Hungry

HUNGRY?

…Every visitor came out of the Tube naked. It was a necessary condition of the Tubing process. Leon had seen thousands of nude alien bodies. But none of them affected him the way this one did. The man was half dressed now, caught in the act of pulling up a pair of pants. The fabric clung to his calves and taut thighs. They rode low on his hips and were unfastened. Leon dragged in a harsh breath and forced himself to raise his eyes from the full erection on display. Arousal was one of the side effects of Tube travel. It meant nothing, he reminded himself, even as he felt his cock stir. It meant nothing. He pulled his gaze upward, following the path of a thick, dark line that traced up and over the flat belly to curl around a tight, protruding nipple. Leon licked dry lips, wondering what it would be like to follow the dark path with his tongue, to take the tight nub between his teeth. Would the flesh be cool and satiny before taking fire under his caress? Or would it be hot and salty and pulsing with life? His own nipples tightened at the thought. “Hullo, Leon.” The husky words jerked Leon from his trance. His gaze drifted past the narrow chin to meet an eye of a peculiar greenyellow shade. The other was hidden beneath a long swatch of heavy red hair. The face was too fox-like to be considered handsome, but the man possessed a raw animal sensuality that

was impossible to deny or resist. Leon was moving toward him before he realized it. “Endil Taoi-Sothica,” he croaked, then cleared his throat in embarrassment, trying to look away from the body that had been giving him wet dreams for the past three years…

ALSO BY HELEN LOUISE CAROLL Moonlight Sonata for Two The Soldier and the Unicorn

HUNGRY? BY HELEN LOUISE CAROLL

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

HUNGRY? AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2008 by Helen Louise Caroll ISBN 978-1-60272-400-6 Cover Art © 2008 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To everyone at Amber Quill Press for giving me a chance.

HUNGRY?

HUNGRY? The heavy oak table jumped beneath Leon Galdone’s forearm, jerking his pen and sending a thick line of blue ink across the hiragana characters he’d just copied. At the same time the rollers of his office chair slid across the wooden floor. In the draining rack, the dinner dishes clattered while the windows rattled in their frames. An arrival? That couldn’t be right. A glance at the wall calendar with its neatly penciled arrivals and departures confirmed it. There were no groups scheduled for the next few days. An unscheduled test of the Tube then? Stepping out onto the cabin’s porch, Leon lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun. A slight haze of blue 1

HUNGRY?

shimmered among the trees. He swore and, leaning back into the cabin, grabbed the flashlight he would need before he returned. Someone had come through. The light would have been green for a test. Blue meant an organic. Though he was expecting the aftershock, it still caught him by surprise. He fell against the stair railing, banging his hip. Straightening, he pushed the bridge of his glasses farther up his nose and headed into the woods, ignoring the twinge of pain. An unscheduled Tube arrival meant important or impatient aliens waiting for a guide. Or what was even worse, important, impatient aliens waiting for the depot manager to arrive. Long before the seventeenth century when the first French explorers had made their way into northern Lake Huron and christened the island E’trange, the Ojibwas had told stories about its “ghost storms.” And while many had tried to explain the mysterious lights and sounds, only a few drunks and crackpots had ever come close to the truth: the tiny island was a terminus on a galactic travel route. Leon dove through a cloud of mites that swarmed up from the ground as he followed the well-trod path. The scent of ozone, an aftereffect of the Tube’s opening and closing, was strong, made his nose twitch. Inside the Tube, the dimensional forces that allowed it to operate were extremely harsh on the physiology. Frequent stops were necessary. Leon, and the hundreds of other depot keepers scattered throughout the universe, were responsible 2

HUNGRY?

for monitoring and reporting any problems with the Tube or its travelers. Above, stars began appearing in the darkening sky. Searching for Orion, Leon tripped over a clump of loose earth. Alien, then human, agents had recorded the movements of those same stars for centuries, leaving their observations behind. There were tens of thousands of oral-visual recollections stored in the cabin. And though Leon could not understand the alien words, the sense of loss and loneliness the alien keepers had infused their work with was universal. He clicked on the flashlight as he entered a deep patch of shadow. On the trail ahead of him, a thin tail twitched before disappearing into last year’s dead, gray-brown leaves. One of the island’s many mice. Besides himself and the insects, they were the island’s only inhabitants. His life was a solitary one. Aside from the travelers and the Tube official who examined his records and tested his psychological and physical state once a year, he was alone. He had the ’Net and his monthly trips to the mainland for supplies and that was the extent of his contact with humanity. He didn’t mind…much. He had his duties and his linguistic studies to keep him occupied. Though there were times when he would have liked some…companionship. Or rather the company of one person in particular. He shook his head. No use thinking of that. The insects and birds that had gone quiet at the Tube’s opening came back in full chorus. Their quiet cacophony cut off in mid-note at a loud, “Sumpain!” 3

HUNGRY?

Leon stumbled in surprise, the flashlight dropping from his hand and bumping over the rough ground. His heart jumped in his chest at the familiar gravelly tone. Stooping to pick up the light, he froze. Captured in the flashlight’s beam stood a naked man. Leon’s mouth went dry and the chill that touched his skin had little to do with the fact that the wind had switched to the north and was lightly buffeting him with cold air. Every visitor came out of the Tube naked. It was a necessary condition of the Tubing process. Leon had seen thousands of nude alien bodies. But none of them affected him the way this one did. The man was half dressed now, caught in the act of pulling up a pair of pants. The fabric clung to his calves and taut thighs. They rode low on his hips and were unfastened. Leon dragged in a harsh breath and forced himself to raise his eyes from the full erection on display. Arousal was one of the side effects of Tube travel. It meant nothing, he reminded himself, even as he felt his cock stir. It meant nothing. He pulled his gaze upward, following the path of a thick, dark line that traced up and over the flat belly to curl around a tight, protruding nipple. Leon licked dry lips, wondering what it would be like to follow the dark path with his tongue, to take the tight nub between his teeth. Would the flesh be cool and satiny before taking fire under his caress? Or would it be hot and salty and pulsing with life? His own nipples tightened at the thought. “Hullo, Leon.” 4

HUNGRY?

The husky words jerked Leon from his trance. His gaze drifted past the narrow chin to meet an eye of a peculiar greenyellow shade. The other was hidden beneath a long swatch of heavy red hair. The face was too fox-like to be considered handsome, but the man possessed a raw animal sensuality that was impossible to deny or resist. Leon was moving toward him before he realized it. “Endil Taoi-Sothica,” he croaked, then cleared his throat in embarrassment, trying to look away from the body that had been giving him wet dreams for the past three years. “Are you all right?” The alien held up a finger. In the light’s beam a spot of blood was just visible on the pad. “Thistles,” he said, his voice sounding like pebbles rubbing against one another. “You need to do some grounds’ work, Leon.” He dragged the name out before lifting the finger to his mouth. “Right. Yes.” Leon agreed without knowing what he said. His attention was focused on the tongue that slid from between the thin lips to lave the injured finger. His breath caught and his cock burgeoned as the other man took the digit into his mouth in a move that should have seemed juvenile, but instead was as sexy as hell. Leon shivered. How would that mouth feel on his cock? Feel against his hot, throbbing flesh? It was a question he’d been asking himself for far too long now. Anthropological linguist Endil Taoi-Sothica Tubed through several times a year as he crossed the universe studying different life forms. Their few conversations had left 5

HUNGRY?

Leon impressed by the other man’s sharp intelligence—and his body. He swallowed and tried to push the thought away. Aside from the fact regulations discouraged fraternization between travelers and keepers, the scholar had never shown an interest. Leon wasn’t sure if it was because he was the wrong gender or the wrong species. His attention was caught again by the tattoo on the man’s torso. It wasn’t a tattoo at all, but a semi-intelligent parasite that could expand to three dimensions and be used as a weapon or for…other things. Or so he’d heard. Sweat beaded on his brow as an image of “other things” formed in his mind. The line shimmered in the weak light, undulating over the other man’s rippled abdomen, as if in response to Leon’s thoughts. Unable to help himself, he followed its course as it skimmed downward, outlining the navel before skating upward again. He caught himself before he fell against the other man. Somehow, without being aware of it, he’d drawn close enough to the alien to catch the warm, moist scent of him. If he moved just a bit closer, he’d feel the other man’s full arousal brush against him. At the thought, his own cock pulsed and his balls tightened in anticipation. Leon stumbled backward, feeling his cheeks heat in a way they hadn’t since he was a horny teenager in high school. You didn’t jump what was essentially an alien ambassador for sex in a strand of trees in the dark. Even if that man did have a 6

HUNGRY?

feral allure. And protruding tight nipples that were demanding to be laved and suckled. And a tattoo that begged to be traced from its beginning to its end, that demanded he follow every curve and twist with his hands and mouth and tongue. And a cock that looked ready to come at the lightest of caresses. Just one touch of his mouth against the ripe head and he’d be able to taste— Leon drew a ragged breath, the air burning in his lungs, and raised his eyes. He shifted, trying to ease the strain of his arousal, praying the light was too dim for Taoi-Sothica to see the sudden tenting at the front of his shorts. Aware that he’d been silent for too long, he shifted his gaze, searching the shadows for other travelers. There were none. “You’re alone?” he blurted, then hoped the words didn’t sound as eager to the other man’s ears as they did his own. “Yes.” To Leon’s ears even the short reply was sexy, the rough tones rubbing against his already aroused body. He kept his eyes focused on the dark shape of the tree behind the alien, though he was acutely conscious of the strong, blunt hands working the tight pants up and over the heavy erection. Biting his lip to distract himself from the sharp pang of disappointment that stabbed him when the cock was covered, he said, “Unexpected business?” He peered through his glasses at the face that was becoming nothing more than a white blur in the weakening beam of the flashlight. A loud, growling stomach was the only response. 7

HUNGRY?

Leon’s lips quirked into a grin before he could stop them. The second side effect of Tube travel: hunger. “Come on,” he said. “I’ve got something that’ll take the edge off at the cabin.” “I’m counting on it.” Leon’s body jerked under the caress of the gravelly response. “Errrm.” He cleared his throat and pushed at his sliding glasses before wiping his sweating hands on his thighs, then winced as he rubbed against the bruise from the railing. The pain cut through the sexual hunger that was making him dizzy, confused. He needed to put some space between them now or he was going to push Taoi-Sothica up against that tree and find some relief for his aching cock. Fighting the clamoring of that organ, he said, “Ummm…right.” Turning, his foot slipped on the soft ground and he stumbled. Before he could do more than fling out his arms, he was caught from behind. His breath left him in a rush as the imprint of the other man’s body burned itself onto his own. His nipples pushed against his thin T-shirt as the alien’s own hard nubs dug into his back. The hard cock throbbed against him, the layers of material between doing nothing to disguise the other man’s need. Each blunt finger resting on his hips seared him with heat. If those hands were to slide just a little bit lower, flick open the catch at his waist… Leon’s stomach clenched with eagerness at the thought of those hot hands gliding into his shorts, caressing their way 8

HUNGRY?

down his shivering skin to his throbbing erection, tracing the vein… He drew in a quick breath, the scent of water, fish, sand, and evergreen sharp in his nostrils, the hot tang of the other man’s arousal on his tongue. The material that separated him from the heat of the other man’s flesh was slick and leathery beneath his hands, without being leather. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before, and he wanted it gone. It was an autonomous response, he tried to remind himself. Taoi-Sothica was reacting to the Tube. This wasn’t a good idea. Even if he couldn’t remember why that was so at the moment. Leon jumped, groaning as the man traced the curve of his ear with his tongue before nipping the lobe. Common sense was rapidly being swamped by urgent need. He struggled for some kind of control. There were rules against this kind of thing. Back at the cabin there were stacks of manuals, filled with hundreds of regulations for depot keepers. They all boiled down to “Don’t touch the alien and don’t let it touch you.” He was engaging in criminal activity. But it felt so good. He moaned and shuddered as the warm lips grazed their way down his sensitive neck, turning his head to allow them greater access. The hands he’d imagined reaching into his shorts were doing so now; too slowly easing their way over his hot, aching flesh, the short nails scraping against him. He moved into the touch. The bite of a mosquito on his arm barely penetrated his 9

HUNGRY?

consciousness. His attention was focused on the hot mouth suckling and nipping his neck, the silky hair brushing against his shoulder. Darts of pleasure radiated from where lips met flesh. He wanted to feel Endil’s mouth press against his too tight balls, watch as it took his cock between its lips, feel its tongue against his straining head. The loud growling of the other man’s stomach cut across his heated thoughts. Hunger. It was just hunger. They had to control it. He pulled away, Endil’s hands sliding out of his shorts. The sudden loss of their heat leaving him feeling cold, Leon clumsily readjusted his clothes. Without looking back, he grabbed the flashlight from the ground and flipped it in his hand to focus it in front of him. “There’s—” He cleared his throat and tried again. “You should eat.” A low growl was Taoi-Sothica’s only response. The walk back to the cabin was silent, long, and painful. His body vigorously protested its unrelieved state while his brain chastised him for giving into his desires. That was why Travelers always came in groups, so a depot keeper couldn’t be tempted to take advantage. Being relieved of his duties because he couldn’t control the urge to lean into TaoiSothica’s warm strength, to feel those blunt fingers run over his body, to cradle his heavy balls… Leon swallowed, shaking his head in a vain effort to push the images from his mind. This was why… Frowning, he pushed the sliding glasses back up his nose. 10

HUNGRY?

Why had Taoi-Sothica come through alone? It was against all the rules. Tube travel was not a simple matter of just jumping in the Tube. It was highly regulated. There was the alien equivalent of paperwork. Physical and psychological evaluations. Approval had to be given. “It was.” Leon stumbled, only the hand at his elbow keeping him from falling. “You’re clumsy tonight, Leon.” Amusement threaded the rough voice, then changed to a seductive growl. “Or is it that you’re hungry, too?” The flashlight shook in Leon’s hand. He hadn’t spoken aloud, which meant… “Yes, I’m a telepath,” Taoi-Sothica finished the thought for him. “All civil servants and military personnel on my world are either telepaths or empaths. It makes communication much more…satisfying.” The sensual promise of the last word had Leon’s knees buckling even as embarrassment and anger rose within him. He stared at the cabin door in front of him without seeing it. All this time the other man had known. Had known he wanted to…and now he was taunting him with it. Anger replaced embarrassment. Taoi-Sothica pushed past him into the cabin, the brush of his body against Leon’s like fire to tinder. Leon caught himself at the doorframe, its dull edge biting into his palms as he tried to remain focused on his anger. It was a losing battle. Ravenous want overrode every other emotion and brain 11

HUNGRY?

function. Looking at him in the full light, it wasn’t hard to believe the linguist came from somewhere—someplace—other than Earth. In the dim light of the flashlight, surrounded by trees, he had been a captivating wild animal. Here beneath the cabin’s bright, harsh light, he was no less magnificent. Taoi-Sothica wasn’t a large man, but he was well-built, all muscle and sinew. The symbiote that covered his chest curved and twisted across his back also, tracing along his shoulder blades and down his spine to disappear into the waistband of his pants. Leon licked his lips, desire burning hotter than anger. Or common sense. The dark pants clung to the firm buttocks and powerful thighs like a second skin, the material shining dully in the light. Remembering its supple feel, Leon’s palms itched to touch it again. To feel it slide beneath his hands as he pushed it down and away from the hot flesh beneath. The other man looked over his shoulder, the brilliant red swatch of hair half covering his face. The visible eye met his, a knowing expression in its green-yellow depths. Leon flushed, but couldn’t look away. His body clenched with need. The alien’s thin lips opened, revealing a chipped front tooth. “Hungry?” he growled. Leon nodded. Rules and regulations didn’t matter. That he was an alien and a psychic didn’t matter. They meant nothing next to his insatiable craving for Endil Taoi-Sothica. It didn’t even matter that the other man was only seeking relief from 12

HUNGRY?

his Tube induced arousal. Leon would take what he could get. Endil was hot and hard and ready for sex. And so was he. He toed off his beat-up moccasins and kicked them to the side before pulling his T-shirt over his head and tossing it on the bench beside the door. He straightened his glasses, looking into the oddly colored eye locked on his and formed a picture in his mind… Two bodies moving in concert, writhing in mutual pleasure. A red, full cock thrusting between firm, rounded cheeks. Twinned hands stroking full, straining balls. The curve of a spine as it arched in release. Let Taoi-Sothica read that. Dull red color burned in the other man’s face. “You play a dangerous game, Leon.” Taoi-Sothica’s voice was a low rumble. “I burn for you and you add fuel to the fire.” Leon’s cock leaped at the rough admission and a smile touched his lips. Petty, maybe. But the man deserved it. Even if the punishment left Leon aching for release as well. The smile faded and, without thinking, he turned from Taoi-Sothica as conscience reared its head. He wanted this. How he wanted this man. In him, on him, under him. It didn’t matter how. He wanted Taoi-Sothica. It was the fulfillment of a dream. But was it what the other man wanted? “Stop thinking!” Endil demanded rawly, his breath harsh against Leon’s ear. “I wanted you the first time I saw you standing in those woods. And it hasn’t stopped. I can’t sleep. I can’t work. I’m so hungry for you it’s killing me.” Leon shuddered, then deliberately leaned into the chest 13

HUNGRY?

behind him, conscience crushed beneath the power of the alien’s confession. Right or wrong, they were of one mind. He brushed against the hard nipples and almost purred. Much better without material in between them. Moist skin clung to his. He thrust himself back against the full erection and smiled at its movement. He shifted his hips, grinding against it. Hands caught at his body, stilling his movements. “I don’t need to read minds to know what you want.” Leon turned his head slightly. Their faces were so close, their noses almost touched. The strands of red hair stirred at his breath. “So, what do I want?” Endil turned him in his arms. The sudden movement caught Leon off balance, and his hands flew up to land on the firm flesh of the other man’s chest. Beneath his palm he felt the heartbeat accelerate. The tempo of his breathing increased in response. Sweeping his hands over skin that seemed to heat beneath his touch, his thumbs rolled and stroked the hard nipples that grew tighter under his ministrations. His own pulled sharply. His cock strained against his shorts, begging to be released. He shifted forward to brush it against the equally well-defined shape of Endil’s. He groaned, then caught his breath in surprise as hot hands slid over the curve of his buttocks and positioned him to grind against the hard cock. A thigh was thrust between his legs. He caught at the broad shoulders, flexing his fingers against the muscle and bone before entangling them in the thick, silky hair. He tugged 14

HUNGRY?

the strands and inhaled sharply as the other man’s hands slid beneath his shorts and moved upward. The yellow-green eyes were hot beneath heavy lids. Leon leaned forward, brushing his mouth against Endil’s parted lips. Their breath mingled, warm against their mouths. Leon angled the other man’s head and teased him with the lightest of kisses, once, twice, a third time. Again and again he brushed the thin lips, while their lower bodies thrust and ground against one another. Endil opened and Leon thrust his tongue inside. His own body echoed the other man’s shudder. All thoughts of teasing ceased. He dragged his tongue urgently across the other man’s and moaned as fingers dug into his buttocks. They stumbled in a half circle. Leon felt the table dig into his back, but it didn’t matter. Endil’s mouth had come alive under his own. Their tongues pushed and tangled, fighting for dominance. Leon’s hands slid downward, pushing at the alien material that separated him from the other man’s body. He gasped for air, his chest heaving, as their mouths separated. “What do I want now?” he gasped. In answer, Endil tore the front of Leon’s shorts open and pushed them down. Leon sighed in relief, his cock springing free and curling upward. Endil knelt in front of him, the length of red hair obscuring his features. Leon shuddered as the blunt fingers traced across the taut 15

HUNGRY?

skin of his heavy balls. Over and over Endil traced the straining circumferences. Then when Leon thought he could stand it no longer, he felt the hot touch of tongue stroke across first one, then the other. His knees buckled under the slow assault; his hands caught the table to hold himself up. He swore between ragged breaths. “Such language.” The soft puffs of Endil’s chiding laughter burned against Leon’s sensitive skin and set him trembling. This was heaven. This was hell. His balls throbbed with pleasure as Endil returned to his thorough assault. His cock ached in agony, on the edge of release. “Not yet,” Endil commanded, the tone roughened even more by desire. “Not yet. There’s more.” His eyes barely able to focus, Leon looked down at him. He was beyond understanding the other man’s words. What more could there be? Shock and surprise sent his head back and he bowed almost double as something cool and smooth entwined itself around his leg. It was the parasite sliding across Leon’s body in a sinuous dance. Leon was caught in a maelstrom of sensation. Endil’s hot mouth suckled his balls; his short nails raked down Leon’s inner thighs. The symbiote glided up his body; whisper light, a smooth gel, sensually tracing his muscles and bones. Leon shook under the dual onslaught. His teeth ground together as the tip of Endil’s tongue pressed against the overstretched flesh of his head for the 16

HUNGRY?

briefest of seconds before retreating. Leon thrust forward, needing more than the light flicks of tongue. His buttocks clenched in instinctive response to the cool slide of the alien symbiote down his spine, but the strange life form would not be denied. It insinuated itself into the cleft between his cheeks and flicked the tight muscle. At the same moment, Endil roughly laved the tender head, then blew across it. Thrust, lick, blow. Thrust, lick, blow. Blind and deaf with pleasure, Leon gave himself over to the rhythm. The slick parasite tantalized him with its thrust and retreat, a cool core within his heated body. Endil’s tongue dragged across his quivering head, slower and heavier with each stroke. Leon growled deep in his throat, then groaned as the smoldering alien lips closed about his cock. Trembling, he buried his hands in the thick hair, tugging at the strands when the other man’s teeth scraped against his engorged flesh. The symbiote pressed deeper, filling him. Leon rocked under the swelling waves of pleasure. Endil’s lips firmed, and with one swipe of his tongue, he brought Leon to release. Rigid, Leon rode the orgasm. Darts of red and blue flashed behind his eyes. A rushing sound filled his ears, and for a timeless moment his heart seemed to stop. The last pulse of pleasure fading within him, Leon slid to the floor, feeling as though his bones and muscles had turned to water. Gulping in air laden with sweat and sex, he opened his eyes and shivered as the alien parasite slithered down his arm and onto Endil. 17

HUNGRY?

The other man lay on the floor, propped up on his elbows, expression smug. His pants were pushed down past his knees; his cock stood red and upright. He licked his lips, lingering at the bow point. “Much better than beer and a sandwich,” he growled. His blunt fingers curled around his cock. His short, squared thumbnail traced the head’s palpitating flesh. “How about you? Hungry?” His voice trembled slightly, revealing how close he was to his own release. Leon licked his lips in unconscious imitation of the alien, unable to take his eyes off the heavy vein surging with blood. His heart jumped in his chest and began to pound. Endil’s knees bent and he threw his head back as the symbiote slid across his firm stomach, down his groin and under. He moaned, lifting his hips. Leon crawled until he was over the other man. Pinning down the agitated body, he lowered his mouth to brush it across the thrusting cock’s velvety head. His lips curved as the alien jerked beneath him. Lapping up the soft pearl that formed, he rolled it on his tongue. Thick and salty, it tasted of something more—a tangy sweet-spice flavor that awakened a ravenous hunger. Foregoing more sampling, Leon closed his lips around the flushed cock. Intoxicated by the scent and taste of the man coming beneath him, he sucked with enthusiasm. Endil’s gritty exclamations of pleasure filled his ears and urged him on until there was no more left to take. Leon drew a heavy breath and dropped to lie beside Endil, 18

HUNGRY?

his body lax. He didn’t think he’d ever move again. “I think you will.” Leon’s breathing hitched as the other man’s hand trailed over his stomach and down. Forcing open heavy eyelids, he captured the exploring hand. The alien was propped on his side, looking down at Leon, complacent and relaxed. “Would you mind not doing that?” Leon said, too sated to be truly annoyed. “If I’d known you could read minds,” he said, brushing at the swatch of hair, “I’d have kept a closer reign on my fantasies.” The silken strands slid across his hand. The hair fell back over Endil’s face, but there was no hiding the curve of his lips. “I’m glad you didn’t. They were most…enlightening.” His smile faded. “You don’t mind that I forced you to…” His words trailed off, though there was no doubt in his tone. Leon arched a brow. “Forced?” He shifted on the wooden floor, wincing slightly. He would have more than just the bruise from the railing in the morning. “I thought it was mutual.” “You never would have acted if I hadn’t pushed.” Endil traced his finger down Leon’s cheek to his mouth. “Maybe not,” Leon agreed, feeling lazy and content. “But then you never encouraged me before.” He caught the digit between his teeth, first flicking the tip, then dragging his tongue over it before drawing its length into his mouth to suckle. It tasted of Endil and something else. Himself, he realized. He felt the other man’s shudder through the trembling 19

HUNGRY?

finger. Endil’s eyes closed and he spoke with visible effort. “You’re making up for lost time now—ugh!” His words broke off as Leon bit the laved flesh. Leon allowed the limp digit to fall from his mouth, scraping his teeth over his tongue. Languor was being replaced by a sharp, urgent need. He couldn’t get enough of this man. He reached out to drag his finger down Endil’s cock, its swelling beneath his touch making his own rise. “I have a lot of fantasies to act out,” he panted, his voice harsh and eager. “We don’t have too much time left.” The normal stopover was slightly under twelve hours. Not nearly long enough. Already the thought of Endil being gone was enough to send a sharp pain through his heart. He pushed the thought away. There would be the return trip. Endil grabbed Leon’s hand, stilling its movement. “I’m not going anywhere.” Surprised by the words and unable to speak for the sudden pounding of his heart, Leon lifted his head to meet the steady gaze of the green-yellow eye. Complacency had been replaced by a look both anxious and pleased. Turning their joined hands so they were palm to palm, Leon lifted them to his mouth, brushing his lips over Endil’s knuckles. “What do you mean?” he breathed, half afraid he had misunderstood the words. “This is my final destination. I’ve been given permission to—” His words were cut off by Leon’s whoop of joy. In one 20

HUNGRY?

swift move, he rolled Endil to the floor and straddled him. “You mean it?” he growled. “You’re staying here?” The thin lips curved into a boyish, almost shy smile. The roll had sent his hair flying back from his face and for once both eyes were visible. They gleamed with laughter and promise. “As long as you want me.” Stretching so that his tight nipples brushed against Endil’s and their cocks rubbed one another, Leon smiled and rocked his hips. “And if I want you forever?” Endil’s gasp turned to a groan of pleasure as Leon moved against him again. “Then you’re going to have a roommate for a very long time.” “I can live with that.” Leon nipped the sensitive skin below the linguist’s ear. “We can shower together to save water.” He shuddered as he felt the symbiote, which had returned to its place on Endil’s chest, shift and slide between them. It teased his taut nipples with its slick touch before slithering up his arm to wrap itself around their wrists, binding them together. Its tail flicked against his straining balls, sending his body surging against his lover’s. Hot green-yellow eyes looked into Leon’s. “Such a conservationist.” Endil pushed upward against Leon’s weight. “What other plans do you have for us?” he asked, his voice ragged. Leon’s blood pounded thick and heavy in his veins. Hot and feverish, he licked a bead of sweat from the other man’s brow. His stomach clenched with desire. “Read my mind,” he demanded. “Read my mind.” 21

HUNGRY?

Legs moving restlessly, hips thrusting, Endil breathed, “Hungry.” He moaned and said again, “Hungry.” “Hungry,” agreed Leon before closing his mouth over Endil’s. It was the last coherent word spoken in the cabin for some time.

22

HELEN LOUISE CAROLL Penny Kenny was born and raised in the Thumb of Michigan. By day she works in an elementary library; by night she’s Helen Louise Caroll, creator of fantasy worlds and heroes. Her book reviews regularly appear in Starlog magazine, her comic reviews can be found at www.comicsbulletin.com, and as Acton Bell, her fiction appears at www.fictionpress.com and other free fiction sites. *

*

*

Don’t miss Moonlight Sonata For Two, available at AmberAllure.com! Music draws them together…but will a secret tear them apart? While on his final concert tour, pianist Sinjen Damien encounters the sexy, black-winged Vincent aboard the Eden 5 space colony. Helplessly attracted to the mysterious stranger, he can’t help but accept Vincent’s dinner invitation for a private command performance. But while Sinjen burns for Vincent’s touch, the other man is playing it cool. Sinjen is everything Vincent has dreamed of, but the brooding loner has a dark and potentially deadly secret. Dare he divulge the truth to Sinjen, or will his secret destroy them both?

AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC THE GOLD STANDARD IN PUBLISHING QUALITY BOOKS IN BOTH PRINT AND ELECTRONIC FORMATS

ACTION/ADVENTURE

SUSPENSE/THRILLER

SCIENCE FICTION MAINSTREAM

DARK FANTASY ROMANCE

HORROR

EROTICA

FANTASY

GLBT

WESTERN

MYSTERY

PARANORMAL

HISTORICAL

B UY D IRECT AND S AVE www.AmberQuill.com www.AmberHeat.com www.AmberAllure.com