Tied up in Customs (The Department of Homeworld Security Book 4)

by Cassandra Chandler

  “Now I don’t understand,” Eric said. He felt like he should be irked, but her laughter was so pure, he felt himself smiling instead.

  She shook her head as she straightened. “You will when you see Serath.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  “I suppose I should be calling him ‘Adam’, since that is the name he has now chosen for himself. I don’t know that I will ever think of him as anything other than Serath.”

  “Have you worked with him for long?”

  “I have.”

  There was warmth in her tone when she spoke of this “Serath”. Maybe she did care about something. Odd that Eric felt a bit of a twinge at the thought of her caring for another man when they had just met and he was still fairly convinced that she was crazy.

  The trail branched off, one path a gentle slope, and the other heading up at a steep angle. Sorca headed for the steep path. She was leading him deeper into the forest. The hike quickly went from pleasant to annoying as sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. She still didn’t seem winded at all.

  “No one’s around,” he said. “Why don’t you tell me more about what’s going on here?” He needed to know the rules of the game if he was going to play.

  “You know Brendan has been trying to contact an advanced alien species.”

  Oh, here we go…

  Aliens. He should have guessed it when Brendan’s note mentioned the planet being in danger. When she’d stopped herself earlier, he would bet she’d been about to say, “Homeworld”.

  “Everybody needs a hobby,” Eric said. “What of it?”

  “He succeeded.”

  “Of course he did.”

  “You’re not surprised?” She glanced over at him, a puzzled look on her face.

  “He’s a genius, especially with communications systems. If anyone could make contact with aliens, it would be Brendan.”

  “Your faith in him is encouraging. But a knowledge of technology will not be sufficient for him to lead Earth’s First Contact Committee.”

  “First contact? Oh, right. With the aliens.” Eric managed to keep himself from snorting.

  Brendan and his…friend…had obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this. Sorca was absolutely throwing herself into the part. She sounded and acted like she believed every word she said. Every crazy word.

  “So, are you one of those aliens he contacted?” Eric asked.

  “I am.”

  “Convenient that you happen to look like an Earthling.”

  “It is.” She nodded, taking the comment totally seriously. “Being able to move about freely with most Earthlings none the wiser will assist us in protecting your planet.”

  “From what?”

  Even though it was a game, Eric still felt a tremor of misgiving flow through him. He lived every day with more knowledge of the precarious balance of human existence on Earth than most people had to deal with. The thought of aliens joining the mix—with their own ways, needs, and agendas—was unnerving.

  “Brendan and Serath will provide you with the details,” she said. “But first…”

  She stepped off the trail into a small clearing. The grass had actually been mowed. It grew thick where the trees didn’t block the sun overhead.

  “Nice park,” he said.

  She smiled at him over her shoulder, walking deeper into the field. “Kira told me about this. ‘Blades of grass’. I wish to experience it.”

  “Experience it how?”

  Sorca sat and untied her boots, then pulled them off and tossed them aside. Her socks quickly followed. Digging her toes into the greenery surrounding her, she let out a long sigh. The acerbic remark he’d been about to make stuck on his tongue when she smiled up at him. It was such a genuine look of happiness.

  Damn, she was a good actress.

  “Join me,” she said. “The blades are cool and do not cut.”

  “I’m aware. This is my planet, remember?”

  She laughed as she stood. “What is an everyday occurrence for you is something I have never experienced.” She looked down at her feet, lifting one then the other slowly, almost as if she was kneading the ground. “It tickles!”

  For a fraction of a second, he wondered if this really was a game. Her joy seemed so authentic. He couldn’t read any signs of deceit in her expressions—and he’d been trained to detect them.

  But that would mean she was an alien. That would be crazy.

  “Join me.” She reached her hand to him.

  This was all part of the game. Brendan was going all-out to help Eric relax and have some fun. He might as well enjoy himself.

  “What the hell.” He pulled off his shoes and threw them on the pile she had created.

  “And the fiber covering,” she said.

  “Fiber covering? Oh, you mean my socks.”

  “Socks. Yes.”

  “You really are thinking of everything.”

  “It’s a simple matter. You will enjoy the grass more if it comes in direct contact with your skin. And I did promise you pleasure.”

  Heat coursed through him again. There were all kinds of pleasure he could think of that he would love to enjoy with a strong, beautiful woman. Even if she seemed a little…off.

  Because she was an alien.

  Right.

  He pulled off his socks and tossed them on the pile. The grass was cool beneath his feet, blades prickling along the sides. It did feel good, and some of his tension eased.

  Sorca let Brendan’s shirt slide to the ground. Maybe she wanted to feel the wind better or—

  Eric’s thoughts froze as she pulled her own shirt over her head and dropped it on the growing pile of clothing. The sun seemed to caress the smooth skin of her back, highlighting the lines of her muscles and shoulder blades. She turned, her arms stretched toward the sun, giving him a glorious view of her full breasts.

  “Stars, this feels amazing,” she said.

  Eric stammered for a moment, only finding words when she started to unfasten her jeans. “Sorca, what are you doing?”

  “Removing my clothing. You should do the same.”

  “Wait, what?”

  He had thought she was kidding with her talk of copulating and pleasure. But then, she certainly did look extremely happy—even with something as simple as feeling the grass on her feet and the sun on her skin.

  She pushed down her jeans and stepped out of them. Instead of standing again, she dropped to the ground and stretched.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Enjoying the grass.” She propped herself up on one elbow. “What are you doing?”

  Honestly? He was enjoying watching her enjoying the grass.

  The sun gleamed along the line of her side and hips. He wanted to trace it with his fingers, to feel the mix of strength and softness he could see with his eyes. He wanted to roll her over in the soft grass and…copulate.

  Chapter Four

  Earth was even better than Sorca imagined. She hoped she would make it back to one of the recording pods in a reprogramming center before she inevitably met up with something that killed her. She wanted to keep these memories in the next body the Coalition grew for her.

  And she wanted to make more memories. With Eric.

  She stood and slowly approached him.

  He let out a nervous laugh and shook his head. “Look, if this is all part of the game—”

  “Everything is.” The words came out sharper than she’d intended, emotions that she needed to suppress roiling beneath the surface.

  She had lost count of how many versions of herself she’d been. With the way her mind was rejecting even the simplest of cultural programming sessions like the one that prepared her for Earth, she had a feeling there wouldn’t be many more.

  His smile faded as she drew near. When she was close enough to feel his body heat, she stopped.

  “You are unlike most of the sentients I have encountered,” she said.

  “So, you want to
have sex with me because I’m an exotic Earthling.”

  His tone did not sound eager or excited. He seemed…annoyed. Perhaps if she flattered him…

  “You are strong and hairy,” she said. “I like your bear.”

  “I truly have no idea how to respond to that.”

  “Your bear and mustache.”

  “Beard and mustache,” he said.

  “Beard and mustache,” she repeated. She struggled to find the right words, then remembered what the waitress had said at the diner. “Handsome. You are handsome.”

  He snorted and one eyebrow arched up his forehead. “Thanks, I guess.”

  “Do you not find me handsome as well?”

  He outright laughed, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “That isn’t the word I would use.”

  Her chest felt tight, her heart suddenly beating faster against her ribs.

  How could she be able to feel disappointment about this still? The muscles obviously visible beneath her skin made her a freakish specimen among her kind. Those who were intrigued by her physicality saw her only as a curiosity—especially when they learned of her Cygnian DNA.

  Eric had seemed so different from those people. She had hoped he would be different in this regard as well.

  She did her best to discard the useless emotions. The…longing.

  She wanted to beat on something—to smash it beyond recognition.

  “I see,” she said. “Among my people, my musculature is also considered unattractive.”

  She started to step away, but he grabbed her arm. His grip was firm at first, but gentled when she looked up at him.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  “Beautiful. I know this word.” It was a high compliment among his kind. “Are you certain you’re using it correctly?”

  He laughed. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  He brushed her hair past her shoulder, letting his thumb trail along her cheek. The touch was shockingly gentle. She grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought you wouldn’t mind, since you said you wanted to…”

  “Copulate.” She remembered the phrase he had used. “Have sex. Yes.”

  “Touching is generally involved in that.”

  “Of course.”

  Perhaps with Earth-sex.

  The Coalition provided everyone with a drug they called Coupling to handle their biological urges. Most citizens used it alone, but some preferred enjoying the experience with a partner. Since the drug handled all stages of arousal, including culmination, there wasn’t much interaction required.

  Sorca had always found using Coupling unsatisfactory, even with a partner. Her body chemistry seemed to resist its effects. She had an even worse reaction to Balance—the drug used to maintain emotional equilibrium among the populace.

  She released Eric’s wrist, wondering if he would touch her like that again, his fingers as light as breath against her skin.

  “I’m not saying we’re going to have sex.”

  She smirked at him. “Your pupils are extremely dilated and your breath rate has increased.”

  “Sorca…”

  “What is your preferred protocol?”

  “My ‘preferred protocol’ doesn’t usually involve a woman being absolutely committed to playing her role as an alien looking for an Earth hook-up.”

  “Hook-up?”

  “Sex, Sorca.” He shook his head. “This is really weird.”

  “Are you interested in copul—in having sex with me or are you not?”

  He let out a sigh, and said, “Yes.”

  A thrill of victory sparked along her nerves. She leaned in closer, till the fabric of his shirt whispered across her flesh.

  “Whether you believe I’m an alien who is profoundly interested in sharing this pleasure with you or that I’m a woman playing a role, it would seem you have only one decision to make.”

  “Which is?”

  “Whether you want to play along.”

  He laughed briefly, but then lifted his free hand to her shoulder. He still held her arm in a gentle grip.

  “You really want this?” he said.

  “The pleasures of Earth. I wish to experience them with you. To share them.”

  He shook his head. “What the hell.”

  He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. A kiss, like Sorca had seen Serath and Evelyn exchange.

  Eric’s lips were a bit dry, but soft. He moved them against hers like his thumb had caressed her cheek. He ran his hands down her arms, then around to her back, pulling her close.

  The embrace locked them together. She didn’t like the idea that she would have to use her strength to break his hold. To even the battlefield, she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. Now they both held the other captive.

  Perhaps her action had a hidden meaning, because he let out a small groan and slid his tongue across her lips. She gasped at the strangeness of the feeling, and he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

  She would have thought it would be appalling to have someone else’s tongue in her mouth, but instead warmth spread through her. One of his hands slid down to her buttocks, gripping her firmly and pushing her against his erection.

  They were having sex with their mouths. She hadn’t known such a thing was possible. But the movements of his tongue, her body’s response to his presence within her…

  She ran her fingers through his hair, grabbing a handful of the dark strands and tilting his head to the side—carefully. The last thing she wanted was to injure him. He groaned again, but instead of deepening the kiss, he shifted his face so that his lips were pressed against her neck.

  More warmth. More tingling sensations as the follicles of her skin drew to attention.

  Slickness was gathering between her legs. As if he sensed it, he…moved his hand there. She gasped as he pressed his fingers within the folds of her flesh, parting them, delving deeper until—

  “Stars!”

  He was within her again, in a way she had never imagined. Spreading her, moving inside and out. His fingers pumped like a piston while his thumb circled a nerve cluster she hadn’t known she possessed. All the bodies she had gone through, all the lifetimes, and she had never experienced this part of herself.

  At some point, she had released his hair, and was now half-wrapped around him. She wasn’t sure when it had happened. She only knew she must be careful with him.

  She wrapped her arms around his shoulders—positioning her body so that she wouldn’t hurt him too badly if she forgot herself again. Something was building within her, and she had already lost awareness of herself once.

  His pace increased, his fingers flexing deep in her core, stretching her, spreading her slickness. The energy he was building intensified. Warmth and tingling, sparks and plasma bursts, until it coalesced in a white-hot explosion that fired out from his hand at her center, through her entire body.

  She screamed, barely registering the answering calls of startled birds that leapt from the trees into the air. He grunted, lowering her to the ground and kneeling between her parted legs.

  “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he said.

  She was confused at first, hearing the words running through her own mind spoken by him. Why would he think he had hurt her?

  The physical sensations he had generated within her were joined by something deeper, stronger. An emotional resonance she hadn’t anticipated.

  He cared. He cared if he hurt her.

  “You didn’t cause me pain,” she said. “You gave me pleasure unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

  He was panting, his hands fisted on his thighs as he gazed at her. His eyes held hunger.

  “I promised you pleasure,” she said. “That I would share this with you.”

  Eric nodded as he rose on his knees. He unfastened his jeans and shoved them down his thighs. His member jutted at her, the tip glistening.

  She had n
ever seen this part of a male so close. When she had used Coupling, she had barely had time to bring her partner into her body before the drug completed their mating activities for them.

  Eric was glorious.

  He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the small folded bit of fabric where he kept his currency. He opened it and pulled out a small square of metal. No, not metal, from the way he tore it open. Something she hadn’t encountered.

  He pulled a small circle of pliable material from the shiny square of weak material. After pressing the circle to the tip of his erection, he rolled it down, covering himself.

  When they were finished, she’d have to ask what it was. For now, she was more interested in action than knowledge.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he said.

  She laughed. “How can you even ask?”

  “I always ask.”

  “Then here is your answer, Eric Peterson. Yes.”

  He dropped his body onto hers, pressing against her core. She could feel the strain thrumming through his body, mirrored in her own. Red clouded her vision as he entered her—for once, not battle rage. Something else. Something new.

  It was like flickering plasma running over her skin—energy that didn’t burn or hurt, but made her feel alive in a way she’d never felt before. She wanted more of it, wanted to grab him and pull him closer, deeper. And she was afraid if she did, she’d snap him right in two.

  As he pressed himself into her, he groaned. “God, you’re so tight. My cock’s going to go off any second.”

  “Your what?”

  “My dick. You just…feel too good.” His eyes were pinched shut and he held himself completely still, as if he was struggling with his own self-control.

  She tried to piece together his meaning. “You’re about to orgasm.”

  Her body was pulsing, preparing for its own release.

  He let out a laugh and shook his head. “Yes, if you want to be specific about it. Thanks for the distraction. It’s helping.”

  “I will assist you in prolonging this experience.”

  For once, she had no idea what action to take. Among the Sadirians, she was considered to be bizarrely attuned to her body. Her physicality was what made her of greatest use to the Coalition, after all. In battle, she always knew what to do. But this was an entirely different physical experience.