Mystic

by Cheryl Brooks

  “Thank the gods for that,” Curly exclaimed. “I know it’s for a great cause and all, but I’m so sick of this shit, I could scream.”

  “Not exactly your style, is it?” Aidan said mildly.

  “In a word, no,” Curly replied. “Right now, I don’t even feel like playing video games.” He sucked in a breath. “To be perfectly honest, I feel more like shooting something. For real.”

  “You may get your chance,” Val said. “I’ll know more in the morning.”

  “You’re not going to stay up all night, are you?” As tired as she was, Sula couldn’t imagine starting over again now.

  A rare laugh escaped him. “When I go to bed, all I do is sleep.”

  “Dude, we’ve gotta get you a girl,” Abuti declared. “When I think of all that hunky man meat just going to waste, it makes me want to—”

  “Want to what?” Folding his arms over his muscular chest, Val stood with his feet apart and wings unfurled, in perhaps the most challenging stance Sula had ever seen.

  “I dunno,” Abuti replied. “But I’d like to do something about it.” She grimaced. “Not sure what I can do, though. Don’t know any girls who look anything like you.”

  “That’s because there aren’t any girls like me,” Val said. “Our illustrious creator only saw fit to clone males.”

  “What a pity,” Abuti said. “He could’ve created an entirely new species if he’d made a few women while he was at it.”

  “True,” said Val. “His motivations for creating us were always something of a mystery. I, for one, never saw any point in asking him. Not that he would have told me the truth.” His piercing gaze met Sula’s. “Much like some of the other members of the faculty.”

  Sula nodded. “I’m starting to wonder if any of them weren’t in on this plot. Participation might even be a stipulation for getting tenure.”

  “Now, there’s a scary thought,” Aidan said. “Makes you wonder how any of them sleep at night.”

  “There’s probably a crooked pharmaceutical professor cooking up illegal sleeping potions on the side.” Sula shook her head, overwhelmed by the scope of the conspiracy. “I sure picked a great place to go to college, didn’t I?”

  Giklor let out a breathy chuckle. “In view of what we hope to accomplish, I would say your choice was exceptionally fortuitous.”

  In the greater scheme of things, Sula was forced to agree. Even if they weren’t successful in exposing a wicked conspiracy, that chain of events had brought her together with Aidan. She only wished so many others hadn’t lost their lives along the way.

  “Not what we hope to accomplish,” Sula said firmly. “What we will accomplish. None of us will be satisfied with anything less.”

  * * *

  No barriers—chemical, physical, or emotional—prevented Sula from making love with Aidan in a way she’d never expected to do with anyone. The question of whether to have a family had never even been broached between her and Raj. Never, that was, beyond the knowledge that such a thing wouldn’t be possible as long as her implant remained functional.

  But with the implant removed, she felt oddly freed by its absence, which was strange because most women felt freer knowing that conception was impossible. Similar to the way she felt when adjusting to the biorhythms of a planet, she was reacquainting herself with the rhythms of her own body.

  She understood enough about Zetithians to know Aidan would never willingly leave her. The mating process had already begun, and she suspected that this night would bring it to completion. On previous nights, they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms, each of them having given the other as much pleasure as they deemed prudent at the time. Now, they could have it all.

  Love filled the air around him until Sula was almost convinced she could see his aura as well as if she were Zerkan. If she’d been in a more scientific frame of mind, she would have concluded that the air surrounding him was filled with sex pheromones, luring her closer to him until she was hopelessly ensnared.

  Snare…Snard…The two words were nearly the same. Perhaps they were as close in meaning as they were in spelling.

  Aidan still hadn’t told her the Zetithian word for sex, and she doubted that omission was because he didn’t know the answer. She could’ve asked Laurel, but for some reason she wanted to hear it from him, as if sharing that secret was somehow more significant than a simple exchange of information.

  Somewhere along the line, they’d each adopted a particular side of the bunk, her against the wall with him on the outer edge. Was he there to protect her from intruders or to prevent her from falling? Whatever the reason, that arrangement allowed her to watch him as he climbed in beside her. His glowing eyes fixed on hers as he advanced toward her, his long blond hair framing his face while the subdued lighting outlined the play of sleek muscles as he moved.

  “Have I ever told you how much I love your hair?” she asked.

  “I don’t believe so,” he replied. “At least not in so many words.”

  “Well then, I’m telling you now. It’s beautiful, silky, and amazingly sexy.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” He was purring as he bent closer. His deep, sensuous kiss robbed her of breath and sent desire swirling down to her core, compounding the yearning she’d felt for him throughout the day. “You smell incredible.” He kissed her again, gliding his tongue into her mouth to entwine with her own. “Taste great too.”

  “How do you do that?” she asked, gazing into his feline eyes. “Make me want you even more when I already want you so badly I can barely stand to wait another second?”

  “I could ask you the same question, but some mysteries are better left unsolved—an enigma to bind us together.”

  She traced the line of his cheek with a fingertip. The shape of his face, the rise of his cheekbones, the graceful curve of his ears where they came to a point all conspired to fascinate and entice. Making love with him in total darkness would’ve been lovely, but without being able to see him, the experience would’ve seemed incomplete, as though lacking some vital component. “It was a rhetorical question anyway.”

  Gliding her palms up over his shoulders, she pulled him into an embrace that pressed the full lengths of their bodies together, exchanging heat as well as touch. They’d long since given up the pretense of wearing any clothing to bed. Donning a nightgown was pointless when it would only end up on the floor.

  Pushing him onto his back, she climbed atop him. She didn’t have enough room to sit up and move as freely as she would’ve liked, but the scenery was certainly better when she leaned forward. Hanging around with other beings who had six or possibly seven senses sometimes left her feeling shortchanged to some extent. But not now, not when she was able to drink in the sight of Aidan, his blond curls spread out over the pillow, his fiery eyes heavy-lidded with desire. Coupled with his warmth between her thighs, he was a treat for every sense she possessed.

  She bent down and nipped him on the neck. “Think we can get you where you need to be without using our hands?”

  “Absolutely,” he purred. “Hands-free sex is a Zetithian specialty.” With a lip-curling smile, he added, “All you have to do is back up and sit down. I’ll do the rest.”

  She crawled backward until her loresh bumped against his cockaj. His cockhead was already awash with orgasmic syrup, enabling him to tease her slit until he found the opening. Another backward move brought him deep into her core. Sitting down stretched her almost to the limit.

  “Ohhh…perfect,” she whispered. “That’s what I’ve been missing.” Rising up, she sat down on him again. “You.” Another bounce. “Inside me.” One more. “Where you belong.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Purring like a kitten, he began moving his cock inside her, rotating it to stimulate every corner of her sensitive passage.

  Her head fell forward as she groaned with pleasure. “I w
ish you could feel how fabulous that is.”

  “Feels pretty great on my end.” He changed the direction of rotation. “But I’m perfectly willing to let you have the lion’s share of the ecstasy.”

  She was about to protest when an orgasm signaled its imminent arrival. Learning to recognize the early warning signal for what it was and focus on the subsequent elation had only taken a few days. Now she discovered there was a disparity between the cock syrup orgasms when the source of contact was vaginal rather than oral. Not surprisingly, the vaginal source was more satisfying, perhaps because her core was able to contract around his magnificent shaft. Having something to squeeze made all the difference.

  His upward thrust as she tightened around him doubled the delight. “How’s that?”

  Opening one eye, she scowled at him. “You know exactly how good that was.”

  A quick smile and a wink proved her supposition was correct. “Just honing my skills. I have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

  “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.” Wiggling her hips exposed her clitoris to the friction from his pubic hair, providing her with yet another wave of superb sensations to savor.

  “A willing participant?”

  She ran a fingertip down the center of his chest. “More like an enthusiastic research partner.”

  “At least you aren’t a practice dummy.”

  A peal of laughter escaped her. “Thank you—I think.” Although the mention of dummy reminded her of his dumb-blond remark from earlier that evening. “Neither are you.”

  He winced. “Still aren’t convinced I didn’t really mean that, are you?”

  “I’m surprised you would even entertain such an idea.” She tilted her head, studying his expression. This didn’t seem like the best time for a discussion of that nature, nor was it a good time to let it lie. Perhaps he would be more forthcoming because they were alone rather than part of a group. “There’s more to it, though. Isn’t there?”

  For a long moment, his only response was a sigh. “Even though the money each of us received from the trust fund is more than enough to live on, most of us have gone on to do something interesting and useful. I haven’t done that, because I encounter new people and new futures wherever I go. Granted, not everyone’s future is dismal, but it wears on me after a while.”

  She nodded slowly. “I hadn’t considered that aspect. Your lifestyle is more a matter of self-preservation than a lack of intelligence or ambition. But you assume that’s what everyone thinks of you, don’t you?”

  “Yeah. Like it’s a good thing I have money, because being an idle rich guy is the only thing I’m capable of.”

  “But you weren’t idle, were you?”

  “No. But I do try to limit my contacts.” He frowned. “It’s stifling sometimes. I feel better when I’m at the orphanage with the kids, because what I sense of their futures is more immediate than long-term. Those sorts of readings are easier to handle.”

  Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I think your choice of volunteer work is quite admirable.”

  “As is my choice of mates.”

  “I’m glad you think so. I made a damn fine choice myself.” When she kissed him again, he responded with a passion that seemed out of place in the wake of such a soul-searching conversation.

  But perhaps it wasn’t inappropriate. Perhaps this was no longer a time for deep thoughts but a time to display the love between two beings destined to live out their lives together. She wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when he wrapped his arms around the small of her back, pulled her close to him, and flipped her over onto the bed.

  He licked his lips. “My delicious, beautiful, incredible mate.”

  When he followed that up with a series of pelvic thrusts that had her seeing stars, if he’d added prepare to have your brains fucked out, she might’ve been better prepared.

  The lack of preparation didn’t stop her, however. Crossing her ankles behind his back, she pulled him in even farther.

  “Oh yeah.” Purring, he raised his head, exposing his neck. “You know what to do.”

  “You bet I do.” With a fervor that shocked even her, she sank her teeth into the succulent muscle at the base of his neck.

  Growling, he rocked into her so hard, her head slid over the upper edge of the bunk. “We really need a bigger bed.”

  She tapped his shoulder. “I have an idea.”

  “Lay it on me.”

  “We could put the mattresses from both bunks side by side on the floor.”

  “I’ve said it before, and it’s still true: Sula, you’re a genius.”

  The enormous sense of loss when his cock slid from her sheath was quickly overcome by the treat of watching Aidan drag the mattress from the upper bunk. His engorged cock was simply the icing on the cake of the most amazing male body she could possibly imagine. She’d seen him nude before, but his fluid movements and effortless strength had her gaping like a flabbergasted blowfish. Nevertheless, she let out a squeal as he dragged the second mattress from the bunk frame without waiting for her to get up. She’d barely had time to recover her equilibrium before he pounced.

  Scooping up her legs, he pulled them up onto his shoulders and sank into her with pinpoint precision.

  “You’re getting good at that.”

  He grinned. “Practice makes perfect. When I can do it in a flying leap from across the room, I’ll consider the technique mastered.”

  Sula wasn’t sure she wanted to be pounced on from across the room, but that was a discussion for another day.

  Chapter 28

  Sula lay with her arms splayed out above her head, gazing up at Aidan as he thrust into her. No one but her had ever seen him from that perspective, a fact that made her feel unique and very, very fortunate indeed. If there was a more stunning sight to behold in the entire universe, she couldn’t imagine what it would be, unless it was Aidan making love to her by candlelight.

  Her mind’s eye took that thought a step further, casting a golden gleam onto his blond curls and tanned skin, and she made a mental note to ask Curly if there were any candles aboard the ship. If not, she hoped their rendezvous point would have a shop where she could get a few. But like the pouncing issue, that was something that could easily wait for a more appropriate time.

  The feel of his cock inside her went beyond excellent to exquisite. An orgasm hovered, warning her mere moments before it caught her in its net. As her body contracted around him, she caught a glimpse of his satisfied smile.

  “I love watching you do that,” he whispered.

  “I love watching you do almost anything,” she said when she was able to draw another breath. “But I especially love the way you look right now.” His arm muscles flexing as he rocked into her, his blond locks swaying to and fro, the golden glow emanating from his eyes—everything about him was sheer perfection. Another woman might not see him the same way. But then, no other woman could claim to love him as much as she did. Had she told him she loved him? She didn’t think she had. Perhaps this was the time.

  “We’re truly mated now, aren’t we?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I believe we are. I’m mated to you, anyway. Humans don’t bond the way Zetithians do, and they don’t always mate for life.”

  “Sad but true,” she said. “However, I can’t think of any reason I wouldn’t want to be with you forever. I love you, Aidan. I’m quite certain I always will.”

  His smile revealed the tips of his fangs. “You once asked me to tell you the Zetithian word for sex, and I told you I’d have to get back to you.”

  Puzzled as to why he would bring that up now when she’d just confessed her love for him, all she could do was clear her throat and say, “That’s right.”

  “There’s a reason I didn’t tell you then. You see, in the Zetithian language, the word for
sex is the same as the word for love.” His thrusts slowed and deepened, compounding her enjoyment. “Klie is the fondness one feels for their friends or family. The word for the love between a man and a woman is amorjiel, which is also the word for the sexual act. The words are the same because Zetithians very seldom have one without the other. Humans have different words, because for them, sex is possible without love or even desire.”

  “And you wanted to be sure I was feeling both of them, right?”

  He nodded. “I already knew how much I loved you. The way that vision kept repeating, I think I loved you even before I ever laid eyes on you. You were the unknown variable in the equation, not me. If I possessed my sister’s empathic abilities, I could’ve read your emotions. But I can’t.” His wistful smile tugged at her heart. “I could’ve told you how I felt, but I didn’t want to prompt you into parroting it back to me. The words had to come from you.”

  She reached up to caress his cheek. “Do you believe me now?”

  “Absolutely.” Turning his head, he pressed a kiss to her palm. “I never truly doubted you, although I may have doubted my interpretation of your feelings.” A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “I’ve never done this before, you know.”

  “Your inexperience isn’t all that obvious. You were made for love. Not only your body, but your beautiful soul as well.” She closed her eyes, savoring his steady thrust and withdrawal, focusing on the added stimulus his coronal ruffle provided. “Although being amazingly well-equipped doesn’t hurt.”

  His purr added a subtle vibration to his chuckle. “Some would say it gives me an unfair advantage.”

  “It might if there were other men vying for my affection. But there aren’t, and I can’t imagine there ever will be. I am totally and irrevocably yours.”

  He appeared to be pleased by this; his fangs flashed with his smile, and if possible, his penis seemed harder than ever when her orgasm detonated. His pace slowly increased, but his hip movement was very slight, resulting in short, purposeful thrusts that focused on her sweet spot. How he knew where it was located was a mystery. Nevertheless, his unerring strokes continued until what little control she had left deserted her completely. Even her legs no longer obeyed her commands, slipping from their perch on his shoulders like a pair of noodles. He leaned closer, resting his weight on his elbows while cradling her head in his palms. The kiss he gave her promised a lifetime of love and enjoyment amid the swirling mass of galactic chaos.