Chapter 5
Elora felt like a new person. Freshly showered and wearing clean clothes, she strode through the corridors of the Rennsha on her way to the bridge. Her heart skipped a beat as she anticipated her next encounter with Warrin. She also flushed when she recalled his nickname for her—little sarr’ahh.
She passed a viewport and paused to stare across the landscape.
Why hadn’t they departed Earth yet? They hadn’t traveled very far at all.
She recognized Grantville’s bright blue water tower in the distance.
They were still in Tennessee. She’d taken a long shower and had expected to find herself amidst the stars by the time she emerged. Was something wrong?
The sky was empty, and it was a lovely day. She could see the ruins of some of the destroyed buildings in Grantville, but there was no sign of the U.S. military or the rebels. Hmm. Maybe Warrin was having trouble navigating, or maybe his ship was experiencing a malfunction.
She turned away from the viewport and continued toward the bridge.
She paused right outside the door—if she walked any closer, it would slide open.
Just knowing Warrin was on the other side caused her breath to falter and her palms to become sweaty.
Her stomach fluttered, and heat pulsated in her core.
She was nervous about mating with Warrin, but she had every intention of following through with it.
She’d signed up for VAMOB in her most desperate hour, and he’d arrived a day later to rescue her.
Not only that, but he’d saved the people of Grantville.
He struck her as a decent, honorable male.
Thus far, he’d treated her with kindness, and that sweet nickname—she nearly swooned. Little sarr’ahh.
She drew in a deep, steadying breath and entered the bridge.
Warrin sat behind a large console, his hands flying over the various screens and buttons. He paused whatever he was doing and looked over his shoulder. His eyes held a flicker of annoyance—initially—but his visage soon softened, and he smiled at her warmly.
“What’s wrong?” she asked with a glance out the main viewport.
“There are several air blockades nearby. Unfortunately, I don’t believe we’ll be able to depart Earth until they’re lifted.
While I could probably fight my way through the blockades, my people aren’t supposed to get openly involved in the human wars.
” He turned back to his console and glared at one of the screens that displayed multiple areas of red which formed a complete circle around their present location.
He pressed a few more buttons, then rose from his seat and approached her.
Her heart raced faster at the heated desire in his gaze. A quick glance at his crotch showed that his pants were getting tight again.
He wanted her.
The pulses in her center started coming faster… and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Desire hummed in her veins, relentless and quaking.
“You look nervous, little sarr’ahh.” It was a statement, not a question, and he didn’t say it in a mocking way. Instead, his voice was filled with warmth… and concern.
“I can’t help it,” she confessed. “We just met, and you’re… a lot bigger than me.” She wasn’t brave enough to admit she was worried about the size of his manhood, but perhaps if she put it this way, he might understand. To her relief, his eyes soon filled with understanding.
“I’ll be gentle with you, Elora.” He continued brushing his hands through her freshly washed hair. “And before we mate, I will give you a dose of healing nanobots—just to be safe. I’d planned to administer your dose of nanobots today anyway, whether we consummate our union or wait a little longer.”
His promise to be gentle warmed her all over, and her scalp prickled with sensation as he repeatedly caressed her damp locks.
Then she considered the second part of what he’d just said—about the healing nanobots.
“I appreciate that you plan to be careful with me,” she said, her face flaming.
“Um, about the nanobots. Can you tell me more about those?” She didn’t like shots, and she doubted the nanobots could be delivered by hypospray.
“Every Vaxxlian warrior is provided with a dose of healing nanobots to give his human mate, as well as any human children the woman might already have. The nanobots will heal nearly any injury, and they will keep you from getting sick.”
Disbelief coursed through Elora. What he’d just described sounded almost too good to be true, and her mind spun as she considered the implications. Would she truly never get sick again?
“I had leukemia as a child,” she said, suddenly falling back into those dark days spent in hospitals.
“It was caught very early, and I made a full recovery. I’ve been told there’s only a slight chance of relapse, especially after all these years, but as you might imagine, I’ve never stopped worrying that it might come back.
When you say illness… does that include cancer, immune disorders, and neurological illnesses? ”
He drew her closer, and his face softened with compassion. “Oh, little sarr’ahh. I am sorry that happened to you. Yes, the nanobots in your bloodstream will prevent all the things you just mentioned. And our future children will receive a dose of nanobots immediately after birth.”
“That’s incredible.” Emotion clogged her throat. Overwhelmed by his revelation, she blinked back tears. New Vaxx really did sound like paradise. She’d known the Vaxxlians were an advanced race, but until now, she’d had no idea just how advanced.
“It was a fortunate scientific development,” he said. “Particularly in the aftermath of the war. It is a comfort to know that you’ll live a long and healthy life. We both will—together.”
An alarm suddenly blared, and he drew her close to his side as he turned to face the main console. He peered at the largest screen, which was covered by symbols she didn’t recognize, and issued what sounded like a curse in his native tongue.
“What is it?”
“The boundaries of the nearest blockade just changed, and there are several areas of combat that are also getting too close. I need to move the Rennsha to a safer, more hidden location.” He pressed a button, and the alarm ceased blaring.
Then he turned her in his arms and gave her a comforting look.
“Please don’t be afraid. I will keep you safe, little sarr’ahh. I promise.”
His words filled her with relief—initially—but then she glanced out the viewport, and her stomach flipped. Black smoke darkened the horizon, and dozens of rebel crafts now hovered in the sky.
“I suspect the U.S. military is using the aerial blockade to trap as many rebel crafts as they can in the area. It would make sense, since there’s more rebel activity in Tennessee than in most other states in your country.”
“When you say aerial blockade… do you mean a massive force field that will prevent all aircraft from leaving or entering the area?” she asked with a sinking feeling.
“Yes, though the forcefield’s boundaries extend to the ground, so land vehicles can’t enter or leave either, nor can any armies invade on foot.”
Her thoughts went to Rory. She really hoped her friend was safe. She reached into her pocket for her phone, only to realize she’d left it in the bathroom.
She peered out the viewport, as though expecting to see the blockade, but she didn’t see the telltale shimmer of a forcefield.
She’d heard about such blockades on the news, though she’d never imagined one would happen so close to Oakdale.
Furthermore, she’d had no idea there was a high concentration of rebels in Tennessee, and she was starting to doubt the accuracy of the government-controlled newsfeeds.
She supposed she was lucky she’d made it as far as Grantville before getting trapped by the fighting.
Warrin guided her into the co-pilot’s seat, then he sat behind the main navigation console, and his hands once again flew over the controls. Awe filled her as she watched him work. A short while later, the Rennsha turned, facing away from the smoke-blackened horizon.
They traveled for several minutes, passing over small, war-torn towns and roads filled with abandoned solar cars.
She also spotted refugee camps and farms that had been razed to the ground.
The more she saw, the more certain she was that the U.S.
government was trying to conceal the full extent of the unrest affecting the country.
“I-I had no idea,” she said as she continued gazing out the viewport. “I didn’t know it was this bad. The town I lived in a little farther east—Oakdale—was mostly peaceful.”
“Why did you leave Oakdale?” Warrin asked in a thoughtful tone as he shot her a concerned look. “Why were you on a road trip with all your belongings in your solar car?”
“It’s kind of a long story,” she said. “An embarrassing one too.”
What would he think if she told him she was a wanted criminal? Never mind that she wasn’t guilty…
What would he think if she told him about her failed relationship with Tobias, as well as his betrayal?
Logically, she knew she hadn’t done anything to deserve her former fiancé’s cruel treatment.
But that didn’t mean she didn’t experience moments when she worried there was something wrong with her—some horrible personality defect that had repulsed Tobias and prompted him to break her heart.
“Perhaps after I finish navigating the Rennsha to a safe location, we can retire to my quarters for a meal, and you can tell me about how you ended up in Grantville.” The glimmer of concern didn’t leave his eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel touched by the gentle way he was asking about her situation.
“Okay, it’s a deal,” she said.