His Frost Maiden

by Michelle M. Pillow

  A transparent screen appeared before them, floating in midair. The navigation appeared simple as he showed her how to reset the controls. When he’d finished, he asked, “Where would you like to go?”

  “Some place open, with a warm sun and cool breeze. Maybe the moment when the sun sets along the horizon and colors streak the skies as night falls over the land.” Josselyn closed her eyes, almost able to picture the valley beyond her home as if she were there. She swayed lightly, as if caught by the breeze. “Long grasses waving, stirring in random yet perfect patterns over the distance.”

  A breeze caressed her flesh and Josselyn opened her eyes. The walls glimmered, changing from metal to nature. The scene wasn’t what she’d pictured in her head. Instead, an alien landscape spread before her, just as she’d asked. A blue sun shone, warming her flesh and tingling it at the same time, stronger than the artificial light made by the satellite rotating Florencia’s Fifth Moon.

  The tall, skinny shafts of the surrounding grasses bent stiffly, not swaying like wheat, but instead seeming to fight the wind. Their purple shafts darkened with height until a cotton-like pink fuzz sprouted from the tip, dancing and swirling in a way their lower bases did not. When she reached her hand out to touch the silky tops, the pink withdrew into the shaft like a frightened field mouse into his burrow.

  Amazed, she lifted her hand, studying it in the blue light. How pale and cold it looked, almost as if kissed by death yet somehow living. Beyond the field were skinny trees, their branches close to their trunks only to mushroom along the top in an array of spotted jewel colors. Gentle ‘pops’ sounded overhead, tiny feet jumping from mushroom tree to mushroom tree.

  “Where is this place?” Josselyn asked.

  “The VR room,” Evan answered. When she lifted an amused brow, he laughed softly. “It was my home planet before war found it and killed off nearly all living things. Now it’s a barren wasteland, but this is how it was. I have rarely seen lands so beautiful since.”

  “Let me see it as it is now,” Josselyn said.

  Evan hesitated and she was drawn to him, stepping over the soft, bare thatch they stood on overlooking the alien valley.

  “Computer,” Evan said. “Limpa Valle, present day.”

  The mushroom trees dripped, withering into brown, ugly clumps of petrified vegetation. Smoke replaced the purple shafts, a constant steam from the cracked, red earth. No longer tinged with sweetness, the air became a stale, hard bite against her lungs.

  “You lost everything,” she whispered. “Just as I have. Your home burns while mine freezes.”

  Not knowing what came over her, Josselyn reached to touch him, wanting to be close to him. The ground beneath her feet was hot, akin to lava boiling below the surface—far enough down not to sear her flesh, but close enough to make her toes curl in protest.

  “You lost your family, your home...” Josselyn didn’t think, as she touched his chest. Heat spread beneath her fingers, pulling her forward with an invisible thread. All around them was destruction and desolation, but the stale air wasn’t what made it so hard to breathe. It was Evan, the wavering look in his guarded brown eyes, the sudden part of his lips. She wanted to kiss him, but more than that, she wanted him to want it too.

  Chapter 12

  “You’re chilly,” Evan said, as he felt the cool touch of her fingers through his shirt. The feel contrasted the heat wafting over them from the VR room. How could she be so cool when his body was on fire? His mind raced for a way to artfully back away from her without making it seem as if he didn’t want her. He did want her, badly, but if her sorrow nearly killed him, what would her passion do? Her climax?

  He didn’t know why he showed her his home planet, the place he remembered from childhood. When she spoke of fields and the sun, it reminded him of home, of a simpler time. But now, in the desolation that had caused him endless pain to look at, he saw her—a bright spot—and the memory of it fell away.

  “I don’t feel cold,” Josselyn said, her voice low and a little breathy.

  Would a moment in her arms be worth death? Evan’s hand shook as it lifted toward her upturned face. The answer washed over him, a loud cry against the whisper of his rational thoughts.

  Yes!

  Reason and sanity left him. He felt more of her than he had anyone in a long time. His judgment was clouded. He shouldn’t be doing this. If she wasn’t in his head he wouldn’t be leaning in to kiss her right now. Her need to be close to someone propelled his hands up, fingers hovering along her sides, not touching as he gave her a chance to draw away from him.

  Evan moaned lightly as their lips brushed, a small, testing caress. She didn’t pull back. How was this possible?

  She parted her lips and he deepened the kiss. Aggression built inside him as he gripped her face in his palm. His free hand slid along her hip, pulling her hard against him. The stale air in the VR room made it hard to breathe, or was it the sweet perfume of her hair?

  Drawn to the smell, he broke his lips from hers, dragging his mouth along her cheek until his face pressed into her hair. He took a deep breath. “How did you get your hair to smell like this?”

  “Food simulator. I had it produce natural ingredients and made my own hair cream.” Josselyn’s mouth turned toward him, drawing him back into her kiss. “The decontaminator is nice, but leaves a sterile smell when it’s finished.”

  Her soft curves molded along his chest and thighs, cradling his stiff arousal. The beat of his heart picked up speed, but he didn’t care. Let the organ explode in his chest. Her engaging taste urged his mouth on. Hands burrowed along his chest, pulling at his shirt. When he withdrew slightly, eager to make sure this is what she really wanted, he was struck by the beauty of her red cast face. Her wide, blue-grey eyes met his boldly and she nodded, as if hearing his unasked question.

  “Computer,” Evan ground out, his voice hoarse from the mix of his desire and the harshness of the stale air. “Lock the door.”

  A click sounded, indicating his direction had been followed. It was a programmed noise, not one caused by the actual lock on the door. As he looked at her, he knew this desolate hell was not where he’d take her, but for the life of him, he couldn’t think of anywhere else. His mind was blank to all but her. Josselyn pulled on his shirt, freeing it from his pants. Her small, delicate hands slid along his flat stomach.

  “This place isn’t...” He couldn’t concentrate long enough on the thought to get it out at once. Evan fought the urge to throw her down and lift her skirts. “Not fitting.”

  Delicate. Lady. Gentle. Go easy. You shouldn’t be doing this at all. Unlock the door and leave her. She can’t want this. You didn’t feel affection for you in her. It’s pity that brings her to your arms. Pity and grief and the need to make sense of what happened. She needs to feel something besides loss. Leave her. Don’t be her mistake. Don’t make her yours.

  Josselyn pulled Evan’s shirt over his head, trapping his arms. She wasn’t sure what came over her. The few times she’d been with anyone, she’d let them take the lead. Somehow she instinctively knew, if left to Evan, he wouldn’t make a move. Was it fear of her station that kept him back, even now as she felt his desire pressed against her stomach, tasted it in his kiss, saw it in his eyes?

  Other men in her life had feared her station, held it in reverence, let it guide their actions. Was Evan such a man?

  Sensing his indecision, even as he allowed her to pull his shirt from his arms, she whispered, “Something soft. A bed.”

  Nerves bunched her stomach into a tight ball. Would he refuse her? Josselyn looked at his chest, sculpted with perfect muscles, flecked with tiny scars.

  “Computer.” This time, his words were a mere whisper. “A soft bed in the Var palace on Qurilixen.”

  The desolation of Limpa Valle dissipated into a large bedchamber. Its smooth stone floor was covered with woven rugs. A large marble fireplace, carved with immaculate detail emitted a soft, orange light. And in the middle, dominating
the room, was the bed. The comforter was turned down, showing the dark blue satin sheets beneath the silver coverlet. Two arched doorways led from the room, one with a door and one without.

  A knock sounded on the door. Josselyn’s eyes widened as she stared at it, instinctively moving away from Evan and their precarious position.

  “Someone wants in here?” Josselyn asked. “Those two who like to spar without the safety controls?”

  “Dev and Jackson?” Evan asked. Josselyn nodded. “No—”

  The door opened. Josselyn reached for his shirt on the floor, tossing it at his chest. He caught it, but merely chuckled.

  “My lord,” a woman said, entering. The tall, busty brunette looked very real. Her tone dripped with wet sugar. “I’ve been sent to bring you to the feast in your honor.”

  “Who is she?” Josselyn asked.

  “She’s not real.” Evan dropped the shirt on the floor. “She’s a computer generated image, programmed to react to what we do and say.”

  “We will be down in a moment,” Evan told the woman. “Until then, we wish not to be disturbed.”

  The woman nodded and left them, closing the door behind her.

  Josselyn couldn’t take waiting. She went to him, again touching his hot flesh, running her fingers over the taut length of his torso. Her breath caught and she pressed her cheek against his chest, feeling the beat of his heart thumping rapidly against her. Heat radiated from him, making her realize how cold she really was.

  Gliding her hands along his sides, she explored his tight stomach and hips, his broad shoulders and muscular arms. Every ounce of her wanted to feel him. The things that held her back in the past with others no longer felt important. She wanted Evan, wanted to feel something other than the pain, and so long as he didn’t protest, she was going to take what pleasure she could with him.

  She reached her tongue to trace the divot in the center of his chest, licking up until she reached his neck. Sprinkling open-mouth kisses to his ear, she wetted the lobe before blowing gently.

  “I wish to be placed under your protection.” She allowed her tongue to dance along the rim of his ear. “You are strong and respected by the crew and I am in need of protecting.”

  “Were you going to ask Rick that today? Is that why you wanted him to bring you here?”

  Though his tone was light, she saw the hardness in his expression. Josselyn refused to pull away to see his eyes, afraid he’d read the truth in hers. Yes, she had considered asking Rick, but that wasn’t whom she wanted.

  “I’m asking you, Evan, not Rick.” She took a deep breath. “Rick is kind to me, a real gentleman.”

  Evan snorted. “Rick? The pilot, Rick?”

  “Yes.” She frowned. It wasn’t a lie. Rick had been a perfect gentleman.

  “You’re speaking about Rick Hayes? The pilot of our ship?”

  Josselyn laughed. “Is it so hard to believe?”

  “Only if you know Rick.”

  “I have only seen a gentleman,” she assured Evan. “You yourself told me he was kind. But I would not speak of him. It is you I am asking for protection. I need help discovering what happened to a man named Jack after he betrayed the Craven family. I have to know and the others refuse to talk about it.” This time she did pull away, earnestly studying him. “You understand for you have suffered loss. I seek your protection, Evan. Will you give it?”

  “I will not let harm befall you, nor will any of the crew.” When he moved to pull away, she stopped him. “You do not have to do this. We do not make women exchange virtue for safety on this ship.”

  “This,” she kissed his neck, “is something I want to do. Asking you for protection is something I need to do. What do I know of this time? I do not even know if my noble title holds any weight. And, when we port, not all men will be as honorable as those on this ship. I can defend myself, though having an ally is not only wise, but necessary.” Josselyn touched his cheek, turning his face so that her mouth grazed his. “Besides, you’ve already given me your chambers. Wouldn’t you like to move back into them?”

  His gaze pierced her as he met her mouth. Josselyn made a soft noise, leaning up so he’d deepen the kiss and give her what she wanted. Desire ran a rampant course through her blood. He didn’t make her wait, instantly sweeping his tongue past the barrier of her teeth to take possession of her mouth. She met him without hesitation.

  Their tongues mingled, dancing in an erotic rhythm. Her long lashes fluttered over her eyes, blocking out all sight. He tasted of alien wine, not unpleasant but definitely foreign to her mouth. As intriguing as it was, she moved to discover the flavor again and again. The tips of their tongues wound around each other in slow circles.

  His hands were on her, rubbing along her back, holding her against him. Her breasts ached to be free and she moved along him to caress her own nipples through the gown. Small pleasure noises escaped her and, everywhere he touched, a fire ignited beneath her flesh. None of the men she’d been with had made her feel this way, so lightheaded and giddy. In that moment she knew if she had to seek any man’s protection, Evan was the man she wanted most to ask.

  Tugging at the laces that held her dress in place at her shoulder, she slipped it from her arm. Suddenly, Evan’s hands were there, helping her. Their lips parted, staying close enough that his harsh breath hit her face. He jerked the material down, freeing her breasts as the bodice hung at her waist, trapping her arms in the sleeves at her sides.

  Heady with passion, his chocolate eyes stared at her, as if memorizing every detail of her flesh. Her nipples became hard peaks, begging him for attention. Here, in the alien palace, her life seemed even more removed than it did on the ship. Soft blue-green light shone through the open archway, contrasting the firelight that danced over his tanned skin.

  Evan took a step forward, and then another, walking her back toward the bed. When the backs of her legs hit the comforter, he stopped. Lowering his head, he drew a tight bud between his lips, biting lightly. Pleasure shot through her, slithering down her chest to rest between her thighs. Without thought, she moaned. Evan bit again, sucking her hard. He cupped her breasts in his hands before releasing the wet, puckered tip from his mouth.

  Her arms were trapped along her sides and she pulled trying to free her wrists from her sleeves. Evan’s hands slid down her arms, leaving small goosebumps in their wake. With a deft flick, he released her. Now free, her arms seemed to move of their own accord. She grasped him to her, pressing against his firm body, drawing his heat.

  Tender, yet insistent, he explored her, gripping and caressing, stroking and kneading. Josselyn pulled at the waistline of his pants, trying to discover how to open them. Automatically, her fingers were at the sides, looking for laces. Not finding them, she muscled him around so that he was turned away from the bed. With a gentle shove, she knocked him onto his back.

  The look in his warm eyes made her shiver. He instantly rolled up, grabbing hold of her before she could get the gown pushed off her hips. Josselyn gasped in surprise, as Evan flipped her around onto the mattress. His eyes bore into her, as if searching, even as his hand drew her gown up over her legs, bunching it along her waist. Finally, he smiled. “Ah, there it is. You do want this, don’t you?”

  Josselyn had a feeling he didn’t mean he’d found her wet, naked center so much as something inside her gaze. But whatever he thought to see in her eyes, every part of her focused on the hand that bared her sex. Warm fingers parted her silken folds, forcing them apart. A thumb encircled the swollen pearl buried there and Josselyn ached, panting softly in a primal cry for more.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered, the sound so light she doubted he knew he spoke. Evan had always been so abrupt around her that this new tone made her shiver in pleasure. “So soft and delicate.”

  She wasn’t the little fragile flower he seemed to think her, but Josselyn didn’t protest. Her skirt stayed hiked up around her waist, uncomfortably bunched. She didn’t care.

  Parting
her thighs, she wiggled, causing one of his fingers to slip inside. So little words had passed between them during the course of their acquaintance, yet she felt as if they’d talked every day for years. And yet a big part of her understood he was new to her, that her attraction might be the sinfully sweet look of his brown gaze. Whatever it was, she wanted him like she had no other. Since she opened her eyes, stuck in a strange future world, freed from a stone prison, she had desired him.

  “Evan, please,” she begged and demanded at the same time. Again she blindly worked at his waistband, tugging it. Then, giving up, she cupped him through the slick black material. The stiff length of his arousal seared her palm. Evan groaned, his hand leaving her sex as he reached behind his back. Soon the material of his pants was free. Josselyn ran her hand around the backside of him, squeezing the rock hard plains of his ass. “I need to feel it. I need your sword to take the pain away.”

  She rocked her hips into him, working the tight material down along the outside of his thighs. Once free, his shaft sprang forward. Josselyn took him in hand, running her fist over him to mimic what her body wanted to do. She squeezed gently and he quivered. The soft light illuminated his hard features, throwing his muscles into deep contrast.

  Evan braced his weight on his arms, angling his hips and pressing forward until she was forced to release her hold. Settling between her legs in one graceful movement, the sudden, hard press of his heat near her sensitive opening caused her to jerk in mild surprise.

  Almost instantly, the tip found her wet and ready sex. With a hard jerk, he thrust forward, stretching her tight muscles. The slight pain was well worth the pressure she now felt as he filled her.

  “Ah, blessed stars,” he groaned. “I didn’t realize you’d be so small. I didn’t mean to...” Even as he spoke, his hips spasmed, drawing him in and out in a shallow thrust. “Ah, so tight and wet. It’s been so long since...” His hips jerked again, the movements stunted as if he tried to stop but couldn’t.