Page 26 of Saved By the Alien Mercenary

My body ached fiercely;my chest felt like Aramon had parked a shuttle on it. Stars, it hurt to breathe, which meant at least a few ribs were cracked. I was lying on my back, the cool stone beneath me soaking pleasantly into my flesh. A voice was also whispering to me, and I was drawn to those melodic tones. They felt like a sunbeam had suddenly landed on my face, drawing me to the surface. Blinking, I forced myself to look, because I was certain that looking for the source of that voice would make everything worthwhile.

I saw her then, my Ruby. My mate. She was kneeling at my side, her pale face framed by her dark brown braids. Tear stains had dried on hercheeks, but she wasn’t crying now. “That’s it, wake up for me, Brace. Come back to us. You’ve got to meet your son. This is Mateo. We did it—we saved him.” My eyes trailed from her beloved face down to her chest, then widened when I took in the tiny bundle she wascradling in her arms. He wasimpossiblysmall, and he was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen—except for his mom, of course.

The ache in my chest was swallowed by something else, something new and huge, a feeling so big and strong thatit made me tremble. My hand shook when I raised it to cup my mate’s delicate chin, folding around the side of her head. I didn’t dare touch that tiny baby, certain I’d hurt him if I tried. “We did it,” I agreed. “I love you, Ruby.” My eyes dropped again to the tiny miracle in her arms, and I knew I loved him too. He was a part of her, how could I not? Tiny horn nubs roseproudly from a scrunched-up, adorable little face. He blinked open his eyes, and they were a curious shade of copper. Those eyes were so innocent, lacking any form of judgment. That baby didn’t see the beast everyone saw when they looked at me, and he never would. I’d love him like my own, and like Ruby, he would never fear me.

“The shot missed your heart, but you need to take it easy. Get to the shuttle and park your ass—bothyou and your mate.” I twisted my head in surprise, shocked that there was anyone there with us. I’d been so caught up in Ruby and her baby, our son, that I had notnoticed anything else. With Dravion’s words, the spell was broken, and I became aware once again of the pain in my chest. So that’s what happened. I’d never been shot before. That was new. I couldn’t say I liked it.

“Noted,” I agreed. “Did you check on my mate and son?” That made the doctor huff a laugh, and I saw a tentacle reach over my head,ahandheld scanner clutched in the tip. Like me, Dravion was considered a dangerous, unsafe monster anywhere he went. Like me, he’d chosen to hide away aboard theVarakartoom. But Dravion was half-Aderian, an empathwhocraved social contact,whospoke easily, charmed easily. We were polar opposites in that.

The scanner was aimed at my son first, and he watched it move with slowly blinking eyes, fighting sleep. Then Dravion checked my mate and,with a hum, injected her with a mix of his replenishing stimulants. A special dose of nutrients to help a healing body recover, and I knew she needed it after what she’d been through. Dravion had probably already injected me while I was still out cold.

With his help, I rose slowly, and then he moved away. Tass took his place, giving me a supporting shoulder to haul myselfto my feet. The Viridara male was lanky and tall, but I was still a head taller than him. He carried my extra weight easily and,with a handy vine,held me steady when my knees threatened to buckle for a moment. Ruby rose next to me, pressing to my other side as if she intended to help.

I surveyed the aftermath of the fight with a sense of loss. I’d failed to get Jalima when he made a run for it. Asmoded was probably feeling as furious about that as I was. He certainlywasn’t gracefully letting Dravionexaminehis head injury, butwassnarling at the doctor when he approached. A handful of Jalima’s males lay in restraints on the floor, guarded by Flack in his hybrid form. Jaxin, our Weaponmaster,was shouting orders and overseeing the cleanup of bodies. It did not appear as though there were any losses on our side.

Raukesh, the recent Tarkan recruit,was sitting with a scowl on the sidelines, a bandage wrapped around his head. Solear was pacing in front of him, white peeking at the edge of his throat where he was holding the patch himself. I doubted Dravion had seen to him;he looked too riled up to let anyone near. Not even Aramon was able to approach, though it was clear he was trying. Bouncing on his feet, he was frowning deeply in his brother’s direction, rattling a mile a minute telepathically—if I had to guess.

“I need to thank him,” Ruby whispered, and she nodded at Solear. “That shot was meant for me. It would have hit me in the head if he hadn’t gotten in between.” She ducked out from under my arm before I could stop her, and Tass shouted a warning after her that she did not heed.

“Go!” I snarled at the Viridara male. Unlikely as it was, he was probably the closest thing to a friend for Solear. Like Aramon, he had a better chanceofgetting through to him than anyone here. Except maybe the captain, but he was in no shape to intervene, and neither was I, unfortunately. I stumbled to my knees when Tass dropped me to dart after Ruby with a long-legged stride.

I winced, then snarled furiously when Solear got in Ruby’s face and snapped his sharp teeth at her.I heard her shudderinsurprise, and then Tass swept his arm around her waist and pulled her back. Aramon leaptbetween his brother and my mate,arms wide. The two of them grappledas if Solear wanted to tear my mate to shreds.

She was still trembling and shaking a few minutes later, when Tass—having enlisted the surly Raukesh for help—had finally gotten us to the nearest shuttle. We were sitting side by side in the jumpseats, and she had tucked herself against my arm, her head heavy,as if she wereready to fall asleep—if not for the shock. “He looked like he wanted to kill me. Why? He saved me before…”

I held her tight, my eyes torn between wanting to look at her face and at our son. My body hurt, but I would heal, and Dravion had given my mate and son a clean bill of health. That was all that mattered. Now I just needed to ease her nerves,towarn her that she should steer clear of Solear in the future. In a hushed whisper,I explained that he was feral, that he was dangerous. I did not expect the suddenly mutinous expression on her face.

“Brace! How’s that different from you? You thought you were a danger to everyone until I proved you different, didn’t I? He deserves a chance too.” Ah, stars, she was right—and I loved her for it. Cupping her face, I kissed her, our breathing mingling, our souls entwined so deeply that I knew I’d never get her out of my system. She was right. She had never given up on me, and because of that,I’d learned that I could control the rage;that even in my darkest moments, I could not harm her. Maybe there was a woman out there who could do the same for Solear. If any male deserved to find his way out of the dark…it was the male who’d taken laser fire for my female—and saved her life.

Ruby sighed against my mouth, her hand gliding along my shoulder and gently petting me. Then she yelped, and I yanked my eyes from her to search for any threat inside the shuttle. Nothing—until I looked at my female and discovered that her silver armor was melting. It was sliding right off her skin and pooling in a shimmering puddle at her feet. Her skin broke out in goosebumps where it was exposed to the cold Rumcas air blowing in through the open hatch. Left in only a medical gown, she was instantly shaking with cold. I snarled at the sight of Sin standing at the foot of the hatch. “You should have warned her!”

He rolled a casual shoulderandstepped into the shuttle just enough to yank a blanket from a cubby of supplies. Itwastossed sharply my way, and I caught it by reflex, my chest groaning in pain from the movement. “I did not need to do anything,” he said coolly. He turned on his heel and disappeared, the shape of a large hound forming behind himandtrotting after him into the snow. I tried to recall if he’d been there already before Ruby’s armor began melting or if he’d shown up after… I wasn’t sure.

***

Ruby

I felt this crazy seesawing between happy and worried, but after Brace kissed me, the needle definitely settled on happy. He was going to be okay, Mateo was in my arms—unharmed and safe. All in all, he had probably not beenawayfrom my side for more than a few hours. And the doctor had declared him healthy. What more could I want?

Then the moment had been ruined by the symbiont dripping off my body,leaving me a shivering, cold mess. Even with the blanket now wrapped around me, I was shaking with cold. The upside was that I could now shift Mateo under my gown and allow him to attempt his first drink from my sore,aching breasts. It was making Brace extra protective when mercenaries started to climb aboard the shuttle with us. He growled at anyonewhodared to look, not that much was visible. They strapped in quietly, and by the time the hatch shut and we were flying away from this place, Mateo was done and fast asleep.

The males aboard the shuttle were talking, and,tired myself, I only drowsily paid attention as I huddled against Brace. Jalima had somehow gotten away, but he was badly injured, clipped twice by shots from Saisir, the captain’s son and apparently a gifted sharpshooter. The captain was injured too, but he would recover, and it appeared that my debt and name had been cleared at the Rumcas port,too. That last bit of info, Flack, the quartermaster, specifically told Brace once Mateo had fallen asleep.

So now I was sans a ship—theFinixlost—but at least the issue had beenresolved with the Rummicaron officials. Jalima and De’tor must have had their fingers in too many pockets for thingsto have been fair, until,apparently,one mercenary captain made a stink. I thought the loss of theFinixwouldhit harder, but I kept feeling so happy. Mateo and Brace did that. I was no longer alone. I had a family.

When we docked with theVarakartooma little while later, it was with a very different feeling from my previous visit. I was not boarding this ship as if I werea criminal under suspicion. The mercenaries were not my enemies—not pirates and thieves—and Brace was right at my side.

Then the doors opened,and I was greeted by several human women and one extra cheerful Elrohirian. I knew I’d found my place, I could stop running.

Epilogue

Ruby

Mateo had fallen asleep after nursing, his warm, gentle weight lying against my shoulder after he’d burped. His tail was curled around my wrist, holding me snugly even in his sleep. I stroked my fingers through the downy tuft of coppery hair on top of his precious head,and sighed with happiness.

He was growing like cabbage, healthy as a horse, and already able to hold up his own head. Maybe that was normal for Kertinal babies, but at three weeks old,it still caught me by surprise. He looked like a wise little man when he stared at me with his pretty eyes,too, and that always made me smile.

Fitting into Brace’s life aboard theVarakartoomwas strange, but I couldn’t complain. For so long,my job, running cargo with theFinix—had been all I had to focus on. To sit still and just be Mateo’s mom and Brace’s mate for a while was nice. And after all that adventure, I needed the rest.

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