by Geri Foster
“Likes me,” he shouted. “She’s making me the town’s laughing stock.” He banged his fist on the table. “It must stop.”
Suddenly his head itched and as he reached up to scratch, a long green vine traveled down the front of his face.
Of all the Gods, what was happening now?
“Oh dear,” Penelope said, hiding a grin behind her palm. “She really is in a feisty mood today.”
“What kind of animal am I now?”
Ronic’s eyes grew larger. “No animal I’ve ever seen.”
Soon tiny round purple fruit sprouted on the vine. “Are those grapes?” he asked.
“I think so,” Penelope replied, plucking one and popping it in her mouth. “Very tasty.”
“She turned me into a vineyard?”
“Yes, it would seem so.”
Mystic Star pulled off several grapes and tossed them in her mouth. “At least they are nice and sweet.”
Biting back the urge to scream to the stars, Altair looked at Penelope and asked, “Can you make her stop, before I go out of my mind?”
“I can’t, but I will speak to her.”
Instantly all the vines, grapes, and leaves disappeared. Rubbing his hand through his natural hair, Altair let out a sigh. “This is maddening.”
“You were the one who said he didn’t believe in magic.”
“If she...”
Penelope put her fingers on his lips. “Don’t make it worse.”
He captured her palm and kissed it softly. “Hmm, you have beautiful hands.”
Ronic cleared his throat. “Do you still think you are in love?”
“I am,” Altair said. “And I’m not going back to Vion.” He stared into Penelope’s green eyes. “I’m staying right here with her.”
“You do realize you’re under a spell?” Penelope asked.
“I don’t care. I love you and never want to be separated from you. Ever.”
Ronic and Mystic Star rose from their chairs and strolled to the door. “We’re going to the hotel. She and I have much to talk about. While there, I’ll contact father.”
A sense of duty called him, but Altair could only think of Penelope in his arms, his lips on hers, the two of them on a bed in tangled sheets.
As soon as the door shut, Altair used his body to trap her against the kitchen counter. Leaning down, he captured her mouth in a hot, smoldering kiss that shot heat through his entire body. She moaned, and he deepened the kiss. His palms still on the counter, he moved closer, his cock stood at attention and everything in him wanted her.
She broke the kiss. “You know this is all just a spell.”
“So, you feel it too?”
“Yes, but I know it’s not real.” Her warm breath caressed his face and he closed his eyes in anticipation.
“What should we do about that?”
“I don’t know,” she murmured. “We’d be smart to try to ignore these feelings.”
“I can’t,” he replied, planting kisses all over her face. “And I don’t want to.” Her lips blazed a trail of hot kisses down his neck, which made him harder and harder. He felt like he’d explode any minute. He had to have her.
He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He put her on the bed then joined her amid the sheets. If this was a spell, so be it. Altair had never felt so complete. He wanted to mate with her, but he wouldn’t force her.
After removing his shirt, she captured his mouth as she ran her hands down his chest. Deciding the clothes he wore only interfered with his intentions, he quickly rid himself of his uniform. Lying naked with his head on a pillow, Altair reached up and hooked a long strand of blonde hair behind her right ear.
Penelope smiled. “We could wake up tomorrow and feel differently about each other.”
“How can that be?” he asked as he removed her tee shirt and unbuttoned her jeans. “I feel this so strongly.”
“I do too, but...”
“No more buts. I want you Penelope. I want to be inside you.” With her on top of him, he scooted her jeans down her long legs, along with the thin lacy panties she wore. “I don’t care how I feel tomorrow. Only today matters.”
He rolled over and tucked her securely beneath him. Never coupling with a woman he cared about before, Altair wanted to take his time. Only her pleasure mattered. His release would come afterwards.
Opening her legs with his knees, he pressed against her opening.
“I hope we don’t regret this,” Penelope whispered, her arms tightly around his waist.
“I think we would only regret not making love.”
He smelled the female in her and it heightened his desire to take her for his own. Peppering kisses across her face, he captured her mouth and allowed his tongue to sweep her velvety softness. Her taste was intoxicating.
Their gazes locked. Altair entered her swiftly then stilled. He swallowed her small gasp as she stretched to accommodate his size.
“Oh, my Goodness,” she hissed, her moist breath caressing his neck. Then she reached up, cupped his face and kissed him deep and hard.
He slowly withdrew to the very tip of his cock. Making love had never felt like this. It had never been this intense, never this enjoyable. He buried himself inside her core, and her muscles tighten around him.
Her hands cupped his ass as her movements beneath him quickened and her breath came in short huffs. She tossed her head as he increased his rhythm. The erotic pressure inside him built to extraordinary heights and he fought to hold back his climax.
Gritting his teeth, sweat cooled his skin as he fought for control. Her internal muscled contracted several times and she cried his name. Only then did Altair allow pure pleasure to take the last of his control and his release pulsed again and again.
Chapter Eighteen
enelope woke to the soft sunlight of morning. Her body was relaxed and she stretched, purring like a kitten. Lying next to her, his arm possessively around her, Altair lay in peaceful slumber.
She leaned over and kissed his mouth. His blue eyes instantly opened and a grin split his face. “Good morning,” he muttered, pulling her closer.
“We’ve barely slept,” she said, wriggling out of his grasp. “I need coffee.”
He rose on his elbow, the sheets pooling around his waist. Penelope couldn’t remember seeing a more beautiful man’s body. He literally made her mouth water. But she rose and slid her feet into her slippers.
Sliding her silk robe over her nude body, Penelope walked toward the kitchen. “You can’t ask anymore of me without rocket fuel. I must have my morning brew.”
Half way there she stopped and looked back at him. “How do you think Ronic and Mystic Star are doing?”
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, unashamed of his nudity. “I’m hoping it all went well. If Ronic changes his mind and doesn’t want to marry the princess, our planets will go back to war.” He stopped and glanced up at her. “His planet. I’m not going back.”
She moved around in the kitchen, where he joined her. “Are you sure? Won’t you miss your planet?”
“No, I want your love instead.”
She looked up at him as he drew nearer. “What if Topper breaks the spell and we’re not in love anymore?”
“I can only hope she doesn’t do that. I also don’t want her to turn me into another animal or a fruit.”
She laughed. “Come on, didn’t you enjoy being a chimpanzee?”
“Would you?” he asked, nibbling her right ear. “I like being with you as a man.”
They both turned when a knock sounded on the door. “Please wait,” Penelope shouted. “We’ll be right there.”
Like school children they ran into the bedroom and quickly dressed, trying to keep their laughter quiet.
Altair opened the door and an unhappy Ronic and Mystic Star stood looking at him. “I didn’t know you intended to spend the rest of the day and then the night,” Ronic said. “The princess and I were left unprotected.”
“This is not like you, Altair. You’ve never neglected your duty or me.”
“Things are about to change. I’m going to take care of the Mortarians then you and the princess will return to Vion.”
“You can’t stay here, I forbid it.”
Altair turned to look at the woman he loved, his face grave and somber. “That’s too bad. Penelope lives here and I plan to be with her. There’s nothing on Vion for me but another war to fight.”
“That’s what you do.”
“Not anymore.”
Mystic Star took the arm of her future husband. “It is only right that he be allowed to live his own life...create his own happiness.”
“Warriors don’t do that on Vion.”
Mystic Star smiled. “Maybe it’s time that age old custom is left behind as we walk into our new future.”
Penelope cleared her throat then put four cups on the table. “Coffee is ready.”
They enjoyed a breakfast of toast, orange juice, and, of course coffee before deciding they had to check the town for any hint that the Mortarians had landed.
Outside in the warm sun, Altair turned to the prince. “Was there any additional information this morning? I didn’t receive anything last night.”
“Only that Akan and Ulia were either close or already here.”
“And help is on the way?”
“Yes, the king dispatched the Star Troopers yesterday. They are expected at any moment.” He looked at Altair. “Do you have your weapons?”
“I’m heavily armed, but let’s see what is thrown at us. You know Mortarians are difficult to kill, regardless of the weapons used. The Star Troopers will come in handy. The powerful guns on their spaceships can destroy almost anything.”
“Unless Akan has dispatched his own space fighters. Then they’ll be busy fighting them off.”
“They’re clever and tough, but we’ve managed to keep them at bay.”
“Not for long,” Akan shouted from a distance. “Not for long.”
Chapter Nineteen
ltair immediately pulled his weapon and fired at Akan and his friend, Ulia, yet they were able to deflect the dangerous rays. Shoving Penelope, Ronic, and his future bride behind a concrete structure, Altair took out his fully charged Walstader 51-D and fired. The two men sought cover in a nearby shop.
When Akan and Ulia revealed themselves every Human in Magic suddenly froze in place. The entire town came to a complete standstill, perhaps the whole world. The Mortarians were powerful warriors with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal. However, their paralyzing trick didn’t work on Altair or Ronic, or anyone from Vion.
When Altair saw that the princess and Penelope could both move, he realized the Mortarians didn’t want to take the chance of damaging their prize. He suspected they weren’t sure which woman was the real Mystic Star.
“We’ve come for the woman,” Akan shouted. “Your Princess, Mystic Star, goes with us.”
“I can’t let you have her.” Altair returned. “The princess is going back to Vion and marrying Ronic. The other female is Miss Stubblefield and she is to be left alone. She’s nothing to you.”
“We’ll take both women. Our plan is to make a fortune.”
Ulia stuck his ugly head up. Both men looked like any other nonscript Human walking around town. “We already have buyers lined up for Mystic Star, but it’s quite easy to unload a Human female.”
“No,” Ronic shouted. “You will not harm anyone.”
“Who’s to stop us? You have only one Vion warrior against our many resources.”
“One is all it takes,” Altair replied. “I notice you’re both hiding. You can’t be all that powerful if you’re afraid to show yourself.”
“We don’t have to. You have nowhere to go. We’ve destroyed your spaceship. You can never leave Earth.”
Blood pulsed loudly through Altair’s ears as he saw the panicked look on Ronic’s face. How would he manage to get the prince and princess back to Vion? Their only chance was if one of the Star Troopers landed nearby.
“How can we return without the spaceship?” Ronic asked, clutching Mystic Star’s hand.
“Others are on the way. All is not lost, yet.”
“Yet?” Ronic screamed. “We have to get out of here.”
“We will.”
Penelope clutched Mystic Star’s other hand and squeezed. “We’re going to be okay. Don’t worry.”
“Surrender and no one dies,” Akan shouted. “Resist and only the women will survive.”
“I don’t think you can pull that off, Akan,” Altair challenged. “I doubt you have the ability to take us all out.”
A huge plume of smoke filled the park, and Altair shoved everyone down as he covered his nose. “It’s omketa gas, get your faces close to the ground. It will dissipate soon.”
The Mortarians stood and ran toward them, firing their weapons. Altair shot back, hitting Ulia in the shoulder. He fell, his dangerous weapon sliding out of his palm. Within seconds, Akan grabbed him and dragged his friend behind a large metal structure.
“You’re going to die for that, Altair,” Akan screamed. “You’ll pay.”
“Quick, Ronic,” Altair said. “Take the women back into the trees where they’ll be safe. Stay with them and try to find a place to hide.”
“We belong here with you,” Penelope said, her face creased with concern. “What if they kill you?”
Altair glanced at her, his heart thumping loudly in his chest, heightening his desire to get out of this mess alive. “That’s not so easily done. Look out there. You don’t see them running toward us, do you?” He nudged her toward Ronic, “Go and be safe.” He forced a confident grin. “This is what I’m good at.”
Chapter Twenty
enelope ran behind Ronic and Mystic Star as they made their way through the small out-cropping of shrubs. There were few actually forests in New Mexico, and none near Magic. Soon they’d be more in the open. They really had no place to hide.
Several yards behind them, from Altair’s direction, the sound of an explosion filled the air. Penelope stopped and turned back toward the man she loved. Spell or no spell, she had to try to help him.
“I have to go back to him,” she said. “He needs me.”
“Don’t be foolish,” the prince said. “You have no weapons.”
“Regardless, I can’t leave him alone. Not while he’s trying to save our lives.”
“He’s a warrior,” Ronic tried to explain. “He knows the dangers.”
“He may be only a warrior to you, but to me he’s worth saving. I love him.” She looked down at the watch on Ronic’s wrist. “Can’t you call for help?”
Lifting his arm, Ronic stared at the strange device. “I have, let’s hope they make it in time.”
“What can we do?” Penelope asked. Tears burned behind her eyes and she struggled to keep them under control. “Is there some way to at least give him a fighting chance?”
Ronic walked a short distance away and talked into the apparatus on his wrist. Afterwards, he turned to them. “My father has several Star Troopers with warships on the way, but it might be too late.” He reached out and took Mystic Star’s hand. “It’s important that we escape. Ships from Vion are on the way. You are welcome to come with us to our planet,” he lowered his voice. “You must understand, it’s Altair’s place to protect us until we can make our escape.”
Dread drew tight round Penelope’s body, making her struggle to breathe. “You’ll just sacrifice your friend?”
“My friend was born to protect the royal family and my planet. That’s what he does.”
Brushing tears from her cheeks, Penelope said, “You talk like he has no feelings.”
“I’m not sure he does,” Ronic said. “Since birth he has been taught only to fight. That’s the reason he was born.”
Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t believe you. What a selfish little man you are.�
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Ronic straightened his jacket. “Be very careful how you speak to me. I’m the Prince of Vion and with that comes much power.”
“This is Earth, and here we don’t treat people like disposable trash. We care about everyone on this planet. We’re all connected.”
“That’s here on your primitive planet. Once you’ve evolved...”
Straightening her shoulders, Penelope looked up at the prince. “Then I hope we never change. I pray we remain Human enough to never let our planet become like yours.”
Mystic Star looked at Ronic, her sad eyes also filled with tears. “She’s right. Altair is your friend. You’ve known him since birth. Can you really just run away and let him die?”
“What else can we do? We have no weapons. I have nothing on me that will save him or assist him in anyway.”
Penelope looked back toward where they’d left Altair. “I don’t know, but there has to be something.” She looked at Ronic. “Have they paralyzed the whole town?”
“Yes, I think so. They have several unique powers. That’s what makes them so dangerous. The reason Altair and I aren’t effected by their powerful abilites is because we have a natural resistance to it. You women are of no threat and they probably plan to take you back to their spaceship.”
“They can decide who to make immobile?”
“Perhaps. And it takes a while for the effects to wear off. I’m sure that’s why we’re free to move about.”
Nibbling her bottom lip, Penelope’s determined steps took her in Altair’s direction.
“Where are we going,” Mystic Star asked.
“To figure out a way to help him.”
A movement out of the corner of her eye grabbed Penelope’s attention. When she looked up, the Twins were high in the sky, peddling their bicycle. She’d never seen them move so slowly. Usually, they zipped around like a rocket ship.
“Joseph, Jonah,” Penelope called. “Can you come down here?”
“It’s like peddling in thick molasses,” Joseph grunted, struggling to keep going. “We’re barely able to move.”
