As Darkness Falls [Flights of Fancy 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Melodee Aaron

  Rabine decided she needed to speak up before this turned into a pissing contest followed by a bloodbath. “Logan, you are coming with us, but we’d prefer not to use the transporter. We don’t know how your physiology might react, so we would rather use the shuttle.”

  Logan glanced around the room several times, his gaze moving over the soldiers before he stared at Cliff for a moment. He finally looked at Rabine, and the smile again came to his face, and she knew it was a fake, just as it had always been. “Very well. I see you feel strongly about this despite it being unusual. I’ll come along with no problems.” He nodded toward the intercom on his desk. “I’ll need to let my people know so there’ll be no interference.”

  * * * *

  One of them had to entertain Logan while the other entertained Crosley and Leilend until the Captain was ready for the meeting, and since Cliff and Logan had nearly come to blows, it made sense for Rabine to stay with him while Cliff spent time with the Lings. The biologists told Cliff that human food and drink was safe for the Lings, so he took the pair to the nightclub to kill some time.

  They shared a small table near the dance floor with Leilend sitting to Cliff’s right and Crosley to his left. The Lings discovered they had an affinity for coffee, though most alcohol was far too weak when compared to the strong liquor Alexa found so palatable. In deference to them, and to keep his mind clear for the coming meeting, Cliff also sipped at a cup of coffee.

  The couples dancing fascinated Leilend and Crosley, and Cliff admitted that Leilend fascinated him. Even keeping in mind what he’d seen her change into back near the water tanks, she was beautiful. Her eyes were of a very dark blue, and the pulsing lights of the club reflected there, flashing and throwing multicolored beams in all directions. Golden hair spilled from her head to cascade down her shoulders and over her back. Sometimes a slight breeze would catch her hair, or she turned her head suddenly, and a lock would flip over her shoulder to come to rest on her chest. When her hair fell to her chest, the slight curl at the ends cupped and framed her breasts, drawing attention to them, though they hardly needed the extra help. Leilend’s boobs weren’t extravagant mounds like Maggie’s, but they were close.

  Crosley touched Cliff’s hand, pulling his attention from the alien’s wife. “I asked what those people are doing.” He smiled a little. “Is it a kind of mating ritual?”

  Cliff managed to look away from Leilend, but it was hard. Her eyes nearly captured him. “Um, no, not exactly.” He took a drink of coffee and burned his tongue. He hadn’t seen the waitress refill his cup. “Dancing is just something we do as friends. Sometimes, friends will dance.”

  Leilend smiled at him. “Perhaps you’ll dance with me, my friend.”

  It probably wasn’t a good idea, and Cliff knew it. Actually, he would be building better relations with the Ling. Actually, he rationalized a lot. “Sure.” He stood and offered his hand to Leilend, and she stood to walk with him to the dance floor.

  Just as they reached the dance floor, the song, a fast piece, ended, and the next tune was a slow number. Leilend smiled up at him. “I saw the couples dancing to music like this holding each other, like they embraced.”

  Cliff swallowed. “Yes, that’s the normal way of doing it.” He slipped his arms around her waist, and she reached up to put her arms around his neck. He sighed to himself as he thought, anything for the sake of intergalactic relations.

  For not even knowing what dancing was twenty minutes ago, Leilend did well. In fact, she did better than well as she moved her small body to the beat, and Cliff wondered if she rubbed against him deliberately, knowing what she was doing, or if she only tried to imitate what she’d seen other couples doing.

  Regardless if Leilend touched her body to his deliberately or not, Cliff’s body reacted as any normal, healthy human male would to a sexy woman rubbing against him—his cock stirred to hardness and his hands moved up and down her back. Guilt rose up in him, but that didn’t stop the purely physical reactions to the alien woman in his arms, and that failure made Cliff feel even guiltier.

  He looked down into her blue eyes and saw that Leilend stared up at him. He took a deep breath. “I think we should go back to the table.”

  She smiled. “I see that you’re excited by my presence. That’s all right. It’s normal.”

  “No, it’s not. I’m in love with Rabine.” He paused for a moment, his own words echoing in his mind, and realized that maybe Rabine would be the last to know. “Besides, your husband is here.”

  She chuckled softly and flipped her head, her hair sailing over her shoulder to tickle his face before it settled to rest between them as they danced. “Crosley understands that I care for you. By extension, since you love Rabine, so do I.”

  Cliff had known for a long time that trying to understand the way a woman thought was a game a man couldn’t win, but he didn’t know that the rules spread across species. “What?”

  “And he believes he may be in love with Rabine.”

  “What?” The room swam around him, and Cliff didn’t think it was simply the closeness of Leilend, though he only just realized that the alien pheromones coming from her had made him giddy all day.

  His mind suddenly took off on its own journey, and Cliff couldn’t stop it. He wasn’t totally certain that he even wanted to. The club and the patrons who filled it vanished, and the darkness of the dance floor faded as warm sunlight like he remembered from the old family farm replaced it. He and Leilend danced in the open field, surrounded by low wheat sprouts, and the fresh air carried the smell of damp dirt mixed with the sweet smell of the growing plants. Her aroma mixed with the odors from the earth to create a savory blend that he knew would extend to her taste.

  Leilend’s body pressed against him as they danced in the phantasm, and the clothing between them dissolved into nothingness, and Cliff felt his cock rubbing stiffly on her stomach. When he hesitated in the dream state, she smiled and stepped back from him.

  He’d never seen a woman as gorgeous as Rabine, and he still hadn’t, but Leilend’s body was staggeringly beautiful. Small and petite, Leilend was very different, and it had nothing to do with her being alien. Cliff fought the urge to touch her with his hands, tongue, and dick.

  Leilend took a small step toward him and reached out to run her small fingers down his bare chest. “It’s only a phantasm, a dream. In dreams, you can do as you like.”

  Cliff paused, and he realized that Leilend was right. Dreams couldn’t hurt anyone, and he could do as he pleased.

  * * * *

  Rabine sat in the conference room with Logan, and she had to give the man credit for being so calm. The fake smile was still painted his face, and she believed he knew that she was now aware that it was a fake, but he kept up the façade anyway.

  Cliff was off with Leilend and Crosley, and the last Rabine had heard, he was taking the Ling to the nightclub for coffee. Logan liked coffee as well, but he added a little sugar to his.

  The sham smile broadened on Logan’s face. “I imagine Captain Davis is busy, but can you tell me how much longer this will take? I’m sure my people are restless for my return.”

  “I can’t really answer that. It will take as long as it takes.”

  He nodded. “I assume we aren’t waiting for Crosley.” The shock at his knowledge must have shown on her face. He laughed, and Rabine thought it was genuine. “My guards saw you and Cliff with Crosley and a Ling woman I believe was Leilend.” The smile suddenly faded, replaced by a frown. “At least the ones who lived to tell the tale reported that.”

  The Captain planned to bring the trio together soon, so Rabine saw no point to concealing that fact. “Yes, we talked to Crosley and Leilend, and that’s why you’re here. We need to know what’s going on.”

  “You must know that the Ling are monsters, killers who feed on normal people. How can you possibly side with them?”

  “We’re not siding with anyone. We just want to understand what the real story is.” She shr
ugged. “Maybe we can help you live together in peace.”

  Suddenly, a strange feeling hit Rabine, and she couldn’t explain it. Something somewhere was happening, but she didn’t know what it was. As she searched in her mind for more information, an image formed in her head. It was Crosley.

  He stood with her in a forest, and deep green foliage surrounded them. Crosley smiled at her and took her hand in his. As at the water tanks, he leaned in and kissed the back of her hand, and Rabine again felt heat wash over her body. Crosley stood up straight, but still held her hand in his. “Don’t be alarmed, Rabine.”

  As she had done with the vision from Leilend, Rabine spoke in her head. “I’m not. Maybe I’m getting used to this.”

  “Perhaps. There is something you should know.”

  “About Logan?” A puzzled feeling came over her as she wondered why Crosley would come to her in this way to tell her something about Logan.

  “No, about Leilend. I believe she loves Cliff.” He smiled. “And she may love you as well.”

  Rabine wasn’t ready for that at all. “What?”

  “And I may love you both, too.”

  * * * *

  Cliff escorted Leilend and Crosley to the conference room, and they spoke only in small talk, like when Cliff pointed out the doors to the holographic simulation deck. He pointedly avoided the topic of the dream encounter with Leilend. Cliff still wasn’t sure if he’d offended her by refusing Leilend’s advances, but that didn’t matter. Leilend was beautiful but she wasn’t Rabine, and dream state or not, it would have been cheating on the only woman he’d ever loved.

  Leilend had been right, and she told him the truth in the dream—he could do as he liked in a dream, and that’s exactly what he did. Cliff had taken Leilend’s small shoulders in his hands, her naked flesh soft and hot under his palms, and held her away from him. He’d told her that he wanted only Rabine. Leilend had smiled and the images of the fantasy faded back to the club.

  They reached the door of the conference room, and the security guards stood aside as the door opened and Cliff escorted his charges inside.

  * * * *

  Elsa watched the three aliens for their reactions as Rochester escorted the two Lings into the conference room. Logan looked both disgusted and angry at the same time, his jaw tight and fists clenched on the table in front of him. The Ling didn’t react at all other than to nod toward Salas where she sat beside Logan.

  Salas and Rochester, however, were a different matter. They smiled when their eyes locked, and Rochester looked like someone had just planted a good right hook to the side of his head. The best word Elsa could think of was that he had a sappy look on his face. Elsa smiled to herself as she thought that she might get to perform another wedding soon, just as the captains of ships had done for millennia.

  After everyone took a seat, Elsa decided to get right to the point. “I want to thank you for being here and to apologize for the rather unorthodox nature of the meeting, but I think it’s best that we meet off the planet so you’re on neutral ground.”

  Crosley and Leilend exchanged a quick glance before he spoke. “We understand that, Captain, and appreciate your offer to broker these talks.”

  Logan smiled, and Elsa caught Salas rolling her eyes in response. “Captain Davis, I have to admit that I was upset at first, but I, too, understand. I just hope I can make you see the error in trusting the Ling.”

  “That remains to be seen, but we need to air the problems and how to resolve them.” Elsa glanced at her notes. “First of all, I’m curious about your Emperor. Why haven’t we met him?”

  “Simply put, Kartime is feeble-minded.” Logan shrugged. “His intelligence is that of a child and he isn’t able to make these kinds of decisions.”

  Elsa nodded, understanding the situation fully. In the Empire of Mankind, similar Emperors had come to the throne in times when succession was a matter of birthright. But aliens didn’t need to know that part of history. “Very well. I’ll assume that you hold the real power.”

  “While that might prove imprecise at some future time, it’s a safe assumption for now.”

  “All right, then. Let me outline what we know, and the three of you can fill in the blanks for me.” Elsa consulted her notes. “We know that the Hargon were given the technology you have now by someone called the Old Ones some seven thousand or so years ago. We know the Ling are predators and can change forms into something that most people would call monsters. We also know that Hargon and Ling were once the same species, and so there are remarkable similarities.”

  Logan stared at her, his gaze deliberately avoiding the Ling. “You failed to mention how many Hargon the Ling have killed.”

  Crosley chuckled. “And you fail to mention how many Ling you have killed.”

  Elsa held up her hand. “Let’s talk about that. Logan, you first.”

  The Security Chief nodded. “Over the last seven thousand years, many Hargon have died in raids led by the Ling.”

  “How many did the Ling kill as prey?”

  “I have no idea. They claim that they no longer feed on Hargon, but how can that be proved?”

  “I doubt it can be proved either way, so I plan to disregard that factor.” Elsa nodded toward Crosley. “You next.”

  “Logan speaks the truth and many Hargon have died defending the weapons, food, and other things from Ling parties. We raid those places to get the things that the Hargon deny us, things like food and medicines.”

  “Why didn’t you just ask for the things?”

  Crosley shrugged. “We have, but we were refused.”

  She looked back at Logan. “Is that true?”

  Logan nodded. “Yes, because they would use the items against us.”

  “The Ling would use food and medicine against you?” Elsa laughed. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “You don’t know the Ling very well.”

  Salas spoke up from where she sat beside Logan. “But you trusted Leilend.”

  “And see what it got me?”

  “A chance to sit down and talk and a chance to get peace for your world?”

  Elsa’s experience with conflict as both a soldier and a diplomat led her to a simple conclusion—if left to themselves, the Hargon and Ling would always find reasons to fight. The war had become habit over the eons, and they literally knew no other way to live. Like a water monopoly, the status quo would last forever unless some outside influence toppled it.

  And she intended to be that outside influence.

  * * * *

  Cliff was in trouble, and he knew it. Every time he looked at Rabine, she would smile at him, and he couldn’t help smiling back. He figured he looked like an idiot to everyone else at the conference table, but that was just fine. When he looked at Leilend, Cliff hoped he didn’t have the same expression on his face as when he looked at Rabine, but he wasn’t sure.

  Captain Davis had called a short intermission to the meeting while she talked to Commander Harris and some of the diplomatic people, and Cliff caught Crosley staring at him. Just like back in the club with Leilend, Cliff found his mind went elsewhere.

  He half expected to find himself with Leilend, and maybe Crosley, but instead the woman in his arms was Rabine. She looked up at him, her black eyes sparkling in bright sunlight like back home on Earth, and her dark hair moving gently in the easy breeze. Without a word, Rabine slipped her hand down to cup his cock through his pants, and she squeezed gently.

  Rabine smiled. “I want you.”

  Cliff never considered himself particularly bright, but she didn’t need to tell him twice. He grabbed the lapels of her jumpsuit in his hands and pulled. The material parted like so much tissue paper, and Cliff saw that Rabine wore nothing under the clothing. Lifting her in his arms, the remains of the outfit fell from her feet, and Cliff lowered her to the grass and knelt between her spread legs.

  His cock had gone from only slightly turgid to raging stiffness in an instant, and Cliff thrust forward, h
is dick spreading Rabine’s pussy wide to slide deep inside of her. Rabine moaned and grunted with him as Cliff fucked her, and her ass scooted on the grass with each thrust. He hoped she wasn’t getting grass burns in the process, but part of him simply didn’t care at the moment. He could kiss the tingling away later.

  * * * *

  Rabine wondered if she jerked when the vision flooded into her mind. If so, everyone at the conference table would know that something was wrong.

  She was in a field with Cliff, and her torn and tattered jumpsuit lay crumpled on the ground near her. Cliff was on top of her, fucking her hard, his cock running its full length as he moved back and forth. He pulled his dick from her until only the tip of the bulging head rested between the lips of her pussy, then he pushed into her, the head running hard across her clit before the shaft slid deep inside her and his cock pressed firm against the very back of her pussy. He made no attempt to speak in the vision, and the cautious roughness of his passion excited her in ways she’d never known before. There was little of the gentle tenderness of most of their sessions from the last few weeks, but instead only animal passion drove Cliff, and she liked the change, though a part of her missed the gentleness, too.

  Rabine wrapped her legs around Cliff’s waist, and she pulled him deeper into her, his thrusting becoming a series of rapid jerks. She’d learned over the time they’d been together to tell when he neared climax, and he was close, maybe even closer than her orgasm was to her.

  Suddenly, a shadow fell across them, and Rabine instinctively turned to look. Crosley stood naked, watching them, a smile on his face and his fist wrapped around his dick, slowly pumping the shaft.

  She didn’t feel surprised by Crosley’s presence, but her own reaction in the dream gave her a moment of shocked pause. Rabine smiled. “Join us.”

  * * * *