Page 24

“Awww.” So freaking sweet. I like this guy.

When Annora prompts for my story, I start my explanation with a long, “Uhhh . . .” How am I going to cop to the fact that Zoriss was a complete asshole to me until I fell down the cliff and almost died?

“I was completely contemptible to Lumina the whole time we were stuck at the bottom of the steep canyon,” Zoriss explains even though it puts him in a horrible light. “She saved my life more than once and gave me her body heat and I called her despicable and mocked her.”

“You mocked me?” I ask, offended. I knew he was scornful. I didn’t know he was insulting. Well, now that I recall his degrading tone of voice, I guess I did know.

“Relentlessly. I have no excuse.” He gives an almost imperceptible shrug, but doesn’t minimize his behavior.

“Well, in his defense,” I chime in, “my translator didn’t work, so I didn’t know what he was saying and he thought I just wanted him for his cock and his sperm.”

Annora gives a whoop of laughter. “Don’t you?” She leans over and gives Zorn a long kiss full of tongue.

“Umm . . . yeah?” I admit. “Although, regarding the sperm, the scientists haven’t figured out how to help human/Draalian embryos carry to term. I did a deep Internet search. They’re close, though.”

“So,” Annora peers at Zoriss, “something must have happened to change you from thinking she’s despicable to looking at her like you can’t wait to get to your own room so you can get it on.”

“I saw the error of my ways,” he explains. “It just took me a few days to get over my rage at being abducted and lying paralyzed but conscious for the three months we were in stasis. It was only then I could admit to myself how amazing this female is.”

“You were conscious the whole time?” Zorn asks, his eyes wide in disbelief. He can only stare at Zoriss with his mouth open as Zoriss gives a tight affirmative nod, a look of bitter suffering on his face.

I can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like. Mind going ninety miles an hour and unable to move? I’d be certifiably crazy, by the end of one month let alone three. What an amazingly strong male I have. The reasons for his anger and resentment become even more understandable.

We give a few more details about the past week including the horrid woman at the East-West Idaho motel, and then all the smiles fade from our faces.

“Not to bring a crashing end to the party, but the facts are clear,” I say.

“These guys are here illegally. We’ve looked into it, unless we were in line with a matchmaking service already, the guys can’t be matched with us.

They’d have to meet someone new who had already paid her fee and been vetted.

I guess the only choice we have is for them to choose another Earth female or for all of us to go back to their home planet.

I agreed that after we found you, I’d accompany Zoriss to Draal. ”

My heart squeezes. I’m the only family my mom has. I don’t want to leave her, or my veterinary practice. I may not be raking in the credits, but I love what I do and I’m an integral part of the community.

“Uh,” Annora’s face squeezes in pain. It must be how I look when I have to tell a pet-mom that it’s time to put her pet-kid to sleep. “I am in line.”

Zorn, Zoriss, and I whip our heads to stare at her.

“Yeah, the day my mom shoved me into our guest cottage, I’d just received word that I could begin attending mixers at the agency I’d applied to.

I’ll admit, Draalians weren’t on my list, but I think Zorn and I meet the criteria you just described.

Once we get Zorn registered at the Windy City facility, it will just be a formality for us to register as mates. ”

My face feels hot, as a pang of jealousy flies through me. Staring at the couple across from me, I want the best for them, I do. They’re obviously in love. But I want to stay on Earth with my guy too.

A long conversation ensues, with us discussing all the options. The brothers have a heart-to-heart about how they feel about being on different planets. One thing we all agree on is that the brothers can’t be separated. They both say they’ll feel like they lost a limb if they’re not together.

“My mom is feeling contrite. Well, more than that, she’s feeling guilty as hell,” Annora reveals.

“I mean, she imprisoned him in a cage and locked me in the cottage. Zorn’s decision not to press charges, and mom’s heartfelt regret, as well as her connections, mean she will not face prosecution.

I’m going to call her and see what she can do for you.

If strings can be pulled, she’s the one who can do it. ”

“I can connect her to the agency I used,” her mom offers as soon as Annora explains the situation over comms. “You know I’d do anything to make up for all the trouble I caused. I’ll contact you back as soon as I get through to them.”

Her mom, Grace, owns one of the largest sex toy companies in the world.

I guess money and power talk, because not half an hour later she calls back and tells us on speaker, “I talked to the CEO of Heavenly Matches, the service I used to purchase Zorn. Let me apologize again, I’m so sorry.

She runs a little off-the-books enterprise she reserves for her friends.

Her aunt is high up in the Repopulation Initiative and they work together to arrange paperwork for a select few who need mates fast.”

You can feel her excitement from a thousand miles away when she says, “My friend can slide you into her program seamlessly,” she announces. “The brothers will have legitimate papers and both you girls can step right up and choose them.”

I feel as if a million-pound weight is lifted from my shoulders. After letting out a happy squeal, I turn, squeeze Zoriss as tightly as I can, and kiss him. I can barely see. Tears of relief are flooding my eyes.

“For one-hundred thousand credits,” Grace adds.

My mouth flops open as my heart stutters in my chest.

“Thanks, Grace,” I manage to grit out. “Thanks so much for your effort.” My headache comes back with a vengeance and my eyes are so full of tears I can’t see at all. My elation turned to devastation in a heartbeat. “I could never come up with that amount of money.”

My mind is whirling with all the permutations of options for the four of us. If the clutchmates have to stay together, this leaves only one option—a one-way trip to Draal.

“I feel responsible for this whole mess,” Grace admits. “I’m a bit strapped for cash, what with the new factory in Parasack and paying the fee for Zorn. But I could come up with half.”

“Wow. How generous. Thank you, that’s so very kind, but I’m sorry, I couldn’t—”

“Yes. You can accept. I, for one, don’t want to go to Draal, and we can’t separate the clutchmates,” Annora says. “So I have a stake in getting you two legally mated. I can pitch in twenty-five thousand. Can you come up with the other twenty-five?”

“I—” I almost refuse again. I don’t like taking charity, and that’s what this is. I could never pay them back.

As if she read my mind, Annora says, “It would be a gift, not a loan. I want you two to be happy, and I want the guys to stay together. And I like Earth and don’t want to leave. So, can you, Lumina? Can you come up with twenty-five thousand?”

Can I? I think out loud, “I have around thirteen thousand in my savings.”

“She was saving for a Draalian,” Zoriss says with a warm smile on his face. “She says it was her fondest desire.” He shakes his head sadly when he says, “I have nothing to add. Zorn and I spent our income paying off family for the money they loaned us toward mom’s medical treatment.”

It makes me sad to think his society doesn’t have free healthcare for everyone.

“Okay,” Annora says in an enthusiastic cheerleader voice. “You need twelve grand. Can you do it?”

My mind starts working like the world’s fastest computer. Mom has nothing, but the city of Crentin loves me. I’ve been saving pet lives, making house calls, and doing favors for people there my whole life.

“We were in that isolated cave for a while. What day is it?”

“October 29.”

“I have an idea.” I pause a moment, as all of a sudden everything falls into place. Can I do it? I look at my Zoriss. He offered to leave everything he’s ever known to stay on Earth with me. Can I find twelve grand?

“We’re going to get a good night’s sleep,” I inform everyone as I stand and pull Zoriss out of the chair. “You two go back to Windy City. I’ll let you know by midnight on the 31st if I’ve come up with the credits. Come on, babe. We’ve got a lot to do.”

~.~

It’s been a whirlwind since Zoriss and I left Annora and Zorn’s room in that motel two days ago. They’re hovering back to Windy City, and we’re pulling into my hometown of Crentin.

Most towns gave up the practice of celebrating Halloween decades ago.

There were dark times when AD-90 hit, and a lot of simple joys went by the wayside.

It just seemed disrespectful, after 99.9% of the men on the planet died in the same year, to celebrate anything, especially something so frivolous as an old pagan holiday.

Eventually, we all pulled up our big girl panties and restructured the planet as well as our lives.

Despite the lack of men, women decided to make the best of the untenable situation.

My hometown of Crentin didn’t celebrate the festival back in the dark times, but eventually we reclaimed the celebration—with a vengeance.

The town is small, with just over a thousand hearty inhabitants. The surrounding area, including farms and ranches, brings the population to more than double that, and everyone comes to town for the Halloween parade and fair.

I’d already paid for my booth like I do every year. Everyone in the area knows who I am. I’m the only vet for miles, but it’s good P.R. and, as my mentor taught me, “it’s the cost of doing business.”