FIFTY EIGHT

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"My brothers insist that they are not hungry."

Vrox's sudden presence made her jump. She looked down at her dress, wanting to make sure that it wasn't matching the wrinkles of distress in her stomach.

Vrox pushed past the curtain, smiling with that boyish yet deadly grin that stole her heart. If she confirmed her pregnancy, his face would have torn with joy. It was a tragedy that the only thing she could him was the bloody cemetery between her thighs.

"You must have really unnerved them."

She shook her head, trying to focus on what he was talking about. "Oh? Yeah, I bet I did. Could you help me onto the bed, please? I'm feeling sleepy."

"Yes. Here, I got you this juein fruit. It is a rarity on Ezron, and it provides great nutrition. It will be good for the seedling."

The seedling.

Her face crumpled with despaired ugliness, and her secrets began to drip out of her eyes.

Vrox dropped the fruit and jumped to her side. "My Terran," he whispered. "What is wrong?"

"I really wanted this. I really, really, did," she cried.

"It is only fruit, Kira," he tried to ease. "Of course, you can have it."

He didn't understand. It wasn't the Ezronian delicacy that she was sobbing over, but the experience of motherhood.

"I will get you more, yes?"

He held her so tenderly, thumbed her tears so softly. She wished she could lay the world at his feet. "I just want to sleep," she sniffed. "Will you help me up, please?"

He looked like he was considering falling to his knees and begging her to spill what was distressing her. Choosing to sigh heavily, he lifted her onto the bed and kissed her wet cheeks.

"Go to sleep, Vee," he ordered the chirping pet.

He rinsed his feet and joined her on the bed, rubbing her back with a wide palm. His chest soon became soaked with her salty sadness, but he didn't issue a single complaint.

It didn't take long for the draining turmoil of her emotions to power her off. She fell into a dreamless sleep that matched her empty womb, only to awake soon later when Vrox stirred her.

"Kira," he repeated, shaking her shoulders.

"Huh?" she mumbled, completely dazed. Her lids had been glued shut by her tears, but she managed to open them with a few blinks.

"I am sorry for waking you, but..."

"Kira!" Nebula called out.

She pushed off Vrox and dashed for the edge of the bed. Vrox gripped her upper arm before she could haul herself into the darkness and helped her off. He was right on her heels as she ran outside.

Nebula stood beside Ak and the others, illuminated by the torches the men were carrying. Kira ran for her, arms wide open. Nebula accepted her welcome with a mirthful laugh that was countered by male grunts.

Kira sought out the distress, only to find Vrox tumbling on the ground with his older brother. Rokan and Draekon tried to dodge as they reached for them.

"Stop it!"

They were too tuned into the lul of violence to listen to her.

Finally, Draekon got a good grip on Ak and dragged him away, but not before Vrox landed a final knuckle-full on his chin.

"Enough," Ni'ev boomed when Ak rebelled against Draekon's hold.

"He attacked first!" Ak bickered.

"You kidnapped my woman!"

Kira raised both hands to her temples when the men began to haul arguments. They seemed to have switched to another language because she didn't understand what they were going on about.

"Stop, both of you!" she intervened.

Vrox dropped his hands, which were about to reach for Ak's neck.

"I need to talk to Nebula and make sure she is alright, so please calm down."

"Of course she is alright," Ak countered. "I let nothing happen to her."

"Really?" Kira sassed. "So attempted rape qualifies as nothing?"

This time, it was Kyros that jumped for Ak with fists ready.

With a tired sigh, Kira took Nebula's hand and began guiding her to Vrox's room. "How did you get here?"

Nebula took a final glance over her shoulder before answering, "I convinced Ak."

"You convinced that bull to bring you here?"

Nebula smiled. "Yeah. I kept ignoring him and repeating your name. Eventually, he caved."

The girls entered the cave and settled on the floor. Kira's hold remained possessive of her, afraid of losing her a third time. "Your timing couldn't have been any better. We were about to leave this camp three days from now."

"What?" Nebula frowned. "Why? This place looks pretty set."

"Its been a busy week..."

She shook her head to dismiss the thoughts of her bloody discovery. The last thing she needed was to burst with another crying fit.

"Some assholes showed up three days ago, saying that they saw a female in these parts. They looked around for me, convinced that I was a gift from the fates that they were all entitled to put their dicks in."

A shudder racked through Nebula. "That's sick."

"Yeah. The guys are planning on moving south to The Ruins to avoid men."

"The Ruins?"

Kira bit her lip, thinking about what Nebula knew about Ezron. She knew little about its geography, history, and culture. The language barrier had protected her ignorance.

"The Ruins was once Ezron's capital before everything went to shit. When The Vanishing happened, men went crazy. Vrox and his brothers were very young when it happened, so they barely survived."

Nebula squeezed her hand. "How can you talk with them? Did you learn the language?"

A sad smile stretched on Kira's face. "Your necklace. Brandon added some technology to it. It's insane, really. It allowed me to transfer Vrox's knowledge of the language to my own brain."

A range of emotions cracked on Nebula's pretty face. First sadness at the mention of her brother, and then confusion.

"Isn't that... dangerous? Does it still work?"

Kira looked at the chest that contained her purse. "I think it still works. I haven't used it in ages. As for its safety, I didn't experience any long-term side effects. I'm not a neurologist, but I'd say that's a good sign."

Nebula looked at the floor, collecting her thoughts. "Why didn't Brandon tell me the necklace had that technology?"

"Nebula."

Both women tossed their face to the entrance. The curtain was still in its place, but Ak's voice easily penetrated it.

"What does he want? For fuck's sake, please tell him to leave me alone!"

Nebula covered her tired expression with both hands.

"She doesn't want to see you," Kira announced.

"She must sleep," Ak argued. "She is tired."

"She'll sleep here with me."

"No. She will not sleep in another man's dwelling."

"She's not yours, Akdronis! She is her own woman. Get it through your thick skull!"

Scuffling followed as someone dragged Ak away.

Nebula's shoulders fell, heavy with relief. After being around her kidnapper for weeks, she could barely stand to look at him.

"So, how has your alien buddy been treating you?"

"Vrox?" Kira grinned, her still red eyes squinting with joy. "He makes losing Earth worth it."

"Oh?" Nebula asked, wiggling her eyebrows. "You're dating the guy?"

"It's complicated."

With a shrug, Nebula answered, "I'm all ears. After hearing Ak growl and grumble for weeks, your voice is a welcomed change."

"Well, we attempted to procreate the first baby Ezron has seen in fifteen years... that's one."

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