Page 10 of Draevan

His niece? Oh. Ohhhh.

Cora had assumed the baby was his daughter. But it would seem he was raising his brother’s, or maybe his sister’s, child. She didn’t have to ask what had happened to the baby’s parents. It was very likely they’d perished during the war against the Irrcons.

How sad. How tragic.

She opened her arms wider. “I promise I’ll hold her correctly, and I won’t allow her to fall no matter how much she wiggles. I’m stronger than I look. I do Pilates every morning and calisthenics every afternoon.”

Draevan eyed her studiously. “Very well,” he finally said.

The huge alien warrior placed the baby into Cora’s arms, and the child immediately laced her arms around Cora’s neck. Oh. How endearing. Cora arranged the baby so her legs rested on either side of her right hip, holding her close and ready to hug her even tighter if she started wiggling. But the baby seemed content to be held by Cora, and this warmed her heart further. What a sweet, sweet child.

“She’s absolutely precious,” Cora said, meeting Draevan’s almost-glowing green eyes. “What is her name?”

“Meela.”

“Meela.” She peered down at the baby. “What a beautiful name. I think it suits you. It is so nice to meet you, Meela. My name is Cora. I hope we can be great friends.”

“Great friends?” Draevan repeated in a shocked tone. “You are supposed to act as the child’s mother, her caretaker, not as a friend. The VAMOB program was supposed to select a human female who liked babies and was willing to take care of an eight-month-old.”

Surprised by his dark tone, as well as the apparent cultural misunderstanding, Cora took a step back. “I didn’t mean it in a literal sense,” she said in what she hoped was a soothing tone. “I fully intend to take care of Meela as if she were my own daughter. I just… well, I don’t even know if she can understand me, to be honest, but I think it’s good that I talk to her and tell her my thoughts, in a calm, rational way, and eventually she might come to understand me and feel more comfortable with me.” Her face grew even hotter, and she suddenly felt very out of her element.

Sure, she’d babysat a few times as a teenager. She knew how to change diapers and keep a child alive, but beyond that… well, she was starting to worry that maybe she’d answered ‘yes’ to those additional questions on the VAMOB application a little too quickly.

Still, she kept holding Meela close, determined to win Draevan over. They were supposed to become mates. He was supposed to take her away from Earth. The prospect of living on New Vaxx, a planet that was reportedly very safe, prompted her to lift her chin and meet Draevan’s gaze with a confident expression.

Yes, she might be trembling on the inside a little, but she was a performer by trade. When the situation called for it, she could fake it until she made it. Most of the time…

Draevan narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you truly like babies and children? Do you truly want to be a mother?” The restrained hopefulness in his voice moved her in a way she didn’t quite understand.

“Yes, I do,” she said, and it wasn’t a lie. She’d always loved babies and children, and she’d always hoped to become a mother one day.

He gave her one last dubious look before his shoulders finally relaxed and he appeared somewhat satisfied. She really hoped he believed her. Her safety, possibly her very life, depended upon whether he would agree to take her away from Earth.

What if he decided she wouldn’t make a good mother or a good mate at the very last moment? What if he decided to leave her on Earth? Her stomach flipped at the thought, yet she was careful not to let her anxiety show.

With a faint smile and the bright, welcoming expression she’d perfected during years of interacting with her fans, she peered between Draevan and his baby niece as though she couldn’t wait to become part of their family.

“I am willing to become your mate, Draevan, and I’m willing to take care of Meela too. There’s nothing left for me on Earth, and I am eager for… a new beginning.” Her throat abruptly burned, and she found herself blinking fast, refusing to let the tears escape.

The last thing she wanted to do was break down sobbing in front of Draevan only moments after they first met.

She wanted him to believe she was a strong, capable woman who would be a good mother to his baby niece. Given how reluctant he’d been to hand the baby over at first, and how carefully he was watching her now, she was starting to think his main reason for signing up for the VAMOB program was to find a mother for Meela rather than gain a mate for himself.

“A new beginning,” Draevan eventually repeated in a thoughtful tone. “I like the sound of that. I, too, am eager for a new beginning.” He stepped closer and the heat of his body once again wafted over Cora, and she was suddenly hyper-aware of just how large and muscular he was. Goodness.

“I imagine you are, especially after the war,” she murmured, praying she wasn’t making a mistake by broaching the topic. “Um, if you don’t mind my asking, was Meela your brother’s… or your sister’s child?” As though in response to her question, the baby tightened her arms around Cora’s neck. Cora ran a hand up and down the little child’s back, hoping to keep her calm.

For the briefest moment, Draevan’s dark eyes flashed with despair, though he blinked and suddenly appeared confident, and in a strange way, almost emotionless. Perhaps he was hesitant to appear sensitive in front of her. After all, they’d just met.

“Meela was my brother Harvat’s child. His mate’s name was Calla. They both died during the war. Harvat perished during battle, and Calla died when a fleet of ships evacuating Vaxxlia prior to the destruction of our homeworld were attacked by the Irrcons.” He cleared his throat. “I normally wouldn’t speak of such things in Meela’s presence, but I do not believe she understands Galactic Common yet, though to be fair, the only words she’s ever said in Vaxxlian are Mama and Daddy when she calls out for her parents.”

Cora took a moment to absorb all Draevan had just told her. Once again, her heart broke for the poor child’s circumstances. How tragic that she’d lost both her parents during the war. And despite her young age, it would seem that she remembered them clearly if she kept calling out for them by name. Cora realized she might not be able to replace the child’s mother, not truly, but she sincerely hoped she could at least be a satisfactory caregiver.

Okay, well, if she were being honest, she wanted to be more than satisfactory. As she hugged Meela tighter, she hoped the child would trust her, become attached to her, and perhaps even care about her in return.

Yes, Cora very much wanted to be part of this little family.

More than anything in her life.