Raff (The Vorge Crew Book 4) Read online

  “What’s that?”

  “They didn’t want anything serious. It was like a game again. You know? Just having sex to have sex and nobody wanted to enter real relationships. I wanted no part of that and once again, I didn’t fit in. The men were rude to me after I turned them down.”

  “They don’t sound like good males.”

  “Tell me. The real reason I left the farm was to meet a guy. Do you know what it was like watching my parents and grandparents be together while I was always alone? I wanted to have what they did. Someone to love and be happy with for the rest of my life. I never met anyone my age or even close to it on the farm. All the seasonal workers were always way older or already married.”

  “You met me.”

  She smiled. “I did. You’re the best thing about all this, Raff.” Then she felt sadness. “But we don’t know each other to be married yet or have babies. It also means I have to pick between an uncertain future with you or trying to find a way to get back to my family. You said Earth is a banned planet. It hurts thinking I won’t ever be able to see them again.” Tears filled her eyes.

  He moved from the table to sit on the couch next to her and just scooped her up into his arms, setting her on his lap. “Two things, Lilly.”

  She sniffed, wiping at her tears. “What?”

  “Our future isn’t uncertain. I am not like the humans you’ve known. I want forever with you and children. There will be no other females. No games. I don’t play them. Everything about me is serious.”

  She could believe that about him.

  “Also, there is no way to return to Earth. I’ve told you why. I can promise you though that you can send communications to your family. There’s no ban on that and if there ever is, I’ll break the law for you. You can see your family through comms.”

  She turned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. It broke her heart to hear him say she’d never get to hug her parents and grandparents again. That’s what it boiled down to. Sobs hit her but he held her.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered against her hair. “We’ll send them comms as much as you wish. You won’t lose your family.”

  Raff felt guilt when he ignored the door chime. It had to be Midgel with their food. Consoling Lilly was more important. She finally cried all her tears and he carried her into the bathroom to take a shower. He promised her food when she was done. He crossed his cabin, opened the door, and went to pick up the covered meals. That wasn’t all that waited outside the door.

  Cathian looked up at him from where he sat in the hallway, legs stretched out, ankles crossed, and a data pad in hand. “It’s about time. I thought I’d be out here for hours.” He reached up and tapped his ear. “One said your female is upset and why.”

  Raff stepped out into the hallway and let the door close behind him. “Don’t,” he threatened.

  Cathian frowned. “I haven’t said anything.”

  “You’ll want to find a way to get a transport to return Lilly to Earth. They are selling their females. She will remain safe with me.”

  “I wouldn’t do that. The Pods read you before you even stepped foot on The Vorge and warned it would be a bloodbath if any of us tried to get between you and that female. We weren’t waiting for you outside the cargo hold. The area was cleared to give you and Lilly privacy.” Cathian set down the pad and climbed to his feet. “Do you really think I’d try to take away someone who matters so much to you?”

  “You wouldn’t if you’re smart.”

  A grin spread across Cathian’s face. “I’m happy you found a female. Shocked.” His humor died. “But relieved too. Three said the female is torn between wanting to be with you and trying to return to her family.”

  Raff nodded. There was no reason to deny it.

  Cathian reached inside his pant pocket and held out an ear piece. Raff scowled at it, not moving to take it.

  “One is on the other end of this. Do you want help or not?”

  “What is he going to do?”

  “Read your female’s thoughts, help you say the right words to her, and get her to agree to life-lock to you. I asked the medical android to save the scans it took of her for the medical procedure. It can be done at any time.”

  Raff took a step back. “There will be no procedure done.”

  Cathian opened his mouth, looking furious, but he paused. “What do you mean he isn’t able to give her his second heart?”

  Raff moved fast, tearing the small device from his cousin’s ear, and threw it on the floor. He yelled in his head. Stop reading my thoughts and sharing them with Cathian, damn you. You never want to piss me off.

  Cathian scowled at him. “Was that necessary? The Pods are trying to help and from the look on your face, you just threatened them.”

  Raff growled low.

  “We all want you to keep your human.”

  Raff believed that. “I’ll win her on my own.”

  “Fine. Explain to me why you won’t life-lock to her then. That will prove to her that you’re serious about your intentions to keep her forever. She has doubts about that.”

  “I’m not you.”

  “God damn it, Raff.” Cathian looked angry again. “I get it that you had a bad childhood, but you can’t bring a human onboard to just have sex with. The Pods said you’re serious about this Lilly and have deep feelings. That means life-locking to her.”

  Raff moved fast, pinning his cousin against the wall. “I can’t because I don’t have a second heart.”

  Surprise etched across his cousin’s face. Raff released him, spun away, and put a few feet between them. He didn’t want to see the look in Cathian’s eyes. “I have some of my mother’s traits,” he confessed.

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t tell you.”

  “Tell me now.”

  Raff turned, prepared to see pity. His cousin showed none. Just curiosity.

  “I don’t have a second heart and I’ve never gone into heat.”

  Cathian’s mouth opened but he said nothing.

  “My seed is always fertile. I had the android run tests on me when I first came onboard and ordered it to erase the results when we were done. Your family hates me enough without discovering that I’m flawed.”

  “I don’t give a damn what the Vellars think or feel.” Cathian stepped closer and raised his hand, gripping his shoulder. “You are not flawed in any way. Never say that again.”

  Raff gave a sharp nod but it made him feel relief that his cousin wasn’t repulsed.

  “Do you want to keep Lilly? Bond to her?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you need to do to make that happen?”

  “I don’t think there is a physical way to lock us together,” he admitted. “People on G4 just decide to live together and breed. Once children come, they tend to stay together.”

  “What did your mother tell you?”

  “That one day I’d feed off a compatible female and it would trigger my heat cycles to begin. I fed off at least half a dozen different females. When that didn’t happen, she said they weren’t a match. It was denial on her part. She was able to feed a Tryleskian and couldn’t have been the only one on the damn planet compatible to my father.”

  Cathian nodded. “Agreed. Have you fed from Lilly?”

  “Yes.”

  “Nothing?”

  He smiled. “I wouldn’t call giving her pleasure or how good she tastes nothing.”

  A chuckle escaped Cathian. “True. I feast on Nara all the time and I’m no longer in heat.”

  “The android said I should be able to get a human pregnant. I don’t care about going into heat. My seed is fertile all the time.”

  “Do you know if you’ll have litters?”

  Raff shrugged. “I would like to have young with Lilly. I don’t care if it’s one or more at a time.”

  “Good answer.” Cathian released him. “York had a ceremony with Sara. I’ll sit the crew down and we’ll come up with something sp