Serendipity (Book 1 of the Dana Halliday series)

EARTHER-TYPE SENSIBILITIES. NOT EVEN MAMMALS. INTERSPECIES RELATIONS.

If a deity had designed the being that emerged onto the Black Kestrel's bridge, he or she or it obviously had Earther-type sensibilities in mind. 

Or maybe there was something universal at work here; I sensed all three of my male companions straighten up and square their shoulders. Lonavat said something curselike under his breath as he hit his head on the ceiling.

For crying out loud. I've never had that effect on a room.

"Dana," said Adrian, in a carefully polite voice. "This is Gabriel Liang and his wife, Kleathanna."

Liang nodded assent, giving me an amused smile. "My apologies. I keep telling Adrian he needs to diversify his services, but a doctor! Not what I would expect, but that's an excellent idea."

"Nice to meet you," I said, more stiffly than I intended. "And you too, ma'am."

The woman, Kleathanna, seemed to float as she moved to the front of the bridge, presumably closer to their viewscreen. I recognized her as a Cennett, from pictures in the Dirty Little Secrets Handbook.

"It's Klea," she purred in English, and in my peripheral vision I saw all the guys quiver a little. "Do you prefer first names? I feel that females should be allies, if at all possible."

I felt my lips quirk. "Dana's fine, yeah."

Not knowing how high-definition their viewscreen was, I kept my eyes firmly on her face. It was a little difficult. The Cennett woman was exotically beautiful in a number of ways, from her smooth neck to her small, human-like feet. She was about six feet tall from what I could tell, graceful as a willow, and her smooth skin was a deep rose-pink in color, as if dyed or painted. Her face was also human-like, but a bit elongated, giving her an almost fox-like countenance with her bright black eyes. Her lips were full and sensual, emitting words in tones that were as luscious and curvy as her long body.

Oh, and she had four breasts.

This was obvious because her clothing consisted entirely of her own hair. Her hair was raven-black, and the whole prodigious length of it was plaited and woven, wrapped about her in intricate bands that both covered and accented everything important. The hair-garment ended in a skirt of long braids that brushed the floor.

"Excellent.  Gabe, my lover, may we invite them aboard to discuss things? I would love to have Adrian make me a cup of tea."

Liang scratched at his beard. "I rather think we should. Travers?"

"I'd, I'd like that, of course," said Adrian.

I turned and gave him a glare. "We're in the middle of a rescue operation, aren't we?" I fought an urge to elbow him in the ribs.

"Oh, yes!" He seemed to shake himself. "It's a good thing you came along. We were trying to assist this man's wife—" he gestured over his shoulder at Lonavat, "—but she was taken by one of the Kolmira ships."

Kleathanna put a long-fingered hand to her ample chest, giving a delicate little gasp. "Against her wishes? Tell me it wasn't, Adrian!"

Adrian nodded gravely.

"Gabe, we must help this gallant man!" She looked back at her Earther husband, still in his Captain Morgan stance. "Please?"

Before Liang could answer, she dropped to all fours. Her shoulder and hip joints seemed to swivel in their sockets, giving her a sort of reptilian grace as she flowed over to him. It also did interesting things to her admirable posterior. She rose and rested her upper body on his bent leg, looking at us. 

"It's only right," she continued. "The Sturv have broken the Code."

Liang seemed to sigh. "Of course, Klea. We shall assist them." He straightened and made his way back to the captain's chair, leaving the Cennett to adopt a sexy curled-up posture in the center of the bridge. "And I will expect that project to be completed as soon as possible, Travers."