by Anna Hackett
At his bark, they sprang up and disappeared.
He dropped onto one couch, legs sprawled out in front of him, and yanked Malin down on his lap.
She stiffened.
“Relax.” He forced her back, her head pressed to his shoulder. “You need to look like mine.”
“Kind of hard to relax right now.” She shifted. “You’re angry.”
How could she know what he was feeling? He let none of it show. “I am perfectly in control.”
“Liar.” She sniffed. “All the women are staring at you. Like they’re starving and you’re the only meal in the room.”
He tilted his head. Pondered the sharp edge in her voice. “Do I detect…jealousy?”
“No. No. You’re just supposed to be into me.”
He stroked a palm down her slim leg. “I am…into you.”
“You smiled at them.”
Her words were so quiet he wouldn’t have heard them without his enhanced senses. “I moved my lips, what I thought the situation demanded. Their garish smiles and cloying scents are not to my liking. I felt no amusement or interest.”
Her pretty face was in profile, but he saw her staring intently into space.
“Really?” she asked.
“Yes.” He slid a hand into the short mess of her hair. “If I could, I would smile for you.”
She closed her eyes, opened them. “What the hell are we doing, Xander?”
“I am not entirely sure.” He had no time for this. Besides, he was dangerous—a CenSec—definitely not the kind of man Malin needed. But some part of him wasn’t listening to all his logic. “I want more of those experiences now.”
“What?” she squeaked. “Here?”
“It will strengthen our cover, help you relax and it is what we both want.”
Her head fell back against his shoulder. “Ever the efficient cyborg.”
He ran a hand along her thigh, nudging her legs apart. “I believe efficient can also be pleasurable.” He danced his fingers closer to where he’d touched her earlier.
She pressed into him, her legs moving restlessly. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yes.” He slipped his finger beneath her soaked panties. “I cannot believe how soft you are here.” He flicked her clitoris again, enjoyed the small mewling sound she made.
“We shouldn’t do this here. So many people.” Her voice was breathless.
“No one is watching us.” He rolled the tiny nub between his fingers and she jerked. “I wonder what you taste like.” He pulled his hand away and lifted his fingers to his mouth.
She watched, her eyes widening as he licked her juices away. “Xander, that is such…a turn on.”
“You taste like the finest Crenalian honey.”
“You know…men put their mouths there, too—”
The thought burst through his brain like a bomb. “So I’ve heard. I want that. To kiss you between your legs.”
As he surged forward, she gripped his arms. “Hang on, tough guy. You aren’t going down on me here, in public. That’s private. For me and you.”
Xander felt a surge of frustration. “Later?”
She licked her lips. “Yes.”
He settled back again, pulling her back against his chest. “Normally I am very good at waiting, but now I find it…difficult.”
Malin gave a husky little laugh. “Glad to hear that.”
He snaked a hand up and cupped her small breast through the gauzy top. “I will have to find something else to explore.”
She made another choked sound.
He cupped the warm, smooth weight of her. Under his touch, her nipple, a dusky pink shadow through the fabric, pebbled. He flicked his finger over it, then the other, until they were both hard nubs. “Men put their mouths here as well.”
“Y-yes.”
“I will try that as well.”
“Oh, stars.”
He kept touching her smooth skin, equally obsessed with exploring her slim but toned shoulders, the tender skin beneath her ear and dipping his finger in the indent of her collarbone. Her breathy cries made him want to smile. Everything about her was fascinating.
His cock was hard as steel. Every time she shifted in his lap, her bottom rubbed against him, making it harder. In training, having sex had been perfunctory, a task to be completed. Now he wanted to sink his cock inside Malin, hard and deep, and thrust inside her all night. He wanted everything.
“I think…I think you need to calm down, Xander. Finishing our mission might be difficult with a hard-on.”
He didn’t want to stop. “You are probably right.” He stopped the tormenting touches and instead pressed a gentle kiss to the back of her long, slim neck.
After a few minutes, she slipped off his lap and onto the couch beside him. With effort, Xander focused on the crowd, his sensors highlighting any Rahl in the the mass of beings.
“There,” he said quietly.
Malin followed his gaze. The Taskmaster, with his cloud of gray hair, sat at a long table not too far away. He was sipping an ale, guffawing with laughter with the crowd of Rahl and women clustered at his table.
“Plan?” Malin asked.
“We need to separate him from his gang. Then I’ll get him to talk.”
“I’m guessing I don’t want to know how you’ll get him to talk.”
“No.”
“And you know the best way to lure him away is me.” Malin leaned forward and Xander was instantly distracted by the curve of her spine and the luscious bare skin of her back.
But as her words registered, he ground his teeth together. “Yes.”
She started to say something else but stopped. “Ah, I think we’ve garnered some unwanted attention.”
Xander saw the Rahl who’d been watching Malin earlier at the pit standing nearby.
The bastard was big and the vibe he was giving off was making Xander’s instincts itch.
Xander kept his gaze on the man’s golden eyes, then he cupped Malin’s jaw, tilted her head back and pressed his mouth to hers.
In an instant, everything inside him stilled…then flared to vibrant life.
There was nothing like the taste of Malin Phoenix.
“Xander.” A sweet murmur against his mouth before her lips opened. She returned the kiss, leaning into him.
It turned wild from there. He felt a hot fury, a need to possess. Sensations he’d never, ever felt before. His tongue touched hers, his hand sliding into her hair to give him a better angle to taste her.
She moved, spinning around to straddle his lap. The press of her against his straining cock made him groan. Her hands circled his neck and she pressed her mouth back to his.
She nipped at him, making small sounds that speared through him.
When they broke apart, they were both panting.
“You kiss so damn good for a cyborg,” she whispered.
He slid his hand along her jaw, his thumb rubbing the seam of her swollen lips. “You taste better than anything I ever imagined.”
A shadow passed over them and Xander looked up.
The giant Rahl towered over them.
Xander’s muscles tightened. He set Malin off him and stood, tugging her close to his side, an arm wrapped around her waist.
“I challenge you for her,” the Rahl grumbled.
“You can’t have her.” Xander felt Malin go very still at his lethal tone.
“You cannot reject a challenge.” The Rahl’s gaze skated over Malin, lust in its depths. “I don’t see sweet here often.” A nasty grin. “I want it.”
Xander’s jaw tightened. “You cannot have her.”
“If you refuse to fight, then by default, she is mine.”
Not going to happen. “Fine. Challenge accepted.”
“Xander, no!” Malin gripped his arm.
He didn’t look down at her. “When do we fight?”
The Rahl flashed his fangs. “Lucky for you, I’m Gurion and this is my fighting arena. I’ll clear a pit right now.”
***
Oh, stars help her. Malin stood on the platform staring down into the fighting pit.
She felt numb.
Xander stood on one side of the pit, seemingly relaxed.
Gurion stood on the other, thrusting his fists into the air, stirring up the cheering crowd.
“Gurion never loses.”
Mal swallowed and flicked a glance at the woman beside her. She was taller than Mal, with copper-gold skin, a sheet of black hair and curves so full and dangerous, she’d make any man weep.
She shot Mal a smile filled with malice. “Although, after a good look at your man, I wouldn’t mind if Gurion loses.” Her hungry gaze roamed over Xander’s body. “Mmm-hmm, yes, I bet he has a cock designed to fill a woman up just right.”
Stomach rolling, Mal looked back into the pit. Gurion chose that moment to look up. He pointed at her, then grabbed his crotch. The crowd jeered.
Stars. Mal looked around at the people pressed to the railings, drinks in hand, cheering and yelling. Above, the lights strobed and flashed.
Xander faced Gurion, his hands relaxed at his sides. But she detected the tell-tale signs of his anger—a muscle ticking in his jaw, tension across his shoulders.
Now Malin wished he wasn’t feeling any of the emotion she’d been stirring up in him. That he could focus on the fight with his usual cold-blooded focus.
The Fightmaster, another Rahl, dropped onto the platform between Malin and the other woman. He had a small microphone attached to his ear.
“Fighters and fans, we have an extra special fight for you this evening.” He smiled at the crowd. “A special challenge, all so the unbeatable Gurion can fuck this sweet little bitch.” He circled an arm around Mal’s waist and yanked her off her feet.
The crowd cheered wildly, and Mal felt her fear morph into something hot and wild. She swung out and hit the Fightmaster in the face.
With a grunt, he dropped her. She stumbled back but glared at him, fists raised, ready to hit him again. “Keep your hands to yourself.”
His eyes flashed as he swiped his hand over his bleeding mouth. “Now I see why Gurion is so keen. This one’s a feisty little bitch to break.” He raised his arm. “Let the fight begin.” He slashed his hand down.
Mal turned her attention to the pit. When the Fightmaster leaned closer, she stiffened.
“After Gurion’s finished with you, you’re mine.”
“Fuck you.”
“Oh, you will.” He bared his fangs but thankfully shifted away.
Mal released the breath she’d been holding.
But what she saw below made her lungs freeze.
Gurion charged at Xander. Xander dodged but Gurion was faster than he looked. He slammed into Xander, lifting him off his feet.
Her heart leaped into her throat and stuck there.
The fight wasn’t pretty, or graceful. It was hard, vicious hits. It was power-packed kicks that made each man stagger. It was the thud of hard knuckles against flesh that made Mal wince.
Both of them were landing blows, but it seemed to Mal that Gurion was getting in a few more hits than Xander.
Xander’s face had a cut down one side, blood flowing freely, streaking his cheek. Gurion, too, was covered in sweat and blood.
Stars, Xander was slowing down. He was hurt. Mal stared so hard her eyes were blurring, willing him to win the fight.
Gurion lunged and landed a vicious blow to Xander’s head. Xander staggered and hit the floor hard.
With a roar of laughter, Gurion landed a hard kick, flipping Xander’s body over.
Mal bit down on her lip. Blood filled her mouth and she felt the slide of a tear on her cheek. Get up, tough guy.
Xander rolled over and got to his hands and knees. Agonizingly slowly, he pushed to his feet. His hard gaze was focused on Gurion and even from a distance, she saw the faint green glow in his eyes.
Then he moved so fast it was shocking.
He kicked Gurion in the chest and the Rahl fell backward. Xander followed it with a series of hits and punches. Each one made the Rahl leader flinch, stagger and let out agonized grunts.
Xander’s face was blank. His entire focus on his opponent.
The crowd had gone silent. Only the hard beat of the music battled the sounds of the deadly fight below.
Mal’s entire body filled with excited energy. He was winning! And he was doing it easily.
Another hit to the back of Gurion’s neck and the big Rahl face-planted onto the floor. He attempted to lift his head, but with a groan, he hit the dirt again.
The crowd stared in horrified silence.
Mal let out a long breath. Thank the stars.
Now Xander moved. He bent his legs and in a giant leap, jumped onto the platform beside Mal. With a careless swat, he knocked over the Fightmaster, who fell off the edge and into the pit below with a strangled yell.
“Xander—”
He scooped her up, his hands sliding under her bottom. On instinct, she wrapped her legs around his waist. His face was still blank, but in his eyes, she saw the burn of something that made her heart trip.
He pressed his face to her neck, breathing in. She ran her hands over his short hair.
Then he kissed her.
It was hard, almost brutal. Like he was trying to purge something beating deep within. She held on, unable to do more than cling to him and let him ravish her mouth.
Then he was moving, heading up the steps, the spectators stumbling out of his path.
Chapter Ten
Xander yanked his mouth away from Malin’s and charged forward, not sure where he was headed.
Blood pounded through his veins as his systems worked overtime to cool him down. And damn it, emotion he couldn’t control stormed through him, leaving a blood-red haze across his eyes.
The taste of her was still strong in his mouth, competing with the thoughts that thundered through his brain. The throb of his injuries. Gurion. The thought of him touching Malin. Lastly, his team and his brother, trapped, tortured and killed.
His mission was so tangled up with Malin Phoenix he couldn’t separate the two.
Didn’t want to.
But his desires really didn’t matter. He shouldn’t be allowing distractions to interfere with his mission. She was the one causing these unfamiliar emotions. He needed focus.
He set her down.
“Xander, are you okay—?”
“Quiet.” He sucked in air.
“You took some—”
“I said, be quiet.” He didn’t yell but did raise his voice.
He saw her eyes widen and she went silent.
He shook his head, wishing he could shake out all the confusing, conflicting emotions eating at him. “I had no business fighting that fight. We’re here for information vital to my planet.”
“I know—”
He sliced a hand between them. “You are a distraction I don’t need. I am not working efficiently and I’m wasting time with you. My only priority is Centax.”
She flinched, all color seeping from her cheeks. Xander felt a spasm in his chest but the roar of sensation in him was a wild tangle he couldn’t pull apart.
Her lips had parted, her cheeks were now flushed. “Okay.”
“Hey, Xander, you okay?” Dathan’s voice came through Xander’s internal systems. He’d calibrated them to work with the communication system on the Infinitas.
Discreetly, Xander touched the implant at his temple. “Yes.”
“Look, we just picked up a bunch of transmissions about your taking out the boss of the Rahl. They are not happy.”
Xander scanned the room. Felt the hard gazes of the Rahl mingling in the crowd. “We can’t leave without the information.”
“Then get to the Taskmaster. Now.”
Xander released a shuddering breath. “We will.”
“Keep Malin safe and get to the shuttle as quickly as you can. We’ll see you in orbit.”
“Affirmative.” He gripped
Malin’s arm. “We need to get to the Taskmaster.”
She yanked her arm from his hold. For a second, he was taken aback. She’d never pulled away from his touch, even when he’d first met her on Centax.
“Let’s do it.” She swiveled on her heels.
But the Taskmaster wasn’t at the table where they’d seen him.
Xander scanned the crowd. “There.”
The man was slipping through a side door out of the arena area. Xander flicked through the maps of the arena in his internal database and the overlay came up. “He’s headed into the living areas.”
Xander moved, touching Malin’s lower back to urge her forward.
She jerked away and shot him a narrow stare. “Wouldn’t want to distract you.”
His jaw tightened as he watched her move toward the door. Now that his emotions were settling, he realized how harsh his words before had been. “Malin—”
She gave him her back. “Let’s just get this done, Xander. Then you can get on with your precious mission…without any distractions.”
Now wasn’t the time to discuss this. With a heavy gut, he pushed open an inconspicuous door and gestured Malin in.
He led her down the twisting corridors, keeping well back from the Taskmaster, pausing at every corner to make sure the older Rahl didn’t notice them.
The Taskmaster reached a door, opened the lock and disappeared inside.
Xander and Malin reached the door. He pressed his palm flat against the locking mechanism and attempted to interface with it. Nothing happened.
He gave it a thump and tried again.
“Out of the way.” Malin nudged him aside and held up her multi-tool.
Xander tried to imagine where she’d had the tool hidden.
“This mechanism is old school. No computer.” Her tool whizzed as she removed screws and pulled the plate off. She messed around inside, muttering to herself.
Xander was shocked to find he wanted to smile at her. He loved to see her intense concentration. And of course her skill as a mechanic. Instead, he forced his expression to remain neutral.
The door opened without a sound.
Xander went in first. It was a large living area. Large couches and tables were scattered around the room, and the place was a mess. Clothes tossed on the floor, plates filled with half-eaten food stacked on the tables.