Loving a Stranger_A Kindred Tales Novel Read online

  To his relief, Reeve had found everything just as he left it when he finally returned to slip inside his host. Nallah had been sleeping peacefully on his chest and Harryx’s body hadn’t moved an inch. With a feeling that he had narrowly avoided trouble, Reeve had settled the sweet little female he was coming to care for so much, more comfortably in his arms and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

  When the two of them woke up the next morning, Nallah had smiled at him shyly and she hadn’t flinched once when he reached for her. As Reeve gathered her to his chest and breathed in the sweet scent of her gold and silver hair, he reflected on what a loving heart she had. How many females could or would forgive the awful things Harryx had done to Nallah? The way he had hurt her and beat her and killed her pet—the man was a complete bastard! Yet Nallah was so kind and forgiving—and probably so starved for love and tenderness—that she was willing to give him a second chance despite all his evil and abusiveness.

  Harryx, you asshole, Reeve had thought at his sleeping host. You have no idea how lucky you are. You don’t deserve a female as sweet and beautiful as Nallah and she sure as hell doesn’t deserve to be saddled with you.

  After a delicious breakfast—Reeve had the feeling that Nallah was going out of the way to prove she really was a good cook, despite the burned meal of the night before—he had asked her what people did for fun on Hascion Five.

  Hesitantly, Nallah had mentioned a kind of amusement park—a place with rides and games and shows that her father had taken her and her sister to once when she was younger.

  It sounded like a good way to spend the day to Reeve and besides, it was clear that Nallah needed a little fun in her life. They spent the day soaring high over the city on a circular swing, eating too-sweet tsel-fluff from a tall, narrow cone, and laughing as Reeve attempted to win Nallah a stuffed lanna toy at a game of chance and skill where he had to shoot as many targets with a toy blaster as possible.

  The place had reminded Reeve a little of a carnival he had attended once on Earth and it had thrilled him to see the pure, undiluted joy in Nallah’s lovely eyes as they rode the rides and played the games together. There were other males there with their wives as well as parents with their children. It was, for the most part, a happy place.

  It had occurred to Reeve that not all of Hascion Five was bad—there were males who genuinely loved their wives and treated them decently. However, the way their society was structured, it was too easy for a male to mistreat and abuse those that were weaker than him. And since the Hascions didn’t have Kindred DNA or ideals which led to a reverence and protectiveness of females, they were twice as likely to commit abuses.

  Absolute power corrupts absolutely, Reeve had thought, as he looked past the happy, smiling faces to a male who was shouting at his wife. The poor female appeared to be trying hard not to cry, her eyes glistening as her mouth quivered unhappily under her lace veil.

  Something needed to change here on Hascion Five. Women had no power at all and no escape if their males were abusive. If only someone could help them—take them away from this awful place as he longed to take Nallah…

  Remembering his thoughts at the carnival that day snapped Reeve back to the present. Did he want to take Nallah away from here? And could he do it? Would she want to go? What would she think if she found out the truth—that it wasn’t her husband touching her so gently—that it was a stranger in Harryx’s body who had fallen in love with her?

  Fallen in love? Have you really fallen in love with her? whispered a little voice in his head. What are you thinking of Reeve? You’re here to complete a mission, not fall in love. Especially not with another male’s wife! What’s wrong with you?

  But he couldn’t shake the feeling that had been growing inside him—the feeling that Nallah didn’t belong with the brutish, cruel host he was in. Harryx didn’t deserve her.

  She ought to be mine, whispered a growling, possessive voice in Reeve’s head. Mine and not his. He doesn’t know how to appreciate her—doesn’t do anything but beat and abuse her. Mine, she ought to be mine!

  “My husband?”

  The soft, tentative voice behind him made her turn to see Nallah standing there. Tonight she was clad, not in a sex garment, but in a soft, silky robe which ended at mid thigh. Though the robe, which was deep silver, was belted loosely around her waist, it was clear she had on nothing beneath it.

  Reeve sucked in a breath. Goddess help me! he thought, looking at the way her tight little nipples poked out under the thin, silky fabric. Help me be gentle—help me be careful and control myself.

  He was well aware that the body he was in had a build up of sexual tension since he had never relieved himself after teaching Nallah to touch herself the night before. Now he wished he had slipped into the fresher and jerked off once or twice. Just looking at the soft, curvy little female made him so hard it felt like his cock was going to burst.

  Still, he needed to be gentle with her—needed to be sweet, he reminded himself. If he pushed her or frightened her, he was no better than the bastard whose body he was currently wearing.

  “Hi, sweetheart,” he said, trying to keep the growl of need out of his voice. “Ready for bed?”

  “Not…not until I offer you my submission.” She came forward and opened her robe, showing him her bare body before she knelt at his feet, as she had the night before. Looking up at him, she asked, “Oh my husband, how do you wish to use me tonight?”

  “Gods, baby.” Reaching down, he lifted her back to her feet. “Told you,” he said thickly, “I’m not going to use you. I’m different now. Not going to do that to you anymore.”

  “So you reject my submission again?” There was a troubled look in her golden eyes which Reeve struggled to understand. Surely she didn’t want to be hurt or taken roughly the way Harryx had probably taken her. So why was she so upset that he refused to “use” her as she put it?

  “Is that a problem, sweetheart?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

  “No, of course not, my husband.” Nallah bit her lip, looking down at her hands. “It’s just that…”

  “Just that what?” Reeve prompted gently when she trailed off.

  “Just that when a man refuses his wife’s submission several times in a row it usually means he’s looking for a new wife,” she finished in a rush. She glanced up at him, her eyes filled with fear. “Are you…do I not please you anymore, my husband? Do you wish to find a new wife who pleases you more?”

  “What?” Reeve could scarcely believe his ears. “Baby, there’s nobody who can please me more than you,” he exclaimed, taking her by the shoulders and looking her in the eye. “Nobody. Of course I’m not looking for a new wife.”

  “Oh.” Nallah bit her lip again and looked down. “I just thought…”

  Reeve frowned in frustration. Clearly she wasn’t sure if she could trust him or not—not that he could blame her after some of the things Harryx had put her through. But he still didn’t want to hurt or scare her. Suddenly he had an idea.

  “I tell you what, baby,” he murmured, lifting her chin so that he was looking into her eyes again. “How about if I offer you a submission tonight instead?”

  “What?” Nallah shook her head, clearly not understanding.

  “Let me please you tonight.” Reeve sank to the floor at her feet, kneeling before her just as she had knelt before him moments ago. He took a moment to place a soft, sucking kiss on one of her bare nipples, feeling the little point harden against his tongue and then placed a second kiss on the other. “Let me bring you pleasure,” he murmured.

  “Oh!” Nallah moaned and he felt her soft little fingers carding through his hair as he sucked and licked her tender peaks gently. At last he released her second nipple and then, slowly, he trailed a line of soft kisses down her abdomen, ending at the place just above her mound.

  Looking up at her he said softly, “Let me taste you, baby.”

  Nallah’s breath seemed to catch in her slender throat. “