Page 19 of Ravenous Alien Mate

“Well it’s not my fault you look so delicious in that uniform.” Actually, she was pretty sure he’d look hot no matter what he wore.

She giggled when he gave her another sharp look as he escorted her out of his quarters and into the wide corridors of the palace.

It felt nice to stretch her legs for the first time in days and she didn’t mind that Jav was walking fast. She held onto his arm as he escorted her down several flights of stairs. She still couldn’t believe how large the palace was.

The impressive structure contained numerous windows and huge skylights that allowed in plenty of natural light. There were potted plants and flowers everywhere she looked, as well as several trees that were growing straight out of the floors. Intricate patterns and images were carved into the orange stone walls. The large statues of Marttiaxoxalian males, all of which she supposed depicted former kings, seemed to stand guard over all.

“We’re almost there,” Jav said, giving her a smile.

A minute later, they entered the huge banquet hall. Leah hadn’t expected the place to be so crowded. There had to be at least two hundred people here. She scanned the room and noticed a head table, where a blue Martian sat next to a golden-haired human woman. There were other Martian males seated on either side of them, most of them with orange skin.

“Come, my mate,” Jav said, “and I will introduce you to the king and queen.”

Chapter 16

“Welcome to Mars, and to the palace. I am so pleased to finally meet Jav’s mate.”

Jav watched as Queen Esmay welcomed Leah and gave her a hug. Leah appeared rather stunned by the warm reception, but she eventually returned Queen Esmay’s hug and the two human females started chatting animatedly.

“Sit with us,” King Vaath said, gesturing at the two empty seats on his right side.

“You honor us,” Jav replied as he nodded to Leah and pointed at her chair. He helped her into her seat and then took a seat beside her.

Several palace guards, as well as a few members of the Vash’arr, approached the table throughout their meal, anxious to congratulate Jav and Leah on their new mating union. Leah seemed to beam under the attention and she was friendly to all who came up to talk to them. She was especially excited to meet the other human females who lived in the palace and on the palace grounds.

“You must join us in the banquet hall even when Jav is away on a mission,” Queen Esmay said to Leah. “You are always welcome at the head table.”

“That is very kind of you, Queen Esmay. Thank you.”

“Please, just call me Esmay. Feels strange being called a queen all of a sudden,” the blonde female said with a laugh. “Especially when I grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in New York City.”

“Very well. Esmay. I’m from Zone 12. The city of Richmond, more specifically.”

The king struck up a conversation with Jav about a new order of Vash’arr who were almost ready for training, and Jav upheld his end of the conversation while still listening in on what the queen and Leah were talking about. Leah had told him little about her life on Earth and he was curious to see if she might open up more to a female of her own kind, especially when the wine was flowing freely.

“Congratulations on your baby,” Leah said. “When are you due?”

“In about three months.” Queen Esmay patted her stomach. “It feels as though I could burst at any moment though. Half-Marttiaxoxalian half-human babies arehuge.”

As the king continued talking to Jav about the new order of Vash’arr warriors, Jav noticed a petite human female with long black hair approaching the head table. The woman walked straight up to the queen and Leah, introducing herself as Miranda.

“I recognize you from the spaceship,” Leah said. “We traveled here together from Zone 12.”

“Yes, we did.” Miranda fidgeted in place, as if she was nervous. “About that. I am sorry I did not talk to you at all, but given how you were dressed and that you arrived so late, I sort of thought you were from the—oh! Oh no!” The black-haired female jumped back as the contents of a pitcher of water spilled all over the front of her dress.

Leah stared at Miranda in horror. “I-I am so sorry. I’m usually not so clumsy.”

“It’s all right. It was just an accident,” Queen Esmay said in a reassuring tone.

Servants rushed in to clean up the mess, one of them handing a towel to Miranda.

“Truly, I am so sorry,” Leah said. “Here, let me help you.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve got it.” Miranda dabbed at the front of her dress with the towel. “I should be getting back to my mate now. It was nice meeting you both.”

For the remainder of the meal, Jav noticed that Leah was unusually quiet. She had been filled with energy and quite talkative when they first arrived, but now she was answering the queen’s occasional questions with one-word answers and not contributing to their conversation at all. He sensed her dismay and wondered if she was embarrassed over the water incident.

He found it strange. After all, it had been an accident. Hadn’t it?

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