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  When she was on top, he ran his hands up and down her spine, cupping her hips and pulling her tight to him as he pumped upward. She clutched at him when he added a third option to their tumbling and he elevated them both in a column of twisting shadows.

  With nothing to push against, she had to let his shadows do the work. She felt tendrils wrapping her body, and a moment later, her wrists were pinned behind her back and she was being controlled and positioned above him as he knelt on the bed.

  He suckled ferociously at one breast then the other, his shadows slid in a cool caress across her flesh as he moved from side to side.

  The lightest of touches around her sex mocked the pounding of his hips, and when she flinched at the contact on her clit, all was lost.

  She screamed out, arching against her restraints and gritting her teeth. He withdrew from her before the pulsing of her aftershocks had ceased, and he released her arms, turned her to her hands and knees, and thrust into her furiously until she felt his teeth against her neck once again.

  Her body clasped his again in a strange wave of sensation as the mini-climax sent her senses up and then down again.

  Despite needing to bear his weight, she collapsed with a groan onto the bedding, taking him with her.

  He landed on her with a thud and immediately asked, “Are you injured?”

  She chuckled. “No. I just don’t have a mobile muscle in my body. Thanks for asking. I am just going to lie here and listen to my body purring for a while. You can do as you like.”

  He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, and she smiled, squirming into the firm mattress under her.

  He slipped out of her, pressing soft kisses down her spine to the curve of her buttocks and back up again. “I have noted that you don’t panic when the shadows restrain you.”

  She smiled and squirmed again. “Of course not. I trust you.”

  He rolled her to her back, wrecking her nice warm nest. Rowen scowled at him.

  “Why do you trust me?” He looked at her with an intensity that said he was hanging on her words.

  “You offered me a place I very much wanted to have, you rescued me as you would any citizen of Irudan and you asked me if you were allowed to seduce me. There has been no subterfuge in you except when you didn’t mention that I would have to become a bit of a socialite and your mother would run my wardrobe.”

  He smiled. “Can you blame me? You would have run. I am surprised; it takes nerves of steel to deal with my mother.”

  “She isn’t so bad. You just have to let her know where you stand. Since I didn’t care about the clothing, I didn’t mind her bullying me. When I did mind about dancing with strangers, she made my excuses for me on that first night. She has been very supportive but she knows when to drop a subject.”

  “That is not my experience.” He grinned.

  “Of course not. She is your mother.” She reached up with leaden arms and draped them around his neck.

  He pulled back and helped her sit up. She grumbled but he pulled her into his lap.

  He caressed her back with an open hand. “Will you enjoy getting the family mark, Lady Nakkua?”

  She chuckled. “I wonder how my skin will take to it.”

  He paused. “I hadn’t thought about that. I will have the artist come and do a test on your skin in different inks if you have no objection.”

  Rowen smiled. “I will try that. If I can go three weeks without a reaction, I will welcome the Nakkua mark.”

  “Fair enough. What would you like to do in the meantime?” He nuzzled at her neck.

  She chuckled. “I would like to either sleep here or in my own bed. Your mother got me up before dawn to rummage through my wardrobe.”

  He cradled her in his arms and held her against his chest. To her surprise, she felt herself nodding off and she let the feel and heat of him carry her to dreamland.

  A tickling at her nose woke her. She batted at it but the cool shadow merely moved around to tickle her ear. She opened her eyes and glowered at Skorin. “Good morning.”

  He grinned and kissed her swiftly, “Good morning.”

  He tumbled her to her back and bracketed her between his hands. “Apparently, my destination was not quite secret enough. That or the nine years’ growth that our activities put on the vines gave us away.”

  She blushed. “How do you know?”

  “My mother left us clothing. She has been in your closet again. Oh, and she brought breakfast.”

  He kissed her again, starting slowly and increasing in ferocity as his head moved against hers. She gasped and wrapped her left leg around his hips, pulling him down toward her. The wilder he became, the more she rose to meet him.

  Finally, he pulled away with a groan. “I have gotten a call. I need breakfast and then I have to leave you. My parents will have their driver take you home.”

  She chuckled and looked around. “Is there a solar shower in here? I am a little sticky.”

  “Through that door. I will lay out breakfast before I leave.”

  She gave him a peck on the cheek and patted his butt as she got to her feet. “Go save the world. I am going to have a shower, get dressed and find the driver.”

  He grinned. “The skimmer is out front.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Enough. Go and be a Guardian. I will be a gardener. We will get along fine.”

  “You are serious. You really don’t mind.”

  Rowen put her hands on his shoulders and she stared into his eyes. “I really don’t mind. Now, get your naked butt out there and fight some crime.”

  He laughed and shadows covered him, the dark whirlwind blew the door open and closed it neatly behind him.

  Sighing at the weird-on-parade that her life had become, Rowen headed for the bathroom. She just had to get the cum off her thighs and she would be ready to face the day.

  Chapter Ten

  For the first time since she had arrived, she was glad that the greenhouse was her place of business. Her thighs weren’t up for the flexing and standing that would be required out in the gardens.

  Liah came up to her, “So, you and Skorin left the party early last night.”

  Rowen gave her a sideways glance. “Did we? Akadeel got me up so early that I was tired.”

  Liah touched Rowen’s neck. “You seem to have some abrasions here.”

  Rowen immediately flashed back to the scrape of Skorin’s teeth against her. Her nipples still ached, as did the skin over her ribs. He was a nibbler and she had no complaints. “Do I? Must be my shampoo.”

  Liah snorted. “You use solar showers.”

  Rowen gave her a bland look. “Sunburn? My species does get it.”

  Liah threw her hands up. “Fine. How do you like your husband?”

  “He has an excellent sense of humour. I do love a man with a quick wit.”

  Liah gave up. “How is this pallet of plants from the research centre?”

  Rowen looked back at her work. “Twenty-five percent of them are wrong. Their adaptations don’t match and they will die unless I am with them all day every day. I am guessing they are experiments.”

  “That isn’t for us to know. Just do a status report and do what you can for the poor dears. If they become repeat patients, we will do a consult with the researchers. For now, first aid and life support is all you can do.” Liah patted her shoulder.

  “I was guessing as much.” She frowned. “What time is it?”

  Liah chuckled. “Quitting time. Ilo and I would like you to join us for dinner.”

  Rowen finished assessing the plants in front of her. “I would like to, but last night was a little more of an exertion than I had expected. That dancing left me a little sore. I respectfully decline.”

  “Well done. I reserve the right to invite you again.”

  Rowen grinned. “Thank you. Any other night but tonight.”

  She finished up her paperwork, moved the pallet for pickup on the
evening research-plant retrieval and headed out.

  It was funny how her mind thought in Terran terms of paperwork when no paper was involved. At night, she plugged in her data pad before she left for home and it downloaded all of her findings written in a language she hadn’t even heard of a month ago. She had been given Nyal Common as well as some High Nyal while she had been at the moon base; the downloads had not been comfortable, but she was glad for them.

  Every little bit of normal that she could squeeze into her life was welcome. Tonight, she was going to call home, her new com unit had been installed while she was at work. She had two codes that she wanted to try, Lori and home.

  She headed back across the grounds, her feet made no sound on the grass as she approached the manor. The thought of being able to communicate with her own people was dizzying. The unit was a gift from Drimal, as he had told her the first night they met, “No one should be so cut off from their world that they cannot call home.”

  Humming to herself, she pelted up the stairs, took a shower, put on a robe and dug out the call digits that she had been given for Lori. The com told her it would be twenty minutes for a connection, so she went to her small food dispenser and grabbed a snack. She pulled up the local news and watched the Guardians work to rescue victims of a wild fire. Fire Fall was calling the blaze to him while a woman moved the local insects and another man put up a wall of stone. Walking Darkness was in the woods, lifting humans and animals alike out of the smoke-filled areas.

  With slight relief, she noted that Walking Darkness was wearing his armour again. She didn’t want him singeing his bits. She liked his bits. She wanted to take advantage of their existence as frequently as he would allow.

  The com chimed and she quickly swivelled to stare at the screen. A face appeared but it wasn’t the one she wanted.

  “Terran Moon Base com centre. How may I direct your call?”

  Rowen rubbed the back of her neck. “I am calling for Lori Hathaway, trainee.”

  “Just a moment.” The woman looked down and then looked up again. “She is in combat training. May I ask who is calling?”

  Rowen straightened. “I am her aunt. Lady Rowen Hathaway Nakkua of Irudan, born of the Alliance Protectorate of Terra.”

  The woman finally focussed on her. “Rowen? Just a moment.”

  It took three minutes before Lori’s face was on the screen. “Aunty! I am so glad to see you. You look amazing.”

  Rowen blushed. “It is agreeing with me, though remembering to use English is hard. Once you use the languages, they get in there and want to jump out of your mouth.”

  Lori was beaming. “How are the gardens?”

  Rowen sighed and smiled, gushing on the gardens, some of the plants she had seen and totally skating around that initial abduction. She checked in on Lori with her training and Lori was enjoying working with the Minder. When she was sent out and about, she was going to be formidable.

  “As all Hathaway women truly are.” Lori straightened and sounded pompous.

  “Your mother fought hard to get you that name. She married your dad when you were three hours old but refused to put his name on the birth certificate. You were doomed to be a Hathaway from the moment you got started.” Rowen smiled.

  “I know. It is a story I never get tired of, Aunty. The clock at home puts this in the middle of the night, so if you sync that up with where you are, you might be able to use that fancy com in a few hours. I have to head back for Minder training. I have your code. I will call you next week.”

  Lori blew her a kiss, and when Rowen waved back, she disconnected the call.

  Cool air blew through her room and she looked around to see Walking Darkness eating her snack. “Hey. I thought you were supposed to protect and serve or something.”

  He gulped down water and smiled when he emptied the glass. “Firefighting is hot work.” Skorin got an intense look in his eyes and he focussed on her. “Speaking of hot…”

  He didn’t have to lunge for her. Bands of shadow wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet, opening her robe and pulling her toward him.

  She smacked into his armour and it made her look around. “Where is your helmet?”

  He shifted with her fastened to him and the object was sitting on the counter.

  Cool slithers of shadows were coiling around her legs and slipping between them. She jumped when the delicate tendrils eased inside.

  He was watching her reaction, and to her embarrassment, he pulled her away from him and held her suspended while the shadows fucked her. Her hands clenched into fists and she arched and twisted when the shadows circled her breasts and tightened.

  She moaned low, throwing her head back and shuddering as her body clenched on the touch that wasn’t there. He continued to stroke her until she hung limply in the grasp of his shadows.

  Rowen shuddered and she was very glad that she had finished her com call. This could have been embarrassing, not to mention giving Lori unrealistic sexual expectations of aliens.

  He gently set her down on the bed and leaned over her for a thorough kiss. “I have to return to base for some paperwork, but I will return later tonight. May I?”

  She shivered at the sensuality in his tone. “Yes, you may, but if you open the window, close it behind you. Anyone in the courtyard could have heard that.”

  He chuckled and stroked her hip. “You are vocal; I have to admit that I enjoy it.”

  She sighed. “Go and do your paperwork.”

  He kissed her once more, nipped the tip of one breast and he put his helmet and gloves back on. Shadows surrounded him and he left her rooms the same way he had entered.

  He was barely out the window before there was a knock. She sat up and tied her robe, trying to ignore the throbbing of her body.

  She looked at the door monitor and asked, “Who is it?”

  “I am the tattoo artist, Lady Nakkua. My name is Devnin.”

  Rowen opened the door. “Please, come in. Pardon my lack of dress. It was a long and hot day.”

  He smiled. “It will make my job easier. If you don’t mind, I don’t mind.”

  She cocked her head. She knew that voice, and when she looked closely at him, she jerked in surprise. It was Fire Fall. Fine. If he could tattoo, she wouldn’t complain.

  “Where would you like the sampling to be done?”

  “What would be the best match for my back?”

  To her amusement, he blushed. “I have researched your species. Under your breasts would be the best match. It is close to a lymph system, sensitive skin, ribs, muscle and fat. A microcosm in a small space. If it goes wrong, a contact healer can flush it from your system if he tries.”

  “Are you going to be able to do this, Devnin? I have no idea what position you would want me in.”

  He sighed. “Lie on your back, hold your breast with your opposite hand and tell me when you are ready. Do you have a preferred design?”

  She smiled and darted to her bag, pulling out a diagram of the Terran solar system. “Here you go. This should give you enough material to do several samples, and if they all are accepted, it is a marking that I would enjoy.”

  “Well thought out. Fine, you get situated and I will prepare my samples.”

  She got settled and held her breast up and out of the way as requested. It was indeed a modest pose. No nipple was visible and only the curve of her breast was obvious.

  He cleaned her skin and began his work with a steady hand.

  She jumped when he started but soon gave in to the hot kiss of the ink. It took two hours because he had to stop and change units for each mineral. When he was done, she was sore but the image was adorable and made her tear up. “Perfect. Thanks, Fire Fall.”

  He jerked in surprise. “You knew?”

  “You have a fascinating mouth and a distinctive voice. I am not good with people but even I could manage that.” She smiled.

  He put the small regenerator in
to his kit. “Skorin was right. You do seem very alert to your surroundings. In turn, you will also meet Pleska and her husband Uadon. They are curious to meet you in a normal social setting, so be prepared. I think you might have some visitors to the reveal of your family marking when it is done.”

  “It will be hard to explain to my own family, but my sister has many a stupider thing on her body, so she can’t really talk. Will you be doing the larger marking?”

  He smiled. “Would you like me to? It is a long procedure.”

  “I think I would.” She gave him a hug. “I know you have his back, but thank you.”

  Devnin shook his head with amazement. “I have got to order one like you.”

  “Ah, Devnin, there aren’t any like me. All Terrans are individuals. You deal with them as they come.”

  “I look forward to one coming for me.” He winked when she blushed at the double entendre.

  He took his kit and left, leaving her with a throbbing torso and an amused smile at the thought of a human woman dealing with this Guardian. She knew that it happened, but it wasn’t something that came easily. She wanted her damned gardening time.

  Chapter Eleven

  She felt a tickling at her nose and batted at it but cool air was all that met her swatting. A delicate stroke between her eyebrows and she frowned and turned to see Skorin in her bed.

  He wasn’t wearing armour; he was wearing shadows and nothing else.

  She opened her mouth to tell him off, but his lips brushing against her in a building frenzy that overwhelmed her.

  His shadows were all over her, touching, arousing and creeping inside her. Her senses rioted, unsure of whether the sensations were invasive or welcome. When rhythmic pressure on her clit began, she sided with welcome and blanked her mind.

  She reached between them and grasped his cock, stroking it and learning the shape that she still couldn’t see.

  Rowen could barely wrap her fingers all the way around it, but she stroked it from base to tip with a light caress that got tighter when shadows tied her hand around him.

  It was like having sex with a man who had a hundred hands.