Page 78 of The Pregnancy Pact

Escape? I didn’t even know where to go! I figured somewhere opposite the front door had to be a back door, and I charged that direction. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it far before I heard heavy, pounding footsteps. I wasn’t a sprinter and these guys were fast. I barely made a dozen paces before I felt strong hands seizing my arm, spinning me about. Iron fingers squeezed the back of my neck so hard that my knees buckled and I cried out in pain. A stagger was pressed to my temple.

“Get up,” the unknown alien snarled. “Walk. No more tricks.”

Damn it.

My escape attempt had been futile, but at least I’d tried. I hadn’t gone down without a fight, just like I knew Ellax wouldn’t go down without a fight, facing the Coalition off planet. I tried to draw comfort from that as the pair of brutes marched me past a furious Sirena. Kicking shards of broken vase out of the way, she tramped after us, muttering vile names and imprecations against me and my species. My sense of dread grew as we passed Fertis who stood on the front porch, gazing at us blankly, doing nothing to help me. The mecha had indeed been hacked.

Nobody’s coming to save me. I’ve got to get myself out of here. If I don’t…

The words choked in my throat as I was forced into Sirena’s waiting transport and seated between her goons. She hoisted herself in after me, the stagger aimed directly at my heart. Once again, she was smiling. She had me in her power, and knew it.

If I don’t, I die. That’s it. You’ve got to do something, Lorelai.

I did. I surely did. Unfortunately, I had no idea what to do.

Chapter 44

Ellax

My space ship docked on the landing pad outside the much larger vessel temporarily housing the Coalition. I walked down the tunnel and up the ramp into the bigger ship, my movements precise, belying the notions whirling about my brain.

Would I arrive too late?

Had they already voted?

What could I say to dissuade them?

I could happily wring Sirena’s neck, I thought, the words synchronized with my crisp footfalls against the metal walkway.

Damn that young female for putting me in this position. Whatever madness had led her to think her plan would succeed, I didn’t know, but I was determined to stop her. And, in so doing, please my bride and protect my son and daughter-in-law. The Ellax of mere days ago might have been content to allow Sirena’s scheme to blossom. The Ellax of today wanted to do the right thing.

The right thing for his wife, his children, a colony planet, and its inhabitants.

I stepped from the enclosed footbridge into the heart of the ship itself. Folk scurried this way and that. Crew members. Military. Personal guards. A Coalition craft was always a busy place.

“Lord Ellax.”

The familiar voice seized me, spinning me in my tracks.

“Flight Commander,” I acknowledged, recognizing Abidah immediately. I couldn’t say I was happy to see him. He represented a chapter of my life which brought me true regret, even though only a few days old. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been called up,” he replied. His dark grey eyes flashed. He was happy about it. Did that mean…?

“The Coalition has reached a verdict?” I asked, disciplining myself to steady my tone.

“No official verdict has been reached,” he responded. I tightened my features to keep relief from showing. “However, the matter seems sealed. Gorb and Briishan called me up to lead air strikes against the rebel humans on Earth, starting with Asterion’s colony. And…”

“We were summoned to lead the ground strikes.”

A group of males had approached in the corridor behind Abidah. I recognized some of their faces. The Elite.

“Admiral Corrba,” I acknowledged.

I nodded in turn to the other males present.

“Commander Ashin. Major Barak.”

My focus caught on Barak. Of all the males present, of all the species present, the Major was simply huge, towering above the rest of us. He stood out both in height and width, a monster of a male from the Crednaught species, so tall his head nearly brushed the top of the ship’s corridor. He was the sort of creature no one in their right minds would argue with, disrespect, or disregard. His deep eyes were black against dark brown skin, marked with lighter zigzags in lightning-bolt shapes. He had a double set of ears and slightly pointed teeth, closely resembling fangs. For all his fearsome appearance, however, and despite the fact that he was equally fearsome on the battlefield, Major Barak carried the reputation of being very calm and nearly impossible to anger.

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