“You’re not my people any more,” Lara said in a cold voice. “My people are the Narden and I am warning you that Earth is not welcome in this part of space. You return here at your own peril. Goodbye Professor.”
The screen went dead. Belthazar scrambled to his computer terminal, hoping that something had been retained but Lara had done a very effective job. All the data had been lost forever. His life work was gone and when Earth found out he had failed his career would be over. Lara and the Narden barbarians had outwitted him and there was nothing he could do about it.
* * *
The wedding ceremony was a grand affair. After Lara returned from her mission to the science base she was greeted with joyous celebrations.
She still couldn’t believe all this was happening, even when she and Nax stood before the shaman and were officially declared as consorts. Not only was she now married to an alien she was also the queen of an alien world. The universe was full of surprises.
“Are you happy?” Nax asked, as they sat at the head of banqueting table. He looked ravishing in his gold tunic and leggings, and the coronet of royal power rested on his head.
Lara, now dressed as an empress, leant forward and kissed him softly on the lips. “More than you could ever imagine,” she said demurely. “I never imagined anything like this would ever happen to me.”
“I’m glad it did. I really do love you,” replied Nax, “and I love the reforms you have planned for Nardenstar. Together we will make our world a fairer more compassionate place.”
“I hope the nobles see it like that,” Lara said, shooting the wedding guests a covert glance. “I don’t think they are going to like changes that are coming.”
“Don’t worry the Yetoids are utterly loyal to us. They will keep the nobles in line.”
“I’m glad you are so enthusiastic about your new role,” Lara said. “I thought becoming king was your worst nightmare.”
“It’s not with you by my side,” Nax said with feeling. “I can do anything while you’re with me. You’ve changed my life forever, and I am eternally grateful.”
Lara nuzzled close to him and kissed him gently on the forehead. “You can show me how grateful you are upstairs,” she whispered huskily.
Nax grinned and took her hand. Together, they got to their feet and left the throne room to the boom of resounding cheers.
They barely got to their quarters before they were pulling off their clothes. Lara burned with an insatiable desire and she wanted to get hold of Nax’s naked body as soon as she could.
Pulling off her gown, his hungry mouth kissed and sucked her ample breasts, making her nipples hard while his long fingers teased the throbbing labia of her pussy.
“Oh Nax, I love you so much,” she moaned.
He kissed her hard and laid her onto the large, fur covered bed. She wriggled round so that her head was at the foot of the bed, and he climbed over her facing the bedstead. His throbbing dick pushed into her face and she eagerly took it in her mouth. He let out a contented sigh before he sank his face between her legs, his tongue slipping into her velvet attraction.
His oral skills sent wonderful sensations through her and she writhed with delight. She sucked him long and slowly in return, her tongue lapping his shaft and slit, now sticky with pre-cum. He let out muffled groans of pleasure.
They sixty-nined each other for a wonderfully long time before he eased off her and went to work on her breasts again, while his fingers found the rough swell of her g-spot. She melted beneath his touch and climaxed around him.
“Fuck me,” she moaned, as she drifted down from the giddy heights of orgasm. “I’m ready now.”
He grinned excitedly, and pulled her on top of him, squeezing her hips. Her breathing hitched as he pushed into her. His huge meat filled her wet void making her head spin. He was so amazing, so perfect and she rode him like a wild animal.
He thrust up from the pelvis, ramming her hard. His hands came up and squeezed her voluptuous breasts driving her into a deeper frenzy.
She raked and clawed his strong pectorals, thrusting down onto him in a fury of lust.
“Oh Nax! Oh yes! Yes!”
“Lara! I want to fuck you forever!” he growled.
The ancient wooden bed groaned under their exertions and sweat plastered Lara’s body as she rode him. He sped up the rhythm and his body tensed as he released himself insider her. She leaned forward and hugged him round the neck as his spent dick slipped out of her.
He pulled her to him and positioned himself so that his face was between her legs again, licking her sweet spot until she came, releasing a sticky gush of sweet nectar, which he lapped up eagerly.
Exhausted and sated, they collapsed together and Lara hugged her tightly. She had never felt so happier and contented than at that precise moment, and she was going to cling on to it for as long as possible.
***
PREVIEW OF ‘AUCTIONED TO THE JAGUAR’ BY ASHLEY HUNTER
~1: Bright Lights, Big Trouble~
The night was dark and full of shadows as Molly Clark sped away from her hometown. Nostalgia tugged at her, urging her to look back, but she kept her chocolate brown eyes ahead, already on the lookout for the bright skyline of the city, although she was still a good hour out. The only thing tying her back to that place, full of disasters and hard lessons, was gone. In her mind, she saw her grandmother’s warm smile on that final day. “Get out of here, my love,” her grandmother’s straining voice encouraged her, “Go out and find what you were meant to do.” Finally, that was exactly what she was doing.
Her phone’s display flashed on, displaying the grinning photo of herself alongside her best childhood friend. Molly pressed the “Receive call” icon to a loud clamor of excited babble on the other end. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, are you there yet?”
Molly good-naturedly resisted rolling her eyes at her friend’s exuberance, “Dina, I’ve barely even left!”
“Well yeah,” Dina Ford let out an exasperated sigh, “But I’d have thought you’d be driving, like, 100 miles an hour and so be there already!”
Molly laughed, “It’s tempting! I’ve still got loads of unpacking to do before Monday when I-”
“-Start at Wakanda Incorporated, the fifth most successful multinational firm in the country,” Dina teasingly finished her sentence, “Gee, I would have never known if this wasn’t the ten hundredth time you’ve mentioned it. By the way, you’ve seen your new boss at all?”
“No. He was too busy to meet me when I interviewed. But he trusts the head secretary’s taste, and she loved me. Plus, she said a recommendation from Professor Monroe was pretty much a golden ticket to assistant secretary.” Molly quickly made a mental note to send yet another thank-you email to her business admin mentor who, despite not seeing Molly in the two years since she had graduated, had immediately suggested she apply for the opening when his business partner’s firm began looking for a personal assistant to the Chief Financial Officer.
“Well, you should look him up. Handsome son of a bitch,” Dina purred.
Molly didn’t resist the eye roll this time. “Yeah, not going there.”
“Still swearing off men?”
“I prefer to think of it as focusing all my energy on my career ambitions,” Molly replied lightly, watching the dark outlines of the trees as they flashed outside her car window.
“You mean like you were focusing all of your energy on your grandma, and then all of your energy on college before that? Girl, you need to get over your ex-losers. They wouldn’t know a good-looking woman if one hit them upside the head with a frying pan. Trust me, our town doesn’t make men like your new boss.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Molly smiled dryly, “Look, I’ll call you tomorrow after I’m settled, okay? I need to concentrate on this road-you know how windy these mountain roads can be.”
“Sounds good. Love you, hun.”
“Love you too.”
She had barely hit the disconnect ic
on when another sound overwhelmed her, a terrible grinding noise like sandpaper against concrete. She quickly maneuvered the car onto the shoulder just as the engine gave one last shudder, and died. She tried to turn over the ignition a few times before finally abandoning the attempt with a resigned sigh.
It’s my own fault really, she thought as she searched for local tow services on her phone. She’d been so eager to get away from the baggage of the hometown behind her that she’d spent her meager inheritance on a down payment for an apartment in the city, instead of replacing her used car that’d been built centuries ago.
She soon discovered her bad streak of luck wasn’t over yet. The customer service rep apologetically informed her the soonest a tow could get to her was three hours, but promised they’d call as soon as they were close.
Molly heaved a deep sigh as she hung up and began to collect her bag and coat. Fortunately, it was a warm summer night, and she’d remembered seeing a small, low-lit bar just a mile or two behind her. Maybe she could use a drink. She could also spend the time going back over the training package Amy, the head secretary, had given her in preparation for her first day. Maybe if she asked nicely, they’d even let her charge her phone at the bar.
She locked her doors and set out back down the dark highway. Really, anything was better than sitting in a dead car in the dark for three hours. After all, it wasn’t like her night could get any worse.
* * *
New moon above-hunting moon. Night sounds through the trees, birds and prey. Hunger. Searching. Fresh, thawed dirt between pads.
Stretch in the warm spring air. Forest is thick with perfume of new fawns. Move like shadow, unseeing, soft pawprints. Run. Catch. Devour.
Another smell. No. Stronger. A… feeling. A magnet. A beacon. Never felt before, never smelled before. Overwhelming. Blood boils. Heart howls.
Must run. Must find. Must hunt.
* * *
The bar turned out to be a small, dim sort of place with a single pool table below a swinging lamp, and no food menus. Molly didn’t mind; it was clean enough, and she was accustomed to these sorts of out-of-the-way townie bars, having dragged her good-for-nothing exes out of several of them.
She took a seat at the counter and, feeling guilty any lack of patronage, ordered the cheapest beer they had.
“Don’t recognize your sweet face,” the barman said with a friendly smile as he filled the glass from the tap.
Molly gave a stiff smile in return; he was good looking, as townies went, but she wasn’t in the mood for any stabs at flirting. “Just traveling through. My car broke down a little ways up the road, so I’m waiting for a tow.”
“Uh oh. Car breaking down in the dead of night, dark forest, all alone-don’t have any serial killers after you, do you?” the barman slid her a wink.
She chuckled weakly, and then made a show of pulling out her phone and scrolling through her messages.
“You sure I don’t know you?” the barman leaned forward insistently, squinting at her through the light, “I don’t think I’d forget a face like that, and you look awfully familiar.”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, taking a quick survey of the bar. It didn’t seem particularly slow, with several men crowded around the pool table at the other end of the room. Maybe if she tried polite, but distant, answers, he’d go bother them instead.
“I’m, um, originally from Evansward.”
“Well I’ll be damned! You’re a Clark, aren’t you?” He grinned widely at her nod of agreement, “Should have recognized the nose. Shame to hear about your grandma. Nice lady. Heard there was some funny business with her house, too.”
Molly resisted the urge to reply tartly. This was half the reason she was so excited to get out of here, after all, to finally go somewhere where folks didn’t know every inch of her business. But she couldn’t be upset at him for it; this was just the way the world worked.
“Going to see relatives?” the barman interrupted her thoughts.
“No. My grandma was my last relative,” Molly said curtly, finally losing her patience. She took a long drink from her beer, hoping he’d take the hint to leave her in peace.
“Real shame, not having anybody to watch out for such a pretty face. You said you’re waiting for a tow?”
This time Molly made no effort to hide her annoyance. “Yes. Should be here in an hour or two, if you don’t mind me waiting here.”
“Do they know to look for you here?”
“No, I-” she stopped, cutting her eyes suspiciously at his tone. There was something odd about the way he was watching her-she felt goosebumps trickle down her skin like cold rain.
She stood abruptly, swinging on her coat. “On second thought, perhaps they’d want to meet me at my car.”
“Oh now, darling, no need to rush off,” the barman snickered. Molly swung around to find herself suddenly encircled by the other bar patrons. She realized, with a jolt of panic, there wasn’t a single other woman in the bar.
She took a step forward, searching for a gap in the crowd to escape, but the room seemed to be tilting, throwing her off balance, pushing her off her feet. She stumbled awkwardly against the counter, desperately trying to right herself.
“Besides,” the barman called, his voice carrying to her through air like thick soup, “We can’t allow you near your car in your current condition. You’ve clearly had a little too much to drink. But don’t worry… we know exactly how to take care of pretty faces around here.”
The world went dark around her before she could reply.
~2: Dark Basement Bar Blues~
Keith Chadwick was not accustomed to waiting. In fact, he wasn’t accustomed to nearly anything about the situation in which he found himself. He took a sip of the wine they’d provided-horrible, dreadful red wine, the kind of wine served when the host was doing their best to put on airs-and coolly studied the room around him.
There were about twenty men in all, mulling around on the expensive leather couches, most of them clearly previously acquainted. Most of them were dressed in distressed jeans and flannel shirts, but Keith wasn’t fooled by the facade for a second-their shoes, watches, and wallets clearly placed them in a certain, lofty income bracket. In fact, dressed in simple pants and a crisp button-down, Keith seemed almost pedestrian in comparison.
He chuckled wryly into his drink. Wasn’t often that happened? Still, it’d been the only change of clothes he’d stashed this far off his usual haunts; he’d never in a million years have guessed he’d need it somewhere like this.
He studied the juxtaposition of the men around him with detached interest. He’d intimidated his way past the bouncer into this underground bunker with utmost confidence and ease, but strange that they’d needed one in the first place. If he hadn’t known any better, he’d have figured this for some elite, private club; but he belonged to all of those already.
If it’d been just morbid curiosity keeping him where he stood, observing the scene from the back of the small basement, he would have tossed the red wine back at that smug bartender and gone home. But it was more than that rooting him to his spot. He knew what he’d sensed. He knew there was something here, something that had called to him like nothing he’d ever experienced before.
But what exactly was all this?
Just as he began to form theories, the whole room turned expectantly to face the wall opposite Keith. Stage lights flickered on to display a short stage, leaving the rest of the room in dimness.
The master of ceremonies, a pompous smile plastered onto his face, stepped up and greeted the assembly with a flourish. “Evening, gentlemen! And welcome to tonight’s… entertainment.”
The crowd of men gave an expectant whoop.
The bartender made a sweeping gesture to his right. “May I introduce, for your consideration… Anastasia!”
The men whistled and yelled as a girl, barely into her early twenties by the look of her, shakily climbed up onto the stage besides the MC. She was dr
essed in a provocative crimson dress, complete with sky-high heels and a hemline that barely skimmed her thighs. The bartender nudged her forcefully forward. “Aw, look gents, she’s shy! Give her a good, hearty welcome!”
The girl struck an awkward pose that made Keith grimace, but seemed perfectly attuned to the crowd; the bellows grew louder.
“So,” the bartender winked at his audience, “What do you say we start at-two hundred?”
Keith turned away in disgust. He’d heard rumors about a roaming club like this, where hard-on-their-luck girls were auctioned off to whatever man would pay for them, but he’d always chalked it up to urban myth. To discover that his peers, men he potentially had to do business with, stooped to this level set his blood on fire.
Anastasia went quickly to the tune of four hundred and twenty-five. Chastity followed her for three hundred, and Melody pulled the highest price of the evening at six hundred.
At last, Keith could stand it no further. He’d been mistaken; whatever he’d sensed while in his shifter form, it hadn’t been coming from this hellhole. He turned to quit the room.
“And now, for an extra special treat, we had the good fortune of encountering this blushing specimen just this evening; trust me when I say, girls like this don’t come around often. Gentlemen, I give you… Kitty!”
A sensation went up his spine like a jolt of lighting, the force of it nearly knocking him off his feet. She was what he had felt? He whirled in disbelief to face the stage, and froze as his eyes caught sight of her.
* * *
Awareness came in waves and unsteady gulps to Molly, reality slowly sliding into fevered dreams. Her head was pounding, a disembodied voice warbling in the background. She attempted to speak, to form some coherent sentence, but found her mouth closed with a crude gag.
The Savage Alien's Chosen (Astral Heat Book 3) Page 7