by Skyler Grant
“Stop looking so surprised, Husband. While I’m aware I have truly magnificent breasts, my brain is even sexier.”
“I really do like them, brain too,” Quinn said.
“Mhm. I’ll let you screw them tonight if you want, but you’re putting a baby in me first. Priorities,” Jinx said.
“Do you really want that?”
“I love easily. I do love Tamara, she might be mostly fangs and claws, but they’re standing between me and those that mean me harm. I love how brave Dela is, how fierce Kara is, how quietly strong Taki can be, Melody’s heart. I love you too. I want this family to stick together and I badly want to avoid being kidnapped by another duke,” Jinx said.
“And biologically it’s time?” Quinn asked.
“My magic—if I want it to be time, it is going to be time,” Jinx said, and she pulled the sarong loose to let it flutter onto the sand at her feet. Laying down she stretched out on her back where the waves just barely washed over her, lit by the light of the setting sun.
“You do know how to set a scene. You’re stunning,” Quinn said. Jinx had a classic hourglass shape, large breasts and wide hips.
“Shut up and get down here before the sun finishes going down,” Jinx said with a grin.
Quinn threw off his clothing and settled down atop her, an elbow supporting his weight as his hips shifted and he slowly eased himself inside of her.
Jinx angled her head back and let out a breathy moan. “Fast and hard. We can be gentle later.”
Quinn lowered his head to trace the tip of one of her large nipples with his tongue, the nub perking in response as his hips began to move.
Jinx was no gentle lover. Every thrust of his hips she rose up to meet and soon they’d established a punishing, primal rhythm. The sort that might leave them both a bit bruised the next day. Neither was complaining.
As the last rays of sunlight slipped over the horizon they finally found the release. It was the end of the day.
It was the start of something new.
30
It was noon the next day and everyone had gathered back at the Kathryn for breakfast. Melody had bowls of the local fruit and seafood omelets prepared.
It had been another pleasurably restless night. Jinx wasn’t a particularly skilled lover compared to some of the others, but she more than made up for it with enthusiasm and eagerness to experiment. By the end of the night he had found himself thrusting between her breasts and she pushed them together with her hands. She’d been on top once, and on one occasion in the water with her legs straddled around his waist for good measure.
“So where are we at with ship’s business?” Quinn asked.
“Data trading worked out way better than I’d have believed. Tamara was a lifesaver with that rig. In a little over a day we’ve put away two months of supplies,” Taki said.
“My tan refresh is going great,” Dela said.
“You can still wear clothes to breakfast, you realize,” Tamara said.
Dela shrugged. “Why bother when I’m not out in the world? You should lose the suit, you look like a tourist.”
“We are tourists,” Tamara said, and then cleared her throat. “I’ve made some headway with my investigation, more than I expected, in fact.”
“Oh?” Quinn asked, digging into his omelet. The seafood had a slightly coppery taste, a bit off-putting at first, although once you got used to it the tastes seemed to get richer as a result.
“The sleeping women are networked, set to coordinate and share information along a private channel even across systems. Without me that network wouldn’t have been found. Without our unexpected diversion, I wouldn’t have picked up a still-active node,” Tamara said.
“So if these girls were assassins and spies that means, what? There is an assassin still out there? Is that in any way our concern?” Taki asked.
“Not directly, although if we want answers she may be able to provide them,” Tamara said with a frown. “I have personal reasons for wanting to investigate. The active node is in a system called Calderus. It is a name I am familiar with from my time at Delecrox, Miller, and Steele. It is the home of Lord Stanton Barr. Even by the standards of our clients a man both wealthy and terrible.”
“I’ve zero desire to put ourselves at risk to ease your guilty conscience,” Taki said.
“We need answers. If there is an assassin after Lord Barr, I’m inclined to help. Regardless, I’ve been a guest on the estate. I know his security. I did mention his wealth,” Tamara said.
“You want to rob him?” Dela said, flashing a grin. “I knew there was a criminal inside of you.”
“Just because a man is wealthy doesn’t mean he has anything in his home worth the trouble to steal,” Quinn said.
Tamara gave him a look. “True. I have thought of that, and this is something of a personal request. I happen to know he keeps a data file of all dealings with the firm, against the firm’s wishes. They’ve been used to motivate the senior partners in the past.”
“Blackmail?” Jinx asked.
Tamara said, “You may not have figured this out yet, but I’m on borrowed time. I betrayed the firm and am too expensive a resource to just allow to walk away. Those files might be enough to buy my freedom. He also has one of the largest collection of Delaxian artifacts in the galaxy.”
Dela perked up. “Big holo drama about the Delaxians three years ago. The big push of the market has passed, but they’re still hot. Anything we can get I can turn over quick.”
“Risks?” Quinn asked.
“A paranoid lord up to some very bad things, and whose territory is on the Rim where he can get away with whatever he wants? You can figure the rest out for yourself,” Tamara said.
Dangerous then.
It also wasn’t really a question. Jinx had mentioned the night before her belief that Tamara would not live long, and Tamara was now confirming that.
Whatever her faults—and there were faults beneath that perfect facade—Quinn had married her. He’d die to save her, if he had to. It didn’t mean he was willing put the rest of the crew at risk. Jinx in particular had to be kept safe, if last night had really taken.
“With our sparkly new toy I can ask around some. Monk had more friends than you knew, and we got a lot of business on our little world by throwing parties. If this guy is as bad as you say, he’ll entertain. Villains love to throw parties,” Dela said.
Tamara said, “He does, extravagant affairs, and almost one after the other. None of my contacts will work for obvious reasons, I can’t touch anything too close to this directly or I’ll tip our hand. They aren’t going to let a criminal in without having him vouched for a dozen different ways. You have that sort of pull, Dela?”
“No, but Ice might,” Dela said.
“Absolutely not. We are not telling that woman Quinn is still alive. I insist,” Taki said.
“He goes in as a noble,” Jinx said.
“They’ll test him,” Tamara said.
“Then I’ll go in as his arm candy. My magic is more than enough to trigger the sensor and blind any scanners, if I’m nearby,” Jinx said.
“Why not just go in as yourself?” Kara said.
“I’m not a lady. I could pretend to be one, but I don’t want anyone looking at me too closely,” Jinx said.
“I don’t want you in there at all. This is going to be dangerous,” Quinn said.
“Then I’m your other arm candy. I’m almost as good at the punchy as I am the shooty,” Kara said.
Tamara studied Kara. “An alien consort isn’t that uncommon, especially on the Rim. I agree however, Jinx shouldn’t go.”
“It’s my choice,” Jinx said, dropping her usual cheer and shifting towards that serious, rational tone Quinn had heard last night. “You saved me, Tamara. I want to help save you. We’ll play this smart, but it is going to happen.”
Tamara considered Jinx for a long moment. “Very well. A border barony from the far Rim. Half their lords aren’t eve
n in the official roles and they’ve usually got both ships and men at their command. You’ll make for an interesting guest. Can your contacts get such a man an invitation—as someone who has bought arms from you before perhaps?” The question was posed to Dela who nodded.
“Yeah, that sort of thing I can probably pull off. People always want to be hooked up with a new buyer,” Dela said.
“I can do our costumes!” Jinx said perkily to Kara, back to the upbeat young woman in an instant.
“I want spikes,” Kara said.
“Barbarian chic. Super hot,” Jinx nodded.
Tamara rolled her eyes. “There is formal attire in your cabin, Quinn. I purchased it for you at our last destination. You’re good to go.”
“We’re going to need more of a plan than just walking in the front door,” Quinn said.
“With the chaos as we left port, we’ll have some time with our cargo before our client gets paranoid and triggers any blanking codes for them. I’ll reconstruct the layout and the security of the estate, and educate all three of you,” Tamara said.
Melody said, “If Tamara has the specifications of what sort of security and equipment they’re using, I can build you some bypasses too. With all the electronics we picked up, we might have the parts.”
Quinn was never going to get his new view screens installed.
“I’ll put together a guide on Delaxian artifacts so you know what to steal if you get the chance. Unless I get to be arm candy too?” Dela asked hopefully.
“One partner is standard. Two acceptable, if one is especially attempting to demonstrate their sex appeal. Three, and they will stop one of you at the door,” Tamara said.
“I’d be really good eye candy,” Dela grumbled.
“Nobody doubts your ability to convincingly be a hussy,” Tamara said primly.
In the silence Quinn cleared his throat. “Then we have the beginnings of a plan. Everyone has their assignment, or if you don’t, help out as you can or enjoy the beach.”
“Should the captain have etiquette lessons?” Taki asked.
“For a border baron? They don’t have time for etiquette. They’re too busy keeping things out of sight and where the Imperium can’t reach. Rough is more believable,” Tamara said.
Calling it a plan was generous, but they had something. Assuming all the parts could even come together.
31
There was no lounging on the beach for Quinn. Dela’s contacts were quick at finding out that a major fete was being thrown in two nights and she could procure an invite for a border baron who had a taste for arms. That pushed all their plans into a rush.
Quinn, Jinx, and Kara spent most of the day being lectured on either the estate blueprints, the nature of the security systems, or just what made for an especially valuable Delaxian relic.
It wasn’t enough time. Normally an operation like this required a lot more planning, you wanted to know things in and out. The one thing working for them was that they each were especially attuned to bits of that knowledge. Quinn had broken more than one security system and learning the specifics of how a new one operated came easily enough to him. Kara was a fighter and how to sweep a building layout was second nature to her, so she quickly picked up on the layout of where they were going. Jinx meanwhile had minored in xenosociology, and the data that Dela gave them was in a format she was used to absorbing quickly.
By the time night was close Quinn’s head ached with the effort.
“This traveling around with you I think just got a lot less fun, stud,” Kara groaned. “This party better be fun with lots of bodies to drop.”
“If things go well we won’t drop any bodies at all. They’ll never know we were there,” Quinn said.
“Not helping,” Kara said. “Me and Mel wanted to double up tonight since tomorrow is the thing. Tamara said it’s cool with her, if it’s cool with you.”
Quinn in theory had nothing against there being three. He’d proved that well enough. That said, neither Kara or Melody were exactly in the “easy” category. Quinn might have already slept with Kara, but he didn’t really remember, and she was an alien—which meant things were likely a little different. Melody was an android, for all she looked human. That was exciting too, and it was important they also finish their bonding as a family.
“Looking forward to it,” Quinn said.
“I’ll go grab her,” Kara said.
No cottage by the ocean tonight. They still had it, but Kara didn’t trust it. Instead Tamara and Taki were taking it tonight, a bit of oddness that dwarfed any Quinn was likely to experience.
Back in his quarters Quinn took a quick shower, and when he stepped out into his quarters he found that Kara and Melody had already made their way there. They were seated on either edge of the bed, Kara wearing nothing and Melody a translucent blue negligee.
Kara’s muscled physique was a contrast to Melody’s which was far softer. And Melody’s hair was a bleached blonde with Kara’s a perfect white.
“That was fast,” Quinn said.
“You took your time in the shower. Was getting worried you’d started without us. Get over here,” Kara said.
“You took work out a plan of attack too?” Quinn said.
“You on bottom, me on top and Melody on your face. Then we swap that around a few more times,” Kara said.
Right. They really had planned.
“You’re that interactive?” Quinn asked Melody, making his way over to the bed and stretching out on his back. “That sounds terrible. I mean, of course you are interactive, you are my friend, my crew. But you don’t eat or drink.”
“I could, but I don’t get anything out of it and it’s a mess to clean up,” Melody said.
Kara moved to straddle Quinn’s hips, powerful thighs latching around him as she lowered herself. A few seconds after there was a sharp pinching feeling upon his length, a sensation at first painful although it quickly turned arousing.
“What was that?” Quinn asked.
“What? You’ve screwed me before,” Kara said.
“I was a little drunk at the time. I don’t remember much.”
Kara rolled her eyes. “Those were just my spikes coming out.”
“Spikes?”
Kara rose up as if she were going to pull off him but was unable to get the whole way clear. A tugging motion upon Quinn’s cock confirmed he was actually stuck inside of Kara.
“I want some answers and I want them fast,” Quinn said.
Melody was peeling away her negligee, her ample bosom bouncing free.
“Yek don’t come in male. We’re all female and pretty much everything on our homeworld is trying to murder us. We can breed with almost anything and the spikes just help us do that. Holds you in place, sucks a little blood, gives you a little chemical cocktail right back,” Kara said.
“What?” Quinn asked louder this time. “Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Thought you did,” Kara said wryly. “Explained it to you all before, stud. I mean, haven’t you felt like ... really, really horny ever since we crawled into bed? Going a lot of rounds every night? Stays active in your system a couple weeks.”
“I really want to put your mouth to use and you keep talking,” Melody said.
“So have I even been in my right mind? For any of this?” Quinn asked.
Kara shrugged. “Don’t know what to tell you, stud. Being a lover of a Yek, especially a repeat one, has some consequences. I really did explain it all, thought we were good.”
“Hmph,” Melody said, crossing her arms as she took a seat beside Quinn’s head.
“So give me the spiel now,” Quinn said.
“We don’t use it aggressively anymore, not like we used to. Willing partners. Once is just a lot of fun, twice it sticks with you for awhile. Added stamina both in and out of bed. At three you’re turned on around me, like, always. I’m in the room and you’re good to go. We’re uh ... sorta committed to that one now since I already latched on. The spi
kes don’t retract until, well, yeah. If you want to back out of everything, maybe we call Jinx in and maybe she can help with her magic? I don’t know,” Kara said.
“Any other surprises?” Quinn asked.
“Uh, more sex kind of spreads the side-effects to my clan mates. I don’t know if that will happen with the humans or Melody, but maybe. You get a little of my accelerated healing and even more endurance because we’re really rough on our partners.”
“But no screwing with my head?”
“Not outside being really turned on by me,” Kara said.
Perhaps it was a good thing. Quinn wasn’t certain how well he’d be doing at keeping six women satisfied otherwise, however much his ego wanted to insist it wouldn’t be a problem. Always being turned on around Kara would be an issue though, and if that spread to the others even more of one. Get everyone thinking about the wrong things too much and the decisions got a lot dumber.
Still, this family was easy for none of them.
“I’m sorry for the delay, Melody, it wasn’t you. Kara, we’re good,” Quinn said.
Melody shifted to straddle his face, and his entire world became her sex. Perfectly hairless, the flesh had no aroma or taste as he flickered out his tongue to explore her folds. Apart from those oddities she seemed completely human.
Kara began to rock against him, muscles flexing. Quinn could still feel her spikes although not in any sort of negative way, each was almost an all new set of nerves. Still, it was different than any sex he’d ever had in his life. His flashes of pleasure came perfectly in time with Kara’s moans. Each tightening of her hands where they explored his chest corresponded with a burst of need from him.
This wasn’t trying to keep pace with a partner, it was like his nervous system was wired to hers. When she finally gave her loudest moan yet and her body jerked it wasn’t that he’d held back for that moment. Perfectly in sync his own climax came over him.
Their cries weren’t alone. Melody’s too were exactly in time as her hips spasmed atop him. There was no dampness, no sign of release from her, but the sound she made was still contented when she slipped off him to curl up to one side of him.
