ALIEN SHIFTER ROMANCE: Alien Tigers - The Complete Series (Alien Invasion Abduction Shapeshifter Romance) (Paranormal Science Fiction Fantasy Anthologies & Short reads)

by Tanya Jolie

  “You’re Prince Odin of Cartonia,” she whispered hotly as she massaged his muscular stomach. “Change the laws, and let everybody enjoy what we do.”

  Sweeping her into his arms, Odin left the room, but she couldn’t wait until they reached the bedroom and demanded that he put her down. His expression took on a note of disappointment mixed with confusion as he did her bidding.

  Chapter 8

  “Don’t look so sad,” Melanie said with a grin as she finished unzipping his jumpsuit. “We’re going to do it right here, right now. I just didn’t want to do it in a roomful of nearly dead women.

  Sliding her hands over his shoulders, she caressed his biceps as she slipped the silky, silver material down his arms. There was no hair on his body, which Melanie found very sexy, much to her surprise. Her hands wandered down his forearms as the jumpsuit fell off his arms. It hung up on his hips, blocking her view of his manhood.

  Her hands continued moving, across his barrel chest and down his sides. He shivered beneath her touch. Now, she knew she was doing something that he liked.

  Without a word, she kissed his chest and licked each nipple one time before sinking toward the floor. Her tongue slithered down his luscious body. He tasted so sweet! Her hands taunted his hips as she removed her obstruction. Finally, his excitement danced before her.

  She kissed her way lower still, until her chin touched his organ. It was like a penis, yet it wasn’t. She wondered if he would react the same way if she did what so many Earth men liked.

  Her lips touched the tip, and he gasped. She slid her tongue over the curiously twisted shaft. No wonder he’d felt so good in her their first time. His manhood, if that’s what she could call it, was made to fill every inch of her with little effort. She licked him a second time, and he gasped as she took the very end into her mouth.

  His fingers slid into her hair, and as they did, she caught a glimpse of her tresses. No longer did they have a mousy brown color; they now looked ash blonde. Her hair color was changing as they neared his planet! What else was changing?

  But as he gently pulled her to her feet, not releasing her head, the thought drained from her mind. Her thoughts centered on the kiss he planted on her lips, on his hard body against hers, on her own reactions to his embrace. She continued to caress his maleness while they kissed, but it was difficult.

  He broke their kiss only long enough to whisper, “I must sit. You make me weak.” Then he picked her up by her buttocks, and she threw her legs around him as his lips caught hers again.

  Odin backed into a nearby room when the doors opened and sat down on a metal chair. It appeared to be similar to the chairs she’d seen in old jail movies.

  Melanie unwrapped her legs from around him, and he set her on his lap, impaling her with his organ.

  “Oh, my God,” she moaned. “No man has ever felt so good.”

  Kissing him again, she let her tongue dive into his mouth with fervor. This man—or whatever he was—did more to satisfy her and make her happy than anybody she’d dated. Everything about this being was everything she wanted in a lover.

  As she straddled him, he gently bounced her on his lap, bringing her closer and closer to fulfillment. Melanie’s thoughts melded to something. They were kissing, yet he was telling her that she was indeed his mate, that he could live with her forever, that he never wanted to lose her or take her back to Earth. And she told him that she no longer wanted to return.

  The thoughts disappeared the instant her body reached the throes of completed desire, and she convulsed around his organ, which thrust deeply into her body one last time.

  “Good Lord,” she panted, still sitting astride him with his manhood in her. “How do you do that?”

  “You make me do it,” he answered, also struggling for breath. “You show me in your mind what you want, and I do it.”

  “Whatever,” she said as she laid her head on his shoulder. “I don’t think I can ever leave you now.”

  “We should go to the bedroom. I have something I must show you, something that will prove to you that you are actually living this.”

  Chapter 9

  As she sat cross-legged on the bed, Melanie stared at the three Rochester newspapers spread out before her. One was dated a week ago, another three days ago, and one the day before. How was that possible? They had only left Earth a few hours ago.

  “Where did you get these?”

  “I understand your confusion, my sweet,” he said.

  She glanced up at him, shocked by his endearment, and noticed that his hair was no longer blond, but silver. It was also longer, down to his shoulders.

  “Our journey started eight days ago,” he added, “You have a different concept of time than we do on Cartonia. You will get used to it.”

  The headline of the first newspaper announced Jared’s death, so she read the article beneath it. He had hung himself and had been dead since Wednesday. He had not been discovered until Saturday. That meant that Odin was the man who left the message on her answering machine at work. He had already taken over Jared’s body.

  She opened another paper and saw a photograph of a suit of armor that had been stolen from a museum in Minneapolis. It was the same armor that her knight had been wearing when he rescued her.

  “You stole the armor?” she asked, stunned. “What about the horse? Did you steal it, too?”

  “No. I sent the horse back to its owner. You will not find any mention of that. The armor was also returned. There is one more article you must read.” He tapped the third newspaper. “Page fifteen.”

  Melanie read the article in disbelief. She had been reported missing after she didn’t report to work on Monday and nobody had heard from her. During an investigation, police had found her car in a ditch with a blown-out tire that they believed had been shot out. Two eye witnesses to the accident said that a large man on a white horse carried her off. It said nothing about a knight in shining armor. Then again, nobody would have believed the witnesses, anyway.

  “We must prepare to land now. Are you certain you do not want another body?”

  “I’m positive. I want all my memories of my time with you.”

  Again dressed in their jumpsuits, they returned to the bridge where Odin worked with the buttons, switches, and knobs again. Melanie stood at the windshield. Then she noticed it. Her once brown hair was now the color of Odin’s, and it was much longer than it had been when they left Earth.

  She stared at her hands. Her skin had taken on a slightly lighter shade of bronze than his. She was changing right before her own eyes.

  “Come and sit,” he said from behind her. “We will relax while we land.”

  Joining him in the chairs they’d sat in when they left Earth, Melanie asked, “Should I buckle up again?”

  “There is no need. We will land gently.”

  She watched in silence as they approached the planet Cartonia. It reminded her of pictures of the bright side of the moon, except here the colors were vivid. The land displayed every color of the rainbow. The dunes and craters shone like a sunset in the distance.

  “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Is there water on Cartonia?”

  “Much water. You will meet my people soon, so I need to tell you something. I need to tell you that I read your mind, and I understand now what love is. I believe I love you.”

  “Oh, Odin,” she said happily, “I love you, too. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found you.”

  “I found you, if you will recall, but I am also fortunate. May I introduce you to my people as my princess?”

  “I’d like nothing more,” she agreed. “And I can’t wait until I can give you an heir.”

  “You are already going to have an heir. Your changing features are the indication that you are with child, and that you are my mate. Now you are truly a Cartonian.”

  ***

  Melanie stood on the balcony of the golden palace. Literally golden, she mused, and it was filled with gold, silver, and
bronze furniture. There was very little wood anywhere, but that was because there were very few trees on the land. The metals, however, were abundant according to Odin.

  He had just introduced her to his subjects, all of whom looked like him in various colors. From what he said, the colors indicated the familial genes. As a royal, he was bronze, which was why she was also bronze.

  Smiling, she hugged Odin with one arm. She loved him, and he loved her, and she had no desire to return to Earth when the blue-green ocean of Cartonia lay at her feet just outside the palace. The color would remind her of the lake in Minnesota, and she would never be homesick.

  THE END

  Desired by the Alien Rogue

  A Scifi Alien Abduction Romance

  Prologue

  With her back against the golden palace wall, Melanie stood by the doorway and listened to the two men converse.

  “He is an unfit ruler,” one man said.

  “We must find a way to replace him,” the second man replied. “We must remove him from the throne.”

  “But we must have a plan first. It will not succeed if we go on instinct or go in with nothing to back up what we do. We must do this in a peaceful a way as possible.”

  “And if he objects? What if his mate stops us? Since she never took a Cartonian body, she remembers her life on Earth. She also interferes much more than a Cartonian female would. She advises him when he asks, and he always listens to her.”

  “Yes. Cartonian women know to stay out of the politics of the land. This Earthling does nothing but meddle. Because she is not from Cartonia, she has no business giving advice to our prince.”

  “If we cannot do it peacefully,” the second man said, “we will rebel. We will go to war against the prince. But before that, we need to prepare a replacement to the throne, someone who can rule with a firm hand, not with softness as Prince Odin rules.”

  Melanie pushed away from the wall and made her way down the hallway. Thank goodness, no one wore shoes here on Cartonia. She could escape to find her husband and tell him that there were at least two men plotting to take over the throne.

  It still amazed her that she heard the words of the Cartonians in English, but now she was glad that she did. All that mattered was that she help her husband save the throne. But should she tell him now or wait until the first sign of trouble?

  Chapter 1

  Lynne Randle sat at the bar, alone with her thoughts. A tear slipped down her cheek as she sipped the margarita before her. Her life was nearly in shambles. Two months ago, she’d lost her job due to cutbacks. If it weren’t for unemployment checks that didn’t even cover her expenses and a small savings, she would be on the street. She had only three days left before rent was due, and she didn’t have enough money. In just days, she really would be on the street, living in her car—until that was repossessed for non-payment of the loan.

  To make matters worse, Roger had walked out on her two days ago, breaking her heart, as well as leaving her with the entire lease to pay. Come to think of it, the last thing she needed right now was to be wasting money on a drink to ease her broken soul.

  “Are you okay?” the male bartender asked.

  “I suppose I will be,” she replied as she stared at her drink.

  “I don’t know, ma’am. You look like you could use a friend.”

  “I have one, but she’s on vacation right now.”

  “It’s pretty slow in here tonight,” he said. “I’d be happy to listen if you need somebody to talk to.”

  “What I need is a job. Unless you have one, I don’t think talking will do much good.”

  “Actually, I believe the boss is taking applications this week.”

  She shot her startled gaze to his face—and what a nice face it was, kind of a cross between Tom Selleck and Pierce Brosnan. His eyes were a deep brown, and his hair was salt-and-pepper gray, with more gray at the temples. Deep dimples adorned his cheeks when he smiled.

  “Really?” she asked, unable to believe her minor complaint had gotten a result.

  “Really. Let me see if he’ll talk to you.”

  The bartender disappeared into a nearby office and returned a few minutes later with an older gentleman following him.

  By the time Lynne left the bar, she had a job waiting tables and counting cash at the end of her shift. The latter had surprised her, but she had worked in a bank, so that was probably why the owner had thought she would be good for that job. This was good because that meant a little more in her paycheck every week.

  Still, Lynne couldn’t get rid of her food stamps just yet. The job would only pay her rent and car payments for the moment, but there was a chance of a promotion and pay raise if she survived the probation period. Besides, it would be nice working with Ryan, the Tom-Pierce lookalike, because he was a kind, caring man to everyone.

  Finishing her drink in a better mood, Lynne left Ryan a nice tip as a way to thank him for his help, but he pushed the three dollar bills back to her, saying, “You need these more than I do. Besides, we’re working together now. I can’t take money away from a co-worker.”

  “Not until I fill out the paperwork tomorrow morning,” she reminded him. “But thanks. This could buy me a Big Mac for dinner.”

  Chapter 2

  When Lynne arrived for work the next day, she filled out the necessary paperwork for taxes and insurance. While she did, she chatted with the owner, Steve, and discovered that he hadn’t even been considering putting an ad in the classifieds for a position at the Rattler Bar and Grill. Actually, he didn’t even need another employee; but when Ryan approached him about it, he couldn’t say no. Steve had laughed and said that it was almost as though Ryan had cast a spell on him.

  What a strange thing to admit, Lynne thought as she wandered to the bar to learn her duties. Steve was the owner, for Pete’s sake. He had full control over whom and when he hired. Yet Ryan had convinced him to hire her. Oh, well, at least she had a job; that was all she cared about.

  Lynne loved her job, despite the menial nature of it. Most of the customers were friendly, and she got very good tips, which helped with her finances.

  Of all the things she liked about her job, Ryan was the best part. Getting to work with him was a joy. His humor was a bit dry, but she liked that. She’d learned that he was single, and he flirted with her a lot over the first month.

  By the end of the second month, they were dating. Her former relationship was now in the past, and this man was her present. Would he be her future? That remained to be seen.

  One thing that bothered her was that Ryan had never even suggested that they go to bed together. Oh, they’d slept together on the couch, but nothing had happened—not that she hadn’t wanted it to. She decided that he must be a staunch Christian, because he never worked on Sundays. Then again, why would a Christian work at a bar in the first place? That was easy to answer; he probably couldn’t get another job, either.

  “Good morning,” Ryan said from behind her.

  Startled, Lynne jumped slightly and slapped her hand over her heart. “Good Lord, Ryan. You shouldn’t be sneaking up on people like that.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “I know that, silly.” Turning, she smiled up at him. Almost immediately, her lips slipped into a deep frown. She couldn’t quite figure out why yet, but he seemed different somehow. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m kind of sick to my stomach, and I’ve been having cold sweats.”

  “Then go home.”

  “Nah, I’ll be fine. I’m just tired and can’t sleep. I think I’m coming down with the flu or something. I can make it through my shift, no sweat. No pun intended.”

  “Nobody else wants your illness, so go home,” she insisted firmly. “Steve can call Jill or Rob in to tend bar. One of them can take your shift. You go, and I’ll tell him we need somebody else in here.” She turned him by his shoulders and gave him a slight push toward the door. “Now go. I’ll bring you some chicken
soup when I get off work.”

  Slumping a bit, Ryan shuffled toward the door. “I think I’ll take you up on that, sweetie. Maybe I can make up for some of the sleep I’ve lost over the last couple of nights.” He wiped his forehead on the long sleeve on his shirt as he pushed open the door. “Call me before you come over. I might not feel like soup.”

  “All right. I hope you can rest.”

  Ryan left the building without a word, and on the way by the window, he rubbed his chest. Concerned, Lynne raced to the office to tell Steve that they needed another bartender for the day. Then she asked to use the computer.

  There she googled the phrase heart attack symptoms in men. According to WebMD, cold sweats, nausea and the feeling that one was getting the flu were signs of a heart attack. So was tightness or pain in the chest, and Ryan had been rubbing his chest, which could indicate one of those.

  “Steve,” she said as she turned toward him in her chair, “I’m worried about Ryan. I’m afraid he’s having a heart attack.”

  Joining her at the computer, Steve leaned closer to see what she was reading then released a chuckle. “WebMD, huh? You and my wife. I told her she was banned from using that website because every time she did, she was sure she had some disease.”

  “No, I looked up the symptoms of a heart attack in men and Ryan is exhibiting several of them.”

  “Don’t be silly,” he replied in an aggravated tone. “Ryan is healthy as a horse and only 33 years old. It’s probably just the flu like you said.”

  “Wouldn’t it be better to err on the side of caution? I could just call 911 and send them to his house.”

  “He won’t be home for at least fifteen minutes. What are you going to tell them? To find his car? To wait at the door until he shows up? You’ve got to let it go. Besides, we’ll be opening soon. I’m going to need you when the lunch crowd shows up.”