Alien Bond (Alien Attachments) (2 page)

Maybe I imagined it.
Her traitorous body said otherwise. She was in a constant state of arousal. Her vibrator was on the second set of batteries in three days, and at the rate she was going, they weren’t going to last long either. The relief gained from her orgasms gave short-lived respite. She considered buying stock in Duracell.

“Oi, Heroshi.” Her boss’s coarse British accent snapped her out of her reverie. “Got an edit for you.” He addressed everyone by their last name. Probably didn’t even know the rest. His head tilted as he eyed her up and down. “What’s the matter wif you? You look like hell. Out partying again?”

“Always the thoughtful one, aren’t you, Mac?” She took the folder and dropped it next to a stack of papers.
 

“You know it, luv. Look, if you’re sick, go home. We don’t need the germs around here. I can give that to O’Conner.” He reached for the folder, but Kara slapped her hand on top of it.
 

“Don’t worry. I got it. Just haven’t been able to sleep lately. Insomnia. No parties.” She gave him her best this-conversation-is-over glare and waited for him to leave.
 

He hovered a moment longer, grunted, and returned to his office.
 

The clock crawled slower with every hour that passed. Her ability to focus diminished as her need for release increased. Kara groaned as she put down her pen and stood.
 

Mac sat in his office, feet up on his perpetually cluttered desk. He held the morning’s paper, and something had him laughing. She walked down the hall and slipped into the ladies room. Once the door shut, she bent down and scanned the floor of each stall.
Empty
. Now that she’d decided not to ignore her desire any longer, her body pulsed with need.

I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m turning into a pervert.
Kara entered the last stall and locked the door. She unbuttoned her jeans and looked around. Hmm…
Turning sideways, she separated her legs as much as her jeans allowed and leaned against the metal wall. She caught her breath as the cold surface pressed against her ass.
 
Head back, she closed her eyes and slid her fingers down her abdomen and into her thong. The lacy fabric was damp.
I’m always wet now.
She let the forbidden image of the alien play on the big screen in her head. Her fingers moved to a rhythm she knew was his. Around and around and a plunge as deep as she could manage. Again and again, letting the tension build. The pleasure rolled in and around between her legs. It toyed with her, bringing her close, then flitting away. She bit her bottom lip and squeezed her eyes tight. His face loomed large in her mind.
 

So close. Come on.
Circle, circle, plunge. Her fingers worked their magic. His magic. Tendrils of intense pleasure shot outward from the wetness between her legs. The big screen played on in her head. He stood in front of her, his hand doing this to her body. He leaned closer to nibble that spot behind her ear, and it sent her over the edge. Her knees quivered, and she muffled a groan as the orgasm rolled over and through her. She reached her other hand out and braced it against the far stall wall. She clamped her spasming pussy around her fingers and let the feelings play on. Never had she been able to come this quickly, and never without a vibrator. Her rapid breath slowed, and she withdrew her hand when the door to the ladies room opened.
 

Shit.
She reached over and flushed the toilet, then quickly buttoned up her jeans. Her legs trembled from straining at the awkward position and threatened to dump her on the floor. She braced herself against the wall and took a deep breath. Once she heard the stall door close, she made a dash for the sink, washed her hands, and got out of there.

Kara had managed to be productive for another thirty minutes when Mac’s door swung open. Still in a humorous mood, he marched out with his jacket flung over one arm and the newspaper in the other. He had a way of being noisy even when he wasn’t speaking. “We live in interesting times, Heroshi. Interesting times.” He flung the paper on her desk and left, presumably for lunch. It was his daily ritual. He would read the paper and dump it on her when he had finished. Worked for her. She never had to buy a paper.

At a quarter till one, she felt like she could actually eat for once. She picked up her cell and called Zoe. “Hey, you free for lunch?”

“Yes. I’ve been ringing, you know.” The equal parts concern and annoyance in her voice was loud and clear. “Your little texts saying you’re just fine are starting to freak me out. How are you? Have you been ill?”

Kara paused a beat. “Yeah. Kind of. Zo, I need to talk. Meet me downstairs? I’ll buy.”

“Sure. I’ll be right down.”

Kara stuffed the paper into her purse and headed for the elevators. Downstairs, the lobby bustled with people coming and going for lunch.
 

Zoe appeared at her side and took her arm in hers, leading her out into a cold but clear day. “Nothing personal, Kara, but you look like crap.”

“So I’ve been told.” Kara laughed. “I love the British accent. You can say anything, and it just sounds so nice.”
 

Zoe gave her arm a squeeze.
 

“Mac already informed me I look like shit. Like I didn’t already know. I haven’t slept much lately. You up for a dog?”

“No one will ever accuse me of passing on a Hyde Park heart-attack in a bun. We really should eat more salads, you know.” They turned toward the park, weaving though the crowds. “So, what is it you need to talk about? Your mum on your case again?”

“No. We don’t talk much since I moved to London. She can’t stand not having me there to boss around.” Kara bit her lip. “It’s not mom. It’s, um, a guy thing.”

“How could you be having a ‘guy thing’ without my knowing about it?”
 

“Well, technically you were there. It started Monday. In the park. Remember, you thought I was having a stroke?” The two crossed the street, weaving around gridlocked cabs.

“Monday?” Zoe pulled to a stop on the curb. She searched Kara’s face. “Oh, my God.”

“What?” Kara said.

“It’s you, isn’t it? With the alien, Torril.”

Kara’s stomach tightened. “Who’s Torril, and how do you know about the alien?”
 

“Have you not seen the paper today?”

“Mac just gave it to me.”

Zoe shook her head. “You could buy your own, you know.”

Kara made a face. “And then I’d have two.” With a feeling of dread, she pulled out the rolled up paper and unfolded it. Her breath caught as her perfect, drop-dead gorgeous alien stared back at her. Kara’s head spun while Zoe weaved them around tourists. The alien’s name was Torril Anantha, and he was looking for her. She pulsed with equal parts pleasure and terror.
Focus, damn it.
She folded the paper over to hide his face.
 

“Alien asking London to help him find his psi-mate”

Torril Anantha, one of London’s more private aliens, has come forward looking for his mate. According to Torril, the imprint began last Monday near Hyde Park. He says he and an unknown woman connected, but her fear kept him from approaching. According to Torril, once the process has begun, it cannot be stopped.
 

Kara halted, heart pounding in her chest. “Oh, no.”

“Got to the no stopping it bit, eh?” Zoe said, pulling her forward again. “Go on, finish reading.”

Other alien sources have confirmed that the process is non-reversible and permanent. To further complicate matters, Torril stated that the longer they are apart, the greater their personal agitation would become. Torril and other alien sources declined to elaborate on what exactly ‘personal agitation’ entails. Do you know the mystery woman? If so, get in touch with me at…

The words
non-reversible
and
permanent
reverberated through Kara’s head. Her body buzzed with a foreign energy. An energy she now realized was building, had been, since Monday. With each day, the force grew stronger and more oppressive.
 

Zoe led them to a sunny bench away from the line at the lunch vendor.
 

“So, are you personally agitated?”

Kara put her head in her hands. “You have no idea.” The wood slats of the bench pressed against her overly sensitive thighs.

“You need to call that reporter.”

“No. I just got away from my mother. No way am I going to belong to some alien.”

“His name is Torril, and I don’t think it’s like that. Remember the couple on BBC1? They were seriously happy, Kara. And let’s not forget the sex. It’s supposed to be out of this world.” Zoe laughed.

“Very funny. Please don’t mention sex.” Kara squirmed and tried to ignore the incessant pulsing between her legs. “And yes, I remember.” Kara turned to face her friend. “They said they are
bound
together by some psi force thing. Bound. Their word, not mine. I’ve spent most of my life bound by a control freak adoptive mother. I’ve only been free for a few years. This Torril can’t just—“
 

The moment his name left her lips, an orgasm exploded from her core. “Holy fuck.” She closed her eyes, and a strangled squeak passed her lips as the waves crested. She blew out a long breath. Of course. They were at the exact spot she’d seen Torril on Monday.

He’s here. He’s watching me. Oh, God.
She knew it was true. Eyes still closed, she pivoted on the bench until a beam of warmth poured into her. Her breath caught, and her body vibrated with that foreign energy.
 

“Please,”
he said in her head.
“Don’t be afraid. You… You are the most important thing in the universe to me now. I could never hurt you.”
 

Kara experienced his every emotion. So genuine. So scared she’d leave. His thoughts washed over and around her. She felt his fear. Fear that she wouldn’t experience this the same way he did. Bonding with humans was new to them, too. She couldn’t stop the laugh that burst from her lips. The whole thing was absurd. Her eyes flew open. Torril stood perfectly still, not fifteen feet away, hands raised slightly as if trying not to spook her. He wore a finely tailored black suit, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Italian leather shoes. The black shirt sat perfect contrast to a red tie.
 

Zoe looked from one to the other. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before snapping shut.

Kara rose and approached Torril. The energy coursing through her shifted. Instead of being irritating and draining, it became soothing, energizing. She sighed as her body relaxed for the first time in days. “I don’t know if I feel it the same way as you.”

A look of surprise crossed his face, and a smile tugged at his mouth.

The small gesture sent a thrill through her. “But I’ve been miserable since I last saw you. Please, make it stop.” She stood in front of him now, the warmth and more radiating from his body.

He nodded. The movement sent a physical ripple down her spine.
 

“I know this is foreign to you,” he said with a voice that was deep and rich. “You must understand. We spend our lives looking for ‘the one.’ Many never find them. I would not stop this, even if it were possible. Which, by the way”—he stepped closer and touched her chin—“it is not.”

At his touch, Kara saw herself and Torril standing together from a birds-eye view. She saw herself waiver, and Torril took her arm. The air above them shimmered like ripples in an impossibly clear pond. She circled their two bodies until she stopped behind her own physical form. She admired her blue hair and the way it contrasted with her red blazer. She blinked and was back in her body, once again facing Torril. “What was that?”

“Your psi.”

“I don’t have psi.”

“Oh, but you do. We wouldn’t be standing here right now if you didn’t. I’ll explain later.”
 

“But…” Her body leaned toward him, pulled like a magnet. She placed her hands on his chest and felt something inside her… shift, like every molecule in her body had suddenly realigned. She was aware of Torril’s presence in such a way she could feel the weight of his jacket as though it rested on her shoulders.
 

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear.
 
“We need to go.
Now.”
The last word, not spoken aloud, echoed through her.

“Wait.” Her heart pounded. She wanted to run as much as she wanted to go with this man. “I can’t just…”

“You can.” He searched her face. “Goddess, I don’t even know your name.” He waited for a response.

Kara felt the heat of his chest radiating into her palms. It felt so good. She had an insane urge to try to occupy the same space as him.
 

“Well?”

“What? Oh, it’s Kara. Kara Heroshi.” The mention of her last name brought the image of her mother flashing before her, which turned into a cascade of terrifying emotions.
 

“Okay. Easy, Kara. I don’t know what all that’s about, but we’ll sort it out. I promise.”

Pleasure and comfort enveloped her.
 

“What are you doing?”

“I can feel some of what you’re feeling. There’s deep anxiety and fear. What you’re feeling now is my psi. I’m trying to help.”

Her head reeled. How could this possibly be happening?
 

“Kara, you can walk away right now.”

That was just it, wasn’t it? She didn’t think she could. “Are you sure about that?”

His look wasn’t comforting. “I pray to the Goddess you don’t, but you could. We’ve both been feeling the same way these past few days. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of hand jobs and cold showers.”

The absurdity of his words snapped the tension in her, and she burst out laughing. “That’s one way to put it.”

“Deep down, you know you can trust me. Trust us. Right?”

And she did. It was insane but true. She nodded.

He smiled.
 

The way he looked at her had her core heating up.
 

“Things are about to get interesting. I’d rather be inside my apartment than out here when it does.”