by Anna Carven
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 Anna Carven
All rights reserved.
Hi there! Anna here. I just wanted to say thanks for picking up my book. I hope you enjoy it. To all the readers who have purchased a copy of my work or signed up to my mailing list, and to those who have taken the time to leave me feedback, thank you! Your encouragement helps me keep focused and motivates me to write.
If you like my work, please join my mailing list at: http://eepurl.com/bQaHP5
Or feel free to drop by my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/annacarvenauthor
CHAPTER ONE
Tarak
I am selfish.
I’ve left my command and stolen time to be with my mate. My warship circles Earth and I’m here on the surface of this light-drenched planet, amongst the Humans.
There was a time when I never would have conceived of such a thing.
How quickly things change.
I watch Abbey as she emerges from the ocean. The water sluices off her body, her smooth brown skin glistening in the sunlight. Since returning to Earth, she’s been enjoying the sunshine. Unlike Kordolians, Humans thrive in light and warmth.
I prefer the cold and darkness, but I tolerate the sun, because it makes her happy.
She smiles at me as she walks across the sand. She’s wearing a garment called a bikini, which I rather like. Humans are quite inventive with their fashions.
I have no complaints about that.
This so-called ‘garment’ consists of three tiny triangular strips of fabric which cover her breasts and her sex. Not much is left to the imagination, which suits me just fine. As she approaches, she places a hand on the rounded swell of her belly, beaming at me.
Day by day, the life inside her is growing.
Her smile becomes a frown as she reaches me. “I feel like a whale,” she complains, glancing down at her body.
I watch her through my dark-tinted lenses. “A whale?” There are many things I am yet to understand about this planet.
“A giant sea creature.” She shrugs. “It’s a figure of speech. That’s how I feel right now. Giant. Cumbersome. Ungainly. Blimp-like.”
I stare at her, not entirely understanding what she’s babbling on about. She’s beautiful, and she tempts me.
“Come here,” I growl, taking her hand and pulling her towards me. I’m sitting in a chair in the shade, out of the harsh sunlight. She falls backwards into my lap with a laugh, and I caress her belly as she curls up against me.
Tiny movements transmit to the tips of my fingers and for a while I am quiet, stunned into silence.
That’s my child.
Our child.
Part of me is still in disbelief at how this has happened.
I slide my hands down over her thighs, which are slick with moisture from the sea. Her skin is smooth and warm, her thighs fuller now than they were before she became pregnant. She smells of salt and sunshine, and her long hair clings to her neck and back.
“You should come in the water,” she murmurs, slipping her hand underneath my shirt. She traces the bare skin of my stomach, looking up at me with a sly expression on her face.
“Your cursed sun is too bright,” I grumble. “My skin will burn.”
“Sometimes I forget how delicate you Kordolians are,” she laughs, her voice laced with irony. “Poor baby.”
I snort at the ridiculousness of her statement. “Delicate?” I raise an eyebrow, keeping a straight face even though I’m amused. “Only you would dare call me delicate, my love.” With their soft skin and limited strength, Humans are amongst the most fragile creatures in the universe. How they have managed to cling to life in this remote corner of the Nine Galaxies is beyond me.
But although my female is fragile, she survives with such tenacity. She has proven herself to be stronger than I’d ever imagined.
What she lacks in physical strength, she makes up for in spirit. It rests on me to be her shield.
And that is something I can do very well.
“Someone has to keep you grounded,” she says as I curve my hands around her ass, enjoying her warmth. “Otherwise who will keep you from terrorizing the Universe?”
“I haven’t terrorized anyone,” I protest mildly. “At least not for some time.” I move my hands so that my fingers are wedged between her warm thighs.
She’s barely clothed and I’m fully dressed, wearing the garments she has bought for me. They’re made of a soft, light fabric, suited to the climate of Earth. The shirt is blue and the trousers are a pale color, similar to the sand on the beach.
I still do not understand how she convinced me to wear these unsuitable colors. Apparently, I should try and blend in with the natives. She seems to think I scare them.
Humans. They overreact to everything.
As my erection presses against her, she makes a low, throaty sound. “We have time,” I say, running my hand along the inside of her thighs, tracing my fingers over her pussy, feeling her through the damp fabric of her tiny garment.
A soft gasp escapes her. “Not here,” she protests, her voice laced with sweet tension. She’s as aroused as I am. “We might have an audience.”
“What makes you think that, my love?”
“I thought I saw a something flash up on the seawall.”
“What?” My irritation rises. Humans have a serious problem with minding their own business. “I will go and check,” I say darkly, looking up towards the fortified wall that surrounds the island. Even with my dark glasses, the glare of the sun is impossibly bright, blurring my vision.
If those infernal paparazzi are sneaking around trying to get a glimpse of me and my mate, I will deal with them.
They are worse than a pack of rabid vorchek.
Abbey puts a placating hand on my chest. “Don’t, Tarak. Just relax.” She shifts so that she’s straddling me, her pregnant belly pressed gently against me. I rest my hands on her waist as she leans in to kiss me, her tongue darting between my lips. She tastes of the sea, with a hint of sweetness. “You’re on holidays now, so just enjoy yourself. I don’t want you to go hurting anybody without reason, even if they’re a pain-in-the-ass.”
“I do not understand these holidays you speak of,” I reply. They are another strange Human custom. Before meeting Abbey and arriving on Earth, the concept of extended periods of leisure time hadn’t occurred to me. The military was my life. I existed for no other purpose. But now that I’m able to step away from my responsibilities, I find I’d rather spend time with her.
My five commanders are experienced enough to handle business without me.
I should know; I trained them.
For the remainder of her pregnancy, I’m not going anywhere. Even an intergalactic war would not drag me from her side.
As I mentioned before, I’m selfish.
But I don’t consider this a holiday at all. I’m here to protect what is mine, even if it’s only from pathetic Humans who want to know every single little detail about our lives. I don’t understand their obsession with us. Humans have to be one of the most interfering, invasive species I’ve ever encountered.
“I was under the impression that this part of Nova Terra was supposed to be private,” I mutter, glancing back up at the seawall. The thought of another laying eyes on my barely clothed mate incenses me.
�
��It’s about as private as you can get on Earth these days,” Abbey replies, a wry look crossing her face. “We Humans have a cultural obsession with gossip, and Kordolians are supposed to be the new celebrities.”
“I can only tolerate so much of this nonsense, amina.”
“I know, but your way of dealing with things might be a bit too extreme. We have laws for dealing with this kind of thing if it gets out of hand.”
“Hm.” I don’t bother to argue, but I’m skeptical. I won’t be going out of my way to abide by Human laws. Abbey eyes me warily. She knows me well enough by now.
I study her face. There’s a faint smattering of tiny brown spots across her nose and cheeks. Her eyes appear more green than brown in the shade, and her pink lips are invitingly moist.
My hard-on has become almost painful.
She lets out a shuddering sigh as a flush spreads across her cheeks.
“Woman, you can’t tempt me like this and then deny me in the same breath,” I grate. She moves her hips, rocking backwards. I curve my hands over her belly, feeling the tiny movements of the precious life inside her.
“Then we should get out of here,” she whispers. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to, it’s just that I get turned on so damn easily these days. It must be the effect of all these pregnancy hormones.”
A slow smile curves my lips. “I have no complaints about that.” When she’s like this, my irritation and aggression evaporate in an instant. “You would apologize for such a thing? Don’t be ridiculous.” The thought of her being in a constant state of near-arousal pleases me immensely.
“Of course you would say that.” She rolls her eyes. “Are you trying to take advantage of my vulnerable state, General?”
“Yes.”
“You’re terrible,” she says, but she’s smiling.
“It’s the truth. If you have needs, I will respond as I see fit. It’s not considered taking advantage if the outcome is mutually beneficial, is it?” I caress her belly, tracing over her warm, silken flesh.
“Not now, though. We’re in public,” she chides half-heartedly. Her taut nipples are clearly visible through her wet bikini top, another sign of her arousal. Pregnancy has made her breasts rounder and fuller, her nipples becoming enlarged and prominent. I want to take them in my mouth. I want to untie the strings that hold her flimsy garment together and appreciate her naked body in all its glory.
This is becoming unbearable. “If you do not like it here, then we shall go.”
“Yes, let’s do that,” she gasps. She reluctantly untangles herself from me and I stare at her as she steps across the sand, bending to pick up a light green garment that she wraps around herself, belting it at the waist.
She runs her fingers through her hair, shaking it out. The damp strands glisten in the bright sunlight. She is glorious. She doesn’t seem to understand that when she’s like this, I have very little self-control.
The thought of a creature like her wanting me fills me with a deep satisfaction.
For all her smart-talk and sass, she’s still innocent and pure, and now that we’ve arrived on Earth, I will do everything in my power to ensure the chaos of the universe does not intrude on our lives.
I will fight battles, I will kill and I will start a war if that is what it takes.
Leaving the Kordolian Empire has not changed one simple fact.
I protect what is mine.
As she picks up her things, I bend and retrieve a smooth white stone from the sand. It fits nicely in my palm. I look up at the seawall and wait. The gentle rush of the waves is all I hear. The seawall appears deserted.
Abbey calls my name. I ignore her, just for a moment.
There. I spot a flash of light, followed by a whisper of movement.
I throw the stone. It hurtles towards the spot where I caught the flicker of movement. It probably won’t hit whoever is up there, but they can consider themselves warned.
Irritating pests. They are fortunate my mate is more tolerant than I.
“Tarak,” Abbey shakes her head, gently chastising me, but there’s a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
I hold out my hand and she takes it, her tiny fingers entwining with mine. “When it comes to you, there are many things I can’t help, my amina.”
The look she gives me is both indulgent and filled with desire. “For a Kordolian, you say some surprisingly sweet things sometimes.”
I hide my hunger for her behind a smile, the one I reserve only for her. “Let’s go home.” I lead her up the narrow steps that jut out from the stone wall, the hot sun burning through the thin material of my shirt as we ascend.
Luckily for me, this island is small and we do not have far to travel. A driverless vehicle waits for us at the top, courtesy of the so-called Earth Federation. It’s basic in design, because Human technology is simple and unrefined. I long to bring our Kordolian machines to Earth, but for now, it will have to suffice.
Adapting to life on Earth and suppressing my natural instincts is proving to be difficult, but for her sake, I must try.
Abbey
I open my eyes, momentarily confused as a faint chiming sound reaches my ears. I yawn and stretch out, the bedsheets tangled around my legs. My link-band is going off. With a groan, I sit up.
Tarak’s side of the bed is empty.
Delicious memories come back to me. Oh yeah. After the beach, we came home and had sex. Who knew pregnant sex could be so fucking good? Afterwards, we had a long, cool shower together, along with more sex.
Big Bad’s definitely taking advantage of my current constantly-horny state. I don’t know if it’s his presence or my raging hormones, but as each day passes, my body becomes increasingly sensitive.
I slip out of the bed and rush around the bedroom in my underwear, looking for something to wear. Damn Tarak, making me late for my appointment. Quiet time on the beach quickly became sexy time in the bedroom. Can’t I walk around in a bikini without him trying to get into it?
And with all these pregnancy hormones raging about, I’m no better. Aside from the rushing-because-I’m-late thing, I’m all tingly and glowing and generally feeling good about myself. It’s such a contrast to this morning, when I was feeling grumpy and bloated and unsexy.
Not anymore.
I toss aside a simple black stretchy dress, because it doesn’t fit me anymore. Pants are out of the question. Most of my tops have become uncomfortably tight.
My hair is wet from the shower, and the bra I’m wearing is a soft, frumpy maternity bra. I haven’t even had the chance to wear any of my sexy underwear since returning to Earth. That will have to wait until after my Little Monster is born.
I can’t wait to meet her.
“I know, sweetie,” I say softly, rubbing my belly as she kicks. “All this lumbering about is annoying, huh? Especially when we’re running late.” I have a habit of talking to her. She responds with little fluttering movements, as if she knows what I’m thinking. She doesn’t yet have a name, but she definitely has a personality.
As I rummage around in the closet, a pair of large, warm hands drops onto my shoulders. A surprised yelp escapes me. Tarak pulls me against him, bringing his arms around me, dropping his nose into my hair. Damn Kordolian. Despite his size, he’s silent on his feet, like a big, stalking cat. He inhales deeply before bringing his lips to my ear. “What is troubling you, female? You are flustered again.”
“I’ll be late for my doctor’s appointment,” I grumble, tossing aside a rumpled green set of biologist’s scrubs. I don’t even know why those are here. “But I can’t find anything to wear.”
“Wait,” he murmurs, before disappearing.
I’m too preoccupied to be bothered about whatever he’s up to. I pick up a rumpled pair of stretchy grey house pants, eyeing them with distaste. I can’t go out in those.
My link-band chimes softly. I grab it from the bedside table and slip it on my wrist.
“Time to des
tination, fifteen minutes and twenty nine seconds. Leave now to ensure punctual arrival,” it blurts, in an eerily lifelike female voice.
“Shit,” I growl. I can’t believe I’m seriously considering wearing those disgraceful house pants. The only good thing about them is that they’re super comfortable, because they’re made from real cotton, which is a rarity in this day and age of synthetic everything. Somehow, the clothes made from replicant fibers never feel quite as good.
There’s nothing quite like the original.
As I bend awkwardly, trying to tug the pants on, Tarak re-appears. His dark Kordolian robes are draped loosely across his shoulders. They’re open at the front and of course, he’s completely naked underneath.
He’s looking mightily pleased with himself, too. He always gets like this after we have sex. Damn smug, cocky alien, walking around as if he owns the entire Universe.
Wait, he does that anyway.
It comes with the territory, I guess. You can’t turn a lion into a pussy cat.
“You’re not wearing those,” he states, holding out a dark blue garment. “I won’t have my mate going out looking like a disheveled Kardek gutter sweeper.”
“Uh, thanks, I guess.” I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended. “So you think I look like a gutter sweeper now?”
Tarak stares at me with a deadpan expression. “Of course not. It is a figure of speech, as you Humans say. How could I ever consider you to be anything but beautiful?” He motions to me to turn around. “Put this on.”
He unfolds the garment. I hold out my arms and he pulls it over my outstretched arms. The material is impossibly soft and luxurious. It smells nice, too. The scent is something I can’t put a finger on; it’s exotic and mysterious, hinting at far-off worlds. The closest thing I can compare it to is sandalwood mixed with a hint of vanilla.
“Where did you get this?” I ask suspiciously. I haven’t seen it before.
“Veronian pirate traders,” he shrugs. “News of our break from the Empire has traveled fast throughout the Nine Galaxies. They have opened an underground trade route to Earth.”
