Erun (Scifi Alien Romance) (The Ujal Book 4) by Celia Kyle, Erin Tate

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    “No.” Erun’s harsh word was overlaid with Sece’s hiss.
    Niax shrugged, his attention on Sece. “What does it matter, Sece ? You do not wish for our mating and this could help another. What reason do you have for denying me? I would not be mating Nessa, I would be helping her.”
    The tension within the small space rose, the male and female staring at one another and he wondered if the very air would burst into flames.
    “You will not donate genetic material,” Sece growled, her scales fluttering beneath her skin, expressing her fury.
    “Why?”
    “Because…”
    “ Why? ”
    There was more between the two than Erun knew and he truthfully did not care to know why the anger snapped through the air. He only cared about Vanessa and Tabitha.
    “ I will donate.” He overrode their continued argument.
    The couple turned to him while Vanessa stiffened in his hold and attempted to pull away.
    He would not allow it.
    Sece was the first to shake out of her shock. “I don’t know what that will do to her.”
    “Then take a sample and figure it out.” He hated being questioned.
    “Erun, after all the alterations…”
    “Tabby is comforted by my touch. Even as I argued and was furious with her dam , she wanted me. I am Ujal,” — barely in most Ujals’ opinions— “and believe it will be fine.” Sece continued to look skeptical. “It will be enough, Sece. I know this.” He extended his free arm. “Take the sample.”
    The female stepped forward, digging in her pocket, and finally withdrew a hypo. She paused when she was within reach. “Even if this is an acceptable solution, you must get her agreement. You must explain your genetic deficiencies and I can’t guarantee I will be able to strip enough identifiers from your material. Her genetics will still feel mated, but she will feel mated to you . She would always yearn for your touch, Erun. Then there’s the legal requirements for being a ‘real’ mate.”
    She said the words as if the idea of being tied to Vanessa was unwanted. He would like for her to feel mated to him. He would also like to make love to her to make their mating legal as well.
    But he could not argue with her statement about his genetic deficiencies . Some Ujal believed him deficient. Others celebrated his alterations due to his performance in the sphere. It depended on whether credits were exchanged via bets.
    “Her options are to take another’s genetic material via injection that will leave her alone for the rest of her days or mine through injection, which may inadvertently mate us. I know this. I will explain about my past and I will secure her permission. As for Ujal laws, we’ll cross that water when we come to it.” He did not know how, but he would. Vanessa remained silent through the exchanges and he knew there would be explanations the moment they were alone once more. The hypo did not hurt as it drew his blood for analysis.
    “Her transition will at least solve Tave and Rina’s problems,” Niax muttered.
    “What problems?” Vanessa found her voice.
    Niax winced. “It is nothing.”
    “Niax…” he warned. If Vanessa asked a question, he would see it answered. Through any means necessary.
    Niax sighed. “The events of the morning were witnessed by many. You snatched a human youngling from sure death while others viewed it as your attempt to steal her. Then later, you were seen running through the streets with that same child, her dam racing after her. Unfortunately, the child now had scales and a tail. Humans are up in arms about a human female either stealing an Ujal child or having her child kidnapped while the Ujal are furious that a human female somehow kidnapped an Ujal child.” Niax focused on Erun. “You are viewed as a hero by some of our kind.”
    There was a first time for everything.
    “What…” Vanessa’s voice trembled.
    Erun lowered his head, mimicking his rulers once more, and he nuzzled her head. “All will be well. Tave and Rina will