Page 2 of Slithery Heat

The reviews were glowing.

Transcendent experience. I’ll never forget this.

Multiple orgasms for days on end. I’ll be going to this clinic every heat.

You haven’t lived until you’ve had five tentacles up your ***. Five sticky stars.

Gideon remembered blushing like a preteen while reading some of the more explicit recommendations. He’d been tentatively excited about his stay at the Vaellian clinic. But now that he was here, sitting in a waiting room, his heat about to start, his heart drummed against his ribs, and cold sweat covered his neck.

He looked around, trying to distract himself. The walls were decorated with abstract art, thick layers of red and pink oil paint caked on the canvasses. Directly in front of him hung a print of what must have been the Milky Way—countless stars clustered together in the unimaginable depths of the universe. From howfar away did the Vaellians arrive? He’d learned about their landing on Earth and the various peace treaties at school, but he’d forgotten most of it since.

Finally, the double glass door opened, and two men entered the waiting room. One wore a white coat over a blue shirt and slacks. He carried a tablet in his hand. He was obviously human, with some dry patches of skin on his cheeks and a cut just below his jaw from shaving. His hair was thinner by his temples. Gideon could always tell a human from a Vaellian by these little inconspicuous imperfections. No man could ever make himself look as flawless as a Vaellian shapeshifter when they assumed a human form.

The second man who entered was most definitelynothuman. In a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans, the tall alpha looked so strikingly beautiful that Gideon had to remind himself to breathe.

The alien had piercing blue eyes framed by long lashes, chiseled cheekbones, dark-brown hair that fell over his forehead in effortless waves, and a lovely shadow over his square jaw. And the body. Gideon gulped. Six foot five, shoulders bulging with muscle, trim hips, long, sculpted legs in those tight-fitting jeans… Yep, the Vaellians knew what human omegas liked.

“Mr. Gardinier, welcome to the Titanoboa Clinic.”

Gideon tore his eyes away from the sexy alien and refocused on the doctor. Then he scrambled off the sofa, realizing he should probably greet the men standing up.

“Hello. Sorry. Um. Hi. Call me Gideon, please.”

The doctor gave him the bright smile of a seasoned car salesman. “Welcome, Gideon. This is Siurin. He’s the lucky man who won your auction.”

The alien looked Gideon up and down, his eyes glittering like fresh snow. Then he offered a huge hand in greeting.

“Hello. It’s very nice to meet you in person, Gideon.” Perfect pronunciation, deep, melodic voice. Alphas like this guy never hit on Gideon—they never spared a mousy, skinny omega like him a second glance. Yet this godlike alpha had chosen him.

That’s not what he really looks like,Gideon reminded himself.

“Hello, Siurin.” Gideon hoped he was pronouncing it right. “Nice to meet you too.”

Siurin’s skin felt slightly warmer and smoother than a human’s. Even so, Gideon shivered on contact. They shook hands for long enough that the doctor cleared his throat.

“Since you have already filled in and signed all the forms, there’s no need for me to accompany you. Siurin has the keycard to your suite. It’s on the twentieth floor, one of our best rooms. Siurin wanted to make sure you’d have the highest possible comfort during your heat.”

Yep. Gideon’s alien was loaded. Obviously. The result of the auction had surpassed Gideon’s wildest dreams. He’d be able to pay off his entire student loan and afford a nice vacation on top of that. Apparently, the online auction had been quite the battle, starting with more than two hundred interested and ending with the remaining six Vaellians bidding on him to the last second. He had always considered himself too small and frail-looking to be conventionally attractive, but hey, at least aliens found him desirable.

“Do you have any questions, Gideon?”

“No. Thanks. I think I’m good.”

“Then I’ll leave you two to it.” The doctor winked, and Gideon suppressed a grimace in response. “There are panic buttons installed in every room of the suite—by the beds, in the shower, and three near the floor in the living room. In the seven years we’ve been welcoming omega surrogates at this location, we’ve never had an incident that would require the use of the panicbuttons, but it’s good to be aware of them. For your peace of mind.”

Siurin smiled pleasantly as if the doctor had not just alluded to the fact that the handsome alien was a terrifying monster in disguise.

“Right. Okay. Thank you,” Gideon stammered.

A few seconds later, he was sharing an elevator with the hottest alpha he’d ever met.

He’s not an actual human alpha.

The suite was indeed luxurious—low, plush sofas, thick carpets, state-of-the-art kitchen appliances, a view over the city skyline, a bed the size of a football field, and a private terrace with a hot tub.

Siurin carried Gideon’s small suitcase to the bedroom and returned to Gideon’s side by the large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room.

“The view is great.” Gideon had absolutely no idea what to say next.

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