Page 17 of Lorrd: Intergalactic Dating Agency (Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides Book 8)

Wren huddled in a darkened corner of what she assumed was a spaceship’s cargo bay, awash in cold fear. There were large storage containers everywhere, and it was so frigid that she could see her breath in the dim light.

Did Lorrd know where she was?

He’d outfitted the Kerrla with an invisibility shield and masked his ship’s signature, so she worried about the advanced resources and technology the person—or persons—who’d taken her might possess.

Lorrd hadn’t seen the enemy ship coming, and neither had she.

The shudder to his ship, which she assumed was the result of weapons fire, had taken him by surprise.

Before she’d had a chance to ask what was happening, she’d suddenly felt faint, and then she’d just appeared— appeared —in the darkened cargo bay of a strange ship.

She missed Lorrd, and she hoped he didn’t get hurt as he tried to rescue her. She assumed he would try to find her and save her, but she couldn’t help worry that he might have trouble locating her. If her kidnappers had more powerful technology than her Vaxxlian mate, she might never see him again.

Tears blurred her vision at the thought.

But she blinked rapidly and tried to summon bravery.

Whoever had taken her, she didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

She wanted to be brave. She reminded herself that it had taken bravery to plan her escape from Harmony and then execute it.

It had also taken bravery to sign up for the Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides program.

I’m not a coward. I’m strong. I can persevere.

But the pep talk didn’t quite work, and when she heard footsteps echoing in the cargo bay, her stomach plunged to the floor.

She wasn’t alone.

Rather than keep cowering in the corner, she rose to her feet and stood with her hands fisted at her sides. She squinted into the darkness, trying to make out the form of the tall male who was approaching her.

Finally, a familiar face emerged in the darkness.

Her guts turned to water.

It was the Prophet, and he was holding handcuffs.

“There’s my errant bride,” he said with a cackle.

All her suspicions and the recent creepiness he’d projected toward her came rushing back. But… how ? How could he or anyone from Harmony have the one hundred thousand galactic credits needed to pay off Poseidon?

“I’m not your bride.” She lifted her chin and summoned an air of defiance she’d never dared reveal in his presence until now.

“I am mated to a Vaxxlian warrior named Lorrd. We have fully consummated our mating union, and I intend to live with him on New Vaxx. In case you weren’t aware, Vaxxlians mate for life. ”

His features twisted with disgust, and he paused a few feet away from her.

He also seemed to notice her attire for the first time—Lorrd’s black shirt that reached her knees—and his scowl deepened.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re still going to be mine.

I already made the arrangements with your father, and he was planning to tell you soon.

This Lorrd of yours will have to find another human female willing to warm his bed.

Your place is in Harmony. As my bride. Of course, you’ll have to be punished for leaving.

But if you repent and beg for forgiveness, I might show you some leniency—a month of shunning rather than a full year, no hard labor, and only a week wearing the Shroud of Disgrace. How does that sound to you, Wren?”

His words repulsed her. She wished Lorrd were here.

If he were in the cargo bay with her, she wouldn’t be so afraid.

Despite her fear, however, she kept her chin lifted high and she tried to maintain that air of defiance she’d summoned moments ago.

She thought of how meek and compliant his last wife had been.

Perhaps if the Prophet believed she was too rebellious, he wouldn’t want her anymore.

“It sounds unacceptable,” she finally replied. “I refuse to become your wife, and I demand that you return me to my mate. Immediately.”

“I have no intention of returning you to that Vaxxlian scum of yours. That demon.”

“Lorrd is not a demon. Aliens aren’t demons,” she said, and God, it felt good to openly defy his teachings.

“They’re individuals just like you and me.

I care about Lorrd, and he cares for me, and we want to be together.

We will be together. Any second now, and my mate will attack your ship.

He’s a highly intelligent engineer and a strong warrior.

You won’t stand a chance against him.” She hoped she wasn’t bluffing.

Yes, Lorrd was a highly intelligent engineer and a strong warrior, but if he wasn’t able to track her location, she might be doomed regardless.

She reminded herself that at least he knew where Harmony was. Eventually, he would find her. Unless the Prophet decided to hide her somewhere else until he believed Lorrd had given up searching for her. This thought caused her stomach to twist further.

A cruel smile spread across the Prophet’s face. “Your mate will never find you.” He scoffed. “Until Poseidon has dealt with your mate—by killing him—I will keep you hidden.”

Poseidon . How the hell could he afford to pay the planetary broadcast system to do his dirty work?

Worry for Lorrd made her feel sick. She would be heartbroken if she never saw him again. She would also be devastated if anything happened to him. She prayed the Prophet’s nefarious plans would fail.

“How did you pay Poseidon in the first place?” she asked. “I know you sent them one hundred thousand galactic credits. I know that not long after you paid them, they infected Lorrd’s ship with a virus to keep him from leaving Earth with me. Where did you get that kind of money?”

He paled a bit, and his eyes slowly widened with shock.

“How did you know about that?” he eventually snapped.

“My mate. He figured it out.” She smirked at him, and she didn’t believe he would answer her questions, but she was surprised when he did. But she should’ve known he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to gloat.

His lips twisted with another cruel smile, and icy dread swept through her.

“Very well. You want to know where I got the money?” He laughed.

“My followers. Every household who joins the Order of Harmony must sell most of their belongings first, then turn all their assets over to the compound. Your parents did it. Furthermore, the residents of Harmony who have remote jobs—like your father who still works for that accounting firm—must turn over their salary directly to the compound. The money adds up, and when I really need to track a runaway down, I’m always able to do so.

Some runaways aren’t worth chasing. But you are.

As I’ve already said, I intend to take you as my bride. You should be honored.”

Disgust rolled through Wren. What fools her parents had been to give everything to a man like the Prophet, a man who used the funds for his own selfish needs—like trying to acquire a bride who wanted nothing to do with him.

She was young enough to be his granddaughter, for goodness’ sake.

And her parents? How dare they agree to hand her over to the Prophet?

Wren opened her mouth, ready to offer a sharp-tongued retort, when the air to her left shimmered… and a familiar Vaxxlian warrior appeared.

Lorrd .

He’d found her!

He’d come for her.

Just as she’d known he would.

He immediately pointed a blaster at the Prophet. Then he glanced over at her, his gaze sweeping up and down her body in a frantic manner, his eyes flashing with concern.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, offering him a small smile. The relief rushing through her was so profound, she almost had to take a seat on the cold floor of the cargo bay.

“This is outrageous!” The Prophet screamed. “You don’t have the authorization to board this vessel. When I tell the captain what you’ve done?—”

Lorrd suddenly released a thunderous roar and charged at the Prophet. But rather than shoot the evil man with his blaster, he slammed it into the side of his skull.

Wren covered a gasp as she watched her mate violently drag the Prophet—who was flailing piteously—behind one of the large storage containers.

It happened fast. She heard another thump, as though Lorrd had struck the Prophet with his blaster again, followed by a sickening choking noise. Then… deathly silence.

Lorrd emerged from behind the storage container, his expression grave. But when his eyes met hers, his visage softened, and he rushed to her and took her in his arms.

“I promise I’m fine,” she said. “He didn’t touch me. You got here in time.”

“Wren, I am so happy to have you back in my arms. Where you belong.” He leaned down and nuzzled his nose to hers, his sudden tenderness a sharp contrast to the violence he’d just inflicted on the Prophet.

She took comfort in his gentle embrace.

“That was the Prophet, in case you hadn’t already figured it out.

Apparently, my father agreed that I would become his wife soon, and he was angry that I fled the compound.

He wanted me back. The Prophet also confessed to using money that was basically stolen from his followers to pay off Poseidon.

He told me he claimed all their assets when they joined the Order of Harmony.

Well, I’d always known he claimed the assets of new followers, but it had never occurred to me just how much money that would be. ”

“I am sorry he was able to take you.”

“How did you manage to find me? I’m assuming this ship was cloaked.”

Lorrd stroked her hair and placed a kiss on her forehead. She melted at the tenderness he was showing her. Tears burned in her eyes—she was that happy to see him.

“Before I injected you with the healing nanobots, I placed a unique marker on the nanobots that would allow me to track you if I ever needed to.” He appeared a bit uncomfortable—sheepish, even—as he made the confession.

Wren paused for a moment and considered all he’d just told her. To her surprise, she wasn’t upset by his actions. In the end, his foresight had helped him rescue her from the clutches of the Prophet.

“I suppose it’s a good thing that I trust you with my life, Lorrd—and that I happen to like you quite a lot—otherwise, I would be upset that you had the ability to track me.” She infused her voice with mild humor, and relief bloomed in her chest as the tension eased from his expression.

“Thank you for being understanding, little star.” He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers.

“So… how will we get out of here?” Wren asked. “Will I be able to beam back to your ship with you? Or will you have to take control of the bridge of this Poseidon ship?”

“I can beam us both back to the Kerrla . In fact, I think it’s time we leave this place behind.” Lorrd lifted his wrist comm and issued the command.

Within moments, Wren found herself back on the bridge of Lorrd’s ship. He guided her to the main console, took a seat, and drew her down into his lap.

As he navigated away from the ship that belonged to Poseidon, she nestled her face against his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart.

A flash in the viewport caught her attention—a beam of red shooting outward from the Kerrla —and then Poseidon’s ship suddenly became visible… only to be obliterated moments later in a massive fireball.

She exchanged a look with Lorrd but said nothing. He had sworn to protect her, and she supposed that meant killing anyone who tried to cause her harm. He was a fierce Vaxxlian warrior, yet with her, he was nothing but gentle.

“Thank you, Lorrd.” Wren traced the stubble on his face, and he leaned into her touch. “Thank you for rescuing me.” A tear cascaded down her cheek, but he was quick to wipe it away. She couldn’t help the emotion that was rising in her chest. He’d risked his ship and his life to save her.

His green eyes beamed with affection. “You’re my mate, Wren, my little star, and though we haven’t known one another for long, I already harbor boundless tenderness for you in my heart. I cannot imagine us ever being parted. Never forget—you are mine, and I am yours.”

Just as she glimpsed the swirling glow of the Eshunna Passage in her peripheral vision, he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her soundly.

They made love on the floor of the bridge, over and over again, while the Kerrla continued its approach to New Vaxx.

Eventually, Lorrd gathered her on his lap, and they peered out the main viewport as a blue-green planet appeared against a radiant backdrop of stars.

“There it is. New Vaxx.” He kissed her cheek, gently smoothed a hand through her tousled hair, and pulled her closer. “Welcome home, my sweet mate. Welcome home.”