Aligning Planets : Alien Romance

By Evelyn Marks

Prince Kohl of Vedras is hoping to strike an alliance with Earth. Which would be the link he needs for his planet to join a larger galactic alliance. One that would be nothing but beneficial for Vedras. Little did he expect to find resistance in his efforts on Earth, nor did he expect to fall for one strong willed and outspoken human woman. Maya turns everything on its head in Kohl's life, but is just what he needs in the end.

Standalone Romance Stories With No Cliffhanger!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evelyn Marks
• Release date: Feb 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386707493

Book preview

Aligning Planets

Book 1: Defying Attraction

Prince Kohl and his party of Ve’dran diplomats and guards have been residing in the diplomatic suites of a hotel on Earth. They had arrived hoping to strike out an alliance with Earth, mostly for the access it would give the Ve’dra to the larger United Alliance of Planets of the galaxy, which had always been wary of admitting the warlike Ve’dra. But he didn’t anticipate he’d be distracted by a single human woman though. Maya Lu, staff manager at the Hotel Grand Potomac, constantly surprises him with her boldness, and her beauty makes him hunger for her in a way he cannot define. They begin a relationship that Maya never would have anticipated, though even she can feel their connection. But then the proud prince makes a diplomatic move which results in widespread panic on Earth, and threatens to destroy Maya’s trust in him for good.

Chapter 1

Kohl

PRINCE KOHL STOOD IN wait outside of the imposing entrance to the Hotel Grand Potomac with his bodyguard, waiting to be transported to Earth’s grand meeting of leaders. He’d taken residence on Earth after the humans’ own visit to Ve’dra, his home planet. After long years, the humans finally decided to try and establish diplomatic relations with the Ve’dra. Alien diplomats often stayed at the Grand Potomac.

His father, King Omrin IV, had not taken kindly to the humans’ unannounced visit, despite their seemingly friendly intentions. So Kohl offered to go to the blue planet to start an embassy there. It was not the Ve’dran way to have the lesser hand.

Ever since he had arrived on Earth, Kohl had noticed a lot of security, despite it being a diplomatic mission. The humans did not trust him. 

A large black vehicle rumbled up to where Kohl stood. His men exited the vehicle to provide more cover as he got in.

The humans, have they assembled? Kohl asked. He was thinking about the miserable girls who had been sent up to his suite the night before. Some ‘unofficial diplomacy’ on the part of the humans. The girls had been such simpering fools, their emotions entirely false, their actions all rehearsed. He was a long way from home, and did indeed desire the touch of a woman. But they were entirely unsuitable, and not at all like Ve’dran females. He had dismissed them angrily.

Meekah, one of Kohl’s oldest guards, answered his question promptly. Yes Prince Kohl, they await your presence to begin the negotiations.

Very good, I hope to make this as swift and painless as possible, Kohl said, mostly to himself as he waited for the other three guards to enter the vehicle. Soon they were riding towards the grand states building that housed the meeting. The city called Washington D.C. paled in comparison to Ve’dra’s capital of marble and gold.

Kohl went over his terms, as to what cooperation would stem from the diplomatic relations with Earth. Of course they would give his the Ve’dra access to the technologies and medical advances humans had gained from being partner in the galaxy’s largest alliance, the UAP: the United Alliance of Planets. The long term goal was for Ve’dra to one day join the UAP, and reap all the strategic and technological benefits of being a member on that august body.

We are here my lord, Meekah said when they reached the white-columned building with its grand dome at the top. Kohl stepped out of the vehicle when the door was opened and he walked within the cover of his guards. He didn’t look up from the ground until he felt he was within the meeting chamber. Chatter surrounded him and annoyance was quick to lift his head.

Can we begin, Prince Kohl?

Kohl’s his attention was called to the head of the full to bursting room. People sat or stood behind carved white benches, centered on a raised ornate wooden stand. One man stood near it, the one who spoke. His skin was papery white and thin, his expression hiding barely checked aggression. Kohl could snap his neck with one hand if he wished it.

Yes, I am ready to begin, Kohl said as he climbed the two steps to sit behind the ornately carved podium.

Let us call this meeting to order... the human addressed the people within the chamber. The voices quieted and Kohl was given the floor.

As discussed, I come to you today with the terms my people seek to...agree upon. We are confident that you and your people will welcome these terms as they were wrought out in all fairness to both our kind, Kohl began, taking the room’s attention. Broadcasters were pointed at him and he knew he had more of an audience than anticipated. But that audience had no voice, their voice sat silently before him. Kohl almost smiled, he knew how things would proceed.

Earth and Ve’dra will be united in a truly beneficial alliance. We expect your people to extend both technological as well as medical advancements to Ve’dra. This means allowing our greatest of minds to access the intelligences you gain from the United Alliance of Planets, as well as facilitating, at a future date, the entry of Ve’dra into the UAP. For these courtesies Ve’dra will of course see Earth as friendly and protect its peoples from any galactic military endeavors of ours.  Kohl finished on a crisp note and there was a beat of heavy silence.

Is that it? one man snapped, rising swiftly from his seat, hands on his hips and a look of incredulity on his face. You expect us to give intelligence to you for what? A promise that you won’t aim to ‘hit us’ in case you seek to make war against another planet? You expect us to house your people on our planet in order for you to get what you want? with that brave outburst the rest followed. Of course the humans were not agreeing to something so simple, so easy to agree to, something that benefitted both sides.

An alliance is an agreement between two states that is equally beneficial, shouted one person wearing a drab brown suit.

This is beneficial for both sides, Kohl said.

No it’s not. You only want to use us to get to the UAP and that’s the bottom line. Well the basis for joining the UAP is giving access to your space military force, agreeing to extensive peace treaties with all UAP members, as well as donating your best minds to further the advancements of the galaxy. We won’t accept any other terms less than that.

Kohl was disgusted with the indignant people before him. You expect me to allow my military to be used by the likes and whims of you people? Kohl was perplexed, as if such a thing were fathomable.

It’s the compromise we all have to come to, another of their leaders shouted that to Kohl. He had had enough. He quickly stood and made his way to the rear of the room.

I will be back once you have come to your senses. After all, if we cannot work out a favorable agreement...well then Earth would come to unfavorable terms with Ve’dra then, wouldn’t it?

Chapter 2

Maya

MISS LU, MISS LU! Maya glanced up from her desk to see one of the bellhops running into her office. Miss Lu...he...uh—

Calm down Jason, relax...what is it? she asked him slowly and in a measured tone. Poor Jason, the skinny kid barely out of high school that he was, bent over and took two deep breaths.

Prince Kohl...he didn’t like the food that we brought him and none of the housekeeping staff want to go up there to clean the mess he made.

Alright calm down Jason...I’ll go up there, Maya sighed and got up. Good thing she finished sorting out checks. That demanding Prince Kohl was one entitled male. You know...I really need to have a meeting about this. It’s bad enough he has hotel security going up there to bring his meals, but now he has my staff scared? This is ridiculous.

Maya thanked Jason for informing her, and went to go check out a cleaning cart. Of all the intergalactic diplomats present at the hotel, which was more like one giant hotel for off-planet state guests, Prince Kohl had to be the worst. If he wanted to be treated like a prince with people who would demurely put up with his BS, then he should have stayed on Ve’dra. Honestly the way he treated the hotel’s staff was unacceptable. Maya often had to go in to clean his suite or clear out meals just because her staff would beg not to go in there. Luckily he always ignored Maya when she went in. That or she simply knew how lightly to walk around and to stay out of his line of fire.

Maya reached the cleaning cart storage room at the other end of the hall from the kitchens. She swiped her ID badge and the door unlocked for her to push in. She grabbed the closest cart and rolled out, heading to the elevators to get to the top floor. Of course Prince Kohl had to have the largest suite in the place. She took calming breaths as she stepped onto the elevator and rode up. When the doors opened right into the dining room Maya scowled. The cart that had Kohl’s food on it was tipped over and there was a four course steak dinner all over the floor.

Grumbling to herself about spoiled men, she got to cleaning up the mess, throwing out all but the silver platters the plates were served on. After that she scrubbed and treated the floor and went about cleaning the dining table.

My prince, what if the humans do not accept our terms?

Maya’s ears pricked when she heard the deep male voice. Whoever it was speaking to Prince Kohl, he was just in the living room and didn’t seem to realize she was in earshot.

They will. They do not have the backing of the precious UAP. When they went to our planet it was a sole excursion, not approved by the UAP. The UAP have never invited us to become a member because they believe our kind to be...aggressive.

Prince Kohl’s voice was silky, as if he were a cat with his prey in reach. Maya’s hand tightened around the bottle of disinfectant she held. She never understood galactic politics and she didn’t understand why her people didn’t just kick those Ve’dran assholes off of Earth. They were humanoid, and the same height as humans, but denser and therefore heavier than humans. Their planet was a bit larger so their gravity was stronger. Maya just didn’t understand what made the world leaders so reluctant to take a stand.

So you are confident they will accept, without a counter? the man asked Kohl. Maya’s head turned when she caught movement at the corner of her eye. A guard was patrolling the suite and walked into the dining room.

Are you having difficulty with that? he asked gruffly. She looked him up and down. He was wearing a uniform of crisp, white cargo pants and a white, padded, most likely armored, vest. He also had a huge blaster weapon of some sort strapped across his back with a sturdy looking pair of dark grey boots.

No...I’m not, Maya said, trying to keep any derision out of her tone.

Well I suggest you hurry and finish with that. Prince Kohl does not take kindly to eavesdroppers. The guard’s features were nondescript. He looked like a normal guy, pale blue eyes with dark brown hair cut so low he appeared nearly bald.

I’ll be finished shortly, was all Maya said to that, trying not to start anything that would leave her way out of her depth. Of course the guard stayed to watch her while she cleaned. She quickly finished, eager to leave the suite before she ran into the prince himself. Thankfully she was out with her cleaning cart just as the prince’s new dinner was being delivered by hotel security, dressed as a waiter.

I’ll take it, she said. You guys aren’t supposed to be serving meals.

Are you sure?

It’s no problem.

The security man nodded and left. Maya was not really sure why she had offered to serve the dinner, because she had thought she wanted to go home and unwind, and try to forget all about what her planet was going through and the unwelcome presence that was the prince.

Well, it would only take a few minutes. Then home.

Chapter 3

Kohl

I MUST ADMIT, I GROW weary of waiting for these petty humans to come to a decision on the inevitable,