Gyft (Rescued by the Alien)

Chapter Sixteen

ONE MONTH LATER:

YVETTE AND I stare wide-eyed at each other as rapid pounding sounds like thunder against the front door of the cottage that was supposed to be mine and Gyft’s honeymoon home—a retreat from castle life. A getaway and a return to the city where we fell in love.

Instead, after storming in a fit of tears to Yvette’s room in the castle, we only allowed limited communication with Minniel. Oh, I didn’t want to see Gyft’s friend, coworker, whatever, but I suspect Yvette wanted to see him.

I didn’t miss the way her cheeks turned pink at the mention of him. Or the way she sometimes stared longingly outside when the males trained on the grounds below our balcony.

Through her, I had one message for Minniel. If Gyft and I were divorced and I had nowhere to go—not even a planet, apparently—I wanted the cottage.

It was handed over without question.

Minniel handled all of the travel arrangements. I’d refused to talk to Gyft, in fact, he had no idea where we lived. I still remember walking into that office building to find him and Minniel pouring over images of our shuttle fluttering around in lighted holograms.

“Well, they’re not as dumb as they look.”

I’ll never forget those words. His words. He meant us, all of us from Earth. Me included .

Minniel promised he wouldn’t even tell him the cottage was put into my name, though he couldn’t promise that Gyft would never show up, or try to put it up for sale and find out it was mine. We’ve never had a single visitor—why would we? Groceries were delivered. Rian, the male I met who booked engagements for the mall, handled our communications through email.

But here was a pounding at the front door that I’d been dreading. My heart knew who it was... I felt who was on the other end.

“Olivia!”

The deep, guttural cry comes right from the other side of the wood. Against my better judgement, I rise from the sofa and head closer to the door to yell out.

“Go away.”

“No. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

I slide open the small voicebox. A screen covers the two-inch square so you can’t look through, but sound travels in. His voice sounds close, so close. I could have him in my arms in two seconds flat, but that will never happen. If I’m so weak that I want a male who blatantly used me for our planet’s technology, I’ll make sure to keep the thick wooden barrier between us. I lean my forehead against the cool wood to speak.

“Why? I’m just another citizen of this planet, right? One without a choice because I can never go back.”

“I’m—”

“Get out.” I don’t have to speak loudly, he can hear me just fine.

“I’ll never leave you, my bride.”

“Too late, Gyft. I. Left. You.”

“You can’t—”

“Really? You dissolved our marriage, remember? Last I heard, we were divorced.”

“We are.” His voice is dripping with pain, so much I can feel it from the other side of the thick wood. All at once, it seems like we’re in the same room, like my heart, my soul, reaches for him. Like we’re both instinctively butted up to the same spot despite the barrier between us. “But I don’t want to be. At the time, before I even met you, I applied. Once I met you, I forgot that was in process. I thought you’d be my wife forever.”

“You did this,” I say softly. “I didn’t even get a choice. You broke us before we had a chance.”

“I’m sorry. My love, I’m so sorry. If I could undo it, I would.”

“Open the door,” Yvette whispers from the windows she’s peering out of. “You’re miserable too. Just talk to him.”

The lock opens with a loud click, but I still don’t make a move to swing the door open. Not yet. And he’s respectful enough not to turn the handle on his end.

“You hurt me, Gyft,” I whisper through the closed door, still using it as a shield.

“I hurt too. I hurt so bad without you.” His voice isn’t loud, I shouldn’t be able to hear him so clearly, but I do. It’s like he’s right there with me, breathing the same air.

I kind of wonder what Yvette will do if I let him in, but I don’t have to worry. When I do open the door, Minniel stands about ten feet behind my ex-husband.

Who looks rough. White freelig hangs limp around his hunched shoulders, his eyes are ringed with dark circles, and his glorious, silvery scaled skin has lost its luster.

But even with all that, he straightens when he sees me, his dull eyes come to life, and he focuses like he never wants to tear his eyes away again. And even though I’m not paying much attention to anyone but Gyft, I see how Minniel has zeroed in on Yvette, how he moves to the side of the cottage where there’s a glass sliding patio door, how she floats over to the door also, as if by unspoken agreement. They reach each other at the same time, but I lose focus on them as I study Gyft .

What can I say now that we’re face to face? I can’t say how are you, that much is obvious. I can’t say what do you want, he’ll answer with: you.

“I need you,” he says simply.

“You need my blood,” I say. I know all the vampire rules from old Earth Halloween stories. “You bit me once and now you need it to keep healthy. Like that first night in the forest when you drank the beast monster’s. I’m perfectly willing to offer my neck. We could even keep it platonic—”

His snort is loud, too loud.

“I need you because you’re more than my bride.” He holds up a hand at my protest, my reminder that we’re divorced. “My mate. You’re my one true mate, Livvie.”

I shake my head.

“Has the mark healed?” he asks.

There’s a reason why I’m wearing a high collar. No, his fangs are still scarred on my throat, like the vampire I once accused him of being. The constant hickey from when he first told me he loved me. It never faded.

“It hasn’t,” he says. “Even though you’re human. You know why? Because it’s the mateship bite. It included my venom. It makes us compatible in every way. Everyone in H’liyio acknowledged our mating. I meant to tell you what it meant but I was blindsided by the divorce going through.”

“The divorce you forgot about,” I say numbly. “And the stealing of our shuttle. That was what you wanted all along.”

“You’re a baby planet, Olivia. That shuttle will make you a target just like the first contact did. Our superiors knew from day one that we needed to get that system and see how it worked. I didn’t have a choice about that. And yes, I requested the divorce. I’m sorry, my love. I only wanted it before I met you. Once I found you in the woods, I was lost.”

Somehow he’s moved closer, so close I can feel the warmth of his skin where he’s hunched up against me, his face near my hair as he breathes me in. And I want nothing more than to sink into his arms, to rub my cheek against the scales on his chest. Maybe, just maybe... well, I can’t bear not to touch him, so I snake one arm around his waist.

“You’ll want to get remarried?” I ask.

“Yes. Anything.”

“You’ll want me to move in with you? To the castle?”

“Yes. We’ll keep this house—your cottage—near your escape town of H’liyio.”

“What about Yvette?” I ask, eyes narrowed.

“We’ll keep her. She can stay at the castle, or stay here. Come and go, just like us. Same time, different times. Whatever you both want.”

“And you’re fine with being newly... mated and having someone else in our house?”

“Of course. You’re my mate, Livvie. Nothing less. You’ll have everything you ever want.”

“Would you be willing to play Santa for the event that Yvette and I will put on? Even if everyone is scandalized with the red?”

There’s a slight pause before he answers. “If you would like me to, then, yes, I will play this. Santa.”

“You’ll wear red?” Because this is a new planet. We can probably have Santa wear blue. But that will be a surprise for later.

“If you like.”

“What about Minniel? Would you barter or trade something to get him to do it also?” Because I think that not only would my Yvette like that, but if Gyft is willing to do that, it shows his devotion to me.

Gyft literally flinches. “Yes,” he finally answers. “If that is what you would like.”

“Okay,” I say finally. “Then I will give this another try.” I narrow my eyes at him. “Even though we are divorced.”

“We may be divorced,” he says, “But you are still my one and only true mate. I can never, ever love another the way I do you.”

Ah, the big goof. That’s awfully sweet.

“Okay, then. Let’s do this.”

I fall into his arms and his kiss feels familiar and cherished. I’m barely aware of Yvette and Minniel kissing too, but I’m too focused on my mate to be shocked by them.