“Did… Did you know I would find out? Is that why you were here?”
Amazingly, Destiny shook her head. “Surprisingly, no. But maybe that was foretold, too. Ana. Please. May I have your word?”
Seeker nodded once, and the woman slipped out the door. Left alone, she crossed her arms on top of the table, laid her face upon them, and cried.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Want
Star was standing in front of the window wall of their apartment when Hunter emerged from the shower. Without having to look at him, she knew he remained paused in the doorway for some time, gazing at her. She wondered what he was thinking, what he was feeling.
“By all the heavens, you’re never lovelier than when I see you reflected in that moonsglow. Seeing that light shining within you.” His voice sent warmth washing over her.
She turned to see him go over to their closet and slide the panel to one side. He pulled a pair of his old comfy pants from an inner drawer and drew them on. They were torn and worn soft to the touch, and he liked to wear them on their rare down times in lieu of his uniform. Once dressed, he walked over to embrace her.
Brushing aside her long, black hair, his hands slid around her waist and seemed to adhere there. His fingers didn’t roam, didn’t spread out over her belly or abdomen. But he did nuzzle that sweet spot behind her ear, knowing how much she enjoyed it.
“I hate that your parents had to leave. I wish they could have stayed longer.”
“There wasn’t any sense in them staying,” Hunter murmured. “Don’t worry. They’ll visit again once we have Callie back with us.”
“But isn’t the SPF due to arrive in a couple of days?”
He nodded. His close-cropped curls tickled where they brushed along her temple. “You know Dad. He didn’t want to be in the way when DiMackerlyn arrived.”
His attention to the back of her neck erased any further comments she wanted to make. A little shiver went through her.
“You’re going to catch cold,” he teased. Yet, it wasn’t a tease. She could hear the whispers of much more in his voice. Saying what he did was his way of asking her to put on one of those little nightshirts she sometimes wore to bed whenever she felt chilled. She got the impression he wasn’t so much concerned about her health as he was about the consequences they were trying to avoid.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” she blithely replied, and waited for his reaction.
He kissed her shoulder, then rested his scratchy chin on it. “Other than that, how do you feel?”
His question always made her laugh. “Udo Vosstien, you can read me better than I know myself. You know how I’m feeling, physically and emotionally.”
“Maybe I need to hear it from your own mouth,” he gently rebuked her. His arms tightened around her waist, to the point where she could feel where his swelling erection prodded the cleft in her butt cheeks through the thin material.
She lifted her face toward the moons’ radiance. “I’m feeling anxious. I can’t wait to hold our little girl in my arms again. To feed her again. I’m anxious to confront that man and find out why he took her. I want…justice.” At the mention of her father, her anger began to simmer again. Carefully, she tamped it down to where it was mere embers, yet accessible and quick to flame when she needed it.
Leaning her head back against him, she closed her eyes to savor this moment of closeness, of intimacy. He was a wall of strength supporting her. A warmth she’d missed these past few days, since the birth of their daughter.
“Fair’s fair. Tell me what you’re thinking,” she challenged him.
There was a slight hesitation, and she thought she knew why. He dropped another kiss on her shoulder before responding.
“I’m upset over this entire mess. Guess I shouldn’t be, considering.”
“Considering?”
“Our jobs. Our lives. I think I’m finally learning to accept the fact that nothing we do can ever be taken for granted. Every morning we awake, we face an uncertain future. There’s no planning for any kind of life. Not a normal one. Not like the one Mom and Dad share. Here, what we do, each hour could be our last. But there are days when I wish that sometimes we could have… I don’t know. A break? A few days or weeks when we can at least try to have a normal life, with love and kids and uninterrupted happiness.”
“We shouldn’t forget that what we have now is a blessing in itself,” she murmured. “You and me. We’re each other’s strengths and weaknesses. When you begin to break, I’m there to patch you up. When I start to fall apart, you hold me together.” Opening her eyes, she glanced up again at the heavens shining down. “We must be satisfied with what we have and be grateful we have it, when life could have turned out tragically different.”
His soft laughter puffed warm across her bare skin, and his arms gave her a little squeeze. “My beautiful, philosophical wife. When I least expect it, you… Oops! Looks like you’re leaking.”
Star dropped her eyes down to her breasts to see him holding out one hand. The back of it glistened whitely. Another drop of milk trembled at the end of her nipple.
“Do you need to pump?” he asked.
“No. Not yet.” She felt herself filling, but not to the point where she had to express herself.
She watched as he lifted his hand to his nose and sniffed the pale liquid. To her surprise, he licked the droplet, then gave her a quizzical look.
“It’s warm.”
She smiled. “Silly.”
“No, no. I mean…” Hunter made a face. “Guess that did sound rather stupid, didn’t it?”
She moved slightly, and he loosened his hold on her, enough to allow her to turn around. Placing her palms on his cheeks, she leaned in to kiss him. He returned the kiss, placing his own palms flat against her back to press her closer to him.
For a long moment she reveled in him, in the taste of his mouth and the way his lips nearly devoured hers. As his tongue delved past her teeth and captured hers, the burning ache between her loins brightened in intensity, and she moaned softly. She rubbed her breasts over his warmth, luxuriating in the short mat of soft hair that covered his chest.
He was breathing heavily when he broke away, but his erection was fully extended, tenting his pants and pushing into the juncture of her thighs. Involuntary muscle spasms made it jump and quiver with anticipation.
“Udo.”
“Your… Your…”
“I’m what?”
His dark blue eyes were depthless in the shadows. His hands roamed her back, savoring her bare skin. Fingertips tickled the tops of her buttocks. She saw him glance downward.
“Your milk is, umm, all over me.”
He turned to where the outside moonslight reflected over his bare chest. Traces of her milk shone with an opalescent gleam across his pecs. Impulsively, she bent over and ran her tongue across one coated, copper-colored nipple.
“Mmm. Not bad.”
His eyes remained riveted on her breasts, which were fuller and rounder since the birth of their child. He reached to cup them, and his hands were warm on her flesh. Gradually, another drop of milk emerged to dangle precariously at the tip.
“Terrin.” His voice was rough. Ragged, and edged with emotion. Tinged with the sound of lust and desire she hadn’t heard in weeks. It was almost enough to make her weak in the knees.
“Soon, Udo, my love. Soon. But not yet. Not until I’m fully healed.” It hurt to tell him. It hurt worse not to allow him to sink into her body. She felt ready. She felt well enough to make love to him once more. Still, she knew her ability to heal quickly had been severely curtailed since her brush with death after the Ombitra strike. She had disregarded Doctor Perlakian’s orders once before, and suffered for her stubbornness. After that, Star swore she’d never disobey again. When it came to making love to her husband, she would wait.
And yet…
She reached down between them and grasped his length. It was rock hard and hot to the touch, even through the pant’s li
ghtweight material. Hunter inhaled quickly, but his hands never left holding her breasts. Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“That feels…so good. But, Terrin….”
“Shh. I know it’s been hard,” she whispered, disregarding the unintentional pun. “It’s been difficult for me, too, but we have no choice. But it doesn’t mean we both must suffer.”
Before he could answer, she carefully disengaged his hands, then knelt before him. She tugged the pants over his hips, past his erection that jutted perpendicular to the floor, leaving her staring at the tiny pearl of moisture crowning its head.
Reaching up, she gripped it behind the flushed, rounded tip and gently squeezed. Release, squeeze, release, squeeze. Then lightly slid the velvety skin across the engorged muscle. Stroking the pulsing veins that stood out along its length.
“Terrin, stop.” He bent to grab her wrist, but she batted it away.
“No. I want to do this. I need to touch you and taste you.”
She leaned forward and put the bulbous end into her mouth, just past her lips, to where she could tease him. Gnaw on him. Taste the saltiness of his fluid as it leaked onto her tongue. Hunter’s fingers dipped into her hair but he didn’t try to stop her again.
Her other hand slid upward between his thighs to find his silky sacs. Gathering them in her palm, she rolled them around with her fingers. Her nails scratched their surface, making his erection bob against her teeth. She steadied it with her tongue, then she began to suckle it. Drawing on it, pulling on it, until it slid almost to the back of her throat. With her middle finger, she found the sweet spot behind the scrotum, and pressed it, still keeping the vacuum on his member.
“Gods… Terrin…” His voice cracked. His hips jerked with his build-up.
She reached around his waist and clutched his buttocks with both hands. As his fingers held her head, he began to pump into her mouth, shoving himself inside her as he gasped. Star held on, letting her teeth scratch the taut skin until he cried out, and he found his release.
His knees buckled, but he somehow managed to remain standing. Slowly, Star let his member slide from between her lips, adding one last lick to the end as she pulled away.
For several moments, he trembled. Removing his hands, he leaned down to take her by the elbows and bring her to her feet. Before Star could say anything, he glided her around and onto the bed, lifting her knees to prop her feet on the edge.
“I’ve been wanting to do this,” he murmured, and bent over her, supporting himself on his elbows as he took one turgid nipple into his mouth.
The sensation rocked her to her core as he drew hard on her milk. She could hear his throat as he swallowed, his tongue like fire on her skin. His teeth gently raked over the areola the way she had teased and bit him. She was barely aware when he released her nipple and slid his tongue across her chest. There, he latched onto the other breast, and she soared.
She felt a fumbling between her lower lips. Reaching down, she encountered his hand as he wrapped her folds around his erection. Holding himself there, he started to move, rubbing her around his hardening shaft. Titillating her clit. Mimicking intercourse while keeping himself outside her channel. He worked her, pushed her, drank of her, and she reveled in the intimacy. This was new. This was different. It felt wonderful, but she would not be able to orgasm. The want was there, but her body was not yet ready for full penetration. Regardless, this sensation was deeply satisfying.
Before long, Hunter grunted. His mouth left her breast, and in the moonslight she could see his face hovering above hers, his eyes squeezed shut, his expression one of pure fulfillment as a warmth spread between her thighs.
He paused as he calmed. His breath became more regular. After another moment, he climbed upon the bed, bringing her with him, until they reached the pillows. There, together, they drifted off to sleep with their arms around each other.
*
Sometime in the wee hours of the night, something woke her. Star peeled her eyes open to a still dark room, but she could tell her husband was awake. He was propped up on one elbow as he focused his powers, his gaze directed at the door.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Shh. Nothing’s wrong. Go back to sleep.” Dropping back onto the bed, he cuddled next to her where she lay on her back.
“Then what woke you?” she whispered, knowing it was his alertness that roused her.
“Transport Three just docked,” he confessed, adding a kiss to her shoulder.
Smiling, she turned onto her side to face him, and drifted once again into unconsciousness.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Deception
Every Guardian waited and watched as the Stellar Police Force auxiliary craft downloaded from the main ship, which hovered a thousand meters above them, and descended toward its designated landing pad outside the main perimeter. At the front of the group, Hunter, StarLight, and Deceiver were prepared to accept custody of DiMackerlyn. Commander stood beside them with his own version of a Brotean Field, open and ready.
The day was typically sunny, with temperatures in the upper range as the weathermakers forecasted cloud cover and rain that evening. A slight wind gusted from the east, bringing with it a hint of cooler weather to come. Star glanced over at her husband to find him on the verge of his power in the event their prisoner tried to make another run for it. Turning her head, she looked back at Animator, who gave her a quick smile. The woman was also prepared to do her part, just in case, as were all the others. There could be no goof-ups.
The auxiliary shuttle touched down. Its engines decreased power without shutting off. This would be a short visit.
One uniformed officer emerged from the ship and strode over to them, stopping in front of Deceiver. He gave the Guardian leader a quick salute, purely as an honorary gesture.
“Sergeant Burgamy. Honored to meet you, Deceiver. We’ve come to deliver two special packages.”
“We’ve been anxiously awaiting them,” Deceiver replied.
“I need to ask how long they will remain in your custody.”
“For the man, not long. Enough to glean a little information from him before we hand him over to the justice tribunal. As for the little lady…” He ventured a quick glance and a grin at Hunter and StarLight. “You can report that her stay will be permanent.”
The sergeant produced a tablet, which Deceiver thumbprinted to verify transference of the prisoner. Nodding his thanks, Burgamy gestured at the craft where a second officer could be seen waiting at the entrance of the airlock. That officer then proceeded to exit the vessel, along with DiMackerlyn and another officer.
Star smiled to herself as the men advanced. Her father was encased from throat to knees within a banded force field. The second officer held the palm-sized controls, as the third provided backup, his service pistol at ready and set on stun.
By the look on DiMackerlyn’s face, everyone could tell the man was totally pissed. Yet there was something else about the man’s demeanor that didn’t sit well with her. Something felt…off, and a thread of irritation wove through her when she couldn’t pinpoint what was bothering her. Hunter sensed her uneasiness, and murmured softly to her.
“He can’t hurt you anymore, Terrin.”
“That’s not what’s bothering me,” she whispered in return.
“Then what is?”
“I…don’t…know. Look at his face. What do you see?”
“I see an angry prisoner.”
“What else?”
Hunter didn’t reply as the three men halted before them. Commander stepped forward with his net and tossed it over DiMackerlyn, then secured the ends around the man’s ankles. With that done, the officer with the hand-held controls shut off the bands as Commander took over guarding the prisoner.
“That net will hold him more securely,” Burgamy commented in admiration.
Hunter stuck out his hand at the officer. “You have our gratitude,” he offered.
Th
e men shook. “It was our pleasure, considering how often you guys have come to our aide in the past,” the sergeant replied with a wide grin, and glanced back at the ship. “And here comes our little guest.”
At the sight of the tiny bundle being carried by one female officer, Star broke rank and rushed to her, to gather the infant to her chest.
“Callie! My Callie!”
The moment her arms went around the swaddled child, a coldness enflamed her throat and quickly spread through her body. Stunned, Star gasped for air as the HeartCrystal screamed silently. The female officer gave her a concerned look.
“Are you all right, StarLight?”
Star turned to face her husband, who remained where he stood several meters away. The expression on his face matched hers—disbelief and overwhelming dread.
Slowly, she looked down at the baby sleeping in her arms. Someone had draped the edge of the white blanket over her daughter’s face to prevent the sunlight from waking her. Her hand shaking, Star reached over to lift the triangular corner. The baby stirred, and opened her eyes to stare back at her.
Wide, brown eyes banded in orange.
“Oh, gods. Oh, gods!” Her voice rose with her rising terror. Passing the infant into the officer’s arms, she whirled on DiMackerlyn and started toward him. Her anger flared around her with a rainbow of colors as she screamed at the man. “That’s not my baby! That’s not my baby, you sick degenerate! Where is my daughter?”
Without warning, DiMackerlyn threw himself against Commander. Unbalanced, the Guardian fell sideways. The prisoner dropped heavily on top of him and quickly rolled to the side. Commander tried to grab him, but DiMackerlyn shrugged him off. He struggled to get to his feet when the ground closed around his boots. The prisoner jerked free, when the tiles threw more liquefied strips below the man’s ankles and instantly solidified.
“Keep it up, crag hole,” Animator taunted. “I can do this all day. Can you?” Twisting her hand, she made another motion, when Commander yelled at her.
“Don’t block the web! Don’t restrict—”
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