Brooklyn's Baggage: A Sci-fi Alien Romance (Brides of the Aashi Book 2) Read online

  “We are the chosen from Clan Yaayi, we are here to claim our female. I pick this female,” Lelan demanded as he pointed at the tallest one with skin so light but hair so long and colored like the rich browns of a pixxe fruit. It was rude of him to speak before they did, but he didn’t care. He did not like the M’Mori, most of Clan Yaayi were not happy with them at all. They mined their rocks close to our Clan land and their miners sometimes entered our lands and took our food.

  “Clan Yaayi, you have chosen. Please take your female as our payment to you.” The M’Mori pointed to the female. She smiled and walked down to us, and as she got closer to me, I noticed her eyes were much different to our own. White surrounded an iris that looked as if it was touched by the Goddess herself. It was not one color like Aashi, but many shades of browns and even gold like the two suns. She looked up into my eyes and smiled, and my heart almost stopped right then.

  “Hi, I’m Brooklyn.” Her voice was like nothing I had heard before and her language so musical. When the communicator on her wrist spoke, it sounded like that of the M’Mori's. It would be hard to get used to when her voice sounded so sweet. She jumped a little when it spoke and smiled and nodded. I didn’t speak to her, my words stuck in my throat.

  I was pulled in by her scent when she stepped closer to me. I had never smelt a female so… desirable. This female was so small, so weak compared to those of our own females. The need to protect her thrummed through my veins.

  These females from Earth were all different. I could tell by just looking at them. But this one, her scent it called to me. I didn’t understand what that meant, only that I was blessed to be her chosen. Jaim was close by to help escort the female, as was his job as takxe, but Lelan had other plans.

  “I am your Chosen Lelan. You follow me back to our clan hut.”

  She agreed and the other chosen males and I formed a circle around her to protect her as we followed Lelan toward the tree line. Jaim followed behind us all.

  I couldn’t help but glance at her over and over until she caught my stare. She made a laughing sound and smiled again. At me. She smiled at me. This made my heart leap in my chest. The female was pleased with me. I have made her happy.

  “You are not the Chosen from Zaali. Why send such a weak male as chosen to mate with a female?”

  I turned to see Lelan speaking to two Aashi males, who were travelling quickly to claim a female of their own. Clan Zaali was our neighboring clan. They were a two-day walk from the Goddess Arena, whereas we were a four-day walk through the unclaimed free lands. This would normally be no problem for a warrior as myself, yet with a female, one whose scent was starting to take over my thoughts. This would attract the outcasts males who lived in the free lands between here and our Clan. We would need to make haste back to the safety of our Clan.

  “Does your queen not have any real males left? We have many strong warriors. We will take her if you have no chosen.” My thoughts came back to the present as I stared at the back of Lelan’s head. Why would he say such a thing to another Clan? He was not a warrior.

  Yes, it was unusual for there to be a small warrior and a takxe, but I would never call them out because of it or suggest we take their female. Those were words that started many wars between clans in the past.

  I heard a small gasp, and I turned to see our female had stopped. Lelan did not notice as he entered the tree line. I quickly turned to her, Jaim was beside her at once.

  “I am your takxe, your healer, Jaim. Are you injured, female Brooking?” Her communicator spoke the words. She looked at Jaim and shook her head then tilted it slightly to see where Lelan had gone.

  If she was not injured, then what had caused her to stop?

  Chapter Three

  Brooklyn

  Okay when these guys came and picked me second, I thought this was my lucky day. I had never been picked for anything but being picked second felt amazing. And wow… There was the darkest purple guy here and his eyes were huge and dark. The way he looked down at me made me feel like a precious jewel. I couldn’t help the smile from my face. Maybe he was going to be my husband.

  The tallest one had to be almost seven-foot-tall. I had to really crane my next to see him, but it was a good view. These guys… Holy hell they were ripped and wore this little bit of cloth to cover their dicks and asses. They reminded me of the strip show I once saw when I was in Vegas… except for the fact that they were purple, had two tails, and four arms. Imagine getting a hug with four arms wrapped around you. And those lips… Purple lips would look strange on anyone but these guys.

  But that first one, the alien guy who pointed at me… Yeah, okay. He wasn’t as pretty or handsome and I heard what he said with the translator— which was the watch I was wearing I figured out. He was going to take their female because they had weak males? That was such an asshole thing to say. And I would not tolerate bullying. If he was going to be rude to others, then I didn’t want to follow him.

  “I am your takxe, your healer, Jaim. Are you injured, female Brooking?” the smaller one asked me. But the word takxe didn’t translate. And Brooking? I think he must have missed how to pronounce my name. I shook my head as I looked over to where the rude one had disappeared into the trees. The huge, towering purple and white trees.

  “Oh sorry, my name is Brook-lyn, Brook-lyn. Not Brooking.”

  When my translator finally spoke to him, the look on his face worried me. Um shit. I didn’t think I was rude, just trying to help him. His name was Jaim, which was pronounced J-aim. Easy. Maybe my name was hard for them. I looked around at all four big males. Mr. Eggplant was a hottie for sure. I was crushing on him from his looks alone, I hope he has a good personality. I gave him a huge friendly grin and put my hand out to shake.

  “I’m Brooklyn, what’s your name?”

  I was expecting him at act like most good-looking guys back on Earth—puff up his huge wide chest and take my hand acting like he was the best thing that ever existed and kiss it. Okay, maybe that was just the ones I was used to. But instead, he ran one of his hands through his hair and pulled it behind his ear as he looked to the trees where the asshole had gone. He moved his spear from one upper hand to the other as his lower hands clasped together over his abs.

  Okay… I pulled my hand back and turned to another one, who was smiling at me with his dark purple hair in a beautiful braid.

  “Hi, I’m Brooklyn.” I put my hand out for him to shake, but he just stared at it. His mouth opened slightly like he was just about to say something when a deep voice came from behind.

  “Sako.” The translator didn’t repeat it. I turned and saw Mr. Eggplant’s hands were twisting together and his hair had fallen over his face again. He pushed it behind his ear faster this time. Huh, four arms do come in handy.

  “Sako? Your name is Sako?” I just wanted to be sure since the translator didn’t repeat it.

  He stared right at me and nodded once he understood what I was saying. A grin spread across my face. Maybe they were shy? I finally turned and spoke to the others.

  “Dewon.” One pointed to himself, then the other two did the same as they told me their names. So there was Sako, Dewon, Aalee, Adee. I wondered if Aalee and Adee were twins since they were similar in height and color. I think I will confuse them. No, I didn’t think… I knew I would.

  Trying to remember all their names would be hard, but the only one I really wanted to remember was Sako. I hoped he was going to be my husband.

  “What is keeping you? I wish to make it to the second Clan hut by nightfall.” Everyone turned to see that asshole had returned. I guess he figured out we weren’t following him.

  “Female, we must leave at once to our Clan hut.” He directed that at my translator. I looked at the others, who stood around me like a huge purple wall. Wow, that was a lot of abs and loin cloths. And there were a lot of large… Yeah, you could tell they had big cocks. I giggled at my dirty thoughts.

  “Okay?” I questioned more than answered. I started to walk toward him and the big purple wall moved as one. It made me feel safe being surrounded by so many huge men.

  No one spoke for so long, and I was not good with quiet or walking. I had a desk job, and most my exercise was walking to Starbucks. Oh God, I miss Starbucks.

  “So how long until we reach the Clan? I’m very excited to find out who will be my husband.”

  Yeah, I was fishing to see if maybe Sako was my husband. It was actually the takxe guy who answered.

  “We are a four-days’ walk to Clan land. We shall stay at Clan huts in the free lands until we reach Clan land. That’s where you will take your chosen as your mates in the ceremony.”

  I kept walking and thinking over what he had said. Ceremony must be the wedding part. I wonder if I will be wearing something traditional of the Aashi people or maybe I will have to get my best skirt and top out, although I didn’t have any nice shoes. I would have to go for the flip flops. They were blue, so I would have the something blue, I guess.

  What was that saying…? Something old, something new, something… something blue. Ugh, I couldn’t remember it all. I didn’t really have something old, maybe my old clothes? Something new were my flip flops, and they were blue, so that is two of those in one hit.

  “It’s kind of hot, is there water to drink?”

  The asshole guy, which I was told was called Lelan, made a sound before he turned around. “We will eat and drink once we are at the hut, female Brooklyn.”

  Well then… I guess I was going to have to melt in this humid air with this dumb spacesuit. It wasn’t as good as I thought it would be out here. I thought maybe it was special material that kept you warm in the cold and cool in the hot. You know, because the M’Mori gave it to us and they knew they were dropping us off her
e. But no, this was like cheap shitty stuff that made you sweat… in the worst places. Nothing fun about under boob sweat.

  I was going to smell so bad by the end of the day. Especially since we weren’t allowed to bring perfume.

  “So, what is fun to do around here?” I asked no one in particular. Lelan made that sound again. He didn’t speak, but he stomped more as we walked through this amazing forest.

  Was that a green flower?

  Chapter Four

  Sako

  My amazing female talked so freely, she made the quiet forest sound magical with her voice as she spoke her language. Lelan was not happy, and I was starting to wonder if it was the size of our chosen female that was his problem. The other chosen and myself were so happy and mesmerized by our female that we did not see this as an issue, especially since her scent called to me like no other.

  We must be very careful and protect her against any outcast males. Her scent alone would be bringing them toward us, and she was so small compared to the Aashi females. She wouldn’t be able to protect herself if any males wished to come take her. I could sense other males as we travelled, but they stayed far enough away that I didn’t dare stray from my female’s side to chase them away.

  “Something borrowed,” female Brooklyn called out loudly. It set me into protective mode, my spear ready to attack whatever male was coming. My chosen brothers all took the same stance, except for Lelan, who just turned and looked at us like we were being a nuisance.

  Her communicator said, “Something borrowed.” This cause us all to turn to her. What did this mean? Did she wish to borrow something?

  “Is there no threat, female?” Lelan grumbled. He turned on his heel and started to walk again towards the Clan hut. He was being openly rude towards his chosen. This was not the respect a female deserved.

  The sound she made was scary. I had been in many battles as a warrior, but even I was afraid of a female and the things one could do to any male.

  “That’s it, Lelan. You can just fuck off with your shitty attitude. Why do you have to act like such a dick?”

  I didn’t understand half of what she said as the words did not all come through the communicator. Her face and body said she was angry, but the words, not so much once in the language of the Aashi.

  Lelan stopped walking and listened to the words, his face full of confusion before he heard the word ‘dick’. This word was something every male knew. Did she wish to start the chosen ceremony here? With Lelan?

  “Female, I will not start mating with you until I have spoken to the queen. I do not want to be your mate. You are a small weak female, and this is not what I have been preparing my whole life for.”

  I could not believe he said such a thing to her, took a step forward to defend her. She made a small gasping which stopped me in my tracks.

  “I do not want to mate with you. God, this thing isn’t working right.” She hit her communicator a few times before she continued, “I wouldn’t mate with you if you were the last Aashi ever. I do not like rude assholes.”

  Lelan threw all four of his arms up when he heard those words.

  “Thank you, female. I shall now leave you all and make my journey back to Clan lands alone. I shall travel nights and let the queen know that you are making your way there.”

  I had never seen Lelan run, but he did just that. It was as if he couldn’t wait to speak to the queen about the small size of our female. I was worried that female Brooklyn would be angry and take it out on the rest of us chosen males.

  But she laughed. She laughed with her whole body. She placed her hands on her knees and her body shook. Slowly, a smile crept on my face, and I looked over to see Adee laughing as well. It was almost a relief that Lelan had left. But I was worried for when we returned. And what the queen would think about our female and her refusal to mate with Lelan.

  With Lelan gone, that meant I was the highest-ranking male in her chosen. I was now her first male.

  I stood proudly and placed my right two handss over the left side of my chest.

  “Female Brooklyn, I, Sako, will take you to our Clan hut.”

  My heart raced at the thoughts. First male. This was unheard of from a male born to a lower female in Clan Yaayi—or any Clan for that matter.

  She smiled a huge grin at me.

  “So when I get to Clan land, the queen will have my husband?”

  She had spoken the word husband many times. I believed it was her word for mate. I asked, “Sako, mate?” Hoping that this would answer her question that I was her chosen, she made a high-pitched sound as she ran at me. I froze and moved my spear as to not injure her. Then she surprised me when she wrapped her two arms around my waist and pressed her face against my lower stomach.

  All the other males gasped and then cheered.

  My female touched me, freely and openly, before the ceremony. My heart raced as a lump formed in my throat. I didn’t have words for the feeling that this was finally happening and with such a willing beautiful female such as Brooklyn.

  She had picked me as her first and favorite male. She had awakened my mating hormones.

  I looked down to her and wrapped my lower arms around her. She looked up at me, her eyelashes dark as her hair, and her eyes so clear and shiny.

  “The chosen ceremony will begin when we arrive at the Clan lands.” I did not wish to wait more than I had to as the mating hormones now started to run through my body.

  Her face scrunched up and she pulled away from me. I let my arms drop as she turned to my chosen brothers. “Mmm… ceremony, something blue…”

  Chapter Five

  Brooklyn

  We finally arrived at what he kept calling the Clan hut. I was so tired and all I wanted to do was eat, drink, and sleep. The light was starting to fade, and I was glad to be stopping at last.

  I should have asked one of the males to carry my backpack. But I also didn’t want to at the same time because I didn’t know who I was supposed to give it to without playing favorites. But now I somehow kicked out that asshole Lelan, and Sako stood up and told me he would protect me.

  I figured out that Lelan was obviously supposed to be my husband. But he really didn’t like me, and I sure as hell didn’t like him. When Sako told me that he would be my husband or mate as he said, I couldn’t help but hug him. I wanted to kiss him too, but with the others watching and cheering on, it felt a little strange. Well, I hope this was what he meant, as he spoke about the ceremony. Plus, I preferred that I at least knew him somewhat, rather than go to the ceremony and marry someone I hadn’t even seen. Even though I didn’t really know Sako well, at least I was attracted to him.

  Jaim was my healer. I wasn’t too sure what I needed a healer for. Was it dangerous here? I asked and they said no, but maybe not for them, but I was heaps smaller.

  I entered the dark hut, and I thought I would have to duck down but it was built for my height. There was a strange musky scent and I wasn’t sure if it was from the purple wood that it was built from. The floor was dirt, I was hoping it would be made of wood. Or maybe it was because it was just a hut to stay in one night, they didn’t go all out and build a floor. God, I hoped I had a floor in my real place when we got there. Sako bent down low as he entered and Jaim followed him inside.

  “Female Brooklyn, do you want water? Food?” Jaim asked. I really liked their language and I hated that the translator made it sound so boring.

  “I really need to use a restroom… I need to pee,” I told him. I felt a little awkward saying it front of Sako, but I was human, and we have needs. I assumed they did, too.

  “Ah, I am sorry to not have asked you this earlier, please forgive me, female Brooklyn.”

  He pointed to the corner of the room there was a tall clay pot. Oh, that made sense. That was their version of a restroom. I made my way over and when I turned, I found Jaim right behind me. I jumped and squeaked.

  “Oh… um, Jaim, I think I have this. I just go in the pot, then I empty it outside, right? Away from the hut?” That was what I assumed anyway. I hadn’t really been camping before, but I had seen that type of thing in movies.