Dekkir: An Alien SciFi Romance (Galaxy Alien Warriors #1)

by Lara LaRue

  “I never said you were not. But it does not change the fact you belong—”

  I rounded on him, scowling. “Do you really think because you have power over me here and I give you a boner, you get to treat me like you own me?”

  He just kept blinking, his expression so baffled I could have felt sorry for him if I hadn’t wanted to rip his head off. “But . . . I belong to you as well.”

  “Did you ever ask if I wanted you? You don’t even know if I’m single or married. You never bothered to ask. You just decided. Or tried to, because I’m not going along with it!”

  His expression darkened. “I have declared myself to you in the ancient way, before my chieftain and my father, and in return, you refuse me in a most unnatural fashion!”

  “I don’t care what you think is natural! I choose who I love, not you.” I struggled to rein in my temper. “As much as I respect your culture, I refuse to be victimized by some sexist tradition that lets a guy lay claim to a lady without her permission. Don’t make me have to report to my superiors that you are mistreating me.”

  He slowly lowered himself into one of the hide-seated chairs arranged along the far wall. “Mistreating you? I thought you wanted an alliance between our two peoples.”

  “Okay, let’s put this another way. When Dr. Stirling lived here, did you guys try to marry him off to one of you to make an alliance?”

  “No, of course not. He was not claimed.”

  “Then don’t think that you can do it to me!” I pointed a finger at his chest. “I am a visiting diplomat from the only space-faring race that has bothered with this backwater, and I will be treated with respect. You don’t touch me without my permission, you don’t smell me without my permission, you don’t walk around calling me your mate, and you don’t try to get sex out of me. If you do, I will contact Command, and they will send an extraction team for me, armed with weapons you do not want brought to your fort. Got it?”

  He scowled. Apparently, he wasn’t used to taking orders from anyone but his father. “Woman, you defy the laws of nature! How can you claim to have no attraction to me?”

  “I just don’t. And that doesn’t make me ‘unnatural.’ I’m sure a lot of girls think you’re awesome, but I bet you never tried to claim them against their will!”

  He shook his head in obvious frustration. “You are treating me as if I were some drunken fool accosting you at a festival. Is this your idea of diplomacy?”

  “No, it isn’t. But I’m disgusted that your idea of diplomacy involves me fucking you.” I turned and walked to the hallway door, hoping I remembered the way back to the fort roof. “I’m going out to clear my head.”

  He got up. “You are under my protection. You should not leave my sight.”

  “Go to hell.” I pushed the door open and stepped through, hurrying down the hall. I hoped I could lose myself in the market crowds before he could follow. I really needed a breather.

  I got a lot of curious looks as I rushed through the marketplace, but none of the shopkeepers approached me this time. I supposed none of them knew what to make of me. That was fine. I didn’t really want to talk to anyone right then anyway.

  I felt like crying. I had looked forward to this job for the better part of two years, and now it was being screwed up by something as stupid as an oversexed, egotistical local. And somehow, the fact it was Dekkir doing this bothered me the most. It almost felt like a betrayal, like maybe we could have had something if only he hadn’t been such an ass about things. As it was, I felt like yet another woman who would end up being sexually harassed out of an important job.

  I plodded up the staircase with the last of my strength. What a day. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to rest safely in Dekkir’s household. I didn’t trust him not to try something while I was sleeping. Nor did I have any idea how I was going to work with him. I had endured Norcross, but this was potentially far worse.

  I didn’t catch sight of Dekkir in the crowd below, giving me hope I had escaped him for the moment. I made my way up onto the roof and looked around for a private place where I could sit. I finally found a clear spot near the overhangs that sheltered the Rilleen. I didn’t get too close since, after all, only one of them knew me.

  I sat against a haystack and pulled out my white, palm-sized uplink booster. It wouldn’t be as strong as the one in the dropship, but I hoped for a clear signal anyway. I keyed it up, slotted my imager into it, and plugged one of its spooled cables into my earpiece. I heard the soft hum of the standby signal.

  “Come on, you piece of crap,” I muttered. I wanted to talk to the doctor first, for the sake of hearing a friendly voice. Too bad I was overdue for my first report to Norcross.

  Fortunately, he was not a fan of long communications. I touched my earpiece as the tone in my ear finally cut off. “Lieutenant Damon Norcross from Science Officer Bryant.”

  The earpiece trilled softly, and I heard a click. “Miss Bryant!” Not Science Officer or Doctor, of course—this was Norcross. His voice brimmed with obnoxious cheer. “How good to hear from you. How was your landing?”

  “Your techs miscalculated my landing velocity to a degree that could have killed me. The dropship was then grabbed out of midair by an animate plant, and I barely escaped with my life.” I spoke in a flatly professional tone, hiding my disgust with him. “Fortunately, my contact picked me up quickly. I am now at the Capitol.”

  “Is it really as tiny as everyone says?” No comment about his team’s screw-up.

  “I’m estimating the local population at roughly ten thousand.”

  He chuckled. “So what else do you have for me?”

  “I have made contact with the high chieftain. His name is Dorin. He is highly skeptical of our continued overtures. It may be some time before I can earn his trust.”

  “Pick up any image files of their fort?”

  “I have an image of Dorin and his court for you. You should find it educational. I’m drawing parallels with Britain in approximately the Eleventh Century.”

  “Upload this image for me immediately. I’m interested in finding out exactly what the high chieftain looks like.” His voice held a strange note of anticipation, but I was too tired to wonder about it.

  I uploaded the image. “I’m afraid that’s all I have for you so far.”

  “That’s fine. This is helpful. I expect to hear from you again in three days.”

  “Yes, sir.” The communicator clicked back to the standby hum.

  I sighed and sat back against the haystack, staring out past the crenellations at the cloudy sky. I noticed one far-off cloud that glittered strangely. I watched it curiously as I put in a call to the doctor.

  “This is Dr. Sterling. Nice to hear from you again. How are you doing after that crash? Must have been very harrowing.”

  Of course he understands. “It was, but I made do. Still, the dropship is a total loss.”

  “I’ll send some salvage drones to clean up the mess. Are you missing much of your gear?”

  “Pretty much everything except what I had in my jumpsuit.”

  “Maybe I can send you a supply drop at some point. At least your communications equipment didn’t get damaged.” There was a brief pause. “And how were you received by the Lyrans?”

  I hesitated.

  “Grace, is something wrong?” Concern had entered his voice, and I felt my throat tighten.

  “Doctor, I have run into some unexpected social complications here. They may interfere with the mission.”

  “I’m sorry. What happened?”

  I noticed the glittering cloud seemed to be growing closer. After a moment, I realized it was moving against the wind. What is that? “I need to know about Lyran courtship customs.”

  “That’s not something I had an opportunity to study. I do know they tend to have a good number of casual lovers but eventually settle down with permanent mates.”

  “And those mates . . . they get a choice in the m-matter, right?” Damn.r />
  “Grace, tell me what happened.”

  Deep breath. “I just need to know what kind of recourse do I have if one of the men will not leave me alone?”

  “I beg your pardon?” He sounded incredulous.

  “Look, I know most men have never been in a situation where you feel endangered because there’s a guy around who’s three times your size and doesn’t understand the meaning of the word no. Just take my word that it’s a serious problem.”

  “I do believe you. However, I will need more details if I’m to be of any help.”

  The glittering cloud was definitely heading our way. I started to hear a faint hum coming from it. “Look, this would be less of a problem, but it’s Dekkir. Did you find out how he and the other chiefs treat women before you sent me down here?”

  “Your liaison?” He sounded shocked. “What has he been doing?”

  “He went and told the high chieftain I was his . . . his mate.”

  Stirling coughed. “Oh dear.”

  “Do you have any idea what is going on? I can’t work around someone who is this sexually entitled. It’s worse than Norcross ever dreamed of being!”

  “It may not be sexual entitlement. You see, I don’t know that much about Lyran romance, but I do know a few things. Their mates . . . It’s called True Mating. They imprint on each other. It may be pheromonal, which would explain the sniffing, but there may also be a psychic component to it.”

  “Wait . . . wait . . . Do you mean Dekkir could be attached to me instinctively, like a . . . duckling?” It sounded so bizarre that some of my upset melted away. But it also gave context to some of the things Dekkir had said—especially his comment about having no choice in his strange infatuation.

  The doctor let out a little laugh. “I doubt he would appreciate the comparison, but yes. Apparently, something in your pheromone balance may have triggered his mating instincts. He’s no more in control of it than you are. But since you are not Lyran, you don’t have the same response.”

  “So you’re saying this guy is fixated on me, and he’s expecting me to feel the same way and doesn’t get that I don’t, because no one in their race has any choice who they end up with. How in the world am I going to live and work with someone who is constantly obsessing on me? And what if he decides to force the issue?”

  “He’s not going to rape you. Trust me on that.” I relaxed a little at the firm reassurance in his tone. “Even if he were that type of man, the same imprinting that makes him so attached prevents him from harming you.”

  “Well, that’s a relief at least.” The humming was growing louder. I stood up, shading my eyes to peer out at the strange shining cloud. I heard some of the Rilleen growing restless. “Hang on. I may have a situation developing here.”

  “Do you need to sign off?”

  I suddenly realized what I was looking at as I stared up into the sky: a glittering swarm of flying insects, each the size of my dropship, with wings that hummed like generators. They were headed straight for us.

  “Yes. I’ll call you back.” I signed off quickly, tucked my gear away in the jumpsuit’s belly pocket, and waved my arms at a passing soldier. “Hey!”

  He paused. “What, human?”

  I pointed at the swarm. “Is that normal?”

  He looked . . . and his eyes widened. He straightened and bracketed his mouth with his hands. “Sound the alarm! Swarm attack!”

  An alarm gong started clanging somewhere, and further shouts of warning sounded up and down the rooftop. The soldier had already run off to join his fellows. The Rilleen screeched excitedly as they poked their heads out of their shelters. I noticed no one went to guard them or take them inside; perhaps they were simply that good at fending for themselves.

  No time to worry about Keer’s safety now.

  I tried to run for the stairs myself and suddenly saw a massive shadow fall over me. The humming almost deafened me; I threw myself to the side as a heavy body slammed into the stones where I had been standing. The swarm had arrived, and I was trapped out in the open.

  CHAPTER 4 / DEKKIR

  She rejected me. How can she reject me? I know what I smelled. How is it that she does not feel the same things? How is it that she is so frightened and angry?

  I sat in a guesting-room chair, trying to sort through my confusion. Her furious refusal of me had put me in agony. My whole body wanted to be as close to her as I could. I wanted her in my arms again. I wanted her in my bed. But I had let her go when she had run away for the sake of her own comfort. I just didn’t understand why she seemed repulsed by me instead of attracted.

  Now and again, female friends and casual lovers had described to me the experience of an unwanted suitor who would not accept their refusal. There were so fewer women than men on Lyra that now and again, a male would get frustrated and behave a bit irrationally. Most could be talked down, but once in a while, one would become over-persistent or rage at rejection. Women’s reactions to such a man reminded me of Grace’s reaction to me, and the comparison horrified me.

  Why can she not sense what I sense? Is she crippled in some way? Are all humans? I had no idea. But I would have to find a way to work with her in any case, for the sake of the potential treaty.

  I was just starting to settle down and weigh my options when I heard the clang of the steel alarm gong on the roof. Someone ran down the hall outside, yelling, “Swarm attack!” I heard booted feet running toward the stairs: my fellow members of the warrior caste, mustering for defense.

  I cursed under my breath as I scooped up my spear and hurried out. Duty called, and I needed to find my guest as well. I had no idea where Grace was, but she would most likely have gone to one of the areas she was already familiar with. That would be either the market or possibly . . . the roof. Oh no.

  I ran through the market and bounded up the stairs, other warriors running to join me. Some bore spears like myself, some long torches, and some crossbows with their bolt-tips dipped in pitch.

  “Bows, form up around the rear torchmen!” I bellowed, waving my arm. “Spearmen, with me!”

  Despite having a job to do, I could barely think of anything besides the potential danger to Grace. I had no idea what I would do if she got hurt. Our bond was too new for me to fully sense where she was, but as soon as I got up the stairs, I must have caught her scent again. My head turned toward the Rilleen shelters.

  There. She’s there.

  I would have to fight my way to her. Gigantic, dark-blue insects swarmed all over the top of the wall, three-segmented, with jaws larger than swords. Their wings beat the air as they dove at the gathered warriors, trying to grab us and drag us off. The torchmen drove them back and lit the bolts of the crossbow wielders, who shot at the creatures’ wings. Once they were grounded, it was up to us spearmen to end them. I drove my spear into one’s back, pinning it down until a caste-mate could drive her spear into its head. I moved on to the next one and then the next, dispatching them methodically, only breaking my rhythm to dodge the odd mandible strike or flying body.

  The Rilleen aerie was piling up its own insect corpses; I could see those winged gray and black shapes darting back and forth as they slashed through their mindless attackers. Their young and wounded would be safe; hopefully, the same could be said for Grace.

  My arms ached with exhaustion from swinging the spear before the last of the swarm gave up and flew off. The rest lay in twitching piles all over the roof. I took a quick look around, noting only a few warriors seemed to be missing. However, I didn’t see Grace yet.

  I turned to the Rilleen shelters, which had partly collapsed under the weight of the insects. I picked my way toward it around chitinous corpses and a single feeding Rilleen that didn’t even look up as I stepped over its tail.

  “Grace!” I called. “Are you in there?”

  “I’m here!” Relief washed over me at the sound of her voice. She clambered out from under a collapsed overhang. A familiar black muzzle poked out after her. “K
eer protected me.”

  A rattle of chitin nearby caught my attention. A wounded insect, drawn by our voices, dragged itself out of a pile of its dead fellows, its wings burned down to stumps and one leg missing. Before I could do anything, it tried to launch itself past me—straight at Grace.

  I turned to face it, but it was too close for the spear. I was forced to drive the shaft of the spear crosswise against its mandibles to try and pin them, but one of them slipped and gashed open my bicep. I threw the thing backward with all my strength, turned, and as it launched forward again, drove my spear straight through its head. It collapsed instantly.

  I straightened, my arm dripping blood, and looked over at Grace, who had cowered back against Keer. “Are you hurt?” I called out desperately.

  “I’m not, but it looks like you are.” Grace hurried over to me without hesitation. “Here.” She pulled what looked like a hand-sized square of very white cloth out of her jumpsuit pocket and offered it. “Put this over the wound. It’ll stop the bleeding.”

  I took it and examined it dubiously. More of the technology these humans depend on so much. But it also sounded like exactly what I needed right then. I slapped it over the wound and felt it sting a little. “Thank you.”

  “You wouldn’t even have that wound if it wasn’t for me.” The regret in her voice surprised me. Perhaps she does not hate me so much after all.

  “What happened?”

  “The bugs cut me off from the stairs, and the only safe place I could go was in with Keer. I think I’m really lucky she likes me.” She picked a few bits of straw out of her hair and squeamishly looked around at the mess. The Rilleen were all gathering to feed now, chomping on insect corpses enthusiastically.

  “Yes, to befriend a Rilleen is a rare thing, especially if you are not its normal rider.” I hesitated, wary of upsetting her again, but cowardice in any arena did not suit a warrior. “Are you still angry with me?”