
An Ellora's Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
Sloan's Heart
ISBN # 1-4199-0632-1
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sloan's Heart Copyright© 2006 Arianna Hart
Edited by Briana St. James.
Cover art by Willo.
Electronic book Publication: May 2006
This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors' imagination and used fictitiously.
Warning:
The following material contains graphic sexual content meant for mature readers. This book has been rated E--rotic by a minimum of three independent reviewers.
Ellora's Cave Publishing offers three levels of Romantica™ reading entertainment: S (Sensuous), E (E-rotic), and X (X-treme).
S-ensuous love scenes are explicit and leave nothing to the imagination.
E-rotic love scenes are explicit, leave nothing to the imagination, and are high in volume per the overall word count. In addition, some E-rated titles might contain fantasy material that some readers find objectionable, such as bondage, submission, same sex encounters, forced seductions, and so forth. E-rated titles are the most graphic titles we carry; it is common, for instance, for an author to use words such as "fucking", "cock", "pussy", and such within their work of literature.
X-treme titles differ from E-rated titles only in plot premise and storyline execution. Unlike E-rated titles, stories designated with the letter X tend to contain controversial subject matter not for the faint of heart.
Sloan's Heart
Arianna Hart
This book is dedicated to my mom, fabulous nurse and medical expert extraordinaire. Thanks for giving me all the information I needed to make Mary accurate. Any mistakes are my own. You're the best! Now don't turn the page!
Thanks also go to my writing buddies Lori Armstrong, Kathy Love, Jewell Mason, Kate Rothwell and Leigh Wyndfield who listened to me whine incessantly about this. And to Jen Martin who asked for Sloan's story. I hope you're not disappointed.
And last but not least, to my fabulous publicists Dorine and Angie, thanks for everything you do for me. I couldn't survive without you.
"Mayday, mayday, this is Rafferty Sloan of the Imperial Cruiser The Federation. We're caught in an unknown planet's orbit at the following coordinates." Sloan rattled off the coordinates and launched the emergency beacon. Feck, he hoped at least one beacon escaped the gravitational pull and made it into open space.
He pushed that thought aside and focused on keeping his escape pod in one piece. The murky blue planet on the vid screen grew larger and larger by the second and Sloan was afraid they were going to get up close and personal with it very soon.
"Life support systems on," he barked to his passenger behind him. "Prepare for a crash."
The control stick shook in his hands as he tried to keep the ship from going into a spin. Hundreds of sensors fed him information about his rapidly declining altitude but he already knew that. What he didn't know was how he was going to pull out of it without smearing the pod across the planet ahead of him.
"I'm breaking up! I'm breaking up!" the pilot of one of the other escape pods screamed on the radio.
Sloan pushed the panicked voice out of his head and focused on keeping his pod in one piece. There'd be time to mourn later. If there was a later.
"Approaching reentry!" he shouted to his passenger.
The vid screen darkened as the shields came down to protect him and his passenger from the heat of entering the planet's atmosphere. The pod shook harder and alarms blared in his ears. The escape pods weren't built to take this much abuse. The tiny craft rocked side to side and smoke billowed from the control panel.
Damn it! They weren't going to make it. It was too much for the pod to handle!
No! He hadn't made it this far to give up now. Straining against the harness that held him strapped to his seat, Sloan stretched his fingers out until he could activate the emergency landing gear.
If they could hold on a little longer they'd make it. The heat vanished in an instant as they shot through the final atmospheric layer. Swirling winds tossed them around like a child's toy in a zero-grav tube.
"Oxygen masks on. Prepare for emergency foam." The control stick was completely useless now. Wires popped, and smoke rolled all around him. Sloan prayed the foam would activate before they crashed into a mountain. Relief flowed through him as he heard the hiss of it filling the ship.
His last sight before falling unconscious was of an enormous cave yawning in front of him like a gaping maw ready to devour them whole.
\*
Mary woke with a start as strong hands pulled her through freezing cold water. She struggled against her assailant as she blinked away the fog clouding her vision.
"Damn it, Mary! Stop fighting me! The pod's sinking. We have to get out."
Mary recognized Sloan's voice and stopped prying at the fingers gripping her shoulders. When her vision finally cleared, she saw the tail end of the escape pod sinking below the surface of an alien ocean.
Sloan managed to pull her to shore without much help on her part. Wet red sand clung to her legs as she stood up. Her knees shook from the near miss. If Sloan hadn't been conscious they both could have drowned. Wouldn't that be ironic?
"Shit, that was close." Sloan's chocolate-brown eyes stared at the spot where the pod went down.
"What about the others?"
Fifty two-man escape pods had fled The Federation as its fuel supply and life support systems ran out. One hundred crewmembers were all that were left of the thousands that had originally manned the Imperial Cruiser.
"I don't know. I lost contact with the rest of the squadron during reentry."
"What about Drog and Lucy?" Mary bit her lip with worry. Lucy, the chief medical officer aboard The Federation, was her best friend. She didn't know what she'd do if Lucy hadn't made it.
"They made it through reentry, I heard Drog's voice on my wrist com before it stopped functioning."
Relief flowed through her. If Drog was alive, Lucy would be too. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Sloan's words put a quick end to her relief though. "Stopped functioning? Our coms don't work?" Mary looked at the blank display screen on her wrist com and pressed the buttons uselessly. What? Did she think if she pressed the buttons harder it would suddenly work? "How are we going to communicate if our coms aren't working?" Her stomach clenched with anxiety. They couldn't be lost on some unknown planet with no way to talk to the other survivors from The Federation. After everything they'd already been through, fate couldn't have stranded them on some deserted ocean planet. That just wasn't fair.
"Honey, that's the least of our worries. Take a look over there." Sloan pointed to the horizon where a line of storm clouds rolled. "That's moving faster than any storm I've ever seen. If it keeps up that pace we could be facing a waterspout. Trust me, we don't want to be this close to the water if that happens."
"I know that," she snapped as fear chased the panic bubbling inside her. "We need to find shelter, quickly." Mary turned away from the ominous sight of the coming storm and searched for protection.
"The only thing I can see is that cave." Sloan picked up an emergency pack off the ground. Good thing he had sense enough to grab it before the pod sank.
"Hopefully it's deep enough to protect us from the waves." Mary didn't want to find shelter from the waterspout only to get bashed against the back of the cave by the violent waves the storm would create.
"Doesn't look like we have many other options. Come on." Sloan shouldered the pack and headed towards the dark cave in the distance.
Mary tried not to notice how the muscles in his legs and ass bunched and rolled with every step he took. This was not the time to get distracted by Sloan's obvious good looks. But it was hard not to notice since their skintight uniforms left nothing to the imagination. Every sinew was visible in these things.
Focus on finding shelter, not Sloan's backside!
Swirling winds kicked sand into her face and made her hasten her steps. That storm was moving damn fast. Mary risked a look over her shoulder.
Shit! A funnel had already started to form. The cave was still a kilometer away. "Run!" she shouted, grabbing Sloan's hand and taking the lead.
Deep sand sucked at her feet. It took all her effort to push forward over the treacherous beach. Her legs burned with the effort to lift one foot in front of the other. With each passing second the wind picked up, tearing at her hair and pushing her back. Sloan moved in front of her and protected her from some of the wind but nothing could block it all.
Her heart raced with exertion and fear as they struggled to reach the protection of the cave. Mary could barely stand up, never mind run. It was more like controlled falling than walking but still she trudged on.
Tears streamed out of her eyes from the grains of sand in them and she couldn't see a damn thing. The howling wind was so loud she couldn't understand what Sloan shouted at her. Her focus narrowed to putting one foot in front of the other and not giving up.
Easier said than done.
"Come on! Just a little farther!" Sloan's words somehow made it through the screaming storm swallowing them up.
Mary didn't know if she could make it. Her lungs strained to get air and her muscles burned from the unaccustomed exercise.
Suddenly, the wind died and silence surrounded her.
No, not silence, but the scream of the wind had lessened. They'd made it inside the cave. Mary blinked rapidly and waited for her eyes to become adjusted to the gloomy light.
"Come on, let's see how far back this goes." Sloan tugged her hand and pulled her deeper into the darkness.
"Is there a light in the pack? I'd kind of like to see what I'm going into."
"Give yourself a minute and it won't seem so dark. I'd like to save the light for as long as we can. We have no idea what else is in store."
"Yeah, like big animals with a taste for human flesh." Mary shuddered. She hated nature. That was the whole reason she'd signed on as a medical officer on board The Federation. If she had wanted to live by the ocean and explore caves she could have stayed on Emeraldia.
After a few seconds her eyes adjusted and she was able to see again. She almost wished she couldn't.
More of the odd red sand filled the floor of the cavern and a watermark stood out clearly on the wall. Very high up on the wall.
"Look, there's a ledge. We can set up camp there and wait out the storm."
Mary followed Sloan's gaze to the tiny shelf in the back of the cave. It might be far enough back to keep them safe from the deadly waves. Might being the operative word.
"I don't know. That ledge doesn't look wide enough for two and when the waves come in we could get swamped."
"Do you see any other options? If we camp on the ground we'll definitely get washed out to sea. At least up there we have a fifty-fifty chance." Sloan headed towards the back of the cave leaving Mary alone in the gloom.
"Wait up. I'm coming." Mary hurried after him. Stars, how she hated caves. The grit of the sand against her skin and the smell of brine reminded her how much she hated her homeland.
Her thin-soled flight boots were no protection against the jagged rocks and shells hidden in the sand. Knife-sharp stones dug into her tender feet. Muttering under her breath she hobbled after Sloan's long-legged form.
"Why couldn't we have crashed on a fecking desert planet?" She should be grateful just to be alive but she was cold, sore, and scared.
"Did you say something?" Sloan asked, one jet-black eyebrow lifted in question.
"Just wondering how we managed to land here. Wherever here is."
"Your guess is as good as mine. Hang on, I'll give you a boost." He went down on one knee and formed a cup with his hands.
Mary took a shuddering breath and closed the distance between them. Stepping carefully into his hands, she used his shoulder for balance. The rock-hard muscles didn't budge a millimeter as she held on. His scent wafted towards her, musk and spice and a hint of something else she couldn't name.
A slippery feeling tugged low in her stomach but she pushed it away. This was no time to go soft in the head over a man. Before she could gather herself, Sloan lifted her straight up. Mary practically flew through the air with the force of his "boost".
"Sparks! Are you trying to smash my head against the ceiling?" She scrambled the rest of the way onto the ledge, scraping her palms in the process. Lying flat on the rough surface, she slid her upper torso over the edge to pull up the pack and offer Sloan a hand up.
"Sorry, you're lighter than I expected." In the dim light of the cave she could see his gleaming eyes dip down to her breasts. A smile of approval glittered in the murky darkness.
Mary forgot about helping him up and scooted away from the edge. With her back against the wall, she wrapped her arms around her bent knees and hid her chest from his appreciative gaze. These damn uniforms left nothing to the imagination. In the skintight material her curvy figure looked like a sausage crammed into a too small casing.
"Coming up," Sloan announced just before his head and shoulders popped above the ledge.
Every muscle in his arms bulged with the effort to lift himself. The cords of his neck stood out as he powered his way up. His pecs and abs came into view next before he managed to find purchase on the narrow ledge.
Maybe the uniforms weren't all bad.
Heat blossomed in her face as Sloan caught her staring at his chest. She shouldn't be embarrassed he'd done the same thing to her. And he obviously didn't seem to mind. Hell, if the smug smile on his face was any indication he probably expected her to ogle him.
More than likely he figured she'd jump at the chance to screw him. After her experience with Artman, he probably thought she'd be easy pickings. Well, he had another think coming. She wouldn't be so stupid to fall into bed with another soldier. Being used and humiliated once was enough for a lifetime.
"If you move over some I can spread out the blanket."
Mary slid over to the very edge. The shelf was close to a meter and a half wide and three meters long. It was so high up that Sloan couldn't stand fully upright without hitting his head on the top of the cave.
With an economy of movement, Sloan shook out the metallic space blanket and draped it over the ledge. "There are some protein bars in here too. Would you like one?"
"Sure. Is there any water? We're going to need some to choke down the bars."
"They're not that bad. Compared to what I had to eat in basic training, they're downright gourmet fare." He smiled and handed her a bar and a pouch of water.
Their hands brushed and an electric charge shot straight to her pussy. She almost jumped at the force of her reaction. Sloan's eyes widened like he too felt the connection.
Mary pulled her hand away and scrambled back against the wall. This was so not what she needed right now. Her body didn't realize that this was a really bad time to wake up.
After Artman's betrayal she'd thought her libido had died completely. Her heart sure as hell had turned to dust. It was bad enough to be dumped after she did some very intimate things with him but to find out he was using her just to get into the drug safe. Well, that sounded the death knell on her dreams of everlasting love.
It had been a hard lesson but she'd learned it. Her libido be damned, she wasn't putting her self-esteem on the line for any man ever again. And if that meant she had to ignore the tingles Sloan sent dancing through her body, so be it.
"So, what's the plan?" Mary asked, trying to stay focused on business.
"We ride out the storm up here. When it's blown itself out we can set up the emergency homing device on the beach. Hopefully someone will come across the beacon and search farther."
"What about Drog and Lucy? Shouldn't we look for them?" Having Lucy around would be a godsend.
"Where do you propose to start? We don't know anything about this planet, we have no way of contacting them and we could very well get ourselves killed wandering around out there for days. I say we sit tight and wait for help to arrive."
"But they could be in trouble!"
"True. But how would getting ourselves killed help them out of it? By sending up the homing signal we can help them more."
"What are we supposed to do in the meantime? Fish?" Mary knew she sounded bitchy but the idea of being stranded here with only Sloan as company scared the bejesus out of her. There had to be something they could do to rescue themselves instead of waiting passively for help to arrive.
"Maybe. Do you know how?" Sloan's eyes glittered with amusement.
So glad she was entertaining him. "As a matter of fact, I do. I grew up on the coast of Diamondia."
"Excellent. Then you know all about living on the ocean."
"I know too much about living on the ocean. That's why I joined the Imperial Army. To get away from the fecking ocean."
"Hey, I know how you feel. I grew up in a mining village near Onyxil. I don't really enjoy being back in a cave. At least there's some light and fresh air in here though."
"True. But I still don't like it."
Sloan threw his head back as he laughed. "At least we're alive. Considering all we've been through over the last month, I think that's pretty damn impressive."
"Maybe. I can't help but think someone wants the entire crew of The Federation dead. How else do you explain the food poisoning, the attack and the failure of our life support systems?"
"I don't know. Someone wanted the Emperor and didn't have any problem killing all of us to get to him. I just hope Major McDaniel is okay."
Mary's heart ached for all the people who'd died just so someone could capture Emperor Thomelt. The gross loss of life went against everything she believed in as a healer. The Federation had been in battles where soldiers under her care had been injured and even killed but that had been in the line of duty. This was a vicious attack on the entire crew---support personnel as well as soldiers.
"How long do you think we wandered in space before the life support systems failed?" Mary asked.
"I have no idea. I was puking my guts out for what seemed like eons." Sloan grimaced and pulled the tiny space heater out of the pack.
"You and everyone else. Thank the stars I don't eat red meat." A shipment of fresh protein had been sent to The Federation supposedly from Empress Lissandra. The meat was bad and everyone who'd eaten it had come down with food poisoning. While the crew was incapacitated, an enemy strike team had attacked the ship and kidnapped the Emperor, sending The Federation off course. The life-support systems had been sabotaged, endangering the remaining survivors.
"We made it. Now we just need to get back to Emeraldia so we can make sure whoever did this pays." Sloan's brown eyes lost their amusement and took on a ferocious gleam.
"That'll be a neat trick. We're at the back end of nowhere, with no ship, no working com units and we're caught in a storm. At this rate we'll be lucky to see the next sunrise."
"Are you always this optimistic?"
"I just call 'em like I see 'em."
"Here's what I see. We've already made it through several potentially life-threatening situations and we're still alive. That has to count for something. We're reasonably safe from the storm outside and in a few minutes we'll be warm and dry. That sounds pretty good to me."
"I think you're easily pleased."
His eyes roved over her face and body and Mary felt the heat from his stare like a laser beam.
"Not that easily. I have high standards."
What was that supposed to mean? Was he insinuating that she didn't meet his standards? Screw him, she didn't want to meet his fecking high criteria anyway.
"Good for you." A chill shook her frame. Their uniforms were supposed to regulate their body temperature but they were probably malfunctioning too. "Do you have that heater set up yet? I'm freezing. These stupid suits aren't working."
"Almost done. I'll have you warm in a nano."
Mary rubbed her hands against her arms then frowned as the rough sand cut through the cloth. "Fah! I thought these things were indestructible. It's not keeping me warm or dry."
"The composition of the material probably broke down on reentry. I'm sure the homing devices implanted in them don't work anymore either. They're now just expensive, skintight leisure suits." The amusement was back in his chocolate-brown eyes.
"Great."
"It could be worse. They could be expensive, baggy leisure suits."
She wouldn't mind baggy right about now. In fact, wearing an old fishing sack sounded pretty good to her.
The hum of the heater turning on was music to her ears and she crawled closer to the promised warmth---even if it did mean coming within touching distance of Sloan's far too tempting form.
Just remember, he thinks you're either easy or desperate. Don't be stupid just because he's the only man here.
The only man and an incredibly sexy one at that. Suddenly she felt warmer than could be explained by the slight glow of the heater.
"That's better, isn't it? Now you're warm, fed and have good company. What more could you ask for?"
Mary yawned as the warmth spread through her body. "How about a nice soft bunk? Is there another blanket in there?"
"Yup." His eyes shone with anticipation.
"Do you want the first watch or second?" There was no way she was sharing the other blanket with him. They could take turns sleeping. That would keep her out of trouble.
"I'll take the first watch since you're obviously beat. Why don't you curl up over here by me and you can use me as a pillow?"
Riiight. "That's okay. You don't look like a very comfortable bed. Just give me the blanket and I'll be fine over here." Away from that all those inviting muscles.
Sloan heaved a melodramatic sigh and passed her the blanket. Again his hand brushed hers and once again that electric tingle shot straight to her pussy. Quickly, Mary snatched the blanket to her chest to hide the telltale hardening of her nipples. "Wake me in two hours and I'll relieve you."
"Is that a promise?" He wiggled his eyebrows salaciously.
"I promise to take over guard duty. That's all." She tried to sound stern but his good humor was infectious.
"A guy can dream, can't he?"
"Sure. As long as he's not on guard duty. Nighty-night." Mary wrapped the blanket around her and rolled into a ball facing the wall.
Little stones dug into her side and she could feel Sloan's eyes on her. There was no way she was getting any sleep tonight. She forced herself to remember why it would be a bad idea to fall for Sloan's charm.
Artman had seemed charming at first too but he'd only been out to get her password to the drug safe. Having kinky sex with her was just a bonus. Shame filled her as she remembered him holding her hostage with a laser scalpel to her throat. He'd bragged about using her while he threatened her life.
She still had the scar on her hip from where he'd sliced her during his escape attempt. That was the smallest scar he'd given her. The ones on her heart and self-esteem went much deeper.
Remember this feeling. Remember how many tears you cried over him after he dumped you. Maybe that will keep you from jumping in bed with Sloan.
Mary forced away the heat Sloan stirred in her chest and pulled up the anger and pain from deep in her heart. So what if Sloan was nice to her now? That would only last as long as he wanted something from her. Once he got it he'd treat her just as bad as Artman had. He might treat her decently for a while---after all, she was the only woman here. Once they got rescued and he had his pick of women again the teasing would stop and she'd be just another woman fawning over him.
Not this time. This time she'd be smart and not listen to her body's pleading. That's what got her into trouble before.
But right now her body needed rest and with Sloan's scent drifting through her head she found it.
Sloan knew the second Mary had fallen asleep. His senses were so attuned to her every movement he'd probably know if she had a bad dream. He drank in the sight of her lovely form so close to him.
Her body might be in touching distance but her heart was still light-years away.
Fecking Artman!
Sloan had wanted Mary ever since she'd patched him up in the infirmary. Her beautiful blue eyes had held a world of kindness in them and he'd been hooked from the first look. The fact that she had a body made for sin hadn't dampened his enthusiasm any either.
It had almost killed him when he'd found out she was with that scumbag Artman. Couldn't she see what a loser he was? The bastard had bragged about what he was going to do to her in bed every night. Artman hadn't loved her, he'd only wanted to play with her like a shiny new toy.
Much later Sloan had learned how badly Artman had used Mary but it was too late by then. Innocent men had died from drug overdoses and Mary had taken each death to heart. She blamed herself for enabling Artman to get the painkillers he'd doctored and sold to the soldiers.
Sloan blamed Artman for much more. The bastard had made Mary hide her head in imagined shame. Before Artman got his hands on her she'd always had a smile on her face and a kind word for everyone. Not anymore.
In a sick way, Sloan wished Artman hadn't been sent off the ship to stand trial for his crimes. He'd have loved to see the piece of toradal shit get food poisoning and puke his guts out for a week too. If fate were kind, he'd get beaten to a pulp on a prison planet somewhere.
Making himself more comfortable on the rocky shelf, Sloan took in his surroundings. Luckily he'd avoided the claustrophobia that several of his family members suffered from or he'd be a mess stuck in this cavern. This wasn't so bad, really. Not like the caves in Onyxil.
Mining caves didn't have cool breezes blowing in or walls smoothed by constant erosion. No, he'd grown up with jagged tunnels lit only by dim glow bulbs. Dark holes that were hot as an oven from the superheated magma below. When his fellow soldiers complained of the cramped crew quarters on board The Federation, he'd just laughed. They had no idea what close quarters were.
By the age of eight, Sloan had been in tunnels so tight he'd had to back out in order to unload his cache. The best gems always seemed to be the farthest away and only the skinniest boys could reach them. Unfortunately, those tunnels also were the most unstable. He'd lost more than one childhood friend to cave-ins.
A shudder ran down his spine and he took another look at the thick rock above him. Maybe he hadn't completely escaped claustrophobia.
Mary moaned in her sleep and threw her arm over her face as if warding off an attack. Sloan slid closer to her---that was a great hardship---and ran a soothing hand over her hair.
"Shh, sweetie. You're safe now. I'm here and no one will ever hurt you again."
His words must have penetrated her subconscious because the worried look on her face eased and she snuggled down into the blanket. Sloan continued to stroke her silky hair as he watched her sleep.
The dark circles under her eyes stood out against her pale skin and her cheekbones looked much sharper than he remembered. More evidence of heartbreak.
Damn it, it had been months since that episode. When would she stop punishing herself?
"My darlin' Mary, it's time you stopped beating yourself up. I'll get you to trust again. Better yet, I'll get you to love again or die trying."
As Mary rolled away from him, Sloan thought winning Mary's heart might just be the hardest task he'd ever set for himself.
\*
"Sloan, wake up!" Mary shook his shoulder roughly. She hated to wake him up but the water was rising rapidly and she was afraid they'd be swamped soon.
"Huh? What?" He blinked his eyes a few times and looked around.
"Sorry to wake you but the water is coming up fast. If we get a good wave in here we could be in trouble."
"Let's pack up our stuff then we'll figure out what to do."
"I'm way ahead of you. I've got everything up except the blankets."
"How long was I out?"
"As near as I can guess, a little over three hours. The water only started rising in the last hour or so."
"Why didn't you wake me after two hours?" he asked, handing her the blanket.
"Why didn't you wake me?" she shot back at him. "You gave me an extra hour of sleep so I thought I'd return the favor. We're equals in this mission, Sloan. I'm an officer in the Imperial Army, I can carry my fair share of the load."
His eyes looked her over for a long minute. She had to stand up to him now or he'd walk all over her in the name of "protecting" her. No way.
"I know you're an officer but you're medical, not combat."
"Doesn't matter. I had to go through basic training just like you. If you can't treat me as a partner then you're risking both our lives."
He appeared to mull over her words for a while before heaving a sigh. "I know you're right but that doesn't mean I won't slip up from time to time. I'll try not to treat you like a..."
"Like a girl?" she asked with an arched brow.
"Honey, there's no chance in hell I'll stop treating you like a girl." His look was hot enough to scorch the clothes right off her body. "But I will stop treating you like a civilian. How about that?" His eyes glittered with amusement.
"If that's the best you can do, I'll take it." Simmering arousal bubbled in her veins. Damn it, how was she going to protect herself from him when he looked at her like that?
A loud splash pulled her attention away from her dancing libido. "What was that?"
Sloan turned and scanned the encroaching water. "I don't know. Maybe a fish?"
"That'd be a pretty big fish." Mary moved as far away from the edge as she could. Apprehension shivered through her. There was something big in that water and she didn't know if it was hungry or not.
"Look! Over there, something's moving." Mary pointed to the shadow creeping in the murky water.
"How can you tell? The water's so cloudy I can't see anything."
"I just know, okay? I didn't see a laser in the pack. Do you have one?" She didn't know if a laser would work but at this point she'd take any form of protection she could get.
"I had one but I must have lost it when we landed. I was so worried about getting us out of the pod before it sank I didn't secure it."
"Hell, with our luck it probably wouldn't work anyway. Do we have anything we can use for a weapon?"
"There are plenty of rocks up here."
"Very funny." Mary stared at the place she'd last seen the shadow but there was nothing there now.
A huge wave slammed against the walls of the cave, high enough to wet their feet. As the wave receded an enormous shell briefly appeared. Two black eyes stared right at her from the recesses of that shell.
"Holy fecking cosmos! Did you see that?" Sloan shouted.
"Uh-huh." Mary was speechless.
"What the hell is it?"
"It looked like a hermit crab's shell. But bigger than any hermit crab I've ever seen."
"What's a hermit crab?"
"At home they're small crustaceans with little tiny pincers. They live in the sand under the sea." Mary remembered collecting them when she was small. The shell she just saw was easily bigger than their escape pod. If the crab it housed was just as big, she didn't want to see the size of its claws.
"Are they aggressive?" Sloan asked. He'd picked up one of the larger rocks on the shelf and looked around for more.
"Not generally. But I've never seen one this big either." The water covered the shell again but Mary could still see its shadow moving closer.
A man-sized claw shot out of the water and scraped against the wall below their ledge. Sloan fired a rock at the claw but it bounced off harmlessly.
Mary's legs went weak as she watched another claw scrabble for leverage on the wall.
"It's trying to climb up here!" A chittering cry answered her and the crab's head poked above the water.
Wicked black eyes stared hungrily at them out of a slimy green head. Deadly pointed teeth clicked together and the noise sent chills down her spine. Sloan threw another rock towards its head but the crab pulled back into the shelter of its shell and avoided the missile.
Mary scrambled around looking for more ammunition for Sloan. Maybe the rocks wouldn't hurt the crab but at least they would keep it too busy to find a way up to their ledge. She could only find a handful of medium-size stones.
"I can't find any more rocks. What are we going to do?"
"I'll hold him off as long as I can. Start looking for loose rocks. If we can get a sharp enough piece I'll use it as a knife."
"A knife only works if he's close enough for you to touch him."
"No kidding," Sloan grunted as he fired another shot at the crab.
"Are you out of your ever-loving mind? That thing isn't going to let you get close enough to his head to stab him. He'll cut you in half with those big sparking claws of his and eat you like a protein bar!"
"You got any better ideas?"
Before she could answer, the tip of a claw grabbed hold of the ledge. Sloan stomped on it and pushed it off before it could tear down the shelf.
"Stay behind me. I don't want it grabbing you," Sloan shouted over his shoulder.
Mary didn't want it grabbing her either. Her hands bled and she dug into the wall looking for any loose rocks they could use. Nothing shook free and tears of fear and frustration ran down her face.
She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw Sloan hammering away at another claw. The crab wasn't budging. Frantically Mary pulled at an outcropping of stone praying for a sharp piece to come off. Her chest heaved with the effort but still nothing moved.
Another claw found purchase on the shelf and Mary ran over to kick at it. A fetid stench slammed into her as she reached the claw.
"Get back!" Sloan shouted at her.
"No! You can't fight both claws. If we don't get them off, it'll pull itself up here!" Mary's soft boots didn't faze the crab one bit and it reached higher up on the shelf.
Sloan jumped up and pulled her back against the wall, putting his body between her and the enormous claws.
The screech of shearing rock echoed through the cavern. Mary couldn't hold back a scream of fear as the claws scratched their way closer.
Suddenly the rock wall at her back moved. She and Sloan tumbled into pitch-blackness. Hands tugged at their arms and pulled them deeper into a tunnel of some sort.
"What the---" Sloan's words were cut off by the grinding of rock against rock.
A tiny flare of light made Mary wince. Several men surrounded them. The first thing Mary noticed was that they had a slightly blue cast to their very pale skin. The second thing she noticed was they all carried spears. And they were pointed right at her and Sloan.
Sloan's training immediately kicked in and he assessed his options.
There weren't many.
He lay on the ground with multiple weapons pointed inches from his face. The men around him looked frail but had a wiry strength to them. Sloan might be bigger but he was outnumbered, weaponless and had Mary to worry about.
One of the men made an odd clicking noise and gestured for them to get up.
"We mean no harm," Sloan said. Moving slowly, he stood and raised his hands over his head to show he was unarmed. Mary moved closer to him and they waited to see what their captors wanted them to do next.
Two men darted off and the one who addressed them first motioned for them to follow him. They must be very well trained because other than that single clicking noise, Sloan hadn't seen them communicate at all. A well-trained troop meant civilization of some sort. He just hoped they were peaceful.
As they marched down kilometer after kilometer of twisting, turning tunnels, Sloan completely lost his bearings. Even if he managed to get away he wouldn't know where the hell he was or where he should go. His best bet was staying with the local militia and trying to find a way to communicate with them. Not that he had much choice at this point.
Eventually the tunnels they marched through widened. They came to a room carved out of rock. The walls glittered with minerals and light from an unseen source made the room as bright as daylight.
Before Sloan could do more than gape at his surroundings, the soldiers pushed them into a cage built right into the rock. Without a word they slammed the door and walked away.
"I guess that answers the question 'what are they going to do with us'," Mary said, sitting down with her back against the wall.
"For now anyway." Sloan sat down next to her and clasped her hand. She didn't pull it away. That had to be a good sign.
"Why would they save us from the crab if they only meant to kill us? I think maybe they're just trying to get our measure now before they decide what to do with us."
"Maybe," he said. He didn't want to tell her that he knew several reasons they'd keep prisoners alive---none of them good.
Sloan took a better look at his surroundings. Something wasn't quite right but he couldn't place it. The scene looked like a typical rural town setting. A small market had been set up opposite the town "square". Women milled about with woven baskets on their arms and children ran around underfoot. Every once in a while one of the children would dare to sneak close to the cage and take a peek at the strangers but then he'd dart back to the safety of his parents.
If it weren't for their oddly angular features and blue skin, he'd have thought they were in any town in Emeraldia.
"It's awfully quiet, don't you think?" Mary said with a shiver.
"That's it!"
"What's it?"
"The quiet. That's what's wrong with this picture. No one is talking," he said excitedly. "Look, even the kids are silent. Have you ever known kids to be quiet this long? I haven't."
Mary cocked her head to the side as if considering his revelation. "Now that you mention it, you're right. It's like watching a vid with the sound turned off. I wonder if they can talk? Maybe they use a different type of communication?"
"When they first captured us the leader made an odd clicking sound."
"He did? I don't remember that."
"Trust me. I was paying very close attention to the man holding the spear aimed at my heart."
"You know what else? I don't see any signs of technology here. There's no computers, no glow bulbs, no electricity even."
"We're past the far end of nowhere. I'm surprised they've even discovered fire this far away from civilized space," Sloan scoffed.
"They aren't uncivilized. They just aren't technologically advanced," Mary said.
"Huh? Isn't that the same thing?"
"Snob. No, it isn't. Look, their clothing is finely made with intricate designs and they're wearing elaborate jewelry. They're shopping so they must have a system of trade. I'll bet they even have a government with a set of laws. This is probably their local jail cell. Those are all signs of civilization. Just because they don't do everything by computer doesn't mean they're savages."
How the hell had she figured all that out? Sloan took another look at the villagers, this time looking at the things she'd mentioned instead of looking for weapons.
Son-of-a-limfa she was right. The women wore dresses of filmy material with multicolored designs stitched into them. Many of them wore clunky armbands and bracelets as well as a plethora of beaded necklaces. Sloan looked closer and saw that their black hair---which also had a blue tinge to it---was done in an elaborate style of swirls and curls atop their heads.
Shit, he was a trained observer who'd been on dozens of foreign planets and he hadn't noticed any of it. Granted, he'd been looking to their defenses not their fashion trends but still.
"Did you notice there are no men here? Other than the ones who captured us? The only males I see look to be under the age of ten." Sloan looked closer at the merchants and saw even they were women.
"They could be out hunting or working or something."
"Maybe. But if you captured two aliens, wouldn't you put a guard on them to keep them from harming your womenfolk?"
"I guess. I don't think there's a heck of a lot we can do locked in a cage," Mary said with a yawn.
Their adventures and lack of sleep must be getting to her. She probably wasn't used to fighting monster crabs on only three hours of sleep.
"Why don't you take a little nap? There's nothing we can do now but wait. We might as well take advantage of the quiet and catch a few Zs."
She stifled a yawn behind her hand. "I'm fine, really. You got even less sleep than I did, why don't you get some rest."
Sloan stretched out and pulled Mary onto his chest. "Why don't we both sleep? I'm sure our hosts will wake us if they need anything." Stars, it felt so good to have her weight on him. His cock stirred to life against his will and he fought to keep his erection hidden. Too bad the first time he got her luscious form on top of him they had to be in a cage in full sight of an alien village.
Mary lay stiffly against him but didn't pull away. After a few minutes she relaxed into his chest and settled down. He could feel her breath breezing over his nipples and more blood shot to his dick. If someone came to get them now they'd get an eyeful, that's for sure.
Eventually, his breathing matched Mary's and he slipped into a light doze. He couldn't relax completely in this situation but he could get some rest.
"Do you think they're dangerous?" B'rn asked in mind-speak.
"How should I know? We need to wait for Mother to test them," Ht'r answered.
"What is she waiting for?" B'rn fiddled nervously with her bracelets and snuck another look at the sleeping couple in the jail. They were so oddly colored, without a hint of blue to their skin. And the female's hair was the hue of sea kelp. She'd never seen anything like it in her life.
"She'll come in her own good time. The men are still arguing over what to do with them. When they finish their discussion, Mother will test them and weigh in with her opinion."
B'rn wished they'd make a decision soon. She didn't like seeing anyone in a cage. Would these strangers be the answers to their prayers? Shells, she hoped so.
"Why do men have to argue so long about everything?" B'rn said irritably. It was getting close to her mating time and if her mate M'rk didn't come out soon she was going to be in severe pain.
"Because they're men. They have to boast and argue and think their way is the only way. That's why Mother has the final say. Look. Here she comes now." Ht'r grabbed B'rn's arm and pulled her closer to the cage where the strangers lay.
Mother's wizened form strode proudly through the crowded streets until she reached the jail. Pulling a handful of dust out of the pouch by her side she sprinkled it over the strangers and began chanting.
B'rn's hair stood on end as she felt the power surround Mother. Without a word all the women formed a half-circle around her and added their strength to the spell. As the dust settled on the strangers, clouds billowed up around them. Images B'rn couldn't comprehend flickered faster than lightning on the clouds.
The pictures made no sense to her but Mother obviously understood them because she nodded several times. When the clouds flared out with a sizzle, Mother stepped back and released the power circle.
"They will help us. The female is a powerful healer. The male is a warrior and can teach us many things about warfare. Let them sleep now. When they awaken provide food and clothing and bring them to the baths. They are both in need of care."
"But Mother---" B'sk, an elder male, protested.
"Do you doubt my judgment, B'sk? Would you care to be tested to see if your motives are for the good of the tribe?" Mother's silver eyes glowed with power as she faced down B'sk.
"No, Mother." He backed down.
Mother nodded once and turned back to the strangers. Reaching back into her pouch she dug out another handful of dust and sprinkled it over the strangers. This time her chant rang inside B'rn's head as well as in the air. When the strangers awoke they would be able to communicate with mind-speech.
"Let us prepare, we have much to do before they awake. I want the finest spinners making clothes to fit them. Ht'r, gather soap-weed and bring it to the baths. Rl'n, take what help you need for the kitchens. Let us fete our guests before we ask them for help." Mother handed out orders left and right as she made her way through the crowd.
B'rn tried to avoid her silver gaze. She didn't mind helping normally but if she didn't mate soon the stomach cramps would incapacitate her. Suddenly Mother's eyes found her and zeroed in. B'rn tried to stand up straight but the mating sickness had begun to settle in.
Mother's eyes widened in surprise. "M'rk! Get to your mate now! Before it's too late!"
Thank the tides!
Sloan stretched his arms over his head as he woke from a deep sleep. Immediately he noticed two things. One, he'd slept on a rock that was now digging painfully into his back. Two, Mary's sexy body was cuddled up against him and his body had reacted in its typical fashion with a hard-on.
Taking deep breaths, he tried to shove aside the rampant desire pounding through his body. He'd managed to get his cock to only semi-rigidity when Mary groaned and rubbed her face against his chest.
So much for control.
Almost against his will, Sloan's hand crept up to stroke Mary's back. She snuggled deeper into his chest and he couldn't hold back a groan of mixed agony and pleasure.
"Oh! Sloan!" Mary's eyes popped open and she sat up like she'd been burned. "I'm sorry. I was half asleep and didn't realize..."
"No harm done. I was asleep too," he lied.
"I had the strangest dreams. I dreamt someone was in my head, sifting through my memories like you'd flip through the pages of an old-fashioned book. I could see everything that happened to me in my life and all the feelings that went along with the memories. It was strange." Her face took on a thoughtful expression.
"I slept like a rock. In fact, I slept on a rock." Sloan stood and massaged his back, focusing on the ache to help distract him from Mary's delicious body just millimeters from him.
"Lucky you. It was so odd. I kept hearing voices in my head, like I was eavesdropping on someone's conversation." She shook herself and stood also. "How long do you think we were out?"
"Long enough for them to close up shop for the day. Look, there's no one here." Sloan searched the deserted square for signs of a guard but didn't see anyone.
"I hope they don't mean to starve us to death." Mary rubbed her stomach.
"Seems like an awful slow way to kill someone." Sloan moved to the door of the cage and tested the strength of the bars. To his surprise the door swung open with a squeak.
"It isn't locked?" Mary asked in surprise.
"Apparently not."
"Why would they put us in a cage and then unlock it?"
"Maybe it's a test. As soon as we set foot outside they'll fire those spears down on us." Sloan scanned the area looking for hidden enemies.
"That doesn't make sense. If they had wanted to kill us they could have done it while we slept. Heck, they could have just let the crab get us. I don't think they mean us any harm."
Her face took on a look of concentration and before he could stop her she walked out the door.
"Wait! Damn it, Mary, get back here!" Sloan reached for her arm but she slipped past him.
"Come on. I think they want us to come to them." She seemed to be listening to something.
"Who wants us to go where?" Sloan hurried to catch up with her.
"The villagers. They want us to join them. Can't you hear it?"
Oh no, Mary was losing it. "Hear what?"
"The voices. They're inviting us to join them."
Great. Just great. Now she was hearing voices in her head. He did not need her to fall apart on him right now. "Mary, maybe you better lie down for a minute. I think you might be dehydrated..."
"I'm not dehydrated and I'm not insane." She turned around and planted her hands on her hips. "If you'd stop looking for the next attack to come and listen with something besides your muscles maybe you'd hear them too."
Sloan stopped in his tracks. "One of us has to think about defense. Since you're running off half-cocked it obviously isn't going to be you."
"I'm not going off half-cocked. Would you just stop trying to take control for a minute and listen? Please?" Her blue eyes beseeched him and he caved.
"If I promise to listen, will you let me take the lead?"
Mary searched his eyes for a minute but eventually relented. "Deal. Just give it a chance."
"What exactly am I supposed to listen for?"
"Close your eyes and try to relax. Take a few deep breaths. I think if you quiet your mind you'll hear them."
Sloan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I feel ridiculous."
"There's no one here to see you but me. Try to open yourself up to them. They want us to come to them."
"Come. We have a meal prepared for you and fresh water to bathe in. Join us."
"What the fuck was that?" Sloan jumped and spun around looking for the person behind the voice. It had a definite feminine feel to it.
"Come. We are waiting for you. Through the waterfall at the end of the path."
"See. They want us to come," Mary said smugly.
"But---"
"Don't you get it? That's why it was so quiet. They mind-speak. And now they're speaking to us."
Feck. Giant crabs, blue men and now mind-speech. They didn't cover this in basic training. Sloan stepped in front of Mary and led the way down a path. He didn't have Mary's blind faith that the villagers meant them no harm but he couldn't deny hearing the voices. He'd go along with it for now but be ready for an attack just in case.
The voices had stopped speaking as soon as he started on the path. How did they know he was following directions? Could they see inside his head too? The thought sent chills down his back. He didn't want anyone poking around in his mind.
Less than a kilometer away they came to a waterfall, easily three meters wide and ten meters tall.
"What do we do now?" he asked.
"They said through the waterfall so I guess we go through it." Mary looked at the pounding water dubiously.
"I'll go first. Wait here and if you hear me screaming run back to the cage." Sloan stepped into the swirling pool of water at the base of the falls.
"Wait. Why don't we go in together?" Mary grabbed his hand and clutched it to her chest.
"Because if something's going to attack us, it's going to have to go through me to get to you." There was no way Sloan was letting her set foot into the unknown.
"But---"
"No buts. Wait here. If it's safe I'll come back for you."
"Wait." She tugged him close then pulled his head down for a quick, hard kiss. "For luck. Be careful."
Sloan rubbed his thumb along her porcelain-smooth cheek. "You better believe it."
With the tingle of her kiss still on his lips he slogged through the pool into the driving water.
Mary watched the pounding falls swallow up Sloan's form. Damn, why had she kissed him? That was a stupid thing to do. Her lips hummed with pleasure from the brief contact.
And her pussy lips wanted some contact of their own.
What the hell was wrong with her? Mary kicked at the water swirling around her feet and sent a splash of frustration towards the falls. She should be looking for signs of trouble and instead she was mooning over a man. What an idiot.
She took a deep breath and then another one. When her chaotic thoughts were slightly more under control she listened for the voices to come to her again. They were silent now. Why had they stopped calling? Were they waiting for her and Sloan to follow directions? Could they be leading them into a trap?
No. Sloan thought that but she knew the villagers didn't mean them any harm. Her gut told her they were peaceful and wouldn't hurt her or Sloan.
But if they weren't hurting Sloan, why hadn't he come back for her yet?
What if he couldn't? What if they captured him as soon as he stepped through the water? What if he tripped on a rock on the way in and was even now lying on the ground waiting for help? What if he hit his head and fell in the water and was drowning?
Mary wrung her hands harder with every "what-if". Should she go in after him? He had told her to wait and he'd come back for her. But what if he couldn't? She bit her lip in indecision.
She'd wait five more minutes and if he hadn't come back by then she was going in after him. There was no way in hell she was running back to the cage like a frightened little girl.
With her wrist com broken she had no way of knowing how much time had passed. Mary tried counting off the seconds in her head but her worries kept distracting her.
"Screw it." It was close enough to five minutes. Offering up a quick prayer for luck she stepped under the pounding spray of the falls. Thunderous sheets of cold water slammed down on her, soaking her instantly. It didn't taste like salt water. Maybe it came from an underground spring? It was cold enough to come from a glacier.
She pushed her way through the water until she reached a tunnel behind the waterfall. It was dimly lit with more of the odd glowing lichen that lined the cavern where they'd been held. The rock beneath her feet was smooth and slick from the spitting water and Mary made a mental note to watch her step. She wasn't exactly the most graceful person. With her luck she'd slip and twist an ankle.
Maybe that had been what happened to Sloan? She quickened her pace a little bit more. The farther she traveled along the path the brighter and warmer it got. She'd gone less than a kilometer when the tunnel began to open up. Fresh air wafted over her face and she hastened her steps.
Just as she was about to reach a curve in the path, a hand snaked out around her leg and pulled her down. Mary bit back a scream and raised her foot up to lash out at her captor.
"Damn it, Mary, why are you always attacking me?" Sloan's voice stopped her kick in mid-swing. "And why can't you follow directions?"
"Sloan! Oh my stars, I was so worried. What took you so long?" Mary crawled over to where he hid behind an outcropping of rock.
"I was watching them interact before I jumped out so they could capture me. Now that you're here you can tell me what you think." He moved over so she could squeeze next to him and get a look.
Mary tried to concentrate on the scene in front of her and not on the feel of Sloan's chest and thighs pressing against her backside.
Fat chance.
Using what was left of her brain she forced herself to look where Sloan indicated. The rocks they hid behind were on the edge of where the tunnel opened up at the end of the path. If she peered over the top of the boulders she could see a wide pool of water with steam rising up from it.
Several people splashed around in the pool and frolicked uninhibitedly. It took Mary a few seconds to realize that they were all naked and some of them were quite obviously male.
"I guess we found where the rest of the men went," Mary said, squirming a bit. It felt a little naughty to watch their captors skinny-dipping. Naughty, and very arousing. "I don't think they're waiting to ambush us."
"I don't think so either but watching for a few more minutes won't hurt. They could be using the pool as a distraction since it's the only thing you can see from the path."
Pretty damn effective distraction if you asked her.
Trying to ignore the heat coursing through her, Mary attempted to observe the villagers in a clinical fashion. After all, she was a medical officer, she'd seen naked bodies before. The villagers' bodies were very different from anything she'd ever seen.
Both men and women were completely hairless from the neck down. They appeared very frail with thin, angular arms and legs. The women had almost no breasts but very pronounced nipples. The men's penises looked normal to her---not that she had much experience to base it on.
They were definitely smaller than the rock-hard cock pressing against her backside right now.
Mary looked up to see Sloan staring open-mouthed at the far side of the pool. She followed his gaze and let out a gasp of surprise. In the shallow end of the pool a woman sat on a man's lap with her back against his chest. His hands massaged her small breasts as she arched in pleasure. Mary's nipples tightened as the man pinched the woman's nipples.
Another woman swam up to them and must have said something because the man opened his knees, which caused the woman on his lap to spread her legs wide. Her naked pussy lay open and the second woman leaned her head in.
Liquid heat gushed between Mary's legs as she watched one woman pleasure another while the man stroked and caressed her breasts. Her clit grew and swelled as her pussy lips filled with blood. It was all she could do to keep her hand from straying to her own breasts and pussy.
Sloan's chest rose and fell rapidly with his breathing and Mary knew he was just as turned on by the sight as she was. Almost against her will, she rubbed her ass against his rigid cock. A low moan came from his mouth and his hands drifted down to hold her hips against his length.
It was Mary's turn to breathe heavily now. His fingers stroked ever-widening circles over her pelvis. With each pass he came a little closer to her waiting clit. Her slit had grown so wet cream dripped down her thighs.
Tiny alarm bells rang in her head but she ignored them. Mary was too caught up by the sight of the ménage in front of her and the feel of Sloan behind her to heed any warnings from her common sense.
The woman on the receiving end of the threesome threw her head back against the man's shoulder and arched her back in ecstasy. Almost unconsciously, Mary mimicked the movement, rolling her head against Sloan's muscled chest.
With a groan Sloan slid his lips down the column of her throat. The heat from his mouth shot through her body like wildfire. Her nipples throbbed painfully and a deep, ferocious need pulled at her core. Mary squeezed her legs together to ease the ache that bloomed there. The feel of Sloan's breath breezing over her neck set every nerve ending on red alert.
His hands slowly crept up to cup her breasts through her uniform. The thin material of the suit was no protection from the heat of his hands. Her breath caught as he gently kneaded her breasts. Stars above, how she wanted him to stroke her nipples like the man in the pool was doing to his lover.
Almost as if he could read her mind, Sloan unlocked her suit and let it fall to her waist. Her bare breasts fell out into his waiting hands. The feel of those hard, calloused fingers skimming over her sensitized skin sent goose bumps down her spine.
Soft lips pressed kisses up her neck to her ear. Sloan bit her earlobe gently as he pinched both her nipples. The double assault shot through her like an ion cannon. Mary thrust her chest out for more.
Sloan seemed happy to oblige.
Mary rocked against his erection, loving the feel of his hardness against the cleft of her ass. Their suits only heightened the stimulation---and the frustration---of the contact. She wanted to feel his hands on her naked body, wanted to touch his naked body in the worst possible way but the damn uniform was interfering.
One of Sloan's hands drifted lower and parted the bottom of her suit. Mary's breath caught as she waited for those long fingers to reach her waiting pussy. Eons seemed to pass before he wove through her curls and grazed her clit.
Biting back a cry, Mary lifted her hips higher to give him better access to her slit. Stars, she was so close to coming her head was going to explode! The woman in the pool appeared to be on the edge too. Her hips thrust against the mouth licking her pussy and Mary felt a desperate envy for the release the other woman was getting.
Part of her wanted to beg Sloan to touch her but something held her back. She almost feared that if she spoke she'd break the spell that held them both in its grasp.
Sloan didn't need her words anyway. He cupped her pussy and slid one thick finger inside her dripping core. Every atom of her being felt that finger pierce her center and welcomed it. Her inner muscles gripped him and sucked him deeper. As he drove in and out, his knuckle rasped over nerve endings, sending her closer and closer to the edge of oblivion.
His free hand pressed low on her abdomen as his thumb stroked her clit. Mary's world exploded into a billion shooting stars as a shock wave of release tore through her. Her entire body shuddered and quivered as the orgasm rolled on and on. She vaguely felt Sloan thrust his cock against her ass as he too found release but was too caught up in her own orgasm to pay attention.
"Now that you two have found your pleasure, come join us in the baths."
Mary opened her eyes at the mental voice and saw an elderly woman treading water in the steaming pool. Her long, gray hair floated around her shoulders and she waved a welcoming hand at them.
"What should we do?" Mary asked. Her voice was thick and husky with spent desire. Ever so slowly her senses came back. Her face flamed with mortification as she looked down and saw Sloan's large hand still cupping her pussy and his finger still in her body.
"I guess we should take a bath. Stars know I need to clean up." His chest pressed rapidly against her back with his ragged breathing. Obviously he wasn't as unaffected by the situation as his calm words indicated.
He rubbed his finger inside her before pulling it out with a wet slurp. Mary's body spasmed one more time as she stood up on shaking legs. What the hell had gotten into her? How could she have let Sloan touch her like that?
Let? If she'd been capable of speaking she would have begged him to touch her. Who was she kidding? Damn it. She'd thought she'd buried all her perverted leanings after Artman. Had he turned her into some sex addict?
"Are you okay?" Sloan stood behind her and reached out to her with a slightly shaking hand but she avoided his touch.
She couldn't look him in the face. He must think all the rumors about her were true. Feck, maybe they were true. Maybe she really was a sex-starved pervert.
"I-I'm fine. Let's go down and see what they want." Mary pulled her suit up and reattached the locking mechanism.
Without another word she moved out from behind the rocks and stepped back onto the path that led to the pool. The air grew noticeably warmer and moister as she approached the bath. She could smell a heavy metallic odor.
An underground spring? Maybe. That would explain the warm water. She tried to focus on the older woman who beckoned her closer and ignore the stares of the surrounding people.
It wasn't easy.
Sloan was right behind her and she could feel his eyes burning through her back almost as strongly as the curious looks of the villagers.
She ignored him too.
Sweat dripped down her back the closer she got to the water. The air felt thick and humid and hard to breathe. Once she reached the edge of the pool she stopped. What was she supposed to do now? She longed to strip down like the rest but felt self-conscious with all these people looking at her.
"Don't be afraid, the water is warm and soothing."
"How can I hear you in my mind?" Mary asked, unsure how to talk back with mind-speech.
"While you and your mate slept I opened your mind to us. All you have to do is project your mental 'voice' and we will hear you."
"Are you saying you can read our minds?" Sloan asked somewhat aggressively.
"Be at ease, warrior. We can only hear what you project. You choose what thoughts you wish to share and with whom you wish to share them. Your private thoughts are your own. Now come and renew yourselves in the waters before we sup."
Sloan cocked an eyebrow at Mary and she shrugged her shoulders. If she continued to huddle on the shore like a sacrificial virgin she could very well insult their hosts. She might as well get over her hang-ups and join them in the water.
Besides, everyone else was naked and Sloan had already seen her all but naked. With a deep breath she unlocked her uniform and let it drop to the ground. Quickly, she stepped into the water and sank down until it covered her completely.
"Spoilsport," Sloan called softly behind her.
She turned to see him strip off his suit and wade into the water slowly. His cock was still semi-erect, surrounded by a nest of dark black hair. Heat blossomed out from her pussy as she watched him move through the water.
Dear stars in the cosmos! He was one good-looking specimen of male perfection.
And he knew it too. The rat.
A smug smile graced his too handsome face as he caught her staring at him. Mary turned around quickly and swam over to their hostess.
Okay, how did she do this mind-speaking thing again? Just project what she was thinking. How hard could it be?
"Thank you for saving us from the giant crab." It couldn't hurt to start off with thanks instead of peppering her with questions.
"We have lost several warriors to the crustomorphs. It was only good fortune that B'rn heard your calls and alerted the guards."
"Then I must thank B'rn as well," Mary said, looking around.
"She is with her mate right now but I will pass on your thanks. If you wish to wash there is soap-weed on the ledge over there." She pointed to the far end of the pool where several women splashed and laughed. "If your muscles ache after your battle with the crustomorphs, there are low benches built into the wall where the current is stronger. I invite you to sit and relax for a while before our evening meal."
"But---" Mary started. She had a million questions to ask.
"All will be answered in good time. For now rest and renew yourselves. The others will leave you alone to ease your mind."
Mary looked away in embarrassment. Was it that obvious that she was uncomfortable with all the strangers looking at her? It probably was since she'd stayed submerged up to her neck the whole time.
"Cloths for drying are heating on the rocks over there and clothes have been provided for your comfort. When you are through, follow that path and join us." The older woman pointed to a path across the pool then swam towards shore.
"Wait! What is your name?"
"I am called Mother," she mind-spoke without turning around.
With a great deal of dignity, Mother strode naked out of the pool and accepted a robe and a staff from a young girl. It didn't escape Mary's notice that the girl couldn't keep her eyes off Sloan.
Mary didn't blame her. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes off him herself.
Mother let out a piercing whistle followed by a multitude of clicks and clacks and everyone exited the pool in a rush.
"Now that's power. I'd like to put her in a room with Major McDaniel and see who comes out alive," Sloan said, swimming towards Mary.
"That would be a battle of wills for sure," Mary babbled. Sloan moved in on her with a very determined look on his face. She felt like a limfa under the eyes of an angry toradal. "I-I think I'll wash up a bit." Mary pushed off the smooth floor of the pool and away from Sloan.
"Good idea. I'll wash your back." Sloan followed her.
Somehow Mary didn't think Sloan was going to let her forget about their encounter by the rocks.
Sloan hid a smile as he watched Mary try to stay below the surface of the shallow water. He didn't know why she was so bashful now, he'd already seen her breasts. Seen them, touched them, hell, he'd worshiped them like the heaven-sent bounty they were.
And he wanted more.
One touch of her satin-smooth skin wasn't nearly enough. Especially since he'd still had his uniform on. Oh no, now that she'd let him caress her he wasn't going to let her hold him at arm's length again.
Like she obviously wanted to.
She was backpedaling away from their moment by the rocks as fast as she could. Too bad he didn't plan on letting her get away with it.
"It's not going to go away just because you're pretending it didn't happen," he said as she reached for a huge sponge lying on the rocks.
The curve of one creamy breast became briefly visible as she leaned over but she quickly submerged herself again. Sloan's cock came to its full and upright position at just the hint of her breasts. Feck, who knew he could recover that fast? Considering how long he'd wanted Mary it shouldn't really be that much of a surprise to him but he'd never managed to have another erection ten minutes after coming before.
He'd never watched group sex while holding Mary before either.
There were a lot of firsts today.
"I'm not pretending anything. I just don't see the need to discuss it." She scrubbed her chest furiously. A blush spread over her face and she looked away from him.
"You're right. We don't need to discuss it but I fully plan on repeating it. And more." He planted himself in front of her, boxing her in against the ledge and his aroused body.
His cock bobbed on the surface of the water. He wasn't the least bit embarrassed by his body's reaction to her. She should know what she did to him.
Startled blue eyes flew up to his face. "Look, I don't care what you might have heard about me but I'm not a slut. I don't go around doing...that...with every soldier that crosses my path."
Her jaw clenched and he saw pain and humiliation in her eyes before she looked away from him. Damn it. That wasn't what he wanted. The last thing he wanted was for her to think of Artman right now.
Sloan knelt down on the smooth stone bottom until he was eye level with Mary. Slowly, so he wouldn't startle her, he grasped her chin and turned her face to his.
"I have never considered you as anything less than a beautiful woman with a generous heart. Your very kindness is what attracted me to you first. Long before you got wrapped up with Artman."
She flinched at the mention of that bastard but he wouldn't let her turn away again.
"I'm not going to let what that asshole did ruin your life or prevent me from being part of it. You were meant for me, Miss Mary, and I'm not going to let you go."
"I belong to myself, no one else." Her chin quavered and her voice shook but she didn't pull away. "It isn't up to you to decide whether or not I'll let Artman ruin my life. I can take care of myself."
She pulled her chin out of his hand and tried to move away but Sloan quickly put his arms on either side of her, caging her in.
"Let me go."
"I will but not quite yet. Maybe I need to clarify things." He'd better do some quick talking before she started screaming and the locals came to investigate. "I didn't mean to imply that I wanted to control you. I only meant that what Artman said and did has no bearing on how I feel about you. How I've always felt about you."
He stared into her wary eyes and prayed she believed him. She looked skeptical for a minute but eventually gave him a slight nod.
Thank the stars.
Sloan backed away from her and gave her a little space. If he tried to touch her now she'd think he'd only said that to get in bed with her. He was a soldier, he knew when to stage a tactical retreat. "I don't think we should leave our hosts waiting too long. Let's wash up and go see what they have to eat in this place."
"Sure." Mary gave him a puzzled look and quickly moved away from him.
Probably didn't know what to make of him backing off. Good. If she didn't know what he'd do next she couldn't put up barriers against him.
He turned his back on her delicious body to give her some privacy. Trying to distract himself from her presence just centimeters away from him, Sloan took in the surroundings. The water he stood in was pleasantly warm and had a slight metallic odor to it. There must be some volcanic activity around to cause a thermal spring like this underground.
The vaulted ceiling above him was rough stone but the rock walls and floor were worn as smooth as glass. None of the tunnels on his planet looked anything like this. Little flecks of bright minerals gleamed out from the gray rock making it shimmer. It was almost like a billion twinkling lights danced just under the surface.
The effect was pretty but very odd. A splash sounded behind him and Sloan had to tense every muscle in his body to resist turning around. If he saw Mary's naked body as she climbed out of the pool he'd never give her the space she needed.
He sank a little lower in the water to hide his raging hard-on. His balls were so full and his cock so hard, all it would take was one stroke of her hand to shoot him over the edge. If he didn't want to announce his condition to the entire gathering of locals he'd better take care of this not-so-little problem himself. It didn't look like Mary was going to volunteer to relieve him again.
Sloan wrapped his hand around his cock and imagined it was Mary's. Closing his eyes he pictured her luscious body sprawled out and waiting for him. In his fantasy she had her eyes half closed and moaned out his name. Her perfect breasts lay waiting for his touch and her nipples stood at attention begging for his mouth.
His hand stroked faster as he remembered the feel of her hot, wet pussy surrounding his finger. Only, in his mind her tight walls squeezed his cock as he drove into her repeatedly. He could hear her calling his name as he gushed out his orgasm.
"Sloan? Are you coming?"
Oh yeah.
His hips jerked a few more times as he stroked his spasming cock. As his body shuddered back to normal he realized he wasn't imagining Mary's voice, she was really talking to him.
"Huh? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He turned around to see her standing on the edge of the pool looking at him with an eyebrow raised in question. She wore one of the filmy dresses he'd seen the local women wearing only they didn't look like that in them. The light green material clung to every lush curve of her sexy little body. Unlike their skintight uniforms, this outfit softened her form and made his mouth water to see what was underneath it.
His cock twitched again. Down, boy! Cripes, there must be something in this water. He'd never recovered that fast before. If he could bottle the water from the pool it would put half the pharmaceutical companies out of business. And make lots of old men really happy.
"Are you done washing? Weren't you the one who didn't want to keep them waiting?"
"Yeah, I'm coming." In more ways than one.
Mary turned her back as Sloan climbed out of the pool. She didn't want to see any more of his naked flesh than she already had.
Ha! Liar!
Okay, she didn't need to see any more of his naked flesh. Just the memory of steely muscles rippling inches from her face made her pussy gush. She'd barely recovered from the latest assault on her senses and already her body was gearing up to go another round with him.
No! If he didn't think she was a slut yet there was no sense in proving it to him. Just because she'd let him touch her once didn't mean she had to do it again.
But stars above, how she wanted to. Her knees turned to water as she remembered the feel of his thick finger in her channel. She'd never come so hard in her life and he hadn't even put his cock inside her.
Put those thoughts out of your head right now, missy!
Just because she'd slipped up once didn't give her permission to throw in the towel and jump him again. She was not a slave to her body, damn it. If she had sex with him it would only validate everything Artman had said about her.
She could still hear his hateful voice whispering in her ear, calling her a horny bitch when she initiated sex. He'd accused her of being a nymphomaniac because she wasn't satisfied.
Maybe if she came as quickly as he had she wouldn't have wanted sex so often.
The thought put a little steel in her spine. Lucy had told her that having a healthy sex drive didn't make her a pervert and Mary believed her. But Lucy didn't know about the other things Artman had done to her. Things Mary'd only heard about in whispers.
Things she'd liked too much.
A fresh surge of embarrassment washed over her. Sloan's hot eyes would look at her in disgust if he knew what she'd done. He wouldn't want to touch her again if he knew what kinky things Artman had introduced to her.
She couldn't let him find out. It would be better to never let him touch her again than for him to find out what fantasies played out in her mind.
Fantasies that had him playing a starring role now that she'd had a taste of his magic touch.
Stars, she had to get her head on straight. This wasn't the time to think about her messed-up hormones, they needed to focus on the villagers waiting for them.
Focus on the mission. Find Lucy and Drog and get off this planet.
"Okay, I'm decent. Are you ready to go?" Sloan looked at her with his sexy grin firmly in place.
She was more than ready to go. Far away from him.
\*
As they walked up the path Mother had directed them to, delicious odors of cooking food wafted towards them. Mary heard more of the strange clicking noises like Mother had made and some high-pitched laughter.
"That must be how they talk," she muttered.
"What? That clacking noise?" Sloan asked. He wore a pair of pants and a short-sleeved shirt made out of the same material as her dress. His dark hair and skin stood out distinctly in the light-colored clothes. They fit him so well she was sure they'd been made especially for him. And damn if he didn't look so good she had to fight to keep her eyes off his tightly muscled ass.
Mary cleared her throat and forced her attention back on their conversation. "It makes sense. The high-pitched clicks would carry well in these tunnels and over the water. Our speech patterns would get lost in the echoes in these caverns."
"You're probably right. Back home we used our wrist coms to talk because you couldn't understand the guy in the tunnel next to you. If we knew how to chatter or use mind-speech like they do we could have avoided a lot of confusion."
He stopped walking and looked at her for a minute. "I think we're going to have to practice this mind-speech thing a bit. I don't want to accidentally slip up and broadcast what I'm thinking to everyone. There's going to be times I want to only communicate with you and if I can do that with this mind-speech business that will be a bonus."
"It sure would but only if we get it right. Why don't we try it now? Think of something you don't want me to 'hear' and I'll tell you if it leaks through."
"Sure," he said. A sexy smile crossed his face.
"You're thinking about sex," she said wryly.
"Did I project that or were you just guessing?"
"You didn't have to project that, I could tell by the look on your face."
"Okay, I'll try again." His face scrunched up in concentration. A minute later he asked, "Well? Did you 'hear' me?"
"Not a peep. What were you saying?"
"I'll never tell." He winked at her. "I think I see how it works. I imagined a wrist com in my head. When I wanted to mind-speak to you I 'pressed' the switch. When I wanted to think without you hearing me I didn't press it."
"That makes sense. Mother said we just had to project what we were thinking to let other people understand. When we talked to her at the baths we must have been unconsciously 'pressing' that button. Now that we know what's going on we can control it better. Let me try."
Mary tried to think of something innocent just in case she slipped up. She didn't want him knowing any more of her chaotic thoughts than he did already. In her head she pictured a wrist com and thought about her surroundings without pressing the switch.
"Hear anything?"
"Nope. Now try to mind-speak to me."
She "pressed" the switch on the imaginary wrist com and said, "We should get moving again. They're waiting for us."
"Figures you'd nag in mind-speak," he teased. "But you're right. I want to see what the rest of this place looks like anyway. Let me tell you, none of the caves I crawled through were like this."
"I'd forgotten you came from a mining sector. What was it like?" She lengthened her stride to keep up with him and her leg muscles burned as the path grew steep. The tunnel seemed to climb up and around.
"Not like this, that's for sure. These tunnels are bigger than the halls on The Federation. On Onyxil we had to slide on our bellies to get through some of the passageways. We didn't have hot springs either, although I'd heard some of the other mining towns did."
A shudder ran down her spine at the thought of moving through a space so small she couldn't even crawl through it. The cavern they were in now was bigger than some ships she'd served on and a fresh breeze blew in from somewhere. It was well lit and warm, not dark and dank like she would have thought.
"I'm glad we're not marooned on Onyxil then. I don't think I'd do well in such confined spaces."
"You and me both. I couldn't wait to get off that hunk of rock."
Mary was about to ask him more but stopped in surprise as they rounded a corner. The path ended at a plateau but that wasn't what made her gape in shock. A deep canyon complete with an underground stream ran below the ridge where they stood. Across the canyon was a cliff with hundreds of cave-type dwellings carved out of it.
A twisting staircase ran down the wall to the stream. A narrow rock bridge spanned the stream. The noises they'd heard on the way up came from the people gathered at the base of the cliff. Mary could only marvel at the effort it must have taken to create such elaborate homes from rock. She'd never seen anything like this in her entire life and doubted she ever would again.
"And it's all underground. Amazing," Sloan said, echoing her thoughts.
"Did you have anything like this on Onyxil?"
"We had plenty of caves but nothing like this. We must be kilometers below sea level but you'd never know it." Sloan started down the steep stairs.
Mary followed, stepping carefully on the smooth steps. It was a long way down and she didn't really want to take the quicker but infinitely more painful route. Sloan strode down as sure-footed as if he was on a people-mover back home.
Once he reached the bridge he waited for her to catch up to him so they could cross at the same time. She did her best to hide her gasps for air as they walked over the little stream trickling below the bridge. Sweat dripped down her face from the descent and she discreetly wiped it off with the sleeve of her dress. Sloan wasn't even breathing heavy. The bastard.
She pushed aside her venomous thoughts as they reached the opposite shore where Mother waited for them.
"Welcome! Did you enjoy your bath?" Mother asked.
The old woman handed them two roughly carved wooden cups containing a clear drink. Sloan raised an eyebrow at Mary and she shrugged her shoulders. If the locals had meant to kill them they could have done so long ago. It didn't make sense to poison them now.
Mary took a sip of the beverage and let the flavor roll over her tongue. It tasted vaguely like tea. A little unusual but not bad.
"Thank you for the clothes, Mother. We feel much better now that we are clean." Mary gave a nod.
"Good, good. You'll feel even better once you've eaten something. Come join our meal." She turned and walked towards the heavily laden tables without bothering to see if they followed her.
Mary looked over at Sloan who smiled and stepped behind the petite Mother. It wasn't like they had many options open to them at this point. Mary trailed Sloan and tried to look around without staring openly. She didn't want to give offense but everything was just so unusual she couldn't help gawking.
If anyone had asked her what the inside of a cave looked like, she wouldn't have described this place in a million years. For one thing, it was much brighter than she'd expected. For another it was very open.
It didn't make any sense to her. They had to be deep underground, yet there was still a breeze. The fresh air had to come from somewhere, but where?
"We have several chimneys and air vents that lead to the surface. The weather on Bochnax makes living aboveground hazardous but provides plenty of fresh air for us down here," Mother answered her unspoken question.
"Have your people always lived underground?" Mary asked, accepting a plate of food. Sloan stood next to her and poked at his meal with one of the two-tined forks they'd been given.
"For as long as we've had recorded memories the Seoenx have lived in these caverns. Although we go to the surface to hunt, the rest of our needs are provided for without ever leaving our caves."
Incredible. A planet-bound race who never saw the sun. Could that be why their skin was blue? Maybe they didn't need the sun's nutrients? Humans couldn't survive without exposure to either the sun or the Vitamin D lights on the space cruisers.
"Is the weather always so...violent...on the surface?" Sloan asked.
"Yes, to one degree or another."
She'd move underground too if she had to worry about water spouts on a regular basis. Mary's skirt floated around her legs as she sat on a flat rock and picked at her food. The odd fork took some getting used to before she could spear any of the morsels on her plate but she managed to get a bite in her mouth.
The first thing she tried was light and flaky and tasted like whitefish from back home. Next she tried something that looked like pale seaweed. It had the same rubbery texture and Mary wasn't real sure she wanted to put it in her mouth. Following Sloan's lead she bit off a tiny piece and chewed. It must be a vegetable of some sort, she decided. There wasn't much taste to it but she could eat it.
"Are these all your people?" Sloan asked. "Friends of ours landed somewhere else on the planet but we don't know where and we have no way of getting in touch with them."
"You are the first strangers we've seen but there are other tribes on Bochnax. I shall send a dream message to the other Mothers tonight. If your friends are still alive we shall find them."
Mary's stomach clenched with fear for Lucy and Drog. What if they hadn't found shelter from the storm? What if they got attacked by those crustomorph things and weren't lucky enough to get rescued?
Sloan reached over and grasped her hand. "It'll be okay, sweetie. We'll find them."
Warmth radiated from his fingers to her entire body. Mary knew she should pull her hand away but right now she needed his strength to lean on. She wasn't sure at all that they'd find Lucy and Drog.
"Enjoy your meal, I must see to my children." Mother glided away from them, her long dress trailing behind her.
"But---" Sloan called after her, dropping Mary's hand.
She had a brief flash of regret at the loss of his touch but pushed it away.
"Later, my warrior, later," Mother answered.
"Damn it. I have questions for that woman and she keeps taking off before I get a chance to ask them."
"You'll have a chance to talk to her," Mary replied, poking at the seaweed again. It probably had nutrients in it but it wasn't very appealing.
"When? She disappears before I can get my head together." Sloan finished off the rest of the food on his plate without a qualm about its possible origins.
"Didn't you hear her? She'll answer you later." Mary laughed. It felt good to see him frazzled for a change.
"You think this is funny?" His intense brown eyes turned on her.
"No, I think seeing you get outmaneuvered by a woman twice your age and a quarter of your size is funny." She gave up trying to choke down the seaweed and put her plate aside.
"I'm always abused by women. It's my lot in life to be at the mercy of heartless wenches." He grasped her hand and lifted her fingers to his mouth.
Heat shot through her, as strong and sudden as a lightning strike at the feel of his soft lips on her hand. His warm breath teased her knuckles as he drew the tip of one finger inside the moist cavern of his mouth. Her laughter died as lust took over. Tingles danced through her bloodstream and brought her nerve endings alive.
Sparks! One freaking touch of his lips and she was aroused down to her toes. The glimmer of amusement in his chocolate-brown eyes told her he knew it too. The rat.
"Pardon me. I don't wish to interrupt," a hesitant voice broke the sensual spell Sloan had cast on her.
Mary pulled her hand away from Sloan and turned to face the newcomer. "You're not interrupting, we're all finished here."
"I'm B'rn, I'll show you to your dwelling." B'rn held a pair of blankets.
"Thank you." Dwelling. Singular. She was going to have to share a room with Sloan. Again. A private room.
Shit.
The tingles that had briefly subsided rushed back in full force.
"Did Mother say one room or two?" Mary asked, standing up next to the slender girl.
B'rn gave her a puzzled look. "Only one but it is a large space. You and your mate will have plenty of room."
Her mate? They thought Sloan was her mate? She opened her mouth to correct the misunderstanding but Sloan pulled her against his rugged frame. The feel of his chest against her back struck her dumb.
"I'm sure whatever you provide will be just fine. My mate and I thank you."
He shot Mary a quelling look and she bit back what she was going to say. Obviously he had some reason for wanting them to keep up this charade.
Of course he does. He wants to get in your pants. Mary thought about asking B'rn for another room but a warning glance from Sloan kept her quiet.
No matter. Just because they were in the same room together didn't mean she had to give in to him---or her hormones. Right?
Suurrre.
Her thoughts were interrupted when B'rn stopped at a ladder leading up to one of the caves carved into the cliff face.
"You will stay here. Mother will join you tomorrow but if you need anything you have only to ask."
"What about answers to our questions? When will she give us those?" Sloan asked.
"This I do not know. Mother does things in her own time and there is no rushing her. If you'll excuse me I need to return to my mate." B'rn handed Sloan the blankets and fled.
"Nice going, slick. Nothing like interrogating our hosts to show appreciation for saving our lives." Mary reached for the rungs on the ladder and started to climb up.
"I'm getting a little sick and tired of being dicked around. I'd like to know what their plans are for us. So far all they've done is put us off and I don't like it."
"I don't think they give a toradal turd whether you like it or not. They have an agenda and we just have to wait and see what it is. End of story." She could feel his eyes staring at her ass as he climbed up behind her.
Feck! He was looking at her naked ass. She didn't have anything on under the dress they'd given her. Mary slipped on the rung of the ladder as she tried to scurry up it. Sloan steadied her with a hand on her bare cheeks.
"Slow down there, darlin'. Wouldn't want you to fall and break something," amusement colored his voice as he gave her butt a squeeze.
"Don't distract me, if I drop I'll take you with me. With my weight I could very well crush you." Her face flamed as she thought about him seeing her rear end jiggle as she climbed. This was mortifying.
"I doubt a tiny thing like you could take me down. But don't worry, I won't let you fall." His deep voice rolled over her in a reassuring wave.
Mary scrambled the rest of the way up the ladder, dislodging his hand in her haste. She could take care of herself and she'd make damn sure she didn't fall on him or for him.
Sloan slumped against the wall of the cave and watched Mary prowl the room. Her beautiful blonde hair flew out behind her and her skirt flared up around her thighs with every turn she made. The breath caught in his throat with each flip of that damn skirt as he waited for another glimpse of bare thigh.
His cock throbbed with agony as he remembered the feel of her creamy skin. He wanted more than a brief groping of her on the ladder. Damn it, he wanted to touch and taste every inch of her for hours and hours. Hell, he wanted to caress her for the rest of his life.
That wasn't going to happen if she thought he only wanted her for her body.
But oh, what a body it was.
The filmy dress the Seoenx had given her accented her womanly contours. The way it slid over her curves made him long to strip it off her and see every one of those slopes and valleys without any covering.
Better be careful not to project that thought. Hell, he'd better just put it out of his mind completely. Thoughts like those weren't going to help him prove to Mary he didn't want her only for sex. Somehow he had to wrestle control from his libido and act like a gentleman. Not that he was one but he could fake it for a little while anyway.
"What do you think they're doing over there?" Mary called from the entrance of the cave.
Sloan stood and crossed over to her. Her scent drifted through his nostrils and desire slammed into him with the force of a fist in the gut. Feck. He was like a limfa smelling its mate in heat. One whiff of her and all he wanted to do was lift her skirt and drive into her from behind.
Control, man! You're going to prove to her you want her for more than sex, remember?
Yeah, right. Easier said than done.
"I can see them gathered around that strange glowing light over there but I can't tell what they're doing." Mary pointed to a spot on the edge of the stream that ran through the canyon.
A greenish glow lit up the area and an eerie melody drifted on the air. Lithe bodies gyrated to the music. "They're dancing. Can't you hear the music?"
"Music? What music?" Mary leaned out of the entrance. "That strange banging and clinking is music?"
"Sure. Can't you hear the beat? It's reverberating through the rocks." He took her hand and placed it against the wall of the cave. The tempo of the music thudded through their joined hands in a measured counterpoint to the rapid beat of his heart.
"It looks like they're having some sort of celebration by the stream. Guess they didn't want us to join them." Mary's voice was husky and shot another bolt of lust to his cock.
"Maybe it's supposed to be private." Sloan squinted his eyes and focused on the gathering instead of the enticing view of Mary's cleavage. His eyes widened when he caught on to what the Seoenx were doing. "I can see why they wouldn't want spectators."
"Why? What can you see? What's happening?" Mary leaned out even farther and would have fallen out if he didn't wrap an arm around her waist and pull her back.
Her delicious ass pressed against his thighs and he had to bite back a groan of frustration. Neither one of them wore underwear. It wouldn't take much for him to bend her over his arm and sink his aching cock into her pussy.
"They aren't doing what I think they're doing, are they?" Mary asked, amazement coloring her voice.
"That depends. What do you think they're doing?" Sloan answered, wondering what she'd say.
"It looks like the women are dancing around the light, stripping for the men."
"That's what it looks like to me too."
"Are these people sex-starved? First the threesome in the bath and now this. Did we fall into the Long-Lost Land of Orgies or something?" She tried to sound prim but Sloan noticed she didn't look away.
A quick glance down showed her nipples had pebbled up into hard little points and her breasts heaved with her heavy breathing. Sloan's hands ached to slide up and cup those luscious mounds. Her nipples just begged for his touch and his mouth watered to taste them.
Damn it! Stay in control. Prove to her you're not a slave to your hormones.
Sloan dropped the arm around her waist and stepped back a bit so she wouldn't feel his erection pressing into her back. "There's nothing wrong with sex, you know. You've been on enough worlds to know that making love is an important part of every culture. Obviously it's a huge part of this one."
"That isn't making love. That's group sex, for stars' sake." She stepped back from the edge and began to pace again.
With a last longing look over his shoulder, Sloan turned away from the titillating scene playing out by the stream and focused on Mary. She paced the confines of their room like a tiger in a cage. Could she be struggling with her desire as much as he was?
Stars, he hoped so. Somehow he'd have to show her that sex wasn't something dirty but a natural, beautiful part of being human.
"I don't understand why you're so upset about this," Sloan said.
"Why? Because I'm easy?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
"No, because you're a medical officer. You know sex is a basic bodily need as necessary as eating or drinking."
"You're just saying that to get in my pants. If it's a 'basic bodily need' then I should do it with you. Sorry, slick, I'm not that stupid, no matter what you might have heard." She wrapped her arms around her stomach and looked down, hiding her face behind her hair.
She really believed he thought her cheap. Breaking through her defenses wasn't going to be easy.
"No, I'm saying that because it's true. I'm not going to lie to you and say I'm not attracted to you. Making love with you is just an extension of that attraction. I've wanted you since the minute I laid eyes on you in the infirmary."
"Right. And I'm sure the stories Artman told had nothing to do with that," she scoffed.
Anger churned in his gut like fire. "Don't compare me to that asshole. The only thing Artman's words did was piss me off. I didn't want to hear that he got to touch you when I'd been dreaming about it for months. Don't think for a single second I listened to him any longer than I had to."
Before she could utter another word he pulled her against him and captured her mouth in a kiss. This wasn't a kiss of gentle persuasion. Oh no, he poured all his frustration and anger into the meeting of mouths to give her a taste of what she was doing to him.
Just in case she didn't get the message, Sloan clapped his hands over her ass and lifted her until his cock pressed against her slit through her dress. His knees almost buckled when she wrapped her legs around his waist and rocked against him.
A wildness seemed to possess her and she bit at his lip before sucking it into her mouth. Lust torched any remaining anger and set his body aflame with need. He kneaded the globes of her behind as he thrust his hips towards her waiting pussy. The only thing separating them was the thin material of his pants and he cursed the barrier.
He felt her total surrender to his kiss and a surge of triumph shot through him. As he reached for the hem of her skirt, common sense pushed through the iron grip of lust surrounding him. If he had sex with her now it would just prove her right and make her think he saw her as an easy lay.
Sweat poured down his back as he unwrapped her legs from around his waist and pulled away from her with one last nipping kiss.
"Huh? What?" she asked, looking dazed. "Why did you stop?" Her lips were berry-red and bruised from the force of his kiss.
"Because I have more respect for you than to fuck you against a wall?" The image slammed into his gut and made his hands shake with need.
"I don't get you. I wasn't exactly pushing you away."
"Don't get me wrong. I want you so badly right now it hurts but I'm willing to put off immediate pleasure for long-term gratification. When we make love---and it'll be making love, not fucking---I want you as emotionally involved as I am. I don't want to take advantage of you because you're turned on by our surroundings."
"You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" Her blue eyes sparkled with temper.
"I'm sure of you. You were meant for me. I can wait until you're ready to admit it."
"Then you're in for a long wait." She turned on her heel and stalked to the back of the cave. Wrapping herself up in a blanket, she lay down and turned her face to the wall.
That didn't exactly work out according to plan. His balls were so full he couldn't cross his legs and it would take hours for his cock to soften. He could have been pounding away inside her willing body if it wasn't for his big mouth.
Hell, if he hadn't come earlier today he probably would have been inside her. And if he had it would have taken him twice as long to get to her heart. It would have only shown her that all men were like the bastard that used her.
No, he did the right thing by stopping. Even if he'd pay for it for hours to come. He could just barely make out her huddled form in the dimness in the back of the cave. She lay curled up on her side with one of the blankets B'rn had given them tucked under her chin.
He didn't dare ask her for a blanket of his own. Instead he stretched out at the mouth of the cave. If anyone tried to get inside they'd trip over him first. The Seoenx appeared friendly but he didn't trust them completely. He'd just stay on guard until he knew what they wanted.
Right about now he'd welcome an intruder just for the excuse to vent some of the testosterone flooding his system. Delayed gratification sucked.
Mary pulled her knees tighter to her chest and prayed for the ache between her legs to ease. She was so fecking horny right now she wanted to cry. Her pussy lips were still wet and swollen and her nipples were so sensitive every time she moved sparks shot through her body.
Damn him!
Was it just yesterday that she was so sure she had to stay away from him? She'd berated herself for ogling his butt and had told herself to remember the pain she'd already been through. How could she go from self-preservation to self-serving so quickly? Where were her morals?
First she'd let him touch her on the path behind the waterfall, then a few minutes ago she'd almost let him fuck her. If he hadn't stopped them, she sure as hell wouldn't have.
But stop them he did.
She should thank him for saving her from her overwhelming libido but she didn't feel very grateful at the moment. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to curl into a ball of abject humiliation at her behavior or follow her raging sex drive and attack him.
Wait, she already tried that and he'd turned her down.
Why did he have to complicate things? She wasn't ready to risk herself again but maybe, just maybe, she could divorce her emotions from sex and get rid of this hunger. Except he wouldn't do it. And wasn't that a switch?
She'd been so worried that he'd think she was cheap, then ten seconds later she almost proved it. And he'd been the one to stop. Stars in the cosmos, she was so mixed up she didn't know what to do. Ever since they'd gotten here it felt like she'd been possessed a demon---a horny demon. She was so confused. Did she want to sleep with Sloan and ease this ache or did she want him to see her as something more than Artman's stupid plaything?
Mary rolled over and looked at Sloan through slitted eyelids. He had propped himself against the wall of the cave and was staring at her with a pained expression on his face.
"Why are you looking at me? And why do you look like you've been kicked in the teeth?" she asked, abandoning the ruse that she was asleep.
"Because I have a masochistic streak I never knew about?" he answered with a wry grin on his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mary sat up and let the blanket fall.
"It means that I want you so badly it hurts but I can't stop looking at you." His hot eyes ran over every curve of her frame and lingered on her breasts.
Mary's blood pounded in her veins. Her nipples pebbled up and her pussy throbbed in need. Even though he sat across the cave from her, her body responded as if he were touching her with his fingers instead of just watching her with those smoldering eyes.
Stars, how she wanted him to touch her.
She shook off the spell he spun around her and cleared the huskiness out of her throat. "You'll have to forgive me if I find that hard to believe. As I recall you were the one that put a halt to things." Her eyes challenged his. Maybe if she pushed him enough he would give up his insistence that they had to make love and they could get down to business.
"Just because I don't want to use your body for a cheap thrill doesn't mean I don't want you."
"What's wrong with cheap thrills?" Was she really saying this? Watching the open way the Seoenx dealt with sexuality must have scrambled her mind.
Or maybe it had just opened it?
Sloan shifted his position against the wall and Mary could see his cock bulging between his legs. Her mouth watered at the thought of that rock-hard erection filling her to the brim. He was a hell of a lot bigger than anyone she'd ever slept with before.
Oh yeah, there was nothing whatsoever wrong with cheap thrills.
"You're not going to change my mind on this, honey. I've waited too long for the chance to be with you, I'm not going to blow it for a quick coupling on the floor. However good it might be."
Her heart skipped a beat at the certainty in his eyes but she pushed the excitement away. "You really think so?" Her pussy gushed with fluid. She'd heard of men who were mouthwateringly sexy but never realized it extended to both sets of lips.
"Oh I'm sure of it. When I make you mine there'll be no turning back. If I didn't believe that I'd go stark raving mad. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to walk away from your luscious body?"
The power of speech deserted her so she shook her head.
"Fecking hard. There's nothing I want more than to strip you bare and run my hands over every millimeter of your silky skin. I want to taste every secret spot you have and bring you over the edge over and over again. I want to make you scream out your pleasure until you're hoarse and then do it again."
Mary's body trembled at the intensity in his eyes. His words flowed over her like melted chocolate and seduced her mind as surely as if his hands were actually on her body.
"When the time comes I'm going to spend hours touching your incredible breasts. I want to feel the weight of those delicious mounds in my hands and bury my face between them."
Fire. She was on fire with longing. Her nipples had turned into hard points of needy nerve endings and her breasts had grown full and heavy. Mary squirmed where she sat. Her bones had turned to water and she dissolved into a puddle of hot, aching desire.
"And don't even get me started on your pussy. I want to feel those slick lips plump up for my touch. After feeling how hot you were today I'm dying to sink my cock into your heat and feel you milk me of every last ounce of come in my body."
Oh stars, he was killing her! Her breath came in pants and sweat dripped down her back.
"But that will have to wait until you're ready."
Oh, she was ready all right. She was so damn ready her clit was practically shooting flames. But that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't just want her body, he wanted her heart and soul too. And wasn't that a cosmic case of irony? Now that she wanted someone to use her for her body he wanted her love.
But Mary wasn't sure if she had any love left to give.
"Goodnight, honey. Sweet dreams." He lay flat on the ground and turned his back to her.
"I'll have sweet dreams. They'll all involve me dismembering you limb from limb!"
\*
B'rn lay back in the comfort of M'rk's arms and breathed in his special scent. Her body felt loose and relaxed now after their second round of mating. The first was fast and furious, they'd waited too long for finesse. Almost before his sepn had left her body Mother had called for them to gather for dinner. The joining had eased the cramps of withdrawal but hadn't come close to their usual mating.
Once the strangers had retired and the dancing had begun, M'rk quickly pulled her from the circle. The second time was much more to her liking. Maybe this time would be the one that put a babe in her belly. Her hand drifted to her flat stomach and she offered a quick prayer of hope.
"Don't think about it," M'rk whispered in her ear. He pulled her hand away from her abdomen and brought it to his lips. "The Goddess will bless us when She is ready."
"But how long must we wait?" B'rn asked with a sigh. "We've been mated for twelve moons. Isn't that enough time to wait?"
"She works in Her own time. Just be patient."
"I'm sick of being patient. I want to have your baby." B'rn rolled over and snuggled against his chest. Her legs slipped around his sinewy thigh and renewed heat rushed to her fewlr. How she loved this man. Sometimes she thought she'd explode with the ferocity of her feelings for him.
"Then I think we should try some more," he said, biting her fingertip.
His sepn grew and pressed against her fewlr. B'rn pushed him to his back and straddled his hips without allowing him entrance to her body. "Are you using my need for a baby as an excuse to mate with me again?" She rubbed her slit over him, wetting his length then moving out of reach.
"Like I need an excuse," he scoffed, plucking at her nipples. "You want me as much as I want you." The love he felt for her shone in his silver eyes, warming her to her toes.
"Maybe I just want your seed to make a baby." She hovered over the tip of his sepn and her lips quivered in need.
"I feel so used." He thrust his hips up and impaled her on his shaft. His thumbs twirled a circle over her sensitive nub as he filled her.
B'rn let out a moan of pleasure and rocked forward. She wanted him to fill her to the brim. Her inner muscles squeezed his sepn tightly. M'rk's hands gripped her hips as she moved over him.
The surge built faster and faster. Waves of pleasure grew inside her until she thought she'd surely drown in them. How much more could she take?
"Not yet, mauven. Wait for me." He rolled her over onto her back and slowed their pace.
He drew her legs up over his shoulders and kissed the hollow of her ankle. She was completely at his mercy and the thought excited her to no end. His fingers drifted down her legs until they reached her fewlr where he gathered some of her fluid. The slight touch sent bubbles of need through her bloodstream.
"Do you know how much you pleasure me?" he asked as his finger pressed against the opening of her behind. Gently he pushed past the tight ring of muscle and stroked nerve endings there.
"No. But if you don't catch up I'll crest without you!" The force of her pleasure assaulted her from all angles. She was caught in a tidal wave and holding on for dear life.
"Now!" he cried, driving deeply into her. His finger pushed all the way in as his sepn reached her very womb.
The wave of desire surged impossibly high then pulled her under its weight. Her heart beat furiously in her chest and she couldn't catch her breath.
M'rk let her legs fall to the sleeping mat and collapsed on top of her, his sepn still hard inside her. Sweat made his skin slippery against her. She licked his salty shoulder and shuddered again at the taste of him.
"Are you never satisfied, woman?" M'rk looked at her with slumberous eyes.
"No. Not with a man like you as my mate." She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close to her. Love and contentment flowed from her heart to her very fingertips.
"Good. Because I can never have enough of you either." He kissed her brow and held her close.
He slipped out of her and rolled to the side. Mere seconds later B'rn heard his deep, even breathing and knew he was asleep. Her mate was an incredible lover but he wasn't much for small talk afterwards.
Slowly, so as not to wake him, B'rn got up and moved to the back of the cave. She washed and grabbed a flat-cake to nibble on.
Please Goddess, let this joining make a baby.
M'rk wasn't worried about their bad luck conceiving but it bothered her to no end. Ever since the crustomorphs came, very few of the women had been able to get pregnant. Mother thought it had something to do with the lack of minerals in their food supply. They could only go so long without the essential nutrients found only in the deep-sea fish.
And they could only get to those fish by leaving the safety of the caverns. A feat that was impossible with the enormous crustomorphs guarding the exit caves. Which was why they needed a warrior.
B'rn put down the flat-cake and thought about the strangers. Mother had said the arousing vegra mists in the air had affected the two of them as potently as it affected the Seoenx. The newcomers couldn't be that different from the Seoenx if the mists aroused them too, right? Ht'r had said they didn't mate in the baths afterwards---she'd spied on them despite Mother's order to leave the strangers in peace. Perhaps they had different customs that prevented them from mating? The mists could only augment a person's natural arousal, they couldn't overcome his or her inhibitions.
Although, why someone wouldn't want to mate was a mystery to her. The half-moons M'rk was in seclusion were the longest days of her life. She'd be so happy when his testing was completed and he was a full scholar. Maybe by then she'd be pregnant.
If they didn't do something about the crustomorphs, they could be dead by then. Her stomach twisted in anxious knots. How much longer could they survive underground? Their food supplies dwindled daily. The feast they'd had today for the strangers' benefit had all but wiped them out.
Mother had said the male stranger, Sloan, was a warrior. Goddess save them, she hoped he was a better one than their hunters. They'd lost so many lives to the brutal claws of the crustomorphs. B'rn said a prayer of thanks that M'rk was a scholar and not a soldier. She couldn't bear to lose him.
Better the stranger fight the crustomorphs than they lose any more men. He looked strong enough to take on those claws single-handedly.
Perhaps Mother was right and the strangers' coming was a good omen. The male would free the entry caves so they could fish again. The female was a healer. Maybe she could fix what was wrong with B'rn so she could get pregnant.
Only time would tell whether the strangers would solve their problems or cause more.
Mary woke up frustrated and cranky. Her sleep had been filled with erotic dreams starring Sloan. And each and every one of them had ended before she'd been able to come.
Even in her sleep he was a teasing bastard.
"Greetings, my children," Mother called from the entrance of the cave.
"Good morning, Mother." Mary sat up and ran her hand through the tangles in her hair. She took a quick glance around the room and saw that Sloan had been up long enough to wash up a bit.
Just one more reason to hate him. He looked clean and tidy and she felt like a rumpled mess.
"Come. You must break your fast."
"Were you able to find word of our friends?" Sloan asked, offering a hand to help Mary rise.
She ignored it and got up on her own.
"Yes. I will tell you about it after you eat. There is much to do today, no time to tarry." She scampered down the ladder and away from the cliff faster than Mary thought possible for someone that old.
"Just once I want her to answer a question the first time I ask. Just once." Sloan kicked at a rock at the entrance of the cave.
Somehow his irritation made Mary feel much better. Maybe he wasn't as calm and together as he appeared to be. Good. Misery loved company.
Mary quickly cleaned up and headed for the ladder.
"Why don't you let me go first?" Sloan asked with an innocent smile on his face.
"Do I look like I have 'idiot' tattooed on my forehead?" He'd gotten a peep show the entire way up the ladder last night. She wasn't going to give him a peep show all the way down this morning.
"Spoilsport."
"Hey, you could have had all the 'sport' you could handle last night but you had to be noble." Six months ago she would have fallen for his gesture hook, line and sinker but not anymore. She didn't need any more complications in her life.
"I wasn't being noble, I was holding out for the whole package. I don't just want your body, I want all of you and I'm willing to suffer until I get it all."
Her stomach did a funny little flip but she ignored it and climbed down the ladder. "I hope you're prepared to suffer for a long, long time. I'm no longer willing to give up all of myself. It took me too long to get it back."
Sparks. She hadn't meant to say that. Now he'd tell her she had to get over Artman and move on with her life.
Right, move on into his bed and trust him her heart. No thank you.
Sloan jumped off the ladder and landed beside her with a quiet thump. He opened his mouth as if to say something but snapped it shut instead.
"Over here. Come eat." Mother waved them over to a communal table by the stream.
"After you," Sloan said, holding his arm out in front of him.
Mary felt vaguely disappointed with the interruption. She pushed the feeling away and headed to the breakfast table. The morning meal consisted of hard little biscuits and water. Mary picked up one of the cakes and tried a small bite. It was dry and bland but edible. Everything they'd eaten so far had been pretty tasteless but beggars couldn't be choosers. She smiled her thanks and downed a cup of water.
"I heard from the Mother of the Leonex. Your friends are there and safe. The one called Lucy is helping their healer until it is safe to travel."
A huge weight lifted off Mary's shoulders at Mother's words. Lucy and Drog were alive and doing well!
"Who are the Leonex? How far away are they? When can we go there?" Sloan asked. His dark eyes looked intense but Mary could tell that some of the strain had left his face.
"The Leonex are our cousins. They live many days' journey from here."
"Do you travel overland or through tunnels? How can we get to our friends?" Mary asked.
"That is what we need to talk to you about. If you are done eating, the Council of Elders will meet and we can discuss the situation."
Mary finished off the last bite of biscuit and drank down the rest of her water. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what this Council had to say. Sloan had finished his breakfast too and laid his arm over Mary's shoulders. She tried to ignore the tingles his light touch sent through her system but it was impossible. His spicy scent drifted through her nostrils and her body reacted to his closeness immediately.
"Don't believe everything they tell us in there. These guys want something and I want to know what it is before we agree to anything," Sloan murmured in her ear.
Chills shot down her spine as his warm breath caressed her neck. She mentally shook herself and pushed the tingles away. "What do you mean? They've been nothing but nice to us."
"I know. It makes me nervous. No people are this nice out of the kindness of their hearts. They're hiding something, I'm sure of it."
"Let's see what they have to say before we jump to any conclusions."
"Agreed."
They had to hurry to keep up with Mother as she glided over the stone bridge and up the steep stairway. Mary was slightly out of breath by the time they caught up with her. Mother waited for them in front of a building close to where they'd been locked up yesterday.
Had it only been yesterday that they fought the giant crab? With no visible sun or moon Mary had completely lost track of time. They could have been underground for three days or barely twelve hours. Without her wrist com to give her the accurate time she had no idea how long they'd been here.
Sloan held out his arm and Mary followed Mother into the circular building. Like the cage they'd been in, the room was built into the cavern wall. Arched beams containing more of the glowing rock and lichen formed a vaulted ceiling above them and made the room bright and airy.
An enormous slab of rock in the middle of the room acted as a conference table. Several older men and a handful of women sat around it. All eyes focused on Mother and the two of them as they entered the room.
"Looks like they started without us," Sloan said as he held out a chair for her.
Mother moved to an open chair at the head of the table.
"What's going on here?" Sloan asked once he took his seat. "We'd like to know when we can see our friends."
"It's a long story."
"I've got all day." Sloan laced his hands together behind his head and made himself comfortable.
Some of the elders at the table passed uneasy glances and clicked at one another. Mother let out a deep sigh before speaking. "The Seoenx have lived off the bounty of the ocean for as long as time has been recorded. We've lived in the protection of the caves and hunted the sea creatures for food when the weather permitted. Once a twelve-moon, the tribes would gather for celebration and trade."
"That's fascinating but what does it have to do with our friends?" Sloan dropped his hands on the table in front of him.
"Patience, young one. Up until six moons ago our hunters would slip outside through sheltered caves such as the one where you were found."
"What happened six moons ago?" Mary asked. A sick feeling of foreboding churned in her stomach.
"The crustomorphs came."
"They'd never been here before?" Sloan asked in surprise.
"Crustomorphs make their homes in the depths of the ocean. Rarely had anyone seen more than the tip of a dead one's shell. They feed on fish far too large for us to catch. They are shy creatures who avoid people when at all possible," a man on Mother's right answered.
"The one we saw wasn't shy, that's for sure," Sloan said.
"That's the problem. Six moons ago the crustomorphs moved into the caves and attacked the hunting parties as they left the safety of the tunnels. The same has happened to our cousins the Leonex and the Reonex. Our food supplies have dwindled and we've been unable to replenish our medicines."
"Hasn't anyone tried to get past them?" Sloan's brows furrowed in concentration.
"We've lost several hunting parties to the claws of the crustomorphs. Something has turned these gentle creatures into vicious monsters."
"So are you telling me that we're stuck here? And our friends are stuck with your cousins? That's toradal shit."
"You must understand we are not warriors. We have little training and few weapons capable of fighting the crustomorphs. That is where you come in."
"I knew it," Sloan said just loud enough for Mary to hear. "What do you want from us?"
"You are a warrior, you can teach our men how to make weapons and fight the crustomorphs."
Mary's heart lurched at their words. What the feck did Sloan know about making weapons? They didn't have the technology here to make lasers. What were they supposed to use to kill the giant crabs? Giant slingshots?
"Maybe. I'll need to find out more about these crusties before I can form a plan of action though." He tapped one finger against his chin and appeared to think about possible attacks.
"Are you insane? You can't fight those monsters. We don't have anything powerful enough to dent their claw, never mind kill them. It'll be suicide!"
"I'll think of something. What choice do we have? It's either get rid of the crabs or stay here for the rest of our lives."
"At least you'd still be alive." Fear tied her stomach in knots. He couldn't really be considering this, could he?
"I'd rather die trying than hide away for the rest of my life." His words carried a world of meaning.
"Do not fret, healer. We will not put you or your mate in danger."
"You're damn right you won't put Mary in danger."
"She is far too valuable to us as a healer to put in harm's way." Mother faced Mary. "We need your skills to help our people. Without the herbs we gather from the ocean, several of our people have succumbed to sickness."
"Sure, I'm glad to help--- Wait a minute! How do you know I'm a healer?" Mary didn't think she'd mentioned her job on The Federation before.
"Mother knows many things." An older woman smiled slyly.
Mary let that slide. She must have mentioned something about being a medical officer and just didn't remember it. That was better than thinking about the old woman reading her mind.
"Well, if this is the plan then let's get started," Sloan said as he pushed to his feet. "I need to meet with your hunters and talk to whoever has had encounters with the crusties. I can't do a damn thing without more information."
"T'rk, will you take Warrior Sloan and give him the information he seeks?" It was more of an order than a request. An athletic-looking older man stood and motioned to Sloan. "I shall take Mary with me to the place of healing. We shall meet again for the night meal."
The gathering split up, clicking and clacking excitedly as they filed out the doorway. Mary moved to follow Mother but Sloan stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Keep your eyes open around Mother. She isn't telling everything she knows. Be careful." His eyes captured hers and sent her stomach flipping.
"I'm not the one trying to fight mutant crabs with nothing but some rocks. You be careful too."
Sloan leaned down and brushed her lips with his. Mary's breath caught at the tenderness of the kiss and her stomach redoubled its gymnastics.
"Don't worry. I'll be on my guard. I have a lot to live for." One calloused finger ran down her cheek and over her mouth. A trail of fire followed in its wake, inflaming every nerve in her body.
How could he devastate her with just the touch of his finger? Before she could do more than gasp he turned and walked out.
Stars above, she was in big trouble.
T'rk waited for Sloan just outside the doorway of the meeting room. A few younger guys stood near him and Sloan thought he recognized some of the men from the party that rescued them from the crustie.
"If you would follow me, Warrior Sloan, I will take you to where we keep our weapons," he said with a slight bow.
"Sure. After that I'd like to do a recon of your entrance caves. Maybe there are some clues there that could help explain why the crusties are attacking all of a sudden." He doubted it but it was worth a shot.
Basically he was flying blind. He had no idea how to mobilize a group of fishermen into a fighting force that could take out a crab the size of a space flitter. It wasn't like he was even an officer, for crying out loud.
Still, he didn't have too many options in front of him. If he wanted to find Drog and Lucy then he'd have to get past the crusties. First he'd have to assess the Seoenx's arsenal then he could figure out how to attack an animal underwater.
And maybe after that he could solve galactic hunger and create inter-cosmic peace too.
T'rk led the group into a new tunnel and Sloan forced a shiver of claustrophobia down. For the most part he hadn't thought about the tons of rock that must be over his head.
Pressing down on him.
Just waiting for a weak spot to collapse on him.
"How many exit tunnels do you have?" Sloan asked as calmly as possible. Cold sweat dripped down his back and unease twisted his gut in knots.
"We have several tunnels that lead to three different entrance caves. The one where you were found is one of our most distant. You were very lucky B'rn heard your distress call."
"You're not kidding. I don't know what we would have done if that thing had climbed up on the ledge."
"Be glad you didn't find out. We've lost several men to those claws."
"And you said every time someone tried to get out of the caves they were met by the crustomorphs?" Sloan turned the problem over in his head. If they had three exits, how could the crusties know which one they were leaving from?
"Yes. Every time whether day or night they've been there."
"Do they normally work together? I mean, how do they communicate?" From what he could remember of the ocean survival courses he'd taken, he knew many sea creatures communicated across long distances. Usually it concerned the location of food and safe resting places though, not when a bunch of fishermen were leaving a cave.
"I do not know if they communicate. Until they began attacking us we'd never seen them this closely before. From what the grandfathers remember, the crustomorphs eat the large fish that dwell in the depths of the ocean. They are solitary creatures not given to traveling in groups. None of our recorded memories have ever mentioned seeing even two crustomorphs together when not mating." T'rk shook his head and looked puzzled.
Sloan might not be a scientist but he knew when animals started acting this grossly out of character something was wrong. Something he read once nibbled at the edges of his memory but he couldn't pull it into focus.
Think, man! What was it? He tried to remember what it was as he followed T'rk and his group through the tunnels. It had something to do animals attacking. What the feck was it? A herd of toradal had charged a village on Emeraldia. Several zoologists had flocked to the location to see why the normally placid animals had gone ballistic.
Damn it, the answer was there, he knew it. What the hell had the scientists found out?
"This is where we store our weapons, such as they are. We're a peaceful people and have no need for weapons of war like our ancestors."
The storeroom contained some spears, a few things that looked like slingshots, some knives that would probably be better used for boning fish than fighting and piles of large nets.
"I guess you're right. It's a good thing you don't have many enemies with a pitiful arsenal like this."
Enemies! That was it!
"What are the crustomorph's enemies? What would scare them enough that they would move out of their natural habitat?" That had to be it. Something invaded their normal feeding grounds so they'd moved.
T'rk looked startled then thoughtful. "I would have to consult the memories again but I didn't think they had any enemies. With their claws they can defend themselves against almost anything. If they felt endangered they could simply hide inside their shells until the threat passed. Nothing is strong enough or big enough to pull them out of their shells."
"There has to be something. That's the only reason for their irrational behavior. Could they have lost their food supply?" Maybe if they didn't have any food they'd come into shallow water to look for more?
That didn't make any sense. If they ate the big fish they'd have to move deeper to find them. No, it had to be an enemy of some sort.
Shit, he didn't even want to think about what could scare a creature as big as a crustomorph into irrational behavior.
"Do you have an observation tower? A place where you can see outside without going out?" Sloan had an idea but he needed more information before he said anything. Right now they were treating him and Mary well but that could be because they wanted something. If he started raving like a lunatic they may decide they didn't need help that badly.
"We have a weather station but it is very small. Only one person at a time can fit there. We use it mainly to assess the severity of the wind."
"That's fine. I just need to get a look out over the ocean without letting the crusties know I can see them."
T'rk left the other men in the storeroom and led Sloan up a narrow, winding tunnel. The light grew brighter the higher they climbed. It was all Sloan could do to stay calm and not run towards the light. The caverns were well illuminated but there was something about seeing actual sunlight that called to him.
It must come from too many years where he'd worried that he'd never see the sun again. Sloan had thought he'd buried the demons of his past long ago but apparently they were just hiding under the surface. A short time underground and he was getting twitchy.
He'd make damn sure they found a way to help the Seoenx, if only to get the hell off this planet and back into space where he belonged.
The "weather station" was a tiny closet-like room with a device that looked similar to periscopes Sloan had seen in old-time vids. The scope was made of large reeds and poked through a chute at the top of the room. Weak sunlight trickled in through the opening and made him squint against the glare.
Violent winds shrieked overhead. This really was an inhospitable planet. Sloan wedged his shoulders into the narrow space and winced as sharp rocks dug into his back. This place wasn't made for someone of his size. He had to bend over awkwardly to look into the periscope. Damn, he was going to be sore after this.
Maybe Mary would give him a massage if he asked her nicely?
Get your mind out of your pants and on the problem at hand.
It took some maneuvering before Sloan got the hang of looking through the reed periscope. Eventually he managed to get a good view of the ocean from the safety of the station. The waves frothed up in furious whitecaps from the blustering winds.
Did these guys really fish in this weather? His respect rose a notch or two at their bravery. You wouldn't catch him in a boat on that water. Just the thought made his stomach heave.
Through his narrow field of vision Sloan saw enormous red fish with mammoth fins leaping in the water. No way was he ever going fishing for those suckers.
"Hey T'rk, would the crusties eat those flying fish if they couldn't get the ones at the bottom of the ocean?" he asked.
"Flying fish? Let me see."
Sloan moved out of the room so T'rk could look through the periscope. There was no way the two of them would fit in the station at the same time. T'rk adjusted the 'scope and let out a low whistle then some excited clacks.
"The blood fish shouldn't be up that high. They are deep-water fish and the crustomorph's natural prey."
"So whatever is bothering the crusties is also stirring up those fish. I knew it!" He pumped his fist in the air then grimaced as his knuckles smashed against the low ceiling.
"It appears you are right. I have never seen blood fish jump like that. There is something under the water that is frightening them."
"What the hell could scare fish like that and crustomorphs?"
"This I do not know. I have never seen... What is that? Warrior Sloan, please look at this." T'rk slipped out of the room and let Sloan back in.
Squatting down so he wouldn't jostle the periscope, Sloan looked for what had sent T'rk into a tizzy.
"Holy shit!" Sloan's breath caught in his throat as he saw the nose of a space flitter break the surface of the water. He searched for any distinctive markings but the waves cresting over the ship distorted his view. All he knew was that was definitely not an animal.
That had to be what was scaring the crustomorphs. But who was in there? And how were they controlling the crusties?
"What is it? Do you recognize the beast?" T'rk asked from behind him.
"I sure do. That's a space flitter but I can't tell its galaxy of origin. It could be anyone but I'd put my money on space pirates."
As Sloan ran through the possible reasons for a space flitter to be in the middle of an unknown ocean, the ship sped further out into the ocean and sank below the surface again.
"Can you leave someone here to man the station? I want to know if that ship comes back to the surface. We need to track its movements. That flitter is the reason the crusties are attacking you. I feel it in my gut."
"I will schedule watchers. If this is the reason for our sorrow then I myself will lead a team of hunters to attack it." The old man's face looked fierce.
"You can't attack it with spears and nets, you need lasers and ion cannons to blast through that shell. Once I know more of its maneuvers I can form an attack plan. Don't you worry, T'rk, now that we know the problem we can come up with a solution."
He hoped. Without any firepower there was no way they could take on an armed space flitter and win. And that was if they could get past the crustomorphs and if they could find the ship again.
Solving galactic hunger was looking like a walk in the park.
Mary watched Sloan disappear in one of the tunnels and felt her stomach bottom out. Something about the way he carried himself, as if nothing could hurt him, made her worry. What the hell did he know about fighting sea creatures? He was from a fecking mining town!
"Do not fret so. Your mate is perfectly safe. The hunters will not take him out to fight the beasts. We've lost too many men already to risk another attack," Mother said, laying a consoling hand on Mary's arm.
"It's not your hunters' intentions that worry me. Sloan's a soldier, he's been trained to fight so that's his first reaction. I'm afraid he won't examine all the options before he goes charging in." She didn't bother telling Mother that Sloan wasn't her mate. If that's what everyone on this planet wanted to believe then she'd go along with it for now. Jumping up and down and screaming that they weren't a couple seemed a bit childish when Mother knew they'd been fooling around by the rocks.
"I think you don't give him enough credit. Warrior Sloan doesn't seem impetuous to me. I think he's mostly worried about your safety and so will not put himself at risk. He wishes to protect you."
"I don't need his protection," Mary said.
Mother raised one wispy eyebrow but didn't say anything. They traveled silently down the main street until they reached another building built into the wall of the cave. This one was much larger than the meetinghouse they had just left. Pallets were spread out across the length of it and a strange scent hung in the air.
"This is our house of healing." Mother led her through the open doorway.
The medic in her immediately snapped to attention. Where was the ion-sterilizer? Where did they perform surgery? The patients lay on thin cushions on a stone floor, for stars' sake. And was that incense they were burning?
"The medicines are kept in the drying room over here." Mother led her to a room off to the left.
As soon as Mary stepped foot into the room the bitter odor of crushed herbs assailed her nostrils. Her nose twitched under the assault and it was all she could do to keep from sneezing her head off.
"Our supplies are very low. We've almost run out of fever-weed and ache-root. We still have some of the fungi we use for chest congestion but not much." Mother pointed out each herb as she mentioned them.
Mary was stunned. How had they survived this long without the basic immunizations and even mediocre medicine? She didn't see any antiseptic spray or quick-wrap for broken bones.
"Where is your healer? I-I need to talk to her and get some information before I can be of any help," Mary stalled.
What help could she be? All her training had been with modern equipment and medicines. She could diagnose diseases and ailments but there was no way she could treat them in these primitive conditions.
Stars, how she wished she could talk to Lucy right now and find out what she was doing.
"Our healer passed many moons ago. I have been doing what I can but nothing seems to work. That is why we were so happy to find a healer had dropped practically in our laps."
Mary didn't know how happy they'd be when they found out she didn't have a clue what to do without an infirmary full of medical machines and antibiotics.
"Mother, I-I don't know what to do."
"You're a healer, aren't you? Visit our sick and treat them," she said as if speaking to a child.
"Sure, I've been trained as a medic but that was for treating people on a galactic space cruiser with modern machines. I don't know what to do with herbs and roots. I could very well make things worse instead of better!"
"No you won't. You're only unfamiliar with our ways. Go, talk to the sick and let your heart guide you."
Oh great. Her heart hadn't been all that great a leader so far.
Anxiety churned in her gut as they approached the first patient. A young woman lay on her pallet clutching her side and rolling on the floor in pain. Mother spoke in clicks and clacks to an older woman sitting next to the patient.
Mary squatted down next to the young woman and felt her wrist for a pulse. It was rapid but strong. Her skin felt clammy but not feverish. She was obviously in excruciating pain.
"Can she describe the pain? Where did it start and what does it feel like? Cramps or a stabbing pain?"
Mother spoke to the older woman, who turned out to be the patient's mother.
"She says the pain is stabbing not cramping, and started late last night. It was originally in her back but has since moved along her side. She worries because S'ln is pregnant with her first baby."
"Has she voided...urinated at all?" Mary mentally crossed her fingers while she waited for Mother to pass on the question. For some reason this woman didn't use mind-speech, which made things a bit more complicated.
"F'ln says yes she has urinated and it was bloody."
Yes! "Okay, this is good."
Mother's eyebrows rose. Mary noted she didn't pass that on to the anxious mother.
"Can S'ln hear me if I mind-speak to her?" She still wasn't sure how this worked.
"Yes but she won't be able to respond. It takes a lot of concentration for her and she is in too much pain for that now."
"As long as she can understand me, I don't need her to answer me. I need someone to get me water and something to drink it with. A lot of water. Buckets of it."
Mother clacked out an order and a girl scampered to obey.
"S'ln, my name is Mary and I'm a healer. I'm here to help you." She hoped. "Your baby is going to be fine. You have a kidney stone and we need to flush it out." The good news was the stone wasn't blocking her urethra. The bad news was, it was going to hurt like a bitch coming out.
"I want you to drink everything I give you. We have to push the stone out of your body. Squeeze my hand if you understand me."
S'ln squeezed her hand hard enough to form bruises. Mary ran her fingers over S'ln's pinched face and offered a prayer that she was doing the right thing. If they were on The Federation she would take S'ln into an ionic chamber and blast the stones away with a laser. Then the stones would be so small the poor girl wouldn't even feel them coming out.
Unfortunately there wasn't an ionic laser handy so they were going to have to do this the old-fashioned---and infinitely more painful---way.
The child came running back with a bucket of water and a carved stone cup. Mary directed F'ln to sit behind S'ln and keep her upright. Poor S'ln was out of her mind in pain but she managed to choke down the first cup of water.
"More. You must finish the whole bucket." That might be overkill but better to flush it out completely than let it fester in there and chance getting stuck on the way out of the bladder.
S'ln drank the water in between gasping breaths. Half of each cup ended up spilt down the front of her from her writhing but Mary wouldn't let up.
Sweat poured down Mary's face as the seconds ticked by. What if she was wrong? What if this was an ectopic pregnancy and not a kidney stone?
No, damn it, she knew this was a kidney stone. The symptoms all pointed to a stone. A million things could still go wrong but this was the right treatment.
Mary's back and legs ached from bending down on the stone floor for so long. She wished her wrist com worked because she couldn't judge how much time had passed since they first started forcing the water on S'ln. It had to be close to an hour or maybe it just felt that way.
S'ln's stomach looked distended from the amount of water she'd consumed so rapidly. F'ln clacked anxiously at Mother but Mother smiled serenely and laid a gentle hand on the woman's forehead.
Suddenly S'ln let out an excited burst of clicks and F'ln reached for a pot off to the side of the mat. Was that what they used for a bedpan?
Sure enough, S'ln squatted over the top of it with the help of Mother and F'ln. She clutched her lower stomach and cried as she urinated.
"It'll be okay, trust me. The stone is moving out. We did it!" They weren't out of the woods yet but the pain moving lower was a good sign.
Mary made her drink even more water until, with a piercing scream that was high-pitched enough to break glass, S'ln passed the stone.
"Gotcha!" Mary shouted triumphantly. Mother and F'ln stared at the rough, tiny stone that had caused so much pain. It didn't look very impressive.
"With rest and more fluids she should be right as rain in a couple days. You can tell her the worst is over and her baby will be just fine."
A look passed between Mother and F'ln. What was that about?
Before Mary could worry about what was going on F'ln clasped her hand and clicked rapidly at her. Mary looked to Mother for a translation.
"She says thank you for saving her daughter's life and her dwelling is always open to you."
"Can you tell her she is welcome? And that I'll be back to check on S'ln later today."
Her legs shook as she stood up and stretched. A look around the room showed a dozen pairs of curious eyes staring at her. Mary crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't like being the center of attention. After everything that had happened with Artman she really didn't like having people stare at her.
"Come, there are others who need your help," Mother said as she rose. When she noticed the small crowd gathered around and gawking she let out a sharp clack and everyone scattered.
"What's going on? Why is everyone looking at me?" Old insecurities battered her and she wanted to hide behind Mother's tiny frame.
"They are amazed at your healing skills. They've never seen someone accomplish what you just did without a healing circle."
"What's a healing circle?"
"When the women gather power and funnel it into the sick person. We were afraid to do that with S'ln because of the baby."
What the hell was she talking about? "What power?"
"Why, female power. What other power is there?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. What do you mean 'female power'?"
"All women hold power in their hearts. When they join together and focus on the same purpose there is nothing they can't accomplish."
Oh, that. For a second there Mary thought she meant some sort of hoodoo power. This sounded more like the power of prayer. Considering the primitive culture of the Seoenx, they probably did have a deity they prayed to. She knew most of the galaxy considered religion a crutch but if she lived on a planet battered by constant storms and had enormous attacking crabs she'd take up praying too.
Mary went from pallet to pallet and examined the sick. Many of them had easily diagnosed illness and even without her meds she could help them. Some of them were beyond her limited ability to heal without more modern resources.
As she looked at her patients she realized there were far too many of them who looked anemic. She couldn't tell for sure without doing blood work but the symptoms were there. Something about this many cases of anemia bothered her.
Before she could ask Mother about it a cacophony of clacks sounded outside the infirmary doorway. What was going on?
"The hunters have returned with food. Your Sloan is with them. T'rk is very excited about something--- I can't read his thoughts. Come, let's find out what has him in such a state."
Most of the village had gathered around the hunting party. Sloan stood head and shoulders over the shorter Seoenx. His dark hair and olive skin contrasted sharply with the pale blue of the men around him. Mary's heart did a little somersault at the sight of him.
It took some serious powers of concentration for her to focus on what T'rk said instead of admiring how Sloan's muscles bunched and rolled. He smiled ruefully at T'rk and Mary's breath caught. It wasn't fair that he could rattle her without even trying.
Even though she and Mother were at the back of the crowd surrounding the hunting party she had no trouble following T'rk's animated story. There were definitely some pluses to mind-speech.
"As Warrior Sloan jumped from rock to rock, distracting the crustomorph, C'rq slipped out of the cave and threw the nets. He hauled in such a load he needed all of us to help him pull them in."
"How were you able to get the fish into the cave with the crustomorph there?" someone asked.
"Now that is where things get exciting. Warrior Sloan climbed the rock face farthest away from the entrance of the cave and kept the beast busy while we carried what we could to the tunnels."
Fear made Mary's knees weak as she listened to Sloan's antics. What was wrong with him? How could he climb the damn wall acting as bait for a crab? Did he have a death wish?
The Seoenx clustered around Sloan clicking and clacking in what must be admiration for his bravery. Several older women carried huge buckets of fish down the tunnel. The hunting party basked in the glow of the townspeople, looking pleased as punch.
The thought of Sloan clinging to the rock wall while razor-sharp claws reached for him sent bolts of terror through her. It was all Mary could do to keep standing. How could he risk his life like that for people he barely knew?
A shiver chased down Mary's spine. She looked up to see Sloan staring at her. He smiled at her with that bone-melting grin of his. She couldn't smile back, she was still too caught up in the thought of him getting cut in two by a giant crab.
The rest of the town might admire him for his bravery but she hated it. What if he had died? What would she do then?
Sloan pushed away from the attentive crowd and walk towards her with a puzzled look on his face. With each step he took Mary's heart raced with conflicting emotions. She was pissed at him for risking his life yet she was so happy he was alive. The relief that washed over her scared her silly. How could she care so much about him? Was she actually starting to believe his sweet words and fall for him?
She refused to move from the spot where she stood. Mother had left to talk to a group of women so Mary was alone. Well, as alone as she could be with a bunch of clicking, clacking villagers ten meters away.
"Hey, honey, how was your day?" he asked like he was coming home from a day at the office.
"Much less exciting than yours, apparently."
"Less painful too, I hope." He held out his hands and Mary saw that they were cut and bleeding in a number of places. At least four of his fingernails had been ripped completely off and the heel of one hand had a deep gouge in it.
"What happened? You've been standing up there soaking up everyone's praise while your hands look like raw protein? Idiot. Come on. You're coming with me to the house of healing." Mary grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down the street. "If those cuts get infected I don't have a medi-unit to fix them up. I don't even have any fecking antibiotics! You probably have a million germs swimming in your bloodstream already."
"They're not that bad. T'rk cleaned them up a bit in the tunnels."
"Right. And did he use hot water and bandage them so no germs could get in until they healed?" Mary stared pointedly at his bare hands. "I didn't think so."
She almost breathed a sigh of relief when they got to the house of healing. This was something she could handle. Tending injuries didn't require her to explore her feelings. And right now her emotions were so jumbled she didn't have the guts to figure them out.
"Sit here and don't touch anything. I'll be back with hot water and bandages in a minute."
Mary mind-spoke her needs to one of the young girls who had stayed behind to watch the sick while everyone else left. In less than a minute she had a bowl of steaming water, ointment of some kind and rolls of cloth for bandages.
When she got back to the seat where she had parked Sloan he was surrounded again. This time by a group of young girls who obviously wanted to get closer to the "hero". The way they giggled and fawned over him made her skin crawl. It was like he emitted some pheromone that attracted women of every species to him.
"Excuse me, ladies, but I need to tend to Warrior Sloan's injuries now. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to give you the entire story later on tonight." She made a shooing motion with her free hand.
The girls trickled out of the room giggling and giving him shy looks over their shoulders.
"They were just interested in hearing the story, they weren't hurting anything," Sloan said with a smug grin on his face.
Mary very carefully placed her supplies on the table. What she really wanted to do was throw the bowl of water in Sloan's lap but she refrained.
"I know, but I don't like people looking over my shoulder while I'm working." Especially fawning girls who would feed his already inflated ego.
She pulled up a short stool and sat in front of him. The position put her far too close to his body but she didn't have much of a choice. If she wanted to treat his hands she had to touch him. His scent drifted through her nostrils as she inspected his injuries. The spicy, musky smell of him blended with the smell of salt air and seawater.
It was a potent combination. Tingles spread out from her stomach to her breasts and her pussy. His breath caressed her cheek as she bent over his hand and chills ran down her spine. Her breasts felt shivery with anticipation and her heart rate shot through the roof.
This is ridiculous! She was supposed to be treating his injuries, not getting off on the feel of him so close to her. Disgusted with herself, Mary pushed aside the disturbing feelings his nearness caused and focused on cleaning out his cuts.
T'rk had done a pretty good job cleaning the wounds of major debris but there was still dirt and grit in some of them. Sloan's breath came out in a rush when she scrubbed one of his battered fingertips.
"Sorry, I don't mean to hurt you but I have to get everything out of the cut before I bandage it."
"I know. I'm fine," he said with a weak smile on his face.
"What a trooper," she snickered.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Me?" she asked, eyes wide with innocence.
"Don't give me that good-little-medic look. I know you're a closet sadist." He grinned as he said it but the words made her stomach bottom out.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked sharply. What had he heard?
"Ouch! Hey, leave some skin intact, will ya? I was just teasing you, that's all."
Mary flushed and dropped her eyes from his inquisitive gaze. Embarrassment made her face heat. She'd overreacted to his innocent teasing and hurt his hand in the process. Blast it, she owed him an apology now.
"I'm sorry. Your words brought back a bad memory. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Sloan looked at the pain on Mary's face and could have kicked himself for teasing her. He'd been enjoying her fussing over him and didn't want anything to ruin the mood. Now she blushed like a schoolgirl and wouldn't meet his eyes.
He lifted her chin with the back of one bandaged hand so she had no choice but to look at him. "I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't mean to remind you of anything painful. Sometimes I'm not as funny as I think I am."
"Only sometimes?" she said with a small smile.
"Okay, most of the time I'm not as funny as I think I am." He liked how she rubbed her cheek against his hand, even though he suspected it was an unconscious reaction.
"It's not your fault, it's mine. The word sadist hit a hot button for me and I overreacted."
A memory of Artman describing how Mary liked sex a little rough flashed through Sloan's mind. Oh damn, how could he be so stupid? What should he do now? Did he act like he hadn't heard Artman's bragging? Or did he admit he'd heard it but didn't believe it? Or did he try to tell her it was okay? He was in an emotional asteroid field.
Mary's face flushed again and she moved away from his touch. "You don't have to pretend you didn't hear. I had plenty of guys in your troop come up afterwards and offer to take Artman's place. I know he told everyone what we did together."
She looked so humiliated Sloan's heart almost broke right there. Sweat broke out on his brow. What he said and did right now would have a lasting impact on their future together and he didn't want to fuck it up.
Holding her hand between his battered ones, he brought it to his lips and kissed her delicate fingers. He waited until she shyly looked up at him before he spoke. "You know I'm not the most articulate of guys. I'm a soldier who grew up in the mines, not some courtier from the Emperor's court, so this is very hard for me. I'd love to tell you I never heard what Artman said about you but that would be a lie."
Mary tried to pull away from him but he held on.
"Only you know how much of what Artman said about you is true or false. And your version is the only one I care to hear."
"Even if it's all true? Even if I liked getting tied up and spanked?" Her eyes filled with humiliation and a touch of defiance.
"Honey, the thought of tying you up and touching your lovely body to my heart's content is one of my deepest fantasies. Right next to getting tied up and being at your mercy. Sexual play between consenting adults is nothing to be ashamed of."
"But you don't understand. It was more than that." She broke his hold and moved out of his reach. "It's not just what we did. I-it's how much I enjoyed it." She looked sick at her own words.
"You're supposed to enjoy sex."
"Not this type. He used...things on me," she whispered.
"What types of things?" Sloan's cock jumped to complete attention at the pictures dancing in his mind. A vivid image of Mary spread out on a bed with her hands tied while he used a vibra-cock on her and licked her clit sent blood rushing painfully south.
"Floggers...and...toys and cuffs." She looked like she was waiting for him to run screaming from the room in disgust.
"And you're embarrassed because you liked it? Honey, I love that. I'm so damn hard right now thinking of you tied up and waiting for me, I could burst. None of that is wrong or bad as long as you enjoy it and no one gets hurt."
"But it did hurt..." she couldn't finish the sentence.
"And you liked that too?"
She bit her lip and nodded.
"Pleasure and pain are closely linked. That's not unusual, sweetie. That's the whole point of holding out so long it hurts."
"Normal people can't like getting hurt."
"Mary, what lasted longer, the pain or the pleasure?" This conversation was causing him a great deal of pain. And there wasn't much chance of any pleasure coming afterwards if he screwed it up.
"The pleasure, obviously." She looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Exactly. Normal people like orgasms so therefore having a little kink in your sex doesn't make you abnormal."
"But Eliz said---"
Sloan cut her off before she could finish telling him what that freaking prude said. "Eliz comes from Pearlion. They only have sex there to procreate. They think all recreational sex is wrong. You can't believe a word she says. And so help me if I find out she's the one who made you feel like what you did was wrong I'll wring her scrawny neck."
"You can't, she died from food poisoning."
He felt a moment of guilt for wanting to strangle a dead woman but got over it. "Whatever. You get my point. Most men would crawl over jagged moon rock to have you tie them up. What you did isn't bad or abnormal or sick. Believe me. I'd be first in line. Just talking about it has me so worked up I could burst." He gestured to his erection.
Mary's beautiful blue eyes shot up to his then slowly drifted lower until they reached his cock. Her eyes widened even more at the sight of his dick tenting the front of his pants.
"I don't understand you. Last night you gave me this speech about how we couldn't just have sex, it had to mean something but now, talking about kinky stuff has you hard as a rock. Do you want to make love or fuck?"
"Both. I want to worship every inch of your skin for hours on end and I want to tie you up and fuck your brains out. They're not mutually exclusive. Whether I'm softly caressing you or spanking your curvy little ass I still want it to mean something. I have hundreds of fantasies involving you and all of them end the same way. With you feeling the same way I do."
"And how's that?"
Sloan's mouth dried up with nerves. Did he dare tell her he wanted her to love him as much as he loved her? Would the depth of his feelings send her running and screaming from him? His heart beat furiously in his chest.
Just tell her how you feel. She needs to know.
"It sure as hell isn't you thanking me for a good time and going our separate ways." He chickened out. It was too soon to tell her what was in his heart. She didn't trust him enough yet. He couldn't risk it.
"Ah, there you are, Warrior Sloan." T'rk strode into the room and clapped Sloan on the shoulder. "We're having a feast tonight in your honor. We haven't had this much kel fish since the crustomorphs came."
"Great."
"I'll meet you at the baths once your mate finishes caring for your wounds. We have much to celebrate today." T'rk slapped him on the back and waved to Mary who'd scurried to the far corner of the room when he came in.
"Why don't you go on ahead and I'll finish cleaning up here? I'd hate for you to leave your fans waiting." She fiddled with the spare bandages on the table.
"I'll wait until you're done. It would look funny if I went to the pool without my mate." Oh how he wished that was true.
"You know I'm not your mate. Maybe if you hurry you can get a threesome too. I'm sure there'd be plenty of takers for a hero like you."
"No thanks. I'll pass." Sloan looked at her for a minute then relented. She probably needed a little space to think about what he'd said.
He'd give her a little breathing room but not too much. If he left her alone too long she'd twist everything he'd said around and he'd be back to square one. An idea began to form in his mind. A delicious plan that would either draw her to him or push her away forever. He'd have to think a bit more on it before he did anything.
"Go on, I'll be along in a bit," she said again, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Fine. You win, for now," he said but his brain spun with ideas for her imminent surrender.
Mary watched Sloan walk out the doorway. Immediately excited villagers---most of them women---surrounded him.
Figures. Doesn't matter what species they are, all women lust after Sloan.
She hadn't had much contact with him on board The Federation. Other than the time she'd patched up his broken arm when he'd been hurt in the Gladiator games she really hadn't seen all that much of him.
A wry grin pulled up the corners of her mouth. Her hands had shaken so badly when she'd wrapped his arm she was surprised it had healed. Even though she had been "in love" with Artman she'd still been affected by Sloan's magnetic presence. He'd flirted harmlessly, which had thrilled her, then made her feel guilty for betraying her boyfriend.
"If I had known better I'd have dumped Artman and jumped at the chance to date Sloan. Idiot." Artman had been screwing around on her and trashing her reputation. It wasn't enough to use her to steal drugs from the infirmary, oh no, he had to destroy her in the process.
Oh yeah, she should have jumped Sloan at the slightest hint he was interested in her.
"Mary, are you coming? We shall feast in your honor tonight, too," Mother asked her from the doorway.
"Yes, I'm just cleaning up. Sloan's hands were a mess from climbing the walls of the cave."
"I imagine they were. He was very brave. None of our hunters could have climbed so high or held on for so long. He is strong in body as well as spirit."
"What do you mean? And how do you know how high he climbed?"
"I saw the pictures in T'rk's head," she said matter-of-factly. "Your warrior has saved us for a while longer."
She saw the pictures in T'rk's head?
Mother continued, "I knew the moment I read your dreams that the two of you would be our salvation. Sloan will rescue us from the crustomorphs and you shall heal our bodies."
Mary gave up trying to figure out what Mother was talking about. Some things were just too weird to decipher. "I'm all set here, can you lead me back to the baths?" Mary wasn't sure she could find the way through the tunnels by herself. Hopefully by the time she got there Sloan would be done bathing---or doing whatever else he was doing in the warm pool.
"What troubles you? You look sad all of a sudden," Mother asked, taking Mary's hand.
"Nothing. I was just thinking of something." She finished putting away her supplies and washed her hands in a bowl of clean water. "I'm all set here. Let's go." She plastered on a fake smile and headed for the doorway.
When she reached Mother, the old woman reached up and clasped Mary's face in her hands. Her silver eyes stared deeply into Mary's, as if searching for something. Mary could practically feel the old woman reading her thoughts. She wanted to pull away from the intrusion but something held her still.
Finally Mother dropped her hands and smiled. The corners of her eyes crinkled up and she practically giggled.
"I don't see what's so funny." Mary pushed out the doorway. She'd have stalked down the street if she knew which tunnel to take.
"Oh my dear child, don't be upset with me. I find your jealousy amusing. Warrior Sloan is your mate, no other women will try to offer him pleasure without your permission."
"I'm not jealous. He's a grown man, he can do what he wants."
But she'd hate it. Did that mean she really was jealous? She shied away from the thought. If she were jealous that would mean that she had feelings for him.
That was ridiculous, of course she didn't have feelings for him. She just wanted to have sex with him and if he screwed some other female after telling her how sex had to "mean" something it would piss her off. That was it. She wasn't jealous, she just didn't want him to be a hypocrite.
"I'm sorry we let this...misunderstanding...go on for so long. Sloan isn't really my mate." The words caused a jab of pain in the region of her heart but she ignored it.
"Silly girl, why do you deny what is plain to all around you? Warrior Sloan is your life-mate. He watches over you, protects you and loves you. If that isn't a mate then what is?"
"I'm not ready to have a mate. I don't know if I'll ever be ready to have a mate."
"Warrior Sloan is a good man. You will find no better than him. I have seen into his soul and it is pure."
Mary's heart squeezed again. His soul might be pure but hers sure as hell wasn't.
"There are circumstances you don't know about. Sloan is a good man and when we finish here and go back to our military jobs he'll find someone else. Someone who matches him strength for strength." Just the thought made her eyes burn. Damn it, she would not cry over him.
"Why are the young so insistent on doing things the hard way? Come, they will not start the feast without us and my children are hungry for meat."
Mary shook her head and followed Mother's quick strides. She wasn't doing things the hard way. She was protecting herself. And Sloan. He was a good man and he should have someone who was strong enough to trust him.
Good stars in the cosmos, what the hell was she talking about? This place was seriously getting to her. She was actually starting to believe Sloan's sweet words. Did she really think he was different from any other man? That he wouldn't move on as soon as he could? Hadn't Artman given her sweet words too?
But if that was the case, why hadn't he taken her up on her offer last night? a tiny voice asked. Her heart raced. Did she dare believe him? And if she did and let go, would he turn away from her when he found out what turned her on? Her brain spun in circles and her knees went weak at the thoughts churning in her head.
"Be careful here, the rocks get slippery," Mother warned, interrupting Mary's chaotic thoughts.
They'd reached the waterfall entrance and Mary had no idea how they'd gotten there. Her attention had been on the dilemma of Sloan, not on her surroundings. Blast, she'd never find her way around here if she didn't start focusing on the tunnels and not on her emotions.
The cold water dousing her helped to shake her out of her musings.
"Refreshing, isn't it?" Mother asked as she stepped through the pounding liquid curtain.
"That's one way to look at it."
By the time they got to the pool of steaming water most of the Seoenx had left and were making their way up the path to the tables. Sloan was nowhere in sight.
Mother stripped off her robes and waded into the water without a thought to her nudity. It took Mary a little bit longer to let go of her inhibitions. Her hands trembled a bit as she stripped off the filmy dress and walked into the bath.
The warm water felt good to her aching muscles. She'd done more walking and climbing in the last two days than she'd done since she joined The Federation.
A splash behind her made her sink low in the water. Sloan, in all his hunky glory, strode naked into the bath.
"Mind if I join you?" He'd taken the bandages off his hands and swished them in the water in front of him.
Mary noticed more scrapes on his chest and arms---she didn't dare look lower. Just the sight of all those muscles laid bare to her gaze made her pussy lips swell and her slit grow wet.
"Ah, sure. I'd have thought you'd be done bathing by now." Had hoped he'd been done.
"I had a few things to set up in our cave first so that took a little time. Are you okay? You look...funny."
"Why is everyone asking me that? I'm fine, just a little sore from the unaccustomed exercise." She sank lower in the water and backed towards the area that held the soap.
"Sorry, didn't mean to insult you. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. You're holding up well, you know. I don't know how many other women would be able to adapt to such different surroundings so quickly. And I heard you were able to save T'rk's daughter and her baby. That's pretty impressive."
His praise warmed her. "It wasn't a big deal. S'ln had a kidney stone. Luckily it hadn't blocked her urethra yet so we were able to flush it out. She did the hard part." Mary ducked under the water and swam to the shallow end where Mother rested.
She'd barely settled down in one of the hollows carved out by the currents of hot water when Mother got up.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, Mother. I can leave." Mary stood.
"Do not worry, my child. I am simply done now. You rest and refresh yourself. When you feel at peace come join us for the evening meal."
If she waited until she was at peace with herself to get out of the water she might as well grow fins and gills. She hadn't been at peace in so long she'd forgotten what it felt like. Would she ever trust herself again?
The pulsing water relaxed her tense shoulders and she sank down lower. Why did she have to complicate things so much? Lucy had accused her of overanalyzing everything ever since she and Artman broke up.
Stars, how she missed Lucy. If she only had her friend around to talk to that would make things so much better. Well, probably not but it would be nice to hear another woman's opinion. Mary sighed and turned to reach for the soap. Lucy would tell her to let go of the past and grab the future with both hands.
But was Sloan her future?
She was so caught up in her conflicting thoughts, she didn't hear Sloan approach until she felt his chest pressed against her back. Immediately her heartbeat shot through the roof. Adrenaline flew through her bloodstream making her knees weak.
"Why don't you let me wash your back? I can help ease some of those sore muscles Mother told me you had."
"MMother told you I was sore?" What else had the old woman said?
"She told me you needed tending to because of all the extra activity you'd been doing. I can see the tension in your shoulders. If you don't let me knead some of it out you'll end up with a headache." His low voice flowed over her like melted chocolate.
Any tension she had now was his fault. She'd been relaxing a minute ago. Sort of. Mary could feel him lathering up his hands behind her. Her breath hitched as she waited to feel his hands on her body.
Her naked body.
With his naked body right behind her.
His naked, aroused body right behind her.
Touching her.
Cream gushed between her thighs stronger than the current flowing into the baths. Her nipples had perked up into tight little nubs and her breasts were heavy with need---and he hadn't even laid a hand on her yet! What was taking him so long, anyway?
His muscled chest rubbed against her back as he took a deep breath, then he backed away so he no longer brushed against her. Mary felt bereft at the loss of contact.
"Lift your hair up so I don't get it all tangled," he whispered against her ear.
"O-okay." The feel of his lips so close to her made her stomach flip. A healthy dose of lust swam through her bloodstream. Every cell of her body stood up at attention.
Especially the cells between her legs.
Mary twisted her hair into a bun and held it at the back of her head. If she had a clip she could drop her arms but she was out of luck. The position made her breasts jut forward.
The sensation of Sloan's large calloused hands on her shoulders drove all thought out of her brain. Hell, it turned her entire brain to mush. All she could do was feel. Those wide, long-fingered hands pressed and squeezed her aching muscles and tendons until they were as pliable as jelly.
"There, that's better isn't it?" Sloan said.
"Uh-huh." She'd lost the power of speech. Giving an intelligent response involved brain cells and hers were on strike.
Those wonderful, magical hands rubbed over her back and neck, dissolving tension wherever they went. With every stroke her muscles turned to water. It was all she could do to keep her hair off her neck and not drop her arms.
Sloan must have noticed her struggles because soon she felt warm water trickle down her back.
"You can let your hair down, I've rinsed off all the soap."
"T-thank you." Her arms flopped down as if they were made of lead instead of flesh and bone.
He kneaded her shoulders, pulling them back to stretch the ligaments. The motion pushed out her chest and she felt a groan rumble through Sloan's chest. Mary couldn't resist rubbing her ass against him. His cock stood up hard and strong. She wet her lips at the thought of it slipping inside her dripping wet pussy.
He was so close, so very close to her entrance. If she just bent a little and pushed back she could---
"Don't do it," he growled in her ear. His hands gripped her hips and pressed her tightly against his pelvis. "I'm not going to start something I don't have time to finish."
"Trust me, at this point it wouldn't take me long to finish," Mary practically squeaked. He was so big and hard against her ass it killed her to hold still.
"Me either, darlin'. But once I start I'm not stopping for anything less than a natural disaster. And only then if death is imminent." One hand reached up and cupped her breast.
His thumb flicked her nipple and her knees buckled.
"After this party they're throwing for us I'm going to take you back to the cave and fuck your brains out. I'm going to have you over and over again in so many ways you'll lose count."
"W-what happened to 'I only want to make love to you'?" Mary couldn't believe she was giving him an out! Why couldn't she shut her damn mouth?
"Oh, I'm going to make love to you too. I realized something today."
"Really?" she asked breathlessly.
"Yeah. I figured out that no matter how I touch you it's going to mean something to me. I've wanted you for so very long, whether I slam you against a wall and fuck your brains out or drive into you so slowly you beg for mercy, it'll be special."
Mary almost whimpered at the images his words brought forth. Her pussy lips were so wet and swollen she wanted to scream.
"But that will have to wait for tonight. Eat well, you're going to need your strength." Sloan squeezed her breast gently and bit her lightly on the neck before gliding away.
Cool air rushed over her back at the loss of his heat behind her. Mary collapsed into the water in a boneless heap. He'd gotten rid of any tension in her muscles all right.
Now it was all between her legs.
Sloan's hands shook as he dried off and pulled on his clothes. Feck, he was so horny his balls felt like they were going to explode. Mary's creamy body was so lush and ripe for the taking it was all he could do to walk away and get ready for the feast.
Right now he hated every one of the Seoenx and their damn party. All he wanted to do was drag Mary into the cave and feast on her body. But that would have to wait.
It was probably a good thing. He knew she was just as needy as he was. By the end of the celebration he'd have her in the palm of his hand---hopefully literally. It had taken a while but he'd finally figured her out. Well, as much as any man could figure a woman out.
Mary might talk big about just wanting to have sex for a release with no strings attached but she'd never be able to go through with it. Maybe if he were just a one-night stand that she'd never see again she might be able to fuck him and forget him, but he doubted it.
What worked in his favor was their constant proximity. She wouldn't be able to get away from him so she wouldn't be able to stop her feelings from coming around.
At least that's what he counted on. This had to work because he couldn't stand it if she walked away from him. Sloan had finally set his heart on one woman and by stars he wasn't going to let her past keep them apart.
Shortly before his bath, he'd scrambled around with T'rk's help and gotten some supplies for a private party after dinner. T'rk had given him a sly grin when he'd asked for the bindings and other things but hadn't said a word. The Seoenx apparently didn't see anything wrong with a little bondage between mates because he'd produced the items on Sloan's list in about ten minutes.
From what Sloan could gather, after dinner there'd be some dancing and then everyone would go back to their dwellings. T'rk had assured him that no one would pay one bit of attention to them even though there wasn't a door on the cave for privacy.
"You need to put the bandages back on so your hands don't get infected. Do we have any more?" Mary asked as she waded out of the bath.
Sloan made himself look only at her face and not at the tempting hills and valleys of her delicious body. "I brought spares with me." He reached for them but as he did he caught a look at his hands. Blinking his eyes to clear his vision he looked again.
"You're not going to believe this but I don't think I'm going to need them. Look." He held out his hands for her perusal.
They were almost completely healed. The skin was pink and shiny and the open wounds were gone. His nail beds, which had been ripped to shreds, were tender-looking but repaired. He opened and closed his hands and sure enough, the pain was gone.
"Let me see," Mary ordered and pulled her hand close to get a better look. "That's amazing. If I hadn't treated them myself I'd think you'd injured them a week ago." She twisted and turned first one hand then the other. Her little fingers poked and prodded at the tender skin and he yelped.
"Hey, take it easy. Just because they aren't bleeding anymore doesn't mean they don't still hurt a little."
"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand what happened. This makes no sense. I bandaged them myself. Blast, I wish I had my equipment. I bet there's something in the water that aids in healing." She bit her lip between pearly white teeth.
Sloan bit back a groan. He wanted those teeth to bite his lips. Wanted to feel her mouth over his entire body and surrounding his cock. The mystery of his quick-healing hands was pushed to the background as he fought to control his overwhelming lust.
Damn, this woman would be the death of him.
"I want to take some samples of this water back with us when we leave. I bet the minerals from the hot springs have something in them. That must be why the Seoenx don't have many medicines. They don't need them. Incredible." She shook her head in amazement.
"You'll have to ask Mother. She'll know. Maybe you should get dressed so we can go to dinner and see her."
Mary dropped his hand as if he burned her and clutched her clothes to her chest. Her pale face filled with color and Sloan almost laughed at her embarrassment. She'd been so wrapped up in the medical miracle of his hands she'd forgotten that she was butt naked.
He sure as hell hadn't.
This supper better not take too long or his cock would be so big he wouldn't be able to walk straight. The only thing making this even slightly bearable was knowing he'd have relief tonight. Over and over again.
Many, many times over again. In as many positions possible. If the lotion T'rk had given him didn't work Mary would be the one unable to walk tomorrow.
The thought sobered him some. He didn't want to hurt Mary. Just the opposite actually. He wanted to bring her so much pleasure she screamed herself hoarse. He'd have to keep himself under control and not lose himself in the glory of her body to the point where she ended up hurt.
"I'm ready to go if you are," Mary called from behind him.
"Lead the way." He only hoped she was ready for what he had planned for after dinner.
By the time they got to where the food tables were set up the party was in full swing. A chorus of piercing whistles and clacks echoed around the cavern when Sloan and Mary made their appearance. Several people came over and slapped them on their backs.
Everyone carried a plate of food and offered some to "the heroes". Sloan couldn't believe how excited they all were. When he'd suggested distracting the crustomorph so they could go fishing T'rk had shot him down immediately. Apparently they'd tried that before with fatal results.
Sloan had argued with the leader until he'd finally given in. With his larger muscle mass and experience rock climbing Sloan was sure he could stay out of the crustomorph's range long enough for the others to fish. Plus, it gave him a chance to check out the monster and do a better recon of the cave.
He had found a perfect place to set up the homing beacon near the entrance to the cave above the water line. All he needed to do was find the emergency pack and the beacon.
Sloan hadn't realized how long the Seoenx had gone without their main staple of food until now. There were at least five different dishes made out of the fish they'd hauled down the kilometers of tunnels. Apparently the dinner they'd had last night had used up most of the stores and was a pretty sad feast by their standards.
He had to admit, the food tonight was much more colorful and flavorful than what they'd had up to this point. Spiciness burst over his tongue from one dish. Another one had a hint of dill and still another one was vaguely smoky tasting.
The women offered him so many different dishes he couldn't keep track of them all. They plied him with food until he had so much on his plate he'd never be able to eat it all.
"You'd better share this with me," he said to Mary. "I don't want to insult anyone but I'll never be able to finish everything." He pulled her down next to him and popped a forkful into her mouth. Her eyes widened then watered.
"H-h-hot!" She waved her hand in front of her mouth.
"Sorry." He handed her a cup of water and she gulped it down. "I didn't realize I'd given you the spicy one. Here, try this." He gave her another forkful when she'd swallowed the water. "It's not so hot and really good."
"Oh, I like that one. Who knew you could do so much with one type of fish?"
"I thought you were from an ocean town?" He took a bite of the spicy one and saved the dill one for her. A smile crossed his face as she moved closer to him to share his plate. Many other couples did the same, feeding each other choice bits of food and sharing kisses.
"I am but we never had this much variety. I think you get spoiled when you have automatic chefs. They're awfully convenient but they don't think independently so they can't create new dishes."
"You're probably right. Synthetic cooks can only do what they're programmed to do with the materials they have. The machines don't taste their own food so they don't get bored with it. I guess technology isn't all it's cracked up to be." Sloan was all for a little primitive living if it kept Mary close to him.
"Bite your tongue." She gave him a pointed look.
"Oh come on. It's not that bad." He'd rather bite her tongue.
"Okay, it's not quite as awful as I thought it would be. Although I would have given my left arm for a medi-tech unit today."
"From what I hear you did just fine without it."
A smile lit up her face and Sloan felt the impact like a punch in the gut. She was so beautiful, like his own personal angel.
"Thanks, I guess I did." Her eyes glowed as they looked at him and Sloan felt himself harden yet again. How did she manage to twist him inside out with just one look?
"Mary. You must join the dancing tonight!" B'rn grabbed her arm and pulled her towards a circle of clicking females.
She tossed a helpless look over her shoulder and Sloan laughed. Even as short as she was she stood at least a head taller than B'rn.
An older woman collected his now empty plate and handed him a mug of something warm to drink. Slowly, the other men came to sit in a loose circle next to Sloan. They seemed to be waiting for something or someone.
Mother strode to the middle of the circle and reached into the pouch tied to her waist. She pulled out a handful of dirt and threw it into the air with a flourish. A bright green glow shone in the middle of the circle where she'd stood.
Someone banged out a beat on a drum. The tempo throbbed through Sloan's veins and anticipation churned in his gut. He didn't recognize the music but something about it made him think of the rhythm he made when he thrust into a woman.
Only he wasn't thinking about just any woman. He imagined sinking his cock deep inside Mary to the beat of the drum thudding in the background. His balls filled painfully between his legs and he was hard as a rock. How much torture could one man take?
Hopefully a lot because it wasn't over yet. At a clap from Mother, the women came into the circle the men created and began to gyrate and spin around the green glow. It reminded Sloan of vids of old rituals around campfires.
The green glow didn't give off any heat but they didn't need it underground with hot springs around every corner. They didn't need the light either because the lichen and minerals lit the place up adequately.
This glow must be used more for ceremony than for a tool. And what a ceremony it was. The glow silhouetted the women's dancing bodies seductively. Men whistled and stomped their feet as the women skipped around and swayed their bodies to the beat. He wondered if they were going to strip off their clothes tonight like they had last night. His mouth watered at the thought of Mary pulling her clothes off for him.
Sloan had no trouble picking Mary's curvy form out amongst the stick-thin forms of the Seoenx. His cock pulsed every time she spun by him. Damn, he wanted her so badly.
The rhythm of the music egged on his desire until he practically swam in testosterone. The tempo grew faster and faster reminding him of the pace right before he climaxed. As the music grew frenzied, the women pulled up men to join them.
He strained his eyes looking for Mary's form but too many couples blocked his view. Where had she gone? His blood pounded in his veins with need for her. Could she have slipped away when he wasn't looking?
Suddenly he caught sight of the hourglass figure of Mary and reached out for her. She tumbled into his lap with a laugh. Sloan wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. There was no way he was letting her up to dance some more. He couldn't handle it.
"Are you ready to go?" he all but growled.
"It looks like the party's over," she said, breathless from her exertions. The Seoenx had scattered, heading for their caves in couples and threesomes. Discarded clothes lay along the path. Apparently they couldn't wait until they got home to get naked.
Sloan didn't give a toradal shit what anyone else was doing. All he cared about was getting Mary back to the cave so he could touch her to his heart's content.
"That's where you're wrong. The party's only just beginning." He stood with her in his arms and carried her towards the cave. This was one celebration he was going to make sure continued long into the wee hours of the morning.
Mary's heart fluttered in her chest as Sloan carried her up the ladder to their cave. His strength amazed her. She could feel the muscles in his chest bunch as he shifted her weight around to manage the uneven rungs. Soon she'd feel those ropy muscles under her bare hands.
She'd be able to touch them and dig her nails into them as he drove into her. Her pulse raced with excitement and she had trouble catching her breath. Any other thought that dared to enter her mind was immediately overcome by the lust that swam through her bloodstream.
All thoughts of backing away from Sloan ended when she agreed to dance with the other women. B'rn had said the dance was part of the celebration but Mary had known it was just another form of foreplay. The music had throbbed through her system, lodging deep in her core.
At first she'd been shy about gyrating and flaunting her body in front of Sloan and so many strange men. Once the music grabbed hold of her, she'd let go of her inhibitions. Let go? She'd practically flung them to the cosmos. With the drumbeat spurring her on she'd gyrated like a wanton for Sloan.
His hot eyes had burned through her dress and encouraged her to shake and shimmy like a Pleasure Planet stripper. It had made her hotter than rocket fire.
She was still hotter than rocket fire. Her breath caught as they entered the cave. Sloan let her slide down his rock-hard chest and over his equally hard cock. It was dimmer in here than it had been by the stream and it took Mary a few moments for her eyes to adjust.
"I want to make sure there's no misunderstandings, darlin'. I'm going to have you tonight. Multiple times. In many, many different ways. Do you have a problem with that?"
His words sent cream flooding between her thighs. The look in his eyes told her plainly that he meant every word.
It excited the absolute hell out of her.
She wanted to be dominated, to be overwhelmed with the power of his desire for her. Anticipation bubbled through her and made her lightheaded.
She realized he waited for her answer. "I have no problem with that," she said, her voice thick with desire.
"Thank the stars. I don't think I could have stopped now if you held a laser to my head but I'd have tried."
"No, don't. Please."
The time for stopping had long since passed.
Slowly, gently, he cupped her face between his hands and drew her mouth up for a kiss. His lips lightly grazed hers and sent shivers down her spine. She'd rather have him be a little rougher but this was nice too.
He pulled back from her before she could even get a good taste of him and led her deeper into the cave. Mary's eyes widened when she saw what he'd set up in there.
"You certainly were busy while I was gone. You did all of this with your injured hands?" His hands hadn't healed until they'd gone into the baths and she'd been with him every minute since.
"I had some help. Apparently the Seoenx enjoy all forms of sexual pleasure. T'rk didn't even raise an eyebrow when I asked him for restraints."
She hadn't noticed those.
Mary took in the erotic setting Sloan had created for them. Red and blue cushions covered the floor in a silky pile. Metal rings had been hammered into the rock wall and the floor of the cave. Filmy scarves had already been tied to the rings and Mary's pussy swelled at the thought of what those scarves were for.
And they weren't for making love, that was for damn sure.
Sloan had stripped off his shirt and reclined against the pillows in just his pants. His chest gleamed in the reflection of the glowing minerals on one of the walls. He'd hung up material on the other walls to darken the room.
What a picture he presented laying there half naked, drawing a scarf through his fingers. Mary couldn't pull her eyes away from those big hands as they fondled the filmy strip of cloth. What would they feel like fondling her body?
"Well?" he asked, breaking the spell.
"Well what?" Her eyes snapped up to his. The heat from his gaze scorched her to her toes.
"I'm waiting."
Mary looked at him questioningly. What was he waiting for?
"Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to take off your clothes and join me?"
The shift from gentle lover to demanding master surprised and excited her. She lowered her eyes so he couldn't see how much this turned her on. A part of her still shied away from her need to be dominated like this.
The rest of her jumped for joy.
Keeping her eyes lowered, Mary slipped out of the dress as slowly as she could. There really wasn't a way to draw it out. It was one piece and she had no underwear on so she couldn't do a striptease for him.
"Come here," he ordered. His voice slid through her like warm honey.
She walked towards him and knelt by his side. Heat poured off him and his cock stood out stiffly under his pants. Mary had to bite her lip to keep from groaning in need. Being this close to him and not touching him was torture.
But a very pleasurable torture.
"Scratch my back, slave." Sloan's eyes twinkled at her in humor before he rolled onto his stomach. He might be playing the dominant but his look assured her it was just a game.
"Yes, master," she answered as she straddled his back.
His firm ass supported her as she held his bare waist between her thighs. The contact sent waves of heat straight to her weeping pussy. Sloan must have felt the effects too because he groaned and pushed the pillows farther under his hips.
Not for the first time Mary thanked the stars her arousal didn't poke out between her legs. She snickered at the thought as she leaned over to scratch her short nails down his broad back.
"Are you laughing?"
"No, master. I wouldn't dare." She bit back another chuckle.
"It's your fault I'm in this state. If you hadn't flaunted your body down by the stream I'd be able to lay down without breaking something."
"I'm so sorry, master." She pressed her breasts against his naked skin. Fire blazed through her. Mary's head swam from the onslaught of superheated lust engulfing every atom of her being. She squeezed her thighs tight to ease the ache there but that only pressed his hard body closer to her needy clit and made matters worse.
"You're so hot. So wet. I can feel your pussy dripping over me."
She knew she'd probably be embarrassed by her body's reaction later but there was no room for it now. Every emotion was tied up in the feel of Sloan under her hands, pressed against her swollen breasts and between her legs.
"Do you want me to move, master?" She bit his shoulder lightly and sucked on the salty taste of his flesh in her mouth.
"I don't think you're showing the proper deference for your master, missy. It's time I taught you a lesson."
"I'm a bad girl. I need to be punished." More fluid gushed over her at the thought of being completely at Sloan's mercy.
"You certainly do. Get off me and assume the position!"
Mary slid off his back and knelt down with her legs spread and her ass in the air. A cool breeze blew across her exposed slit and her whole body quivered in reaction. Her nipples rubbed against the filmy material of the cushions and sent tiny explosions of sensation over her heavy breasts.
"What a sight you make. Your beautiful blonde hair is spread out over the blue cushions and your delicious ass is just waiting for me," Sloan said from behind her.
She couldn't see him but she knew he was looking at her naked butt. A quiver of uneasiness rippled through the fog of lust encompassing her. She wasn't exactly skinny. Would he find her big behind repulsive?
The feel of his open mouth pressed against the lower curve of her cheek dispelled that notion immediately. His hot, wet tongue ran over the delicate skin of her ass. Mary almost wept in pleasure.
"You have the most delicious derrière I've ever seen. I want to eat it up." He bit her lightly to affirm his point.
Fresh heat pierced her core at the touch of his teeth so close to her aching pussy.
"There's only one problem with your ass. It's far too pale." And without warning his hand came down with a resounding smack.
The pain lasted barely a second before the pleasure took over. Sloan slapped her other cheek with stinging accuracy. His wide-palmed hand hit her ass in a different spot each time, spreading the pain and pleasure along every millimeter of her behind.
He was good at this. Too good to not have done it before. She was in the hands of someone well versed in balancing pleasure and pain. The way he placed his hands so his fingers practically grazed her pussy lips with each stroke made her want to cry in frustration.
The heat from each slap spread through her slit and tore over her body. Soon her entire ass radiated fire from his spanks and her cream dripped freely down her thighs.
"Now that's a nice pink color. Much better," Sloan said as he caressed her behind.
One finger slid lightly over her engorged lips and she let out a moan at the touch.
"Not yet, darlin'. You're not nearly ready for an orgasm."
"Trust me, I'm ready," she moaned as she rubbed her ass against his hand.
"I'm in charge and I say it's not time yet. I think maybe you need a little reminder of who's the master. Lie on your back and spread your legs," he ordered.
Mary did as he said. Excitement stirred her hormones into a fevered froth. Her nipples were hardened points and her clit had turned into a swollen ball of nerve endings screaming for his touch.
Sloan slid his upper body along her over-sensitized breasts as he tied her arms with the filmy scarves attached to the rings in the wall. His fingers trailed down her legs as he secured her ankles to the floor. Her legs were spread wide but she had enough give to bend her knees. She felt exposed but not uncomfortable.
Oh no, far from uncomfortable.
He sat back on his heels between her feet and just looked at her. "Do you know how tempting you look like that? It would be so easy to peel these pants down and drive right into your waiting pussy. It's so wet and ready for me I'd be in deep in seconds."
Sparks of anticipation exploded in her slit at his words. Would he do it? Would he push inside her pussy now and end this torment?
"But I don't think you've been properly prepared." He eased up and shed his pants quickly, throwing them aside. "I'm a big man. I wouldn't want you to complain I didn't stretch you adequately first." He stroked himself in front of her.
Mary's mouth watered at the sight of his fully aroused cock so close to her slit. A drop of pre-come gleamed at the darkened head and she licked her lips. She wanted to taste that salty tear. Wanted to suck his length into her mouth as deeply as she possibly could. Unconsciously she pulled at the ties holding her.
"See something you want?" He crawled over her, trailing his cock up her leg and over her torso but not touching her pussy.
"Y-yes," she stammered, keeping her eyes glued to his approaching penis.
He kept crawling over her, rubbing his chest over hers and up to her head. Mary couldn't resist licking at the skin that was so close to her face. It was salty with sweat and whetted her taste buds for the rest of him.
When he straddled her face he stopped just out of reach of her salivating mouth.
"Do you want a taste of my cock?" he asked, dipping the tip of it close to her lips.
"Yes, master."
"You can touch the tip but only the tip."
She had to lift her head up awkwardly to reach him but she didn't care. The feel of that soft skin in her mouth was worth any strain. Her lips wrapped around his glans and she sucked on the seeping head. With her tongue she speared the tiny hole that dripped fluid. His sweet taste rolled over her like the finest wine.
"More. I want you to take more." His voice was harsh with desire.
Mary opened her eyes to look up at Sloan. His face was scrunched up in concentration. The tendons on his neck strained with the effort it cost him to hold back. Sweat dripped down his face and his body shook with strain.
How much could he handle?
Power surged through her as she pulled him deeper into her mouth. She used to believe the submissive had no choice but now she realized she was the one in control. It was up to him to set the pace and make sure both of them received the utmost pleasure.
She was going to make him work for it.
Using her teeth and tongue, Mary sucked him as hard as she could. She had to relax her throat muscles to pull him deeper into her mouth. Without using her hands she could only pleasure him with the pressure of her mouth.
Mary fought to keep her throat relaxed so she could take all of him without gagging. His sac bumped her chin and her nose brushed against the base of his cock. The smell of him filled her and enflamed her senses. The sound of Sloan's harsh breathing echoed against the walls.
"Enough." He pulled back and Mary strained to keep him in her mouth. "You're a naughty girl. I told you only the tip. You almost ended things before they really began." Sloan moved back down until he was sitting between her legs again.
She waited breathlessly for what he'd do next. His chest heaved as he fought for air. She'd done that to him. This strong warrior had been brought low by her. A delicious thrill shimmied through her at her power.
"You look awfully smug for someone tied to the wall." Sloan's hot eyes caressed every millimeter of her body. "That won't do."
Sloan trailed fingers over her ankles. Ever so slowly he brushed his fingers higher over her calves. Tendrils of desire followed in the wake of his hands.
"Look at me. I don't want you taking your eyes off me for a nano."
Mary forced her heavy lids to stay open and watch Sloan as he touched her. In miniscule increments he traveled up her legs. Just when she thought he'd brush her inner thighs and her waiting slit, he'd slide lower and start the process all over again.
The need he had created in her core bubbled through her veins until every part of her cried out for his touch. Her thighs quivered as his breath blew over them. When his lips sucked on the curve of her hip she almost shot up off the floor.
"Not so smug now, are you?" he asked, his brow arched.
"N-no, master," she whispered. His silky hair brushed against her thighs.
His gaze captured hers as he moved his mouth closer to her pussy. Infinitesimally closer he came. All the while he watched her with those blazing eyes. He slipped his hands under her ass and lifted her hips higher until she could see only his eyes over her pelvis.
Warm air blew over her clit and a cry slipped out of her mouth. His breath felt like laser-fire on her swollen nub.
"Open your eyes," he ordered.
She didn't even realize she had closed them. It was near impossible to watch him nuzzle her pussy and not throw her head back in ecstasy. With every beat of her heart she got hotter and needier. Her breath came in halting gasps as his mouth drew closer to her clitoris.
He stopped for a second and looked at her. A wealth of emotion was in his eyes. Passion, excitement, anticipation and something else she couldn't---or wouldn't---name swirled within those bottomless depths.
"Mary," he breathed before stabbing her clit with his tongue.
A cry escaped her mouth and she gave up the fight to keep watching him. Sloan stroked and sucked on her nubbin, overwhelming her with lust. Waves of pleasure swamped her worse than any tide from the ocean.
She thrashed against his mouth as the climax ripped through her. Still he licked her, slipping a finger deep into her sheath to stroke her inside and out. Another orgasm rolled over her and stars burst behind her eyelids.
"I knew you'd taste sweet," he whispered against her quivering pussy.

