by Lace, Lisa
"Let's go say hello," replied Rev.
Tracy stood up, but she was dizzy and swayed on her feet. Rev steadied her. Tracy went to Telwin to make sure she was okay and was rewarded with a weak smile. She turned back to see Rev and Tev hefting laser rifles to their shoulders. Tev hit the button to open the hatch. Tracy had no idea who would be there, but she thought she was ready for anything. It could be a pirate, an Aligned Worlds crewman, or even Ja-Idin Du, because that snake seemed to be everywhere.
But the voice that greeted her brought tears to her eyes.
"Tracy! Where the hell have you been?"
Tracy couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the blonde woman standing on the deck before her. "Oh my God! Carol!"
She ran out of the ship and the two collided in a bear hug, squealing and jumping, totally ignoring the mixed crowd of aliens behind them.
When they broke apart, Tracy looked her friend over. "Looking good," she said.
"Yeah, considering that I turned into a blue alien. Tracy! Is it true what nurse S'den says, that you are the queen of the galaxy?"
"Not the galaxy and not until I pass an exciting test. But let me introduce you to my friend. Carol, this is Prince Ar-Reven of Kerdos."
"I think I've seen this guy before...but I would have remembered seeing a green guy walking around." She paused. "I have a feeling he's more than a friend. Girl, I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I? First, I can barely get you out of the apartment to go the bar, and now you're married to an alien prince?"
Tracy started laughing.
"Hello, Carol," said Rev in his deep voice. "I'm glad to see you’ve recovered."
"Have we met?"
"Yes, but you won't remember. It's a long story," said Tracy.
"And who's tall, green, and hunky next to him?"
"I'm Ar-Teven, Rev's brother," rumbled Tev, staring at Carol intently.
An alien with the same bright white skin of S'den stepped forward and bowed. "Your Highnesses, I'm Captain D'gar. S'den sends her greetings and asks that you join her on our flagship Equal Measure."
"Of course," said Rev. "One of our party is wounded and needs attention."
The captain called for a medical team, and Tev retreated into the ship. He came out holding Telwin in his arms. With care, he lowered her to a pallet, and the medics began treatment.
"They will heal you, Telwin," said Tev.
"Yes, Your Highness," said Telwin. Her face was pale with fear.
"Take good care of her. We owe her our lives."
Rev took Tracy's arm as Captain D'gar escorted them through his ship. Tracy glanced back and saw Tev walking side by side with Carol. The two of them exchanged smiles, and Carol chattered excitedly about her adventures with the resistance.
"Well," Tracy said to Rev, "Carol and Tev seem to be hitting it off."
"Are they?" said Rev distractedly.
Tracy frowned. She knew the last phrase she spoke, "hitting it off," wouldn't translate correctly, and she was waiting for Rev to tease her about it. But he was thinking about something else.
"What is troubling you, Rev?"
He sighed. "I am worried about my people. There's still a traitor down there. I can't do much about it if I'm up here in space, and I don't know which of my people stand behind us."
D'gar coughed. "Excuse me, Your Highness, but I believe I can be of some assistance."
Rev smiled. "That's the best news I've heard today. But how?"
"We have contacts among your people. I can have them gather information for you."
Rev looked surprised. "Please do, Captain."
D'gar stopped walking. "I will try to have the information ready for you by the time we reach the Equal Measure. Here is a place you can rest until we dock. I've had some food delivered."
D'gar pressed a button, and a door slid back to reveal a small suite. A circular sofa dominated the center, with doors on either side of the room. In the center was a round glass table overflowing with food and fancy bottles. In the left corner was a small kitchen with a counter.
"This ship was once a small passenger vessel before we pressed it into service. We left a couple of the guest cabins intact in case we ever had visitors of importance. Now we do. Thank you, Your Highnesses for allowing me to serve you." D'gar bowed.
A device on D'gar's hip beeped. He unclipped it and looked at the screen. "I have to get to the bridge. Make yourselves comfortable.”
"Thank you, Captain," said Rev.
Tracy turned to Carol. "So how exactly did you get here?"
"S'den thought you'd like to see a friendly face after everything that happened on the planet below."
"They are monitoring the situation?" asked Tev.
"S'den is more than a nurse, and her people have been watching the planet closely. I know they've sent representatives down to recruit. It seems they have members of the resistance everywhere."
Rev and Tev exchanged glances.
"I take it this is news to you," said Carol.
"We knew that S'den was involved in a resistance movement against certain elements of the Aligned Worlds government. We did not know how extensive and organized it was."
"They are very excited about Tracy."
"I fear," said Rev in his deep voice, " they want to use her as a rallying point for their movement."
"You don't sound very happy about that," said Carol.
"Until recently, both Tev and I were officers in the Enforcement Wing. Tracy called me a 'space cop.' We were sworn to uphold the laws and government of the Aligned Worlds."
"We never intended to be involved in a resistance movement," Tev added.
"And we have our own empire to rule now, one that is in turmoil," said Rev.
"This is all Du’s fault, isn’t it?" Tracy said. "If he hadn’t interfered with your government, there wouldn't be so many problems."
"This is true," said Rev. "I could handle someone like Se-Margen if he didn't have an ally in Du, who was dedicated to stirring up trouble."
"Brother," said Tev, "I think the path you laid out earlier is the simplest. Go with Tracy and settle the issue with the Vacant Throne. I can go back to Kerdos and put our house in order."
"Tev, I thought you didn’t want to rule Kerdos."
Tev glanced at Carol then back to his brother. "You and Tracy have much to handle. This task is left to me, with your agreement."
"You have no argument from me," said Rev.
"Good," said Tev. "We'll get our houses in order then take care of the business the fates have given us."
Tracy and Carol watched the exchange from the couch. "Wow!" said Carol. "These guys take royalty seriously!"
"Yes," Tracy said with a smile.
"Perhaps," agreed Rev. "But we're not business all the time." He showed Tev the bottles on the table.
"That's some expensive wine," said Tev.
"I wonder where they got it."
"Wine?" said Tracy eagerly.
Rev uncorked the wine, poured some in the glasses on the table, and handed them out. The wine was pale and light and tasted fruity to Tracy.
"Delicious," said Carol after taking her own sip. "But should we watch out? You know what happened the last time we drank with aliens."
"What happened?" rumbled Tev.
"We got kidnapped," said Carol.
"By your little brother here," said Tracy.
"Wait. I don't remember getting kidnapped by a green guy." Carol’s glass halted midway to her lips.
"He was wearing a disguise and working undercover trying to bring a gang of slavers to justice."
"You were?” Carol whirled on Rev. “And you didn't stop them from grabbing us, space cop?"
"If I’d tried, I would have blown my cover and couldn't have helped you at all."
"Believe me, Carol, Rev did everything he could. He was the one responsible for getting you out of the miners’ camp."
"I don't remember any of that."
"Yeah," said Tracy. "You
had it pretty rough. But it was Rev's connections with the Enforcement Wing that got you the medical care to bring you back to full health."
"And what about tall, green, and hunky here," said Carol. "Do I have you to thank too?"
"No," said Tev. "As it was, my little brother had to save me too."
"He doesn't look so little to me."
"There's only a year between them," said Tracy, "but you know how brothers are."
"Have some more wine," Rev said, refilling Tracy's glass.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"Yes. I remember the last time I saw you drunk," he said with a smile. "And what you did."
"Hmmm," said Tracy as Rev moved closer to her.
"So, Tracy," said Carol, "how'd you end up married to this guy?"
"Mated," said Tev, taking the bottle from Rev's hands and filling Carol's glass. As he did so, he let his other hand brush against her thigh.
"What's the difference?"
"From what Tracy tells me," said Rev, "marriage is when you agree to form a partnership. When a Kerdim man takes a mate, there is no agreement made. It just happens. We know our mate when we meet her."
"How?" asked Carol. Tev was now sitting extremely close to her, touching her skin.
"Her scent," said Tracy. "Rev says that the scent tells a thousand things about a person."
"Really," said Carol, surprised.
"Yes," said Tev. "I'm learning some interesting things about you right now. For example, your hair smells delicious."
Carol blushed.
"You know what," said Tracy with a smile, "I think Rev and I can use some rest. See you later." She stood and pulled at Rev's hand.
"Tracy Ellen Walsh, don't you dare leave..."
But it was too late for Carol. Tracy and Rev slipped into one of the sleep cabins.
Chapter Fifty-One
Immediately, Rev pushed Tracy against the wall and grabbed her hair. He pulled it so her neck was exposed to him. He gave it a long lick that sent shivers through her.
"I thought we'd never be alone," he breathed in her ear.
"I think Tev's interested in Carol," said Tracy.
"What of it?" said Rev between nibbles on her neck. He pressed himself against her and Tracy felt that he was already hard. He undid the buttons of her gown, giving a grunt of satisfaction when he drew back the robe to see Tracy's breasts. He attacked them with kisses and then sucked in her nipple.
Tracy gasped at the sudden shot of pain and pleasure.
"You are delicious," he said before he sucked in the second one.
"You are an evil alien."
He hummed with her nipple in his mouth. The rumbling sent pinpricks of pleasure through her.
"Don't you think we should warn...Ah!"
Rev kissed her hard, his tongue demanding entrance. His hand fell to the swell of her pussy, teasing her clit with swirls of his fingertips. Tracy felt moisture sliding down to pool between her legs.
"I love how you get so wet for me," he whispered in her ear. "Your scent drives me crazy. I can't sit next to you for five minutes without wanting you."
The whispering and his tongue swirling on and behind her ear drove her to move her hips into him. His cock, hard and pulsing through the thin material of his pants against her pussy, drove her crazy. Tracy started to pant, whimpering a little because she didn't have what she wanted yet. She pulled on the drawstrings of his pants to loosen them, and the soft fabric fell to the floor around his ankles. She wrapped her hands around his thick cock and pulled them up his shaft. The mating ridges swelled under the strokes of her soft hand.
He threw back his head. "Woman, look at what you do to me."
Rev gasped and pulled her hands away. His hands grabbed the sides of her ass. He pressed her up against the wall and leaned in, the tip of his cock poised at her entrance. She wrapped her legs around him, but he held her in place, teasing her by barely touching the folds of her flesh ready to receive him. She wiggled, trying to lower herself on him, and he chuckled.
"You are eager?"
"You seem a little eager yourself, big guy," she said.
"Say it. Say you want me."
"Yes, I want you," she growled. "Don't tease me, Rev."
"I'm not teasing you. Much."
"Now!" she demanded.
Suddenly Rev let her drop and he pressed into her, jolting her body.
"Oh God," she said. It felt so good to have him in her, his cock filling her. They should always be joined like this.
Rev groaned. "You're so hot, always so hot."
She wiggled against him and he lifted her, then jammed himself inside her with her back against the wall. Repeatedly he pulled away and then thrust into her as his heated shaft swelled, the ridges of his cock sending pulses of pleasure through her. Fire spread as he pounded her, and soon there was no thought in her head other than melting on him. Every nerve and muscle in her body was electrified, and she felt the final rush that signaled she'd come soon.
"I'm coming, baby," she gasped, and she broke apart, pleasure coursing through her body.
"Tracy!" breathed Rev, and she felt his cock throb and release. He pushed inside her several times as he jetted his seed deep within her.
They held each other tight as their breathing slowed. Rev looked deeply into her eyes.
"It keeps getting better each time," he said.
Tracy didn't say anything, but she nodded happily.
Slowly, Rev lowered her to the floor and kissed her hair.
Through the walls they heard the muffled sounds of passion, and Carol's stifled scream along with Tev's cry of pleasure.
Tracy and Rev looked at each other and started laughing.
"My brother takes his duty to our people very seriously."
"Well, if he takes it as seriously as you do, then Carol will end up a happy woman." Tracy smiled and gave Rev a searing kiss.
Rev, with a wicked look in his eye, put his index finger to his lips and opened the door of their cabin. "What's all this racket!" he said in a loud voice.
Carol jumped away from Tev, her eyes slightly glazed.
Tev gave his brother a snarl. "What's all that noise in your room?" he said. "A man can hardly hold his woman with the racket you two make."
Carol looked at the two males with wide eyes.
Tracy laughed. "We could say the same thing."
"Hey," said Carol, "we were just kissing. And stuff."
Buttoning her robe, Tracy walked out of the bedchamber and looked at Carol's neck. She saw two puncture marks, red and swollen.
"Rev, come look at this," Tracy said in a serious voice. She was shaking. She could barely keep from laughing.
The Kerdos prince walked towards them with deliberate steps and looked at his brother's handiwork. "Well," he said. "Looks like someone got carried away. I thought you said you would never mate someone the old way."
"Mate?" said Carol, a little confused.
"I...well...it seemed...Phaben's hell, once I tasted her skin...I couldn't..."
"I see," said Rev. "And you called me impetuous. At least I waited until I had her."
"Rev!" protested Tracy.
"Tracy, what's going on?" said Carol.
"Come on," said Tracy gently. "I have a few things to explain to you."
"No!" both Carol and Tev said. Tev threw his arm around Carol and hugged her tight.
"Come on, Tracy. I think these two have something to finish," Rev said with a wink. "Explanations can wait until later."
Tracy and Rev were lying on the bed in the cabin, and Rev was snoring in her ear. She gently extracted herself from his arms and went back into the sitting room. Carol was on the couch hugging her knees. Tracy sat next to her. They didn't say anything for a while, simply enjoying the company of another human for the first time in a while. Tracy broke the silence.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm a little freaked out right now," Carol admitted. "What just happened? When I tried to tal
k to Tev about it, he growled, 'Mine!' and fell asleep holding me."
Tracy chuckled. "Rev is asleep right now too."
"He's really into you," said Carol. "He seems like a good guy, for a big green alien."
"Tev is attracted to you," said Tracy. She looked her friend straight in the eye. "The thing is, it's a little different with these guys. Try not to get too upset about it, but when he gave you his mating bite, he bound himself permanently to you."
"What!" Carol shrieked.
"Shh," said Tracy. "Making noises like that will wake them up, and they'll rush in here, thinking something is wrong."
"Well, something is wrong," said Carol.
"No, it isn't, not for them. That's how they do it when they take a mate. When they do it to a Kerdim woman, they are bound together. But it doesn't work that way between humans and Kerdim men. They didn't know about it because we're the first humans they have ever encountered."
"That freaky bite of his did something to me. All I wanted to do was get up close and personal with him, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, I certainly do," said Tracy. "The first time Rev and I had sex, I was begging him for it. I got mad when he turned me down."
"He turned you down?"
"We were on a ship, and it was all messed up, but being close to Rev made me hotter than I had ever been before. Apparently, I had the same effect on him, because he gave in, and he bit me the same way.”
Carol frowned.
"That's not how they usually mate now. Their mating bite can be very addictive to the recipient, so to become part of the Aligned Worlds, they had to stop mating by 'the old ways.' That's one of the problems with us; we were joined by Rev using his mating bite. I guess there is just something about us Earth girls that make them lose their minds."
"So now Tev thinks I'm mated to him?"
"It's a little beyond that. He doesn't think you're mated to him. He knows it."
"Fuck. I was just looking for a good time."
"Fooled around and fell in love?"
"I don't know how I feel about Tev. Yeah, he's big and hunky, and he sure delivered in the hot sex department, but..."
"Yeah, I know. You don't know if you love him. Let me clue you in. He doesn't love you."