The Gorison Traveler Incident (Veslor Mates #1) Read online

  “No. I was really careful to avoid getting pregnant. I was on the shot while on Earth.”

  He breathed out in relief. “Good.”

  “I also wouldn’t have left the Gorison Traveler without my child if I had one. You’d have picked us both up floating in space. I’m never going to be like my mother.”

  He remembered. “You are an extraordinary female, Vivian. It’s her loss.”

  “Thanks.” She scooted closer and he opened his arms. She curled into him, letting him hold her.

  He felt happy. His mate enjoyed his touch. They may never have cubs but she was more than enough. He nuzzled her head. “I should get some work in. The males have covered for me to give us time to bond. How would you like to learn what I do?”

  She lifted her face to peer at him, smiling. “I’d love that! Maybe you can teach me how to do something useful around here to pull my weight.”

  He thought about it and understood her need to do so. “You are very useful already. You’re my mate. You make me happy.”

  “I’m happy too. I’d still like to find something to do on your ship.”

  “You could make those announcements. Many males would like to learn about your females. Especially after they hear that we’ve mated.”

  “Are you going to tell them?”

  He nodded. “I will register our mating with my home world. We all do. Our king will be notified, too, since I need to report what happened with your vessel. We’re required to do that when we have any contact with another alien race.”

  “Are you sure your people are going to be okay with us?”

  “Certain.” He nuzzled her head again. “They will be happy for us.”

  “I’ll stop worrying then.” She uncurled from him and stood. “Show me your ship and let’s find me a job.”

  He rose to his feet and took her hand. “Just stay close to me. That’s more than enough.”

  He meant it. Being near Vivian and looking at her made him happy and content. Having a mate was the best thing ever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Vivian typed in the last sentence and read over what she’d written. She’d chosen report format, the way the cultural center requested. It was how she was trained to assess aliens and record information. Only now she wasn’t sending it back to Earth, and the topic was about human women.

  The doors behind her opened and she turned, smiling at Brassi. He checked on her often when she spent time on the computer in his office. He had a small one off the common room. He held a snack and a drink.

  “You’ve been in here for hours.” He placed the plate and cup down, moving behind her to stare at the screen. “I can’t read it.”

  “I have to translate it into your language, and then you can read it over.” She looked up at him. “I’m nervous.”

  He leaned down and nuzzled her head. She smiled, loving that he did that often, along with giving her kisses.

  There was no doubt she was already madly in love with Brassi. The words hadn’t been said but they weren’t needed. She knew he felt the same for her.

  “How did inventory go?”

  He sat on the edge of the desk. “Nothing is missing. It never is. We just do it out of habit before we land or dock to offload.”

  “Better to be safe than sorry. What’s the cargo again?”

  “We traveled to that out-of-the-way planet to buy seeds for a growing colony. That’s why we were in your part of space when we heard your distress signal. This colony we’re approaching asked us to gain them various samples. We have hundreds of crates of seeds.”

  “Did they pay you well?”

  He grinned. “Yes, and I found a mate. Best trip so far.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  He glanced at her screen. “How did your announcement turn out?”

  “I basically went over how we met and mated.”

  He frowned.

  “I didn’t go into many details. Just introduced myself, gave the basic rundown of us meeting, and the attraction we felt. I explained some of our physical differences and how we mated. I made it clear human women wouldn’t be wrestling with your males to show sexual interest.”

  “I look forward to reading it.”

  “You can veto anything I put in there, and I’ll fix it.”

  “Veto?”

  “Change it. Take it out.” She picked up what looked similar to a sushi roll and popped it into her mouth. It wasn’t raw fish. Just rounded white rice-like cakes with some kind of cooked meat in the center. They seemed fried, and were very tasty. “Are you sure anyone on your planet will want to read this?”

  He nodded. “Not only our planet, but our growing colonies. Every male in space will want to read it, too, and learn about your females, since we’re compatible.”

  She grinned. “Very compatible, and often.”

  He chuckled. “We work.”

  “Yes, we do. I wish I could write something like this for Earth, to let our women know what they’re missing out on, to encourage them to mate with Veslors. But we haven’t heard from Abby.” Her good mood faded. “So for all I know, Earth has an arrest warrant out for me. It’s only been three weeks since you picked me up. The investigation may not have even started yet.”

  He slid off the desk and surprised her by scooping her out of the chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “They are stupid if they decide you did anything wrong. They won’t arrest you regardless. We can avoid any Earth allies, if that’s so.”

  “You want to open trade negotiations with United Earth.”

  “For my people. I won’t risk you, mate. We’ve done great without them so far. We’ll continue to do so.”

  “What if your king makes alliances with Earth and they order me turned over to them?”

  “I told you that it won’t happen. I sent in my report, and even spoke to my king.”

  “I know. You said he was glad that we’d mated, and I’m considered a Veslor now. Earth can put a lot of pressure on others, though. They’re really good at that.”

  “Stop worrying.” He carried her toward the door. “You need to not think.”

  She grinned. “You just want me naked.”

  “Always. Work is done. Now we bond in our quarters.”

  They were in the lift when nausea hit her suddenly. She wiggled. “Put me down!”

  Brassi lowered her, and she put her hand over her mouth, trying to breathe through her nose and fight the urge to be sick. The lift stopped and opened. She rushed out and found a trash panel, yanking it open. She quickly lost the meager contents of her stomach.

  Brassi gently held her until she was done. He snarled, rubbing her back. “That’s the third time it’s happened. We’re going to see Vassi, now.”

  She shook her head. “No. It’s just me adjusting to your food. I guess those round meat things are out. Just like that chili-like stuff I ate the other night that made me throw up. It guess it was too spicy.”

  “You’ve eaten that meat before and weren’t sick. I’m taking you to Vassi.”

  “I’m fine, Brassi. Food adjustments. That’s all. I had the same thing happen when I went to Earth at first. I wasn’t used to eating that much real meat. Most of the stuff on fleet vessels are plant-based and just flavored to taste like meat.”

  He scooped her up and turned them, entering the lift again. She kept her face averted, since she figured her breath would be bad. He got off on the next level and carried her to his brother’s door, chiming to get in.

  It opened, and Vassi stood there in just shorts. “Meet us in medical.” Brassi strode away, down the hallway to the exam room. He carried her inside and put her on the bed.

  She slid off it and went to the sink, opening one of the drawers beside it until she found what she was looking for. It had been a glorious day when she’d discovered Veslors had toothbrushes and toothpaste. Vassi kept paired packets of them in the exam room. She brushed her teeth and cleaned her mouth.

  The door opened, and she turn