His patience didn’t last. Twice during the night, he woke her, once with his tongue lapping at her clit, and the second time when he simply pressed into her wet swollen flesh. Each time she responded eagerly, each time she came with a convulsive pleasure that thrust him into his own release far too quickly, no matter how much he wanted to linger in her exquisite tightness.
As dawn approached, he thought to take her once again but even though she smiled sleepily at him, he felt her flinch when he touched her. When he pulled away, she reached for him.
“I think you have had enough, my L’chka. I forget that human flesh is delicate.”
“Not that delicate,” she said, reaching for his erection. He let her stroke him before reluctantly removing her hand.
“Enough, little girl. It is time we prepared to leave. We have far to travel.”
The mischievous expression immediately left her face and he wished they had more time to enjoy their new mating. Instead, he hugged her gently.
“Come. I will bathe you.”
The small bathing room did not allow much room to play, but perhaps that was just as well. He still lingered over R’chel’s perfect body as he washed her carefully, making sure that every inch had his full attention. His cock was rock hard, and she was flushed and panting by the time he finished, but he sent her off to apply the healing gel and get dressed while he attended to his own needs. As soon as he was dressed, he went downstairs to prepare for their departure.
When he returned to their room, R’chel was standing by the window with her head tilted. She looked thoughtful and a little sad, and his hearts seized. Was she regretting their joining?
“What are you thinking, my zuzu?”
“That life is strange.” She turned and smiled at him and relief filled him at the happiness on her face. “When I was breaking my back working at the diner, I never thought I’d end up eloping with my alien lover.”
“I never thought I would find a mate, let alone such a perfect one.”
She came to him and put her arms around his neck. “Kiss me, my alien lover.”
He didn’t hesitate, drawing her into his arms, and losing himself in the succulent depths of her mouth.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“We must go,” T’chok announced when he finally lifted his head. The sky outside the window was beginning to lighten. Rachel glanced regretfully around the room. She knew he was right, but she hated to leave this spot. Wincing a little as she walked, she followed him out of the room.
He stopped in the kitchen and gestured to the table. Laid out on top was a plate of food and a glass of juice. “You will eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” Her stomach was churning from nerves and the residual effect of the previous day’s events.
“We have discussed this, little girl. You will take care of yourself. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” she muttered, and rolled her eyes.
He shook his head. “If we had more time, I would teach you to be more respectful.” He frowned at her and she could swear her bottom actually flinched. “And then I would feed you. But for now, you will eat while I procure our transportation.”
He vanished out the back door. With an annoyed glance after him, she poked at the plate of Yehrin food. She recognized most of it from her time on the ship, including the jima that she liked so much, and she realized he had presented her with her favorites. Touched by his thoughtfulness, she managed to take a bite. As soon as the food hit her stomach, she realized that she was famished and she had cleaned her plate by the time he returned, looking annoyed.
“I am not sure that the vehicle your friend suggested will be satisfactory. It is very primitive, and it will not start.”
“Really? Everything that belongs to Judy that I’ve seen has been in great shape. Maybe it’s just older earth technology. Do you want me to look at it?”
“Perhaps that would be best.” He checked her plate and gave her an approving nod. “Good girl. Do you have everything with you?”
She held up her laundry bag pack, still in remarkably good shape despite her adventures, and gave him a rueful smile. “Everything I own.”
He frowned again, at the bag this time and not at her. “I am sorry, my zuzu. I wish to give you everything you deserve but I no longer have anything to give.”
Putting her arms around him, she nestled into his chest. “You’ve already given me everything, just because you’re willing to give up everything to be with me. I love you, T’chok.”
“I love you, too. I am honored that you consented to become my L’chka.” He bent his head for a quick, hard kiss. She melted into him, her lips parting under his. The kiss deepened and she could feel her body responding, despite the soreness that lingered from the previous night. With a growl, he raised his head and pushed her gently away.
“You are too tempting, my zuzu. We must go.”
Rachel pouted, just a little. He laughed and turned her toward the door with a quick smack across her rear. “None of your tricks, little girl. They do not work on me.”
We’ll see about that. She giggled at the thought as she waited for him to lock the door, then stopped abruptly as she realized how carefree she sounded. Despite the constant thread of worry for her brother, despite being on the run from powerful alien forces, she was happy. For the first time since her father died, she felt safe and she felt loved. Taking his hand, she smiled up at him.
“Come on, my warrior. Let’s hit the road.”
He gave a startled glance at the road passing in front of the house. “Why would we do that?”
“It’s just an expression. It means that we should get going.”
“Indeed.” He glanced at the sky, definitely pale along the horizon. “The night patrols will be finishing now. If this vehicle will not function, we will need to obtain another.”
Inside the small barn, an old blue pickup truck was parked to one side. The paint was faded but it was spotlessly clean.
“This is perfect,” Rachel said. “There are tons of these all over Montana. It won’t stand out at all. Although, I hate to say it, but we should dirty it up some. Ranch trucks are never this clean. Besides, you guys can pick up license plate numbers, right? Isn’t that how you tracked me?” He nodded. “If the truck’s dirty, then we can smear mud on the plate as well to hide the number and it won’t be as obvious. She shrugged. “It’s technically illegal but no one pays much attention.”
The floor of the barn consisted of hard packed dirt, not much use for getting the appropriate grit on the truck. At her request, he gathered some loose dirt from one of Judy’s planting beds and together they worked to make the truck look like any other ranch truck. Although T’chok didn’t complain, he obviously did not enjoy the process and she found herself remembering his pristine quarters. The mountain cabin was going to come as a shock.
“Now, why did you say it wasn’t working?” she asked once they were finished.
“I turned the key, and nothing happened.”
Opening the driver’s door, she climbed up onto the tan vinyl bench seat. “This is a stick shift. You have to press the clutch in first.”
She demonstrated and the truck rumbled to life. With a triumphant grin, she pointed to the passenger seat. “Looks like you’ll be riding shotgun.”
At his raised eyebrow, she laughed. “That means you’re in the passenger seat, although I suspect it was originally called that because the person not driving would be on guard.”
“That is appropriate. I will guard you.” He nodded seriously and climbed in. The springs groaned and she winced in sympathy. T’chok’s horns almost reached the ceiling of the cab but at least he had room to move. She backed out of the garage and stopped long enough to let T’chok close the doors behind them.
“Fortunately, Judy had some paper maps,” she said. “I didn’t want to search on her phone or computer in case it could be traced. I looked up the route last night but then I was heading home. We’ll need to adjus
t that once we cross the border into Montana to head for the cabin instead. Do you know how to read a map? An actual paper map?”
“Of course. We are trained to find directions.” He looked insulted so she dug the map out of her bag and handed it to him. “In addition to being the guard, you are now the navigator as well. I assume it would be best to avoid the highways?”
“Yes, the primary surveillance is concentrated there.” After a brief pause, he added, “We… they also tap into existing feeds. We should avoid places that have exterior cameras.”
“Easier said than done these days. Maybe we should hide you.”
“Hide? A warrior does not hide.”
“Don’t forget, we’re on the run now. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor and all that.” She waved a hand at his confused look. “I just mean that sometimes you can’t face things head on.”
He scowled but nodded. “You are wise, my zuzu. It does not come naturally to me to avoid confrontation.”
She saw the frustration in his face and forced herself to ask again. “Are you sure that you want to go with me?” Her heart pounded as she waited for his response.
“Yes. I will not take you back and I will not be separated from you. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to protect you, even if it requires changing my instincts.”
Relieved by his assurance, she gave him a shaky smile. “Okay, then. Maybe you should at least duck down until we’re out of town.”
“Duck?”
“Can you tilt your head toward me?” She patted her leg. After a considering look, he bent down in her direction. Fortunately, the bench seat was wide enough that he could bend down without his horns digging into her thigh.
“I do not like this. I can not watch for danger,” he grumbled as he adjusted his position. He brought a big hand up to circle her thigh. “Although it has its rewards.”
“The only danger we’re in right now is you distracting me.” He was kneading her thigh gently, like a cat, and she wanted to move his hand up, closer to her aching pussy.
“Drive, my zuzu.” He tightened his hand.
“Yes, sir.”
Few people were stirring at this early hour and the drive out of town was uneventful. She headed for an older two-lane road that had been the main transportation route before the highway was built. It would take them longer but with less chance of being observed, it was worth the tradeoff.
“Are they going to come looking for you?”
“I do not know. Before I destroyed the flyer, I scheduled a message to be delivered to T’lan later today. Not about where we are going, but why I left—although I already warned him what I was going to do. If they do look for us, your stepfather’s ranch will be the second place they look so it is as well that we are not going there.”
“Stepfather? He married her?”
“You did not know?”
“No.” She shook her head. “My mother thinks that he’s devoted to her, but I had my doubts. I really didn’t expect him to marry her.”
“She said that he had been in love with her for many years.”
“Yeah, right.” Rachel couldn’t bite back the bitter laugh. “My dad died ten years ago. We live in a small town; it wasn’t a secret. But he didn’t come sniffing around until about a year ago. I think he’s just run through most of the available pussy and was finally ready to settle down.” She sighed. “I suppose it’s no wonder Benji ran away. He and Tom did not get along.”
“That was my impression as well.” He hesitated. “He struck your brother.”
Rage hit her hard and fast. “That lousy son of a bitch. I wish we were going to the ranch. I’d teach him not to pick on my brother again.”
T’chok patted her leg. “Be calm, little one. I administered a partial lesson. I only wish it had been more.”
“Thank you.” She put her hand over his and squeezed. “Now all we need to do is find Benji…”
They rode in silence for several minutes, watching the winding road stretch out before them. The rising sun highlighted the surrounding mountains, glinting on the yellow of the aspen leaves.
“What did you tell T’lan?” Rachel asked.
“That I would not be separated from my L’chka.”
“You left the message last night. That was before you asked me. Were you so sure I would say yes?”
He grinned. “I am quite convincing.” Turning serious, he added, “I would not accept any other possibility. You are mine, R’chel.”
“Yes, I am.” She lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed it before returning to her questions. “Did you tell T’lan anything else? Did you ask him to watch out for Sarah and Lizabet?”
“Of course.” T’chok frowned. “But L’zabet can not stay at the hotel forever. She does not belong with the potential breeders.”
“You know, I really hate that name,” she sighed. “We’re people, women, not just empty wombs for you to try and fill.”
“I do not think you understand, R’chel. To be a breeder is the highest honor for my people.”
“Why is that?”
“I told you that the Yehrin do not breed easily. Our DNA was altered many, many generations ago and it changed us. We produce few children and most often they are male. Some of the other races we have encountered appear to be genetically compatible, but they are not. And when we can produce children with them, those children too are primarily male. That means we live most of our lives knowing that even if we find a mate, we will have little chance of having children of our own. The fact that humans may be truly compatible is a miracle. We do not wish to cause harm to the very ones that can save us.”
Rachel tried to imagine what it would be like to know that you had only a slim possibility of having a child. She had told T’chok that she was not ready, but neither did she want to think that it could never happen.
“Are you sure that humans are the answer?”
“No. But we have hope. M’lee became with child from a single encounter. And she is carrying a female child, although very few are aware of that fact. Both of those circumstances are rare enough to be remarkable.”
She sighed. “I guess I can understand why this is so important. Thank you for not trying to get me pregnant last night. It must have been hard to resist when you want to know so badly if there is a chance.”
“You said that you did not wish it and I will always respect your wishes. But as I warned you last night, I have never used the birth control protocol before. I can not guarantee that it will work.”
“I noticed that you didn’t choose to inform me of that until after you had me desperate for you,” she said drily.
“I was equally as desperate for you. It took much control to stop and explain it to you.”
She took her eyes off the road long enough to smile at him. “I hope that we are always as desperate for each other. And, T’chok, while I do want you to keep using the protocol, if it fails, I will not be unhappy.”
His eyes flared blue, but he only squeezed her hand.
As they drove on through the day, the bright morning sunlight disappeared. Dark grey clouds loomed along the horizon, drawing ever nearer. The tops of the mountains surrounding them were completely veiled by the low hanging sky. The few small towns they drove through were already shuttered against the oncoming storm. The wind picked up as well and sent gusts across the road that were hard enough to shake the truck. After the fifth time Rachel fought to keep the vehicle steady, T’chok told her to pull over.
“I’m fine. We can’t stop now,” she protested.
“You are tired. We should stop anyway that you might eat. When we resume our journey, I will drive.”
“But you don’t know how.”
“I have observed your driving. I understand the concept of the clutch. I can drive,” he said, his confidence unimpaired.
She sighed and got ready to turn off into an upcoming side road. “I guess it would be nice to take a break. How much further do we have to go?�
��
“Based on the information on this map, we should be at the edge of the National Park in approximately three hours.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Four hours later, Rachel was cursing the map, the storm, and everything else that she could think of. Two hours ago, it had started to snow, and their progress had slowed. Only increasing as they drove north, the snow soon covered the ground, making it difficult to see the edges of the road. T’chok’s eyesight was remarkably good but they had still gone off the pavement several times. Fortunately, the big truck proved capable of handling the rougher terrain and they were able to make it back onto the hard surface each time. Dusk was rapidly approaching, the whiteout conditions causing it to fall even earlier than normal. She kept her finger on the map, trying to track their location, but it was increasingly difficult with the poor visibility and the lack of any landmarks.
“I believe that we should reach the edge of the park soon,” T’chok said calmly. As he had predicted, he had not encountered any difficulties in driving and was now handling the storm conditions with no obvious strain.
“Really? How can you tell?”
“Because I studied the map, of course,” T’chok said with a quiet confidence that both relieved and annoyed her.
“That’s great. I’m studying the map but I’m not sure where we are,” she muttered.
“I have an excellent sense of direction and my sensors…” He tapped his wrist com. “Are equipped with a directional indicator.”
“And your people can’t track us through that?”
“No, R’chel. I told you that I removed my tracker. It also contained the link between my communicator and the fleet network.”
“So, we can’t communicate with them, even if we want to?”
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