Alien Surrender (The Alien Series Book 6) Page 2

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll text you my schedule when I know it.”

  “Cool.”

  But that text never comes.

  I do text her though, when I win third place in my first marathon. “3:12:28!”

  I see dots on my screen. She’s actually writing back. My phone pings. She’s sent me a thumbs up.

  “I was .03 seconds away from second place!” I add, wanting to keep the conversation going.

  Laughing face. “We can’t all get gold!”

  “Yeah, LOL. Maybe next time, huh? Hey, about that lunch date?”

  But she never replies. I still consider it a victory though, since it’s the most we’ve spoken in the past year.

  And then, one day, I run into Bree.

  “Hey! What are you doing in California?”

  “Just doing a little traveling with friends.”

  “Oh, is Casey here too?” I glance around the coffee shop, my heart racing, wondering if I’ll see my sister.

  “No, I’m with non-rowing friends. Sorry, hun.”

  I shrug, smiling wide to show her how much I don’t care.

  “How come I never see you anymore, Allison?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I’m busy with work.” That and Casey doesn’t return my calls or texts and I haven’t seen her in nearly two years. “I’d love to see Case more though. I’ve been talking to her about taking a trip towards you guys. Just kind of waiting for things to line up.”

  “Yeah… Look, I know Casey can be kind of self-centered. Do you want me to talk to her?”

  “What?” I plaster that big smile on my face. “There’s nothing to talk about, I swear. We’ll get together soon.”

  Still though, Bree does talk to Casey about it and I find out a week later by email.

  “What is your problem?! Why are you talking to Bree about our relationship of all things? We hardly even see each other, Allison. I’d like to think you’d have more interesting things to talk about than me. As a matter of fact, why don’t you keep my name out of your mouth?”

  “Whoa, what happened? I saw Bree, but I swear we didn’t even really talk about you at all. I think I just said something about wanting to plan a visit.”

  “Whatever, Allison. I know the way you paint me—like I’m the inconsiderate one. If you’re so desperate to talk shit about me, do me a favor and talk to your own friends, if you have any, that is.”

  “Case, please. This is just a big misunderstanding.”

  “Look, I’m mad. I need some space so I can get beyond this, alright?”

  My emotions surge and I respond impulsively. I should know better. I really should.

  “You need space? We live in different states. We rarely text. And I can’t even remember the last time we actually spoke.”

  “And yet still you’re too much.”

  My heart sinks and fear pools in my gut. Fucking Casey. She’s the only one with the power to do this to me. Every other aspect of my life, I’m focused and unemotional. But when it comes to my sister… I feel like a foolish child, hungry for love and acceptance. That’s what pushes her away. I shouldn’t have said anything at all. Now she’s going to cut me off completely. I’ll lose the last of my family, then I’ll truly be all alone. I back pedal.

  “Yeah, I see that. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you, Case, I swear. Just text me when you’re ready to talk. We can work this out.”

  But guess what? She never does text me. Or hell, maybe she does eventually, but I’ll never know, because not long after that—I was abducted by aliens.

  Chapter 2

  Allison

  I jolt awake in the captain’s seat, my hand instinctively going to my weapon. My eyes scan the room and terror races through my veins. It takes me a moment to remember where I am and that I’m safe.

  The comm beeps. “Your heart rate is elevated.”

  Fucking Da’vi. I scowl angrily, embarrassed to have my fear highlighted. It’s supposed to be my own dirty secret. “Don’t worry about it,” I tell him. “Just a bad dream. What the hell are you monitoring me for anyway?” He’s on his own ship flying alongside me. I don’t need him keeping tabs. Especially not at a time like this, when my guard is down. I’m just glad he can’t see me through the comms, otherwise he’d notice the blush rising on my cheeks.

  Da’vi’s so silent I almost think he’s cut the line, but eventually he speaks. “A bad dream about what?”

  I adjust awkwardly in the captain’s seat of the confiscated pirate ship, not seeing the blood-splattered floor or the poorly tended alien technology. No… I see that tiny bedroom I used to share with my sister, two twin beds squeezed inside. I hear her fear-filled whispers, waking me in the night. I have a deep sense of knowing that she needs my protection, but I can’t get to her side of the room to crawl into bed with her. Light shines through the window, but it isn’t the warm sunlight from our last afternoon in the trailer—it’s coming from space ships. There are slavers outside and they’re coming for my sister.

  It’s stupid. Casey is safe and on Earth, rowing with friends, living her best life. She doesn’t need me anymore. She hasn’t for a long time. And I don’t need anyone either. I just need to help all the girls out here that are too scared or trapped to help themselves. That’s my purpose. It’s all that matters to me in this new life. I’m sure as shit not going to tell Da’vi any of that, however.

  “Spiders. Fucking hate spiders,” I lie. I can picture his expression in the silence that ensues. He’s giving me that look right now, that look that tells me he knows I’m full of shit. He can think whatever he wants though, doesn’t mean I have to share my soul with anyone. Not even him…my only friend in this new and horrible life.

  Well, my sort of friend. The guy I’ve pledged my allegiance to anyway. He’s the only alien I’ve met that’s not coddling the human girls so I sure as shit hitched my wagon to his. He gives me purpose. He’s helping to teach me all the skills I need to survive. And, he’s the only reason I’m not sitting back in Beacon right now, weaving baskets with the rest of them, pretending there aren’t women out here who still need saving. And, fuck me, but I’m grateful.

  That being said, this apprenticeship is nearing its end. I can’t expect him to keep me forever and I’m certainly not the type of girl who outstays her welcome. Anyway, things have been different ever since the Oscillion’s planet, Quar. Since I brought a deserving death to a slave trader in the back room of a sex-bot brothel. Yup… Da’vi’s been pissed at me. More pissed than usual at least. Seems like he’s always pissed. Works out just fine for me though. I’m always pissed too. Long story short, he can only teach me so much. Eventually I have to strike out on my own. I don’t want him to think he’s responsible for me. I can take care of myself.

  “How much longer until we reach Makaan territory?”

  “Check your logs and you’ll know.”

  I roll my eyes. So much for conversation. Scrolling through the difficult to comprehend alien language on the view screen, I eventually find the information I’m looking for. Just a few short hours. “What’s the game plan?”

  “We arrive at the space station, you stay with the ships, I make a deal with the salvage yard.”

  I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t give me anything more.

  “What about the empty stasis bin we found? I thought we were going to search for the human?” I demand, getting riled up. “And what’s this about me staying with the ships? That wasn’t the deal! I’m not made for sitting pretty, Da’vi, I want experience out in the field!”

  “What are these slavers going to think, Allison, if I walk off my ship with you at my side, asking after alien contraband?” His tone is calm despite the heat in mine.

  I grit my teeth, seeing the logic, but needing to be part of the action. “I go incognito,” I hurry to say, before Da’vi shuts down and decrees his word law. “We pretend I’m your slave and you’re looking to acquire more like me.”

  I startle when the vi
ew screen blinks on, but I recover quickly, hurrying to straighten my spine and raise my chin as I’m suddenly staring directly at Da’vi’s angry reptilian features. “I will not be pretending you’re a slave, Allison,” he growls. “Remove that thought from your mind this instant.”

  I roll my eyes. These alien guys have strange principles. I don’t even try to understand them. “It’s not a big deal, Da’vi! We both know I’m not a slave, what the fuck do we care what they think?”

  His jaw hardens and I quickly plead my case. “Look, this gets both of us in safely. It establishes your credibility if you already have a human slave. And, if shit hits the fan, I’ve got your back. It makes sense!” I insist. I can tell Da’vi sees my logic as well. He’s still on the fence though.

  “Is this some sexist thing?” I demand.

  Da’vi’s eyes go wide. “Sex?”

  “Sex-ist,” I emphasize. “If it were Bossan or Kellan with you, would you be telling them to stay behind?”

  “You are neither Bossan nor Kellan.”

  I look to the heavens for help, not that they could give one hot shit about me. “I’m not,” I concur. “But that doesn’t mean I’m useless. Please don’t treat me like I’m useless.”

  Da’vi’s gaze is flat. I can’t read him. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Thank fuck when he ends the suspense by finally speaking. “You cannot bring your blaster.”

  I nearly fall out of my seat. “Be reasonable!” I shout, incredulous over the suggestion. He can’t seriously expect me to walk onto an enemy space station in a region that condones human trafficking without my fucking blaster.

  “Allison!” he barks. “Where do you plan to conceal such a weapon?”

  I purse my lips. Fucker’s got me there.

  “Fine,” I grit out through clenched teeth. “Just chargers. And my knife.”

  “All of them hidden.”

  “Obviously.”

  “And you may not draw your weapon without my permission.”

  “Jesus, Da’vi! What am I supposed to do, raise my hand and wait to be called on in the middle of a firefight?”

  “Wait until my word or you do not come at all.”

  I kick a nearby control panel, feeling like the one person I care about has no faith in my judgment. As if I’d draw without thinking. “Ya know, maybe I can just sense trouble coming better than you.” I’m not pouting. I’m definitely not pouting.

  “And maybe you are looking for trouble.”

  I glare at him. So what if I am?

  “Fine. I’ll bring my baby guns. I’ll play the slave. I’ll follow your lead. But I get to go with you.” And that’s all that really matters in the end. If I need a weapon, I can always improvise. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, right?

  Da’vi leans back in the captain’s seat of his rusted old jalopy of a ship. The set of his scaled jaw and the hardness in his marbled yellow-black eyes tell me he’s not happy with the arrangement, but he nods his head all the same. “You’ll come with me.” His tone confirms how unhappy he truly is and I sigh, feeling defeated, regardless of the fact that I get to come.

  Da’vi’s constant disapproval wears on me. Chips away at me day by day. If I were a man, or hell, a male of any species, he wouldn’t treat me like this. He wouldn’t be so reluctant to train me. Sometimes I don’t know why he ever accepted to take me on as his apprentice in the first place. The guy obviously bit off more than he could chew. Probably feels stuck with me now. Or worse…responsible for me.

  I can’t keep on like this, feeling like I’m a burden. After this mission is complete, I’m done playing the apprentice. I’m done waiting for Da’vi’s permission to follow leads. I’m going to venture out on my own and do things my way for a change.

  Chapter 3

  Da’vi

  I engage automated docking and make my way to the airlock. The system is still whirring into place when I arrive and stand at attention, locking my clenched fists behind my back. I’m anxious to be face to face with Allison again now that she does not need to pilot the salvaged pirate ship. Anxious to hide how anxious I am, more like it. Allison is not like the other humans… the other Goddesses. She is fierce and hardened. A warrior among delicate flowers. And I love her for it. I’m intoxicated by it. Every time I am by her side I must fight the urge to drop to my knees and proclaim myself her mate.

  And she is my mate, damn it. I have known since the moment I laid eyes on her, the moment I caught her scent. The only problem is…she does not know. And the way things are looking, she never will. Because unlike the other humans back on Elysia, Allison has no care nor concern for love. She is driven, obsessed really, with being the patron warrior of those who are still lost. She can see nothing else for it. Certainly not me.

  And yet, she wastes no time on anyone but me. Allison isolates herself, never bothering to connect with the other humans. They are too soft for her taste. Too emotional. And I’ll certainly be fucked if she ever discovers how truly emotional I am—when it comes to her at least.

  The fact that she is friendless back in Beacon concerns me. At this point, I no longer feel selfish pride over my connection to her, if only because I worry so damn much over why she shuts everyone out in the first place. To an extent she even shuts me out. While she allows me to train her, she allows for nothing else. Not even friendly conversation. It’s been an entire year since we rescued these females and still, I don’t know the first thing about my Allison. Who was she before she came into this life?

  While I’m the one now clinging to our arrangement, it was originally Allison’s choosing. All the humans were eager to learn our ways, but Allison refused to take baby steps. She wanted weapons training, she wanted to learn our technology, to pilot, and to survive in the wild. She refused anyone’s instruction but my own. Part of me hoped it was because she felt what I did—sensed our mating bond. But I was a fool. She wanted me only because I was the fiercest warrior in her eyes. I was proud at the time. A fool twice over.

  On some level she must think I am like her, hardened and unemotional. And maybe there are many who would agree with that assessment. But when it comes to Allison, there is only one part of me that is hard. All else begs to surrender. The only thing that stops me is her.

  Allison is fiercer than any warrior I’ve ever met and I know in my core that she would want nothing to do with the softer side of me…the loving side. So I hide it. If I’m not the teacher and she my apprentice, then I would get none of her. Not her anger. Not her determination. Not her grit. Nor her scent. Or the vision of her sweat sheen-covered body working beside me in the airfield. And I refuse to give up a single moment. I am hers until she forces me from her life.

  Already I feel her tether to me is weakening. Soon she will be gone. And my greatest fear is that she isn’t running to the rescue of other humans…but rather to her own grave. Half the time I can’t tell if I am seeing determination in her, or a death wish.

  I clench my fists behind my back, the muscles tense throughout my arms and up into my shoulders. I try to push the thought away. She’s eager and angry. But above all, she is smart. While I reprimand her often over the zealous way she charges into any given situation, she hardly ever makes a decision that I would not make myself. Except for perhaps… My scales flick in frustration over the thought. Except for Vigere.

  She murdered him back on Quar. Tortured him and blasted his brains across the wall of a pleasure house. He was a vile creature, responsible for so much death, rape, and loss across this sector of space. Still, the viciousness of her actions haunts me. It was the start of our end. Before that, I don’t think I truly realized how damaged she was. And yet by that point it was too late for me to do anything to stop it. I lose her a little more each day. The more I try to hold her back, the deeper she slips into whatever this despair is that she refuses to share with me.

  I used to think she was on a warpath. Now I wonder. My goddess. My mate? Is she on a suicide path? I can try and hold on to he
r for as long as possible, but other than locking her in a cell and declaring she’s mine… Allison is going to leave me and I scramble to do all I can to ensure her safety, to teach her what I know, to give her the tools that will keep her alive one more day once she’s gone. I am hard on my love, but not nearly as hard as an enemy would be if he got his hands on my mate.

  The airlock hisses and the door glides open. Allison, a true heavenly vision, strides in. Her hair is long and flowing to her waist. It shines like the sun slipping through the leafy forest canopy on Elysia. Her brows and lashes are naturally a shade darker, making her gaze that much more intense. She skates her eyes over me and strides past. Hardly an acknowledgement at all after days of traveling on separate ships. I clench my jaw and take a deep breath. As much as I love my female…fuck if she doesn’t drive me insane.