Hawking a Future by Zenina Masters

erection started flaring inside her once again. “You recover quickly.”
    “With such inspiration, I am surprised I flagged at all.” He withdrew and eased her to her side, lifting her upper thigh and propping it up on his knee with her back to him.
    He slid into her with the utmost care, wrapping a hand around her belly to pull her back against him while the other trapped her breasts, and his hand massaged each mound in turn.
    She was sensitive, and he went slowly, but the results of his slow thrusts were the same. Hayley’s senses went spinning as she took him into her, and he rocked them both to a shaking climax.
    When she was spent, lying on her side and gasping for breath, he withdrew and lifted her from the bed, carrying her to the claw-footed tub in the bathroom.
    His hands rubbed her thighs, a soft sponge cleaned the sweat and semen from her, and by the time he brought her back to bed, she was floating on a cloud of sensation.
    It had been a very good first night together, and they had as long as she lived to repeat it.

Chapter Eight
     
     
    A woman with black hair and brilliant green eyes was in the dining room in the morning. The man at her side appeared made of gold in every shade.
    Hayley sat gingerly in the chair that Tovin held out to her. “Good morning.”
    “Good morning, Hayley, Tovin. I am Dira and this is Mak. I am a coordinator for the Crossroads, and I am here to issue you an offer.”
    Hayley took the cup of coffee that Tovin handed to her, and she stirred it. “What is it?”
    Tovin settled and set about putting some fruit salad, bacon and a muffin on her plate.
    “Well, as Tovin knows, you two are headed for a balance and bonding ceremony. I would like to offer you a few days to gain control of your shifting talents before you have to return home.”
    Tovin put his hand on hers. “We accept your offer with gratitude. She shifted this morning, and I woke to a bat making out with my nostril.”
    She chuckled. “I was not. I was just tasting you, and it was the outside of your nose. It was that or nibble on your ear, and I don’t think you are up for that.”
    Dira smiled and sighed in relief. “Excellent. Teebie has your ceremonial clothing waiting for you, and you can head to the Meditation Centre the moment that you are finished with breakfast. Your clothing will be forwarded and the honeymoon suite will be fully stocked for your arrival.”
    Hayley looked around. “So quickly? What the hell is a balance and bonding ceremony?”
    Dira nodded. “Right. You have an alternate upbringing. Well, the fey were allowed to seek mates from the shifters under one condition. That condition was that they had to split their lifespans with their mate. It is a meeting of equals. The balance ceremony drains you both of your magic and gives half of it to your mate before returning half of it to you, along with half of theirs. The enchantment is binding and permanent. The bonding portion of it syncs your biology to be receptive.”
    Tovin sipped at his coffee. “There were other conditions.”
    Dira waved that away. “The fey offered had to be single, willing and the first dozen or so had to have a different form so that there was a point of commonality with the ladies.”
    “What about female fey?”
    Dira wrinkled her nose. “Pure blooded are not strictly available. A few women with human in their bloodlines have been eased forward as candidates. One stage at a time. First, we manage a few crossbreeds, and then, we will work on including all magical beings. Even some humans have put their names forward for the program. There are some longstanding relationships that have been unable to formalize in the human world, and this might be a chance for them. They are willing to be patient as things seem to be working just fine so far.”
    Hayley nodded. “So, for all intents and purposes, I am getting married...today.”
    Tovin snorted. “Not hardly. My mother is going to throw a huge wedding in the