Page 7 of Breeding with His Enemy

As I drew nearer to Braxl, two soldiers from Prexis Prime materialized, seemingly emerging from the shadows where they'd been lurking throughout the Auction. They stepped forward, hands resting on their pulse weapons.

"Bow before the Supreme Entity Braxl Sar," one of them commanded, narrowing her eyes at me. She wore gleaming, plated copper-colored armor, emblazoned with three gold hash marks across the breast, centered by a blue triangle – the symbol of Prexis Prime I'd seen in conquest reports and Resistance Files detailing their formidable fleet.

Prexis was one of the most technologically advanced civilizations to have taken an interest in Earth since the Nova Dominion had first breached our solar system, introducing our world to the reality of extraterrestrial life centuries ago. Now, their interest in us was reduced to that of playthings.

I met the guard's gaze with composure, then plucked a pamphlet from a nearby table. Flipping it open, I pressed it against Braxl's chest as he rose to greet me. The guards edged closer, as if I might pose a threat, though I had no means of challenging him.

Braxl reached up to take the pamphlet, his hand brushing mine. I was taken aback by how warm his touch was. Was that a characteristic of his species?

I held his gaze, taunting him with a slight smile. "I don't need to bow to you. Remember? Just as this pamphlet says: this isn't slavery. I chose this."

The guards' cheeks flushed crimson, and I half-expected them to draw their weapons. Braxl, however, took the pamphlet from his chest and waved it at them, ordering them to stand down. A nearly imperceptible smile curled at the corners of his lips.

"Very well, Jasmine," Braxl signaled to the guards that we should head toward the door. "Thank you for making that clear. Let me be clear, too: it was not my choice to attend this auction."

I tilted my head toward him, genuinely curious. "Then why did you provide such a high bid?"

Braxl's smile broadened, but his eyes remained steely. "I don't like to lose."

I shrugged a shoulder as I moved past him, aware that the red dress accentuated my curves in a way that likely appealed, regardless of his true species. Glancing back over my shoulder, I continued toward the door.

"Neither do I."

4

Braxl

The battleship GloryDaze was my cherished prize, a testament to my victories in the fierce dance of battle against rival warlords.

It stood apart from the rest of the Prexis fleet, a marvel not born from our shipyards but earned through blood and steel. Its sinuous form, smooth, like a predatory beast poised for a tactical strike, set it in stark contrast to the rigid, cuboid visage of our other vessels.

The Commander's office I'd chosen wasn't exactly lavish, but it was practical. Still, it boasted state-of-the-art tech with screens lighting up the walls, revealing the ongoing engagements of Prexis fleets, our stock levels in the Nova Dominion market, and the live rundown of our resources dwindling due to ongoing battles. We'd need to replenish our human supplies soon; Garec was taking a toll on them. The armor we'd equipped them with was proving too much for their fragile bodies, weighed down by the planet's gravity.

Someone clearly messed up the science on that one. Probably a unit conversion issue...

I ran my fingers over the sleek surface of my metal desk and brought up a new grid on the main screen. Trajectories looped by, showing the flight paths of my current ships leaving the Earth's solar system. While I'd only been there for the Elite Auction, a few of my ships had been stationed off-planet, just in case any trouble brewed with rivals. A couple of corvettes and a cruiser with detachable smaller jets. Although, the Glory could handle most threats on her own without breaking a sweat.

Father despised the fact that I chose to pilot this battleship. It was one of the things that set me apart from him. He also couldn't stand that no matter what battle I plunged into with the Glory, we always emerged victorious, hardly a scratch on us. The Glory outpaced and outmaneuvered the Prexis ships, standing as a beacon of efficiency in our Navy.

I'd proposed the idea of acquiring more ships like the Glory and integrating them into our fleet. In response, my father ordered his armada to bombard all the shipyards around that system, eliminating any potential advantage they might have offered us.

All just to spite me.

I slammed my fist onto the desk, muttering curses at the blip on the side screen that indicated new activity in the system where my father was. While he was out conquering new planets, I was stuck on a mission to find a wife just because he said so. He could be such a bastard. A message request flashed in the top right corner, and I scowled at it. "Speak of the devil..."

I hesitated for a moment, knowing exactly what father wanted to discuss. But I figured it would only make things worse if I delayed the inevitable. So, I gave the message a nudge and brought my father's image to full screen in front of me.

Even though he was getting older, there was nothing about my father that screamed "old". He sported a few battle scars across his face, including one from shrapnel that had ripped through his eyebrow, and there were a few streaks of grey in his hair. But his eyes were as sharp and deadly as ever. He rarely bothered to hide his fangs these days, more out of a lack of concern for what anyone else thought than as an intimidation tactic. After all, he was the almighty Highest Supreme Entity, Kressel Sar. He could do whatever the hell he pleased.

"Greetings son," Kressel said, his image flickering for a moment. He was on some planet I didn't recognize, the rock around him a vibrant shade of purple. Golden trees with cascading canopies framed the shifting, awkward image of my father. In the distance, a great explosion echoed, accompanied by the sharp report of pulse weapons firing. He glanced over his shoulder, took note of something, and turned back with a grin. "Things are going swimmingly here. The locals are throwing in the towel. How's your mission coming along?"

I tried to conceal my grimace, sliding my hands beneath the desk. Referring to it as a "mission" was just another way he mocked me... Sending me off to find a human wife was hardly a mission at all. It was a chore, an easy one at that. I'd thrown enough money at the human just to get the Auction over with. I'd chosen the one I wanted, partly to spite my father with the exorbitant amount I'd paid.

Nevertheless, I mustered up that practiced smile, giving my father what he wanted while he jabbed at me with his sharp comments. I'd take out my frustrations on someone else at the sparring ring later.

"It went well, sir. I secured one of the humans. A suitable..." I fumbled for the right word, but my father had already turned his attention back to the battle. What was she to me? Not a "match." No human could match me. I didn't want to acknowledge that she was going to be my wife. Just the thought of being tied to Earth in a way that went beyond resource extraction left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Kressel swiveled back to face me. "Good, son. Good. Head towards the Waron Belt. I've already reached out to our Counsel and a selection of the nobility. They'll be delighted to celebrate you and your bride." His eyes twinkled with amusement, and I clenched my fists under the desk, grinding my teeth.

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