Sparrow's Release (5 page)

Navar’s happy face melted, and he moved to
sit up in the bed. He looked ashamed, and Sparrow suddenly felt
very scared of what he was going to say. “What is it? I know
something is off, but I am blind here. Please tell me.” He spared
her a sidewise glance before moving to get off the bed, and she
followed closely behind, “How can I feel safe and comfortable about
any of the women from my planet being brought here if I don’t know
what it is you’re keeping from me?”

He pulled on his pants before turning to look
at her. “This does not affect the other women of your world. Only
you.” He paused, “and me.”

Alarmed, she sat back on her calves. “What
did you do?” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing
heart. “What have you done?”

He moved to a huge armoire and opened it,
looking briefly through the clothes before picking one that was
different hues of burgundy, pink and silver. Turning back, he
handed the dress to her. Softly, he said, “I am not hiding anything
from you. I just wasn’t ready to explain yet.”

Stepping into the dress, she pulled it up and
secured the clasp behind her neck, before turning to stare at him
again. She refused to make comment on the beauty of the dress or
how relieved she was that it actually gave her back her modesty.
Instead, she demanded, “Explain what?” she glared at him in
frustration. “Why are you being so secretive? Why can’t you just
tell me? I’ve trusted you more than I usually trust anyone already.
I swore to help things run as smoothly as possible in this matter,
but you aren’t telling me something.”

Ho looked her over and took a deep breath.
“So beautiful,” he whispered, “even when you’re angry.” Then he
reached out, offering her his hand. “This isn’t something I can
tell you. You must be shown.”

With a sigh, she reached out, clasping his
hind in hers. She tried to ignore the tingles that went through her
at the contact. He had to realize she was sincere and would not put
up with dishonesty “Fine, then show me. After this, I expect you to
be completely candid with me from the very beginning. Real
relationships cannot be started with any secrets.” She stomped her
foot a bit to prove she was serious, and Navar had to bite his lip
to keep from smiling. Instead, he simply nodded as he turned to
lead her from the room.

He led her down the corridor toward a room
guarded by a man. He stood outside the door with a serious
expression. His head was bald, just as every other man she’d seen,
but his skin was a dark shade of green. Upon seeing them, he bowed
deeply as they approached. “You’re Majesties.” He spoke in an awed
voice, and Sparrow grew somewhat self-conscious with the way he
stared. When she smiled, his breath caught and he turned to Navar.
“You are a truly blessed man, my Lord. I only hope when my lady is
chosen, she is half as beautiful.” With a second low bow, he turned
and opened the door.

Squeezing Sparrow’s hand, Navar brought it to
his lips and placed a kiss in her palm. “Before we enter here, I
must explain yet again.” His face was so serious, she felt another
huge sense of dread. “Five years ago, when we realized drastic
measures were going to have to be taken, I made the decision that
any experiments done would be done only with me. I would not
compromise the emotions or health of my people.”

Try as she might to follow what he was
saying, Sparrow actually found herself only growing more confused.
“I don’t understand . . .”

With a growl of frustration, Navar began
ushering her into the room. My sperm was combined with five species
from other planets. It was a way to discover who was most
compatible with us.” He held fast to her as he explained, afraid
she might pull away and flee from him. “Of the five, only one seed
took root. The one combined with the egg taken from you.”

Shock made Sparrow drop her jaw.
What is
he saying? Does he have babies frozen in cryogenics, waiting for my
arrival so I can be artificially inseminated?
“Navar, you’re
scaring me,” she whispered. “What are you saying?”

Taking a deep breath, he took her by the
shoulders and slowly turned her to face what he was unsure she
would want to see. “When we knew she was healthy, I should have
waited, I know. But I was so happy and I wanted my mother to be
able to see her and hold her before she died.” He added in a softer
voice, “She was already ill, and I knew we had limited time. I
waited for as long as I could. But, it was going to be another
three months before you could be brought here.”

Sparrow stared at the bed on the far side of
the room. It was shaped a little different than the ones back on
Earth, but she could tell it was a baby bed. Almost as if in a
trance, she moved slowly toward the bed. When she reached it,
there, gazing up at her was the most beautiful baby girl she had
ever seen. The child had silvery skin that reminded Sparrow of
Navar, and the beginnings of fine black hair the same shade as hers
were starting to grow on her head. Her big blue-green eyes were
open and regarded her with open curiosity.

Overcome with emotion, she reached out to
take the tiny girl in her arms. The baby seemed to reach for her as
well, and Sparrow began to sob as she cradled the child to her.
Navar started to reach out to touch her, but hesitated. He was
afraid she’d reject him. “Please forgive me. I know it was a
violation of your body and your rights to take without asking and
deprive you of being able to go through the pregnancy. You have
every right to be angry. I can only hope in time, you will forgive
me and know I did what I did out of desperation.”

Still holding the child, she turned to look
at the man who had made her a permanent part of his family, without
her knowledge. “Angry?” she questioned softly. “I should be more
than angry. You should be in fear of losing your beautiful but
crazy man parts. I should refuse to allow you near either one of
us.” She sniffed as she moved to tilt the babe so she could look at
her face again. “But, for some crazy reason, all I can think of
right now is how blessed I am.” Reaching out she grabbed his hand
and pulled him toward her and the child. “What did you name
her?”

Navar held her gaze with a hopeful expression
of his own. “I wanted her to be named in a similar fashion to you.
I knew your name, Sparrow, is the name of a bird.” He paused, and
looked away. “But I couldn’t find a human name for a bird as pretty
as yours. I ended up calling her, Skye. I imagined you as a bird,
and her free as the sky.” He stopped and shook his head. “It was
stupid, I know; but I was just trying to—” His words were halted
when she put her hand to his mouth, shushing him.

When he looked up, it was to see her staring
at him with a small smile. “Her name is beautiful. She’s beautiful,
Navar. I love her.”

He stopped and stared. For several moments,
he waited for her true feelings to emerge. When no anger came, he
asked, “You aren’t angry? I was so certain you would hate me.”

Her smile turned sad as she looked back at
Skye, who was still watching her with bright eyes. “I feel somewhat
robbed of the joy that comes from becoming a mother slowly.” She
looked back at him, “I will know what it feels like to go through
childbirth the next time, mind you. But I’ve had no family for so
long now, it is almost like a wonderful Christmas present to have
her now.” She hugged the baby closer. “She’s my blood.” Then she
looked back to him. “You are my husband.” Her smile grew. “I have a
family,” she sobbed. “It might have come to me in a way not exactly
of my choosing. But truthfully, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Navar’s face became as emotional as hers as
he moved to her, wrapping both her and their daughter in his arms.
“My beloved; you will never be alone again. You are my family. Skye
and I are yours. We will be happy.”

Sparrow felt her heart were swelling with all
the warmth and love she felt. For the first time since she had been
a little child, she felt well and truly cared for. Laying her head
on his shoulder, she smiled up at him and whispered, “We will know
love.”

The End

About the Author

What to say about myself? Gee . . . I’m not
sure. I’m a wife, a mother, and even a GRANDMOTHER . . . But call
me MiMi!

I LOVE to tell stories! It is just about my
favorite thing to do. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve
loved
a good romance.

But not just
any
romance. No way! I
have to have adventure, excitement, danger, thrills and chills as
well. What’s the point in just a regular old,
predictable
romance? If I can tell halfway through the book what is going to
happen, where’s the fun in that?

As if you can’t already tell, I love to read
about as much as I love to write! I read, romance, mystery, horror,
fan fiction (mostly
Harry Potter
or
True Blood)
and
anything else that catches my eye.

I also write stories for younger readers;
about age 14 and up, YA novels under the pen name; Rowan Shannigan.
I’m working on my second novel in the first series I’ve started
under that alias. Check it out at
http://feeltheawareness.weebly.com if you are interested. Same
crazy
kind of stories, but just a little less intense. If
you don’t try it, you don’t know what you’re missing!

I like movies, but I have to be in the mood
for them. I’m sassy, stubborn, smart, silly and always wanting to
know what people like or don’t like about my stories. If you follow
my blog, comments are both appreciated and
loved!
Actually,
to tell the truth . . . if you ever contact me with questions,
worries, or any kind of thoughts on my stories, you can rest
assured, I will answer you. It may take me a few days. Sometimes it
might even be a week. But I will always send you a response.
Frankly because I believe to not respond is just
rude!
And
my Momma taught me to be a proper Southern lady . . .

Okay, so now you know more about me . . .
let’s talk about you. . . What’s YOUR fantasy?

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