The Strip Down

Exposed to the Elements (A SciFi Alien Romance)

Honey Phillips

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

About the Author

Copyright © 2021 by Honey Phillips

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover by Maria Spada Book Cover Design

Edited by Lindsay York at LY Publishing Services

Created with Vellum

Chapter One

Amanda picked up her tote bag and did a last quick check of her classroom. The bean seedlings in a neat row on the windowsill had all been watered. Hammy the hamster’s food and water dispensers were full and he had clean litter. The brightly colored spring flowers her third graders had made from tissue paper were arranged in a colorful bouquet. She gave a satisfied nod, then closed the door behind her.

Everything would be in good shape when she returned after spring break.

Not that it feels much like spring, she thought with a shiver as she stepped out into the empty school grounds. The sky was dark and overcast, and the cold breeze made her tug her scarf closer around her neck, half regretting that she had chosen to walk today. But her small house was less than ten minutes from the school and unless it was raining or she was bringing in project materials, she tried to walk most days.

She crossed the road into the park, almost deserted since the cold weather had driven the children inside. Except for one. Her heart ached as she recognized the small figure on one of the swings.

“Hi, Billy,” she said, sitting down on the swing next to him. “What are you doing out here?”

He shrugged, scuffing his feet in the ruts beneath the swing. “Nothing much.”

Despite his attempt to sound casual, his thin shoulders were hunched defensively beneath a too-thin sweater.

“What happened to your coat?” she asked gently. She had made arrangements to buy him a new one as a Christmas present.

He shrugged again. “Jeanine said Ronnie needed it more ‘cause he’s littler than me.”

She did her best to hide her frustration. Jeanine, Billy’s foster mother, showed an obvious preference for her own son, but Amanda hadn’t thought she would go as far as taking away Billy’s clothes.

“I could get you a new one,” she suggested.

He immediately straightened his shoulders and gave her a defiant glare. “I don’t need no charity.”

“I know you don’t, but it was a gift for you, not for Ronnie.”

His fierce scowl didn’t change, and she was afraid he was going to refuse, but finally his face softened. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Good,” she said, and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

What was it about this one child that tugged so much on her heartstrings? He had an untidy shock of red hair and a pale, thin face covered with freckles. His whole body was composed of sharp angles, from his pointed nose to his bony elbows. He was prickly and defiant and already labeled as a disciplinary problem. But she could see the bright, loving, creative child behind the façade and she longed with all her heart to nurture him.

“I suppose I’d better be getting home,” she said finally. “And you should too—it’s getting colder.”

“Jeanine told me to stay out until suppertime.”

She bit back an angry protest. “Why would she do that?”

“Ronnie’s at his grandma’s, and she had a… friend coming over.”

She could guess what he meant by friend. This was a small town, and Jeanine’s interest in the opposite sex wasn’t much of a secret.

Amanda had tried raising the issue with Mrs. Dublin, Billy’s caseworker. The older woman had sighed, looking at her over the top of her glasses.

“I know, dear. But they are only rumors. She met all of the requirements to be a foster parent and she has passed all of her home checks.”

“Billy needs more than someone who’s just making sure the boxes are ticked.”

“I agree with you, but until you’re certified, the only other choice would be to send him back to a larger home in the city. And I moved him here to get him away from that environment.”

“I remember.” When Mrs. Dublin met with her to let her know that Billy would be in her class, the caseworker had shared enough of his background to make her blood run cold.

The more she had gotten to know Billy, the more she had come to care for the little boy. In less than a month, she had been determined to provide a better home for him. She had applied to become a foster parent, but it wasn’t a fast process. All she could do was to wait as patiently as possible until she was certified.

Looking at Billy now didn’t make it any easier.

“Do you want me to take you home? I can talk to Jeanine.”

“Nah. I don’t wanna be there anyway when Dave’s there. I don’t like him.”

She couldn’t blame him—she didn’t think much of Dave Roberts either. A big man with a loud voice and a mean temper, he had no respect for anyone smaller or weaker than him.

“In that case, why don’t you come home with me instead? I was going to make cookies, and I could use an expert taster.”

For a moment, she thought his pride would cause him to refuse, but then his gap-toothed grin split his face. “I reckon I could do that.”

The cookie making was a success. Billy ate so much of the raw dough that she was afraid he was going to be sick, but he devoured the finished product with undiminished enthusiasm. He even helped her clean up the kitchen before she walked him home, proudly carrying his share of the cookies.

Jeanine met them at the door, flushed and smiling, and Amanda couldn’t help the tiniest pang of jealousy. How long had it been since she’d had an afternoon encounter? Or any encounter for that matter? There weren’t a lot of prospects in their small town, and her teaching position made casual pickups a bad idea.

Then Jeanine grabbed the bag of cookies and ordered Billy off to the bedroom to do his homework, and Amanda’s jealousy disappeared under a tide of annoyance.

“No homework today,” Amanda said as patiently as possible, as Billy’s face tightened and he slouched away. “It’s the beginning of spring break.”

“Oh, God. That means I’m going to be stuck in the house all day.” Jeanine gave her a shrewd look. “What are you going to be doing? Heading south for some fun?”

The other woman laughed at her own question, obviously convinced that Amanda was incapable of fun.

“No, I have some painting to do.”

Painting she hoped would transform her second bedroom into a welcoming environment for an eight-year-old boy. She had casually questioned Billy about his interests while they were baking and decided to abandon her original plan for a cowboy theme and replace it with spaceships. His face had glowed when they talked about space.

“Better you than me.” Jeanine giggled. “I always get one of my friends to help me with that sort of thing. They’ll do anything for me.”

She swallowed a sarcastic response before it could escape. The other woman was probably right. No matter what Amanda thought of her parenting skills, Jeanine was cute and bubbly and knew how to use her charms to get what she wanted.

“I thought I would get Billy another coat,” she said, changing the subject.

Jeanine didn’t even flinch.

“Why bother?” The other woman shrugged casually. “Spring is already here, and he’ll outgrow it by next year anyway.”

“Because it’s still cold,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Not that cold.” Jeanine gestured at the low-cut tank top and cutoff denim shorts she was wearing. “I’m already in my summer clothes.”

“But you’re inside.”

Bright red lips curved into a pout that Jeanine’s friends would no doubt have found irresistible. Amanda wasn’t moved.

“He needs a coat when he goes out,” she insisted.

“Fine. I’ll see if he can wear one of Ronnie’s next time. Now I have things to do.” With a disgruntled huff, Jeanine slammed the door.

Amanda fumed all the way home. After calling Mrs. Dublin to report the events of the afternoon, she buried her frustration by taping the bedroom walls in preparation for starting to paint the next day.

But when she settled down in her bed that night, she found herself too restless to sleep. She kept remembering the look of lazy satisfaction on Jeanine’s face when she first opened the door.

Maybe I should have tried harder to work it out with Eric, she thought. But he’d wanted to get married and she hadn’t been ready to give up her independent life. She had been raised by a single mother, one who had seemed quite content on her own, and she had taught Amanda to be equally self-sufficient.

No, not marrying Eric had been the right decision. She had her house and a job she loved, and soon, she would be able to give Billy a real home.

But sometimes, like tonight, her bed seemed awfully empty.

When she finally fell into a troubled sleep, she dreamed of strong arms holding her close and eyes that looked at her as if she were the only woman on Earth.

Sunlight slanting into her eyes woke her after what felt like far too little sleep. Damn. She could have sworn she closed the curtains. Eyes still half-closed against the brightness, she started to sit up, intending to pull them tight and see if she could squeeze out another hour’s worth of sleep. But her feet landed on dirt, rather the wooden planks of her bedroom floor.

Her eyes flew open.

Her cozy bedroom had disappeared. Instead of her comfortable mattress, she was perched—naked—on a rough slab of variegated pink stone. Instead of pale yellow walls and white curtains, a vast expanse of pink desert stretched towards a distant mountain range. When she whirled around, all she could see were more slabs of stone leading up into a set of barren, rocky hills. Absolutely nothing about this place was familiar. Her heart beat so fast that she felt sick.

Where the hell was she?

And what had happened to her clothes?

This had to be some type of sick joke. Or maybe one of those reality shows. She looked around again, frantically searching for some evidence of a camera, but there was nothing. A cool breeze whispered past and she shivered, hugging herself.

There had to be some sort of rational explanation. There had to be.

She started to stand up, and as she did, her foot brushed against a woven bag. As the sight of something so obviously man made in this wilderness, relief rushed over her. Surely it had been left there for a purpose.

Hoping for some kind of explanation, she snatched it up, but the contents were almost as inexplicable as her surroundings. The only two items inside were a sheet of flexible plastic covered with unfamiliar symbols and a flat metal disk perhaps five inches in diameter. She picked it up cautiously and shook it, watching in amazement as it expanded into a small container with a lid and a thin handle. A cup? A pot of some kind?

She supposed she could use it to carry water—which looking at her barren surroundings seemed unlikely. Or possibly to cook something—if she had a way to make a fire. Useless.

Sighing, she went back to the plastic sheet. Could it be some kind of code?

No, the symbols didn’t seem to be arranged in any type of logical order. As she examined it, a surprisingly cool breeze wafted by, and she looked up, wondering if it had come from the distant mountains. Mountains.

When she glanced back down, she was sure that the line of symbols on the edge of the sheet mirrored the line of the mountains. And with a little imagination, the area with the wavy lines in front of them might represent the desert. Could it be a map?

She pored over it with growing excitement. There was a small symbol at what she thought was her current location on the edge of the desert. It looked rather like a snowman—not exactly the most flattering image, but it could represent a person.

The symbol appeared again in another location, close to what appeared to be a river. A blue and white dot with an oddly familiar design was located next to the symbol.

Could the patterned dot be intended to represent Earth? And why in that one location? A horrible suspicion popped into her mind. What if I’m not on Earth any longer?

No. It was absurd. Just because her surroundings were unfamiliar didn’t mean she was on an alien planet. Did it?

As if in response to her question, a creature hopped out of the rocks, then froze at the sight of her. About the size of a rabbit, it had sleek, rose-patterned pink fur. The back feet were big and bunny-like, but its small front paws were almost like hands. Wide blue eyes watched her from a rounded skull that sloped back to a soft point. She had never seen anything like it before.

“You’re not from Earth, are you?” she whispered.

At the sound of her voice, it sat back on its haunches and tilted its head. They stared at each other, then it suddenly hopped over and jumped up on the rock next to her.

“Umm, hello?”

The sound it made in return sounded a lot like a purr, and it rubbed its head against her arm. A little cautiously, she ran a finger over the soft fur covering its odd-shaped head. It purred again and nestled closer. When she stopped stroking it, it nudged her hand with its head. In spite of everything, she smiled.

“You’re as demanding as Hammy.”

The thought made a lump appear in her throat. Would Mr. Hobbs, the janitor, remember to check on the hamster?

And what about Billy?

She didn’t realize she was crying until a wet drop landed on her companion’s head.

“He needs me, Hammy. I’ve got to get back to him.”

If she wasn’t currently on Earth, perhaps the symbol on the map indicated a way to return. It wasn’t much, but at least it was a starting place. She checked her bearings, then stood up. The little creature looked up at her expectantly.

“I have to go now. You’d better get back to your… family.”

Her voice broke on the last word, and she quickly turned away, feeling oddly bereft. It’s for the best, she told herself. But she’d only taken a few steps before she couldn’t resist a peek over her shoulder. The rock slab was empty.

Her eyes filled with tears again, but then she felt soft fur against her ankle. When she looked down, her new friend was looking up at her hopefully.

“Does this mean you’re alone too?”

She suspected she should shoo him away, but what if he needed her? And as much as she prided herself on her independence, the presence of another living being in this desolate landscape was a huge comfort. “All right, Hammy, we’ll go together.”

Her heart inexplicably lighter, she set off once more, her new companion at her side.

Chapter Two

The temperature in Va’rik’at’char’s tank switched suddenly from hot to cold and he frowned. Frowned? He actually felt as if the expression had crossed his face—and he had no real face. The form that he and his fellow scientist La’tok’at’bron had chosen to preserve their intellects contained only minimal sensory inputs.

But he was no longer in his tank. He had a… body.

He had chosen this, he remembered now. Chosen to have his consciousness implanted in a lab-grown body so he could participate in their experiment. But what was the experiment? His memories of the lab were already fading… A warning about not corrupting the data flickered through his mind and disappeared.

He opened his eyes, blinking at the blindingly colorful vista of pinks and golds beneath an endless expanse of blue sky. Everything was so clear and vivid that he feasted on each detail, from the tiny sparkling grains of sand to a colorful avian soaring far overhead.

Then all of the other sensations started to rush in—the warm roughness of the sand beneath him, the heat of the sun on his skin and the contrasting coolness of the breeze, the feel of blood pumping through his veins. He stretched out his arm in wonder, the strong muscles responding to his thoughts as easily as he had once used his neural network to control his instruments. Sunlight gleamed on smooth purple skin as he cautiously touched his own arm, then shuddered at the sensation.

And the scents that filled the air… He found he could identify each subtle note from the dry powderiness of sunbaked rock to the faint salty tang of a distant ocean to the freshness of a young plant. Then a new scent wafted past—something sweet and delicious that he couldn’t identify. All he knew was that he wanted to find the source.

His unfamiliar body responded as well, his shaft jerking and starting to stiffen. He stared down at it in shock, even as more of that tantalizing fragrance filled his head, and it became fully erect. Feeling pulsed through it, throbbing, aching, demanding. He ordered it to subside, but it refused to obey. Why couldn’t he control it?

He started to climb to his feet, but even though those muscles at least obeyed his silent command, the unfamiliar process made him reel dizzily. His brain tried to cope with the influx of new information, and he could feel even more of his memories slipping away. Small colored dots danced in front of his eyes and he collapsed back down to his knees.

“Oh my God.”

The low, sweet voice seemed to dance across his skin, but his head was still spinning. He tried to focus on the source of the sound as he realized he was no longer alone.

There was someone on the far side of the clearing. A female. Completely different from him, but perfect. Smooth golden skin covered a body with lushly curved hips, a rounded waistline, and full, heavy breasts. Short, dark curls topped her head and were repeated in a small patch between those luscious thighs.

Mine.

The word appeared in his mind with utter certainty. How could he know such a thing?

She was too far away from him, but weakness still controlled his limbs and he couldn’t go to meet her.

“Come here,” he said.

Her eyes widened when he spoke, and she raised an arm in a vain attempt to cover those marvelous breasts. Why was she hiding herself from him?

“Are you crazy? I don’t—” She stopped and frowned at him. He watched in fascination as her small brows pulled together. “How come you speak English?”

A flash of memory. “To remedy the communication gap.”

“What do you mean?”

The words had emerged from somewhere in his mind, but they had faded again almost immediately. “I do not know. I am sorry.”

He shook his head in frustration, then groaned as the world started to spin again.

“Are you all right?”

“No. My body is not behaving correctly and my memories are… uncertain.”

She took a cautious step towards him. “Do you need a doctor? Or know how to call for one?”

“I am afraid not.”

A small furred creature—a levet, his mind prompted—hopped towards him and jumped up on his knee.

“Hammy, no!” She came closer still, twisting her hands together, and glared at him. “Don’t you hurt him.”

“Why would I hurt him? Levets are peaceful creatures.” He ran a finger down the soft fur on the creature’s back. “He is very soft.”

“A levet? Is that what he is?”

“Yes.”

She looked skeptical. “You remember that, but not how to get help? Do you at least know why you’re here?”

“No. Do you?”

She sighed, and knelt down next to him. “No. Are you wounded anywhere?”

“I do not think so. I am not in pain. Except for my cock. It aches.”

Her gaze dropped between his legs, and her eyes widened—dark eyes, he saw now, deep and mysterious. Her delectable fragrance increased.

“Well, I have no intention of helping you with that,” she said breathlessly.

Could she help him? A feeling of certainty rushed over him, but perhaps…

“You are female, are you not?”

“If you don’t know that, then your memories really are messed up,” she muttered. “But just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I’m going to help you with your… problem.”

“Are all females like you? With these large, round breasts…” Fascinated, he reached out his hand to touch the silky skin that seemed to beg for his touch.

“Stop that,” she hissed, jumping away from him. “You can’t just touch me whenever you want.”

“Why not? Are you not here for me?” Some part of his mind was quite, quite sure that he spoke the truth.

“Hell no—at least I hope not. No one asked me if I wanted to come.”

“Oh.” What she said made sense—to the best of his recollection, no one had asked him either - but he couldn’t escape the feeling that she was his. “You are sure?”

“Quite sure.”

“And I cannot touch you?”

“No!”

Her face changed color until it was almost the same shade as the sand. Fascinating. Although, perhaps not as fascinating as those tempting breasts. He gave them a regretful look, watching as they quivered gently and the small tips—nipples, his uncertain memory prompted—also turned a deeper rose, furling into tight little buds. His fingers ached with the need to touch, but she had said that it wasn’t allowed.

He sighed and returned to his visual inspection.

“Part your legs,” he told her.

“What? No!”

“But I cannot see your female parts,” he explained. “If I cannot touch you, how else can I identify the differences?”

“Look, buddy. I’m not going to give you a lecture on the birds and the bees—”

“The what?”

She rubbed the area between her small, furry brows. “I mean, I’m not going to provide you with a real life demonstration of the differences in the sexes. We are built differently. That’s all you need to know.”

“But if I do not understand the differences, how can we mate?”

Her mouth dropped open, forming a perfect little circle. An image sprang into his mind, of his cock entering that small mouth. His shaft jerked eagerly at the idea, but he decided it must be a false memory as he glanced down at the enthusiastic organ. The size difference was much too great.

“Look, buddy—”

“Why do you keep calling me that? It is not my name.”

“What is your name?”

“It’s Va… rik…” He was sure there was more, but he couldn’t drag it up.

“Va’rik?”

“Yes.” He liked the way it sounded on her lips and instantly abandoned his quest to recall more of his name.

“I’m Amanda. I am not here for you, and we are not going to mate.”

The disappointment that filled him was entirely illogical. If only he could remember more, perhaps then he would have some answers.

“But you do not know why you are here?” he asked.

“No, I just woke up here. But I know this isn’t where I belong.”

“I am not sure if I do or not.”

Perhaps he sounded as frustrated as he felt because some of the tension seemed to leave her body. She sat back on her heels and pulled out a sheet of flex plas from a woven bag.

“I found this—I think it’s a map—and there’s a location marked on it with a symbol that looks like my planet. That’s where I was heading. Did you have a map?”

He frowned, trying to remember, then noticed that there was a different texture to the rock beneath him. “I think perhaps I am sitting on it.”

“Can you move?”

“Only a little.” It was mostly true. He was beginning to regain some control over his muscles, but he could no more have moved away from her than he could have stopped breathing.

She sighed. “Try and lift up a bit, and I’ll see if I can grab it.”

He obligingly raised one hip. Her cheeks darkened again as the movement thrust his cock into greater prominence, but she bit her lip and reached beneath him.

“Got it.”

Her small fingers brushed against him as she pulled the bag free, and he almost exploded. She was as soft as he had anticipated. He wanted to demand—beg—that she touch him again. Instead, he closed his eyes and fought to bring his troublesome body under control.

“Did I hurt you?”

She sounded anxious, and he forced his eyes open, trying to give her a reassuring smile.

“My, what big teeth you have,” she whispered as her eyes widened again.

“Yours are much smaller,” he agreed.

“And I don’t have fangs. Why do I suddenly feel as if I’m Little Red Riding Hood and you’re the Big Bad Wolf?”

“I do not understand your reference.”

“It’s a story. Of a… predator who tries to appear innocent in order to trick a little girl.”

“You think I am a predator?” The thought was unexpectedly pleasing. Perhaps he did not seem as helpless as he felt.

“That’s not exactly my point. Are you really injured?”

“I never said I was injured,” he pointed out. “I just said my body wasn’t behaving correctly.”

“I’ll say,” she muttered, glancing at his cock again.

He fought the urge to raise his hips so she could inspect him more thoroughly, but she jerked her eyes away and focused on the bag.

“This looks just like mine. Can I look inside?”

“Of course.”

She reached in and pulled out a long blade, regarding it thoughtfully. “Now that’s a knife.”

“It is,” he agreed. “But I do not understand why it is necessary.”

“Maybe you have enemies you don’t remember?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. I suppose it might be useful.”

She placed the knife on the ground and triumphantly pulled out another sheet of flex plas. “And another map.”

“Is it like yours?”

Together, they bent over the two maps. He was so distracted by the warmth of her body and the scent of her hair, that he couldn’t focus on them. The levet hopped down and came over to investigate as well.

“There.” She pointed to the same location on both sheets. “I’m sure that’s the same place, but I have a planet and you have a symbol. It’s the same symbol you have on your chest.”

“My chest?”

“Your tattoo. Don’t you remember that either?”

He looked down at the symbol that covered his left pectoral—an intricate set of lines that joined together to form a four-pointed star around a central circular symbol. A distant memory nudged him, but it refused to come clear.

“We have the same destination,” he said slowly. He had the strangest feeling that the answers he was seeking were at the end of the journey—but he wasn’t sure he wanted to find them. Nonsense. Of course he wanted answers.

“Why did you come this way?” he asked, forcing his attention back to the map. “There is a gap in the hills, here, which I suspect would be an easier route.”

“But a longer one.” She traced her proposed path with a small finger. “Assuming this is to scale, this will be much faster.”

“Are you in a hurry?”

“Of course. I have to get back to Earth. I have a house and a job and people who need me.”

What if I need you? The words almost escaped before he realized they made no sense. He had just met this female. How could he need her?

“We should travel together,” he said firmly, and rose to his feet.

Chapter Three

Amanda felt her mouth drop open as the big alien stood up—and up and up. He must have been seven foot tall, towering over her before he reached down to help her up. His skin gleamed a deep, rich lavender in the sunlight, rippling over extraordinarily impressive muscles. Other than his size, he wasn’t built that differently from a human man. Of course, the fangs and the pointed ears—and the eyes that held little sparks of purple fire—were not at all human. And as for that cock…

She blushed even as she darted another glance in that direction. Deep purple, the tapered shaft descended from a slightly pointed tip in thick petals to a wide base. The fact that he seemed to sport a constant erection certainly hadn’t escaped her, but it took on new significance now that he seemed to be quite capable of movement.

“I thought your body wasn’t working properly?” She gave his hand—and him—a wary look as she climbed to her feet by herself and took a step back.

“The passage of time appears to have remedied the situation.” He smiled at her, and despite the flash of white fangs, it was a surprisingly innocent smile.

She still wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. When she had walked into the clearing and seen him lying against the rock, her first instinct had been to retreat. But then he had spoken to her—in English—and first her curiosity, and then her compassion had been raised.

“That’s good,” she said cautiously. “But it doesn’t mean we need to travel together.”

“You are a stranger here.”

“So are you.”

“Perhaps. But I find I know things about this place. I knew that Hammy was a levet.” He pointed at her companion, waiting patiently at her feet. “I know the sand can come from the desert as a great storm. And I know that water can be found where the kressi grows. But I do not know how I know these things.”

She had to admit it would be helpful to travel with someone who knew this world, but she was used to doing things by herself. Who knew if he would even stay with her?

“What if I told you I wanted to travel alone?”

“Then I would follow you and watch over you from afar,” he said promptly.

His words should have sounded stalkerish, but they didn’t. Instead, she found them oddly reassuring. And for all his size and muscles, he hadn’t made any attempt to force himself on her. Maybe he wasn’t the big, bad wolf after all.

“In that case, I suppose we might as well go together,” she muttered.

She knew she sounded ungracious, but he only smiled again and turned to lead the way, presenting her with a very fine ass.

“Umm, I don’t suppose those things you know include where to find clothing?”

He looked vaguely confused. “Should I be wearing clothing?”

“Well, yes. That’s what civilized people—I mean, beings—do. But I was actually thinking more about clothing for me.”

“You wish to cover yourself?”

She wasn’t surprised that he looked disappointed, but there was that same unexpected innocence in his expression. Did he really think nudity was standard behavior?

“I would be more comfortable,” she said firmly.

“If that is your preference, of course.”

He tilted his head to one side as if considering, then held up their two bags. “Would you consider sacrificing one of these?”

Her first instinctive reaction was to assert her ownership over one, but then she sighed. “I guess we don’t really need two of them if we’re traveling together.”

“Very well.”

He picked up his knife and set to work. One side of the bag became a crude bandeau, and the other became the front and back flaps of a very minimal loincloth, all of it tied in place with strips from the handle. She suspected they actually concealed very little, but nonetheless, she was grateful for the coverage.

At least, until she saw him tilt his head as he looked at her.

“What is it, Va’rik?”

“I was considering a paradox. You have more clothing—and yet you appear more unclothed.”

From the purple sparks in his eyes, he appreciated the contrast.

She could feel the warmth rising in her cheeks, but she ignored it. “Consider it later. Let’s get moving.”

He obeyed immediately, turning to begin the climb. His first few steps were oddly hesitant, but he was soon walking confidently amongst the rocks. His big body moved with an easy stride, his purple skin gleaming in the sunlight. She couldn’t help admiring the way his muscles flexed as he walked, fighting an unexpected impulse to explore more of that tempting body.

What are you thinking? she scolded herself. It had obviously been much too long since her last encounter with a man if she was attracted to an alien. I don’t have time for this. I have to get home.

Hammy hopped along behind Va’rik, although he kept glancing back in her direction. Va’rik seemed to assume that she would just keep up, but she quickly realized that she couldn’t maintain the same pace. Chasing around after a room full of kids all day might be tiring, but it wasn’t the same as regular exercise, and the rocky ground was hard on her feet.

“Va’rik,” she called. “Can you slow down a little?”

He stopped at once and returned to her side.

“Is something wrong?”

“I can’t walk as fast as you do.” She held up a reddened foot. “Especially when I’m barefoot.”

“Shall I carry you?” he asked eagerly, already reaching for her.

“No. Thank you,” she added. “But maybe we could walk a little slower?”

“Of course.” He frowned down her feet. “Do you require covering for your feet?”

“Can you conjure something up out of the rocks?” The question came out more sarcastically than she intended, but he seemed to take it literally, frowning around at their surroundings.

“Perhaps. Wait here.” He disappeared into the warren of stone slabs.

She was no more alone now than she had been when she first awoke, but after having companionship—even for such a short time—she felt strangely abandoned. He moved so silently, and now she couldn’t hear him at all. He hadn’t left her, had he?

She sank down on one of the slabs of rock to wait, and Hammy hopped up next to her, nudging her hand. His demand for attention made her smile, and stroking his soft fur made her feel a little better. It was silly to feel so bereft because a strange male who she had just met had gone off on some mysterious errand.

I have to rely on myself, she remembered. Her mother had impressed that on her at a very early age.

The minutes ticked by, and she was just beginning to face the fact that she would have to continue her journey on her own when Va’rik reappeared.

“Here.” He knelt down in front of her and picked up a sore foot. “So small,” he murmured. “I hope I estimated the size correctly.”

He gently rubbed the soles of her feet, his strong fingers massaging the aching flesh. God, that felt good. She was so distracted by the massage that it took her a moment to realize what he was saying.

“Size?”

“Of your foot coverings.” With a last soothing stroke, he placed what looked like a type of sandal on her foot and tied it in place, then repeated the process on her other foot.

“Where on earth did you find those?”

“I did not find them on Earth.” He tilted his head, looking confused. “I made the base from a leaf of the naani and padded it with vilit blossoms.”

“That’s amazing. How do you know how to do this?”

“I do not know.” A brief worried look crossed his face, but then he smiled at her. “As long as it gives you pleasure, I am satisfied.”

They were so close she could feel the heat emanating from his body and catch a faint spicy scent that must be coming from him. Giving into impulse, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek.

His hand flew to his cheek as she drew back. “What was that?”

“Just a kiss,” she said as lightly as possible, even though her own cheeks were heating. “To say thank you for the sandals.”

“If I make you more, will you do it again?”

Under other circumstances, she might have been offended by his assumption that she would barter her affection for material possessions. But he looked so innocent and hopeful that she didn’t have the heart to chastise him.

“I don’t need any more sandals, thank you,” she said gently.

He looked so utterly crestfallen that she almost laughed.

“Are there other ways to earn such a reward?” His hand was still pressed to the cheek she had kissed, and he still had that eager, hopeful look.

“A kiss is a sign of affection. It’s not something for which you can trade.”

“You feel affection for me?”

“In that moment, yes.” Ignoring the sadness that washed over his face, she gave him her best professional smile. “But that moment is over. We should get going.”

“Of course.”

He rose to his feet, and she had a very clear picture of the effect of her kiss. He immediately turned away, but she couldn’t forget the sight of that massive cock only inches away from her face. If he had lingered, she would almost have been tempted to lean forward and explore him.

Get a grip, she scolded herself. Yes, he was big and built and surprisingly sweet, but they were only traveling together so he could guide her to a place where she could—hopefully—return home. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake her mother had made.

Chapter Four

The sandals were a little awkward, but the cushioning was very welcome against the stony ground as they resumed their journey. Va’rik slowed his pace considerably, walking next to her rather than leading the way. Hammy hopped around their feet, sometimes darting ahead and sometimes falling behind to investigate an intriguing plant, but he always seemed to keep them in sight.

Now that she wasn’t hurrying after Va’rik, she actually found herself enjoying the journey. The sun was warm but not unpleasantly hot, and as they climbed, more plants appeared, softening the harsh terrain. He pointed out a collection of small bushes, and she recognized their wide, pale blue leaves as the base of her sandals. A low, fuzzy yellow plant that grew beneath the bushes had provided the cushioning.

When they reached a grove of scraggly trees covered with small purple globes, he came to a halt, considering them thoughtfully. “I believe this fruit is edible.”

He reached out and plucked one, biting into it before she could object. As soon as he took the bite, he shuddered violently and immediately spat it back out.

“Most unpleasant.”

“Is it poisonous?” she asked worriedly.

He hesitated, his head tilting to one side, then shook his head. “No, merely unpleasant.”

She looked regretfully at the remains of the fruit. Her stomach was beginning to remind her that it had been a long time since she had eaten. Not that I know exactly how long, she thought, and quickly decided she didn’t want to consider the unknown period. The fact that she had been transported from her own bed to an alien planet without any knowledge that it was happening was still deeply disturbing.

As she looked down at Va’rik’s discarded fruit, she saw a pale lavender interior beneath the thick purple outer shell and had a sudden inspiration.

“Can you get another one of those for me?” she asked him.

He immediately picked another fruit, but he hesitated before handing it to her. “Are you sure? I do not want you to experience the same sensation.”

“I just want to try something.” She took the fruit and used her thumbnail to dig into the thick outer casing, then pulled it back to reveal the soft inner flesh. Once she had peeled about a quarter of the fruit, she gave it a small, cautious lick. Delicious. It tasted somewhat like an apple, but with the soft texture of a banana. Her stomach gurgled happily as she took an actual bite.

Va’rik looked appalled when she smiled.

“You enjoy that taste?”

“I think it’s only the outer skin that doesn’t taste good. Try peeling it like this.”

He looked skeptical, but he followed her instructions. He raised the peeled fruit to his mouth with all the enthusiasm of one of her third graders facing a stalk of broccoli. His cautious bite was even more tentative than hers had been, but then he closed his eyes and groaned happily.

“This is delicious,” he said thickly as he devoured the rest of the fruit.

“We probably shouldn’t eat too many until we know if they have any side effects, but we could pick some more to take with us.”

He nodded, but he was looking at her rather than the tree.

“What—”

Before she could finish her question, he bent down and brushed his lips against hers. Firm and still damp from the juice, they pressed against her mouth with an unexpectedly sensual pleasure. Almost unconsciously, she started to lean into him, but then he drew back, leaving her staring up at him.

“Why did you do that?”

“To thank you for showing me the secret of the fruit.”

His expression was as innocent as ever, but there was a definite hint of male satisfaction in the curve of his lips. Hmm. Was it possible that he wasn’t as innocent as he appeared?

“You don’t have to kiss someone every time you thank them,” she said sternly.

“No?” he asked. “It seems a most enjoyable practice.”

She shook her head and pointed at the tree. “Are you going to gather some more fruit?”

“Hedlar,” he said as he turned to follow her instructions. “I have just remembered that they are called hedlar.”

While he collected them, she sat down on one of the nearby rocks. Hammy looked up at her hopefully so she peeled another one of the hedlar and fed it to him.

“If you can remember the name of the fruit, does that mean your memory is coming back?”

Va’rik shook his head. “No, there are many gaps. I still don’t know why I’m here. But sometimes when I see something, I know more about it.”

He finished filling his bag with hedlar and came to sit next to her on the rock. “It is most disconcerting. I feel as if my mind is filled with locked doors and I do not know what is behind any of the doors until one of them opens. Trying to remember is… uncomfortable.”

“I’m sorry. That must be really hard.”

Without thinking, she patted his leg consolingly. Her hand looked impossibly small on the expanse of smooth purple skin, and she felt his muscles tense. She started to pull back, but before she could withdraw her hand, he placed his own on top of hers.

“It would be harder if I did not have your… companionship,” he said softly.

Warmth flared in his eyes as he looked down at her. Suspecting that another thank you kiss was on the way, she jumped to her feet. “We should get going.”

“You are always in a hurry,” he observed mildly as he rose to join her.

“I have a life to get back to—and someone who’s depending on me.”

A noise that sounded suspiciously like a growl erupted from his throat. “Who is depending on you? Another male?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no. Well, yes, I suppose in a way. He’s a child.”

“You have a child?”

He looked horrified, and his skin actually paled to an ashy lavender. Did he have a problem with children?

She crossed her arms and frowned at him. “He’s one of my students, but I want to provide a home for him.”

Some of his color returned. “He is not a biological child?”

“What difference does that make?” Offended by his obvious relief, she scowled. “He still needs me.”

“But I need you too!” The words seemed to burst from his mouth before he turned and paced back towards the trees.

“Va’rik, you don’t even know me,” she snapped. “Now are you coming with me or not?”

He didn’t respond, stalking off in the direction they had been traveling. She sighed and followed him. They hadn’t traveled very far before he returned to her side.

“I apologize, Amanda.”

She searched his face, but he appeared to be sincere. “Why does it bother you so much that I have to return to Earth?”

“Because I am sure that you were brought here for me. And yet, how can that be true if you have a duty to a child?”

It did seem highly coincidental that they had ended up so close together, especially since there was no one else around. “But you don’t remember why you think this?”

He shook his head. “It is another door, and this one seems to be the most heavily guarded.”

“Do you think that if you remember, you might know how I was brought here? And how I could get home?”

“It is possible,” he said reluctantly. “I could try again tonight if you would like.”

She had seen how much it pained him to try and remember, and his willingness to make the effort on her behalf touched her. Impulsively, she lifted his hand to her lips. This should be safe enough, she thought as she pressed a quick kiss to the back of his hand.

But his body still tensed and she saw the heavy weight of his cock start to expand as soon as her lips touched him. Oops.

“Is that another thank you kiss?” he asked stiffly.

“Yes. I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to try and find answers for me.”

“I would do anything for you.” His sincerity made her uncomfortable, but before she could respond, a thoughtful expression crossed his face. “These thank you kisses can be given in different locations?”

“Umm, yes, I suppose so.”

He looked down at her, his eyes gleaming speculatively. Her stomach quivered and her nipples tightened as she suddenly pictured all of the other places he could kiss her.

“I see,” he said thoughtfully, and turned his attention back to their path.

They walked until well after noon, finally pausing when he found a trickle of water flowing from beneath a rock. They stopped to drink and eat more fruit. It was a pleasant little clearing, with a patch of low-growing vegetation around the spring. Hammy nibbled happily at the leaves while she relaxed back against a sun-warmed boulder.

“We could rest here for the night,” Va’rik suggested.

She was tempted, especially when she stretched and felt the ache in her legs. This place was well suited as a campsite, especially with the spring, but when she checked the map, they hadn’t covered much distance.

“If we keep going, do you think it will be hard to find another water source? We can carry some in my pot, but it won’t be much.”

He tilted his head as if listening to the internal voice again. “I do not think it will be difficult. There is more vegetation as we climb, and there should be more water as well.”

“In that case, I’d like to keep going. We should have a few more hours of daylight, and it would be nice to make a little more progress.”

This time he didn’t question her desire to keep moving. He simply nodded and went to fill the water container before they set out again. They continued to wind their way slowly up through the hills until they reached a small plateau. Va’rik stopped and frowned at the landscape in front of them.

She followed his gaze but didn’t see anything remarkable. The hills undulated out into the distance, their highest peaks only a short distance above them.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“I do not know. The most direct route is up there along the ridgeline. But something is telling me that we should stay below it and take the longer way that curves around the hills.”

“But you don’t know why?”

He shook his head. “I do not have sufficient data. But since you desire to reach our destination as quickly as possible, it would be foolish to take an alternate route based on nothing more than a feeling.”

Despite his words, he didn’t resume walking.

She studied the terrain, considering the two options. Following the ridgeline did seem more appealing, not only because he had said it was the faster route, but because the way was clearer. If they followed the curve of the hills, they wouldn’t be able to walk in a straight line because they would have to maneuver around the many boulders and patches of vegetation.

“I agree,” she said. “Let’s go along the ridgeline. I don’t see anything to worry about.”

But as they set forth, an unexplainable chill made her edge closer to his side.

Chapter Five

Va’rik led the way up towards the ridgeline, even though he still felt unsure about choosing this path. But his female wished to go this way, and therefore, they would travel along the ridge.

His female? No matter how much she denied it, he was sure that she was his. But despite that certainty, the thought of the child both worried him and filled him with a deep, aching sadness. To be blessed with both a mate and a child—could any male ask for more?

He pushed aside the longing and focused on the path instead. As he had expected, traveling along the ridgeline was easier than the climb through the hills. Fewer of the boulders that cluttered the hillside blocked their route, and they had a clear view of their surroundings. He could look back down over the hills and out across the desert to the distant line of the mountains. The thick vegetation on the other side of the ridge obscured the view in that direction, but he caught an occasional glimpse of the ocean through the trees.

As the sun began to descend over the ocean, those same trees sent dark shadows creeping across their path. An uneasy feeling trickled down his spine, even though there was no logical reason behind it. Amanda’s companion seemed equally unhappy, hovering closer and closer to her heels until she finally sighed and picked him up. Va’rik felt an unexpected pang of envy as she snuggled the small creature to her chest.

“Would you like me to carry him?”

“No, it’s fine. He’s not very heavy.”

But despite her protest, her steps slowed even more and she looked tired. Perhaps they should make camp for the night.

He started looking for a suitable resting place and finally located a small clearing formed by a half circle of boulders on the forested side of the ridge. Prompted by the knowledge he still didn’t understand, he came to a halt and gestured at the area.

“We should rest here tonight.”

Despite her obvious weariness, she hesitated, looking at the sky. “The sun is still up.”

He tried not to let her anxiety to reach their destination bother him—not entirely successfully.

“It is, but I will need daylight to gather wood and hunt for food.” Or did he? Something about the need for light seemed incorrect, but he did not retract his statement. She needed to rest. “This is a good place. The ground is level, and the rocks will provide protection from the wind. It should be easy to find food and water in the woods.”

She still looked torn, so he added a final argument. “We will travel more quickly tomorrow if we are adequately rested tonight.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Despite her seeming reluctance, she breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down on one of the rocks, then gave him a rueful grin. “I guess my hiking skills could use some work. And my camping skills, for that matter.” She looked uncertainly around the clearing. “How are you going to make a fire?”

The memory tugged at him and he tilted his head, trying to bring it into focus.

“Those rocks—the small dark ones—will create a spark when struck together.” As soon as he spoke, he knew it was true. But how did he know these things? He had no recollection of ever performing such a task.

No matter. His first priority was to care for his female.

“I will gather wood.”

“I can help.” She started to struggle to her feet.

“No. You will remain here.”

He removed the bag he had been carrying and handed it to her. “Drink some of the water we collected.”

Her small brows drew together in an attempt to look fierce. It was entirely adorable.

“You’re awfully bossy for a naked alien.”

Bossy? The translation took a moment to occur, and then he smiled.

“You recognize that I am in charge of your wellbeing? This pleases me.”

“That wasn’t exactly what I meant.” She sighed and waved a hand. “Never mind. Go gather your wood.”

A short time later, Va’rik looked around their small campsite, satisfaction and unease battling for dominance, even though he could find no reason for concern. The fire he had built—after considerable trial and error—burned merrily. Amanda’s pot hung over the flames, full of the karapa he had caught. Edible tubers baked in the coals at the edge. His female would not go hungry tonight.

After he had returned from gathering wood, she had borrowed his knife and proceeded to cut some of the smaller branches from the trees at one edge of the clearing.

“They’ll be more comfortable to sleep on than the ground,” she assured him. “Or at least I think they will be. I was never a Girl Scout.”

“A Girl Scout?”

“It’s an organization that teaches outdoor skills.”

“Ah.” He realized that she was making two neat piles with the branches. “But we do not require these branches.”

“You might not, but I do. Especially after that walk today. Every bone in my body hurts.”

Panic washed over him. “You are injured?”

“Not except for my pride.” She grinned at him, and he relaxed. “I thought I was in a little bit better shape.”

“I do not see how your shape could be any better,” he told her truthfully, admiring the sway of her breasts and the soft curves of her hips beneath the thin strips of cloth as she moved around the clearing.

The deep rose tinted her golden skin. “You do say the sweetest things.”

“I speak only the truth. As I did when I said we would not need the branches. You will sleep on me, and I will protect you from the hard ground.”

“You always seem pretty hard yourself,” she muttered, and he saw her flash a quick glance at his cock which was, in fact, once again erect after watching her move.

“I believe the presence of one’s mate always has that effect.”

“Va’rik, I told you. We are not mates.”

He was sure she was incorrect, but he did not want to cause her distress. “As you wish.”

She stared at him, and then her lips curved even as she shook her head. “Someone has certainly taught you all the right lines.”

“I do not believe that anyone has taught me,” he said as he went to tend to their meal, but the thought troubled him.

Why did his memories enable him to assist her? How could he even understand her, for that matter? He tried to force himself to remember, but it only sent a blinding streak of pain through his head.

“Is something wrong?” she asked softly, and he looked up to find her giving him a worried look.

“My head aches when I try and remember some things.”

“Then stop trying. Maybe it will come back to you naturally.”

“But they are the areas that may give you the answers you seek. You asked me to remember.”

He was really so sweet, Amanda thought, smiling at him across the fire. He smiled back—a sweet smile, despite the fangs. How quickly she had adjusted to his features. Human men were going to have a lot to live up to—and why did that make her unexpectedly sad? She had survived just fine on her own all this time, and that wasn’t going to change now.

She would focus on taking care of Billy, just as her mother had focused on her.

Va’rik announced that their food was ready and she joined him eagerly. The baked tubers turned out to have a deep green flesh that tasted nothing like potato, but still had a pleasant starchy consistency. The small water creatures he had gathered from the nearby stream and boiled over the fire were a little more of a stretch. They had way too many legs for her liking, even though she tried to convince herself they were just an alien form of shrimp. She did her best not to look at them too closely, but the little salty-sweet morsels were tasty enough. Hammy certainly didn’t have any objection to their appearance, gulping them down, shell and all.

“That was delicious,” she told Va’rik when she finished.

He flashed her a smile as he went to wash and refill their container with water.

“I am glad. But you helped to gather the tubers—although I would have been happy to provide for you.”

She caught the faint reproach in his voice and smiled.

“I like knowing how to take care of myself. My mother raised me to be independent.” Her lips curved in a reminiscent smile. “She was a very strong woman—she had to be. My father left when I was very young, and she brought me up by herself.”

“You left her back on Earth?”

For some reason he seemed distressed. As if she’d had any say in her abduction.

“I didn’t,” she said shortly. “She was in a car accident three years ago.”

That was when she had decided to move to Bakersville and make a new start. The city had held too many memories.

“I am sorry.”

“Do you remember if you have a family?”

He tilted his head, then winced. “I do not know—but I do not think so.”

“So I guess we’re both alone.”

He gazed at her solemnly. “I am not alone. I am with you.”

An unexpected lump appeared in her throat. She appreciated his companionship also, even though it couldn’t last.

Hammy had been dozing at her side, but he suddenly squeaked and jumped into her lap. His whole body trembled.

“What’s wrong with you?” She looked anxiously at Va’rik. “I don’t know what happened, but he seems terrified.”

Va’rik tensed, his eyes searching the skies. She couldn’t see anything in the darkness, but he suddenly grabbed his knife and leapt to his feet.

“Get down!” he yelled, just as something huge and nightmarish dove down from the skies.

The flickering firelight made it difficult to see clearly, but she caught glimpses of a long, pointed beak and huge bat-like wings as Va’rik fought the flying creature. Terrified, she crouched by the fire as they battled. She saw a long, wet gash appear on Va’rik’s shoulder, then heard the creature squawk as his knife caught it. He moved with uncanny grace, his big body whirling and leaping to meet the attack.

She knew she should help him, but she was too frightened to move. Some independent woman I turned out to be, she thought bitterly, but then there was another squawk and a second creature appeared. It dove at Va’rik’s unprotected back, and despite her fear, she knew she had to help him.

Tucking a shivering Hammy under the closest boulder, she searched desperately for some kind of weapon. She spotted the end of a branch sticking out of the fire and grabbed it with a shaking hand. Brandishing the flaming end, she swung it at the second creature with a hoarse cry.

An eye turned in her direction, cold and yellow, and the long beak opened to reveal serrated teeth lining both sides. Time slowed to a crawl as it circled in her direction, and she tightened her grip on her makeshift weapon. With a sudden rush, it dove for her, and she swung the branch. She felt it connect with a solid thud, her arms shaking with the impact, but somehow she managed to retain her grip on the makeshift weapon as the creature squawked and veered away. The sickening smell of burnt flesh filled the clearing as it circled again. She braced herself as it began its descent, and then Va’rik was there.

Avoiding the outstretched claws, he grabbed the flying creature’s long, thin neck, then whipped it around with a hard jerk. She heard the crack as its neck broke, and then the clearing was silent.

Chapter Six

Amanda stood, locked in place, as Va’rik tossed the flying creature aside without a second glance, then turned to her, running his hands frantically over her body. Her pulse thundered so loudly in her veins that she barely heard his anxious questions.

“Are you injured? Did it damage you?”

“I’m fine.” Her voice shook, and her knees trembled, but she tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“Thank the gods.” He drew her into his arms, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe, but she returned the embrace just as desperately. She could feel his body shaking. “My brave, foolish mate. How could you put yourself in danger like that?”

“There were two of them.” She recovered enough to give him an indignant look. “I wasn’t going to let it attack you from behind.”

“It would have been less painful than seeing the rentava diving at you,” he said firmly. “Where is Hammy?”

“Under the… No, he’s right here,” she amended as tiny paws seized her ankle. She reached down and picked him up, cuddling him close as he squeaked anxiously.

Va’rik reached over and stroked his head. “I am grateful that he warned us.”

“Me too. Such a brave boy.”

As she cooed over Hammy, Va’rik reluctantly let her go and began gathering their few supplies. “We need to leave this place.”

“But why?” She hated the idea of traveling in the dark where they would be unable to see another attack.

“The bodies may attract more of their kind—or other predators. I would take them away, but I would have to leave you alone in order to do so.” His eyes focused on her face, burning with sparks of purple fire. “And I will not do that.”

Her heart gave an unwilling jump. He will leave, she reminded herself. Everyone does.

“All right.” She cuddled Hammy closer to her chest as Va’rik kicked sand over their small fire and the darkness rushed in. “But I don’t see very well in the dark.”

“You will not need to see.”

A hint of spice and a rush of warmth were the only warning before he lifted her into his arms.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t walk,” she protested half-heartedly. After their encounter with those horrible flying things, being snuggled against a big muscular chest was undeniably appealing.

“You can’t walk if you can’t see.” He sounded amused, even as he hurried into the darkness.

“I suppose not. I’m not too heavy?”

“A small female and an even smaller levet? I could carry a much larger female without taxing my strength.”

An unexpected pang of jealousy hit her. She didn’t like the idea of him carrying anyone else. But he would have to after she left, her inner voice pointed out. That is, if there were any others…

“Are there other females—I mean, people on this planet?”

“I do not know.”

She felt him tense, and quickly changed the subject.

“Why are we going downhill?”

Despite the darkness, her eyes had adjusted enough to realize that he was carrying her down the heavily wooded side of the ridge.

“The rentava hunt along the ridgeline.”

There was no censure in his voice, but she still winced guiltily. “You tried to tell me you didn’t think we should go that way.”

“But I had no logic to support my argument.” She felt his chest move as he sighed. “Unfortunately, my memory only seems to be activated by actual encounters.”

“I certainly hope we don’t activate any more like that.”

His arms tightened in a quick hug. “That would be my preference as well.”

They continued to descend, and although she tried to keep an eye on the sky for danger, the darkness and the dense growth allowed for only limited visibility. On the positive side, hopefully that meant the flying creatures could not see them either.

The vegetation began to thin out as the terrain turned rocky again, and she could see stars twinkling overhead. Va’rik’s pace slowed.

“I will find another place where we can rest. But I think perhaps no fire.”

“Fine with me.”

He slowed even more, obviously searching their surroundings, and finally gave a satisfied grunt. “I believe this will do.”

He carried her into a narrow crevice in the rocks. It wasn’t exactly a cave, since she could see a thin line of night sky above, but the overhead gap was too small to permit the creatures to enter. The passage widened at the bottom, so there was room for them to sit in relative comfort. Va’rik collapsed with a grateful sigh, still holding her on his lap.

“I told you I was too heavy,” she scolded.

“And I told you that you were not. But my shoulder is somewhat uncomfortable.”

Her stomach twisted as she remembered the gash she had seen earlier. “Oh no. I forgot that you were injured. I should never have let you carry me.”

“Having you in my arms made the wound far less painful. It is only a scratch.”

“It didn’t look like a scratch to me. Let me see.”

Despite his protest, she scrambled off his lap, sitting Hammy down next to him. The levet curled into a sleepy ball, and Va’rik stroked him as she retrieved the water bottle.

“Now bend forward.”

There was just enough light that she could see the dark streak of the wound. Although it didn’t seem to be bleeding, it was caked with dried blood. After a moment’s thought, she removed the back panel of her loincloth, wet it, and used it to clean the long gash. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be too deep. When she was finished, she used his knife to tear the damp cloth into strips and tied the crude bandage in place.

“There. As long as it doesn’t get infected, you should be fine.”

“I do not think this body is easily infected.”

His tone was suspiciously casual, and she frowned at him. “Is that an actual memory?”

He gave a half-shrug and pulled her back onto his lap. “I’m not sure, but the wound is not bothering me.”

His fingers gently stroked her hip, and she realized that without the back of her loincloth, her naked butt was perched directly on the smooth skin of his muscular thighs.

The adrenaline lingering in her system made her skin feel shivery and urgent. His body was warm and hard beneath hers, his ever erect cock an intriguing thickness against her thigh. A reckless impulse swept over her. There was no one here to see, no one to report her wanton behavior. There was only the night sky and the whispering breeze and her big, sweet alien.

“Va’rik?” she whispered.

“Yes, my mate?”

“Do you remember that you asked if thank you kisses could be given in other places?”

“Yes.” His body tensed.

“I’m going to give you a little demonstration. Just hold still, okay?”

“Hold still?”

She swung around until she was straddling his lap. “Don’t move.”

“Why would I—oh,” he groaned as she began pressing a line of small, sucking kisses down his neck.

His body turned rigid and she could hear him panting, but he obeyed her as she moved lower. She found the small, dark nubs of his nipples and suckled them gently. He groaned again, the sound almost pained. Startled, she drew back.

“Am I hurting you?”

“Only in the most delightful of ways,” he assured her, but she could hear the strain in his voice.

“Are you sure?”

“I have never experienced such pleasure—but I want to thank you in return.”

The thought sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine, but she wasn’t quite ready to give up control.

“Not yet,” she whispered, moving lower until she hovered over the head of his cock. So different, and yet so tantalizing. She swiped her tongue across the tip, and he shuddered, but no drops of precum appeared. Perhaps his race didn’t respond the same way? But as she traced her tongue along one of the petaled edges of his shaft, delicious little pearls of fluid rewarded her explorations. He tasted like cinnamon candy, and she felt a corresponding rush of heat in her own body.

“Amanda,” he gasped, his hips jerking up.

“Does this feel good?”

Without waiting for his response, she continued working her way slowly down his shaft, thoroughly exploring each petal as more of his sweetness teased her tongue. His body was so rigid that it was trembling, but he still didn’t move. Determined to reward his obedience, she reversed her path until she was hovering over the head once more. His size almost gave her second thoughts, but she wanted to please him. Stretching her mouth around his head, she slowly eased her way down until she reached the first ring of petals, then sucked.

His hoarse cry echoed through the narrow canyon as a rush of sweet, spicy liquid filled her mouth. She did her best to swallow it all as he shuddered beneath her. Her own body throbbed, her nipples tight and her clit aching, but pleasing him was remarkably satisfying.

Raising her head, she looked up at him. His eyes were fixed on her face, sparks of purple fire glowing in the depths, and his tattoo seemed to flicker with the same light.

“Was that another type of thank you kiss?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Hopefully he couldn’t see her blushing in the darkness. “I suppose you could call it that.”

“You are changing color again,” he said, dashing her hopes.

“So are you.” She traced the lines of his tattoo, then frowned. The hint of light had disappeared. “Or at least I thought you were. Does your tattoo glow?”

“I do not know.” He shrugged, his eyes still focused on her face. “May I move now?”

“Yes,” she said, a little cautiously.

He immediately pulled her up against his chest, his arms tightening around her as he buried his face against her neck.

“I would kill a thousand rentavas to be thanked in such a manner.”

An unexpected feeling of guilt made her wince.

“I wasn’t thinking about that,” she said truthfully. “I just wanted to make you happy.”

“As long as we are together, I am happy.”

He didn’t seem to expect her to say anything, but as she nestled closer, she realized that she felt surprisingly content. It had been an exhausting, confusing, and sometimes terrifying day, but together they had made it through. Together…

As much as she would love to think she could have managed by herself, Va’rik’s presence had been undeniably helpful. Despite his uncertain memory, he seemed to be at home on this strange planet. She thought a little ruefully of the two beds of branches she had so carefully gathered, but she suspected that he had been right all along. This was much more comfortable.

He was such a mystery, she thought, as she snuggled into the warmth of his big body. An intriguing combination of innocence and knowledge, sweetness and ferocity. Under other circumstances, she wouldn’t have minded slowing the pace of the journey so they could spend the time getting to know each other. Jeanine’s suggestion of a fun spring break sprang to mind, and she choked back a laugh. Somehow, she doubted this was what the other woman had in mind.

But the thought also reawakened her concerns about Billy. No matter how much she was enjoying her time with Va’rik, she had to get back to Earth as soon as possible.

But they couldn’t travel in the dark and the events of the day were catching up with her. They would just have to get an early start in the morning, she decided, as exhaustion swept over her and she succumbed to sleep.

Chapter Seven

Va’rik stayed awake long after his female had fallen asleep, her delightful body curled trustingly in his arms. His body still hummed with pleasure. Had he ever experienced such a sensation before? He couldn’t believe that he would have forgotten, but perhaps it was only because Amanda had been the one thanking him that it had been so overwhelming.

His sweet mate. Except… She still did not accept that they were mates. There had to be an answer hidden somewhere in his memories.

He spent the rest of the night trying to unlock the secrets buried in his brain, but by the time the sun rose, all he had achieved was an aching head. Then Amanda opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile and his headache was forgotten. Her eyes were heavy, her cheeks flushed, and her soft body unbearably tempting. He wanted to… thank her.

Before she could sit up, he flipped their positions so that she was lying in the soft sand and he was leaning over her. Her eyes widened.

“Va’rik? What are you doing?”

“It is my turn to thank you,” he said, and dropped his head to her neck.

She mumbled something that might have been a protest, but when he pressed his mouth to the tempting hollow just beneath her ear, he felt her nipples harden against his chest.

Mmm, she tasted delicious. Her sweet fragrance filled his senses as he kissed his way down her neck, then hovered uncertainly over her breasts. Would she enjoy his mouth there as he had enjoyed her mouth on him?

He curled his tongue around a small, tempting peak and gave it a gentle tug. He heard her gasp and started to pull away, but then her hands came to his head, pulling him closer. It appeared she approved.

Encouraged by her reaction, he licked and sucked and teased the small bud until it was dark and swollen, then happily repeated his actions on her other breast. Her small, encouraging cries drove him on as he discovered exactly how to please her.

Greatly daring, he slipped a hand down across her silky stomach to the small patch of curls between her thighs. Her legs parted for him, and her intoxicating fragrance increased as he discovered the slick heat between her legs. Unable to resist, he abandoned her luscious breasts and dipped between her thighs.

Her delicate folds were already flushed pink and glistening as he studied her eagerly, not quite sure how to proceed. But he had enjoyed it when she licked him. Perhaps…

He gently parted her lips and swiped his tongue along the glistening flesh in one long stroke. She cried out and her hips arched up, even as her taste exploded in his mouth, making him dizzy with desire. His cock throbbed, heavy and demanding, but he ignored it, lost in this new delight. He explored every inch, discovering the tight little entrance to her body and the small pearl of flesh that made her quiver and clutch his shoulders. He concentrated his efforts there, swirling his tongue around the hard little nub until her body tightened and her climax took her.

A fresh rush of liquid heat met his tongue, and he lapped at it eagerly, enjoying the way her body fluttered against his tongue until it finally stilled.

He raised his head as her eyes opened, dazed with pleasure.

“Thank you,” he said solemnly.

Her lips curved. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“You did that last night,” he pointed out. “I was thanking you for that experience.”

She started to laugh, and he tilted his head.

“I am happy that you are amused, but I do not understand.”

“It just occurred to me that this could continue indefinitely. I thank you and you thank me and on and on.”

What a delightful prospect. “I have no objection to that plan.”

A shadow crossed her face, then she gently pushed him away and sat up. “We won’t be together forever. Just until we reach the location on the map—assuming that it actually is the way to return to Earth.”

He could feel the sorrow washing over him as well, but he resolutely pushed it aside. He had promised to accompany her to her destination.

“Speaking of which,” she continued. “Do you know where we are?”

“I think so.” He pulled out the map and studied it as they ate leftover tubers to break their fast. “We can retrace our steps up to the ridgeline, then go down the other side to continue our journey.”

She sighed. “In other words, we’re back to the long way.”

“I am afraid so.” As much as he welcomed the additional time with her, he hated the look of disappointment on her face. As he tried to think of an alternative, he looked up to see Hammy hopping away from them down the narrow canyon. “Where is he going?”

“I don’t know.” She scrambled to her feet, heading after the levet. “Come back here, Hammy.”

He briefly admired the lush curve of her ass, no longer covered by the unnecessary cloth, then quickly gathered their belongings and went after her.

Hammy led them the length of the canyon, always just out of reach, until it ended abruptly on a shelf of rock overlooking a sheltered valley. The hills curved around it on three sides, but opposite them, a narrow pass sloped down towards the sea.

Amanda picked up Hammy, scolding him gently, then turned to him. “What is this place?”

“I do not know.” There was an odd, hushed stillness to the place, and something about the rock formations sprawled across the valley floor tugged at his memories. “It is not indicated on the map.”

He pulled it out again to check, but the map only showed more hills. But if he had calculated their location correctly…

“If we cross the valley and then travel up the coast, it might be an easier journey,” he said somewhat reluctantly.

“And shorter too,” Amanda agreed. “Unless—do you think those bird things will be there?”

He searched his memory, then shook his head. “I think they inhabit the heights.”

“Even better. Let’s go.”

His heart ached at her enthusiasm, but then she reached out and took his hand. At least she was with him now.

They worked their way down the hill to the floor of the valley, then started across it in the direction of the ocean. The pink stone beneath their feet was cracked and uneven, with a variety of small plants growing up between the rocks, but despite that, the relative smoothness made for easier walking.

The odd silence seemed to press down on him and his shoulders prickled as if he was being watched. He knew that it wasn’t a logical reaction, but he was learning to pay more attention to his instincts. He pulled Amanda closer and she didn’t object, their hands still locked together, their arms brushing.

He was so busy scanning for danger that he almost stumbled when Amanda came to an abrupt halt, staring at the ground.

“Look,” she whispered.

He followed her gaze and at first the only thing he noticed was that the rock was curved—but then he realized that the curve continued across multiple stones, forming the edge of a vast circular plaza. This was not a natural feature.

“This has to be manmade,” she added. “I mean, made by whoever lives on this planet—or maybe, lived on this planet. It all looks very, very old.”

The eerie feeling shivered over his skin again as he studied the outline of the plaza, clearer now that he knew what he was looking for. The way the hills seemed to follow the curve triggered another recollection.

“I know this place,” he said slowly.

“Maybe you came through here on your way to where we met?”

“I do not think so. I knew this place when it was different.” He pointed at the surrounding hills, certainty growing deep inside. “Those were the laboratories. They stretched back under the hills for miles.” He spun around. “And this was the town. Small houses of pink stone leading down to the sea. There was a port there once—before everything ended.”

“I think you’re right. I can see traces of what you’re describing.” She gave him a puzzled look. “Maybe you read about it, or saw it in a painting.”

“No.” The memories flooding over him were far too vivid to have been experienced secondhand. “I was here. I remember the last day—this place filled with what was left of our people before they entered the labs.” The sorrow of that day pressed against him with a smothering weight.

“You can’t,” Amanda protested. “Look at this place—it’s a ruin. It must be thousands of years old.”

“Come with me.” He led her to one side of the plaza, then up a short distance to a smaller terrace that overlooked it. They had stood here while the people gathered. Even though the surface was cracked and worn, the remnants of the great symbol were still visible. “Look. Do you see that? It’s the same as this mark.” He put his hand over the markings on his chest.

“You’re right.” Her hand came up to trace the dark lines. “Do you remember what it means now?”

“The four elements—earth and fire, water and air—working together in harmony.” He traced the petals of his own symbol as he spoke. “We call it the Elaman. It represents our hope for the future.”

Grief swamped him as more of his memories came flooding back. He could see his people walking across the huge space, thin and frail. There had been so few left, so pitifully few, and the responsibility for their continuation rested with him and La’tok’at’bron.

La’tok’at’bron! The name triggered an odd feeling of warmth, but he couldn’t associate a face or body with it, only the faintest memory of a voice.

“It must be something you’ve heard about,” Amanda repeated, but her small face was worried.

“No, I was here.” He pointed at the hill behind them. “One of the entrances to the labs is right there.”

“Do you want to go and see?”

“No!” He shuddered. “There’s nothing left but darkness and… danger.”

“You know this is impossible, right? People just don’t live that long. Unless… maybe you were in some kind of suspended animation?”

He tilted his head, considering. Her suggestion held a certain degree of logic, but somehow it didn’t feel quite right. Pain stabbed at his temple, and he winced.

“Stop trying to remember,” she said quickly. “You don’t need to know, do you?”

“I always need to know.”

The words emerged with the certainty of absolute truth, but then she put her arms around him and knowledge seemed less important than the comfort of her presence. She grounded him in the present and not the sorrows of the past.

“But I suppose it is not necessary to discover all of the answers once,” he admitted.

She smiled up at him, and warmth flooded him. He bent his head and kissed her, her soft lips welcoming him. Remembering the way she had responded to his tongue earlier, he ran his along her plump lower lip. Her breath caught, and then her lips parted, welcoming him inside. He groaned, and delved deeper into her tempting mouth as pleasure washed over him. She returned his kiss just as enthusiastically, her hands clutching his shoulders. By the gods, he would never tire of this delight.

He finally, reluctantly, raised his head, noting with satisfaction that her eyes were heavy with pleasure and her mouth pink and swollen.

“What was that for?” she asked.

“To thank you, of course. For being here with me.” That curious flicker of knowledge—of certainty—that she had been chosen for him reappeared, but he kept it inside.

More of the delightful color washed across her cheeks. “I’m glad that you’re here too. I’m sure I would have made it on my own—eventually—but… it’s better with you here.”

Something nudged their ankles, and they both looked down to see Hammy looking up at them expectantly. She laughed and picked him up. “I’m glad you’re here too, Hammy. You’re part of our little travel family.”

Family. The word crashed into him like a boulder, and he almost fell to his knees as a second wave of sorrow rushed over him.

“Va’rik, what’s wrong?”

“I have no family.” A memory surfaced. An old man, frail and stubborn, turning his back, refusing to take part in the great experiment. “He would not join us.”

“Who?”

The memory was already fading, leaving only a vast well of grief behind. “I think he was my father.”

Her arms encircled him again, and he clung to her, warm and alive and at his side.

Chapter Eight

As they made their way across the valley, the sky remained bright and clear, no clouds drifting across the expanse of blue, but Amanda could see the shadows of the past surrounding Va’rik.

The journey took most of the day, and at first he pointed out various locations that triggered his memory. There had been an eating establishment on that corner, a two-story building with flowers cascading from the balcony on the second floor. And there a fountain, designed as part of the irrigation system, but it had sparkled merrily in the sunlight.

He painted a picture of a quiet, attractive city, but there was a profound sorrow beneath that image. By the time they stopped for a brief meal from the remains of the tubers, he had retreated into himself. He was as attentive as ever for her comfort, insisting that she eat before he did and finding water for her to drink, but she could tell he was deep in his own thoughts. On more than one occasion, she saw him wince and rub his head and knew that he was trying to remember. She wanted to protest, to tell him that it didn’t matter, but she understood his urge to find answers.

How could he remember the city so clearly when it had obviously been in ruins for many years? Had he been sleeping all these years? Was that why he seemed so innocent in some ways? Where could he have been and how could he have ended up on the edge of the desert with her?

The question swirled in her own mind until she felt as distracted as Va’rik. It was a huge relief when they finally passed through the gap in the hills and left the haunted valley behind. They came out on rolling dunes that led down to the vast expanse of the ocean. The deep purple hue, glittering in the fading sunlight, reminded her of Va’rik’s eyes. The breeze blew in off the water, cool and refreshing, and seemed to blow away some of her confusion. She took a deep breath and turned to Va’rik.

“Do you think we should make camp near here? Or do you want to get further away from the valley?”

He nodded absently, and she could see that he was still wrapped up in his memories. “This is as good a place as any.”

Hammy had been a short distance behind them, constantly stopping to nibble on the various grasses and bushes along the way, but he hopped up to join them now. His little body froze, and then he threw himself happily down one of the dunes, rolling around in the sand. She laughed, and even Va’rik’s lips curved.

“Apparently, he likes the beach.” She cast a longing glance at the ocean. “Do you think it’s safe to get in the water?”

He frowned at the shoreline, then inclined his head. “There is danger in the deep water, but I believe this is safe enough.”

“Excellent. I need a bath after two days of traveling.”

For the first time since the morning, the sparks returned to his eyes as his gaze drifted down her body. “I would be happy to assist.”

She could feel her cheeks heating, but she did her best to give a casual shrug. “I might let you help me—if you can beat me there.”

She caught a brief glimpse of his startled expression before she turned and raced towards the water. Of course he caught up with her almost immediately, but he was smiling at last.

After cautiously dipping her toes in the gentle waves that lapped at the shore, she plunged into the waves. The water was a little cooler than she would have preferred, but her body quickly adjusted as she happily dunked herself beneath the surface.

Hammy had followed them as well, but when a small wave covered his paws he squeaked indignantly, then retreated to a safe distance. Va’rik, on the other hand, plunged right in after her. She couldn’t help but laugh at the shock on his face as he surfaced.

“Haven’t you ever been swimming before?”

She immediately regretted asking the question, afraid that he would start worrying about the past again, but he only tilted his head thoughtfully.

“It is most curious. The movement of the water around my body feels almost familiar, and yet it has a strange intensity. It is as if it is caressing my body.”

As he stood and stalked towards her, it was quite obvious the cool water had not affected his cock in the slightest. A shiver went down her spine, but from excitement not from cold, as he drew her into his arms.

“I reached the water first. That means I can bathe you.”

“I don’t know,” she said teasingly. “I was the first one in the water.”

He ran his hand across the strip of fabric that barely contained her breasts. Her nipples hardened, thrusting against the wet cloth. He stroked a thumb across one impudent peak and the warmth of his flesh against the cool damp fabric sent a spark of excitement straight to her clit.

“You should remove this so that I can wash you more thoroughly.”

“You just want to see me naked.”

“Always,” he agreed. “But you are equally delightful when you are clothed. As long as I can see you, I am happy.”

The sincerity in his voice took her breath away. He looked at her as if she was the most important thing in his world, and she could feel herself responding to that promise. But it won’t last, she reminded herself. If relationships on Earth couldn’t be trusted, what chance was there for a relationship between a woman and an alien, no matter how appealing he might be? They couldn’t stay together.

But right now, there was sun and sea and a very desirable male. Acknowledging the physical attraction was easier to handle. She pressed against his hands, now cupping her breasts.

“I suppose we could take it off. But don’t lose it,” she added hastily as he immediately started tearing at the cloth. “I don’t want to go naked all the time.”

His hands slowed, and he carefully untied the strings holding her top and her loincloth, then carried them out of the water and spread them on the warm sand to dry. As he returned to her, the low rays of the sun gleamed on his deep lavender skin, his muscles rippling, and she didn’t care any longer that their relationship was doomed to failure. She wanted him.

When he reached her side, she stepped even closer and put her arms around him. He seemed startled but returned her embrace, holding her against his warm, strong body as the waves undulated around their bodies.

“I cannot wash you like this,” he said finally, and she smiled up at him.

“You can’t really wash me anyway, can you? Unless you have a way to make soap in that complicated brain of yours?”

He tilted his head, then nodded. “There is a plant that—”

She put a finger over his mouth. “That we should definitely try and find. But not now.”

“You will no longer permit me to bathe you?”

His hands lingered on her skin as she took a step back, but he let her go.

“You couldn’t do much more than this.”

Cupping a handful of water, she let it trickle down over her breasts. Her nipples were already hard from cold and excitement, and the droplets gleamed in the afternoon sun as they caught on the tight little points. The purple fire glowed in his eyes as he watched, and she felt sensual. Beautiful.

“I have a better idea,” she murmured and took his hand, leading him out of the water and pulling him down on the warm sand next to her.

“Yes, my mate?”

He looked so sincere that a flicker of guilt made her hesitate.

“I can’t be your mate, Va’rik, but I want to be with you. To… have sex with you,” she added quickly, before he could misinterpret. “Are you all right with that?’

He tilted his head the way he did when he was searching for the meaning of her words, and she felt even guiltier.

“You do know what sex is, don’t you?”

“I understand the process.” His eyes grew hotter. “And I believe I am familiar enough with your female parts to make the act enjoyable for you.”

Her clit fluttered at the promise in his eyes, but she made herself continue the conversation.

“Have you had sex before?”

As soon as she asked, she realized that he probably wouldn’t remember.

“I do not know, but if I had, it was not with you and it is unimportant.”

She opened her mouth, but he put an effective end to her questions by bending over and kissing her, a hungry kiss that erased everything except desire from her brain.

For someone who didn’t seem to remember kissing, he’s a very quick learner, she thought dizzily when he finally raised his head. But then he lowered his mouth to her breasts and even that thought disappeared in pleasure. He licked and sucked until each peak was swollen and distended, then scraped them with his fangs in the way he had already discovered drove her crazy. Her body quivered on the verge of orgasm and he hadn’t even touched her below the waist.

“Va’rik,” she gasped.

He lifted his head and gave her his innocent, wicked smile. “Yes, my mate?”

“I want you inside me.”

“You are sure? I am… larger than you.”

Her stomach quivered with excitement—and the tiniest hint of nerves—but she nodded. “I’m sure.”

He had her hips raised and the smooth, warm head of his cock at her entrance before she finished speaking. Despite his size, the rounded tip slipped inside easily enough, aided by the liquid arousal coating her channel, but as his shaft widened, she could feel the stretch. Then he pushed the first petaled ridge inside, and they both groaned.

Her body quivered, on the knife edge between pleasure and pain, and then she felt a rush of heat as he groaned again. She looked up and saw the tattoo on his chest glowing as he panted rapidly, his eyes closed. Oh. Her body ached with unfulfilled desire, but if he had never had sex before—or didn’t remember having it—she couldn’t blame him for not lasting longer. Maybe they could try again later…

His hips snapped forward, and a second, larger set of petals entered.

“I… I thought you climaxed,” she whispered, as she clutched his shoulders, the sensations overwhelming her.

“I did.” His eyes were open now, glowing with purple fire, and focused on her face with burning intensity. “Each row of petals will release its seed to prepare you for the next.”

Prepare her? Before she could ask, she felt the heat inside her channel, causing her hips to move restlessly, eagerly. The threat of pain had vanished, leaving only an overwhelming fullness.

But then the rest of his words penetrated. “Seed? Can you get me pregnant?”

He tilted his head. “No, I—”

A surprising pang of sorrow at his answer was buried beneath the urge to move. She wrapped her legs around his hips, trying to pull him closer, and then there was no more talking. Each time the heated seed erupted, her own need increased. As he pushed deeper, his petals fluttered against her channel, stroking her from the inside, and she had climaxed twice before he finally buried himself completely.

His tattoo was written in lines of purple fire as he raised his head and looked down at her.

“Now we begin.”

A pleasant little aftershock quivered through her as he started to pull free. “Begin?”

He paused with just the tip of his cock at her entrance, then thrust his entire length inside with one long stroke, and she lost the capacity for rational thought. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes—purple fireworks—and all she could do was cling to him as climax after climax raced over her. He moved harder, faster, and then she heard him cry out her name as he buried himself one last time. His petals all expanded simultaneously, stretching, stroking, filling her completely, and her vision went black from the sheer intensity of her final climax.

Chapter Nine

Va’rik clutched his mate as his cock slowly subsided, his entire body thrumming with satisfaction. How could any mere physical sensation be so overwhelming? But was it just sensation? He tightened his arms around Amanda. The thought of experiencing the act with anyone else felt wrong. Especially now that the fiery warmth of his Elaman confirmed his certainty that she was his mate.

But she had not accepted him. Would it make a difference if he told her that they could have a child eventually? She had not given him a chance to explain that his certainty that he could not get her pregnant was only temporary. But she already has a child, he reminded himself, and the ache in his chest was no longer due to his marking.

The sun was slowly sinking towards the horizon, casting a shimmering trail across the water, and he reluctantly disentangled Amanda’s body. She murmured a protest, her tight little channel clinging to him.

“I should make camp before it is dark.”

“Mmhmm,” she agreed sleepily. “What do you want me to do?”

“Stay here and rest.”

For a moment he actually thought she would comply, but then she yawned and sat up. The setting sun enhanced the golden glow of her skin and gleamed on the traces of lavender seed on her thighs. She looked sleepy and satisfied and beautiful, even as she shook her head.

“No. I want to help.”

“I wish you would let me care for you.”

“And I appreciate that, but I have to know how to look after myself in case—”

She stopped abruptly, but it was too late. He could tell what she had intended to say. “In case what? Do you expect me to leave you?”

“Yes. I mean no, not exactly.”

The ache in his chest increased. “You do not trust that I will always care for you as my mate.”

“We can’t be mates, Va’rik. I have to return to Earth.”

“I could accompany you.” The words emerged from his mouth without conscious decision, but he had no desire to retract them. He would follow her anywhere.

Her eyes looked suspiciously bright, but she shook her head. “I’m afraid there’s no place on Earth for a big purple alien. My government would not treat you well.”

He didn’t attempt to argue, despite the objections that sprang to mind. Instead, he gently cupped her cheek. “Couldn’t you at least trust me to care for you while we are here? Why is that so hard?”

She looked down at her hands, carefully examining her tiny, blunt claws, and didn’t answer.

“You told me last night that your father left when you were very young. Is that why you do not trust a male to care for you?”

“You remember that?” She finally looked at him, her dark eyes wide and startled.

“I remember everything you have said to me.”

“Maybe that’s why you can’t remember anything else,” she muttered, then her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. I thought my mother taught me how to be independent, but maybe she just taught me how to be alone.”

He didn’t say anything as she stared out across the water. She finally shrugged and looked back up at him.

“Why don’t we save the psychoanalysis for another day? Would it help if you thought that I wanted to help because we are partners and not because I refuse to let you take care of me?”

Partners. He liked the sound of that.

“Very well, my partner. Why don’t you retrieve your clothing and our bag while I look for a water source?”

She nodded, then leaned in and gave him a much too brief kiss. “Thank you, Va’rik.”

His cock jerked instinctively at the words, even though he would have sworn that she had drained him completely.

She laughed and ran a teasing finger along his shaft. “We’ll save the other type of thank you for later.”

As she jumped up and went to gather her clothing, he admired the sight of her lush golden flesh swaying enticingly as she walked. She looked back over her shoulder and saw him watching and shook her head playfully.

“You’re not going to find water by watching me.”

Recalled to a sense of his duties, he reluctantly tore his eyes away and started to search.

By the time the sun had completely disappeared, he had found a trickle of water flowing down a rocky hillside. The hill from which it flowed curved back slightly from the beach, forming a sheltered place for them to spend the night. A small fire crackled in the breeze from the water. He had considered building a larger fire since the breeze off the water cooled the night air. He didn’t want Amanda to be chilled, but after their experiences the night before, he preferred not to attract attention. This one was only large enough to roast the fish he had managed to catch and to provide some light for Amanda.

She had been feeding Hammy the remnants of that fish, but she looked up now and smiled at him. Very deliberately, she reached behind her back and untied the strings of her top, revealing her luscious breasts, the peaks already dark and hard in the firelight. They swayed gently as she walked towards him, every movement a seductive song.

“I believe I promised you a proper thank you,” she whispered.

A very long time later, after she had thanked him so thoroughly that his entire body was limp, he stared up at the stars. Amanda was asleep in his arms, and he could hear soft snuffling noises coming from Hammy, curled up by the dying fire. But even though he had not slept the previous night, sleep eluded him still. In the silent night, the memories that had haunted him in the valley resurfaced.

They were frustratingly few, and he wished he could remember more. But the fragments had all been sad and he feared the pain a deeper knowledge would bring. His people—and he was sure that they were his people—had all been pale and thin, their bodies fragile. Unlike his current strong, healthy body. Why had he been spared their fate?

The questions continued to swirl in his mind but eventually tiredness overcame him and he slept.

And dreamed of the past…

He was in a laboratory, one that felt as familiar as if he had spent most of his life there. La’tok’at’bron faced him across the long workbench.

“The conclusion is inescapable. Our race is doomed to extinction.”

He wanted to argue, but he could not. Oh, they could prolong their existing lives, but there would be no new life. Despite all of their technology, they would have to face the inevitable.

“If only we had more time.” He tried to pace around the lab, but his legs were weak and uncertain. “It could take years to find an answer, centuries even.”

“Perhaps there is a way.” La’tok’at’bron displayed a series of holographic formulas in the air over the workbench.

“What are you suggesting?”

“Our people could rest and wait. We could continue our studies.” La’tok’at’bron raised a thin, trembling hand. “Although not in these bodies. We would need to find a form that requires little maintenance.”

The idea of modifying his form did not trouble him. His physical being had never been a source of satisfaction or pleasure. Their ancestors had delighted in strong, powerful bodies, but that had been many generations ago.

“Do you think our people will agree?”

La’tok’at’bron shrugged. “I do not know. I suspect most of them will—it is a logical course of events and most of us have been trained to value logic.”

“But not all will agree.”

“No, not all. And that is their choice. Are you willing?”

He had spent almost his entire life in the pursuit of knowledge. The thought of untold years continuing those studies did not distress him. There was little other pleasure in his life.

“I am willing.”

They had put the proposal to the Great Council, and eventually to the rest of the population. The majority had agreed, and a year later, he and La’tok’at’bron had watched as their people entered the laboratories, ready to be placed in waiting until an answer was found.

Va’rik’s father had not been one of them. The old male had turned away and returned to his house. They had never been close, each of them devoted to their own path of study, but it had hurt more than he had anticipated.

Then he and La’tok’at’bron had undergone their own transformations and become little more than brains, searching desperately for an answer. Until finally, they had happened upon a small planet circling a distant star—with a race that should have been headed for extinction but had somehow managed to survive—and they had developed a theory. A theory that the mate bond the humans seemed to inspire could save their race from permanent extinction.

His memories came flooding back—memories of their trials, their successes, and of his own decision to be transferred once more. Placed in a body derived from their genetic ancestors, and given a chance to find a mate. A family.

His eyes flew open as the dream faded, but the memories did not.

Guilt overwhelmed him as he realized that it was his fault—his fault that Amanda had been taken from Earth and brought to him. Even though La’tok’at’bron had been the one to choose her specifically, he would have used the process they had developed together.

And the process had failed.

She was not supposed to have any ties holding her to her home planet, but she did.

She was supposed to want to become his mate, but she did not.

He had hoped that perhaps her feelings towards him would grow, but how could they now? How could she love him when she realized that he was the reason she had been taken away from a child she loved? A child. What worse crime could they have committed when everything they had done had been intended to foster new generations?

He would have to tell her, he decided, even though the thought of seeing her face grew cold and hard made his chest ache. Then she stirred restlessly in her sleep and he stroked her back until she calmed. She needed him, he told himself, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

Perhaps… perhaps he could wait a little longer before he told her.

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Amanda stretched lazily, still half-asleep. Va’rik was no longer holding her, but she had a vague recollection of him whispering something in her ear about going to gather food. She stretched again, enjoying the pleasant ache between her thighs. She suspected that if she could see herself in a mirror, she would have the same satisfied look that Jeanine had worn when she met her at the door.

Thoughts of Jeanine inevitably led to thoughts of Billy, and her contentment vanished. As much as she had… enjoyed her encounter with Va’rik, she had to get home. Why did she already suspect that the more time she spent with him, the harder it would be to leave?

Treat it like a one-night stand, she told herself firmly. We both enjoyed ourselves, and now it’s over.

But then she sat up and saw him standing by the water. His head was down, his shoulders slumped, and he looked sad and alone. Hammy was sitting next to him like a small guard.

Her chest ached, and she couldn’t prevent herself from going to him. She put her arms around him from behind, hugging him tightly. His cinnamon scent mingled with the salt air, and she expected him to turn and greet her. Instead, his muscles tightened.

“Va’rik? Is something wrong?”

“No.”

Despite the negative answer, he didn’t sound like his usual self. She slipped around in front of him, her breath catching when she saw his face. He looked exhausted. Had he been trying to remember again? Or maybe his wound is bothering him, she thought guiltily. She certainly hadn’t taken it into account during their… activities.

“Did you get any sleep?” she asked gently.

“Some. I had… unpleasant dreams.” He looked out at the sea over her head.

“Do you want to stay here and rest today?” One more day wouldn’t really hurt, and he did look tired. And the thought of additional time with him was disturbingly attractive.

“No. We need to reach the destination on the map. I should have woken you earlier,” he added stiffly. “I apologize.”

He’d certainly changed his tune. Did he regret what they’d done? For a fraction of a second, a horrible feeling of rejection washed over her, but then he finally looked down and met her eyes. The pain on his face took her breath away, but his hands still clung to her waist.

“Talk to me, Va’rik. What’s troubling you?”

“I… I didn’t understand your urgency to return to the child—to your child until now.”

She had a feeling that wasn’t what he had originally intended to say, but she was still glad to hear it.

“Thank you.” She started to pull his head down for a kiss, but he didn’t respond to her urging at first. Just as she was about to start demanding answers, he groaned and kissed her. The kiss was everything she could have wished—thorough, demanding, passionate—but there was an air of desperation that troubled her.

That didn’t prevent the kiss from leaving her knees weak and her clit aching. She would have liked to take it further, but he was right. Time to get moving.

After a quick breakfast, they gathered their belongings and set off up the coast. Hammy bounced along ahead of them, obviously enjoying the new scenery, but Va’rik still looked tired and worried. Before she could question him again, he turned to her.

“Tell me about the child.”

“About Billy? Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“He’s an orphan—”

“One without parents,” he murmured.

“Yes. His mother died of an overdose two years ago. I’m not sure if she even knew his father.”

He looked appalled. “How could someone not care for their child?”

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?” Some of the bitterness she thought she’d buried long ago rose to the surface. “But my father did the same thing.”

He came to a dead halt. “I would never abandon my child.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” And she did know, she realized. Even in the short time they had spent together, she was absolutely sure that he would never fail a child.

Or a mate? her heart whispered.

Pushing aside the uncomfortable thought, she gently nudged him into motion and continued her story.

“Since then, he’s been shunted from foster home to foster home. His caseworker brought him to our town because even at his age, someone was trying to recruit him into a gang.”

“A gang?” He tilted his head, and the familiar gesture made her hide a smile.

“A type of criminal organization that frequently uses teenagers and even children.”

“This is permitted on your planet?”

“No, but it can be hard to stop. Mrs. Dublin thought he would be better off in a smaller town, but the person who is currently caring for him isn’t the best caretaker. That’s why I want him with me.” Unexpected tears filled her eyes. “And because I love him. He’s so bright and he has so much potential, but he’s already learned not to trust people.”

“As you have.”

“I trust people.” She automatically started to object, but the truth in his words couldn’t be denied and she sighed. “It’s not exactly that I don’t trust them. I just want to be prepared.”

“Prepared for them to leave you.”

It wasn’t a question, and she didn’t respond.

“You said you are a teacher,” he said, changing the subject. “Do you enjoy it?”

“I do.” She hesitated. “Do you remember your teachers?”

Her question didn’t seem to trigger a headache, but he looked even sadder. “We were taught by machines, but I… believe that there will be a need for teachers once more.”

“Why?”

“The old ways did not work.”

She sighed. “Va’rik, you’re being very cryptic.”

“I know. It’s just that my… memories are still confused. Can you tell me about your world instead? I would like to be able to picture you there.”

Her chest ached, but she made herself smile. “It’s not very exciting, but if you really want to know?”

“I do.”

As they continued up the coast, she told him about her life: about her house and her class. And more about Billy. He seemed genuinely interested, asking her for more details and sympathizing with her concerns.

“I would have liked to have a son like that,” he said, after she finished one of her stories.

“Perhaps you will one day.” The words tasted like ash in her mouth, and she realized that she hated the thought of Va’rik with another woman, let alone having a family with one.

Don’t be selfish, she scolded herself. I can’t expect him to live alone forever just because I can’t stay with him.

“I will not.”

“Why not?”

“Because you—” He shook his head. “Because it is not in my future.”

She didn’t have the courage to pursue the question, and changed the subject.

When they made camp that night, he showed her everything he did and let her help without objecting.

“Thank you,” she said softly when they had finished their meal. He was tossing the bones from the fish they had caught in the fire and gave her a startled look.

“For what?”

“For listening. For showing me how to take care of myself. Not that I think you’ll leave me,” she added hastily.

“No, you will be leaving me. I will worry about you.”

A lump formed in her throat, but she made herself smile.

“I’ll be fine.” No matter how much she was going to miss him.

Hammy had been dozing in her lap, but she put him down in his favorite place next to the fire and went to Va’rik.

“I think you’re forgetting something.”

“What am I forgetting?”

“Don’t look so worried.” She straddled his lap, and his hands immediately encircled her waist. Such nice, big hands, she thought happily as she leaned closer, his scent surrounding her. “You forgot that I want to thank you.”

His hands clenched, and for a terrified moment she thought that he was going to push her away, but then he groaned and pulled her closer. His cock hardened beneath her, and she wiggled teasingly as he bent his head and kissed her.

Va’rik suspected that the more times he and Amanda were intimate, the harder it would be to let her leave, but he could no more resist her than he could prevent himself from breathing. He let his kiss express everything he could not say to her—his desire, his need, his sorrow—and when he raised his head, she smiled up at him, her eyes dark with passion in the flickering light.

The hard points of her nipples rubbed tantalizingly against his chest, and he bent her back over his arm to feast on the tempting buds, first through the thin fabric, then directly on the golden flesh. The damp heat of her sweet cunt teased his aching shaft and he pulled her even closer, sliding her pearl of pleasure against the petals of his cock until he felt her shudder.

As soon as she did, he lifted her over his cock and slid her down over the first ring of petals. The sweet clench of her flesh was almost too tight, the walls of her channel massaging him until the first hot rush of seed left him. He felt her quiver, felt her soften enough to take the next ridge, and he would have paused there, but she made an impatient noise and pushed down. He kept his hands on her hips to steady her, but he didn’t stop her as she steadily worked herself down his shaft until she had taken all of him. A fine sheen covered her skin, and he could hear the quick intake of her breath, but she looked triumphant.

His body strained with the need to move, but he held himself still.

“I want to try something,” she whispered breathlessly.

Her hand slipped down between their bodies, and he watched as she found the small pearl of her pleasure. She circled it and he felt her body try to tighten, sending another delicious pulsating massage around his embedded shaft. His petals quivered in response, and she stroked her pearl again, their bodies building on each other’s pleasure until she cried out, her channel milking him in a long, convulsing wave, and his own climax overtook him, his petals swelling as his seed left him in one explosive rush.

She fell forward against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, and he knew she was smiling.

His perfect mate.

How was he ever going to be able to let her go?

Chapter Eleven

Va’rik rounded a cliff and came to a halt, looking out at the terrain ahead. Amanda followed his gaze and saw a wide river, foaming as it mingled with the sea. Given its size, it had to be the one indicated on the map—which meant they were only a short distance from their destination.

She should have been excited that she might be going home soon—but going home meant leaving Va’rik. She was going to miss him so much. They had been traveling up the coast for several days now—talking, working together, making love—and she couldn’t imagine a life without him. If it hadn’t been for Billy, she would have stayed on this primitive planet. But as much as she loved Va’rik, she loved Billy too—and the little boy needed her more.

Hammy seemed to pick up on her distress, patting her ankles until she picked him up and buried her face in his soft fur. God, she was going to miss him too.

Forcing a smile, she turned to Va’rik. “Does this mean we’re close?”

“Yes. A day. Perhaps two,” he added quickly.

She suspected that he was trying to stretch out the last remnants of their time together, but she didn’t object. She didn’t want to leave him either.

As they turned inland next to the river, she saw another series of ruins climbing the hillside. These were better preserved than the ones in the valley. More of the walls remained and she could have sworn she even saw what looked like a roof in a few places. Wildflowers and brightly colored vines wove amongst the buildings and, unlike the valley, it had a welcoming air.

“Was this a city as well? Do you remember?”

He winced, as he always did now when she asked him about his past.

“Not a city, but a small town. For some of the workers from the labs,” he said reluctantly.

“It’s pretty. Should we stay here tonight?”

“No!” His hand was already cupping her elbow, urging her onwards.

“You mean it’s dangerous?”

“Not exactly.”

Not much of an answer, but he looked so distraught that she decided not to press him. He insisted that they keep walking until the hillside town faded away behind them. Small groves of trees edged the river, but the rest of the country had turned to prairie, carpeted with pale lavender grasses. Once they were well away from the town, Va’rik suggested they make camp next to the river.

“We should stay here tonight so we will be rested tomorrow.”

“All right,” she said softly.

“Do not go in the water,” he warned. “The current is very swift, and there are hidden dangers beneath the surface.”

“That’s a shame. I wouldn’t have minded a bath.” Despite her disappointment, she could see for herself how quickly the water was moving.

“Do you want me to build a fire?” she added turning her attention to more practical matters.

His old smile flashed across his face.

“Could I stop you? You are very proud of your fire making skills.”

She grinned, knowing he was right. She found the process of gathering wood and making a fire extremely satisfying. And this would be her last chance. Her smile wavered, but she tried to keep her voice steady.

“Don’t worry. I know it’s only because you taught me how. And I’m tired tonight. I won’t even insist on accompanying you to gather food.”

“Thank you, my… partner.”

Silence fell between them, and she wondered if the pain on her face matched his. But neither of them spoke, and he finally turned away. As he left to gather food, she started collecting firewood, doing her best to ignore the tears that trickled down her cheek.

As usual, Va’rik’s happiness at returning to their campsite and finding his mate waiting was tempered with guilt. He still had not been able to bring himself to tell her about the part he had played in bringing her here. The fact that La’tok’at’bron had chosen so well only made it worse. She was everything he could have wanted in a mate. Intelligent and brave and so beautiful she made his heart ache. And he had taken her away from her home and her child.

A smile crossed her face when he appeared, and she gestured to the pot hanging over the fire. “Look what I caught!”

He smiled back, unable to resist her enthusiasm, but his smile disappeared when he realized the container was full of karapa.

“I told you not to go in the river.” His blood ran cold as he imagined her swept away from him or attacked by the vicious mokkis that populated the water.

“I know, and I didn’t. Look.” She showed him a crude net made from vines she had woven together.

“That’s very ingenious.”

“We study Native American ways every fall, and we made something similar one year.” Her proud smile returned. “I think I’m finally getting the hang of this place.”

Just as she was about to leave. The unspoken words hung in the air between them and her smile faltered. She turned back to the pot, giving it an unnecessary stir.

“What did you find?” Her voice was muffled.

“Just some hedlar fruit. I’m not as clever at providing food as my talented mate.”

He saw the color flood her cheeks, and when she turned back to him, she was smiling again.

“Hammy would disagree. You know he loves them.”

The little levet was indeed looking up at him with big, hopeful eyes. He sat down and fed Hammy while Amanda bustled around. There was an air of urgency in her movements, but he didn’t attempt to stop her. He only watched her, trying to memorize every moment as he stroked the levet’s soft fur.

They didn’t talk much while they ate their own meal, but he could see her watching him in turn. When it came time to sleep, he was afraid she might turn away from him, but she came into his arms with her usual willingness. He made love to her with a desperate urgency, then gathered her close, staring dry-eyed into the night sky.

He didn’t think either of them slept, but they remained wrapped together until after the sun rose. Finally, he sighed and sat up, still holding her in his arms.

“We should get going.”

“Yes,” she agreed, but didn’t move.

He forced himself to release her, and they slowly gathered their belongings and set out. Hammy seemed to have picked up on their mood. Instead of hopping around them as he usually did, he kept close to their feet.

The short walk to the lab took even less time than he had anticipated. They had been walking for no more than an hour when they topped a small incline and saw the white blocks of the lab building gleaming ahead of them. He had never realized just how out of place the rectangular blocks looked against the natural surroundings.

“It’s so… modern,” Amanda said slowly.

“What were you expecting?”

“I’m not sure. More pink stone, I suppose.”

“We weren’t bound by the constraints of the past,” he said automatically. His people had never used much technology in their living arrangements, preferring to use it to gather knowledge instead, but he and La’tok’at’bron had built the lab to stand for as long as it was needed.

“We?”

“The inhabitants of the planet.” It was technically true, but so far from the actual truth that his stomach churned. He had to tell her the truth. Now. Before they reached the lab.

“Amanda,” he began, but then Hammy squeaked and his own skin prickled. He turned in time to see a cloud of pink dust boiling over the distant hills and racing across the grasslands. A sandstorm—and a bad one if it had already made it this far.

He reached down and grabbed Hammy and thrust him into Amanda’s arms, then picked them both up and started to run. Their path would intersect with the storm if he didn’t make it in time, but he knew the lab building would protect them. It had withstood many such storms.

The wind continued to increase, the sky turning a hazy pink, but only a few grains stung his skin before he reached the lab. The door opened automatically as he raced towards it. As soon as they were inside, he slapped the auto control, and it slid closed with silent finality.

Chapter Twelve

Amanda clung to Va’rik’s neck, still shaking, as Hammy trembled in her arms. She’d never experienced a sandstorm before, but hearing the roar of the wind and seeing that wall of dust heading towards them had been terrifying. Va’rik held her just as tightly, not showing any indication that he intended to ever put her down, and she wished she could just stay in his arms forever.

She finally raised her head and looked around. The inside of the building was as white and modern as the outside, with a long white corridor lined with door panels stretching out in front of them. Despite the storm that must be raging outside, a heavy silence lay over the space.

“Where do you think we should go?” she whispered, curiously reluctant to raise her voice. She already felt as if they were being watched.

“To the lab.” Va’rik’s voice sounded flat, dead, as he started to walk down the corridor, still holding her.

“Do you know where it is?”

“Yes.” He looked down at her, his eyes haunted.

“How do you know?” She remembered the way he had headed straight for the door as they ran to the building. “You knew how to find the door too, and how to close it. Do you remember this place?”

“Yes,” he said again, and she frowned at him.

“It doesn’t look as old as the city.”

“It’s from the same time period.” He took a deep breath. “Amanda, I need to tell you—”

“Welcome, my friends.”

The mechanical voice coming from the walls made her flinch, but Va’rik only sighed.

“Hello, La’tok’at’bron.”

“You know him?” How could he possibly know a disembodied voice?

“I do, but it’s complicated.” Part of the wall ahead of them opened to reveal what looked like an elevator. “I will take you to him.”

“Put me down first,” she insisted.

He placed her on her feet, but he kept hold of her hand as they stepped into the elevator. She clutched Hammy in her other arm and tried to control a growing feeling of unease. Only the faint popping in her ears indicated that the elevator had moved before the doors slid open again. Another white corridor awaited them, an open door at one end.

They walked towards it silently, the space absorbing even the slight scrape of her sandals against the floor.

She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it wasn’t a room that looked for all the world like an expensive, if rather spartan, hotel suite. A huge bed draped in white linens rested on a raised dais with a comfortable seating area—upholstered in white—in front of it.

The mechanical voice came from the walls again. “I thought you would like to rest and eat after your journey.”

A table slid silently out of the wall, already loaded with food, while a smaller shelf extended from below, filled with some of Hammy’s favorite fruits. He squeaked eagerly.

“Is it safe?” she whispered to Va’rik.

“Quite safe,” the voice replied.

Va’rik nodded agreement, and she put Hammy down. He hopped over to the food, but despite the appetizing smells coming from the table, she wasn’t interested in eating.

“We didn’t come here for food,” she said. “I have to—”

“Or perhaps a bath?”

A door slid open to one side of the bed, and she saw a huge white bathroom. A gently steaming tub stood in the center of the room, and her resolve weakened. She hadn’t realized how much she missed modern plumbing until that moment.

“Go ahead,” Va’rik urged. “A few more minutes won’t hurt.”

The thought of being completely clean was almost unbearably tempting.

“What about you?”

“I will wait for you out here,” he said, his face somber. “Then we will talk.”

She took another glance at the tub, and gave in. Just a quick bath, she promised herself, and then she would ask to be sent back to Earth. She could only hope that they hadn’t made the trip for no reason.

Va’rik watched the door close behind Amanda, fighting the urge to go after her. He hated being separated from her with so little time left. But he also wanted to talk to La’tok’at’bron. He scowled at the ceiling, knowing the other scientist could see him.

“Why are you delaying, La’tok’at’bron? She wishes to return to Earth.”

“Why would she wish to return?”

“Because you made a mistake,” he said. “She has a child.”

“You are incorrect. Her scan showed no evidence of such.”

Guilt filled him. “He is not her biological child. We did not adjust the parameters to account for such ties.”

“A child,” La’tok’at’bron repeated, and despite the artificial voice, Va’rik could hear his doubt.

“Yes. And our purpose is to create new families, not to destroy existing ones.”

“Of course, but—”

“But what?”

“She is perfect for you.”

“I know.” He rubbed his chest.

La’tok’at’bron’s voice sounded almost agitated. “This is most distressing.”

He couldn’t prevent a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “I assure you I am far more distressed about it than you.”

“I am deeply sorry. I thought I had provided you with every opportunity for a successful mate bond.”

“Oh, it succeeded.” Despite the pain of losing her, how could he regret it? Then the rest of La’tok’at’bron’s words penetrated. “What do you mean by opportunities?”

“I may have provided you with some… advantages that were not available to our previous subjects.”

He suspected his face reflected his shock. La’tok’at’bron had always been the one who was most insistent on strict adherence to the experimental protocols. But some of the things that had puzzled him made more sense now.

“Such as my ability to communicate in her language?” he asked.

“Yes. The inability to communicate made no difference to the results of our original experiments, and since our goal is to establish a mate bond, I decided to remove an unnecessary barrier.”

“And my knowledge of the planet and its resources?”

“This is our planet.” If La’tok’at’bron had a physical body, Va’rik was sure he would have shrugged. “It is only natural that you would have that ancestral knowledge.”

“I see.”

Silence reigned for a few seconds, then La’tok’at’bron spoke again.

“I will admit that I… wanted you to succeed.”

An unexpected warmth filled his chest. He had spent so many years working with the other scientist, but it was not until they had commenced on this last set of experiments that he had become aware that there was more between them than just their studies. “Thank you, my friend.”

“I am sorry that you will lose your mate.”

“It is more than that.” Guilt washed over him again. “I have not told her of my part in this.”

“Do you intend to tell her?”

“Of course. But I am… afraid. I do not want her to think poorly of me.”

“I can explain.”

“No, she needs to hear it from me.”

“Very well. You should rest while you wait for her.” La’tok’at’bron sounded faintly disapproving. “These physical bodies are so fragile.”

A reminiscent smile crossed his face. “The rewards are more than sufficient to compensate.”

“Perhaps. Now rest. We will talk again.”

He sighed, but La’tok’at’bron was correct. When was the last time he had slept? He could feel exhaustion weighing on him. Perhaps he should take a quick rest and gather his energy for the agonizing parting to come. The soft mattress was a revelation after sleeping on the hard ground—but he would have happily slept on that ground for the rest of his life if he could have had Amanda in his arms.

Hammy hopped up next to him, his warm, little body oddly reassuring. He stroked the soft fur, and the small body vibrated with soft purrs. He could hear Amanda splashing in the next room, and the knowledge that, at least for now, she was close and safe comforted him. His eyes drifted closed, and he slept.

Amanda climbed reluctantly out of the big tub. The water felt wonderful, but she couldn’t help wishing that Va’rik had been in there with her. She would have to get used to being on her own again. Tears threatened, but she refused to let them fall.

A shelf extended from the wall, containing a neatly folded towel and what turned out to be a simple white dress. Even though she was grateful for both, it was oddly creepy to have her needs anticipated by an unseen being. She half-expected to hear the voice again, but apparently it thought she could figure out what to do with the items.

As soon as she was dressed, she padded back out into the main room. Va’rik was asleep on the bed, his big body limp, and she realized it was the first time she had really seen him sleep. Even asleep, his face looked troubled.

Hammy was curled up next to him, and she was tempted to join them, but she wanted answers even more. Could she really return to Earth from this strange building? She realized she had been placing a lot of trust on a symbol on a strange map. Her stomach churned.

She needed to return—she wanted to return—but if she couldn’t leave, she would be able to stay with Va’rik. Her heart gave a hopeful leap, but then she thought of Billy and guilt washed over her. Dammit, she needed to know one way or the other so she could come to terms with her future.

Looking over at Va’rik’s sleeping figure, she considered waking him. But he was already devastated that she was leaving. She didn’t want to give him false hope that she was staying unless it turned out that there wasn’t a way back. It would be better to know first. Hopefully the mysterious voice could give her some answers.

She pulled on the sandals Va’rik had made for her and slipped quietly out of the room and into the corridor. What was this place? she wondered again. And how did such a sophisticated building exist on what seemed to be a completely primitive planet?

Not really sure where to go, she hesitated outside the next door panel, then cautiously tried to open it. Nothing happened. Then she remembered Va’rik placing his hand next to the outer door to close it. She tried placing her hand in the same spot, and the door slid open.

She had been braced for strange alien technology, but she found nothing more exciting than rows of shelves lined with an assortment of glass bottles. It looked like a supply room for a laboratory. She took a closer look, but none of the bottles were even labeled. No answers here.

Two more supply rooms followed, and she was beginning to think she might as well return and wait for Va’rik to wake up when she opened the third door and came face to face with a tank floating in midair. Rows of what looked like monitors lined the walls of the room, but she was too focused on the suspended tank to pay attention. It was filled with clear liquid, and she could see… something floating inside. It looked rather like a big pink jellyfish, but it had a row of what looked like eyes around the bottom of the upper portion and the tentacles varied wildly in size.

Was it a specimen of some kind? What if this whole place was designed to collect lifeforms? Her heart started to pound, and she began to back towards the door. The eyes opened.

Chapter Thirteen

Va’rik awoke and automatically reached for Amanda. She wasn’t next to him. Panic swept over him. She wouldn’t leave him without saying goodbye, would she?

He jumped to his feet, startling Hammy, but the levet only opened an eye before curling up again.

“La’tok’at’bron,” he yelled, as he raced out into the corridor. “Where is she?”

The door to the observatory slid open. He flung himself inside, his heart rate finally slowing as he saw Amanda—safe and unharmed and still with him. Relief swept over him as he pulled her into his arms, but she didn’t melt against him as she usually did. Her body felt stiff.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“La’tok’at’bron says I can return to Earth.” Her voice sounded equally stiff. “He says that I was brought here as an experiment, but that it’s my choice if I wish to return. He seemed surprised that you hadn’t told me.”

“I apologize.” La’tok’at’bron’s tentacles waved. “I did not realize how little she knew.”

He hadn’t wanted her to find out like this, but how could he blame the other scientist? It was his own fault for not telling her sooner.

“Did you know about this, Va’rik?”

His heart ached, and he stepped away from her. “I did.”

“How did you know?” she whispered.

“Because La’tok’at’bron and I designed the experiment together,” he admitted.

The shock on her face was gradually turning to anger. “So you were the one responsible for bringing me here? For ripping me away from my life? From Billy?”

“I was the one who made that choice,” La’tok’at’bron interjected, but she was still staring up at him.

“Did you know all along?” Her laugh held a bitter note. “You’re quite an actor.”

“I didn’t know. Not at first.”

She gave him a skeptical look. “When did you remember?”

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand.

“The night after the city. After we were… together.”

She looked away from him, but not before he saw the hurt replacing the anger in her eyes. That was even worse. “All this time and you didn’t tell me?”

“I did not want you to look at me the way you are looking at me now.”

“Why?” she whispered, then shook her head. “You know what? I don’t care. I want to go… home. Now.”

“If that is what you wish,” La’tok’at’bron said.

“What about Hammy?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. “Will you take him?”

“I can’t. He doesn’t belong on Earth.” For the first time since he’d told her the truth, she looked at him. “Will you take care of him?”

“Always.”

The pain on her face almost broke him. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her, but he was the cause of her pain. Straightening her shoulders, she turned to La’tok’at’bron.

“I’m ready.”

“I will go with you,” he said.

“No. I… couldn’t stand that.” The last words were almost too faint for him to hear, but her posture didn’t soften.

“How does this work?” she asked La’tok’at’bron.

“Follow me.”

The tank floated out of the room, and she followed it. She didn’t look back.

Amanda followed La’tok’at’bron down the corridor. Her chest ached so badly that she could almost believe she was having a heart attack. She had never realized that the term heart ache was so accurate.

Another door opened and he floated through. The small room bore a disconcerting resemblance to a hospital room, the only furniture a lab table that occupied the center of the room.

“Please lie down while I make my preparations.” His tank hovered by one wall and she saw the wall light up, the flickering display moving too fast for her to comprehend.

“Why?” she asked as she perched on the edge of the table. “Why are you doing this?”

“To save our race. Our people were on the verge of extinction. They wait for us to find an answer.”

Could a disembodied voice sound sad?

“So you brought me here as what? A breeder?” Her voice shook with anger.

“Of course not. That would delay the inevitable by no more than a generation or two. But we have studied the reasons why races cease to exist for thousands of years. We believe that the answer lies in the ability to bond with others. Humans have the ability to inspire that bond—and we hope that will enable our race to survive.”

“Thousands of years? You’re trying to tell me you’re that old?”

“This form requires little maintenance,” La’tok’at’bron said.

“But you said we. Didn’t you mean Va’rik too?”

“He was in this form until recently. He chose to be transformed.”

Va’rik had been floating around in a tank? It sounded impossible, but she remembered how confused he had been when she found him, how unfamiliar with physical sensation. His reaction to her kiss. His uncertain memory…

“Why did he do that?”

“Because he wanted to experience a mate bond for himself. I believe he was… lonely.”

His words triggered a reluctant sympathy, but she shoved the feeling aside. “Why me? Why did you choose me to test your theory?”

“We have already proven it,” La’tok’at’bron said. “There are other couples here already.”

A screen flickered behind him, then various scenes appeared. Human females, each of them with an alien male. Three of the women had babies, and the fourth was obviously pregnant. They looked… happy, but she was too angry to care.

“I thought you said you didn’t want breeders?”

“We do not. That does not mean that we do not want to create families. It is a natural extension of the mate bond.”

“Well, I already have a family, and I want to return to him,” she snapped.

“I understand. I apologize for not investigating your situation more thoroughly.” The screens flickered again, then went dark. “I am ready. Please lie down.”

Her pulse beat a rapid tempo as she obeyed.

“What’s going to happen?”

“You will fall asleep and wake up in your own bed. You can take nothing with you.”

“Not even my shoes?” Her toes gripped the sandals Va’rik had made for her.

“No. Living tissue must be transmitted separately from inanimate objects.”

“Is that why I was naked when I arrived?”

“Precisely.”

More tears threatened as she fought the urge to flee from the room. Billy, she thought desperately, clinging to his image as La’tok’at’bron did something mysterious in the corner.

“I am sorry to see you leave, Amanda Cushing. You were perfect for Va’rik. And he for you.”

Before she could respond, a thick, warm cloud started to envelop her. Her limbs felt too heavy to move, and her thoughts slowed. Her last thought was of Va’rik, and then darkness took her.

Va’rik looked up as La’tok’at’bron returned.

“It is done.”

His chest ached so badly that he almost checked for a wound. Hammy nuzzled his hand, and he wasn’t sure if the levet was offering or receiving comfort.

“You let her go,” La’tok’at’bron observed. “I am surprised.”

“We always said that they would have a choice.” He paced restlessly. “I never realized it would be this hard.”

“You did not ask her to stay.”

“How could I? She has a child.”

“The child could have joined her here.”

The thought made his pain even worse. To have both a mate and a child… But he had nothing.

“Why would she bring him here? In order to save our species?” A bitter laugh escaped. “Why should she care?”

La’tok’at’bron made a sound that would have been a sigh if he’d had a physical mouth. “No, you idiot. To save you. Because you love her.”

The words hit him with blinding clarity. They explained all of the feelings and impulses that had confused him. Of course he loved her. But…

“I did not tell her.”

“No.”

“I have to go after her.”

Chapter Fourteen

Amanda woke up, naked and alone, in her own bed. For a moment, the sunny yellow walls and comfortable mattress seemed as alien as the pink rocks had been. She reached blindly for Va’rik, but of course, he wasn’t there. A tear dripped down her cheek, then another, then she buried her face in her pillow and gave in to grief.

When the storm finally passed, she forced herself to her feet, wrapped her old fluffy robe around her shoulders, and went to find her phone. Sunday. She had only been gone for a week, but she felt like a different person. She missed Va’rik with an aching intensity that didn’t lessen as the day passed. As she took a very long, very hot shower. As she carefully applied blue paint to her spare room. As she made cookies for her class and remembered Billy sitting at her counter, stuffing himself with cookies.

She wanted to see him, to check on him, but when she called Mrs. Dublin, the caseworker made her promise that she wouldn’t interfere with his present situation until she had that damn certification. Only the knowledge that breaking the rules might destroy her chances kept her away.

Keeping herself busy helped a little, but when she finally crawled into bed, sleep wouldn’t come. Thoughts of Va’rik filled her head. That innocent, wicked smile. The way he tilted his head when he struggled to remember. The sorrow on his face when she had turned away from him and told La’tok’at’bron to send her home.

He should have told me, she thought fiercely. But now that he was gone and her anger had faded, she understood why he hadn’t. And would it have changed anything? She would still have had to come back. Billy needed her.

A fact that was confirmed when she walked into school the next morning, drawn and tired from a sleepless night, and found Billy waiting for her. A purple bruise circled his eye and discolored his cheek.

“Billy! What happened?”

“I tripped,” he muttered, not looking at her.

“I don’t believe you. What really happened?”

“I fell.”

“Either you tell me what happened right now or I’m calling Mrs. Dublin and we’re all going over to your house to get to the bottom of it.”

The stubborn set of his mouth finally softened.

“Jeanine got mad about the coat and yelled at me.” He shrugged thin shoulders. “That didn’t bother me much, but then Dave came over this weekend and she was bitch—I mean, complaining to him. He started yelling at me too, and I told him it wasn’t none of his business.” He hunched his shoulders. “He slapped me.”

“Oh, Billy.” She wrapped her arms around him.

He didn’t respond at first, but then his skinny little arms hugged her back. “I hate it there. Please don’t make me go back.”

“Not if I can help it,” she said grimly.

The other students began to file in, and she asked another teacher to cover for her for a few minutes while she went to call Mrs. Dublin.

The older woman sighed on the other end of the line. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll see what I can do.”

“He can’t go back there.”

“I agree. But that doesn’t mean he can stay with you.”

“Please try. I’ll do anything I need to do.”

Mrs. Dublin called her back at the end of the day. “I’ve called in every favor I could. You’ve been granted emergency custody—but only until the end of the week. I’m doing everything I can to fast track your certification, but he’ll have to go back to a home in the city until the paperwork is finished.”

“But you told me yourself it was a bad fit for him.”

“I know.” The caseworker’s voice sounded weary. “I’m looking for another place. And praying we can get you approved before then.”

The other woman tried to sound optimistic, but Amanda knew how slowly the bureaucratic process worked.

“Thank you for trying,” she said sincerely, despite the worry making her stomach churn.

“I haven’t been able to collect his belongings yet.”

“That’s all right. We’ll go shopping.”

They agreed to talk the next morning, and she hung up, then went back to her classroom to find Billy.

“I think Hammy likes his new ball,” he said from his position next to the hamster cage.

A lump filled her throat. She missed her furry little companion as well, but she knew Va’rik would take care of him. The lump grew, but she resolutely pushed it aside and forced herself to smile.

“Mrs. Dublin has arranged for you to stay with me this week.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Would you like that?”

“Can we make cookies again?”

“Not tonight. We’re going shopping.”

He made a disgusted face, but then he gave her a shy smile. “Thanks, Ms. Cushing.”

“I’m happy to have you,” she said sincerely.

That happiness didn’t fade as the day continued. They shopped for clothes and other necessities, and then she made him dinner. He was thrilled with his room, even without all of the finishing touches she had planned. It was almost exactly the life she had envisioned—other than his loud and vehement distaste for salad—and she was truly happy to have him with her.

But the ache of missing Va’rik never faded. Was this how her mother had felt after her father left them? No wonder she had taught Amanda to live on her own.

But Va’rik didn’t leave me. I left him, her guilty conscience reminded her as she remembered the sorrow on his face.

After dinner, she settled Billy in his room with his homework and went to start a load of clothes. A soft knock sounded on the back door, and she frowned. No one ever came to that door.

She cautiously opened the door and there was Va’rik. Huge, purple, and completely naked.

“Oh my God. What are you doing here?”

“You left before—”

“Come inside, quickly, before someone sees you.” She grabbed his arm and tried pulling him into the house. “You don’t know what my government would do to you if they find you.”

“I do not care,” he said, but he obeyed her prompting and stepped inside.

His head almost brushed the ceiling of her laundry room as she rushed to close the door. Thank God he’d come to the back door.

“I don’t understand. What are—”

“I love you, Amanda.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“I should never have let you leave without telling you. You are my mate, and I never want to be parted from you again.”

“Oh, Va’rik. I love you too.”

He seemed to swoop at her, lifting her into his arms as he devoured her mouth. God, she had missed this, missed him. But as he started rocking her against his extremely erect cock, she came to her senses.

“You can’t stay here.”

“You do not want me?”

“Of course, I want you. But I told you, if my government finds out, then they will take you away from me.” She shuddered, horrible visions of Va’rik strapped to a lab table filling her mind.

“Then I will remain within your residence.”

“But you can’t. Billy is here!” The realization made her pull away from him. “And you’re naked.”

Searching through the clothes she had been about to wash, she found the old pair of men’s sweatpants she wore when painting. “Quick. Put these on.”

He frowned but obeyed. They were far too short and the soft fabric did very little to conceal the size of his erection, but it was better than nothing. He should have looked ridiculous, but somehow, the dignity with which he carried himself triumphed over the odd outfit.

The front doorbell rang.

“Oh, Lord. Now what?” She started for the door, and Va’rik followed her. “No! Please just stay here. I’ll get rid of whoever that is and be right back.”

“I do not want to be parted from you now that we are together again.”

“It’s just for a minute. Please?”

He gave a reluctant nod, and she hurried through the kitchen and living room, just as the bell rang a second time.

“Sorry, I was just doing—” Her words came to an abrupt halt.

Dave was standing on the front porch. She tried to slam the door shut again, but he caught it with one meaty hand. A big man with a thick chest and wide shoulders, he would have been good-looking if it weren’t for the perpetual scowl that branded his face.

“Not so fast. I gotta bone to pick with you.”

The stench of stale beer wafted over her as he spoke.

“I don’t have anything to say to you.”

“Good. Because I’m the one that’s doing the talking. You told that interfering busybody that I hit the kid, and she reported me to the cops.”

“Good.”

“Shut up,” he snarled. “They’re looking for me and my woman’s pissed, and it’s all because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut, you nosy little bitch. I’m gonna teach you a lesson.”

He raised his fist, even as she tried to wrestle the door away from him, and then Va’rik was there. He grabbed Dave’s wrist, and she heard it snap before Va’rik knocked him down with one blow. Oh, shit.

“Holy shit.” Billy’s excited voice echoed from behind them. “You’re an alien.”

She would have prayed for strength, but she didn’t have time. “Quick. Drag him inside,” she ordered Va’rik.

He didn’t move. “I do not want him in your residence.”

“And I don’t want the police taking you away from me. At least bring him inside until we can decide what to do. Please.”

He sighed, but this time he obeyed, dragging Dave inside with little regard for the fact that he was banging the man’s head against the door frame. Dave didn’t react.

“Is he dead?” Billy asked, his eyes wide.

“No, of course not.” Was he? No, his chest was still moving.

“That’s a shame.” Billy shrugged and turned to Va’rik. “Who’re you?”

“I am Va’rik. I am Amanda’s mate.”

“Is that like a husband?”

Va’rik tilted his head, then nodded. “Yes.”

“Cool. You shoulda told me you had an alien husband, Ms. Cushing.”

“I don’t—” Two pairs of eyes focused on her face, one wide and blue, the other heated purple. “We were… separated,” she amended.

“Does that mean you’re going back to space with him? And I gotta go back to the city?”

“No, we can’t go back to his planet.”

“Why not?” Va’rik asked calmly. “La’tok’at’bron is prepared to bring us back.”

“Because of Billy,” she hissed. “That hasn’t changed.”

“We will bring him with us.”

“We can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Yeah, why not? I’m ready to go,” Billy said eagerly.

Those two pairs of eyes were focused on her again, both equally entreating.

“But… it would mean leaving everything behind, Billy. Your friends—”

“I don’t have any.”

“Leaving this whole world. Television and cars and fast food and…”

“I don’t care. You’d be there, right?”

‘Yes.”

“And he’d take care of us, right?”

“Of course,” Va’rik said immediately, then frowned at her. “The child will lack for nothing.”

“I… I need to think about it. I’m going to make some tea.”

She hurried to the kitchen, her mind whirling. Everything had happened so quickly. She filled the kettle, hoping the mundane act would help calm her anxious mind, but then stood staring blankly out the window into the dark.

Big warm arms slid around her waist, and Va’rik’s cinnamon scent filled her head. With a sigh, she relaxed back against him. God, she had missed him.

“What troubles you, my mate? Do you not want to be with me?”

“More than anything. But I have to consider if it is in Billy’s best interests.”

“He wishes to come.”

“But he’s a child. He doesn’t fully understand what that means.”

“I told you he would lack for nothing.”

“But what about friends? And a mate of his own someday?”

“There are already other children. There will be more.”

“And his education?”

“You can teach him, can you not?”

“To a certain extent. But here he would be able to go to college.”

She could see his reflection in the window and saw his head tilt, then saw him smile. “He will have access to knowledge far beyond what he would encounter here.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It is simple. As long as you are both willing.” He pressed a kiss to the sensitive hollow of her neck. “Are you willing, my mate?”

“I…”

“Hammy is waiting for you too.”

She laughed and turned around in his arms, smiling up at his beloved purple face. “That’s not fair. I missed him almost as much as I missed you.”

The innocent yet wicked smile played around his mouth. “At least you said almost as much.” The smile left. “This is your decision, my mate. If you do not want to leave, I will remain here. I will go anywhere you want to go. I love you.”

“I love you too.” And in the end, wasn’t that all that really mattered? “Okay, Va’rik. Let’s go get our son and go home.”

Chapter Fifteen

Amanda knew before she opened her eyes that she was no longer on Earth. The faint medicinal scent of the lab filled her nostrils. She glanced to the side, expecting to see Va’rik, but the bed next to hers was empty. He wasn’t there, and neither was Billy.

A faint remnant of the old familiar panic threatened to emerge, but she dismissed it quickly. She had absolutely no doubt that Va’rik was waiting for her.

As she sat up, she saw a neat bundle waiting at the foot of the bed. Clothing. She had just slipped the simple white shift over her head when the door opened and Va’rik appeared.

“I am too late. I hoped to see you before you dressed yourself.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course you did. Where’s Billy?”

“He is still sleeping. La’tok’at’bron suggested that we might want time to… reacquaint ourselves before he awoke.”

“Oh, he did, did he? What do you suppose he had in mind?”

“I do not know. But I intend to thank you for returning to me.”

Her breath caught as the sparks of purple fire began to burn in his eyes.

“Maybe I should be thanking you.”

The fire intensified. “All in good time.”

As he stalked towards her, she saw the tattoo on his chest start to glow again. “You’re glowing.”

“Ah, yes.” He came to a halt in front of her, and she automatically wrapped her legs around his hips. “There is something we could discuss.”

“Now?” The lab table put her at the perfect height, and she could feel the petals of his cock rubbing tantalizingly against her pussy.

“Yes.” He groaned and grabbed her hips. “You are distracting me.”

“Good.” She tried to shimmy but she couldn’t move.

“Do you want to have a child?”

A pang of sorrow washed over her. “You said we couldn’t. And it’s okay,” she added quickly.

“I knew that we could not, although I did not understand why at the time. Now I know that La’tok’at’bron—we—decided that we did not want an unexpected pregnancy influencing a female’s decision to stay, even if it occurred after the mate bond. But I can ask La’tok’at’bron to reverse that protocol at any time.” He sounded distracted, his hands moving her slowly against his shaft as he watched the place where their bodies touched.

“At any time?”

“Yes. Even now.”

He slid her against him more quickly, his way eased by her abundant wetness. His petals dragged across her clit, but she forced herself to think.

“Then I think we should wait,” she panted. “Billy will need time to adjust, and I would like to have a house before I have a baby. Can we stop talking now?”

He didn’t bother to reply. Still gripping her hip with one hand, he grabbed his cock with the other, lined it up with her entrance, and slid inside with one long, hard thrust. A rush of heat filled her as he did, easing his way. She saw the lines of his tattoo flare, burning bright purple, but she was lost in the overwhelming fullness.

“My mate,” he whispered, withdrawing in a slow, smooth glide.

“Your mate.”

He shuddered and thrust forward again, his petals scraping the sensitive flesh. She could feel them fluttering, stroking every sensitive inch of her channel. She wanted to prolong the moment, to relish the knowledge that they were back together, but her desire was already cresting. Va’rik’s movements were equally urgent, his hands tight on her hips as he thrust wildly, driving them both higher, until he expanded inside her and her own climax roared over her.

They clung to each other as her heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

“I think that counts as a mutual thank you,” she murmured when he finally, reluctantly, withdrew.

“On the contrary.” He touched her cheek. “I will never stop thanking you for returning to me, my mate.”

As he bent his head to kiss her, the door opened and La’tok’at’bron’s tank floated in, Hammy perched on top.

Va’rik growled and stepped in front of her as she quickly slipped the shift dress over her head. “You do not see my mate without clothing.”

La’tok’at’bron sounded amused. “You realize this is foolishness? I brought her here without—”

Va’rik growled again, and she gave his back a soothing pat. “It’s fine.”

At the sound of her voice, Hammy squealed and made a flying leap from the tank to the bed. He patted her frantically with his tiny paws until she cuddled him, his small body vibrating with the force of his purring.

“I believe he missed you,” La’tok’at’bron said.

“I missed him too.”

“Almost as much as you missed me,” Va’rik said, putting his arms around both of them.

“I don’t know. It was pretty close.” She smiled up at him. “Can we see Billy now?”

“That is why I am here. I am about to wake him. Please follow me.” La’tok’at’bron led them to an identical room.

Billy looked so small, so fragile, on the white lab table that her heart ached. God, she hoped she had done the right thing in bringing him here.

La’tok’at’bron floated to the wall panel, and a moment later, Billy’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Ms. Cushing?”

“I’m here, Billy.”

“As am I.” Va’rik stepped up beside her. “You are safe.”

“Are we really on another planet?” Billy looked between them, his eyes widening when he spotted Hammy, still tucked in her arms.

“What’s that?”

“This is Hammy.”

“He doesn’t look like a hamster,” he said suspiciously as he ran his finger down Hammy’s back. The little levet purred.

“Indeed.” La’tok’at’bron’s tank floated closer, and Billy’s eyes widened even further.

“Holy shit! It’s a floating brain.”

“That is not entirely inaccurate,” La’tok’at’bron said calmly.

“Wow! What else is there to see? Can I go look around? Can Hammy come?”

La’tok’at’bron bobbed gently. “Of course.”

“But—”

“I will accompany him,” Va’rik said quietly as he took Hammy from her. “Why don’t you tell La’tok’at’bron what he will need?”

The three of them departed, leaving her still a little stunned by Billy’s excitement. She could only hope that he continued to be as enthusiastic. As she tried to think of what he would need, the door slid open again, and a very pretty woman in a short, floaty blue dress peeped in. She couldn’t have been more than twenty, but she carried herself with a great deal of assurance.

“Hi. I’m Mina. Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

“I will leave you two to talk.” La’tok’at’bron floated out of the room, and Mina giggled.

“I know it’s wrong to laugh, but it still tickles me to see him bobbing around like that.” Mina smiled at her. “Everyone else is dying to meet you, but I wanted to be first.”

“Everyone?”

“The three other women. And their mates, of course.”

Amanda remembered the screens La’tok’at’bron had shown her before, even though she’d been too upset at the time to pay much attention to the details.

“You’re the other experiments?” she asked, then blushed. “I’m sorry. That didn’t sound very nice.”

Mina waved a dismissive hand. “It’s the truth.”

“And you’re all happy?”

“Very happy,” Mina said firmly. “I wanted to be the first to speak to you because I wanted to tell you that I think it’s wonderful that you brought Billy with you.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I… I was an orphan.” A brief shadow crossed the pretty face. “No one ever wanted me enough to keep me. I know they would never have returned to Earth for me.”

“But I didn’t stay there with him. You think I did the right thing in bringing him here?”

“Absolutely. This is a beautiful, unspoiled planet.”

“I’m just worried because he will miss out on so much.”

“But you love him,” Mina said softly. “As long as he knows that, the rest doesn’t matter. I would have been happy to live anywhere, as long as I was wanted.”

The weight started to lift from her shoulders.

“Really?”

“Yes. And remember, you don’t have to do this alone. We’re all here for you, and for Billy.”

“You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”

“Of course.”

Mina gave her an impulsive hug, and Amanda realized that the loose dress had concealed the swell of her stomach.

“You’re pregnant,” she exclaimed, then blushed again.

Mina’s own cheeks flushed as she smiled happily. “I am. Your son is going to have an honorary cousin—several of them.”

A warm glow filled her, and she was suddenly impatient to rejoin Va’rik and Billy.

“Do you know where my… mate might be?”

“I’m pretty sure they were headed for one of the upper labs. Since Myk-El is up there too, I suspect the conversation has already turned technical. Let’s go see.”

Mina led her to the elevator and back up to where they had entered the building. An open door led into an elaborate laboratory where Billy was peppering a big winged male with questions. Va’rik was watching with obvious amusement, while Hammy and a tiny dragon were chasing each other playfully around a workbench.

Va’rik looked up as soon as she entered and held out his hand. She went to him gladly, snuggling against his side, while Mina joined the winged male.

“Mom!” Billy shouted, then froze, a wary expression crossing his face. “I mean, Ms. Cushing.”

The lump in her throat made it hard to talk, but she did her best. “Mom is just fine, Billy. I already think of you as my son.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Why do you think I came back for you?”

His eyes were suspiciously bright as he threw his arms around her waist. She hugged him back just as fiercely while Va’rik put his arm around them both.

Billy drew back, scrubbing at his face with an already dirty hand, and grinned. “Come look at this, Mom.”

“In just a minute,” she promised, and he rushed back to the other male.

She looked up at Va’rik. “Thank you.”

The purple sparks appeared in his eyes, but he put a gentle hand on her face. “For what?”

“For coming for me. For bringing us both back. For giving me a family.” She covered his hand with her own. “For making me so happy. I love you.”

“I love you too, my mate.”

He kissed her, and then together they went to join their son.

Epilogue

One month later…

“Mom, Mom!” Billy came rushing into their new home, his red hair even more disheveled than usual. Va’rik had built the pink stone house not far from the lab, combining the traditional structure with all the modern conveniences she could want.

“Slow down,” she laughed, looking up from the book she had been studying. “Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Myk-El said he’d take me for a flight and show me the valley if you agreed. And you do agree, don’t you? Dad said it was up to you.”

Dad. She loved hearing Billy refer to Va’rik that way almost as much as she loved hearing him call her Mom.

Myk-El was one of Billy’s tutors. As Jane had predicted, all of the other couples had pitched in to teach Billy, although in somewhat unconventional ways. His education currently included everything from tracking to meditation to a complicated dice game, but he seemed to have a special bond with Myk-El and frequently joined him in the lab.

Although she wasn’t crazy about the idea of her son flying through the air, she couldn’t bear to squash his excitement. And since Myk-El seemed to have no problem carrying both his wife and his son, she didn’t think the huge winged male would have a problem with Billy’s slight weight.

“I suppose it’s all right.”

“Yay!”

He threw his arms up in the air, then gave her a quick hug, his skinny arms tight around her neck. As he pulled away, he stopped and frowned.

“Are you all right, Mom?”

“I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

For an excellent reason, she thought happily.

He gave her another quick glance, then his face relaxed and he headed for the door.

“Be sure and say thank you,” she called after him, just as Va’rik entered.

He gave Billy an affectionate pat on the head as the boy rushed by, but his gaze immediately went to her. The little purple flames flickered in his eyes as he crossed towards her.

“You know how much I like the sound of those words on your lips,” he murmured as he bent and kissed her.

“It’s not exactly the same thing,” she laughed when he finally released her.

“No, but I do like our version.”

She hummed her agreement. “Actually, there is something I want to thank you for.”

“Come with me.”

Taking his hand, she led him into their bedroom. It wasn’t a large room, but it had a huge bed and an expansive view of the valley.

“What is it, my mate?”

She took his hand and pressed it against the soft curve of her stomach. “Can you feel that?”

“Oh, yes. Soft, silky skin.” His hand wandered up to cup her breast. “Lush, warm curves.”

“My body doesn’t seem any different?” Her breath caught as he brushed his thumb over a taut, sensitive nipple.

“It is as wonderful as ever,” he assured her, gently teasing her breasts.

Why was this so hard?

“I’m pregnant,” she burst out.

Va’rik’s hands froze. “What?”

“I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby. Aren’t you happy?” she added anxiously when he still didn’t respond.

He collapsed to his knees, throwing his arms around her, and pressing his head against her stomach.

“Thank you,” he whispered, and then he was covering her stomach with kisses. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, my mate.”

When he looked up at her, his face was alight with happiness.

“You don’t mind, do you? We have a house now—and plumbing—and Billy seems to be adjusting just fine.”

“Of course not, but…” A small furrow appeared between his brows, then he sighed. “I suspect La’tok’at’bron decided to intervene, without bothering to inform either of us. He is very anxious to confirm that our experiment is completely successful. You… you are happy about this too?”

“I’m thrilled.” She started to bend towards him, but he was on his feet and carrying her to the bed before she made it.

A long time later, Va’rik smiled up at the ceiling. Amanda was curled against his side, already half asleep as he stroked her hair and basked in their shared happiness. The rush of footsteps interrupted the quiet. Billy was back. She scrambled for the covers, even as he laughed and sat up.

“I’ll head him off. You need your sleep.”

She mumbled a protest, but he tucked the blanket around her and went to meet his son.

Billy began an excited account of his adventures, then frowned.

“Where’s Mom?”

“She’s feeling tired, so I told her to rest.” He hesitated, trying to decide the best way to approach the subject. “She will need to rest more over the next few months.”

“Why?” Billy’s eyes widened in fear. “Is she sick?”

“No, not at all.” Best to get it over with, he decided. “Your mother is going to have a baby.”

The thin shoulders stiffened.

“Oh.” The boy gave him a strained smile, then dropped his eyes. “I guess I’d better start packing.”

“Packing? What are you talking about?”

“If you’re going to have a baby, you won’t want me anymore.”

“Of course we want you. You’re our son. Nothing is ever going to change that.”

Hope blazed on that pale face.

“Do you really mean it?”

“Have I ever lied to you?” Billy shook his head and Va’rik wrapped his arm around the small shoulders. “It just means that our family is growing. You’re going to be a big brother.”

“A brother?”

“A big brother,” Amanda added. She emerged from the bedroom, looking sleepy and tousled and absolutely desirable, but her eyes were focused on Billy. “It’s a very important job. The baby is going to need you to show him—”

“Or her,” he interjected, and she smiled at him.

“—or her how things work around here. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, I guess I can.” Despite the casual words, Billy’s huge grin lit up his face.

“Good.” Amanda sat down on the other side of Billy, and Va’rik reached out to include her. “Because we’re a family. And families look after each other.”

A family—a growing family—and hope for the future at last. Happiness filled him as he gathered them close, determined that this time he would not fail.

Five years later…

“Are you disappointed?”

Amanda’s soft question distracted Va’rik from his absorbed study of their newborn daughter. Beneath a fuzzy cap of dark curls, her eyes were as dark as Amanda’s but her skin was a delicate lavender. He tore his gaze away to study his mate. Her face was pale and tired, but she looked as beautiful as ever. He cupped her cheek.

“Why would I be disappointed?”

“We already have a daughter.”

“And we already have a son.” He tilted his head, wondering at the implication. “Billy is the finest son I could hope to have. Do you not know this?”

“Of course I do. It’s just… I know how important it is to you to save your people.”

“And we are saving them. More each year.” He ran a gentle finger down their daughter’s cheek, but she had latched on and started suckling and paid no attention to him. “But you are all part of the future of our race—you, Billy, our daughters. You will make us stronger and stop us from fading away again.”

Amanda’s eyes filled with tears and she reached for his hand, just as Dr. Webber appeared at the door. A brisk, no nonsense woman, she was—as always—accompanied by her silent mate, looming protectively over her.

Va’rik had a great deal of respect for the doctor. As the number of matches grew, a small village had grown up around the existing lab building, although very few knew of the underground labs deep beneath the surface. Dr. Webber had been primarily responsible for converting a portion of the upper lab to an up-to-date medical facility.

Sharp eyes inspected Amanda’s face. “What’s this? Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” His mate gave the doctor a misty smile. “I think I’m just a little emotional.”

Dr. Webber smiled, the expression softening her usually serious face. “Only to be expected. I’ll just run a check on this little one and then your other children can come in. They are somewhat impatient,” she added dryly.

“Poor Mina,” Amanda murmured. “You know how excited Joy gets.”

“I am sure Billy will make sure she does not get carried away.”

As if in response to his words, the door swung open and Joy came racing in, Billy hot on her heels. “Mama, Mama! I wanna see.”

Va’rik caught Joy just before the little girl flung herself at Amanda and the baby. Their first daughter had golden skin and purple eyes, sparkling now as she leaned precariously over his arm in an effort to reach the baby.

“She’s so small!”

“You were that small once, squirt,” Billy said, then gave him an apologetic glance. “Sorry, she got away from me.”

“And perhaps you were impatient to meet your new sister as well?”

Billy grinned and ducked his head. “Maybe.”

“What do you think of her?” Amanda asked.

“She looks like she’ll be less trouble than this one.” Billy ruffled Joy’s curls, and she pouted up at him.

“I’m not twouble.”

“Yes you are.” He relented and lifted her out of Va’rik’s arms to swing her around in a circle. “But you’re my kind of trouble.”

Joy squealed happily and hugged his neck, then leaned over to look at the baby again. “When can I play wif her?”

“Not until she is a little bigger,” he said.

“Then I wanna go back outside.”

“Just a minute.” Billy looked down at Amanda, a worried frown on his young face. “Are you okay, Mom? You look tired.”

“Birthing babies is hard work.” She smiled up at him. “But it’s worth every minute. And it really helps that I don’t have to worry about Joy because I know you’re looking after her.”

Billy’s face threatened to turn the color of his hair, but he gave her a shy grin.

After kisses all round, the children left. Dr. Webber completed her examination, then she and her mate left also, leaving the three of them alone.

“You do look tired, my mate,” he said softly, sitting next to her on the bed so he could put his arm around her and their now sleeping daughter.

“I’m fine. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“As beautiful as her mother.” He bent over and brushed a kiss to her lips. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For loving me. For giving me a family. For our son and our daughters.”

Her eyes sparkled with tears, but she gave him a teasing smile. “Just remember that. In about six weeks I’ll let you thank me properly.”

His cock flexed involuntarily, already anticipating the occasion. “It will be my great pleasure.”

The baby grunted in her sleep, and they both looked down at her.

“Did you decide on a name?” he asked.

“I thought perhaps, Felicity. It means happiness.”

“Then it is perfect. Now try and rest. If she is anything like Joy, you will not sleep for long.”

She laughed ruefully, then snuggled into his arms. He settled back in the quiet room to watch over them as they slept, happier than he had ever thought to be.

Ten years later…

Amanda watched her son dancing with his new mate and tried not to cry. Bill was undoubtedly a man now - tall and strong, his red hair darkened to a rich auburn - but in her mind she could still see the small figure sitting on the swing, his thin shoulders hunched against the cold.

Big warm arms encircled her waist, then Va’rik’s familiar cinnamon scent filled her head.

“Do not be sad,” he whispered.

“I’m not sad. It’s just… He still seems so young.”

“He is a grown male who has lived on his own for two years now.”

“Against my wishes,” she muttered.

His arms tightened. “I know. But you are a good mother and you let him go. Just as you are doing now. You like his mate, do you not?”

“Of course. Alice is a very sweet girl.” But also very young.

Alice’s mother, Janet, looked over and smiled at Amanda. She suspected that Janet shared her doubts, but neither one of them had the heart to object when the two announced they wanted a mating ceremony. Alice’s father, Sabrost, had not been so restrained. It was one of the few times Amanda had ever seen the male’s serenity falter. He had announced that he had to meditate on the situation, and disappeared for an entire day while Alice fretted and Bill paced. But in the end, he had returned and given the young couple his blessing.

“But I don’t know why they had to rush into this,” she added.

“My mate, I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you. Bill knows his own mind. And so does Alice.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

The ceremony had taken place in the hillside town where Alice lived - the same one they had passed so many years ago. No longer in ruins, the ancient stone buildings were draped in flowers for the occasion, small flickering lights half-hidden in the vines. The warm breeze off the ocean mingled with the scent of the flowers. People danced in the ancient stone courtyard, many of them former students of hers, the light catching glints of all the different skin colors.

They were surrounded by friends and family, but she felt suddenly restless.

“Where are the girls?”

Va’rik sighed. “Joy is following Mar-Kel around.”

Their exuberant daughter had turned fourteen this year and suddenly discovered the attraction of the opposite sex. Fortunately, Myk-El and Mina’s son, a whole year older than Joy, had been patient with her crush on him.

“And I supposed Felicity is curled up in the corner with a book?”

Their quiet younger daughter adored her brother, and she had retreated since he had announced his mating.

“Not exactly. Look.”

She followed his gesture and saw Bill dancing with his sister. Felicity smiled up at him, looking happier than she had in weeks, and Amanda’s eyes filled with tears again.

“You must stop crying, my mate.” Va’rik gently brushed away a stray drop. “This is a happy occasion.”

“I know. I’m just feeling sentimental tonight. Do you think La’tok’at’bron is watching? He’s the reason we are all here.”

Along with the original four couples, they were the only ones who knew of the scientist’s presence in the great underground lab, and she and Va’rik were the only ones who still visited him. He had insisted it was better that way, but she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

“I have no doubt he is watching. Would you like to dance?”

“I would rather go for a walk with you.”

The sparks of purple fire ignited in his eyes. “I will ask Myk-El to keep an eye on the girls.”

He hurried away, and she watched admiringly as he crossed the crowded floor. The white pants he had donned for the occasion clung to his still remarkably fine ass, a striking contrast against the deep lavender of his skin. When he returned, his Elaman already had a soft purple glow, and she ran a teasing finger over the lines before taking his hand and leading him towards the beach.

“Are you happy to see me?”

“Always.” He tilted his head. “But I suspect you meant something different.”

She dropped his hand and cupped the prominent bulge beneath the white silk. “It means that you are aroused.”

“Also always,” he growled, covering her hand with his own and pressing it tighter against his cock.

She could feel his petals stir beneath her fingers, and the familiar ache started low in her stomach. Before she could respond to his words, he lifted her into his arms, walking far more quickly than she could in the dim moonlight. He didn’t stop until they were in a sheltered spot between two dunes.

“I will always have an affection for the beach,” he said as he put her down and started untying her gown.

“Why is that?” she teased. “Because you like the salt air?”

The silk slipped away from her breasts and his mouth replaced it, startlingly hot and wet on the tight peaks.

“Yes,” he growled against her skin, the vibration adding to the excitement racing through her system.

“Or maybe it’s the sound of the waves,” she said breathlessly.

His big hand parted her thighs, growling again when he found her slick and ready.

Her body was on fire with longing, her swollen clit throbbing with each beat of her heart, but she managed to continue the game. “Or the sand in uncomfortable places?”

He finally raised his head, his eyes alight with purple fire to match the vibrant glow of his Elaman, and the look on his face made her heart skip a beat.

“Because it was our first time, my mate. And you changed everything for me.”

Then he pulled her down over him and she lost the ability to talk. He made love to her with the same intensity, the same wonder, as the very first time, leaving her limp and satisfied in his arms.

“We should get back to our family,” he murmured eventually, stroking her hair.

“We will.”

The stars danced overhead, and a cool breeze blew in off the ocean, but she was warm and safe in his arms. Their family awaited, but for now, the two of them were enough. She smiled into the night.

* * *

Many years later…

La’tok’at’bron’s tank floated between the rows of empty shelves that had once contained the essence of his people. Not a single vessel remained. All of them had been implanted in healthy new bodies and sent off to begin their new lives with human females at their sides.

Not all of the matches had been successful, of course, but the failure rate was only a fraction of a percent. After his experience with Va’rik’s mate, he had searched more deeply for family ties with some… unusual results. And yet, those had often been the most successful matches.

He floated back out of the room and turned off the power. No one would ever enter it again.

He continued his circuit through the abandoned laboratories and the empty supply rooms, ending up in the observation room. It was his favorite place in the entire complex, and he spent most of his time here. He scanned the monitors. A new port had sprung up at the junction where the river met the ocean, he noticed approvingly. Trade was thriving—a successful endeavor started many years ago by one of the first subjects. A’rien’s descendants had inherited his ability to survive in the ocean, and that had encouraged them to explore and to set up new trade routes.

Many of the descendants of those original four couples had bred true, and it was not uncommon to also see green and gold skin tones scattered amongst the population, along with the flash of wings. A shock of bright red hair was equally common. He and Va’rik’at’char had chosen well.

At the thought of his friend, he turned to his favorite monitor. Va’rik’at’char’s great-great-grandson, a teacher like his long-ago grandmother, was leading a group of children through a history lesson. My most successful match, La’tok’at’bron thought proudly. Although he still missed his friend…

Va’rik’at’char and his mate had lived long and happy lives, as had all of their original matches. But they were all gone now. The world had changed, and he had every hope that his people would survive and live on. His work was done.

He began turning off the power to the rest of the facility, the rooms going still and dark, until only the observation room remained. He adjusted the feed so that every screen showed pictures of Va’rik’at’char and his descendants, then began the process of shutting down his tank.

Perhaps he should have chosen to remain, to watch and guide, but he was tired. He had even considered creating a body for himself, but it was not for him. He was a scientist. His great love had always been his work.

The words of one of the books Va’rik’at’char’s mate had often read flickered through his mind. He was going to a far, far better rest than he had ever known.

The lights in his tank began to dim, and he felt his thoughts begin to slow. He didn’t resist. With his last remaining consciousness, he watched his friend’s happy life. He only wished that he could smile as he slipped into the darkness.

The tank went dark, and then the monitors shut off, one by one. The lab complex lay locked in silent darkness. But up above, the sun shone and La’tok’at’bron’s people went about their busy, happy lives.

Author’s Note

Thank you so much for reading The Strip Down! I hope you enjoyed seeing our alien scientist transformed into the subject of the experiment this time. I only planned to write four books in this series originally, but with each book Va’rik’at’char grew more demanding – and I knew I had to tell his story!

This is the end of the series for now, but as you can guess, there are many more stories on the naked planet! If you would like to hear more of them, let me know!

Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon – reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!

As always, I have to thank my readers for joining me on these adventures! Your support and encouragement make it possible for me to keep writing these books.

And, of course, a special thanks to my beta team – Janet S, Nancy V, Kitty S, and Lori S. Your thoughts and comments are incredibly helpful!

What’s up next? I am returning to the Treasured by the Alien series! If you enjoy found families and sweet green alien warriors with naughty tails, check out The Nanny and the Alien Warrior!

Can an alien warrior who has given up hope find a new future with the woman and child who need him?

Click here to order The Nanny and the Alien Warrior!

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Other Titles

The Alien Abduction Series

Anna and the Alien

Beth and the Barbarian

Cam and the Conqueror

Deb and the Demon

Ella and the Emperor

Faith and the Fighter

Greta and the Gargoyle

Hanna and the Hitman

Izzie and the Icebeast

Joan and the Juggernaut

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

Exposed to the Elements

The Naked Alien

The Bare Essentials

A Nude Attitude

The Buff Beast

The Strip Down

Cyborgs on Mars

High Plains Cyborg

The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

A Fistful of Cyborg

A Few Cyborgs More

The Magnificent Cyborg

The Outlaw Cyborg

Treasured by the Alien

with Bex McLynn

Mama and the Alien Warrior

A Son for the Alien Warrior

Daughter of the Alien Warrior

A Family for the Alien Warrior

The Nanny and the Alien Warrior

Standalone Books

Jackie and the Giant - A Cosmic Fairy Tale

Krampus and the Crone - An SFR Holiday Tale

About the Author

Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies.

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of five. Her writing has improved since then. Her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

Honey loves to hear from her wonderful readers! You can stalk her on her website at

www.honeyphillips.com

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