“I don’t want that either,” Maggie mumbled to herself since Hix had already started walking.
Keeping her head down, Maggie made sure to stay as close as possible to Hix as they maneuvered through the streets. The smell permeating the area around them was almost as foul as the scent coming from her stolen cloak. Maggie choked back a gag when they walked by something she could practically taste in the air.
Thank God she couldn’t see what it was that was responsible for that odor.
It smelled like a cross between hot shit and dumpster juice and she could literally taste it. Hoping to replace the stench with the alluring smell of Hix, Maggie plastered herself closer to his back. A few times, she was so close that she accidently ran into him when he stopped to let another pass. Realizing she was most likely calling more attention to them with her bumbling steps, Maggie backed off a bit. With her chin tucked down, the only thing she could see around her were miscellaneous boots of others walking. The sight only changed when she would catch a glance of whatever animals were being led by their owners.
The reality of Maggie’s situation hadn’t hit her until just then.
She was on an alien planet. She was in a place that humans only dreamed of seeing. She could hear a sizzling noise as if something was cooking but with all the other pungent odors competing, she was unable to pick out its particular aroma. If it were safe, Maggie would have loved nothing more than to stop and stare at the amazingness around her. She’d have to keep her nose covered but still… it was most likely a spectacular sight.
The sounds of her surroundings teased her ears. The warbles, clicks and whistles of the other aliens around them were amazing.
She knew that there were creatures around her that people had never seen before but all she could get a glimpse of were their oddly shaped feet. If Maggie wasn’t so scared, she’d have been royally pissed off at the cosmic tease the universe had dropped on her.
“Just a little bit further,” Hix said without turning.
Maggie grunted. The smell of her robe combined with everything else was starting to overcome her senses the longer they walked. She certainly hoped he was telling the truth because the last thing she wanted to do was puke straight down her front.
Maggie watched as Hix’s hand reached back and gripped the front of her robe.
What the hell was he doing?
Her unasked question was answered when he turned sharply to his left. The movement was so abrupt that if he hadn’t held on to her she would have easily lost him in the crowd.
A few more quick turns in the dark and Maggie was hustled through a doorway.
“Let me help you remove that,” Hix said as he lifted the hood away from her face.
“Thank god!” Maggie sucked in as much fresh air as her nose could handle. Her nasal passages burned from the barrage of odors that had recently flooded them. After she managed a few inhales and exhales that didn’t make her want to blow chunks, she looked around.
“Where are we?” Maggie eyed the darkened room. Her gaze caught a small bed in the corner.
“An old friend of mine owns this domicile but he is visiting another planet right now. He will not be back for three cycles and offered to let me stay here until then.”
“Does he know you’re not alone?”
“No. It is safer that way.” Hix secured the door through which they’d entered with a large wooden beam, something she had seen used in old movies before but never in real life. The visual struck her as odd.
“Why is it that some of this place seems advanced but…not?” Maggie asked, unsure if her question made any sense at all.
Hix walked over to the bed and dropped down onto the sagging mattress. “The Pleasure Sector came from nothing.”
Maggie joined him on the bed. Her body was sore from her entire ordeal. “What does that mean?”
“There was no one particular race that terraformed here. Years ago, when it was first discovered, many different races tried to colonize the planets. You see, the air levels are safe, the climate is welcoming but the ground will not grow food.”
Maggie toed the dirt floor wondering what it was about the reddish orange ground that wouldn’t allow plants to grow. It looked like the red clay of Oklahoma she had seen when driving through one time, and Oklahoma grew some of the best tomatoes she’d ever eaten. “If they can’t grow food, how did all these people end up here?”
“Our books say that the Pleasure Sector was populated by those looking for a home. Races that lost their own planets or were taken over by another. There are four planets total that make up the entire sector but only two that are able to sustain life. Euphoria houses the main marketplace while the other planet consists of farms that breed ramu and other animals before they are shuttled here for sale.”
“So, it’s a hodgepodge of different aliens?”
“Yes, although most of them are here only temporarily. The life forms that live here barter and trade with the travelers that land. Sometimes they shuttle to nearby planets to resupply their stock—”
“Like the friend that’s letting us stay here?”
Hix smiled and nodded. “Exactly like my friend. There are no families, no schools, no medical facilities. The only permanent inhabitants are the traders and the brothel workers and even they move on once they have enough earnings to retire.”
Maggie’s mouth dropped open. “Did you say brothel workers?”
“Yes, that is what the Pleasure Sector is named for. Early on, the traders brought in brothels to capitalize on the large number of males that visited. I’m sure the fact that they themselves were living here had something to do with it as well. Soon, the brothels were the main attraction as different species found themselves dying off from war or diseases on their own home planets. This sector became known for having a supply of willing females from many different species available for use.”
“For a price, right?”
“Exactly. Before that, this sector had simply been referred to as its planetary number.”
“Oh.” Maggie felt her curiosity rise. “Have you been to the brothels before?”
Hix stiffened beside her at the question. “Yes, I have. All Phaetons have scheduled trips here for leave since we no longer have females available to us of our own race.”
Chapter Fifteen
Hix placed his hand on her thigh to keep Maggie seated when she went to stand. “Does that bother you?”
Watching her closely, he waited patiently for her answer. He had heard that some of the human brides were uncomfortable with the knowledge that their matches had made use of the only comfort available to them. Since changing his past was not an option, Hix was curious where Maggie stood on the situation.
Maggie settled down beside him. The muscles under his hand were tight to the touch. Rubbing his hand up and down, Hix tried to hold back his erection but knew he was failing at it miserably.
Maggie licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak before closing it again. “I don’t think so…”
“You do not think so?”
“No, I mean…you don’t have women. I wouldn’t expect you to be celibate if there was an option for you to seek…physical release.” Maggie shifted under his hand, which drew his attention back to the soft thigh he was touching.
“Good,” Hix replied, his voice husky. “I hope that the experience I have will benefit you in the end.”
Maggie’s eyes became impossibly wide at his statement, and he worried he had said something wrong.
“Oookay,” she breathed out. “I mean, yeah. Same goes for me.”
Hix’s brows lowered at her response. The absolute last thing he wanted to think about was his mate with another male. In fact, the mere idea of her having relations with others made him feel positively murderous.
“Whoa, what put that look on your face?” Maggie patted the hand on her leg. Her touch calmed him a bit.
“The thought of another male touching you,” Hix growled. Voicing the
se thoughts made him more upset. “The thought of you touching another male.”
Turning his hand over, he laced their fingers together tightening their connection. Grateful when Maggie didn’t pull away, Hix raised their locked hands to his lips. Kissing the soft skin, he apologized without words for his harsh reaction.
“It’s okay. I know I said I was fine with it, but I would be lying if I said I was one hundred percent okay with the idea of you and a space hooker knocking boots.”
Knocking boots? Did that mean she thought he…
“I promise I never kicked any female I purchased. A Phaeton would never harm—”
Maggie giggled and placed her free hand over his mouth. “That’s not what I meant but it doesn’t matter.”
Hix kissed the palm of her hand where it lay against his lips. Smiling when she pulled back, he followed to drop a quick peck on her mouth. “I find I am very possessive of you.”
Maggie let out a deep breath. “I feel the same way…and I don’t quite understand why.”
“Do you believe in fate, Maggie?” Hix gripped the back of her neck and pulled her closer on the mattress.
“Fate?”
“Yes,” Hix leaned forward to nuzzle the soft skin of her neck. How did she still smell just as sweet as the first time he caught her essence? “You see, I truly believe that we are put on a path and what happens along that path has been ordained by a power greater than us.”
“So those women were meant to get kidnapped?” Maggie asked, her brows lowered.
“Yes. I believe fate has a something in store for them. It may not be what you or I deem fair, but it is their path to travel.” When she looked as though she were about to argue, Hix explained further. “What if your kidnapping happened so you were in the right place to help others? For us to do this together…to be together?”
“You think that all of this was meant to happen?” Maggie tilted her head as she studied him.
“Yes, I do.” Hix watched hungrily as she licked her lips. His tongue ached to trace the same path. “How can I not when I feel as though you are already mine?”
“Hix, I’m never going home again…am I?” Maggie asked, but seemed only slightly unhappy at the idea of not being returned to Earth.
Hix did not want to lie to her so he gave her the most honest answer he had available to him. “Maggie, I doubt you will ever see your home again but as long as I am alive I promise to make that sacrifice worth it.”
“How?” Maggie’s mouth tilted in a half smile. At the sight, he couldn’t help returning a grin.
“By building a home for the two of us. By showing you more love than you have ever known,” Hix whispered out, hoping his answer wasn’t too much too soon.
He realized how unfounded his worries were when Maggie practically jumped on top of him. Her arms were tight around his neck. He chuckled as her lips peppered kisses all over his face hitting his eyelids and nose before finding his lips. Pulling her close, he gripped her hips hard where she straddled his lap. Opening his mouth, he thrust his tongue deep as he simultaneously slipped both hands down the back of her pants. Cupping the round globes under the stretchy fabric, he pulled her as close as possible. Pushing his hips up, he ground his erection into the space between her legs.
Maggie pulled away with a gasp, her head tossed back. “Dear lord that’s amazing.”
“I have never before felt such immense pleasure,” Hix admitted and squeezed her ass in his palms. Lowering his forehead to her chest, he nipped at the mounds under her shirt. “We have yet to join and I am already leaking.” Hix shifted at the wetness he could feel dripping steadily from his tip.
“Good God,” Maggie breathed out, hugging his head to her breasts. When she ran her nails through the strands, Hix almost dropped to his knees.
Hix had never had a female touch his hair and almost groaned at the sensation. He had to restrain himself when Maggie raked her nails over his scalp. The simple action creating a path of goosebumps to break out along his skin.
“Maggie, will you marry with me?” he asked, more than positive he wanted to keep her.
“Marry?” Maggie pulled back, only stopped when he wrapped his arms tighter about her to hold her close. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”
“Yes.” Hix focused on her face, trying to read her expression.
Maggie opened her mouth only to close it…then repeated the action twice more before she spoke, “But we don’t even know each other!”
Hix shrugged. His muscles tightened when she dropped her hands to his shoulders. “I know enough.”
“Enough?” she choked out with a confused smile.
“I know that my body craves yours.” Hix smiled against the skin on her neck when she shivered as his breath ghosted across the column. “I know that I will do anything to keep you safe.”
“Really?” Maggie’s eyes were wide as she swallowed hard.
“But most importantly, I know that I will always be there for you,” Hix promised. His heart beat so loudly in his ears that he was sure she could hear it herself. “Please marry with me. Mate with me. Stay with me.”
“Hix, I just—” Maggie bit her lip, the action teasing him to do the same.
“Let me convince you.” Hix could see her mind working behind her eyes as she stared at him.
When she gave him a small nod, he pounced, swiftly turning with her in his arms to lower her to the mattress. “You will not regret this. I promise you that.”
“Less talking, more convincing.” Maggie tugged him down by his shoulders.
He had absolutely no problem following her instructions. Covering her mouth with his own, Hix settled partly to the side of her on the small bed. With his body half covering hers, their difference in size was more than apparent.
As she relaxed beneath him, with her hands hugging him close, it humbled him to know that she trusted him with her small body. Because of his large size, Hix had always been aware of the fear and hesitation the brothel workers tried to hide during his appointments. It had been one of the reasons why he had cancelled his last few trips to the Sector. No matter how much he needed the physical release, Hix was unable to take the unease of the females assigned to him.
When Maggie had not displayed the normal reaction, he had become accustomed to, Hix had become even surer that fate had stepped in and delivered this human female to him. The fact that her small human hands were pulling him closer and not pushing him away was proof of that.
“Hix?” Maggie plucked at the sleeve of his tunic.
He braced himself on his elbows, almost unable to drag his lips from the soft skin of her neck. “Yes?”
“Can you take this off now?” Maggie grinned then, giving him the crooked smile he was now determined to put on her face as often as possible.
“As you wish.” Hix whipped off his tunic to the sound of her tinkling laughter. “What? What did I say?”
“You—never mind.” Maggie shook her head. Her eyes sparkled where she lay looking up at him. “I’ll catch you up on the cult classics later.” Running her hands up and down his torso, she traced the muscles he could help but flex underneath her touch.
“I have no idea what any of that meant.” Hix admitted, briefly closing his eyes when her fingers tweaked his nipples. “If you continue to touch me so freely I will not be able to control myself.”
“That’s okay with me,” Maggie breathed, hiking one leg high on his hip.
Hix could feel the heat emanating from the apex of her thighs as he fit himself into the open space. Palming her ass, he groaned at the unfettered feel of her bottom cheeks filling his palms. “I love your breeches.”
Maggie giggled against his ear where she had been nibbling. “Yoga pants.”
“They are magnificent.” Hix pulled the waistband away from her body, more appreciative of the stretchy material the more he was able to maneuver it. “Is this still acceptable?”
When Maggie gave him a confused look, Hix rocked his hip
s into her pelvis. With his erection leading the way, he wanted to make sure there was no hesitation from her in their joining.
“Yessss,” Maggie hissed, arching her back underneath him.
Hix took the offering she presented and dropped his head to nip at the hard buds of her nipples poking against the front of her shirt. As he caught the spongy nubs between his lips and tugged, Maggie bucked underneath him.
“Dear lord,” she moaned lowly, her husky voice ratcheting his desire to a level he had never before experienced. When she reached down to palm the length of his erection, Hix almost came then and there.
“Strip,” he barked, needing to be inside her before he lost all control.
“Uh?” Maggie blinked with desire drunk eyes up at him, the sight filling him with pride at putting that look there.
Rolling off the small mattress, Hix began frantically pulling off the rest of his clothes. Toeing off his boots, he froze when he saw that she was still laying down unmoving on the mattress he had just vacated. “I am worried I will rip your clothes in my haste to get you bare…if you want clothes to wear later I suggest you take them off.” Hix eyed her with hunger, focusing on the wet patch where he had tongued her nipples earlier.
Maggie nodded quickly before climbing to her knees and stripping off her shirt and the strange undergarment beneath it. He had only a small glimpse of the light purple lace before she had tossed it away.
With breasts bouncing, Maggie hopped off the bed and shimmied out of the tight yet stretchy pants that graced her legs. Hix caught a peek of lace similar to what had captured her breasts before it was too discarded.
“Well?” With her hands propped on her hips, Maggie stared up at him with an expectant smile.
“I have no words,” Hix whispered, his eyes catching on a small thatch of curly hair on her mound.
“It’s your turn.” Maggie gestured to where his hands were frozen on the latch of his breeches.
Chapter Sixteen
Maggie was sure her heart was about to beat straight out of her chest as she waited for him to drop his pants. Everything she had seen so far had been more than worth the wait but now that she was standing in front of him totally buck naked, she needed equal ground. Amazingly, the real version and her dream version were eerily similar.
Warriors of Phaeton: Hix Page 10
