Tara Clarkson sat sulking in the mess hall of an alien ship that was speeding towards a world unknown. She was one of fourteen women who had been taken from Earth; well, taken was not quite the right word. They were seduced right off the streets. Every woman had mainly one thing in common; apart from being pretty, none of them were under a size fourteen. Tara was the exception, with her curvy, size twelve figure. Clear blue eyes, small straight nose, high cheekbones, full, Cupid bow pink lips with wavy blond hair falling about her peaches-and-cream skin. She never failed to attract attention from men wherever she went, but after a long string of relationships with shallow men, she had grown tired of the whole thing. Her normal bright, bubbly persona had taken a heavy nosedive when her only sister, Alice Clarkson, had gone missing over two months ago.

Alice had always been the sensible older sister, trying to keep Tara out of trouble. But now it seemed the tables had been reversed in one hell of a way, when Alice had turned up on the doorstep.

"Hi, sis, was abducted by aliens but everything is fine now. Want to come with us?" Well, they weren't her exact words, but nonetheless Tara had flipped out big time. Accumulated stress and the shock of seeing Alice with aliens had been too much for Tara to cope with; she had freaked out big time, before passing clean out. By the time she had woken up she was on an alien ship--a Kelon raider class spaceship.

So she had been told.

Alice had calmly told her about her own abduction, about Kerr's rescue, how he had taken her as his wife, and how she was deliriously happy, in love and totally up the duff. Tara had had a second freak out session; when objects started flying the doctor was called to sedate her. By then it was too late. She--along with the other women--were well on their way to the planet Kelon.

"I always knew aliens existed!"

The bubbly brunette was grinning from ear to ear. "I just never imagined they'd be the sexiest beefcakes I've ever set eyes on."

"I couldn't believe my luck when one of those huge men approached me. At first I thought he was a romance cover model. I couldn't take my eyes off him," a rather curvy blond girl said. "'Let me take you from this world.'" She tried to mimic the low Kelon accent only to end up in a fit of giggles. "Wow, did they ever mean from Earth!" They all seemed happy enough to be leaving their world behind.

Tara rolled her eyes.

Each had been implanted with microtranslators. Alice had assured them the implant was safe, as she had one herself. Tara didn't mind, as it made it possible to tell the alien barbarians where to shove their friendly gestures. She was pissed.

Tara sat silently, watching the Kelon men watch them. They had two Kelon guards today, Addassar and Melron. They were not allowed to go anywhere on the ship without an escort. Tara pushed back the chair, leaving the mess room.

"Where do you want to go, pretty?" Melron, brother-in-law to her sister Alice asked.

He was grinning down at her. His deep, translated voice permeated her senses. She glared up at his six-foot-six height and into dark eyes that seemed speckled with starlight. He had a sharp hawklike nose, his cheekbones, chin and jaw line were set in strong bold lines, as if he had been carved from stone.

Tara's gaze fell to his full sensual lips that quirked up often in merriment and amusement. Melron wore the tight black uniform that all the Kelon crew wore; the black fabric did nothing to hide large shoulders, bulging biceps and an expansively wide chest. Tara had dated a few musclemen in her time but this was even better than a mixing of Conan with the Incredible Hulk, minus the green and puffiness. He didn't have any of the ugly rope lines that were associated with overly pumped muscles. No, Melron was all lean muscle and dark sexuality, mixed with a hint of playful nature. It was a lethal mix. Tara had always had a weakness for men with broad, muscled shoulders. Melron rang her bells more than she could ever have imagined.

He had been her permanent shadow ever since he had brought her back to the ship.

"I want to see my sister."

"As you wish, pretty."

"I told you to stop calling me that!" she hissed at him. No matter how prickly Tara was towards him, he would simply grin and keep trying.

"When you stop being so pretty, I shall stop calling you that."

Tara stomped her foot in frustration. He laughed, and she felt her face redden.

"You can call me pretty anytime, honey," one of the women said from across the room.

The group erupted into more giggles.

Tara shoved past him into the corridor. Melron followed. She could feel his eyes boring into her back.

"Your friends are happy to be going to Kelon, why not you? Turn left, pretty."

She turned left at the corridor junction. The Kelon raider ship was bigger than a football stadium, with multiple levels. It was easy to get lost without a guide. Alice had also warned her that some of the all-male crew would try and claim her if she wandered off alone. The small group of Kelon warriors guarding the human women were under strict orders to keep that from happening. The women had to be free to choose those to whom they became mated, under Alice's orders enforced by her husband, Te-Commander Kerr. Any warrior trying to break the rule would be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Two Kelon crew members already sat in a detention cell for trying with some of the other women onboard.

"Look, melonhead."

"Melron."

"Yeah, whatever," she said, giving him a quick dismissive wave of her right hand.

He growled softly behind her, sending a shiver through her body. Out of all the human males she had dated, none had ever sent her libido into overdrive with just a glance and a growl. It was insane. Tara struggled to suppress the urge to jump Melron right there, telling herself she did not want him. She was still angry that she had been kidnapped by them. Or was it her sister? She shook her head trying to clear the confusion. They were not human!

"Turn right, pretty."

Without thinking, she followed his instructions. "They are not my friends, and I wasn't asked to come along on this space odyssey."

"Your sister wasn't exactly asked, either, yet she is happy."

"Well, not everyone can win the lottery."

"What is lottery? Is it more of your nice human sexual ways?"

Tara froze mid-step suddenly choking on her saliva.

Melron slapped her lightly on the back, propelling her forward.

"Easy there, pretty."

The heat of his hand lingered on her back right between her neck and shoulder blades, sending tingles right down to her core. When his hand caressed the nape of her neck, she struggled to suppress a moan. She sucked in a breath, drawing on her anger.

"You are more perverse than any creature I've ever known!" She pulled away from his touch, swinging around to poke her finger at his overly large chest. That was saying something coming from her. Tara had never been shy when it came to her own sexual pursuits. When had she turned into such a prude? "You're nothing but an overgrown barbarian." She glared up into his black eyes. His rugged, handsome features, his black warrior braids half falling over broad strong shoulders, framed the golden skin of his face. She swallowed hard as her eyes fell on his full sensual lips. It would be so easy to run her tongue along and nibble on them. His expression darkened hungrily as he looked down at her.

Instinctively she took a step back, but Melron was not about to let her get away that easily. Quicker than a breath, his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his solid frame. Heat rushed through her, making her cheeks flame. His near presence made it difficult for her to think clearly.

"You're not allowed to do this." It was a weak protest and he knew it. Melron glanced around the corridor, before he pulled her through an open door.

"I think your body tells me differently. I do not fear my brother, pretty. I tire of not being able to hold you. I long to try those things I see your sister doing with my brother."

"Wh-what things?" A mixture of panic and exhilaration ran through her. Was he going to fuck her right here?

"Your sister calls it kissing. I want to kiss you."

Tara relaxed slightly, but her body was kicking into overdrive. She stared at his very kissable lips, automatically licking her own, as he backed her up against the bulkhead.

"If I kiss you, will you let me go?"

The wickedly seductive smile spreading across his face made Tara's heart leap double-time.

"This foolish rule your sister has made is the only thing stopping me from claiming you. I want you and your kisses, my pretty Tara."

His large hand crept up from her waist. She jumped in his hold, as his hand brushed over her left breast. Her nipples, already hard, tightened further.

She gasped at his words.

"You will go to your sister and Kerr. You will tell them that you choose me to be your mate."

Her mind reeled, screaming against the idea of being tied to one of these Kelon males, to Melron.

"No, I don't want to. I...I want..." Tara struggled for breath as he leaned in to nuzzle her neck, inhaling her scent. She shivered at the feel of his hot breath against her skin. Oh God, she wanted him, she was wet and the ache between her legs was almost unbearable. She squeezed her legs together in order to relieve some of the tension on her heated, engorged clit; it only made matters worse.

Cupping her breast he squeezed, flicking the hard nub though the fabric. Tara could no longer disguise the moan that tumbled out.

"Yessss," he hissed against her throat. "You want me, I can smell it. I can feel it. Now for that kiss."

His head came up and she stared into his beautiful dark depths. His lips descended upon hers, gentle and somewhat uncertain.

Tara knew these Kelons were new at kissing. Alice had told her that. Was this Melron's first kiss? She shoved aside the uncertainty in her brain. She would deal with the consequences after. He wanted her, she wanted him. That didn't mean she had to mate with him for the rest of her life. She took the initiative and opened her mouth. She increased the pressure and kissed him boldly back, letting her tongue dart into his mouth.

Oh God, he tasted good, a flavour of exotic alien spices, beyond anything she'd ever experienced. When he mimicked her bold move, angling his head better to thrust his own tongue back into her mouth, it became a mating dance of its own. Tara moaned against him, totally melting into his hard, lean body. She wanted to see if he felt as good as he looked, and wasn't disappointed. She wound her arms around his neck. She heard a rumble coming from Melron's chest.

He broke away with a deep gasp.

"By the Fires of Elron, Tara, my pretty, I can see why humans kiss. The delicious wet pleasure of your taste."

"You taste good, too," she confessed.

He gazed heatedly into her eyes. "You will be mine, yes?"

Tara shook her head against the bulkhead. "I don't want to be your mate." The words left her lips and she immediately regretted them, seeing the confused and wounded look that crossed his face.

"My pretty Tara, we can have much pleasure together. I desire you greatly; I can feel your desire me for me."

She drew in a slow breath, trying to steady her rapid breathing. "Melron, I don't want something that was forced on me. What if I want to stay single? What if I want to do other things than be someone's wife, mate or whatever you call it?"

Melron pulled away from her. She was thankful she was leaning against a wall; without its support her legs would have buckled and she would have fallen. He looked more confused than ever before.

"You are female, you are of age and you are compatible. All females take mates."

To him it seemed to be a simple truth.

"Not all human females." Anger was starting to ebb down the fires of her passion. "Would you want to be at the beck and call of your mate, tied down and unable to pursue adventure, to live your dreams? I want to live my life, not just sit around and have kids!"

He shook his head. "I do not understand. Your pretty, soft body tells me you want to mate, yet you say you do not want this?"

She was frustrated. "Look, Melon!" She stood up straight, hands on hips.

"Melron."

"Yeah, whatever, sex is a fun thing. It is not the be all and end all."

"No, Tara, when we have sex you will take my seed, you will bear my young, and we will be mated."

She leered at him. "I'm guessing you don't have birth control on Kelon."

Melron looked horrified at such a thing. "By the Fires of Elron, why would we do that?"

"Well, on Earth we do." She held out her arm towards him. "Here, feel." Grabbing his hand she guided his fingers along the inside of her arm to find the tiny implant. Tara swallowed trying to suppress the renewed chills his touch sent all over her body.

"What is this?" He pressed down on small lump.

"This stops me getting pregnant; female birth control, so I can enjoy sex without worrying about having young."

He let out a growl. "You shall not have this." He suddenly picked her up and flung her over his shoulder as he swiftly exited the room.

Tara screamed, twisted and thumped against his broad back. "Put me down, melonhead, you big oaf!"

Melron promptly smacked her arse, sending a jolt straight down to her pussy. Shit, she even liked him spanking her.

She struggled harder. Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she bounced on his shoulder. "Where are you taking me? I want to see my sister!"

He didn't reply, just simply strode with determination to wherever it was he was taking her.