by Ruby Dixon
"I did at first." She watches me as I straighten and undress, pulling off trou and tunic, unbuckling my belt. There's an obscene amount of lust in her eyes, and it's humbling to realize that it's all for me and me alone. "I thought this place sounded too good to be true," she confesses. "But then I got to know you, and I realized I didn't have to go to some remote planet to be happy. I'm happy with you. You make me smile. You make me happy to wake up and greet the universe every day."
"I thought you wanted greenery and fresh air?" I drop the last of my clothing on the floor and step out of it.
“When did I say that?”
“I overheard you once. And I want to give you that greenery.”
She props up on her elbows. "Then buy me a keffing house plant, you stubborn man!"
It's the first time I've heard her cuss in my language, and I laugh at the sound of it, and the disgruntled expression on her face. "You could have told me that a week ago," I tell her as I lean over her and undo the auto-fastener at the high collar of her dress.
"I thought you were tired of me," Tessa admits, her voice catching. She reaches out and runs a hand along my arm, as if she can't bear to not be touching me. "I thought you wanted to be done with your slave."
"I am done," I tell her. "I want to go back with a mate."
Her expression grows soft. "Really?"
"Really and truly, if you'll have one such as me."
She squeals and flings her arms around my neck, pulling me down against her and peppering my face with kisses. "I love you so much."
I bury my face against hers and kiss her neck, then begin to lick a path down to her breasts. "You'll still have to wear something that shows you belong to me when we're out in public on the station." I cup one of her rounded breasts, and the nipple is already tight and pointed, anticipating my touch. Over the last month, I've learned that many spots on Tessa are pleasurable for her—the clit, of course, but also her ears, her throat, behind her knees—but she makes a special whimpering sound whenever I tease her breasts and I want to hear that right now. "That's the best way I can make sure you're safe."
"I will happily tattoo it on my forehead."
I look up at her, frowning. "I'm not sure that is necessary."
She chuckles, her smile radiant. "Human humor. It's something we say back on Earth."
Her words make me hesitate again. Earth. Her home. She hasn't mentioned it, but I know it is the one place in the galaxy where she would be utterly safe if not with me. "I cannot take you back there, or I would. You know I would."
Tessa shakes her head, arching against my touch and pushing her breast into my hand. "I don't want to go back there. I don't want to go anywhere unless it's home with you."
I growl with pleasure at that. Hearing Tessa say that just feeds into the feral, possessive part of me.
I'm going to show you how much I love you," I tell her, even as I take her nipple into my mouth and suck. She makes that lovely little whimper that I love so much, writhing underneath me. Her hands move to cup my face and she breathes my name as I tease the tip of her breast with my tongue. "But because I love you so much, it might take a very long time to show you just how much I care."
"How long?" she asks, her eyes shining with happiness.
"At least twenty years," I tell her. "Maybe forty. It's hard to know with such things."
"I guess we'd better get started then," Tessa says, her hands on my skin and her body under mine.
It is a task I look forward to. Exceedingly.
22
TESSA
I wake up with my hands on Zakoar's chest, my thigh tucked between his, and for a moment, I think I'm dreaming all over again. That being with Zakoar is all in my head, and if I wake up, I'm going to be back in that window in the cantina, wishing my life away. But then he opens his eyes and watches me with that warm, possessive look of his even as he rolls me onto my back and begins to kiss me. His mouth claims mine in long, luxurious kisses even as he grinds his cock between my legs, and there's no waking up from this dream.
This truly is my life, and I'm so happy I want to burst into tears again.
I don't, though. I'm leaving the tears behind. Instead, I grab Zakoar and hold on tight as we make hard and fierce love and then lay twined in the blankets afterward. He rests his hand between my legs, as if he's reluctant to let go of my pussy and somehow lose his claim on me. He spoons me against him and presses his mouth against my shoulder, and I love the mixture of cool metal and warm skin that are his lips. "I should contact The Nebula Skimmer," he says eventually. "Let them know we're both going back. Unless you'd rather…stay here?" He presses another kiss to my shoulder. "If this is the only place you can be happy, I'll give it a shot. You tell me what you want to do."
My heart fills with love for him. I adore him for letting me be the one to decide, and I consider my surroundings. The farm is small, but I know Zakoar has money. We could build a bigger house if it was an issue. And the greenery and fresh air truly are lovely. But then I think about the station, and how Zakoar is respected there. I think about his mentorship with Tikosa, and the shop. And I think about the vial of cows that I'm supposed to grow on my own, and the enormous fields of crops, and the tiny, tiny one-lane town here called Port, which is the only settlement on this entire agricultural planet. "I don't know if I'm cut out to be a farmer," I confess, snuggling in his arms. "Or even if I want to try. I don't mind being on the station, and that's where your business is."
"You won't miss the fresh air and the greenery?"
"If I do, maybe we could take a vacation somewhere? Do you do that? Vacations?" I turn my head, glancing at him over my shoulder. "Or is that just a human sort of thing?"
"Vacations are a thing," he says, amusement crinkling the corner of his real eye. "But I never take one."
"Maybe it's time you start."
He chuckles. "And where would you like to go, oh bossy one?"
I just roll my eyes at that. We both know he likes my bossiness. I roll over and sit up, and then push him onto his back and sling one leg over his hips, then settle over his cock. It never takes long for Zakoar to get a second wind—I’m starting to think that's a trait of his race, because I've never met a man with stamina like his—and I can feel his cock hardening underneath me. I rock my hips against him, my body swaying as I think. If I can go anywhere, see anything…"Someplace with an ocean, maybe? I love the beach."
Zakoar's hands go to my hips. "We can do that. We can do anything you want." He grinds me down against his cock and spur, and I moan, arching my back.
"But first," I tell him as I lift my hips so I can slide his length inside me. "I want to go home."
He growls with pleasure, as if the thought pleases him beyond words. "And where is home?"
"With you," I tell him, sheathing his length. "You know my home is with you."
My big, fierce alien groans my name as I begin to ride him, and it's like that that Lucy discovers us, peering into the window to see if I'm awake.
It's…probably not what she expected to see.
A short time later, we're in the kitchen of the small house, half-dressed and eating Lucy's crumbly fresh-baked muffins as the vid-com plays the frowning face of one of the officials. The mesakkah—a big wall of a guy named Rektar who's almost as stout as he is tall—shuffles records on his desk and shakes his head. "There's nothing in the procedures about a human abandoning a claim once it's been given."
"But I can leave, right?" I ask. "I'm not forced to stay?"
"Of course not." Rektar looks indignant. "This isn't a prison. This is a refuge. We want to make certain the human females feel safe." He picks up a data pad and begins to tap on it. "Your land can be re-allotted to someone else or you can keep it, as long as you are in residence for at least two weeks out of the year."
"But what about her farm?" Lucy breaks in, twirling a lock of her long, wavy black hair.
"She would have to pay a tithe to Lord va'Rin just like everyone else.
As long as she finds someone to run it, I don't see a problem with her being an absentee owner."
Lucy leans forward and mock-whispers to me. "I can do it for you for a share of the profits."
I glance over at Zakoar, then back at Lucy. "That's…fine? Then we're free to go?"
"Speaking of free," the alien named Rektar says. "I'm going to need to see emancipation documents from your previous owner declaring you a freed slave. If we have that, I'll feel a little more comfortable with letting you leave. Not entirely, but somewhat." And he levels a suspicious look at Zakoar. "I'm also going to need for the human female to pass a physiological response test to ensure that she's not being coerced."
"Physiological response test?" I echo, confused. "What's that?"
Zakoar looks like he's ready to spit nails. "To see if you're lying when you say you want to go with me."
Oh no. This sounds like it's getting a little more intricate by the moment. "Zakoar's a good man. Of course I want to go with him. I wouldn't lie about that." I reach for his hand under the table, a little worried. What if I'm nervous and fail the test? I don't want to go through all of this just to lose him again, and I panic, just a little.
"You two could always get married," Lucy offers, taking her second muffin and nibbling on it. "Wouldn't that work?"
"Married?" The official—Rektar—repeats. "A human ceremony of some kind?"
"It's a mating ceremony," I stammer, worried. Zakoar holds my hand tightly, as if he's got all the confidence in this world that everything will turn out fine, but I'm not so sure. Too much in my life has gone to crap too easily. "You vow to be faithful and in love with each other and be partners for the rest of your lives. It's a civil ceremony in front of witnesses."
"And you kiss," Lucy adds. "Very romantic."
Rektar rubs his ear, looking uncomfortable. "I see. Declaring a mate as a partner before the law would be acceptable. When would you like to accomplish this?" He continues to make notes on his data pad. "I can be available for a two-hour window this afternoon, once I handle my regular duties."
But…no one's agreed to get married? Zakoar's been silent. I know marriage isn't an alien thing for most cultures that I've run into. You just claim that someone's your mate and boom, it's all done. This sounds like it would be far more involved and I worry Zakoar's going to balk. "Um, we need to talk it over first," I begin.
"We will be there in an hour," Zakoar says. "We'll need to catch a flight and can't wait until late this afternoon."
"Are you sure?" I whisper, squeezing his hand.
He gives me a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Rektar leans away from the vid-screen and mumbles something to someone out of sight. He sighs, then nods, and faces us once more. "Very well. If you can be in Port in an hour, we will accommodate your human ceremony." The view winks out and then it's just me and Lucy and Zakoar seated around the table again.
"Oh man." Lucy gets a dreamy look on her face as we end the call. "Is it just me, or is he really cute? I love a man in uniform."
"Super cute," I agree politely, though I can't even remember what Rektar's face looked like. Big and broad…and not nearly as handsome as Zakoar, though I am absolutely biased.
Zakoar growls and jerks up from the table, my hand still in his. "We need to talk," he says, and his tone is so flat that I just know he's upset. Shit. Shit shit shit. He doesn't want to get married. My heart falls, but I force myself to put a bright smile on my face and head to the back bedroom with him, where we'd been happy just a short time ago. I feel like I'm falling apart.
He doesn't want to get married. It's too much for him. Me being his slave is all right, but not marriage. I shouldn't be surprised, but—
The moment I'm in the bedroom, he shuts the door behind us and pulls me toward him, gazing down into my eyes. "I don't want you to feel trapped into this."
I blink up at him in surprise. "That-that's what I was about to say to you."
His jaw flexes, as if he's grinding his teeth, and then he gives me a narrow-eyed look. "Do you want to do this human mating ceremony? With me? Even if it's forever?"
"More than anything," I admit.
Zakoar looks surprised. "Really?"
Now I'm the one that's confused. "Why would you doubt me?"
"You just said he was handsome!" He gestures back at the other room. "I don't want you to feel trapped into a life-long relationship with me if you do not wish to be my mate, either."
"I was being nice!" I hiss at him. "What am I supposed to say? That he has a face like a shovel and he's pissing me off?"
He blinks. Twice.
Then, Zakoar chuckles.
I cross my arms over my chest, relief flooding through me. "Are you jealous?"
"Of course I'm jealous," he grumbles, running a hand over the smooth metal on the side of his head. "You're perfect and beautiful and being forced to mate me in exchange for your freedom."
"I want to," I tell him, shaking my head in disbelief. "How can you think that I don't want to? Marrying you would be an absolute dream."
There's a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "You…wouldn't feel trapped? Enslaved in a different way?"
"No and no." I move toward him, putting my hands on his waist and gazing up at him. "I love you. I want to be with you forever, I don't care if it's here or if it's on the station, as long as I get to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night."
Zakoar groans, and the sound is sweet. He cups my face and presses a kiss to my lips. "Then let us go and get married in front of that shovel-faced fool."
Epilogue
Months Later
Dear Tessa,
It's so fun having a pen pal! I look forward to each and every message you send. Not just because you have off-world information, but because I just like talking to someone that doesn't want to discuss meat-stock ad nauseam. I wish we had a computer to type messages into and send just like email, but since I don't know the native language, paper and pen will have to do! They look at me like I'm crazy every time I send you a letter, but I hope this manages to wing its way to you.
Not much is new here. It's harvesting season, which means my bots are hard at work. Please thank your hubby for me! I didn't realize they were working so poorly until he tuned them up. I even put in the new chip he sent—all by myself!—and they're working like a charm. They're busy harvesting and I'm…well, I'm bored. I never thought that being a farmer would just mean pushing a few buttons here and there and that's all. I guess I should consider myself lucky I don't have to go out into the field with a hoe or something, but sometimes I wish there was a little more for a girl to do.
Thanks for sending the spices! It took them almost a full month to get here, but they taste lovely and have greatly improved some of my recipes. I've been baking like mad out of sheer boredom and have been taking food into town to feed the authorities. I keep hoping Rektar will notice me, but I swear the man wouldn't know I was alive even if my boob fell out of my shirt and landed on his desk.
(Actually I might have to try that next time. I've got great boobs.)
Also, I wanted to update you on your farm. Your meat-stock are growing well and I've mixed your herd with mine, if that's all right. They're tagged to your farm and all proceeds will go to you, of course, but it's easier to program my bots to watch one herd instead of two. Your fields will be harvested right after mine and I look forward to the extra pay! Thank you so much for letting me supervise things while you guys are on station.
Will you be back to visit soon?
All my love,
Lucy
Dear Lucy,
Hi there! Your letter got here just fine. It came in care of a very lovely couple who stopped through 3N in their travels. We've been busy here at the station—Zakoar got a big shipment in and we've had customers in and out of his office all week long. He says it'll slow down again once all these prosthetics have gone to the appropriate owners, and then we'll take a trip. I'm lookin
g forward to it. He needs a vacation! The man runs on two hours of sleep a night.
(He says I'm exaggerating and it's four hours of sleep.)
Thank you for the update on the farm. I'm not worried! I know it's in good hands. I appreciate you taking care of it. I don't know if I'm cut out to be much of a farmer. I've been learning how to use the medical technology that Zakoar uses and am slowly teaching myself the Homeworld alphabet. It's definitely going to be a journey, but Zakoar helps me read and he's very patient. I'm so lucky. Did I tell you that I got my neck tattooed with his name? It sounds ridiculous, but I got tired of wearing a slave collar here on the station and had my neck tattooed with his name so no one can mess with me. It's worked like a charm, too. I've felt so free. I'm enclosing a printed-out picture of the neck tattoo so you can see. I thought it was pretty tasteful?
PS — Tikosa has an extra pair of data pads that are out of date, but I think they're still more up-to-date than yours? I'll send them with my letter and hopefully you can use them.
Tessa
Dear Tessa,
I am squealing. The data pad is perfect! I kept one and gifted one to my neighbor on the other side, a nice Canadian lady by the name of Marie-Alice. Hers broke last month so she's paying me in extra meat. Excitement!!
No updates on the Rektar situation. Am cutting my necklines very low in the hopes he notices. Maybe I should wear a bra made of muffins—the only thing the man seems to notice is food and crime. Maybe I should rob a bank while wearing a muffin bra!!!