by Biance D'Arc
Epilogue
The transport landed light as a feather on one of the outer pads while Rick watched, his stomach churning with anxiety at what his father would have to say to him after all these years. Rick’s heart was in his throat as the ramp lowered. Callie clutched his hand, squeezing once in reassurance before letting go and pushing him forward with a gentle hand on his back.
Rick walked out to meet the man, just now starting down the ramp with Grady Prime right behind him. Zach St. John looked about the same as Rick remembered, maybe a little older, but still fit and…wary.
Rick stepped out of the shadows cast by the big building behind him. He walked hesitantly, reluctant to face his father for the first time in years. They both stopped walking with about ten feet between them.
“Hi, Dad.”
Blue eyes crinkled, then narrowed in suspicion. “Is that you, boy? Dear God. Is it really you?”
Rick wasn’t sure who moved first, but a moment later, his father grabbed him in a bear hug. They pounded each other on the back, expressing without words how great it was to be together again.
How long they stayed that way, Rick wasn’t sure. Eventually they broke apart and Callie was there, at his side, a beacon of warmth to soothe his confused emotions.
“Hello, Mr. St. John. I’m Callie O’Hara.” Rick’s father looked her over with a measuring eye.
“Are you the one responsible for the happy look on my son’s face?”
Callie grinned and took Rick’s arm. “I can’t claim to be fully responsible for that, but I do my best to keep him looking that way.”
“Son, what have you landed in here?” Zach looked around, his eyes lighting on the Alvians, most giving them a respectful amount of privacy.
“That’s a long story, Dad. Damn,” Rick hugged his father’s shoulders, so glad to have him back he couldn’t contain himself. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You’ve grown into a fine man, son.” Zach cupped Rick’s shoulder. “You always did have your mother’s eyes.”
Rick didn’t know how to answer that. “You look the same as ever, Dad. I’ve missed you a lot.”
“Me too, son. Me too.” Zach nodded to the silent warrior a few yards behind them. “That Grady Prime told me I was reassigned here permanently. Is that your doing?” Zach was the same height as his son. They stayed arm in arm as they walked with Callie back toward the building. Davin waited there for them. One more hurdle to get over on this momentous day.
“Dad,” Rick began hesitantly. “This is Davin’s place. Davin’s like no Alvian you’ve ever met, and he’s gone to bat for humans more than once. He’s responsible for all of this. We’re safe here. We have the guarantee of the Alvian High Council on it.”
“I can’t imagine how you managed that.” Zach St. John pulled away as they entered the door that was only large enough for one to pass through at a time.
Davin met them on the other side.
“Dad, this is Davin.” Rick watched with apprehension as his father shook hands with Davin for the first time.
“Hot damn,” Zach said, looking at his son with wide eyes. “You weren’t kidding. Forgive me, Davin, but I have a little empathy. I hope you don’t mind my saying you’re nothing like any Alvian I’ve ever met.”
Callie and Davin both laughed and the mood in the wide hallway lightened considerably. “I’m a very strong empath, Mr. St. John, as is my mother,” Callie said. “Davin’s been friendly with my family for a long time. He’s what the Alvians call a ‘throwback’. He has emotions, just like their people did before their geneticists started monkeying around with their DNA.”
“It is said the warrior lines have more of the ancient aggression left in them than any of the others.” Grady Prime had entered behind them and now joined the conversation.
Zach St. John looked thoughtfully around at all of them. “I was with soldiers mostly, and from time to time I would get echoes of emotion from them, but it wasn’t much. I can honestly say your friend here is the closest thing to human I’ve ever encountered in an Alvian.”
Davin inclined his head. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Grady Prime.” Zach turned to address the soldier. “I thank you for bringing me here. You have no idea how grateful I am to be reunited with my son. I wish it was something you could understand.”
“Sometimes…” Grady Prime’s face held an odd expression that seemed…almost…hopeful, “…I wish I could too.” Silence greeted his statement until Grady Prime backed away. “I will go now. It is an honor to assist you, Chief Engineer. If you have need of me again, please do not hesitate to call on me.” Grady Prime shocked them all by touching Callie’s hair with something like fondness. “Keep this little one safe. She is special to many people.”
Rick and Davin nodded in unison, but it was Davin who spoke. “We’ll take care of her, Grady Prime. Thanks again for all of your help.”
The soldier reversed and left through the door, back toward his waiting ship.
“So what exactly is going on here?” Zach asked in a suspicious tone. “I’m getting strange impressions from all three of you and my boy’s about to bust a gut with worry. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad, Rick.”
Rick shifted on his feet uncomfortably. “Wait ’til you hear it before you say that, Dad. See, it’s like this—”
But Callie spoke over him, cutting him off. “I love your son, Mr. St. John, but I also love Davin. We’re what the Alvians call resonance mates. All three of us. Well,” she amended, “both of them resonate with me. Rick has this crazy idea you’re going to object to the fact that we’re a trio. I know it’s not like it was in the old days, but my parents have a multi-partner marriage that works really well for them. I think Davin, Rick and I can make it work for us too. In fact, I know we can.”
All eyes turned to Zach St. John. “Give me your hand, Callie.”
She reached out to the older man, letting him take her hand between both of his. Rick’s father closed his eyes and tilted his head, as if considering.
“I’m more of a touch empath, like my son,” he said as he released her hand. “I feel your love for them both and the strength of your convictions.”
Callie smiled. “You’re better at this than Rick is.”
“Hey now,” Rick objected, but in a teasing way.
“I sensed both Rick’s and Davin’s feelings the moment we shook hands. I’ll admit, I was a little concerned until I touched you, Callie. You’re the glue that binds this relationship together.” Zach put his hand on Rick’s shoulder. “I know why you think I’d object and I would, under other circumstances, but this seems like the one exception that just might work, son. Personally, as long as you’re all happy, I have nothing to say on the matter. I’m just glad to have you back, Rick. I never thought I’d see you again.”
“Hell, Dad. I always hoped, but I never dared dream. It was Davin who found you and brought you here.”
“Then I owe you an even greater debt of gratitude,” Zach said to Davin.
Davin bowed his head in acknowledgment, but said nothing.
“I knew you’d be as nice as your son, Mr. St. John.” Callie looped her arm through his and started down the hall, leaving it to her men to follow behind.
Rick spared a quick look for Davin. “I can never thank you enough, Davin, for all of this.”
“We’re in this together now, Rick. For better or worse.” Rick thought it prophetic that Davin echoed part of the old marriage promises as he watched Callie saunter down the hall in front of them. “We’ll share the job of keeping her happy for the rest of our days.”
Rick had to smile at that thought. “There are worse things I can think of.” Davin chuckled at the small joke. For an alien, he really wasn’t half bad.
With both of them to protect and love Callie, and now his father back safe and sound, the future looked brighter than it ever had. Callie turned her head to smile at him and his heart knew, whatever came, they’d
face it—all of them—together.
About the Author
A life-long martial arts enthusiast, Bianca enjoys a number of hobbies and interests that keep her busy and entertained, such as playing the guitar, shopping, painting, shopping, skiing, shopping, road trips, and did we say…um…shopping? A bargain hunter through and through, Bianca loves the thrill of the hunt for that excellent price on quality items, though she’s hardly a fashionista. She likes nothing better than curling up by the fire with a good book, or better yet, by the computer, writing a good book.
To learn more about Bianca D’Arc, please visit www.biancadarc.com. Send an email to Bianca at [email protected] or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with Bianca and other readers! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiancaDArc/
Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc
Now Available
Dragon Knights
Maiden Flight
Border Lair
Ladies of the Lair (print)
The Ice Dragon
Prince of Spies
I Dream of Dragons: Wings of Change
Paranormal Tales
Lords of the Were
Caught By Cupid: Forever Valentine
Caught By Cupid (print)
Sweeter Than Wine
Resonance Mates
Hara’s Legacy
Coming Soon
FireDrake
Jaci’s Experiment
I Dream of Dragons I (print)
No matter how many light years you run, the past is never far behind.
Magnetic Attraction
© 2008 Mandy M. Roth
Tired of a life on the run, Kiwi has put down roots on a science vessel. She finds more than she bargained for in the form of cocksure, overachieving, too-sexy-for-his-own-good Dr. Conell Ballou. His arrogance is infuriating—which, strangely, makes her want him more.
Since the tiny spitfire of a mechanic boarded his vessel, Conell hasn’t been able to focus on much of anything except her. Kiwi’s mere presence pulses through every synthetic and humanoid part of his body. And, unknown to both Kiwi and Conell, her past is entwined with his.
But a deranged captain of the Vanos, the alien race from which they’re defending mankind, is still hunting for Kiwi. Against all the odds, Conell and Kiwi have a second chance at happiness—if the enemy doesn’t find them first.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, kick ass, strong-willed heroine, partially rebuilt sexy alpha males with bionics, who are bigger, stronger, faster and a hell of a lot harder to deal with.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Magnetic Attraction:
The bar was darker than many others she’d been in and the second she spotted a long stage, she understood what type of bar it was—a strip club.
“Ballou, you brought me to a…” The question died on her lips as a nearly naked man walked onstage, twirling sticks of fire as he did some sort of ritualistic dance, thumping his body along the way.
Conell waved his hand before her face. “Eyes on me, Kiwi.”
A giggle erupted from her. “Okay, but can you twirl fire while wearing nothing but a loincloth? That’s damn hard to beat.”
Before he could answer, a sexy, part-humanoid female approached, carrying a tray of drinks. She spoke and her voice carried with it a buzz, charging the air. Kiwi had heard of species that could induce sexual desire with nothing more than their voice. She kept a keen eye as the men immediately surrounding them stopped what they were doing and stared at the woman with longing looks. Conell, on the other hand, merely glanced at her, grabbed two of the house drinks from the tray and nodded his thanks.
The pale blue lighting splashed over his squared face. Kiwi reached past the drink he held out to her and straight to his jaw. She touched it lightly, her fingers brushing his lips before jerking to her senses and pulling her hand away.
Conell bent, putting a drink in her hand. The edges of his full lips twitched and Kiwi knew he was fighting a smile. Taking the drink from him, she averted her gaze, hoping he’d avoid mentioning how she’d caressed him for no reason.
She took a large gulp of the drink and stiffened as it burned its way down her throat. She coughed and Conell laughed. “Did you poison me?”
“Hardly,” he said, his face suddenly closer to hers. “But, I should warn you. The drinks they serve here are laced with something that acts as a type of aphrodisiac to the Vanos and several other races. Don’t worry, straight humans aren’t included, but you should keep an eye on me. If I start getting a little too…” he grinned, “…fresh, feel free to use that arm of yours to knock me on my ass.”
Kiwi froze. One of the many secrets she’d spent so long keeping nagged at her. She wasn’t a full human. She was like Conell, half-Vanos, though it was difficult to believe because she lacked almost all the traits used to visually identify one.
“Conell.”
“Yes?” He took a sip of her drink.
She watched as he swallowed, the muscles in his neck moving. Kiwi decided to let fate do what it wanted, at least for tonight. Tomorrow was another day.
Conell headed to the back of the bar and she stayed close on his heels. When he settled into a darkened corner booth, she followed, easing in alongside him. Her gaze went to the fire dancer and she realized he no longer had on a loincloth. He now twirled his sticks of fire while completely naked. His cock was flaccid, yet large and his body looked to be carved from stone.
Her eyes widened. “If he’s not careful, he’ll lose something vital.”
Conell’s deep laugh reverberated through her and she found herself leaning, resting her body against his as she sipped her drink. He didn’t protest but rather drank, watching the show. When a set of female dancers joined the naked male, Kiwi tensed, a spike of jealously flaring through her. She didn’t want Conell looking at naked women. She wanted him looking at her.
At me? I’ve lost my mind.
Conell’s hand brushed over hers and Kiwi gulped, their gazes colliding. She didn’t jerk her hand away. She left it in place, enjoying the feel of his thumb easing back and forth on it.
Another sexy waitress approached with a tray of drinks, taking Conell’s almost-empty one and replacing it with a full. Kiwi stared in awe as he downed the second drink quickly.
“Uh, Ballou, you do realize if you go nuts and try to hump one of the women here, I’m not strong enough to get you under control—droid arm or not. You’re huge.”
With a wag of his brows, he put his face close to hers. “So, what you’re saying is, I’m too much for you to handle?”
She knew what he meant and instead of blushing like she normally would have, she met his gaze head-on. “I’m tougher than I look, Ballou.”
The bizarre music pumping throughout the club reached new heights and Kiwi stared at the stage, unable to believe what she was seeing. The female dancers were on their knees, taking turns licking the male dancer’s long cock as he continued to twirl sticks of fire high in the air. She couldn’t tear her gaze away as they stroked the man, fondling his sac, then his shaft, seeming to live for the act.
Conell touched her chin, forcing her gaze to him. “If I would have known you’d be so interested in him, I wouldn’t have brought you here. I’d have picked a different bar.” His jaw clenched. “Kiwi, you may need to call some of the crew over here soon.”
“Why?”
“Because if I see you looking at that guy on stage again, while I sense how fucking turned on you are, I am going to kill him.”
She grabbed his hand. “Hey, I was just watching the show.”
“How about…” He put his face close to hers and she could smell the drink upon his breath. “You keep those brown eyes on me instead.” His mouth covered hers and everything else faded away. Their tongues laced and Kiwi found herself inching towards him, practically crawling on his lap. This was so wrong but felt so right. She shouldn’t get attached or allow whatever was between them to escalate to t
his level. She needed to have no strings in her life. It made running much easier and kept everyone around her safe. Already she’d formed a friendship with Aeron. Sex with Conell would take complicated to a completely new level.
The thoughts in her head were rational. The movements of her body, of her mouth were anything but. She found herself gripping the back of his neck, returning his kiss with so much passion it shocked her.
He lifted her, setting her on his lap as his hands found their way to her backside. Heat ignited deep within her and a light sheen of sweat broke out over her skin. She attributed it, and her overwhelming desire, to the drink. She swept her tongue over his, moaning.
Conell tugged at the back of her hair, forcing her body to arch into him. Her diamond-like nipples scraped over his chest, the very action caused her pussy to cream. She rocked on his lap, the distended flesh between his legs pushed against her clit, making a beg hover on her lips.
Moans from the dancers onstage mixed with her own and Kiwi sucked on Conell’s tongue. He yanked her shirt free of her pants and slid his hands under it. As his fingers found her nipples, she tensed, remembering they weren’t alone.
“B-Ballou,” she panted. “Anyone could see us.”
Nodding, he continued to kiss at her neck while tweaking her nipples, making her protests fade away. She put her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance as she tipped her head back, enjoying his touch. Cool air hit her breasts and it took Kiwi a second to realize he’d hiked her shirt up. His warm lips enveloped her nipple and pleasure centered in the pit of her stomach, desperate to break free. She writhed on him, grinding her mound to his clothed cock.
He paid equal attention to her other nipple and she dug her fingers into his shoulder. He pulled off and stared at her, his gaze hungry. “Turn around.”
“What?” she asked, confused.
“I said—” he lifted her and faced her the other way as if she were nothing more than a rag doll, “—turn around.”