Chapter 6

If Lauren hadn't been so terrified, she would have been amused at the look of horror on Krestar's face. Despite the difference in their features, she found his expressions surprisingly easy to interpret.

The horrified look was quickly replaced by determination.

"Of course I will assist you." His deep, calm voice was unexpectedly reassuring. "Do you know when the child will arrive?"

"I should have another three weeks." She shrugged, doing her best not to sound worried. "But babies come when they are ready. And given everything that has happened…"

"I will begin researching childbirth immediately," he promised before a shadow crossed his face. "I have some knowledge already although the circumstances were… different."

"You have a child?"

It suddenly occurred to her that he might have both a child and a wife. She had automatically assumed he was close to her own age and it would only be natural for such an attractive, thoughtful male to be married - and why did that thought distress her?

But he shook his head, looking even more somber.

"I am afraid that is not possible."

He sounded so sad that her chest ached. How well she understood that longing for a child. At least in her case she'd been able to make her dream come true.

"I was referring to the fact that I was in charge of the laboratory that was trying to save the Cire race after the Red Death," he continued. "We were trying to use artificial wombs to carry inseminated embryos to term, but we had limited success."

"The Red Death?"

"The plague that swept through the Confederated Planets systems more than twenty years ago. It was eventually eliminated but at a terrible cost. Almost every race was affected. Some were lost completely. Our fate was perhaps worse - we lost all of our females and our hope for the future."

She couldn't even conceive of such a tragedy, her heart hurting for him and his people. And if they were not the only ones who had suffered such a terrible loss… The pieces suddenly clicked together in her head.

"Is that why the Vedeckians took us? Because of the shortage of females?"

"You were on the Vedeckian ship? The one that was engaged in battle?"

She shuddered as she remembered the smoke and explosions. At the time she'd been too focused on escaping to consider the cause but it made sense that there had been a fight.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I heard a report of the incident. A Patrol vessel ordered the Vedeckian ship to stop for an inspection, but instead they opened fire. The fact that they were carrying illegal slaves explains why they decided to fight. Females and children…" His eyes dropped to her stomach, leaving an almost palpable trail of warmth across her skin. "Both are highly sought after these days. Was this not true on your planet?"

"Not particularly, but Earth never experienced that kind of plague."

He nodded, frowning.

"I suspected as much. And your planet is pre-spaceflight?"

"Not entirely. We have traveled as far as our moon and sent probes to other planets."

"Any contact with such a planet is forbidden, but I am not surprised that it did not stop the Vedeckians. Have heard rumors of such behavior before."

"If - when - we find Felicity, can you take us back to Earth?"

He hesitated and she had the impression he was arguing with himself before he gave a slight nod.

"Patrol policy allows for such a return, assuming they can locate your home planet. Your memory of this time would also be erased," he added slowly.

She supposed that it was a logical decision but the thought of anyone messing with her mind, no matter what their intentions, made her shiver. I'll cross the bridge once I get to it, she decided. In the meantime…

"Is there anything I can do to help with the repairs? I have an engineering background and work in robotics."

To his credit he didn't appear surprised by her announcement. Human men had a frustrating tendency to be shocked by her field of expertise.

"That would be helpful, but first would you care for some food?"

She started to deny it, anxious to do anything possible to speed up repairs to the ship, but her stomach rumbled and she laughed.

"Apparently the baby thinks so."

He smiled, and her breath caught as the expression transformed his features. He rose to his feet and held out his hand.

"This way."

She hadn't noticed until that moment that he'd changed. The severe dark uniform had been replaced by a tight sleeveless shirt that clung to every inch of muscular chest and a pair of brief shorts that clung even more tightly to a very large bulge between his thighs. Oh my.

As soon as she realized she was staring, she snatched her eyes away, her cheeks heating. The last thing she needed to be thinking about was the size of his package, no matter how impressive. Despite that, a surprising pulse of desire rushed through her system. How long had it been since she'd experienced any such reaction? Not for a long time before she decided to have a child and certainly not since she'd become pregnant. The warmth in her stomach and the tightening of her nipples was a not unpleasant reminder that she was still a woman with sensual needs, not just a mother to be.

Krestar's eyes glittered, an unreadable expression in them as his thin nostrils flared. For a moment she thought he was going to say something but he simply took her hand and escorted her down the corridor. His tail was back around her waist, but it felt… right and she didn't try to move away.

A door opposite his cabin opened into a small, neat lounge area with a built-in table and a compact galley along one wall. The other walls were covered with a similar etched pattern as in the rest of the ship. He started to lead her to the table, then hesitated. She followed his gaze, then gave him a wry smile.

"I'm pretty sure my stomach isn't going to fit between the bench and the table."

His tail stroked her stomach again as he smiled down at her.

"You will be more comfortable on the couch."

He helped her to sit but fortunately the sofa wasn't too low to the ground. She could probably even make it back to her feet without assistance. It was however, deliciously soft and she leaned back against the cushions as he went to the galley, watching as he manipulated the equipment, his actions quick and precise.

She tried to concentrate on what he was doing, but she found herself distracted by the way his muscles rippled beneath the tight clothing and the way his tail flicked in response to his movements, accentuating a truly perfect ass.

Stop it, she thought crossly. The last thing she needed right now was to be distracted by a male - no matter how attractive. She had to find Felicity and get back to Earth, hopefully before the baby decided to make an appearance. Despite that, her heart still skipped a beat when he returned to her side and smiled as he handed her a mug.

A sweet, herbal scent drifted up from the mug. She took a cautious sip, then sighed with pleasure. A slight citrus tang with a smooth honey-like finish.

"This is delicious."

"It is a traditional drink on Ciresia." There was that shadow again. "I brought it with me when I left."

"Did you, umm, leave anyone behind?"

She couldn't resist asking, but immediately focused on her drink again, afraid her interest was too obvious.

"There was no one." His voice was somber, heavy, and she immediately regretted asking. "And you? Is there a… mate waiting for you?"

So he was curious too? A small smile curved her lips as she watched the steam rising from her mug.

"No. I decided to have this child on my own."

"Ah." His acknowledgement sounded relieved. "Do you have other family?"

She shook her head, finally looking back up at him.

"Not really. My mother died a long time ago. My father remarried, and I don't get on well with my stepmother."

Adele had never really cared for her and once her father and Adele had their own child, the situation had gotten worse. Fortunately by that time she was starting college and her visits home became fewer and fewer. She would have liked to spend time with her stepbrothers but Adele had discouraged that as well. By the time Lauren decided to have a baby, her contact with her father was limited to a stilted call at Christmas each year. She hadn't even told him she was expecting.

"I am sorry."

His tail gently stroked her hand in a comforting gesture and she gave it a quick squeeze, grateful for his understanding. He made a muffled noise and she realized he had the same strained look she'd seen earlier.

"Is something wrong?"

"My tail is… sensitive."

"I'm sorry." She quickly released him. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not that kind of sensitive."

She gave him a confused frown, then realized that the already impressive bulge in his shorts had grown.

"Oh! You should have told me before."

"Perhaps I enjoyed it."

Before she could respond, he turned back to the galley, leaving her staring after him. Apparently the attraction was mutual. She shook her head, then took another sip of her drink. The delicious taste wasn't enough to distract her from her body's confusing reaction to him, or his equally confusing response.

Just focus on the problem at hand, she reminded herself. Finding Felicity and getting home. But as Krestar returned to her side with two steaming bowls, she suspected it might not be quite as easy as that to put him out of her mind.