"I'm fine, Aeryn. Are you hurt bad?" I could tell from her voice that she was a little anxious.

"It hurts like h.e.l.l..." I looked up into the violet eyes of my Protector and felt a peace wash over me. "I think I'm gonna pa.s.s out." The elevator began to spin and I hoped that I would keep the meager lunch I'd had down. All I remember was stopping at the bottom of the shaft and my Protector picking me up. When had he become my protector? I wondered. I could hear the voices in my head, but this time the message was actual words.

Sleep, my darling, sleep. All will be well.

163.

Violet Visions * * * *

I awoke and looked around at my surroundings. The room had large doors that opened to what would have been known as lanai on Earth. The temperature was warm and pleasant. I leaned back on my elbows to get a look outside and noticed that there was no pain where I had gotten shot. Sitting up on the side of the bed, I was surprised to find that I was in a diaphanous gown of blue with my nipples jutting out. I stood up slowly as I didn't know if I'd have any after-effects from my wound.

I felt fine...actually more than fine...I felt the best I'd ever felt. There were absolutely no twinges or pain at all from where the blaster had hit me. I felt a gentle breeze coming from the lanai and decided to see more of the world that I now found myself on. Walking out, I leaned against the railing, awed. Earth was beautiful and so was Araelus Prime but in a very different way.

The water that lapped the sh.o.r.e below me was the most beautiful green I had ever seen. The sky was more greenish turquoise than blue, and the vegetation was every color of the rainbow. It was almost too much for my senses to all take in.

"When the first explorers arrived, the colors almost made them crazy."

I recognized that voice and closed my eyes. Even if I never saw the face, I knew that this voice could seduce me the rest of my life. I took in a shuddering breath. "When was that?" I questioned.

"The colonists from Earth came to this planet with the first wave. Have you ever heard of the first wave campaign?"

This time the voice was closer, a mere whisper in my ear. "I know a lot of history, but I have to admit that I don't remember 164 eXtasy's Collective Mind that one." He nuzzled my neck. "I know who you are," I said and allowed him to touch and caress me.

He sighed then and turned me slowly toward him. "I never meant to frighten you. And I certainly never meant for you to be hurt."

I couldn't bring myself to look at him yet and gazed at the floor. "That wasn't your fault. It seems that there are a lot of crazy humans around. Yet you were my Protector. Why me?"

"That is something I don't know." He put his finger under my chin and gently raised my face. "You can open your eyes. You know basically what I look like except my face."

Sucking in a big breath, I couldn't help but hold it. "I know but this is all so new to me."

"And to me," he answered and leaned in to kiss me gently on the lips.

It was as if the floodgates were released. My arms twined around his neck and I pulled him into a deeper kiss. This was what I had been missing, this was what my body and soul needed to heal itself. My hand reached under his shirt and I began to caress him, when he pulled back slightly.

"I need to tell you my name, Aeryn Connor, or the mating won't be considered permanent."

I looked up into his eyes. And they were a beautiful shade of purple as was his skin. His hair was jet black with a slight purple cast and hung in dreadlocks down his shoulders. For some reason, it looked a h.e.l.l of a lot better on him than anyone else I had ever seen. His face was a work of art, all chiseled in the right places with wonderful lips. I already knew that his body was muscular and he towered over me a good six inches.

I stopped and waited for him to make the next move.

"My name is Kadell el-Duquat and I take you Aeryn Connor as my mate. Do you accept the rite of umkata according to Araelian 165 Violet Visions law?"

"Can you explain it to me?" I whispered.

"Umkata is the ancient rite of taking one's mate. Certain needs must be fulfilled and met before we are joined together forever."

There was that word again. "What do you mean needs?"

He looked down at me. "You will have to trust me on this. I can tell you that I would never willingly hurt you. Everything done in umkata is done by mutual consent."

There it was, in a nutsh.e.l.l. I would have to trust someone I had really just met even though he had been calling me for years.

"Where is Diana?"

"She is already in the process of umkata as she was very ill.

Still, she gave her consent to the ritual. It will heal all her ills."

"It was the one who carried her, wasn't it?" I turned and looked down at the water. "You're not just telling me this to get me to agree, are you?"

"Yes, Janka is the one that is to be her mate. And no. I would have no reason to lie to you. I desire and want you, regardless of your friend's position."

I swallowed hard. I had never committed myself to anything in my life except dancing. "Will I have to give up my dancing?"

"You would dance only for me."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed." He reached in front of me and pulled my body to his.

"I'm used to taking care of myself."

"I know but I'm hoping that you can forge a place for yourself within my family. We will never force you to do anything you don't want to do."

His hands began to caress me, touching my b.r.e.a.s.t.s with exquisite tenderness. "What does your family do?" I was 166 eXtasy's Collective Mind thoroughly enjoying what he did to me as he kissed my neck.

"My father is the Prime Minister of Araelus Prime."

My breath caught. "Wh-what?"

"You would be wife to an up and coming politician. Is that a problem?"

All my life I had been low key and never tried to draw attention to myself. Maybe that was because of what I had done as a living. "Won't your family be ashamed of me?"

"There is no shame in surviving. There's no shame in s.e.x.

Everyone does what they need to do to make their life work for them. I might be a little disappointed that you found yourself in a position to have s.e.x with someone today but still it was a situation which needed a solution." He turned me back to face him. "We still have to see if we're compatible."

I looked up into his adoring eyes. This man adored me for reasons neither of us knew. Would it be so wrong to want something this special? This unique? "And if we're not?"

"We've never had a case of incompatibility between humans and Araelians." He leaned in to kiss me but I stopped him.

"Still...if we're not compatible...what happens?"

It stopped him short. "I suppose we go back to our lives, mateless. And we'd be lonely forever. I don't know if we'd get bonding sickness again."

I swallowed hard. I couldn't-wouldn't-let this chance go by. "Alright, let's see if we're compatible."

Gently, his hands cupped my face. "You need to tell me."

"I desire to enter the rite of umkata with you, Kadell, in hopes of finding my forever mate."

Slowly, he leaned down and kissed me, his tongue seducing mine in a mating dance as old as time and it didn't matter what species but this one seemed to be very compatible with humans.

I ran my hands once again under his loose shirt and I quickly 167 Violet Visions found his nipples. Plucking them to hard nubs, I realized that he had two sets.

"When we arrived, we had to adapt a little. Things weren't as they seemed from far away."

I just grunted, knowing I would find out what he meant some other time when I quelled the need to touch him. Reaching down into his pants, I jerked my hands back. "What the-?"

"Another adaptation. We needed to keep our mates and the only way our species could adapt to this foreign place was to make sure that once a woman had s.e.x with us, she'd never want for another. Why don't we go to the bed so we can explore each other at our leisure?"

I nodded, as I didn't trust my voice to answer him. Once there, he sat me down and gently sat beside me. Reaching over, he rained kisses on my face and my neck, tugging on my gown.

"I would like this gone."

It was more of a statement than a request. "Sure, as long as I get to undress you too."

"That sounds more than fair."

I stood and allowed him to pull my gown over my head. His mouth began to worship my body even before the flimsy piece of material had hit the floor. Arching into him, I realized just how dexterous his tongue was as he laved my nipples. He continued his downward path and rimmed my bellyb.u.t.ton.

"Strange that after all these generations, we all still have our tie to our mother." He looked up at me. "Please lie down."

Again, it was almost a command but not quite, as I had the feeling that if I had said no, it would stop right here until I was ready. "Let me undress you."

"I want to taste you first. Then you can look at me."

He pushed me gently down, and immediately continued his descent downward. My body arched in antic.i.p.ation and I can say 168 eXtasy's Collective Mind I wasn't disappointed. It was as if his tongue knew my every need as it became rough like sand paper and soft when it became too much. His large fingers rubbed inside both of my holes and I moaned with intense pleasure.

"I must prepare you," he whispered against me.

"For what?" I questioned breathless.

"For pleasure beyond your wildest dreams," he answered and continued to work my body.

"Please," I begged. "Let me see you."

Stopping his tongue, his fingers continued to plunder my body as he rested his chin on my lower stomach. "If I let you, you must promise to complete the ritual."

A flicker of fear raced across my mind but dispelled easily.

"I'm not worried."

He levered himself off the bed and scooted up. Rolling him onto his back, I began to leave a trail of kisses down his muscular chest and stomach. This man's body was to die for and nothing he could show me would make me feel different.

Leisurely, I pulled down his trousers and looked at his body.

Instead of one appendage, he had two and a nub above what I saw as the main p.e.n.i.s. The lower appendage seem to have a life of its own as it undulated slowly. As I stared at him, the color of his appendages got darker.

"Are those what I think they are for?" I questioned.

"Remember, we had to evolve to keep our women. What better way than to give them pleasure?"

This must be one of those compatibility things, I thought, and leaned closer to him to get a better look. The main appendage was definitely a large p.e.n.i.s. Leaning down, I placed my mouth over him and felt the head grow larger. Some things didn't change. r.i.m.m.i.n.g him with my tongue, I happily elicited a moan from him. Taking his large b.a.l.l.s in my hand, I gently rolled them 169 Violet Visions and felt him tense.

"Please," Kadell whispered, "I'd like to be in you."

I nodded my head in agreement, as I too breathed heavily after our oral encounter. Pulling me up to him, I wasn't amazed that he pulled himself over me.

"This first time I have to be on top. Once the ritual is complete, we can make love in any position we want."

"Make love...that sounds so strange," I murmured.

"No one has made love to you before?" he questioned.

"No, Kadell, you'll be the first. I've had s.e.x but I've never made love."

"Then this really will be special." Gently, he entered me.

"Once I am inside, I will grow even larger still. Then my other appendages will work with me to make this a pleasant experience. I am actually glad that you aren't a virgin. Hopefully, this won't be so painful for you."

Again, that flicker of fear flashed in my mind as he entered my body. He was quite large as it was and I couldn't imagine him getting larger. Slowly, he began to move and my inner G spot felt him from the first thrust, as he was also long. Moaning I could feel the pressure build as my o.r.g.a.s.m approached. Then there was a change and I felt him begin to grow in size till he was to my way of thinking, uncomfortably wedged within me.

"Sorry, if I am hurting you."

"It's a little uncomfortable."

"It will get a little more so before it's over. I will let your body get used to me before I go on."

As if on cue, his other appendages began moving and prodding. The upper one began working on my c.l.i.t and the lower one worked moisture into my backside. Soon, I didn't care how much he had stretched me as my body was being filled to the limit. His lower appendage moved gently in and out of my 170 eXtasy's Collective Mind a.s.s, each stroke bringing me more and more pleasure. The upper hard nub seemed to have the slow-fast motion down that drove my c.l.i.t, and ultimately me, wild.

"Aeryn, I've got to complete the rite now." I looked up at him sure my eyes were filled with need and pleasure. "You need to concentrate. Aeryn Connor, tell me that you accept all of me, and my seed. That our lives will be joined forever from this day."

I was almost breathless. "I accept you."

Suddenly, he began to pump furiously into me. And still his c.o.c.k grew bigger. Just when I felt as if I would be split asunder, I felt him squirt his j.i.s.m deep inside of me. The burning began almost immediately.

"It burns," I cried.

"I know, sweetheart, I know. It will only be this first time.

Please just ride with it and allow it to consume you."

My whole body felt as if it were on fire but his body still stroked me, building me higher toward the inevitable explosion of pleasure. Pumping into me at a slower pace now, he continued to squirt his seed into me. Slowly, a deep sensation began to build in me as the burning began to subside just a little.

A pleasurable tension in my womb, c.l.i.t, and a.s.s replaced it.