Devlin: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 11)

by Anna Hackett

  Taylor craned her neck and spied Marcus—a nervous-looking Marcus—who was wearing dark slacks and a pressed blue shirt.

  Whispers started up through the crowd, heads turning. Taylor turned to look at the doorway to the Garden.

  The crowd parted, and she spotted Elle walking toward Marcus, wearing a beautiful white dress. It was a simple, V-necked design that skimmed her slender body and ended at mid-calf. Walking beside Elle was Claudia, wearing a bombshell short dress in a gorgeous bronze color. They both held small bouquets of brightly colored flowers.

  The crowd oohed and aahed, but Elle only had eyes for the big man waiting for her with the general.

  ***

  Elle looked radiant. The dress wasn’t fancy, but it was made of a creamy white fabric that sparkled in the sunlight. The woman’s eyes were glued to Marcus.

  Devlin was new to the entire love thing, but even he could see it shining off these two.

  Elle reached Marcus and her groom pulled her close.

  Beside Devlin, Taylor slipped her hand in his, her eyes teary.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she said.

  In the bright sunlight, with Holmes officiating, and Hell Squad flanking them, Elle and Marcus made their vows.

  Devlin listened as the couple married, vowing to love and honor each other. Marcus cupped Elle’s cheek.

  “I love you, Elle. I don’t have much to give you, but I’ll always protect you, and love you. My heart and my life are yours.”

  Elle pressed a slim hand against Marcus’ chest. “I love you, Marcus. I have for a very long time, I think from before I even met you. I never dreamed a man like you existed—brave, honorable, and heroic. I will always be here to support you. To be your light in the darkness.”

  Holmes cleared his throat, smiling. “I now pronounce you man and wife.”

  Marcus leaned down and pulled Elle in for a kiss. The crowd broke out in wild cheers.

  “Let the girl have some air,” Shaw called out.

  Marcus pulled back, and then swung Elle off her feet.

  Claudia appeared, popping the top off a bottle of champagne. Golden liquid sprayed everywhere.

  Devlin looked at Taylor. “I have something for you.”

  “Oh?”

  “Your Christmas gift.”

  “Oh, I have a gift for you, too! Some books, and…” Her smile turned a little shy. “I actually wrote you a story.”

  Pleasure hit him. “Really?”

  “It’s about this amazing, handsome super-spy.”

  He smiled. “I hope he has a smart, tough, and sexy partner by his side. I can’t wait to read it.”

  “I left it in our room—”

  “Later.” He dipped into his pocket, then held his hand out to her, palm up. “I just picked it up from the lady who made it for me, so I didn’t get a chance to wrap it.”

  She stared at the silver chain on his palm. It was a near replica of the one the raptor had taken from her at the alien factory. She reached out, lifting it, her face reverent. “You remembered every charm.”

  “Super spies have good memories,” he told her. “I also had two more added.”

  She fingered the small charms and stopped at one. It was a female soldier holding a carbine.

  “To remind you that you escaped, and made yourself strong.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, Devlin. It’s perfect.” She frowned slightly. “I don’t see the last one, though.”

  He held out his hand. A small heart-shaped charm, like the one she’d given Max, lay in the center of his palm.

  She bit her lip. “Dev.”

  He took a deep breath, dredging up some courage. He felt like a man heading off on his first mission. “I’m in love with you.”

  Her mouth fell open.

  “This is a representation of my heart. I’m giving it to you.”

  When she still didn’t say anything, he kissed her. It started slow at first, then deepened. She pulled back, grinning. “I’m already half way in love with you.”

  “Only half way?”

  “Well, maybe three quarters.” She snatched the heart charm from him and slipped it onto the chain.

  He pulled her close, helping to fasten the necklace around her neck. “I’m never letting you go.”

  “Good,” she said reverently.

  “Oh!” A woman’s startled cry from nearby.

  They both spun. Devlin instantly recognized Santha’s voice. Then he heard Cruz.

  “Mi reina, what’s wrong?”

  Devlin saw that Santha’s face was pale, her hands clutching her belly. She looked up, her green eyes wide. “I think my water just broke.”

  ***

  Theron

  Theron hated parties. There were too many people doing too much talking.

  He took a long drag of his beer and watched everyone rushing toward Santha. Doc Emerson whisked her out of the Garden, a frantic-looking Cruz at her side.

  Theron suspected the man would have looked calmer if he was heading off to face ten raptor patrols. Marcus and Elle followed, trying to calm Cruz.

  Somewhere behind Theron, music started. He scowled. Music meant people would start dancing soon. He hated dancing.

  Restless, he took another sip of homebrewed beer. He felt an edginess riding him, a feeling that had been growing in him for months.

  What he needed was a good fuck. It’d been too long since he’d plowed himself inside a woman, and after the wild fight two weeks ago, the raptors had been quiet. He hadn’t even been able to work this gnawing frustration out in a good fight. His hands tightened on his bottle. He needed…something.

  But he had certain tastes, and he hadn’t found anyone here who really suited him.

  But he knew what he wanted. Or, rather, who he wanted.

  His eyes tracked over the crowd and settled on her.

  He shouldn’t want her, for a lot of different reasons. But the main one was that she was pretty and kind and sweet. If she knew the dark little fantasies he jacked off to about her in the middle of the night, she’d freak out.

  Feeling even more unsettled, Theron slammed his glass down and headed out of the Garden. He couldn’t handle the party anymore. As he walked through the tunnels back toward his room, his skin burned, need rising in him like a hungry beast.

  He’d watched Marcus claim his woman, he’d seen the way Taylor and Devlin looked at each other, not to mention Roth and Avery. Everyone was pairing up, but Theron knew he’d never find a woman who was a perfect fit for him.

  The tunnels were thankfully empty, with everyone up at the party, so no one was around to see the thunderclouds on his face.

  He slammed into his room, the need brewing in his veins—the need that had been growing for months—was starting to bubble over.

  In the center of the room, he opened his trousers and pulled out his cock. Instantly, he started stroking himself.

  And he imagined Sienna.

  He groaned, his hand moving faster, rougher.

  His friend. His squad mate. He’d denied it, ignored it, fantasized about it.

  Nothing had worked. Right now, he imagined her sinking to her knees in front of him. Ready to do whatever he wanted. Whatever he ordered.

  Another groan tore from his throat. His impending orgasm was coiling at the base of his spine. A few more hard pulls, and he came with a harsh cry. “Sienna.”

  Chest heaving like bellows, he hissed air in and out.

  A noise. Near the door.

  He turned his head.

  The door was ajar, but there was no one there.

  He sighed, stuffing himself back into his trousers. He moved to the door and closed it, that wired, hungry feeling already coming back again. He’d barely taken the edge off.

  He knew he’d better clean up and get back to the party before he was missed. His squad members were nothing, if not persistent. They’d hunt him down and drag him back.

  It was time to get back to controlling his desires, denying himself
the woman he wanted most.

  ***

  Taylor waited with the rest of her squad and Hell Squad in the Garden, snuggled into Dev.

  While everyone was sharing drinks and talking, Shaw and Claudia were pacing. They were worse than expectant parents.

  Taylor let a gleeful smile creep over her lips. This was the best Christmas she’d celebrated in a long time. She lifted her glass of wine and looked down at her new necklace. It could never replace what her parents had given to her, but this was a special gift from the man she loved, and she’d treasure it.

  Almost as much as his love.

  Devlin Gray loved her. She smiled even wider. Everything was pretty damn amazing.

  She turned to look at her man, and raised a brow at the worried look on his face. She knew he and Santha were close. “She’ll be fine, Dev.”

  “How long does having a baby take?” he muttered.

  “It can take a long time.” She frowned. “Or so I’m told.” She really didn’t know much about babies at all.

  “She’s still a few weeks early,” Claudia said. “After her last scare, I know Santha was worried she might deliver early.”

  “The doc’s got this,” Marcus said. “Santha and the baby will be fine.”

  “Here you go.” Hemi shoved a glass of bourbon in Devlin’s hand. “You look like you need it.”

  Dev downed the amber liquid in one gulp. “If this is how long having a baby takes, we are never doing it.”

  Taylor froze and blinked. A baby? She’d never considered it before. Hell, after the invasion, having a long-term relationship had seemed like a pipe dream, let alone having kids.

  She looked over and saw Elle sitting across from them, the bride nestled in her new husband’s arms.

  “I want that, first,” Taylor said.

  Devlin looked over. “Marriage?”

  “Commitment.”

  He touched her face. “I think we can manage that.”

  “I love you, Devlin.”

  “I love you, too. And I’m thinking it’s only going to get stronger with every day that passes.”

  Her chest flooded with warmth. “Count on it.”

  Suddenly, the doors to the Garden opened, and Cruz stepped inside with his adopted daughter Bryony next to him. In his muscled, tattooed arms, he held a tiny bundle.

  “It’s a girl!” He was beaming.

  Everyone crowded around the man.

  “Man, she is tiny,” Shaw exclaimed.

  “She looks just like Santha,” Claudia said.

  Little Bryony was beaming. “We’re calling my little sister Kari.”

  “After Santha’s sister,” Cruz added. “Kareena.”

  Taylor smiled. Santha had lost her sister to the aliens. This was a lovely way to honor her.

  “How is Santha?” Devlin asked.

  “Amazing,” Cruz said. “She did so well. A real pro.” His lips twitched. “Although she did call me a few names and told me no more babies.”

  Taylor peered at the baby. Kari was fast asleep, safe in her father’s strong arms. She had a shock of black hair, and surprisingly chubby cheeks.

  You’ll be protected, little one. Taylor looked at Hell Squad watching the new arrival with awe. They’d die for you.

  Although reluctant to share, Cruz finally passed the baby over to Shaw. The sniper looked surprisingly comfortable cuddling a baby.

  Taylor leaned into Devlin. As she watched the big, tough members of Hell Squad turn to mush over a small baby, she saw the joy of a new life. She saw hope.

  No matter what happened or what the aliens threw at them, they’d never give up. That was what the fight against the aliens was all about. Hope. Not to regain what they’d lost, but to build something new and better. But before they could do that, she knew it was vital they discovered what this mysterious alien weapon was, and found a way to stop it.

  “Hey, want to sneak out of here?” Devlin whispered.

  His sexy voice sent a shiver down her spine. Now wasn’t the time to think of the aliens or fighting or weapons. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well, I have a few ideas.” He took her hand, tugging her toward the door. “They involve you naked. Fair warning.”

  Taylor’s chest filled with love for this man. She loved seeing this teasing side of him. “Only if I get to be on top, super spy.”

  Devlin’s easy laughter was music she could listen to all day. She had plans to keep him laughing…always.

  ---

  I hope you enjoyed Devlin and Taylor’s story!

  Hell Squad continues with THERON, starring big, silent, and tough Squad Nine soldier, Theron. Coming in 2017.

  If you’re looking for more action-packed science fiction romance, then read on for a preview of Gladiator, the first book in the Galactic Gladiators series.

  Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, action romance info, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.

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  Just another day at the office.

  Harper Adams pulled herself along the outside of the space station module. She could hear her quiet breathing inside her spacesuit, and she easily pulled her weightless body along the slick, white surface of the module. She stopped to check a security panel, ensuring all the systems were running smoothly.

  Check. Same as it had been yesterday, and the day before that. But Harper never ever let herself forget that they were six hundred million kilometers away from Earth. That meant they were dependent only on themselves. She tapped some buttons on the security panel before closing the reinforced plastic cover. She liked to dot all her Is and cross all her Ts. She never left anything to chance.

  She grabbed the handholds and started pulling herself up over the cylindrical pod to check the panels on the other side. Glancing back behind herself, she caught a beautiful view of the planet below.

  Harper stopped and made herself take it all in. The orange, white, and cream bands of Jupiter could take your breath away. Today, she could even see the famous superstorm of the Great Red Spot. She’d been on the Fortuna Research Station for almost eighteen months. That meant, despite the amazing view, she really didn’t see it anymore.

  She turned her head and looked down the length of the space station. At the end was the giant circular donut that housed the main living quarters and offices. The main ring rotated to provide artificial gravity for the residents. Lying off the center of the ring was the long cylinder of the research facility, and off that cylinder were several modules that housed various scientific labs and storage. At the far end of the station was the docking area for the supply ships that came from Earth every few months.

  “Lieutenant Adams? Have you finished those checks?”

  Harper heard the calm voice of her fellow space marine and boss, Captain Samantha Santos, through the comm system in her helmet.

  “Almost done,” Harper answered.

  “Take a good look at the botany module. The computer’s showing some strange energy spikes, but the scientists in there said everything looks fine. Must be a system malfunction.”

  Which meant the geek squad engineers were going to have to come in and do some maintenance. “On it.”

  Harper swung her body around, and went feet-first down the other side of the module. She knew the rest of the security team—all made up of United Nations Space Marines—would be running similar checks on the other modules across the station. They had a great team to ensure the safety of the hundreds of scientists aboard the station. There was also a dedicated team of engineers that kept the guts of the station running.

  She passed a large, solid window into the module, and could see various scientists floating around benches filled with all kinds of plants. They all wore matching gray jumpsuits accented with bright-blue at the collars, that indicated science team. There was a vast mix of
scientists and disciplines aboard—biologists, botanists, chemists, astronomers, physicists, medical experts, and the list went on. All of them were conducting experiments, and some were searching for alien life beyond the edge of the solar system. It seemed like every other week, more probes were being sent out to hunt for radio signals or collect samples.

  Since humans had perfected large solar sails as a way to safely and quickly propel spacecraft, getting around the solar system had become a lot easier. With radiation pressure exerted by sunlight onto the mirrored sails, they could travel from Earth to Fortuna Station orbiting Jupiter in just a few months. And many of the scientists aboard the station were looking beyond the solar system, planning manned expeditions farther and farther away. Harper wasn’t sure they were quite ready for that.

  She quickly checked the adjacent control panel. Among all the green lights, she spotted one that was blinking red, and she frowned. They definitely had a problem with the locking system on the exterior door at the end of the module. She activated the small propulsion pack on her spacesuit, and circled around the module. She slowed down as she passed the large, round exterior door at the end of the cylindrical module.

  It was all locked into place and looked secure.

  As she moved back to the module, she grabbed a handhold and then tapped the small tablet attached to the forearm of her suit. She keyed in a request for maintenance to come and check it.

  She looked up and realized she was right near another window. Through the reinforced glass, a pretty, curvy blonde woman looked up and spotted Harper. She smiled and waved. Harper couldn’t help but smile and lifted her gloved hand in greeting.

  Dr. Regan Forrest was a botanist and a few years younger than Harper. The young woman was so open and friendly, and had befriended Harper from her first day on the station. Harper had never had a lot of friends—mainly because she’d been too busy raising her younger sister and working. She’d never had time for girly nights out or gossip.

  But Regan was friendly, smart, and had the heart of a steamroller under her pretty exterior. Harper always had trouble saying no to her. Maybe the woman reminded her a little of Brianna. At the thought of her sister, something twisted painfully in Harper’s chest.