“If you ever dare to speak of my female in that way again, I will rip out your tongue and feed it to the rodents. Do you understand?”
The man choked, grasping ineffectually at T’gana’s claws, but he managed to nod.
“Good.” He dropped the man who fell to the ground, clutching his throat. He turned to the crowd, watching in shocked silence.
“All females will be treated with respect,” he ordered.
Without waiting for a reply, he went to rejoin his girls.
After breakfast, S’rah left the girls coloring and pulled him aside.
“What happened in the store?”
“I was forced to teach a male some manners.”
“You mean that creepy cashier?” She smiled up at him, her face more relaxed than it had been since their encounter in the garden.
“Yes.”
“Thank you for defending my honor.” She stepped close enough for her breasts to brush against his chest and his body responded immediately.
As he was bending his head to kiss her, her phone rang.
“How much do you want to bet that’s Crystal asking if we can keep the girls all day again?” she laughed as she answered. Her face immediately paled.
“Hello, Mae.”
Even through the phone, the unpleasant screeching voice made him wince.
“How could you?” the female demanded.
“How could I what?” S’rah said calmly, but her fist clenched. He put his hand over it, gently urging her to relax her hand.
“You’re one of them, aren’t you? One of those… breeders!”
“It’s really not any of your business.”
“It is my business! You’re betraying Jeff with that thing!”
“Mae, Jeff would have wanted me to be happy.”
“You don’t deserve to be happy! First you killed my son’s baby and—”
S’rah’s hand turned to ice. Without another word, she very carefully ended the call.
As she hung up the phone, a tidal wave of pain washed over Sarah. Mae had been upset at the miscarriage, but she had never outright accused Sarah of being at fault. Years of stored guilt churned in her stomach.
“S’rah?”
T’gana frowned at her, his horns lowered, but his hand still covered hers. She turned it over, grasping for his warmth and strength. To her vast relief, he did not pull away but enfolded her hand in his. Three long grey fingers with black claws—so alien, but so comforting.
“I suppose you want to know why she said that,” she said. Her lips felt numb.
“I think perhaps you should have some tea with that sugar you like so much.”
He guided her to a stool at the counter, choosing the infrequently used replicator to produce the tea almost immediately. The hot, sweet liquid flowed down her throat and she felt a little steadier.
“It happened when we were in college—” she started.
“One moment, my S’rah.” He went and spoke briefly to the girls, then came back and picked her up.
“What are you doing?”
“I think this will be painful for you and I want to hold you in my arms.” He carried her through into the bedroom but chose to sit with her in the big velvet chair by the window rather than the bed. “I told the girls you were going to take a nap.”
“Thank you.” For a moment she let herself relax into him, the heat of his big body and his comforting woodsy scent soothing her. But he deserved to be told, deserved to know that she probably wouldn’t be able to add to his race’s hope for the future.
She took a deep breath. “Our last year of college, I got pregnant.” His body tensed, but he didn’t speak. “We were planning on getting married after graduation anyway, so we pushed up the date and I dropped out. I was sorry that I wouldn’t be graduating with my class, but I was very happy.”
A lump filled her throat, but she forced the words out. “I lost the baby. The doctor said that sometimes it just happens, but I always wondered if I had done something wrong.”
“I do not believe that you would ever allow harm to come to a child,” he said firmly.
Through her unshed tears, she saw his sincerity and managed a small smile.
“Anyway, it was a long time before I was ready to try again. But by then, Jeff was in residency and working all the time. Then there was setting up his practice and this house and somehow… he never thought it was the right time.” This was the most difficult part and she found herself clutching his uniform. “About six months before he died, he finally decided we should try. But it didn’t work. I never got pregnant. I’m not sure that I can.”
“You were examined by a medic for the breeding contract, were you not?”
“Yes, but there must be something wrong with me. First Jeff and now you.” She shook her head. “Emily became pregnant after one encounter. Did you know that?”
“No, I did not. It is almost impossible to believe, but if Earth females are so receptive…” His face paled. “Perhaps it is not you. Perhaps it is me.”
“Oh, T’gana, I don’t believe that for a second.”
“You do not know,” he said stiffly. “And I was wounded.”
“Your injuries certainly don’t seem to have affected your dick,” she said, and rubbed her butt across his shaft. His body responded immediately, stiffening beneath her, but his face didn’t lighten.
“That does not mean that my seed will bear fruit. I must have it tested.”
He looked so worried that her own heartache subsided.
“I’m sure you’re not the problem, but if it would make you feel better, get the test done. You won’t have to leave me to get it done, will you?”
“No, S’rah. I will not leave you.” Yet. The unspoken word hung in the air between them, but he gently pulled her back against his chest and she snuggled into him, ignoring the future and taking what comfort she could in the present.
Chapter Seventeen
That afternoon when Crystal came to pick up the girls, a friend accompanied her. Both girls were wearing skimpy bathing suits with equally skimpy coverups. Despite Crystal’s casual explanation that they had been at the pool, Sarah suspected that the outfits were quite deliberate and had to fight down a growl of annoyance. T’gana was wearing off on her.
“Ooh, I’ve never seen a Yehrin before,” the new girl cooed, her eyes running over T’gana.
“I told you, didn’t I?” Crystal nudged her friend. “Becca didn’t believe I’d actually met one.”
T’gana looked amused rather than annoyed by being treated as though he was some type of exhibit, but Sarah didn’t like it one little bit.
“I’ll get the girls,” she said shortly.
“Can it wait just a minute? Becca has some questions about those breeding things they were talking about on the news so I thought she should hear it from the uh, horse’s mouth.” Crystal’s eyes dropped to T’gana’s groin and she giggled.
That was quite enough. She opened her mouth to say so in no uncertain terms, but T’gana was already answering.
“You would be best served by going to one of the new breeding centers. But I can attempt to answer your questions.”
Both women burst into speech. Becca’s questions didn’t cover anything that hadn’t already been mentioned in the announcement, while Crystal kept trying to turn the conversation to sex. Sarah was about to bring the discussion to a close, when Becca asked one last question.
“Is it true that you’re already doing this to the women you’ve taken?” Her eyes were focused on T’gana with almost painful intensity, and for a second, she didn’t look like a silly young girl, she looked much older.
“Yes,” T’gana said. “They were offered the choice.”
“Choice?” Her voice cracked and for a moment there was something dark in her eyes. Then her gaze flicked to Sarah and she giggled, all bubbly exuberance once more. “I guess you know all about that, huh?”
“I’ll get the girls,” Sarah said firmly.
Once Jane and Tabitha left—reluctantly—Sarah followed T’gana into the kitchen. She took her favorite seat at the kitchen counter and watched as he began assembling ingredients for dinner. He had taken the role of chef quite seriously and already far surpassed her very limited cooking skills. She rarely saw him as relaxed as when he was carefully preparing and assembling a meal.
When he brought the ingredients for a salad over to the island, a sudden impish idea hit her as she watched him wash a large cucumber.
“My, what a big cucumber you have,” she said innocently.
“It is no bigger than any other.” He frowned at the vegetable.
Reaching for it, she started stroking it seductively. “No? It feels so… big. And smooth. And hard.”
“Ah, I see.” His eyes began to glow as he watched her caress the cucumber, then he shrugged casually. “I am not impressed.”
“No?” A little embarrassed, but enjoying the game, she brought the cucumber to her mouth and ran her tongue around the tip. “It seems quite large to me.”
“Perhaps you need something to compare it to.”
He circled the island, then picked her up and placed her on the cool marble top. The warmth of his body felt even hotter in comparison and she was suddenly aware of the aching pulse between her legs. He leaned closer, deliberately pressing his hard cock against her swollen clit.
“You know, S’rah, that I believe in studying subjects in which I am interested in great detail.”
She certainly did. He had devoured her small collection of cookbooks, her much larger selection of gardening books, and was now working his way through the rest of her library. But what did that have to do with the game they were playing?
“I found some interesting reading in the cabinet next to the fireplace.”
Oh. Her cheeks heated. That was where she kept her romance novels. Jeff thought they were silly, and she had gotten into the habit of keeping them out of sight.
“Very interesting,” he repeated, and gently pushed her down until she was lying across the marble. Her shorts and panties disappeared in one quick move and she squealed as the cold marble met her naked bottom. Before she could protest, his head descended and he licked her in one long slow stroke, letting the rough surface of his tongue fire her senses.
“Mm.” She reached for his horns, tightening her fingers around the base the way she knew he enjoyed. He growled, the low rumble sending an exquisite vibration through her sensitive flesh, before attacking her clit, licking, sucking, even nibbling until all she could do was hang on. One long, thick finger forced its way into her tight channel, and she tried to clench down on it, but then it was gone. Two fingers followed, stretching her and sending a new wave of wetness over the thick digits. She cried out when he withdrew them, but then she felt something cool and smooth and hard probing at her entrance. Before she could decide if she wanted to protest, he was driving the cucumber slowly but inexorably into her pussy. He was right, compared to his cock, it wasn’t large, but it was big enough to make her feel the stretch and she squirmed at the shocking sensation. Then he sucked harder on her clit and the shock disappeared in a blaze of pleasure.
Without abating his relentless attention to her swollen nub, he began fucking her with the cucumber, the cool, thick stretch building her excitement until he gently scraped his teeth across the top of her exposed clit and she exploded into a shuddering climax, her body clenching down on the invading object. And then the cucumber was gone, replaced by his cock—larger, rougher, and infinitely more satisfying as he drove it deep.
“Touch yourself,” he ordered, and she obeyed, even though her body was still quivering from her last climax. He had her hips in his hands, holding her steady as he set a demanding pace. She could feel his cock, hard and slick against her fingertips as she rubbed frantically at her clit. Her body started climbing again and her other hand went to her breasts, tugging and pinching her nipples to the point of pain, but each pinch added another layer of excitement. T’gana’s eyes glowed gold as he focused on her busy fingers, his rapid strokes forcing her to take him deeper, harder, while her clit pulsed and her nipples throbbed, while he grew even larger, while he buried himself to the root with a roar and his seed exploded in a heated wave that sent her soaring with him.
He collapsed down over her, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on to him for as long as she could.
T’gana admired S’rah’s beauty as he reluctantly withdrew from her body. She lay sprawled across the black marble, her body glowing like one of the pagan goddesses worshipped by his distant ancestors. She smiled up at him, her eyes heavy, and for the first time since the previous day, she looked relaxed. He picked her up, relishing her soft warmth, and carried her into the bedroom.
“What are you doing?”
“The meal will not be ready for another hour. You should rest.”
“I’m not sleepy—” A giant yawn interrupted her protest, and she grinned. “Ok, maybe I am a little tired.”
He laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket.
“Aren’t you going to join me?”
“I suspect that if I did, you would not get much rest.”
“But—” She bit her lip, and he suspected that she was as conscious as he was of the passage of time.
“I will make sure that the meal is in readiness and I will return,” he promised. He had another matter to take care of as well, but he did not wish to worry her.
“Don’t be long,” she said, and snuggled down into the pillows. He was almost unbearably tempted to join her, but he needed to get his business completed first. By the sound of her breathing, she was asleep before he even left the room.
After ensuring that the meal was prepared, he moved out onto the porch to contact A’rathia again.
“T’gana. Is everything all right?”
“I wish to be tested,” he said.
“Tested? For what?”
“To see if my seed is viable,” he said bluntly.
“Why would you think that it is not? Ah. Because of S’rah?”
He hesitated, but if anyone knew the truth it would be A’rathia. “She thinks that human females are extremely receptive to Yehrin males.”
A’rathia frowned, tapping her fingers on her desk. “She would appear to be correct; however, it is not a guarantee. Thirty-two percent of the females have not become with child. Given the high rates of success for the majority of them, we suspect that there may be other factors at work.”
His hearts sank. “Which means it could be my fault that S’rah is not with child?”
“I find that highly unlikely, but if you are willing to be tested, the data could be useful.”
“Very well. Do we need to return to the ship?” he asked reluctantly.
“Yes, but you do not need to stay. A few hours should be sufficient time.”
He breathed a silent sigh of relief. “We will come first thing tomorrow.” Then he reconsidered. That would interrupt S’rah’s time with the girls, and his time with them as well. “Or perhaps tonight?”
“You are anxious?”
“I wish to know if there is an issue. And perhaps set S’rah’s mind at ease.”
“Very well.” She shook her head. “I am not busy. My mate is monitoring the reaction to the announcement.”
A’rathia’s mate, Supreme Commander T’rarchar, was in charge of the entire Earth campaign.
“Is there trouble?” Not that he would be able to assist in his damaged condition. But then, even if he had been at full strength, he would not have left his S’rah.
“There is unrest, but that is to be expected. He is watching to see if it escalates.” She shrugged. “But I do not expect him to return any time soon so you may as well return now.”
“Return where?” S’rah’s sleepy voice interrupted.
He turned to see that she had joined him on the porch. Her rumpled hair and heavy eyes made her look unusually vulnerable and he opened
his arms to her. She came and leant against him, snuggling sleepily as she peered at the screen.
“Hi, A’rathia.”
“Hello, S’rah.” An amused smile quirked A’rathia’s lips as she studied S’rah’s face. “You look very… relaxed.”
S’rah flushed but smiled back. “T’gana is very creative.”
He could feel the skin over his cheekbones heating as A’rathia raised an eyebrow. “We will see you shortly,” he said quickly, and ended the call.
“See her? Why?”
“We are going back to the ship so that I can be tested.” Her color faded and he added quickly, “Just for a short period and then we can return here.”
“Are you sure you want to do this? I’m quite sure it’s because of me.” Despite the sadness in her eyes, she smiled up at him. “And I have begun to accept it.”
“I have not. I wish to ensure that there is nothing wrong.”
“If you insist.” She tugged his head down and gave him a quick kiss. He was tempted to deepen it, but he did not want to keep A’rathia waiting.
“Do you wish to change?”
“You don’t think cut-offs and a tank are appropriate on the Yehrin ship?” She did a little twirl.
“You look much too enticing, my S’rah. I do not wish to fight the entire ship over you.”
“Don’t be silly. There will be much younger and more attractive women for them to choose from soon.” Despite her protests she looked pleased at his words.
“Younger perhaps, but never more attractive.” He turned her around and gave her a gentle push towards the bedroom. “Now go.”
Chapter Eighteen
Suitably covered in a wide-legged jumpsuit with a cropped cardigan, Sarah waited while T’gana set up some type of perimeter alarm and then uncloaked the ship. The sight of the alien vessel springing into view on her lawn still made her jump, even though she knew it was there. As they prepared to board, she heard a squeal of brakes and turned to see Darryl gaping at them from his car. She gave him a jaunty wave and laughed as she stepped into the ship.
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