Page 18 of Zahhn's Mate
“A female would not be wasted on you. Please promise you’ll consider it. If a female would make you happy, if you desire to claim one, I would be honored to arrange that for you.” He gives me an overly serious look.
I release a long, dramatic sigh, but it’s a cover. I must conceal my longing for a mate from the emperor. Even if I accepted, I wouldn’t be given the female I desire. Leona. She’s not in the age range decreed by the alliance. I would be given an alternatewoman, and I cannot fathom claiming any female but her. “May the Star Gods save me from officious emperors,” I finally say. I clear my throat. “Very well. I will consider it.” Iwon’tconsider it, but I’ll say anything to shut him up.
“Thank you.”
“No, no, thank you.” I force another cocky grin. “I love it when my superiors meddle in my life.”
“You do realize if anyone else talked to me like that, I would have their head, don’t you?” The emperor attempts to look stern, but there’s no hiding the smirk that twitches his lips.
I snort. “But then who would solve all your problems, my dear emperor?”
He growls. “Speaking of problems, my uncle is getting worse, and so are many others who are suffering fromforlonggsa. Last time we spoke, you mentioned a possible treatment that you were almost ready to test. Any update on that?”
“Tests will begin in a few days, and I will be living on theRorrsawhile the tests are conducted,” I say, referring to the Darrvason ship that houses those afflicted withforlonggsain a specialized medical unit. “I will keep you apprised of the progress, Emperor Radakk, but even if this test fails, we still have many more years.”
“Eight years,” he blurts. “Only eight years.” He appears suddenly haunted, and I know he must be thinking about his father. About how utterly mad and violent his father became during his decline.
“Your father first showed signs offorlonggsafar earlier than most males do. He was a special case—not only did he show symptoms earlier than usual, his decline was also more rapid than usual. Even if you are stricken with the disease, you likely won’t show signs for fifteen years or more. Also, I would like to remind you that it’s not a certainty that you’ll fall ill. I’ve sequenced your genes, Emperor, and while you have a geneticpredisposition forforlonggsa, it’s not an inevitable diagnosis. There is still a twenty-eight percent chance you’ll live a long, healthy life without any medical intervention.”
The haunted look doesn’t leave him. I know he’s still remembering the sheer madness of his father. I can remember only too well. I was a physician-in-training at the time his father first showed signs offorlonggsa, busy with treating our males who became wounded during the war with the Yelltzins, a terrible war that claimed the lives of nearly all our females and too many children.
A pained spasm afflicts me as I recall the fateful day the Yelltzins destroyed our homeworld, slaughtering millions, and the horrible retaliation Emperor Radakk’s father took against our enemies. Rather than plunder the Yelltzins’ homeworld for their females, of which we were in dire need, Emperor Radakk’s father ordered the destruction of their planet and everyone on it. Emperor Radakk was still a child at the time, but surely he must’ve realized the imprudence of his father’s actions. I swallow hard as I think about my parents and sisters who died during the war.
“Thank you,” Emperor Radakk finally says, “for devising a method to remove the genetic markers for the disease in-vitro. Knowing my sons won’t be afflicted is a great comfort.” He straightens and peers toward the door. “I must return to my mate now, but I hope you’ll give some thought to accepting a female of your own. Whether you can sire offspring matters not. You are a living legend among our people, Zahhn, and no one would begrudge you for choosing to mate.”
I give a brief nod, then lift a finger. “Before you leave, can you tell me if you’ve learned anything about Sheila’s attack on Officer Paddax? Why she did it? Who helped her and whether the human worldship’s command team might be involved? The reason I ask is because I’ve been tasked with developing strictprotocols for us to follow when the next wave of females arrive, to ensure another virus doesn’t find its way onto any of our ships. Or another sort of weapon.”
He shakes his head. “We haven’t learned anything yet. Sheila remains in the brig, and she’s refusing to talk. But the admiral and I believe it was likely a rogue attack orchestrated by a group of rebels aboard theJansonna. Captain Warren is a moron who’s clearly unfit for leadership, but I don’t believe he’s stupid enough to provoke us to war. Admiral Tornn is directing the investigation, and I will let you know if I learn anything that might be helpful to you.”
“Thank you, Emperor.”
We exchange a quick farewell, and I watch as he departs my laboratory, observing for any signs offorlonggsa. Thankfully, I glimpse none. The door slides shut as he exits, and I once again find myself alone in the massive space where I conduct the important research that’s earned me more accolades than all my colleagues combined.
Leona. I can’t stop thinking about her, and I don’t like the idea of a meddlesome rebel group aboard theJansonna, the worldship she calls home. I hope whoever was behind the virus is caught quickly—surely the human female who attacked Paddax didn’t act alone—and I hope the unnamed rebel group doesn’t pose any additional threats to my people or the human worldship. The prospect of the citizens of theJansonnafacing danger, Leona among them, fills me with worry.
I want to keep the spirited female I examined safe, yet how can I do so when we don’t reside on the same ship? If there was an emergency, what could I do? Could I commandeer a shuttle and attempt to board theJansonna? Not likely. While I’m capable of piloting a shuttle, the docking bay of theHaxxalwhere our smaller transport vessels are housed is heavily guarded. Only authorized personnel are permitted in the area.
I rake a hand through my hair and growl. It doesn’t help that not only do my thoughts keep wandering to Leona during the day, but I dream about her every night. Highly erotic dreams that cause me to awake panting and sweating with the bedcovers tangled around my legs, my dual shafts erect and my scrotum vibrating with pleasure.
Fluxx. I turn to the numerous screens that display my progress againstforlonggsa, trying to banish thoughts of the pretty, dark-haired female. But what I wouldn’t give to see her just one more time.
Chapter 11
LEONA
I stand behind the bar,surveying my domain as regulars filter through the door. Angelo guards the entrance this evening, as he does most nights, listening for the secret knock before he admits a patron. I peer toward the entrance as a tall man enters, my heart skipping a beat as my mind briefly plays tricks on me and I think I see purple eyes and dark, textured alien skin. But I blink and the image is gone. It’s just another human man. It’s not a Darrvason. It’s not Zahhn. I sigh with disappointment.
It’s been over two weeks since my brief stint in the brig and the embarrassing medical exam performed by Doctor Zahhn, but I still find myself looking for him, half convinced he might walk through the door and lay claim to me.
It doesn’t help that there are about two dozen Darrvason males currently roaming theJansonna. Engineers who are stationed here to help make repairs to the worldship. They boarded theJansonnaon the day the first wave of thirty human women were handed over to the aliens. Every day as I’m walking to and from work in the mess hall, I glimpse the aliens as theygo about their business. And when I first see one of the huge males, there’s always a split second during which I’m convinced it’s Zahhn.
I also still feel a strong pull to the Darrvason fleet, though strangely, my focus has shifted to one of the smaller ships lately, a vessel I recently learned is called theRorrsa. Clearly, I’m losing my mind.
I blink and a familiar pair of purple eyes flashes in my vision. Not only have the dreams gotten worse since my encounter with Zahhn, but I sometimes glimpse remnants of those dreams during the waking hours. My blood heats as I recall every detail of the shameful examination, from the moment he ordered me to strip off my clothing, to the moment he rubbed me to my first climax, to the moment he shoved two fingers into my bottom hole while the largest phallus was still submerged in my pussy.
The hum of conversation in the bar fades into the background as I become further lost in thoughts of the handsome alien doctor. His touch electrified my senses, causing me to soar through the stars. His deep voice vibrated through me, jolting my insides as I ached and throbbed for relief.
His aura of power also made me melt. Made me feel submissive.
