“I could get used to this,” Harper murmured as she allowed the maids who were waiting on her to lead her into an ultra luxurious bedroom suite aboard her new golden space yacht.
The room had a vaulted ceiling with a crystal chandelier hanging from it—or maybe the crystals were diamonds, Harper thought. That was certainly possible considering how opulent this ship was.
Directly under the chandelier was a vast round bed spread with a luxurious crimson quilt which seemed to be made of some kind of velvet. The floor was exotic black hardwood which was warm to her feet when she slipped off her shoes and the walls were decorated in glittering mosaics which appeared to be made of real gems.
It was definitely the fanciest room Harper had ever been to in her whole life and even knowing it was fake didn’t diminish her pleasure. In fact it was almost gorgeous enough to make her forget about the growing problem with her breasts…
Almost.
Harper watched as the army of maids dithered here and there, turning down the bed, opening the closet to show her the many new dresses and outfits which had just arrived, pouring her a cup of hot tea and laying out a plate of biscuits, fluffing the pillows…until she felt she couldn’t stand it anymore. The pressure between her thighs was growing—the need for sexual release couldn’t be put off much longer. And this huge bedroom was certainly much more private than the bathroom at Master Yll-no’s house—or it would be if she could get rid of the maids.
“Excuse me,” she said and cleared her throat. “Excuse me, everyone.”
At once the maids stopped what they were doing and stared at her. They all looked very much alike, Harper thought uneasily, with dark brown hair and eyes and pinkish-tan skin tones. They weren’t exactly identical but they certainly all looked like they might be sisters—especially since they were all wearing the black and silver uniforms which seemed to be de rigueur aboard her new yacht.
Since having all of them staring at her so intently made her nervous, she went on quickly.
“Thank you for all your hard work,” she said, trying to smile. “But I’m very tired right now and I’d like to be alone.”
“Of course, Empress!” they all said at the exact same time and with the exact same inflection.
Harper shivered as the maids filed out, each one bowing to her deferentially as they left the room. It was creepy, really—like having an army of clones under her control. Which she supposed in a way, she did.
At last the heavy wooden door was shut behind the last of them and she had the huge, luxurious room all to herself. Under other circumstances, Harper might have thrown herself on the vast round bed and sprawled out in contentment or gone to look at the gorgeous new dresses in the closet. But right now she was much too anxious about her growing problem to properly enjoy the luxury that surrounded her.
Putting the mewling humlock in the center of the bed and draping the hissing cloak of thorns over the back of a scrolled, gold-leaf chair, she went into the immense bathroom which was part of her suite.
There was more luxury in here—the walls and floor were covered in deep indigo tiles shot through with veins of gold and silver, a glassed-in shower stall that looked big enough to host an entire harem of girls took up one whole wall—even the toilet appeared to be made of solid gold.
In the center of the room, a deep bathtub that looked more like a hot tub, sat on a raised marble dais. It was square and one of the maids had already thoughtfully filled it. Scented steam rose from the delicate pink bubbled surface and thick, fluffy white towels were stacked artfully on the broad ledge around the tub along with a green bottle and an impossibly tall and fragile looking champagne flute.
Wow… As worried as she was, Harper took a moment to dip her fingers in the warm water and sniff the bubbles—which smelled lightly floral and expensive. She loved bubble baths and despite the new clothes that Master Yll-no had somehow conjured onto her when he transported her to the ship, she still felt grimy and tired from her crazy journey through Juno today.
She wanted nothing more than to slip into the tub and take a sip of whatever was in the mysterious green bottle. But she had other business first.
She turned to the mirror—which was another one of those misty, five-way viewer things like she’d seen in Master Yll-no’s bathroom—and took off her new clothes which were straining against her chest.
What she saw horrified her—her breasts were bigger than ever and they were actually leaking now—the pale purple nectar making trails down the undersides of her swollen curves.
“Oh no!” Harper moaned aloud, looking at herself. “What am I going to do?”
Maybe she ought to call one of the maid-clones and ask her to bring a breast pump? But would the maid know what she meant? And would such a device even be aboard the fake yacht? It wasn’t exactly a standard luxury item that you’d expect to find at a high-end resort or hotel.
Just then, a knock sounded at her door, making Harper jump.
“Who is it?” she called in a quavering voice. “I’m, uh, kind of busy right now.”
“Harper—I need to talk to you.”
Her heart sank—it was Shad! She had to put him off—had to get rid of him!
She tried to make her voice stronger.
“Can it wait? I’m really kind of tired.”
“No, it can’t wait.” His deep voice was a fierce growl. “I want to know what’s wrong with you.”
“What’s wrong with me?” Harper tried to laugh but it came out as more of a strangled croak. “What do you mean? I’m fine. Just…fine.” Her voice died off on the last word as she caught another look at her leaking breasts in the mist-mirror.
“The hell you are,” Shad growled from the other side of the door. “There’s something going on with you—I can smell it.”
“You can what?” Harper tried to sound incredulous but then she remembered Shad telling her that he’d tracked her in the Thieves' Market by scent alone. So maybe the idea of him “smelling” something wrong with her wasn’t so far off the mark. “I’m fine,” she said again, but her voice sounded uncertain, even in her own ears. “Please Shad I just…need some alone time,” she pleaded.
“I’ll leave you alone once I’m certain you’re all right. If you’re not decent, get covered up, Harper. I’m coming in.”
The door handle began to turn and Harper realized in panic that she hadn’t bothered to lock it when she’d come into the bathroom. She couldn’t let the big Kindred see her like she was now—completely naked with engorged breasts that were dripping the strange pale purple nectar! She just couldn’t!
She ran to the bathtub and reached for one of the towels but they were white—the minute the purple nectar began to seep through it would be ridiculously obvious. It was too late to put her clothes back on and there was nothing else to cover up with…
Harper’s eye fell on the pink bubbles in the tub. Or was there?
Quick as lightning, she climbed the marble steps to the raised dais and stepped into the deep, square tub. The water was almost too hot and she hissed as she lowered herself quickly down into its scented depths.
She got in just in time. Just as she turned around with the pink bubbles up to her chin, Shad came in the door. He was wearing the black leather bodyguard outfit his doppelganger had had on, she noticed. The tight leather trousers clung to his muscular thighs and outlined his thick shaft and the black vest left most of his broad chest and shoulders bare.
God, he looks mouthwatering. Harper felt her pussy begin to tingle—rather than soothing the ache between her thighs and the tips of her nipples, the heated water seemed to make her cravings worse.
No, she told herself sternly. No, don’t even think it. Remember he doesn’t like you. And remember he can’t know what’s going on. Keep it hidden!
Trying to put on her best angry face, she glared at the big Kindred.
“How dare you come barging in here? I’m trying to take a bath!”
“No, you’re trying to hide something from me. And I want to know what it is.” He came forward and climbed the steps of the tub, his boot heels ringing against the richly tiled floor. “What is it, Harper? Tell me.”
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She shrank away from him although her body was calling her towards him, telling her to raise up from the waters and beg him to palm her full, naked breasts in those big hands of his. But she refused to give in to temptation. “I’m just fine,” she said again in a voice that trembled only a little.
“Harper, please…” He blew out a breath and raked a hand through his wild black hair. His opalescent eyes were suddenly softer…and worried. He came around to where she was and sat on the edge of the tub, looking down at her. “Please,” he repeated. “I need to take care of you and I can tell something’s wrong with you. Please just tell me what it is.”
“I…I can’t,” Harper said in a small voice. “I mean, I don’t want to. It’s… embarrassing.”
“You don’t have to feel embarrassed with me,” he murmured and his voice was softer than she’d ever heard it, except in the strange flashes she’d had of him back aboard his ship. “I’m here to protect you—to help you.”
Harper lifted her chin defiantly and everything she’d been thinking recently came right out of her mouth.
“Only because you need me in order to go back in time and save your people. You don’t give a damn about me otherwise—you don’t even like me.”
His eyes widened. “Is that what you think?”
“What else am I supposed to think?” Harper demanded. “You can barely stand to touch me—you keep me at an arm’s length as much as you can. You hardly talk to me. You…You…”
Suddenly she felt guilty as she remembered everything he’d done for her. But the point was, why had he done it? Was it all just a means to an end?
“I mean, I appreciate that you took the whipping for me from the Controller,” she went on quickly. “And you came to rescue me from that awful nursing tent too. But you also told me not to touch you and you seem so cold and distant all the time. I just don’t know what to think.”
“Think anything but that I don’t care for you. Harper, I’m devoted to you.” Shad’s deep voice was hoarse, his eyes blazing. He sank down so he was kneeling on the bottom step, putting his face on level with hers. “My whole life is devoted to you.”
“I know,” she said, somewhat taken aback. “Because of your mission to rescue me and change me so the Hive doesn’t want me anymore—or at least so they can’t use me—which will save your people.”
“No, you don’t understand.” Shad shook his head. “Gods, how can I explain…” He blew out a breath and looked down at his hands, clearly frustrated. “Harper,” he said. “It’s not just the mission. It’s you. The way I feel for you, so deeply…”
“You do?” Harper could scarcely believe it but her heart was pounding in her chest. “I mean, I never would have thought from the way you’ve been acting…”
“It’s true—I’ve been trying to keep you at arm’s length,” he admitted in a low voice. “But that’s because I’ve lost you so many times.” He looked up at her and his chiseled features were haggard. “Harper, do you know how many times I’ve failed you? How many times I’ve watched you die in my arms? And every time it’s like getting my heart ripped out.”
“I…” Her mouth seemed suddenly too dry to speak. “I never thought about that.”
“I care for you, Harper,” he admitted heavily. “I care too much. It hurts too much. That’s why I’ve been trying to keep my distance during this time around.”
“But we’re going to make it this time,” Harper said, trying to convince both him and herself. “We have to since this is our last chance. So you shouldn’t be afraid to, uh, get close.”
He shook his head. “I feel like it’s better to keep my distance—less distracting when I’m trying to keep you alive.”
“Shad…” she started to say and then her fingers brushed his cheek and she got another one of those strange flashes.
She saw the two of them in bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. They were naked and close, so close. Shad was cradling her body with his own as though he couldn’t bear to let her go and looking into her eyes.
“Harper,” he murmured. “Kallana…”
Then the momentary flash was over and Harper drew her hand back, dazed.
“Kallana,” she whispered.
“What?” Shad frowned. “Where did you hear that?”
“Just now.” She shook her head. “I…I know it sound strange but I keep getting these…flashes—I don’t know what else to call them. They seem almost like scenes from a different life.”
“What do you mean? What have you seen?” he asked, his voice low and intense.
“Well, the first one was of the lifeguard guy—the one that was a mind-slave for the Hive. When I touched him I got this flash of a giant insect face.” Harper shivered. “It was awful.”
“And the others?” he asked.
“The others? Well…” Harper bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. “The others are of you. Of you…being nice to me. Being sweet. Holding me…comforting me…touching me…” She broke off, feeling her cheeks get hot. She really shouldn’t say anymore.
“You’re experiencing Chromatic Bursts—seeing things that happened in other paths we took.” He sighed. “I was told this might happen near the end of the looper’s power.”
“They’re the reason I came with you in the first place—without fighting you, I mean,” Harper told him. “When you told me to undress back at the beach I had one of those flashes—uh, Chromatic Bursts—and it convinced me you weren’t a bad guy after all.”
“So that’s where you heard that word—Kallana?” Shad asked her.
She nodded. “Just now. I saw us…” Her cheeks got even hotter but she made herself go on. “I saw us in, uh, in bed together. We were…were holding each other and you called me that.” She looked at him. “What does it mean?”
“It’s a word in the native Kindred language.” His voice was hoarse and rough. “It means…my heart. My love.”
“Shad…” Harper cleared her throat. “Did we…in all those other, uh, time paths we took, did we ever, you know, make love?”
She’d been certain he was going to say yes—to confirm her suspicion that they’d had incredible sex and a love so deep it defied time itself. But he only shook his head.
“No,” he said softly. “No, I never let myself go that far. As a Shadow Twin I’m probably not able to bond a female to me like a normal Kindred could. But I couldn’t take the chance.”
Harper frowned. “What do you mean—bond a female to you?”
“When a Kindred—a normal Kindred—makes love to a female and fills her with his seed, the two of them form a mental and emotional bond that only death can break,” Shad explained. “The problem is, once the bond is formed, the death of his mate may drag him into the grave along with her. Some males survive the death of their mate…but many do not.” He looked at Harper directly. “I couldn’t take that chance with you. I knew if you died I would want to die too. And I can’t die—not until I finish this damn loop and see you safely to the end of it.”
Harper nodded. “I understand. So we never made love.”
“We did everything else, though” Shad murmured. “I know your sweet, soft body as I know my own, Harper.” Reaching out, he stroked his knuckles gently over her flushed cheek, making her tingle all over. “Which is why you don’t need to be embarrassed to tell me what’s going on with you now.”
They had come full circle. Harper bit her lip, knowing she couldn’t hide her problem from him anymore. Not now that she knew how he truly felt.
He doesn’t hate me or dislike me, she thought wonderingly. In fact, I think he loves me—he’s just trying to keep his distance because he’s been hurt so many times.
The knowledge gave her a warm glow inside…but she had other things going on inside as well. During the intense talk with the big Kindred, she’d almost been able to ignore the tingling and throbbing going on in her breasts and between her legs. Now the sensations of lust and desire came back full force—making her almost moan with need.
“Harper,” he murmured again and she knew he was waiting to hear what was wrong.
“All right,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I…while I was in that awful nursing tent they…they tricked me into uh, drinking that sex-milk stuff. Then when I found out what was in it…” She shivered. “I threw it up. I thought I threw up all of it and none was left in my system. But, well…”
“Well, what?” Shad asked softly.
“I…I…” Somehow it seemed to Harper it would be easier to show him rather than to tell him. Biting her lip, she rose from the tub, pushing the pink bubbles down off her body, leaving her swollen breasts bare. “I guess I didn’t,” she finished in a soft voice. “I mean, since I’m, uh, exhibiting the same symptoms the girls in the nursing tent were.”
Shad looked at her swollen globes and gave a low, hoarse curse.
“Gods, sweetheart—does it hurt?”
“Some,” Harper admitted. “Mostly they feel swollen and…and full.” She could hardly get the last words out, she felt so embarrassed. She kept remembering the sight of Bianetta on the circular couch, letting the alien male suck her nipples while he filled her pussy with his cock. She didn’t want to do that, she told herself sternly. She wasn’t going to ask Shad to treat her that way—to take her that way…
But God, her pussy and nipples were suddenly throbbing with need and her breasts were so full they ached. What was she going to do?
“You say they’re full?” Shad asked, breaking into her worried thoughts.
“Of…of the nectar that stupid sex-milk causes you to make.” Harper looked down at herself and blushed—the pale purple stuff was already leaking down the undersides of her breasts again, making them sticky and wet. “God, this is awful.”
“We’ll get you through it,” Shad murmured. “I swear we will.”
“How?” Harper demanded. She crossed her arms over her breasts to hide her shame. God, it was so embarrassing! “I mean, those girls at the nursing tent pumped their breasts when they got too…too full. Either that or let the male customers…” She couldn’t finish but to her surprise, Shad finished for her.
“Suck it out?” he murmured.
“Yes.” Harper didn’t know where to look. Now that she was up and out of the heated water, she found herself shivering but not just with cold—with need as well. Her body was screaming at her that it needed to be touched…caressed…stroked…sucked… But she had to resist, she told herself. She had to.
“Come out of the bath, sweetheart…Kallana.” Shad was standing in front of her, holding out one of the big, fluffy white towels. “Come out and let me help you.”
“Do you want to?” Harper asked directly. “I mean, I thought you were trying to keep your distance. Not that I’m assuming you’d want to, uh, suck the nectar out like those guys at the tent did with the other girls,” she added quickly, feeling her cheeks heat. “But maybe you could find me a pump, or—”
“Let’s get you dried off, first,” Shad said practically. “Then I’ll look up sex-milk on the Interweb and hopefully we can find a cure.”
“Oh, good—good idea.” Harper nodded, remembering that she’d had the same thought herself. But she’d been so distracted by the clone-maids and the huge ship she’d completely forgotten.
She stepped out of the bath and allowed Shad to wrap the towel around her shivering shoulders. He didn’t stop there, though—he took the other towel and knelt before her, rubbing her body gently to dry her all over.
Harper didn’t know why she let him. In actual hours, she hadn’t known him even one whole day although it seemed like much longer considering everything that had happened to her. But she kept remembering those flashes she’d gotten of him…and the way he had told her how he loved and knew her body. It felt right to let him dry her so gently, so tenderly…right to allow him access to even her most secret areas.
God, I really am going crazy with lust, she told herself as she spread her legs and allowed the big Kindred to blot her small, neatly trimmed mound of curls gently with the towel. There’s no way in hell I’d be doing this otherwise.
But for whatever reason, she allowed it and then she allowed Shad to lead her from the room and dress her in a jade green dressing gown that seemed to be made of the softest silk imaginable.
Harper tried to draw the front of the gown closed over her thrusting, swollen breasts but he shook his head.
“No, sweetheart—don’t give yourself pain. Just leave the gown open and relax on the bed while I look this up.”
Biting her lip, Harper did as he said.
She just hoped there was an easy antidote to the damn sex-milk and she could get it soon. She was going to go crazy otherwise.
* * * * *
Shad tapped the search terms as rapidly as he could into the portable golden tablet which had come with the ship, cursing himself as he did.
Why had he told Harper how much she meant to him? Why had he let her know he cared?
Because I couldn’t stand to let her think I hated her—that I’m only guarding her in order to change the past and save my people, he told himself.
Besides, just because he’d let his feelings out in the open didn’t mean he had to act on them. He could still keep his distance—still keep some space between them. Harper would understand.
In the meantime, he had to figure out how to help her with her sex-milk induced problem. Gods, her breasts were so full, so luscious and ripe and her nipples had turned a deep blackberry shade that made his shaft hard just to think about!
Stop it, he told himself sternly. It’s not like you’re going to suck the nectar out of her like those bastards were doing to the poor drugged girls in the nursing tent. You’re going to find an antidote for her and…
His thoughts trailed off as the entry for Juno sex-milk popped up on his tablet. Shad read quickly, his eyes skimming the entry in disbelief.
“Goddess damn it!” he swore, shaking his head in disbelief.
So much for keeping his distance. Harper was going to need his help in a very intimate way if she was going to get through this.