35. Chapter 35
She looked breathtaking. She was beautiful without makeup, but with it, she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her red hair had been piled on top of her head, with some curls hanging loosely down her temples, caressing the bared tips of her shoulders.
With her tight-fitting red dress, she looked more like a flame than ever. Strapless, the top snug, formfitting to her chest and torso, emphasized her small waist and wide hips. Her long, toned legs were hidden under more red fabric, snuggled against them. A lone slit on the right side of her dress allowed her to move.
I had forgotten how tall she looked in high heels. I had only once gotten a quick glimpse of it, but now that she wore them again, the top of her head fit right into my chest and was just high enough for me to rest my chin on as I enveloped her deep into the folds of my arms. Gods, I loved this gallis. She looked incredible in this dress, unbelievably hot. A stark reminder of our different worlds and how she belonged here, on Earth, not with me.
A knock on the door brought us back to reality. Hesitantly, Rachel peeled herself out of my embrace to greet her parents, brother, and his wife.
A loud noise from outside drew us to the window, where I watched a huge, metallic bird, which I knew was actually called a helicopter, slowly land on the manicured lawn farther from the pool.
"Oh my God, is that the president?" Susan exclaimed, holding on to the sleeve of her husband's suit.
A ladder came out, followed by men in dark suits.
"Oh my God, oh my God, Mom!" Pattie squealed, hopping up and down in excitement. "It's him. It's really him."
"And the First Lady, she's so beautiful"." Cara's voice sounded breathless.
I creased my brows, thinking about the hundreds of times I had marched through my town, cheered and greeted by my subjects. Was that how they had felt? To me, the man emerging from the helicopter looked like all the other men, shorter even and much smaller in stature, unremarkable in many ways except that several burly men were watching over him, keeping him safe.
I wondered what kind of leader he was and how he had become one since he obviously would not have been able to hold his own in a fight. From the looks of it, the gallis next to him had more toned muscles than he did.
I recalled Carl explaining Earth's political system to me, how each country had its own leader. So, if I wasn't mistaken, this man had been elected , meaning people had voted for him. Imagining Vandruks voting for their leaders made me suppress a grin. I wasn't fooled, though; this unremarkable-looking male had millions of people behind him who had chosen him in as their leader. I was curious to find out what it was that made them elect this male.
"We should give him a minute. The lobby is probably utter chaos right now," Rachel's father predicted.
While we waited mostly in silence, I noticed Nat directing Brian and Cara into another corner of the room, talking animatedly to them, gesturing at Rachel and me.
"Let's forget for a minute that you abducted my daughter and start fresh." Patrick held out a glass of whiskey to me.
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."
"It's not easy for a father to trust someone who took his daughter. But she's back safe, and… she's changed. Stronger. More confident. I watched the news live with my wife. I saw how you kept protecting her. Thank you for that."
"It's my great honor to protect your daughter." I sipped the whiskey, which tasted so much better than our skoff. "She is a very remarkable, strong gallis."
"You obviously care for her," he observed.
"More than my own life"." I nodded, automatically searching for Rachel, who was talking to her mom and Pattie.
Patrick's eyes penetrated mine and seemed to look deep down into my soul. "I'm usually not that direct, but this is a different situation. Tell me, what are your intentions as far as my daughter is concerned?"
Pain seared through me once again. "Sir, I would love nothing else than to mat—marry your daughter with your permission."
"But?" He tilted his head, his gaze turning even more intense. He was a perceptive male, and I liked him. He was brave, too, approaching me like this.
"I love Rachel"—the pain in my heart intensified—"but I can't take her away from this"—my hand swiped the room, encompassing all it represented—"you, your family"." I nodded at him. "It would break her heart. Not today, not tomorrow, but one day. I can see how close you are." I lowered my gaze, something I had never done while talking to another male. I hoped he understood the gesture of respect. "I can't take that away from her, and I'm afraid humans will never allow us to live in peace on Earth."
Patrick finished his drink, looking thoughtful, and rubbed his chin. "You have given that some thought."
"I have."
"How about the Vandruks? Would they accept my daughter?"
"Without a question. Many things have happened on Vandruk. Too much to recount right now, but there are already several human gallies mated to Vandruk khadahrs"," I said, finishing my drink.
"Thank you for your honesty"." Patrick set his glass down. "Well, shall we?" he called to the others.
The ride down in the elevator was quiet. The gazes I received from Rachel's family were unnerving. Vandruks considered staring impolite. Then again, I figured I was somebody unusual to them—an alien. I had plenty of opportunities to watch my fill of humans, whereas I was the first alien they were in close proximity to, so I let it pass, no matter how uncomfortable it made me.
The moment we entered the lobby downstairs, I felt the change. More men in dark suits, wearing white earpieces, stood with their backs against the walls, eyeing us as we exited the elevator.
I almost didn't recognize Dzur-Khan and Dzar-Ghan in their suits as they stood by a set of closed, double doors. Jenna and Amber also wore dresses that enhanced their beauty, looking decidedly different from when I had last seen them.
On Vandruk, they had fit into our wildlands perfectly, just as perfectly as they did here with their makeup and gowns. My forehead pulled together as I gave their appearance some thought. Looking at them now, I would have never guessed that a few hours ago, they had fought for Vandruk. They, too, looked like they belonged here . A notion that made me pause. I caught my reflection in one of the many polished windows. If it hadn't been for the color of my skin and my different eyes, I would have perfectly fit into this world, too.
Had I been too hasty in deciding that Rachel didn't belong on Vandruk?
Then I saw her talking with her father, and that reiterated where she truly belonged. Maybe not on Earth. But with her family.