Her Stepbrothers Are Aliens (6 page)

Forgetting about the stupid rule, Lea’s head snapped up and she frowned, staring at him. He was inches from her, but Gunner and Rogue had also moved to stand behind her. “You believe one of my friends is you
Neba
?”

Of all the rotten timing, her mother came out onto the deck with all three of her friends, squealing once she saw her. Lea moaned and rubbed her head.

“Mom, please don’t do that,” Lea smiled and shook her head as she was engulfed in hugs. The men moved back, laughing as all of them started to speak at once.

“Wait, one at a time?” Lea laughed. “Yes, I’m fine. I have a little headache, but I’ll be fine. It was all a misunderstanding. Now, let me introduce you to the warrior who helped get me back here, Maxim.” Lea turned and smiled at him.

“Maxim, these are my friends and family, Tara, Melody and Tina. Mike and John are behind us. Oh and my mother the one that squeals,” Lea said, shaking her head.

“Will you not introduce me?” The question came from the stranger, no, warrior she had not met before who came up to stand next to Maxim.

Somehow she knew he was important and right now Lea sure didn’t want to fuck anything else up. She glanced over at Gunner, looking for help and he smiled nodding.

“Ladies, this is our King Jordon,” Gunner stated pulling Lea back into his arms. “Hold still and I’ll take your headache away,” he whispered, placing a hand on the side of her head that hurt.

Warm heat was the only way to describe what Gunner did to her. In seconds the headache was gone. “WOW! That was good. Can you do that when I get my migraines?” she asked and he laughed.

“Yes, but soon you won’t have to worry about those. Your body is already changing and I believe there should be no more headaches.” Gunner turned to his father who shook his head.

“I’m afraid her mother still gets them once in a while. Maybe when they are fully turned, it will stop. They’re not as bad as they used to be, but Lea’s mom still gets them,” his father stated, pulling Lea’s mom into his arms.

“Okay, I’m going to go change. Maybe we can get a fire going in the den and just relax tonight, because I feel as if I’ve been through the wash cycle on high,” Lea turned a little and placed a kiss Gunner’s chest. “Thank you for thanking care of the headache.”

She stepped out of Gunner’s arms and motioned for Tara, Melody and Tina to follow her, but of course so did her mother, being the protective mama bear she is.

Once inside and away from the men, Tara grabbed her arm. “Okay spill it? What happened with Maxim? Damn that man is hot! He didn’t hurt you though did he?”

“What the hell are you talking about? Did you see their King? I thought for sure I was going to get all wet again just standing there listening to his voice,” Melody sighed.

“Girls, enough. Go change and we’ll all meet in the den. There will be plenty of time to talk about the men later.” Her mom chased her friends to their rooms and escorted her to hers. “So spit it out, how are you feeling?” Her mom asked as soon as they were in her bedroom and the door was shut.

“You knew about Gunner and Rogue, didn’t you?” Lea asked and walked into the closet, looking at the old clothes she had left from last year when she had lived here between apartments.

“Yes, Krios explained things to me when his sons showed up and saw you. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t too happy, but Krios promised me that his boys would take good care of you and that you wouldn’t want for anything. And you have to admit, they are hot,” her mom said winking at her.

“Okay, so not going there with you, but yes they are both very handsome. I don’t like being treated as a second class citizen though. Especially in my own home. Don’t you find that a little offensive,” Lea asked, stripping out of her bathing suit and pulling some panties on with the sleeveless Maxi dress she had forgotten about. Dark red, with black horizontal graphics.

Her mom patted the spot on the bed next to her. “Yes, and I’ve explained that aspect to Krios a number of times, but he is set in his ways on this. But I do put my foot down when we have company. He knows I won’t abide with this crap when I have friends over. I guess we’ll just have to pick our battles like any married couple.”

She tilted her head and studied her mom. “Are you really happy, Mom? Is Krios treating you well? I know you’ve been married for only a few days, but you’ve been with him for over a year.”

Her leaned over and hugged her. “I love him. He’s the best thing to come along in a long time. Stop worrying about me.” She kissed her forehead. “It is a little weird you have to admit though. Remember that discussion we had about other beings being out there in the universe? It was a week after that when I met Krios.”

“Did he go as fast as his sons? I swear I feel as if I’ve known them for years. Every time I’m around them, it’s just so weird. I don’t know how to explain it,” Lea said and looked up to see Tara.

“Maxim came and found me in my room,” Tara frowned. “You just had to jinx me, didn’t you?” she accused her and Lea laughed.

“I take it he’s claiming that you are his
Neba
?” she asked, patting the bed next to her.

“Yes, and I swear I was so angry I threw a lamp at him. He said he’d meet me downstairs,” she grumbled.

“She’s not the only one.” Melody said as she came into the room “What is this? Did you do this Mom, because this is all too weird that all of us, well not Tina yet?” She sat down on the bed. “A king!! What the hell am I going to do with a damn king? And how do they know we’re their
Neba
or whatever that means?” Melody snapped.

“You know it is awful weird that all of us are their
Nebas
? Can they pick their
Nebas
?” Lea lifted her hand and looked at the mark. “I mean, they can do so much, couldn’t they put these marks on us?” She looked at her mother who was also frowning.

“You know you’re right, this is a little weird. Let’s go get some answers, shall we?” Her mother stood and Lea whistled. She was on a mission and her mom would not stop till she found out the truth.

“You know if you get mouthy, Krios could punish you? Maybe you should allow us to handle this?” Lea asked and her mom snorted.

“Nope, you are my children. I let you do enough over the years and for that I’m sorry. It might be late, but I will make sure my babies are taken care of.” Her mother reached over and squeezed her hand. “We’ll all get through this together.”

“I wonder if they’ll come up with someone for Tina?” Lea mumbled.

“Come up with what?” Tina asked

“I’ve been claimed and so has Tara, it seems.” Melody grumbled. “And if I had any odds going here, I bet someone will be claiming you’re their
Neba
very soon.”

“Well shit. Is this an easy way to get in our pants or what?” Tina whispered as the women entered the den. Eight warriors stood around the room speaking and all talk stopped and they turned to watch them.

No one lowered their gazes. Her mother crossed her arms over her chest and spread her leg apart getting ready to lay it all out. Lea had to grin at Aimee, her mom, when she wanted to be Mom was as fierce as any mama bear club.

“Oh no Mama bear has awoken. What did we miss?” Mike asked coming up behind them with John.

Chapter Seven

Gunner kept his smile hidden as he watched the women. Lea stood next to her mom, her head held up high. “
We do have a wild one on our hands, dear brother. I wonder what they are upset about now?”

“We are about to find out.”
Rogue’s teasing words indicated he too was very pleased.

“Do you want to explain how it is so convenient that all my girls have been claimed, but one?” Aimee asked. “What kind of fucking game is this? It’s one thing to mess with my life, but I won’t have you screwing my children. Please, all three women are
Nebas
to your family and friends? We’re not stupid. Oh, wait let me guess. One of the other men here is also Tina’s man? Do you have women for John and Mike too?” If her daughter was like her mother. Gunner knew they would have their hands full.

He glanced at his Krios. The small tick in his father’s right eye was a good sign he was about to lose his cool.

“Maybe I can help with this.” Jordon stepped forward well aware of the fact that Gunner’s father was furious.

“No disrespect intended here, sir,” Lea said, and he held his breath as she bowed her head. “But you have more power than anyone in this room. Could you make us see any of these marks with your gifts? Influence any of us?”

Gunner growled and started to move towards his
Neba
to give her the punishment she deserved, but Jordon stopped him, holding his hand up.

“No, this is a fair question, Gunner, and they are right. Even you would question this. We were discussing this before you all came in here. The odds are astronomical, beyond our imagination. Will you ladies sit and let me explain what I believe has happened?”

Lea nodded and headed over to the loveseat, sitting down with Tara beside her. Melody sat next to them on the chair and Tina on the floor in front of them. Aimee was curled up in the loveseat near them, standing guard.

“You and I will speak later,” Gunner growled, and moved back to his position against the wall. But not before he caught the roll of her eyes and the shake of her head. Oh, yes there would be a lengthy talk tonight.

“You are right, Aimee,” said King Jordan,”there has to be a reason that the four of you are now mated to one of our kind. The only logical explanation is that perhaps Clotho, one of the Sisters of Fate, is helping us.” King Jordon held up his hand, quieting the women.

“I know this is hard to believe, but yes, the Fates exist. Your mythologies are but memories of their interaction with your people. I know the Sisters and I’m friends with them. Clotho is very shy, but she is smart and lonely. I was introduced to her a long time ago when I was a child. Since then, we’ve corresponded with each other over the years. She knows my warriors are having problems finding mates because so few females are being born to us. We haven’t figured out why, but our scientists believe one of our enemies might have done something to us. We believe something is killing off the girl child rudiment. In the last one hundred years, there have only been six females born to us and with each of those, the female child was conceived on another planet.”

“So wait,” Lea’s mom said as she held up her hand. “Are you saying that the Fates are real and helped you guys find us? Why are we so special? Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids, but I’m sorry, we’re not perfect,” Aimee said, showing her insecurity.

Gunner’s father could take no more. In a matter of seconds, she was on his lap and he was hugging her tight. “Enough! What did I tell you about insulting yourself in front of me? You are perfect. Even when you run that little mouth of yours, which I will happily fill later. Now, hush and listen. Sorry, Jordon, please continue.”

Jordon laughed. “All of you have to understand. Warriors are always on duty. Even now your men are watching and listening to everything around them. They are even monitoring things on our home planet. With all of this going on, we need someone we can let go with. Our
Nebas
are our souls, our hearts, and our hope. Once we meet our
Neba
our bodies start the change and, no, it’s not just you that change, but we do, too. While your body readies you to carry our children, and live as long as we do, we are also recombining some of your DNA into our bodies. We are coming together to be one in all forms, heart and body.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, just how old are you? How long have you known the Fate Sisters? Could they have started our fates from birth? I mean do you really believe she did this?” Lea asked, glancing over to Rogue and then to Gunner.

“Lea, our king is being quit generous telling you these things. How old he is shouldn’t have any bearing on all of this.” Gunner couldn’t stand it anymore. He moved to where she was sitting and picked her up, carrying her to the other couch and placing her on his lap. Rogue joined them on the couch as Tina shook her head and sat in Lea’s spot.

“Lea, I’m 643 Earth years old, and no, Melody I am not too old for you, so don’t even say it. As I’ve said, Clotho has known me since I was a child. I will not say her age. She is immortal. That is the only explanation I can come up with. But is it so bad to be with us?” King Jordon glanced at Melody and she frowned.

“So you can’t put these marks there? You know you can have your pick of any women on Earth right? I mean, come on. You guys are hot.” Melody shook her head. “It just does not make sense.”

Gunner watched as King Jordon went over to Melody and knelt before her. “Melody, Krios’ and Maxim’s families have always been close to mine. Their homes surround my property, they are life family to me, just like you and your sisters have created a family unit here. Maybe that is why the fates have us joining together, because they knew times are going to be hard on my world. It could be the fate’s way to seeing those around me stay strong and united for the bad times that are coming” Jordon stood with a faraway look on his face. “We should probably just walk away from all of you with the threats that are coming, but I’m afraid I can’t do that now.”

He glanced down at Melody. “A battle is brewing, the sky is darkening, there will be bloodshed, and I can’t do anything about it. The only hope we have is finding our
Nebas
before outsiders learn about the turmoil on our home front. You…” He nodded to each of the women. “Are our light in this mess and I’m sorry to put this on you like this. Each of you should be courted as you are accustomed, but we don’t have the time to do this. Forgive us.”

Lea jumped up from Gunner’s lap and put her hands on her hip. “That is bullshit! Excuse me Jordon, but courting has nothing to do with it. If you were meant to be with us, fine, but that does not excuse rudeness and forcing your ways on us all at once. For example, in our own home, you made us feel like property, that we’re not important. I can see protocol when we are in front of others outside, but in our home we should be able to relax. This is a two-way street, and if you want us to stand beside you, you will have to give a little.” Lea glanced back at Gunner and his brother.