Cosmic Sex (23 page)

“Yes.”

He looked up. “What?”

“Yes, I’ll go out with you.”

He grinned.

He followed her through the brush and around trees as they made their way toward the house. He suddenly felt like he could do anything he set his mind to.

Oh, yeah, he was the man!

Chapter 26

Kia barely managed to lift her feet as she followed Nick up the steps. Her heart was pounding inside her chest so hard that she barely heard him tap on the door.

He studied her for a moment. “This is your cousin. You don’t have to be worried or afraid. Everything will be fine.” He squeezed her hand.

Is that what he thought? That she was worried and afraid? Suddenly, the truth hit her.

I am worried and afraid.

He was right, but she refused to let him witness her weakness. She squared her shoulders and looked him right in the eye. “I am a warrior. I fear nothing.”

Yet when the door opened, she stepped behind him and held her breath.

“I didn’t hear anyone drive up. I was in the back. Can I help you?”

For a moment Kia couldn’t do anything, couldn’t have moved even if her life depended on it. This wasn’t her cousin! Or was it?

The woman standing at the door looked like her cousin. She sounded like her cousin. But she was different. Kia’s gaze moved slowly over the woman. She had her hair cut in a short, bouncy style and she wore the jeans that Nick seemed to favor and a wrinkled red T-shirt.

Kia tentatively stepped from behind Nick, not feeling at all warriorlike.

“Mala?”

“Kia?” Mala’s face drained of color.

Kia could only nod. Yes, this was Mala. This was her best friend, her cousin, and she’d missed her terribly and she didn’t care what she wore. It was as if a band squeezed her heart. This was good!

Mala pushed the door open the rest of the way and threw her arms around Kia. Kia held her close, closing her eyes and relishing what had been missing in her life.

It was as if they hadn’t seen each other in eons—it was as if they’d never parted.

“Come in, don’t stand out there in the cold.” Mala wiped the tears out of her eyes. “You have to tell me everything. How did you manage to get off Nerak? I thought you said you would never leave.” She sniffed. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

Kia’s eyes were also damp. She had to blink really fast so she could see and not stumble in the house. Oh, but it was so good to have found Mala.

“I came the same way as you—in one of the older-model crafts. It was the worst experience of my life. I thought it was going to burn up when I entered Earth’s atmosphere, but all I did was crash into a tree. I followed your coordinates exactly.”

“Then it was the same tree I crashed into.”

“I admit, I didn’t think much of you after I landed. I was quite shaken by the experience.”

Mala chuckled. “Yes, I remember my own landing.”

The euphoria of the initial meeting was wearing off. Kia tried to tell herself it was just the excitement winding down, but as she glanced around the room, she felt like a stranger, like she was once again on the outside of the circle looking in.

What was happening? What was different between them?

Mala’s home was warm and cozy and it smelled like the cinnamon candles she and Nick had used. Everything looked inviting, but something just wasn’t right.

Nick helped her off with her coat, then removed his and laid them across a chair.

“This is Nick,” she introduced. For some strange reason she wanted to put off telling Mala that she was here to take her home. Mala seemed so... so comfortable in her surroundings.

“Hello, Nick.”

“Hi, Mala, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“I swear none of it’s true.” She laughed.

Was this really Mala? She talked like someone from Earth. Her cousin had changed. She practically glowed. Realization dawned. Mala was gone. In her place was an earthling.

The truth hit Kia hard.

Mala wasn’t going back to Nerak. Sadness and pain ripped through her like the sharp, biting wind outside the door.

“What happened?” she asked. “You’ve changed so much.”

“I found what I was looking for.” Mala’s face shone with more than the general contentment that was on the faces of Nerakian women.

“Sheriff?”

She nodded. “Yes, and he gave me something very precious. Follow me and I’ll show you.”

They walked to another room. In it were two tiny beds with bars. Kia tentatively stepped farther inside, then peered over the top rail. She jumped back as soon as she saw the baby.

“You had this baby?” Kia asked.

Mala grinned, pointing toward the other bed. “And this one. Twin boys.”

The two babies were a part of Mala, born from her womb. Kia eased forward again, hesitantly reaching her hand forward and touching the baby’s head. So warm! And his hair was soft and silky.

Suddenly, the baby stretched and yawned, then smiled. The tiniest little curve upward of his lips. Then he burped.

Carbonation.

She stepped to the other bed and peered over the rail. The baby opened his eyes and looked right at her, and then he smiled! Her heart swelled. Oh, the baby frowned and his bottom lip puckered. His arms waved in the air.

“I don’t think this one is happy.” Kia looked at Mala.

“He’s probably wanting his pacifier.”

She started forward but an object moved quickly across the bed and popped into his mouth.

“Telekinetic.” Mala bit her bottom lip. “I think that might cause some problems when he gets older.”

“You have done well, cousin,” Kia said with much awe.

“My family is very precious to me.”

“Did they... ” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Did they cut open your stomach?” How had Mala survived? She didn’t have the strength a warrior had. And yet, she still lived. Kia’s self-esteem plummeted.

Mala frowned. “They gave me medication for the pain. It wasn’t so bad. And no, they didn’t cut me open. Ugh! That sounds barbaric! Who told you that’s how it was done?”

And that’s the moment Nick realized what Kia had been thinking. Of course she would take him literally. Damn, she must’ve been horrified.

“Becca didn’t feel when they cut her open.” He looked at Mala. “Becca’s my sister and she just had a baby.”

“They didn’t tie her down and cut her open?” Kia asked, some of the color returning to her face.

“No, sweetheart. They gave her something so she wouldn’t feel a thing.”

“But I thought... ”

“I’m sorry you were so scared.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close. No wonder she wanted to return as soon as possible.

Mala raised her eyebrows and looked first at Kia, then Nick, with more than a little speculation shining in her eyes. He didn’t care what she thought. Or maybe he did, but it didn’t matter. This was probably the last time he would get to hold Kia in his arms.

“I wasn’t scared,” Kia told him as she stepped from his arms and the warmth he’d felt seconds earlier was suddenly gone. “I’m a warrior and we don’t get scared.” She quickly looked at Mala.

“It’s okay, even I’ve had the crap scared out of me a time or two,” Nick told her.

She straightened, raising one eyebrow. “I assure you I’ve never lost control of any bodily functions.”

He chuckled. “I didn’t mean that literally.”

She frowned. “Oh.”

“You still haven’t told me why you traveled to Earth,” Mala said. “Or how you met Nick.”

Kia took a deep breath. “Nick helped me to find you, and I’m here to bring you home.”

Mala worried her bottom lip. “Kia, I... ” She looked at Nick.

There was a knock on the door. “Mala, you home?” a female called out.

Nick followed the two women out of the room, knowing Kia was never going to be able to convince Mala to return with her. He had a feeling Kia already knew that, though.

Damn, he’d been afraid of this. He hated that Kia was going to be hurt and disappointed. He knew exactly how that felt.

It didn’t change a thing, either. Kia would still leave with or without Mala. And she’d stick him with four pups. Hell, what was he going to do with them? They didn’t even have names. He could probably call them shithead and they’d come bouncing over.

That reminded him, he’d better get them inside where it was a little warmer.

When they entered the living room, there was a man and a woman he’d never seen before and... “Sam?”

Sam looked at his feet, then back up. “You found the right Hank, I see.”

Nick glanced at the two strangers, choosing his words carefully. “Weldon was able to fix Kia’s... GPS device. It led us to this ranch.”

“I didn’t count on that,” Sam admitted.

“So what are you doing here?” Nick could’ve sworn Sam said he was going to take a vacation.

“I thought if I found Mala, then Kia might go ahead and leave and then... ” He looked around the room. “I could see you were falling for her and I thought it would be easier if she left sooner than later.”

Nick thought of a smart-assed remark about how he didn’t know Sam cared so much, but it died on his lips. Sam was watching his back—just like he always did.

“Thanks, I really appreciate it.”

“Hello, Kia.” The man beside Sam spoke. “You look much the same as the last time I saw you.”

The man acted as if he knew Kia. Nick froze. Who the hell was this guy? And how did he know her?

“Hello, Barton,” she spoke dryly. “It would seem Earth suits you.”

“I thought there weren’t any men on Nerak?” Sam said before Nick had a chance.

“There aren’t.” Mala and Kia spoke at the same time.

“I’m his wife, Carol, and I beg to differ.” The short, red-haired woman spoke. “Barton is my husband, and I’d say he’s all man—and then some.”

Barton smiled. “Thank you.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Mala said. She looked around the room at each person. “Barton is a companion unit.”

“With an attitude chip that I notice wasn’t damaged on his way to Earth,” Kia said sarcastically. “How the hell did you get married? You’re not supposed to marry.” She was frowning when she looked at Mala. “I warned you about that blasted chip.”

“I didn’t need him,” Mala said. “Carol did. She was having... a problem with her ex-husband, and Barton took care of it. I guess they needed each other. They married and now he helps her run the boutique.”

“Wait a minute.” Nick looked a little closer at Barton. Most women would probably drool over the guy. His frown deepened when he swung his gaze to Kia. “This is what a companion unit looks like?”

She shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“I thought they’d be like a... a robot. You know, shiny chrome and... and... ”

“Puhleese... ” Barton straightened to his full height of six feet. “The earlier models might have been like that, but I assure you I can do everything that you can do—except better.” He raised a sardonic eyebrow.

“That’s telling them, sweetie,” Carol chimed in.

Sam’s face lost some of its color. “You’re not going to try to make me believe I’ve spent half the day with a machine and didn’t know it?”

“I like to think of myself as technically enabled,” Barton told him.

“Don’t change the subject.” Nick wanted some answers and he wanted them right now. “You never mentioned companion units looked like... like... ” He waved his arm toward the... thing. “Like him.”

Kia shrugged. “I told you Nerak was far more advanced than Earth. The models you’re talking about haven’t been around for centuries.”

“How the hell are you going to miss me if you have something that looks like... like... ”

“Barton,” he said, bowing slightly at the waist.

“Would anyone like something to drink?” Mala looked nervously at everyone. “And I have chocolate, too.”

“Chocolate?” Kia chimed in.

“No, we don’t want chocolate. We want an explanation.” Nick’s hands curled into fists, his mouth set in a grim line. “That’s why you’re in such a hurry to return to Nerak? You want to get back to Adam-4. That’s why you asked me if I could vibrate that first time.” He nodded toward Barton. “He vibrates, doesn’t he?”

He didn’t wait for her answer. Why should he? Her answer was written on her face.

“I should’ve guessed.”

Man, how could he be such a fool? She was just like his father. She drained him dry and was ready to move on. No cares, no worries.

Kia stiffened her spine and glared at him. “Adam-4 isn’t like Barton. Barton is special.”

Barton smiled. “I didn’t know you cared.”

“I’ve had enough.” Nick really hadn’t seen this one coming.

He pushed past Sam and headed out the door, ignoring Kia calling him back. He heard Sam reassure her and heavy footsteps behind him.

“You think you might be making a mistake?” Sam asked, shutting the door behind them.

“Yeah, well, you wanted her gone, so what’s the big deal? She’ll be out of here before you know it.”

“Maybe I was wrong.”

“Yeah, you and me both.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Nick opened the car’s back door and reached in for the carriers. “And you can give her the mutts. She bought them, let her deal with them.”