by Kelly Goode
‘I can’t give you one night,’ he managed to choke out as her small hand slid over the front of his trousers. He was already hard and her touch caused his cock to throb with need.
‘Why not?’
‘Because I want to give you so much more.’
Viktor grabbed Helen around her upper arms and pushed her away from him. He needed to focus. He needed to think, and he couldn’t do that with her so close. He had a job to do. He was a prince. He had a colony relying on him, but none of that seemed to matter when he looked into her eyes and saw what he wanted most.
‘I want to give you every night,’ he continued. ‘But I can’t.’
Helen stared at him from beneath her lashes. She looked beautiful with her pale-blue eyes darkened with lust and her cheeks flushed as red as her hair.
‘I didn’t have you down as a coward,’ she said, her spine straightening as she challenged him. ‘I thought you were a prince that took what he wanted.’
Viktor’s control snapped like a rubber band. He pulled her against him and closed his mouth over hers, hot and demanding. She squeaked in surprise, as his hands tangled in her hair and tugged gently. He changed angle, slanting his mouth to deepen the kiss, and she opened her mouth to allow his tongue to slide inside. He stroked his tongue against hers, smooth and warm, as her hands found their way beneath his top. The scrape of her nails against his spine had his cock straining for release.
Viktor surged forwards until Helen’s back hit the opposite wall. The lamp crashed to the floor, along with any other trinkets on her sideboard, but he still lifted her off her feet and used his bodyweight to pin her against the wall. Her legs wrapped around his waist, causing more crashes and bangs, but he ignored everything but the woman in his arms. He kissed her as if his life depended on it, and in that moment, it felt as if it did. His erection pressed against the warmth of her core and he wondered how he’d ever managed to resist her.
Helen tore her mouth away to catch her breath, but Viktor didn’t slow down. He kissed her neck, the swell of her breasts, anywhere he could find that was open to him.
‘Bedroom is down the hallway,’ she panted, as she clawed at the hem of his shirt. He helped her pull the cotton up his torso and over his head, and then set her down on her feet.
‘No time,’ he replied.
‘Agreed.’
He pulled her shirt open and the buttons popped and scattered across the floor. He swept his tongue over one lace covered nipple and she whimpered with desire. He unfastened his zipper and slid his trousers down his legs. He kicked them across the hallway, as Helen trailed kisses across his stomach. He slid his hand inside the front of her trousers and groaned when he found she was already wet.
‘I need to see more of you.’
Viktor wasn’t satisfied until she was standing in front of him in just her underwear.
‘Black lace,’ he growled. ‘My favourite.’
‘I’m glad you got the chance to see them, considering you bought them for me.’
Helen smiled seductively, as she twirled around slowly, giving him a better view. Viktor followed the sway of her hips, as she released the hooks on the front of her bra and added it to the pile of clothing on the floor along with her knickers.
‘Enough teasing.’
Viktor captured her small hips in his large hands and twisted her around until she was bent over the sideboard. He traced his hand down her spine and she shivered. She parted her legs and it was all the invitation he needed. Instinct took over and he pushed his cock inside her.
‘Helen, oh fuck. You feel so good.’
Her warmth encased him and he grabbed a fistful of her luscious red hair in one hand as an anchor. He pulled out and then pushed back in, slowly at first, but then harder and faster as her appreciative moans grew louder and unrestrained.
‘Yes, Viktor. I need to feel you deeper. Harder.’
Viktor bucked his hips and built the rhythm until she was gasping and panting, and pushing against him to find her release. The image of her long red hair cascading over her bare back while he fucked her would stay with him forever.
She was perfect.
This was perfect.
‘God, Viktor, that’s it. I’m almost there.’
‘I love you,’ he whispered, the words coming from somewhere deep inside him, as he gripped her tighter and pushed them towards the edge. As he reached his peak, the only thought that swirled through his mind, was how in the hell was he going to let her go now?
44
Blake’s mood felt like an impending storm, as he clenched and unclenched his huge hands and avoided making eye-contact with the other men in the room. He unbuttoned his jacket, which formed part of a suit, something he resisted wearing, and only did in times of necessity. He was more comfortable in combats and t-shirt, but he’d made the effort to pull his long hair away from his cleanly-shaven face to look like he belonged in the upmarket office building.
After several minutes, Blake got to his feet and started pacing. He loosened the grey tie and unbuttoned his collar. He hadn’t changed forms in a few days and the urge to indulge his true nature was testing his patience. He was anxious to get back to Carson. He wanted to tell her what he’d discovered on Doctor Malone’s microchip, but first he had a debt to repay.
Blake headed towards the blonde receptionist who had greeted him earlier, but this time, she didn’t even look up from her computer screen.
‘You’ll be seen shortly, sir.’
‘You said that twenty minutes ago,’ he all but growled in reply. ‘I have an appointment.’
‘So do all these other men. It’s an open interview, which means you’ll be seen in order of arrival. Take a seat.’
Luckily for Blake, and possibly for the receptionist too, the double doors opened behind her and a familiar figure stepped into the foyer.
‘Jonah,’ Blake called. ‘I need to speak with you now.’
Jonah looked at his receptionist in surprise. ‘You didn’t tell me Mr Holloway had arrived.’
‘I’m sorry. When he said he had an appointment, I assumed he was here for the interview.’
Jonah laughed, but it didn’t reach his grey eyes. ‘I can’t imagine my old commanding officer agreeing to work for me. Bump him up the list and hold the other interviews.’
‘Of course, sir.’
Jonah motioned Blake to follow him into his office with a nod of his head. He was shorter than Blake with silver-blond hair and lightly tanned skin. Once he’d stepped inside, Jonah slammed the doors shut.
‘Where is it?’
Blake removed his jacket and placed it on the back of the closest chair.
‘Straight to the point, I see.’
Jonah took a seat behind his desk. ‘I doubt you want to waste time exchanging stories about the good old days on Jakttera.’
‘Not when you seem to prefer the new days more.’
‘You’re right. I much prefer living amongst the humans and making money from them. I wasted enough time protecting the colony against the desquamaters and not getting paid for it. We both did. We’re free men.’
Blake shook his head. ‘We’ll never be truly free. Not while the desquamaters are targeting humans.’
‘Not my concern. Well not unless you want to pay me to care.’
‘You’re disgusting.’
‘Thank you.’
Jonah sat back in his chair and held out his hand.
‘The list?’
Blake put his jacket back on and then removed a USB drive from the inside pocket. He held it above Jonah’s hand, but did not release it.
‘I give you the list and you leave me alone,’ he said. ‘That was the deal.’
‘That was the deal. Unless you really meant what you said on the phone about killing me anyway after our business was concluded.’
Blake studied the man who had been his best friend on Jakttera. He didn’t really want to kill him. They’d been brothers-in-arms.
‘You�
�re not worth my effort.’
‘Neither is your infatuation with a human woman.’
‘That’s for me to decide,’ Blake replied, dropping the drive into Jonah’s hand. ‘Stay away from her.’
‘Gladly. I take it you looked at the list.’
Blake nodded, as he walked towards the door.
‘Was your name on there?’ Jonah asked.
‘I wouldn’t be handing it over if it was.’
‘Where did you find the information in the end?’
‘One of the forensic doctors at our unit went rogue and saved a shit load of data relating to his work on a secret microchip, which recently fell into my possession. He was the one keeping a list of aliens that he didn’t want any of the agents looking into.’
‘Is my name referenced in any of that other data?’
Jonah had tried to pose the question casually, but the craving for information was written all over his face. It was the same determined look he’d once had before stepping onto the battlefield, and Blake felt a moment’s nostalgia for their broken friendship.
‘You know I can’t tell you that.’
‘And you know I still have that sensitive information regarding Carson for sale. We could trade.’
‘Not interested.’
‘Liar.’
Blake opened the door and stepped outside before Jonah saw the betraying expression on his face. He was a liar. He desperately wanted to know more about Carson’s past, but he wouldn’t pay a mercenary for the knowledge. Carson could keep her secrets for a little longer, and now that Jonah was compensated, so could he.
45
Viktor traced his palm across the smooth skin on Helen’s back and she trembled; only this time it wasn’t with revulsion or fear. So much had changed in such a short space of time, and he recalled Blake’s words from a week ago.
‘I pity the day you cross paths with a human woman, because then you’ll see they’re anything but fragile. A pain in the arse sometimes, intoxicating as hell, but certainly not fragile.’
Helen was all those things – a pain in the arse, definitely. Intoxicating as hell, certainly. But fragile, never. She was fearless. She was his. Viktor had told Blake he didn’t intend to mix with humans, but all he’d done for the last few hours was mix with his earth-woman in every room of her apartment.
As if sensing he was studying her, Helen rolled over and stretched elegantly across the bed. Her sleepy eyes met his and she smiled, which tugged firmly on his heart. She reminded him of a regal hunting cat from Jakttera. Feline, but deadly. Helen was as smart as a predator too, never backing down from a challenge,
‘What are you thinking?’ she asked, as she pushed her red hair over one shoulder and sat up, pulling the sheet tighter around her naked frame.
‘You don’t want to know.’
‘Didn’t you enjoy that position? Did I do something wrong?’
Her brow furrowed and Viktor wrapped his hand around her slim wrist and pulled her towards him.
‘It was perfect. You are perfect.’
Her cheeks flamed. ‘I’m not used to this. I don’t usually beg men to have one-night stands with me. Or sleep with men that kidnap me. Or spend time with men that aren’t really men at all.’
Viktor took her hand and placed it around his cock.
‘Does that feel like a man?’ he asked gruffly.
‘Yes,’ she replied, licking her lips, which caused him to thicken in her hand.
‘Although I have nothing to reference back to, from those noises you made earlier, I assume our species are fully compatible – sexually at least. Or did I not satisfy you in the same way as your other human lovers?’
This time Helen laughed, which wasn’t the reaction he’d been hoping for.
‘What’s so funny?’ he asked.
‘It’s nothing.’
‘Laughing at someone after sex is an ego-buster, so you need to tell me something.’
She dropped her sheet and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him hungrily on the mouth and pressed her breasts against his chest.
‘Not that I think your ego ever needs inflating, but I laughed because I don’t think a human man will ever live up to you, Viktor,’ she said breathlessly. ‘You’ve ruined my sex-life forever.’
Viktor laughed too, but a sudden moment of clarity hit him hard inside his chest, as he realised the thought of her sleeping with anyone but him made him angry and nauseous at the same time. He needed to make sure Helen wasn’t going to forget him when he left so he rolled onto his back, taking her with him, so she was straddling his hips.
‘Best we make the most of our time together. Show me another position.’
46
Helen woke with a start and reached for Viktor, but the space beside her was empty. Her heart thumped rapidly inside her chest. Something had caused her to wake with a jolt and over the last few days, she’d grown accustomed to having her giant alien-man next to her for reassurance. She was in trouble; complete and utter trouble. She’d been the one to push for one night together, even though Viktor told her it wouldn’t be enough. She should have listened. It was going to be even harder to let him go now she knew what she’d be missing.
She’d had sex with an alien.
Helen pushed that thought out of her head and got out of bed. Their connection had been based on more than just sex. She’d made love with Viktor. Made love like she’d never made love before. That thought made her laugh, as it sounded like something from a trashy romance movie.
Helen checked the bathroom, but Viktor wasn’t there. She showered in less than two minutes and then cleaned her teeth. She dried her hair and dressed in blue jeans and white t-shirt. Her stomach rumbled and reminded her that she hadn’t eaten since yesterday, and she decided to cook them both breakfast, as he’d probably gone out running like last time.
As Helen stepped out of the bathroom, it sounded as if the front door handle rattled and she was sure that was the same noise that had woken her earlier.
‘Viktor, is that you?’ she called.
There was an answering bang, as if someone had opened or closed a door, and Helen raced to greet her visitor, but it wasn’t Viktor who stood in the hallway.
‘Philip, what are you doing here?’ she gasped, suddenly feeling a little light-headed and she leaned against the wall for support.
‘Aren’t you pleased to see me Hell Bell?’
‘Don’t call me that.’
The reply was abrupt and automatic, as seeing him standing in her hallway looking as composed and handsome as the day he’d cast her aside, stirred up too many raw feelings.
‘What are you doing here?’ she repeated.
Philip pushed his hand though his short dark hair and adjusted his tie.
‘You called me yesterday, but Melissa didn’t pass on your message until this morning. I’m sorry about that. She’s a little jealous when it comes to you.’
‘Oh yes, that’s right. I did call you yesterday. Why didn’t you call me back rather than coming over?’
‘Melissa gave me a phone number to call you on, but she must have taken it down wrong, as some guy answered and growled at me to get lost. He didn’t sound like someone you usually hang out with, so I thought I’d come by and check up on you.’
‘And you used my key to get in?’
Philip nodded, looking slightly sheepish but he tried to hide it behind a charming smile.
‘I didn’t think you’d mind, Hell Bell.’
‘I do. I’d like it back please.’
Helen held her hand out to him.
‘I should keep it,’ he replied. ‘I might need to use it again.’
‘You won’t.’
Philip made a show of rolling his eyes and sighing but when he realised she was serious, he rummaged inside his pocket and produced her key. He slapped it into her palm and his composure slipped for a few seconds, revealing a glimpse of his darker side.
‘Just remember you called me,’ he said
. ‘That makes twice this week if I’m not mistaken.’
‘I don’t need your help anymore.’
Philip looked around her small hallway at the smashed lamp and strewn coats. ‘Are you sure about that? It looks as if you’ve been burgled. What happened?’
‘Nothing.’
Philip studied her. ‘Something happened. You look different.’
‘Don’t be silly.’
They stood in silence for a few seconds while Helen waited for him to make his excuses and leave. When he didn’t take the hint that she had nothing more to say to him, she gestured towards the door.
‘You can go now.’
‘That’s it?’
‘Yes.’
‘I rushed over here to check you’re ok. The least you can do is offer me a coffee.’
‘Melissa can make you a coffee.’
Philip shook his head and walked towards her. ‘I want you to make me a coffee, Hell Bell and then you can tell me what you’ve discovered at the Invasive Species Control Unit.’
47
Helen poured the coffee from the percolator and added milk and sugar to Philip’s cup. She should have just told him to leave, but like always, she felt obliged to indulge his demands. She carried his cup into the lounge where she found him standing beside the coffee table. As his back was towards her, she couldn’t tell what he was staring at, but something held his attention.
‘Here you go.’
Philip didn’t even flinch when she brushed against his arm and held the cup out for him to take.
‘I said, here you go.’
Still he remained silent.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ she asked.
‘I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,’ Philip replied, his voice the perfect blend of annoyance and surprise.
‘Who said I’m seeing anyone?’
‘This painting.’
Helen looked down at the coffee table and her stomach twisted, as she saw the canvas that Viktor said he’d destroyed on display for all to see.
‘Oh shit.’