Chapter 3

LEONA

My head keeps swirling with disbelief. Surely this can't be happening. Surely this is just a crazy dream. Yet the huge alien's touch feels so very real, and his masculine scent tantalizes my senses. I can't believe he's about to examine me in private. Just the two of us.

His eyes . My heart races faster.

His eyes are the exact shade of purple I've seen recently in my dreams. I don't understand it, and it's a little bit too strange to write off as a coincidence. Especially considering the strong pull I've felt toward the Darrvason fleet, the Haxxal in particular.

I want to ask the Darrvason doctor if he lives on the Haxxal , but I'm frightened of the answer. If he says yes, what will that mean?

I remind myself I'm too old to be claimed by a Darrvason. The aliens want human women in the nineteen to twenty-five age range. That means I won't be considered for breeding purposes.

Why doesn't this knowledge bring me relief?

My pulse accelerates when the doctor guides me into an exam room and no one follows us. Holy shit, we really are going to be alone. How much poking and prodding does he plan to do?

The huge alien male steps away from me and sets his medical bag on a counter. As I stand awkwardly in the room, my gaze snags on the exam table. It doesn't look like an ordinary exam table. There are lights coming down from the ceiling, and the table itself features the kind of stirrups that are used during a gynecological exam. I swallow hard and absently rub at my chafed wrists.

Will he actually take a peek at me down there ?

I flush and press my thighs together as a heated pulsing sensation affects my core. Why am I so breathless? Why do I feel achy and unsettled between my legs?

As I study the alien doctor, the same longing that reverberates through me every time I gaze at the Darrvason fleet surges through me. I watch as he opens his medical bag and sets several items on the counter, two of which appear to be large, silver phallus-shaped objects.

But surely those two objects can't be what I think they are. I mean, what kind of doctor carries around replicas of male appendages in his medical bag? I almost laugh at the absurdity of the idea. I remind myself that I'm unfamiliar with Darrvason technology. For all I know, the objects could be dermal regenerators or some kind of sanitation devices.

The doctor turns to face me, and I notice he's holding a small flashing device in one of his large, six-fingered hands. I take a moment to admire his features. He stands over seven feet tall, and he's wearing black, form-fitting pants and a long-sleeved shirt over his well-muscled body. The flesh that is visible is dark and textured. The hair atop his head, as well as his facial hair, is black but peppered with strands of white, giving him a distinguished look. He's the most handsome male I've ever encountered, and I flush anew as he approaches me.

"What is your name, little human?" he asks in a deep rumbling tone that incites more heated pulses between my thighs. I can't be sure, but I think I'm becoming wet down there , and I can't fathom a reason for it.

My mouth goes dry, but somehow, I manage to reply. "Leona."

"Lee-oon-ahh." He says my name slowly, as though he's savoring each syllable. "I am Doctor Zahhn."

I blink, unsure how I should respond. Given the circumstances, ‘It's nice to meet you, Doctor Zahhn', doesn't feel quite right. I stare at him stupidly as my body seems to come alive in his presence. I have the sudden urge to rub myself against him and tear off his clothes. God, what is wrong with me?

I can't help but wonder if the last hormone suppression shot I received was defective. I'm no expert in matters of fornication, but I'm starting to worry that the breathlessness and heated pulses afflicting me might be desire.

Doctor Zahhn taps the surface of the white, padded exam table. "Please remove your clothing, Leona, and have a seat. I would like to get started immediately."

I wrap my arms around my center and take two steps back. Before I realize what I'm doing, I'm shaking my head in refusal. "No, I… there's no need for me to remove my clothes. Please, I would prefer to remain dressed." I can't fathom getting naked in front of this handsome alien male. What will he think when he discovers the moisture I feel gathering in my panties? Shame heats my face, and I take another step back.

His visage becomes stern, and I get the vibe that he's not used to being challenged. Well, too bad. Because I'm not taking my clothes off.

"You must be fully naked during your exam, human female." He taps the surface of the exam table again. "We were promised our patients would be compliant. It's my understanding that your sentence in the brig will be significantly reduced in exchange for your cooperation. I suggest you obey my instructions and be a good little patient, Leona."

"What?" Shock ripples through me. "No one told me any of that. Are you certain my sentence will be reduced?" Not that I've been formally sentenced yet. But maybe that's why Commander Hampton arrested several women on bogus charges recently. So he would have a ready supply of female patients for the aliens to examine.

"Yes, I am certain. Emperor Radakk has ordered your captain to release the females we examine from the brig very soon, within the next few days. He intends to check back in with Captain Warren to ensure his orders have been followed." Doctor Zahhn looks me up and down, and though I can't be sure, I think I glimpse a spark of heat in his eyes.

"Well, that's a relief." I try but fail to suppress a shudder. "I was facing at least five years in the brig."

"Five years? What did you do?" Doctor Zahhn closes the distance between us and reaches for my forehead. Trembles besiege me as he brushes an errant lock of hair behind my ear. His touch is everything and I cannot get enough.

What would it be like if he… hugged me? The longing inside me soars, and I close my eyes briefly as I imagine him wrapping me in a tender embrace.

"Leona?" he prompts, his deep voice threaded with the barest hint of impatience. "What did you do to warrant at least five years in the brig?"

I exhale slowly. Should I tell the truth? But if I reveal the truth, will Doctor Zahhn think I'm lying? For a reason I can't fathom, the idea of him thinking I'm dishonest makes my stomach twist.

"I didn't do anything," I finally say. Oh, how I wish he would brush another lock of hair behind my ear. I resist the urge to step closer to his muscular form. "Well, technically all I did was remain in the corridors after curfew, but after Commander Hampton caught me, I suppose I became a tad too argumentative for his liking, and he planted drugs on me in retaliation. Getting caught after curfew only warrants a night in the brig. Or it used to. The drug charge, however, would've seen me locked up for years." Though I'm exceedingly nervous about getting naked in front of Doctor Zahhn and allowing him to examine me, it's a tremendous relief to know I'll be going home soon. Back to the quarters I share with my distant father, and back to my usual routine of working in the mess hall followed by spending my evenings managing the speakeasy.

Life will return to normal soon. I just have to endure a medical exam performed by a sinfully handsome alien doctor who makes me feel warm and tingly all over.

"I will inform Emperor Radakk that Commander Hampton is corrupt and not to be trusted. Thank you for sharing that information, Leona, however I am sorry about what he did to you." A frown creases the doctor's brow, and he appears deep in thought for a few moments.

"Maybe you shouldn't say anything to the emperor. I don't want to cause any trouble. If Commander Hampton finds out I blabbed, he might retaliate. Please don't say anything." My throat nearly closes up as I await his response.

A low growl rumbles from Doctor Zahhn's chest, then he gently cups my face and trails his thumbs over my cheeks. Goosebumps erupt on my arms, and the back of my neck prickles with sensation. I feel pleasantly delirious, and I don't pull away from the alien's touch.

"Very well," he says after a minute. "I will remain silent on the matter." He removes his hands from my cheeks, only to commence stroking his long fingers through my hair. Oh God. I bask under his attentions and soak up the intimacy of the physical contact.

"Thank you," I whisper. Gratitude wells within me. He's planning to keep a secret just because I asked him to. As he continues petting my hair, a warm itchiness skitters over my upper arms. I resist the urge to scratch, however, not wanting to do anything to cause him to stop caressing me.

Is he touching me as part of my examination? Or is he stroking me simply because he desires to feel the texture of my hair? What would he think if I followed my present desires and ran my hands up and down his muscular chest?

"You're becoming flushed, little human." He rests his hands on my shoulders and peers at me intently. "Furthermore, I detect a sweet but pungent aroma emanating from you that I suspect is arousal. Remove your clothing at once so I might examine the area between your thighs." He steps back and lifts his eyebrows, an expectant look coming over him.

I open my mouth, preparing to refuse once again. But then I remember what he revealed about Emperor Radakk's orders. The women who are being examined today will be released from the brig soon . Surely that means I won't have to spend five plus years imprisoned. I hope it means I'll be released in a day or two.

Okay, I can do this. Besides, the sooner I get naked, the sooner my exam will be over. I can only hope Doctor Zahhn will be quick about it.

"I've never… never taken my clothes off in front of a male before." I reach for the hem of my shirt, draw in a deep breath, and pull it over my head. I toss the garment onto a chair near the exam table. "I must confess that I'm very nervous."

What sounds like an appreciative growl leaves Doctor Zahhn's throat. His nostrils flare and his body becomes tense. I also notice a massive bulge in his crotch area. It appears his pants suddenly aren't quite large enough. I stare at the bulge as I consider why his male appendage might be getting bigger. How very strange.

"There's no need to be nervous, little human," he says in a comforting but strained tone, as though he must force the words out. His expression almost appears pained as his gaze roams over my body. "I am a doctor, and you are my patient. My job is to examine you and your job is to be compliant for the duration of the inspection." He draws himself up taller. "Continue undressing."

I struggle for air as I slip my shoes and socks off, then unfasten my pants and start pushing them down. I soon find myself standing in the middle of the room wearing nothing but a bra and panties. A sense of vulnerability steals through me, and the same dark heat from earlier sparks in Doctor Zahhn's eyes. He emits another satisfied growl that echoes off the walls.

Does he find my body pleasing? Will he like what he sees when I finally remove my undergarments? It shouldn't matter to me what he thinks of my body, yet I yearn to please him, and I ache to feel his hands skimming my flesh.

"Show me what a good little female you can be, Leona, and finish getting undressed." His nostrils flare wider. "Be obedient."

A whimper builds in my throat, but I remain quiet. I lower my gaze, unable to meet his eyes for a second longer, and unhook the front clasp of my bra. I let it slide down my arms and toss it toward the chair that holds my clothes. A quick glance at Doctor Zahhn shows he's gripping the edge of the exam table, and his muscles are more tense than ever.

"Continue." His tone is raspy, and he soon turns his back to me and rummages through his medical bag again.

I take the opportunity to quickly remove my panties as his back is turned. My heart thumps rapidly as I wait for him to face me. As I wait for him to spin around and glimpse my total nakedness.

He finally finds what he's looking for in the bag, pulls it out, and turns to meet my eyes. But he doesn't hold my gaze for long. He soon stares openly at my nether area, the part of me I desperately wish I might hide from him. No male has ever looked at me down there, and I don't understand why his gaze feels like a physical caress.

When his scrutiny becomes too much, I place one hand in front of my crotch, and another over my bosom, drawing my breasts together so I might shield my nipples from his view.

"Sit on the exam table, little human. Now ."

I peer with curiosity at the two devices he's holding, but I suppose I'll soon discover their purpose. I pray whatever he's about to do won't hurt. Summoning my courage, I climb on the table, trying my best to shelter my private parts in the process. Once I'm seated, I keep my thighs pressed together with one hand resting atop my nether area and another hand covering my nipples. I cast a worried look at the stirrups and hope he doesn't order me to place my feet inside. The last thing I want to do is spread my legs wide for the doctor.

Doctor Zahhn moves in front of me, sets the smaller device aside, then holds the second one up. The lights on the thin, wide contraption flash blue and green intermittently, and there are numerous tiny buttons covered in unfamiliar symbols. "Give me your wrists, Leona, and I will heal your chafing."

Oh. Oh . I'd forgotten about his promise to heal my injuries. Still, I hesitate to comply. Because if I give him my wrists, I won't be able to keep my privates covered any longer. But when his eyes flare with impatience, I find myself obeying his order as a wave of submission courses through me, that odd urge I have to please him.

He takes my right wrist in one hand and turns it slightly as he runs the dermal regenerator over my marred flesh. I watch, shocked to my core, as my chafed skin heals before my eyes in mere seconds. Once he finishes with my right wrist, he moves on to my left wrist, healing the marks left by the too-tight manacles. The pain also vanishes.

"Why were you wearing restraints but not the other females?" He's leaning down and standing so close that his warm breath dances across my face, and his nearness makes it difficult for me to form a coherent thought or even breathe. Being close to him feels dangerous yet so very right.

I clear my throat. "I pissed Commander Hampton off."

"Ah, I see." He sets the dermal regenerator aside and commences rubbing my freshly healed wrists. The pads of his fingers are rough, and I suspect the rest of his skin is harder to the touch than a human's due to its unique, almost rippled texture, but I don't wish for him to stop. "Do you have any additional injuries?"

"No." I swallow hard. "Thank you for healing my wrists."

He cups the side of my face in one hand. "You're welcome." His eyes search mine, causing my cheeks to grow warm. My gaze lowers to his lips, and for the first time in my life, I wonder what it might be like to kiss a male.

Feverish. I've felt feverish in his presence since the moment he grabbed me before the other doctor could. Why did he growl and push his associate out of the way just to claim me first?

"When did you last receive a hormone suppression shot?" His question takes me by surprise.

"You know about that?" Despite myself, I squirm in place as the heated pulses between my thighs become more urgent.

"Yes. Your captain mentioned something about it to the emperor. I also know that fornication is outlawed on the human worldship and that your people use fertility labs to achieve pregnancy. I know your population is strictly controlled." His caressing hands move to my thighs, and he rubs slow circles on my flesh. I nearly release a moan, though I stop myself just in time. Oh God. What is wrong with me?

"I last received a hormone suppression shot about six months ago," I say. Should I admit I don't think the shot is working? I peer into his eyes as if searching for guidance.

"Six months? Are you certain?" He inhales deeply and a faint rumble emits from his chest and vibrates through me.

"Yes, I'm certain."

"Well, before we begin your examination, Leona, I must administer a hypospray to counteract the effects of the hormone suppression shot. It's necessary so that I might determine your capacity to experience arousal."

Before I can respond, he places the hypospray to my neck.