Assassin's Bride Read online

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she had the oddest feeling that someone was staring at her. Searching around, she found it was a strange dog-like creature, sitting on the catwalk all the way across the deep expanse of the room. It was sitting on its haunches, licking a paw. It didn’t seem threatening and was pretty far away, so Venice ignored it.

  Looking down on the scene below, a feeling of excitement bloomed in her chest. This was the beginning of an adventure, she just knew it. Sliding one hand into her pocket, she toyed with a tiny smooth stone. The alien artifact easily qualified as her most precious possession. She worked for almost a month to earn the tiny pleasure stone. It was no larger than her thumb but served as a potent reminder of the thrilling experiences the Maruvian home world had to offer.

  Suddenly a soft thunk startled her. It was the creature from across the way dropping a bag beside her. Seeing it up close was downright terrifying. It looked like a mash up between a gargoyle and a wild boar with huge tusks. It hung in midair, flapping its delicate wings. Huge eyes stared at her, as if waiting for something.

  Venice quickly grabbed the soft canvas bag and held it up. “Umm, I think you dropped your bag.”

  Waving a hand through the air, the creature snarled a reply. The tone of her voice led Venice to think it was actually a she. Unable to understand, she shook the bag at the creature.

  Grabbing it with one claw, the strange creature tossed it back onto the ground and clawed through it. Grabbing one of the round water globes, she quickly dove down to the healing cart and grabbed one of the hypo-sprays. Holding the globe up to the spray, she squeezed the trigger. The water turned from clear to a sparkling blue.

  Taking flight with the small globe, she landed on the metal grid of the catwalk. The moment Venice opened her mouth to ask about it, the creature’s arm shot out, sticking the globe into her mouth. Jerking back, Venice tried to spit it out but the thin sweet membrane dissolved upon contact with her saliva. Swallowing the gush of liquid quickly, she frowned at the impatient creature, only to realize its mouth was moving.

  “I am not here to offer my services to a queen. You must learn to care for yourself. Do not expect me to do any more favors for you. Take your bag of supplies and be gone with you.”

  “First of all, I was here before you. Therefore you are the one who should leave. Secondly, it’s rude to stuff things into people’s mouths without asking first.”

  “You required language. I gave it to you the way we do your young.”

  “I saw that.”

  “It is not magic, little human queen. Injecting the translation bacteria into a hydration bubble created an oral suspension. It may be too scientific for you to understand.”

  “It’s called transmutation through a semi-permeable membrane. I’m not stupid. Now go away.”

  “I am primary daughter of the house of Zardon. You will address me with respect, small human.”

  “Where I come from, respect is earned not given.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Respect is bestowed by virtue of my bloodline. My line serves Queen Carolyn, therefore you will—”

  “Donella, you have been warned about bullying the human females.”

  The creature froze in mid-sentence.

  Venice spoke up, “She wasn’t bullying me. We were just having some girl talk.”

  The male’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “All the same, I think we should get back to work passing out supplies. Come, Donella.”

  Grabbing up the bag, Venice pawed through it. It looked like everything a woman might need to survive for a few days. There were more water balls, small packs of chelva wafers, food bars, some clothing, toiletries and, best of all, a small data-pad.

  Crawling back into one of the dimly lit corners, she opened it up and began scrolling through the information. There was virtually a cornucopia of fascinating facts on the Maruvian home world, complete with holographic images, sound bites of the birds chirping and the queen holding court. Her mind was transported millions of miles away as she perused images of their colorful flowers. They had butterflies, but the Maruvians called them ‘flutter-bys’. How cute was that?

  Their data stream was filled with pages and pages of information on their breeding habits. She learned males were called drones and they all either had wings or dicks. Odd that they were broken into two distinct categories like that. She briefly wondered about the ‘either or’ of wings and dicks. It honestly made no rational sense.

  Unsure how much time had passed, a growly feminine voice sounded off above her. “You missed processing.”

  Without looking up, Venice replied flatly, “I have no desire to be processed, whatever that means.”

  Donella’s snarky voice clarified. “It means the healers check you for parasites and assign you accommodations.”

  “I don’t have parasites, I dislike doctors, and I’m fine right where I’m at.”

  “You stink.”

  Finally looking up at Donella, she grinned. “You remind me of a human fairytale.”

  Dropping all pretense of having an attitude, the female appeared all kinds of interested. “The Golugua love human fairytales. Queen Penny tells them to us in an effort to impart important life lessons.”

  Having no clue what the creature was talking about, she stated politely, “That’s real sweet of her.”

  “In case you are wondering, I do not have evil step sisters, nor do I wear slippers.”

  Looking down at Donella’s large feet, she noticed the Golugua was sporting a huge claw right above each big toe. “I was thinking more along the lines of Little Red Riding Hood.”

  “I do not know that one. I demand you tell me, human.”

  “My name’s Venice, and if you show me where the showers are I’ll tell you the best fairytale ever.”

  A self-satisfied expression jumped onto the creature’s face. “That is a fair trade. Follow me.”

  Chapter 3

  Kindred Spirits

  ~ Venice ~

  Music Mix

  “Where are we going?” Venice asked.

  “To my quarters. I have a private cleansing unit. Though I don’t normally approve of humans in my personal space, I will make an exception for you,” replied the Golugua.

  “If you don’t like humans, why are you here?”

  “My father felt I needed experience on a battleship and my mother feels I am too self-absorbed. They insist I will benefit from performing community service.”

  “Wow, you’re not even getting paid for this gig?”

  Tossing Venice a lopsided smile, she led her down another narrow corridor. “No Golugua is paid for performing their duty.”

  “Are the males paid?”

  “You ask a lot of questions for such a small being.”

  “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

  “Of course no one pays drones for their service. They would have to develop a whole department full of counters to keep their pay organized, and task someone with handling disputes. Not even Talon would sign up for such a tedious job. Also, who would bother with that when any drone can simply gather gemstone and trade them for credits? My family has millions of credits and little use for them.” Stopping for a brief moment, Donella sighed. “Our home world has not yet built shops, as we have been concentrating our efforts on creating shelter for our citizens and infrastructure necessary to support our growing population.”

  “Let me guess. This is more of a shopping trip than a duty assignment for you.”

  Smothering a smile, she quipped, “You are clever, small human.”

  “How many Golugua are on board this vessel?”

  “Just me and one low ranking male from the house of Armon.”

  “You sound a little preoccupied with status.”

  “I’m really not. It’s just that Armon’s nephew annoys me. He talks constantly about absolutely nothing. Since I am not permitted to remove his head, I chose to avo
id him.”

  Ignoring the comment about making people who annoy her headless, Venice changed the conversation. “What qualities to you like in a potential mate?”

  The Golugua’s voice kicked up an octave. “I like males who are wild and battle weary. Ones who are in need of a dedicated female to soothe their wounded spirit.”

  “That sounds pretty good to me.”

  “You tease?”

  “Nope. Nothing is sexier than a really large, rough looking warrior. Someone who can look out for me and doesn’t care what others think.”

  Donella smiled. “Yes to all that. We are of like minds.”

  Stepping through a doorway, Venice continued, “I wouldn’t kick a warrior out of bed over a couple of strategically placed battle scars either.”

  “Agreed. Go and cleanse. I will bring you real food.”

  “Thanks. You turned out to be really nice.”

  Rubbing her shoulder with one hand, Donella replied awkwardly. “I’m not used to people liking me for me. Usually they are polite only because my family is prominent.”

  “Then, it’s their loss, ‘cause you’re fantastic.”

  Turning towards the shower, Venice heard her new friend trouncing out of the room. Watching her move about all fours while being so well spoken was confusing.

  The shower turned out to be more like a mister, but it definitely got the job done. Being squeaky clean had been a rare luxury. Throwing her soiled clothing in a reclamation slot made her feel like she was moving from her old life into a new one.

  Venice didn’t think of herself as a greedy person. She had no intention of trying to land a rich alien husband so she could sit back and enjoy the good life. Just being able to work, earn a living, and survive would be enough. Finding an accommodating husband would be part of the deal, there was no getting around that. However, she was really open minded about men. Finding true love was so far out of the realm of possibility, she didn’t dare hope to find prince charming. Just a decent accepting male looking to be a father would suit her just fine.

  Sitting on a square metal coffee table, she finger-combed her short spikey black hair. She liked the wild windblown look. Digging through the bag of supplies, she was disappointed to find no scarves or swaths of material she could use to cover her head. Smoothing her hands down her form fitting uniform, she realized it showed every curve in a little too much detail. The garment was apparently chosen for its durability and ability to stretch to accommodate several sizes.

  The door slid open and Donella flew back in. She had a clear box of food with a lid on it and a dark folded garment on top.

  “I brought you a covering. You can’t walk the ship in your unders.”

  Looking down it dawned on her that this was probably what they wore under their clothing of choice. That would explain the name. Standing she reached for the garment, finding it soft and warm.

  “Thank you.”

  “I found one with a head covering, much like what you were wearing before.”

  “I like to go unnoticed.”

  “Human queens do not go unnoticed among the drones. You must expect to be approached for mating.”

  “I’d prefer to wait until I reach your home world.”

  Landing on her feet and one hand, Donella folded her wings behind her and panted lightly as she held out the box of food.

  “You will have a larger selection of drones to choose from on our home world, so that is a wise decision.”

  Venice motioned toward the box of food. “I certainly hope you plan to eat some of this with me.”

  Tilting her head slightly, she intoned formally, “The Golugua are sentinels. We stand guard so others might eat in safety.”

  Motioning her over, Venice slid off the table and sat the box down. “I don’t need protection and you aren’t looking to be a protector, remember?”

  The creature huffed out an exasperated breath. “It is the way with our people.”

  “Why don’t you take the evening off? Who’s going to know? There’s just the two of us here.”

  Donella dropped dramatically down on the other side of the table with a huff. Venice separated out a little less than half the food and placed it on the open lid. Sliding the larger share to Donella, she smiled. “Thanks for inviting me to your room. Would you like me to tell you the story while we eat?”

  “Would it be possible to tell it after? I wish to record the story to share with others of my kind.”

  “Aww, that’s really sweet. I’ll go the extra mile to make it entertaining.”

  Smiling, her new friend shook her head. “You are very different to most of the other human queens.”

  “Do you mind if I ask why the males call us all queens?”

  Snorting a laugh, the Golugua explained. “After searching your language archives for possible matches to the term Shacana the drones determined queen was the closet match.”

  “The translator is translating the word as female in my language, not queen.”

  “To be a female among drones is to be honored and respected above all things. Our drones did not feel the word female communicated the proper level of reverence.”

  Venice toyed with her food, trying to figure out how to ask the question that had been bearing on her mind. “That commander didn’t address you as queen.”

  “I should say not. The Golugua are not compatible breeders for drones.”

  Venice’s eyes flew to her surly host. “You’re not insectoid?”

  “No. The Golugua were enslaved by the Maruvian queens many thousands of years ago. We breed one female to one male. Much like your own ancestors, only female Golugua produce young. Our children come into the ‘verse by live birth, rather than spawning like Maruvian drones.”

  “Wow, we’ve got a lot in common.”

  The sentinel’s eyes grew round. “You see us as similar?”

  “Of course. We procreate in the same manner, have similar family structures, like hot warriors and enjoy speaking with each other.”

  Donella waved a clawed hand through the air. “You are weak and I am strong. We are not similar in that regard.”

  Grinning, Venice cautioned playfully, “Don’t underestimate humans. We may be small and not very good at fighting but we make up for it in other ways.”

  Picking up a piece of food with her claw, Donella nibbled it daintily. “I can’t imagine how. Human are usually very annoying. They cower, refuse to speak, and sometimes become emotional for no reason.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ve been through a lot in our lives. Being homeless, scavenging for food, and being in a strange environment probably has them freaked out.”

  “Yet you are well.”

  Shrugging, Venice swallowed a bite of food before responding. “I’ve always been homeless, lived off scraps and moved from one area to another, so that kind of thing doesn’t bother me so much. I’m probably more adaptable than most people.”

  “You grew up all alone, without a family?”

  Nodding, Venice sighed. “Back on Earth I was on my own from an early age. I quickly learned that keeping to myself and staying out of sight was the best way to survive. Spending time observing and analyzing new surroundings was helpful in learning who the bullies on the block were, where potential jobs were, and how the town operated. Some small towns could be pretty corrupt and they didn’t always take to outsiders. It’s made me more likely to trust someone I meet on the street than government officials.”

  “This must be why you did not wish to be processed.”

  “I’m not a bad person and I don’t plan on trying to avoid taking a Maruvian husband. I just need to ease myself into the situation slowly, so I feel comfortable.”

  “I’m sure that was necessary on Earth. But you are now with drones. They were taught to defer to their females from birth. I’m sure you have heard their motto.”

  Nodding, Venice mumbled. “Queens command, drones obey. It seems kin
d of weird and unnatural to me.”

  The Golugua wheezed out a laugh. “Even among my kind, the males defer to us. I believe this is why I like gruff warriors. They are naturally more demanding and less humble.”

  “I agree. In fact, it makes me think you will prefer an alternative ending my fairytale.”

  Shoving their empty containers in a reclamation slot, they settled down face-to-face on the floor for story time. Venice loved to weave a good yarn. Pulling her hood up and wrapping the cloak tight around her body, she spoke in a deep scratchy voice.

  “Gather round, kiddies, and hear the tale of Little Red Riding Hood.”

  “This is going to be very entertaining. I can tell by your voice.”

  Venice giggled as she watched Donella cue an internal scanner with her handheld device. “We are ready.”

  “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young queen intent upon finding her mate. Unfortunately, she only had one day off a week and her mother always had her take food to her ailing grandmother on that day. Red did as she was told, but never stopped dreaming of fining a handsome mate.”

  Donella’s huge claw was tapping lightly on the floor, leading Venice to think that maybe she really was excited about hearing stories. Kicking up the drama in her voice, she continued.

  “On the day of her twentieth birthday, she left the security of the village, and braved the dangers of the forest to care for her sickly grandmother once more. Only this time she caught the eye of one of the large frightening creatures that makes their home in the deep dark forest. Though they are half man and half wolf, once every lunar when the moon is shining bright, they take on their wolf form and stalk the forest for the meat that will enable him to survive another cycle.”

  Donella’s eyes were huge and she was hanging on every word. “The night of the full moon coincided with Red’s last trip into the forest. The wolf-man knew nothing of the innocent young queen about to cross his path. He knew only that tonight was the night of the full moon. He could feel his transition beginning to take effect and right before he fell into his bestial form, he spied the most charming sight his eyes had ever beheld. A young queen was skipping down the path, bending down to gather flowers along the way. The hood of her long red cloak had slid back over her head to reveal lovely smooth skin and long silky dark hair. Her lips were red, and she moved with a fluid grace that stole his heart.”