“I dreamed I saw Asteria,” she cautiously said.
“That wasn’t a dream. It was a shared thought. Asterions do that. I was remembering my decision to come here while you were sleeping.” Darron paused. “I’m very pleased you were able to share the thought too.” He leaned closer. “When you’re ready, we can share more. But first I want you to eat something.” His voice carried a note of formality. “May I feed you?” His gaze focused on her with bright intensity as he reached for a small bunch of red grapes and tugged one free.
Her stomach growled loudly. Everything on the platter looked delicious and she wanted it, but beneath Darron’s sweet gesture, Larisa had a feeling the act of sharing food with him meant more than simply filling her belly.
He held a dark grape to her lips. A look of expectation shone in his eyes.
For a moment the fruit hovered unclaimed in front of her. “What exactly am I saying yes to?”
He smiled slightly. “In allowing me to feed you, you give consent to take the next part of the journey.”
Her curiosity to know more was overwhelming, and so she accepted the grape from his fingertips, enjoying its tart flavor.
A surprising thing happened next.
Larisa looked directly at him and, briefly, his face shimmered, becoming a sparkling beacon of light and not a man at all. His image was so brilliant she could barely look upon it. She squinted against the glare and glanced away, waiting for the brief but startling vision to fade.
A moment later he was once again a handsome man with big brown eyes and an ivory set of horns sweeping outward from his head. She gasped in quiet astonishment.
“That’s my true face, and it’s not appropriate for Earth.” Darron’s hand lightly brushed against hers. “From the first moment I heard tales of Earth, I knew I belonged here, and waited patiently for the opportunity to cross into your world. So few Asterions are allowed to come. I’ve dreamed of living as a man and being part of Earth.” He gently fed her another grape. “There are no vineyards, orchards or animals where I come from. Sex, as you understand it, does not exist. I observed Earth for years but I’d never experienced anything so pleasurable as taking the form of a man and enjoying my first sexual taste of you. I want to thank you for that gift.”
He lifted a round loaf of dense bread from the platter, tore it in two and handed her half. “Tear off a piece and feed it to me.” A note of hope lifted his voice. “Please.”
She tore a small chunk of bread from the loaf and cautiously brought it to his lips. “Why did you appear as a bull within the labyrinth?”
He took the piece of bread from her fingertips and carefully chewed and swallowed. “When the Asterions first came to Earth many generations ago, we took the form of animals that humans would admire, covet and make use of. Living among you as animals was the easiest way to become accustomed to Earthly bodies and observe humanity without causing conflict.
“Many of us found adapting to the complex emotions of the human mind, and the conflicting needs of a body, extremely challenging. Most Asterions were only able to make half the transition toward becoming human. Over time, the Asterion council lost interest in trying to master physical bodies, but a few persisted and became adept as Earthlings. A traditional animal such as a bull is still the simplest and most comfortable form to take; it’s large, powerful and, on this small island, only a human would dare challenge it.”
A little shiver of apprehension raced through her. She knew “Asterion” was an ancient word, older than stone, which meant “starry master” or “ruler of stars”. She leaned closer. “
“No.” He reached for more wine. “Don’t be intimidated by the word ‘Asterion’. I’m physically different from you but our souls are similar. I envy all that you have, and all that you can enjoy on Earth. I begged the council for the chance to live a single lifetime as a man.” He gently pushed the platter toward her. “Share with me. Eat and drink your fill. Afterward, there’s something I want to show you.”
Larisa helped herself to a little of everything and washed it all down with a generous serving of wine. Darron ate and drank also. His gaze carefully watched her every choice from the platter. He ate whichever items she chose, following her lead. When she was finished eating the simple but delicious fare, she sighed contently.
“Come here.” He kicked free of the bed covers and stretched across the mattress, exposing perfectly formed, muscular legs that were now faintly dusted with a few silky hairs instead of a brushy animal pelt.
She admired the long legs and swept her gaze toward the deeply flushed shaft of his thick cock, its tip glistening.
“Lie with me.” His hand slowly stroked the mattress, inviting her near. “I need you beside me.”
She slowly reclined and stretched across the mattress at his side. She gazed into his strongly angled face, thinking him to be the masculine ideal, if still a bit too animal-like with the horns. Her fingertips stroked against the soft strands of hair on his broad chest as her body nestled against him.
“What do you think of me?” He brushed a curl from her face.
“Don’t you already know?” She lightly kissed the warm skin on his chest. “You’re the most beautiful being I’ve ever seen.” The uncensored words blurted past her lips.
He smiled. “I think the same about you.” He gently slid on top of her, carefully taking his weight on his elbows. His legs parted her own as he settled between her thighs. His lips lightly brushed against Larisa’s.
A breathless thrill raced through her as she parted her lips and allowed his tongue to glide across hers.
His hand lowered to tenderly stroke the side of her thigh and gently nudge her tunic higher. “I want you,” he whispered. “Do you want me?”
“Yes.” A rising wave of lust overtook her as she helped Darron lift the hem of her tunic to her hips. Her skin tingled in anticipation of sharing more pleasure with him. She forgot about the horns on his head and could hardly wait for the thrilling sensations of having his strong body moving inside hers, making her feel good again.
His hands cradled the back of her head and held her close in a sweetly demanding kiss. She loved his touch. It was raw lust tempered with gentleness. She sensed how careful he was being to not rush or startle her. A flood of excitement raced through her as his mouth covered hers with hungry kisses.
His cock pressed between her thighs, brushing against her wet sex. He almost held his breath as his gaze met hers and waited.
Larisa reached down, took hold of the shaft and slowly rubbed the wet crown against her bud, loving the shivers of arousal that zipped through her. As soon as the crown was thoroughly slick, she guided him inside.
He slid into her with ease, exhaling a ragged breath as he sank deeper. “Wrap your arms around me,” he pleaded.
She locked her arms around his shoulders and squeezed his lean hips between her thighs. It was pure pleasure to twine her limbs around his solid frame, as his body slowly moved between her legs. As his motions gradually sped, he grew more excited, and so did she. Larisa arched against the furs as they moved together in perfectly matched rhythm.
His breath panted in harsh bursts and she knew he was reaching climax. She was on fire too and tilted her hips upward to rub her bud against the fast-stroking shaft. Her hands slid across the solid curves of his buttocks and clutched to anchor him against her as she came. Her skin flushed with heat and for a fleeting moment, even the soles of her feet tingled before the full, stunning release rippled through her core. She collapsed beneath him with a sigh.
Darron’s hips pumped faster before a violent shudder passed through his body. He threw his head back, thrust deep and groaned as he released a long, drenching rush of hot seed inside her. His hips slowly rocked for several long strokes as he finished.
While his breathing calmed, she continued to hold him close and smooth her fingers through his hair.
When he was finally capable of speaking, he whispered, “Larisa.” The next words were spoken just as softly. “Would you welcome a child that belonged to both my world and yours?”
His words were so serious, her skin pebbled with tension. “Do you know I’m with child, or are you just asking?” She shifted beneath him. “Would the child be more like me?” She hesitated. “Or you?”
He smiled. “It would be an equal blend of Asterion and Earthling.”
Her hand sank lower on his back, until she felt… “I meant…would the child have a tail and horns?”
“Would it be a disgrace if that happened?” he asked innocently.
“The child could never pass for human.”
His brow furrowed. “The child would be half Asterion and no doubt a very valuable member of any group.
