Love Without Boundaries

by Michelle Howard

  Lifting the heavy silver case, he flicked the locks and willed his claws to retract. With a minor twinge he managed the feat and opened the box to reveal the long single pronged injector. Bluish liquid swirled inside as Aran held it up to the light to make sure it was a full dose.

  A burst of heat exploded in his loins, sending him crashing to his knees. The injector fell from his grip to roll on the floor. Pain lanced through his middle in driving waves as his back arched and his fangs punched through his gums.

  Aran rocked back and forth in an effort to push back the pain. Low growls erupted from his chest as his claws broke through and retracted again drawing blood from his fingertips.

  Then all at once, it stopped. Aran gasped and fell forward too weak to catch his weight as his face hit the floor. His erection pulsed and throbbed in need. Each minute movement sent desire surging through him.

  He had to get to the shower quick. Once he washed the scent of the ship from his skin and cooled his heated flesh, Aran would use the injector. He hated awakening in his own stink smelling of unsatisfied male after three days alone.

  Aran pushed to his feet and wobbled to the cleaning unit in the corner of his room. Not much longer. He just had to hold on another few minutes and he could succumb to blessed sleep and relief.

  ***

  Ellie didn’t allow herself to relax as she crept along the narrow hall. Red carpet muffled her footsteps and aided in her attempt to remain undiscovered. She hadn’t passed any of the crew on this level of the ship. Silver and blue plaques mounted on the sleek silver walls labeled the various sections of the ship as she traversed from one corridor to another. If the directions on the lift were correct, this floor contained sleeping rooms for the crew members.

  Ellie’s stomach churned at the thought of failing. She hoped to find a vacant unit or storage area and hide away until the ship reached wherever it headed. At that point she’d get off and make her way to the nearest neutral planet to think of her next course of action.

  A neutral planet wouldn’t be required to turn her over to security or Palo. Ellie would be safe temporarily while she devised a plan to expose her step father for his wrong doing and find justice for her mother.

  So far, luck abandoned her. Ellie sucked in her teeth at the fourth locked door. Her fist banged uselessly on the wall. She just needed one break. One unlocked door wasn’t too much to ask.

  Voices carried from around the bend in the hall. Her heart raced. If any of the crew discovered her, Ellie would be turned over immediately to the authorities. Frantic, she pressed on the next two door panels in rapid succession. The voices closed in. Soon, they’d have a direct line of sight of her standing there like a child caught in the snack jar.

  She half-ran, half-jogged a few doors ahead. Her gaze snagged on a door panel glowing green. Green? The others she’d tried had been red. Praying she wasn’t about to risk her life and spend time in a prison cell, Ellie placed her palm on the square and the door opened with a hiss. A knot swelled in her throat as overwhelming relief had her staggering into the room. The door closed behind her. Ellie touched the small switch inside and heard the snick of the lock engaging.

  Her back hit the wall with a thump, ears straining as the voices in the hall rose. Laughter joined the muffled conversation then faded as the danger of discovery passed. A shaky laugh escaped as Ellie straightened.

  Her relief was short lived. Running water in the rooms’ shower shut off. Ellie had no time to hide as a beautiful man with long flowing brown hair exited. A completely naked man. Water ran down skin of burnished gold creating a small puddle on the carpeted floor. Muscled arms flexed beneath her stare.

  Ellie licked her lips and let her gaze wander lower passed a taut stomach with ripples and stopped on the obvious sign of his arousal.

  The low growl jerked her eyes up to his face. Brilliant green eyes flared then narrowed. “What are you doing in here?”

  His low voice rumbled, the sound sparking a fluttery sensation in her belly.

  She tried to think of a plausible reason for her presence but apparently took too long because he snatched up the towel he’d dropped and wrapped it around his waist.

  “Leave.”

  The rumbling sound came from deep in his chest. Taking a closer look, she realized something she should have noticed right away if not distracted by the magnificent of his body on display. He wasn’t human. Humanoid yes, human no. It would have been hard to miss the signs. Wide green eyes with diamond pupils gazed back at her. Thick bronze lashes tipped the half lowered lids.

  “You need to leave,” he continued in that devastating voice.

  “I…I”

  Large hands tipped with…claws drove through his hair as he bowed his head and snarled, “You. Must. Leave.”

  Ellie shivered, her hand reaching behind her for the door panel. She smacked the wall twice missing the lock. When she finally hit her palm to it the buzzer sounded and a metallic voice recited, “Print not recognized.”

  “Fuck!” The stranger’s head snapped up as he stormed in her direction.

  His lips pressed tight together as he reached her in four giant steps. Ellie pressed back along the wall, her insides quivering, only to have him lean toward her and brace his hands on the wall beside her head. Screwing her eyes closed tight against his intimidating presence, she waited to hear the door release.

  Nothing.

  Mouth dry, Ellie cracked her eyes open to find him studying her. His nostrils flared.

  “You smell unbelievable,” he murmured and buried his face in her neck.

  Ellie could actually feel him sniffing her. The heavy inhales followed by the soft exhales created light wisps of air against her skin.

  More of his weight pressed into her. Every inch of his skin touched Ellie. Against her will, her hands reached up and caressed the truly amazing chest on display before her. He gasped when her fingers made contact with his male nipples.

  “Yessss,” he hissed. “Touch me.” The subtle scrape of his teeth grazed her collar bone.

  Heat exploded in her middle. Ellie’s hands stroked upward and delved into the thick strands of his hair. Thoughts of Palo and escape drifted away in the face of the luscious aroma emanating from his wet skin. What kind of soap did he use that gave off the citrus scent?

  His nose glided up her neck and nudged her ear. She willingly tipped her head to the side only to feel him nip her earlobe. Ellie jumped and he chuckled. His warm laughter pebbled the flesh at her nape.

  “It’s been so long,” he whispered, lips trailing back down the curve of her shoulder. “I need. I hurt.”

  His words said fervently against her skin caused desire to bloom in her center. The urge to rub herself all over him pulled Ellie from the haze of sensual delight he weaved with his very touch.

  She released her grip on his hair and arched away from the soft lips nibbling on her neck. “Listen…uh, there’s been a mistake.” Had to be. “I don’t think I’m who you’re waiting for.” She wished she was.

  “Mmmm,” he moaned and thrust against her. “Not waiting for anyone. Just want you.”

  Ellie sighed. How wonderful to hear a man say those words though this wasn’t the context in which she’d dreamed of. She still waited for the special man who’d come into her life and want her. Love her. Ellie wanted to share a bond with a partner like her parents and fill her home with laughter and happiness.

  But Palo stopped her from meeting anyone. He kept her locked in their home like a prisoner for fear someone else would get the inheritance her mother left. One million credits. The amount was staggering. Palo badgered and badgered Ellie to let him manage it but her grief over her mother’s death kept her too saddened to think on it. After weeks of his attempts to convince her to sign the funds over, Ellie had finally pulled herself from her depression and tried to deal with matters.

  Instead, she’d discovered Palo’s guilt behind her mother’s accident and his future plans regarding Ellie when he reali
zed she wouldn’t be swayed to give him control.

  The man leaning his full weight into her body purred. Ellie glanced down and realized her hands had gone back to stroking his bare shoulders and playing with the ends of his hair. A firm bulge beneath the towel at his waist prodded her middle.

  “Feels good. Don’t stop.” His whisper brushed her ear and he purred again.

  Pointed ears peeked from beneath the dark strands of his hair close enough that her fingers touched the lobes with each stroke of her fingertips. Sharp fangs stabbed into his lower lip. Heat singed her cheeks. She needed to end this and find another place to hide on the large ship.

  Ellie dropped her hands but their position didn’t leave her enough room to move. Every inch of him was flush along her front. “Look, I’m s-sorry for whatever confusion is going on.” Ellie hoped her next lie didn’t tip him off. “I thought this was my client’s room.”

  The haze in his jeweled stare cleared. Slightly.

  “Client?”

  He’d stopped purring. Ellie missed the warm sound already.

  “Yes…um sure.” She struck what she hoped was a sexy pose and deepened her voice in an attempt to sound like a seductive sex worker. “I’m meeting someone for a good time. Time is money.”

  Ellie held her breath, heart racing and fluttered her lashes.

  His nostrils flared. The man put his face right up to hers, their foreheads touching. “You’re here for another?”

  Not exactly. She didn’t know anyone on the ship.

  Not waiting for her response, he pulled away. At least a good foot separated them.

  Passion glazed eyes cleared and his shoulders tensed. “Who the hell are you?”

  Chapter 3

  The woman froze and crossed her arms over her chest. “My name’s not important. I must have gotten the rooms wrong.”

  And the shift in her pretty blue eyes told Aran she lied. His skin buzzed from the lack of contact with the woman in front of him. His inner cat snarled at the loss as well. He’d fallen into full blown muata in the shower. Coming out to a strange woman in his room had thrown him.

  Her scent called forth his mating urge further. He’d tried to warn her but she didn’t have access to disengage his security locks. At the time, Aran brushed the tidbit to the side. Need and desire rushed through him until he’d cornered her by the door. The smell of her arousal and crème as he touched her had not been faked.

  Now she claimed to be on the ship to see someone. As head of security, Aran knew every guest approved and rejected for entrance on one of the top battle cruisers in the fleet. None of the crew had requested a special visitor pass for a sex worker, which is what she would have needed if she told the truth.

  Her access into his quarters was another matter. No one but the Commander and Dar could override his locks. Unless…Aran paused, would Jax have sent her to him?

  Aran immediately dismissed the thought. That wasn’t how the man operated and he understood Aran’s desire to use the sedative instead of spending his muata with a woman. Aran inhaled deeply. Fuck. And she was definitely fertile.

  “What’s your name?” Aran asked the question casually.

  “Ellie.” She relaxed with a smile and straightened from the wall.

  “Who’s your client? I can get him on the comm since you’re in the wrong room.” Aran had every intention on contacting Dar, his second, to have her removed.

  Her smile quivered in the corners and Aran had to bite back a smirk as he searched the floor for his discarded uniform.

  “T-that’s personal. I mean confidential.”

  The pink slashes on her cheeks only served to enhance her feminine beauty. Human, not Argoran but attractive to him nonetheless. Aran adored all women. Perhaps she wasn’t a career criminal but she was absolutely a stowaway.

  “Hmmm.” He hoped to allay her suspicion. Aran kneeled when he spotted his pants and withdrew his portable comm from the pocket.

  “What are you doing?”

  She stepped in his direction, bringing the alluring scent of peaches and her wet crème.

  Spikes of desire tore through his abdomen and he fell forward barely getting one arm out to catch his weight before he hit the floor. “Stay back!”

  If she didn’t, he’d be all over her again. As it was it took all of his concentration to keep from taking her in his arms and laying her in his bed while he sated his lust for the darker parts of his mating urge.

  “Are you okay?”

  Aran flinched when her hand touched his back lightly. He let loose a wry chuckle as moisture beaded his upper lip from the strain of holding back. “You don’t listen well do you, Ellie?”

  “Not if someone needs help.”

  Her answer had a sharp snap to it.

  He added easily annoyed and stubborn to the list he mentally began to compile on her traits. Aran palmed the comm in his fist and forced himself to his feet. He swayed and her arm immediately came around his waist.

  “Take it easy.”

  His skin sizzled. Desire surged and his length throbbed to the point it became a physical ache. The towel was in danger of losing the battle with gravity.

  “I think you’re sick, Mister. Can you get to the medical bay?”

  “Not sick. And it’s Aran, not mister.”

  His lungs labored under the arousal coursing through his veins. He wanted to hear his name on her plump lips. Just the thought had his lids lowering to half-mast.

  “Right. How about I help you to lie down.”

  Her voice had taken on a soft tone. One that his mother often used to corral his father when she thought he was being particularly hardheaded.

  Aran reluctant moved away from her. He didn’t need to lie down. “I’ll be fine. I just need an injection and I’ll be better.”

  He remembered dropping it after ending his call with his father.

  She twisted her fingers together in the material of the bright orange dress she wore. “Maybe you should take it now.”

  His control faltered. Was that true worry in her eyes? What kind of criminal was she? Maybe she had a legitimate reason to be here after all.

  “Why are you here again?”

  Her eyes shifted and she spoke to the floor when she answered. “My client requested my services.”

  Same lie. Aran sighed and opened his comm to page Dar.

  “What are you doing?”

  Aran did what he did best when doing his job. He stretched the truth a bit. “Calling a friend to get my medicine.”

  Her shoulders eased and the pinched creases between her brows faded.

  Dar’s message link came on. Aran kept it brief, asking his friend to stop by his room. Now to stall his little visitor until his friend could take her to a detainment cell. They wouldn’t be able to hand her over to the authorities until the Zanian docked in Urala or stopped on Argora.

  ***

  Nervous didn’t cover the skittish anxiety pricking at Ellie’s skin. Nothing was going as she planned. Why hadn’t she stumbled into an empty room instead of one with a handsome man who brought out more interest in Ellie than any other man in her recent years?

  Ellie turned to leave and almost reached the door when something large thumped behind her. She glanced back at the man, Aran, leaning against the opposite wall. The natural bronze hue of his skin paled to a light gold. She ran back to his side unsure what illness ailed him.

  “You’re not alright.” Her hands fluttered in the air as she debated what to do. Survival instincts said this was a perfect time to get away from him but compassion prevented her from leaving anyone in this condition.

  She touched his arm and gasped at the heat emanating from his skin. He’d been hot before but now it was as if a fire burned beneath his flesh. Her touch changed to a gentle stroke in an attempt to soothe. His hand grabbed onto hers.

  “Stop.” A moan followed. “Please.”

  He released her abruptly, head tilted back on the wall those amazing eyes closed.


  “Aran? Let me help you.”

  His lids lifted, a hoarse laugh escaping. “Help me? Believe me, Ellie. You don’t want to help me.”

  Aran heaved his weight away from the wall and staggered passed her. Every step lacked the coordination his sculpted muscles hinted at. She bet when illness didn’t have him thrown for a loop, he made for a deadly enemy to face. Ellie hurried behind him, scared his weaving steps would send him to the floor.

  A moment later, her fear came true as he bent over at the waist and roared.

  Actually roared. The hair at the nape of her neck curled, setting her pulse to pound in an uneven rhythm. She reached for him as he arched backward impossibly far before he fell forward and dropped to one knee. The towel parted and Ellie glimpsed the sleek, smooth flex of a thigh. Her gaze drifted down to the ripples of hair, dusted calf muscles and the arch of a foot braced on the floor.

  Low panting growls emitted from his mouth. The rough and snarling sounds should have sent her fleeing from the room. Instead, she knelt in front of his drooping head and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her fingers whisked the long tumble of hair from his forehead. Sweat dampened her palm.

  “Alright, mister. You’re seriously ill and it’s worrying me.”

  He tipped his face up. Their gazes caught. His tortured and pained, hers filled with concern. “You need to leave, Ellie. Now, before I hurt you.”

  “Experience has shown me that if a person is more worried about hurting you, odds are they won’t.”

  Aran snorted. “Naïve and foolish.”

  “What?”

  His mouth twisted in a wry smile. “Just adding to my list.”

  She couldn’t make sense of that statement and chose to ignore it. “Let’s get you to the bed.”

  Her breasts brushed against his arms when she attempted to help him to his feet. They hardened to tight points. She was horrible for lusting after a sick man.