He abruptly halted, panting. Stacy grated guttural noises, unable to vocalize until seconds later.

  “Fuuuck.”

  “Oh, you’re talking again? I’ll have to fix that.”

  “Wait. Wait—”

  He began moving again. He rocked in and out, slower, but when his groin met hers, he ground them together. The friction went directly to her clit, and she shook her head frantically as excitement gained new ground. She couldn’t stand another orgasm. She was convinced it would kill her.

  “Kuran. I can’t.”

  His face hovered above hers, primitive lust etched on his features. His pace quickened while he continued grinding against her.

  “Kuran. Please.”

  “Still talking. I do love a challenge.”

  He was amping up, his hips whipping. His fingers bracketed her clit and rubbed. He continued to hold her motionless for his attention, his other paw a manacle. Pleasure leapt to cruel ecstasy, robbing her of words and thoughts again.

  Animal noises broke from her lips as he fucked her. He bared his teeth at her as he drove and drove and drove.

  “Come. Now.”

  Her overwrought body obeyed. A thin shriek spooled loose as her insides clenched. Kuran’s rhythm stuttered, and a strained grunt escaped him. He shuddered from head to toe. His muscles corded as heat poured in her grasping cunt.

  Little by little, he eased. Her surges dissipated. Kuran sagged over her, uttering a final groan.

  She was aware of the cuffs being taken off her wrists and ankles, of her limbs being gently rubbed. Rihep and Etnil thrust water pouches at her and Kuran as soon as he managed to roll off.

  Rihep drew her onto his lap, like a father with a child as she slurped. “Are you all right?”

  “So much better,” she sighed. “Thank you. That was exactly what I needed.”

  “We live to serve,” Etnil grinned. He glanced at Kuran. “Do you want me to cuddle you too?”

  “Try it and I’ll beat your ass.”

  “Again? You really do love me.”

  * * * *

  Spyship orbiting Bi’is

  Ilid wished he could curl up in the containment cell’s corner. Curl up and cover his head and hide.

  Cells in Kalquorian brigs offered no furnishings, save toilets. Containments were small and uncomfortable. Because the walls were invisible stasis fields, they gave the illusion of space. Only the wall separating the brig from the next room gave Ilid any sense of his prison.

  He knew where the rear corner was, however. He eyed the area, then turned resolutely from it. He was a Dramok. He wouldn’t cower before the enemy, if the enemy decided to show up.

  He was alone in the chamber, which could house up to twenty single-man containments. He glanced at the vid monitors in the corners. Since he was the sole prisoner, they were all aimed at him, giving the guard or guards outside multiple views as he alternated between standing still and pacing.

  He wondered if anyone was watching. He’d spotted no one since Nobek Niken had shoved him in hours ago.

  As if his wondering had summoned attention, the door at the end of the brig opened. Weapons Commander Suta and Subcommander Ved strode in. Both had darks draped over their shoulders.

  The Nobek pair stopped on the other side of his containment, eyeing him as if he were a lab specimen. In defiance of every instinct screaming at him to crouch in the corner, Ilid stepped forward, stopping just short of the field, which would jolt him if he dared touch it. He met Suta’s gaze squarely. As the senior officer, it was his regard to be acknowledged. Ilid refused to accord the customary bow of respect, however.

  His and Ved’s intimate history, despite its casualness, made it too painful to look at the subcommander.

  “You don’t greet your superiors with respect?” Suta asked. His tone was mild for such a breach…mild for a Nobek of his standing.

  “If my superiors were in command of themselves, I would.” Ilid slid his gaze to the shadow on Suta. It winked out of sight the instant he looked directly where it was. “Since you’re invaders using my commanding officers as puppets, you deserve no respect.”

  “We’re invaders?” Loathing laced the furious disbelief in Ved’s tone.

  Suta held up a hand to quiet him. “You see us.”

  “Which the creature riding Nobek Niken would have told you. What are you?”

  His question was ignored. “Our scans reported partial insertion wouldn’t be detected.” Ved maintained his snarl.

  “Tests will be run.” Suta continued his cold appraisal. “What was in the communication you sent?”

  Elation leapt in Ilid’s heart. The alert system hadn’t flagged his message. It had transmitted, and his father would receive it. The fleet would be warned.

  He did his best to mask the jolt of triumph. In as bland a tone as he could summon, he answered, “It was to my family. I send them a regular com once a week.”

  “Have the accuracy of his statement checked,” Suta told Ved. To Ilid, he said, “Relate what you said to your family.”

  Ilid folded his arms over his chest. “It’s none of your damned business, invader.”

  “Your resistance is of no concern. We’ll access your memory of what you wrote.”

  “How?”

  Suta glanced at Ved. The subcommander’s scowl was replaced by an unpleasant smile.

  As had happened in Engineering, a small shadow dripped off Ved’s rider. It scurried toward Ilid.

  Ilid backed up, his yell startled despite knowing the containment was between him and the creature. He yelled again when it crawled through the invisible barrier without pausing.

  It chased him throughout the cell while the Nobeks watched in seeming disinterest. He crashed into the walls holding him prisoner, barely acknowledging the shocks ringing through his body at each instant of contact. He struck at the tiny dark and tried to stomp it. His booted foot passed through it.

  Then it was climbing up his leg. Ilid shrieked in terrified fury, trying to fling it off. Whatever allowed it to treat him solidly wasn’t available to his desperate attempts to get it off. His grasp came up empty as it raced up his back, up to his shoulders.

  Then there was quiet and darkness. Ilid was suddenly no longer there or anywhere else.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ilid would remember flashes of sight and sound later, impressions of conversations involving his commanding officers, though none of their content. He heard himself recite snatches of his message to his Nobek father. The rest was nonexistence.

  When he returned to himself, it was to terrible pain. His skull was on fire. His abdomen felt as if it had been flayed. He moaned and tried to rise, but he couldn’t. He was immobilized, which somehow made the agony worse.

  A figure stood over him, and he had to blink tears to clear his vision to learn he was attended by Medical’s head physician. Dr. Umen gazed at him so closely, his nose hovered inches above Ilid’s.

  From the corner of his eye, Ilid saw the dark rider on Umen.

  “Well?”

  Umen straightened and looked at the speaker. Captain Abgi stood on the other side of Ilid, who realized he lay on a medi-bed in the medical department. Abgi was also mounted by a dark.

  “I’ll re-run the tests minus the influence of attachment. They should give a more accurate picture of why he sees us so well. There’s need to test the others whose accessed memories indicated they also detected a hint of our presence.”

  “One percent of the crew.” Abgi’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Ilid. “We’re barely in the overlap. It’s too many of them.”

  “The vessel is phased, as are they. Most of the interlopers’ kind don’t experience the overlap. We’d pass invisible among them, unless the micro-sensory attunement such as this one exhibits is of heightened strength.”

  “Your estimate of those chances?”

  “I can’t theorize, due to the lack of completed tests of this specimen and the other one percent. What loss is acceptable?”

  “However many it takes to answer our questions.” Abgi left.

  Dr. Umen regarded Ilid for a second before leaving his bedside. Ilid fought to break free but couldn’t budge. The medi-bed’s stasis field was activated, leaving him helpless.

  “Your expression indicates strain. There’s no hope of escape.” Umen’s voice came from the opposite end of the room. Ilid couldn’t turn his head to see him. He also couldn’t speak.

  Umen returned, escorting a hover tray of needles and instruments, including laser cutters. Ilid could at least shift his eyes, and he stared at the tray, his skin crawling. What was Umen planning to do?

  As if he’d heard Ilid’s question, Umen picked up a laser cutter. “I must access your brain again. The first round of testing, you were infiltrated and felt nothing when I cut and injected nanobots to gather the needed samples. This interloper, whom you call Umen…his memories indicate such testing is usually accompanied by rendering the subject unconscious. I do not mind screams, however, so we’ll skip that step.”

  Ilid’s mouth wouldn’t open. When the laser hovered over his eyes, he found he could cry out. Guttural noises sounded from his straining throat.

  “Yes, it will hurt a great deal.” Leering amusement appeared on the doctor’s face. The laser flashed a red beam, aimed at Ilid’s forehead.

  He screamed behind lips frozen shut.

  * * * *

  Shuttle flying from Alpha Space Station to Earth II

  Stacy supposed she should have been delighted to ride to work in Kuran’s company. After all, it was an opportunity to them to spend a few extra minutes together beyond the sight of fellow Earthers.

  The fact it had come about because her shuttle had refused to power up as she’d attempted to leave the space station, however…irritating. Extremely irritating. Especially since she’d spent the night there rather than in her bed on Earth. Kuran had poked around the shuttle’s engine in hopes of starting it but had had no luck.

  He and Stacy would arrive at their offices late. She and Ken Bryant had an early appointment. He’d no doubt wonder why she’d spent another night on a Kalquorian facility.

  “This is becoming difficult to keep up,” she groused.

  “Clandestine affairs usually are.”

  She looked Kuran over. “Oh? You have experience in tawdry encounters?”

  He reddened. “Only what I’ve read about. And our affair isn’t tawdry, merely secret.”

  “What you’ve read about? Oh, salacious gossip. Share it. Which notable has been caught with his or her pants down?” She leaned close, eager for scandalous conversation.

  “Nobody. I’ve read a little Earther fiction dealing with intimate relationships, that’s all.” His color was deepening by the second.

  “Really? Oh, pornography, I suppose.” She sat back in her seat, disappointed.

  “No. Well, a few parts are what some might call pornographic, but I’d classify it as more along the lines of…erotic.” He scowled and glared at her. “Fine. I’ve been reading human romance books. I’d hoped they’d give me a better idea of how to treat an Earther woman the way she prefers.”

  Stacy stared at him. Kuran, the giant, muscled, scarred Nobek, read romance novels? He continued to glower, daring her to make fun.

  Giggles threatened to bubble up from her gut. She squashed them with determination.

  “You’re very considerate, Kuran. I appreciate the effort, since I assume you’re reading for tips on my behalf.”

  His tension eased a hair. “Of course I do it for you. It’s important I do whatever possible so you’re happy.”

  “That means a great deal to me.” It did, but she was still having to fight laughter.

  “I’m glad. I…I’d be grateful if you didn’t tell my clanmates. Especially Etnil.”

  “Absolutely I won’t.” Etnil would have a field day if he discovered such reading material. Poor Kuran would never hear the end of it. “You do realize, a lot of those books have an unrealistic view of romance, right? Real relationships usually aren’t quite so dramatic.”

  “I’m relieved to hear it. I’ve been clanned for thirty-three years to Rihep, twenty-three to Etnil. The Earther perspective in the books concerned me. The stories seem to indicate a successful relationship is a torrid, nonstop high.”

  “Most of us who’ve been in relationships before understand such isn’t the case. Romance books are meant to feed us our fantasies during the calmer spells.” She’d been distracted from the revelation of Kuran’s reading habits, however. “Do you realize you and Rihep have been clanned almost as long as I’ve been alive? I keep forgetting how much slower Kalquorians age than humans.”

  “It’s all right. I like my women young and nubile.”

  Stacy screamed laughter. “At thirty-eight, I’m hardly ‘nubile.’ Did you learn that word from those books?”

  “It shows up with horrifying regularity. A few do have decent stories, though.” He blushed once more. “Ancestors, don’t tell anyone. I’m begging you. I’ll kill myself if it gets out.”

  “I swear your secret is safe. Hey, I don’t mind a hot romance every now and then. Maybe you can give me some recommendations?”

  “Contemporary, fantasy, or historical?”

  Giggles threatened again. Kuran, the romance-reading Nobek, was a hell of an eye-opener.

  * * * *

  Earth II

  Stacy was five minutes late to her meeting with Bryant. Kuran had gone straight to his own office to help her avoid as much awkwardness as possible, but she couldn’t guess how the situation could be less pleasant.

  “You stayed on the Kalquorian space station a second night?” At least Ken had possessed the good breeding to stand and wish her good morning first.

  She dropped in her chair. “How else do I keep tabs on our assistance unless I visit them? Unfortunately, my shuttle broke down. Did I apologize for keeping you waiting? Prophets, I need a cup of coffee.”

  He offered a smile, which failed to reach his eyes. “I take it Nobek Kuran brought you home to us.”

  Stacy met his gaze. “He works here. In this very building. He’s the only Kalquorian who does so. Who else would I have asked to give me a lift?”

  “You want to be elected for a term of governorship. That Kalq is around you a lot, and people notice. They could get the wrong idea if it continues. Particularly if he’s bringing you in after you spend the night on the station where he lives.”

  “They’ll have to get over it. He’ll be taking me back there later, so I can pick up my shuttle, which I hope will be repaired before the day’s done. Anything else, or can we move on from the interrogation, Mr. Bryant?”

  He sighed. “It isn’t an interrogation, and I’m not saying you’re doing anything wrong. I’m simply pointing out how it looks. As I said, Kuran is around you quite often. Your political opponents will capitalize on it.”

  “Thank you.” She turned on her handheld and brought up the itinerary. “As I note neither the election nor Nobek Kuran are on the agenda for our meeting, shall we discuss the items which are?”

  * * * *

  Transport flying from Alpha Space Station to Kalquor

  Tranis left his quarters. The transport he traveled aboard was an official fleet vessel, but luxurious. Meant for moving dignitaries about in non-war regions, it ranked as well as any high-end pleasure cruiser catering to wealthy tourists who wished to visit exotic vacation spots.

  As he strode the corridor, he reflected on if his clanmates might enjoy such a cruise. Perhaps not Lidon, who wasn’t much for extravagance. Cassidy and Degorsk, however, would delight in being pampered and visiting lavish locales. They certainly deserved it.

  His clan would soon welcome a child. They should celebrate it with a grand gesture.

  He reached the lounge and was glad to see Hobato already there, sitting at a table and watching news vids while enjoying the meal provided by a kitchen serving gourmet fair.

  “Good evening, Admiral.”

  Hobato gestured for him to sit across from him. “It’s wonderful to be heading home. How are you feeling?”

  The head of the fleet’s tone sounded somehow flat, but Tranis attributed it to the pressures of his position. Perhaps he projected his own fatigue after the various concerns of his sojourn to Earth II.

  “I had my blood sugar checked prior to us setting off. Everything appears normal. My Matara will insist on more tests, nonetheless.”

  “My congratulations once more on your happy news.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Tranis glanced at the news vid and grimaced at the footage of protesting Earthtiques being escorted from the official opening of Earth II to new residents. “Any further reports on the demonstration?”

  “Nothing to take seriously. It’s only a few dissenters, and the majority of Earthers themselves are asking other worlds to ignore the hysterics of a fringe element.”

  Tranis frowned. “It reminds me of how our civil war started. A vocal few managed to attract the disaffected until we were at each other’s throats.”

  “We have our people in place to quietly keep an eye on Earth. They’ll let us know if the objectors gain any traction.” He eyed Tranis levelly. “We have remaining issues from five years ago to reconcile.”

  Tranis sighed. “I checked on Clan Piras’ status prior to leaving. The station master said overall their integration had been incident-free, but a few personnel did approach him to voice their concerns.”

  “No outright disputes? No one asked for a transfer?”

  “Thus far. Several are keeping their distance. The general attitude matches Nobek Kuran’s: they understood why Piras and Kila did what they did, but they don’t like it.”