Chapter 4 #2
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.
But why? She’d just met Draevan and Meela, and she didn’t understand why she was so determined to win their affection. It went beyond her desire to flee Earth, beyond her wish to survive the war and escape her stalker.
A wave of apprehension struck her when she considered how little experience she had with romantic relationships.
Her record label, and her manager to a lesser extent, had carefully controlled her public image.
She’d never been permitted to date anyone she actually wanted to date.
Any supposed romantic interest she spent time with had to be personally selected by her handlers.
None of her prior relationships had ever been real—only dates arranged in strategic locations where the cameras would be flashing, or when she needed a date to attend an awards show.
Aside from making polite small talk with the men forced upon her, holding hands when the paparazzi were watching, and sharing a few brief kisses simply because she was curious, she had almost no romantic experience at all.
And now, without ever having experienced a real relationship, she would suddenly need to build a life with Draevan, a Vaxxlian warrior who needed a mate and a mother for his little niece.
Could she do it? Could she really become the mate Draevan needed and the mother Meela deserved? She had no idea.
But as Meela snuggled closer against her, Cora found herself wanting to try. For the first time in her life, she had the opportunity to choose what she wanted, to a certain extent, and she desperately wanted this.
“I am sorry I don’t know any Vaxxlian, but I am fluent in Galactic Common,” Cora eventually said. “Perhaps I can teach Meela how to speak it. But I will try to learn Vaxxlian as quickly as possible too.” She pressed her lips together, perhaps a bit too tightly, as she forced a smile.
Draevan nodded, and to her relief, she sensed his approval.
“I did not expect you to know any Vaxxlian, Cora. That is not a concern, though I do appreciate your willingness to learn my native tongue. But all our children are taught Vaxxlian and Galactic Common from an early age, so perhaps I can work on teaching her Vaxxlian, and you can work on teaching her Galactic Common. And… as I’m teaching her Vaxxlian, you can listen in and learn my native tongue as well.
” Draevan blinked a few times, and a slight pinkness tinged his cheeks.
Blushing. The big Vaxxlian warrior was blushing…
She could scarcely believe it.
She smiled. “That is a brilliant plan, Draevan.” Heated tingles rushed through her as she said his name.
Would there ever be anything real between them… an honest intimacy? She couldn’t help but wonder. By all appearances, it seemed he was most interested in acquiring a mother for his orphaned niece.
And yet… the way he was looking at Cora now made her feel stripped of her defenses.
He was staring into her eyes with an intense focus that left her breathless and made her worry he would soon learn all her secrets, hopes, and dreams. She tried to tear her gaze from his but somehow couldn’t manage the simple action of looking away.
Draevan suddenly gestured at her luggage. “Is this everything you wish to bring?”
“Yes. I-I hope it’s not too much.” Cora flushed and would’ve fidgeted in place if she wasn’t trying so hard to hold Meela properly.
“It’s not too much. My cargo hold is quite large and can accommodate even more if you wish. I realize you are leaving your home planet forever, and I do not want to make you part with anything important.”
“That’s very kind of you,” she said with a smile, “but unless you can fit a baby grand piano in your cargo hold, this is everything.” God.
She instantly wished she could take the comment back.
She’d meant it as a joke, sort of, but he probably didn’t even know what a baby grand piano was.
She hoped he didn’t think she was being ungrateful, and her face suddenly grew hotter.
He arched an eyebrow at her. “Show me the baby grand piano. Show me this item, and I will let you know if we can bring it with us today. However, if it is too large, I would be happy to have it shipped to New Vaxx.”
Her throat abruptly burned. He was being far more accommodating—and kind—than she had expected.
“That’s very nice of you, Draevan,” she said. “And, um, if it’s too large for your cargo hold, I would be happy to pay to have it shipped to New Vaxx. I would imagine that would be very expensive.”
He drew back, appearing affronted. His eyes narrowed and he gave her a strange look that she didn’t quite understand. At least, she didn’t realize the error she’d made until he finally spoke.
“I am a wealthy male, Cora, and I assure you that I can afford to pay for your baby grand piano, and any other items, to be shipped to New Vaxx. Your own money is yours to keep. I will not take it from you. Furthermore, I would not have applied for a mate through the VAMOB program if I wasn’t able to provide for a female.
As my mate, you will want for nothing. It will be my honor to buy you clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, artwork, furniture, and anything else you might desire.
Once we return to New Vaxx and get settled, I will open accounts for you at all the stores in Starzzia.
” He drew himself up taller and clasped his hands behind his back.
Hmm. Perhaps she should’ve researched Vaxxlian culture a little more before his arrival. She hadn’t meant to insult him or wound his pride… or whatever this weird interaction was. She swallowed hard and strove to maintain a pleasant expression, hoping to end this blasted awkwardness.