They made it past only a few more buildings before a group of official-looking men converged on them.
“We’ve got you now,” one of them cried in a gravelly voice as he grabbed her by the shoulders.
Luna caught a glimpse of Noxx’s furious face as she was dragged away from him. Whoever this man was, he clearly didn’t realize the danger he’d just put himself in.
“Noxx, don’t do anything,” she called back to him.
Her assailant’s fingers dug into her upper arms.
“You thought you could hide from us, didn’t you?” he hissed.
He spun around to show her to the others. But the violence of the movement sent her hat flying off her head.
Luna’s dark hair settled around her shoulders.
“Hey,” one of the men said.
“You’re not Aurora Day,” the one holding her said.
“Of course I’m not,” she said angrily. “Unhand me this instant.”
He let her go and she marched back to Noxx and Sol.
“Are you sure she didn’t just dye her hair, boss?” one of the guys asked.
“Her eyes are the wrong color too, and her build,” the boss replied, holding up a small tablet with a picture of Aurora on it.
“Why does she have her clothes?” the guy insisted.
“I don’t know who you’re after, but this is my wife,” Noxx said indignantly. “And she always dresses like a shuttle mechanic’s assistant.”
“Are you a shuttle mechanic’s assistant?” the boss asked dubiously.
“No,” Luna said with great dignity. “But it’s very comfortable.”
“Get the hell out of here,” he said, waving them on. “Boys, resume the search.”
Luna and Noxx continued down the street toward the General Store without talking.
It was smart that he wasn’t asking any questions yet. Anyone could be listening in, or following them. She would tell him everything as soon as they got home and maybe they could find a more permanent way to help Aurora.
For now, she was just deeply grateful for the hard evidence that her mate had her back.
Glancing over at her big blue warrior mate, she was grateful to know he would help, no matter what. They were going to have an incredible new life here on this moon.
Baby Sol caught sight of her and began kicking his legs and wiggling his sweet little blue fingers at her.
“Oh my gosh, I think… I think he wants me,” she said, unable to believe that the baby would leave his father for any reason.
“Of course he wants his mama,” Noxx said, handing her the armful of warm sweetness that was her beloved son. “She’s the most incredible woman in the cosmos. Who wouldn’t want that?”
Luna’s heart was light as she snuggled her son and her mate put his arm around them both.
After all was said and done, she finally had her family.
***
Thanks for reading Noxx!
Are you ready for more steamy action from the Alien Adoption Agency on the frontier moon of Clotho? Do you want to see what happens between Kade and Aurora when the golden-skinned warrior finds out his mate is really the notorious, wanted criminal known as the Fox?
Then keep reading for a sample of Kade: Alien Adoption Agency #2.
Or grab your copy now!!
https://www.tashablack.com/alienadoption.html
Kade - SAMPLE
1
Aurora
Aurora Day was a rebel and a sharpshooter.
She had piloted stolen puddle jumpers and fought wild tiger-bears. At this very moment, she was the subject of an intergalactic man hunt with a price on her head.
Aurora Day liked to think she was tough as nails and twice as sharp.
But right now, she was standing still in a fragrant meadow, overlooking the blue-green moon of Clotho, utterly paralyzed by the swell of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
Her chest ached, and her cheeks burned, and there was a prickling behind her eyelids, almost like she was going to cry.
But Aurora Day didn’t cry.
Even when the two women she had met only a few weeks ago had just risked everything to save her from being captured.
Even when they could have turned her in for the million credit reward, but decided to help her instead, for no other reason than they wanted to.
Without a second thought, they had torn apart their own clothing to make her a scarf she could use to hide her signature, bright-red curls before anyone else could see them and recognize her.
And now, just as she was fully understanding the depth of her gratitude for these two amazing women, they were being separated.
She glanced up at the wooded ridge, where dark-haired Luna sat awkwardly astride some kind of tree-horned moose, clinging to a cradle, as a big blue alien led them into the trees toward her new destiny.
Aurora turned back to find her other new friend, Phoebe, jogging up to her.
“I don’t know if I can do this without you and Luna,” Phoebe said softly, wrapping her arm around Aurora.
Aurora hugged her back, wishing they could hold on just a little longer.
But the adoption process was over. All that was left was for them to meet their assigned babies and be escorted to their new homes. Now that it was right in front of them, it had taken on a reality that was more than a little intimidating. Especially given the fact that the babies were the last of the Imberian race, and after a lengthy legal battle, only a select group of women had been entrusted with the responsibility of their care and raising.
It was a lot.
As far as Aurora knew, Phoebe was some sort of farm-girl back home. Every new aspect of the intake process with the adoption agency had been a daunting adventure for her, and she had leaned hard on Aurora and Luna to help her navigate it.
What Phoebe probably didn’t realize was that helping her get comfortable with those new things had distracted Aurora from her own fears.
Now that their new lives were upon them, she wasn’t so sure she could do this without her friends either.
A burly green warrior with a chubby green baby in his arms approached them. He was clearly one of the Inivicta warriors assigned to present the babies and escort them safely to their new homes. The Invicta were kind of the whole reason the babies were the last of their race, so Aurora figured it was the least they could do.
“What ho, ladies,” called the warrior with a big, friendly grin. “Atlas wants his mama to find her new home right away, so she can give him some supper.”
The baby chuckled and squeaked out some nonsense syllables of apparent agreement.
Phoebe’s eyes got as big as saucers.
Aurora resisted the impulse to laugh. How was Phoebe intimated by that? The big green guy and Phoebe’s chunky new son were about the most wholesome, welcoming sight Aurora had ever seen.
Nothing at all like the fierce, golden warrior who was now standing just a few meters away with Aurora’s fussy new daughter.
Sure, he was stunningly gorgeous, but he also looked like he was going to attack her if she so much as tried to pass the time of day with her baby.