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  Minny stiffened as he peeled her suit off, but he paused. “I think this might go better in a more secluded area.”

  She didn’t run to the bedroom. That would have lacked dignity, but she did move at a brisk pace.

  He followed her into the bedroom and casually removed his outer vest, the inner one was hung next to it, and then, he loosened his cuffs.

  She unsealed her bodysuit down to her waist and sat on the bed. She watched her new husband strip and wished for popcorn.

  The moving tattoos were on every exposed inch of skin. Now and then, she could almost make out words that formed and disappeared across the hard muscle that shaped him.

  She cleared her throat. “You are in pretty good shape for an emissary.”

  He grinned. “Zanicon rebuilt me when he took me over. I was damaged in an accident, and I had a long talk with him through his relay before I was willing to hand my body over. I thought my personality would be eradicated. I never guessed that we would share like we do. Did.”

  “Zanicon is dead?”

  “He is a collapsed star.”

  She blinked slowly as he removed his boots. “A collapsed star... a black hole?”

  Imbolt nodded. “Yes. He needed an Avatar to keep folk out of the danger zone. His reach was expanding for centuries, and the ships passing near needed help escaping. That was my job.”

  He unfastened the wide waistband of his trousers and slid them down and off in one smooth move, his feet stepping gracefully out of the fabric.

  She watched as he folded the trousers and hung them up in the cleaning cupboard. His butt was just as well muscled as his abs.

  There was not a sign of the damage that he had mentioned, and she was really looking.

  When he turned back to her, her gaze fixed on his midsection, and she tried to figure out if it was a point or a cone. His cock was narrow at the tip, and then, it widened to three inches across by the time it joined his body. The initial inch didn’t seem too intimidating, but how far was he going to go? The length didn’t matter. He would get stuck long before he reached the end.

  He looked at her, and then, his own gaze lowered to his erection. “Not what you were expecting?”

  She blushed and jerked her gaze upward to meet his amused expression. “I wasn’t expecting anything. I was just taking in the terrain.”

  Imbolt laughed, and as she watched, the shape changed.

  “Are you doing that because... I have no idea how that is happening.”

  “It is the bonus to being the Avatar of Zanicon. Lovers were never in short supply, but adaptation was necessary.”

  “So that was the shape of the last species you had sex with?”

  “Yes, two centuries ago.” He walked slowly toward her with his body now taking on large—but human—proportions. He was scaled for the rest of him, so just a little too large to be comfortable.

  When he was still a few feet away, she got up and peeled off her bodysuit. Medical had done a good job of removing the signs of her pregnancy. They had had to, given her body was producing milk for a child that didn’t need it.

  He took her suit, and it joined his clothing in the cabinet.

  “As it is our wedding night, I have read a number of different traditions that we would need to uphold, but few, if any, apply to our situation. How would you like to consummate our contract?”

  He returned to her and reached out to stroke the naked skin of her arms. The gesture was intimate without being sexual.

  “Do you want details or broad strokes?” She smiled shyly.

  “I would love details, but that can wait until we know each other better.” He continued to stroke the sides of her arms, the lightest touch that nevertheless hardened her nipples and pebbled her skin.

  “Then, I would say we should start and proceed as soon as it will be comfortable for me. Would you like sound or silence?”

  His hands clenched briefly on her arms. “I want to hear you.”

  “Then, I think we should try this out.” She pressed her hands to his chest and felt the thudding of his heart under the muscle and bone.

  She hummed lightly as she ran her hands over the grey-brown tattooed skin that was tight and hot under her touch. The heat coming off him made her want to snuggle up to him, so she did. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her breasts against him and stroking his back with light rakes of her nails. His erection was trapped between them, and it was hot and slick. He was producing his own lube.

  Minny focused and smiled. Her own body was taking the same tactic. Things were moving quickly.

  She leaned up and pressed her lips to his neck. The markings slid under his skin and tickled her. She smiled against his skin and continued her exploration.

  He groaned when she drew her fingers down his back with more insistence, and his hands shifted, covering her back and pulling her up against him in one swift move. His large hands cupped her buttocks.

  She wrapped her legs around him and rocked her hips as much as she could in his grip. His erection was pressed against her, and with a little manoeuvering, she was rubbing her sex along it.

  The heat of his body was enticing. She wanted him inside her but didn’t want to be pushy.

  He lifted her higher and rubbed his cock against her. Her folds parted, and her body continued to send out its slick welcome.

  She squeaked in surprise when he hoisted her high and then groaned as he ran his tongue up and down the side of her neck. The stroke of his tongue was surprisingly dry, but the faint trace of moisture gave her a cold contrast to the heat of his mouth.

  Her short hair exposed the column of her throat in a way she hadn’t considered when he switched sides and goaded her into a groaning sigh.

  Minny wrapped her arms around his head and threaded her fingers through the entrancing softness of his feathers.

  He scraped his teeth along her skin, and she shuddered, putting her normal control on the back burner and just letting herself feel.

  She was pulled higher, and he used his lips, tongue and teeth on her breasts. The moans and sighs out of her lips drove him to a fever pitch. It was with relief that he lowered her, and she angled her hips to coax his cock to the opening that was aching for it.

  The heat of his erection thrust into her as she rocked and twisted her hips to take him deeper. When he was as far in as she could take him, she used her legs and pulled herself up before sinking down again.

  The wet, soft sounds of sex were punctuated by her moans and his groans. They struggled against each other to see the other one climax, and as Minny worked against him, she tried to hold hers off.

  Her senses were twisting higher and higher with every thrust, but she held off. She didn’t want to rush. This was her wedding night, after all.

  Imbolt began to mutter in that alien language, and he pulled her tightly against him, tilting her pelvis forward and forcing her clit between them. The nearly painful pressure as he bounced her on him was what sent her over the edge.

  She screamed, muttered and possibly addressed a deity while her body bucked and twisted against him, trying to impale herself and get away at the same time.

  He held tight and groaned, pulling her down hard with a bruising grip while he grunted and pressed his hips into her.

  Her thudding heart and sweating skin were paired with the twitching aftershocks that made her flinch with their intensity.

  He held her against him, stroking her back and murmuring nonsense words to her, pressing kisses to her temple.

  Her voice was husky when she asked, “What language are you speaking?”

  “Yimako. The words of my people a few thousand years ago.”

  She nodded. “Thank you. They wouldn’t tell me what species Alyla was. Feathers?”

  He chuckled next to her ear. “Yes. Feathers. Our daughter will grow them in her last month of gestation.”

  “Good. They are very soft, and I like them.”

  He whispered, “I am glad. Now, would yo
u care to lie down? You are slippery, and when we begin again, I don’t wish to drop you.”

  She blushed. “Um. Okay. Sounds like a good plan.”

  He chuckled. “I would like to explore you in detail, wife. Until now, all of my exposure to Terrans has been theoretical. I am more of a practical nature myself.”

  He walked them over to the bed and pressed her onto the sheets. She braced her feet on the bedding and pushed up against him. He was still hard, and he thrust into her out of reflex.

  He chuckled as he looked down at her. “Fine; slow exploration after this time.”

  She grinned, and he started to thrust and retreat with a heady beat. There was no slow increase, just a frenetic pounding that took her overstimulated and tired body and woke it with a roar that had her thrusting back as good as she got.

  The lights were bright and glaring, but she could see the shifts of the markings on him and feel them writhing under his skin. She was going to ask him about what they were. She promised herself that she was going to ask him all kinds of things. She just needed to cum again, and then, she would be a wellspring of questions.

  Just a few minutes and she would be able to ask him what she wanted to know. She could wait that long. Maybe.

  Chapter Five

  Minerva lay in her lover’s arms and looked into the dimness of the VIP quarters. Her personal objects were tucked around the room, and it gave it a homey feel.

  Imbolt rubbed his chin on her shoulder and pulled her in tight. “Are you sore?”

  “If I am, it is justified. I have never had sex that many times in one evening before.”

  He pressed a kiss to her jaw. “Apologies. I was overdue and was enthralled by the idea of having a mate of my own at long last.”

  She chuckled. “So, two hundred years isn’t a normal dry spell for you?”

  “No. I simply lost interest.”

  She shifted and stretched her legs. “Newsflash. You found it again.”

  He laughed. “You possessed it the entire time. Who knew?”

  Minny snorted. “Two hundred years ago, my great-great-great-great grandmother was just a twinkle in her parent’s eyes.”

  “Ah, right. I forget about things like that.”

  “Like time?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, our marriage will be short. You will outlive me by eons, and it will be your job to keep an eye on our family.”

  “I will watch over them, but don’t sell yourself short. You may live longer than you think.”

  She snorted and settled against the pillows. “I will dream of an eternal life with you. You can dream of grandchildren.”

  He ran his hand over her hip and patted her thigh. “All my dreams are right here.”

  She drifted off with an ache in her body and a smile on her lips.

  Minerva got out of the shower and reached for her bodysuit. It was missing. She knew that she had put it there before she showered, but now, it was gone.

  “Imbolt? Where are my clothes?”

  She wrapped a towel around herself and stalked into the bedroom. The emissary wasn’t there, so she went looking for him.

  “Ah, there you are, Minerva. This is Tyikla and her assistant Vemmil. They are going to dress you as is appropriate for my wife. We are examining the locations proposed for the Alliance and Imperium embassies tomorrow, and it is necessary for you to be dressed accordingly.”

  She made a face. “Fine, but I need my suit. I have to go and be Norz for a few hours today.”

  He gave her an amused look. “You are on your honeymoon.”

  “I might be. Norz isn’t.”

  “Commander Marx has told me that those are your orders.”

  “She isn’t my boss. She just runs the base. The Alliance Council is my boss, and if they don’t give me the day off, I don’t get one.”

  He gave her a serious look. “In that case, please get measured for your wardrobe while I make a call.”

  She made a face but then smiled at the seamstress and her assistant. “Where do you want me?”

  They quickly took the myriad measurements that they needed and showed her the designs that would be appropriate for the ambassador’s wife.

  The patterns weren’t too bad. They were feminine versions of Imbolt’s clothing. The skirt was the main difference.

  “It looks good. Thank you very much.”

  The Tival women smiled and nodded before leaving with nervous looks toward Imbolt’s desk where he was speaking softly in one of the Alliance languages.

  For the ninetieth time, Minerva bemoaned her lack of Alliance languages. She had Common for the Alliance and Imperium, but only the Terran languages after that. Her learning days had been swift when she got to Lunar Base, but all the languages she had had previously had been scrubbed from her mind.

  She put her hands on her towelled hips and looked at him. “Well, what is the verdict?”

  “They need confirmation of your new status from you.” He smiled and offered her the com.

  She looked down, shrugged and wandered around so that she was framed in the video communication. “Minerva Twill here, recruiter for the Alliance and Nyal Imperium. Citadel talent designation, Scatter Brain.”

  The Azon face on the other end of the call smiled. “Good day, Recruiter. I notice that you didn’t mention your marriage to the emissary.”

  “Oh. Right. Minerva Twill Kei Zanicon Mak Imbolt.” She winked. “It is a mouthful. I am still getting used to it.”

  The Azon blinked. “Right. Of course. Well, the emissary has informed us that you will no longer be available to execute your talent from Lunar Base. I regret that failure to execute your duties will result in the Alliance withdrawing the life support for your offspring.”

  Imbolt stood behind her and glowered. “And if you do, there are nine ships on the edge of Zanicon space that will die the moment that my child loses one drop of nutrient or one ounce of oxygen.”

  “Your child? I was given to understand that she was inseminated by a genetic match.”

  Minerva glowered. “It was, but he was the donor. We have since found a mutual attraction and urge to be parents to our child. If you kill my child, you kill his, and he and the black hole will make sure you regret it.”

  The Azon would have looked pale if its velvety skin could have drained of blood. As it was, he pardoned himself to consult.

  Minny looked to Imbolt. “You would kill nine ships for Alyla?”

  “Of course. She is part of you, and no one can injure any part of you and not feel my wrath.” He pressed his forehead to hers.

  The Azon came back online. “When can you resume your duties?”

  “First, I wish to know that whatever I decide, you will never threaten my child again.”

  “Agreed. I apologize. It was a foolish bluff on my part.”

  “Excellent. I quit. I will be focusing on my position at my husband’s side and preparing for my new role as a mother. The Terrans will have to deal with the normal recruiting staff. Norz is out of business.”

  The freedom that rushed through her was exhilarating. She didn’t have to split her mind and meet with strangers, disappointing some and facing death from others. It was going to be nice to simply live for herself for a change.

  Well, it was also going to be nice to meet her family again.

  It had been ten years, after all.

  The tingle in her limbs as she entered the shuttle for the location-scouting mission was nearly paralyzing.

  Imbolt had met with the U.N. the previous day and was waiting for her with his guards at a luxury hotel. She was making this pilgrimage on her own.

  She had kissed Alyla’s tank goodbye for now, and that is when she had been shown Imbolt’s gift to her. He had ordered a bot body for her and had it installed next to the tank. She could sit with her daughter anytime she wanted; she just had to occupy the bot.

  Minny wished that she had been able to express her joy to Imbolt, but instead, she was stuck plan
ning their reunion after just over a day apart.

  The robes she was wearing on her journey made her nearly unrecognizable. At Imbolt’s suggestion, she had put on the makeup used by the Yimako women. She was wearing ranking stripes on her cheeks, her eyes were outlined, and her lips were blacked. She was definitely going to make an impression.

  She dragged in a deep breath and put a portion of her mind into the bot next to Alyla, reading a story to her in order to keep herself calm.

  It was almost like being there in the flesh, but her body was growing closer and closer to home.

  When she had signed away her rights, she had known she would never be able to go home, but today, a change in circumstances was letting her return as the wife of the ambassador. She was willing to take full advantage of that technicality.

  Splitting her consciousness was a lot easier than scattering it.

  The big blue marble of her home world grew larger, and she got excited. She was going to land thousands of miles from her home, but she didn’t care. Earth would be under her feet again. That was her goal.

  The shuttle approached with glacial slowness. Minerva focused on holding her hands together as the ship descended and remaining calm. At Lunar Base, she was calmly reading to Alyla.

  The shuttle got clearance and moved in on a landing vector. She remained seated until they were down and the engines had powered off.

  With a deep breath, she got to her feet, straightened her robes and headed for the exit. The guards, Yikm and Lio, were with her and at her sides.

  The bright sunlight made her wince. It was the taste of the airfield that caused her nose to wrinkle. Aviation fuel was not a pleasant aroma. Behind the fuel, she could smell the wind off the ocean and the ice on the mountains. It was beautiful. It was home.

  “Madam, your vehicle is waiting.” Yikm nodded and spoke in Alliance Common. “The ambassador will meet us at the hotel.”

  “Of course. Sorry. I have not been on this soil for a very long time.”

  Lio nodded. “We understand but not all humans have been in favour of an ambassador living on their world. There are territorial issues that are flaring and causing issues.”