by Viola Grace
Sil listened, and his words caught something in her mind and pulled her along with him. “That sounds good. Let’s do that.”
He let out a low sound, wrapped her in his arms, and his wings pulled them back to the balcony and up several levels. They landed on another balcony, and he carried her into his quarters.
“You can fly out of your room. That is convenient.”
He didn’t reply. He set her on the bed and came down on top of her, nuzzling her neck and shoulder, peeling her suit down as he went. Her arms were pinned by the open suit, and he engulfed nearly her entire left breast in his mouth; the rasp of his tongue scraped her nipple, and she moaned as he focused on the tip and licked it over and over. Her thighs slid together, and she bucked upward.
“Easy, Silhouette. I will not leave you hanging.” He switched to the right breast, and the hot throb of need began to take her over.
She struggled against the arm restraint, and he moved down her torso, opening her suit wider as he went. Her ribs, belly, and navel were tasted, and then, her clothing got in the way. She felt pressure on her hips and then heard a tearing sound. The pressure of the suit relaxed, and she felt his tongue against her sex, lapping and swirling inside her.
The feel of his tongue inside her, slightly abrasive, had her rocking her hips against his mouth. The wet, slick slide had her whimpering as she got closer and closer. When her climax struck, she wailed and arched her back, shaking as he continued to lap at her while her body clenched and released. She was limp and sweating when he finally let her rest.
He made his way back up her body with licks and a lot of rubbing of his face against her skin. He felt like velvet.
When he pressed against her and slid into her, he felt like heaven. That lasted about four inches, and then, he started getting wider. He withdrew and eased forward again, repeating it over and over until the wide-open stretched feeling was part of the experience. She arched and pulled him into her with her legs wrapped around his ass. Sil rocked against him until he couldn’t go any further. At that point, the most peculiar thing happened. He started to move inside her without moving his body at all.
She dug her fingers into the bedding and gasped, moaned, and undulated against him. He licked at her neck, kissed her deeply, and his hips remained locked to hers. She answered every touch and caress with a vocalization or the movement of her body. He had restrained her at the beginning, but what she could move, she did.
She focused on the sensation inside her, but when he murmured, “Look at me.” She did.
She looked into his eyes and saw the swirling stars of a constellation she did not recognize. She opened her mouth on a silent scream and arched her neck as the tension of pleasure snapped and shattered.
When the first burst had subsided to receding waves, she looked into Kalek’s eyes as her body caressed his in slow pulses. The kiss that followed was slow and deep; she relaxed with her feet on the bed before he raised his head. “I understand now.”
“Understand what?”
“What a well-matched companion can do. I haven’t felt this good in a very long time.”
She undulated her hips against his. “You do feel good. I just wish I had my arms untethered or a suit that was in one piece. Either one would do, really.”
He laughed and pressed his forehead to hers before sliding out of her, leaning away and peeling her suit off completely. “Better?”
She ran her hands up his torso and down to his slick cock while she figured out the dimensions of him. “What do you think?”
“I think that this ship is going to crash into a sun, and I don’t care.” He grinned and wrapped her in his arms. He pressed himself against her, and she moved slowly against him.
“I do care. If there is something you need to be doing, please do it.”
He chuckled. “I am. I can assure you that the crew is going to be delighted that I am here right now.”
She cocked her head. “Why?”
“Because consuming from you means I will no longer be passively drawing from them. Hmrain without companions are tiring to be around.”
She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her leg against his thigh. “I can’t think of why.”
He grinned. “I am sure that you can’t.” His kiss erased thoughts from her head, and she let it.
Chapter Five
Sil felt the weight of an arm on her, and she jolted, fighting until she fell off the bed. She breathed rapidly until she took in her surroundings and lowered her head to her knees.
There was a deep sigh, and she heard the rustle of fabric in the darkness. She felt the touch on her shoulder, and he lifted her back onto the bed.
“You did not survive unscathed.”
She blinked in confusion and shook her head from her personal ball. “I was like this before the asteroid.”
He stroked her back. “When did it happen?”
“The first year of university. I went to a party, had one drink, and woke up under a pile of men. The bloodwork said I had been drugged, and I took photos of the men I woke up with, but they were given a caution and allowed to remain on the school grounds.”
He paused. “What?”
“They hunted me around the school until I made them stop. It didn’t make me morally superior, but it did make me feel better.”
Kalek had a smile in his voice. “What did you do?”
“I found the ringleader at a party, drugged him, and a sympathetic stranger tortured him so that he would feel a semblance of what I did when I woke. We then piled the carcases of dead animals on him and took a series of images that were shared with him when he fought free. He tried to claim that I had done it to him, but I was at a restaurant across town with photos taken with friends to prove it.”
“What was the result?”
She shrugged. “He left the school after his phone was hacked and the blackmail images spread around, as mine had been. His companions were threatened if they didn’t confess to not only the assault on me but four other girls that same year. They didn’t like seeing images of themselves as they slept.”
“So, you got your revenge.”
“Funnily enough, no. That wasn’t me. Revenge was obtained on my behalf. There were ten people who cared for me and four other victims from that year. All I had to do was stay visible as I had been the only one who reported the assault to the authorities.”
She looked over her shoulder at him.
He continued to stroke her back. “What would you have done if you had been the one in that room?”
“Oh, I would have killed him, but that would not have served the purpose. After his public shaming, there were no assaults on campus for six months. That was the purpose.”
“What was the effect of your shaming?”
She smiled. “I don’t feel shame. I don’t feel much, honestly. The memory causes panic when I wake up, but I feel it whether I am with someone or not. Being stalked around the university was annoying and frustrating, but fear was never part of it. Controlling the rage was the issue.”
“You don’t have a problem with sex.”
“Sex is physical. It is a call and response. I enjoy it.”
He smiled at her. “I have noticed.”
“I am guessing you are not one of those men who only wants his women aroused on his schedule.” She sat up and turned toward him.
“I am not. I will take you any time you offer yourself to me.” He grinned. “And any time I can persuade you to.”
She bit her lip and blushed. “Can I sleep against your feathers?”
“Certainly. Why?”
“Um. At home, I used a blanket that was soft, and it helped the waking panic. It is worth a try.” She watched as he shifted around and extended his right wing to her as a pillow. “Is it okay? Can it flex that way?”
“It can, and it doesn’t hurt. Cuddle up all you like.”
She carefully crawled up next to him and rubbed her face i
n the feathers. He pulled the sheet up over her hips and curled so that her back was against his chest. “Good?”
Sil nodded. “Thank you.”
She rested her hand in his feathers, and her breathing deepened.
* * * *
Kalek watched his companion as she dropped into sleep without hesitation. She trusted him enough to sleep with him pressed against her, but a memory woke her in panic. The disconnect in her emotional processing didn’t bother him. He had met species like her before. Her actions were direct, and her responses were unfiltered. It would be interesting with her at his side for the next few centuries.
He flexed his other wing around them until she was in a warm, dark cocoon. She needed her sleep. She had earned it.
* * * *
Sil inhaled and smelled mint. She frowned and felt the softness under her. There was an arm around her waist, but it was velvety soft. The odd thing was the warmth and the darkness. Light filtered in at strange angles. She woke up and smiled. Change the physical stimulation and change the reaction. It was something she had been working on for years.
“Good morning, Silhouette.”
She turned in place and looked at him. “Good morning, Kalek. How badly did I oversleep?”
“You took what you needed. May I move my wing?”
She nodded, and the light in the room spilled across them. She blinked and carefully moved off his other wing. “Do you usually sleep on your side or your back?”
“My side. Why?”
“Perhaps tonight I should just snuggle against you from behind.”
He grinned and sat up, snapping his wings together behind him. “But, then I could not do this.” He reached out and stroked her nipples.
“If I am trying to sleep, I don’t consider that a bad thing.” She smiled and got up, stepping over his legs before she hopped to the ground.
“Where are you going?”
“Lavatory. I want to brush my teeth, wash my face, and do other things that I need to in the morning.”
He chuckled. “The door on the right. The door on the left is the shower.”
She nodded and headed off to make herself feel normal.
* * * *
Kalek smiled as Yamet walked in and scowled. “Where the hell have you been? You have missed the morning meeting and...”
Kalek sat with the sheet at his waist, Silhouette’s suit torn in half, and his own suit uncharacteristically thrown across the room.
Yamet blinked. “Where is she?”
Silhouette exited the bathroom and headed for the shower. “Morning, Yamet.”
“Morning, Mistress.” Yamet looked confused and slightly horrified. “Captain, did you defile the asset?”
Kalek nodded. “For a few hours. I now understand why my siblings pursue companions with such ferocity. It feels like I just had a workout and then a litre of strong wine.”
“We have gotten three inquiries about her from other Hmrain.”
Kalek grunted. “Tough. We signed the contract, and the funds have been forwarded to the education station. They have returned a slight refund as she did not complete her training or have a wardrobe to travel with. Damn. Just a second.”
He went to the console and ordered another suit for her before pulling a spare suit of his own out and hung yesterday’s in the cleaning unit.
“We are passing Jornal’s territory. He is interested in the remaining humans. He would like to negotiate for them.”
Kalek finished pulling on his leggings then pulled on his boots. “Do we have the power to negotiate on behalf of the station?”
“Authorization has been given.”
Kalek put his arms through his shirt and reached behind him to seal it under his wings and behind his neck.
Silhouette emerged naked with her hair twisted up. Yamet made a strangled sound and turned his head.
“Did you remember about my suit? You broke the other one. Morning again, Yamet.”
He chuckled, and the delivery system chimed that the new uniform had arrived. He had timed it perfectly. Kalek walked over and retrieved the suit, turning and offering it to her with a flourish.
She smiled and sat on a chair to start pulling the suit into place.
Kalek watched as she tugged, wiggled, and jumped to get the suit above her hips, then it was arms in the sleeves and a shrug before she closed the suit. He sighed. Later. There would be time to play again later.
Yamet murmured, “Is she dressed?”
“She is.” Kalek nodded. “We need to get her some breakfast and discuss what I have missed.”
“Jornal is lobbying hard for possession of the asset.”
Silhouette braided her hair with practiced ease, and she said, “I know that that is me. Who wants what now?”
She flicked her braid over her shoulder, and it began to unravel. Kalek made a note to get her some hair supplies at the next planet or station. Some feminine clothing might be in order as well.
“There is another Hmrain attempting to lay claim to you.” He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. “I am not going to let him.”
“Good for you. Can I get some weapons?”
He should have been surprised, but it was in line with what he was learning about her. “We will discuss it over breakfast.”
Yamet cleared his throat. “Lunch.”
Kalek regretted nothing. “Lunch then.”
Silhouette looked up at him. “Don’t care what you call it; I am hungry now.”
Kalek murmured, “Do you know what happens when I get hungry?”
“I end up naked is my guess.”
He grinned. “You are exceptionally intuitive. Lunch it is.”
* * * *
Silhouette walked ahead of them, into the lift, down a few levels, and out on the floor where the dining area was. She headed for the food, grabbed a tray, and got some items that looked appealing and weren’t too strangely coloured.
She grabbed some tea, cutlery, and a dessert that was colour-coded for her. She headed to the table where the other two were discussing the humans in the guest quarters.
She was halfway through her meal when she asked, “Can I speak with them?”
Kalek frowned. “What?”
“Can I speak with the other Terrans? I want to make sure that they know what happened.”
She ate her pickles.
Yamet looked at her. “How would you describe what happened?”
“To simplify, the education station failed in their duty of care. All bond contracts should be negotiated with a trustworthy third party but not through the station, nor should the funds be forwarded to the station.”
Yamet blinked. “Yes, that is an accurate assessment of the situation. Would you care to write a demand letter to the education station?”
“I think I will. There were rumours of other Terrans going missing, and this kind of crap can really leave a bad impression of alien rescuers.” She nibbled at the rest of the pickled vegetables before looking at the dessert. “Now, is this thing sweet, or is it sour?”
Kalek smiled. “Sweet. Texture is fluffy. Base is berries and cream.”
Sil nodded. “Thank you.”
She took a spoonful of the dessert and tried it. It was sweet, creamy, fruity, and melted on the tongue. “Hm. Good.” She kept going, and soon, the bowl was empty. She slammed down her tea, picked up her tray, and returned it to the disposal area.
When she was done, she sat back at the table and listened to them discussing the offers on the table for the humans. “Do they all have to go together?”
Kalek paused. “No. Why?”
“They have skill sets that they haven’t been tested for yet. We were snagged on the way to compatibility testing. None of us were registered. The folk that they were trying to sell us to just wanted warm bodies. Hard labour. They had no interest in skills. So, I suggest spending a day testing the humans and setting baseline rates
for them, and from there, we can disperse them.”
Yamet quirked his lips. “That is rather mercenary.”
“Better they find a skilled position than end up in a mine. Right? Give them hope and let them handle the rest.”
Kalek smiled. “I will send you down with Nitska. She is good at interspecies interactions.”
Yamet groaned. “Yeah, right. I will send Alcuad with you as well.”
She nodded. “Excellent. Now, Captain Kalek, do you need me for anything?”
His eyes got heavy, and he smiled slowly. “We will discuss that later.”
She nodded. “I still need to learn where the gym is. We got distracted.”
“Yes, and I look forward to that distraction again tonight.”
“Let me get my suit off first.” She looked to Yamet. “So, how do I meet with these crewmen?”
“I will call them.” He lifted his wrist and spoke into an icon on his cuff.
Kalek took her hand and kissed her palm. “I would like you to be on your best behaviour, represent me well, but do not accept disrespect to your person or station. Is that understood?”
“It is.” She smiled brightly.
Yamet nodded. “They are on their way.”
Kalek nodded. “Good. Then I have a minute.” He slid his chair back and pulled her into his lap, kissing her as they waited. It wasn’t the worst way to spend eight minutes that Sil had ever experienced. When her guards arrived, her knees were weak, and her lips were throbbing, as well as other parts of her.
She inhaled slowly, got to her feet, and double-checked the closure on her suit. “Right. Tell them that they are about to be properly assessed. Don’t take any insults.”
Kalek kissed her hand. “That is an order.”
She turned to the tall and elegant Nitska and the short and heavily muscled Alcuad. “Right. Shall we get going?”
The two Byrcal looked at her and nodded with amused gazes. “Yes, Mistress.”
She looked at them. They looked at her, and she said, “Well, I have no idea where we are going.”
Nitska snorted. “This way, Mistress.”