by Chandra Ryan
“We killed one. Even if we killed all of you, your race would still exist. When you destroy the planet, we will be lost forever.”
“I’ll be the first to admit that I have no fondness for your little planet. But we haven’t done anything to harm it or you.”
“And you won’t. Not until after the objective. That is how you work.” The man glared at him. “That is why we must kill you before you’re done with whatever it is you came here to do.”
His anger faded as he listened. He had to admit, that was the way the military tended to operate. And the reptile man did have cause to worry for his race. But it wasn’t the way Gates worked. “We’re just here to move some stasis chambers. That’s it.”
“What’s in these chambers and why do they need to be moved?”
“That information is above my rank.”
The man made a hissing noise that sounded intimidating. “Rather convenient.”
“I can honestly tell you that nothing about this mission has been convenient.”
The man studied Gates for a moment. “You cannot guarantee us safety. That too is above your rank, is it not?”
“My men are not here to harm you. I can guarantee you that.”
“But the next group? What of them?”
“I have no control over the next group. But I can promise you that they will continue to send men until this mission is done. If you prove to be hostile they will hunt you to extinction.” Gates gave him a second to process the truth of the words. “By killing us, you’re making yourself an obstacle the military needs to neutralize.”
The man was silent for a long time. Gates could almost see him looking for flaws in the logic. But there were none. “Then I will make a deal with you.”
The reptile man wasn’t exactly in the position to be making deals but Gates didn’t say anything. He genuinely wanted to know what he would offer.
“We will call a temporary truce if you will negotiate a meeting for us with someone who can guarantee our safety.”
“So you walk away and we pretend that you aren’t out there. But when this is all over and done, if any of us are still alive, I vouch for you with my people?” He laughed harshly at the idea. “I don’t think so.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I suggest I cut your throat in front of the other hostages and then send them back to your people with the warning. I finish my mission. And then file a report regarding my dead men to my supervising officer and let him decide what to do with your race.”
“You will not survive your mission. We outnumber you.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Why don’t we put this in motion and find out?” He stood up and pulled a hunting knife out of his belt.
“Stop. I have no wish to die tonight.”
Gates put his knife away and sat back down. He had no intention of ever carrying out the threat. But a little fear could be a good motivator. “Neither do I. So what other offers do you have?”
“We know this planet far better than you. What if we were to offer your people a guide?”
“And what would you expect from us for this courtesy?”
“The meeting. That’s all we want. We are a new people but we want to grow old.”
Gates nodded. “We’ll need some sort of guarantee that this isn’t another trap. My men aren’t inclined to trust a sudden change of heart.”
The man’s mouth stretched in a threatening expression. “They are smart men.”
“Seems we have that in common.”
“If it would make you feel better you can keep the other two and myself as your hostages and my people will send a female to guide you. When you reach the compound safely you will let us all go free.”
It sounded good in theory. “Do you have the authority to make a deal?”
“I do. You agree and the female guide will be here in the morning.”
Which could only mean others of his race were close enough to hear every word they said. That made Gates more than a little uneasy. But since there was little he could do to control that particular issue, he nodded. “We have two days left before we reach the compound. You help us get there in one piece and we’ll release you and alert the congress that you want to enter into diplomatic negotiations. Beyond that, I have no control.”
“Understood. Our females are treasures. The Creator only made a handful. If any harm befalls the one selected to guide you, your men will not reach the compound.”
“Noted. I’m Gates.”
“I’m called Twelve.”
“I’ll see you in the morning, Twelve.”
He thought about offering Twelve a blanket or a sleeping bag but the reptile lay down on the bare ground without complaint. Gates shrugged to himself as he turned to one of the guards. “If he requests a blanket or bedding, provide it.”
“So he’s a guest now, sir?” The question was steeped in disbelief but fell short of being disrespectful.
“No, he’s a prisoner. But I won’t have more blood on my hands if there’s another way to accomplish this mission.” He didn’t give the soldier an opportunity to question him any further. He didn’t blame the man for being upset. They’d seen the race take out two of their men. But Gates had given an order and if the soldier pressed him any further Gates would have to resort to discipline. And that wouldn’t be good for morale.
He quickly made his way back to his tent but paused as he crossed in front of Julian’s shelter. Yes, Julian had given him an open invitation but Gates wasn’t sure he was ready to use it. He also wasn’t sure he was ready for the other members of their team to know he and Julian were…
He stopped at the thought. What were they? Not exactly lovers but more than colleagues. He was attracted to Julian. More so than he’d been to anyone in quite some time. But did he really like Julian or was it that he enjoyed having someone to talk to?
He started walking again as he gave it more thought. Why was he attracted to Julian? He was loyal. He’d helped Gates overcome several difficult moments with the other men. He was smart but that wasn’t exactly a rarity among modified soldiers. As soon as he reached his tent he pulled back the flap and crossed into the empty structure.
There was something about Julian. Something unique. He lay down on his sleeping bag and sighed. He was handsome, strong, could be cocky as hell if the situation called for it. Gates smiled at the last thought. Julian could be cocky but he could also be modest and humble. With his father’s connections Julian was one of the elites. No one could stop him from doing whatever he wanted. He probably could’ve used his status to pull a diplomatic assignment on one of the vacation planets. Modified soldiers were often used to guard politicians. But he hadn’t. He was here. On one of the shittiest assignments Gates had ever seen.
Granted, there was a reward in the wind. But the son of Colonel Black didn’t need to earn his position in line. His daddy could easily give him a spot at the front. Julian probably hadn’t even thought of that though. And he hadn’t used his father’s name to get out of any of the chores or duties during their mission. The other men wouldn’t have liked it but they would’ve let him skate if they knew who he was. But as far as Gates could tell, he was the only one Julian had confided in.
Gates closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He forced his mind to calm and his muscles to relax. He needed to release the events of the day if he was going to get any sleep. Some thoughts were easier to let go of than others though. And the puzzle that was Julian Black wasn’t going to leave him without a fight.
Julian obviously wanted praise from his father, otherwise he wouldn’t have joined the military and gone through the modification process. But Julian didn’t seem overly found of the colonel. His mind drifted as he thought back to his own family. Dirt-poor farmers on a settler planet had raised him. The military had been his only way out. And it’d been good for him. It’d given him the discipline, not to mention education, to ensure he’d always be able to take care of himself. But it’d been
hard. The first year had nearly broken him. He hadn’t really had many options though. It was either survive and thrive or go back to poverty.
So what made a man with power and money stick with it when the going got rough? Dedication? Patriotism? Desperation? He wasn’t sure but he wanted to find out.
As he drifted off to sleep, Julian refused to leave his thoughts. In his dreams he was in Julian’s tent. He’d stripped the man naked and tasted every inch of his skin. The salty tang of masculinity clung to the air around them. Then Julian lay on his stomach in front of him. His palms were facedown on the ground as Gates straddled his thighs. He shuddered with need just at the vision of the other man beneath him. Gates was already hard as he rubbed his cock along the seam of Julian’s ass. And damn was it firm. The skin was satiny soft however.
Gates stroked himself with one hand as he rubbed lube onto his dick but he never once took the sensitive tip of his cock away from Julian’s skin. The anticipation built deep inside his gut. He needed to be buried in Julian. But first he had to prepare the man.
He applied a generous amount of lube onto his fingers before sliding them into Julian’s ass. He nearly lost it as the tight muscles clamped around his digits. If it felt that good to have his fingers up Julian’s ass he could only imagine how great sliding his dick into the man was going to be.
“Can’t wait. Need you now.” Julian’s husky voice whispered Gates’ own thoughts and pushed him closer to the edge.
He slid his fingers out of Julian before placing his cock at the entrance to the man’s anus. He rocked forward and was rewarded with a hot wave of pleasure as his dick sank into the other man. Just as he’d imagined, Julian was tight and hot around him.
“Stop playing around and fuck me, already.”
Unable to resist, he thrust the rest of the way into Julian until his balls brushed up against the man’s rough pubic hair. Julian moaned and clenched his anal muscles around him, sending another wave of pleasure through Gates.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Hard and fast fucking.”
If Julian liked it hard and fast Gates could give him that. He grabbed hold of Julian’s hips and began slamming into the other man. Julian’s moans encouraged Gates to lose himself in the action. When he was close to the cusp he moved one hand around Julian’s body and grasped his cock. He was so hard in his hand. Just like he had been that night.
Gates pumped his hand as he thrust into Julian. Each movement brought him closer as he continued to stroke Julian. They were both so ready. He could tell that Julian would come any minute. And when he did, the contractions around his cock from Julian’s anal muscles sent him over the edge. He came deep in Julian’s ass. White noise rushed through his head as the world darkened around him. But then he was wet and sticky. And alone.
He groaned as he came awake to the realization he’d just had his first wet dream in twenty-some-odd years. It wasn’t something he’d particularly enjoyed in his adolescence but he liked it even less now. The object of his desire lay only yards away. But it might as well have been an entire solar system that separated them. He couldn’t go to Julian right now. The sun was already starting to brighten the sky. He’d have to wait until evening at the earliest to seek Julian out. And between now and then he had to greet their new guide and get his men used to having company.
There was no way this could be considered an ideal start to a day but it was what he had so he’d deal with it. After cleaning himself off he changed into clean clothes before walking out into the camp. When he made his way over to the hostages, the brush moved and a lithe female reptilian made her presence known. She couldn’t be considered beautiful by human standards but where the reptile men were rough and powerful she was graceful and delicate in appearance.
“Hello.” He slipped his translator into his ear and then held one out to her so she could do the same. She glanced over at Twelve and waited for him to nod before she complied.
“Hello.” Her voice was soft. More lyrical than Twelve’s hisses and grunts.
“I’m Gates.”
“They call me Twenty-Four.”
So there were at least twenty-four of them. That was enough men to overpower the group of soldiers or pick them off slowly if they chose. His instinct to negotiate with the race had been right. “And you’re aware of our arrangement?”
She glanced over at Twelve again and her features slid into a look of concern. At Twelve’s fierce growl, however, the expression disappeared. “I am.”
“Good. We’ll have rations, break camp and be on our way. In two days time we’ll go our separate ways.”
“Can I see to the hostages?” Twenty-Four couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Twelve.
“They aren’t injured. They’re only bound to ensure they wouldn’t attack us while we slept.”
“Still. I would feel better seeing that for myself.”
Gates shrugged. “Don’t untie him but you can check him for any wounds.” He turned to the guard. “Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t free him.”
“Yes sir.” The guard’s attention remained focused on the reptile pair as Gates went to grab some rations of his own. After he’d eaten and given the order to break camp, Gates introduced Twenty-Four to his men and filled them in on the deal he’d reached with the reptile race. He expected some discontent and he got it. Fortunately it was contained to questioning looks and the occasional shake of the head. They weren’t happy that the female was to be treated with courtesy. That the three men were to continue as hostages, however, went a long way in appeasing them. And by the time they set off, the group seemed to have recovered from the news.
“Don’t venture to the north.” Twenty-Four pointed to the location on the map as Gates stared at the reader. As her forearm brushed against his, Gates heard a soft growl from the back of the group and knew it was Twelve voicing his displeasure. “There is a field of puffer plants there.”
“Puffer plants?”
“They produce spores that cause sleepiness.”
“Good to know. Kam and Julian, go ahead of us and scout out the area.” The last time he’d sent Julian as a scout he’d done it to get some time away from the man. But this time it was because Julian had proven himself. First by finding the downed shuttle and then by shooting Twelve with the sedative. And Kam had been the one to cover Haddisher’s botched shot last night. If it hadn’t been for Kam’s aim, Julian would’ve been in a lot worse shape today. Of his men, they were the two he trusted the most. “Make sure we’re not walking into an ambush. If everything is good we’ll meet up here.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “But if you spot anything suspicious come back. We’ll stick to the south side of the river.”
Julian pulled out his reader and marked the route and the designated meeting spot on his map. “Yes sir.”
It was on the tip of Gates’ tongue to tell Julian to be safe but he managed to stop himself just in time. Instead he nodded stiffly as Julian and Kam set off at a faster pace with only the packs on their backs. Gates watched them leave until he couldn’t see them any longer.
“There is no ambush or trap.” Twenty-Four’s soft voice broke the moment of silence.
“Then we’ll see Kam and Julian again at the designated spot.”
“This is not safe land. Two men alone are vulnerable. You should trust me.”
Yeah. Right. The day he showed that appallingly low level of judgment was the day he’d resign his commission. “You’re my guide, not my advisor.”
She was silent for a moment. “As you wish.”
With that, they continued along the path. As the hours passed and the sun crossed the sky, however, he began to question his decision. Even during lunch, as his men sat around him and talked about the heat of the day, he felt uneasy. When Twenty-Four sat down next to him he bristled at her nearness but he didn’t move.
“You do not want company.” It was a statement, not a question, but he decided to answer her anyway.
“I have a lot on my mind.”
“You’re worried about your men?”
It hit a little close to home for his comfort. He hadn’t thought he was that easy to read. Still, knowing it was the truth and admitting it were two completely different things. “My men are the best of the best. They can take care of themselves.”
“But it is harder when your heart is involved.” She glanced over at Twelve as she spoke.
“I’m a man of my word. I’ll release Twelve as soon as we’ve reached the bunker.”
She laughed gently. “That is nice. But I didn’t doubt you.” She looked from Twelve to Gates. “I was talking about your heart.”
He froze for a second as her words took meaning. “My heart is firmly in my chest but thank you for your concern.”
Twelve growled but Twenty-Four just continued to smile. “If you say so.”
“I don’t think Twelve likes you sitting so close to me.”
“Twelve doesn’t like a great many things. Thankfully I like cranky men.” She stood gracefully but turned to look at Gates for a second before she walked away. It was just a look, a glance really, but he swore he saw something in that look he really didn’t want to see. A truth he didn’t want to face. Yet there it was. She was concerned for him. He was holding her mate captive. If anything, she should be worried for Twelve. But as she sank down to sit next to Twelve, only patience and good humor shone on her face.
Unfortunately now that she’d left him to go see Twelve, he almost missed her. At least when he was talking to her he could deny being worried. He might have even started believing it if he’d had a couple more minutes to convince himself. It was a lot easier to lie when he was trying to convince someone he was telling the truth though. Something wasn’t right with him today. He’d been on edge since that morning. Since the moment Julian had taken off to scout ahead.
But he didn’t worry about his men. They’d be insulted if he did. They were trained professionals, not children. Still, as they approached the designated meeting spot his heart beat so fast he felt sick to his stomach. And when he saw Julian it took all his willpower not to run over and kiss the man. Especially when his hair was still damp from what Gates could only assume was a dip in the nearby stream and he was stripped down to his cargo pants.