Chapter 42

Lorelai

H ours later, Ellax and I were in a dreamlike state between desire and rest, still recovering when his phone on the nightstand began to buzz.

"That's yours," I murmured sleepily.

I think he was as tired as I was, although he would never have admitted it. Too much pride in his skills and himself to admit defeat.

I grinned at the memories we'd just created, pulling the blankets up to my chin, snuggling down deeper into the delicious warmth of the sheets and my alien husband's body heat. Unfortunately, the luxurious moment was broken by Ellax picking up the phone, saying, "Ellax." Then, "They what?"

I froze. His tone had changed entirely.

"I had two days to present an alternative proposal," he said.

Oh no. Oh no!

Forgetting sex and good times, I pushed back the covers and sat upright, studying him worriedly. Technically, it was morning, albeit very, very early. Still, Ellax was frowning. His golden eyes were fiery in the room's dim light. He was pissed.

"Can you stall them?" he asked. He climbed from the bed. "I can reach a space ship in fifteen minutes and be off planet in thirty."

The voice on the other end chattered away.

"Very good," Ellax responded. "Delay as long as you can."

With that, he pressed a button to end the call, dropping the phone with a soft thunk onto the mattress.

"Ellax, what is it?" I asked, worried. Not just worried—fearful. We were supposed to have until the day after tomorrow. Clearly, something had gone awry.

"Sirena," Ellax growled. He marched into the closet. I heard hangers rattling and the whisk of fabric as he grabbed fresh clothing. He strode back out again, proceeding to jerk on a clean shirt, dark slacks, and then bind his hair up out of his way. "She has gone behind my back, personally pressing the Coalition for a vote."

"But it's so early in the morning. Can she do that?" I asked, aghast. "How? She's not on the Coalition."

"She is sleeping with Gorb, one of my fellow Lead Advisors, and has convinced him to convene a vote. Drelor, another Lead Advisor who is more cautious, called to inform me."

"Is Drelor on your side?" I asked worriedly, watching my husband pull on boots, then check his appearance in a mirror.

"Drelor is like me. He would rather take his time and be cautious. Gorb dislikes humans in general, considering them an inferior species. It's little wonder Sirena chose him as her target. He would be easily turned."

Sneaky bitch.

I held my tongue over my opinion of Sirena. Did Ellax know he was her real target? Or had been, until I'd entered the picture? Our marriage had complicated things for her. Sounded to me like she was now out for revenge on Ellax and possibly me by pressing Gorb to force the issue.

"Sirena sounds like a powerful enemy. Or ally, depending on which she is," I observed cautiously.

"Sirena cares for Sirena. She will pursue her own agenda, no matter what. That is why I voted to disallow her from becoming an Elder three years ago. She lacks the ability to see past her own wants and needs. An Elder, a Lead Advisor, must be capable of looking to the broader interests."

Satisfied with his appearance, he turned to me.

"What can I do, Ellax?" I asked. I rose, picking up his discarded shirt and drawing it over my head. I felt terrible. Due to my selfishness, enjoying sex with my husband rather than pushing for writing the proposal, everything might be falling apart. How could I have forgotten my own people like that?

"Could I possibly start writing a proposal? Send it to you via textmail?"

He shook his head. "Even if you could come up with a proposal and write a rough draft, I would have to rewrite it and couch it in terms the Coalition would accept. There is no time to complete such a task. No, there is nothing you can do besides beseech the universe, the stars, the divines that I can reach the Coalition in time to stall the vote."

"Can they vote without you?"

"If a majority of members are present, yes."

I felt sick. Sirena had planned this well. She'd probably guessed we'd be involved in romance tonight. I had a gut feeling she was determined to get back at me for taking her man, as she saw it, and had leveraged my night of passion with my new husband against me, pushing for the early vote to throw us off balance.

"You can do it," I said. Bolstered by a sudden impulse, I hurried over to him, throwing my arms around him. "I believe in you. You'll find a way to do the right thing."

He hesitated a moment, then his arms went around me, crushing me against himself.

"Thank you, little star," he said quietly. "No one has ever had such faith in me."

The affirmation felt good. The silly pet name, even better.

I drew back, pressed a quick kiss to his mouth, then stepped out of his embrace. "You'd better go." I don't know why I felt prompted to say it, but I added, "Be safe."

He gave me a curious look, which changed to a smile.

"And you, Lorelai. And you."