Hunted & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

  “Hand me the tease tool.”

  The correct tool—one for teasing delicate wires into place—landed in his hand secs later. She possessed knowledge of tools.

  “Ellard,” she said, an urgent note in her voice. “Please hurry.”

  Her tone told him she wasn’t mucking around. “Why?”

  “Big bit. Big, big piece coming our way.”

  Engine was most important. Even half power might help them get farther out of the field. He followed the wires and reached with his artificial hand to set them back in the correct terminal, ready to tease them back in to place. The ship juddered, rocking and shaking, buffeted by the material in the debris field. He flexed his shiny fingers and cursed under his breath.

  “Ellard, are you almost done? Can I try the engine yet?”

  “Just a sec.” He flexed his fingers, tried to insert a wire in the correct place. At the last moment, his fingers refused to work in the correct manner. He swore, stretched his fingers and tried again. Phrull. The surgeon had told him to have patience.

  “Ellard?”

  Gweneth sounded panicky, and that decided him.

  He swung out and led with honesty. “My hand isn’t up to the job. You’ll have to do it.”

  She never hesitated but squatted and squirmed under the panel, the teasing tool in hand. He heard her muttering to herself about damn wires and moronic idiots.

  Ellard wasn’t sure if she intended her words for him or not. He stood, his gaze zapping to the viewport. A huge chunk of debris headed directly for them.

  “Try the starter,” she called.

  The engine turned over and coughed twice before dying.

  Gweneth muttered, but he couldn’t make out the words. “Again,” she called.

  Fuck a duck. With the debris looming even closer, Ellard prayed the engine worked even as he stole Gweneth’s curse and made it his own. He fired it to life, his gut twisting in the beginnings of fear as the engine coughed like a sick cambeest. But to his relief the engine kept running, and he sprang into his seat. His hand gripped the guidance thruster and he forced it to the left, his attention on the chunk. The view turned red and dark while the ship slowly edged to the side. Too slowly.

  “I think I’ve sorted the communication system too. Holy heck,” Gweneth muttered as she slid into the seat beside him and stared their situation in the face. “If we die and I miss my next kiss, I’m going to blame you.”

  “Do you think of anything else?”

  “Not often. I have a plan,” she said.

  “Strap in.”

  To his relief, she buckled in and wrapped her fingers around the seat sides. “We’re gonna crash.”

  Ellard appreciated her calm manner. Most women of his acquaintance would be in full hysterics by now.

  The ship shifted and obeyed but so sluggish to his will, he wanted to curse again. “Turn, phrull it.”

  The debris chunk came closer, closer, closer.

  It struck.

  The impact threw him back in his seat, the safety harness jerking him upright. A pained grunt squeezed from him, but he kept his hand on the controls, fighting to shift the lethargic ship out of the debris field.

  “Full collision, but the shell isn’t compromised.”

  A second crash spun them around and a third shot them to the left.

  “Shell is breached.” Gweneth’s fingers flew over the controls. “Breach localized in the cargo hold. Segmented doors locked down.”

  While he concentrated on steering the ship farther from danger, Gweneth calmly went about taking care of the problems on board, and despite the crisis, he found himself admiring her gumption.

  Grudgingly, the ship started to respond to his direction, and they edged farther from the field and in to the blackness of space.

  His breath hissed out with relief and he consciously relaxed his tight shoulders. “If we get out of this mess in one piece, I’ll give you your kiss.”

  “It’s worth more than one kiss,” she said without glancing at him. “Storage hold also breached and contained. I want a kiss for each day we’re away from Viros. Now all we need to do is discover how far off course we’ve gone.”

  Ellard spluttered, his gaze going to her and getting trapped in her cheeky grin. “I…that…that’s inappropriate.”

  “It comes under the heading of flirtation.” Her voice emerged prim yet businesslike. “I’m not requesting anything impossible or improper. No one else will know apart from us. It’s not as if I’m asking for happy ever after. I suggest a kiss each day, and if you decide you need more, we’ll renegotiate our deal.”

  Ellard found his mouth dropping open as he attempted to decipher the underlying subtext. Every word she spoke hovered close to outrageous. If he wanted more…

  His feline took that moment to flex beneath his skin, and because his brain was processing the possibilities beyond kisses his cock began to swell. No, no, phrull it no! Maybe he should have listened to Shiloh and Lynx and paid for a woman. But after Mareeka and Marjo, the twin chameleon lovers of their enemy, and the way they’d played him and stomped on both his heart and his pride, the idea of touching a woman with intimacy in mind…

  He swallowed, hating the way she’d directed his thoughts to sex.

  “Do you want me to fix the communications?”

  “You can do that?”

  “Yes.”

  No way could she manage that. The saboteur had yanked on the wires and damaged the terminals. No, it was beyond her capabilities. Grata, how far had they gone off course? They’d been in the debris field for a while.

  “If I fix them, I expect a kiss each day and a favor—unspecified—that I can claim at a later date.”

  The fine hairs at the back of his neck prickled, and his feline stretched again—not uneasy but curious. It was his alarms—the male—that shrieked a warning. Give the woman a little ground and she stomped all over it and demanded more.

  “Are we far enough out of the debris field to put the ship on autopilot? There isn’t much room under there. I need someone to hand me tools.”

  “Give it another ten mins. I don’t trust the autopilot.”

  “All right. I’ll start on my own and do my best.” Gweneth selected three different tools and slid under the panels until only her legs and knee-high black boots remained visible. While he stared at her shapely legs, his mind darted to thoughts of them unclothed, wrapped around his hips. He closed his eyes, swallowed, cursed his traitorous body.

  No. He must focus on getting this job done, getting safely back to Viros, getting away from Gweneth.

  He was no good for a woman and not one like Gweneth.

  No, he must give Gweneth the opportunity to meet other males. Worthy males. Males of better appearance and station than him.

  He concentrated on steering the ship from danger and studied the navigation aid in an attempt to pinpoint their location. As he feared, they’d gone way off course, and he had no idea of how far they’d deviated. The navigation equipment had seemed to function, but once he’d started the autopilot, they’d been heading off course.

  His gaze drifted back to Gweneth and her sexy legs.

  Yes, with other more suitable males in the picture, she’d forget him soon enough.

  Chapter 3

  This wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought. Gweneth chewed on her bottom lip as she followed the wires from source to terminal. Ah, clever. The saboteur had rerouted several of the wires. Interrupted, she decided, which explained why they’d yanked some wiring free. They hadn’t wanted to kill anyone, merely cause trouble, which made her frown. The way the saboteurs had rerouted the rest of the wiring reminded her of the training she’d received from Nanu and Kaya. Come to think of it… Yes, both her friends had disappeared for a time last eve. They wouldn’t, would they?

  She unscrewed the homing terminals, just as Nanu had shown her and reinserted them in the correct ones.

  The ship’s engines died when she removed another.


  “What did you do?” A tetchy snarl.

  She quickly screwed it back into the correct terminal. “Try it now.” The wiring she’d affixed earlier was correct, and when Ellard tried the engine starter again, the engine purred to life.

  “Yes!” Ellard shouted.

  She slid out to retrieve the special tool for the communication wiring. “We shouldn’t have a problem now. Is the navigational system working?”

  Ellard appeared unconvinced, but he stabbed the overhead monitor, starting when it flicked to life. “Skillful job.”

  His surprise was evident and she wrinkled her nose at him. “You lacked belief in my talents and capabilities. Grrrr to you! I expect those kisses. You owe me.”

  “You haven’t fixed the communication equipment yet.”

  She rolled her eyes, selected her tool and blew him a kiss. “No problem.” She slid back under the panel and made quick work of the task now that she understood how to fix the problem. And she had her suspicions regarding the culprits. She would keep quiet at present but grata, she’d have words with Kaya and Nanu on her return to Viros. She and Ellard could’ve been killed. After one final check of the wiring for the other ship utilities, she pushed herself out and stood.

  She slapped dust off her backside, almost laughing out loud when she noticed she’d captured his attention. “Time for that kiss now. A real kiss,” she added. “I expect more than a mere brush of lips or a peck. A real kiss is what we agreed on.”

  He stared at her, that scowl taking possession of his features again.

  “I said I’m ready for my kiss now.” While she should have experienced nerves, they remained absent. Instead, a sense of fun and excitement bubbled to the surface while Ellard eyed her as if she were a three-headed monster. The thought made her laugh. “I promise not to bite.”

  But she might later on, she decided. His tight butt or his muscular chest. That chest… She sighed. It contained hard dips and curves. What she wouldn’t give to lick his torso, down over the indentations of his abs.

  “This isn’t a sound idea.” The big male actually retreated.

  If she said boo, would he break and run? Although tempted, she decided not to test her theory.

  “You promised. I always keep my word, and I thought you were a man of honor.”

  He drew himself up tall. “I am,” he snapped. “Very well. Let’s get this over and done so we can get back to our mission.”

  He pounced so fast she never had a chance to release the squeak that rushed up her throat. His beefy arm—the good one—wrapped around her back and he pulled her against his muscular body. He was so big, so strong. So masculine.

  Gweneth pulled her tattered complacency around her and slipped her arms around his neck. He wore his black hair longer than Lynx and Shiloh, a bit scruffy, as if he had little care for what others thought of him. Something to consider later.

  Now that he held her in his arms, he hesitated, his bulky muscles tightening until she feared he’d renege on his promise.

  Quick. She had to act.

  Gweneth used her arms around his neck to lever herself up and stood on tiptoe to reduce the space between their lips. Their gazes connected and held, his open for a fleeting sec before he screened his emotions.

  The big feline was nervous. She’d pushed past his comfort zone and wrong-footed him, and now he hesitated in his actions and thoughts. Although she hated to confuse him, perhaps an off-balance feline shifter would work in her favor. And, she had better make this a kiss to end all kisses. The best kiss he’d ever received.

  No pressure.

  She crushed her mouth to his, caught his quick gasp with her lips and sank into the sensations of kissing the male her feline was directing her toward.

  Soft. Warm. Decadent.

  His lips were a beautiful shape, and she should know since she studied them often enough. Craving more, she opened her mouth and used her tongue to trace the sensual curves. He groaned and she used the sign to take the kiss deeper. Her tongue flickered past his lips, and she got her first taste. He tasted of the drink they’d consumed—tart and yet sweet.

  His arm tightened around her and a groan rumbled in his chest. The man—obviously slow on the uptake—started to participate and kiss her back. Instantly, her nipples pulled tight and the physical contact seemed to seep into her pores. Her feline gave a lazy stretch beneath her skin, a sort of yawn as if waking fully from a long slumber.

  Ellard pulled back a fraction and frowned at her. “What is that noise?”

  Gweneth blinked. What—? Well, fuck a duck. The noise was coming from her. It sounded…it sounded like a feline purr. “It’s me,” she said with a trace of wonder, unable to believe her ears. “It’s me. Ellard, please kiss me again. I think it’s my feline. Maybe I can really shift instead of dreaming about the transformation.”

  For a sec, he clearly fought an inner struggle, but she thought their earlier conversation—her prattling about feline shifting—might have helped him make his decision. He gave a curt nod and took her lips without hesitation. This time he swept her under into a place where sensations ruled and good sense fell by the roadside. The first kiss was a pale imitation of the passion he unleashed on her now. He sipped and tasted. He tempted and seduced. He owned her with this kiss.

  A small part of her was aware of him lifting her, pressing her against the control panel. She didn’t care. He could do anything. She wrapped her legs around his hips and rocked against the hardness of his body. Both she and her feline sighed and purred, drawing every bit of pleasure from the contact.

  A foreign sound invaded their bubble of passion, but she ignored it in favor of the kiss. Ellard seemed just as willing as her and he continued to kiss and caress her past the bounds of the one kiss she’d demanded.

  “A-hem! Ellard. Gweneth.” The familiar voice of their king had them breaking apart and spinning around.

  “Um, I think the communications are working again,” she said in a weak voice.

  “Where are you?” Lynx asked. “The Narenda delegation contacted us because you hadn’t turned up as scheduled. Why?”

  Shiloh winked at her. “I think it’s easy to see why, my king.”

  Lynx snorted. “At the cost of this mission?”

  Ellard pulled back but retained his hold until she stood on unsteady feet.

  “We had some trouble. Someone sabotaged your ship. They rewired the controls and yanked others out. I put the ship on autopilot while we had a meal. We didn’t realize we’d gone off course until we hit a field of debris.” Ellard reported the facts clearly and concisely.

  “But the ship was fine. We had it serviced and did a test flight.”

  “Someone rewired it so the ship would function but go off course. Communications were down and of course, the navigation took us in the wrong direction,” Gweneth added.

  “Ah, the true reason for the kiss.” Shiloh smirked. “You’re both celebrating the fact you’re alive.”

  Ellard glowered at his brother but Gweneth winked once she knew Ellard couldn’t see.

  “It’s lucky you could fix the problem. How is our ship?” Lynx asked.

  “Gweneth fixed it,” Ellard said. “My hand wasn’t up to the delicate wiring. I need to practice more.” His explanation emerged stiff and displayed a hint of mortification. “There is a crack in the cargo hold area, and we had to seal the lock doors. I’m hoping we can get it fixed on Narenda.”

  A quick glance showed a blaze of red in his cheeks.

  “Good job, Gweneth,” Lynx said.

  “Nanu showed me some basic repairs. Ellard steered us out of the debris. We’re a capable team. One person alone would have perished.”

  “What is your location? How far away are you?” Lynx asked.

  “About half a cycle, I think,” Ellard said. “Now that we’re away from danger, I’ve reduced our speed. I didn’t want to shake the ship apart. It’s not handling as well.”

  “We’ll be asking questions t
his end,” Shiloh gritted out.

  Lynx frowned. “We’ve had a series of isolated incidents in the city. Vandalism and such. Someone painted anti-royal graffiti on the new buildings. This might be connected. I’ll contact the Narenda delegation and let them know why you’re delayed.”

  “We’ll attempt to contact them too,” Ellard said. “Tell them we’re coming from west-south sector.”

  Lynx gave a brisk nod. “That is off course. Try not to dally too long. Over and out.”

  The communication broke abruptly but not before she caught another sly wink from Shiloh.

  “We’d better attempt communication,” Ellard said in a stiff voice.

  Gweneth nodded, irked when he avoided her gaze. “Of course.” Her feline rumbled in disapproval as she calmly sat and fastened her safety harness. “We’re representing Viros. This is an important mission.” But they were safe and while her fingers tapped on the communication keys, her mind busily planned for the next stage in her Ellard offensive.

  Ellard watched Gweneth from the corner of his eye as he guided the ship toward Narenda. She’d handled herself well in the crisis, and he still couldn’t believe they’d managed to escape the debris field alive.

  He loosened his grip on his knee, the prick of claws into his flesh doing little to still the clamor taking place within his body. That kiss.

  Gweneth sat in her seat, her fingers flicking buttons as she attempted to reach someone on Narenda.

  “Ah,” she said, the sound carrying a wealth of satisfaction. “Narenda, please come in. This is the Gallant from Viros.”

  A face appeared on their communications screen. A dark and handsome man. Ellard disliked him immediately.

  “Gallant, I read you, but I can’t see you.”

  Gweneth popped under the panel, and he heard the rumble of her muttering along with a word that sounded suspiciously like “sexy beast”, but no. He couldn’t have heard right. Without warning, she emerged from beneath the panel, and he noticed a smear of grease on her cheek. It highlighted her high cheekbones and pouty lips.

  Ellard muttered a curse and wrenched his gaze away from temptation. He failed to understand why this particular woman wormed under his skin and bothered him. That kiss… A shiver rippled through him as he recalled her soft curves pressing against his chest, her lips moving against his…