Pax's Emperor

by Mara Jaye

  “My culture?” I laugh partly from his words and partly from how his touch tickles my collar bone. “You’re right, though. I don’t trust it. I don’t know if I can have sex with you then act like it’s no big deal.” He begins unbuttoning my blouse. I let him but give one final warning. “If we do this, there’s a good chance I’ll fall for you.”

  He pauses, looking down at me with a concerned expression. “I don’t want you to fall.”

  I laugh. “Then stop while you can. Otherwise, I’ll think I’m in love with you.”

  His hands on my shoulders, he slides the shirt from me. “Fall in love? Ah, now I understand.” Eldan takes my shirt and lays it on the ottoman with my purse. “How many times will we need to have sex for you to be mine forever?”

  I can’t meet his eyes while answering, “I don’t know. No one’s ever tried to keep me forever.”

  Eldan growls and I glance up at him. If I were his enemy, I’d be scared. “Good,” he says. “Once I begin counting our bondings, you’re mine and I’m yours.” He puts his fingers into my pants waistband. “I don’t share.”

  “Good, because I don’t, either.” I want to pull his pants down first. His shorts are molded to him and my curiosity’s nagging me. “Can I undress you?”

  “You’re first.” He leads me to the side of the bed before shoving me backwards.

  I land on the bed and laugh when I bounce a little. “Oh, tough guy, huh? It’s only because you’re still wearing shorts.” I kick off my shoes. “Nice mattress, though.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” He grabs my ankles, so I hurry to undo my jeans. “Now, lift?” After a nod from me, he pulls my pants off. “Tell me if you feel uncomfortable at any time. I want this to be as amazing for you as it will be for me.”

  “You seem pretty confident,” I say while he removes my underwear. I’m really glad I wore one of my better pairs, even if they could be a hell of a lot fresher. He doesn’t respond, shimmying down his shorts. His cock springs free and I’m ready for him. He’s perfect. Big enough to worry about him fitting but not enough to scare me. I’m dying to caress him but he’s busy kissing my ankle. I’m not sure if a nerve truly runs from his lips to my pussy, but the sensation feels like it does. He moves from one leg to the other, giving me kisses and light bites along the way. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

  “I know,” he says against my inner thigh. “I dreamed about you all night.”

  His words seem a bit too good to be true. I shake my head a little, not wanting him to fib to me. “You don’t need to say that.”

  “Maybe not, but it’s true. You were my last thought yesterday and first thought today.”

  He’s edging closer and closer to my pussy. I put a hand on his head to stop him. “Um, you might not want to kiss me any closer before I clean up.” Neither one of us move. I’m staring at the ceiling until I look down to see why he’s so still. He has that distant look in his eyes before returning to me and I ask, “Are you all right?”

  “Perfect. I’m calculating how long a shower would be.” He moves up my body, kissing my belly button. “I’m not willing to wait.”

  “I agree.” While he’s preoccupied with my navel, I slide off my bra and unhook it. I lay back with a sigh. “That’s better. That thing’s been on for ages.” I rub where the underwires chafe. “I need to stop wearing this one.”

  He’s motionless again for a few seconds. He slides up towards my breasts, cupping one in his large hands. “You’re absolutely the most beautiful woman in the universe.”

  “You’re the most desperate man,” I retort until he licks my nipple.

  “Only for you.”

  This close to me, I realize how much bigger he is than I am as a person. Even while kissing, his height seemed tall but within normal ranges. Now, as he teases first one nipple, then the other, I bury my fingers into his hair, enjoying how protected his muscular bulk leaves me feeling. I part my legs so his hipbone will stop digging into my thigh and gasp. His cock presses against my pussy. It’s all I can do to keep from working my way down to envelop him. “Eldan, please.” I wiggle against his tip and he looks up from my chest. “I want you.”

  His eyes darken before he nods. He presses into me, deliciously filling me full as his gaze never wavers. I try to not break our eye contact but can’t help letting my head fall back when he’s fully inside. We needed to have the conversation about birth controls and STD’s but I can’t care about all that right now. Besides, he’s wearing a condom because I can feel the ribs, but I have no idea when he took the time to put one on. I wrap my arms around him and he presses further into me. “Oh,” I can’t help but moan. He’s so still, I look at him, wondering if anything is wrong.

  Eldan is dark, or rather, his skin is. The color puzzles me because he has the sheen, still, and a golden bronze cast to him. He’s beautiful, his expression adoring. Since he’s motionless, I ask, “Are you all right?”

  “Never better.” He kisses me, pulling back to add, “I’m already closer to climaxing than I’d like to be.”

  “Ah, so it’s been a while?” I say and when he nods, I can’t help but tease, “So no doing this?” I lift my hips then lower them. “Or this?” I lift again and pull his head down to kiss him. He doesn’t let me stop, thrusting over and over, driving his cock into me. His motions distract us and he breaks off his kiss. I gasp, “You’re amazing,” the words punctuated by his movements into me.

  “You’re,” he gasps before tensing. A rush of fluid fills me during his climax. He shivers. “You’re everything good.” He relaxes against me, keeping most of his weight on his elbows. “My everything.”

  Well, shit. He’s done and I’m not. “Aw, that’s sweet and I’m glad.” We could probably play around, let him satisfy me. If he’s interested. If he isn’t, I’ll just go home and deal with things myself. He’s still recovering. Although I’d love to snuggle, I’d also love to have the mind blowing orgasm his body promised. I pat his back a couple of times as a hint to get up. “That was fun. I’m glad you had a good time.”

  He lifts up enough to look me in the eyes. The rat fink is grinning as he says, “Is glad a euphemism for frustrated?”

  “What?” My cheeks burn because yeah, he has me pegged. Plus, I love his slight smirk. “No, maybe. A little.”

  His smile widens. “Something you should know is you can’t lie to me. I know when anyone tries to. Plus, there’s a lot about me you can’t know.” He grows serious. “So much, and I can only tell you a little.”

  “Like what?”

  Eldan withdraws from me before pressing in again. “Like, I’m multi-orgasmic. The first time is great, like a sneeze.” He moved more, his hips grinding into mine. I moan and he says, “The second and third times? They’re designed to make you climax, too.”

  “I’d like that,” I gasp as he bottoms out in me. “But so many with no break in between?”

  “Not unless you need to rest.” He reaches down between us. I gasp when he brushes my clit. “Ah, a tender spot. This should be fun.”

  He teases me unbearably. My climax hits me, rushing through my body like a flash flood in the desert. I bite my lip to keep from screaming his name and alarming the neighbors. My fingernails dig into his back as he gives one hard push and comes in me. The sexual satisfaction and lack of sleep knocks me out. I try to mumble something as he leaves the bed but can’t quite make words work.

  I wake wrapped in cool sheets with a warm male body next to me. Eldan is nestled up against me. I stir a little to check if he’s awake. “What time is it?” I whisper, in case he’s still napping.

  “Later. Nearly six.”

  His voice has that wonderfully rumbly sound of a contented man. I smile and turn around in his arms. He’s rumpled as if he’s spent the afternoon in bed with me. “I honestly didn’t mean to spend the day here.”

  “That’s too bad.” Eldan kisses my forehead. “I suppose if you’d just came back with G’nar, we could have s
aved a lot of time.”

  “I like him, but I wouldn’t go home with him.” I lean back to kiss his lips. We make out for a while until I stop. “I’ve always preferred you. There’s just something about you I can’t resist.”

  Eldan’s arm tenses around me and I hope I haven’t misspoken or pushed too soon. He’s motionless so I move back enough to look into his eyes. He’s doing the thinking thing all three of the people living here tend to do. I don’t say anything, having learned from Daneul they’ll answer me when they are finished. His eyes clear and he stares at me. “You need to leave.”

  I watch as he gets out of bed. “Oh. All right.” He’s hurrying, scooping up my clothes and tossing each item at me. “Thanks, I think.” I’m dressing while he’s putting on his shorts and shirt. “This was fun. I appreciate the nap.”

  “Your shoes are at the end of the bed with your purse.”

  “Okay.” I’m buttoning up. Maybe not as fast as I can but I’m not slow, either. “You seem to be weird about today. Sorry about all this.”

  “It’s not your fault. I let it happen against my better judgement.”

  “Ouch.” I slip on my flats. “Well, it was fun.” I scoop up my purse and begin digging for my keys. “Maybe we can do this again sometime.”

  “No, probably never again.”

  Now he’s just starting to piss me off. “Oh? Whatever then. Never it is.” The further I go into the living room and toward the front door, the worse I feel. I don’t want to leave him nor do I want to walk out with bad mojo between us, so I pause with my hand on the doorknob. “Bye.”

  He reaches for my hand and turns the handle. I let go, sliding my hand out from under his as he says, “Good bye.”

  Chapter Six

  Eldan

  I am physically unable to watch Pax walk away. Her scent is all over me and I can’t escape the need to bury myself in her again. I want to curl up in a fetal position, staying in bed until the hunger for her passes. Making love to her healed me in places I didn’t know were injured.

  Except the wounded, angry, and puzzled expressions on her face from when I rushed her out of here hurt as I recall them. I lean against the closed front door. My son and guard will be here in a few minutes. I have time to throw my sheets into the small washing machine. I go to my bedroom and pick up the pillow she used.

  Maybe I won’t throw in the pillowcase where her head rested just yet. If I never hold Pax again, the cloth is all I’ll ever have of her. Soon, the bed is stripped to the mattress, excluding her pillowcase. Just as I’m stuffing the sheets into the washer, Daneul busts in through the front door.

  “Dad!” He sees me next to the kitchen while I’m dropping a soap pod into the machine. “You weren’t responding when I saw the horned toad today.”

  “I was working.” I close the lid. “Tell me all about it.” I follow my son into the living room as G’nar walks in. He gives me a double take before frowning. He knows. I ignore him and try to concentrate on what Dan’s telling me about the afternoon.

  “…and then we barked at the prairie dogs and they barked back at us. You should have seen them. We need to go again with you next time.” He plops on the sofa with the remote control. “How’s Miss Paxton?”

  “Yes,” G’nar says, his arms crossed. “Sir, do tell us how Paxton is?”

  I look from one to the other. “Fine, I guess.” I meander over to where Daneul’s sitting and settle in beside him. “You two have dinner, yet?”

  “Not yet.” Dan turns on the television. “She should have stayed and ate with us.”

  I ask my son, “Did you see her leave?”

  He nods, engrossed in the show already. G’nar comes over to sit on the far end of the sectional. “We did. She was sitting in her car writing on something when Daneul wanted to talk to her.”

  “Yeah, she didn’t want to come in. She’d wasted enough of the day as it was.”

  I’m pretty sure Dan is quoting Pax. Her rejection stings. “She probably had errands to run.”

  G’nar puts his hands behind his head, staring at me. “It’s a shame we missed her.”

  His examination bothers me. I know he’s examining my micro expressions as if Paxton’s perfume wasn’t enough to tell him more than he’d ever needed to know. I decide to kept my words as close to the truth as possible. “Yeah, she’d lost a small notebook and needed to retrieve it.”

  He’s silent for a few seconds before saying, “She’d messaged me at ten this morning. Took a long time for her to find it over here, huh?”

  With the cartoons on and distracting my son, I glare at G’nar’s insinuation. Not that he’s wrong, but I’d prefer to silently talk about this instead of letting Daneul hear. “We visited for a while, yes,” I say aloud for Dan’s benefit. That’s all we need to talk about.

  He sighs, frowning. So you two physically bonded? How was that a good idea?

  Damn. I know he’s right. Giving in to her was wrong. I should regret it but the ache in my soul won’t stop. Maybe if I deny this entire mess long enough the bonding will fade somewhat. You don’t know what happened.

  He slouched. Yeah, I do. This is like Turkh and Lin all over again. Except, how are you going to punish yourself for relations with a sixth worlder?

  There won’t be a punishment because I don’t acknowledge this union. Not officially. Paxton and I have no bond at all.

  G’nar snorts aloud and Daneul turns to look at him. “What?”

  “Nothing. The show is funny.”

  “Oh.” Dan turns back to his program.

  I stand. “Did you eat earlier?”

  “Lunch and snacks,” G’nar replies. “We’re good.” He leans forward. She lives east of here. I have the address if you want.

  No. I go get my shoes. I’m driving west to clear my head. Move my clothes to the dryer later?

  Sure.

  With car keys in hand and in my shoes, I grab my billfold, which I shouldn’t need, but Earth, and go over to give Dan a hug. “I’m running out for a while. Do you want me to pick you up anything?”

  “Yeah! A surprise?”

  I kiss the top of his head. “I’ll find a good one.” G’nar raises a hand in farewell, busy watching the same program as my son. If I didn’t know better, I’d think my guard was just an over grown version of Daneul.

  Once outside, the world here seems crisper, sharper. The flora, the lawn, still smells from the earlier trimming. The scent brings memories of opening the door to Pax this morning. I walk up to my vehicle, which beeps as I unlock it. I get in, my body feeling loose and sated from the day’s bonding. I start the car, leaving the apartment complex behind. My physical needs may be met but my soul needs her.

  I link up with the vehicle’s system so it’ll play Gharian music. The car lets me know the fuel is low, so I pull into a refill station. Humans must do everything themselves and with a credit plastic, or card. I suppose it’s efficient for them but it’s a pain for me. I miss having consistent sources of energy.

  The nozzle clicks, bringing me back to the here and now. I’d promised Dan a surprise and here is as good as any place to buy him something. After parking my car in front of the store, I go inside. The store is like a nightmare of items. Crowded together, every color on this world, and mostly unnecessary, a row of small glasses catch my eye. I wander over. Each container has our geographic location printed on it. Various other types of items, all equally superfluous, line the shelves but the small glass seems perfect for Dan. It’s perfect for Earth cold medicine and he can fill it with various fruit juices to play Healer with G’nar.

  Remembering how much G’nar hates being cajoled into playing pretend; I grab two of the glasses in different colors. My guard will hate the gift as much as my son will love it. Soon, I’m back on the interstate, headed east. The clouds in the distance billow up like huge pillars of fluff. I may have meant to drive west, but my subconscious made other plans.

  Everything about Pax and I is wrong. Yet, the ache for
her feels good in a way because I know the satisfaction of seeing her again will be worth everything bad now. I need her but didn’t think to get a way of communicating with her. Officer MacKrell. Her address, please.

  Respectfully, sir, I’d prefer to not give it.

  He’s right. I know it’s for the best. I take an exit for somewhere quieter to argue with him. It’s not a request.

  I understand. The policy you’re willing to break yet again is one created for the benefit of this world and its inhabitants. By your own words, one exception leads to a flood of criminals.

  He’s right. I cut the engine and stare at those stupidly happy seeming clouds. I could override his objections in a nanosecond. Force him to tell me everything by replaying all of his experiences with her. I have ultimate power, even if I need to stay within our own laws.

  Who’s more important to you, Paxton or Daneul?

  His question is unfair and he knows it. Yet, as soon as the Vahdmoshi find out I love her, they’ll use her to get to me like they used Jeul. I can’t bear to see Paxton murdered like my wife was. You’re right. I need to forget her, break our union. I start the engine. Forget my order.

  Except, if you go to her, have her dissolve the union verbally, the dissolution might be better for everyone. Easier for you, at least.

  I could write down or say key phrases for her, store the sound, and use them to end the connection. As soon as I think the response, a heads up display forms in my mind. G’nar’s sent the coordinates and she’s not far from where I am. Thank you.

  Once this is over, I’ll be the only one to pick up and drop off Daneul.

  Good idea. And he’s right. Seeing her will stir up everything from today. I set my innercom to busy. Getting to her address doesn’t take long. She lives in a less advantaged part of the city than we do and I park, suddenly aware of how she might have others in her home, too. She’s not bonded to anyone but me. I know that in my soul, yet, she might have relatives or friends with her.