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  “Ugh!” Mei-Li shivered involuntarily at the mental image of Dungston’s blood pooling all over her front porch. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “You are my responsibility now, Mei-Li—mine to care for and protect. Every drop of your blood—every hair on your head—is precious to me.” His steel gray eye flashed silver. “I will not allow anyone to harm you again—you have my word as a Kindred and an Enhanced One on that.”

  “All right. Um…thank you.” For some reason his words and the intense way he was looking at her made her feel breathless and flushed.

  “You are welcome.” He held her gaze for a long time and Mei-Li wanted desperately to look away but found that she couldn’t. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her hands were shaking so badly she clenched them in her lap, trying to hide her trembling.

  At last Six turned his attention back to her knee. “I believe your wound is clean now. It is time to seal it.”

  “Oh good. Do you have a Band-Aid?” She looked critically down at her knee. The gash was no longer bleeding but it still looked deep. “I guess it would have to be a pretty big one, though to cover all that.”

  He frowned. “A band-what?”

  “A bandage with adhesive on it,” she explained. “It sticks to the wound until it heals and then you peal it off.”

  “So it only covers the wound and then you have to wait for it to heal? It doesn’t actually knit the flesh together again?”

  Mei-Li shrugged. “Well…no. I mean, it’s just a Band-Aid, not a miracle bandage or anything.”

  “That sounds like a poor sort of sealant,” Six remarked.

  Mei-Li put a hand on her hip. “Well, it’s what we have on Earth for first aid. Why, do you have something better? Some bandage that will heal me instantly?”

  “I do have something of the sort but it is not a bandage.”

  He lifted a small squeeze bottle with a long glass nozzle which was three quarters full of purple liquid. Mei-Li thought she understood.

  “Hey, is that some kind of wound glue, like they use in the hospital sometimes?” she asked nervously. “Like Krazy Glue for cuts? Because I’ve heard that stuff really stings and it’s only good for shallow cuts so if you’re going to try to—”

  She stopped speaking abruptly when Six raised the bottle to his lips and squirted a dollop of the purple liquid into his mouth. He swished it around as though it was mouthwash and then spat a small amount into the bowl of blue cleanser.

  “What in the world?” Mei-Li murmured, watching the strange display. “What are you going to—”

  This time her words ended in a gasp because Six had leaned forward, grasped her calf, and licked a long trail over her wounded knee.

  “Hey!” Mei-Li jerked her leg away indignantly—or would have if the big Kindred hadn’t had such a firm hold on it. As it was, all she succeeded in doing was kneeing him in the chin.

  “Ow.” Six sat back, frowning, and rubbed his jaw with his free hand. “Why did you do that?”

  “What do you mean, why did I do that? You freaking licked me, you big pervert!” Mei-Li pulled at her leg again. “Let me go!”

  “Not until you are healed. Which will never be accomplished unless you hold still and let me continue.”

  “Let you continue? Are you crazy?”

  “No, I’m trying to heal you.” He spoke with strained patience, as though he was talking to a not-very-bright three year old. “Why won’t you hold still and let me?”

  Mei-Li crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, just because you ‘claimed’ me and got me up here all alone on your ship doesn’t mean you can do anything you want. I mean, I appreciate you being sweet and cleaning my cut but I’m not just going to jump in bed with you the first night we’re together—or any night for that matter.”

  His forehead furrowed in obvious confusion. “Why would I wish us to bounce on the sleeping platform together? Is that what you do on Earth for entertainment?”

  “Bounce on the what?”

  “The sleeping platform—what you call a bed. Why should we wish to jump or bounce on the bed together?”

  His words brought to mind the sleep overs she’d had as a little girl when she and her best friend Molly had jumped on the bed and had loud, laughing pillow fights. The idea of doing that with the huge Kindred warrior was just ludicrous.

  “You don’t get it, do you?” she said. “When I said ‘jump into bed’ I didn’t mean it literally. It’s a way to say I won’t, you know…” She gestured aimlessly with one hand. God, she really didn’t want to be discussing this with him right now.

  “Oh…” His face cleared. “I understand now. Did you think I was trying to have sexual relations with you a moment ago?”

  “Well…yes.” Mei-Li felt her cheeks getting hot. “Weren’t you?”

  “No—I was simply trying to seal your wound.”

  “But you were licking me. Licking my thigh. Well, close to my thigh, anyway.”

  Six shook his head. “I understand your confusion but it is not yet our tasting week. I was not attempting to lick you in a sexual manner—I was simply trying to heal you.”

  Tasting week? What the hell is that? Mei-Li wanted to ask, but she needed to figure out what was happening with the knee licking before she went off on a tangent.

  “I still don’t get it,” she said. “How is licking me supposed to seal my wound?”

  “It’s Tolleg medical tech,” Six explained. “They use their tongues for most medical procedures and so their technology—this sealant—is activated by compounds in the saliva. That is why I have to put it in my mouth first and then apply it with my tongue.”

  “That’s weird,” Mei-Li said flatly. “I mean, I don’t want to be disrespectful to your culture but why would anyone make medicine that’s activated by saliva?”

  “When you meet the Tollegs you will understand. But it isn’t just the saliva—the compound also requires multiple strokes of the tongue, over and around the wound site to stimulate the flesh to knit together.”

  “So…you don’t just want to lick me, you want to lick me a lot,” Mei-Li said flatly. “For a long time…all over my knee and thigh.”

  Six nodded, as though it was no big deal. “Exactly.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry but I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t have to like it,” he said patiently. “You just have to hold still and let me heal you. Will you do that?”

  Mei-Li looked away and nibbled nervously on her lower lip. She really didn’t want to let him do this. Not just because it was weird, though. Because it made her feel…strange. She was pretty sure if some random guy off the street had asked to lick her leg, she would have been disgusted. With Six, she didn’t feel disgusted or repulsed. She felt…well, she felt the exact opposite. And she shouldn’t feel that way.

  He’d basically carried her away by force and she’d seen him break Randy Dungston’s arms and legs like matchsticks without batting an eye. He was dangerous—bad news. There was no way she ought to be feeling anything but fear and revulsion right now. But that wasn’t what she was feeling at all. She felt—

  “Mei-Li, look at me.”

  Despite herself, she felt her eyes drawn to him.

  “Yes?” she whispered reluctantly.

  “I only want to heal you.” He looked into her eyes, his voice deep and calm. “I give you my word as a Kindred that I will not make inappropriate sexual advances. Will you trust me?”

  “I…” She had a feeling he was willing to kneel there all night, waiting to heal her until she agreed. And it wasn’t like he had to trick her. If sex was what he wanted he could have taken it at any time—he was so much bigger than her it would be no contest. But he wasn’t trying to hurt or force her, he was waiting patiently for her reply. “All right,” she said at last. “But no going under my skirt or trying to get into my panties.”

  His forehead furrowed. “I am trying to remember the Earth vernacular I studied on the way here. Panti
es are the small, lacy garments you use to cover your sex…your pussy, I believe it is called?”

  Mei-Li’s cheeks got even hotter. “Yes, well, that’s one thing you could call it.”

  “I believe I learned several such words but the connotations of some were distinctly negative,” Six said thoughtfully. “Cunt, vagina, twat, quim, beaver, hoo-ha, honey pot…”

  “That’s enough!” Mei-Li exclaimed, not sure whether to laugh or die of embarrassment. “You’re right. They all mean the same thing but some words are nicer than others.”

  “I am confused about one, though,” Six said. “I thought a beaver was an aquatic Earth mammal with sharp teeth and a long, flat tail. How is that analogous to the female sex organs?”

  “It’s not,” Mei-Li said flatly. “And before you ask, no, I don’t know how it got to be called a beaver.”

  He gave her a long look. “My scanner indicates elevated heart rate and your cheeks are flushed. Forgive me if I made you feel embarrassed.”

  Mei-Li put a hand to her cheek. “I thought you couldn’t read emotions since you don’t have any of your own.”

  “I have never had a need to read them before. I am making an effort to learn yours, though some are difficult to interpret,” he said gravely. “Was I correct in assuming I had made you uncomfortable?”

  “Well, yes,” she admitted. “This isn’t usually a topic one discusses in polite company.” Geeze, she sounded just like her adopted mother right about now! But she didn’t know how else to explain it.

  “I see.” He nodded gravely. “In that case, let us continue with the healing. And let me set your mind at ease, Mei-Li…” He caught her gaze and held it with his own. “I only want to heal you—I promise I won’t taste your pussy. Not tonight, anyway.”

  His deep voice seemed to do strange things to her. Mei-Li felt like her entire body was flushed and her heart was pounding for some reason.

  “Um…okay,” she mumbled. “That’s…okay, that’s good.”

  “I’m glad we understand each other.” He lifted the small bottle with purple liquid to his lips again. “Now we can continue.”

  He did the whole mouthwash routine again but when he leaned forward this time, Mei-Li forced herself to hold still. She was on the edge of her seat, her hands clenched into fists in her lap, prepared to feel really weird the minute his tongue touched her skin.

  To her surprise, however, Six didn’t immediately dive in and start licking her. Instead, he pressed his lips to her knee, just below the cut and inhaled deeply, almost as if he was smelling her skin. He stayed that way for so long she was about to ask what he was doing. But just as she opened her mouth, he finally began.

  He started with the wound itself, tracing the long cut gently with the tip of his tongue. Mei-Li stiffened at first but then, gradually she began to relax. For such a large guy he was incredibly gentle. His steel gray eye was closed, almost as though he was savoring the taste of her skin, and he used his lips as much as his tongue as he worked his way over her hurt knee. Everywhere his flesh met hers, she felt a warm tingling sensation as though the skin really was knitting together. Was that really what was happening? It seemed incredible but she supposed that with alien technology, anything was possible.

  After tracing her cut for some time, Six began to lick all around it. He used the flat of his tongue this time, lapping in long, slow strokes that went from the ticklish place behind her knee all the way up to her inner thigh.

  Mei-Li began to get tense again—really tense. Despite Six’s promise that what he was doing wasn’t sexual, she couldn’t help feeling more and more nervous. His warm, wet tongue on her inner thigh and the sight of his big, muscular form kneeling between her spread legs was having a definite effect on her. She could feel his large hand caressing her calf as he lapped her gently but firmly and he smelled good—really good. A sharp, clean, somehow very masculine scent with a hint of dark spice was suddenly coming from him. Mei-Li didn’t think she had smelled it earlier, even when he was carrying her back in her front yard when she’d fallen.

  She bit her lip so hard she almost drew blood. Oh God, she wasn’t getting turned on by this, was she? She was desperately afraid she was. She could feel herself getting wet and hot and swollen between her legs in a way that hadn’t happened in ages. Maybe this was just affecting her so much because she hadn’t been with a guy in so long. But for whatever reason it was happening, it was horribly embarrassing. She longed to close her legs but she couldn’t—he was still between them, licking.

  A new thought came to torment her. Could Six see up her skirt with that red scanner thing he had in his left eye? Could he tell how this was affecting her? Oh God, if he could she would die of shame. Was he ever going to stop?

  As if reading her thoughts, he looked up.

  “I believe your flesh is beginning to heal. Are you feeling less pain?”

  “Um…” Her voice came out in a squeak and she cleared her throat and tried again. “Yes, I…it doesn’t hurt nearly as much.” There, that sounded good and normal. Now maybe he would stop and he would never find out how much his “healing” had affected her.

  His next words dashed her hopes.

  “Your pulse is racing and your breathing is quick and erratic. Is this situation causing you to experience sexual arousal?”

  “What?” Mei-Li tried to laugh but it came out as more of a croak. “What…what would make you say that? What makes you think I’m not just…just embarrassed again?” she demanded.

  Six inhaled deeply and his steel gray eye was suddenly half-lidded.

  “Your scent,” he murmured. “It is…intoxicating. I have no first hand experience with such things but I believe that is one of the indicators of arousal in a female.”

  “Um…” Mei-Li sat back, closing her legs quickly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not…not feeling that way.”

  He frowned. “Clearly you are. Why would you lie to me? Is this another topic we cannot discuss in ‘polite company’ as you put it?”

  “Yes,” Mei-Li said shortly. She didn’t know when she’d been so embarrassed and mad. Not only had she gotten turned on when he healed her, the big jerk had had the nerve to point it out. What was wrong with him, anyway?

  Six seemed to be studying her. “So I suppose it is also wrong to ask if the other signs of arousal are present? Besides your scent, are you wet and—?”

  “Don’t…you…dare,” Mei-Li ground out between clenched teeth. “I understand you’re ignorant of my culture and don’t know what you’re saying but there’s only so much I’m willing to put up with.”

  Six cocked his head to one side as though trying to understand her.

  “And now I believe you are irritated with me. Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable.”

  “Yeah, well…” Mei-Li crossed her knees tightly and then realized that the gesture had caused her no pain at all. “Oh,” she exclaimed, looking down at her leg. “It’s gone—it’s healed! Well, mostly, anyway.” Because all that was left of the deep, angry gash in her leg was a tiny pink thread of a scar.

  “That was the intention.” Six looked down at her knee critically. “I can still see a sign of the injury, however. Perhaps I should lick you some[BR1] more—I could erase it completely if I did.”

  “No, no!” Mei-Li scooted back hastily. “No, that’s all right—this is just fine. I feel great.”

  “Are you certain?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “You may have a scar.”

  “Positive,” Mei-Li assured him. There was no way she was letting his tongue near her inner thighs ever again. And if she had to accept a scar on her knee to keep him from licking her there, well, that was a price she was willing to pay. More than willing.

  “Very well.” Six shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling. He got up, taking the bowl of blue liquid and his medical supplies with him. “It’s just as well. We need to fold space and get to one of the medical barges before we can land on Z4.”

  �
��Okay.” Mei-Li wondered why they had to stop at a medical place. Was she going to have to go through some kind of checkup or quarantine procedure or something? Well, she supposed that made sense—she was from another planet with different germs and viruses. She just hoped the procedure, whatever it was, wouldn’t be too onerous or time-consuming.

  Then again, what else do you have to do? whispered a little voice in her head. Are you that eager to get down to the planet’s surface so you can start playing footsie for real with Six there?

  Shut up! Mei-Li pushed the thought away and turned to face forward in her chair. She stared fixedly out the window, refusing to let her eyes drift to the side even when Six came back to the front of the ship and slipped into the pilot’s chair. She thought she saw him looking at her but she refused to look back. God, she hadn’t known him a whole day yet and he was already shaping up to be the most obtuse, infuriating man she’d ever met.

  How in the world was she going to get through the next month?

  Chapter Ten

  “Mmm, this is nice.” Tess snuggled in the big hotel bed, pressing her bare bottom to Garron’s semi-erect shaft. They were on their way from Asheville, North Carolina back to Tampa, Florida where her friend Di was recuperating in the hospital. But it was a long drive and they hadn’t been together very long—an overnight stop had been necessary. In fact, they were staying at the same hotel they had used on the way up to North Carolina in the first place.

  Tess couldn’t help thinking how much nicer it was this time around. Garron’s dr’gin was under control, her abusive ex-husband was nothing but a nasty memory, and she and Garron were together at last having formed a lasting bond when she rescued him from being a mindless beast.

  Not that he doesn’t still act a little beastly from time to time, whispered a naughty little voice in her head. Case in point, last night he had been positively wild—not that Tess had minded. It felt good to have him all over her, on top of her, spreading her thighs and filling her with his thick shaft. In fact, just the memory of what had happened the night before the moment they locked their hotel room door made her shiver with need. From the soft, hungry growl coming from behind her and the way Garron was nuzzling her neck, he was feeling a little needy himself.