Harliss (The Watchers Book 2) Read online

  “Are you serious? Micah, that was incredible.” She reached behind her, rubbing his thigh. “You mated me, just like any Cougar.” He was shocked. He hadn’t considered it, but he did feel different this time. He was overwhelmed with the need to scent and taste her, to spray his come on her and bite her.

  “I am more than satisfied. I have never come so hard, even our first time. If it gets better, I’m going to explode into atoms.” He grinned against her shoulder. His hand slid up her body, cupping her breast, his fingers lightly stroking her nipples.

  “I totally ignored these beauties.”

  She laughed as she arched into his hand. “I’m sure we’ll have years of you playing with them. And I look forward to it.”

  *****

  General Vargas sat at his desk, studying the grainy photo of the large man who had come to pick up Aoki from the base. He knew it was Mace. He couldn’t prove that Abby had been rescued, but for him to be out of stasis and seemingly stable, it had to have happened. According to Max, he was put in stasis because he was losing his grip on reality. Abby had to be with him. They were just very careful to not have her be seen. Or she was on another planet. Probably Otron.

  And the fact that Aoki and Kai were part wolf? Were they dangerous? He didn’t know enough about them to know for sure. He didn’t know how to find out either. He sat thinking about ways to discover the truth without raising suspicions.

  He sat at his desk looking out the window, thinking hard on what the next move would be. Aoki had taken the human woman and Being male back to Otron leaving the house empty. There was still six months left on the time the trio were to stay at the Exchange House. He thought hard about that. He tapped his fingers on his desk. He began to form a plan that would get someone inside that house. He called his secretary to his office.

  “Sergeant McNamara, bring me the files of all the local servicemen who are single. Men and women in their twenties to mid-thirties. Call Dr. Fisher too. I want him to go over these files with me as well. I’d like all this information and Dr. Fisher here by the end of the week.”

  “Yes, sir.” The man backed out of the room, almost shutting the door.

  “Oh,” the man stepped back into the room without releasing the doorknob. “Let Micah know that I’ll be video conferencing with him, Max and Derek sometime next week. Dismissed.”

  Elio turned to look at the picture on the shelf behind him. He kept a picture of her, even though she left him years before. He had put so much of his energy into his military career, he put a wedge between them. He wore his wedding ring for several years after the divorce. He didn’t want to let go of what he had once had. They never had children and that was something he regretted. He was in his late forties and he could still have kids. If he met a woman young enough to marry him, but he knew that would never happen. He’d built walls around himself so high and thick, no woman would ever break through.

  Sighing, he stood to look out the window. He liked having his office on this side of the base. The view didn’t look out over the busy areas but the grassy spot where the squirrels would run from tree to tree. He hadn’t known peace in so very long that he wondered if he ever would. His phone rang, interrupting his musings. Turning, he went back to his desk, straightened his uniform and sat before picking up the receiver.

  He listened to the caller, droning on about menial tasks and asking about orders from supply and amounts of gasoline needed for the base fleet. Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was late and he could go home at any time. Instead of staying late to avoid going home, he felt weary enough that he thought he could take a shower and go to sleep.

  After taking care of the issues at hand, he hung up. He called the base cafeteria and ordered food to be delivered to his house. He could cook but he just wanted to eat, shower and go to bed. He wondered if he should’ve retired instead of taking this assignment. Young people meeting and having sex on the guise of getting to know aliens, it just smacked against what he’d been raised to believe. And the government was footing part of the bill to allow it.

  Standing, he grabbed his hat and jacket before heading out of his office. Turning off the light and shutting his door, he waved goodnight to the staff who were still in the office. Outside, he paused before getting in his car, pondering his problems. Did he really want to dig too deep? No one had gotten hurt by the aliens. The aliens didn’t seem to be interested in taking over Earth. In fact, it seemed humans involved in relationships with any alien left Earth, not the other way around. He sighed. It was a young people’s world. He didn’t fit anymore.

  The drive to his house on base was a short one, but he still couldn’t shake the morose feelings. He needed to work out and get some excess energy off before eating. He opened the front door to his house, always empty and quiet. He went to his room to change into his shorts and then headed to his home gym to do some free weights and hit the treadmill. Sweating always made him feel better.

  Chapter Five

  Micah woke up with Harliss wrapped in his arms. He had never been so overwhelmed with feelings, but it felt good. He wasn’t religious, no Being was, but he wondered how it could be that everything led to him meeting her. If he hadn’t gained emotions, he could have met her and never felt a thing for her. His arms tightened around her. His fear of never finding her nearly suffocated him. He knew it wasn’t a psy-bond he had with Harliss, but he felt his heart constrict for the pain Mace must have felt when Abby died in 2017. It was little wonder he agreed to being put in stasis. He was grateful his colleague Sahara had made the call to rescue Abby from 1982.

  He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t notice that Harliss was watching him. “What’s wrong, Micah? Your eyes are changing color again.” She sat up, looking down at him, concern showing in her features.

  “I was assigned to the Wyoming facility when we captured Mace Adams. I oversaw the facility and Sahara was the lead scientist.” He sat up, leaning against the padded headboard. “We were trying to find the cure to our inability to have children. We could not understand why Abby would not give in to her very real need to have sex with Mace. We finally separated them to make them desperate to reunite, and eventually returned her to him. Before returning her, we gave her an injection of hormones that would heighten her desire and reduce inhibitions.” He stood and paced beside the bed.

  “It worked. They could not resist their needs. During that first copulation, he uttered a vow that caused them to psy-bond. But the worst part of this manipulation is, we monitored them. We observed them during sex, every time. I imagine his need for his psy-bond mate was even stronger than my need for you. Their hormones released during sex led to our injections that restored our emotions, but it was wrong of us. I feel angry at what I once was, at the damage I caused by ordering Abby be given the hormone injection. I would kill any man who laid eyes on you naked, much less witnessing our having sex. And yet, Mace has forgiven us. Forgiven me.

  “But if I had not been part of this study, if I had not forced the issue to create that psy-bond my people would not have emotions and I would never have recognized you as my mate. I am so conflicted about the person I was versus the man I am now. Especially now that you are in my life.”

  Harliss walked to him, wrapping her arms around him. “Maybe you should contact Mace. Tell him how you feel. It might help him too.” He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her total acceptance of the man he was and who he had become. He nodded, knowing he had to thank the man for changing his life and for making Harliss possible.

  “I think it would be an appropriate time to talk to him now. I do not think I can move on until I talk to him.” He went into the living quarters prepared to contact Mace on his portable computer.

  “Baby? Don’t you think you should, you know, get dressed first?” Her giggle filled the room as she handed him a pair of sweatpants. He smiled as he grabbed them and slid them on.

  *****

  Micah’s call was answered by an out of breath and swea
ting Aoki. His hair was pulled back away from his face, but he was grinning. “Hey, Micah! How’s it going?” Micah raised his eyebrow.

  “Man, we’re training with Sahara, and she’s kicking our ass.” Behind Aoki, Kai was laughing as his image was backing across the camera, fending off Sahara’s fighting sticks. Aoki turned his head laughing at his cousin. “I told you to not to threaten her mates! You deserve it.” He turned back to face Micah a grin still in place. “She’s fierce.” He grabbed a quick drink, “What can I do for you?”

  “Is Mace close by?” Aoki frowned for a second before turning.

  “Kai, where’s Mace? Micah wants to talk to him.” Kai’s cry of pain echoed from the background before Aoki busted out laughing. “Oops, sorry I didn’t mean to break your concentration. That’s going to leave a bruise.”

  Micah’s heart expanded. It was so good to see these people happy and thriving. Kai had rescued Abby and found his psy-bond mate, Sahara had found her psy-bond mates, Aoki had found his mates. To see them like this, it made him nearly tear up. Aoki turned back to the camera, he noticed Micah’s expression, and he frowned into the camera showing concern.

  “Micah, are you okay? Do you need us to come there? We can be there in hours.” He sat down, pulling the camera closer to him. “You saved my mates and gave us sanctuary I’ll do anything you need. No questions.” Micah dropped his head, closed his eyes and sighed before looking back to the computer.

  “No. I am fine, Aoki. I was just watching you, all of you. The emotions just overwhelmed me to see all of you so happy.”

  Aoki nodded. “I get it. Sometimes I feel the same way.” He looked off camera and then smiled. “Here’s Mace. Do you need privacy? We can leave.” He stood up and the picture swayed and blurred in the background as Aoki handed the device to Mace.

  “No. Stay.” Mace’s face came into view a feminine hand with a gold band appeared on his shoulder as he sat. Abby was there too. He took a breath and felt a small hand take his. He looked to his mate briefly before turning back to Mace.

  “Mace, the last time you were here, I did not,” he paused not sure what to say now that the man was in front of him. “I know our people issued you and Abby an apology, but I have never done so personally.” Mace narrowed his gaze, seemingly unsure where this was leading.

  “I now fully understand what I did, the weight of it. But I also need to thank you.” Mace pulled Abby to sit on his lap. Her face filled the screen too. “I am glad I can thank you both. When you were here to rescue Aoki, I did not truly understand what we did to you both. But now, I do.”

  “I don’t understand Micah. I already told The Beings that I’m okay with everything. I have Abby.” Abby’s hand caressed his face and Mace’s features changed as he looked at his mate. Micah felt Harliss squeeze his hand.

  “I just cannot go on without personally telling you how sorry I am for the part I played, and to thank you for everything. Recently,” he turned to face Harliss, “I was mated.”

  Mace’s face showed surprise and genuine happiness. “I would never have found her if it were not for you and Abby.” He pulled Harliss onto his lap, wrapping his arm around her. His forehead against her temple.

  “I cannot imagine all that you suffered at our hands. Then to lose her.” He looked up to see a flash of pain in Mace’s eyes. “I am indebted to you both.” Harliss brushed her fingers through his hair.

  “Thank you for that, Micah.” Abby’s voice took over for an emotional Mace. “I’m sometimes shocked that we made such a difference for so many. It makes what we endured okay. I see Flynn, Sahara and Joy who now have emotions and mates. Now I see you and how happy you are, and I know your people are finding happiness. Most of all we both realize that we’d never have met if it weren’t for The Beings. You gave us more than you took.”

  Kai peered over Mace’s shoulder and grinned, until he recognized his cousin. “Harliss?”

  Micah tensed, afraid Kai would disapprove. He decided to meet it head on. “Yes, she is my mate.” Kai looked shocked for a minute before he took the device.

  “Not to be too personal. Oh Hell. This is the first male Being/female Otronian mating that I know of. He’s aware of your Cougar?”

  “Yes. I do know. I am not sure what the issue is.” Micah’s voice was deeper than normal because he was getting apprehensive.

  “Okay, don’t get offended.” Kai moved beside Aoki. “When did you first, um, have sex?” Micah’s gaze narrowed at Kai for the personal question his anger came from nowhere.

  “Yesterday. Why?” Micah’s voice deepened to a near growl.

  Aoki’s eyes widened. “Fuck.” His word drew Micah’s attention from Kai. “And you’ve already had mating sex too I assume.” Micah felt Harliss nod. “His eyes, did they do that before the mating sex?”

  Harliss nodded again. “After we had sex but before the mating sex.”

  Kai looked at Aoki then back to Micah. “Look, I’m not trying to get into your business. The issue is she’s a female Cougar, and even with Cougar blood, the female submits to the male. Micah, you’re new to emotions so you’re kind of like an unfilled vessel. By mating with a female Otronian with a Cougar Totem, you are taking on the characteristics of the male Cougar. I mean your eyes are changing, you’re growling. Don’t get pissed but did you have an unexplainable urge to scent her and mark her? Did you bite her while mounting her?” Micah nodded.

  “But Aoki mated with Flynn and Charley. Flynn is a Being new to emotions, why didn’t Flynn take on Aoki’s wolf characteristics?” Harliss sounded confused. Micah had to admit he was curious too.

  “Well, uh,” Aoki looked at Kai before answering. “Even though Flynn is Being, we didn’t have sex together—we share Charley. We each have sex with her. Charley is like a buffer between us. If Flynn and I developed romantic feeling for each other and did have sex with each other then there would be a chance of us creating wolf characteristics in him. I’m not sexually attracted to Flynn, so this isn’t something I’ve considered or even thought about. We share a mate so our souls are connected through her, but we aren’t soul mates like others who mate are.

  “Even so, I’m a male wolf and have had control of him for a long time, Flynn would probably submit as my Beta. We’re on Otron where we are surrounded by Anaya’hana and her medicine women. Aunt Shae or one of the wolf Clan would bind us.” He backed away from the camera slightly and blew out a breath.

  Kai looked concerned. “Micah, you’re safe with Harliss but if you were to leave your living quarters, especially if someone seemed to threaten her, you could be dangerous. If you were gone from her for too long, you’d feel lost and need physical contact with her. You could perceive an unmated male’s interest in her as a threat to your bond. You don’t have control of the Cougar and being a submissive female, Harliss can’t help you learn control. Shit. This is something none of us considered when we mixed all races in the Exchange Houses.”

  “How could I be dangerous?” Micah didn’t look convinced. Kai and Aoki looked at each other briefly before Kai answered.

  “Micah, when I asked you about sex with Harliss, you looked ready to rip my throat out. If I had been there, you might have tried.” Aoki nodded at Kai’s words.

  “Your fucking eyes started swirling with this gray shiny color too. That’s a sign of your Cougar trying to come forward. You’re feral, man.” Aoki looked up and sighed. “You need a spirit walk or at the very least a binding until you take a spirit walk.”

  Mace’s voice came off-camera, “Does it have to be Mom? She’s a born Cougar, right? I don’t want her on Earth. Too many assholes.”

  Kai answered, “No, any Cougar who is picked by the goddess can perform a binding. But there is a larger problem. Each Clan who is represented needs an emissary on Earth in case this happens again with female Otronians and male Beings. At the very least a Totemless priestess. I’m not worried about male humans since I doubt there will be any more psy-bond mating.”

  “Va
rgas will have a field day with this.” Mace’s voice drove the point home to Micah.

  “Fuck.”

  Aoki looked at Micah. “My thoughts exactly, my friend.”

  *****

  Micah ended the call with the Otronians and stared at the empty screen on his portable computer. He knew he felt different, more territorial, extremely protective of Harliss almost too possessive. He couldn’t be sorry though. He leaned back on the couch and pulled Harliss closer to him, tucking her head under his chin. She had been very quiet during the call and hadn’t said a word to him afterward.

  “What is wrong, Harliss? Why are you so quiet?” He kissed her forehead and began to stroke her back. “Do not be sorry that we are mated. I could not take it.”

  She snuggled closer to him, burying her nose against his neck. “I’m not the least bit sorry, Micah. I’m surprised, a little upset that I didn’t think of the Cougar blood/Being thing, but I’m most definitely not sorry.” Her lips found that tender spot on the side of his neck and kissed him. His growl made her smile.

  “The troublemaker in me is kind of happy about all this.” He smiled, feeling lighthearted again.

  “I find it astonishing that I could go from emotionless robot to gaining emotions to having my soul now controlled by an untamed male Cougar. So now we know what caused the gray you saw in my eyes earlier.”

  “Well, I had an idea when you growled. Especially when you wanted to mark me.” She sat up straighter in his lap, putting her hand on his chest to look into his eyes. “But I really knew when you bit me.”

  “Really? Is that also why from the moment I met you I became more playful and teasing? Cats being a playful species?” He grinned at her.

  “Well it’s not like you can bring me a ball of yarn for our anniversary. But all Otronians are happy by nature. I think you’ve witnessed that with Kai and Aoki. We live simply and enjoy everything that we are blessed to have. We can be fierce too. Remember that, cat boy.” She playfully poked him in the chest.