Educating the Alien: Raedyn (The Azurite Series Book 1) (7 page)

14.

Lexi had just gotten off the phone with her mother, announcing the news of her partnership with Raedyn when she was alerted to a visitor at her door. She checked the time. Raedyn wasn’t supposed to be off a call for another hour. Maybe it was Jaime coming by to say hello?

She was surprised to find Lae’hear’dahi on the other side with a Cheshire grin on her face.

“Did you hear the news?” she asked, pushing her way inside of Lexi’s apartment.

“By all means, please come in,” Lexi groused.

“Thank you,” said Lae, not detecting the sarcasm in Lexi’s comment. She eyed the living area. “How…quaint.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. “What can I help you with Lae?”

“I just wanted to be the first to let you know. Ra’yed’n and I have been matched! He made his final deposits today.” Lae rolled her eyes dramatically. “He couldn’t wait and because he was so close to the end, they let him make multiples. I insisted on helping, but he took care of things himself, so chivalrous. Anyway, as soon as he was put on the list, we were immediately paired. Look,” she said thrusting a tablet under Lexi’s nose. “It just came out.”

Lexi accepted the tablet and sunk down onto her couch. How did this happen? He had a change of heart? She thought they had worked everything out. They stayed in bed for hours in the suite discussing their plans for the future. They continued to make love until neither of them could stand upright and Lexi nearly professed her love to him.

“I don’t understand,” she said quietly in English.

“Oh, honey, that translates in any language. Don’t take it so hard. He just wanted one of his own kind. We belong together and he realized that after being with you. Well, that being with me would be that much, more.”

Lexi continued to stare at the tablet containing side-by-side pictures of Lae and Raedyn and the gossip news of the pairing of the century. Power couple.

“You can keep that. I’ll see myself out.”

---

Raedyn shuffled the papers on his desk, cleaning up before leaving and looking forward to going home to Lexi. Home to Lexi. The words warmed him from the inside out. He wondered what ‘mattress gymnastics’ they’d try tonight. He laughed at the words, the English slang so appropriate. Jaime peeked his head around the corner.

“Hey man! I need to thank you again for your help with the dinner etiquette.” Raedyn’s smile faded as he took in Jaime’s stance. His arms were folded across his chest and his ridge was low.

“What the fuck did you do?”

Raedyn was taken aback. Had Lexi told him about their physical intimacy?

“It’s not what you think. We think it’s a great idea. It’s really for the best.” Did Jaime know about them? Was he jealous?

Jaime stalked forward and pushed Raedyn in the chest with two fingers. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. I just got off the phone with HR. Lexi resigned.”

Raedyn smiled wide and nodded. “That’s great news!” he exclaimed. He didn’t continue though, he was distracted when Jaime’s fist hit him in the jaw. Reaching up, he grabbed his face. “What was that for?”

“You asshole. She more than resigned. She’s prepping to leave the ship.”

“What do you mean? She was going to take the colony representative job.”

Jaime shook his head. “She turned down the offer.”

Taking a seat back in his chair, Raedyn tried to process this news. He absently rubbed his jaw. He didn’t understand. They had made plans. She was going to take the new job, she was in his quarters. What could have possibly gone wrong? It had to be some misunderstanding.

“Has she left the ship yet?”

“No. Not yet, but soon.”

“Delay any outgoing transports. Do whatever you can. I need ten minutes to get down there.”

---

Lexi paced the ship’s transport bay. All transports had been temporarily suspended and she couldn’t get off the ship fast enough. Raedyn’s betrayal bruised her heart. How could she have been so stupid? She was in love with him and she felt used for sex. He had used her to resolve his issues with intimacy and was now willing to accept the fate of his culture.

She fought the tears that threatened to fall. She wouldn’t cry here where everyone could see her. She would wait and mourn in private. Grieve for the life she thought she was going to have. Pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, she didn’t see him enter the bay, but she felt him. Why was he here now?

He looked so handsome, his face fierce with anger as he approached her.

Raedyn placed his hands on her shoulders, her presence instantly calming the rage inside him.

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly. His quiet disturbed Lexi more than his anger.

“I’m going home. The U.N. still needs interpreters. Look, Raedyn, I can’t stay here and watch you and Lae together.”

Raedyn’s head snapped back in shock as if he’d been slapped. Judging by the bruise forming on his jaw, Lexi assumed it wouldn’t be his first bout with violence today.

“What are you talking about?”

Lexi dug in her oversized bag and pulled out a tablet, forcing it into his hands. The screen displayed the daily news and gossip with a picture of himself next to one of Lae and an extended article about his completed deposits and ultimate partnering with her.

“Where did you get this?”

“Does it really matter?” she asked.

“Yes, it matters. It isn’t true.”

“Which part?”

Raedyn grabbed Lexi’s hand and dragged her out of the bay in long strides.

“Where are we going?” asked Lexi.

“To the CR.”

Lexi pulled him to a stop. “I don’t want to go there. I just want to go home.”

In one movement, Raedyn swept Lexi off the ground and over his shoulder. He continued to the CR, walking in the door and demanding the records of his deposits for the last two months. He placed Lexi on the ground and she tapped her foot impatiently. When the documents were finally in his hand he pointed to the sheets.

“Look. Deposit number 4996 made four weeks ago. I haven’t been in since.”

Lexi looked at the papers and sure enough, he was right. She met his eyes with tears in hers and he pulled her into his arms.

“Oh, Lexi.” Raedyn rubbed her back as she sobbed into her shirt.

“Lae came by,” Lexi choked. “She had the tablet with her. She said you chose her over me. I didn’t know what to do. I resigned my jobs. Oh my god. I resigned my jobs.” Lexi began to panic.

“Don’t worry. We’ll go down to the office now. Gods Lexi. I love you.” Raedyn lowered his head and kissed Lexi. He pulled away. “I thought I’d lost you. Lae will be reported.”

“Raedyn. I love you too.” The couple embraced again, ignoring the looks and raised ridges of other Azurites in the CR.

“Let me make it up to you,” Raedyn whispered in Lexi’s hair.

“Just love me Raedyn.”

He closed his eyes, breathing in her flowery scent. “I do.”

Epilogue

Five months later…

“Finally, Ms. Moore. Why do you think you would be a good candidate for the Azurite colony?” Lexi asked the woman before her. Mallory Moore was five feet four inches of spunk. She had dimples in her cheeks and her hair was a mass of short brown curls. Aside from being adorable, she was smart and caring. Lexi thought she was a shoo in.

Mallory thought for a few moments before answering.

“I’ll be real honest Dr. Phillips. I am the youngest of six children and I just want to get away. It’s like having five extra parents and I want to be my own person. I’ve always been up for adventures, I like to travel and I get along with everyone. I’m looking for something and I’m not sure what that something is, but I think this could be it.”

She smiled sweetly and Lexi wanted to pump her fist in the air. Mallory was exactly the type of person she was looking to live in the colony. Lexi tried, with great difficulty, to find personalities that were going to get along together. Living on the ship with only ninety-nine other humans could be very isolating and they would need each other for support.

Lexi stood and placed a hand on her emerging belly, the baby performing summersaults inside. He liked Mallory too. She reached her right hand out for a handshake.

“Mallory it was a pleasure meeting you. When the results have been finalized you will be contacted.”

Mallory smiled. “When are you due?”

Lexi grinned. Raedyn had failed to realize that while Azurite women needed one hundred or so sperm to fertilize an egg, human women needed only one. They had gotten pregnant within the first month of living together. After informing the head of HR about Lae’s deception, Lexi was able to resume her role as ambassador for Earth and she also accepted her new role as colony representative. She was currently holding final face-to-face interviews with perspective members, narrowing the long list down one by one. While one hundred was the magic number, she was given some leeway should she find a few extras that would benefit the greater good.

“We think about four more months. He’s the first hybrid,” Lexi said rubbing her belly. “Azurite women gestate a full Earth calendar year, so we’re not sure how long he’s going to cook.”

Mallory’s eyes widened at Lexi’s candidness. “Hybrid,” she whispered.

Lexi had a concerned look on her face. “Is this a deal breaker Mallory?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s amazing. I didn’t know it was possible.”

Lexi shrugged. No one had. It was a miracle. They weren’t out of the woods yet, but so far all the preliminary tests came back with a healthy baby boy. Lexi watched the expression on Mallory’s face. Yes, she would be perfect for the colony. She would be perfect for Jaime too.

“Let me walk you out.”

---

Lexi found Raedyn in her office at the embassy. With her current condition and the pressing PR whirlwind surrounding the colony, he traveled with her any time she needed to transport to Earth. She walked behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders, rubbing lightly and resting her chin on his head. He had begun to grow his hair out a bit and the short stubble tickled her chin.

“News came in today. The Azurites for the Earth colony have been chosen. Guess who’s at the top of the list?”

Lexi gasped, “Not Jaime!”

Raedyn laughed and pulled Lexi around to sit in his lap. He brushed his lips lightly over her mouth and she reciprocated, opening her mouth and deepening the embrace.
He would never get enough of this woman.
Raedyn knew he would have found happiness with an Azurite partnering, but with Lexi he found his missing piece. Soon, she would give him a son and begin a new adventure as a family. He couldn’t be more proud of his wife.

He and Lexi had partaken in an Earth wedding as well as filing for partnership. He had a feeling that it would be a custom the Azurites would adopt when more of his people witnessed the ceremony. The combining of two families in front of friends and loved ones was a day he would never forget. Probably the best day of his life, so far.

“Lae,” he said after they pulled away.

“Lae?”

He shrugged. “I guess since she still hadn’t been partnered she decided to take matters into her own hands. Again.”

Lexi laughed. “God help the men of Earth,” she said shaking her head.

Coming Summer 2016…

Educated by the Alien: Jaime

Also by Sara Hotchkiss:

Charred by Ash

Chased by Ryan