Page 36 of Chosen By the Alien King
Roxxanne had fallen head over heels in love with her little half sister.I had too, instantly.Every time I looked at both of my daughters, they left me breathless.
I nuzzled Nyxx’s soft, warm head with my nose as I angled the shuttle toward the line of bungalows.They were still there, half hidden by the jungle’s embrace.
“You think the sex toys are still in the closets?”Nera asked with a light chuckle.
I chuckled.“Don’t forget the machetes.”
“Gah, the memories of this place are still so surreal.”She shook her head.“I both loved and hated it in equal measure.”
“An unforgettable experience, to be sure.”I touched our shuttle down lightly on the small expanse of beach so we could stretch our legs and look around briefly.
There were stories of pirates and smugglers operating on the fringes of civilization, taking advantage of this planet’s isolation, but right now, it appeared empty.Still, I wouldn’t be leaving this shuttle without my father’s sword.
I sometimes missed the machete, but my sword was lighter and deadlier, and definitely not the preferred choice of certain reality dating shows.
We wouldn’t find any signs of Earth Space Fleet here.Ever.Shortly after we lostAlien Love Island, TV viewscreens all across the universe sprang to life, displaying a cascade of damning evidence against them.
Whispers spread like wildfire as realization dawned, and then those whispers turned to shouts demanding accountability and punishment.Earth Space Fleet disbanded into a puff of smoke.Some fled.Others were arrested.
Captain Mike Early got ten years in prison for just his role in trying to sell a Xenoxx scale on the black market.Nera had watched the video of him being led away in handcuffs at least a hundred times.
Was it enough?Would it ever be enough for what they put us both through?
Part of the evidence that came out proved they were the ones responsible for poisoning the Xenoxx water supply, for assassinating my father and brother, for the embassy attack that killed Bexx and me, and for the plot that nearly took Roxxanne, all for the sake of taking our valuable planet.
The nonexistence of Earth Space Fleet didn’t change any of that, but nothing could.I’d come to accept that.As long as they weren’t around to point unnecessary fingers at the Faid, at Rain, the Killians, or the Xenoxx, life for many of us could return to normal.
Or as normal as possible anyway.
As we stepped out onto the shuttle’s platform, I took a deep breath.The air was thick with moisture and smelled of sweet flowers and salty sea.
Nera inhaled deeply too.“Smells like…Loserville.”
“Loserville never smelled so good,” I said, stealing a kiss.
For June and Rico, the human male with glasses, this planet might smell a lot different.They were the winners ofAlien Love Islandafter a tumultuous game of Boxing & Bingo, which was exactly what it sounded like.Nera and I didn’t participate because she was pregnant and needed to give the victory to June, which led to our automatic loss.Even though Miekil was a close second place behind me and could have easily been the winner of the show with June, he bowed out as well.
Each of us had had to pay a hefty sum to Umo, which I’d taken care of for all of us.
We started toward the nearest bungalow—our bungalow.As we did, Nera turned to look over her shoulder at the pulsing beacon on the clifftop.As she did so, whether subconsciously or otherwise, she shielded Nyxx with her body.
I didn’t tell her that Rain still lived here, and she didn’t ask, but I was sure she knew.Rain and I still corresponded by email, sometimes daily, none of which included any of her usual bubble-popping to thwart hacking attempts.Not anymore.
I forwarded these emails to Nera.
They went unread.
It was never a point of contention between us.Nera’s feelings about Rain were complicated, and they had every right to be.If and when Nera was ready for forgiveness, I would support her.If not, I would still support her.
Finally breaking through the foliage, we stood before the bungalow door.The snick of the doorknob releasing echoed around us as I pushed it open.Every footfall echoed off damp walls, making me feel like an intruder in a forgotten tomb.
“Hello?”I called.
No answer, not that I expected one.The inside of the bungalow looked surprisingly well-kept, with only a thin, undisturbed layer of dust on the floor and the bed.
“It feels like we’re home,” I said softly, pulling Nera close for a kiss that instantly ignited flames.
She pulled away, her eyes alight, and grinned.“I’ll check the closets.”
