by Lisa Lace
Memories came rushing into my mind. Had I really told Allex I loved him? I was terribly embarrassed.
Allex had an uncomfortable look on his face when he looked at me. “Do you remember anything about what we said before we passed out?” His fingers tapped nervously on his leg.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who was starting to remember. “Yes, a little bit.”
He looked like he wanted to say something but abruptly changed the subject. “Let’s make sure we can open the door.” We pushed on it together. After a few hard shoves, we managed to pry it open and step through the opening into the cold, fresh air.
I took a deep breath. The air tasted better out here than inside. Without warning, my stomach began to rumble.
“I agree with your belly. Let’s go to the greenhouse and get something to eat.” He pointed toward the ceiling.
“Okay. I can’t deny I’m incredibly hungry.” We made our way to the greenhouse, where I nibbled at my favorite Earth vegetables, and Allex picked food from the Auxem sections. We ate together in uneasy silence, neither of us daring to start a conversation.
Had I spoken the truth? I had never experienced a near-death situation before, but I couldn’t imagine it making a person dishonest. I voiced what I had been feeling but had been afraid to admit to myself. I snuck a glance at Allex and felt like I was going to float away. It was happiness; I wanted him like nobody’s business.
Was I in love with him? Maybe. After a less than auspicious beginning, it was now hard to imagine being without him. I didn’t know where it had come from, and I didn’t have any idea where we were going.
But I loved Allex. There was no doubt in my heart.
ALLEX
I ate my vegetables out of habit, but my mind focused on the woman sitting next to me. I couldn’t forget what we had said right before passing out. I couldn’t imagine she had forgotten, either.
The shared memories left us in an awkward silence. Our confessions had spilled out because we thought we were about to die, but here we were, still alive.
Now what?
My feelings for Priya had slowly intensified since I met her. It didn’t surprise me that I had told Priya about my love. I had realized it in the morning, but I didn’t know what to do about it, and a deathbed confession wasn’t a promising basis for a relationship.
She had said it first, which must count for something. I wanted to talk about it, but I worried that I would be starting something I might not be able to finish.
It would be better to keep my mouth shut and see what happened. At some point, we also needed to find out what the pirates were doing. They had boarded our ship a while ago, but we didn’t know if they had followed through on any of their threats. I had separated from my family to help people, not hide with my girlfriend.
I still had hunger pangs. “Do you want some dessert, Priya? We’ll have to dig for it.” She looked surprised but nodded. I showed her how to dig for the deliciously sweet, creamy roots which were a favorite on Auxem, and we spent the next hour digging in the dirt and eating.
“That’s enough!” She put a hand on her flat stomach. “I’m so full.”
“We’re also filthy.” I could see dirt on her hands and face, and I couldn’t have looked much better. I dusted my hands off. “Didn’t I promise you a shower?”
Her eyes lit up. “You did.”
“Let’s go clean up. Once we’re civilized again, we’re going to spy on some pirates.”
It wasn’t a deep conversation, but it wasn’t uncomfortable silence either.
PRIYA
I was so excited to have the chance to clean myself up that I couldn’t keep from bouncing as I walked.
“Priya, we have to talk.”
Allex said my name in a way that made me know he wanted to have the talk. I had wanted to ignore it, but I knew we couldn’t overlook what we had said, no matter how uncomfortable it made us.
“About what?” Maybe playing dumb would work.
He was walking beside me, but he stopped so he could give me a sidelong look. His incredible good looks took my breath away.
“I think you know. The conversation we had about our feelings for each other.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it.” The thought of confronting my feelings was frightening when I wasn’t about to die. Everything seemed more complicated when you still had life left to live.
“Why not?”
“It’s awkward. I may have said some things prematurely. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re acting like what we said and did was meaningless.” I couldn’t figure out his tone of voice, so I stopped. Allex appeared furious. “Do you regret saying it?”
“I don’t regret anything.” I started to grasp for a way to explain how I felt. “But I wouldn’t have said it if I had known we were going to survive!”
A black look passed over Allex’s face. “I’m sorry, Priya. I wouldn’t have said those things either. But how could I be sure the pyrrhus juice would work?”
“Did you make something up because you thought you were dying?” My voice was becoming too loud.
“No. I didn’t say that.” He looked outraged I would suggest such a thing. “Did you make anything up?”
I frowned at him. “Of course not.”
He ran his hand through his hair and started walking again.
“Allex, what are we supposed to do now?”
“I have no idea.”
We walked the long way to the shower in angry silence. How dare he question my honesty? How dare he make me fall in love with him and then leave me hanging?
I didn’t regret anything, and I wasn’t a liar. What a bastard.
We went into a small room holding a few lockers. A single shower stall sat in the corner.
“I forgot to bring anything so you could dry yourself.” Allex silently searched the lockers and found a stack of towels which he moved to the bench. I followed him to the shower. Without saying another word, he showed me how to start the water and left.
I felt a sense of relief when he walked out of the room. I shed my clothes quickly and stepped under the stream of water. It had been so long since I cleaned myself under running water that I thought I was in paradise. I found soap and shampoo, using them to scrub myself all over and wash my hair three times. Once I was clean, it was time to relax. I stood and enjoyed the feeling of water running over me until I felt the air change. I caught my breath when a large, hot male body wedged behind me into the tiny shower stall.
A naked body.
“What are you doing?” I felt Allex’s rigid cock pressing against me.
“I don’t know.” His voice sounded rough.
I felt my nipples get hard and I swallowed. Allex kissed the spot where my neck meets my shoulder, making me draw in a quick breath. “Allex, what if I told you I wanted you to stop?”
“I would do what you wanted.” He kissed his way along and up my neck. Against my better judgment, I stretched my neck up, giving him complete access.
“What if I said I was angry with you and didn’t want you touching me?” I took a deep breath and tried to control my body’s response to him.
“I would believe the first part completely. The second, not so much.”
His hands came around and cupped my breasts. They were a good handful, and a satisfied sound escaped his throat as he felt their weight in his palms. Allex squeezed and pinched my nipples. I felt myself getting wet and held back a moan.
“Do you want me to stop?” His deep voice rumbled in my ear and made me shiver.
I was afraid to say anything. My heart and body wanted something different than what my head wanted. I thought I was angry at him.
“Do you?” Allex wasn’t giving up. His hands stopped their ministrations but didn’t leave my breasts.
I bit my lip, still not saying anything. Allex took his hands away, stepped back, and left me feeling cold. He was really going to stop if I didn’t
answer him. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, no matter how angry I had been with him.
“Wait.” I turned and put my hands on his waist, pulling him toward me and bringing our bodies together again. I pressed my breasts against him. His handsome face looked conflicted.
“Allex, what are we going to do? This is crazy.”
“You’re right. It is. I don’t know what we should do about it.”
“We shouldn’t waste this water.” He made me feel wild. “You better take me out of here and fuck me.”
His eyes got big. “Wait a second.”
“Do you love me?” I needed to hear it again and know I hadn’t imagined it. “Did you mean what you said?”
He swallowed and blinked before nodding. “I do love you. I don’t know how it happened or why, but I love you like I’ve never loved anyone before.”
I had a lump in my throat, but I swallowed it so I could speak. “I love you too, Allex. What’s stopping us?”
“We’re not married.” He looked uncomfortable.
“Does that break the bond?”
“No. Marriage has nothing to do with bonding. But my father and brothers would be appalled if I bonded outside of wedlock.”
I glowered at him. “We’re standing naked in a shower together, and you’re talking about your family?”
“That’s a good point. We should get out.” That wasn’t exactly what I had meant, but I stepped out of the water so he could rinse off. I left and dried myself off before sitting on the bench in my towel.
I felt my heart begin to pound in my chest as he stepped out and I looked at his luscious body. How could a prince want me?
“I think there’s supposed to be a manual or something. From what I’ve heard, I’m supposed to have my wings out the first time we mate.”
“Whatever you say, alien guy.” I shrugged. I didn’t care about his weird rituals as long as he took care of the ache inside me.
“You don’t understand, Priya. I’m bigger when my wings are out. All of me.”
I glanced down at him. “Are you trying to tell me your cock is going to get larger?”
He nodded. “I want you to know because my brothers warned us about it. Their wives were shocked the first time they mated.”
“But they bonded, right? It’s not going to kill me.”
“Definitely not. Arnon says sometimes Jayne specifically asks to fuck with his wings out.”
I felt my eyebrows rise. “She likes it.”
“Apparently. Don’t tell anyone. Arnon shared with me in confidence.”
I shook my head. “I don’t intend to start a conversation about Auxem mating rituals anytime soon. Even if I wanted to, who am I going to tell?” I looked around. “Do you see me hanging out with anyone besides you?”
Allex came toward me and pulled me to my feet. The passion in his eyes was almost too much for me to bear. “Priya, I don’t want you to have to hide down here anymore.”
“Well, I don’t want to, either. I’m tired of being alone.”
“You don’t have to be alone anymore.”
“Take me to bed, Allex. I’ll be yours.” I wanted him to possess me and own me.
“It works both ways. If you’re mine, I’m yours, too. Are you sure that’s what you want?”
I frowned. “Of course. I love you, Allex. I want it all.”
He looked like he was about to lose control. “Let’s go home.”
The word home sounded special when he said it. It didn’t matter in the least that the home he meant was an oversized, unused heating conduit. Home, to me, would be anywhere Allex was. It sounded crazy, but it was true.
We put on our clothes, and I followed him back to our home, feeling excited and scared at the same time. I could hardly contain my desire.
Chapter Ten
ALLEX
Home.
I couldn’t remember the last time I used the word. I wasn’t sure I knew what it meant. But the feeling I had right now, holding Priya’s warm hand in mine, was the closest I had come in a very long time.
It didn’t matter whether we were going to a place in the depths of a transport ship or the most luxurious house on Auxem. I felt something in my soul. From now on, my home would be wherever Priya was.
I tried not to think about how strange it was to feel this way about someone so quickly. I tried not to think about my family and their disapproval. Instead, I focused on how right everything felt.
Nothing else mattered.
I wanted to be as close to her as I could, burying myself deep inside her and wrapping my wings around her. Priya loved me. The thought was intoxicating, and I tugged on her hand, drawing her close to me.
“Allex?” She sounded surprised but melted when I took her face between my hands and claimed her lips.
“You’re mine,” I whispered with my eyes closed.
“I’m yours.” She was breathing hard. I was too, after our kiss. We needed to get back, and we needed to get naked.
She took my hand and started to run, pulling me behind her and laughing. I grinned as we tore through the empty hallways, feeling as free as I did when I was flying.
I needed this woman.
Priya ducked through the maintenance door, and I followed behind her. As soon as we stood up, we kissed again, our hands roaming everywhere. We clung together, trying to get closer and not succeeding, to our mutual dissatisfaction.
Priya expressed my feelings precisely. “We’re wearing too much clothing.”
I grabbed the hem of her shirt. She lifted her arms, and I pulled it off.
Priya tugged at my top, and I raised my arms so she could remove it. She shook her head. “How can a guy like you want me?” she whispered, dropping her eyes. “I’m a nobody.”
“Priya.” I lifted her chin and forced her to look at me. “You’re somebody to me.” She shrugged one beautiful, smooth-skinned shoulder. I wanted to kiss it, but I knew I needed to reassure her.
She went on. “It’s not just that you’re a prince. Guys who look like you usually don’t even know I exist.”
“They’re a bunch of idiots. We may be two fools together, but nothing has ever felt as right to me as we do.”
She nodded. “I feel the same way.”
“And stop talking nonsense. There’s only one guy like me, and he loves you.” I couldn’t prevent myself from bending over to kiss her shoulder.
I stared into her eyes again. She had her black eyes fixed on me, never wavering and drinking up every word I said.
“I want to fuck you so badly it hurts, Priya.”
“Do it. I’m not stopping you.” She reached behind her to unclasp her bra, and her breasts spilled out. I groaned, taking them into my hands.
“You’re beautiful.” I slowly unfastened her pants. They slipped off and dropped to the floor. I wanted to take a moment and look at her, but she was working at the fastener on my pants, which she couldn’t seem to get undone. She made a frustrated sound, and I took over. “Let me do it.”
We were both naked and kissing, our bodies tight together and our arms around each other. Priya’s small hands roamed over the muscles of my back. I had never been harder or hungrier to fuck. I had never wanted another woman the way I wanted Priya. I reached down and cupped her full buttocks, squeezing and kneading before I broke our kiss. “I love your ass.”
She stopped and looked me in the eye. “That’s hard to believe.” She looked amused.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“No reason. I’m glad it does something for you.” She laughed as she pulled me in to kiss me again.
“Wait. I have to take out my wings.”
“Don’t do it.” She had concern all over her face.
“I have to. We can’t have sex whenever we want to. We have to do it correctly, or our bonding will be incomplete. I wish we could get married first, though.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “We’re not getting married down here, Allex.” I sensed the desperate need in her voice. �
��What if we said vows to each other? We don’t need witnesses today. We can get married with all the ceremony you could ever want when it’s possible. How does that sound?”
I gazed at her. She was perfect for me. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Hold on, love.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” She held me tightly to her.
“I don’t want to. I have to.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “Let me go. I’ll be back soon.”
She pursed her lips and stepped back. I pulled on my underwear again and passed through the door into the cold darkness. Deploying my wings seemed to be less painful than usual. Priya provided a welcome distraction.
I flapped my wings once and thought about the sexy woman waiting for me inside. My erection returned as the pain receded. I tucked my wings tightly against my body as I crawled back into the hideout. I stood up, spread my wings again, and stretched my flying muscles.
“That looks amazing. Are you sure you’re not an angel?” Priya sat on the bed cross-legged with a blanket wrapped around her.
“I’m sure. Come here, Priya.”
“You’re kind of overwhelming, Allex.” She didn’t move. Her black eyes were big and round.
“In a bad way?” I felt worried.
“Nope. In a fucking sexy way.”
“Get over here,” I growled, my voice filled with longing for her. She stood up and walked over to me. “What you see is who I am.”
I stared into her eyes, begging her to accept me the way I was. I was tired of trying to be someone else so other people could be happy.
When she whispered to me, it was like she could read my mind. “You’re perfect. You don’t need to be anything but yourself for me, Allex.”
I kissed her forehead reverently, wishing I could tell her everything I felt. There was too much to explain. I needed to show her.
“Take these off.” She tugged on my underwear until we were both naked again.
I held both of her hands in mine. “I know we haven’t been together very long, but I feel as if I’ve known you forever. I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you. And no matter what life throws at us, I promise to stand by your side. We may stumble, and we may fall, but I promise we will work it out.” Tears shone in her eyes as I went on. “I won’t let anything come between us. I promise to take care of you and our children. Will you take me as your husband?”