The Gods of Pyros had gifted her with a god of her own.

Gwen couldn’t stop touching him. He was built like a warrior out of legend, all power and grace. His muscle and sinew flowed beneath his golden skin, skin that was marked by scars, mostly faded now. She thought they were sexy. Proof that he was a survivor, strong enough to withstand whatever life had thrown at him. She tended to hide in her books and daydreams when things got hard, but Kash hadn’t hidden. He’d fought back.

He kissed his way down her body, laying claim to every inch of her as his calloused hands explored every curve. Usually, she preferred to make love in the dark so that she wasn’t embarrassed, but with Kash, things were different. She knew he wanted her. And while she wasn’t convinced that desire wouldn’t fade away eventually, for now, she trusted that his desire was as real as hers was for him.

The taste of him was still in her mouth, a subtle, spicy flavour that blended with the growing scent of arousal and need that filled the air around them. She ran her hands through his hair, loving the way it felt against the palms of her hands. He worked his way lower, and she uncoiled her leg from around his, letting her thighs fall open. He moved between her parted legs, his mouth like a brand against her skin, the rasp of his beard over her belly an erotic sensation she’d never known before.

“You’re a feast for the senses,” he murmured, and lowered his head to brush his lips over her inner thigh. Her breath caught in her throat and she went still, anticipating where his next touch would be. His hands stroked up her thighs slowly, until his fingers brushed her outer lips. He parted her folds, blowing a puff of warm breath across her clitoris.

“This will give you pleasure, yes?” He asked, then swiped his tongue across her clit.

“Yes!” She nearly screamed the word as ecstasy flowed through her.

He did it again and again, pushing her relentlessly towards release. She arched off the bed, her hips pumping, grinding her pussy against the exquisite torture of his mouth.

“Kash!” she cried his name as he pressed deeper, his tongue lashing at her clit before sucking the tender flesh into his mouth. That made her moan aloud with need. He growled in encouragement, the vibrations adding another layer of pleasure to the onslaught. He slid a thick finger into her channel, and the wave she’d been riding finally crested and broke. Her world shattered as she hurtled into an orgasm so intense that the world around her vanished, leaving her adrift in a sea of bliss.

It was his kiss that brought her back to her senses, his lips tasting of both of them as he kissed her with tender passion.

“Are you ready to be mine, kaheya?”

She twined her arms around his neck and nodded. “I am.”

“Thank the Gods. I’m on fire to have you.” He kissed her again as he settled his body into the cradle of her thighs, his impressive cock pressed against the seam of her pussy.

“You’re mine.” He arched his back and slid inside her, moving slowly to give her time to adjust. He was big enough to hurt her, but he didn’t. He claimed her an inch at a time, even though his body shook with need and his eyes flashed from hazel to gold and back again.

He didn’t stop until he was fully sheathed inside her. She was fuller than she’d ever been. Deliciously so. As their bodies touched, she moved her hips and gasped as a wave of pleasure washed through her.

She moaned and sank her nails into his shoulders, urging him to move.

He growled, the primitive sound turning her on even more. He lowered his head to kiss her, then settled his hands on the bed and pushed himself up, freeing his hips to move. Slowly at first, every stroke going so deep she was pinned to the mattress. Each time he withdrew, she followed, not wanting to lose their connection.

Their bodies shifted as they found their rhythm, his cock angling to slide along her clit at the beginning of each thrust, her legs wrapping around his waist to bring them closer together.

“More,” she whispered the single word, barely able to believe she could be so bold.

“I’ll give you everything.”

His words filling her heart with hope. His next kiss was hot and hungry, scorching her lips with the heat of his passion. His tongue speared into her mouth as he drove his cock deep into her body.

A scream of pleasure rose from her throat and the two of them came together in an explosion of fiery need. His eyes flared a brilliant gold, his expression one of pure rapture as he orgasmed with a bellow that echoed off the walls of his quarters.

As he came, his cock thickened and swelled, pressing against her most sensitive spots and sending her into another orgasm of her own. Her inner walls flexed around him, milking him of every drop.

Breathless and trembling with the aftershocks of her release, she was still struggling to think clearly when Kash nuzzled her cheek. “The swelling will subside soon, but until then, we’re locked together. Try not to move too much.”

“I don’t think I could move if my life depended on it.”

His head jerked up. “Did I injure you?”

“No…oh wow. Your eyes. They really are gold now.”

He stared at her, those newly minted eyes wide with shock. “As are yours.”

“What? How? That’s…that’s not supposed to happen, is it?”

“Calm, kaheya. No moving, remember?”

“If you want me to stay still, then don’t tell me my eyes changed colours.” She forced herself to relax and take a breath, then another.

“It was a surprise to me, as well. You are even more beautiful this way.” He grinned, looking downright smug. “And now everyone will know you are claimed.”

“I still don’t understand how this is possible. I didn’t even feel anything.”

“Allow me to check something.” Kash raised his head. “Computer. Scan the Star-Crossed files for Gwen Hudson’s information. Confirm presence of Pyrosian genes.”

“Checking.”

Gwen stayed quiet, too stunned to speak. She might have alien DNA? Why hadn’t anyone mentioned that? And how the hell was that even possible? And when did they get her DNA?

“Confirmed. File indicates subject Gwen Hudson positive for Pyrosian genetic markers.”

“And they rejected you anyway.” Kash shook his head. “How many potential matches did they dismiss? The King needs to know about this before the next mission.”

“What are you talking about? I’m human. You said so yourself.”

“Apparently not. Well, not completely. We found traces of our genome scattered throughout your population. It’s why we’re here. Those traces prove that our races are compatible for reproduction. No one expected this, though.” He caressed her cheek, then gently withdrew from her body and settled down at her side.

“How? What does this mean? Can I see?” She wasn’t sure how she felt about being part alien. Would this make it easier for her to be accepted as Kash’s mate?

“Computer. Set the wall behind the bed to reflection mode.”

“Affirmative.”

“Now you can see for yourself.” Kash rose to one elbow and gestured behind him.

She sat up and turned to look, gasping as she caught sight of her reflection. The change was shocking. “This makes it easier to believe I’m part alien. How is this possible?”

“We’re not sure. The best theory is that ages ago when we were actively colonizing other worlds, one of our colony ships must have made its way to your planet. There’s no record of that happening, but there were ships that set out and were never heard from again.”

“This is going to take some time to get used to.”

“Do you not like the change? Do my eyes bother you?”

“Your eyes are gorgeous. Just like the rest of you. But you knew this would happen to you. I got up this morning thinking this was going to be another ordinary day.” She laughed and threw out her arms to take in everything around them. “I’m on a spaceship orbiting Earth, and apparently my soulmate is an alien. Oh, and let’s not forget that my friends have also been claimed by aliens, all because Lisa talked us into signing up for an online dating service months ago.”

“I shall have to thank your friend Lisa when I meet her.” He stroked a possessive hand along her thigh.

“Me too.” She looked around, taking her first real look at Kash’s quarters. There wasn’t much to see. The furniture was all made from the same off-white material that looked something like plastic, while the cushions and bed linens were all patterned after the uniforms she’d seen the crew wearing: black, with hints of orange and white. The only thing out of place were their clothes, which were still strewn in heaps across the floor.

It wasn’t anything like she’d imagined a starship would look like, but if she had any doubts about where she was, and who she was with, all she had to do was look in a mirror.

Kash knew that his rooms were barren and cold compared to the comfortable haven Gwen had created for herself back on Earth. He could claim that it was because these were only temporary quarters, but his residence back on Pyros wasn’t much better. A lifetime of military service had made him a minimalist. He could live in the palace, but he’d always chosen to reside near his men. Now that Gwen was part of his life, that would have to change. Flames. Everything was going to change, now. He stared in wonder at the female curled against his side. He was a mated male.

Curious, he held up his hand and focused his thoughts, visualizing flames enveloping his fingers. The fire erupted almost instantly.

“Whoa! Warn a girl, would you?” Gwen flinched, then retreated from the flames.

“Apologies. I hadn’t expected it to work the first time I tried it.” He banished the flames with a flick of his hand.

“Isn’t fire a bad thing in space? What happens if you set the room on fire? Or me, for that matter? I’ve already been burned once today, thank you.”

“As my mate, you are immune to my flames. And given what we are, every ship in the fleet is outfitted with extensive fire prevention measures. There was a time when there were enough mated soldiers that they could work together to form a sort of living weapon. We were feared throughout worlds, and none dared to threaten us.” He summoned the flame again, a tiny blaze that danced on his outstretched palm.

“You’re sure I won’t get burned?”

“I would never risk harming you, kaheya.”

She ran her fingers up the length of his forearm, pausing when she reached his hand. “I don’t feel much heat.”

“Nor do I.”

It pleased him that she trusted him enough to test the flame, passing her hand over of it, and then through it.

“That’s amazing. I thought you were a badass before. Now, you’re like a badass dual-class fighter wizard.”

“A what?” He had no idea what a wizard was, but he liked the sound of it.

“I guess your education didn’t include Tolkien’s books or Dungeons and Dragons. A wizard is someone who can wield magic. Not that magic really exists. Well, maybe it does. I mean, Lisa drew a picture of Vadir weeks ago, and she got every detail right. So maybe?” She closed her eyes. “I’m too tired to deal with that possibility right now. I’m still dealing with the fact aliens are real.”

“You can tell me more about wizards and Tolkien another time. And I would like to hear about dragons, too. The Romaki dragon clans will likely be very interested to hear that there is a word for their species on your planet. Perhaps the Pyrosians were not the only ones to visit your world.”

“Wait. What? There are space dragons? Big, fire-breathing lizard things with wings and piles of treasure?”

“There are two Romaki clans: Snow and Fire. They are an ancient race, and yes, in their beast forms they do have wings.” He chuckled. “And Vadir would tell you that they enjoy holding onto their wealth. He was part of the last round of trade negotiations between our races, and it did not end well.”

Gwen snuggled in beside him with a sleepy groan. “Lisa is going to be so, so, smug. Not only do aliens exist, but dragons do, too.”

“You should rest while you can. Neither of us have slept much, yet, and we’re both going to be at the mercy of the Scorching for the next while.” He reached over and drew the top blanket over them both.

She draped her arm across his stomach and settled her head on his chest. “You’ll be here when I wake up, right?”

“I’ll be here, kaheya.” He had nowhere else to be. For the first time in years, he had no duties to perform or plan for. No responsibilities to fulfill. It felt wrong, somehow.

“Good,” she murmured. There was a short pause, then she said, “I’m glad you disobeyed orders tonight. I can’t imagine how this night would have gone if you hadn’t come for me.”

“Me, either.”

She fell into an exhausted sleep within minutes, trusting him to watch over her as she slept. His little mate had given him so many gifts. Unsurpassed pleasure, acceptance, and now, her trust. He wasn’t worthy of her. She deserved someone without his scars. Someone like Vadir or the prince. She deserved more than him, but now that he had claimed her, he could never let her go.

An hour passed, but he couldn’t sleep. There was too much in his head, and in his heart. When should he inform his liege that he’d taken a mate against orders? Would he be punished? It was possible. So long as they did not blame Gwen, he’d accept any punishment. His family would want to know of his good fortune. His mother and father would be happy, and Kylara, his sister, would be ecstatic to learn she had a mate-sister at long last.

He was still sorting through his thoughts when a soft chime sounded, and a red light flashed on the wall monitor nearest the bed. Not wanting to wake Gwen, he rose and activated another monitor, far enough away that he could speak without disturbing her. He didn’t bother dressing first. If they were contacting him now, they’d have good reason. Whatever it was, he doubted it was good news.

His second in command, Bortan Zell, snapped off a quick salute as he appeared on the monitor. “Commander, we have a situation.”

“Report.”

“Vadir Rahal missed his last check-in. There’s no reply to our messages, and the Redshift 7 is not showing on our scans.”

His gut knotted. “He was supposed to keep a passive beacon active so we’d be able to track his ship even when shielded. What happened?”

Zell stiffened. “We’re still investigating, sir. It appears there was a communication breakdown during shift change. The incoming officer was not aware they were supposed to be tracking a secondary beacon.”

“How long ago did we lose contact?” Kash asked through gritted teeth.

“Last contact with Redshift 7 was six hours ago. Because the beacon was passive, the ship’s systems were not automatically tracking it, so we can’t be certain—”

Kash cut him off. “Find a way to become certain, and find it before I get to the bridge. Denza out.”

The monitor went black, and so did his mood. This was what happened when he forfeited his responsibilities for even a few hours. The lives of two males were in his hands, and he’d allowed himself to be distracted. That couldn’t happen again.

Guilt and anger churned inside him as he donned his uniform and made himself presentable in short order. He was almost at the door when he stopped and turned around to look at Gwen. She was fast asleep, curled in his bed with one arm thrown over his pillow. She’d sleep for another two hours at least. More than enough time to find out what had happened and get back to her before she woke.