by Alyse Anders
Beth was frowning at him again. “You went away again.”
“The AI was providing me with additional information.” He stepped closer to her, waiting for any sign of her fleeing. “We will move the ship, then you and I will have our time together.”
“Okay.” Her breathing came in soft rasps and her face flushed once more.
Eagan nearly walked out of the room leaving her to wait here, but he couldn’t. As much as he wanted to be honorable, to give her the time she needed to adjust, the pull in his mind was becoming too strong for him to resist. Closing the distance between them, he took her face in his hands and lowered his mouth. Words of comfort and seduction passed through his mind, but none of them seemed to be right. No, Eagan might not know what human women want or how to win them over, but he did know that a kiss was a good place to start.
Her eyes fluttered shut as his mouth drew close. Her breath washed across his face in short, staggered puffs until he brushed his lips across hers. He felt her gasp, the sharp intake of air a second before he sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.
Eagan’s body was hard, his cock throbbing from lack of contact. The taste of her nearly made him insane, shoving all reason from his brain, every plan he’d orchestrated to save his people and hers was gone. All that remained was his desire for this woman, the burning need to strip them both naked so they could fuck then and there.
Instead of doing what he wanted, he increased the pressure of his kiss. He dipped his tongue into her mouth, tasting and teasing her. He held her close and breathed in her scent, wishing he could imprint himself on her. When she sighed and pressed her body against his, Eagan felt a rush of triumph and reached up for her breast to squeeze.
He finally pulled his mouth away, letting her suck in a gasp of air. “Wow.”
“You’re mine.” He shifted his hand to pinch her nipple. “You don’t know how difficult it is for me…to resist doing what I want to do to you right now.”
His cock throbbed. His rondella on his inner thigh pulsed as it filled for the first time since his re-birth. The tenuous grasp he had on his control threatened to snap when she sighed so softly, he wasn’t sure she was aware she’d done it.
“Eagan?” Rykal’s voice echoed in from the loading bay. “Do you have a solution?”
Rage roared up inside him. Eagan tightened his hold on Beth. “Leave.”
Her eyes widened and she tried to look past him toward Rykal. “Eagan, you can tell him your plan. Remember, once we move the ship then we can have some time together. That’s your reward for doing what you need to do to save everyone. Me.”
He could tell she was embarrassed at the idea of being his prize, but he couldn’t have picked a better one. With effort, he released his hold on her and forced himself to step away. “Mine.”
She nodded. “Yes, I’m yours.”
All he needed to do was move the ship and then they would be free to be together. He turned to face Rykal. “The station’s AI has found a location on Zarlan where the ship’s signal will be disrupted, but it will be close enough to the city to ensure we can wake and move them if the need arises.”
“I’ll inform Aidric. Let Lena know the location and then we’ll proceed. She’ll fly the Kraken. You and I can offer her support in the shuttles to ensure the Sholle don’t get too close.”
Eagan moved away from Beth, which made it a bit easier for him to think. “Do you think the Grus will try to stop us?”
“Aidric hasn’t informed the high councillors of the importance of the human women to us. I don’t anticipate that changing until they have been safely moved to our care.”
Eagan didn’t need to be told that the high council wouldn’t approve of the cyborgs from having mates. “We best move swiftly.”
“Agreed.” Rykal shifted his gaze to Beth. I don’t need to ask if you want her to come with you on your shuttle. I know the answer. She may not want to and you must accept that. Give her time to adjust. These human women are strong and resourceful, but they are as confused as we are as to why they came here. He then left.
“What was that about?” She’d wrapped her arms around her core.
“Lena will be flying the Kraken to the planet. I’ll be taking the shuttle I arrived on back. You can choose to go with her or come with me.” The words physically hurt him to say, knowing that she might not make the decision he wanted. He held himself stiff in case he wasn’t able to hold himself back from her, prevent himself from taking her in his arms and never letting go.
Beth smiled and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me, but I can tell it means a great deal to you. I’ll come with you on your shuttle. Just let me get a few things before I do. Okay?”
Relief washed through him. “We don’t have much time.”
“I’ll run.” And she did.
Eagan was aware of her every move on the ship, even as he made his way down the corridor and out into the station’s docking bay. Rykal was engaged in a conversation with Lena, Darrick and Commander Aidric. When Eagan walked down the ramp, Aidric’s gaze snapped to him. “Are you certain this location will work to mask the signal?”
“The station’s AI scanned the planet and provided the details.” He cocked an eyebrow in silent question.
Aidric simply nodded. “If the AI did the calculations, then proceed.”
A rush of pleasure and pride rolled through Eagan’s mind that didn’t belong to himself. Rykal gave his head a small shake as he frowned, clearly feeling the same thing he had. They shared a look. Was that you? Rykal’s voice sounded as confused as he felt.
No. Not you I take it?
No. Strange.
The AI? There was no reason it should have anything close to an emotional response. We should inform Aidric.
Rykal shook his head. Later. We don’t have time to deal with additional problems at the moment.
He was right. The AI was a problem for another day. “We’ll fly our shuttles down to the planet as protection for the Kraken.”
Lena clapped her hands together. “We have a plan then. I’ll fly the Kraken, Rykal and Darrick can take one shuttle, and Eagan can take the other.”
“Darrick and Carys will fly in one. I’ll stay with you.”
Eagan was surprised by the finality with which Rykal spoke. Lena wasn’t though and rolled her eyes. “Fine. As long as I get my passengers someplace safe, I don’t care who is flying with whom.”
“I’m here!” Beth jogged down the ramp, coming to a stop beside Eagan. Her shock and surprise at seeing Aidric was nearly enough for him to attack the Grus commander. “Oh wow. You guys do look different from the cyborgs.”
Aidric cocked an eyebrow. “Welcome to Grus Prime. I’m Commander Aidric.” There was a distance in his tone that put Eagan on edge.
“Did I interrupt?” Beth looked up at Eagan, her eyes wide and her body tense. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not at all.” Lena smiled brightly at her. “I promise, you’ll have time to catch your breath once we get down to the planet.”
“I hope so.” Beth openly stared at Aidric. “I feel like I’m stuck in a weird dream.”
Eagan put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “It will soon be over, and you’ll be awakened.” Soon, she’d be his mate and there’d be no going back. “Let’s move.”
Chapter Five
Beth was aroused, confused and exhausted, none of which was helpful given their current circumstances. She followed Eagan into a large, sleek shuttle that was off to the side of the Kraken, doing her best not to stop and gawk at everything as she passed by. The realization of the fact that she really was on an alien space station hit her when she had come face to face with Commander Aidric. She didn’t know why she knew, but he was not a cyborg. She could tell by the way he held himself, the way the others spoke and responded to him that not only was he a Grus, but someone of importance.
Hopefully, Eagan would have time to continue their conversation on the shuttle.
The shuttle was
larger and far sleeker in appearance than the Kraken, or any ship she’d ever seen back on Earth. The computer consoles were black with touch sensitive pads that came to life the moment Eagan sat down in the pilot’s chair. “You can sit beside me.”
His tone was still abrupt in a way that would normally upset her if it came from one of her family members, but Beth complied with little complaint. She knew there wasn’t malice behind his words, even if there was that same note of wanting to control her. Without knowing why, she knew that if she pushed back, Eagan would listen to her.
That was something her parents never did.
The chair had been designed to seat someone considerably larger than Beth was, giving her the feeling of a child trying to fit into an adult’s world. The security strap was too large for her and there was no obvious way for her to tighten it around her. “Don’t get into an accident.”
Eagan glanced at her. “You will need that when we make our way down through the planet’s atmosphere. The storms on Zarlan are powerful.”
She set her small bag of belongings down on the floor and proceeded to do her best to strap herself in. “Is it always like that, or is this just the current time of year for storms?”
“The Sholle tried to destroy our planet by stripping it of our resources. That resulted in our ecosystem being pushed out of the norm. We have been working to repair the damage, but it will take a lifetime to correct.”
“And those are the creatures sitting out in space waiting for us?” Shit, no wonder they were all in a panic wanting to make sure they weren’t drawn back here. “We better hurry then.”
“Indeed.” He reached behind her and pressed a button that automatically tightened the straps. “As long as the commander is able to dissuade the high council from trying to stop us, all will be well.”
“Why would they want to stop us?” There were moving the source of the signal away from the station; why wouldn’t they want that to happen?
“Our two peoples have a complicated history.”
Lena and Carys had only given her the highest level of details when it came to the political and social structure of the Grus world. Beth knew the cyborgs were called the Fallen and had been modified when they’d died in the war. Beyond that, she only had questions and no time to ask for answers.
“Kraken to shuttles.” Lena’s voice crackled to life from the speakers. “I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but I’m being told we’re going to have a very small window to take off and get outside of the station’s energy shield. Be ready to lift off.”
Eagan cocked his head in a way that Beth was now starting to recognize as him communicating with the other cyborgs. “What’s going on?”
“Rykal said Commander Aidric is concerned the council will stop us. He’s not certain and Rykal doesn’t want to risk the Kraken being attacked.”
“Will you be able to coordinate with him?” She didn’t know the limitations of their cybernetics, nor was she smart when it came to battle strategies. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Our communication range won’t reach beyond this docking bay. It’s limited in scope. There’s a chance we’ll need to put ourselves between the Kraken and the station.” The muscle in his jaw jumped. “Stay seated and safe. That’s how you can help.”
Beth nodded but hated knowing she was useless in this situation. She’d been a teacher back on Earth and had worked with the very young. Even those skills had been limited given the resources available to her in the school. She’d been a glorified monitor, who would offer encouragement and smiles to the children when they found the subject matter too difficult.
She wasn’t a fighter or pilot. She didn’t know languages or how to heal a wound. She was reliant on others to help her and that was something Beth had always hated about herself. And now? Well, it was going to hurt her now. Instead of being useful to Eagan and the others, she was a liability to be carted around. The worst kind of problem to have. With a sigh, she tipped her head back and let it rest against the chair.
The shuttle trembled briefly as Eagan pressed a sequence of buttons on the panel to bring the shuttle to life. He paused, and half-turned his face toward her. “This connection between us is strong. While I’m unable to read your thoughts, I can read your emotions.”
She sat up straight. “Is that something all your people can do?”
“No. This is the first time in my life I’ve felt this.” He looked at her full-on, his glowing brown eyes locked onto her. “You’re not a burden. I will help teach you how to survive here.”
“Kraken to shuttles, we’re leaving.”
Beth shifted uncomfortably in her chair under Eagan’s gaze. “We better go.”
Eagan hesitated for a moment before turning to the controls. “Engaging engines. Shuttle two launching.”
The docking bay doors opened while the Grus support staff scurried to a secure room. There was an energy shield keeping the atmosphere inside the station, and Beth could easily see its shimmer as Eagan moved the shuttle forward. The crackle of the protective barrier rushed over the ship as they passed through and out into the silence of space. There was another shimmer not far away and Beth wasn’t certain if she was actually seeing anything or if her eyes were playing a trick on her.
“Shuttle two, take up a defense position on the Kraken’s flank.” Rykal’s voice came through the communications. “Be ready to react to any additional ships coming from Grus Prime.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Beth sat up straighter. “Is there something I can help monitor?”
“The monitor to your right. Let me know if anything appears on the screen.”
Beth couldn’t help but think this was a task Eagan could complete easily on his own, but she was grateful for something to focus her attention on. “You got it.”
“The station’s shield isn’t dropping.” Beth didn’t recognize the male talking, but she assumed it was Darrick, the only other man mentioned who she hadn’t met.
“Give Aidric a moment to put the authorization through. He gave me his word this would work.” Rykal didn’t sound quite as confident as his words implied.
Eagan’s body tensed the longer they waited, flying stuck between the station and its shield. “I don’t like this.”
“Why would the Grus try and stop us? The humans wouldn’t have any value to them.” Beth knew there was more to it than that, but even still with lives in danger she couldn’t imagine that they’d want the Kraken anywhere close if it was the cause of a potential attack.
“It’s not about the humans.” Eagan’s hand balled into a fist. “It’s about keeping the cyborgs in their place. We’re weapons for them to use on a whim and not people with hopes and dreams. They took that from us when they forced our re-births on us. They changed who we are fundamentally as people. Having mates, having that missing piece of us returned so we can live as our own people, that wouldn’t sit well with the high council. That makes us people instead of tools.”
Beth might not understand exactly everything that had happened between the Grus and the cyborgs, but she did know how it felt to be used as a thing, her own hopes and dreams ignored. “My father had agreed to marry me off to a business partner’s son.”
Eagan didn’t move, but she could tell he was listening to her every word.
“I hadn’t even met him, but my mother said he was passably good looking, as though that’s the most important thing when it comes to getting married.” Her sister had brought in a data pad with a picture of her fiancé. He was far older than Beth and there were more than a few rumors of what had happened to his first wife. “Neither of my parents cared about me or my desires. They wanted me married to this man so my father could secure a new building. It was about money, nothing more.”
Eagan relaxed his hand and reached out to place his open palm on her thigh. “You will never be treated that way again. I will cherish you.”
“I know. But you can appreciate why I’m not keen to be
told I have a mate. Someone who I haven’t met and know nothing about. Someone who says that I have no choice in this arrangement.”
Eagan moved his hand back to the shuttle’s controls. “We both value our freedom.”
The shuttle shuddered and Eagan had to direct it in the opposite direction of the Kraken. “If they don’t get this shield down quickly, we’re going to have a problem.”
Time continued to tick on, and Beth’s stomach soured. What the hell was going to happen to them if they couldn’t even get free of the station? She couldn’t image the Grus would be as accommodating once they learned the truth about the women on the Kraken.
“Attention shuttles,” Commander Aidric’s voice came through the communicator. “Your departure is unauthorized.”
“Shit.” Beth leaned closer to the monitor to make sure she was reading it correctly. “There are four ships coming out of the station.”
“He lied to us.” Eagan pressed something on the panel. “Shuttle two here. I knew this would happen.”
“Stand down, Eagan.” Rykal responded. “Aidric sent me a code for the shield. Come up close on the Kraken’s flank. We’re only going to have seconds to make this work.”
“Thank God.” Beth looked over at Eagan, but he wasn’t anywhere near as relaxed as she would have hoped.
“Cyborg shuttles! Earth vessel! Return to Grus Prime and prepare to be boarded.”
The next few moments happened quickly, sending a rush of adrenaline through Beth. The three ships crowded one another so tightly she couldn’t imagine how they weren’t running into one another. There was a flicker in front of them so soft, she would have missed it if she hadn’t been looking at that exact moment. Eagan hit the thrusters, pushing the shuttle forward hard, but in perfect synchronization with the other ships.
Without seeing it, she felt the station’s shield pop back into place. She looked back down at the monitor. “They’re not following. They’ve actually veered off course.”