by Linda Mooney
There was a sound behind her. A large green hand with wicked-looking talons rested on her shoulder. Smiling, she reached up to lift the hand to her lips and kissed it.
“I won’t be long,” he promised, dropping an equally gentle kiss to her temple.
“If you’re not back in an hour, I’ll start panicking.”
He grinned, revealing two rows of sharp incisors. “Maybe I need to start wearing a watch when I go out,” he teased.
“Oh, yeah. That would look real cute, Jebaral. I can just picture you now in your Ruinos self with a Mickey Mouse strapped on your arm.” Giggling, she hugged him as he reached to turn off the lamp. In the darkness she could barely make out his shadowy form climbing out the window. She waited until he was far enough away from the cabin before turning the light back on, slowly counting to ten as he had asked her to do.
It was a little after eight thirty. Around a quarter to ten would be a good time to turn the light off again so Jeb wouldn’t accidentally be seen when he climbed back into the bungalow.
She discovered she liked watching him change. If she saw him go from human to Ruinos, it didn’t bother her to see a tall, naked (and nicely hung) green alien walking around the cabin afterwards. But having him appear from out of nowhere already shifted into his true self still gave her system a jolt of fear. It would take a while longer for her to get accustomed to when he did that.
She caught sight of the clean laundry sitting on the writing table. Those clothes needed to be folded and put away, and there was no time like the present. Turning on the television, she flipped through the channels to find something of interest. Nothing. Not even one of those documentaries about penguins.
Mumbling a choice word under her breath, Hannah dumped the clothes on the bed. There wasn’t even a radio to listen to. She made a mental note to ask Jeb to get one the next time he went by the hardware store. It didn’t surprise her that he didn’t have one of his own. If he wasn’t watching television, he was off racing through the forest. Strengthening himself. Taking care of his emotional and mental health, as well as his physical self.
Hannah folded a pair of his jeans. The way he had managed to adjust to her world still astounded her. Sometimes she wondered if she would have been able to cope as well on a planet as hostile and strange.
And then to have found someone to love.
Her face flamed unexpectedly. Okay, she would have to make a slight correction to a previous thought. If he wasn’t watching television or running, he was making out-of-this-world love to her.
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
Beside her Jeb lifted his face from her shoulder and gave her an incredulous look. “We’ve just made love twice in the last hour. Once human, and the second time when I was in my Ruinos form. What is left to be curious about?”
Smiling softly, she rolled over to face him. Jeb reached up to pull a sweat-soaked lock of hair off her forehead. “It was something you said the first time we ever made love.”
“Which was…”
“You said, ‘That was your first.’ Did you mean…”
“You know exactly what I meant,” he murmured. “You had never had an orgasm until then.”
Hannah reared her head back slightly to get a better view of those beautiful eyes with their scattering of amber crystals. “How’d you know?”
“I smelled it on you,” he announced simply. “Or rather, I didn’t smell it.”
“Oh, yeah, right.”
“I could smell Carl’s scent on you, but there was no scent of possession.”
“Carl and I had sex. If that’s not possession—”
She stopped when he shook his head. “Spurting his seed into you is not possession. It’s when you orgasm that your body absorbs some of that essence. Then the scent never leaves you.”
“If memory serves, my first orgasm didn’t occur when you were inside me.” She twirled a fingernail down the center of his sternum. The iron-hard muscles quivered at her touch. It hadn’t taken her long to discover her Ruinos mate had ultra-sensitive skin. All over.
“No, but it prepared your body to accept me. So that the second time you came, you became part of me, just as I became part of you.”
“And that’s why I stink like you now?”
“And I stink like you.”
Hannah paused with her finger just below his navel. Pressing her cheek to his chest, she drew a deliberately noisy breath through her nose. “Umm. Sorry. You smell nothing like me. But I love the way you do smell.”
“Which is…”
“Like the forest. Piney. Earthy. Very masculine. Rather sexy, too, if I might add.” Her finger continued its downward quest until it reached the root of his manhood. At that point it moved south toward the tip. However she soon discovered the tip had started to change direction when she found her finger going north. “God, you’re insatiable.”
“Is that a complaint? Remember, I’ve been celibate for ten years. Hannah?” He lifted her chin until she was looking directly at him. “Hannah, you were my first orgasm, too.”
The shock on her face was precious to behold. “Now you’re funnin’ with me.”
“I told you a Ruinos female could not conceive until she bonded. That’s also true for a male. If I didn’t ejaculate the first time I made love to you, then I would know our joining was not fated to be a blood bond. But after you had your first orgasm with me, I knew then a miracle was destined for us.”
A miracle? Sometimes it felt like more than a miracle. It felt like a dream.
Hannah glanced around the tiny cabin. This was what she wanted. A cabin, or a bungalow just like this one. Well, maybe a bit bigger. It definitely needed a bigger kitchen. And a bigger bed. And maybe a fireplace. But it had to be next to the woods or in them. That was at the top of the list, so Jeb could always be near that part of her world which reminded him of his own planet.
For herself, she didn’t need much to be happy. Jeb made her happy, and wherever they chose to live would be fine with her. Just as long as she was with him. He made the mornings worth getting up for. And he made the evenings worth waiting for.
She used to hate it whenever Carl came home after a drinking binge and wanted to have sex because he never satisfied her. He’d be sweaty and smelling of booze and cigarette smoke, and the only thing on his mind would be getting his rocks off as quickly as possible. To hell with leaving her on the couch or floor or bed, despising the results, with her clothes only partway off. In the past six months that had been the state of her sex life. And until Jeb came along, it seemed destined to remain that way if she stayed with Carl.
Closing her eyes, Hannah thought back briefly on the way Jeb loved her. He didn’t think any of her suggestions were improper or lewd. With his encouragement she felt free to experiment. To explore her sexuality and all the ways they could please each other. There was nothing forced or one-sided.
Jeb also told her he got more pleasure from their lovemaking if she had an orgasm before his. He tried to explain it to her in practical terms, but she had shushed him and shown him a better use for his mouth.
Quickly she put the clothes into the bureau and went to start the water for her bath. She was pinning her hair on top of her head when there came a knock on the door.
Hannah paused in the middle of the bedroom. “Who is it?”
She could tell there was movement on the front step, but no one answered her.
“Who is it?” she called again. Walking over to the door, she tried to look through the peephole but it was blocked. Crap. She hated it when people did that. “Jeb? Are you trying to be funny?”
Deep down she didn’t think it was Jeb. Still, she debated within herself whether she should open it. If it was Mrs. Newburg she was pretty sure the woman would have identified herself.
The knock came again. Hannah slipped the chain into the lock for safety’s sake, then turned the deadbolt, opening the door half an inch.
The voice came to her bef
ore she saw him.
“Hannah, we gotta talk.”
Fear clutched her heart with icy hands. She tried to slam the door shut but Carl shoved his good arm and a leg against the doorframe before she could close it. The chain held. A power struggle ensued.
“Dammit, Hannah! Come back here.” He shoved again, threatening to pull the chain from the jamb. Digging in her feet, Hannah tried to push against his superior strength.
“Go away!” she cried. She put her whole body against the door and tried to keep him out. But she knew Carl would inevitably force his way inside. He was much too strong. And once he was in, he would make her pay for leaving him. “Get the hell out of my life!”
“God dammit, bitch! I just want to talk to you!” He shoved again, putting his shoulder against the wood. There was a cracking sound as the chain began to give.
“Go away!” Hannah screamed again. She continued to push, hoping to get the door closed enough to get the deadbolt turned. Carl rammed his shoulder into the wood.
There was a louder crack, followed by a splintering sound. Suddenly the chain popped out of door as the lock ripped away from the doorjamb. The door went flying open, throwing Hannah backwards. She shrieked and fell on the floor, to land on her bottom and lower back.
Carl stumbled into the cabin, tripping over the threshold to land heavily on his knees. He uttered a grunt of pain but managed to throw out a hand as he tried to grab one of her ankles. Hannah kicked back, hoping he wouldn’t be able to get a firm grip as she began backing up to get away from him.
The cabin was small. There wasn’t anywhere she could go to get away from him. Her eyes glanced at the open bathroom door where she could still hear the water running, but visions of Carl holding her head under the water in the tub like he had done before flashed back to her. This time though he wouldn’t let her up. Not after what she had done to him.
That left her with only one other choice.
“Hannah, stop it, bitch!” He lunged for her with both hands. She kept striking out with her feet. One foot caught the hand with the cast and smashed it against the foot of the bed. There was a splintering noise. Carl reared back and screamed. “Fuck you, bitch! You’re dead! You hear me? Dead!”
Adrenalin pumped through her body. She was now fleeing for her life, and Hannah took the only exit she could see—the open window beside the bed. She started to shimmy over the casement when a hand caught the edge of her pants leg. A glance over her shoulder saw Carl slowly getting to his feet. His eyes were glittering with rage. A thin line of spittle was running down the side of his mouth. She tried to kick at him again, but this time he dodged her attempt.
“Going somewhere, cunt?”
He let go of her pants. Hannah jerked her leg free, but it upset her balance. She slammed her thigh against the sill so hard she knew there would be a bruise there before long. Arching her body, she started to slide outside when he lunged for her. His thick fingers managed to latch onto a lock of hair. Giving a yell, he pulled.
Pain sheared through her brain. Screaming at the top of her lungs, Hannah fell out the window to land face-first in the gravel below. Half-dazed, she frantically crawled several feet away on her hands and knees before she struggled to her feet.
Behind her she could hear Carl struggling to get through the window, but his bulk prevented him from taking the same route. Yelling at her once more, he disappeared back into the cabin.
He would be rounding the outside of the cabin at any second. Turning around, she pushed her way through the thick brush and headed directly into the forest, oblivious of the branches and thorns tearing at her clothes and skin. A warmth trickled down the back of her neck where her scalp continued to send little pinpoints of agony bursting in the back of her eyes like miniature fireworks. Jeb was somewhere out here. All she had to do was find him, and she would be safe. He would keep Carl away from her. He would protect her and make Carl leave them alone. All she had to do was find him. Out here. Out in the middle of this huge forest that covered hundreds of square miles in this part of the state. Out here where there were creatures like wolves and bears and God knew what else. Dangerous creatures, but none more so than the man who was determined to kill her if he ever managed to get his hands on her again.
Stumbling and sobbing, Hannah thrashed her way in the darkness, where even the light of the bright harvest moon couldn’t penetrate the dense overhead canopy. She wanted to call out to Jeb but she feared luring Carl to where she was. Terrified he would reach her before Jeb could.
Whimpering, she doggedly pushed through the underbrush and thick green growth, and prayed. Jeb! You knew the last time when I was this frightened. Somehow you knew because you called the office. Can you feel me now? Can you tell how much I need you right this minute?
Come to me, t’kor! Come find me!
Jeb? Jebaral!
Chapter 23
Hunt
Carl kept his cast-enclosed hand against his chest. The son of a bitch hurt like hell after Hannah kicked it and smashed it up against the foot of the bed. The bitch would pay for that.
Rounding the side of the cabin, he paused long enough for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. There, right ahead, he could see where there was a small irregular opening in the bushes. Plain as day, even for an inexperienced hunter like himself. Trying to keep as quiet as possible, he plunged into the thicket to follow after her.
He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Because the judge had been in a hurry to get her docket cleared as much as possible before she headed off on vacation, she had given him a stern warning, threw a fifty dollar fine in his face, then let him go with his promise to leave Tumbril Harbor within the hour and never return. As they processed him, some woman from the courthouse had dropped off a copy of the restraining order Hannah had signed. After a quick ride to the impound lot to claim his truck, good old Deputy Fife had escorted him to the outskirts of town.
Fuming, Carl had driven over to the little gas station and fried chicken joint at Five Corners, and waited there until he felt it was safe enough to venture back into town. Fuck ‘em. Order or no order, Hannah belonged to him, and he was damned if he would go all the way back to Laughlin without her.
Imagine his shock when he had driven back to the motel where Hannah had holed up and seen a blue pickup parked in front of the little cabin at the farthest end of the lot. Right up next to the woods. Absolutely perfect. Less chance of someone seeing them unless they drove around to the back like he’d done.
The only thing he had to avoid was coming across that boyfriend of hers, so he had parked his truck out of sight, then hidden himself behind some brush and waited. Waited for Mr. Dildo to leave, or for a sign he had already vacated the premises. At one point Hannah had emerged carrying an empty laundry basket. She’d gone over to the motel office, then come back a minute later with the basket full. He had ground his teeth together when he’d seen the jeans in the basket. Jeans he knew weren’t Hannah’s. She was doing the fucker’s laundry, for crissakes!
When it had started to get dark, Carl knew he couldn’t stay put much longer. If the guy wasn’t going to leave, then maybe he could talk his way inside. Sweet-talk Hannah into letting him in.
Yeah. That would work. She had never been able to resist him when he spun sugar out of his mouth. Sweet-talk his way into the cabin and try to sound contrite.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was the big chance Mr. Dildo was inside with her. And an even bigger chance he wouldn’t let Carl get one foot in the door. But it was a risk he had to take. At least he knew if he couldn’t get his hands on Hannah this time, there would be other times when he could try.
For a second he debated on whether to wait until tomorrow morning after the guy left for work, or to go ahead and try now. It was a big risk to try again so soon after that fiasco this afternoon, but Carl figured, What the hell? They would never expect him to strike now. They would never anticipate him staying in town after Hannah had gone through all the trouble to have a res
training order placed on him. Hell, the guy had even parked his truck right in front of their place!
No. Right now was perfect. Just after dark. They’d probably had a good supper and were relaxing in front of the TV with their shoes off and their belts undone so their meal could settle. Now was the right time to see if he couldn’t catch them off-guard. And hopefully mellow enough to let him in to have his say. The anticipation was sweet enough to make him clench the muscles in his neck when he grinned.
Imagine his shock when he’d knocked on the door and Hannah had said, “Jeb? Are you trying to be funny?”
The fucker wasn’t there.
And then the little bitch had opened the door.
The bushes and limbs tugged on his clothes. By keeping his wounded hand and arm in front of his face, he finally found a good use for the cast. It kept the brambles and all from scratching him.
Up ahead he could hear all kinds of swishing and crackling sounds. Hannah was leading him right to her with all the noise she made, plowing through the growth like a runaway bulldozer. She also made it a lot easier for him to track her because she cleared the way for him to follow. It was slow going for her, but it would take him half the time to reach her. And once he did, she would have hell to pay.
She left a trail a ninety-year-old blind man could follow. Carl stepped through the broken twigs, his dark grin still pasted on his face. He had thought long and hard about what he would do to her once he had her back in his possession. He had to make her pay for running off like she did. She had to learn that once a man laid claim to her, she was his to do with as he pleased, no matter what the fucking courts said. And no other man better try to say differently.
He’d rented a movie once where this guy had tied up his girlfriend and dominated her with a whip while he alternated between screwing her and making her please him. Hannah hadn’t wanted to watch it, but he’d gotten quite a kick from it. And later, when he had tied her up and wanted do some of the same stuff to see if it was as exciting as it appeared in the movie, she had cried and tried to fight him. Of course he’d ended up winning that argument. He always won arguments.