The new prisoner stares at me. Blond hair, strong jaw covered in sun-kissed scruff. Tall, leaner than Tin, but with the same wealth of muscles. Damn, they breed them tall, broad, and handsome on Zoraht.
I stare back, and he grins and winks, as if we just met on the street. Friendly. Almost flirty. He doesn’t seem to care that he’s surrounded by guards, with his hands cuffed in front of him.
When Tin sees the new guy, a wide smile breaks out on his face.
Then, a few things happen at once.
Tin’s expression fills with alarm. He crouches to his knees, clenching his fists and flexing his muscles. His skin turns green, and veins stand out on his neck, chest, and arms with the strain.
The scientists cry out in alarm. The male scientist grabs a needle and rushes toward my alien friend, but goes down in a heap when the body of a guard flies across the lab to crash into him. The new guy is free, too, and going after the last of the soldiers. He fights, moving so fast he’s a blur. When he stops, his manacles dangle from one wrist.
Come to think of it, the new guy’s skin looks kinda red.
No, it’s definitely turning red. Like, fire engine red.
The Wicked Witch turns to the guards in a panic. “Shoot them now,” she shouts.
But by then it’s too late.
Tin... transforms. His head flies back as he goes up on his tiptoes. His body goes rigid. Horns split his forehead, and his whole body grows, stretches. His skin changes, mottling green until he’s bright and shining with lizard scales. People are screaming. I’d scream too, if I could summon my voice. My mouth hangs open as the creature rears up over the gathering chaos.
Tin is a dragon. Bright green and big as an eighteen-wheeler. Bigger. Good thing we’re in a warehouse or he’d have already busted through the roof.
Cold air fills the place. My breath turns to frost. The scientists are scrambling, running, fleeing. All except the Wicked Witch, who points a gun at Dragon-Tin with shaking hands.
“Look out!” I screech.
The green dragon rears up and opens its jaws.
“No,” she cries, diving for cover. Not fast enough. Flames blast from the dragon’s mouth. Heat ripples the air. The witch staggers back, her robes on fire. She turns and runs for the door, pushing her own guards out of the way. One of them stumbles and knocks her into a rack of test tubes. Glass breaks, liquid spatters. The blaze becomes an inferno. The head scientist’s screams fill the air. I cover my ears and cower behind the examination table.
Finally, silence.
Shaking, I gather my feet under me and peer out again. I think the dragon and I are alone in the lab. It stomps around, breaking things underfoot, its sinuous neck weaving over the carnage. It’s searching for something... someone.
Me.
A loud snuffing noise makes me whirl.
There’s another dragon behind me. This one is red. A yellow eye, slitted like a cat’s, bigger than my torso, winks at me. Ten bonus points for guessing which dragon this is.
Shouts echo from outside.
The red dragon launches toward the ceiling, throwing his massive body against the barrier. It shatters; I cover my head with my arms as glass rains down on us. When I look up again, there’s a giant hole where the roof should be.
Talk about a dramatic exit.
A shadow falls over me. Massive claws close over my body, surprisingly gentle. With me in his grasp, Dragon-Tin leaps toward the hole in the ceiling, Red-Dragon a half-step behind.
Clutched in the claws of a dragon, I’m flying in the night sky.
My last thought before my vision goes dark: What happens now?
Chapter Eight
Crothyr
The woman in Zlatin’s claws is our mate.
My wings flap through the sky as we head west. The transformation is activated when a Draekon first sights his mate, but the effects don’t last. Any minute, we could transform back to men.
We need to find shelter quickly, and I have just the place. On the outskirts of Ryki, I have a safe house. There, we can figure out what to do next.
And the woman?
My dragon demands that Zlatin and I mate with her, now. Claim her as ours.
But the situation isn’t that straightforward.
The woman was obviously a prisoner of the scientists. She isn’t with us of her own volition. No matter what my dragon wants, I have honor.
I will not take an unwilling woman.
We land outside Ryki. The moment our feet touch the sandy ground, both Tin and I change back. “This way,” I point toward the city.
Zlatin sets the woman down gently. “Her name is Dor,” he says in a low voice. He crouches over her, with a worried expression on his face. “Her breathing is even,” he mutters. “It’s probably just shock.”
“Well, seeing us change into dragons must have been quite a surprise,” I quip. We need to talk, all three of us, about the future and what it holds, but first, safety. “Let’s get to town.”
“I need to take care of something.” He looks around, and his gaze falls on a sharp rock. “This will have to do,” he grunts.
“Tracker?”
“Yes.” He slices the skin of his forearm, his expression determined, and he digs into his flesh until he finds what he’s looking for, a small golden triangle. Bright blue blood gushes from the wound, more blood than normal. Zlatin needs rest too. He’s been a prisoner of the scientists for almost a year. Who knows what those butchers did to him. “There’s a med kit in the safe house.”
He looks up. “You came for me. Did Tarish authorize it?”
I snort. “As if. No, I resigned my commission.”
My tone might be flippant, but Zlatin knows me, and he knows my decision wouldn’t have been easy. My father tested positive for the Draekon mutation and was exiled to the prison planet when I was a child. As soon as I was old enough, I signed up with Tarish’s organization.
But leaving Zlatin behind had never been an option. We’ve fought together in too many battles, we’ve saved each other’s life more times than we can count.
“Thank you.” His voice is quiet. “I thought I’d die in there. I thought,” he glances at the unconscious woman, “that I’d have to watch her die.”
Our mate.
I smash the tracker under my feet and hoist the woman over my shoulder. “The scientists took her from her home planet,” Zlatin says as we trudge through the sands. “She’s from Earth.”
“Earth?” I whistle silently. “They’re going to hunt her. They can’t risk the Triumvirate finding out. We’ve got to get off the home world.”
“There’s also this.” Zlatin spits something out of his mouth. The small device gleams in the starlight. “All their experiments. All their vid. Everything that’s happened in that warehouse in the last year. It’s all here.” He grins widely. “Tarish will want to see this.”
I laugh out loud. Of course. Zlatin’s device is a bargaining chip, a way for Tarish to save face and welcome us back into the fold. Trust Zlatin to think of it. That’s why my friend is a captain, and I’m a lieutenant. “Always two steps ahead.”
Chapter Nine
Dorothy
When I wake, I’m lying in a bed, a soft blanket covering my nakedness. Tin’s crouched over me, a worried expression on his handsome face.
“Hey,” I whisper, licking my lips to wet them. Did I dream the whole thing, or did Tin actually become a dragon?
He hands me a bottle of liquid. “Drink,” he orders.
I take a big sip and look around the room. It’s small and windowless, about the size of the employee break room back at the arcade. There’s a table pushed against one wall, and a familiar figure is seated there. The other prisoner, the one who helped us escape.
I’m a bit relieved that the dragon form isn’t permanent.
I have so many questions. I ask the most pressing one. “Where are we?”
The blond man looks up at the sound of my voice. “You’re awake,”
he says cheerfully, getting to his feet and striding toward me. “Hello, little human. How do you feel?”
“Like I’ve been experimented on by crazy scientists.”
Tin looks serious. “The effects will take a few hours to wear off,” he says. “Until then, we remain here. To answer your question, we’re in the city of Ryki, in one of Crothyr’s safe houses.”
“Call me Cro,” the blond man says, flashing his dimples at me.
I smile back hesitantly. Time to bring up the elephant in the room. “You turned into dragons. I didn’t know you could do that.” Frowning, I turn to Tin. “Why didn’t you do it earlier and escape from the Wicked Witch?”
Tin presses his lips together. It’s Cro that answers. “Not all Draekons can transform,” he says cryptically. “It was the first time for both of us.”
“Drink,” Tin repeats, gesturing to my bottle. I drain the contents while surveying the two guys. The space is pretty tight for two buff aliens and their human sidekick, but I’m not complaining. My two rescuers are wearing navy Star Trek type suits that show off their muscles perfectly. Not that I’m checking them out or anything, but if I were, I’d be happy. Cro is buff but leaner than Tin, with a sexy mop of blond hair and a strong jaw covered with scruff. Other than their height and muscles, the two can’t look more different, but they hold themselves in the same stiff way—like soldiers. Or well-trained killers, I think, remembering the way Cro had flung the body of the guard through the air.
“You know each other?”
Cro nods. “Yes, we both serve in the rebel army.”
I turn to Tin. “You told me you were a mercenary.”
He flushes. “I didn’t mean to lie to you,” he says. “I couldn’t risk the scientists overhearing. Had they suspected I was connected with the rebellion, I would have been dosed with truth serums, and I would have been forced to betray my friends.”
Okay, that’s fair. “And you came to rescue Tin?”
“Of course.” Cro grips Tin’s shoulder. “Zlatin has saved my life more times than I can count. I owe him a life debt, one that I can never repay.”
Tin clears his throat. “Dor, I’ll find you some clothes.”
“He’s not that comfortable with compliments, is he?” I remark, looking at his retreating back.
Cro grins and my eyes hone in on those dimples. God, the two aliens are seriously hot. “You’ve noticed.”
Would it be wrong to lick those dimples? As a thank you for saving me from the evil scientists?
Calm your tits, Dor. Now is not the time.
Tin returns, carrying a large piece of cloth. I tug it over my head, and when I stand, it falls to my ankles. Tin shows me a small button in the fabric. When I press it, the garment shrinks around me until I’m wearing my own navy fighter pilot jumpsuit. So cool.
“Thank you,” I say, and Tin smiles again. Absolutely panty melting.
To distract myself from throwing myself at them, I ask another question. “What do you mean, it’s your first time transforming?”
The two men exchange looks. “Draekons can’t transform until they find their mate.”
“I don’t understand.” Mate? That sounds like something out of Animal Planet.
“Seeing you triggered our transformation,” Cro says. “We’re dragons because of you.”
I think that means I’m their mate. We’re in Twilight Zone territory. “Both of you?” I blurt. Stupid question, but this is all crazy.
“Yes. Draekons mate in pairs. Two males, one female.”
Oh. My. God.
I wipe the sweat from my brow as I stare at the two hot soldiers. I don’t know how to process any of this. Thankfully, Tin seems to sense that I’m really close to losing it. “I’ll get us some food,” he says, turning away. The spacesuit sculpts his nice, tight ass perfectly. I force myself to look away. Now is really not the right time for sexy fantasies.
Cro smiles at me. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” His voice is sympathetic, and his eyes are warm with concern.
I nod mutely, his empathy taking me by surprise. I’ve pegged Tin as the sensitive type, and Cro as the Han Solo flyboy, but maybe there’s more to him than meets the eye. “So this is your safe house?”
“One of them,” he replies. “The home world is a dangerous place for a soldier of the rebellion. The emperor’s spymaster has ears everywhere, and it’s a death sentence if I’m caught.” He grins and winks at me. Those dimples make a reappearance and my girly bits tingle. “Can I tell you a secret, Dor?”
“Yes,” I whisper. I’m not exactly sure what I’m saying ‘Yes’ to. Maybe Cro and Tin could start by tearing off my too-tight jumpsuit? Or maybe they could lose their own clothes?
He leans closer, and his breath heats my neck. “I don’t intend to get caught.”
Before I can rub myself against him like a kitten, Tin returns with three packages and hands me one. When I unwrap the bowl and peel back the cover, the meal is steaming hot. It’s spicy, some sort of grain covered in sauce. I close my eyes and pretend it’s curry.
When I’m done, Cro offers me a second bowl, but I wave it away. The two Draekons eat one more each. Turning into a dragon probably burns a lot of calories.
I swallow my last mouthful. Fortified by the food, I’m ready to resume our earlier conversation. I think. “When you said mate in pairs,” I whisper, “did you mean what I think you did? Like all three of us at the same time?”
“Yes,” Tin says simply.
Oh, God. Sex with two hot aliens. Is it wrong that I’m intrigued? Turned on?
Stop it. Perv.
I cross my legs and press them together to relieve a faint prickle. The two Draekons are staring at me. I need to say something. Anything.
I volunteer as tribute.
Okay, maybe not that. “Interesting,” I murmur. My breasts feel a bit swollen. I cross my arms over my chest and press my lips together to keep from blurting ‘I’ve always wanted to try a threesome.’ So I’m curious. Sue me. Tin and Cro are significantly better options than Slimy Stan and any of the other guys I knew back home. The way their jumpsuits hug their bodies... yum.
Too bad we’re on the run. Of course, Tin did say we were going to be here for a few hours.
“Are you feeling alright?” Tin asks again.
“Is it just me, or is it really hot in here?” I swipe at my brow. Sweat trickles down my spine, and I can’t seem to get comfortable. My clothes feel too tight. The spacesuit molds to my skin, and I suddenly can’t stand it. “I think I need to get some fresh air.”
Tin frowns. “This part of the home world doesn’t see many outsiders. You’ll be noticed.”
“Let me get you something to drink.” Cro gets up. I watch him go, then close my eyes as the sight of his toned butt sets off a new wave of heat through my body. I’m burning up. I claw at my suit, desperate to get it off.
“Something’s wrong,” I gasp when Cro returns. He hands me a new bottle, and I gulp down as much as I can.
“It’s the serum Ashl’vi gave you,” Tin says grimly. “The reaction was delayed, but now, the hormones are kicking in.”
I barely absorb his words. I’m hot and bothered. In the worst way. “Touch me,” I gasp, looking in appeal at both men. “Please. I need to feel you against me.”
Tin presses his lips together but rests his hand on my cheek, his touch tender. “The effects will fade in a few hours.” He crouches close, and I nearly rocket up off my seat to jump his bones. I won’t survive a few hours if one of them doesn’t fuck me.
I pluck at my collar. “I’m so hot,” I whine. “Help me take off the suit.” I can’t wear the garment any longer. Even the light fabric is torture to my sensitive skin.
Cro glances at Tin, who nods wordlessly. With a large knife, Cro cuts the fabric. I sigh in relief as he peels it off, and welcome coolness washes over me. My hips jerk as I help him rip the last shreds away, baring my legs. Then I look down on my body.
Holy crap,
what was in that serum? My nipples are large and pink, my breasts swollen. I’ve definitely grown a cup size. My labia are red, swollen, and wet, and I can’t seem to stop rubbing my legs together in a futile attempt for relief.
“It’s all right. The feeling will pass.” Tin’s mouth is so close to me. All I can think off are his lips caressing my breast.
I arch toward him, pushing my hips forward. “Please,” I hiss.
His lips tighten. “This isn’t you talking, Dor. It’s the serum. I can’t take advantage of you. It’s not right.”
“I’m begging you.” I squeeze my own breasts, and the relief makes my eyes roll back in my head. “I need it.”
Both men are staring at my cleavage, but neither man makes any move toward me. Damn it. Gotta take matters into my own hands. I reach out and grab Tin’s collar, pulling him closer, breathing him in. I run my fingers down his neck, tracing the edges of his tattoos. “Kiss me,” I whisper, and slant my head to press my lips to his.
I thought the kiss would help. I was so wrong. The second his lips touch mine, my whole body shudders with pleasure. I groan, and Tin jerks his head back. “Dor,” he murmurs, clearly torn. “We shouldn’t...”
“Please,” I beg shamelessly. Taking his hands in mine, I run them up and down my body. “It feels so good.”
Thank the stars, he finally stops resisting. I press my breasts into his palms, holding his wrists until his fingers stroke me just the way I want. Judging by the joystick in his pants, he’s getting into it too.
“You too,” I say to Cro. “Please?”
A smile creases the blond Draekon’s face. He moves past Tin. Running his fingers through my hair, he tugs lightly. Lightning shoots from my scalp straight between my legs.
“We shouldn’t do this,” Cro says, his eyes intense and focused, just before our lips touch. I strain toward him, wordlessly demanding more, and he gives it to me, sliding his tongue into my mouth over and over, until my hips rock in time to his thrusts.
Alien Alphas: Twenty-Three Naughty Sci-Fi Romance Novellas Page 33