In Alien Arms

When Desah Ssyn arrives on Earth, all he wants to do is carry out his assignment, then get home before his Chara cycle begins and all he can think about is sex. He never counted on being attracted to Federal Marshal Nevada Cisco, his guide and partner while on Earth, or the strong feelings he's developing for Sophie Gibson, the woman Nevada is assigned to protect.

Nevada Cisco isn't pleased with his new assignment--until he meets Desah Ssyn, and his world is turned upside down. Soon his orders to cooperate with the alien take on a whole new meaning.

For Sophie, being in protective custody isn't bad. When the two men protecting her are gorgeous, and one of them is an alien in heat, how could any earth-born woman deny the call of the alien's Chara time? Or for that matter, how can any earth-born man? Certainly not Sophie and Nevada.

But there are dark undercurrents threatening to tear the threesome apart, just as they are learning the joy of sharing their bodies with each other. Chak Enif, the alien drug dealer with a secret link to Desah, and Sophie's ex-boyfriend, Brian, have found them. Soon the chase is on, and the alien drug peddler is not about to allow Desah to complete his assignment without a fight. Alien sex is the powerful aphrodisiac that binds them together, but will they survive the forces determined to tear them apart?

Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Science Fiction, Western/Cowboys
Length: 46,467 words

IN ALIEN ARMS

Ellen Starr

MENAGE AMOUR

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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IN ALIEN ARMS

Copyright © 2010 by Ellen Starr

E-book ISBN: 1-60601-959-7

First E-book Publication: October 2010

Cover design by Penny Ash

All cover art and logo copyright © 2010 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

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DEDICATION

To my favorite alien, you know who you are.

IN ALIEN ARMS

ELLEN STARR

Copyright © 2010

Chapter One

Welcome to Earth

Desah Ssyn gazed out the viewport down on the blue world. Not as large or as pretty as the dappled green opal of Alna’ir Angetenar but still nice to look at. The pleasant view from the observation deck did not erase the fact he had come to kill. Desah Ssyn picked up his travel bag with a sigh. Earth. Contacted a scant eighty Earth years earlier and still very much a frontier world. This is it, too late to back out now. Maybe his quarry, Chak Enif, would do something stupid like try to get him first so he could just shoot the criminal fast and be done with it. Save everyone a lot of trouble all the way around.

For a moment Desah thought about home. Since the accident which had killed Tav and Asha, it hadn’t felt much like home. Their children would be well cared for by the family should he not survive this assignment. All sorts of things could happen on a frontier world. He sighed again. Maybe that’s why he took this assignment; a wish for self-destruction in his situation was not unusual.

He shook himself, turning his thoughts to his orders as he walked down the ramp. Carry out the sentence of death on Chak Enif for drug trafficking and murder. Work with the native authorities but don’t give them any more information than they need. It should be simple; humans were still primitive after all. Desah stepped out into what felt like eckoo soup. What passed for air here was thick with water along with Universe only knew what else. He sneezed. Earth, he decided, smelled funny.

He glanced at the picture he’d been given of his human partner. Humans looked like Ke Mira. Though Desah thought this particular human did appear pleasant to the eyes, humans in general weren’t as beautiful to look at as Ke Mira were. Until he saw Federal Marshal Nevada Cisco in the flesh. Pictures did not do this human justice. Desah’s lower stomach clenched hard. He would make beautiful children—too bad we aren’t compatible that way. His local guide, escort, spy, whatever one cared to call this human he’d been saddled with, waited by one of the four-wheeled transportation vehicles they called a car. Nevada stood a little taller than Desah, a little heavier of build as well. Desah wished for a moment that he could get clothes to fit him the way Nevada’s white shirt and heavy black pants fit. Desah had never been very muscular. His soft pale-gray tunic and leggings hung on him like loose rags.

Desah kept his expression neutral as he walked toward Nevada, watching for the marshal’s reaction. He doubted his human had met anyone from off world. There weren’t many Ke Mira on Earth, diplomatic bureaucrats mostly, along with the scientists and a few criminals of course. Criminals managed to pop up everywhere like a bad disease. Like the one Desah had come to the backwater human planet to eliminate. He stopped in front of Nevada, watching the human’s lips curve in a faint smile. If Nevada Cisco had been Ke Mira, Desah would have smelled the man’s pheromones and known whether he wanted sex or not.

“Good morning.” Nevada’s voice was a caress over Desah’s tonal receptors. “Welcome to Earth.” A shiver of anticipation ran down Desah’s spine; the deep sound combined with the soft accent promised wonderful dark things. The clan marking on Desah’s back tingled. He chastised himself, delivering a mental head smack. He should never have accepted an assignment as close as he was to Chara, the mating cycle when he would become little more than a purely sexual creature. This did not bode well.

“Thank you.” Desah returned Nevada’s greeting with a nod. He had been briefed on cultural politeness as part of his preparations for this mission and given the standard treatment for language. Neural splicing was not a fun way to acquire knowledge, but it was effective. Well worth the nausea and blinding headaches if it let him converse with this beautiful human creature.

“Is that all you brought with you?” Nevada gestured toward Desah’s bag.

“All I need. The council informed me local clothing would be provided on this end.” Desah raised one eyebrow, waiting. It wouldn’t surprise him at all if things were not as promised. He never expected much from any of the lesser creatures. The ones who appeared Ke Mira on the surface tended to expect more equal treatment than they deserved. Desah’s grandfather had warned him humans would surprise him. He still doubted it would be the case.

“In the back.” Nevada gave an unconcerned shrug. “If you’re ready, we’ll go now. There have been some new developments.”

Joy. “Developments of what kind?” Desah cringed inwardly. Me on a primitive world populated with primitive people—of course things would go wrong.

“Get in, I’ll tell you on the way. We need to get out of here before the alien hunters show up.” Nevada nodded toward the car. Desah agreed. He’d seen the anti-alien groups protesting in the file on Earth.

The marshal opened the door, seating himself behind the vehicle controls in a casual, graceful movement. Desah sighed, reaching for the compartment door behind the one Nevada had opened.

“No, you ride in front with me, over there.” Desah paused a moment, looking toward the other side of the car.

“Ah. Of course.” Desah grit his teeth as he walked around to the other side. This is going to be fun.

The door proved to be a little more complicated than it looked. Desah did not appreciate the impatient look Nevada gave him when the human leaned across the seat. Nevada did something mysterious, opening the door from the inside. Arrogant. Desah got in, deciding he’d reserve any comments on quaint, backward ways for later.

Nevada started the engine. In a lot of unnecessary loud noise and a foul-smelling cloud of dust, they were off. The reflection of sparkling lavender light in the mirror affixed to the outside of the vehicle caught Desah’s attention. He watched the departure of his only way off this rock. Definitely too late to back out now, he would be stuck here until he contacted the ship at the end of his assignment. A pang of homesick loneliness hit him in the chest. Nevada pulled the vehicle out onto the main road. Desah could not make out any form of guidance circuitry in the pavement as they headed for a bluish-white glow on the horizon. Universe defend me, he’s guiding this thing himself.

“What are these developments you mentioned?” Desah hoped he masked his nervousness with his question, flinching as a huge transport sped past them.

“Someone leaked the name of our primary witness to the press. Enif posted bail for Barnes. Now he knows for sure who turned his gang in.” Nevada fiddled with a small package, pulling a white tube from it with his lips. “We are going to go to her house, pick her up, hopefully before any of Enif’s guys can get to her; then we’re going to a safe house.” He used a bright orange thing to set fire to the end of the tube, inhaling deeply before tossing the things onto the shelf over the instrument panel. Desah tried not to appear concerned when Nevada steered their vehicle with his knee.

“Why? I need to find Chak Enif as soon as possible.” Desah didn’t have time for playing around with the locals. He wanted to eliminate Enif. He needed to get home before Chara set in.

Desah returned Nevada’s stare, the human’s expression unreadable as he exhaled a cloud that smelled like burning basam dung. Desah held it in as long as he could before he coughed. Why do these things always happen to me? None of the other Saiph Mira ever had these problems.

“If he gets to her first, he’ll kill her.” Nevada’s voice lowered and slowed in the tone of someone trying to explain something to a backward child.

“Probably,” Desah agreed. Nevada frowned at him.

“We’d like to avoid that if possible.” He sounded impatient.

“Oh.” Whatever. He’d been warned humans viewed things differently. “I need to explain something. I am only here for Chak Enif. I am not a protector.”

“Look, whatever you do to your own is your business, man. The humans involved will be arrested and tried for their crimes. Ms. Gibson is our only witness. Without her, we have no case.”

Desah nodded slowly. He believed he understood now. “I see. Your plan then is to use Ms. Gibson to draw out the members of this little conspiracy. I do not see any conflict there with my mission.”

“No. My job, pendejo, is to keep Ms. Gibson alive to testify at the trial.”

Pendejo? What in the Nine Worlds did that word mean? Desah had been given the treatment for Standard Earth English, not for every grubby little dialect these humans used. Whatever it meant, he was sure it wasn’t complimentary from the way Nevada said it. Desah shot the human a disapproving glare. He would let it go for now in the interest of the mission, but he would not put up with more insolence.

Nevada rolled his beautiful eyes again. “Look, when we get Ms. Gibson to a safe place, I’ll help you track Enif down.”

Desah didn’t answer.

They rode in silence for a while. Desah noticed the sky growing lighter. He doubted Nevada had noticed the change yet, human eyes being far less sensitive to light than Ke Mira eyes. The Ke Mira lived on a world of dim opalescent light and dappled shadows, softly bioluminescent. The Nictating membranes that were enough at home would be inadequate here. Earth’s star would blind him in a short time without extra protection. If Nevada didn’t mention it in a few minutes, Desah would insist they stop. Earth’s sun would be up soon, and he would need to shield his eyes at the very least.

Desah opened his mouth to ask when he was to change his clothes. Before he could say anything, Nevada pulled the car off the main road onto a long, curving road leading into some trees. He slowed to a stop in a large paved area next to a building that appeared to be deserted. “You better change. People will tag you for alien right off in those clothes.” Nevada reached into the backseat, caught hold of a bag, pulled it into the front, and plopped it in Desah’s lap.

Desah pulled the metal tab on the thin bag, opening it to look inside. Nevada had provided several articles of clothing. Most were self-explanatory if one had a little common sense. He reached inside to remove pants and a shirt similar to Nevada’s. Desah sighed, opening the door. He stepped out and, shielded from any curious eyes in the vicinity, pulled his tunic over his head. He tugged at the drawstring of his leggings, letting them fall to the pavement around his feet. For a moment he stood beside the car, enjoying the cool breeze that caressed his naked body.

The fastenings on the new clothes weren’t too hard to figure out, and he soon looked like a human. Ech, inelegant, tight-fitting, uncomfortable things. He had to admit he preferred the refined robes Ke Mira wore. They were comfortable, easy to put on and take off. He wondered how humans had managed to reproduce when they had such complicated things to take off before sex. Maybe they didn’t take anything off; the thought hit him as he folded the clothes he had just removed. How revolting. Desah put his ship clothes in the bag when he got back in the vehicle. He sighed. The Earth smell would probably never come out. Nevada turned and leaned so far over the back of the seat Desah thought he might tumble over headfirst. The view of Nevada’s backside sent a jolting current of desire down Desah’s nerves. He’d love to slide into that inviting flesh and… Where in the Nine Hells did that thought come from? When Nevada righted himself, sliding back down into the seat, Desah swallowed hard, trying to rein in his lust. He jumped when Nevada thrust a box into his hands.

“Boots,” Nevada explained, indicating Desah’s ship sandals with a wave of his hand. “Not a good idea to wear anything like those flimsy things where we’re going. They should fit. If your people got the size right.”

My people? Did he detect a bit of resentment there? Desah opened the box and pulled out the clunky objects Nevada called boots. Oh well. Desah sighed, putting them on. Nevada had to show him how to pull the legs of the pants down over the boot tops. Embarrassment made him bite his lower lip. Cursed alien clothing.

“You need a hat to fit in around here. It’s in the box behind you.” Nevada started the car. Desah turned in his seat, reaching for the box. He stopped when Nevada added, “It’s one of my old ones. You’ll draw attention if your hat is too new.”

Resigned to the indignity, Desah took the hat out of the box, looking it over with distaste. He glanced at Nevada as he gathered up the boxes and wrappings. Catching himself squinting, he settled the hat on his head the way Nevada wore his. He reached for his travel case and his eye protection. The sun had risen further up in the sky—time to shield his eyes. Desah opened his case and found the specially made set of dark lenses he’d been issued, slipping them on. The immediate relief relaxed him. He was ready to face whatever Earth had in store.

Nevada got back in the car, slamming the door and pulling the safety harness across himself. “Lose the bag. People will think it’s a purse.”

Desah looked down at his travel bag. Was there any end to the indignities he had to put up with? He sighed again and laid it on the floor by his feet.

Chapter Two

Alien Invasion

Oh dark hundred. He needed another cup of coffee and a cigarette to settle his nerves. This alien ship didn’t look like the one five years ago when the aliens had revealed their presence. For over a hundred years, people asked, “If there are really extraterrestrials, why don’t they land on the White House lawn?” Then they did, on the eightieth anniversary of the crash at Roswell, New Mexico. Now the Ke Mira had an embassy in DC, a handful of them had immigrated to Earth, and not long after, the first criminals had shown up.

Nevada sighed. No, this ship reminded him of a tortilla warmer. One of those cheap Plastifoam ones his mother had always used. The ramp lowered with a hiss. The scene reminded him of the classic movie The Day the Earth Stood Still only without the robot. Nevada’s breath caught in his throat as the Ke Mira law enforcement representative walked down the ramp into the night. He had seen some beautiful Ke Mira on the news feed, but this one was easily the most beautiful man, human or otherwise, he had ever seen.

Desah Ssyn. The name fit. He looked human, but he had an aura about him, something in the way he carried himself, that let people know he wasn’t. A definite surge of sexual attraction raced through Nevada at Desah’s apparent lack of emotion. Nevada’s mind promptly supplied him with a vision of that perfect Cupid’s bow mouth on his cock. He wondered what it would take to make the alien shudder and groan with La Passion.

Sexual attraction aside, Desah Ssyn had damn fine looks. Nevada had been instructed to provide clothes that would let the alien fit in. He’d managed to get together a small duffle bag full of things every Texas cowboy wore. Looking at the alien now, Nevada had a feeling that it wouldn’t matter how ordinary the clothes were. The alien, Desah, would stand out like a Hollywood star. Nevada wanted to comb his fingers through the alien’s thick dark hair. He thought it might be a dark auburn; the dim early morning light of dawn made it hard to tell. Well, fuck me sideways, love at first sight really does happen. Lust anyway.

Desah stopped in front of him. Nevada fought to keep cool, professional, as he welcomed the alien to Earth. He cringed inside at the corny line. Get hold of yourself, idiot, he’s here to do a job, not do you. The briefing informed him very little of what the alien’s sexual habits, or any other habits for that matter, might be. For all Nevada knew, the aliens could spawn instead of fucking. He liked a little on both sides of the fence himself. But maybe, the tiny, hopeful voice in the back of Nevada’s mind whispered. Oh yeah, if the alien wants to further inter-species relations, I’m up for it.

They got going with minimal fuss. Once they were on the highway into town, Nevada lit a cigarette to cover his nervousness. Then he brought Desah up to date on the situation. He got his first shock when the alien didn’t seem to understand that they had to protect Ms. Gibson. Nevada’s first glimpse into just how alien Desah was despite his looks unsettled him. Sure it wouldn’t be his last surprise, Nevada held in his reaction.

They were a couple of hours outside Houston when they stopped at the rest area. Nevada gave Desah the clothes he’d brought. He practically dove into the backseat to get the boots he’d bought. Nevada resisted the urge to watch Desah changing clothes until he couldn’t stand it any longer. He rose and peeked over his shoulder. Desah stood there naked, perfect, unblemished except for an odd tattooed design that went up his spine. The markings were a shade lighter than Desah’s warm ivory skin, Nevada never would have seen it if the rising sun hadn’t been shining on his back. With a mouth dry as dust, Nevada slithered back into his seat, shoving the box containing the boots at the object of his lust.

Nevada lit another cigarette before he pulled back out onto the highway. Desah coughed again, giving him an offended look, but didn’t say anything. Maybe he’d give up smoking for a few days. Never hurts to be polite when the consideration might get the sexy, aloof alien into bed. Nevada almost grinned at the thought. He’d bet good money he’d be able to fuck the uppity starch out of the alien.

Ms. Gibson lived on the south side of Houston in a quiet neighborhood. The department should have called her by now so she would be aware they were coming. Nevada hoped it wouldn’t be hard to convince her to leave with them. Sometimes witnesses trusted the bad guys more than they trusted the good guys. He kind of hoped she’d be prettier than her picture. The mug shot in her file was less than flattering.

“When we get to the house, let me do the talking.” Nevada glanced over at Desah. He did not look at all well. Probably the cigarette smoke with the bright Texas sun. Nevada wondered for a second whether he should apologize. No, he expects it, and I refuse to apologize for being human. He hadn’t missed the haughty way the alien had looked at him since he’d arrived.

“I would not know what to say anyway.” Desah rubbed his temples. Nevada smacked down the urge to rub something else lower on the alien Desah’s body.

They drove through the city in silence. Early Saturday traffic was light, allowing them to make good time. Nevada allowed his thoughts on what he’d like to do to the alien distract him. The exit that would take them to Ms. Gibson’s house popped up before he expected it. Without slowing down, he whipped the wheel over, aiming the car for the feeder road. He liked the area, ordinary middle-class suburbs where people led ordinary lives.

“This is it.” He stopped in the driveway of a neat tract home. “Hope she’s awake.” Nevada gave the house a quick once-over. Things looked normal for a weekend morning. Hard to believe that Brian Barnes let a girlfriend of his live in a place like this. They lived in high-dollar condos as a rule.

“Might it be prudent for me to stay in the car?” Desah looked around the neighborhood, then rested his uncertain gaze on Nevada.

“If you don’t want to go in, that’s fine.” He got out and walked up to the front door. He could feel Desah’s eyes on him every step of the way. It felt pretty good.

Nevada took a deep breath, then knocked on the door. Someone moved around inside. Nevada hoped Ms. Sophie Gibson had been informed they were coming and whoever made all that noise wasn’t Brian or his goons. The door opened. He looked into the most beautiful moss-green eyes he’d ever seen. His mouth went dry once more. Two in one day, damn.

“Yes?” Her voice sounded like a caress in his ears. He swallowed hard.

“Ms. Gibson? I’m Federal Marshal Nevada Cisco. My partner and I are here to take you into protective custody.” He flipped his badge wallet open, holding it out so she could get a good look at it.

“Um, why?” She looked from the badge to him, a frightened expression in her eyes.

Nevada sighed. Well, fuck. Obviously no one had bothered to call. “You should have received a phone call informing you we were coming to take you to a safer place. Some asshole leaked your name to the media as the chief witness in the Lyxit drug case. I’m sorry.”

“Oh no.” Her hands shook. “What…what do I do?” Her fair skin had turned a sickly shade of pale. She didn’t fall apart or have hysterics though. She impressed him a lot. Panic made her voice tremble, yet she didn’t let it take control.

“You come with us, and we keep you safe until the trial.” She nodded at him. “Pack some clothes, whatever you think you might need. We’ll be on our way. It’s not safe here.”

“Um, right. Yeah, come in, it’ll just take me a couple of minutes.” She stepped aside, allowing him to follow her into the house.

She headed toward a hallway while he looked around. The house was small but clean, uncluttered, sparse even. He liked it. Nevada took a deep breath. It smelled like furniture polish. He walked down the hallway to keep an eye on her as she gathered up her clothes along with whatever else women found they couldn’t live without. She finished quickly and handed him the bag when he reached for it as they started toward the door.

The phone began to ring. She froze, looking at him wide-eyed. Nevada nodded at her to answer it. She picked up the receiver. “Hello.” Her voice was a little breathless. Her expression went from simple fright to abject terror. Nevada reached out, taking the phone from her.

“We know you were the snitch.” The voice of Brian Barnes, her ex-boyfriend, Enif’s chief lieutenant, came over the line. “You’re dead, Sophie. It won’t be fast or easy.”

Nevada hung the phone up carefully, looking at it for a few seconds. It began to ring again. He took her arm, giving her a little tug to break the spell of the ringing phone. “Come on, we need to get out of here. I have a cell phone, so you can call anyone you need to when we’re on the road.” She nodded as he turned, hurrying along behind him to the car. He scanned the area, seeing nothing that looked out of place, then urged her forward.

Desah looked up as they approached. Nevada saw his lips part when he caught sight of Ms. Gibson. He didn’t blame Desah. She had floored him, too, with her lush curves wrapped in bright-colored fluttery silk. He opened the back passenger door for her, tossing her bag onto the seat. She slid into the car. He shielded her, protecting her from hitting her head on the door frame. Her hair felt softer than the corn silk it resembled. He felt a strong twinge of desire shoot through him. He licked his lips, holding tight to his control.

He shut the door and headed around to the driver’s side. He rubbed his nose. Her hair smelled like vanilla. His belly clenched hard. With a quick glance at Desah, he started the car. The alien showed no reaction to Ms. Gibson other than the one Nevada had witnessed earlier.

Chapter Three

Double Trouble

Sophie finished brushing her hair, pinning it up with her favorite hand-carved wooden comb. She jumped when someone pounded on the front door. Silly. She laughed, then took a deep breath to relax herself. Brian and his friends were all in jail on a very high bond they couldn’t pay. She told herself she had nothing to worry about. It didn’t help. She went to the door anyway, opening it when the silhouette on the curtains didn’t look familiar.

A man stood on her doorstep, dark, beautiful. Tall. The midnight black hair that peeked out from under his Stetson brushed the collar of his white shirt and black suede blazer. “Yes?” What can I do to you? Her face warmed. She hoped she hadn’t said that last bit out loud. He held out a wallet containing a badge as he introduced himself.

When he told Sophie why he had arrived without warning on her doorstep at eight o’clock on Saturday morning, her stomach hit her shoes. They promised me I would be anonymous. She’d believed them, turned Brian and his buddies in without any reservations. She should have known better; most authorities couldn’t be trusted. She gave Federal Marshal Cisco a thorough looking over while she tried to get herself under control enough to move. Protective custody, no problem. She’d do it for the time being, at least until this man who was sex on two legs gave her a reason not to trust him. Anything to get away from Brian. She’d seen her ex get angry before, and she didn’t want to end up in the hospital or worse. She didn’t waste time arguing or crying about it. Better to do as he told her, she thought. Sophie went into her bedroom to pack.

While she tossed some of her favorite things into her overnight bag, she tried to keep track of the sexy marshal. From old late-night movies she’d watched when she couldn’t sleep, Sophie knew a little about protective custody. They would be living together until he considered her to be safe. That idea appealed quite a bit. She imagined herself in his arms, her legs locked around his waist as he fucked her. He would be huge if the old wives’ tale was true and hand size indicated the size of a man’s cock. Her girly bits tingled.

Her face warmed again as she slipped past him to get a few toiletries from her bathroom. The rich, warm scent of male, mingled with coffee, cigarettes, and aftershave, made her stomach clench. This is going to be an interesting time for sure. Sophie tossed what she needed into a makeup case and put it in her bag, zipping it closed. “Okay, I’m ready.” She resisted the urge to smack herself for the breathless quality of her voice. Maybe he’d put it down to her panicked nerves.

Thinking impure thoughts about his body, she watched his muscular legs and perfect ass as he walked toward the front door. She started violently, then froze, unable to move when the phone on the kitchen breakfast bar rang. Her pulse pounded in her throat. When the marshal gave her a slight nod, she answered it, surprised her voice worked. The wild hope that a telemarketer had called crashed when she heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line. “Hello, Sophie, how’s it feel to be dead?” Brian half whispered in a parody of the voice he used when they’d had sex.

Federal Marshal Cisco took the phone from her, listening to Brian rant for a moment before quietly hanging up. When the phone rang again just seconds later, he caught her arm, snatched her keys from her, and pulled her toward the door. The jolt of lust that zinged through Sophie made her stumble on the door’s threshold. He shut the door behind them, locking it before leading her out to his car. She didn’t miss the hand he slipped under the back of his coat. He must keep his gun there. Sophie licked her lips.

Sophie didn’t notice the man in the car until they got closer and he moved. The man waiting in the front passenger seat turned his head, watching their approach from behind opaque black sunglasses. She felt herself go liquid inside. Suddenly her panties were damp. Impossibly gorgeous, he didn’t look real until his perfect Cupid’s bow lips parted. The sunglasses hiding his eyes turned her on, adding to the mysterious air about him. Sophie’s mouth went dry. Sunglasses were one of her kinks.

Federal Marshal Cisco, Nevada, opened the back door of the car, tossing her things onto the seat. He brushed his hand over her hair as she got in. It sent a rush of heat through her. Not ready to reveal her feelings, she kept her head down to hide her reaction. He started the car, backing out as if they had nothing to worry about and all the time in the world. Sophie looked out the window at her neighborhood as they headed for the freeway. Her throat tightened with the urge to cry. She wished she’d never been taken in by Brian.

Sophie kept quiet, watching the two men, waiting for a hint of where they were going. Thoughts about what she’d like to do with both of them kept her at a fever pitch inside. Her entire body tingled. Separate or together, it didn’t matter to her; she’d take them any way they wanted. Sophie, you are such a slut. With your luck, they’re either married or gay. She sighed, catching Nevada’s attention. He glanced in the rearview mirror at her before cutting his eyes over to his partner.

“This is Desah Ssyn.” Nevada waved toward Mr. Sexy.

“Hi.” She smiled, trying to cover the wince as she heard her voice. Hardly sexy, they’d think her a blond airhead. Desah just turned his head slightly and gave a quick nod. Okay, I can take a hint. She kept all her questions to herself. She’d ask later, if she could get Nevada alone. In the meantime she occupied herself with watching the city go by as they headed north.

She’d been watching farmland awhile, thinking about how she had gotten into this mess, when Nevada’s voice startled her. “Ms. Gibson, do you need to call anyone?” he asked.

“What?” Brilliant. Witty and sure to impress hot guys with badges. Sophie wanted to slap herself.

“Family, friends, coworkers. To let them know you’re all right.” He held a phone up, waving it at her. He probably thought her wits had taken an extended vacation.

“Oh, um, okay…” She reached for the phone. She had no family to call. They had all disowned her years ago. She didn’t even know where any of them were. But she guessed she should call the one friend who had stood by her when she took up with Brian. She’d let Lynette know she’d be gone for several days. Maybe she would pick up the mail, too. As for a boss, she didn’t need to worry with that. Her job had ended the day they arrested Brian. Kind of inconvenient to work for a boyfriend who turns out to be a drug dealer. Silly me, I believed him when he said he was in real estate.

She began to dial, stopping when a thought hit her. “Excuse me, what do I tell them? How long will I, I mean we, be, um, hiding or whatever you call it?”

“Tell them you’re in protective custody until the trial. It could be anywhere from a few days to the trial date, depending on whether Brian Barnes stays out of jail. The preliminary trial is in about six weeks.” Nevada looked thoughtful when he met her gaze in the rearview mirror.

“Six weeks?” Desah spoke for the first time. Sophie couldn’t quite place his accent, but he definitely sounded horrified. “And how long is a week?”

“A week is seven days.” Nevada sounded amused. Sophie looked from one man to the other. Something odd was going on between these two.

“Wait a minute. Everyone knows how long a week is…” Sophie trailed off as it hit her. Desah Ssyn was one of them, an alien. She was sitting in a car going down a highway to who knew where with two of the sexiest men she’d ever seen, and one of them was an alien. She’d seen aliens on TV a few times since they first contacted Earth. They were far more beautiful in person. She didn’t quite know what to say.

“Desah Ssyn is from Angetenar. A member of their law enforcement. He’s here to take custody of the leader of the Lyxit drug ring when he’s caught.” Nevada kept his eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel.

“That isn’t precisely accurate. I do not enforce laws.” Desah’s voice washed through Sophie like slow sex. Her clit throbbed.

“Then what?” Nevada left the sentence unfinished. He sounded like he already knew the answer.

“I am Saiph Mira, a Sword of the People. You would call me an executioner. Although assassin might be a better word.”

Nevada jerked the wheel over, crossing lanes to pull the car off onto the shoulder. They skidded to a stop. Sophie dropped the phone, letting out a strangled squeak of surprise as she grabbed for something to keep herself in the seat. Nevada got out of the car, stalking around to the passenger side. He yanked the door open, reached in, caught hold of Desah’s shirt, and used it to jerk the Ke Mira out of the car. “We need to have a little talk.” He gave Desah a shove toward the front of the car as he slammed the door shut.

Sophie watched them standing beside the hood of the car having their “little talk.” She couldn’t hear them, but Nevada waved his arms, making obvious upset gestures at his partner. Desah stood there with one hand pressed to his throat and the other shading his still-shielded eyes. Assassin. Well. That was interesting. Scary too. She filed that fact away in her mental information-on-aliens file. With a deep sigh she leaned down, picking up the phone. She’d better just make her call. Meanwhile she’d be prudent, keeping her eyes open for whatever might happen. One thing was sure though, the idea of going to bed with Desah had her whole body quivering with pent-up lust.

Chapter Four

Ethics and Purity, What’s a Poor Alien to Do?

Desah sat there in the car watching Nevada and Ms. Gibson coming out of the dwelling, er, house. He didn’t know what he had expected. The vision in colorful garments walking toward him exceeded his wildest imagination. She was beautiful, lovely like the pale sunshine of home. Exotic. She looked soft, accommodating like a Ke Mira in childbearing mode. He wanted to see her arrayed in the rich robes that courtesans on his world wore, in the hues of the great crystal sea near his family home. He wanted to take them off her. Slowly. One gossamer layer at a time.

When she got into the car, her musky, sweet scent flooded his senses, and perverted as it was, he could barely restrain himself from climbing over the seat to take her right then. He had to travel in this vehicle with temptation hammering at him every step of the way. How wonderful. Desah tried to slip into one of the Ke’esh, the ritual meditations for control he’d learned as a child.

The meditation wasn’t working. He did his best to simply ignore the embodiment of lust operating the vehicle and the object of desire seated behind him. He would have to find a way to relieve the sexual tension before it threw him into the mating frenzy of Chara and he lost any hope of control. In the throes of Chara, he’d be helpless.

He looked out the window, trying to breathe shallowly. Between the intoxicating musk from Nevada and the sweet scent from Ms. Gibson, his toes wanted to curl. He hadn’t planned on the humans being so enticing when he accepted the assignment to carry out the council’s sentence on Chak Enif. He’d made his first mistake when he’d convinced himself he had gotten over the loss of his mates. On the way to Earth, he’d discovered how wrong he’d been.

Emotion welled up inside him. He missed Tav and Asha more than he’d ever thought possible. The idea of relieving his Chara with a pair of primitive humans disturbed him. Not that there was anything wrong with enjoying the humans. Perverted as that thought was, they were still sentient beings. Far more depraved to try to deny Chara.

Of course I could have my own little Sanctuary wherever we stopped. Get that thought out of your head right now. He shuddered. Stupid. He should call for pickup right now before he disgraced himself. But Sophie’s scent intoxicated beyond rational thought, and Nevada looked so well endowed.

Desah caught himself imagining doing things with Nevada that the human would probably kill him for. He’d been briefed on the human attitude toward sex, particularly between members of the same gender. What would they think if they knew we cycled through three genders? Male, female, and neither male nor female but something of both, the Narien, those who carried the children. He had fond memories of both his time as Narien and the time Asha and Tav carried. Unbidden memories rose up, beginning with their first Chara.

Chara. The Joy in the language of the humans. The entry into adulthood, joyful and terrifying at the same time. His father had taken him the day after his first cycle began, registered him. He sent Desah along with one of the courtesans to meet the two found for him. Desah still remembered the names of their instructors for their coming of age, the Mira Kurhah, Nihal and Aliannah. They had been lucky to get instructors as experienced as the bonded pair because by their fourth day he, Tav, and Asha had impregnated one another, bonding themselves. The joy in their houses at the auspicious joining had known no limits. They’d believed they had forever to raise their children. He lay his hand on his stomach, wondering if humans had similar rituals.

Desah listened to Nevada asking Ms. Gibson about informing her family of her absence in their lives. He didn’t pay much attention, preferring to dwell in the past a bit longer, until he heard the phrase “six weeks.” He did some quick, cold calculations, and he didn’t like the results. If he had not miscalculated, two of their weeks on Earth would see him well into Chara, with his only access to relief the two humans he traveled with.

“Six weeks?” he asked, close to panic. If he hadn’t been so freaked out, he would never have let slip what his true mission on Earth was. Desah doubted Sophie understood. Nevada said nothing for several seconds, but he obviously wasn’t pleased by the fact that Desah’s official title translated as assassin. Fortunately there were no other vehicles on this pathway to wherever they were going. The way Nevada stopped, another car would surely have crashed into them.

Nevada snatched him out of the car and dragged him up to the front. Desah knew Nevada had no idea what this forcefulness did to him. Desah shaded his eyes, holding a hand to his chest. His heart felt as if it would pound out of his chest. Nevada’s words all ran together in a torrent of whatever musical language he shouted at Desah in. So emotional, so passionate, it brought tears to Desah’s eyes, forcing him to blink both sets of eyelids. Desah thanked the Universe the dark eye-shielding hid his expression, proving useful in ways not intended by the developers.

“I can’t let you kill this Enif guy, don’t you understand that?” Nevada had switched to English at last. But Desah still did not, as Nevada said himself, understand what all the fuss was about. The council gave him this assignment as a chance to redeem his family honor, and he would carry it out regardless of primitive human ideas about justice. He had not failed to deliver the council’s justice in forty missions, and he would not start with Earth.

Nevada glared at him, apparently waiting for an answer. “No, I don’t understand. Why would you protect one like Chak Enif? He thrives on causing misery to others. The drug he peddles, this Lyxit, do you know what it does?”

“I’ve seen addicts. They don’t look miserable.” Nevada crossed his arms over his chest, tapping one foot. Desah didn’t think he realized he did it. Quaint.

“You’ve only seen the first stage then, when they feel wonderful. You haven’t seen it liquefy their brain yet.” His eyes widened slightly. “Oh yes, the drug makes humans feel wonderful; then it melts their brain. Death follows, quickly yes, but very painfully.”

“Puta madre.” Nevada covered his eyes for a moment. Desah had no idea what Nevada had said, some sort of curse. He’d have to ask Nevada when things were a little less tense. The words had a certain ring to them. Nevada glared at him again, making Desah’s stomach flutter with desire. “My ex-wife is a user. How do you get them off this shit?”

Oh my. “I’m sorry. I don’t know of anyone that has ever gotten off of it.” Nevada looked stricken for a brief second; then his professional mask took over once more.

“I still can’t let you just kill this son of a bitch.” Nevada looked grim.

“I am not going to just kill Chak Enif. He has been sentenced by the council for his actions. I am merely going to carry out that sentence.” Desah still did not see Nevada’s problem with his job.

Nevada sighed. “Shit. Get back in the car. We’ll figure this out later when we have Ms. Gibson somewhere safe.”

Desah watched Nevada turn and stalk back to the car. Nevada was so beautiful. When he got back to the car, Desah’s gaze met Ms. Sophie Gibson’s. The foundation of Desah’s world shook. He had never seen green eyes before. Or brown like Nevada’s for that matter. His people’s eyes were always gray or gold or some shade in between. Rarely were they a mix of gold and lavender like Desah’s were.

Desah swallowed hard and got into the car.

Chapter Five

It Never Rains, but It Pours

Nevada pulled back out onto the highway. He needed to beat the hell out of something. Or someone. Lyxit, taken by licking it from the little packet the dealers sold it in, an easy, quick high addicting users from the first dose. Nevada had given up on Marisol and her drugs a long time ago. Now it looked like the drugs would kill her just like he had told her so long ago. It hurt more than he thought it would. He glanced in the rearview mirror, catching Ms. Gibson, Sophie, watching him.

She stared at him wide-eyed; then she blinked, Nevada wondered if she would be interested in some straight-forward, down and dirty sex when they stopped. He needed the release of a good, hard orgasm. The safe house wasn’t far now.

After their discussion, Nevada wasn’t sure he wanted Desah to touch him. Not when the alien turned out to be a cold killer by his own admitting, while Nevada had been trained to follow the laws he believed in. But Desah still made his blood burn with desire. Damn, he hated long trips. It gave him way too much time to think.

They passed through the small town of Stephenville. The place they would be staying at for the next few days sat outside town, a small ranch that the government maintained for temporary housing of witnesses who needed protection. Nevada had used it before.

Sophie had dozed off. She must be one of those people who can’t stay awake in the backseat. Nevada smiled. Sleep relaxed the tension in her face, making Sophie look younger than the thirty-two years the file claimed for her. He slowed, seeing the turnoff a little way ahead. The gate rolled back as the invisible beam of the security locks read the keyed ID tag hidden on the car, letting them pass. Desah looked surprised, like he hadn’t expected something more sophisticated than a gate with a padlock on it.

“Sensors.” Nevada gave Desah an amused look. “We’re not totally backward.”

“I never said you were.” Desah pushed his dark glasses further up his nose. He sounded miffed.

“No, but you were thinking it.” Nevada let his smile turn into a grin that said, “Gotcha.” Desah blushed, letting Nevada know he’d guessed right. “You think we’re little better than animals, don’t you.” Nevada made it a statement. He’d seen the same prejudices before.

Desah drew himself up into that aloof coldness Nevada had seen when he picked the alien up. Their alien visitor had no idea how much that cold expression turned Nevada on. “Where are we?” Desah asked, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

“Safe house. We’ll spend several days here before we then move on to another one.” Nevada pulled up in front of the old stone farmhouse and stopped.

“It looks comfortable.” An odd note colored Desah’s voice. He got out of the car, standing there looking at the place without moving.

Nevada turned around and reached over the backseat to wake Sophie. He gave her knee a little shake, making her jump. “We’re here.”

She covered her mouth, yawning as she looked around. “Is there a bathroom?”

“Yeah, a nice one inside. Hot and cold running water, too. We’re remote, not primitive.” She gave him a dirty look as she climbed out. Nevada chuckled, following her.

He watched her follow Desah up the steps onto the porch. Well, they couldn’t get in without him, so Nevada grabbed Sophie’s bag, then headed for the door. He’d come back for the rest later.

Inside it was dim and cool. “Bathroom is through there.” Nevada pointed down the hallway. Sophie disappeared into the little room, shutting the door behind her. They would be at the house for a minimum of four days unless something bad happened. Nevada didn’t anticipate any trouble as long as they kept to themselves. He put Sophie’s bag down by the door, leaving Desah to wander around while he unloaded the rest of their things.

When he brought the last load in, Nevada heard Sophie exploring the kitchen. Desah hadn’t moved from the spot where he’d stopped when they first came in. Nevada wondered if the alien was okay. Be just his luck to get saddled with a sick alien when he had a hot woman’s body to guard.

“There’s beer and soda in the refrigerator.” Sophie came in with a glass in one hand and a soft drink can in the other. “The fridge has an ice maker, too.”

Desah gave her a startled look when she handed the drink to him. “Thank you.” He looked at the fizzing soda like it might leap up and bite his nose. Nevada almost laughed aloud.

“Soda or beer?” she asked him.

“Beer. It’s been a long day.” She snorted, making him smile.

Sophie, Nevada mused, appeared to be taking this whole thing remarkably well. Thankful she wasn’t having hysterics or being stubborn, he watched her head back into the kitchen. Nevada loved it out here. He could sit on the porch enjoying the peaceful quiet, not dealing with the scum he had to arrest.

Sophie came back with his beer and a soda for herself. She handed the bottle to him. A tingle rushed through Nevada when his fingers brushed hers. Her soft gasp told him she’d felt it as well. Things were beginning to look up.

“I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping, and then we can work out a watch schedule.” Nevada led them down the hall to the bedrooms. The place wasn’t a five-star hotel, but the beds were clean and comfortable. He thought it best to put their alien friend, Desah, in the room at the back of the hall.

Desah didn’t seem to mind. Hopefully he’d hear anyone approaching from that side of the house. Nevada put Sophie in the room between Desah’s and the one he would take. The caretakers had planted a nice cactus garden below her window. The cactus would stop intruders from going in her window. It would stop her from leaving by that route as well, in case she got any ideas about running. Hard to climb over a bed of wicked sharp thorns.

He glanced at Desah. “You can freshen up in there.” He indicated the bathroom. Desah went in without a word.

Nevada left Desah figuring out how the bathroom facilities worked. Time he went to check on Sophie. She sat on the edge of the bed looking a little forlorn. The situation might be getting to her at last. He tapped on the door frame as he stepped into the room.

“He doesn’t like us very much, does he?”

Nevada hadn’t expected that question when she looked up at him.

“Nope.” Nevada sat on the bed beside her. He didn’t sugarcoat it for her. “He’s far from home, among people he doesn’t think of as real people. Acting like he’s better than we are is his refuge. You don’t worry about him, I won’t let him get away with any ugliness.” Nevada reached over and gave the small of her back a gentle caress. Damn, she was soft and warm.

“Is he really an assassin?” She traced the pattern of the quilt beside her.

“Seems like.” Nevada began rubbing her back. She leaned closer. “I won’t let him hurt you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I’ve spent the last two years with Brian Barnes. An assassin is small stuff.” She sounded bleak.

“Well, I won’t let Barnes hurt you, either. Let’s go see what there is for dinner.” He wanted to push her down on the bed and climb on top of her, but it wasn’t the time for it. He took a deep breath and moved to stand. Suddenly they heard the noise of the TV blaring from the front of the house. It was followed by an angry-sounding tirade in a strange language. Sophie giggled softly. “Come on, before he has some sort of alien fit.” Nevada held his hand out. She took it, letting him pull her to her feet.

They walked into the living room. Desah had managed to turn on the news. Nevada stopped beside him, listening to the reporter. Some fool, most likely his human lawyer, had told Chak Enif about political asylum. He’d applied on the grounds that his government had sent an agent to assassinate him. Wonderful.

“Shit.” Nevada watched Enif smirk while his lawyer told the press how misunderstood the poor alien bastard was. The way the reporters fawned over the alien drug lord made Nevada nauseous.

“He’s using her. Look at her, the way she smiles—she’s taking Lyxit.” Desah made a disgusted sound, then stalked into the kitchen.

Nevada glanced at Sophie. “Why don’t you see what there is to eat? The caretakers keep this place pretty well stocked.” He needed to call in. She went in the kitchen after Desah as Nevada pulled out his cell phone.

Chapter Six

Sophie Settles In

Sophie walked into the kitchen behind Desah. It seemed like a good idea to do as Nevada said and see what was available for dinner. Desah started when she stepped past him. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry.” She gave him what she thought was a friendly smile as she opened the refrigerator door.

“I don’t seem to have much of an interest in food right now.” He turned his head toward her, aiming those wonderfully black lenses at her. Her stomach clenched hard. The hot flash he gave her made her thankful for the cold of the fridge. The sexuality rolling off him was enough to melt steel. She swallowed hard.

“Well, you still need to eat and keep your strength up.” She rummaged around, pulling out sandwich supplies. When he didn’t say anything right away, a thought hit her. “Or do you?” she asked. Who knew, maybe he could go without for days or something.

“Yes. You are right, we do need to eat.” His voice was dry, like he spoke to a slow child. She chose to overlook it. For now.

“Okay, I can make sandwiches. Whoever stocked this place left plenty of cold cuts, and the bread is fresh. There are chips, too.” She pulled out the meat. It looked like roast beef.

She set the sandwich supplies on the counter. Shouting from the front of the house made them both turn to look toward the living room. Desah stood like he expected a horde of bad guys to come through the door. Rapid Spanish made her chuckle.

“What did he say?” Desah asked with what sounded like begrudging curiosity.

“I don’t speak Spanish, I don’t know, but he sounds pissed off.” She smiled at him, going back to making enough sandwiches for everyone. Desah sighed heavily, sitting back down.

“So,” Sophie asked, “what do I call you? You can call me Sophie. I’m not used to anyone calling me anything else.” She had been at one time, before she got away from her family. She didn’t think he needed to know the sort of things they had called her.

“Desah would be easiest. I am assuming we will be on casual terms throughout this, um, time together.” She filled in the word he left out by pausing. He’d meant to say ordeal, she’d bet on it.

“All right, Desah it is.” She set a plate down in front of him. “I’m just guessing here, never having met an alien before, but you can eat normal food?” His eyes narrowed slightly. She’d made him mad. Good. She gave him her sweetest smile.

Nevada walked in, going straight to the fridge. He jerked the door open, making the bottles clink together. He snatched another beer out, twisting it open before he slammed the door. He drank half of it straight down. “Those idiots.” He waved his empty hand in what looked like frustration.

She waited for him to continue, but he just glared at the window over the sink. She looked at Desah. He raised his eyebrows, questioning from behind the black sunglasses he wore. She shrugged and put the other plate she held on the table in front of an empty chair.

Sophie stepped over to Nevada, slipping her arm through his. She gave it a tug. “Sit. Eat. You can obsess over the idiots later.”

He gave her a startled look. She didn’t let him argue, pulling him around to the table.

They ate in awkward silence. She excused herself to wander around the house, going outside. The sunset had turned the sky to shades of gold and purple. She leaned against the porch rail, thinking about the things that had gotten her to this place. She would survive this as she had everything else, from her family disowning her to living on the streets.

Sophie should have known Brian wouldn’t be any different from anyone else in her life even though he had seemed so nice, so caring and kind, when she’d first met him. How things had changed. A sound behind her startled her. She turned to find Nevada watching her from the door. The sympathy in his eyes almost made her angry. She didn’t need anyone’s pity.

“It would be better if you didn’t wander around outside alone.” He came toward her. She looked away, back out at the darkening sky. The first stars had appeared.

“It’s peaceful out here.” His presence sent a shiver through her. She wondered where Desah was.

“Yeah, it is.” His soft voice held the promise of comfort. Sophie steeled herself, watching his hand move to cover hers. She slipped her fingers through his and waited to see what he would do about it.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, making her look up into his dark eyes. Neither of them said anything, there wasn’t anything to say. The sexual tension had been building between them all day. Sophie felt the need for release, the need to reaffirm herself with pleasure. She’d be willing to lose herself in sex for a few hours with the tall man holding her hand. A small noise made them both look toward the house.

“He’s going to bed. I told him I’d take first watch,” Nevada leaned closer, whispering, his lips against her ear. She shivered.

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” The wistful note in her voice surprised her. All she’d dreamed about as a child was someone who would love her unconditionally. She caught herself entertaining that idea again.

“Yeah, but he doesn’t like us.” She looked back at him. His voice had a note of something odd in it. Disappointment? Disgust? Some combination of the two? She couldn’t tell for sure.

“You’re wrong. He does, but it disturbs him.” She didn’t know how she knew that, but it was true.

“Maybe.” He brushed his fingertips over her cheek. “Right now I don’t care. Right now all I want is to make love to you.”

He bent, touching his lips to hers. They were every bit as firm and silky as she’d imagined. She slid her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. His hardness against her stomach made her go damp. With a shaky breath, he broke the kiss, stepping back. “Let’s go inside.”

She nodded, letting him lead her into the house. He stopped long enough to lock the door behind them before walking with her down the hall to the bedroom he’d assigned her earlier.

He shut the door as he pulled her to him with a swift tug, wrapping his arms around her. Her stomach clenched. There was nothing of the violence Brian had always shown in Nevada’s forceful manner. She inhaled deeply. He smelled like cinnamon and musk. His mouth covered hers again in a demanding kiss, his tongue forcing her lips apart to dip inside, tasting her. The sparks of lust burst into a raging fire as Sophie slid her hands up over his chest, letting herself melt against him. She tangled her fingers in his thick, silky black hair, twining her tongue with his.

He nudged his hips against hers. She answered his demand, pressing herself against him, wrapping one leg up over his hip. She slid her hands over his shoulders, then back down his chest. The soft moan he made let her know he liked what she was doing. She moved from his mouth down over his throat to the collar of his white cotton shirt. He tasted like mesquite, tangy and smoky sweet.

“Querida,” he sighed, his voice thick with desire. He let his head fall back, revealing more of his throat as she began unbuttoning the shirt, kissing each inch of his smooth chest as she pushed the shirt aside. He gently pushed her away to look at her. She could see the need clearly in his passion-dark eyes.

A lock of his dark, silky hair had fallen forward. She reached up, brushed her fingers over his cheek, then tucked the stray hair behind his ear. He stood there for several heartbeats, his chest heaving like he’d run a marathon. She had the feeling he waited to see what she would do next. She touched a fingertip to his parted lips, tracing their perfect fullness before drawing a line down over his chest to the waistband of the black jeans he wore.

“Is it true what I’ve heard about Latin lovers?” She looked up into his eyes again.

“Cielita,” he whispered, kissing her again. He slid his hands over her body, and before she hardly knew it, he had lifted her into his arms. He carried her to the bed, laying her back on it. His hand fumbled at his belt. She stopped him, unbuckling the soft leather and unfastening the button. She pushed the zipper down, then slipped her hand inside.

“Ah mi vida.” He gasped. Nevada’s cock was hard, larger than anyone she’d ever been with before. Longer too. Looked like the hand story was true. She explored him, running her fingers over his velvet soft skin before lifting him free of his clothing. A drop of clear liquid glistened at the tip, his body preparing for sex. She touched it and slowly spread it over his head. He shuddered, his whole body trembling. She held her arms out for him. He made a low growling sound as he moved over her.

She wrapped her arms around him as he lowered himself to lie against her. His weight felt wonderful. She ran her hands over the damp, fever-hot skin of his back. He kissed her once more, then moved down over her neck, drawing spirals of heat with his tongue. He let his teeth graze her skin, sending showers of electric sparks through her. He covered one of her nipples with his mouth while he rolled the other with his thumb. She moaned, arching against the hard shaft of his cock.

“Sophie.” He drew her name out into a low moan of pleasure.

She ached for him, wet with passion. His hands were fire, his lips scorching as he explored her, tasted her. She needed him inside her body. She needed to feel him stretching her, filling her with himself. He had to be hurting by now. She opened her legs wider, lifting her knees. He pressed the tip of his cock against her, waiting for a long, ragged breath, then pushed, sliding his hardness into her. She moaned as he began to move, a slow, steady rhythm, in time with her gasps.

She slid her hands over his hips and waist. He moved harder, grinding into her, losing his control. She dug her fingers into his ass. Nevada groaned as his body jerked. She did it again, harder. He bit back a cry when she raked her nails down his back.

She tightened around him, loving the way he pounded into her. His sweat trickled down her sides. She slid her feet up his legs, resting them on his ass. He gasped, tossing his head back, trying to hold in the groan as his orgasm hit.

The sound of his release and the hot rush of him coming inside her sent her over the edge. She moaned as that wonderful deep, cramping itch shook her. She came hard, clamping around him. He sucked in a gasp, letting it out as a deep groan as he ground himself into her. She came once more.

They lay there for several minutes, too spent to move. Nevada finally lifted up enough to look down at her. He covered her mouth with his, sliding his tongue in. She sucked at it. With a sound halfway between a moan and a whimper, she felt him stiffen inside her again.

“Dios mio, Sophie.” He began trying to push through her into the mattress. She would have trouble walking after this, but she didn’t care, he felt too good.

“Yes,” she moaned. Her body felt like a wire strung too tight. Nevada pushed harder, held her tighter. He whispered something over and over in Spanish that sounded like a prayer. She gasped out his name one syllable at a time and then cried out as her third orgasm crashed over her. Nevada swore and let out a strangled cry as he came with her.

Nevada gave a breathless laugh. “I hope we didn’t wake the alien.”

Sophie chuckled. He kissed her.

Nevada eased himself off her with one more kiss, moving to sit on the side of the bed. He sighed, reaching for his clothes. “Much as I’d like to stay here all night, I’d better do my job and keep an eye out for trouble.”

She sat up, watching him put on his clothes. “Any time.” She smiled when he turned to look at her. “To sleep, or whatever.”

He returned her smile. “Whatever sounds good.”

Sophie got up, following him into the hall. He stopped, pulling her into his arms for one last kiss before he headed toward the front door. She smiled to herself, rubbing her hand over her belly, and went to clean up.

Chapter Seven

Unplanned Events

Something woke him. Desah lay there, listening for anything unusual. Of course it will be strange, he chastised himself. You’re on an alien planet. The sound came again, a familiar sound he’d hoped not to hear. Desah got up as quietly as he could. He didn’t see Nevada anywhere as he crept further down the hall, stopping at the door to Sophie’s room. Yes, it was what he thought. They were having sex.

Desah pressed his ear to the door like a common snoop, listening to the sounds of Chara. His mouth went dry. Swallowing proved impossible. It sounded enjoyable, whatever they were doing to each other in there. He tried to picture it. He knew many ways to celebrate Chara, but his imagination failed him. He had no idea if humans did it the same way Ke Mira did.

He heard the muffled groan of someone finding release. Tightness filled him. Panic raced through him. Oh Universe, his Chara had begun early. The tingling feeling that swept over his skin was almost painful in its intensity. He needed to get away. He covered his mouth to stifle the gasping sound of his breath as he fled, knowing it was already too late. He cursed the ease with which he had always gone into Chara. He didn’t think this detail would make it into his report before the council.

He found himself outside, suddenly with no sure memory of how he got there. The odd smells and sounds of the Earth night began to clear his head, but that only made the pain worse. He sank down on the top step of the porch, curled up in a ball of misery. He had never faced Chara alone before. He had no idea how to get through this. In his need, could he descend into perversion as his grandfather had when he’d been marooned on this planet? He moaned to himself; he did not want to go insane. At least I won’t be blinded by their sun. I have my eye shields. His dry chuckle at the black humor of the situation degenerated into another moan.

He didn’t know how long he lay there before he heard Nevada’s voice behind him. The human cursed in his Spanish and then Desah felt hot human hands on him, lifting him until he was sitting up.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” Desah cut Nevada’s worried query off, shaking his head.

“No.” Desah gasped and hissed with the pain of his body settling which sex he would be for the cycle. “No.”

“Then you’re sick,” Nevada insisted, placing a hand on Desah’s sweat-damp forehead.

“Not sick. Chara.” He shivered with the need to be touched in more intimate ways.

“What the hell is Chara?” Nevada caught his arm when he sagged. The cold pain eased at the heat of the human’s touch. Well, he thought with dull surprise. Apparently he could sink to the level of deviant and find relief from a human.

“You and she, together, triggered my Chara cycle,” Desah tried to explain.

“Me and Sophie? How did we do this?” Nevada sounded puzzled. Of course he would be, Desah thought. Chara, while not a total secret, still should not be common knowledge among the lesser beings.

“I heard you tonight, engaging in sex.” His breathing had calmed some with Nevada’s continued hold on his arm. The human’s touch felt good.

“My fucking Sophie started this Chara thing? I don’t understand.” Nevada shifted, sitting on the step beside him.

Of course you don’t—only a cowardly pervert like me would consider sharing this with one of the lesser beings.

Fucking? “We have a cycle, Chara. It translates as The Joy. Our mating cycle. We go to Chara Sanctuary for relief.” He wanted Nevada to understand without telling him too much. The council would have his hide if humans learned that the whole Ke Mira culture was based on sex. Immigration would be swamped.

“So we pushed you into this cycle. Okay. Fine. I can’t have you out of commission. What do we need to do for you?” Nevada stood, pulling him to his feet.

“Sex.” Desah covered Nevada’s hand to prevent the human from letting go of him.

“Damn. I left Sophie pretty worn out. I don’t think she—”

“Either of you,” Desah cut him off. Nevada froze, and Desah cringed. He’d offended the man. Desah wanted to laugh, but he still hurt too much. He wished to the Nine Worlds and all their hells Nevada would just shut up and fuck him.

“Either of us.” Nevada’s voice sounded strained. Desah feared what he might see if he looked at him.

“We don’t… Gender doesn’t mean the same thing to us. What matters in the Chara is the release.”

Nevada turned Desah around to face him. Desah held his breath.

“You swing both ways.” Nevada’s eyes held something dark in their expression.

“Three ways,” Desah whispered. He was losing track of this insane conversation.

“Damn.” Nevada’s eyes traveled down over him.

Desah felt Nevada’s eyes on him like a physical caress. “Don’t worry, you cannot impregnate me.” He didn’t know why, but it seemed important Nevada know this.

Desah waited for his response. He wasn’t that good at reading human expression. He didn’t know if Nevada would beat him to death, laugh at him, or give him the relief he desperately needed. His eyes met Nevada’s for a long, tense moment.

“I can’t get you pregnant. This is bizarre.” Suddenly, Nevada covered his mouth in a crushing kiss that left Desah breathless.

Nevada tangled his fingers in Desah’s hair, tightening his fist, pulling Desah’s head back. The pain felt good. Desah wrapped his arms around the human. Nevada’s mouth moved over to his ear. “What do you want me to do to you?” Nevada whispered, his hot breath making Desah’s stomach clench.

“Anything you want,” Desah answered him. Just please get on with it!

Nevada didn’t say anything, just pushed Desah back against the porch post. He was going to do it right here. Desah couldn’t help the low moan that escaped him. Nevada wasn’t going to be gentle. Desah’s heart skipped a beat. Oh, how he needed it rough. He hadn’t had a rough partner in a long time. Sick. But Desah couldn’t find it in himself to care right then.

Desah reached for the fastening of Nevada’s pants, working them loose, freeing him. Nevada’s saiph Chara, his sword of joy, stood out from his body large and stiff, much like Desah. Ke Mira and humans were not built all that differently. Nevada was smooth where Desah had ridges, and he had ridges where Desah was smooth. Nevada unfastened Desah’s pants, slipping his fingers over Desah’s stiff, velvet saiph Chara. Desah groaned.

“What do you call it?” Nevada asked, breathless.

“Saiph Chara, sword of joy,” Desah answered, licking his lips.

“I like that.” Nevada reached into his pocket, pulling out a small packet, then opening it with his teeth. Of course you do, Desah thought as he watched Nevada with half-closed eyes. Nevada had not let go of him, sliding one hand between Desah’s legs to cup his balls.

Condom. His neural splice provided the Earth word for the familiar object. A little surprised humans had thought of such a necessity, Desah took it from Nevada and rolled it onto him. “And what do you call it?”

“Cock, we call it a cock.” Nevada groaned.

“I like that.” Nevada smiled when he chuckled. “Put it inside me.” Nevada hesitated.

“What?” Desah hoped the human didn’t back out now.

“Lube, mmm, something to ease the way.” Nevada looked at a loss, reluctant to let go of him.

Desah shook his head. “No need, we make our own.”

“Convenient.” Nevada reached between his legs again, brushing over Desah’s cock. Desah savored the new word. He nearly burst when Nevada discovered the opening Desah wanted him to fill. Desah’s cock had risen hard against his belly, pulsing with need. Then Nevada began pushing into him, setting all Desah’s nerve endings on fire. His body resisted at first, it had been awhile, but Nevada thrust harder, sliding halfway in. Desah bit back a whimper when Nevada stopped.

“Damn, you’re hot,” Nevada whispered, “and tight.”

“Don’t stop.” Desah barely recognized his own voice thickened with need and lust.

“I’m not stopping.” Nevada groaned, giving a hard thrust of his hips.

Desah gasped, crying out as Nevada buried his cock inside him. Desah tried to concentrate on the sensations, not on the human giving them to him. Pretty as Nevada was, he still was just a human. Everyone knew how primitive humans were, didn’t they?

Desah moaned. He arched toward Nevada, digging his fingers into Nevada’s ass. He wanted this human lover closer, deeper inside him. Nevada drew back, then gave another shove of his hips. Desah braced one foot against the opposite post, urging Nevada on. It felt like his human partner might be long enough to touch that special spot inside him.

“Damn,” Nevada moaned, and Desah wrapped his arms around the human’s waist.

“Harder,” Desah whispered. “Hard as you can.”

Nevada responded by slamming into him, and at last the tip of Nevada’s saiph Chara, his cock, pounded into the place where the nari nerves bundled together, shooting white-hot fire through Desah. He groaned with each contact. They used long, artificial saiph Chara for this at home, finely carved from Sa’edha ivory or other hard but yielding substance, to stimulate the conception response when they were not in Narien phase. The human could not give him a child though. Desah didn’t understand why that thought made him sad.

Their sweat-slicked bodies rubbed against each other, crushing Desah’s cock between them. Nevada grabbed the post Desah leaned against for leverage, then covered his mouth in a brutal kiss. Nevada groaned into his mouth with his release. Desah forgot about children, humans, Ke Mira, or anything else when Nevada’s hips jerked and heat flooded him. With a wordless cry, Desah gave himself over to a Chara like nothing he’d ever experienced.

Chapter Eight

Nevada Strikes Gold

Nevada came, hot and hard. He didn’t know why or what Desah had done to him, but no one had ever got him off like this before. Nevada swore. He’d thought it was good with Sophie. His knees shook, making him laugh. That hadn’t happened since his first lover. Maybe the fact that Desah wasn’t human had something to do with it. To tell the truth, he didn’t care right then what it was; he just wanted it to never stop.

The world came back. “That,” Nevada licked his dry lips, “that was fantastic.” He eased away from Desah, holding onto him until he caught his balance. Nevada’s belly tingled, sticky with Desah’s jism. He touched it, and his fingertip tingled, too.

Desah saw what he did. Nevada raised his eyebrows in question. “An element in the tyl, the semen—you would call it a hormone, I think. Enhances sensation.” His voice was a lazy, satisfied drawl. “It is in the sweat, too.”

So that’s why he felt like his whole body was blushing. Nevada shrugged out of the shirt he’d put back on when he left Sophie. He used it to clean himself up, then handed it to Desah. The alien took it, wiping himself off. Nevada motioned him inside. “Go take a shower, man. I don’t think I can move yet.”

“Good idea.” Desah walked past him. Nevada found the energy to smack his butt. Desah chuckled and went inside. A minute later he heard the bathroom door shutting. He smiled, picking up his shirt. He brought it close to his face, inhaling the musky, spicy scent of the alien he’d just fucked. Nevada wondered what it would feel like to let Desah fuck him without protection. The thought scared him a little. He’d never let anyone do that after his first time with his best friend. He tossed the shirt onto the deck chair and dismissed the thought as silly.

Nevada relaxed, enjoying the boneless feeling good sex left him with, listening to the small sounds of night time in the country when Desah came back. Desah had showered, putting on a pair of the plain white cotton boxers Nevada had stuck in the bag of clothes he’d gotten the alien. His hair was damp, curling softly around his face.

“Need something?” Nevada asked as Desah sat down beside him on the top step.

“Always,” Desah sighed. Nevada could see Desah’s cock had begun to harden once more.

“Always?” Nevada raised his eyebrows. He watched as Desah’s cock stood to attention. He had to admire the alien’s fast recovery.

“Chara doesn’t stop until the cycle finishes.” Desah adjusted himself with a lingering touch.

“So how long does this Chara last?” Nevada shifted so he could look Desah in the eye. He needed to know what to expect with his alien. My alien? What the fuck am I thinking?

“Chara takes me about every eight weeks, lasting about two or three weeks. I’m sorry, more precise calculations are beyond me already. It’s just beginning. In a few days, it will take over everything.” He sounded apologetic.

“When you say everything?” Somehow, Nevada knew what Desah’s answer would be.

“In a few days I won’t be able to do or think of much else. At home we go to a Sanctuary, where we stay until Chara stops. Until we bond, then we no longer need to go to Sanctuary unless we’re away from our partners.” Desah leaned his head against the post. “I did not expect to have to stay here more than a few of your days. I certainly did not expect Chara to take me early.” His voice had a note of distress in it.

Nevada sighed. A solid two weeks of mind-blowing sex. A fantasy come true for some people. But they had a job to do. “Okay. What do I need to do to make sure we get through this without any trouble?”

“You said we would be staying here for a few days. Can we stay longer?”

“No, if we stay more than that it will draw attention.” Nevada was silent for several minutes thinking. “Can you suppress it? Delay it some way?”

“There are those who claim that to experience true Chara, we must deny it. They are considered perverts and insane.” Desah gave a heavy sigh.

Nevada thought for a while, watching Desah from the corner of his eye. This was just wonderful. He had a sex-crazed alien on his hands who needed what amounted to nearly constant sexual servicing.

An owl hooted, and Desah started. Nevada smiled. “Just an owl. A night creature.”

“It sounds lonely.” Desah sounded lonely.

He felt a little sorry for Desah’s lily ass. He was truly a minority here, with the total alien population on Earth maybe as much as fifty. Nevada reached out, brushing his hand over Desah’s bare shoulder. The tattoo on Desah’s back was glowing. The pale lavender light was so faint Nevada couldn’t see it unless he looked a little to the side.

“You’re glowing.” Nevada shivered at the reminder of how alien Desah was.

“What? Oh. Yes, we do that.” Desah gave him a small smile. “Usually it isn’t very bright.”

“So what makes it brighter?” Nevada traced around one marking, making it flash.

“The more aroused I get, the brighter it will be.”

“Why didn’t I see it when we fucked?” This was kind of neat.

“I had my shirt on, and it’s only on my back. You were in front.” Desah shot him a wicked look.

“Ah, yeah, and a little distracted as I recall.” Nevada snickered.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes more. Nevada covered his mouth, yawning. He was worn out. If Desah needed another fuck, Nevada might be able to suck him off. Or Desah could go wake Sophie. Nevada stood up, snatching his dirty shirt off the chair. Desah looked up at him with parted lips, silently questioning him.

“It’s your watch. I’m going for a quick shower; then I’m going to get some sleep. We’ll figure all this out in the morning. Can you hang onto your control for another two days?”

Desah hesitated before nodding slowly. “Yes, I think so.”

“Good.” Nevada winked at Desah. “Don’t stay out here too long, and lock up when you come in.”

Nevada went inside, heading straight for the shower. Would Desah go wake Sophie up? He kind of hoped so. From the look Desah gave him when Nevada left him on the porch, he would need it again soon. Nevada sighed. As good as Desah was, Nevada reflected, he was way too tired to fuck any more tonight. He needed some sleep before they sprang the sex thing on Sophie.

Nevada heard the door open, followed by it closing and the lock snapping home. The sound of Sophie’s room door opening followed a few seconds later. He smiled and went to take his shower.

Chapter Nine

Spying and Sneaking

Sophie watched Nevada go outside as she slipped out of the bathroom. The way Nevada moved, all quiet caution, for a brief moment she was more than a little afraid. He went out onto the porch. She waited a few seconds before she followed him. Nevada left the front door open, and she could make out a figure huddled on the porch. It was Desah.

Nevada went to Desah, lifting him up. The sound of their quiet voices carried in the stillness of the night, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. Sophie turned to go back to bed. When they kissed, she froze. She’d seen porn before, and she wasn’t inexperienced, but she couldn’t recall ever seeing anything as hot as the two men. Until they started fucking. Then she couldn’t have moved to save her life. She was so caught up in it she almost didn’t get her butt back to her room before they’d finished and Desah came down the hall.

She hurried to get back into bed before they caught her. She hadn’t had time to assimilate the day’s events or that she’d fucked one of her bodyguards and wanted to fuck the other, who just happened to be an alien assassin. Now she had the discovery that her bodyguards were fucking each other to deal with. It was always possible that while Nevada swung both ways, Desah might not. They had a lot to discuss in the morning, she wasn’t about to give up Nevada in her bed.

Sophie had been lying there a short five minutes at most when the door opened. Her whole body tensed. Pretend to be asleep, wait and see what he does, and which one it is. She really wanted him to, no matter which one it was. Or even if it happened to be both of them. That thought sent a thrill of excitement through her. Disappointment washed through her at the sound of the door being closed carefully.

She turned over onto her back and got the surprise of her life. Desah was a shadow in the darkness, outlined by a soft glow. He hadn’t left. At a loss for words or what else to do, she held out her hand.

The touch of his fingers twining with hers had a warm, comforting feel. She could tell from the way he touched her Desah was strong. She pulled him to her as he climbed onto the bed. He lay against her, his forehead resting against hers. She touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. They parted, and she dipped in to taste him. The smoky mesquite of Nevada lingered there and underneath an exotic sweetness that she realized was Desah. He rose up, pulling the sheet from between them. When Desah lay against her, skin to skin, she forgot all about Nevada.

His touch tingled like tiny currents of electricity buzzing down every nerve. She slid her hands over his velvet-soft skin, and he deepened the kiss. He moved, his fingers exploring, his kisses following over her throat to her shoulders. Desah’s mouth on her breasts felt like nothing she’d ever experienced.

Desah circled her waist with his hands, leaning forward again, touching the tip of his tongue to her hardened nipple. He covered it with his mouth, then tugged, teeth grazing first one, then the other. She gasped and felt him smile. He gently pushed her back as he placed hot, wet kisses down to her navel. He probed the hollow with his tongue in, swirling it around, kissing it like it was a smaller mouth. Sophie moaned, tangling her fingers in Desah’s damp hair.

There wasn’t anywhere he didn’t taste or nibble. She would have marks in the morning. She didn’t care in the least. He raised his head, looking up at her with a smile filled with mischief. Sophie touched his cheek, brushing a stray lock of silky, dark red hair back, tracing over the curve of his ear. He turned his head, catching her fingers in his mouth, his eyes drifting halfway shut as he sucked at them.

Letting go, he pushed her knees apart, moving closer, sliding his hands up her thighs to her hips. He pushed her legs farther apart, then leaned forward. She clenched her fists in the sheets, gasping. His mouth covered her, kissing her, his tongue exploring, tasting.

Desah made a sound of pure pleasure, the vibration sending a shock wave through her. She moaned, trying to arch herself up. He pinned her hips to the bed with his hands. He chuckled softly, a wicked sound, then deepened his kiss, thrusting his tongue into her. She cried out as he flicked his tongue over her clit. Her chest heaved with her ragged gasps as he tongue fucked her. She was so close to coming she was aware of nothing but him and what he was doing to her.

He rose up, pulling away from her. She moaned. “Hush,” he whispered, wrapping one arm around her waist. He rested his free hand on her belly, barely touching her. “Shh,” he whispered again. Her breathing began to slow as her body calmed. When she relaxed, breathing slower, Desah leaned forward, brushing his lips against her belly in a gentle, barely-there kiss.

“Please,” Sophie sighed, trailing her fingers over his hair.

He stopped, his lips still against her skin. Then he moved his free hand down between her legs. He avoided her clit, sliding two fingers into her with excruciating slowness. Sophie gasped. He pumped his fingers once, then a second time. She couldn’t hold in her groan when he pressed them into her G-spot. Her insides clenched hard. She bit her lip and moaned. A few more seconds and she would come. She willed him to keep going.

Suddenly he pulled away, standing beside the bed. For the second time, her orgasm slipped away. She blinked back tears as he stripped off the boxers he wore, tossing them aside. He had a beautiful body, from his warm ivory-colored skin to the dusting of pale red-gold hair leading in a line down from his navel to the curls that surrounded the base of his erect cock. It stood straight up, long, thick, and tight against his belly.

Desah knelt between her legs, pulling her up toward him, lifting her. She slid down his body with a low moan. He sheathed himself inside her, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He groaned, remaining still, letting her settle on him before laying her back. She tightened her legs around his waist as he began to move in slow, hard thrusts.

He angled his hips, moving faster. She ran her nails down his sweat-slicked back, and his whole body jerked. He moaned her name as his control began to crumble, his thrusts growing more urgent. He dropped his head to her shoulder with a gasp. He came in a flood of heat, muffling his groaning shout in her hair. She tightened herself around him. His semen tingled inside her, sending her release crashing over her. He covered her mouth in a kiss that muffled her scream.

She lay there under him, running her hands down his back in long, soothing strokes. He swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. “Sophie,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck before he rose up to look at her, his expression troubled. She waited for what he would say.

“Your heart beats so fast, like a Ke Mira woman’s heart.” He lay his ear against her chest, listening to her heartbeat.

“Does it?” she asked, not sure where he was going with this.

“Yes.” He sounded like he didn’t like it much.

“I’m sorry—” she began.

He put his fingers to her lips, stopping her.

“No, never be sorry. I need to sleep now. Will you be all right?” Desah gazed into her eyes. She nodded. He got up to leave her, walking back to his room naked as he could be. He ran his hands through his hair in a nervous gesture. She scooted over to the dry side of the bed, settling down to go to sleep. She’d clean up in the morning. Then she’d confront both men. She’d ask Desah about the glowing tattoo on his back.

Chapter Ten

Confusion and Uncertainty

Nevada walked into the house, obviously too tired for any more sex. Too bad. Desah wondered if Nevada liked any of the more unusual techniques. He caught himself before an affectionate thought could fully form. Nevada was human. One didn’t get sentimental about sex that happened out of physical necessity. One just enjoyed it, then moved on.

Desah did wonder, though, how Nevada saw this. Was the human hoping for something permanent? He hoped not. There could be no attachment possible, no way to see this continuing past Chara. Desah doubted either of these humans, accommodating as they were, were capable of understanding the deeper, finer emotions. Simple creatures. After his assignment ended, he would go home, pick up his normal life, find someone to bond with, and no one would ever know he had engaged in this perverted relationship.

He sat there listening to the owl. The sky was full of unfamiliar constellations. Even Earth’s moon looked lonely floating up there all by itself. He missed the three moons at home. Three moons, three genders, three in a marriage, three stages of life, and three in this twisted little company. Nevada. Sophie. Himself. He got up, heading for the room where she slept. He needed to fuck again.

He remembered Nevada’s words, locking the door when he came inside. Seconds later, he stood at Sophie’s door. Desah eased the door open. The room smelled like sex, human sex. The scent went through him in a rush of heat. He found it strangely arousing. Of course he would, though, he couldn’t help himself. Chara saw to that. He stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.

She turned, and he stopped. He couldn’t think of a way to ask her to fuck him that didn’t sound stupid. She looked at him for a few seconds, then held out her hand. He thought human women must be telepathic. She seemed to know what he was there for. Desah took her hand, joining her on the bed.

Their first soft, gentle kiss heated his blood like his very first Chara. Her touch brought back that innocence of discovery he had shared so long ago with Tav and Asha. Suddenly he just had to touch and taste; he needed to explore everywhere. She shattered before he moved up over her. He frowned. He had not wanted her to reach Chara so fast. It embarrassed him a little, disappointed him that he hadn’t better control of himself or the situation, but he couldn’t stop. He needed relief.

Desah licked her damp skin. Her exotic, salty sweetness reminded him of kahl, a liquor that started out bitter on the tongue, then became almost painfully sweet. Unbidden, an ancient saying popped into his head as he ran his hands over her smooth skin. Chase the lahei, and it will devour you. He pushed the thought aside; he wasn’t chasing the lahei or anything else.

She sighed, her voice the barest whisper of a moan in his ear. Deviant. He shivered, touching the tip of his tongue to her neck. Perverted. His breath caught in his throat. Degenerate. That thought made his stomach clench. Twisted. Stars above but it was good. He rose up to look down at her for a long moment. She looked back at him and reached up, threading her fingers through his hair, sending another shiver through him. Fucking. A bizarre word for such a breathtaking act. He slid into her. Hot. Wet. Tight. He drew back and slid into her again, a moan escaping him.

Warped? Yes. Oh yes. He caught the edge of the mattress, thrusting harder. All those things and more. He didn’t care a bit. It lent what they were doing an extra spice. The flavor of the forbidden. He threw away his control, ground himself into her, covered her mouth with his, breathed in her moans until the only thing left was the electric current running through him. “Unh, Sophie,” he groaned. His orgasm crashed through him, and all thought fled.

Desah collapsed onto her with the final spasm of his cock. He tried to force his breathing back under control. Something was wrong. He shouldn’t be feeling this way; it shouldn’t be affecting him so strongly. His arms shook as he lifted himself up to gaze down at Sophie. He watched her lost in the grip of her release. Still inside her, he moved his hips in a slow circle. She moaned, and he smiled, letting a wicked little chuckle escape him. Lahei? Maybe, but if this was how it devoured one, he would willingly throw himself into the lahei’s jaws.

Her lips parted, and he leaned down, licking them before covering them in a kiss that started a low, rumbling sensation in his chest. He hadn’t purred in ages; he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this aroused. If anyone from home ever found out about his unnatural obsession, “pervert” would be the least of the things he’d be called. He couldn’t find it in him to care. It might be a sick perversion, but fucking humans felt wonderful.

Desah rested against her, felt the pounding of her heart, listened to it. Her heart beat fast like any one of his partners at home. A slimy, cold feeling of guilt curled up, settling in his stomach. He fought down a wave of panic.

“Will you be all right?” he asked Sophie. She nodded, and he got out of there as quickly as he could without actually running. He didn’t bother with dressing; both humans had already seen him naked. Besides, he had never slept in clothing, so why start now?

He made it back to the room he’d been given, crawled into bed. What did he think he was doing? Did he really think he could get away with this? That no one would find out? Come to that, how could he explain the similarities? Sophie was just a human, one of the lesser beings. Wasn’t she? Wasn’t Nevada? What if they’re not, a tiny voice in the back of his mind asked. What if everything you’ve been taught is wrong? What if you are the lesser being?

Desah shoved all his inconvenient thoughts away. He hated confusion and uncertainty. It all came down to one basic thing anyway. The sex was good, would be good, with these two humans, and he would enjoy it. When the time came, he’d tell them good-bye, leaving them to their primitive, simple lives. He decided at last to just take things one step at a time, one encounter at a time, until either his mission or Chara ended and he was on his way home.

He wished he could hear the lonely owl. All he heard was soft snoring from Nevada down the hall and silence from Sophie. He regretted not staying with her now. She deserved better than to be left to sleep alone. He lay there staring at the ceiling for a long time before he slept, only to relive images of Nevada and Sophie jumbled with pictures of home and past Chara partners.

Chapter Eleven

Trouble Comes Knocking

Nevada woke with a start. Something was wrong. He had the feeling they needed to leave. Right then. Adrenaline surged, shocking him fully awake. He snatched up his jeans, jerking them on. He didn’t bother buttoning the shirt he dragged on. Grabbing his Berretta, he headed for Desah’s room first. Desah met him at the door. It didn’t look like the alien had gotten much sleep.

“We need to leave.” Nevada turned his head, scanning the hall and what he could see of the rooms beyond. Desah blinked his gorgeous amethyst eyes at him. He nodded. It was a very human gesture. Nevada didn’t think Desah realized just how sexy it made him look, either. If Nevada hadn’t been so sure there was trouble on the way, he’d have jumped him right then.

“Move it, man.” Nevada shooed Desah back into the bedroom to dress as he headed for Sophie’s room. Three steps away, he realized Desah hadn’t moved. Poor addled alien. Damn. Nevada turned back, pulling his alien into a hard, fast kiss.

“Hurry up, man.” Nevada patted his face, then went to wake Sophie.

He opened her door and found her already awake and dressed in a green halter dress that set off her eyes. She stopped pinning up her hair to give him a startled look. He stepped in, shutting the door before dropping a kiss on the back of her neck.

“We have to go, querida, right now,” he whispered as he slid an arm around her.

“Is there trouble?” Panic laced her words.

“Not yet, I think, but I can feel it coming.” He pulled her close and held her for a moment before letting her go. She didn’t bother to say anything else, she just went to work picking up her things. Good girl. He headed back out to make sure they had everything.

Desah had still not dressed when Nevada went back to his room. He had managed to collect his things, but he was standing beside the bed just staring at the jeans he held.

“Aw fuck.” It looked like Desah’s brain had gone on without him. Just my luck.

A warm hand on his back made Nevada turn. Sophie had come up behind him. She looked past him at the shell-shocked alien, her eyes widening.

“Go get the car, I’ll take care of this.” She slipped past him into the bedroom.

“Great, be fast, we need to get out of here.” Nevada left her to do whatever she needed to do.

Nevada stopped beside the front door, snapping the safety off the Berretta before he peeked out the window. It looked quiet, but all his senses were vibrating. Someone was out there. He could feel it. His skin crawled with that same itch he always got when there was danger growing up in Laredo. His family’s house had been right on the border. They saw a lot of gang activity, and he’d lost two brothers to the gangs. It was one of the reasons he’d gone into law enforcement.

He went outside, cautious, scanning the surrounding area. He had parked the car close to the porch steps. They would have some shielding from a couple of trees. Nevada thought they could get from the house to the car safely if they moved fast. He went back inside to collect his two charges.

By some miracle, Sophie had gotten Desah dressed. They were coming down the hall with the bags. Sophie led Desah like a child. Nevada thought he fell in love with her right then. She should be getting the special treatment, she didn’t have to show an alien who looked down on humans any sort of kindness. But she did. There was nothing condescending in the way she led Desah toward him.

Desah looked flushed. Nevada noticed he had a partial erection. It dawned on Nevada that he was at least partially responsible for the state the alien was in. He never should have kissed Desah. Nevada waved them over.

“When I tell you, I want you to walk as fast as you can to the car. I’ve unlocked it. Head for the backseat, and get in as fast as possible. Get in, and get down. I’ll be right behind you.” Nevada reached into his pocket, pulling out his spare keys. “If anything happens, anything at all, you get out of here. Don’t stop until you’re far away.” Sophie nodded as he handed her the keys.

He took one last look around, then motioned Sophie outside. Bless her, she didn’t waste any time. She hurried to the car, shoving Desah in along with the bags. She shut the door, and Nevada saw her pull their alien basket case down. He followed them, getting to the car without incident. He still had a crawling feeling between his shoulder blades. Someone was watching them.

The real test would be what happened when Nevada started the car and they headed for the road. If anyone was there, that would be when they tried something. Nevada figured they would want to make it look like an accident—it made the most sense. He would have done it that way.

“All right, princesa, hang on to our sex toy. We’re leaving.” Nevada grinned at the short hysteria-tinged giggle he heard from the backseat, and pressed on the gas pedal.

They rocketed down the asphalt driveway toward the main road that would take them to the highway. Nevada looked in the rearview mirror and swore. They had visitors all right. A car sped out from behind a stand of brush, falling in behind them.

“How did they find us so fast?” Sophie asked. Her voice shook a little.

“I don’t know. Nobody knows about this place but the department.” And Marisol. Shit. He’d brought his ex-wife here to try cleaning her up when she was on cocaine.

He could see the main road coming up. The gate had been broken. He hoped he could lose their unwanted company somewhere in town. A gasp of pain made him risk a fast glance back to see Sophie holding Desah. He had his head resting on her chest and his eyes shut tight, in obvious pain. She rummaged through a bag in her lap.

“What’s wrong?” Nevada asked, turning back to watch the road. They were coming into town.

“Eyes, bright.” Desah’s pain made him groan.

“Hang in there, buddy, we’re working on it.” Nevada saw a traffic light ahead. If he could time this right, he could blow through, and the car following behind them might get caught. If he was lucky. If the guy in the other car didn’t just run the light. As he accelerated, a nasty idea began nagging at him. What if Marisol had nothing to do with this? What if it was a dirty cop?

Chapter Twelve

Sophie’s Choice

Sophie hadn’t managed to survive everything that had happened to her by being slow. She wasted no time collecting her things. Nevada’s kiss to the back of her neck made her shiver. She smiled. Any touch on the back of her neck made her uncomfortable at best. The gesture almost always signaled the beginning of a long session with her stepfather. When Nevada did it, though, she didn’t feel that helpless fear.

She took one last look around the room to be sure she hadn’t left anything behind. Nothing caught her eye. There hadn’t been time to unpack between travelling and making love with Nevada and Desah. The thought of the night before made her breath catch and her stomach clench. She picked up her bag and headed into the hall, where Nevada stood in the doorway of Desah’s room.

“Aw fuck.” He sounded like someone confronted with a nasty surprise.

She walked over to see what had happened. Nevada looked like he wanted to hit something. Desah stood beside the bed in some sort of daze. Wonderful. Nevada didn’t need to deal with this when there were people out there who wanted her dead. She touched Nevada’s back, and he turned to look at her.

“I’ll handle this.” She gave him a gentle pat as she slipped by him. Nevada nodded, heading for the front door.

Sophie walked over to Desah and rubbed his arm. He sucked in a breath like he hadn’t been breathing for a while. “Hey, come on, let’s get you dressed, baby.” She kept her tone soft as she took the jeans from him, turning him to sit him down on the bed.

Desah let her put his feet through the legs of the soft, faded jeans and tug them up over his knees. The touch of his fingers on her hair made her look up into his glassy violet gaze. He murmured something in his language. She caught his hand. With a smile she stood and pulled him to his feet.

He shuddered. “Sophie?”

“It’s all right, we’re just going someplace safer.” She slid the jeans up the rest of the way, settling them over his hips. He’d be going commando, but she figured men did all the time so it was no big deal. She tried to adjust him so he’d be comfortable, zipping the jeans up. He seemed to like that, he moaned under his breath.

Desah took another deep, gasping breath. “I am sorry, I can’t seem to—”

“Hush, it’s okay, just let me do everything.” She brushed a wayward strand of hair from his eyes.

“I can’t go,” another deep breath, “outside.”

“Why not?” She stopped long enough to look at him. He was sounding like someone on drugs.

“Your sun is too bright. It will blind me.”

She thought while she finished dressing him. By the time she had his shirt buttoned and his boots on, she had a plan. She had him sit while she gathered up the rest of his things. His hand felt clammy when she took it. That worried her.

“Okay, I want you to squint and cover your eyes with your hand. You’ll have to trust me to lead you to the car.” He nodded at her. “Good, let’s go.” They went to the door to join Nevada.

Nevada’s eyes widened when he saw them coming toward him. Sophie smiled and stopped next to him. Desah had his eyes shut tight. He had covered them with one hand while he held tight to her with the other.

“We’re ready.”

Nevada nodded at her, handing her a set of keys. “I’ll be right behind you.”

Sophie didn’t wait to be told twice. She pulled a stumbling Desah along behind her.

Getting to the car was easier than she expected, and they got there alive. She had expected a bullet in the back somewhere between the front door and the car. She threw the bags in, then pushed a very docile Desah in and climbed in behind him. A few seconds later, Nevada joined them. He started the car, and they were off.

Desah made a soft sound of distress as he pressed his pale face to her chest. He still had his eyes squeezed shut. She pulled him into her arms. He whispered something she couldn’t make out, his voice muffled in her dress. She bent her head closer. “What, baby?”

“Dark glasses. Your sun will blind me.” His strained voice gave away the pain he was in.

Sophie threaded her fingers through his hair, holding Desah close. She leaned forward, reaching for the bags to search for his sunglasses. She remembered seeing them in one of the bags as they were leaving but not which one. She went through two bags before she found them. She pulled them out of the bag, letting go of him long enough to fold out the earpieces.

“Okay, raise your head for a second. I’m going to put them on you.” She waited as he lifted his head, then slipped them onto his face, pushing them over his ears, settling them on his nose as fast as she could. He moaned from relief, raising his hands to adjust the fit.

“Thank you.” Desah relaxed with a deep sigh, cuddling closer. Sophie touched her lips to the top of his head. His hair smelled sweet, almost like sandalwood and vanilla.

The loud screeching of tires followed by blaring horns made her look up, startled. She tightened her hold on Desah.

“What?” Desah asked, breathless. He nuzzled her breast through the fabric of her dress.

“Sorry.” Nevada glanced back, meeting Sophie’s questioning gaze in the rearview mirror. “I blew a light trying to shake our follower.”

“Did it work?” She hoped it had. Oh my, she thought, shifting to catch Desah’s roaming hands. His touch made her stomach flutter with a strange combination of embarrassment and desire.

“Blow light? How does one blow light?” Desah sounded high. She ignored him.

“What the fuck?” Nevada frowned at them in the mirror. Sophie refused to dignify his apparent disapproval with a remark. Desah slipped a hand under her dress. He ran his tongue up her cleavage. Her clit throbbed.

Nevada cleared his throat. “They got cut off, but they’re still back there. We need to lose them before we can head for a place I know we’ll be safe.”

Desah had worked aside the top of her dress with his nose and mouth, covering her nipple in a soft, sucking kiss. Oh man, that’s a little bit distracting. He swirled his tongue over her nipple, drawing it deeper into his mouth. Okay, that’s a lot distracting. She closed her eyes for a moment, her breath hitching. The situation had become awkward with Desah trying to make out with her while Nevada kept giving them impatient glances in the mirror. Sophie had to do something.

“Desah, baby, I don’t think this is the time.” She tried to push him away as gently as possible.

He lifted his head, looking at her for a long moment with a dazed expression. “I’m sorry.” He licked his lips, glancing down at her bare nipple. It stood out like a tiny finger, still wet from his kiss. “I couldn’t help myself.”

“Problem back there?” Nevada’s voice held a note of steel that scared her a little.

“No, just got carried away there for a minute, we’re fine now.” Desah couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her nipple. She tried to give Nevada what she hoped was a reassuring smile. She didn’t think she succeeded very well.

“Yes. Chara is moving much faster than it usually does. I’m having a very hard time keeping my mind on anything but Sophie’s body.” Desah started to lean forward, opening his mouth to suck her nipple again. She gave him a firm nudge.

“Okay, fine. Sophie, if you don’t want to do it with him, it’s all right. I’ll pull over, and you can drive while I take care of things.”

She looked up, meeting his dark eyes in the rearview mirror again. From his expression, he’d like nothing better than for her to agree. Pure lust stabbed through her. She took a deep breath. “No, if we slow down, we’ll get caught. Will it bother you if we—”

“Hell yes, it’ll bother me. It will be damn hard to keep driving and not join you back there, querida. You fuck him, I’ll enjoy the view. And the sound effects.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. She giggled, turning her attention back to Desah.

“Okay, baby, let’s give our marshal a show he won’t forget.” Sophie pulled Desah into a kiss as she reached down to unzip his jeans. His hard cock sprang free of his jeans. He started to reach under her dress again. She caught his hands, stopping him. When he pulled his hands back, she shimmied out of her underwear, then shifted around in the seat until she had straddled his lap with her back to him. The fit was tight but it just added to the excitement.

Desah moved her dress out of the way, then caught her hips. He took his time guiding her onto his erection, pressing his thumbs into her ass in a slow, circular massage. She held onto the seat back and leaned forward, her breasts rubbing against the back of the front seat. She swallowed hard, moaning as he entered her from behind.

“Oh shit, road’s torn up ahead, princesa. Going to be bumpy.” Nevada caught her hand, bringing it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her palm before he let go to hold onto the steering wheel.

She lifted her head and looked out at the road ahead. The road crew had stripped the asphalt top, leaving a ridged surface that would be like driving over a washboard. Sophie moaned, wrapping her arms around the headrest and resting her forehead against it.

Desah slid one hand over her belly, caressing her with a feather-light touch. His other hand rubbed the small of her back. They made small movements, their breathing growing faster.

“Bump.” Nevada gave them the warning a second before they drove off the asphalt onto the rough road. Desah hissed something in his language. Sophie cried out.

Desah stopped moving. The bouncing of the car was enough to have them both gasping. He moved his hands up to her breasts, pinching her nipples, playing with them, letting the rough road fuck them both.

She could see Nevada’s lips parted, his erection straining at the zipper of his jeans. She knew they were going to take things to the next level. They couldn’t be separate after this.

Her first orgasm hit, making her groan. Another followed, then another and another until she lost count. Desah held her tight, digging his fingers into her hips. Still she wanted more. She tightened herself around him. He arched his hips up with a loud moan as he came deep inside her.

Their orgasms brought no relief, the vibration of the car wouldn’t allow it. Sophie sobbed when they hit the bump that signaled smooth road once more. Desah brushed his fingers over her clit, tightening his arm around her waist. He teased her with a feather-light touch, swirling his fingers over her skin. She shuddered, grinding herself against him. She came again, pushing him over the edge with a shout and an alien word as he throbbed inside her.

Sophie barely had enough energy to look up at Nevada. She gave him a slight smile as she let Desah help her off his lap to the seat beside him.

“I think our wild ride through the construction gained us time. The car following us dropped back. I don’t know if they called to alert someone ahead of us, so we’ll assume they did. We’ll stick to back roads for a while until we get out of this area.” Sophie watched as Nevada uncomfortably shifted in his seat. She sighed and thought about climbing over the seat for a few seconds.

Sophie nodded and shut her eyes, too exhausted to do anything but listen to the men talk.

“You are in need?” Desah sounded concerned.

“It will pass. Won’t be fun but I’ll live. We can’t afford to stop yet.”

“No need, I can…” Desah’s voice faded out as Sophie fell asleep.

It was very late when they got to the small adobe house way out in the middle of nowhere. Nevada said they would be safe. They went inside, interested only in cleaning up, a little food, and sleep. Even the nearly insatiable Desah claimed to be too tired for more than a quick snack and a shower. They let Sophie go first, and when she got out of the bathroom, Nevada had a plate set for her on the table.

When the bathroom door closed behind Desah, Sophie gave Nevada a questioning look. “So what happened after I fell asleep?”

“Our alien climbed into the front seat and showed me he can suck like a vacuum. It took so long to get here because we had to stop twice, once for gas and once to fuck.” Nevada grinned at her. “So how was the road construction? You still look worn out.”

She returned his grin. “Maybe we can try it and you can find out.” Nevada laughed. She yawned, shutting her eyes for a second.

She didn’t remember eating. She did remember Nevada carrying her to the bed in the corner of the room.

Chapter Thirteen

The Safe House

Desah woke wrapped around Sophie, his legs tangled in the bed sheets with Nevada’s. Nevada lay on the other side of Sophie, on his back with one hand on his chest. The light coming in through the window had the deep golden-red color of lesath fruit. It turned Nevada’s skin the color of merope ain like they made in the mountains near his family’s home. Rich, creamy, sweet. The perfect complement to the tang of the lesath fruit. With that thought, he discovered he was hungry.

He reached across Sophie to brush a finger over Nevada’s dusky pebbled nipple. Nevada made a soft huffing sound. Smiling, Desah braced himself on Sophie, then leaned over. Nevada didn’t taste like lesath or merope ain. No, he tasted better.

Sophie shifted. Desah slipped, giving Nevada’s nipple a sharp little nip. The human woke with a start and a muffled curse. He rose up frowning at Desah, his hair in disarray. Nevada, Desah thought, looked good enough to eat. He gave the object of his lust a tentative smile. Nevada had tasted good the day before when Desah had thrown all propriety to the winds and “gone down” on him, as the human put it. They stared at each other for a long moment. Nevada glared at him while Desah looked hopeful, before dissolving into chuckles.

“Shh!” Nevada hissed. Desah tried to muffle his snickering, but that only made both of them worse.

Sophie grumbled. They both froze, waiting to see if they had wakened her. She turned over, burrowing under the covers. Desah raised his eyebrows at Nevada, causing them both to burst into hastily muffled giggles. They needed to get out of there before they woke her. Poor thing deserved some rest after their backseat adventures on the way to this safe house of Nevada’s.

Desah clambered out of bed, tripping on the edge of the rug. He would have fallen, but Nevada caught him, his strong arm wrapping around Desah’s waist. Nevada pulled him along to the door, opening it and motioning Desah outside, where they both burst into laughter again.

Desah leaned against the rough wall trying to catch his breath as the laughter subsided. The scratchy texture of the wall felt good against his back. The tile of the little front area warmed his feet. The sun would be up enough to be a danger soon, but at that moment, it was pleasant, almost like home. Nevada stepped back inside. Desah listened to Nevada’s moving around, his aural receptors tracking the human’s movements. He sighed. His life with Tav and Asha had never been this peaceful.

This place had an ancient feel to it. Timeless. He liked it. Nevada came back with a couple of cups of some black liquid and his dark glasses. Nevada handed one of the cups to him, then slipped Desah’s glasses on him much as Sophie had. The gesture had an easy intimacy to it that made Desah’s knees go weak. He took a sip of the hot liquid to cover his reaction. Nevada’s thoughtfulness affected him more than Desah cared to admit.

“This is not bad. What do you call it?” Desah took another sip, trying to find some kind of refuge in the everyday, mundane things.

“Coffee. There’s a little sugar and some creamer if it’s too strong for you.” Nevada leaned against the wall beside him.

“It’s fine.” They stood there, sipping the coffee, watching the sunrise in silence.

“Hell of a way to wake up.” Nevada ran the fingers of one hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. The action only served to make the human sexier.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Desah felt a flush of embarrassment wash over his back. Apologizing to a human—who would have thought?

“I liked it.” Nevada sounded unconcerned. Desah looked at him. “A lot,” Nevada added.

“Oh.” Desah didn’t quite know what to say. He hadn’t meant to bite Nevada.

“I wouldn’t mind it if you decided to do it again.” Nevada’s attention stayed focused on the horizon, where the sky now blazed an eye-searing blue.

Desah couldn’t move. Nevada wanted him to bite his nipples. Desah had done this with Tav when Asha had been away. It was one of the Chara practices mildly frowned upon. The wave of lust that hit Desah made his hands tremble. Nevada reached over, taking the cup from him, setting it with Nevada’s on the porch by the door. Then Nevada took his hand, leading Desah over a few steps toward the walkway and the bright sunshine

“Outside?” Desah hesitated, uncertain. They’d done this outside the first time, but it had been night.

“There’s no one for miles, only us.” Nevada had a point. The sunlight made everything sharp and clear. Desah thought about the implications of doing something scandalous with the bright light of day revealing everything. Why not? Desah thought. You’ve already shown yourself as a pervert. He smiled at Nevada and followed the human out into the light.

Nevada walked toward the car. What is he doing? Desah felt a twinge of confusion. He wants to fuck in the car? Then Nevada reached inside, opening a compartment in the control board Desah hadn’t realized was there. When Nevada slammed it shut, he turned back to Desah with a box and a tube in his hand. Desah recognized the objects. Strange place to store artificial lubricant and condoms, but maybe it was a human thing. Desah noticed this time there were enough condoms for both of them. Excitement flared, making Desah’s insides tighten. He was going to fulfill the early desire to bury himself in Nevada’s beautiful ass.

Desah touched his fingertips to Nevada’s nipples, then leaned forward, covering one with his mouth. Nevada tasted a little salty, then sweet as he probed with his tongue.

Nevada’s breathing quickened. He tangled his fingers in Desah’s hair. “Do it now,” Nevada whispered.

Sweat trickled down Desah’s back. Nevada’s own sweat glimmered in the sunlight on his chest when Desah pulled back to look at him. “No.”

“Why not?” The tone in Nevada’s voice told Desah he knew.

“Not until I want it.” Desah gave Nevada a gentle nudge, motioning him to sit on the car. Nevada boosted himself up onto the edge. “Good. Now lean back, I have other places to explore.” Desah waited until Nevada had reclined, leaning on his elbows.

He took a moment to gaze at Nevada’s body. He had one of the most desirable navels Desah had seen, deep and dark, waiting to be plundered. Navels aroused him like no other part of the body. They looked like little mouths permanently open in an O of pleasure. Desah ran his hands over Nevada’s sides, coming to rest at his waist. With calculated slowness, Desah traced his tongue around Nevada’s navel before plunging into it and swirling his tongue inside. Nevada moaned. Desah kept going, using his tongue and teeth until Nevada groaned his name with each harsh breath. He rose up, wrapping an arm around the human’s waist and tugging him up. Desah’s cock ached, as hard as Nevada’s looked to be straining against the zipper of his jeans.

“Now.” Desah ran his tongue up Nevada’s belly to his chest as Nevada sat up. The human tasted like sweat and sex. Desah bit down on Nevada’s nipple.

“Ahh yes!” Nevada cried out, wrapping his arms around Desah’s shoulders. Desah moved to the other side, giving the other nipple the same treatment. Nevada groaned and tried to kiss him.

Desah dodged the kiss, pulling Nevada off the car. “Turn around. I’ve wanted to do this since I got off the ship.” Nevada didn’t say anything as he turned to face the car.

Desah ran his hands over Nevada’s back, then stepped closer, sliding them around to the button of Nevada’s jeans. He leaned against Nevada’s back and dropped a kiss on his shoulder. “Bend over,” Desah whispered as he unfastened Nevada’s pants. Nevada did as he was instructed, then widened his stance without being told. Desah lowered him over the side of the car, then brushed his palms over Nevada’s ass. Nevada made a soft sound of pleasure.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Desah slipped his finger down the cleft of Nevada’s ass, parting him to gaze at the place he wanted to be.

“You won’t,” Nevada moaned breathlessly. “I’ve been doing this a long time. Just use the lube.”

Desah nodded, taking a condom from the box on the car next to Nevada. “Yes.” Desah opened the tube of gel, squeezing some out. He coated his saiph Chara with the clear, cool gel.

“Now put some on me.” Nevada’s voice had gotten a little deeper, a little rougher.

Desah squeezed more gel onto his fingers and touched them to Nevada’s hot flesh. Nevada hissed, arching toward him. The small, tight opening distressed Desah. He hesitated. “It will hurt you.”

“It won’t. Trust me. Just do it.” Nevada sounded strained, needy.

Desah took a deep breath, tossing the tube of gel onto the car, then brushed his fingers over Nevada again. He groaned. The tip of Desah’s saiph Chara touched the entrance into Nevada’s body. With another deep breath he pushed, sliding in partway.

“Unh. Yes. Again,” Nevada moaned.

Desah pushed again. With the third thrust, he had hilted himself inside Nevada. He leaned forward again and slipped his arms around Nevada’s waist. “Are you all right?” Desah whispered. The human was tighter than a Ke Mira would be.

Nevada nodded. “Fuck me,” he groaned, “oh, amorcito, fuck me.”

Desah kissed his shoulder and drew back, thrusting in again slowly. The sound Nevada made was definitely not one of pain or distress. Desah began to move with firmer, faster strokes, finding a rhythm that had them both gasping. Nevada caught Desah’s hand, moving it down to his cock. Desah took the hint, gripping Nevada, sliding his fist down Nevada’s erection and over the head until Nevada shuddered, whimpering as the hot fluid of his release burst into Desah’s hand. Desah groaned, pulsing inside Nevada, joining him in the joy.

“Damn, that was good,” Nevada told him in between ragged breaths.

“Indeed,” Desah agreed as he stripped off the condom. He withdrew, then helped Nevada stand. “It’s getting hot out here.” Desah wiped Nevada’s upper lip with his thumb, then kissed him.

“It will be hotter in a little while, and there’s no air conditioning in the house, just an old window unit,” Nevada informed Desah. “Let’s go inside and take a shower.”

“What’s air conditioning?” How did one condition air? Humans were definitely odd. Nevada rolled his beautiful dark eyes at Desah, ignoring his question. Desah followed Nevada back to the house. Sexy and very good Chara partners but still strange. Nevada held the door open, and they went inside.

Sophie wasn’t in bed. It had been straightened. Desah heard water running in the little bathroom. A twinge of guilt made him swallow hard. She’d probably seen them. After all, they hadn’t been quiet. He hoped she didn’t freak out over it. Nevada went to the door, putting his ear to it, listening. He waved Desah over.

“She’s in the shower.” Nevada kept his voice low.

“Yes.” Desah put his hand on Nevada’s arm. “Do you think she saw us?”

“Do you think she didn’t?” Nevada looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

“What do we do?” Desah had no idea how to handle this. At home, he would have simply joined a lover without thinking about it.

“Well,” Nevada’s lips curved in a slow smile, “we could join her.” He opened the door.

Desah followed him into the tiny room. It seemed things were much the same between lovers on Earth.

Chapter Fourteen

The Next Level

Nevada opened the door, letting a cloud of steam wash over them. The old bathroom, tiny but clean and modern, didn’t take much to steam up. The shape of Sophie’s silhouette showed through the translucent white shower curtain. He loved shower sex no matter who he was fucking. He stepped to the stall with Desah close behind him. He motioned to Desah to take the other side of the shower curtain, then pulled the curtain back. Sophie stood under the spray with her eyes closed.

She took his breath away with her beauty. Her softly rounded body with all her curves where they should be invited a man to explore everywhere, not like these models and actresses who were so skinny you could count their ribs. “Want some company?” he asked.

She turned to look at him when she heard the sound of his voice. Her green eyes were the color of spring in the steam-filtered light from the window next to the toilet. She looked around, puzzled. “Where’s—”

“Desah?” he cut her off, smiling.

“Right here.” Desah stood behind her, looking around the other end of the shower curtain.

“She’s beautiful. Makes me want to lick the water off her body.” Nevada took the washcloth she held, dropping it in a corner of the shower.

“Yes, she is,” Desah agreed. “She hasn’t said she wants company yet. I suppose we could go back to the bed, though it would be a shame to miss this opportunity.”

“It would.” Nevada waited while Sophie looked from him to Desah and back.

“Both of you?” she whispered, barely audible over the water.

“Both of us.” When she nodded, Nevada unfastened his jeans, kicking off his boots and stripping. He saw Desah stripping down almost as fast.

They got into the shower with her. It was a tight fit. Nevada turned her to face Desah, his hands sliding over her wet skin. “Ever had a three way?” he asked in a low whisper, his lips close to her ear. She shook her head. “Ever been ass fucked?” She gasped, shaking her head again. He licked her ear, then kissed just behind it. “Want it?”

She nodded slowly. Nevada smiled at her answer, winking over her shoulder at Desah.

Desah joined in then, taking her hands, putting them on his shoulders. She put her hands on his. Nevada covered their hands with his for a moment as Desah leaned in to kiss her. He moved down to the crook of her neck, kissing there. Nevada did the same, mirroring Desah’s kiss. She shivered.

The limited space forced them to press together. Nevada’s cock, already halfway hard, stiffened until it stood straight up. The sight of Desah as he ran his hands over Sophie was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. Nevada kissed the back of her neck. She let her head fall back on Nevada’s shoulder. Time to get them both gloved before it went much further and they forgot. He pushed the curtain back, reaching across to the small cabinet where he kept a box of condoms. He didn’t have to reach far, one of the perks of a tiny bathroom. He snatched a few.

He tore the foil, opening one, then reached around Sophie. Desah’s hard cock stood up as straight as Nevada’s, making it easy to roll it onto him. Desah moaned at his touch. Sophie brushed her fingers over Desah’s nipples in slow circles. Nevada caught Desah’s hand and squeezed it before moving on to slide his hand over Sophie’s hip. Nevada smiled. He quickly got himself covered.

Nevada couldn’t see what Sophie did, he was too busy planning his entrance into virgin territory, but Desah made a sound that made Nevada’s cock throb. He chuckled, running his hands down Sophie’s back. Desah still had his dark glasses on.

Nevada reached up, giving Desah’s damp hair a gentle tug, then touched one fingertip to Desah’s glasses, pushing them up his nose. “You first.”

“Guide me in.” Desah’s breath caught, his voice thick with desire.

Nevada moved his hand down, pushing it between Sophie’s legs. She moaned. He rubbed her hip. Nevada found Desah’s cock and gave it a gentle tug. “This way.” Nevada held the alien’s saiph Chara. He liked the alien term. He gave the hard flesh a gentle squeeze and smiled. Desah groaned, thrusting his hips, moving slowly over Nevada’s hand into Sophie until Desah’s balls rested in his palm.

Nevada watched as Desah helped Sophie wrap her legs around his waist. Desah braced himself against the shower wall. “We’re ready.” Desah gave him a nod. His turn. Nevada stepped forward, bending his knees, entering Sophie as slowly as he could manage. He didn’t want to hurt her. She was tight, hot, and the hardness of Desah’s cock inside her pressed against Nevada’s, making him hold his breath until he was completely inside.

Nevada started to move, careful not to cause either of his lovers any discomfort. He found an easy rhythm that soon had them all moaning. Fucking them both made Nevada’s insides turn to liquid fire when he realized he loved them. Friction built, with Nevada’s cock rubbing against Desah’s inside Sophie, and the feeling of fucking the woman he loved while the man he loved was inside her was overwhelming. Desah’s hands moving from Sophie to him, the heat of the water, along with the sounds they both made, insured Nevada wasn’t going to last long.

Sophie cried out, tightening around them, digging her fingernails into the arm he had wrapped around her waist. Her release triggered his. He groaned, trying to hold back his thrust, his cock swelling, pulsing out his hot jism. Desah whimpered. Nevada felt the jerk and throb of Desah’s cock as he spilled.

Nevada eased out, then held Sophie while Desah withdrew. They stood there in the shower for a long moment to catch their breath, letting the warm water rinse them clean. The water began to cool. Nevada didn’t want them to lose the wonderful heat between them. He couldn’t bear to stop now.

“I don’t want to stop.” Nevada swallowed hard, reaching around to shut off the water. His lovers nodded their agreement. Nevada grabbed the box of condoms before they headed for the bed in the corner. They held onto each other, reluctant to break contact all the way across the room, falling on the old bed in a tangle of limbs, kissing and touching.

The lust built, Nevada lifted Sophie’s legs over his shoulders, and he slid deep inside her. Desah moved behind him, thrusting his saiph Chara into his ass, hitting all his sweet spots.

“Harder,” Nevada groaned. Desah obliged, and Nevada let the alien’s pounding push him deeper into Sophie. Beyond moaning, she turned her head from side to side, unable to keep still. Then with a gasp followed by a strangled cry, she arched up and shattered. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen when she came for him.

Nevada’s groin tightened, his balls drawing up. “Coming,” he gasped. Desah groaned, tightening his hold on Nevada’s hips. The alien moaned something in his own language, making Nevada shiver as Desah ground into him, coming with him.

When they had disengaged from each other, they lay with Sophie cuddled between them. The sunlight coming in the lace-curtained window sent dappled shadows over their damp bodies. Desah traced spirals over Sophie’s skin, making her shiver while Nevada looked on. He found it fascinating to watch her getting aroused again. Nevada bent, touching his lips to hers. He dipped his tongue inside in a slow kiss, resting his hand on her belly.

Nevada’s pants chirped. It took him a second to realize his cell phone had begun ringing. “Damn. Fucking office. Let me go turn that off. I’ll be right back.” He got up, careful not to disturb his two lovers.

He went to see who could be calling, keeping one eye on what Desah was doing to Sophie as he flipped the phone open to read the caller ID. Marisol. Shit. His ex was the last person Nevada wanted to talk to. He closed the phone, letting it ring through to voice mail. He started to put the phone down until a nagging thought hit him. Nevada opened the back of the phone, popping the battery out. Better safe than sorry—a live phone could be tracked. A deep moan from across the room brought him back from his concerns. Nevada dropped the phone and its battery on his clothes. He’d deal with it later.

Sophie had gotten to her knees, turning to hold onto the rails of the old brass headboard. Desah, on his knees behind her, rolled on a condom. Oh damn, he is going to ass fuck her. Nevada had seen people do this before, hell, he’d even attended a few orgies, but this was different. Two people he cared about were about to engage in one of Nevada’s favorite ways to fuck. The anticipation on Sophie’s face was absolutely beautiful. Nevada’s knees went weak.

Nevada licked his lips as Desah slicked himself down with lube. Nevada stood frozen to the spot, rubbing his belly as Desah positioned himself. When he began to slide into Sophie, Nevada murmured something in Spanish, aroused at what he saw. His cock shot from soft to rock hard when Sophie moaned. The next thing Nevada knew, he had joined them on the bed.

Nevada snatched up a condom, ripping it open with his teeth. He rolled it on and knelt behind Desah, resting his hands on the alien’s hips. Desah turned his head, giving Nevada the sexiest smile he’d ever seen and reaching back to give Nevada’s hand a quick caress.

Nevada moved his hands up over Desah’s back and traced over the glowing markings there with his fingertips. He leaned forward, kissing the back of Desah’s neck. “Hard and deep?” Nevada whispered in his ear. Desah swallowed hard, nodding. Nevada slipped his fingers down, parting Desah’s ass.

Nevada started to reach for the lube before he remembered the alien’s people made their own. He bumped the head of his cock against Desah, fisting one hand in his thick auburn hair. Nevada groaned as he pushed in, picking up the rhythm Desah had begun fucking Sophie with.

The sound of his lovers’ moans made the already hot house even hotter. Nevada reached around, moving Desah’s hand down over Sophie’s belly and between her legs, guiding him to her clit. She cried out, bucking her hips back, coming. Nevada rammed into Desah and hit that place inside the alien that made him burn.

“Mirach!” Desah moaned and called out Nevada’s name. Nevada came hard, letting his orgasm wash through him along with the love he felt for these two.

Chapter Fifteen

Complications

Nevada got up, going to turn on the ancient little air-conditioning unit that hung in the window by the door. It made a chuckling protest at first, then settled into a soft gurgling sound as it pumped cool air into the house. It was still hot when Desah managed to pull himself out of bed a few minutes later. She watched the naked men search out their jeans.

She sighed, following them. It surprised her that she hadn’t noticed the heat when they were making love or while the sweat cooled their bodies as it dried. She found her overnight bag and opened it, pulling out one of her wrap-around sarongs. She put the shimmery silk cloth on and thought they were all pretty satisfied after all the sex that morning.

Sophie finished dressing, then sat down with Desah and Nevada at the little kitchen table. She leaned her elbows on the table, resting her head on her hands. The warm, satisfied glow deep inside her was a new experience.

“I like this place. I could stay here forever.” She knew she sounded silly, but she couldn’t help herself. Nevada smiled at her.

“I like it, too. It reminds me of the land around my home.” Desah reached out, brushing a lock of her hair from her eyes.

Nevada sighed, turning his cell phone over in his hands. “Okay, I think I’ve figured out how they found us so fast at the other safe house.”

“Might I guess it has something to do with your wife?” Desah asked. Sophie’s stomach knotted up at the word “wife.”

“Ex-wife. And yes, I think it has everything to do with her.” Nevada looked up at her. The expression in his chocolate brown eyes begged her to understand. She did. She knew all about being used by people who were supposed to care for you. His admission that the wife was an ex-wife relieved Sophie a little. She didn’t say anything. He sighed again, sounding defeated.

“I told him this already. Marisol is an addict. A Lyxit addict. Before that it was cocaine. I took her to the safe house to try and get her off the drugs.” He stopped talking, flipped his cell phone open again, then snapped it shut. Sophie reached over, catching Nevada’s hand. She took the phone from him, setting it on the table.

“I took her to the safe house we stopped at to try getting her off the drugs. I think someone got to her, someone who knew I was on this assignment.”

Sophie squeezed Nevada’s hand. “And she told them where the house was.” Sophie glanced at Desah.

“I’d bet money on it, but it could be worse. There may be a dirty cop in this. Marisol called this morning. I let it go to voice mail.” From the look on Nevada’s face, Sophie thought she knew what was coming.

“Does she know where this place is?” She met his gaze.

“No, my grandfather left me this ranch a couple of years ago. She doesn’t know about it.” He twined his fingers with hers.

“But?” Sophie prompted him.

“But Marisol has never had this phone number; it’s strictly a department number.” Sophie chilled at his words.

“I need to call her. I need to make sure she’s okay. I’m going to drive a couple of towns over to make the call. We have to assume someone will try to track us down.” Sophie understood he needed to call. She just hoped Brian and his crew wouldn’t manage to find them because of it.

She and Desah watched Nevada finish dressing and get ready to leave. She reached over, covering Desah’s hand with hers. Nevada came to stand by her chair for a moment, then brushed his hand over her hair.

“I won’t be back until tomorrow, querida.” Nevada leaned down. She turned her face up, letting him kiss her.

“We’ll be fine.” Sophie hoped they would.

He glanced at Desah before he walked outside. Desah followed him. Sophie waited for a few minutes, then went to stand at the door. After a brief discussion, he kissed their alien, then got in the car and drove off. Sophie watched from where she stood until the car disappeared into the shimmering heat on the horizon. She hoped it wasn’t a dirty cop and Nevada made it back to them.

Desah turned, walking back to her. She opened the door as he stepped onto the porch, holding out her hand. He took it, stopping in the doorway. “Tell me about where you’re from.” She pulled him inside. “Tell me about out there.”

Desah looked at her for a moment, thoughtful, then smiled. “I think you would like it out there.”

“What about your home? Would I like it there, too?” Something flickered in his eyes when she asked that.

“Yes, you would like it there, too.” Desah slipped his arm around her waist as they walked into the house.

She led him over to the bed, sitting down. He stood in front of her just looking at her. She scooted over, patting the quilt beside her. He smiled again, seating himself beside her. The sun had shifted, making it dim enough inside for him to take off his sunglasses. She reached up and took them, leaning across him to set them on the little table by the bed.

“You are beautiful, Sophie,” he whispered, pulling her into a kiss, sliding his hands over the silk of her dress.

Sophie loved the way his hands seemed to explore her body and protect her at the same time. She moved further onto the bed, inviting him to follow her.

They sat there in the quiet, holding hands, leaning against the pillows stacked against the brass headboard. She put her arms around him, and he lay his head on her shoulder. “What does the sky look like?”

“The sky is much like yours, but we have three moons.” Desah toed off his boots, letting them drop to the floor.

“Three moons. I wish I could see it.” Sophie sighed. She’d always loved anything she could find on other worlds.

He raised his head, his expression sad as he looked at her. “I wish you could, too.”

Desah began to trace his fingertips over the stylized flower design on her sarong. His feather-light touch sent a shiver through her. She thought about how things had worked out. She’d accepted the job from Brian, willing to ignore the warning signs, thinking he was the answer to all her worries. It had not taken long for her to realize he represented a whole new set of problems. Getting away proved almost impossible until the police had approached her. When she’d agreed to wear a wire for the DEA to get evidence for them on his drug dealing, she’d never in her wildest dreams imagined she would be running for her life.

Sophie sighed, playing with Desah’s silky hair. The only good things out of all this were her two lovers. Everything with them had happened so fast and so intense she hardly knew what to think. She didn’t want it to stop even though she knew when she testified at the trial, everything would end. She didn’t dare hope that it would lead to anything permanent with either man. She’d given up on permanence a long time ago. Best to just take what she could get while it was offered.

Sophie let Desah pull her down under him. He had worked his jeans off while she had been busy with her thoughts. “You’re insatiable, aren’t you?” she asked with a smile. He chuckled, nodding, taking her nipple in his mouth.

He took his time, moving slowly, sliding all the way in, then just lying on her. She slid her feet up the back of his legs. He seemed to like it, murmuring something she couldn’t make out. She moved her feet up over his ass. He lay still a long time before he began to move.

The quilt was wet with their sweat. Sophie ran her nails down Desah’s back. With a low groan, he changed the angle of his thrusts. He hit her G-spot, making her melt. She felt liquid, moaning as she tightened around him with the beginnings of her first orgasm. He slowed until they lay there locked together just on the edge of release. The way he always seemed to know when she was about to come amazed her.

He was so hot and hard, everything was so wet, she could barely breathe with the intensity of the sensations. She thought she couldn’t stand any more,; she needed to come. Desah laced his fingers with hers, then moved his hips in a slow circle. She shattered.

Chapter Sixteen

At a Loss

Desah followed Nevada outside. He understood what Nevada had to do, why he couldn’t do anything else. Desah had gone through the same thing with Asha and Tav. Still, he wanted to beg Nevada to stay. Nevada stopped beside the car, reaching out to brush his fingers over Desah’s cheek, kissing Desah before he got into the vehicle.

“Take care of our girl while I’m gone. She’s very special. Not many women would be as free as she is.” Nevada’s reluctance to leave showed in his voice.

“I will,” he promised Nevada. He knew how special Sophie was.

Nevada started the car. “And don’t wear her out,” Nevada called, grinning as he pulled away. Desah laughed silently, then went back to the house.

Sophie asked him about home. Desah managed to answer her without telling her anything. It wouldn’t do to give her any false expectations. She’d never be comfortable in his world, living in a place so far above what she was used to here. Chara is an excellent distraction, he thought, setting himself to distracting her.

It had gotten dark long before. Sophie lay next to him playing with a damp strand of his hair. “Why is it always so intense with you?” she asked.

Desah sighed. “There’s a substance, you would call it a hormone, in my sweat. Also in my tyl, the semen. It enhances sensation.” He could give her a few more details, it wouldn’t hurt.

“Like an aphrodisiac?” She drew her finger down his chest.

“I don’t know this word.” He followed her finger with his eyes.

“Something that enhances sex.” She smiled. Much like the smile a satisfied Ke Mira woman has for her lover. It frightened him.

“Ah, yes. I suppose it could be considered such.” Desah waited for her next question. Suddenly he realized he had not felt as sated during his Chara cycle as he did then. He rolled onto his back.

Sophie sat up beside him. “What is this?” He sucked in a soft gasp as she ran her fingertip in a line from his navel to the base of his saiph Chara. Desah knew without looking she had noticed his nari opening. He was silent for a moment, amazed he had reacted that way to these two humans. He pondered for a moment how to explain it to her.

“That is my nari. If I wish for a child, my mate will slide his saiph Chara into me there instead of into the rear entrance to my body. When he reaches Chara and stimulates the glands there, I will conceive.” He waited for her reaction. She stared thoughtfully at the faint purplish line for a few seconds.

“You can have children?” The innocent note of curiosity in her voice made him rise up on his elbows to see her better.

“I have two, a boy who is in diplomatic training and a girl who has become a Chara Sanctuary courtesan.”

“Oh.” She drew her finger down the nari again. He clenched his teeth at the powerful sensation.

“Sophie, blossom, if you do that much more, you will have to do something about the results.” Suddenly he was glad he’d tossed his favorite stimulator into his bag when he left home. His grandfather had always said one could not be too prepared. He suppressed the guilt of sharing this with the humans. I’ve already done everything else with them—why not this? And it will distract her.

“This?” She whispered, wickedness itself, and did it again, slower.

“Oh yes, that.” He fought to retain enough coherence to tell her where the stimulator was. “If you want to do this, go get the soft red case from my bag.” She stopped, leaving the bed to get the stimulator. He relaxed, letting himself drop back down onto the bed.

When she came back, she tried to hand the case to him. He pushed it back toward her. “Open it.”

Desah watched her face as she pulled the long, slender wand of carved blackstone. Her eyes widened. “Tell me what to do.” Her voice had gone breathless.

“More touching, when the nari opens, put it in.” His own breathing had gotten ragged. “Slow, as far as the base. My nari saiph will rise. I don’t know much human anatomy, take my nari saiph into you if you can. I think you will like it.”

He gasped at her soft kisses along his nari. She licked it, then blew on the dampness. His nari parted, and the coolness of the stimulator sliding into his body drew a deep groan from him. Sophie started to pull back.

“No, in,” he gasped. She hesitated a second, then continued. The end seated itself. Sophie rose over him, then slowly impaled herself on his nari saiph. Her body accepted him as smoothly as it took in his cock. The tip bumped into a second opening, making her moan.

Desah expected Sophie to stop, to lift herself off him. She took a deep gasping breath and with another moan pushed down, taking the rest of him inside herself.

“Oh, Des.” Her hands trembled as she slid them up his chest, letting herself relax onto him.

He whimpered as the stimulator and the pressure of Sophie’s body caused the nari’ma to happen. With great care, he touched that tiny button of flesh that made her fly apart. Her body jerked, and he cried out, filling her with seed as he blacked out.

When the world came back, he found her sitting next to him holding the stimulator, watching him with great concern. “You were perfect.” He sighed. He took the stimulator from her, laying it aside, then pulled her into his arms.

Sophie wrapped her arms around him. She lay her head on his shoulder. “Do you have pictures of your children?”

“No. We are forbidden to take anything sentimental on a mission,” he lied. He could carry an entire holographic array around with him as long as it didn’t interfere with his job.

“I wish I could see them.” She sounded wistful.

“Sophie?” He had to make her understand that as good as the sex was, it still was only a substitute for being with his own people. Wasn’t it?

“Hmm?” She traced the violet line of his nari. He steeled himself against the tingling she caused.

“Sophie...He put a finger under her chin to make her look up at him. “Sophie, this isn’t permanent. You know that it’s just sex, don’t you?” She blinked once, her openness disappearing behind a wall of hard indifference. The look in her eyes told him he should have made sure she understood right from the first.

“I know that.” She looked away, her voice sounding somehow thinner.

“It wouldn’t work, Sophie. You’d never be happy in my world; they wouldn’t accept you.” He hated himself right then. He had to make her see they could never have anything beyond a fleeting affair no matter how much they might want it to continue. He surprised himself, realizing he did want it to go on, he wanted both of his humans with him always, no matter what the council or anyone else said. Suddenly he understood the grief that had always surrounded his grandfather after his return from Earth.

She got up, picking up her wrap dress. He watched her put the garment on, then walk over to the window. “Like you said, I know it’s just sex.” She crossed her arms over her chest as she stood looking out the window.

“I should have explained when all this first started. No one else would have even considered relieving Chara with one of the less…with a human. I’ll be considered a pervert by my people.” His mouth appeared to have taken on a will of its own. Why couldn’t he shut up? She turned, giving him such a bleak look he shivered.

“You know, I don’t think I’d like it in your world very much at all.” She went back to looking out the window.

“Sophie.” Desah got up to go to her. He had made an absolute mess out of this. She held up a hand, and he caught it. She pulled away.

“I’m going outside. I’d really like to be alone right now.” He heard the tears in her voice.

“Sophie,” he tried again, pulling her close. She didn’t relax against him. “Please, try to understand.” He wiped the tears from her eyes before he thought about what he was doing.

“I do.” She pulled away and all but ran out the door.

He swore to himself, rubbing his eyes. They stung. Suddenly he realized he’d gotten her tears on him, in his eyes. A chill ran through him. Female tears had something in them that acted like a drug for Ke Mira males. Their tears made them crave the female. Not an addiction, more like a compulsion, but apparently it was in human tears, too. If she’d been Ke Mira, they would have declared their love and made memories to ease their coming separation. But Sophie was human, she wouldn’t understand. He really wished Nevada would get back.

Desah pulled on the soft blue pants Nevada called jeans. He went to the window. Sophie sat huddled next to one of the posts that held up the porch roof. He swore, he’d only told her the truth. So why did he feel like he’d just kicked a baby Walat? Because you just told her you think she’s inferior, a tiny voice in his head whispered to him.

“But she’s just a human,” he whispered to himself. “Isn’t she?” He wanted to kick himself as he realized what he’d done. No, she wasn’t “just” anything; she was a thinking, feeling, intelligent being who deserved far more respect than he’d been giving her. He’d make it up to her. If she’d forgive him.

A light coming toward them caught his attention. Pure fright chilled Desah’s bones. He hoped it was Nevada, but he had no way to be sure until the vehicle got closer. He went to the door and opened it.

“Sophie, come inside, someone’s coming.” He reached down, catching her arm, urging her to get up.

“Nevada?” she asked. The way she perked up made him feel like ten kinds of dirt.

“I don’t know. I hope so. But let’s wait inside to be sure.” He got her to her feet, then hurried her inside. “Stay away from the window.”

Desah got his weapon. He went to stand by the window, where he’d have a clear shot if he needed it. The vehicle stopped. Someone got out, Desah couldn’t be sure who it was. Sophie came up beside him just as the person stepped between him and the light.

“He’s back.” Sophie slipped around him.

“Sophie! No!” He caught up with her as she opened the door, grabbing her around the waist. He lifted her off the floor, swinging her away from the door. She yelped as he pinned her against the wall, shielding her with his body. His nari throbbed. He aimed for whoever stepped through the door.

Her soft, warm body struggling against his made his blood heat, sending jolts of desire through him. If she didn’t stop, he was going to be in extreme difficulty. If he got too aroused, his aim wouldn’t be worth spit.

“Mirach, Sophie, stop.” He clenched his teeth against the rising need. “Ungh, please,” he begged. Could he be any more perverted, needing sex again so soon after the nari’ma? He was going to need something rough when Nevada got back. If he got back. If he was up for it. If they lived. Desah heard the sound of boot heels on the porch.

The person stepped through the door, turning familiar dark eyes toward him. He let Sophie go, his knees refusing to hold him up any longer. He slid down the rough wall to sit on the floor. He did manage to keep enough presence of mind to deactivate his weapon.

Nevada looked from him to Sophie, then back to him. He went to her, putting his arms around her, taking her aside. Desah heard the murmur of their voices, but he couldn’t make out what they said. He didn’t need to.

Nevada’s strong hand grabbed his arm, yanking him to his feet. Nevada dragged him out of the house, over to the car. Desah stumbled along beside him. Things had gone so well, until he’d destroyed Sophie and the night went straight to the ninth hell. Now Nevada pulled him along without regard to the lightening sky or the fact his eye shielding was still in the house.

They got to the car. Nevada threw him against it, pinning Desah there with his body. Mirach, yes! Maybe he would get some relief, enough to at least let him function. Maybe Nevada would give Desah the pain he needed to do penance for hurting Sophie.

Chapter Seventeen

Home Sweet Home

Nevada didn’t think he’d ever been so glad to see a place as he was when he pulled up to the house. Something inside him unknotted at the thought of two people he cared for waiting for him inside. He got out of the car, starting toward the door with the things he’d brought back. The door opened, and Sophie started outside. Suddenly Desah jerked her back inside.

Nevada smiled. Good move, buddy. “It’s me, vato,” he called out as he stepped through the door. Desah let go of Sophie, sliding to the floor. Sophie looked upset. Desah looked wrung out, a lot like the first night at the safe house.

“What’s wrong, querida?” Nevada put his arm around her, leading her over to the table.

“Did you know he’s just using us for sex? That he thinks we’re simple and quaint? Little better than animals?” She glared at Desah.

So she finally found out. Nevada wondered what had happened as he brushed his hand over her hair. “Yeah, I know, baby. I know.”

“It doesn’t bother you?” she asked.

“Some, but I think he’s learning. This Chara thing has him all fucked up.” Nevada glanced over at the alien. Desah held one hand tight to his belly in obvious pain.

Sophie took a deep breath. “Well.”

“Come on, querida, we don’t have to descend to his level. Why not pull him up to ours?” Nevada gave her a wicked smile.

She returned his smile. “That could be fun.”

He gave her a squeeze. “So could being a sex toy, you know? Let me handle this. I need to work off some aggression.”

She chuckled softly. He turned and looked at Desah for a few seconds. Oh yeah, he knew what the alien needed. After his little trip, Nevada needed it, too. He walked over and jerked the alien up onto his feet, before marching him outside to the car.

Desah gasped when Nevada threw him across the trunk. Nevada held him down, pinning his hands behind his back and quickly knocking his feet apart. Assume the position, vato. Desah groaned. Nevada leaned over him. “Like that, do you?” Desah gave him a faint nod. Yeah, he thought so. Nevada liked it, too. His skin tingled where Desah’s sweat-dampened skin touched his.

“Want me to fuck you? Want my cock in you?” Nevada reached under his alien, unfastening Desah’s jeans, dragging them down enough to get to his hard cock. Desah groaned again when Nevada squeezed his balls and gave the shaft a rough tug. Fuck, this alien made him hard.

It didn’t take long to roll a condom on. Nevada thrust into Desah hard, then pulled almost all the way out before sliding in again. It felt good to pound into Desah. The tip of his cock hit that hard spot inside Desah, and the alien cried out, bucking back against him. Nevada moved Desah’s hands over his head, then ran his hands down Desah’s body, digging his nails in. The alien, his alien, sucked in a deep breath, moaning something Nevada couldn’t understand.

“What?” Nevada leaned closer.

“Hurt,” Desah gasped, “make it hurt. Need penance.”

“If that’s what you need, that’s what you get.” Nevada wrapped his hand in Desah’s hair, pulling his head back until his alien moaned. Nevada withdrew, stepping back. He used his grip in Desah’s hair to turn him until he faced Nevada.

Nevada’s eyebrows rose when he saw the dark line running from Desah’s navel to his cock. As he watched, it parted to reveal another opening. “You want it in there?” At Desah’s moan, Nevada stripped off the condom. He entered his alien’s body, pushing hard. Desah clutched at him, digging his fingers into Nevada’s ass. Nevada widened his stance to support them both. Desah’s cock was a bar of heat rubbing against his balls and over the entrance to his body. Damn, it felt good. Nevada thrust harder. Desah’s moan turned into a wail.

“That’s it, baby. Let me give you what you need. Let the human make you come.” Nevada wrapped his arms around Desah’s shuddering body, holding him tight, grinding himself deeper. Nevada cried out, thrusting a few more times until his orgasm shook him.

Desah sobbed, breathless, unable to speak.

Nevada kissed Desah’s shoulder. “Love you,” he whispered before easing out and helping Desah to stand.

“I think,” Desah began, “I love you, too. Both of you.” He leaned heavily against Nevada.

“Then tell her, Des.” Nevada put an arm around his waist, and they headed back inside.

“She won’t listen to me.” The despair in Desah’s voice stopped Nevada in his tracks. He pulled Desah around to face him.

“She will listen.” Nevada wiped a tear from Desah’s face. “She’s a fair person.” He sighed heavily. “Now let’s get you inside before you hurt those beautiful violet eyes.”

They walked to the house in silence. Sophie hadn’t been watching them fuck on the car. Nevada was a little disappointed she’d found it more interesting to straighten up and change the sheets. The idea of fucking Desah while she watched made his cock twitch. Nevada sure as hell wanted to watch Desah fuck her. But first they needed to talk.

“Come sit down, Sophie, I need to tell you what’s going on.” He pushed Desah into a chair.

“Is your ex-wife all right?” Sophie’s concern did her credit. She sat down, reaching for his hand, ignoring Desah.

“She’s okay.” Nevada dismissed Marisol with a wave of his hand. “I called my office, too. Someone in the DA’s office has been arrested as the leak. They’re close to arresting Barnes and his gang. Chak Enif is keeping low; they have him under surveillance. That’s the basics.”

“That’s good,” Sophie hesitated, “isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.” There was no easy way to say this part, but he took a deep breath and went on. “I’ve been ordered to bring you back. As soon as they arrest Brian again, they feel you’ll be safe at home.”

“Will you…” she trailed off.

“No, I’ll be sent on another assignment.” One he didn’t want to go on.

“What about Desah?” she asked. He glanced at Desah. The alien looked startled.

“He’ll go on and finish his assignment. Other than that, he’ll have to speak for himself.” Nevada looked at Desah, waiting for him to answer for himself.

“I will complete my mission, then I, too, will be sent on another assignment.” The sadness in Desah’s voice made her look at him at last. When he didn’t say anything, she lowered her gaze.

Nevada nudged Desah’s foot, urging him on.

“I want to tell you I’m sorry I hurt you.” Desah’s voice sounded small.

Nevada watched Sophie for her reaction. She looked up, and he saw the tears streaming down her face. She reached over, taking hold of Desah’s hand.

“It’s all right.” She sniffed.

Nevada went to get some tissue. “I told them it would take us awhile to get back. I don’t intend on hurrying; something still doesn’t feel right.”

“How long will we take getting back?” Sophie took the tissue, wiping her nose. Desah wiped her eyes.

“At least three days, maybe longer.” Nevada couldn’t in good conscience take much longer if he was wrong about the dirty cop.

“Three days. Why not five?” Desah suggested.

“Well, I did say maybe longer.” He smiled at them. “If you have any special fantasies, anything you’d like to try, now is the time for it.”

“You mean like kinky stuff?” Sophie’s breath caught.

“Kink, vanilla, anything in between. Whatever you want to try.” Nevada knew what he wanted. There were some old beeswax candles that would be perfect.

Chapter Eighteen

With the Clock Ticking

The news that this would be over soon didn’t surprise her much. Sophie had expected it eventually. She just didn’t expect it so soon. That Nevada’s ex-wife was all right seemed like a good thing; he didn’t need the extra stress. The news Brian would soon be back in jail was a relief, as well.

When Nevada mentioned fantasies, her stomach clenched. When he said kink, her panties got damp. She had a fantasy all right, one she’d had since that first night watching them on the porch. She wanted to hold Desah while Nevada fucked him.

Sophie felt herself blushing as she told them what she wanted to do. Nevada looked at Desah, raising his eyebrows. They were going to laugh, she just knew it. Her fantasy had to be too tame compared to theirs. She could feel the heat of a blush burning her cheeks and covered her face with her hands.

“I would be honored to lie in your arms while Nevada fucks me.” Desah reached over to touch her hair.

“It sounds like your fantasy will go with mine.” Nevada’s wicked smile brightened his face.

“And what is yours?” she asked. Sophie hoped it wasn’t something too athletic or gross.

“I want to watch him fuck you.” Nevada licked his lips.

“Um, haven’t we been doing this already?” It dawned on her that she had been holding Desah while Nevada fucked him when they all went to bed the first time.

“No, what you want to do is different from all of us together. So is what I want,” Nevada explained. “You want to hold him, to enjoy his pleasure without being distracted by your own. Same as what I want.”

She nodded, looking at Desah. He smiled softly. She loved that lopsided smile of his. “So what’s your fantasy?” she asked him.

He looked at her for a long moment. His smile faded. “Just this.” He got up, stepping around the table, taking her hands in his. He knelt in front of her.

“My people have an old tradition, between those who care deeply for each other and will soon be parted.” He touched the dried tear tracks on her face, bringing his fingers back to his lips. “I am yours. All that I am, all that I have, above all others, together or far apart, forever.” He leaned forward, then kissed her forehead. “You are a precious jewel. I love you.”

Sophie didn’t know what to say. He looked at her with such open love it took her breath away. She pulled him into her arms, burying her face in his hair.

By mutual consent, they moved to the bed. It seemed they should spend as much time as they could loving each other. She thought they were all feeling regret over their time coming to an end. Fluffing the pillows, she stacked them against the headboard. Desah and Nevada shared a kiss, quickly shedding the clothes they were wearing. Sophie untied the sarong she wore, tossing it over the brass footboard, then got on the bed, holding her arms out to her alien lover.

Desah settled himself, kneeling between her legs. She slid her arms around his waist, hugging him. He gave a contented sigh, letting his head rest on her shoulder, returning her embrace. Nevada knelt behind Desah, rolling on a condom before leaning forward and kissing her.

“I love you,” she whispered to this being from the stars that nestled in her arms. “But I think you already know that.”

She smiled at Nevada. “I love you, too, always.”

Nevada touched a fingertip to her lips. “And I love you, querida.”

Desah turned his head, and they kissed. Then Nevada ran his hands down over Desah’s back. It was almost like he touched her. She watched Nevada position Desah while she held him. Desah shifted to give Nevada better access. She felt him begin to tremble with anticipation.

“Tell me how he makes you feel,” she whispered.

“He makes me shake inside. The thought of his cock inside me, filling me, makes my body burn.” Desah stopped long enough to lick his lips. “I want him to climb inside me, to possess me.”

Desah hissed as Nevada slowly thrust into him. It sent a sharp pang of desire through her. She felt herself getting wet. The sound of Desah’s breath coming in gasps, his groans as Nevada plunged into him, were like her own. He trembled in her arms, and it was all she could do not to kiss him.

“Oh, Sophie, he feels so good,” Desah gasped out between thrusts.

Nevada began to move harder. Desah whimpered and tightened his hold on her as he arched his hips back toward Nevada. Sophie combed Desah’s hair away from his face with her fingers. His breath came in harsh gasps. “Just a little more,” Desah pleaded.

With a deep groan, Nevada came. She looked down to see Desah’s cock pulse, releasing his jism over her belly.

Catching his breath, Nevada pulled out of Desah, smiling at her. “Touch it. It will make your fingers tingle. It must be incredible to feel it inside you.” He touched her belly.

She returned Nevada’s smile, shaking her head slightly. “It does.”

Desah sat back, gazing at her. Nevada moved to the edge of the bed. “No, like this.” Desah caught Nevada’s hand, drawing him nearer. He directed Nevada to lie beside them, then pulled her down to lie under him. He pushed her legs apart. In one swift movement, he entered her.

She gasped. Whatever it was in Desah’s jism sent electric shocks through her. She clenched her fists in the bed sheets, moaning. He began to move in slow, even strokes that let him rub his whole body against hers. She was so close already, she knew she wouldn’t last long. Nevada lay down beside them to watch.

Desah kissed her, sliding his arms under her to pull her tighter against him. Desah’s body moving against hers, his soft moans combined with Nevada watching them made everything more intense. She turned her head to look at Nevada lying beside them, raised up on one elbow. He gave her a lazy smile, obviously turned on.

Desah shuddered, groaning as his second orgasm shook him. She arched up, and he cried out, shattering. He relaxed against her while she comforted him, running her hands down his back in long, soothing strokes while he caught his breath.

Sophie hadn’t had the earth-shaking orgasm she expected. Triggered by the thought of giving pleasure to two people she loved, it had been a warm rush of liquid contentment and emotions she didn’t have a name for.

Nevada leaned over, kissing her, a soft, gentle brush of his lips against hers. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. You are gorgeous when you come,” he whispered. She smiled and watched him tuck a stray lock of hair behind Desah’s ear as he said, “So are you.”

“You’ve done what we wanted. There has to be something you’d like us to do for you.” She looked into Desah’s eyes.

He started to say something but stopped. He swallowed hard, then started again. The pattern on his back glowed brightly, pulsing with his heartbeat. “There are some of my people who enjoy others taking control.” Desah sounded shy, almost embarrassed.

“I won’t cause pain.” She couldn’t hurt him.

Desah shook his head. “I’m not sure how to ask this. It’s a perversion for my people,” he trailed off.

“He wants us to take complete control of him.” Nevada glanced at Desah for confirmation.

“Yes, don’t let me do anything.” Desah stared at the quilt, tracing the pattern.

Well. We could do that. Sophie raised her eyebrows at Nevada. “Let’s recover a bit and have something to eat.”

Chapter Nineteen

Hardwired

Their fantasies did not turn out to be as dark or strange as he expected. They were simple things his people did all the time. His fantasies involved things he had not yet experienced on his world. Things that only a few engaged in. Things done in secret that were only hinted about in their society of open sexuality.

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he followed them over to the table. “On my world,” he began, “we are open about our needs. We begin experimenting very early with our friends. By the time one gets to my age, one has experienced almost everything at least once.”

“How old are you?” Sophie asked. The curiosity in her voice made him smile.

“Adjusted for the time difference, I am one hundred and twenty-nine of your years old,” Desah told her.

“You get around pretty well for an old man.” Nevada chuckled.

“I have tried and enjoyed everything I desired to try. Except one thing.” He paused, looking at these two humans who had become so close to him. Nevada getting them something to eat while Sophie helped him. Then both naked and unconcerned with it as they ate.

“What’s that?” Nevada asked as he pushed his plate away.

“No one has ever taken me over.” He waited for their response.

They looked at each other in silence, then back at him. No one said anything. Desah felt a chill. His perversion was more than he could bear.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, looking at his hands clasped in front of him on the table.

A hand fisted in his hair. He jumped—he hadn’t heard anyone get up. He felt Nevada’s hot breath on his ear, and shivered again. “On the table,” Nevada ordered in a menacing voice. Mirach. Desah’s knees went weak.

Nevada jerked Desah up out of the chair by his hair. The burn washed through him from his scalp to his toes. His saiph Chara tightened. Nevada gave him a mild shove, and he landed face first on the table. Desah couldn’t see Sophie. He wondered where she had gone.

He felt soft fingertips pushing his hair back from his eyes. “We’re going to take over now; your pleasure is in our hands.” Sophie’s voice sounded sweet in Desah’s ear.

“I—”

She cut him off with a finger to his lips. “Shh.” She covered Desah’s eyes with a scarf of some kind. “If it gets to be too much, your safe word is ‘purple.’ Say that and everything will stop.” He nodded his understanding.

Before he knew it, his hands were tied and one of them pulled him to his feet. He couldn’t think past the sensations that the hands on his body were giving him.

Blindfolded, he was led to the bed across the room. Hands moved him until he knelt in the middle of the mattress. Someone, Sophie he thought, gently tipped him forward, placing his bound hands on the metal of the headboard rails.

Soft kisses teased at his nipples, he loved the way it made the heat in his belly flare into deep pleasure. The barest of touches fluttered over his skin, sending jolts of tingling warmth through him. Desah’s breath caught and sped up. He tugged, trying to free his hands, trying to reach for his lovers, to return the joy that he was receiving.

Desah couldn’t move. A feeling close to panic rose up inside him. Everything he had heard, whispers in dark places, giggled schoolboy speculation, the warnings were all right, Ke Mira were hardwired to give as well as receive. Nothing had ever been this intense. He was afraid to continue. The safe word was just a breath away. But he was more terrified to stop.

Warm lips touched his belly, and a tongue traced around his alsrh. “Navel,” the human word came to him through the fog of his jumbled thoughts. Circling, licking, finally sliding in to explore, the tongue probed and swirled, making him cry out. The need to thrust was too much to bear, and he jerked his hips. Teeth grazed the still-sensitive skin around his nari. He choked back a scream.

At last a soft female body pressed against him, hot and damp, taking his saiph Chara inside her heat. He gripped the rails of the headboard, grinding himself against Sophie. Sheathed in her, there was still no relief from the raging need.

Something hard and unyielding pressed against his body. Nevada. Desah moaned as Nevada pressed against his back. “You’re ours now; you just let us see to everything.” Nevada’s voice in his ear started him shivering. He couldn’t stop, even when Sophie wrapped her arms around him and held him.

Nevada thrust into him hard. “Purple,” Desah said through clenched teeth. He needed release, he ached for it. Sophie pulled the blindfold off while Nevada untied his hands. Desah sank back against the strong human, pulling Sophie with him.

“Alhba ly,” Desah begged his lovers. “Love me.”

Nevada began to move. It wasn’t long before the world shattered. Desah closed his eyes, seeing sparks. He felt like each cell was being turned inside out. He felt wonderful.

Afterward they lay in the tangled sheets wrapped around each other. Desah couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this content. Sophie brushed the hair out of his eyes, moving a little closer. Nevada was already snoring softly, his arm draped over Desah’s waist.

Desah caught Sophie’s fingers, kissing them. “That was very nice,” he whispered.

She placed her hand on his chest. “You’re purring again.” She smiled at him.

“Yes. We do that when we’re satisfied.” She rubbed his chest. The fact that humans didn’t purr wasn’t as disturbing as he thought it would be. Desah pulled her closer.

“I like it, it feels nice.” She kissed him. One thing about Chara, even an orgasm like he’d just had didn’t stop him from getting hard again. He moved over her, sliding into her, moving with slow, measured thrusts.

Sophie didn’t take long to “come” as she called it. He covered her mouth with his when she needed to cry out, breathing in the sound of her release. The Joy filled him again, and he spasmed inside her once more. He had forgotten a condom, but he didn’t worry about it. While they were physically compatible, they were much too different genetically to accidentally create a child.

Desah closed his eyes, listening to her even breathing as she fell asleep. Nevada’s soft breath against his skin sent a warm, glowing rush of desire through him. Nevada had slept through their last time, his arm across the small of Desah’s back. Desah drifted off to sleep wishing this could last forever and unable to see how it could.

Chapter Twenty

Back on the Road

The sun streamed through the window by the door when Nevada woke. He got up, climbing over Desah and Sophie, careful not to wake them. Nevada didn’t want to get sidetracked into fucking again. They needed to get on the road. He picked up Desah’s sunglasses and gently slipped them onto the sleeping alien’s face. Desah sighed and shifted closer to Sophie. Nevada smiled, then headed for the bathroom.

He turned the water on, letting it heat while he shaved. Nevada liked the water just this side of scalding. Steam curled around him as he stepped under the spray. Before he realized what he was doing, he pictured Desah fucking Sophie again.

They had thought he was asleep. He wasn’t, but he had preferred to maintain the illusion. Their whispers were too low for him to make out their words, but the result was plain. Desah shifted, beginning a slow, gentle fuck, sliding in and out of Sophie. Nevada’s arm still lay across Desah’s back, and he didn’t move it.

His hand mimicked the rhythm Nevada remembered from last night, stroking his hardened cock. He choked back a moan as he braced himself against the wall with his other hand. Damn but he loved watching Desah fuck Sophie. It was almost as good as doing her himself.

He moved his hand faster. His balls drew up. He gave his cock a firm jerk. With a low groan, he spilled himself into the shower.

Nevada came out of the bathroom toweling his hair dry. Desah had gotten up, sitting on the side of the bed yawning. “Hey, man, shower’s all yours.” Nevada kept his voice low. Desah nodded and stood up. Nevada’s breath caught. He would never get tired of looking at Desah; he was beautiful. Nevada watched him pass by, naked, his cock half hard.

Desah went in, and Nevada heard the water start. Better whip up something to eat. He dug a clean pair of jeans out of his bag and pulled them on. The shirt he found was a little wrinkled, but it would do. Nevada shook it out before he slipped it on.

He was putting everything on the table when Desah came out. Desah didn’t say anything, just dressed before coming to sit at the table. Nevada handed him a cup of coffee.

“We need to get going, but I’d rather let Sophie sleep while I brief you. She doesn’t need to know all this.” Nevada motioned to the door.

Desah nodded as he pushed his sunglasses up his nose, following Nevada outside with his coffee. Nevada shut the door behind them as quietly as he could.

“I didn’t quite tell the truth last night.” Nevada took a sip of his coffee. Desah nodded at him.

“I thought not. What part did you leave out?” Desah sighed as he leaned against the porch post.

“The part about a man answering Marisol’s phone,” Nevada admitted. “Something is very wrong. I think she’s dead, and they don’t want me to know.”

“I’m sorry,” Desah said. “Sometimes I wish we had never contacted your world. We haven’t brought much happiness to your people.”

“Don’t be. Marisol was headed for death a long time before you got here. Besides, if you’d never contacted us, we would never have met. And I for one rather enjoyed our cultural exchange.” Nevada smiled at him.

“You do have a point,” Desah agreed. “What else is bothering you?” He leaned down to pluck a blade of grass from the scraggly clump by the porch.

“I think one of my colleagues has gone bad, but I don’t know who. This whole thing could be a trap. If anything happens, I want you to protect Sophie.” Nevada had a nagging feeling he couldn’t quite pin down. He had never lost a charge, and he wouldn’t start now. Nevada had plans for Sophie when this was over.

“You did not have to ask. I will let no harm come to her.” Desah turned to go inside.

Nevada stopped him, handing Desah a slip of paper. Desah took it and gave him a questioning look.

“Enif’s address. Take him out. Just don’t tell me about it.” Nevada walked inside.

He didn’t look up from his packing when Desah came in. The alien picked up a chair and went to wake Sophie. Desah set the chair down, back to the bed, and straddled it, tickling her nose with the grass. When she growled at him, Nevada turned to watch.

Nevada chuckled quietly. Desah wasn’t having much luck. Nevada let it go on for a few more minutes, then went over and waved him back. Nevada pulled the covers away and lifted her off the bed.

She glared at him. She looked so adorable all mussed and cranky. Nevada carried her into the bathroom, set her down, then stole a quick kiss. Too bad he didn’t dare kiss Desah, but Nevada didn’t want Desah zoning out on them again.

“Hurry, querida, we need to be rolling in an hour.” He kissed her again and walked out.

Desah smiled at him, and Nevada went to sit at the table. They needed to plan their trip. Nevada loved that smile. Loved Desah even though he didn’t know the alien that well.

“I need to know something.” Desah put his coffee cup down.

“What?” Nevada poured them both another cup of coffee.

“What are your plans for Sophie?” Desah asked. Nevada did a double take. Say what? Where the fuck did that come from?

“Plans? Are you asking me what my intentions are toward her?” Nevada didn’t frickin believe he was hearing this. Desah sounded like a suspicious father or older brother.

“I am.” Desah was serious.

“I intend to enjoy her company for as long as this lasts.” There. That sounded sufficiently vague.

“And after?” Damn, Nevada thought, annoyed. Desah was pushing his luck big-time here.

“Why, are you planning to sweep her off her feet and whisk her away to your world?” Nevada could play this game, too.

“I just want to make sure she’s taken care of when I go.” Desah sounded so low Nevada felt bad for getting irritated with him.

“You could always stay,” Nevada began. Desah was already shaking his head.

“I cannot stay. And she cannot come with me. My people would never accept her. Staying would mean losing everything, home and family, my children.” Desah lifted his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes.

Nevada felt sorry for Desah. He knew what it was like to be pulled in two different directions. Decisions like his were never easy to make. And Nevada couldn’t fault him for choosing his people. After all, what would Desah do here? He would be cut off from everything familiar, stuck on a planet where the brightness of the sun would blind him, and the people would either gawk or react with hostility.

Nevada sighed. “If she agrees, I’ll stay with her. She has a choice in this as well.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Wake-up Call

Sophie woke to the sound of voices. Someone tickled her nose with something. She opened one eye and glared at her tormentor. Desah sat astride a chair, leaning over the back with a ridiculous scruffy cowboy hat perched on his head.

“Time to get up, blossom.” He smiled, tickling her again when she growled at him.

She grumbled, trying to brush the grass away as she turned over. Maybe if she ignored him he’d go find Nevada.

“Come on now, blossom. Nevada has made breakfast.” He tickled her nose again.

She pulled the covers over her head. She heard him get up, chuckling.

Sophie was just dozing off again when Nevada smacked her butt and pulled the covers away. “Day’s half over, querida.” Nevada tossed the covers out of her reach.

“Go away, or I will hurt you.” She gave both of them a hard glare as she sat up reaching for the covers.

“Ooh, promise?” Nevada grinned at her, swinging her up in his arms. “Shower, then breakfast and we’re out of here, princesa.”

He carried her to the bathroom. Desah was there with the water already running. Nevada set her down in the shower. “If you hurry, we’ll save some breakfast for you.” He popped her butt again, and they left her there. She heard them snickering as the door shut.

“Meh. Morning people.” She picked up the soap.

Fifteen minutes later, she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. They were sitting at the table talking in low voices. Desah glanced up at her, and Nevada smiled.

“Come have something to eat. We’re just planning our next move.” Nevada waved her over.

She sat down, picking up a piece of toast. “Why are we leaving now?” she asked.

“Because, careful as I was, cell phones can be traced, and even though they’ll soon have your ex back in jail and Enif is being watched, things can go wrong,” Nevada explained in a patient voice.

Sophie nodded. It killed her appetite, but she finished the toast anyway, then went to get dressed.

She watched Nevada and Desah gather up their things, then followed them out to the car. Tears stung her eyes when she looked back at the little house. She would miss this place where they had grown closer than most lovers ever got.

From her spot in the backseat, she looked at the two men in the front seat. Really looked at them, noting every detail, trying to fix it all in her memory. Nevada had pulled his hair back in a ponytail and wore the look of a man with heavy things on his mind. Sophie figured it had something to do with his ex-wife. She wasn’t stupid, she knew he hadn’t told the truth about everything when he came back from making his calls.

Desah, poor guy, had almost lost that satisfied glow he’d had earlier. Sophie was learning to read him, and from what she saw, he would need a good fucking pretty soon. He watched the scenery, but he had a tension around his mouth, like he clenched his teeth.

“It’s about time we stopped for lunch. Why don’t we get something and find a nice deserted rest stop? We could have a picnic.” Sophie tried to keep her tone light, meeting Nevada’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He frowned slightly, and she tilted her head toward Desah. Nevada cut his eyes over at their alien companion, understanding dawning.

“Sounds good to me.” Nevada picked up her cheerfulness. “There’s a place up ahead.”

“How about you?” Sophie asked, threading her fingers through Desah’s thick, silky red hair.

“I’m not hungry.” Desah leaned into her touch.

“But you would like to stop for a while.” She massaged his scalp. Desah relaxed, letting his head rest in her hands.

“That would be nice.” He sighed.

Nevada smiled, his expression lightening. He pulled into the parking lot of the fast-food restaurant and went inside, leaving her alone with Desah, who leaned back, sighing heavily.

“There are only two good things about this rock,” he murmured.

She smiled. “And what would that be?”

“Well, one just went inside.” He smiled, beginning to relax.

“And the other?” She moved her fingers through his hair in small circles.

“I think you already know the answer to that,” he replied.

“Do I?” she asked. He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss.

She leaned up and kissed the top of his head. A movement caught her eye. She saw a man walking past the car. Something about the man bothered her. He appeared very interested in them as he passed by. Sophie kept massaging Desah’s scalp as she watched the man go into the restaurant.

Nevada came back with their lunch. He handed her the sack and started the car. She waited until they were on their way again; then she told him about the suspicious man.

“I didn’t like the way he stared. He reminded me of some of the redneck idiots I grew up around.” Sophie couldn’t shake the bad feeling she had about the guy.

“There are a lot of anti-alien nut jobs around these rural areas. We’ll keep an eye out. If anything happens, I’ll take care of it.” Nevada’s tone was supposed to be reassuring. It didn’t work. Nevada ruined the effect by glancing in the rearview mirror several times.

Sophie sighed. What they needed most right then was a quiet, secluded spot out of view from the highway. Desah’s discomfort had gotten worse, and he was in some real pain.

“All right, since you saw someone suspicious back there, I don’t think we have time for the picnic thing.” Nevada sped around several cars, weaving in and out of the traffic. “Is that okay with you, querida?”

She nodded. The guy had given her the creeps. “We can have a picnic some other time. But we have to do something about Desah. He’s in pain.” She gave Desah’s hand a gentle squeeze. She could hear the rough edge to his breathing.

“We don’t have time for gentle lovemaking. We can keep going if you do him in the backseat again. I can pull off at the next rest area. He can get in the back with you.” Nevada began to slow the car.

She saw the rest area at the same time he mentioned it, a picturesque place with shade trees and a couple of tables. Nevada pulled into the parking lot, stopping the car without parking. They sat there in silence for a few seconds, nobody moving.

“Okay, let’s get you taken care of.” She gave Desah a pat on the shoulder, and he nodded.

Sophie handed Nevada the food sack as Desah got into the back with her. The poor alien moved like an old man, barely able to stand up straight. As soon as Desah shut the door, Nevada accelerated, pulling back out onto the highway. Sophie held her arms out to her alien lover, pulling him close.

He fell into her arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Desah

When Sophie told them about the man she had seen, Desah silently berated himself. He should have seen the man. He should have had his eyes open watching instead of letting her blissful touch lull him into a trance.

Nevada, thankfully, had a clear head and a plan. He stopped long enough to let Desah move to the backseat, where he could seek relief in Sophie’s arms. Desah could protect her a little better there, too. She held her arms out for him. Desah pulled the door shut and went to her.

Soft and warm, her sweet scent was pure intoxication. Desah suddenly realized that what he felt had become a constant thing. Whatever he was thinking, she was always there, always a calming presence in his mind. It wasn’t just Chara. He wanted her. Mirach, yes of course he wanted her, wanted to fuck her until she screamed. But it was far more than that. Desah even found himself wanting to give her the children he knew he couldn’t.

He ran his tongue up the side of her neck. Her breath quickened. Taking her earlobe between his teeth, he bit down gently. She made the little hitching sound that made his toes curl. Desah smiled, tracing the curve of her ear with his tongue, sliding his hands down her body to her hips.

Sophie shifted, sliding down beneath him. Desah marveled at how well they fit together as he slid into her. He kept his movements slow, enjoying the hot, wet tightness of her body. She moaned, arching against him.

Her hands clenched in his clothes, urging him to move faster, but Desah intended this to last. It made traveling go a lot faster. He adjusted his angle, then braced his foot on the floor. Sophie moaned his name. He touched his tongue to her parted lips, licking them, dipping in to twine with her tongue. He would never tire of her sweet taste or the way she felt under him.

A wave of sadness hit him, and he stopped moving. Leaving her would be the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. She slid her hands under the waistband of his jeans. It pulled the fabric along with the prickly metal of the zipper hard against his balls. Heat rushed through Desah, awakening a need in him that he hadn’t known he had. He groaned, driving into her hard.

Sophie tightened around him with a breathless whimper, digging her fingernails into his hips. She bucked under him, unable to stay still in her release. He held back his own joy, intent on drawing out her pleasure as long as possible.

She tensed, then began to calm at last. Desah moved again, letting the Chara build once more. Vaguely he heard Nevada swear. The car picked up speed. Nevada wouldn’t have done that for no reason. Desah had better go ahead and let himself go.

Desah would have loved to pull over and have Nevada join them in the backseat, but he couldn’t shake the feeling they were in for some serious trouble. If trouble hit, Desah wanted Nevada right where he was. Desah picked up the pace of his movements.

Desah recognized the signs of Sophie coming for the second time. He wouldn’t be too far behind her. She shuddered, crying out. He groaned as he spilled into her with a smile. Right on time.

“Oh, Sophie.” He wanted the breathless feeling to last. Nevada glanced in the rearview mirror, catching Desah’s eye. Still inside Sophie, he lifted himself up to look out the back window. She gasped and moaned.

Desah saw the movement behind them that had caught Nevada’s attention. A car pulled in between them and the transport a mile or so behind them. The other car was moving too fast for the traffic, but the driver wasn’t pulling into the other lane to go around them.

“Stay down,” Nevada ordered. “Something’s not right about this guy.” Desah didn’t ask questions. He lowered himself, covering Sophie.

“Can you get to your weapon?” Nevada asked.

“Yes.” He dug through the bag on the floor, pulling it out. “Got it.”

“Good.” Nevada took another quick glance in the rearview mirror. “The guy is right on my tail, so close I can make out the puzzled expression on his face. His partner is talking to someone on a cell phone.”

“Do you know who they are?” Desah shifted, making Sophie moan again. He swore softly. “Sophie, I have to pull out of you. I’m sorry.” He withdrew, trying not to come into view of those following them. Sophie moved away from him. Desah would make it up to her later. When they were all safe.

“I don’t think they can see you. I think it’s making them hesitate,” Nevada speculated. “Okay, the guy just finished getting his instructions. We need to get out of here.” Nevada sped up. Sophie’s arms tightened around Desah again.

“Hang on, they’re going to ram us.” Desah braced himself for the impact a second before the other car hit them. Sophie said a word he hadn’t heard her use before, and he muttered a curse under his breath. Just how sturdy were these vehicles?

Whoever it was behind them, they obviously wanted them to stop. Nevada accelerated, pulling away from their pursuers. “There’s a knot of cars and trucks up ahead, but with the way this guy is trying to run us off the road, I’m not slowing down. Hang on.” Nevada muttered something that sounded like a prayer through clenched teeth as he caught up to the traffic and began weaving between vehicles. Desah added his own requests of the Universe.

He and Sophie were thrown around some. Desah could hear odd honking sounds as the others on the road made their displeasure with them known. Nevada called their pursuers names that Desah took to be insults. Desah would have Nevada teach him all these insults if they survived to talk about it later.

The car hit them again, making them swerve. Sophie held onto Desah. “This is bad, these guys know what they’re doing.” Nevada made their car swerve again.

“How do you know?” Desah tried to wedge Sophie and himself in the seat.

“They’re using standard police tactics for a high-speed chase.” Nevada swore again.

“But if they’re using such tactics?” Desah had a cold feeling.

“It means they’re cops. Brace yourself,” Nevada shouted. Desah did as he was told, tightening his hold on Sophie. They slowed suddenly with much squealing protest from the car. He and Sophie were nearly thrown onto the floor. The sound of the other car passing them was followed by loud, crashing sounds. Nevada accelerated again, tossing Desah and Sophie back against the seat.

“All right, you can get up now. They won’t be bothering us again. At least not for a while.” Desah saw Nevada relax, slowing down at last. Desah sat up, helping Sophie up beside him, wrapping his arms around her, unwilling just yet to let go of her. Looking back, Desah could see a cloud of dust and several vehicles stopped. Two figures were climbing out of a car a good distance away from the road. Their pursuers had ended up being the ones to leave the road.

Chapter Twenty-Three

A Place to Hide

Nevada was tired, the kind of weariness you get when your adrenaline rush goes away. Stopping early for the night seemed like a good idea. They could find a small out-of-the-way motel, rest, and decide what to do. The people who had chased them had to be law enforcement. Nobody else uses a pit maneuver to end a chase. Nevada couldn’t take the chance that they were just local cops with an attitude problem. For Sophie’s safety, he had to assume they knew who he was at the very least.

It didn’t take long to check them into the little motel on the outskirts of Waco. The place was old but clean, and the room was far in the back. Nevada asked for a suite, but the clerk informed him they didn’t have one, just the “Honeymoon Haven.” Nevada managed to collect the key with a straight face. Barely.

They stood at the door, unable to do anything but look at it, not quite able to believe what they were seeing. Someone had painted the name on the door in flowery red script surrounded by hearts. Nevada swiped the key card, then opened the door, turning on the light. The room looked like an old-west bordello with its red-flocked gold wallpaper and red shag carpet. Nevada stood there in silence for a long moment, awestruck at the sheer poor taste of the decorators.

Sophie stepped around him to walk over to the red velvet covered bed, smiling faintly. Desah looked around himself like he was afraid to touch anything. Nevada watched him pick up a small remote from the night table by the bed. Desah pushed a button, and the bed started to vibrate. Desah stepped back, quickly pressing the button again, shutting off the bed. Nevada had to chuckle; he just couldn’t help it.

“Vibrating bed. Figures.” Nevada grinned at Desah.

“What sort of place is this? It reminds me of a very cheap Sanctuary.” Desah put the remote back on the table.

“It’s a room for newly married couples to have their first official sex in,” Nevada informed the alien.

“Quaint.” Desah rolled his eyes. “And where is the bathroom?”

“Should be in there.” Nevada pointed toward the little alcove that looked like it might have a hot tub in it. Hard to tell in the dim light. Desah shook his head, walking past Nevada, disappearing behind the beaded curtains hanging across the opening to the area.

Nevada heard him go into the bathroom and shut the door. Sophie waited a few seconds, then came over, putting her hand on his arm.

“Are we safe to stop here?” she asked.

“Yeah, we’ll be fine. It’s when we get back on the road I’m worried about.” Nevada took her hand, then pulled her into his arms. She leaned against him with a soft sigh.

“He didn’t finish you off that last time. Are you okay, or do you need us to take care of it?” Nevada rubbed her back, sliding his hand down over her ass.

“I’m fine.” She looked up at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers. “I just want to rest right now.”

“Good girl. I don’t think I could get it up right now, I’m too tired.” Nevada rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes.

They stood that way for a few minutes before Desah emerged from the bathroom with nothing on but a towel. “The shower is quite nice, but there are a few things in there I don’t understand. I’m not sure I want to.”

Nevada laughed. “I think Sophie should be next. We can order room service while we wait.”

They relaxed for a while, watching local TV while they ate, all sitting on the bed. Nevada thought they must have all dozed off at the same time because when he woke, it was dark and no one had moved. He shifted, watched Sophie sleep for a few minutes.

“What do you want to do tonight?” Desah’s soft voice broke the silence.

Nevada’s breath caught. “Ever play with hot wax?”

“It’s been awhile.” Desah smiled.

“I’ve got some candles in my bag.” Nevada got up and went to get them while Desah woke Sophie. Nevada listened to them getting ready while he found the candles and his lighter. When he turned around, they were naked and had pushed the bed covers down to the foot of the bed. Nevada left his towel on the floor and joined them.

Sophie took the candles and lighter from him. Desah moved behind Nevada, pulling him into his arms. Nevada’s cock was already hard, and they hadn’t even really started yet. He leaned back against Desah, watching Sophie light one of the candles.

Desah’s cock had gotten hard. Nevada could feel the alien’s erection against his back. Desah ran his hands down Nevada’s body to his legs, pushing them apart.

“Raise up a bit,” Desah whispered.

Nevada leaned forward and heard the foil tearing on a condom. A few seconds later, Desah brushed a hand over Nevada’s back. Nevada relaxed against him again, anticipating a good ass fucking.

Sophie knelt between Nevada’s legs. She let a drop of wax hit his inner thigh. Nevada gasped and heard foil tearing again as another drop hit a little higher up. Desah slid his fingers over Nevada’s cock, carefully rolling the condom onto him.

Nevada’s breathing got a little faster with each sharp burst of pain from the wax. Desah peeled each cooled spot of wax away, tossing them into the trash can by the bed. Sophie let the wax drip into Nevada’s navel and he moaned, fisting his hands in the sheet, arching his hips upward. The burning heat sent shudders of pleasure through him, making his cock jerk.

She held the candle over his cock, and Nevada froze. He’d never let anyone do what she was about to do. Nevada swallowed hard, looking into her eyes. He could stop her with a simple shake of his head. He didn’t. She let the wax fall. The drop of molten wax hit the tip of his condom-covered cock. Nevada cried out, his whole body going rigid.

She let the wax drip over Nevada as Desah circled Nevada’s cock with his hand, jerking back, stopping Nevada from coming. He could smell the sharp tang of the smoke when Sophie put the candle out. She took the old condom off him and replaced it with a fresh one.

“Up.” Desah nudged him onto his knees.

Sophie pulled Nevada into her arms, running her hands over his sweat-slicked back. He kissed her, nuzzling her neck. “I need to be inside you.” He rested his hands on her waist, his voice rough with lust. She nodded. Nevada sank down with her, filling her in one smooth, hard thrust.

Desah’s hands moved from his waist to his hips. Nevada knew what would happen next, wanted it hard and fast. Desah didn’t disappoint him. Nevada groaned, pushing back against Desah, then thrusting into Sophie. Desah’s steady, hard thrusts pushed Nevada into Sophie, making her moan. They fell into a rhythm that had Nevada on the edge in record time.

With a deep groan, Nevada came. He lifted himself off Sophie. “Your turn,” he gasped as he reached for a candle.

Desah withdrew, stripping off his condom. “I will hold her for you.” Nevada nodded. They shifted until Sophie lay in Desah’s arms. Nevada made sure he and Desah had fresh condoms. Then he lit the candle.

Desah lifted her breasts, holding them for Nevada. He looked into her eyes, letting the first drop of wax fall onto the soft, ivory skin between her breasts. She gasped with each drop he let fall. Her fingers dug into Desah’s thighs. Nevada waited for a long moment until she’d relaxed. He let the wax spill, first on one nipple, then the other.

Sophie shattered. Nevada watched her as she shivered, her orgasm washing through her. Desah brushed his fingers over her cheek. “Beautiful,” the alien whispered.

Sophie caught her breath. “Do you want us to take you over again?” she asked Desah.

Nevada pulled her into his arms. “I think he needs something gentler, querida. Hold him in your arms like you did in your fantasy.”

Desah let them move him without protest. Nevada eased him back into Sophie’s embrace. She brushed her fingers over Desah’s nipples as Nevada positioned himself. He pulled the condom off Desah’s cock. Then he knelt at the side of the bed. Nevada began slow, tonguing his alien’s navel. Nevada let himself move down, his hands on either side of the dark line leading to Desah’s cock. Nevada licked and kissed his way down Desah’s nari to the erect saiph Chara. He took his alien into his mouth. Desah whispered something in his own language.

Nevada let his tongue explore everywhere, pleased at Desah’s ragged moans. He took Desah’s cock into his mouth again, swirling his tongue over the head. Nevada’s mouth tingled inside. He pressed the tip of his tongue into the tiny opening in Desah’s cock. His alien cried out, bucking his hips as he came. Nevada’s cock throbbed, and the burning rush of Desah’s orgasm triggered another in Nevada. He came a few seconds after Desah with a soft moan.

Nevada climbed back onto the bed. He pulled the bed covers up over them, then lay as close to Sophie and Desah as he could. It should always be like this, he thought as they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Twenty-Four

In the Wake of Disaster

Morning arrived much too soon. They were another day closer to when this would all end. Sophie didn’t want it to. She wanted Nevada and Desah to stay with her forever.

Nevada was moving a little slowly after the things they’d done the night before.

“I’ll drive, you sit in back. You can lie down and have a nap.” She took the keys from Nevada. She had always enjoyed driving, and they had left the desert behind. They were coming into the Texas hill country where driving would be fun.

“All right, querida, let me know if you get tired.” That he didn’t protest spoke of how tired Nevada was.

Traffic was light between towns. She noticed right away when a car that passed them made a U-turn and began following them.

“Somebody is following us.” She kept her eyes on the twisting road.

Nevada looked up from where he’d been napping in the backseat. Desah turned to look as well. Nevada swore. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you drive. Pull over—” he began.

“I can’t,” she cut him off. “They’d be on us before we could get going again.”

“Shit.” From the tone of his voice, he knew she was right.

The car behind them got closer. Suddenly there was a loud pop, and the back windshield disintegrated. Nevada let out a string of Spanish as she felt the impact of something hitting the back of the car. Whoever was back there had shot at them twice.

“Keep driving, querida, fast as you can.” A quick glance in the rearview mirror showed her a grim-faced Nevada checking a well-worn handgun as more shots followed. He turned to face behind them and began returning fire.

Desah turned, leaning over the seat back. “Someday, my friend, you will have to tell me what you just said.” He brought his strange-looking weapon up and began shooting bright ultraviolet purple bursts of energy at their pursuers.

The car behind them dropped back a bit. She thought for a few seconds maybe they’d given up. She glanced at the speedometer; the needle had crept almost to the ninety miles per hour mark. Her mouth went dry, and she tried to swallow. I hope there are no cops ahead. “Can I slow down?” she asked hopefully.

“No. The fucking car is speeding up again.” Nevada’s voice sounded strained. Desah swore.

She heard her lovers moving around behind her. A knot of cars were coming up fast. “There’s traffic ahead—what do I do?” she asked.

“Sophie, Des,” Nevada’s voice sounded odd, “I love you. Both.”

“I love you, too…” She trailed off, puzzled.

Suddenly Desah made a strange growling sound that sent a chill up her spine, making her hair rise. The whining sound of his weird gun got louder. Desah fired, and the car behind them exploded into a ball of flame.

She didn’t want to say the words or even think them. She slowed, glancing at Desah as he turned back around and leaned his head back.

“Nevada—” she began. Desah reached over and put his hand on her arm.

“He is hurt. Badly.” Desah’s voice didn’t have much hope in it.

Sophie felt…numb. Like she couldn’t breathe for a long, painful heartbeat. She found herself accelerating. All she could think about was Nevada telling her he loved her. Suddenly she knew what she was looking for. It couldn’t end like this, she wouldn’t let it.

“Sophie.” Desah tried to get her attention.

“Look for a small blue sign with an H on it. We can get him to a hospital. They can save him.” Desah looked at her like she was insane. She ignored him.

It felt like forever before she saw the sign indicating a hospital close to the highway. She took the exit faster than she should have, not slowing more than she had to until she arrived at the hospital’s emergency entrance. The place was beautiful, huge oak trees with Spanish moss hanging from them beside the parking lot. Sophie screeched to a halt under the carport of the ambulance entrance.

Sophie got out and ran inside, coming back seconds later with a nurse and a couple of orderlies. Nevada looked like he was sleeping as they pulled him out of the car. They watched the trauma team wheel Nevada away at a dead run.

“Come, we should go now.” Desah rested his hand on her shoulder.

Sophie let Desah gather her into his arms and hold her while she cried. He rubbed her back and whispered soft words to her. She couldn’t understand them, but they comforted her just the same.

“Sophie, we have to go now. He would not want you to risk your safety staying here. They will do the best for him they can,” Desah said quietly.

She nodded. Tears stung her eyes as she turned away. She heard Desah murmuring something in his own language, some kind of chant. She walked out to the car with him, tears running down her face.

When they were finally back on the road, they were quiet a long time.

Sophie managed to get them onto Interstate 45, and they made good time until they got to the city. With rush hour traffic heavy, she didn’t think the people after them would try anything. Sophie just assumed they knew right where she and Desah were.

“I’m going home,” she announced. Desah turned to look at her.

“Sophie.” He did not sound happy.

“I’m tired of running, Desah.” She wasn’t going to back down on this.

He sighed. “Chak Enif will find you.”

“I don’t care anymore.” She refused to look at him.

“I care. Nevada cares. He loves you. He would not want you to give up,” Desah said. He played with a strand of her hair. “I will not let you give up.”

By the time she saw the exit she needed to take coming up, Desah was in obvious discomfort. Sophie felt a bit guilty at how much she needed to make love when she didn’t even know if Nevada was alive or not.

She took the exit, and a wave of panic hit her. The thought of fucking Desah in her own bed had her nervous as a teenager on her first serious date. Suddenly she found herself turning down the street that led to her friend’s house. She’d asked Lynette to pick up her mail, and it was as good of an excuse as any other to postpone the inevitable a little longer.

Desah looked around as she pulled into the driveway. “This is not your home.” He frowned.

“I know. I asked my friend to pick up my mail for me. I’ll just be a minute.” Sophie practically leapt out of the car and ran to the door. She rang the bell, praying Lynette was home.

Sophie sighed with relief when Lynette answered her door, looking at her in surprise. “Sophie. I thought you were off hiding somewhere.”

“I was. I got tired of it. Did you have time to pick up my mail?” Something about the way Lynette looked at her made Sophie nervous.

“Uh, yeah, come in and I’ll get it for you.” Lynette appeared to be unsure of where she was.

“I’m in kind of a hurry,” Sophie prompted.

“Oh. Sure, just a minute.” Lynette sounded distracted as she went back inside to get Sophie’s mail.

Lynette came back a few minutes later with a small stack of letters, handing them to Sophie through the door. Sophie started to thank her, but she was already shutting the door. Sophie backed up a step, then turned and headed back to the car. She couldn’t put it off any longer. She knew they would just fall into bed when they got there. She’d hoped so much they would all be there the first time they made love at her house. She’d have to just deal with it. She thought Nevada would have understood. Sophie got in the car and drove home with Desah.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Calm Before the Storm

When he walked into Sophie’s house, the first thing Desah noticed was how little was there. It did not look like a place where someone like Sophie would choose to live. She should be surrounded by color and comfort. He watched her locking the door, then followed her into the room where her bed was.

Desah took a deep breath, letting her sweet, spicy scent flood his senses. She stood beside the bed, very still. He knew she was thinking that this moment should have been three and not two. He thought the same. She turned, and he held out his arms.

He comforted her, holding her, letting her cry even though her tears were soaking into his skin and binding them together even more. He tightened his hold on her. Who was he trying to fool? He was bound with this woman forever, and it had nothing to do with a chemical reaction to her tears.

She looked up at him. Passion warred with desperation there in her eyes. Eyes that signaled their emotions by turning the deep green of a Le’i tree. Her hands came up, and she tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him to her and covering his mouth in a deep, searching kiss. He moved his hands up her back, pressing her against himself. He would love her always, for himself and for Nevada. He found the tie that held her dress on, undoing it with slow deliberation.

“I love you, always know that. It will never change.” He pulled the dress from between them and dropped it to the floor while she worked the buttons of the shirt he wore, pushing it off his shoulders. The shirt joined the dress on the floor, and she knelt to unfasten his jeans. He threaded his fingers through her soft hair, enjoying the sensation as she slowly drew the zipper down.

Her fingernails scraped his skin as she pulled the jeans down over his hips and legs. His knees went weak at the sharp-edged desire that burned through him. Desah reached over her, jerking the bed covers back, releasing a rich, sensuous perfume. He found it exciting that she scented her sheets. When she lifted his foot to pull off the boot and jeans, he almost lost his balance.

Desah moaned when her breath ghosted over the skin of his nari. She pressed a kiss in the crease of his groin that made him twitch. She traced the ridges of his cock with gentle fingers, following with soft kisses. This was something done in his world only between committed lovers. He felt like crying, overwhelmed with the kindness and caring from a woman as grief-stricken as he was. A wave of thankfulness swept over him that he’d thrown caution to the winds and done this for Nevada. Thankfulness he had not stopped Nevada when he had done this for him. Then she kissed the tip of his cock, and all thought fled.

The tightening that heralded his release began. He gasped. His legs shook with the urge to thrust. It was more than he could bear; he had to move. Desah nudged his hips toward her. Her teeth grazed over his foreskin, and he shattered with a deep groan.

“La’alhba,” Desah whispered, my love, pulling her up into his arms. He lifted her up and laid her on the fragrant white sheets, kneeling beside her. He began brushing his fingers over her lips and down her throat, following the same path with gentle kisses. Her breath caught as he rubbed lightly over her nipples, then swirled his tongue around them.

He stayed at her breasts long enough to suck and nip at the hard tips before moving further down. She moaned when he did the same to her navel, swirling his tongue inside. He smiled. He had plans for elsewhere, as well, much like their first time.

She was breathing hard when he moved between her legs. He kissed her inner thighs softly and opened her. He traced her folds and flicked over her zihr Chara, what she called her clit, with his tongue until he had to hold her hips still, pinning her to the bed. She moaned his name, gasping for breath.

He rested one arm over his head, across her belly, and slid two fingers deep into her. She whimpered when he drew them out. He moved down a little, then very slowly pushed his tongue inside her. Her hips jerked, and he chuckled softly, carefully swirling and probing. He slid his fingers into her once more, first one, then each in turn until all were inside her, stretching her open. He slipped his thumb in at last, pushing deeper. Her groan turned into a wail. He pressed in harder, and she stiffened, tightening and rippling as she came, straining against him.

When she’d calmed, he kissed her belly, carefully removing his hand, then sat up. She reached out for him, and he saw something dark in her eyes. It suddenly hit him that as unusual as her eyes were, he couldn’t imagine looking into eyes any other color. He leaned forward, kissing her.

She sat up and opened the drawer of the small table by the bed. His eyes widened, and he couldn’t help smiling. She closed the drawer, turning to hold the object she’d retrieved out to him. He took the hzaz, the vibrator, she held from her hand. His breath caught. The toy was almost the same size as Nevada. He raised his eyes to Sophie’s. If she could get into the right position.

It took a few minutes, but they managed. He didn’t have to tell her what he wanted, she just somehow knew. Something, he realized with a jolt, he’d always had to do with Tav and Asha. She took the hzaz back. He braced himself against the headboard. She knelt over him, her back to him. Desah gripped her hips and guided her down. He pulled her down until he was completely sheathed inside her. The feeling of her accepting him into her body was perfect, hot and wet. Tight.

Another thrust of his hips and he seated himself, sliding his hand over her belly, fingering her navel. Carefully she pressed the tip of the vibrator against him.

“Sophie,” he moaned, arching up and lifting them both.

She pushed it in slowly. It sent fire through him. Oh, Mirach, it felt good. He tightened his hold on her as she began to slide it out, then back into him. Over and over, slow and gentle, never quite reaching where he really needed it.

He groaned, brushing his fingers down her spine, rocking his hips. She shivered, moaning softly, thrusting the hzaz a little harder, a little deeper. His fingers found her zihr Chara. He pressed, making her cry out, her whole body jerking. He kept the pressure as she turned the hzaz on, pushing it all the way inside him at last.

It hit that place only Nevada had ever managed. Everything went black and gold. He heard himself shout as his release crashed through him, stealing his breath and his sight. Sophie sobbed, throbbing around him.

She withdrew the hzaz. He eased her off him, laying her back on the sweat-dampened sheets, gently brushing her hair from her face, lowering his lips to touch hers. He heard the toy drop to the floor as her arms went around him.

He was thankful that Ke Mira recovered fast. He moved over her, sliding into her welcoming heat once more. Saiph turo, she felt like home, like paradise. They moved together in an easy rhythm, and this time their release was a slow, gentle completion before they dropped off to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Grief and Fear

She woke once when Desah got up. He came back with his energy beam weapon, slipping it under his pillow as he got back in bed. He saw her watching. He gave her a reassuring smile. “Just in case.” He pulled her into his arms before drifting back to sleep.

Sophie lay there listening to his even breathing. He purred faintly. Thoughts of the past days and losing Nevada wouldn’t let her go back to sleep. She eased out of bed. What she needed was a hot shower to calm her. She turned on the water, letting it heat up before she stepped into the shower. As she let the heat and steam relax her, she thought of Nevada’s smile and the way his hands had felt on her. There had been so much she’d wanted to say to him. The tears stung her eyes. This time she didn’t try to stop them. She cried a long time.

The water began to cool. She shut it off and got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around herself. Desah still slept soundly when she went back into the bedroom. She stood there, watching him sleep for a while. He had turned over on his stomach and kicked the covers down to the foot of the bed, leaving him totally exposed.

Sophie stepped closer to the bed, gently tracing the markings on his back. His purring grew a little louder when she touched the small of his back. She smiled, leaning down, brushing her lips against his warm skin. He moaned softly in his sleep. The temptation to crawl into bed and explore every inch of his beautiful body was strong, but she resisted it. She straightened back up, then went over to her closet to get something to wear. She didn’t want to disturb him when he looked so peaceful.

She pulled on an old pair of shorts and a T-shirt, leaving him to sleep. She walked into the living room and sat on the couch in the darkness. The dark suited her. Desah would be gone as soon as his mission was over, and she would be starting from scratch. She needed to think about what happened then.

What was she going to do? Desah would not take her with him when he left. He’d already told her as much. If his people were as narrow-minded as he’d described, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go. Even for a visit. She knew he wouldn’t stay on Earth with her. For all his pretty words to her, she knew he still thought of humans as inferior. Even if he didn’t realize it.

As for herself, she’d never had so much as the last several days. Her life was richer for having spent this time with Nevada and Desah. It wasn’t just the sex, either, no matter what Desah had claimed. She thought it might be more than that for him, too, but how could she be entirely sure what went on in that alien mind of his?

After several long minutes, she sighed and got up again. Thinking about him lying there in bed, naked, made her more than a little fidgety. Hormones were a bitch. She went into the kitchen to get a drink of water before she went back to bed. Waking him up to fuck sounded like a wonderful idea to her. She’d enjoy what little time they had left as much as she could, store up memories for when he was gone and she was alone.

Sophie knew it would be a long time before she found anyone who made her feel as safe and cared for as these two men. If she ever did. Sophie wasn’t at all sure she’d ever love anyone again. Finding someone like either lover would be impossible. Even if she did manage to find someone, she’d always be comparing them to Nevada and Desah. They were a lot alike despite one being from a planet halfway across the galaxy.

Sophie heard the soft, stealthy sound just as she put the glass down. Someone was in the garage. Panic stole her voice, and she couldn’t move. Whoever it was, they weren’t here for a social call. The sound of the lock being jimmied shocked her into moving. She did the first thing she could think of. She hid in the pantry.

Her heart pounded so hard she was afraid the intruder could hear it. She listened as the kitchen door swung open, and at least three people came in. They stopped in front of the pantry door. She could smell the sour odor of sweat; someone’s deodorant wasn’t working.

“What’s in here?” she heard one, a man, ask.

“Pantry,” a female voice answered.

Sophie’s stomach knotted up. She felt cold inside. She knew that voice. It was Lynette. She was telling the men with her where Sophie’s bedroom was. Where Desah lay sleeping. Sophie covered her mouth with her hand and fought the urge to scream. Oh please, no. She couldn’t lose him so soon, not like this.

“Go back, and wait in the car with Mr. Barnes,” the second man whispered. “We’ll take it from here.”

Lynette giggled breathlessly. She sounded deranged, and it suddenly hit Sophie. Lynette was taking this Lyxit drug Brian had been selling. She felt an indescribable sadness and disappointment.

The kitchen door closed. Sophie heard the men moving away. She prayed Desah would wake up. What had happened to Brian being back in jail? She’d thought Lynette was her friend—why was she doing this? Lynette had always claimed she couldn’t stand Brian.

She couldn’t hear them anymore. Eyes stinging, she blinked back tears, trying to think of something she could do. Hoping they were nowhere close, she eased the door open a crack.

A glimpse of a purple flash almost made her cry out. Relief flooded her. Desah was awake, he knew there were intruders in the house, and he was dealing with it. She heard a thud and saw another flash as she closed the door. She’d stay right where she was until Desah found her. She didn’t want to get shot herself in the darkness.

It seemed like an eternity before she felt the doorknob turn in her hand. She let go, waited, shaking like a leaf.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Things Come to a Head

Sophie got up and went into her bathroom. Desah thought about joining her, and when he heard the shower being turned on, he slipped out of bed, going to the door. She hadn’t locked it. He started to step inside. The odd sound he heard her making stopped him. She was crying. Quietly, he left the room and shut the door. He would let her cry for Nevada privately.

He took a quick walk around the little house, peeking out windows and checking the doors. Satisfied everything was as it should be, he went back into the bedroom and got in bed. It was comfortably warm in the room, so he shoved the covers down off of him and relaxed.

Desah had barely closed his eyes again when Sophie came in and stood beside the bed. If she wanted to make love again, he was sure he could oblige her. Just the thought of her body, of being inside her, made him purr. When she leaned down and kissed the base of his spine, he moaned faintly. He thought she was going to climb into bed for another lovemaking session, but instead she got dressed and left the room.

He listened for a long while, but it seemed she was fine. She just needed a little more time alone. He allowed himself to doze off again. If she called out, he would hear her.

The out-of-place sound woke him. Desah lay silent, listening, one hand beneath the pillow, his fingers curled around his weapon. He aimed at the door. He heard the soft whisper of footsteps stealthily moving down the hall. More than one person. Not Sophie’s footsteps. He knew the sound of her walk even after so short a time.

Someone had gotten inside the house, someone who shouldn’t be there. His blood ran cold because Sophie wasn’t in bed. He didn’t know if she was aware something was wrong and had found a place to hide or if she’d been hurt. Or worse. He waited, hoping the intruder would think he still slept.

“He’s alone! Where is the woman?” One of the men moved closer.

That angry whisper told him all he needed to know. He fired several bolts. He heard the intruders fall and rolled out of bed, intent on discovering if there was anyone else in the house. He needed to find Sophie. Silently, he glided through the house, checking each room until he came to the pantry in the small kitchen. Sure they were alone, he called out to her softly. The pantry door opened, and she threw herself into his arms.

“Are you all right?” he asked, still listening for anything unusual.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Brian is outside. With Lynette.” She sounded bleak.

She was shaking. He tightened his arms around her. “It’s all right. We’re going to leave in just a few minutes. I need you to be strong for just a little while longer. Go into the bedroom and get your things, just what’s important, then come back here. Be as quick and quiet as you can.”

He let her go, watching as she went to do what he told her. He followed her back to the bedroom. They needed to get out of there as fast as possible. The bodies lay partway in the bedroom doorway. She edged as far from them as she could. He stopped, giving one a nudge with his foot. He didn’t expect to recognize the man or the other one, either, when he turned them over. He hated to do it, but he needed to know who they were.

“Sophie,” he called as quietly as he could. She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “Do you know either of these men?”

She came a step closer and looked. “No.” She paused, thinking. “Maybe that one, he looks a little familiar. I may have seen him with Brian.”

He thought as much. “All right, have you got everything?” he asked. She nodded. “Good, let’s go. Where’s your back door?”

They headed back into the main room of her house. She pointed to the large window, and he peeked out the curtain that covered it. It looked clear. The mechanism was another of those wonderfully complex and irritating devices the humans loved so much. Frustrated, he motioned her to open it. She flipped a latch and slid it wide enough for them to squeeze through.

In the back of her house was a wide expanse of ground lit by a spotlight and bordered by a tall fence. He despaired a little. There were no good shadows to hide in and no way out.

“There’s a gate,” she whispered, pointing to a corner of the house. “It’s darker there.”

He nodded, moving as quietly as he could toward the gate. She followed him, hugging her bag to her chest. He rounded the corner and relaxed a tiny bit. It was darker, almost too dark. He could see the street in front of the house. For a long second, his brain refused to work. Then all his alarms went off. The gate was open.

“Hello, little brother. It’s been a long time.” Chak Enif’s voice came from the deepest shadows.

Desah froze for half a heartbeat, then grabbed Sophie’s arm and jerked her toward the gate shouting, “Run!” She stumbled. For a moment he thought she was going to fall. He heard someone swearing and turned back toward Chak, drawing his weapon. He dodged the first shot.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sophie swinging her bag at someone; then the faint whine of an old model plasma weapon made him turn. He threw himself backward just as his loving brother fired at him again. The bolt passed by close enough that he could feel the heat on his face. The sound of the fight next to them drew Chak’s attention away from him long enough for Desah to catch his balance.

“Quit playing around, Barnes, and kill her!” Chak was angry. Chak had never taken well to losing at anything. Missing his shot had only made Chak angrier.

Desah turned back to his older brother with a smile he knew didn’t reach his eyes. “Chak Enif, the council has sent me to carry out the sentence of death.”

Chak laughed. “Did the family approve of your assignment?”

“The family begged the council to send me. You’ve caused enough disgrace.” Desah dodged another lunge as Chak tried to grab him.

“You’re lying.” Doubt flickered in Chak’s expression.

“Am I? You went too far when you harmed Tav and Asha. The family could no longer defend you.”

“I did nothing to them.” Chak sneered.

“You gave Fenna that vile stuff you peddle to the humans. You knew he was angry at Asha. You knew what would happen.” Desah didn’t know what alerted him, maybe a shift in the way Chak was holding himself or maybe it was simple intuition, but suddenly he knew someone was behind him. He spun, dropping to a crouch just in time to see a woman coming at him with a wicked-looking knife. He didn’t think twice. He didn’t think at all. He just fired. Two bolts struck her, knocking her off her feet. Desah rolled and came up firing off a shot that caught his brother just below the collarbone. He watched his brother fall to the ground dead. The satisfaction he’d thought he would feel when he killed his brother wasn’t there. All he felt was a cold, empty sadness for all those his family had sent to the stars.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The End of It All

Sophie saw the gate was open just about the time Desah grabbed her arm, swinging her toward it. He yelled at her to run. She made a dash for the front yard. The voice from the shadows echoed through her head. “Little brother,” the guy she assumed was Enif had said. What kind of people sent someone to kill his own brother?

Brian made a grab for her. She twisted away. Anger took over then, at the shambles Brian had made of her life, at what he was doing now, at the senseless death of Nevada. She swung her canvas overnight bag at him as hard as she could.

It hit Brian, stunning him. He fell to the ground with a curse. Sophie scrambled for the gate. An iron grip on her ankle yanked her feet out from under her. With a yelp, she fell to her knees. Pain shot through her legs from the rocks in the grass. Then before she could do more than gasp, she was jerked back.

She kicked, grabbing onto the gate post. Brian swore, pulling harder, his fingers digging into her legs. He flipped her over and straddled her hips, catching her wrists. Brian pinned her arms over her head with one hand. With his other hand he began choking her.

The expression on Brian’s face terrified her. He was enjoying this, enjoying her trying to dislodge him, enjoying trying to kill her. He tightened his grip, his smile widening. His mouth moved, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. The roaring in her ears drowned out everything. Red-tinged blackness took over her vision. She started to pass out.

In her fading vision, Sophie caught a glimpse of Desah wrapping his arm around Brian’s neck, dragging him off of her. Suddenly the pressure stopped. She was free of her attacker. Desah snarled something in his own language as he pulled Brian’s head to one side in a quick, hard jerk, breaking his neck with a sharp crack.

Sophie rolled over on her side, curling up into a ball of retching, coughing misery. Tears streamed from her eyes, her nose ran, but she didn’t care. She could breathe again. All she wanted to do was lie there and let the warm, humid air soothe her oxygen-starved lungs. She didn’t even care that it smelled like an old fish tank.

She slowly became aware of the sound of sirens getting closer. It sounded like they stopped out front. Dazed, she wondered who they were here for. Desah knelt beside her, brushing her hair from her eyes.

“Sophie, can you hear me, blossom?” His voice shook. Sophie nodded. He sighed heavily. “Rest, blossom, help is coming.” He stood and walked toward the people who were running toward them. She shut her eyes, miserable, ignoring the chaos that erupted around her.

Gentle hands touching her arm startled her, then they were lifting her. She panicked for a second before she realized she was being put on a stretcher. An oxygen mask was strapped over her face. She searched for Desah. He stood a few feet away, and she relaxed. Obviously unhappy, he talked with two men in black suits. His expression lightened when he glanced at her. Their eyes met. He came toward her.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he stopped beside the stretcher. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, cool and distant.

She ached for him to take her in his arms. “I’ll be fine.” She suddenly realized that this was it. He would be leaving. Their last few moments together played out in front of emergency workers, law enforcement, and government officials.

Another stretcher rolled by, covered with a sheet. They watched the workers take it to an ambulance, then load it in the back. He opened his mouth to say something. One of the men in black interrupted him with a touch on his arm. “Sir. It’s time to go now,” the man said. Desah closed his mouth, letting the man lead him away from her. Her heart hurt. So this is what a broken heart feels like, she thought. She would never let this happen to her again—it hurt too much.

The paramedics took her to the ambulance. She resented the hell out of the man in the black suit. He could have let them have just a few more minutes. Her last glimpse of Desah was of him getting into a limo. He never looked back.

The next few days were a circus. She suffered through visits from the State Department, various secretaries, and politicians who wanted to know what had happened while the three of them were alone. Like she’d tell them that, she thought. They hinted that she would be helping the human species if she could answer their questions about the Ke Mira. Even the smallest detail could be important. She threw them out.

The tabloids camped out on her doorstep along with news reporters from all over the world. They ruined her lawn, offering everything from interviews on all the talk shows to cars and new houses. One gossip magazine even offered her a million dollars for her story. All she had to do was tell them what it had been like living with an alien. But no one offered to replace the grass they killed trampling over her lawn. When the movie people from Hollywood started calling, she had to change her phone number.

The latest crew of reporters left after ringing her doorbell, arguing with her for thirty minutes before they finally realized she wasn’t going to talk. Not then, not ever. They were dumbfounded she was not interested in their offers, but then she’d never been a very material person. She watched them go from the front window. They’d be back to try again, but she could be stubborn, too.

The one thing she really wanted she couldn’t have, Nevada and Desah back in her life. She knew it was silly, but she still wished Desah would come back. She wished he would come back and make love to her, even if it was just for one last night. Deep inside she knew he wouldn’t, but it still hurt more than she ever thought it would.

Sophie stood at her window, staring out at the night. She didn’t even have the comfort of knowing whether Nevada was dead or alive. The sky no longer looked beautiful or mysterious. The stars were just hard and cold, like her heart. She couldn’t cry anymore, and she still needed the tears. She sighed, wondering what Desah was doing back in his world.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sanctuary

The sky was dark, depressing, but even that couldn’t dim the glow he felt. Chara should have been long over, but the burning had not faded. If anything, it had grown stronger. Desah had come here for Sanctuary, for comfort and relief.

The door was locked when he tried it, so he sat down on the steps. Huge raindrops began to fall, soaking into his robes. He couldn’t find it in himself to care that the fabric would be ruined. He traced the pattern of the green silk, smiling wryly at himself. Everything he’d chosen to wear in the last weeks had been some shade of green with brown accents.

A vehicle pulled into the driveway. He looked up, watching Sophie get out of her car. She headed toward the narrow walk that led from the driveway to the front door of the house. He waited. She glanced up, slowing down when she saw him sitting on the steps in the rain. His wet clothes and rain-soaked hair allowed him to blend into the shadows cast by the plants beside the walk.

Desah stood. “Hello, Sophie.” He was surprised his voice didn’t sound as shaky as he felt inside.

Her lips parted. She made a sound very much like a sob. He touched the tears that spilled down her cheeks, bringing his damp fingers to his own eyes, then lowering them to his chest, where his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. “I am yours,” he repeated the words he had said so long ago.

They were silent for a long moment. He brushed his fingers over her cheeks again, then slipped his hands into her hair, pulling her closer, touching his lips softly to hers. He found her lips already parted. She slid her arms around his waist, moving her tongue over his in a feathery slow caress, nibbling, teasing, her tongue barely dipping between his lips. It made him tremble. He tightened his embrace, reclaiming her with hungry urgency, pouring everything he felt into her, voraciously plundering, twining his tongue with hers, making love to her mouth.

She relaxed against him. He rubbed his hands over her back, molding her to his body, then moved his mouth down over her neck in soft kisses. Her breath caught. “Let’s go inside,” she whispered.

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her. She was right. He nodded and followed her into the house when she unlocked the door.

Inside they kissed again. Desah smiled at her soft moan as she pressed against him harder. Slowly, he moved his hips against her. The tightness of his already-hard cock growing harder was almost unbearably painful. He groaned, burying his face in her hair, clenching fistfuls of her dress and digging his fingers into her hips. She arched herself against him in response.

“Oh, Sophie, I need you so much.” The urgency grew as he shed his wet robes, dropping them to the floor. He shoved her up against the wall roughly, pushing her dress up. He searched for the lacy edge of the little underwear he remembered she wore. She helped him, raising her leg over his hip, wrapping it around his leg as he shifted the thin fabric out of the way.

Bending his knees slightly, he took her, thrusting into her as far as he could with a gasping moan. He captured her mouth once more as he moved inside her in an urgent rhythm, plunging his tongue into her mouth in counterpoint. She moved against him, tightening her hold, her body melded to his.

The way she gasped and moaned sent white-hot sparks of pleasure through him, quickly driving him over the edge with a groaning shout he muffled in her hair. She gasped and held her breath. He marveled at the great shuddering wave moving through her.

“I love you so much,” he whispered, his lips against her ear. He held her gently while they caught their breath, waiting until she stopped shivering to disengage himself from her and follow her back to her bedroom.

The wonderfully rich scent she perfumed the bed with sent a thrill of excitement and need through him. He pushed her back onto the soft sheets, then knelt over her. Her nipples hardened at his light touch as he untied the soft fabric wrapped around her breasts. He loved these dresses she favored. Taking one off her was like unwrapping a Chara gift.

Desah dropped her clothing on the floor as he leaned forward, taking a taut nipple between his teeth. She moaned, and he chuckled softly. “I need you, blossom. I need to be rough with you,” he whispered.

“Anything.” Her voice had a fine breathlessness that made his cock jump.

He put a pillow under her hips, then slid two fingers into her. When he pulled them out, he coated his cock with her wetness. Her breath caught, and he kept his eyes on hers as he pushed hard into her heat. Her eyes darkened as he drew back slowly. Desah loved that. Ke Mira eyes didn’t signal passion by changing colors the way humans did.

The bed shook with each hard thrust of his hips. She moaned with each movement. He pulled her legs higher, hooking them over his shoulders, then clasping her hands, twining his fingers with hers.

She held her breath, clamping tight around him. He groaned as the universe shattered, refusing to reform. He spilled the heat in his belly into her.

Afterward they lay in the darkness, satisfied for the moment. She traced little spirals of fire over his skin with the tip of her finger. Desah sighed and wound a strand of her hair around his hand, letting it slip through his fingers. “Sophie?”

“Hmm?” She lifted her head to look at him with those huge green eyes of hers.

“You know I can’t stay here on Earth.” He saw a flicker of something, fear he thought, in her eyes. She opened her mouth to protest. He stopped her, touching her lips gently. “And you know that my world would never accept you or us together.”

She lay her head on his chest again. “Yeah, I know.” She started tracing her design over him. His saiph Chara was stirring again. He’d better get this out before he had to fuck her again.

He was silent for a couple of heartbeats. “There is a solution.”

She froze. “There is?”

“I have a house.” He paused. “On Ch’imra.”

“A house.” Her voice was very small.

“Yes, a house. On Ch’imra. They are very liberal there. People from all over the Galaxy live there together.”

“They do?” She raised her head to look at him again.

“It’s a beautiful world. Of course, I have to wear my dark glasses there.” He picked up the strand of her hair he’d been playing with, wrapping it around his finger again.

“I like your dark glasses. They make you look sexy.” A new light shone from her eyes.

He smiled. “We can leave any time you’re ready.”

She moved up and kissed him, shifting her hips. He groaned, arching himself upward, burying himself deep inside her. Oh yes, they would be leaving for Ch’imra. Later. He gazed at her as she rode him, thinking of all the things he would show her, all the ways he would show her he loved her.

Sophie moaned his name, collapsing against him as another orgasm shook her. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her pressed as tightly to him as he could as his body gave her everything he had.

“I thought your Chara would be over by now.” She licked his ear, making him shiver.

“It is, blossom. The only thing Chara changes is my control over my sexual response and my ability to conceive a child.” He let her move off him, then sat up beside her.

“I—” she began. A loud knock at the front door stopped her. She frowned.

“What’s wrong, blossom?” he asked, puzzled.

“It’s those stupid reporters again. Let me go get rid of them.” Sophie went to her closet, snatching a robe from a hanger. She pulled it on as she stormed down the hall.

Desah yanked the sheet off the bed, wrapping it around him. He held the damp sheet up, hurrying after her and trying not to trip. She pulled the door open with more than a little violence, then froze for a long moment.

“Hello, Sophie.” Desah’s heart leapt in his chest at the sound of the deep voice he thought he would never hear again.

Sophie shrieked and threw herself at the man standing on her doorstep. Desah smiled, slowing to a walk. His insides clenched as a warm rush of love washed over him.

Nevada wrapped his arms around Sophie and walked her back as he stepped inside. Desah waited patiently as Nevada shut the door and then kissed Sophie. He sighed, leaning against the wall. Desah had thought Nevada dead when he had not been with Sophie and she hadn’t mentioned him. They were well into their second kiss; it was time to make his presence known. Desah walked up behind Sophie and put his hand on her back.

Nevada saw him. He reached out, and Desah stepped into his embrace. Desah saw the love in Nevada’s brown eyes. He let the sheet fall to the floor as he threaded his fingers through Nevada’s hair, pulling him into a deep, satisfying kiss.

“You are well?” Desah asked when they broke their kiss.

“I’ve been worse. I’m still a little shaky though,” Nevada admitted.

“I called the hospital every day. No one would tell me anything. Then one of the nurses got angry and said you’d died.” Sophie sniffed, wiping at her eyes.

“Obviously I didn’t, querida, I’m still very much alive.” Nevada pulled her closer. Desah slipped an arm around her as well. They stood there in the front hall just holding each other for a long time.

Finally Desah stepped back a bit. “Your medical practitioners, have they given you any restrictions?” Desah tried to sound innocent.

Nevada laughed. “No restrictions, I’m just not as strong as I was before I was shot. You’ll have to take charge.”

Chapter Thirty

Coming Home

Nevada wasn’t sure what he’d find when he walked up to Sophie’s front door for the second time since everything began. The best-case scenario, she’d be there and they’d start fresh. Worst case, some stranger would open the door and he’d have to search for her. He’d search the rest of his life if he had to. He wanted her with him, wanted her enough to do something he swore he’d never do again and marry her. He took a deep breath and knocked.

Sophie jerked the door open. Her expression of anger melted into one of shock and then joy. Nevada winced when she shrieked. She almost knocked the breath out of him when she threw herself into his arms. Well, guess that settles that. Looks like I’ll be getting married again. Tears stung his eyes, and he blinked them away. He moved her back inside, shutting the door behind him. The neighbors didn’t need to see him fuck her on the front step.

He thought his world was as complete as it could get when he kissed Sophie. He couldn’t help fantasizing a bit that the lips under his belonged to Desah though. Sophie probably had a similar fantasy. When he looked up to see his alien standing there in nothing but a sheet, his chest got tight.

With emotion. This was too good to be true.

Now the two most important people in the world to him were fussing over him. Desah eased him down onto Sophie’s bed while Sophie unbuttoned his shirt, slipping it off him with gentle fingers. She kissed the scar that was still an angry red.

“We will do everything. You will lie there like a good boy and enjoy it.” Sophie sat on the bed with him.

“Yes, ma’am.” Nevada let her slide in behind him. He leaned back against her, resting his head on her shoulder. Desah pushed his legs apart as he crawled up from the foot of the bed. Nevada’s breath caught at the expression on the alien’s face.

“I don’t think I told you properly that as much as with Sophie, I am yours, all I am, all I have, together or apart. Forever.” Desah knelt between Nevada’s legs, leaning forward to press his lips to Nevada’s, parting them and plundering Nevada’s mouth with his tongue. Sophie brushed her hands over Nevada’s belly and chest.

“I love you both.” Nevada licked his lips, watching Desah’s hands as he got himself ready.

Desah met his gaze. “Rach. It is one of the first words you should learn. Along with alhba. Fuck and love. Because it is what I’m going to do to you now.”

Nevada moaned. Desah pushed Nevada’s erect cock up until it lay against his belly. Nevada gasped as Desah, slick with his own natural lubricant, entered him. “Oh fuck… Um, rach,” Nevada said between harsh breaths.

“Mirach,” Desah whispered as he moved with excruciating slowness, “oh, fuck. That is lesson two.”

Nevada tried to meet Desah’s thrusts. Sophie moved from behind him, letting him lie back on the pillows. “Sophie?” He turned his head, reaching for her. She caught his hand, kissing it before she let go.

Sophie rolled a condom onto his cock and straddled him. She lowered herself, leaning forward to let her nipples brush his chest. Nevada groaned as his cock throbbed and he came. He reached for Sophie’s clit and found Desah’s fingers already there. Nevada twined his fingers with Desah’s, and they brought Sophie to orgasm together. Desah moaned as he joined them in Chara.

They lay together in the darkness, well satisfied. Nevada rested his head against Desah’s shoulder while he played with Sophie’s hair. He couldn’t remember ever feeling as content as he felt then.

“You will come to Ch’imra.” Desah made it a statement of fact. “We can be together there without censure from anyone.”

“Of course I will. I can’t see us being apart anymore.” Nevada sighed. “It was the worst time in my life when I didn’t know if we would ever be together again.”

“On Ch’imra we can formalize our bond. No one will care we aren’t all the same species. One can live any way one chooses there.” Desah combed his fingers through Nevada’s hair. Nevada shivered.

“I wish we could have children.” Sophie sounded wistful.

Nevada watched her tracing the faint line of Desah’s nari.

“I’ll give you a child any time you want one, querida, as many as you want.” He caught her hand.

“I cannot give either of you a child.” Desah clasped both their hands.

“Well, no, mi amor. Human males can’t get pregnant. But you and Sophie?” Nevada looked up at his alien when he shook his head.

“But what if,” Sophie said quietly, “what if Nevada got me pregnant and you carried the baby?”

Desah became very still. Nevada began to wonder if he was breathing. “Des? Babe? Have we said something wrong?”

“No.” Desah took a deep breath. “You don’t know what you are offering me. The honor.” He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head.

“We love you.” Sophie snuggled closer to Desah. “Why would we not?”

Nevada wrapped his arms around both his lovers. “If there’s a way to get it done, we’ll do it.” He sighed. He didn’t want to bring it up, but they deserved to know who had been chasing them and why. “Did you complete your mission?” He gave Desah’s hip a gentle squeeze.

“I did. Not long after we left you with your medical practitioners.” Desah’s voice was flat. “Chak Enif came here with Brian Barnes to kill Sophie. I could not let that happen.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand. This is all a hell of a thing to bring into bed with us. I’m sorry.” Sophie had tensed up. Nevada pulled her closer.

“No, you should know. Chak was my brother. My father’s through his bond mate, Teshri. Chak was different from birth, always causing trouble for the family. The family protected him until he finally went too far.” Desah didn’t look at either of them. “Chak had long desired my bond mate, Asha. He gave several doses of the Lyxit drug to our younger sibling, Fenna.” He stopped. Sophie made a sound of distress, reaching across Nevada to touch Desah.

“Lyxit does not have the same effect on Ke Mira as it does on humans. In some of us it releases an uncontrollable rage. Fenna was already angry with Asha. He was always jealous of the attention the family gave her. He tampered with her personal transport before she left to go shopping. She had talked Tav into going with her. There wasn’t much left. We did not know until later he had been selling the poison here.”

Nevada didn’t know what to say. Sometimes there isn’t anything to say. He held his alien lover tighter, giving what comfort he could.

“Anyway, it was family honor, and my duty, to stop his destruction of innocent lives. Balance has been restored.”

“Damn.” Nevada noticed his chest was wet where Sophie had laid her head. He rubbed her back. “When I woke up in the hospital, when they finally let me do anything but sleep, I called in. I was right back at my house. Marisol succumbed to the Lyxit. The dirty cop turned out to be her brother. Eddie blamed me for Marisol’s addictions. He knew about my assignment, and he figured he could get rid of me and use the anti-alien hate groups to do it and no one would know. Brian and Enif had nothing to do with our being chased.”

“So none of this would have happened if I’d stayed home?” Sophie had a note of anguish in her voice Nevada didn’t like at all.

“No. If you had stayed home, querida, they’d have killed you.” Nevada kissed the top of her head. “The only difference is you wouldn’t have had Des here to protect you.”

She shivered.

“I don’t understand one thing,” Desah said in a puzzled voice.

“What’s that?” Nevada turned his head and kissed the top of Desah’s head, too.

“How did this Eddie know where to find the hateful people he used?” Desah drew a circle around Nevada’s nipple with his fingertip.

“He was part of an undercover group infiltrating the Alienists, as they call themselves. He simply called the groups around Texas and gave them my description.” Nevada sucked in a sharp breath as Desah closed his teeth on his nipple.

“Ah. I think then, now that we are all aware of everything that happened, we move on to more important things.” Desah gave Sophie a tug, pulling her on top of Nevada.

“And what could that possibly be?” Sophie sounded as if she knew. Nevada thought he did, as well. His cock began to rise.

“I want us to never be apart.” Desah nipped him hard. Nevada groaned, rolling over on top of Desah.

Sophie lay on her side watching her lovers. Desah lay under Nevada, holding onto the headboard rails, breathing hard, his sweat soaking into the bedclothes under him. Nevada licked and kissed until Desah’s nari opened, then thrust his cock deep into Desah as he rode Desah’s nari saiph hard. She would never get tired of watching them together. Desah arched his hips off the bed with a groan that made her shiver. Nevada swore, forcing him back down to the bed. Another hard thrust and Nevada joined Desah in the Chara with a groan of his own.

They turned to look back at her, holding their arms out to her, bringing her into the safe place between them forever.

THE END

A Short Glossary of Ke Mira Words

Alna’ir Angetenar — The bright curve of the river (their home)

Alsrh — Navel

Alhba ly — Love me

Basam — A common livestock animal

Chara (the Joy) — The sexual cycle

Ch’imra — One of the Nine Worlds, a trade planet where many cultures and beings mix freely

Hzaz – Vibrator, not to be confused with the stimulator which does not vibrate

Kahl — A bitter liquor that leaves an incredibly sweet aftertaste

Ke’esh – Meditations taught as methods of controlling sexual attraction outside Chara

Ke Mira — The People

La’alhba — My love

Lahei – A predator similar to a wolverine, known to double back on its pursuers and to eat the unwary Ke Mira, as in the saying: Chase the lahei and it will devour you.

Le’i-a – A tree on Desah’s home world similar to an evergreen

Lesath — A strawberry-like fruit

Merope ain — Analogous to chocolate

Mira Kurhah – Coming-of-age ritual

Mirach — The Ke Mira version of “Oh fuck”

Nari — The opening through which Ke Mira conceive

Nari saiph — A secondary penis which emerges during nari sex specifically for pleasuring the nari partner

Narien — Pregnant

Nari’ma — The orgasm which releases the egg to be fertilized. A stimulator is used to initiate the orgasm without conceiving; this is very popular and most Ke Mira have several.

Rach – Fuck

Sa’edha – An animal that sheds its tusks every year; the ivory is prized for its ability to warm quickly and for its high tensile strength while still remaining somewhat pliable

Saiph Chara — Penis

Saiph Mira — Sword of the People (the Assassins)

Saiph turo — Sword of truth (an expletive)

Tyl— Semen

Walat — A small, furry, helpless animal kept as a pet

Zihr Chara — Clit

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Starr was born in west Texas and, except for the years she spent in the Islands of the Mediterranean, she’s lived in the desert southwest. She currently lives with her family and one very spoiled elderly dog in a small east Texas town that has a history of gunfights and a cowboy that haunts downtown. Midnight excursions to look for the ghost of the cowboy are frequent but unfruitful as of yet. Ellen enjoys traveling around the western US and watching the Western channel when she’s not writing stories about sexy cowboys. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached at ellenstarr65@yahoo.com.

Also by Ellen Starr

Hollywood Cowboy

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BOOKSTRAND.COM

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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