“Boyfriend?” She shoved his shoulder. “What boyfriend?”
Jager rolled his eyes. She couldn’t deny what everyone knew. “Jace. It’s no secret. You two spend every spare moment together, and we all know what you’re doing when you sneak off to one of your rooms.
As she laughed, her hands bounced up and down on her tight stomach. “Jace? Is that really what everyone thinks? Cosmos, no. We’re nothing more than friends.”
“No way in Gaspra do I believe that.” Why was she denying her relationship with the leader of Zulu? She wouldn’t be punished for it. Defenders had relationships all the time. As long as their service to the Alliance came first, nothing would be said. “I’ve seen you show affection for each other.”
“So?” She sat up. “We hug, and I’ll kiss him on the cheek, or he’ll kiss my head. That’s friendship, far less intimate than I would be with a boyfriend.”
“Maybe you save that for when you’re tucked away in one of your rooms.” Mingots generally didn’t show signs of affection in public anyway.
Her eyes narrowed. “You want to know what happens when he’s in my room, or when I’m in his? I complain about my parents, how my mother wants me to give up being a Defender and rejoin of the family on Hemera, and my dad doesn’t stand up for me. He knows this is what I want to do, and that I’m good at it, but he won’t tell her that. And sometimes, after a day of training, I’ll complain about my inadequate squad and how our asshole lieutenant gives me shit for saving everyone each and every time.”
His mouth hung open. He didn’t know how to respond. All along, he’d believed them to be intimate. And yet, Jace was just her friend, her confidant. “Does he complain about me, too?”
Her jaw shifted as she glared over at him. “No, he actually likes you. I’m not sure why, but he thinks you’re a good guy. But, he has his own issues, and true friends don’t blab them to the universe.”
Friends. A surprise to him, but she didn’t appear to be deceiving him, hadn’t scratched her arm, her tell when nervous or fibbing. “So you let everyone believe you two were together?”
“I didn’t let anyone believe anything.” Her nostrils flared. “I really don’t care what any of the other Defenders think. They’ve all made it very clear I don’t belong, so when I find someone who does value my presence, I’m going to stick with them and avoid the rest.”
Cosmos, and he’d been one of the ones to make her feel that way when all he’d really wanted was her cooperation, her assistance in making Delta into the superior squad he knew it could be. And maybe, if he was completely honest with himself, he craved the same attention she gave to Jace. “Can I tell you something I’ve never told anyone?”
She shrugged. “That’s up to you, but can you handle having me as a friend?”
A friend? Something he’d never had. But if that’s all she and Jace were, friendship was exactly what he wanted from her. “I’d like that, if you can handle what I have to say. You see, I never meant to make you angry when I called you princess. You are a princess. And Bryce is a prince. I have a great deal of respect for him. And for you. But now I know neither of you like the title, that you both see yourselves as Defenders first. Just as any Kalaren would.”
She nodded. Hopefully a sign he was getting somewhere. Time for the confession.
“But I don’t understand relationships beyond respect for one’s senior Defenders. My mother died during my delivery, and well, very few Kalarens know who their father is, aside from the fact he likely was a Defender. As a young child in the training facilities, I wasn’t important. Everyone kept me at a distance until I was old enough to start training. Then I was the Defender who didn’t get attached because I didn’t know how. I completed missions as instructed, and I was ready to die on Hoggins while taking out as many Erebus as I could.” He stopped talking, unable to say any more, afraid he’d said too much. Why did he keep yammering? She wasn’t his friend, only the person he’d been locked up with. She was convenient, and he’d let himself get swept up in her emotion. What in Gaspra had he been thinking? His revelation wouldn’t win him any points with Katrina, only rip away any shred of respect she did have for him. “I’m sorry.” He stared beyond the bars. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around him from the side. He sucked in a quick breath at her unexpected move. Then she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
His chest ached, his breathing ragged. He was afraid to look at her, afraid she’d see him as less of a leader, less of a being. He was Kalaren. A warrior. He had no time for emotional attachments.
She ran her fingers down his spine, the soft tips igniting a fire deep within him. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the passion building up inside, the way her breasts pressed against him, her gasping breath in his ear. It couldn’t be real, just a hallucination from being locked up with her without any food or water, with no chance to escape. “What are you doing to me? Were you drugged?”
“No, but if you want me to stop, just say so.” She pressed her lips to his skin, along his shoulder, up his neck, and across his chin. Not real. But he couldn’t help himself when he turned to face her, his lips meeting hers. They were soft like the rest of her, but forceful, plying his mouth, reaching down to his very essence.
He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her onto his lap, holding her tight against him. She kissed with passion, her tongue demanding, making him delirious, unsure where reality ended and how much was just his mind creating the fantasy. Yet, he wanted it all to be real. He wanted all of her.
“Oh, Princess.” He caressed her curves, breathing in all that was Katrina. Sweet, exotic, and fierce. Supporting the small of her back, he kissed down her body to her breasts. Tender, inviting peaks. He took his fill, licking, sucking, feeding on her soft responsive moans.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned away from him, pulling him down on top of her.
He froze, knowing what came next. Yes, they were both Defenders, but she was still royalty, and the daughter of the man who’d save him. So much more than anything he could ever be. He was nothing. And she was everything.
Yet, he had no desire to stop. Only if she told him to. “Are you sure about this?” He brushed stray strands of hair from her face. “I don’t want to hurt you, and.... What if you regret it?” He wouldn’t, but she was still trying to prove herself. And their cell wasn’t where he’d imagined being with her.
“No regrets.” She spread her legs and raised her hips, her grip on his neck not letting up. “Take me.”
He kissed her lips and slowly entered her warm, inviting channel. Plunging in and out, he became lost in the fervor of their matching rhythm. One complementing the other. His body heated, like he’d finally found a raging fire after being cold for so long. She held him close, staring up at him with her mouth open while she rocked with him. It was no longer an impossible, frustrating fantasy, but real. And far more intense than any other sexual experience. Every woman before her had been a means to an end, a mutual encounter to relieve stress or ride an adrenaline rush after a successful mission. A one-time arrangement to find release before returning to his solitary downtime. But, wrapped in Katrina, being inside her, he yearned for the carnal moment to last forever.
When he rocked faster, she tilted her head back, pushing her chest nearer, and closed her eyes. She squeezed his arms, and her mouth opened even more. Inside, her channel walls pulsed around him, edging him closer to deliverance.
Rising to his knees, Jager lifted her leg, changing his angle. Katrina clawed the blanket under her, sweeping her head from side to side. “Oh fuck, yes.”
He didn’t understand the Terran word but continued thrusting into her, harder each time. Her upper body reddened, and inside, she held him tighter, making the tip of his cock swell.
Snapping her eyes opened, she growled, reaching for him, squeezing him inside and out. The pressure ignited a quick-fire inside him
. With a sharp gasp, he released into her, letting her pulsing walls take everything he had to offer.
Her breathing ragged, she pulled him down to her. He rolled to his side, not wanting to hurt her further, and held her against his chest. Reaching for the other blanket behind them, he pulled it over their bodies, overwhelmed with the need to keep her close, keep her safe. To never let her go.
***
A tear slipped down Katrina’s cheek. She let it fall onto the blanket, hoping Jager didn’t notice. They’d just slept together. Not because they were in love, but because she was vulnerable. She’d needed the rush, the connection, to make her feel alive again, to make her feel wanted. Before leaving Earth, she’d had many friends. And when she’d first boarded the carrier as the daughter of the long lost princess of Hemera, she’d turned a number of heads of the Defenders. Yet, when she’d become one of them, their attitude toward her had changed. Jace had been the only one to remain friendly with her after their shared mission to Niesgoo. She didn’t want to mess that up, couldn’t be more than friends with him.
Jager was there, convenient. She’d gone for what she wanted, and he’d responded, taking as much as he gave. Maybe more. Because when she wasn’t expecting it, he’d stolen a piece of her heart. Now, she wanted more time with him, didn’t want this to be the end. She had no idea what the woman who’d abducted them had planned, but she’d just as soon stay in that cell if she could remain in his arms forever. Returning to the carrier or Kalara would mean the end of whatever they had. And her return to loneliness. He was a leader, ready to risk his life for anyone. He was dedicated, already a hero. She’d just wanted attention, someone to notice her and her skills. Not selfless like him.
He shifted closer, interlacing his fingers with hers. Holding her tight, he nuzzled along her neck. “I’m glad that happened.”
Bright lights flooded the room before she had a chance to respond. The door burst open, giving entrance to several of the new generation of Erebus. They clung to the bars, trying to fit their heads through, black poison dripping from their mouths. One feature that had remained from the enemy she knew.
Jager sat up and pulled her close. “Don’t try anything. Stay here in the middle where they can’t hurt you.”
She nodded, not wanting to be anywhere near the creatures without wearing clothes and possession of a weapon. But when the woman who’d abducted them entered the room, Katrina jumped to her feet and rushed the bars. “I swear, if you don’t let us out, I’m going to kill you.” Thrusting an arm out, she tried to grab the woman, but she stood too far away, an irritating smirk on her face.
The woman held out a paper bag. “And here I was just trying to bring you some breakfast. I thought you could use it after that lovemaking session.”
A growl came from behind Katrina, and Jager placed himself between her and the crazy voyeur. “What do you want? Why are you keeping us here?”
The woman raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. “Interesting question. It probably has something to do with the fact you’re both aliens.”
Katrina sidestepped Jager to find a place at the bars. “You’re crazy. Let us out.”
With a wide grin, the woman shook her head. “No. I’ve tested your DNA. I know the truth. I knew when you lived down the street from me. I just couldn’t prove it. And after meeting these easily manipulated creatures here, I found a way to bring you back from wherever you disappeared to and get my questions answered.”
Jager grasped Katrina by the shoulders. “Stay back. I can handle this. I can’t let them hurt you again.”
She shoved his hands away. “I grew up here, remember? I think I’m better equipped to handle this situation.”
He glared at her the way he did every time they ran a simulation. “Why don’t you listen to me? It’s not always going to be your way.”
“Oh, a lover’s spat. How fascinating. I’d love to see what happens when you finally work through it, but I don’t have time.” The woman gestured toward the door. “If you must know, I’m only interested in the girl. You, sir, are of no use to me alive, but I would love to dissect you.”
“No.” Katrina grabbed the bars and tried to shake them. “You won’t touch him.”
Focused on the woman, she didn’t see the Erebus approach. They grasped her wrists and held her against the cage. Jager tried to break their hold, but the woman used that moment to jab his arm with a needle and inject a clear fluid into him. He fell to the ground, collapsing at her feet.
Katrina screamed, and fought, pressing her soles to the bars and pushing as hard as she could. Yet, she couldn’t break their hold on her. She couldn’t get free to help him.
Three of the bars lifted straight up, but she was too far away from the opening to do anything. Two Erebus entered then dragged Jager out with them.
She eyed the woman. “Don’t hurt him, please. Please, no.”
“Well, we’ll see how cooperative you are. You can determine his fate.” She looked over her shoulder at a girl who appeared to be only a few years younger than Katrina. Only she wasn’t Terran with her dark-green skin and leafy hair. “But, in the meantime, I have a new roommate for you.” She handed the girl the paper bag before ushering her inside. “This is Faith. I think you’ll find you have a lot in common.”
Ignoring the girl, Katrina glared at the woman. “If you hurt him, I swear I will kill you. And not quickly either. I’ll make you suffer.”
“Oh, aliens know how to torture?” She only shrugged, not at all affected by Katrina’s threat. “Well, we’ll see how the next few days go.”
The bars slammed closed, and the Erebus holding her let go. She fell on her ass, the impact jarring her spine. Bile rose to her throat when the woman left the room followed by the Erebus, dragging Jager out with them. How long did the woman plan to leave them locked up? What was she really going to do to Jager?
Katrina pulled her knees to her chest and hid her head in her arms as her body shook. Would she ever see him again? The one guy she thought she may someday be able to fall in love with?
“You hungry?”
Katrina looked up to see the girl holding the paper bag in front of her.
“Isabel said you need to eat.”
“Isabel?” She’d said she’d lived down the street from her at one time. Katrina had only lived in two houses her entire time on Earth. She remembered most of her neighbors, but not an Isabel. And she’d definitely remember crazy.
“Yes.” The girl let the bag fall to Katrina’s side. “And I’m Faith. She tells me I’m just like you. Only I’m one of those other things, too.”
Katrina stared at the girl, examining her features. Even with Faith’s skin color and her hair issue, she was like any other bipedal species Katrina had met since leaving Earth. But like her? She highly doubted that. “Turn around.”
Faith didn’t question the command and turned to face the other side of the cell. Along the top of the camisole she wore, brown spots dotted her skin in the same V-shape of the Hemera. Okay, so they had that in common, but Hemera had come to Earth a couple of times since she’d left. They didn’t mean a thing. And if the girl was part Erebus, she didn’t want her anywhere nearby. She killed Erebus.
Grabbing the bag, she tossed it across the cell. “Go get the bag and stay over there. You’d best stay away from me since my job is to kill Erebus. And go ahead and eat the food if you want.” She refused to eat anything the crazy woman had made for her.
“Oh, I don’t eat,” Faith said from the other side of the room. “Or, not like you do. I convert light into food. That’s why Isabel turned these special lights on for me.”
Great. She was stuck in a cell with a human plant. What kind of fucked up place was this, and what did Isabel plan to do with Jager? Turning her back to the girl, Katrina shuffled over to the three bars that had lifted. If she could find a weakness in them, she could get out and get Jager before the crazy bitch laid a finger on him.
Chapter Six
“Who are you? What do you want?” Jager struggled against the restraints holding his wrists and ankles to a cot. They had some give, so if he moved enough, he might be able to loosen them and make the woman pay for the torture she’d put Katrina through.
“I already told you my name, and I want to learn more about you.” She picked up a metal tool with a sharp blade at the end. “I want to open you up and see how you work.”
“I don’t think you want to do that.” He folded his thumb under his palm and rolled his wrist. “I am not much different from you. You’d be disappointed with what you find.”
“You’re probably right.” She moved behind him, out of sight. But when she placed cold hands on his neck, he tensed. “Men have disappointed me my entire life. You may be alien, but you’re probably no different. I bet you have a woman at home, and she’ll be devastated to learn you slept with my old neighbor.”
He wasn’t going to argue or give her any information to use against him. He just kept working on getting out of the restraints.
“I was married once,” the woman continued as she felt along his neck, concentrating on the spot where his trans chip had been implanted. “I thought he was the love of my life. But he was more interested in the alien woman down the street. You know, your mistress’s mother. I caught him jacking off while watching her bent over in her garden one afternoon. When he came, he cried out her name. Well, I took care of that. He never did it again.”
Something sharp bit into Jager’s skin. He gasped. He had one hand out, but not the other, not enough to take control of the situation.
“Let’s see.... What’s this?” The woman pushed on the skin right below his ear.
He could feel the trans chip sliding through his flesh before it popped out, warm blood trickling from the wound and along his hairline. But, he almost had his other hand free, had to be patient, wait for the right moment.
Jager (Galactic Defenders Book 2) Page 5