Page 3 of Saved By the Alien Mercenary

The Talac’s expression was even more unreadableashe urged me to my feet with a jerk of his chin. I levered myself upright with a hand on the table, the cold metal biting into my skin and causing me to shiver. My emotions were crashing, spinning as I struggled to keep up with what was going on. Was I free to go or not? It sounded like they were keeping me here, but why?

This time, the Talac, Sin, didn’t physically haul me around. He kept a careful distance as he strode across the small room and opened the door. Then he halted, and I wondered if he had been caught by surprise by what was on the other side of the door. Silver flashed over his black armor, not just writhing along his neck but sliding down his arms and around his head. “Let us in, Sin,” a female voice said firmly. “There’s been a change of plans.”

That was English. There was no mistaking the familiar tones of my native language. This woman spoke the words with an unfamiliar accent, but the tones were crisp and decisive.Theybrought forth a wave of homesickness that, augmented by my pregnancy, made me burst into sudden tears. Ah,fuck, way to go,Ruby—cry in front of the scary mercenary/pirate. I’d held firm all this time. Granted, I’d babbled like a fool, but I hadn’t cried.

The Talac male looked at me over his shoulder with what was clearly a horrified expression. The way he slipped from the room seemed hurried, as if he couldn’t get out of my presence fast enough. “She’s all yours, Mandy,” he snarledinparting.

I thumped back down in the chair and fought to get the tears under control, wiping my face with the edge of my sleeve. I wasn’t prepared for the four womenwhoburst into the room after the scary guy had booked it. They were all human, like me. One was also pregnant, and they all looked healthy and happy. It was such a confusing, unexpected sight that I just sat there and stared,thetears forgotten.

The pregnant woman was in the lead, her belly bigger than mine, brown eyes radiant beneath her stylish black bob. She wore jade green, a flirty dress that had to be tailored to fit her beautiful pregnant belly. She smiled warmly as soon as she saw me, rushing around the table as fast as she could, though really,it was more of a waddle than a walk.

The other three were close on her heels,and now that I got a better look, I realized one was not actually human but Elrohirian—ahumanoid species that,save for their pointed ears,could easily pass as human back onEarth. They were all smiles, about as close to the opposite of my welcome so far as one could get. The pregnant woman drew my attention again when she perched on the edge of the table next to me. “Hi, I’m Mandy!” she said. “I’m so sorry about my mate, he’s got no manners at all. Let’s get you sorted.”

Chapter 3

Brace

My room was in shambles, and I had no recollection of doing it. I was the only one with access, so ithadto have been me, though. Not even the captain could enter my room without my permission—a concession he’d made for me and me alone. Shame filled me when I took in the damage I’d done. My mattress was shredded, blankets torn, and any furniture not made of metal was in splinters. The lone metal chair in my room had survived most of the carnage, but the back was twisted from my fists—a clear set of handprints visible where I’d gripped it.

I must have made a terrible ruckus,causing all this damage, so it did not surprise me when a knock came on my door. The quick, perfunctory rapping of a set of knuckles was as familiar as the destruction I’d wreaked on my furniture. I did not want to face my captain, but it was the one promise I’d made when he agreed to let me live aboard theVarakartoom. No hiding, not from him. Everyone else, sure, but not him. As he was easily forty feet long, his powerful Naga body covered in extremely tough scales, I’d felt safe agreeing to that. Even a fully fed Hoxiam would have a hard time harming a target like that.

My knuckles were bleeding, but that was the only sign of the damage I’d done. They ached,and I savored that pain as I stepped over the broken tableandreached for the panel next to the door.The lights dimmed at my command, hiding some of the carnage, though I doubted the sharp-eyed Naga would miss a thing. I hated what I’d done, I wasn’t even sure what had set me off, but I was finally calm. More settled inside my pelt than I had been in days, ever since we’d started harrying ships and pirating Jalima’s cargo.

Pressing my back against the wall next to the door, I allowedit to slide open. Nobody could see me from the hallway, and I knew Asmoded would enter before he spoke. This was our ritual by now. I wondered who’d clued him in on my rage-inspired tantrum. Had the females in the mess hall heard? Had I scared them?

Asmoded slithered into my room quietly. His scales made no sound against the metal floor, his long body coiling over the debris without any problem. The door slid shut behind him, giving us complete privacy, but I did not move from my spot against the wall. Asmoded was tall, and he could rise on his tail to make himself even bigger, but I towered over him right now. I didn’t want to give him the slightest reason to think I would attack him.At that moment, there was no fight in me at all.

In the middle of the room, the captain twisted to look around. His expression was neutral—it always was—but I still felt it as disapproval. I’d messed up.I’d failed to control the rage, and it was getting worse. I’d already wrecked another batch of furniture a few days ago. This was his second visit in a week. Normally, I was the onewhosought him out for a midnight talk. I wasn’t used to all this upheaval and company. Starting with Elyssa, incited by the confrontations with Jalima’s ship, and ending with the news of a pregnant human’s involvement—it was chaos. I couldn’t explain why that had been a trigger, but I felt rage begin to pound through my veins anew, just thinking about her.

Drawing in a deep breath, I clenched my fists and focused on the pain in my knuckles. When Asmoded spoke, I was ready for him. “I don’t know why, but it’s getting worse. Nearest inhabitable ice planet, you need to drop me off. I can’t keep doingthis.” On the ice, I could sink into my base instincts, just be the beast and not worry about any casualties. It was the only option.

“No,” he said firmly. We’d had this discussion a million times before, and his answer was always the same. Always, I’d agreed to stay a little longer, but I knew I wouldn’t let him convince me this time.“This is because of Jalima. Any nearness to his males and his operations sets you off. It setsmeoff. I get it.” He didn’t get it. He was angry at the crime lord because, for the longest time, he’d believed the male had killed his mate and unborn child. He’d learned that was a lie and had been reunited with his son.

What I’d suffered at the hands of that bastard—including the loss ofmy entire family—had tainted my youth and given me this rage.It had forced me to be more beast than man. It was not the same. Asmoded was a male with a brain, always cool and calculating, a male with a plan. He could think of the long game,and heexcelled at patience. We were nothing alike.

“I am leaving,” I said again,sweepingout my injured, swelling hand to indicate the damage I’d done to everything I could get my hands on. “I will not keep doing this. It’s too dangerous to the crew, especially now that there are females aboard—civilians.” I knew that was a powerful argument, pointingout the threat I posed to his own mate.

With a weary sigh, Asmoded caught my waving hand by looping the tip of his tail around my wrist. I growled, the fur along my shoulders rising in aggression before I could curb the urge to do violence. We’d done this dance before, and I held still as he pulled the tissue regenerator he’d broughtoutfrom a pouch at his waist. The device hummed quietly, emitting healing light as he ran it over my split knuckles. I must have broken some bones,too, because he was at it for quite a while. He did not need to tell me to offer the other hand when he was done.

He stroked the fur along my knuckles, exposing a particularly nasty cut on that hand. “You know you’re wrong,” he said, the device humming again as he began to heal the wound. “You went out on a blazing mission a few weeks ago, Brace. You went out to rescue Tass for your friend, and you were perfectly in control the entire time. You are not a danger to anyone; I don’t believe that for a minute.”

Baring my teeth, I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised a hand,and I fell silent. “The only one you are a danger to is yourself. If you would just agree to see Dravion, I am certain he could help you.” Drugs. He was talking about mind-altering medication to subdue my rage. I refused. That would only last as long as I took the pillsor whatever it was that Dravion had in mind. It would involve exposing myself to a medical professional, lettinghim see all the scars and wounds beneath my pelt. The only place that was still all mine was the thoughts inside my head, and the empathic half-Gnorlarnx was not getting his tentacles in it.

“You overheard Mandy and theotherfemales talking, didn’t you?” Asmoded continued mildly. He wasn’t looking at me,just finishing up the heal job on my hand, his movements brisk and impersonal. I liked it that way, I didn’t need any coddling. I always appreciated how direct the captain was when he spoke to me, no fear. That made me feel more in control,too.

I nodded because it was true. Hearing the females talkaboutthe human they had retrieved from this latest ship of Jalima’s was what had set me off. I recalled it much more clearly now, but I’d already been struggling all morning.

“You’ll be happy to know that she is unharmed, as is her unborn young. And I doubt Jalima even knows of her existence;she is not involved.” I wasn’t quite sure why those were the words he left me with. I didn’t know why he thought I cared about some unknown pregnant female I’d never met—and would never meet.

“Next ice planet, we’ll talk,” and then he was gone.

***

Ruby

Sitting on the soft bunk bed inside the small private quarters,I tried to adjust my thinking to the new situation. I was not a prisoner, apparently, but I also wasn’t free to return to theFinix. In my book, that made me a captive anyway. If I wasn’t suspected of having dealings with Jalima—according to these mercenaries—why were they keeping me here?

The four women had treated me well,though. They’d taken me to the doctor aboard the ship for a quick medical check-up,and I’d been assuredthatmy baby was in good health and growing at normal rates. He felt big to me, and what had seemed like little flutters I could mistake for gas had begun to morph into definite kicks. I was elated about that part. He was a strong boy, and feeling him move made it real. It made me feel less alone.

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