by Liza Probz
He gave her a small smile. She wanted to try.
He needed to make sure she understood all the ramifications of their lovemaking, should he relent and sink down into her. "If we do make love, and it works, my seed will release deep inside of you, Sylvie. If that happens, it means there’s a chance of a viable pregnancy."
She blinked slowly, her eyes scanning his face. While she might say she would miss him, would she really want to raise a child with him? To be his forever and never leave?
She hadn’t kept the fact that she wanted to return to Earth a secret. She’d been damn persistent about it. If they mated and a child resulted, he would not allow that. The child had to remain with him, which means she did as well.
"I understand," she said slowly. "I agree that it’s a possibility. It’s a risk I’m willing to take. You’re strong, capable, smart, witty, and beyond beautiful to me. I couldn’t ask for more, X.” She brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed at his fingers as he groaned.
"What are you saying?" he asked, not daring to hope.
"I'm saying that I would be proud to have you as my child's father. That I’m willing to mate with you and remain by your side, should it work." She sucked a finger into her mouth and X closed his eyes as tears burned his gaze for the first time in his life. He waited a moment to collect himself and leaned down, cupping her pretty face and capturing her lips in a soft, gentle kiss.
He broke the kiss as Sylvie turned away from him and yawned. "I'm sorry. I'm so tired."
"Me too, baby. Let me hold you and we’ll make love tonight if you still want to.”
“I do and I will. Always.” She pressed her cheek to his chest and began to breathe deeply.
He watched her for a moment more before closing his eyes and letting the darkness take him. Everything would be all right. They would figure it out together. Him and his Earthling mate.
Chapter 32
Sylvie woke with a start, sitting up from the cushion and looking over to see the regent sleeping soundly beside her. Thank God he's still alive. For now.
He stirred, a smile touching his mouth as he opened his eyes and let out a soft sigh. She couldn’t help but reach over and brush her hand down his strong chest.
"I can't believe we fell asleep. We don't have time to waste. We don’t even know the clock we’re racing against." Fear percolated deep in her belly as she moved toward him. Lust would arrive soon, but the fact that they had passed out left her forcing panic down.
"Hush and come back here." X slid his hand up her back and pulled gently on her shoulder.
"But you could have... I can't believe I fell asleep. What were we thinking?”
"You were tired, dear. If you want to mate now, I’d love to hear you scream.” His sweetness turned into something wickedly nefarious, which was almost out of character.
Odd.
"Here? Where anyone can walk in?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I've set a lock on the lab. There’s nothing to worry about."
"You won't even take off your cloak, you're so afraid someone will see that you've gone into the frenzy. You know that these labs are observed. Don't you think we need privacy?" She pushed at him as he tugged her closer with more force. “X. I’m not comfortable with this.”
"Come here and stop bitching." He pulled again and she fell against him with a gasp. The regent wrapped his arms around her and squeezed until she had trouble getting a full breath.
"Easy! Jeez. What’s the matter with you?"
He ignored her and pressed his lips to her, moving his head back like a two-year-old giving a sloppy kiss. She jerked back and growled as he pushed against her head, his mouth clamping over her as his tongue forced its way into her mouth. He wiggled it back and forth, his action sickening her.
Sylvie pulled back again, using her nails to dig into his chest. He clamped down harder and she bit his tongue before moving back.
"What the hell has gotten into you?" She moved quickly, backing up and putting some distance between them.
"I want you," he said, climbing to his feet. “I want you and I’ll have you. Get over here.”
"Obviously. I’m not sure if this is the frenzy jacking with your system, but we’re not doing this here. Period. Your underlings could be watching us."
She moved to the console and swiped her hand across it, pulling up his bedroom to show him how much better it would be in there. Quiet and private – perfect. He took up position behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders and squeezing them until she let out a yelp and turned.
"Knock it off." Annoyance stung her and she swatted at him. Mating because she was attracted to him and cared about him was good and well, but he was acting like a complete idiot.
The regent grabbed her hips and forced her to press against him, a growl leaving his lips as his eyes glossed over. "No more delaying. It's time to mate."
"What's gotten into you?"
"The mating frenzy," he replied, matter-of-factly.
"I don't understand. Before we fell asleep, you said it wasn't worth the effort. Then you were so tender, and we talked about... about possibly creating a child... and now you're trying the full court press."
"Full court press?"
"Yeah, the hard sell." Something wasn't right here.
"Enough of your Earthling colloquialisms. Attend me, female."
Sylvie's jaw dropped. "Attend you? You've got to be kidding me."
"It's well known that Earthling females prefer aggressive males as sexual partners. Submit to me, female. Go over there and bend over and I’ll give you what you need, dirty bitch."
Sylvie rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation. He was out of his head and she wasn’t putting up with his shit anymore. He could reset his attitude and then she would consider getting back in bed with him. Maybe.
X undid her top and pulled it off, baring her breasts as he licked at his lips.
She crossed her hands over her chest and yelled at him, but he ignored her and concentrated on getting her pants down. She slapped at his hands, but he made quick work of her pants, not seeming to care that she was upset and highly pissed. Standing there half naked left her vulnerable to anyone that passed by, but also to him and he wasn’t acting right.
"Stop it, you son of a bitch," she said, her fear on the rise. "What's gotten into you?"
Her regent would never be so forceful. He may be aggressive. He may be possessive. But he's not a rapist.
He was tugging at her panties when she slugged him in the face.
The regent smiled and wagged his eyebrows. "Is this what your kind considers foreplay?"
Sylvie aimed carefully and with all her might she kicked him in the crotch, half expecting him to drop in pain. He didn’t. Her efforts had zero effect.
This isn't X. The thought rose up suddenly, but she realized right away that it was true. There was no way the regent she’d started to fall in love with would treat her with such distaste. She jerked away and moved back to the console as fear rose up from her stomach.
“Help?” she whispered and started to press buttons.
Chapter 33
Xivthar pulled the petite woman in his arms closer to him with a happy sigh before jerking up with realization.
"We fell asleep. I don't know how, but we passed out." He rubbed her back and leaned down to kiss the side of her face. She glanced up sleepily as he started to move out of the bed.
“No, come back to bed, darling. Ride me."
Her words, more than her touch, brought him to full arousal in mere moments. He fell back onto the cushion and brought her into his arms again, a little surprised at her commands.
“Sylvie?” He brushed his nose past her ear, something leaving him wanting to question her. He needed to push past the additional layer of paranoia that the mating frenzy caused and mate with his woman. It was time.
"Are you ready?" she whispered into his ear. Her breath was warm on his skin and it made him shiver.
; "Ready?" he asked, almost unable to focus on her words.
"To mate." She all but purred at him and nipped his earlobe.
"Here?" His tone was incredulous. She had to know that others were likely watching. He'd not once taken off his cloak, although he had risked pushing back his hood. The Supreme Regent requesting that a lab not be recorded would likely draw more attention than his saying nothing.
"I want you." She slipped her hand beneath his cloak and brushed the back of her soft fingers over his stomach, playing with the tiny tendrils that led to his erection.
Xivthar froze. Sylvie had welcomed his advances, but he had been the one making all the moves. To feel her taking control was jarring.
Her hand moved lower, then brushed the outside of his sarong over his cock and he groaned, arching into her hand. He wasn’t able to help himself from slipping from a reasonable, clear-headed leader to a sex-starved male.
A shred of sanity returned and he grabbed hold of it tightly. "Not here. We can return to my quarters, baby."
"Why? This is good and I don’t wanna wait. I’m wet and my girl hurts.” She nibbled his earlobe, then ran her tongue around the whorl of his ear.
Her girl hurt? How odd. Something about her choice of language turned him off, pulling at his sense of reason.
Move back. Figure this out.
This new, more aggressive female was disturbing, but only to his intellect. His cock danced below the sarong as the room blurred a little. He needed her, regardless of how odd she was being. He lost his breath as she started sucking on the tender skin of his neck.
Something didn't feel quite the same. Despite how turned on he felt, he didn't have the same urge to possess her, to claim her. The tight knot that had been in his guts since he'd taken her the first time was absent.
Curious.
Chapter 34
Sylvie held up her hands, moving away from the Supreme Regent, or more accurately, whatever had taken the regent's shape.
"Back up. Stay away from me. I know you’re not him."
"Aren't who?" it asked, striding forward and making another grab for her.
Sylvie danced backward. "You aren't the regent. You're Hareema."
"Very clever, Earthling.” It smiled with X's mouth and spoke with his voice. “How did you know?"
"X is an ass on occasion, but he’s not a prick. You, sir… are."
The smile vanished. "I knew you were clever. We'd established that before you departed from your planet, but I never counted on you being what we would consider ‘intelligent’."
"My race may be a little technologically disadvantaged compared to yours, but that doesn't make us idiots."
"No one said idiot, child. You’re locked into one solid form. Where that doesn’t affect your intelligence, it most certainly makes you inferior."
"I beg to differ." Sylvie lunged away as the big oaf reached for her again. It seemed to have trouble really pulling off the details of X’s movements. His body was so large and strong. It wasn’t a wonder. "At least we Earthlings don't have to pretend to be something we're not to fit in."
A nasty scowl was her reward for the comment. "The human sense of humor has been much maligned by other races. Now I can see why."
"Let me go.” She moved to the translucent walls and began to beat against them, getting nowhere. X was running out of time and she was stuck in a cell with a damn Hareema.
"Not likely. You've served your purpose. You are no longer needed."
The alien imposter grabbed her by the hair and dragged her back to the restraints, which had been abandoned once she and X closed off the room. Sylvie struggled, but the creature twisted her to the point of pain shooting through her neck and down the side of her chest. She turned to defend herself and the bastard snapped the collar back on her.
“No. Please.” She barely kept herself from hyperventilating.
“Shut up, woman,” he growled at her and jerked her toward the monitors.
She needed to get ahold of herself. She was smarter than this. He didn’t have anything invested in her survival, so pleading was out. A show of emotion would just upset the bastard more. Something had to work. Anything. Pride? Hitting on his pride? Every creature shared pride, especially in success. The gelatinous bastard had succeeded as far as everything seemed to be setting up. She could go with that.
"Impersonating the Supreme Regent was very clever, but I don't understand the seduction angle. I could have woken up already bound and in a cell. Why try the whole mating ploy?"
"We needed to keep you in reserve, in case our current operation fails."
"Current operation?"
"You Earthlings sure are curious. It’s almost cute.”
"Indulge me? My people have never met a race as advanced as yours. Your shape-shifting abilities alone are beyond anything I could imagine."
The creature sighed and moved her to stand in front of the monitor. It used X's hand to swipe across the console, bringing up the holographic display. A few movements, and an image came to dominate the screen.
It was a lab just like one they stood in. Almost identical, but something moved on the cushions, the picture was too blurry to understand what she was looking at.
The Hareema focused the device on the couple and they sprang into the foreground. It was X, the real X she assumed, and someone who looked exactly like her. Another Hareema operative. It appeared that they were trying the same ploy on him, but it looked like it was working. Fire burned in her belly as tears threatened to blur her vision further.
“No. Don’t do this. He can’t physically handle making love to her and not releasing. You’ll kill him.” Sylvie pulled hard against the binding.
“Exactly. So smart, little Earthling.” He kissed the side of her head as she jerked against the bindings, the pressure on her throat almost knocking her out.
“I can’t watch this.” She turned and closed her eyes.
"Seen enough?" The Hareema laughed behind her back.
“Yes,” she whispered and turned back to the creature with X's body, as defeat settled around her.
She regretted a lot of things in the moment, but what she regretted most was that she would never get the opportunity to mate with him, to have that one in a million chance of conceiving a child with the regent. Her heart begged for another chance, but it wasn’t happening.
"Come on, woman. Time to go."
Chapter 35
Xivthar pulled his mouth away from the female’s, amazed that she hadn't broken the kiss before he had. She usually had to come up for air a few minutes into the kiss, unlike his kind, who could hold their breath for upwards of a half hour.
"Let's go to my quarters.” He rubbed her back and smiled down at her.
"Why waste time moving?" She pushed him back forcefully and moved to straddle him. "We can mate here. Now."
Sylvie rolled her hips, grinding the softness of her center over his erection and he lifted his hips, almost passing out from the burst of lust deep inside of him. A few more strokes and he'd reach his first climax before even sliding inside her. It was time… wherever she wanted it. His need was too great.
Her hands moved up his cloak, pushing it to the side, exposing his chest as she purred. It was an odd sound. Not one he’d heard come from her before. Her fingernails dug into his skin and he shivered and groaned again, leaning up and capturing her lips as she worked to get out of her top.
“Yes. Take it over, baby.” He brushed his hand down the center of her chest, her flesh creamy and soft. Her pretty pink nipples on pale breasts stood at attention, beckoning him to enjoy himself and taste of her. He indulged and took both of them into his hands, sucking one of her breasts into his mouth as far as he could. He flicked his tongue over her tight nipple and reveled at the soft panting she let out above him.
The pretty thing grabbed his head and held it against her as she pushed at his cloak and sarong, leaving his body on display. She ground herself ever so slowly against him and he took ahol
d of her hips, rocking against her.
“You’re so beautiful, Sylvie. Making love to you…”
She cut him off rudely. "Shut up and take me."
Xivthar lost his resolve, not willing to figure her out or fight her any longer. She pushed herself down the length of him, the only thing in their way being her shorts.
“Take your clothes off and let me see you.” He glanced up as she smiled and moved off of him, her perfect body more than he could dream of.
Sylvie stood up, slowly slipping her shorts down and leaving the only thing covering her – a thin pair of blush pink panties. She stuck her thumbs under the waistband on either side and started to peel them down so slowly.
X’s breath caught as he watched her, the sound of a male voice seeming quite out of place.
"Stop right there!"
Sylvie covered her breasts with a squeal and dove behind him.
Xivthar threw his sarong around his waist, tying it quickly and then rising, ready to protect her against anyone.
A squad of guards had entered the laboratory. They surrounded him with efficiency, cutting off any retreat he could have tried to make.
"Xivthar Rasveen, Supreme Regent of Zanthar, you are under arrest for crimes against the state."
The officer who confronted him held out a pair of restraints.
"On whose orders are you arresting me?"
The officer grinned. "The orders of the Acting Supreme Regent of Zanthar."
"This is ridiculous. I’m right here. There is no Acting Regent."
Anger rushed through him. He'd been surprised in the middle of an intimate act, his condition revealed to an entire squadron of men who stared in shock.
"I am Supreme Regent of Zanthar until the council says otherwise."
Footsteps echoed across the lab and Xivthar could see a hole being made for an advancing figure. When the regent realized who it was, he thought the frenzy had impaired his perception, but no… there he was, larger than life.