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  Meri saw several couples leave and swim off into the distance, and she waited, knowing that the first purge was the hardest. Negotiator Kao had been there for her—on Monareth —talking her through the expulsion of water from her gills as she gulped air in through her mouth. It was not a comfortable process, but it took her from water to land in seconds. The negotiation had been simple and she was now beginning to suspect she had been set up to get the gill implants.

  A few of the single males turned toward her and looked as if they were going to approach, but a blue streak whipped around them and caught her around the waist, pulling her into the depths in an instant.

  When they were away from prying eyes, Vehn slowed and came to a halt with her body pressed to his, floating in a crevice.

  She pressed her hands to his chest and looked up at him expectantly. Please explain the sudden flying tackle?

  I wanted to get to you before some of the other males tried a seduction.

  Jealous?

  Yes. He stroked her cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead, another to her brow, another on her right cheek and then her left, finally kissing her lips with a slow gentleness.

  He was warmer than an amphibian had any right to be, and she threaded her fingers into his hair, holding him to her as she pressed her body close.

  His hands remained around her waist as they floated, but she caressed his outer thigh with one knee and tried to get closer.

  In her mind she heard a low groan, he broke their kiss, flipped her so that her back was pressed against his chest, and he kicked off, aiming for the city and the bright, glowing lights with his erection pressing against her ass.

  Chapter Seven

  This is the Kao family home. His swimming pattern changed as he approached it, entering the airlock from beneath.

  She was nervous at doing a purge, but he simply pulled her up until her head was exposed to air, he turned her to face him and slid his hand between her thighs. Her reflexive gasp purged her gills, causing her to push away from him and swim to the edge of the surround. It took a few tries to hoist out of the water. She ignored his hand and boosted her body onto the ledge, swinging her legs out and onto the dry surface with a grunt.

  “You have been more graceful.” He observed it with the light amusement of a long time friend.

  “Shut up, Vehn.” She got to her feet and shook out her skirt. It resumed its dry form rather quickly. “Huh, well constructed.”

  “The Lahash clothing is designed to dry in seconds.” He took a step toward her. “Now, may we continue what we began outside?”

  She snorted, “A tour of the Kao family home, please. The make-out session can wait. Oh, how did Niika take to her purge?”

  “As if she were born to it, which she was. She was excited to be in class, I have no doubt your ears will be aching by the time dinner is over.”

  He offered her his arm and she took it, letting him lead her where he would.

  “My family built this home five hundred years ago for the purpose of being close to the children while they are in school. The open ocean is far too dangerous for our little ones, so we educate our children in lakes.”

  Vehn paused near the edge of a huge window, and Meri had to admit that the view was spectacular. “It’s lovely. It seems that the city grew up around it.”

  He smiled. “It did. The Kaos were the first to settle in this body of water. It was excavated, landscaped and the minerals sold to member planets of the Alliance. The funds raised brought the Lahash out of the shadows and into respectable society for the first time.”

  He continued the tour. “Of course, there are those who want a return to the days when the Lahash in spawning simply stole their brides and transported them to the settlements until the child was born. It is much more organized now.”

  “Why do the Sivith put up with it? I don’t see why it would be appealing to be a brood mare.”

  Vehn nodded. “You must understand that it isn’t spawn or not, we either spawn or die, and this has always been accepted by the Sivith. We used to be the same species and they have the same mating urges that our males do, they merely do it via courtship before the necessity kicks in. With our females outnumbered by our males, it is not a practical thing for the Lahash to do.”

  “Why isn’t any of this information in the archives? It would have made things a lot easier, and you might have been able to go on a female recruitment drive or something. There are compatible species out there.” Meri was adamant.

  He chuckled and led her up a series of stairs. “I am aware of that. It is a hard sell among the Lahash. They agreed to send me out to see what I could bring home. After six years, I met nine suitable species and only one suitable mate.”

  Meri felt a blush working its way to her cheeks. “I see.”

  “If you look through that window, you will.”

  She followed the direction that his arm was pointing, and she saw their reflection. It was only now that she was reminded of his height. He had to be seven foot or taller and she was five and a half feet tall. On Earth, her hair had been the most remarkable thing about her, her dark eyes and medium build had made her invisible. It was only when she had been encouraged to enter the Volunteers that she knew what she truly was, a talent who could not only feel stress, but also dampen it in others. Here, she was standing next to a mer-man from outer space and all she could think about was the hand that was moving around her waist and pulling her back against him.

  He whispered a word in a liquid language and their reflection brightened as the outer wall polarized. Vehn bent his head and pressed a line of kisses down her neck, and she watched every move in the mirror.

  Her eyes grew heavy-lidded and her lips parted to inhale sharply while his hands stroked their way down her torso, cupping her sex and then stroking back upward again to cup her breasts. She exhaled a low moan, and he shifted his right hand down to her hip, slid it inside the slit of her skirt and sought out her wet heat.

  His fingers parted her and slipped inside while his thumb stroked until he found her clit and he pressed down rhythmically while his fingers moved within her.

  She watched her body twist, his fingers lift and caress her breasts through her clothing. His fingers thrusting into her were thick and long. She whimpered and raised her hands to slide them into his hair as she gave her body over to him. For this once, she just wanted to feel what her body was telling her, not what her emotions were twisting into knots.

  She moaned, rocked and twisted against his hand while he whispered liquid words against her neck and ear. When she felt her channel trying to grip his fingers, she clenched her hands in his hair, let her body quiver and her moans fill the room.

  He continued slow pulses of his fingers, drawing out her orgasm until her body’s caresses ceased.

  Meri leaned heavily against him and relaxed her fingers, pulling back and using her own balance instead of his. To her embarrassment, his fingers were still inside her. She turned her head to tell him to move his hand, and he pressed his lips to hers in a ferocious eating kiss.

  Her body warmed rapidly with his lips working at hers, his tongue tasting her over and over, and his fingers mimicking his tongue inside her.

  You have to be getting a cramp in your neck, Vehn.

  Shut up, Meribeth. He lifted her with the arm that had been caressing her breasts and kept the other inside her.

  Having him shift within with every step was peculiar, but it brought her to the edge of another slick orgasm by the time he placed her on a bed. He pulled his fingers out of her, and she groaned in disappointment. She was almost there.

  He peeled her top off, carefully adhering to the closures and then flipping it aside. Her belt and skirt took the same route.

  His wrap hit the floor on top of her skirt, and he struck the bed next to her, propping himself up on one elbow and caressing her with his hand from neck to knees.

  Meri reached out and touched his chest just below the collarbone and ran h
er hands down his skin with attention to his reactions. When she reached his erection, she focussed and learned how to touch him.

  She wrapped a hand around the main shaft and frowned at the small tendril of flexible tissue that formed a small projection above her fingers. If he was inside her and they were face to face, that projection would rub against her clit every time he thrust home. The width of his cock would make for a snug fit, but the column was tapered to make it a gradual stretch. Meri thumbed the head of his erection, circling her digit around and around, spreading the moisture that was increasing in appearance with every touch.

  She, with her hand lubed with his own precum, slid her palm up and down his shaft with slow and deliberate movements.

  His low, guttural groan brought a smile to her lips, and she gasped as he tipped her to her back.

  Vehn parted her thighs and lifted her legs so that her ankles draped over his shoulders. She was left trying to brace herself as he eased into her, pressing against her with a slow, rocking rhythm until the head of his cock popped inside. She gasped and shuddered as he slid deeper with every shift. Meri alternated between exhaling on low moans and shuddering as he worked into her, but the moment that that mystery appendage stroked her clit, her mind blanked, she stopped wondering when he would bottom out and simply enjoyed the feel of him inside her.

  He moved her legs from his shoulders and leaned in to kiss her as his hips surged and withdrew in a slow undulation.

  Meri sighed, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck, licking at his lips as she raised her hips to his. The small appendage rubbed against her clit, a sweet friction that heightened her senses, taking her to the edge of her orgasm where a hard thrust of Vehn’s cock caused an aching tension in her pussy that sent her into rocking shudders against him.

  Meri bit his shoulder as her nerves released their tension into the universe. He groaned and pushed into her, his body bucking and his expression going blind. Vehn stayed locked against her for two minutes, his cock twitching inside her.

  Gasping, she dropped back and let her body relax. The only noise in the room was their breathing and the soft rustle of limbs against sheets.

  Vehn slowly let all of his weight rest on her, and she laughed and wrapped her limbs around him, pressing a kiss to the pointed curve of his ear.

  He groaned again before turning to kiss her mouth. If I had known what I was missing, I would have decanted the day you were hired.

  She snorted and moved his hair away from his face. If you had put any moves on me that first day, I would have calmed you into impotence in seconds.

  You can do that?

  Of course I can. Why do you think I don’t get out much? I have little to no interest in the opposite sex under normal circumstances.

  What do you call this?

  “I call this being under you, not under circumstances.” She stretched and enjoyed the feel of him inside her, smaller but still filling her.

  “That is true.” He wrapped his arms around her and rolled until she was draped over him, her legs splayed wide. Vehn sat up and helped her adjust her limbs until he was sitting on the edge of the bed and she was kneeling across his hips with her hands holding his shoulders.

  He shifted the position of her arms, sliding them against his ribs and reaching upward so she could pull him against her breasts as they moved. He followed suit with one arm and kept the other around her hips.

  As their gazes locked, he lifted her and she eased back down until she rested on his thighs. The intimacy was incredible. She tilted her head back and he leaned in for a kiss as they moved together over and over. Her nipples dragged against the hard planes of his chest, her hands caressed the flat expanse of his shoulders and back, stroking the hollow over his spine and moving her hands back again.

  Her orgasm was faster this time, the protrusion worked harder and faster to drive her to climax. She shivered and clutched at him, closing her eyes as the sparking rippled through her. When she had let it run its course, Vehn lifted her again to resume her slow ride.

  Meri met his purple gaze and smiled up at him. Her fingers tugged at his hair and he grinned in return.

  The directness of his gaze with the feel of him inside her was too much. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest while she continued to rise and fall on him, her body slowly coming back to the edge of orgasm once again.

  He closed his eyes and shuddered, his cock bucking inside her. Meri sighed and held him tight. There was time enough for recriminations later. Right now, she was in the arms of the man who wanted her and whom she wanted in return.

  It was a good start.

  Chapter Eight

  “You know, I always wondered what my parents did on the first day of school. Now, I am not sure I want to know.”

  Vehn laughed. “Mated partners might have humdrum lives, but I am a man on a mission, and I will take every opportunity to convince you that I desire you no matter your moods or talents.”

  Meri grimaced. “No fair peeping into my mind when I am not looking.”

  He continued to chortle as he put the finishing touches on their meal. “You won’t let me in when you are looking, so I have to take the opportunity while I am balls deep I your wet heat.”

  She blinked in shock at his language. “That was…descriptive.”

  “I said much worse when I had my fingers inside you, but that was in ancient Lahash, and you have not learned it yet.” He winked and put a plate in front of her.

  Meri was dressed again, but he had not seen the need before he made lunch. She had to admit it would have made a high-rated cooking show back on Earth.

  “I will ignore that. What time do we go to pick up Niika?”

  “I will go and fetch her in an hour. Will you come with?”

  “Of course. I didn’t think you wanted me with this morning. It was a family day.”

  He sighed, “Meri, if you would simply agree to it, you would be family.”

  She paused on her fourth bite of whatever he had made. “What?”

  “I am offering you the chance to be my life mate. Have I been unclear?” He frowned.

  “Um, a little. Yes. I thought you just wanted me for a bed mate and I would go on to my next assignment.”

  “No. You are not leaving Reepha. Not now, not ever. I will not give you a reference for your next assignment, and you will remain here with me.”

  She tried to summon her normal anger, but it wasn’t there. She reached out and touched him, trying to gauge his mood, but he was calm.

  “If you are looking for your fury, it burned off during sex. It wasn’t anger, it was frustration, but they become interchangeable after a time.” He smiled and took the seat next to her.

  Her mortification was all consuming. “How long have you known?”

  “Only since the decanting. Until I touched you, I could not get a reading.” He ate his own meal and smiled. “Now, what will it take to make you mine?”

  Meri blinked. “What?”

  “It is traditional for the Lahash to buy their brides. Since you are no longer near your family, I cannot offer them a bride price.”

  She frowned. “The Alliance usually handles that end of things on behalf of the Terrans.”

  He fidgeted and focussed on his plate while he mumbled something.

  Meri scowled, “What?”

  “I bought out your contract when you had the gills installed. The Alliance would not authorize the procedure on a person of your talents, there was no urgency for the change, so I paid for it myself, and at the same time, I bought out your contract.” He looked up at her with his eyes sincere. “You are now sponsored to live on Reepha for the rest of your life, including a small house in the city if you want it.”

  “You are just mentioning this now? I have had the gills for over a year.” Laughter bubbled up in her.

  “Well, yes. I didn’t know how to bring it up. Arranging a negotiation underwater was hard enough, but insisting on you accompanying m
e took all my effort and quite a few favours.” He sat back and fiddled with his plate. “I was unsure how to approach one of your species, and my research didn’t proceed properly until I spoke with one of your representatives.”

  Meri quirked a smile. “Which one?”

  “An ex-Negotiator. Amanda Tyrell, currently the Consort of the Emperor of the Haldis Imperium. She explained a few of your quirks that had me baffled and offered me a consulting voice when I needed one. She is quite sharp.”

  “She’s one of our Champions. She is indeed very sharp.” She chuckled at the understatement. “The other ones are as well. They are the best that humanity had to offer.”

  “I beg to differ. They may have been exceptional, but all they did was surpass the expectations of the Alliance assessment council. You are the best that humanity has to offer, in my opinion.”

  She grinned, “I like your opinion. It’s very flattering.”

  “So, Meribeth, what will it take to get you to formalize our connection?”

  She looked at him, stared at him as her vision took him in from head to toe. His long, dark hair was tousled from her fingers. His eyes were bright. The curve of his lips was hopeful, and the rest of him made her mouth water. Aside from the physical, she had spent two years working with him, and his mind was as keen as his body was enchanting. He also appeared to have money, so he was the complete package, tall, dark and alien.

  She smiled. “What does a woman in my position usually ask for?”

  “Jewels, property, an account to buy jewels and property with.” He shrugged. “When my mother agreed to take my father, she almost confiscated the entire Kao family fortune.”

  She laughed. “Mir does seem rather strong willed.”

  He rubbed his forehead. “You have no idea.”

  She pondered what she wanted from the rest of her life. “I want a place that is mine. That no one can take from me. Clothing that will help me blend in as well as I can and lessons in swimming so that I don’t need you to haul me around under water.”