Fever Hitch (Earth Con)
Ayla Ruse
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Ayla Ruse
"Slate. Wait up. We have to talk about finding a mate."
Agent Slate Reese turned his head to see his best friend and partner, Ryker, striding up to him from down the hall. "Later," he scowled. "It's about time you showed up."
"I've been here the whole time," Ry answered as he caught up. He grinned and slapped Slate on the back. "I was talking to the new recruits downstairs. There're a few cute ones I think we should check on."
Slate's mouth flattened. He was tired of trying to find a mate. He and Ry had tried to find a compatible female for over two years now. The younger man wouldn't get it through his thick head it wasn't going to happen. He couldn't answer, however, as they were intercepted by the voluptuous Agent Tae.
"Slate," she purred, sliding her hands up his chest. He stopped walking and waved Ry on. Ryker rolled his eyes but walked away to afford them some privacy.
"Tae. Ry and I are on our way to see your father."
"Ooh. If he knows you're with me, he'll forgive your being tardy. I won't keep you but a minute." She ran long-fingered hands around his neck, and he remained stiff.
There was a time he would have welcomed her attention, but that was before he realized she was a cold hearted bitch.
She leaned in close and whispered against his lips. "After you're done with my father, why don't you meet me in the transportation room? I have three tickets to Earth Con. We can get away from here and have some serious fun."
"I'll ask Ry if he's up for that."
She scowled and pulled away. "You know my feelings about Ry." She darted a lethal glance at his friend. "He's so... young and eager and nothing like you. We match up well. And I know if we added Hudon, we'd have a strong mating together."
And there it was. The reason he would never be hers.
"Tae," Slate started, "we've been over this. I'm to be in a mated relationship with Ryker and our female. If you don't like that, look somewhere else. I'm not going to drop Ry for you. I'll not leave our friendship for any female."
He stared into her eyes, his fathomless inky blackness meeting hers in a fierce match. Finally, she stepped back. Seeming to pull herself together -- or leash her anger, he could never be sure with her -- she shook her head, lifted her chin and smiled in what she probably thought was pure seduction. "Your loss, Slate. But remember me as you and Ry continue to fuck nameless females in separate rooms, looking for that one that'll never be pleased with the both of you."
Her words cut deep, but he didn't let it show. Trust this one to get to the heart of his insecurities.
Tae turned and gracefully walked away, completely ignoring the warm greeting from Ry. Slate bit back a chuckle when Ry flipped her off as she passed, before coming over to him.
"Man, Slate. I know she's gorgeous, but I don't know what you ever saw in her."
A few months ago she'd started to come onto Slate, but had never wanted anything to do with Ry. Slate had fucked her, hopeful, but anytime he suggested bringing in Ry, she'd balk.
"Like you said, Ry, she's hot. But if she can't accept you, I can't accept her."
The problem worked both ways for them. There had been females who had preferred Ry over him. He lost sleep at night wondering if a compatible female even existed for them.
Slate rubbed his smooth chin. "Do you think the Matching Group got it wrong? I mean, we've been friends for a long time and I honestly can't see being in a mated relationship with a different male, but maybe they messed up our assessment?"
Ry shook his head as the pair walked to their boss's office. "You're stressing out too much over this."
"It's been two fucking years, Ry. I'm nearing the end of my prime. I want a family. I don't like that we can't find a female who will accept us both."
Ry studied his shoes a minute. "We're polar opposites. Accept that. I have. And somewhere out there is a female who will accept this, too. She's out there, Slate. I'm sure of it. Look at it this way. Be glad that the Matching Group said our mating is only three individuals. I couldn't imagine what we'd have to go through if it were four or more. My parents always talk about how long it took the four of them to meet and hook up."
Slate turned his head. Ry was right, but it didn't ease the ache, the hole that seemed to be growing in him.
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Reviewer: Alberta
The popularity of conventions which celebrate the unusual, which began in the late 1990s, has apparently continued into the far future where aliens from all different galaxies meet at conventions, or ‘cons’, to have fun, meet others, and occasionally sell illegal drugs.
In this milieu we find Felicia an illustrator, who is painted and made up to look like an alien, along with Slate and Ry, who are investigators from another planet, hot on the trail of the bad guys who are distributing illegal substances. The drugs at best cause extreme horniness, and at worst, death to certain intolerant species, like earthlings. The two men meet Felicia in the throes of the drug’s effects and rescue her, all the while hoping she will be the one who will love them both and be their third in a triad.
I loved the characters, the premise, the word pictures, the sex and the excitement of the Con, just everything. I don’t usually like paranormals and futuristics, but Earth Con 1: Fever Hitch really caught me up so that I couldn’t put it down.
* Disclosure: Reviewers are compensated for book reviews.
