Stallion of Ash and Flame (Siren Publishing Classic) (21 page)

“Independence Day style attack.” Trail rubbed his chin, searching his memory. “You mean the movie, don’t you?”

“Yes, Mr. Stud Alien. You’re not keeping up on the American culture around the arrival of extraterrestrials. Isn’t that a prerequisite for your mission?”

He half-grinned at her tongue-in-cheek, yet serious tone. “I study other aspects of the American culture to stay in my persona as a drifter and tracker.”

“Makes sense.” She uncurled her body and performed a quick stretch.

Trail didn’t bother halting his appreciation of her athletic voluptuous body, his to enjoy forever. God, he wanted his hands on her, his cock plunging in and out of her. Soon. “Ready to go inside?”

She hesitated, shaking her coppery waves of hair back, an enticement that had him groaning silently. She’d simply moved to limber her body, to shake off some of what she’d been through. “Yeah, I should, just to pet Luke and Spook. I’m making some cinnamon hot chocolate. Want some? Or you can make whatever you want. Then you can tell me the clinical reason why we are connected.” She flicked him a sideways glance, took hold of the purple box, and reached for the door handle.

“I’ll brew up some coffee and explain.”

He watched her shove out the door and step out of the pickup before he opened his door and strode to meet her. Aching to touch her, he dived his hands in his pockets and moved beside her.

“God, questions,” she murmured wearily. “I have dozens of questions for you. Maybe I’ll put some of your coffee in my chocolate. I’m beginning to feel drained.”

“Adrenaline drop, my mare.”

“My mare,” she echoed. “Omygawd, how do I even cope?”

Even though she tromped up the stairs and grabbed for the door, her body still danced. Trail beat her to it, opening the door for her. “You need a tablespoon of honey.”

“Probably. I’ll take some when I make the hot chocolate.” She spoke above the sharp rapid woofs of Luke and Spook. “I’m coming, babies.” After setting the amulet lock-box on the highest shelf of a built-in bookcase, she rapidly strode toward them.

Trail followed, his gaze taking advantage of her apple-luscious ass in motion. His cock grew two sizes too big, as he liked to think about it because the Earth phrase amused him. Remaining in the kitchen, he smiled wide as the sky above while he put the coffee on to brew and got her ingredients out. Finished, he leaned against the counter, imagining what he wanted to do to her butt, and the different ways he would mount her.

“Three sizes too big,” he muttered, then forced himself to perform a quick psi-scan for enemies. Later he would establish permanent frequency pockets that would act like warning alarms.

Trail realized he should be figuring out how to explain to a human woman who he was as an equine shifter. Even though his Seneca was open-minded, it would be difficult for her to accept everything about him. One stride at time, he told himself. Somehow, he would nuzzle her into accepting him as her
mate
, no matter how long it took.

“Luke and Spook?” he asked as she entered the kitchen.

“I don’t think they were too happy with the sheriff’s illegal entry. They kept growling and barking a conversation while we loved on each other.” She moved to the stove. “Thanks, for getting everything out.” Picking up the jar of honey, she dipped a large spoon in and licked it clean.

Trail surreptitiously shook his head to clear away the image of her tongue slowly licking the spoon. Private enjoyment of a woman was often superior to obvious enjoyment, especially when the mare was in no mood.

Habit taking over, she put her small pan on the burner and turned it up. After adding portions of honey, cocoa powder, and cinnamon, she stirred. “I tried to reassure them, but Luke and Spook are still on what I call high alert.”

“We’re still okay.” He watched her gradually swirl in the milk, then a little cream.

“Good. I hope no other bad guys storm
s
the castle ranch gates.” She leaned one elbow on the counter. “Geez, I feel tired. You may get a reprieve from some of my questions.”

Turning, he poured the freshly brewed coffee into his mug, the dark rich odor reviving him before he took the first sip.

“Go sit down,” she encouraged. “It won’t be long.”

Hauling out the chair that gave him the best view of her, Trail lowered himself, then lounged back. He devoured her with his gaze until she pivoted toward him. Mug in hand, she swayed as she moved to the table, her hips deliciously ripe and ready for his taking. He also noticed how her shoulders slumped with weariness.

“Talk about a real stud.” Her croon was half sultry appreciation and half tongue-in-cheek. She ran her gaze over his body before setting her mug down, then sat
across from him.

He leaned forward. “The way your copper-fire hair frames your face is beautiful, Seneca.”

She took a moment and lifted her mug. “If you didn’t sound so sincere, I would be tempted to punch you in the mouth.”

“Coffee?” He offered a spoonful.

She nodded, holding out her mug. “How do we keep all the
X-files
barbarians from the gates?”

“I’ll use my super amazing powers to create an invisible frequency warning system.”

She raised both brows at his levity. “Does it work on pork-butt sheriffs?”

“No. A trip to Radio Shack will give us what we need to deter our Boss Hogg.”

“Okay, you know the
Dukes of Hazard
.”

“How do you think I learned how to drive?” He gave her a cocky grin.

She rolled her eyes, then embraced her mug. Sipping for awhile, she let her eyelids lower as she savored. Relief softened her features. “Things must taste better after surviving—” She speared him with her gaze, “what we survived.”

“Always.” He’d almost said
my mare
. That wouldn’t earn him any favor right now.

After taking a few more long sips, she set her mug down and leaned on her elbows, her posture expectant. “Talk.”

Trail straightened up, facing her fully. Most stallions would have felt their balls shrink to the size of walnuts, their pride withered inside, before the intensity of her gaze. They would have put on a stomping show of being in control and looked for a method to make her submit. Or they would have taken their bruised balls and run away faster than the wind.

“The men of my race, called the V’Trailuc, have the ability to create substances during sex with the woman of their choice, which causes a mental and psychic connection. The substances can only be generated when the man desires the woman for his
mate
.”

“As in a permanent mate?” Her jaw remained in a position of firm resolve while the expression in her eyes changed to shock.

“Yes, Seneca.”

She digested his words, her body utterly still. “To protect me?”

Her calmly spoken words blanketed a firestorm of emotion he sensed and easily inhaled inside his nostrils.

“It was the only way to keep a strong mental connection with you.”

Her breath exploded outward and she sat back, the chair holding her up. Her eyelids closed delicately. “I suppose because of what kind of danger I was in from the Fire Starters.”

“From all our enemies, yours and mine.”

“Oh, God.” Her tone held a moan, and not from carnal ecstasy. “So, how is it undone?”

Trail gulped down his first response, covering it by taking sips of his coffee. The stallion raged with protest. “It can’t be undone, to my knowledge.”

“Can’t be undone.” Her words were stretched above her inner hysteria. “With all your world’s advanced genetics and science...you have a portal, for god’s sake. Why can’t it be undone?”

“Probably because there’s never been a request for a
mating
to be reversed.”

“Never?” Her shrill voice quavered at the end.

Trail carefully shook his head no, while observing her closely. Her thoughts raced as if chased by a fanged predator. “Don’t you want it undone? I mean, I know you said there could be a way for you to go home, but what if there isn’t?”

Reaction had set in. Now that they had escaped the current danger, she was faced with the totality of what he’d done to her, and all the ramifications.

“Seneca, I love you.”

She reared back against the chair, her eyes enormous. “You can’t. I know I said that before when you said that. But I don’t understand.”

“I’ve loved you from afar for a long time. Yes,” he answered her look of skepticism. “I thought it was only ball-busting lust.”

“But you never—” She let her words hang.

“You’re not a one-night-stand woman. I kept my distance.”

She clutched her mug, obviously wanting anything to cling to. “Why can’t you go home, if you can’t?”

“In my world a human woman is not an acceptable
mate
.”

“Why not?”

He watched her sense of fairness rise like wildfire in her eyes.

“In the past it caused problems. Since we’re shifters, stallions and mares enjoy mating with each other.”

“Oh.” She huffed her
breath in and out. “Well, that’s understandable.” Folding her arms, she scrutinized him. “Wouldn’t that be a major problem for you?”

Trail figured she wouldn’t believe him, but he said it anyway. “No.”

“Why not?” She pinned him with her gaze.

“I don’t miss it here.” He kept his own gaze unrelenting, gave a slight shrug, and hoped she believed him.

“That doesn’t sound possible.”

“The truth, Seneca. Yes, I’ve had my fair share of equine trysts at home.”

“More than your share,” she muttered, interrupting.

Inside he grinned, not letting it show. “Sometimes there’s a genetic anomaly. I thought my lack of interest here was due to focusing on my mission.” He paused. “And because there were enough one night stands.”

“Paula,” she stabbed.

He lost himself in the blaze of her blue-sky eyes and reared high inside. His mare displayed her jealousy. “I realize,” he continued, “I have that anomaly.”

“I damn bet you it’s rare.”

Despite his attempt at control, the corner of his mouth lifted in a grin. “It is. My great grandfather is the same way. He’s an ambassador to many humanoid worlds for that reason.”

“Your great grandfather is still an ambassador?”

Trail whirled in his mind as if he avoided an ambush. “Our race is longer-lived than Earth humans. It won’t be a problem,” he forestalled. “Life extension is easy.”

She gaped at him for an instant. “Is it?”

“You’ve already done research on White Powder of Gold and the claims it extends life. It does, if created properly.”

She tossed her hair, her tension showing. “Well, don’t you have all the answers?”

“I don’t have this answer. How to convince you to kiss me and say how much you want me between those gorgeous thighs of yours.”

She started a bit, her eyes flaring with surprise. He swallowed down his coffee and watched her ponder as she slowly drained her mug of hot chocolate.

“What’s your idea for being able to go home?”

“You have one key, Seneca, the Hauloquine device. The Council of Elders in my world will be impressed that you were chosen as its Keeper, since it can open our portal.”

Unfastening her gaze from him, she pressed her hand against her pocket, her expression relieved as she felt the device’s outline.

“There’s something else.” He sat forward, capturing her direct gaze.

“Epona,” she whispered.

“Yes, since you are sprung from the ancient loins of Epona, as we would speak it, there is a good chance you will be accepted as the exception. Epona’s horses are our ancient ancestors. It will be seen as the force of destiny. Our destiny to be together won’t be ignored.”

“This is all too weird,” she murmured. “Yet, at the same time, it does make sense as destiny. Especially the way the pieces all fit together. What are the odds?”

Resting against the back of the chair, she propped her leg up, her expression contemplative. “Truth, I’ve always felt a strong sense of destiny. Though I’ve never understood what that destiny was, or how it would eventually show up.” Her face and her eyes softened, appearing dreamy. “Actually, it’s been rough going. I’ve been down several,” she gazed at him, “false trails.”

“No false Trail here,” he lightly bantered.

“Yeah, yeah,” she sang. “Course all those false trails weren’t nearly as Relic Hunter adventurous. Wow, I had no idea I could be that fast-thinking or that tough. It was like watching another person at times.” Her gaze sought his, glints of amusement deep in her eyes. “Can I tell you a secret...one you’ve probably already figured out?”

“I’m your man.” He grinned.

She scowled briefly at his double meaning. “It was fun, terrifying, but also fun. Don’t get me wrong, I was scared out of my...well, I’ve never been that frightened of anything. Especially when that horrible commander grabbed me. Still,” she paused and a tiny gleam shone in her eyes, “there was a part of me that knew what to do. There was a part of me that sizzled with the thrill of it. Like a thrill-seeker, I guess.”

Trail considered first, then spoke. “More adventures and thrills to come, my brave woman. But not for awhile.”

“Because of who you are.”

“Because of who I am. And because we’ve both been chosen by destiny.”

She gave a little nod and thought for a few moments.

“Seneca, most of my days are fairly routine. Just like yours.”

“Sure.” She drew the word out.

“Okay, you got me,” he teased. “Yep, there’s the constant scouting for enemies and devouring forest fires that endanger the portal. Other than that, I’m your man.”

“So, what now? We get married, put up the white picket fence. You gallop the pasture with the other horses, protect your portal while avoiding the Alien Busters...you get the picture. Oh, god...children.”

Trail placed his hand on the table, palm up, inviting her to join hands with him. Trepidation deep in her eyes, she locked her gaze with his and probed his eyes. Finally, softly, she laid her hand on top of his, lacing her fingers with his.