by S. E. Smith
“Lady Carmen,” Jaguin replied politely, cupping the stuffed sloth in his hand and pressing it to his side.
Carmen’s gaze flickered to the stuffed animal and a smile curved her lips. Another wave of envy coursed through Jaguin. He couldn’t wait until his mate smiled at him.
“How are the women?” She asked, glancing at the door to the medical unit.
“Tandor wants them to stay a few extra days. He is considerate about their mental health. The youngest still has not spoken, even to my mate according to Tandor. He thought a few extra days would allow them to get acclimated to the ship and what has happened to them,” he explained.
“Has the other woman woken up?” Carmen asked with a concerned frown.
Jaguin nodded. “Yes, yesterday, but not for long,” he admitted. “I am hoping that she is awake. I would like to know what her name is.”
Carmen’s gaze softened when she saw his uneasy smile. “Would you mind if I went with you?” She asked in a slightly husky tone.
“No,” Jaguin replied, stepping to the side. “It may calm the females if they see another human of their gender.”
Carmen chuckled. “Yes, it might,” she agreed, stepping around him to the door.
Jaguin followed Carmen into the room. He was surprised to see Emma sitting on the bed. His gaze immediately went to the woman behind her. Sara was brushing Emma’s hair with slow, steady strokes. There was a soft glow to her face that was missing the day before. Her hand faltered when she saw him enter behind Carmen.
“Hello,” Carmen greeted, walking toward the bed.
Sara’s gaze jerked from his face back to Carmen. A confused frown creased her brow as she stared at Creon’s mate. It was like she was trying to figure out if she was real, an alien like him, or a figment of her imagination. Jaguin realized at that moment that his mate had very expressive eyes. He quickly stored that information.
“Hello,” Sara replied in a slower, uneasy voice. “Who are you?”
Jaguin quickly reached for one of the chairs in the corner and carried it over to set it next to the bed. He watched Sara with a heated gaze as she glanced back at him before her gaze settled on the stuffed sloth.
“This is for you,” he quickly muttered, holding it out to her. “It is slightly different from the other one. I discovered there are more than one type of this creature on your world.”
A soft giggle escaped the younger woman before she dropped her gaze to the bed. It took a moment for his mate to reach for it. He stepped back and glanced toward the office where Tandor was watching him with an amused grin on his face. Jaguin scowled at the healer.
“I’ll leave you alone for a few moments,” he said with a slight scowl. “I will speak with Tandor.”
Carmen nodded and sighed as she sank down into the chair. “I think that is an excellent idea,” she replied, slipping her shoes off and wiggling her toes before she grinned at the other two women. “My name is Carmen Walker-Reykill. As you can see, I’m pregnant. I’m having twins and all the joys that go with it, like swelling.”
Jaguin paused when he heard his mate’s swiftly inhaled breath after she heard Carmen’s name. He was about to turn away, but the need to at least know her name ate at him. Drawing in a deep breath, he stared at her.
“What are you called?” He asked suddenly, causing both women to jump. The woman frowned for a moment at him. Her lips tightened and she stared back at him with a wary expression. He knew she was debating whether to answer his question or not. “Please, I wish to know what you are called,” he said in a softer tone.
“Sara. My name is Sara Wilson. This is Emma,” she finally replied in a slightly uneven voice. Her hands trembled before she dropped them to the bed behind Emma so that he couldn’t see them. “What is your name?”
A wave of pleasure coursed through him at her softly spoken question. “I am Jaguin,” he replied with a slight bow. “I will leave you with Lady Carmen, Sara.”
He saw her swallow and nod before he turned on his heel and left them alone. Something told him that he needed to be careful how he approached Sara. She was like a wounded beast in the forest. If he was not careful, he could easily lose her by fright or flight.
He turned the corner and stepped into Tandor’s office. Tandor had activated the screen to give the women some privacy. Jaguin’s gaze moved to the amber liquor that Tandor was pouring into a glass before the healer lifted it and held it out to him.
Stepping over to the chair opposite the desk, Jaguin sank down into it with a sigh. Sara, Sara Wilson. He now had a name to go with the face of his mate.
“Patience, Jaguin,” Tandor quietly reminded him.
Jaguin lifted the drink in his hand and took a deep swig before he lowered the glass and gave the healer a sharp nod. Leaning his head back, he stared up at the ceiling for a moment before he returned his gaze to the healer. He stared at Tandor for a moment before he finally asked the question that was burning through him.
“What did the human male do to her, Tandor? I need to know what I am facing,” he asked in a quiet voice.
*.*.*
Sara stared at the woman sitting in the chair with her feet propped up as if she was used to sitting in the medical unit on an alien ship. She watched as Carmen Walker-Reykill stared around the room with an appraising look. When the woman turned back to her and Emma, there was a gleam of amusement in her eyes.
“You know, my sisters, Ariel, Trisha, and I tore the hell out of the medical unit on the V’ager,” Carmen said with a grin before she grimaced and held up a swollen ankle. “I could still do it, but it wouldn’t be as much fun now. The guys would scatter like mice before they’d take me on.”
Sara frowned. “What do you mean – take you on? Did they beat you?” She asked in a hard tone.
Carmen threw her head back and laughed. The sound ended in a long sigh and she shook her head, sending her blonde hair dancing around it. Her brown eyes were lit with delight.
“No, they didn’t beat me, more like I was the one doing the ass kicking,” she replied with another soft chuckle that finally sobered as she stared back at Emma and Sara. “I’m sorry,” she finally said with a sad look.
Sara felt Emma tremble. At least, she thought it was Emma. It could have been her. The sorrow darkening the other woman’s eyes was genuine. There was no longer any laughter or teasing.
“He wanted you,” Sara finally murmured. “Why? What did you do that made him hate you so much?”
Carmen drew in a deep breath. Her eyes glittered for a moment with tears before she blinked and shook her head as if to regain control of her emotions. When she looked back at Sara, they held regret and a look of such deep sadness that it took Sara’s breath away.
“You both deserve to know the truth,” Carmen said in a quiet, somber tone. “Several years ago…”
Sara listened as Carmen explained that she and her human husband, Scott, were hired to provide security to a political family in Colombia. Her heart ached for Carmen as she told how Cuello had gunned them down while they were trying to protect the two children. Cuello murdered Scott Walker in front of Carmen. Carmen retaliated, stabbing Cuello in the upper thigh. One of Cuello’s men shot her, but she lived. Unfortunately, the child she was carrying didn’t. Carmen’s attack had cost Cuello his leg.
“He was insane,” Carmen murmured with a shake of her head. “I had no idea he was kidnapping women who looked like me so that he could take out his sick revenge. I searched for him for years. I had a lead on him when…”
“When… What?” Sara asked when Carmen paused and looked up at the ceiling.
Carmen looked back at Sara and gave her a crooked smile. “I woke up in a medical unit on an alien spaceship.”
For the next two hours, Carmen told them about Abby Tanner and the attack on her that almost took Carmen’s life. She would have died if Abby hadn’t discovered an alien spaceship and a wounded warrior on her mountain. The fight with Abby’s kidnapper left Carmen barely cling
ing to life until she was saved and given a new one.
“And now, Creon and I are expecting twins!” Carmen said, rubbing her rounded abdomen. Her grin widened when the door opened behind her.
Emma’s soft gasp and quick push almost sent Sara tumbling backwards. Sara watched as Carmen’s eyes once again glittered with amusement. Her entire face lit up with a flush and she winked at them.
“And so enters my mate,” she chuckled, tilting her head back. “Hi Creon.”
“Don’t you ‘Hi, Creon” me,” the man growled. “I wake from my rest to discover you missing and in medical. I was worried until Cree told me that you were here just to visit with the women.”
Carmen’s lips drooped. “I thought I had given him the slip,” she muttered with a sigh, rising stiffly out of the chair and giving a soft moan. A moment later, the moan turned to a gasp when she was swept off her feet. “Damn it, Creon, I’m pregnant, not sick!”
“She is fine, Lord Creon,” Tandor said from behind them. “I have been monitoring her vitals. The girls are healthy as well.”
Carmen’s nose wrinkled and she shook her head. “I swear, I can barely go to the bathroom without you or Creon checking to make sure I’m okay,” she grumbled.
Sara watched the display in amusement. Emma’s soft giggle pulled a chuckle from her. A quick glance assured Sara that Emma was more relaxed than she was this morning. They watched as Creon carried Carmen out of the medical unit, closely followed by Tandor. Before the doors closed, the large golden creature that Sara saw yesterday trotted into the room.
Three go out, one comes in. Make that two comes in, she thought when she saw the man – Jaguin standing in the doorway.
Sara felt an unfamiliar rush of heat course through her. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Jaguin’s lips briefly twitch, as if he knew she was aware of him, before they straightened. Returning her gaze to the golden creature, she started when she realized it had changed shape again. This time, it looked like a – oversized puppy. She shook her head when it dropped another sloth on the bed.
“You know if you two keep bringing me these things, there won’t be room for anything else in here,” she replied dryly, arching one delicate brow.
The golden puppy looked at her for a moment before it turned to Emma and nudged the stuffed sloth onto her lap. It sat down, sneezed, and looked at Sara in triumph. Sara’s gaze softened when Emma tenderly picked up the sloth and hugged it to her body.
“Thank you,” Sara murmured, watching as Emma buried her face against the stuffed animal.
The puppy sneezed again and rested its head on the edge of the bed. Sara frowned in confusion. She wasn’t sure what it wanted until a wave of warmth and an image of her stroking it flashed through her mind.
Shaking her head, she reached over and stroked the smooth, silky surface. She almost pulled away when several thin golden tentacles reached out. Her natural sense of curiosity developed over years of studying plants in the wild and doing research kept her hand still as it moved up her arm. She swallowed when the thin threads wrapped around her arm and formed an intricate bracelet.
“Dragons,” she murmured, lifting her arm when it was finished.
“Yes,” Jaguin replied quietly.
*.*.*
Jaguin stood still at the door. He had realized that both women tensed up whenever he got too close to them. Emma glanced nervously at him as she slid off the bed. He saw her cover her mouth with one hand to hide a yawn. A frown creased his brow when he saw how pale and tired she looked. Almost immediately, his gaze returned to Sara’s face so he could search it for the same exhaustion.
“I think Emma wishes to lie down for a while,” Sara finally said.
Jaguin nodded, not ready to leave yet. He had a little over an hour before he needed to report for duty. He took a step back before he stopped.
“Would you care to go for a walk? I could show you some of the ship if you’d like,” he asked in a slightly awkward tone.
A faint flush darkened his cheeks. He felt like an adolescent seeing his first female! He tilted his head and returned Sara’s surprised gaze.
“Emma…,” Sara started to say, glancing at the other woman who had climbed back into her own bed and closed her eyes.
“My symbiot can stay with her,” Jaguin responded with a hopeful look. “She seems adjusted to its presence and it will protect her.”
Jaguin hid the wince when his symbiot sent a small shock through the cuffs on his arm in aggravation and turned its head to glare at him. He knew it wanted to be with Sara as well, but if this was the only way to convince her to go, it would have to stay. He gave Sara a weak smile when it did it again.
Will you knock it off! It isn’t like you won’t be there. You’ve got enough gold on her that I’m surprised she can even move, he silently growled back to it. Besides, if this is going to work, I do have to be able to get near her as well! He jumped when it sent another shock through him before it turned and padded over to where Emma was sleeping and laid down with a loud groan.
“Are you alright?” Sara asked, staring at him with a wary look.
Jaguin relaxed his expression and gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, my symbiot and I were just having a slight disagreement,” he admitted.
She looked at him with a doubtful expression before turning to glance at his symbiot. Her eyes widened when she saw it was shooting daggers at him. He didn’t care. He wanted time with Sara, too! It was all over her. He could feel her warmth, the silkiness of her skin, her very heartbeat where the living metal rested against her flesh. It was driving him and his dragon crazy!
“You… are talking to that thing?” Sara asked in a hesitant voice, staring back and forth with a raised eyebrow. “How?”
Jaguin sent a heated glance at his symbiot before he returned his gaze to Sara. A mischievous smile lifted the corner of his mouth. Maybe he could use her curiosity to coax her to go for a walk with him.
“I will tell you… as we walk,” he suggested, stepping to one side and raising his hand. “The Horizon isn’t as large as the V’ager, but it is still a beautiful ship.”
Sara studied him for several long moments before she slowly slid off the bed. She bit her lip, looking from his face to his outstretched palm, and then to the door before her gaze returned to his face again. He waited, staring deeply into her eyes. He knew the moment she made her decision. Once again, he was thankful she had such expressive eyes.
“Talking living metal, alien warships, and – dragons,” she finally murmured, tilting her head to the side. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
Jaguin watched as Sara’s long curtain of hair fell to the side as she bent her head to stare up at him with an uneasy look. She didn’t trust him, but her curiosity was more powerful than her fear. His respect for her soared upward like his dragon enjoyed the freedom of the skies.
The fingers of his right hand curled against his side. He hated the fear that remained like a ghostly shadow in her eyes. He slowly lowered his left hand and waited, suddenly unsure if she would come with him or not.
“No one will hurt you, Sara,” Jaguin vowed in a soft voice. “I would kill anyone who tried.”
He watched as she drew in a deep, unsteady breath. He saw her swallow and glance back at Emma. His symbiot lifted its head and returned her stare. Her shoulders drooped for a moment before she pulled her gaze back to him.
“Alien warship, huh?” She asked with an uneasy smile. “I’ve never been on one before.”
“Then I am honored to guide you on your first voyage,” Jaguin replied in a light tone, stepping to the side.
“This is all so strange,” Sara whispered, fear gripping her again at the thought of stepping out of the room and into the unknown.
“It is strange in a good way,” he responded, reaching up to tenderly run his fingers down along her cheek. His fingers froze a breath away from her skin when she stiffened. His lips pressed together for a brief second before he gently touched her che
ek. “It is just as I imagined,” he murmured in a barely audible voice.
Sara remained frozen; her wary eyes wide as she stared back at him. Her lips parted and he could see the pulse on the side of her throat beating wildly. His gaze softened when he saw her fighting to hide her fear.
“What… What is as you imagined it?” She forced out in a husky tone.
“Your skin,” he said, running his fingers down until he could cup her jaw in his hand. “Your skin is as soft as the petals of the lighted flowers that grow wild in the forest of the mountains. So beautiful, like you.”
*.*.*
Sara’s mouth dropped open slightly when he dropped his hand to grasp hers. He lifted it to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Her mind swirled in confusion, trying to comprehend that this alien male was actually flirting with her. She blinked in disbelief and stumbled when he gently tugged on her hand. She followed him in silence as he guided her out of the medical unit.
My skin is as soft as the lighted petals of the flowers that grow wild in the forest near his home? Maybe I did die and I’m in some type of alien parallel purgatory. She thought in disbelief as she walked beside him, trying to take in everything.
It suddenly dawned on her that this man, warrior, alien – whatever he was called – was spouting words that were similar to poetry. Sara shook her head again in disbelief and confusion. This was a first. None of her ex-boyfriends had ever said anything remotely poetic to her.
Chapter 5
Jaguin kept a tight grip on Sara’s hand, afraid to release it in case she changed her mind. He could feel it tremble slightly. His mind raced to think of ways to soothe her fears. He grimaced when his mind went blank.
“What is the gold creature made of?” Sara asked, pushing her hair back with her free hand and breaking the tortured silence.
Jaguin flashed her a smile. “It is the blood of the Goddess,” he replied.