Page 9 of Kranow (Brides of the Mylos #4)

Marley had felt immense relief when she discovered that Jackie O ’ Hannigan was staying behind in order to do a short series on the Mylos and the other races they had treaties with. Charteesie had also remained, pleading prior commitments. This left her alone with Sachuu as they made the journey back to the Fleet around Earth.

It made for an uneasy journey until he grew tired of her sighs and fidgeting and pulled up a menu of films. She ’ d been taken somewhat aback when she discovered they were all family films but when she realized he ’ d chosen Disney ’ s Aladdin, she couldn ’ t help but grin. Her worries didn ’ t stand a chance with Robin William ’ s wise cracking genie distracting her.

As the film ended, she surprised herself by yawning. He handed her a meal with a hot drink that had an almond and vanilla like taste. She was surprised to find she was hungry and polished the meal off quickly. Afterwards, she leaned back in her seat and angled it so there was room to swing out the footrest.

Sachuu dimmed the interior lighting and activated the view screens to give s window like view of the space they traveled through. Between the soft twinkling of the far away suns and nebulae and the soft multi-colored flickering of the warp field, she found her eyes drifting shut.

She napped for hours, awakening only when Sachuu gripped her shoulder gently but firmly while calling her name. As she sat up and blinked the sleep from her eyes, he said, “ We are now entering your home system. ”

He ’ d left the view screens on window mode and she watched wide-eyed as the small craft slowed to sub-light speeds. “ Is that Pluto? ” she asked, noticing a planet with several small moons off by itself.

“ No. That is the planet your astronomers guessed at existing. ”

She gasped at him. “ Why hasn ’ t it been confirmed? You guys teach advanced astronomy! ”

“ We teach advanced astrophysics and cosmology, ” he corrected. “ It is for your world to advance the tech and make use of it. If we handed knowledge over without your society advancing sufficiently to handle it by making some of their own discoveries, it could prove fatal for your people. ”

She thought about it and nodded slowly. “ That ’ s Pluto, ” he said, pointing to another point of light they were rapidly approaching closer to.

She began naming the planets that they passed, wishing their path allowed them to see them all up close but understanding that it would have made for an extremely circuitous route. Her heart clenched as she caught sight of the Fleet in orbit, ringed around her home world. This was it. Soon she would be facing Commander Gundar again and possibly see her victim face to face as well meet her mate for the very first time.

Her palms began to sweat and she wiped them on her trousers, grimacing when she saw the light marks left behind on the pale fabric. She had to use the calming breathing exercises taught to her by her therapist as they began docking procedures. Then they were there, and Sachuu was opening the door and lowering the ramp. He ushered her out.

Her first impression was of a cavernous space filled with shuttles and bustling Mylos working on various craft while unloading yet others. Her gaze then fell on her greeting party. Commander Gundar stood there alongside two other Mylos males and a human woman. She belatedly recognized the woman and the male clasping her to his side as Melissa and her mate, Junrig. Her heart plummeted and she felt lightheaded, stumbling as she took another step forward.

“ Gracious! ” She heard Melissa say. “ She looks like she thinks she ’ s seen a dead man walking. Honey, we ’ re just here to meet you so we can do that thing where victims and the person what did wrong get to chat face to face and hopefully finish reconciling in person. We ’ re not gonna bite you or nothing. ”

Marley stood still and lifted her head to take a measured look at Melissa. She could detect no guile upon her face though a look at Junrig told her all she needed to know about what would happen if she so much as thought about anything out of line. She turned her attention to the third male.

He was staring at her intently. She blinked. Was his skin about his neck and jawline changing color and texture? To her astonishment, it was. A delicate pearly rose gold sheen made an appearance as well as a faint scale like pattern. She remembered the blurry footage and hype about the crazed lizard man, dismissed as a cosplaying stunt. Obviously that had been untrue and it must have been Junrig as rumors had claimed. If so, does that mean this is Kranow?

Gundar watched the pair stare at each other intently. “ I ’ m sure you and Kranow would like to go to your quarters and get to know each other better, but we have things to discuss first. We ’ ll adjourn to the conference room I ’ ve had prepared and we ’ ll get that out of the way. Kranow here can take you home, afterwards. ”

Marley nodded, only half listening. She was busy drinking in Kranow. She didn ’ t know what had come over her. Is this what it was like for Maya? No wonder she happily flew off with him to other end of the universe. It ’ s as if lightning has struck or something. Oh my God, his eyes! The iridescent green shimmers like jewels. And he ’ s so tall, but not scrawny. He ’ s not big like a tree either. Just right. It ’ s as if the universe took my personal ideal fantasy man and made him to order. Her eyes fell upon his lips as he began to speak, “ I hope your journey was not unpleasant. Melissa and the Commander's wife and one of their friends helped me ready our new quarters. I hope you like the furnishings they chose. ” Marley hoped it included a big bed they could roll around in as she was ravaged by his mouth.

Gundar cleared his throat. “ This way, please. ” Marley startled, blushing as she realized by the way everyone was looking at her with amusement that not only had she been caught staring, but that she ’ d voiced that thought aloud. She turned a beet red, wishing she could sink into the decking.

Kranow proffered his hand, a gentle smirk quirking his mouth, and she took it as everyone followed behind the commander. Melissa leaned over as they walked and whispered, “ Oh, there ’ s definitely a bed and just wait until you see what these guys are packing. ”

Marley swallowed and slid her eyes down to Kranow ’ s trousers where she could make out the outline of … Oh my . Just great . Now she was going to sit through this meeting imagining what her mate had hidden under his pants, her own panties damp and no doubt able to be scented by the Mylos present. She giggled as Melissa waggled her eyebrows knowingly. Maybe this wouldn ’ t be so bad and things were going to work out after all, for everyone.