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A couple of the women, one fair of hair like Atlantean women and the other onyx skinned, stepped forward, their gazes raking his black synthetic uniform in hungry appreciation. Orion didn’t need to consult his translator device to know what that meant.

Despite their unique appearance, women didn’t change much from species to species—except on planet Radon, where the females’ quims were located where their faces should be. That slight
alteration
had initially given Orion pause, but hadn’t kept him from fucking a few dozen of them in the end. His smile deepened as he made a mental note to return to the two women and take them up on their
offer
, after he located Brigit.

This Earth visit may not be so bad after all.

The roar of a crowd snapped Orion’s attention away from the two women. He bowed slightly to the females and then strode down the long hall toward the growing sound. When he reached the great hall he saw the source of the uproar.

A platform of sorts stood in the middle of a pulsing throng made up of men and women. The warm fragrant air reminded him of the spice and bloom fields on Zaron. Orion glanced around in an attempt to ascertain the source of the merriment.

Several people stood on the platform dressed in fineries, facing the crowd. A couple strolled down to the end of the walk, hands clasped and smiling at one another. They were handsome for Earthlings with their brown hair and matching clothing. Perhaps they ruled these people.

Caught up in the festive atmosphere, Orion almost missed the deadly slithering creature stalking the group from the side. His hand sought his sword. He curled his fingers around the hilt in preparation for battle. The creature stood not much higher than his waist, but looked threatening nonetheless. Size did not necessarily indicate fighting ability. He’d learned that the hard way in his youth and only moments ago with the furry beast outside.

The creature’s green skin sparkled under the bright focused beams of light shining down from above, while the orange thorny spikes protruding from its head looked as if they could rip a man asunder. His gaze traveled down to its unsheathed claws. Orion shuddered at the thought of having one of those sticking out of his abdomen. He must act swiftly.

The people on the platform walked out one by one toward the middle of the masses. The crowd erupted as each person stopped and waved, drawing more appreciation from the adoring multitude. Orion pushed his way forward, shoving people out of the way, his gaze locked on the hideous creature as it crept toward the unsuspecting group. With the Goddess’s blessing, he’d be able to slay the beast before it harmed anyone.

* * * * *

Brigit ambled over the steps, her plastic-clawed feet clacking as she reached the top of the platform. Her ex, Rocket Man Rick and his slut, Dorothy were returning from their stroll down the catwalk. They smiled until they caught a glimpse of her costume, then frowned in unison. Brigit giggled.

Prepare to be trounced, you mutant turds.

The announcer introduced Brigit and she stepped out onto center stage, dragon tail swinging from side to side. The crowd applauded. With each step she took, the roar grew louder.

This was exactly what she’d hoped for. Better than she’d imagined. Rick and Dorothy probably quaked in their boots right about now. The contest win was a sure thing. As she reached the end of the platform, Brigit took a bow, then turned her head to make sure the crowd received the full effect of her costume.

It was at that moment that she realized the people in the front row appeared to be staring at something behind her. Brigit swung around, sending her tail slashing through the air. People gasped and ducked. That’s when she saw him.

A man well over six-six strode toward her with a wicked looking sword in his hand and a dangerous glint in his two-tone eyes. His hair, a turbulent shade of black with light blond stripes, flowed freely over his wide shoulders and down his back. He swept the runway like a storm, his silver hoop earrings giving off lightning-like flashes under the spotlight. He wasn’t so much a man as a force of nature. And that microburst was coming right for her.

Brigit squinted through her costume’s eyeholes and strained to hear around the fabric muffling her ears. Had the announcer introduced him? So drunk on adulation, she hadn’t bothered to listen. She knew she was the last contestant, so who was he?

Her gaze strayed back to the man’s face of its own volition. His features could make angels weep, choirs sing and sinners repent. He was sensually beautiful, while retaining a fierce savagery. And there was no doubt that he was truculent, if not downright hostile. A wild palm-sized Celtic knot tattoo encircled his left cheek. Instead of deterring from his appearance, it only added to his devastating presence. If a genie mated with an alien, this would be their love child.

The skin-tight material of his costume left little to the imagination. Brigit saw the outline of another set of rings through his nipples. Her stomach tightened and gooseflesh rose on her arms. Something primal roared to life inside of her and moisture pooled between her quivering thighs. Brigit’s heart paused, then begin to thrum madly. She felt the beat all the way to her clit. So this is what instantaneous attraction felt like. Her attention moved back to his nipples. How many piercings did this guy have? The thought of finding out the answer to that question sent a wave of dizziness through her, threatening to buckle her knees.

Her gaze swept him like tornado over Kansas, dropping of its own accord to the area below where his belt should have been. The bulge there made Brigit’s breath stutter in her lungs. She blinked. That wasn’t humanly possible, was it? The bulge grew under her perusal.

Heck, a second ago she thought the sword was impressive. Goodness!

Transfixed, Brigit almost missed the glint of silver as he raised his weapon, preparing to attack. And there was no doubt in her mind he was going to strike her. She screamed and took a step back. Her clawed foot caught the edge of the stage, knocking her off balance. Brigit flailed helplessly, trying to keep from falling into the crowd. The movement sent her headpiece cascading onto the front row. She heard groans and grunts coming from the people behind her. She looked around a second before her tail slammed down into the groin of one of the men trying to help her back onto the stage. His eyes crossed and he keeled over.

“Sorry,” she said, wincing before turning back to the immediate threat. Tall, dark and deadly’s gaze locked on her face. Sudden confusion marred his flawless features, but it was too late he’d already swung the weapon. The hiss of the blade stung the air.

Brigit screeched and tried to flinch away, but her bulky costume slowed her movements, while the hands behind her pushed her forward into the oncoming blow. She watched in fascinated horror as the blade came crashing toward her. This was it. She was going to die at Conlunar.

The burly announcer caught the man’s arm mid-swing, nearly toppling him, but it prevented the deadly blade from reaching its destination. The weapon stopped inches from Brigit’s face. The breeze from the motion fluffed her hair. Even this close, the sword looked real…and incredibly sharp. With a microphone in one hand and the man’s arm in the other, the announcer addressed the crowd. “I don’t think we need a judge’s score sheet for this one, do you folks? But to keep everything fair, let’s see the scores.” The score sheets were gathered and handed to the announcer. “I believe we’ve found our winner. Let’s hear it for the dragon slayer.”

The audience roared, coming to their feet in a standing ovation—
her ovation
. Brigit could see Rick and Dorothy hooting and hollering in the background. This couldn’t be happening.

Someone pushed Brigit from behind, taking an extra minute to allow their hands to linger on her dragon-tailed butt. She glanced around and glared, but couldn’t ascertain the guilty party. It didn’t matter. She had bigger fish to boil. Mr. Tall, Gorgeous and Sneaky had just walked away with
her
trophy.

Well he wasn’t going to get away with it. She planned to protest the results.

Brigit turned on the sword-carrying, Chippendoll-looking warrior, who’d just snatched victory out of her grasp. She planted her hands on her green material-covered hips. The man continued to stare at her as if one of her orange horns protruded out of her forehead.

There was something about the way he looked at her that made Brigit decidedly uncomfortable and it had nothing to do with the fact that one of his eyes was aqua blue and the other was jade green. Any other time she’d consider that particular trait unusual, but at that moment she was too mad to think.

His gaze traveled over her costume-covered body, raking her length, as if by doing so he could see beneath the wasabi-colored material. Brigit’s nipples swelled, puckering painfully beneath her lace bra. Sweat beaded her lower lip, when only moments ago she hadn’t been hot. Her panties dampened to a puddle.

Poor ventilation, that’s all. He wasn’t causing it.

Confused and angered by her body’s response, Brigit squared her shoulders and pinned him with narrowed eyes.
Uh-huh! You’re not getting out of this that easy, buddy.
He didn’t even blink.

Her fingers curled into fists as she fought the urge to pummel him where he stood. It might take a ladder and a baseball bat, but she could do it. They had to have those items somewhere in the hotel. She continued to seethe. And what did he do? He actually had the nerve to look amused.

That’s it, you dragon slaying perv! You’re about to encounter my wrath. Duck down here so I can reach you. You won’t be smiling in a minute.

His lips quirked as if he’d heard her thoughts.

Brigit stepped forward to tell him exactly what she thought of him or to box his ears, she wasn’t sure which. His nostrils flared, along with his multicolored eyes. He straightened to his full height as if readying for her approach. No, readying wasn’t the right word. He practically
dared
her to come forward.

Well she wasn’t going to do it. Not if it would play into his plans and make him happy.
No way! Uh-huh!

Brigit shifted, trying to regroup. She battled the impulse to step back. From his appearance, the big gorgeous bully was probably used to intimidating people. Luckily, she wasn’t
most
people. Brigit knew she was scowling, but she couldn’t help herself. He’d stolen her win, humiliated her in front of her ex-boyfriend and his slutty new girlfriend and the bastard didn’t even have the decency to look guilty about it. Hell, she threw her arms up into the air, he actually looked pleased.

Had Rocket Man Rick put him up to this? She met her ex’s gaze. He smiled and had the temerity to wink. Furious, Brigit longed to smack that smug look right off his face, but first, she’d take care of the dragon slayer, who continued to look at her like he’d never seen a woman dressed in a wasabi-green dragon costume before. What planet was he from? Didn’t he know it was impolite to stare?

The man’s gaze skittered across her face to settle on the front of her zippered costume. He paused there, lingering on the exposed vee of her skin. He moistened his full bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. Heat radiated from him, penetrating wherever he looked.

What was he, a human blast furnace?

Brigit resisted the urge to zip her collar. The last thing he needed to know was that his goo-goo eyes affected her. Had she learned nothing from her last encounter with a splashy space guy? Obviously, not. What was she saying? The dragon slayer’s smooth moves weren’t working on her. But even as the insidious thought crossed her mind, Brigit’s heart pounded madly, nearly deafening her while her throat went Sahara dry. She sucked on her tongue hard, trying to garner enough to spit in her mouth to yell at him.

The announcer quieted the crowd, before she could speak. “Let’s find out the winner’s name.” He smiled as he swung the microphone in front of the dragon slayer’s sensuous mouth. And it was sensuous, the way his full lips curled slightly, covering perfect white teeth and a tongue made for laving the most sensitive skin on a woman’s body.

The warrior said nothing.

“What’s your name, dragon slayer?” he asked again.

“Orion.” The man’s smoky voice echoed throughout the ballroom, sending ominous shivers down Brigit’s spine.

“All hail Orion from the planet…” The announcer paused.

“Zaron,” the warrior said, his gaze never leaving her as he took a bow.

She squeezed her legs together, ignoring the throb coming from her clit. No way. No how.

Brigit’s horoscope slammed in her head. It wasn’t possible. It had to be some kind of cosmic joke. First Apollo, now Orion.

Not happening.

Chapter Two

Orion stared at the woman before him with something akin to terror surging through his body. Yet, he feared nothing. His heart pounded painfully against his rib cage as he considered how close he’d come to killing her. He didn’t want to think about it. Couldn’t think about it. Had she not staggered back at the same time the man grabbed his arm, she would be dead. His blood froze in his veins as the implications of his actions sunk into his mind.

He would have failed his mission for the first time in his life if he had killed an innocent. A good rationale for feeling the way he did at this moment, but that wasn’t the only reason. Orion refused to look too closely at what the other might be. He didn’t understand these feelings and he didn’t understand this world. Why would a woman cover herself in such hideousness? Especially one as lovely as the vision before him. His gaze locked on her glowing red hair. He’d never seen anything like it. He longed to touch the flame to see if it was a hot as it appeared.

The man straining to hold Orion’s forearm released him and shoved a cup of some sort into his palm. He stared at the alloy, turning it from side to side. What was he supposed to do with this? He examined it, but other than holding a fair amount of Zaronian ale, he saw no use for it.

Orion gave the man a curt nod, then stepped toward the flame-haired woman. She was unlike anyone he’d ever encountered. Remarkable. Her green eyes spat fire every time she glanced his way. He understood her anger. He’d been close to death on several occasions while in battle.