by Maia Starr
But maybe if they were going to take me off of Hexa, I would be able to find a way to go to Earth. It was almost worth the time I had had to spend with Kerglan. Hopefully, he wouldn’t want to move things physically any further.
“A week will give us the time to prepare the ship for extraction. We cannot allow the psychotic beasts on this planet to get their hands on anything that might aid in their escape,” Lazan said thoughtfully.
“If even we cannot use this ship to escape, then what makes you think that the dumb brute creatures on this planet can?” Jadex said.
“The most dangerous creatures on this planet are not the big, scary creatures that jump out at you. It’s the ones who know how to plot. They lurk in the shadows, waiting to strike, and by the time they do, the damage is already done. You have all been careful, correct?” Lazan’s voice was serious as he looked from one crew member to another.
“Of course. So tell us then, what is it that you have discovered about this planet? You were exploring so long, there had to have been a purpose for it.”
A few of the crew members snickered, and Kerglan’s face grew tense. Lazan noticed this too and stood up from where he was seated around the fire.
“If there are any further questions about the terrain on this planet, we can discuss them later. The human has a frail system; it is unfair to keep her awake so late. Come, Kerglan. Let us help Mila settle in. She is your chosen mate after all.”
The way he said this made my stomach knot. I wanted just as badly as he did for that not to be true, but Kerglan couldn’t know about my true feelings. If he did, it would be hell for us both, and Lazan and I didn’t need whatever backlash might follow. Things were already complicated enough.
“Come now, human. We will show you to your room.”
***
That night I spent the night in an actual bed for the first time since I had been abducted. In the Petchuvian’s ship, we had all been forced to crowd together on the floor of the ship after being brought inside, and it had been extremely uncomfortable.
Here, within the Raither ship, there were many units that were small and private, and I was given the luxury of a room by myself. It was a relief to be away from the brothers, who had been brooding for far too long since our journey. Hopefully, some much needed time apart would give all three of us a fresh perspective. The stress of being lost on this planet of all places was bound to make anybody do crazy things and have crazy thoughts.
For some reason, even though I was incredibly comfortable, I was having a hard time sleeping. I had been mildly nauseated for a few days now, and eating had been difficult. The Raither food had been a nice change, but something in it apparently wasn’t agreeing with me, because the nausea was becoming more persistent. I didn’t want to bother the Raithers with my ailment, however. It seemed inconsequential, and I hardly trusted any of them.
Even Lazan, now that we were among his crew, was distant and hard to talk to, and no matter how much I wanted to be by his side, there was no way to make it a possibility. It was lonely, in a way, but the space apart was good. We would be able to collect our thoughts and give everything a nice examination in the morning light. Perhaps Kerglan would realize just how absurd it was that he had claimed me, considering I wasn’t even a person of his own species. It was worth hoping for. Maybe he was lying in his own little room regretting the act as much as I was beginning to regret sharing such an intimate and personal act with Lazan.
Another wave of nausea overpowered me, and suddenly I felt claustrophobic in the little room, almost as if I couldn’t breathe. I sat up quickly and made my way out of the ship, and into the small section of bushes that had been designated for me to escape to should my primitive human form need tending to. I heaved for a moment, nearly losing everything within my stomach, but nothing came out. I sighed. What a time to be getting sick. Everything was just starting to look up, and there I was, feeling as if I had just been hit by a truck.
“Human, are you all right?”
I stiffened at the sound of Lazan’s voice and turned just in time to see him step forward. His eyes were cast over in shadow, dubious and concerned. He was still in the habit of protecting me: unlike my chosen mate, who was probably sleeping soundly in his bunk without a care as to whether I was out there dry heaving or not.
“I will be fine, thank you, Lazan,” I said, secretly relishing in the chance to speak with him. I hadn’t realized how much I had been craving his presence, and now that he was here, some part of me seemed to feel better instantly.
“It is strange, being among so many again when we were just a few so recently,” Lazan said quietly.
“Yeah,” I agreed, looking down at the ground. It was hard to speak to him like this, kind of awkward. Both of us seemed to be thinking about the same thing: the ill-fated afternoon we had spent together when Kerglan had been away. When I finally looked back up at him, he was eyeing me, his multicolored eyes intense.
I gasped softly as his arms wrapped around my waist, and we kissed, deeply and tenderly. Every nerve in my body was awakened with longing as held his muscular body close to mine; I could feel every exciting movement he made against me, his muscles sending a little thrill through my body that was impossible to deny.
We heard a branch breaking and jumped apart suddenly, the abrupt sound bringing sense back into our minds. We had a death wish thinking that we could get away with something like this so close to the camp. And yet, it had been so impossible to resist the pull of Lazan’s body. I had overheard them talking about what happened to those who committed adultery in the Raither clans, and I could not let something like that happen to Lazan. My feelings for him had developed into a deep appreciation, almost a deep longing. It was hard to reconcile; the Raithers were so cool about their emotions that I had no idea what he was thinking or feeling at any given time.
When we parted, we were both panting softly, on the lookout for whoever it might have been that we heard approaching. At first, my instinct was to fear; we had been out in the dangerous forest for so long that I had gotten used to having every step riddled with danger.
We both relaxed visibly when we heard the hushed voices of two Raither crew members standing on the other side of the brush, speaking in low tones about what was going to happen when the ship came.
“I heard they are going to leave the commander on Yala and attempt the rescue mission without him. That seems unwise,” one man said.
“Yes, but if he has had a hand in instructing the mission, then all will be well. The Resha Federation is more than prepared to handle this sort of thing.”
We listened silently until we heard the men move on from their post, their voices carrying behind them in a gentle, indecipherable murmur. Finally, Lazan turned to me, his eyes capturing me with an intensity that made me burn for him.
“Good night, human,” he said, turning his back on me and marching away.
I watched helplessly, the longing for him nearly reaching a fevered pitch, but there was nothing I could do about it. Kerglan had claimed me, and that was the way it had to be.
***
The next two days drudged onward, and I wished more than anything that they would be over soon. Every time I came into contact with food of any kind, I wanted nothing to do with it and found myself covering my nose and mouth to protect myself from the smells.
“Some mate you chose for yourself there, Kerglan,” the crew would tease. “She won’t be able to stand your cooking. It is not too late; you could leave her on this planet to rot!”
Kerglan would laugh, but his eyes would rest upon me, serious and dark, and it made me uneasy. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the food. Actually, it was far superior to many of the dishes I had enjoyed on Earth. And yet, it still managed to make me nauseated.
At first, I thought it was just because Raither foods did not agree with my system, but I soon began to experience a tenderness in my breasts that made me think otherwise. Panic consumed me, and with a sudden, te
rrifying burst of realization, the truth became clear as day to me: I was pregnant.
There was no way that the Raithers would accept what had happened out in the wilderness; they would surely see that whatever child I gave birth to was of Raither descent, and since I hadn’t actually slept with Kerglan, it would become clear that Lazan had betrayed his brother. If they found out, they would surely want to seek revenge, and Lazan would not be allowed to leave.
I couldn’t let him lose his chance to return back to his planet. Whether he liked it as much as the others or not, it was still better than being trapped on Hexa for the rest of his life.
“Human, are you all right?” Lazan asked. He was looking at me from across the campfire, where we were all enjoying, or in my case, attempting to enjoy, our evening meal together. Kerglan had been oblivious to my moods ever since we had met, but I suddenly resented Lazan’s razor-sharp perception.
“I am all right,” I said. “I just haven’t been feeling well.”
A few of the crew members chuckled. “The human isn’t interested in this Raither food. Lazan, next time you ought to go pick her some fruits and berries so she will eat something. We don’t want her to waste away before Kerglan gets his chance to bring her to his bed.”
Everybody burst into raucous laughter: everybody, that was, except for Lazan and me. We exchanged a private look, each of us thinking exactly the same thing. I looked down at my plate quickly, and Lazan was forced to smile and chuckle along, as if he, too, thought the whole situation was a riot.
“Perhaps you should lie down then,” Lazan said once the laughter died down, rising from his seat. “Allow me to escort you to bed.”
Nobody batted an eye as Lazan and I walked away from the oblivious crew members. He followed me into the small room and closed the door, his eyes flashing with heat. I was suddenly consumed by another kiss: deep, languid, and urgent. It took my breath away, and I nearly began to cry. Because at that moment, I knew exactly what I had to do. I had to protect Lazan, at all costs. Even if that meant I might never make it home again.
“What is the matter, Mila?” Lazan asked, his handsome face concerned. “Are you still unwell?”
I nodded.
“I think I should just lay down now, in private,” I said softly, trying to choke back my tears. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if he saw me cry. There was no way I would be able to answer his questions.
“Good night then, human,” Lazan said, his eyes doubtful as he turned to leave. “Sleep well.”
I nodded, too choked up to even answer him.
I watched, for what I knew very well could be the last time, as Lazan walked away from me. I didn’t want to do it, but this seemed to be the only option. I closed the door softly behind him. Goodbye had never been so hard.
Chapter 7
Lazan Kylad (Technical Support)
“Lazan! Where is the human? I sent Jadez to fetch her hours ago. It is time for her to eat. I thought we could try seeing whether or not she can eat some pacha root. It is good for digestion.”
I frowned. I had been wondering myself where the human had gotten off to. It was strange that she hadn’t been seen by now; usually, she was an early riser who enjoyed puttering around the camp and examining everything that she could get her hands on. Her scientific mind was always on the go, and at times I could almost imagine that she was there more as a researcher than as a captive of my brother’s claim.
“We should look for the human,” I said, a sudden feeling of foreboding overwhelming me. If she was not within the camp, then she could be in danger. Humans were the chosen morsel for many a horrifying beast; their high water content made them excessively enjoyable to those prone to carnivorous appetites. “What if she is in danger?”
“Lazan, I am the highest-ranking official here. It is my duty to stay at the site. After what happened the last time I left, I do not want a mutiny on my hands.”
I pursed my lips. Leave it to my brother to find a way to weasel out of doing any actual work that might consist of encountering the horrible beasts of Hexa–at least when it was not his own idea.
“All right. Well, I would like to go out and look for the human.”
“Are you asking my permission?” Kerglan asked, raising his brow at me. “I command you to do it. Find my mate and bring her back to me. The ship will be coming any day now, and I want to introduce her to father. Is that understood?”
I prickled but nodded. “Of course.”
“Good, now go. And if you do not find her by tomorrow, return back to camp. I fear if she is gone that long then the worst has happened.”
The thought made me sick to my stomach, but Kerglan spoke with no emotion in his voice, as if he would just as soon see her eaten by a Jargon as brought back to Yala with us. I could not believe his crass and callous attitude; but then again, it was Kerglan. Why was I even allowing myself to be surprised?
I turned my back on my brother, angry and disgusted by his dismissal of the human’s life. I would find her and protect her, just as I had from the moment I had laid eyes upon her. Because whether Kerglan liked it or not, in truth, she was mine.
***
The panic in my chest mounted the longer I was separated from Mila until the only thing that was driving me forward was the desperate need to find her. if anything happened to her, I had no idea what I would do. I had never felt so strongly about anybody before; it was terrifying. Even my own family had rarely prompted such intense emotions within me. What was I going to do with myself if I found that I was too late to save the human?
“Shit!”
I frowned and whipped around, just in time to see a wisp of light brown hair disappear into the brush. I followed after it, instinctively knowing that I had found the human. It had taken a day and a half of searching, but she was alive.
“Mila, stop at once!”
She halted at the sound of my stern voice and turned slowly, sheepishly, to meet my eye.
“What are you doing here?” she asked quietly.
“I am here looking for you! What were you thinking, disappearing like that? You could have been killed!” I lowered my voice, although on the inside, I was quaking with anger. “I thought you had been killed. Why would you do this?”
I stopped myself before adding “to me” to that sentence. Why would she do this to me? Why would she think that it was okay to disappear without a trace and leave me to wonder what had become of her? I would have spent the rest of my life worrying about what had become of Mila. There was something in me that could not rest unless I knew she was safe and sound and content. It was absurd, but it was just the fact of the matter. I should have been the one to claim her. Not Kerglan. But it had happened how it happened, and now we had to face the consequences.
“I did not want to go to Yala,” Mila said haltingly, her voice breaking as she spoke. “I do not belong with your brother. You know that. What do you imagine that life is going to be like for us if I go to your planet? It is going to be completely miserable. You know that!”
“I do not know what the future has in store,” I said carefully, sidestepping the fact that these exact thoughts had already run through my head over and over again during the past weeks. I could not stand seeing my brother so possessive of this human. He wanted her for himself. But when he did have her, he treated her so callously. It was as if he had no care for her whatsoever. The way our father had been with our mother. It was no wonder that the two of them got along so well.
“I just can’t go with you, Lazan. It would be too dangerous…”
I frowned. Was the human crying? How peculiar. Then again, if I were in her shoes, I would probably be emotional as well. Kerglan was not the kind of man I would want to spend my life with if I had ever had any choice in the matter. He always managed to make things miserable. Even if he wasn’t trying to.
“It would be far more dangerous for you to live on this planet alone. Even if you did find your tribe of humans, there is no saying what typ
e of dangers you may find yourselves in. I cannot allow anything to happen to you. You know how much I…”
I trailed off. I couldn’t speak my feelings aloud to her. Not only were they extremely inappropriate, but they would not help her agree to come to Yala. She was going to be stuck in the home of my brother, where she was going to have to abide by his rules and his fickle temperament.
And yet it was far worse for her to stay on Hexa. At least on Yala, there might be a way for her to find happiness. And her fate would be that of a mate, lavishly spoiled with gifts and trophies of appreciation, whether they were hollow or not. Most females were treated remarkably well, though it was true that they were often overlooked and ignored or taken for granted. And then there were more extreme cases, like what had happened with my mother, and would probably end up happening with Mila, should my brother follow through with his claim.
Mila looked up at me, her eyes round, sincere, and beautiful.
“I’m just scared, Lazan…I know that going with you will give me my best chance of survival, but I just can’t…there’s too much at stake. You don’t understand.”
I sighed. “Human, this is not the time or the place to have this conversation. You must come back with me. That is all there is to it.”
Mila opened her mouth to refuse me again, but I shook my head and went to her, gripping her arm in my hand. The heat of her body awoke a fierce longing in me, but I could not allow myself to act upon it. We had to begin to focus on the future. We could not allow the fate of her claim to cause any trouble between my brother and I. I would face certain exile.
“Lazan…”
I frowned as the human trailed off. She seemed as if she were about to speak, but the words were apparently caught in her throat, because instead, she just looked at me helplessly, with unshed tears springing to her eyes. I sighed and brought her close to my body, in a tight embrace that I hoped might soothe her fears away.