CHLOE

It doesn’t take long for shit to go downhill.

Jutari’s been asleep for a short time, his hand on my knee. He sleeps deeply, and while he does, I mentally try to figure out how we’re going to make supplies appear out of thin air. I’m racking my brain, trying to remember survival scenarios from reality TV shows. I remember that you can make water appear in the form of condensation even when in a desert, but I don’t recall all the details. There was a sheet of plastic involved, and we don’t have that, so I’m going to have to think of something else. I pick up Jutari’s bag and dig through it to see what we have to work with—

A shadow falls over me from behind.

My skin prickles, and it goes quiet in the canyon. I force myself to remain silent, to act like nothing strange is going on. My heart’s pounding with fear, though. Stupid me to turn my back to Drem. Stupid me to leave the knife at Jutari’s side because I didn’t want to bother him.

I casually slide my hand over my rock, gripping it tight against my leg. Just let him try something. I’m ready for him. I—

A hand grabs my face from behind. Turns out I’m not ready. Before I can do anything, he’s ripped the breather off my nose and flings me aside. I didn’t realize he was so strong.

I make a choked sound as I get my first lungful of the unfiltered air. It feels like there’s nothing there, and I gasp again, trying to breathe. This is not how I’m going to die! I get on my hands and knees quickly, ready to race over and grab the breather off the ground.

Dremmigan puts his foot down and there’s a resounding metallic crunch. He’s crushed it underfoot.

Oh shit. This…is how I’m going to die. That fucker.

He moves toward Jutari, who’s still unmoving and unconscious. Maybe we haven’t been loud enough to wake him up yet. Alarm ripples through me as he approaches the big blue alien, and I don’t think—I just act.

I grab my rock and slam it down on Dremmigan’s foot.

The gray alien howls with pain, knocking me aside with a sweep of his arm. I go flying across the chasm, crashing into a heavy rock. The pain that flashes through me is awful, but I struggle to stay conscious as the black rises at the edges of my vision. He’s going to kill me now, I know it. Doesn’t matter, because I’m going to choke to death either way. But maybe I can save Jutari.

A blue blur moves through the cave, and I watch, gulping uselessly at the air as Jutari’s big body slams into Dremmigan’s leaner one. The knife flashes, and Jutari’s big hand rises. I close my eyes and don’t watch. I can hear it all, though, the wet slam of the blade into Dremmigan’s body, his gurgle, and then silence.

“Chloe?”

I open my eyes, panting, to see Jutari. He’s gotten to his feet, Drem’s still form behind him. The knife in his hand drips with blood, but I don’t even care about that. I put a hand to my throat. “Breather,” I choke out. “Need his.”

“That keffing bastard,” he bites out, touching my cheek. He moves to Dremmigan’s side, and I wheeze, horrified at how awful this feels. I’m choking to death despite breathing. It’s the most helpless I’ve ever been, and my vision grows fuzzy. What if Drem’s breather doesn’t fit? What if—

Hands touch my face, and in the next moment, something clips painfully onto my nostrils. “Breathe through your nose,” Jutari murmurs. “I’ve got you.”

I inhale deeply—and end up coughing. But it’s air, and I spend the next few moments just taking in as much as I can, while Jutari cradles my head in his lap and strokes my hair. When I can breathe without worrying my air is going to disappear again, I give a little sigh and touch his hand. It’s stained with a darker shade of something, but I don’t even care. “Did you kill him?”

“Yes. Does that disappoint you?”

“Not in the slightest.” I inhale deeply again. Pretty sure I can smell Drem on the breather, but pretty sure I also don’t care. It’s just nice to be able to breathe again. “Bastard tried to take you out while you were sleeping.”

“Once I heard him attack you, I feigned sleep to take him off guard.” He caresses my cheek, his thumb stroking over my jaw. “Just when your face was no longer discolored, new bruises show up. I am a terrible protector.”

“Stop,” I whisper, closing my eyes and enjoying his touch. “You were worn out. You’re allowed to sleep for a few minutes.”

“You did your best to protect me,” Jutari says, voice soft. “I am humbled by such actions.”

“Of course I did.” His praise is making me feel shy. “You looked out for me all those days. The least I could do is not let some asshole murder you.”

“You could have let both of us die and then stolen away when Kivian lands. Or turn Kivian in to the prison authorities.” At the disgusted expression on my face, he chuckles. “I am glad your sense of honor is so strong. It is rare to find these days.”

Sense of honor? Is he crazy? “No sense of honor involved. I’m happy you pulped his face. I think we’re a team. Don’t thank me for valuing your life because I care for you.”

He smiles down at me, still stroking my cheek. “My people have a saying…you own my heart, my Chloe.”

I beam up at him, forgetting all about the hurts and the thirst and the borrowed breather I’m wearing. “I don’t know if I’m officially in love yet, because the situation’s been too weird. We’ve never had a chance to be alone before now. But I feel things for you. Lots and lots of things. It’s just…so soon.”

He chuckles. “You are not there yet, but you will be.”

Yeah, I suspect I will be, too.

JUTARI

We dispose of Dremmigan’s body, stripping it of what few items he has and then burying it in the red, sandy soil a short distance away. No sooner do we cover the last of his bright skin than another search vehicle flies overhead, leaving us scurrying back to safety. We are both tired and curl up against each other to wait it out. I must be more tired than I’ve imagined, because I fall into a deep sleep, and my dreams are filled with Chloe. I dream we’re stand together near a wide, open field with no one around but us. Unlike the terraforming fields, these are tall and lush with golden grasses and thick crops. She smiles at me, her hand on her belly, and I feel a sense of utter contentment.

I almost hate to wake up.

When I drift awake, though, I think I’m still dreaming. Chloe sits nearby, her legs tucked under her. She’s completely naked, her skin glowing and pale in the strange reddish light of this planet. From where I lie, I can see the dimpled curve of her bottom, the gentle flare of her hips, and the lovely, smooth line of her back. I feel a sharp stab of pleasure at the sight of her, since this is the first time I’ve been able to truly look my fill at her without the encumbrance of prison clothing. She seems smaller from this angle, and softer, though I’m not sure that’s possible. “Chloe?”

She turns to look at me, a hint of a smile on her face. “You’re up. Did you sleep all right?”

I still feel as if I could sleep for another two days, but I nod. “No signs of a ship?”

“Nothing yet. No more search parties, either.” She gets to her feet, uncurling her legs, and moves forward. As she does, I see that her uniform and Drem’s uniform have both been spread flat on the ground, each one covered in rocks. What is she up to? At my curious look, she chuckles and reaches for my hand. “Want to see what I’m doing?”

“Did you not sleep?” I let her take my hand, though I’m more interested in watching her curvy little body than anything else. The sight of her makes my tired body feel rejuvenated, my cock springing to life at the sight of the thatch of curls between her thighs.

Chloe shakes her head at my question. “I was too wound up. I decided to see what I could do to try and make us some water.”

“Make us water?” I hope this isn’t a human bathroom euphemism.

“Yes! I was thirsty, and I remembered seeing something on survival shows about how if there’s a lot of heat and moisture, you can collect condensation on plastic. The air’s so muggy here that it has to be carrying a lot of water. Our prison uniforms feel a bit like plastic, so I thought I’d give them a try. It took me a few tries to figure things out. I tried hanging them at first, but that didn’t do much except flap in the breeze.” She moves to the edge of one of the uniforms spread out on the soil and picks up the rocks holding it down. I notice there’s one weighing down the middle and making it dip, and I realize when she pulls the uniform back, it’s because it hangs over a large scooped-out hole. At the bottom of the hole is one of our empty water pouches, and she carefully picks it up, then holds it out to me, beaming.

Sure enough, at the bottom of the pouch, there’s a tiny bit of water. It’s not more than a few sips, but it’s water.

“We don’t know how long we’ll be here, but if we can collect water, we can survive for a bit longer.”

I am amazed at the cleverness of my girl. She watches me with an anxious expression, as if looking for approval. I want to grab her and hug her close and tell her just how happy she makes me, but she’s holding the precious water. “Drink it,” I tell her.

“Oh, but I made it for you. You’re bigger than me and probably need it more.” She offers it up to me again. “I can wait for the next round.”

“And I insist that you drink it,” I tell her, fascinated by the gentle swell of her pink-tipped breasts out in the open instead of hidden under her prison jumper.

“Then we should split it,” she says firmly. “Because I’m not playing the ‘your survival is more important than my survival’ game for longer than we have to. The sooner I put this back under there, the sooner it collects more water.”

I chuckle and take the small bag when she offers it again. “Very well.” I take a precious sip, then another, and then pass it back to her.

She tips the bag back and drains the rest, and then makes a face. “I don’t know if I’m disappointed that there wasn’t more, or kind of grossed out that it was so warm it’s like drinking spit.”

“But it is water we did not have, and will make surviving here easier until Kivian arrives.”

Chloe bites her lip and gives me a worried look. “You’re sure he’ll come?”

“I am sure.”

“But how can you be so sure?”

“Because he is my brother.”

Her eyes go wide with astonishment. “You never said!”

“It never came up. We have gone our separate ways for a long time, but the chip is something we have both had since our youth. It was my father’s idea, actually.”

“Your father?”

I nod. “He was a rather infamous privateer and wanted us to have a way to escape from anywhere if we got caught.”

She just shakes her head, amazed. “There is so much I need to learn about you.”

And I about her. But we will have all the time we need once we are free from this hellish planet.

I watch her as she bends down and puts the bag back in the hole, then covers it with the uniform once more. “Here,” I say, undoing the neck on my own jumper. “Take mine and we can add it to increase our water.”

“Great idea. Bring it over here.”

I strip down and watch as she digs another hole in the loose soil, then gently sets the empty bag down at the bottom. At least, I try to. But it’s distracting when she’s so naked and moving around. Her breasts jiggle as she moves, and her behind has the roundest curve to it that makes my mouth water. By the time she’s done and stands up, dusting her hands off, I’m thinking about all the things I want to do to her now that she’s mine and mine alone.

And I can’t stop thinking about the mouth-on-mouth she told me about. It breaks all kinds of hygiene laws, but…I cannot say that I’m not intrigued by it. What does it feel like, I wonder. What is the benefit? It must be pleasurable or she would not have suggested it. I’m fascinated at the thought.

She turns around and looks at me, and her gaze grows soft, her lips parting. “What are you thinking about?” She sounds breathless. “You’ve got a strange look in your eye.”

“I was thinking about you and your mouth,” I tell her bluntly. “We are alone now, and I would make good on my promise.”

“Promise?” Chloe looks flustered. “Oh yes. Our first kiss.”

Her reaction fascinates me. I move forward and brush my fingertips over the pink swell of her mouth. “Show me how to do this.”

“All right.” She bites her lip, and I am drawn to that tiny movement. Her hand moves to my chest, and then she peeks up at me. “You’re a bit taller than me, so this might be tricky.”

I snort. A bit? I stand nearly two full heads higher than her. “How do humans handle such things?”

“Well, we aren’t nearly as tall as you. And when we are, we both sit down together.”

Ah. That makes sense. I drop to my knees and extend my arms toward her. “Come, then.”

Her cheeks color, and she sidles closer to me, nervous. It’s strange, her reaction. Have I not had my hands all over her? Have we not simulated mating over and over again while in the prison cell together? I know intimately how her body feels under mine. I know the sounds she makes when she is going to come. I know the feel of her breasts and her cunt. What is there to be embarrassed over?

Her pale hands move to my shoulders, and she hesitates. “I’m all dirty.”

“Do you think that matters to me?” I brush a bit of red dirt off her shoulder and then let my fingers glide down her arm. “I still want to put my mouth all over you.”

Her eyes go soft, and she puts her hands on the sides of my face. She drops to her knees and then wiggles in until she’s between my thighs. Then she presses her mouth to mine.

At first, it’s just a gentle brush of her lips. Pleasant, but perhaps not worth all the excitement. But then she parts her mouth and her tongue strokes against the seam of my lips, and I feel a jolt rush through my body. I open for her, and her tongue sweeps inside my mouth, rubbing and teasing.

Need explodes through me, and I groan, pulling her closer. My hands lock against her bottom, and she makes a little squeak into my mouth, but does not pull away. Her tongue drags against mine, and she makes another little sound of surprise. I am surprised, too—her tongue is soft and smooth, like her skin. She does not have the ridges on her tongue like my people do. I find that keffing erotic and can’t help but stroke my tongue against hers again, enjoying the sensation of our two bodies clashing. Over and over, we do this “kiss,” our tongues mating until she is gasping for breath and my cock is aching fiercely. We pull apart, and she gives me a dazed expression.

“Is it always that good?” I ask her, entranced by the slick gleam of her lips.

“No, not always,” she says breathlessly, and her gaze moves back to my mouth. I take the hint and pull her back in for another kiss, my hands moving up and down her backside. She has no tail, no protective ridges on her spine. She is nothing but softness, and I can’t help but let my hands glide up and down the cleft of her bottom, exploring her. Chloe arches against my touch, and her legs spread farther apart.

I cannot resist the invitation. I stroke my fingers forward, seeking her folds, and find her core, already damp for me. Another groan escapes me at how hot and wet she is, and I want to thrust a finger deep inside her. But the need to give her pleasure drives me even more, and I glide my fingers upward, seeking out the small, sensitive nub that hides in her folds. When I find it, her entire body jerks and she seems to melt against me, her thighs clasping my hand.

“What is this?” I ask between kisses, giving it a little rub. “It is not something our people have.”

She rocks against my fingers, a little cry erupting from her throat. “It’s…clit…” she pants. “No…biological…purpose. Just feels…good.” Her eyes close, and she presses her forehead to mine. “Oh god, does it feel good.”

I capture her mouth again and stroke my tongue against hers. “Shall I put my mouth on your cunt? Tease this little bit of flesh with my tongue until you cry out?”

Chloe arches against me, whimpering.

I like to think of that as a “yes.” I break our kiss, then move lower and lick the cords of her neck. Even here, she smells soft and sweet. I love the way this fragile human feels in my arms. I must be careful to treat her perfectly, like she deserves to be treated. I cannot be too rough or lose control. All that matters is my Chloe.

I pull her against me and drag one leg and then the other around my waist. When she’s clasped around my body, I lean forward, lowering her to the rocky soil. “I should wait to claim you,” I murmur even as I dip my head to kiss between the soft globes of her breasts. “But I cannot wait any longer.”

“Good,” she breathes, her nails digging into my shoulders. “I’m tired of waiting. We’re alone, and that’s all that matters.”

It seems we think alike. I lick the gently rounded surface of her belly, dragging my tongue along her softness. She smells so keffing good—a delicate scent mixed with a hint of sweat and her female musk that makes my senses come to life. I move lower and press my mouth to the soft curls covering her cunt. She moans, squirming with anticipation, and I kiss lower. I cannot wait to taste the nectar from her body. My mouth waters at the thought. I have dreamed of this moment for many days now, and I plan on savoring it.

I push apart the folds of her cunt, reveling in how pink and wet they are. “Look at how you need me,” I tell her. “Look at how wet you grow at the thought of my mouth on your cunt.” She moans, and I grin to myself, exploring her sleekness with the tip of one finger. The little bud I have teased with my fingertips looks smaller and far pinker up close, and I lean in to taste it.

Her body jerks in response, the breath whooshing out of her lungs. “Oh my god,” she moans again. “Your mouth…”

“You want more of it?” I’m happy to comply, tonguing her little “clit” with enthusiasm. When she writhes and makes those fantastic gasping noises, I know she likes it. I lick her a little slower this next time, dragging over the bud so she can feel every ridge on my tongue. “I will give you everything, my Chloe. My human.” I love being able to say the words aloud, knowing there’s no one around to threaten her.

She’s mine for now and forever. I’ve claimed her fully, and I’m not letting her go.

Her body arches under me, and she reaches forward, one hand going to my hair and the other to one horn. She wraps her fingers around it and then flinches away when I groan. “Was that—was that bad?”

“No,” I tell her thickly. “I liked it.” And then I continue teasing her clit with my tongue to show her how much I liked it. My horns don’t have much sensitivity, but what is there fevers my imagination more than anything. I’m picturing her fingers wrapping around them, tight around their girth, and it makes my cock strain to be buried deep between her thighs.

Chloe’s hands grip both horns then, holding my face between her legs, and she pants my name. I give her what she wants, lapping my tongue against her tender clit until she’s crying out, shuddering her release. She falls back against the earth, panting and dazed, and I cannot help but watch her reaction, her cunt pink and wet with her orgasm. It entices me and makes my cock tighten. I can wait no longer to be inside her. Grabbing one thigh, I push my body over hers, and it immediately feels familiar. “How many times did we play-act like this?” I tell her, and she moans. “How many times have I covered you, thrusting my cock between your soft thighs? How many times did I hold you close and shudder my need?”

“This time it’ll be real, though,” she says, breathless. Her eyes are dazed as she gazes up at me, and her hand skims down my chest. “This time I want you deep inside me.”

I want that, too. I want it more than anything. I won’t let another moment go to waste, either. It’s already been far too long a wait to make her mine. I shift my weight, bracing one arm next to her as I use my hand to guide my cock into her warmth. Her cunt is tight, her warmth seeming to suck me in. I push forward, little by little, as Chloe moans underneath me, unable to remain still. She moves her hips, raising them to drive me deeper. She doesn’t want me to go slow.

I don’t want to go slow, either. With a surge, I bury myself to the hilt inside her.

The gasp that escapes her startles me. Her eyes are wide, as if shocked.

I freeze over her, horrified. “Chloe? Have I hurt you?” The last thing I have ever wanted was to cause her pain. Perhaps I have been too rough. Perhaps—

“W-what was that?” Her hand moves between us, where our bodies are joined. “What’s that thing on top of your cock?”

“My spur?” It’s not exactly on my cock, but I can’t think of anything else she means.

“Yes,” she moans, and her eyes practically roll back in her head when I shift my hips. “God, that thing.”

“You do not like it?”

“It’s hitting my clit,” she says with a whimper. “I might like it too much.”

Relief rushes through me, and I chuckle. It will take time for us to learn each other’s bodies and ways. For now, I am just glad that I am not hurting her. “Do you want me to get off you?”

“Fuck no.” She arches her hips again, then gasps. “I want you to move.”

My sweet, pushy human. I thrust forward, and Chloe gives a low little scream.

“God, ridges, too? This is so fucking unfair.” Her nails dig into my skin, and when I thrust again, her cries grow louder.

This time, I recognize that the sounds are those of pleasure, and I hold on to her hip, rocking into her again. I find a pace and push into her, using my hips to power each thrust. Over and over, I sink into her tight, slick heat. Nothing has ever felt better than this. She grips me like a vise, her cunt hugging my length. With every thrust, Chloe gets more and more aroused until she’s wailing my name, and her entire body shudders underneath mine with the onset of another orgasm. Her pleasure only heightens mine, and when my sac tightens, I welcome the release of my seed and let my spend flood into her.

Stars flash before my eyes, and I come so hard that I feel as if I’ve poured my entire body into hers. If I died right in this moment, I would be a happy male.

Drained, I collapse on top of my small female, and then somehow find the strength to prop my tired body up over hers so I do not crush her. Panting, our breathing mingles, and I scan her face to make sure that the breather remains in place on her small nose. “Are you all right?”

“Oh yeah,” she says dreamily. “I’m what you would call ‘better than all right.’”

My Chloe has such a pleased look on her face that I cannot help but grin. I lean in and nuzzle her nose, then decide to give her a light kiss. Her hair is tangled around her face and the silvery translator bulb in her ear, and I push the dark locks away. “We’ll get rid of this thing on the ship,” I tell her. “Kivian’s got a lot of high-tech equipment. You can have a chip inserted into your neural pathways instead of having to deal with this cheap garbage.”

“Is that what you have?” she asks with a yawn. “Is it hard to do?”

“It is one of the most basic procedures.” I trace her small ear. “And it will free this up so I can gaze upon my mate’s beauty unencumbered.”

“Sounds good to me.” She has a sleepy smile on her face. “I was wondering how you knew so much English.”

“Eng-lish?” I vaguely remember hearing that word before, when the settings in my chip changed over. “Is that where you’re from? Your homeland is Eng-lish?”

“Nah. My home’s America. English is just the language.” She yawns and then pats my arm. “You’d probably like Earth. It’s nothing like this shithole.”

I chuckle. Shit-hole is a perfect way of describing Haven. “If it is different from this place, then yes, I would probably like it.” I hesitate. I…should ask if she wishes to stay or if she wants me to take her home. I know it is the right thing to do, but the thought of giving her up fills me with a possessive, ferocious anger.

“You okay? You’re squeezing me a little tight.” She wiggles underneath me.

I hadn’t even realized. “You…” I clear my throat, then gather my courage. “My brother will be arriving with his ship soon. I am sure we can figure out how to get you back to your planet, one way or another. Would you…would you like that?”

Her eyes open, and she blinks at me. “You…can?”

I nod. It is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do, that simple nod. If her planet is forbidden, Kivian won’t be happy, but I can talk him into it. Piracy and raiding is in our blood. Nothing is off limits to people like us. At least, not for long.

She swallows hard. Her eyes grow suspiciously shiny. “Are you—are you trying to get rid of me, Jutari?”

What? “Never,” I say fiercely. I grab a handful of her silky hair, as if that will somehow tie her to me forever. “But I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me.”

“I want to stay with you.” Her arms go around my neck, and she squeezes, pulling me in until I fall against her. “You’re mine and I’m yours, okay?”

“Chloe…there is nothing I want more than that.” I stroke her soft, soft skin. “But I am a criminal. I cannot live freely. It’ll mean hiding out for the rest of our lives—”

“I don’t care. I want to stay with you. There’s no life for a human in your world anyhow. To them, I’m a freak show.”

She speaks the truth. A human would be treated as an oddity…even if they let her live. After what I have been told of her history, I don’t even know if that’s possible. “Which is why I could take you home—”

“So…what? I can just forget the last month of my life? Like I haven’t been changed completely? Like I haven’t met you? I’ll just go back to a job working at a shoe store and act like nothing happened?” A watery little laugh bubbles up in her throat, and I realize she’s on the verge of tears. “I’m not the same girl I was, Jutari. I’ve killed people. I lived in a prison. I met you. I don’t care if it means we’re spending the rest of our lives on some backwater planet, as long as we’re together, all right?”

“All right,” I say softly, and bury my face against her neck. Never have words been sweeter to hear. If she had wanted to leave I…it startles me to realize that I would have let her go. Funny how the selfish bastard I used to be is completely gone. The ruthless killer Jutari, assassin and mercenary, has been brought low at the thought of a female’s tears. I want nothing more than to make Chloe happy.

She sniffs hard. “Wh-what’s that, Jutari?”

“What’s what?” I ease off of her, stroking her dirty hair away from her face.

She points overhead, and I sit up, looking up.

A spaceship’s lights are flickering overhead. I freeze, squinting at the reddish winds that howl and obscure everything with a fine scarlet glaze. As the ship comes in closer, I relax. It’s not a prison transport.

It’s Kivian.

I lean in and press another kiss to Chloe’s mouth. I am already addicted to the taste of her. “We should dress quickly. I don’t want my brother getting a look at what’s mine.”

Her eyes light up. “We’re rescued?”