Thabo (Scifi Alien Romance) (Galactic Mates)

by Luna Hunter

  His cock was outlined perfectly. I could even see the thick, pulsing veins running up his length, all the way up to the large head.

  It’s easily the biggest one I’ve ever seen – but that’s not saying much, as it’s also the only one I’ve seen up close before. Still, I know enough to know that no human male has that kind of equipment.

  It made my stomach flutter, my cheeks burn and my mouth water, all at the same time, for reasons I don’t quite comprehend. I’m not actually interested in him, of course. A cocky, crude Zoran warrior? Come on.

  I could never fall for him.

  “Me? I wish,” Michelle sighs into her com. “In fact, the Zoran only had eyes for Riley. You should’ve seen him, he was practically devouring her from across the room. Get this, he even asked DuPont if she had a mate! I know, right? If she plays her cards right she’ll be knocking boots before you can say Zoran three times,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

  “Shouldn’t you be working?” I snap, all my clothes feeling a bit too tight all of a sudden. I don’t want to think about Thabo, and I definitely don’t want Michelle telling the whole world about it either.

  Michelle smiles evilly at me. “I think she wants him, too, in fact,” she tells her sister. “I’m sure of it. She can’t wait to have his big red Zoran baby.”

  I throw my pencil at her from across the room, the heat rising to my cheeks.

  I so do not want a Zoran baby. I know some women have already mated with them so it’s technically possible, but I can’t imagine how. They’re seven feet tall for heaven’s sake, how damn big are their babies?

  Besides, I don’t think his cock will fit inside me in the first place.

  I shudder at the thought, heat travelling through my body and pooling in my lap. I feel myself growing wetter by the second, and I chastise myself internally. Get it together, girl.

  “Ladies.”

  Orson DuPont’s icy voice has the power to instantly kill any arousal. For once, I’m happy for it. The round man is frowning at me, his bushy eyebrows set to stun.

  “Harpy, why isn’t the report ready yet?”

  Why is he only looking at me? Michelle still has her heels propped up on her desk!

  “I’m working on it,” I say. “It’s hard to work with such distractions,” I say pointedly. Not the nicest thing I’ve ever said, but that’s what Michelle gets for needling me this entire time. If I’m getting in trouble, she should shoulder half the blame. If not more.

  DuPont’s eyebrows furrow further, like a hairy worm on a bowling ball.

  “I expected more from you, miss Harper,” he says with the voice of a stern principal. “You should owe up to your shortcomings, instead of trying to blame your coworkers for your tardiness.”

  What?! Heat rises to my cheeks again, but this time from anger. I bite my tongue to keep from chewing him out. If he wasn’t the minister of Interplanetary Affairs I would have told him off ages ago, but right now, he holds an exceptional amount of power over my career. Such an influential man can make sure I never work in this field again.

  And I need this job. For me, and for my family. My father is counting on me.

  “Sorry, sir,” I say through clenched teeth. “It won’t happen again.”

  If I hadn’t let sordid thoughts of Thabo’s bulge distract me, I would have been done an hour ago regardless.

  “It better not,” DuPont says. “It doesn’t matter now anyhow. We just received word from the Zoran; he wants another meeting, as soon as possible. Miss Coors, get the conference room ready. Miss Harper, collect the man from his ship and lead him there. I don’t want him wandering around lost for another hour again.”

  My stomach flutters at the thought of seeing General Thabo again.

  “Sir,” I say. “Could we switch those duties? I’m sure Miss Coors is very interested in spending some alone time with the Zoran.”

  Michelle sits up straight, finally removing her feet from her desk. “Yes, sir,” she says. “I can get the Zoran!”

  “No,” DuPont says resolutely. “Miss Harper seems to have a kind of report with him. He seems to respond well to her, and I don’t want to upset that brute any more than we need to. Gives me the creeps, that one.”

  Report? That’s one way to call his smoldering stare.

  “What are you waiting for? Go!”

  “Yes, sir,” I say, rising from my seat. I slide my feet back into my infernal heels, already apologizing to them for what’s to come.

  That hot shower will have to wait.

  Michelle walks off with a sullen expression on her face, cursing under her breath. If it were up to me she should be the one to chaperone the fire-red warrior. She’s the one who’s drooling over his huge, fit chest, his chiseled jaw, his panty-melting stare.

  Not me.

  All the way down to the docks I take deep, slow breaths, trying to keep myself from freaking out.

  Be professional, Riley. Strictly professional. One more meeting and the warrior will be out of here for good, back to his alien world with all the other huge, manly warriors, where they can oil wrestle in the nude, or do whatever it is that Zorans do.

  Probably nude oil wrestling.

  I call for his attention using the data-pad down at his ship. “Sir Thabo?” I say hesitantly into the microphone. “This is Riley Harper. I’m here to escort you up to the conference ro—”

  The large metal door slides open with a whir, revealing the towering figure of the Zoran general. His eyes, the color of autumn, smile when he sees me.

  “Riley,” he growls, his voice like an engine whirring. It makes me weak in the knees and my panties wet. He seems even taller than before, every muscle in his perfect body tensed up.

  “Miss Harper,” I correct him. “Follow me, please.”

  I turn and walk without waiting for his reply. Every moment I have to spend staring into those brilliant eyes of his is one that makes me weak in the knees, and I’m not about to ruin my reputation by sleeping with the first alien dignitary I cross paths with.

  I walk as fast as my heels can take me. He’s close behind me the entire time – too close for comfort. I can feel his breath in my neck, and the heat radiating of his large frame. We’re almost at the elevator, and then it’s only a few feet to the conference room, and then I’ll never have to be in the same room with the Zoran warrior again.

  I reach for the button for the top floor, but Thabo beats me to it. “Allow me,” he growls as he leans over and presses it, his body almost trapping me against the cool, metal wall.

  He lingers against me, and my eyes flutter, my heart going a million miles a minute. His warm breath tickles my ear, and just when I think he’s about to ravish me… he pulls away.

  I open my eyes, my face the color of a tomato, my dress sticking to my skin, to find the Zoran smirking at me.

  Asshole.

  I hate him.

  I hate every inch of his chiseled body. I hate his radiant eyes that seem to be undressing me. I hate his cocky smile that makes me want to take a long shower. And I especially hate that large, insanely large bulge between his powerful legs, the one that seems to be growing still, the one that I can’t tear my eyes away from, that makes me want to do things I’ve never done before, things I will regret, that can ruin my reputation, make me lose my job, everything I worked so hard for, but damn it, I want it, every last inch of…

  Ding.

  The elevator doors open and I strut out as fast as I can, my pulse racing. Michelle’s eyes widen when she sees my no-doubt guilt-ridden face.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispers.

  “Nothing,” I lie.

  Her frown tells me she’s not buying it. I hope my boss isn’t as perceptive as her…

  “Here you are, General Thabo, sir,” I say, avoiding eye contact with the Zoran warrior. I’m afraid he can see right through me. “The conference room.”

  I stare down, but this only has the effect of putting his manhood front and center in my
view. I snap my neck back up. Thabo’s orange eyes are looking right at me, his eyes narrowed, like a predator about to pounce on his prey.

  What did I do to deserve this kind of punishment?

  There’s nowhere else for me to look. The Zoran’s body is too tall, too broad to escape my view. He’s seemingly everywhere. I’m frozen in place, unable to look away from his brooding stare.

  DuPont’s irritated cough pulls me out of my haze.

  “P-please step in,” I say, my voice breaking.

  When did I turn into a stammering schoolgirl? No man has ever done that to me… but then again, no man compares to General Thabo.

  Thabo flashes me one last cocky smirk before stepping into the conference room. He sits back down in the chair that’s several sizes too small for him. DuPont and Captain Simopoulos are both back in their seats across from him. I try to sneak out the room, but one stern look from my boss ruins that plan as well.

  Defeated, I park my butt back in my seat, right next to Michelle, so I can take the notes for this meeting. My co-worker pinches me under the table.

  “What happened?” she whispers again.

  “Nothing,” I lie. Again. Let me smolder in peace, girl.

  “Liar,” she mouths.

  “Right,” Orson DuPont says. “General Thabo, welcome back so quickly. I understand you have news for us?”

  My fingers hover above my keyboard, awaiting the Zoran’s response. Please tell us you’re leaving right now, and the Zorans are never coming back ever again. That way my life can go back to making sense. I don’t need these strange, dirty thoughts invading my mind at every turn.

  “Yes,” Thabo answers slowly, his voice a low growl that cuts right through me. “I relayed your proposal to my king, at your suggestion.”

  His eyes flicker over to me for a fraction of a second, but it’s enough to send a jolt of electricity through my entire body.

  “He accepts,” Thabo says dryly.

  The room is silent for a moment, and my breath falters. Does that mean…

  “A-accepts?” DuPont stammers. “Meaning—”

  “Meaning I will escort your to Xia V at the first possible opportunity. We will leave as soon as you are able.”

  Thabo’s voice is calm, but there’s a rage lurking just beneath the surface. Meanwhile, I still haven’t dared to breathe yet, afraid that if I make the slightest bit of sound the warrior will drag me along with him, halfway across the galaxy.

  “Fantastic!” Orson DuPont claps his hands together in glee, a wide smile on his pudgy face. “Amazing! I’ll get a team ready right away, we can leave tomorrow.”

  Thabo nods swiftly. “Agreed.”

  He rises from his seat and strides past me, and I inhale deeply. A second too soon.

  “One demand,” he growls. I turn to find the warrior looking directly at me. No, no, no…

  “The female comes.”

  “Of course,” DuPont says, as if it’s a done-deal. “Whatever you want, General.”

  He nods again and walks away, and this time, I don’t breathe until I hear the elevator whizzing down. Michelle hastily packs her things as she mutters under her breath, cursing at me for ‘stealing’ this opportunity.

  I never asked for this.

  I’m left gobsmacked, staring blankly into space. Captain Simopoulos places his hand on my shoulder, congratulating me for being part of the first official interplanetary diplomatic mission, but I’m too stunned to reply.

  Technically he’s right. This is the moment I’ve worked towards for years. The Intergalactic Alliance is an amazing organization that has brought peace to hundreds of alien worlds, that facilities trade and the exchange of ideas. It influences and shapes galactic culture itself. For the first time in history, humanity is at its doorstep, asking to be let in.

  This should be the happiest moment of my life.

  Instead, I am paralyzed with fear.

  The fierce alien warrior wants me, and I’m not sure I can handle all seven feet of him.

  4

  Thabo

  “Excuse me, coming through. You, yeah you, can you move? You’re blocking the way. Thanks, bub.”

  My ship, normally a place of calm and rest, is a veritable hive of activity. There’s more humans than I care for, all moving in boxes and tools, and there’s a fat human staring at me, telling me it is I who is standing in the way.

  My battle rage bubbles to the surface, and the only thing keeping me from hardhandedly kicking every single one of them off my ship are my king’s orders.

  I won’t be demoted. I won’t let my clan be shamed like that. I won’t go down like my father.

  Worst of all, I haven’t picked up Riley Harper’s scent yet.

  In a lapse of judgement, I demanded she’d join this mission. I couldn’t stand the thought of going without her, which frightens me. I’ve never felt like this. Attached. In need.

  It’s not the Zoran way. Not how I was raised.

  I could sense she was afraid of me, but I also sensed her heat. I smelled her wetness, her sweet scent – and it drove me wild. It took every last ounce of my strength to stop myself from taking her right there on that damn conference table.

  I barge my way through the pack of humans, towards their leader, the big-bellied man they call DuPont. He has the gall to sit in my command chair as he orders his men around.

  “Get out,” I growl.

  “Oh, ah, yes, sorry,” he says as he jumps up.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” I growl. “What’s all this good for?”

  “Oh, these are all the things we need, just in case, you know. Better safe than sorry, am I right?”

  He is not.

  “We are leaving in two hours,” I say. “And I’ll only take five humans. If I find any more, I’m throwing them out the airlock.”

  I stride away towards my private quarters, leaving the fat man in shock. I may be a killer, but even I won’t throw an innocent human out of an airlock. He doesn’t know that, though.

  After some meditation my inner beast is chained once more, and I descend the stairs. My threat worked, as only four humans remain in my dining area. They’re cooking something vile, and the scent offends me.

  DuPont, the one they call Michelle, and two other men are sitting around the stainless iron table as they take shots of liquor. The table is reserved for my best warriors. It is where we drink cuhla to celebrate our victories, and to honor our fallen.

  And now the humans are using it to drink their weak drinks, hollering after every sip.

  My king is testing my patience.

  “Where is Riley?” I growl so loud the room falls silent.

  “She’s down in her room,” Michelle answers. “She didn’t feel too well.”

  I glare at the foursome. Without the shapely female, I have no interest in being here.

  “What is that awful stench?”

  The thin blonde female cracks a smile. “That would be Riley’s cooking,” she says.

  She made something so vile? Impossible.

  “Want a drink? It’s vodka,” DuPont says, offering me a glass. “Best one on the planet. To celebrate our journey.”

  I take a single whiff, but I barely detect a hint of alcohol. And they consider this a strong drink? These humans are weaker than I had feared. I briefly contemplate offering them cuhla and showing them what a true drink is like, but they have done nothing to deserve such an honor.

  I turn and leave. Minutes later I am piloting the Scythe through space, plotting a course towards Xia V. We will arrive there in five days. I could go faster, but the G-forces would most likely crush the human’s weak bodies. I stay in my private quarters until I’ve heard the rowdy sounds have died down.

  I will afford the humans one night of disorder, but starting tomorrow, this is a military vessel once more, where my rule is law.

  I’m surprised to find Riley sitting at the table by herself, absentmindedly pricking her fork into her food. Her beauty mesmerize
s me once more, even when she’s wearing her pajamas. Tiny red hearts dotter her white, baggy outfit.

  “Hello,” I say.

  She nearly jumps out of her skin, and her hand reaches for her plate, as if she’s about to dash away, food and all.

  “Relax,” I say as I sit down across from her. “I’m not going to harm you.”

  “I know,” she says so quickly it’s one word. “I’m just…”

  “Do I scare you?”

  She avoids my eyes, which answers my question. I want to reach out and tilt her chin, to drown in those hazelnut eyes of hers, and to tear her pajamas right off… but I don’t want to scare her any further.

  “What’s that horrible mess you’re eating?”

  “This?” She says, smiling for the first time. “It’s my favorite. Sauerkraut.”

  “What is sour crotch?” I ask. “Are you ill?”

  Riley bursts into laughter – a warm sound that reverberates off the ship’s metal walls. It makes my chest swell, and a heat flood my veins. Her laugh is contagious.

  “No,” she says, shaking her head and wiping tears from her eyes. “I do certainly not have a sour crotch, thank you very much. There’s nothing sour about it.”

  “Good,” I growl. “I prefer sweet.”

  Riley’s eyes widen, her blush reaching all the way up to her ears.

  “Anyway,” she continues on. “It’s my family’s recipe.”

  “It smells revolting.”

  “Don’t knock it till you try it. Here, have a bite.”

  She holds her fork out for me. I can’t back away from the challenge now. I accept her offer, and to my surprise, the taste isn’t as bad as the scent.

  It’s still awful, don’t get me wrong, just not revolting.

  “How does it taste?”

  “Sour.”

  “That’s kind of the whole point,” Riley says, rolling her eyes.

  “Why aren’t you eating it?” I ask. Her plate is still full.

  The shapely female sighs deeply, picking at her food once more.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “Stuff,” she says.