Alien Step-Brother

NOVA

A silken, appealing feminine voice cleaved through the erotically charged tension in the next breath. “Ah, there you are, Alek. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Alek visibly tensed at the sound. A moment later, he inclined his head to the side when a tall, elegant Dragaken woman placed a hand on his shoulder. Her steps took her to his side, and her eyes fell on me.

I was already staring at her, unable to think.

She wore a fashionably refined black dress with tasteful gold accents that stood out in contrast against her silvery scale-skin. Pearly blue hair trailed in a complicated yet sophisticated braid down her back. Her horns curved out, larger and longer than Alek’s, with gold rings drilled into the bottoms. They clinked like wind chimes with every subtle move she made.

But her clothes weren’t the most impressive thing about her. It was the golden pin on her dress, depicting the symbol of the Intergalactic Senate: a radiant star rising between two wings that curved around it like a shield.

This woman was a Dragaken senator. One of the highest titles an individual could have from any planet.

“And who is your new friend?” Her smooth, crooning voice gave me the impression that her speeches at the senate always held the crowd’s attention.

I could have listened to her speak all day.

Alek’s eyes found me again. One eyebrow arched, and suddenly, I realized this Dragaken woman was talking about me. All the color drained from my face.

If this older woman was talking to Alek, then she must be his mother. And if she was his mother, then that meant—

“Nova!” My dad’s voice reverberated around the walls, ricocheting off the inside of my skull like a wayward bullet.

In the next instant, Dad exploded out from behind the Dragaken senator. I saw a blur of black hair recently peppered with gray, and golden-brown skin before his arms enveloped me, crushing the remaining air from my lungs.

With his face squished against mine, Dad rambled on. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling your com for half an hour! I thought you missed the shuttle, or the boarding, or got lost in the terminal.”

I stiffly hugged him back, more out of obligation than anything else. I could count on both hands the number of times we’d hugged since I was a child, and each one of them only furthered the ache of his absence rather than closed it. Now, his embrace felt as foreign as the Dragaken next to me.

“I’m fine, Dad,” I breathed. When I pulled back, I added, “I got distracted taking in the ship when I boarded. I’m sorry.” And trying to get wasted, I silently added.

“Ah, that’s all right. It’s a lot to take in.” He vigorously shook his head and waved off my apology.

I glanced over his appearance, from the neat all-black suit to the new sparkle in his rich brown eyes that mirrored mine. He hadn’t had a light like that since my mother left. The resentment, which had dulled after my drink, suddenly resurfaced, rearing its head like an animal about to charge. Of course he was happy. He always seemed happier away from us. From me.

“Where are my manners?” He smacked his forehead, then looked at everyone in attendance. The Dragaken nobility waited patiently, watching our embrace, and it suddenly dawned on me how trivial our actions must seem to them.

Not to mention the indecency of my first encounter with my stepbrother. My face flushed. That’s the worst way I’d ever met a new family member.

“Khalla, Alek”—Dad swept his arm through the air as if presenting me—“this is my daughter, Nova!” The pride in his voice sounded comical even to my human ears.

“Nova and I have already had the pleasure of meeting,” Alek commented. A fresh wave of guilt swept through me, and I tensed, but he said nothing else.

Dad kept one hand on my shoulder as he faced Alek. “Is that so?” he boomed with unbridled excitement.

Unable to read Alek’s blank eyes, I jumped in. “Yes. I tripped when we went into hyperwarp, and he caught me from smashing my face.”

“How delightful,” Khalla demurred, maintaining an elegant poise I’d never accomplish. Her eyes turned blue when she glanced at her son. “Well done. Perhaps you two will get along.”

The pressure on my shoulder suddenly released. I looked left to see Dad staring at his wrist-com, his other hand rubbing his neck. He sucked a breath through his teeth, and a strangled hiss escaped him.

“What is it, darling?” Khalla pressed, voice cool and reserved.

“It’s the front desk. There was a problem with Nova’s room.”

There was my lifeline. I guess the stars finally had enough of a laugh at my expense and were happy to send me on my way—covered in embarrassment and the wetness of my sick desires.

“A problem?” A trickle of crimson invaded Khalla’s eyes, bleeding into the blue.

“It turns out they overbooked tickets from Earth.” Dad’s fingers dug into my shoulder as he shook me. “I’m sorry, Nova.”

“It’s fine,” I said, turning to face him. “It might just be better if I—”

Before I could get another word in, Khalla’s composed mask slipped. Her long snake-like tail swished aggressively, snapping in the air like a whip, and her fangs flashed with her low snarl.

“How dare those bastards mess up the rooms of an intergalactic senator? I’ll have their heads!”

Several beings on deck noted the outburst, peering in our direction. But when they noticed Khalla’s senate pin, they quickly averted their gaze.

“Don’t worry, my rose blossom,” Dad said quickly, angling toward his wife and taking her arm. “We can figure this out.”

For the first time, I noticed their height difference. The senator towered over my father, and he had to crane his head back to meet her eyes. But he looked at her so adoringly I didn’t think he minded.

When was the last time I’d seen him look so happy?

Never. Not even when Mom was still with us.

Alek cleared his throat. The sudden sound caused my heart to skip erratically.

“If it’s not too presumptuous of me to put forth a solution, and there are no complaints on the matter, I don’t mind sharing my room with Ms. Ramos. It’s a sizable suite, and we’re family now, after all.”

A pause as expansive as the universe swallowed us. Nerves roiled in my gut, twisting like an active volcano. I gritted my teeth against the feeling of my skin tightening and my bones going stiff.

Our eyes met, and the charged tension connecting me to Alek reignited. The tingling warmth returned between my legs. Improper thoughts wiggled like hookworms into my brain and latched on tight. He’s your brother, I scolded myself, mentally swatting the worms away with little success. ~Stepbrother, but that makes no difference.~ To humans, at least.

“I wouldn’t want to be a burden,” I blurted when the silence dragged on.

Cool blue swept into Khalla’s eyes as she regained her composure, inhaling steadily and clasping her hands together.

“Nonsense. Alek is right, we’re all family now. Perhaps this could serve as a good bonding experience.” A sharp edge entered her tone. “It might only be temporary as I’ll be taking this matter up with Captain Hux’lon before dinner. They will pay for this flagrant insult against the Intergalactic Senate.”

“That’s right, you get ‘em, honey,” Dad encouraged.

A cold sheen of perspiration tickled my skin while dread clawed down the length of my spine. If not for the superficial gravity keeping my feet glued to the floor, I might have crumbled into little pieces.

How could Alek make that suggestion after what transpired between us? The idea of being trapped and alone with him didn’t elicit any pure thoughts from my mind.

“That’s mighty gentlemanly of you to offer your room to share with my little girl, Alek,” Dad was saying when I finally got out of my own mind. “I really appreciate that, and I’m sure Nova does too.”

You wouldn’t say that if you’d seen us tangled together ten minutes ago.

“I’m not a little girl, Dad,” I protested, half-teasing and half-annoyed. “I’m twenty-eight. Did you forget that while you were out saving space?” And leaving our family to crumble, my mind added.

He twisted around, blinking at me. “Hey, don’t remind me I’m getting old, all right? If any of the young cadets in my squad heard you say that they’d have a field day.”

Khalla chuckled politely at Dad’s joke and placed a palm with manicured claws on his shoulder. She shared a brief glance with Alek before turning her attention to me.

“Nova, I’m sure you’re tired from the shuttle ride and your first time entering hyperwarp. Dinner is in a few hours if you’d like to freshen up. Alek, will you show her to the room?” she asked.

“Certainly.” He stepped forward without meeting my eye.

“It was wonderful meeting you, Nova,” Khalla said, golden rings chiming on her horns as she gently touched my upper arm. “Your father speaks highly of you, and I look forward to learning more about you at dinner.”

“L-likewise,” I stuttered.

Stars, I don’t know how to talk to a senator. I must be embarrassing myself. I avoided my dad’s eyes, sure that the annoyance was creeping into my expression. At the very least, he could have given me a heads-up that his new wife was an intergalactic ~senator~.

“See you at dinner.” Dad nodded as he walked past on his new wife’s arm. He leaned in, whispering, “And don’t be late. It’s one of those fancy ones.”

“All right. See you later.” I remained frozen in place as Dad and Senator Velorum vanished among the crowded deck. He looked like a grateful puppy trailing after his new owner, just happy to be here with her.

I suppose that was a perk of marrying up a station—or several. He had his happiness and Mom had hers. That just left me.

I felt Alek’s presence near my shoulder. The tingling ache returned between my legs. It might not be happiness, but it would relieve me of the crushing loneliness, if only for a short period.

“If you’ll follow me, I’d be glad to take you to the luggage pickup and show you to the room.” His voice drifted through my ears, sending a lewd shiver through me.

He’s your stepbrother, I reminded myself firmly as we walked away. I tried hard not to stare at his tail, or to imagine the things he could do with it.

This was going to be the longest trip of my life.