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  “That is a lovely sentiment.” She stroked his cheek.

  “It is the motto of my people. Even with my own kind, I would change. Body chemistry alters, reflexes, senses, they all shift for the mated life we are embarking on.”

  Jianne pressed her palm to his chest and pressed one of his to hers. “As long as we don’t change, I don’t care.”

  He laughed and rolled with her across the span of the bed. “I am sure that we will evolve as time goes on, but as long as we keep it even, everything will work out for the best.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “I bet I can evolve faster than you can.”

  Sarnvil prodded her tongue back into her mouth with the tip of one finger. “It isn’t a race, Jianne.”

  She sighed and nipped his finger with her teeth. “Fine. But if I can’t use that as a goal, what can I look forward to?”

  “Life with me. I promise it will never be dull.”

  Jianne smirked, knowing something that he did not. Sometimes, the darkness and tension before the fireworks made it all the more exciting. Mind you, what he was doing with his mouth was exciting enough.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jianne sneered at her mate. “I believe you promised no boredom.”

  He looked at her sheepishly. “After today.”

  Getting diagnostics done on her implant was always tedious. Dr. Yangate was focussed, intense and not in a hurry.

  She brought out her yo-yo and began to play with it.

  “What is that?”

  “A children’s toy from Terra. I brought it with me when I came out here. It was the only thing small enough to keep it with me at all times.”

  He focussed on it and watched it descend and snap back. “How are you doing that?”

  “Practice. I first got one of these when I was a child, and it fits in no matter now low tech a world is. I don’t, but it does.”

  “Can you use it as a weapon?”

  “Apparently that was its initial design. Of course, now it is all about doing tricks.” She grinned, got to her feet and walked the dog.

  “May I try it?”

  She chortled. “Of course. What’s mine is yours.”

  Jianne spent a few minutes helping him get the hang of it, and after that, it was just fun to watch as he missed the rhythm and had to wind the string manually. It kept them both busy until Dr. Yangate had her results.

  “Jianne, you are clear of any viral interference. Your implant is responding well, and I have installed night vision since you are to be engaged as a Guardian. It might come in handy along with your infrared. Congratulations on your bonding, by the way.” The doctor looked up, her scarlet skin alarming until you realised that the piercing blue-white eyes were friendly.

  Sarnvil answered, “Thank you. She barely put up a fight.”

  Dr. Yangate scowled at him. “I do not find that funny.”

  “It’s fine, Doc. I accept that it is my destiny, and he is pretty good in bed, so I will keep him.” Jianne winked and Yangate cackled. It was something that Jianne had learned when the implant was installed. Yangate found any mention of sex hilarious.

  When she sobered, Dr. Yangate mentioned, “I have noticed some changes to your physiology. I am sending your data to the Guardian medical staff. They will have to keep on top of any changes that your biochemistry makes to the implant.”

  “Thank you, but I don’t think I am joining the Guardians.”

  Sarnvil cleared his throat, and she looked over to the dark shadows of his hood.

  She scowled. “You had better be kidding.”

  The good doctor looked surprised. “Didn’t you know? The clearances that you had in place made you a defacto member of the Guardians anyway. I have to tell you, it is gratifying to know that the eye I gave you is getting such a good workout.”

  Blinking in surprise, Jianne said, “That is funny, I thought you were well compensated for the installation.”

  Dr. Yangate waved that away. “I could still have refused to give such an exclusive piece of tech to a strange species.”

  “Yes, Doctor.” Jianne chuckled and walked over to Sarnvil. She put her arm around his waist and leaned against him. “Is there anything else?”

  “If you plan on reproducing, I will need to check on the socket as there may be additional pressure with the change in circulation. Aside from that, you are good.” Dr. Yangate patted her on the shoulder and disappeared into the medical lab again.

  Sarnvil whispered, “Is that it?”

  Jianne nodded. “That was it. The reset was complete and the reboot worked perfectly. That is it. Now, we get the boys and go home.”

  “Why don’t we get some dinner?”

  “Like a group date?”

  “Something like that, but I am the only one who can dance with you in the moonlight.” He chortled, and they walked out to the exterior of the university medical centre where a crowd was gathered and young women were getting the Guardians to sign their cleavage.

  Out of all of them, Roil looked the most embarrassed, but he signed breast after breast.

  Jianne looked up at Cowl. “Are you going to miss that?”

  He grinned. “No, I am sure that I can leave my mark on you if I ask politely.”

  “It had better be polite. Those fang marks you left on my ass this morning still sting.”

  His laugh was unrepentant. “I am working on your tolerance, plus I plan to kiss it better.”

  She laughed and walked past the crowd with her arm around her mate. She didn’t know if it was the intimacy of their embrace or the glare that she gave any of the delicate pink females who came near her mate that had an effect, but they were able to ensconce themselves in the shuttle with little interference.

  Jianne shoved Sarnvil into a seat, and she knelt straddling his lap. “Since we have some time, let’s practice the fine art of making out in a restricted space.”

  She nuzzled his neck and bit gently as his hands rubbed at the back of her thighs, across the bite mark on her ass.

  He turned his head and nibbled at her neck, grazing it with his teeth. “I thought we had mastered that in the lav a few days ago.”

  “That was sex. Making out is far more frustrating, but you get to keep your clothing on.”

  “So, frustrating and confining. You are really from a peculiar species.”

  His teeth grew more insistent, and she moaned.

  “No more peculiar than a species that hypnotizes others simply by showing their faces.”

  “Fair enough. Will you meet me in the middle? I will make out with you, but I am going to peel open your suit.”

  Jianne chuckled. “Of course. I am a huge fan of compromise, and if my suit is a factor for you, we will deal with it.”

  “It isn’t very feminine. I would like to see you in more dresses.” His hands were working on the closure of her suit.

  “So, when were you going to tell me that I was a Guardian?” She sighed and leaned her head to one side as his lips did things to her neck that sent shivers running up her inner thighs.

  “Well, Factor, I thought it would be a nice surprise when we returned to the base and you saw your mobile command centre.” He muttered it against her skin.

  “Aw, I always wanted my own command centre. How did you know?” She laughed as he freed her breasts and stroked them with attention before applying his mouth to her.

  He paused between suckling her breasts and flicked a look up at her through hot mercury eyes. “I read your journal.”

  She pinched his ear, he nipped her nipples, and by the time the rest of the Guardians joined them, she was on the edge of release and Cowl was looking ferocious and protective.

  Roil snorted and slid behind the controls. “So, dinner on the northern continent? There is that nice place with the friendly waiters in Dricu. I think Jianne would like that.”

  Flare chortled and slid into the navigator station. “Jianne, right.”

  Twist snorted and settled into his seat
, shaking his head.

  Curious, Jianne nodded. “Dricu sounds good. Perhaps I could call my friend and have her meet us there.”

  Cowl frowned. “Which friend?”

  “Yassi Norg. She has full clearances and is an excellent judge of fashion. I am sure she could find me something protective yet feminine.” Jianne dangled that carrot in front of him, and he sighed.

  “Fine. Invite your friend. I am sure that Twist would be welcome for some female company that didn’t offer a plethora of hormones to fill the air.”

  She quickly sealed her suit and went to the com unit in the rear of the shuttle. She called Yassi, and the young woman was only too pleased to head to the restaurant that Roil named and wait for their party of five.

  To Jianne’s surprise, it was Flare and Yassi that hit it off. Roil was making inroads with the attractive waiter, and Twist was content to be in conversation with Governor Norg. He had given Yassi a ride to the restaurant.

  Under the table, Cowl had one hand tucked at the join of her thighs, and she tried to keep her face straight as the contact began to work on her self-control.

  “So, Jianne, you want something a little prettier for your Factor suit?” Yassi was looking enthusiastic.

  Jianne licked her lips and nodded. “Apparently, Cowl has an issue with my not appearing ladylike.”

  Cowl frowned. “That isn’t accurate. You merely have an amazing figure, and the unadorned suits don’t highlight it.”

  Yassi nodded. “I know what you mean. I try to get her to try new clothing, but she is stubborn.”

  “I am learning that, Miss Norg.” Cowl inclined his head politely.

  Jianne sipped at her water and clenched her hand on her glass as his fingers beneath the table spurred a tremor of release that caused her to inhale sharply. She coughed as the water went down the wrong way, and as Cowl rubbed her back with the hand that had just coaxed an orgasm out of her in public, she glared at him. “Don’t worry, Yassi. He is a fast learner.”

  Twist choked and drank his own water, spurring Roil and Flare into laughter.

  Jianne sat with her mate, and he put his arm around her, allowing the embarrassment to turn into amusement shared with family and friends.

  It was one of the few situations in which things revolved around her, and with Cowl as the instigator, she just knew that this sort of thing would be repeated in the future. She just wished she were more upset about it. After all, she was a Guardian now. Dignity had to appear now and then, but she was still Jianne, so it didn’t have to stay long.

  Author’s note

  Every now and then, you find yourself the centre of a situation that you didn’t expect. You are the key factor in your own drama. So, if there were someone who could see it and fix disasters before they happened, how much would that be worth?

  Jianne was fun, spunky, but sensibly dealing with the alteration not only to her life, but also to her body. I liked her. I liked Cowl more.

  In the next book, Frisk, our main character can scan anyone from a distance. She was an Enforcer in the Alliance, and she has joined in a law enforcement exchange program with the Nyal Imperium. Working with local law enforcement, she never thought she would tangle with the Guardians, but just because you can’t imagine something doesn’t mean it won’t steamroll right over you.

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

  http://www.violagrace.com

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  [email protected]

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

  Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

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  http://www.violagrace.com