Twelve Days of Xanthus

by Shyla Colt

  She shook her head to clear it. “Yeah, let’s get our stuff inside.”

  She pushed the door open, grateful for the frigid air that cooled her heated flesh, at least temporarily. The soles of her knee length, black suede boots crunched onto the packed snow as she made her way to the doorway. It took the two of them about ten minutes to complete their trips back and forth from the car to the cabin and put things away. Once they were settled in, the familiar electric current began to pulse through her body. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and something in her belly tightened. Xan’s eyes darkened with lust, and the delicious scent began to pour from him. The odor was the same, the scent of the air before the rain only intensified. She ran her fingers through her dark tresses in an attempt to defuse the tension. Silence stretched out between them like a shadow. One word, one movement, and she’d fall on him. Her heart beat in her chest double time as her breasts heaved with the effort to breathe. Hot liquid ran from her cleft. His nostrils flared and she knew he could smell it. A fresh wave of his scent hit her and she moaned. The lusty sound bounced off the walls.

  She peered down at his pants. The large bulge made her purr in the back of her throat. Their gazes held, and Violet peeled off her jacket and tossed it to the floor without breaking eye contact. His lips beckoned and she planned on indulging herself. From what he’d said about Zenton, she got the feeling his culture wasn’t big on kissing because it would be too intimate. With each day that passed, she grew closer to telling him goodbye. The day had become a looming black cold on the horizon. She and Xan fit together. The routine they’d eased into felt natural and right. She didn’t want him to leave. Yet, she had no right to ask him to stay when all he ever wanted was his freedom.

  Time to stop struggling with the need to make love. At least she could give him this gift and carve her own unique place in his memories. She needed to be more than some Earth lay he did out of some sense of misguided duty and biological instinct. Her steps were sure as she made her way to where he stood, transfixed by her. The thought made her want to burst into giggles. She had never been the kind of woman a man was riveted by.

  Off went his jacket followed by the sweater she tugged over his head. She fingered his thick braid, and smirked at his quick intake of breath. This beautiful man needed to be worshipped with lips and fingers. She unwound his hair, ran her hand through his dark tresses, and tugged gently to bring his mouth down to her own. She pressed her lips against his and marveled at the trembles that shook his large frame. To see this warrior so moved by such a simple thing endeared him to her. Their mouths came together and mated until they were both breathless. Lust ran rampant but she fought down the ravenous beast that clawed at her belly to give him a proper loving. Violet eased her hands up his taut belly. His muscles jumped in response and she leaned in to press tiny kisses on his chest through the shirt.

  “I think we need to get rid of the rest of our clothes, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” His voice was husky and raw.

  Their clothing hit the floor as they stripped down in record time. Lips reattached, they stumbled back to the rug in front of the hearth. The fire popped and crackled behind them. We aren’t going to make it to the bedroom. The two sank down onto their knees and she attacked his mouth once more. He tasted like the caramel apple cider they’d purchased at the coffee shop next to Walmart and the unique flavor that was him alone.

  They broke apart to breathe, she pushed him onto his back, and straddled his thighs. His stiff cock brushed against her wet lips. She arched her back and threw back her head. She rubbed against him, and the friction made her gush like a fountain. The world narrowed down to the feel of him as he slid against the place she needed him most.

  He placed his hands on her hips and pressed her body against him. She rolled her hips against him and found a rhythm. Another moan ripped from her throat. His thick cock swelled and she shivered. It’d been over a year since she last had sex, and he was well endowed. She had a moment of virginal fear. Would he fit? Violet lifted her hips and reached down wrapping her hand around him. She stroked, once, twice, and lined him up. His bulbous head pressed at her entrance.

  “Wait!” Blind panic flooded her as common sense stilled her body and held the lust at bay.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We don’t have a contraceptive.”

  “Those things aren’t needed, Violet. My people choose when we procreate. We control if our sperm’s viable.”

  “The more I learn, the more I like you.”

  She braced her hand against his chest and lowered herself onto him. She wiggled her hips to coat his hardness with her juices and ease her journey down his thick, hard cock. She’d never been filled so full in her life. Her breath caught in her throat, her fingers twitched, and she dug her nails into the tanned flesh of his chest. She reached the base and a delicious jolt of electricity shot through her body.

  “Oh.”

  Her pussy fluttered and they both cried out. She wanted to take things slow, show him what it could be like, but the lust wouldn’t allow her to choose. The minute she was adjusted to his girth, she had to move. Violet rose up and slammed back down as she rode him like a prize stallion. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode. Her nipples were painfully hard and begged to be plucked.

  “Please, touch my breasts, Xanthus!”

  He sucked a full globe into his mouth and her stomach muscles clenched. Her body tensed and her walls tightened around him further. He hissed and she flexed her muscles and released, determined to make him feel the same bliss she was experiencing. His thrust came faster and he tilted her hips to hit a spot that made her scream his name. A few more strokes and she saw stars behind her eye lids.

  Her legs threatened to fail, so Xan took over. He manipulated her body, lifted her up, and brought her down as if she weighed nothing. Her pussy clenched and gripped him tight and she came harder than she ever had in her life.

  Chapter Four

  This was why I risked everything to escape— for the chance to experience this peace and happiness at least once. Xanthus watched Violet move around the kitchen as she prepared what she referred to as a proper Christmas dinner. She insisted he needed to celebrate the start of his new life now and not after the twelve day period ended because they wouldn’t be together on the actual date. The thought made his stomach queasy.

  After their consummation in front of the fire place, they’d showered, changed, and ended up here in the kitchen. At times he swore he saw…something more than drug-induced desire in her eyes. Wishful thinking. Without his pheromones, she might still be helping him, but they would not be having intercourse. At least when they parted, he would have these memories. She kissed him!

  His soul sang with joy as the memories replayed itself. Kissing was a new experience. He never understood how the practice of two lips meeting could mean so much until now. He’d often scoffed at the practice before. He realized now his jaded views of affection in the romantic sense were all due to Kala. The thought of his last Mistress filled him with anger and fear. She was a formidable enemy. He’d be a fool to discount that. He needed to come up with a contingency plan, so he’d be prepared when she arrived. Violet might have the heart of a lion but she was no match for the Zenth Queen. The thought of the seven foot plus woman getting her hands on Violet made his stomach churn more. No matter what, he’d make sure this woman with purple eyes and a generous soul was safe.

  “Okay, it’s ready.”

  He gave what he hoped passed for a smile. The movement was unfamiliar and felt awkward on his lips. The glow in her eyes was payment enough for his efforts.

  “I know you’re picky so I didn’t go all out. It’s turkey, no stuffing, and mashed potatoes. I know they look weird, but I’ve never met a person who didn’t like them. Biscuits, no gravy, and cranberry sauce.”

  He looked at the red, wiggling cylinder and frowned. The food here would take a lot of getting used to. His people ate m
ostly meat and vegetables with some fruits and breads. None of which looked anything like the things he’d seen Earthlings consume. The fruits on his planet were all brightly colored, blues, greens, and pinks with white or black speckling. Judging from the turkey he assumed was a bird, their cattle was just as different. The images his translation implant sent him of cows made his eyes widen. Their cattle was mostly four legged where his was six, and they were much smaller.

  “Xan?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I was just comparing this food to that on my own world. This smells pleasing.”

  “Thank you. I’ll give you small portions of everything.” She dished small servings on to a black plate, and placed it in front of him before she dished out her own. The concept of men coming first for anything blew his mind. Even now he was struggling not to get up and attend her. He waited for her to sit down with her own plate before he began to sample the food. The meat was moist and easy on his palate. The mashed potatoes were a delightful surprise. Creamy and flavorful, they melted in his mouth. The spices infused in the white fluff danced along his tongue.

  “This is very enjoyable.”

  She beamed.

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  They continued to eat their meal in a comfortable silence. He tried the cranberry sauce, eventually. It was tart and sweet, but strangely addicting. Once they were finished with their meal, he helped her do the dishes, and moved into the living room in front of the fire. When they were seated on the couch, she turned to face him with a look he’d come to recognize as mischievous.

  “Now we have to decorate a tree!”

  “Why?”

  “It’s a Christmas tradition.”

  “I understand but is this not something adults do for children?”

  “No, this is just as much for us as it is for them, even though we may pretend otherwise. You’ve never experienced a Christmas so I want to give you that now.”

  Her kindness warmed his heart. So this is how it feels to be to be cared for. A surge of proactive possession swept through him. In thirty-seven years, the only people he’d every truly cared for were his daughters. It scared him that Violet was now number three. This wouldn’t end well. Here on Earth the male was the provider. He had nothing to offer. There was no need for warriors like him here. Their wars were fought on foreign soil. At his age, with no education, no job, and no money, he’d be considered a loser. A far cry from the high title of the Queen’s slave, the irony wasn’t lost on him.

  “You don’t have to do th-”

  “I want to.”

  “Okay.”

  She hopped off the couch and headed for a door in the far corner of the room. She disappeared and resurfaced a few minutes later, dragging out a giant rectangular box.

  “This has been our tree for years, so it’s well loved and slightly threadbare. We should replace it, but we have such a sentimental attachment to it. I know it’ll be around until the metal pieces no longer stay in the slots.”

  She must have seen the confused look that passed his face because she continued.

  “This is an artificial tree. Lots of families who are big on Christmas use them because they’re a lot neater and cheaper than real trees in the long run. Come on over and help me put this thing together.”

  He stood and followed her directions as she showed him how to separate each piece into a color pile. Fifteen minutes later, they had the tree up and wrapped in tiny white Christmas bulbs.

  “Now comes the fun part.”

  She disappeared back into the closet the Christmas tree came from and reappeared with a large, pale blue plastic container. She placed it on the floor and knelt down to remove the cover.

  “These are Christmas ornaments. Half of them go back to when we were kids.”

  She lifted up a piece of wood that had been carved into the shape of a stocking, painted a brick red and boasted what had to be a picture of Violet as a child.

  “This is my second grade school picture.”

  The adorable girl with the slicked pony tail, bright eyes, and crisp white t-shirt looked enchanting. He felt the corners of his lip twitch upward. How different her childhood must’ve been from his. Xanthus pictured himself at ten: a thin boy with bare feet, a dirty, smudged face, and holey, stained clothing. It was the age he was first eligible to fight and earn his place at the Zenth’s side. A life in the castle was preferable to the menial labor that waited for them outside the gates and on the castle grounds. When he’d knocked his first opponent on the ground he saw hope. It was that tiny sliver of light that kept him on top, fighting like a feral animal.

  The sound of Violet’s voice brought him back from the darkness. He focused in on another handmade ornament and daydreamed about a world where light and love were a normalcy.

  He stood back and examined the tree. It was all too easy to pretend he belonged here and Violet was a woman who chose to be at his side. His fingers itched to caress strands of her silken hair, and he craved the taste of her lips. He gritted his teeth. He’d leave her with his pride intact if it was the last thing he did, since it was all he had.

  “We need to talk.”

  She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “My bands have been activated.”

  Her face twisted in horror. She covered her mouth with her hands.

  “Oh God, is Kala close?”

  “No, but it’s only a matter of time now that she’s entered Earth’s atmosphere.”

  “Is there anything you know of that can scramble the homing beacon?”

  “Yes, the cold. This is why I landed here in Canada during the height of winter.”

  “Smart. So the weather is our advantage. What else can we do? The only plan I can think of is to keep moving from place to place. We’re ending day seven, four more just like it, and we’re home free.”

  “Home Free?”

  “Safe.”

  He paused.

  “I will only agree to leave with you if you promise me one thing.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “If Kala catches up to us, you do exactly what I tell you to.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “You don’t know the horrors this woman is capable of. I won’t have you at her mercy while I hide behind your skirts like a scared child. I am a warrior and even in this strange land where I’m dependent upon the kindness of others, I refuse to forget that.”

  Her mouth opened and he growled. The sound made her jump.

  “You have shown me your culture and now-” He tapped his chest with a balled fist. “-I will show you mine. I know war and battle. I was raised in the belly of the beast.” He scowled. “In this, Violet O’Shea, you must trust me.”

  She remained silent but the curt nod she issued told him she agreed. He smelled the tinge of fear in the air. She was frightened. That was good, it might save her life. Violet’s lip trembled as she gave him a shaky smile.

  “It’s good to see you’ve taken our lessons on independence to heart.”

  Xan leaned in to caress her face. “It’s my turn to take care of you, Violet.”

  Chapter Five

  Ever since they hit the road, things had changed. Xanthus was more somber and closed off. The lust that made it difficult to think about anything more than touching one another had begun to cool. Currently they were on their way to yet another motel in a tiny town. She sighed and watched the road, hating the silence that stretched out in the vehicle. Three days of this and she was ready to pull her hair out and scream. Had she done something to offend him? She combed her mind for the zillionth time and came up blank, yet again. Could alien males have PMS? She used her peripheral vision to cast a quick glance in his direction. He looked casual and relaxed. His arm rested on the console between them and his head was placed against the head rest. She had no doubt he was taking in everything around them. The nonchalant air was a façade.

  A high-pitched whine filled the car and
she swore. Violet frowned. Her SUV had never made that noise before.

  “She’s here.”

  The two words filled her with dread. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel and her heart sounded in her ears as the world around her drifted into the background. The alien bitch from hell had arrived, and Xanthus could sense it. The phenomenon probably worked both ways.

  “Does she know where we are?”

  “Not yet. My bands aren’t even lukewarm. The closer she gets, the hotter they’ll burn. It’s not in her nature to resist inflicting pain, so we must be out of range.”

  “Wait, back up- pain?”

  “Yes, she can emit electrical impulses at will once she’s close enough.”

  Visions of an incapacitated giant filled her head. Think, think, come on, Violet, you’re a smart girl. There must be something you can do to shield yourselves. Cold!