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  She chuckled and left the underground chamber. “Uh, do you know where we are?”

  He offered her his arm, and he walked with her toward the lift. Yes, they were surrounded by the military before they had gotten to the doors, but it had been fun to see that he was willing to take a walk into uncertainty. He had a sense of whimsy, and that set Cyreen at ease more than the gentle touch of his hand on her back.

  Chapter Two

  Being escorted up to Xan’s quarters under armed guard was amusing. Cyreen stayed close to him, and he kept his arm around her.

  They were walked to Xan’s quarters. She had gone on a tour to his rooms when she was in school. It was so weird, she felt like a creep.

  She said softly to Xan, “They take us on tours of your quarters. We get to see the armor.”

  He blinked and grinned. “Well, you will know how to find my clothes then.”

  She snickered, and he let her leave, walking into the bedroom and selecting an outfit and getting him some boots from the shoe closet.

  He was talking with the guards, and she could hear that he was negotiating for privacy.

  Gradually, the guards filtered out, and General Poille came in to talk.

  Smirking, Cyreen stripped and put on Xan’s tunic, belting it. He was right. She could wear it like a dress. She walked out in bare feet and handed Xan his trousers. “There you go.”

  He looked at her, blinked, and stared. She turned up the cuffs of the tunic until they were rolled to mid-forearm.

  Poille froze while Xan put on his trousers. “What are you wearing?”

  “I am wearing the top half of his uniform. Hey, he has more shiny pieces than you.” She stroked the left side of the tunic, and the embroidered rank pieces sparkled.

  Poille spluttered at the rank marks that she had on.

  “Of course, I wouldn’t have had to have resorted to this if you had planned clothing for every woman that you were coercing today.” She smiled pleasantly.

  He blushed. “I will make arrangements.”

  “Does the com work?”

  He frowned. “Yes.”

  “I will call a friend. He knows my sizes.” She walked into the office and picked up the handset. “I assume that all calls are still monitored?”

  The general’s strangled voice sounded nervous. “Yes.”

  “And all of the cameras, are they still active?”

  She smiled as Poille explained to Xan how they were using his quarters as a museum. She called Darfan.

  “Darfan’s Designs, how may I help you?”

  She huffed. “Hello, Darfan. This is Cyreen. Do you still have my sizes?”

  “Really? What do you need?”

  “Clothing for two weeks from the skin out. And boots and shoes.”

  “Interesting. Are you out at the vineyard?”

  “No. I am just down the road in the capital. In the Xan museum.”

  Darfan paused. “Are you shitting me?”

  “No. Now, find some stuff to fit me and either bring it to the museum or drop it off with all the armed men in the lobby.”

  “Is he really awake? I have been hearing rumours.”

  “Yes.”

  Darfan paused. “Why are you there?”

  “Never mind. Just get me the clothes, please, and put it on my account.”

  “Fine, but I expect a story when you can tell it.”

  She chuckled. “Fine. Soon, please. I am suffering from a bit of a draft.”

  Cyreen disconnected the com and went back to the living area where the two generals were discussing the state of the portal.

  She nodded to them both, and then, she went and dug the first lens out of the wall. She knew what she was looking for, so she moved around his quarters and dug the lenses out of the wall. She hummed softly to herself and thanked the practical schooling that her mother had been willing to pay for. Being a workman was not a job description with dignity, but it did mean that she had a wide variety of skills. Electrical wiring was one of her favourites.

  Based on the illegal investigating that she had done when she was thirteen, there were twenty of the lenses in the space. She had found fourteen. She had six more to go. Then, she was going to have to check in the systems and take an inventory to make sure that no more had been added.

  “Cyreen, what are you doing?” Xan asked it calmly.

  She walked over and dropped the lenses into his hand. “Six more to go.”

  General Poille looked furious. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “My government is pimping me out to an ancient hero. I am damned if I let any interactions between us become a vid for scientists to analyze at a later date.” She whistled and pulled one out of the wall from behind Xan. She had to lean over him, and her right breast brushed his shoulder. The tunic really didn’t offer much support.

  She leaned back with the lens in her hand. “Apologies for the unintended contact.”

  He grinned. “You are welcome to do that anytime.”

  Her face heated, and she went to the next wall to pry out another lens. She finished the removal, and then, she started to look at the books on the shelf. She located two more and handed them over to Xan. “That is it for this room.”

  General Poille still looked pissed. “I could charge you with treason for that.”

  “Not if I intend on having sex in this room, you can’t. It’s the law. You do remember the laws that you are sworn to uphold as a member of the military, right? The ones that say you can’t infringe on the rights of a citizen in times of peace?”

  Poille looked murderous. “We are at war.”

  “Not yet. Nothing has come through the gate, and you have already asked me to volunteer. As a volunteer, I have rights and abilities to work on behalf of my world. Right now, that means him.” She jerked her thumb at Xan. “We would not wish to irritate him, now would we?”

  Xan leaned back on his couch and extended his legs, crossing them at the ankles. “Right. Would we?”

  The general cursed under his breath and said, “There will be a briefing at dawn.”

  Xan nodded. “I look forward to it.”

  He stomped out, and Xan and Cyreen were alone.

  She went to the chair that Poille had been occupying and flopped down.

  Xan chuckled. “Why do you go out of your way to irritate him?”

  “You may as well ask why does he go out of his way to belittle me? I have little patience with those who try to bully or intimidate. It sets my teeth on edge, and I lash out.” She shrugged.

  “What is a workman or a freeman?”

  “Citizen ranks. Freemen are those who own property, vote, and curry favour with the military and municipal governments. Workmen are those who do the jobs that require technical knowledge. We are educated in how things work, and the more specialities that we can accrue, the higher our pay.”

  “How high is your pay?” He quirked his brow.

  “Well, I have some rather odd specialities so that I can charge fifty credits per hour.” She smiled.

  “You said you were at a vineyard?”

  “Yes, my mother’s vineyard under the auspices of my aunt. They are freemen.”

  “How does that work?”

  “My mother rejected my father, and she enrolled me in school as a workman. I would have to earn my way in the world.” She wrinkled her nose. “It has caused a few issues.”

  “So, just to clarify, you are not a maiden?”

  “No. Is that a problem?” She smiled and got to her feet, gesturing toward the study and the com. “I am pretty sure you could get one of the others back.”

  He reached out and caught her hand, pulling her toward him. “No, I am very happy with the one I have chosen.”

  She had to step over his leg, and he gave her a tug that slammed her against him. She was shortly kneeling on the couch, her crotch in direct contact with his. Her hands braced themselves on his shoulders, and her breasts were pressed against his chest.

  �
��You know, in that suit, I thought your breasts were a more restrained configuration. I am delighted that they are on scale with the rest of you.” He stroked a hand up her ribs, and his thumb settled under her breast. His smile was genuine.

  She blushed. “My work suit is designed for compression. It keeps them out of the way.”

  Xan pulled her head forward, and he whispered in her ear, “Since I have to get back to work tomorrow, shall we make the most of tonight?”

  She grinned and kissed him lightly. “Only if I can order in. It will be fun to order noodles later.”

  He raised his brows. “Later?”

  She kissed him until she was breathless and his hands were pressing her against him. She came up for breath and chuckled. “Later.”

  Chapter Three

  Getting it over with was a thought, but as his erection settled against her folds, she had another thought. Why not enjoy him?

  Cyreen reached between them and unbuckled the belt of the tunic. She pulled the tunic up and over her head, dropping it to the floor next to them.

  Xan froze. His hands moved reverently over her back and hips. He bent his head and brushed her left breast with his lips then the right.

  She inhaled as his hands came up to brace her back as he pulled one nipple between his teeth and sucked strongly. She mewled, and her hips shifted as the hard pull activated sensation in her clit. The throb in her groin was matched with the pulse in her breasts, and he switched from right to left.

  Her voice was beyond her control. His mouth was driving her insane, and she was twisting in his grip. She gripped his shoulders and then gave up and threaded her fingers through his hair. Xan’s teeth scraped against the inner curves of her breasts in turn, and the prickle of pain had her grinning.

  She was slightly embarrassed. She was so slick that his trousers would need a run through the cleaner. She was hot and wet, and now, so was he.

  He pulled her upright and opened the closure on his trousers, pushing them down and freeing his erection.

  She blinked in surprise, but as she looked at it, she confirmed her earlier assessment, it was manageable. For her. Any of those petite creatures might have a bit of a fight on their hands... or wherever.

  She levered herself over his cock, eased it into her entrance, and slowly lowered herself onto him. Xan’s black gaze was burning into hers as she focused on allowing the girth of him to widen her as she let him impale her. It took a little bit of motion, rising and falling to let her body get used to him as she took him deeper and deeper.

  When she was pressed against his flesh and she felt like she could swallow and feel the head of his cock, she looked at Xan and started to move.

  Riding a global hero was surreal, but she was up to the challenge. Cyreen rocked her hips and moved with him, sweat coating her body and the hard-grey skin under her.

  The rigid heat inside her was nice, but her clit was a few slow grinds away from sending her over the edge.

  She leaned down to kiss him, whimpering against his lips while he groaned in return. She focused on her clit and reached between them to finally circle it rapidly to send herself over the edge.

  She screamed softly and held onto him while her body quivered and clasped him tightly. He groaned, and then, he gripped her hips, twisting on the couch until she was under him.

  He thrust into her with a heavy beat until he pressed in deep and shuddered. He slowly slumped over her until she was flattened into the couch.

  It was only a few minutes later that he lifted off of her, but she was delighted with the return of oxygen to her lungs. He sat up and removed his trousers, pulling her across his lap. She sat across his thighs, and he lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her inner palm.

  “Thank you. I have been waiting for that.” Xan kept kissing her hand, and he slowly began to lick her wrist.

  “Waiting for what? Getting jumped on a couch?”

  He shook his head. “Being raised here and a half-blood child, I was not allowed to mix with other beings socially. So, when I had to prepare to fight my way to the front to close the gateway, they promised me a bride. A lover of my very own.”

  She blinked and looked at him in surprise. “So, you were... this was your first time?”

  He smiled. “Yes, and while aspects of it were startling, I have a definite interest in trying it again. Soon.”

  She bit her lip. “If I knew it was your first time, I would have made it special.”

  “It was very special. For the last two hours, you have been insisting that you want me. Your body wakes mine up in a variety of ways, and you let me drive for my release after you assured your own. That was also special. We were both satisfied.”

  She smiled. “Yeah, we were, so why are you licking the inside of my elbow?”

  He shrugged. “I like the way your skin tastes.”

  She blinked. “That doesn’t sound creepy at all.”

  He blinked and chuckled. “I suppose it might.”

  Cyreen leaned against his chest. He continued to lick at her skin, and she shivered when the moist traces caught the movement in the air.

  Xan paused. “Are you cold?”

  “Only the parts of me not touching you. It’s a different kind of shiver.”

  She gradually managed to loosen her inner thighs and flex her knees.

  He had an amused tone. “Is there something wrong?”

  “No, I am just out of practice. It has been a while for me.”

  He chuckled. “You don’t say. You seemed very confident.”

  She sighed. “I wanted to make the first move before I chickened out and hid in your closet.”

  “That was an option?”

  “It was my next move, actually.” She patted his chest.

  “Why did you need to do it?” He stroked her thigh.

  “To prove to myself that I could if you weren’t going to make a move.”

  He leaned back and looked her in the eye. “You don’t seem to suffer from lack of confidence.”

  She sighed and looked away. “Good. That is what I am going for.”

  “This seems like a longer conversation.” He held her close and stood up, walking to his bedroom.

  He paused, and she reached down to peel back the covers. He settled her in bed and pulled the pillows up behind her.

  Xan hopped in bed on the other side, and he stretched out on the covers, naked and smiling.

  She pulled up her knees and looked at him. “Why are you so chipper? I always imagined that the Hero of Morcud would be a little more somber. Maybe grumpy.”

  He shrugged. “I get somber in the armor. It’s heavy.”

  She felt a rush between her thighs, and she blushed. “Um, which way to the lav? That was the one part of the tour that they didn’t show us.”

  He gestured to the door, and he nodded. “There is a door behind the door.”

  She nodded, her legs clenched together, swinging them out of bed, and she tried to walk calmly to the door. She closed the bedroom door and opened the lav door, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She relaxed, and the trail of cum snaked down her thigh. All of her bravado was gone, and she found a washcloth before carefully rinsing the trail from her skin. She looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. Her ponytail was askew, and her skin was still pink from her exertions. There were bite abrasions and discolouration on her breasts. It had been quite the afternoon.

  She quickly rinsed out the cloth and wiped her skin down, digging through the cupboards until she found a brush. Cyreen didn’t want to go back out there. Her nerves were shot. All of her bravado was used up, and she just wanted to get back to her work.

  She pressed her palms to her eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled what little courage she had and walked back into the bedroom.

  He frowned. “Was something wrong?”

  She chuckled. “I forgot that what goes in must come out. It is very disconcerting.”

  She crawled onto the bed with him, tu
rned her back to him, and wrapped his arm around her.

  “You don’t want to look into my eyes?”

  “Not really. I don’t normally jump guys randomly, but Poille irritated me, and I just kept going on my cloud of smugness.”

  He pulled her against him. “Thank you. It was nice to be publicly wanted.”

  She nodded, and she swallowed. It was a sensation that she had never had personally. Her lovers always wanted to see if she would dominate them, and she just wanted to be held. She paid for the feeling of being wanted with her body, and it didn’t leave much dignity left over when her lover disappeared hours later.

  “So, General Xan, how long do you want me to remain with you? I think that once you are on duty, I should make myself scarce, or Poille will have me skinned.”

  Xan’s arms pulled her in close. “This is not a temporary assignment. I chose you, and that isn’t something that will fade. For the rest of your lifetime, you will have the title chosen of Xan. It sounds ridiculous, but it comes with a pension and inheritance.”

  She felt a flutter of hope before she realized it was silly. He was a tool of their government, just as she was at the moment. There was no way for her to see a future where she was wearing that title.

  Cyreen had to know, “Why did you want a genetic match for Thiara?”

  He sighed and took one of her hands, pressing it between his two. “Like my father before me, I recognized the qualities that would make me a good partner. I just had no idea that it would be such a petite and snivelling thing. She really was annoying and not very loyal.”

  He paused. “Oh, to answer your question properly, her genes were good, her personality sucked.”

  She had fixated on his first words. “Your father?”

  “Yes. Xaru of Mechal. The world, on the other side of the gateway.”

  She gasped. “He started the war.”

  “He did. After the Morcud governor sent a group of assassins to the Mechal Embassy to kill my mother and me. They didn’t want anyone knowing that the two species could interbreed. They killed my mother, took me as proof of corruption, and my father returned home. He thought I had been killed as well. I was ten. When he came back, he had an army.”