The Vanished Specialist (The Lost Planet 2)

My alien does not cower and that has pride thumping inside me. I remember how skittish Aria was at first. She was not brave like my lilapetal.

“The minnasuit, er, clothes?” I ask, my voice raw and husky. My fists are clenched tightly at my sides, my claws digging into my flesh almost hard enough to break the skin.

“I was…” She staggers forward. “I wasn’t feeling too well—”

Her body collapses in front of me and I catch her before she careens to the floor. Panic rises up inside of me. Time is of the essence. I need to study her and test theories. I need to rekking fix her.

I slide my arm beneath her thighs and lift her. The drying cloth does nothing to hide her perfect skin from my curious eyes. Carrying her back over to the examination table, I greedily allow my gaze to rove over her as I turn on the warming lights. Her bluish lips are parted and her purple eyelids are fluttering. The drying cloth has fallen away to reveal her delectable breasts to me. Each nipple is peaked and if her health was not in dire need of attention, I would spend a lot more time inspecting them.

Once I settle her down on the heated table, I allow the towel to fall away. Her cunt shines with golden sunray hairs that match that on top of her nog. I snag a warming sheet and cover her body with it. I am tempted to call in Avrell, but then he would see her like this. So vulnerable and broken. She does not trust them like she does me. I have not earned her trust, but I will not let her down. Besides, I know everything Avrell knows. We studied the same and have worked together on countless endeavors. I am confident that if anyone can help her, it is me.

Her breathing is raspy and uneven. It unnerves me, but I do not let it affect me as I attach a breathing apparatus to her nose and mouth. The machine pumps oxygen into her brittle lungs and within minutes, her pink coloring returns. Her eyes open and she regards me sleepily.

Blue. Curious. Unafraid. Sad.

I become lost in her stare. So brave, yet so weak. One of the universe’s mysteries.

Reaching forward, I drag a claw over her cheekbone gently. The corner of her lips twitches with the briefest of smiles. It’s enough to stoke the flames inside of me.

“Please rest, my Emery. In order for me to understand your ailments, I will need to study you. Listen to your breathing. Take more samples. It is important,” I tell her as I attach some sensors to her upper chest near her heart and one at her pulse point.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Her pulse is slow but steady.

She gives me a slight nod but does not close her eyes. Instead, she scrutinizes my every move. I have never had anyone watch me with such intensity. Hadrian has studied under me often, but the mortarekker can’t keep still long enough to notice details.

Emery sees them all.

Intelligence glimmers in her eyes that have been dulled by illness.

I vow to make them shine again.

Using the wegloscan wand, I wave it over her stomach and am secretly grateful when it blinks red, indicating she is without child. If she were to be impregnated like Aria, one of the other morts might think he had claim over her.

All of the aliens were implanted with embryos. On a routine mission to orbit our planet, Theron and Sayer managed to get inside a passing vessel and procured the cryotubes. All five were carrying females inside in cryosleep. It brought hope to our faction because, for once, we could breed and our race was no longer threatened with extinction. Avrell worked hard to implant the aliens with our seed. He used samples from all of us morts, hoping that some would stick. There would be no need to wake them or physically mate with them. However, Aria’s never took and she woke from cryo miscarrying. It was not until she mated physically with Breccan that they were able to conceive. I know because of their mating, she is now growing a little mortyoung in her womb. I have seen the hungry looks in the other morts’ eyes. Hungry for the only other alien who is awake.

She is mine.

Amusement glitters in her eyes and it is then I realize I am growling.

Embarrassment washes over me and I swallow down the strange feeling.

“You’re not pregnant,” I tell her. I am sure Aria has explained things to her, but it is no less frightening.

Her eyes widen and they dart back and forth, panicked. I grab her shaking hand in mine and run my nose along the back of it as I inhale her clean scent.