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

by Michelle M. Pillow

  “You are hiding?” Kal frowned. “This must be another mating ritual of yours. Ah, yes, got it! Hide and seek. I know the game. Who is this other man who seeks to find you? I will inform him at once that you are with me now, and he has lost the hunt.”

  “Shh,” Carrie waved her hand, trying to get him to be quiet. She wanted to know what the wedding party was doing, but she was too afraid to look. “Yes. I’m hiding. Just act natural.”

  Kal grinned. “As you wish.”

  Carrie began to peek around the slot machine when suddenly her arm was yanked from behind. She lost her footing as she was launched up into the air and caught against a solid chest. Her mouth opened in shock and was soon covered by Kal’s lips. Her mind barely had time to process what was happening before primal instinct took over, and she realized she was holding onto his shoulders and kissing him back. Her feet dangled off the floor, and his body was the only thing keeping her from falling over. By the time he pulled back enough so she could inhale a shaky breath, her fingers were fully entangled in his longer hair.

  “Why’d you do that?” she whispered, trembling as her mind tried to process the sensations. She felt dizzy and wanted to lean in to kiss him again.

  “You told me to act naturally, so—” His words were cut off by her kiss, and he again moved his lips against hers. She felt the tip of his tongue seeking entrance.

  “Carrie!”

  The squeal of her name ended the passion building inside her better than anything else could have. Her eyes opened to see Kal’s were closed as he continued kissing her.

  “You dirty girl!” Missy continued. “So that’s why you’ve been so evasive. You have yourself a friend, and you don’t want Uncle Frank to know.”

  Kal kept kissing.

  “Well someone fetch the fire hose!” one of the bridesmaids teased. “These two need cooling off.”

  Kal kept kissing, and his hand roamed down to her ass. Carrie tapped his shoulder and turned her head to the side to face their audience.

  “Ok, Carrie, enough. You’re in public. We don’t want this incident on the internet later,” Missy scolded, noticeably becoming annoyed that the attention was on someone else.

  Kal’s lips moved to kiss her neck.

  “Spark,” Carrie whispered, tapping his shoulder harder. “Stop.”

  Instantly, he let her go, and she dropped down onto the floor. She stumbled and grabbed hold of the slot machine that she’d been hiding behind.

  “Spark?” Missy repeated.

  “You must be Fate?” Kal said to Missy.

  “Charming.” Missy’s tone said Kal was anything but.

  “Spark, this is Missy, my cousin,” Carrie introduced.

  To Greg, Missy said, “Sorry, Greg, I thought she was single. I had no idea she was dating.”

  Greg stared at Carrie with a grumpy expression. She tried to ignore him. The man was repulsive in every sense of Carrie’s definition. He stared at the gaming tables too much as if he itched to play. He had a smarmy charm that she’d seen past in a few seconds, and any interest he had in her was manufactured probably because of her father’s money. If he was so into Carrie why had he checked out nearly every waitress and barmaid’s ass?

  “So, Carrie, who’s your friend?” Pat asked, smiling politely as if it could take the sting out of Missy’s rude tone.

  “You are called Carrie?” Kal asked, looking completely unashamed by what they’d been caught doing.

  Missy began to laugh, fanning her face. “Oh, that’s too perfect. I had no idea you had such a secret life, Carrie.” Then to Kal, she added, “I’ve lied about my name before. Don’t worry, Spark, it’s nothing personal. We come from a prominent family and sometimes we need to keep our private lives private. You understand. We have a family image to maintain.”

  Kal gave Missy a strange look at her slightly condescending tone as if he couldn’t figure out why she was talking to him.

  “May we leave now, Carrie?” Kal asked, motioning that they should get away from the wedding party. The fact he didn’t think anything about Missy and her tight dress glamor posse made Carrie like him all the more.

  “Sorry, Stud, but playtime is over,” Missy stated. “This is my bridal party and that lady you’re trying to usher off is one of my bridesmaids.”

  “You’re a bride?” Spark asked Carrie.

  “Bridesmaid,” she corrected.

  “Perfect. The bride who is a maid,” he said. “I am a man who is a groom.” He reached down and swept her up into his arms. Carrie gasped in surprise but didn’t stop him. Then nodding at Missy, he said, “We are going to go now.”

  Missy made a sharp noise of affront. “What? No. Wait…”

  Spark carted Carrie out of the casino, past an atrium with flamingos, and into a hotel lobby. His large stride moved them very quickly away from her cousin.

  “Spark,” Carrie kicked her feet lightly, “put me down.”

  He obeyed, setting her on the floor. “I am chivalrous, am I not? You did not look happy to go with those people, and I did not wish to speak with them further. Their voices made my head feel like someone was pounding it with an ore stone.”

  “They do tend to have that effect on ordinary people,” Carrie agreed with a small laugh at his phrasing. Suddenly, she stiffened. “Just to be clear. You’re not engaged to be married, are you? Or already married? Please tell me you’re not married.”

  “I wish to be married, someday. It is only natural that a man and woman should pair.”

  “But you’re not married now,” she insisted.

  “Not unless you’re willing?” He grinned. “Where I live there, are not many women, and it does become lonely. Though, to share honesty as you told me I should, I had not thought much about marrying until that morning we met. I came here looking for adventure and fun, but I find I am content to listen to your voice as you speak.”

  “Ok, smooth talker.” Carrie laughed, poking him in the chest for obviously teasing her.

  “Ok.” He nodded, draping his arm around her as if it were the most natural thing in the world that he should do so. “You hide very well. I have been looking for you and Fate everywhere. Even outside the wax prison.”

  “Museum?” she inquired by way of a correction.

  “No thank you. I ate something called a triple burger earlier.” Kal continued walking her toward an unknown destination. Since it was away from her cousin, she had no problem following. Besides, she’d thought of him often since their first meeting to the point that reality and fantasy became a little confused in her brain. He was one of those rare people who felt familiar, even though they had not known each other long. Perhaps it was because of the way he’d kissed her.

  “I think you meant museum,” she said.

  “Is that a food distribution center? I have not tried that one, but the man who gave me the triple burger said it was a big burger for a big guy. And then he winked at me and handed me his phone number in case I wanted him to deliver more meat to my hotel room later tonight.” He stopped walking. “Unless you require a meal? I think I have his number here…” Kal patted his jean pockets. “I can call him to bring you his meat.”

  Carrie bit back her laughter. The man looked so earnest that she didn’t dare make fun of him for fear of insulting him. How could a man who looked so worldly be so innocent, like he’d just stepped out of an isolated commune? “I think maybe you should lose that number. The delivery might not be what you want.”

  Kal frowned and pulled out a scrap of paper to look at it. “It was a delicious triple burger.” Then, sighing, he nodded as he dropped the paper on the floor. “But if you recommend it, I will lose it.”

  Carrie leaned over to pick it up and walked it over to a garbage can. “As a general rule, calling strangers to come to your hotel room is a mistake.”

  “Toby isn’t a stranger. He brought me food.” Kal reached into his other pocket. “Perhaps I should lose these as well.”

  Carrie looked down
to the small pile of scrap paper and business cards he placed in her hands. Several had little hearts doodled on them with women’s names and hotel room numbers.

  “When I asked about you and explained that I wanted to find you, they give me their numbers in case I did not succeed,” Kal said. “They were very helpful.”

  He watched her, those dark eyes taking her in as if seeing her was new and exciting, his mouth smiled expectantly, his body relaxed as if he had nowhere else to be. Carrie was fairly sure she had no right to feel jealous, but she did. She threw the phone numbers in the trash and dusted off her hands.

  The taste of him remained on her mouth, making it feel as if her usual rational self was on drugs and spinning around in circles. She’d heard of instant attraction, of love at first sight, of the kind of magnetic pull talked about in romance novels. Instant lust, sure that could happen. But love at first sight and a magnetic force pulling two objects together? Those seemed a little less likely.

  And yet, here she was, standing before a performer named Spark, feeling as if her insides were reaching toward him, feeling as if her heart couldn’t slow and her lungs couldn’t process oxygen.

  His chin lowered slightly as he studied her. “Would you like to act natural again?”

  She should start a conversation.

  She should leave.

  She should find Missy and apologize for running out on the wedding festivities.

  What brings you to Vegas?

  This is rather sudden. I need time to think.

  I’m sorry, I’m an integral part of my cousin’s wedding, and she needs me. You understand, right? Yeah, that cousin. The one who treated you and everyone else she talked to this week like they were dirt beneath her designer shoes.

  Kal moved closer.

  “I…” Carrie couldn’t form a complete sentence. He towered over her. His hand reached for her face.

  “You are fascinating. I have been to many planets,” he paused, “places, and I am trying to discover why you cruise around in my thoughts.”

  “I’m trying to figure out why you picked me out of all those phone numbers.” Carrie didn’t exactly consider herself the object of every man’s desire.

  “There is something in the sound of your voice.” His thumb brushed over her bottom lip.

  “There is something about the way you phrase things,” she answered, leaning closer to him.

  “There is something about your face that makes me want to kiss you,” he added.

  “There is something about your face that makes me want you to kiss me,” she admitted.

  “That feeling is all I need to know.” Kal nodded. “Come with me.”

  “A feeling?” Carrie shook her head. “No, we can’t just make decisions based on a feeling. We have to talk about…”

  “About?”

  “About…” She tried to find her rational self and bring it back to reality. “About things. About who we are as people. What our morals are. What we want out of life. Where we grew up. What our parents do for a living. What our hopes and dreams are. What—”

  “You would rather discuss what I dream about rather than act naturally?” Kal gave her a confused look. “Last night I dreamed of walking through mine shafts. It wasn’t interesting work, but it did remind me of how I don’t necessarily want to go back to it. Tonight, I hope I dream about that triple burger. And you. Or you with the triple burger. Or even better, we don’t have a chance to dream because we are awake acting naturally. Yes, that is what I hope. I hope we’re up all night doing natural acts.”

  Carrie couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping her. “I don’t think anyone could ever accuse you of not being honest.”

  “I see no reason to lie in most cases,” Kal answered seriously. He motioned that she should keep walking.

  “What is the last lie you ever told?” Carrie fell into step beside him as they made their way outside. The Vegas Strip was crowded, but it was easy to navigate the throng. No one cared to engage them in conversation and moved quickly out of their way as they passed to their own destinations.

  “I omitted some details when I tricked my cousins into coming to this place with me. Vin has forgiven me, and is excited, and has fallen in love with ice cream. It’s all he talks about. I have yet to try it. I touched it, and it felt too cold. Sev is, well, Sev. He spends all his time worrying about protecting us from ourselves that he doesn’t know how to enjoy his life. I was hoping he’d find someone to distract him from his own thoughts.”

  “What about your parents?”

  “They died working the mines,” he answered.

  “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss. I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was young. My father is now in the Philippines overseeing the construction of a school. He always said my mother carried the best part of him in her, and by doing for others, it is a way for him to get a part of that back. I don’t see him much.” Carrie slipped her hand into his. Two opened doors beckoned her out of the heat with the tease of air conditioning. “They must spend a fortune on electricity. To leave the doors open when it’s over a hundred degrees outside seems insane to me. Someone told me that they have to import energy from out of state because they use so much of it. Every time I think about it, it makes me sad. I think of all those people in need, and here we are air conditioning the desert.”

  “So what are your morals?” he asked as they passed through the chilled casino. They walked down a few steps and across the main floor before heading outside again through another set of opened doors.

  “What do you mean?” The heat blasted her as they continued down the sidewalk.

  “You said we should ask about each other’s morals. So, what are your morals?”

  They made their way up a set of stairs to use the pedestrian crossing over the busy street. Kal’s hand guided the small of her back as they navigated a group of tourists at the top.

  “I suppose I want to be a good person,” she answered. “To help others when I can. To recognize the blessings I have and to do good works because I am able. And you?”

  “To do what I must without complaint. To honor my family and myself. I do not think in terms of what is good and what is not good. I simply do as I should.” Kal took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “I was told it is customary to make a comment about the weather. The weather is agreeable today.”

  “Agreeable?” Carrie chuckled. “It’s nearly a thousand degrees out.”

  “No. That is not possible.” He held out his hand. “If it were that hot we’d need protective gear.”

  “Feels that hot to me. How about we go inside somewhere?” Carrie slipped her hand into his. His fingers were warm, but the weather didn’t appear to affect him. She glanced up and down the sidewalk for a place to go.

  “My suite is this way.” He gestured down the street. “Unless there are more subjects you think we need to talk about before we can resume doing what we both want?”

  When his voice lowered to drip sexual meaning, and his eyes narrowed in promise, Carrie couldn’t think of a single thing that needed to be said. “Ok. Natural.”

  Kal grinned and nodded. “Yes. Natural.”

  A warm gush of passion swirled inside her, building with each passing second. It was the same feeling that had evaded her throughout her life. The moist heat grew between her thighs with every step they took. Countless times in her life she had experienced the intense sensation, only for something to happen, leaving her disappointed, unfulfilled or even stranded. When she was with Kal, the acute promise of physical satisfaction beckoned her and pleaded with her to follow him back to his room.

  Logic be damned. So what if Spark sounded like the name of a male stripper in a firefighter uniform? It was only a name. He had, in a goofy way, already addressed some of life’s more serious questions about values and sincerity. The knowledge that there was depth and substance inside him, as well as a primal animal wanting to play, deepened her craving. This is what she wanted, and for once, she wa
s going to let go of all her logic and worry and let herself have fun.

  Chapter Five

  Kal forced his stride to be smaller so Carrie could keep up with him as they made their way to his suite from the elevators. He’d found her. That knowledge filled him with happiness.

  When he booked the flight for Earth, he had no idea what awaited them. Daydreaming about another world while seating in the dark tunnels of the ash mines was nothing close to the reality of being there. As a Killian, he knew he had been born with a certain toughness that others in the universe did not have. He was genetically inclined to withstand higher temperatures and culturally trained not to complain about hard work.

  Killians were rumored to be cold, heartless people, who prided themselves on the strength of will and of body, with an iron resolve once they decide to act. They mined for work, drank and sparred for fun, and were not exposed to many single women. Though Kal wasn’t what he would consider jaded and hard, he could see how they received such a galactic reputation. Many of his people acted like Sev around outsiders.

  Earth was amazing in the fact that it was filled with so many people roaming the open air. He could see himself settling in a place like this, away from the choking dust of Frxsolis. He wondered how hard Galaxy Brides would look for him if he simply disappeared into the human population. They were required to leave when their time on the planet was finished. Already he wanted more time with Carrie.

  They stopped before the door to his suite. Kal stared at her as she pretended not to notice his blatant attention. He drew a finger down the side of her cheek to pause at the corner of her lips. “I am fascinated by the softness of you.”

  “Are you going to open it?” She gave him a shy glance.

  “My cousin will,” Kal paused as the door opened, only to belatedly finish, “give us entrance.”

  “Cousin?” Carrie turned her attention to Sev who held the door open.

  “I see you located her.” Sev eyed Carrie for a moment and then dismissed her. “Is Vin with you?”

  “Don’t you mean Flame?” Carrie said softly under her breath in reaction to his tone.