Jessica's Mates: A Sci-fi Alien Romance (Brides of the Aashi Book 4)

by Belle Harper

  And if he did, he told me he would understand if I had more mates. I just didn’t think I would want them… oh god. Tears were streaming down my face as I heard them after me. And Tomlee. I would give him a chance; he had my body singing to him. I wanted to get to know him also. Make blankets and babies together.

  Ugh… Was this the end, where I work out all the things I should have done but now it was too late? That was when you figured out it was the end, right? I could understand why the others had more than one mate. How could you choose just one when there were so many different males, all unique and special? All wanting the same thing: companionship, love. Someone to come home to at night and say, “Hey, honey, how was your day?”

  I wanted that. I wanted it all and if I got back to Clan Wolf, I was telling them all this.

  “Jessica,” I heard from close behind me. I shrieked and lost my footing. I tumbled to the ground, my ankle twisting. Pain shot up and I grabbed it.

  “Fuck, get away from me. I don’t know what you want. Leave me alone.”

  The blue male looked down at me. His huge body was covered in blood. Did they hurt him? Why was he following me?

  “K’Tem, Jessica.” He nodded at me. His short, blue hair falling in his eyes as he looked down. I glanced behind them to see if Bezen and the others were coming for me, but no one seemed to be there.

  “K’Tem? Did you just say K’Tem?” Oh my god. I sagged. He knew K’Tem.

  “Where is he? Is he coming here? Is he with you?” I could see he didn’t understand my words. I didn’t know who or what he was, but he said the right words. He said “K’Tem” and that was enough for me to choose to go with him.

  I pulled myself up, holding onto the tree beside me, but my ankle gave out and I bit my lip trying to hold in the cry of pain.

  “Jessica.” I looked up and he held his hands out to me. I heard Bezen calling out. It was either I jumped in this guy’s arms—even though he was covered in blood—or I’d never get away from Bezen again.

  I chose blue guy. I reached up and he took me very carefully into his arms, cradling me to his chest. I felt the air breezing past as he started to run. Towards K’Tem, I assumed, but after a while the pain in my ankle turned to a throb and the adrenaline from the chase had worn off. I found my eyes closing.

  I just hoped he was a good guy.

  Chapter Fourteen

  K’Tem

  I couldn’t believe I had gotten this far only for my Jessica to be kidnapped by the males from Clan Ariaan. I shouldn’t have left here. I should have spoken up to my commander about my fated mate. My chest burned with the pain of losing her to these males. They would die for this. I wouldn’t allow them to be free once I got my hands on them.

  The same was for the two males here with me. Koh and Tomlee believed they were her fated mates. It made me wonder if there was something special about human females to make so many males drawn to them. Maybe humans were not that much different to Aashi, taking many mates.

  I looked down to my datapad, following the directions my brother was sending me. I pointed in a new direction and changed course. It was as if she was moving faster now.

  “Are you sure this is the way?” the older male, Apak, asked me. I stopped and let them see my screen where my brother tracked her. She was moving much faster than I thought she would be. I quickly typed in a message asking if he was tracking her and not an animal. He replied that it was Jessica, but she wasn’t alone. And she wasn’t with an Aashi either.

  “What does that mean?” My hearts started to race. She wasn’t alone?

  “What does what mean?” Koh asked with a curious tone to his voice. I turned to see him looking at me, then glancing back to my datapad, confused at my words.

  “She is not alone, my brother has stated, and she is not with an Aashi. I do not understand this. We will need to be prepared for when we get close. We might need to fight.”

  All the males gripped their spears and waited for me. I felt like I was slowing them down, but I ran with everything I had. I was coming for her.

  When we came to a clearing, to where it said she was, I saw her golden hair. She was lying down, away from us. I worried she was dead, that we were too late. Koh called out and I watched as she rolled over and opened her eyes.

  “Koh?” she called over to him, the smile on her face making me believe she was unharmed. And very happy to see him.

  “Koh, oh god, you’re okay?” He nodded and he bent down beside her. She held her hand up to his face, the tender moment between them had me conflicted. I wanted to push him aside and show her I was now here, but I wouldn’t do this to her either. She had something special with this Aashi male. I promised I would understand if she had taken on Aashi mates, and if what Koh and Tomlee said was true, she would want them as mates. They were good males from what I had seen.

  “K’Tem?” I heard her gasp. I moved in close to her, her eyes streaming with tears. I wiped one away and she sniffled as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

  “Oh god, you’re really here. Thank you, thank you for coming back for me. I have been waiting so long for you. I love you, K’Tem.”

  Her words all pouring out and making my hearts break for her that she missed me so much. I wanted to make this better. I wanted to give her nothing but good times, I never wanted to see her cry again.

  “I am here. Koh and Tomlee also. But who is with you?” I asked, looking around as best I could. Apak and Vallyn were staring off to the side.

  “Oh, a blue guy,” she responded, as if she only realized he was no longer here.

  “Blue guy?” Tomlee asked. She reached her hand out to him and I could see the grin on his face as he took hers in his. She smiled and nodded.

  “K’Tem,” I heard called out. I stood, helping Jessica to her feet. She winced when she placed weight on her left ankle. Tomlee fussed over it and she held his hand to support herself.

  “Sanza?” Was it really? The male I had helped only hours before?

  He came forward and the Aashi males took a step back, their spears held out in front of them, not sure if he was friend or foe yet.

  “You saved my life, and I saved the life of your mate. My debt is paid.”

  The others were confused until the translator on Jessica’s wrist repeated the words, then my translator repeated them into Aashi. It was very confusing.

  “He saved me, he helped me get away, but he is injured. We need to take him back to get him some help. One of the healers? Axoh? Tyee?” Jessica called out.

  “You must come to Clan Wolf. We can heal you. Thank you for saving Jee-seka,” Vallyn replied. It was interesting the way everything was being translated. I hoped to learn English and Aashi and never have to use it again. Which reminded me to reply to my brother that I had found her, and the Zalli male I had freed was who had saved her.

  I turned to look down at my fated mate, and she smiled up at me.

  “Can’t believe it’s really you. You came for me. I knew you would.”

  She touched my face, and her fingers danced along my lower lip. I snaked my tongue out and licked her finger. She giggled.

  “Kiss me.” I pushed the hair that had broken loose from her tie behind her ear and kissed her deeply.

  This was it, I was with my fated mate and I had never been happier.

  “Let’s return and let them all know we have found Jee-seka.”

  I reached down and lifted her into my arms.

  “I love you,” I told her in English. She sighed and held onto me tight.

  “I love you too. I still can’t believe you’re really here.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jessica

  It was strange when I returned to camp, K’Tem never letting go of my hand even though most of the guys stared at him like he was an alien. I chuckled at the thought. I guess they were used to humans now but M’Mori were really different with all the scales… and the teeth.

  It would take a long time for the Aashi to fully trust
him, but he was kind and patient with them all as they asked him many questions. Koh helped answer what I knew and had told him, but I didn’t know how bad it was. My ankle still throbbed, and I was trying not to bear weight on it, but it was hard. I didn’t want K’Tem to carry me anymore, so I told him I could walk for a while. It was so dark now; the day had gone so fast and yet it felt like forever.

  “Who’s the blue guy?” Elle asked, eyeing up our new member. I smiled and wiggled my brows at her. She slapped me playfully.

  “Oh, shut it, you. We don’t need another matchmaker here, I was just wondering because he doesn’t look like an Aashi is all.”

  Brooklyn wrapped her arms around me. I had to let go of K’Tem to hug her back. I could feel her crying.

  “I’m okay, don’t worry. I’m fine.” I stroked her dark brown hair. She pulled back enough to show me her puffy eyes in the moonlight.

  “I didn’t mean it, for you to leave. I’m so sorry. I won’t ever try and interfere again. Tomlee is like… Well, guess he is my brother-in-law or whatever they call it here. He is the kindest guy ever and he told me how much he was drawn to you. How your scent drew him in the same as Makee did with mine. So, I knew you were meant to be mates. In my head, that is. I didn’t listen to you, and I made it worse.” I patted her back as I shook my head.

  “No, no you didn’t. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Do I smell different?” The other girls all smiled. “What? What did I miss?”

  “We will tell you in the morning. Come lay down, have some rest, and in the morning we can all chat about this because I’m starting to see a pattern with how we have our mates… Also, is K’Tem’s chest glowing?” Luna looked beside me to where his chest was slightly exposed from his soldier outfit.

  “Well, yeah.” They had seen him before, but I guess not with his shirt off. I had seen it glow, I just assumed it was normal for M’Mori.

  K’Tem answered her. “Ah, these are my fated mate marks. Jessica doesn’t have them as she is a human female, but these are only for when you found your fated. I have found mine with Jessica. I didn’t know it could happen with another species, but it has.”

  Say what? I knew he had mentioned fated mates but not that his chest glowed because of me. I reached out and touched one of the swirls and it brightened.

  “Oh, wow, that’s cool,” I heard one of the girls say. Yeah, it was really cool but what the hell? He never told me. I wish I knew. I should have known this, but I guess I didn’t fully know K’Tem. And tomorrow, after I slept, I would ask him everything. About him, his family, being a M’Mori. Everything.

  “Let’s go to bed.” I smiled up at him. I could see his eyes widened and shit, did his eyes glow too? I was excited to be sharing the same bed as him. I wasn’t going to do anything but sleep, but it didn’t stop Quinn from saying “bow chicka, woo woo.” I rolled my eyes and smiled.

  “Well, at least I will be keeping it in my hut… unlike some people.” Everyone laughed as Quinn tried to play off it wasn’t her… it was her. Like way too much. I can never unsee what she was doing with Ryven that morning.

  “K’Tem?” I reached over and I couldn’t find him. Was I dreaming? Was that whole thing a dream? I sat up, and my ankle screamed at me. No, it was real. But where was he? I was in my half-made hut. It was almost complete, but there was no door.

  “He has gone for the moment to speak with Sanza.” I turned to the doorway and saw Tomlee sitting out there. It was foggy so I guessed it was morning still. I felt like I had slept so deeply that I missed half the day.

  “Thanks, Tomlee, what are you doing out there?” I asked. It was odd because Tomlee and his friends all had a cabin close to Brooklyn and her mates.

  “I kept watch last night from here. Koh took first watch, and now I am on morning watch.” Huh… That made me feel better that they were keeping watch. I didn’t want a repeat of yesterday. Well, kicking them in the nuts, I could do a repeat of that.

  “Do you wish to urinate or have water?” he asked me. My eyes snapped up to him. Oh wow, I forgot how direct they were at times. I laughed.

  “Yes, I think I might use the pot.” It was in the room I had requested and I couldn’t be happier. When I hopped over to it and pulled my shorts down, I forgot I had my period, but on closer inspection it was gone… Like, I never really had it to begin with, but this was weird. I wasn’t pregnant, I hadn’t been with anyone, not even K’Tem still. I had no idea what his junk looked like. I would ask the girls about the whole disappearing period, but they were all having sex pretty much straight up, so they didn’t even have a chance to have their periods.

  In some ways, I was happy it was gone. I could make love with K’Tem tonight. I really wanted to; I wanted to be close to him. To feel his body against mine. But at the same time, I was scared. Would he like my body? It was different than his people. I didn’t have scales and I had body hair. Everywhere. Something I was still coming to terms with after shaving for most of my life.

  “Are you okay, Jee-seka?” I heard Tomlee call out from the doorway. I smiled. This was what I wanted and now I had it. My heart wanted to burst. So much caring and love in a clan.

  “I’m fine,” I replied as I came out. I found my bag and pulled out some fresh clothes. I felt gross and really wanted a bath.

  “You wish to bathe with the females today?”

  “Yes, I need to clean.” I grabbed my clothes in my hand and walked out of the door, my ankle wasn’t as bad now that I was using it. I looked over towards the watering hole and the fog really did cover them all. I could hear some of the girls chatting away. I walked over to them and realized I had a shadow.

  “Oh, um… I guess you can come, but don’t look at me naked.” All the others had a male, so today I would be the same. Yet, Tomlee wasn’t a mate, so I wasn’t sure how that worked. Or the fact he wasn’t a takxe… but then Elle and Hadley had been bringing both their mates so this shouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t think it would.

  “Oh my god, you’re up. And ooohhh, you brought a mate?” Brooklyn squealed when she saw me. I nodded.

  “Ah… Yep, I needed a bath and a girls’ chat.” I didn’t know how to answer her. If I said no, he wasn’t my mate, the girls wouldn’t be impressed. And I didn’t want to say it and hurt him either.

  I looked over to Tomlee. He stood tall and looked up to the sky. Not that you could see anything, but he kept his word. He stayed but didn’t look. I kinda wanted him to, but he was a man of his word, and I couldn’t fault him for that.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Tomlee

  Brooklyn had said to Jee-seka that she brought her mate. She was referring to me as the mate. I stood tall and looked above when Jee-seka didn’t correct her. Was this her way of saying she wanted me as a mate? Or that she was going to allow me to ask her later? I needed to tell Koh, especially after I heard the girls talk about how their mates were all attracted strongly to them and that was how they chose them.

  When she finished and made her way back to the hut, K’Tem was waiting for her. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He was a lucky male to have such affection from the most amazing female on Aarzyn.

  “I am to find Koh; I will return later,” I told them both.

  “Oh, okay. Thank you, Tomlee. I will see you later. Have a lovely day.” Her words gave me a bounce in my step as I ran to find Koh. My tails were waving with such force I thought I would bump into others on my way. I had never been happier.

  I wasn’t going to find Koh straight away because as her scent hit me while she bathed, my cock throbbed in my cloth. My cock strained to be touched. Needed to be stroked. So, I rushed away, climbing the nearest tree away from her. With her scent still on my nose, I stroked myself until release. But it wasn’t enough. I released seed again and again. By the time I was done, it was no longer morning and the fog had lifted.

  “Koh, where are you? Wake up, my friend.” When I entered his hut, I found him in the same way I w
as. It was like us being with her so much had made our hormones stronger.

  “I am sorry, Tomlee. I have been with cock in hand all morning and neglected my duties. I do not understand why it is so much stronger today.” I smiled at him and bounced on the balls of my feet. My tails going wild.

  “I believe she may choose us as mates today. I think we should present ourselves to her, like the males did to Quinn. Let her know we wish to be her Chosen and hope she picks us. I know many males are wanting a mate, but they are not affected like we are. I believe she will be more willing to choose us after the other females told her how their mates were also chosen from the same thing.”

  That had Koh sitting up straighter, replacing his cloth over his large cock. It was a struggle, but he did so even though I saw the wince on his face.

  “Do you think if she chooses us, she will mate bond and this will stop?” He pointed to his cock. I did hope it stopped a little. It was not comfortable to climb trees, and just the thought of her mating me had my cloth sticky with seed again.

  “Maybe we should ask a mated male, like your brother? He was affected, yes?” Koh asked. It was true. Makee did follow after Brooklyn because of her scent. Maybe he had some better ideas on how to present ourselves. I did the date with Brooklyn, but only to offer my brother in my place, not to be her mate. So, it wasn’t the same thing, and Jee-seka didn’t like the blanket I made for her.

  “Let’s go, and then we will be back to see Jee-seka. We will do this today; she is expecting us.”