“I don’t know what to say,” she said and then she started to laugh.
He didn’t like the sound of her laughter and a minute later it turned to tears. To hell with this. He gathered her into his arms, rocking her as if she were a small child. He remembered the song she had sung to the slonga and hummed it as he moved. A long time later, her tears finally stopped, and she snuggled against him with a tired sigh.
“You sang to me.”
“I did not know what else to do.”
She wiped her eyes and gave him a watery smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually break down like that.”
“There is no need to apologize. I know that this has been a shock for you.”
“And for you.”
A shock, yes, but now that he had time to think beyond his concern for her, an overwhelmingly joyous shock.
“I know that this is difficult for you and I’m not sure what will happen, but I promise you, Mariah, I will do everything in my power to make sure that you and our child are happy and provided for in every way.”
Chapter Fourteen
Mariah asked for some time alone, and although he hated to leave her when she was so obviously upset, he decided the best thing he could do for her was to make preparations to depart as soon as possible for Granica. Perhaps finding her sister would make her happy.
Together he and Maldost traded a good part of their cargo, sacrificing profit for speed. Still, the cargo hold remained half-full once they were done. They both tacitly avoided discussing the slonga. As soon as they were through, he went to check with Plovac on the route to Granica.
“No more than a week,” the navigator promised. “Perhaps less if you don’t mind spending some extra fuel.”
He was willing to do whatever it took to bring a smile back to Mariah’s face.
“Yes, I want to arrive as quickly as possible. Are the items I requested on board?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well. Prepare to depart but wait for my signal.”
“Yes, sir.” Plovac hesitated. “Is something wrong with Mistress Mariah?”
“Not exactly, but she has had some upsetting news.”
“Please give her my best wishes.”
“Thank you, Plovac,” he said sincerely. His miri had won over his entire crew, even the solemn young navigator. “I’m sure that she will appreciate that.”
He collected his packages and headed for their cabin - or was it still their cabin? Perhaps she would no longer wish to share it with him after his betrayal of her trust, no matter how unintentional. When he quietly opened the door, he found the room in darkness. His heart beat uncomfortably fast until he found her small figure curled in the center of the bed.
He approached quietly, unwilling to disturb her if she slept, but he caught the gleam of her eyes when she looked up at him.
“Do you wish to be alone?” he forced himself to ask. His tail was already trying to tug him closer to that dejected heap.
“No. I… I need you, Cestov,” she whispered.
Her words unleashed his restraint and he slid into the bed, tucking her against him while his tail wrapped around her wrist. Having her back in his arms, her scent surrounding him, made his world complete again.
As soon as Cestov put his arms around her, something inside Mariah relaxed. His comforting, spicy scent surrounded her, and her troubled heart seemed lighter. As upset as she had been all afternoon, she had still found herself longing for his presence. She didn’t—couldn’t—blame him. The shock on his face had been completely genuine, but more than that, she believed to the bottom of her heart that he would never intentionally hurt her.
“I’m so sorry, my miri.”
“It’s not your fault. I chose to take the chance.”
“Because you believed my words.”
“Yes, but also because I didn’t want any barriers between us,” she admitted. She had wanted to feel every inch of his amazing cock. She gave a small laugh. “Judith started lecturing me about the use of condoms the day I started my period. As always, she was right.”
“Would it ease your mind to talk to Hrebec’s mate? Apparently, she has been in this position.”
“No, I don’t think so. He said they had three kids, so I suspect she’s the maternal type—something I’ve never been. I never even played with dolls.”
“We will learn together,” he promised.
His words comforted her and yet…
“What are we going to do? If I’m pregnant, I can’t go home.” She reached up and stroked one of the ridges that arched back over his head. “I doubt that Earth is ready for a half-Cire child.”
“You would leave me if that were an option?”
He looked so appalled that she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
“No, I would never take your child away from you.” Especially when she knew what a precious gift it would be to him.
“We can adapt the ship to accommodate a child.”
“Perhaps.” The idea appealed to her. He could continue his travels while she and the baby accompanied him. And she had come to feel at home here. There was that word again. Home. Would it feel like a home to a child? “I guess we have some time to decide. We’re still going to Granica, aren’t we?”
“Of course. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Now that you may be in a delicate condition, perhaps you would prefer to remain here? We do not know what we will encounter on Granica.”
“I may be pregnant, not incapacitated. I am most certainly going with you,” she said indignantly, but was mollified when he gave her a relieved sigh and pulled her closer.
“I confess, I am glad that you will accompany me. I would only worry if we were apart.”
It hit her with a sudden blinding certainty that she did not want to be separated from him either and if she was pregnant, they would not be parting. She had always thought that she would feel trapped, tied down, by a husband and child, but this didn’t feel that way. This felt… right.
“I don’t know how Judith did it,” she said thoughtfully as she snuggled against him.
“Did what?”
“Had a child on her own.”
“Where is the father?”
“In a test tube.” She laughed at his expression, already feeling lighter. “Have you heard of artificial insemination?”
“Using technology to create life? Yes.” Sorrow flashed across his face. “My father said that many attempts were made on Ciresia, but none were successful. To know that we can breed successfully with another race…” His hand came down to cover her stomach. “It is a miracle for my people.”
The feel of his big warm hand sent a streak of longing through her and she felt her body respond. His nostrils flared and he raised his head to look down at her as his tail moved from her waist to cup her breast.
“You are aroused, my miri.”
“You seem to have that effect on me.”
“I understand if you no longer wish to exchange pleasure with me.”
“Oh, I wish.” She gasped as his tail tugged lightly at a stiff peak. “But on the slim chance that I’m not pregnant, we should probably take some precautions. Even though I suspect worrying about birth control now is rather like locking the barn door after the horse is stolen.”
He frowned, then nodded. “I believe I understand your idiom. I will speak to Whovian about additional precautions, although he will need to investigate. Few races practice such a thing anymore.”
“Are you sure he’s… capable?”
“Yes,” he said thoughtfully. “I think he is. He has always been competent in that regard and the evenings when you sing to us have been good for him. He no longer rushes away to drink.”
“He seems to be a very troubled male.”
“Yes. Perhaps my initial instincts were correct after all.” He rose over her. “But I no longer wish to discuss him. Even without precautions, I can still bring you to pleasure.”
“But—”
<
br /> Her protest was lost in his kiss as he proceeded to prove just how skilled he could be at satisfying her with his mouth, his hands, and that very naughty tail.
Cestov watched in satisfaction as Mariah drifted into sleep, exhausted by pleasure. His own cock throbbed and ached, but he had refused her offers to take him in her mouth. Guilt still consumed him that he had been so careless with her. However, as soon as she was asleep, he left the cabin in search of Whovian. He did not trust himself to be able to resist touching her for too long. He found the medic sitting in his lab, staring at an unopened bottle of Partallan liquor.
“Whovian? Is something wrong?”
“No more than normal.” Before he could ask, Whovian shook his head. “Never mind. Can I assist you?”
“Yes. I need you to provide a birth control protocol for me.”
“Birth control? An unusual concept in these times.”
“Perhaps, but my ma—but Mariah has plans to return to Earth. That is if it’s not already too late.”
Even though he knew it was wrong, in his deepest heart he prayed that it was, in fact, too late. But that gave him an idea.
“Would you be able to tell if she was pregnant?”
Whovian’s faced turned even whiter than normal and he shook his head rapidly. “No! I mean, no, probably not. I am unfamiliar with her species so I could not be sure about her hormonal patterns. I believe that you will need to let time provide your answer.”
“I see. Does that mean that you cannot assist with birth control either?”
“No, that I can provide. Cire physiology is well-documented. Please have a seat.” Whovian turned to his monitor and scrolled rapidly through a series of files that all looked like gibberish to Cestov. A few minutes later, he turned back to him. “This says that your seed is not fertile until you meet your mate. Is that not correct?”
“It is what I was always led to believe. Of course, I was always led to believe that only a female of my own species could be that mate.”
“But you think that Mariah is your mate?”
Yes.
“I do not know. I want to share my life with her, but I have never mated before and I was too young to understand when my parents were still together.”
“I see.” Whovian flicked down the page. “You are attracted to her scent?”
“Yes, of course.” Even thinking of her delicate fragrance caused his cock to stir.
“And your tail? Never mind, I have seen how often it is wrapped around her.” Whovian hesitated. “Have you knotted?”
He wrestled with a wave of anger at having to discuss such an intimate matter. For all his faults, Whovian was a medic, after all.
“Yes,” he said shortly.
“According to these records, you are most likely both mated and fertile.”
Once again, delight and fear warred within him.
“Is it something you can prevent going forward?” If it wasn’t already too late.
“Yes. It’s a simple matter. I will take a sample of your blood and develop the formula. It will be ready tomorrow—no, make that this evening. Love can make any male do foolish things,” Whovian said in a melancholy tone.
Love? The word echoed in his head and settled into place with a sense of inevitable rightness. Yes, he loved her. That first bloom of attraction had ripened into love.
“Perhaps you are right,” he admitted.
“I will bring it to the lounge later this evening. Will Mariah feel like singing?”
“I believe she might,” he said slowly. “It seems to give her comfort.”
“That would be most enjoyable. She makes me forget…”
“Forget what?”
Whovian shook his head, the long red braids flying. “Many things.”
Cestov did not press him to continue. Instead, he sat patiently while the medic took his samples and performed a few additional tests. By the time Whovian was through, he was ready to return to his mate. His mate. Another word that settled into his heart with sure knowledge.
Whovian’s voice stopped him as he was about to leave.
“Thank you, Captain,” he said quietly.
“For what, Whovian?”
“For rescuing me. For giving me a place to fight my battles.” He looked at the bottle on the desk. “A battle that is not yet over but has been a little easier lately.”
He nodded, embarrassed by the male’s gratitude. “Do not be afraid to ask for help. We are a family, after all.”
It wasn’t until he stepped outside that he realized what he had said. What the hell was happening to him? Was he turning into the family man that he never thought he wanted to be—that he never thought he could be?
As if in response to his question, a small pink figure trotted up the corridor towards him, squealing happily.
“You found me, did you?” He picked up Lilat and settled her in the crook of his arm. “Was I gone too long today?”
She lifted her small trunk to his face as his tail came up to cover her. “Come on, little one. Let’s see if my mate is awake. I bet she has missed you too.”
Chapter Fifteen
Mariah didn’t sleep long, but when she awoke, she found that her anxiety had diminished. Not gone completely but settled into acceptance. Cestov was no longer beside her but she didn’t panic the way she would have done if a potential human father had disappeared on her. Leaving aside the fact that it was his ship, she had absolutely no doubt that he would never desert her—her or their child.
A child. Her hand dropped to her stomach. What would she look like, she wondered. Would she have Cestov’s green skin and dark eyes? And, oh lord, his tail? How did you put a diaper around a tail? She had never thought she wanted a baby but now she was seized by a fierce protectiveness.
She would be as good a mother to her baby as Judith had been to her.
Judith. Time to remember her main purpose here and tell Cestov that she was ready to depart for Granica as soon as possible. As she climbed out of bed, she saw several bundles wrapped in colorful fabrics on the end of the bed. Were they for her?
As she was debating peeking at one to see what it contained, the door opened and Cestov appeared, Lilat tucked against him, her small body looking even smaller against that massive chest. She had a sudden vision of him holding their child with that same protective hold and her eyes filled with tears. He might be an alien, but she couldn’t imagine a better father.
“Oh, good. You’re awake.” He came closer and saw the tears in her eyes. “Is something wrong, my miri? I mean, is something else wrong?”
Lilat mewled anxiously.
“No, I was just thinking that I am lucky to have met you.” Her smile was a little watery but genuine.
“Even under these circumstances? You honor me, Mariah.”
He kissed her, slowly and sweetly, but she felt her body respond and she had to force herself not to cling to him when he lifted his head.
“I was just looking at these packages,” she said breathlessly.
“Oh, good. They are for you.”
“For me? Really?”
“Yes. It isn’t much and I had to make some guesses, but I hope you will be pleased. Go ahead—open them,” he urged as he sat down on the bed, still cradling Lilat. The slonga watched with her big dark eyes.
Feeling a little like a kid on Christmas morning, she unwrapped the first one. Shirts in several jewel tones spilled out, all soft to the touch and flowing over her hands like silk.
“These are beautiful.”
“They will only compliment your beauty.”
The second package contained pants, also in soft, flowing fabrics, and a garment that she assumed must be a nightgown since it was practically sheer.
“A dress for entertaining?” she asked innocently.
“Nightwear for my eyes only,” he growled. “Although, I suspect it will not take me long to remove it.”
“Umm, about that—”
“I just came back from seeing W
hovian. He is making a birth control formula for me.”
“For you?” she asked, shocked.
“Yes. He has sufficient documentation on Cire physiology to make the compound.”
“On Earth, it always seems to be the woman who’s responsible.”
“A foolish notion. Are not two parties involved? Or perhaps three if you are like the Trojet.”
“Generally, it is two.” She peeped at him from under her lashes. Never had he looked more desirable than sitting there, cradling the small pink slonga tenderly against his big body. “How long will it take?”
“He said it would be ready tonight.”
“That’s good,” she murmured, holding up the nightgown. “Very good.”
The heat flared in his eyes and his tail darted towards her, but she skipped back out of reach. “Tonight, remember.”
“Once again, callously rejecting me,” he said solemnly, his eyes twinkling.
She rolled her eyes and opened the last two packages. The first one was a tablet of some kind.
“What is this?”
“It is a type of reader. You said you missed reading.”
“That’s very sweet of you, but I can’t read your language.” The translation device only appeared to work for verbal communication.
“I know. This will teach you Galactica, the standard trade language. It is designed to enhance learning and once you become fluent, there are a number of books available.”
“Thank you,” she said, trying not to cry again. But then she opened the fourth package and all hope was lost. It contained a small string instrument, similar to a dulcimer. Through her tears, she ran a finger across the strings delighting in the melodious notes.
“My miri, please do not cry. I thought that the dobron might make you happy.” He placed Lilat carefully on the bed and drew her into his arms.
“These are happy tears. You are the most thoughtful man—male—I’ve ever met.”
She kissed him again and as soon as his tongue touched hers, the taste of spice invading her mouth, she was lost. It wasn’t until she heard an indignant squeal and felt a soft trunk patting her cheek demandingly that she came to her senses.
A Son for the Alien Warrior (Treasured by the Alien Book 2) Page 9