The Alien King's Mate

Freedom

Crystal Lyson Point of View

The blade presses against my neck keeping my full attention as my friends fall from the ceiling, Vincent looking more rugged than usual. The thrum in my chest increases at the sight of him, finally happy to get to lay my eyes on him. My peace.

Mary stands with him, her hands present in front of her, Mark and Jeff standing with her. The position between each of them seems to have shifted, the men standing with Mary instead of trying to hide her. Looking at Vincent, the tears falling from my eyes, he gives me a nod, positioning himself to rescue me.

Aurelius positions himself behind me, holding me close. I struggle against him trying not to be the damsel in distress but the grip he holds on to me takes over any strength that I could imagine. And I let myself get here. Instead of telling Vincent right away, I tried to be the hero and ended up failing miserably.

Just some weak human.

"Let. Go." Vincent growls, Jeff rolling his eyes at my mate who sounds like a child level of speech.

"Primitive huh? It will take more than that to get her from me. Won't it sweetheart?" Aurelius shifts his focus, using his ability to slip into my arm plucking at my muscles a deep belly scream moving through me as I try to fall to the floor, anything to get away.

He only laughs, playing me like an instrument as I scream, my friends stepping forward. Aurelius drops me, letting me cry in a small ball at his feet, stepping over me to move chest to chest with Vincent, "Do you challenge me, Vincent? The traditional challenge for the woman?"

Another growl moves from him, and Mark steps forward with a raised hand, "Vincent, there's no need for that, just rip his heart out and get it over with. We didn't come here to risk the crown."

I watch Vincent's figure, his more old-style alien look taking over some of his thoughts. I could tell that he wants to challenge him, wants to win the 'right way' but Mark is right, now is not the time for a pissing contest.

Those three focus on each other, Mary flashes a look at me from behind the men waving at her hands, I groan trying to understand, but she just keeps shaking her hands at me. Giving up, I lay my hands palm up on the ground watching her give a small smile, her hands moving more purposely now.

She zips her hands left and right, an item slowly building in my palm. I watch her headline with sweat, Vincent keeping the man distracted as Mary leans forward more focused. Mark steps over as well guarding as she works continuing to encourage Vincent to back down, but the real plan has finally come forward.

A simple blade lays in my hand, a reflective silver showing me the bruises that line my face. Looking back to Mary, he gaze is caring trying to encourage me as my muscle's spasm in my arm something likely tore.

Aurelius has the ability to reach into Vincent's chest and tear out his heart, a lung, anything important. In the heat of the challenge, he could become basically untouchable. The only way to win is to keep him distracted.

"Now, Vincent, are you really going to make us fight like mongrels? At least make the stakes fair." He whines again stepping back more into my area, Mary waving her hand at me, demanding I move. One more step back and his is right on top of me, power back in his hand.

But could I, do it? Kill a man, I mean? I couldn't even kill a deer on a hunting trip with my father. Thought's float into my head of him beating me, holding me in a basement, my almost naked body on display, and how he showed no remorse for me. Why should I show remorse for him?

Fuels of anger light my soul on fire. Using my good arm, I shove myself up, limping over to where Aurelius stands, a new blade I hadn't seen pressed against Vincent's chest, him standing strong as he catches me in the corner of his eye.

"Yes. Fight."

"Finally! Some good news around here! Now honey why don't you-" The blade is pressed deep into his throat before he can finish his sentence, a gurgling of blood pooling from his mouth onto the nice carpet.

"Go fuck yourself."

Vincent moves grabbing me around my waist tugging me into him in a bear hug, the blade dropped onto the ground between us. His scent fills me with a deep calm as I bury into him deeper trying to cover myself.

I feel the ripple of muscles beneath his shirt, his height slowly shrinking back to normal as he becomes my Vincent. I feel his mouth pressed lightly against my neck, kisses moving up and all over my face in greeting, "Oh mate. I am proud of you. I am so sorry I couldn't get here sooner; I should've-"

"Hush Vincent, you are here now. That is what matters." I press a kiss against his running lips effectively silencing him.

I hear a groan in the back, one of the men reacting to our display of affection, or at least that's what I thought they were reacting to, "That's what she sounds like? She has a way better 'queen' voice than I imagined!" Mark laughs looking over the both of us a large smile displayed over his young features.

Vincent nods, looking over to me, "Yes, and I hope she speaks more often. She has many good things to say."

Mary and I both smile, running into each other another all-consuming hug between us, "Mary that was amazing!"

"No, you were amazing! I didn't think you had it in you, but here you are, surprising us again. I am so happy to see you are alive. Come, come! Sunni and Stella are above ground waiting for us."

I look back at the men, all of them in a small display of nerves, "You brought all the mates?"

Mark smiles again, always seeming to be happy, "At first we were only listening to Vincent's orders, but after watching our mates, we know that they contribute way more to this rag tag team than any of us do. You should have seen Sunni! She was able to bring all of us here. Of course, she has to puke in an alley way, but she was pure perfection!"

He laughs, me joining in as Mary tugs me through the hole in the ceiling a familiar friend laying out on the grass with large green weeds surrounding her.

Before I could call out to her, Chase is helping her up as she runs to me, now a three-person hug. It seems as if my hugs from earth have caught on nicely, "Stella! Look at this power! You are fucking amazing!" I scream and she blushes at me waving her hand in front of her.

"Oh stop. This was nothing. If I could work my ability more often, I feel as though I could have done more, maybe even raising it out of the ground good."

My mates voice calls behind us, "And of course, if the ladies choose, they will be allowed to train. Their gifts today proved beneficial and would useful on the field for many reasons, it would be stupid to not extend the offer."

I cock an eyebrow at him, the amount of impressed and confusing slamming together in my body to create this fake sense of stability, "With the same pay as the men, right? No freebies around here."

Vincent pretends to think, a panty dropping smile in return, "I think I could budget for that, darling."

Stella screeches slamming her body into Mary dragging her off into a spinning mess. Small flowers sprout from the ground where Stella places her feet her joy unable to be contained from the green around here, "Did you hear that, Mary? We could work!"

Jeff grunts from the back, "But you don't have to."

Mary flips her hair over her shoulder at her mate, making eyes contact with Vincent in the same moment, "When do we start?"

"As soon as we get some rest back at home I suppose. I would like to monitor my mate; I can sense she has some pain and needs to be seen by the doctor. Please, let us return to Sunni."

Vincent and I walk hand in hand, a light swing with our fist. Both ladies walk themselves as well, Sunni standing near a building a few meters away waving at us as we walk towards her.

"Come on guys! We have to get going! We have a world to change!"

And yet, even though her comment sounded so promising, her face stayed stoic, not even a glimmer of happiness at the mention of fixing the brokenness, just a blanket statement to make the energy of her peers.