by Sue Lyndon
“We cannot simply agree to your terms immediately,” one of the human males said, his gaze traveling around the hangar in a nervous manner. “We must have a lengthy, more open conversation.”
“Perhaps we can continue this discussion at a reception we are hosting in your honor, Ambassador,” another of the human males said. “No matter the reason for your arrival, the citizens of New Leesburg are always honored when a Tarrkuan scientist or official comes for a visit.” Black mist hovered around the small human male’s head before fading away, though Kazzon didn’t need special powers to detect the man’s lies.
“Thank you,” Kazzon replied, preparing to tell one of his own untruths. “I would be honored to attend your reception.” Perhaps the Leaders just wanted to give the appearance that they had tried to negotiate a better agreement with Kazzon’s people, lest the citizens of New Leesburg think their elected officials surrendered too easily to the Tarrkuans. Though he was annoyed by the prospect of a longer than anticipated stay, he could respect their methods.
“The reception is scheduled for this evening,” yet another male said, his voice tight. “We invite you to not only attend the reception, but to stay in our dome-city for several days and enjoy our hospitality. It is not often that a Tarrkuan ambassador visits us and we wish to honor the occasion properly.” Black mist added to more black mist, yet Kazzon had to play along.
He took a moment to consider this offer and allowed his gaze to sweep along the five Leaders who had arrived to greet him. While he could continue threatening to have New Leesburg’s TEC600 reactor repossessed or turned off, he reminded himself that he shouldn’t allow his impatience to leave Earth cloud his judgment. If a more peaceful resolution could be reached, it was his duty to make the attempt.
“Very well,” he finally replied. “I will accept your offer, but know that I must depart your dome-city within three days, though I would prefer to conclude our business sooner than that, if possible.” Two or three days should be sufficient time for the humans to play their game and save face in front of their constituents before they inevitably acquiesced to the new treaty.
The human Leaders escorted him into the dome-city and proceeded to give him a tour of New Leesburg. He feigned interest, though he found this settlement to be rudimentary at best.
The city was illuminated with streetlights, even though it was still daytime, as the dust storm currently blocked out the sun. Many of the buildings constructed inside the dome-city appeared in ill-repair and the entire place had a dismal feel about it.
As the Leaders guided him down yet another street, Kazzon spotted a little blonde female exiting a business. She wore an apron that was smudged with white marks and her cheeks were flushed. He watched as she sipped at a glass of water and sat down on a bench near the shop. Upon further inspection, Kazzon surmised that the business was a bakery and this young human female must work in the store.
Gods, she was beautiful. Like a ray of sunshine inside this otherwise dilapidated dome-city. Her hair was wavy and golden, coming to rest over her shoulders. His fingers tingled with the urge to touch those soft looking tresses.
One of the human men droned on and on about the particular statue they stood beside, a memorial of some sort that had been erected in the middle of the street. Kazzon only half paid attention, for he was still fixated on the lovely human female.
The pretty blonde took another sip of water, and he watched the delicate lines of her slender throat as she swallowed. His cock stirred as he watched her, and he had to take several deep breaths in order to calm the sudden lust surging within him. The longer he stared at her, the more he felt drawn to her, as if by a greater force. He continued staring, willing her to lift her face so he might have a better look into her eyes.
When she finally glanced up and her startlingly blue gaze collided with his, it was all he could do to hold back the growl that threatened to erupt from his chest. Feral need pulsed through him and his blood heated. Tingles swept through his body and a quick spell of dizziness swarmed him. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath, nor calm the rapid beating of his heart.
Fluxx, what was happening to him?
He had never felt more drawn to a female in his entire life, this little blonde human whose name he didn’t even know.
Chapter 2
Fatigue pulled at Caylee. On a much-needed break, she sat on the bench outside the bakery, taking occasional sips of water. Perspiration clung to her from a morning spent toiling over a large wedding cake that needed to be completed by this afternoon. Thank goodness her part of it was finished and her co-worker Mindy was currently putting the final decorative touches on the project.
She closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the cooler air. The dome-city was dim today, illuminated with streetlights even though it was early afternoon. She sighed and continued staring at the ground, trying to pretend that if she looked up, a vibrant blue sky with billowing white clouds would greet her. The kind of sky she’d only seen pictures of.
She heard a man talking, near one of the old statues in the middle of the street, and she finally glanced up to investigate.
Shock reverberated through her when her gaze met with huge, dark otherworldly eyes.
A massively built Tarrkuan male stared straight at her.
Panic filled her, but she attempted to maintain her composure. The five elected Leaders of New Leesburg accompanied the alien. Perhaps he was a Tarrkuan official who’d come for a visit. That wasn’t unheard of and it appeared the Leaders were giving him a tour of the dome-city.
She averted her gaze and willed her hands to cease shaking. She always got nervous when she saw a Tarrkuan visit New Leesburg, but this particular alien male terrified her because he’d been looking at her so intently.
As if he knew all her secrets.
But how could he possibly know what she’d done?
She forced in a few deep breaths, still trying to calm herself. She longed to be back inside the safety of the bakery, but she didn’t quite trust that her legs would work if she stood up. As she sat frozen in place, trying to act normal, Caylee felt the Tarrkuan male’s eyes upon her, like a heated caress over her skin.
A quick glance up confirmed her worst fears. Yes, he was indeed gazing at her, his nostrils flared and his muscles tensed. His tensed posture made it seem as though he were preparing for battle. Or perhaps getting ready to run straight for her.
Her panic heightened and she wished he would stop looking at her.
She prayed he didn’t have a clue about who she really was—that she was a Tarrkuan bride who’d switched places with another human woman. That she was living a lie and pretending to be another person entirely.
Her mouth went dry and she clutched her drink, bringing the water to her lips for a much-needed sip. Act casual. Ignore him. Stand up and go back inside. Nothing to see here.
Somehow, she rose and managed to return to the bakery. Once she was inside, she rushed to the kitchen and collapsed into a chair. Thankfully, there weren’t any customers around at the moment. Just her usual coworkers—Mindy, Alan, and Keith. All three of them aimed looks of concern in her direction.
“You look like you just saw a ghost,” Alan said as he placed cookies on a cooling rack.
Mindy stopped decorating the wedding cake and moved closer. “Julie, sweetheart, are you okay?”
Caylee stared at her coworkers, all of whom knew her real identity but were always careful to call her Julie, even when it was just the four of them. They’d become her dearest friends and she was thankful she’d met them and that they’d been so patient with her while she learned Julie’s old job. It had been necessary to let Julie’s neighbors and coworkers in on their secret, but everyone had promised not to turn them in.
“I-I just saw a big Tarrkuan male outside,” Caylee finally replied. “He was staring at me in a really weird way. I was so sure he knew, so sure he knew…” Her voice trailed off.
Keith spun on his heel and departed the kitch
en, presumably to go investigate.
“I’m sorry,” Mindy said, offering Caylee a reassuring smile. “I’m sure that was scary but there’s no way he would know anything about you. How could he? It’s not as though you look any different from the rest of us.”
Keith returned, lines of worry etched on his face. “I saw him walking with our Leaders. They were headed away from here, but he kept looking over his shoulder at the bakery. He was also younger than any other Tarrkuan male I’ve seen visit our dome-city. The officials and scientists who sometimes visit are usually old men. I wonder who he is.”
This report didn’t ease Caylee’s worries.
The rest of the day passed slowly, with her stomach in perpetual knots. She couldn’t wait until it was time to close up the bakery and go home for the evening. She tried to focus on the bread she was making, but her thoughts kept straying and she couldn’t stop worrying.
Every time she blinked, she could see the huge Tarrkuan male staring at her. The way his dark gaze had fixed on her left her beyond shaken. She hoped he completed whatever business had brought him to New Leesburg and departed the dome-city quickly. She also hoped she never ran into him again.
A couple of minutes before closing, Caylee’s coworkers insisted she head home early.
But on the way home, her footsteps slowed. Since she was pretending to be Julie, she had moved into Julie’s house and now lived by herself. The thought of returning to the empty house made her want to cry, even if her family’s home was a bit chaotic. While she was grateful she’d been able to remain on Earth and happy she still got to visit her family about once a week (visiting excessively might draw too much attention), she didn’t like living all by herself.
She had never known such loneliness in her life and hated coming home to an empty house every day. The constant worry that she would one day be caught didn’t help either. Neither did the guilt that came when she thought about how uncomplicated her life might be if she got caught or even turned herself in.
A life as a wife and mother on Tarrkua had to be easier than what she was doing now. Pretending to be another person while also dealing with her family’s constant drama was exhausting. Though the idea of leaving Earth made her heart break, she was starting to feel as though she didn’t belong here anymore. She was adrift in a life that wasn’t supposed to be hers.
With a mournful sigh, she trudged through the streets to the house that had once belonged to Julie. To make herself feel better, she resolved to visit her family later this evening, when the streetlights were dimmed, and she could slip through the darkness unseen. Maybe her parents were getting along better this week and it would be more of a pleasant visit, rather than a tense one. She could only hope.
Chapter 3
Kazzon navigated the streets of New Leesburg, eager to return to the Corrannelia. The reception had been thrown in a large building located on the other end of the dome-city entirely, and he growled with annoyance as he trudged toward the hangar. Though the human Leaders had volunteered to walk him back to the hangar, he had declined their offer, wanting to be alone.
Relief settled over him as his gaze passed along the empty streets. Most of the houses were entirely darkened, their residents long asleep, and he only spotted the occasional illuminated window. But what struck him most was the complete silence and the stagnant air.
In contrast, nights on Tarrkua were loud, with cool evening breezes rustling the leaves, buzzing insects joining in a chorus, and the cries of nocturnal animals out roaming the forests.
Despite the silence, he suddenly felt a presence in the darkness. Perhaps it was a noise so faint he hadn’t quite registered it, or perhaps it was a slight shift in the air. He turned in a slow circle, seeking out the source that was disrupting his peace.
A tiny feminine sneeze sounded from the shadows along the street.
Kazzon cocked his head to the side, his senses sharpening as he listened for another interruption in the otherwise silent night. It was well past midnight and he hadn’t expected to come across anyone during his return to the ship.
There. Footsteps and a quick inhale of breath. His gaze swept into the alley directly to his right, a narrow pathway between the library and a house. Nostrils flaring, he breathed long and deep, immediately detecting the scent of a lone human female. The sweetness of her was invigorating.
He stared into the shadows and his eyes focused on a small figure pressed against the house. He sensed the coldness of her fear and wondered if she was injured.
What was she doing out past curfew?
He approached the alley but paused when she took two steps back.
“If you run, I will catch you,” he said sternly. “Remain where you are.”
She pressed herself to the wall and lowered her head. In three long strides, he reached the trembling female. Gently grasping her shoulders, he guided her from the shadows and into the light of a nearby street lantern.
His heart nearly stopped. It was the small blonde female from the bakery.
Pushing his surprise aside, he quickly looked her up and down as he searched for any possible injuries. She appeared unharmed and he wondered what she was doing lurking in the darkness.
His pulse quickened as he stared down at her. There was something about her that he couldn’t quite pinpoint that drew him to her like no other. Usually, when he met someone, he was eager to escape their presence and be alone again as soon as possible. But with this particular female, he found he wanted to toss her over his shoulder and carry her away to his quarters.
Large, bottomless blue eyes peered up at him. She was even more stunning up close, with wavy golden hair, thick dark eyelashes, and a light smattering of freckles covering her cheeks and nose. And her scent... Gods, he couldn’t resist leaning closer and taking another deep inhale.
Beneath the faint but pleasant floral aroma that clung to her, he detected the headiness of womanly arousal. Very slight at first, but this feminine essence increased the longer he held her and allowed his gaze to wander over her appealing little body.
His cock promptly hardened, his blood heating with the intensity of his sudden desire. Again, he imagined tossing her over his shoulder and taking her to his quarters.
“Please, let me go,” she whispered. “I was just going home.”
“What is your name, human female?” he asked, unable to resist touching her hair. He tucked a strand behind her delicate ear and let his fingertips trail down the soft slope of her neck. Eventually, he shifted to rest his hands on her shoulders, holding her in place, lest she attempt to run away.
Not that the prospect of chasing her didn’t appeal to his baser instincts.
“I...” She flushed and a shiver coursed through her, just as the scent of her arousal heightened in the air. Her pupils dilated and her breath hitched in her throat, further evidence of her sexual excitement. How very interesting.
He found her visceral response to his nearness quite curious and wondered if perhaps she was a Tarrkuan bride, one of the rare human females whose DNA had been modified to allow for sexual compatibility with his kind. Such females were usually not attracted to human males, yet they were said to be very responsive to Tarrkuan males.
Each year, the humans provided his people with three hundred and fifty-two fertile human females, one from each dome-city on Earth. In return, Kazzon’s people supplied the Earth dome-cities with TEC600 reactors and the fuel needed to power them. The mutually beneficial arrangement was known as the Earth-Tarrkua trade agreement, which was of course the very reason Kazzon had come to Earth—to renegotiate the treaty.
His people needed more human females. Three hundred and fifty-two a year weren’t enough to meet the increasing demand of Tarrkuan males returning from the asteroid mines, where the material needed to power the TEC600 reactors was extracted. Tarrkuan males who met their quota mining TEC600 reactor material in the Feshinga Asteroid Belt were guaranteed a human female upon their return—fair payment for risking their
lives in the dangerous space mines.
But current projections from the Allocators warned that in a few years, the shipments of human females would not come close to meeting the demand. Kazzon was determined to successfully renegotiate the trade agreement, even if he must intimidate the humans into compliance. In two days, if the Leaders of New Leesburg would still not agree to the new terms put forth, he would order their TEC600 reactor to be turned off.
As he stared down at this small human, he found himself hoping she was indeed one of the Tarrkuan brides. Perhaps if he put in a word with the Allocators, they could assign her to become his bride. A fierce sense of possessiveness for the small blonde female filled him, an unexpected emotion that left him a bit shaken, though it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.
It was raw and it was real.
It was truth. His truth.
“Your name,” he demanded, lifting one eyebrow at the wayward female.
“Caaaay, errr, Julie,” she said, her eyes widening. “My-my na-name is Julie.” A dark mist appeared around her head, evidence of her lying.
His fingers tightened on her shoulders. It bothered him more than he would like to admit that she’d just told him a lie.
“Julie?” he asked skeptically, watching as the black aura around her golden locks faded to gray before disappearing. “Are you providing a false name?”
She paled but lifted her chin a moment later, looking defiant and brave, though he still felt her trembling beneath his hands. “My name doesn’t matter. You don’t have any authority in this dome-city. You can’t detain me. Now, let me go.”
He grasped her upper arms, holding her tighter than necessary. “I think you underestimate the power my people have on your planet, little human,” he said. “Earth is at the complete mercy of Tarrkua.” It was true. Treaty or no treaty, Earth was a barren wasteland outside the safety of the dome-cities. The very survival of the human race depended upon the Tarrkuan’s regular shipments of reactor material.
