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  Rhoda was tired, and she relaxed against him. “This is complicated.”

  Drehl held her close, his body heat soothing her. “It isn’t complicated. You are now the bride of a Genaran and impervious to being ejected from Yacaro.”

  Sleepily, she muttered, “Kebril said something about a ceremony.”

  “My family will come to my home tomorrow. The ceremony will happen, full transference will occur and you will be a Yacaro citizen.”

  She nodded and let darkness slip over her as her healing continued.

  Light cascaded over her eyelids, bringing her out of her healing sleep. Rhoda sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  An older woman who wore the same tattoos as Drehl sat at the side of her bed and set her embroidery aside. “You are awake. Excellent. Come along, daughter. I will help you get ready.”

  Rhoda looked down, and she was wearing a silky ivory gown. She slid to the edge of the bed and levered herself up. “Ready for what?”

  “It is your wedding day. Today, you and Drehl will declare yourselves in front of witnesses.”

  Rhoda walked toward the woman and curtsied. “Rhoda Evergreen, pleased to meet you, madam.”

  The woman took her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I am delighted to meet you, daughter. Call me Elian or Mother if you would. I will tell you everything you need to know about the bonding ceremony.”

  Waves of black hair, streaked with silver and violet, crowned Elian’s head. Her marks went from her forehead down to the corners of her mouth on each side.

  Elian bustled her into the shower, and while she was getting her hair and nails done by another Genaran woman, Rhoda was given the details of the ceremony and a few bits of information about the Genarans that she had not thought to ask. The tattoos were rank markings. Rhoda would be wearing her own set about a week after the wedding.

  Elian answered the door when there was a knock, and she smiled at whomever was on the other side before she took the bundle from him.

  “Kebril has taken an interest in your fashion choices. He selected this gown for your vows.”

  Rhoda froze as the blue-black gown that she had painted into Drehl’s portrait was in Elian’s arms. The underwear was a low pair of silky briefs attached on either side with segments of jewel-encrusted chain. The bodice was formed to fit over her breasts and was sewn down the sides to the top of her waist, swirling open to show her thighs and hips from ribcage to ankle. Bands that matched the straps of the top went around each bicep and held the sleeves in place. Once the gown was on, Elian attached a series of gems in Rhoda’s snow-white hair.

  When she was dressed and the small slippers were on her feet, Elian opened the door where Kebril was waiting to act as her family for the ceremony.

  He smiled down at her. “You look lovely in that, sister.”

  She went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for your help with the gown, Kebril.”

  “Drehl had me order it the same night he saw you at the gala. The measurements at the medical centre just helped with the final fitting.” He offered her one arm and his mother took the other. Their trio walked through long, empty halls until an assembled gathering in the courtyard showed their destination.

  The unmistakable forms of Under and Hawk were sitting up front, wearing civilian clothing for the event.

  Another male came forward and took Elian from her son. Based on age and physical resemblance, it had to be Drehl’s and Kebril’s father.

  He took Elian to a position near the altar stone with the grooves cut in it. The Genaran did everything with an exchange of blood or nanites, including marriage.

  Kebril walked her through the crowd and to the altar where the official raised his hands for silence.

  “We are assembled here to join Rhoda Evergreen of Terra with Drehl Yaghin of Yacaro. Do they each have witnesses who will attest to their societal value.”

  Under got to his feet, his black-on-silver eyes were sombre. “He is of value to Yacaro and its citizens and has proven it time and again.”

  Rhoda bit her lip and stood in uncomfortable silence until a familiar voice said, “She is of value to the Genaran and their society.” Jemyalli was standing next to her father, a determined look in her eyes.

  The official raised his brows. “How so?”

  “Not only is she an artist, but she helps those who hesitate with declaring their love or accepting their destiny. It is not something that most can do, but she gives the gift with every portrait.” Jemyalli looked around nervously and stepped closer to her father.

  The official smiled kindly at her. “Excellent. Now, extend your arms and place them on the altar.”

  There was a groove cut into the stone, and she placed her arm in it, inner side of her wrist up. Drehl put his arm in the groove, wrist down, and he gripped her forearm tight. This was going to hurt.

  “As they have declared their urge to be joined, so we shall witness their bodies becoming one.” The official lifted the dagger and speared through their joined wrists.

  The agony of the piercing was enough to buckle her knees, but she bit her lip as the official removed the dagger to take their blood for the registry.

  Their blood mingled in the groove, and to Rhoda’s surprise, it changed direction and returned to her body a moment before her wound sealed.

  His arm closed up as well, and he lifted her hand from the groove, showing their healed arms to the gathered group.

  Polite applause and smiles rippled through those assembled, and Drehl took her in his arms and kissed her wildly.

  She was clinging to his embroidered vest when he finally parted their lips. She smiled and pulled sharply on his clothing, bringing his mouth to hers again with her tongue slipping along his lips and thrusting inside to taste him.

  A laugh rippled through the crowd, and she continued until his hands were crushing her against him. When his erection was prodding against her belly, she relaxed her grip and smoothed his vest as she released him.

  His lips were dark grey and his eyes were fiery and intense. “That was rather immature.”

  She grinned. “I beg to differ.” She slowly shifted her belly against him, rubbing his erection. “It feels mature to me.”

  Drehl sighed. “We now have a very long day of celebrations. Teasing can go both ways, Rhoda.”

  She widened her eyes as his hand slid between her gown and her spine, cupping her bottom with a light pat. The jewelled briefs were no barrier to the heat of his hand.

  She swallowed. “Truce?”

  He grinned and whispered in her ear. “Why call a truce when I am winning?”

  The crowd surged around them, and they were ushered inside where tables and chairs had been set out in a loose formation. Some of the guests grabbed instruments and others hit the dance floor while the food was brought out and set in a buffet.

  Rhoda looked around, and she smiled. “Who are all of these people?”

  “Friends of my family, mainly. A few new members of government. The new head of immigration, for example. Not all aliens can marry within the Genarans, but you are a delightful example of how strangers to Yacaro can be contributing members of our society.”

  Jemyalli ran up to Rhoda and froze as Drehl stared at her. “Um…congratulations, Rhoda.”

  Rhoda let go of Drehl’s hand and hugged Jem. “Thanks. It isn’t how I thought it would be, but it is kinda nice not to be worried about being booted off the planet.”

  Jemyalli cast a look at Kebril. “I am not sure, but would you do my portrait?”

  Rhoda frowned. “As soon as I work out a studio. Apparently, the officers trashed my old studio. I am just glad that I had completed so many of my works and sent them out.”

  Rhoda agreed to call her in nine days, and when she returned to Drehl’s side, it was an endless round of introductions until she had met everyone who had come to witness their happy day.

  Chapter Ten

  When the guests were gone, the moons
were up and the only people left were Under, Hawk and Drehl, Rhoda followed her new husband back to the room she had woken in, and he locked the door behind them.

  With deliberation, he turned off his call button. “Under and Hawk agreed to leave us alone unless it was absolutely necessary for Charm to be with them.”

  Drehl unlaced his vest with slow movements, and he approached her. “It seems that the image you painted has come to pass. I recognize not only your clothing but my own.”

  She smiled and took a few steps toward him. “Yes, but you had the foreknowledge of this gown.”

  “Of course I did. I ordered it the first day we met. I was shocked to see it in the portrait though.”

  Rhoda frowned as she unfastened his formal shirt. “It wasn’t in the sketch? Not that you know what the sketch looked like.”

  He chuckled and put one hand on his belt. He flicked a small compartment and a familiar piece of paper was produced. Drehl unfolded it carefully and held it out to her.

  “How did you do that? I thought I obfuscated most of it.”

  He smiled and stroked her bare shoulders. “I simply charmed the drawing back into place, like this.”

  Rhoda held still as he whispered softly, and her clothing released and slid to the floor in a silken whisper.

  The jewels in her hair were the only things she was wearing.

  He repeated the soft whisper and his own clothing simply came apart, leaving his grey skin gleaming in the moonlight and his strange musculature was exposed to her interested gaze. His cock was peculiar. The entire nine-inch shaft was the same width and the head was blunt and shining with precum.

  “Nice trick.”

  He grinned and took her in his arms. He groaned. “I have imagined how you would feel against me.”

  “Is it as good as you thought?” She ran her hands up his chest and traced the muscles one by one. He felt better than she had imagined.

  He reached between her thighs and parted her sex with his fingers. The wet heat coated his fingers, and she blushed while he groaned again. “Better.”

  She went up on her toes as he leaned down to kiss her, and her blood warmed and pulse quickened as his fingers stroked from her opening to her clit and back again.

  Her orgasm struck her while she was leaning against him, and the pulses of pleasure starting at her clit and rippling through her core weakened her knees. She held onto him as she gasped for air, and she felt him smile against her mouth.

  “I am glad that that worked. I was afraid I would have to get creative.” He chuckled.

  Rhoda licked her lips and stared up into his red-on-black eyes. “That wasn’t creative?”

  He chuckled and carried her to the bed. He whispered softly and her arms rose over her head.

  “What the hell?” Rhoda tried to pull her arms over her breasts, but they crossed at the wrists with her marked wrist on top.

  He grinned. “It is my charm and a skill you will be able to engage in after a few months. Nanites in your bloodstream obey my commands, and the ones along your skin allow me to do this.”

  Invisible hands cupped her breasts as he whispered softly. Another phantom hand parted her thighs and slid two fingers inside her with another working its way into her ass. She tried to close her thighs, but he gripped her knees with his hands while that devilish whisper continued.

  Invisible fingers slid and stroked against her g-spot, causing her to mewl and buck. Her body rioted, twisting against the touches that were caused by Drehl’s control and the pulses of her own flesh.

  Rhoda heard the pitch of her voice climb, and she shrieked as the phantom hands on her breasts pinched her nipples and squeezed the globes firmly. The mouth that followed was Drehl as he sucked hard at first one nipple then the other. His teeth scraped at her skin, and in addition to the sliding fingers of sensation, the blunt head of his cock pressed into her.

  She groaned and parted her thighs, lifting her hips to the pressure.

  Drehl moved his mouth to her shoulder, and as he pressed into her, he bit down.

  Pleasure assaulted her from the light pain, and the friction of the thrust sent her over the edge once again.

  Drehl held still until she stopped bucking and her moaning had deteriorated into sated sighs.

  He released her shoulder and licked his lips, with eye contact firmly instituted, he began to thrust once more.

  She watched the expression on his face going from tender to amused to cruel as his cock slid into her to the hilt and retreated again.

  Rhoda bucked against him, wrapping her legs around him and biting her lip as she approached release again. She fought his control of her arms, but she was stuck. The phantom touch in her ass began to thrust in time with Drehl’s cock, and she screamed as another wave swept through her, tingling her skin and clenching her channel around his girth, as she pulsed and milked him until he groaned and thrust to the hilt.

  She smiled as his eyes narrowed and closed while his body surrendered to hers. He shuddered endlessly and finally slumped against her.

  His hair felt like thick silk as she stroked her fingers through it. It had been a successful first time by her standards, though if he didn’t get that phantom finger out of her ass, she was going to have to take steps.

  Rhoda woke up and looked down at her new husband. In sleep, she could see his cock was fairly thick, even at rest.

  She wrapped her hand around him and stroked gently. When he didn’t move, she leaned down and took him into her mouth. Salt, sweet, musk and spice assailed her as she kept one hand around his shaft and her mouth slid down, sucking as she retreated toward the tip.

  His cock woke rapidly, and she heard his low groan. From her position near his thighs, she looked up, and he was staring at her as she sucked and stroked him.

  She could feel a tingling between her thighs, and she pushed it out of her mind as she tried to drive him to release.

  Rhoda cupped and massaged his balls as she sucked, and when she felt his cock swell and his balls tighten, she swallowed hard as he groaned and spurted.

  The taste of him made her stroke and lick at him until he ceased jerking against her palm.

  He pulled her up and kissed her. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  She chuckled and curled against him. “I am aware of that, but you were all defenseless, so I couldn’t help but press my advantage.”

  He was one of only three men she had met that didn’t mind the taste of their cum in her mouth. She was glad. Having men dodge her kiss after she had gone down on them was her least favourite thing in a male.

  “I am always defenseless when you are around. You are now my greatest strength and weakness.” He ran a hand down her spine.

  “Why is that?” She snuggled close to him.

  He looked at her with surprise. “Because you are my destiny. You come before everything else now. Even Under and Hawk are aware of this.”

  She leaned back. “I don’t want to get in the way of you doing what you feel you have to.”

  He smiled and caressed her cheek. “I know. It is the same reason that I have arranged a studio for you in the city as well as one here. You can meet with clients in the city and work on your own pieces here.”

  She kissed him for his thoughtfulness. “I wish my previous studio hadn’t been trashed.”

  “Under and Hawk are going to salvage what they can. They live here, by the way.”

  She chuckled. “I thought as much. Why do you have a palace with only three people living in it?”

  “When I was given this piece of land, I was declared a prince. I thought a prince should have a palace, so I started building one using the nanites I had at my disposal. After the palace was built, I was tapped as a Guardian and went off world for a time. When we returned, it was decided that if I was willing, this would be the base on Yacaro.”

  “I am guessing it is fairly out of the way here.”

  He nodded and nuzzled her neck. “It is. The only way in or out is by f
lying transport. The guests were brought here by Under and Hawk in a blacked-out vehicle. Well, my family knows the way, and they also know to be circumspect.”

  She sighed. “I am going to have to learn how to fly a transport. I have only ever driven a cycle.”

  He laughed and rolled her to her back. “I can show you. Once the nanites have propagated, you will also be able to steer a ship by thought alone.”

  She arched against him and grinned. “I am guessing that it will be something to look forward to.”

  He slid into her and began a slow rhythm that sent pleasurable ripples through her with every surge until she sighed and her body shuddered around him.

  When he spurted inside her once again, he held her hips tight to his as he rolled to his back. She snuggled against him, and the blanket under him reformed to cover them.

  She inhaled the scent of sex and Drehl that filled the air and rested for the rest of the night in her husband’s arms.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kebril was in the morning room with Hawk and Under when Rhoda and Drehl arrived.

  He greeted Rhoda by kissing both cheeks. “The wedding gown still looks good, but I brought a few more options for you, sister.”

  Rhoda felt a surge of relief. “Thank you, Kebril. Is that what brings you here today?”

  He smiled. “That and I have come to commission a painting.”

  She was surprised. “I would love to, but I have no idea where my paints are.”

  Under and Hawk smiled. She said, “We picked them up this morning, as well as your canvases and any works in progress. The slashes aren’t too bad. You can probably repair them.”

  Rhoda felt hopeful for the first time since she had heard of her home’s invasion. “Where are they?”

  Under snorted. “In your studio.”

  Drehl sighed and directed her to the food. “I will show you after breakfast.”

  She chuckled and picked out some of her favourites before taking a seat at the large round table where everyone else was seated.