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Authors: Tara Nina Jaid Black Leora Gonzales Laurann Dohner

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BOOK: Alien
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Shit!
“That concept never crossed my mind.”

It hadn’t. She was still trying to wrap her head around them
being aliens and hoping they weren’t going to kill her. Her attention dropped
to the front of his pants and then she stared into his eyes again. Was that
even possible? They looked humanoid, amazingly so, even though there were
obvious differences in their features. They were bigger than average men too,
all of them tall and thickly muscled.

“When it does, have no fear. I will not allow anyone to harm
you.” His nostrils flared as he inhaled and a soft growl came from his throat
that the box either didn’t pick up or couldn’t translate. “You are very
tempting but right now our mission is to find our friend.”

Chapter Three

 

Coto had sniffed at her. Lynn hesitated and sniffed back at
him.
Maybe it is a cultural thing with these aliens.
She inhaled the
scent of something musky and pleasant. He responded by making another soft
growl. He stepped close again.

The look in his eyes made her feel a little weak in the
knees. She didn’t need a box to translate lust. He was foreign to her but was
masculine and attractive. If he were human she’d probably be panting after a
guy built like him. And she loved the long hair. The fact that he was so tall
was a turn-on too since most of the men she knew were short.

She sure didn’t get prime stud muffins in Green Bend. She
got idiots like Jimmy Morgan and his drug buddies or lazy, out-of-shape older
guys like Mayor Morgan to choose from for potential dating candidates. Any guy
halfway decent had been snatched up in high school and remained taken by some
woman.

He reached out and brushed a finger along her chin, then
leaned in. He inhaled, making a low noise that wasn’t quite a growl but more of
a rumble.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“You are checking my scent.”

“You sniffed at me and I did it back.”

He let his hand drop away. “You are not initiating sexual
contact with me?”

“Whoa, boy.” She was stunned. “Is that what…ah…leprechauns
do to hit on each other? Is sniffing considered to be foreplay?”

Coto scowled. “I would never strike you. You threw your pack
at me and I did not defend myself against your attack.”

The box translated the words in a dull, emotionless tone but
Coto sounded furious and his expression reflected that. She’d insulted him or
just pissed him off by what she’d said.

“Hit on doesn’t mean that. Hit on means flirting or
initiating sex. It’s a saying.”

His features relaxed. “Our translator doesn’t know that. We
need to speak clearly without your sayings so there are no miscommunications.”

“Our computer was damaged.” Holion shifted his stance,
catching her attention. “We have a smaller translator if you’d allow us to put
it inside your ear so we don’t have to use this portable unit from our
shi—stuff. It is outdated technology.” An annoyed expression crossed his
features. “With our computer not working, we had to pull these units out to
communicate if we ran in to your people.”

Her gaze shifted to Coto. He nodded. “It is safe.”

“You can give me an earpiece thingy.” She shrugged. It beat
them holding a box out toward her while they spoke. She was obviously going to
spend at least a little time with them until she could escape or they let her
go. She hadn’t missed Holion’s slip. She was pretty certain he’d almost said
ship. Aliens came with ships. “I guess that would be okay.”

The redhead, Gar, lifted the bag he held, pushed a hand
inside, and then nodded to Coto before tossing a small ring-sized box at him.
Coto’s reflexes were amazing for a guy with serious injuries as he caught it
and removed a tiny object from inside.

“Turn and tilt your head. Please pull your hair out of the
way.”

Lynn hesitated but then did as he asked. She shoved her
blonde hair back and turned her head, warily watching Coto as he stepped
forward, his gaze turning to her exposed ear. His thumb brushed the bottom of
her earlobe as he pressed what felt like a cold bead into her ear canal.

She gasped, her hand shooting up to cover it a second later.
Whatever it was, it moved, seeming to tunnel inward toward her brain. Pain hit
next and almost took her to her knees. She would have collapsed if Coto hadn’t
lunged, wrapping both his arms around her waist to keep her upright. A snarl
tore from his parted lips.

“This hurts her. Why?”

The discomfort was bad and tears filled her eyes. She
whimpered as needle-sharp agony attacked her eardrum. She opened her mouth but
the pain was too bad for her to even cry out.

“No one told me this would harm her or I would have never
allowed it.” Coto’s voice was deep and no longer mechanical. “Make it stop now,
Gar. Help her.”

“It is just seconds of pain. It will pass. The implant is
taking hold and it is integrating into her system.”

Coto adjusted his hold on her and bent. He scooped her into
his arms, cradling her against his chest. He walked over to a fallen tree and
sat with her on his lap. The sharp pain inside her ear stopped as suddenly as
it had started.

“If you allow her to be harmed again I will hurt you, Gar,”
Coto warned.

She stared up at him as he lowered his chin. He really
looked furious as they eyed each other. “It’s better.”

“I am sorry it hurt. I never would have allowed it if I had
known it would harm you in any way.”

His mouth moved and there were actual words. The translator
not only worked but it was translating emotion and gave the alien a unique
voice. There was no time delay anymore either. The lip movement to sound was a
little off, assuring her he was probably still growling but she could
understand it as if he were actually speaking English.

“Are you well now?” Coto shifted his hold on her, still
cradling her in his arms, but freeing one hand to reach up and gently cup her
face. He lowered his head so they were a breath from being mouth to mouth,
their eyes so close she could see the silver specks with amazing clarity even
in the blue light from the ground. “Nothing will harm you again or I will harm
it much worse.”

“Your voice. I can hear it.”

He took a deep breath, making her realize she was pressed
against his naked, broad chest. It was an intimate position with his arms
around her, her ass on his lap.

“We have the technology to translate our language.”

“That’s…” She struggled to find words. “Cool. Really
advanced.”

His body tensed. “We come from very far away where things
are different than they are here.”

She nodded. “I can totally believe that.”

“I told you she would be fine.” Gar sounded irritated. “You
threatened me without cause.”

Lynn turned her head to stare at the redheaded alien. He
spun around and she noticed the backpack he wore as he stalked to the center of
the small clearing. He removed it and threw it down. They began to set up camp.
Coto gently lifted her off his lap but placed her next to him on the fallen
tree. She didn’t move, too afraid one of the other men might decide to ignore
what Coto had ordered. He was the only one who seemed to want to keep her
alive.

They had all kinds of stuff she’d never seen before as one
of them dropped a backpack-like bag onto the ground and bent to press his
finger into a hole on the side of it. In seconds a hiss sounded and the entire
thing started to inflate. She watched in astonished fascination while it
continued to increase in size, taking the shape of a large dome. By the time it
stopped it was at least twelve feet high in the center and a good twenty feet
in diameter. It looked more like a dark igloo created from a strange fabric
than it did any tent she’d ever seen.

Gar opened his pack and handed out dark-brown packets. He
gave two of them to Coto, who hesitated before placing one on his thigh and
gripping the other with both hands.

“Are you hungry, Lynn?”

“You remembered my name.”

He nodded. “I was able to fully understand you. I already
have an implant that translates your language.”

“It didn’t hurt you?”

“No. I am used to pain.”

She let that one go, deciding to return to his original
question. “I’m starving. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.” She glanced at
what he held in his hands. “Is that food?”

“Yes.” He tore the side seam of the bag and flattened his
hands under it.

Lynn nearly fell off the log when the bag practically
exploded, going from near flat to becoming balloon shaped. Coto’s quick
reflexes stopped her fall. His hand shot out to grip her thigh, pushing down to
pin her where she sat.

Amusement made his eyes sparkle when he smiled at her. “I’m
sorry for finding that humorous but you are afraid of food? You bite it, it
will not bite you.”

“The thing just blew up like a pufferfish. I didn’t expect that.”

He chuckled again, released her thigh, and turned the bag to
show her the open side. “Oxygen activated.”

“That’s…” The smell of something wonderful teased her nose.
She sniffed and reached for it. “That smells really good.”

“You eat meat?” He stared into her eyes.

“Yes.”

He passed it over to her and she was flabbergasted at the
warmth coming from the bag. He chuckled at her gasp.

“It heats the food and expands it when oxygen is introduced
after the seal is broken. We do not have to cook our meals and they are easier
to carry compressed while…we vacation.”

She accepted the warm bag, peeking inside it to see what
looked like meat strips, and then looked back at him. “That’s amazing.”

He shrugged and turned a little away from her, looking down
to open his own food. This time she expected it as the bag rapidly expanded. He
reached inside with his finger and thumb, pulled out a strip of dark meat, and
lifted it to his mouth. Lynn watched his generous lips part, those sharp fangs
of his flashing in the blue light for a second before the meat disappeared into
his mouth when he closed his lips around his fingers, sucking on them. His eyes
closed and an expression of sheer pleasure gripped his features as a soft groan
came from him.

There was just something extremely sexy about the guy as he
chewed his food, his eyes closed as he enjoyed every second of the taste until
he swallowed. His amazingly blue eyes slowly opened and their gazes locked. He
stared back at her until Lynn realized what she was doing. She jerked her
attention to the food bag she held on her palm, turning a little away from
Coto.

She reached inside, her fingertip testing the texture of the
meat that was warm but not hot. It did smell appetizing and it was similar to
steak. She pulled out a strip and stared at it before slowly lifting it to her
mouth. She sniffed it again, deciding it even smelled like her favorite food,
and then hesitantly opened her mouth. She barely touched it to her tongue
first, taking a tiny taste, and then a small bite. Flavor exploded in her
mouth, a rich, wonderful taste much like filet mignon. She groaned and took a
bigger bite. She finished the strip and reached for another.

“You enjoy it?”

Coto’s voice was husky and as she turned her head to look at
him, she nearly gasped as he reached for her face. That tone in his voice did
something to her. It was sexy as hell, kind of gruff and deep but soft at the
same time. His thumb brushed just under her lip, the slightly rough pad of it
tracing from the bottom of her chin to her lower lip gave her good chills. His
gaze followed his thumb until it paused at her lips before he pulled it away.

“Juice dripped.”

“Thank you,” she got out around the lump that formed in her
throat.

Lynn knew they were staring at each other again. She could
hear the noises going on around them as his alien friends set up camp but she
only had eyes for him. He was closer since he’d leaned toward her a little and
her heart rate accelerated. There was just something appealing about him, from
his beautiful eyes to his strong, masculine features. And that silvery, long
hair was tempting to touch, just to see if it felt as silky as it appeared.

He lifted his thumb and licked the juice from it. He still
watched her raptly. Memories of touching that raspy tongue of his were instant
and she wondered what it would feel like against her own. He inched forward,
bending a little so their faces drew closer.

Was he going to kiss her? Her tongue darted out to wet her
lips, drawing his attention as his focus lowered to her mouth. The attraction
between them was sudden, hot, and Lynn took a shaky breath. Part of her really
wanted to know what it would be like if he did touch his mouth to hers, how he
would taste and if he kissed the way she did. A soft growl came from his throat
and the sound made Lynn pull back, realizing just how close she actually was to
finding out if Coto would lip lock with her.

“What is it with you?”

He froze. “I don’t understand the question.”

She inched back again, putting a little more space between them.
“You smell good and I stop thinking rationally every time you stare at me or
touch me.” She grew suspicious. “Is it some freaky hormone thing? You know, do
you give off a certain scent to make a woman have crazy thoughts about jumping
you?”

His eyebrows rose and he appeared confused. “I don’t
understand.”

“You’re different.” She tried to find words that he’d
comprehend. “You and I are not the same. I don’t know you, but I’m attracted to
you when you get really close to me. Do you put off crazy pheromones that draw
a woman to you? I’m an animal control officer and I study them in my free time
so I know some can draw the opposite sex with their scent.” She paused. “You’ve
got animal traits like your teeth and you growl so I’m wondering if you have
other traits that aren’t visible.”

He said nothing for long seconds. “You think my scent
arouses you?”

“Whoa!” She inched farther along the log away from him. “I
didn’t say anything about being turned-on. I said attracted, which is not the
same.”

His nostrils flared. “You scent good to me as well.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“To my knowledge my scent holds no effect on women.”

She studied him carefully, not seeing deceit there. She
couldn’t be a hundred percent sure but she was willing to believe him.
Great,
I’m losing my mind. I’m getting all hot and bothered over an alien.
She
looked away from him to focus on her food, purposely not glancing his way. The
meat strips were mouthwatering good and she was starving. She ate every piece
that was inside the bag and then turned her head to glance at Coto.

BOOK: Alien
6.35Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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