Sweet Alien Savage (Zerconian Warriors Book 4) Read online

  Mila sat back, feeling a bit hurt.

  “Look, Mila, you don’t know how these things work. If you want to get anywhere in life as a woman you have to be prepared to sleep with a few people along the way. That’s why I’m an ambassador and you’re just my assistant.”

  Only Mila seemed to do the majority of the work.

  “Besides, it won’t be much of a hardship to sleep with him. I hear these Zerconian warriors are big all over.”

  Do not blush. Do not blush.

  “What do you think I should wear?” Aline held up the short, red dress with no sleeves and a tucked in waist. “This?” She grabbed a deep blue dress that fell to the ankle and had a plunging neckline. “Or this?”

  “I’m not certain either of those dresses are appropriate.”

  Aline frowned down at the dresses. “No, you’re right. I want to make the right first impression.”

  “What about this?” Mila went over to the wardrobe and pulled out a slim, black skirt and white, tailored shirt.

  “Boring.” Aline grabbed another dress, holding it against her body in front of the mirror. “I think this will work.”

  It would. The dress she held was deceptive. It appeared modest, with a high neckline and sleeves, but it hugged Aline in all the right places. And while black washed Mila out, making her look like a vampire’s bride, with Aline’s tanned skin and dark blonde hair, she would look amazing.

  “Do you think it is a good idea, letting these Zerconian warriors come here?” Mila stared down at her boring black pants and oversized dark gray shirt. She wished she dared wear something tight fitting like Aline, but she just didn’t have the body to pull it off. She was built like a teenage boy. Slim and curveless.

  Aline turned to stare at her. “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea? They’re powerful and rich. And desperate.”

  “Desperate for mates for their people. I didn’t think you’d want to be tied down to one man.”

  Aline frowned at her. “What are you saying, that I’m a slut?”

  “Of course not.” Mila shook her head.

  “Then what? What exactly are you saying?”

  “It’s just that a lot of women on base are nervous after seeing that vid.” The one showing a bunch of human females locked up in pens while a large, muscular man terrified them.

  “Stupid, silly twits, the bunch of them. That was nonsense.”

  Well, of course, it was. But Mila could understand why people were nervous. Zerconian males were huge and masculine, kind of intimidating.

  Too much male. Not that they’d ever look twice at her.

  Mila knew she was boring and drab. And even if she did manage to catch a man’s eye, he usually dumped her once he discovered how klutzy she was. She couldn’t blame them. Having your date trip over nothing in the middle of a restaurant, smash into a waiter holding a tray full of drinks which then tipped onto a large male, staining his white shirt wasn’t exactly a great first date by anyone’s standards.

  “You and I know it was fake, and the others probably do as well, deep down. But we know very little about these Zerconians,” Mila pointed out. “For years, they’ve kept mainly to themselves and the unknown makes people nervous. Add that stupid vid to the mix and some people are worried. What if they try to force women to mate with them?”

  “How can they? That’s ridiculous. They’re coming. End of story.”

  “What about the Zazarn? Did you consult them?”

  The Zazarn were a peace-loving race. Small, purple, and round, like over-sized plums with a face.

  “The Zazarn like the Zerconians. They’re fine with them coming here. The High Chief gave his blessing.”

  The High Chief was two feet tall and as wide as he was round. He could speak a reasonable amount of Standard, the language that was widely spoken by different races involved with interplanetary trade. But he was reclusive and rarely left his house.

  Aline threw off her clothes and drew on the dress. Mila had long since ceased to be embarrassed by her sister getting naked in front of her. Aline didn’t have a self-conscious bone in her body.

  Sometimes, Mila wished she could be more like Aline. More confident and assured and less worried what everyone thought.

  “Could they not have waited a few more weeks, until people had calmed down after seeing that vid?”

  “They can’t. Apparently that little vid came from here.”

  “Here? This outpost?” Mila sank back onto the armchair in shock. “Someone here made it? How?”

  “I don’t know if it was made here, but it was transmitted from somewhere on this compound as it was traced back to our mainframe. Apparently they couldn’t pinpoint the exact location due to scramblers or something like that. You know I don’t pay attention when people get all technical.”

  Mila’s hands itched. She bet she could pinpoint where the transmission had originated from. “I could help them.”

  Aline frowned. “No. I need you. I won’t have you running around helping other people. You’re already busy enough.”

  That was true. But she could reduce how many hours she spent sleeping. How many hours did she need to get by? Three should do it.

  “But if I accessed the mainframe, I’m sure I could unscramble the signal and pinpoinr where the vid came from.”

  “No, I don’t want you getting involved, Mila. You know what would happen if the Earth Council discovered your abilities. They’d pull you away from me and use your skills for their purposes. Do you want that?”

  She knew her sister was right. It wasn’t her business.

  “Plus, if you figure it out then there’s no reason for these Zerconians to come here.”

  Right. That was probably the real reason Aline cared.

  “I’m surprised one of the tech experts didn’t manage to unscramble the signal.”

  Aline shrugged. “Bastian tried. He couldn’t do it.”

  Bastian was the head of tech. “What do you need from me?”

  “I need you to observe. Take note of anything that might help me figure out what makes these guys tick. I need any advantage I can get. If I can secure a post on Zerconia, then the Earth Council will have to take me seriously. Imagine the trade deals I could negotiate. Although I can’t imagine why the Earth Council hasn’t achieved a trade deal yet. I mean, they’re desperate for our women, right? Couldn’t they just do a trade?”

  “What? Trade women for resources? You’re talking about selling human beings! That’s slavery, Aline!”

  “Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist. I didn’t mean it like that. But there are plenty of women on those dating sites looking for men, why not just offer a dating service but with Zerconians? You know, we could send a shipload full of desperate women to Zerconia and just let them loose for a while. No one would force them to hook up, although I can’t see why they’d turn one of those Zerconian males down.”

  Aline brushed her hair until it glowed, put some red lipstick on then turned to Mila. “Well? How do I look?”

  “Beautiful. As always.”

  Aline smiled, her white teeth gleaming in the light. Mila sighed. Sometimes she felt like Cinderella—only the closest thing to a fairy godmother she’d ever encountered had worked the corner of 9th Avenue and Stern Street. He’d worn a tutu and fairy wings and had been very popular with middle-aged white guys.

  When Mila was seven, he’d given her a teddy bear and five dollars for sweets. She’d thought he was wonderful. It wasn’t until she was older that she realized what he actually did for a living.

  “Good. It’s been too long since I had a real man in my bed.” Aline turned and left the bedroom.

  “What about Zac? What does he think about your plan to seduce this Commander Al’a?” Zac was head of security. There was little crime here, so he wasn’t exactly raced off his feet. Soon after she’d arrived, Mila had left her quarters unlocked. Not one thing had been disturbed. If she’d left her old apartment in New Jersey unlocked, the place would have b
een stripped bare, graffitied, and squatters would have moved in, claiming the place as their own.

  And that would have been all before lunch.

  Aline snorted. “Zac is boring. All he’s interested in is pumping iron and watching sports.”

  “I didn’t realize you were with him for his conversation skills.”

  Aline gave her a funny look. Then she shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Zac is old news. He was never going to be around for long.”

  She looked Mila up and down then sighed. “Couldn’t you have at least made some effort with your appearance?”

  “I didn’t know we were trying to charm these warriors.”

  “I suppose it doesn’t matter what you wear. You’re just my assistant. I guess it makes it easier for you to gather information on them if you fade into the background. Just try to keep from tripping over your feet, all right?”

  Easier said than done.

  “Think he can do it?” Zoey asked once Koran left.

  “Find out who made that vid? Yes, of course.” Dex lifted her tired, swollen feet onto a stool then he placed a pillow behind her back. As much as she liked to complain about his fussing, he always knew exactly how to make her feel better. A benefit of the mating bond. He could sense her emotions, her aches and pains. Of which she had plenty.

  Being pregnant kind of sucked. Nausea, bloating, aching back and hemorrhoids. She shuddered.

  “No, I mean, can he be charming. This is Koran we’re talking about. Can he even smile? Shouldn’t you have sent Thor?”

  “No,” Dex replied sharply. “Thor is needed here to look after you.”

  She rubbed her stomach with a sigh. “I’m going to be fine, Dex. Women have babies all the time.”

  “But not my mate. I cannot stand to think of you in pain.”

  As her pregnancy wore on, Dex grew increasingly stressed and overprotective. Zoey found herself having to reassure him.

  “Koran can do this.” Dex frowned.

  “You’re worried about him.”

  “My hope is that one of these humans might be his mate. It’s the reason I am sending Darac, also. He is even closer to the edge than Koran.”

  “Ooh, the baby’s kicking. Want to feel?”

  Instantly, his face lightened. He placed his hand on her stomach, grinning hugely as he felt the baby kick. “Amazing.”

  Zoey placed her hand over Dex’s. “Everything will work out. I know it will.”

  Dex nodded. “Yes.”

  She grinned. “I just hope Koran doesn’t insult the ambassador and get them all evicted.”

  “Koran has come a long way since meeting you. He no longer views humans as inferior, less intelligent beings. I have every faith he can do this.”

  Chapter Two

  Humans were an inferior race.

  Some individuals perhaps possessed redeeming factors, such as Zoey. She was courageous. Smart in some ways—although common sense wasn’t her strong point. However, humans were physically weak, they allowed emotions to guide them and often engaged in irrational behavior that baffled him.

  But right now, he had to push those thoughts aside and focus on the mission. To find who had made and distributed that vid. He also needed to figure out how to be charming.

  Inwardly, he grimaced. He would rather fight a hundred Coizil warriors than act charming.

  At least this investigation would only take a day. Two at the most.

  Koran studied his surroundings as he strode down the ramp towards the welcoming party. Zazarn was a small planet and much of the surface was covered in jungle. It was humid, although not as hot as Zerconia.

  The Zazarn High Chief bounced up and down as he waited. Next to the High Chief stood his mate. It was hard to tell the difference between male and female Zazarns, but females tended to be taller, and they had a third, tiny nostril.

  Beside them stood two human females. One stood straight and tall, the other almost slouched as she stood behind the taller female. As though she wished she were anywhere other than here.

  Koran could relate.

  Koran greeted the ruling pair first. They spoke a few words in Standard, before making their excuses. He probably wouldn’t see them again as they weren’t much for socializing.

  That left him with the humans. He turned to the blonde human female. She might be considered attractive. Her black garment hugged her curves, highlighting her small waist. Humans seemed to find such things important. He didn’t understand why they placed so much importance on appearance. What did someone’s appearance have to do with their worth?

  Someone could be beautiful on the outside and evil underneath.

  Like he said, humans were strange creatures.

  Still, he could appreciate that this woman’s hair was shiny and clean. Her skin was smooth, and her features were pleasantly symmetrical. Eyes not too far apart, nose not too long, ears not too large.

  “Hello, you must be Koran Al’a.” The female held out her hand. He took it, aware of the human custom of shaking hands. Zoey had given them all a quick briefing about human customs before they had departed.

  “I am Ambassador Thorn. But you may call me Aline.” She smiled up at him.

  Koran frowned as a hint of arousal drifted through his body. Was he attracted to this female? He stared down at her, puzzled. Trying to regain his focus, he turned his attention to the female standing behind the Ambassador.

  “Hello.”

  The smaller female jumped, staring at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open. She seemed timid. Shy. Certainly rather unmemorable with her plain brown hair and oversized clothing. And she was so pale he wondered if she were about to faint.

  Stars. He’d only been here a few minutes, and already he was scaring females silly. She was so terrified she could not even speak.

  The Ambassador cleared her throat, calling his attention back to her before she grabbed his arm. “Don’t worry about Mila. She’s timid. But she’s a good assistant.”

  Was she? When she couldn’t even manage a simple hello? When just the sight of him seemed to terrify her? Was she one of those silly females who believed that vid?

  Would all the humans react like this?

  Irritation filled him. He needed these humans to accept him and his warriors, not fear them. Their fear could make it harder to track down the culprit who’d made that fabricated vid.

  “Would you and your men like to rest?” the ambassador asked.

  “Rest? Why would we need to rest? We are not ill.”

  “No, you all look very healthy.” She looked him up and down, almost as though she were assessing him. “Why don’t you and your men follow me. We have some refreshments ready.”

  He did not understand how a female could hold such a vital position. But this female seemed very strong. Self-assured and confident.

  She didn’t seem like a female given to dramatics and tears.

  Again, something stirred in his blood. Could this female be his mate? But she hadn’t reacted to his touch. Zoey fainted when Dex first touched her. Although theirs was the first and only Zerconian-human mating, who knew if that was typical or not?

  Perhaps he had simply gone too long without relief. Yes, that had to be it.

  He did not want a human mate.

  ***

  Oh hell.

  How was it possible for someone to be that gorgeous? So goddamn masculine?

  He was the most stunning male Mila had ever met. His stride full of confidence, his stance assured, his men silent and watchful behind him. Koran. Even his name was masculine and strong. Like him.

  Over seven feet tall, thick with muscles, and with a hard, rugged face, Koran had a dark, dangerous look. A wicked scar ran down his neck. With regeneration chambers able to heal most things, scars were now a rare sight.

  It made Koran appear menacing. Lethal.

  But it was her reaction to him that was the biggest shock. Arousal slammed through her body like a jolt of lightning, filling her from the insid
e out. Her legs were jelly, her heart racing, palms sweating. She had never felt such an instant sexual attraction to someone before.

  And then he’d turned to her and said hello. And what had she done? Had she managed to be charming? Had she pretended to be smart and assured? Had she even just attempted to be welcoming and polite?

  Nope, she hadn’t managed any of those things.

  Instead, she’d stood there like a dummy and stared at him. Now he probably thought she was a bit simple.

  Mila could kick herself. If she’d managed to pull her head out of her ass, she might have touched him, felt his skin against hers as they shook hands. It might have been her only chance to touch him. She’d noticed the way he’d focused on Aline. The same way all men watched Aline. As though she was filet of steak and he was stuck on a broccoli diet.

  Personally, Mila liked broccoli. But not many people would go for broccoli over steak. Especially not a manly man like Koran. Even his voice was masculine. Deep and husky. He hadn’t smiled, which was probably just as well. If he smiled, she might well have self-combusted.

  “Mila!”

  She looked up, blinking at Aline’s hiss. “Yes?”

  Glancing around, she spotted Koran and his men across the room, gathered around the table of food.

  “Get them all out of here. I want to have a private meeting with Commander Al’a.”

  “How?” Mila asked.

  “I don’t know.” Aline glared at her in irritation. “Just get rid of them all.”

  How the hell was she going to do that?

  Gathering up her courage, she moved towards the group of warriors. She’d figured that such large men would need a lot of sustenance, so she’d arranged with the kitchen staff to prepare what she considered a feast.

  Eyes widening, she noticed most of the food had already been demolished and they’d only been here a few minutes.

  Mila cleared her throat.

  Nothing.

  They continued to chat in Zerconian. Mila was good with most languages, but Zerconian wasn’t one of them.

  “Um, excuse me?”

  Crap. Nothing. She needed some way to grab their attention. Mila glanced at the plates of food and grabbed one that held pieces of fried nonka bird and a dip made from a tomato-like fruit grown here on Zazarn. Maybe she could lure them away with a plate of food.