Just A Bit Of Trust (Constel·lación #1) (5 page)

“My word is my bond. I am not a human male; I would sacrifice everything for you.”

“I demand that you marry my daughter here on Mother Earth first as our customs command.”

The statement from the president proved he was dense and self-righteous. What he should have been doing was kissing his feet. Thanking his daughter that she happened to be his mate and sparing the life he so much loved. Better yet, it was evident that Bradford was an abusive father so he could just ask her daughter if she wanted him dead but he didn’t. Didac felt annoyed.

“You have no right to make any demands from me.” Didac was in no mood for Bradford’s games. ’What matters is what Vivian desires.”

Didac offered his hand to lift her up and this time, she accepted. He didn’t let go once she was on her two feet, but lifted her other hand to envelope them in his big ones. ”What do you want?” He didn’t mince words.

The question seemed to stun her. ‘Why would you care about what I want?”

A Constel·lación female would have never questioned him. ”Because I have never been called selfish before.”

“Wouldn’t you consider forcing a woman to marry you because you want them selfish?”

”Vivian, I know you have had no reason to trust, and I think you know deep down that I would never force you to do something you didn’t want to do. You have freedom to make a choice.”

Vivian’s face softened. He could have just taken her by force. Didac wanted her, but at what price. ”What is the price you are willing to pay for a woman who doesn’t want to be with you?”

“My heart and my dignity.”

She found it hard to believe it. ”You don’t strike me as a man who is willing to lose anything.”

Didac lips pursed in thought, and he finally replied.” You are right. I am not a man who is accustomed to losing, but I am willing to surrender that to you.”

“Surrendering yourself to anyone is dangerous.How do you know that I would never abuse your heart?”

“Something tells me that your experiences would ever permit you to do that to another. I have faith that once you see what kind of male I am, it would never occur to you to abuse it.”

It was foreign to Vivian for someone so powerful to bare their emotions.No one voiced their thoughts and opinions in her father’s house. ”The apple does not fall far from the tree. Your faith in me is misplaced.”

“Then help me. Restore my faith in the human species.”

Vivian was speechless. Very few people rarely managed that. Life as Martin Bradford’s daughter guaranteed it.

She stuttered, “I would prefer just my family and your people to bear witness to our wedding.”

Didac exhaled, elated by the pact. He had expected more resistance than this. He was going to grant her her request, even if Constel·lacións did not find a formal wedding necessary. Their sense of smell was enhanced, the minute they mated, they smelled like their significant other, and everyone else knew. An elder administered a reception to honor the mating.

“So be it.” The sooner he got out of this lousy planet, the better. ”My sister will accompany you ladies while you get ready.”

Vivian laughed mockingly. “What? You think I’m going to run.”

The female was trying his patience. Her face, eyes and smile transformed under his gaze at that mocking laugh
.
The way her features sort of lit up was promising.
A promise of pleasure
. His eyes scanned her up and down. The women in his planet were slender. While she, on the other hand, was bigger bodied but looked fit. Her weight hugged her body in all the right places. It was different. Something he looked forward to exploring.

The sound of her laughter turned into groans. Tears fell from her face, washing her face like rain water. She cried until it was impossible to stop. Annais stood behind his brother and observed the young female cry. She identified her hysteria for what it was, having gone through the same feelings once. Laughing or crying, it made no difference whether it was from pain or outrage. Her deepest emotions which had been suppressed for so long desperately needed to be released. As a great Empath, the magnificence of the manifestation of the feelings coming from the younger earthling was breathtaking. She was embracing the beauty of her tears, sniffling and choking on her tears for all to see, tears that were rich with despair and utter hopelessness. It was therapeutic. She would feel better afterward.

The older female who resembled Vivian stepped forward. She was Bradford’s mate and Vivian’s mother by the smell of things. It was clear that the woman was demoralized when her eyes didn’t meet Didac’s. She had purple marks on her face, which could not be disguised by the heavy painting on her face; a clear indication that Bradford’s cruelty was not only limited to his children. Bradford touched her neck in a way that appeared loving but the blanch color on her face indicated otherwise.

“This is unworthy of a leader, Bradford. Don’t try my patience. You know it’s a good thing that I am a peace loving male. If this were another time, you would know and feel my wrath and wish you were born an animal.” Didac’s eyes never left the older woman’s face.  Bradford’s fingers untangled from her neck, the threat unspoken.

The older women’s eyes glistened with tears. ”I have heard of your reputation as a people. Is it a myth that your people are incapable of cruelty?”

Didac bowed his head; her regal posture demanded respect. “It is not a myth, my lady, but every species has it’s bad people, in ours less than others.”

“Swear on your honor as a Constel·lación that you will not harm my daughter.” The older woman sounded desperate.

“To ask a Constel·lación male, such a request is an insult, my lady.” Annais interrupted, “Harming younglings and females go against the nature of our males.”

“Then I welcome you to dine with me before you take my daughter away.”

Didac looked at the female’s face and saw more than she said. She wanted her daughter protected.

”Today we feast your welcome and tomorrow we celebrate the wedding to join our two planets together.” Bradford’s voice annoyed Didac. Did the man never know when just to keep his mouth closed?

Didac mocking laugh filled the room. Why would he spend a night on a planet he barely was familiar with, with a man who had planned his demise? He felt like he owed the woman an explanation. ”With all due respect, my lady, you would understand if I didn’t want to spend the night on your planet.”

“Of course.”

“My home is open to you anytime you wish to visit.” Didac held out his arm.” I am not opposed to a drink if my lady wishes.” The lady wrapped her arm around his and led him to the open door of the Whitehouse.

“I would like that.” She smiled. ”My given name is Michelle, but you can call me mom, after all, you will be my son-in-law.”

Didac laugh echoed in the atmosphere. Why the woman mated Bradford, he would never understand.

He cares what I think.
Vivian’s heart burst with relief when Didac turned to her to ask what she wanted. Everyone knew that this was not a love match. To have everyone watch and gossip was not something she wanted. It was shameful.   She couldn’t imagine herself married to a man who didn’t care about how she felt or about her thoughts.
A man like her father
. Everyone believed that the aliens initiated the attack, but those who intimately knew her father knew better. Martin Bradford was two faced.

Vivian craned her neck to look up at him. He was tall compared to her five foot frame. James had been tall, but not this tall, being in Didac’s presence made her feel feminine and delicate.  His eyes were green; a dazzling, crystal green.  It was the depth within them that made them unique. She blinked a few times trying to adjust to the handsomeness of the alien before her.

Her eyes lowered to his shoulders. They were vigorous and extensive. It made her immediately think protection. Were other parts of his body as big? Her freckled face turned red.

Being married to him wouldn’t be so bad after all. He had defended her when her father had slapped her, which made him a good man. She wasn’t repulsed by his appearance that could count for something.

James became a dim memory in the presence of such power. A few weeks earlier, James had taken her to Paris to Ceil De Paris, a high rise restaurant on the fifty-six floor with a magnificent view. They had enjoyed some fine French cuisine with an elegant bottle of champagne. He had blindfolded her and taken her to the balcony for her to see Paris at night. It had all been romantic. He had handed her a bag with a box thinking it was a marriage ring, only to be  presented with a box of expensive candy for an anniversary present.

Seriously. Candy?

She had given James an ultimatum. Marry her or it was over. She had told James that fantastic sex and romantic getaways were nice, but she wanted to grow up.

He had seen the disappointment on her face. He had told her he would never propose until he got money for a down payment for a house and promotion. The reasons why they had broken up didn’t seem to matter anymore. In retrospect, financial stability could have taken years or forever. Most people would never marry if they waited for financial stability! She had already given five years of her life to him. She realized he wanted to be responsible about this, but she knew plenty of people that were married and rented an apartment. They budgeted their finances, and they did just fine. Financial stability was an entirely legitimate concern and goal, but she thought he was using it as an excuse. She knew that many divorces happened because of money, but being poor didn’t cause divorces. It tested your mettle, and only healthy, stable marriages survived. Besides, even if you were financially stable, nothing was saying you were going to stay that way. There was a reason the vows said “for richer and for poorer” — you just never knew what was going to happen.

Vivian shook herself out of her dreamy state.

She was leaving the only planet she had ever known and the only people she had ever loved. Memories were all she will ever have. She had to be strong.

What do I call him? “Um. My lord, I have a few requests before we marry.”

“Vivian, you are not allowed to say anything.” Her father put in.

Didac fixed him with an icy stare. ”From now on, you do not have any say on what she does or says. She is only accountable to me.”

A man like Bradford would never appreciate being spoken to like that. But then he had no choice. Okay, he had one, speak or die. He kept his mouth zipped.

“Just make it fast. I want to be out of here before sundown.” Didac’s curt reply almost made her back down.

“I would like to bring my sister and brother along.”

“That’s it.” Didac looked at the female and the male standing with her mother. The young female had a really strange color. “Yes.”

It was natural to want to explore a new place and culture with people you were comfortable around. Didac did not hesitate to concede to Vivian’s request. Bradford tightening face made him look as ugly as his soul. “Of course, you can bring them along.”

Vivian struggled to continue. “If you have enough room, I would also like to bring a few of my most treasured belongings.”

“You will have everything you need in Constel·lació.”

How did the woman in Constel·lació ask? Maybe if she went down on her knees, he would grant her request. That’s how her father liked it, sometimes. The idea made him feel powerful.

She kneeled down before him. ”I would like you to grant this as a wedding present. There are memories from my childhood that I would like to bring along.”

There was a collective gasp from the aliens. Didac pulled her up as if embarrassed. His mate might be angry and unwilling right now, but with time she would learn that all he wanted was to love her and be loved by her. Only slaves knelt before other people. In his planet, slavery had been abolished for centuries.  All species respected and feared them. The peace and the freedoms they so much enjoyed had taken over centuries to obtain.

Okay, I guess woman didn’t do that in Constel·lació.

“You do not have to kneel to no one, especially me.” Didac rubbed her cheek tenderly, to soothe her, to make her understand, his voice soft. “We have enough room; you can bring anything you want to bring.” He soon realized his mistake. He turned back to his authoritative tone to exterminate any implications that he could be forgiving especially in Bradford presence. He preyed on people’s weaknesses. ”After the wedding, we leave. I will give you and your siblings enough time to pack what you want to take along with you. After you are done just let me know, I will instruct my man to put your belongings aboard.”

“I cannot express how grateful I am.”

Vivian had laughed when Didac had told her that his sister would go with them. Her laughter had turned into tears as she realized the gravity of what had just happened. She had embarrassed herself.Annais soft embrace had calmed her as her sister Paka led them to her room.

That is when her mother had stepped in. She was a traitor, fraternizing with the enemy. All the feelings she had always felt about her mother erupted like a volcano.

Agusti stared at the women as they disappeared into the building. He turned to look at his friends, Severus and Primo and returned their smiles. “What?” He shrugged when he noticed Esteve’s pointed look. ”Come on man! Let he who has eyes see.” At Esteve’s cocked eyebrow, he continued.” I can’t help but stare; these human females are so beautiful."

"Don't, this is not the time,” Esteve warned the younger males.

“Come on Esteve; you know us better than that.”

"Just checking, that’s all."

Esteve had to agree even if he didn’t voice it. These human females were such exotic creatures. They came in different skin colors, sizes, hair types and cultures which were unheard of in any planet. Under different circumstances, Mother Earth would have been an adventurous playground for the younger males, but they were soldiers first and foremost. His sense of aesthetics recognized that the more adolescent males were stunners. Women loved and adored them too. He had never felt jealous of them until now. Esteve, the geek, followed behind the younger males to the White House, feeling older than he had ever felt in his life

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