“Yes,” Jessica nodded dumbly. She would have agreed to anything the captivating alien said at this point thanks to the heat spiraling through her body and the throbbing of her pulse points. “What is yeoling?” she remembered to ask.
Enahara shook out the fabric that took the form of a dress and laid it across the bed and then efficiently began to strip Jessica out of her robe while the human actress turned to putty in her hands. “The yeoling is our inner light that shines out through our skin and was a gift to my people from the All Mother. We receive much of our strength and energy from the rays of the sun, and my people die without prolonged exposure to its light. Many species are affected by this energy in different ways, but it has been my experience that most feel an overwhelming arousal or desire,” she explained succinctly and without malice. “The affect will lessen with continued exposure, so do not fear.”
Jessica shuddered with longing as the Yeyolani woman began to run a red laser scanner over her body. She closed her eyes and gave herself a stern reminder not to touch the alluring stranger who was not only mated, but very obviously expecting. In order to distract herself, she asked, “What is that device you are using? It looks like the scanners the medi-techs used on the ship.”
“It is very similar in technology, but I use this scanner to measure your body for ensuring proper fit of your dress.” Enahara stepped back and eyed Jessica’s underwear and bra skeptically. “I am afraid this will not do, Jessica,” the female intoned. “The dress I have fashioned for you to wear will not work with this covering over your breasts. Do all humans from your world bind their chests in such a way?”
Jessica blinked in confusion before she realized what she was asking. “Uh, only the women of our world, but it isn’t required or mandated. Most females like the feeling of support they receive from a bra, and many of our men find them to be arousing if they offer enough lift and cleavage,” Jessica explained, heat climbing up her face as the alien woman began to pull at the straps.
“Tah, it is a strange custom, indeed, but who am I to judge your people?” she replied airily. “Take off the binding, but you may leave the small shorts if you insist,” she ordered. Jessica was too stunned to argue and quickly allowed her bra to slide down her arms. Enahara studied her again and then nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Your skin is so very pale, Jessica. This fabric will make you glow as if the Moon Mother herself resides within your body. I begin to understand why the warriors who call my mate ‘friend’ have declared their praises of you. Your body shape is very pleasing and your breasts will nourish many young.”
Jessica choked back a startled laugh at the female’s blunt appraisal. “Uh, thank you, I think. Though it will be a long time before I can even think about having children.”
Enahara shared a knowing smile, her sharp eye teeth glinting. Reaching out to snag Jessica’s hand, she pressed it firmly into her own swollen belly. Jessica gasped when she felt movement vibrating through her hand and she met the alien woman’s glowing orange eyes. “On my world, there is nothing more sacred and revered than mothers. It is the strength and power of a woman that creates new life and nurtures it. I feel within you the potent spirit of All Mother, Jessica. Do not push away the true desires of your heart out of fear or the expectations of others.”
Jessica’s breath shuddered on the exhale and tears inexplicably pricked her eyes. How did this strange, mystical alien read her most secret desire? From the time she was a small child, she had always known that she wanted to be a mother, but her own had drilled it into her head that she had to wait and make a name for herself and launch her career. Her mother had dragged her along to one audition after another, enrolling her in acting classes, and pushing her toward the spotlight that was to be her destiny. She loved acting, really she did, but it was always something that had to be done before she could follow her real dream. Even being on the ship after the attack, she had never felt more fulfilled and needed as she had when she was tending the wounded, comforting the terrified crew, and making sure her warriors were fed and resting. It was in her nature to nurture others, but her path had been chosen long ago by her mother.
Jessica just nodded numbly and offered a wobbly smile to the enigmatic alien female. Enahara returned her smile with one of her own and then released Jessica to step back. “Now, we must get you dressed for your dinner with the young king. We will show him that you are a queen in your own right, yes?”
Jessica laughed lightly and submitted herself to Enahara’s ministrations. She had a lot to think about after her interaction with the Yeyolani female, and some very important decisions to make about her future.
CHAPTER THREE
Jessica nervously swiped her sweaty palms along the sides of her dress and followed her escort to the king’s rooms. The fabric of the sapphire blue dress that Enahara draped her in felt like gossamer silk against her mostly bare skin, but it was dark enough that only the outline of her curves could be glimpsed. She was thankful that it didn’t conform directly to her body like the Yeyolani woman’s did, but instead, it flowed gently down her body like the kiss of wind. It was a beautiful dress, but it gave her the feeling of nakedness and vulnerability when she most needed her confidence.
Mantor stopped in front of a wall panel and placed his finger against a sensor and announced, “Warrior Mantor Tal’Umar has arrived with the human Jessica MacGregor.” The sensor glowed brightly for a moment and then the wall panel slid aside to reveal an open room. Mantor offered Jessica a reassuring smile and motioned her inside. “Have no fear, Miss MacGregor. King Korian is well-liked and respected among warriors.”
Jessica nodded in thanks and cautiously made her way inside the king’s suite. She looked around the empty room and was surprised to see it looked much like her own with minimal, but tasteful, decoration and furniture. The chairs and sofas were plush, but understated, and the art on the walls were mostly portraits of other T’Kalan warrior kings and queens. Her eyebrows climbed in amazement as she counted more than a half of the queens to be of different races and species, but the rest of them were still T’Kalan.
Another panel sliding open gained her attention, and her eyes tracked over for her first glimpse of the king since the ceremony where she had been honored among the medi-techs who had tended the wounded aboard ship. Her breath caught in her throat as she drank in the sight of the handsome T’Kalan warrior before her. He was more than a foot taller than her, but his sheer bulk made him appear even larger. His shoulders alone were huge, wider than most of the other warriors she had met, and muscles bulged and strained at the fit of his snug black shirt. His waist was trim before flaring back out to a luscious behind that topped the thick tree trunks of his legs encased in matching black trousers. Most arresting of all, though, were his T’Kalan eyes. While his irises were ghostly pale, they were tinted with a pale lavender color that offset the longer waves of his black hair and the bronze shimmer of his skin. He was utterly breathtaking and Jessica’s body shivered with desire.
She watched as his gaze tracked up and then back down her own body with obvious appreciation and her confidence returned. Adopting the starlet persona that helped get her through nerve-wracking press junkets and television interviews, she flashed him a bright smile, pushed her shoulders back, and strode across the room to approach him boldly. His own lips stretched wide to reveal rows of bright white teeth and he accepted her outstretched hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
“Miss MacGregor, thank you for agreeing to meet with me this evening. May I say that you look as stunning and lovely as a T’Kalan sunset over the waters?” he greeted her with chivalrous flirtation.
She tipped her head back to laugh lightly and replied, “Of course you may, but only if you call me Jessica,” she flirted back with practiced ease, hooking her hand through the crook of his arm with uninvited familiarity.
The muscle of his bicep jumped under her palm as he began to guide her further into his rooms. He glanced down at her and his voice was h
usky when he added, “Then you must call me Korian.” He escorted her through another door and into a small chamber where a table was set with two chairs and domed plates. “I hope you will enjoy the meal prepared by my chef. The Lieutenant Commander assured me that you would approve.”
Jessica took her seat and pulled up to the table, her stomach jumping with nerves. Outwardly, though, she assured him, “If it has been Mahoney-approved, then I am sure it will be wonderful.” She watched closely as his big hands carefully poured a dark red wine into her goblet and her nose picked up hints of chocolate, tart fruit, and a whiff of smoke. “Thank you, Korian,” she added as she picked up her glass.
He filled his own and then held it up to hers. “I believe my research has shown that your people like to wish good luck before drinking. Is that correct?” he asked, his eyebrow arching in challenge.
Jessica tapped the rim of her glass against his own with a ting and answered, “It’s called a ‘toast’ and that is mostly correct. In this case, I would say, ‘To a mutually beneficial endeavor.’”
His lips quirked at her diplomatic wording before adding his own toast. “To a successful conclusion of our mission.” They each brought their glass to their lips and took a sip of the rich, bittersweet wine while their gazes held.
Korian placed his glass back on the glassy black surface of the table and then pressed his finger to a softly glowing nodule. “Shall we eat before we discuss business, Jessica? I would very much like to hear your thoughts and impressions of my world and its people. I would also like to hear more about your own world, as well.”
She tipped her head in agreement and then almost jumped out of her skin when the silver domes parted in the middle and then disappeared into the table to leave a plate of steaming food in its wake. The meal resembled beef stroganoff with small strips of tender meat covered with a light brown gravy interspersed with short and wide noodles. It was paired with long, green stalks of some vegetable that had seared marks in a row along their length.
“This smells incredible,” she murmured, her mouth flooding with saliva. “Is this a T’Kalan recipe?”
Korian waited for her to take the first bite before replying. “It is a traditional recipe on our world, but not originally T’Kalan. Our first warrior queen, who was from the planet Balanx, introduced us to this dish hundreds of years ago, but it has been a staple on our world ever since.”
Jessica groaned in obvious approval as the flavor of spiced gravy hit her taste buds. The meat was tender and practically melted in her mouth and the noodles were firm, but dense, and complimented the dish perfectly. “Oh, my God, Korian. This is amazing,” she moaned as her tongue peeked out to lick a drop of gravy from her lip.
When she was greeted with silence, she looked to her host in question. His fork was suspended halfway to his mouth which was hanging open in stunned silence. He finally snapped his mouth closed and blinked slowly. “Tell me, Jessica, do all humans make such noises when eating?” he asked, his voice strained.
An embarrassed flush, the curse of her Scottish heritage, seeped over her chest and up into her face. She cleared her throat and hedged, “Um, sometimes, if the food is particularly good.”
A wicked smile creased his face. “Then I am most pleased that you find such…enjoyment in your meal.”
She arched an eyebrow and countered, “Naughty, naughty, King Korian. If you aren’t careful, I may get the impression that you are flirting with me.”
He wiped the corner of his mouth with a cloth napkin and replied archly, “Then I shall have to try harder so there is no mistake.”
A surprised laugh burst forth from her lips causing the tense atmosphere at the table to relax. For the rest of the meal, they spoke easily with one another. Jessica gave her own account of the frightening attack on their ship, explaining how Fallon, an alien cat person, trained her to do emergency medical aid and how interested she had become in their medical technology.
“It’s quite amazing, really, compared to our own medicine on Earth. People still grow sick and die from thousands of diseases and maladies that would only take moments for your scanners to heal. My only regret was that I didn’t have time to learn how to use them before the attack. I would have been able to do so much more for my warriors than to apply skin sealant and offer food and drink,” she explained earnestly.
Korian sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest until his big arms bulged. “Your warriors?” he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of censure.
Jessica’s back straightened at his tone. “Yes, my warriors. Those men became my friends and my protectors during the two weeks we were on board that ship. While Mahoney was busy training and sneaking off to hook up with the Commander, I was often left to my own devices, but I was never alone if I didn’t choose to be. Those men escorted me, entertained me, talked to me, and taught me about your world. Not a one of them ever showed me an unkindness and treated me with nothing but chivalry and respect. One thing you should know about me, Korian. When I invite someone into my heart, they become mine.”
Korian tossed his napkin on his empty plate, his jaw clenched with some repressed emotion. He pushed back his chair and indicated that she should follow him. As they strolled toward another door panel, he finally replied, “I had wondered at the numerous requests from my warriors for an audience with you these past several days. It seems you have managed to make quite the impression on many of them.”
Jessica grabbed his arm to stop his forward progress. “Wait a minute. Are you saying that I’ve had visitors for the past three days and I am only just now hearing about it? Why wasn’t I told so that I could see them?” she demanded, her face burning with anger now. She had wondered why so many of the T’Kalan warriors she had befriended had remained silent in the past three days when they had assured her they would be in touch.
The king’s pale lavender eyes narrowed on the fiery redhead. “Lest you forget, Miss MacGregor, you are here under my protection and I am the one that shall deem who is allowed to interact with you. You are here for one purpose, and that is to help me distract the nobles who seek to dethrone me. You are not here to turn my warriors into slavering vlarneks in rut seeking out a female in heat,” he informed her, his voice cold with authority.
Jessica was generally a happy and friendly person, but her temper was legendary among cast and crews and directors. In that moment, it did not matter that she was smaller, female, and on an alien world. It did not matter that the man before her outweighed her by well over 100 pounds and was a trained warrior and a king of his people.
Poking her finger into the concrete wall of his chest, she hissed, “Lest you forget, You Royal Ass, I am only here because you ordered me kidnapped from my world. Not only did you take me away from my planet, but you took me away from my friends, my family, and my job! I didn’t ask for any of this, and from what I can tell, I’m not receiving any compensation or incentive to play my part in securing your precious throne. So, if I were you, I would think twice about insinuating that I am whore before you piss me off and I decide to turn uncooperative really fast. Do we understand each other, King Asshole?”
CHAPTER FOUR
Korian had taken several steps backward in surprise as she had continued to poke his chest during her tirade. She was gratified to see him hold his hands up in the universal gesture of surrender and his features turn contrite. “My apologies, Jessica. I can only blame my poor manners on lack of sleep and extreme stress, because I can think of no other reason for my lapse. You are absolutely right, of course. You have been very understanding and incredibly flexible considering your circumstances, and I am being a poor host and behaving dishonorably. Will you forgive me and allow us to start this discussion over?”
Jessica absently massaged her sore finger and nodded her head sharply. “Of course, I will. It’s not lost on me that I’m at your mercy and dependent on you, but I’d hoped that we could work together to make this experience as painless as possible.”<
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Relief swept over his face and he again indicated for her to walk with him. He led her through two more rooms until they arrived at a glass enclosure that offered a breathtaking view of verdant lawns decorated with lush foliage, vibrant blooms, and fruit-laden trees. Korian gestured expansively toward the vista and asked, “Would you care to stroll the gardens while we discuss the finer points of your visit?”
Jessica took a deep breath and slowly let it back out and willed her temper to settle. “That would be lovely, thank you,” she replied, her tone civil if a bit stiff.
Pressing his palm to a sensor by the door panel, he allowed her to pass before him and then joined her on a pebbled path. The air was mild, if a bit cool in the fading light of the twin suns overhead, but it was perfumed with the intoxicating aromas of exotic flowers and ripened, sweet fruit. Jessica had to admit that T’Kala was beautiful and appealed to her love of nature.
After several moments of tense silence, Korian began to speak. “You know, you made a very good point back there, and I’m not just referring the one poking me in the chest,” he teased her lightly.
She looked up at him and quirked her lips. “Really? I thought all of them were good points. For the sake of argument, which one do you mean specifically?”
His chuckle was deep and rumbly and sent Jessica’s stomach in flutters of excitement. “The one where you stated so eloquently that you were receiving no compensation or incentive for agreeing to help me. It was selfish on my part to assume that you would just do as I demanded. I have no access to Earth funds, so I am not sure what I can offer to entice you.”
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