by Dixon, Ruby
“No,” I tell her, and mean it. If they get one look at my mate, disheveled and sweet, her eyes soft and the scent of her honey-laced cunt perfuming the air? They’ll want her as badly as I do, and I don’t intend on letting them get close. She’s mine and mine alone. I take advantage of the fact that she’s naked and leave the bedroom, shutting the door behind me and crossing the living area to the front door of Leilani’s small house.
I spot a heavy pan and grab it off of a nearby counter, ready to use it as a weapon. If those Ssithri don’t know what’s good for them…
But when I open the door, I’m not looking at Leilani’s Ssithri neighbors. I’m looking instead at two of Lord va’Rin’s militia, their uniforms crisp, their horns capped with gleaming silver. One taps his badge and his credentials display in the air as a holo-vid, as a pre-recorded citation of prisoners’ rights begins to play.
The second steps forward with stun cuffs. “Tassar sol’Irian? We’re going to need to bring you in for questioning.”
Part V
LEILANI
I drum my fingers in irritation on the arm of the chair in Lord va’Rin’s manor house. It’s been a long damn day. My new husband was stolen from my house by the authorities, and now he’s being held for deportment back to the prison planet Haven. It doesn’t matter that he was a prisoner of war and shouldn’t have been held at a prison planet anyhow. All that matters is that he’s supposed to be there instead of here, and that means someone snitched on us. Probably my neighbors, who have made no secret that they’re interested in my land. I could easily see them heading over to the authorities and telling them a big bad escaped convict is on human Leilani’s farm.
No one will listen to me when I say I’m not in danger, though. I tell them that we married legally, that Lord va’Rin doesn’t mind my choice of husband. I tell them that Tassar’s a prisoner of war and it’s only because of treaty issues that he was on the prison planet at all, not because he broke the law. I tell them that they’re taking away my protector and breaking human laws by separating me from my mate—I might have made that part up, just because it sounds good.
But the militia won’t hear it. They just give me patronizing smiles and shake their heads. They tell me that I’m a fragile little human female and I have no idea what I’ve been saved from and that I should return to my farm like a good girl and mind my business.
It makes me so mad I want to spit.
At first, I let them push me away. I had a good cry sitting in my air-cruiser, and then I wiped away my tears and thought of a new course of action.
Which is why I’m at Lord va’Rin’s estate, sitting in an oversized chair and waiting to see the lord himself. I’ve been told that he’s busy and has no time in his schedule today for personal matters. I’ve been told that I need an appointment.
I ignored all of that and sat in the chair and told them I wouldn’t move until Lord va’Rin saw me. Annnnd I might have hinted that if he didn’t see me before suppertime, I might die of malnutrition. I mean heck, they don’t know how often humans need to eat, right? If it takes a few white lies to grease the wheel, so be it. I’m not letting Tassar get shipped back to the prison planet without a fight.
Absolutely not. We’re a team.
It’s been a really damn long time since I’ve been able to trust anyone, I realize. Ever since I was abducted by aliens, I’ve felt alone, like I had no one watching my back. But the moment I met Tassar, things changed. I don’t know when I realized it, but having him around made me feel less solitary, less afraid. I can be myself around him. I can crack jokes or be as weird or as human as I need to be.
I can masturbate in front of him and he won’t attack me.
I want him home. I want this marriage between us to work out. I can see us blossoming into more over time. Yes, it’s early. But I can see us figuring out the relationship as we go…and I can see us in love and having oversized babies with blue skin and tails…and I can see us growing old together, sitting on the porch of our farmhouse. I want that so badly.
I’m not going to let some dickface militia take that away from me either.
So I sit in the chair and pretend to look as if I’m wasting away while one personal secretary after another tries to figure out what to do with me. It’s clear that having a human pop by the lord’s house isn’t a normal thing, but I’m not leaving until I get my way.
After an hour or so of waiting, I get results. A very tall, blue-skinned alien with ornate metal coverings over his impressive horns sweeps into the room. He’s wearing long, dark robes and has a frown on his face as he gazes down at me.
“They told me you are starving to death in order to force an appointment with me.”
“Is that what they said? Gosh, it’s so hard to find good help these days.” I keep my tone bright as I leap to my feet and offer my hand to him. “I’m Leilani. A human, just like your mate.”
“My mate would not starve to death after a few hours of sitting in a room,” he says coldly. “Do not think you can play games with me. I am a very busy person and have no time for this nonsense.”
His tone is positively arctic and I feel a wave of despair. Did I sit here for nothing? Is he not going to help me out after all? “Please,” I begin, and he puts a hand up to silence me.
“Do not ‘please’ me, human.”
All right, if being friendly isn’t going to go far, I’ll try a different tactic. My lower lip wobbles and I let tears fall down my cheeks. It’s not hard to cry on command, because not only am I frustrated, but I’m feeling very alone and helpless.
“You,” the lord begins again, and then sighs heavily at the sight of my tears. “You are no fun, human. I am, how do you say, busting balls.” He reaches out and pats my shoulder awkwardly. “Don’t cry. If my Milly hears that you’re crying, she’s going to give me the silent treatment for weeks.”
I take the handkerchief he offers me, noting that it’s emblazoned with his house symbol. If nothing else, maybe I can use this to throw his name around. “I’m really sorry,” I say between sniffles. “It’s just…someone stole my husband and my neighbors are trying to take my claim and I’m having a really, really bad day.”
The lord frowns down at me. “Someone stole your husband?”
I nod.
Before I can say more, a tiny human woman in a long, ornate gown busts into the room. She’s got bright red hair and a cute little pug nose. Her hands go to her hips and she gives the big alien at my side an outraged look. “Varrik, really, darling! Do you have to make all the humans cry when they come for help?”
“I am busting balls,” he protests. “Isn’t that what humans like?”
“Not right now,” she says between clenched teeth, and hustles over to my side. She puts an arm around my waist and steers me into the house, giving my arm a reassuring squeeze. “Ignore my husband. Why don’t you sit down and tell me how we can help you?”
“I want my husband back,” I say immediately. “And they’re going to deport him.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Milly replies, and the hard gleam in her eyes tells me that this is a woman that gets her way.
* * *
TASSAR
“Your ride’s here,” one of the guards says, coming to the entrance of my cell. He activates my cuffs and then taps a button, the door sliding back with a whoosh of air.
My ride, eh? Disgusted, I get to my feet slowly. Back to the prison planet and breaking rocks, then. I’m angry. Angry that my freedom was only a few days. Angry that someone probably overheard me making plans in the restaurant with Jutari and I’m sitting here, imprisoned once more. Most of all, though, I’m angry that Leilani’s going to be left vulnerable. That my mate—because she IS mine—will be left without a protector.
Maybe I can contact Vordigar and ask him to watch out for her. Get a message to him somehow and ask him to keep an eye on my vulnerable mate.
Because it’s clear I’ll just have to figure out a way
to escape again so I can come back to her. I won’t leave her alone on this end of the universe with no one to look after her. That’s my job. She’s mine to protect and I plan on doing so. This is a temporary setback, and the good news is that I’ll have plenty of time to think up a new plan to get out of here on the long trip back to the prison planet.
The guard that leads me out of the holding cells gives me a little shove. “Quit dragging your feet. Move it along.”
I bare my teeth at him in a snarl, but I do as he says, striding forward through the small building that functions as both spaceport and holding facility. I look out the windows to the spaceport itself but I don’t see any ships waiting to take me out of here. Are they going to make me sit outside until it arrives, then? What’s the point of that? I turn to ask, but the guard just shoves me through the door to the front of the building…
And then I’m looking right at my lovely human mate.
I’m surprised to see her here. A moment later, though, that surprise is tempered with fierce pleasure as I drink in the sight of her. It’s been less than a day since we were separated, but it feels like a thousand years. I scan her appearance, looking for bruises or signs that she’s been abused by someone while I’ve been stuck here. She’s wearing a loose, pale yellow tunic dress that sways around her delicate brown ankles, and she has a flower tucked behind one ear, her silky black hair flowing over her shoulders.
It makes my heart ache to see how beautiful she is. I am the luckiest male alive, I realize in this moment. It doesn’t matter if I’m being shipped out. I’ll find a way back to her. She’s my home now.
My lovely wife lifts her chin and gives the soldier at my side a haughty look. “Are those cuffs really necessary? Do I need to complain to your superiors?”
I automatically step a little closer to the soldier at my side, because if he says something unpleasant to my mate, I’m going to have to flatten him.
To my surprise, though, the man just clears his throat. “My apologies.”
And he grabs my cuffs, taps in a code, and disables them.
Leilani sniffs, all arrogance. “That’s better. Come on, Tassar. We’re leaving.”
I rub my wrists, not entirely sure what’s happened. I glance at the soldier, but he’s pocketing the cuffs and walking away as if everything’s settled, as if I’m not an escaped convict that’s been caught. I want to question him, to find out the truth, but I move quickly to Leilani’s side instead, because I’m not stupid.
I just want to get out of here. If this is an escape attempt, she doesn’t need me sitting around mucking things up.
She sticks her small hand out, indicating that I should hold it. I take her hand in mine and she leads me through the row of shops that make up Risda III’s only town, and to her air-cruiser. She walks with unhurried steps, as if she has all the time in the world, but I notice her back is stiff, her posture erect. She’s not nearly as calm as she’s faking.
All right, then. I let go of her hand and race forward to open the air-cruiser’s door and help her inside, then get in on my side. The moment the doors are shut, I turn to her. “What’s the plan?”
Leilani immediately starts up the air-cruiser and eases it into the sky. “Well, we’re going to find a somewhat private field as close nearby as we can, and then you and I are going to fuck like bunnies.”
“What?” I’m not entirely sure I’ve heard her correctly. “Are we not escaping?”
“We are not,” she says, her tone matter of fact. She pulls out a heavy sheaf of official parchment from a tube and hands it to me, her gaze locked on the windshield. “You’ve been pardoned by Lord va’Rin, who has acknowledged our mating and he’s given you sanctuary here on Risda III because I’m a fragile human and need your protection at all times. It’s come to light that humans are exceedingly dependent on their mates and it would be medically dangerous for my health if you were pulled away from me.”
“What?” I scan the document. Sure enough, there’s a million official seals at the bottom, along with digital validations for seven different languages and an authorization code that means that this has been recorded as official law. “But…it’s not medically dangerous for you, is it?” I eye her with concern. She’s beautiful beyond all imaginings, but could she be hiding secret pain?
“It’s not,” she agrees, and a smile flashes across her face. “But no human is going to admit that to an alien.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her cleverness. “So you’ve solved the problem.”
“Not entirely.” Leilani smooths her hair with a nervous hand, nearly dislodging the cheery flower tucked behind one small human ear. “Lord va’Rin suggested that I get pregnant very quickly in order to cement our bond. Our child will be born into citizenship of the Mesakkah empire, and he’ll have more rights than you and me both. So…wanna make a baby? Because va’Rin’s human wife gave me a few shots of fertility drugs that mean your swimmers are compatible with my eggs for a short period of time. We’ve got about two days before I stop ovulating like crazy.”
I go very still. I don’t like the nervousness on her face. “No.”
The air-cruiser jerks to a halt over a field of synth-protein, the tall greenish-blue stalks waving in the breeze. Leilani looks over at me, hurt on her face. “You don’t want to have sex with me? What the hell was all that back at the house about wanting to taste me? Or was that just you wanting to give me blue balls?” Her face flushes a darker shade. “No pun intended.”
“I would love nothing more than to claim you as my mate, sweet Leilani.” I reach out and straighten the flower in her hair, and then I’m unable to resist caressing the shell of her delicate ear. “But I promised you that we would only mate when you were ready, and I won’t break that promise. Child or not, my safety means nothing if my mate, my wife, feels as if she is trapped with me.”
Leilani just stares at me for a long moment while the cruiser hovers over the field, swishing the crops below with the force of its fans. I can hear them rustling around us. In fact, it’s the only noise right now, because my mate has gone utterly silent.
“I’m not trapped,” she says after a moment. “With you, I have more freedom than ever. More than that, I have hope. I can see a future with someone. A future where I’m not alone, surrounded by nothing but alien strangers. I don’t feel alone with you.” Her mouth twitches as if she’s struggling to remain solemn. “And…can I show you something?”
“Of course.”
She takes my hand and guides it up under the skirts of her dress. Before I can realize what she’s doing, my fingers are on her cunt and I can feel the slick honey on her folds.
“Does that say I’m not ready?”
“Leilani.” I groan her name so loudly that it reverberates in the cruiser. She’s slippery and hot and I want to keffing rub her like mad, but I also don’t want to scare her with my need. “Say the words aloud, little one,” I tell her, my hand still. “Tell me that you want me truly. That this is not panic. Because I am content to wait as long as I have to.”
It’s a lie. My cock aches all day every day for need of her, but I won’t push her into doing something she doesn’t want. If she doesn’t come to my bed of her own free will, she doesn’t come to it at all. I want her smiles and her eager caresses more than I want to sink my cock into unwilling flesh.
“I was ready the moment your head went between my thighs,” she tells me, unbuckling her seatbelt and then sliding over. She puts her arms around my neck and slips one leg over me until she’s straddling me, our faces a breath apart. “Although if I’m being honest, I’ve wanted you ever since I saw you.” Her hand slides down the front of my chest. “It’s unfair for you to be so damn sexy, it really is.”
I capture her mouth in a quick, hard kiss even as my hand goes under her skirt once more and finds the spot between her legs. I seek out her clit with one finger and then begin to rub it in small circles like she did the day I watched her shower. “You find me sexy, then?�
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She whimpers against my lips, her hands tightening against me. “Oh god, yes.”
“And you want us to mate right now? Here in the open? Above this field?” My fingers glide over her folds, and I’m reveling in just how wet she is. She’s so slick that she’s coating my fingers, and I ease one into the tight channel of her cunt, testing her. She’s small, my human, but I know she’ll be able to take me despite the difference in our sizes.
“No one will stop us,” she pants, pressing hot, fervent little kisses to my face. “If the car’s a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’.” Her fingers move to the front of my tunic, and then go lower, undoing the auto-fastener at my waist. “But if you don’t want a baby, we should probably use protection.”
“You’re sure I can make you pregnant? Even though you’re human?”
Leilani nods, her gaze meeting mine even as I push my finger deep inside her again. She gasps, and the look on her face as I stroke into her is beyond beautiful. “Milly…said…she used same doctor Jutari and Chloe did…”
I think of Jutari’s fragile human mate and the large child in her arms. It is possible, then. I imagine Leilani holding my child, walking through the house and talking to him like she talks to everything else, and my heart fills with a bolt of longing. I hold the back of her neck and kiss her fiercely, plunging my finger deep into her hot cunt. “I want that,” I growl against her mouth between kisses. “I want to give you a baby.”
“You’re sure?”
I never thought of myself as a farmer before meeting her, but now I can’t picture anything but spending the rest of my life on her farm with her at my side. I love the quiet, cozy little farmhouse, I love the solitude of this planet, and most of all, I love this female. But I never thought of myself as a farmer until now…and it’s the same with being a father. I never thought of it before, and now I want it more than anything. “I’m sure.”