Alien Commander's Mate Read online

  “You said earlier that you’d do anything to get your children back,” he murmured quietly, trying hard not to be affected by the softness of her curves against him. He ached to lift a hand and see if the skin of her neck was as soft as it looked, but he resisted the temptation. It might spark a bad reaction, which in turn could set off a coughing fit. He didn’t want that. Anyone could see she was running on nothing but nerves and vapor fumes. He’d seen it in warriors on the edge before. She couldn’t carry on this way. If she did, she’d make herself very, very ill. And he didn’t want that.

  “What?” Her voice, now she wasn’t yelling at him, was soft and melodic—a pleasant sound higher than the warriors' voices he’d heard all his life. Just listening to her was pleasing to his ears.

  “Earlier,” he repeated, “when you were talking to your gods. You said you’d do anything your god wanted if he could get your girls back. Was that offer just to your deity?”

  She didn’t reply at first, but he knew he had all her attention. Her small hands clenched harder where they were clutched around his lower arms for support, her tiny foot wrapped around one of his legs as she teetered on the toes of the other. Off balance, needing him for support. He found he liked the needing him part...

  She turned her head, meeting his gaze out of the corner of her eye. He easily read the surprise and the determination on her small features. “I’d do anything to get them back. Anything.”

  “What if I could get you back to your girls?” he dropped his voice to whisper in her ear. “What would you offer me, given I’m not one of your gods?”

  Hope filled her expression. He loosened his grip enough that she could half-turn in his arms and look at him.

  “What would you want?” she asked, biting her lip as she studied his face.

  He knew he must appear strange to her. Even though his hair was cut short like a lot of human males, that was where the similarity ended. He had the harsh features of his nomad father’s clan, black hair and his eyes weren’t colored like hers, but dark. So dark they appeared all black, the vertical pupils almost indistinguishable from the irises.

  She shivered but didn’t scream. He couldn’t be that unappealing or frightening to her. Good, because for what he wanted, he really didn’t need her to be scared of him.

  “I want a mate,” he said bluntly. “Accept my claim, become my mate... my wife... and I’ll get you back to your daughters.”

  2

  “What?”

  Amanda went still, utterly still. Of all the people in the world, hell, the galaxy, who would offer her help, she hadn’t expected it to be a Latharian warrior. But then, who could be better to help her get her daughters back than one of the same aliens who had taken them?

  “Become my mate,” he repeated, his voice level and his gaze steady on hers. “And I will get you back to your daughters. This I promise.”

  “Uh-huh,” she nodded, still wide-eyed and not daring to move. “Do I look like an idiot? Who are you? Can you make that sort of promise... or are you just bullshitting to get me to agree to be your mate and then you don’t come through with the goods?”

  He frowned, his brows snapping together over those dark, dark eyes. “If I was that kind of dishonorable male, I wouldn’t have given you a choice. I would have just thrown you over my shoulder and taken you back to my ship.”

  She didn’t reply for a moment, but then inclined her head, conceding that he had a point. “Okay... so who are you? Can you get me my daughters back?”

  He shook his head and she sucked a breath in, her fledging hope dying right there in her chest. “No one can get your daughters back. Lady Jessica is mated... married... to the emperor’s nephew. Lord Healer Laarn will never let her go, not now.”

  She couldn’t help the tear that tracked down her cheek, and she struggled again, her temper returning. “Then why did you say you could?”

  “Hey... calm down!” His grip on her tightened again and she found herself all but crushed against his broad chest, his breath fanning over the side of her neck. He was tall, easily a foot and a half taller than her and much stronger. There was no way she could escape.

  The tickle started in her throat again, her chest tightening in warning and just like that, her energy left her as she slumped back against him.

  “I didn’t say I could get your daughters back,” he said by her ear. “I said I could get you to your daughters.”

  He had said that. She nodded slightly, a small movement of her head to indicate she was listening.

  “And can you?”

  His hold on her slowly eased a little but she didn’t move. She was too tired.

  “Please...” She hated the weak, teary note in her voice. “Don’t play games. Either you can or you can’t. If you can... then yes, I’ll do what you want.”

  His hold tightened a little, almost like a reflexive action. “You’ll accept my claim, leave here to become my mate?”

  She closed her eyes and nodded. God knew why he wanted her... she had adult children for heaven's sake... but she didn’t care. She’d do whatever it took to get back to her children.

  “If you can get me back to my daughters, then yes,” she whispered. “I agree to become your mate.”

  A deep rumble of triumph and approval vibrated from his chest through her back and he let her go enough to turn her around. Now he wasn’t holding her imprisoned, she could see how big he really was. A shiver hit her, butterflies rioting low in her stomach.

  “I am Fenriis K’Vass,” he said in that sexy as sin deep voice as he held out his hand to her. “I am a war commander, commanding the Veral’vias, and now, your mate, if you will accept my claim?”

  The words sounded formal. Feeling like a teenager at her first dance, she put her fingers in his.

  “Amanda Kallson. Err... I accept your claim, on the understanding you will reunite me with my daughters,” she replied, hoping her answer was right.

  He smiled, a quick flash of bright, white teeth in his tanned skin. “Amanda K’Vass now,” he corrected her and pulled her close.

  She stiffened, not expecting the close embrace so soon.

  “Relax,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. “I am not in the habit of forcing women. When I take you to my bed, believe me, you will want to be there.”

  His easy confidence made her want to splutter, but his hard arm around the back of her waist pulled her closer and he murmured, “Close your eyes. The jump will be easier that way for you.”

  She was about to ask what he meant when a blue bubble snapped around them. The next moment they were hurtling upward, passing through the ruins of her roof and up into the sky. A cry of fright escaped her and she plastered herself against him, clinging tightly. She pressed her eyes shut tightly as her world became a rushing mass of colors and deafening sound that never seemed to end.

  Then there was a jerk so violent she was almost torn from her alien’s arms. He pulled her tighter, until her cheek laid against the breastplate of his armor. Finally there was a pop and everything went silent.

  “Amanda?” Fenriis prompted. “You can open your eyes now...”

  She did, and they widened as she looked around. They were in a large hangar of sorts, and they were surrounded. She jumped, clamping down on her squeak of surprise. Huge, hulking warriors surrounded her on all sides, interest in their multi-colored eyes as they looked at her.

  “Fenriis,” she whispered. “When you said your mate, you did just mean you, didn’t you? You Lathar don’t have multiple marriages or anything, do you?”

  He chuckled, the deep rumble of amusement far more attractive than she wanted to admit to. “We do, but it’s very rare these days. No, my little mate, you need not worry. I do not share. You’ll have to forgive them. They’ve never seen a human female before.”

  “She’s so tiny...”

  “Reckon she’s fully grown?”

  “I want one!”

  Despite Fenriis’ reassurance, she drew closer to h
im, squeaking as one of the big men reached out and snagged a lock of her blonde hair. A feral snarl sounded and she jumped again, almost tearing her hair out as she whirled around, expecting to see some kind of alien monster bearing down on her.

  Instead, Fenriis had his big hand clamped around the wrist of the alien guy who had hold of her hair. Fenriis' face was twisted in a snarl of rage, his dark eyes so cold it was terrifying.

  “Never touch my mate again, Danaar,” he hissed, glaring until Danaar let go of her hair. Shoving the other man’s hand away, Fenriis pulled her into his side, transferring his dark gaze to all the men around them. “She’s mine, understand? Which means I will not just challenge any male who even looks at her the wrong way, I’ll kill him. Gut him… Slowly. Understand me?”

  “Yes, sir!”

  The reply was instant and shouted, like soldiers responding to a command from their officer. She jumped at the sound and her chest tightened again. This time she knew she hadn’t caught it in time and doubled over as she started to cough again.

  “Draanth! Danaar, get us underway,” she heard Fenriis order and the next moment she found herself scooped up against his broad chest. Strange, dark corridors passed in a blur as he hurried through them and before she knew it, they were in a brightly lit room.

  “When did this start?” another man demanded, emerging from the shadows as Fenriis placed her gently on a bed. If she hadn’t been coughing so badly, she’d have gasped at the sight of him.

  He was covered in scars. From the side of his face all the way down his chest and abs where they were revealed by his open jacket. Even his hands were scarred as he reached out for her. This time Fenriis didn’t threaten the guy, his face instead a mask of concern as he looked at her.

  “Isan is our healer,” he told her. “He’ll take care of you. Heal that cough before…”

  He trailed off but she knew what he’d meant to say. Before she broke a rib or popped a lung coughing. She knew there was something wrong, deep inside, but Doc Chambers had told her she needed rest, not more tests. She transferred her attention to the scarred healer as he settled her back against the propped up section of the bed with surprisingly gentle hands.

  His harsh features were creased into a severe expression as lights snapped on over her. She watched in amazement between coughs as the outline of a body formed over her, like a cross between an x-ray and a schematic drawing. She’d dated an architect once long ago before she’d had her kids… he’d had pictures like that in his office.

  Her coughing fit eased and she lay back, exhausted again. Each time it was worse, like it sapped all the energy she had. That was what scared her. The lack of energy. As she watched, a dark mass formed in the drawing above her. She didn’t need the fierce look on the healer’s face to know it was bad.

  “How have your healers let this get this bad?” he demanded, spearing her with a hard look. “You have three tumors here. And they’re nasty. No wonder you have that cough. They should have treated this months ago.”

  “I do?” she asked, but she could see them right there above her. She knew something was wrong.

  “Yeah. Draanthing idiots,” he hissed. “It’s started to spread to your skeletal structures as well.”

  Her heart all but stalled. Okay, so feeling it in her bones made sense because it really was in her bones. But her triumph at being right was short-lived. Even she knew that tumors spreading to other places like bones was a bad thing.

  “H-how long do I have?” she whispered, her expression stricken as she looked at Fenriis. Would it be enough time so she could see her daughters one last time?

  “How long?” Isan’s brow creased as he studied the images in mid-air above her. “I would say about three weeks? Hold still,” he ordered and pressed something against her upper arm. She barely felt the sting on her arm with her thoughts so chaotic, but the pressure around her chest that had been there for months eased.

  Three weeks. Holy crap… She closed her eyes, a small moan of panic escaping her as the bottom fell out of her world. Okay, she was going to be sick, or pass out or both.

  “Amanda? Amanda, are you okay?” Fenriis was at her side in an instant, and she turned toward him, burrowing into the comfort of his arms when he offered them. Sure, he was an alien, but right at the moment, she’d take anything she could get, and a hug was a hug.

  “Three weeks…” she managed, her voice tight with tears. “I knew something was wrong but, just three weeks.” She looked up at him, stricken. “Will we be able to see my girls before… is there time to get to them?”

  “Before what?” he frowned, looking confused.

  “I have three weeks,” she said, flicking a glance toward the alien doctor. Hadn’t he heard what the guy had said. “He just sai… why are you laughing?”

  Tears welled in her eyes as Fenriis’ lips started to curve into a smile. “I’m dying. Don’t be so cruel!”

  “Humans…” Isan commented dryly and then shrugged at Fenriis. “She’s your mate. You explain it.” And with that, he swept off somewhere in the shadows beyond the spotlight, grumbling under his breath. The swish of a door indicated they were alone again.

  “Explain what?” She turned to Fenriis, only to catch him with a small smile on his face. “What am I missing?”

  “You’re not dying, little one.” He reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His dark eyes fastened to the curl as it moved, like he was fascinated by her hair, and then he looked into hers again. “Isan meant it would take three weeks to heal you.”

  She blinked at him, the words taking a while to process. “Heal me? He said I had tumors and they were spreading…”

  * * *

  Fenriis was forced to hide his smile at her stunned look. Perhaps it was all humans, but for some reason he found her utterly adorable. The need to protect welled up in the center of his broad chest and all he wanted to do was drag her closer and nestle her against him. Protect her with his bigger body.

  “Yes,” he said, trying to keep the roughness out of his voice. Gods, did she not realize how she looked, all big, wide eyes and soft curves? And her lips… all he wanted to do was bend his head and claim them for his own. “And our medicine is far more advanced than yours. If Isan says he can heal you, he can.”

  “He can?” Her eyes filled with hope, her hand curling around his wrist as he touched her hair, one pale strand wrapped around his finger. It was so soft and delicate… he’d never seen hair of that color before. It was so pale, with flecks of gold and silver, like the sunlight and moonlight all rolled together. Precious metals that couldn’t hold a candle to the beauty of the woman in his arms.

  Grimly ignoring the baser needs of his body as they roared up and tried to overtake him, he nodded.

  “He can. Next to Lord Healer Laarn, your daughter’s mate, Isan is one of the highest qualified healers in the empire,” he said with not a little pride. Isan was young, but a ferocious warrior, and also his cousin.

  “This Laarn. Is he… good to her? To Jess?” Her eyes gleamed at the snippet of information about her daughter, her grip tightening.

  Fenriis nodded. “Apparently he’s besotted with her. He has mating marks…” he nodded toward his own wrists, a sudden longing to have the same marks on his own skin rising up. “Which means the gods have blessed their union.”

  He cut himself off there. Not many outside of the court knew that the lord healer’s union with his delicate human lady had already been blessed with not only mating marks but also a child. If that got out, there would be chaos. The possibility of having offspring… every male who could would race there to claim a female of their own.

  Exactly as you did, a little voice in the back of his head reminded him. You saw the opportunity and took it. Now this one is yours. So claim her! She’s already agreed to be your mate.

  “Then your gods are… obviously paying more… attention than mine,” she said, bringing his attention back to her. She was tired, her eyelids dropp
ing every so often, but she’d jerk them open to keep looking at him. Even so, he could tell she wasn’t really with him, her warm brown eyes unfocused.

  “Sleep, Amanda,” he ordered softly, lifting her gently in his arms. “You are safe here.”

  With that, he strode from the medbay. The shot Isan had given her contained a diagnostic chip as well as medication to start healing her. He’d seen it go active on the monitors. It would feed information about her condition back to Isan in the medbay no matter where she was on the ship.

  So there was no reason for her to stay there, and besides, he really wanted to get her into his bed. To rest. Nothing else. Not yet. She wasn’t ready either physically or emotionally for him to initiate that side of their relationship. But he could start to get her used to him by having her sleep in his bed, surrounded by his scent.

  The way she curled up trustingly against him, her arms around his neck and her soft breath fanning across the side of his neck, fed his male ego. The fact that she slipped easily into a half-sleep in his arms said she trusted him to protect her when she was vulnerable. It was a heady feeling. He tried hard not to think about the softness of her tiny form pressed against him, glad he had his armor on at the moment. If he’d been just in his leathers and she’d been pressed against him… if he’d felt her soft skin against his. He shivered. Maybe, if he was lucky, she’d trust him enough to sleep in his arms. Wrapped up protectively. Skin to skin.

  He bit back a groan as his cock, semi-hard since he’d found her, surged to life in his pants. He was going to have to talk to his engineers about a new armor design. There was no way he could walk properly, let alone run, jump or whatever else he needed in such a condition.

  Take her then, the little voice tempted again. Get the need out of your system or your focus will be divided. A good war commander’s focus is never divided.

  He ignored the voice of temptation as he took the next left in the corridor. Two combat bots in their alcoves followed him with their red eyes. As it should be. This section of the ship contained the quarters of all his senior warriors, so security was high. She would be protected here. Despite the fact that he had almost taken Danaar’s hand off for trying to touch her, he trusted his men. All of them would give their lives to protect her.