11. Ayla

"So, Ayla, fans and sleuths alike have noticed you"ve taken a step back from the limelight in the past year," Kelly Jackson says.

Her voice comes crystal clear through my earpiece and her image is perfect on the monitor in front of me, below the camera, despite being light years away.

"Indeed, it was a conscious decision to let my work speak for itself and focus on my personal life a little more."

Kelly nods as I speak and I can"t help but think how many would kill for this Vyperian technology when half of live transmissions on Earth have an uncomfortable delay between speakers.

A strand falls in front of my face and I fix it behind my ear. I have grown used to most of the Vyperian ways but my hair is something I won"t part with.

In fact, I started a trend. Everyone wants to copy the queen"s luxurious hair and hairstyles that women across Leviathar are growing their hair or using wigs for public outings.

"I think we can all appreciate such dedication. Now talk to me about your career. The latest installment in the popular sci-fi franchise Battle of the Galaxies releases next month and we"re all very excited to find out if Admiral Calliope and rebel leader Ethan Young will finally kiss. Can you tell us anything?"

I purse my lips and lock them up with my fingers and both Kelly and I break into laughter.

So much has happened since we wrapped on Battle of the Galaxies that it feels like forever ago. Sometimes, it"s hard to believe it was almost a year ago to this day that Lofy proposed to me and locked me up in Vyperion. A year ago since my life changed for good.

And after spending so many days and nights in his arms, I wouldn"t change a thing for all the money in the world. Lofy reminded me I"m a person. He reminded me who Ayla was. Who she can be. Who she wanted to be. He made me realize how much I wanted to be loved and cherished and how much I want to do the same in return.

Hell, he"d even given me the most earth-shattering orgasms, which certainly didn"t hurt, but they weren"t the be-all and end-all of our relationship. We are both very sexual creatures, another thing I"d forgotten about myself because of work, but we"re more than that.

He takes me to new places across the planet and shows me the wonders of his world at every opportunity. He teaches me his native language even after a long day of work so that I can one day turn the translator off although I don"t see that happening any time soon. He watches Earthen movies with me and every time he recites the lines word for word my heart skips a beat. He does so many things for me, shows me how much he loves me every chance he gets without fail, which only makes me more and more confident that I made the right decision marrying him.

I couldn"t possibly imagine my life without him. What would have happened if I"d said no and returned home. How it"d be possible to go on without his company, his beautiful smile, his big heart.

"Okay, message received," Kelly says.

I shrug. "I don"t want to get in trouble with the studio."

Although I was sure even if I said nothing, like I have now, Jonathan Masters would find a reason to be mad with me. Thankfully, the studio did get rid of him so the franchise can continue its rich legacy without that dickbag infecting everything with his toxicity.

"Of course. Of course. I hear you"re not resting on your laurels despite taking a step back."

"Are you talking about my new movie?"

Kelly smiles and I chuckle.

"Yes, it"s true. I decided to dip my toes into a new role as producer and I"m starting production on a movie based on Waverly Jones" scifi novels."

Kelly narrows her gaze and raises an eyebrow.

"It"s a daring move. I hear those books are very...what"s the term everyone is using these days? Spicy."

"They are."

"And they are very different. Romances between humans and aliens that look nothing like us. What prompted that initiative to bring them to the big screen?"

I look behind the camera, at the handsome blue man standing there, watching me as if I"m his entire world and my breath catches in my throat for a moment.

"Well," I start. "It"s a very popular genre with romance readers. But I also love the idea of two people that couldn"t be more different if they tried finding common ground and love in each other. I think it"s a worthy message, very fitting for our divisive times, don"t you think?"

"I can"t argue with that. I can"t wait to see it come to life and see what else you have in store for us."

"Oh me neither."

Kelly takes a deep breath and glances from side to side, as if she doesn"t want to be heard by anyone else and leans closer to the camera.

"Now, before I let you get on with your day, there is one more thing our viewers are dying to know."

I laugh. I know exactly what she"s going to ask. The same thing everyone has been asking me since I "went missing."

"Which is?" I feign ignorance.

"Is it true there"s a special someone in your life."

I glance back at Lofy, his big puppy dog eyes are so cute and wonderful, and decide it"s probably time I stopped lying.

"There is, yes."

If Kelly is shocked by my admittance, she hides it very well.

"So when do we get to meet this boyfriend?"

"What makes you think it"s a boyfriend?" I stared at the camera, teasing both Kelly and everyone watching. "He"s more than that. He"s my husband."

I catch a twinkle in Kelly"s gaze because she has an exclusive, but I couldn"t care less who knows anymore.

"So you got married? You managed to keep that under wraps."

I nod.

"It"s not the only thing I"ve kept under wraps, to be honest."

Kelly turns almost giddy. "Are you saying there"s a baby on the way?"

I laugh again but don"t confirm or deny. People can make of that what they will.

"That"s fantastic. I bet your fans and our viewers will be thrilled for you. Can we also hope for a sneak peek of your beautiful family?"

I shake my head without missing a beat.

"I"d rather keep my two worlds entirely separate."

"I can respect that. I hope you can do that."

No, she doesn"t. I"m sure her and all the internet sleuths out there will be doing their best to find me and my family, but they never will. Nothing they can do will ever yield results. And I quite like that. I like knowing that my family and private life can be just that, here in Vyperion.

I can go out in the streets and play with little kids, have a drink with the women or a chat with the men and none of my pictures will ever reach any type of Earthen media, even if King Atraxius spies are everywhere and his smear campaign continues strong. But the Minoan king is the only thing I have to worry about on this planet and he"s more bark than bite, especially after losing three Leviathan islands he"d been occupying for the past thirty years.

The people of Leviathar, my people, have been emboldened by their king"s marriage, their morale and spirits lifted, their admiration strengthened. I am proud to be their queen and even though the enemy king still refuses to meet with me in person, I know his warring days are numbered. Even his people have lost the will to fight their neighbors.

It's crazy to think a simple marriage can have such a positive effect on a whole planet, but I guess that"s the power of love. Our love. Lofy"s and mine.

"Thank you so much for talking to us and congratulations." Kelly does her closer, adding something about the movie"s release and then the camera light goes out and it"s just Lofy and me again. Like it"s been since we met.

"How was that?" I ask him and he steps into my arms.

I rest my head on his bare chest and he strokes my hair, putting me immediately at ease.

"You were wonderful, my vyperix."

We stay like this for moments that turn to minutes before we speak again.

"We should get going. We"ll be late for dinner with Zotrus and her wife."

"One more moment," Lofy says and he slides down my body.

When his head is level with mine, he kisses me and I love that even after a year, his lips can set me on fire as if it was the first time.

He doesn"t stop at my lips however. He continues down my neck, down my collarbone, planting kisses between my breasts, his fingers grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it up.

When he gets to my belly, he cups it with both hands and rests his ear on it. Our baby kicks in response to their father being so close. I can already tell they"ve definitely got the Vyperian empathy because they react the same every time their father is close.

I get lost watching him be so tender and sweet with our unborn child, with how attentive he is, even though it shouldn"t surprise me. That"s simply who he is.

And I can"t wait to see him raise his child with me, to be that schmoopy dad that bends over backwards to get their kid a toy they saw once that made them smile or stay up with them when they"re feeling poorly.

Because that"s exactly what he"ll be like. I know it deep in my heart. That"s the man he"s shown me when I first met him and the man he"s been ever since.

My wonderful, affectionate, kind devilish king.

Lofy and Ayla's story may be over, but that doesn't mean you have to say goodbye just yet!