The Alien’s Obsession by Zoey Draven

Chapter Twenty-One

“It seems that all my warrior brothers are betraying me lately,” Vaxa’an said, his tone cold, his eyes as hard as Luxirian crystals.

Kirov clenched his jaw. “You know that under no other circumstance would I betray you like this. I never have before.”

“You have been lying to me. Vixron reported to me just now, after he found the female missing. Do you know what he had to report?”

Kirov could only guess.

“He said that you seemed rather intent on the female, that he suspected there was an attachment. Yet, you hid it well, so well that he did not think it serious enough to report. Until now.”

Kirov’s spine straightened.

“So, tell me, brother,” Vaxa’an continued. “What have you been hiding from me?”

“My Instinct awakened for her,” Kirov said softly.

Vaxa’an cursed, exhaling a sharp breath. “At this rate, there will be no more females to return back to Earth!”

Kirov would’ve found that statement amusing, at any other time except that one.

“Vaxa’an,” Kirov said. “You have been a good friend, a good leader. I understand that I betrayed you, but I felt like I had no other choice. Cruxan said he was—”

“You and Vikan have made fools of me,” Vaxa’an said, his tone soft. “Both of you. It cuts deeply.”

Guilt ate at him, but Kirov could not bring it in himself to regret his actions. He never would.

“How am I expected to punish a warrior for stealing a crystal, when I cannot even punish two of my Ambassadors, who have both stolen a female from my protection? It makes me soft, but it does not make me fair,” Vaxa’an said, his voice anguished.

“I will take whatever punishment you give to me,” Kirov said, steeling his spine. He was still a warrior of Luxiria. He had known the risks, especially given his position, his rank.

“I cannot even punish you for it,” Vaxa’an breathed, raking a hand over his horns so hard that Kirov was surprised he didn’t leave claw marks. “I did not punish Vikan for it, so I cannot punish you. But know that I will never trust you in the same way again.”

Kirov’s chest ached. Vaxa’an, Kirov, Vikan, Rixavox, and Cruxan had all gone through warrior training together, as a solid unit. None of them cared that Vaxa’an was the Prime Leader’s son, that he would eventually become the next Prime Leader of Luxiria. They’d cared for one another, fought alongside each other, laughed and drank together, loved one another as blood brothers.

“As your friend,” Vaxa’an said softly, “I am happy for you. That your Instinct awakened. You know that I want that happiness for all of you. But as your leader, I cannot forgive you for this.”

Kirov inclined his head. He would never have Vaxa’an’s full trust again. There would always be a division now, a division that had not been there before.

“I understand.”

Vaxa’an blew out a breath, “Where is she?”

“In the next room. Safe and well,” Kirov said.

“Let me speak with her.”

“I do not think—”

But there was no need for Kirov to protest before, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lani enter the room. He turned to look at her and it felt like a fist was wrapped around his heart, squeezing.

She was so beautiful. The light of Troxva filtered over her, giving her skin a golden glow, revealing natural, light streaks in her hair that he hadn’t noticed in the Golden City.

The blue Luxirian dress that Kate had given her only added to her beauty, molding to her curves, brightening her eyes and her red hair.

Vrax, Kirov thought.

The Fates had gifted him the loveliest, most bewildering, creature. What had he done to deserve her?

He should’ve known that she wouldn’t have stayed in the front of the house. Should’ve known that she wouldn’t have listened to him. But he wouldn’t have her any other way.

“Lani,” he called to her, holding out his hand for her. “The Prime Leader wishes to speak with you.”

She approached, taking his hand and squeezing it in her own. Her spine straightened and she addressed the Prime Leader, using his first name, “Vaxa’an, fancy seeing you here.”

Kirov shook his head, exhaling a breath, trying not to smile.

But Fates, regardless of the situation, she made him smile.

Vaxa’an’s lips pressed together for a brief moment, his eyes narrowing. “Female, are you unharmed?”

Kirov bristled at the implication.

So did Lani, it seemed.

Her mouth fell open and she hissed, “Yes. Of course. You think he would’ve hurt me? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”

“I just needed to be certain,” Vaxa’an asked, visibly relaxing, his eyes going briefly to Kirov. “And you…willingly went to Troxva with Ambassador Kirov?”

Kirov stiffened, opening his mouth, about to reveal another truth.

Lainey beat him to it, squeezing his hand hard. “Yes, I did.”

Kirov shot her a look, but all she did was give him another squeeze in warning.

“Of course, it was all very sudden,” she said, looking over at him before returning her gaze to Vaxa’an, “but what can I say? He’s a little spontaneous. I like that in a male. Sorry we didn’t let you know.”

Vaxa’an grunted, still eyeing both of them with suspicion. “He has explained what has happened between you?”

“About the Instinct and everything? About how I’m his mate and he wants me to have his babies?”

“Luxiva,” Kirov warned, torn between kissing her speechless or laughing.

Lani shot him an innocent look and turned back to Vaxa’an, “Yes, he explained it to me. So did your mate, come to think of it.”

“Kat told these things to you?” Vaxa’an asked slowly, frowning. “She knew you were Kirov’s mate?”

“No, no,” Lani said. “She might’ve suspected something at the end of my little inquisition, but she didn’t know.”

Vaxa’an frowned even harder.

“Look,” Lainey said, blowing out a breath. “I’m fine. I’m safe. Kirov did nothing wrong. At least not in my eyes.”

Vaxa’an looked at Kirov. Looked back at Lani.

“Tev, fine,” Vaxa’an said, his voice gruff. “I will not come retrieve you then, since it is obvious to me you wish to be there.”

“Yes, I do,” Lani said softly. “Will you do something for me?”

Vaxa’an’s brow furrowed. “Rebax?”

“Will you tell Crystal—the, um, female I was living with—that…” Lani cleared her throat. “Tell her I’m good. That I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”

Vaxa’an frowned but repeated, “You are good.”

“Yes.”

“Very well,” Vaxa’an said. “Though Kirov can patch you through to her with the Coms, you know.”

“Really?” Lani asked, looking at Kirov.

Kirov inclined his head. “I will later. You may tell her yourself.”

Lani smiled and nodded.

Vaxa’an switched to Luxirian and said to him, “Does she know about your sire?”

Kirov swallowed. “Nix.”

Vaxa’an studied him. Finally he said, “I will leave you now. I am sure you have much to prepare for the lunar celebration and you wish to spend time with your mate.”

Before he signed off, Kirov said, “Vaxa’an.”

His friend looked at him, his eyes harder than they’d been before that span.

Kirov exhaled. “You know I wish there was a different way without having to lie to you. But can you understand why I did it?”

Vaxa’an gaze went to Lani and he jerked his head in a nod. “Yes, I can.”

“I truly am sorry, my brother.”

“I know, Kirov.”

And with that, Vaxa’an severed the Com feed and the screen returned to the live stream of Troxva’s lake.

“Was he upset?” Lani asked him softly, turning to face him.

Kirov ran a hand over his horn. “Tev, but we will…move past it. Eventually,” he said, to try and reassure her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, reaching up to place her hands around the back of his neck. Her touch helped relax him, calm the turmoil in his chest. “I know he’s your friend.”

Kirov placed his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. They stayed like that for a little while, simply being with one another, not talking.

Eventually, Kirov pulled away.

“Luxiva,” Kirov said, his chest feeling heavy, for a myriad of reasons, “I have somewhere I need to go. I will not be long.”

“Now?” she asked, frowning. “But we just got here.”

“Tev,” he said. Soon, he would tell her about his sire, but not right then. “Would you like me to patch you a Com line to your friend before I leave?”

She was still frowning, but she said, “Okay.”

Kirov nodded, going over to the screen. He located the feed number for the dwelling in the Golden City and then connected the line.

Vixron’s face appeared and he scowled when he saw him, but wisely remained silent. It was not his place to berate an Ambassador.

“My luxiva wishes to speak with her friend,” Kirov said.

Vixron’s jaw ticked at the word luxiva, but he jerked his head in a nod, still not saying anything. He walked away, out of sight of the Com, but the blonde female returned in his place, her face filled with confusion.

Her eyes went wide when she saw him on the screen. Kirov stepped away, letting Lani approach.

The blonde gasped, “Lainey! Oh my God, I was so worried! Where are you?”

Kirov pressed a kiss to his luxiva’s forehead. She looked at him and he said, “I will be back soon.”

She nodded, biting her lip, a question in her eyes.

But Kirov ignored it for now, inclined his head to her, and walked out of the room, heading to the entrance.

“Crystal, I’m fine,” he heard Lani say. “I’m in a place called Troxva.”

That was all he heard and then he stepped out of his dwelling. The walls were sound-proof so once he closed the door, he heard nothing, just the sounds of the outpost, of the breeze.

He drew in a deep breath, enjoying the view, for a brief moment. Then he turned and walked down the terrace, to the second dwelling he’d built. It was a short walk, but it felt like eons by the time he reached it.

He placed his hand on the door and it recognized his touch. Sliding open, he was immediately hit with angry shouts and his shoulders tensed. He closed the doors quickly and stepped into the central hub.

“Ambassador Kirov,” one of the guards, Tiravi, said, inclining his head in greeting. Kirov had two guards on duty at all times. The other must be with his sire. “You have returned.”

“Tev,” Kirov said. “How is my sire?”

Tiravi looked towards the back room, where Kirov heard the shouting emanating from. “This span is…not a good span for him.”

Dread pooling in his belly, Kirov nodded and looked around. He had modeled this dwelling off his own, just to a smaller scale, since Kirov didn’t trust his sire to operate a lift to the second floor. The design was the same, with clear panels of windows showing the view of Troxva, letting an abundance of natural light in.

But his sire preferred the darkness of his sleeping quarters.

Kirov’s chest ached, looking around at the mess. Shattered pieces of a drinking vessel lay near the entrance of the central hub. Kirov had purchased it from one of Troxva’s marketplace vendors himself for his sire. Tunics and leg coverings were scattered about and Kirov picked them up, taking them to the sterilization room for cleaning, before he walked to the back room.

Lixron was just emerging, looking a little frazzled.

“Ambassador,” the elder healer said in surprise.

Kirov clasped his hand on the healer’s shoulder and said, “You know better than to use my title. You delivered me from my mother’s womb, after all.”

The aging healer’s eyes softened and he said, “Welcome home, Kirov. I was wondering when you would return.”

Kirov wanted to tell Lixron about his female, wanted to tell the male—who he highly respected—that he’d been gifted a fated mate. But right then was not the time.

“Tiravi said it is not a good span for him,” Kirov commented, looking past Lixron to see his sire, hunched in a chair, yelling nonsense at Pilava, the other guard, who was standing near the door.

“No, it is not,” Lixron replied, frowning. “Yesterday, he was better.”

Kirov nodded and slipped past Lixron to step into the room. He nodded at Pilava, his massive arms crossed over his chest, his expression carefully unreadable. He was used to the insults his sire hurled at him.

The smell of his sire hit him first and Kirov knew that he would need to bathe him before he left. Lixron and the guards did their best in Kirov’s absence, but his sire was stubborn. And Kirov had been the only one who could make him wash.

“Sire,” Kirov said softly, crouching in front of the chair he sat in. He only had a tunic on, a dirty one at that. He was naked from the waist down, his leg coverings crumpled in a heap at his feet.

Emotion burned in his throat and he reached out to clasp his sire’s face in his hands. Blue eyes, just like his own, stared back at him, but there was no recognition there.

Kirov saw them narrow with anger, with confusion, and his sire bellowed, lifting a fist to strike him before he could react.

His jaw stung with the impact but Kirov caught his fist before he tried it again.

“Stop,” he said, looking deep into his sire’s eyes, before placing his forehead against his. “Stop, Sire.”

For a moment, his sire seemed to know who he was and little by little, his sire calmed.

“Kirov,” he rasped out.

“Yes,” Kirov replied, feeling that heavy guilt weigh him down, for being gone so long.

His sire said something to him, but it was all nonsense and Kirov recognized none of the words he spoke.

“Come,” Kirov said. “Come. Let me get you cleaned up, yes?”

He helped his sire up from his chair, wrapping an arm around his waist.

To Pilava, he said, “Go rest for a while.” Lixron moved to help him, but Kirov shook his head. “You as well, Lixron.”

And with that, Kirov helped his father to the washroom.

Forgive me, luxiva, he thought silently. I may be longer than anticipated.