Page 10 of Jaider’s Desire

“We, the Revians, encountered a very big problem more than a decade ago,” he started to explain. “The females of our own race stopped creating offspring. We’re not entirely sure why, but we think it is due to a virus. We’re still in the most primitive of stages at finding answers, but because of it, we face extinction.”

“It was only when a Revian visiting Earth had mated with a human female and got her pregnant, did we discover it was possible for our race to breed elsewhere. This became the solution to our survival, at least until we can find some answers to fix our own females. So, you see Molly that is the reason why you’ve been brought here.”

“I refuse, I can’t do this, it’s not right” I blurted out immediately, my eyes wide with shock.

“Refusing is not an option,” he said, shaking his head. “You have already been assigned to your mate. I have summoned you here so you may meet him, and the process can get started,” he said, smiling as he moved to the door.

“You summoned me, Father?” Jaider said as he walked in. He turned his head, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of me. He turned his head back to his father with his teeth bared. “What the hell is she doing here?” he demanded.

“The Council has made it official. You have been granted a human female for a mate, and I have chosen this one from the recent arrivals,” the Captain said, clapping his son on the shoulder before waiving his hand toward me. “Son, meet your future wife, Molly.”

“No!” we both shouted in unison. I looked over at Jaider, confused. Wait a minute. Was he denying me as his mate? Wasn’t that the whole point? I thought.

“I have already told you, Father. I’m going to marry a female Revian, and nothing you say or do is going to stop me from being with one,” Jaider bellowed angrily. “I am in love with our females, not this stupid human female from Earth!”

I looked at him and tightened my eyes, his rejection stung.

Why did I care that he didn’t want me? I should be happy about it.

“We have already spoken of this, son. You will do as I say!” The Captain explained.

“I will take a Revian female and leave then,” Jaider vowed.

The Captain was quiet for a few minutes after his son’s outburst, his chest rising and falling heavily as he tried to get a grip of himself. “I can see both of you are very defiant, and you are meant for each other I would say, but if you are to leave, then I will grant your request.” He said finally, and Jaider closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging with relief.

“Thank you, Father,” he said.

“But you must first complete a mission before I will allow it,” the Captain said.

“Anything. I shall accomplish it as easily as I always do,” Jaider said cockily, as I rolled my eyes at his arrogance.

“The Council is concerned about the missing human female called ‘Emma’,” the Captain said, and my ears perked up. “We have reason to believe she is being kept close by. I want you to scout this location, and see if she is being held nearby, but you must take Molly with you to make sure she is correctly identified.”

“What? Take Molly? But she’ll only get in the way!” Jaider complained. “She’ll only put us in danger! She can’t even run without falling. I have seen it!”

“Then you must protect her,” the Captain answered. “We cannot have two missing human females, every single one is of the utmost importance to the continuation of our race.”

“But--,” Jaider started, but the Captain interrupted him.

“You must do this mission, or the agreement to let you marry a Revian female is off,” the Captain decided as he sat back down at the table. His smile was arrogant, just like I had seen on his son’s face. Both aliens were frustrating me, but I was hopeful for Emma’s situation, so I didn’t care if I had to be with this brute to find her.

“Fine. If that is what you want, Father, then I accept your offer,” Jaider said. “Tell me everything you know about where you think this human female was taken,” Jaider said, as his father smiled and laid out a map on the table. The two of them went to work as I listened in, peaking at them marking the map as they discussed the plan.

“We believe the Compiers have established a base somewhere in the Torik Forest, which is located over here,” the Captain marked off a point on the map, tracing a circle around it with his finger. “I want you to approach from these mountain cliffs. You cannot take your ship anywhere near it, or they’ll see you, so it will be a hike. Once you climb to this vantage point, you should be able to look down into their base, if it’s there. Molly can identify the human female from that point as well. The hike will take some time, so I ask you two to be patient. Remember: you are only to scout the location, not to engage it. Gather the information and then come back to village immediately, is that clear?” Jaider and I nodded.

“Yes. When do we leave?” Jaider asked, and the Captain smiled again.

“Right now. Gather your supplies and whatever Molly needs,” the Captain pointed at me. Jaider nodded once more and grabbed my arm, yanking me out of the chair.

“Ow! Why are you such an ass! That hurts, you know!” I cried, but my cries fell on deaf ears. “Let go of me! I am perfectly capable of walking,” I said, pulling my arm away from him.

“Are you sure about that? I seem to recall you keep falling all over the place without anything pushing you off-balance,” he said, raising his eyebrow at me before walking ahead.

“Do you know what an ass is?” I asked sarcastically, walking after him.

A few moments later, we were back in the same ship he rescued us in. Other than the basic plan I overhead Captain Katon discussing with him earlier, I wasn’t sure what else we were going to do, or what the mission would entail for me to do. I turned to Jaider and cleared my throat before speaking.

“How long until we reach the forest?” I asked, keeping my voice neutral and bite-free. I might as well try and get along with this guy if I’m going to be spending a lot of time with him. I just hope he appreciates it and reciprocates in kind.