She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
He slipped his hand around hers, warm fingers binding her to him. “Come on.”
He led her through the warren of the underground bunker, checking over his shoulder to make sure she was following even though he held her hand tight. Sarah clung to him, determined to never let go.
Outside, it was a summer’s night; the moon was a low sliver in the sky. The air was scented with green, and the quiet hushed noise of things growing.
“This way.” He tugged her hand, leading her away from the bunker, through trees to a small hill that topped the forest and afforded a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the surrounding land. To the east, the faint glow of the Cardiff hive was visible. Everything else was black and silent. The electric signature of humanity’s dominance wiped from the planet.
She sighed. “From here, the hive is…”
“Beautiful?”
She looked at him. “It feels so wrong to say it. Everything about it speaks of death and annihilation, but when you see it like this? It glitters in the night. Diana knew what they coated it with. Some kind of bioluminescence.”
“Maybe this time, death for them, but not for us.” He pulled her close, brushing loose hair from her cheek, his calloused palms sending shock waves through her body. “I shut down after Lissy and Rachel died. It was safer that way. But I don’t want to live like that anymore.” He kissed the back of her wrist, trailing his mouth up the sensitive skin of her inner arm, leaving a path of heated sensation in his wake. Tremors rocked through her, softening her knees, and she bit down on a soft murmur of pleasure.
“We don’t know what might happen tomorrow.”
“No.” She stroked the unruly hair at his temple, exhaling. Her racing heart was interfering with her ability to breathe. His mouth was on the curve of her shoulder. He nipped the skin between his teeth and her control melted. She burned to touch every inch of his body, hold him, and feel him inside her.
His mouth found hers, pressing a punishing kiss to her lips. The taste of him was a hit to her bloodstream, unraveling her everywhere.
“Sarah?” His voice was a husky rasp in her ear.
“Yes.” There was no doubt within her. Only need and hunger. When day broke, they would put their lives on the line. Right now, she only wanted oblivion and to lose herself in him. To take something for herself for the first time in far too long. And perhaps for the last time.
“I’ve wasted enough days.” She returned his fierce kiss, needing him to know how much she wanted him, how much he set her on fire and made it impossible to think. She cupped the back of his neck, delighting in the shift of his muscles under her touch as he walked her backward and lowered her to the cool sweetness of the grass. The scent filled her brain, green and alive. This was what she wanted to remember, life and love.
His hands slid to her hips, cupping her backside, folding her curves against the sculpted planes of his body. Heat and hardness burned against her fingers as she roved her hands over his body, popping the buttons of his shirt with desire-clumsy fingers, exposing the defined cut of his muscles.
He gripped her wrist and moved her hand from his body. Disappointment speared through her, only to be swept away as he freed the top button of her pants. He dragged one thick finger along the inside of her waistband and her thighs tightened, her breath drawing in instinctively. With quick deft movements he tugged her pants down, ripping her boots and socks from her feet in seconds.
Delicious night air kissed her skin, and a shiver of heady anticipation raced up her spine. Her underwear was gone with one sharp tug. Mabe hovered over her, his body a dark shadow, boxing her in, his gaze traveling over her skin.
“Breathtaking.” His voice was a dark whisper that left her soaking and wanting. He skated his hand down the side of her ribs, circling her belly button, his fingertips tracing the ridge of her scar before he slid a thick finger across the wet heat of her core.
She gasped, but he silenced her with another claiming kiss as his fingers traced slow burning circles across her most sensitive spot. She rocked against his palm, her entire world shrinking to his expert touch.
He raked her bottom lip gently between his teeth as he pushed two thick fingers inside her. He was only connected to her by one hand, but it was all she could do to breathe.
“Mabe.” She bucked under him, soft groans escaping her as he worked her, his fingers plunging deeper, making her body arch with pleasure.
He broke the kiss, taking a lazy path of nipping bites and kisses to her breasts that left her breathless. A calloused hand dove between the sides of her shirt, her nipples puckering as his mouth closed over one, his tongue swirling a teasing dance while he palmed the other.
When he glanced up at her, his eyes were impossibly dark, his gaze holding her captive as he gripped her outer thighs and gently parted her legs. “You okay?” His voice had deepened with desire.
“Uh, huh.” Her brain was too addled with lust to form coherent words.
His tongue dipped into her slick folds, finding her swollen nub.
Sweet God.
Her fists hammered the grass as he sucked her clit into his hot mouth, adding more exquisite pressure with his fast tongue. Release shimmered close, building within her body as she bowed under him, not wanting him to stop, ever.
It was too late
One last stroke and she shattered, her body clenching around his fingers as she came undone, riding the wave of bliss.
Slowly her thoughts came back to Earth as he pulled her into the sweep of his arms, wrapping himself around her with an intensity that promised he’d never let her go. He kissed the top of her head, his voice a gentle rumble. “Mine.”
Sarah pressed back against his warmth, greedy for all of him. This one night with this tough, loyal man might be all she would have. She squeezed her eyes tight, blocking her tears.
This moment was hers and no one could take it from her.
37
Cool air woke Mabe.
He blinked at the sky, his body refreshed from a deep dreamless sleep. Having Sarah in his arms had held the nightmares at bay. Neither of them had felt able to return to the claustrophobic confines of the base, so he’d collected some blankets, and they’d slept outside under the night sky under the shelter of bent oak trees. The stars were still visible, but dawn was a burgeoning rose-pink suggestion on the horizon. Soon it would be time to travel to the hive, time to fight.
Sarah was still asleep in his arms, her back snug to his chest, his body a cloak of protection. He raised himself up on one elbow. Her face was relaxed as she slept, freed from worry, her brow smooth. Protectiveness surged through him as he brushed his lips against her hair, inhaling her scent. Whatever happened today, he would keep her safe. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to protect her.
She shifted against him, muttering as she surfaced from the depths of her dreams. He kissed the curve of her ear, her neck. “Morning.”
“Mmm. It will be light soon.” She pressed her ass against him, wriggling against the growing hardness of his cock.
He twisted his wrist to check his watch. “We have an hour before we have to be accountable.” He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.
She reached around, her hands tangling in his hair as he traced the shape of her jawline. He wanted to learn every inch of her and commit it to memory. She faced him, her hair beautifully mussed. He snagged her mouth in a hungry kiss and she squawked. “I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
“I don’t fucking care.” He stroked the length of her thigh, her essence flooding him. She was a like a drug he couldn’t get enough of. He slid one hand across her belly, skirting the mark that the Chittrix had scalded on her flesh, and pressed his fingers between her soft curls, silencing her protests. Desire raged through him, to sink inside her body and mark her as his.
With exquisite care, he traced a path with his mouth from her collarbone, down between her breasts to her navel, a slow
groan of desire breaking from his lips as she reached for him, her fingers thrusting through his hair. “God, you undo me.” Electricity thrummed under his skin, connecting every nerve in his body to her touch.
She gripped his wrist, her voice husky. “I want you inside me.”
“I haven’t—”
She drew his hand to the thickened skin of the scar on her abdomen.
“We don’t need anything.” Her dark lashes flickered closed for a second, her voice tremulous. “Since the accident. There’s nothing there. I can’t—” A tear swelled in the corner of her eye, and he kissed it away.
She opened her eyes, her gaze fierce. “Don’t stop.” She pulled him close for a fevered kiss, her pelvis arching against him. “Don’t ever stop.” Her lips were swollen from his kiss, her gaze dark with desire, eroding the last of his control.
He nudged her legs apart, delving his fingers between her folds, where she was already slick and ready for him. He slid a finger inside her, his thumb grazing her clit, savoring the tremble of pleasure that rocked through her under his caress.
God.
“This is where I belong,” he whispered against the silk of her hair, lust igniting emotions he’d locked down for so long.
He rolled to cover her, caging her underneath him, his cock brushing the heat of her core, his gut tightening with anticipation.
Breathless, she raised one leg against his side, her heel hooking him close as she raked her fingernails up the muscles of his back.
“You good?” He cupped the delicate rise of her cheekbone.
“Yes.” Her eyes glittered with need, and she arched against him, her hands gripping his biceps as she angled her soft folds against the engorged head of him.
He bit down on her earlobe as she surrendered, filling her in one thrust. “Sarah.” He mouthed her name like a mantra, locking her tight against him, melding his body to hers.
God, he was coming apart, fiery heat building at the base of his spine as he set a rhythm, moving deep inside her with hard thrusts. Her head fell back, exposing her slender throat, and he raked his teeth against the sensitive skin as he buried himself deep. Her hand swooped down the length of his spine, urging him on as he rocked toward oblivion.
She cried out his name, her body tightening around him, her release triggering his own. The sound of his name on her lips, her wet heat milking him, he lost himself, slamming into her with a final thrust.
Forever seemed to pass before he could string any coherent thoughts together. “We should get up.”
She blinked lazily. “Yes, we should.”
He ran his fingers through her hair, stroking backward from her temple. “So damn beautiful.”
She blushed, but he loved that she remained silent and didn’t argue with him. He caught her chin and kissed her.
“Everything could be different by tonight.” She pressed her teeth into her bottom lip and a shadow from the future flitted across her gaze.
He stroked loose hair from her eyes. “Yes, it might be.” Everything inside him felt raw and exposed. Could it be any different now? “Fear is part of who we are. It drives us to keep going, live for another day, fight for one another.” His heart thumped in his chest. “This.” He kissed her palm. “This scares the shit out of me more. The thought of losing you.” He cleared his throat. “So, it’s not going to happen. This is just the beginning.”
“Is it that simple?” she murmured against his neck.
“Yes.” He wasn’t lying. He kissed her hard, his promise seared on his soul.
38
Six hours later, Sarah studied the hive through binoculars.
Below her vantage point, the hive was a flurry of activity. Chittrix streamed in and out in a constant flow of jostling alien life. The landscape surrounding her was monotone, bleached by the summer rain, an endless procession of grays and mud browns, a gradual sliding into the colors of the jungle where only the strongest survived.
Recent days had merged into a river of Chittrix, death and blood. She clamped her jaw with grim determination. Today she would redirect the river’s flow.
She dropped the glasses and rubbed her eyes. They stung from lack of sleep, but a surreptitious glance in Mabe’s direction reminded her she didn’t regret her tiredness at all. Her skin tingled all over. He’d dozed for a little while after they’d finally stopped touching each other, but she’d watched him sleep again before he’d stirred.
Even if she survived today unscathed, Mabe had left a permanent mark on her heart. She wouldn’t have it any other way, although she still found it difficult to understand she could feel such happiness when potential death loomed so near. Perhaps that was the secret, loving someone but still going out and doing what had to be done.
“Hive is busy.” Foster dropped to his haunches beside her.
“I imagine we spooked them last time.”
Foster grunted his affirmation. “Maybe we should hold off a few days? Wait till things have calmed down?”
She shook her head. “No. Just gives them longer to come up with a Plan B. We go in today and hit them hard.”
“Mmm hmm. You get things sorted out with Mabe?”
“What?” She rounded on him, the tops of her ears suddenly hot.
Foster grinned and lifted one shoulder. “You both look a little more relaxed today. You know? I figured maybe you two sorted things out. Cleared the air, so to speak.”
“Well…” God, if her face was any hotter she would go up in flames. “We just—”
Foster held up a hand. “I don’t need any details.”
Good Lord, could the ground just eat her up now. “That wasn’t—”
Foster winked and gave her a quick sideways squeeze. “Just playing. I like to see people happy.” He lifted his field glasses and pulled a face of intense concentration. “Makes for a fucking change.”
Sarah breathed out, letting the cool morning air soothe her face. Happy. She let his words settle, ignoring for a moment the glimmering, seething hive. She could lose it all today. It had always been the sacrifice she was willing to make when the time came, a penance to pay for the lives lost in the bone yard. But now, her resolve wavered, shimmering from solid to insubstantial. It had crept up on her. She had something to lose now. Mabe.
She swallowed, dismissing the hot swell of emotion in her gut. They’d only had one perfect night together. Why did it hurt so much when she’d only known him for such a short time?
She pushed up onto her knees, stowing her binoculars, ignoring the squelch of wet mud through her pants. She clenched her jaw.
Maybe she had more to lose, but she was going to fight tooth and nail to protect what she had with Mabe. The knowledge brought a smile to her lips and a glance at the shimmering hive. She was ready to fight. She touched Foster’s shoulder. “Let’s go see if the drones are ready.”
She jogged back to the three TSVs where Mabe was prepping the drones with Darr, Sawyer, and Garrick. The vehicles were parked in a triangle, shielding a small grassy space. On the rutted grass, they’d laid out four drones. Julia, their weapons engineer, had worked around the clock to prepare them with Sawyer. The small black units were innocuous looking but primed with a devastating viral load that Sarah had brought from Carven.
Garrick crooked an eyebrow at their plans laid bare. “If there’s such a thing as threadbare chemical warfare, this is it.”
Julia was making some last-minute tweaks to one drone, a soldering iron hanging out of her hip pocket, a screwdriver between perfect teeth. Satisfied, she clipped the casing back on and patted it. “Good to go.”
Mabe caught Sarah by the hand. “Ready?” His large hand enveloped hers.
“Yes.” Shit scared but ready.
Mabe turned to face his team. Julia had pocketed her screwdriver and waited in the crook of Sawyer’s arm. He tugged her close, and she smiled, dipping her head against his chest.
“Okay, everyone.” Garrick picked up one of the drones, Anna at his side. “Ann
a and I will take east of the hive, Julia and Sawyer are going to take north.”
“Some lucky bastard gets to go with me.” Foster nudged Darr.
Darr suppressed an eye roll. “I’ll be babysitting Foster in the west. Mabe, you and Sarah will take the south.”
Sarah crossed her fingers.
Four-pronged attack. One of them had to work.
They worked their way closer to the hive, taking cover behind scrubby remnants of local foliage and towering alien umbrella plants, which swayed unnervingly even though the air was still.
Mabe crouched next to her. “The entrance is busier than normal.”
“Just as well we brought along a distraction.” She looked down at the drone in her lap. Her hands had marked it with damp fingerprints. She buffed them off the metal with her cuff. I can do this. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.
Mabe caught her sleeved-covered hands. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Mabe touched the comms on his shoulder. “Foster, we’re ready to rock and roll.”
“Hell, yeah.” Foster’s reply was instant.
Mabe glanced at Sarah. “This is your call.”
She smiled back. The trust on his face evident. “No going back now.”
“I know.”
He grabbed her shoulders and brought her close, claiming a kiss, and for a second she allowed herself to lose herself in him one more time. What would it have been like to have met Mabe before? When they would have had all the time in the world to get to know one another. Anger at everything she’d lost welled inside her, but she slipped it into a harness, determined to use it to get her through this. To get them both through this.
They broke apart as whoops echoed down the comms.
Mabe stared at the sky, his lips parting, and his eyes wide. “What the hell?”
39
Above Mabe’s head, the sky exploded emerald green and blood red. Clouds of paint powder caught in the breeze and drifted, streaking a wake of color against the soft grays of the sky. Sapphire blue, bright orange, mustard yellow. Foster had fabricated an entire rainbow.
Mabe (Earth Resistance Book 5) Page 18