Craving: A SciFi Alien Mail Order Bride Romance (TerraMates Book 8) (6 page)

B
y the time
he made it to the medical bay, Kai could barely walk. Some called it battle rage. The Anquesh called it nuxmunit. It began with the attack on the car, but it was fading now, and he was starting to feel weak.

By the gods
, he thought.
Who attacked us?

He ran through the possibilities in his mind. Was it someone from Earth, such as the military or a terrorist organization? A faction from Anquera looking to destabilize the government? Or was it a third race, biding its time and waiting for the most opportune moment to strike?

"Commander!" The medical tech was surprised to see Kai. "I need help. The commander is wounded."

Others rushed to Kai's side. In his depleted state, the faces blurred together, and he couldn't recognize anyone. He started swaying on his feet. Someone led him to a bed, lifting him up and helping him sink into the comfortable pad.

The doctor examined Kai's body, taking note of his multiple wounds. He had bruises on his shoulder, upper arm, and right chest.

"Did someone beat you up? What weapons cause injuries like these?"

Kai laughed. "They were using bullets. Earth weapons."

The doctor made a derisive noise. "How primitive."

"It doesn't matter how the target dies, as long as they stay dead." Kai held back a groan that lingered in his throat as the doctor began to prod his body.

"We need to take them out."

"You don't need my permission to do your job." Kai's patience was at an end. Not only had his security failed to provide information about a possible attack, he was also forced to bring Jenn onto the Ruvien for her protection. Without knowing the identity of the attackers, it wasn't safe to leave Jenn in the hands of Earth's military forces.

Kai had been shocked at how easy it was to slip away from the people who were assigned to protect them. Neither the Earth Alliance troops nor his handlers should have let the situation deteriorate to the point where a flight was necessary. Aden never made it back to the Ruvien once Kai sounded the evacuation order.

The only explanation that made sense was that Kai had a spy among his men. His lack of vigilance and over-reliance on his people had put both him and Jenn at risk. Now he wasn't sure who to trust. It was a bitter pill to swallow, and he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

The doctor administered local painkillers, but it still hurt when instruments poked around in private places. Kai kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling, doing his best not to show weakness. The doctor seemed enthusiastic about digging his instruments into Kai's body. The crude Earth bullets made a clinking sound as the medic dropped them into a metal pan.

"Save those," said Kai. "I want to analyze them later."

"Yes, commander."

The medic gently wiped away the blood from Kai's body and squeezed gel into each of the bullet holes. Kai was familiar with the treatment. The gel gave a short-term anesthetic effect while helping to heal tissue. When the doctor finished applying the gel, he laid strips of artificial skin on the wounds.

"Sorry to tell you this, but you can't exercise or shower for a week."

Kai raised his eyebrows. "That seems like an excessively long time."

"If your temperature rises or these wounds start bleeding again, come back here immediately. If you don't, I'll make sure your record shows you disobeyed your doctor's orders."

"Got it." Kai tried to sit up but shook his head. The room was spinning around him.

"No way." The doctor pushed him back down on the bed. "You have to rest here while we monitor your vital signs. We won't release you until we're sure you are well enough to walk."

Before Kai could reply, two figures walked to his bed. It was Tellen and his second-in-command, Lieutenant Sevit.

"Commander," said Tellen. "We have no new intelligence about the attack. The United Earth Alliance denies any involvement. They are also agitated that you took the woman. They demand her release."

"They can demand all they want. I'm not returning her."

"Sir, is that the most diplomatic solution?"

"Just a minute, Tellen." Kai held up his hand. "Sevit, take these bullets to security. Ask them if they can learn any new information."

"Sir, they would likely need assistance from Earth. The same people you plan to blow off about Jennifer Carden."

"Just tell the United Earth Alliance we expect their full cooperation to find the criminals who attacked me and my sindare."

At Kai's last words, Sevit raised an eyebrow.

"Are you waiting for something, Lieutenant? I gave you an order."

"Yes, sir," said Sevit crisply. He picked up the pan that held the bullets and left.

"What are you going to do with the Earth woman?"

"That is my business, and mine alone."

"The Emperor will disagree."

"I couldn't leave her there by herself. For all we know, her government's been compromised. I had to decide which one was the greater evil: leaving her with her own people or bringing her to ours. If she's with me, I can oversee her protection. It's my duty as her sindare."

"Sindare." Tellen shook his head. "How can you know? You need to test your assumption in combat."

"Have you found yours?"

"I am an old warrior. It's unlikely to meet my sindare at this stage in my life. I am quite satisfied with my wife."

Kai knew that if Tellen found his sindare, he wouldn't talk lightly about them. An ordinary woman would never invoke the depth of feeling that the Earth woman had aroused in Kai.

"Regardless," said Tellen. "The problem still stands. You cannot present Jennifer as your sindare to the emperor."

"I know. But allow me the dignity of making sure she is safe."

"And how do you propose to do that with the current political climate?"

Kai didn't know.

* * *

J
enn paced
around the little room, her ire gathering into a ball of anger.

"How dare he!" she muttered. "He thinks he can kidnap me, imprison me in a room and leave me alone, damn it!"

"Is there a problem?" A voice with a slightly mechanical tone echoed through speakers hidden somewhere in the walls.

She felt silly talking without seeing anyone, but she wouldn't let her discomfort stop her. "Where is the Emissary?"

"Sorry. I do not understand your question."

"Oh, great," groused Jenn. The last thing she needed was a computer that didn't understand her. "Let me try a different query. Where is Kai?"

"Do you mean Commander Imwaden?"

"Yes. Are there a lot of Anquesh named Kai around here?"

"Commander Imwaden is unavailable. Do you want me to leave him a message saying you want to see him?"

"No!"

"Very well."

Jenn didn't think that was what she wanted. She needed some answers. Was the Anquesh Emissary the only one who could give them to her? How long would it take?

"Wait, I changed my mind. Yes, I do want to see him."

"I will relay the message. One moment. It appears that Commander Imwaden is not on the active duty roster."

"What does that mean?" Jenn clenched her teeth.

"Not only is Commander Imwaden unavailable, but he also is not currently receiving messages."

"Let's try something else. I want to speak to someone that
is
available."

"I will relay the message," the mechanical voice said. "I have notified Lieutenant Sevit that you wish to speak to him. He will be here in approximately thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes!"

"I detect a high level of stress in your voice. Do you have physical needs that warrant attention?"

The phrase 'physical needs' made Jenn flash back to the car where Kai did delicious things to her body. She had to shut her thoughts down. She was on an enemy alien ship, and she didn't want to think about sex, especially when a machine triggered the memory.

"No, I do not."

"Are you certain? Do you require food?"

The rumbling in Jenn's stomach told her yes. A single slice of pizza hours ago was hardly enough to keep her going. When she didn't answer right away, the computer didn't wait for her. "I will put in an order to the kitchen for you."

A buzzer sounded. "Per your request, Lieutenant Sevit is here to see you. Shall I open the door?"

"Yes." Jenn paused a moment. "Thank you."

An Anquesh warrior walked in with a wary expression in his eyes. He began speaking in Anquesh. "Lieutenant Sevit does not speak English or Standard," said the computer. "He ordered me to translate. The Lieutenant asks what you want."

Jenn glared at the man who towered over her.

"Where is Kai?" she demanded.

"The commander is unavailable."

"The computer told me that. I'm looking for more information. If he's not available, where is he precisely? I assume he's not lost in space." Jenn's words came out more fiercely than she had intended.

Sevit spat out a few words. "Commander Imwaden is in the medical bay. The staff is treating the wounds he received on your planet." The computer's mechanical voice did not have the same coldness that came from the Anquesh warrior's mouth.

"Oh. Is he going to be okay?"

"He will live. The Commander's health is not your concern. You've done quite enough already. Is there anything else you require at this moment?"

The Lieutenant's tone implied Jenn was the cause of his commander's injuries. She supposed she was, from a certain point of view. If she hadn't encouraged Kai to run away from the restaurant, the ugly mess would never have happened.

She shook her head no.

"Sleep pleasantly." The door closed as Sevit left the room.

J
enn had fallen asleep
. When she jolted awake, the lights in the room were off. The room was dark except for some light streaming in from the hallway. A hulking figure stood at the entrance.

"Turn on the damn lights!" Jenn shouted. The tiny room lit up, and she could finally see who was waiting for her outside the door.

It was Kai.

She gulped. He had one hand against the doorframe and his pose highlighted his sculptured body. Kai had changed his clothes. Currently, he wore a uniform with a metal breastplate which left his muscular arms uncovered. Unconsciously, Jenn stared at him, trying to get the memories of his hands out of her mind.

He didn't move, and Jenn quickly became impatient again. "Are you going to come in?"

"I was just checking on you."

"Why would you do that? Do you think I'm going to wander off unsupervised? You're holding me against my will. I'm sure your computer is keeping excellent tabs on me. You must want something else."

Kai looked away. He was trying to figure out the correct response.

"Well?" demanded Jenn. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"No. A warrior does not need to explain himself."

"You jerk!" She flew at him, her frustration at her situation pushing her to recklessness. Jenn hammered his breastplate with her fists. "How dare you take me from my planet! How dare you imprison me!"

Kai's face looked pained as he easily pulled her fists away from his chest. With a sigh, Kai pushed her back into the cabin, this time moving inside and closing the door. He started talking, enumerating several points with his fingers.

"First of all, I'm the commander of this ship. It reflects poorly on us if you make angry displays where the crew can hear you. Second, I'd appreciate it if you didn't hit me. My wounds are still healing, and the medical officer will give me a bad report if they start bleeding again. Finally, I brought you onto my ship because I wasn't sure who was trying to kill us. It's possible that you have become entangled in Anquera politics. If someone tried to kill you because you were with me, it's a problem. I understand that you want nothing to do with me, and I respect your decision."

"Where did you get the idea that I want nothing to do with you?"

"You were angry with me in the taxi when I touched you. You were right. It was unworthy of you and dishonorable of me."

Jenn stared at Kai. She could hardly believe a word she was hearing.

So he does think the worst of me
, she thought.
I'm stuck on a spaceship with a space hulk who thinks I'm a slut.

"I won't bother you again."

* * *

K
ai couldn't forget
the angry look on Jenn's face as the door slid into place, separating them again. He hung his head. His sindare hated him, and for good reasons.

It was foolish for him to come back to her cabin. He had lied to himself. He didn't need to check on her at all, but he wanted to see her. He needed to touch her, even if she didn't want him.

For the first time in his life, he had no idea how to get what he wanted.

Kai thought he could stash Jenn on a backwater planet somewhere and keep her away from danger, but he realized now it was foolish. She would be just as unhappy there as she was on Anquera. She wanted to go home. If their situations reversed, he would want to back too, regardless of the danger.

He felt the room sway around him for a moment, then remembered the doctor had threatened restriction to the medical bay if he didn't get some rest. He made his way down the hall to some temporary quarters he had co-opted from a junior officer and fell into the bunk. It wasn't as comfortable as his, but then again, the junior officer didn't have the Princess of Anquesh as a mother. She had pulled some strings to bring in another mattress and other conveniences to make her son as comfortable as possible.

Maybe it was the pain of his injuries, or maybe the pain from believing his sindare hated him, but Kai gave into the urge to call the one person who would understand his feelings.

The screen on the wall shimmered, and he saw his mother standing in a garden with the Anquera night sky behind her.

"Son?" said Andeleth, her face and voice filled with concern. "Are you well? You never call me when you're in space."

"I'm doing fine...er...how is the emperor?"

Andeleth's eyes narrowed. "I know you well. Don't bother hiding behind inquiries about my husband's health. You know I watch him every minute. You never contact me without a reason. What is the purpose of this call?"

Kap paused. "I have met my sindare."

"That's fantastic!" Andeleth's sudden expression of joy slowly gave way to consternation. "Wait. Is it an Earth woman?"

"Yes," said Kai miserably. "And she does not desire me."

The princess clucked. "That's considerably less wonderful. I don't believe you. Who wouldn't want my handsome son?"

"Mother," protested Kai. "Even if she did, it presents problems, and you know it. You've hidden many things from me."

Andeleth raised her head. "I didn't want you to worry."

Kai frowned at his mother's admission. She had known she was in danger and didn't share it with him.

"Tell me about her," urged Andeleth, trying to change the subject. "Is she pretty?"

"I can't get over her hair. It's a combination of gold and yellow hair."

"Gold! I don't believe it."

"Her eyes are as blue as the dress you wore at Hanton's wedding."

"Really? So you consider her exotic."

"Very much so. She would be an excellent prize for any warrior."

"Of course. But how can you be sure she is your sindare?"

Kai felt his cheeks flush, and he tried to look away before his mother saw his face.

"Ah," said Andeleth knowingly. "You took liberties with her already."

"It wasn't like that," protested Kai. "It was something special. I didn't know that the mere act of touching her would make me feel completely different."

"Sometimes it will, especially if the bond is very strong. I speak from experience. I knew Kanton was my sindare when we met at a court party. He took my hand and I was never the same again. Tell me something. How can you function right now when you are not with her?"

"I told you," Kai growled. "She does not want me."

"It sounds impossible if your bond is as strong as you claim."

"I dishonored her by the way I touched her. She is angry with me."

"So it was like that after all."

"That isn't the point," said Kai exasperated. "What should I do? I'm trapped in an impossible situation."

"And how is that?"

"I thought the Emperor didn't keep anything from you." Kai's voice came out in an accusatory tone, and he immediately regretted it.

"The Emperor and I have faced many challenging situations over the years. He couldn't imagine you would find your sindare among the Earth savages. Now that your situation has changed, I'll have to convince the Emperor that we should adjust our position."

"It might not be as easy as that. Tellen says having an Earth woman a heartbeat away from the royal family is intolerable."

She hissed. "Tellen is not trustworthy, no matter what your stepfather believes. He finds a way to be on every side of an issue. Let me worry about Tellen. I will talk to the emperor. We will make sure your sindare is welcome among our people."

"Bringing her was never the issue. The question is, will she be safe?"

Andeleth smiled. "Spoken like a true sindare. I cannot promise her safety, my son. That's your job."

"First things first. How can I get her to accept me?"

Andeleth shrugged. "Do you remember the kitith you tamed as a child?"

Kai had forgotten about the wild creature. It lurked in his garden outside his room, stealing food from Kai's plate when he wasn't looking. Eventually, Kai trained the animal to take food from his hand.

"If you could tame that kitith, you can tame an Earth woman. You'll figure it out. I will be glad to see you when you return home."

Kai sunk back, letting his head hit the pillow. It was good to talk to his mother, but somehow his problems seemed worse than before. He needed to make Jenn see that they belonged together. And he suspected Jenn would be more difficult to tame than a wild animal.