by Reagan Woods
When he’d first glimpsed her, unconscious and injured, he’d been dumfounded by her foreign beauty. Her feisty attitude had unapologetically burrowed under his armor as she’d healed. The urge to grab her up and run away with her was something he battled constantly.
After the way she’d stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him to face down the assassin, he didn’t know how he could entrust her to someone else and watch her return to Earth. What he did know was he’d do whatever it took to see her safe and happy.
Chapter 26
Lacy woke with a mild headache, that was the first thing she noted. The second was the hard, ahem, yes, hard male body beneath her.
She opened her eyes. The lights in the dingy room were on low giving her a spectacular view of the dinged-up metal wall. Bram must be awake.
“Shit,” she groaned. She had vague memories of clinging to his solid warmth throughout the night. Though she knew it should, that didn’t bother her in the least. Since she’d awoken from the regen bed, Bram had been her healer, her protector, her comfort and her rock. That wasn’t something she could continue to marginalize. It was time to stop taking him for granted. “I am so sorry,” she mumbled, pushing her upper body vertical.
“How are you feeling?” Bram looked rested. His hands curled around her hips, bracing her astride him.
“Mortified,” she admitted, rubbing the crust from her eyes. “I can’t believe I attacked you like that.”
He watched her intently, his square jaw showing whitish stubble gleaming in the light. Her fingers itched to touch the shiny fur, but she wasn’t sure how he would take that.
“You’re embarrassed because you attacked me or because you’ve spent the last fifteen hours clinging to me like a babe to its mother?” His chuckle caught her off guard as did the soft touch of his finger to her hot cheek. “That’s amazing.”
“What?” She moved to hold Bram’s hand against her face. His touch didn’t make her skin crawl like the Doranos in the camp had. In fact, leaning into his callused palm felt good, felt right. Why couldn’t everything between them be as easy as this touch? “My blush? I promise, it doesn’t feel amazing. It feels like hot shame.”
Bram frowned, the milky ripple of his skin calling to her fingertips. She didn’t resist this time, running her digits over his silky stubble. This might be the only opportunity she ever had, she reasoned. Especially after she made her pitch. “Your skin, it doesn’t show blood or capillaries or anything beneath it,” she marveled, tracing the lines on his brow. “It looks all shiny and hard, like marble, but it’s not. You’re really, really soft.”
“Our skin pigment is white much like the melanin that gives you these fascinating little spots is brown.” His finger skimmed the light trail of freckles over her forearm. “Let’s return to this ‘hot shame’ you feel.”
“Do we have to?” She winced at the whiny tone, blew out a steadying breath and gripped her courage. “I’m really sorry I acted like that yesterday. I got overwhelmed and it wasn’t pretty. No excuses. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve said.” He studied her quietly for a few moments. The spark of amusement lit his eyes as a smile tugged at his lips. “I deserve a commendation for enduring your wrath.”
Lacy smiled, really smiled for the first time in a long time. It felt good. She’d seen glimpses of Bram’s humor before, but this relaxed, open man before her was irresistible. “I agree.” she lowered her body, bringing her lips in close to his ear. “I’m fresh out of medals, but I’ve loads of other fun stuff.”
His hands gripped her shoulders, hard, and he forced her to sit back up. The smile had fled his handsome face. “Why must you taunt me?” His voice was a rumble of thunder, his whole body vibrating angrily. “Do you assume that because I’m a half-breed I don’t have the urge to dominate you as the males in the camp no doubt tried?”
The admission had her nipples pricking painfully. She shifted, uncomfortably aware of her bare lower body spread open across him. “I’m not –,” she began, only to be cut off.
“You are. A lesser male, would show you the error of such an assumption,” he seethed, eyes flashing an anger laced with hurt.
Lacy wanted to get pissy right back, that was her first instinct. Instead, she took a calming breath and laid her hand over his heart. “First off, I didn’t mean to taunt you.” Steady eye contact and sincerity were her only options if she wanted to put things right between them for good. “This time,” she amended. “Before, well, that wasn’t my best hour, okay? I’ve already apologized. As for the other stuff, I don’t know what a half-breed is, nor do I care.”
Forcing herself to go on, she laid it out for him. “I’ve never had great relationships with men, males, whatever you want to call yourself. I told you before that I hated my father and ran away when I was young and dumb. I put myself in the wrong kind of situations,” she paused, thinking how to delicately put it. “I like to be independent, to control my own destiny, if you will, but I like…not controlling things in intimate, physical relationships. Er – do you understand?”
“I… think so.” Lines of confusion between his brows, he nodded. “Why are you telling me this?”
She licked her lips and gathered her courage. “Because, I like you?” A nervous half-laugh escaped at the look of incredulity on his face.
“What?” He sputtered. “What does that mean?”
“I realized sometime over the last days that you’re the best man I’ve ever known,” she said simply. “You’re attractive and smart and kind and compassionate. Your sense of humor is a little twisted, but, hell, if I’m being honest, I like that, too.”
“Lacy –,” The way he said her name told her he would reject her, but she stopped him, intent on getting this said.
“No, I’m not finished.” She placed a finger across his lips to silence him. “I get that you probably haven’t thought of me, you know, like that. I just think you should consider what I’m offering. If you let me stay with you, wherever you’re going to go, I will make you as happy as I know how.”
“I thought you wanted to go back to Earth?” He cocked a white brow.
“Well, I don’t. Not if you won’t be there,” she used her most decisive tone. She respected Bram too much to lie and say she loved him. It was too soon, and the situation was far too bizarre for all that. One day, though, she could definitely see herself madly in love with him. “I want to be with you. Please, don’t send me back. This is me begging.” Palms together in supplication, she echoed, “Please.”
“Don’t.” Bram shook his head. “Don’t do this. You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want as long as I can prevent it.” His eyes closed for a moment. Then, he sat up and put her away from him. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he scrubbed his face with both hands. “But no more teasing. I’m at my limit.”
Chapter 27
They’d cleared the first gauntlet, the assassin, and had a restorative sleep. Bram had felt smug when he woke with Lacy draped over him. Then, for the barest moment, he believed they made a personal connection and had started to see their way out of the haze of distrust between them. That was before she started flirting again. Maybe it was the way she was wired, a survival mechanism of sorts, but there was only so much a male could withstand.
“Bram, I’m not asking you to confess your undying love,” Lacy’s tone went diamond hard. “But throw a girl a bone.”
He turned and looked over his shoulder to find her staring, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. She knelt up on bare knees, fists propped on her silver-draped hips.
“I’ve already said I’ll keep you safe,” he pointed out, spreading his arms wide. “What more do you want from me?”
To his stunned amazement, she scrambled over the sleep surface and climbed into his lap. “Everything,” she answered. “I want all of you. Well, you can keep your pity, if that’s what that look is about.” Her finger came up and flicked his nose. Something in his heart stuttered at the earnestness in
her pretty face. “But I’ll take everything else.” A wicked smile flashed at the same time as he felt her hand grip his hard shaft through his clothing. “Including this.”
Instinctively, he bucked into her firm grip. “Lacy,” he warned with a growl. “Don’t start something you’re not prepared to finish.” He should get up right now, walk away, and collect himself. Right. Now.
Teeth grazed his jaw before her hot mouth latched onto the sensitive skin at his neck. That adventurous little hand busily stroked, stroked, stroked until his eyes rolled back in his head. “You shouldn’t -,” he gasped. “What are you -?”
“I think you should make me finish it out,” she whispered, warm breath fanning his ear. “Hold me down and use me to get off.” Her challenge was punctuated with a husky chuckle as she rubbed the vee of her legs against his crotch. “I won’t even complain if you’re rough with me.”
It was the needy little moan that caused him to snap. He should remind her that he was no one, from nothing, with no future. He should, but he couldn’t. She said she wanted him and he couldn’t think past that. His brain stuck at her roving mouth and scandalous hand. All reason, all sanity, sizzled out of his system as he reached boiling point.
Bram spun around and pushed her flat on her back atop the rumpled sleep surface. He stripped her top off and sat back to revel in her peachy skin, in the flush of passion over her high, firm breasts. The slender column of her neck sported the same pretty color, and her exotic blue eyes were glazed with lust.
Catching his gaze, she let her legs fall open. “I need you,” she panted.
Her center gleamed wetly, begging for his touch. Gently, he swirled his fingers through her moisture, exploring her folds, memorizing her reactions.
“Get rid of this,” she pleaded, plucking at his uniform.
He shed his clothes, returning to her arms immediately. Levering over her, he nudged her silky thighs apart to make room for his big body. He’d never been with a female before, but that didn’t mean he was ignorant in the ways of mating.
Lacy would be his first and, if he had anything to say about it, his last. His only. His always.
Part of him knew this was too good to be true. He didn’t want to wake if it were a dream. Fierce pride that she had chosen him, had found him worthy, warred with awe and thankfulness.
She wanted to be plundered, by the ancestors, he would plunder. Dipping his head, he feasted on her soft breasts, on her delicate neck. When she squirmed, murmuring about his stubble, he wove his fingers through her hair, held her still and continued his exploration.
“Yes. Just like that.” Breathy whispers of encouragement punctuated her cries of pleasure.
Her skin tasted like sweetest nectar and he would be forever addicted to her light, feminine scent. Everything about her made him dizzy with lust and filled him with gratitude. How had he stumbled upon such a perfect female?
Soft, insistent hands grabbed at his shoulders, traced over his biceps, wrapped around his sides and pulled him closer, closer still. “Hold me down and take me, Bram. I need you to do it that way. Please.”
His cock surged in agreement and he aligned the weeping tip with the slick heat between her legs. Stretching over her, he pushed her arms above her head, locked them there with his hands. He mated his mouth to hers, pushing a scant inch into the tight heat of her body.
“As entertaining as this is,” Zocan’s voice broke in, echoing around the room. “We’ve been cleared to dock at Xani’s main port, and we’ve got to move.”
“Oh, holy God!” Lacy shrieked at the unexpected interruption and Bram quickly pulled back, whipping the silky cover over her exposed flesh.
“Zocan, dammit,” he yelled, swiping his uniform pants off the floor. “I will end you.”
“My timing was poor,” the pirate admitted. “I’d like to say I didn’t see anything, but, brother, I saw enough to know you are one lucky bastard.
“Shut. Up.” Bram located the speaker/camera combo and scowled, practically daring the other male to keep talking. Doranos people often mated publicly, a sign of commitment to the relationship they chose, but he knew most Earthers did not. He didn’t want Lacy to be uncomfortable or embarrassed.
He gathered her clothing, helping her into the tunic before searching out his shirt and shrugging into it. She muttered and cursed as she shimmied into her pants under cover of the blanket.
“Are you well, Lacy?” Palm outstretched, he offered a hand up, hoping she wouldn’t reject him now that the moment had passed.
“I’m going to kill them.” She took his hand and stood, stepping into her slippers without letting go. “Cockblocking should be a crime punishable by death.”
The unexpectedness of the comment had him barking out a laugh. “Let’s go see what Zocan has to say for himself.”
“Don’t think you’re getting out of this,” she smiled up at him, resisting when he tried to pull her out the door.
Bram angled his head down to look at her, free hand scratching absently at his cheek. “Getting out of what?”
“Sexing me into oblivion.” Lacy pulled his shoulder until he stooped toward her. Surging onto her toes, she wrapped both arms around his neck and kissed him until he was sure he would embarrass himself.
Pulling back, she touched her lips to his lightly one last time and patted his cheek. “Don’t forget where we were.”
Bemused, and a little agog, Bram smiled. “It’s etched in my memory.”
Chapter 28
Curious about this supposed nightmare of a planet, Lacy took an impromptu holographic tour of Xani while Zocan, Lyon and Bram negotiated with the dock master and secured the ship. What she saw was grotesquely beautiful - and very creepy.
Her years as a sci-fi game junky had naturally exposed her to the concept of a Dyson Sphere, a fictional shell built around a star. Xani wasn’t a star but a planet that was clearly home to a bunch of sickos. The crazies had built a metallic shell around their world in the form of a giant humanoid skull. Both eye sockets and the nasal passage glittered with some sort of faceted glass-like covering. To dock, they had to fly straight into the garishly smiling mouth.
According to the basic schematic she found, the hangar for visiting ships was located just above the pyramidal nasal opening. The nasal passage appeared to contain apartments. The main attraction, the temple of the goddess Ashwemi, was deep inside the forehead. Each eye functioned as a sort of greenhouse, supplying crops for the people. The priests had a separate dock above the temple and that was where their group was headed. Apparently, the private dock had an undocumented access into space.
According to Zocan, the denizens of the planet shunned the surface and resided in the skull, so they could be near their priests. Those same priests determined who lived and who died on a day to day basis. Zocan confirmed Bram’s claim the Xanites were cannibals. She fought against the urge to retch. So gross.
Now, from the little she could see, Lacy thought Xani was an overcrowded mess. Bram had bundled her into a long cloak, pulling it over her hair to dip low across her face. He shoved something called a laser sharp into her hand, a six-inch metal tube with a shallow half-oval perched atop it, before packing her into a small cargo box.
“The release is next to your head,” he’d instructed. “Try it.” He worked with her on pulling the tricky spring back until she could exit the box smoothly through the collapsible panel to her right. “You shouldn’t need it, but I won’t leave you without an escape. Just in case.”
Bram was good like that. He didn’t make promises like “I’ll keep you safe no matter what.” No, he thought up contingencies and made sure she had options should he be unable to come to her aid.
“We have to make it up two levels and onto the waiting shuttle without anyone seeing you. Lyon and Zocan will guard our rear,” he told her. “Zocan says his contact has our ship prepped to launch as soon as we embark. You know the plan from there.”
She did. Bram had made her memoriz
e a long string of coordinates as well as something he called a launch sequence. If he’d been from Earth, he’d have been a fabulous Boy Scout. Not that Boy Scouts had lasted past the early days of The Last Great War, but still, he’d have rocked that preparedness thing.
As she preferred having a say in her destiny, Lacy liked his pragmatism. Her life didn’t hang on his ego. She was grateful for that, but if he thought she was going anywhere without him, he was crazy.
With a caution to stay silent and invisible, Bram had loaded her little box onto a hand truck and carted her off the ship. The strategically placed air holes were fantastic for letting in the noxious odors of the surging crowds – didn’t these people ever bathe? - but left quite a bit to be desired in the window department. Safety first and all that.
The first time someone thumped into the box, Lacy thought it was an accident, but it happened over and over. Bram growled at the offenders in languages she didn’t understand. Since he kept wheeling her along, she wasn’t alarmed. With nothing to look at and the air in her little box getting stale despite the holes, she laid her head on her knees and dozed.
Lacy couldn’t say what woke her, but they weren’t moving any longer. Cautiously, she raised her head and listened. Something cold and slimy touched her cheek.
“Get off, get off, get off!” She shrieked, finding a worm or snake of some sort slapping at her hood. The sharp had clattered to the hard floor beneath her, and she fumbled for it now with one hand as she battled the slick thing with the other.
Gripping the slim handle, she rubbed her thumb in a circle like Bram showed her, feeling the slight buzz as the laser activated. A violent slice down put an end to the snake thing and a horrific squeal sounded from somewhere outside the box.
She pushed back her hood, panting and carefully deactivated the sharp. In the brackish light shining into the box, she saw an inky substance splashed over her hands. “Gross,” she shuddered as she swiped her hands against the rough material of her robe. The smelly substance probably coated her face, too. She shuddered at the thought and barely contained a screech as something brushed her ankle. The snake thing writhed next to her foot, not quite dead yet. “So disgusting.”