He swelled in her mouth, and she sucked harder. Byron’s gaze shifted from hers, drifted lower. Her heartbeat increased as she tugged on Alec’s balls. Byron smiled.
“Good girl. You want this to go fast, right? Want me to show you something else?” He licked his lips. “Slide one of your fingers in your mouth. Get it nice and wet for him.”
She didn’t hesitate to comply, ignoring Alec’s moan of protest when she abandoned his sac. Saliva coated her lips and dripped down her finger and onto his shaft as she sucked and tongued both. The sounds coming from Alec had her cunt clenching with want. Gods, it was going to be harder than she thought not giving in to her own desire.
She closed her eyes and let images fill her head—Alec fucking her while Byron watched, her watching the two of them together, both of them fucking her at the same time. Before she knew what she was doing, she squeezed her thighs together, trying to gain some friction.
“Stop, Mace!”
Her whole body froze. Opening her eyes slowly, she was surprised to see a scowl on Byron’s face. “This isn’t about you, girl. Alec needs to have his head straight before we get on that ship of yours. So you’re going to make him come hard now, and later we’ll look after you. Understand?”
She moaned but nodded as best she could.
“Good girl. Now take that wet finger of yours and tease his asshole. Don’t press in yet.”
Alec’s body tensed, and he spread his legs wider.
Byron chuckled. “See, he likes that.”
The tips of her fingers rubbed gently against the sensitive skin. The shift in her hand position made it easier for her to brush her thumb against the divot between his testicles, where it was slicked by her saliva rolling down his cock. She resumed her sucking, this time adding in a push of her finger on every down stroke.
They quickly fell into a rhythm—Alec wordlessly encouraging her on with every touch she offered. Byron directed her, telling her how much pressure, when to change, where to touch, until he finally said the words she’d been waiting for.
“Now press inside him.”
Careful not to cut him with her nail, Mace increased the pressure on Alec’s anus until the tip of her finger was swallowed up by his body. He arched up and clenched around her hard as his hips bucked off the chair.
“Relax, Alec. She can’t get to where you want her like that. Relax and we’ll look after you.”
Slowly he complied, and Mace was able to work her finger in deeper with even strokes. She knew in theory about the prostate. Faolan loved to tease her with facts she really didn’t want to know about how good her brother was in bed. But when she found a hard bundle of tissue and pressed against it, she was thankful for the information.
Alec cried out. His legs began to tremble beneath her as she continued to swallow him down. Again she rubbed her finger against the firm knot, knowing she’d hit the mark.
“That’s a good girl. He won’t last much longer like that.”
Throwing everything she had at him, she sucked the entire length of Alec’s cock into her mouth. Only when her nose touched his pubic hair did she pull back and press hard against the nerves.
Alec’s cock pulsed, the only warning she had before he screamed. Cum filled her mouth. She swallowed as much as she could, but some escaped her to spill down her chin.
Byron hummed his approval. “Gods.”
Finally pulling back, Mace returned her attention to Alec, who sat limp and panting. Slowly he opened his eyes and leveled a steady gaze at her.
“You weren’t kidding.” His sex-tinted voice sent a shiver down her spine.
She licked her lips and cocked her head. “About what?”
“That was one of the best blowjobs I’ve ever had.”
“I think you just like an audience.”
“Of course he does.” Byron shifted against the wall. “It’s my payback for making him watch last time.”
The computer interrupted their banter. Slowly getting to her feet, Mace ignored the ache of her jaw and fell into her chair.
“Shit, the Belle Kurve is in full coms range.”
Alec frowned, tucking his cock back in his pants. “Why’s that a bad thing?”
“Because Faolan will want visual contact before he gives me rendezvous coordinates, and I’m pretty sure I look like I’ve just been sucking cock.”
In her periphery, she saw Byron frown and push away from the wall to come stand beside her. “Turn this way.”
Mace spun her chair a quarter turn so she faced him. He bent over her, and she held her breath as he licked from the corner of her mouth, down along her chin. When he was through, he wiped away the remains of his saliva and grinned.
“There. At least you won’t have to talk to your brother with cum on your face.”
She felt herself flush but couldn’t stop a chuckle. “Because that would be awkward.”
“It would be for Alec when Gar tried to flay him alive with those blades of his.”
Alec coughed. “Blades?”
“Not to mention Faolan’s sword.” She turned to smile at Alec. “Did I forget to mention that?”
“We don’t really need to go on board, right?” Alec straightened in his seat. “I’m not in the mood to be gutted today.”
Byron patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll protect you.”
Alec glared as the com beeped again. “You better answer that, Mace.”
After taking another few seconds to compose herself, she finally signaled the acknowledgment. Instantly the face of Faolan’s pilot popped into sight.
“Ricco!” Mace gave him a genuine smile. Ricco was the closest thing she had to a favorite uncle; he’d also been the man Faolan trusted to teach her hand-to-hand combat during her first months on the Belle Kurve. “Faolan still letting you drive his baby?”
“He has little choice these days. Ready for coordinates?”
Shit, she didn’t like the sound of that. “Let me have them.”
“Get back over here soon, girl.” Ricco’s normally dour face was more so than normal. “Need you to help out again.”
The communicator winked off. Mace nearly didn’t register the sound of the coordinates being fed through to the navigation system, her mind still playing Ricco’s words over and over in her head.
Alec’s hand on her shoulder pulled her back in.
She shook off the gloom. “Sorry. Entering in the rendezvous now. The auto-engage will take us where we need to go. There’ll be one more dimension jump, Alec.”
“I’ll be fine. What about you?”
I’ll be better once I see Faolan again. “I’ll get back to you on that. Byron, you’ll need to get secured. This last jump will be a bit rough.”
“I don’t even want to know how we’re going to do a jump without a gate, do I?” Byron pushed away from the wall and sauntered out to the main cabin.
The Geilt slid silently through the empty sector of space. Knowing Ricco and Faolan’s preferences, the coordinates would land them in some little-known quadrant where the Belle Kurve would be able to monitor if there was anyone around who shouldn’t be there. Mace had been on the other end, directing things, enough times to know how it worked.
She was surprised when the rendezvous data led them to an ion cloud near the center of the sector. Purple and green gases spiraled out in crisscross patterns across the black of space. The Belle Kurve wasn’t going to pop in and scoop them up for another jump like she’d assumed.
Mace had been here once before, shortly after her arrival on the Belle Kurve. It was where Faolan had held the memorial service for his late wife and her crew.
Oh no.
“Mace?” Alec spun her chair around, his worried gaze directed squarely at her. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re going to pass out.”
She swallowed down the bile creeping up her throat. “Faolan thinks he’s about to die.” Surprised she sounded as calm as she did, Mace gave her head a shake. “We won’t be jumping again. This is
where he said he wanted to be buried if anything ever happened to him.”
The muscle in Alec’s jaw shifted as he ground his teeth. Looking away from her, he took a moment to compose himself before standing. “Then let’s get over there and make sure his funeral is put on indefinite delay.”
The rational part of her mind knew the chance of their finding a remedy in time to save Faolan was growing slimmer and slimmer with every moment they waited. They’d lost so much time in the past few days, the odds of pulling off a last-minute miracle seemed impossible.
The take-no-prisoners pirate part wasn’t willing to back down and give death even an inch.
“Tell Byron about the change in plans. I’ll get us into docking position and come back when it’s time to open the hatch. Grab whatever you need from here and I’ll take us right to the med bay.”
As Mace moved the ship into place, waiting for the telltale clunk of the docking clamps connecting to the Geilt, she tried to get her heart, head, and stomach all under control. She couldn’t handle this. Faolan was too important to her, too important to Gar to lose now.
No. He wasn’t going to die. She wouldn’t let him. She didn’t want to be alone again.
Once the Geilt was in final position, she bolted from the cockpit and into the main room. She ignored Byron and Alec and the odd looks they were giving each other. Triggering the ladder, she started climbing before it had fully extended.
“You boys stay there for a minute. We have a shoot-strangers-on-sight policy, and I’d hate for Byron to wind up with two bad arms.”
“Don’t worry about me,” he drawled. “I’m more than capable of looking after myself.”
Alec snorted. “I think that attitude concerns her more than anything.”
“Just stay here. I’ll call down when things are safe.”
“Very welcoming ship.” Alec scratched the back of his head. “We’ll be here.”
She scrambled up the rest of the way to the hatch. She banged three times, paused, then twice more before spinning the valve and opening the small round portal. Even so, the sound of blasters being engaged filled the room as she popped her head through.
“Ricco, if you shoot me, I’m going to fucking kick your ass.” She pulled herself up and stood straight, grinning. “Hey, blue boy. You’re looking good.”
Ricco didn’t crack a smile but cocked his head and holstered his blaster. “You’ve lost weight.” It was the closest thing he got to an insult with her. “Faolan will give you hell.”
The few crew members who’d come to greet her quickly waved and returned to their duties. Neither Faolan nor Gar were anywhere in sight.
“How is he doing?”
Ricco stepped closer, his gaze dropping to the floor. “He asked me to come here a standard week ago. I don’t like this.”
“What did Gar say?” She hated hearing the quiver as she spoke, but knew if anyone understood what she was going through, it was Ricco.
“He’s mad as hell but trying not to show it. I’ve heard him trying to convince Faolan to fight, but the stubborn bastard won’t listen. Now that you’re back, I hope he’ll change.”
“Well, I’m not alone.” Mace turned and leaned over the opening. “Come on up, boys.”
“I’ll inform your brother.” Ricco didn’t wait, and marched over to the com unit. Mace ignored the fact he’d drawn his blaster again, holding it along his leg.
Byron came up first. Anyone looking at him would know he was still a major threat, even half-naked and clearly wounded. She watched him scan the room, looking for dangers, his gaze pausing on Ricco before moving on. Only when he seemed satisfied did he move away so Alec could come up.
“Move your slow ass,” Alec muttered.
“My slow ass has saved yours more than once.”
Mace rolled her eyes. “And if you both don’t learn to shut up, I’m going to kick both your asses.”
Ricco chuckled. It was a sound Mace hadn’t heard often in her life. Turning, she cocked an eyebrow at him. “What?”
He shook his head, the smile slipping from his face nearly as fast as it had appeared. “Your brother is on his way. I need to get back up front. Be safe, girl.”
Ricco gave both Alec and Byron a good glare on his way past. Mace would have chuckled under normal circumstances, but she couldn’t get Faolan out of her mind.
“Did they tell you anything?” Alec was at her side, hand hovering close but not touching.
“I’m sure Gar will fill us in as soon as he gets here.” Byron ran a hand down across his face. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to kill you, Alec.”
It was amazing how close they’d all gotten since leaving Naveeo. It had only been a matter of days, but Mace knew she would do anything possible to make sure both men were safe as could be in her home. “Don’t worry about Gar. Once he knows Alec is Faolan’s best chance at survival, he’ll give him anything he needs to make the antidote. Just let me do all the talking.”
The seconds ticked off in Mace’s head, louder and louder as each one passed. Gar was punctual to the point of being disturbing. If he wasn’t here now, it meant there was a problem—most likely with Faolan. She was about to leave the men to go in search of her brother when the door opened with a hiss.
Gar stood at the opening, an arm looped around a very tired looking Faolan. Mace didn’t hesitate, and ran over, throwing herself in their arms. “Oh my Gods, I missed you.”
“I told you not to bother going out there, sweetie.” Faolan kissed the top of her head. “I missed you too.”
Shifting over, she gave Gar a hug but pulled back when she felt how rigid his body was. “What’s wrong?”
“You brought company.” Looking down at her, he raised an eyebrow in that infuriatingly superior way he always managed. “Here to help, Byron?”
Mace stepped away, walking backward until she stood close to Alec. Byron had also moved closer—the two of them stood like a wall between the pirates and the scientist, ignoring Alec’s protests.
Gar and Faolan were far from stupid, and Mace saw the moment they both realized something was wrong. Faolan pulled away from Gar’s hold and stepped toward them.
“Mace, I’ve met Byron here before. Thanks for letting us go back then.” He winked. “Saved our asses.”
Byron gave Faolan a lopsided smirk. “Happy to help.”
“But I don’t think I’m familiar with the other gentleman.” Taking another step forward, Faolan held out his hand, peering around Byron’s bulk. “Captain Faolan Wolf. Welcome aboard the Belle Kurve.”
Byron stiffened, and Mace was about to say something when Alec nudged the two of them aside, moving to stand directly in front of Faolan. Mace wanted nothing more than to jump in and rescue him, but she held her peace. Faolan had surprised her on more than one occasion. She owed both him and Alec the respect to wait and see what would happen.
Alec cleared his throat and reached out to take Faolan’s hand. “Alec Roiten, Captain. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”
Faolan chuckled. “Son, I’m a pirate. There’s no such thing as better circumstances where I’m from. Given that we’re not under attack and the universe hasn’t decided to open up a hole to swallow us down, I think we’re doing okay.”
Alec turned his head toward her. Grim determination clouded his face, and she knew what his next words would be, even without the aid of the psychic stone.
“I’m the man responsible for killing you.”
Mace had forgotten how unbelievably fast her brother could move. Before either she or Byron had a chance to react, Gar had come forward, activated the black-bladed knives he wore hidden beneath his shirt sleeves, and pressed them to Alec’s throat. It didn’t take Byron long to respond. Yanking his bad arm from the sling, he pulled his blaster from its holster and pressed it to Gar’s head.
For the first time in her life, Mace didn’t know how to respond. Her loyalties would always lie with Gar and Faolan. They were family. But g
iven how close she now felt to Alec—hell, even Byron at this point—she couldn’t decide on the spot.
“Put the fucking blades away, Gar.” Byron’s gritty voice sounded even rougher than normal. “I’ll blow your head off if you so much as nick his skin.”
“He said he’s the one killing Faolan.” Gar’s gaze never left Alec, even as his body shook from what could only be rage. “And you brought him here.”
Finally finding her voice, Mace punched both Gar and Byron on the arms. “The two of you back the hell off! No one is dying here. If either of you do something stupid, I’m going to rip you both apart piece by piece. They’ll be lucky to find your skin cells when they do a bio scan of the ship!”
The echo of her shouts was still bouncing around the room when it was joined by Faolan’s chuckle. All four of them turned to look at him, and Mace couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
He almost looked like his old self again.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in months.” He paused his laughter long enough to wipe away a tear that had escaped his eye. “Gods, I missed having you on board, Macie. You always knew how to liven the place up.”
Faolan put one hand on Gar’s shoulder and another on Byron’s. “Okay, boys, the only person who has any right to kill someone on my ship is me. Given the circumstances, I’d much rather talk for the time being. If he annoys me, I’ll blast him out an airlock.”
Gar and Byron exchanged looks, both pulling their weapons away at the same time. Mace released her breath and did her best to slow her pounding heart down. “Well, this is going better than I thought it would.”
“You back up too, Mace.” Faolan waved her away. “I want to talk to our Mr. Roiten.”
She and Byron each took a step back, but Gar stubbornly didn’t move. Faolan reached up and cupped Gar’s cheek, forcing Gar to look him in the eye. “You too. I’m fine.”
“You’re not—”
“Please.”
Mace never knew if it was because Faolan and Gar had used the stone to connect to each other more than any other person, or if they’d simply gotten to that stage in their relationship where they knew each other so well they didn’t always need words. Either way, after a few moments of silent communication, Gar nodded and stepped away.
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