Free Taken (Warriors of Karal Book 3) by Harmony Raines Page A

opportunities we never had on Earth,” Reja said.
    “If they ever let us out without a chaperone,” Tikki said, then saw Chrissi’s face. “Oh, don’t worry, it will get easier. Each time a new woman arrives, there is less talk and fuss from those who oppose us walking amongst them. There are still so few of us, but everyday there are more and more.”
    “What do you think?” Chrissi asked, twirling around in the sky-blue dress, which hugged her figure in all the right places.
    “I think Malik will find you irresistible,” Reja said. “Or has he already … found you irresistible?”
    “No, not yet,” Chrissi said, catching her meaning and trying not to blush. “We were so tired last night. It was a quite a journey.”
    “And then tomorrow you go out into space again. So tonight is the night. Get it over with, you won’t regret it,” Tikki said and then giggled.
    Chrissi didn’t want to know any more; she didn’t want to think of what would happen after Malik came home. She simply wanted to enjoy having a pretty new dress. And she was supposed to be a trained astronaut! Well, inside she felt like any other woman, feminine and soft, and why couldn’t she be both?
    Tikki and Reja stayed for an hour or more. They furnished Chrissi with more clothes, and would have left even more, but when she looked inside Malik’s closet she realised there was nowhere to hang them.
    “Oh well, you won’t need too much until you come back, so why don’t we keep hold of them until then,” Reja said, gathering up all the remaining clothes.
    “Thank you both so much,” Chrissi said.
    “Good luck, Chrissi, us humans must stick together.” There was a knock on the door. “That will be Okil. He will escort us back home. Darl is busy checking Elissa over, he is so anxious about her baby, more anxious than he is about ours.” Reja patted her swollen stomach.
    “Is it because it’s the first child to be born? Of this generation, I mean. Until a baby is born healthy, they don’t know if the two DNA strands are compatible?” Chrissi said.
    “Yes,” Tikki said, casting a glance at Reja that gave Chrissi the impression something was being left unsaid. “The first child is always going to be the one that gives Darl most concern.”
    “Then it’s a good job he is such a good doctor. You mustn’t worry,” Reja said firmly to Tikki. “Tikki’s just more concerned because Elissa is her sister.”
    “Oh, I never realised. So you are both here, wow.”
    Tikki smiled, but still looked strained. “Yes, my sister was the first, and then I met Okil and we fell in love, so when he was granted the right to have a female of his own, he chose me.”
    “How romantic,” Chrissi said.
    There was another knock. “Oh my goodness,” said Tikki. “We have been keeping him waiting and he is so busy with the launches. At least after next week, things should quieten down.”
    “Until we come back,” Chrissi said.
    “Yes, until you come back. With good news, I hope,” Reja said.
    And then they left, leaving Chrissi to ponder what they had said, or more importantly, what they hadn’t said.
     
     
     

Chapter Fourteen – Malik
     
    He headed back to his quarters as quickly as he could. As far as he could tell, all the equipment they would need was packed. The rest of the ground team were going through the inventory now, double-checking everything before the launch tomorrow.
    Excitement was bubbling up inside him, making his hands stay a permanent shade of yellow—not very attractive. To combat this, as he walked he tried to think of mundane thoughts, although these didn’t hold his attention and he resorted to going through the launch sequence three times until he reached his rooms, feeling once more in control.
    And then he opened the door and saw her standing there in a new blue dress, and his colours flashed golds, oranges, and reds, like the flame of his passion spreading over his skin. She blushed when she took in his