The Alien King's Baby: Sci-fi Alien Romance (Men of Omaron)

by Shea Malloy

  “What?” She looked aghast. “So they …?” She made a rude pumping gesture with her semi-closed fist and Mikaal laughed.

  “You are surprisingly filthy-minded for one who appears so innocent, human. But no, they did not lay hands on me in any manner. My essence is a powerful piece of energy source the elders have drawn from me. Once the process is complete, it is stored securely in the palace vaults.”

  “Hm. Not so securely this time, then,” she said, touching her stomach. Then in a softer voice: “What would you have done if this had happened while you were still engaged?”

  Her question gave him pause. He was surprised she knew he was once promised to be married, and her question left him with uncertainty. Indeed, what would he have done had he still been affianced to Valdaria? Finally, the answer came to him.

  “The outcome would have still been the same,” he said quietly. “I would have broken my engagement.”

  “Really? Why? I—I mean …” She fidgeted again, her curiosity clearly warring with her attempt to be polite. Her behaviour amused him. She amused him, despite the other things he’d said about her to Jonnar.

  The urge to kiss her accosted him. He dropped a glance to her full pink lips and the need strengthened. He told himself it was a bad idea in the same breath that he told himself he did not care.

  “I did not want her as my wife,” he said, stepping closer. He inhaled her sweet, flowery scent. No doubt Suri had shown her to the perfumed baths. She gazed up at him, her eyes wide and bright and hypnotic in their blueness, encouraging him to touch her. He cupped her face with one hand and found her flesh soft, her lips beneath his thumb even softer. “However, I would have still wanted you here with me.”

  His hands fell to her sides, pulling her flush against him as he claimed her mouth with his. Her speedy response was surprising and satisfying. She curled her hands around his neck and as their kiss deepened, becoming hungrier, Mikaal wondered why he’d taken so long to do this. Her body was made for his hands, he believed, because what else could explain the perfect fit of her flesh against his?

  Their tongues met, they tasted each other, devoured each other. He was as hard as the pillar behind her back and his need to be inside her subverted his usual control. He broke their heated kiss to caress her jawline and neck with his lips, her sigh of his name increasing his desperation. He clutched her sari, ready to shove her skirts up and bury himself inside her right there. But a small, rational voice managed to break through the fog of lust clouding his thoughts.

  It was one of the hardest decisions he’d ever made in his life, but he released her. He grabbed her hands from around his neck, shaking his head to clear it. The desire and the anticipation still present in her eyes nearly undid his resolve.

  “I … apologize,” he said, his voice gravelly.

  “For what?”

  “I should not have kissed you.” He released her hands and she wrapped them around her front as though to shield herself. The desire in her eyes faded as suspicion and hurt took its place.

  “You didn’t seem to mind when you were doing it.”

  “I forgot you were human.”

  She regarded him as though he’d slapped her and Mikaal realized how terrible his words sounded.

  “Wow, you bigoted ass,” she said before he could explain himself. She dodged his hands when he tried to reach for her.

  “Megan, you misunderstand. I did not mean—”

  “Oh no. Don’t you dare put any blame on me, you prejudiced asshole. You don’t give a shit about me when I’m in my human clothes, but the instant I look like one of you, you’re all over me.” She pointed at him, her eyes shiny with outrage. Absurdly, the urge to kiss her reawakened. “You better stay the hell away from me from now on. I mean it!”

  “Megan—”

  His words fell on deaf ears and a stiff back as she stormed off into the palace. Mikaal stood there in mild shock by how swiftly things had turned from very good to terribly bad. He cursed himself for many things: his terrible choice of words, his inability to clarify himself, and his foolish decision to kiss her in the first place. On second thought, he didn’t regret that last part. If given the chance to feel her lips and her body against his, he’d do it all over again.

  But doing these things complicated matters between them. It was what he wanted to say, what he should have said, what he would say to her when he spoke with her on the morrow. For now, he would do as she asked and maintain his distance even though it pained him to do so.

  8

  Megan

  When Megan woke up the next day, the events of last night returned with bright clarity: the announcement ceremony, the increased anxiety borne from being around so many unfamiliar faces, and the kiss. Megan’s face grew warm when she remembered the way Mikaal held her in his arms and kissed her with fierce want.

  She had wanted him more than anything. Had he decided to further things along, she would have followed him shamelessly without a second thought. Unfortunately, things had gone south. In hindsight she may have overreacted even though his words still hurt.

  It was for the best, she thought. It’s how she’d consoled herself the night before after Suri and the four-armed guards escorted her back to the room. Kissing Mikaal was a bad idea on its own. Having sex with him? Worst idea among all the terrible ideas that ever existed.

  Not that it would be a terrible experience. Oh no. The way he’d kissed her last night? He knew what he was doing and he was damn excellent at it. No doubt his skills in other areas would be just as commendable …

  Anyway. That was not the point. The point: he was an alien king and she was a human. Right off the bat, they were totally wrong for each other. They were from two completely different worlds and had only come to know of each other’s existence through a botched theft. A mistake. It didn’t make any sense compounding the first mistake with another big one by sleeping with each other.

  Sex came with feelings. Feelings came with confusion. Confusion came with complication. They were attracted to each other, yes, but that was fine. Manageable. And even though it made her stomach feel fluttery that Mikaal wanted her, she couldn’t let herself get carried away. She served one purpose in Mikaal’s life and it was to give him a baby. After that, she was on the first ship—spaceship—back to her home world.

  She knew her weaknesses, and her biggest was her inability to compartmentalize emotions. If they had sex she’d develop feelings for him. And then where would that leave her? He wouldn’t want her around. After all, she was a human.

  Stop it. Megan got to her feet, blowing out a deep breath to force her mind free of unpleasant thoughts. She glanced at Mikaal’s side of the bed. The sheets were undisturbed which meant he’d not returned to the room. She ignored the hollow pang in her chest as she went inside the closet in search of fresh clothing.

  Vaguely, she thought on the fact that Mikaal had kept his promise since her first night in his bed. Her fears that one morning she’d wake up and find him covering her body with his went unfounded. Even in rest, he maintained control as he did while awake.

  Except last night.

  Except when his hands were all over her, branding her skin with his warmth, his cock like hard steel between them—

  Her face hot, Megan let out a soft breath of frustration as she focused every ounce of her concentration on dressing herself. Suri had taught her how to wear a sari and had brought a multitude of them for her to choose from yesterday. She much preferred the freeness of it than her tighter Earth clothing. Not that she’d ever admit that to Mikaal.

  Dressed in her newest blue sari, Megan inspected herself in the mirror. She spread her hands over her stomach, trying to imagine what she’d look like when the baby bump began to show. Her heart beat a little faster with excitement. For a moment she wished her mother and sisters were there for her to share the news. Then she remembered her plans to leave once the baby was born. When she returned to Earth, would she tell her family what had happened
? Could she?

  Megan turned away from the mirror and left the closet. She marched straight to the door, determined to find some activity to occupy her time and her mind. Idling about led to her dwelling on decisions she wasn’t ready to confront.

  The door slid open and Megan came to an abrupt halt at the four-armed guards standing just outside. The past two days she’d been able to leave because of Suri. She wasn’t sure she had the same privileges without the alien princess.

  “Can I go?” she asked, her voice wavering.

  To her surprise, the guards each pressed a fist to their chest and bowed before standing straight again.

  What the hell? That was new.

  Confused, Megan took a tentative step forward. Then another. She released a deep huff of relief when she walked past them without incident. She lingered where she stood, unsure where to go. Suri had taken her on a tour, but she couldn’t remember what was where and vice versa. She supposed her best bet was to go wherever her feet took her.

  Steady footfalls thumped behind her. One of the guards was following her. Megan didn’t mind. It wasn’t a new occurrence. Terrifying they may be, the guards were there to ensure her protection.

  And imprisonment.

  ***

  “Despite my constant warning about your safety, you wander off on your own.”

  Startled, Megan sat up straight and peered over her shoulder. Mikaal stood behind her, his arms folded across his broad chest. His features were cool and unreadable as his gaze met hers.

  She pursed her lips, her voice chilly. “You can’t expect me to stay in one room all day. I’ll go crazy.” She shrugged as she turned back to the huge display screen mounted on the wall. It looked like a gigantic television. She’d found the parlor room from the evening before. After perusing the small bookcase and finding the text in the books illegible, she’d settled for the TV. There was a show going on, but she couldn’t understand a word the alien actors said. It kept her interest mainly from the novelty that aliens had TV shows. “Besides, a guard followed me here.”

  He remained silent. Too aware of his presence, Megan stared at the screen, no longer paying attention to the show.

  “Have you eaten?”

  The question caught her off-guard. She’d anticipated an argument where he inevitably overrode what she wanted.

  Her stomach rumbled, answering the question before she could.

  “No,” she mumbled.

  He came around to stand in front of her, his hand extended for her to take.

  “Come with me.”

  She eyed his hand but didn’t take it. His words from last night returned, as did the hurt they inspired.

  “You’re willing to touch a human?” Her tone was cattier than she intended but she didn’t care. Maybe the more unpleasant she behaved, the less he’d want to be around her, and the likelihood of anything happening between them would be non-existent.

  He dropped his hand and stared at her intently. She fisted the material of her sari in her palms and dropped her gaze. She was afraid his violet-eyed stare would be able to look past the wall she was hastily constructing in order to keep him out.

  Then he reached for her, clutching her upper arms and pulling her to her feet.

  “I am willing to do more than touch you,” he said, his voice quiet. “I have not hidden my attraction to you.” His fingers were warm and rough on her bare skin, his familiar spicy citrus scent intoxicating. His gaze dipped to her lips for an instant and her insides became quivery with anticipation. “And what you are has no bearing on why I’ve refused to take you.”

  His bluntness excited her, his words and his touch driving up the heat in her body.

  “That’s not what you said last night,” she murmured.

  He relinquished his hold and she regretted the loss of his touch.

  “I apologize. I did not intend to insult you, Megan,” he said, genuine remorse in his voice and on his face. “But we are from different worlds. You have expressed your wish to leave once the child is born. I do not—I would prefer if our relationship continued without confusion.”

  Megan nodded slowly. They were on the same wavelength. Sort of. While those were the exact words she’d said to herself earlier, she felt a twinge of disappointment hearing him say them aloud. He’d accepted the fact that she was going to leave. He wasn’t going to ask her to stay.

  “Of course. No confusion.” She gave him a tentative smile. “Friends, then? Because I’m doing you a huge favour here.” She touched her stomach.

  He smiled in return, his violet eyes alight with amusement.

  “Friends? You’ve called me your captor since you first arrived.”

  “Yeah, well, the free food and being treated like royalty changed my mind.” She pointed at the display screen. “The big-ass TV helps too. But I don’t understand a thing that’s being said.”

  He glanced at the screen before meeting her gaze again.

  “I can teach you.”

  “Really?” Megan grinned, just barely resisting the urge to hug him. “After we eat, let’s start with the basics: swear words.”

  9

  Mikaal

  He would never admit it out loud, but Mikaal looked forward to the time he spent tutoring Megan on the history and language of Omaron.

  Her intelligence and her genuine interest in his culture impressed him. Her strong opinions and easy humour provided him with constant amusement. He liked her. Maybe a bit more than that, too. Yet another thing he wasn’t about to share. The longer he spent in her presence, the harder it was for him to stand by his words to keep things simple between them.

  He wanted to kiss her again. It was the prevailing thought cycling through his mind whenever he was in her presence. He wanted her body against his, her mouth pressed to his. Her supple flesh should be in his hands, his name moaned from her lips. Mikaal had always prided himself on his willpower, but each passing day he spent seated close to her, tortured by her sweet, tempting scent, his willpower took a critical hit.

  “OK, so how did the Revolian army even know where to protect?” she asked, her blue eyes bright with curiosity. “If they were prepared, then someone from the Omaron army must have tipped them off.”

  Mikaal nodded slowly. He’d been recounting the tale of the freedom of the Lutvians from their Revolian slave-masters. He’d expected this question, but he still wasn’t prepared to answer it.

  “Yes.”

  “Who?”

  “My mother.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “But isn’t that … that would mean she committed …”

  “Treason,” he finished, his voice tight. “She was a traitor to my planet and my father.” To me.

  Megan frowned. “That’s … unpleasant. But she must have had a reason, right? She wouldn’t have done something like that otherwise.”

  “Yes, she did it for her lover, the Revolian king. When her treachery was discovered, she killed herself.”

  “Oh, Mikaal, I’m so sorry,” she said softly, reaching for his hand. He slid away from her gentle touch and got to his feet to maintain distance between them. His chest felt heavy, weighed down by a chaotic mix of deep anger and sadness for his mother’s betrayal, and his intense arousal for the human woman he couldn’t have.

  “Your condolences are unnecessary,” he said, his tone harsh. “Those events took place many years ago.”

  “Mikaal—” she began, but he didn’t bother to let her finish.

  “Continue your studies on your own. I have other matters to attend to.”

  He stalked off without a backward glance. Only when he returned to his office did he feel regretful for how he behaved. He ignored the guilt by burying himself in work until he was distracted by a call from Jonnar.

  “What is it?” he grumbled when Jonnar’s hologram came into view.

  “Still yet to enjoy the comforts of your human female, I see,” said Jonnar with a grin. “Or perhaps she’s denied your attempts and that’s why you’re in s
uch a sour mood?”

  Mikaal glared. “Remind me to put a bounty on your head. Dead or alive. But preferably dead.”

  Jonnar laughed. “Ha. I’m far more precious to you alive, my Klar. To prove my worth, I’ve found a source that can lead us to the truth behind the theft.”

  Mikaal sat up straighter. “Where?”

  “The planet of deviants: Stoath. I’m flying out tomorrow.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  ***

  Work and his impending trip to Stoath kept his thoughts busy for the duration of the day. But as he made his way to his chambers, he remembered his earlier encounter with Megan. Along with the memory came the irritation. With every step he took, his anger increased. She would be there in his chambers. Temptation all over again. A punishment he’d brought on himself in his obstinacy. When she’d mentioned the inappropriateness of her sleeping in his chambers, he’d brushed her fears aside. Now he wished he’d done what she’d asked.

  I can still move her to her own chambers, he thought. But that would jeopardize her safety. While he was awake, the protection of the Ahmenian guards were enough, but during rest he preferred knowing she was close by. Not to mention that deep down, he enjoyed having her in his bed, her warm body close at hand.

  The door slid open to admit him. He stepped inside at the same moment she exited the bath. Her skin looked vibrant, the semi-sheer material of her nightgown hinting at her luscious curves. Mikaal breathed slowly to calm himself as he advanced into the room, but he only managed to inhale her delicious scent.

  He felt her eyes following him as he made his way to the closet to undress. When he returned, she was perched on the edge of the bed. Her gaze fell to his naked chest immediately before climbing to his face again, her cheeks pink.

  “I’m sorry for upsetting you earlier.” She dragged a toe along the carpet. “I guess I can be too inquisitive sometimes.”