Zekke: A Scifi Alien Romance (The Azziarin Series Book 5) Read online

  Zekke staggered back as though he’d been struck. “What are you saying?”

  Jamison faced the surprised Azziarin and said, “If she is pregnant, it’s not by me. It’s been too long, and is not possible.”

  “Someone else here?” he accused.

  “No.” Jamison finally caught his breath enough to stand up straight.

  This left Zekke with more questions than answers. Could it be his? Did he leave her alone in medical to deal with this on her own for no reason? As dread pooled in his belly, a terrible feeling encased him. He needed to get back, and fast. He’d never acted impulsively before, but there he stood having fought one of her squad members. What had he done?

  He nodded to an angry Jamison and walked away.

  When the shuttlecraft landed back on the ship, Zekke stalked out, heading toward medical. He needed to talk to Ava, and to the healer. Scenarios soared through his mind. If the young wasn’t human, then it must be Azziarin. But how was that possible? Hopefully, Cannin could provide the much-needed answers.

  When he entered medical, Ava was nowhere to be seen. “Cannin?”

  “Commander. How can I help you?”

  “I need to know about the young. Is it Azziarin?”

  “I don’t know, Commander. She would not consent to more tests,” Cannin answered.

  “Is it possible that she carries my young?” He needed to know.

  “Anything is possible. The fact that she carries two young instead of one is a mystery unto itself.” Zekke stood speechless. Cannin had managed to stun him twice in one standard day. Two young! Could her small body handle it? Sydney was having a hard time carrying one due to the rapid growth.

  “Where is she?” he demanded.

  “I do not know. The moment she realized that you stormed out and had not mated her, she left.”

  “You told her?” he demanded.

  “Yes. She can be as scary as you.” Zekke wanted to feel proud, but he only felt dread. He’d just gotten her back, and already he’d messed up once again. How had his brothers handled their earth mates? They were so different than Azziarins. If felt like playing a game and learning the rules as you went.

  Zekke headed for his quarters. How would he explain his way out of this? Walking in, he searched, but she wasn’t there. Puzzled, he headed to the dining hall. Others were there eating, but not Ava.

  “What happened to you?” Nollan asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You are bleeding.”

  His hand covered his swollen cheek. He and Jamison had truly unleashed their anger on each other. “It’s nothing. Have you seen Ava?”

  “No, Commander.” With one nod, Zekke left.

  He searched the observation room, the gathering room; he even looked for her on the bridge. Standing in his ready room, he grabbed his comm unit. “Rhett, my ready room.”

  “On my way.”

  Zekke leaned against the front of his desk, and when Rhett walked in, he asked, “Have you seen my mate?”

  Rhett took a military stance. Hands behind his back looking straight ahead. “She is not your mate.”

  Zekke straightened his spine and spoke softly. “What did you say?”

  At the deadly tone, Rhett swallowed hard but remained silent.

  Nose to nose with Rhett, Zekke hissed, “Where. Is. She?”

  “Commander, she asked for new quarters.” Zekke stepped back. Somehow, Ava had managed to gain the loyalty of his most trusted officer.

  “Why?” Zekke asked, his tone a little more concerned and less deadly.

  “I could smell her hurt. It was… brutal.”

  Heading toward Ava’s new quarters, ones reserved for the lowest ranking on the ship, Zekke seethed. If she thought he would just let her move in there, she needed to think again.

  When the door opened, his anger drained away. She was lying on the bed, her knees drawn up, and water running down her face. Her skin was red and blotchy. She looked so vulnerable lying there.

  “Ava,” he called to her in a soft voice.

  Her head jerked in his direction, and her sad eyes changed instantly.

  “Get out!” she screamed.

  “Ava, please…”

  She got to her feet, and screamed, “I said get out!”

  He wasn’t having it. He closed the distance and pulled her into his arms. She squirmed, trying to get loose. “Let me go!”

  “No,” he said as he held her tightly. And then in a calm, soothing voice, he said, “You are going to listen to me.”

  He waited until she ran out of steam and then scooped her up and set on the bed. Holding her in his lap, he said, “I’m sorry.” No response. He hugged her close and chose his words wisely, words from the heart.

  “I’m sorry I left you alone in medical and didn’t talk to you first. This is still new for me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the mating. For Azziarins, we get one mate, and that’s it. I wanted to make sure you wanted to stay with me, and… if I’m being honest… I was still worried about a mate making me vulnerable. Not that it matters anymore, because I already love you.”

  “You love me?”

  “Yes.”

  “You lied to me,” she accused.

  “I did.”

  They sat in silence with him holding her on his lap. He didn’t know where things stood between them. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was heading home. He wanted her away from Earth, and with her carrying two young, they needed the better medical facilities of Azziar.

  Ava

  She understood what Zekke said, but she trembled with hurt. It bothered her most of all that he’d lied about the mating.

  Her emotions were heightened due to the pregnancy, and that made it hard for her to think straight. He said he loved her. Did he?

  “You’re only telling me you love me because of the babies.”

  “I’m not. I do love you and want nothing more than to be your mate.”

  “I can’t. Not now. You’ve hurt me, and I need time.”

  “You’re not staying here.”

  She looked at his worried face and knew he was just being protective. Right now, she was too tired to fight about it.

  “Fine,” she reluctantly agreed.

  Day after day passed, and according to Zekke, they were heading for Azziar. Azziarin pregnancies advanced much more quickly than human ones, and she needed to be closely monitored.

  Slowly, things were getting better between them. She stayed in, never leaving their quarters, now that she knew that others could smell if she was mated. That’s why they sniffed. Embarrassment kept her hidden away.

  Standing in front of a mirror, she turned one way and then the other, looking at her protruding belly. Every day there was a noticeable difference. She smiled; the storm cloud had finally lifted, and she was happy.

  “You two are going to make me so big.” She rubbed her belly while talking to her babies. She was finally going to be a mother. She would have a family again.

  “You are beautiful.”

  She turned to the sound of Zekke’s voice and smiled warmly. “What are you doing back so early?”

  “I just wanted to see you.”

  He slowly walked over and ran his hands over her hair. “It’s getting longer,” he mused.

  “I haven’t cut it lately.”

  “Don’t. You have beautiful golden hair.”

  She smiled up at him, loving the feel of his hand. She turned her face into his hand. “I’ve missed you,” she admitted.

  That’s all it took. Zekke carried her to bed. His touch was gentle, and the sensations sparked throughout her body with each nip and caress. It was more about needing the emotional connection, at least for her.

  Staring into his eyes while he was deep inside her, she said, “I love you, Zekke.” As they both found release, he sank his teeth deep, making it official.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Zekke

  Ava and Zekke sat with Rhett in the dining
hall. Her appetite was growing daily, along with her size. He feared that she couldn’t carry the babies and was anxious to get her home.

  She finally agreed to tests, and Cannin assured them both that the pregnancy was progressing normally.

  Zekke smiled at her happy expression as she talked to Rhett. “I can’t wait to see your planet.”

  “It is much better than yours.”

  “But you didn’t get to see Earth before the Tureis came,” she said defensively.

  “The Tureis didn’t change the weather. It is cold on your planet.”

  Ava laughed. “It’s not cold everywhere. Some places are very warm year-round.”

  “If you had two suns like us, the entire planet would be warm year-round.”

  Zekke listened in amusement at the back-and-forth banter between the two.

  He’d just finished eating when his comm unit beeped. “Commander, there are three Turei ships fast approaching.”

  “On my way.” The playful demeanor gone, he and Rhett stood at the same time.

  “I’m going with you.” Glancing at Ava’s determined face, Zekke nodded, and the three of them headed for the bridge.

  “Durrak, report,” Zekke said as he entered the bridge.

  The ship rocked as the Turei ships fired upon them. “Return fire.” He looked at his mate and said, “Ava.” He held out his hand. When she took it, he directed her to the captain’s chair. “Sit here. I don’t want you falling.”

  The ship rocked as all three of the Tureis’ ships fired at them. The Triumph returned fire and did some damage, but three was too many. The outcome looked grim. He glanced at Ava and knew she thought the same.

  “Commander, there’s another ship approaching.” They watched as it fired on one of the Turei ships. “It is the Curazins, Commander.”

  The Curazins were long-time allies, and with their help, the Triumph took out one Turei ship while the Curazins dealt with the others.

  Ava

  When the Curazin captain appeared on the view screen, Ava stared in awe. Another alien species. Even though he looked odd, he was still handsome. Light blue in color, he had three hard ridges on his forehead and round, solid black eyes. His muscles mirrored the Azziarins’.

  Her eyes slid to someone who stood behind him. A human was staring back at her. “Zekke,” she said with concern. Her heart pounded. What was he doing there?

  “I see,” Zekke said quietly.

  “Thank you for your help, Commander,” Zekke addressed the Curazin, who stared at his mate.

  “You are welcome. I am Toran.”

  “I am Zekke, prince of Azziar.”

  Toran glanced at Zekke, but most of his focus remained on Ava. “As payment for our assistance, an invitation to visit your ship would suffice.”

  They were an honorable race, or Zekke would never allow them to board. And now he owed them a debt. “Will you join my mate and me for refreshments?”

  “Accepted. We will see you soon.”

  As soon as the screen went dark, she asked, “Who are they? Why was that human with them?”

  “Rhett, you have the bridge. Tullan, Macce, you’re with us.”

  Zekke took Ava’s hand. “Come on, let’s greet our guest.”

  “Who are they?” she asked again as they headed to the cargo bay.

  “The Curazins are a dying race. They are advanced in technology, but their planet remains primitive.”

  “I don’t understand. Why are they dying? How is it primitive?”

  “Something happened to change their biology. Now one female Curazin is born for every hundred males. To keep the males in line, they organize fights, train, anything that helps them burn off the aggression. They use their technology only for space travel.”

  “How awful! Why can’t they find another species, if humans can breed with Azziarins?”

  “I’ve heard rumors that they have tested many different species, and although they can join with them, they can’t have young.”

  She felt sorry for them, going through life without hope of marrying or having children. Her hands flew to her baby bump.

  They waited in the cargo bay. When the shuttlecraft landed, three Curazins and one human disembarked. They all stared at her. Zekke stepped in front of her, shielding her from the intense scrutiny. Facing the newcomers, he said in a stern voice, “You will show my mate respect.”

  Toran’s eyes shot to Zekke’s, and then he bowed his head. “My apologies if we made your mate uncomfortable. We have much to discuss.”

  His eyes landed on the human male. “I agree.”

  They escorted the newcomers to the meeting room. Refreshments were served as the two groups sat down at the table and faced each other.

  Ava couldn’t stop staring at the human. She finally broke the ice and said, “I’m Ava. I was living near D.C. when everything happened.”

  It was then she noticed that silence filled the room. Everyone wanted to hear the two humans.

  “My name is Alan. I’m from Nashville.”

  “How did you end up with the Curazins?”

  His smile was so sad; it tugged at her heartstrings. “I might ask you the same question.” His eyes darted to Zekke and then back to Ava.

  “I don’t mind. I’m a Sergeant in the army. Only a handful made it out alive when the Tureis attacked. I patrolled with my squad each night. The Azziarins showed up to help,” she smiled at Zekke, “and here I am.”

  “You’re happy?”

  “Yes, I am. Now it’s your turn.”

  “My sister and I retreated to a cabin when the first attacks came. For months, we isolated ourselves. One day we decided to drive into town, see if they were still there.” He shook his head and swallowed hard. “It was my fault; I knew better. The Tureis were everywhere. I crashed the car and knew that it was the end of the line for me. I was dead.” He drew in a ragged breath. “I woke up on one of the Tureis’ ships and was later rescued by the Curazins. I know the Tureis took my sister, and Toran has agreed to help me search for her.”

  Toran finally spoke up. “The Tureis had started a new breeding program. There was one other human there, a female. She was held in a separate area. We think they were trying to impregnate her.”

  “Did they?” Zekke inquired.

  “No.” Toran leaned back and crossed his arms.

  Zekke leveled his gaze on Alan. “Your sister, what is her name?”

  “Krista. She looks like me. Same hair color, eyes, light skin. Have you seen her?”

  Zekke studied the human male. Finally he said, “She thinks you’re dead.”

  Tears filled Ava’s eyes as she watched the strong man fight back his own tears. “You know her?” he asked Zekke.

  “I do. My brother rescued her from the Tureis.”

  “Thank God!” he exclaimed. “I’ve been so worried about her. Can you take me to her?”

  “We are headed there now, and you are welcome to join us,” Zekke offered.

  “I have a request,” Toran interjected.

  Zekke turned his attention to him. “I’m listening.”

  “Although he is from planet Earth, he cannot tell me its location.”

  “You want Earth females?”

  “The Earth female we rescued is living with a male of her choosing. She carries his young.”

  Zekke smiled. “You have found a compatible species.”

  “Yes. Do you have the coordinates?”

  “Yes. But know that the Tureis are still there, and our fleet is there to help the humans fight.”

  Toran laughed. “We will also send ships. If the Tureis want a fight, we will give them one.”

  “The planet is located in the Dreama sector. I’ll send the exact coordinates over to your ship.”

  “The Dreama sector? I didn’t think any life existed there.”

  “Neither did we.”

  Both groups stood, and Zekke and Toran clasped forearms. “Thank you for the information,” Toran said warmly.

>   “Thank you for your assistance,” Zekke added.

  Ava stood in front of Alan. “Do you need to get anything before we leave?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t have anything.” He hid his emotions well, but Ava could see how shaken up he was—his hands trembled slightly, and he swallowed hard. “I can’t believe I’ve found her.” He looked to Zekke, “Are you sure it’s the right Krista?”

  “No. But the story sounds familiar, and you do resemble her.”

  “I’ll have to wait and see.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Azziar

  “I can’t believe we’re finally here!”

  Ava and Zekke stood on the bridge as they stared at Azziar on the view screen. “What do you think?” he asked.

  Her excited eyes met his. “It’s beautiful. Where our planet is blue, yours has a lot of lavender.”

  “The color of our water.”

  She leaned into him. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “Let’s go see if Alan is ready.”

  Alan didn’t socialize often; he kept mainly to himself. Who knew the horrors he’d endured at the hands of the Tureis? Finding his sister would be a blessing. After all the death and destruction, it would be nice to see at least one family reunited.

  They stood outside Alan’s door and waited while she rubbed her rapidly growing belly. It worried her a great deal, but she never voiced her concerns to Zekke. He worried enough. Not that he said anything, but she caught his apprehensive expression when he thought she wasn’t looking.

  When the door slid opened, Alan filled the entrance. He wore the same standard black jumpsuit as the other males on board. “I’m ready,” he announced.

  The ride to the surface was scary and exhilarating at the same time. Normally, Ava handled situations better, but nervous energy made her tap her foot and bite her nails at the same time.

  “What is wrong with you?” Zekke laughed as he grabbed her hands.

  Her anxious eyes met his. “What if they don’t like me?”

  “Who?”