3. Bruce

Chapter 3

Istare at her without answering because, despite her impassioned speech, I'm not entirely convinced having Willow stay overnight is the right move, but I appear to be backed into a corner. Steve Banks is the most sensible human I've met so far on this entire planet and his message to me was for her to remain in my domicile. And that male knows my exact circumstance.

"You can stay," I finally announce.

"Damn right," she grumbles.

I open the door wider and step aside, allowing this sexy human to enter my domicile. This might possibly be the worst decision I've ever made, but it must be done. I cannot allow her to remain in danger outside in the dark storm, although inside with me is equally dangerous.

My female is glorious when angry. But extreme discomfort courses through my veins at the idea of her coming inside, because I know I will lose all control. I've ingested two bags of blood antidote while she's been nearby and still, all I want is to take her to my bed, strip her naked and sink my aching cock into her heat. On top of that, I want to sink my fangs in her neck and make her mine for the rest of her life.

Knowing this is entirely illegal does not decrease the want and need.

But she is a human who does not understand that I am dishonored, removed from the Korn mating database. Unfortunately, it's illegal for me to mate. I cannot even pleasure mate because this could lead to blood frenzy. I am expected to remain celibate for the rest of my life.

And yet now, here she is. On my home planet, no female would be trying so hard to remain this close to me, especially when it was obvious I was in a frenzy. They'd be running the other direction and I would be quarantined.

On Earth I'm left to fend for myself but still expected to follow the Korn legal code.

When has a Korn ever been this tempted?

Willow steps inside and I close the door behind her.

We both quietly stand together in the front foyer.

A grand staircase behind us leads to the upstairs rooms. Two openings on either side of us expose large, formal living and dining areas. The hallway behind us leads to a sunlit kitchen, informal dining and a smaller living area that opens to the back of the home. I move to the thermostat and turn it up because I've learned that humans become cold much more easily than Korn.

Water drips off her jacket onto the marble floor. She is closer than ever before. That glorious red and golden hair falls in a straight shine past her shoulders. Her green eyes flash fire at me. Her beauty is stunning. I noticed this female that day I was trying to shop at the human market and bring home their food. I walked past an aisle and caught something out of the corner of my eye and came back. Then I had to step closer. And closer. And I couldn't help myself from eyeing whatever foodstuffs seemed interesting to this particular human. I knew it was wrong and basically illegal to place myself in proximity to a female who caused my body to enflame, but again, the need was too great.

Her height is perfect, the top of her head reaching just beneath my chin. And her slender and yet curvy body was highly alluring that first day, even underneath her baggy clothing.

I've concluded that Willow Brand is the reason my receptors lit up the moment I arrived on Earth. A low-level blood frenzy reaction that was irritating but also easy to ignore. I can never decide if I chose this house in the Smoky Mountain region of Earth because my body knew that she was near, or if it was pure accident.

I've been living like this, banished and without even a pleasure mate, for the last year. It hasn't been difficult, until now. Because I've wanted no female during this time. Until Willow.

Her scent entered my lungs and thickened my shaft and I had to swiftly leave the establishment. I wanted to speak to her and listen to her voice and her words. Touching her hair sounded wonderful and kissing those lips and her neck… My fangs where throbbing and I would've pulled her into my arms and behaved inappropriately. Which would've been terrible considering I'm on a primitive planet, not amongst my own species on Korn. And most importantly I'm considered "bad blood" and not able to breed. I might be on an entirely different planet, amongst humans, but the same rules apply.

"Bruce? Bruce."

I blink and look down at her.

Her hood is now off and her hands are on her hips. "Why is it so terrible that I've walked into your home and might stay the night in one of your rooms? Tell me what's wrong so that I can help fix it. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding."

I cross my arms, my body thrumming with both heat and lust. "You have no idea what danger awaits you." I point at a coat rack. "You can put your rain gear there."

Her eyes widen at my harsh tone, but she takes off the outer layers of clothing and hangs them up. And now I can again see the curve of her ass and breasts through that short clothing she wears. It's highly distracting.

"How can I be in danger? I thought the Korn and humans were allies and you easily got along with humans, which is why you're stationed here in the first place, because you don't mind being in the midst of a planet with a different species all around you."

I grunt and stride into the large living room and she follows behind. Then I turn to face her, deciding now is the time to tell her the truth. Willow follows so close, she bumps into my chest, then takes two steps back.

I reach up and run my fingers through my short hair, trying to decrease my agitation. "Female, you needed to leave because I am in the midst of a blood frenzy and I'm trying to isolate myself and you are making this difficult."

"Blood frenzy? Oh no, that sounds awful. Do you need help?"

"You can help me by leaving."

She stamps a foot. "But you just invited me inside for the night. You know I can't leave. Okay, you are sending mixed messages." She reaches for her pocket and pulls up a small screen. "I can call some other friends or employees. I'm certain one of them can come and get me. It will take another hour, but it can happen. Especially if I offer to pay. But…is it okay for me to be out of danger here with you, but then put someone else in danger to drive up here to get me?"

I clench my jaw again, trying to decide if needing her to leave is that important. "I do not know if it's safe for those humans to drive up here in the storm," I admit. "I don't know the terrain here as well as on Korn."

"Maybe you should let me know what the danger level is here and then I can decide if I should stay or go."

"If you stay you might become my legal bride."

She rears back. "Bride?"

I can scent her arousal, which only makes this more difficult. I could scent her arousal that first moment I stood next to her at the market. This is why I cannot stop thinking of her.

Two hours ago, I heard a sound outside and looked through my upstairs office window to find Willow Brand stepping out of a vehicle in my driveway.

My heart skipped with excitement, but I kept a frown on my face because this also meant I would be tempted again, like never before. I'd left that store as fast as I could and I didn't not return to town, on purpose. And yet she was here. I could not believe my eyes when I opened my front door and saw her standing on the doorstep. Her green eyes, a startling color not seen in my own species, flashed with anticipation and warmth. All I wanted was to pull her into my arms, but I was unable.

I must keep this female safe. Even from me.

Instead of contemplating leaving after my bold pronouncement of my intentions, Willow puts her screen back in her pocket and takes a step closer. "Why do you think me becoming your bride is dangerous?"

I decide to take it up a notch. "Because you will instantly become my mate for life. This is not a situation where we can fuck for one night and then you leave me the next morning."

She bites a lip. "You want to have sex with me tonight? That's what you think will happen?"

"Desperately," I rasp. "This is what I've wanted since the moment we met."

"Your worry is that if I stay we'll…we'll have sex tonight and then I'll leave you the next morning and never come back?"

"Not exactly my most important worry, but yes, that would be among my list of problems."

"No one-night stands for you?"

"No. I am here in isolation on this mountain because I thought if I mainly remained in this large domicile there would be no compatible human woman nearby."

"Uh oh, I messed that up, didn't I?"

I can't help but grin, despite the dire circumstances. Her features are truly adorable and I enjoy the sound of her voice. I could easily gaze at this female for the rest of my days. "At first I thought our two species weren't compatible. When I arrived on Earth, I discovered that the first two Korn on this mission were already mated to human females and had offspring. And then not long after, I started feeling symptoms of my own."

"Does blood frenzy mean a feeling of wanting to mate with someone in particular? Did you know who you felt this for?"

"It does, and no, I did not know who this was for. It shouldn't be happening at all. When I felt the symptoms, I couldn't go into a ship and isolate because the military had dropped me off and left. There is no Korn ship in orbit. I purchased this remote domicile in a terrain that reminds me of the location on my home planet. I remain and do my work remotely. This has worked well, until now. I made the fatal error of going into town briefly just to peruse the market to visually confirm what was offered there and whether any of it was foodstuffs I might enjoy."

"You saw me in the grocery store and you felt it too?" she questions.

"Yes," I admit.

"Then why are you…" She waves a hand. "Why are you doing all of this, where you try to keep me away from you and you say it's dangerous? You say you want me as your Bride. Doesn't that mean you should want me to stay so you can get to know me better?"

"I do this for your own protection."

"You keep saying that, but I don't understand. How can me being with you be a bad thing?"

"I did not want you to stay the night here because what I feel for you is very strong. And like I said before, you can't change your mind later."

"But…but remember I said I was here because I thought there was something between us? I feel the attraction too. I came up here because I had to see you again and get to the bottom of this. I want to get to know you better. And…and maybe I wouldn't mind if we ended up in the same bed tonight too."

"I know," I answer. "I have scented your arousal since the beginning, when we were at the store."

"Oh." Her cheeks flush an attractive shade of pink. "I didn't know. I'm so embarrassed. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you with that."

"No, no," I say. "I'm not bothered. I feel honored that you would feel that way about me, considering it is illegal for me to breed."

"Illegal? Bruce, now what are you talking about? It can't be illegal for the two of us to be together. There are two other women who have married Korn."

Another roll of thunder rumbles in the distance and then a flash of lightning streaks through the large front windows. The wind howls outside louder than ever before and the pound of rain lashing against the structure increases. "Lights on," I announce and a series of ambient lights turn on in corners of the room.

"Your home is very nice. The couches and the other furniture look warm and comfortable."

"Thank you." I look through the window, into the shadowy outside. "We truly are stranded together for the night. This debate between us whether you should stay or go is now moot. I don't want you to ask anyone else to come up because I don't want to be responsible for another human getting stuck on the road up here or something happening to them in this storm."

"Exactly. I agree. But the fact remains that you say that having me here makes you uncomfortable. And that it's illegal for us to be together? I don't understand."

"I've been taken off the Korn mating database. I cannot have a mate or even a pleasure mate. It is illegal."

"But that doesn't make any sense…you said that you've felt this frenzy for me…"

"Since I arrived on the planet. It's true. It's been very irritating."

"How can that happen if you were taken off this database?"

"It doesn't mean that I can't be thrown into a frenzy. All females know that I am incompatible and to stay away from me."

"But I'm human, not Korn." She bites at her lip again. "Does…does this all stem from the way you walk and how you've covered yourself in more clothes than necessary? You don't have to explain any of this, but you need to know that I don't care about any of that."

I inhale, surprised at how meaningful these words of acceptance are to me. But then I remember it's because my sweet Willow doesn't know the whole story, the extent of my dishonorable behavior that led to my permanent wounds. She is speaking from a place of misplaced innocence, and if she knew the truth…this human might very well leave me as swiftly as any Korn female.

I step back and stride for the kitchen, this time not bothering to try and hide the slight lurch in my step. I change the subject and remark again over the point I find the most irritating about human mating customs. "There's no dating and no divorce amongst Korn. We can't have this moment tonight and then you leave tomorrow morning and take another human male into your bed."

She again follows behind. "I know that about your species and I've already accepted it. These last seven days I was thinking out what I'd do if I arrived and we hit it off, because I understood that starting something with you might mean we were together forever. I figured coming up here to meet you was a first step. To be truthful I didn't expect for things to change so quickly to where we're now stranded here together tonight, but I'm happy to have the opportunity to get to know you better."

I pause in front of the refrigerator and turn to look down at my beautiful female. The curve of her bare neck is mesmerizing. "Korn in a blood frenzy move fast. You staying here with me would mean that there would be little time for this ‘getting to know each other' you speak of and instead we'd be instant mates. And I'd need to know that you've given your full consent. It is against the law to consume blood from another being and perform the frenzy without full consent."

"Consume blood? Um, well maybe we could take this night to get to know each other better first?"

I shake my head. "I already know that you're the right being, which is why you staying the night is so risky. The problem is that I can't have you."

"How can you know that? You don't know me."

"It is different with Korn. If my body has chosen you, it knows. The choosing is never wrong. The Frenzy is never wrong," I say with a wistful tone, wishing I was truly able to pursue this human as my Bride, give in to this blood frenzy and mark her as mine. "The partner our body chooses is always the right one, mentally and physically."

She crosses her arms and a smile twitches at the corners of her luscious lips. "I don't know if you're really the right guy for me. After all, you were being kind of rude to me at first, telling me to put down my cupcakes and donuts and leave."

Heat spreads across my cheeks. "It was for your own good. Also, I am still learning how to communicate correctly with humans. I am here on this mission, but I am not like Justice or Hail. They are especially adept at communicating with other Korn, as well as with other species. This networking with humans is not where I excel, I'm the one who works behind the scenes. I make sure everything gets done and the logistics figured out. I communicate back and forth with our government and commerce authority through batches of messages and make sure all documents are correctly filed."

"Sounds like you're an important part of the team."

I nod. "I am. And after spending time with Justice and Hale and their brides, I want to be like them, mated to a human I'm reacting towards. But as I already told you, it is illegal. I am a special case. Both Justice and Hale have human brides and half-human, half-Korn offspring. They all appear happy and healthy."

"I wish I could meet them," Willow muses.

"But, this doesn't mean that all humans can make a lifetime commitment. I've seen this scourge your species refers to as divorce and to be truthful, I find it disgusting."

She chuckles. "Really? You find it disgusting?"

"Yes. Humans can pleasure mate, which is normal. But once Korn complete the frenzy we are locked together for life until one of us passes away. So again, I remind you, if this wasn't illegal and I were able to take you…you'd have to take this mating very seriously because it's not like a human mating where you could discard me soon after. If the next morning you woke up and realized the whole thing was a mistake I am locked physically to you for life and would go mad from not being in your presence. I would have to be isolated, quarantined in order for you to go on with your life with no worries. Not that any of that should bother you. You get to make your own decisions, especially since you're human, but you need to know how serious this is and why I've kept you away from me. This is why I said you couldn't stay here because it will get worse for me. And I… I need to drink some antidote soon."

"What?"

I open the fridge.

Willow is right behind me, not even trying to remain safe. Everything I'm telling her should make her want to run away and hide in the car from me, even though it's raining. Start walking by foot back down the hill just to get away.

She gasps with surprise. "Why are there bags of blood in the fridge?"