by Ivy McAdams
“Are you alright, my moon?”
When I look up at him, his blue eyes shine down at me. His pupils are wide and his energy pulses as his anger subsides and a new calm moves through him. It touches me, enveloping me in a warmth that settles my senses and I lean into him.
“I’m fine now.”
My eyes cut over to what’s left of the burning biodome back in the center of the base, and I’m relieved that the warmth inside me stays. There’s no panic or feeling of loss that creeps up inside me. Even though there’s no way my human body survived that explosion.
I have a brand new bundle of life inside this body, and a warrior that will stop at nothing to protect us. Nothing in my old life can hold a flame to that.
I don’t need that body any longer.
He takes my chin in his fingers and turns my face up to him. His gaze moves to the destroyed biodome, then his eyes soften as they return to me.
“Are you sure?”
There’s a tinge of disappointment in his energy. It prickles at the edge of my soul like ice. But I push past it with my warm contentment, reaching out for him with my own strong aura.
“I’m very sure.”
His hand dips to my abdomen, his palm spreading wide over my belly, and it feels so damn good. I put my hands over his, pressing him against me. Against our child.
The corner of his mouth lifts and I smile back as he lowers his head to kiss me.
Nearly as quickly as his lips touch mine, they disappear again. He lowers to the ground, and I look after him with a tilted head.
"I'm glad you're sure," he says as he picks up two of the pale stones beneath us.
He balances one over his muscled thigh and strikes the rocks together. One cracks apart, revealing a semi-hollow center full of brilliant blue and pink crystals inside.
I’m floored, staring in disbelief. Our base had been sitting on such lovely gems the whole time?
He holds up a single half of stone, dropping the others back to the ground. The light catches the beautiful facets and bounces colored light between us. The geode is perfect, and I realize how like me it is. Not exactly what I expected on the outside, but beautiful and happy on the inside.
Xjhun’s bright purple eyes dance as he speaks. “That means I can keep you forever. Right where you belong.”
He takes my hand in his, holding up the sparkling stone in his other.
“I promise to protect you and our child,” he continues. “Until the day the gods take me, I’m yours.”
A knot of emotion twists in my throat. I feel as light as air. Like I could just float into the heavens and be lost to the bliss forever.
My fingers squeeze his as I smile. “You don’t have to get down there, you know. You’ve already won me over.”
There’s a twitch of victory in his mouth, but he still frowns. “What do you mean? Is this not the way the humans do it? Down on the ground with one of your shiny rocks?”
My heart warms. I reach for him and his sweet shoulder, flexing my fingers into his muscle. "You got it just right. But I'm already yours." I take a deep breath as my thumb brushes over his cheek. "I love you."
His smile stretches and he drops the rock, sweeping me into his arms to kiss me again.
“I love you like the stars love the moon,” he whispers against my mouth.
My feet leave the ground as he dives right into me, hot mouth on mine, his high energy and delicious scent washing over me.
I feel so alive right now. It’s consuming.
I survived a pair of dangerous animals. Because of this wonderful man. Whose lips are like an addicting fire on mine. I could kiss them forever.
His arms go around me and I slide my hands up his back, pulling him so close I can feel every contour. Every muscle.
All mine.
He dips his hands along my hips and moves around to palm my ass, pulling me up against him, and I’m breathless. His mouth is hungry on mine and I’m ready for more.
Except for the party crashers.
Xjhun pauses, his lips close to mine, and his ears move and tilt away. Something’s crunching through the rocks behind us.
We stand apart just enough to turn and observe.
Three levadon approach around the outskirts of the base. Kovak and Drek sit tall at attention, eyes trained on Xjhun. Desian follows on their flank. His nostrils flare and head lifts higher as he nears his warrior.
“Looks like we’ve been tracked,” Xjhun mutters as the others approach.
And what shitty timing they have as well. I was thoroughly enjoying myself. With my warrior. The idea still tickles my insides, and I love it.
Kovak lifts a hand in greeting as they near and Xjhun does the same.
“Warrior, you live,” the captain says as they come to a stop. The Kutarians dismount and walk up to us. “We feared for your safety when Trinity declared you missing.”
“My apologies. I was on the hunt,” Xjhun says.
“As were we. Stumbled upon a lone stagni that thankfully moved on when it saw us coming.” Kovak’s eyes roam the ghont’s body nearby, a lofty tilt of his eyebrow. “You went on your uza hunt without informing us?”
"I went on the hunt for food. It seems my new mate went on a hunt for ghonts."
The heated flutter that spreads through me at his words is enough to spur my heart through some jumping jacks. My body tingles and my chest swells, loved and proud to be declared by my new title.
The other Kutarians look down at me with lifted brows.
“Your mate sounds as if she’s as strong in spirit as you, Xjhun,” Kovak says with a smile creeping onto his lips. Then he turns back to my warrior. “We watched you from across the field. Two ghonts bested by your hand. I do wish you’d started your hunt properly―I may have to convince the Chief that you performed the challenge under the correct conditions―but I am proud of what you’ve accomplished. A true warrior knows when to run and when to face death to protect those he loves.”
Xjhun looks down at me with a proud puff of his chest, and I smile at him, linking his fingers in mine and giving them a squeeze.
"Congratulations," Kovak says, resting a hand on Xjhun's shoulder. "On becoming a High Warrior in your Kutarian tribe. And for acquiring a mate. May she bear you children as strong and loyal as their father."
Xjhun pulls me closer, one of his hands dipping down to cover my abdomen as he nods to Kovak with a smile. “Thank you, Captain.”
The warrior nods and steps back, allowing Drek to take his place. He, too, places a hand on Xjhun’s shoulder.
“I am proud to call you brother.”
Xjhun puts a hand on Drek’s shoulder in turn and the two give each other a solid nod.
Kovak is already back in his saddle when we look up.
“Let’s move this party back to the village where it is safe, and a new feast awaits us.”
Xjhun tilts his head. “Feast?”
“Of course. Many other of the human women are awake now. Four new Kutarian females. We must celebrate. Not to mention a new mating ceremony for our High Warrior Xjhun.”
The captain smiles and I can feel the warm, proud energy spilling out of my warrior. He squeezes my hand and looks down at me again, that beautiful cocky smile on his face.
“Are you ready to go home?” he whispers.
I almost can’t contain the excited energy within me, happiness swelling as big as a dinosaur inside my heart. Around my baby. All along my skin.
“Wherever you go, I will follow,” I say as I lean into him.
His arm encircles me as he leads me to Desian to make our journey back to the village. “You may think you follow me, but you are still my moon, and without the pull of your heart, everything in my life would fall out of alignment.”
He kisses my forehead before helping me up into the saddle. I gaze down at him with a surge of contentment. The grin he flashes at me is enough to melt me into a puddle.
I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life
with this amazing man.
He’s so beautiful.
I mean, fierce.
Epilogue
Trinity
It’s hard to bite back a moan as my fangs dig into my lower lip. My body contours against the side of a valley stone, compressed between its rigid surface and Xjhun’s hard muscles. He presses me in further as he rocks his hips into me. I rest my head back against the stone as his waves of passionate energy washes over me.
Pinned against the rock with my legs draped over his hips, I can think of no place I’d rather be. Every delicious inch of Xjhun’s cock thrusts into me. Those ridges hit the sensitive spot deep inside that nearly has me screaming. He growls into my neck, his lips and teeth trailing over my skin.
“Tell me again, my moon,” he rumbles, fingers flexing deep into my thigh muscles.
We’re moving fast now. I arch my back, trying not to hit my head on the rock as I grind my hips into him. It’s difficult to be quiet with the others a stone’s throw across the valley, but there was no way we could make it all the way back to the village. Not sitting in front of my warrior on the levadon, his hungry cock brushing against my back the entire ride.
After finding the one being in the universe that wakes me up and makes me feel alive, I can’t help but want to be touching him every moment.
Our first stop for water couldn’t come fast enough.
“Those ridges are amazing,” I breathe. “I love feeling you inside me.”
The growl against my neck moves into a moan that has my skin tingling.
He clamps my thighs tighter, pressing my hips into his as he thrusts harder.
I don’t think he could fill me any more perfectly. I moan as my body tightens around him.
Voices in the distance are getting too close, but I’m too hot and wound up to care.
Almost there.
Xjhun's teeth puncture my shoulder. I don't have scales like him and fangs poke in, drawing a little blood, but holy hell, it still feels good. Helps drive me further into heated oblivion.
His tongue slides up alongside my neck and he growls, “You feel better than I ever thought the gods would allow. I could spend all day between your legs.”
His intoxicating energy pulses through me and my vision blurs. I dig my fingers into his thick black mane, arching my hips and begging for more of him.
When that amazing cock hardens even tighter within me, I lower my head to cry out against his shoulder. My body catches fire as it explodes around him, pulling at him as he groans his release. He slams within me one last time, burying himself deep as his muscles tremble.
It’s the most glorious feeling, him quaking against me as I come off my own peak of euphoria. I could die happy right here.
His body relaxes and he wraps his arms under my ass to support me, leaning down to rest his forehead against mine.
“You are the stars and heaven, my moon,” he whispers.
“You are the reason I still breathe.”
His eyes flutter open and I gaze back at him, lifting a hand to caress down his cheek. That boyish smile I love so much spreads over his face.
A call from the valley has his gaze moving over the top of the rock. Someone must be approaching because his eyes narrow slightly and he lifts me off his body to lower me to the ground. My warm core feels hollow without him inside, but we’ll find a quiet spot again later. The entire planet is ours now. The very thought of being able to pull him behind a tree as I wish has my nerves tingling all over again.
“Impatient, aren’t they?” he grumbles, giving me a lopsided grin as he helps me adjust my skirt.
“Maybe they’re just jealous,” I say with a smile.
His grin deepens and he quirks a brow as he tucks himself back into his loincloth. “Maybe so. I’m sure Kovak looks forward to getting home to his mate. Drek, well, I’m surprised he’s out here instead of back at the village with all the new females awake.”
Once we’re both presentable again, I slide my hand into his and we emerge from our hiding space to rejoin the others.
“He’s just loyal,” I whisper.
Xjhun looks ahead to where Drek sits on his levadon. “That is true. But it didn’t stop me.”
I squeeze his fingers and give him a playful snort. “Should I worry about your loyalty then?”
The look he gives me only teeters with mirth. Underneath is dire seriousness. “You’ll never need to question my loyalty.”
The best feeling in the world is knowing I completely believe him.
* * *
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Book Three in the Kutarian Warrior series is Eva’s story. The woman that didn’t complete her swap… Check out Craved by an Alien Savage or read ahead for its blurb!
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Craved by an Alien Savage.
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Craved by an Alien Savage
Chapter 1
Eva
There’s a big out-of-this-world party happening on this planet, and I think I was invited by accident.
I’ve never felt so small and out of place as I do now, surrounded by huge silver-skinned alien women with long black hair and pointed ears.
Oh, let’s not forget the calf-length tails. They’re slim and have an agile, prehensile look to them. They twitch sometimes when the ladies speak but they don’t look strong enough to hold a cup of coffee or anything useful.
That is a rather strange additional appendage. I’ve been trying not to stare, but it’s impossible.
What’s blowing my mind even more?
These women use to be human.
“Just wait until you see the waterfall,” one of the aliens with purple eyes says, her face bright and beaming.
She looks at me multiple times, waiting for me to smile back, but I’m not a mirror. I’m a human being.
The last one alive on Xion V.
Of course, it’s not weird that she keeps looking at me. She is my best friend. Or, she used to be.
When Gemma introduced herself after I woke up, I think my heart dropped out my ass. It at least stopped for a good three or four beats.
It’s only been about six hours since I woke up from my wacko alien coma, but nearly all the women I was abducted with have come trickling back into the big leather tent where I’ve been hiding.
Or at least they claim to be my fellow human scientists. They sure look like aliens to me.
Honest to God silver-skinned giants from another world.
Don’t that just beat all?
“The waterfall is pretty, but the rock caves beyond that are to die for.” The tall female across the circle smiles and her eyes roll in delight.
I remember Trinity from the training, and, of course, the two-month-long journey from Earth to Xion V. That huge space shuttle felt mighty cozy, whether we liked it or not. She wasn’t nearly as friendly on the ride over as she seems now. She glows just like Gemma.
“So really,” I murmur, looking between the two that have spoken up. “What the hell are you doing decked out in those gray skins?”
Trinity and Gemma exchange a knowing glance.
It's a little creepy. Whatever kool-aid they're passing around, it might be dangerous.
“Starting a new life,” Trinity says simply.
My lips pinch together and I fight the urge to stare at them like they’re a pack of idiots. Or liars. If it wasn’t for Gemma, I wouldn’t believe a lick of shit coming out of their mouths.
But I know Gemma.
Even so, I’ve been fighting stroking out in utter shock since I woke up. Ever since I rolled over in my makeshift cot and realized I was still in the strange alien village. Naked and alone.
Though I haven’t decided
yet if being on my own was better or worse than when my scientist-peers-turned-aliens came around and blew my fucking mind.
I look them each over, letting Trinity’s words percolate in my brain.
These chicks are nearly twice my height. I’m talking nine-feet-tall at least, because they’re still much bigger than my huge draft horse Hercules back home, and he’s a beast.
I feel like a child with my bare feet dangling off a hay bale, surrounded by all the adults talking shop.
The words coming out of their mouths don’t make any more sense to me now as they did when I was a kid.
“You mean staying here on this alien planet?” I ask slowly, making sure I’m getting it right. “In those weirdo bodies?” I tap a fingers on my knees. “Are y’all shittin’ me?”
“Just wait until you see what these babies can do,” one of the other women says with a grin. “You’ve never run so fast or climbed so far. I guarantee it.”
She must be Jade. Trinity’s friend and a hell of a thrill seeker. I’ve seen the photos on her phone. She’s been everywhere and done everything.
I’m sure she’s tested her form’s abilities to the fullest already.
But what about if you don’t have a new, fully-equipped alien body to move around in? What if you’re stuck in a teeny tiny human body with an uncomfortable oxygen mask strapped to your face?
I lift my hand in the air and flinch when all the giants turn to look down at me.
“So how did y’all switch to those bodies again? Did it hurt?”
Gemma rocks herself a little closer to me, brushing the t-shirt on my shoulder—thank the Lord they gave me my clothes back—and I fight the urge to lean away.
I love Gemma, but this is still really weird. She doesn’t look like my best friend, even though I can still see her glowing in those big eyes.
“Do you remember the day we came in?” she asks. “The Shaman took us into that tent and fed us that nasty plant?”
“Of course.”