CHAPTER 8

This was it. Chloe was really about to set foot on a space station. An alien space station. Surreal!

To think that she had nearly missed the view as they approached the station, because she had been busy sleep-drooling on Nitiel's shoulder. Also, because he hadn't dared wake her up. Good thing the need to pee had awoken her right on time.

She couldn't tell how she had fallen asleep, given how flushed his last statement had gotten her. She must have been lulled by the steady beat of his heart in the complete silence after. Nothing else could put a stop to her thoughts about Nitiel. About his slipup that he found her attractive.

Sure, he had been hard as steel under her before he had made that admission, but she had repeatedly wiggled against his dick; it was a natural reaction. His declaration, though, made with such conviction and passion, had left no space for doubt in her: the gorgeous Subcommander was into her.

He drew her in too, sexy looks aside. She couldn't deny it at this point, especially after their snuggling session. Being in his heady presence gave her the tingles, and when you added how gentle and honorable he was…

She wanted more time with him. To the point where she was considering doing what she had never done for a guy: ask Nitiel out. When she went back to Earth happily single in a couple of days, she would offer to take him on a date. That would go against his kind's etiquette, where only the males made the first move, but he would be on her territory then. He had to adapt to humans' ways, right?

But that was a question for later. Right now, Chloe had to focus on the upcoming meeting with her ‘fated mate'.

That sounded ridiculous, but so had the idea of her traveling to Jupiter. Yet here she was, staring at the huge orange-y planet that was filling the porthole. The space station was there as well, a massive silvery construct that still looked like an ant next to Jupiter. Chloe distinguished several rings one over the other, like stacked donuts.

"So, what happens now?" she asked tentatively, turning to look at the alien in the pilot seat next to hers. Upon waking up, she had left his warm embrace to stretch – peeing would have to wait as the toilet facilities were in the freezing-cold part of the ship. Then she had taken the co-pilot seat to watch the view… and keep her hands off Nitiel. They were but a few minutes away from their destination, so there wasn't enough time for her to go full popsicle.

"What do you mean?" Nitiel sounded as though he had been lost in his thoughts until this very moment. Then again, with the autopilot doing the piloting for now, what else was he to do?

"What is the arrival procedure? Will the Commander be there to welcome us upon landing? Or do I get time to freshen up and have a snack before the meeting?"

"Loe, your fated mate will be on the other side of our ship's hatch the moment we land. He has been waiting his entire life for this moment."

"Of course." Fudge.

"If the situation in the sector is calm, he might have assembled a welcoming group of soldiers in the landing bay. As he should, to show utmost respect for the most important person in his life."

"Okay." Fudge, fudge, fudge.

Nitiel's purple brow bunched. "You do not sound excited?"

Chloe stifled a, ‘Duh.' "I'm ecstatic. Just practicing hiding my feminine emotions, as per your culture."

"Ah." He scratched at the base of one horn nub.

"What? Isn't that what you expect of me? To adapt to your ways?"

His wings fluttered. "Yes, but…"

"But what?"

"I'm just…" He scratched some more. "I'm not used to seeing you composed like a lady."

The corners of Chloe's lips turned up. "Why Nitiel, do you prefer my usual unladylike behavior?"

He harrumphed but looked away from her and switched to manual piloting too briskly to not look suspicious.

Chloe bit her bottom lip to stop a giggle from escaping.

Her cheerful attitude died a quick death upon the ship entering the landing bay inside the station's top donut. Even watching Nitiel execute delicate maneuvers, so hot in his full control over the ship, couldn't get her mind off the meeting to come.

What if contrary to her expectations, Commander Curly Horn liked her and demanded she marry him? Turning down the alien of greatest importance in Earth's defense wasn't an option. There would be no returning to Earth for her then. No hand-made jewelry business. No potential date with Nitiel.

Chloe cast a longing look his way, the sight of the landing bay through the porthole forgotten. She had barely thought about men after her breakup in college, disappointed as well as too focused on making her business dream come to life. Now, however, the thought of not having the chance to spend more time with Nitiel made her heart squeeze. Strange–

"Strange."

"Huh?" Had Nitiel just read her mind? But no, he was deeply focused on the view outside. She followed the direction of his gaze.

The landing bay lay before them, cavernous and imposing, with too many fighter aircraft to count. In addition to the triangular military ships, there were several oval shuttles and cargo ships she recognized from TV. Workers from various alien species were unloading or loading the egg-shaped aircraft. Among them, a landing spot was pulsing in pale yellow.

"What is strange, Nitiel?" Chloe prompted when he proceeded to land the ship without elaborating.

"I do not see a welcoming group."

"Oh. That's… okay." Perfect! The last thing Chloe needed was a crowd of soldiers cheering upon her arrival, only for her to announce the whole thing was a giant mistake.

Nitiel cast her a worried look. "Loe, you don't understand. Not even your fated mate is here."