Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

Jackie and the Giant

Cosmic Fairy Tales

Honey Phillips

Copyright © 2019 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 Nikki Groom @ Indie Hub Editing Services

Chapter One

Jackie heard the second bell chime just as she emerged from the canyons. The sound echoed across the huge plain that spread from her claim to the distant mountains. Swearing, she tried to urge the solar cart to greater speed, but the old vehicle simply didn’t have the capacity. As she drove, she kept her eyes fixed on the sky over the small settlement, praying that she wouldn’t see the aliens leaving. If she didn’t make it in time to sell her Vaekest crystals, she wasn’t sure how she and her younger sister Bella were going to make it until the next market day.

As she bumped over the red, rocky desert plain, she prayed that she hadn’t left it too late. Unfortunately, this quarter’s selection of crystals had been even scarcer than usual, and she had been determined to refine every last one of them in order to get their maximum value. All that effort would be for nothing if the aliens left the market before she arrived.

Pulling the hood of her traveling robe higher to try and block the dust, she pressed the lever down as far as she dared, watching anxiously as the gauge inched toward the red line. The old cart was one of the few remaining luxuries from when her parents were alive. That is, if you could still call it a luxury. The vehicle was her only way of traveling into her claim in the canyons in search of crystals, but after ten years over rugged terrain and little-to-no maintenance, the cart was on its last legs. She kept hoping that one of these days she could find a real cache—a collection of crystals large enough to be worth trading on the open market in Thaleth, or even in her wildest dreams, a collection large enough to make it worth traveling to the main port in Garig to sell to the interstellar traders who visited the planet. But unfortunately, those traders were only interested in large purchases, and so far, her family’s claim had produced only minimal results.

Not for the first time, she wondered what had driven her parents to take on such a risky venture, especially knowing that they didn’t have the money to purchase more than one claim. A single holding was barely enough to support the family so she could only imagine that her father had thought that he could work hard enough to increase the size of their property. Perhaps if he had lived, he would have been able to but after he died, she was the only one capable of working the claim. Her mother had been destroyed by grief and had not lasted long after her father’s death. Her younger sister was much too delicate for the rough work out in the canyons.

A worried frown crossed her face as her thoughts turned to Bella. Hopefully, she had been all right over the past ten days. Jackie didn’t like to stay away from home this long and she knew that Bella was not very good at taking care of herself. On the other hand, everyone loved her. Their neighbor, Mrs. Miller, checked on her every day and always insisted on providing her with at least a few meals. And no doubt old Mr. Garvey had come by and done some chores. And of course, there was David.

A smile twisted her lips as she thought of her handsome suitor. She still found it surprising that David was interested in her. His family owned the largest—actually, the only—trading store in the Songder Town and he was one of the most prominent citizens in the settlement, even if it was a mere speck on the map of the outer territories of Tuknis. Not to mention that he was also tall and lean with a shock of blond hair and sparkling blue eyes set in the pale undamaged skin that was so rare in the mining settlements—unlike her own, she thought ruefully. Just like the rest of the miners, the constant exposure to the sun and the dust and the dry winds of Tuknis had tanned her skin to a warm reddish-brown, while the naturally brown hair she kept short was streaked with dusty highlights.

At least she had been able to spare Bella. Bella still had long shining golden curls and pale perfect skin. She smiled again as she thought of her younger sister, so pretty and precious. She had vowed to her mother on her deathbed that she would take care of Bella and she was still doing the best she could. Unfortunately, that best was nowhere near as good as her sister deserved. If only she had been able to send her to one of the larger towns for school. Not that Bella was a great scholar, but Jackie had no doubt that she would have been very popular and would have made the right kind of connections. Perhaps even a connection that would have taken her from this dusty mining settlement permanently. And if Bella was comfortably settled, Jackie would no longer be tied to acres of empty rock, a small house in constant need of maintenance, and a broken-down cart.

As if in response to her thoughts, the vehicle made an odd groaning sound.

“No, no,” she cried, patting the dashboard soothingly. “I didn’t mean that. You’re not a broken-down old cart. You’re a good girl. Please, please just make it to the settlement.”

Her pleas were to no avail. The cart groaned again and grumbled to a halt. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She looked at her wrist chronometer and tried to calculate how long it had been since the second bell had rung. Too long. With a muffled curse, she grabbed the small case that was all she had to show for a quarter’s worth of back-breaking work and took off on foot. Everything else in the cart could stay there until she returned. At least one of the advantages of a small settlement where everyone knew each other was that no one was likely to steal the small collection of tools and supplies still in the cart. She could return tomorrow and do her best to get it running again.

As she jogged for the town, she tried not to let despair overwhelm her, but it was difficult to maintain her usual if not optimistic, at least pragmatic outlook. She had long ago accepted the hard work required to maintain her home, not for her sake, but for her sister’s.

Everything will be all right, she told herself. If she didn’t reach the market in time, she could still trade some of the crystals to Mr. Haney, David’s father. He would take them, although he would not give her anywhere near their value, and she could use the credits to purchase the necessary supplies to see them through the next quarter.

If nothing else, they wouldn’t starve. One of the last of her parents’ original purchases, the Comestible Organic Wafer machine, would provide them with food. Admittedly, it would not be interesting food. The older model food replicator could only provide protein wafers, but they were nutritionally complete, and the COW only required sunlight and soil to operate. They’d had to live off it before, and while it had not been an enjoyable experience, it had kept them alive and healthy. If she’d had the breath, she would have laughed bitterly. What had happened to her life that alive and healthy seemed like the best she could hope for? And poor Bella would not be happy living on such minimal supplies.

Oh please, she prayed as she increased her pace. Please let him still be there, please let him still be at the market. Color heated her cheeks beneath her tan as she realized that she really was only focused on one of the aliens.

Each quarter, a few aliens came to their small marketplace to trade for Vaekest crystals. The compensation they provided was more than fair. It exceeded anything that Mr. Haney would offer and eliminated the need for a long trip to a larger settlement. Ever since her father died, she had been the one trading their small selection of crystals, and over time, she realized that she was doing most of her transactions with one particular alien.

A little twinge of guilt hit her as she thought of the big alien—something she did all too frequently. She found him much more fascinating than she probably should considering that they had never spoken. Their interactions were mainly limited to bartering over the crystals, but over the years they had developed an odd sort of relationship. Although none of the aliens communicated verbally, he had been the one to encourage her to polish and refine the crystals so that the small quantity she could gather had more value.

Usually, after the trading was completed, they would spend a few minutes sitting under the cool shade of one of the market tents. He never ate anything, of course, but he would sit with her while she treated herself to a cup of her favorite mint tea. She only allowed herself the indulgence after completing a successful trade. Even though the conversation was strictly on her part, she often found herself telling him about her life. Just a few small details, but as she talked, the strange green eyes visible behind the mask would be fixed so intently on her face that he always seemed fascinated. Perhaps it had just been wishful thinking.

At the end of last quarter’s trading session, she had been sitting there telling him about her hopes of finding a larger cache of crystals. And even though he didn’t speak, she had been encouraged by what she thought was a sympathetic stare and had told him some of her foolish fantasies of what she would like to do with the resulting credits. She had been so lost in dreams of an impossible future that David had come looking for her. He had walked into the tent and stopped dead at the sight of her sitting so close to one of the aliens. She knew that he didn’t like them, but she wasn’t sure if it was simply because they were aliens or because they prevented his family from having a monopoly on the profits from the crystals. He had often expressed his distaste for the quarterly trading days, but his distaste had not gone as far as convincing his father to offer more reasonable amounts for the crystals.

When she looked up and saw him giving her an accusing stare, she realized how long she had been talking to the silent alien. He had actually stayed past the closing bell, although technically, the bell only ended trading. The agreement was designed to prevent the aliens from completely dominating the marketplace. They were only allowed to visit once a quarter, and for a limited period of time. Of course, there was nothing to prevent them from traveling to the surface in between those times, but she had no idea why they would. They lived high above the surface, in floating castles. Or at least, that is what everyone assumed. All you could really see from the surface were green clouds drifting across the skies of Tuknis. Something about them always soothed her. Perhaps it was the soft green that provided such a pleasant contrast to the hard, red rock surrounding her. Or perhaps it was simply the way they seem to float so freely across the sky, not tied down to the earth as she was with responsibilities and cares.

When David had stalked over to them, she found herself blushing guiltily, although she had no idea why.

“There you are,” he said accusingly. “Your sister has been looking for you everywhere. You promised her a new dress.”

“I said we could look at material if trading went well,” she corrected him. “You know that I could never afford to buy her a ready-made dress.” This time her blush was driven by admitting her reduced circumstances in front of her alien.

“You know my father would be happy to extend you the credit,” David said. It was a familiar argument. He was quite right that Mr. Haney would be glad to provide her with credit, but she had no intention of going into debt. If she didn’t have the funds to purchase the materials right now, how would she be able to pay off the account in the future? And if she couldn’t pay, then eventually the only choice would be to sell either her claim or their small home. She wouldn’t take the chance.

“You know that I don’t want to be in debt to him.”

“Don’t think of it as debt,” David urged. “After we are married—”

Was that a growl? They both turned to look at the alien, sure that the strange noise had come from him, but there was no change in the expressionless mask covering his face. Instead, the alien stood up, a very long way up. Even though he was still much taller than her when he was seated, it was easier to forget just how huge he really was—there was a reason most of the settlers referred to them as giants. When they were both standing, her head barely reached what she assumed was his stomach. Even David, who was tall for a human, looked like a child next to that massive figure. The alien hesitated for a moment, then dipped his head and stomped out of the tent as she stared after him. He had never left so abruptly before.

“Thank God, he’s gone,” David said. “Why was he still here? The last bell time sounded almost an hour ago.”

“An hour ago?” She had no idea that so much time had passed.

“You really shouldn’t spend so much time in here,” David scolded. “I don’t understand why you miners insist on doing business with those fucking giants. You should stick to your own kind.”

Dragging her gaze away from the tent entrance, she picked up the bag containing the credits and a few small items she had bartered for with the other miners and sighed wearily. “You know why, David.”

For a moment she thought he was going to argue with her, but then he laughed and put his arm around her. “Such a silly girl. I can’t wait until we’re married and I can take care of you properly.”

“I haven’t agreed to marry you,” she reminded him. “And even if I do agree, you don’t have to take care of me. I can pull my weight.”

“I’ve already told you,” he said, ignoring the first part of her response. “No wife of mine is going to be a common miner.”

This was another familiar argument. She had been working for as long as she could remember. She just couldn’t see herself sitting in David’s house and doing nothing but entertaining the small number of people in the settlement that he would consider suitable.

“Why me, David?” she asked softly. “Why did you choose me?”

“Because you’re smart and practical and I know that you’ll make me a fine wife once you’re cleaned up a little,” he said with his charming grin.

Somehow, that wasn’t quite what she wanted to hear, although the first two were certainly the truth.

“Cleaned up?” Her brow wrinkled.

“You know what I mean,” he said, and ran a finger down her cheek before holding it up to show her the red dust that now coated his pale skin. “You won’t need to be outside in the dust all day.”

Why did he always make her feel so guilty for earning a living? Perhaps it would be nice to sit inside and drink tea and not have to pick her way through the rocks or spend hours over her grinding stone. Bella seemed quite satisfied staying home. But she had nothing to be ashamed about and she refused to back down.

“If you’re ashamed to be seen with me,” she said tartly. “Then I’m not sure why you came looking for me.”

“Now, Jackie, don’t be like that. You know I only want what’s best for you. I came looking for you because I missed you.” He put his hand back on her face—without comment this time—and smiled at her. He really did have the most charming smile and she found herself softening.

“I missed you too,” she said. But even as they walked out of the tent, she was conscious that she had actually been sorry that her one-sided conversation with the alien had been brought to a close.

Chapter Two

Her memories kept her company on the long jog across the empty plain surrounding the settlement. She huffed a sigh of relief as she reached the small farming area that surrounded Songder Town without seeing any of the aliens rising into the sky above. The neat rows of small plants made a pleasant contrast to the dusty red soil. Tuknis’ soil was rich and fertile provided that it was irrigated, but there of course was the problem. Water was in short supply on the planet. As a result, most of their produce was imported from the settlements that were large enough to support greenhouses. Here, most of the small open fields were worked by settlers using solar stills to gather water.

David’s father also owned several of the plots, although he paid other families to actually work the fields and do the arduous daily watering from the limited supply. She knew Mary, the daughter of one of those families, quite well, and she knew just how hard they worked and just how little they were paid. Yet another matter on which she and David disagreed. From his perspective, his father had been generous enough to offer them a job, when there were few available in the settlement. He didn’t care that the minimal wage they were paid meant that they were more like indentured servants than employees.

Just as she reached the first building on the outskirts of the settlement, the third bell chimed. Fuck, fuck, fuck. The trading period was closed. Now her only choice would be to try and make do with what they currently had until the next quarter or to make the ten-day round trip to Thaleth. Except that was how long it took if the cart was working, she remembered with a frown. It appeared that she wouldn’t have a choice except to deal with Mr. Haney, especially if she would need to purchase parts to fix the cart.

Her pace slowed to an unhappy walk, but she still headed for the market. Even though she knew that it was meaningless now, part of her still wanted to see if her alien had waited for her.

Songder Town was composed primarily of one or two story block buildings with flat roofs. Red blocks indicated that they were formed from compressed soil combined with a chemical stabilizer—a quick and inexpensive way to build. Only a few buildings were composed of the more expensive imported grey blocks. David was currently building a house out of the imported blocks. He had been over before she left for the past week to show her his latest plan, but she had been too tired and worried about how little she had managed to collect this quarter to really pay much attention. Bella had been fascinated and two of them had spent at least an hour discussing what seemed to Jackie to be very unimportant details such as whether or not the house should have two parlors, or the proper distance between the dining room and the kitchen. The kitchen, of course, would be the domain of the servants. Neither David nor Bella seemed to question that he would have servants, though those servants would inevitably be other members of their small community. The inequality did not seem to bother either of them, and perhaps it shouldn’t bother her. Everyone on this new planet did whatever they needed to do in order to survive.

The scattered buildings came closer together and finally formed what could be described as the main street which ran from the outskirts of town to the central marketplace. Several large tents occupied the central open area while semi-permanent stalls ringed the outer edge. During the normal weekly trading sessions, the stalls would be full of settlers, coming into Songder Town to trade whatever excess they had managed to produce. On the quarterly trading days when the aliens came, only the central tents were occupied. She looked at them now, and her heart started to beat faster. Only one large figure remained—he had waited. Her tired feet found new life as she hastened towards him.

As soon as she entered the market, he turned in her direction as if he sensed her arrival. The first sight of the black-clad figure was always somewhat of a shock. No one knew exactly what the aliens looked like, because they were covered with black metallic shells. They were at least humanoid in shape, with two sturdy legs and a strong upper torso, but in addition to the one set of arms springing from their shoulders, they had a second set above those. The second set of arms seemed to be used mainly for grasping and she wasn’t entirely sure if they were actual appendages or some type of tool. A featureless mask covered their heads, with only their eyes visible through a thin shield.

Despite the mask, she knew her alien’s eyes so well. They glowed an unnatural green, but she had seen what she was sure was emotion crossing those eyes. Just as she was sure now that they watched her.

“I know I’m too late,” she gasped. “My cart broke down and I couldn’t make it in time.”

The impact of what that meant suddenly hit her, and to her horror, tears started to gather in her eyes. Her alien didn’t respond verbally, of course, but he very carefully extended his hand. She looked at it in shock. He had never made any attempt to touch her before. His hand was enormous, easily as large as her head and each finger ended in a vicious claw, but she didn’t feel afraid. Tentatively, she reached out and put her hand in his. Unlike Bella, she didn’t have slender graceful hands—her hands were sturdy and roughened, covered with scratches and her fingernails chipped and broken—yet, her hand looked almost delicate as he cradled it within his massive palm.

Again, moving very slowly and gently, he guided her in the direction of their usual table. Sitting on the table was a tray with a teapot and a cup and as she drew closer, she could smell the mint, cool and refreshing in the dusty air. The tears overflowed. Even though she had always treated herself to the tea, she had been the one ordering. She wasn’t even sure how he had managed, but the thoughtful gesture warmed her heart. With a tired sigh, she threw back her hood and collapsed into a chair, while he pulled himself down to his usual crouch. It had never looked comfortable to her, but it didn’t seem to bother him, and he would perch there unmoving throughout their conversations.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said again.

He nodded and gestured at the tea. With a grateful smile, she poured herself a cup. The cool liquid slipped down her parched throat. He had somehow managed to order it with extra sugar, exactly the way she liked. Such a rare and indulgent treat, it was her only reward for all the months of hard work between trading sessions. Wasted effort this time.

He sat there patiently while she drank, and once again, she found herself telling him all about her problems. Perhaps it was foolish, but somehow, telling him made her feel lighter, as if sharing her troubles removed the burden.

When she finished, he stared at her for a moment, then reached into one of the folds in his armor and withdrew a handful of credits. He pushed them across the table to her. She stared at them in shock for a full minute, before she reacted.

“You can’t do that! The trading period is over. We would both be banned from the marketplace if we were discovered.”

As she spoke, she cast a nervous look around. Mr. Agona, the proprietor of the tea stall, was busy closing things down and didn’t seem to be paying any attention to them.

Her alien shook his head and pushed the credits towards her again.

“I don’t understand.”

With another of those very slow, careful gestures, he put her hand over the small pile and closed her fingers around it. Her heart started to thud.

“You’re giving them to me?” she whispered.

He nodded, and tears sprang to her eyes once again. There was more than enough there to take care of her and her sister until the next quarterly trading meeting, but… in some ways, this was the same as the situation with Mr. Haney. She couldn’t take credits she had no way to repay. Even though she didn’t think her alien would come after her home or her claim, she still couldn’t allow herself to be indebted to him.

Impulsively, she put her other hand over his. “Thank you so much. But I can’t take your credits.”

He didn’t seem to hear her—his eyes were fixed on her hand. When he finally raised his gaze to hers, his eyes blazed bright green. For a long moment they stared at each other, then she finally lifted her hand and pushed her chair back.

“This is the nicest thing that anyone has ever tried to do for me. Thank you.”

He made an abortive gesture towards her, then rose slowly to his full height. He grabbed the credits off the table, dipped his head, and strode out into the marketplace. A mid-sized container was waiting for him and she wondered what he had purchased that would require that much storage. He lifted it easily over his head and onto his back with his upper arms. As she watched him, he paused again, and she could feel his eyes upon her. Part of her actually hoped that he would return, but he only nodded, then manipulated the control panel on his suit and rose smoothly into the air. She left the tent and watched as he climbed higher until he disappeared into the green haze of one of the cloud castles.

Feeling unexpectedly lonely, she picked up her small case of crystals and headed for home.

Frustration filled Cormac as he lifted from the planet surface. After laying his careful plan to bring the little human to his realm so that he could finally talk to her, he had almost blown it by offering her the credits. Yet, even knowing the impact it would have on his plan, when he had seen her tears his only thought had been to help her. Not that she had accepted, he thought ruefully, even though he hadn’t really been surprised at her refusal. That fierce pride and her determination to fight her own battles filled him with admiration, no matter how much he wanted to protect her.

Nothing about today had happened the way he had planned, but he refused to give up hope. Not yet, he reminded himself. Not yet, but soon. Soon she would be on his territory for a change.

Chapter Three

Jackie approached their small cottage on the outskirts of the settlement with a sense of dread. She hated to tell Bella how much they were going to have to cut back over the next quarter. She only hoped that the news wouldn’t be too much for her and bring on one of her spells. For as long as she could remember, her delicate little sister had been subject to fits of weakness and she didn’t handle upsetting information well.

She was still mentally searching for the right words when she opened the front door. Despite the limited size of the cottage, she had tried to make a cozy home for her sister. The block walls had been whitewashed to brighten up the small interior and she had created a small sitting area at one end of their main room with her mother’s precious couch flanked by two of the cheap plastic chairs that were so common in the settlement. A small table and the kitchen area occupied the other end of the room.

For a change, Bella wasn’t reclining on the couch but sitting at the table talking excitedly to David. Jackie was surprised but grateful to see him. Her sister always responded well to him and, hopefully, he could use some of his charm to help cheer her up once Jackie told her that she hadn’t been able to make the trade.

“Hi, Bella love. Are you feeling better today?”

“A little,” her sister said, pouting. “I didn’t feel at all well after you left. I don’t like it when you’re gone for so long.”

Jackie refrained from pointing out that the reason she’d had to extend her stay in the mining camp was because Bella had suffered another spell a few weeks prior. Because Jackie had been so busy tending to her, she hadn’t been able to leave for the camp until the last minute, and she had needed every minute between then and the trading day to finish her work. Too many minutes as it turned out.

“I know. I’ll try not to stay away so long next time.”

“Maybe there won’t need to be a next time,” Bella said triumphantly, smiling at David.

Jackie’s heart sank. She knew Bella was excited about the thought of her marrying David, but she just wasn’t ready to make that commitment yet.

“Bella, I—”

“Look!” her sister interrupted, holding out her hand. In the center of her palm was a large white oval.

“What’s that?”

“It’s an alien bean!”

“A what?”

“An alien bean,” Bella repeated, as if that explained everything. “David came over to tell me that the market had started, and you hadn’t returned—”

“Why did you do that?” She frowned at him.

He shrugged casually. “I know how excited Bella gets on market day. I didn’t want her to get her hopes up.”

She hadn’t realized he knew her sister that well, but she supposed he did visit their house fairly frequently. “I don’t understand what that has to do with this alien bean.”

“I knew that if you didn’t return in time, we’d be in trouble, so I decided to try some trading myself,” her sister said triumphantly.

“You did some trading?” Exhaustion must be affecting her brain because nothing her sister said was making sense to her. “What did you have to trade?”

For the first time, Bella’s smile slipped a little. “Why, the COW, of course. I know you like having it around,” she added hastily. “But all it does is make those nasty old protein things. This is going to be much better.”

With a sinking heart, Jackie realized that she hadn’t seen the machine ambling around outside the cottage as it searched for the optimal position to gather sunlight and extract nutrients from the soil.

“Please tell me you didn’t trade it for that… that thing?”

“Well, I did,” Bella pouted. “He said that it would lead to everything I ever wanted.”

“Everything I ever wanted? Sounds like magic.” A horrified laugh escaped before the rest of Bella’s words sank in. “He said?”

“The big alien. Well, they’re all big, but he was the biggest. David said you always traded with him so he’s the one I went to first. He didn’t seem to want to trade at first but eventually, he gave in.”

Mixed with her rapidly growing despair about their situation was an unexpectedly sharp pang of betrayal. Her alien had always seemed so kind, yet, it hadn’t stopped him from taking advantage of her sister. With a bitter smile she remembered the pile of credits. Had he started feeling guilty? If she’d only known what he’d done, she wouldn’t have hesitated to take them. Her legs finally gave out and she collapsed into one of kitchen chairs.

“Don’t you understand what you’ve done, Bella? How are we going to live until the next quarter?” She shuddered to think what it would cost them to buy all of their food from Mr. Haney, not to mention whatever parts she needed to fix the cart. Going into debt with him seemed inevitable now.

Tears filled Bella’s big blue eyes and rolled silently down her cheeks. When Jackie cried, she ended up with red eyes and a red nose. When Bella cried, she looked even prettier and more fragile.

“Now, now, Bella. Don’t cry,” David said soothingly as he patted her shoulder. “Everything is going to be just fine.”

“How could you let her do it, David?” She cast an appalled look in his direction.

“Your sister was quite determined to prove she could take care of herself.” He shrugged. “I just went with her to make sure she didn’t come to any harm.”

“You don’t consider this harm?” she cried, gesturing at the damn bean.

“You’re the one who likes the fu— giants so much,” he said with an apologetic look at Bella. “Don’t you believe they would have made a fair trade?”

The cynicism in his voice was the last straw. She grabbed the bean and threw it out the nearest open window.

Bella gave an outraged cry. “What did you do that for? He provided very specific instructions on what we should do with it.”

Bella’s words finally penetrated.

“How did he provide instructions? For that matter, how did he tell you anything about the bean?”

None of the aliens ever spoke. The trading was accomplished primarily with hand gestures and a counting device similar to an abacus.

“He had it printed out on two cards.”

“Let me see them.” She had never heard of such a thing.

“He didn’t give them to me, but I promised I would plant it correctly and now you’ve just tossed it away.”

“The instructions don’t matter because it’s not going to do anything. You were scammed, Bella.”

“Scammed?” More crystal tears drenched those big blue eyes. “I don’t feel very well. I think I’m having one of my spells.”

Bella’s pale skin grew even paler and she swayed in her chair. With a muffled curse, Jackie sprang up, but David reached her first and lifted her into his arms.

“Bring her over to the couch, David.”

Jackie watched anxiously as he laid her sister down on the silk fabric. Even tattered and worn, it was the finest piece of furniture in the house.

“Bella, do you want some tea, love?”

“I could try and drink some,” she whispered. “Maybe with some sugar?”

For a moment Jackie wanted to protest the additional expense, but one cup of tea with sugar wasn’t going to make the situation any worse. Two cups of tea and her favorite blanket later, Bella drifted off to sleep. To Jackie’s surprise, David had stayed while she nursed her sister, but as soon as Bella finally settled down, she dragged him outside.

“I still can’t believe you let her do that,” she hissed.

“You’re forgetting that I don’t have any authority over her. Now, if I were her brother-in-law, I might have more success…”

“Not now, David,” she said wearily.

“Maybe now more than ever,” he said impatiently.

He paced angrily across the small front yard, disregarding the tiny garden patch she had tried to get Bella to tend. She started to protest but the untended plants were only withered husks now.

“You’re not going to have any choice except to sell your crystals to my father. I know you don’t like the idea and if we were to be married, I could take care of you both.”

“I’m just not sure I’m ready,” she said softly.

An unreadable look crossed his face, then he gave her an exaggerated shrug. “Fine. Then I’ll tell my father to expect you in the morning.”

He headed for the gate in the fence surrounding the small front yard, but he stopped long enough to throw another barb over his shoulder. “Unless your alien bean really is magic, of course.”

As David stomped off, Jackie gave an exhausted sigh and headed back inside. The small dwelling showed the same signs of wear as everything else in her life, but unlike the cart, there weren’t many things that would break down. Life in Songder Town existed at a primitive level, with only a few hints of the technology that could be found in the larger settlements. She had been old enough to pay attention when their ship first arrived and to marvel at all of the wonders in Port Garig, but over the arduous almost month-long trip to the settlement, signs of civilization had slipped further and further behind.

Her father had bought his claim sight unseen, accompanied by the small cottage where they still lived. Back then, it had all been new and exciting and she had enjoyed sleeping with her sister in the bunk beds in their tiny bedroom. After their mother had died, she had encouraged Bella to move into the other bedroom with the larger bed. It seems only fair that her sister, who spent so much of her life in bed, should have the additional space.

Bella still slept on the couch, her pale skin glowing against the faded blue silk. Jackie thought about waking her up and urging her to go to bed, but she looked so peaceful, she didn’t have the heart to disturb her. Instead, she made a fast trip to their small sanitary facility. While they didn’t have the luxury of showers that used actual water, the sonic shower still left her feeling clean and refreshed—and exhausted.

After one last check on her sister she went to her room and climbed wearily into the bunk that had been her bed for the past fifteen years. She knew that she should have checked their stores and possibly even made a meal, but she was just too tired. It wasn’t only the ten days of backbreaking work in her mining camp or the long walk across the plain, but the weight of her worries that left her feeling so exhausted. And beneath all of that, her alien’s betrayal still hurt more than she would have expected. She was trying vainly to come up with a solution that didn’t involve bartering herself to Mr. Haney, when she fell asleep.

Jackie’s sleep was filled with nightmares—nightmares of never-ending walks across the desert, nightmares of her sister going even thinner and paler, and nightmares of Mr. Haney looming over her and laughing as he kicked down their small cottage.

Chapter Four

“Jackie! Jackie! You have to come see this!” Bella danced into the bedroom, looking radiant, her blue eyes sparkling.

Jackie reluctantly forced her eyes open, the restless night and the nightmares still haunting her. “What is it, Bella love?”

“It’s the bean!” her sister said excitedly. “It grew. Overnight, it grew.”

“That’s nice,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t suppose that it’s covered with credits?”

“Well, no. But it’s so big—it must be worth something.”

With a tired sigh, Jackie climbed out of bed and pulled on a clean set of work shorts and a faded tank. Bella always made sure to keep her skin covered when she left the house, but Jackie had long since given up on trying to maintain her natural pallor. Long sleeves and pants always felt too confining in the hot desert air and she wore the minimum possible underneath her robes.

As soon as she walked into their small living room, the fate of the bean was obvious. No light came from beyond the window where she had tossed it last night. Instead, all she could see was a massive green trunk. She had never seen a plant so large anywhere on Tuknis.

“What the hell is that?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s so big!”

“Unfortunately, size doesn’t matter,” Jackie said grimly. “What matters is whether or not this bean of yours is going to support us for the next three months.”

Bella pouted adorably; her pink lips drawn into a plump little bow. “It’s going to be fine; I know it is. You just have to give it a chance.”

“Did you go outside and look at it?”

“Oh, no.” For the first time, Bella showed a little hesitation in her excitement. “I wasn’t sure what it was, so I thought I should wait for you.”

Jackie sighed and went to collect a small drink of water from the limited amount their solar still had gathered the previous day. The moisture soothed her own much rougher lips, but she only allowed herself a small sip. Like everything else, the water would need to be rationed. They wouldn’t be able to afford supplemental bottles from Mr. Haney’s store.

“All right,” she said. “Let’s go see what’s out there.”

Bella pulled on a long-sleeved robe of pale pink cotton and tucked her hair up under a wide-brimmed hat.

“I’m ready,” she announced, but she stood behind Jackie as she opened the door.

The beanstalk towered over their small cottage, the central portion a smooth green column reaching far up into the sky. Leafy branches spiraled out from the trunk at regular intervals, growing larger as they climbed into the sky. Several of the leaves shaded the cottage roof, along with where they were standing, and the resulting coolness was a welcome relief from the usual blazing sun.

“What is it?” Bella whispered.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it, not even back on Earth.”

Only a few trees remained when they left, but she had seen pictures of them, and they had never been anything like this. She stepped back further and further, trying to see just how high it reached. and when she was finally far enough away to get the full perspective, her heart skipped a beat. The stalk led directly to the bottom of one of the green alien clouds. As far as she knew, no one on Tuknis had ever been to one of those secluded aeries. The aliens had established the rules for the trading contracts with the planetary government in Port Garig many years ago, but based on the whispered rumors, they had appeared there just as they appeared here—in the full black metal armor.

She studied the beanstalk again. Was it intended as an invitation to visit that cloud? Although she had no way of determining one of the cloud masses from another, she was absolutely certain that this stalk led directly to her alien’s home. But why? Why would he have given her sister a means to reach him?

An uneasy sinking feeling filled her. Was it possible that he had been so smitten with Bella during that one meeting that he wanted her to join him? Almost every man in the settlement was half in love with her sister. If it hadn’t been for Bella’s fragile health, Jackie was quite sure that she would have been married by now. She knew that at least two men had proposed to her sister. The first had been the baker. Bella had turned him down with her usual pretty smile, but she had laughed about it afterwards to Jackie.

“He’s so old,” Bella laughed. “He just stood there with his face all red and his hands twisting his hat. Did he really think I’d marry him?”

“He’s a good man,” Jackie said gently. “I think he’s been lonely since his wife died and you know how well he treated her.”

“Well, he can find someone else to marry. I certainly don’t want to marry someone who’s been married before.”

The next proposal, from Jed, one of the farmers who worked the small plots, had been rejected just as quickly. This time Bella’s complaint had been that he was too young and that he wouldn’t be able to take care of her properly. Since Jackie, too, agreed with her sister’s assessment, she delicately spread the word throughout the settlement that her sister wasn’t ready for marriage. Even though she knew that it would happen someday, she also knew that she wouldn’t feel as if she were keeping her promise to her mother unless she knew that Bella was going to be safe and happy. Her sister needed a man who would understand how fragile she was and who wouldn’t expect her to take part in the more arduous duties that most settlers wives accepted as a matter of course. Jackie still suspected that an older man might be the best choice, but she would have to find one that her sister found acceptable. However, worrying about her sister’s love life didn’t solve the immediate problem.

After listening to her talk about her family for years, her alien surely knew that she would never permit her sister to join him. The longer she thought about it, the angrier she got. Had he known when he took their last resource what a horrible position he was putting them in? To be fair, he couldn’t have known at that point that she wouldn’t make it to the market in time, but anger was slowly winning out over her confusion.

“What is it?” Bella asked again.

“I think it may be a path up to the alien’s cloud.”

“But what would that be good for?”

“I don’t know,” Jackie said grimly. She wasn’t about to share her suspicions with her sister. Bella already looked on the verge of tears.

“But I thought this was going to get us whatever we wanted.”

Jackie bit back her first impatient reaction. Bella had been trying to help, after all.

“Perhaps you misunderstood,” she said as calmly as possible.

A tear rolled down Bella’s face but fortunately the single tear wasn’t followed by a deluge. Jackie urged her sister back into the house and set about preparing a meager breakfast from the few remaining supplies. They had enough for perhaps four more meals, possibly six if she restricted her own portions. Just as David had predicted, she was going to have to visit his father this morning.

As if summoned by her thoughts, David appeared at the door.

“Did you see that thing? Those damn giants just can’t be trusted. You should have listened to me, Jackie, and never started trading with them.”

“I only ever traded for credits,” she pointed out dryly. “I never tried to get an alien bean.”

Her sister’s lip trembled, and David gave her reproachful look.

“Never mind.” She shrugged casually, trying to hide her panic from her sister. “What’s done is done. I’ll come see your father later this morning.”

David nodded, and didn’t hide his triumphant smile quickly enough. Her fists clenched, but what other choice did she have?

An hour later when she stormed back into the cottage, her fists were still clenched. Mr. Haney had greeted her with a sympathetic smile, but then he had shaken his head and told her that he really didn’t need any more crystals. The best he could offer her was fifty percent of their value. Since he never passed down an opportunity to acquire crystals, she knew that he was lying. What’s more, his usual offer was only thirty percent below their actual value. Because he knew she was in a difficult position, he was choosing to take advantage of it. He had leaned back in his big chair with a smug look, his hands folded over his ample stomach as he waited for her to agree.

David had not been in the room during the meeting, but he was waiting for her outside when she stormed out.

“Your father is an unmitigated bastard,” she yelled at him.

He drew back, offended dignity in every line.

“You have no right to talk that way about him. He is the pillar of Songder Town. It wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for him.”

“He may have founded the settlement, but the only reason that he’s the pillar is because he keeps everybody indebted to him,” she fumed. “And now he wants to add me to his list.”

David stepped closer and tried to take her hand, but she snatched it away.

“Now, Jackie, don’t be like that. He’s really trying to be helpful.”

“Helpful?” She stared at him, almost too shocked to be angry.

“He knows that you two girls aren’t doing well on your own. I suspect he thinks that you would be better off under my care. Not that I asked him to reduce his price,” he added hastily.

“Then how do you know that he did?”

He had the grace to look a little ashamed. “We may have discussed it last night over dinner. But I promise I didn’t ask him to do anything.” He flashed a brilliant smile at her, but today she didn’t find it the least bit charming.

“I won’t do it,” she said. “I worked too long and too hard for those crystals to sell them for half of what they’re worth.”

A flash of something that could almost have been anger crossed his face, but it disappeared too quickly for her to be sure.

“Then what are you going to do?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.” She stomped out of the office, and her anger kept her moving rapidly all the way home. It wasn’t until the cottage door closed behind her, that the full impact of her situation overcame her.

“What am I going to do?” she whispered to herself, leaning against the closed door.

Bella drifted out of her room. With the long white nightgown floating around her, she looked like a beautiful ghost.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Mr. Haney won’t pay me what the crystals are worth.”

Bella stared at her, then shrugged. “Well, something is better than nothing. And I know David has said a thousand times that his father would give us credit.”

“Don’t you understand, Bella? Credit has to be repaid and there is nothing to pay it with, except this house and our claim.”

“But you’re going to marry David and live in that big house he’s building. Why do we need this dirty old cottage anyway?”

As if the look on Jackie’s face finally penetrated, Bella rushed over and took her hands. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know you’ve always done the best you could. But I’m so tired of these three little rooms and that stupid sonic shower. Did you know David is putting a bathtub in every bathroom—for real water?”

A fleeting vision crossed her mind of a bathtub of actual water, filled to the brim and covered with bubbles. She had only been in one once in her life, when they spent the night at Port Garig before setting out for the settlement, but she still vividly remembered the experience.

“That sounds wonderful,” she agreed. “But I’m not sure I’m going to marry David.”

“Why not? He’s tall and handsome and rich.”

“But he’s rich because his father takes advantage of everyone in the settlement,” she said gently. “And he wants me to be someone I’m not.”

“Surely you don’t want to go out to the mines every week?”

“No.” Her voice didn’t sound entirely convincing. While it was hot, dusty labor, she found the silence and grandeur of the canyons curiously soothing and felt a surge of satisfaction every time she discovered another crystal. She even enjoyed the effort she put into finishing them and revealing the glow of the stones as the surrounding rock was removed. “But it’s not just that. I don’t want to be dependent on him. I like knowing that I’ve worked for what we have.”

Bella cast a disparaging glance around the cottage, but this time she didn’t mention it. Instead, she tried another approach. “But what about me? I know I’m not strong enough to take care of myself but there must be more to life than just Songder Town. David said he would take us into Thaleth every year for the solstice celebrations.”

“He did?” He’d never mentioned the month-long period of social activities that took place every winter when the temperatures actually dropped slightly. But then again, perhaps he knew she wouldn’t find it appealing. She hadn’t thought her sister would either, but apparently David knew Bella better than she did. And she had to admit that she had been dreaming only yesterday of a chance to introduce her sister to more people, even if her thought had been through education rather than through parties.

“I… I’m just not sure,” she said finally. “And I don’t want to make the decision feeling like it’s because I don’t have any other choice.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Bella wailed.

“I’ll think of something, Bella love. I always do, don’t I?”

Despite her reassuring words, after she settled her sister on the couch with a cup of tea laced with the last of their sugar, no solution sprang to mind. The best she could hope for was to trek back out to her cart and pray that she could fix it. If she could get it working, she could make the trip to Thaleth and sell her crystals there. The thought of the long trip across the desert with an untrustworthy vehicle made her shudder, but more than that, she worried about leaving Bella alone for so long without any supplies. Perhaps she would have to break down and run a small line of credit, at least enough to purchase the items Bella would need. The increased prices she would receive in Thaleth should be enough to pay it off as soon as she returned but the whole plan sounded much too risky for her liking.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why had her damn alien bought their COW? If they still had it, at least she would have known they wouldn’t starve, and she could take her time about fixing the cart and making sure it could make the journey. She found herself at the window, staring out at the huge green beanstalk. One of the lower tendrils tapped softly against the window. As she stared at it, she realized that the branches sprang out from the trunk at regular intervals, circling around the trunk almost like a ladder.

A ladder. She remembered her earlier speculation that her alien had given her sister the bean to lure her up to his kingdom. The thought obviously hadn’t occurred to Bella, and she would never have had the strength to make the climb, but Jackie was more than strong enough. What if she made the climb instead? One way or another, she was getting her COW back.

Chapter Five

As the decision crystallized in her mind, Jackie took another walk outside to inspect the trunk in closer detail. Even though the leafy tendrils moving slowly in the desert winds had disguised the ladder, now that she had noticed the pattern, it was quite clear. The branches were placed close enough together that she should be able to step from one to another as they spiraled around the trunk. She stepped back and looked at that towering height disappearing into the sky. How long was it going to take her to climb? The best estimate that she could come up with was that it would take her at least as long as it had taken her to walk from her broken down cart to the settlement. That meant at least a two-hour climb, or possibly even more since climbing would require more exertion than walking. At least this time she wasn’t trying to beat the clock. If she assumed two hours on the way up, at least an hour to find and recover the COW, and then another two hours back down, she would be gone for the rest of the day. But her absence for the day would be a lot easier for Bella to handle than the ten days the trip to Thaleth would have taken.

Her mind made up, she hurried back into the house to pack the few supplies she would need for the journey. She carefully filled a water bottle with half of the contents of the solar still, then added two of the remaining protein wafers, and a knife. At the last minute she decided to add one of her long-sleeved shirts as well. She had some vague recollection that the air would be cooler as she climbed higher.

“What are you doing?” asked Bella. “Please don’t leave me again.”

“I won’t be gone long.” I hope. “But I’m going to get our COW back.”

Bella jumped up from the couch. “How are you going to do that?”

“I’m going to climb the beanstalk and demand that the alien return it,” she said as firmly as possible.

“You’re going to do what?” Bella’s eyes widened and she swayed. “You can’t do that. What if something happens to you? What will become of me?”

“I’m sure you’ll be just fine. There is still enough food to last for another four days, possibly five if you’re careful.”

“You’re going to be gone for four days?” Her sister’s voice climbed.

“No, Bella love. I should be back before sundown tonight. I just meant that if for any reason I get delayed, you’ll be just fine.”

“But I’m scared.” Bella’s eyes filled with tears. Jackie walked over and put her arms around her, taking comfort in the solid warmth that belied her sister’s delicate health.

“I promise I’ll be back as soon as possible. If this works, then I know we’ll be all right until the next quarter trading day.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

Jackie sighed. “Then I will go to Mr. Haney and I will sell the crystals at his ridiculous price.”

She could only hope that she would find enough crystals in the coming quarter to be able to pay off whatever debt she acquired.

“Can’t you just do that now?” Bella asked.

“I just can’t. I have to at least try this first.”

Bella huffed and stomped her foot. “I just don’t understand you at all. But I know there’s no way I can talk you out of something once you’ve made up your mind.”

“I’m sorry—” she started to say, but her sister had already disappeared into her bedroom and slammed the door. Jackie hated to leave with this animosity between them, but it was already getting close to midday and she didn’t want to delay any further. Also, she suspected that nothing other than changing her mind and remaining on the ground would make Bella happy, and she had told her the truth. She had to at least try.

With her small pack tied securely to her back, she approached the beanstalk once more. The lowest branch was not more than a foot above the ground. With a deep breath she put her foot on it and started to climb.

The first few steps were both easier and harder than she had expected. The branches were spaced closely enough together that each step was no more than a foot up and she found herself moving from branch to branch with surprising ease. The limbs flexed beneath her feet and at first it made her nervous, but then she realized that their resilience was actually giving her a little push towards the next step and she relaxed into the rhythm. The most difficult part was looking down and seeing how quickly first the cottage and then the settlement dropped out of sight. As she climbed, the leaves grew thicker, obscuring the ground below, which was actually somewhat of a relief, since she didn’t have to see how far she would fall if she lost her balance. However, once she grew accustomed to the climb, her fear disappeared. The leaves surrounding her, the fresh scent of living things, and the quiet whisper of the wind through the branches left her feeling as if she were enclosed in a green cocoon.

Despite that feeling of safety and the springiness of the branches, eventually her legs started to tire. When she checked her wrist chronometer, she was shocked to see that she had been climbing for an hour. Wedging herself into the crook of a branch where it met the trunk, she stopped long enough to take a few sips of water and nibble on one of her protein bars. The trunk almost seemed to vibrate against her body, and it was curiously soothing. It wasn’t until her eyes started to close that she realized she was drifting off. Her palms started to sweat as she pictured what could have happened if she had fallen asleep. She had no idea how far she had actually come or how far she had to go but all she could do was keep climbing. Securing her pack once more, she began to climb again.

Perhaps because of the scare, or perhaps simply because she was getting tired, time seemed to have slowed down. One step after the other, lifting her foot over and over again until her knees began to ache and sweat dripped down her neck. The cool breeze whispering past the leaves helped but the exertion was getting to her. She could feel her arms starting to tremble and then on the next step, she almost missed the branch. A sob escaped as she threw her arms around the trunk, afraid to move. Why had she ever thought that this was a good idea?

Because you have no choice, she told herself. Bella is waiting for you. You can do this.

Letting go of the trunk and resuming the climb was one of the hardest things she had ever done, but she forced herself to step up onto another branch and continue to climb. Not long after that, a green mist started to surround her, and the sunlight became filtered through small sparkling green drops. Her heart started to pound as she realized that she had reached the bottom of the cloud. She was about to find out if she had truly reached her alien’s domain.

The next section was tricky, especially with the moisture now coating the trunk and branches, but at least they seemed to be even closer together here. Then she noticed that the branches were starting to thin out, and more sunlight was penetrating through the leaves. The sunlight up here seemed brighter somehow, perhaps because it wasn’t filtered through the constant dust of the planet surface.

As she looked up, she saw the branches disappearing, but there was nowhere else to go. It wasn’t until she reached the very highest branch that she realized that the green mist surrounding her had solidified and that the trunk was resting against what looked like actual ground covered with moss. She poked it cautiously with her foot. It felt solid enough but the idea that a cloud had somehow transitioned into a landmass seemed almost impossible. Keeping her arms fastened around the branch, she very carefully stepped out onto the velvety surface. To her immense relief, it held her weight and she forced herself to let go.

The green mist swirled around her and she could see very little, but it did seem brighter in one direction. She headed towards the lighter area, still testing the ground with every step. Because she was so busy looking down and worrying about the ground, it wasn’t until she saw the sunlight slanting across the surface that she looked up and saw that she had emerged from the cloud.

A startled gasp escaped her lips. In all of the speculation she had heard about the cloud castles, no one had ever suggested anything like this. She was at the edge of a lush meadow. The land rose up from her current location, climbing gently towards a hill topped by what looked for all the world like a castle out of a children’s fairy tale. All around her were lush green plants laden with flowers and fruit. Most miraculous of all, she spied a waterfall. It tumbled down from below the castle in a filmy curtain of sparkling blue to end in a frothy white spray on the other side of a small lake. A cool breeze wafted through her hair, bringing the scent of flowers and greenery, as well as the unmistakable scent of water. She felt as if her body was absorbing her surroundings, the cool dampness settling into her parched skin.

Several small paths wound amongst the landscape and she wandered along one, admiring the variety of vegetation and the profusion of flowers in every size from tiny pink starlight blooms to lush white blossoms as large as her head. Fruit hung from the trees, some of which she recognized from childhood picture books or from the occasional rare delivery to the settlement, but just as many were completely unknown to her. Her mouth watered at the sight, but this was not her land and she wasn’t going to take what didn’t belong to her. The thought made her remember her aging COW. What on earth would someone who lived among such abundance need with a broken-down replicator? Her anger started to resurface and as she continued down the pathway, she paid less attention to her surroundings and more on reaching her goal.

Despite her determination, she soon found her steps slowing again. Something about the environment was troubling her and she finally realized what it was—there was absolutely no sign of life other than the plants. No birds flew from tree to tree, no insects buzzed or hummed, and she hadn’t heard the slightest rustle of anything scurrying away. Even amongst the desert and canyons below, there were always signs of life. Here, the only thing that disturbed the serenity was the breeze ruffling the leaves.

As she emerged by the shores of the lake, that same breeze kicked across the surface creating a glittering trail as the light hit the water. She had never seen anything so beautiful, and despite her mission, she found herself heading for the water. Even in her distant memories of Earth, she didn’t recall such a serene expanse. The overcrowded and polluted conditions of her home planet made open bodies of water something to avoid, not visit.

Before she could stop herself, she found herself kneeling on a rock along the shoreline and reaching down into the cool blue depths. She groaned at the sensation of the water covering her skin and impulsively she leaned over further, seeking to submerge more of her arms into the liquid.

A sharp crack came from behind her, breaking the silence and startling her so much that she lost her balance. The next thing she knew she was tumbling headfirst into the lake. Water filled her open mouth and her nose as she instinctively gasped. Her arms and legs thrashed wildly, searching for some kind of purchase, but the water was much too deep for her to reach the bottom. For a brief second, her frantic movements caused her head to break the surface, and she caught a glimpse of an enormous green figure heading towards her at a run, but then her head went back under and this time she kept descending.

Chapter Six

Cormac raced towards the lake as Jackie’s head went under. He had watched her climb the beanstalk, impressed by her determination and courage. Of course, he would never let her fall and he made sure that the leaves were always poised to catch her, but she didn’t know that. She still kept climbing. When she finally emerged onto his aerie, the look on her face had been everything that he could have hoped for—the sight of the lush greenery seemed to delight her every bit as much as he would have wished. A fascination with the water he had also expected, but he had never expected her to go toppling headfirst into the lake. It took a full second before he realized that of course she couldn’t swim. No one on Tuknis would have had an opportunity to learn since there were no open bodies of water anywhere on the surface.

By the time he realized that she might be in trouble, she had already toppled off of the rock and into the lake. He reached the edge of the meadow just as her head surfaced but to his horror she disappeared again under the water. He dove after her, already extending his senses in search. As soon as he found her, he encouraged the currents to send her towards him and within only a few seconds he gathered her up and headed for the surface.

As he pulled her slender body out onto the shore, his heart raced faster than he had ever experienced before. He had never anticipated that luring her here to his domain would put her in any danger. Horrified, he bent down over her, searching for any sign of life, but he couldn’t detect her breathing. Searching back to his childhood lessons, he turned her over and pressed firmly on her back. There was a soft cracking noise and he drew back in dismay, but even as he did, she expelled a huge quantity of lake water and started to cough. Thank the stars. Despite his unforgivable lack of protection, she still lived. As gently as possible, he lifted her into a sitting position as soon as she stopped coughing.

For a brief second, her eyes met his and he could see shock widening the beautiful pale-grey orbs, but then her eyelids fluttered, and unconsciousness took her. His heart raced, but when he checked, she was still breathing in slow shallow breaths. Lifting her into his arms, he headed for his home.

As he moved through the woods, the trees reached out curiously to touch her cheek or lift her hair. He had restrained them during her initial exploration but since she was unaware of her surroundings, he let them explore. A gardana tree bent down to shower blossoms over her, the blooms catching in her hair and drifting across her body, their sweet scent mingling with her own natural scent and rising into the air around them. As her fragrance reached him, he suddenly became extremely conscious of the fact that he held a female in his arms. She didn’t have the stature or the coloring of a fellow Gremin, but he still found her undeniably beautiful. The sight of her small breasts and unexpectedly large nipples, clearly visible beneath the thin wet cloth that covered them, had his sap stirring.

For the past few years, every time he had returned from the market, he had taken himself in hand with her image in his mind, but the reality of soft warm flesh beneath translucent clothing was far superior to anything that he had imagined—and he had a very active imagination.

Lifting her higher, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Do not worry, my little karrida. You’re safe with me now and I will make sure that nothing happens to you again.”

They entered his dwelling through the vast greenhouse that comprised most of the interior space. For once, he didn’t linger to check on the state of his hybrids but hurried through into his personal domain. His needs were simple—he had a kitchen and a large study where he spent most of the time when he wasn’t in the workshop. He bypassed them both, as well as the second floor where he had a small bedroom and bath for his occasional visitors. He didn’t pause until he reached his tower room. The large windows that circled the space were edged with vines and they, too, fluttered inquiringly in her direction. As he laid her on his bed, he worried about the damp clothing that still covered her. The climate up here was much cooler than the unpleasant heat on the surface of the planet. Would her wet clothes cause a chill?

After arguing with himself for a minute, he covered her with a woven blanket and then did his best to remove her clothing from underneath the blanket without exposing her body to his extremely interested gaze. Despite his caution he still caught a glimpse of a long bare leg, the soothing color of the fertile dirt that covered the planet surface. Even more enticingly, he saw a flash of perfect breast, intriguingly pale compared to the rest of her skin. His cock, already stiffened by having her pressed so closely against him, hardened into aching awareness, but he forced himself to ignore it.

Once she was as comfortable as he could make her, he stepped back, not quite sure what to do next. When he had imagined her arrival, he had seen himself greeting her outside the workshop and then showing her all of the wonders that it contained. He had expected her to be disturbed initially but he had been convinced that she would soon appreciate the pleasures of life far above the planet. Instead, her first experience had not been a pleasant one, he had not had a chance to introduce himself properly, and she was now unconscious in his bed. Everything had gone wrong, and yet he still could not regret her presence.

As soon as she wakes up, he thought, I will explain. Everything will be fine.

He moved to one of the window seats and reclined back against the wall as his vines curled around him comfortingly. He would sit here and wait for her to wake up.

Jackie knew before she opened her eyes that something was different. The air drifting across her face was as cool as if it were the middle of the night, yet brightness pressed against her eyelids. A pleasant but unusual herbal scent surrounded her, reminding her of her favorite mint tea but with an added musky tang. The next thing she noticed was that her throat burned and her whole body felt limp and tired. She forced her eyes open and caught her breath. Never had she seen anything like the space that she was in now. Tall arched windows surrounded most of the room, their panes flung open and vines dancing in and out. Only one section of the circular room did not have windows. Instead, two tall arched doorways interrupted what looked like carved stone blocks.

She put her hand to her head, convinced she was dreaming, and realized that her hair was wet. With that sensation it all came rushing back—the long climb, the beautiful garden, the lure of the water, and then the final frightening fall as she sank into the depths. Something else teased her memory. Yes, that was it. Before she went under the second time, she had seen an enormous green figure racing towards her. During her brief glimpse, all she’d had time to notice was that he was most certainly not her alien. He only had two arms and while he had been very tall, he didn’t seem to have the sheer bulk of her alien.

Had he saved her? And why had he brought her here? She suddenly realized that the soft surface beneath her must be a bed and she started to panic. As she tried to push herself into a sitting position, her rib protested, sending a fiery pain shooting across her chest. She gasped and froze, the blanket with which she had been covered slipping away and making her conscious of the fact that she was completely naked. Before she could take in the full impact of that realization, a deep voice rumbled at her.

“I am very sorry, but I fear that you are injured.”

She whipped her head around, moaning at the strain on her ribs, and finally noticed that there was a man sitting on the low stone bench beneath the windows. At least, she thought he was a man. Skin patterned in a variety of shades of green blended into the soft green of the walls, while the vines that surrounded the windows had drifted down across his head and shoulders, further disguising him. Even as she watched, the vines lifted away, and she could see his face for the first time. Although he was clearly not human, he was shockingly handsome. The difference in skin color only accented strong angular features, a firm chin, and an unexpectedly sensual mouth. But then she met his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. She recognized that brilliant green stare. This was her alien.

“I don’t understand. Why does your armor make you look so different?” As soon as she spoke, she realized that it was probably not the most urgent question, but it had been the first one to spring to mind.

“For two reasons,” he said, seemingly unfazed by the question. “First, much of the bio suit is necessary in order for us to handle the environment on the surface, as well as the journey back and forth. As for the second…” He shrugged. “We have found that there are distinct advantages to having others think that we are larger and stronger than our actual physical forms.”

“Like giants?” An almost hysterical giggle threatened to break free as she remembered David’s derogatory comments, but her alien only inclined his head.

“Exactly.”

His eyes dropped to her breasts and she suddenly remembered that she was carrying on this conversation half naked. Her cheeks burned as she snatched up the blanket and covered herself.

“Why am I naked?”

He ran his fingers through his hair—not hair, she suddenly realized. What she had thought were vines covering his head were in reality some odd combination of hair and plant. The tendrils curled around his fingers as he contemplated his answer.

“All of your clothes were wet, and I was afraid that you would catch a chill. I kept the blanket over you,” he added, then looked away. “At least as much as possible.”

In other words, he had probably snuck a glance. The thought annoyed her, but there were much more important matters to worry about. He had attempted to keep her covered and now he remained at a respectful distance.

“Why did you do it?” she burst out. “You know how much I was struggling, and you must have known that without the COW, life would be that much harder.”

His fingers went back to his hair and once again the tendrils curled around them.

“You do not belong down there,” he said finally. “You should not be forced to work as hard as you do.”

“Listen, buddy. It’s my life, and yes, it’s hard, but I know that I’m doing the best I can and up until now I’ve managed. We could even have managed without the stupid COW if I hadn’t missed the trading time.”

His eyes flicked away from hers again. “I must admit that I did not anticipate that.”

“And why Bella? You have never offered to trade with me for anything other than crystals before.” Her voice sounded a little shakier than she would have preferred, but she still felt the sting of knowing that he had made the trade with Bella and not with her.

“You would not have taken such a trade,” he said simply. “You would not have been satisfied with a vague promise. Your sister is neither discerning nor practical. All she thought about was making her own wishes come true.”

Jackie’s first instinct was to protest his assessment of her sister, but when she remembered how eagerly Bella had made the trade, she found it hard to refute his statement.

“But what if I hadn’t been late?”

The tendrils of his hair fluttered as he considered his answer. “I was going to give it to you,” he said at last.

“Give it to me? Why?” A relief that she didn’t want to acknowledge swept through her at the confirmation that he hadn’t traded the bean to Bella because he had been swept away by her beauty.

His eyes came back to hers, glowing that unnatural green.

“I wanted you here,” he said simply. “I had intended to make a present of it to you at the conclusion of our trading. At first, I wasn’t going to trade it to your sister, but when I realized that you might not arrive in time for the market, I didn’t see any other alternative if I wanted you to join me here.”

Chapter Seven

All Jackie could do was stare at him. He wanted her to join him?

“Why do you want me here?”

Despite the obvious reason suggested by her lack of clothing and the fact that she was lying on a bed, she found that she didn’t really believe that that was his primary motivation.

“For several reasons.”

She waited, but when he didn’t continue, she gave him an exasperated look.

“That’s not particularly helpful.”

A smile flashed across his face for the first time. His teeth gleamed white and perfect against the dark green of his skin, although she noticed that his canines were enlarged to the point where they could almost have been called fangs. An answering smile started to twist her own lips, but she forced her mouth into stillness and raised an expectant eyebrow.

“Perhaps we could continue this discussion over a meal,” he suggested.

Despite her frustration at his refusal to answer, she was conscious of the gaping emptiness in her stomach. It had been a long climb with only half a protein wafer to sustain her. As if in answer, her stomach growled. He smiled at her again and for an instant she was reminded of David’s charming grin, but David used his smile in order to get what he wanted. Her alien’s expression appeared completely genuine.

“I am a little hungry,” she acknowledged. “Did you recover my pack? I should have more protein wafers in there.”

He looked appalled. “I’m sure that I can provide better for you.”

“Are you sure that your food is compatible?”

“Of course, that is one of the things I do.”

“It is? What exactly do you do?”

“All of this can wait until after I have fed you.” He stood up from the window seat, and she realized that her earlier impression had been somewhat mistaken. While he might not have the massive bulk and additional arms provided by his metal suit, he was still massive. She was sure he would tower over her when she stood up. Her gaze swept across broad shoulders and a heavily muscled chest, then down across his slim waist to—

“You’re not wearing any clothes,” she gasped.

An extremely large penis hung heavily between his legs and she could feel the blush burning her cheeks. She had never even seen a human male naked, let alone an alien.

He looked down, as if surprised by her statement, and then the skin across his cheekbones darkened. Almost unwillingly she followed his gaze and watched as a small patch of green above his cock suddenly extended leafy tendrils, crawling around his waist and extending down over his manhood to form a leafy loincloth. That was convenient, she thought, and refused to admit to a small pang of disappointment.

“Since I can’t grow my own clothing,” she said tartly. “Can you return mine to me?”

He looked worried. “They’re still damp, and your body is not yet acclimated to this environment. Would you accept an alternative?”

“I would definitely prefer to be clothed.”

“What a shame,” he muttered as he turned away.

She didn’t know if he had intended for her to hear his comment, so she pretended to ignore it even though she was sure that a pleased, if embarrassed, blush covered her face.

He returned to the window bench and easily lifted the stone slab from atop one section, his muscles moving intriguingly under smooth green skin. He pulled out what appeared to be a length of green cloth. She eyed it doubtfully, not sure how she was going to wear it when he gave it a shake. Before her eyes, it rippled into a simple dress.

“Is it alive?” she asked, not sure how she felt about wearing a living garment.

“Not exactly, but because it is composed of plant material, I can direct it to my will.”

He handed her the garment and politely turned his back. Unfortunately, as he did so, she realized that his loincloth did not extend around his back to cover an extremely fine ass. Part of her was almost tempted not to say anything, but she sternly suppressed the impulse.

“Can you cover your, um, back half as well?” she asked, hoping he couldn’t hear her reluctance.

He didn’t respond but the green leafy covering extended across the two high firm buttocks. Again, refusing to acknowledge a hint of disappointment, she picked up her dress. For some reason, she had assumed that it would feel rough and somewhat scratchy as if it were truly composed of leaves. Instead, the material flowed under her fingertips like the finest silk.

As she went to put it on, she started to raise her arm above her head and cried out in pain. While she had been sitting there talking to him, the pain in her ribs had subsided to a dull ache, but as soon as she moved, the fiery pain returned.

At the first sound of her distress, he whirled to face her. And while she knew that she had dropped her blanket again, she was too busy clutching her ribs to really care.

“I don’t understand,” she gasped. “Did I hit a rock under the water?”

Her alien knelt in front of her and placed one huge warm hand on her ribs, just underneath her breasts. His hand was large enough to span most of her rib cage but the heat emanating from it was so soothing that she didn’t protest his touch.

His hair tendrils danced a little, and then he looked up to meet her gaze.

“It’s my fault,” he admitted. “When I retrieved you from the water, you weren’t breathing and I’m afraid that I damaged you in my attempt to revive you.”

“I wasn’t breathing?” She suddenly felt lightheaded as she realized how close she had been to death.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I should have remembered how fragile you humans are, but you always seem so strong to me despite your physical size.”

A lump appeared in her throat. He spoke the words as if they were compliment, and she hadn’t realized until that moment just how starved she was for approval. David was, if not derogatory, at least impatient with her desire to take care of herself. Her sister just accepted it as a matter of course. The rest of the settlement simply assumed that she was doing her job. When she had reached marriageable age, she had even had a few suitors of her own, but she had been too busy and too tired to engage in courtship. Perhaps her life would have been somewhat easier with a husband to assist, but everyone in the settlement worked hard and the only person who was responsible for her sister was her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He had been watching his hand as it gently manipulated her ribs, but he looked up as she spoke, and their eyes met. A sudden tension filled the air between them, and she was extremely conscious of his big warm body only inches away and of his hand resting against the soft underside of her breast. The same minty herbal scent that had filled the air before surrounded her now, almost heady in its intensity. Her nipples tightened to stiff peaks and she ran a nervous tongue across her bottom lip. He leaned forward and for a moment she was half anxious, half hopeful that he would kiss her. Instead, he plucked some long strands from the woven blanket still covering her lap. He stretched them between his fingers, and she watched in amazement as they widened and lengthened into a long bandage.

Moving with extreme caution he wrapped the bandage around her rib cage, then with an apologetic murmur he did something which caused it to tighten. The pain flared briefly but subsided almost immediately and she found that the snug bandage helped to relieve the ache.

He sat back on his heels, and for the first time, seemed to notice her breasts. Her taut nipples tightened even further under his avid gaze. Before she could stop herself, her eyes dropped to his lap and she saw the unmistakable signs of an erection beneath his leafy covering.

For a fraction of a second, she was almost tempted, but then her common sense reasserted itself and she reached for her dress. The bandage helped, but she still winced as she tried to raise her arms. Her alien quickly took the dress from her and helped guide her arms to the openings. His actions were completely neutral and helpful, but she had to fight back an unexpected shiver of arousal every time his fingers brushed her skin.

Once the dress settled down over her head, he stroked it again and the material tightened around her body until it fit her perfectly. She thought a little ruefully of the number of times Bella had outgrown her outfits as she was growing up. A dress made from this wondrous material would have been very helpful during those years.

“This is marvelous.” She smoothed her hand down the soft green material. “How did you do that?”

His cheeks darkened again, and he ducked his head. “It’s something I have been working on.”

“Working on?”

“I will tell you more after we eat,” he said firmly. He shot a glance at the two doors in the solid wall. “Are you able to walk?”

“I’m sure I can.” However, as she started to stand up, her rib twinged, and she winced. He immediately lifted her up into his arms.

“You don’t need to carry me. I’m sure I can walk once I get used to it.” Despite her protests, there was something undeniably pleasant about being cradled against his enormous body. She felt almost childlike in comparison, yet there was nothing childlike about the sudden ache between her legs.

“There is no reason for you to walk,” he said firmly.

When she started to protest again, he added. “It’s the least I can do since I’m the one who is responsible for the damage. I’m truly sorry, Jackie.”

The sound of her name on his lips startled her into silence, and she didn’t argue as he carried her towards the door. Perhaps it was not surprising that he knew her name. Although they had never been introduced, he had been around long enough that he must have heard it mentioned. His, on the other hand, was still a mystery.

“What’s your name?”

He didn’t answer her as he opened the door and began carrying her down a long winding set of stairs made out of the same green stone that seem to comprise the entire building. For a moment, she was afraid that she had violated some taboo of his people, but then he looked down at her and smiled.

“My name is Cormac.”

“Cormac,” she said thoughtfully. “I like it.”

“I have never liked it as much as I do now, hearing it from your lips.”

The heat rushed to her cheeks and she looked away, focusing on her surroundings instead. Despite the stone walls, there was an organic quality to the building. The outside walls curved and swooped in a manner that seemed almost plant-like compared to the square block buildings to which she was accustomed. Sunlight flooded through the abundant windows and whereas on the planet surface, sunlight could be a risk, here it merely provided soothing warmth and light.

They passed a landing with another door, but he kept descending until he reached a large open hall. On one side, giant glass doors opened into the largest greenhouse she had ever seen. Rows of tables covered with an amazing variety of plants ran down the center, while larger plants lined the outside walls.

“What is that?” she asked. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

He looked both pleased and embarrassed. “That is my workshop. If you would like, I will take you there after we eat.”

“I would love to see it—” All of a sudden, she remembered that she was not here on a social visit. “That is, I wish I had time to see it, but I have to get back home.”

Although he didn’t respond, she felt the muscles of his chest tense beneath her. He walked to the other side of the hall, passing what looked like entry doors, before carrying her into a large kitchen. Two walls were lined with counters and above them more of the tall arched windows displayed an amazing view out over the gardens and off into the sky. Tall white cabinets covered the other two walls, while a big wooden table sat in the center of the room, with a single chair tucked underneath. A wave of sympathy washed over her at the poignant sight. No wonder he wanted her to join him.

If he noticed her sympathetic stare, he gave no sign. Instead, he pulled the chair out and placed her gently on the seat before he stepped back. The chair was much too large for her—her feet didn’t reach the floor and her head barely topped the surface of the table—and she felt ridiculously childlike. Nonetheless, she gave him her best frown.

“You do know that I have to return, don’t you?”

“Why?”

Chapter Eight

With his green eyes focused on her face, for a second she couldn’t think of any reason, but then her brain kicked in.

“I have a sister—” He made a derogatory sound and she frowned at him. “She’s my responsibility and she needs me. The more time I spend here, the less time I will have to mine for crystals. And that reminds me, I want my COW back.”

“Your COW?”

“The food replicator. We need it to live on until the next quarterly trading day.”

“There is plenty of food up here,” he said as he turned away from her and began assembling a meal.

She couldn’t resist a sigh as he started slicing fruit and delicious odors began filling the room.

“I’m glad you have plenty of food,” she said, trying to suppress her annoyance. “But we will not have food unless we have the replicator.”

He didn’t respond as he continued cutting the fruit. She waited impatiently until he brought it over to the table and placed it in front of her. As he did, she saw him realize just how short she was in comparison to the table, and a choked laugh escaped his lips before he could stop it. She glared at him.

“It’s not my fault everything around here is oversized.” Without meaning to, her eyes dropped to his groin. She could have sworn that the leafy covering stirred but before she could react, he picked her up and sat down in her place, holding her carefully on his lap.

“What are you doing?”

“I am enabling you to reach the table,” he said innocently. “It may look too large but when we work together, it’s a perfect fit.”

Did he really mean that innocently? she wondered. Perhaps his alien culture didn’t understand sexual innuendo. Despite her decision to ignore the comment, she knew that she was blushing again. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What was it about her alien that had her reacting as if she was still a young girl?

He was, however, correct about one thing. Now that she was seated on his lap, the plate of mouthwatering fruit was at the perfect height. Determined to continue the argument, she did her best to ignore it.

“I need my COW back,” she repeated.

“We can discuss it after you eat.”

He brought the plate a little closer, and she succumbed. The first thing she tried looked like a strawberry, only she had never seen a strawberry so large and red and ripe. Several years ago, after a particularly successful trading day, she had paid an outrageous amount for ten berries. Although they had been small and pale in comparison to this one, she still remembered how much she had loved them. Now, she took a cautious bite and moaned as the delicious taste spread throughout her mouth. Her previous experience was nothing compared to this. Abandoning any semblance of resistance, she reached for another one. After the strawberries disappeared, she moved on to the fruit she didn’t recognize. All of them tasted impossibly good, varying from a small white fruit that exploded in her mouth in a burst of sugary sweetness to a large purple globe that was a refreshing mixture of sweet and tangy.

It wasn’t until the plate was completely empty and she was licking her fingers that she noticed that Cormac was eyeing her as hungrily as she had eyed the fruit. She shifted nervously and felt the long hard bar of his massive erection beneath her bottom. She froze, staring at him, and her tongue came out to wet her lips as her mouth went dry. He groaned, and then one big hand cradled her head as his mouth descended over hers. He devoured her—there was no other word—licking and sucking and tasting her mouth as if he were a starving man. At first, she was too shocked to respond, but then her own hunger kicked in. So many long lonely years, her only respite a few quick minutes under the covers on the rare occasions when she was not too exhausted to fall asleep immediately. It wasn’t until his hand closed over her breast, the dress magically parting to allow him to touch her bare skin, that she came to her senses.

Gasping, she pulled her mouth away. “What are you doing?”

“If you’re not sure, then I am obviously not doing it correctly.” He smiled down at her, even as his thumb swept across her swollen nipple. She shivered and resisted the temptation to press into that teasing touch.

“Stop that, Cormac,” she tried to order, but her voice came out breathless and uncertain.

For a moment, he didn’t move, and her heart began to race with a combination of fear and desire. She wanted to trust him, but he was so big she wouldn’t be able to stop him if he insisted on continuing. A small part of her didn’t want him to listen, but she ignored it and breathed a sigh of relief when he raised his hand and her dress whispered back into place. The cool fabric against her heated flesh made her shiver, but she ignored her throbbing peaks.

“You said we would talk after I ate,” she reminded him.

“You are correct, my little karrida.” He sighed but did not release her. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and pulled her against his chest as he stared out of the windows. She supposed that she could demand that he let her go, but she enjoyed being cradled in his arms too much to insist. She let her cheek rest against his chest and took a deep breath of his fascinating minty scent.

“I cannot return the replicator,” he said at last. Before she could protest, he continued. “The materials from which it was composed were not sustainable in this environment. I’m afraid there is nothing left now but a few pieces of rusted metal.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she found herself burrowing closer into his chest, even though it made no sense to be seeking comfort from the cause of her unhappiness.

“Then I will have no choice except to go into debt to Mr. Haney,” she sighed.

“The man who wanted to marry you?” he growled.

“No, I’m talking about his father. Mr. Haney owns the main store in town, and he is the only one who is wealthy enough to extend me a line of credit so that I can purchase supplies for the next quarter.”

“You do not have to return,” he said again.

“Yes, I do.” She forced herself to sit up and he didn’t protest—but neither did he release her from his arms.

“You cannot climb back down with a cracked rib.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, and tried to stand up. The fiery ache immediately resurfaced, even though the bandage did help to lessen the impact. When she gasped and pressed her hand to her rib, he frowned and pulled her back down on his lap, big hands easily spanning her waist.

“You can’t do it, Jackie. I admire your determination more than I can say, but I refuse to let you hurt yourself.”

“You’re going to keep me prisoner here?” And why did that not sound as distasteful as she would have wished?

To her relief, he actually looked shocked. “No, of course not.”

“You aren’t going to make me stay, but you won’t let me leave?”

“You need to stay at least until your rib has healed,” he said firmly. After a brief hesitation, he added, “I can assist in the healing process.”

Despite the obvious reluctance in his last words, she seized upon them.

“How quickly will it work? Could I leave before the sun goes down?”

His face hardened but before it did, she saw the flash of what looked like hurt in his eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t want to stay, exactly. I wish I could,” she said quickly. For a minute the words hung in the air between them and she could hear the truth in her statement. She would like to stay, to explore this magical place and this fascinating male. “But you know my situation, you know that I can’t stay.”

His eyes closed briefly, thick dark-green lashes veiling the intense gaze. When he finally opened them, he seemed resigned.

“Let us go to my workshop. I will apply the healing potion; however, you will not be able to leave before tomorrow at the earliest and possibly even the next day.”

She bit her lip, trying to ignore an unexpected feeling of relief that she had a brief respite from the endless toil that made up her life. “Is there any way to get a message to the surface?”

“I’m afraid not. That was part of the original agreement.” He hesitated. “Did you provide for your sister?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “She has enough food to last for several more days.” She shook her head. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if Mrs. Miller also took pity on her. I know she frequently brings her food while I am up at the mining camp.”

“Good. Then you do not need to worry about her, and you can concentrate on getting better.” Keeping her cradled in his arms, he rose easily to his feet and strode out of the kitchen.

Chapter Nine

Cormac wrestled with his conscience as he carried his beautiful, sweet-smelling human across the hall and into his workshop. He had agreed to heal her after all, even though he knew that it would lead to her leaving. However, he had not been strictly truthful about the amount of time that it would take. If he used one of his newer experiments, she could in fact have left this afternoon. But his experiments had their limits, he told himself. If she returned to hard labor immediately, the rib could fail to heal properly.

“What is this place?” she asked, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the variety of plants filling the space.

“It’s my workshop.”

“What kind of workshop?”

He concentrated on threading his way between some of the larger plants. While he could have had them withdraw from his path, he felt curiously shy about his abilities. They were rare enough amongst his own people and as far as he knew, completely unknown to the humans. The question of what he was doing here was almost as complicated. He had originally intended to tell her everything, but at the time he had been under the foolish impression that she might choose to come to him of her own free will. Instead, she was here because of the mistake he had made in trading for the replicator. He cursed his impatience. When her sister had shown up and told him that Jackie might not arrive before the end of the trading period, he had let his desire to have her join him overcome his common sense. If he had only waited…

As soon as the sister and the worthless male who had tried to assert his claim over Cormac’s female disappeared, he had regretted the impulse. The regret had driven him to wait in the vain hope that she would appear. That part at least, he could not regret. Even if she had not decided to climb the beanstalk at least he would have had the memories of their encounter to sustain him until the next trading day.

“I am conducting experiments with plants,” he said at last. It was the truth, if not the whole truth.

To his surprise, she laughed. “That part is certainly obvious. What kind of experiments?”

“I’m afraid that I am not free to discuss them.” The treaty expressly forbade any mention of their work outside of official channels, but he would have ignored the restriction if she were going to stay with him permanently. Even now, his heart ached at the thought of her climbing down the beanstalk and away from him.

As he reached the row of tables outside his office, inspiration struck him.

“When you leave,” he suppressed his despair at the words, “I will give you one of these to take with you.”

She inspected the small plant carefully. He knew that it didn’t look very exciting, so he was gratified by her pleased smile before he hastened to explain.

“It’s called a bread plant.” He indicated the cluster of small golden ovals, each the size of one of her delicate little hands. “Each of these is edible and will supply enough nutrition to last a human for a day or two. As long as you leave the two main fruits in place, it will continue to produce new fruits every day.”

“That’s amazing.” To his admiration, she immediately raised the question that had taken him so long to resolve. “How much water does it need to survive?”

“Only an ounce of water per day.” He couldn’t suppress the pride in his voice and was gratified by her obvious delight.

“Is this one of your experiments?”

He nodded briefly, glad when she did not pursue the subject.

“That’s a very thoughtful gift—”

“It is not a gift. It is a replacement for the replicator. I should not have taken it, but this should serve as an adequate substitute.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, and then, to his shock and delight, she leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss next to his mouth. His unruly cock immediately flared, although fortunately he carried her high enough that she would not notice. He tried his best to force it down as he opened the door into his office and carried her over to one of the lab tables.

This room, too, was also filled with plants, but in addition, rows of shelves displayed a wide variety of chemicals and equipment. Her eyes widened again.

“Everything else around here seems so… organic, but in here, it reminds me of how technologically advanced your race must be.”

“We are an old race,” he said shortly. An old race with a dreadful history, a history he and a few of his fellow Gremin were trying to remedy. “I’m going to lay you back on the table so I can take another look at your rib.”

To his delight, she didn’t protest, but looked up at him trustingly as he lowered her onto the smooth surface. He placed his hand on top of her rib cage and looked at her again.

“I will need to part your dress. I will do my best to keep you covered.”

Once again, she didn’t object, and he gently teased apart the fabric. Despite his care, the smooth white underside of one of her perfect breasts was partially revealed. He ignored the temptation to open the fabric even further and concentrated on the bandage covering her chest. He stroked his hand across the fibers, and they released, falling to either side of her slender body. Too slender, he suspected. While nothing could detract from her beauty, he would like to have seen some additional healthy softness on her thin frame. He had noticed that her sister did not have the same lean build. Although her sister had the pale skin of the humans who did not expose themselves to nature, and leaned against the worthless male as if it were almost too much trouble to walk, her cheeks were round, her arms curved, and he could see the small swell of her stomach beneath her clothing. Perhaps under other circumstances, he might have found her attractive, but instead he was filled with rage. He knew that her pleasing roundness was the result of his female denying herself to feed her sister. His fists clenched and Jackie looked up at him anxiously.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, little karrida, I was merely considering the best treatment.”

“You called me that before. What does karrida mean?”

“It’s a flower,” he said, and walked over to retrieve one from the shelf over his desk. Long, pale-green leaves surrounded a central flower cluster. Still a month away from blooming, the cluster was composed of small dark-red buds, tightly furled.

“It doesn’t seem very exciting,” she said, then blushed. “I’m sure it’s very nice.”

“It is a fascinating plant. It can grow and thrive under almost any circumstances.” He stroked one of the small flower buds. “These are the buds. They will not bloom until they encounter the right circumstances, but once they do, they have the most beautiful flowers.” He ran a gentle finger along her arm. “The outside petals turn soft red, fading into a beautiful cream that surrounds a deep pink heart. They’re very rare and very precious.”

Her disappointed look disappeared into a trembling smile as color suffused her face. This time, he gently cupped her cheek.

“Yes, exactly that color.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me,” she whispered.

“Then they are fools. Perhaps it takes a discerning eye to spot true beauty.”

They stared at each other and despite the breeze ruffling the leaves, he felt suspended in a bubble of silence where the only thing that existed was the two of them. She was the first to look away, clearing her throat nervously.

“What are you going to do to my rib? Is it going to hurt?”

“I would never hurt you intentionally. If I could take your broken rib upon myself, I would do it.”

She reached out and laid a hand across his arm. “It’s all right, I understand. Thank you for saving my life.”

He opened his mouth, about to tell her how bleak his life would be if she ceased to exist, then closed it again. She wasn’t ready to hear it. He had to accept that she might never be ready to hear it, but as long as she was alive, then he had hope.

Instead, he briefly covered her hand with his own then turned to his array of samples. Two of the healing potions would be most suitable for her physiology, and he hesitated briefly. While they would both work, the first one would create almost instantaneous results. The only drawback was that the results would be fragile for several weeks. The second formula would take longer to act but the slower healing process would stabilize almost immediately.

In the end, it was an easy decision. He chose the slower but more stable formula. He knew that it would be difficult to keep her here until it healed, but he was too afraid that she would damage herself again if he used the faster acting medication.

“This will feel warm against your skin,” he warned as he dipped his fingers in the small vial. “However, it should be no more than the heat of the sun late in the day.”

She nodded, and the trust in her eyes caused his heart to skip a beat. What he wouldn’t do for this tiny female.

As carefully as possible, he spread the solution across her rib cage, the dark green of his skin an erotic contrast to her pale flesh. Despite his care, his hand was so large, and she was so small that his fingers kept brushing against the underside of her breast. As he carefully worked the lotion deeper, he could feel it warming beneath his fingers. As he had expected, her skin flushed a soft pink.

“Does that feel uncomfortable?”

Her eyes had been closed, but she opened them now, looking almost dazed.

“It feels wonderful, but I can feel it spreading from there and over the rest of my body.”

She shifted restlessly and he suddenly realized that not only were her nipples hard enough to be clearly visible beneath the fabric of her dress, but that her delicious scent had increased. Stars, she was aroused. His own arousal immediately flared to match hers.

To the best of his knowledge, this reaction had never been reported from any other human subject, but he found it hard to think scientifically. His cock ached and throbbed, the sap rushing to fill it so quickly that he felt almost lightheaded. Her pheromones overwhelmed him, and the thought flitted across his mind to wonder if all Gremin were as susceptible to human desire, but then it disappeared in a rush of lust.

Chapter Ten

Jackie whimpered as her arousal increased. Her nipples felt swollen to twice their normal size and the cool brush of the fabric against them was a tormenting pleasure. She could feel liquid heat between her thighs, and her swollen clit ached.

“Cormac,” she cried. “What’s happening?”

“I think you are responding to the healing lotion.” His voice sounded strained and she looked up to see that his fists were clenched, and his face drawn in a tight mask. Unable to help herself she looked down and moaned at the site of his fully erect cock thrusting through his loincloth. Thick, almost branch-like veins covered the surface and she reached for it before she could stop herself, eager to explore. For one brief second, she felt that wonderful massive shaft beneath her fingers, but then he growled and pulled away.

“Please don’t,” he said. “I’m having a hard time resisting you.”

Even though alarm bells were ringing in the back of her mind, she reached for him again.

“Then don’t resist,” she urged.

Once again, she briefly touched his warm ridged hardness before he grabbed her hand and tore it away.

“I’m not going to take advantage of you,” he said, his voice harsh.

The heat suffusing her body continued to grow and her hands went to her breasts, desperate to relieve the throbbing ache.

“I need…”

Her hips rolled back and forth, then suddenly her dress parted and big hands were pulling her legs apart. The cool breeze rushing across her heated flesh made her moan with pleasure, but then the air was replaced by something even better. Cormac’s tongue licked the length of her slit and she shivered and cried out with pleasure. Her hips arched upwards as a small climax rolled over her. He growled approvingly before his tongue probed at her untried entrance. No thought of denial in her mind, she arched against him, and he thrust inside. She cried out again at the unexpected stretch but when he started to withdraw, she grabbed his head. The tendrils of his hair returned her grasp and she clung to them as he continued his explorations. His tongue delved deeper inside, accompanied by a slight burn that only added to her excitement. He reached a spot that made her quiver and he concentrated his attentions there. As her body tensed, she felt a new sensation—as if small fingers were caressing her clit, gently pulling back the hood to tease the exposed surface. The combined sensations overwhelmed her, and her vision sheeted to white as wave after wave of climax had her convulsing around his tongue. He didn’t relent until her body finally softened and she pushed weekly at his head. He immediately withdrew, but his slow lingering withdrawal caused another mini orgasm to shake her body.

He stepped away from the table and she couldn’t help feeling abandoned until she saw the strain on his face and realized that all of his muscles were in tight knots while his hair swirled in agitated circles. His cock still thrust aggressively from his loincloth and jerked under her gaze. Her arousal had diminished enough to allow her to think clearly and she fought to overcome a lingering sense of embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. Although this formula has been tested on humans before, I should not have assumed that it wouldn’t have any side effects.”

She bit her lip, then before she could have second thoughts, she offered, “Do you want me to, um, help you with that?”

Her cheeks were on fire as she waved a hand in the direction of his erection.

“No, my little karrida.” He hesitated. “I do not want to go far from you until I know whether or not there will be any other side effects. Will you remain here while I make a quick trip to the sanitary facility?”

She nodded obediently, and he flashed her a quick smile.

“Call me at once, if you experience any other sensations.”

Before she could ask how to call him, he disappeared through a closed door on one side of the lab and she gulped. She hadn’t realized that he intended to take care of himself so close to her. Even though he closed the door behind him, she heard his muffled groan and her imagination only too clearly supplied the image of his large hand working that even larger cock. Her fingers tingled as she remembered her brief encounter with those twisted veins, and she could feel her own body start to respond. She concentrated on taking slow deep breaths, but his fresh minty scent still filled the air and she knew that she would forever associate it with her spectacular climax. Don’t think about it, she told herself as she did her best to concentrate on her plans for returning to the surface.

By the time Cormac returned, she had heard him groan three additional times. From her admittedly limited knowledge of human male anatomy, that seemed quite impressive. Despite her best efforts to focus her thoughts elsewhere, her mind kept returning to the giant alien so close at hand.

A pleasant warmth still filled her body, but now that the arousal had faded, her feeling of satisfaction was replaced by embarrassment. What had she been thinking? Or perhaps more accurately, what had she been feeling? Part of her wanted to blame Cormac since her reaction had been at least partially created by the medication that he had applied, but he had seemed genuinely surprised by the effects. In addition, he had behaved honorably and not taken advantage of her condition. She knew that she wouldn’t have denied him if he had pressed his advances. Instead, he had made every effort, despite his obvious arousal, not to do so.

Common knowledge stated that all of the aliens lived alone in their cloud castles and everything she had seen so far supported that assumption. Did he ever leave? she wondered. While he always showed up for each quarterly trading day, that left a long stretch of time in between when he could be doing almost anything.

A surprising pang of jealousy hit her as she contemplated the idea that perhaps he went off to visit some alien girlfriend during those months. That thought naturally triggered the memory of David and she winced. While she had not agreed to marry him, he had been the only one with whom she spent any time. Since he had started courting her six months ago, he had not been seen with any of the other unattached females in Songder Town. Admittedly, there weren’t many of them. Almost everyone her age was already married. Most of the settlers married young and began families soon after. In the harsh conditions of the desert and canyons, additional hands to help with the work were always needed. While she had stopped attending the small settlement school at fifteen because her parents died, many of her classmates were already contemplating matrimony when she left.

Now that she thought about it, she and Bella belonged to a very small group of females over the age of eighteen who were unmarried. Was that why—no, she didn’t think that was the reason behind David’s courtship. She knew that he participated in social events in Thaleth throughout the year and had ample opportunity to choose a wife while he was there.

But the thought of David further diminished her arousal. Moving cautiously, she pulled herself into a sitting position. Despite the side effects, the healing potion had been remarkably effective. Her ribs still ached, but it already felt as if it were an old injury rather than the sharp stabbing pain she had experienced earlier. Since she had promised, she remained sitting on the lab table, swinging her feet as she looked around. When she had been younger, one of her favorite books had involved the tales of a young scientist. Her surroundings bore an uncanny resemblance to the pictures of her heroine’s lab, except, of course, for the profusion of plants.

Despite the mingled fragrances of the many varieties of plant life, she recognized Cormac’s minty scent, even before he spoke.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

Jackie hesitated, then decided to treat the open-ended question as specifically directed towards her physical health. “I can still feel a slight ache, but it’s very mild. That potion is remarkably powerful.”

Although she had kept her voice strictly neutral, as soon as the last words left her mouth, she realized that they could be interpreted in a completely different way, and the ready heat rose to her cheeks. Before he could respond, she hurried on. “Have you thought about offering it in trade at the market?”

By this time, he was in front of her and she looked up in time to see his face shutter.

“It is not permitted.”

Annoyed that he had shut her down once again, this time she didn’t let it go.

“You said that you would tell me what you were doing up here after I ate. I have had my meal. Now, I want to know what’s going on.”

She could clearly read the conflict on his face, but eventually he nodded. He lifted her off the table with shocking ease, pausing only to make sure that she was steady on her feet before stepping back. Now that she was standing next to him, the difference in their sizes was even more apparent. When he was wearing his armor, she barely reached the bottom of his rib cage. Now the top of her head reached his pectoral muscles, but somehow, she felt even more diminutive. The broad chest and wide shoulders couldn’t be explained away by artificial enhancement—this was all him. Tearing her eyes away from his extraordinarily impressive musculature, she raised her gaze to his face. She caught him looking down at her with an expression of such longing that her chest ached.

“Do you ever leave here?” she burst out, remembering her earlier thoughts about his activities between the trading days.

“No, never.”

“Don’t you ever get lonely?”

For a moment, she thought that he wouldn’t answer her, but he finally dipped his head. Even the leafy tendrils of his hair seemed subdued.

“Yes, I get lonely. I don’t think I realized how lonely until you started talking to me.”

She thought back over the previous years. After her parents’ death, she had been forced to take over trading in the marketplace. For the first few years, the aliens with whom she traded seemed exactly the same and she never noticed if she was dealing with a specific one. That changed about five years ago, when she had looked up at the end of a trading session and seen a pair of intense green eyes focused on her face. The stare seemed somehow expectant and she found herself asking him if he wanted to keep her company while she drank her tea. To her surprise, he had remained. Nervous about his presence, she started babbling about her family, and that had been the beginning.

“That was five years ago,” she said thoughtfully. “That makes twenty times that you stayed and listen to me talk.”

“Nineteen,” he corrected. “I remember every one.”

“Why didn’t you ever attempt to communicate with me before? Do your suits prevent you from talking?”

“Yes, that is part of the treaty, but at first I was simply content to listen to you. It wasn’t until I realized how much I looked forward to our meetings, how much I thought about them between each session, how much your face haunted my dreams, that I decided I needed to find a way for us to talk.” He looked away, and his hair made little agitated motions. “It took another three years before I came up with a plan and found the courage to implement it. At first, I delayed because I knew that you would never leave your sister while she was underage. I had hoped that as she grew older, she would be joined with another settler and relieve you of the responsibility. Eventually I realized that she was too comfortable with you to ever want to leave, but even then, I waited.”

“It’s not that she’s too comfortable,” she said quickly. “Her health is uncertain and I’m afraid that no one else would truly understand that.”

He opened his mouth, then shook his head and closed it again.

“Then, why now?” she asked. “Why did you finally decide to make a move?”

“The pathetic human male—he made a claim on you.”

“David?” Then she remembered how David had said that they were to be married when he came to find her after the previous trading session. “I have never told him that I would marry him.”

“And yet, he assumes as much.” He hesitated again. “I suspect that you will not like to hear this, but it seems to me that you are being put in a position where you will have no choice.”

She started to protest, but she was afraid it was because his words hit a little too close to home. If she had to go to Mr. Haney for food and supplies, if she wound up in debt, would she be faced with either marrying David or losing their home and their claim?

“I don’t think he would have wanted to marry me under those circumstances—if I was just doing it because I had no other choice.” Her voice did not sound as confident as she would have liked.

He snorted. “A male will do many things to win the woman he… wants.”

“Like trick her into growing a beanstalk in her garden?” she asked dryly.

He ducked his head. “Yes, even that. In my defense, the only way that I would ever be able to talk to you was if you arrived in my home of your own volition.”

“Is that another part of this treaty?”

He nodded slowly, then abruptly changed the subject. “You did not see much of my gardens before your unplanned swim. If you are up to it, would you like to take a walk?”

Outside the window she could see a soft golden glow beginning to illuminate the assorted vegetation. The sun must be setting, and she could only imagine just how beautiful it would appear from this height.

“Yes, I think I would like that very much.”

He offered her his hand and she didn’t even hesitate before she placed her hand in his.

Chapter Eleven

Cormac looked down at the small tanned fingers perched so trustingly in his and couldn’t help but remember the delicate way she had touched his shaft. At the memory, his cock started to stiffen again despite the number of times he had come—each time with the vision of her spread out in front of him, her pretty little cunt, exactly like the secret heart of the karrida, flushed deep pink. His sap started to rise again but he firmly suppressed the thought. She needed him to take care of her, not to press his need on her.

As he led her out of the garden doors, he found himself watching her face rather than his surroundings. Everything delighted her. She caressed the fuzzy leaves of a lambida, ran her fingers through the sparkling waters of the fountain in the center of his courtyard, and insisted on smelling every flower they encountered.

They ended up sitting on a bench tucked into the balustrade at the edge of the courtyard, looking out over the planet below as the setting sun sent fiery streaks of red and gold across the rugged landscape.

“It’s so beautiful from up here,” she said at last. They had been sitting in silence for several minutes watching as the shadows of the mountains crept across the plain beneath them.

“Only from up here?”

“No,” she said slowly.

Even though she was still looking over the edge, he didn’t think that she was observing the landscape any longer.

“There are times when I’m in the canyons—when I’m not too exhausted to notice—that I appreciate the rugged beauty in the rocks and the way they have been formed by the wind, by the way the light catches in the places where the crystals were formed.”

She sat in silence for another minute then looked back at him. “What do you do with the crystals?”

Another forbidden subject, but he didn’t want to keep avoiding her questions.

“I use them to fuel my experiments.”

“I’ve never heard of them being used as a power source.”

“We—the Gremin—use them somewhat differently than the rest of the galaxy.”

His race’s sordid history filled his mind, and he had the sudden urge to confess. “We originally lived on another planet in this system, but we did not treat it correctly. My people are scientists and sometimes in their urge to discover what they could do they did not stop to consider what they should do.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

“It all happened many generations ago.” Although, they were still paying the price. “However, as a result, our interaction with other races has been limited.”

“How did you end up here?”

“I have a special affinity to… guide plant matter, and these cloud castles are ideally suited for the work that I do.” He did not mention how few of his people had the capability, or that the fact that he had been born with it meant that his life had been determined for him since he was a small child.

“How long have you been here?”

“On Tuknis? Since I was fifteen. I spent the first five years with a mentor and then I was given my own domain. I have been here ever since.”

“And you have been on your own all that time?” she asked.

“Yes, but I am not alone now.”

Her face softened and she smiled at him. “I know what it’s like to be alone. After my parents died there were so many times when I felt completely alone. Of course, I have my sister,” she added hastily.

He barely managed to hide his expression of disgust. From what Jackie had described and from what he had seen for himself, he did not think the sister was in any way worthy of Jackie’s devotion.

“And you spend much of your time alone because you are mining,” he pointed out.

“Yes.” She sighed. “There are certainly times when I enjoy it—well, perhaps enjoy is not quite the right word, but I find it satisfying when I discover a new crystal or when I finish polishing it until it is as perfect as I can make it.”

“You have a rare talent for finishing the crystals,” he agreed. “I have rarely seen finer work.” He suppressed a sudden feeling of guilt. Although he paid her more than market value for the stones she produced, he had never suggested to her that she could probably make a better living refining the crystals that others produced. But in order to do so, she would have to go to Thaleth or even Port Garig to work. While he had told himself that she would never leave her home and her claim, he also knew that he didn’t want her to leave. Even if he only saw her on trading days, it comforted him to know that she was close.

“Have you ever considered refining those crystals for other miners?” he forced himself to ask.

She shrugged. “Most of the families in Songder Town deal in quantity, not quality. Refining the stones would not be an advantage to them. Their profit comes from shipping large batches of crystals off to the larger towns.” She made a face. “Or to Mr. Haney, if they have no other choice.”

“He does not seem to be an honorable man.”

“No, he isn’t. I understand that he put together the first set of families to settle here, but even then, I don’t believe that he was truthful with them. He was the one who arranged for my parents to purchase our home and our claim and I know he lied to them.”

“Why did your parents decide to come here?”

“I don’t think they thought that was any future for us girls back on Earth. It’s overcrowded and polluted and there aren’t many opportunities. For as long as I could remember, they were saving money, putting aside for the future.” She laughed bitterly. “I don’t think this is exactly the future they had in mind.”

From their previous conversations, he knew that both of her parents had died, but he still felt a pang of envy. His whole life had been determined for him because of his abilities. His parents had handed him over to the government as soon as he could walk. They would never have moved to a new planet to provide him with an alternate future.

As if she could read his thoughts, she asked, “Where are your parents?”

“I have no idea; I barely remember them. I began my training at a very early age.”

“Oh, Cormac.” Her expression was filled with pity and while he appreciated her sympathy, that was not what he wanted from her. While they had been talking, the sun had set and now only a dim glow on the horizon illuminated the landscape below. Small solar lights began to pop on throughout the garden. Fueled by the sun’s rays, they provided just enough light for walking.

“This is so beautiful,” Jackie sighed. “It must be wonderful to live here.”

His heart started to beat faster. Could she be considering staying with him?

“I’m going to miss it when I leave,” she added.

He was a fool, but then again, he had known that the chances of getting her to stay were very small. Even if she finally accepted the fact that her sister was using her, he was not human. And despite the beauty of his surroundings, it was a very restricted life. The only time he ever left his domain was to trade for the crystals. To be fair, that restriction was not enforced by the treaty. He was free to travel anywhere on the surface of the planet, but since he would need a bio suit to protect him and he would be unable to communicate, he had never seen any reason to make additional trips. In addition, he could only be away for limited periods of time before the systems here would begin to fail.

Determined to push aside the depressing thoughts and enjoy her company for the limited amount of time he had left, he rose to his feet and offered her his hand. Once again, she didn’t hesitate, but placed her hand in his and let him lead her back into his home.

Jackie sat with him in the kitchen as he prepared the evening meal, telling him about some of her own cooking experiments on the occasions when she could afford more than the basic necessities. He put her to work chopping vegetables, even though she had to use his smallest knife, and he had never enjoyed preparing a meal more. When it came time to eat, he was tempted to pull her back onto his lap but having her with him in the cozy atmosphere of the kitchen had already given him ideas that he should not have. Instead he led her into his study and placed their trays on a low footstool. He lowered himself onto the intricately woven carpet that covered the floor, but she didn’t join him immediately. Instead, she wandered around his shelves touching the spines of his books with awestruck fingers.

“This is amazing. I’ve never seen so many books in one place.” Her mouth twisted. “When I was little back on Earth, my mother would take me to the library whenever she could, and those trips were the highlight of my week. Even on board the ship, there was a small library. I didn’t realize until we reached Tuknis just how rare that would become.”

“The settlement doesn’t have a library?”

She shook her head as she picked up one of his volumes on horticulture, then put it down with a sigh.

“I should’ve realized that this would be written in your language.”

As she came to join him, her mouth drooped, and he had to bite back the impulse to promise to replace all of his books with those written in a human language.

“Can you read in the trade language?” he asked.

“Of course, I can. We started lessons in that before we left Earth, and many of the books on the ship were written in Galactica. The settlement school also teaches most of our lessons in Galactica.” She gave him a rueful smile. “I know it is silly to complain. I still have a reading tablet with a small collection of books. I always take it with me when I go to the mining camp.” As she picked up her spoon, she looked around again. “But I do miss actual paper books.”

They ate in silence while he reminded himself again that despite his immediate impulse to gift the books to her, he could not bribe her into staying with him. That did not, however, prevent him from triggering the sound system so that a low melody filled the air. She had told him that she loved music but had little access to it.

“I don’t recognize the tune,” she said, a delighted smile crossing her face.

“It was written by one of my fellow Gremin. We trained together for a short time, but his talents were with music, as I’m sure you can tell.”

“It’s very soothing,” she said as she tilted her head to listen.

Jedgan’s music also had the capability of influencing emotions, but there were no subliminal signals in this tune. He had chosen it simply because he liked it and he wanted to share it with her. Sharing a meal with her was every bit as delightful as he had anticipated. She was as bright, thoughtful, and funny as she had been in their previous conversations but now, he could respond to her. Yet, he often still found himself sitting in silence, content to watch the many expressions flit across her face as she talked.

After dinner, she insisted on helping him clean the kitchen, although she was shocked that he used water to clean the dishes.

“I can’t believe you are wasting water that way.”

“It’s not wasted,” he assured her. “The water is filtered into a holding tank, then cleaned, and used to irrigate the gardens.”

“To have so much water so freely available.” She shook her head. “Having access to this much water would make someone incredibly wealthy on the surface.”

“Does that matter to you? Wealth?”

Once again, she tilted her head in her thinking gesture—a pose he had always found endearing. She reminded him of one of his plants when it unfurled its first buds, reaching cautiously for the sun.

“Part of me says no.” She shrugged. “But I know that is not the entire truth. I don’t need luxuries, although there are some that I would enjoy.” Her gaze traveled back towards the study with a wistful smile. “What I would like is enough money to feel secure, to fix things properly when they break, and to know that I need never to worry that Bella or I will go hungry.”

“You should have taken the credits I offered you.”

“I couldn’t. I didn’t earn them.”

“I suspect that not many people would have had your restraint.”

“You may be right, and I may have more pride than I can afford, but this is the way that I was brought up. As hard as it was, my parents saved for this claim. I can’t dishonor their memory by losing it by going into debt.”

Her brows had drawn together, and she was biting her lower lip. He hated to see the worried look on her face and decided to change the subject.

“After your earlier experience, are you afraid of water?”

“I don’t think so.” She gave him another of her twisted smiles. “But I can’t imagine that I’m going to have much opportunity to worry about it.”

“I have something that you might enjoy,” he said, and held out his hand.

She raised an eyebrow but once again she put her hand in his and let him lead her out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Chapter Twelve

Butterflies fluttered through Jackie’s stomach as she followed Cormac back towards the room in which she had awakened, but they weren’t due to fear. If he intended to take advantage of her, he had already had many opportunities. Of course, if he ever changed his mind, she would have no way of fighting back, she thought, sneaking a glance up at the massive figure climbing the stairs next to her. Despite the width of the stone treads, she couldn’t help brushing against him. Each touch of warm skin against hers created a little tremble of excitement. Although the effects of the healing potion seemed to have worn off, her nipples were in tight little peaks by the time they reached the top of the stairs. He paused for a moment and she saw him take a deep breath. His eyes closed and for a second, she was sure he was going to suggest resuming their earlier activities but when he turned to her, his face was a calm mask.

“How does your rib feel?”

To her surprise, she hadn’t even considered it while climbing the stairs. Cautiously, she took a deep breath, but she still didn’t feel any pain. She pressed her hand to her rib cage and felt only a slight lingering ache.

“I can’t believe how much better I feel. Maybe I can go home tomorrow.” Even as she said the words, she was conscious of the feeling of regret. She would miss this place and its intriguing owner. The thought of the struggle waiting for her below was almost overwhelming, but she forced a bright smile. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to have the place back to yourself.”

“No, my little karrida. I will only be lonelier after you leave.”

She stared at him in dismay, but before she could speak, he shook his head and took her hand again.

“But we do not need to discuss that now. Come with me.”

He led the way into his room but immediately turned to open the second door and she gasped in delight. One side of the room was devoted to the normal sanitary facilities, although she was willing to bet that the tiled shower used real water instead of sonic waves. The source of her delight was on the other side of the spacious room. A small bathing pool was nestled in the outer curve of the wall, water flush with the surface of the pool and cascading over the far edge as if falling out into the dark night beyond. There was no barrier that she could see between the water and the open air, even though she didn’t feel a chill from the evening air. The water steamed gently, redolent of some floral scent that teased her senses.

“You have an interior pool?” Such luxury was almost unimaginable.

“Well, I suppose I could choose to bathe in the lake, but this is much more comfortable.” He grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes and stepped closer. Smooth rocks lined the inside wall of the pool and she bent over to run her fingers through the water. For a moment, she only delighted in the steaming warmth, but then she suddenly felt dizzy as the memories of earlier that day washed over her. She swayed, and Cormac immediately put his arm around her waist and pulled her against his body.

“What’s wrong? Is it your rib?”

“No.” Her breath was still coming in rapid pants. “I just suddenly felt as if I were back by the lake, as if I were going to fall.”

“I will never let you fall,” he promised, but then he frowned. “I do not like to think that you will be afraid of water from now on.”

“As I said, I don’t expect to be around it again.”

“Nonetheless. There is an expression on my world—return to the zirg.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It simply means that if you have a bad experience, you should try the experience again so that you will not be afraid.”

Her heart started to beat faster. The water that had seemed so pleasant a few minutes earlier had begun to look threatening, but perhaps he was right. It would be foolish to let her fears take over. When she had first entered the room the thought of soaking in that luxurious expanse of hot water had drawn her. This might be her only opportunity for such an experience, and she didn’t want to miss it because of a foolish fear.

“I know you’re right,” she admitted. Once again, she looked down into the water, but as soon as she did dizziness overcame her. If not for Cormac’s strong arm around her waist, she was afraid that she would have fallen.

“I’m not sure that I can do it.” She tried to sound casual, but her fists clenched. She hated to admit to such an absurd weakness.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

It was a simple question, but the answer was not as simple. Her immediate reaction was to say yes, but then again it was because of him that she was here to begin with. And yet, he hadn’t harmed her, and she wouldn’t have missed seeing his cloud castle, even though she wished she had been able to make an informed choice. She looked up to find him watching her, hope written so clearly across his face that she found she only had one answer.

“Yes, Cormac. I trust you.”

A broad smile crossed his face, then before she could react, he picked her up in his arms once again and stepped into the pool with her. When her legs hit the water, she squeaked and clutched his neck, but he continued to lower them both until he was seated against the inside edge of the pool and she was perched on his lap with only her head and shoulders above the water. She didn’t relinquish her hold on his neck until she realized that she was perfectly stable. His immense thighs supported her bottom while his broad chest and strong arms surrounded her with safety.

The fragrant water lapped around her body, the initial heat dissolving into a soothing warmth, and despite her fears she found herself relaxing back against him. It wasn’t until she let go of his neck and started to turn to face the view that she realized that her dress had dissolved.

“What happened to my clothes?” She instinctively covered her breasts with her arm, although at this point, she suspected he had already seen the little she had to offer.

He had the grace to look ashamed. “I should have realized that the water would dissolve them.”

“Yours didn’t dissolve,” she pointed out. She could feel the silky leaves beneath her.

“Would you prefer that they did?”

Before she could answer, she felt the fabric of his loincloth move and gasped as several tendrils probed at the tender flesh between her legs. Still sensitive from their earlier encounter, her clit responded immediately to the tentative strokes.

“Cormac!”

“I’m sorry. I want you very much and that makes it hard for me to control my stamens.” He frowned and the tendrils withdrew with a last caress, leaving her feeling achy and needy. She squirmed a little against his lap.

“Karrida,” he groaned. “You are not making this easy for me.”

Ashamed, she started to pull away, but he immediately tucked her back against his chest. “No, don’t leave. Our time is too short to be parted.”

As she settled back into his arms to gaze out at the stars, she suddenly wondered why she was hesitating. Everything about this place felt magical, completely outside her normal life. Sitting in a huge tub of fragrant, steaming water with an undeniably attractive alien and looking out into the vast expanse of the heavens, anything seemed possible, even if just for the moment.

“What if I don’t want you to restrain yourself?” she asked softly.

She didn’t quite have the courage to look him in the face and kept her eyes firmly focused on the stars beyond.

“You mean you wish to mate with me?” His voice was hoarse and strained.

“I… I don’t know.” The thought was both exciting and intimidating, especially given his size.

His arm tightened around her waist. “It’s all right, my karrida. I don’t expect anything from you.”

She knew her cheeks were turning fiery red, but an unexpected determination swept through her. This was her opportunity to indulge herself and she was going to do it.

“I’m not ready for… mating, but perhaps we could pleasure each other this time?”

Cormac groaned again and picked her up, turning her easily so that they were staring into each other’s eyes. His intense green stare studied her face.

“Are you sure? I would like nothing better than to bring you pleasure.”

“I said pleasure each other.”

Gathering her courage, she let her hand drift down across miles of sculpted muscle to tangle in the cluster of tendrils above his cock. They immediately curled around her fingers and gently tugged them lower until she could feel the broad base of his massive shaft. Just as she had longed to do earlier, she explored the tempting length—firm and hard beneath her grasp, but still silky smooth to the touch. The veined ridges traveled up the length of his cock, branching into an almost tree-like structure, before narrowing to a swirl of smaller veins around the broad head. She stroked across it and despite the heat of the water surrounding them, she could feel the hot, slippery drops of precum as she caressed the small central opening.

She was so caught up in her exploration that she didn’t notice at first that he had cupped her breasts and was exploring them just as reverently. When he gently tugged on her nipples, her back arched and brought her aching pussy directly against the base of his cock. They both groaned.

Once again, she could feel his stamen parting her lips, spreading them open so that she could feel even more of that massive shaft. Several of them traveled to her clit and began teasing the swollen bud, sending her arousal soaring. She clung to his shoulders as the sensations started to overwhelm her and he lifted a hand to gently cup the back of her head, holding her in place for his kiss.

She melted against him as he devoured her mouth. One hand still worked her breast, pulling and tugging on her nipple with increasing firmness, while below his stamen massaged her clit the same way. As her body tensed, on the verge of climax, a new sensation added to the excitement. The tendrils began probing at the small entrance to her pussy, easily sliding through the slick heat. At first, she only felt a slight pleasant stretch, but then they seemed to widen as they delved further into her narrow channel.

“Cormac!” she gasped into his mouth.

He raised his head and looked down at her, his eyes almost glowing.

“Is it too much?”

After a brief pause, she shook her head. The unexpected sensation was rapidly transitioning into pleasure. In fact…

“I want more.”

His gaze intensified, but before she had a chance to respond, he kissed her again. He seemed even hungrier this time and she responded helplessly as he resumed his actions. One hand remained at the back of her head while the other dropped to her bottom, pressing her even more firmly against his rigid cock. A distant part of her mind noticed that the attention to her nipples had not stopped, they were still being tugged and squeezed, but she was too overwhelmed by sensation to worry about it. The stamen in her pussy continued to grow and expand, reaching deeper into the narrow channel. The stretching sensation was on the verge of pain, but then more stamen surrounded her clit, gripping and stroking, and she found herself pushing harder into those tantalizing tendrils. She felt Cormac’s cock pulsating and almost instinctively began stroking it in the same rhythm, the same rhythm as the tendrils moving deep inside her, as the strokes across her exposed clit, as the tugs on her nipples. Her body tensed and her back tried to arch but she was held too tightly against his massive body. A sudden sharp pain morphed immediately into pleasure and sent her flying over the edge, as her own stars appeared, and her body convulsed in helpless ecstasy. Cormac cried out her name, and she felt his body shudder as a heated wave swept over her hands.

As her trembling gradually slowed, she relaxed forward against his chest. His arms still cradled her, enclosing her in warmth and safety, and she had no regrets.

As Jackie’s body softened into sleep, Cormac gathered her close. The feel of her soft warm body against his caused his sap to rise again, but he sternly suppressed the impulse. She needed to rest and heal. He lifted her from the bath, wrapping a warm cloth around her before carrying her into the bedroom.

She barely stirred as he tenderly patted her dry, then crawled into bed with her and wrapped her in his arms. But he found himself unable to sleep. It wasn’t just the previously unknown delight of having a female tucked in his arms, it was having this particular female nestled there, safe and protected and his. He was afraid to hope that it would last and equally afraid to close his eyes. He felt as if he were already dreaming and he didn’t want to wake up. Instead, he held her close and watch the subtle changes of expression across her face as she dreamed. It wasn’t until the sky outside the windows began to lighten that he finally fell asleep.

Chapter Thirteen

This time Jackie knew where she was before she even opened her eyes. Cormac’s body was wrapped around hers, his minty scent surrounding her. She nestled back against him and then froze. What was she doing? She felt as if she was turning into someone she didn’t even recognize. When she thought of her wanton behavior the previous day, a blush crept down from her face to cover her chest. No matter how much she had enjoyed what they had done, this was not her life. Poor Bella had been alone all night, no doubt worrying herself sick, while she had been enjoying delicious food and an even more delicious male amidst the most luxurious surroundings she had ever seen. Guilt overwhelmed her and she began cautiously untangling herself from Cormac’s arms. For a moment they clung to her and she froze, but he didn’t move again, and she gradually worked herself free.

Ignoring the chill that swept over when she stood alone at the side of the bed, she took one last look. He really was beautiful and somehow, despite his size, vulnerable in sleep. She wanted desperately to wake him and tell him that she was leaving, but she wasn’t sure she would have the strength to leave if she saw another one of those desolate expressions on his face.

Moving as quietly as possible, she crept into the bathroom. The previous night she had noticed her clothes hanging against the wall and she pulled them on. The old, worn material felt unusually scratchy against her skin and she found herself longing for her green dress.

Cormac still slept as she passed back through the bedroom, and she cast him one last longing look before she crept quietly down the stairs. Her pack was waiting in the kitchen, the bread plant next to it. She debated with herself but in the end, she tucked it into her pack. He had offered it as a replacement for the COW and with it, she might be able to avoid Mr. Haney’s usurious clutches.

Before she left, she made one additional stop in his study. She wanted to at least leave him a note, but she found herself staring at the blank piece of paper at a loss for words. How could she tell him how much this time had meant to her or how much she regretted leaving him? In the end, she only managed a few words.

Cormac,

I’m sorry to leave, but you know why I have to go. I hope I will see you at the next market day.

Thank you for everything,

Jackie

Outside, a curious hush had fallen over the gardens. The wind had died down and not even the rustle of leaves disturbed the stillness. Once again, she was struck by the complete absence of animal life, not even the chirp of an insect penetrating the quiet, and she realized that she had never asked him about it. Would she get another chance? She desperately hoped that he would show up for the next trading day, but once again they would be limited by his inability to speak. Of course, he had provided her sister with notes written in the trade language. For a brief moment, she wondered if they could communicate that way, but then she remembered the grasping claws of his suit. She suspected that they would not be suitable for writing.

When she reached the bottom of the garden, she turned and cast one more look up the hill to his home and thought of him sleeping by himself in the tower room. Once again, she was tempted to ignore her responsibilities, to walk back through this magical garden and crawl back into bed with him. She knew that she could be happy here, but not at the expense of her sister. With a sigh, she turned and walked into the mist.

By the time she reached the bottom of the beanstalk, she was tired, hungry, and her rib throbbed in a slow steady ache. He had warned her, she thought ruefully, but when she had started the climb down, she had thought that she was completely healed. Looking up to the towering branches, she patted the stalk.

“Thank you, Cormac,” she whispered. “I’ll miss you.”

As if in response, one of the bottom tendrils curled briefly around her shoulders, its leaves gently caressing her face. With a tired sigh, she headed inside. The small cottage was quiet, but she sighed again as she took in the mess. The water collector was empty, dirty dishes were piled on the counter, and when she checked their supplies, all of their food was gone. She knew that she had left enough to last for four or even five days. What on earth could have happened to it?

Reluctant to wake her sister, she cleaned up the mess as quietly as possible before reaching into her bag and pulling out the bread plant. The golden ovals gleamed in the morning light like huge golden coins and the vivid green of the leaves reminded her of Cormac’s domain above. Her throat ached as she thought of her green giant, and how peaceful he had looked when she left him sleeping. She could only hope he would forgive her for her abrupt departure.

As she placed the plant in the window that would catch the most sun, she heard a noise from behind her and turned to find her sister staring at her from the small bedroom hallway.

Bella looked somehow different today. Her hair was in a wild tangle, her cheeks flushed and glowing, and she was wearing a nightgown that Jackie didn’t recognize. The silky cloth slipped down from her shoulders and dipped low across the upper expanse of her breasts.

“Jackie?” Bella stared at her and then suddenly flung herself across the small room and threw herself into Jackie’s arms, crying hysterically. “I didn’t think you were ever coming back.”

She patted her sister’s shoulder soothingly, catching a whiff of what smelled like expensive perfume. “I told you that I would come back. You know that I’d never leave you.”

“But I was so worried.” Bella looked up at her, blue eyes sparkling with tears. “When David found out what you had done, he tried to go after you.”

She fought back the immediate feeling of guilt. There had been times when she had wondered if he truly cared for her, but if he had been willing to climb into the unknown after her then perhaps, he really did care. “Why did he do that?”

“Because he was worried, of course,” Bella said indignantly. “Plus, he remembered the message and thought that there might be something valuable at the top.”

Her feeling of guilt vanished and was replaced by hurt. She should have realized that he had an additional motivation.

“Was there?” Bella asked eagerly.

“Was there what?”

“Something valuable, of course.” Bella’s tears disappeared in her excitement. “Did you bring something back?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.” A wide smile crossed her face as she proudly showed the bread plant to her sister, hoping that she would share her excitement. “Now we don’t have to worry about going hungry and I don’t have to borrow from Mr. Haney.”

“A plant? That’s all you brought back?”

“Don’t you understand, Bella love? Now I should be able to fix the cart without going into debt.”

“This isn’t any better than that stupid COW. I don’t want to eat the same thing for three months.”

Jackie tried to rein in her impatience. She knew her sister didn’t really understand.

“I know it’s not what you would have liked but is only for three months.” Bella’s lip trembled and Jackie found herself adding, “Perhaps if it produces enough, we could trade a few of the fruits for something extra.”

“I suppose.” Bella gave the plant a disgusted look. “How does it work?”

“These are the fruits.” She carefully removed the three golden ovals dangling below the main branch. “These two are the parent fruits. You must never touch them. Other than that, it only requires an ounce of water and plenty of sunlight each day. Do you think you can manage that?”

Bella rolled her eyes impatiently, but Jackie winced as she remembered what had happened to the failed garden patch. Perhaps she could ask Mrs. Miller to check on the plant when she checked on Bella.

“And that’s the only thing you brought?” Bella had opened her pack and was pawing through the contents when her eyes suddenly lit up. “You didn’t even mention this, you mean old thing.”

Before she could ask, Bella pulled out a green dress, and Jackie’s throat tightened. She knew it couldn’t be the same dress the Cormac had made for her the day before, but it looked identical. He must have known that she would return to the surface, so put it in her pack as a surprise. Once again, she regretted leaving without talking to him. It was for the best, she reminded herself. She still wondered if she would have had the courage to look him in the face and tell him that she was leaving.

“Oh, this is beautiful.” Bella danced around the living room with the dress flying in front of her. “I can’t wait to wear it.”

“But it’s my dress.” The words burst out before she could stop them, bringing Bella to a sudden halt.

“Your dress? Why do you need a dress? You can’t wear this up in those dusty old canyons.”

“Well, no…”

“Exactly. It makes much more sense for it to belong to me.”

Part of her still wanted to protest, but Bella was right. She really didn’t need a dress and she did like to see her sister so happy.

“I suppose you’re right. You might as well keep it, if it fits you,” she added, comparing her sister’s figure to her own slender frame. Unlike her normal floating garments, the new nightgown made Bella’s curves stunningly obvious.

“Oh, I’m sure it will fit,” Bella said airily. “I can’t wait for Da— I mean, for everyone to see me.”

“I’m sure you’ll look beautiful,” Jackie said sincerely as she began gathering her supplies. Since the water collector was empty, she would have to stop in town and purchase water, but at least she could take two of the bread fruits with her to supplement the small quantity of protein wafers at her camp. That would only leave one for Bella but there would be more the next day. When she wrapped the ovals carefully and went to place them in her pack, she also found two bottles of water.

“Thank you, Cormac,” she whispered under her breath.

“What are you doing?” Bella asked, wandering into the kitchen area.

“I’m going back to work, of course. We may have food but unless I gather more crystals, credits will be just as tight when the next trading day rolls around.”

The trading day seemed so far in the future, and she already dreaded the endless hours of work before she could see Cormac again. That is, if he came to the market. The fact that he had chosen to send her back with gifts made her feel cautiously optimistic.

“Aren’t you even going to wait and talk to David first?” Bella asked, then giggled. “Although, he’s very annoyed at that plant of yours.”

“He’s mad at the beanstalk?”

Bella nodded and giggled again. “You know I said that he tried to follow you? He didn’t realize that the plant had thorns.”

Jackie stared at her.

“Thorns?” She hadn’t seen or felt anything of the kind.

“Yes, he was scratched up something terrible. I had to take care of him.” A sly gleam crossed Bella’s face before she hurried on. “You don’t look like you got any scratches.”

“I must have managed to avoid the thorns,” she said, unable to think of an explanation.

Bella simply nodded and went back to admiring her new dress. Jackie finished collecting her small array of supplies and gave her sister a hug. As she did, she realized that the new nightgown was made of silk rather than the more common cotton.

“Where did this gown come from, Bella love?”

Her sister blushed, then waved a casual hand. “Mrs. Miller gave it to me. She said it didn’t fit her anymore.”

Jackie couldn’t imagine their sturdy neighbor in such a frivolous item. No doubt she had realized it was better suited to Bella’s youth and beauty.

“That was nice of her,” she said. “I hope you thanked her properly.”

Bella giggled and nodded.

“Now if I can get the cart working,” she continued. “I’m going to head straight out to the claim and get some more work done. I’ll be back in five days, as usual.”

For once, Bella didn’t protest her leaving.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” When Jackie stared at her, she added. “I’ll miss you, of course, but I know I need to be brave.”

Jackie’s heart lightened. Usually her sister cried when she left, and she spent so much time calming her down that she always departed feeling tired and guilty. Bella’s acceptance made it so much easier. She had originally hoped that her sister’s delicate health would improve with age, but this was the first time that she thought it might be a real possibility. She hugged her sister and set out on the long walk.

Chapter Fourteen

Cormac’s vines woke him as soon as Jackie left the tower room. His hands fisted in the covers as he resisted the urge to storm after her and demand that she stay. He had planted the seed; he could only hope that it took root. Yet, no matter how much he tried to convince himself that he needed to be patient, he found he couldn’t resist watching her as she moved slowly through the gardens. Her fingers brushed a leaf here, cupped a flower there, and he could almost feel each touch of her hand. When she paused at the edge of the mist and looked back up at his tower, his chest ached with longing.

He eased her way down the beanstalk at much as possible, wondering again if he should have shown her the faster path, but while his instincts insisted that he could trust her, he did not trust her fellow humans. A smile twisted his lips as he thought of the worthless male who had dared to try and claim her and his attempt to make the climb. Subjecting him to the thorns had been extremely satisfying, even though he had—reluctantly—designed them to be more of an annoyance than a threat. As he suspected, even a minor hint of pain had been enough to deter the human.

Already hungry for the sight of her, he went to his workshop and released a small drone. Attuned to her body chemistry, the drone would have no problem locating her and then transmitting the information back to his HARP. The High-frequency Audiovisual Resonance Projector was designed to receive and display both sound and images. Within a few minutes, she appeared on the screen and he bit back a growl. She was walking alone across the desert plain, her pack once more on her back. Since she was heading away from the settlement, she must be intending to retrieve her damaged vehicle. He briefly considered donning his armor and going to help her, but the armor was not designed for fine motor skills and he doubted that hovering over her as she worked would be much comfort.

In the end, he settled for watching obsessively as she reached the vehicle and after an hour of swearing, banging, and muttering to herself, she succeeded in getting the vehicle running once more. She wiped her hand across a flushed, sweaty brow, smearing more red dust on her already grimy skin and grinned triumphantly. Stars, she was beautiful.

Shaking his head, he watched as she headed for the canyons instead of returning to her home. He admired her determination, even though he hated that she had to work so hard. He spent the rest of the day watching her as she reached the primitive camp, gathered her tools, and set out in search of crystals. Even though he had work of his own to complete, he found it difficult to tear himself away from the screen. He even took a portable monitor with him to the kitchen as he prepared his evening meal, but then he found himself unable to eat when her only sustenance was a single bread fruit. Even though he knew it was nutritionally complete, he hated seeing her with so little. Perhaps he could fly down during the night and leave additional food for her…

As he was considering the idea, she stood up and stretched. His shaft sprang to full, aching attention as she pulled off first her top, then her shorts. When she began running a cleansing cloth slowly across her body, he groaned and took himself in hand.

Jackie sighed with pleasure as she wiped the cleansing cloth over her body. Sacrificing the small amount of water required to activate the cloth was more than worth it for the relief of feeling clean again. Even though she knew no one was around to care, she kept a supply of the cloths at her camp and used them every evening. Camp was perhaps a glorified term for the small site at the heart of her claim. A tarp extended out from the rock wall, shading the area beneath where she kept her worktable and tools, a small cabinet for her limited supplies, and the hammock where she slept. But despite the primitive conditions, she always felt a measure of peace when she was here. The towering rock walls rose high into the air, the red peaks in stark contrast to the brilliant blue of the sky. Small sounds of life surrounded her, making her feel less alone. A desert chameleon skittered up the rock wall and she could hear the rustle of a sand mouse returning to his burrow, the chirp of a cave cricket, even the slither of a snake as it slid across the sand, and once again remembered Cormac’s quiet gardens.

He had not been far from her thoughts all day. She would be prying delicately at a crevice in the rock and suddenly, his face would flash before her eyes. Somehow it had felt as if he were with her the entire time and it was an oddly comforting feeling. As she thought of him, she remembered the previous night and suddenly realized that she had been circling the cloth over her breasts for far longer than required for cleanliness. Her nipples throbbed and ached and when she lifted the cloth away, they were as red as the strawberries he had fed her. She ran a cautious finger across them and groaned with pleasure.

During her brief previous attempts to pleasure herself, she had never spent much time on her breasts—her only goal had been a quick flash of relief. But she had time now and her body, awakened by Cormac’s touch, demanded more. She circled the taut nubs, lightly at first, then with a more demanding touch. Remembering his actions, she grasped them between her fingers, gradually increasing the pressure until a sharp spike of pleasure ran straight to her clit. Suddenly impatient, she dipped into the slippery wetness between her legs. Her swollen nub pulsed beneath her touch and she concentrated there, first circling and teasing, then increasing the speed and pressure until her whole body tightened and she flew over the edge. Her head dropped back as she came, her eyes searching for a green cloud high above.

“Cormac!”

At the sound of her name on his lips, Cormac exploded. His seed rushed from him, coating his chest with his release. When she had looked up at the sky, it had been as if she was looking directly at him, her beautiful eyes focused on his face. He sat back in his chair, panting, and watched as she shook helplessly for several minutes before she sighed and finished cleansing herself.

The rest of the week passed in a blur of frustrated desire. He spent almost every waking moment watching Jackie, neglecting his own work in the process. That first day seem to have released her inhibitions and although she worked as hard as ever, every evening when she returned to her camp, she would pleasure herself, and every evening she would look up at the sky as she came and she would call his name. Each night he considered going down to join her, but he couldn’t stand the idea of not being able to truly touch her. If only there was some way that he could survive on the surface without a suit, but the combination of the heavy, dry climate and incompatible organic matter could cause him permanent harm. Still, if he could manage to survive for a brief period, even if it was only long enough to feel her skin against his, it would be worth it. Driven by loneliness, he began work on a new set of formulas.

Jackie sagged back against her seat as the cart once more trundled towards the settlement. This time she didn’t make the mistake of trying to increase its speed. Not only because she didn’t think that the vehicle could take the strain, but she was not as enthusiastic as usual to return home. Life in the canyons was tough grueling labor, but it was also simple—she searched for crystals, she did her daily chores, and she spent a lot of time thinking about Cormac. More than anything, she wanted to see him again. She had considered taking another trip up the beanstalk, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stay, and she was afraid that the next parting would be even harder. On top of that, she had more work to do when she was back in her house. She needed to make sure that everything was clean and ready for the next week when Bella would be alone once more.

When she pulled into the small shelter next to the cottage, she immediately felt the drop in the temperature. Apparently, the beanstalk was providing sufficient shade that the desert heat was somewhat tempered. The house, too, felt cooler when she entered, and she was pleasantly surprised to see that everything was neat and tidy—until she looked at the window. The bread plant was nothing but a mass of wilted stalks. Oh no. She rushed over to it, but it was immediately clear that all of the fruit, including the parent fruit, had been taken. Nothing remained except a few spindly sticks and a couple of wilted leaves.

“Oh, Bella, how could you?” she whispered in dismay.

She should never have expected her sister to take care of the plant. The soil in the pot was dry so even though she wasn’t sure if it would do any good, she gave it some water and put it back in the window. Not only was she upset that the plant had died and put them back in their precarious situation, but she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. Cormac had entrusted the plant to her, and she had seen how carefully he tended all of his plants. She felt as if she had betrayed him.

“There you are!” Bella came rushing into the front door and Jackie could only stare at her.

Her little sister was once again dressed in a completely new and obviously expensive garment. Since coming to Tuknis, most of the human women had adopted a new fashion—full, sweeping pants topped by long-sleeved tunics, all designed to shield them from the harsh sun and winds. But rather than the more common linen, Bella’s outfit was composed of fine blue silk. A profusion of ruffles cascaded down the front of her tunic while her pants were so full, they resembled a skirt. Although completely impractical, it was a beautiful outfit and her sister looked stunning, but she no longer looked like her fragile little sister.

“Where did that come from?”

Bella looked a little guilty but gave her a hopeful smile.

“Why, Mr. Haney, of course. He insisted that I take it. He said that a pretty girl shouldn’t be dressed in rags.”

“Bella love, you have never been dressed in rags.”

Jackie had slaved for every article of clothing in Bella’s wardrobe. Admittedly it was a limited wardrobe and nowhere near the finery that she was now wearing, but there had been nothing wrong with it.

Bella’s lip trembled but for once, Jackie didn’t back down.

“You know we can’t afford that.”

“I didn’t have to go into debt,” Bella said proudly. “I traded the fruit from that funny plant of yours.”

Jackie sighed. “Did you have to take the parent fruit as well?”

“I had to. I didn’t have enough without them.”

Jackie rubbed her forehead. “But now it won’t produce any more fruit. We no longer have a way to feed ourselves.”

Bella’s bottom lip pouted out. Normally, Jackie found the expression rather endearing, but today she was too tired and too frustrated.

“How do you think we’re going to survive?”

Her sister’s eyes lit up. “I thought you could just go back up the beanstalk and get another one. Or maybe even two. Mr. Haney said he would be delighted to take more of the fruit.”

“It’s not that simple, Bella. The plants do not belong to us.”

The thought of seeing Cormac again was undeniably appealing but she couldn’t go to him looking for charity.

“Maybe you could trade some crystals for them,” Bella suggested.

“You know we’re only allowed to trade with the aliens on the official trading days—”

She stopped in mid-sentence as she thought about her conversations with Cormac. Based on what he had said, she suspected that the restrictions only applied on the surface of the planet. What if she took the crystals she had tucked away for next quarter and took them to him instead? Her heart started to race a little faster. It seemed like the perfect solution—she wouldn’t be asking for charity but would be able to pay her own way. The fact that she would also get to see him again she chose to ignore.

“I would have to be gone for another couple of days,” she said slowly, prepared for Bella to object. While she could probably make it up and back in one day, she didn’t want to rush through her time with Cormac. “I know that I only just got home.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Bella assumed the look of saintly martyrdom with which she had guilted Jackie into many bad decisions. It was just as effective this time and she immediately felt ashamed both of her eagerness to leave and her desire to spend time with Cormac.

“I don’t have to go right away. I could wait and leave in the morning,” she suggested.

Bella’s martyred look disappeared in what could almost have been panic. “No, no. I think you should go now.”

When Jackie still hesitated, she added with a sad smile, “You wouldn’t want us to go hungry, would you?”

“But if I’m gone for two days, how are you going to feed yourself?”

Bella became very busy adjusting the ruffles of her tunic. “Mr. Haney and David invited me for supper because they knew that I was alone.”

Jackie wanted to object, but since she had no better suggestion she nodded. “That takes care of tonight, but what about tomorrow?”

“He said I was welcome every night until you returned.”

“Bella love,” Jackie said gently. “You know that nothing has been settled between me and David, right? I don’t want you taking advantage of them under a misunderstanding.”

A slow smile crossed Bella’s face and for a moment, Jackie almost didn’t recognize her sister.

“I promise you; it’s going to be just fine. Maybe if you leave now, you can come back early tomorrow. Or even the next day.” For the first time, her sister actually looked curious. “What’s it like up there?”

Jackie thought about the gardens, about the waterfall and the lake, about the big stone and glass castle, and most of all she thought about Cormac. She found she had no way to describe any of them to her sister. Or perhaps she simply didn’t want to share them. Although she felt somewhat guilty about it, she merely shrugged. “It’s very different.”

Bella giggled. “I’m sure it is. When I think of those awful aliens…”

She gave an exaggerated shudder, and Jackie couldn’t help wondering, given her sister’s obvious distaste for the aliens, why it didn’t seem to bother her to send Jackie back into their domain. She’s just young and thoughtless, she reminded herself.

As she turned to start reloading her pack, a thought struck her. “What happened to my green dress? I thought you really liked it.”

“That old thing? It fell apart as soon as I put it on.” Bella pouted again. “And it left red marks all over my skin. How could you give it to me?”

Jackie bit her tongue and refrained from pointing out the Bella had been the one to insist on taking the dress. Even though she was sad that the dress no longer existed, she couldn’t help a certain amount of satisfaction that it hadn’t worked for her sister. Sternly suppressing the unworthy impulse, she took her pack into her room and retrieved the small case of crystals from their hiding place.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible,” she said as she returned to the main room.

“Don’t worry about me.” Bella actually seem to mean it this time and Jackie felt even worse about her previous thoughts. Her sister was finally growing up, but she shouldn’t expect that it would happen all at once.

“David mentioned to me that you probably still had some crystals since you didn’t make it back in time for the trading day.” Bella batted her big blue eyes at Jackie. “Don’t you think you should tell me where they are? Just in case something happens?”

A chill ran down her spine. She didn’t even want to consider what might happen if her careless sister got hold of the crystals. Thank goodness they were now safe in her pack. And thank goodness she usually kept them hidden in her room. She had suspected in the past that Bella had searched for them, but so far, she had never managed to discover them.

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” she said reassuringly, and before Bella could press her further, she headed for the beanstalk.

Chapter Fifteen

The climb went even more quickly this time, the branches almost seeming to lift Jackie from one limb to another. Her fear had completely disappeared and remembering the control that Cormac had over his plants, she wondered if he was helping her. Her heart began to beat more quickly, and she found herself almost leaping from branch to branch in anticipation. She barely made it through the mist before he was there, his huge body gleaming in the sun. They stared at each other for a brief second, and then he gathered her up in his arms, kissing her as passionately as if she had been gone for a year rather than a mere five days. No thought of objection in her mind, she clung to him and returned his kiss just as fervently. By the time their mouths finally separated, she could actually feel the damp heat of her pussy rubbing against the hard muscles of his stomach and she tried to wiggle closer. Over the past week, she had thought of him so many times as she had given herself pleasure and while it always felt as if he was there with her, nothing compared to the reality.

“I missed you so much, my karrida,” he groaned hoarsely. That intense green stare seemed to devour her face as he studied her intently.

“I missed you too,” she admitted. “I wish that we could see each other more often.”

A strange look crossed his face, then he asked, “Did you return just to see me?”

“I’m afraid not. As much as I wanted to see you, I’m here because my sister did not take care of the bread plant.” She blushed. “I know it was a gift and I am truly sorry.”

“It wasn’t a gift; it was a fair exchange,” he said firmly. “I do not blame you for what happened. By any chance did you bring it back?”

“Yes, I did.” She laughed. “It’s in my pack so you’re going to have to put me back down if you want to see it.”

“Then it can wait.” He smiled and pulled her closer against his massive chest, sending a pleasant shiver up her spine. “I much prefer having you in my arms.”

He turned and started walking towards the house and she had to bite back a groan. With every movement his abdominal muscles flexed and rubbed against her clit through the thin fabric of her shorts.

“So, you returned for another plant?” he asked.

She managed to tear her attention away from the arousal spreading so quickly throughout her body and focus on his face. Did he look sad?

“Yes, but I don’t expect you to give it to me. I brought crystals in trade.”

He stopped dead in his tracks, the movement bringing her needy body even more closely against his.

“You know that it’s not a trading day. I can’t violate the treaty.”

“I know. But I wondered if maybe, just like you can talk to me up here when you can’t talk to me below, maybe we could trade up here even though it is outside the prescribed period.”

The leafy tendrils of his hair waved wildly as he considered, and then he grinned at her. “I believe you are correct. There are no restrictions about trading on the cloud castles. My smart little human.”

His obvious approval was almost as stimulating as his hard body between her legs and she beamed up at him.

“Of course,” he said as he resumed the journey. “You know that I would give you anything that I have.”

A lump appeared in her throat, but she tried to laugh it off. “Is that why you were cross-examining me?”

“No, my love, I was just hoping that you were here for no other reason than because you wanted to be with me.” He smiled tenderly down at her and the lump in her throat increased in size. Did he realize what he had said? It’s just an expression, she reminded herself.

“I did want to be with you,” she said softly.

He kissed her again and this time he didn’t stop. Somehow or other, he managed to find his way up to the castle, across the courtyard, and up the steps until they were once more in his tower room without lifting his mouth from hers. When he laid her on his bed and stepped back, she protested, reaching for him again.

“I want to mate with you, Jackie.”

Pink covered her cheeks, but she didn’t hesitate. “I want that too.”

He still didn’t come to her. “We are not like humans. We mate for life.”

“Mate for life? You mean like… marriage?”

“This is the human term for a permanent bond? Because that is what I want. To be with you always.”

He looked so sincere that her heart fluttered. Was she ready for that? They had only known each other for such a short time, and yet the connection between them could not be denied. When she looked at him, she found she had no doubts. Her only hesitation was due to her sister and her life below.

“I still have responsibilities,” she said. “I still need to return to the surface.”

“I understand. And I cannot leave this place for long. But if you want to be with me as much as I want to be with you, we will find a way to work through those problems and come up with a solution.”

“Yes,” she said firmly as she held out her hands to him. “I want to be with you.”

He groaned and swooped down over her, his big body all she could see.

“My karrida.” He cupped her face, his hand larger than her head but touching her with exquisite tenderness.

“My giant.” She echoed the caress, her workworn hand appearing small and delicate against his cheek. But despite the contrast in size and color, it looked right there. The tendrils of his hair curled around her fingers in a warm grip. “How did we ever find each other?”

“The stars guided me to you.”

Before she could respond, his head descended and he kissed her once again, leaving her dazed and breathless. His minty scent mingled with the warm air flowing in through the windows, surrounding her with a sense of comfort as he tugged impatiently at her shirt and she found the breath to laugh as she took over and rapidly freed the buttons.

“Not as easy to take off as the clothes you create.”

“Then you shall wear nothing but my clothes.”

His mouth descended over her breast and she arched into the hot wet grip of his mouth. While one hand teased her other breast, the other slid down across her stomach to cover her mound with heat. He probed between her legs, then growled impatiently and ripped away her shorts and panties with effortless strength. She thought she should protest but the feel of his big fingers gliding through the slick heat between her thighs made her shiver with pleasure.

One finger slipped inside, then another, but this time there was no pain, only a delicious stretch. She arched her hips, seeking more of that tantalizing touch. He began a rhythmic stroke in and out, then brought his thumb up across her clit. An unexpected orgasm rushed over her as her channel clenched around him and he groaned.

“You are very tight, my love. We must take this very slowly.”

“I don’t want to take it slowly.” The small climax had only driven her need higher and she tugged at him impatiently.

He abandoned her breast and rose over her, so huge that her body hummed with excitement and the tiniest bit of trepidation. Lifting her legs up over his hips, he grasped his cock. She swallowed nervously at the sight of his massive erection and a shining bead appeared on the broad head of the thickly veined shaft. The dark green branches pulsed eagerly, and she couldn’t wait to feel them inside her.

As he brought his cock to her entrance, the tendrils around it reached for her. Just as he pressed against her small opening, she felt a delicate touch on her swollen clit. As he pushed forward, the combination of the light teasing touch and the increasing stretch made her quiver.

“You are so beautiful, like the pink heart of the karrida,” Cormac groaned. “But so small and tight. I do not want to hurt you.”

“You’re not hurting me,” she promised, and tried to raise her hips.

Another inch and she bit her lip at the increasing pressure, not pain exactly, but an almost overwhelming fullness. As she wiggled, trying to adjust, the attention to her clit increased, more tendrils surrounding it and stroking the exposed flesh. She felt her increasing slickness ease his way as he slipped another inch deeper. With each movement, she could feel the growing thickness of the branching veins pressing against her channel, firing nerve endings she never even knew existed. He paused again, the strain visible on his face, but she circled as much of his body as she could with her legs and tried to urge him on.

With a helpless noise he thrust forward in one long stroke, leaving her impaled and gasping, on the edge of pain but so aroused that she could feel the sensation morphing into pleasure with every second that passed, until she was desperate for him to move.

“Now, Cormac. Please.”

Cormac stared down at his mate, so small and so perfect, choking him with pleasure. He wanted to move, to bury himself in her body over and over, but she was so delicate. And yet, she had taken him. His cock was buried to the root in her tight little channel, the small entrance stretched around his pulsating veins. His tendrils surrounded her clit, exposing the glistening red nub, and he couldn’t resist stroking a careful finger across it. She gave a startled cry and her sheath convulsed around him, gripping him so tightly that he could barely move, but he could no longer resist. With a hoarse cry, he started plunging into the heaven of her cunt, thrusting with wild abandon as she shuddered and reached for him, He dropped down, his body rutting mindlessly and felt her legs tighten around him, felt her arms clinging to him, felt her body accept him into the heated warmth of her embrace. His hand went under her hips, holding her still closer, desperate for every inch as his sap rose, as his body tensed, as his seed finally erupted in long hot pulses of ecstasy.

He barely found the strength to roll to the side as he collapsed down over her, but she followed, snuggling into him with a contented purr.

“That was wonderful. You’re wonderful,” she murmured.

“As soon as I recover, I will return the sentiment,” he assured her, and she giggled. The vibration traveled through his still embedded cock and they both moaned. His shaft started to respond but he regretfully withdrew. Given her size, he suspected she would need to recover before they resumed their lovemaking. He was proven right when she winced as he left her.

The sight of his green seed on her pale thighs caused another surge of his unruly cock, but there was also a faint hint of pink and her delicate flesh was flushed and swollen. Despite the possessive pleasure filling him, he regretted that she had been hurt. He had hoped that his tendrils had prepared her adequately, but her virginity had been perhaps more resistant than he had anticipated. The manuals he had studied on human females had indicated that there could be differences.

“Come, my love. A bath will help to ease you and then I will apply a healing lotion.”

“If you use the same one you used last time, we’ll be right back here again.”

Sternly suppressing his eager shaft, he shook his head. “I will use another one. You will rest tonight.”

“What about tomorrow?” she asked with an impish grin.

“Tomorrow you are all mine.” The words echoed in his head as he lifted her into his arms and carried her off to the bath. His. His lonely days were over. He had claimed his mate.

Chapter Sixteen

The next day passed in a blissful haze. As Cormac had promised, after doing no more than cradling her all night, he had woken her with kisses and proceeded to show her just how much she belonged to him. His sheer size still overwhelmed her—she suspected it always would—but she already craved that delicate balance of pleasure and a hint of pain.

When they finally emerged from the tower, he showed her more of his experiments, and she was amazed at what he could achieve simply using plants as the basis. The results of his work were then mass-produced by his government and used both for internal needs and to trade with other races. The government in turn provided his home and a generous salary.

“Why are there no animals here?” She finally remembered to ask the question that had been troubling her.

His face hardened and for a moment she wondered if she had offended him, but then his posture softened, and he sighed and pulled her close.

“Perhaps I should’ve told you sooner, but I am a coward. I did not want you to think ill of me because of the actions of my people.”

“What actions?”

“I believe I told you that my people are scientists and not always thoughtful scientists. We actually inhabit another planet in the system, but as the result of the experiments that were done with plant life, we managed to eradicate all forms of animal life.”

“That’s terrible.” He looked so distressed that she reached up and smoothed her hand across his cheek, but as she touched the warm flesh, she frowned. “You mean all animal life except that of your people?”

“No, Jackie,” he said sadly. “We are no longer as we were. We had to adapt in order to continue to live on Valleyant.”

She stroked her hand across the mottled green of his cheek and up into the strange tendrils of his hair. They curled around her fingers in response.

“Do you mean that you are a plant?” she asked slowly.

“Not entirely, but a large part of our physical being is composed of vegetable matter.”

The news did not shock her as much as it would have only a few weeks ago, and after a brief consideration, she shrugged. “I don’t care what you’re made of, I love you anyway.”

It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth, that she realized what she had said. While he frequently referred to her as his love, he had never explicitly declared his love and neither had she. A warm feeling filled her chest as she smiled at him. She didn’t regret the words; she did love him.

His eyes lit up and he lifted her higher, so they were looking directly into each other’s eyes.

“You have made me very happy. I hope you know how much I love you as well.”

She started to nod but before she could respond, his mouth descended over hers and she was lost in the wonder of his touch.

The morning of the second day, she awoke with a sinking feeling. She had promised Bella that she would be gone for two days. She needed to return to the surface. Cormac had been curled around her body and when she turned around to face him, his eyes met hers solemnly. She suspected he already knew what she was about to say.

“You know that I have to return, don’t you?”

“I know that you believe you have to return,” he said noncommittally.

“She is my younger sister, and she needs me.”

His mouth twisted and he rolled abruptly out of the bed. She stared after him in dismay.

“You said you understood that I had responsibilities.”

“Yes, I know.” He stared out of the windows and she could see the tension in his broad shoulders. “I did not anticipate how difficult it would be to see you leave.”

Then he sighed and turned to face her. “But I suppose that I should have. It was hard enough the first time.”

“I will return as soon as I can,” she promised. “Under the circumstances I might as well trade my crystals to Mr. Haney to make sure that Bella has supplies. Since you refuse to take them…”

They’d had a somewhat heated discussion about the matter the previous evening. She still wanted to trade the crystals to him for the bread plant and he had adamantly refused. When the argument proceeded to the point where he was pacing around the room angrily, his hair jerking in wild motions, she had finally given in and agreed to accept the plants as a gift.

“I do not like you dealing with that man,” he insisted.

“No, I’m not particularly enthusiastic about it either. But I can’t stay up here enjoying everything you have to offer and leave her below without any support. I can take the bread plants down and arrange for additional food deliveries. I also need to go out to the claim and gather the crystals that I mined last week.”

He had shown her the small tower above his workshop where her crystals were placed in an intricate matrix in order to catch the sunlight. The resulting rays were somehow trapped in a series of collectors and he used them partially to encourage the surrounding gardens to grow but also to work with his experimental plants. She still wasn’t sure she understood the science behind it. But what she did understand was that the crystals in the matrix only lasted for a short period of time. That was why his people came every quarter to trade for more. He had also asked her what she needed to work with the crystals. When she described the equipment, he assured her that he could get it for her, and they had agreed that she would return to his domain to work on them.

“And then you will return?”

“Yes, my giant, I will return. However, it may take me a few days to accomplish everything.”

He hesitated. “Would you like to be able to communicate with me while you’re down there?”

“Of course I would, but I don’t see how.”

He went to one of the storage benches and returned with a small octagonal metal plate. “This is a HARP. It will allow us to communicate with each other so that you can see what I’m doing, and I can see what you are doing.”

“That’s wonderful.” He didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm and she studied his averted face. “Do you need two receivers in order to make it work?”

He shook his head, and finally met her gaze. “I was worried about you, and I missed you.”

“You were watching me?”

He nodded reluctantly as she frowned at him and then her face turned bright red as she remembered the previous week. “How much did you watch me?”

“A lot,” he admitted.

“You mean you were watching me when I… when I?”

“Yes, my love. I have never seen anything so beautiful until I had you here with me.”

She sprang up out of bed, annoyed and a little more turned on than she would like to admit. “You can’t do that. You can’t spy on someone.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, but I just couldn’t go through a day without seeing you.”

She remembered how it always seemed as if he were with her. Apparently, that had been truer than she realized, but the thought had given her comfort. She sighed and let go of her anger.

“And now I can spy on you?”

“I would be delighted if you chose to look at me,” he said sincerely, and the rest of her annoyance melted away.

“Next time you decide to do something like this, tell me about it first.”

“I hope that it will not be necessary in the future.”

“Neither do I.”

She sighed and put her arms around his waist, snuggling her face into his massive chest, already regretting that she had to leave. Even though they had spent most of the last two days making love, the feel of his body against hers and his minty scent surrounding her started to arouse her once again. She could feel his cock swelling against her stomach and she wiggled hopefully.

“Do you really have to leave so soon?” he asked.

“I do.” Then she grinned up at him. “But have you ever heard of a quickie?”

A not so quick hour later, she was standing with him at the top of the beanstalk. His fingers were still wrapped around hers and neither one of them wanted to let go. At last, he sighed.

“I want to show you something,” he said. “But no one else can ever know. It would be a massive violation of the treaty to make humans aware of this technology.”

“Then don’t show me. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“You are my mate and I refuse to have any more secrets from you. And as my mate, you are no longer considered solely as a human.”

He finally released her hand and walked over to the stalk. After manipulating a couple of the branches, an entrance appeared in the smooth column.

“It’s hollow?” she gasped.

“Yes, but more importantly, the center of the beanstalk can serve as transportation from the surface to my domain.”

She eyed the dark opening doubtfully. “Just how is that supposed to work?”

“The center of the stalk contains an anti-grav tube. It can be used to raise and lower things from the surface.”

“You mean I didn’t have to be climbing up and down each time?”

“The first time was unavoidable. You had to be the one to enter my domain of your own free will. I wanted to tell you when you left the previous time, but you had not agreed to be my mate.”

He looks so worried that her heart melted, and she gave him another hug.

“That’s all right, I think I understand.” She shuddered to think what would happen if someone like David discovered the technology. “I don’t have to use it. I’m quite capable of climbing.”

“The time you spend climbing is time that we are not together.”

“I do want to be with you as much as I can,” she agreed, although she still wasn’t crazy about that dark entrance. “How does it work?”

“Just step inside. Although you can’t see anything, the air will support you. There is a button on the inside wall next to the entrance. If you press it, you will begin to descend. There is another button at the bottom which will reverse the process.”

“How will I open it?”

“I will be watching,” he promised. “I will open the door as soon as I make sure that no one else is around. Are you ready, my love?”

“I suppose,” she said doubtfully.

He led her over to the entrance, but she balked at stepping out into that dark space.

“I will step inside with you.”

“Will it hold both of us?” The question had barely left her lips when he scooped her up and entered the tube, taking her with him. She squeaked and threw her arms around his neck, just as she had done when he had taken her into the bath for the first time. Just as it had happened then, her panic began to disappear as she felt his sturdy strength surrounding her. She peeked down cautiously, but there was nothing below them except darkness. Her stomach flipped and she forced herself to concentrate on his face.

“Slow your breathing, my little karrida.”

Gradually she matched her breathing to his and her body began to relax. He gently loosened her arms from around his neck until finally she was poised in front of him with only his hands at her waist.

“I’m going to lift my hands,” he said gently.

She bit her lip and nodded. He removed first one hand and then the other, leaving her suspended in midair. Her feet felt strange—not as if they were standing on firm ground but neither as if she was falling. It was almost as if she was balanced on a cushion. She took a few more deep breaths and then managed to smile at him.

“I think I’m ready.” He moved back to the entrance and her throat tightened. This time it wasn’t fear, but sorrow. She really didn’t want to leave him and only the thought of her sister and her parents’ legacy gave her the strength to reach for the button next to the entrance.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she promised.

He bowed his head and the sorrow on his face tore at her heart, but she still reached out and pressed the button. To her relief, only the fact that his figure began to diminish gave any indication that she was descending. She kept her eyes fixed on the massive figure filling the bright opening above for as long as possible. The darkness of the shaft enveloped her, but she no longer felt as afraid as she had before. The pleasant scent of green growing things still surrounded her, and she realized this was another instance of his plant-based technology. She was still speculating about that technology when her feet bumped gently against the ground. The journey had been surprisingly quick, and now that she was over her fear, the knowledge that she could reach him so quickly warmed her insides. After only a brief pause, a portion of the stalk slid aside, and she stepped out into the blinding morning of a Tuknis day.

Chapter Seventeen

As Cormac had promised, there was no one in sight when she emerged from the beanstalk. The opening closed behind her as soon as she stepped out and she hurried into the house. This time, there was nothing out of place. If anything, it almost seemed as if her sister had not been there. She called out for her, but there was no answer, and when she poked her head into Bella’s room, the wild disorder shocked her. Apparently, whatever urge had taken her sister to keep the living area clean had not extended to her own bedroom. The large bed was a tangled mass of covers and pillows, there were two additional outfits that Jackie didn’t recognize flung carelessly across the chair in the corner, and an assortment of crystal perfume bottles covered her dressing table. She struggled to take it all in.

Where was her sister getting the money for all of these luxuries? She prayed that Bella had not promised Mr. Haney anything in exchange. Fortunately, the house and the claim were in Jackie’s name so there was nothing she could have pledged. The sinking feeling filled her stomach as she remembered her last conversation with her sister. Surely Bella was not still acting under the assumption that Jackie and David were to be married. She belonged with Cormac and that was never going to change.

Returning to the kitchen, she placed the two new bread plants in the same sunny window and decided that she would ask Mrs. Miller if she could water them.

As she walked to her neighbor’s house, she wondered if she should search for her sister now or wait until she finished her other tasks. Perhaps it would be best to return to the claim and gather her crystals first. Even with the slow speed of the cart, she could make her camp before nightfall. If she spent the night there and returned early the next morning, that she would have all afternoon to look for Bella.

“Jackie! I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see you again.” Mrs. Miller looked shocked to see Jackie on her doorstep.

“I know I have been away a lot. Have you seen Bella? She wasn’t at the house when I returned.”

Mrs. Miller’s mouth pinched together as she shook her head. “I have no idea what that girl thinks she is doing.”

Dread filled her. “What’s the matter? Is something wrong with Bella? Is she ill again?”

Mrs. Miller hesitated, then shook her head again. “No, she seems to be in perfect health.”

Jackie sagged in relief. “You really had me worried.”

“It’s not her health you need to worry about,” Mrs. Miller said grimly. “Gallivanting all around the settlement in those fancy new clothes. Thought she was such a good girl; sure pulled the wool over my eyes, she did.”

Jackie hid a smile. It appeared that her sister was feeling better and that she was taking advantage of Jackie’s absence to show off her new outfits. While she was still concerned about where Bella had found the money to purchase the clothes, she couldn’t help but be glad that her sister felt well enough to act like a normal young girl. It wasn’t surprising that their conservative neighbor disapproved.

“I’m sure she knows what she’s doing,” she said soothingly. “I have to go back out to the claim tonight, but I’ll be back tomorrow, and I’ll be sure and talk to her.”

Obviously skeptical, Mrs. Miller frowned. “I reckon you know best.”

“Would you mind telling her that I’ll be back tomorrow?”

“If I see her.” The woman did not seem optimistic about the possibility, but surely Bella would return at nightfall. After asking Mrs. Miller to mind the plants, she headed for her cart. An unusual feeling of freedom filled her as she drove across the plains. Her sister was growing up, and perhaps it wasn’t too much to hope that she would find someone to make her happy. If her sister got married, Jackie thought that she could stay with Cormac with a clear conscience. Perhaps he could even choose to accompany her out to the mining claim on occasion. Having him there, even in his bio suit, would be a pleasant change from the solitude.

Something chimed inside her pack and she opened it to reveal the HARP he had given her. As she lifted it out of the bag, she saw him smiling at her.

“How was the trip?” he asked.

“Much better than I expected,” she admitted. “It’s nice to know that you are so close by.”

“When are you coming back?”

“I can’t have been gone for an hour yet,” she laughed. “Do you miss me already?”

“Yes,” he said simply, and her heart melted.

“I miss you too. I didn’t see Bella at the cottage, so I decided to go and get the crystals tonight. I’ll make an early start in the morning and as soon as I have talked to her, I will return.”

“I will be waiting eagerly,” he said.

“Are you planning on doing any more work on that skin lotion while I’m gone?”

He began to tell her about the experiment and the rest of the trip passed more quickly than any trip before. When she finally pulled the cart to a halt outside her small camp, she frowned.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked immediately.

“I don’t know.” As she climbed out of the cart, she noticed that the HARP monitor floated along in the air beside her. “Everything looks the same, but it feels different.”

To her relief he didn’t laugh.

“It looks the same to me, but you are more familiar with your claim that I am.” As they talked, she wandered around inspecting, but as far as she could tell, nothing was out of place. Finally, she shrugged and shook her head. “I must be imagining things.”

“It was a long and dusty trip. Perhaps a bath would help to refresh you?”

She laughed and blushed at the same time. “You just want to see me naked again.”

“Always.”

“First, I want to pack up the crystals so that everything is ready to go in the morning.” For a moment, she considered trying to return to the settlement tonight, but streaks of rose and gold were already hovering above the horizon and the abrupt desert sunset would be falling shortly. The electric cart did not have headlights and she did not fancy finding her way back across the plains in the dark. She would be better off spending the night as she had planned and returning in the morning.

They continued to talk while she made her preparations and put together a simple meal. She could see him pottering around his own kitchen and she couldn’t wait to be back with him. It wasn’t until after they ate, and she was lying in her hammock staring out across the canyon that she felt a chill creep down her spine. Whatever had disturbed her before was back. This time, she was sure it wasn’t just her imagination. The night had fallen silent around her and the usual small evening noises had disappeared. Moving as quietly as possible, she sat up in her hammock and tried to peer out into the darkness beyond. The glow from the small lantern hanging from the central pole of her lean to didn’t extend for more than a few feet. Her heart started to pound.

“What’s wrong?” Cormac’s voice sounded unusually loud against the utter silence that surrounded her.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “But it feels as if there’s something out there.”

His face blurred and she realized that he was racing through the castle.

“I’ll be there as quickly as I can,” he promised.

She had a brief glimpse of his bio suit, and then the darkness exploded in a flash of light and a cacophony of noise as the rocks around her began to fall.

“Cormac!”

Her last thought was that he would be alone once more, and then the world went dark.

Cormac swore as the transmission from the monitor disappeared. He frantically tried to switch to the drone view as he pulled on his bio suit, but it was floating high in the atmosphere. As he pulled the upper part of his suit in place, he sent it racing down towards the camp.

He had limited control over the drone from inside the suit, but he did his best to steer it while he charged for the edge of his domain. As he dove off into the darkness, the drone reached the jumbled mass of rock where Jackie had been only moments before. Swearing and praying with equal intensity, he pushed the suit to its absolute maximum and landed in front of the horrific scene of destruction only minutes later. Using both sets of hands he dug frantically at the rubble, tossing aside boulders with no thought for anything but reaching her. As he did so, he continued searching frantically for her heartbeat with his sensors. There! Her pulse was so slow that he almost missed it, but she was beneath the next layer of rock.

Despite the voice inside him urging him to move faster, he was forced to slow down, afraid that he might injure her even more badly in his haste. Another layer of rocks was carefully removed, then sent flying, and then only a thin layer of smaller rocks remained. With his night vision, he saw glimpses of her small body, but so much of it was broken and bleeding. All he could do now was pray as he scraped the remaining rocks away as carefully as possible then gathered her into his arms. Her heart beat ever more slowly but he concentrated on that slow pulse, willing her to live as he soared into the sky, determined that he would not lose this woman he loved so much.

Chapter Eighteen

Jackie floated in and out of consciousness, surrounded by a warm green cloud. Somewhere in the cloud, she thought there was pain, but it was only a muted sensation far away. Twice, she surfaced long enough to see Cormac hovering over her, green eyes burning into her as he whispered her name. The first time, she didn’t even have the strength to respond, but the second time she managed to smile at him before her eyes closed.

The only other thing of which she was aware was the constant smell of herbs. They varied from sweet and fragrant to tangy and once almost offensive, but she was always surrounded by the scent of growing things.

When her head finally cleared, and she regained consciousness for long enough to be aware of her surroundings, she was lying on Cormac’s bed in the tower room. She tried to lift her head to look around, but her entire body felt limp and too heavy to move. When she finally managed to turn her head, she saw that he was seated on the window bench just as he had been the first time. His eyes were closed, and she could see the lines of strain on his face.

What had happened? The last thing she remembered was driving out to the claim, and she didn’t know how she had ended up here. Once again, she tried to raise her head and this time, she managed to move it enough to look down her body. Everything below her neck was wrapped in soft green bandages. An almost hysterical giggle rose to her lips. She looked like a green version of the mummy from one of her childhood books. Although she didn’t understand what was wrong, nothing seemed to hurt. Focusing all of her attention on her right arm, she gradually managed to raise it a few inches above the bed. Again, it didn’t hurt but it felt limp and tired.

“Jackie?”

She looked up to find Cormac staring at her. When he saw her eyes focus on him, delight wiped the exhaustion from his features. Before she had a chance to speak, he was kneeling at her side, his hands holding hers gently.

“Thank the stars, you’re awake. I knew the healing process would make you sleep but it’s been almost two weeks now.”

“Two weeks?” All she could do was stare at him. How could she have lost two weeks of her life? “I don’t understand. What happened?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“I remember I was driving out to the claim and you were talking to me about your experiment.” Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember, but in the end, she shook her head. “That’s it. That’s the last thing I remember.”

“I think the shock must have erased your memory. You made it safely to the camp and we were still talking when night fell.” His face turned grim. “There was an explosion. By the time I reached you, you were covered with rock.”

“An explosion?” She gaped at him as she tried to make sense of his words. “You mean there was an avalanche of some kind?”

He very gently squeezed her hands. “I’m sorry, Jackie, but no. Someone deliberately set off a detonation at your camp.”

“But why?” For the first time since her eyes opened, he looked away from her. “Cormac, please tell me what’s going on.”

“Everyone in town thinks that you’re dead,” he said, instead of answering her directly.

“Oh my God.” Guilt overwhelmed her as her mind immediately flew to her sister. “I have to get in touch with Bella. She must be so scared.”

He hesitated, and she scowled at him. When she tried to sit up, her limbs were slow to respond, and he gently pushed her back down.

“Your sister is fine, Jackie,” he said soothingly.

“How can she be fine? She thinks I’m dead.”

“She’s married.”

“Married? How can she be married?” A thousand dreadful possibilities catapulted through her mind. “She must have been desperate, thinking that I had died. Oh, my poor sister—forced to marry someone just because she needed a new home.”

Once again, he refused to look at her, and she got a sick feeling in her stomach.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“You need to regain your strength. We can talk more about this later.”

“I don’t want to talk about it later. Tell me now.” Her stomach churned.

“Bella is married to your worthless male,” he said abruptly.

“David?” David had never shown any sign of interest in Bella. Had he? As she thought back over the previous six months, she realized that he had spent a lot of time in their house and that he and Bella did seem to have a lot in common. While he was not the person that she would have chosen for her sister, at least he was in a position to take care of her.

“I only hope that he didn’t take advantage of her grief,” she said finally.

Cormac looked a little surprised. “It doesn’t bother you that he switched his attentions to your sister so quickly?”

She smiled at him. “Well, I certainly wasn’t going to marry him. I have you and I’m… glad that Bella has found someone. Perhaps it was their shared grief that drew them together.”

A look of disgust crossed his face before he could mask it.

“Why did you look like that?”

“My love, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but he married her two days after the explosion.”

“So soon?” She stared up at him, searching for a reasonable explanation. “Maybe they thought that because she was all alone in the world now, they needed to move quickly so that he could take care of her.”

Her heart sank as he slowly shook his head. “She had a wedding dress, and they had a ceremony in town.”

She understood what he was saying, that it had been a planned event. “But I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t she tell me that they were planning on getting married? I might not have liked it, but I wouldn’t have tried to stop her.”

Once again, he hesitated. “Someone sabotaged your camp, Jackie. And once you were dead, Bella would inherit the claim.”

“I don’t understand. What does that have to do with anything?”

He sighed. “Did it ever occur to you that David might be after your claim?”

“Of course not.” She tried to shrug, even though her shoulders barely responded. “My family realized not long after we got here that the claim probably wasn’t going to ever be worth very much, the crystals are just too scattered. Even though I always hoped to find a large cache, I never found anything more than small scattered patches of varying quality. The only way to make a lot of credits from a claim is to have sufficient volume to be able to trade with the larger retailers in Thaleth or Port Garig. David knows that as well as anyone.”

“There are other things of value on Tuknis,” Cormac said slowly

“Like what? My understanding when we came here was that all the claims were granted in order to have settlers mine for crystals.”

“I was wearing the bio suit when I came to get you and I had the sensors running in order to search for your heartbeat.” He closed his eyes and shuddered. “Because of that, they were running the entire time I was on the surface. It didn’t occur to me to look at the findings until after I found out about your sister.” He took hold of her hand again. “I believe there is a large water source beneath your claim.”

“Water?” Her stomach churned. Water was one of the most valuable resources on Tuknis. Almost everyone made do with the limited amount available from their solar stills because it was so rare. To the best of her knowledge, there were only a few places on the planet with access to underground water.

She stared at him in horror. “And you think David knows?”

“I suspect. He is a fool, but he never seemed to value you the way that he should. Marrying your sister so quickly once he thought she would be in a position to own the claim…”

“You don’t honestly think that he was the one to cause the explosion, do you?”

He growled. “I don’t know for sure. If I was certain that he was responsible, he would no longer be walking the surface. However, I find the chain of circumstances a little too convenient.”

“You’re implying he is a murderer, and he just married my little sister.” Nausea rose in her throat. “We have to go save her.” She started struggling against the blankets again and once more he gently held her place.

“Jackie, I don’t think you realize how badly you were hurt. Your body is healing but it is going to take time.

“I don’t have time,” she said frantically. “What if he hurts her?”

“I looked into the legal status of the claims granted to the settlers. It is a family claim and it passes to the oldest child. If anything happened to Bella, the claim would revert to the planetary government, unless she had a child. In that case, the claim would belong to him or her after she died. If he is truly after the claim, he cannot afford to hurt her.”

“This doesn’t change anything,” she insisted. “I still need to let her know that I’m alive. She must be devastated.”

“So devastated that she was willing to get married the very day that you were declared dead?”

Admittedly, that did not cast a positive light on her sister’s behavior, but Jackie could only assume she had been desperate. Cormac shook his head when she told him.

“Why are you so sure? I think I know my sister better than you do.”

“Because I saw the wedding,” he finally admitted.

“I don’t understand. How?”

“As soon as I realized that the rock fall was the result of a man-made explosion, I sent drones to try and uncover what had happened. In particular, I focused on your sister, on the worthless male, and on his father because they are the ones who have had the most contact with you.” He closed his eyes and his grip tightened on her hand “I was too busy trying to save you to pay any attention at first, but once I knew you were in a healing sleep, I started reviewing the results.”

“I want to see them,” she said firmly.

“I think you should wait till you’re capable of sitting up first,” he said equally firmly.

She glared at him, but he did have a point. Already her eyelids felt weighted and exhaustion crept over her body. For now, all she could do was believe him when he said that Bella would be all right. And perhaps, it made sense. Her sister had always looked for someone stronger to lean on and she rather suspected David would enjoy being that pillar of strength.

“All right,” she sighed. “I do feel awfully tired.”

“Rest, my karrida. We’ll talk more the next time you wake up.”

“At least there won’t be any more surprises.” She smiled as she closed her eyes.

“I wish that were true.” The whisper reached her just as she drifted off to sleep.

Cormac stared down at Jackie’s sleeping body. He wished that he hadn’t had to break the news to her so quickly, but he had half expected that she would demand information about her sister immediately. He had tried to soften it as much as he could and hoped he would never have to tell her the rest. Based on everything that he’d seen and heard, her sister had very deliberately set out to pursue the man that she thought Jackie was going to marry. The one thing which he didn’t know was whether or not she had been aware of the plot to eliminate Jackie. He was quite sure that the worthless male and his father were involved, although he told her truthfully that he had no proof. Bella, on the other hand, he still wasn’t sure about.

Jackie tossed her head in her sleep, and he put a comforting hand on her cheek. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was actually a little relieved that she had fallen asleep before he could tell her the rest of his news. He’d had to go to great lengths to save her life—even now, he shuddered at how close she had come to dying—and he could only hope she would understand the results.

Chapter Nineteen

The low murmur of voices woke Jackie the second time, but when she opened her eyes, she was still in the tower and there was no one else in sight. She could hear water running in the bathroom and assumed that Cormac must be taking a shower. So strange. She could have sworn that she heard multiple people talking.

Shaking her head, she tried to sit up. This time when she tried to move, her limbs responded more readily. Even though it made her arms ache, she managed to push herself into a seated position. The green bandages still covered her body and she wondered what lay beneath. Her sense of vanity had been eliminated a long time ago—you couldn’t spend hours in the canyons mining for crystals and worry about your appearance—but nonetheless, she hoped that she wasn’t terribly scarred.

Nervously, she started to pick at the end of the bandage covering her fingers. As she did, she once again heard what sounded like the buzz of voices a long distance away. A few seconds later, Cormac came bursting into the room. He was completely naked and dripping water, and she decided that she really must be feeling better because she could feel her body responding. He was big and green and handsome and all hers. The familiar ache started low in her belly.

“Were you in too much of a hurry to get dressed?” She smiled at him. “Not that I object to your naked body…”

She very deliberately ran her tongue over her lips, and saw his cock respond immediately, starting to fill and lift towards her.

To her surprise, he ignored it and frowned at her. “You need to leave the bandages alone.”

“I was only going to take a quick peek.” A guilty flush covered her cheeks before she remembered that he hadn’t been in the room. “How did you know?”

He hesitated for a long minute.

“The vines told me,” he said at last, with a cautious look in her direction.

“The vines?”

She had never heard of someone who could communicate with plants, but on the other hand, everything about this place, and even Cormac himself, was completely new. Perhaps it was no stranger than having an animal as a scout. With a shrug, she accepted his statement and focused on the more important issue.

“Why don’t you want me to remove the bandages? Are my scars that bad?”

“No,” he said slowly. “You will not carry a mark.”

She breathed a deep sigh of relief. Even though she knew that it was superficial to worry about her exterior appearance, she really didn’t want a constant reminder of the accident.

“If there are no scars, then why don’t you want me to take off the bandages? Everything feels fine.”

Remarkably fine, she thought as she stretched each of her limbs in turn. They ached a little when she moved, but no worse than after a hard day’s work on the claim.

“You were in very bad shape when I found you. I had to take… extreme measures to save your life.”

“Thank you, Cormac,” she said softly, “Thank you for coming for me and thank you for saving me.”

“I hope that you will continue to feel that way,” he said finally.

When she frowned at him, he moved over to the bed, and uncaring about his still damp skin, sat down and lifted her onto his lap. Once again, there was no pain although she still felt the lingering weakness. The feel of his warm body against hers stirred the ever-present arousal. She wiggled closer, wishing that the bandages didn’t separate them. Even though in her memory they had only been apart for a short period of time, she already felt starved for him. By the size of his erection, he was just as hungry for her.

Impatient for their skin to touch, she started plucking at the bandages on her hand again. He placed a big hand over hers and lifted her chin with the other so he could look into her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Her heart started to pound, but she nodded as confidently as she could. “You promised me that I wasn’t scarred, and I want to be able to touch you. I want the bandages removed.”

“You aren’t scarred, but you are changed.”

“Changed?”

Instead of replying, he stroked his fingers across the bandage on her hand. Just as had happened once before when he removed the bandage from her ribs, at his touch the cloth simply fell away, but this time, she heard a simultaneous whisper of sound. It almost seemed as if he had said something, even though she knew she hadn’t heard him speak. She was about to question him, when the sight of her hand made her gasp. Instead of being rough and sun reddened as she expected, her skin was now smooth and pale. So pale that it took her a moment to realize that there was a hint of green underlying the creamy whiteness. Shocked, she stared at her hand—a hand that she knew was hers, but which now looked so alien.

“What did you do?” she whispered.

“The medicine I had to use to save you is part of my race’s legacy. It was the use of those types of medications that turned us into what we are today.”

He met her gaze steadily, and she could see sorrow in his face but not regret. “I hope you can understand. I knew that it should be something about which you had a choice, but I had to act in order to save your life. Even if you reject me now, at least I will have the comfort of knowing that you still live.”

Her mind was still blank with shock, all she could do was stare at him until finally one thought surfaced. “I want to see my body. I want to see it all.”

After studying her face, he nodded and began stroking his finger across the other compresses. Once more, she heard a whisper in her mind.

“Are you talking to the bandages?”

“Not exactly, but there is a level of communication. How did you know?”

“It sounds crazy, but I think I heard you.”

“The ability to… encourage plant matter to behave in ways we desire is a gift that some of my people have. A very rare gift.” He sighed and stared off into the distance, his task momentarily forgotten. “Unfortunately, because it is so rare, we are chosen early to this line of work.”

From the look on his face, she suspected that it had not been a happy day when he was chosen. Her heart ached when she remembered how lonely he always seemed. “Did you know that it would mean a life alone?”

“Not every plant whisperer is completely alone.” His eyes focused on her face again. “Many of us take mates. We are encouraged to breed, because our skills are so helpful to our people, but I could never bring myself to do it. My parents gave me up at a very young age and I was brought up by a series of tutors. It was a lonely life and I did not want to bring children into it.”

It didn’t escape her notice that he had used past tense. “Did you choose me because you decided it was time to have children?”

“I chose you because I wanted you.”

The sincerity in his eyes was unmistakable and her heart melted, but then she thought about the rest of his words. “I will never give up our children,” she said fiercely. “I don’t care what gifts they have.”

“When you were completely human, there was no chance that we would be able to have children together.” He ducked his head. “I suspect that now it may be possible, but please don’t worry,” he added hastily. “You are not Gremin and my government has no rights over you or over any children we produce.”

Immense relief filled her, but then she remembered what he had been doing before their discussion and looked down. The bandages had fallen away, and she could see that her body hadn’t changed. She recognized the small high breasts, the slender waist and hips, the lean muscles in her legs and arms, but her skin was no longer a mixture of reddish tan and pale cream. The same icy pallor that covered her hands now covered her entire body. The faintest green undertone gave her an almost marble-like appearance. Nothing about it was unpleasant, just different. She even suspected that to anyone who had not known her before they would never suspect that she was anything but fully human. Then she remembered the bandages that had also covered her head and she raised her hand to her hair. She tried to pull it in front of her face to inspect it, but it was too short.

“What about my hair?”

“It is darker,” he said.

She sternly suppressed the urge to roll her eyes “I mean what color is it?”

“Dark brown, like the rich fertile soil from which everything grows.”

“It’s not green? Or… leafy?”

He shook his head. “No, my love. You have your own beautiful hair. Just a little darker.”

“I want to see.” She tried to sit up further, but it was still a struggle. “Will you carry me to the mirror?”

He looked torn and she patted his arm reassuringly. “I may as well know now. As long as children don’t run screaming for me in the streets, and you still find me attractive, I’m not worried.” To her surprise, the statement felt true. Nothing she had seen so far had her scared to see her new appearance. She really just wanted to know how much she had changed.

“Still find you attractive?” He raised an eyebrow and very deliberately rubbed her against his massive erection. “Did you have any doubts about that?”

Mm. He felt so good that she was almost distracted from her quest. Of course, it helped that she probably wouldn’t be able to respond to him with her usual enthusiasm.

“Later,” she promised. “Now the mirror, please.”

“Are you sure that this will not bother you?”

“I’ll be just fine.”

Still looking a little skeptical, he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom where a tall mirror covered one wall. Despite her brave words, she found herself anxiously inspecting her appearance. To her relief, she didn’t see anything disturbing. The icy pallor which covered her was surprisingly attractive and she suddenly had to fight back a giggle as she realized that she had unintentionally assumed the coloring of the upper-class citizens. All of her features remained the same, but her gray eyes were now tinted with green instead of blue. Her sun-streaked sandy brown hair was now a darker shade of brown touched with reddish highlights. She still looked enough like herself that she could smile sincerely up at Cormac.

“Thank you. I feel much better now that I know how I look.”

“You look beautiful,” he assured her. “But then, you always did.”

“I suspect you may be somewhat prejudiced.” Even as she teased him, she was conscious of the warm glow filling her heart. She had never imagined that she would find anyone like Cormac but then again, she had never imagined that she would be so happy. Once again, the feeling of guilt impinged on her happiness.

“You said that you saw my sister’s wedding?”

His face closed down, but he nodded.

“I would like to see that too.”

“I’m not sure that it is a good idea—”

“I would just like to see for myself that she looks happy.”

She remembered what Cormac had said about David, but she found it very hard to believe. Admittedly, she could easily envision Mr. Haney removing her from the picture if he thought she was an obstacle, but David? She suspected that David was simply at his father’s mercy and as long as he was good to her sister, that was all she cared about.

“If you’re sure,” he said reluctantly, and started to carry her out of the bathroom.

“I do think I would prefer to have some clothes on first.” She grinned up at him and he shook his head.

“Yet another reason why this is a bad idea.” But despite his words, his face softened.

He carried her over to the storage bench and retrieved another length of green cloth. This time she heard his voice in her mind as he flung it over her head and it settled around her, forming a flowing nightgown. She couldn’t understand what he said but the sounds tugged at her, nonetheless.

“You said that it was a very rare ability to be able to communicate the way you do,” she said curiously as they began to descend the stairs.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So why am I hearing you in my mind?”

He hesitated, then said softly, “You needed blood and I was the only source.”

Chapter Twenty

Cormac shook off Jackie’s thanks. He still felt guilty about the lengths to which he’d had to go to save her life. Not that he wouldn’t do exactly the same thing again, but he loved her as she was and regretted having to change any detail. Her outer appearance made no difference in his feelings towards her, she was as beautiful as ever. The fact that she seemed to have picked up some of his gift was both hopeful and somewhat alarming. He loved the idea of sharing it with her, but he was concerned about what could happen if his government found out. They would need to make sure that no one else knew.

When they entered his study, he carried her over to the small couch and seated himself with her on his lap.

“You are sure about this?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Reluctantly, he started the recording of the wedding.

“Oh, she looks beautiful.” To his alarm, tears gathered in Jackie’s eyes, but when he tightened his arms around her, she gave him a watery smile.

“I always hoped that I would get to see her in her wedding dress. I wish I could have been there.”

They both turned to focus on the screen once more and Jackie continued to sigh happily as the ceremony progressed. Cormac found it hard to refrain from expressing his opinion. Nothing about Jackie’s sister had ever impressed him and this elaborate production only confirmed his opinion. Even though she thought her sister had died, Bella appeared completely uncaring. She fussed over her dress, a ridiculous concoction of layers and layers of white lace, and almost danced up the aisle to her despicable bridegroom. Oddly enough, her groom did not look particularly enthusiastic, although he smiled politely. From the way Bella clung to him, Cormac suspected that the two of them were already intimate. Was the groom already tired of her?

The thought tempered his annoyance. After all he had been lucky enough to win Jackie and he knew that he would never get enough of her. Just the memories of their lovemaking—not to mention the feel of her warm body snuggled up against his—had his sap rising. Throughout her illness, his body had never stirred, but now that he knew she was going to be all right, his cock once again demanded attention.

When she felt his cock stir, Jackie finally dragged her eyes away from the screen and looked up at him.

“You’re right, she does look happy.” She sighed and settled back against him, seemingly unconcerned by her sister’s lack of grief. “And I’ve been thinking about what you suggested. I really can’t believe that David was behind my accident. My guess is that it was his father’s doing.”

“You may be right,” he admitted. “I’m not sure that that worthless male is capable of coming up with a plan of his own.”

She rolled her eyes at him, looking so adorable that he couldn’t resist bending his head to kiss her. He tried to remember that she was still convalescing and keep his kiss soft and undemanding, but his relief over her recovery and his joy at having her in his arms again was too strong. When she brushed her soft little tongue against his, all of his control departed. He ravaged her mouth and she responded just as eagerly. By the time he remembered her condition, and lifted his head, they were both panting.

“I’m sorry. I should let you rest.”

“I don’t want to rest. I want you.” She arched her breasts against him, and he automatically covered one with his hand, separating the fibers of her nightgown so that he could feel her soft skin beneath his. Her nipple pressed against his palm and he couldn’t resist rolling it between his fingers.

He ran his other hand down the center of her body, parting the fabric so that it fell to either side, revealing her full beauty. He traced his hand down between her breasts, circling the tiny indentation of her belly button, before gently spreading her legs. He groaned at the slippery heat that rewarded his touch and spread her legs further apart so that he could admire the glistening pink center, now framed by silky brown curls.

Even one finger looked impossibly large next to her tiny entrance and he still found it hard to believe that she had taken all of him. His cock throbbed at the memory and he could feel the pearls of seed begin to gather on his shaft as he spread the small pink lips further apart. Her clit was already swollen and flushed a deep pink and she gasped when he began circling it with his thumb. When she quivered and clutched his wrist, he sent a finger deep into the heated fist of her channel. They both moaned and he began stroking her more firmly as he added a second finger. Her back arched and he increased the pressure on her nipple as he began a demanding rhythm, surging in and out of her body, fucking her tight little pussy with his fingers the way he wished he was fucking her with his aching cock.

A wave of satisfaction came over him as she called out his name and climaxed, her body enclosing his fingers in a grip so tight that he almost joined her. He stroked gently back and forth over her clit until her body went limp in his arms. Despite the fact that his own cock throbbed, he found a great deal of fulfillment in her limp and exhausted body. When she opened her eyes and smiled up at him, he was filled with happiness. He was a lucky male to have such a beautiful and responsive mate.

With a sleepy smile, she lifted herself higher in his arms, seeking his kiss—a kiss that once again started off soft but soon turned demanding. When he finally raised his head, she settled back against his chest, and brushed against the head of his erection. Her eyes widened, and before he could stop her, she slipped down on her knees in front of him.

“What are you doing?” The words came out strained because she had started sliding her small white fingers up and down his shaft.

“Just exploring,” she said innocently, but she looked up at him as she spoke and licked her lips—lips that were still plump and soft but had now darkened to an almost plum-like hue. The sight of her mouth so close to the head of his cock made him jerk, and he actually brushed against her sweet damp lips for the barest second. She ran her tongue over them where he had touched her, and then smiled again.

“You taste delicious, my giant.”

Before he could respond, she licked across the entire head of his shaft. If he had not already been seated, he suspected that he would have fallen to his knees as waves of pleasure washed over him. The base of his spine tightened as he felt his arousal increase. Another pearl of precum appeared on the tip, and she licked it eagerly. He put one big hand in her hair and gently pulled her backwards.

“What are you doing, my love?” he asked. “If you do not stop, I will climax.”

“Good,” she grinned. “It’s not just about me.”

“But you’re still heal—” The rest of his protest was lost in a groan of ecstasy as she somehow managed to fit her mouth over the entire head of his cock. He clenched his fist on the arm of the couch and was vaguely aware of a tearing sound, but he was too focused on her mouth to care.

Her hands were too small to close around him, but she made up for the lack by stacking them one over the other and caressing him in long hard strokes with alternating hands. To his shock, she actually was able to take more of him into the heated confines of her mouth. She slid her mouth down over him until she reached one of her hands, then gave him a slow sucking withdrawal that made his whole body tense in expectation. Over and over she repeated the motions, using her tongue to caress the sensitive ridges of his cock and to explore his equally sensitive slit. His balls drew up, his whole body tensed, and he tightened his grip on her hair, trying to pull her away before it was too late.

Instead, she growled and took more of him than she had so far—so much of him that he could feel the tight entrance to her throat against his cockhead and the vibrations of her growl surrounding him. He cried out her name and came in long pulsing jets of seed as he felt her swallow desperately, trying to take all of his release, and actually pulling him deeper into the entrance of her throat.

It wasn’t until he heard her cough that he realized he still held her head against his cock. When he looked down, the erotic sight of her mouth stretched wide around his shaft caused a final explosion. Her eyes were wide and wet, traces of green at the corner of her mouth and dripping down onto the pale skin of her chest, and he pulled back with a horrified gasp. To his relief, she rocked back on her heels and smiled up at him.

“I always wanted to try that.”

Even though he knew it was a primitive instinct, the knowledge that she had never done this with another male sent a wave of pleasure over him. She belonged only to him and it would remain that way. With the last of his strength, he lifted her back up onto his lap and tucked her close.

As he did, he happened to look up and notice of the recording was still playing. Her sister was performing the same action on the worthless male with what looked like considerable expertise, but there was no tenderness, no passion, only a practiced effort. He hastily turned off the image before Jackie had a chance to see it, and thanked the stars that Jackie was with him now.

Chapter Twenty-One

Over the next few days, Jackie continued to heal. As she did, she became even more aware of the sounds of the plants and of Cormac’s interaction with them. She didn’t understand what either one of them were saying, and it was unlike any language that she knew, but she began to get a vague impression of some of the communication. There was a constant low hum that seemed to equate to an urge to grow. When he massaged a sweet-smelling healing lotion over her body, she could almost hear him urging the herbs to heal her. She also began to suspect that the plants informed him of everything she was doing, although she found that it didn’t bother her, but instead gave her a sense of comfort.

Her full strength took some time to return, and at first, she was content simply to sit in the lab with Cormac while he worked or to relax in the garden. While she still did not have any ability to communicate with the plants herself, she found that she was becoming more attuned to them. One evening as she sat on the bench overlooking the desert plains below, she knew Cormac was approaching before he appeared because of the way the low murmur of the plants changed.

One day, she wandered down to the shores of the small lake. The sight of the deep blue water still caused little flutters of nerves in her stomach and she stayed well away from the boulders ringing the shoreline. The sound of the water tumbling down over the rocks and into the lake made a soothing background noise as she walked slowly along one of the paths that ringed the shore. Because of the rush and splatter, it took a moment before she realized that there was a new thread in the whisper of the plants—a hint of excitement, or possibly trepidation. It seemed to be coming from the edge of the mist and she wandered curiously in that direction.

As she approached the end of the greenery, she heard a tiny chirp. Shocked, she froze in place. The small sound didn’t seem threatening, but it was the first time that she had heard anything other than the sway of branches in the wind or the rush of water. Everything around her seem to pause and then she heard it again, coming from the smooth stretch of moss leading into the mist. She crouched down but at first, she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Once again everything went still and this time, she caught the motion of a small throat. One of the chameleons that roamed the desert surface had somehow made it up into Cormac’s domain. The small creature would fit neatly in the palm of her hand although its tail was almost twice as long as his body. Mottled green and brown skin blended in with the moss, but now she could see the golden patch beneath the throat pulsating as it chirped again. Two enormous golden eyes blinked up at her.

“You’re a long way from home,” she said softly as she settled back on her knees.

There was a low rustle of excitement in the plants surrounding her and she suspected that Cormac was already on his way.

“Don’t be afraid, little guy. No one is going to hurt you.”

As if reassured by her words, the chameleon moved a little closer. They regarded each other silently, then she saw his throat pulse just as Cormac strode out of the woods.

The chameleon gave a tiny high-pitched cry and jumped into her lap, scrambling up her dress and burying itself in her cleavage. She jumped and burst into laughter, her hand cupping the small creature protectively when she felt it tremble against her.

“What the hell is that?” Cormac roared.

“Not so loud. You frightened him.”

“Him?” He looked so befuddled that she giggled.

“Or possibly her, I don’t know how you can tell the sex of a chameleon.”

“A chameleon? Here?” He still looked stunned.

“Yes, I just found him. I suppose he must have climbed up the beanstalk.”

Cormac shook his head and knelt down next to her. “I would not have thought it possible. I told you that our experiments eliminated animal life from our planet. We assumed that the same would be true here as well.”

“It didn’t seem to stop him from climbing, the little rascal.”

The small head peeked out over her hand and she stroked it gently with the tip of her finger. She could feel its body vibrate in something close to a purr. The big golden eyes focused on Cormac.

“I am delighted that it made its way up here,” he admitted, watching the chameleon with equal fascination. But then he frowned and looked into the mist. “However, there are other creatures below which would not be as welcome. Perhaps it is time to remove the stalk.”

“But if you do that, how will I be able to go and visit my sister?”

The worry about her sister had been the only dark spot of her convalescence. Cormac had shown her several additional videos and in each of them Bella seemed quite content. Her clothes were rich and elegant, and she was associating with the elite members of their small society, her face smiling. Yet, Jackie felt as if Cormac was keeping something from her. When she pressed him, he promised that he had not made any changes to the videos, however she noticed he didn’t say that the videos were complete. Was her sister truly as happy as she appeared?

“I do not think it would be a good idea for you to return to the surface,” Cormac said slowly.

“Why on earth not? Surely you don’t mean to separate me from my sister forever?”

Instead of answering, he leaned forward and stroked his hand down the now silky-smooth skin of her arm.

“You know that you are… changed. My people are unable to tolerate the conditions on the surface. I worry that it will be difficult for you as well.”

She stared at him in horror. After the initial shock, her transformation had not bothered her, but the thought that she could never return to see her sister or anyone else in the settlement devastated her. She no longer felt as if she belonged there, but she still had assumed that she would be able to visit.

“I can’t go back?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I had hoped that it was no longer important to you, that you would be satisfied to remain here with me.”

He looked so disappointed that some of her sorrow dissipated. “I love you, Cormac. Of course, I want to stay with you, but I would still like to be able to visit my sister.”

An expression she couldn’t read across his face but then his big shoulders slumped, and he nodded slowly.

“I suppose I understand. Before you returned to me, I had started working on a lotion to protect my skin from the desert environment. It might be even more successful for you considering that you are only partially changed.”

She nodded eagerly. “Even if it only works for a short period of time, it would be wonderful to be able to see my sister in person.”

“I’m not sure that I agree, but it is your decision.”

Every time she talked about Bella, Cormac seemed almost disapproving. She was secretly beginning to wonder if he was jealous of her love for her sister. Silly man. She had plenty of room in her heart for both of them and now she gave him a reassuring smile.

“You know that I will always return to you.”

“Just as you know that I will always come for you.”

He smiled at her and then helped her carefully to her feet. The chameleon was still perched in her cleavage, but his body no longer trembled, and his head swiveled curiously as it surveyed its surroundings.

“What are you intending to do with him?” Cormac asked.

“I don’t know.” She stroked a small head again and gave a reluctant sigh. “I suppose we should send him back down the beanstalk.”

“He seems quite content where he is,” Cormac said dryly. “Not that I can blame him.” He frowned off into the mist. “I am still concerned about leaving the stalk in place. Even if we remove it, I could still fly you down to the surface.”

“Please don’t misunderstand, but it makes me feel better to know that I still have that level of independence.” She put her hands on his arm and looked up at him beseechingly. “Everything here is new—and wonderful—but I don’t want to feel as if I’m cut off from my previous life. Does that make sense?”

He nodded reluctantly. “If you wish for it to remain, then it will remain.”

Stretching up on tiptoes, she urged his head down so that she could kiss him, a kiss that rapidly turned heated. Just as she pressed herself closer, the chameleon chirped indignantly, and she jumped back with a laugh. Cormac glared at the small creature.

“I definitely think that you should send him back down.”

“In the morning,” she promised. “I want to make sure the poor thing has a decent meal first. He probably only climbed up here because he was hungry.”

“Very well, let’s feed him and find him a bed for the night. Not in our bedroom.”

“We’ll see,” she said vaguely, already unwilling to leave him on his own but suspecting that she needed to choose a better time for that battle.

Together they all turned and headed back uphill towards the castle.

“Won’t it be difficult to remove the beanstalk? I don’t want to cause any damage to the settlement.”

He shrugged. “It’s simply organic matter. If I initiate the destruct sequence, it will basically melt away, dissolving the same way your dress did when your sister tried to steal it from you.”

“Bella didn’t steal the dress.” She glared at him. “I gave it to her because I wanted to see her in something pretty.”

“You are the one who deserves beautiful things,” he said softly.

Despite her new paler skin, the heat still rose to her cheeks. A part of her still doubted his compliments, even though she didn’t doubt his love. The fact that he did seem so enthralled by her soothed the childish vanity that had long ago accepted that she would always take second place behind her sister.

“I’m suddenly feeling rather tired,” she said slowly, and gave him a sultry smile. “Perhaps a little nap is in order.”

“I should not have let you travel so far without me,” he said at once.

“I meant the kind of nap that’s better with two people.” She ran her fingers down across his chest until they hovered just above the tendrils surrounding his cock. It responded immediately, lifting towards her as if searching for her touch. She obliged, reveling in the silky skin. His eyes blazed and the next second, she was high in his arms as he strode towards the castle at twice his normal speed.

Later that evening, Cormac left Jackie sleeping and went to prepare a light meal. To his disgust, the chameleon had not only accompanied them to the bedroom but was currently curled up on Jackie’s pillow. Fortunately, she had at least agreed to leave the small creature nestled in cushions along the window bench while they were making love, although when they finally collapsed into a happy satiated heap, he had looked up and seen two big golden eyes fastened accusingly on his face.

The little devil then chirped demandingly, and he found himself carrying it over to Jackie. She smiled at him and cuddled the chameleon closer as she drifted off to sleep.

Still, that was a small price to pay if it made her happy. As he chopped a selection of fruit, he added some smaller pieces for the little animal. The beanstalk still worried him. The fact that the chameleon had made its way to the top without the plants notifying him was both encouraging and concerning. He would be truly grateful if they could find a way for animal life to coexist with the new species of plants he had created, but he needed to know if anything approached.

He set the platter of food aside and went to his study to see if he could adjust the monitor level. While he was there, he opened up the day’s recordings. He needed to find a section of video that he could show Jackie. It was becoming increasingly difficult to find her sister acting in a way that would not concern her. Bella was becoming increasingly snobbish and petulant. Cormac was even beginning to feel sorry for her husband, despite his distaste for the unworthy male. As he scanned quickly through the tape, a phrase caught his attention. He paused and reviewed that section more slowly. Fuck. Even though he didn’t want to do it, he was going to have to tell Jackie about what he had just heard.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The golden rays of the setting sun gilded the tower room when Jackie awoke. She stretched lazily feeling warm and contented. Every time they made love, it just got better and better. Her nipples tingled as she remembered the way that he had sucked on them, gently scraping them with his teeth until she was on fire with longing. The memory caused her body to ache demandingly and she ran a tentative hand down between her legs. She could still feel the signs of Cormack’s possession in the slight tenderness but that only increased her arousal. She needed him again.

The small chirp made her jump and she turned her head to find the chameleon eyeing her in what looks like disapproval.

“Oh, stop that, Rascal. He’s my mate.” A blush hit her cheeks as she realized she was trying to justify her behavior to a reptile.

The moment interrupted, she sighed and sat up. Her stomach felt empty and she wanted to find Cormac so that they could watch the sunset together. As if conjured by her thoughts, he appeared in the doorway. She started to give him a welcoming smile and then saw the grim look on his face.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s your claim. That worthless male has just announced the discovery of water,” he said grimly.

“But that’s good, right?” She frowned at him. “The settlement could desperately use a new source of water and it should bring in a lot of business.”

“It’s not for the town. He has apparently arranged with a large company to drill for the water. They are simply planning to remove it and offer it for sale in the larger towns.”

“And nothing for the settlement?” Her stomach sank as she remembered the small farms, the backbreaking labor it took to water them, the outrageous prices that Mr. Haney charged if one needed to purchase additional water. “I need to talk to Bella. Surely if she understands what he’s doing, she can talk him out of it.”

For a moment, he looked torn, then he handed her the HARP monitor. “See for yourself.”

The sinking feeling remained as she studied the monitor. There was her sister, dressed in the height of fashion, looking beautiful but somehow distant. When David made the announcement, Bella smiled in almost cat-like satisfaction and when people began to protest, she waved dismissively and turned away.

“What has he done to her?” she whispered in horror.

Cormac opened his mouth, then shrugged and shut it again.

“Is this what you want? That he sells the water rights this way?” he asked finally.

“You know it isn’t. Is there anything we can do?”

He sighed. “You are the oldest child. The claim still belongs to you, but you would have to return to the settlement in order to convince everyone that you aren’t dead.”

A feeling of dread washed over her. Even though she had been talking earlier about visiting her sister, she had thought of it occurring in some distant future. She was happy here and she was afraid that if she left, things might change.

“I don’t want to go down there,” she admitted, then held up her hand when Cormac nodded eagerly. “But I can’t sit back and let him do this. I have to return, at least long enough to make provisions for the water rights.”

“I suspected as much. I will take you down in the morning, after I have had a chance to test the new lotion and make sure that you will be safe.”

“You’ll come with me?”

“Of course, I will. Wherever you go, I will also go.”

Her eyes filled with tears as relief swept over her. Having him with her would make the upcoming confrontation so much easier.

Late the next morning, Jackie wound her arms around Cormac’s neck as he took off for the settlement below. They had taken several flights earlier that day as he tested the lotion he had developed to protect their skin from the harsh environment on the surface, but she still found the experience a little bit overwhelming. To his relief, the lotion had proven totally effective for her and she hadn’t had any breathing difficulties during the tests. Unfortunately, it was not as effective for him and they decided that he would remain concealed within his bio suit unless absolutely necessary.

As he brought them to a gentle halt outside her cottage, she gave it a regretful look. Even though she’d been gone for such a short time, it already looked neglected.

“I hate seeing it this way,” she murmured. “It was my home for more than half of my life.”

He very carefully put one huge metal hand over her shoulder in a comforting touch. She patted it and smiled up at him.

“Maybe while we’re here in town, I’ll see if anyone is interested. I would much rather it was lived in than standing here empty. Although…” She cast a rueful glance up at the beanstalk. “I’m not sure how they’ll feel about a big green neighbor. Maybe after I see Bella, we can talk about taking it down.”

His metal head bobbed eagerly, and she laughed. “Let’s get this over with.”

She took the back way into the center of Songder Town in order to avoid attracting any attention. Of course, at this hour most people were hard at work, but it wasn’t until they were coming through the back alley behind Haney’s General Store, that they encountered anyone.

Mr. Haney stepped out of the back door and lit up a cigar before looking casually around. His mouth dropped open when he saw Cormac approaching.

“What are you doing here? It’s not a trading day. This is unacceptable.”

“We are not here to trade.” Her heart beating anxiously, she stepped forward and for the first time Mr. Haney seem to notice her. His ruddy face paled.

“You,” he whispered. “You’re dead.”

“The reports of my death were greatly exaggerated,” she said dryly.

His shock started to wear off and she saw him shift, squaring his shoulders. His gaze turned sly.

“I don’t know who you think you are, young woman, but I suggest that you and your pet alien return to wherever you came from,” he sneered as he inspected her from head to foot.

“You know damn well who I am.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “And I would be quite happy to take a DNA test to prove it.” Although she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She and Cormac had discussed the possibility and he thought that her genes were now irrevocably altered. Her DNA would be present, but it would be mixed with plant genes.

Fortunately, Mr. Haney sagged, accepting her threat. “Why are you here?”

“To make sure that the water rights on my claim are handled appropriately.”

A bead of sweat trickled down his face. “They belong to your sister now.”

“No, they don’t.” She hesitated. “If she would use them for the good of the Songder Town, I wouldn’t need to claim them.”

He snorted in disgust. “Are you kidding? That little bitch doesn’t care anymore about this settlement than I do. I told that stupid son of mine to go after her from the beginning.”.

“Why didn’t he?” The question escaped before she could stop herself.

“He thought she was too delicate to fuck properly.” He snorted again. “Had no idea what a little slut she really—”

Her hand cracked against his face before he finished the sentence. For a moment he just looked shocked, then his face darkened with anger and he took a step towards her. Cormac immediately knocked him back against the building.

Mr. Haney rubbed his cheek and scowled at both of them.

“Can’t stand the truth, huh?” Before she could respond, he continued. “What do you want?”

“I’m going to make sure that the ownership of my claim is fully established and then I’m going to arrange for the water to be piped to the town.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I can and I will.” She hesitated. “Perhaps I should talk to Bella first.”

“She ain’t here. Dragged that idiot son of mine off to Thaleth to buy more clothes.” He spat in the dirt. “Not that she keeps them on long—” He stopped abruptly with a quick glance at her hand, then rubbed his chin, the sly look returning. “But you should definitely wait until she returns.”

She looked up at Cormac, but he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. He was right, they shouldn’t put it off any longer.

“I can’t wait for her but tell her I’ll come back as soon as she returns.”

“You can’t,” he said desperately. “We have a deal with the Richter Corporation.”

“A deal you had no right to make.”

“You don’t understand what they’re like.” He shuddered and for the first time, fear crossed his expression.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not my problem.”

“But…” He looked from her to Cormac’s huge silent figure, and his shoulders sagged.

She waited, but he didn’t say anything else. Doing her best to hide her triumphant smile, she turned to Cormac and started leading him towards the market square. When they reached the end of the small alley, he brought her to a halt, indicated that she should remain there, and strode back down the alley.

Mr. Haney still stood outside the back entrance to his store. His eyes widened as Cormac approached, then bugged out in terror when Cormac lifted him off his feet so that they were at eye level. The man’s feet dangled far above the ground, and Cormac held him there with one set of arms while he released his visor. He immediately felt the effect of the atmosphere on his face and lungs, but he ignored the burning sensation. This was more important.

“You tried to kill my mate,” he growled. One hand fastened around the man’s throat and he began to squeeze.

“No, no,” the male gasped. “It wasn’t me; I swear it wasn’t me.”

“Since you’re the one who was planning to profit from her death, you’ll forgive me if I doubt you.” He squeezed a little harder and let the ends of his metal claws penetrate the outer layer of skin.

“It wasn’t me,” Mr. Haney cried. “It was the corporation.”

“After you told them about the water rights.”

“No. You’re wrong. They’re the ones who discovered it originally.”

He eased back just a little and the male gulped in air frantically.

“Then why did your son pursue my female?”

“We were trying to save her. They threatened to kidnap her.”

Cormac searched the man’s face. He suspected that he was not hearing the entire truth, but he also found that he believed that this mysterious corporation had made threats.

“Then what happened? Why did they make the attempt on her life?”

“They got impatient. They gave us six months to get her under control.” He shrugged helplessly, his eyes fixed on Cormac’s face. “You have to believe that we didn’t know they were going to cause the accident until after it was over.”

“Then why the fast wedding?”

Mr. Haney scowled, regaining some of his bluster even in his precarious position. “That was because of the little slut. She seduced my goddamn son and he was dumb enough to fall for her lies. She wanted to marry him while her sister was gone and then refused to put off the wedding after the accident.”

Anger surged in Cormac, but it was no longer directed at the man dangling in front of him. He had suspected that Bella had been instrumental in the wedding and he scowled as he remembered how devastated Jackie had been that her sister had married without her.

“Does she know about the water rights?”

“I didn’t tell her, but I don’t know if my son did.” He shook his head again. “I never thought a son of mine would be led astray by a hot little cunt.”

Cormac frowned at him. “Are you speaking from experience?”

The man grinned and licked red lips. “Hell, yeah. She was all but begging for it.”

Disgusted by the human, Cormac threw him to one side, not flinching when he heard his head crack against the block wall. He checked his sensors. The worthless male would live. A pity, but he no longer had the urge to kill the man. Without a second look, he refastened his visor and headed for where his female was waiting.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jackie kept her head carefully averted from the alley, but she could see enough to know that Cormac had Mr. Haney dangling from the wall, and she had to fight to hide her grin. Served the old bastard right—although she hoped Cormac wouldn’t kill him. When Cormac joined her, she snuck a quick glance past him and was relieved to see the man moaning as he raised a hand to his head.

In some ways, it was better to have had the confrontation with him here in private since they would have to enter his store to find Bill Crachett. The scrawny old man was the Tuknis government representative for Songder Town. Each settlement had to have a representative to record any changes in ownership of the claims, to record crystal production, and to handle any documentation to be filed with the government. Unfortunately, in a settlement the size of Songder, the job was only part time and paid a mere pittance. Since his own claim had proven spectacularly unsuccessful, Mr. Crachett had been forced to take a second job working for Mr. Haney and she suspected that he didn’t receive much more than another pittance from the miserly shopkeeper.

As soon as they entered the general store—with Cormac ducking way, way down to fit under the doorframe—the place went silent. A tall high-ceilinged room, the store was lined with shelves and cases displaying everything from clothes to cooking utensils, mining gear to food replicators. A loft over the back half of the room held the more expensive and rarer items. Only a few people browsed amongst the shelves, but Mrs. Miller was standing at the counter gossiping to Mrs. Washington and they both stared at her with open mouths.

“Good morning, ladies,” she said pleasantly. “This is my… husband, Cormac.” Stating their relationship out loud gave her a happy little thrill. “We’re here to see Mr. Crachett. Is he in?”

Mrs. Miller continued to gape at her, but Mrs. Washington was made of sterner stuff.

“Aye. He’s finishing up this week’s accounts.” She jerked a thumb at the door to one side of the counter, under the loft and frowned at Cormac. “Not sure he’ll fit.”

“We’ll manage,” she said cheerfully.

In truth, it was a tight fit. Cormac had to duck and turn sideways to enter and once inside, the upper part of his armor scraped the ceiling. Mr. Crachett simply watched, a tiny little gnome of a man behind the big desk, his face folded into deep brown wrinkles from his many years on Tuknis. His keen little eyes traveled from Cormac to Jackie.

“So. You’re not dead after all.”

“No matter how hard they tried,” Jackie agreed.

His mouth twisted. “Wondered about that. Never much in the way of rockslides in those canyons. Good thing I ain’t sent in the ownership change yet. Makes life easier.”

“You didn’t send it in?”

“Been kinda busy.” He winked and she grinned at him.

“I understand that my sister has made an arrangement for the water rights with a corporation out of Tuknis.” Part of her still hoped that she had misunderstood, but Mr. Crachett nodded grimly.

“Yep.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“I ‘spected you might not. One of the reasons I waited.”

“What do I need to do to change things?”

“The contract with Richter Corp is null and void now since she ain’t the owner of the claim. Which leaves it up to you. What d’ya want to do?”

“I would like to run a pipeline into the settlement and make sure that everyone has access to it, but I don’t have the money to make that happen.”

He snorted. “Sitting on an underground water source? Girlie, you could borrow enough to buy this whole place.”

“Also, I don’t know anything about how it needs to be done and how to set it up here.”

“Probably need to charge people for it,” he said thoughtfully, and Cormac nodded. Mr. Crachett’s gaze traveled to him for a moment, but he didn’t comment.

“I don’t want to do that. I know how much people need it,” she protested.

“Aye. But doesn’t mean you want them to take advantage.” He rubbed his hand across the sparse white bristles on his chin. “Could make it some kinda co-op. Limit the shares.”

“I suppose I could do that.”

“Also, the government will be mighty interested in that water. Maybe could make a deal with them to run the pipeline and handle the co-op. ‘Course they’d want their share. Probably want to ship some off as well.”

“That’s all right, as long as the town comes first.” She studied the gnarled old face. “Could you make the arrangements and then stay on as business manager? I don’t have any money yet…”

Cormac deposited a pile of credits on the desk. She started to protest but at least she would be able to pay him back now.

“I’d be happy to hire you,” she finished.

“Well, now.” Mr. Crachett rubbed his chin again, then grinned. “I reckon I’ll do it. Be mighty glad to get out of this place.” He picked up two of the credits. “This is enough to get me started. Don’t worry. I’ll pay myself plenty when I earn it. Pleased to be working for you, Ms. Jackie.”

“Thank you.” She handed him a limited version of the HARP. “You can use this to communicate with me when you need me.”

“Not staying in town, huh?”

“No. I’m going to be living with my husband.” The word still sounded strange to her, but it was the easiest way to explain it to everyone.

He squinted at Cormac again. “Reckon so. What are you going to do with your cottage?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think Bella would want it—”

He snorted, but she ignored him.

“—so I was thinking of renting it out.”

“I’ll take it, if you’re willing. Charge myself rent, too.”

From what she remembered, he lived in a ramshackle mining camp outside of town and had to journey in for work.

“I’d like that very much. It’s furnished, except I do want my mother’s couch.”

“Don’t need much.”

Reaching across the desk, she shook his hand. His gnarled fingers clasped hers in a surprisingly firm grip.

“Good thing you’re doing, Ms. Jackie. Proud to be a part of it.” He nodded at Cormac. “You take care of her, big fella.”

Cormac nodded solemnly.

As they exited back out into the store, her heart felt much lighter. But then she saw that the number of people in the room had increased dramatically.

“Jackie, is that really you?” Mrs. Miller seemed to have found her tongue.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“You look pretty good for someone that supposedly got killed.”

“I almost died. Cormac saved me.” She placed a proud hand on his arm.

A gasp swept around the room.

“What happened?” someone called.

“I don’t know.” After all, she had no proof of anything. “But, thanks to Cormac, I’m fine. And I’m going to live a long, healthy life.”

She looked across the crowd of faces, but no one seemed upset by her resurrection or her new appearance. Most of them were nodding or smiling.

Mrs. Washington elbowed Mrs. Miller and she cleared her throat.

“You know about the water rights? And what that sister of yours is doing with them?”

“Yes, I know. I’m sure she thought she was doing the right thing.” A low mumble of disagreement erupted but she ignored it. “However, I am making other arrangements. The water will be piped into town.”

A shocked silence was followed by a round of cheers.

Mr. Crachett appeared beside her, put his fingers in his mouth, and gave a shrill whistle. “Don’t mean it’s gonna be a free for all. I’ll set it up all right and fair but ain’t no one gonna take advantage.”

“Who put you in charge, old man?” someone yelled.

“I did,” Jackie said firmly. “Mr. Crachett is my new business manager. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Several people immediately swarmed Mr. Crachett, but many of them also wanted to come up to her to say thank you and congratulations. A few of them gave Cormac an uneasy look, but others bobbed their heads. She nodded politely and smiled and kept moving. As soon as they were outside in the marketplace, she gave a big sigh of relief. While she had no regrets about her decision, she felt oddly out of place amongst the settlers. Her life had already changed so dramatically. She turned to Cormac and smiled up at him.

“Take me home, my giant.”

She had barely finished speaking before he had gathered her into his arms and lifted into the sky. She put her arms around his neck, not out of fear this time but simply from a desire to be close to him and smiled happily. She was going home.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Two days later, Jackie was sitting on Cormac’s lap while he fed her dinner. He had added another chair—one designed for her size—to the table, but he still preferred to have her sitting with him. Not that she minded at all. She enjoyed the feel of his broad, muscled chest against her back and his strong legs supporting her—not to mention the ever-ready cock that was currently poking up between her legs. As she took a last bite and gave a satisfied sigh, his stamen started to tease along her slit. They widened her lips so that her damp folds were pressed against his hard length, while more of them circled her clit. She could feel the sensitive nub starting to swell and grow with each gentle movement. Rascal had been perched on her shoulder, receiving his own share of their dinner, but now he gave a disgusted chirp and sprang back down to the table. She giggled.

“I don’t think Rascal approves.”

“I can always send him back down the beanstalk,” Cormac said with a mock glare. Neither she nor Rascal were fooled. The small reptile had won Cormac over almost immediately. She frequently saw him perched on that giant shoulder as Cormac went about his daily routine and while he had a cozy little nest of pillows, she invariably woke up to find him tucked into her neck or Cormac’s.

Cormac’s hands came around to cover her breasts and tease her now aching nipples. She arched her back against him, one hand going up to circle behind his neck. The position thrust her breasts further into his hands and pushed her more firmly against his cock. She squirmed eagerly, trying to lift herself high enough to take that hot hard length inside her, but he held her easily in place, at the mercy of the tendrils now plucking at her swollen nub. Her muscles tensed and she could feel the climax rising, just out of reach.

“Cormac,” she gasped. “Please.”

His hands tightened on her breasts just as his stamen pulled back the hood of her clit and stroked across the exposed surface. Her orgasm washed across her with a sudden shocking intensity and while she was still shuddering, he lifted her and finally, finally buried himself in her tight channel. The shocking fullness sent her straight over into a second spasm and all she could do was hold on as he plunged in and out with forceful strokes until she felt him climax in a series of heated waves.

He curled his body around her, pressing gentle kisses to her neck and shoulders as the tension drained from their bodies.

“Mm,” she sighed in satisfaction. “It just keeps getting better.”

“You keep getting better, my love.”

She turned her head to kiss his cheek and felt him tense. A second later she felt it too, a disturbance in the plants.

“What is it?”

His eyes were closed, and she could hear the rustling noises that sounded like conversation. She tried to decipher the meaning but as usual it escaped her. All she could tell was that plants were agitated, and Cormack’s body didn’t soften. He finally lifted her gently off his lap, cleansed her quickly, and then pulled her dress over her head. This was new. Once he took off her clothes, he very rarely put them back on. When she looked down, she saw that he too had assumed his green loincloth, a piece of clothing he rarely bothered with any longer.

“What’s going on?”

“We are about to have a visitor,” he said grimly.

“I don’t understand.”

“Your sister is coming up the beanstalk.”

“Bella? Climbing? Oh, she’ll be so exhausted. Can’t we go get her in the tube?”

He shook his head. “It only has openings at the top and at the bottom.”

Joy mixed with her concern. “I can’t believe she’s coming here. Mr. Haney said they would be gone for a week. She must have come to see me as soon as she returned. We need to get ready. I’m so glad we have that extra bedroom so she can spend the night here. I’ll just go check and make sure it’s in order.”

As she started to dash out of the kitchen, Cormac caught her hand. “We don’t know why she’s coming.”

“She’s coming to see me, of course.” She gave him a reproachful stare. “I knew I should have let her know sooner that I was still alive. I hate that she had to make that hard climb just to see me. I would have gone to her.”

“I sent a message,” he said gently. “She knew you were alive weeks ago.”

“You never told me.”

“It didn’t seem… necessary at the time.”

“You still should have told me.” She frowned at him, already suspecting that was something he hadn’t told her, but she was too excited to dig for it now. “How long do I have?”

“An hour, perhaps a little less.”

“I’ll just go check on the room and then we can go down to the mist. I want to be there to greet her as soon as she arrives.”

Cormac watched as Jackie danced away. He dreaded the upcoming meeting, but his mate was so excited that he didn’t have the heart to tell her his suspicions. He regretted now that he hadn’t told her about the message, but he hadn’t wanted to upset her and let her know that her sister had crumpled up the paper and thrown it away without telling anyone. Whatever had driven Bella to climb the beanstalk, he only hoped that it wouldn’t hurt Jackie too much.

Jackie paced back and forth at the edge of the mist. Cormac had promised to let her know as soon as her sister reached the top, but she still wanted to demand a progress update every minute. Rascal chirped happily on her shoulder as she walked, thrilled with the ride. Cormac had crouched at one edge of the clearing and held the pose unmovingly. She knew that he didn’t care for her sister, but she was convinced that it was simply because he hadn’t had the chance to get to know her. She hoped that Bella could stay a little while and that the three of them could form a family.

“She has arrived.” For all the excitement in his voice, he could have been announcing a train wreck, but he rose to his feet and came to stand next to her.

A minute later her sister stumbled out of the mist.

“Bella,” Jackie cried, tears streaming down her face as she put her arms around her sister and hugged her fiercely. Her sister tentatively returned the hug, then shrieked.

“What is that?”

Before Jackie could answer, Bella batted Rascal off her shoulder. The small body landed with a sickening thud and Jackie raced over to him, Cormac right behind her. When she carefully picked him up, he mewled pitifully, big golden eyes focused on her face.

“Cormac, what are we going to do?”

“I’ll take him to the lab.” He gently took the small body, tucking it close to his chest, then took off at a run.

“Oh my, who is that?” Bella’s eyes followed Cormac with fervent appreciation.

“Bella, how could you do that? He’s just a defenseless little animal.”

Bella’s lip trembled and she shuddered. “He scared me. You know how I feel about crawly things.”

Jackie could only stare at her in horror, unmoved by her sister’s distress. For the first time, she realized how practiced her sister was at the trembling lip and the pitiful eyes. She took a good look at Bella and was appalled at the sight. Her fine clothes were in ragged shreds, revealing abundant curves. Jackie had always thought of her sister as delicate but looking at her now it was only too obvious that her delicacy was long gone. Her shining hair hung in tangles around her face, a face that was smeared with makeup. Bella didn’t look like her little sister anymore, she looked like an experienced woman after a very long night.

Stop that, she told herself. It was a hard climb. Of course, she’s in disarray.

When Jackie didn’t respond, Bella obviously decided to dismiss the subject. Instead, her eyes went back to the direction in which Cormac had disappeared.

“You never did tell me who he is?”

“He’s my husband,” Jackie said, unable to suppress the pride in her voice.

“I thought you were married to one of the aliens?”

“He is one of the aliens. They wear bio suits when they’re on the surface.”

“Oh my. He looks much better with only two arms. Is he that big all over?” Bella asked with a giggle.

“Bella!”

“Oh, don’t be silly. We’re both married ladies now.” But then Bella’s expression turned tragic. “At least, I hope we are.”

“What do you mean? Did something happen to David?”

“No. Although he would deserve it if something did happen to him.”

“Bella love, what happened?”

“We just got back from our trip to Thaleth yesterday—and he bought me the most divine new clothes.” She studied Jackie’s dress, then her lip poked out. “Although the one you’re wearing is awfully pretty, even if it is a little plain.”

Bella paused expectantly and Jackie suddenly had the sinking feeling that her sister expected her to offer her the dress. Instead, she redirected her sister’s attention to the question at hand.

“What happened when you returned?”

“David’s father told us that you had reclaimed the water rights and David got all upset and said he never should have married me to begin with. How could you do that to me?”

“I’m arranging to have the water piped to the settlement,” she said gently. “That should bring in a lot of new business for everyone.”

“But what if David doesn’t want to stay married to me anymore? What’s going to happen to me?” This time, Jackie suspected that the tears were genuine, and she gave her sister an impulsive hug.

“We’ll figure it out. Now why don’t you come up to the house? I’m sure you must be tired and hungry.”

Bella pressed the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. “So tired and so hungry. That was a horrible climb. I hope I don’t have one of my spells.”

For once, Jackie felt more annoyed than concerned about the possibility, but she turned Bella towards the house. The sooner she got her sister settled, the sooner she could check on Rascal. “You’ll feel much better after you eat, I’m sure.”

“I’ll try,” Bella said bravely. “But you know what a sensitive appetite I have.”

Since Jackie had her arm around a fairly substantial waist, she wasn’t quite as certain of that she had been previously, but she refrained from comment.

As they walked up the path towards the house, various plants dipped in their direction. She could sense their underlying excitement and curiosity and didn’t think twice about it until she realized that Bella was batting them away impatiently. As she did so, small welts started to appear on her skin. When she looked down and saw them, she shrieked. Jackie winced at the high-pitched noise and it almost felt as if the surrounding gardens did so as well. She pulled Bella under her arm and did her best to send mental images of reassurance to the plants. Her relief, they pulled away from the path and the rest of the trip passed in relative peace.

Bella’s eyes widened as she entered the courtyard and took in the size of the big stone building.

“It’s so big! The house David is building for us isn’t going to be anything near as big as this.”

“Most of it is Cormac’s greenhouse and workshop.”

“A greenhouse? You mean with glass walls? That would be perfect for a ballroom.”

Jackie laughed. “We don’t exactly get many visitors, and even if we did, I don’t think we’re the dancing type.”

Bella ignored her statement, hurrying across the courtyard and through the big double doors into the main hall.

“This would be perfect for receiving guests. Is there a dining room?”

“Bella love, I just told you we don’t have guests. And there is no dining room.”

“Surely now that I’m here, you will want to introduce me.”

Without waiting for an answer, Bella danced away across the hall to throw open the study doors. “I suppose this is nice enough, but it could certainly use some new furniture.”

“We like the furniture just the way it is.” Jackie took her sister firmly by the arm and led her up the stairs to the guest room.

While not as big as the tower room, Jackie still thought it was a beautiful room. The outer wall was curved to follow the exterior of the tower and, like the upper room, had a series of arched windows over a low window bench. The fabrics in the room were in soft shades of blue and cream that blended harmoniously with the green of the stonework. Her mother’s sofa had pride of place against the far wall and she had added vases of fragrant flowers next to the bed. Jackie was delighted to have such a nice room for her sister. Unfortunately, Bella did not seem impressed. She wandered around, ran a finger over the coverlet, and looked disinterestedly out the windows.

“It isn’t very big, is it?” she asked at last. “And why did you bring that old thing up here?”

Jackie’s pleasure in the room disappeared in a hurry. Compared to the bedroom in their small cottage, this room was easily twice its size. What had her sister become accustomed to?

“Because it belonged to our mother,” she said quietly. “I’m afraid this is the only guestroom we have. I hoped you would like it.”

Bella rushed over to her and gave her a hug. “No, no. I’m sure it’s fine. It’s just… You know how much time I have to spend in bed. That’s why you gave me the larger room in the cottage.”

She paused hopefully, while a hundred thoughts rushed through Jackie’s head. She found the idea of her sister taking to her bed here in their home unexpectedly distasteful. Her sister no longer seemed so helpless—she had certainly not been too ill to make the climb. What’s more, she was not about to suggest to Cormac that they leave their room to satisfy her sister’s whim.

“I think you’ll find it’s quite big enough,” she said firmly.

Ignoring Bella’s disappointed look, she opened the door and showed her the bathroom. There was no bathing pool, but there was a large bathtub in the spacious room.

“Maybe you would like to take a bath? I need to go check on Rascal.”

“Rascal?”

“My pet. The one you—”

Bella had the grace to look ashamed, but then she shuddered. “I hope you don’t let him in the house.”

“Yes, I do. I only hope he’s well enough to come back.”

“I’m sure I can take care of myself,” Bella sighed. “Although, I am terribly thirsty and hungry…”

Jackie sternly suppressed an uncharitable thought and walked over to turn on the taps in the bath.

“Why don’t you take a bath while I get you a tray?”

“Thank you, Jackie.” Bella hugged her impulsively, and Jackie’s heart softened. She had to remember that Bella was still very young and inexperienced.

“I’ll be right back,” she promised.

Chapter Twenty-Five

When Jackie was finally able to escape Bella and join Cormac in the lab, she found him crouched over the lab table. Wrapped in green bandages, Rascal looked impossibly small in the middle of the large surface.

“Is he going to be all right?” she asked anxiously.

“I think he’s going to be fine,” he promised, and drew her close to his side. “He’s a tough little creature.”

Thankful tears sprang to her eyes. “I’m so glad. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner.”

“I assume your sister was somewhat… demanding.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” she sighed. “I think part of it was just because she was tired from the climb. She wasn’t like this before.”

He didn’t respond, but his silence spoke volumes. Had Bella been like this in the past? Jackie didn’t want to think so, but then again, she had always been so busy that sometimes it had just been easier to go along with her sister’s requests than it had been to try and have her take on more responsibility.

“I suppose it’s my fault. I spoiled her.”

“And perhaps she took advantage of that,” he said gently.

“Perhaps.” She gave him a rueful smile and he put his arm around her.

“Why is she here?”

“Apparently David said that he regretted marrying her after he found out about the water rights.” She sighed. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble in her marriage.”

“Of course, you didn’t.” He hugged her, but she noticed he was looking thoughtfully out the window.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m wondering why they are so upset. Admittedly, I’m sure they were getting a large payout from the Richter Corporation, but once the water is piped into Songder Town, I’m sure that both the settlement and their business will grow.”

“Mr. Haney did seem worried about his investors.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think that they would hurt them, do you?”

“The prospect does not bother me.”

“I know they are not very nice people, but I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“You are too softhearted, my karrida.” He sighed and pulled her closer. “I believe we still have some connections in Port Garig. I can make some discreet inquiries.”

“Thank you, my giant.” She tried to pull him down for a kiss but instead he picked her up so that their faces were level. Her legs automatically encircled his waist and she reached up to let the leafy tendrils of his hair curl around her fingers.

“Have I ever told you that I love you?” she asked.

“Every day, but I never get tired of hearing it. Just as I will never stop being grateful that you had the courage to climb the beanstalk.”

His mouth closed over hers in a tender kiss that rapidly turned demanding. They had previously discovered that the lab counter was at a perfect height to raise her hips to his, but just as she was beginning to wonder if they could take advantage of her sister’s bath time, he stiffened and raised his head.

“Your sister approaches.”

Jackie sternly suppressed her feeling of irritation as he quickly placed her back on her feet. She would have to remember that they were no longer alone.

“There you are.”

Bella came dancing into the lab, wearing one of Jackie’s dresses—or perhaps almost wearing it would be more accurate. The fabric strained over her sister’s much rounder figure. Her breasts threatened to spill over the neckline and the material clung so tightly to her waist and hips that she could have been naked. Jackie stared at her in stunned amazement.

“I had to borrow some of your clothes,” Bella said airily. “I knew you wouldn’t mind. And that upper room is so much nicer, you mean old thing.”

“You will not enter our room again,” Cormac ordered, his face as grim as Jackie had ever seen it. “It does not belong to you.”

Bella didn’t seem the least bit bothered by his annoyance. Instead, she walked over and put a pleading hand on his arm while she looked up at him with those enormous blue eyes that made most people melt.

“I didn’t mean to upset anyone. Jackie can tell you that I spend a lot of time in bed because I’m so delicate. She’s always wanted me to have the best room.”

“It’s not her room,” Cormac said sternly, and Jackie’s heart skipped a beat before he continued. “It’s our room and you do not belong there.”

Bella pouted and squeezed his arm. When he still did not respond, she sighed impatiently and turned to Jackie.

“You don’t mind lending me your clothes, do you?”

“I think we should see about getting you clothes of your own,” she said noncommittally.

Bella looked from her face to Cormac’s and for a minute, Jackie actually thought she was going to stomp her foot. Instead, she shrugged and gave them both her charming smile.

“What’s for dinner?”

By the time Jackie crawled into bed that night, she felt as exhausted as if she had spent the day mining. Bella had talked nonstop the entire evening. Mixed in with her stories about her fine clothes and her fine society friends, had been a constant stream of complaints. She hadn’t liked the simple dinner or the absence of wine, she didn’t want to sit around and read after dinner, and she kept returning to the subject of the tower room no matter how firmly Cormac rejected her hints. By the time Jackie managed to convince her to go to bed, she was wondering what had possessed her to think that having her sister here would be a pleasure. It didn’t help matters that Cormac had grown increasingly silent and grim as the evening progressed. Instead of eagerly carrying her to bed as he usually did, he had excused himself to go to his workshop. When she followed him out there to check on Rascal, she found him frowning out the window again.

“How is he?” she asked, hovering over the small creature. He was still swathed in green bandages, but he looked more as if he was sleeping now.

“He’s fine.” The faint emphasis on he did not escape her.

“I’m sorry, Cormac, but I don’t know what else to do. She’s my sister. I can’t just throw her out.”

“I know, my love. But I do not think that she can stay.”

“I’ll talk to her,” she promised. “We will be getting compensation from the Tuknis government due to the water rights. Now that I have the funds to arrange it, perhaps she would be happier in a larger settlement.”

“I hope so.”

Despite his words, he still looked unhappy and he didn’t accompany her to bed. When she felt him join her, many hours later, he didn’t even pull her into his arms the way he usually did. Heartsick, she laid there feeling almost as alone as she had before she climbed the beanstalk. The sky was beginning to lighten when she finally fell asleep.

Cormac could feel the tension in Jackie’s body, and he knew that she wasn’t sleeping. He wanted to pull her close to him, but he felt too much guilt. He wouldn’t allow her sister to destroy what they had between them, even if it meant taking drastic steps. He could only hope that she would forgive him.

The sun beating against her closed eyelids finally forced Jackie awake. Her whole body ached, and her mind felt dull and unhappy. What little sleep she had managed had been haunted by dreams of the beanstalk falling and leaving her abandoned on the surface of the planet. With a weary sigh, she climbed out of bed. The other side of the bed was empty, and she didn’t even feel the lingering heat of Cormac’s presence. This was the first morning since they had been together that she had awoken without him. As she headed towards the bathroom, she decided that this couldn’t go on. As much as she loved her sister, she wasn’t going to let her cause trouble between herself and Cormac.

Determined to talk to Bella, she headed down the stairs. The door to the guest room stood ajar and as she approached, she heard her sister talking.

“You must’ve been terribly lonely up here, all by yourself.”

Jackie took a step closer and paused outside the bedroom door. She could see Cormac standing in the middle of the room, but she didn’t understand why he was there. As she put her hand on the doorknob, her sister suddenly came into view. Bella was wearing more of Jackie’s clothes—this time, a short, frivolous nightgown that Cormac had created for her one evening when they were feeling playful. But it had never looked like that on her. Bella had tugged the neckline down so low that you could see the pink shadow of her areola, while the short hemline barely covered her bottom.

Her stomach churned as she watched Bella prance up to Cormac. Why was he just standing there while her sister pressed herself against him? This was no quasi-innocent touch. Instead Bella’s entire body undulated against Cormac’s front.

“But now that I’m here, you don’t have to be lonely anymore.”

“I’m not. I have Jackie.” He sounded so odd, so stiff. Was he having a hard time fighting her sister’s lure?

“And I’m sure that’s been very nice.” Bella wiggled again and to Jackie’s horror she saw her reach for Cormac’s cock. “But she doesn’t know what to do with the real man, not like I do.” She giggled and the sound tore across Jackie’s nerves liked barbed wire. “She couldn’t even keep her precious fiancé. He much preferred me and I’m sure you will too.”

“She loves me,” Cormac said, and Jackie’s heart ripped a little bit more when he didn’t say that he returned the sentiment.

“Oh, she’ll be fine. I’m sure she’ll realize that this is for the best.”

“The best? Why don’t you show me what you’re promising?”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jackie’s stomach churned as Bella giggled again and pulled the nightgown over her head. The lush body underneath was so clearly not delicate that Jackie could only shake her head at her own stupidity. How could she have been so blind about her own sister? And about Cormac. Heartsick, she started to turn away, then stopped as she caught a second glimpse of her sister’s body. Everywhere that the nightgown had touched her was now red and inflamed. Even as she watched, she could see the inflammation spreading and small pustules start to appear. At first, Bella was too busy posing to notice but then she scratched absently at her hip. A moment later, her scratching increased and then she looked down. As soon as she did, she screamed and snatched up a sheet to cover her body.

“What did you do to me?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Cormac said calmly. “I suspect the plants are not happy with your behavior.”

As he spoke, Jackie realized what she had been too distracted to notice before. The plant life did seem agitated—the murmur in her head unusually restless—but in addition to that, Cormac had been speaking to them. Her mouth dropped open just as he turned and met her eyes. He didn’t seem surprised to see her and she suspected that he had known she was there all along. A hint of apology crossed his face, but she could read the underlying determination.

“What am I going to do? Make it stop,” Bella demanded as she scratched her arms now.

“He can’t make it stop,” Jackie said as she stepped into the room. “I think you’re allergic to all these plants.”

Her sister didn’t seem the slightest bit concerned that Jackie had found her naked with her husband. Instead, her lip trembled, and her eyes filled with tears, just as they always had.

“You have to take me away from here. I can’t live like this.” She looked down at her skin and shuddered. “I’m so ugly.”

“I’m sorry, Bella, but I think you’re right. If you are allergic, you can’t stay here.”

“What am I going to do?” The tears miraculously stopped, replaced by speculation. “I know. We’ll go back down to the surface together. Aren’t you supposed to be getting some money from the water rights? We could use that to build a new house, a bigger house. It will be just like old times, only better.”

Jackie could only stare at her. Did Bella really expect her to leave her husband and return to the surface just to take care of her? Of course, she did, Jackie realized, as the full impact of her sister’s selfishness finally penetrated. But one look at that pretty, petulant face and she knew that Bella would never understand.

“Why don’t you put on the clothes that you wore up here yesterday?”

Her sister started to protest, then scratched at her stomach. “I suppose. But you’re going to have to get me something to replace it as soon as we get to the surface. I can’t have anyone seeing me like this.”

“I’m sure you’ll be just fine, once you return.”

Cormac had been silent all this time and she looked up to find him studying her face. Even though she now realized what he had been doing, she wasn’t quite ready to forgive him. Neither did she feel the need to explain what she was about to do. She ushered him firmly to the door, then helped a complaining Bella into the remnants of her finery. Her sister alternated between moaning about her current state and describing their future life in glowing terms. Those glowing terms seem to consist mainly of Bella lording it over the rest of the settlement, and Jackie decided it was easier just to ignore them.

As soon as Bella was dressed, Jackie herded her out of the castle and down the paths towards the beanstalk. The plants were even more aggressive this time, slapping and poking at Bella. Feeling a little guilty, Jackie did her best to shield her sister.

Cormac was nowhere in sight, but she could sense his presence. Just as they entered the mist, he loomed up behind them and Bella gave a startled gasp. In the swirling green, he seemed even larger than usual, an almost frightening figure.

“What are you doing, Jackie?” he growled.

“I am taking my sister home,” she said quietly.

Before he could say anything else, she moved over to the beanstalk and opened the door.

“What’s that?” Bella asked.

“It’s a faster way back to the surface.”

“You mean I didn’t have to climb this nasty old plant?”

The tendrils on the beanstalk swirled angrily, and Jackie gave it a surreptitious pat.

“No, all you have to do is step inside and press the button next to the opening.”

Bella started eagerly towards the door, then paused. “Aren’t you going to come with me?”

Cormac took a quick step forward, but Jackie ignored him. “It will only hold one person at a time. You will need to go first.”

He came to an abrupt halt, but to her relief he didn’t say anything.

“And then you’ll come down?” Bella asked. “You know I need you, Jackie.”

Bella’s eyes were very big and blue, and Jackie had a sudden flashback to when her sister had been born. Back then, she truly had been fragile and delicate, and Jackie had sworn to herself that she would take care of her sister. Then, when their mother died, she had been even more determined to watch out for her. But over the years, her sister had changed and somehow, she hadn’t noticed. Coddling her had been a mistake—it was time for her to find her own way.

“I’ll make sure that you’re taken care of,” she promised.

Bella gave Cormac a triumphant smile and stepped inside the beanstalk. With a careless wave, she pressed the button and disappeared out of sight.

“Please tell me when she reaches the bottom,” she said.

Cormac nodded and they stood in silence for a moment until Jackie looked up at him. “You did that, didn’t you?”

“Did what?”

“Made her react to the clothing.”

He hesitated. “Yes and no. I told you before that as a result of our changed biology, our environment is not always compatible with animal life.”

“It was never a problem for me.”

“Because I protected you from it at first, and then because the plants accepted you. When she… touched me, I removed that protection.”

“You knew she would do it.”

“I suspected.” He looked at her solemnly. “I hoped she would not, for your sake.” When she didn’t respond, he sighed, then tilted his head. “I opened the lower door and she is outside.”

“Good.” She stepped towards the stalk and he grabbed her hand.

“Jackie, you can’t.”

“I can’t what?”

“You can’t leave me. I need you so much more than she has ever needed you.”

The look of despair on his face tugged at her heart and she brought his hand to her mouth, giving it a gentle kiss.

“Of course, I’m not leaving you. I just think it’s time to take down the beanstalk.”

With a delighted cry, he lifted her into his arms, whirling her around in a dizzying circle before he kissed her. As always, his passion aroused her own and she clung to him before she remembered.

“The beanstalk first.”

He nodded solemnly and placed her on her feet. Driven by a sudden impulse, she bent forward and pressed her head against the stalk. Thank you, she whispered silently, then stepped back.

“This isn’t going to… hurt it, is it?”

He shook his head. “It will return to its previous form.”

It was his turn to approach the beanstalk and just as Jackie had done, he bent forward and touched his head against the column. Then his hands traced a pattern through the leaves. The leaves in turn started to dance in a wide circular pattern which the stalk began to follow, twisting in on itself and becoming smaller and smaller until with a quiet pop, a small white bean appeared in the palm of Cormac’s hand while a few remaining leaves showered down over them.

Jackie stared in amazement at the small remnant of the giant beanstalk. “How did you do that?”

“Magic,” he said with a grin. “And now, my love, we have a brand-new day in front of us. What shall we do?”

“Well, I do want to go check on Rascal.”

He nodded, advancing towards her. “Definitely.”

“And I haven’t had any breakfast yet.”

Another step closer. “Later.”

“And I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“And you’re not going to get much this morning either.”

He pounced on her, lifting her up in his arms and kissing her with feverish intensity.

“Then I look forward to no sleep at all,” she said with a happy smile as Cormac headed for the castle. He had said she would find everything she wanted if she planted the bean and he had been right.

Epilogue

Three years later

“I call that a good day’s work.”

Jackie sat back on her heels and smiled up at Cormac. They tried to make the trip down to the surface every two or three weeks and she still loved spending time in the canyons.

“A fine collection of crystals,” he agreed through the thin layer of green cloth covering the lower part of his face. Only a coating of the lotion he had developed covered the rest of his big body. When she had told him that she wanted to continue working her claim, he had both improved the formula and developed the mask so that he could accompany her without being confined to the bio suit the entire time, although he only ever removed it when they were alone.

Unfettered access to her mate’s body was a welcome improvement and she ran an appreciative eye over the muscles gleaming a warm green in the setting sun. The passing years had done nothing to diminish her desire for her giant. Just as she was about to propose they test the limits of the hammock—already reinforced twice—her wrist chronometer chimed.

“Looks like time’s up. Your son will be demanding his evening meal shortly.” Now approaching a year old, Spiri was mostly weaned, but he still expected his evening meal straight from Mama.

“I didn’t realize it was so late.” Cormac was already pulling on the bio suit. “I find the search for crystals surprisingly enthralling.”

“Probably because you’re so good at it,” she said affectionately as she stowed the crystals in her pack along with their other supplies. His gift with organic matter didn’t extend to the stones, but it certainly helped him detect the minor anomalies that often indicated a small cache.

Rascal had been exploring happily but he recognized the signs of impending departure and hopped over to her. He had a special pocket in her pack, and she tucked him inside as he chirped happily. He loved flying and would spend most of the trip peering eagerly through the mesh window in his pocket.

When she turned back to Cormac, he was already fully dressed in his armor and she had a sudden flashback to their original interactions in the marketplace. While part of her regretted the wasted time, perhaps it had been necessary to lay the foundation of a relationship between them—and also for her to reach a point when she was willing to leave her sister behind.

As he gathered her into his arms and lifted up into the atmosphere, she looked towards the settlement. With the additional resources provided by the water rights, the town had grown and many of the settlers were prospering. Mr. Haney, unfortunately, was one of them, although he had spent six months recovering from a mysterious accident after the Richter Corporation found out that he didn’t control the water rights after all. At least now he wasn’t the only one benefitting from the newfound resource. And thanks to Cormac’s connections in Port Garig, the Richter Corporation had been investigated and banished from the planet.

Unwilling to abandon her sister completely, Jackie had arranged for a monthly stipend to be paid to her from the income from the water rights. Despite the credits—or possibly because of them—Bella had returned to David and the two of them were frequently seen in public, still trying to lord it over the rest of the town. Jackie genuinely hoped that her sister was happy, but she suspected that Bella was too busy wanting more to appreciate what she already had. Jackie still checked in on her with the HARP, but she found she had little desire to reopen communication between them. Perhaps one day her sister would grow up enough to recognize what was truly valuable.

Love, she thought as the settlement faded into the surface below and they reached their home. She loved her mate and she loved her son. Knowing that they loved her in return made her happier than she had ever expected to be. As they landed on the terrace, Mary came out to greet them, snuggling Spiri in her arms. Jackie had recruited her old friend as a nanny and the arrangement had proven more than satisfactory to all parties. Mary loved Spiri and had adapted to life in the clouds with remarkable ease. Cormac flew her back to the settlement every week to spend time with her family—a family who now worked their own prosperous farm—and Jackie knew that her friend had only good things to say about him. When he traveled to the town for a trading day now, he was always greeted cordially. She suspected that within a few years, she might be able to convince him to at least remove the visor and speak to the townspeople.

“Maamaa,” Spiri cried, already reaching for her. In most ways he was a miniature replica of Cormac, down to the softly curling leafy tendrils of his hair, but he had inherited her pale, slightly greenish skin instead of his father’s deeper green complexion. They both hoped that he would be more tolerant of the atmosphere on the planet than Cormac, but they had yet to take him with them on any of their trips to the surface.

“Who’s my big boy?” she crooned, as she gathered the warm sturdy little body to her chest. He had been the size of a healthy human infant at birth, but he was far outpacing them as he grew older. He was easily the size of a two-year-old now, but he was still her baby.

He laughed gleefully and tugged on her hair. He was already fascinated by the difference between her straight brown locks and his own hair.

“He’s already bathed and changed. If you don’t mind, Jackie, Klathos asked me to go for a walk this evening,” Mary said bashfully. The older alien occasionally worked with Cormac on some joint experiments, and he had made his fascination with Mary quite clear. Jackie nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, of course. We’re probably going to have an early night.”

“Very early,” Cormac whispered in her ear, and she fought to hide her blush.

“Is he coming here?” she asked.

“Yes, but he wanted to show me some of the flowers he’s been developing so we’ll probably go back to his domain.”

Klathos specialized in hybrid flowers designed to grow under difficult conditions.

“Why don’t you go get ready? I think Spiri is ready for his dinner.” Her son had started patting at her breast. It was already clear that he had inherited some of Cormac’s abilities and now the fabric of her shirt started to part. “Just a minute, Spiri.”

Mary laughed. “Go take care of him. I’ll see you in the morning, little one.”

“Maawee,” Spiri cooed as Mary kissed him on the head before heading to the small cottage that Cormac had built to one side of their home. Already covered with vines, it appeared to be part of the original structure, but the separate building allowed them all privacy. Rascal scampered off after her and Jackie laughed. Mary had a soft spot for the little creature, and he was sure to get at least a few treats from her.

The setting sun sent golden streaks across the courtyard as they headed inside, the mellow light warming the green stone, and she sighed happily. Every day reminded her of how much she loved her home. As she passed through the big double doors, the flowering vine growing around the doorframe sent a drift of petals showering down on her. She still hadn’t mastered the communication with the plants that Cormac used, but she sent a wave of appreciation towards the vine and a tendril briefly caressed her cheek.

“I’m going to feed him in his room and put him down right away.”

“I’ll prepare a meal. Dinner on the balcony?”

Because Cormac knew how much she loved to sit outside and watch the stars, he had added a small balcony to their bedroom.

“That sounds wonderful.”

Her heart still skipped a beat as she watched him walk away—big, green, handsome, and hers.

“I’m a very lucky woman,” she told Spiri as she carried him up to the nursery.

As Cormac carried a tray up to their balcony, he could hear Jackie humming to Spiri. That he had found such happiness still surprised and delighted him. So many years of being alone, then more years wasted as he waited for her to be ready for him. Working with plants had taught him patience but he had never been rewarded by a more beautiful blossom.

He carefully arranged their meal, then laid his small present on her plate, before heading downstairs to say goodnight to his son. Spiri nursed lazily, his eyes already heavy with sleep.

“Why don’t you take him?” Jackie whispered. “I’ll go get ready for dinner.”

She gently broke the suction and Spiri’s mouth popped free, revealing a red, distended nipple. Cormac eyed it hungrily, his sap rising as eagerly as ever at the sight of his mate’s body, but Spiri started to fuss and he lifted him into his arms.

“Come along, little one. Let Mama have her dinner too.”

The baby calmed as Cormac tucked him into his shoulder, the little body nestling closer. He breathed in the sweet scent of his son as Jackie blew him a kiss and slipped away. Pacing slowly around the room, he softly sang an old Gremin lullaby to Spiri until his son settled into the heavy sleep of a contented child. He placed him in his crib and called the vines to blanket Spiri and watch over him before heading upstairs to the balcony.

Darkness had fallen while he had rocked Spiri to sleep and now small lights sparkled in the flowering vines that surrounded the balcony in soft fragrance. Jedgan’s music flowed out into the night.

“He’s asleep—”

He stopped abruptly as he took in the sight of his mate. All she wore was a flowering vine that curved up one long bare leg, formed a cluster of blooms between her legs, then flowed up her stomach to just cover the tip of each breast with more flowers. He had never seen a more beautiful or more erotic outfit.

“Do you like it? I’ve been practicing with the different types of plants and this one just seemed to respond best. But if you don’t like it…”

Her voice trailed off and he realized that he was still silently gaping at her.

“It is a fitting design for your beauty,” he managed, his voice hoarse. The area where she had been most successful in communicating with the plants had been with clothing and he found himself thanking the stars for that talent as he took a step closer.

“Thank you.” Her cheeks flushed at the compliment. “I wanted to do something special today.”

“You know what today is?”

“Of course. This is the day I missed the trading session. The day you traded your magic bean for our COW.”

“Magic?”

“How could it be anything else? It led me to this place, to you, to our son.” Her eyes sparkled with tears in the moonlight, but he knew they were happy tears.

“I only wanted to keep my promise.”

He handed her his present. Inside a small framed case was the bean and the card he had written that day.

Everything you want is waiting for you.

“A rash promise,” she whispered. “But you made it come true.”

“I have done my best, even though I had it wrong—you were everything I wanted.”

Unable to wait any longer, he lifted her into his arms, kissing her until she was breathless and clinging to him before he carried her through into their bedroom. As he placed her on the bed, he stroked the vine and it fell away, leaving behind an even more beautiful and erotic sight—his naked mate.

“I love you, my giant.”

“I love you, too, my karrida.”

He then proceeded to show her just how much.

And they lived happily ever after...

Author’s Note

Thank you so much for reading Jackie and the Giant! I had a great time combining two of my favorite things - fairy tales and science fiction romance - and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Whether you loved the book or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon. Word of mouth is incredibly helpful for authors and I’d love to know your thoughts!

As always, there are many people I want to thank. First and foremost, I would like to thank my readers - I am constantly humbled and gratified by your love and support! And of course, all of the other amazing authors in the Cosmic Fairy Tales collaboration - Bex McLynn, Emmy Chandler, Tiffany Roberts, Susan Trombley, Regine Abel, Amanda Milo, and Tracy Lauren! And last, but certainly not least, my awesome beta readers: Janet S, Tammy S, Kathryn S, and Kitty S!

I hope you will check out all of the books in the Cosmic Fairy Tales collaboration! Each of them features a different fairy tale and contains its own Happily Ever After and they can be read in any order!

The Ugly Dukeling by Bex McLynn

The Lion and the Mouse by Emmy Chandler

Escaping Wonderland by Tiffany Roberts

Rampion by Susan Trombley

The Hunchback by Regine Abel

The Frog Prince by Tracy Lauren

Contaminated by Amana Milo

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Other Titles

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

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

Treasured by the Alien

with Bex McLynn

Mama and the Alien Warrior

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles