“I don’t have a father.”
“Under Atlan law, Warlord Maxus is your father and protector. Upon his death, should you still be unclaimed, your brother, Warlord Kovo will take over as your legal protector.”
“So? This is Earth, not Atlan. I don’t really care about their laws.”
“Well, you should. Warlord Velik has claimed you as his mate. Warlord Maxus gave him your address on Earth.”
No. This wasn’t funny anymore. “When?”
“About twelve hours ago.”
10
Velik, Los Angeles, California…
* * *
Human means of travel had to be the worst in the Coalition of Planets. My knees hit the back of the seat in front of me, the car smelled like something called pachouli—at least that’s what was written on the exterior of the offensive package and the human male driving the vehicle repeatedly looked back and forth from me to the road.
“You play football?”
“I do not.” I knew the competitive game some of the larger males of Earth liked to engage in. I had watched one such battle on the humans’ television.
No one died. And the males were…small. Once was enough.
“Basketball, right? You play for the Lakers?”
“I do not.” Another human competition of running and throwing ball through a hoop for points. Again…the fighting pits on Atlan or the Colony were of much greater interest. However, as Earth did not have access to ReGen technology, I could understand the non-aggressive nature of their sporting events.
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop asking. They made you sign an NDA. Am I right?”
“Yes.” I had no idea what this NDA might be, but I would agree to anything at this point if it made the young male stop speaking to me and drive. Faster. “How long until we reach the home of Stefani Davis?”
“I don’t know who lives at this address, but we’re almost there.”
“Excellent.” I had waited too long already to claim my mate, to kneel before her as she locked the mating cuffs around my wrists. I would never leave her side again, would devote myself to her happiness. Her pleasure.
Mine. The beast rumbled just below the surface. I forced him to remain quiet, grateful for the additional control I still had. Helion’s serum had not left me completely. Not yet.
The human driver smelled of anxiety and fear. Should the beast appear, he would likely lose control of the vehicle and delay my arrival.
“You know, this is a hoity-toity area, right? You gotta know somebody to get past the guards.”
Guards? I approved. Even human guardians were better than none. Although, on second thought, ReCon teams that fought in the Hive war had recently added human fighters. They were vicious, quick and highly adaptable. Adding Earth’s fighters to the fleet had helped regain some territory from the Hive. Something we had not managed for several decades.
“Here we go. If we can’t get through, I’m going to have to drop you off here.”
“That will do.”
“It’s a two mile hike up the hills to this address.”
Two miles. “That is nothing.”
“Okay man, if you say so.” He shook his head and turned up the noise coming from the primitive sound devices built into the shell of the car. Some music. Some humans speaking. All irrelevant.
Now that I was close to my mate’s home, I inspected the area. The smell of the ocean was inescapable. I wondered if the deadly jellyfish creatures lived in these waters as well.
Tall palm trees and large plants, covered with blooming flowers, filled every space and were nestled between human buildings. I had lived in Florida, on the processing center’s grounds, long enough to become familiar with many human customs and devices. This place, California, was not much different. Black tar and concrete roads. Primitive and inefficient vehicles polluted their atmosphere. Humans without homes meandered everywhere, most covered in dirt, starving, ignored by others. Even human children. It was a disgrace.
