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SHE HEARD A COMMOTION in the hallway outside of their home.
“Leah?”
It wasn’t necessary for Trance to yell out her name. He was noisy enough when he scrambled into the apartment, as if he’d run down the hallway and bashed in the door when it didn’t open fast enough.
“Yes?” She came out of the bedroom, where she’d just made the bed.
“What were Shawn and Tempest doing here? She sent me a communication that they’d talked to you and it was up to you whether you wanted to relay the discussion. Did they upset you? They had no business coming around without your sponsor here.”
“Trance, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. A sponsor is here to protect you, to help you integrate.”
“I’m all right. Really. And they’re right. I probably would have hidden what I knew if you’d have been here.”
She ignored the hurt look on his face. She was sorry to hurt him, she really was.
“But if you want to hear it, I’d like to share it with you. As a friend. Not as a sponsor because I’m required to tell you everything.”
He took a deep breath. “Of course as a friend, Leah. I’ll always be your friend. I’m sorry I was mad when I saw your husband. I just thought it should have been something I heard from you. As your friend,” he added quickly.
“Okay.” She nodded and he sat down on the sofa next to her. “What I admitted is noticing that Brock’s beatings became more and more violent. He was a stalker at first and I didn’t realize it until after we were married. At first the beatings were mild. He would apologize profusely and even got to the point where he’d beg me not to set him off so he wouldn’t hurt me. He didn’t want to hurt me, after all. I was his treasure. His prized possession.” He voice became mocking. “But lately he’d lost that fear. Shawn and Tempest figured out why.”
Trance’s gorgeous face was unreadable. There was no surprise that she admitted to the beatings, although, to be fair, it wasn’t like they were a secret any more. But she appreciated the fact that he tried to keep his face unemotional so she wouldn’t think he judged her. “Go on. Please.”
She took a deep breath before blurting it out. “He has a top of the line insurance policy on me. Paid for with my own money, no less. The policy is why we’ve gone broke, though I thought it was because of a gambling problem. It’s so high end, it’s rarely heard of and covers all manners of death. Suicide. Accidents. Murder.”
“So he can kill you and get away with it?”
“Essentially. He’ll be tried for my murder, of course. But with a million credits rolling in monthly, he can afford the best attorneys in the world. That’ll make his prison sentence easier since he can afford to donate to certain individuals to receive a stay in certain facilities. He can pay for his own incarceration, which means he can keep himself from general population. Hell, if he sends a judge’s kid to college, he can get a shorter sentence. All in all, he could easily be out in five to seven years and enjoy the rest of his life as a very wealthy man while I’m six feet under.”
“Wow. And your place in testifying at the trial is what?”
“To make sure all of those details come out. It’s about exposing the life insurance policies so this doesn’t happen to others in the future. The world needs to know I went broke so my husband could plan my murder. And while he may have been thwarted, there may be someone else who picks up where he left off.”
“I’m sorry, Leah. We have a couple of Xeno Sapiens with camouflage abilities. I’d kill to have that power.”
She cracked a smile, though it felt brittle and false. “Wouldn’t mind that one so much myself, Trance.”
“Thank you for sharing your story with me. I know it’s been hard for you to let out details of your life.”
“Yes, it has been. But not because I don’t want you to know. It’s mostly because I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid as to get myself into a mess this deep. I’m a normal intelligent woman. How did I become an abused wife?” She shook her head. “So anything I’m not forthcoming about is because of my shame. Nothing else.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed over. You’re a beautiful, graceful, amazing woman. You’re free now.”
“I know. I was just so stupid as to not see it.”
“Many Xeno Sapiens felt shame also. Even though we had no control over what we were forced to do in captivity. Logically we knew were not at fault but the guilt remained. A lot of people found therapy in talking to someone helped. Maybe you should consult with Robyn? She keeps the conversations confidential.”
“I’ll consider it.”
She wouldn’t. What Trance didn’t understand was Robyn was her employer. If she revealed horrors in her sessions, Robyn may decide she was too much trouble to keep protected in Xenia. There were other chefs she could hire instead of dealing with her.
“Do,” he urged. “Your friend Tempest sees her. I’ve seen her.”
“You?”
“Yes, me. There isn’t much she can do for me. My power is too invasive. While Tempest can control her power because it’s physical, mine can’t be controlled. It’s caused me a loss of friendships because others pull away from me.”
“What is your power?”
“Xeno Sapiens are comprised of different types of aliens, with their human DNA in common. Somehow, and the details aren’t public, we’re able to telepathically link. The link could include all of us, or it could reach a select few for a more private link. The only person who was able to delve into links when she wasn’t invited was Lily, back when she was a teenager. When she became an adult, she understood etiquette and made the active choice not to invade private links. I don’t have that choice. I invade people’s minds without meaning to.”
“So Xeno Sapiens snub you because of that? Not deliberately, but because they’re embarrassed about having private conversations invaded?”
“Pretty much.”
She laid her hand on top of his. “I’m sorry, Trance.”
In response, he flipped his hand over to grip hers. “Don’t worry. I’ve gotten used to being a loner. And for that reason, I understand you.”
She liked the feeling of her hand in his—too much. For that reason she squeezed his hand gently and then broke connection so she could stand. “I picked up a few things at the commissary. Are you hungry? I can whip up something in twenty minutes.”
“I can eat,” he said, standing also. “But I’ll shower. I worked up a sweat running straight here when Tempest sent a message that they were talking to you. I didn’t want you to feel cornered or trapped.”
“So when you say sent a message, that’s the telepathic link?”
He nodded. “Tempest interprets for Shawn because he’s human. Steele interprets for Robyn. Renegade for Amanda.”
“I see.”
With a small smile, he left her for the back of the apartment, and she headed toward the kitchen.
“I’ll leave the bathroom door open so we can talk,” Trance called out, and then flipped the water on.
She’d been about to protest that he didn’t need to leave the door open, but then didn’t bother. Xeno Sapiens in general thought differently. And poor Trance, while not as befuddled as Tempest when it came to relationships, was enjoying his first friendship.
No wonder he’d been so upset with her when he found out she was married. It wasn’t necessarily only that he was crushing on her romantically, but he felt betrayed by their blossoming friendship.
Lunch was about done. She was putting the final touches on it, aware that the shower had long stopped. In fact, he’d called out things here and there, asking her what she was fixing, what she wanted to do the rest of the day. Offered to show her around the city, which she’d taken him up on.
She looked up as he walked by—strolling naked as the day he was born. She had the perfect side view of his muscular body. His round, firm ass. So gorgeous he took her breath away for a second.
Then she squealed and jerked her mind from the gutter. “Trance, you’re naked!”
He turned to her fully. “Yeah?” A look of puzzlement crossed his features.
Good Lord.
Shocked that he’d faced her, she squeezed her eyes closed.
But what the hell was that below his waist? It...moved.
“Leah? What’s wrong?”
“You’re naked,” she gasped.
“Yes. Just drying off completely before I dress again. Does it make you uncomfortable?” He was completely, undeniably baffled.
“Humans don’t go naked around each other.” She didn’t want to peek...but she was so tempted to peek.
“But we’re friends. No? I’m sorry. I’ll cover up.”
Giving up on her curiosity, she opened her eyes a bare crack to see his hands over his privates as he backed away. His face was flushed deep purple. She felt awful. Just when they’d made strides, she embarrassed him.
He took longer than she thought to dress. She went into their bedroom after a soft rap on the door. As she expected, he was seated at the window seat, staring outside. Fully dressed. She sat down next to him.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? For me embarrassing you?”
“No. For acting like a prudish human who’s never seen a man naked. In my defense, I’ve never seen a Xeno Sapien naked. It startled me and I reacted with embarrassment. But it wasn’t you.” She took a deep breath. “I was embarrassed by my own curiosity.” Sexual arousal was more like it but she wasn’t yet ready to admit that.
“I know I’m somewhat different from a human. We had basic anatomy classes before humans were allowed in Xenia. I should not have expected that you would be okay with nudity just because we’d agreed to be friends.”
“We are friends. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You’re different all right. But at first, my eyes were glued to your entire form before my brain kicked in and I wondered how...well, how you worked. And now I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Did you find me interesting?” His beautiful eyes glittered, as curious to know what she thought as she was to learn about his differences.
“Gorgeous is more like it.” She grinned so he wouldn’t think she was flirting. “Did your anatomy classes go over the differences in sexual compatibility?” Oh, no. That came across wrong. So wrong. “I mean...between you and other Xeno species?”
“Yes. Every species is somewhat different. We’ve learned about each other and about pleasing humans.”
“Do you—I mean, does it embarrass you—I mean, is it too personal—”
His laughter rang out. “Now it is you who is embarrassed?”
She nodded sheepishly. “Because I’m so curious. And it shouldn’t be any of my business. But I got one look at it before I clamped my eyes closed and friends don’t ask each other about their personal bits.”
“I don’t mind,” he said. “I spent a lot of time naked. It’s more of a fact of life for us. I don’t consider it improper for you to ask. Would you like to see me again?”
Her eyes flew up to his. He was serious. He was so fricken serious. Could she be brave?
“Can I?” she whispered. “Just once? Just to ease my curiosity. I’ll never ask again.”
He stood while she stayed seated. Her eyes were lined up with his crotch when he reached out and lifted his shirt. His pants hung low on his hips. Under his waistband, a tiny trail of hair disappeared. A fascinatingly lickable ridge of muscles tapered down into his pants. Her mouth grew dry.
Slowly he unzipped.
She should look away. She shouldn’t be so fascinated. But she told herself it was flat out curiosity. Nothing more. Nothing less.
He pushed his cargo pants over his hips to his bulky thighs. And there, right there up close and personal was the fascination she’d looked at for a split second.
“What?” she whispered.
As she spoke, the squirming, twisting bulge at his groin grew. The twisting veins bulged, filling with blood and grew together, like a writhing mass of tentacles working under the flesh.
“You don’t have a cock?”
“Sure I do. This is it.” He grinned. “Stare at it a little harder. You’ll see what it can do.”
“Can I—” she extended one finger out and then froze. Oh, god. She’d been about to ask if she could touch it.
His breath hitched but his voice was even when he said, “That would certainly work faster than just staring at it.”
Oh. By staring at it, he’d meant that it would turn him on. Make an erection. Even though there wasn’t a cock like she was used to. It was completely inappropriate to touch a friend’s privates. But she found she couldn’t help herself. Especially when she considered she’d never have another opportunity like this.
“Just think of me as a doctor,” she said.
“I’m trying.” His voice sounded strangled.
She traced one of the racing veins and a groan fell from his mouth. It almost felt like he exploded under her touch. The hard mass shifted, lifting, pointing. Growing, definitely growing into a shape. No, lifting. It was as if his cock had been hidden within the skin somehow. Something burst from the top of the bulge, almost like a tentacle. But it was thick, like a cock. With a different shaped head, more concave. Still, it wasn’t long enough to be a dick.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t understand how you have sex. I need it explained to me.”
“That would probably be best. Because having you study me, your mouth so close, your scent, your touch—it’s torture,” he gritted.
Her eyes were wide when she stared up at him, aware of how inappropriate it was.
“Let me give you a quick lesson,” he said. “This is my—what you would call testicles. It houses sperm.” He pointed to the odd-shaped, mouth-like, penis thing. “In my species, they have a dual purpose. They have more nerve endings than traditional testicles that house testes. A female is attracted to the suction. She presses her clitoris here—drawn by some sort of instinct. Some sort of innate pheromone? You’ll find it’s an uncontrollable reaction. You’ll press yourself here and the suction begins. My testicles suck your clitoris.”
Ahh, hence the reason for the stem-like apparatus. It helped the body parts reach each other.
“And then, as you’re enjoying that, and trust me, it’s just as pleasurable for me, the rest of this mound,” he stroked his hand over the writhing mass of muscles, making it grow and twitch, “pulsates. It reshapes to your body. It fills you, stretches you, and conforms to the curves within you. Each movement it produces brings us both immeasurable pleasure.”
“It becomes cock-like inside me?”
He nodded. “Personalized. Though to be fair, I’ve never seen another’s cock in action. But I’ve had no complaints.”
“You’ve had girlfriends?”
His face shut down. “Not technically. I’ve had experiences. Remember my lack of friendships? It extends to my relationships when I invade their links. But I did hear one female say it was so worth the experience.” He grinned, all male. “I’ll rock your world.”
The muscles of his groin were starting to soften, the testicle apparatus drawing back into his body.
“It forms a hardened shell, which protects me.”
She looked down again, wanting to see that.
“Don’t stare at it. It’s just going to get hard again.”
She laughed at the pain in his voice and the tension subsided when he laughed with her. “How do you pee?”
“He comes out to pee. Trust me.” His voice was wry. At her silence, he added, “No way am I gonna let you watch me pee. No matter how sweetly you ask.”
“Really?” She grinned. “Cause you just showed me your dick when I asked.”
His cheeks purpled a bit. “I’m going to have to work on resisting you.”
Very slowly, he brought his pants up over his sex, zipping them, re-fastening the button. She was actually sad that their moment was done.
“Trance?”
“Yeah, Leah?”
“Thanks for showing me.”
“Anytime. Let me know if you want to touch again,” he mocked, back to being male.
She rolled her eyes even though the idea titillated her.
