“What do you mean?” His horns lowered as his brows drew together.
“I’m barren—infertile. I can’t have children.”
“No children?” he repeated slowly, and despite her newfound bravery, she had to close her eyes, unwilling to see the horrible truth cross his face.
“No, never.”
Her heart broke as he slowly pulled free of her body, then immediately got up. When she opened her eyes, he was already getting dressed. Had she been nothing more than a baby-making machine all along?
“You must dress, L’ren. There is no time to waste.”
“Dress?” He was throwing her out already?
“I have to get you off of the ship immediately.”
“Am I so disappointing?” Despite her efforts, her voice trembled.
“Disappointing?” He immediately ceased his urgent movements and came to her, drawing her up into his arms. “My lady, my L’chka, you could never disappoint me. I have never been happier that I am in your arms. But once Commander T’ngorzul finds out, he is going to be very angry. He has been tolerant so far in the hope that you would prove to be a breeder. Once he learns that you are not, I am afraid that he will pass you to the crew.”
She stared at him in shock. “You’re not upset that I can’t have children?”
“I am disappointed. I would have liked a son with your smile.” His face softened. “But it is you that I love. Having you at my side is happiness enough for any male.”
“You love me?” This time, the tears were happy.
His eyes glowed soft purple. “Of course, I do. I have done so from the moment you put your hand in mine.”
“Oh, T’saran, I love you, too.”
He groaned and pulled her closer, kissing her with passionate intensity before raising his head far too quickly.
“We will come back to this,” he promised, “but now we must go. The guard left once I claimed you, and I believe there is a small window of opportunity for escape. We must take it. Get dressed and put your human coat on over the mutashi.”
As she hurried to obey, he disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned, his shoulder was bleeding.
“T’saran, what happened?”
“It is nothing.” He shrugged and pulled on a new shirt. “I just removed my tracking chip.”
“Tracking chip?”
“All Yehrin warriors have one implanted so that their remains can be located.”
He wasn’t making sense. “But why did you remove it?”
“So they can’t find me, of course.”
“Find you? You mean on Earth? Why would they be looking for you?”
“Because I am staying with you, my lady.”
An incredulous joy filled her. “Do you mean it?”
“Of course. I was foolish to ever think I could leave you for even a day. However, I will have to stay cloaked until the Yehrin return and my appearance will not arouse suspicion.”
Happiness lightened her steps as she flew around the cabin getting dressed.
Once again, he stopped and listened at the door, then led her rapidly through the ship until they emerged in a cluttered landing bay with a single small vessel in the center. They had just reached the base of the flyer, when Commander T’ngorzul’s voice came from behind them.
“Just what do we have here, Officer T’saran? Or should I say former Officer T’saran?”
Chapter Ten
T’saran pushed her gently behind him as he turned to face the commander. His hand had gone to his belt, but he answered calmly.
“I am returning L’ren to her planet.”
T’ngorzul stepped further into the bay, his hand on his belt as well. “I did not order her return.”
“But it is my duty to return her.” T’saran moved to meet the commander.
“You’re hardly a good judge of duty,” T’ngorzul sneered. “You almost got your Supreme Commander killed over a female.”
T’saran didn’t even flinch, although she knew from his story how much the incident distressed him.
“That was a mistake.”
“So is this. If you do this, you will never achieve another commission.”
T’saran shrugged. “That is no longer of importance to me.”
With a snarl of rage, T’ngorzul pulled a hilt from his belt, a blade magically extending. T’saran repeated the gesture, his own sword appearing in his hand.
The men sprang at each other, conversation abandoned. They thrust and parried in a deadly dance as she watched in horror. The moves were almost too fast to follow, but she suddenly realized that T’ngorzul was trying to get to her and T’saran was blocking him. She edged away from the ship, looking for some way to help. T’saran roared and she saw a bloody gash appear on his stomach.
“No,” she cried.
“Yes,” T’ngorzul panted. “You’re next, you pathetic bitch.”
Her hand closed around something that bore a close resemblance to a paint can. Gathering her strength, she threw it at T’ngorzul as hard as she could. It barely came close to him, but it startled him enough that he took his attention off of T’saran for a brief second. It was enough. T’saran’s blade cut a line down across T’ngorzul’s chest, then he reversed his grip and slammed the hilt against the commander’s head, leaving a line of blood from temple to cheek as the man finally collapsed.
T’saran swayed and she rushed to his side. Sliding under his arm, she tried to provide what support she could, but he was incredibly heavy. Gritting his teeth, he managed to make it onto the ship and into the pilot’s chair, but he was panting, and his wound was bleeding heavily.
“Hold on,” he warned, as the landing bay doors opened, and he launched the ship. As soon as they were clear, he pushed a few more button and sat back.
“Autopilot,” he muttered, his complexion paling to a sallow grey.
Lauren ripped off her coat and the mutashi and pressed the top against his stomach, watching in horror as it immediately turned bright red.
“T’saran, I don’t know how to stop the bleeding.”
He fumbled at his belt, then handed her the device she remembered from when he had treated her injuries.
“Need to cauterize the injury. Press the button and move it along the wound.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes. My lady.” He smiled at her as his eyes drifted shut.
“No! T’saran, wake up!” She raised a shaking hand to his mouth, breathing a sigh of relief when she could still feel him breathing.
Despite her trembling hands, she managed to peel his shirt away from his injury. The deep gash made her stomach twist, but he needed her. She had to do this. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the button and touched the device to one end of the horrible gash. A faint smell of burning filled the cockpit and she gagged, but she fought down the sickness. T’saran’s body jerked but he didn’t regain consciousness. With a muttered prayer, she continued along the wound.
By the time she was finished, she was sick and shaking, but the bleeding had stopped. She wished she had something to put on the newly closed flesh but there was nothing.
As the ship continued towards Earth, she tried to think of a plan. She had to get him somewhere safe, somewhere out of sight. As the planet grew closer and they flew in low over the ocean, it came to her. The boat—the wretched boat her father had left her would finally be good for something. All she had to do was get him there.
As the ground grew closer, she realized that they were headed back to Philadelphia, back to the diner. Of course, he must have simply set the autopilot to return. The small ship came to a quiet landing on top of the same building housing the diner. Now all she had to do was find some type of transportation.
After pulling on her jacket, she managed to open the door of the flyer. With an anxious glance at T’saran, still unconscious, she crept to the edge of the roof. A bitter wind whistled around her ears. The alley below was shrouded in darkness but she was too consumed with worry about
T’saran to relive that nightmare. The lights on the convenience store sign were still on which made it relatively early since it closed at eight. She peered into the darkness, trying to decide what to do. If she’d had the skills, she would have had no hesitation in stealing a car, but she knew absolutely nothing about car theft. Car… She leaned further over the edge.
Yes! Manny’s car was parked at the end of the alley in the illegal parking spot he used when he was in a hurry. What’s more, she knew that he kept a key hidden in the wheel well. Now all she had to do was get T’saran down to the car. Biting her lip, she climbed back into the ship and reluctantly tried to wake him.
For a long moment, she was afraid that he wouldn’t respond, but his eyes finally opened.
“My lady,” he whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears. “My monster.”
She kissed his hand and it tightened around hers.
“We made it to Earth, and I think I have a place where we can go, but you’re going to have to climb down from this roof. I can’t carry you.”
He started to nod, then thought better of it. Instead, he used the arms of the chair and managed to stand. Lauren hastily ducked under his arm and braced herself to help support his weight. Together they made it through the door and onto the roof, both of them panting. Leaning heavily against her side, he pulled a small control from his belt and aimed it at the ship.
“What’s that?”
“Self-destruct. Leave no trace.” He pushed the button then turned away.
He was destroying his last chance to return. More tears wanted to fall, but she didn’t have time for that now. When they reached the edge of the roof and looked down the fire escape, she could have cried again. It was only two stories, but how could he make it in his condition?
“I’ll go first,” she said. “I’ll brace you.”
“No. My weight could make you fall. I will go first.”
“But, T’saran, you’re hurt.”
“I know.” A gleam of humor lit his face for the first time. “But I will still go first.”
“Please be careful.”
“I will,” he promised, and lowered his leg over the ledge. She watched in an agony of apprehension until he was several steps below the roofline. As she turned to follow him, she gasped. The ship was gone. Nothing remained but a small heap of ashes, and even as she watched the wind blew some of them away.
No turning back now. She stepped off onto the ladder, her hands clinging to the cold metal. Her fingers were numb by the time she made it to the bottom, but she made it and T’saran was there waiting for her. He was leaning against the building, pale and shaking, but he was alive and upright. She slipped under his arm again, and they managed to make it to the car. It was a beat-up old Dodge, but she knew Manny took care of the engine.
She had to check three wheels before she found the key and she was beginning to panic when her fingers closed around the small magnetic box. When she opened the passenger door, T’saran half fell inside, collapsing onto the seat. She helped him lower the seat back and he smiled at her.
“I may sleep,” he warned.
“That’s fine. You need to recover your strength.”
He took her hand and showed her another device on his belt.
“Cloaking,” he said, then pressed the button and disappeared from view. If she hadn’t still been touching him, she would have panicked. Even so, it was remarkably eerie to see him vanish. Her hands shook as she closed the door. Hurrying around to the driver’s side, she breathed a prayer of relief that the gas tank was almost full.
“Hold on, my monster. We’re on our way.”
A warm invisible hand closed over hers.
By the time they reached Wilmington, eight hours later, she was so tired she could barely see. She had spent the whole trip hunched over the steering wheel, convinced that she would see a trail of police cars behind her at any moment. T’saran floated in and out of consciousness, frequently muttering in Yehrin. But he was still there, still alive, and when they finally pulled into the parking lot of the marina, he was coherent again.
At four o’clock in the morning, thankfully no one was around as she parked at the far end of the docks. T’saran made it out of the car under his own power and uncloaked.
“That’s her. Lady’s Pride.” She had only accompanied her father three times, but the graceful lines of the wooden sailing ship were etched in her memory. He had seemed… softer on those trips. Perhaps he had given her the ship in remembrance of those times.
“A fine craft,” T’saran said. “Can you sail her?”
“Probably not,” she admitted. “But there’s an engine to get us out on the water and there are manuals on board. We can learn together.”
“Together. I like the sound of that, my L’chka.”
She smiled and took his hand, then looked back at the car.
“What should we do about that? It’s a connection between me and the ship.”
He pulled another object from his belt and lurched forward to place it in the car.
“Another self-destruct?” she guessed.
“Yes. The last one. I have no other way of obscuring our trail.”
“The ocean will take care of that.”
Together they walked to the boat, ignoring the quiet rustle from behind them. The air was warmer here, already hinting at the upcoming spring. It whispered across her cheeks as they untied the lines and cast off. The engine started with a quiet purr and they puttered slowly out of the marina and down the Cape Fear river. The sun began to rise just as they reached the ocean and she turned to smile at T’saran. He was still uncloaked and leaning forward, studying the horizon. The rising sun gilded the edge of his horns, but he didn’t look out of place. He looked like a mythic warrior off to explore new lands.
“I think we made it,” she said softly, the tension finally leaving her shoulders.
“We did. Thanks to you, my brave L’chka.” He rose a little shakily and came to stand beside her. “I have been so obsessed with regaining the promise of a career, but all I really need is right here.”
“‘All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,’” she quoted softly.
“And you, my lady. I love you, L’ren.”
“I love you, too, T’saran. My monster.”
She nestled against his side, and together they sailed out into the dawn.
Epilogue
Ten months later
As soon as the boat cleared the harbor, T’saran uncloaked. The months at sea had been good to him. His wounds had healed, although he would always carry the scars, and the sun had darkened his skin to a deep slate grey. He was shirtless, as he usually was aboard ship, and she ran an appreciative eye over him as he scowled. Once she would have flinched at the forbidding expression, but she knew her Yehrin warrior would never lay a hand on her.
“I still do not like this.” he muttered. “They think you are alone and unprotected.”
“But I’m not.” She stepped closer and ran her hands up over that broad, hard chest. “I’m never going to be alone again.”
His face softened as it always did when she touched him. “Neither of us will be.”
He bent his head and kissed her, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His kiss turned hard, demanding, as it always did after one of their infrequent visits to a small port where she would trade the shells he’d gathered from deep beneath the ocean for the few items they needed to purchase.
“I need you, my L’chka,” he growled in the deep rumble that never failed to arouse her own desire.
“I need you, too, my warrior.” She tugged on the short beard he had grown, the bracelets he had made for her jingling softly. “I want to ride you.”
His eyes heated as she knew they would. He lowered them to the deck, leaving her astride his waist. Moving with tantalizing slowness, she pulled off the light linen top she’d worn ashore and discarded her bra. His eyes were focuse
d on her breasts, and the heat of his gaze felt as tangible as warm breeze that swept across her skin and turned her nipples to aching points. He brought his hands up, easily spanning her ribcage as he ran a teasing claw across the taut flesh. Mm. She shivered and leaned forward, letting her nipples drag across his chest as she kissed her way up to his mouth.
Lingering there, she dropped butterfly kisses across his mouth, then nibbled his full lower lip, licking and teasing before she finally gave in to temptation and slid her tongue against his rougher one. Once again, the kiss turned hard and demanding and she writhed against him, her slick pussy rubbing along the hard ridges of abdominal muscle. His hand slid between her legs and stopped.
“L’ren, where are your undergarments?”
Grinning at his shock, she wiggled impatiently.
“I didn’t wear them.”
“You went ashore without them?” His eyes glowed purple.
“I knew that you’d only rip them off when we returned. I didn’t want anything separating us.”
With an impatient growl, he ripped away his own pants, lifted her up, and impaled her on his cock in one swift move. Even after all these months, he stretched her to her limit, and she arched her back with pleasure. His hand moved back between her legs, strumming her swollen clit.
“Dance for me, my lady.”
And she did, moving in time with the rhythm of the ocean, reveling in the sunlight, the freedom, and most of all, the beloved alien watching her, eyes alight with love, until they surged together into a long shuddering climax.
A considerable time later, they were lying on the deck, watching the clouds. Still wrapped in T’saran’s arms, Lauren jumped when the boat’s radio turned itself on. A deep, pleasant voice emerged, informing them in perfect English that the Yehrin had arrived. She listened in shock as the Yehrin leader outlined a plan of cooperation and technological advance.
“I don’t understand,” she said after the radio clicked back off. “He seems so different than T’ngorzul. He sounds like he really wants to help humans. And now that it’s official, you won’t have to be cloaked anymore.” She took a deep breath. “We could even go back to a city if you want.”
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