Her Alien Forgemasters

by Susan Hayes

  “Stubborn female. Why not?”

  “Because others needed it more.” She looked up at Damos, a shimmer of heat lighting up her eyes. “And I was sort of hoping I could get mine from the source.”

  “Go. Take our mate home and claim her properly.”

  Damos snorted. “Say goodbye to Tra’var. If he’s well enough to try ordering me around via our link, he can manage on his own for a few hours. I’m taking you home. It’s time I rectified my earlier mistake.”

  Anya made a delighted little squeak and flung herself back into Tra’var’s arms. “We won’t be long.”

  A low growl erupted from Damos, throaty and deep. “Oh, I think we will.”

  He managed to steal a kiss before Damos tugged Anya away. Tra’var had expected them to walk out, but his anrik surprised him again by unfurling his wings.

  “Hold on,” he told Anya and then launched himself into the air, his wings working furiously to gain the lift he needed.

  This was why Damos didn’t fly often, especially not if anyone but Tra’var could see the effort he needed to take off without a running start. It would seem that didn’t matter to him anymore. At least not today.

  “Don’t forget to deactivate the ice maker or you might wake up dreaming of frozen rivers like I did!” he called out as they rose.

  Anya laughed.

  He watched until they reached the upper tiers and flew out of the arena. Then he carefully got to his feet. There was still work to be done, and he was well enough to stop being a patient and start helping those who weren’t yet recovered.

  Damos and Anya needed this time. When he saw them again, they’d be a true trio, bound by blood for the rest of their lives.

  Damos couldn’t have flown the full distance home with Anya in his arms, but by some bit of luck or fate, the wind blowing from the right direction let him glide most of the way.

  He hadn’t even let Anya get her cloak on, but with her help they managed to fold his around her well enough to keep the worst of the cold at bay.

  He landed a short walk from home, but Anya stayed burrowed against his chest and clung tighter when he tried to set her down.

  “I’ll stay here if you don’t mind. I’m warm and comfy right where I am.” She peeked up at him. “Please?”

  Forge and flames, even if he’d wanted to set her down, he couldn’t have done it after that request. If she’d asked him to find her a dragon to ride, he’d have done it. Now that she was back in his arms, the mating fever had returned stronger than ever. He needed her so much he ached with it.

  His claws extended, scales tightening across his body as something raw, primal, and pure tore through him. It was more than lust. More than love. It was all-consuming. He ran the rest of the way to the house. No one was around to see him, but for once he didn’t care if they did.

  Anya was laughing and kissing him, her touch pouring more fuel on the fire already searing him from the inside out.

  The shop entrance was nearest and he hurried to it, barely pausing long enough to gain access before they tumbled inside.

  He’d intended to apologize, to woo her with sweet words and gentle touches. However, all his good intentions scattered like ash in a whirlwind. He set her on her feet to kiss her properly, giving her only a moment of freedom before he crowded her up against the newly closed door, pinning her in place with his body. He ground himself against her as his mouth slanted across hers. He tore at their clothing with his clawed hands, shredding the fabric until they were both naked save for a few tattered bits of cloth caught between them.

  She was nearly as demanding as he was, tearing away the scraps until she could reach bare skin. She raked her nails over his chest and flanks and then tore her mouth from his to kiss the same places she’d scoured.

  He had to step away from her to get free of his pants and boots, and when he looked up again, she was naked save for the cloak of her unbound hair. She’d drawn it over her shoulders, falling in unruly waves over her beautiful body.

  This was how he wanted to capture her likeness, soft lines and curves containing so much life and energy that she burned like a star. Once, he’d thought to create a piece of art so he’d still have a piece of her even after she’d turned from him. Now, he knew what a fool he’d been. She was his as much as she was Tra’var’s—forever loved by them both.

  He drew her into his arms and then let them both sink to the ground, the shredded remains of their clothes becoming their love nest.

  “Hurry. The sharhal. It burns,” Anya whispered the plea against his mouth, her words shattering what little control he had left. Her bond to Tra’var was already forged, but until he claimed her, the mating fever wouldn’t relent. Now that the crisis had passed, the full force of their need was all-consuming.

  He cupped her breasts, kissing her as his greedy hands stroked, fingers toying with the tight buds of her nipples.

  She stretched, parting her thighs in open invitation, and the sweet scent of her arousal filled the air. He drifted one hand lower, skimming down her body to the apex of her thighs. His fingers delved into her folds, the wet heat of her desire making her slick to the touch.

  “Damos!” She called out his name as she arched her back, lifting her hips to buck against his hand.

  “I know, choran. My beloved. But I will not risk hurting you.”

  She caught his face in her hands, pushing him back until she could look into his eyes. “You will never hurt me. I know that now. You are my mahoyen.”

  “Yes. And you are more than I ever imagined I could have. I love you, Anya. I will love you until my last breath rejoins the eternal wind.”

  “I love you too. So much it scares me.”

  He moved to kiss her but she shook her head, her eyes suddenly wide and wild. “Fraxx. I forgot. I went to the medical clinic yesterday to make sure I wasn’t the source of Tra’var’s infection. During the scan I discovered my pregnancy inhibitor has expired. I still don’t think I can get pregnant at my age, but I know you don’t want children…”

  Love and need flowed together to forge a new kind of madness. He turned to kiss her palm and then smiled down at his beautiful mate. “I may not be as sure of that as I was. Shall we leave it up to the ancestors?”

  The smile she gifted him with was like a balm to his soul, healing the last of his scars. “I think we should, but only if you can promise me one thing?”

  “Anything.”

  “Any child we might have, any way we have them, will be free to be who and what they are. No genetic tinkering. I want our home to be a place of acceptance, not compliance with some genetic ideal that would erase part of their parentage.”

  That put everything in a new perspective for him. Even through the lust that fogged his brain, he couldn’t imagine wanting to scrub all traces of this amazing female from their children. “Done.”

  This time when he tried to kiss her, she slid her hands around his neck to pull him in even closer. He moved over her, nestling between her thighs and rocking his hips so his cock stroked along the seam of her pussy.

  She wrapped one leg around his waist, making it easy for him to seat himself at her entrance. When he paused, she nipped at his lower lip and bucked her hips against him.

  “I want to be yours, Damos. Now.”

  “You are mine, Anya. Always.” He claimed her as slowly as he could, feeling her body give way to his as he eased himself deeper. He was only halfway home when she flexed her inner walls around his cock, the pleasure of it tearing a groan from his chest.

  He surged into her, burying himself to the hilt in her glorious body. He stilled for one heartbeat and then two. Then he let himself go. They came together in a frenzy of need, feverish with wanting. Hot breath, the sting of nails and teeth, the heat grew between them until it felt like he was the one being forged, hammered and shaped into something new.

  He fucked her harder as desire coiled like a spring deep in his groin, winding itself tighter with every thrust. They
raced each other up a mountain of pleasure, and when they reached the peak, he dropped his mouth to the side of her neck and bit her.

  She came apart in his arms as her blood flowed into his mouth, and at the moment of orgasm he nicked his lip with a fang, letting his blood flow into her.

  This time, she didn’t leave it to him. With a wild little cry, she bit him back, her teeth breaking the skin of his throat exactly where a Vardarian female would place it.

  His senses exploded with a release so powerful it wiped his mind clear of everything but the raw pleasure of this moment, and the satisfaction of knowing she now belonged to him.

  Her pussy was still squeezing his cock with random aftershocks when he finally raised his head to look at her. He could taste her blood on his lips as heady as summer wine. “You bit me.”

  Her eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction, pleasure, and a hint of defiance. “I did. And the moment I get Tra’v alone, I’m biting him, too. I may not be able to mark you properly, but I am laying claim to both of you anyway.”

  He touched the spot where she’d bitten him. “When I get you upstairs, we’ll put some ointment on us both. It will create a scar despite our nanotech.”

  “You will? It can? So this time your mark will really take?”

  “It better. Or I will bite you every day until it does.” He eased out of her body to settle at her side.

  She rolled over to snuggle into his embrace, the two of them content to hold each other as the sharhal faded.

  Then, a thought struck him and he chuckled as he contacted Tra’var, not bothering to subvocalize. He wanted Anya to hear this.

  “She’s ours now, Tra’v. But for now, I have the better claim. She bit me. Hurry up and get better so she can do the same for you.”

  Anya laughed so hard he nearly missed his anrik’s reply. “About qarfing time.”

  He had to agree, and in his heart, he silently thanked his ancestors for sending them the perfect female. This time, Tra’var had been right to trust them.

  Epilogue

  The air inside the arena buzzed and thrummed like a living thing. The sickbeds and bedding were gone, replaced by tables laden with food and drink, all of it cooked and carried here by the citizens of Haven. It was the biggest potluck Anya had ever seen, and it was amazing. She sampled everything she could, making notes about spices, seasonings, and ingredients. Tomorrow she’d have to meet with her kitchen staff to determine what they could add to the tavern’s menu. Today they were celebrating.

  She tasted a new dish, the flavors exploding on her tongue as she bit into what she’d thought was a simple meat pastry. “This is delicious. You have to try some!” she said, holding out her plate to Damos and Tra’var.

  “Where are you putting all this food? Do humans have an extra stomach somewhere?” Tra’var waved off the offered plate and then patted his stomach. “I filled up half an hour ago.”

  “Nanotech has benefits I’d never considered.” Like a metabolism that would have made even her teenage self envious. She had the energy of a teenager, too, and the endurance to keep up with her two equally energetic mates. She’d also discovered the advantages of Vardarian clothing. Easy access had never been more important, especially when one of her mahoyen had claws that could shred any garment giving him too much trouble.

  Life was good, even if storm clouds still lurked on the colony’s horizon.

  She heard snippets of similar conversations everywhere. Discussions about who might have hired Kara and why they’d done it. Some were uneasy about what would happen when more colonists arrived from Earth next spring. Would more saboteurs mingle in their ranks? Even some of the human females were worried. This was officially their home, too.

  Maggie and Striker came over to join them, accompanied by her friend Jade and two big cyborgs who followed Jade around like they were her personal security force. Wreckage and Ruin had been part of the team to rescue Jade and Maggie, and they had taken on the role of her protectors.

  “Hey there,” Anya waved and held out her plate. “You have got to try these. Jade, how are you liking your new place?”

  Jade smiled a little. “It’s perfect. Thank you. The other place was nice, but it was too quiet. I’m not used to that.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Has Saral stopped sending you meals every two hours whether you want them or not?”

  Anya had moved in with her mahoyen a few days ago and Maggie had suggested that the apartment above the Bar None might be perfect for Jade. She was now working part time for Anya doing droid and tech maintenance. Jade might have had most of her cyber-jockey tech violently ripped from her body, but she was still a hell of a mechanic. She’d performed some sort of wizardry on the bar-droids, which had worked without a single malfunction since the day they’d reopened.

  Jade laughed for the first time since Anya had met her. “I’ve got her down to once every four hours, plus snacks.”

  Saral had adopted Jade on sight and had folded the woman into her extended family without hesitation. She’d done the same thing for Cameron, who was thriving under her care and attention.

  “Did you hear about Kara? She’s been handed over to the military.” Maggie shook her head. “Why would Nova Force be investigating an attack against an independent colony?”

  Anya didn’t know the answer to that question either. “Phae isn’t talking and neither is anyone else on the council. There’s got to be a reason, but they’re playing this one close to their chests for now.” She shrugged. “I trust them to make the right call, but I hate that we’re not being told everything.”

  “Me too. I’m not fond of secrets,” the former cyber-jockey said.

  Anya patted Jade’s shoulder. “If it helps? Neither is Phaedra. She wouldn’t agree to this if she thought it was detrimental to the colony.”

  Striker spoke up. “How’s the new nanotech working? Everyone seems to be fully recovered.”

  “Thanks to Damos’ contribution, we’re all back to one hundred percent. Word has been sent back to the empire warning them that they might want to make some changes, too. Whoever hired Kara to do this isn’t likely to stop after one failed attempt,” Tra’var said.

  “All I did was give samples. Denz, the techs and the healers deserve the credit,” Damos demurred.

  Anya gave him a playful slap on the arm, right below the harani he now wore on his bicep. “You promised not to do that anymore.”

  He looked down at her with adoration and amusement. “Sorry, mahaya.”

  Jade cocked her head. “With Kara in custody, whoever it is will know their test failed, but they won’t know why. That’s something at least. Right?”

  Anya sighed. “Unfortunately, no. Kara was supposed to leave right after she released whatever was in that canister. The only reason she was still here was because Yardan’s rampant paranoia led him to shut down all traffic on and off the planet at the first sign of illness.”

  Damos nodded. “And the experiment only weakened our nanotech. No one could have known that fraxxing idiot freighter captain had falsified his crew’s immunization records. He had crew members with helix fever and lied about it, and then he let them go on shore leave.”

  “Which is why some of my customers were among the first ones to show symptoms. I hope he loses his ship for this.” Anya still couldn’t believe the captain had done that. It was a violation of one of the key rules of the trade. He’d put an entire colony at risk because he couldn’t be bothered to maintain his crew’s health.

  Jade’s expression turned grim. “Son of a bitch. I hadn’t thought of that.” She lowered her voice. “That means there’s another spy?”

  “At least one more,” Anya agreed. And if Nova Force was involved, this had to be related to the corporations somehow. It wasn’t the first time they’d tried, but this was far more serious than Kade’s recruitment or even Maggie and Jade’s abduction. This time, they’d gone after the colonists themselves.

  The conversation lulled as they all
pondered what that meant. Then Maggie changed the subject. “How long until the new place is ready?”

  “Not long. We approved the final plans yesterday.” Anya grinned. “This time there will be two parcels of land—one for the shop and forge and another for our home.”

  “And given how much it seems to snow, this forge will have a retractable roof to keep the weather out,” Damos added.

  Between bouts of lovemaking the three of them had talked about a wide variety of things, including business plans. The new place would be laid out properly, with room for all their work to be displayed. It was going to be part of a new market area, and it was only a short walk over the bridge to the tavern. Now that the rest of the human women were full members of the colony, they were all moving into the main settlement, clearing the way for the next batch of arrivals.

  “Any word on when we’re getting a human doctor?” Jade asked. “The healers here are amazing, but there’s a lot they don’t know about humans.”

  “They’re recruiting right now. I haven’t heard anything confirmed yet, but everyone on the council knows it’s a priority.”

  Everything was a priority right now. They had to prepare for the new colonists from both Vardaria and Earth, secure this planet from any further attacks, and continue building Haven into a thriving community. Anya had come here looking for a new challenge. Now she had so much more than that. She had friends, family, love, and a home she’d fight to her last breath to defend.

  Best of all, she had Damos and Tra’var. They’d gone from strangers to the best thing that had ever happened to her.

  Her comms chimed and she stepped away from the conversation to answer it. It was her mother.

  “Hey, little one. Sorry for the lack of communication. My comm array was on the fritz. So, how are things on Liberty? What did I miss?” Hezza’s eyes narrowed as she stared through the screen at Anya. “And what the fraxx are those marks on your neck?”