Page 4 of Lorrd: Intergalactic Dating Agency (Vaxxlian Alien Mail Order Brides Book 8)

Lorrd navigated his Vaxxlian cruiser toward the small town of Hillsboro, which was nestled in the eastern region of the United States, in a state called Virginia.

He’d traveled from New Vaxx to Earth alongside Balarr and Warrin, each piloting their own ship. But shortly after arriving on the humans’ homeworld, they had split up to go their separate ways. Balarr’s assigned mate lived in Colorado, while Warrin’s female resided in Tennessee.

Frowning at the radar screen, which revealed multiple areas of war and unrest across the United States, he hoped his friends wouldn’t run into any trouble as they retrieved their brides.

As Lorrd completed the approach to Hillsboro, he began to wonder if his assigned mate—a nineteen-year-old human female named Wren—had enrolled in the VAMOB program because she was living in a dangerous location.

Perhaps she was desperate to escape her home planet due to the threat of war.

The radar screen displayed multiple zones of conflict surrounding Hillsboro, though thankfully, there was no active fighting within the town itself.

Hillsboro finally came into sight through the bridge’s viewport, and Lorrd rose to his feet, peering down at the small town.

The houses and other buildings were tiny by Vaxxlian standards, but their varied colors gave the place a picturesque charm.

It was a sharp contrast to Starzzia, where nearly all structures were built with uniform white stone.

In the distance, Lorrd saw evidence of the fighting he’d detected on the radar screen.

Plumes of smoke rose above the trees, blackening the sky and obscuring the early morning sun.

Military-style human aircraft also patrolled the skies.

Thankfully, none dared to approach his ship as he continued the descent to Hillsboro.

Not that he could blame them—Vaxxlian technology was far superior to that of the humans.

With just the push of a few buttons, he could easily decimate every human vessel in the vicinity.

He landed his Vaxxlian cruiser, the Kerrla , in a grassy area behind a bakery.

According to the information Wren had provided on her VAMOB application, she resided in this building, though he found it odd that she would live in a bakery.

Perhaps it was a family-owned business, and she stayed in a small room at the back, or maybe she slept on the second floor.

In any case, she wouldn’t remain here much longer.

He planned to take her back to New Vaxx immediately.

After attaching a blaster to his waistband, he powered down his ship. He called out a verbal command to lower the boarding ramp, then stepped out into the cool air. Once he’d finished disembarking, he issued another command, and the ramp folded neatly back into the ship.

He eyed the bakery, debating whether to walk around to the front entrance or knock on the back door. He glanced at the windows, but all were obscured with curtains. However, in one second-floor window, he thought he caught a glimpse of dark brown eyes. His heart quickened.

Was his little bride watching him?

Did she like what she saw?

His arms suddenly felt empty, and a wave of self-consciousness swept over him.

Why hadn’t he brought Wren a present? He thought of the gift shops in Starzzia—many of them owned and operated by human females who had mated with Vaxxlian warriors—and wished he’d thought ahead and purchased a bouquet of flowers, some jewelry, or a small trinket.

Fluxx . He bit back another curse.

Had Balarr and Warrin already met their mates? He couldn’t help but wonder. Perhaps his friends had finished retrieving their brides and were already on their way back to New Vaxx.

Suppressing a growl, he opted for the front entrance.

As he walked around the building, he glimpsed several armed human males standing across the street.

All six males had their eyes locked on the bakery, and it left him with an uneasy feeling.

Hopefully, they would notice the blaster affixed to his hip and decide to stay away.

He stepped onto the bakery’s porch and looked for a button near the door. Finding one, he pressed it, and a melodious chime echoed inside the house.

The door creaked open, revealing the scowling face of an elderly man. But as soon as the man met Lorrd’s gaze, his expression softened. He stepped back and flung the door open wide. “Welcome, my otherworldly friend! Please hurry inside before those scoundrels across the street try to get in.”

Lorrd slipped through the doorway, which was no small feat given his massive size compared to most humans. He immediately noticed the elderly man was gripping an archaic weapon of some kind. The man slammed the door shut and locked it with frantic efficiency.

Clearly, the armed men across the street posed a problem. If they were bothering Wren’s family, he resolved that he would deal with them before he brought her back to New Vaxx.

He turned and scanned the small room… until he met the same dark brown eyes he’d glimpsed through the upstairs window.

Wren. It had to be her.

Star God, she was breathtakingly beautiful. She had long black tresses, a warm brown complexion, and the tiniest, most adorable nose he’d ever seen on a female.

How strange. He’d never considered noses to be cute. Yet now, he felt an overwhelming urge to gather her in his arms and nuzzle his nose to hers.

But her eyes. They were her most striking feature of all. Deep brown, utterly soulful, and difficult to look away from. His mouth went dry. For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

At last, he managed, “Hello, Wren. I am your assigned mate, Lorrd, and I am pleased to meet you.” Remembering that his bride didn’t speak Galactic Common, he used English, an Earth language he was grateful to have taught himself after the war, a hobby he’d taken up with Warrin and Balarr.

The man who’d opened the door moved to stand next to an elderly woman Lorrd hadn’t noticed until now, and he realized they must be husband and wife. Perhaps they were Wren’s grandparents.

But Lorrd’s attention was focused on Wren.

Lovely, petite, trembling Wren.

Why was she shaking?

Wasn’t she happy to meet him? Doubts crept into his mind. Perhaps he’d made a mistake. Maybe he shouldn’t have let Warrin—and Balarr, to a lesser extent—talk him into signing up for the VAMOB program and coming to Earth.

What would he do if Wren rejected him?

A blast sounded in the distance, and the building quaked. Wren and the elderly woman gasped, while the man simply cursed and mumbled something about ‘power-hungry rebels.’

Lorrd growled and lifted his wrist comm, issuing a verbal command to display a 3D holographic image of the radar screen from his ship. A new area of conflict had appeared to the south, though thankfully, it wasn’t close enough to Hillsboro to pose an immediate threat.

“Don’t be frightened.” He lowered his wrist, and the 3D holographic image vanished. “The fighting isn’t very close. I am certain we will be able to depart this town—and Earth entirely—before the conflict reaches this area.”

Wren’s expression darkened, and she cast a glance at the elderly man and woman.

Then Lorrd experienced a stab of guilt. How could he, in good conscience, abandon Wren’s family to the misery and chaos of war?

The archaic weapon in the elderly man’s hands would be no match for the so-called “power-hungry rebels” who had shaken the ground, or for the armed males across the street.

But what was Lorrd supposed to do? Was he really supposed to offer safe passage to this elderly couple and bring them back to New Vaxx?

He frowned at the thought of hosting unexpected guests in his home.

Yet when he gazed into his mate’s bottomless brown eyes, he couldn’t imagine leaving anyone behind that she cared about… not on a failing planet.

Though Wren hadn’t yet spoken to him—perhaps she was shocked by his sudden arrival, or maybe she was shaken by the nearby fighting—he reached a decision.

He would take the whole town of Hillsboro back to New Vaxx if that was what it would take.

If only she would agree to become his mate and return to Starzzia with him.

If only she would speak to him.

If only she would say his name.

What he wouldn’t give to hear her voice. He imagined it would be soft, sweet, and maybe even musical.

“Pack your things if you haven’t already,” he said in a commanding tone as he stood taller, unable to help falling back into the habit of taking charge during times of battle—never mind that a battle wasn’t taking place in Hillsboro…

yet. “All three of you. I’d like to leave for New Vaxx immediately. ”