Alien Warrior’s Promise by Sue Mercury
Chapter 12
Macy settledin front of the video comm in Dakk’s library, entered Myadd’s number, and straightened her dress as she awaited an answer. Nerves suddenly danced in her tummy. She’d had good reasons for visiting Vaxxlian Matchmakers yesterday, but Skylar was likely beside herself with worry and Macy found herself partly dreading their impending conversation.
When Myadd’s face appeared on the screen, she waved and smiled. “Good morning, Myadd. I’m surprised to see you. Shouldn’t you be at warrior training right now?” Dakk had skipped warrior training today so he might visit his shop, but most of the warriors living in Starzzia showed up at the training arena not long after sunrise each morning.
“I stayed home today because I was worried your sister might try sneaking out again. She has set off the security alarm five separate times now,” he said, his voice weary. But to Macy’s relief, he didn’t appear angry.
“I sent a note,” she replied in a defensive tone. “And I promised everything was okay.”
“Is that her? Is that Macy?” Skylar appeared in the background, her hair a complete mess. She rushed up to the screen and took the seat that was quickly vacated by Myadd. “Macy! Oh my God, are you okay? Where are you? I want to know exactly where Dakk lives. Myadd—aka the jailor—won’t tell me.”
Macy shot her sister a reassuring smile. “I am doing great, actually. Dakk is… well, he’s wonderful. He’s sweet and understanding and I promise he’s treating me well.”
“Have you mated yet?” Skylar leaned closer to the screen. “If you haven’t mated yet, you could still call this whole thing off and come home. You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, we have mated already, and I do not regret it. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Can I come visit you? I want to see you in person.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged, but you can’t come right now. I’m pretty much locked inside while Dakk is at work today—he has this crazy high-tech security system—and I won’t be able to let you in. But perhaps later this evening? I’m sure my mate wouldn’t mind.”
“Locked inside?” Skylar paled. “Why-why would your mate do that? If you’re mated now, it should be safe for you to leave the house and go anywhere you wish in Starzzia. Mated females are supposed to have freedom. Is he super possessive or controlling or something? Please tell me, sis, and please be honest.”
Myadd’s face appeared beside Skylar’s. “I heard about the fire but haven’t told your sister yet. I didn’t wish to cause her undue worry.” He turned to Skylar and quickly explained what had happened at Dakk’s furniture store yesterday afternoon. “I imagine Warrior Dakk only wishes to keep Macy safe and that is why he’s keeping her locked inside today. Once the criminal is caught, I am certain he’ll allow her more freedom.”
“Yes, that’s exactly right,” Macy said, aiming an appreciative look at Myadd. “Dakk is worried whoever started the fire might try to cause more problems, and he doesn’t want to risk my safety. But he’s assured me that the investigators will catch the arsonist soon. Please don’t worry.” How many times had Macy asked Skylar not to worry? She’d already lost count. She loved that her sister watched out for her, but sometimes her concern could be a little suffocating.
“I feel so guilty,” Skylar said. “This-this is all my fault.”
“How is the fire your fault?” Macy asked, confused.
“No, not the fire, but you! You ran off to Vaxxlian Matchmakers because you knew I wasn’t going to visit the matchmakers myself until you’d found a mate.” Skylar looked pained and her eyes gleamed with tears. “Oh, Macy, I wish you wouldn’t have done this. You went through so much shit on Earth—and I’m pretty sure you haven’t told me about all the bad things that happened to you. I-I just wanted you to do this, to take a mate, on your own time schedule. Not mine.”
“Oh, Skylar, please don’t cry. I will admit that I did visit Vaxxlian Matchmakers yesterday because I didn’t want to hold you back any longer. You’ve spent way too much time looking out for me and I didn’t want to be responsible for keeping you from finding your own happiness. You’re ready to take a mate, I know you are, and I couldn’t be responsible for keeping you at a standstill any longer.” Macy paused and tried to decide how much more she ought to say, especially with Myadd still hovering in the background, but in the end, she opted for the truth. “I was incredibly nervous at first, and even a little scared of Dakk when we first met, but now that I’ve spent some time around him, getting to know him better, I think there might be something to Heather and Carmen’s talk about soul mates.”
Skylar sat taller and her gaze lit with hopeful interest. “So you really get along well with Dakk, and you swear that he treats you well?”
“Yes, I swear it.”
“And you honestly believe he might be your soul mate?” A grin tugged at Skylar’s lips.
Macy nodded. “Yes. I don’t know how to explain it, but when I’m with him, I feel like I’m floating on air, and I feel safe and wanted and cherished. In a weird way, it feels like I’ve known him all my life.”
Skylar smiled hugely and clasped her hands together, then emitted a dreamy sigh. “Oh, Macy, it sounds like you’re in love! This is wonderful!”
Love? What?Macy found herself shaking her head. It seemed weird to consider the ‘L’ word when she’d only known Dakk for a day. She liked him and she’d spent enough time around him to determine that he was a good person—an honorable Vaxxlian warrior—but love? Maybe one day, but it was too soon to contemplate yet.
But I already believe he might be my soul mate.
She flushed and felt increasingly awkward, particularly with Myadd still standing in the background. If she asked him to leave, she knew he would honor her request, but she figured he wanted to linger and overhear her conversation with Skylar to better ensure her well-being. She didn’t want to give him any cause to be suspicious of Dakk, particularly given her mate’s unusual appearance.
“We haven’t said ‘I love you’ yet,” Macy eventually said.
“Oh, but I’m sure you’ll say it soon!” Skylar appeared as though she might cry again, but from happiness this time.
Macy steered the conversation away from love and they chatted about Dakk’s house, Skylar’s numerous escape attempts, and their plans for this evening. She hoped she wasn’t overstepping her welcome by inviting Skylar over for dinner tonight. Myadd promised to drop her off in the late afternoon.
“I won’t lie—I’m half tempted not to return for her in the evening,” Myadd said with an air of exasperation. “If I simply leave her there, Dakk will be forced to become her guardian.”
Macy and Skylar laughed. They knew Myadd well enough to realize he was joking. Of the three male Vaxxlians in his household, he had the best sense of humor. Axall was the most serious and Khann came in at a close second.
An ache pierced Macy’s chest. She would miss all of them—Myadd and Axall and Khann, as well as their mates, and talkative but sweet six-year-old Amie. A lump burned in Macy’s throat and she gulped hard, hoping neither Skylar nor Myadd noticed the sudden change in her mood.
She believed she would find happiness here with Dakk, and after two full moon cycles on New Vaxx, it was beyond time for her to settle down with a mate of her own. But she would miss her new family and hoped they could visit with one another often.
“I should probably go and figure out dinner,” Macy said. “Dakk has a food replicator, of course, but I want to plan something nice and also explore this house a little more. I’ll see you this afternoon though, Skylar. Thank you, Myadd, for putting up with my crazy sister.”
Skylar grinned and waved at the screen, and Myadd gave a more reserved wave of his own. Macy cut the call and sank back in her chair, relief sweeping over her at having finally spoken with her sister.
She pushed back from the video comm and stood up to get a better look at the library. Dakk had more books than she’d expected. In fact, he had so many that several of the side tables contained massive stacks of books, as there wasn’t enough room on the packed shelves.
She perused the library, curious about her mate and what he liked to read. Most of the books were written in Vaxxlian, which she couldn’t read. But she found a few written in Galactic Common, as well as a few books written in Earth tongues—including English.
The massive tomes written in Galactic Common were mostly history books—long-winded accountings of ancient alien cultures, and the books penned in English encompassed a greater variety of genres—everything from classics to children’s books to mystery novels. Oh, and recipe books.
Delighted by her most recent discovery, she grabbed an armful of recipe books and headed for the kitchen, feeling a rush of energy. Cooking had always been one of her favorite activities, though she hadn’t done much of it since going on the run.
Pleasant childhood memories returned as she sat at the table and flipped through the recipe books, many of them quite old. As a young girl, one of her favorite activities had been going through recipe books at her grandmother’s house. She would pick something that looked interesting, and Nana would help her make it.
She found a recipe called ‘Aunt Betty’s World-Famous Lasagna’ and decided to give it a try. She would have to replicate all the ingredients before making it. Sure, she could try programming the food replicator to make the recipe, or select a lasagna recipe that was already stored in the replicator, but she wanted the simple satisfaction of preparing a huge, delicious meal by hand.
“All right, Aunt Betty,” she said, peering down at the recipe book, “it’s lasagna time.”
