His to Claim: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance - Taylor Vaughn Page 0,82

but he’ll also never know that she is not truly there.”

The Kaidorian laughs appreciatively. “It would seem you’ve thought of everything. The Kel should have chosen you over his breeding vessel. You are very clever.”

“Yes I am,” N’Maryah agrees with the string of clicking sounds, I recently learned was the Xalthurian version of laughter. “He will soon come to rue his poor decision.”

They laugh. And I can only sit there in the cold dark, my mind completely blanked with horror. For the Kaidorian is right, N’Maryah and her father have thought of everything. Soon everyone D’Rek cares about will be either dead or irreparably damaged.

All because he dared to love me back in the human way.

23

N’Ure

I have him exactly where I want him.

I school my features before entering D’Rek—, Kel D’Rek’s office. Though he won’t be Kel for much longer, I must remember to give him the proper address until my plan is fully implemented.

He is staring at the holo note I left on his desk, the one A’Ry had that hybrid fool, who was so besotted with her, write in that primitive New Terrhan language.

I suspect she was equally besotted with him, which is why I made sure his flyer never made it to the Amnesty Station. I was learning the hard way that no Xalthurian was safe when it came to the devices of these hu’mans—even the halfling ones.

“My Kel,” I say with a deferential ridge touch. This was an action I used not to mind when I believed my house would soon be joining the Kel line. But now it sickens me to have to genuflect to this idiot.

It takes effort to keep my ridges neutral, as I say, “I hate to interrupt, however, I wanted to give you a status update on the hu’man.”

He rakes his fingers through his hair several times and then suddenly pounds his fist on his desk causing me to jump. Over the years, I have learned that Kel D’Rek is not above getting physical with someone when he is in this state, an unfortunate byproduct of uploading warrior training into his generation. However, I remind myself, if I execute this plan properly, I will one day stride into this office with even more fearsome warriors at my back.

He raises his head to finally acknowledge my presence, his red eyes blazing. “Be quick with it, N’Ure.”

I pull out my data board and look down at it to give myself a more efficient appearance. “I have a list of all the ships and flyers that have departed within the last ten hours. I have sent my own investigative force to question all the palace servants about when they last saw the hu’man and with whom. T’Kan also has his warriors scouring the planet in case the note is a ruse to throw us off. Since the Amnesty Station’s refugee laws make it nearly impossible for us to reclaim her, might I suggest we send two of our best trackers to go in undercover? If they are careful not to get caught, perhaps we can get the hu’man back without anyone in the planetary consortium finding out….”

Was I overplaying my hand a bit? Perhaps so, but I want him to think I am on his side. When he announced that he wished to create a new agreement with the New Terrhans, I thought with absolute certainty that he was going to take the Kaidorians’ offer. But this fool was willing to give those savages access to Darlanz, rather than hand over the hu’mans. However, the greatest insult was his declaration of making that inferior hu’man his Qel! Over my A’Ry!

She, who had been groomed to rule as Qel since birth, cast aside for a female from a species with questionable intellect.

I understood, better than most due to my lab experiments with them, how addictive the sweet hots the hu’man females possessed could be. But to actually marry one? Make her our Qel? Disgusting.

Yet, his repellant ideas had gained some traction with the warriors in the council hall, and even my nephew had decided to throw his support behind the short-sighted Kel. It was then I knew I had to speed up my plan to get rid of the hu’man.

With Kel D’Rek’s obsession out of the way I could get even more of the council members and perhaps even T’Kan on my side. I will use this to point out his incompetence as our leader. After all, what Kel would put the needs of a