COWBOY ROMANCE: Devon (Western Contemporary Alpha Male Bride Romance) (The Steele Brothers Book 2)

by Amanda Boone

  She had only been awake for a couple of minutes before the door opened, revealing a very frazzled-looking Kal. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, his black eyes wiping the agitation away.

  “Kal?”

  He stopped in his tracks. His face morphed into an expression of surprise. “I thought you’d be sleeping.”

  “What happened in there?” she asked as he approached her, a vile and syringe in his hand.

  He pulled up a stool and sat next to her. “I really can’t explain anything right now.” He carefully lifted her arm, peering at her elbow.

  “What are you doing?”

  He pressed the syringe straight into her vein, somehow seeing it without having to hit her or dilate the vessel in any way. “I have to test you. There isn’t much time.” He drew enough blood to fill the vile.

  Olivia wanted to press him for more information, but everything weakened her so much that…

  I’m sorry….

  Her eyes flickered shut yet again.

  Chapter Five

  The next time Olivia awoke, she found herself lying in a cot in a room the size of the surgical supply closet at the hospital, but she wasn’t in the surgical supply closet. In fact, she wasn’t even in the hospital. She could hear the sounds of crickets chirping just outside the window, a stream a moonlight pouring in.

  She sat up and then froze. That shouldn’t have been so easy. How was she already healed?

  “Olivia?”

  “Where am I?” she asked as Kal entered the room from an arch to the right, a small glass in his hand.

  “I didn’t want to explain anything until I was sure.” He sat down next to her, a cautious expression in his eye.

  “Of what?”

  “I tested your blood.”

  Olivia gulped down half the glass. “Looking for what?”

  “Antibodies…particular protein markers.” He shook his head as if there was more information he had chosen to keep from her.

  “Why would you do that?”

  “It’s a part of that secret I couldn’t tell you.”

  Olivia nodded, her lips folding into a frown. “So I gather I don’t get to know.”

  “Not exactly. Remember when I told you that it wasn’t my secret to tell? Well, now it’s yours too.”

  She emptied the glass and then set it down next to her. “So are you gonna explain yourself?”

  Kal let out a long breath. “Well, I should just jump into it.”

  “Kal, just tell me.”

  “You aren’t human.”

  “What?”

  “Well, at least not completely.”

  “What are you saying?” That picture came to mind. “I’m assuming you don’t think you are either?”

  Kal scoffed. “No. Listen, I’m not delusional. I’m Kaharan and so are you.”

  “And you expect me to believe this…”

  “How else do you explain everything?”

  “You haven’t explained anything.”

  “The Old Kaharan is an ancestor of ours that colonized Earth a hundred years ago as a result of a revolution on our planet. They interbred, making people like you who have enhanced vision and strange eyes and a profound inability to fully assimilate…”

  “So what is all of this about antibodies?”

  Kal averted his gaze. “There is a woman…well, the only surviving woman from Kahara with child. But she lacks an antibody she needs for her immunity to remain strong throughout the pregnancy. She won’t make it to term without it, and we might lose the Ccmmander’s wife and the first child conceived since a comet destroyed Kahara.”

  Olivia let herself fall back onto the cot. An alien? Her? This conclusion seemed logical and yet completely outlandish. Her heart dropped as she realized something. “Is that why you saved me?” She hadn’t realized how comforting it was to have him by her side until then, when she found out that it didn’t really mean anything. “So that you could harvest my blood?”

  His eyes snapped in her direction. “How could you think that?”

  She sat back up. “You only cared about me to use me.”

  “That’s not true.” He placed a hand on her knee, the grip a little too tight. “Until last night, I had no idea you were Kaharan.”

  “So what tipped you off?”

  He slipped farther onto the cot, placing his other hand on her leg.

  There it was again, the pull. She felt herself subconsciously leaning into him. “When they were prepping you for surgery and couldn’t put you down, I thought…only a Kaharan would have that problem.”

  Olivia nodded. It made sense. She had always had trouble with over-the-counter medications. Even the few cigarettes she had smoked in her college years never hit the spot. “And then we touched, and it was like I could hear your thoughts.”

  He nodded. “And I could hear yours.”

  They were even closer together now.

  “It’s called Bonde. It’s fairly common among Kaharans. It signifies maximum compatibility.”

  Olivia liked the sound of that, and yet having this Bonde thing with Kal just seemed too good to be true. She had wanted to be so close to him for so long that she had lied about it and hid from him, and from herself. “Like, love?” She had to talk around the lump in her throat.

  He placed a hand on her cheek.

  A door had been opened and a bright, white light barred her view. “You love me?”

  “I didn’t know it then, but, yes, I think so. The Bonde has revealed something.”

  But then a dark thought extinguished the light. “How do I know this is real? How do I know you aren’t just lying to me to get my blood to save your queen or whatever?”

  He shook his head. “I can’t fake this.”

  “You’ve known about your true identity your whole life. I don’t know anything about what being a Kaharan means. You could have some strange enhancement…like my vision. You could be using it to trick me.”

  He took her hands in his. “Lying to you for half a year about who I was nearly destroyed me. I don’t want to deceive you. I want to bring you home.”

  Olivia wanted to believe him. She rested her hand on his neck, drawing his face nearer to hers. “So prove it.”

  His stare set her on fire.

  “What?”

  She pulled herself toward him so that their bodies were nearly touching, resting her forehead on his, imagining that she could feel the cogs turning in his head, the thudding of his heart. “Show me this isn’t about my blood.” Her lips hovered over his for only a mere second before he seized her.

  She felt like she had been waiting for this kiss since the first time they met. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him pour into her. They blended together like two organic molecules, distinct but alike.

  Her first kiss with him felt like her first kiss ever.

  But suddenly it wasn’t enough. She clawed at his button down as he lowered her back onto the cot. His hair, which he had always kept so nice and neat, fell over his forehead, shadowing his dark eyes. Olivia could have stayed in that position for a lifetime, getting more and more lost in his embrace with each passing second.

  His hand slipped under her gown, his cool fingers pressed against her waist.

  Her lips parted as he kissed her chin and then her neck.

  She clutched his back, sinking her teeth into his shoulder.

  The grunt that slipped out of his lips sent a shudder of pleasure through her entire body.

  She opened her legs wider, pulling him toward her by his belt loops and then wasting no time slipping off his pants.

  Their lips found each other again with a sloppier, needier kiss. Olivia wrapped her lips around his tongue, sucking on it as he grinded himself into her, his bulge pressing into the skin of her ass.

  Olivia opened her eyes, watching him rip her panties off her. A smile played at her lips at the sight of the Kal she knew as frigid, controlled and calculating melting away to reveal this passionate cr
eature. His lips, pink and plump from the kissing, stretched into a crooked smile.

  She reached for his cock, wrapping her hand around the pulsating member, and shoved it inside her. Her whole body expanded to fit it, her cunt shuddering with approval. He rammed himself into her over and over again, their bodies growing hot and slick with sweat. She shifted her hips to put him underneath her.

  He gazed up at her, his eyes shadowed in adoration.

  Olivia slipped her gown off in one motion and continued to ride him, her toes curling under her in ecstasy.

  He reached up, cupping her breasts in his hands, his fingers pinching her nipples as they bounced up and down.

  Olivia turned her head up to the ceiling, moans of pleasure slipping out of her mouth until Kal clutched her waist, his fingers digging into her skin. She pressed her chest against his, her cheek resting on his shoulder as they both climaxed.

  Olivia took his face in both of her hands and kissed him. “I think I just realized something,” she said as she pulled away.

  “What?”

  “This is the first time I’ve actually ever felt like I was a part of something. .” She shook her head. “I’ve been looking for an anchor my whole life, wanting to truly matter. I thought if I worked hard enough I could satisfy myself.”

  Kal stroked her arm. “This was never about landing that job.”

  “No. I’ve always wanted to make a difference. Before I thought that was the only way I could matter. If I did everything myself. If I was in charge because I couldn’t fit in any other way.”

  She sighed, letting herself fall back on top of him. “I can’t believe I tried to sell you out for some job. How stupid.”

  He chuckled, caressing her back. “No harm done. I was gonna quit anyway.”

  They both laughed at this.

  “Besides, I already have a job, and it’s keeping the queen alive.”

  Olivia nodded. “Okay,” she said, standing up. “I’d love to help you.” She then backtracked at the sight of the surprise on his face. “Just this once… for now.”

  Kal stood as well, his eyes wide with happiness. “You cannot know how happy that makes me.”

  Olivia placed a hand on his cheek. She closed her eyes and tried to hear his thoughts again. There it was, the open door, waiting for her to cross over. She pressed her lips against his, touching them ever so slightly, letting the white light consume her.

  I love you…so much.

  She pulled away, a giddy laugh falling out of her mouth. “I think I can.”

  THE END

  Epilogue

  Olivia stood in the observatory, waiting for Kal to finish with the commander and his wife. She stared out at all that empty space around her, marveling at the stars.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  She turned to find Kal approaching her, still wearing his lab coat. “How did the surgery go?”

  “Minor complications.”

  “Is she going to be okay?”

  Kal nodded.

  Olivia let out a sigh of relief. “I hoped so. She’s so beautiful.” She had only met the Kaharan briefly before Kal rushed her into surgery to do a complete workup on her blood.

  Kal placed a hand on the small of her back. “She’s all right…”

  Olivia giggled at this, turning to face him. A stray lock of hair had dislodged itself from the rest of his slicked back mane. She put it back in its place.

  Kal took her hand in his, planting a kiss on the back of it.

  Olivia blushed in spite of herself.

  “The commander wants to see you.”

  She furrowed her brow. “Why?”

  Kal took a deep breath, a mischievous gleam in his eye. “Well, between you and me, I think he wants to offer you a position.”

  Her eyes grew wide. She hadn’t yet come to a decision about her future and whether she wanted one on Earth…or with Kal in space. “On the ship?”

  Kal frowned. “Oh no. On Earth. A field position, doing the same thing I was.”

  “Looking for antibodies?”

  “No. Searching for the lost ones.”

  Olivia glanced back out the window. “So I’d get to go back home…” She somehow felt safer this way.

  “Yes.”

  But then another thought occurred to her. “You’d come with me. Right?”

  “Well, the council is looking to expand the project…”

  Her heart fluttered with excitement. The thought of the two them working towards a common goal, sharing a secret much bigger than the both of them combined brought a smile to her face. . She squeezed his hand. “I mean, it’s not like I need you or anything,” She joked. “It would just be a little bit more complicated without a mentor with me.” ”

  He raised an eyebrow as he smoothed her frizzy mess of hair. “Oh, so I get to be a mentor now?”

  Olivia beamed. “Well, there is an obvious discrepancy in knowledge here.” ”

  He held out his hand to her. “Wow, the great Olivia Jones admitting that she doesn’t know something.”

  She couldn’t help but to laugh at this. “Oh come on, are you coming or not?”

  Kal smirked. “Of course.”

  Olivia’s smile grew wider. “Great,” She said as she took his hand.

  He led her back out of the observatory and to the Commander’s office to tell him the good news.

  THE END

  Hunted by the Alien Lord

  Kahara Lords

  Book 6

  (Can be read as a standalone book)

  By: Lindsay Blanc

  Hunted by the Alien Lord

  Chapter One

  Emily yanked the door open, the smell of aged paper and decaying wood assaulting her nose. She stood just over the threshold for a moment or two, listening to her own breath, her heartbeat, her ticking watch. Listening for everything except for…

  The sound of footsteps made her heart thud.

  Oh God.

  She scurried into the room full of antique books, her own breathing blocking out the shuffling of her stalker. She stomped one foot in front of the other, her hurried walk becoming a run. The stale air ruffled her damp hair, but she turned because she couldn’t resist just one good look at him.

  But when she chanced a glance, she found nothing in her wake. Emily skidded to a stop, resting her hands on her knees, doubling over and sucking in generous breath after breath.

  When her heart had slowed, there he was, the bane of her thoughts. He stood at the end of the hall, towering six and a half feet. One fist hung down at his side, his clenched hand poking through the sleeve of a leather jacket. His other hand fiddled idly with his button.

  Emily’s breath came quick and shallow as she locked eyes with the emerald stare of the man from her dreams. She told herself not to run. She told herself to confront him. But as soon as she watched him take his first step, she turned and sprinted down the other end of the hallway.

  She couldn’t face him. At least not yet.

  She darted into one of the tall isles of books, the shelves blocking any kind of light. She held her breath, pressing her lips shut.

  She listened, for there it was again, the footsteps.

  A nervous sweat streamed down the side of her face. She didn’t dare move to swipe it away. But he found her anyway. In mere moments he had turned the corner into her isle. This time her fatigue kept her rooted.

  As he approached, she got a good look at his high cheekbones, his strong jaw, and his prominent brow. She gulped, ignoring the way her body melted at the beautiful sight. He kept coming until nothing more than a foot separated the two of them.

  She caught a whiff of his scent: sharp, like pine, and yet soft, like the burning wood of a fire.

  He pressed his body against hers, her back pushing into the shelf behind her. She felt a sharp pang of pleasure shoot through her as he rested his hand on her hip. He drew himself closer and closer. Her eyes flickered shut in anticipation…

  Emily shot ou
t of bed, her hair damp with sweat, flying all around her. It took four deep breaths for her mind to convince her body that it had only been a dream…again.

  She reluctantly climbed out of bed and made her way to her small bathroom, where she washed her face and brushed her teeth, staring at the aged tile as she did so. As she dragged on a fitted, black dress and assaulted her hair with dry shampoo, the scent of frying bacon and slightly burnt toast made its way up to her.

  A smile played on her lips as she hurried down the hall and into the kitchen, where Mauve stood, putting two plates together.

  He turned, a plate in his hand and a smile on his wrinkled, worn face. “Hello, love. How did you sleep?”

  Emily shrugged as she grabbed a newspaper off the counter and took her place at the table. “I had that dream again.”

  “About the lost one?” he asked, his warm, shaking voice soothing her nerves.

  She nodded. “I wish you wouldn’t call him that.”

  He pursed his lips. “You said he was one of them, did you not?”

  Emily sighed. “Yeah, but it doesn’t matter, right? It’s just a dream.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her, jutting his fork out at her. “But one you keep having it over and over again.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m just as perplexed as you are.”

  A grin stretched across his face. “Say that it’s a sign. Maybe this just means you are coming close to finding what you are looking for.”

  Emily nodded. Throughout the rest of her breakfast she attempted to convince herself that he was right and this was nothing more than a subconscious product of her endless search for the histories of her true parents.

  She finished her breakfast and headed out, but not before planting a kiss on the forehead of her adoptive father.

  Moments later, she found herself in the basement of the very real library in the small, Australian town of Goolway. She combed through old scrolls, a pencil in one hand and her magnifying glass in the other. These were the records of the aborigines that had been driven out of this area hundreds of years ago, which had been recently excavated by a local archeologist.