by Carven, Anna
It was completely still. There wasn’t even a trace of a heartbeat.
Ikriss’s chest didn’t rise and fall. He didn’t breathe.
She should probably be creeped out, but there was no way she could feel any kind of revulsion toward this man, even if he didn’t have a heart right now.
At least he was warm.
That alone reassured her that he was still truly alive.
In the background, the medic started to approach, but the General held up a stern hand, ordering him to halt.
Ikriss stared at her, his golden eyes burning right through her. A look of pain crossed his face. Slowly, inexorably, he lifted his trembling hands and retracted his sharp obsidian claws. Fingers still trembling, he placed his warm, wet fingers over hers. “Things were so going well until we were so rudely interrupted. I was looking forward to being your apprentice.” His grey lips twisted into an irritated frown, and despite all the weirdness and the terror, he managed to look kind-of adorable.
“I get the feeling you’re not the type to take orders from anyone,” she said softly, a faint smile curving her lips. “You sure you want to be stuck peeling potatoes with me?”
“I do take orders, when I chose. I listen to him… sometimes.” Ikriss nodded in the General’s direction. “And now, perhaps you are the second being in the Universe that I will take orders from. I will make short work of any peeling task. My knife skills are almost unsurpassed in the Nine Galaxies,” he said haughtily, and she couldn’t tell whether he was truly joking or not. “Besides, I am intrigued by this human obsession with food. I have never encountered another race that devotes so much time and energy to preparing mere food.”
Sienna made a face, feigning horror. “Mere food? Are you freaking kidding me? Food is everything. Your kind don’t know how to enjoy food?”
“I do not understand how one can derive enjoyment from mere nutrition. It is sustenance, nothing more.”
She shook her head slowly. “Well, then you don’t know what you’re missing out on, Kordolian.”
“Then you will have to show me.” He inched closer. His lips were slightly parted, revealing the gleaming points of his fangs.
“Maybe I will.” She became intensely aware of his nakedness; of the chiseled planes of his chest and torso, of the powerful outline of his arms and shoulders. Her gaze travelled downwards… toward the ridiculously defined contours of his six—or was that eight?—pack; toward lean hips and powerful legs and the undeniable sight of his erect cock, which pushed her racing heartbeat into the stratosphere.
A tiny part of her was mildly horrified. This man was buck naked in front of his fellow warriors, sporting a raging erection. People—no, aliens—were watching.
She forced that thought to the back of her mind.
Why should she care when none of them seemed to? They were aliens, after all. Perhaps they had different ideas about nudity and what was acceptable in front of others.
Her body’s response overrode everything else.
A faint throbbing sensation started in her clit, unfurling like a blooming bud. Heat spread through her pussy, suffusing into her core.
A coil of tension emerged, winding tighter and tighter until it became almost unbearable.
Suddenly, she wasn’t aware of anything but her growing need—and him.
Is this what you feel too, Ikriss?
Sienna had never experienced arousal like this before.
She feared she could lose control right then and there.
In front of all these observers—the General, the medic, the silent, impassive guards—she should have been utterly self-conscious, but she hardly cared.
“This is far from ideal,” the Commander said, his voice tightening as he caressed the side of her face with the tips of his fingers, sending an electric shiver down her spine. “For a human like you; for what you have been through, it is too fast, too sudden. My plan was to infiltrate your existence; to seduce you slowly in the way that is customary to humans, but when does the Universe ever permit us to carry out our plans?” He raised a silvery eyebrow. “I would have succeeded, too.”
“Don’t get too cocky, Commander,” she whispered, her voice cracking with unexpected emotion. “You can’t just show up and take over my whole life.”
“Can’t I?” He brushed a stray tendril of hair away from her face. “I wish I could breathe right now, because I want to inhale you, but for now, this will have to do.”
He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips. His hands went around her waist. His straining cock grazed against lower her belly ever so slightly. His tongue darted between her lips, parting them, seeking hers.
For a moment, Sienna was in total and utter shock, and it felt sublime.
She let him have his way with her, enjoying the way he took control, oh-so sure of himself but always gentle.
She tasted spice and sweetness and a hint of darkness—ash and smoke and ice.
Her back arched.
A deep moan escaped her throat.
His fingers raked through her hair.
His chest—black metal and all—pressed against hers, teasing her erect nipples through the thin fabric of her robes.
At last, she responded, capturing his lower lip between hers, finding his tongue, feeling the tips of his fangs against hers, becoming more and more intoxicated by his overwhelming presence.
And then, all of a sudden, he withdrew, leaving her with his aftertaste and an unfulfilled promise burning in his golden eyes.
“That’s about all I can take for now,” he whispered, his voice taut with tension. “Otherwise, you will surely kill me, Sienna Adamo.”
“A-and we wouldn’t want that now, would we?”
A dark chuckle escaped him. “No, we wouldn’t. But for now, I need to go and hook myself back to these cursed machines, because as tempting as it is to die in your arms, I would much rather continue this conversation when I am whole again.” His voice cracked. His entire body trembled. His features twisted into a grimace of pain—so quickly hidden that she almost missed it.
He wasn’t the only one suffering.
Her body was on fire.
“Go and take some time to clear your head, Sienna. There is an entire zone you are permitted to explore on this ship. There is even a small swimming pool on the lowermost deck, if you are that way inclined.” His eyes turned hard as his gaze shot in the direction of her guards. “Anything you require; anything you ask for… it will be granted.”
Black-gloved hands saluted in the shadows.
“Ikriss…” Sienna touched his cheek in concern. His skin was a tad darker than before, and cool to the touch.
The Kordolian took a step backwards, swaying on his feet.
His eyelids fluttered and his gaze grew unfocused.
Sienna moved forward as if to steady him, but suddenly the General was there behind him, catching Ikriss in his arms, dragging his limp weight back toward the tank with ridiculous ease.
“Time for him to go back inside,” the General said calmly—too calmly—as Ikriss went completely unconscious. “Now perhaps you understand a little more of what I have told you.” He glanced over his shoulder at the guards. “Take her to the human quarters and make sure she gets anything she asks for—within reason.”
The guards materialized on either side of her. “Come on, human,” one of them said, his tone a little softer than last time. “Let’s get you to your quarters. You’ll have plenty of chances to square things with him once he’s fixed.”
Sienna glared at the alien. What was with the sudden good humor? She pulled her robe tightly around herself as a flush of embarrassment spread through her cheeks and into the tips of her ears.
The other guard uttered something under his breath in Kordolian. To her surprise, he sounded mildly… envious.
“Promise you’ll tell me as soon as you have any news on him.” Sienna looked over her shoulder, stealing one last glance at Ikriss as they escorted her out of the room
. She took in his elegant features—now serene and relaxed—and his tousled wet hair and his powerful-but-damaged silver body. Now he was being carefully—almost delicately—handled by his superior as black tentacle-like projections descended all around him, preparing to draw him back into their dark alien embrace.
She had to trust that he was in good hands.
As she headed toward the exit, the medic’s amber gaze flicked toward her. He studied her with narrowed eyes, making her skin crawl.
“Interesting,” was all he said, deliberately saying the word in Universal so she could understand.
And then Sienna was whisked away into the shadowy corridors, left unfulfilled and wanting and frantic and desperate, wondering what the hell the medic meant by that.
Chapter Fifteen
As the stone-faced warriors escorted her to her quarters, Sienna sensed that their attitude toward her had shifted somewhat.
They were no longer as brusque.
They were a little less cold.
One of them even almost cracked a smile.
“What are your names?” she asked as they reached yet another unravelling door.
“Why do you ask?” The taller of the two was white-haired with a hint of pepper in the mix. He was lean and sinewy and mean-looking, with purplish-red eyes that were almost constantly narrowed.
He also looked like he could beat an enemy a dozen different ways without breaking a sweat.
Sienna frowned. She’d been around these Kordolians long enough that she was tired of feeling intimidated by them. “Well, I have to call you something, don’t I? I mean, I could keep calling you Minion One and Minion Two in my head, but that’s a bit impersonal, don’t you think?”
The other warrior, who was slightly shorter and broader through the shoulders and chest, let out a cynical snort. His left eyebrow twitched as he gave her an unimpressed stare. “Minions, eh? If we are minions, then what would that make you humans?”
A sharp laugh escaped her. “Clearly, you’re a thinking man. Hey, we humans might be the lightweights of the Universe, but at least we know how to enjoy our illusion of freedom. That’s why I want to call you by your actual names, and I will be making a few requests for certain items. Ikriss said I could have anything I asked for.”
“Within reason,” the other warrior growled. He exchanged a surly glance with his shorter companion, who nodded.
“I am Jaxis. He is Vyron. We have been assigned to watch over you.”
“Watch over me?” Sienna’s lips curved into a tight smile. “I won’t do anything dangerous, I promise.”
“Go inside, human,” Vyron growled impatiently, pointing to the dark interior. “Just because you’re the Commander’s mate doesn’t mean you can do whatever you please.”
“Huh.” Sienna crossed her arms in annoyance as she studied the two warriors. Around her, they were gruff and bossy, but she’d seen the way they’d responded to orders from Ikriss and the General.
With absolute deference.
Clearly, Ikriss was a really fucking big deal around here. Part of her wished she’d found the time to look at his so-called CV before coming here.
She made a quick calculation and summoned her courage. It wasn’t like her to be demanding, but there was no way she could sit in a dark room on a dark alien ship and simply wait for Ikriss to be fixed.
They hadn’t told her how long it would take.
It could be days, weeks, months, for all she knew.
And she got the feeling these Kordolians wouldn’t be allowing her to set foot back on Earth for a while.
A bad feeling crept up on her.
There’s no way you could possibly understand.
She was scared of silence; of being alone.
That’s when the bad memories would invade her mind. The more she dwelled on them, the more powerful they would become.
That’s why she needed to keep busy; she needed something to do.
That’s why she’d been so desperate to go back to Earth in the first place, but now everything was a total mess.
And she didn’t know what was going on down there. A knot of worry tightened in her belly. What about Emmett and Cleo? I hope they’re okay. I really hope Eva’s gotten the message and doesn’t try and turn up for work tonight.
But knowing her stubborn, crazy friend, who had a rebellious streak a mile wide, she would turn up in the midst of an alien invasion if she had to.
Oh lord.
If she was stuck in these dark, sterile quarters—again—with nothing to do and nobody to talk to, the worry would surely drive her insane.
So she had to use what little clout she had. She had to act like an entitled bitch and get her way for once.
Besides, she really wanted to do something for Ikriss. He’d been through so much and he was still suffering, and it was all because of her.
Sienna stood her ground, planting her feet on the threshold as the Kordolian warriors bristled, looming over her threateningly. “Your Commander is going to want to see me when he recovers, and I don’t really want to tell him that his warriors didn’t do their jobs very well. I bet he’d be mighty disappointed.”
Vyron and Jaxis stiffened. The expressions on their faces would have almost been comical if the two warriors weren’t so serious and dangerous looking.
“Within reason,” Vyron growled for the second time. “We will start with one request. If it does not prove to be too frivolous, then I will consider granting you another.”
“Remember, I’ll report to Ikriss,” she said acidly.
“So will I.” Vyron called her bluff.
Sienna sighed. “Fine. One request. I want to know what’s happening on Earth. I want your guarantee that my people are safe. Is that too frivolous by your standards?”
“No,” Jaxis said, inclining his head ever so slightly. “You seem to be capable of loyalty. That is a good trait to have in a mate.”
“You seem to respect loyalty,” she sniped back. “That is a good trait to have, considering you’re professional warmongers.”
“Professional warmongers,” Vyron snorted. “Catchy. I like that.”
“I want news,” Sienna growled. “It isn’t an unreasonable request, is it?”
The two warriors contemplated her for a long, uncomfortable moment, their expressions completely inscrutable.
That was the thing about these Kordolians. She found them so hard to read.
“I will communicate with Earth Control,” Jaxis informed her. “And then I will consult with the General. And only then will we inform you of what you need to know. Maybe.” The alien gave her a look that was pure arrogance wrapped up in a layer of rigid authority.
“Hmph. Old habits die hard, I suppose,” she said softly. “You’re allowed to exercise a bit of independent thought, you know.”
“Hmph,” the warrior sneered. “If we hadn’t done that in the first place, we would not have joined the rebellion. So think for yourself, human, and reconsider what you think you know about our kind.” His fangs flashed in the dim light. “Besides, we would not allow indiscriminate killing and chaos to exist in our domain… under our watch.”
Sienna swallowed the sharp retort that rose to the tip of her tongue. Having control of her own fate stolen away from her yet again made her irritable and resentful, but the warrior had a point, and even if they were gruff and surly most of the time, the Kordolians had rescued her and treated her and the other captives a thousand times better than the horrible Ephrenians.
She never wanted to see one of those lanky, boneless, dome-headed, faceless creeps again.
She’d much prefer the Kordolians any day of the week.
“I expect some human or other from our side will be arriving shortly to give you the usual talk,” Vyron said dryly.
“The usual talk…” she echoed. “You almost make it sound as if this sort of thing happens all the time.”
Both warriors gave her a strange look. “Go inside, human,” Vyron growled. �
�Orientate yourself. You will be well taken care of here. And when we have news, we will inform you.”
“And wash up,” Jaxis said slowly. “You still have blood on your hands.”
She looked down and saw that her fingers were indeed coated in dried black blood.
His blood.
Her mouth widened into a silent O. Taking in their grim expressions and no-nonsense body language, Sienna decided she’d pushed her luck enough for one day.
She took a step forward, into the eerily quiet, shadowy embrace of her quarters.
The warriors didn’t say another word. Faster than she could blink, the doors knitted closed behind her, leaving her alone in the silence again, with nothing but her thoughts and memories of violence for company.
Chapter Sixteen
His eyes fluttered open, revealing a world cast in shades of blue and grey; familiar and yet oh-so strange.
He wasn’t used to being on this side of the stasis tank’s transparent walls.
Zharek had sedated him again.
Because he’d seen her, and he could no longer control how his body responded.
Had he ever really been in control?
It hadn’t been a dream. Tarak had actually brought Sienna inside the medical bay and allowed her to see him in this wretched artificial state.
He silently cursed his boss for being such an infernal scheming know-it-all.
Ikriss was sorely tempted to give the General a piece of his mind, but Tarak rarely did anything without some sort of purpose or strategy in mind, and he had to admit that seeing Sienna had brought a sliver of sanity back, even if her presence made him mad and as horny as all the hells.
To see her in the flesh and then have to hold back from claiming her, because she was so obviously frightened, even if her arousal was obvious…
Now that was an exquisite torture, indeed.
“The Mating Fever burns through my drugs far too quickly.” Zharek’s voice captured his attention as it filtered through the sound nodes in his breathing helmet. “You keep drifting in and out of consciousness, and I don’t want to load you up with too high of a dose, because your tolerance is increasing too rapidly. Better to keep you conscious until the surgery.”