“Another self-destruct?” she guessed.
“Yes. The last one. I have no other way of obscuring our trail.”
“The ocean will take care of that.”
Together they walked to the boat, ignoring the quiet rustle from behind them. The air was warmer here, already hinting at the upcoming spring. It whispered across her cheeks as they untied the lines and cast off. The engine started with a quiet purr and they puttered slowly out of the marina and down the Cape Fear river. The sun began to rise just as they reached the ocean and she turned to smile at T’saran. He was still uncloaked and leaning forward, studying the horizon. The rising sun gilded the edge of his horns, but he didn’t look out of place. He looked like a mythic warrior off to explore new lands.
“I think we made it,” she said softly, the tension finally leaving her shoulders.
“We did. Thanks to you, my brave L’chka.” He rose a little shakily and came to stand beside her. “I have been so obsessed with regaining the promise of a career, but all I really need is right here.”
“‘All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,’” she quoted softly.
“And you, my lady. I love you, L’ren.”
“I love you, too, T’saran. My monster.”
She nestled against his side, and together they sailed out into the dawn.
Epilogue
Ten months later
As soon as the boat cleared the harbor, T’saran uncloaked. The months at sea had been good to him. His wounds had healed, although he would always carry the scars, and the sun had darkened his skin to a deep slate grey. He was shirtless, as he usually was aboard ship, and she ran an appreciative eye over him as he scowled. Once she would have flinched at the forbidding expression, but she knew her Yehrin warrior would never lay a hand on her.
“I still do not like this.” he muttered. “They think you are alone and unprotected.”
“But I’m not.” She stepped closer and ran her hands up over that broad, hard chest. “I’m never going to be alone again.”
His face softened as it always did when she touched him. “Neither of us will be.”
He bent his head and kissed her, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His kiss turned hard, demanding, as it always did after one of their infrequent visits to a small port where she would trade the shells he’d gathered from deep beneath the ocean for the few items they needed to purchase.
“I need you, my L’chka,” he growled in the deep rumble that never failed to arouse her own desire.
“I need you, too, my warrior.” She tugged on the short beard he had grown, the bracelets he had made for her jingling softly. “I want to ride you.”
His eyes heated as she knew they would. He lowered them to the deck, leaving her astride his waist. Moving with tantalizing slowness, she pulled off the light linen top she’d worn ashore and discarded her bra. His eyes were focused on her breasts, and the heat of his gaze felt as tangible as warm breeze that swept across her skin and turned her nipples to aching points. He brought his hands up, easily spanning her ribcage as he ran a teasing claw across the taut flesh. Mm. She shivered and leaned forward, letting her nipples drag across his chest as she kissed her way up to his mouth.
Lingering there, she dropped butterfly kisses across his mouth, then nibbled his full lower lip, licking and teasing before she finally gave in to temptation and slid her tongue against his rougher one. Once again, the kiss turned hard and demanding and she writhed against him, her slick pussy rubbing along the hard ridges of abdominal muscle. His hand slid between her legs and stopped.
“L’ren, where are your undergarments?”
Grinning at his shock, she wiggled impatiently.
“I didn’t wear them.”
“You went ashore without them?” His eyes glowed purple.
“I knew that you’d only rip them off when we returned. I didn’t want anything separating us.”
With an impatient growl, he ripped away his own pants, lifted her up, and impaled her on his cock in one swift move. Even after all these months, he stretched her to her limit, and she arched her back with pleasure. His hand moved back between her legs, strumming her swollen clit.
“Dance for me, my lady.”
And she did, moving in time with the rhythm of the ocean, reveling in the sunlight, the freedom, and most of all, the beloved alien watching her, eyes alight with love, until they surged together into a long shuddering climax.
A considerable time later, they were lying on the deck, watching the clouds. Still wrapped in T’saran’s arms, Lauren jumped when the boat’s radio turned itself on. A deep, pleasant voice emerged, informing them in perfect English that the Yehrin had arrived. She listened in shock as the Yehrin leader outlined a plan of cooperation and technological advance.
“I don’t understand,” she said after the radio clicked back off. “He seems so different than T’ngorzul. He sounds like he really wants to help humans. And now that it’s official, you won’t have to be cloaked anymore.” She took a deep breath. “We could even go back to a city if you want.”
“I am still a deserter,” he said dryly. “But it is of no consequence. I have no fondness for city life. I have everything I could ever want or need right here.”
He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her until her toes curled. When he raised his head, she smiled up at him, that alien face now so beloved. He smiled back at her before
