Delivered to the Aliens: Cosmic Connections (11 page)

Her eyes were red and puffy from tears. He lifted a finger to gently wipe at the wet tracks on her cheeks. She flinched away, hurting him more than any of her previous blows.

“You’re a selfish prick,” Sophia said. “You might as well be honest now.”

The market stopped, all eyes in the crowd watching their spectacle.

“I thought… I thought once you were here, Zan would come around.”

“Because he didn’t want a new mate.”

Alton’s temper broke. “If he didn’t want a mate, then why did he form a Brace with me? He knew what I wanted.”

“So this is my fault?” Zan asked, joining their public display.

Sophia’s focus never left Alton. He sighed, shoulders sagging. She didn’t have to say the blame rested with him, because it did.

“Let’s go home and talk about this,
in private
,” he said.

Sophia took a step back, shaking her head. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’re married for at least a year.” A year to form a bond so strong she’d never want to leave. A year for her to forgive his lies and half-truths.

“Married but I don’t have to live with you,” she said. She spun on her heel and headed toward Miri. The taller female looked stricken but put a comforting arm around his mate’s shoulder. Alton moved to follow but she shook her head, indicating that he needed to give his mate some space.

Zan dragged a finger through the jam clinging to Alton’s shirt and popped it in his mouth. “You have to admit, she’s in the right. You weren’t honest from the get go, with either of us.”

“Don’t start with me.” Alton growled a warning.

“She’ll cool down in a few days.”

He hoped so.

Zan

Zan pushed Alton into the truck, a heavy hand in the middle of his back. He said nothing during the ride back to the homestead, hands gripping the wheel tightly. His anger grew steadily with each passing moment. He focused on the road because if he took a moment to glance at Alton, he’d say words he wouldn’t be able to take back when his temper cooled.

He didn’t want a mate. He and Alton were fine the way they were but Alton had to meddle.

Zan tried to resist the curvy Terran woman but her fighting spirit called to him. He tried to push her away but that only pulled him in harder.

His tail thumped out an agitated beat on the seat.

He couldn’t lose his mate. Not again. Losing Arlean nearly destroyed him. He didn’t plan on loving Arlean and he certainly didn’t plan on the force of nature that was Sophia. When it came right down to it, Zan was a big ‘ol romantic.

And Alton counted on that.

Alton set him up.

The truck rattled to a stop outside the house. The sun setting behind the bulk of the building turned it dark and inviting. Zan climbed out, boots stomping across the gravel.

“Wait a minute,” Alton said, reaching for the other’s shoulder.

Zan’s fist landed squarely in the middle of Alton’s face, busting his lip.

Stunned, Alton staggered back. His hand went to his lips and came away scarlet. He stared at Zan in disbelief.

“We’ll fix this,” Zan said before storming away. He knew the fault rested with him as well as Alton. He could have told Sophia about his former Brace, his lost mate, but to do that would be to expose the vulnerable parts of himself. By keeping this from Sophia, he hurt her as much as Alton’s half-truths and omissions.

He’d fix this because there was no life without Sophia.

Chapter Fifteen

Sophia

Miri took Sophia back to her home above the cafe. “We have the space, if you don’t mind the noise.”

“I’m grateful for anything, really. Thanks,” Sophia said. Anger drained and exhausted, she climbed the steps slowly.

Wells fed Sophia a giant bowl of soup because it was “good for the soul”. Not terribly hungry, Sophia initially refused. He stood over her at the table, arms folded and frown on his face until she emptied the bowl.  As she pushed the bowl away, Miri asked the obvious, “The fight wasn’t because of what I said, was it?”

Sophia sighed. “Not directly. I just… We agreed to be honest with each other. I’ve been here a week. We’re still strangers to each other. We owe that much to ourselves.”

Miri and Wells exchanged a pointed look.

“You think I’m overreacting,” Sophia said. “I don’t care that Zan has an ex. Who doesn’t have an ex?”

“My brother didn’t tell you,” Miri said.

“I’d be grateful if he told me anything. I didn’t even know there were two of them.”

Wells broke his stoic expression and laughed. Miri raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, gesturing to Sophia’s obvious distress. The laugh transformed into a cough and he gathered up the empty dishes before escaping to the kitchen.

“Somehow I think there’s more to the story than you’re letting on.”

Sophia nodded and explained the situation with her ex, why she left Aldrin One for a fresh start. “I know it’s ridiculous and the opposite of romantic, but I needed off the station and the agency would pay my passage.”

“Lots of good marriages start with less.”

Hard to see how. She didn’t want to be in a relationship with a human or an alien, period. Certainly not
two
. She was out of options and desperate. As she explained, the situation seemed less like a fresh start and just plain grubby. She
sold
herself, or the promise of herself, to a pair of strangers.

It didn’t matter that Alton had an easy grin and eagerness to please. Or that his kisses were slow and tender, full of adoration. Or that her heart felt full when he draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a quick peck on the cheek.

It didn’t matter that Zan held her with a fierce, burning passion that left her breathless. Or that he frustrated her to the point of rage but she just couldn’t stop smiling when they argued.

It didn’t matter that both men with personalities so different, felt so right for her.

None of that mattered when they didn’t listen to her.

“I wasted enough time on one man who didn’t listen to me, made me empty promises, spent all my money and brought home nothing but bills and lies. I don’t need two more of the same.”

To her credit, Miri did not try to plead her brother’s case or explain away his lies. She nodded and listened, which was the greatest gift she could give.

The next day, everyone in town whispered what happened between Sophia and her Brace.

The day after, everyone in the next town over knew. Sophia worked in the cafe with Miri, mainly to keep busy and to repay Miri’s hospitality. The cafe was more crowded than usual but no one said anything unkind to Sophia.

On the third day, Alton darkened the cafe’s door. Miri pointed directly at him, face cold and impassive, and shook her head.

On the fourth day, Alton reappeared, hat in hand. Miri sighed and continued to wipe down a table. “Give it a little more time,” she said.

After the midday rush, Sophia packed a small meal and headed toward the river. The settlement’s security wall ran right up to the river’s edge. Downriver was a mill and a hydro plant but up river enjoyed undisturbed green spaces near the water’s edge. Sophia carefully picked her way to a flat stone outcropping and dangled her feet in the cool water. Warm from the late summer sun, the stone radiated a comforting heat into her tired muscles. She unwrapped a cheese and pickle sandwich, savoring the first bite. Miri’s men made a damn fine sandwich.

A familiar figure slumped down next to her on the rock. “It’s not safe you being out here by yourself,” Zan said.

Without saying a word and rolling her eyes, Sophia handed half of the sandwich to Zan. They ate in silence. The hum of the mill and the hydro plant faded into background noise. Insects danced over the surface of the water. Birds called from the trees. A large bird of prey swooped down and plucked a fish from the water.

Sophia twisted the cap off the chilled water bottle and offered it to him. Zan took a deep drink before handing it back.

“Not to sound ungrateful,” Zan said, “but you got another sandwich?”

“I didn’t plan on feeding you,” Sophia said. She was unsure if she should be talking to him at the moment but the unexpected delight of Zan’s arrival highlighted how much she missed him. Them.

“I count myself lucky you’re talking to me,” he said. He stretched back on the rock, arms behind his head. His hat covered his face from the bright sunshine. His tight fitting shirt and pants highlighted his lean, athletic form. The sunlight glowed on his golden skin. Zan practically preened under her gaze.

His tail crept closer to her outstretched hand on the rock, brushing against her. She knocked it away and snorted. 

“Something amusing?”

“You come here to talk or to show off how sexy you are?”

“Can’t a male do both for his mate?” Sophia couldn’t see his face but she could hear the cocky, self-pleased smile in his voice. Fantastic. Alton couldn’t be straight with her and Zan’s ego knew no limits.

“I’m not in the mood,” she said sourly.

Zan removed his hat and sat up, twisting to face her. His normally pleasing face was gaunt and worn. Dark circles hung under his eyes. He wasn’t eating or sleeping.

Good. Sophia lifted her chin in defiance and huffed.

“I should have told you about Arlean and Caldwell,” he said. “It was wrong of me to keep that from you.”

“Especially when I told
you
about my ex.”

He nodded. “You asked for the truth. The truth is I didn’t want a mate. Alton made me agree to give you a week but I had every intention of sending you away.”

He didn’t want her. Ice spread through her chest, settling in the cold pit of her stomach. All her niggling suspicions were confirmed.

“Do you even like me?”

He reached for her hand but she flinched away. Zan let it go. “Yes,
asali
, I like you. I wouldn’t claim you as my mate if I didn't like you.”

Sophia huffed again. He didn’t need to like her to claim her. He just needed to desire her body, and she had ample proof of that. And why didn’t he say he loved her, instead of merely liking her? Would that satisfy her wounded pride or only increase her suspicion? No, there was nothing Zan could say in that moment to explain away his actions and soothe her rage.

“I knew I would like you, though. Alton was right in that regard.”

This was his big plan to woo her?
Hey, baby, I like you
.

“He loves you, you know,” Zan said.

Sophia snorted. “He loves the idea of me. He doesn't know me.”

Zan scratched at the base of his horns. “That may be true.”

“If you’re trying to woo me back with sweet words, you suck at it.”

He chuckled softly. “Alton’s always been good with words and charming people. He’s the balance to my rather sour personality.”

Sophia didn’t think Zan was sour. Stubborn, yes, but so was she. Blunt and spoke whatever popped into his head? Yes and yes.

“Alton has always wanted a mate,” Zan said. “Most boys go through a phase where females are gross, but not Alton. And most boys have fantasies about growing up to be warriors or heroes but Alton has never wanted anything more than a homestead and family. By the time he was ten winters old, he already sorted out who would be his Brace partner. We sealed the deal with spit and a handshake.”

“He didn’t catch frogs and put them down Miri’s back?” Sophia folded her legs up to her chest and rested her arms on her knees. Alton’s early planning was equally cute and a little frightening.

“Not sure what a frog is but he tormented his sister plenty.”

Sophia grinned at the image of a young Alton and Miri squabbling. “If he had this grand plan, what happened?”

“College happened. We went to different schools. He stayed on Corra. I went to Arith.”

“Did you grow apart?” Distance and new environments killed more than one childhood friendship.

Zan shook his head. “No, I… I wanted to tell you. Tried to tell you earlier but my words just seem to…” He waved a hand like he was wafting smoke. “Caldwell and Arlean were older than me, already a couple. They were happy being two, never really looked for a third, but they needed help.” Zan’s eyes gleamed in the sunlight. “She was ill and getting worse and needed medical care Caldwell couldn’t afford. I enlisted with the Corrovian military right after graduation. Came with benefits, the kind my mate would have access to.”

“You mated so she could get medical care?” That was surprisingly sweet.

“We met in town. Arlean was giving a reading— she wrote these children’s adventure stories— and we got to talking. I liked them well enough and there were worse reasons to take a mate and she only had a year, two at the most. I wanted to help.”

He picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water, watching the ripples spread across the surface.

“I did not expect to fall in love.”

Sophia’s breath caught in her throat and she clenched her fists. Jealousy, even misplaced jealousy for a deceased wife, was not pretty. “Tell me about her,” she said, struggling to keep her voice level.

Zan cocked his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as if he suspected her jealousy but wisely said nothing. “She had a condition. Had it her whole life so she knew her time was limited and packed in as much light and laughter as possible. That’s what drew me in, I think. Caldwell was nice enough but Arlean was the brightest star in the sky. She shined and you felt… felt like you shined, too, when you were with her. There was probably a prettier way to say that.”

“I liked it. Go on.”

“She loved stories. Reading, writing, telling tall tales. At the start, we’d spend all day in the library, letting her read every book she could get a hand on. Then when she was too tired to go out, we brought books to her and she read to us aloud. It was rather fine to have her between us, feet in my lap, head on Caldwell. Then when she couldn’t do that, we’d read to her. Even when she was too far gone to really be listening, I kept reading.” Zan picked up another pebble and tossed it into the water. “That’s all there is to the story, really. She got the care she needed at the end. Caldwell and I agreed to part ways. Arlean was really the only thing holding us together. Alton had a Guardian sentry post and needed a partner. Cleaning out a bug infestation seemed a good way to work out my grief. And here we are, ten years later, a Brace just like Alton always planned.”

Except it wasn’t like they planned, Sophia recognized. Zan lost a mate, a mate he never expected to love, and it hurt. He didn’t want to go through that kind of pain again.

“I should have told you. You shouldn’t have heard it second hand and for that I’m deeply sorry,” he said.

“So that’s why your horns are bigger than Alton’s?” She regretted her choice of words instantly. Zan beamed with cocky self-assurance.

“Do I need to explain to you what happen when a male claims a mate,
asali
?” He leaned in for a kiss. Sophia pushed him away with a smile.

“You know what I mean. Those jerks in the bar made fun of his horns.”

“So I do have to explain,” Zan said. “So, you have the claiming mark.”

“Yes.” Sophia rubbed at her shoulder where Zan sank his fangs in deep.

“A male releases a hormone. It alters your scent but it also stimulates horn growth for us. Lets everyone know you’re mated.”

“Humans just exchange rings, you know,” Sophia said. The scent alteration and horn growth seemed so… public.

“Evolution.” He shrugged his shoulders, implying there was nothing to be done about it. “But my horn is still bigger.”

She rolled her eyes with a groan. “I need to get back to work.”

“I don’t like you working,” he said.

“Well I don’t like not working.” Besides, she couldn’t accept Miri and her Brace’s hospitality without payment.

They headed back to the cafe in easy silence, the first peaceful moment they really shared.

“Will you give us another chance?” he asked, stopping outside the cafe.

Sophia folded her arms, studying her mate. She already forgave Zan and her anger toward Alton ebbed, and she
missed
them both, but they didn’t deserve to know that. Yet.

“I’ll talk to Alton. Tonight. After the cafe closes.”

“Here?”

“Stars, no.” The difficulties in having a calm conversation between all three of them would be hard enough. Having Miri, Wells and Molig listening in? Impossible. “Meet me by the river. The sound of the water makes me amiable.”