by Ivy Barrett
It was an insult, but Zilrath chose to ignore it and shook the gatekeeper’s hand. It would be wise to have someone shadow Vikrin, but it was hard to follow someone who could disappear at will.
“I’ll see you in a week.” Vikrin opened a portal to Zilrath’s office but didn’t follow him through.
Zilrath waited until the portal closed to mutter, “Fuck it all to hell.” He walked behind his desk and sat. This was just what he needed, a gatekeeper uprising. Was there something about Earth that made rational beings rebellious? The Ventori were also plagued with traitors in their midst. It had to be human influence.
He let his assistant know that his guest had departed and he was available again. Then he placed a person-to-person comm to Dr. Feyton Leer. Zilrath knew Dr. Leer was a Celestian-Partonese hybrid, but his appearance was still surprising.
The doctor accepted the ping, and his holographic image appeared perpendicular to the desktop. “This is Dr. Leer. What can I do for you?” The doctor’s hair was bright orange, and his eyes were the strangest shade of green. His skin had a gold shimmer to it that made him look artificial. “No, I’m not an android. Let’s get that out of the way.”
Apparently, Zilrath wasn’t the only one to react as he had. “I apologize for my rude behavior. Your appearance is unusual.”
“Not to me. Was there something you wanted from me or did you just comm to gawk?”
Humiliated at his childishness, Zilrath took a deep breath and started again. “I’m truly sorry for my reaction. Yes, I have a legitimate concern. I am courting one of the human females and I—”
“Which one?”
“Jasmine Aldrich. Does that matter?”
“Of course. Her situation is different from most. Not only is she Rh-negative, but her genetics underwent targeted resequencing. Were you not told about this before you began courting her?”
Zilrath tensed. Did Kellan know what the hells this doctor meant or was he also in the dark? “I was not. Please explain.”
“One of the Ventori ministers teamed up with a human geneticist and an amoral Ventori scientist. They altered the DNA of several females with the goal of making them genetically compatible with a wide range of species. They were trying to create a universal breeder.”
Zilrath could feel the blood draining out of his face. “Did they succeed?”
“To different degrees with each female. They were most successful with Erin Dorati, but Jasmine is a close second. Why did you want to speak with me?”
“Because she triggered my mating instincts. That has never happened with females of other species.”
Dr. Leer shrugged. “Now you know why.”
“Does she know?”
“Of course. We would never keep something like this from the victims. Claim her quickly. According to Erin, once the mating bond solidified, her appeal to other males subsided completely.”
“Good to know,” Zilrath muttered.
“Was there anything else?”
Zilrath tried not to be overly blunt, but the doctor’s impatience left him no other choice. “Other interspecies unions have been proposed. I doubt they will be successful without genetic resequencing. Are you capable of reproducing what was done to Jasmine?”
“I don’t honestly know.” Dr. Leer sounded sincere, but his expression was suddenly shuttered. “If the High Command wants me to try, this is the first I’ve heard about it.”
Somehow, Zilrath doubted it would be the last. Dr. Leer was obviously a very busy male, so Zilrath ended the conversation. “Thank you very much for this information.”
“Anytime.”
The holo-comm blinked off, and Zilrath slumped back in his chair. Just when he thought the day couldn’t get any worse, he found out his podmate was keeping secrets. That wasn’t fair. He didn’t know for sure that Kellan had kept this from him. It was possible Kellan hadn’t been told either. Unlikely, but possible.
Irritation had turned to anger by the time Zilrath shuttled home late that evening. He set down in the back yard and let himself in through the transparent slider. A throaty moan drew his attention toward the living room, so he quietly crossed the kitchen. The sight greeting him would have shocked him on any other day, but this day had been one surprise after another.
Kellan lay on the sofa wearing only his uniform pants. Jasmine straddled his face, her hips subtly rocking. She wore a button-up shirt, but the front was open, offering Zilrath an unobstructed view of his podmate’s head framed by her ivory thighs. She moaned and shivered, her expression rapturous. “If you fucked her, I’ll beat the shit out of you. It’s been that sort of day.”
Jasmine gasped and scrambled off Kellan’s face as she blushed a brilliant shade of red. “He didn’t. I swear.”
Kellan pushed up from the sofa, licking his lips like a well-fed feline. “We’ve done all sorts of other things, but her sweet little pussy is waiting for you.”
Not yet ready to pursue that delightful fact, Zilrath leaned his shoulder against the archway and wiped any hint of emotion from his face. “Did the chancellor tell you about Erin and Jasmine?”
“What about them?”
Zilrath studied Kellan closely. His confusion seemed genuine.
“Are you talking about the genetic manipulation?” Jasmine asked.
“The what?” Kellan wiped his face with his hand as he shot to his feet.
He hadn’t known. Zilrath allowed himself to calm down, or at least redirect his anger. The fucking High Command was playing games again. No surprise there.
“Erin, me, and several other women were experimented on at one of the induction centers,” Jasmine told them. “The people who ran the place were trying to create a universal breeder.” She shuddered. “They came damn close with Erin and almost as close with me.”
“I contacted Dr. Leer to find out why Jasmine triggered my mating instincts. That doesn’t usually happen with non-Tavorian females.”
“And he told you about the experiments,” Jasmine guessed.
“The question is, why didn’t the High Command?” Zilrath grumbled.
“Does it bother you that my genetics have been mutated?” Jasmine asked carefully.
“No.” He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “I’m not angry with you. I just don’t like surprises.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent, allowing the unique smell to soothe him. “Dr. Leer said the people involved in the experiments were punished.”
“They were,” she assured him.
“But who controls that knowledge now?” He eased her back without releasing her entirely. She didn’t respond, so he looked at Kellan. “You heard Celeste and Chancellor Savator. They want other Tavorians to mate with human females.”
“And that can’t happen unless the females’ DNA is changed like Jasmine’s was changed.” Kellan came to the same conclusion as Zilrath. “The female would have to agree. There’s no way the High Command would touch any of this otherwise.”
“I would certainly hope so,” Jasmine stressed. “Let’s talk about something else. This is creeping me out.” She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her soft breasts against his chest. “You said your day was terrible,” she reminded. “What happened?”
He tensed. He’d promised to give Vikrin time to contact the other gatekeepers. “The last thing I want to do is relive it. I’d much rather bury my aching cock inside my beautiful mate.”
“I think that can be arranged.” She took his hand and led him to a large armchair. “Do you mind if I’m on top?”
“Not at all.” In fact, it would be wonderful to sit back and relax while she caressed his cock with her soft pussy. Too worn out to undress, he unfastened his pants and shoved them to his ankles. Then he sat in the chair and helped her climb onto his lap. She straddled him, her legs folded to either side of his legs.
“Lose the shirt,” Kellan ordered from the sofa. “It’s obstructing my view.”
She glanced over her shoulder and off
ered Kellan a smile as she let the shirt slide down her arms and onto the floor. Then she turned back to Zilrath and raised her hips, guiding his aching cock to her entrance. She was still wet from her arousal and Kellan’s mouth. The knowledge that she’d just climbed off Kellan’s face to give him attention was strangely exciting. Slowly, so very slowly, she lowered her hips and impaled herself on his cock.
Zilrath moaned, his head dropping back against the chair. “You feel like heaven,” he muttered as she began to roll her hips. The motion drew his length nearly out before she sank back down. Her breasts bounced not far from his face, so he covered them with his hands and gently squeezed the soft mounds. Everything about her was soft and warm, welcoming. Kellan’s scent clung to her skin, but Zilrath was growing used to that. His only path to Jasmine ran through the Ventori.
His need built with staggering speed, turning from a trickle to a gush in a few short moments. His palms grew slick, coating her breasts with stimulant. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on the blissful rise and fall of her body.
She moaned, her inner muscles rippling. “Zilrath, please. I don’t want you to make me drunk.”
“I can’t help it.” He opened his eyes and looked into hers. “I won’t fight it. This is part of who I am. Don’t be afraid. The compound will enhance our pleasure if you allow it to.”
She stilled, searching his gaze as her pussy tightened around him. “All right. I want all of you as you want all of me.”
He fisted the back of her hair and drew her mouth down for a blistering kiss. She resumed her rocking, steadily fucking herself with his cock. “What did Kellan do to you? I want to know everything.” If they were going to share this female, then by the Gods, they would share.
Her beaded nipples moved against his palms as her ragged breathing filled her chest. “He spanked me, which always makes me horny.”
He tensed, but the wonderful slide of her pussy soon erased the tension. “I can understand why it makes him horny. Why does it affect you the same way?”
“I’m not sure, but it does.” She moved a little faster, clearly aroused by the topic.
“She’s not only submissive,” Kellan told them. “Her body can process pain as pleasure. Would you like me to demonstrate?”
“Maybe later.” Zilrath grabbed her butt and began thrusting up as she slid down. Soon they were both panting, and his balls drew up tight against his body. He wasn’t ready to let it end, so he asked, “What else did you and Kellan do?”
“I sucked his cock,” she admitted in between pants.
“Did he come in your mouth?”
“No.” She slammed down on him, illustrating her frustration. “We told you we’d wait and we did.”
“I fingered her ass,” Kellan reminded.
“That’s right.” She leaned down and kissed Zilrath for a while before she added, “I gave him a hand job in the kitchen. He came on my hand, but I washed it off right away.”
“And I was enjoying eating her pussy when you so rudely interrupted.”
Imagining all the things they’d done had Zilrath precariously close to the edge. He didn’t want to come without her, so he cupped her mound and changed the angle of his thrusts. He targeted the front wall of her passage and watched her expression closely. She gasped, and her lips parted when his cock head found its target.
“Oh, yeah, right there,” she whispered, head dropping back.
He held her hips firmly and thrust into her with urgent demand. She felt so damn good, and he needed this so badly. There was no way to stop it now. He cried out sharply, hips coming up off the chair as he came in hard, rhythmic spasms. His seed jetted deep inside her as he pulled her head back down for another lingering kiss.
“Gods, how I needed this,” he whispered against her damp lips.
“As soon as you’re done with our mate’s mouth, I’d like it over here,” Kellan said.
Zilrath tore his lips away from hers and looked over her shoulder. Kellan had his pants around his ankles too and was stroking his fully erect cock. “Can’t argue with the evidence.” Zilrath smacked her behind and lifted her off his cock.
She walked over to Kellan, ass rolling with her leisurely strides. “And if I’m tired of sucking your cock?”
“Then I’ll fuck your ass instead.” The playful challenge in Kellan’s tone kept Zilrath from objecting.
“You fucked my pussy first. Zilrath should fuck my ass for the first time,” she returned in the same playful tone.
“Is that an invitation?” Zilrath asked, his cock already starting to harden again. Stars above, their female was a handful, so delightfully spirited.
“Not tonight.” She knelt in front of Kellan and took over stroking his cock. “As soon as you’ve caught your breath, however, my pussy would love some more attention.”
More than happy to accept her invitation, he crossed the room in three hurried strides. “Stand up, love.”
She did, then bent from the waist to take Kellan in her mouth.
Zilrath watched his podmate’s cock slowly disappear between her lips. Using the graphic image to reignite his simmering desire, his cock was soon hard as stone and ready for more. Moving in close behind her, he found her entrance and thrust back into her soft, wet pussy.
* * *
Jasmine woke up surrounded by her mates for the first time, and it felt wonderful. Kellan used the DoxGenator on Zilrath’s shuttle to make them breakfast, and they ate around the kitchen table before Zilrath flew off to work.
“Sorry, Jas. I have things I need to do also,” Kellan told her a short time later. “Can you entertain yourself for a while?”
“I don’t mind, but it would be easier if you happen to have a digi-sheet around here somewhere. We used them all the time at Protectorate Headquarters.” The flexible devices were the holographic evolution of a tablet computer. They accessed the massive Ventori database, so their capabilities were astounding. Kellan disappeared into the home office across the hall from the kitchen, then returned with a digi-sheet.
“If you need anything else, I’ll be in there.” He pointed toward the office he’d just visited.
She sat on the sofa and accessed the comm-queue that had been set up so the potential mates could keep in contact with each other. It had been a couple of days since she’d been online, so her queue was rather long. As she worked her way through the messages, a live person-to-person request came through. The only people who had her personal access code were other mates, and all of them were approved contacts. She didn’t recognize this ident-code, so she started to decline, but curiosity made her accept the unknown caller.
Celeste Mortenson’s smiling image appeared, and Jasmine cringed. That’s what she got for accepting unknown comms. “Hi, Ms. Aldrich. I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to check in.”
“We have nothing to discuss,” Jasmine stressed. “I told you, I’m not interested.”
“No, you told me you’d think about it. I’m okay with that. Take all the time you need, just keep your eyes and ears open in the meantime.”
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t need to think about it anymore. I want you to—”
“Oh, I don’t mind. I’ll check in again tomorrow.”
Before Jasmine could decline more emphatically, Celeste ended the call.
“Unbelievable.” Jasmine set the digi-sheet aside and pushed to her feet. She had to tell Kellan about that bitch. This was borderline harassment. No. She didn’t need to run to him with every little problem. She was a strong, capable woman. She could easily deal with this herself. She picked up the digi-sheet and blocked Celeste’s ident-code. If she called again, Jasmine would submit an official complaint, and then tell her prospective mates.
* * *
Even though her ident-code was blocked, Celeste found a way through to Jasmine’s digi-sheet the following afternoon. Jasmine sat on the couch in the sunny front room attempting to clear her comm-queue when the annoying i
nterrupt shuffled to the top of the other messages. She started to refuse the request and block the new code, but her stubbornness wouldn’t let her avoid the conflict. Zilrath was upstairs, and she had no intention of having a lengthy conversation with this persistent pest. She authorized the connection but didn’t even give Celeste time to speak. “Do not comm me again. If you contact me through any system, I will report you to your boss and Chancellor Savator.”
Instead of being intimidated by the threat, the snooty blonde smiled. “There’s that spirit I’ve heard so much about. I was starting to wonder if I’d ever meet the real you.”
What the hell was she talking about? It unnerved Jasmine to think of herself as a topic of conversation at the Department of Alien Affairs. Rather than encouraging further discourse, Jasmine stressed, “Leave me alone.” She started to terminate the connection, but Celeste surprised her again.
“Please don’t shut me out.” All her effect fell away, and Jasmine saw the pain in Celeste’s emerald-green eyes. “I just want to speak with you.”
“Nothing you could say will make me change my mind. You need to find somebody else.”
“There is no one else. Believe me, I’ve tried. You are the only human who has anything to do with the Tavorians.”
“I don’t care.” But the blonde’s conviction made Jasmine curious. Why was Celeste trying so hard? The Tavorians stuck to themselves and seldom caused trouble for anyone.
As if hearing Jasmine’s mental ramblings, Celeste said, “We have credible intel that indicates a connection between the Tavorians and the rebels. Can you imagine what the rebels could accomplish if they got their hands on a gatekeeper? We cannot let that happen.”
Jasmine had heard about the Tavorian gatekeepers, but she’d never seen one in action. It was hard to imagine a being powerful enough to open portals between dimensions. “Even if there are traitors among the Tavorians, Zilrath is the last person they’d contact. Zilrath is loyal to the Protectorate, and everyone knows it.”
“With the right motivation, anyone can flip. Just casually mention the possibility to Zilrath and see how he reacts. He might know a lot more than you imagine.”
