by Rena Marks
He upped his pace. Pinned beneath him, she couldn’t do anything other than reach up and wrap her arms around him, clinging on to the muscular back that rocked the bed beneath them. Each hard fast thrust of his cock stroked nerve endings she hadn’t realized she had and tightened the knot of tension in her core even further. A familiar tension, one that should have been wiped out by her earlier orgasm, but wasn’t.
Instead it felt like a fire that had been rekindled.
He drove into her, his movements relentless, ruthless, and so fucking delicious that all she could do was hang on for the ride. Her body strummed with tension, every cell in her muscles locked and tense as they screamed for release. The coil of need deep in her core pulsated, her pussy gripping his cock and releasing in uncontrolled spasms.
“Ava, are you ready to come for me again?”
She nodded, pleasure thrilling through her as he kissed along her neck and scraped the sensitive flesh with his teeth. His thrusts pounded, even more powerful. Faster. Harder. His body moved gracefully, like a well-practiced dancer. It was obvious he’d done this many, many times before. He was beyond expert level.
“Oh God, Tom...” she gasped, nails digging into his wrist. “I’m gonna... I’m...”
“Come for me, Ava,” he urged in a rough voice. “Want to feel you come all over my cock. Want to own you.”
He drove back to surge up into her in a hard, solid thrust. Her climax overtook her in a blinding wave of sensation so complete she was barely aware of his encouragement.
Bucking against him, her body was suffused with ecstasy and her cunt throbbed around the thick length of his cock. Gripping him, milking him in rhythmic waves.
He growled, the smooth movement of his thrusts gone now and replaced by harder, more feral movements. Two more shaky thrusts and he buried himself deep within her with a roar, the sound muffled by his face in her neck. His cock jerked, flooding her with his white hot seed. So hot she felt every spurt, every pulse deep within her. He groaned, still wrapped around her, his bigger body caging hers protectively.
He collapsed around her, holding his body up with his arms. Her hands stroked against his slick back. He pulled up the sheet to cover his ass before he pulled from her body, which was a bit strange. Almost as if he didn’t want others to see her, but there was no one else but them. She forgot about it when he rose to the pillows, settling next to her and curling her around his body while pressing a kiss to her head.
Only then did she realize she was still dressed, the nightgown around her waist but the sheet pulled up to meet it.
Her breathing evened as she basked in the afterglow and cuddled next to him.
He woke her later and they made love two more times before he finally growled to go to sleep. She sank into oblivion with sated exhaustion.
Chapter Five
“TOMORROW’S THE DAY,” Tom said, his dark eyes glittering and for a second, looking like someone else. It niggled at the edge of her brain before fading away, leaving only the memories of Tom instead of someone unknown. “Tomorrow I’m going to get you out of here. Be strong for one more day.”
He gave her a quick kiss before getting up and heading into the small bathroom. When he came out, he shuttled her into the shower while he spread her breakfast out on the counter. A bagel with some cream cheese, a small juice, a cup of coffee.
He was gone after she showered, so she sat down and ate. The two goons were back inside the basement door as soon as he slipped out, spoiling her appetite.
Alone with them, she had nothing else to do as she cleaned the small kitchen area and then lay back down on the bed, ignoring their snickers between them.
It was hours before someone descended the outer stairs. She could hear the thump of boots as they came down. Ava brightened slightly, but when the door opened it wasn’t Tom.
It was Keith, though he looked much better than he had before. His hair was clean, his bruises fading. The heavy bandages around his hand, gone. But the look in his eye chilled her to the core. It was complete, utter hatred.
“Leave us,” he said to the guards.
While she hated the two guards with a passion, the hairs at the back of her neck rose to think of them leaving her alone with Keith. She wanted to beg them back, but logically she knew that would be a mistake.
What could he want? She watched his eyes flicker toward the door, as if he wanted to make sure it was closed. Was he afraid of Tom’s return?
She forced herself to hold still where she sat in the same chair, the same spot, where she’d been the last time he was here. She didn’t want to give him the slightest inkling that she was wary.
“Look at you,” he said softly. “Our pampered prisoner. All glowing and fuck.”
The tiniest bits of alarm flared at the edges of her nervous system.
“Oh. Shit. You’re glowing because you’ve been fucked.” He laughed and it was a deep belly laugh. He found it hilarious.
Her cheeks heated and palms dampened, but she refused to move. Refused to shift from her position, even if it was something as simple as to wipe her palms on her robe. She wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.
The way he glared at her made her feel like prey.
She sat a bit straighter, ready to flail at him if she needed to.
“Relax, pretty girl. I know what you’ve given up to Tom to survive. Don’t pretend like you won’t put out again. To someone else this time.”
She couldn’t help it. Her gaze sharpened. How did he know she slept with Tom? The basement had no windows and the door had been locked.
“What? Did you think it was a secret? We all knew Tom set out to seduce you.” He leaned in. “All of us.”
She shook her head at him. He was lying. She knew he was lying. There was no way Tom could fake the level of tenderness he’d had with her. The connection they had when they stared into each other’s eyes the moment he’d sunk into her.
But Keith started laughing. Loud guffaws that echoed in the silent room.
“You think Tom slept with you because he wanted to save you?” Keith laughed. “It was all part of the master plan to get you to trust him so when your memories returned, we’d have first shot at the inner knowledge of Xenia. But I’m tired of Tom being the golden child just because of his looks. He always gets the easy jobs, like seducing women and I get the shit jobs. Freaks holding me prisoner, and beating the shit outta me, but not marring his pretty face, like beauty is his god-given right or something.”
She stared at him in disbelief. Tom never spoke about Xenia as if the people there weren’t to be trusted, despite the fact they’d tortured him also. He simply didn’t have the same level of hatred Keith had.
Was that normal?
Why wouldn’t Tom hate the Xeno Sapiens enough to tell her they were monsters? Hell, she believed they were just based on what she’d heard. That they’d tortured people.
Keith leaned over the back of the chair that was seated across from her. At least it was a barrier between them. “We’re still planning on selling you to the ones who want a Xeno Sapien. But in case they don’t want you, we will still be able to penetrate the city again and grab proof of the offspring.”
She didn’t believe him. Tom wasn’t like Keith. Sure, he was a criminal. But he didn’t have the evil quality.
Keith leaned back again. “You know you were their whore, right? There are things you said in your sleep about them...we counted at least three. You willingly slept with many Xeno Sapiens for money. Apparently, it paid more than teaching did. Enough to give up your decent living and move to their city.”
She refused to allow the shock she felt to change her expression. Was it possible that she said something while unconscious? Something so horrible it wiped out her memory?
“Don’t believe me? That you were their whore? Or that Tom just wanted in your pants? Let me show you what he said.”
He flipped up his hand in a wide arc, moving his fingers into a sequential pattern. She knew he
was pulling up the implanted phone. They were controversial. Technology wasn’t always a good thing and to implant one within your person exposed a body to more radio waves than were already around their polluted planet. It was why the wealthy stayed in the floating cities, with a protective bubble keeping them separate from Earth’s atmosphere.
His phone display pulled up in a hologram that hovered over his palm. In it was the scene in which the greasy-haired boss and Tom had argued near the door when she’d first woken up. The camera zeroed in on Tom’s face, picking up his facial cues and mouth movements.
“I’m not gonna fuck that freak! Who knows how many alien dicks have been in that cunt!”
“Motherfucker, you’ll fuck who I tell you to fuck! Don’t forget who’s in charge here.”
God. It couldn’t be faked. She remembered that first day when she’d woken. She couldn’t hear what they whispered, of course, but they’d looked so angry. And here was the proof.
Proof that Tom lied.
She sucked in her breath. Not only was finding out that Tom tricked her horrendous enough—but the thought of cameras being established in this very room, watching her every moment, was terrifying. Her eyes darted back and forth wondering where they were hidden.
Keith was calm. “They’re in the light fixtures.”
Oh, goddess. One was above her bed. That meant...
The next image he pulled up was taken from the fixtures over her bed. Her legs wrapped around Tom’s ass, her head tossed back in ecstasy, as he moved within her.
“See? Even Tom knew all along you were the Xeno Sapien’s whore. Now that we know how well you fuck, woman, I can’t wait to have a turn.”
His half-amputated finger trailed down her arm. She grimaced in disgust, making him grin.
“Squeamish, are you? Don’t like a stub? Yet you obviously had a purple freak in you. Because no matter what Tom says, that kid was yours. I know it.”
She jumped up from the chair, but he was much larger, forcing her backward. Not the direction she intended to get. She realized it when the back of her legs hit the bed. He crawled onto the bed, covering her body with his, forcing her down.
“Get off!” she screamed.
“Shh.” He covered her mouth with his dirty hand—ironically, the one with the camera phone embedded. The hologram hovered between them—still showing her and Tom making love. Playing the sounds of his grunts and her moans like an erotic movie.
She felt the hard ridge of Keith’s erection pressing against her thigh as he tried to spread her legs. His other hand gripped the tender flesh of her inner thigh, bruising her as he cruelly pinched.
The door burst open.
In two seconds flat, Tom was behind him. His hands gripped Keith’s head.
“I told you to keep away from her.”
He wrenched his neck so hard she heard it pop. Keith was still, his eyes staring sightlessly.
Tom had broken his neck, just like that. Tom grabbed Keith’s hand that was around her mouth, even though it had grown slack. He flung his arm to the side.
“Don’t scream,” he gritted. His once beautiful eyes shone with anger—hatred aimed directly at her. “I need to concentrate to erase the cameras before we’re found out.”
Perhaps it was shock dulling her brain, but she stared at Tom in confusion. He hurriedly punched numbers into the dead man’s hand, bringing up the hologram screen.
“Idiot was so proud of being in charge of the cameras, he was always showing off the recordings. Never once bothered to hide the codes he used.”
She wiggled, trying to get off the bed where she was trapped by Tom and the dead man’s body.
“Hold still!” Tom snapped. “I have less than thirty seconds before the phone dies because his blood stops pumping.”
This had to be some kind of joke. He expected her to lie here with a dead man staring into her face?
Then he finished and roughly shoved Keith’s body to the floor. He landed solidly with a thump. Tom kicked him under her bed.
“Get up,” he snapped, as if still angry with her. Even though she knew he was a bastard, a criminal, a low-life, he was still the prettiest man she’d ever seen. What the hell was wrong with her that she still desired him?
“The alarms are disabled. We have to get out of here before they figure it out.”
He was going to kidnap her...from the kidnappers?
“Where are we going?” she asked, scrambling up.
“Xenia. Eventually.”
Chapter Six
SIX MONTHS EARLIER:
“Why do we bundle up Baby in that space wocket?”
From where they sat on the benches displayed on the front steps of the main building of the city of Xenia, little three year-old Olivia Grasie stooped low, peering at the underside of the hover-carriage. Of course, nothing was there. No wheels touched the ground, no invisible ropes pulled the device.
Ava laughed at the child, who had proclaimed herself Baby’s best friend and visited frequently. “Because Baby’s Uncle Steele and Uncle Pax decided that all Xeno Sapien babies need to be protected at all costs. So this space rocket, as you call it, has an amazing function. If something should happen while I’m outside walking Baby—like maybe a tree falls—the rocket will close up and the inside walls will swell with a soft, breathable material. Nothing can break it and inside, Baby will be safe.”
“What if it falls in the water?”
“It floats. There’s an air pump inside that pushes air out of the walls, but nothing else can get in.”
“What if there’s a fire?”
“It’s heat resistant. This space rocket could land on Mars and Baby won’t even be sunburned.”
“Is that why we strap her in?”
“Mmm, hmm. Safety first.”
“Boo!” Baby peeked through her fingers at Olivia, then giggled uproariously.
Olivia’s grin was wide. “She loves playing peek-a-boo with me. ‘Cause I’m her bestest friend, Ava.”
“There you are!”
Sam Grasie, Olivia’s human father and Winnie, his Xeno Sapien girlfriend, walked up the steps to where they sat.
“Winnie! I haven’t seen you in so long!” Olivia clamored up Winnie’s legs, who stooped and lifted the child for a big hug.
“Since I dropped you off this morning, love-bug.” Winnie’s voice was full of love as she hugged Olivia to her.
“Hello, father,” Olivia said, holding her hand out for her father to kiss. She was wearing her princess dress today, as she did most days, and everyone knew princesses had to behave with certain protocol. She’d perfected her wave and allowed everyone to kiss her hand.
“Princess Olivia, did you have fun this morning?”
“So much, father. I met a new person. P’rhaps you know him? He has an eye in the middle of his head and he said it can see in the dark.” She sighed. “I want one.”
“Well, you’re human. You’ll have to make do with the two eyes you’ve already got.”
“It’s not fair that Vien gets three! Three, daddy.”
“How about if we draw one on you?”
Olivia tilted her head as she thought about it. “I could make do with that.”
“Of course you can,” Sam said wryly. “I’m going to walk you and Winnie to the clothing store. I’m working at the gates today.”
“Oh, I thought you were off? I can keep her longer if you’d like,” Ava said.
“I was, but they need extra security at the front. Robyn is going to upgrade the system and she wants everyone present for the few minutes it takes to go offline. I’ll only be an hour or two. Olivia will be fine at the store with Winnie.”
“Yes,” Winnie agreed. “Thanks for keeping her, Ava. Are we still on for watching Baby tomorrow night?”
“If you’re sure you don’t want to come to the new dance hall’s grand opening?” She and her mate, Covet, had planned on attending the dance, and if Sam and Winnie wanted to come, she could always ask Nanna Els
a, who was Steele and Robyn’s nanny, to watch Baby.
“Nah, we’ll catch it next week. The grand opening will be much more crowded and I prefer fewer people.”
Ava nodded. Sometimes she forgot Winnie was blind. Not that she couldn’t see, of course. She just used other senses to see with and preferred solitude. Being among crowds confused her special sight.
“What are you up to now?” Winnie asked her. “We’re headed to lunch if you’d like to come.”
“Thank you, but I packed a lunch. Baby and I are going to take a walk through the woods and go visit Covet for a picnic.”
Just the thought of Covet, with his gorgeous purple skin, sent a spiral of need through her midsection. She’d taken the position at Xenia as his nanny when he’d accidentally gotten pregnant with Baby. Apparently, all the pheromones of newly mated couples around him had tricked his body into reproducing. Her friend, Dr. Irina Mescar, had assured them it wouldn’t happen again. She had him on a form of pheromone blocker—male birth control, his two best friends razzed. Irina’s mate, Blaze, was a winged Xeno Sapien. His other best friend, Reson, had been teased back that he was a tramp and had so many love interests, it was his pheromones that had gotten Covet pregnant. Reson took it in stride, winked, and proclaimed himself Baby’s other daddy as he flung an arm around Covet’s neck. It caused Covet to scowl and fling his arm off.
It was hard to imagine Reson as a lady killer. Since she’d known him, she’d never seen him with anyone. He pined after a human named Lorelei. Ava wasn’t sure what her story was, or how she had ended up here on Xenia. She never left. Ava never left.
But then, Ava couldn’t. She had agreed to give the Xeno Sapiens five years of her life and had been implanted with a device that would erase her memory with a trigger from the gates should she cross them. Now that she was mated to Covet and had no intention of leaving, she would have the implant removed.
All in due time. Right now the little piece was handy-dandy, enabling her a form of psychokinesis with Baby’s hoverstroller.