Star Bright (Big Sky Alien Mail Order Brides #22)

Chapter 18

The journey back to the outpost was agonizingly slow in the overloaded hover cart. It would’ve been horrendously cold even with the layers shared between them if not for Vash’s one shredded wing wrapped around them all, the torn edges flapping in the breeze. They were only halfway back when a ring of lights appeared in the sky above them.

“I wouldn’t mind being abducted right now,” Darcy muttered.

“That is not how the Intergalactic Dating Agency works,” Vash replied wearily. “But if it’s something you’d like to explore…”

“No, I think I’m right where I want to be.”

He gazed at her, a question in his gray eyes, but then the transport was landing in the snow ahead of them.

“Darcy!” Brin raced toward them, tripping in the snow. “I’m so sorry. I will get you authorized for hazard pay when you were only supposed to be petsitting the universe’s ugliest dog.”

Ug descended from the transport behind Brin, grumbling. Two more vaguely humanoid beings were behind Ug with a stretcher big enough to hold Vash in his beast shape, and they were all hustled aboard.

Ug let out a short, disapproving howl at the sight of them. “So about those ship repairs,” Darcy told him. He growled again.

By the time they arrived at the outpost landing area—much more official than the lawn crashing from before—Atsu was asleep in Darcy’s arms, and her shoulder was screaming. Vash and Yadira were talking quietly, their voices rising and falling in a solemn melody of grief and gratitude, apology and approval, with the constant undertone of love, steady as an unfaltering wingbeat.

Brin just watched them all with wide eyes and a secret smile.

As everyone was ushered to the med bay, Brin whispered to Darcy, “The Big Sky Intergalactic Dating Agency scores again.”

Darcy gave her look. “His contract was expired. I didn’t even know this”—she waved, like Atsu did with both hands—“whole thing was a thing.”

Brin shrugged one shoulder. “You’d be shocked how often chaos scores over quantum algorithms.”

“We’re not actually dating though,” Darcy said, trying to scrounge up her defenses. “Or mating either, or whatever.”

“No. It’s more than that.”

Without explaining that cryptic comment—and really, a hoax debunker shouldn’t even do cryptic—Brin peeled away, already conferring with Ug, Kong, and the other aliens about how to retrieve the broken ship.

When Darcy followed the others into the med bay, she found herself drifting to Vash’s side though she knew she needed her shoulder checked out eventually. He had still not retracted his tattered wing, and the thin but tough length was draped across most of the room. He’d obviously rejected care until his fledglings were examined; the children were perched next to him while an alien scanned them with a handheld device.

“A bit sore and chilled,” came the diagnosis. “Nothing that a night’s rest after a cup of cocoa won’t fix.” The being turned to Vash. “ Now may I assess you?”

“Definitely not getting the deposit back,” Vash muttered with a nod to the medic.

Atsu burrowed under the edge of his wing. “I’m sorry, Addah.”

Vash smoothed down his flyaway black hair. “What were you thinking, my summer breeze?”

Darcy suspected he meant the question rhetorically, but Atsu perked up. “I thought a long time. Probably hours and hours, until I had a good plan. I was going to hide the ship where no one would ever find it, or at least until maybe spring when the snow melts. Then I was going to go a ways away and light the fireworks so you could bring me home for cocoa and tarts. I knew you’d come find me.”

Vash closed his eyes. “But why did you steal the ship?”

“Without the ship, we wouldn’t be able to leave here. And we’d all be happy forever.”

Yadira peered at him. “But you knew the outpost rescuers were coming, and maybe the planetary authorities too. They’d just take us away on one of their ships.”

He stared back at her. “Well. I guess that could happen.”

She groaned. “Susu, if you want to steal a spaceship, just ask me first.”

Vash cleared his throat. “No more stealing of spaceships. Definitely no more crashing of them.”

The medic’s scanner beeped. “Your metabolic processes are very depleted, but considering the benefits of cellular transfiguration, I recommend shifting fully into your beast shape for tonight. We can treat your injuries in that configuration while you maximize your caloric intake for energy, and then you can complete your healing when you change back, hopefully in time for Christmas brunch.”

“If we push back all the chairs, the lobby is big enough to hold him,” Darcy said.

“Let’s all sleep in the pillow forts one more time,” Atsu suggested.

After the medic gave Darcy a shot and a sling for her shoulder, they trooped down to the lobby. It looked so peaceful with all the lights. Brin showed up with a man she introduced as her mate, Sol, who was part of the outpost security team.

“Although apparently our remote security couldn’t stand against a drakling fledgling,” he drawled, ruffling Atsu’s hair.

The boy beamed up at him. “Maybe you could hire me to be on your team. Or I could be your team’s enemy. Or both!”

Working together with whatever limbs were available and functional, they rearranged to make room for Vash and the pillow forts. Next to the makeshift tree, Vash changed, ripping through the paper pants supplied by the med bay.

“Sol changes shape too,” Brin told Darcy in an aside. “Looks like a phoenix, amazing. If you have any questions about…possibilities just ask.” She smirked.

Meanwhile, Atsu was poking around under the tree. “Santa came while we were gone. There are gifts, see? But he didn’t eat the cookies. I left some sparklers behind; maybe we could light them to bring him back—”

“No!” Darcy said. “Ah, one visit from Santa and one Fourth of July in the middle of Christmas is enough.”

“Addah needs them anyway for strength,” Yadira said.

Everyone got a cookie and the rest were dumped down the huge drakling’s throat. By the time that was done, the medic had seen to the remnants of Vash’s injuries, and Atsu was asleep in his fort.

Brin hugged Darcy. “Merry Christmas, since it’s after midnight. I’m glad you weren’t alone here.”

“I’m sorry you had to come back to such a disaster.”

Brin laughed. “Love is messy sometimes. There’s a chapter in the employee manual that goes over that. See you at brunch.”

When everyone else had gone, Darcy glanced toward the fireplace where Yadira cuddled under the bandage on her father’s wing. Quietly, she made three hot cocoas—two that were half extra whip, and one in a bucket.

She handed the smaller of the extra whips to the girl. “Happy first shift,” she said. “You were so brave and beautiful.”

Yadira straightened. “I was? I guess I was.” She guzzled the cocoa. “I can’t wait to do it again.” Then she blinked at Darcy. “But I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Oh. I think you would’ve. I’m glad I could be there with you anyways.”

The girl glanced at her father then back at Darcy. “And now I’m going to bed where I will sleep very hard and not hear anything.” With that Atsu-level subtlety, she rolled to her feet and padded off to her fort, tugging the sheet closed behind her.

Vash cleaned out the bucket of cocoa with one mighty drakling tongue swipe.

Darcy sipped at her own. Yeah, she was not going to compare tongue sizes…

“That was all very intense,” she said quietly. “When I said holidays can be complicated, I totally wasn’t thinking any of that.”

Vash lowered his head to the floor beside her with a sigh that blew back her hair.

“Yeah. I bet you’re exhausted, even with all that sugar. I should probably go—”

Huffing again, he snaked his tail around to tangle between her legs. Apparently she wasn’t going anywhere.

The rings of fire in his eyes seemed to fill her vision too when she settled within the loops of his tail, half reclining as if he were the perfect lounge chair. and the soft drape of his outstretched wing was as warm as a sunny day.

He was practically a Caribbean beach vacation made flesh.

“I was so scared when I saw you,” she whispered. “I felt terrible when Christopher left me behind. But the thought of losing you…” She let out a shuddering breath. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

He rumbled somewhere so deep inside she felt rather than heard it, and the smallest loop of his tail loosened as if he meant to pull away.

But she grabbed him. “No. I said that wrong. I don’t know how to do it. But I think it’s like climbing a wall, just without a safety rope, or maybe it’s more like flying. I’m scared, but with you… Vash, I think with you I could fly.”

+ + +

At the stroke of her hand along the tip of his tail, Vash shimmered along every nerve—and shifted.

Her eyes widened, then darkened when she realized she was entangled with a drakling male in his naked shape.

All the shifting and partial shifting and near exploding had worn him out, but her touch was the sweetness of cocoa and the richness of cream—and the wildness of caffeine, except he knew he’d remember every moment of this night.

She clung to him though her tone was softly scolding. “The medic said you should stay in one shape for the night.”

“I hear it’s after midnight. And as much as my beast wants to stay wrapped around you, I think we need to talk first.”

Her wide brown eyes narrowed. “Talk about…what?”

“Oh, dating, mating, preferred planet, if you really think you might want to hash out how to entangle your life with a fledgling and a just shifted drakling and a broken old male—”

“You’re not that old,” she protested.

“More than a hundred years,” he reminded her solemnly, though the fire glinted in his eyes. “Would you sign such a contract?”

“It’s not a contract. You’re a gift.” She wrapped her good arm around his neck. “You fell out of the sky basically at my feet just in time for Christmas. And if you’re not all gift wrapped and ribboned…” She tweaked the end of the bandage still dangling over his neck. “Well, a little ribboned, but I don’t mind that at all.”

When she slid her hand down his bare chest, his heart leapt to follow. He pulled her close, careful of her arm in the sling between them. “I thought I’d find out what’s left for me on Skyearth and then come back for you, to see if there was a still a chance for something between us. But now I think we shouldn’t wait. Whatever comes next, whatever I have, I would share it with you.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Yadira and Atsu need to be part of this.”

“Always. Finding Shanya was bliss for me, and the fledglings unfurled new love for us. Then crashing into you… The skies of our hearts are ever widening. I want that for them—and for myself.”

“I’ve never had that,” she whispered. “I want it too.”

The thought that he could be her gift, broken and used though he was, healed something within Vash he hadn’t known was injured. Draklings loved treasure, but to be someone’s treasure…

His mouth hovered above hers, a winged thing tired and yearning for a place to land. “May I kiss you now?”

“Please, and always.”

Above the lights of their makeshift tree, something twinkled. Like the prelude to a change, but inside—stars igniting in his big new sky.

+ + +

Unfortunately, the current planet’s star had barely risen, turning the snow a soft silver, when Atsu jumped into Vash’s nest with Darcy.

“Good morning, Addah!”

“Is it?” Vash grumbled. But he tugged his fledgling close, only wincing a little when a bony knee came too close to his tender areas. Luckily, Darcy had found him some clothes which offered discretion if not actual armor.

Yadira hovered—with no wings at the moment—just beyond, trying to look calm, but she kept glancing under the tree. “Merry Christmas, Addah and Darcy.”

“Is it time for presents?” Darcy poked her head up.

“Yes!” Atsu’s exiting scramble caught Vash in his wounded arm. He hadn’t let the beast heal him enough, but a night with Darcy was worth it.

And all the nights to come.

He kissed her. “Merry Christmas, my verikai.”

“It is,” she whispered back.

When he turned toward the tree, Yadira was watching them, but her green eyes were shining. Maybe it was just the gifts, but he thought his little girl was growing up.

Atsu distributed the presents: two to each child, one to each adult.

“I brought a few things for the fledglings from home,” Vash told Darcy quietly while the children exclaimed over their gifts—a lovely flowing tunic dress for Yadria with a selection of custom appliques to choose from and an intricate puzzle box for Atsu. “I had thought some distraction would be useful while I was meeting my Earther bride.”

“On my way here, I stopped in the town of Sunset Falls. Evens’ Odds and Ends thrift store has lots of weird and cool stuff. Good thing I succumbed to impulse, repeatedly.”

“A shiny rock!” Atsu held up a fist-sized geode, and the faceted purple crystals sparkled as if in answer to his admiration.

“Oh, this is beautiful too.” Yadira slipped a glittery bangle over her wrist.

Vash squeezed Darcy against his side. “It’s like you knew you would be meeting draklings.”

“Or maybe I’m a drakling at heart.”

“My heart.” He kissed her.

“I hope you got her more than that,” Atsu said.

Vash growled at his fledgling with teasing menace. “There’s more.” He flicked a sly glance at Darcy who blushed.

Her eyes sparkled almost as much as a drakling’s when she unwrapped a box and gazed down at the brilliant red cabochon nested in a tangle of white bindings. The stone gleamed bright as a sundae cherry on whipped cream, its soft reflectance reminding him of her lips kissed swollen.

“This stone is beautiful,” she breathed.

“It is a Flamewalker crystal,” he said. “Perhaps all that remains of my clan. Or with the power of compounding interest, maybe it represents much more. I’m not yet sure which, but I want you to have it, regardless.”

“Either way the wind blows,” she murmured, “I’ll be there with you.”

“The crystal was meant as a promise to the bride I didn’t yet know, but having met you…” He tugged at one of the straps until she pulled the whole tangle into her lap.

“Is it a metaphor for my life?” She laughed as she smoothed out the twists. “Oh, a safety harness, like the climbing wall.”

“So you can fly with me anytime you like and never risk falling.”

She reached out to take his hand, tangling their fingers as if she hadn’t just laid the harness straight. “Some risks are worth it.” Then she gave him a gentle nudge. “Now do yours?”

Vash clutched the beribboned package. “What is it?”

“You have to open it to find out,” Atsu explained in a tone of exaggerated patience.

“It’s just a little something,” Darcy said hastily. “I mean, I had no idea I’d be meeting anyone, especially not someone like you. But that strange little emporium had these in the front window, and even though they were too big for me, I had to have them. It was meant to be, I guess.”

He ripped into the paper with fledgling enthusiasm. “Fuzzy socks! Depicting odd little creatures I can’t identify wearing Santa hats.”

Yadira leaned closer. “Those are a yeti, a lake monster, and a gray alien. I’ve read some Earther stories about how they aren’t real.”

“I love them and will wear them always,” Vash pledged.

“Well, maybe not always.” Darcy gave him a slow, meaningful blink that nearly set the socks on fire.

“This is the best Christmas ever,” Atsu declared.

“It’s the only Christmas you’ve ever had,” Yadira pointed out.

“And I can’t wait to try Halloween. I’m going to be an Earther cowboy.”

Brin popped her head into the lobby. “Hey, who wants breakfast?”

Later, Vash accompanied Sol and his crew to recover the downed ship. The outpost guardian waved off Vash’s attempted discussion of a repayment plan.

“You might’ve noticed the Big Sky IDA does things a little different.” Sol grinned at him. “On our return trip here, I did some research on your situation. The ship was written off as a loss a long time ago, so we’ll claim salvage rights which will cover room and board, plus a bit.”

“Much appreciated.”

“But you’re on your own for telling Brin that you are claiming her friend. My mate was hoping to hire her.”

Vash suspected the other male was only semi joking. “What’s it like, having an Earther as your mate?”

“My crew hired on as a protection detail for the outpost, so I was never a patron and certainly didn’t date the whole planet. But I would never have expected to find a match across the universe. How could we be right for each other from so far away, with such differences between us?” He gave a very Earther shrug. “But my mate is the one who likes to think about how things might become true. I just know she is mine, and I am hers.”

Vash’s beast rumbled in agreement. I am hers .

Hauling the wreckage back to the outpost was more difficult because of the deep snow, and Vash wished he could just fly back but he wanted to conserve his strength…for later.

A Christmas feast was waiting for them in the bright lobby with everyone in attendance. There was singing and dancing, and a snowball fight which was even more epic with more snowballs. Yadira did a victory flight with roman candles clenched in her claws, and everyone cheered.

Vash agreed it was the best Christmas ever.

But he was glad when it was finally time for bed. He ushered the fledglings to their respective rooms and first tucked in Atsu.

“What will happen tomorrow?” the little one wanted to know.

“I will love you then,” Vash said.

“I love you, Addah.”

Across the hall, Yadira waited already under the covers.

“You flew strong, my fiery daughter.” He tugged one of her curls. “You saved me.”

“When you are healed, we will fly together, yes?”

“Anywhere you want.”

“And maybe with Darcy?”

Vash stilled. “I would love that. And I hope you and Atsu might love her too.”

When he made his way to Darcy’s room, nervousness and hope swirled through him like competing winds. His somnolent beast roused enough to snort its own command: claim their mate.

I am her gift .

But she was the one unwrapped when he quietly knocked and she let him in. She let him all the way in, in every way, sinking into her body, soaring into the darkness of her eyes. The stars that sparkled between them were every bright sensation and every promise unspoken but somehow known.

She rolled him to his back with a breathless growl. “You’re supposed to be resting, so just lay there.”

“Are you supposed to be wearing your sling?”

She smiled at him. “If we both only have one good arm…”

“Then together we can fly.”

And they did.

After, they cuddled together beneath the arch of windows and watched the snow softly descending.

“Will you come with us back to Skyearth? I want to show you our holidays.”

She nodded her cheek against his chest. “It’s gonna be a new year soon. Seems like the perfect time for a new me, new life, and a new galaxy.” Then she propped her elbow on his belly to gaze down at him. “Vash, how can I feel so much?”

“How could I go from losing to loving?” He brushed tousled hair from her forehead. “Because the big sky of our love is infinite.” His hand drifted down to settle on the curve of her backside. “May I show you? Again?”

“Again and again,” she murmured.

When she bent down to kiss him, her heart against his, her embrace blissfully hot, the snowflakes and stars that fell around them had no name but forever.

You’ve reached for the stars, and now it’s time to howl at the moon! Snuggle in for more holiday spirit with the wolf shifter Domingo family in the Wolves of Angels Rest Christmas box set here .