Chapter 12
Stephenie felt as though the world was crumbling around her. Her ears began to ring, and she struggled to take a breath.
Bought and paid for? She had been…sold?
“The buying and selling of a sentient being is illegal throughout the Universe!” A-rec growled.
“We are meant to pass by these people peacefully, without drawing attention to ourselves- not enslave them. You have broken more than a hundred laws and have endangered not only two humans, but the entire ship as well with your foolishness.”
“I will not apologize for what I have done,” I-ya said, narrowing his eyes at A-rec. “It is because of me and my ‘foolishness’ that we are able to afford most of the equipment on this ship.”
Stephenie noted that Darcy, who was still hiding behind A-rec, had reached for his hand.
“And as for this one,” I-ya said as he tossed Ee-rah on the floor at his feet. “Disgusting. To think he could claim a human by Mating with one. Absolutely vile.”
Stephenie rushed forward and cradled Ee-rah’s head in her lap. She tapped at his cheeks, trying her best to rouse him. “Ee-rah,” she whispered. “Ee-rah, wake up. Please wake up.” His head lulled to the other side. She glared up at the one named I-ya. “What did you do to him?” She demanded.
“He set fire to our ship. I stunned and apprehended him as I am well within my right to do.” I-ya gave her a look of disgust. “You must be the one he claimed Mate.”
Stephenie sat Ee-rah’s head down gently and rose to her feet. “I am his Mate.” She growled, now standing toe to toe with the large, red alien.
I-ya laughed down at her. “Mate or not, you belong to me until you are given to one who bought you.”
“Go to hell,” Stephenie snapped.
“Hell?” I-ya cocked his head to the side. “Is that a nice place?”
“I’m sure you would think so.”
“I am returning these humans to their planet,” A-rec said. Stephenie had almost forgotten he was here. “And then I will take you to the Elders of our tribe to answer for your crimes.”
I-ya laughed at that. “You are well out of your prime, old one. As if you could take me.”
A-rec growled and lunged for I-ya.
Stephenie jumped out of the way and joined Darcy far behind the wrestling Toxhocan.
“What do we do? What do we do?” Darcy asked, hopping from one foot to the other.
Stephenie was hardly listening. Her attention was on the big, blue alien lying in a heap on the floor. “Help me move him! He’s going to get trampled.”
“Are you serious?” Darcy stared at her in disbelief. After a moment, she sighed and nodded her head.
The two ran toward Ee-rah. Each of the women grabbed hold of one of his legs.
“One…two…three… PULL!” Stephenie cried, pulling with all her might. Ee-rah moved a few inches before they had to drop his legs to recover from the weight of the alien. They repeated the process until Ee-rah was a safe distance away from the fighting Toxhocan.
A-rec and I-ya seemed to be equally matched when it came to their fight. It was possibly the most brutal thing Stephenie had ever seen in her life. A-rec raised his fists and hit I-ya repeatedly as hard as he could, reminding Stephenie of how a gorilla would fight its challenger.
I-ya let out an ear piercing cry and dove back at A-rec, knocking him in the abdomen . They both flew backwards into the chrome wall. When they moved again, there was a large dent left in the metal. The sound of their roars filled the bridge, like animals gone mad.
“We’ve got to do something!” Darcy cried. “They’re going to kill each other!”
Stephenie slapped at Ee-rah’s face again, trying desperately to wake him.
“Please!” She cried. “Please wake up. We need you, Ee-rah… I need you.” She shook his giant shoulders.
Tears ran down her cheeks, landing in his short fur.
She could hear Darcy panicking, but couldn’t bring herself to look away from the face of the alien, the MAN, in front of her.
What if he never woke up? Her heart ached at the thought. He did this for her. He put himself in danger to try and get her and Darcy home. And she had insulted and belittled him. The last thing she had said to him was to call him a bone headed monster. How could she have been so cruel?
The fighting between the two aliens continued on, items crashing all around them and yells filling the air. Darcy was sobbing now.
Stephenie leaned forward and pressed her lips to Ee-rah’s.
He didn’t know how to kiss. Hell, he didn’t even know what a kiss was.
But Stephenie couldn’t stop herself. She pressed her lips long and hard to his, putting her all into that kiss.
Tears continued to fall down her cheeks, and her throat felt thick. She swallowed back her sobs.
Fuck. When had she fallen for the big guy?
She pulled back and gasped to see that his icy eyes were staring up at her. He reached upwards and cupped her cheek in his hand. The entire side of her face fit into his rough palm.
She leaned forward into his palm and gave a watery smile down at him. “You’re awake.” She breathed.
His lips raised into a lazy half smile. “It is good to wake up to your beautiful face, my Mate…but what are you still doing here?”
Stephenie’s smile melted away. “A-rec needs your help.” She glanced over to see that the older alien was being pinned down by I-ya.
Ee-rah’s eyes followed hers. He blinked for a moment, temporarily confused by all the chaos.
Then he sprang to his feet and charged at the two fighting Toxhocan.