Page 5 of Saved By My Alien Husband

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DELPHINE

T hunderous sounds erupted through the air, shaking the dome, as Haven's ship landed outside our self-imposed containment. The ground seemed to vibrate, reaching my feet even though I must be at least a mile from them.

If the protectors weren't there yet, they would be soon, and I needed to beat them to it. The protectors were led by the Organization, the group of people that decided our rules and communicated with the other domes. I called them “other domes,” but I think some of the other continents made homes in caves and in mountain passes where there was less exposure to the elements. Everyone made do with what was left of the world.

The saviors that were put on protector duty didn't have many tasks, it was usually a role for the hardcore believers that didn't have as much scientific skill, or people that followed orders well. When the planet's inevitable destruction became apparent, conflicts arose and our armies were occupied with resource conservation. Now, the only threat was the world itself. There weren't enough people left for us to actually worry about fighting them.

Daryl was one of those believers that took the job seriously. I wrinkled my nose, not wanting to think about him now. Hopefully, he wasn't one of the people rushing to save us now. Wow, he would certainly be surprised when I jumped onto that ship and said goodbye to our planet.

“Where would Haven try to enter?” I thought aloud to myself, head spinning as I tried to make a few quick decisions. “There is that one entry point near the west...”

The announcement continued in the background, a murmur I barely heard over the rush of adrenaline.

Shaking my head, I pushed the thought away. That entrance was too far to run with my lack of physical skill, but I could steal a vehicle. Desperation fueling my steps, I turned and hurried back toward the opening of the garden atrium, heart pounding. Spotting the small open-air cars, I hopped in. Did I know how to use it? No , but how hard can it be?

I pressed the start button, grateful that we had gotten rid of the wasteful keys I learned about in history class, and then pressed the release button that pushed the car forward. Everything was buttons now.

See, this is easy , I assured myself. Now, how could I force it to go faster than the programmed slow crawl that was permitted along the pathways? I steered it down the path, knuckles white on the wheel with impatience. If I don't pick up the pace, I'll get arrested before Haven can find me. I glanced around for the emergency acceleration. Meeting my alien husband was definitely an emergency.

“Yes!” I screamed triumphantly, finding the latch under the seat and pulling it up. The car squealed into life, tripling in speed. Along with it came a siren, meant to prevent anyone from actually using the emergency speed when it wasn't an emergency. Thankfully, everyone was hiding from aliens at the moment, and there was only me on the road.

Note to self, there are two speeds. One, slow. Two, fast. The world blurred around me and I turned the wheel to avoid objects, intent on getting to my destination.

“I'm almost there, Haven,” I said, spotting my destination.

“Stop, what are you doing?” one of the protectors yelled as he and others stepped out from the paths. I curved around them, clipping someone on the leg. They yelled and fell back. Someone punched the keypad that opened the door. People with guns lined up, ready to march toward my love. I begged the dying stars as I sped past the people that supposedly kept us safe from who knows what, I have to get to Haven first.

“Stop!” they screamed. I did not care. They hadn't been smart enough to get a car. What were they going to do, walk up to the aliens and ask them nicely to leave?

I closed my eyes as I zoomed past them and out of the dome. Real air hit me for the first time in my life, no longer was it recycled or stale. Instead, it smelt of old charr. I didn't know I'd be crossing this off my bucket list today. If I weren't trying to race the protectors to get to my alien best friend first, I would have probably cried or had an emotional moment about it.

The car stalled and stopped at the end of the path that led up to the dome and my body shot forward. I barely held onto the 3D printed edges, palms stinging as I kept myself from falling out of the front of the car. It must be connected to the dome somehow, running on power through the floors. No wonder the protectors didn't get one, I'm the only idiot here that didn't know that.

Not thinking, I jumped out and ran towards the black ship, feet sinking and almost tripping in the sand. The army men were not far behind, but they didn't have the motivation I did.

“Haven,” I yelled to the spacecraft, waving my hands in the air. My legs pumped faster, pushing me into an exertion fueled fully by adrenaline, not skill, and I got closer to my target.

From far away, I could see a bright thin light on the surface of the black sphere. It grew until there was an outline of a door. I willed myself to run faster, losing all breath, sweat and tears falling down my face.

“Are you insane?” a familiar voice asked from behind me. My arms were wrenched back, and I fell backward into a solid chest. I screamed and turned, finding Daryl behind me and an army of protectors rushing forward.

I had to get away from him and into that ship. Hopefully, no sun-bands were going to come through in the next hour. The weather events beat at the dome at an increasing rate each year and we had no hope of repairing any of the damages.

“They could be dangerous,” he said, holding me still. His breath was hot against my ear.

“You don't understand,” I pleaded, my voice cracking. I fought against his iron grip, my desperation growing. “I know them.”

“What?” he asked, incredulous. Disbelief and a hint of betrayal flicked across his features. “How?”

“Let go of my wife, if you want your species to survive,” a booming voice said from the ship. Anticipation flooded my body. It was him. It was really him.

Daryl let me go but walked to stand in front of me, his arm outstretched as if he could be a barricade. “What the fuck is this, Delphine?” he yelled over his shoulder, the accusation clear.

I ignored him, focused instead on a figure running toward us. Connected to the spherical ship, his voice was amplified. Haven.

“I'm coming, princess,” Haven said, the honeyed timbre of his voice echoing around me. He was a lot faster than me, like a blur of sand in the wind, his body leaning forward as if his arms were begging to touch the ground and pounce.

I ran to meet him in the middle, pushing past Daryl, laughing and crying simultaneously. Daryl didn't stop me this time, either letting me have my insane moment or being too shocked to move, I don't know.

When Haven and I collided, I felt an intense relief that I knew I’d never feel again. His powerful arms enveloped me and I melted against him. My home. My Haven. He was real.

“You're real,” I said with a sob. His greenish-gray face leaned into my neck and he inhaled, taking in my scent. I smiled despite my tears, fingers clinging to the fabric of his shirt.

Haven tapped a device in his ear and it beeped. When he spoke next, it was without the connection of the ship's speaker. He spoke only to me.

“Not this again,” Haven said as he stroked my hair. “I thought you let go of that idea years ago.”

“I was lying,” I said with a sob, holding him close as the admission spilled from my lips. “I thought my therapist was right and that I made you up because of an unhealthy obsession with my cat. But it made you upset when I said that, so I just pretended that I believed you.” My voice wavered as I spoke, the relief and fear finally coming free.

He's real. He's here. He really was coming for me this whole time.

He dipped his head to kiss me lightly. “I assure you I'm real, princess.”

I stopped breathing, my mind and heart accepting the truth, while my body slowly got the memo.

“You are such a kind person, princess,” Haven said when he pulled back a second later. “You thought I was imaginary and yet you didn't want to offend me?” He leaned back to stare into my face, smiling as his sparkling, deep eyes penetrated me.

“I'm only nice to you, I promise,” I said with a solemn nod.

“I count myself a lucky man. Now, did you need to create such a scene?” He gestured with his head to the people behind me. Peeking back, I saw Daryl and Michael at the front, eyes wide as they took me and my alien in. Other protectors lingered behind them, but I didn't recognize many of their faces. Together, they were a mosaic of shock, fear, and curiosity.

“I was over-eager.” How could I not have been? “Plus, they'd have freaked out either way.”

“Probably,” he lamented. His eyes crinkled with a mixture of affection and understanding.

Thankfully, this world and its shitty people are not my problem anymore. My confident alien husband can deal with them. Husband , I reminded myself. He really was serious about that kiss, sealing our commitment to each other. He was my best friend, now confirmed real and live, and my husband .

“Alright, let's pick up my cat and get out of here,” I said, nodding. I pulled back from our embrace and took his hand, intent on walking back into the dome and walking back out within twenty minutes.

“Yes, we'll get Parvati. But we also need all the other cats,” he said matter-of-factly, hand squeezing mine.

“You can’t steal all the cats, Haven,” I said. That was a weird plan. Did I miss something here?

“You were right about one thing; you are obsessed with cats. Cats are our genetic relation, like how you are related to monkeys. We came to save the cats. Do you have any monkeys you want me to save too, while I'm here?” He was so considerate and weird to ask.

My mouth opened and closed like the fishes they keep in the farming dome. “The monkeys are dead,” I said in bewilderment.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” he said, his lips drawn into a line. He seemed genuinely remorseful over the idea of my genetic ancestor not being here, like his was.

“Why haven't you ever mentioned that you are related to cats? And that your mission was cats ? I could have helped, rounded them up or something,” I said shrilly, voice a mix of exasperation and disbelief. That would have been the best assignment, actually. But I do not know where I'd have hidden all the ones I'd caught until he got here.

“Until a few minutes ago, you thought I was in your head. Would adding more mileage to the cat theory have helped or hurt that belief? Would you have actually helped with the cats or just lied about it?” he asked with an eyebrow lift. While he was disagreeing with me, it was done gently, with a hint of amusement. I could appreciate that.

“Okay, I see your point.” Damn, he knew me well.

“Your Highness, we have to greet the humans before the situation escalates further,” a voice said from behind us. Turning, I recognized the face as one of the older aliens that would often interrupt Haven and me to go to meetings. I was so engrossed in my happiness that I forgot we had an audience of more than one species around us.

If Haven is real, that means I’m actually married to a prince.

I’ll be queen one day.

Oh.