aunt back home,” she said.

  “And what do they think of your relationship with Vordro?” Borgoz asked.

  Summer bit her lip and looked up at Vordro, who didn’t seem too pleased with the question. She didn’t want to lie, but she hoped her response wouldn’t make the councilman deny their mating.

  “My family isn’t part of my life right now. My dad is very narrow-minded and even cruel at times. He told me never to return. I think I have my aunt’s support, but neither she nor my mother will speak to me if my dad is around. They won’t want to anger him.”

  “I see,” Borgoz said, pursing his lips. “And if you have a child with Vordro, would it be in danger with your family?”

  A sick feeling filled her. She’d never thought of that, but her father was sure to hate any child that wasn’t fully human, or fully white for that matter. She didn’t think her mother or aunt would care, but again, it was her father’s opinion that would rule them all.

  “Your silence says a lot,” Borgoz said.

  “She could already be pregnant,” Vordro said.

  “We need to discuss the matter further.” Borgoz frowned. “Check back with us tomorrow, and we’ll let you know our decision.”

  Summer watched as the screen went black, and she looked up at Vordro to judge his mood. He looked worried and a little tense. But was he concerned that the council might not approve the mating or was he concerned she might be pregnant, and the baby could be in danger? Or maybe it was both. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

  Vordro held her close and kissed the top of her head. “That didn’t go as planned.”

  “Maybe they’ll decide we can stay together,” she said. “Just because they wanted some time to think it over doesn’t mean they’ll say no. Does it?”

  Vordro didn’t comment and led her back up to the suite. He unpacked their belongings and looked at the clock on the wall. He stared at it a few minutes as if doing a mental calculation of some sort.

  “I did some research on the Smithsonian,” he said. “There are nineteen museums and each could take as much as five hours to visit. Did you intend to see them all?”

  “I didn’t realize it was so big. Maybe we could just pick a few?”

  He nodded. “We have this suite for as long as we need it, and I’ve taken a week off from work. But there’s one more place I’d like to take you for at least two days before we go home, so let’s try to leave in the next three or four days.”

  “Do you think there’s time to see one today?” she asked.

  “Since you like the Natural History Museum at home, I thought we’d start with that one here. Although, what I read about it warned that to see everything in that place could take several days, so you may not get to see every single item there.”

  “Just getting to go is amazing enough. I don’t care how much time we spend in the different museums; just seeing them is wonderful.” She smiled. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  He kissed her softly. “If you need to put on more comfortable shoes, do it now. I think we’re about to do a lot of walking.”

  “I’m good. I can walk for hours in these.”

  “Then onward to the Smithsonian!” He brandished his cell phone like a sword, making her giggle. He really was like her own personal knight.

  She picked up her purse, making sure her camera was still inside, then followed him out of the suite and down to the SUV. Summer knew that today was going to be amazing, no matter what the council decided. Vordro had confessed he wanted a life with her, and now she was getting to see the most incredible family of museums ever.

  When they reached the Natural History Museum, Summer was so excited she was practically bouncing. On the first floor, they were greeted with a large elephant and a warning that they were in danger. Summer and Vordro walked all around the base until she convinced the hunky alien to pose. He looked so serious, with his arms folded over his chest, the look on his face clearly stating that he disapproved of the animal’s endangered status. She smiled as she clicked the picture.

  “I don’t understand how humans can hunt animals until they are extinct,” he said. “All creatures on my world are valued. We do not hunt them until they no longer exist. We thin overgrown herds, but we would never wipe them out completely.”

  “I’m afraid humans aren’t that smart,” she said. “Or maybe we’re just too greedy.”

  He grunted. “Greed is certainly something I’ve witnessed while dealing with humans.”

  Summer tugged on him. “Let’s see the ocean exhibit first.”

  They took their time browsing the area. There were skeletons and a large whale hanging from the ceiling, among other things. Summer thought the skeletons might be some form of aquatic dinosaur, but they hadn’t gotten close enough yet to read the display tags. Everything was incredible, and she snapped a bunch of pictures. Vordro took one of her near the eel exhibit and another with the whale hanging over her head. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. He was making her dreams come true, and she wished she could do the same for him.

  They reached the giant great white shark jaws, and even though they were behind glass, Vordro leaned over like his head was inside the mouth and made a comical face as she took his picture. She had to admit that he was making the museum a lot of fun. She was seeing a side of him that she doubted many people got to witness. He was relaxed and obviously enjoying himself.

  When they were finished with the ocean hall, they moved on to human origins, and then the mammal hall. It took hours just to explore the first level of the museum, and while Summer wanted to keep checking things out, her stomach was reminding her it was dinnertime. It rumbled loudly, drawing a chuckle from Vordro.

  “There’s a café,” Vordro said, “but as late as it is, they are probably either closed or have very little left. If you’d like to explore the other levels, we can come back tomorrow.”

  “I’ve loved our time here today, but I think I’d prefer to spend tomorrow exploring a different museum. There’s so little time to see everything, or as much as I can cram in. Thank you so much for bringing me here, Vordro. I might have gone my entire life without getting to experience this.”

  Vordro took her hand and led her toward the parking lot. He drove them to a seafood place that wasn’t too far from the Terran Station and helped her out of the SUV. With his hand on her back, he led her inside and requested a table. There were two other Terran/human couples inside, and it made Summer wonder just how many of his kind had decided to call Earth home. And was his decision to live on her world permanent? They hadn’t discussed the possibility of ever going to his planet, but she’d imagine he would want to eventually.

  The hostess seated them at a cozy table and left them with menus.

  Vordro reached over and smoothed a finger down her nose. “You’re thinking too hard.”

  “You don’t talk about your world much. Don’t you ever miss it?”

  “Perhaps if I still had family there, I might. I didn’t leave anyone or anything behind when I came here, Summer. I no longer own a home on my world, and have no intention of ever going back, unless it’s just for a visit.”

  She nodded. “But what about your friends?”

  “I have plenty of friends at the Terran Station back home. I don’t need to live on my world to feel content. I’m far happier on your planet than I was on mine.” His gaze was penetrating as he looked at her. “What about your friends? You haven’t mentioned any.”

  “You’ve met my dad. He didn’t approve of my friends, so they all eventually drifted away. All I had was my family, and
you’ve seen they’re no prize. Until you came along, I was truly isolated.”

  He frowned. “I don’t like the thought of you being so alone. When we get back home, I’ll introduce you to my friends and their mates. You should have other females to do things with.”

  “I’d love to meet your friends and their mates. I only hope they like me.”

  He reached out and took her hand. “They will love you.”

  “Should we check in with the council in the morning before the museum, or in the afternoon when we get back?”

  “I have a better idea. Let’s stop by the clinic tonight when we get back to the station. There’s a quick pregnancy test they can run. I want to be armed with as much information as I can before we face the council again.”

  Summer’s eyebrows shot up. “They could tell I’m pregnant already? Human pregnancy tests can’t be used until close to…” Her cheeks flushed.

  “Close to what?”

  “Nothing. It’s a female thing.”

  He looked curious, but let the matter drop. She was both excited and nervous about the pregnancy test. On the one hand, having a baby with Vordro would be amazing, but on the other, she wasn’t sure she was ready to be a mom just yet. She hadn’t exactly had the best example growing up.

  They ordered their food and Summer tried to think about anything but the visit to the clinic. She asked Vordro more about his world and the things he liked to do. He, in turn, asked her more about what she wanted for her future. She’d always thought she wanted a college degree and a career doing something meaningful, but after spending time with Vordro, she wasn’t sure that was what she wanted anymore. Her priorities had changed a bit, now that she wasn’t pressed to keep a roof over her head, and no longer had to worry about her family.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She still worried whether they had a place to live or food to eat, but after the way they’d treated her, she was trying hard to put them from her mind. She knew her father would never accept Vordro, and if they had kids together, he’d hate the babies for their mixed heritage. There were times she wished her father had disowned her long ago.