Acting Out (2 page)

Jessica wandered around her quarters with nervous
anticipation. She only had about an hour before she was to be escorted to the
king’s chambers for their dinner, and she had no idea what to wear. She had
already bathed, shaved, and fixed her hair and makeup, but she had no clue what
was appropriate to wear to dinner with an alien king. She regarded the computer
screen that was flush to the wall and flipped through pictures of T’Kalan
fashions, but nothing really caught her eye. T’Kalan women were generally much
taller than her own diminutive 5’3” and their fashions would only make the
difference in height that much more obvious. What she wouldn’t give to have
access to her ginormous walk-in closet back at her home in Malibu. She had the
perfect dress in mind, but that was thousands of light years away. If she only
had access to a replicator, it would be no problem, but the ones on the
compound were located in the kitchen and weapons rooms, and those were on the
other side of the sprawling estate.

Just as she was about to get desperate enough to make the
trip, there was a knock on her door. “Come on in!” Jess called out absently. It
was likely any one of the number of attendants that worked for the king in the
castle. In her three days here, she had met several different workers that
performed tasks such as cleaning, laundry, and food service. It wasn’t really
that different from staying in a nice hotel back on Earth.

“Pardon the intrusion, Miss MacGregor, but I have been sent
to help you dress for the evening,” said a woman with a husky, accented voice.

Jessica turned to face the newcomer and gasped at the sight
of the female standing there. She was taller than Jessica by several inches,
but she was very obviously not from the same planet as her. In fact, she didn’t
appear to be T’Kalan, either. Her skin was a deep, rich brown, like dark
chocolate, but there were swirled designs tracing over every inch of exposed
skin with softly glowing orange light. Her hair was a buttery blonde in color
and twisted up in intricate knots and braids on top of her head and decorated
with vibrant purple flowers resembling lilies. Her eyes glowed with the same
orangey copper as the designs on her skin, and her teeth were blinding white. She
wore a form-fitting dress of purple that matched the flowers perfectly, and her
abundant curves were on prominent display, most noticeably, the rounded swell
of her belly. Jessica was stunned speechless, and she could only imagine what
the female thought of her gaping like a loon.

The female’s laughter was deep and seductive as she made her
way further into the room, her arms overflowing with a sparkling blue material.
“Ah, I see you have not met a member of my species before now. Allow me to
introduce myself. My name is Enahara and I am a designer and seamstress in
P’Hartha. I am from the planet Yeyolani and I am the lifemate of the T’Kalan
warrior Lexor Va’Alec. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss MacGregor.”

Jessica shivered as the alien female’s voice curled through
her veins and set her blood on fire with unexpected desire. She swallowed
thickly, shaking herself out of her stupor, and struggled to respond. “It’s a
pleasure to meet you, Enahara. Please call me Jessica.”

The female stopped mere inches from Jessica and the actress
fought with herself not to sway toward the exotically beautiful alien who
seemed to draw her in with unspoken promises of carnal delight. Enahara gripped
Jessica’s chin in her hand and searched the human’s eyes carefully. “
Tah
,
I was afraid you would be affected. Do not worry, Miss Jessica. The effects of
the
yeoling
will lessen with exposure. Do not be afraid or embarrassed,
for it is common for your kind to be susceptible to the pull of the Yeyolani.
We will go about our business so the king will not be kept waiting, yes?”

“Yes,” Jessica nodded dumbly. She would have agreed to
anything the captivating alien said at this point thanks to the heat spiraling
through her body and the throbbing of her pulse points. “What is
yeoling
?”
she remembered to ask.

Enahara shook out the fabric that took the form of a dress
and laid it across the bed and then efficiently began to strip Jessica out of
her robe while the human actress turned to putty in her hands. “The
yeoling
is our inner light that shines out through our skin and was a gift to my people
from the All Mother. We receive much of our strength and energy from the rays
of the sun, and my people die without prolonged exposure to its light. Many
species are affected by this energy in different ways, but it has been my
experience that most feel an overwhelming arousal or desire,” she explained
succinctly and without malice. “The affect will lessen with continued exposure,
so do not fear.”

Jessica shuddered with longing as the Yeyolani woman began
to run a red laser scanner over her body. She closed her eyes and gave herself
a stern reminder not to touch the alluring stranger who was not only mated, but
very obviously expecting. In order to distract herself, she asked, “What is
that device you are using? It looks like the scanners the medi-techs used on
the ship.”

“It is very similar in technology, but I use this scanner to
measure your body for ensuring proper fit of your dress.” Enahara stepped back
and eyed Jessica’s underwear and bra skeptically. “I am afraid this will not
do, Jessica,” the female intoned. “The dress I have fashioned for you to wear
will not work with this covering over your breasts. Do all humans from your
world bind their chests in such a way?”

Jessica blinked in confusion before she realized what she
was asking. “Uh, only the women of our world, but it isn’t required or
mandated. Most females like the feeling of support they receive from a bra, and
many of our men find them to be arousing if they offer enough lift and cleavage,”
Jessica explained, heat climbing up her face as the alien woman began to pull
at the straps.

“
Tah
, it is a strange custom, indeed, but who am I to
judge your people?” she replied airily. “Take off the binding, but you may
leave the small shorts if you insist,” she ordered. Jessica was too stunned to
argue and quickly allowed her bra to slide down her arms. Enahara studied her
again and then nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Your skin is so very pale,
Jessica. This fabric will make you glow as if the Moon Mother herself resides
within your body. I begin to understand why the warriors who call my mate
‘friend’ have declared their praises of you. Your body shape is very pleasing
and your breasts will nourish many young.”

Jessica choked back a startled laugh at the female’s blunt
appraisal. “Uh, thank you, I think. Though it will be a long time before I can
even think about having children.”

Enahara shared a knowing smile, her sharp eye teeth
glinting. Reaching out to snag Jessica’s hand, she pressed it firmly into her own
swollen belly. Jessica gasped when she felt movement vibrating through her hand
and she met the alien woman’s glowing orange eyes. “On my world, there is
nothing more sacred and revered than mothers. It is the strength and power of a
woman that creates new life and nurtures it. I feel within you the potent
spirit of All Mother, Jessica. Do not push away the true desires of your heart
out of fear or the expectations of others.”

Jessica’s breath shuddered on the exhale and tears
inexplicably pricked her eyes. How did this strange, mystical alien read her
most secret desire? From the time she was a small child, she had always known
that she wanted to be a mother, but her own had drilled it into her head that
she had to wait and make a name for herself and launch her career. Her mother
had dragged her along to one audition after another, enrolling her in acting
classes, and pushing her toward the spotlight that was to be her destiny. She
loved acting, really she did, but it was always something that had to be done
before she could follow her real dream. Even being on the ship after the
attack, she had never felt more fulfilled and
needed
as she had when she
was tending the wounded, comforting the terrified crew, and making sure her
warriors were fed and resting. It was in her nature to nurture others, but her
path had been chosen long ago by her mother.

Jessica just nodded numbly and offered a wobbly smile to the
enigmatic alien female. Enahara returned her smile with one of her own and then
released Jessica to step back. “Now, we must get you dressed for your dinner
with the young king. We will show him that you are a queen in your own right,
yes?”

Jessica laughed lightly and submitted herself to Enahara’s
ministrations. She had a lot to think about after her interaction with the
Yeyolani female, and some very important decisions to make about her future.

Jessica nervously swiped her sweaty palms along the sides of
her dress and followed her escort to the king’s rooms. The fabric of the
sapphire blue dress that Enahara draped her in felt like gossamer silk against
her mostly bare skin, but it was dark enough that only the outline of her
curves could be glimpsed. She was thankful that it didn’t conform directly to
her body like the Yeyolani woman’s did, but instead, it flowed gently down her body
like the kiss of wind. It was a beautiful dress, but it gave her the feeling of
nakedness and vulnerability when she most needed her confidence.

Mantor stopped in front of a wall panel and placed his finger
against a sensor and announced, “Warrior Mantor Tal’Umar has arrived with the
human Jessica MacGregor.” The sensor glowed brightly for a moment and then the
wall panel slid aside to reveal an open room. Mantor offered Jessica a
reassuring smile and motioned her inside. “Have no fear, Miss MacGregor. King
Korian is well-liked and respected among warriors.”

Jessica nodded in thanks and cautiously made her way inside
the king’s suite. She looked around the empty room and was surprised to see it
looked much like her own with minimal, but tasteful, decoration and furniture.
The chairs and sofas were plush, but understated, and the art on the walls were
mostly portraits of other T’Kalan warrior kings and queens. Her eyebrows
climbed in amazement as she counted more than a half of the queens to be of
different races and species, but the rest of them were still T’Kalan.

Another panel sliding open gained her attention, and her
eyes tracked over for her first glimpse of the king since the ceremony where
she had been honored among the medi-techs who had tended the wounded aboard
ship. Her breath caught in her throat as she drank in the sight of the handsome
T’Kalan warrior before her. He was more than a foot taller than her, but his
sheer bulk made him appear even larger. His shoulders alone were huge, wider
than most of the other warriors she had met, and muscles bulged and strained at
the fit of his snug black shirt. His waist was trim before flaring back out to
a luscious behind that topped the thick tree trunks of his legs encased in
matching black trousers. Most arresting of all, though, were his T’Kalan eyes.
While his irises were ghostly pale, they were tinted with a pale lavender color
that offset the longer waves of his black hair and the bronze shimmer of his skin.
He was utterly breathtaking and Jessica’s body shivered with desire.

She watched as his gaze tracked up and then back down her
own body with obvious appreciation and her confidence returned. Adopting the
starlet persona that helped get her through nerve-wracking press junkets and
television interviews, she flashed him a bright smile, pushed her shoulders
back, and strode across the room to approach him boldly. His own lips stretched
wide to reveal rows of bright white teeth and he accepted her outstretched hand
and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

“Miss MacGregor, thank you for agreeing to meet with me this
evening. May I say that you look as stunning and lovely as a T’Kalan sunset
over the waters?” he greeted her with chivalrous flirtation.

She tipped her head back to laugh lightly and replied, “Of
course you may, but only if you call me Jessica,” she flirted back with
practiced ease, hooking her hand through the crook of his arm with uninvited
familiarity.

The muscle of his bicep jumped under her palm as he began to
guide her further into his rooms. He glanced down at her and his voice was
husky when he added, “Then you must call me Korian.” He escorted her through
another door and into a small chamber where a table was set with two chairs and
domed plates. “I hope you will enjoy the meal prepared by my chef. The
Lieutenant Commander assured me that you would approve.”

Jessica took her seat and pulled up to the table, her
stomach jumping with nerves. Outwardly, though, she assured him, “If it has been
Mahoney-approved, then I am sure it will be wonderful.” She watched closely as
his big hands carefully poured a dark red wine into her goblet and her nose
picked up hints of chocolate, tart fruit, and a whiff of smoke. “Thank you,
Korian,” she added as she picked up her glass.

He filled his own and then held it up to hers. “I believe my
research has shown that your people like to wish good luck before drinking. Is
that correct?” he asked, his eyebrow arching in challenge.

Jessica tapped the rim of her glass against his own with a
ting
and answered, “It’s called a ‘toast’ and that is mostly correct. In this
case, I would say, ‘To a mutually beneficial endeavor.’”

His lips quirked at her diplomatic wording before adding his
own toast. “To a successful conclusion of our mission.” They each brought their
glass to their lips and took a sip of the rich, bittersweet wine while their
gazes held.

Korian placed his glass back on the glassy black surface of
the table and then pressed his finger to a softly glowing nodule. “Shall we eat
before we discuss business, Jessica? I would very much like to hear your
thoughts and impressions of my world and its people. I would also like to hear
more about your own world, as well.”

She tipped her head in agreement and then almost jumped out
of her skin when the silver domes parted in the middle and then disappeared
into the table to leave a plate of steaming food in its wake. The meal
resembled beef stroganoff with small strips of tender meat covered with a light
brown gravy interspersed with short and wide noodles. It was paired with long,
green stalks of some vegetable that had seared marks in a row along their
length.

“This smells incredible,” she murmured, her mouth flooding
with saliva. “Is this a T’Kalan recipe?”

Korian waited for her to take the first bite before
replying. “It is a traditional recipe on our world, but not originally T’Kalan.
Our first warrior queen, who was from the planet Balanx, introduced us to this
dish hundreds of years ago, but it has been a staple on our world ever since.”

Jessica groaned in obvious approval as the flavor of spiced
gravy hit her taste buds. The meat was tender and practically melted in her
mouth and the noodles were firm, but dense, and complimented the dish
perfectly. “Oh, my God, Korian. This is amazing,” she moaned as her tongue
peeked out to lick a drop of gravy from her lip.

When she was greeted with silence, she looked to her host in
question. His fork was suspended halfway to his mouth which was hanging open in
stunned silence. He finally snapped his mouth closed and blinked slowly. “Tell
me, Jessica, do all humans make such noises when eating?” he asked, his voice
strained.

An embarrassed flush, the curse of her Scottish heritage, seeped
over her chest and up into her face. She cleared her throat and hedged, “Um,
sometimes, if the food is particularly good.”

A wicked smile creased his face. “Then I am most pleased
that you find such…enjoyment in your meal.”

She arched an eyebrow and countered, “Naughty, naughty, King
Korian. If you aren’t careful, I may get the impression that you are flirting
with me.”

He wiped the corner of his mouth with a cloth napkin and
replied archly, “Then I shall have to try harder so there is no mistake.”

A surprised laugh burst forth from her lips causing the
tense atmosphere at the table to relax. For the rest of the meal, they spoke
easily with one another. Jessica gave her own account of the frightening attack
on their ship, explaining how Fallon, an alien cat person, trained her to do
emergency medical aid and how interested she had become in their medical
technology.

“It’s quite amazing, really, compared to our own medicine on
Earth. People still grow sick and die from thousands of diseases and maladies
that would only take moments for your scanners to heal. My only regret was that
I didn’t have time to learn how to use them before the attack. I would have
been able to do so much more for my warriors than to apply skin sealant and
offer food and drink,” she explained earnestly.

Korian sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his
chest until his big arms bulged. “
Your
warriors?” he asked, his voice
tinged with a hint of censure.

Jessica’s back straightened at his tone. “Yes,
my
warriors. Those men became my friends and my protectors during the two weeks we
were on board that ship. While Mahoney was busy training and sneaking off to
hook up with the Commander, I was often left to my own devices, but I was never
alone if I didn’t choose to be. Those men escorted me, entertained me, talked
to me, and taught me about your world. Not a one of them ever showed me an
unkindness and treated me with nothing but chivalry and respect. One thing you
should know about me, Korian. When I invite someone into my heart, they become
mine
.”

Korian tossed his napkin on his empty plate, his jaw
clenched with some repressed emotion. He pushed back his chair and indicated
that she should follow him. As they strolled toward another door panel, he
finally replied, “I had wondered at the numerous requests from
my
warriors for an audience with you these past several days. It seems you have
managed to make quite the impression on many of them.”

Jessica grabbed his arm to stop his forward progress. “Wait
a minute. Are you saying that I’ve had visitors for the past three days and I
am only just now hearing about it? Why wasn’t I told so that I could see them?”
she demanded, her face burning with anger now. She had wondered why so many of
the T’Kalan warriors she had befriended had remained silent in the past three
days when they had assured her they would be in touch.

The king’s pale lavender eyes narrowed on the fiery redhead.
“Lest you forget, Miss MacGregor, you are here under my protection and I am the
one that shall deem who is allowed to interact with you. You are here for one
purpose, and that is to help me distract the nobles who seek to dethrone me.
You are not here to turn my warriors into slavering
vlarneks
in rut
seeking out a female in heat,” he informed her, his voice cold with authority.

Jessica was generally a happy and friendly person, but her
temper was legendary among cast and crews and directors. In that moment, it did
not matter that she was smaller, female, and on an alien world. It did not
matter that the man before her outweighed her by well over 100 pounds and was a
trained warrior and a king of his people.

Poking her finger into the concrete wall of his chest, she
hissed, “Lest
you
forget, You Royal Ass, I am only here because you
ordered me kidnapped from my world. Not only did you take me away from my
planet, but you took me away from my friends, my family, and my job! I didn’t
ask for any of this, and from what I can tell, I’m not receiving any
compensation or incentive to play my part in securing your precious throne. So,
if I were you, I would think twice about insinuating that I am whore before you
piss me off and I decide to turn uncooperative really fast. Do we understand
each other, King Asshole?”