Page 25 of Her Alien Savior
But then would I have ever met Riley?
My insides were torn, but the conversation was interrupted.
“You’re suggesting we convince this Chuel to flip sides with the knowledge that King Sylve was doing a repeat of skipping out on his duty?” the human, Ashley, asked. The skepticism was obvious, and I too was doubtful about such a tactic working, when it wasn’t just about King Sylve, but about Chuel’s opinion of my own involvement in the past. My being there when they tried to convince him of anything would not help the cause. I could still see in my mind the anger clear in his eyes when he stabbed me.
“Of course not,” Nen-Le shook her head at the absurdity, “We’re not doing anything. Why should Chuel follow a warrior that has delegated all responsibilities, and isn’t even present to assist? He should be fully in charge, since he’s the one here, which means he should have access to controlling the human and Direl by extension. I am confident that he currently does not have access to the nanobugs in Riley and highlighting that fact should cause a rift between Chuel and King Sylve. That’s all we need.”
Riley was smiling then. “It’s a win-win either way,” she thought out loud, her eyes staring off at the wall, thinking about what that action would mean for her, “If he confronts King Sylve, and King Sylve agrees... then we are closer to having access to it ourselves because the only barrier would then be Chuel. And if he refuses to give the control to Chuel, then how could he trust King Sylve?”
“We just need Chuel to have access to the nanobug’s passcodes. Then all we’d need to do is get me access to the command chamber. I was not officially demoted from command of this ship, I have my own authorizations that can lock out Chuel. Not that I would maintain command once we arrive on Trillume. It will be seen as shameful that I lost control of the ship to begin with.”
“We have plenty of time to sneak you into the command center, and if we take care of this before we arrive, then no one has to know you were ever less than Commander of the MX-Vul Fleet An. No one of the tribe would speak of it to the trill.” Nen-Le’s deceptiveness for my sake was heartening, and the truth in knowing tribe law would always supercede whatever alliance we had with Trillume. We were first and foremost loyal to the tribe and Necias Prime.
Loyal to Riley, I added with a grin. But there was no time to explain to her that she was considered part of my tribe... my mate, and technically she wasn’t that last bit until she accepted me, but I couldn’t control the way my body would continue to bond with her unless she formally rejected what was between us.
The very thought of such a thing made my chest ache at losing such a gifted mate. How proud my elders would be to show them a mate that embraced the Cial tongue, showed leadership and bravery to face harm and yet worry about others… worry about me, I smiled remembering her yelling at me after I was shocked by my restraints. I was a shamed warrior, and yet she granted me the privilege of her essence to help me heal. I can already see that my rut will not be quelled until I have her, and it has nothing to do with taking in her essence, tasting her blood, or sheathing my cock between her folds. I need her to claim me as hers or I know I will be lost.
Chapter thirteen
Riley
Leavingeveryoneelsebehind,Nen-Le thought it was best that she take me to Commander Chuel herself. She was still a high-ranking warrior on the ship, and as weird as it was, every time I thought about begging Direl to come with us, my voice caught in my throat.
She stalled at the door before it slid open to remind him, “You can’t regain your command without me. You will have your time to duel, this I promise on my honor.”
His fist clenched at his side, flexing open and closed with blue-tinged knuckles. Holding himself where he was, Direl stared at me for a time as if to say something, but like me said nothing.
There was something about taking Nen-Le’s blood, which like patches of the necia scales was like an iridescent blue that was almost clear before it darkened with exposure to oxygen. Drinking as the necia called it, essence, and bathing in my victory bonded me to the tribe in some way. Bonded me to Nen-Le, in a way where I craved for her be near, to touch my skin to cool the heat of my blood. It was difficult to explain, but it was like I just knew she wouldn’t harm me now that we’ve already established the first steps of respect within the tribe. I’d studied quite a bit about the necia warrior’s language, and a bare bone basics about their culture were provided by the exchange program preparedness courses, but there was still so much I didn’t know.
My case worker, Joel, didn’t spend every day with me up until the transport shuttle arrived. It was a few chats here and there and he made it clear that there was only so much anyone could say due to the non-disclosure agreements in place. Without being selected by Necias Prime specifically, their culture was for the most part a mystery. Excepting Chester, I thought. Did he learn what he knew because Ashley was able to hack into the Human Exchange Trade’s database?
At my side, Nen-Le released her epul on her shoulders, that curved more from her shoulder blades and around than how most of the male warriors jutted up like spikes. I found them much more intimidating being as they were actually pointed towards their potential enemies instead of up at the sky. Where a male warrior would have to bend and charge to stab someone with them or lift them up and skewer them on a shoulder... Nen-Le’s epul could stab someone without the extra effort. I could see how she would be a dangerous opponent and I was even more thankful she was honorable and didn’t try to kill me after first blood by fluke happenstance of catching her by surprise.
As if sensing my unease, she trailed a finger down my arm, sending chills down my legs as she grabbed my hand in hers, gently squeezing. I gripped her hand hard to keep her close and she chuckled lightly.
“I will share my essence with you again, my mate, be patient. It takes time for a bond to regulate. Here,” she extended an epul from her other hand and lifting our joined fingers pricked deep into her second skin between her thumb and forefinger until a drop of blood beaded up in the pad I held firmly. At the sight of the glistening liquid, I quickly lifted our hands together until it reached my lips and moaned as the blood touched my tongue. A sense of calm loosened my muscles once more and I closed my eyes with blissful ease.
She spoke again, her voice like a melody to my ears, “I know you have no reason to be forgiving of Commander Chuel’s decisions, as they are the reason he will lose command of this ship, but I respect him as much as I respect Direl. They are both ruled by their emotions and have made decisions unbecoming of their reputations. I do not envy them their burdens of leadership, and I tell you this because no leader is fully responsible for everything under their command. It is the fault of those who follow instead of supporting their leaders.”
I nodded and licked her hand once more, even though her wound had already sealed itself. The salt of her skin as close as I was going to get to having more of her for now.
I stopped before the large doors I knew would lead to the command center of the ship, and beyond was Commander Chuel, who made my skin crawl. “What’s the difference?” My mind finally caught up with our conversation, though I had a feeling it had been well past the time any reasonable person could expect a reply on what was said. I was beginning to have doubts about Nen-Le’s support of Direl recovering his command, but I dismissed them, as my nerves made my skin clammy, and I clung to Nen-Le’s hand, unwilling to part with it. Was she saying she was going to support Commander Chuel, or Direl? What did that mean for me? Was I too hasty in trusting her? Where were her loyalties?
She didn’t answer before the doors slid open, and she swooped me up into her arms like I was nothing but a bag of feathers. I stared at my empty hand that once held hers as it tingled with the absence. Her shoulder epul were staring down at me, sharp points curved to skewer me, and I squeaked, bringing the attention back to us at the entrance. Commander Chuel turned and smiled at us.
“Good work, Captain Nen-Le. Were you able to heal Direl’s injuries before recovering our leverage?”
“Yes, Commander,” she replied. I stared up at her with my mouth gaping in horror at my misplacement of trust in her. Yet my body refused to part with her arms holding me to her. I made no move to squirm or retreat from the cocoon she carried me in. “He is secured in my chambers. I submit for a change in mission parameters.”
“Granted,” he said while waving dismissively.
“I request permission to grant Riley Spearit of Earth with my unne mark and lead the mission on Trillume in Direl’s place.”
Commander Chuel lifted a brow, and glanced between Nen-Le and myself. “You wish to make this human your mate?”
I tried to wiggle in her arms, but it turned into more of me snuggling into her hold than escaping. My only recourse was a flustered interjection that came out as more of a husky moan, “Do I not have a say in this?”
What was Nen-Le thinking? I may have been new to the necia culture, but the bathing ritual wasn’t the same as a proposal of mating. They regulated their body’s chemistry with this ritual, and it was a warrior’s honor to help regulate the needs of a victorious duel with their over production of adrenaline, stimulating their sexual glands was part of balancing that. Why was Nen-Le asking about me being her mate? It wasn’t like I could breed her babies or anything, right? I wasn’t capable of having children regardless. I was too confused to speak.
