He climbed into the cockpit and fired up the engine. It responded immediately with a familiar throaty rumble. But instead of beginning the takeoff procedure, he snapped open a small, concealed panel and initiated the self-destruct sequence.
“What are you doing?” The tester’s voice echoed through the hangar.
“I am destroying the ship.”
“Why?”
“Because I will not leave Jane. I would rather die.”
“You will both die!”
He forced himself to shrug. “It would be foolish to destroy her once I am no longer around. I do not think you are foolish.” Or at least he prayed that they were not.
He thought he detected a muffled argument, but the words were unintelligible. At last, the voice spoke again.
“We still cannot allow the human female to leave this planet. You will agree to remain here with her?”
“Of course.” He didn’t even have to consider the matter. His duties, his honors—they meant nothing without her.
“Very well. Terminate the self-destruct sequence.”
“I cannot. There is no option to terminate it once it is in progress.” That was not strictly true, but he didn’t trust the testers. If the ship was still usable, they might try to force him to leave a second time.
“Then leave the hangar. Immediately.”
Triumph roared through him as he climbed down and raced for the doors, slamming them shut behind him and locking them in place. He heard the muffled sound of an explosion from the hangar, but he ignored it as he hurried back to the lab.
Jane was still pressed against the barrier, her face pale. He started to roar his frustration, but then the barrier lifted into the ceiling and Jane tumbled into his arms. He had just destroyed his only hope of leaving this planet, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. Jane was here, and she was safe, and they were together. Nothing else mattered.
Epilogue
Three months later…
Jane smoothed the fur she had cured across their mattress and smiled happily at the results. Every day their house felt more like a home. She knew Tarax felt guilty about having destroyed their only way off the planet—even if he’d had no other alternative—and he worked tirelessly to make a comfortable life for her.
They had decided to build their house at the edge of the jungle. She preferred the life and variety of the jungle to the more sterile surroundings of the open plains. Neither one of them had wanted to be too close to the test lab, but after a few weeks, Tarax had decided to return and see what he could salvage.
They had both been wary of another trap, but he returned triumphantly with some of the supplies they had seen on their first trip—supplies that made their life much easier, despite his skill at improvising.
Since then he had made several more trips. There had still been no sign of the testers, and they had never spoken to him again.
Mr. Tiddles suddenly burst through the open doorway, chittering excitedly, and dropped an enormous—and still squirming—insect at her feet. Her stomach churned as its legs waved frantically and green goo oozed from its middle, and she had to dash for the bathroom.
When Tarax entered the house a short time later, she was still there, clutching the composting toilet that had been one of his most successful finds.
“Jane! What’s wrong?”
She waved a hand weakly. “Mr. Tiddles brought me a present. It wasn’t quite dead.”
Her pet chittered sorrowfully and she managed to smile at him. “I know you meant well.”
“I don’t like this.” Tarax lifted her carefully to her feet, then helped her brush her teeth and wash her face. “You were ill earlier this week as well.”
“It was the fish.” Even the memory made her feel queasy again. “It just didn’t agree with me.”
“You used to enjoy it.”
“Well, now I don’t,” she said crossly.
“I think we need to take a trip to the lab.”
She wanted to object, but it really wasn’t like her to be sick. As much as she hated returning there, the medical unit was extremely useful.
“Oh, all right,” she muttered.
Tarax laughed and drew her into his arms. “I will make sure you enjoy the journey.”
“How are you going to do that?” She smiled despite herself.
“I will make frequent stops to allow you to feast on my cock,” he said solemnly, golden eyes gleaming.
Her nipples tightened as a pulse of desire flickered through her clit. She did enjoy taking him in her mouth. “And you will return the favor?”
“Of course,” he said immediately. “But perhaps we should begin now—to make sure that I am still in practice.”
“You practiced last night,” she pointed out, but he ignored her, lifting her onto the counter and parting her legs.
His talented fingers stroked through her sensitive folds, already slick with desire. “Perfect. Hot and wet and ready.”
“I’m always ready for you,” she said truthfully, but then his roughened tongue swirled around her clit, and she lost the ability to speak.
Two days later, Jane waited anxiously on the exam table as the machine scanned her body. She still hated being here, afraid that they would be separated once more, but she couldn’t deny the effectiveness of the medical bed.
The machine beeped and flashed up the results. Tarax’s eyes widened as he studied the information, and her heart thudded against her ribs.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong,” he said quickly, then his fierce grin lit up his face. “You are with child.”
“I’m pregnant?” The room seemed to sway around her and he immediately came to her side, holding her in a reassuring grip.
“You are not pleased?” he asked softly.
“Pleased? I just… I never thought… I mean, you’re Doturan and I’m human!” It had never even occurred to her that getting pregnant was a possibility.
His body tensed. “I am sorry that you are unhappy-”
“No! I’m not unhappy, Tarax. I’m
