When she finished, her eyes were wet with tears. “I’m so glad he was trying to get in touch with you.”
“I wish I had found him earlier.”
“I know.” She put a gentle hand on his cheek. “I wish I could have seen Judith again.”
“There was something else in the case. Here.” He handed her the small image. Judith was lying in the bed, a radiant smile on her face as she looked down at Claire. Bratan sat beside her, one arm around her and the other around Charlie who was leaning eagerly towards the new baby. His brother looked so proud and so content.
“They look so happy.” She stroked her finger down her sister’s face. “As happy as we are.”
“Yes,” he agreed, but his brother’s words echoed in his mind. Was his true legacy not the ranch, but the ability to follow his own stars?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
A week later, Mariah flicked through her limited wardrobe, trying to decide on the appropriate outfit for a visit to town. Cestov had been several times this week and had been extremely mysterious about his purpose. She suspected that he was getting ready to sell the Wanderer but didn’t want to discuss it. She knew how much it bothered him to let it go, but they really didn’t need a ship when they had a ranch. She tried not to think of it as leaving them trapped on Granica. After all, she had spent her whole life on Earth and never felt the need to leave.
When she finally emerged, Cestov was waiting impatiently. He had an air of suppressed excitement that tickled her curiosity, but she had already decided that she wouldn’t press him. He obviously intended to surprise her with something.
After pacifying a pouting Charlie with the promise of a treat from town, they set out in the wagon.
“It really is a pretty planet, isn’t it?” she asked as they wound through the gently rolling purple hills. “I guess there are worse places we could have ended up.”
“Much worse,” he agreed, then shot her a worried look. “Do you miss Earth?”
“I miss some things. Some of the places I sang. Takeout pizza. The beach. I suppose all of the things I was familiar with—but you are more important to me than any of them.”
“I’m glad.” His tail circled her wrist and she put her hand over it.
They spent the rest of the trip talking idly about nothing of great importance. The trip somehow reminded her of setting off for one of her music tours and she found herself singing to him. He had picked up the words to some of the songs and she loved to hear him harmonize, his deep voice complimenting hers.
When they arrived in town, to her surprise, he didn’t turn down the main street, but followed one of the back roads. He pulled up outside a gated wall.
“What’s this?”
“A surprise.”
She gave him a suspicious look but let him help her down from the wagon. With his tail firmly around her waist, he led her through the gate and into a garden surrounded by high walls that stretched from the gate to a two-story building.
“Oh, this is beautiful.” One side of the garden had a swath of low purple grass, while the other held flowering bushes arranged around patio with a small fountain and… “Look, they have a sundial just like ours.”
A smile flashed across his face. “Yes, they do.”
He led her up onto the veranda that spanned the length of the building and through a set of glass doors. A big open living space greeted her with a fireplace at one end and a kitchen at the other, equipped with the same cooking machines she had seen on Cestov’s ship. She gave them an envious stare.
“I don’t understand. Whose house is this and why are we here?”
“I’ll explain in a minute.”
He led her up a set of wide stairs to show her three small sunny bedrooms and a big bedroom overlooking the rear garden. Another set of stairs and they emerged on the flat roof of the building. A waist-high balustrade circled the space, but she could see out over most of the town to the land beyond, rolling gently towards the mountains. Part of the roof was shaded by a pergola and a set of comfortable looking furniture promised an inviting spot to sit and admire the view.
“Okay, Cestov. Talk to me,” she said, leading him to the couch.
“Do you like the house?” he asked as they sat down.
“Of course I do. I could see us living here—if we didn’t live at the ranch, I mean.”
“Is that what you want? To live at the ranch?”
He was studying her so closely that even though her first impulse was to assure him that she did, she found herself giving him a rueful smile. “Not really. I know that’s terrible and it’s the children’s legacy and I’m fine with staying there. It’s just not really…”
“A perfect fit?”
“Exactly. Devoji is so good at everything and I’m just not.”
“Your skills lie in other areas.”
“Not areas that are appreciated at the ranch.” That wasn’t entirely true. She still frequently sang in the evenings, but it wasn’t quite the same as singing for an audience.
“I have been thinking that perhaps we should move to town,” he said slowly.
Her heart skipped a beat. She loved the idea of being around more people, of finding her own place again, but…
“But what about the ranch?”
“If you are willing, I thought I would give Maldost the opportunity to go into partnership with us. I can loan him the money to get started and he can pay me back from his share of the profits. He and Devoji would continue to live there while we moved into town.”
“What about the children?”
“I’m not sure that Charlie is really that interested in ranch life,” he said slowly. “I know he’s young and that could easily change. If it does, we can decide on a course of action at that time. With Claire also, if she expresses an interest.”
Excitement swept over her, but she forced herself to slow down and think about the consequences. “What about you? What will you do? You’re not going to take the Marshal’s job, are you?”
The town had offered him the job after Marshal Zakon was sent away and she had been relieved when he refused, afraid that his sense of responsibility would have compelled him to take the position.
“I offered to go into partnership with Radna.” He smiled at her. “I am a trader at heart, after all.”
“And he agreed?”
“Yes. Subject to your approval, of course. Since the incident with Macduk, he would prefer to be able to take life a little more easily. He even offered to convert one of the backrooms into a place where you could perform if you wished.”
If she wished? She could think of nothing that would make her happier. She had only one other concern.
“But what about your ship?”
He grinned, his happiness obvious. “A merchant always needs a source of supplies. Plovac and Servisa can handle the trading runs or we can hire some additional crew if they need them. We could even go with them sometimes when the children are older.”
An answering excitement rose in her own heart, but she put her hand on his cheek and studied his face. “You’re really sure about this?”
“Yes, my miri. My brother was sending me the sextant to guide my path - my path, not his. And this feels right to me. But only if it makes you happy as well?”
Make her happy? To live in this bright little house, close to everything? To be able to sing? To have the promise of more trips amongst the stars?
“Nothing could make me happier.”
“Good.”
He lifted her into his arms, kissing her until she was breathless and rubbing her nipples against his hard chest, seeking to relieve the throbbing ache. His tail crept up to pull the needy peaks as he lowered her back on the couch.
“Oh, I left out one important detail.” He smiled down at her.
“Yes,” she said absently, reaching for the fastening of his pants.
“The store is right across the street. That means I’ll always be close by.”
�
��I want you closer now,” she whispered as she freed his erection, the heavy length springing into her hand. She gave it a long slow stroke and he groaned.
“I will not last if you keep doing that,” he warned.
“You can’t handle a little teasing?” she asked innocently.
“Can you?”
He flipped her onto her back and proceeded to kiss and stroke every part of her until her whole body was on fire with longing, until he finally, finally drove into her and her vision sheeted white as she convulsed in helpless ecstasy, until he knotted deep inside, his seed filling her.
Afterwards, they lay locked together in contented satisfaction. She looked up through the pergola slats at the deep lavender-blue sky. Not an Earth sky but that no longer mattered. She had found her home, she had found her family, and wherever she traveled from now on, she would never be alone.
Epilogue
One year later...
“Mariah, are you ready?” Cestov strode into the dressing room, looking every bit as handsome as he had the first day they met. Her heart skipped a beat as her body responded the way it always did to the sight of her warrior.
“Yes, I’m ready.” She lifted her hand towards him, her new collection of bracelets jingling with the movement. Once he had realized how much she enjoyed the jewelry, he and the children had provided her with a new bracelet on every occasion. But the most significant one was still the first one. When he found her crying over her sister’s bracelet after another one of the threads snapped, he had carefully painted the fraying threads with a clear liquid which would preserve them forever. She pressed a finger against it now. Love you, Ju, she thought.
He took her outstretched hand and helped her carefully to her feet. The increasingly large bulge of her stomach tended to throw her off balance and she appreciated his assistance. When they had decided to try for a child, both of them had been afraid to get their hopes up but she was pregnant within a week. Whovian had taken over the medical center in Selo and he had confirmed her pregnancy with a small but genuine smile. He seemed to have finally laid his demons to rest.
“You look more beautiful than ever, my mate,” Cestov said, admiring her.
She gave a careful twirl, loving the way her new skirts swished out. Most of the women on Granica tended to prefer more practical pants, but she had missed the easy flow of her old outfits. In the end, with a lot of swearing and considerable assistance from Devoji, she had managed to make herself a few skirts for performance nights.
“Are there a lot of people out there?” she asked nervously.
“Of course, there are. You know that everyone wants to hear you sing. You are a star.”
To her surprise, it was true. Maybe it was the overall lack of entertainment or maybe it was because she was part of this community now, but the room was always packed to the edges when she sang. A few of the townspeople had even been discussing putting up a larger hall now that people sometimes came from the outlying settlements and even other towns for her monthly performances. How ironic to find the kind of musical success she had always wanted in a small town on an alien planet. Success and motherhood—which reminded her of their son.
“What’s Charlie doing? You know he can get into trouble the minute we’re not watching him.”
Cestov laughed. “Do not worry. Maldost is following him around while Devoji looks after Claire and her own baby, and Lilat keeps an eye on all of them.”
They had tried leaving the slonga at the ranch, afraid she would be unhappy in town, but after the third time she had escaped and tried to follow them, they had given in and brought her with them. She seemed perfectly content in the townhouse, even though the number of slonga at the ranch had increased. After some fairly extensive negotiations with the government of Srashiman, instead of returning Tajka and the others, Maldost had been given permission to start a herd of slonga on Granica. Three additional females and a very impressive male had joined them on the ranch.
“It’s so great having Maldost and Devoji visit us. You don’t suppose they would be willing to move into town permanently, do you?”
They both laughed. The young couple seemed more than content out on the ranch. Cestov was still the majority partner, but Maldost paid off a little bit more of the loan each month.
Radna appeared in the doorway. “Everyone’s waiting.”
The little shopkeeper had become more than just a business partner; he had become a friend and an honorary grandfather. She smiled at him.
“I’m ready.”
Her mate took her hand and led her to where her audience waited.
“Mama!” Claire squealed as Mariah walked up on the small stage. The people sitting near them gave her an amused glance, but Charlie gently placed a finger on her lips.
“Hush, Claire. Mama’s gonna sing.”
She gave him her big-eyed stare then nodded solemnly. Both children settled back against him as he wrapped his tail around them. Lilat reached up with her trunk, patting each small figure to make sure that they were safe. Not so small anymore, he thought. How fast they had grown. Claire was taking her first tottering steps and Charlie seemed to have doubled in size. His gaze went from the children to his mate, her head bent over the strings of the dobron as she started to sing, the swell of her stomach a reminder that their family was expanding. Not a future he had ever dreamed of, but one that filled him with joy every day.
Bratan had tried to tell him and he had been too stubborn to listen. You were right, my brother, he thought. And I will make sure that your family—our family—can follow their own dreams.
Later that evening, Cestov joined Mariah on the roof of their building. She was dancing slowly, her bare feet moving to the rhythm of her humming and he remembered the first time he brought her to his cabin. She had been beautiful and entrancing then, but she was so much more so now that he knew her as a companion, a mother, a mate. He waited until she grew closer, then twirled her into his arms, his tail wrapping around her waist as she lifted her arms to his neck.
“Happy, my miri?” he asked.
“More than I ever thought I’d be.”
He pulled her closer, delighting in the soft warmth of her body, of the new life blossoming between them. Mariah’s steps slowed and she led him over to the edge of the roof, looking not up at the stars, but at the small town laid out before them.
“I spent my whole life fighting to avoid this destiny,” she said softly.
“As did I.”
“How Judith would laugh.”
Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight and he saw a tear glisten on her cheek.
“Bratan would have laughed as well, but I know they would both be glad to know that we are here together and that their children are loved and happy.”
“To our family,” she said, raising an imaginary glass.
He took her back into his arms, wrapping them around the swollen mound of her stomach.
“To our family,” he echoed. “To the ones who are here, to the ones who are yet to come, and to the ones who live on in our hearts.”
Her hands tightened over his and together they looked out over their home as they swayed to the music that only the two of them could hear.
Authors’ Note
Thank you for reading A Son for the Alien Warrior! We hope you enjoyed seeing another Cire Warrior and his human mate discover that no matter where you are in the universe, love is all you need to create a family.
As always, there are so many people to thank!
To our fantastic readers... Your unbelievable support and love of Mama and the Alien Warrior inspired us to continue the Treasured by the Alien series. Thank you! While there is no set date for our next release, there is definitely more to come! You may have noticed that there is another human female with a story to be discovered...
To our awesome beta readers: Kathryn S., Tammy S., Janet S., Annie T., and Kitty S.... You ladies rock! Thank you!
To our fabulous cover designers: Cameron Kamenicky
and Naomi Lucas... Oh, sweet alien tail! You guys did it again! So well done! Thank you!
To our loving families... We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Thank you again for reading our book! Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to us if you left an honest review at Amazon. Reviews help other readers find books to enjoy, which helps the authors as well!
All the best,
Honey & Bex
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Other Titles
Treasured by the Alien
Mama and the Alien Warrior
Cosmic Fairy Tales
The Ugly Dukeling by Bex McLynn
Jackie and the Giant by Honey Phillips
Books by Honey Phillips
The Alien Abduction Series
Anna and the Alien
Beth and the Barbarian
Cam and the Conqueror
Deb and the Demon
Ella and the Emperor
Faith and the Fighter
Greta and the Gargoyle
The Alien Invasion Series
Alien Selection
Alien Conquest
Alien Prisoner
Alien Breeder
Alien Alliance
Alien Hope
Cyborgs on Mars
High Plains Cyborg
The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg
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Sarda
Thanemonger
Bane
Standalone
Rein: A Tidefall Novel
A Son for the Alien Warrior (Treasured by the Alien Book 2) Page 18