Page 12 of Draevan

“This is it,” she said. “As you can see, it’s rather large. And it needs to be packed in a certain way, so it doesn’t get damaged. My father bought this for me just before…” Her voice trailed off as a sense of vulnerability swept through her.

“Your father bought this for you just before… what?” Draevan asked gently. As he stepped closer, his eyes flashed with compassion, as though he knew about her secret heartache.

“Just before he died,” she finished. “He had something called pancreatic cancer. I don’t know if that’s a disease Vaxxlians can get, so perhaps you’ve never heard of it. It happened so quickly. One day he felt fine, and the next day he had severe back pain and no appetite whatsoever. After he was diagnosed, he died only two months later.” She drew in a shaky breath. “My mom passed away when I was a toddler. I barely remember her. So it was just my dad that raised me. He was wonderful. I miss him.” She wasn’t sure why she was telling Draevan so many personal details. They’d just met. Shouldn’t they proceed slowly as they got to know one another… a fact here and a fact there rather than her revealing the saddest thing that had ever happened in her life during the first few minutes of their acquaintance?

Draevan put a hand on her shoulder. As he stood close to her, Meela reached for him and grabbed hold of his shirt, though she kept her other arm firmly around Cora’s midsection.

Cora couldn’t look away from the alien warrior. Her neck ached as she peered up at him, but rather than feel intimidated by his size, she was starting to feel safe in his presence. They’d had a few misunderstandings so far, but he hadn’t done anything to scare her, nor had he treated her with any cruelty.

He gently squeezed her shoulder, a simple gesture that moved her. “I am sorry about your father, Cora. I am also saddened to learn what happened to your mother. It is not an easy thing to lose one’s parents. It’s a pain that never goes away. Sometimes it fades, but it’s always there, a wound that won’t quite heal.” He glanced at Meela with a look of concern before returning his gaze to Cora.

“Thank you for your kind words, Draevan,” she said, though it was a struggle to speak when her throat was burning so fiercely. God, she hoped she didn’t break down crying. How embarrassing that would be in front of Draevan… but also, she didn’t want to scare or upset Meela. She blinked fast as she tried to get her emotions under control.

“Since the piano needs to be packed carefully, I will hire a shipping company I’ve worked with before, one I am certain will take great care of it. It might take a moon cycle, or possibly a little longer, before it arrives on New Vaxx, but I promise it will reach your new home undamaged.”

Her new home…

She smoothed a hand through Meela’s soft, dark hair as she stared at the alien warrior who would soon become her mate. “Thank you, Draevan. Truly.”

Chapter 5

The melodious notes of the baby grand piano echoed through Cora’s dwelling as Draevan went back and forth carrying her luggage to his vessel. She was keeping Meela occupied by playing songs for her. Occasionally, he heard a discordant note and realized Cora was allowing his niece to pluck the keys herself. His heart lifted whenever he heard a giggle or one of the strange-sounding notes that didn’t quite fit with the rest of the song.

Unexpectedly, warmth filled him as he thought about Cora. Not only did she seem to like Meela, but Meela seemed taken with her in return. The baby never reached for strangers, yet she’d reached out for Cora, insisting upon being held by the human female only moments after they entered her apartment.

The pleasant sensation filling Draevan turned scorching hot when he considered Cora’s exceptional beauty. Truly, he’d never seen a female so lovely before. Her golden hair reminded him of the sun that beamed down on New Vaxx, and her blue eyes made him think of the mountain lakes near Starzzia. She was tall for a human woman, with shapely hips and slender legs. And her bosom… his pants became tight as he recalled how firm and round her breasts were. The shirt she was wearing accentuated this part of her anatomy, all of which he found very pleasing.

As he continued to think about his new mate, he placed most of the bags in the cargo hold, making sure they were secure and wouldn’t jostle around, but brought a few of the smaller suitcases to his quarters, luggage Cora had indicated held her toiletries and other essentials she might need easy access to during the return trip to New Vaxx.

He paused in his quarters, his eyes fixed on the large bed. His pulse accelerated, and his pants became even tighter. On the way back to New Vaxx, he would have to claim her. He tried to tell himself it was only to assure her safety, but that wasn’t quite the truth.

The truth was, he couldn’t stop imagining what she might look like unclothed. He also couldn’t help but wonder what sorts of noises she might make as they consummated their mating union. Would she whimper, perhaps even moan? Would she find pleasure in the act and reach a climax?

He resolved then and there that he would do whatever he must to bring her to an orgasm. He wanted her to enjoy their first mating session. He wanted her to burn for his touch just as much as he found himself burning for hers.

Fluxx. He ran a hand through his hair.

He hadn’t expected to feel such a strong attraction to his assigned mate. But there was no denying it. He wanted Cora. He wanted to kiss every little part of her body, run his hands through her golden hair, grasp her shapely hips, and plunge deep into the sweetness between her thighs.

Was her skin as soft as it looked? He couldn’t wait to find out.

He started to depart his quarters, only to pause when he realized just how tight his pants had become. A growl built in his throat. Even though he’d just brought the last of Cora’s luggage to his ship, he couldn’t return to her apartment with a raging hard erection.

He started pacing his quarters. A glance out the viewport showed the landscape of Manhattan looked much the same as when he’d arrived only a short time ago. There were no additional plumes of smoke, no buildings suddenly missing from the skyline. Though his Vaxxlian cruiser was well-armed and impervious to human weaponry, he was still anxious to leave this place, eager to take Cora away from the war zone she was so clearly desperate to escape.

His heart ached when he considered that she didn’t seem to be leaving any family behind. Her parents were both dead, and since she hadn’t mentioned any siblings, he assumed she was an only child. He wasn’t certain how old she was. Perhaps twenty? She appeared so young, but she had to at least be eighteen, per the rules of the VAMOB program.

At thirty-eight, Draevan was considerably older than her, but he quickly reminded himself that their lifespans would both be long, perhaps even hundreds of years, thanks to the nanotechnology one of their most renowned healers, Stax, had invented. Once injected, the nanobots repaired damage at the cellular level, stopped illnesses before they could even start, and healed any existing health conditions. Yes, he might be a bit older than her now, but in the grand scheme of things it would not matter much, given how long they would both likely live.

Once his pants were no longer so tight, he hurried to the cargo hold to retrieve the box of corrliana crystals, which he immediately delivered to the guards. He also made the arrangements with the shipping company and coordinated the appointment with the guards who would allow the company access to Cora’s apartment. He wanted to make sure her baby grand piano, an item that seemed to mean a lot to her, arrived on New Vaxx in pristine condition.

Then he headed straight for Cora, practically running through the corridors of the building in his eagerness to reach her. He entered the dwelling quietly, careful not to make too much noise as he approached her music room. She was playing a beautiful song that tugged at his heartstrings, though every few moments, a discordant note or two echoed in the apartment, followed by a giggle that made Draevan’s chest tighten with emotion.

He peeked through the doorway of the music room, stunned by the sight that greeted him. Meela was seated on Cora’s lap, a huge smile on her face, her chubby cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. His little niece appeared truly happy, and oh how it lifted his spirits and brought him hope.

His heart softened further toward Cora. He started to wonder if perhaps their mating union wasn’t simply a chance arrangement made by the VAMOB program… but fate. Some of his people believed the couples brought together by VAMOB were truly soulmates. He hadn’t given the idea much thought until now, but he liked the thought of Cora being his soulmate.

Warmth continued spreading through him as he watched Cora’s sweet interactions with Meela. Had his heart ever felt so full? He doubted it. He’d only been around the human female for a short time and already it felt as though they were meant to be. How astounding. Did she feel the same way? He wasn’t brave enough to ask, but he sincerely hoped she at least found him tolerable.