by Dixon, Ruby
Delicacy is…not my strong suit.
"Well?" she prompts when I am quiet for too long.
"I'm thinking."
"Don't hurt yourself," she says drily, and I laugh, because I enjoy her clever mind so much. Of course, laughing only makes the ache even worse and my sac tightens, ready to spill at a moment's notice. If she moves closer, her hair could almost brush against my skin—
NO.
No. Thinking like that will only bring more agony. I need to focus on unpleasant things—like A’Dor T’Antor. "What do you do for a living?" I ask instead.
Her mouth twists into a wry smile. "Middle management at a call center. It's not exactly glamorous."
"I don’t understand the context of most of those words," I confess, then decide to lay it all out on the table. "I’m an assassin."
Jenna's eyes widen. She tilts her head, studying me. "I gotta admit, that was not what I expected to hear. You're too…"
"Imposing?" I suggest.
"Goofy," she tells me. "You really kill people for a living? Just go around shooting them and collecting heads to bring to the big bad bosses?"
"My bosses are not bad. They are the government."
"Potato, potah-to," she says with a wave of her hand. "I don't know anything about your government, but if they're hiring assassins, I'm not sure they're on the up-and-up."
"This is an important job, one that affects a great many people. The person I have been contracted to eliminate is a threat, trust me."
"You have a contract?" She sounds impressed.
For some reason, I find that insulting. "Of course I have a contract. I don't go around killing people at random, Jenna. I'm not a barbarian."
Her cheeks grow pink and she grimaces, getting to her feet. She begins to pace. "Sorry. I guess that was shitty of me. I've just never met an assassin before, much less an intergalactic one." Jenna turns back to me and crosses her arms under her breasts, plumping them. "So what's the plan?"
I can’t stop staring at her body. "Plan?" I echo dumbly.
"Yeah. You're taking out a bad guy, right? He must be pretty bad if you came to a shithole like Earth."
"Shit…hole," I muse, distracted by the terminology. "I have never heard such a phrase before and yet it is very apt. "And yes, he is a very bad man. He is the interception point for several codes to ELWs—Extinction Level Weapons. He purchases and trades them and has recently set up his newest post here on Earth with his brother, who is already on the trail of one particular weapon. If the T’Antor brothers acquire it, they will think nothing of destroying this planet to 'show off the goods,' so to speak. Then they will just move on to another location."
Jenna's eyes get huge and she sits down again, as if her limbs are suddenly weak. "Destroy…the planet?"
I nod. "They have done so before on other jobs. After all, if you want to see how well your ELW works, you need a demonstration. The T’Antor brothers set up on a backwater planet that no one will care about if it's decimated."
"I care," she says in a small, fragile voice. "This is my planet and I don't want it destroyed. So what do we do?" She thinks for a moment, and then adds, "And how does this involve a bride?" Her eyes narrow and she looks at me, where I'm clutching her pillow over my genitals. "And what are you doing?"
"It is…complicated."
"It looks like you're humping my pillow."
Perhaps not that complicated after all.
7
JENNA
I listen quietly as Jadzion tells me about the antidote he took. How it's a serum that prevents the male alien from “going into rut.” I've never heard it referred to quite like that, but I can take a wild guess what he means, judging by the way he's clutching that pillow in front of his dick and staring at my boobs. How the serum has the side effect of making most R’Etor males incredibly sick, hence the sweating and dizziness. The problem is that he's an unmated alien male and he can't be around females he's attracted to or else he loses his shit and wants to have constant sex. Seeing as how Earth is co-ed, he knew he'd be around women.
He didn't count on being so violently attracted to me, though. And it seems his attraction to me nuked the serum in his blood to the point that it made him ill. Now he has a choice—he can either take more serum and be incredibly sick, or he can ride it out. The strain on his face as he watches me tells me that “riding it out” probably isn't a good scenario. He's struggling to keep himself together while sitting on my couch. It's going to be near impossible for him to assassinate the bad guys. It seems that his attraction to me is so great it could sabotage his entire mission.
Kinda hard not to be flattered by that. I mean, sure he's weird, but he's also really handsome for a pale guy. And built. Can't forget that.
Except…at the moment, he's not so pale. He's getting darker, his skin turning a deep shade of red. If I thought he could possibly blend as an albino man, he really can't when he's a Kool-Aid shade of fruit punch.
I keep listening as he talks, though. It seems that his target is inside a building called the Albuquerque Relationship Adventures and Retreat and he can only get in with a wife. His mission requires that no humans notice someone “different” is walking amongst them.
And I can't help but point out his coloring. "So, like, that's definitely going to be a problem, wife or not."
"I know," Jadzion says, scrubbing a big hand down his face. "I’ll take another dose of antidote and then we can be on our way."
"Another dose? The last one nearly killed you." I mean, he's a big doof, but in his own way, he's kind of sweet and I'd hate to see him die just because he's turned on by my “irresistible” charms. "Is there something I can do to help?"
His face contorts and he clutches the pillow tightly, his hips rising. A low groan escapes him.
Shit. Right. "No sex! I mean, like, cool towels or a cold shower or something." I can feel my face heating up even as my body responds. Even though he's strange, he's still attractive and it's hard not to be affected. That doesn't mean I'm jumping into the sack with him, of course. But…I can be flattered, and I am.
"Cold will not take care of the problem. I must empty my seed and I will have a short period of time in which I’ll be able to function normally." He grits his teeth, his eyes closed, his expression one of intense strain.
"How short a period are we talking?"
Jadzion shrugs. "A half hour? Maybe more, maybe less depending on the proximity of the one I’m attracted to."
"Oh. That means I should leave?"
"You cannot leave. I need your help. Just…don’t start drooling."
“What?”
“Nothing.” He opens his eyes and I'm startled to see the pupils are red as well, blazing fierce in his brightly colored face. Other than his shock-white hair, I would never have thought that someone this color would have ever been mistaken for an albino a few short hours ago. "I need a bride."
"Do we really have to get married? Or just pretend like we are?"
He shrugs. "You tell me. I’m not familiar with Earth customs."
I think for a moment, drumming my fingers on my arm. I can’t think of anywhere he would need to go that would require a freaking marriage license to actually get in the door. “Maybe they just thought you were creepy because you were there alone and it’s a couples retreat or something. We’ll give pretending to be married a try. A lot of the time, all you need to do is fake it until you make it,” I tell him brightly. “I’ll put on a ring and—”
“Why do you need a ring?”
“On Earth it’s custom for a married couple to exchange rings as a show of love.”
“Where is the ring located?” He suddenly looks really interested.
I blush. “On a finger. It’s not a piercing.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah.” I keep smiling, though it’s feeling a little strained now, because I’m wondering what sort of “rings” he’s seen. “So we’ll just fake being married to get in the door, find your guy
, and then you can take care of business.” I try not to think about the fact that I’m being an accessory to murder, because if the planet truly is in danger, I can’t just let things happen. I’ll worry about that other stuff later. “Before we even try any of that, though, we’ll check out the exterior of the building. Maybe there’s a side door we can sneak into.”
“I’ve verified all entrances as well, but we’ll do as you say,” Jadzion agrees, still clutching that pillow.
“Let me just grab a ring and we’ll get going,” I say, but he doesn’t move. “You going to get up?”
He does get up—slowly—but still keeps the pillow in front of his jock. His skin is even more unnaturally red than before—did I think it was the color of fruit punch earlier? Now he looks magenta.
“Um, can you walk?” I have to ask.
Jadzion takes a step forward and a look of pain crosses his face.
I try not to laugh, I really do.
"Is it really that hard to walk with an erection? Or are you just exagger—oh." I lose track of my thoughts, speechless as he casts the pillow aside and reveals an enormous tent in his pants. Hugely enormous in ways that make me tingle in a lot of private places. There's no proof that guys with big equipment are better in bed but…I'm pretty sure that with equipment like that, a girl doesn't need a guy to do much. Gosh. I can't stop staring. Not only is he taller than most guys I've dated and better built, but he's…well, he's better built all around. I'm fascinated, even as I'm utterly aware it's a problem. "You, ah, need to take care of that."
Jadzion rubs one hand along the side of his cock and a pulse of heat courses through me at the sight. "I’ll get more antidote from my shuttle."
I look up from his massive erection in shock. "Wait, what? The antidote nearly killed you."
He scrubs a hand over his face, clearly embarrassed at the reminder. "No, it just made me violently ill."
"And you passed out."
"Only once or twice." He rubs his hand against the outline of his cock again, as if it aches him far too much to stop messing with it. "Jenna, I’m kind of low on choices right now."
"I know, but skip the antidote. Do what you need to do—"
With a low snarl, Jadzion reaches out and pulls me against him. I gasp as the full thrust of his cock hits my belly even as he loops an arm around my waist. He puts a hand to the neck of my top, hungry need in his eyes, and I realize he's going to rip the damn thing off of me.
"Wait!" I yelp. "That wasn't what I meant!"
He freezes and blinks at me. It takes a moment for it to sink in what I said, and then he releases me and puts a hand to his brow, frustrated. "My apologies. I misunderstood."
"I just…" I feel the insane, girly urge to wring my hands. "I didn't mean it like that. I meant you could go jerk off in the bathroom or something…"
We stare at each other for a long moment. "Oh," he finally says. "Of course. But…" He rubs one of those pointed ears and I'm fascinated at the pale hair framing that now deep magenta skin. "For a R’Etor male to relieve himself, it must involve the female of his desires in some way."
My jaw drops. "I did not sign up for—"
"Before you get offended, something that has your scent on it will do. Or a vid of you. Nothing more." His words are strangled. "It will allow me to alleviate things for a time."
Uh. Okay. Now to decide if I want to do a sexy video for him and give him my phone, let him wank to my driver's license, or hand off my panties.
Choices, choices.
8
JENNA
While I'm sitting in the living room, waiting, Kayleigh texts me. Hey girl! she sends. How is the date going?
He's jerking off in the bathroom, I send back.
Her reply is immediate. WHAT?
I'm joking, I type in. Except I'm not. I just felt the need to tell someone else about the surreal experience I'm having this night. Thanks for waiting on my call, by the way.
I'm sorry. I forgot. She sends a smiley face and a heart. Is the date going well? Is he nice? A good guy?
The date went disastrously bad, but I don't tell her that. Is he a good guy? I think of the big alien in my bathroom right now, stuck with a very painful erection and only my panties to help him out. I think of how violently ill the antidote made him, and how willing he was to take it just because he's so attracted to me it's sabotaging his mission. He's sweet and kind—and funny—for all that he's strange. I feel bad for him because it's clear that Jadzion is trying really hard to fight his desire for me, and he's failing miserably.
I mean, that's kind of charming. I don't want to sabotage him to Kayleigh. If his motives for being here on Earth are what he says they are, he's not unreasonable. Maybe I'm crazy for believing him, but I do. Not just because it'll save my planet—because duh, of course I want to do that—but because I feel a proprietary affection for Jadzion. Of all the places in this world that the alien could have landed, or all the people he could have run into, he found me.
And he thinks I'm stunningly sexy.
He's a really good guy, I send back, then add, Very focused on work and responsibility.
Yay!! Kayleigh replies. Think you'll see him again?
What to say? That he's only going to be here for two days because then he has to fly back to his home planet? I opt to avoid that and go with something simple—a bald-faced lie. We're about to go to a late movie, I text back. Don't wait up!
Eeee! Kayleigh texts. GIT IT GIRL!
Of course Jadzion chooses that moment to come out of the bathroom, his skin pale white again, and I turn bright red because I know what he's been up to. "All better now?"
"Temporarily relieved, yes." He makes a great show of not looking at me. "Though I imagine it won’t last long."
"How long do you think you have?" I ask. "We'll need to plan around it."
"A few hours?" He shrugs. "Maybe less, depending."
"Depending on…?"
He still won't look at me. "Intensity. Proximity. Different things."
Ah. In other words, how much I affect him with my nearness. I can't believe the fate of the world is going to rest on whether or not my alien N'ferno date can handle his attraction to me. "We should probably get going then, just in case. I have a hoodie for you if you start to flip colors again." I hold the college sweatshirt out to him. "I know it's warm outside, but this might be your best bet for being unnoticed."
"Thank you." He takes it from me, careful not to touch my fingers.
"Well," I say brightly. "No time like the present for an assassination. Shall we get going?"
JADZION
While I appreciate Jenna's willingness to help, part of me wishes she hadn’t agreed so readily. She drives her vehicle and pumps the cool air on us, but it has the added problem of distributing her scent through the car. That, combined with her nearness, and I can already feel my problem growing once more. Did I think I could last several hours before pausing to rut my hand again? I will be lucky to endure one hour. I keep this to myself, though. Jenna frowns at her datapad—a thing she calls a phone—as it calls out navigational instructions. "We're here," she says. "Odd that this is in a hotel."
"Is it?"
"Yeah." She points through the glass windshield of her car at the building. "I get that this is a couples retreat of some kind, but it really does look like a hotel of some sort to me. And we're kind of out in the middle of nowhere, so I guess it's private enough. We want private, right?"
I shrug, doing my best not to look over at her because if I do, I will feel that uncomfortable, that too-pleasurable surging in my loins. "Human buildings all look the same."
"If you say so." She switches her vehicle off and the loud noise emanating from the crude combustion engine goes silent. "Shall we go inside?"
"Yes." I touch my belt, where a hand-blaster is carefully hidden. It is small and silent and will serve my purpose well once I find my target.
Jenna hesitates and pokes my arm. "How are you holding up?"
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It's not a sensual touch, but it still makes my nerves go wild with response. "I’ve been better," I say, doing my best to keep my voice even. "Let’s go before I need to wear your hood."
She chuckles—I swear I feel the sound like a tickle against my sac—and then gets out of her vehicle. I do as well, and she waits for me to approach and then thrusts her hand out to me. "If this is a couples retreat, it'll look best if we're holding hands and kind of lovey. I'm sorry. I know what that's going to do to you." Jenna grimaces. "If you can't handle it—"
"I’ll manage," I tell her, and take her small fingers into my grasp.
And I shudder. Hot lust surges through me, and I nearly lose control. I stop in my tracks, fighting back the rutting fever threatening to take over my mind. I want nothing more than to toss her down on the asphalt and claim her as my own right here, right now, in front of everyone.
But then I will fail in my mission. And I can’t do that, because Earth will be destroyed, and I want to save it…for her. Maybe if I do so, she'll come to care for me. She'll agree to be my mate. She'll come to love me and leave this planet behind to spend her days at my side.
It’s a lot to hope for, but I'm an optimistic sort. I squeeze her hand tightly and it takes everything I have not to bring it to my mouth and kiss her soft skin. I give a soul-deep shudder and focus on the task before me. My blaster is in my belt. My target is in the building before me. This job will be done soon, and then I will be free to pursue her as I wish.
"You got a hold of yourself, big guy?" Jenna's voice is gentle with compassion. "Or do you need a moment?"
"I need many moments," I admit. "But let us proceed."
"All right." She tugs me forward and pulls her datapad out of her pocket. "It's pretty late. They might not be open. We might have to come back in the morning. That would suck."