Bane: A SciFi Alien Romance (The Ladyships Book 2) Page 14

  “Ech.” Therion waved a dismissive hand. “Already told you. She shaved her own head.”

  No one could stop Gummy once that sardy old fart gained her peak velocity. She was like a damn asteroid entering the atmosphere. You either jumped off-planet or got incinerated by her cataclysmic impact. His grandfather knew all of this. Hell, Dyr had been living through epoch-ending events for sixty years, holding Gummy’s shoes as she danced barefoot on the smoldering ashes.

  Of course, that image smacked Therion with open-palmed reality. Gummy might run amuck, but her free-rein-terrorizing was courtesy of a mongering thane who stood at her side. Whatever escaped Gummy’s initially barrage would be culled by Dyr. Hell, Zver did the same for Seph. Seph turned away clutch suitor after suitor, but Zver made sure those bastards didn’t turn back around for a second go.

  This was what Maude needed. A thane who would hold her shoes while smiting her enemies. Sure, Therion could do all that. It’d be his fucking pleasure to cheer Maude on as she kicked ass. But once the smoke cleared, a grubby Unsworn couldn’t stand next to an Athela. Hell, even Dyr had re-sworn himself to House Borac and taken up the mantle of thane to stay by Vedma’s side.

  All he was good for was lingering in Maude’s shadow.

  His WristCune pinged with a new message from Seph.

  Starburst: #===O

  He stared, completely baffled.

  Thanebanger: What the fuck is that?

  Starburst: Cock and anthers. And this is a smiling face because I’m awesome :-)

  Thanebanger: Why are you messaging me Zver’s C&A?

  Starburst: What makes you think it’s his?

  Thanebanger: Cuz it’s tiny. Here’s mine.

  Thanebanger: #==============

  Thanebanger: ===(wait for it)===

  Thanebanger: ==============O

  Thanebanger: And done. I’m way awesomer.

  Chapter Ten

  Maude opened her eyes and shrieked. She lurched back in the bunk, only to bump into the metal bulkhead of the cramped space. Trapped.

  She blinked wildly, her shocked brain scurrying to translate what her eyes had seen. Looming over her had been an alien face—golden skin with bright turquoise veins—sporting keen, swirling eyes and a downturned mouth.

  Oh goodness. It was Gummy. Well, Lady Vedma.

  Maude blinked her eyes again, registering that the cabin was lit. She’d slept soundly, her sense of security coming from Kora always rattling when someone approached. Which meant Kora let Lady Vedma enter the cabin unannounced, just like on Radost.

  As if to apologize, Kora thrummed softly through her mind. “[I wake.]”

  She couldn’t keep relying on Kora for everything, now could she?

  With her heart’s wild pounding drumming inside her ears, Maude took a shuddering breath and pressed the heel of her palms to her eyes. “Gummy. Um, Lady Vedma. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scream so loud.”

  Lady Vedma grumped at her. “You need to stop that, girly.”

  “Stop what?”

  “All them sorries. You’re about to enter the damn Dominion. Stop dropping your sorries like crumbles of caro.”

  “Caro?”

  Lady Vedma shoved her hands out. “See these stones?”

  The older Teras woman now wore an outfit similar to Maude’s—a clean shirt and pants and her boots were not covered in sand. On each hand, she had a ring with identical orange stones the size of quarters.

  Maude, still crammed into the corner of the bunk, smiled appreciatively. “My, those are pretty. Orange is such a lovely color for you, Lady Vedma.”

  Lady Vedma narrowed her eyes. “What now? You always like this?”

  “Like what?” But she knew what was coming.

  “So squishy.”

  Of course Therion’s grandmother saw her that way. The woman was a competent technopath who, supposedly, took out a dozen armed men. Lady Vedma was a battleax, while Maude was an aromatherapy neck pillow.

  But even pillows served a purpose.

  Maude sighed. “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

  “What the fuck is that? Earth sayings? Seph, the other one, she does that too. Babbles nonsense.”

  Maude shook her head as she shimmied to the edge of the bunk. “It means there’s nothing wrong, or weak, about being nice to someone.”

  The Teras woman frowned at her. “You need to toughen up. Don’t got much time to make you hard, like sard.”

  “But I don’t want to be hard, Lady Vedma.”

  “Ech.” She stepped back and crossed her arms. “Enough with the ‘lady’ bullshit.”

  “Um, would you like me to call you Vedma?”

  “Gummy’ll do.”

  “Lady Gummy?”

  “Now you’re just being an arse.”

  Rising from the bunk and stretching, Maude appreciated the fact that she considered hauling the blanket out. The temperature in her room held a slight chill, not enough to prickle her skin, but it pumped blood through her limbs and perked up her brain. After days on Radost, she truly loved being cold.

  Gummy had retreated and now leaned against the far bulkhead. The cabin was cramped, so they practically stood on each other’s toes.

  The Teras woman studied her silently, and Maude suspected that Gummy had more to share about Maude’s ‘squishy’ faults.

  “You were sure nice to all them Gwyretti,” Gummy finally said.

  “I was.” And she wouldn’t change how she acted toward the Gwyretti because she was who she was. What she did wish was that she hadn’t been so easily fooled.

  “They were wanting at your genetics, girly. To see if you’d give them a technopathic hybrid.”

  Based on what Therion told her, this news didn’t shock her. “Well, I wouldn’t have done that.”

  “They wouldn’t have asked.”

  A chill moved through Maude. “I suppose they wouldn’t have.”

  Kora rippled and snapped, like springing a bear trap. “[I fire.]”

  Kora actually had fired darts, keeping her safe. Maude caressed her arm in gratitude, running her palm over Kora’s vines and hoped that she understood. Good lord, Maude was extremely grateful.

  Gummy grumped, but she spoke softly. “How’s that blowback for all your being nice?”

  Maude found that she didn’t resent Gummy’s scolding. At least the woman didn’t couch her criticism in condescending tones and coddling phrases. At least Gummy told her the truth, no matter how ugly.

  But it didn’t mean that Gummy and the harshness of her situation hadn’t worn on her. “What do you want from me, Gummy?”

  Gummy scoffed. “Ain’t it obvious? Tryin’ to figure you out. Are you a sarda or a caroa?”

  Maude honed in on the alien words. Sarda. Caroa. “So, sard is hard? Caro is soft? Why should it even matter? I’m me.”

  “Told you. We’re heading for the Dominion. The fact you’re carrying a babe that you don’t intend to keep, well, that sends a message.”

  Ah, Therion must have explained to his grandmother that she was carrying her sister’s baby. Based on the submedic’s and Therion’s baffled expressions last night, Gummy just reinforced Maude’s suspicions. That the Teras didn’t have an equivalent in their society. That her gift to her sister would been seen as alien—non-relatable. Or, worse, that her surrogacy would lead them to make inaccurate conclusions. Like, that she’d be willing to do this again and just walk away.

  Maude shook her head. “I made the decision to carry my sister’s baby out of love. It broke my heart the day she told me that she couldn’t have children. This baby, it’s hers, but it’s mine too. It’s my niece or nephew, and I’ll be a part of his or her life. I’m not looking to have a baby that I’ll just hand over. I’d never abandon a child that was mine.”

  She held Gummy’s hard green-gold stare the entire time that she spoke. Her tone, for her, had sounded resolute. Being nice didn’t mean she lived her life without conviction. When it came to Nicol
e’s baby—when it would come to Maude’s own children—she’d not change her stance on this matter.

  Gummy, in return, continued to study her, and Maude found the Teras woman’s expression unchanged. Gummy kept frowning with a furrowed brow. Obviously, Maude hadn’t convinced her of her stance.

  With a grump that told Maude nothing—other than Gummy acknowledging that she’d spoken—the woman pushed away from the bulkhead and went to the door. “Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Gonna go comm with that other human.” The door slid open for Gummy—she didn’t touch the control panel at all—as she exited.

  Perplexed, Maude trailed after her. “What about Therion? I thought he—”

  Gummy waved her off. “Ech, he’s already on the bridge.”

  As Maude followed Gummy through the corridors of the freighter, they encountered other Teras wearing matte black armor. The soldiers gave way to the grumbly Teras woman, pressing their backs against the bulkhead and silently nodding their heads as Gummy shuffled on down the corridor. Their diffidence, though different than the Gwyrettis’ scowls, didn’t comfort Maude. Their treatment of Gummy was almost too esteemed, setting her apart rather than welcoming her into their presence.

  At the hatch to the bridge, two more soldiers in armor greeted them. One muttered ‘m’ladies’ as he pulled the swinging hatch open. His courtesy had prickles of self-consciousness trailing her spine, making her doubly aware of Kora.

  Despite all the armored Teras they encountered, Kora didn’t flare once. Not one twitch. Maude should have been reassured, not nervous.

  The bridge proved to be as cramped as her cabin, or perhaps the two towering Teras men made it seem that way. Dyr, Therion’s grandfather, was already facing the hatch. His eyes flicked to Maude only for a second before settling back onto Gummy. Rather than greet them, he just sat and waited, as if he were used to his better half barging in, unannounced, with a fierce frown on her face.

  Therion, who had been slumped in a chair, turned toward them with droopy, glassy eyes. He looked so worn out with his long legs sprawled before him. The poor exhausted man. After her medical exam—after they kissed and she showered and slept in the bunk—Therion must have come here and nodded off at a piloting station.

  His weariness faded as his eyes landed on her, and his mouth curled into a brilliant smile. Her heart tumbled over in her chest. Oh, that look. She felt like she waited her entire life for someone to look at her like that. Like she chased away shadows.

  “Stop your gaping, Therry,” Gummy snapped. “Need to make a comm.”

  Therion groaned and pointed a finger at his grandmother. “Gods, Gummy. Just had to ruin the moment, didn’t you?”

  “Ech, your anthers are twitching.”

  Just as Maude wondered what anthers were, Kora piped up, “[Male genitalia.]”

  “Oh!” Maude jolted, and like an unruly reflex, her gaze snapped to Therion’s lap.

  Therion dropped his rather huge hands, covering his crotch. That bit of Kora about his wrist flashed in the light as he glared at his grandmother. “You’re a mean old fart, Gummy.”

  Gummy just cackled at him.

  Therion shook his head at his grandmother. “See you’ve got those damn rings on.” Again, he pointed a finger at her. “No touchy Maude, Gummy. I know how you get.” Then he turned to Maude. “Did she get all… this… on you?”

  Therion raised one hand as a fist. The other, encased in Kora, he waved at her, almost like a pageant queen.

  Maude bounced her attention between Therion and Gummy. “I don’t think so.”

  Gummy grumped. “Comm Borac.”

  Therion bolted upright in his chair. “Zver? Why do you want me to comm him now? Prykimis will be here soon enough.”

  “Well, I’d like to speak with the other human, with Seph,” Maude said. “I’ve seen to the baby. I’ve rested. No reason to keep putting it off, really.”

  Therion huffed. “Other than me not seeing Zver’s face in-person when he finds out?”

  Maude just shook her head in confusion. “Finds out what? He sent you to find me.”

  “Ech, not that.” Therion waved her off. “It was going to be brilliant. Now Gummy’s gonna ruin the surprise.”

  Gummy cackled again. “I sure am.”

  “Right, of course you are. Because you love to ruin things,” Therion said as he stood. It took him one stride to reach his grandmother. Next to him, Gummy was downright petite. Therion scowled as he hooked his hand under her elbow and guided her over to Dyr. “Here, Gappa. Muzzle Gummy, would you?”

  Dyr just calmly gathered Gummy to his side as she grumped and returned Therion’s scowl.

  Therion mumbled to himself as he worked at a console station, presumably establishing a communication with his brother.

  “Seriously,” he said over his shoulder. “It was going to be, like, one of my top five moments of Zver just losing his shit. Now it’ll barely make the top ten.”

  “Therion.” A man’s voice—presumably Zver—rumbled through the bridge.

  “Aye,” Therion heaved a sigh. “Go get Seph. Maude wants to talk to her.”

  There was a pause, then Zver’s voice roiled through the bridge again. “I can secure the comm on my end. You can’t do the same on yours.”

  Therion nodded. “Aye, I can.”

  “You can?” Maude heard the accusation in Zver’s flat reply, calling Therion’s bluff.

  Therion jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “Got Gappa and Gummy here.”

  Silence.

  Therion had his back to her, so she couldn’t see his expression, but his entire posture radiated disinterest, as if he were waiting in line at the grocery store. Dyr had adopted a similar air as he sat in the chair with Gummy tucked next to him. He’d wrapped his arm around her waist, and his thumb idly stroked her hip. Gummy, for her part, swatted at his thumb, but it appeared to be a half-hearted effort. Dyr would pause for just a moment, and then start stroking her hip again.

  Where Therion and his grandparents seemed almost bored by the silence, a mounting dread started in Maude’s belly. She’d never met Therion’s brother. Although she’d only heard him speak two sentences, his tone had conveyed so much. The man didn’t suffer fools. He didn’t fuck around.

  As her heartbeat picked up, she studied the three Teras before her. How in the hell were they not concerned?

  Zver’s deep voice filled the cabin again. “You took our grandparents on a top secret—” Then, he heaved a sigh. “Sir.”

  The one word, ’sir’, had carried mixed messages to Maude. It sounded like part-acknowledgment, part-command.

  Dyr responded, nonplussed, “Aye, Zver. I’ll secure the comm.” Then he inhaled, holding his breath for a second.

  Suddenly a display screen, mounted to the bulkhead, lit up. Maude found herself staring at an imposing Teras man wearing a black military-like uniform. The familial resemblance wasn’t as strong between Therion and his brother as she noticed between Therion and his grandfather. Zver had more bulk on him—not excessive muscle, but more mass than Therion’s lean frame. Whereas Therion’s bright eyes and easy smile put her at ease, Zver’s mouth remained a hard line and his gaze struck her as commanding and scrutinizing.

  Then Zver inhaled, mimicking Dyr. He was probably accessing his technopathy.

  “Seph is coming,” Zver said, then he leveled his hard gaze on her.

  She froze, and only her heart pounded. Once. Twice. Good lord, could Zver hear it?

  With a self-conscious jerk, she waved at the man on the display. “Hello. I’m Maude.”

  At the sound of her own voice—all meek and squeaky—a blush heated her face.

  Zver blinked. “I’m Thane Borac.”

  Thane. Right. The man had a title.

  Maude cleared her throat, forcing her voice to sound level. “Nice to meet you, Thane, sir.”

  He arched a brow. “You’re faring well in my family’s care.”

&n
bsp; Was that a question or an observation? Based on his tone, she couldn’t tell.

  She fumbled over her reply. “Yes, er, aye. Their rescue was wonderfully carried out. I’m very happy to be here.” To clarify, she canted her head, indicating a far-off place, and added, “Happy to be here and not there, back with the Gwyretti. So, thank you for sending them, er, sir. Thane.”

  Therion gazed at her with a huge smile on his face. “Told you, Zver. She’s fucking amazing. Didn’t I tell you that, like, six times already in all our comm messages?”

  The thane’s eyes skipped over Therion to settle on his grandparents. “Yet you still neglected to pass along pertinent information.”

  Therion waved him off. “Ech, you’ll get your intel, Zver.”

  The thane turned his head, looking at something off-screen, as a harried woman called out, “Here! I’m here!”

  Shock coursed through Maude. It had been weeks since she heard the voice of another human. All she’d been hearing was the hissing of the Gwyretti and the deep timbre of the Teras. Even Gummy spoke with a smoky baritone. Compared to those other alien voices, the woman who spoke sounded light and airy and oh-so-human that Maude’s gut clenched.

  A human woman with lovely brown skin and a riot of dark, ringlet curls falling past her shoulders sidled up next to Therion’s formidable brother. Her head barely reached Zver’s shoulders, but she didn’t spare the Teras man a wary glance. With a warm, engaging smile, she immediately landed her deep brown eyes on Maude.

  “Okay. Wow!” the woman said in English before switching to Terish. “I’m Seph. It’s nice to—”

  Confusion washed over Seph’s face as the thane stiffened behind her.

  Even Therion darted his gaze from Seph on the display, back to Maude, his brow furrowed in confusion. Maude gave Therion a small head shake. She had no idea why Seph suddenly stopped talking.

  “Maude?” Seph’s voice cracked on her name.

  Dread filled her as she replied, “Yes?”

  “Zver said your name was Maude, and I had a wild hope, but…” Seph’s eyes went wide as she raked them over Maude. “Oh my god, Maudie. It’s you.”