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His shea woke him, warning him to put up an arm, just as something heavy collided with it. Otherwise, it would have hit his head. He let out a small groan of pain, automatically wrapping his hand around whatever had hit him and tugging it forcibly from her grasp. He opened his eyes and looked up at her standing over him, struck anew by her beauty.
Clearly, the nanotechnology had done its work. She still looked ill, but not nearly as devastated as she had before. Where she had hovered on the brink of death, it was clear now she would recover within a few days. She was clearly feeling well enough to try to beat him to death in his sleep...with a copper dog statue? He laughed aloud at the object in his hand. “This is an inventive weapon, my mate.”
She put her hands on her curvy waist, probably unaware of how it exposed the generous swell of breasts through the thin blue fabric of her gown. “Who are you, and why are you in my house? Why are you in my bed?” She actually screeched the last question, and her outrage was clear. Underneath it was a strong note of fear too.
That was what robbed his amusement and sent a pang through his chest. He carefully set down the statue on the bedside table before holding up both his hands in a gesture of surrender as he slowly got to a seated position. He didn’t stand, not wanting to intimidate her. “My name is Titus Varg, and I’ve come because you’re my mate.”
Her eyes widened, and he couldn’t help noticing they were beautiful chocolate-brown with flecks of gold.
“You’re crazy. Get out of my house.”
He continued to hold hands aloft, trying to project a nonthreatening demeanor. “I’ll leave if you insist, but I ask you to keep an open mind and listen to me first, my mate.”
She glared at him. “I have a name.”
He waited for half a second, but when she didn’t supply it, he asked, “May I know it?”
Her eyes flashed with anger, and there was an air of challenge about her. “Amelia Whimsby.”
“Amelia.” Her name tasted good on his tongue, and the syllables caressed his ears in a loving fashion. It was a good name for her, and he could easily imagine speaking it multiple times per day for the rest of his life. “Amelia, my name is Titus —”
“Varg,” she finished for him. “I remember that part. What I don’t remember is how you came into my house, or why you’re in my room.” She looked down at her nightgown, wearing a frown. “I also don’t remember putting on this gown. I think I wore my white one.”
He nodded, hoping she would take the recitation of events well, rather than fly off the handle. It seemed obvious already that his mate had a passionate side, and he was certain that would translate to be just as passionate during lovemaking as it was during angry outbursts. “I arrived yesterday evening after my shea led me here. It’s been guiding me for years, and that’s what told me to stay with the armada rather than come with General Monash’s group, though I aligned with their viewpoint.”
She looked confused. “Look, Mr. Alien...Varg, I mean, I have a pounding headache, and I’ve lost a few days. Can we speed this up and get to the part that affects me?”
He let out a small chuckle, but quickly stifled it at her glare. “Of course, Amelia. I was part of the invading armada, and my shea warned me the ship would be shot down seconds before it happened. I was the only survivor, and I followed my shea’s guidance to find you here. When I arrived, there was no answer upon knocking at the door, and again my shea told me I had to find you. I came in to your home and discovered you near death. At that point, I administered a dose of nanotechnology before cleaning you and putting you in a fresh nightgown, because you were sweaty and very ill.”
Her eyes flashed. “You saw me naked? You just barged into my home and took off my clothes? What’s wrong with you?”
Her words, and the accusation underneath them, hurt, but he made no effort to hide his vulnerability. His shea told him he would have to be completely honest and open with her if he hoped to win her over. “I admit my actions were unusual and clearly out of the boundaries of human societal rules, but they came from a place of concern. If I hadn’t found you last night, you wouldn’t be alive this morning.”
She glared at him. “Yeah, because your people have unleashed their biological weapon on mine.”
He inclined his head. “Yes, but you must know that not all of my people share Emperor Aryk and Dr. Ha’s vision for the future. We don’t agree with what they’ve done, and we won’t support the harvesting of human females.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You just told me you were part of the invading armada.”
He nodded again, holding back a sigh of impatience. He had to maintain a calm demeanor and not get frustrated. “Yes, but as I explained, my shea guided me to do so. I was about to board one of the ships planning to defect when I sensed I had to stay behind.”
She shook her head. “I must admit I’m not really up-to-date on all this alien stuff. I mostly stay here in my cabin and write. I followed the news, of course, but it’s been scant, and then I got sick, so I’m really out of touch.” She ran a hand through her hair, which was still frizzy, but looked much healthier than it had last night morning. “What is this shea stuff? Is like the mating flare? That’s what you call it, isn’t it? I heard something about it on the news.”
He nodded. “It’s related. Shea is an intuitive instinct that sometimes gives bits of precognition, I suppose you could say. It’s not definitive, and it doesn’t allow me to predict the future. It simply guides me to the best course of action. Like the mating flare, it originates from the latrael gland in the brain, but most Dazon males’ latrael glands have shrunk over the intervening years, since the Veluvians unleashed the weapon that rendered most Dazon females sterile and forced our society to completely change in order to survive.”
“So you all have shea?”
He shook his head. “A few generations ago, we did, but it seems to have withered and mostly died along with shrinkage of the gland. Some Dazon still experience the mating flare, but to have a fully developed sense of shea is rare.” He couldn’t screen his bitterness from his tone. “It has rendered me a science experiment my entire life, first as an infant and child, and then later as a soldier in the armada. I’ve been studied, probed, and forced to donate genetic material to create offspring I’ll never meet. It’s been more of a curse than a blessing, except it led me to you.”
Her expression softened slightly. “You’re really telling me the truth, aren’t you?”
He nodded, slightly offended she would think otherwise, but quickly reminding himself she didn’t know him yet. He hoped to change that. “I’m being completely forthright with you, Amelia. You are my mate, and I folded across the galaxy to find you. I’ve been through a crash landing and walked at least fifty miles in the past three days. I found you on the brink of death, but arrived in time to save you. I’m hoping what I’ve been through will encourage you to give me a chance to prove my sincerity. I’ve waited a lifetime for you, and I’ll wait even longer if I must, but I hope you’ll give me a chance.”
She let out a small sigh, looking confused. “It’s so much to take in, Titus. I’m definitely going to need time.”
He inclined his head, struggling to hide his disappointment. It was unrealistic to expect her to instantly embrace him. “Of course you will. I need to go to the Moon Consulate anyway. I have important information for General Monash and Commander Darvig. Perhaps when I return, you would allow me to spend time with you?”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Wait, you’re going to the Moon? Are you going to fold there?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
She looked intrigued. “Did you know I’m a science fiction writer?”
He shook his head. “I didn’t even know your name until you told me it, my mate, and I’m not sure what a science fiction writer is.”
Amelia let out a delighted chuckle. “It means I write about aliens, imagined futures, and advanced technology in fictional settings. In a way, you’d think I would have been better prepared for this sort of invasion, but it seemed too fantastical. To start with, I actually suspected it was the government involved in some kind of weird conspiracy to control the population, at least until everyone started getting sick.” She waved a hand dismissively. “Anyway, I’d love to come along with you to the Moon Consulate, if that’s allowed? I’d like to experience this folding technology and see what they’ve accomplished on the Moon. Is that all right?”
He couldn’t hide his excitement. “I would be pleased to have you join me, Amelia.”
Her eyes were also sparkling with excitement. “Oh good. I’m going to take a quick shower and get dressed, and then we can go.” She flashed an uncertain look at his left side, where most of his suit had burned away. “Do you have a spare one of those thingies?”
He shook his head. “My suit mechanism was damaged in the crash.”
She tilted her head, looking thoughtful. “I might have something that would fit you. I mean it’s going to be short and kind of tight, but it might work better than that uniform you’re almost wearing.”
A surge of jealousy shot through him, and his shoulder stiffened. “I have no wish to wear castoff clothing from one of your former partners.”
She grinned at him. “Are you jealous, Titus?”
Her tone had clearly been teasing, but he was completely serious when he responded. “Insanely so.”
Her expression softened, and she dropped the teasing tone. “The clothes belong to my brother, Jamaal. He spent last summer with me. He plays basketball, and while he’s still probably at least eight inches shorter than you, and fifty pounds lighter, maybe some of his sweat pants or shorts and T-shirts will work. Let me find some before I shower.”
He nodded, satisfied with her explanation. He had no problem wearing her brother’s clothing, but he couldn’t see donning clothing worn by a man who had experienced her body. The thought filled him with blinding rage, and it took several deep breaths to calm down. He knew the reaction was irrational, and he was certain Amelia must have had former partners, but he vowed then and there he didn’t want to know anything about them. He much preferred to think she was coming to him as untouched as he was going to her.
***
HE COULD TELL SHE WAS barely holding back a laugh when he met her in the living room a half-hour later. She’d given him Jamaal’s clothing before disappearing back into her bedroom. The shower had left her looking refreshed, and though she was still slightly shaky, and there were bags under her eyes, she looked much better than she had even an hour ago. The nanotechnology was quickly restoring her to homeostasis, and she would be in optimal health soon enough.
He had donned the clothing she provided, immediately removing the sweatpants when they fit halfway down his calf. Instead, he had opted for a pair of shorts that he suspected fit her brother loosely, but just barely accommodated his waist. They were indecently snug around his penis, and he didn’t miss her interested glance as she looked his way, her eyes widening when she reached that spot. It almost made up for the amusement reflected otherwise. The shirt fit just as tightly, and he felt as ridiculous as he looked. At least he wouldn’t have to walk around half-naked on the Moon. “Go ahead.”
“What?” she asked, almost choking out the words.
“Go ahead and laugh, Amelia. I know you want to.”
She shook her head, clearly giving it a valiant effort, which she eventually lost. Peals of laughter escaped her, though she rubbed his shoulder in a consoling fashion as she giggled. “I’m sorry, but it’s quite different from the image you first presented. I’m not even used to seeing you Dazon guys yet, especially not in basketball garb that’s a little too tight.”
He gave her grumpy glare. “When you’re done amusing yourself at my expense, I’m ready to fold to the Moon Consulate.”
It took another few seconds to regain her composure, and then she nodded at him with a very sober expression. “I’m ready, Titus.”
He stepped closer to her and put his arm around her waist, holding her tightly against him. It was a sly maneuver, because all he really had to do was hold her hand or touch her in some fashion, but he seized the moment and used it as an excuse to hold her, even briefly.
He held his breath as he waited to see if his folding device had been damaged in the crash. It hadn’t made sense to fold to her location, because he hadn’t known exactly how to get there. His shea had had to lead him. That had meant walking from the crash site to her cabin, but he couldn’t walk from here to the Moon.
The device beeped for a moment, and the screen was static as he looked closer at his wrist. He cursed softly, about to tell her the device was damaged, when it suddenly came online. With a bright flash, they were standing in the lobby of the consulate a moment later, arriving at the visitor check-in point, which was preprogrammed into his folding device.
She blinked, clearly disoriented for a second as she clutched her stomach. A moan escaped her, and she looked on the verge of vomiting. He patted her back soothingly. “That happens sometimes. Vomit if you must. I’m certain the consulate has automatic cleaning systems in place for just such a purpose.”
She looked pale for a moment, but soon seemed to regain control. She stood up and squared her shoulders, having bent over for a moment in case she lost control of her stomach. Clearly, the battle was won, and she was fully in control again. “I’m fine. That was intense.”
He nodded. “It certainly can be.”
He was surprised when he dropped his arm from her waist, and she took his hand. Perhaps she wasn’t as confident as she seemed in this new situation, or maybe she was experiencing her own version of the mating flare. Whatever it was, he was happy to hold her hand and have the contact.
He looked forward to a time when they would wear the traditional kursti that would bind them together for thirty-one Earth hours as part of the bonding ceremony. His shea sensed that would happen, though he wasn’t entirely certain he could believe that. It usually wasn’t so sharply defined about specific events, and he was afraid he was allowing his own hope and optimism to influence his instincts.
They approached the visitor check-in station, and he put his hand on the glass, allowing the system to scan his biometrics. He was unsurprised when an alarm sounded, though Amelia let out a squeal and pressed closer to him. “Relax, and don’t be afraid. I was expecting this. Their system will show me as one who remained behind with Emperor Aryk, so they’ll doubt my loyalty, at least in the beginning.”
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’m pleased you came with me for more than one reason. Having you here is proof that I had a reason to remain with Aryk’s armada, and when they verify I have a sense of shea, I’m confident they’ll believe me.” He hoped they would anyway, but he didn’t want to betray any uncertainty to Amelia, who was clearly already frightened.
He wasn’t certain what he would do if the commander and the general didn’t believe him, but shea insisted he had to warn them. It was up to them what they did with the information, and also up to them what they did with him. He was hopeful they would allow him to return to Earth with Amelia, rather than insist on imprisoning him in the brig. It could go either way at this point.
Soldiers quickly surrounded them, and the alarm cut off abruptly. A young man stepped forward, clearly the one in charge. “Who are you, and why are you here?”
“Surely the computer identified me as Titus Varg,” he said calmly. “As to why I’m here, I must speak with Commander Darvig and General Monash. It’s a matter of urgency.”
The young man looked at Amelia, clutching his hand, and he frowned. “Who’s the human?”
Before Titus could answer, Amelia did so. “I’m Amelia Whimsby, and Titus is my mate.”
Her words might have been merely for the soldiers’ benefit, but they filled his chest with warmth, and he squeezed her hand again. Even if she was simply covering for him, he appreciated the effort. He couldn’t help hoping that it was more than that though, and perhaps she had realized she was his mate, and he was hers.
Still looking suspicious, the young man gestured them forward. His sidearm remained in his hand, pointed firmly at Titus. “Walk straight ahead of me, and if you do anything suspicious, I’ll stun you. I’m still inclined to take you straight to the brig.”
Titus nodded. “I understand, but this is urgent and concerning the emperor’s invasion of Earth.”
The younger man let out a sigh. “I assumed as much, which is why I’m going against protocol.”
They didn’t speak again as they maneuvered the hallways, the man behind them directing which way to turn as needed. It didn’t take long to reach Commander Darvig’s office, and the young soldier knocked on the door. The hydraulic mechanism hissed a moment later, and the door slid open. The younger man stepped inside, giving them a warning look. “Don’t move from that spot.”
He could hear him speaking to Commander Darvig, though he was certain Amelia couldn’t make out the finer nuances of sound with her limited human hearing. He could hear every word, and he was reassured when Commander Darvig agreed to meet with him a moment later. He and Amelia stepped across the threshold as the younger soldier returned to fetch them. He exchanged a look with the younger man. “Thank you.”
The soldier departed without another word, though he did nod in acknowledgment.
“He’s gone to fetch General Monash,” said Sash Darvig from behind his desk. He stood up, and he was an imposing sight, even larger than Titus himself.
Titus bent his head as a show of respect. “Thank you for seeing me, Commander.”
Sash gave away nothing as he looked at him. “The computer identifies you as one of Aryk’s people. Why are you here?”
“I had always planned to defect, but my plans were delayed. If it’s all right, I’d like to just tell you everything once, so may we wait for the general?”
The commander nodded. “Of course.”
It didn’t take long for the general to arrive, though he looked tired. He gave Titus an appraising look and nodded his head in Amelia’s direction. He clearly smothered a yawn as he sat down at a chair positioned around Darvig’s desk. “What’s this about, Sash?”
“That’s a good question,” said the commander.
Taking a deep breath, Titus moved closer to the general and the commander, maintaining his hold on Amelia’s hand. “I was with the armada that invaded, though I had originally planned to defect. My shea warned me I needed to stay behind, so I did so. Every action I’ve undertaken in the past few weeks has been to bring me to my mate. I knew I’d find her here on Earth, and I have. This is Amelia Whimsby.”
Amelia nodded to the leaders, looking a bit shy.
“Why are you here though?” asked Sash.
“I’ve come to warn you of something that seems important. Since I have shea, Dr. Ha and the Emperor tried to exploit it in an attempt to determine the best plans to attack Earth.” He blushed slightly. “I must admit I didn’t answer truthfully. I had allowed my shea to guide me on what was the best course of action for myself, but they believed I was directing them toward the best course of action, if that makes sense?”
The general nodded. “The fools thought you were loyal to them, so they believed you were looking after their best interest when you were simply using them as a means to your own ends.”
“Precisely.” Titus winced when the general put it like that. It made him sound disloyal and manipulative. “Please understand that I don’t agree with what they’ve done or plan to do, but I felt a sense of urgency to find my mate, so I used them to do so.”
The commander looked slightly troubled, but General Monash seemed to understand. “I’ve not been blessed with the shea helping to guide me in my choices, but if I’d had such a thing, I certainly wouldn’t have hesitated to follow it to find Mac.”
“Is that your mate?” asked Amelia, appearing to conquer her shyness.
The general nodded, and his expression softened. “And she’s unhappy with me at the moment. The triplets were up all night in various shifts teething, and I must return to her quickly to help.”
Titus inclined his head in acknowledgment. “We’ll make this brief then. As part of the routine for pumping me for information, I was privy to several of their meetings. Unfortunately, they never really discussed military strategy with me, aside from probing for my instincts in response to various plans laid out. At first, they planned a full-scale assault, but I assured them my shea indicated that would be the wrong direction to take. Instead, when they presented this plan to invade with a minimal amount of cruisers and two Exodus-class ships to haul human cargo, I told them it seemed like the right course. In all honesty, it seemed like the least destructive course, and my shea led me to endorse it. I knew it was the only way I would be able to make my way to Amelia.”
“Very well. That explains how you came to Earth, but why are you here at the consulate and requesting a meeting with us?” asked Sash.
“On one occasion, I overheard them discussing genetic profiles. Apparently, you had a traitor here in the consulate?” At General Monash’s nod of confirmation, he continued. “That man transmitted all DNA files available in the computer system here. He also hacked into Earth systems and downloaded all of their information. Apparently, Dr. Ha has designed a program that matches best genetic partners to compensate for the loss of the mating instinct to guide most Dazons.”
The general crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not as convinced as Dr. Ha that the mating flare has mostly been bred out of us. I know several Dazon males who experienced it with their mate. Myself included.”
Titus nodded. “I agree with you, but I can’t be sure in my case, since I’ve retained my sense of shea and have a large latrael gland. I was always likely to have the mating flare, and I certainly experienced it with Amelia.”
“Fascinating,” said Sash in a dry tone. “What information do you have for us?”
“Dr. Ha’s goal seems to have been to match as many of the healthier women as possible as quickly as possible once they returned to Dazonia Major from the invasion of Earth. They envisioned having a constant stream of disembarking human women before returning the Exodus-class ships to fetch more. They wanted the process to be seamless, you see?”
The commander rubbed his eyes. “Yes, that makes sense. So you’re telling me almost all the women on Earth have been matched up with potential Dazon partners?”
“I’m not certain, but I assume so by now, and Ha has likely expunged any results that match your armada with human females. The day I overheard the conversation, Dr. Ha was particularly animated because he had discovered the emperor’s match.”
“Who?” asked General Monash. “We need to warn her.”
“It was the president’s daughter, Jordan Saunders.”
The commander cursed fiercely. “That explains why our saboteur took time to infect Jordan. He wanted her already exposed to the virus and ready to mate so she could give him heirs.” The commander cursed again.
“We’ll ensure she’s warned. Did you have any other information that can be of help?” The general turned to Titus again.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so, sir. Mostly, I was involved to the point of getting us here, and obviously, I won’t be included in their future planning sessions. I assume my usefulness has ended, but if you need me for anything, I’ll be with Amelia.” He hoped. He was uncertain about the future with her, but he knew he wouldn’t be far from her location even if he didn’t get to stay with her for the time being.
The general took Amelia’s address, programming it into the database immediately to produce GPS coordinates, and the meeting ended a few minutes later.
After they left the commander’s office, Amelia squeezed his hand. “That was very nice of you. To warn her, I mean.”
“I can’t see allowing the poor woman to fall into Aryk’s hands without trying to stop it.”
She tilted her head. “Do we have time to explore the consulate before we return home?”
He nodded, liking the sound of home. “I have no plans for now or the immediate future, other than to be with you. As you allow it, of course.”
She nodded, tugging on his hand to lead him toward the nearest directory. He followed along willingly enough, content to shadow behind Amelia anywhere she wanted to lead him.