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

  He nuzzled her. “You were enough. This cub is the best surprise.”

  “I know. I feel the same way. I just hope I can be a good mom to a Veslor.”

  “You’re a perfect mate. You’ll be the perfect mother.”

  “Do we need to buy a bigger ship?” She feared he’d say yes, and it would be a financial burden.

  “No. We have storage space we can convert next door.”

  She sighed in relief. “Good. How do you think everyone is going to respond?”

  “They will be thrilled. Everyone loves a cub.”

  She relaxed. “Even Nessel?”

  He chuckled deeply. “He’ll grumble…but you watch. He’ll spoil our cub the most when he thinks no one is looking.”

  Epilogue

  Three months later

  “Vivian!”

  She startled and lifted her head from the data pad she was studying. Veslor language was hard to learn, but she was doing it slowly.

  Kavs rushed into the common room, out of breath.

  “What’s wrong?” She was on her feet in a heartbeat.

  “Come to the bridge. There’s an incoming message.”

  “From your planet?”

  “For you.”

  She felt stunned but then rushed toward him. “From who?”

  He snagged her hand and pulled her along, toward the front of the ship. She saw the others inside once they entered the bridge, including her mate. He sat behind the coms seat with their son cuddled in his sling-like carrier against his bare chest. She approached him and put her hands on his warm shoulders.

  She glanced down at their sleeping cub. They’d named him Klad, after Brassi’s grandfather. He was the cutest alien panther baby ever. Within a year, he’d start shifting and learn how to stay in his more human-like relaxed state. Until then, she was the mother of a cub. It didn’t bother her one bit.

  Brassi reached up and gripped her hand on his shoulder, and she lifted her gaze to his. His golden stare always made her feel loved. “It’s Abby.”

  Her heart raced, and she looked at the large dark monitor. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. She’s been pinging us, and I responded. She’s getting a stronger signal and will call back, now that she’s locked on to our location.”

  “How did she find us? Never mind. It’s Abby. I forgot how good she is at hacking into systems.”

  There was a ping, and Brassi flicked a switch. The monitor came on and a pretty face appeared.

  Abby sat on a couch in what looked like a large room. The big window in the background showed blue skies. Her red hair was pulled up into a bun and she wore a short green dress. A smile curved her lips.

  “I found you!”

  “Abby, are you on Earth?”

  “Yes.” She glanced over her shoulder and then peered back. “It’s a beautiful day in Los Angeles. Clear skies. Not that you probably give a shit. I wanted to let you know that we’ve both been cleared. It’s safe for you to come home! That dickhead Alderson and his cronies tried like hell to throw us under the bus, but I’d already started streaming video before they blew up some systems on the Gorison Traveler in their sad attempts to damage the computers storing all the security footage.”

  “Under a bus?”

  Vivian ignored Ruggler’s whisper. “I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried they might try to kill you, too.”

  “Oh, they tried.” Abby flashed a smirk. “They were planning on blowing through a hull to reach me, so I locked down the blast walls around Control One. Then I hacked the entertainment rooms to broadcast footage of Commander Alderson and the idiots plotting with him, discussing how to destroy the main computers to help them shove the blame of what happened onto Big Mike, some of the other crew who died, and on you. That didn’t go over so well with most of the crew. Especially when I also uploaded the security footage of those two hookers being interviewed about what Alderson had done to them during lockdown. Every woman on the ship wanted to remove the man’s balls!”

  “I take it that an admiral eventually arrived to get bridge access open?”

  “Yes. I just got back to Earth a few days ago. I had to testify, but I’d already forwarded all the footage, so the investigation was swift and pretty much at its end when I arrived. We’re in the clear. Alderson has been kicked out of the fleet. He’s persona non grata now. The press is tearing him apart. Oh, and his wife filed for divorce. I saw that on the news feeds this morning. Over two dozen of the men working with him, also plotting to lie about what really happened, also got stripped of fleet clearance, and some are facing prison time.”

  Something caught Vivian’s attention. Some kind of floating device outside. “What’s that in the window behind you?”

  Abby turned, cursed, and jumped up from her couch. She ran to the window and pushed a button. A shutter came down swiftly, sealing it off. Auto-lights came on in the room as she returned to the couch and took a seat. “Damn drones. It’s the press. I’m twenty-six floors up, but that doesn’t matter.” She sighed. “Everyone wants an interview with me. I’m refusing. It was bad enough when I had to leave my home to testify. You can’t imagine how many photos they’ve taken of me. Fair warning—they’re going to be all over you when you come home. You can stay with me. My penthouse has damn good security.”

  Vivian bit her lip. “I’m not coming back.”

  Abby leaned forward. “It’s safe, Vivian. I had my family attorneys represent you, too. We both have immunity and were cleared of all the charges Alderson attempted to bring against us. Hell, we’re heroes! They even want to throw us some kind of parade in New York. No one is going to arrest you. The worst you have to worry about are those damn reporters and their drones.”

  Then Abby pointed toward Brassi. “Oh, I have great news for you, too! Your king should have been contacted already, or will be soon. The Veslors are also heroes, now that everything has been revealed. A lot of people are very interested in working with your people, especially when a little digging proved you guys are high in food supplies with the trading you do.” She grinned. “I sent a personal message to your king today, giving him the advice to play hardball with whomever contacts him. Food supplies are gold to some of the colonies.”

  Brassi frowned.

  “That’s good,” Vivian whispered. “I’ll explain it later.”

  He relaxed in his seat.

  Vivian was relieved that she wasn’t a criminal, and that the Veslors might get some good trade agreements from United Earth. She leaned forward and reached over her mate, gently lifting their son from the pouch Brassi wore on his chest. Abby wouldn’t have been able to see him otherwise.

  She cuddled their cub to her chest, and then stepped forward, closer to the screen, twisting her body to show his sleeping face to her friend.

  Abby’s mouth dropped open.

  “Meet Klad. Brassi and I mated, and had a baby.”

  Abby seemed speechless.

  “My life is now on the Brar, and I’m extremely happy. Thank you for clearing my name and letting me know I’m not a criminal on the run…but Earth isn’t in my future.”

  “He’s so damn cute!” Abby slid off the couch to her knees, getting closer to the monitor. Her friend met her gaze, then glanced at Brassi before looking back at her. Abby smirked again. “I guess you let him comfort you more. Good for you.”

  Brassi pulled Vivian onto his lap. “Good for me.”

  Abby laughed. “This is the best news ever. You got your sexy, hot alien and his baby. I envy you.”

  Kavs suddenly rushed forward. “I’m looking for a mate.” He whipped off his shirt. “I’d love to comfort you, female.” Then he opened his arms. “I’m here waiting for you if you wish to fly to us. I would be eager to try to have a cub with you.”

  Abby stared hard at the male, mouth agape, and finally smiled. “You’re a charmer…and nice chest. Really nice chest. I’m stuck here for a while though. The family is a bit upset with me after I made hacking our systems l