A Son for the Alien Warrior (Treasured by the Alien Book 2)

by Honey Phillips

  “I’m so sorry.” Mariah came and stood next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, her delicate scent filling his head. His tail wrapped around her ankle and he took comfort from her presence. “I understand more than you think. I’m searching for my sister and my nephew.”

  “They were taken?”

  “Yes, a year ago by the crew of the same ship that brought me here.”

  “They will be questioned,” he assured her.

  She shook her head. “We already know that they were given to another Vedeckian commander. Kwaret said that he’s dead now but he was last on Trevelor.”

  “I will do everything I can to assist you,” he promised. “We can search together.”

  “Thank you, Cestov.” Her eyes filled with tears, then she bent forward and brushed a quick kiss to his cheek. The brief touch burned like fire and he had to force himself to return to his search rather than demanding more.

  “Here.” He held up the Dinglian hopper triumphantly. Five narrow prongs were suspended at the end of a long elaborately carved handle.

  Mariah looked at it, then burst into laughter.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I think that is intended as an eating utensil, rather than a comb.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I appreciate you trying to help. And actually…” She took the hopper. “It might work.”

  She applied the prongs to her hair, then winced. “Oww. This might be a little harder than I thought.”

  “Let me assist you.”

  Before she could object, he placed a pillow on the floor and guided her to a seated position while he sat behind her on the bed. He would have preferred to have her on his lap, but he didn’t want to frighten her. With careful fingers, he started at the ends of the long, damp strands and began to untangle her glorious hair.

  After a tense moment, Mariah relaxed into Cestov’s touch as he gently combed through her hair with what she suspected was actually some type of ceremonial fork. She kept expecting him to pull her hair, but his hands wielded the makeshift comb with astonishing deftness and she gradually settled back against him. She had always loved having her hair played with and it reminded her of when Judith would comb her hair when she was little. A tear rolled down her cheek.

  “What is wrong? Did I hurt you?” Alarm filled his voice.

  “No, not at all. I was just thinking of my sister.”

  He seemed to debate with himself, then he lifted her onto his lap with impressive ease. Perhaps she should have protested, but even without the ale, she found herself relaxing into his embrace.

  “Were you very close?” he asked.

  “Yes. And no.” She smiled up at him and wiggled a little closer. “She’s eight years older than I am and she practically raised me. My mother died when I was born and even though we had nannies when we were little, she’s the one I remember taking care of me. But our personalities are like night and day. She always wanted a peaceful life—a home, a steady job, a child. I wanted to travel, to sing, to do something exciting with my life. We fought about that more often than I like to remember, but we loved each other very much.”

  Her memories consumed her, and she could feel the tears threatening again but she forced them aside and looked up at Cestov. “What about you? Is your brother older or younger than you?”

  “Younger. By less than a minute.” He smiled at her shock, but she could see the sadness in his eyes.

  “You’re twins?”

  “Yes. It is very unusual for my people.”

  “You must have been close.”

  “I thought we were.” His face darkened. “I thought we wanted the same kind of life, but then he began to talk about impossible things. About settling down, having a family.”

  “Impossible?”

  “There are no females of our species. There will be no families.”

  “But I thought… Kwaret said something about Cires being compatible with other races?”

  “What?!” After his initial shock, he shook his head. “I do not believe that to be true. He must have misunderstood. My father searched for many years to find that hope for us without success. But Bratan never stopped dreaming. The last fight we had—I told him he was a fool, told him that he could never father a child. I refused to consider his suggestion that we sell the Wanderer and settle down on a planet.”

  “What happened?”

  “He left. When I woke the next morning, he was gone. He left a note saying that he had to go and find his own dream. His dream. It was only then that I truly understood that what I thought had been our dreams had only belonged to me. I tried to find him, to apologize, but he was gone.”

  He looked so sad that she reached up and kissed his cheek again. Warm and slightly textured beneath her lips, the feel of his skin tempted her to linger but she reluctantly started to pull away. As she did, he turned his head and then his mouth covered hers.

  Chapter Nine

  Cestov kissed her, his mouth firm but gentle, and after a brief hesitation, she relaxed into his embrace. He felt so good, smelled so good, and the feel of his mouth against hers reawakened the hunger she had felt in the shower. She opened her mouth, just a little, and that small acceptance was enough. He took over, parting her lips and diving into her mouth as if he were a starving man. His taste swept over her—spicy, intoxicating. Her head spun as if she were drinking more of the Drigueran ale and she moaned, pressing herself closer. He responded just as urgently, one big hand coming down to cup her bottom and press her against the massive bar of his erection. Oh my. Her nipples peaked, her belly ached, and all she wanted was to explore more of this delicious sensation.

  It took a moment for her to realize that the bells she heard were not due to his kiss.

  “What’s that?” she asked breathlessly, pulling away far enough that their lips parted.

  “The door alarm. Ignore it,” he growled, and tugged her back into his arms.

  Before he could begin kissing her again, the bell chimed a second time. With a muttered curse, he deposited her carefully on the bed, and stood up. He took one step towards the door, then turned back and grabbed a blanket, throwing it over her lap. She blushed as she remembered that she was only clothed in a towel.

  As he reached the door, the bell sounded a third time, and he yanked it open with a low growl.

  “What the hell do you want?”

  “Not me,” Maldost protested. “Her.”

  For a minute her heart skipped a beat. Her? Did he already have a woman? She had known one too many musicians with a woman in every town. But before her doubts could really set in, the younger male thrust a small pink bundle into Cestov’s arms.

  “She wandered away from her mother and somehow managed to make it up the stairs into the main corridor. I’m sure she was looking for you.”

  “Did you leave the door to the cargo bay open?”

  “No.” Maldost shuffled his feet, then the furry head drooped. “At least I don’t think so.”

  “I do not need to remind you that you are responsible for the wellbeing of the slonga,” Cestov said sternly.

  Slonga? Curiosity drew her to her feet and over to his side. Maldost took one look at her, flushed a deep purple, and fled with an unintelligible excuse.

  “Did I do something to offend him?”

  “No, but he has most likely never seen a female wearing so little clothing.”

  She looked down and blushed again. Oops. She had been too interested in finding out about the mysterious wanderer to worry about the blanket and was back to being clad only in a towel. While she felt surprisingly comfortable around Cestov in the scanty garb, she hadn’t intended to flash the younger male. She hastily stepped back as he closed the door panel and focused on his bundle instead.

  “What—who is that?”

  She had never seen anything quite like it. In some ways, it resembled a small elephant—if an elephant had pink shaggy fur and six legs. As she stared, the small crea
ture raised its head and looked at her. Its ears flared, larger even than elephant ears, but almost translucent and covered in a delicate pink and purple pattern that reminded her of exotic butterfly wings.

  “Oh my, she’s gorgeous. May I touch her?”

  The little creature was still regarding her with big dark eyes and when she cautiously extended a finger, it shrank back into Cestov’s arms.

  “Do not worry, little one,” he said soothingly. “Mariah is a friend. She isn’t going to hurt you.”

  A moment later, the tiny trunk extended, cautiously wrapping around Mariah’s finger and she gasped in delight. Moving slowly, she gently stroked the small trunk, covered in the softest, most delicate pink fur. A minute later, Cestov’s tail wrapped around them both, enclosing the three of them in what felt like a hug. Warmth filled her and she looked up to see Cestov smiling down at her. It felt like they were enclosed in their own little bubble, like a… like a family. How much she had missed that feeling.

  “Maldost said she wandered away? From where?”

  “From her mother. The calves were only born a few days ago and she seems to have bonded with me.”

  He looked oddly bemused by the fact but from the gentle way he cradled the small creature, she wasn’t at all surprised.

  “Are you going to take her back?”

  “Yes. Would you like to meet her mother?”

  “Very much.” She cast a rueful look down at herself. “But perhaps it would be best to put on some clothes first.”

  “What a shame,” he said and arched a brow ridge.

  “I’m not wandering around the ship in a towel.” That reminded her… “Umm, do you know what happened to my pants?” She could feel her cheeks coloring to the same shade as the slonga’s fur.

  “You stripped them off when we returned here last night. Unfortunately, you ripped them in the process.”

  She winced. “I hope I didn’t do anything too embarrassing?”

  “Not at all. Although it was an interesting dance…”

  “Dance?” She gave him a horrified stare. “I was dancing?”

  “Well, perhaps twirling is a better word.”

  His lips twitched and she burst out laughing. “You’re teasing me. Aren’t you?”

  “Only a little. You did twirl a few times, but then you almost fell over your pant legs so you stripped them off. You promised me a—what was it? Oh yes, a dance of the seven veils.”

  She was almost afraid to ask. “Did I do it?”

  “No. You, err, stumbled onto the bed while you were trying to take off your pants. Then you informed me that it was big enough to share and fell asleep.”

  Oh lord. She didn’t know which was worse, that she had acted so wantonly or that he seemed so amused. The heat rose in her cheeks again.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Do not be sorry.” His tail moved from where it was still wrapped around her hand to circle her waist. “You were delightful. I have never seen someone move so freely, so gracefully.”

  The look in his eyes made her catch her breath and her embarrassment faded away. She took a step towards him and then the baby slonga mewed.

  “Sorry, little one,” he said, stroking the small head apologetically. “We will get you back to your mother in just a minute.”

  “Uh, clothes?”

  “There is no female clothing on board—”

  And why did that make her happy?

  “But I would be honored if you would wear something of mine.”

  With an appreciative glance at his big body, she shook her head.

  “I don’t think anything of yours is going to fit me. But I can try if you want,” she added hastily at his distressed look.

  “Here. Can you hold Lilat?”

  He carefully passed her the baby slonga. The warm little body snuggled against her, unexpectedly heavy, but delightfully soft and cuddly.

  “What a good girl,” she cooed, and Lilat’s trunk patted her cheek.

  Cestov rummaged through his closet, returning a moment later with an oversized shirt and a few sashes.

  “The shirt will be too large but that means it will cover most of your body. I thought perhaps you could use the sash to adjust the fit? It is only a temporary solution. We can attempt to cut something down to size later.”

  “We can try,” she said a little doubtfully. Sewing had never been one of her strengths. “But for right now, let’s see what I can do with this. You’d better take Lilat back again.”

  He reached for the slonga and his fingers grazed her breast. She gasped, a rush of heat sweeping over her at even that casual touch. He froze, then carefully gathered the calf back into his arms.

  “I’ll just go in the bathroom and change.” She grabbed the clothes and departed, her cheeks burning once again.

  Cestov stared at the closed door after Mariah. Having her here in his cabin seemed so right. Already, the simple space felt warmer, her delicate fragrance filling the space and making it feel like a home. Although she seemed to understand his need to keep his personal possessions few because of his travels, he was already thinking of what he could do to make the space more appropriate for her. Some pillows, perhaps? In soft colors that suited her gentle beauty? An orgat rug from Crumella? At the thought of her pale golden body stretched out across the luxuriant fibers, his shaft hardened.

  Stop that, he told himself. You don’t need to build a home for her. You are just taking her to Trevelor. This is a temporary arrangement, nothing more. The knowledge didn’t help.

  Lilat mewed and he raised her up to his face, his tail curled protectively around her back.

  “Are you hungry, little one? You shouldn’t wander away like that.”

  Her trunk reached out and patted his face and his heart ached as he remembered that she too would be leaving him. He had become attached to the small creature.

  “How does this look?”

  Mariah appeared in the doorway and his mouth went dry. He had given her his smallest shirt, but it still swamped her diminutive frame. The neckline slipped off one shoulder to reveal her delicate collarbone, while the hem reached only to her knees, displaying a tempting expanse of pale flesh. She had tied the sash around her waist in a complicated knot, highlighting her lush curves.

  “You look beautiful,” he told her sincerely.

  Her cheeks turned that delightful shade of pink again. A most engaging phenomenon.

  “Do you have my sandals?”

  He fought to hide his grin. She had kicked them off as soon as he put her down in the cabin the previous night. One of them had hit him in the head but he had been too entranced by her actions to object. She moved so gracefully, as if she were dancing to music only she could hear. After she fell asleep, he found the other shoe where it had landed on top of his desk.

  “They are in the storage unit.”

  She flashed him a quick smile as she retrieved the sandals, then bent down to put them on. The fabric tightened across the luscious curves of her ass and his cock jerked again. Had he ever been this responsive to a female before? Over the years, he had tried a few times to have a relationship with a female, even though he had known he could only find true fulfillment with a Cire woman. None of those females had ever seemed right and his cock had been slow to respond. No one had ever aroused him the way that she did simply with her scent and her movements.

  Mariah came to join him and reached over to stroke Lilat’s soft fur.

  “She’s so sweet. How did you end up with her?”

  “I’m a trader. On our last trip to Srashiman, Maldost was supposed to be trading for pristidian seedlings. He ended up with her mother instead,” he said grimly.

  “He bought a pregnant female?”

  “In his defense, he did not know she was pregnant. And by the time I realized what he had done, we were already several days away. I was so focused on trying to come up with another lead on my brother’s whereabouts that I didn’t want to take the time to return.”

/>   “You have to take her back.”

  Fuck. He knew she was right—he had been coming to the same conclusion over the past few days. Despite the financial loss and the not inconsiderable risk of running into the Patrol, it was the right thing to do.

  Mariah’s eyes filled with tears. “You took her away from her planet. She’s all alone in a strange new place.”

  He suspected that her tears were for far more than the slonga, but his tail circled her waist and pulled her close.

  “I will make sure that the slonga—and you—get home.” It was a vow.

  Chapter Ten

  Mariah wiped her eyes and smiled up at Cestov. He sounded so sincere and she believed him, but she had been thinking more of her sister’s situation than hers. As much as she longed to find Judith and Charlie, she was enjoying this adventure more than she had expected. Especially now that she was off that dreadful Vedeckian ship and with Cestov. The thought of the Vedeckian ship made her remember Kwaret.

  “You said that the Cire ship was going to stop the Vedeckians, right? Have you heard anything else?”

  “No, but I’ll check as soon as we return this little one to her mother,” he promised.

  He led her down the corridor to a wide door panel, opening it to reveal a catwalk and a set of stairs that descended into a cargo hold uncomfortably similar to that of the Vedeckian ship.

  It’s just cargo, she reminded herself. He’s nothing like them.

  One side of the space had the all too familiar arrangement of storage containers strapped into a complicated structure. A waist-high fence enclosed the other side, surrounding an area filled with sweet-smelling grasses. The mother slonga was stretched out in the bedding, chewing lazily, but she stood up and bellowed when they approached. She was smaller than Mariah had expected, no bigger than a small pony, but her ears flared out into fluttering curtains of shimmering color.

  “Now, now, Tajka. This is Mariah. She’s a friend.”

  “She’s so beautiful,” Mariah whispered. “Those ears are amazing.”