Wed to the Alien Prince by C.V. Walter

Chapter 4

Serogero's heart was in his throat while he waited for her answer. He'd been terrified when she'd started to fall out of her chair and he knew he'd have nightmares about what would have happened if he'd been even a second slower.

Now, it felt like her answer was one of the most important things she'd say to him all day.

"Not gonna hide that you're not from around here?"

"Not from you," he said. "Especially when you already figured that part out."

"In that case, I'd love to see the ship. Is it far?"

Serogero let her go long enough to pick up her bags with one hand and slide the other around her waist. They started walking towards the door to the back parking lot and he squeezed her to his side. "In one sense, not really. In another, further than you could imagine. I have trouble really understanding the distances, sometimes, but it will take some time to get there."

"Alright," Kaelin said. "Do you have some sort of car?"

"Even better," he told her with a grin.

They got out to the parking lot and the outside lights on the shuttle were on. There were cars near it but nobody was out milling around like there had been earlier.

"Oh, pretty lights," she said, her voice pitched higher in her excitement. "What is that?"

"That, my darling ajoia, is our ride to the ship." He squeezed her again and felt his heart race with the endearment. "It even has a bed for you to sleep in while we travel. Would you like to see?"

"I'd love to," she said. "I have a question, though."

She didn't slow her steps or make them stop walking. Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'll answer anything I can."

"Why am I so comfortable with you? We've just met and you make me feel things I've never imagined I could feel when you touch me. What gives?"

"Are you upset about this?" he asked.

"Not particularly," she said. "And that's probably something I should be asking about, as well."

"It's a longer explanation and I only have part of it," he said. "And part of that explanation is because you want to. Human bio-chemistry is fascinating, in the ways it intersects with ours, and complements it. The recognition that my people experience when meeting someone who's compatible can actually be somewhat controlled."

"Recognition?"

"It's a trait, now considered a myth in certain parts of my planet, that allows our people to find someone with whom they'll make strong children. If you don't particularly like the person who sets off your recognition you can reject it and eventually it will go away. Part of that rejection involves cutting off all forms of physical contact."

"So, hugging someone and holding them makes it stronger?" she asked, snuggling against him.

"Every casual physical touch will make the bond more permanent," he said. "The brush of a hand, a gentle kiss. It doesn't have to be passionate or sustained, though those will make it stronger faster."

"What happens if you reject it?"

"It depends on when it happens. The chemicals necessary to create and maintain the bond are also necessary for the proper function of every major organ, especially the brain. If it's early in the relationship, there's a brief period of depression, which can be compensated for with our bio-nanos. The longer into the relationship it is, the deeper the depression, until it starts to affect the other major organs. After long enough, neither person can survive without the other for very long."

Kaelin nodded. "We create bonds like that but nothing quite that binding. Depression can do a lot of damage to a body if it goes on long enough and the hormones released by touching someone you like, either casually or intimately, can create paths and dependency in your brain that damages it once they're removed."

"But nothing like what happens in my people."

She shrugged. "I don't know about your people. I do know that we don't really understand how our brains work. What are bio-nanos?"

They'd reached the ship and Serogero set down her suitcase long enough to flick his wrist to activate the comm band. A brief menu lit up the air in front of his hand and he brought up the controls to open the door. An opening appeared in the side of the shuttle and the gangplank extended. It was wide enough for two people and he waited until it was anchored in the grass before guiding Kaelin to it.

"Watch your step," he said.

Kaelin looked down and wrapped her arm around his waist to curl her fingers in his shirt. "That's awfully narrow."

"I won't let you fall," he told her. "I promise. You're always safe with me."

"I'm choosing to trust you right now," she said, her fingers tightening in his shirt. "I have no reason to do so yet."

"Let me prove to you that you can," he said. "We'll start with this walkway, alright?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. His arm tightened around her and he was tempted to put her bag down and carry her up. But, no, he didn't think she'd like that. As tired as she was, she was still on her own two feet, and she'd want to stay that way. Being as independent as possible was important to her, even if she did acknowledge the need for help.

It was a quick trip up the gangplank but it felt like a major step when she stepped aboard the shuttle and her fingers uncurled slightly from his shirt.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "You're kinda cute when you're excited like that."

"Cute?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not sure I like that descriptor."

"It's appropriate," she teased. "And a good thing. I like cute."

"Then I will accept it," he said with a nod. "Do you want a tour of the shuttle?"

Indecision crossed her face and she gave a deep breath. "I would love one," she said. "But I don't know that I'm up for it. I've already pushed myself far beyond what I should have and I'm going to be paying for it tomorrow."

"Then we will find you a bed," he told her. "One where you can sleep undisturbed and recover as much as possible."

"Thank you," she said. "I hate to keep you from enjoying this as much as I can tell you want to."

"What makes you think I'm not enjoying this?" he asked. "I have a beautiful woman in my arms and I'm taking her to a bed. Where I hope she will let me continue to hold her."

"To a bed," Kaelin said, emphasizing the article. "Where I will promptly fall asleep and hope that the person escorting me continues to be a gentleman."

"You place a lot of faith in my ability to respect your boundaries when you're not awake to enforce them," he said. "Are you always this trusting or dare I hope I have made it past the worst of your defenses and you understand how highly I regard you?"

"We've just met, you can't possibly think as highly of me as you claim."

"Of course, I can," he objected. "And I will continue to do so until you prove that my regard is ill-advised. I suspect, however, that it will only grow."

She bumped her head against his shoulder and rubbed against him. The gesture made his heart flip in his chest and he couldn’t help but smile down at the top of her head. "Well, now I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you."

"I don't think you're capable of doing that," he said, absolutely serious. "I expect you will frustrate, confound, and delight me by turns but I don't think disappointment is possible."

"Why do you think that?" she asked and yawned.

"Because I have watched the relationship of your Molly with my Mintonar with no small amount of fascination and envy. Most people don't know Mintonar well enough to judge his emotions but his absolute devotion to Molly was evident from the first moment they met. You could see it in his face."

"I'm glad," Kaelin said. "Molly deserves to have someone who loves her."

"So do you," he told her quietly.

She nodded and leaned harder into him. "I know. I'm not sure I dare hope that this can grow into that but you seem nice and I like touching you. I want to trust you, too, and I don't usually actually trust a whole lot of men."

"You've had little reason to," he said. "At least as regards men who are courting you."

"Is this courting?" she asked.

"What else would it be?"

She laughed softly. "It seems like a very gentle form of taking a war bride. Except we're not at war. Unless you're on Earth to raid for supplies, money and women?"

"We're paying for the supplies," he said archly. "And attempting to open negotiations for the other things we need."

"I notice you didn't address the women."

"You are correct, I did not."

She snorted and shook with laughter. "Alright, I won't argue. We'll call this courtship. I take it the negotiations aren't going well?"

The door just ahead of them in the corridor opened and Serogero guided her into it. As far as quarters on a shuttle went, it was positively luxurious. The bed was big enough to fit two people if they cuddled, with a wardrobe and a small table. The stool for the table was tucked underneath and secured to the underside. There was a small bathing chamber tucked into the wall behind the wardrobe that could be accessed with pressure on the panel next to it.

The lights were at half power and he could feel Kaelin relax in his arm when they walked in. He let her go reluctantly and she stepped away from him to touch then sit on the bed. The relief on her face as she sat down eased some of the knot in his gut that he hadn't been aware of until it released.

"Would you like a shower before getting some sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Most of the time, yes, but I really just want to put on my pajamas and crawl under these blankets. The bed feels so comfortable, I'm not sure I can get off of it."

Serogero brought her suitcase to her and opened it. "Which of these are pajamas?"

"The silky teal ones, right there," she said, pointing. "I made a point of packing them so I could get to them quickly. I knew I was going to be tired when I got to the hotel."

"Wise, beautiful and practical," he said, handing her the silky piece of clothing. It didn't look like there was much to it but he wasn't going to protest if she was going to put it on. "Do you, would you like-"

"About five minutes of privacy," she told him. "I don't think it will take much longer than that."

"Alright," he said. "I'll be back shortly. Will you be alright if I'm out of earshot for part of that?"

"I'm tired but I'm not made of spun sugar. I'll be fine."

He nodded and turned to the door. Opening it and walking through while she was still sitting on his bed was one of the hardest things he'd done since leaving his home. It almost felt the same with the same ache in his heart as the door closed behind him. For a brief moment, he understood with great clarity what had driven his grandfather to conquer the last of the free lands.

Rather than turn around and go back into the room, he forced his feet to move down the corridor to the galley. They didn't have anything as delicious as the dark chocolate he'd tried with her but he could bring her something to eat before she fell asleep.