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  The creature pushed forward, revealing more of its head, giving Zeus a chuff. Smiling broadly, he sat up, the sheet pooling around his waist. He had the urge to invite the cat onto the sleeping platform so he could touch it, run his fingers through the thick fur.

  The feline leaned forward, stretching its nose toward Zeus, snuffling. Zeus noticed the deep green, almost black—not a collar; it was too wide by fifteen to twenty centimeters but resembled a torque around the cat's neck. Puzzled, Zeus looked the cat over again. Light golden fur, thick copper ridge, familiar braid, and rings piercing the teardrop-shaped ears.

  He glanced back up to Dargon's eyes in surprise.

  Zeus had read that the Dar Massaga were marsupials that carried their young in pouches. He had heard their humanoid body was the form they used offworld, but there were no written accounts supplying information about their appearance when they were on their home world. The Dar Massaga males and females did not even live together on the same planet. They met on a moon to mate. The sex of the offspring, which the symbiote chose, typically determined who would carry the child. Normally female to female, male to male. Occasionally, when certain circumstances arose, the Dar Massaga would need to carry an offspring of the opposite sex, but the need for such was not a common occurrence.

  Dargon chuffed again, bringing Zeus back from his ruminations.

  "Come here, Dargon." Zeus patted the bedding.

  The teardrop ears swiveled comically before Dargon jumped on to the platform and promptly tried to lie in Zeus's lap. Zeus found himself laughing and pushing at the one hundred and thirty kilogram lion. The only stripes on the coat started at the base of Dargon's neck and moved vertically across the spine to the tip of the tail. Zeus could not help but run his hands down the spine. The shoulders were broad and strong, the back legs shorter with narrow hips. He ran his hands along the thick tail, feeling chevrons on the underside where the tail would have contact with the ground. It could be used to support the lion when standing on his hind legs.

  A rumble started in Dargon's chest. Not a purr, but a low vibration more like the sound a child's rattle made. He rolled over and begged with big round eyes for a belly rub.

  Zeus cackled as he obliged. "You are not as fierce as you make yourself out to be." His hand slowed as he thought. "Or maybe just with me?" He took a big paw in his hands. The claws were retracted, a unique trait among marsupials. The first digit was semi-opposable and bore an enlarged claw. "I do not believe you are this docile with everyone so it begs the question: 'why me?'" Dargon's head butted at his hand.

  He started rubbing Dargon's stomach, the skin golden under the short fur. Dargon's balls, all four of them, were large and heavy, penis hidden within its sheath. The back legs cycled in the air when Zeus scratched a sensitive spot. He found this form beautiful, but he wanted to talk to Dargon. He had questions he wanted answers to, preferably sooner than later.

  "Are you able to change back?" Zeus hid a smile when Dargon huffed and looked away from him, pretending not to understand the request. "What? You think that by being cute and cuddly in this form you can soften me up. Look at me, Dargon." Zeus waited unto their eyes met. "Do I appear upset? It will not change if you alter forms. Besides, how am I going to kiss you if you stay this way?"

  The rumbling increased, causing him to laugh. Very slowly, Dargon's body started to change; his humanoid body was similar in size and shape to his lion's body. The bones did not appear to melt and reform but to move from one position to another, to reshape the purpose of the limbs and muscles. It was like watching someone who was double jointed being repositioned.

  The fur did not retract but deflated like a balloon, thinned, leaving a light fuzz behind. Muscles moved and found other positions in Dargon's hands and feet. Zeus noticed the pouch, answering his question regarding male carriers; it stayed in place on Dargon's abdomen. Dargon's face changed, the lips plumped, though the teeth stayed the same, cheeks hollowed, the color of his nose lightened. The copper braid stayed, and Zeus wondered how Dargon dealt with the length since the tip brushed the top of his ass in humanoid form.

  The transformation left Dargon lying on his back, covered in sweat and panting. The process did not appear painful, just difficult. Zeus perused the exposed muscle of Dargon's chest. There were no nipples on his pectorals, but he had a double navel. His legs were long and muscular. Four heavy, oblong-shaped balls sat at the apex of his thighs just below the smallish sheath. Fascinated, he could not look away when Dargon's sex began to withdraw from Dargon's body—long, heavy, and glistening. The head was a tapered round point with a small flare around the crown and ridges encircling the girth of the shaft at about one centimeter intervals.

  Dargon's breaths came in fast pants, his pheromones flooding the room with his arousal. Zeus's body reacted to the heady scent, his cock hardening quickly. A clear fluid glistened and dripped from Dargon's sex onto his firm abdomen. Curiously, Zeus ran the tip of his finger through the substance.

  "My home world is all male. Over time, our bodies evolved to produce a natural lubricant." Dargon gasped, the muscles of his stomach fluttering under Zeus's touch.

  Zeus's eyes snapped up to Dargon's face as he realized what he had done. "Sorry," he stammered.

  Dargon struggled to breathe normally. "Do not be. You like to look at me—and it pleases us."

  "Why does it please you?" Zeus regarded him, expression open and compelling, mixed with a bit of hope. Dargon felt vulnerable. The answer to the question was important.

  Zeus knelt next to Dargon, all of his alabaster skin exposed, the sheet pooled around his groin barely disguising his erection. Dargon wanted to cover himself in the scent of arousal rolling off of Zeus.

  "Focus, Dargon," Alpha prodded. "Tell him we want him. He needs to know what he means to us."

  Dargon rose up on an elbow and ran a hand over his face. "Dar Massaga will go home every five cycles to the moon of Hedisa Gamai to breed."

  "You are going to bore him to death, and he is going to think we do not want him."

  Dargon ignored Alpha. He needed to explain everything to Zeus so he would understand the full extent of what would happen and what was still to come.

  "We find it hard to tolerate the females, or they us, for any length of time. But there are times when we and our Alphas will both find someone to whom we are both attracted and compatible with. This normally happens with our own species, never with a female, but occasionally with a species not of our planet. One in one hundred of us will find someone who is compatible, and when we do, both of us will imprint on that person."

  Zeus was silent for a moment. "Does this mean that I have to be attracted to you?"

  "No. Sometimes we imprint on someone we do not have a sexual relationship with. But … we will not be able to stay away from the one we imprint on for long. Dar Massaga who have become separated from their marked one fall into a deep depression. If not reunited in time, the Dar Massaga will waste away and die."

  Zeus's eyes widened. "Oh," he replied weakly, his voice slightly panicked.

  "Alpha and I would like to pursue a relationship with you, and we hoped," Dargon looked down at Zeus's arousal, "that you would want to reciprocate."

  Zeus looked at him owlishly. "Are you a pirate?"

  Dargon laughed. "No, we are not pirates."

  "Then you are not trafficking in slaves?" Zeus's eyes narrowed as he waited for Dargon to respond.

  "No! We would never traffic in slavery."

  "Then why does your crew despise humans so, and why do you carry a group of humans two levels down?"

  Dargon was shocked Zeus knew so much. The man constantly surprised him. His protracted silence caused Zeus to attempt to crawl past him and off the sleeping platform. Dargon caught Zeus's arm. "We are undercover. You cannot reveal what I am about to tell you. If you give your word, I will believe you."

  He waited for Zeus to respond, wishing Zeus would trust him, but the last couple of days had not inspired that kind
of confidence. Dargon felt certain his superiors would not reprimand him for divulging the mission to Zeus. One, because of the identity of Zeus's father. Two, because Zeus was Dargon's Marked. There was possibly a third reason, but he needed confirmation before he mentioned anything to Zeus.

  "You have my word as a royal prince of House Vondorian of Atlainticia," Zeus said quietly.

  Dargon wanted to snatch Zeus up into his arms and overjoyed by Zeus's trust after all that had happened. "Come then, I will explain as we go."

  He went to rise, but Zeus caught his hand. When he glanced back questioningly, Zeus stood on his knees, so close his warm breath feathered across Dargon's face. He stilled, afraid of making a wrong move as Zeus boldly leaned into him and brushed their lips together.

  "I almost forgot your promised kiss," Zeus said against his lips before a warm, soft tongue darted out and ran over Dargon's bottom lip.

  Dargon instantly opened his mouth. He had never been kissed before, by any of his lovers, and he marveled at the feel of the deft tongue against his. Zeus tasted like nothing he had ever encountered, and he shared the experience with Alpha, who began to hum and rub excitedly against Dargon. Zeus moved his lips against Dargon's, and Dargon mimicked the action.

  Hands cupped and stroked his face, pulled on his braid, then traced the line of his outer ears. His back arched from feathered touches over such sensitive places, the thrumming started up in his chest, and before he knew it, Dargon was lying back on his elbows with Zeus straddling his hips, trapping his sex in the cleft of Zeus's bare ass. Zeus consumed him with one kiss that seemed to go on forever. Dargon did not want it to stop. Alpha moved against his skin, sharing in his pleasure. Zeus's hands were everywhere, touching, exploring. Dargon pushed against Zeus, his slick cock riding in the perfect space, as if Zeus's body had been made for him.

  Zeus grabbed Dargon's hands, placed them on his hips. "Touch me, please," Zeus begged in a low voice.

  Dargon grasped him, pushing his sex against Zeus as he bore down and rubbed against him. Oh haven, he wanted to be buried inside Zeus's tight heat. He wanted Zeus to lose himself to the sensations, and to come apart under his hands, but now was not the time—maybe.

  The little brown nipples drew him, and he lightly ran his fingertips over the pebbled nubs. Zeus caught his breath. Dargon did it again more firmly, causing Zeus to moan and swivel his hips, pressing against Dargon's trapped cock. He could not stop his own moan when Zeus fell forward and began to devour Dargon's mouth with urgent heat.

  Dargon ran his hand over Zeus's abs, across his shoulder blades, down the valley of his spine, over the firm round butt cheeks. He encouraged Zeus to grind against him as their tongues dueled. He lightly bit Zeus's bottom lip, careful of his mouth full of sharp teeth, and Zeus gasped, returning the nip.

  They moaned together and looked down between their bodies. Alpha had moved between them and wrapped around both of their cocks. Dargon was used to Alpha's participation in sex, but from what he knew of Zeus, Dargon did not believe Zeus had ever had such an encounter before.

  Looking into Zeus's face, he only saw amazement and then bliss as Alpha squeezed and undulated around the two of them. Gasping with need, Dargon pulled Zeus back down for another kiss, a hand cupped to the back of his head while the other one explored the cleft of Zeus's ass with the natural lubricant excreted from Dargon's shaft.

  Zeus broke the kiss, his head thrown back as he pushed against Dargon's hand then lunged into Alpha's grip. "Please, Dargon," he gasped as he pushed back again.

  "It is okay for me to touch you there?" He would not without permission.

  "Havens! Yes, let me feel you," Zeus groaned.

  Dargon's fingertips massaged the puckered entrance before he pressed a single digit slowly into Zeus's gripping heat. The air whooshed out of Zeus's lungs, a soft keening followed, words spilling almost incoherently out of his mouth.

  "Oh, haven help me … your touch … I need you deeper … do not stop—do not …"

  Dargon's gaze ate up Zeus. The arch of his back, the ecstasy on his face, the fall of his blue-streaked hair, the curve of his neck, all of it. All of it was the most spectacular sight Dargon had ever seen in his life. And when he actually pressed against the bump inside Zeus, he went wild, his hips thrusting, a keening cry leaving his lips as his entrance clamped down on Dargon's finger, and Zeus thrust erratically into Alpha's grip. Dargon watched the beauty of Zeus coming apart before his testicles drew up and his own thrusts became sharper, his hips snapping until he came too, calling out for his lover with joy.

  Zeus collapsed onto him, loose and tension-free. Dargon stroked his hands lightly down Zeus's back, so content he did not realize he was rumbling again. Zeus released a soft snicker into Dargon's neck.

  "I am sorry I attacked you." A light blush infused the skin all over Zeus's body.

  Dargon grinned. "I am not. You are welcome to attack me at any time."

  "It has been a long time since someone has looked at me the way you do."

  "How long has it been?" Alpha languidly slid up Dargon's torso, sated and content. Zeus chuckled when Alpha brushed his cheek, but then quickly sat up to stare at the symbiote.

  "He spoke to me," Zeus whispered in awe.

  Alpha settled himself back in place, taking the shape of a torque again. "He likes you very much," Dargon replied, holding his breath as he waited for Zeus's reaction.

  "I could tell. Does he speak to you? Sorry, of course he speaks to you. Is that why Dar Massagas do not like people touching their Alpha? Does he have a name other than Alpha? I have only heard them referred to as Alpha."

  Dargon laughed at the boyish curiosity Zeus exuded. "Alphas are individuals, not pets or animals. They invite the touch if they so desire. He has always referred to himself as Alpha, nothing more. And before you ask, yes, Alpha and I have a sexual relationship. All Dar Massaga do with their symbiotes. Although this is the first time he has taken part in love play. Normally, he only touches me."

  Dargon worried about Zeus's reaction once he registered what happened between the three of them. Dar Massaga's were known to be fiercely protective of their Alphas. Although their symboites typically do not participate in sex with others, the few times they had, the results had been mixed. There were incidents reported of adverse reactions when the post coitus rush receded, and the person realized the touch of the Alpha had brought them to climax. Zeus's reactions so far weren't unfavorable, but Zeus would need to accept Alpha as he did Dargon: equally.

  "It was amazing," Zeus replied, regarding Dargon intently. "I am not making any promises, but I am willing to see where this attraction takes us. What I can guarantee you is no matter where this goes, I will not leave you alone."

  Dargon cracked a smile, wanting to jump for joy, not sure why he was this happy, but he did not question it. "A chance is all we ask," he replied, watching Zeus rise off the sleep platform and go into the lavatory. There was not any semen to clean up because Alpha had collected it all, but he had released a good amount of natural lubrication that had slicked both of their bodies.

  "So is your cat—" Zeus's dark head stuck through the doorway. "Wait, are you not a marsupial?"

  "I am a lion. On my home world, the form we are born in is called Thylakos."

  Zeus came back to Dargon carrying a sanitary cloth. "You are born in your lion form? When do you become like you are now, humanoid?" He carefully wiped Dargon's abdomen.

  "After our first standard year, when we venture out of the pouch." Dargon watched Zeus's hand stroke slowly over his stomach.

  Zeus halted his ministrations. "How does that work? Do you have children at home?" He scowled. "Do you have a partner, someone you are committed to?"

  Dargon placed his hand over Zeus's and sat up. "Those of us who leave the surface are single."

  Zeus chewed on his lip, lines of deep thought marring his forehead. "No children?"

  "No, I have given an offering of semen the last three visits. I have never mated
with a female. They never appealed to me."

  Zeus cupped a hand to Dargon's cheek. He and Alpha rejoiced at the touch, leaning into it. "Tell me truthfully," Zeus said. "Do you wish to have kits one day?"

  Dargon trained his eyes on Zeus's silvery-white gaze. "Yes. Do you?"

  Zeus appeared to hold his breath, cheeks turning pink. "If you have children, could you raise them somewhere other than Hedisa Prime?"

  "I suppose so. We usually settle on our home world because that is where our chosen partner is." Dargon could not recall any regulations forbidding it.

  "So … if you were to reside … with me on another planet?"

  "Yes, we could raise our kit wherever you wanted us to be." Dargon placed his other hand over Zeus's. He knew they would have to leave his quarters very soon. A wave of possessiveness washed over him, and he tackled Zeus to the platform.

  Zeus looked up at him with lust-filled eyes. "Our kit? You would share your offspring with me."

  Dargon buried his nose in the crook of Zeus's neck. "I would share everything with you," he whispered.

  "And this mating heat you go through? Does it cause me to want to have sex with you?" Zeus's voice had gone hard, causing Dargon raise his head.

  "The mating heat is my body gearing up to produce viable sperm for mating or an offering. The pheromone signals that I am fertile, like an invitation. You can reject us and walk away if that is your wish. The heat only happens around those who could be compatible partners, those we are attracted to. I gave my offering not long ago, but when we came to the station, your scent was all over. Both Alpha and I were enticed to it. That has never happened to us before."

  "So you started the heat when you scented me. You were aroused against your will?" The lust in Zeus's eyes dampened with his question.

  "No, not against my will. Look at it like a signal for compatibility between you, me, and Alpha." Dargon did not know how to explain it for Zeus to understand. This was more instinctual. His people automatically understood what was happening, and it was not easily explained.