II

I wore one of my best outfits. I wasn't sure how we were getting to my new husband's home and a dress seemed like a terrible idea. It was easy enough to find Gintya. His wings stood out against the grey floors. He had likely headed here before me to make sure all the arrangements were made.

"Ava! I trust the trip was well?"

I nodded, "I don't believe I've ever been treated so well." I hadn't. I knew I hadn't. I had been given a room all my own. A bed big enough I could spend out on and still not reach the edge. For the last three days I had been fed with complaints or concerns. I had simply walked into the canteen and grabbed the meal labeled for me. The food had been better than anything I could remember! I had even been offered desert.

My new husband could kill me in our bed and I'd be okay with it. "Good considering the crew is employed by the UPD I would be disappointed if they treated anyone poorly." UPD, the United Planets Directive. I had been given an expense paid trip here along with my belongings due to the Prime Act. I hadn't know that until I on board and heard a number of other girls talking about it.

I was the only one being dropped here. Apparently since the Asura were known to be a warlord race no other female had been willing to agree to the match. I didn't understand it if I was honest. Most Warlord Aliens treated females like they were Goddess among men. The simple fact I had agreed to the match had made me an outcast from all the other women on the ship. Not that I minded much it was no different than being at home. Well other than the much better accommodations.

Not much was known about the Asura race. They kept to themselves and due to the resource rich planet they called home the UPD was eager to please them. I had curled my long black hair into loose locks and left my face bare. As the Asura had little dealings with the outside so I doubted makeup was often used. Around my neck was the only gift I had left from my birth father. A necklace he had made me. I had gone with a simple black tank top under my emerald green corset. Dark grey jeans and black boots complete with a three inch heel.

I never went anywhere without heels. I was too short for people to take seriously without at least three inches added on. I wasn't sure how tall my match was so I went small. Walking in heels was an art form that took practice. Running and fighting in them even more so. My older brother had seen fit to make sure I was able to do all three. A point of pride.

"Aleksi should be arriving shortly. You arrived a bit before scheduled," Gintya said. People milled about but there weren't nearly as many as I'd seen leaving home. Let alone any of the other ports women had been dropped off at. All of them Aliens. I realized I may very well be the only human on the planet. Fuck.

What little crowd there was began to part. Everyone present moved the hell out of the way or stopped where they stood. Royal Blue the male walked towards us. Holy shit! The man had to be at least seven feet tall. I should have worn bigger heels! Nothing I have will close that gap! I don't think they make heels that big!

"Ah here he is. Good day Aleksi," Gintya said as he came closer. I had imagined a lot of possibilities for the coloring of my future husband. Fucking blue sure as hell wasn't among them! Black, white, brown, yellow, red, and even orange had come to mind but not blue. I also realized the Hologram I had been shown was just the basic form of one of his people and not Aleksi himself.

My first clue? His long ass hair. I recalled the Hologram having head hair but not like this. the hair flowed over his shoulders and onto his chest. Did my husband have longer hair than me? His horns were like black obsidian with opal shards. The claws on his hands and feet gleamed a bright white that would make fresh snow jealous. His hair was also white only somehow it reminded me more of ice. Maybe it was the bit of black intermingled with it.

His dark green eyes locked on mine. A dark pine green. I noticed that lines of black cut across his cheekbones. His skin looked human. I hadn't expected that. "... Avabelle Blake. Ava this is your husband Aleksi Dragoste." The sound of my name brought me out of my thoughts.

"Good tidings Aleksi, " I tried. I stepped forward bringing myself from behind Gintya. Oh yeah definitely pushing seven feet or more.

"A pleasure to meet you Avabelle," he said. Holy shit that voice. If there's a God out there then this male will love dirty talk. Please let him talk during sex. His voice alone made things low in my belly tighten and I was very aware of it.

"Likewise Aleksi. Please call me Ava."

"Shall we proceed to making this official then?" Gintya asked. I nodded and moved to follow him. I noticed at some point Gintya had grabbed my bag. Aleksi followed behind Gintya right beside me. He seemed careful to match his steps to mine. Was I too short for him? Perhaps he expected a taller female. Maybe he had wanted a taller female. At five feet four inches I wasn't that small by human standards. Even so my height had always been a sore spot surrounded by the giants that were my family.

The chapel was decorated with crosses. I felt my nose curl. Crosses on a demon planet. That's what the Asura were. Or as close as was known today. There were also white flowers. Ah I see. There was a man standing behind the alter. "Ava, Aleksi this is the officiant Pete Gomez. I will be standing witness. Ava has forgone the right to a formal human wedding and Aleksi has notified us that an official Asura bonding will be taking place once they return to his village. Pete this ia Avabelle Blake and Aleksi Dragoste, the betrothed. "

Pete the Officiant was a taned short man with a bit of a belly on him. He reminded me of a sign for a popular restaurant on the mother world. Cubin Pete I believed it was called. If I'm right and his ancestors were from the golf area of North America this was a right wing Christian. The crosses to ward off evil. The white roses like we were at a funeral. It was very clear how this man thought about me agreeing to give myself over to Aleksi. It made me smile. Actually smile.

"Then let us proceed," Pete said in heavily accented universal. I didn't recognize the dialect and didn't really care.

I turned to Aleksi. I had seen more than my fair share of bindings. All the ones I had seen so far involved facing one another. Aleksi did the same although he may have been mirroring me.

"Do you, Avabelle Blake, take this... Male Asura, Aleksi Dragoste to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, richer or poorer?"

"I do."

"You say this of your own volition? In right mind?"

"I do."

"And do you, Aleksi Dragoste, take woman, Avabelle Blake to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, richer or poorer?"

"I do." Dear gods his voice did thing for me that were truly a sin.

"You say this of your own volition? In your right mind?"

"I do." I knew this wasn't right. This man wasn't asking the right questions or in the right order. This is what would be said for a human to human marriage. Had the man no training at all?

"Who bares witness to this binding?"

"I do," Gintya stepped up, "Gintya Kanye, Agent of Prime Brides in accordance to the Directive."

"Then by the powers vested on my by The United Planets Directive and Galatic Law I pronounce you Aleksi Dragoste, and you, Avabelle Blake, Husband and Wife. You may kiss your bride." Gintya handed over a holocard. I looked up at Aleksi expectantly. I could reach him short of climbing him like a tree. I wasn't about to do that day one of us meeting.

"What is a kiss?" He asked. Oh fuck me! You're telling me they don't kiss?