Page 37 of Becoming Brandy

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They sprawledon the side of the pool, both exhausted and completely satisfied.

Brandy laughed, a low sound in the back of her throat. “Who knew you were capable of that?”

He leaned up on one elbow and kissed her forehead. “With you, anything is possible.”

She put her hand on his cheek gently. “You really are something.”

He grinned, leaning into her touch. But then he was up, drawing on a robe that waited on a rock ledge nearby.

“Where are you going?” she asked, sitting up.

“I’ll replicate clothes for you before I go, or you can use that robe.” He pointed to one sitting next to where his had been. “I’d love to stay, but I have to get back to the lab. Very important work. It’s going to be more important very soon.”

She cocked her head, curious. “What’s going to happen soon?”

“Nothing to worry about,” he said, pulling his robe strings tight as he bent to give her another kiss. It was sweet and lingering and made her think about their lovemaking, wishing there could be more of it.

But Wrek was gone before she could entice him to stay. Dedicated to his work. It was something she admired, but didn’t entirely understand when her own work had been the very thing she’d been trying to get him to stay and do.

She got up and dressed leisurely in the soft yoga pants and loose T-shirt Wrek had ordered for her. He’d also left her three different dinner options—a chicken Caesar salad, a quinoa and vegetable hash, and a veal parmigiana. She ate portions of each, and all were delectable. Near the end of the meal, her stomach began to feel queasy, so she stopped eating. Too much rich food after such an explosive tryst.

Wrek had also left the door open, so she wandered out, taking a stroll along the purplish hallways. She wondered absentmindedly if she should be afraid. Wrek had mentioned there were lots of creatures on this ship who wanted to mate with her, but she passed lots of guards, too, all of which seemed to be looking out of her. She had no doubt Wrek had sent at least one of them to keep a casual eye on her without her knowing.

Her stomach twisted again—with pain this time. A low dull throb. She wondered if she’d injured something during her time with Wrek. Totally worth it. She’d ask him for some painkillers when she saw him next.

Following the hallway around, she came to the ship’s bridge, the large doorway open. Drake and Tork were inside, along with several other crew members, in a heated discussion. Brandy glanced in, deciding it seemed too tense for her to enter. She started to skirt past the opening when a giant beam of light shone brightly from the bridge’s center.

Turning, she watched as figures began to appear within the beam’s center. Fuzzy shapes materialized as shouts went up from the aliens on the bridge. Several alien beasts and humanoids came into focus. Han, flanked by his brothers Rahan and Kahn, aimed weapons at the aliens scrambling around the bridge.

“Han!” Drake shouted, reaching for the wall.

Han hit the top of a round globe-like device, and a pulse shot out like a wave. It hit Brandy’s body, paralyzing her. She fell, dully aware of the floor. Unfocused eyes stared up at the purplish ceiling as everything around her buzzed like she was very drunk.

The world around her faded and sharpened a few times before she was able to make out a face above her.

Rahan. She tried to speak to him, to touch his arm, but nothing was responding. He studied her, a worried expression dominating his features.

Strong arms slid under her body, and she was lifted. Rahan held her to his chest as he walked her into the room and toward where they’d materialized. As her head lolled lifelessly to the side, she took in the disarray. All of Drake’s crew lay on their backs, immobilized. Drake, Tork, and Wrek followed her with their gazes, sending her plaintive looks. She wondered what they would say if they could. Would they beg her to stay?

They didn’t have the chance. Neither did she.

Light filled her vision, then a warm tingly heat as parts of her body seemed to float away. They were beaming her up. In the next second, everything went black.

* * *

Brandy woketo a wave of nausea so strong she was vomiting before her eyes were even open.

Lurching up and tilting to the side, she stared at her own sick. Her stomach was revolting. Clutching it, she examined the room. She had no idea where she was, and the surrounding space gave her no indication. Everything was white and glowing. The bed resembled a cloud with fluffy cotton blankets. Curtains draped from the four posts around her, obscuring her view of the room beyond.

“You’re awake,” a voice said.

Charis appeared in the slit between the curtains, throwing her arms around Brandy’s neck. “Oh my God. I was worried sick. They took you and then Han said he couldn’t get you back, not without hurting you, and I was just beside myself. Are you okay?” The words came out in one long stream as Charis hung onto Brandy for dear life.

As she wrapped her arms around her friend’s body, she realized just how big Charis had grown with the pregnancy. She knew Cartharian babies grew faster than humans, but she hadn’t known they grew that fast.

“I’m okay,” Brandy said. “At least, I think so.” Another wave of nausea crested. Brandy put her hand over her mouth, hoping to spare Charis.

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