Alien Best Man (2 page)

I lowered the book, aware that I was in danger of hyperventilating as the full meaning hit my stomach like a one-two punch. That was some wedding night tradition.

One bride, one groom and one very
disturbing
best man.

Qay’s last words haunted me suddenly, “Don’t ever think you have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Like a threesome with the best man? Should I even take the book at face value, take it literal?

Mindful not to bend any pages, I closed the book. I’d find out once I was on Dezra.

But I wouldn’t walk away from what I had found with Qay, the trust and love. Never.

Too deep had he touched my heart with his wit and smile and words. Soon, I would board the ship that would fly me into a still unknown new world. And after three nights, I would marry Qay.

Even if I had to spread my legs for a catlike devil.

* * * * *

My stomach was grumbling, not with hunger but with a mild case of nerves. The sky was still dark except for the light beams of arriving and departing ships. I was granted access to the small docking station where private space jets and shuttles waited for their owners. I waved, spotting Kyra. Clutching an extra-large drink in one hand, Kyra wore only a plasma thermal tank top with matching black pants. She looked like a space pirate.

I probably looked ready to throw up.

“Here, drink,” Kyra said by way of greeting, and pressed the drink into my hand.

“Or you’ll hurl for the next eight hours straight. And that’s with the gravity switch pulled.”

“Not funny,” I muttered, but sipped. It sloshed over my tongue like liquid teeth cleaner.

“That’s all you’re taking with you?” Kyra looked at my bag. “After twenty-nine happy years on Earth, all you take is one lousy bag?”

“I don’t need much as long as I have Qay.”

“By the stars, you are in deep.”

“I love him if that’s what you mean,” I replied, raising my voice over the hissing noise of a big-bellied trader.

“I guess his looks don’t hurt either,” Kyra said with a grin.

I shook my head, thinking about Qay’s gorgeous body, his copper-colored skin, the tender touch of his hands. But it wasn’t his looks that had gotten to me. It had been his show of character during the negotiations, during late-night meetings, and his ability to truly listen. And the way he made love to me. “He was the best thing that happened to me after…after—” I broke off, shoving the thought aside.

“After what happened with that…guy? Sorry,” Kyra said quickly, “I know you don’t like to talk about it.”

“It’s okay,” I said, surprising myself. It was as if the drink not only made me sleepy but talkative. “I aimed my phaser at him, threatening I’d shoot him if he didn’t back off.

He not only backed off, next day he was gone. Qay came to continue the negotiations. I fell for him.”

“Wow. Amazing that they didn’t fire you.”

“They waited until Qay signed the trade contract
then
they fired me.”

“That’s the confederation for you. Follow me, you haven’t met my girl yet, have you?”

The sleek space glider Kyra owned gleamed chrome black under glaring white security lights. I boarded and strapped myself into a too-wide chair, which made me feel like a toddler.

“Ready?” Kyra checked if I had downed the drink.

“Can’t wait.” I was tired and excited at the same time. “And I can’t wait to kick ass as Dezra’s new trade official. My old boss is in for a surprise.” Kyra whistled. “So, Qay bagged himself a confederation insider as his wife. You sure he’s not just using you?”

It was so absurd, I laughed. “Kyra, he loves me.”

“Is it true that Dezrians can read minds?”

My throat closed up a little. “Qay can’t. I asked.”

“You fell fast for him. Maybe too fast.”

“Since when are
you
the word of caution?”

“Well, Dezra is not in the allied confederation
yet
, as you know best. They don’t adhere to common laws.”

“But they will be in a couple of weeks.”

“Still, it hasn’t happened yet. On Dezra, you’re at Qay’s mercy.” A cold shiver gripped me, why I couldn’t tell. I glanced out the cockpit screen as Kyra navigated through the checkpoints toward the open space. Kyra wasn’t telling me any news, but from her mouth it sounded as if I headed to my execution instead of my wedding.

* * * * *

“I’ll go insane if I can’t see Qay soon.” I knew from the book that some kind of feast awaited me, but damned if it had mentioned as to
when
.

Instead of being met by Qay, an apparent welcome committee—solely women—

had greeted Kyra and me. They escorted us from Dezra’s docks to a large glasslike dome that was large enough to hold a small city, which in fact it did.

I spent my first night on Dezra, while not lacking for food or comfort, utterly alone.

I tried to sneak out and was gently but determinedly shoved back into my rooms by the fiercest-looking female I’d ever laid eyes on. She either protected me or held me prisoner. I hoped it was the first. I assumed Kyra was well, as she was in separate rooms. Now late afternoon, women were leaving and coming into my quarters like a flock of birds. The concept of personal space seemed to be nonexistent. I let myself be washed, groomed, shaved and braided—all in the name of tradition. They didn’t address me directly—only the groom was allowed to speak to the bride before the wedding. I was given a loose-fitting dress in a material I’d never seen before. It had a silky feel to it but was even more lightweight and in alternating shades of red—from a faint pink to a rich dark purple. And they’d given me panties of a sheerness that equaled spider webs. I let out a long sigh when my guard opened the door and motioned me outside.

I was led into a hall that could easily accommodate several of Kyra’s space gliders.

People were sitting at tables, eating and drinking, and if there was music, I didn’t hear it over the loud chatter of Dezrian voices. It was easy spotting Qay, who was sitting alone at a large banquet-style table. Behind him, an opaque curtain sectioned off the space like a room divider.

I caught his gaze, and my heart lifted when he broke into a smile so heartfelt and sincere all my fears and doubts dissolved.

When I walked toward Qay, there was an increase of noise, however subtle. I stood out from the crowd like a bloody thumb. Everyone was dressed in shades of gray and white and soft yellow, whereas my dress was like a beacon of fire. Even Qay was dressed in gray, wide-cut pants and a vest that showed off his broad chest. His bare arms bulged with muscles as he placed his hands on the table and stood up, his skin shimmering in copper-golden tones.

“How was your first night on Dezra?” he asked, taking my hand.

“I didn’t expect to be all
alone
.” Torn between falling around his neck and jumping him, I took the less hyper option and settled down at the table.

Qay laughed, patting my thigh. “It won’t happen again, I promise. But the first night is traditionally a night the bride has to spend alone to reflect.” 

“Someone should have told me.” My gaze fell on Kyra, who was seated at a table not far away, seemingly unharmed and communicating with a couple of Dezrians. I waved, satisfied when she waved back.

I opened my mouth as Qay held something to my lips while his hand slipped beneath my dress to settle on my bare thigh. A burst of sweetness exploded on my tongue. “This is good,” I said, licking my lips for more. “Native fruit?”

“Yes, we will start trading it soon.”

I accepted another piece of the syrupy yellowish fruit, starting to really enjoy myself. “What’s behind there?” I asked, pointing to the curtain.

“Our bed,” he said, sounding so at ease, I first wondered if I’d misheard him. “This is where you’ll spend your second night.”

“Our bed,” I replied, sure that I’d misunderstood. “How do you mean?”

“Jana,” he said, pushing another piece of fruit into my mouth as if bribing me, “the people of Dezra have the right to witness their leader taking his wife. It’s tradition.”

“While we are in
bed
?”

“While we are in fact in the same room as anyone else, there won’t be any need to open the curtain. See, we tried to appease my Earth-born wife’s sensibilities. The curtain is only for your benefit. If you wish, we can remove it though.”

“It’s fine like it is. Fine.” I laughed because my nerves got the better of me.

Qay winked at me, his hand sliding even higher up my thigh. I drowned in his gray gaze until his touch on my leg became more insistent, his fingers massaging my inner thigh, and I felt myself becoming aroused by the gentle yet alluring movement. I squirmed on the chair, shot a look around as he lightly touched my clit through the sheer panties. I was seduced by my handsome fiancé while no one seemed to mind one bit. Maybe another tradition. I bit on my lip to keep from grinning.

I inched closer, rubbing my shoulder against him, and placed my hand on his thigh.

“I missed you so much,” I whispered in his ear, stroking his leg from his knee up to his groin. I slipped my hand to the inside of his thigh, moved my hand up, found him hard.

“Can we use the bed behind this handy curtain now?” Whatever Qay answered, it was drowned out by a loud bang as a set of wide doors flew open at the other end of the hall.

A gust of hot wind swept into my face. The chatter around me ceased as a man strode into the hall, but he was still too far away to make out his features. He held a leash in his hand and I rose to my feet as I saw what was on the end of that leash. A big, snarling cat that looked ready to kill whatever had the misfortune to stumble in its path.

Next to me, Qay gave a weary sigh. “Ah, there he is. You can count on him to stick to the most primitive of traditions.”

“Who is that?” I asked, squinting.

“Our best man.”

Even from a distance, I could see that he was tall for Qay’s people, dressed in loose-fitting pants, his chest bare. If I didn’t know better, then—

My gasp came out hoarse and I stifled the next one with my hand.

I grasped around the edge of the table, ignoring that Qay spoke to me in a soothing voice, but I failed to comprehend the meaning. All I knew was that the man holding the leash of the large cat stared at me out of hard, almost black, terribly familiar eyes.

He fell to one knee before the table, but his head was lifted, meeting my gaze square-on. “As it is tradition, I brought you a gift.” He held out the leash.

My knuckles turned white around the table.

He was still on one knee, his outstretched hand holding the leash. Looking at him, looking into his demanding dark gaze made my knees weak and my body limp. All the nights I had woken up with nightmares, all the nights I had woken up, writhing with shame and fear and
lust
. As many times as I’d dreamed about how I had turned him down, as many times I’d dreamed about giving him what he wanted. Giving him myself.

Qay gave me a nudge. “Take the cat.”

As if on autopilot, I pushed up from my seat and walked around the table toward Zyn. Looking thoroughly pissed, the cat was a shade of midnight blue with even darker stripes.

Zyn rose to his feet, towered over me as he gazed at me with his intense eyes. I took the leash from his outstretched hand. Something reached out to me and wrapped around my body. Like a hot whip. It prodded, pushed, and I shivered hard, my cunt clenching and unclenching in sudden need. It was as if a dozen hands stroked my body all at once. Something was sliding along my skin, sharp and hot and lethal, like a knife.

A whimper shot from my mouth. My breath becoming oddly ragged, I turned on my heel and fled through the curtain behind the table.

Shielded from view, I collapsed on one of three chairs surrounding a decked-out table. The dark-tinted curtain dimmed the light, but that the table was set for three didn’t escape me. Feeling cornered didn’t even begin to describe my emotions. Too late, I noticed that I had tugged a snarling wild cat along. I let the leash drop, swallowing a shriek. The animal paced the expanse of the space, jumped on the huge bed. I looked at the rich red sheets and all I could think of was blood.

“Jana, let’s talk.”

Qay’s calm voice came from behind me, but I didn’t look up to meet his gaze.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I said, a feeling of betrayal rising fast within me. “And who is he? I thought he was the chief negotiator, but that’s not it, is it?” Qay had said the best man was Dezra’s king. I felt my world spin. “I don’t want him as our best man.

Order him away, send him on a mission, I don’t care. Just send him away.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. He’s above my command.” Qay pulled me from the chair into his arms. I wanted to push him away, but his embrace felt too good, too comforting, and his hands started wandering over my body, so gently, so calmly.

I licked my suddenly dry lips. “The book…what about the best man is taken to be literal?”

“Do you trust me?”

I hesitated, acknowledging that my trust in him wasn’t absolute anymore. But I did love him. The weeks with him had shown me a man worthy of every woman’s love. He was intelligent and respectful and gentle, and he made me laugh. “I do love you so much. But I wish you hadn’t kept that from me.” I shook my head, stealing a glance at the curtain. He was there, just a thin fabric away. “Why, Qay, why not tell me?”

“Would you have come to my home if I had?” Qay asked. “Please, don’t let fear stand in the way of our happiness. Give us a chance.”

“Us?” I asked, fearing the answer.

“Us three.”

“There’s no
us
if it involves
him
.” Zyn shouldered through the curtain into the room.

“I don’t want your gift,” I said, but it sounded like a challenge and I wished I had kept my mouth shut.

“You already accepted it, but I’ll keep her for you.” His chest muscles moved as he poured himself a drink, not wine, but a clear liquid from a glass flask. His movement was as graceful as that of the large cat. When he pulled up a chair, I backed away from the table. The cat jumped from the bed to settle at his feet as if he’d told her to.