G-Strain

G-§TRAIN Sage Whistler

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR Dear Readers, Writing science fiction is nothing to shake a stick at, and I applaud all who undertake this endeavor. The G-Strain was a labor of love and hate for me, but it was a learning experience that I wouldn’t give up for the world. I dedicat this story to my AFF fans because they were the reason this story ever made it past chapter one. I don’t think I would have finished The G-Strain anytime soon without the little messages that prodded me on. Someone even promised me chocolate if I hurried up and finished it. So, what I’m really getting at is that I hope you enjoy this new world I have created. I know when some people read this story, they will wonder just where in the heck I came up with these ideas. That’s an easy one: Too many late nights watching over-the-top science fiction movies and a dash of Stephen King. I’ve included a glossary at the end of the story to help you identify the “alien” terms featured within. Thank you for your purchase and… Happy Reading!

Dedication To my AFF fan group. You guys never let me give up on finishing this story.

Acknowledgement My undying thanks and appreciation go to the lady who made this all possible, Denise Mosley. She saw in me an author at a time when I was just a gal with dreams.

Disclaimer Barbie is the property of Matel ©

CHAPTER 1 “If there was something out there, don’t you think we would have found it by now?” ~President Alan Corgis (when asked about his thoughts on life forms beyond the Milky Way Galaxy)

~Sometime in the future~ It’s funny what the mind latches onto when your nerves are strained to the fraying point. At the moment, while Jared’s elevator zoomed up twenty-seven floors, he was thinking about Barbie dolls. It actually wasn’t all that far-fetched, considering that just fifteen minutes ago he’d run into a vintage store and purchased one for his cousin, Abigail. Of course, that also explained why he was ten minutes late for his interview. He’d known when he went into the store that he was going to pay for it. But the sign in the window had announced the last Barbie doll in stock and a price Jared could afford. He hadn’t been able to resist. With the type of luck he had, by the time he got out of his interview the doll would have been sold. So he’d made the sacrifice, and now it was time to face the music. He was late, and he needed this job badly. Companies like Houghton, Inc. didn’t offer interviews every day. It had taken a lot of string-pulling and begging to get this one. He was so dead. The doors slid open and Jared leapt out, not paying attention to the broad-shouldered man standing on the other side. He slammed right into the man, who had been waiting for the elevator. The man reached out and steadied him on his feet before letting go. Jared flushed. “Ah, excuse me.” A set of pearly white teeth flashed from a startlingly handsome face. “No problem, just try to look up more often.” If he saw men like this one all day, he’d never look down. The man had mocha-colored skin, hazel eyes, and the most kissable lips Jared had ever seen. Neat dreadlocks fell to his broad shoulders and framed an undeniably masculine face. Down, boy—the man was putting off major straight vibes. “Uh, yeah, I’ll do that.” Time to make a retreat before he made a bigger ass of himself. He started walking in the direction he thought would lead him to the main desk of the Houghton front office. The bag with the doll in it slapped methodically against his leg. He adjusted the arm in which he carried a portfolio of his drawings. Most people used holocards these days, but he was willing to bet Mr. Houghton would appreciate the time and money he’d spent on paper and actually drawing with his own two hands. The drawings themselves were a lifetime of his work. Well, only about a quarter of it, really. He had hundreds of them back in his apartment and at his aunt’s house in the attic, but these he’d worked on specifically for this interview. Houghton was looking for the next hottest thing in videogames, specifically RPG themes. Jared had created an entire world and over twenty new characters. Hopefully, Mr. Houghton would like them as much as he did. Eventually, he came to a set of glass doors with the official Houghton logo stained on them in the shade of white ice. His palms were sweating as he reached for the silver handle and went inside. Heaven only knew why companies blasted the air conditioner twenty-four seven. The cold air instantly chilled his already damp skin, and Jared was left shivering as he headed for the oval desk in the middle of the room.

A petite brunette with a silver headset wrapped around her curly head was dividing her attention between speaking into the comlink and typing furiously on her keyboard. She looked up briefly and spotted Jared. She acknowledged his presence by holding up one slender crimson-nailed finger, her silent cue for him to hold on a moment. Jared glanced at his wristwatch, the blaring green numbers telling him that he was now twenty minutes late. The little man in the left corner of his watch was currently banging his head against a wall. At the time he’d bought the watch, he thought the built in character was humorous—key words: “at the time.” “May I help you, sir?” Jared started, pasted on a smile that probably looked more like a grimace, and said, “Yes, I’m here to see Mr. Houghton for an interview.” There. He hadn’t winced… much. Her perfectly plucked eyebrows lifted. She checked her own watch. “I see. Mr. Houghton has another interview in about five minutes, but I’ll tell him you are here.” She cast him a sympathetic look that said, Poor thing, but you should probably turn around and go crawl under a rock. Her crimson nail jabbed a button, and she spoke into her comlink. “Mr. Houghton, your one o’clock is here.” “A Mr. Jared Mariner?” His voice was gruff, like he could have been a general in an army. Just great! The secretary pressed another button Jared guessed muted her voice from Mr. Houghton’s ears and asked, “Is your name Jared Mariner?” “Yes, ma’am.” She released the button. “Yes, Mr. Houghton. He is Jared Mariner.” There was a long silence, and then Mr. Houghton sighed. “Send him in, then.” She looked back at Jared. “You may go in, sir.” “Oh, thank you.” Jared lifted the bag with the doll in it. “I hate to ask, but could you keep this here with you until I come out?” No way was he walking into Mr. Houghton’s office with a Barbie doll swinging at his hip. Her eyes widened a bit with surprise, but then she smiled. “Sure.” Ah, sympathy was sometimes a good thing.

*** Mr. Houghton was smaller than his voice indicated. Buying an enormous black leather chair to go behind an equally huge desk seemed like a bad idea. He almost looked like a small boy who’d stolen into his father’s office—except, of course, for the salt-and-pepper spray of wavy hair on his head. He gestured for Jared to sit down across from him and leaned forward, folding his hands together on his desk. “I don’t think I have to emphasize the fact that you are very late, Mr. Mariner, but I will tell you that you have about four minutes to impress me.” Okay. Jared reached across the desk and offered his hand to Mr. Houghton, who thankfully returned his handshake. “It’s a pleasure to be here, Mr. Houghton. I am very sorry for my tardiness and there is no excuse, but I hope you won’t let that color your perception of my work ethic.” Jared slid his hand into his portfolio and pulled out the laminated drawings. He handed these to Mr. Houghton, who took them and sat back in his chair. As he began to look through them, Jared explained his concepts, ideas, and previous experience. By the way Mr. Houghton lingered over each drawing, Jared was rather optimistic that he liked what he was seeing. God, he hoped so! He had credits to pay back, and his landlord was threatening to

have him evicted any day now. He needed this job. Damn his big heart that had made him go into the store and get the doll anyway, but he’d seen how much Abigail had wanted one and… “These are very good, Mr. Mariner. I wonder how you came up with such unique concepts.” He laid one picture on the desk and traced the features of the creature Mariner had drawn. “The details are magnificent. What do you call this creature?” Actually he called him “Strongman,” but he made up a name right quickly. Said aloud, it just sounded too silly. “He is an Advar.” That much he knew. He’d already developed the species for all his characters. “His name is Iro.” That part he made up on the spot. Mr. Houghton’s eyebrows arched toward his hairline. “Well, that’s unique!” The small, silver box at the edge of his desk blinked. Mr. Houghton reached over and pressed a button. “Yes?” “Your next appointment is here, Mr. Houghton.” The secretary’s voice came clearly through the speaker. Jared stiffened. This was it. He was either going to get the “I’m sorry, Mr. Mariner, but you’re not what we are looking for” speech or the one that said, “We think you’re right for this company, welcome aboard.” “Tell him to please hold on a few minutes more, Mary Ann. I have a new employee that needs to sign a contract.” Could his smile get any bigger? Jared didn’t think so.

*** Kenano rode the elevator down to the main floor and took out his Echo 4000 as he walked across the lobby to the main doors. He took the familiar path outside almost entirely by rote memory— aside from a brief glimpse up to see that his path was clear, he barely saw anything but his Echo. In doing so, he missed the not-so-subtle looks of interest he got from quite a few women and men as he walked by. Not that he would have offered more than a curt nod at any rate. He had enough on his plate as it was. As if to prove his point, the moment he activated his organizer/phone/computer, an icon of missed calls blinked to life on the screen. Using the blunt pointer on the side of his Echo, Kenano tapped the screen and opened the folder to his missed calls screen. He groaned. There were twelve calls from Whitney, his ex-girlfriend, who couldn’t get over the fact that they were no longer an item. Or more accurately, couldn’t get over the notion that she no longer had access to his credits. Not that it was all Whitney’s fault, he admitted, passing through the rotating doors to the bright sunlit walkways filled with the business crowd. Kenano had long ago discovered one thing about himself: He wasn’t the relationship type. He knew how to wine and dine and give a woman what she craved, but the emotional aspect was always difficult for him. Part of the reason he approached everything in a business-like fashion had to do with his father, a strict military man who raised his son with a no-nonsense attitude. He had determined that Kenano would succeed in life, and he would not end up like some common “thug” with no education and no prospects. Kenano had grown up almost like one of his father’s protégés, under strict surveillance, proper diet and exercise, and a controlled curfew. If not for the fact that Kenano’s father could lecture him for an hour straight without growing tired, he never would have thought his old man cared for him at all. So it was no wonder that Kenano wasn’t familiar or comfortable being with a partner for too long. Inevitably partners complicated matters, demanding things from Kenano that he found impossible to give. Whitney had seemed like the perfect compliment to his life. She hadn’t wanted his affection and

love at first. Having sex was a mutual activity that satisfied them both, and giving her unlimited access to his accounts seemed to be enough for her. Then she had gone and flipped the script on him. She was now demanding “quality time,” cuddles, hugs, and serenading that he was not prepared to give. As much as he despised the way he treated partners, he couldn’t seem to break the awful habits that had been molded into the foundation of who and what he was. He was his father’s son. He deleted Whitney’s phone calls. In time, she would forget him. They had only been dating for— what—five, six months? He checked his planner. There was a reminder to get his suits out of the cleaner as well as a notice for paying his light and water bills. He handled both transactions in record time, managing to slip his Echo 4000 back into his pocket just in time to catch the door to his favorite coffee shop. Standing in line inside the coffee shop, Kenano felt the small hairs on the nape of his neck suddenly stand on end. At first he thought the man in front of him was staring up at the menu, trying to decide what he was going to get. So, grudgingly, Kenano waited for the line to move forward. He glanced down at his watch. He had exactly ten minutes to get back to the Houghton building and send a fax to one of their potential share buyers. When he looked back up, the man was still standing there. A little too stiffly, Kenano thought, and looked around. The 89.2 radio station was still providing background music, so it wasn’t quiet, but other than that, he didn’t hear anyone talking. Unease started to blossom in his gut when he saw that everyone was standing still. Frozen. Carrington, the cashier, who’d taken his order a hundred times before, stood in front her register, credit decals poised over the entrance slot. Her coworker was frozen in front of the coffee maker. Her finger was still pressing the pour button and the liquid was steadily spilling over the rim of her paper cup and onto the floor. The entire line is at a stand-still, he noted with horror as he stepped out of it. He bumped into something stiff and spun around just in time to catch the hand of a redhead. She wobbled a bit as Kenano steadied her. Her hand was still warm, but stiff, like something that had just died. Kenano jerked his hand away and began backing toward the door. The automated voice that beckoned him to come again and politely advised him to “have a nice day” sounded as he crashed through the front door. His brain still refused to accept what it was seeing, and Kenano wandered down the sidewalk wideeyed, slipping in and out of the crowd of people that resembled statues. Children were frozen in the midst of darting down the sidewalk. A woman in a red power suit stood frozen with her ear to the phone. As Kenano walked by, he could hear the person she was talking to calling her name. When she failed to answer, that person hung up, apparently believing the call had been dropped, something that had not happened since the early twenty-first century. The town was quiet as a ghost, and Kenano began to believe what he was seeing when he walked into the street and was forced to stop because all the cars on the road were floating several inches above the ground. It was the only thing that had kept them from crashing into each other. Feeling sick to his stomach, Kenano did the only thing he could do. He started walking. If there were a God in Heaven, he’d find someone like him. Moving. Perhaps, then, they’d put their heads together and discover just what the hell was going on.

CHAPTER 2 “I always knew you’d leave someday, but I never expected this.” ~Script written by Jonathan Beteu, “The Last Starfighter,” 1984 [relic 2b8735399] “Fuck!” And then, for good measure, “Fuck!” again. Jared’s empty portfolio slid to the ground unnoticed. His cousin’s doll thudded to the carpet next. He crossed onto the marbled entrance floor, wincing as his shoes echoed eerily in the absolute silence. He’d just been coming off the elevator when he’d stepped into a scene out of an old Sci-Fi flick. No one and nothing was moving as far as he could tell—except for himself. He walked up to a man frozen in the midst of pushing through a revolving door. Jared put his hand to the man’s neck and held his breath. There was a pulse, but it was faint, almost as subtle as the stir caused by a butterfly’s wing. He was flooded with relief to discover that the man still lived. He checked a few more pulses and found that generally everyone was in the same condition as the first man. Except for Jared himself—he was moving around freely. Why hadn’t he been frozen? He went outside, seeking further confirmation. The crowds were motionless as well, and soon he discovered the cars and shuttle buses floating inches off the ground. His mouth worked, but nothing would come out. Then suddenly, out of the silence, came the sound of heels pounding down the sidewalk. Jared spun around so fast he almost fell down. He spotted a familiar face jogging down the walkway, his black business jacket and dreads flapping in the wind behind him. It was the same guy he’d seen getting off the elevator; the guy with mocha-colored skin and neat dreads. The man saw Jared at about the same time and ran over to him. He was barely even winded when he stopped, though Jared could see little beads of sweat on his forehead. “Do you know what the hell is going on?!” Kenano asked. Jared shook his head. “No, I came out from my interview and it was like this. Everyone is frozen except us two.” BOOM! Something exploded, sending arcs of electricity sizzling through the air right over their heads. Both men threw themselves to the ground. Jared felt as if his heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest. He began silently reciting every prayer he knew, or at least he tried to. He was so damned scared he couldn’t remember more than the first few lines. A brilliant light lit up the sky, forcing Jared to squeeze his eyes closed momentarily or risk blindness. Shit! A sharp squealing sound shattered the silence. It wasn’t until the noise was about fifteen feet away that Jared realized someone was plowing a path through the parked cars. The squealing sound was from cars being scraped together. His hand was grabbed, and Jared let out a startled yelp. Kenano placed a hand over his lips to indicate he should “shut the hell up” and gestured for him to follow. In normal circumstances, being behind such a fine and shapely ass while he crawled just about anywhere would have been a thrill as far as Jared was concerned, but this fucked-up situation kind of dampened the positive side of things. All he could do was scrape his palms and knees on the asphalt as they stayed close to the ground. The squealing sound steadily drew closer, and to his horror, he realized the something coming in their direction was plural. One, two, three or maybe more somethings were heading in their direction. Oh, why oh why hadn’t they been frozen too? Surely whatever was now hunting them intended to

kill them. The man in front of him let out a soft curse and flattened his back against a parked car. He lifted two fingers and pointed ahead of them. He’d spotted two of the somethings. At the risk of making the most stupid decision of his life, Jared got to his feet and peered through the window of the car they were hiding behind. His eyes widened. They were nothing like he was expecting. The creatures were eight feet or taller, cerulean blue from head to toe, with royal blue hair flowing down their waist. The blue giants’ only clothing were skintight black pants covered in short fur and matching knee-high black boots. Wide, nippleless chests displayed intricate patterns of tattoos drawn with black ink. The lines were looped and curved. The closest thing he could compare them to was tribal symbols. But most startling of all were the uniform black of the creatures’ eyes. There wasn’t even a glimmer of color in those dark depths. Eerie and yet somehow fitting. Jared knew this because at the very moment he noticed those eyes, one of the giants spotted him and began walking his way.

*** Hide. Kenano shook his head. Only as a last resort. Entering a building now would effectively corner them. The other guy was staring at the creatures through the window of a car. He should run now and leave the man behind, but he couldn’t. Kenano wasn’t wired that way. He sighed. Confront them? Not likely. The blue creatures looked as if they could crush him and most definitely the little man he was with. What did they want anyway? He had too many questions and no answers. Somehow it seemed fate was plowing a path in his direction. It appeared that in that moment, his destiny had finally arrived. It sounded corny for sure, but that was how he felt. Suddenly, the other man was sinking down to the ground and looking at him with wide eyes. “He’s coming.” Yeah, he’d guessed as much. The squealing was getting louder, closer. They had to move. “Come on.” He grabbed the smaller man’s arm and pulled him along after him. They moved randomly for a while, weaving between cars, trying to stay low, until Kenano’s back started to complain. He ran up on the sidewalk and slid down behind a giant vidscreen box. Unfortunately, he must have brushed against one of the buttons because the automated voice started to speak—very loudly. “Good afternoon, citizen of New York City Level B. Welcome to News Atlas. Please Press A if you would like to hear your news in English, B for Spanish, C for French…” The automated voice went down a list of languages, speaking in all of the languages that were options. Kenano winced. No rest for the weary, it seemed. He longed for the days when paper was in rich supply. His mood only lightened when he spotted a floating police cruiser. Motioning to the other man, he dashed toward it. “What are you doing?” the brown-haired man whispered, green eyes wide as saucers. Kenano reached up and pulled the driver’s side door open. Using his upper-body strength, he pulled himself into the vehicle. His heart did a trip-trap in his chest as the frozen police officer slid forward. Unseeing eyes were wide open as the man’s forehead slammed against the steering wheel and sent a loud honk blasting through the quiet. “Shit!” Kenano quickly pressed the officer back into his seat. “Ah, sorry.” He leaned over and unclipped the gun from the man’s holster. Feeling a tug at the back of his suit jacket, Kenano turned around to find the other man yanking anxiously to get his attention. “There are three of them!”

Kenano looked up only to meet the black stares of three giants. They were no longer casually moving the cars out of their way. They were shoving them aside like toothpicks.

*** It had long been rumored that Lykurgans had once been to Earth and taken mates, but the tale was so ancient few knew the truth of it. Dawa had been the first Captain to dare such a journey. With the shortage of viable mates on Lykur after the long war waged in the Alathii’ galaxy, many of Lykur’s warriors had turned to kidnapping amongst themselves or in nearby galaxies. A Lykurgan warrior simply could not live without a mate. They were not built that way. However, the pickings had been slim. With half the species they came upon physically incapable of bonding with Lykurgans, and the other half so far aesthetically removed from anything the Lykurgans found attractive that they were not worth kidnapping, the Lykurgans had fallen to selfdestruction. When Arsus had suggested they try Earth, Dawa had at first dismissed his idea. To his knowledge, Earth did not exist, but his restlessness had only grown as days passed and they had not found viable mates. Dawa had surprised his entire crew when he announced they would travel to the Milky Way. To his disbelief, they had indeed found the rumored planet. Standing in the control room, Phirst Dawa pointed to the small portion of Earth they intended to target. The first test had been successful, if not a little chaotic. Knowing their time was limited, Dawa had chosen a landmass on Earth by random and activated an ukaii web. It was their most soughtafter technology. The web was capable of mass control of individuals. A Lykurgan could pinpoint any living being that he wanted with the device. In this case, they’d targeted everyone on the landmass without the G-strain. The G-strain was a genetic link in the DNA that allowed for compatibility with a Lykurgan. The gene was rare in any species, and the Lykurgans had held out little hope that a compatible mate could be found on Earth. Out of the one hundred fifty million people they’d targeted, only twenty-three had come up positive for the G-strain. The process of damage control had not been easy. First, they’d been forced to extract a modernday Earth vehicle to their ship and encode its chemical make-up into their database. This became necessary after the first testing of their ukaii web on a miniscule section of Earth, harboring three thousand people, yielded quite a few accidents. Using a form of magnetism targeting the specific alloy found in Earth machines, they had been able to safely suspend vehicles and freeze airborne carriers to inhibit accidents. It was now time for the second crucial step in Dawa’s plans to secure viable mates for the kri—his warriors. He knew he was taking a big risk here. If they failed and somehow alerted humankind to the presence of an alien race as advanced as they were, the Council of Alter-Rigzon would have his innards for breakfast. Equally as daunting was the prospect of letting down his kri. These warriors had high hopes of finding mates—something that had been a distant hope mere days ago was now a real possibility. The room was vibrating with the barely restrained energy pouring off the warriors. Those who stood before him were the best of his kri: Lykurgans who had proven themselves threefold to be skilled, trustworthy, loyal, and, above all, levelheaded. He would need that in the kri he decided to send dirtside. Retrieval was perhaps the trickiest part of this mission. One young, hot-blooded male could ruin it for them all by getting carried away with a human, especially seeing how fragile they were compared to his kind.

So this was his chosen group: His second-in-command, Dorge Arollo; third-in-command, Trivan Pridel; and then Nurak, Jalar, Raul, Arsus, and Eozz. They all knew the routine when going dirtside, but Dawa felt the need to go over it again. Reviewing something familiar and neutral would help them to focus—or so he hoped. “On your left wrist is a zhiilar.” He held up the device. It resembled an earth-watch. It was a round disk, flat on the bottom and round on top, with various dials and screens, equipped with a band that went around the arm. “This is your link to me. You will remain wearing it at all times. It allows me to keep track of your position and to inform you of the position of your target. Your zhiilar is equipped with a magnet so that you should be able to extract any metal without lifting an arm.” This feature, as the kri knew, could be used to repair or move any debris they ran into or damaged in the event that their target proved difficult to capture. They were aware that there were weapons on Earth, things that could do serious damage to a Lykurgan, and this device greatly decreased the probability that such a thing would occur. “Here”—he pointed to a nodule on the watch—“is the nectar of a sepod plant, which can be injected into your human to render him or her unconscious. After the human is secured and the drug is administered, you will alert me, and I will haul you back to the ship. I want this evacuation to go as smoothly as possible. We cannot linger. The ukaii web does not hold indefinitely. Should you reveal yourself to a human, you must make the capture at all cost. Our existence cannot be divulged at such a time. One more thing—” Dawa looked each Lykurgan in the eye, seeing himself reflected in those dark depths. “We cannot afford to fail. We already face punishment for action off the course of our original mission. Only success will save us.”

*** Nurak felt the tiny electric-like currents flowing through his body moments before his form burst into a billion tiny particles and went streaming toward Earth. The transition back to a solid being was always a bit painful. His mind was jumbled, his thoughts were sluggish, and his vision blurred for the first forty seconds after his body fused back together like a seamless puzzle. He shook off the disorientation, already scanning the surrounding area for a mobile human. Above his head, more light streamed down, and the earth shuddered as the ukaii web blasted overhead, sending out one last wave of power. The clock had started ticking.

*** Jared’s heart beat like a trapped bird in his chest. The wind whistled in and out of his lungs, and his mouth felt dry and acrid with the taste of fear. He’d never been so scared in his life. It was all he could do to keep his feet pounding on the pavement, following the broad back of the only other human being in his little corner of Earth who was moving. I don’t even know his name. If we die, I won’t even know who I died with. No! Best not to think that way. He had to concentrate on living—as long as he could, anyway. By the way his chest was heaving in and out like a bellows, he didn’t think he could carry on much longer. It wasn’t helping any that every few minutes, they were dashing around a car. His companion ruled out using the sidewalk, not wishing to harm the pedestrians in their frozen state. Jared didn’t know what scared him more: Falling behind his companion and being left behind, or falling behind and forcing the other guy to do the same. He had a feeling that the latter was a greater possibility. He

didn’t strike Jared as the type of man who would leave anyone behind. Jared was so deep in thought that he didn’t stop soon enough to avoid crashing into the bigger man. The guy with the dreads didn’t seem fazed, just reached behind his back to steady Jared on his feet. “W-What’s… wrong?” he wheezed, feeling nauseous with exhaustion. They had to have run what—ten, eleven blocks? The bigger man took the safety off his handgun. Jared peered around him and groaned. Two more of those things were coming up the street. The other man turned in a circle to survey the area, and then pointed Jared to a store. “In there.” Jared nodded, trailing at the man’s heels until they were inside the store. It turned out to be a video game store. How ironic. Like all stores in the downtown area, the front of it was a panel of glass. He didn’t have to look at the other man to know that the glass wasn’t going to do shit to keep out the giants they’d seen outside. That meant they only had minutes until their hideout was flushed. Shit, I really could use a smoke right about now! He’d quit three years ago, though—probably for the best, actually. He might not have been able to run as long as he did otherwise. The other guy was casing the place, but Jared’s tired mind couldn’t begin to imagine what he was looking for. He felt like a sitting duck, scared and useless. “What can I do… ah…?” The man looked over at him. “Kenano.” “Right, Kenano. You ex-military or something?” “Not exactly. My dad was.” That certainly made sense. “My name’s Jared. Um… thanks for not leaving me back there.” Kenano accepted his thanks with a nod. “You think you could help me find some keys?” He shrugged. “I know it’s not much, but that glass is shatterproof. If we can lock the door, it will make it harder for those things to get in here.” “Sure, yeah.” Jared launched into motion. While Kenano was checking around the register, he went to check the side door that led to the stockroom. He started talking, saying anything to drown out the silence. “So, Kenano, what do you think they want? I mean, according to every science fiction book or movie I’ve ever read, they want to do one of two things: Eat us or enslave us.” He could hear the wariness in Kenano’s voice when he answered, “I have no idea. I think there’s something more to this than enslavement or dinner. There has to be a reason that mostly everyone is frozen except for us.” Snagging the string to the overhead light, Jared snapped it on. The tallow light revealed that he was in a storage room. The shelves were lined with spare video game covers and boxes that he assumed were loaded with unpacked merchandise. “Maybe they planned something for Earth and we’re the duds. You know, the only humans who have immunity to whatever caused everyone else to freeze.” Which was a terrible thought, because if they were errors… He knew how you fixed errors. You erased them. “Kenano?” he called out, weary of the suddenly eerie silence. He called Kenano’s name twice more, but no answer was forthcoming. Fearing the worst, Jared spun around and dashed back out the door only to come to a halt at the threshold. Ohmigod! His wide, frightened eyes reflected the blaze of light as one, two, three of the giants streamed into the store. One minute they were balls of glowing particles, the next they were eight feet of hulking muscle. The reason Kenano hadn’t answered him immediately became clear: He was struggling against the hold of one of the giants. Kenano was not a small man by any means, but the sheer size and power of the blue being dwarfed him. As Jared watched in fascinated horror, the giant lifted a hand to capture Kenano’s head, cradling him—almost… tenderly?—even as something on his other wrist shot into Kenano’s neck. Kenano’s

wide eyes drifted closed, and his body slumped. “Tykhanii,” the giant growled, scooping the man up. A dry click sounded in the back of Jared’s throat: The last of his speaking ability. The three other giants obscured his view of the one holding Kenano, but not before he saw them turn into those glowing particles and stream upward toward the roof. One impossibly large hand reached for him and clasped around his arm. But there was no need for an injection to knock him unconscious. The world fell away as everything slid into darkness.

*** In the blackness of space, about 5,000 axu away from the Lykurgan main vessel, a small contingency of Moragh hovered in secrecy. “Kaonraii.” One Moragh warrior, with armbands declaring him as the leader, scowled at the vid screen while he stood at the helm of his ship. “The humans call it Earth, Hy’kel,” his companion corrected. “I care not,” he snapped at his companion. “Get that twice bedamned Lykurgan on the monitor, Jy’lik.” Jy’lik frowned but quickly moved to do as his leader bid. With a series of touches and coding, the Moragh had the monitor lit up, informing them of an outgoing call to their contact. The costly communications system that the Lykurgan had so generously fitted each Moragh craft with was all the assurance the Moraghs needed that their employer was indeed rich enough to pay the hefty sum he had promised. The money wasn’t the problem. It was the hate and distrust which stood between the two species that made their business uneasy. The Moragh leader was no more willing to trust a Lykurgan than he was to step foot on Lykur without a full army at his back. He could appreciate a betrayer, as he was one himself. Despite the fact that their mission entailed the killing of Lykurgans, his pockets were still being filled because of his alignment with the enemy—an action that would never be tolerated by his kind. But he had never been one for rules in the first place. Besides, a body still had to be fed, and a ship could not run without fuel. He did what he could to get by, and those who did not agree could burn in the fiery pits of Galdavar. The screen blinked once, and the broad upper body of a very handsome and well-muscled Lykurgan filled the screen. No surprise there—Hy’kel had yet to see a puny or ugly Lykurgan, yet another reason he despised them so. By the Gods, no species should be so gifted. “Hy’kel, I hope this is good. You have interrupted a very important obligation for this call.” Taking in his mussed silver-white hair and the light band of sweat on the Lykurgan’s forehead and chest, Hy’kel could guess just what type of meeting he’d intercepted. “We spotted a Lykurgan transport vessel a few days ago, well beyond the outer limits of the Alathii’ galaxy. We’ve trailed it.” “And?” The elder Lykurgan betrayed his unease with a flex of his powerful shoulder muscles. “They have employed the ukaii web and gone dirtside.” The Lykurgan’s lip curled in a snarl. “Helion’s star! I had not expected Earth to be discovered so soon.” It was obvious that his agitation was getting the best of this Lykurgan. Most of the time, Lykurgans were as stoic as a rock when it came to emotion. Hy’kel had only one interest, and he was weary of a long, drawn-about route to get it. “Five nulan, and they’re as good as gone,” he boasted. “Five nulan?!” The Lykurgan scowled. “I just paid you three. Three more only!” “Four! And I don’t think you have much room to negotiate. The kri is evacuating soon. One of your prime warriors leads them!” “Yes, I know. Dawa.” After a moment of intense silence, the Lykurgan bit out, “Fine. Trail them

a distance from Earth and kill them. We don’t want any of them escaping to Earth or any of the other neighboring planets.” As Hy’kel and Jy’lik watched, the Lykurgan drew up a screen and programmed the transference of four nulan to the Moragh leader’s accounts. “It’s all there. You have your proof. Now do your job.” “You know me well.” Hy’kel grinned without humor. It was true he had the money in his accounts, but it was by no means irreversible. If Hy’kel failed to do his job, the nulan would flow back into the Lykurgan’s account. Only after the mission were they accessible. “I know your kind.” “My kind?” Anger rode the hard edge of his words. “Mercenaries.” The monitor went blank on the Lykurgan’s image. Hy’kel slammed his fist down on the counsel as he glared at the black screen. “And I know your kind… Betrayer!” “Do you wish me to contact the others?” Jy’lik asked, standing a safe distance away from Hy’kel’s reach. “Yes. Tell them we hunt. Tell them we hunt to kill.”

CHAPTER 3 Lykur lost its last female over two millennia ago. If not for the advancement in technology, the entire race of Lykurgans would have been lost. All Lykurgans are now produced in an artificial womb under controlled conditions. Evolution eventually compensated for the loss of the female. A new type of Lykurgan emerged over time, one that was smaller, weaker, and responded to its larger, more dominant predecessor as a mate. These Lykurgan mates came to be known as Tykhanii or ‘precious ones.’ ~excerpt from the chronog (journal) of Safera, medivic of Satarus Safera looked up from her typing when the glass doors to the medic unit slid open. A smile of relief spread across her golden features, and her slender ears lay back against her bald pate. One set of arms crossed over her bosom while the other set continued to furiously type. “Ah, Phirst Dawa, about time you showed up. I have been defending my patients since the first human was brought onto the ship.” “That is to be expected, Safera. You know as well as anyone how long Lykur has been without adequate mates.” Sighing, Safera reached up and massaged her temples. “Yes, I know. That is why it pains me every time I have to lose one potential mate to time and circumstance.” Dawa’s eyes traveled over the pristine white medic lab and the rows of bed pods that harbored their most precious possessions. They would be kept here, temporarily, giving their bodies a chance to regulate to the alien air and pressure. He had complete trust in Safera’s capabilities. She’d been a medivic on his ship well before it was passed on to him. She held superior knowledge of the genetic make-up of hundreds of species. Dawa knew her curious nature would soon discover any knowledge not already stored in her keen mind. He could tell that she was excited about the prospect of learning more about the humans. Safera lived for her studies. She also had an ability many would kill a dozen times over to lay claim to, the ability to navigate the complex and twisted web that was the mind: Telepathy. “How many have we lost?” Dawa asked. “Eight. Five of them were well past their prime and would not have survived the transition to the environment of Lykur, let alone proved responsive to mating. Three more had offspring or mates on Earth.” He’d known such was a possibility, but there were just some lines that he could not cross. The old and weak could not possibly mate, and those who’d already sired offspring could not be taken. Such a prospect did not appeal to him in the least. The creator knew how important it was to have a sire. “We have fifteen of the original twenty-three left. But do not worry—I have added a mental push to their memories of your kri, and the ones who were released should have little to no recollection of our visit. Any lingering vestiges of memory will be passed off as fanciful imaginings or dreams. The humans hold such a limited view of what they believe is possible. There is, however, one other thing I would like to discuss with you…” “Yes?” “I would suggest that we leave one of the humans unmated. If you are to present your new find to council, it would be wise that he not be attached.” Dawa nodded. “Tell me more, Safera. I wish to know all that I can about our newest hope.” Safera flashed him a smile, clearly about to delve into one of her favorite pasttimes. Her second set of hands abandoned the memoboard, and she rose from her seat to stand tall and regal. Though Safera was tall, she still did not come anywhere near the height of a Lykurgan. Her golden unit suit,

only a shade darker than her skin, glimmered like the shiny Ispeht leather it was. Walking over to the nearest bed pod, she nodded for Dawa to join her. The bed pod was built like a spherical tube, long and hollow, with a retracting fiberglass door that shielded the being inside from the outer elements. Dawa could see the slumbering human from the outside. Up until this point, he hadn’t allowed himself to indulge in his curiosity, only having taken the word of the kri sent to Earth that the humans were attractive. He was pleasantly surprised. The human did not differ so much from his kind in anatomy. In fact, this one was beautiful in its own right. The human’s physical composition appeared similar to his: Wide forehead, two eyes, slender nose, an even distance between cheekbones, and a wide mouth, located just under the nose. The skin color was an intriguing exception. The golden cream complexion of this human could be found nowhere on his planet. The dark brown hair was an even greater anomaly. Safera continued speaking as she checked the human’s vitals. “I must admit that I am completely intrigued by the humans already. Their minds are a complex and intricate web of knowledge and thoughts. And for all their size, for I am almost certain of their intelligence, not even half of the brain is being used. Their notions of life vary so greatly that it is almost inconceivable that they are from the same planet. I found their memories to be erratic and jumbled, with no clear end or beginning.” “But you were able to navigate well enough to discover whether or not they had offspring or mates?” Dawa could not afford to learn otherwise once they had made a course back to Lykur. “Yes, none of them harbored any memories of either. Although I am counting on my own account of what a mate should mean to each of them. Their concept of mating differs so greatly from ours. They do not mate for life.” When it looked as if Dawa would say something, Safera quickly hastened to add, “I mean, they do not necessitate an internal bond to share each other’s bodies. They may couple for the simple fact that it gratifies both their needs. They can mate for life, but these humans have not. Out of the fifteen here, I have seen only one who has no memories of bond sharing. I believe their term for it is ‘virgin.’ He is young, barely past the Earth age when such activity would be acceptable.” Dawa nodded. “Tell me more about their beliefs.” “The humans appear to have a negative view of nudity. They wear clothing to cover their bodies and are not comfortable disrobing in the presence of others, except for those with which they wish to engage in bond sharing. I fear some of the customs of Lykur would be hard for them to follow. I believe it will not be easy to mate.” “What would you suggest?” His kri was restless. Though Lykurgans were known for their skill and bravery in battle, they had never been notorious in patience. A Lykurgan’s first instincts were to protect and conquer. It did not help that the wars had made mates so scarce that few Lykurgans had an example to follow. “The humans are intelligent and reasonable creatures. You must appeal to their minds first. Explain to them who and what you are, where you come from and what you have in store for them in the future. It is likely that most will reject being mated. Some will take your existence much harsher than others. I can only advise you to be persistent, gentle, and attentive. “However, not all my discoveries have been in your disfavor. I have found one commonality between all the humans that should aid in your mating. Not only are they all male, but they all seem to share a common ancestor. I have not been able to determine an exact date of their predecessor, but they all carry the same mutant strain. Your beliefs were correct: A true mate bonding can be achieved with their species. This strain has also sensitized the carriers to an awareness of your pheromones.” Safera pressed a button that had the lid on the human’s bed pod lifting out of the way. Before Dawa could ask her what she meant to do, she waved her hand over the human’s nose. There was no visible reaction. “Now you.” She gestured for Dawa to do the same.

Dawa copied her actions, his heart beating erratically just being this close to a potential mate. The human did not react at first, but soon the small, golden body twisted as if something like lightning had forked through his system. The human shuddered and clenched his fists, and when Dawa cupped the man’s cheek he nuzzled into the touch, groaning softly. “You do know what this means, Phirst?” Safera said, her brown eyes staring at him intently, her expression serious. “Mean?” “A Lykurgan had to have come to Earth at least a millennium ago. It is possible that we may never know how or why. He may have crashed, he may have been an outcast set adrift in space. But whatever the reason, he mated with a human and begot offspring. These men are his legacy.

CHAPTER 4 Lykurgans are known as the fiercest fighters in the Alathii’ Galaxy system. Hiring out their services as a mercenary is rare, but those who do are paid a small fortune. Lykurgans have a reputation for succeeding at all costs. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera Dawa was just coming out of his slumbering chambers when his path crossed with his secondin-command, Dorge Arollo, who acknowledged his rank with a slight bow of his head. “Phirst, the kri have gathered at sieg. The warriors are fighting over the privilege of deciding the order of mate choosing.” Dawa fell into step with his Dorge immediately, his long legs eating up the distance in the span of seconds. He had known it would come to this. With so few mates to go around, fighting for dominance had become the norm on Lykur. Only a warrior who could prove himself an adequate protector could lay claim to a mate. He arrived at sieg and paused just beyond the circle of warriors waiting impatiently for their turn to take on the winner. The sieg was an oval-shaped room with two levels. The top level was made for training and exercise. It rounded the lower level and was separated only by a low wall. The lower level was formed of a smaller oval and was large enough for sixteen warriors to stand shoulder to shoulder and still give enough room for the two in the middle to fight. Currently occupying the center were Nurak and Challen. The two had forgone any armor or weapons, which was a good thing considering that Lykurgans never did anything halfway. Things could easily escalate to a death match if they brought weapons into the fight. Not that if one warrior was pushed far enough, he wouldn’t be able to kill the other with his bare hands—but being barehanded reminded them both that this challenge was not to the death. Dawa only had to take a look at the fighting style to realize it was going to be determined by the first warrior driven to his knees. Kneeling was the ultimate act of submission for a warrior. These two were evenly matched, with perhaps an inch or so difference in height. Dawa slid in between Raul and Eozz. He would not be able to stop this challenge with a bellowed order. It would not do any good to stop it anyway. He had fifteen humans—fourteen, if he was going to keep at least one unmated to bring to council—and twenty-seven unmated warriors. He could not show favor to any one warrior of similar rank, so if this was the only way of determining who was mated, he could do little more than offer his presence and ensure things did not escalate out of control. A few moments more, and it was clear who was going to win. Nurak’s backhanded blow turned Challen’s head. A well-placed kick at a vulnerable point in Challen’s leg had him collapsing to the ground with a string of curses. Nurak did not gloat in his victory, for another challenger stepped into his path. This fight would be twice as hard, because while Lorne was fresh, Nurak was not. “How many challenges does this make for Nurak?” Dawa asked Eozz. Eozz grinned, nodding approval for his best friend. “Three.” Dawa frowned. “Three?” It was an unwritten rule that after three challengers, a warrior was given a reprieve and three matches would continue without him. Then he would return to challenge the winner of those fights. “Lorne makes three,” Eozz said confidently. Dawa reserved his judgment and looked to the outcome. Nurak was ten years younger than Lorne. He had yet to fill out to his potential. A Lykurgan did not quit growing until his thirtieth cycle. Lorne, who was just past his marker, was larger through the shoulders. His hands were bigger and his reach longer. He was also fresh from the sidelines. All of the odds were in his favor.

The odds did not seem to matter to Nurak. He went on to drive Lorne to his knees with a temple blow. Being bested by so young a warrior, however, upset Lorne. No doubt he was in for weeks of teasing by his comrades. Lorne surged to his feet and squared off with Nurak. Words were exchanged, and Dawa moved quickly to intercept. Dawa pulled the two apart and glared at Lorne. “You were bested, Lorne. Take your place on the sidelines or return to your quarters, but step out of line again, and you’ll spend a week mucking out croag stalls from rise until sundre.” Lorne did not look happy, but he had no choice but to obey Dawa. To show blatant disregard for a direct order was the same as issuing a challenge for dominance. Dawa nodded to Nurak before going back to his place at the sidelines. The last two opponents ended up being Nurak and Eozz. He should have known. These two warriors were the most likely candidates to replace Pridel and Arollo as his Dorge and Trivan. The two had been inseparable since their third cycle. Together they formed a formidable team, and their competitive spirits brought out the best in one another. Nurak won the match and received the customary rouse of cheer from his fellow kri. Dawa signaled the young Lykurgan to his side once he had a free moment. Nurak was not smiling, but there was no mistaking the shine to his eyes. It was obvious he’d already seen who would be his mate, and had fought with that in mind. The Lykurgan fell into step beside Dawa as they left the sieg. The others would have to fight again and again, until an order was chosen by the best and the next best. It was a long and grueling process, but it was better that the Lykurgans worked off the excess energy. The kri had been restless since the first group of humans had been brought aboard. “You have already chosen?” Dawa said finally, stopping briefly to type in the code for the main corridor where the humans were being kept in the medic unit. The doors slid open and Nurak followed him through. “Yes, Phirst Dawa. I have already chosen.” “I take it you want the ukaii implanted soon.” “Yes.” Dawa nodded his approval. There were two guards standing in the medic hall. Both acknowledged Dawa with an incline of their heads. The guard opened the door without hesitation.

*** He felt different. It was Kenano’s first conscious thought as he came awake. Something was moving on his back, under his skin. He felt that same something twitch inside his navel. Feeling very close to panicking, Kenano abruptly sat up. He was in a bed of some sort; a room with sparse furniture loomed around him, but he barely noticed. Frantically he reached behind his back, and at the same moment, he pressed a hand to his stomach. Metal? It was warm from his body heat, but the texture was unmistakable. The bit of metal that formed a ball in his navel churned just under his fingers. Kenano shouted and leapt from the bed. “Fuck no!” It felt like something was moving through his body. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was… weird… disturbing. He studied the thing. It was shiny, like chrome, and about the size of a marble. He tried to get a grip on it and pull it out. He could feel it tense inside him like a living thing. Spindles embedded deep in his navel clenched tighter, and Kenano cried out. The pleasure that zinged to his cock and balls

took his breath away. Whatever it was had a direct connection to his sexual organs. He dropped his hand immediately, and all movement within him went still. Feeling almost detached from reality, Kenano ran his thumb over the chrome surface. The spindles stirred inside him, and his cock jerked and grew hard. Kenano gritted his teeth. God! Were the same things in his back?! He ran his hand down his back, feeling the hard chrome balls in twoinch intervals embedded in his flesh. Their path followed the ridge of his spine, and he marveled that he was not paralyzed. Touching them caused the spindles to move again. The pleasure pulsing through his entire body had him writhing. The sensations almost brought tears to his eyes. Kenano found himself on the ground, nails digging into the as yet unidentified material that made up the floor. He was breathing as if he’d run a race, his body shuddering with the remnants of the total onslaught of pleasure. He had no doubt that had it lasted a moment longer, he would have come. Even now his cock throbbed with disappointment. He wanted to come so badly, he almost reached down to finish himself off with a hand job, but the fear of what it would do to the foreign things embedded in his body stayed his hand. He’d give up pleasure for the rest of his days if he could get the things out of him. Once he’d gained some semblance of control, Kenano found he could think logically again. Currently he couldn’t do anything about the devices attached to him, and as long as they did him no harm, he could function and worry about them later. First, he needed to know where he was. A soft glowing light from the ceiling was the only illumination in the room. He observed that there was no bulb, just an odd-looking glowing stone. It was dangling from an exotic cradle that was suspended from the ceiling. He recalled pictures of old Sci-Fi movies and bogus UFO paraphernalia that made claims of secret governmental labs and experiments. Kenano thought of himself as being a logical man, so getting a grip on his current reality was proving almost impossible. He could feel panic clawing up from his belly. He needed to keep moving. Pacing always helped calm him. He’d search the room for a way out. Yeah, sounds like a plan. Kenano paused mid-stride across the room as the spindles in his back began to move again. His brain and body were at once swamped with waves of comfort and calm. The panic he should feel for this new phenomenon would not come. Resisting the urge to try and claw out the chrome balls, he kept walking. For now, he needed to find a door. What he would do when he found one was anyone’s guess. He was naked, confused, and scared. He had alien devices attached to his body that had semi-control over his emotions, and as far as he knew, he was no longer on Earth. Whatever lay on the outside of the room, he figured he could handle it. Things couldn’t get much worse. Could they?

*** Nurak watched the Vid screen with avid hunger. His chosen was now awake. Despite his protest, Phirst Dawa had thought it would be better to let the human awake on his own. Nurak had been forced to concede, knowing as he did that he would not have been able to keep his hands to himself. His need was just that great. Nurak smiled to himself. He would draw much jealousy upon their return home. Who would not be envious that his proud mate was so fine a specimen? Muscled and sleek, with smooth skin the color of fine ihaii fur. Not to mention his blazing eyes, and beautiful devnan. Nurak felt his own devnan stir, straining the front of his bruhe as he observed his mate’s chest come into view as he sat up. The human’s hands ran lightly over the ukaii in his navel. Nurak watched his body tense, and he knew the ukaii were moving within the human.

With a startled cry, his mate leapt up from the bed. Nurak winced as he watched the human tug at the ukaii in his navel. He did not fear the human would tear it out, which was impossible. Nothing could remove his ukaii short of death, just as the ukaii embedded at the back of Nurak’s neck could never be removed. They were two parts of the same specimen, joining Nurak’s pleasure and will with his mate’s. Someone behind Nurak made a low rumbling sound. Nurak’s nostrils were assaulted with the heady scent of arousal. In a gravelly voice, Eozz demanded, “How is it you came upon so fine a mate, Nurak? By Helion’s star, you must have Lykurgos’ own luck!” he said, referring to the God of their planet. Nurak barely heard his friend. His mate had fallen to the floor, having triggered his ukaii again. His eyes hungrily drank in every jerk and shudder, his keen gaze noting the way his mate arched. He would have given his right arm to have been there to hold that shivering body. To press his lips to the sweet spot on that supple back. To lick a path… Nurak leapt to his feet. Why was he still sitting here? He had every right to confront his mate. It would go better if he explained to the human where he was and what was happening to him. Eozz gave him a knowing look. As Nurak walked through the sliding doors, he heard Eozz mutter, “Lucky Croag!” Nurak chuckled.

CHAPTER 5 During the long war waged in the Alathii’ galaxy system, the Moragh, enemies of Lykur, managed to infect their planet with pestilence. Thousands of warriors and the majority of their weaker Tykhanii died from exposure. Lykurgans are locked in a constant struggle to recover their losses, for a mate is essential in the health and well-being of a Lykurgan warrior. Yet the process of creating a new generation of Tykhanii is a slow and tedious one. It appears that a Lykurgan’s development into either a warrior or Tykhanii is not one that can be controlled. Fewer Tykhanii are being born, and those that are rarely survive to their third cycle. Alternative means for finding a mate will have to be examined. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera Running his fingertips lightly over the wall, Kenano checked for the barest hint of a seam or crack, anything to indicate there was an exit. Finding nothing, he spun on his heel and set to pacing again. His frustration had driven the euphoria of calm and pleasure away, as well as banking most of his fear. With no weapon, clothes, or any idea what was going on, there was little he could do but wait. Pushing a fall of dreads from his face, Kenano gingerly sat on the bed, careful not to disturb the thing in his navel. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. It felt like a terrible dream from which he couldn’t awake. He hated feeling helpless. Everything in his life was about order and independence. The fact that he couldn’t do anything about his current situation was almost a bigger obstacle than his fear. Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine what he had done before he ended up here. His mind was chaos. Questions whirled through his brain, making it hard to focus. Then he felt it, almost like a physical touch. It was a feather-light probe inside his mind, like a beacon of light shining within the darkness. It wanted to lure him away from the chaos, the confusion, and fear. It promised warmth, safety and comfort. Kenano slowly opened his eyes. His heart caught in his throat. Standing across the room was a creature the like of which he’d never seen before—except he had seen it before. The male, for there could be no doubt that this magnificent creature was male, stood at least eight feet tall. Kenano could remember being captivated by the players on his favorite basketball team. As a small boy, he’d once had his ball signed by the famous Nelson Ewing. If he had thought his hero was larger than life— well, that experience didn’t even begin to measure up to the giant he now saw. Unlike most people of exceptional stature, this creature suffered none of the awkward gangly limbs associated with his height. His entire body was perfectly proportionate, from his broad shoulders to the expanse of his wide, muscular chest, down to his long, muscular legs. Even his hair was long, the deep blue mane falling over one shoulder and covering half of his tattooed chest. But what held Kenano captivated were those dark eyes: black as space itself, peering out at him from a face that had been chiseled to perfection. The sheer beauty of the creature was dazzling, and the fear he knew he should feel would not come. Not as long as that light touch remained in his mind. The creature spoke, a deep, sultry tone that seemed to pierce his very bones. Kenano frowned, not understanding. The words were foreign, certainly not any language he’d ever heard. He was just about to shake his head, to deny that he knew what was being said, when slowly the words the creature spoke started to become meaningful. Tykhanii? The knowledge was there, whispering through his mind, “precious one.” “Fuck!”

“Perhaps you would feel more comfortable if I spoke in your language, Kenano,” the blue giant said. English sounded weird on this creature’s tongue, as if his mouth were caressing the words before letting them spill from his lips. Kenano shook his head. “How?” The blue creature touched his forehead. “We are connected here. The ukaii enables us to tap into the surface knowledge of our mates.” Ukaii? Connected? Mates? Kenano hardly knew where to begin. Fortunately he didn’t have to communicate his distress. “You have many questions, Tykhanii.” The giant took a step in his direction. Kenano recoiled, his sense of self-preservation stronger than his fascination for the phenomenon standing before him. The giant looked disappointed by his response, though it was hard to tell. Kenano had never realized how much emotion could be read from the eyes. The creatures entirely black gaze gave nothing away. “You need not fear me, Tykhanii. I will never hurt you.” “You will let me go, then?” “That is not possible.” Gritting his teeth, Kenano pushed back the fear and panic that wanted to rise. Neither would help the situation. A cool head was better than a hot one, his father always said. “Why am I here? Where is this place?” “You are aboard a Lykurgan transport vessel headed for planet Lykur.” Kenano did not miss the fact that he had deliberately avoided the first question. “You didn’t answer my first question. Why am I here?” “There is no satisfactory answer to that. It would only serve to upset you if I told you truthfully.” Kenano snorted. “No more than all this already has.” The giant eyed him a moment more, then nodded, evidently coming to a decision in his own mind. “I can show you better than I can tell you.” A warm trickle of awareness shot down Kenano’s spine, making him shiver. “Show me how?”

*** Compiling centuries of information into a brief series of thoughts was virtually impossible. Nurak did his best to show his mate everything he needed to know about his kind. He told him about the Lykurgans, sending him mental pictures of their war, their plight, the desperation they held for finding mates. He showed him everything that was ugly about his kind and everything that was beautiful. He told him about the ukaii web, their most sought-after technology. He showed him how they had used the technology to capture humans from Earth. He wanted Kenano to know there was nothing to fear from the ukaii or him. He delved into his mate’s mind, searching out meaningful things he could compare his kind to: Family, friends, honor and heritage. All these traits they held in common. Despite their differences in looks, they were not so unalike. He told Kenano about Safera’s theory. How she believed one of his kind had bred on Earth. Kenano was likely a descendent of his. Thus, he had sensitivity to Lykurgan hormones, a predisposition to attraction to his kind. He showed Kenano why he never got sick, why he could hold his breath longer, swim faster, run longer, jump higher than anyone he’d ever known. Finally, sensing that his mate had reached the limit of what he could take, Nurak withdrew his mind link. Kenano slumped on the bed, exhausted. Sleep. He would need time to process all that he had learned. Even knowing all this did not mean he would accept it. Only time would tell. Normally

Nurak did not see himself as a patient warrior, but instinct was urging him to be patient in this endeavor. He had only one chance to get it right. Nurak stretched out on the bed beside his mate, unable to keep from drawing him close. He wrapped Kenano in the warmth of his big body. He tucked his head into the side of his mate’s neck, breathing in his scent, letting his body rejoice in the simple act of holding and touching his new life partner. So long he had waited. His life was an endless series of battles, of broken and empty promises. Since Nurak was a boy, he’d always heard the elders speak of the day when mates would be plentiful again. Closing his eyes briefly, Nurak smiled. That day had finally come.

*** Kenano’s nose twitched as a delicious aroma drew him from a sound sleep. Blinking rapidly, his vision focused on the sterile gray ceiling above his head. For a moment he felt disoriented, unsure of where he was, but soon enough his brain kicked back into gear, and visions of the past few hours slid through his mind like frames in a slideshow. It was beyond weird to know things he had never experienced, to have someone else’s memories inside his head. But the knowledge he had accumulated helped to clear up the confusion he’d been experiencing since his abduction. When the ukaii stirred inside him, he didn’t feel like panicking. He still didn’t like the fact that he had something akin to a parasite attached to him, but he understood that the ukaii wouldn’t hurt him— couldn’t hurt him. Kenano’s belly rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten more than an energy bar for breakfast. Had that been this morning? Yesterday? He had no way of measuring the passage of time. Not that it really mattered. He didn’t have a job to go to anymore. His sterile high-rise apartment would maintain its clinical neatness when his maid came in on Tuesday to clean. How long would it take someone to realize he was missing? Most likely it would only take hours. Kenano was never late returning from his lunch break. He imagined his secretary, Sofia, would note his absence and call his business phone. After she received no answer, she’d look through her Echo to find his home number. How much time had to pass before a person was considered really missing anyway? Fortyeight hours? Standard procedure was to notify all family and friends and visit their homes for questioning. Kenano snorted, feeling a lump rise in his throat. There was no one to contact for him. If he had any living relatives, he sure didn’t know about them. He’d been raised in a single-family home. His father had died a year after Kenano finished graduate school. And now he was too absorbed in his demanding career to have close friends. Even if he had the time, he was completely incapable of socializing for long periods of time. People inevitably found Kenano stiff and boring. Maybe the police would contact Whitney? Ha! He doubted she had any sympathy for the bastard who had left her high and dry. The sound of light pattering drifted to his ears. At first he thought it might be rain he was hearing, but no, you had to have a sky for rain. There certainly wasn’t one aboard a Lykurgan transport vessel. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he swept his gaze around the room. The wall opposite the bed must have harbored a hidden panel, because there was a door where he was certain there hadn’t been one before. That was where the sound was coming from. He also noticed another addition to the room. On a tray protruding from the wall to the side of his bed was an array of delicious-smelling foodstuffs. He didn’t recognize any of the organic matter, but his stomach certainly didn’t care. He almost reached for the tempting sustenance before he remembered that he had no idea how his body would react to eating such food. Logically he knew that if the Lykurgans

had wanted to kill him, he’d already be dead, but he still couldn’t bring himself to eat it. His gaze drifted back to the new opening in the wall. He decided that exploring the latter was a lot less hazardous than the former. Moving as silently as possible, he crossed the room and eased the door open. The pattering sound was definitely a shower, he discovered, as his wide eyes took in the glass cubicle and its wet occupant. Nurak stood under the spray of three water jets, lifting his handsome face up to the hot spray. He brought a sponge up the thick column of his neck, down between his pectoral muscles, and over the solid slab of his ridged abdomen. Kenano couldn’t have ripped his gaze away even if he knew the sight would make him go blind. His eyes slid down of their own accord, settling at the hairless groin of the Lykurgan. Here his tattoo ended, surrounding the base of his flaccid cock in a series of intricate twists and loops. The thick black lines were a startling contrast to the beautiful cerulean blue of his skin. Kenano felt his own cock twitch and start to fill as he got his first look at the sleeping serpent between the Lykurgan’s rock-hard thighs. His mouth literally gaped open at its size. He couldn’t imagine what it would look like engorged. As if his rapt attention had triggered the very act of filling, Kenano saw the cock go from flaccid to semi-hard in seconds. One large, blue hand reached down to palm the organ, stroking from base to tip. The wide helmet at the end flushed a darker shade of blue, almost as navy as his hair. The darker round sacs beneath drew up tight against the base of the Lykurgan’s cock. The name was a caress inside his head, and so was the window of pleasure that opened inside his body. The ukaii started to stir within him, fanning the embers of his desire until it blazed hot. Kenano heard a moan, realized it was his, and bit into his lip. He shook his head. No! This was not happening. He was not getting turned on by an alien being. He was not contemplating what it would feel like to touch that abundance of smooth cerulean flesh. To feel the muscles of a male’s chest contract beneath his fingers as he traced the gorgeous design on his skin, to replace Nurak’s hand with his own, wrapping it around the steely length of his cock, squeezing just hard enough so that he could feel its pulsing beat against his heated palm. Fuck! Kenano’s guilty gaze flew up to the Lykurgan’s face. Nurak was staring straight at him. He couldn’t read his eyes, but he didn’t need to. He could feel the ferocious hunger pulsing inside his head, inside his body. This must be what it felt like when animals were in heat. No other thought took precedence. He had to get away. Surely if he couldn’t see Nurak these feelings would dissipate. He should have never come through the door. Staggering backwards, Kenano placed a light hand over the ukaii in his stomach, as if he could hold the pleasure at bay. His cock was so hard it actually hurt, and each step he took was pleasurable agony. Kenano didn’t stop until he had reached the bed. Falling across it on his side, he panted into the covers. He tried to clear his mind, to think of anything but what he had seen. The water turned off in the adjacent room. Watching through heavy lidded eyes, he saw Nurak walking through the door, completely naked, water sliding down his wide, sculpted chest. His dripping hair clung to his shoulders and head like an exotic curtain. Ignoring the water he was dripping, he placed one knee on the bed, making it dip under his weight. Kenano tried to push to the opposite side of the bed, but Nurak caught his wrist and pulled him forward. “Allow me to ease you.” Kenano shook his head, but didn’t put up much of a fight as Nurak dragged him against the heated plains of his body. He gasped, feeling like tiny rivulets of pleasure were coursing just under his skin. Sucking in a deep breath of air, laced with the scent of Nurak’s arousal, made his entire body

spasm with need. One large hand splayed across Kenano’s back, holding him steady as Nurak cupped the back of his head with his other hand, tilting Kenano’s face up to his. A low growl was the only warning the Lykurgan gave before heated lips pressed to Kenano’s. A bold swipe of tongue gained entrance to his mouth, and with it, swept away his ability to think. He could only feel the delicious pressure of the hand roving gently along his back, the mouth ravaging his own. He’d never felt so helpless and so empowered at the same time. Nurak slid his thumb along Kenano’s spine, hitting every ukaii on the way down. Kenano arched, going stiff with surprise. His heart fluttered and for a moment he forgot to breathe, but when he did, he was coming. His screams were swallowed in Nurak’s hungry mouth.

*** The monitor’s bleep drew Dawa’s attention to the grid-lined radar screen above his head. The radar could pick up moving objects up to 3,000 axu away, but there was no need. The vessels speeding through space were 400 axu away and closing fast. He only knew of one species with technology capable of such deception. Moragh! Dheran, his co-pilot, swiveled around in his chair. “Phirst, the Moragh are approaching with a fleet I estimate to be about thirty strong.” Helion’s fire! Dawa had known being followed was a possibility. Leaving the Alathii’ galaxy had made them vulnerable. This far out, there was no way a Lykurgan vessel could reach him fast enough to deter any of the damage the Moragh ships were about to inflict. He had naively let down his guard. The Moragh had been scarce of late. It had been assumed by all that they’d flown to the furthest reaches of Alathii’ to sulk and lick their wounds. No one expected such a bold return, and to follow a Lykurgan vessel clear across the galaxy, no less. The Moragh were either more stupid than he thought or smarter than he gave them credit for. Surely they knew such an attack would spell the end of their existence. The vessel Dawa was piloting had been stamped with the seal of the highest court. If his vessel went down, the Moragh could expect to be hunted down to the last sniveling mercenary.

CHAPTER 6 The ukaii is the most sought after technology on Lykur. Translated, it literally means ‘control’ in the human tongue. The ukaii is an artificial life form. It has some intelligence, such as survival instinct, which it passes on to its host. Its ultimate job is to link the minds of a mated pair. In this case, a Lykurgan warrior would mind-link with his chosen mate. The ukaii is formed of three parts: A head, body and tail. Generally the head or brain of the operation is attached to the back of the neck on a Lykurgan warrior. The bodies of the ukaii are a series of nodules whose spindles are attached at the back of a host. The body usually consists of four of these nodules. The tail is a half-spherical shape, usually inserted in the navel as this is the easiest path to the genitals, which it can stimulate. Though I have studied this complex device for many years, all its secrets are not yet revealed to me. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera The Lykurgan ship shuddered and pitched as if it were about to shake apart. The last blast from Moragh canons finally destroyed the last of the outer shield, and with it, the ship lights went out, turning the interior as black as the space beyond it. A few screams shattered the silence, letting Dawa know that his human passengers were not taking the new events well at all. His thoughts instantly turned to Safera and her patients. Without power to sustain the humans left in the bed pods, they would need to be evacuated soon. Navigating through the now-useless control room by memory, Dawa collected the emergency light rods from a concealed hatch in the wall. Snapping the flexible bars in half released the luminescent gel in their core and created a soft green glow. Just as he was making his way back across the room, the control room door squealed in protest as it was forced open. As he moved closer, he could see that it was Arsus. The warrior leaned heavily against the door, supporting an arm that was covered in a thick coat of crimson blood. The injury must have broken a bone, because flesh wounds healed quickly on Lykurgans. “Phirst,” Arsus panted, “a hole has been blown into the right side of the ship. The force of the blast caused what’s left of the right hanger to catch on fire, and it is quickly spreading to the rest of the ship.” Helion’s star, the medic unit was at the ship’s center. “Come with me, Arsus. Are the kri evacuating? I want each mated pair to take a glider and launch into space. The closest planet is Zora.” Arsus shook his head. “But Zora is—” The ship lurched again, and if not for their size and immense strength, both warriors would have smacked against the far wall. Instead, they wedged their bodies between the two walls. Arsus grunted as the action put strain on his arm. “Zora is hostile. H-How will we keep the humans safe on such a primitive planet?” The ship listed to the left, and Dawa knew they were drifting aimlessly now. With no power to sustain them, the Lykurgan vessel was just a giant scrap of floating metal. He imagined the Moragh were gloating over their victory, stretching out the time when they would destroy the ship entirely. He also knew that they might be waiting for the smaller, sleek gliders to make an emergency evacuation. Moraghs thrilled in the chase. A useless Lykurgan ship held little interest. They were waiting to aim at a moving target. “We have little choice,” Dawa finally said. They had to take their chances on the gliders. He and Arsus struggled toward the area of impact on the right side of the ship. The closer they got, the less oxygen was available. A Lykurgan could go without breathing for a little more than an hour, but Dawa worried that a human would be caught in the thin air. Arsus was correct. The rear of the ship on the right side must be a gaping wound. Dawa could feel the immense pressure bearing down on him, and he wasn’t even close to it. A few more feet took him to the medic unit, and he was relieved to hear Safera’s frantic orders to the kri as she hurried to transport each of the humans into a warrior’s care. Dawa dove into the fray of activity,

ordering his men to take their precious cargo to a glider and evacuate. Safera grabbed his arm in passing. “Phirst, I need your help over here.” She led him to a bed pod, one that he was familiar with. Inside was the same human Safera had used to demonstrate pheromones to him the day before. Opening his shield manually, Safera unsheathed a needle and quickly pierced his arm. “He should awake within the hour.” Her four hands worked quickly to free him from his bed pod. “He does not have the ukaii fitted yet. I suggest you board a glider with a warrior who has a mate with one. You will need someone to translate the language to him.” Safera stepped back, and Dawa knew she was waiting for him to lift the human. He did, cradling the light body awkwardly. He was unused to things as delicate as a human. His entire life had been about his people. Dawa had given little thought to mating himself. There were questions he wanted to ask, more he wanted to say to Safera in the moments that might be the last he’d ever see her, but there was no time. She seemed to understand his dilemma. “I will you see you again, Phirst.” Safera patted his arm and smiled. “And you will do fine.” She nodded to his human. “Now go.” “You will evacuate as well.” It wasn’t a question. “Yes. Dheran’s mate is having a hard time adjusting to his ukaii. I will evacuate with them.” Nodding, Dawa finally went.

*** There had been moments when Dawa was not sure if he would make it to a glider. The ship was coming down around their heads. Every few minutes, the Lykurgan vessel shook from the impact of an enemy missile. The Moragh must have decided to aid in their leaving. The glider launch pads were located on the lowest level of the ship. Someone had dropped light rods every few feet down the long corridor to light the way. Dawa swiftly followed their path to the boarding decks. The below decks were a swarm of frantic activity. His kri worked in tandem to free the gliders from their locking spaces. Unconscious humans were passed between them as one boarded the glider and a companion stayed on deck to hold his human cargo. Dawa took in all of this, mostly in his peripheral vision. He had no time to spare; he had to get aboard his own glider. The one he chose was already occupied. Nurak ducked from the doorway to give him a hand up, accepting his human while Dawa pulled himself the few feet into the hold. Inside the cramped confines housed enough seats for three pilots and their smaller humans, with just enough maneuverable room between them to make standing possible. Dawa nodded for Nurak to join Eozz at the pilot station while he strapped in his human. Turning toward the three smaller seats in the back, he was met with a pair of hard obsidian eyes and a pair of watery blue ones. He headed for the seat next to the pale blond. The human immediately started to scream. Ignoring him, Dawa strapped in his still unconscious human, noting the rapid eye movement behind his lids. He wouldn’t be asleep much longer. The male with beautiful skin the color of ihaii fur reached over to place a comforting hand on the screaming, pale human. He whispered a few words to the hysterical male, but since Dawa was not equipped with his own ukaii to translate, he couldn’t decipher what was being said. He didn’t have the luxury of time to ponder. Another shudder racked the launching pad and made the glider rattle like a rock inside a hollow gourd. Dawa turned and dropped into his seat. Eozz and Nurak had made significant progress. Most of the glider’s systems were now fully functional. It was just a matter of moments before the hatch beneath their ship rescinded enough to let them drop through the floor and out to space. Eozz fired up the last blaster, and the noise of the triple engine drowned out the sound of the human’s shouts.

The loud crank of the floor shifting apart rivaled the blasts from the enemy pounding them outside. Securing his belt, Dawa grasped the controls of the only weapons the glider was equipped with: Two amvi phasers which shot lasers that left holes the size of Dawa’s massive chest. The floor finally dropped away and the glider fell. At fourteen counts, Nurak flipped the last switch, sending the glider streaking through a black sky full of gliders, refuse, and mayhem.

*** “We’re all going to DIE! We’re all going to DIE!” wailed Tom, the inconsolable young man who insisted on bursting Kenano’s eardrums. Kenano pushed down his own fright. Tom had enough fear for both of them. Instead, he leaned over, grabbed the front of Tom’s t-shirt, and lightly slapped his cheek, trying to draw him back from the brink of hysterics. He’d almost had Tom calmed down until one of those blue giants had approached with his unconscious friend. Peering around Tom, he saw that Jared was blissfully sleeping, unaware of the chaos around him. He prayed Jared stayed asleep as long as possible. There was no telling how his friend would react to their newest situation. “Get a hold of yourself, Tom. We’re not going to die.” Hopefully. Tom whimpered, blue eyes staring at him like he was a personal savior who could get him out of this mess. Kenano sighed, feeling the pressure forcing him back into his own seat. He let go of Tom’s shirt as the pressure caused by the immense speed of the ship flattened him against his chair. It actually hurt, and every organ in his body seemed to protest it. Tom wasn’t making a noise. Like Kenano, there just didn’t seem to be enough air in his lungs for it. Something touched his mind, a warm, reassuring current. Kenano snarled. The invader retreated, but just barely. He sighed, unwilling to admit that he was secretly a little relieved. How could he not be comforted by the thought that he was not alone? He hated the damn ukaii and being attached so intimately to a mind so complex he couldn’t begin to decipher it, but he couldn’t be angry for the comfort. All around the ship, great explosions went off. Kenano could focus his eyes just enough to see through a clear patch of glass between two warriors’ shoulders. Beyond them was a sea of black, dotted with billions of twinkling stars. A streak of red-gold rocketed past their ship. A few seconds later, the small vessel shuddered and pitched. Kenano could feel the annoyance from his mind link. Just as quickly as he discovered it, Nurak pulled away, shielding him. More rapid fire sounded, and Kenano went deaf. The ship lurched and shuddered, spinning in a dizzying circle as the Lykurgans evaded being hit. Kenano strained his neck as he struggled to keep his head still. He felt as if his entire body were trying to shake apart. A large spherical shape came into view: A glowing blue-green planet with a haze of pinkish-purple to it. At the same time, Kenano spotted the red-gold streak of fire racing toward their ship again, but this time it wasn’t going to miss. The knowledge was not his, but that of the mind dwelling within his own. Words floated around the haze of fear welling up inside his head. “Brace for impact!” one of the Lykurgans shouted. Kenano didn’t have time to scream. The impact made the ship whine, as if it were a living entity that had just been dealt a fatal blow. The glider flipped end over end, launching into a death spiral. Kenano’s eyes grew wide as he watched the blue-green sphere with its haze of pinkish-purple draw closer and closer.

CHAPTER 7 Unlike humans, Lykurgan males carry two Y chromosomes, and the female Lykurgan, an X and Y chromosome. The extinction of the X chromosome has made it impossible to genetically engineer a female Lykurgan. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera By instinct, the first thing Nurak did when he came to was mind-touch his mate. The proof of life released his fear-induced paralysis and allowed him to assess the situation. Zora. He’d survived the landing, and for now, he knew his mate had too. Although, looking around him, he wasn’t so sure where anyone was at the moment. Moving caused a lancing pain in his side. Nurak looked down to find a gnarled shaft protruding from his side. The brown and green leafy things that dug into his backside appeared to be tree branches—enormous tree branches. One of them was easily the size of his arm. Their glider had landed in a tree, which had probably saved their lives. Impact with the ground would have surely been devastating. Although they had deployed emergency shields to combat the intense pressure and instant incineration from breaking through the planet’s atmosphere, the shield had no doubt lasted only long enough for the transition to Zora. Gritting his teeth, Nurak bit back a curse as he struggled to sit up to evaluate the extent of his injuries. One of his legs dangled between the branches, stiff with disuse. The other was covered in a sheet of metal from the side of the ship. The light scrap of metal was easily discarded, though he was careful where he tossed it. Looking down, he could see that he was pretty far up in the tree, though not in the highest branch. If he wanted to get moving and find his mate, he needed to get the branch out of his side. Helion’s star, this is going to hurt like the back shot of an amvi phaser! Holding his breath, Nurak reached behind him, bracing both hands on the sturdy branch and squeezing tight enough to crumble off pieces of bark. He made three counts in his head before arching. The simultaneous push and pull ripped the branch from his side. Cursing all the stars in the Alathii’ galaxy system, he looked down to watch the fist-size hole in his side mend until no sign of injury was noticeable. Not for the first time, he sent thanks to Lykurgos for giving his species the ability to heal so efficiently. Low moaning drew his attention below. He did not recognize the sounds as ones coming from his mate, but he moved downward anyway. Though he moved as swiftly as he could, the going was slow and tricky. Sometimes the branches were too thick to get by, and he faced the choice of finding another path or wasting precious time to break through them. After picking his way around, he spotted a pale limb from one of the humans. It turned out to be Dawa’s human. Green eyes stared up at him with wonder. Glad for his link with Kenano, Nurak used his knowledge of the human language to communicate. “It is alright, human. I am not here to harm you. Where are you hurt?” “Does everywhere count?” Nurak cocked his eyebrow, unsure what this human implied. He seemed amused, yet he confessed to being hurt everywhere. Reaching down, Nurak quickly and efficiently checked for injury, but aside from a few scrapes and bruises and one nasty lump on his hip, the human appeared fine. This confirmed Safera’s theory that the humans had indeed inherited some of the Lykurgans’ healing ability and resilience to injury. The human sat up and looked around. Thankfully, the branch he’d landed on was wide enough to cradle his small body. “Whoa, no more spaghetti and meatballs before I hit the sack,” the strange human chuckled. “Nurak!” Eozz bellowed from above his head. Nurak looked up to find his friend picking his way down the tree one-handed. His other hand carefully held the other unconscious human over his

shoulder. Nurak was intensely disappointed to see that it was not his human. “Wow, there are two of you?” the human said. He frowned down at the maze of branches beneath his dangling legs. “What’s up with the tree?” “We are on Zora, human,” Nurak explained as evenly as possible. He was beginning to worry. If his human was fine, then why had he not called out? He sent the thought to his mate, but his chosen remained eerily silent. Eozz dropped down to the branch beside his. “Nurak, the remnants of the glider are above us.” He gestured to the unconscious human over his shoulder. “He and I were the only ones in it. I managed to rescue the emergency kit from the pit of the glider.” He turned his upper body, displaying the black bag swinging from his shoulder. Nurak had been afraid of that. If his mate were outside the glider, his chances of injury were greater. The green-eyed human had been lucky, but perhaps his Tykhanii had not. It was probably the reason he did not return his mind call. The human interrupted his thoughts. “What is he saying? I’ve never had a dream this weird before.” He frowned up at Eozz. Nurak groaned. The human thought he was dreaming. He knew from his link to Kenano that this “dreaming” referred to imaginings that came to humans in sleep. His kind had those also. He wasn’t about to tell the human otherwise just yet. So far he had not gone into hysterics like the one Eozz held over his shoulder. Nurak aimed to keep it that way for as long as possible. Reaching down, he easily plucked the human from his perch. “Climb onto my back,” he ordered, lifting the human one-armed and dangling him behind his back. The human complied, holding on with a death grip. The human startled him, burying his nose in his hair and breathing deep. “Wow, you smell incredible.” Too late, Nurak remembered the sensitivity a Lykurgan mate harbored for the smell of a warrior. Knowing there was nothing to be done about it now, he crouched and swung down to a lower branch. “Whoa!” The human clutched his shoulders. “Where are we going?” To find my mate. He said, “Down.”

*** Kenano awoke to blinding pain. He almost fainted dead away just to escape from it. But some niggling feeling in the back of his mind kept him conscious, refusing to let him seek the safety and comfort of oblivion. Most of the pain was concentrated in his leg. It felt like a thousand fire ants had taken up residence in his lower half. He was almost afraid to look for fear that his limb was missing. Looking up revealed a canopy of leaves. The branches and leaves were so thick he could only see a hint of a pinkish-purple sky. The colors brought back an influx of unwanted memories. His belly rolled as he imagined himself back in the alien vessel, strapped to a chair, watching his life narrow down to an ever-encroaching planet. Kenano didn’t know whether to be relieved he was free of the Lykurgan male who evoked feelings inside him he had no name for, or scared that he was going to face this alien planet alone. He reminded himself that he was alive, and that was what counted. Now, if he could just sit up and see what the damage was. Easier said than done. The moment he put his hands to the hard branch beneath him and tried to push up, the subtle movement shifted his leg. His teeth instantly sank into his lower lip to hold back the scream. Unfortunately, no sounds were necessary. His pain translated in a language beyond words. Worried, frantic, that familiar touch reached out to probe his mind and his body for

injury. Warmth swamped him, soothing his body until he stopped shaking from the pain. He didn’t really care where it was coming from at the moment. The bones in his leg felt like they were scraping together. He clutched at that comforting presence like a lifeline, breathing deeply through his nose. The order penetrated the haze of pain, and Kenano nodded. He wasn’t ever going to move again. He lay back, trying not to think of how his body had reacted when Nurak’s mind had touched his. He must have drifted off to sleep, because the next time his eyes fluttered open, he saw two blue giants navigating branches in a direct path toward him. One giant had a small man slung over a broad shoulder. Another familiar face peeked over the shoulder of the giant in the lead. He frowned when he spotted Kenano. “This dream just keeps getting weirder and weirder,” Jared said with a shrug. “Jared,” Kenano gasped. “I can’t believe I’m dreaming about you,” Jared said, conversationally. “I mean, well… actually I can. I saw you on my way to my job interview. My subconscious mind must have dragged you into my dreams.” Jared’s eyes traveled over Kenano’s body and zeroed in on his injured leg. Jared gasped. “My God! This is definitely not how I imagined our next meeting.” Kenano sighed. Jared thought this was a dream. If only—but he wouldn’t fool himself with such nonsense. Besides, the pain in his leg was very real. He would have told him so, but he couldn’t seem to be bothered at the moment. Nurak seemed to be contemplating the best way to get down to him. He finally shook his head. “The branch will not support us both. The impact of your body has already damaged it. I will have to move you, Tykhanii.” Kenano tensed. “No.” He could already imagine the excruciating pain that would lance through his body if he were moved. “I am sorry,” Nurak said, his tone sincere. Nurak moved him quickly and carefully, but pain was inevitable, and by the time he was laid down again, tiny black dots swam before his blurred vision. He could taste copper from the cut his teeth had made in his lower lip. Nurak lightly rested the flat of his hand on Kenano’s shin and the other above the knee. “The bone is protruding from your leg. I will have to set it before I can do anything else.” Kenano’s eyes rolled heavenward. “Do it—Ahhhhhh FUCK!” <Easy, Tykhanii. Try and breathe through the pain.> Nurak turned his head to regard Eozz. “I’m going to need your blade.” Jared peered around Nurak’s head, looking as sick as Kenano felt. “God, Kenano, are you okay? I can’t believe I’m sadistic enough to dream something like this.” He shook his head. Kenano would have laughed, but it probably would have morphed into a cry with all the pain he was feeling. In the last twenty-four hours, he’d been abducted by aliens, whisked off to a space ship, implanted with alien devices that allowed him to understand a language so advanced it blew his mind, involved in an interstellar war, shot at, and crashed into a planet, only to wake up with his leg broken—in a tree with two aliens, an unconscious human, and another who thought it was all a dream. Actually, the past events did have all the makings of a dream. He should expect a crew of camera men to jump out any minute and a TV host to announce that this was all a big joke. Nurak would pull off his mask, and there would be some guy in stilts operating a mechanical body. Yet in the next few seconds, none of that happened. Eozz handed Nurak two of the smallest branches he could find, and Nurak used a knife to strip them of twigs, leaves and knots. Then he tore off several ragged strips from Kenano’s unit suit to use for binding. He made a splint for Kenano’s leg and set it. He was just tying the last binding when a horrible screech echoed into the dense silence. It made

the small hairs on Kenano’s arms and legs stand on end. “What in the hell was that?” Jared was going to give himself whiplash turning his head that fast. “Kenzaii,” Eozz said, his expression grim.

CHAPTER 8 The giant trees of Zora are a key to the survival of the planet’s inhabitants. The sun is much closer on Zora than many other planets, and therefore, the midday rays can prove devastating if the inhabitants undergo constant exposure. The plant life on Zora shields its inhabitants, allowing for travel and foraging in the daylight hours. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera Pushing a pile of broken branches and leaves off his legs, Phirst Dawa pulled himself from the shallow imprint his body had made after his collision with the ground. He must have been flung from the glider on impact with the tree. His body had been tossed to the outer edges of the green giant ,where the branches were at their thinnest—none of them could support his weight, but they had probably aided to break his fall. Dawa knew if it hadn’t been for his dense bones and self-healing flesh, he would have been dead by now. The worst the fall had done was knock him out for a few minutes. However, he might not have come to as soon as he had if it weren’t for the haunting call of the Kenzaii. Reaching up, he raked his fingers through his thick mane of hair, dislodging leaves and bark that clung to the heavy mass. His black eyes scanned his surroundings, noting the thick canopy of trees that plunged the forest floor into semidarkness. The plants that managed to grow without aid of sunlight were sparse and scraggly. Though the trees were gigantic, they were not numerous, giving him a clear view deep into the forest. He detected no movement yet, and from the sound of the screeching, he estimated that the Kenzaii were a good distance away. They were blind, but sensitive to noise and vibrations—the crash from the glider would have been like an earthquake to them. The sound of movement drew his attention to the branches of the trees above. He couldn’t see anyone yet, but he was certain it must be one of his warriors. “Eozz? Nurak?!” “Here.” Nurak leapt down to the ground, followed by Eozz. The human on his back dangled awkwardly before releasing his stronghold around Nurak’s neck and sliding to the ground. The man carefully cradled in Nurak’s arms moaned in pain. Dawa took in his splinted leg with a deep sigh. Bleeding was not good. If the Kenzaii could not track them by sound, the scent of fresh blood would be a dead giveaway. “We must stop the blood flow. The Kenzaii will smell it.” Nurak lifted one dark brow. “How?” “We must infuse the human with our blood. The healing properties should work the same for him as they do for us.” “You are sure he will not have an adverse reaction to our blood?” “He should not. His DNA is similar to our own. We will not know until we try,” he added honestly, “but he could bleed to death if we do not.” He did not have to explain the dangers of allowing the wounds on Nurak’s mate to fester. Aside from blood loss, the risk of infection was extremely high. Nodding, Nurak carefully lowered his mate to the ground. Eozz handed Nurak a knife and Nurak neatly cut his wrist, but before he could bring it to drip over Kenano’s wound, the human grabbed his wrist. “No.” Nurak’s lifeblood swelled between the fingers of his mate. They stared at each other for a moment. Dawa was sure something was passing between the two through their mutual link. Whatever was said, it must have been enough to soothe his fears, because the human suddenly nodded and released Nurak’s wrist. By now, the wound had healed and Nurak swiftly cut himself once more. He positioned his wrist over the open wound on his mate’s leg and allowed the crimson

liquid to spill freely until it dried to a faint trickle. “How do you feel?” Nurak asked his mate. Kenano gritted his teeth but shook his head. “It burns a little.” “Good.” He leaned forward to inspect the injury. “That means it is healing. It should take longer to heal than it would in a Lykurgan, but already the blood has clotted.” The human’s fingers brushed dried blood on the side of Nurak’s torso. Dawa noted that his hand was shaking. “Are you hurt?” Kenano asked. A soft smile tilted Nurak’s lips. Dawa had seen the warrior smile often—he and his cousin Eozz were ever into mischief—but he had never seen such a tender look on Nurak’s face. The moment seemed so intimate that he quickly shifted his gaze away, wishing to give them privacy. “I am healed, Tykhanii,” he heard Nurak say. The forest echoed with the screeches of the Kenzaii, and this time the sound was much closer. “We should get moving,” Eozz suggested, “find a clearing where we can be detected and picked up, preferably high ground, where we can see our enemy approach.” Dawa nodded. As soon as their vessel was destroyed by the Moragh, a distress signal would have been sent out to a standby Lykurgan fleet. As long as they wore a zhiilar, they were detectable even several axu away on alien Zora. Of course, if the zhiilar were not working… “Eozz. Nurak. Check to see if your zhiilars are still operational.” Nurak held up his wrist, showing the crushed screen of his zhiilar. “Operational,” Eozz said. Lifting his human back into his arms, Nurak looked around them and quirked a brow. “Where is Jared?”

*** There came a time when a man had to give up the goat. That time came when Jared crouched behind a tree tossing his cookies. Watching the Lykurgan drip his blood into Kenano’s wound had been too much. There was no way he could hold on to the notion that this was a dream now. Actually, a part of him had known it wasn’t a dream all along, but the stubborn, reasonable side of him hadn’t wanted to admit that this was all actually happening. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Jared turned back around, intending to return to the way he had come. He’d only sought some alone time to be sick in private. No way was he wandering off alone on this alien planet, especially with those things howling for blood. The Lykurgans had been nothing but kind to him so far. More importantly, Kenano seemed to trust the one who cared for him. He’d take his chances with the Lykurgans. Jared was walking back the way he thought he had come when he realized one horrifying fact: He wasn’t absolutely certain what direction he was going in. All the trees looked the same. He was pretty sure he should have come across the others by now. “Kenano!” he shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. His only answer was the screeching howls of the Kenzaii. A shiver went up his spine, making the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up. How could he continue to shout for help if he was drawing the Kenzaii right to him?

***

Night had fallen when the Lykurgans carried their injured humans to a suitable spot to spend the night. Eozz had gone ahead to make sure the shallow cave they’d found was unoccupied. Kenano managed to convince Nurak to set him down long enough to take the dead weight of the other human, Tom. By putting most of his weight on his uninjured leg, Kenano could manage to stand on his own. The blood had done exactly what Dawa and Nurak had said it would do. The pain was down to a dull throb now. His skin had already knit closed, and he was willing to bet that the slight tingling sensation in his leg meant the bone was mending itself too. Tom didn’t seem to be as lucky. Kenano would have thought the young man was dead if not for the occasional groan, and the slow but steady rise and fall of his thin chest. Eozz had done an examination of him when he found him in the wreck and determined that he had a mild concussion. “Do you think Dawa will find Jared?” Kenano asked as they waited for Eozz to return. He tried to make small talk to take his mind off of Jared, who hadn’t been found yet. Dawa was out looking for him, but they had all agreed it would be foolish to stay put with the Kenzaii on their way to the crash site. So he, Nurak, and Eozz, carrying Tom, had walked southeast until they’d come to the outskirts of the forest. By then, the sun was already beginning to set, its red-orange glow painting the land in vibrant color. It had been Eozz who had spotted the cave and its rocky outcropping. Kenano immediately regretted starting up a conversation as those dark eyes swung to him, the achingly beautiful plains of Nurak’s face cast half in shadow as night approached. He’d never thought he was a man given to neediness and intense emotions, but Nurak evoked things inside him he’d never felt before. He found himself needing the handsome alien’s assurance that everything was going to be all right. As soon as he thought it, he tried to push the thoughts away. He didn’t need anyone, least of all a blue giant who had abducted him from his home world and thrust him into danger. The mind touch made Kenano shiver. he demanded coldly, not wanting Nurak to see this weakness in him. Nurak thought at him. “And yes, Dawa will find your human friend.” The sound of footfalls drew their attention away from each other and toward Eozz, who was making his way back to their side. Kenano studied the second Lykurgan as he moved swiftly through the trees. For all their size, the Lykurgans moved swiftly. The shift and play of the muscles in their arms and legs reminded him of the bunching muscles of a sleek panther. Like Nurak, Eozz was handsome in an exotic way. At first Kenano had failed to realize how different they were. When he’d first seen them back on Earth, he’d thought they were replicas of each other. In his panic, the only characteristics he’d noticed were the size and skin color. Up close, he was able to see that the facial characteristics varied greatly. While he found Eozz just as handsome as Nurak, he recognized that he wasn’t attracted to this Lykurgan. He wasn’t driven by the need to be close to Eozz like he was for Nurak. The feeling was like a persistent itch just under the skin, where he couldn’t reach. His mind latched onto the memory from earlier that day when he’d come upon Nurak in the shower. Thoughts of their shared kiss, of Nurak’s big hands on him, made his body burn even now. The orgasm Nurak had given him had been the best he’d had in his life, and all he’d done was touch him. Feeling the flush creep across his cheeks, Kenano turned away. That had been a mistake. He hadn’t been in control of all his faculties, because if he had, he would have never let Nurak touch him. He could just imagine what his father would have said if he could see him now. “Pervert” would have been the kindest word he could expect, but when he got a look at Nurak—not even a human— he would have been disgusted by Kenano’s attraction. He would have chewed Kenano out for even daring to entertain such thoughts after he’d been abducted by this ali—Nurak. Nurak the Lykurgan. He knew that now. He knew a lot of things he wished he didn’t. It would have made it easier to go on fearing and

despising Nurak for what he had done. But no matter how much he tried to dredge up animosity to shield him from the seed of weakness germinating inside him, he couldn’t do it. His protective walls were in shambles. How could he erect a wall to keep Nurak out when he was already inside?

CHAPTER 9 The Kenzaii are creatures of low intelligence. But what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in numbers. Rarely do Kenzaii stray far from their packs, especially when exploring the territory of a larger predator. Native to planet Zora, they thrive on the abundance of mammalian prey. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera I much prefer the blue guys! Jared thought, almost hysterically, as he got his first glimpse of the Kenzaii. The creatures stood on two inverted legs that reminded Jared of grasshoppers. They were very insect-like in that regard. Their legs were thin, torsos no more than a swollen thorax that attached to an equally large, furry abdomen. The arms were just as spindly as the legs and positioned like that of a praying mantis. The head was molted brown, with mandibles instead of lips. The eyes were mucous white with black dots in their depths, like marbles filtered through dingy glass. The pupils rolled around constantly, not latching onto anything in particular, which clued Jared in to the fact that they might be blind. Nothing that moved that aimlessly could possibly focus. The hideous creatures had two nostril slits in their ugly faces. They expanded and snapped closed as the head twitched. Jared imagined they were scenting the air. Instinctively, he hugged tighter to the tree he had climbed and prayed they weren’t inclined to do the same. He had scrambled to safety just in time. Although it wasn’t hard to know they were coming. Even now, he could hear the loud trilling sound they made as they communicated. He hoped that Kenano and the others were looking for him, but he wasn’t so sure he wanted them to find him, not with the numbers of these beasts swelling into the twenties. Jared let out a soft gasp as one of the Kenzaii approached the tree he climbed. The vertical slits snapped open and closed rapidly as it dragged its face over the bark. He could tell the moment it discovered his scent. Membranous wings he hadn’t even noticed, lying against its furry back, snapped open, and it tilted its head up, emitting a bone-rattling screech. Every Kenzaii head snapped around, and the others started to amble in his direction, their gait clumsy and awkward. Fortunately the wings looked too fragile to bear the creature’s weight. Jared’s suspicions were confirmed when they flattened down again. Unfortunately, the legs were used for what he had feared. The creature squatted and pushed off of surprisingly powerful legs, leaping to the third branch of the tree he was in. Jared’s eyes widened with horror as a stampede of its comrades started hopping his way.

*** There was no time to think when Dawa came upon the pack of Kenzaii, only time to act. He heard the piercing scream of the trapped human, and his blood roared like fire in his veins. Something dark and deadly in him snapped, relinquishing the reins of his control for the first time in his life. Fear and anger drove his movements, lent speed to his feet and strength to his blows. He crashed into the fray of Kenzaii, slamming one to the ground with his massive shoulder. Dawa dwarfed the Kenzaii by a half a foot, and his size was thrice their own. They were no match for him, especially since the exoskeleton of the Kenzaii was surprisingly fragile. Dawa sent Kenzaii bodies splattering like grapes in all directions. A fist to the abdomen sent Kenzaii organs splattering onto the ground, the brownish sludge emitting a putrid smell into the air. No sooner had one Kenzaii hit the

ground then he reached up and twisted the head off another. Dawa dispatched several Kenzaii by disembowelment and decapitation. The cuts the Kenzaii managed to inflict on his body healed almost as soon as they were made. Clearing a path to the tree where Jared struggled for life and limb, Dawa grabbed one of the creatures by the back of its neck and ripped it in two. Tilting his head back, he tried to see where Jared was crouched, but all he could see was the bloated bodies of more Kenzaii, and there were even more coming dirtside. He could hear their agitated trilling. The Kenzaii fought amongst themselves, knocking each other back down the tree in their quest to get to a potential meal. “Jared!” Dawa called the only human word he knew. Placing a hand on the tree, Dawa prepared to haul himself up, even though the task was daunting. His size was not ideal for climbing trees. “I’m here.” The human’s head popped out from behind the opposite side of the tree. Jared brushed bits of bark from his grey unit suit as he moved from behind his hiding spot. Shaking his head at the Kenzaii, he said, “They sure aren’t going to win any awards for intelligence.” Relief swelled in Dawa’s chest, and though he didn’t understand the human’s words, the nervous smile was certainly translated. Moving forward swiftly, he picked the human up and ran into the trees, his footsteps haunted by the angry squall of thwarted Kenzaii.

*** “Whatever you do, do not go out there!” The familiar voice pulled Kenano from his thoughts. Kenano hadn’t known he’d be so happy to see another human being until Jared and Dawa strolled in. Dawa set Jared on his feet and Kenano scrambled to his, meeting the smaller man halfway and wrapping him in a bear hug. “Whoa, what was that for?” Kenano flushed, as surprised as Jared by his actions. “That’s for being the only other conscious human on this crazy planet.” Jared frowned, peeking past Kenano at the sleeping form of Tom. Eozz had tucked the medicine bag behind the unconscious man’s head in an effort to make him as comfortable as possible. Eozz hovered close to the man, looking brooding enough to ward off any conversation. Not that Kenano was inclined to speak with him. Nurak had left to collect firewood, and until now, Kenano had just sat and twiddled his thumbs, worried half to death about his new friend. “How is he?” Jared asked. “I don’t know. He doesn’t seem to be suffering greatly, doesn’t even moan in pain anymore. He just won’t wake up.” Wincing at the memory of Tom’s screams, Kenano added, “Perhaps that’s a good thing right now. I don’t think he can cope with this. He was hysterical before the crash.” Jared nodded. “It’s easy to lose it when you have no control in the first place. Trust me on this, the Kenzaii are worse than anything these guys could do to us.” Jared cut his eyes in the direction of Dawa. “He saved my life. I mean, I watched the guy rip those monsters in half like tissue paper, and yet, when he carried me here, he was careful not to hurt me, even ran his hands over me to check for injury.” Kenano saw the tiny shiver that ran over Jared’s body. He nodded. He already knew now that the Lykurgans would not hurt them, but he also knew what they did want. Unconsciously Kenano’s hand moved protectively to his stomach, where the ukaii was implanted. Sensation stirred inside him, making his eyes flare and causing him to gasp for breath. “What is it?” Jared asked, alarmed.

Frowning, Kenano shook his head. “You mean you don’t have one?” “One what?” Kenano reached up for the zipper on his unit suit. Dragging it down, he slowly revealed his muscled chest and flat belly. Jared gasped. “My God, what is it?” Jared parted the soft, stretchable material even farther to get a better look at the glittering half-sphere in Kenano’s navel. “They call it the ukaii,” Kenano explained, feeling his cheeks warm as he remembered what it could do. “There are more on my back.” “I want to see.” Kenano emitted a dry chuckle. “Thought you would say that.” He peeled the unit suit from his shoulders and turned around. A moment later, he jumped forward as Jared’s finger caressed one of the ukaii in his back. His cock hardened immediately, pulsing with an intense hunger that made him shake. It made him angry. “Don’t touch them!” “Sorry.” Jared snatched his hand away. “Does it hurt?” Kenano turned back around and immediately felt like a jackass when he saw the hurt look on Jared’s face. He sighed. “No. I’m sorry for snapping like that. You didn’t know. Shit, I didn’t know about things like this a few hours ago.” He tapped the side of his head. “But it’s all up here now.” Shaking his head, Jared said, “I don’t understand.” “I don’t know that I can explain it. These things,” he gestured to his navel, “somehow connect me with Nurak.” At Jared’s raised brow, he explained, “The alien who carried me down from the tree. His name is Nurak, and the one who discovered you is Dawa.” At that, the blue giant who had been exchanging words with Eozz looked up. Without thinking, Kenano switched languages. “I’m just telling him your name.” Dawa nodded, then went back to speaking with Eozz. “What did you just say?” Jared looked so startled that Kenano almost laughed. “I have no fucking idea, but it’s in my head. It’s like I’ve been telling you. I have all these new facts, and thoughts, and knowledge because I’m attached to Nurak. I think he knows things about me and our planet, like I know about him. We can even communicate without words.” “Shit, you’re telepathic now!” “Somewhat. I can’t speak to anyone in my head but Nurak.” “This is all a little hard to believe.” Jared shoved a hand through his hair. “You doubt me, after all this?” Nibbling on his lip, Jared cast his gaze around the barren cave, allowing it to slide over Tom’s still form and the two Lykurgans speaking in the corner. When he turned back to Kenano, he shook his head. “I believe you.” The look he gave Kenano said he’d give anything not to have to believe.

*** Jared and Kenano sat with their backs to the cave wall at Tom’s feet, nibbling on vacufood the Lykurgans had given them from the emergency kit and fighting sleep with idle talk. “So, where did you grow up?” Jared asked. “Sector 17C, Kernigan, Missouri.” “Any brothers or sisters?” Shifting, Kenano tried to find a comfortable place for his aching lower back. “No. Just me and my father.” His wiggling stirred the ukaii, and he gritted his teeth, wondering if he would ever get over the initial shock of the first jolt of pleasure to his body, wondering if he had to. Could the ukaii be taken out? He’d have to ask Nurak.

“Ah! Two free spirits sharing a bachelor pad.” Jared began singing the first few lines to Bob Marley’s wildly popular No Woman, No Cry. Delirious with exhaustion, Kenano barely swallowed a boyish giggle. He shook his head. “Hardly. My dad was the law, and not the good kind either.” “Hmmm, you rebel?” “If you mean maintaining straight A’s and graduating high school and college with the highest accumulated GPA, then yes, I was ‘hell on wheels,’” he joked. Jared rolled his eyes. “Geez, man, don’t tell me you were a virgin until you were twenty-one?” Kenano squirmed, then jerked his back off the cave wall with a pained groan. “No,” he grunted. “It was a year after that.” “Are you gay?” Kenano stiffened, turning his head to cast Jared an affronted look. “Are you?!” He meant it to come out angry, but instead he just sounded weary. “Yes. Now answer the question, please.” “No. Why?” Jared’s gaze slid to Nurak, who was busy feeding the fire. His black gaze was centered on Kenano, making the bigger man shiver involuntarily. The ukaii stirred, sending a jolt of need spiraling through his belly and groin, and he gasped. “Because I’m thinking it’s going to matter to him. He hasn’t stopped watching you since he walked in. I’m starting to realize what they want from us.” Kenano’s brain immediately flashed to images of Nurak in the shower, all smooth, glistening flesh, tendrils of heat curling away from a powerfully sculpted body, and the tattoos… God help him, they’d ended in a mesmerizing, swirling pattern around the base of his thick… “…as mates.” Kenano’s thoughts turned back to the smaller man in time to hear the last part of his sentence. “Not going to happen.” He closed his eyes. It helped not to have to look at Nurak. It quieted the ache from a roar to a whisper. “I like women. In fact, when I get back home, I’m going to propose to Whitney,” he lied. Say anything, just don’t think about him. He knows. He knows what you think of him. <What?> he snapped, knowing Nurak would hear him. His cock twitched at the sound of the smooth as molasses voice. He was hard as iron. Harder. <See?> The voice was amused now. “He’s talking to you now, isn’t he?” Kenano had almost forgotten that Jared was there. “How do you know?” Jared’s eyes dropped to his lap, meaningfully taking in the large bulge there. The molding properties of the strange material that made up their unit suits did nothing to inhibit the view of his erection. Instead it perversely seemed to be cupping him, showing off just how aroused he was. Kenano clapped his hands over erection, to the amusement of the other man. “Shut up, Jared.” He would take great satisfaction when Jared was finally fitted with his own ukaii. <What bed? We’re in a cave!> Slashes of heat crested Kenano’s cheeks. <Eozz will take first watch. And the Kenzaii are afraid of fire. You do not have to worry. I will protect you with my life.> Kenano had no idea what to say to that. Despite his stubbornness, Nurak remained patient, kind and… determined. With one word, he could disarm Kenano from all his feelings of anger. With one

word, he humbled Kenano with the depth of his caring, because he not only heard the words, but felt the truth behind them. Nurak cared for him, perhaps more strongly than anyone ever had. No one had ever spoken to Kenano so truthfully and unselfishly from the heart, and for him—a man used to bottling up his feelings—this new revelation proved a hard pill to swallow. He had to know. <Why?> Nurak’s lazy chuckle made his belly quiver. <Why? You humans sometimes rationalize beyond need. Why does the sun continue to shine? Some things just are. Your need to know why does not change what is. I have wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. I do not question why. My need of you goes beyond words, Tykhanii.> Kenano’s heart sped up, thumping to escape the confines of his chest. Opening his eyes, Kenano stared at Nurak’s handsome face. In the black gaze of the alien, he could see the twin reflections of the fire. Nurak frightened him, but it wasn’t the type of fear that blossomed out of concern for his safety. This type of fear had its fist wrapped around his heart and licking flames clenched deep in his gut. Abruptly Kenano broke eye contact with Nurak. The admission held more regret than he knew. Waves of warmth and comfort flooded his body, easing his tightly clenched muscles, causing the fire in his gut to spread its fiery wings.

*** Tom’s screams woke them. Jared bolted upright so fast he slammed his head into the cave wall at his back. “Shit!” One hand reached back to probe his skull for injury. Kenano reacted much faster—the bigger man rolled to his feet and went to where Eozz had curled up with his human the night before. Neither Jared nor Kenano had had the balls to argue with him when he’d taken Tom, especially since he was as protective of the young man as a mother hen. They hadn’t really thought about the consequences of him waking up in the arms of a blue giant either. Shit! Jared scrambled to his feet and ran over to kneel beside Kenano. Tom’s frantic hands were beating at the burly chest of the giant as he tried to wrench himself out of his arms. Eozz looked distraught, confused by the speech pouring from the human’s mouth and his inability to calm the human. Kenano spoke to Eozz in a language that sounded like mumbo jumbo to Jared’s sleep-hazed mind. It got Eozz to release Tom, though, and the young man nearly leapt into Kenano’s lap, clinging to him like he was the only raft in the middle of the Pacific. Tom buried his flushed face into Kenano’s chest and sobbed so hard his body shook. Feeling utterly useless, Jared reached out to stroke Tom’s curly blond head. He and Kenano both uttered comforting words of nonsense, although the big guy seemed a bit awkward in his role as comforter. Eozz backed away, his jaw hardened with some expression Jared could not read. Nurak strolled over to exchange words with the other giant, but when Jared slid a cursory glance around the cave, he found it one Lykurgan short. “Shush,” Kenano murmured. “You’re all right. You’re all right.” Tom vehemently shook his head. “I want to go home.” Kenano shot him a helpless look. “We will go home,” Jared lied. He ignored Kenano’s glare and leaned in to whisper in Tom’s ear. “We will go home, Tom, just as soon as this is all over,” he finished lamely. He wished he could tell the kid that this was some bad dream, and as soon as he

woke up he’d be safe and sound in his own bed, but there were no such antidotes. The fallout, when Tom finally grew levelheaded enough to realize he had been lied to, was sure to come, but Jared couldn’t worry about that right now. “Hey?” Gently, he urged Tom’s head up by his chin. “Nobody is going to hurt you, okay? What’s your last name, Tom?” That was the key: Nice, normal conversation—something to ground the kid and get his mind off his current situation. Tom sniffled, wiping his cheeks with a corner of the stretchy material of his unit suit. “Waterford.” “Nice to meet you, Tom Waterford. I’m Jared Mariner, and this is…” “Kenano Smith.” Tom tilted his head and looked up at the stalactites cresting the cave ceiling above their heads. “Where are we?” “Planet Zora. We crashed here after the attack,” Kenano supplied. “Attack?!” Jared groaned, shooting Kenano an accusing glance. “Look, we’re fine now, yeah? What’s important is what we do now.” Biting into his lower lip to stop it from trembling, Tom asked, “Yeah, and what is that?” “Stick together.” Jared looked the kid in the eye, noting the water trembling on the edge of wide blue eyes. Jeez, how old was the kid? He barely looked past his teenage years. A horrible thought swamped him. Had they taken children? Did Lykurgans know the difference between mature adults and adolescents? Did they care? “How old are you, kid?” The mention of age seemed to remind Tom of his pride and the current state it was in, with him wrapped around Kenano like a second skin. Wiggling, he signaled to Kenano that he was okay to be on his own now. Kenano released him, and he sat back on his heels. “I’m nineteen.” Suddenly the boy’s eyes widened, and Jared glanced behind him to see Dawa approaching. Dawa spoke to Kenano, though his eyes were trained on Jared. When he was finished, Kenano relayed the message. “He says that it is time to move now. We need to reach a higher elevation if we are to have any chance of being discovered by Lykurgan search vessels.” Groaning, Jared got to his feet. “I’m pretty sure I saw this on an old sci-fi flick once.” Kenano cast him a questioning look but didn’t say anything. “Anyway, there was this group of astronaut scientists who landed on a strange planet, and they had to reach a pick-up zone before nightfall. Or they were going to be eaten by these big-ass mutant scorpions that were sensitive to daylight… uh… I think.” Tom’s mouth fell open. “Really? Did they make it?” Scratching absently at his temple, Jared shook his head. “Um, no. Actually, they all died.”

CHAPTER 10 Bones, Bones Tumbling Bones! Bones, Bones Tumbling Bones! Bones, Bones Tumbling Bones! ~Moragh war chant Nurak was used to working under stress. He’d once hid in festering, murky swamplands filled with the dead bodies of enemies and friends for two days while waiting for a conclave of Moragh warriors to evacuate the area. He’d picked off four of the stragglers as they retreated back to their ships before collapsing in exhaustion. He’d seen plenty of wars in his relatively young life, spilled enough blood to fill a great room, smelled enough death and rot that he imagined it in his nightmares, but this? Ah... nothing in life had prepared him for the amount of control he had to exercise now. Dawa constantly reminded him and Eozz that they needed to be patient. Humans were delicate creatures—rational creatures, but also stubborn. One misstep could put him in Kenano’s disfavor for good. The trouble was, Nurak had no idea how to take anything slow. The Lykurgan way was to fight and conquer; wooing was a newly acquired word from the human vocabulary. It had taken everything that he was to get through the night without Kenano at his side. Even now, his concentration and awareness slipped under his desire to watch and touch his human. Every fiber in his being wanted Kenano, in every way imaginable. Kenano had impressed him at first sight, proving his bravery by daring to take up a weapon to defend himself even against such odds back on Earth. He’d proved intelligence by evading their first attempts at capture. Yet, some dark spot inside the human disturbed Nurak. Kenano’s view of the right and wrong of any physical relationship between them was skewed by his upbringing. Any thoughts of sexual contact between him and Nurak were affronted by his manhood. There were more barriers aside from trust that Nurak had to break down. He had his work cut out for him. “I do not need Safera’s talents to know what you are thinking.” Eozz fell in step at Nurak’s side. They’d been walking for quite some time now, mostly in silence. Dawa lead the way, and the humans were in the middle: Kenano behind Dawa with Tom at his heels, and Jared behind him. That particular human proved the most talkative of the bunch. Nurak and Eozz brought up the rear. The ground they traveled was slowly winding upward, allowing them to ascend to the height they desired to use the zhiilar. Nurak cast his friend a hard look. “How would you know what I am thinking?” His friend’s expression grew serious, and his black gaze slid to Tom. “Because it is in my thoughts as well. You wish the human to confide in you, to trust you, and return your affection.” He shook his head. “We have misjudged how hard it would be for them to assimilate.” “Yes.” Nurak allowed his gaze to scan the area, his hearing sharpened as he listened out for any sign of them being followed. There were more predators on Zora than the Kenazii. “At least your chosen does not run at the first sign of you.” Eozz issued a humorless laugh. Nurak grunted. “No, he would challenge me outright.” That he could feel about Kenano. He was not the type to cower in a corner. If he felt threatened, he would strike out. His chest swelled with pride. He knew of no Tykhanii as brave as his own. Eozz tapped his shoulder, and Nurak turned to see his friend’s gaze cast over his shoulder. He

was standing completely still. Listen, he gestured. Dawa had heard it too, and in minutes, their small group was huddled close together; Eozz, Dawa, and Nurak formed a shield around the humans. The disturbance in the trees continued as they waited. It could be nothing, or it could be someone waiting in ambush. Finally, after a long pause, Dawa grew weary of waiting for an attack that would not come. “If they are to attack us, it will not matter if we are here or there. Stay on guard, but we move. We are losing light.” Indeed, the shadows of the dwindling wood seemed to be cast longer and longer as Zora’s sun went down. It was probably in the best interest of Zora’s life forms that it did, but for Dawa and his group, it meant that time was ticking. Kenzaii were active the most in the dusk of the fading sun. Reaching a rocky outcropping would make it more difficult for any of Zora’s predators to follow them. They moved on.

*** The humans staggered, their strength fading from lack of food and water. Eozz offered to inject the humans with an energy booster from the emergency kit, but all declined, still wary of taking anything from their kind. It grated on Nurak’s nerves, but he had little time to dwell on it. They were still being followed; every now and then, he caught a hint of movement, a play of shadow through the trees that remained in the distance. The land had given way to a field of broken and sharp rocks of various sizes. Straggly weeds were the only vegetation to be seen in the dry dirt. Each Lykurgan hovered near a human, ready to pull them up should they stagger, or save them from unsure footing. Nurak did not like ignoring a threat—no Lykurgan did—but for the sake of the humans, it was better that they moved on. For the first time, Nurak realized that having a mate proved a liability in times of war. Kenano’s safety came first, and any of the dozens of tactics running through his head were going to have to wait. A part of him wanted to break off from the group and circle around to discover who these hunters were. That would have been his mission if they were alone. Nurak excelled in scouting just as much as in combat. But looking at Kenano, his mate’s body taut with exhaustion, feet continuing to move because of sheer stubbornness, his unit suit clinging with sweat to his well-honed frame, Nurak could not regret going dirtside. Not if this was the reward. A bleep echoed in the silence. Eozz held up his zhiilar, displaying a red screen indicating a feeble signal. A Lykurgan ship might have been able to locate them if a kri was deployed dirtside, but if the zhiilar could send out the signal of their direct location, the rescue would happen much sooner. “That is a good thing, right?” Dawa’s human wiped a hank of sweaty hair from his glistening forehead. He directed the question at Kenano, their unofficial human leader. Kenano shot a quick glance at him before he inclined his head, letting his unusual hair fall into his face, shielding him from Nurak’s stare. “Yes, it is a good thing.” Nurak found himself biting back a smile as the group moved forward. He couldn’t help letting his fingers trail lightly over the human’s back as he “helped” Kenano transverse a nasty crop of rocks. Kenano shivered from his touch, even though he had not touched the ukaii. His smile grew wider. He had his work cut out for him, but he was not without hope.

***

The zhiilar beeped, turning blue to indicate it was ready for signal output. Dawa drew the group to a halt to allow the humans to rest, and Eozz handed him the zhiilar. Dawa entered the correct code to send the signal to the nearest Lykurgan ship. He waited. Moments later, a return signal lit up the zhiilar screen. “They have us locked. We need only stay—” Nurak’s human leapt up from his flat rock, moving so fast that he was almost a brown blur as he flew at the warrior. The human barreled into a surprised Nurak; the Lykurgan catching him around the arms moments too late, they flew back together. Nurak lost his footing and went down like a felled tree, rolling and jostling down the mountain, out of sight. A heartbeat after the Lykurgan and human hit the ground, a spear whirred through the air, singing with deadly intent and lodged into a patch of dirt with a dull thunk. The remaining four whirled around. Dawa’s eyes narrowed to angry slits as his gaze centered on the grinning Moragh, lazily hovering in midair well out of reach. As they watched, four more creatures joined him in the sky, black wings flapping in slow tandem. The four others held spears while their leader, a narrowfaced Moragh with glinting gold eyes, unsheathed the sword at his hip. It was only pure luck that amvi phasers were too heavy to fly with, because no doubt the Moragh would have been equipped with those too. With armored weapons, the Moragh would have to come in closer. Dawa’s fists clenched. Fine with him. Lykurgans learned to react competently in emergency situations at a young age, so the instinct to respond quickly was ingrained in Eozz. As soon as the Moragh lifted their spears to throw, the Lykurgan scooped up the humans and ran for the biggest rock he could find. Dawa snapped the zhiilar on his wrist and dropped into a roll as a spear came hurtling his way. He could hear the angry Moragh snarl as each spear failed to find its target. Shaking off dirt, Dawa plucked the sturdy spear from the ground and stood. Fools. “Cruklogrh!” Get them, the Moragh shouted, beating mighty wings as he descended on Dawa. The two warriors were of even height and build, both bodies built for war and brute strength. The Moragh fluffed out his plumage, hoping to intimidate Dawa with his size. Dawa slashed into one wing for his trouble. Claws slashed out, seeking to rend flesh. Dawa knocked the first and second attempt aside with ease, but the clawed feet caught him off guard. The Moragh pushed off the ground, using his wings to suspend in air as his feet tore a gash in Dawa’s thigh. The pain distracted Dawa, only for a moment, but a moment was enough. The Moragh splintered his spear, the sharp end falling to the ground, useless. Dawa roared, feeling the blood singing through his veins as the attack put him on the offensive. The wound had already begun to heal. The only way to kill a Lykurgan was to pierce the heart or take the head. Wrapping a huge hand around the Moragh’s ankle, Dawa braced his feet and slammed the Moragh to the ground. A screech and a rush of air was his only warning as another Moragh landed on his back, ripping and tearing into his face and neck.

*** Jared crouched behind a rock, clasping a trembling Tom to his side. He wasn’t doing much better himself. The only ‘real’ bloodshed he’d ever seen was in video games and movies. But this was definitely no game. There were no warning labels, no character options or pause buttons. These creatures were real, and if he had not already come to that realization…well, this would have been the kicker.

Tom started, trying to burrow into his side when someone moved around their rock. It was only Nurak pushing Kenano behind their shelter as he took off. Jared let out a sigh of relief, gladly giving over some of the burden of fear to the other man. Tom unwrapped his arms from around Jared and clung to Kenano. A spike of disappointment lodged in his middle. Sure he wasn’t much to look at— he wasn’t built like a quarterback, and his glare couldn’t make a baby cringe—but it still hurt to be so discredited. “You’re bleeding,” Tom gasped, looking up at the nicks and scratches on Kenano’s stern chin and cheek. His unit suit was also dotted crimson. Kenano shook off the concern, his gaze intent on the battle. “I’m fine.” Taking him at his word, Jared turned his attention back to the battle. He cringed. Dawa was taking a shitload of abuse. As fast as he could heal up, a new wound opened on his body. His bare chest gleamed with blood, and his thick fur-covered pants were torn so thoroughly that Jared could see the musculature of his blue thigh and calf. The Moragh were using their wings to blind him. The black, feathered appendages must have been at least twelve feet long from one wingtip to the next. They took turns smothering his face in feathers, while the other one tore into his hide. Something dark and angry blossomed inside Jared at the unfairness of it all. Each lick, each cut, made him flinch as if the blow were landing on him as well. But no, he crouched behind a rock, safe and sound. Coward. Spinning around, he started scanning the ground for a few rocks he could manage to lift. “What in the hell are you doing?” Kenano hissed. Jared shot him a glare. “I can’t just sit here!” He thought that Kenano would try and talk some sense into him, but he’d forgotten one thing: Kenano was a fighter, way more than him or Tom. “I think this should do you.” Kenano placed a good-sized rock in his hand. A small smile quirked his lips. “Try not to hit the good guys.” The bigger man’s eyes widened as he realized what he had just said. Good guys. “So you think they are good guys?” Jared knew he was grinning like a dork. Shrugging, Kenano began picking up more rocks. “Yeah, I guess so. You?” “Yeah.” “You guys are going to stay here, right?” This from Tom, his face pinched and pale with fear. “I mean, those guys told us to stay. Right, Kenano?” Kenano clapped the youngest man on the shoulder. “Stay put, Tom. We’re going to help.” “But…” One stern look from Kenano, and Tom trailed off. “Come on! Come on!” Jared said with renewed urgency. Nodding, Kenano hefted an armful of rocks and the two went hurtling from behind the safety of their hiding spot.

*** Nurak pressed his boot onto the back of a struggling Moragh, using the leverage to break his wing. The Moragh’s screech set his ears ringing. Nurak bent over and neatly broke its neck. He felt the presence at his back and knew he was not going to turn around in time to stop the collision, but he spun anyway, dropping low to avoid the brunt of it. But the Moragh spun off course, dropping to the ground, a mere hand span from where Nurak crouched. The Moragh rolled, end over end. Its wings immediately drew in tight to the body to protect it, so that it looked more like a giant ball of feathers. The Moragh went rolling down the mountain, out of sight. Only once he stood did Nurak realize what had thrown the Moragh off course. A rock about

half the size of his hand lay at his feet, the corner of it smeared with blood. He followed its course back to its beginning, and his heart actually constricted to see Kenano and Jared standing just before the rocks, hurtling stones. That made it twice now that Kenano had saved his life. He could dwell later. Eozz seemed to be on even ground with his enemy, but Dawa was faltering under the onslaught. Throwing his weight into the fight, Nurak plucked the Moragh off Dawa’s back and smashed him into the ground. Claws scoured his arms as he struggled to retain a hold on the thick neck. The Moragh fought him like a stallion in rut, flailing and lashing out until blood dripped from Nurak’s upper body. Refusing to back down, Nurak tightened the pressure on the Moragh’s throat, seeking to crush its windpipe. Dust blew around his feet, alerting him to an aerial visit. Nurak glanced over his shoulder and saw the Moragh that had rolled down the hill moving in his direction. Helion’s star! He needed his weapons. Kenano’s frantic thought shot through him. A spear slid across the dirt, coming to a stop at his feet. Baring teeth in a predatory snarl, Nurak snatched up the spear and swung his arm in a deadly arc. His weapon caught the airborne Moragh in the throat. Its dead weight crashed into him, plastering him between Moragh bodies. <Stay back!> Nurak ordered Kenano, knowing his mate’s intent to aid him. Surprisingly, the human listened. In an act of pure strength, Nurak lifted himself off one Moragh, while shifting the heavy weight of the one on his back. The winged enemy beneath him immediately tried to rip his throat out, but Nurak turned aside, taking the fiery pain in his shoulder instead. The fighting Moragh suddenly went still as a quick jerk broke his neck. Nurak followed the booted feet upward to a bloody and panting Phirst. Dawa grinned. “By Helion’s own, we were set up. Those bastards were trying to confuse me enough to step from the drop-off.” Nurak snarled. He should have known. Moragh were at an advantage in high places. They probably also knew that a hike up a mountainside with a full day lacking food and water would have expended enough of the Lykurgans’ energy to make them vulnerable. Figure in the humans they had to protect, and Nurak knew they had been lucky. Not just luck, though. His eyes searched for Kenano, and he found his mate coaxing Tom from behind a rock. Twice now. He’s risked his life to save yours. Lykurgan courtesy indebted him to Kenano. The Lykurgan smiled—this was a debt he’d be happy to pay. Suddenly, the zhiilar on Dawa’s wrist went off.

CHAPTER 11 Lykur’s ruling faction is the Council of Alter Rigzon. The council consists of five elder Lykurgans, elected by the people to serve life-term sentences. There are only two ways to remove a council elder from his seat: Proving that his intentions are purely self-serving and are not motivated by concern for the welfare of the people, and issuance of a challenge to the death. Since most Council members have earned the markings of a superior warrior, and the council may choose to take issue to the challenger, few opponents ever arise. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera Lacy, white window hangings swirled around the picture perfect sight of a clear blue sky and sandy white beaches in the distance. The shallow depths of the sea sparkled as the sun reflected off its crystalline waters. Heart swelling with relief, Kenano rose from the bed, hardly paying attention to where he had spent the last few days in a rejuvenating slumber. The sight that greeted him outside the window was a familiar one to him, one that proved that the past events of his life had been nothing more than an extraordinary dream. Although he wasn’t given to fanciful imaginings—had never allowed himself entertain the illogical—he figured that everyone daydreamed now and again. But this was no daydream. He couldn’t quite figure out how he’d ended up in Jamaica. He’d been only once: Treating himself to a vacation after graduate school. He’d done it more to get away from his father and to fortify himself for the task of accepting a desk job at Houghton, Inc., something that he’d never wanted anyhow. Jamaica was just a beautiful as he remembered. Did it really matter how and why he was here again? He just wanted to believe. Reaching out, Kenano tried to touch the gossamer curtain. A frown creased his brow as his fingers passed right through it. Come to think of it, there was no breeze. The curtains fluttered, but he couldn’t feel the rush of air against his own skin. Looking down, he noted that he was nude, again. And there, resting in his navel, was a shiny chrome sphere. Kenano stumbled back in shock, barely managing to save himself from hitting the floor when the backs of his knees slammed into the bed. He sat heavily, quickly tugging the ends of the sheet over his thighs, covering his privates. “I thought that a reminder of your home world would help ease your fears, Tykhanii.” Nurak’s broad frame filled the doorway. He walked into the room. “Halo image off.” The image of the window and the beach beyond shimmered and then winked out. Kenano stared after it for a moment, both appalled to have his hopes shattered and fascinated by the extent of their technology. He’d never seen anything manmade with such flawless visual imagery—at least not anything outside of movies. Nurak must have plucked the picture of Jamaica from Kenano’s memory. “Where am I?” he asked. The disintegration of the illusion revealed a setting just as lovely as the island of Jamaica. Three windows, twice as large as Kenano was tall, looked out upon a ground pool of sparkling, sapphire-blue water. The pool was shaped like a U, encircling an artfully plotted copse of exotic plants. An intricate pattern made up the brickwork lining the crisscrossing paths of the garden. There were several benches to sit on and relax. Kenano judged it to be a quiet place to meditate or reflect. “You are on Planet Lykur. Our holdings in east Tyros.” Our? “What belongs to me belongs to you. It is our way.” Nurak’s fingers lovingly traced the line of his jaw, falling away when they reached the swell of his lips. Kenano couldn’t suppress a shiver. He felt an answering pulse of arousal between his legs, and barely stifled the urge to squirm. There had

been too many of these touches, too much arousal that had gone unfulfilled. He’d never been so frustrated in his life. He tried to look at Nurak in a different light for all of a second and realized the truth with no little shock. What if Nurak wasn’t an alien? Just a man he’d met on Earth. Would he have felt this attracted to him? Would his need have burned so deep he sometimes felt he couldn’t breathe properly? No. He was attracted to Nurak for what he was, all eight feet, some odd inches of cerulean blue flesh, muscle, and bone. Hair so dark that the blue was almost a highlight. Eyes black enough to reflect space itself. At times he could swear he saw gold flecks, like tiny stars glittering in their depths. Purely masculine, unforgivably male, and he smelled… like heaven itself. What the fuck? Nurak flinched away from the hand he’d been nuzzling into like a well-kept puppy. He swayed toward Nurak; the mind and body conflicted. The breaking of contact felt like a cold bucket of water dashed onto a smoldering inferno. Shaking his head, he forced his thoughts back to the matter at hand. His prospects for getting back to Earth were low. But he still wanted to be in control of what options he had left to him. “HHow did I get here?” he gestured vaguely with one hand, keeping the other hand fisted securely in the sheet. “I don’t remember anything after you grabbed me on Zora.” “The transition to a Lykur ship causes our molecules to fragment.” He held a picture in his mind, showing it to Kenano like a friend would show a vid clip. “It takes time to get used to, and sometimes the body shuts down immediately after transitioning to its destination. When you and the other humans remained asleep after we boarded ship, we decided it was best for all if we kept you that way. We kept you in the medivic bed pods.” This, too, he showed to Kenano, sending him visuals of the white tubes with fiberglass doors. “It minimized your exposure to a ship full of Lykurgan warriors and decreased the likelihood of stressors. You were not weaned off of the sleep aid until we landed on Lykur.” Kenano irritably rubbed at the back of his neck. That made it twice now that he’d been put under the influence of drugs only to awaken in a different state then he’d been in before he went under. It felt like he’d spent decades sleeping. He was resolved to have his eyes wide open for some time to come. “I would appreciate it if you asked me before you administered anymore drugs.” “There should be no further need to…” The Lykurgan hesitated, then backtracked, “…but I can respect that, Tykhanii. If the need should arise again, I will defer to your decision, if I am able to do so.” He let that one go; at least it appeared as if his opinions held weight. Now to test just how much weight he had here. “Am I a slave?” He tensed. He couldn’t help it; just the thought brought a bittertasting acid up from his stomach. “You are free to go where you wish, so as long as there is a guard, and it is not beyond the city limits.” Nurak held up a hand to silence the protest he saw coming from his chosen. “A Tykhanii is so rare on Lykur that many would be willing to risk their lives to have you. This I cannot allow. I will have you safe at all times. Your welfare is precious to me.” He said the last without the slightest hint of endearment—these were no pretty words, but hard truth. The only way a Lykurgan knew how to be. Kenano understood that now. Seeming to read Kenano’s mind, Nurak continued, “You are not my property in the sense that you are thinking. You belong to me as I belong to you, or at least you will be once the council acknowledges it.” Kenano’s dark brows snapped together. “Council?” “The elders are the final law on many rulings in Lykur. You will meet them the soonest. They have required your presence upon waking.” His dark eyes met and held Kenano. “You are the only human implanted with ukaii that was recovered after the Moragh attack.” Nurak didn’t have to tell

Kenano that the ukaii meant he was the only human on Lykur capable of understanding the language. His hopes suddenly rose. If the elders were the final law, perhaps he could convince them to send him home. And what about the others? Jared? Tom? Will you leave them here? Kenano ran a punishing hand through his dreads and gritted his teeth in frustration. No! No! No! He couldn’t leave them. He would have to find a way for everyone to leave, or not leave at all. Feather-light was the brush of Nurak’s mind against his. This time he did not fight it. It did no good to push him away. Besides, he felt bereft when Nurak withdrew completely. Kenano stiffened. The answer was as he had feared. Kenano felt his gut clench, tighten to the point of pain, as if he’d just taken an invisible blow. The movement stirred the ukaii in his navel and sent tendrils of pleasure spiraling through his system. He clenched his teeth, turning his moan into an angry snarl. He wanted to rage and hit! Break something! He wanted… a different answer. Godamnit! But what good would his anger do? It had never gotten him anything but his father’s disgust. Look at you! Sorry excuse for a man! Can’t even control yourself! Weeping like a little faggot! And after he struck his father in anger—the biggest mistake of his life—he’d never been forgiven. You’re no son of mine, boy! That had been the day Kenano stopped wearing his emotions on his sleeve. He’d lived only to satisfy the basic needs of his body. No one had been able to tear down his walls, make him… feel. Not Whitney, not a string of faceless lovers before her. Not until… Nurak. God, how perverted is that? It took an alien—something I didn’t even know existed—to do this to me! What had Nurak done? Tied him to his side. Forever.

*** The chambers for the Council of Alter Rigzon were designed as a physical manifestation of the power they wielded. The walls were high, smoky gray in appearance. Lights at the center of court were severe, so that no one looking on could mistake just who stood trial. The judges themselves, older warriors with silver hair but no less diminished in size and strength for their advanced years, occupied a dais that loomed over the court attendant. Dawa stood accused, having broken his contract—taking liberties of visiting the Milky Way Galaxy off the due course of their original mission. He refused to give names for the members of his kri who’d had a hand in his “sins.” Even though the voyage records would account for each warrior who’d accompanied him on the trip, most of the judges were not inclined to pursue them. Especially since not a few of the members had grown to warriorhood under the tutelage of the council members. As for himself—well, council member Agroff had housed him in his boyhood. The elder Lykurgan had been a strict but fair master. They’d remained amicable acquaintances, if not close friends, after Dawa had earned the rank of Phirst and been offered the position to head his own ship. But no hint of what the elder was thinking shone on his face now. Agroff’s frown was just as severe as the other four council members’. “Explain to us what you were thinking, going dirtside on Earth and taking these humans?” Tanus asked. Passing between them was a report and vid recording of his activities while aboard their

ship. The vid screen was passed to the last council member on the left; Unar, if his memory served correctly. Choosing his words carefully, for this could mean the difference between hope for his people or the koal mines for himself, he said, “Like you, I believed at first that Earth was just a myth. We had traveled all over the Alathii’ galaxy. The ship’s resources were running low, so that the last trip was to Hyperion.” Hyperion was almost as advanced as Lykur and known throughout the galaxy for its gracious and selective trade port. But even Hyperion’s market proved bereft of any potential mate candidates, and Helion’s own star knew they had enough servants. “We left empty-handed, and on an act of impulse, I decided that we had nothing to lose by searching for this mythical planet. I used the zena stones we were supplied with to trade for fuel instead. I had enough for a few days exploration.” The Milky Way, which until he’d been briefed by Safera was referred to as Kaonraii, was not so far removed from Alathii. He left out the fact that Arsus had suggested an exploration of Kaonraii. Arsus was young and had a full life ahead of him as a warrior. “When we found Earth, we employed the ukaii webs. I sent a few members of my kri dirtside. When one of my warriors realized not all of the humans were affected by the ukaii web, we knew that some of the humans must have the G-Strain.” He wished Safera were here to explain what he could not. Safera’s intelligence, not to mention her soothing presence, would have gone a long way toward swaying the council. But so far there was no word of her discovery. There was still half a fleet out searching, so he held out hope. “The humans we brought aboard were screened for compatibility and were discovered to be genetically similar to our kind.” He went on to explain the selection process and Safera’s meticulous separation of suitable mates from those too old or already mated. He finished by explaining their attack by Moragh warships and the crash to planet Zora, his encounter with the Kenzaii, and then the Moragh themselves upon the mountain. When he was finished, the chamber was steeped in heavy silence. He waited patiently, refusing to flinch under their accusing gazes. He had nothing to regret. He had done what he thought was best for his people. “And you took it upon yourself to allow mating before you had the council’s consent.” The last Lykurgan on the right, by far the biggest of the five, and possessed of a foul temperament, leaned forward to fix Dawa with a dark scowl. “The way I see it, we left him very little choice.” Nurak shrugged off the staying hand of a council guard as he entered the room. Kenano walked quickly at his side, struggling to keep up with his long stride. His dark eyes were for the council. “I respect my Phirst. Dawa has ever served Lykur with bravery and honor. He puts the needs of his people before his own. He is a better man than I.” Nurak’s head turned, eyes looking down at his chosen. “I would have challenged him outright.” He looked back at the council members. “I would have done anything to claim my chosen. In faith, the rest of the kri would have too.” Nurak and Dawa’s gaze might have been for the council, but every other member in the room was staring at the human at Nurak’s side. All but Unar, who had a Tykhanii, looked on with envy and desire. Tanus’ gaze, Nurak noted, was more covetous than most, menacingly so. He stepped to his left, an instinctive action to shield his mate. “He is not yours, yet!” Tanus stated, baring his teeth in a snarl. “He has been fitted with the ukaii,” Dawa said. “Nurak wears its other half.” “We can change that!” “Over my dead body!” Nurak snarled, too angry to fear what holes his words dug. “Exactly.” “Silence!” Unar slammed his fist down on the council’s table. Dawa shook his head. “You would not allow this? To remove Nurak’s ukaii would kill him.” “A rightly deserved sentence for his arrogance,” Tanus spat.

“I believe the young warrior knew what consequences his actions might have.” This from Ravik, a silent witness until now. “Yes,” Nurak admitted, his gaze unflinching. “Why don’t we allow the human to speak?” Agroff suggested. “I assume the ukaii was effective enough to teach him our language.” Grudgingly, Nurak stepped aside, allowing every gaze to fall on his chosen.

*** This was not what Kenano had been expecting when Nurak spoke of the council. He was still half-shocked by all the events that had passed in the last few hours as he traveled through Lykur. He’d watched from a hover car as they drove through the heart of the city: Children at play, strange beasts lumbering through the streets with riders on their backs, hover cars swarming the streets, and hawkers selling their wares at market. All the colors, sights and sounds were so brilliant. It had been alien and yet familiar at the same time. He’d experienced a terrible itch to get out and walk the streets, to touch the strange gifts at market, to discover the source of those delicious smells. And he had forgotten that Nurak knew his thoughts. The Lykurgan produced a basket full of foodstuffs. “Eat,” he’d said, offering Kenano a strange-looking fruit. Hunger had finally won out against his stubbornness, until Kenano found himself devouring half the basket’s contents. He finished it off with a delicate burp, earning him Nurak’s amused laugh. He’d felt that too: Nurak’s amusement, the simple joy he felt while watching his mate eat. Once he finished, Kenano realized his acceptance of the food was one more step that showed he was beginning to trust the Lykurgan. Nurak’s gentle voice whispered through his mind, snapping him out of his thoughts. It wasn’t until then that he realized how anxiously his heart was beating. He sent Nurak the message that had been swirling around in his head since the council member with the ugly sneer had spoken. Dread settled in his belly like so much heavy stone. Pause. <But if my claim is not honored, I might have to fight for you. Depending on my opponents, it may be the same as a death sentence.> He answered truthfully, in no way trying to persuade Kenano’s decision with pity. Pity, Kenano sensed, was worse than death for their kind. “Nurak!” Unar called. “You are forbidden to use your mind link to the human in these chambers.” Sighing, Nurak severed the link. This time it was Agroff who leaned forward, as if he wished to confide some secret to Kenano. “Tell me, human. Do you wish to be severed from this warrior?” Kenano froze. This was it, what he’d been working his way up to from the moment he was captured. A way out. Yes, but to what end? Nurak’s death? They will surely give me to someone else! Just the thought of Nurak’s death made his gut twist and his heart palpitate. Warmth suffused his chest, his belly, soothing, settling him down. <Slow your heart, Tykhanii.> Kenano was surprised—even with his life hanging in the balance, Nurak’s first thought was for him. One word from Kenano could seal his fate, and he still tried to comfort him. He still defied the order of his council to care for his mate. You humans sometimes rationalize beyond need. Why does the sun continue to shine? Some things just are. Your need to know why does not necessitate what is. I have wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. I do not

question why. My need of you goes beyond words, Tykhanii. Nurak’s familiar words whispered through his head. “Human?! Do you want Nurak as a mate?” Kenano’s throat was so dry he had to swallow several times before he could speak. He’d never been so scared in his life. The kidnapping, the crash, even the attack by the Moragh, all paled in comparison to his newest revelation. I love him. As quickly as he thought it, he shielded, not exactly sure if he was at all effective in hiding the knowledge from Nurak. He had his answer. There really was no other choice. “Yes.”

CHAPTER 12 Uztat are honorary markings given to Lykurgans during the two most significant moments of their lives. A Lykurgan that does not earn his uztat by the age of majority may be ostracized by warriors who have earned the honor. Aside from proving their ability as warriors and protectors, uztat are a gift to the lucky few who acquire a mate. Specialized uztat which represent a marriage of souls are then given to mates in a matching set. It is the closest approximation to a ceremony of claiming. ~Excerpt from the chronog of Safera “Your mate is impossible.” Sethos threw up his hands, marching unannounced into Nurak’s private quarters. Once, Sethos would have feared interrupting his master while he had company, but familiarity had bred the fear out of him. Besides, his new master treated him with more respect and care than he’d ever experienced. Breaking off the conversation he’d been having with Dawa, Nurak quirked one eyebrow in his servant’s direction. “See this?” Sethos pointed indignantly to his swollen eye. “He hit me! I hadn’t even touched him yet.” Keeping the smile from his face wasn’t easy, but Nurak managed. “Sethos, did you explain to Kenano what you intended to do?” Most likely his servant had brashly entered the bathing chamber and attempted to slather his concoction on Kenano’s groin. Most Tykhanii were meek or eventempered. Certainly none had ever been known to lift a finger toward anyone. Kenano wasn’t like any other Tykhanii. It was best that Sethos learned this sooner rather than later. Of late, his servant grew arrogant-minded. Nurak believed it had a lot to do with his favoritism. The dark-haired, red-skinned Trellian had shared his bed more than any other individual in his household. Nurak had allowed his snobbish ways and brazen actions to escape his punishment, only because his increasing desire for a mate had substituted the Trellian for the real thing. Nurak sighed. Correcting his lapse in judgment was going to take time. Studying the slim Trellian now, he wondered if he would not have to send him away. The Trellian’s face fell. “I-I thought you had already told him.” “No.” He’d neglected to impart the one small detail after Dawa had pulled him away from Kenano long enough to discuss pressing issues. With the absence of his Dorge and Trivan, or any of the other members of his kri aside from him and Eozz, Dawa confided in Nurak what had been the decision of the council. The vote had not been unanimous, but the council had decided to put further judgment on the issue of human mates on hold until the rest of the Lykurgans and humans were brought home, or when the search was ended. They also demanded regular reports on the three humans on Lykur, especially Nurak and his mate, the only two fitted with the ukaii. They were most curious to see how well the two species bonded. Kenano, Jared and Tom did not know it yet, but their actions would decide the fate of an entire nation. The second step in his bonding with Kenano was the uztat. For Nurak, the symbol of his claiming couldn’t come fast enough. His memory was ripe with images of Counselor Tanus’ expression when he first saw Kenano. He wanted him. Very badly. And Nurak had no idea what the counselor was willing to do to have him. There was no love lost between the two. In fact, Tanus was one of the least-liked counselors holding a seat on Alter Rigzon. Only his power kept the public settled, when there were those who would remove the devious croag from his seat. Once Kenano had the uztat, there would be no doubt that he was taken. Claimed. Bedded: The third step of the bonding ritual. Looking back at Dawa, Nurak asked, “Can this matter hold, Phirst?”

Dawa nodded. “We’ve discussed the bulk of it. The counselors will be expecting my company soon. Counselor Agroff wishes to know everything I do. And until Safera is found, I guess I will have to muddle through a clumsy explanation.” The Lykurgan grinned and rose from his chair. He clapped Nurak on the shoulder. “As for you—well, it is good we heal fast, yes?” The Lykurgan laughed, letting himself out of the room. Nurak found his mate, wet and dripping, with a sheet wrapped around his waist, a bunched fist holding it in place at his belly. When he saw Nurak, he clenched the sheet tighter, his cheeks colored guilty. Nurak opened the path to his mate’s mind, catching fleeting glimpses of himself in Kenano’s thoughts—in the shower as he’d been before the Moragh attack. Then the images were snatched away, stuffed deep down in his mate’s mind and stacked with brick walls for good measure. Shielding? His mate was a natural at it. He wondered what else Kenano would be a natural at. The stirring between his legs betrayed what he was hoping it would be. “Sethos tells me you had some objection to his… administrations.” Emboldened by his master’s presence, Sethos strolled into the room, crossing his slender arms. “He hit me.” Nurak cast Sethos a hard look. Kenano’s eyes narrowed. “Whatever the hell that thing is… it touched…” Slashes of heat blossomed on his cheeks. He looked away, then back at Nurak. “You sent him to me?” “Yes. He was to prepare you for the uztat.” “Uztat?” “The markings of his house—they are the symbol of Nurak’s claim to you.” Sethos spoke as if Kenano should know this information already. Kenano’s cheeks heated even more, but this time his anger was evident. “Again! I already have these things.” He gestured to the ukaii, careful not to touch them. “Now you want to put a slave mark on me. Without my consent? You promised!” “Silly human!” Sethos exploded. “Have you no idea what an honor it is to wear Master’s marks? It means you have his protection. It means that you are important!” “Sethos!” Nurak waited until his servant was quiet. “This is no mark of slavery, Kenano. I will wear one as well. I promised you that I would not put you to sleep again without your knowledge. Forgive me, I am used to having my orders obeyed and did not think it would bother you to wear the equivalent of a wedding ring on Earth. The process is painless, but the uztat are permanent. It was necessary for Sethos to apply the permanent follicle remover to your groin. All hair must be denuded. The uztat spreads from above your navel to the base of your cock.” Out of everything Nurak had said, it amused him that his mate had grasped only two words, “Permanent… remover?” “Yes. It is custom to denude the groin of hair when the uztat are given. The hair will never grow back where the remover is applied.” Kenano contemplated silently for a moment. “Do I have a choice?” “From this day forward, you will always have a choice, Tykhanii.” Kenano eye’s drifted up to Nurak’s. He could almost imagine the brick walls his mate had erected starting to crumble. He could just make out the vision floating through his mate’s head. It was of Nurak in the shower, hand surrounding the base of his cock, which clearly showed off his uztat. His Tykhanii’s pink tongue flicked out, slowly drawing across his full lower lip. Nurak bit back a growl and clenched his fist. It had to be soon. Tonight. He wasn’t going to last much longer. Not unless they threw him in solitary—and enforced the walls with Satarian steel. His mate finally sighed, “Why not.” Kenano pushed his dreads from his face. Then he did something Nurak had not been expecting: he smiled. “I thought about getting a tat once. Just to piss off my dad.”

*** Jared tugged absently at the oversized skirts he’d been given to wear. I’m wearing a skirt! There just was no other way to describe the fine material. It felt like velvet under his fingertips, and it came in several layers and colors. He’d chosen a black one, trying in vain to recapture his masculinity. To add insult to injury, the damn thing didn’t even fit all that well. Every few minutes he had to yank it back up to avoid exposing his privates, which, by the way, were catching a breeze like you wouldn’t believe. Granted, the Lykurgans had not had the time to make a garment from his exact measurements, but how hard could it be? He wanted to ask why they’d been denied the skintight body coverings they’d worn earlier, but no one could understand him. And the four armed servants—helpers—maids—whatever, had been adamant about his changing. He’d gleaned from their behavior that he was getting into the skirt one way or another. And then there was Tom. Kenano was nowhere to be seen, and no one could tell him where his friend had gone, but he had Tom with him. At least he wasn’t crying anymore. No, he was too busy stuffing his face with the strange-looking fruit from the trays of food they’d been given. Jared had managed to nibble on a green leafy vegetable that tasted a bit like celery, only sweeter, but he hadn’t touched the rest of it. Tom, on the other hand, appeared to be a stress eater. Either that or he had a bad case of tapeworm. The peach-like fruit was the size of a melon and quite juicy. Tom’s busy mouth was slathered in the juices until they ran down his chin. He ignored the mess, chomping away at the oversized fruit like it was the ambrosia of the gods. “Maybe you shouldn’t eat so much,” Jared hesitantly suggested, stopping his pacing to stand before the huge couch. Tom sat on the cushions, looking more like a small kid with no table manners. His legs were crossed, the tray cradled between them. Juices ran down his face and arms. He lowered the fruit long enough to say, “You should try some of this. It’s delicious.” “Aren’t you even remotely worried about what’s going to happen to us?” The younger man took his time placing the fruit back on the tray, though he looked reluctant to do so. “Yeah, I’m scared as hell, if you haven’t noticed.” He held up his hands. They were sticky with juice and trembling. “But I still want to live through this. Whatever happens, I’m not ready to die yet.” The kid’s eyes started brimming with tears. Aww! “Look, kid.” He laid a hand on one bony shoulder. Tom was shivering right down to his bones. “I don’t think we were brought here to die.” He should tell Tom—tell him what he was in for—but he couldn’t seem to work up the courage to say the words aloud. As a gay man, he could appreciate the sex appeal of these beautiful creatures. But even he wasn’t certain about being lovers with any of them—well, okay, if he had to choose it would be Dawa—but no, he wasn’t 100% certain he could deal. For guys like Kenano and Tom, it was probably a nightmare. Squatting down before the big couch and Tom, he looked the younger man in the eyes. “They haven’t hurt you, have they?” He waited for Tom to nod slowly. “They’ve fed you?” This time he received a watery, “Yes.” “They even protected us from those, er… Moraghs, I think they’re called. And the one who has Kenano has been taking really good care of him.” A pang of something akin to longing pierced his own heart when he thought about the burgeoning relationship between the two. He’d never had that kind of attention—that kind of focus turned on him before. Kenano couldn’t see it, but every touch, every gesture of the big alien communicated one fact. Mine. That was probably where Kenano was now. With Nurak. Tom gasped, and Jared turned his head in time to see two Lykurgans step into the room. Eozz was a familiar face. His companion was an inch or so shorter, and much more slender. Was it

possible he was looking at a juvenile? He’d never thought of the possibility before. He found himself curious to see just what their children looked like. What their women looked like. All that he had seen so far were huge males. He’d never wished for the ability to communicate more than he had at that moment. Eozz quirked two fingers, indicating they come. Tom’s sticky fingers dug into his forearm. “Where are they taking us?” The question had to be a reflexive one brought on by fear. Surely Tom understood that Jared couldn’t possibly know any more than he did. “I don’t know.” He took the hand the younger man had clutching at him. “But we’ll find out together.” He knew Eozz, recognized those raven-wing eyebrows and the two beaded braids to the side of his left temple. And in the knowing, he felt sure that no harm would come to him. His intuition about people was hardly ever wrong. He just hoped the same thing applied to aliens.

*** The room Eozz led them to was cavernous—and occupied. Long tables crowded with food and plates, goblets and finery, were attended by more Lykurgans than either human had ever guessed existed. But what the humans noticed most of all weren’t the large giants seated at the table, but the smaller, more delicate-looking companions that a few of them held protectively at their sides. Compared to their partners, the smaller Lykurgans looked tiny, even though it was obvious that some of them were bigger than Jared and Tom. Every eye in the room turned to the newcomers, and Jared felt his heart take up a thundering rhythm. He allowed his gaze to travel slowly over the room until he spotted one familiar face—the chair beside him empty. Needing no farther encouragement, Jared took Tom’s hand and tugged him along.

*** Dawa had no appetite for food, but the dinner was a celebration of their return and the success of their journey. Though what success his people thought they’d accomplished, he wasn’t sure. Only two members of his kri had been recovered after the Moragh attack, not to mention the dozen or so humans who were unaccounted for. No journey was worth so many lives. The council was divided, torn between the excitement of finding the fabled planet and the devastation of the newest Moragh attacks. Counselor Tanus in particular was unusually upset about their discovery. His hostility toward Nurak was suspicious. Even if he coveted Nurak’s mate, ordering his death was not an honorable way to earn Kenano. Because of Tanus, Dawa walked a fine razor’s edge with the Council of Alter Rigzon. Tanus was insistent that he be passed judgment the soonest. But the rest of the council hesitated. He had to be punished for disobeying orders, but he deserved honors for braving such a journey and bringing hope to their people again. The honors partly belong to Arsus, Dawa thought, sipping deeply from his goblet of wine. It had been the young Lykurgan’s idea to visit Kaonraii. But the young warrior was still listed as uncovered, either dead or fighting for his life. It frustrated Dawa to be bound to Lykur, forbidden as he was to join the searching fleet. It was the silence that first alerted him to the newcomers. Dawa looked up, following the commotion to the main entry. Eozz and Zanan walked in, flanking two humans. His eyes skimmed over Tom, but hesitated at the pretty brown-haired one with eyes the color of kala leaves.

His body tightened in reaction, a seed of arousal unfurling in his belly and groin as he took in all the vulnerable, gold skin on display. The human’s hair had grown longer since the trip. The dark ends now curled at his shoulders. What precious few hours he’d managed to sleep in the last few days had been filled with dreams of this human. It had been a long time since Dawa took a lover, although his abstinence was not for lack of offers—his mind had been occupied with his duties as Phirst. But as suddenly as he met Jared, his desire had spiked like kindling to a flame. His body was begging him to take the human—mark him as his—but still he hesitated. Being Phirst was his life. He had no plans to settle on Lykur, take a mate, and help raise the next generation of warriors. Even if the council were to strip him of his position on the morrow, he had no doubt that he’d join one of the scores of trading ships—perhaps hire out his gun-arm as a mercenary. The sight of Jared sorely tempted him to change his mind. He watched the human surveying the room. He smiled when he spotted Dawa, and to the big Lykurgan’s disbelief, the man started making his way around the table to his side. There were several empty chairs where he was sitting, two of them reserved for Nurak and his mate, but the others untaken. Jared pulled out the chair next to his, casting him a sheepish glance and a smile. Dawa nodded, wishing he had the words to communicate. Instead of speaking, he picked up a heavy goblet and handed it to the human. The man accepted the drink with a nod of thanks, but the minute Dawa let go, the heavy goblet wobbled in the human’s smaller hands, and with a squeak, Jared dropped it. Ruby-dark wine ran across the table with swift fingers. A slash of heat appeared at the human’s cheeks, and his companion spoke rapidly in his ear. Ducking his head and dabbing uselessly at the mess he had made, the human gasped when Dawa stayed his hand and shook his head. Dawa called for a servant. A four-armed Satarian hurried over with a pitcher in two hands and rags in the others. Quickly, the Satarian cleaned up the mess and poured Jared more wine. The human finally settled with a nod, though his cheeks still glowed red. Dawa sipped more wine from his goblet and eyed the vacant chairs across from him, wondering what was taking Nurak and his mate so long.

*** Nurak smirked at his mate, watching the flustered human from the corner of his eye as they strolled down the hall. He’d had a time convincing Kenano to wear a tepfla when they visited council. The human’s biggest argument was that it was a skirt—apparently only women wore such things back on Earth. But the shortened version that rode just below his pelvic bone and showed off the begining of his uztat had been nearly impossible to get him to wear. The argument had been worth it, though. To see Kenano now—the deep V where his belly melded with his groin, bearing his marks— filled him with pride. The black ink mimicked his uztat in its thick swirling pattern. The only difference was that Kenano’s uztat framed the tiny indent of his navel—a feature that, having never developed in a womb, Nurak lacked. The ukaii flashed boldly from Kenano’s navel, a representation of their union that could not be denied. Envious eyes watched the couple’s progress as they moved swiftly toward the eating hall. “This is ridiculous,” Kenano murmured to himself, hand hovering over the new uztat. Sethos had used NuSkin to speed the healing process so that the uztat was not painful or itchy, but the skin was still terribly tender. Nerves around the area had been over-stimulated in the marking process. No doubt his nervousness was stirring up a frenzy in his ukaii. It did not escape Nurak’s notice that his mate’s gait was awkward. He wished that he could simply forgo late-meal and attend Kenano in his chambers. Only an act of will was keeping his stride even. The palms of his hands itched to touch and stroke. He restrained himself, knowing that one

touch would lead to many more. Furthermore, he had things to discuss with Dawa—things of utmost importance. But as soon as an opportunity presented itself to leave for his holdings, he was taking it. Tyros had a gathering hall for special events in the center of the city. Here the citizens of Tyros congregated to enjoy food, wine, and dance. Sometimes sparring matches took place just outside its doors. The building itself was the color of virgin sand, windowless, with high walls and arching entranceways. The floor was made of sanded stone, with rugs of ihaii fur here and there. The great table was its main attraction. It spanned the length of the room, seating a few dozen warriors and mates comfortably. It was here that Nurak and Kenano found the rest of their friends. Jared and Tom flew up from their seats when they spotted Kenano, rushing the man like he was some long lost relative. Nurak pulled his gaze away to nod at Eozz and Zanan before turning his full attention to Dawa.

*** “Where in the hell have you been?” Jared patted Kenano’s shoulder with a jittery hand. Kenano caught his hand, peering into his friend’s face. “Are you drunk?” Jared smiled at him goofily. “Course not.” A little giggle escaped his lips before he burped. Kenano sighed, looking over his shoulder for confirmation from Tom. “He drank one of these huge things of wine. Somehow I think it’s more potent to us than it is to a Lykurgan.” Kenano nodded. Note to self: No wine. Taking Jared’s hand, he started to lead them in the direction of Nurak. He could feel the heat of several gazes crawling over him, and it made him uncomfortable. “Whoa! When-didjah get that thing?!” Jared said, a bit louder than was necessary. His cool fingers touched Kenano’s belly, tracing his uztat. Tom turned around to check it out for himself. “It’s beautiful.” Kenano flushed, but edged away from Jared’s curious fingers. “A lot has happened since I last saw you guys. So let’s get a seat and I’ll tell you everything.” “Oh, wow!” Tom exclaimed, a half hour later, as Kenano finished telling him about everything he’d been through in the past twenty-four hours. At least he thought an entire day had passed. He had no idea how the Lykurgans measured time. Seeming to think of something, Tom asked, “Do we have to get those too? I mean the ukaii and everything?” Kenano eyed Tom’s bare chest; he was on the thin side, but he had nice definition. If he’d had a tan before, it had faded, leaving his skin looking rather pale. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “You might have a choice.” He shrugged, picking up a sweetmeat from his plate and popping it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then said, “I would think the odds are high that you might, considering you haven’t been partnered yet.” This seemed to ease Tom a bit, but then he asked, “Aren’t you upset that you weren’t given a choice? Don’t you want to go home?” “This is home now.” It was time Tom faced the truth. Kenano had, and he’d come to find out it wasn’t all that bad. “There is no way to go back home, knowing what we know. I wouldn’t have chosen this life, but here it is.” I lucked out, he silently admitted to himself, but he wasn’t exactly ready to say so aloud. Tom nodded. There was still an edge of sadness around his eyes, but he seemed a lot more accepting than he had been the day before. His next words surprised Kenano, however. “If I had a

choice, I-I think I’d kind of like Eozz. H-He’s really gentle with me, and he is very handsome.” Tom ducked his head, blushing. Kenano chuckled. “I don’t think you’ll have a problem with handsome around here.” Beside them, Jared whistled into his empty goblet. “All dried out, boys,” he said woefully, licking the rim. “Buzz all gone.” “Buzz?” “That’s what I call it,” he explained. “Buzz. You find out what it’s called and translate for me, ’kay?” Suddenly Jared’s head whipped up and he looked around. “Hey, where is that guy?” “What guy?” Tom and Kenano said in unison. “The dude with the four arms. He’s been refilling Dawa’s goblet all night, and the first time I go dry, he’s nowhere to be found,” he grumbled irritably. Kenano plucked the goblet from his hand and set it on the table. “I think you’ve had enough—” His voice was drowned out by the resonating beat of what sounded like a gong. All conversation ceased as the main entry doors slid open and a stream of lithe red men scurried into the room. Kenano recognized the species as Trellian, the same as Nurak’s servant. Some of them lapsed into flips and cartwheels. Colorful scarves secured to their ankles and wrists fluttered, creating dazzling displays of color as they flew through the air. Kenano found he was just as mesmerized by their graceful display as everyone else was. When one Trellian demonstrated the beat he wanted by clapping, he managed to galvanize the entire table into creating the beat with their hands. The Trellians proceeded to dance to the beat, leaping, flipping, rolling, becoming more extreme as they did so on each other’s shoulders and over each other’s backs. A few of them even stood on the table. The dance went on for a long while, and when it ended, the solitary Lykurgans were quick to snatch up a Trellian partner. The commotion soon died down, and everyone returned to eating. Kenano spoke with Tom and Jared at length until Nurak beckoned him to rise. Together they walked from the dining hall under curious and envious gazes.

*** The dark stuff Jared had affectionately nicknamed “buzz” had done nothing to make Kenano unaware of where the night was heading. The tingling in his belly and the agitated movement of the ukaii had been broadcasting Nurak’s intentions all night. Kenano found himself torn between wanting to run—which wouldn’t have appealed to him a few days ago—and staying. The better half of him begged him to stop lying to himself. He wanted this. Had wanted it since the moment he’d first seen Nurak standing in the doorway. The need went deeper than the marrow of his bones. He was drawn to the big warrior in some primitive way that throbbed through his veins like molten lava. Humans may not have such instincts, but then again, he wasn’t entirely human. No, not human, he thought, reaching down to adjust himself as he watched Nurak secure the door to his rooms. The big Lykurgan slid the lock home and turned, fixing Kenano with a piercing stare. His heart skipped a beat, then set up a painful thud inside his chest. The roar of blood in his ears drowned out all other sounds. The warmth of the Lykurgan’s presence swamped his belly. His ukaii stirred, working in tandem with the desire of his mate. Tendrils of pleasure blossomed in his groin, making him so hard that it actually hurt. Kenano gasped, lifting his head to meet the eyes of his mate as Nurak invaded his personal

space. The Lykurgan’s big hands curled around his body—one behind his head to drag his lips up for a kiss, the other sliding along his lower back, clever fingers flirting with the sensitive patch of skin just beneath his ukaii. Moaning, Kenano closed his eyes, melting into the other’s embrace. The first taste of the Lykurgan was intoxicating. The brush of lips soft yet firm, a delicious swipe of tongue traced the shape of his full lower lip, pushed between his lips to explore the moist cavern of his mouth. The hand on his back slid over the swell of his ass. Fingers bunched into the material of his coverings, one urgent tug leaving him naked. The shock of his erection suddenly rubbing against the coarse material of Nurak’s bruhe made him stiffen for a moment, but Nurak left him no room to think. A calloused palm slid up his spine, grazing each ukaii on its path to cup the back of his neck. Kenano’s entire body jolted as if struck by lightning, and all the strength in his lower body abandoned him. But Nurak seemed to have anticipated this. He scooped up his mate, and in a few long strides deposited Kenano on the huge bed. Without breaking the kiss, he came down beside Kenano. One big hand slid from Kenano’s hip to the flat, quivering muscles of his abdomen. Fingers explored the smooth skin over taut muscle, learning which touches made him shudder and moan. The big Lykurgan seemed particularly fascinated with Kenano’s navel. His fingers traced lazy whirls around the tiny indent, following the path of Kenano’s new uztat. <Mine.> Kenano moaned, feeling as if Nurak’s fingers traced a pattern of fire over his skin. He had no idea the removal of the small amount of hair he’d had would make him so sensitive. Worse still, the ukaii in his navel pulsed with the same agonizing need as the one in his cock. The tip of his cock was leaking, and when the Lykurgan shifted, the sensitive head brushed against the side of his abdomen. Nurak nipped at his bottom lip and then sucked the small hurt away. Kenano dropped all his shields, letting Nurak feel just how frustrated he was, and what he thought about Nurak’s teasing. Nurak chuckled, his thumb tightening the circle around Kenano’s navel. Each slow circle felt like a spike of pleasure being wedged into his groin. He could feel his orgasm growing tighter and tighter, winding like a coil about to be sprung. <My kind do not have navels. Or these,> he thought, breaking the kiss to duck his head and take Kenano’s nipple in his mouth. At the same time, his finger dipped into Kenano’s navel, stroking over the ukaii. Nurak’s heavy hair slid over his shoulder, flowing like so much luxurious silk over Kenano’s belly and chest. Kenano cried out, back bowing off the bed as lights exploded behind his closed eyelids. His hand sunk in Nurak’s hair, fingers carding through the dark waterfall of hair, until he cupped the back of his mate’s head, holding him close as the Lykurgan’s mouth suckled. The pleasure whipped through him like a tornado, all-consuming, devastating everything in its path. His balls tightened, cock jerking as it offered up his seed. He came again and again. A seemingly endless amount of time passed before he settled down. All the while Nurak explored his nipples with a wicked tongue. An honest-to-God whimper escaped Kenano’s throat as he shivered in the aftermath of his climax. He felt utterly drained of strength, his limbs heavy and slightly lethargic. His lack of energy would have alarmed him if not for the comfort of his mate. Nurak placed a kiss to the side of his temple. He didn’t see that he had much of a choice, but he was determined not to go to sleep. No. He’d spent more than enough time in dreams.

*** Kenano must have nodded, because he never felt Nurak shift down the bed. Never knew a thing, until big hands parted his legs wide enough for Nurak to fit his large frame between them. Wet heat blossomed on his abdomen—Nurak’s tongue tracing his uztat. “So beautiful to see you wearing my mark against your skin, Tykhanii.” Cheeks flushing, Kenano closed his eyes, knowing the perverse sight of Nurak between his legs would be burned into his brain for all time. The wet flick of Nurak’s tongue made his belly flip over and his skin burn with the fierce need that the Lykurgan brought to life inside him. His cock was achingly hard again. Nurak’s hair slid around it, a pale caress with teasing wisps for fingers. Nurak’s touch was nothing like anything Kenano had ever felt. His experience was limited to females, so he was only used to soft touches and careful caresses. Not so with Nurak; the Lykurgan knew what he was about. He gave Kenano the firm touches he hadn’t known he needed until now. Teeth scrapped lightly at the dip of his pelvis, the tongue finding its end at the base of his cock. Nurak’s cheek brushed against the side of his organ, causing his shaft to twitch and jerk. Kenano held his breath, half-afraid of coming unraveled if that hot mouth so much as came into contact with his erection. “I promise I will put you back together.” The last words were spoken aloud, the Lykurgan deliberately blowing a warm stream of air over the wet tip of his cock. Then, holding Kenano’s gaze, he flicked his tongue across the mushroom-shaped head, tasting his seed. A bright hot arrow of pleasure forked through Kenano’s body. He jerked, hips rising without his permission as big hands cupped his buttocks, angling him into a devastatingly warm vortex of heat. Nurak’s mouth sealed around him like a vacuum, his tongue stroking the length of his cock, interspersing each lick with greedy suction. “Oh, God!” Kenano whimpered, not caring who heard. It was impossible to hold the sounds in at this point. Pleasure denoted in his groin, a maelstrom of sensation that had him crying out, bucking off the bed as his cock sought the farthest depths of the warm haven it had found. With a shout he came, feeling as if he’d shattered into a million pieces. Nurak continued to milk him, swallowing everything he had to offer and sucking for more. Only when his cock became too sensitive to handle did the Lykurgan let him slip from his mouth, only to move his assault farther down, bathing Kenano’s sack and the firm, hypersensitive tract of flesh beneath it with broad strokes from his tongue. Kenano’s mind continued to float somewhere between waking bliss and dreamy euphoria. His body remained relaxed, satiated, until Nurak’s wet muscle glossed over the most intimate part of him. He tensed, fear clutching at him, muscles cramping as they abruptly went from languid to rigid. He shifted, seeking to escape this new pleasure that he feared. A part of him had known all along that acceptance of Nurak meant he’d be forced to face this. The Lykurgan would want all of him, and that included a true joining. Old insecurities used fear as an opening to rear their ugly heads. Hadn’t he once vehemently denied that anal sex had any benefit for a real man? He’d never been remotely interested in experiencing it, protecting his virtue even among some of the kinkier females he had dated, who’d wanted to show him how good it felt to have his prostate stimulated, or to stick a dildo up his rear. He’d lived so long with the equation that anal sex stripped him of his manhood as surely as wearing a ballerina dress and tying ribbons in his hair. My father’s dictates, he realized—just a son trying to please his father. But Phineas Anton Smith had never been satisfied with anything Kenano did. He’d always acted as if he’d known that Kenano would grow up to be homosexual. And now I’ve spent my entire life trying to prove him wrong. Even beyond the grave, Kenano’s father still had a hold on him. The hand that cupped the side of his face startled Kenano and drew him out of his silent reverie.

He noticed that he had scurried several inches from where he’d been lying. Settling in the middle of the massive bed, he’d drawn the covers protectively into his lap, and he was shivering. “I swore to you that you would always have a choice with me, Tykhanii,” Nurak said. His thumb stroked over Kenano’s cheek as if he were wiping away tears. Kenano knew what he was saying. He could chose to limit their intimacy to oral sex, or he could trust in Nurak, and in doing so, trust himself. Kenano turned the options over in his head. Did he really want a relationship hampered by the misconceptions he had adopted from a man whose bones were long gone to dust? Could he really live with only half his soul? Because without this joining, the bonding would never be fully complete. The answer was a vehement “No.” Moving to his knees, Kenano shed the covers and pushed into Nurak’s arms. “Show me.”

*** The taste of his mate throbbed on Nurak’s tongue as he gently guided Kenano to his hands and knees. He let one hand slide over his mate’s warm side, marveling at the sleek definition of Kenano’s body. he murmured in his mate’s mind. And allow him to gain the deepest connection, he thought only to himself. Running his big hands over Kenano’s back, he sought to soothe his nerves. At the same time his fingers brushed the ukaii, causing Kenano to writhe and moan, arching his back like a sleek cat. Nurak leaned down, lapping at the sensitive nerve-riddled spot at the dip of Kenano’s spine; it was exactly what he’d wanted to do the first time he’d seen his mate on the vid screen. Nurak’s broad hand slid over one firm buttock, fingers teasing the soft skin of his crevice. Feeling Kenano tense, he reached beneath him to wrap his hand around the hard, wet-tipped shaft. Sliding his thumb over the leaking slit caused the shaft to jerk in his hand. “You feel so good, Tykhanii,” Nurak whispered, trailing kisses from his hip to the sensitive tract between the sweet halves. “God!” Kenano surged forward in surprise as Nurak licked him from the base of his spine to perineum. “Nurak… what—” “Trust me, Kenano.” Nurak’s finger’s gripped Kenano’s hips hard enough to bruise, but he couldn’t manage to gentle his touch. He was just as shaken as Kenano. Nurak’s control hung by a thread. He wished to be inside his mate the soonest, but he had no desire to hurt his mate. He held no misconceptions about his size. Kenano would need preparing, and even then it would be hard to take him. One finger teased the tightly-furled hole of Kenano’s entrance. So tight. The muscled ring clenched in response, and Nurak couldn’t resist leaning in and lapping at it. “Uh huh,” Kenano moaned. “I t-trust you.”

*** Oh, fuck! Oh, shit! Kenano had no idea it was possible to feel so much. His entire body felt like a live wire. Nurak’s hands and mouth put him on overload. Kenano’s hips rocked; his body possessed of a will of its own, cock sliding through the tight clasp of Nurak’s fist, only to rock back on the wet muscle plundering his ass.

He could feel his body clenching tight around Nurak’s tongue, hungry for a deeper penetration, a more substantial weight inside him. The realization shocked him, scared him, and excited him all at once. “Yes, lovely,” said Nurak, clearly reading his thoughts. A thick finger slid inside Kenano, stretching him open. Kenano’s arms went weak for a moment. Letting his elbows drop to the bed, he rested his forehead on one clenched fist. The pleasure built inside him, threatening to explode. “Wait for me, Tykhanii.” The hand stroking his cock slid down to cradle his balls, cutting him off from orgasm. He barely suppressed the urge to cry out with frustration. Then another finger slid in beside the first and twisted, finding a hot spot within him. Kenano whimpered, arching back into the fingers inside him. He craned his neck around to look the Lykurgan in the eye. “I’m ready, Nurak!” Nurak kissed his hip, “Not yet, Tykhanii. I do not wish to hurt you.” Kenano did not remember Nurak getting undressed, but he was naked, his beautiful body gleaming with a light sheen of sweat. His long hair hung loose, a dark curtain clinging to one powerful shoulder and running down his back. Kenano followed the path of his uztat down to the thick cock bobbing between his mate’s legs. Nurak had no foreskin. The bulbous head of his cock was flushed indigo, shining with his precum, and just shy of the size of Kenano’s fist. It had to be at least eleven inches. Fuck! Belly clenching with sudden apprehension, Kenano started to doubt if he could do this. Perhaps Nurak had the wrong mate after all; he wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. He wasn’t— A third finger slipped inside him, making him flinch: Not from pain, but from the perception that there would be some. Nurak twisted his fingers, finding Kenano’s sweet spot again. He groaned. Then Nurak gathered the copious amount of precum leaking from his cock and used it to coat his own shaft. Kenano’s stomach leapt at the erotic sight. He nodded; Nurak had never once lied to him. If he said they would fit, they would. The fingers withdrew from him, leaving him feeling empty. He had expected to feel the blunt evidence of Nurak’s cock take its place—he stiffened in anticipation of it—but Nurak kissed him instead. Nurak’s flat belly and muscled chest fit perfectly against his back as the Lykurgan leaned over him. Urging Kenano to balance his weight on only his knees, Nurak tilted his face at an angle and kissed him. The kiss was a hungry one, filled with all the desire and desperation the Lykurgan felt for him. It left Kenano shaken, distracted when Nurak supported his weight by banding one arm around his chest. Urging him to lean forward, Nurak continued to ravage his mouth as he pushed inside. Slow, steady, exquisitely gentle, Nurak filled him, until he could not take a breath without feeling the Lykurgan’s heartbeat. There was pain, but it was minute, overshadowed by the wonder of being connected so intimately to another living being, masked beneath the teasing fingers that stroked his belly, coming near his ukaii but not quite touching, and the hungry swipe of Nurak’s tongue tangled with his. When the Lykurgan started to move, it was all Kenano could do to clutch at him for an anchor. Each plunge took the Lykurgan deeper, striking nerves Kenano had never known he had. The Lykurgan’s hand reached down and gloved his cock, stroking the pleasure higher, until he cried with it. “That’s it, Tykhanii. Come for me. Come with my devnan buried deep inside you.” Nurak nuzzled behind his ear, licked a path down to the rapid pulse in the side of his neck. Teeth rasped against his neck. Obediently, Kenano came with a deep groan. His cock spurted, releasing its essence over the Lykurgan’s hand. The pleasure was so acute it bordered on pain. The cock deep inside him was

angled to rub against his prostate each time the Lykurgan stroked in and out. Kenano’s inner muscles clenched down on Nurak, milking his cock for its seed. The big Lykurgan growled, picking up speed as he lost the last shred of his control. Holding Kenano close, he buried his face into the side of his mate’s neck, breathing in his intoxicating scent. Soon, Kenano felt the heated release of his mate deep inside him. And suddenly it was all too much, to ask that he contain the joy rushing through him. Twisting around, Kenano threaded his hands through the Lykurgan’s hair and brought his mouth down for a passionate kiss. When it ended, he smiled up at the Lykurgan and said what was in his heart. “I love you.”

*** Kenano stood under the blast of three water jets, tilting his head up so that the spray hit him directly in the face, cooling off his heated cheeks. He wished he could dismiss his embarrassment so easily, watch it swirl around the drain and disappear. But no, he’d gone and made a fool of himself, confessed a love he’d sworn to keep to himself. For what could the word “love” mean to a Lykurgan? They didn’t even have an equivalent word in their vocabulary. It had been all he could do to scramble from the bed and march into the ablutions chamber, with his back rimrod straight. The soreness in his body reminded him of everything he’d given up. His vulnerability felt like an open wound, and Kenano wasn’t used to being vulnerable. He’d fought hard all his life never to feel such a weakness. And yet, with a few heated kisses and expert touches, Nurak had dissolved his good sense, left him begging for a violation he shouldn’t want, but craved anyway. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Kenano let his head hang. Water pelted down his neck and back, easing the soreness and tight muscles, but his hypersensitive flesh still tingled with remembered ecstasy. The ukaii were restless, humming pleasure along his spine. His belly quivered with it, while his cock—already half-hard—started to reach its full potential. Kenano gritted his teeth. Not again! The shift in the temperature of the air was Kenano’s first warning that he was no longer alone: First cool, as Nurak entered the shower stall, then hot, as the big Lykurgan’s body heat soaked into him. The heady scent of the Lykurgan’s arousal quickly filled the stall as hot water pelted down on their bodies. Kenano shivered as the scent of Nurak detonated pleasure centers in his brain, heightening his arousal. Nurak’s big, warm hand slid over his shoulder. “You said that you loved me.” Kenano stiffened, wanting to pull away from the Lykurgan’s touch, but leaning back into it instead. “But this shames you?” Nurak inquired. “No!” Kenano denied. “I’m not… I’m not ashamed. I’m just…” “Scared?” Kenano flinched away from the word, but nodded. Cupping his chin, Nurak turned Kenano’s head, forcing him to look the Lykurgan in the eye. “You still view love as a weakness, Tykhanii. You are afraid to let yourself love anyone. Afraid that they will hurt you.” Plucking the words from Kenano’s mind, he said, “Abandon you. As your father did. As your mother did.” Kenano nodded, hating himself for the inability to stop the tears from sliding down his cheeks. There it was—everything he was, laid bare. He’d never shown these parts of himself to anyone. No one but Nurak knew this. On top of the sadness, a feeling of weightlessness settled in his body. He’d never imagined that he’d have someone to share his fears with, someone who actually cared, who wouldn’t call him silly or foolish.

Nurak leaned down and kissed him once, lingering as he whispered, “Your fears are unwarranted, Tykhanii. I swear by my life I will never leave you. You were correct—my kind has no words equivalent to the human idea of love—but I think every species, no matter what they are, know this emotion. I would rather give my life than harm you. Is that not love?” Before Kenano could respond, Nurak sealed their mouths together. Kenano moaned, feeling his heart swell with relief and joy. The Lykurgan shifted them until his back touched the wall. He gasped at the contrast of heated flesh against his front and the cool slickness at his back. Nurak plunged his tongue inside his mouth, and Kenano captured it, sucking at it gently, until the big Lykurgan growled. Impatient hands curved around his hips, lifting and spreading him as Nurak stepped between his thighs. Kenano hooked his legs at the ankles, resting them over the swell of Nurak’s muscled ass. His hands slid into the damp heaviness of Nurak’s hair. His breath came heavy, and lightening pleasure ran along his spine as the wall abraded his ukaii. Nurak’s hands slid over the swell of his ass, hips inching back so that his hand could delve between them and wrap around Kenano’s turgid length. His hand begin to slide over Kenano’s slick cock, urging the pleasure to center in his groin. Kenano broke away from the kiss, determined to unleash his inhibitions and give Nurak pleasure in return. He no longer cared what others thought. Their differences no longer mattered—had never mattered. He was where he was supposed to be. He knew that in his heart. Pressing his lips to the pulse point in Nurak’s throat made the Lykurgan growl. The fingers around his shaft tightened, heightened his pleasure as the strokes roughened, grew less controlled. A thrill went through Kenano that he could do this, make his lover lose control with nothing more than a touch. Experimentally he licked a trail from the solid throat to his lover’s ear, sucking at the lobe. Nurak jerked. The hard bar of his arousal slid against Kenano’s inner thigh, leaking hot pearls of precum onto his skin. In retaliation, Nurak’s thumb slid over the helm of his cock, the calloused pads of his fingers flirting with the sensitive underside. Kenano cried out, fingers digging into Nurak’s shoulders. “Mmmm, very close, Tykhanii.” The hand cupping his ass slid lower, fingers delving into the slick, vulnerable crevice between his buttocks. A finger traced the taut ring of muscle. A fleeting caress, to be sure, but it had the effect Nurak desired. Kenano thrust up into his hand, belly clenching as he came. Nurak sipped at his lips, licking into his mouth as Kenano’s cry trickled to a soft, satisfied groan. Kenano unlocked his legs, and the Lykurgan reluctantly allowed him to take his own weight. He could see the surprise flare in the Lykurgan’s eyes as he spread his hands over his chest, caressing the smooth flesh and hard muscle sculpted beneath. Lykurgans did not have nipples, but his pectorals were shaped the same as any human’s. A looping pattern of dark black lines formed a precise and exquisite design on the fine flesh. Kenano traced these with curious fingers. He was not unaware that his lover shivered under his touch. It pleased him that he had this kind of power. Oh, he’d been able to give pleasure before. But before, it was always done because he expected it to be reciprocated. It was different with Nurak—Kenano was surprised to find that he took just as much pleasure in touching him as in being touched. It could have had something to do with their connection, which went beyond the physical, but he didn’t stop to ponder this. There was something he’d been aching to try, ever since he’d first seen the Lykurgan in the shower. That seemed like ages ago. So much had happened between now and then. Kenano fell like a new man. A better man, he thought, following the ridged muscles of his lover’s torso. The matching uztat started here. Kenano fought the urge to touch his own belly as he traced the whorls and dips. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought that the skin here seemed hotter than anywhere else. Taking a deep breath, Kenano allowed his hands to trace the shape of Nurak’s lean waist, and

the pronounced definition of muscle where the V drew to a base at his groin. Nurak’s cock jerked under his gaze. Water pelted over the flushed helm, washing away the Lykurgan’s essence as soon as it could form, but Kenano leaned forward, shielding Nurak from the water. Leaning down, he lapped over the head, expecting—well, he had no idea what he expected. He’d never even entertained the thought of touching another man’s cock before. But he certainly wasn’t expecting the salty, slightly sweet taste of his lover’s seed, or the rush of pleasure he felt from holding the thick organ in his hand, feeling the strong heartbeat under his palm, hearing Nurak’s groan of pleasure. His own cock twitched, a futile attempt to lengthen once more. Calling on the memory of what he liked done to him, Kenano explored his lover with his mouth. He licked and lapped, traced the throbbing vein on the underside with the tip of his tongue. A pleased groan issued from his throat when Nurak’s big hand plunged through his hair, sweeping his dreads out of way so that he could see his mate’s mouth on him. Nurak continued to stroke him, not urging him to take more or do anything he was uncomfortable with. Nurak was a solid, supportive presence—the mind link feeding Kenano his lover’s pleasure. His body was swamped with warm waves of it. It allowed him to relax and not worry that his technique was more enthusiasm than skill. The thought floated to Kenano on a warm wave of pleasure. The Lykurgan groaned, the tensing of muscles alerting Kenano to his climax. He had plenty of time to pull away if he wanted to. He didn’t. Instead he surged forward, sucking as much of Nurak’s shaft into his mouth as he could. Soon, the salty-sweet load bathed his tongue. Kenano swallowed reflexively, trying not to spill a single drop. When he finally pulled off, he swirled his tongue around the head of Nurak’s cock to make sure he’d gotten it all. Releasing his lover’s now flaxen organ reluctantly, Kenano straightened at the waist and leaned his body against Nurak’s, confident of his support. The Lykurgan stroked his back and arms, gentling the tiny shivers raking his body as he panted softly. Suddenly, his lips curled into a smile against his lover’s chest as he thought of something. “You know, there is a marked difference between Lykur and Earth.” Nurak’s hand paused on at his shoulder. “What’s that?” “Back on Earth, the hot water would have run out ages ago.”

*** When Zanan was called away on official duty, Dawa offered to go with Eozz to ensure that the humans made it to their personal chambers unmolested—an offer he was sorely regretting at the moment. Even the human seemed to sense that something was wrong. The small hands clung to his arms with a desperate grip as Jared peered up into his face. Dawa blinked twice, seeing everything double. His heart was racing, a slow burn emanating from his chest and pouring outward. After the fire spread to his limbs, Dawa stopped to lean against a wall. Eozz left the humans with him to find a medivic, and though the humans hovered worriedly, he couldn’t understand a word they were saying, nor communicate what was wrong. It became all he could do to catch his breath. The little one stroked his hair and kneeled beside him on the ground. Dawa even heard him crying, felt his tears pelt down on his forearm, but none of that pulled him away from the darkness. It was all-consuming.

CHAPTER 13 A full rotation of Lykur on its axis is equivalent to four Earth years. Barring death in battle or getting lost in space, a Lykurgan who dies of old age may live to be two hundred and forty years old, equivalent to nine hundred and sixty years on Earth. ~excerpt from the chronog of Safera Jared had no inkling how such a powerful being could be made so vulnerable. He’d always been attracted to the alpha males: Men with brawn as well as brains, men who radiated strength and arrogance. Which was probably what caused him so much heartache in his past relationships. The men he was used to dating admired their muscles more than their lovers. Dawa had exuded none of these traits—in fact, none of the Lykurgans he’d met seemed to be aware of how beautiful they were. Then again, if everyone was beautiful, would it matter if you were? “And you are beautiful,” he said aloud, daring to lightly touch the motionless hand that lay at the Lykurgan’s side. “Too beautiful to die so soon. I know you probably can’t hear me, and even if you could, you wouldn’t understand a word I’m saying, but I’m going to talk your ear off anyway.” He smiled. “I’m going to tell you all the things I’ve never gotten to say, because I was too scared before.” And because this might be my last chance, he added, only to himself. “My name is Jared Mariner. I’m the guy you found cowering in a tree and rescued.” He chuckled. “I saw my life flash before my eyes when those things attacked.” Screwing up his face into a frown, he added, “It actually really sucked. I mean, I live in this tiny apartment, and I was about to get kicked out. Which totally happened already. My superintendent probably has my shit out in the street right now, and knowing where I live, it’s gone. The only bright spot really has been my drawing. Oh, and my cousin Abby. That little girl has me wrapped around her finger. Course she’s the only family I’ve got left, even if she’s not related by blood. She was my Uncle Ted’s stepdaughter. Anyway, I think she would have been more open to meeting you than I was at first.” The memory made him wince. “Ah, the innocence of children, yeah? They don’t believe anything will ever hurt them. She would have been right this time, though. I know you wouldn‘t hurt me.” Jared aligned his hand with the Lykurgan’s. He whistled at the disparity in their sizes. Dawa’s hand was three times as big as his own. Suddenly curious and realizing this might be his only chance to observe and touch a Lykurgan without embarrassment or repercussion, he eased out of his chair and sat next to the Lykurgan’s shoulder. Leaning over not only presented him with a nice view of Dawa’s serene expression, but also exposed him to more of the indefinable scent that drew him like a moth to a flame. He studied the Lykurgan’s profile. With all his muscles relaxed, Dawa looked less severe—almost harmless. “I’m just going to touch you a bit,” he whispered. “But if you wake up, don’t eat me, okay?” He giggled at his own joke, realizing that the wine probably had a lingering effect on his mind and body. Dawa’s features were startlingly bold—the skin of his forehead, around his mouth and eyes, was so finely lined as to be almost nonexistent. No wrinkles or mars to his perfection existed anywhere that Jared could see. Jared lightly traced the bridge of the Lykurgan’s nose to the flared nostrils. He ran his fingers over the high cheekbones and the full lower lip. The top lip was slightly thinner than the bottom. A hint of pink lingered at its inner seal. The Lykurgan’s eyes were almond-shaped. Thick lashes lay like tiny fans on Dawa’s cheeks. Above the eyes were raven-wing brows with a perfect arch, as if they’d been expertly shaped, but he

doubted that Lykurgans had their brows plucked and waxed. The thought made him smile again. He couldn’t resist testing the texture of the Lykurgan’s hair. It was thick and soft, sliding over his hands, tickling the pads of his fingers. Lifting a handful to his nose, he inhaled deeply, sighing at the potently masculine aroma the silken tresses emitted. Jumping guiltily when something brushed his cheek, Jared looked down into the open eyes of the Lykurgan and saw himself reflected in their depths. His cheeks heated at the predicament he’d been caught in. Already posed to scramble from the bed, it was a surprised gasp that slipped from his lips when a heavy hand threaded through his own dark locks, gently guiding his lips down, until they were met with the heated firmness of the Lykurgan’s mouth. Closing his eyes, Jared sunk into the kiss. When the wet warmth of the Lykurgan’s tongue prodded at his mouth, he eagerly opened to him. The Lykurgan tasted the sweet berry taste of the wine, and of something darker, more potent. The tongue that lashed against his was warm, slightly raspy, and utterly wicked as it explored every part of him, leaving nothing untouched, unsavored. When the door eased open, it was to find him as he was. His upper body stretched over the Lykurgan’s broad chest, fingers deep in Dawa’s hair, headlong in a kiss. It took Jared a moment to realize they were no longer alone, but when he did, he reeled back on his heels. Swearing, he realized that he might never rid himself of the red tinge to his cheeks. Nurak, Kenano, Tom, and a grinning Eozz stood at the door. Tom smiled sheepishly and held up a handful of weeds with the roots still attached. “Uh, I brought flowers.”

*** Safera, Arsus, Dheran, and his mate Geo returned to Lykur two weeks after the landing of the first humans. And they were not alone. Nurak met them at the gates of Tyros. Safera and the others rode in a hover craft, but the transport cart attached to the craft did not go unnoticed. The hover craft was a sizable vehicle, built to accommodate half a dozen Lykurgan warriors comfortably. The seats inside consisted of two cushioned benches affixed to the far walls, facing one another. There was a pilot and co-copilot seat at the front of the craft, currently occupied by two Lykurgans Nurak didn’t recognize. Safera, Dheran, Arsus, and the human occupied the benches at the back. The dramatic change in their appearance was startling. Safera in particular had lost a substantial amount of weight. Her cheeks were gaunt, eyes so sunken and wide that they dominated her narrow face. Like the others, her skin appeared sallow, drained of its natural exuberance. As Nurak settled in the hovercraft across from his friend, he could see the fragile outline of her ribs as she breathed. Each member of the crew had been given a hearty protein drink, and Safera held hers shakily in one slender-fingered hand. Safera explained how they’d survived a half dozen times already, but she patiently did so again, for Nurak’s benefit. “I bordered a glider with Arsus, Dheran, and his mate. During evacuation, we were set upon by Moraghs. Arsus and Dheran managed to evade fire, but each time we thought we had left them behind, they found us.” Her brow creased as she frowned thoughtfully. “There was something strange about how doggedly they trailed us.” Moraghs were notoriously bloodthirsty, but trackers they were not, and the risk of running out of fuel in the black depths of space was not worth chasing one glider for days on end. “It was as if they had to destroy our glider. When we finally ran out of fuel, Dheran had the idea to cut off the ship’s main systems.” In the vast darkness of space, the glider would have been nearly undetectable without lights and

the distinct fuel trail it left behind. But it also limited the ability for the crew to steer out of the way of floating debris and increased the odds that the glider would meet its end dashed against a space rock. It was a calculated risk that had obviously paid off. “The Moragh finally gave up the search for us, or so we thought. By the time we decided to restart the glider, the small amount of fuel left in the engines had evaporated, and we had no other course but to drift. We floated for three days, surviving on the rations in the emergency kit. Most of the food we reserved for Geo. His body’s ability to function without food and water is significantly less than ours. Dheran and Arsus took turns sending out as many signals from their zhiilars as we dared. On the fourth day, our luck ran out.” Safera paused, drinking deeply of her protein drink. Then she continued. “The Moragh ship had been ghosting ours, staying in the approximate vicinity and waiting for us to give ourselves away. They must have caught the tail end of our signal and used it to flush out our position. “When we were set upon by the Moragh ship, they must have overestimated the distance they had to pass. Our left wing got caught up in their primary engine, hooking us like a burr in their side. Their struggle to get free managed to drag us into the forcefield of planet Aranok. The crash was brutal, but we survived. Arsus was hurt the worst, and our first thought was to get him to a safe place to rest and heal, but that’s when we encountered the Moragh. They were in worse shape than we were—one of them grounded by a missing wing. Dheran managed to subdue them and tie them up, and we spent the next few days sending out signals and slogging through swamps to gather dockerberries until we were rescued.” Nurak looked over to Arsus and found the young warrior seated next to Dheran and his mate. Aside from being covered in grime and considerably thinner than he had been when Nurak last saw him, Arsus appeared fine. Dheran’s mate was in his lap, head pillowed on his chest, as he slept away his exhaustion. Dheran’s big hand was tangled in his long brown hair, his fingers gently manipulating a length of violet strands. It was clear that any fear the human had of Dheran had been resolved during their plight to survive. “Where is Dawa?” Safera asked, drawing Nurak’s attention back to her. “He is recouping from a bout with an unknown illness. We are told by the medivic that he came very close to dying, but whatever ails him is not yet apparent.” Safera’s eyes widened, and she traded looks with Arsus. Nurak looked between the two, his curiosity evident on his face. “Has anyone else fallen ill?” Safera asked. “No. Why?” “Then it was possible that this was no illness, Nurak.” “Yes. The medivic suspects that it was poison.” There were very few things that could make a Lykurgan sick, and only a handful of poisons that could bring a Lykurgan to the point of death. “How has Tanus reacted to the news?” Arsus asked, frowning deeply. “Tanus?” Safera lay one of her slender hands on his arm. “Nurak, there wasn’t much to do on Aranok but wait. We’ve had more than enough time to wonder why the Moragh searched for us so fiercely. Dheran got the idea to offer them an ultimatum: Their life for the truth.” Dheran finally spoke. “They were mercenaries, hired by Tanus to insure we never made it back to Lykur with the humans.” Nurak’s mind reeled. “That would mean Tanus had knowledge of Earth before we did!” And kept it a secret. It was Arsus that spoke next. “I overheard Tanus talking about Earth a few days before we left on our voyage. It was on my mind so often that I decided to mention it to you after we departed from Hyperion. At the time I heard it from Tanus, I thought that he was only retelling one of the

legends. It wasn’t until the Moraghs confessed that I put the dots together.” “Now that we know he might be responsible for poisoning Phirst Dawa, we are going to have to act sooner rather than later,” Safera said. Nurak nodded. “He will try and make it seem as if we are the traitors. It is likely he will claim we forced the Moragh to side with us.” Safera agreed. “Then we are going to need proof.”

CHAPTER 14 Lykur is divided into more than a dozen Deldrums. Each Deldrum has rules set and enforced by the five Elders, or Counselors. The council only answers to the highest Court of Anochia. The Court of Anochia includes the entirety of Counselors making up all the Deldrums in Lykur. On broader decisions such as war, all Counselors must meet to decide the planet’s fate. ~excerpt from chronog of Safera Dawa watched Counselor Agroff’s face as Safera ended her explanation. They’d just revealed the devastating truth about Tanus’s role in their crash, Dawa’s poisoning, and the Lykurgan’s dealings with the Moragh. “Before you accuse a council member of treachery, be sure that you have enough proof to support your claim.” Counselor Agroff trailed his finger over the digital grid, placing his warrior in a new tactical position. The screen analyzed this and made a move in turn. The older Lykurgan grunted and stroked his chin, but his black eyes rested on his visitors. Arsus started to come forward, clearly eager to convince the counselor of the truth. Dawa placed a staying hand on his shoulder. “We have proof.” Safera held up a vid chip. “Here is your proof, Counselor. Here are the records of Counselor Tanus’s transactions with the Moragh. It is evident that he has been paying them for months to guard against any who might find out his precious secrets.” “And what would those be, Safera?” Agroff’s face remained carefully blank. He was not the type of warrior who gave away his thoughts. “He knew of Earth’s existence, long before any of us. He knew that it was not just a rumored planet, and he knew its location.” Agroff made another move in his strategy game. “What would hiding this knowledge have gained for Counselor Tanus?” “Are you daft?!” Arsus roared, unbelievingly. Shrugging off Dawa and Safera’s hand, he marched to Counselor Agroff’s desk and slammed his fist down on the game consol. The grid hovering above the desk flickered and died out. “We have just told you that one of your counselors, a warrior entrusted with the good of his people, has betrayed Lykur. He tried to kill a Phirst! He has had dealings with the Moragh all along!” Counselor Agroff eyed him calmly. “What should this mean to me? You expect me to assume the worst of a counselor?” When Arsus started to speak, Agroff cut him off. “As I said, this is no light offense. How am I to know this evidence was not fabricated?” His gaze turned to Dawa. “How can you prove that it was not a scheme fabricated by your Phirst?” Dawa’s fist clenched reflexively. The mere thought that he would betray his home world, his people, his kri, left a sour taste in his mouth. It was on the tip of his tongue to argue that he would not have poisoned himself. But he could see that arguing would accomplish nothing. After days of careful planning, sending Dheran and Arsus into the Counselor’s personal quarters—a crime punishable by banishment to the mines—to gain proof of Tanus’s treachery, it had all been for nothing. Their reasoning fell on deaf ears. He had trusted Agroff above any other members of the council because he had always been a hard but fair warrior, because he’d never followed anyone’s dictates above his own. He had assumed Agroff would be able to see through Tanus’s lies and that he would have the Counselor at his side to

convince the other members. He’d been wrong. “Counselor, we beg you. Think,” Safera interjected. “Counselor Tanus planned to use his knowledge to force an autocratic ruling over Lykur. We believed he planned to ration out the humans and keep the location of viable mates to himself. In another century, this planet would have collapsed upon itself, fighting and stealing and plundering. We all knew that. We all know how important it is that Lykurgans have mates. What better way to gain absolute power than to hold that which Lykur desires most, just out of reach?” “And for yourself, Safera! How long did it take you and the Phirst to come up with this plan? No word was ever sent to our ears about your intentions to visit Earth, nor were we informed that you had actually taken mates aboard your ship.” Dawa could no longer keep silent. “I thought it best to explain all in person. I believed that with the proof before you, you would have been more forgiving about disregard for the restrictions of our first mission.” “So you admit disobedience!” Agroff said. “But not betrayal!” Arsus insisted. Dawa moved to pull the younger Lykurgan away from the Counselor’s desk before his actions cost him his life. This time Arsus came away willingly, seeming to finally grasp the precariousness of their situation. “Tell me, Dawa, what good would it have done Counselor Tanus to kill you after you were recovered from Zora? So many of us know the location of Earth now. Can he kill us all?” Agroff asked. Seeing no reply was forthcoming, he sighed. “You have failed to present me with enough information to incriminate Counselor Tanus. Instead, you have incriminated yourselves. I may not have proof that you planned to use your knowledge to betray Lykur, but the chip Safera holds could come from no other source than counselor property, to which you have no right and certainly no permission.” Dawa barely contained the urge to pull Agroff from behind the desk and pound him into dust as he handed down their sentence. “You are to be locked away until this situation is sorted out.” Guards flooded into the room, amvi phasers pointed and at the ready. Agroff continued, “If the council finds you guilty, you can expect the maximum penalty for your part in this.” One of the guards prodded Dawa with the amvi phaser. “Move it.” Dawa started to turn and tear the phaser from his hand, but Safera caught his arm. She shook her head. Her eyes drifted back to Agroff. Something seemed to pass between them. And Safera nodded. “Come on, Phirst.” Dawa stared at Safera a moment before consenting. There was something more going on here than his eyes could see. He would have to put his trust in his old friend.

*** Agroff waited impatiently for the guards to open the gates that lead to the prison cells. Safera had sent him one message before she left. “Speak with the Moragh.” He agreed that he would, telling her as much as he dared. “I believe you.” And he did. He just couldn’t say so in his office. Agroff had long suspected Tanus had bugged his private chambers—all the Counselors’ chambers. At the time he discovered the tiny recorder in his office, he hadn’t known what it was for or from whom. To remove it would have revealed his knowledge of it, so he had let it be, always careful to guard his words. He had his own spies investigating the unknown traitor. He had suspected Tanus, but without proof he had no way of openly accusing him. Safera and

the others had helped him in that regard. He just felt sorry that he had to pretend they were the criminals, even if it had been for their own good. If he had not, there was no telling what Tanus would have done to them. He probably would have tried to flee Lykur. It was what he’d expect from the coward. No, they needed Tanus on Lykur. If he escaped to the vastness of space, they might never see him again. Worse still, if he wrangled together enough Moragh and other mercenaries, he might be able to launch an attack on Lykur. Hell, there were enough Moragh who despised Lykur enough to work for free, especially with the promise of a knowledgeable Lykur at their side. Tanus knew too much about Lykur’s inner workings, not to mention their fighting tactics. Agroff could not risk that information getting in the wrong hands. The heavy gates slid open with a protesting squeal, and Agroff stepped through. His footsteps echoed off the stone floor as he walked, and shadows played across his severe expression as he glided under an evenly splayed row of light fixtures. Finally he came to the end of cells, those reserved for enemy captives. Here the air was musty and ripe with the smell of urine. The cell the Moragh had been confined to was much too small for them to spread their wings, so they paced in agitation, bumping shoulders and growling at one another. The talons on their feet clicked across the floor as they moved. Golden eyes flashed and a feral grin spread on the narrow face of his enemy as one Moragh spotted Agroff. Swiftly he walked to the cell’s bars, wrapping one claw around the metal shaft and pressing his face to the bars. “What do you want? More questions, eh?” The Moragh’s voice was high and trilling, like a bird’s. “Yes, more questions.” “I ain’t telling you shit!” His companion chuckled. “We ain’t telling you shit,” he repeated. Lifting up the flap covering his groin, he crudely groped himself and pissed through the bars. The yellow stream landed just inches from Agroff’s left boot. Agroff didn’t move. “Who paid you to attack a Lykur ship?” “I think he’s deaf, Jy’lik,” the Moragh with black hair said to his fairer companion. “Aye, he’s deaf. We ain’t talking. We’ll take some grub, though. What do you mean by starving us to death?” “You’ll get nothing unless you answer me,” Agroff said, a bit impatiently. Not only did he despise talking with Moragh, but speaking Moragesh always made his head hurt afterward. Jy‘lik narrowed his eyes at Agroff. “And who’s to say we won’t be killed after you get this information? Why help you and die for my thanks?” Agroff sighed. “What if I told you you might yet live if you tell me what I need to know?” If they spoke before the council, he added silently to himself. The Moragh’s interest piqued, then wavered. “How do we know we can trust you?” “You don’t exactly have a choice. I’m bargaining with you, though. It’s more than you deserve,” he pointed out. The darker Moragh nodded. “That’s true.” Jy’lik straightened. “What do you want to know?”

*** Jared twisted his hands anxiously in his lap. “Are you sure?” he asked for the fiftieth time since they’d boarded the hover car on their way to the Council of Alter Rigzon. Kenano sighed. “Yes, I’m sure. Nurak told me that he talked to Counselor Agroff. Dawa and the others are only locked up temporarily. You will get to see them at the council meeting. It’s all part

of the plan to prove Counselor Tanus’ guilt.” Kenano felt it was okay to discuss their plan so openly. After all, no one knew their language but Tom, himself, Jared, and Nurak. Although Nurak had already been called away several times to aid in the translation process. The Lykur were working on a way to translate the languages without it being necessary to have ukaii. Soon, the human tongue would no longer be a mystery. At least English, anyway. Kenano eyed his friend. Jared had been uneasy for a few days now, so worried about Dawa that he hadn’t slept. The dark circles under his eyes attested to as much. It appeared that his friend might have deeper feelings for the Lykurgan than he’d thought. He had a feeling that there was going to be a ukaii for Jared, and his own uztat soon. Or maybe two. Kenano glanced over the spot where Tom should have been seated. But he was with Eozz. It had surprised him how much Tom had come out of his shell. He still didn’t trust most of the Lykurgans—and well he shouldn’t, since most of the bachelor males probably wanted him to wear their ukaii—but he was comfortable with Eozz. Even if they couldn’t speak without a translator, Tom seemed content to trail after the big Lykurgan when he could, and Eozz was showing Tom all there was to see on Lykur. Tom had even picked up some Lykurgan words on his own. Strong fingers massaging the back of his neck brought Kenano out of his thoughts and reminded him of his own lover. Nurak smiled down at him and nodded at the door. “We’re here.” Nodding, he relayed the message to Jared, and they all clambered out of the hover car. Kenano stayed close to his friend’s side as they took the familiar path to the council chambers. Inside they found Safera, Dawa, and Arsus standing before the panel of five Counselors. Jared let out an audible sigh when he spotted the big Lykurgan. All eyes followed their progress as they moved to the side of their friends. Counselor Unar spoke, “We are gathered here because Counselor Agroff called forth a meeting of most importance. We shall oblige him to preside over this meeting.” Agroff gestured to the three citizens of Lykur who stood in shackles. “Two days ago, Safera, Dawa, and Arsus brought to my attention a most disturbing matter. While stranded on Aranok, they obtained a confession from the captive Moragh. That confession stated that they were hired by a Lykurgan to destroy any ships that discovered Earth. Upon questioning the Moragh myself, I was able to verify their statements as truth. And here today we have the Moragh themselves to confess.” As if on cue, a handful of guards led the shackled Moragh into the council chamber. Kenano watched them strut to the front, almost preening in their shackles. When a guard roughly yanked the darker one to a halt before the panel, he fluttered the plumage of the one remaining wing he had, and though it was as tied down as the rest of him, it still managed to catch the guard in the shoulder and knock him back a few paces. “Counselors, I give you prisoners Jy’lik and Sy’ren of the Moragh.” Then, switching to a language Kenano could not understand, he spoke to the prisoners, and one of them begin to speak. Kenano had no idea what they said, but whatever it was made Counselor Tanus angry and upset the other Counselors. He heard the use of Tanus’ name and knew it must be about him. When the Moragh were finished speaking, Counselor Agroff held up something in his hand. “This is the vid chip with all records of Tanus’s transactions with the Moragh. I also have the recorders I found in my chambers to verify an intrusion of privacy. I think Counselor Tanus was planning this for some time. I think that he was intending to abuse his knowledge and use it to aid his rise to power. I also agree that he tried to kill Phirst Dawa. After the failure of his plan, I believe he wanted to place the blame somewhere.” Dawa finally spoke up, “I believed he poisoned me with the wine at latemeal a few days pass. At the time it did not occur to me why the servant kept refilling my cup so hurriedly. He held two pitchers in his hands. One must have been poisoned. The one meant for me.” Tanus shot to his feet. “Nonsense! It is clear that this is some radical plan to lose me my seat on the council. You paid these—”

“Tanus,” Counselor Unar interrupted. “Can you guarantee that there will be no recorder in my office when I return?” The Counselor’s mouth snapped shut. His guilt was clear. Tanus did not fight as more guards were summoned and he was escorted from the room. “What about them?” Counselor Ravik asked of the shackled three and the Moragh. “I hereby pardon Phirst Dawa, Safera, and Arsus for their part in trespassing against counselor property.” He turned his attention to the Moragh. “I promised them their release for the truth. Are there any who disagree with my decision?” When the council remained quiet, Unar announced. “Let the decision stand.”

EPILOGUE “Come on, Kenano. Play with us!” Young Jondi tossed the ball at him. Kenano caught it, pretending that the young Lykurgan had thrown it hard enough to sting his hands. “Yow, that’s quite an arm you’ve got there.” Jondi grinned. “Thanks.” The other children made friendly jeers as he blushed. Jondi was a good kid, under tutelage with Nurak. At eleven he was already taller than Kenano and outweighed him by a good fifty pounds. Kenano knew the young Lykurgan had a crush on him and was always being teased by his friends because of it. “All right,” he said, “I’ll play. But no tackling.” Ack! His back still ached at the memory of being buried under a solid wall of young giants. He was starting to walk in their direction when suddenly the ball was plucked out of his hands. He looked back and spotted his lover. He grinned. Nurak smiled down at him. “Konquest can wait.” The heated look in his eyes had Kenano blushing now. “We’ll only play one round,” he bargained. As much as he enjoyed rolling around in the sack with Nurak, he didn’t want to let the boys down. Nurak eyed him a moment longer, finally giving in with a feigned huff. “All right, one round.” He smiled then, dashing out into the crowd of boys. “But I get to lead.” Shaking his head, Kenano ran into the fray of laughing boys. It was the quickest game of Konquest he ever played.

*** Later that evening in his and Nurak’s private chambers, Kenano was finding out why the tepfla were made like skirts, and he didn’t think he’d mind it anymore at all. Nurak reached under his tepfla and grasped his leaking cock. Strong, callused fingertips slid over his shaft. Kenano moaned, arching into the heated touch. Fingers slipped over his lips, a delicate tracing. Kenano sighed, a shudder wracked through his frame. His eyelids fluttered. He felt as if he could lay here forever, content to be touched by Nurak. His skin was starved for touch, all but rippling under the sensual exploration. “So hungry, little fire,” the Lykurgan observed. Strong fingers slipped around the back of his neck, tugging him close. He felt warm, sweet breath caress his lips before the searing heat of a tongue licked his bottom one. Sensation exploded in his belly as the Lykurgan traced the contours of his mouth with his tongue, the heated caress interspersed with the brush of lips. He felt his lips ripen under the carnal kiss. They swelled and tingled as blood flooded to them. His cock jerked, impossibly hardening even more in the Lykurgan’s hand. Nurak’s thumb slid through the pre-cum leaking from his slit, and Kenano nearly lost it. The ukaii in his navel twitched, stirring his pleasure to unbelievable heights. His eyes widened with wonder. He knew greater pleasure still. The pleasure of having someone who cared about him unconditionally. At first, Kenano had vehemently denied any attraction to the Lykurgan, as unwilling to accept his emotions for Nurak as he was for the few lovers he’d had in his past. Who knew that it would take this mighty warrior to crack the ice around his heart, to forge a path through all his hangups and fears? Kenano finally realized that none other could have gotten to him like Nurak. No one else had that kind of strength—no one else could touch and see inside his soul. “You are thinking too much, little fire,” Nurak murmured, nibbling at his neck. Kenano shuddered, his belly contracting with pleasure at the pet name. He loved when Nurak called him that. It reminded him of their first time together. Nurak had said being inside him was like being licked

alive with pleasure. “I am,” he agreed, barely biting back a grin. “Then you are not distracted enough, hmm?” Nurak’s tongue lapped over his Adam’s apple and slid to the hollow of his throat. The Lykurgan laid a trail of licking kisses down the center of his chest. One wrench from his fist tore the tepfla from his waist. He cupped Kenano’s hips, lifting him, as he slid his entire cock into the hot, wet confines of his mouth. Kenano issued an honest to God whimper and writhed beneath the delicious feel of Nurak’s mouth and tongue. The Lykurgans didn’t have a gag reflex, which meant no hesitation as the tip of Kenano’s cock encountered the back of his throat. Nurak’s tongue was an instrument of pleasure as it slid over his heated length, the hot mouth sucking him brought his orgasm to a fevered pitch. He tried to hold back, to make the sensation last and last, but Nurak knew just what would drive him over the edge. His fingers slid behind Kenano’s balls, massaging his perineum. That was it. He lost it with a cry of ecstasy. Nurak kept him on the edge, body humming, as he slid a well-lubed finger inside, twisting until he found his gland. “Fuck, it’s too much,” he moaned. His wriggling body set off the ukaii in his back like little detonators. Pleasure trickled down his spine, making him arch. He clenched around Nurak’s fingers. Nurak leaned down to trace the path of his uztat with his tongue as he slowly worked his finger inside Kenano. Kenano rocked his hips, unable to help himself. “’Kay, okay. I want you inside me now,” he begged. Nurak slid in two fingers, scissoring them to stretch Kenano wide enough for his cock. He kissed the inside of his lover‘s thigh. “Yes. Now.” Angling his lover’s hips, Nurak entered him in one steady thrust. His hair pooled around them, a dark curtain to shut out the rest of the world as he took Kenano’s mouth in a carnal kiss that rocked the human to his toes. Kenano exalted in their lovemaking, loving the feel of his lover inside him. The connection they shared was deeper than mere lust. The big Lykurgan’s pleasure washed over him like the warm rays of the sun, making him feel content, grounding him in the eye of the storm their passion had created. He allowed his hands to slide through the silk of Nurak’s hair, over the broad shoulders and powerful arms holding Nurak’s weight off his lover. Everywhere he touched, he could feel Nurak’s purr of pleasure, not aloud, but inside him. And when Nurak came, Kenano felt that too. The pleasure burst inside him until he glowed with it. Nurak rolled on their bed, dragging Kenano with him, reluctant to lose contact with his lover. Kenano laid his head against Nurak’s chest and closed his eyes. He sighed. He’d found love at last. Even if he’d had to travel all the way across the universe to find it.

*** “Helllloooo!” Tom called into the new translator on his wrist. His face screwed up. “I still don‘t get how these things work.” Jared shook his head. “It doesn‘t work that way, Tom—it isn‘t an intercom. It’s a translator.” Safera had explained that anyone wearing a translator could understand the Earth tongue and vice versa. She’d also said something about brain waves and how the translator absorbed and sent out silent cues and signals, but Jared got so confused by her explanation that he’d resolved to never know exactly how they worked. Not that it mattered right now. He had other things to be concerned about. Grabbing Tom’s bare wrist, he started to drag the smaller man behind him. “Come on, or we’ll miss him.”

Tom looked up and frowned. “Who?” “Dawa.” The Phirst had finally convinced the Council of Alter Rigzon to allow him to command a ship in their last attempt to recover their lost citizens. In the light of Tanus’ betrayal, the Council seemed to have lost the heart to punish Phirst Dawa because of what he’d done for their kind. Nurak’s mating appeared to be a success, and even Dheran and his mate were doing quite well. Jared hadn’t had much opportunity to meet Geo, but he knew enough about his traumatizing experience after the attack and landing on Aranok that he could see why the young human was having a hard time adjusting. The Council had decided to wait to attempt any more journeys to Earth until matters were settled at home. Most of all, they wished to discover the whereabouts of the ones who were missing. The translator was the first step in the right direction to breaking down the barriers between the two races. Shortly after Safera’s return, the Satarian medivic had helped engineer the first human-Lykurgan translator. Although at the moment the translator only worked for English speakers, Geo, who spoke Spanish and Italian, was supposed to help change that. Jared was just grateful for what he had. He had spoken his first few words to Dawa a few days ago. The conversation had been brief and a bit awkward, but Jared had thanked Dawa for saving his life. Now all he wanted to do was beg him to stay. It seemed as if Dawa’s destiny lay in outer space. And since he had not asked Jared to join him, Jared concluded that his destiny must be on the ground. So it was with longing that Jared joined the rest of the small group of well-wishers at the docking bay. Dawa was having a conversation with Council member Agroff. Thanks to the translator on his wrist, Jared could understand what they were saying. “I want a daily report from you, Dawa, and no more unauthorized visits to Kaonraii.” Despite knowing Earth’s name, most of the elder Lykurgans still spoke as if it were only a legend. “We have much to discuss when you return.” Dawa nodded. “Yes.” Then he hesitated. What he said surprised Jared. “You will take care of the humans. Make sure they are mated well?” A smile broke across Agroff’s handsome face. “Yes. If you want, I can make sure that—” “No. No. Space is no place for a human. It’s too dangerous. He is safe here.” Jared gasped. Was Dawa speaking of him? His heart skittered in his chest. The big Lykurgan turned his head to gaze at the crowd where Jared stood behind a wall of cerulean warriors, and Jared ducked. He didn’t know why he didn’t want Dawa to see him, but he just didn’t. Perhaps he was afraid the Lykurgan would take offense if he saw Dawa and didn’t talk. And he wouldn’t talk, because his tongue felt thick and swollen and his heart was thudding to get out of his chest. Dawa was leaving. Without him. No place for a human. “Very well, then,” Agroff said and clasped Dawa’s shoulder—a warrior’s embrace. Dawa returned the clasp, and they parted. Jared waited until the Phirst disappeared up the boarding ramp and the heavy ship doors begin to close before he moved again. When he turned to leave, he found Tom watching him. “What?” Tom shook his head and said nothing. “Tom! Jared!” Their guards rushed to their side, frowning disapprovingly at the wards who had managed to sneak off without them. “You are not to leave our side. It is not safe to be alone while unmated!” a big Lykurgan by the name of Jaxon berated them. Jared nodded meekly and apologized. He grabbed Tom’s hand once more, and the two were escorted back to their residency. And all the while Jared was deep in thought, wondering if he would ever find the happiness Kenano had found. Space is no place for a human. What about a half-human? he wondered.

*** “You can’t go in there!” Mr. Houghton’s head snapped up from the newspaper he was reading in time to see a beautiful woman in a powder-blue skirt and matching jacket thrust open his door and hurry into his office. She adjusted the tiny strap of her black purse on one slender shoulder and marched over to his desk. His assistant, Marianne, came rushing in behind her. “Excuse me, but you just can’t barge in here like that. It’s appointment only!” The lady in blue turned back to her. “And I told you that this was very important, and I’m not leaving until I get this signed.” She produced a crinkled white sheet of paper from her tiny purse and placed it atop the magazines and newspaper that littered Mr. Houghton’s usually spotless desk. He’d been pouring over the latest news about the bizarre disappearances and strange happenings in New York nearly six months ago. Usually Mr. Houghton would never concern himself with such nonsense, but this time it was personal. Not only had he lost a new employee in the bizarre happening, but a faithful and well-liked employee of his, Kenano Smith, had also gone missing. Several citizens in the upper region of the east coast were in fact missing, vanished without a trace. There were no bread crumbs to follow, no tracks or fingerprints to be studied. Nothing but a bunch of dazed citizens, a couple of cars that had been mysteriously damaged, and some minor accidents. The only thing they had in abundance were questions. Tabloids like Weirdly Bizarre were having a field day, claiming the disturbances were the work of aliens or the government. A few whack jobs were even screaming about Armageddon and the second coming. Mr. Houghton didn’t know what to believe. He had enough on his plate with the investigations and speculations about his company. And now this. He had only to glance down at the piece of paper on his desk to see who this woman was. She had signed her name as Whitney Granger, the surviving domestic partner of Kenano Smith. He nodded to his secretary that everything would be fine, and waited until Marianne had flounced out the door before he addressed Whitney. “What is this about, Miss Granger?” he asked, even though he already knew. “Kenano’s lawyers informed me that you had been named the executor in his will.” The way her brow furrowed made Mr. Houghton think she hadn’t even known Kenano had a will. “Yes.” “But I’m his domestic partner.” “You lived with him, then?” Funny, he’d never heard Kenano mention that there was someone in his living quarters. Employment documentation demanded full knowledge of house occupants for tax purposes. Kenano’s records had showed no change. And Mr. Houghton knew his employee was too much of a “by the book” man to let something like that slip. “I’ve been with Kenano for over a year now.” Which wasn’t the same as living with him. He also thought she was lying about the time frame. His gut feeling was that she’d known Kenano no more than a handful of months. “And what is it you wish for me to do, Miss Granger?” He gestured at the paper. “Sign this?” “As executor, you can decide where the bulk of his money and properties go to. I know you’ve got a lot of money, Mr. Houghton. I know you don’t need it.” Settling back into his chair, Mr. Houghton regarded her for a moment. There were several things he could pick up by her very demeanor. First off, she didn’t appear upset about the possibility of Kenano’s death. True, he hadn’t been found yet and there was no hard evidence to suggest he was dead, but a partner, at least a loving partner, would care. She appeared frustrated only because he was being deliberately uncooperative. Miss Granger was obviously used to fine things. The sparkles

coming from the diamonds around her neck and in her ears were nearly blinding. Ah, a golddigger then. “You are aware that the investigation into Mr. Smith’s whereabouts is still ongoing? He has not been officially pronounced deceased, and a death certificate will only be drawn up in the event that something concrete is found.” Or not found, he added silently to himself. It was up to the taxpayer’s money to decide when to call an end to the manhunt. With the police spread so thin searching for quite a few missing persons, that would happen sooner rather than later. “Yes. But if you sign this paper when that does happen, the rightful person will receive his possessions.” “And they will, Miss Granger. Kenano has specified in his will that his monies go to fourteen different orphanages along the east coast.” He watched as a storm brewed behind Whitney’s hazel eyes. “What! Why the hell would he do that? Kenano never gave a damn about anyone. If you think I’m going to believe he’d give his money to a bunch of orphans, then you’ve got another thought coming!” Keeping his expression as free of distaste as he could manage, Mr. Houghton said, “I could show you other checks he’s written to orphanages if you would like. He’s given out quite a lot of money, especially over the holidays.” It seemed Kenano had a sentimental side after all. Mr. Houghton never questioned him when he handed him a six-figure check for one of the many company events that gave to the needy and homeless. Whitney shook her head. “So does this mean you won’t sign my paper?” “Yes, Miss Granger, it does.” “Fine. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” Snatching up the paper, Whitney Granger left the same way she’d come in. In a whirlwind. A few seconds later, his intercom bleeped and he pressed the button to his secretary’s phone. “Mr. Houghton? Are you okay?” “Yes, I’m fine, Marianne. When is my next appointment?” “Eleven-thirty, sir.” “Very well. Let me know when they arrive, please.” “Yes, sir.” He let his finger slide off the intercom button and got to his feet. His bones popped and groaned as he straightened. He sometimes forgot how old he was until he spent long hours sitting in his office and then tried to move again. Smiling tiredly, Mr. Houghton walked across the room to his ceilingto-floor window that looked out on the busy streets and skyscrapers around him. Instead of looking down, he looked up. The sun wasn’t on this side of the building and he could see a clear blue sky, but beyond that he saw the soft whitish glow of the moon. He studied the sky for long moments, wondering if there was some truth to be had in the Weirdly Bizarre articles. Was there something else out there? And if there was, what would they do when they found out?

Glossary

Axu- measurement of distance in Lykur (no translation in human terms) Bruhe- pants worn by warriors, usually leathers with fur intact Croag- a main source of meat on Lykur, these piglike creatures are furry, plump and smelly (and tasty, too) Dorge- second in command of kri under Phirst (see Phirst) Helion- famous star in the Alathii’ galaxy system. Represents Lykurgos’ wife, who was rumored to have been turned into a star by the God after her death (see Lykurgos) Ihaii- horselike creature, native to Lykur, characterized by a thin layer of fur in various shades of rich brown (similar to an Earth horse) Isphet- 1. feline-like creature native to Lykur, characterized by a shiny spotted coat in rich hues of gold and brown 2. leathers made from Ispeht skin Kri- a group of Lykurgan warriors with a Phirst (see Phirst) Medivic- 1. expert in the healing arts, educated in the use of medical equipment 2. healer Moragh- a species native to planet Moragor of the Alathii’ galaxy. Species feathered wings and taloned feet and hands (fiercest enemy of Lykurgans)

characterized by

Phirst- first in command of kri (see kri) Lykur- a life-sustaining planet in the Alathii’ galaxy system Lykurgan- a species native to planet Lykur of the Alathii’ galaxy, characterized by cerulean blue skin and variations in dark and light blue hair. Currently planet Lykur only consists of males (fiercest enemy of Moragh) Lykurgos- ruler God/Creator of planet Lykur Satarian-species native to planet Satarus charactized by pale gold skin, bald pates, four arms, and advanced intellectuality. Nearly half of Satarians are telepathic. Sieg- training room found on all major Lykurgan transport ships. The training area has two levels with rooms commonly shaped like an oval. The first level is for training, and the second for sparring or serious matches (Capacity: 54 maximum full-grown Lykurgans) Tepfla- standard garb for tykhanii—sign of their honored status Trellian- species from planet Trellos (planet destroyed)

Trivan- third in command of kri under Phirst and Dorge (see Phirst) (see Dorge) Tykhanii- translated in the human tongue, it means “precious ones.” Refers to the mate of a dominant Lykurgan Uztat- 1. inked markings that indicate an honored status of a Lykurgan 2. honorary markings that symbolize a union between a Lykurgan warrior and a tykhannii