Flame: Galaxy Alien Mail Order Brides (Intergalactic Dating Agency)

by Michelle M. Pillow

  As he said the words, Angela felt the energy he spoke of. It grew stronger the more she allowed herself to pay attention to it. She’d felt it the moment she’d touched him beside the ice cream vendor. His chin and lips had been covered with the sticky, melting treat. She’d been trying to make a good impression on Harris, so she hadn’t given the feelings much credence.

  “Close your eyes,” he whispered.

  This time, she did as he requested. She took a deep breath, and then another, letting herself feel without thinking. Her nerve endings tingled. His naturally warm body drew her toward him. She imagined tiny threads pulling them closer together.

  His mouth brushed against hers in a gentle kiss. Her lips parted, and she traced the seam of his mouth with her tongue. Soon the kiss was deepened, and her hands became mindless wanderers, groping him like a person starved for affection.

  It became impossible to tell where her feelings began and his ended. Flame was the perfect name for him because that was what he was, a flame drawing her in, burning passion into her veins with each touch. He was light and warmth, and everything she needed in that primitive moment to survive.

  He suddenly stopped kissing her and pulled back. “Someone is watching us.”

  It took Angela a moment to focus on what he said. The sound of their heavy breathing filled the car, and she turned to look out the windows. “Where?”

  “I am not sure, but close.” Vin frowned, studying the parking lot. He motioned toward a darkened corner. “There, I believe.”

  “So what if some perv is in their car watching us kiss?” Angela dismissed.

  “We should leave,” Vin stated, appearing concerned as he looked out of the window toward the shadow.

  “Is someone after you?” she asked.

  “My brother will not be happy I left the hotel room to find you. I am not sure Galaxy Brides Corporation will care unless Sev threatens them again. He wants to leave. My cousin and I want to stay.”

  Angela wanted him to stay. The idea of him leaving, when she was just getting to know him, caused a strange sense of fear and loss inside of her. If Galaxy Brides was looking for him, she was going to make sure they didn’t find him. She started the car. “Well, I’m hungry. If we’re not going inside, I’ll take us to a fast food drive thru. Then we’ll go back to my house. No one will look for you there.”

  There was a naivety about him that Angela liked, an innocence that drew her to him. His connecting with her mother was like icing on the cake. In the past, a couple of would-be boyfriends had come close to winning her heart. The stumbling block for both eligible men had been her need to take care of her mother.

  Her wellbeing was paramount to Angela. There were only the two of them, her and mom.

  “Well?” Vin smiled. “Are we going to go?”

  “Yes, of course.” Angela’s smile felt genuine for once. It wasn’t forced or fake. It came from somewhere deep within, and the reason for it was the strange person sitting in her passenger seat.

  “Good. I want to drive through the food. That sounds like fun.” Vin’s eyes were wide with anticipation. “We can get completely covered in it!”

  Chapter Eleven

  “It’s not fancy,” Angela stated as she opened the apartment door, “but it’s close to Sunny Side and work so I can’t complain.”

  Vin stood in a hallway of evenly spaced doors, each distinguished only by a number painted on the dark wall next to them. His expression was unusually solemn as he stared at a nearby door.

  “Is everything all right?” She touched his arm. “I know it’s not like how you described your suite, but—”

  “I was thinking of my homeworld. This area reminds me of the residential passageways on Bravon. I was having what you call, ah, home illness?”

  “Homesickness,” Angela answered.

  “Yes. That.” He placed his hand over hers. In the other hand, he had several fast food takeout bags. In his excitement over talking into an electronic bull, he’d ordered nearly everything on the menu. “I don’t know if this is understandable to you, but when I was there, I was excited to get away. I was excited to see fresh air and sunlight. Now, part of me misses the familiarity of it.”

  “That makes complete sense.” Angela stepped closer to him. She liked the contact of his hand on hers. Before she could lift up on her toes to kiss him, one of her neighbors across the hall opened the door. She stepped away from him. “Good evening, Ms. Cunningham.”

  “Hello.” Vin smiled and held out his hand to the neighbor.

  “Huh,” Ms. Cunningham muttered in return. She eyed Vin, and then his food bags, before shutting her door with a decisive thud.

  “Should I have offered her French fries?” Vin asked. “They are delicious.”

  “No. There’s always that one grumpy neighbor, and Ms. Cunningham is mine,” Angela said. “She doesn’t like me because she thinks I looked at her pet parrot weird in the elevator. If I did, it was because it kept repeating, ‘watch out for the po-po, watch out for the po-po,’ and making police siren noises. You can ignore her.”

  Angela gestured that he should enter her apartment. Unlike the lavish hotel suite he’d described in the car, Angela’s home was minimally decorated and uncluttered. Photos hung on the walls, most images from her childhood. Her mother was in several of them with her. What little items she had were neatly put away on a bookshelf. The television was old, fatter than the flat screens everyone seemed to have these days. It sat on a plain wood table before a two-seat couch.

  “You can put the food on the coffee table.” She pointed in front of the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

  Angela went to her kitchen to grab plates and extra napkins. A tiny thrill of excitement rolled through her. It had been a long time since she’d been on a date.

  Angela hadn’t been looking for a relationship. She didn’t need more complications, but then being with Vin didn’t feel complicated. Yes, he was an alien, but for some reason that didn’t seem to matter. He felt and looked and sounded human, or humanoid, or whatever they called it. He was infinitely better than the last man she’d been on a date with. That guy had left her with the bill after ordering two lobsters and a steak to take home.

  When she went back to the living room, she froze when she saw Vin’s clothes piled on the floor. He lounged on her couch, completely naked. Grinning, he held a cheeseburger up to his mouth.

  “I see you made yourself comfortable.” Her automatic modest response was to glance away, but his posture invited her inspection, and she couldn’t help but look. When else would she see a naked alien?

  With that in mind, she looked between his legs. Thankfully, that part of him was humanoid in appearance. Actually, his entire body was humanoid in appearance, down to his nicely trimmed beard and his tribal tattoo covering his entire right arm like some bad boy biker.

  Vin took a bite of the cheeseburger, and a little ketchup dropped on his chest. He chuckled to himself and swiped it with his finger. “Drive through food.”

  What was Angela missing? His eyes were metallic. If she acted on the desire flowing through her, would something strange happen? It was hard not to think of all those late night, science fiction movie marathons. Would tentacles grow out of his mouth? Or angry parasitic creatures break out of his stomach? What if she became pregnant with an alien baby and it gestated so fast she was a mother by tomorrow morning?

  “Are you sure you’re, ah,” Angela forced her eyes up to his, “alien?”

  He nodded.

  “You don’t look, ah…” She glanced down his body again and backed up.

  “Ah?”

  “Like an alien,” she finished.

  “I don’t?”

  “Does your skin come off?” she asked, thinking of the skin suit.

  “No. Does yours?”

  She shook her head in denial. “Do you have strange parts I can’t see right now?”

  He grinned and glanced down his body. His co
ck was at full attention. “I’m pretty sure you can see all of me, but I’ll be happy to turn around if you would like to see the other side.”

  Angela began to say that wouldn’t be necessary, but then slowly nodded. “Yeah, that might be good.”

  Vin set the cheeseburger down on the wrapper. He stood and slowly turned, wearing only the shackles. He towered over her. His body looked as if a master craftsman sculpted it. Muscles moved beneath his firm ass, and she bit her bottom lip. Her body reacted favorably to his form. The only difference was three small bumps protruding from one of his hips.

  “Ah-ha!” She pointed at the anomaly. “What’s that?”

  He lightly touched them. “Bravon weather is unforgiving. These glands secrete a natural—I think you would call it a chemical—that regulates body temperature. But,” he reached to take her hand and drew it to his hip, “if you rub it like this…”

  Vin’s breathing deepened in pleasure as her fingers pressed the three bumps and massaged them in tiny circles. Her eyes moved down his stomach to where his erection grew larger. Heat worked its way up her fingers from his skin.

  “Now you.” He breathed heavily. He stepped closer, but their bodies didn’t touch beyond where he held her hand to his hip. “Let me see what you look like.”

  Angela found herself agreeing. Every inch of her body tingled with anticipation. She lifted her shirt over her head before unzipping her pants. She kicked off her shoes and socks and then pushed her pants and underwear off her hips at the same time. When she stood only in her bra, she reached behind her back to unhook it.

  Vin surged forward and pulled her to him. The warm chains bumped against her legs. Her arms were locked to her sides as he wrapped his arms around her. He smelled really good, and she breathed deeply to take him in.

  His hands skated over her back. Her breasts pressed into his chest. The lace of her bra offered little protection. A low noise came from him, a completely sexually charged sound of pleasure.

  He flicked his tongue along the seam of her mouth. “Damn.”

  She pulled away. “Why do you keep saying that?”

  “Because I’m like an Earth human.” He nodded. “And you are damn fine.”

  Angela chuckled. “Ok, well, damn right back at you.”

  “Thank you.” Vin resumed kissing her. His embrace was passionate, but not rough. His hands molded to her flesh as if embedding themselves over every inch of her soft body. The silver sheen over his brown eyes seemed to swirl and grow in intensity.

  Desperate need filled her, and she couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t want to think or reason. It didn’t matter if this was insane. There was an undeniable connection between them, the pull of her body to his as if she recognized him as her mate on a primal level. He was whom she was meant to be with. Logic didn’t matter. All the arguments in the world made for time, for taking it slow, for knowing your partner before you jumped in, no longer seemed relevant. None of it mattered.

  There was no denying it. She wanted him and was going to have him.

  Angela moaned as she pushed against his chest, walking him backward toward the couch. A leisurely smile curled her lips. The electric connection hummed between them.

  She straddled his waist, threading her legs under the chains. He leaned over to pull a nipple into his mouth. The material of the bra wet under his kiss and when he leaned away the damp cloth clung to the erect peak.

  He pulled her hips, sliding her up until the length of his cock nestled along her sex. She gasped and pushed back. “One second.”

  “But, I was not finished,” he sounded confused as she hurried away. “I can do better.”

  Angela chuckled as she grabbed a box of condoms out of her bathroom. Thankfully, they weren’t expired. She hurried back. “Safety first.”

  “Of course, I wish to be safe. Is this place not appropriate?” Vin began to stand, but she pushed him down.

  “No, I meant pregnancy protection.” She unwrapped the condom and rolled it over his erection.

  “Yes, I understand.” Vin reached for her, and they resumed where they’d left off.

  At first, he didn’t penetrate as he glided against her sex. She moaned as she rocked back and forth. His tongue slipped into her mouth as his cock moved between her thighs.

  Angela ran her hands over his muscles, exploring the firm ridges of his arms, neck and shoulders beneath her fingertips. She gasped in approval as a small orgasm racked over her. The smell of him, the feel, the look of his body, everything about it consumed her senses.

  Vin’s eyes met hers as he thrust up. It didn’t take long before she was riding him with abandon. His hands molded to her curves as if they learned the way to her fulfillment. It sent her into a state of wild recklessness. Just as she was about to explode, he slowed his rhythm and looked deep into her eyes, the metallic orbs appearing as if they could see inside and read the energy of her soul. He cared about how she felt, wanted her to find pleasure, wanted her to be happy.

  Without notice, he resumed the determined thrusting that had brought her close. His hands on her hips burned their place in her memory as the flames of their desire rose from the center of her being.

  Angela could see in his eyes and feel in the way his body began to tense that his release was coming soon. She wanted it now, but she could tell he wanted to prolong their passion. His will teetered on cruelty and insane bliss until something inside surrendered all control.

  Their climax hit them hard, simultaneously enveloping them like a wave in an ocean of ecstasy, cresting and breaking over their trembling bodies, dragging them down into the depths of the wave, only freeing them, once they were completely spent, and close to drowning in the pleasure of each other.

  “You are better than ice cream,” he whispered.

  Angela was too relaxed to respond. She stretched along his body and didn’t move from the couch.

  Chapter Twelve

  Vin watched as Angela slept on his chest. Her weight pressed into him and pinned him down like a comforting blanket. He didn’t want to let her go. The soft waves of their energy danced around them, enveloping them in the nearly invisible cocoon.

  This moment meant something. He felt that and accepted it for what it was. Angela was his future. Beyond that fact, he didn’t have details. She had Connie, and the elderly woman was in no state to go to Bravon. He couldn’t take Angela away from her mother, so that left one option. If he wanted Angela, he had to stay on Earth.

  Sev would not be pleased.

  Sev didn’t understand love.

  Vin grinned to himself and hugged her closer.

  She gave a small, sleepy moan and snuggled against him. Her thigh hit against the chain, and she mumbled, “We have to find a way to get these restraints off.”

  He heard footsteps coming down the hall beyond her door. “Is someone outside?”

  “Probably. The tenants here are up at all hours. Don’t worry. Ms. Cunningham, the neighborhood busybody, will be on the job.”

  There was a brief scream before silence. Angela pushed up, coming instantly awake. They both looked to the door in unison.

  “What was—?” Angela’s words were interrupted by the loud crash of her front door breaking open.

  Vin instantly rolled his body, taking her down to the floor to protect her. He jumped to his feet and faced whoever intruded. A blur of movement entered the small apartment like a swarm of insects, centering around a tall, willowy, dark brown man. He recognized the Galaxy Brides uniforms on the slender alien. What was a Clynder military team doing on Earth? He didn’t even bother to hide the fact that he was not from Earth. Vin estimated there were ten of them, but was hard to tell from the number of seedling clone spores gathered along the ceiling.

  “Angela, stand up slowly and get behind me,” Vin ordered.

  “What is that smell?” she asked.

  “Stand up,” Vin repeated.

  “Tracking complete,” The slender leader said in the universal star langua
ge. Angela made a small, fearful noise, clearly not understanding the garbled words that came from the alien’s mouth. “Target has been found.”

  Seedling spores twinkled like fireflies in the air before falling to the ground in several piles, which then formed into mounds that grew into lighter brown versions of their leader. The longer they stood, the more the planet’s oxygen began to react to their skin, changing the color. Once complete the cloned figures from another world moved forward. The Clynder clones’ dark eyes had white pinhole pupils that differentiated them from their leader, not to mention their slightly drooping posture.

  “Vinglarkenbauer of Bravon, you must come with us,” the lead alien said.

  “Your buddies aren’t looking too well, Clynder,” Vin answered, trying to calculate the easiest way to get Angela to safety.

  “This planet’s toxins do not assimilate well, but they are functioning as they need to,” the leader said. “Do not resist or we will be required to use force. Las Vegas has been determined to be in an unsafe territory. All grooms are required to leave the planet immediately.”

  “What is he saying?” Angela slowly pushed to her feet behind him and touched his back. He felt her concern. “What’s happening, Vin? What are the skinny, zombie-looking alien things doing in my living room? ”

  Vin hated the fear in her voice. He answered the leader in the Earth language so she could understand him. “I am not going anywhere with you.”

  Vin didn’t recognize the creatures before him, beyond what he’d read. He had not seen Clynders on the ship, and because they wore the uniforms did not mean that they came from Galaxy Brides. There was no way in all of Bravon’s fire he was going with them.