by Leslie Chase
"I'm sorry I hurt you," I whispered, curling up next to him. "I didn't mean to. And I didn't mean to get you drawn into a fight that could have killed you."
He was silent, sleeping. The best time for awkward confessions, perhaps. Or at least for practicing them.
"I was so frightened of you when we met," I continued. "But you were never a danger to me, were you? Instead, it was me who nearly got you killed. Damn it, I wish I could take that back."
"I don't."
I nearly jumped out of my skin as he spoke, looking up at him. He lay motionless, eyes shut, but a smile played over his lips.
"Damn it, are you awake?" I demanded. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Enough," he said, chuckling and opening his eyes. "Enough to know that you're being silly again. We're both alive, and our enemies aren't. Why would you want to change that?"
"Because I got you hurt, idiot," I said, and then clapped a hand over my mouth. That was no way to talk to the man who'd risked his life to save me.
Not even if he was being an idiot.
His chuckle became a laugh and he lifted his head to look at me. I felt my blush spread, my cheeks heating as he gazed at me with those powerful, intense eyes.
"Hope," he said, and my name on his lips sent a thrill through me. "Hope, you didn't get me hurt. That was Rofain and his mercenaries, and they are gone. We won. If you hadn't come back to face them, who knows what would have happened? But we wouldn't be here, Immorata wouldn't be free, and Erdush would be in flames.
"It worked out. You saved lives. And I only got stabbed a little bit. I love you, Hope Alexander of Earth, and would suffer through far worse for your sake."
Tears welled in my eyes, and I squeezed his hand tighter. Xendar sat up, pulling my hand up to his lips and kissing it. The touch of his lips sent a warm tingle running through me, making me gasp.
"You don't mind that I'm not really a princess?" I asked. Some insecurities weren't easy to put down, especially when I could see the wealth and power an Imperial Princess commanded on display all around us. What could I offer that could compete with this splendor?
Xendar pulled me closer, an arm reaching around me to pull me against him. His eyes were inches from mine, deep pools of powerful emotion.
"You are the woman I fell in love with," he said. "You are the one I want, the one I need, the one I will love until the sacred flame of Achera burns out and the stars go dark. Princess Immorata has nothing to compare to your soul and your heart, my love, and I would do anything to prove it. If chasing you across the galaxy isn't enough, then I will try again until I find a way to show you that you are the only woman for me. My one and true mate."
His words washed away all my doubts and fears, kindling a flame in my heart and making me smile. I tried to answer him, but no words came. Instead, I leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his lips.
The sheer power of our lips touching set off fireworks in my soul. My breath caught, my heart raced, and for a long moment there was nothing but Xendar and his kiss. The rest of the universe faded away into nothingness, a shadow that I didn't need to acknowledge. His arms tightened around me, pulling me to him, and he rolled over to pin me to the bed. Lifting himself from me, he growled, the sound making me shiver.
He lowered his head to my neck, kissing and making me arch against him, my body burning with need for him. Part of me wanted to ask if he was well enough for this.
The rest wanted that part to shut the hell up and get out of the way.
Xendar's teeth grazed my skin and I cried out, my fears vanishing in an explosion of need and lust and love. I needed him, and he needed me. The rest was a concern for later, if at all.
His mouth moved down my neck, kissing and nibbling and making me whimper. My hands tightened in the thick mane of his hair, pulling him to me. He chuckled and worked his way lower, to the neckline of my dress.
Looking up at me, Xendar grinned and gestured, bringing up the dress's controls. A quick touch of the hologram and it began to melt away, leaving me naked under him as he lowered his mouth to me again. I groaned, biting my lip. His touch felt so, so good. I could hardly breathe as I felt his lips on my breasts, firm kisses trailing across them and making me shiver with need and delight.
I let go of his hair, stroking down over the muscles of his arms, feeling them move. My fingers teased the spines folded up against his forearms, touching the razor-sharp points carefully, and he growled against me, a low and hungry sound. Delicately scratching between the spines, I made him shiver.
That was a trick to remember, I thought. Then his lips closed on my nipple and I lost all thought for a moment, washed away by the wave of pleasure as his tongue darted across it. I tensed and arched, pushing my chest up to him, offering myself. He didn't need any more encouragement, licking and sucking, his teeth grazing my sensitive skin. He moved from one breast to the other, alternating until I was a shaking mess of need. Then, and only then, did he continue downward.
His lips trailed a fiery line of kisses across my stomach, his hands stroked down my sides, claws scratching oh-so-delicately, and when he gripped my hips I gasped. He pulled me up to meet his hungry mouth, rough tongue licking powerfully as he lowered his face to my pussy.
It was the most amazing feeling. I felt myself open to his touch, and his chuckle vibrated through me as he licked me, driving me wild. My hands clutched the bedclothes, digging in as I writhed under him, gasping for air, the waves of pleasure rocking me. Pushing me. Making me squirm and whimper and plead.
Xendar needed no urging. His wonderful, magical tongue pushed me on and on until with a cry I came, my body exploding in fireworks of delight, my head thrown back, eyes shut tight.
Before I could fully recover, he rose over me, and I could feel him against me. His hard cock swelled and the strange, ribbed contours of it made me ache for him. I opened my eyes to look up at him, and the desire and love in his gaze reflected my own.
We needed each other. We were empty without each other. But together...
I reached between us, stroking him, moaning at the feel of his cock in my hands. Guiding him to me. Feeling him harden, swell.
"Please," I whispered. "Xendar, I need you."
"And you have me," he growled back. His thrust was slow, controlled, powerful. I felt each ridge of his alien cock as it slid into me, pushing deep and stretching me. It was almost painful, and the best feeling in the world.
My breath caught, and I shivered against him as he withdrew and thrust again. Faster this time. Harder.
Again, faster still. My legs wrapped around him, pulling him deeper, refusing to let him go.
Each thrust added speed, power, urgency. Our breaths became gasps of need, my hands gripped him hard, my nails dug into his skin. His teeth grazed my neck, his weight pinned me to the bed. And his thrusts slammed me down hard into the mattress. Waves of pleasure crashed over me like a storm at sea, and I lost all control as we rocked together.
I tried to speak, to say something. All that came out was a wordless cry of joy. It was all Xendar needed to hear.
His teeth closed on my neck as he slammed into me again, and that took me over the edge into a screaming orgasm, more powerful than anything I'd ever felt. A moment later he was coming with me, roaring his pleasure to the ceiling.
Spent, we collapsed into each other’s arms, panting and sweat-slick and so, so happy.
I snuggled against him, purring happily, and he chuckled, holding me tight.
"Wonderful man," I said at last, pulling myself up so I could look him in the face. Xendar grinned, his hands closing on my wrists and pinning me. I looked a question at him, and he laughed.
"I love you," he said, "but I'm not taking any chances after the last time. Where are you hiding your stun prod?"
"Oh, you ass," I said, laughing and squirming. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Never," Xendar agreed. One of his hands was quite enough to pin both my wrists, and the oth
er stroked across my skin. I shivered at his touch, feeling a blush spreading again.
"I guess I don't mind if you search me," I told him, giggling. "As long as you're thorough."
There were a lot worse things we could be doing with this time.
22
Xendar
The next few days passed quickly as Hope and I made up for lost time. Around us, the politics of the Silent Empire played out. Despite the name there seemed to be a lot of talking involved as the various court factions debated what the sleeping Empress would have wanted, were she not held in stasis. It was a strange way to run a nation, I thought, but it seemed to work for the humans.
The prospect of war quietly faded away, never to be mentioned again. My saving an Imperial Princess did more for the peace than our marriage ever could have, and the fact that it had been a pro-war conspiracy that nearly killed her was all that was needed to discredit the war faction. No input from us was needed for that.
Which was a good thing, because in honesty I needed the time to recover from my injuries and tend to my beloved. Hope might be uninjured, but she'd been through a lot and we both needed some time to put ourselves back together.
Time that we could spend enjoying each other's company too. I had a lot to learn about her and seeing the relief as she no longer had to hide her true self from me was a joy. We drew strength from each other, healing together and getting stronger by the day.
So we were both feeling a lot better by the time Princess Immorata summoned us to dinner. It was a slightly surreal experience, seeing her at the head of the huge table. She looked exactly like my beloved, though Hope was no longer wearing the overly elaborate dress of a princess. The oddest thing was how natural they both looked. Immorata was as comfortable in her complicated black gown as Hope was in the Earth clothes she called 'jeans and t-shirt,'
The meal was as delicious as I would expect the kitchens of the Shadow of a Forgotten Love to provide, and we ate before discussing anything of substance. It was strange to have this huge space to ourselves with the princess, but it seemed no one else was invited to this meal. It was just the three of us and the robot servants at a table that should have seated thirty.
"I have some news," Immorata said as she finished her dessert, moving on from the pleasantries which she'd spoken over the meal. "News, and a proposition for you to consider."
I nodded, putting down my own dessert spoon carefully. Whatever metal it was made of was beautiful but delicate, and it had been an effort not to crush it accidentally.
"The Imperial Will of my mother is peace," Immorata said formally. Then she smiled, spoiling the effect a little. "So, peace it is. The war faction will have to find some other drum to bang because there'll be no conflict between the Silent Empire and Achera."
"Thank goodness," Hope said, laying down her own spoon. "I was kind of worried that I'd fucked that up."
Immorata shook her head. "By no means, dear. Aside from anything else, you had no say about being dragged into this — none of this was your fault. And that is what I wanted to talk to the two of you about."
Robot servants moved in with a silent grace, taking the dishes and leaving the room as Immorata stood. Behind her the wall shimmered, turning into a holographic display. It showed the galaxy, the Silent Empire taking up a vast chunk of it, and a colored overlay shading some areas a dark red. The border zones, I realized, those areas where the Empire butted up against another power and war was possible.
At a gesture, the view zoomed in, a dizzying display of stars shooting past until the screen showed the area between the Empire and Achera. And there, in the middle of the unclaimed territories, hung a planet labeled 'Earth.'
Hope gasped, her hand tightening on mine as she recognized her home, and my hearts thumped. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, but nor would I keep her with me against her will.
Glancing aside at her I saw that Hope was staring at the display. Swallowing my fears, I turned back, looking at the data displayed more closely. Earth wasn't the only world caught in the no man's land between our nations, and the display showed several slaver bases in the area too. The primitive planets, lacking any kind of faster than light travel, were easy prey for them.
"You aren't the only abductee from your homeworld," the princess continued, addressing Hope. "Nor is Earth the only world to suffer from such attacks. No one really cares what happens to the uncontacted worlds and their inhabitants, not until one of the galactic powers sees a profit in taking them. I've been no better than anyone else in that regard, I'm afraid."
"What are you saying?" Hope asked, looking at the map. Her eyes were wide, and I realized that she had never had any idea of just how vast the Silent Empire was. I doubted she could grasp it, even now, and that was no insult. The sheer scale of the galaxy was difficult for anyone to understand.
"Both the Empire and Achera owe you a debt for what you've gone through." I started to speak but Immorata held up a hand. "Yes, Xendar, the Empire more so, but still. We would have married, and it would still be a good idea for there to be a bond between our two peoples. Something to stop the same tensions flaring up as soon as a new batch of courtiers sees a profit in a war."
"I see your point," I had to concede. "But you know that I cannot marry you. My hearts belong to another."
Hope's face flushed delightfully at that, and Immorata laughed. "No, no. Of course I understand that. Which is why I think we should cooperate in other ways instead, so that there is a bond between Achera and the Empire to discourage war. My proposal is that we pool our power and protect the people of the uncontacted worlds between our two nations. Worlds like Earth and Erdush. Planets that cannot keep themselves safe."
I blinked. "A shared taskforce? That is... interesting. I cannot make a binding agreement, though. This is a question for my father."
"Who will, I think, listen to you," Immorata said. "For my part, I can promise my own resources. They are considerable, especially now when I have the sympathy of the imperial court, and the peace faction is rising in influence. This agreement can bind our nations in place of the marriage, and we can do some good. Perhaps we can even find a job for your friend Yennifer — I feel that I owe her more than the pardon she asked for."
Looking at Hope, I could see that she liked the idea. That was all the encouragement that I needed. "I cannot speak for Achera, but I support this plan. And I think you are right, my father will listen."
"Capital!" Immorata clapped her hands, smiling brightly. "Then it's agreed. We'll pool resources, and share appointments... I'm sure that, in time, we can convince others to contribute too. But the details are for later."
I nodded. There was no point in going too far into the negotiations, not when I couldn't make a formal arrangement myself. And Immorata, for all her enthusiasm and commitment to the idea, wasn't the right person to decide the practical details of such a plan.
It was enough, I thought, to have an agreement. The details could wait for the diplomats on each side to hammer out. Immorata seemed to think so too, waving away the hologram and sitting back down across from my Hope.
The sight was a strange one. On the surface they looked so alike that it was almost as though Immorata was a reflection of my mate. But beneath that they were so different that I couldn't quite grasp how someone could mistake my beloved for the princess. It was a struggle to remember that even I'd been fooled.
"There's one last thing, Hope," Immorata said, leaning across the table with a smile. "It's a little delicate, though."
I felt Hope's nervous shiver as she nodded, glancing between me and the princess. Restraining my growl, I waited to hear what Immorata had to say. But she was uncharacteristically silent, and the tension in the room rose again.
"What is it?" Hope asked eventually. "You can't just leave us hanging like that, Your Highness."
Immorata drummed her fingers on the table and then found the strength to speak up. "Are you happy, Hope? Here, I mean."
; I blinked, and felt my mate stiffen beside me. My hearts pounded as I held my breath.
"Of course I'm happy," Hope said, but there was a pain there too. "You can see that, right? So what are you really asking?"
I could see where this was going, but I didn't know what to say. My mate's small hand was rigid in mine, and I could feel the tension in her. The warring emotions struggling for control.
The princess nodded gravely, seeing that too. "I'm saying that you can go home to Earth, Hope. Back to your home. I cannot set up an organization to oppose the abduction of people like you while I keep you from returning to the planet of your birth, the place where all your friends and family live."
It was like a blade of ice plunged into my chest, but I couldn't argue. Hope had been torn from everyone and everything that she knew. Expecting her to give up a chance to return to her homeworld and her family would be the height of arrogance.
Hope tugged her hand from my grasp with a wince and I realized I'd been hanging on painfully tight. Taking a deep breath, I forced my muscles to relax, looking at her and trying to smile. She looked between me and the princess, eyes darting from one to the other of us.
"Whatever you decide, I will support," I said, keeping my voice steady with an effort. Immorata nodded.
"And we will make certain that you don't suffer for your disappearance," she added. "I don't know what difficulties you may face if you simply reappear now, but I can see to it that you have sufficient wealth to overcome them. Your people value gold, I believe? I can send you home with as much as you desire."
Hope's eyes widened and then, to my surprise, she started to laugh. Immorata looked as nonplussed as I felt as Hope flung her arms around me and held me tight.
"Does that mean—?" I cut off the question, not daring to hope. She squeezed me tighter, nodding with her face pressed against my chest.
"I'm not going anywhere, Xendar," she said. "Not if you won't be there with me. God, did you really think that I'd just turn my back on you the first chance I got? You're not getting rid of me that easily."
