"You realize what you are doing to them is wrong, don't you?" Kayla Hero asked. "What you are doing is kidnapping people, forcing dreams upon them and using them for your own selfish needs."

Oh great. This is not the time to p.i.s.s off an alien, Kayla.

Blackie tried to grab eye contact with her, but she was intent with her focus on the screen. He wanted to order her to be quiet, but she had every right to fight for the other people being held in the aliens' web of sensual dreams.

The colorful array on the screen exploded into a magnificent starburst, making them all gasp at the beauty. Blackie swore shimmers of regret raced through him. It was as if he and the alien were somehow connected through the colors.

"This part does not bode well with us, human Kayla. But it is the only way we can mate. We apologize, but it is what it is. When we determine a way to ask permission from the aliens transporting through here, then we will do so. But from our studies of humans, they wish their attractions to go through rituals of dating and the physical attraction that you mentioned previously. You are a stubborn, complicated race."

"I'm sure in your wise ways you can figure out how to get our permission in the future," Kayla prodded.

The colors danced in a way that made Blackie happy. The alien was trying to restrain Kayla's anger through those colors and it was working. Her defiant stance seemed more subdued.

These aliens had too much influence over them and they'd better get the h.e.l.l out of here as fast as they could. NASA would have to be told, and hopefully they could figure out a way to neutralize the situation or come to some sort of agreement with the aliens about safe, unaffected pa.s.sage through this wormhole.

"At your request, we will continue to search for a way."

Kayla nodded. "Good. I thank you for that."

"There's no changing your mind to let all the others go then?" Blackie broke in.

"Interfering in their dream states could prove dangerous to us and to them. We do not wish to harm any life form. We need them healthy. We will release them when we have completed our mating."

Great. Just f.u.c.king great.

He was about to ask the alien exactly how many of them were in this wormhole, but she interrupted his thoughts.

"To ensure our continued safety, the coordinates to our existence in this part of your wormhole will be dissolved from all your s.p.a.ceship's logs. There is no negotiating on the matter."

The colorful array on the screen flickered and disappeared, leaving them with the view of the s.p.a.ceships floating quietly in s.p.a.ce.

Blackie's gut hollowed out in disappointment as he stared at the screen. The occupants of those ships would be on their own for now. He couldn't afford to keep the rest of them here much longer. He didn't even know if the aliens would keep their word and let them leave safely or if they were placating everyone and would attack them while they slept. A tinge of anxiety intermingled with a wave of impatience. They needed to leave this place at once.

"She's gone," Kinley said.

Sadness etched her face. But he couldn't afford to soothe her right now. Time was of the essence.

"There's nothing we can do to help them. If we stick around, they could tamper with our brains again. We could be stuck here forever. The only way to help them is to get ourselves out of here safely and hope NASA can figure out the coordinates. Any objections?" he asked.

No one said a word.

"Good," he said. "Now, let's get the f.u.c.k out of here."

Taylor punched in the recent coordinates Buck Hero had just sent him, signifying Buck's ship had managed to pull free of the anomaly. Now it was their turn to try.

"Coordinates in. Everybody hold on. It's going to be a rough few minutes," he called. He didn't know who he was talking to. Everyone on board his ship was strapped into their sleep pods. He had Kinley, Blackie, and of course, Taylor had insisted Kayla come along with him. The other two ships had already left the wormhole, signaling back that they'd left without a problem.

Joe and Annie had gone with Ben and Jacey in the s.p.a.ceship the Hero women had shown up in. And Piper, Jarod, Buck and Virginia had left in the ship the Hero brothers had arrived in.

Even with the aliens' explanation about what had gone on and why they'd screwed with the area of the brain where their s.e.xual fantasies were centered, he was glad it had happened. If they hadn't been locked in this anomaly, then he may never have met Kayla.

"Here we go," he whispered and pressed the b.u.t.ton that would take them into hyper-speed. He clutched the armrests on his chair as the s.p.a.ceship began to rattle. In a split second, the other s.p.a.ceships stuck in the wormhole disappeared and silver streaks zipped along the otherwise black screen. Everything fell silent and the ship hummed along at top speed.

Taylor sighed a heavy breath of relief. The silver streaks were stars. Man, he'd never been so happy to see stars in his life.

"We're alone, big boy."

Kayla's seductive whisper smoothed like a piece of silk over Taylor's senses and he reacted, big-time. Blood pulsed into his c.o.c.k and every nerve inside him slammed into alert mode. She chuckled as she came up to where he was seated. "I definitely got the big boy part right, didn't I?"

She screeched as he grabbed her by the wrist, dragged her around to the front of his chair and hurled her onto his lap. She wasn't wearing any clothing.

The burn of her p.u.s.s.y against the length of his clothed, hard shaft had them both gasping. Her eyes blazed as his gaze captured hers.

"Do it just like the first time," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with amus.e.m.e.nt and l.u.s.t.

Taylor grinned. In a way this was their first time, wasn't it?

She wiggled off his lap and bent over, giving him a luscious view of her p.u.s.s.y.

Oh yeah, just like the first time.

Blackie's heart thudded a mile a minute as he stalked toward Kinley's sleep pod. He'd programmed his pod to awaken him the instant the computer read that Taylor had gone to sleep. He'd wanted to gaze at Kinley one more time before they went into sleep stasis for the duration of the trip back to Earth.

Would they ever be together again? She'd been attacked back on Earth and tried to suppress her memories...until she'd freaked out on Paradise. Okay, correct that, it hadn't been Paradise. It had all been in their minds. But was there really a difference? Wasn't their love for each other what truly mattered?

He sensed they would be in for some tough times back on Earth, but he would stick with her. They would get through this together. He loved her like he'd never loved another woman. She warmed his heart and was the one for him.

As he approached her sleep pod, he froze. Kinley wasn't there. What the h.e.l.l was going on? Where was she? Panic zipped through him like a rocket as he turned to search the ship.

"Hey, loverboy. Looking for me?"

Her s.e.xy voice swept into his bloodstream, making his heart hum. She was sitting on the bridge in his captain chair. She looked gorgeous. Her tangled brown hair swept around her shoulders and she wore a white terrycloth bathrobe. Her long legs were crossed and she tossed him an amazing smile that rocked him right down to his core.

"What are you up to?" he asked as he walked toward her.

"Waiting for you to get up." She dropped her gaze to the area between his thighs and wiggled her eyebrows. "In more ways than one."

She wanted s.e.x? Now? Gosh, with everything she'd been through, she still looked and acted like herself.

"Are you sure about this? I mean, after what you told the aliens and everything you've experienced here and back on Earth...what they did to us was without our permission. It was another violation."

Blackie regretted the flash of pain flaring in her eyes. But then the pain was gone, replaced by a mischief he hadn't seen before. He liked it.

She shook her head. "They let me see I needed to get help to deal with what I went through. I'll get it. That doesn't mean I can't and don't love you. Because I really do love you and, right now, I really need for you to make love to me. Love me."

Oh man.

He shouldn't take advantage of her vulnerability like this. He really shouldn't. She'd been through too much.

She stood, her hand falling to the knot on the sash of her robe.

"We're going to be away from each other for a long time, Blackie. I want something sweet and s.e.xy to remember what we have. Something real. Not just dream s.e.x."

Oh boy, her bold side sure did turn him on. A lot. But still...he dropped his gaze, unable to think of how to handle this situation.

"Blackie, look at me, baby. Don't be afraid of us. I can deal with this. You can deal with this. If you want to."

"Oh sweetness, you have my heart."

"I want your body too."

Okay, he could see where she was going with this. She was testing him. Wanted to see where she stood with him. She needed to know he still loved her. That what they had experienced in their minds was really and truly valid.

He smiled and reached for the knot on her sash.

A blast of heat enveloped Kinley as Blackie untied her sash. Her robe fell open and his hands seared against her waist. As she looked into his eyes, she could tell he told her the truth. She held his heart. He loved her.

The aliens had asked her if she wanted what had happened to her back on Earth erased from her memory. She'd said no. That horrible experience was a part of her now. She was permanently scarred from that night but she had survived. For a long time it had turned her off to men and s.e.x, but the aliens had allowed her to remember her need for love. The love of a good man. And Blackie was good.

She could see it in his eyes. In the scorching way he gazed at her, and that look didn't have anything to do with the hot s.e.x they'd shared in their minds. He loved her.

She waited anxiously while he slipped out of his white uniform. She'd always loved a guy in a uniform, but this guy she loved more out of uniform. When he stood in front of her, totally naked, he shifted uneasily as if he wasn't sure what to do.

Understandable. This reality was new to both of them.

Reaching out, she slid her hands over his chest, the soft hairs and hot, sleek, silky-hard muscles.

"Condom," he gasped, as she moved alongside him, loving the warm burn of his erection as it pressed against her p.u.s.s.y.

"I have one in my robe pocket," she whispered. She made a move to reach for it, but his hand was already there, digging it out. She smiled when his c.o.c.k twitched like a wild serpent as he ripped the foil and rolled on the condom.

"Do you think there is room for two in my sleep pod?" she asked. "I don't want to be alone."

"As long as you have me, baby, you'll never be alone."

From the intense way his eyes twinkled, Kinley knew he spoke the truth. Confidence and happiness embraced and hugged her tightly.

His head dipped and his finger tipped her chin upward. As his warm lips melted over her mouth, he slid his c.o.c.k into her and she was already home.

About the Author.

Jan Springer lives in Ontario, Canada and writes full time. She enjoys kayaking, hiking, photography and gardening. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Pa.s.sionate Ink and The Author's Guild. She loves hearing from her readers.

Jan welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and e-mail addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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