Victoria and the Alien Doctor (Intergalactic Brides 2) (7 page)

Four days passed with Evie slowly regaining the energy she’d had during their shopping spree. Xonos hadn’t told his family where they were going, only that they needed to leave first thing in the morning. He’d received a call from Syl after everyone had gone to bed and the serum was ready. Xonos had swung by his clinic first to pick up some syringes in case Syl wasn’t prepared. Then he instructed Ned to take them to Syl’s house.

Victoria’s face when they pulled up out front was full of wonder. He had to admit the structure was rather impressive; two-stories with huge white columns across the front and a perfectly manicured lawn with blooming bushes along the walkway. If he remained on Earth, Xonos wouldn’t mind a place like this one. They had large homes on Terran, but nothing like this. Would he be doing his family a disservice by taking them to Terran? It wasn’t something he’d really thought about much, but maybe he should. There wasn’t a reason he could think of as to why he couldn’t ask to remain on Earth. They’d need someone in the clinic, so why should it matter if it was him? Yes, he was the best in his field, but surely he could come up with a bargaining chip of some sort, something to make them see it was better for him to remain.

Evie was practically vibrating with excitement when they reached the front door, and Xonos told her she could press the bell. An older gentleman answered the door and Xonos hid a smile at the looks on his mate’s and daughter’s faces when they realized Syl had a butler. He imagined they hadn’t ever seen anything like it, except maybe on TV. They were ushered inside and the butler informed them Syl was waiting in the lab.

“You remember where it is?” the butler asked.

Xonos nodded and herded his family through the lower level and out into the backyard. There was a rather large building Syl had installed to use as his lab, and Xonos escorted his family inside. Syl looked up from a microscope and smiled before heading over to greet them.

“This must be your new family,” Syl said, lowering himself to Evie’s level. “It’s an honor to meet you, Evie. I have something very special for you today.”

The little girl’s eyes widened. “For me?”

Syl nodded. “How would you like to feel as good as you do right now every day?”

“You can cure me?” she asked softly.

The light dimmed in Syl’s eyes a moment before determination shone brightly. “Not yet, but I’m working on it. I can’t tell you how long it will take, but I’ve asked a very special scientist to come to Earth to help me solve the riddle. Until then, I’ve made something that will arrest your cells and keep the cancer from spreading. You’ll have to take it once a week until the cure is ready. Can you be brave and do that for me?”

Evie nodded and looked up at Xonos. “Will you give it to me, Daddy?”

“Of course I will,” Xonos said, smoothing her hair back from her face. “As a matter of fact, I’m going to give you the first dose now. Then we’ll come see Syl again in another week for your next dose.”

Syl handed him the serum.

“Is this the exact dosage needed?” Xonos asked.

“Yes. I’ll have to make more before next week, but now that I know how, it should be simple enough.”

Xonos extracted the liquid then gave Evie an encouraging smile before he administered the dose. She didn’t even wince as the needle went into her arm. Syl disposed of the syringe for Xonos and then welcomed them to explore the lab a bit. Evie was curious about the different gadgets around her and asked a ton of questions, but Syl never lost his patience with her.

The door opened and Brielle bustled in. Well, more like waddled in. Her pregnancy had progressed to the seventh month, but she was as beautiful as ever. Xonos glanced at Victoria, wondering what she would look like when she carried his child. The thought heated his blood and he had to control his body before he embarrassed himself.

“Xonos!” Brielle threw her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could. “Syl mentioned you were coming today. This must be your new family.”

“Brielle, this is my mate, Victoria, and my daughter, Evie.”

Brielle shook hands with Victoria and Evie, a bright smile plastered on her face. If she noticed how pale Evie was, or how brittle and thin her hair was, she didn’t show it. She treated the little girl just like she would any other, and it warmed Xonos’ heart. He wanted everyone to treat Evie like a normal little girl, and one day she would be one. If he had to volunteer some of his time to Syl and Kronk, he would gladly do so.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Victoria said, eyeing Brielle’s large stomach. “How far along are you?”

“Seven months. Xonos examined me last week and told us we’re having a girl. I can’t wait!”

“Congratulations.”

Evie studied Brielle a moment before looking up at Victoria. “Mommy, are you and Daddy going to have a baby too? I’ve always wanted a brother or sister.”

Victoria’s mouth opened and shut a few times before she stammered out an answer. “Well, sweetheart, we thought we’d wait until you were better.”

Evie’s little chin jutted out and she balled up her fists, planting them on her hips, before glowering first at her mother, then Xonos, then looking at her mom again. “No. I want a baby
now
.”

Victoria seemed to be at a loss so Xonos crouched down next to Evie. “You know, we can’t just order one for you, Evie. Having a baby takes time, and it would take a lot of energy out of your mom. She wants to wait because she wants to be able to give you all of her attention until you’re better.”

“The medicine you gave me is supposed to keep me from getting sick, so you don’t have a reason not to have a baby,” Evie stated, still looking mutinous.

Xonos had to fight back a smile because he was ready to agree with Evie wholeheartedly. He wanted a baby with Victoria, and the sooner the better in his mind, but he’d honor her wishes to wait. However, if Evie wanted to get on his side and speed things along, he wasn’t going to stand in her way. He’d like to say that he wanted to wait until he was sure Victoria wanted him, but after her comments during his shower the other day, he’d paid closer attention and caught her eyeing him appreciatively several times over the past few days. He didn’t think it was a question of her wanting him, just that she wasn’t going to allow herself to have the kind of fun that resulted in a baby until their daughter was well.

“You’re right, Evie. The medicine is supposed to make you feel better, but your mother is still going to worry about you until you’re cured.”

Evie crossed her arms over her chest and poked her lower lip out. “I want a baby brother or sister. I don’t care which one I get as long as I get a baby to play with.”

Victoria knelt at Evie’s side. “You really want us to have a baby?”

“Yes, I really do.”

Victoria gave Xonos a helpless look and he winked at her before returning his attention to their daughter.

“I promise I will do my best to give you a brother or sister, Evie, but Mommy has to agree to it too.”

Evie glared at Victoria, who visibly swallowed before looking at Xonos. He saw the uncertainty and helplessness there, but he wasn’t going to throw her a lifeline. She was going to sink or swim on her own. Gods, but he loved Earth sayings!

“What’s it to be, Victoria?” he asked.

“Can we talk about it more at home? Maybe after Evie’s gone to bed?”

Xonos nodded and stood, noticing at once that Brielle and Syl had vanished during their discussion. He appreciated the time with his family but felt they had overstayed their welcome. Ushering Victoria and Evie out of the lab, he made their goodbyes to Syl and Brielle before climbing back into the limo and driving back to the hotel.

“Do we have to go home right now?” Evie asked.

She seldom asked for anything so Xonos was intrigued as to what she could want. “Did you have something else in mind?”

“Did you see the game room we passed in that big house?”

“Syl’s room? With the video games and large screen TV?” Xonos asked.

Evie nodded. “I’ve always wanted to play a video game.”

It reminded Xonos of everything she’d missed out on in her short lifetime and made him even more determined to give her everything she wanted. Victoria had already fussed at him about spoiling Evie, but as far as he was concerned, that was his job. To spoil both of his girls as much as he could. The money wasn’t doing him any good just sitting in an account, and according to Victoria, he had more than enough of the stuff to go around, so why not make Evie happy by getting something she’d always wanted?

Xonos informed Ned to take them to the nearest store that sold video games, earning him a glare from Victoria, but he figured she could fuss at him later. When they pulled up, he had to grab Evie to stop her from launching herself out of the limo. He knew she was excited, but he worried she’d break something in her haste to get out of the vehicle.

They entered the store and Evie’s eyes went wide in wonder. She slowly walked around, checking everything out and pointing out games she thought looked fun. Xonos had her try the display consoles to see which would be easiest for her to use. After she’d made a selection, he let her pick a handful of games to get her started, then paid for everything and ushered his family back out to the waiting limo.

Evie begged and pleaded to go home so she could play her new games, and Xonos didn’t have the heart to deny her. At the hotel, he hooked everything up in her bedroom and handed the controller to Evie. Victoria seemed reluctant to leave her, but he drew her away and into the living room where he put on a movie for them to watch. Sitting on the sofa, he pulled her down beside him and wrapped an arm around her. It was the closest they’d gotten to cuddling since she’d moved in.

Victoria stiffened for a moment before relaxing against him. Xonos drew lazy circles on her arm and hid a smile when she shivered in response. He’d brought home several devices from work to make sure he could keep an eye on Evie without taking her into the clinic and one went off on the table beside him. With a frown, he lifted it and read the display, his frown quickly turning into a smile. A smile he had better control before Victoria saw it.

“Why is it going off?” she asked.

Lie or tell the truth?

“It was telling me the pheromones in the room just increased.” He didn’t want to tell her that her scent had changed with her arousal. He could smell things a little better than most humans, but she didn’t need to know that.

A blush suffused her cheeks and she tried to draw away from him, but he held tight, refusing to let her go. It was cute that her arousal embarrassed her. She’d already told him about her lack of experience, and he found it refreshing since the only females he’d been with were whores. He’d come clean about his past and assured her he’d only gone when it had become absolutely necessary, maybe twice a year, if that much. He wasn’t the most experienced male, but in studying the human anatomy, he’d stumbled across sex videos and had watched one after another, confused by the sexual experiences women seemed to crave on this primitive planet.

Would Victoria expect him to spank her? Or tie her up? None of that appealed to him, but if that’s what she desired, he would strive to give it to her. They hadn’t really discussed what they expected of one another in the bedroom, and he supposed they should have that talk soon, especially if they were going to fulfill Evie’s request for a baby.

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” he assured her. “I want you just as much as you want me. And we’re mates. We’re supposed to desire one another. What would be awkward would be no sexual attraction between us.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’m just not used to someone knowing I’m turned on unless I tell them or give them some indication.”

“I’ll make sure all of my work tools are put away before we spend time together from now on. I don’t want to embarrass you. That was never my intention.”

She smiled and settled against him once more, and Xonos felt the tension ease from his shoulders. He wasn’t sure how she would react at first, and he was thankful that she’d chosen to overlook her embarrassment and cuddle with him some more, even if it was agony. The scent of her teased his nose; the plush suppleness of her body made him achingly hard. Thank the gods for leather pants! They mostly concealed his aroused state, and if she noticed, she didn’t comment on it.

Xonos hoped like hell she’d be ready to take their relationship to the next level soon. He wasn’t sure how many more nights he could sleep by her side, hold her in his arms, and not strip them both bare and have his wicked way with her. He nearly chuckled at the thought. Wicked way. Earth sayings were so much fun!

Victoria woke in the middle of the night, still in the grips of her nightmare. It took her a moment to orient herself and realize that the arm holding her down wasn’t from an attacker but was her mate holding onto her. Sweat slicked her skin and her hair was plastered to her neck as she blew out a breath and tried to calm her racing heart. She knew that Xonos didn’t intend to release her from their bond, but she’d dreamt that he’d given her away, and some non-Terran alien had claimed her and tried to force himself on her.

She shivered in revulsion just thinking about it. There was no reason for her to have had such a dream. Xonos had been attentive and caring. She hadn’t missed the bulge in his pants earlier so she knew he desired her, but he hadn’t acted on it yet. Did his chivalry run so deep that once he’d given his word, to give her whatever time she needed, he was just going to ignore his body’s urges?

It wasn’t fair of her to want him to make the first move, not after she’d asked him to wait until Evie was cured, but she had to admit she’d love being chased romantically. Xonos showed her he cared with everything he did for Evie and her, but she wanted more. The desire she saw in his eyes when she caught him unaware… she wanted him to unleash it, to throw her onto the bed and ravage her.

All right. Maybe she’d been reading too many romance novels in her spare time. Men didn’t really do things like that, did they? She somehow doubted an alien would, unless he was a barbarian, and her alien doctor was definitely not that. He was refined, intelligent, and so far out of her league she kept waiting for him to realize he’d made a mistake when he’d claimed her.