Alien Skin Market by Lizzy Bequin

CHAPTER 28: MAUREEN

Following their departure from Betnt Koarth, the crew of The Longshot busied themselves with preparations for their triumphant return to Rak. However, they still made time for the human too.

First, Maureen spent some time in the cockpit with Jrayk, who tried to explain to her the physics of how interstitial travel worked. Maureen barely understood any of it, but she was impressed by the depth of the cocky captain’s intelligence, a trait she never would have not guessed from his rough-around-the-edges appearance. They had also shared another knee-buckling kiss, although this time Maureen had the presence of mind to stop before things got too hot and heavy.

Later, she had helped Tristn take a blood sample from Rawn so they could try to figure out what species he was, but the tests were all inconclusive. The shaggy beast remained a mystery. He was now as big as a full-grown Saint Bernard, and his rapid growth showed no signs of stopping.

Toward the end of their visit, when the doctor’s sexy dimples had made another appearance, Maureen had been unable to resist kissing him too. But again, she made sure things didn’t go as far as they had before, during her physical exam.

After that, Maureen ventured into the ship’s small galley, where Vaul was preparing dinner. After some initial resistance, the big Raksha allowed Maureen to help with the preparations, and she was put in charge of peeling and chopping vegetables. At first Vaul was quiet and aloof, but it did not take long for him to open up, and soon they were both laughing and standing very close, their bodies pressed together, arm to arm and hip to hip. Maureen told herself it was because of how cramped the galley was, but the aching stiffness of her nipples and the creeping wetness between her legs told another story. She was just as attracted to the gentle giant as she was to the other two Raksha, and she sensed it would only be a matter of time before something happened between them.

But as the time for dinner approached, Maureen found herself growing anxious.

She feared dinner would be an awkward affair. It was the first time all of them would be in one room since their previous meal together, and a great deal had transpired in that time. Maureen had shared passionate moments with both Jrayk and Tristn, and both times those intimacies had been interrupted by another member of the crew. Maureen was worried the Raksha might begin to look down on her for being a slut. Or worse than that, she feared their jealousy might actually bring them to blows over her.

Maureen’s fears, however, were unfounded.

All three of the Raksha were totally at ease. Even Tristn and Jrayk, who were usually at each other’s throats, were laughing and joking like brothers. Maureen allowed herself to relax and simply enjoy the delicious food and pleasant conversation.

The only member of the group who did not share in the carefree mood was Rawn. The shaggy creature seemed troubled. From time to time, Maureen noticed him sniffing the air as if he detected an unpleasant scent. But after some petting and a few morsels from the table, he settled down and flopped his big shaggy head in Maureen’s lap.

More than once during the dinner, Maureen was struck by the strangeness of her situation.

Just a few days ago, she had not even been aware of the existence of life beyond the stars. Now here she was talking and laughing and sharing with three purple alien males, and somehow it felt totally natural. Even her attraction to them, to all three of them, felt natural.

She had never dreamed of such a thing back on Earth. One man had always been enough—more than enough actually, considering the demands of her work. When it came to handsome purple aliens, however, Maureen apparently had a bigger appetite.

But she reminded herself to be careful.

The last thing she needed right now was to get attached to these guys. There could never be anything long-term between them. Soon they would be arriving at Rak, where they would have to go their separate ways. The males had jobs to do, and Maureen had to tackle the nearly impossible task of finding her way back to Earth.

Maureen enjoyed her dinner, but she abstained from drinking more than a single glass of t’lon. After helping with the dishes, she insisted on retiring to her room early and alone, except for Rawn. Everything would be safer and simpler that way.

With Rawn curled up on the floor beside her bed, Maureen settled in for a nice, long sleep. Between the busy day and the food in her belly, she quickly dozed off.

Slumber, however, held dangers of its own.

No sooner had sleep claimed her than dreams arrived. Dark dreams of burning eyes and animal growls and clawed hands that explored her tender flesh, squeezing her naked thighs and buttocks, kneading her bare breasts, pinching her aroused nipples. There were more hands than her addled mind could count.

Maureen?

There were mouths too. So many mouths. Purring mouths with sharp fangs that grazed her vulnerable skin. Hungry mouths that kissed her everywhere—on her lips, on her throat, on her hot and throbbing sex. Wet tongues laved her front and back, between her open legs and between the spread cheeks of her ass. She mewled and writhed in agony and ecstasy.

Maureen…?

Thick fingers entered her, penetrating her gasping mouth, her dripping sex, and even her tight and quivering anus. They explored every inch of her, leaving nothing untouched. Those fingers wrung from her helpless body one devastating climax after another, forcing her to come over and over again until it seemed she would die from the pleasure. She tried to plead for mercy, but all that came out were desperate, wordless moans.

“Maureen, are you okay?”

The low, rumbling voice penetrated the fog of her sleep, and the dark dream fled from her mind like a flock of birds bursting from a tree. She shot upright in her bed, heart thumping, mouth panting, skin filmed with cold sweat.

“Who’s there?” she gasped.

“It’s me, Vaul,” the voice purred. “It sounded like you were having a bad dream.”

The door to her room was open, but the lights in the outer corridor had been dimmed, probably to conserve energy while the passengers slept. Maureen could barely make out the shape of the massive Raksha filling the door, but his glowing orange eyes were visible in the darkness. She could hear Rawn panting, and she sensed his shaggy bulk near her in the darkness too, but he showed no signs of aggression toward Vaul.

“Were you standing outside my door listening?” she asked.

“No. I heard you from my berth. You were quite loud. I thought I had better check on you.”

Maureen was grateful for the darkness which hid the hot blush that burned her cheeks. She was naked beneath the covers, and her body was still buzzing with the imagined climaxes from her dream. Her nipples were painfully erect, and there was extra wetness between her legs that was not mere sweat.

She sighed and pushed her damp hair back from her face.

“Yeah, I guess I was having a…nightmare,” she lied.

“It is understandable. You have been through a lot in the past few days, Maureen.”

She heard the sound of feet, surprisingly soft considering Vaul’s immense size, and his burning eyes moved closer. A moment later, the door sighed shut. If it were Jrayk or Tristn entering her room, Rawn would almost certainly be growling now. But Rawn seemed to trust Vaul for some reason, and he remained silent. Maureen, on the other hand, was not as calm about the intrusion. Her pulse, which had just started to slow down, spiked once again.

“Vaul? What are you doing?”

“Sometimes sleep comes more easily with a companion.”

The bed shifted as Vaul lowered his bulk onto the mattress, and Maureen gasped. She didn’t know the Raksha’s intentions, but she was certain his presence in her bed was not going to help her sleep. She had never been a cuddler. Sex was all well and good, but afterward she needed her personal space. Everybody always made fun of old-school sitcoms like I Love Lucy where the wife and husband slept in separate beds, but Maureen could see the wisdom in that setup.

“Vaul, that’s really not necessary—”

But the Raksha was insistent. He made no attempt to get beneath the covers with Maureen, which was probably a good thing, considering how shamefully wet she was under there. Instead, he bundled her body in the sheets and laid her down on the mattress before covering her with his own big, warm body.

Despite her misgivings, Maureen had to admit it actually felt pretty good, like the world’s best weighted blanket. His scent surrounded her, so similar to that of the other two Raksha, and yet at the same time distinct. That masculine aroma made her feel totally protected and secure, and the slow steady thumping of his heart—no, his two hearts—gradually lulled her back to sleep.

Oh yeah, she could actually get used to this.

Then Vaul had to go and ruin everything by purring.

It wasn’t that Maureen found the sound annoying. Far from it, in fact. There was something about that sound that was comforting and soothing. But it was not conducive to sleep at all. That low, rumbling sound seemed to reach inside her body and touch all of her tenderest inner places, raising her body temperature and coaxing more wetness from between her legs.

Well, damn.

Apparently it was going to be a long night…