"Congratulations. By decree of the Oracle, I am here to announce that your accomplishments on behalf of your clan and our world have won you the highest honor. You are to be mated." Stunned, Reg gaped at the message bearer. Panic took root in his stomach and made him feel slightly ill at this unexpected and unwanted turn of events. He wanted to rail against the injustice. Plead for mercy. Then sanity prevailed along with a deep-seated need for self-preservation. "Never. Not happening. I'd rather get sucked into a black hole." To punctuate his stubborn words, Reg crossed his arms and glared at messenger of bad news on the view screen. The light blue face of the Oracle's attendant creased in puzzlement. "You are refusing the prestige of being chosen worthy enough to claim a mate?" "That is correct. I have no interest in shackling myself to a female." By his ancestors, he'd rather die first. Mating would mean no more space exploration and discovery. No more advent
"Oh fudge. I'm going to die." Even upset as she was, Penelope couldn't swear with real words, her upbringing, with a strong emphasis on manners, too strongly instilled. Her lack of strong vocabulary had made her an object of ridicule among her peers in the space program she'd signed up for, but she'd borne their jokes with gritted teeth and stayed true to herself. Her breath came fast and hard as panic clawed at her. She dropped her face into her hands, too shocked to cry at the news NASA had just relayed. Sure, when she'd undertaken this quest, she'd understood there were risks and filled out the proper forms, including a will-not that she had much to give or anybody to give it to. I wonder what they'll do with my collection of glass cats. What a stupid thing to think of at a time like this. Who cared? She was about to die. NASA's life-changing words played over and over in her head like some sick joke. "Éregret to inform you that a small asteroid is headed on a col
Reg stared at the female in the silvery jumpsuit floating facedown in the barbaric craft and wondered why she'd reacted so strangely. He spoke aloud, switching back to his mother tongue instead of the crude language earthlings used. "Ralph, is the Earthling ill?" Alpha 400, the newest AI model for his spacecraft-intelligent and imbued of enough personality to demand a name-replied via ear transmitter. "I believe you frightened her." "But I heard her request to be saved. Why would she be scared when I have arrived to grant her wish?" "My records indicate that females of all species tend to react in unexpected ways, even when given what they've demanded. Now, if I might suggest, you should gather her that we might teleport off her vessel. The asteroid is due to impact in less than five hundred lunar millicycles." Reg leaned down and turned the female over onto her back. He sucked in a breath. What a lovely creature. Her skin was the white of the snows on Len
The alien who'd kidnapped her-or rescued her like a knight in a tinfoil jumpsuit-began to choke. Startled that her blue captor might die before she'd asked him some questions-and studied him-she thumped him on the back, hard. "Are you okay? Is it the atmosphere? Do you need some mouth to mouth?" The hacking cough turned into a wheeze then rumbles, which suspiciously sounded like laughter. Moving to stand in front of him, she looked up-and up some more-into his face and saw that yes, indeed, he was chuckling. Penelope, who preferred Penny, stuck her hands on her hips and glared at him. Not that it had any effect. The blue hunk continued to laugh. And the more he guffawed away, the longer she had to study him, and as male specimens went-wow! Not very scientific, she knew, but never before had she encountered a male who stirred her libido's interest like this alien. He towered over her, a veritable giant, and even though his silvery jumpsuit covered him, it did not
Reg looked down at the unconscious female-Penny-and cursed his luck-and raging erection. "Ralph, what am I supposed to do with her? I can't keep her on board. She'll drive me insane with her questions. Can't you find a location on her planet I can deposit her?" The voice of the AI sounded pensive. "The human raised valid points. The Oracle did say to keep her safe. If putting the female back on her planet causes her harm, then you will have failed in your mission. I see no option but for her to accompany you. We'll be back at Xaanda in approximately twenty full moon cycles. Since she is destined to be a warrior's mate eventually, we'll have just saved them a trip. Surely you can tolerate her for that long. If you wish, I will answer her questions. According to the files I dug up on an Earth network, she is a scientist and researcher. It is natural she would have many questions, and being the most knowledgeable entity on this ship, I will undertake her education." Reli
Penny awoke on a floor and blinked. She stared up at the curved ceiling, the very unfamiliar ceiling. It didn't take her long to remember her encounter with Reg, the big, blue alien who'd abducted her. She also remembered he'd injected her with some kind of sleeping agent, the jerk. Sitting up, she gaped down at herself-her very naked self. Her first thought wasn't who'd undressed her and why but, Don't tell me he probed me and I wasn't awake for it. Just thinking he might have touched her made her blush, but there was no denying she was curious about her rescuer, scientifically, of course. As a woman possessed of a logical mind, she knew love and like and those other curious emotions people ascribed to were nothing more than a chemical reaction in the brain caused by a desire for the human race to band together for protection and procreation. It did surprise her that an ET, even one who seemed to resemble a human male, would trigger the hormonal instinct in her to mate. It
Reg looked at the smooth skin of her backside, his cock, already semi-hard from seeing her nude, hardening even more. He shook his head, trying to regain control of his libido. He needed to do his job, and right now that meant poking her ass with the first shot. She'd clenched her cheek tightly, though, and if he gave her the shot now, it would hurt more than necessary. Taking a deep breath-and telling his cock to stop trying to escape his pants-he placed his hand on her ass and massaged her soft flesh. His erection grew at the innocent touch and strained mightily at the fabric restraining it. Oh, by the three moons, since when does the touch of a female's flesh affect me so? "That doesn't feel like a shot," she said, her voice sounding soft and breathy. "You need to relax," he said, his voice gruffer than usual. The more he stroked her butt to relax her, the more the urge to probe her like she'd suggested grew. With a sigh, he poked her loose cheek with the injector and pu
Penny melted at the first touch of his lips. Firm and tasting sweet, they caressed hers intimately and sent a jolt of liquid desire roaring through her body. Her hands crept up and clutched at his shoulders. He felt so good, his solidness and strength increasing her arousal. He slid his hands from her waist to her bottom, and his thigh nudged her legs apart to push itself insistently against her mound. She moaned against his mouth as she rubbed herself on his firm thigh, the friction creating pleasurable shocks. At the insistent press of his tongue, her lips parted, and he swirled it inside, slipping along the length of hers and drawing her tongue into his mouth to suck. Penny's head swirled with sensation. Never had a man's touch set her on fire like this. Made her feel so desirable and wanton. With one arm curled around her waist and his thigh supporting most of her weight, he slid his free hand up her rib cage to cup her breast. Penny gasped when his thumb brushed the er
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