Page 39 of Abalim

Her body moved in tune with the sounds. Each step, each gesture, each pose she made mirrored everyone around her. The fluid grace of her motions were in harmony with the rhythm, like watching a living embodiment of the music itself.

The sway of her hips, the twirl of her arms, wove an invisible thread that tugged something deep within him. She moved with sensual confidence, a language of curves and gestures that spoke to his inner core. He was mesmerized by the way her soft hair created a halo around her head with each spin along with the subtle arch of her back. Her expression of freedom as she danced ignited a fire. A yearning to understand not just the music, but the dancer who captivated him. As she laughed and moved, her steady stare held him spellbound. A clear invitation for him to connect with her. One he craved to explore.

“JR15?” He cleared his throat, making sure his voice was low but high enough his companion could hear him.

“Yes, Mister Abalim, sir?”

“Do humans dance on Earth like this?”

“All human cultures have a form of dance, Mister Abalim, sir. Why, even those on Akurn and FarDeep Base have various dance moves as well. It is a regular tradition among many species for millions of millennia.”

“Come, Abalim.” Lisa held out her arms. Her body continued to weave its spell. “Join me.”

Mouth dry, he considered giving it a try.

With a quick, shallow breath, he studied her petite hands, afraid to look her in the eye. “I have no idea what to do.” He grimaced and waved a hand at the gyrating crowd, moving to the sensuous beat. “I’ve never seen a dance before, much less participated in one.”

Lisa’s feminine laugh wasn’t mocking. More like she enjoyed the idea of being the first to do it with him. Her voice lowered as her tongue peeked out and slid over her lower lip. “Come on, Abalim. I promise I’ll be gentle.”

With a deep grunt, Abalim clasped her hand in his. When they merged with the others, he gripped her hand and soon became lost in her sensual gaze. Even without opening his psychic senses, her longing and desire for him simmered. As the slow beat of the drums filled the air, he mimicked her movements, swaying in rhythm, their bodies barely brushing against one another. With every slight movement, his groin tightened as heat rose between them.

Moving into an intimate hug, Abalim moaned when Lisa’s breath bathed his neck when her head rested below his shoulder. She hummed, her hands stroking his back, creating shivers of anticipation rolling down his spine. The scent of her natural, sweet perfume evoked memories of long conversations and shared moments of intimacy when they’d Dreamwalked.

The soft dance wrapped him in a sexual fog. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. He was at a total loss on how to handle his fluctuating emotions. For the first time since he was a young child, he lost control of himself as his desire for Lisa consumed him. With each synchronized maneuver, he became one with her.

Abalim savored Lisa’s soft and inviting curves as she slid against him. His hands moved over her, exploring every luscious line and curve when they moved in a gentle, rhythmic pattern. With each brush of his hands, Lisa’s body melted into his embrace. Her breath came faster, and her fingers clenched and unclenched against his neck.

The primitive beat of the drums and the lilting serenade of the wind instruments swirled around them. The slow rhythm echoed the pounding of his heart in time with hers. As each move turned more languid, he was lulled into a trance.

As the song ended, Abalim opened eyes he didn’t remember closing. He stepped back and caught the faraway glaze in Lisa’s dark blue eyes, her mouth slightly open. Her bemused expression left him breathless at the powerful connection between them. Getting lost in that perfect moment amplified the passion smoldering since he first saw her. Everything within him yearned to be even closer to her.

He'd reached to pull her close again when Lisa jerked and her eyes widened. “Holy space dung! What are they doing?” She peered around him.

Giving her an indulgent smile, Abalim gathered her in his arms and turned to face the villagers behind them. Instead of seeing the Lumarians dancing or laughing together, he had to blink several times. His eyes must be playing tricks on him. The scene was beyond his understanding of universal laws. The inexplicable sight of something so alien was hard to grasp.

Most of the Lumarian couples were nowmerged. Like blendedintoeach other. Where there were once two, now there was one. Looked like the gelatinous appearance of their skin wasn’t just for show. A movement caught his eyes to his left.

A couple clasped hands, keeping them between their chests. Touching their foreheads, they wrapped their arms around each other, pulling closer until there was nothing between them. Then their forms blurred and melded into a mesmerizing dance of coalescence, until only a singular, transformed being remained. Their once gel-like bodies were fused into a luminous form that emanated an eternal radiance, pulsating with an otherworldly energy.

“I…” Abalim swallowed. “I think they’re mating.” He checked the crowd to make sure no one noticed them. “We’d better get out of here before somebody wonders why were aren’t doing the same thing.”

“Oh crap. You’re right. Let’s go.” Lisa grabbed his hand as they headed toward their hut.

He couldn’t help the sigh of relief when they reached the hut without drawing any attention. He whisked aside the hanging vines covering the doorway to let Lisa go in first.

She turned around and laughed, clapping her hands. “OMG, I can’t believe we were at an orgy and didn’t know it!”

Abalim chuckled and scratched the side of his temple. “Yeah, well, I’m glad no one noticed us leaving. JR15.” The bot scuttled to the side of his neck.

“Yes, Mister Abalim, sir?” The little guy’s body wiggled.

“Would you mind transporting to the top of the hut for the night?” Abalim caught the attention of the silver-and-green eyes of the bot. “Lisa and I are going to retire, and I need you to keep an eye on everything and make sure nobody comes in here.”

“Oh yes, Mister Abalim, sir! Right away.” The bot’s wings came out, and he flew out the open hole in the roof.

What a relief to have JR15 on guard for the night.

Abalim gathered the alluring woman into his arms. Alone. They were finally alone. In the flesh. Now he could act on his overwhelming need for her. Using his forefinger, he tilted her chin to look deep into her sapphire blue eyes. “Lisa?” He knew no other way to tell her what rode him.

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