Chapter Three

She woke on the couch with a crick in her neck. In an effort to loosen her stiff muscles, she went straight to the shower, turning the water as hot as she could stand it. She stripped off her clothes, and it felt wonderful to be able to take a shower without the assistance of a bath aide or the shower chair. She spent longer than she had planned just reveling in the hot water before finally emerging, regretful to end the experience. At least her neck felt normal again.

After drying off and dressing, she found her cell phone on the kitchen table where she’d left it yesterday. She dialed Jada’s number, equally surprised and amused when Ryland answered. “Hi, this is Jess. Is Jada around?”

“Jada is in the shower. May I offer assistance?”

Her first instinct was to decline, but she hesitated. “What’s this business with the mating flare?”

Ryland sounded startled when he repeated, “Mating flare? How did you hear about that?”

She ran a hand through her still-damp hair as she went to the fridge to forage for breakfast. After two weeks, the milk and cream were both definitely spoiled, but the eggs and cheese appeared to have weathered the time just fine. As she assembled items for a quick breakfast, she said, “It’s just something Valkor said.”

“In what context?” asked Ryland in an impassive voice, though a hint of curiosity bled through.

“He said he felt it when he saw me and touched me.” Her face heated with a blush just saying the words. It sounded ridiculous, and she felt even more ridiculous for discussing this with her friend’s boyfriend, a man she barely knew—an alien she barely knew.

“It’s an old instinct of our people, but it seems to be fading out rapidly, either due to a shortage of females or because of genetic tampering. It’s mostly regarded as a myth or an old-fashioned, almost primitive, response. However, I felt it when I saw Jada’s picture. Not exactly the mating flare, but there was something about her that compelled me to find her, and I wasn’t at all surprised to experience it when I touched her.”

Jess wanted to believe him, but it still sounded too far-fetched. “Are you sure you aren’t just mistaking attraction for this mating flare thing? I think it’s awfully convenient that Val claims to feel a mating flare around me, though we’ve never met before. It seems like he’s trying to make me think he feels more than he does in gratitude or as a way to ensure I’ll…do what he wants, though I’ve already agreed to do so.”

Ryland sighed heavily. “I doubt Valkor is deceiving you. As I said, it’s somewhat old-fashioned and considered unnecessary among the current generation, so if he experienced the mating flare, he’s likely to be embarrassed about it. He wouldn’t go around bandying it about to everyone, and it would have taken a lot for him to admit it to you.”

She closed her eyes as a dart of regret pierced her. Had she screwed up royally and accused the father of her children of having been a smarmy bastard when he wasn’t? “It’s really strange though, isn’t it, that he would experience that under the circumstances? I still think maybe it’s just because there aren’t a lot of females around you guys, and maybe you’re just mistaking normal physical reaction for the mating flare thing.”

Ryland didn’t reject that, but she could practically feel his disapproval of the theory radiating over the phone. Instead, all he said was, “You should discuss it with him, but I feel confident in assuring you that one of the most highly decorated warriors in the Dazon Armada did not deliberately deceive you, human woman.”

Sensing she had offended him, even in a distant way on another Dazon’s behalf, she quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, spending a few minutes talking about Jada with him, and was convinced by the time she hung up that Ryland Breese was head-over-heels in love with her friend. It seemed insane and completely impossible after them having known each other for such a short duration, but it was clear to her Ryland was convinced Jada was his intended mate. Apparently, something about him or the situation had convinced her friend as well.

She still thought her theory was sound, and that if Val hadn’t been trying to manipulate her into cooperation, he’d simply mistaken physical attraction for something more. Then again, he was an alien with a completely different physiology, and just because earthlings didn’t have a mating instinct, perhaps she shouldn’t dismiss it out-of-hand.

If it was a genetically prompted recognition of optimal pairing, then perhaps it made sense that he would have had the mating flare. Ha, for all his faults, was clearly an intelligent scientist, though he lacked a solid moral compass, and he had carefully paired the human women with ideal genetic partners to create offspring. Perhaps the mating flare was somehow tied to genetic partnering, and if that were the case, it was possible he’d experienced some sort of recognition of that. Wasn’t it?

Is still sounded impossible to her, but she was willing to concede she might have handled the situation badly and falsely accused him of deceiving or manipulating her when that wasn’t his intent. As soon as she made and finished breakfast, she went to the living room and found the communication device he’d left still on the glass coffee table.

Her stomach did a funny little flip when she pressed the red button, and she waited for some sort of verbal reply. Instead, she let out a low shriek when there was a spark of light a few feet away, and lightning flashed in her living room. She yelped and leapt back, but as soon as the flash of light dissipated, it revealed Valkor standing in her living room. She clutched her chest, as though trying to physically hold in her galloping heart, as she stared at the alien who’d just popped into the room. “What the hell was that?”

He frowned her. “Did you not press the red button?”

She nodded “Yeah, but I expected you to, I don’t know, talk to me or something. I thought it was kinda like a phone.”

Val shook his head, making the reddish-brown tuft of hair on his head sway gently. “It’s like a homing device, Jess. It allows me to quickly fold to the location where it is, providing the safest coordinates and determining open space required to fold into a new location.”

She blinked at him before shrugging. “I have no idea what you just said, but since you’re standing in my living room, I’ll take your word for it.”

His lips twitched, and he inclined his head in that gesture of respect she had seen multiple times since the rescue operation yesterday. Abruptly, she realized none of Ha’s team had ever used the gesture with the Earth women they had captured, which made perfect sense. If it was a sign of respect, they wouldn’t have bothered, since they considered the women with Kaiser’s Syndrome nothing more than lab rats.

“And now that I’m in your living room, perhaps you would tell me why you have summoned me?”

She waved to the couch, pleased when he took the unspoken invitation and sat down. He chose a corner, and she started to do the same before dropping down to the cushion beside him at the last moment. “I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t have accused you of trying to manipulate me when you made the mating flare claim. I think it’s probably nothing more than strong physical attraction, but I do believe you believe you felt something, and you weren’t lying to me.”

He crossed his massive arms over his bulging chest as he looked at her coolly. “I’m pleased you have accepted the truth.” There was a hint of mocking in his tone, and his eyes had darkened slightly, though she wasn’t certain if that was from anger, irritation, or perhaps simply her proximity.

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t believe in the mating flare thing. It sounds too impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible, Jess. Many things are improbable and completely unlikely to happen, but nothing’s impossible.”

She almost made a snarky comment about him writing motivational posters, but she held in the impulse. Jess reminded herself she needed to make an effort to get better acquainted with him and not try to drive him away. “Do you have plans this afternoon?” When he shook his head, she swallowed the lump of moisture in her throat created by nerves and said through stiff lips, “I thought maybe we could spend the day together. Would that be agreeable to you?”

He dipped his head. “I would like to spend time with you, Jessminda.”

Normally, Jess preferred the shortened nickname to her long, drawn-out name. Jessminda was a pretty name, but she hadn’t felt pretty in a long time, and Jess had been a simple adaptation that helped her reinforce the reality of her disability by reminding herself she wasn’t a Jessminda anymore.

That had changed, and perhaps that was why she so enjoyed the sound of her full name on his lips and didn’t bother to correct him to the shortened form again. “Have you ever been to New York?”

He shook his head. “This is my first time to Earth.”

“In that case, we’ll have to do the tourist stuff. You might as well see where the children will be raised, I guess?”

He frowned. “I assumed they would be raised on Dazonia Major.”

Jess shook her head as she scooted a couple of inches back from him, suddenly aware of how close she had been sitting. Improperly close. “No, they’ll be here with me.”

He looked fierce when he scowled. “They’re my children, and they must be protected.”

“They’re my children too, and I agree, so I won’t have them raised on that cold planet you call home, where family is pretty much a foreign concept these days.”

He hesitated. “I see your reasoning, but I do not like the idea of my children growing up far away from me.”

Jess nodded. “I feel the same way. That’s why they have to stay on Earth.” She patted his hand before withdrawing. “I’m sure we can work out some kind of shared custody.”

His scowl deepened. “What is a shared custody? I don’t like the sound of it.”

She barely bit back a laugh, knowing it wasn’t the appropriate time to be amused, but she couldn’t help the surge of amusement from his instant rejection of something he didn’t even know the definition of.

“It has different ways of working, from what I understand. I think the easiest solution is usually weekdays with one parent and weekends with the other so the child doesn’t have to attend different schools through the week.”

His frown deepened further, which seemed impossible. “You expect me to content myself with seeing my children only two days of an Earth week? That’s little more than a day on my planet.”

“You could always visit them on Earth, and do your visitation here.”

He growled low in his throat. “No, that’s unacceptable. The only reasonable solution is for us to bond and raise the children together.”

It was her turn to frown fiercely. “What does bond mean?” But she had a fairly good idea from the sinking sensation in her stomach before he ever bothered to explain.

“You will become my officially recognized mate, and then you could live on Dazonia Major with me and our children.”

“Or you could live here on Earth with us.” Her eyes widened as she retorted, realizing she had just extended an invitation she hadn’t planned to give him, and instead of focusing on the part she should have argued about, which was bonding with him, she had chosen the less consequential matter of where they would live. She was just as crazy as he was.

“Very well. I shall see what I can do to shift my base of operation from Dazonia Major to Earth. There is likely to be a contingent remaining on the planet or in orbit now that we have discovered a compatible species.”

“Wait… Hold on…”

He pressed on as though she hadn’t spoken. “This dwelling will be inadequate for a family of our size. We must find new housing before the birth. “

“Wait, Val. This is my home, and I’ve nearly paid it off.”

He waved a hand. “We can discuss financial management plans later, but I suggest we spend today arranging a bonding ceremony, and then searching for a new domicile.”

She supposed she should be amazed and impressed he had actually phrased it is a question rather than a demand. “No, thank you,” she said stiffly.

He frowned at her. “It was your idea to bond.”

She shook her head. “No, it was your idea, and I was so startled by it that I didn’t offer a good counterargument. I’m not going to bond with you. I don’t even know you. I can’t see bonding with someone I don’t love and don’t know even if I carry your children.”

“You have agreed to the bonding. The matter is settled.”

She let out a huff of exasperation. “No, the matter is not just settled, Valkor Tosh. God, are all Dazon males as annoying and infuriating as you?”

His lips clamped into a tight line. “And are all Earth females as capricious and flighty as you? You made an agreement, and you will honor your word.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not saying it’s absolutely out of the realms of possibility, but I require more time before making some kind of commitment like that.” Had she really just conceded to the idea that she might consider being his bond-mate someday? That should have baffled her, but it felt surprisingly right. She supposed she was willing to entertain the idea far in the future, but certainly not until she knew him better, which included physically as well as emotionally.

He sighed, looking weary. “Very well. We shall embark on a courting ship and allow you the time you need to be certain of our union.”

Her lips twitched at his pronunciation of courtship, but she wouldn’t mock him for it. “Okay, I suppose that would be acceptable.”

A second later, before she could even think about pulling away, Valkor’s arms were around her, and his mouth pressed insistently to hers. His tongue swept over her lips, and she parted them with a small moan as he dipped his tongue inside to taste her. It was a complex kiss, both simple and multilayered as he tasted her hesitantly, and her tongue joined the engagement, massaging his as she savored the taste of him. He had a unique and unusual flavor, and though she couldn’t identify it, it was certainly sweet, and almost excessively so. Kissing him would be an acquired taste.

She withdrew abruptly as she realized they were engaged in a kiss despite their lack of acquaintance. Her eyes widened at the realization that she had not only allowed the kiss, but had enjoyed it as well. “Slow down.”

Val moaned, leaning his head back against the back of the couch. “You have no idea how compelling the mating flare is. I’ve never felt anything like it, and it makes it difficult to slow down, as you say. If I had my way, I would have you on your bed at this very moment, stripping off that simple garment, and burying my cock inside you with some gentle coaxing to ensure you can take all of me.”

Her cheeks flushed, but not with rage at his crudely spoken words. No, it was almost purely excitement, both at his naughty phrasing and the situation in which she found herself. Despite her admonitions to him to slow down, she had felt bereft when he pulled away, and even now, it was difficult not to bury her fingers in his hair and pull his head back to hers for another long kiss.

“I think we should get out of the house for a while.” That was the safest bet. In public, they would be less likely to jump on each other and do things that were inappropriate on such short acquaintance.

They ended up strolling around Central Park as they shared tidbits of their lives with each other. As they walked and talked, they feasted first on hotdogs that he regarded with suspicion despite the compelling taste before rounding it out with sticky ice cream cones. Every time her tongue flicked out to swipe away a hint of ice cream, Val’s cock twitched, and he was thankful for the supportive element of his suit that kept his reaction invisible to his delicious female mate.

Mate.

How he liked the sound of that.

It had been a dream, and a vague and shadowy goal, to one day have offspring, but he had never dared dream of having a mate. There were far too few females in their population, and of those who were born, most were now fertile thanks to advances from their scientists, but their duty was to ensure continuity of the race, not pick one mate and settle down for life.

He suspected that was part of the reason why the scientists kept the males and females carefully sequestered, not wanting either side to experience a mating flare and try to claim one of the breeding females. After the women’s fertility was exhausted, they were released from the breeding programs and allowed to do as they wished. At that point, the wealthy and those in the higher echelons could make offers to the women to support and care for them from retirement to old age and into death.

That was the only time period when Dazon men were allowed female mates, aside from the occasional defective female who was born barren. He had never met one, but he had heard those women were offered for bonding purposes since they couldn’t produce offspring.

Either way, even though he was a decorated war hero, he didn’t have the capital or the necessary social or political rank to be qualified to offer for a retiring or barren female. To have a mate was an unexpected turn of events.

It was also maddening to be so close to her, but denied the right to touch her. She was all he could think about, and it wasn’t in a light of partnership, or even as much concern about the offspring as it was a pure and turbulent haze of lust. If he didn’t have her soon, he would die from the need, but she seemed insistent on taking their time and getting acquainted, as though they had all the time available in the world.

Did she not realize the triplets would be born within weeks? Perhaps she didn’t appreciate just how long it had been since he’d had any hope of something different. He wanted to take her right there on the grass, but from what little he knew of human etiquette, they did not make love in public places, and he certainly couldn’t take his mate if she wasn’t ready for him.

They sat at a playground area, and he watched the human children playing, screaming, and laughing, sometimes with parents participating, and sometimes just the little ones. As he watched a group of children play together with no parent supervising them, a pang shot through him, and he vowed his children wouldn’t play alone.

When they were born, he would be the best father he could to them, though he had no role model from which to draw. He had been raised in a state breeding facility like most people in his generation, and with very little female influence. There had been one Mother in attendance at the facility where he had grown up, but she had been old and slightly on the feeble side and not able to engage in play.

Despite that, he didn’t doubt she had loved them all, and it had been her choice to retire to the facility rather than accept the comforts and luxuries of a home with a wealthy political representative or businessman. That had been the only female with which he’d had any interaction until Jessminda, and it was killing him to sit beside her on the bench, eyes focused on the children even as his senses were attuned completely to her.

He was excited about offspring, even under the less-than-ideal circumstances, but he was even more excited to have found his mate, and soon he would claim her—as soon as she allowed. He just had to figure out how to persuade her to permit that.