Bought By The Zandians (Zandian Brides 2)
“Well, it’s reported that males are extremely violent. Females are nearly non-existent.”
“That doesn’t make sense. How can that be?” Another image; in this one, the young has its mouth open, yawning. I’m horrified and entranced at the same time. It’s like watching at a gory battle—I don’t like it, but I can’t avert my eyes.
“They’re reputed to kill their mates after they successfully breed a male young. They kill female young 100 percent of the time. Usually ki
ll the mate if she breeds a female just as a punishment for wasting their time.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.” I shudder.
The doctor coughs. “When I say mate, it’s not really a mate. They take slaves and keep them captive for breeding, and kill them after the young is delivered.”
I can’t comprehend what I’m hearing. “What? Why?”
“It’s to do with their genetics.” He clears his throat and his voice gains fluency, like he’s excited to teach me about this. “When Akronian males breed a male offspring, it doesn’t matter what host they use, the resultant DNA will be only Akronian. But if the breeding results in a female young, that one will pick up a significant portion of the DNA from the mother. Their females can use and adopt multiple DNA sources, apparently. Akronicans want to keep their line pure, warlike. They don’t want to breed in new characteristics. And they don’t bond with mates—they just want male offspring.”
“That’s repugnant. But Danica, how?”
“Probably conceived the child before you rescued her.” His voice is dry. “That’s why I thought the fetus was too big at first. She was already pregnant by the time she met you.” He answers my next question before I can even ask. “And I guarantee she knew it.”
“How can you be sure?”
“She would have been already five lunar cycles along, Gorde. Her menses would have stopped and there are significant changes in a female’s body that let them know they are carrying young. I suppose I can’t say with 100 percent certainty, but I’m fairly confident she knew.”
“And she didn’t tell us.” I’m confused, and angry. “That she was carrying a young. From a violent, aggressive species!”
The doctor holds up a hand. “We don’t—”
I burst out with, “She held it like a sick virus inside her, tricked us into mating her so she could carry the thing here, on Zandia. We told her.” I push one fist into my other palm. “We explained how the only beings welcome on this planet are Zandians, and human females.”
“She…”
“Completely disregarded it.” My anger is so all-encompassing that I can hear the blood roaring in my veins. I grab the device from his hand and scroll through the images. In one, the small creature seems to be smiling, and I don’t care for the curve of its jaw—nothing like mine. Or Danica’s. “Does it have…claws?” I peer at the screen, scowling.
“It appears so, yes. The Akronian males have sharp retractable claws. They usually use them to rip open their mate and, if necessary, the female young after—”
“Stop.” Nausea roils in my gut, and I can’t tell if it’s over Danica’s deception, or my disappointment that the young isn’t Zandian. “I need to tell Benn. I need—veck.” I toss the comms unit onto the nearest surface, the doctor’s workstation, and bury my face in my hands. When I look back up, Dr. Daneth is beckoning to Bayla, who comes in, eyes full of concern.
This makes me further enraged—I was tricked by my mate, and stars, now everyone is going to know it. “You can wipe that sympathy away,” I snap. “I don’t need it, or your pity. Benn and I will deal with—this.” I wave my hand at the comms unit, the images. “I assume you already notified King Zander?”
Dr. Daneth shakes his head. “We need to, of course, but I wanted to tell you first. We’ll keep this a secret until we determine what to do.”
“Veck.” I look at the comm, as if it has answers.
“Take it.” Dr. Daneth clears his throat. “You’ll want to show Benn. And Danica.”
“Right.” I snatch up the unit and stick it into my satchel, hands shaking. “I…”
There’s nothing more to say, so I stride out, unable to focus on anything but this revelation, and how my life is falling apart in front of me.
Benn
Danica’s off visiting our neighbor, Janette, and picking up supplies for her electronics work, and I smile as I glance at the low, long table she uses for her workstation. I’m so proud of her—she’s proven to be smart, efficient, and seems to really care about helping Zandia move forward. And now, a young! I start humming the strange tune she sang the other day, and I’m startled when the door bursts open to reveal Gorde, eyes wild, face red with anger.
He holds up a comms unit and waves it. “The young isn’t ours.”
“What?” I step forward. “You’re not making any sense. Who?” But from the sick look on his face, I already know. “That can’t be true.”
“Dr. Daneth confirmed. The young’s nearly full grown and it’s Akronian, not Zandian. See for yourself.” He tosses me the device, and the pictures, one after another, immediately confirm his words.