Celestial Mates Complete Series Box Set (Books 1-5) (Alien SciFi Romance)
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“The odds are much better than we thought. However, my little dancer is correct. We must close down the distortion before it reaches the next habitable world in three days’ time.”
Her warrior spoke to his counterpart. “We have waited nearly a thousand years for this opportunity. We will not waste it foolishly. My mate and I have over three thousand children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren trapped in the distortion field. We will not rest until we see them freed.”
The young prince seemed taken aback. “You sound so much like me that it is strange to hear you speak.”
The older man barked a laugh. “I have come face to face with myself many times. It no longer bothers me.”
“How do we close the distortion and what happens to the people trapped by the distortion and to the three of you?”
“The photon accelerator is designed to deprive the anomaly of its ability to process matter at a subatomic level by freezing quarks.” The older male shook his head. “It makes little difference the how of it. Upon proper position of the machine and full activation, we expect the distortion will gradually dissolve, leaving behind all matter exactly wherever it was at that time. Maiko and I will be forced to remain here along with the most recent addition to our team.”
The younger Maiko gasped. “All your family will be left in another dimension?”
The older woman spoke soothingly. “They will be fine. They have each other and know best how to utilize the freedom our sacrifice has bought them. We have a calculation for placement of the devices. It must be precise in order for them to align properly with their counterparts inside the anomaly.” Reaching out, her hand displayed a data transfer device. It was old fashioned, but one they could retrofit into their system.
Moving forward, Mamoru took the device from her hand. Her eyes flinted over the younger incarnation of her beloved brother, but she chose not to speak. This man didn’t know her. He owed her no comfort or understanding outside of what was required by the mission.
The younger Maiko spoke again, her voice thick with emotion. “Come, we will find you quarters so you can rest your weary bones.”
As they walked, the younger woman spoke. “You looked so strangely at Mamoru. I alone know how devastating leaving him behind must be. I am sorry for your loss.”
“My Mamoru perished when I was but a child. Gods, it seems like a long endless age ago, when I think back on it. He was so young and strong. I wonder if things would have gone differently for us had he been wearing his katana the day we were attacked. I have experienced such guilt, knowing he left it behind because I held such fear in my child’s mind for all things sharp.”
“Again, I am deeply sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine not having Mamoru. He is like a father to me.”
“Believe it or not, young one, it pleases me to know he survived in other timelines. Take care of the ones you love, for they can so easily slip from your grasp.”
CHAPTER 18
~ ORACHA ~
MAIKO MUSIC MIX SONG EIGHTEEN
He watched his little dancer drop down onto a huge settee. “I still can’t wrap my mind around all this.”
“Temporal distortions are rare but not unheard of in the verse.”
“Yes, but most of them are stationary and therefore easy to avoid.”
Mamoru cut in, worriedly. “I have researched information from all known alien databases on temporal anomalies. This one does not scan like any that have been encountered before. It makes me wonder if we can trust their report. Perhaps they are trying to get us to open a worm hole into another dimension.”
“Even if they were, to what purpose? There are endless parsecs of space to be had. They could drag whole planets from the darkness and toss them into orbit around some unknown sun. Absolutely no one would care.”
A small voice sounded from the doorway. “I worried about much the same thing when I was sucked into the vortex. I thought maybe they wished to allow the insectoids into unknown galaxies. I refused to help them for many lunars, not wanting to do anything that might allow the insectoids to feast upon the flesh of new worlds.”
Shar Jalon stood and offered her his seat. She moved forward cautiously. “I got to know their people and came to trust them. Unfortunately, you don’t have lunar months to grow that kind of trust.” Pulling her hands over her chest, she curled her hands around the side of her neck in a purely protective pose. It tore at Ora’s heart to see someone who looked so like his Maiko feeling so vulnerable.
Kneeling beside her, Shar Jalon looked up into her face. “You truly believe we can trust them?”
Nodding slightly, she stated quietly. “That is why I came to seek you out instead of taking my well-earned rest. I truly believe this is the only way to stop the darkness. Unlike most of the others of my kind, I never had the opportunity to meet my warrior. He perished many solar years before anyone thought to introduce us. All the worlds in my timeline are overrun with the creatures. They breed at the speed of light and their hunger is ravenous.”
Shar Jalon touched, covering her hand with his. “Still, to be pulled from all you know must be difficult.”
Placing her other hand over his, she fought back her tears. “I am not sorry to be stranded here. Being a princess rather than a warrior, I was no use to my people. Moreover, I fear Earth from my timeline is now totally devoid of human life.”
Maiko nodded, clearly feeling her pain. Ora’s heart ached to see her responding to one of her counterparts’ pain yet again. “You are welcome among us. I hope for you to become the sister I never had a chance to know.”
Mamoru interjected lightheartedly. “The more sisters the better as far as I’m concerned. Welcome to our timeline. Shall we call you Maiko 2.0?”
“You called me Keiko, if I remember rightly.”
Mamoru smiled. “That’s really cute. It fits you somehow.”
“We should call the older Maiko by a name of distinction as well. She is revered among her people. They call her Reverend Mother and her prince is called Imperial Consort.”
None objected. Ora queried. “Am I the only one relieved to know we will not be chasing the darkness for all eternity?”
Maiko snorted a laugh. “Do you suddenly have ambitions I don’t know about?”
“We have a planet to rule, my little dancer. After solving the riddle of the darkness, nothing is beyond our reach.”
He surprised her by agreeing. “We will have proven ourselves. I must admit boring imperial dinners and an endless stream of palace guests are beginning to look pretty good about now. I think my appetite for action and adventure may be somewhat mollified.”
“I somehow doubt that, but a short reprieve might be nice. Lord Rold will be most unhappy if we leave him on the imperial throne for long periods of time.”
“And you never took me garon back riding.”
“Garon back riding we will go, but do not ask me to allow you to keep a baby slin.”
Keiko wrinkled her nose. “You really have a palace? What are slin?”
Shrugging, Maiko responded quickly. “Everyone around here seems to have a palace. My Ora has a nice one in fact. As for slin, let’s just say they start out cute like tiny baby Shar Pei puppies, but end up looking like a cross between a pig and a huge rodent.”
Ora plopped down beside his mate and tugged her over into his lap. “They are a nuisance animal, one I do not recommend for a pet.”
Shaking her head, Maiko rolled her eyes. “Says the man who keeps a dragon for a pet.”
“I don’t think I like the sound of any of that.”
Shar Jalon responded warmly. “I tend to agree, Keiko.”
A tiny smile tugged at the corners of the woman’s mouth as she looked at the handsome clone still kneeling beside her. At least she wasn’t whining or trying to cling onto him, so Ora considered it a win. Maybe she would end up being perfect for Shar Jalon and he would decide not to make clones of his little love mate. Such would literally make his day.
His rather forward suggestion caught the attention of his shrewd little female. She turned to look at him strangely. Rather than taking the risk of appearing overly eager, he changed the subject.
“We will leave the Reverend Mother and her consort in the capable hands of Mamoru aboard this vessel. Maiko and I will transfer another of the artifacts aboard one of my battleships. When the time is right, we will work on positioning them correctly. Are we in agreement regarding this course of action?”
Everyone murmured their agreement and Shar Jalon stood, holding out his hand to Keiko. She evidenced no reluctance in going with him. Ora wiped his expression clean. It wouldn’t do for his Maiko to see how pleased he was to see the backside of his arch nemesis and the female currently wearing his bride’s face. Their recent bonding had left no doubt in his mind, the Shardon male had to go.
As the room cleared, his female spoke. “You did a good job of getting rid of Shar Jalon. I don’t even think he realized what you were doing.”
“I can think of many things to do to distract you from your fascination with the handsome clone.”
“I don’t find him particularly fascinating.”
Intent on beating her at her own game, he responded curtly. “You are being less than truthful. If not for first meeting me, you would be sitting happily in his lap right now. That your counterpart is so easily swayed by him is proof of that fact.”
“Are you intent on spoiling our time together by whining about what might have been? The fact is, I did meet you first and I prefer your company to his.”
Drawing her closer into the circle of his arms, he cooed. “Tell me more about how you prefer me to all others. Fill my head with such foolishness, I forget about my petty jealousies.”
Her hands came to the front of his pants. “The day we fooled around on the shuttle, you liked my distractions. Shall I show you instead?”
Sliding back so she could reach him more easily, he murmured his approval. “A warrior always prefers actions over words, my sweet.”
Sliding to the floor between his legs, she unsealed his pants. Watching her intently, pride surged as his thick member was tugged out. It looked huge in her small hands, spiking his lust. That she seemed so intent on looking at him was a source of amusement.
“If you have overpromised on what you can deliver, do not worry. I know just what to do with it.”
His little human looked up at him. Long shiny, dark hair framed her almond-shaped eyes. Though she had dark hair and eyes like the females of his home world, the similarities stopped there. His little dancer was smaller, softer, and sweeter than any Krylon female ever dared to be.
Licking her bottom lip, her gaze dropped back down to his best feature. His mouth watered at the thought of simply turning the tables on her. His urge to bury his face between her delicate thighs was almost too tempting to resist. Before he could move, she leaned over and ran her soft wet tongue over his heated flesh.
Had any male ever been treated to a more sensual experience? He preferred his alone time with his princess more than any single experience he had ever had the good fortune to experience. There was something about being pleasured by your one that made all other experiences pale by comparison.
Ora called upon all his discipline as a warrior to refrain from moving beneath her sensual assault. This must be what his brother described as more pleasure then mere words could describe. Her soft, wet tongue gliding over his sensitive flesh was worth fighting the darkness to have. Vowing to find a way, he closed his eyes and just enjoyed the gift his female had bestowed upon him this day. Nothing in the verse could compare to having a female.
Suddenly, her delicate scent became stronger. Ora smiled. Bringing his hands down before he even opened his eyes, he pulled her up. His little dancer needed what only he could give. Her lips found his and they tangled in a long passionate kiss. She tasted of proud warrior and excitement. It seemed that everything about his little human provoked his lust.
Without thought or asking permission, he carried her to their large bed. Her thin flight suit gave way when he jerked the seals open, spilling out her tiny teacup-sized breasts, the adorable little breasts that fit so nicely in his mouth. Getting her clothing the rest of the way off was almost as effortless as peeling a piece of fruit for his large hands. Her hands were busy as well, touching and tugging at the seals of his clothing. Within moments, a tangled mass of limbs twined around one another as their mouths mated.
Caught up in the thrill of being with his female, he let his hands and lips ghost over her delicate body. Feeling her respond so powerfully to his touch, nearly brought the warrior in him. Capturing both her hands, he held them above her head. Long slender legs wrapped around his waist, guiding him closer. A swift adjustment with one hand brought him to her seeping core.
Her soft whispers of encouragement and the cute little sounds she made as he slowly slid inside her warm sheath were enough to convince him of her eagerness for his love. Looking down at his thick shaft sinking into her soft pink folds, drove home how different they were. She’d referred to his skin as pewter in color. When every ounce of blood in his entire body was accumulated there, it was more like a medium gray.
“You’re incredibly sexy.”
His head snapped up to find her watching as well. Hearing her validation of his most impressive feature made his nostrils flare. Instinctively, he dove into her hard and fast. She fell back down on the bed with a soft moan. Leaning forward, he mouthed her breasts in turn as he ravaged her with his rod. Something about her soft moans really got him.
Letting go of her hands, he whispered harshly. “Keep them there, little dancer.” Sliding his hands down, he lifted her hips. “Now you’ll dance on my rod.”
She grabbed the top of the sleeping platform and raised her legs up higher around his waist.
One hand slid down to her stomach and his thumb hooked into the cleft between her legs, as he rode her. He loved looking down at her writhing in pleasure as he pleasured her. One word resounded in his head over and over again. Mine.
The words coming out of her mouth turned from pleas to some kind of gibberish and he knew it was time. When he couldn’t hold out another micron, he increased the wiggling of his thumb over her wet clit and increased the power of his thrust. Having all the control thrilled Ora like nothing else ever had. Watching her come apart on his rod was beautiful beyond his ability to describe.
When they both lay chest to chest, gasping for breath, he spoke. “You are mine in all the ways that matter, little dancer. Know this. I am nothing without your love. You alone can turn a prince of worlds into your devoted slave.”
She giggled breathlessly. “I think that might possibly be the nicest thing a man has ever said to me. Weird, but nice.” Her hands came up to caress his face. “I tried like hell not to love you, but failed miserably.”
Laughing, he rolled off her and pulled her close. “Thank you, my female, for that almost compliment.”
CHAPTER 19
~ MAIKO ~
MAIKO MUSIC MIX SONG NINETEEN
Standing beside a fully functional artifact gave Maiko the creeps. Wringing her hands, she waited for the science team to finish the last of their tweaks. Ora caught her eye from across the room. He appeared spectacularly alien today in his imperial black form suit and hair pulled up in a warrior’s top knot as he talked to his new first officer. His exotic appeal wasn’t lost on her. He was intelligent and powerful. He was also all hers. That thought sent yet another curl of apprehension snaking through her gut. Maiko liked the older warrior he had taken a shine to. He was quiet, respectful, and always at Ora’s side. The impulsive sexy alien prince needed a reliable sidekick more than any warrior she knew.
His eyes turned serious, when he saw her worry. A swift jerk of her warrior’s chin was enough to quell her anxiety. This w
as the nearest she would ever get to greatness and she had no intention of wilting in the spotlight this time.
The moment the last panel slid shut, she steeled herself for the final bio sweep that would lock all their modifications in place. The device now had but one purpose and that was to choke off the subatomic particles fueling the temporal anomaly. The calibration had to be flawless, the placement exact, and the timing with the other units absolute perfection in order for the huge machines to be effective.
Now, was her moment in time, the one that countless worlds would remember for all times. Each of the three ships carrying artifacts counted down. They had twelve microns until deployment and another twenty until full synchronization with the units inside the anomaly.
It still blew her mind that there were currently two additional versions of herself in this timeline and countless others on the inside of the anomaly. Common sense and her ability to reason told her such things were the normal byproduct of encountering a temporal anomaly. Still, it felt really surreal to Maiko, lending a deep emotion she never expected to feel.
The verdict was still out about what would happen to the two women trapped in her timeline. Some thought only the ones actually inside the temporal anomaly would be returned to their timelines. Others insisted everyone would. The Reverend Mother believed that her prodigy would simply be released into an alternate timeline but all others would be sent back to their respective timelines. There was some validity to the claim that her bloodline wouldn’t be erased because she survived in this timeline. It was complicated and Maiko wasn’t certain anyone really knew what would happen. She prayed everyone would return to their rightful places and the loved ones waiting for them there.
Swiping her hand over the scanning plate, the machine read her DNA. It sprang to life so quickly, everyone panicked. Before she could think, Ora had her halfway across the room and tucked protectively behind him. Peeking out, she looked around the bulky warrior. The device lit up, hovering off the floor and seemed to be gravitating towards the door of the loading bay. Feeling an overriding impulse that she couldn’t understand, Maiko turned and pushed the button to open the loading bay door. Since everyone was in the far back of the room, no one was cut off when the clear protective barrier went up.