13. Taylor

Chapter 13

Taylor

I cannot believe I had a torrid affair with Sten Sandstone in that cave and he couldn’t remember any of what happened between us. It was the most scorching hot, emotionally intense, sex of my life, with mind blowing orgasms and not something I’m likely to ever forget and yet he did easily forget.

I glance around at all the boxes that are neatly arranged, ready for my mobile artifact transporter to take them to Gravian. All three stands of the unit are in alignment around the boxes, ready for me to start the sequence to send another shipment. The tablets and print books are in good shape and should be easily repaired.

I blow back a strand of sweaty hair and pause, thinking yet again of what transpired.

The worst part is that I think I was falling hard for him.

I don’t want to admit to anyone this is happening. I’d lose my job, as I should because sex with a local client or contact is a huge no, no.

Also, Sten can’t remember what happened and he treats me as if I’m basically a stranger and as if we didn’t have the best sex of my life. Before that last aftershock he even said he…I think he was hinting that he was falling in love with me too and that we were going to maybe become something permanent?

Or maybe he wasn’t? I’m not certain of how he felt about me because we didn’t have a chance to fully talk before everything went to hell.

And now we’re back to square one.

And I don’t want to keep showing up and telling him details of what happened, like some needy being hanging onto scrapes of his attention. Yuck. I’m already being unprofessional for the way I reacted on my arrival. Now I had sex with my boss and he’s tossed me aside? The male financing this entire operation.

Terrible. This is the stuff I’ve heard happening with a few other Librarians in the past, the gossip flying fast and furious. I always acted offended and horrified at their behavior. And now here I am doing the exact same thing.

If anyone back at headquarters found out I’d lose my job, as I should, because this is a huge no, no.

Luckily the very next day I find they’ve found the crates. And I facilitate them moved to the shed so I can categorize and transport them to my lab quickly.

I hit send and standby as the bright light glows and I watch with a wide smile as the boxes I carefully organized scatter into atoms and disappear. I check my tablet and wait until I see the green light letting me know they arrived.

Then I look up and the object of all my woes stands in the doorway. “Sten,” I grumble.

He strides forward, looking so very handsome and fuckable, as usual. I’m so angry at him for forgetting all about me, about us and yet I want nothing more right now than the right to be able to sink to my knees in front of him, unbuckle that silver belt and take that heavy shaft in my mouth. I still remember what he tastes like and how he feels inside of me and I miss him so much.

But he doesn’t seem to miss me at all, which makes me think it really meant more to me than it did to him. I moved to a cabin and I haven’t seen him in the last few days and not once has he tried to contact me.

“I’m returning to Gravian later today,” I comment.

Sten looks agitated. “I was just told that you are leaving. Why? You could stay here and work locally. Didn’t you say you could do that?”

“I did say that but it’s not going to happen.” I turn and walk away. There is no way in hells I’m working on Sten’s property both day and night, with him not remembering what we shared. He might eventually remember and then feel embarrassment that it happened, or he may never remember. It’s heartbreaking. Just last night I was going for a walk in the garden and overheard his mother discussing with him how she wanted to set him up on a date with an eligible female and he responded that it was a good idea.

“I want you to stay and work on the tablets here, on the ranch, in the shed.”

I glance back. “Really?”

“You can live in the ranch house again while this happens.”

I cross my arms. “Because you want to be pleasure mates?”

“What? No. I haven’t done anything to make you think such a thing. Why would you say that? Our relationship is strictly professional.”

My lips twitch. “Sorry, I was joking. There’s no reason.”

“I want you to stay because I learned you saved my life in that cave and I wanted to say thank you and offer you the ability to…to stay.”

“That’s the only reason why you want me to remain here instead of completing my work on Gravian?”

“No,” he shakes his head, “there isn’t another reason and there never would be.”

“Of course. Sorry for my inappropriate joke from earlier. I think I’m just tired and getting silly because I need more sleep. Thank you for your offer but I prefer to work in the lab at headquarters.” I turn away and pick up my tablet again. “I need to send one more batch of boxes before I leave.”

He stares at me, a puff of black smoke billows from his nostrils. “Goodbye, Taylor.”

“Goodbye, Sten.”

Then he turns and marches away in the opposite direction.

I watch him through the window as he walks along the path back to the ranch house. Then I shrug, wipe away my tears and get back to work.

I have to get out of this place.

Three months later…

After I left Tarvos that last time, I might have been a little bit testy.

Maybe overly upset at how that night of passion and dare I say, love, between us had been so easily forgotten. Although it's not like he forgot because he chose to forget. Sten was physically hurt, even the med lab couldn't fix amnesia. This is a well-known thing. Some brain injuries the med lab can't fix, and amnesia is one of them. It’s one of the great mysteries of intergalactic medical science.

I left as soon as possible and returned to headquarters on Gravian, back to my small antiseptic apartment and I’ve never corresponded directly with Sten Sandstone since the moment I left. I continue the work on the project, restoring those precious Hyrrokin tablets, but I’ve had my assistant respond to any questions from Sten or any missives.

I talk often to Hugsen Blackstone and who, it turns out, is a delightful Hyrrokin, and I enjoy working with him. He’s extremely helpful and he talks to Sten for me. Between Hugsen and my assistant, I've been able to avoid speaking to Sten.

He has sent me messages, none of which I've read.

I know it's terrible, but it's too painful. I don't want to hear him talking in his cold tone as if I'm just any other Librarian, and in that same way he did before the cave, where he acted like we were basically enemies.

But then two months ago, I started throwing up, and I was not sick. I finally went to the med lab to see what was wrong, only to discover I was pregnant, and the baby was half Hyrrokin. Luckily for me, everything that happens at the med lab, is confidential. So no one else knows but me. What was I to do?

First, I cried.

Then I smiled.

Then cried again.

But in the end, I was happy and decided to keep my baby. I had wanted to start a family anyway and was ready for this stage in my life. I’d just wanted a husband to go along with the baby. But if I need to, I can do this alone.

But this also means I have to tell Sten. He deserves the chance to be a part of his child’s life. He might want to be a father to this child. And he if doesn’t want that, at least I know and I’ll carry on and raise the child on my own, on Gravian.

Three different times I started to message him and then discarded the missive. It just seems so impersonal to tell him this way. As far as I know he still doesn’t even remember that we had sex and has moved on with his life then I message him to say that I’m pregnant with his child? I need to tell him face to face and explain to him about what happened in the cave between us that he doesn’t remember.

And I suppose I’ll need to be ready to submit to a med lab test to prove that my baby is his. Oh well.

I pack and get ready to go. The trip is extremely expensive, but I’ve got enough currency ever since Sten sent that odd work bonus to my account.

“Welcome back to Tarvos, Taylor Dumas. We are happy to have you return.”

The temporary transporter blindness clears and this time I manage only a small choke of fear at the sight of the Hyrrokin staff in attendance.

I didn’t plan on returning but now that I’m three months pregnant and Sten is the father, this necessitates me returning, even for a little bit just to tell him face to face. I could do this the scared way and only message him that he’s going to be a father. But it seems so cold. The longer I’m apart from him, the more I miss him.

It did seem, before I left, that he was dating again. What if he’s engaged and married to someone else already?

I swallow hard and greet everyone in the room. “Can you help me get a ride to the Sandstone ranch?” I question.

“Mr. Sandstone is not on his way to pick you up?”

“No, this is a surprise.”

“Oh!” The attendant claps her hands. “I love a good surprise. He will love this. Yes, we can help. Let me message someone for you.”

I step out on the curb and find Erid, the Sheriff, waiting for me.

“You don’t look happy to see me.”

He takes my suitcase and I get into the vehicle and sit in the passenger side. “Sorry, I’m just distracted.”

Erid sits in the driver’s seat and gives me a hard look. “There’s something different about you.”

Uh oh.

He leans forward and inhales. Then he gives a curt nod. “You are pregnant with a Hyrrokin offspring. Am I right in assuming this is Sten’s child?”

“Yes.”

“I thought when I was there in the cave that I scented him on you. But in the confusion, I assumed I was wrong, because I never scented it again and also the both of you acted as if nothing was there between the two of you.”

“I know, that was the problem.”

The Sheriff clenches his fists. “Sten rejected you? Why would he do that? That makes no sense.”

“He has amnesia, remember? He forgot about me.”

Erid starts the vehicle and pulls away from the curb. “This is why you’ve returned? To tell him that he is to be a father?”

“Yes. Don’t tell anyone.”

He chuckles. “Female, everyone will know. I will accept your wishes, but I’m letting you know whether I say anything or not, they will be able to scent the extra pheromone trail on you.”

“They’ll know it’s Sten?”

“No, the Hyrrokin you come into contact with will only know you carry a half Hyrrokin baby. I deduced it was Sten from previous clues, but most will be misdirected, thinking it’s a mystery. They could think the father is me, or Tilden, or a variety of other unmated males you came into contact with while you were here.”

“I’m just here to let Sten know about the baby and give him the chance to be a part of this baby’s life if he wants. Then I’m returning to Gravian. Hopefully I won’t even need this suitcase.”

He chuckles again. “Oh, you’ll need that suitcase.”

Erid drives me all the way out to the ranch. And when I arrive I’m sad to see that they are having an event. The area is filled with so many Hyrrokin it seems as if the whole town of Fire Creek has arrived.

“Rainy season recently ended and the Sandstones always have this yearly event to commemorate a successful end to the rainy season,” Erid explains. “You are going to be what everyone talks about today.”

We inch our way closer to the ranch, in a long line of vehicles. All the other Hyrrokin point and whisper, amazed to see another human in their midst. Some know that I’m a returning human.

Erid parks the vehicle and grabs for my suitcase.

I get out and gesture at the distance from the house and the crowds of beings. “I need to get in and meet with Sten so he knows I’m here. I have to talk to him in private.”

“Don’t worry, I’m certain he already knows you are here and so does his father. They’ll find you .”