CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 1 5

Ready or Not

“H oly smoke, this is truly happening!” Trixie bounced in front of the exit hatch twice, giddy with emotions she couldn’t quite name. How could she, when she had never been in such a situation?

A big wing hugged her from behind, feathers brushing along her long sleeve in a soothing caress. “Are you ready, my bean?”

“Am I ready to tie the knot with my alien husband? You bet! But to have that knot tied by a king on another planet in another star system?” Trixie laughed nervously. “Who is ever ready for that? ”

Her soon-to-be husband tucked her into his side with a wing. “If you don’t want to do this, I will cancel.”

“Right.”

Trixie looked away from the closed hatch in front of them and up at Vrixiel’s face. He wore a serious expression – as usual in public – but also steely determination in his gaze. He meant every word. He was ready to oppose the will of his king for her. After getting summoned to Gaenthia three days before the end of their honeymate. After being flown here in a single day on the cutting-edge royal ship. After being told that King Xissiel would wed them immediately after landing… Vrixiel was willing to cancel and leave.

Was Trixie tempted to say, hell yeah? Sure. They had planned a small ceremony on the station for the last day of their honeymate. Her guest list included her parents, her three closest friends, and the human women on the station. Vrixiel had invited several colleagues, including his bestie Nitiel who Trixie was yet to meet because of his busy schedule. She was almost ready with the paper flowers for the wedding arch, and Vrixiel had only two more metal hearts to make as little gifts for their guests. The wedding dress, designed by yours truly to combine Gaenthian and Terran fashion, was in the process of being 3D-printed. The wedding cake, made of those tasty sparkly balls and purple leaves that she had been wrongfully skeptical of just days ago, was already ordered.

So, holding another ceremony? One officiated by an alien king and attended by high-ranking representatives of every clan on Gaenthia? With her wearing the most conservative red dress she could find in her closet? Thanks, but no thanks.

Trixie took in her husband-to-be again. With his red kilt and fitted vest on top of a red shirt, and his horns gleaming in the artificial light of the ship, Vrixiel was devastatingly handsome. But it was the tender look he was giving her now that had her heart somersaulting.

“No canceling, niel ,” she said firmly. No way would she risk him by raising his King’s and clan’s ire. She took a deep breath. “I’m ready. Are you?”

“To face the King and the entire clan? Never. But for my alien wife?” His wing tightened around her protectively. “Yes. From the moment I met you.”

Before Trixie could melt right then and there, the exit hatch had whooshed open. She would have to show her niel her appreciation later. Now, it was time to meet the King of Gaenthia.

Only, she froze one step onto the landing ramp. The plaza around the ship was packed with aliens. Mostly Gaenthians, but not only. And as she and Vrixiel made their appearance, the crowd began flapping their wings, waiving their antennae, stomping their hooves, or any other version of applause they had in their culture.

“Fuck me sideways,” Trixie muttered. No one but Vrixiel could hear her over the welcoming crowd.

His wing became her shield, and he squeezed her hand in his. “Have no fear, my bean. Ours is the first Terran wedding ceremony to be held on Gaenthia and be officiated by the King. There is much excitement.”

That was putting it mildly. In addition to the crowd, there were huge holographic screens around the plaza showing her and Vrixiel resuming their walk down the ramp. Their every move would be on display for the populace in attendance, and not only. Trixie bet the ceremony would be broadcast around the planet as well.

“When you said your clan was important, I didn’t realize it was this important.” And to think she had been worried about some clan ball.

This was grander than the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Catherine, which Trixie had watched live on TV while munching on popcorn. The plaza looked like the love child of the Roman Forum and Coruscant, ancient and futuristic architecture somehow blended seamlessly. The building Vrixiel was leading her toward could as well be the Parthenon teleported in its full splendor from ancient Greece. And those in attendance represented several planets, if not even star systems.

“It is politics, niela ,” Vrixiel explained over the cheering around them. “I am the first of my clan to get mated to a Terran, and at a time when the King wishes to extend his military aid further than the Solar System.”

“Got it. We must be flaunted to garner support for his plans.” At least, those plans were good: he didn’t wish to conquer new worlds but help them and, in the process, find more of his people’s fated mates. His included. “You want an awesome Trixie of your own, people? Give your leader the thumbs up.”

The joke didn’t quite ease her nerves, but it did make Vrixiel’s lips curl ever so slightly. A smile only for her that the cameras flying around them could not capture. “They can thumb all they want. There is no other in the Universe like my special bean.”

Trixie stopped worrying her lip, and the knot in her stomach eased. So what if there were millions of eyes on them and space politics at play? She had the alien of her dreams by her side. She could do this.

The plaza and the crowd remained behind them as she and Vrixiel entered the Parthenon, aka the capital city’smain temple to the Goddess. A long corridor with guards along the stone walls led them to a grand hall that might as well be a ballroom in France’s Versailles Palace. Full of Gaenthians of every clan, the place looked like a Skittles pack, with green being the dominant color. Vrixiel’s parents were somewhere in this room, too.

Everyone’s eyes landed on them when Trixie and Vrixiel stepped into the ballroom. Unlike outside, no applause followed their appearance. The crowd here fell silent.

“Vrixiel of the Pointed Horn Clan and Lady Trixie Miller,” someone announced solemnly .

Trixie was too busy staring ahead to see who. Because standing opposite her, at the very center of the ballroom, was the ruler of Gaenthia.

King Xissiel wore no crown, but the tips of his six horns and the edges of his teal wings were painted in gold. His grizzled black hair was braided into the most complex updo Trixie had ever seen. He was dressed like all the males in attendance – in a kilt, shirt, and vest – but entirely in white, so pristine it shone under the light of the massive chandeliers. Thick gold bands were visible around his wrists, perhaps symbols of his kingly power.

There was no throne in sight, but this guy didn’t need one. King Xissiel was imposing enough standing. Tall, muscular, and with a silver fox look, he was ready for the cover of an alien romance novel with the age gap trope.

“Welcome home,” his deep voice filled the ballroom.

“My King.” Vrixiel placed his hand, fisted except for his pinkie, over the left side of his chest in the formal Gaenthian greeting. He then executed a flawless bow. His nerves were betrayed only by the slight trembling of his pinkie.

Trixie curtsied as taught on the trip here. Her red dress was floor-length and with dozens of layers of skirts, so no one saw her knees wobble.

“Step forward.” The King motioned for them to join him in the center of the ballroom. “There will be no long speeches from me today. I know everyone is impatient for the ceremony of tying the knot, as is the Terran tradition. And,” he smiled graciously, “no speech can be as effective as the sight of this Goddess-blessed love.”

Under the approving flaps of the guests’ wings, Trixie and Vrixiel went to stand before the King. She held tight to her niel , and his wing molded around her like a mantel. It was time.

King Xissiel stepped to the side to reveal the ends of two ropes on the white marble floor. Two ropes so thick that they could easily hold a ship’s anchor at sea.

What the…?

“Vrixiel of the Pointed Horn Clan and Lady Trixie Miller,” the King spoke, picking the ends of the ropes as though they weighed nothing, “you may proceed to tie the knot.”

Trixie looked from the rope she was being handed to Vrixiel. He seemed just as confused as she was. Whoever had given the King information about the wedding customs on Terra had not done their research. Yes, there was an old tradition of tying an actual knot, but not the most massive wedding knot in existence!

She choked down a nervous giggle. This was ridiculous. Nerve-racking as well. What if the rope was too heavy for her to hold? What if she ended up flat on her ass in a huge puff of skirts before the eyes of the whole planet?

Vrixiel’s feathers slid up her back. She met his gaze again. The confusion was gone from his eyes, replaced by the warmth of his love and devotion. He was ready to proceed if she was.

They hadn’t said the L word to each other yet, but they didn’t have to. Vrixiel’s actions over the past week spoke better than words. His gaze now reminded her that she had nothing to worry about when he was by her side.

If the rope was too heavy for her, he would help her hold it. If she lost her balance, he would catch her. Her husband would never let her fall.

Trixie hesitated no longer. She accepted her rope’s end from the King, and so did Vrixiel.

The thing turned out incredibly light. Huh . Another mystery alien material like that of her dresses, which was both extra light and strong.

Rope in hand, Trixie faced her niel again. The moment their eyes locked, everything else faded away. The King, the guests, the flying cameras – it all became a blur. There was only Vrixiel in front of her, his wings at her sides and his hands working with hers to bind them into one.

“I love you, niela . My bean,” he said while tightening the knot. “I am yours. Now and forever.”

“And I love you, niel .” The knot became blurry as tears of joy filled her eyes. “My boo bear. My husband. My everything. I am yours.”

As they held the knot between them, the King placed his hand on top of it and declared, “Where there were two ropes before, now there is one. Stronger than before, for unity makes strength. May all of us remember that.” After a meaningful pause, he added with a softer tone, “I pronounce you husband and wife. Welcome to the Pointed Horn Clan, Lady Trixie. ”

Cheers erupted in the room. Amid it all, she grinned at Vrixiel. The King had not said it, but Trixie had no intention of skipping the most important part of the ceremony. “You may now kiss the bride,” Trixie told her alien husband.

Silence engulfed the ballroom, save for the rustling of wings and the clearing of throats.

Oopsie . Kissing in public during a solemn ceremony was obviously not done on Gaenthia. She had just made a faux pas in her enthusiasm. She opened her mouth then closed it. What if she made matters worse?

“It’s the Terran tradition,” Vrixiel spoke loud enough for the whole ballroom to hear.

Trixie stared at him over the knot. Was he truly going to…?

“I must kiss my niela , my King,” Vrixiel marched on. Not asking for permission but stating what he would do. Standing firm and confident. “Otherwise, the wedding will be invalid.”

Trixie hadn’t thought she could love her boo bear more, but there it was. She looked at King Xissiel, expecting to see disapproval, if not outright anger on his face.

The King looked as calm and collected as ever. But standing so close, Trixie did not miss the spark in his dark-green eyes. He was intrigued by this wedding custom.

Taking the knot, he declared, “You may proceed. Respectfully .”

Trixie returned her gaze to Vrixiel and beamed at him.

Triumph and undisguised passion warred for dominance on his beautiful face. She felt his emotions all the way to her core .

Next thing she knew, Trixie was up in his arms and under the cover of his wings. Their first kiss as a married couple would be for their eyes only.

But even if the hundreds of extraterrestrials in the ballroom and the cameras could see, Trixie didn’t care. Only one alien mattered to her at this moment. And under both Earth’s and Gaenthia’s laws, he was now her husband.

Their eyes met in the safe cocoon of his wings. His fingers sank into her hips in a possessive hold. Her hand gripped his chest, taking up a fistful of his shirt. Then their lips collided in a scorching kiss that no romance book could have prepared Trixie for. Because her real life with Vrixiel was better than any love story she had ever read.

And as for what the future held, she believed it would be far too epic for a single epilogue to contain.

THE END… sort of ;)

Trixie and Vrixiel have a role to play in Right on Time , my standalone sci-fi novel available in ebook and paperback! If you haven’t read it yet, go see how

the special bean and her boo bear help Nitiel out.

The busy Subcommander ends up missing their wedding on the Jupiter station,

because he is sent to Earth on a very important mission.

A mission that just might change his life…