Daughter of the Alien Warrior

by Honey Phillips

  Cassie either ignored her or made little jabs at her expense, not quite obvious enough for Inzen to pick up on although he obviously sensed the tension between the women. Both he and Mekoi tried to steer the conversation in a neutral direction, but by the time the evening ended, Jade’s head pounded and her jaw ached from the fake smiles.

  It only got worse when they returned to the cottage. Lily had been thrilled to play with the other little girls, but by the time they got home, she was tired and cranky. She didn’t want her bath, she didn’t want to put on her nightgown, and she definitely didn’t want to sleep in her own room.

  “Sleep wif Dada!” she wailed as Inzen gave Jade a helpless look.

  “Fine.” What was the point in arguing? She hated to see her daughter unhappy, and the long, emotional day was catching up with her. “I’ll sleep in Lily’s room.”

  She half-expected Inzen to object but he only studied her face and nodded solemnly.

  Now, here she was, alone on a narrow bed and unable to sleep despite her exhaustion. She wished she was snuggled against Inzen’s big body but all she could do was hug her pillow. It was a poor substitute but as she finally started to drift off to sleep, she allowed herself to hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

  Inzen stared at the ceiling of his room as Lily mumbled in her sleep. He was delighted to be reunited with his daughter, but this was not how he had expected to spend his first night as a mated male. When he had shown Jade the bedroom earlier, he saw the speculation in her eyes and caught the sweet scent of her arousal when she leaned towards him. But then when he was trying to handle Lily’s tantrum, she had abandoned them both to sleep in Lily’s room. Was she still reluctant to sleep with him after his betrayal?

  As much as his body—and his heart—longed for her to join him, he wouldn’t rush her. He would wait for her to come to him in her own time. In the meantime, he would do whatever he could to make her happy. As he listened to his daughter—their daughter—settle into slumber, he began to make plans.

  The first one he announced at breakfast the next morning. Lily had regained much of her normal good humor, but she still clung to him and avoided Jade. He could see how much it hurt his mate, but he knew it would take time for the little girl to accept her.

  “I talked to Cassie, and I thought perhaps you would like to work in the shop with her in the mornings.”

  “What about Lily?”

  “I will watch over her.” The uncertainty in her eyes pained him but he understood her fears. “I promise we will be right here in the house or the garden. It would give you an opportunity to earn some credits of your own,” he added when she started to shake her head. “Of course you are welcome to everything I have, but I suspect that you would be happier with your own income.”

  “Cassie agreed to it?” she asked doubtfully.

  “She did.” Eventually.

  He and Lily had gone to see Cassie before Jade woke up.

  Cassie’s first objection had been that she had no money to pay for additional help.

  “I thought the shop was doing well?” he had asked.

  “It was. At first. But business has started dropping off and I’m not sure why.”

  “It just takes time, Cassie. And you know I am happy to support the shop as long as necessary.”

  He had plenty of credits put aside and no qualms about spending them on either of his daughters. Or his mate.

  “I will reimburse you for her salary,” he promised.

  “Does she know anything about clothes? Or sewing?”

  “She is a very talented seamstress,” he said. When Cassie scowled, he immediately realized he had made a mistake, but he would not deny his mate’s talent.

  “I guess she can work for me,” she finally agreed, but Inzen could tell she wasn’t happy.

  He decided not to share their conversation with Jade. They were both intelligent, caring women. Hopefully, spending more time together would bring them closer.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jade scowled out into the townhouse garden and wondered yet again why she had agreed to this arrangement. Her first few days working with Cassie had proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Her distrust was so extreme that Jade would have assumed the woman was in love with Inzen if their father-daughter relationship hadn’t been so obvious. If anything, Cassie treated her like a wicked stepmother. The fact that Lily obviously loved the other woman only added insult to injury.

  Cassie gave her the most menial jobs she could find and refused to let her do any sewing. Jade had tried to make a few tactful suggestions but was shot down every time. The only bright spot had been when Cassie begrudgingly allowed Jade to take some spare fabric so she could make herself some more clothes in the evenings. Despite that, the reason she continued to work in the shop was because the girl was genuinely talented. All of Jade’s professional instincts were intrigued, and she wanted her to succeed. She also suspected that if she had any hope of forming a real family with her daughter and Inzen, she and Cassie would have to learn to get along.

  But the biggest sources of her frustration were the big warrior and tiny girl playing together in the courtyard garden. Lily was perched on Inzen’s back, his tail holding her in place as he crawled around on his hands and knees while she squealed with laughter. She wanted to join them but knew that as soon as she did, Lily’s smile would fade.

  Her hopes of finding a way into her daughter’s heart were also beginning to fade. Lily still regarded her with the utmost suspicion, and it had finally occurred to Jade that she associated her appearance with Inzen’s absence. Lily also didn’t like it when Inzen’s tail touched Jade, snatching it away from her any time it did.

  “My dada.”

  Inzen had allowed it the first few times, but at least he finally put his foot down the last time Lily had tried to pull his tail away from Jade.

  “No, little one. Mama is part of our family too.”

  Lily had scowled but accepted it. Perhaps it was hopeful thinking on Jade’s part, but she thought maybe Lily had softened a little bit towards her after that. It certainly hadn’t stopped her from demanding Inzen’s presence.

  Yesterday, they had discussed leaving Lily with Jade in the afternoon while Inzen visited the training school he sponsored, but while Inzen had agreed, Lily had dissolved into a flood of tears when it was time for him to leave. With a helpless look at Jade, he had agreed to take her with him. Determined not to let her daughter out of her sight, she accompanied the pair.

  The training school was a long low building, the rooms arranged around several interior courtyards, and it reminded her of the dojo when she had taken some of her martial arts classes. Lily seemed at home there, and none of the fighters seemed surprised by her presence. Inzen’s office had a play area with a child-sized tent piled with pillows in one corner, Lily climbed inside, tugging Bobo with her, when Inzen gently but firmly told her that it was nap time.

  At least he doesn’t let her get away with everything, Jade thought bitterly but immediately regretted the thought. He was a good father, watching over Lily carefully and making sure that she had a standard routine. It was only where Jade was concerned that he seemed reluctant to correct her behavior.

  A glass wall formed the front of his office, and as Lily drifted off, he gestured to Jade to step outside with him.

  “I hope you do not mind that I allowed her to accompany me,” he said anxiously.

  “I guess not. I can’t bear to hear her cry either.”

  “It is not just that. I do not want her to blame you for separating us.”

  She sighed, some of her annoyance dissolving as he echoed her earlier thoughts.

  “I suppose I understand. It’s just so hard waiting for her to accept me.”

  “I know, my letari. But we are making progress.”

  He glanced back through the glass and she followed his gaze. Lily was sound asleep, her thumb in her mouth and her other arm clutching Bobo.

  “Do you wan
t to stay with her while I spar?”

  “Spar?” The question conjured up an image of their time on the ship, and an unexpected spike of arousal caused her nipples to harden.

  “Yes, I have a few private students that I train with.”

  “Female students?” She narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed, his tail wrapping around her waist and tugging her up against his big body.

  “No, my letari. You are the only female that I will ever train with.”

  Her breath hitched as his eyes darkened. Just as he started to lower his head towards her, another Cire warrior appeared.

  “Chief Inzen, I was informed that you had returned. Was your trip successful?”

  The warrior who joined them was as large as Inzen but had the smoother skin and small ridges that indicated youth amongst the Cire. A terrible scar ran down his face and onto his chest, leaving one eye milky white.

  “Yes, Sentu. It was most successful. This is Jade, my mate and the mother of my daughter.”

  The young warrior courteously bowed his head. “I am pleased to meet you, mate of Inzen.” He hesitated. “Have you made your residence with Cassie—with the other members of Inzen’s family?”

  Interesting. His tone had definitely changed when he mentioned Cassie’s name, and she shot a quick glance up at Inzen to see if he noticed. Since he was scowling at the other male, she suspected that he had.

  “Yes, we’re living in the cottage at the back. Maybe you could join us for dinner one night.” She heard Inzen growl softly and felt his tail tighten around her waist so she hurried on. “I mean with the whole family, of course.”

  “I would be most honored. That is, if you would permit me to join you, Chief Inzen.”

  For a dreadful moment, she thought Inzen was going to refuse, then he nodded his head. “That would be acceptable. Did you wish to see me about anything else other than wrangling an invitation to dinner?”

  The young male’s shoulders went back and he spoke stiffly. “I had hoped that we could train together but if it is inconvenient—”

  Some of the tension left Inzen’s body and he looked down at her. “You will stay with Lily while we train? We will be in that room so she—so you can see us.”

  He pointed across the hallway to a wide doorway that led into an empty room with padded mats on the floor. A set of matching doors on the far side of the room opened onto one of the interior courtyards.

  “That’s fine. I’m happy to stay with her.”

  “I will prepare,” Sentu said eagerly as he turned away. As he headed down the corridor, she noticed that he had a definite limp.

  “I do not like your eyes on another warrior,” Inzen growled.

  “You can’t possibly think I’m interested in him.”

  “Because of his injuries?”

  “No, you jerk.” She glared up at him. “Because he’s obviously too young for me, because he’s obviously interested in Cassie, and because I’m mated to you.”

  His tail stroked her arm. “I apologize, my letari. Sometimes my instincts lead me astray. I do not like you watching other males. Or asking them to share a meal. I do not even like them close to you.”

  Okay, that should not have been as hot as it sounded. She was a strong, independent woman. Sternly ignoring the pleasant tingle of excitement in her stomach, she tried to keep a stern face, but his apologetic look faded and he tugged her closer.

  “Perhaps you do not mind my instincts,” he murmured.

  “Only under certain circumstances.”

  Her voice sounded breathless even to her own ears. The hard peaks of her nipples rubbed against his chest and she didn’t pull back. Despite everything that had been happening, she had missed being with him.

  The sound of male voices came from behind him, and he reluctantly stepped back. “Perhaps we can discuss this later.”

  “Perhaps.”

  She traced a teasing finger down his chest before she returned to the office. He groaned and went to change while she settled comfortably in his oversized chair. A few minutes later, he and Sentu reappeared in the room across the way. He was wearing the brief shorts that he had worn on the ship and a tight-fitting shirt that showed off every muscle. Oh my. She remembered what it was like to touch every inch of that impressive body, and her lingering arousal spiked again.

  Sentu wore a similar outfit, and she could see that his muscles were just as impressive, despite a wicked scar that ran the full length of one leg. What had happened to the young warrior?

  The two males began the same exercises that Inzen had shown her on the ship but moved through them with astonishing speed. She could tell that Sentu didn’t have the same fluidity to his movements, but he never hesitated. When they finished the final position, they turned to face each other.

  Both males bowed, and then Sentu’s foot lashed out and the bout began in earnest. They were better matched than she had anticipated. The younger male was surprisingly fast in spite of his injuries, although Inzen was clearly stronger and more experienced. Her pulse pounded as Inzen’s big, muscular body strained against the younger male’s before flipping him to the mat. He reached down to help Sentu up, obviously lecturing him, and then they began again. Her training had been sufficiently thorough to understand the skill involved in their bout and she watched their moves in fascination.

  “Dada?” A small hand tugged on her leg, and she looked down to see Lily staring up at her, her lip trembling.

  “He’s training, baby. Do you want to see?”

  Lily nodded so Jade lifted her into her lap just as Sentu’s tail lashed viciously across Inzen’s cheek. She winced, sure that Lily would get upset but her daughter only settled back against her, her thumb in her mouth, watching sleepily.

  This was the first time Lily had let her hold her, and the warm little weight in her arms made her heart ache. She lowered her head to brush it across her daughter’s soft curls and breathe in her sweet, innocent fragrance. How much she had missed that scent. Together they watched Inzen, and she hoped that maybe she’d finally managed to reach her daughter.

  That hope had faded later that night. They had eaten dinner with Cassie and her daughter again. Jade watched with interest as the other woman turned first pink, then white when Inzen announced that Sentu was coming to dinner. Apparently, Sentu’s attraction wasn’t completely one-sided.

  Unfortunately, Lily wore herself out playing with Angel, and by the time they returned home, she was a cranky mess. Any hope of being alone with Inzen faded as he carried a crying Lily to what should have been their bedroom, throwing an apologetic glance at her over his shoulder.

  She had waited for a little while but he hadn’t reappeared. With a disgusted huff, she retired to the small bed in Lily’s room once again.

  This morning everything had been back to the unsatisfactory normal with Lily once more focused on Inzen. She couldn’t begrudge her daughter’s obvious happiness as they played in the garden, but she wished she could be part of it.

  The Trevelorian version of a telephone rang and she went to answer it, finding Abby’s smiling face on the other end.

  “What’s wrong?” the other woman immediately demanded.

  “Is it that obvious?”

  “You look like the world’s coming to an end.”

  “I’m sorry. This mating business isn’t working out very well.”

  “Why not?”

  Abby’s expression was curious but also sympathetic, and Jade found herself spilling her troubles in Abby’s ear.

  “And he won’t even sleep with me!” she concluded and heard a startled breath. When she peeked hesitantly over her shoulder, Inzen was standing there, his eyes as hungry as they had been on the ship. He took one step towards her, and they both heard Lily call from the garden.

  “Dada!”

  He stopped dead, his tail flicking towards her even as his head turned to check on Lily.

  “Go on,” she said ruefully when he looked back at her.

  �
�Very well. But we will discuss sleeping arrangements in greater detail tonight.”

  His eyes promised enough to make her body respond, even as she shook her head and turned back to find Abby still watching her, her face wreathed in smiles.

  “Oh, believe me, I understand that. I can’t tell you how many times Hrebec and I have been interrupted.”

  “Interrupted suggests that you got started to begin with.”

  “True. Do you want my advice?” Before Jade had a chance to answer, Abby waved her hand. “Never mind. I’m going to give it to you anyway.”

  Jade laughed. “I was going to say yes.”

  “First of all, Cassie.” Abby sighed. “She had a really hard time back on Earth, in and out of foster homes—all of them bad from what I can tell. The people who were supposed to protect her didn’t. I think Inzen is the first decent male she’s ever known and she’s jealous. Oh, not in a romantic way, but because he cares for her and she thinks she’s going to be left out just like she was left out so many times before.”

  “He would never do that, and I would never ask him to.”

  “I know, but it’s going to take her a while to understand that. I know it’s hard but be patient with her. She’ll come around—she’s a smart girl and has a good heart underneath that cynical shell.” Abby smiled. “And TeShawna will come with her. From what she’s said to me, I suspect that she actually likes you already but isn’t about to betray her friend by letting you know.”

  “It helps to know that she doesn’t hate me too.”

  “She doesn’t.” Abby tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Now about Lily. You have to remember that she’s, what, fifteen months old? That means she’s discovering the power of saying no. You and Inzen need to work together and make sure you agree on what you let her get away with.”

  “I already know the answer to that one,” she said gloomily. “He’ll let her have whatever she wants.”