Maya walked into absolute chaos. Military personnel swarmed all over the hotel, and her stomach tightened in fear. Somehow they'd figured out Lex had been here. She made her way to the employee locker room, where staff buzzed. ". . . doing a room-by-room search." ". . . saw them with a Geiger counter . . ." The words flowed over her, and Maya pasted a smile of interest on her face, all the while thanking the fact that she'd shown up for work. Calling in sick today would have instantly put her in the spotlight. But she wasn't out of the woods yet. Andre, the night manager, walked in and clapped his hands, quieting the clamor. "You may have noticed that the military are here. They are seeking someone who they believe was last seen at our hotel." Murmurs sounded, but Andre clapped his hands hard, and the room silenced again. "All who were on duty last night are wanted for individual questioning. Your cooperation is expected." And with that, the ca
Lex was bored out of his mind. He'd finally stopped masturbating-not an easy task. Through trial and error, he'd figured out how to turn on the vid screen, but the odd programming confused him. Who was this Seinfeld, and why did everyone find him so amusing? He paced the confines of Maya's home waiting for her to come back, and it was while he walked back and forth that the uneasiness set in, a niggling feeling that something was amiss. Lex tried to ignore it-leaving the safety of her home would be unwise-but the lingering sense of wrongness-Maya is in danger!-grew. Unable to take it anymore, Lex cursed and looked for something to disguise himself. He found, buried in a closet, a hat with a brim on one side. Placing the strange hat on his head and pulling the narrow brim low over his eyes, he left the confines of her house. Thick darkness blanketed the road and surrounding houses. Lex thanked the clouds that covered the moon, only a night away from its fullness and the end
Maya couldn't help the tears-stupid girly emotions. However, she just didn't understand. If he wanted her, then why couldn't he have her? "Aren't you allowed a say in who you choose to spend your life with?" He continued to stroke her hair and sighed. "I guess it might seem strange to a society that doesn't deal in arranged bondings. But there is a reason for the way we do things. Would you care for a history lesson so that you can better understand?" "Por favor," she said, needing a reason as to why that, even with the strong connection between them, he could not buck tradition. "The planet I come from is called Xaanda. It is larger than your planet, with two suns and three moons. We've been space-farers for quite some time now, and our explorations brought us in contact with a planet of beings who thought to conquer us. They released a deadly virus on our world, one that killed almost all of our females, and many of those that survived ended up barren. Our numbers d
At her words, Lex lost his ability to breathe. If Lex could have had his way, he'd have worshipped Maya's body for the rest of his life. And much as he feared it would hurt him to remember later, he couldn't deny her last request, not when he wanted it too. She looked like an absolute goddess standing there, naked, curvy, and, for the moment, his. He stripped out of his clothes, glad he'd washed himself in her food preparing area while she cleansed herself in the cubicle. He swept her into his arms, her soft nude form enflaming his lust as he carried her into her sleeping quarters. Laying her down on the bed, he covered her lush body with his. Scorching kisses led to roaming hands. He cupped and squeezed the fullness of her breasts, enjoying her pants of pleasure as he teased her nipples with his lips and teeth. "Suck them," she begged when he blew on them, teasing her. He did as she pleaded and sucked on her tender flesh as she writhed under him. Even as he feasted
They made love the rest of the night, not speaking of what had to be done. Instead, they joined their bodies, time and again, as if trying to make up for a lifetime of lovemaking they would never have. When the golden fingers of dawn crept through the cracks in the blind, they fell into an exhausted slumber. But when they woke sometime late in the afternoon, they needed to face reality. "How long do we have before your ship comes back to get you?" she asked as she cooked them some food. "Tonight, when the full moon rises, I need to be in the field of gypsum." Maya closed her eyes and swayed. So soon. But I wanted more time. Yet, one more day, or even two, would never be enough. She wanted what she couldn't have. She wanted him forever. And it didn't help that she knew he wanted it too. If only she were psychic like her great-aunt-may she rest in peace. She'd have called up someone's ancestors and made them change their choice. Which begged the question, w
Lex admitted, even if only to himself, that he wanted to fail. He didn't want to mate with this Amanda. In fact, he hoped he couldn't find her or that she protested enough that he could return empty-handed and claim, without lying, that he'd failed to complete his mating mission. Then he'd beg, if he had to, for the option of taking Maya as his mate instead. Tradition be damned. He'd fallen for the earthling emotion of love. What else explained this overpowering desire of his to claim her as his forever more? But he said nothing of this to Maya, lest he raise false hope, so he only half listened when she mused aloud different ploys for approaching Amanda Beckworth. "ÁDios m'o, I have it!" she exclaimed suddenly. "The balloon festival." "And how will balloons help?" asked Lex, curious at how her mind worked. "Everyone goes to the festival." "And if she doesn't?" He'd go home empty-handed-perfect. "Don't worry. She'll be there," said Maya vehemently.
Maya hated that she'd kind of lied to Lex. When she'd gone to the bedroom to dress, she'd done one other thing-a sneaky thing. She'd called Lieutenant Beckworth, a conversation that left her with an icy feeling of dread. She'd whispered as she dialed the hotel and asked the stranger who answered to pass her to the lieutenant. She'd almost hung up when Amanda came on the line with a brusque, "Who is this?" But telling herself she had to do this for Lex, she replied, "It's Maya Romero." "The maid." Lieutenant Beckworth's tone took on a softer tone. "You have something to tell me?" The fact that she'd remembered her had taken Maya aback. Swallowing her misgivings, she'd forged ahead. "I have information on the blue one." An exclamation of surprise sounded but was quickly muffled. Speaking with barely restrained excitement, Amanda said, "Really? Tell me more." "No, it's-it's not safe here." "Why don't you come to the hotel then?" "No, I don
When Maya abruptly left him, her eyes shiny with tears, Lex had almost gone after her. The same emotional ripping he suffered at their forced separation affected her just as strongly. But at least she'd given him the opening he needed. It was better this way. Now he could just slip away without the painful good-bye he'd feared and without making her promises he couldn't be sure of keeping. I will come back for you, Maya. I promise. Lex flowed through the crowd in the direction she'd pointed him in, which coincided with where he was heading anyways. As he came up to a brightly lit stand offering fluffy pastel-colored clouds on a stick, all the air left him in a whoosh as he came face-to-face with none other than his intended mate. Oh, Maya, what have you done? He knew this had to be her doing, her way of making sure he completed his mission, a mission that he knew, looking down on the petite blonde, he'd have never gone through with, even had he never met Maya. There
Reg watched his mate on her hands and knees examining the silken pink grass of the sentient planet they'd come back to visit. He never tired of watching her, and he'd even become used to her endless questions. He especially enjoyed her inquisitiveness in the bedroom, where she delighted in exploring his body over and over, as well as experimenting with techniques. Although he did draw the line at her taking notes during the act. He, instead, allowed her to videotape them, although he wasn't sure what value the videos had from a scholastic point of view, for, whenever she watched them, the result was the same. They both ended up naked and fucking wildly. Not that he was complaining. He didn't mind sacrificing himself for science. Ralph's voice crackled in his earpiece. "So, when are we upgrading to a bigger ship? I've got my eye on that new luxury model with the improved warp drive." "Bigger ship? What for?" Reg replied absently, smiling when Penny, with a giggle, threw hers
Penny awoke to a hand clasped over her mouth. The inside of the survival tent was dark, but she'd recognize those glowing violet eyes anywhere. Her husband had found her. I should have known I wouldn't get away that easily. Well, if he thinks I'm going to let him drag me back to his ship just so he can dump me, he's got another thing coming. She bit him. With a curse, he pulled his hand away. "Go away." "No," he said calmly, pulling her from the tent. She breathed in the fresh air of the sentient pink planet she'd chosen as a perfect place to hide and research while waiting for another alien vessel to pass by and hitch a ride on. When she'd first arrive, she'd sighed in relief when she hadn't convulsed at the first inhalation of the strange atmosphere. Her research had claimed the air wasn't harmful, but she'd had her doubts. With nothing more dangerous than four-eared bunnies, and with tantalizing reports that the planet itself was alive, she'd thought th
Reg regained consciousness on the command room floor, his head pillowed and his body covered in a blanket. With a curse, he jumped up. "Ralph, where's Penny?" The AI still wasn't replying, and Reg took off jogging to check the ship. It didn't take him long to determine Penny was gone. He returned to the ship's command center and paced the area in front of the view screen. She left me! He'd known she was upset, but to do something this drasticÉ Why couldn't she have waited? He now wished he'd told her immediately about the Oracle's permission for them to travel together. Not that Penny had even given him a chance. No matter, he'd find her. "Ralph? By the moons, computer, I know you must have helped her. Speak to me, dammit." Silence reigned, but across the view screen, words appeared. Penny disabled my auditory function so that I couldn't warn you of what she planned. That human is much too smart for her own good. She managed to override my controls a
"We should be arriving home within three full cycles. I will drop off the human as per custom and then, with your permission, I will return to space to complete my remaining missions." Reg said the words to the Oracle with a heavy heart. After last night's long talk with Penny, where, for once, her loquaciousness hadn't driven him nuts, it occurred to him to take Penny along with him as she wanted. But policy with alien females was very clear. They needed to be brought planetside for their own safety, something he could understand after the terror he'd felt when he'd seen her in danger and knowing now just how delicate she was. The thought of her coming to harm made his blood run cold with dread. "I realize that usually it's protocol for females to reside her at home. However, we have great need of you in space. I also have a confession to make. Penny was chosen long ago to be your mate." Reg stared at the screen and the veiled Oracle. "What do you mean? I told you I had no
Penny awoke with a smile, her body sensitized from the all-night lovemaking. She'd orgasmed more times than she would have ever thought humanly possible. She hoped she'd also managed to change Reg's outdated ideas on women's roles. She'd lectured him at length on the advance of women's rights back on Earth in between bouts, and he'd listened to her, even if his gaze tended to stray to her naked body parts. She was pretty sure she'd managed to make him understand logically the reasons why they should stay together in space, and then to add sugar to sweeten the deal, she'd shown him physically. I can't believe he expected me to become some kind of Suzie Homemaker popping out babies. My research on the effects of space travel on pregnancy and children, rare as those cases seem to be, doesn't lead me to believe there's any reason why we can't continue on to travel the galaxy, which is where I know Reg wants to be. Speaking of whom, where was her sexy blue husband? She dressed a
At Penny's cry of pain, Reg found himself submerged in remorse. While he'd meant to punish her, he'd not intended to cause her lasting harm. It would seem, though, that his Earthling wife was of a more delicate constitution than he'd realized. He dumped her onto the bed on her stomach and, naked, jogged to the infirmary to retrieve a jar of lotion to ease her abused buttocks. He returned to the bedroom and found her watching him when he strode in. She gave him a half-smile that made his heart stutter oddly. He'd have to run himself through a medical later on and see what was the matter with him, for he'd suffered these heart palpitations since he'd met Penny. While he'd balked at marriage, now, suddenly wed to his exotic human, he realized he wanted a long life with her. But forget his funny heart problems, he could now see the brightness of her ass, and his chagrin grew. "I'm so sorry," he apologized, sitting beside her on the bed and opening the jar. "I didn't mean to pun
Penny squealed at the first spank on her bottom. Fiery pain shot through her, and she struggled in earnest on Reg's lap. But his muscles were more than just hot to look at. They also contained strength. He held her bent over his lap effortlessly and proceeded to paddle her bottom, turning deaf ears to her pleas and tears. "You meanie," she railed. "Stop it right now!" When threats didn't work, including a rather inventive one about what she'd do to him and his manparts with a beaker of acid, she resorted to bribes. "I'll be a good girl. I promise. Let me prove myself." She proceeded to recount in embarrassing detail what she would do to his cock, and while said rod poked her ribs solidly, he didn't falter. "I'm doing this for your own good." Penny wanted to retort, but deep down-really deep where she would never admit it-she knew she deserved it. Funny how getting spanked forced her to reconsider her decision to flout his command. In the end, he was right
"Get us out of here, Ralph," Reg said, breathing hard. He threw himself into the command chair and, with lightning-quick taps, pulled up the defense systems for the ship. The sound of the docking clamps releasing sounded faintly, and with a slight shudder, the ship lifted. Reg drummed his fingers, waiting for signs of pursuit. Only after they'd reached the edge of that particular solar system with no alarms or signs of other crafts did his tension leave him. Another tightness took its place, though, as he thought of what had almost happened to Penny, his wife. "Ralph, I'm off to see to my mate. Notify me immediately if there's trouble." Reg stalked to the decontamination chamber, his body taut with anger. He wasn't furious at having been tricked into getting mated-which surprised him-but he was livid that Penny had disobeyed him and put herself in so much danger. She could have died. When he didn't find her in the cleansing room, he went to the bedroom nex
The dark blood that spurted from the slaver's neck made Penny blanch. She'd never seen or experienced violence firsthand. And apparently, she wouldn't have the time to come to terms with it, for Reg pushed her toward the door at the back of the dais. She stumbled along, hearing numbly the roar at her back as the bidders expressed their displeasure at the turn of events. She still couldn't believe Reg had arrived to save her, and in the nick of time, too. And he'd married her! An event she'd love to analyze when he stopped dragging her through the maze of corridors. "Ralph," he barked aloud. "Prepare the ship for immediate departure." Penny didn't hear a reply and assumed Reg wore some kind of transmitter. "Are we close?" she whispered loudly. "More or less, but I expect we'll have to fight our way on board." "Why not teleport?" she asked as he tucked her behind him to peer around a corner. "The whole asteroid is shielded against it," he replied, tugg