Femme Metal

by Nathalie Gray

  That smug jerk! How dare he?

  A veil of red clouded Alex’s vision. With a yell surprising even to herself, she crossed the distance and pounded on him with a barrage of kicks and punches and hand chops. He countered each one but had to step back from the sheer force of her assault. He didn’t look as smug as usual. If she survived, she’d have a drink to that!

  “You stole my ship.” Kick to the thigh.

  “You kidnapped my girls.” Punch to the belly. He bent in half but pushed her away before she could do more damage. She meant for a devastating hook to his precious mouth but never made it near.

  Sekmeth caught it mid-flight and held in there by sheer brute strength.

  Alex tried to pull her hand away but only brought him along with it.

  He shook his head. “You are only making this difficult for yourself.”

  She kicked him in the shin. His face didn’t even register the hit.

  Her strength quickly drained away, she attempted to pull her fist out of his palm. Out of desperation, she tried to knee him in the groin. He was much too tall. Her kneecap didn’t connect with anything more valuable than the inside of his thigh. Alex struggled against the arm he wrapped behind her back. Both their stomachs were pressed tightly together, a situation she knew too well. Tears stung her eyes. Options rapidly dwindled with her stamina.

  Why couldn’t she feed off the hatred, use it as energy to beat the shit out of him? He richly deserved it. She thrashed against him. Her waterlogged boots felt about fifty pounds each, her whole body radiated with hurt, her heart squeezed painfully at the forced contact and the memories associated with it.

  Sekmeth leaned in close and murmured something in her ear. Amid the deafening noise in the dome, she couldn’t hear him. “What?” she yelled.

  “First blood,” she read on his lips when he repeated.

  Shit.

  His whole expression changed from battle lust to sadness. Alex could only stare in mute horror when he bared his teeth and sank them into her bare shoulder. She howled in pain—the crowd howled in glee.

  Sekmeth released her right away. Alex sank to her knees when she saw blood dribbling from the bite. It wasn’t a sucking stomach wound or anything. She’d faced much worse. Her face had been cleaved in half once. But the way it had happened utterly floored her. He’d bitten her. First blood.

  The announcer practically shouted in the mike. His excited voice reverberated around the structure, amplified too many times for Alex’s tastes. She wanted to cram her fingers in her ears, cry, dive back into the water and never come back up.

  “That was low,” she snarled.

  The Hunter approached, looking as though he meant to help her up to her feet, but she scrambled away and pointed an accusing finger at him. “Sneaky bastard you are. Don’t touch me.”

  “I had to, Alexandra Novona. Otherwise, it would have gone on too long and we would have injured one another. This way is better.”

  “Yeah, sure, you get yourself a nice human whore to play with. Come near me and I’ll show you how grateful I am.”

  Sekmeth straightened, looking hurt by the force of her accusation. “You do not know everything.”

  “What’s there to know?” she demanded loudly. “You’re alien scum, the worse kind. I hate your guts!”

  Despite her raging humor, she spotted his ring glowing with a fierce golden light. He looked down at it, seemed surprised to see it that way then gritted his teeth. The glow dimmed.

  Already, guards marched toward them. Alex spotted an inhibitor in one’s hand. She cursed and spat at Sekmeth. His jaw muscles twitched as he looked away.

  The guard with the inhibitor neared Alex but the Hunter interposed himself and took the silver band. He kept it in one fist, saluted the VIP box and beckoned to Alex.

  With no better option in front of her, she followed.

  Under the noise of the crowd going on madly behind them, they entered “his” side of the dome and strode down a tunnel similar to the one she’d used to enter. There, Sekmeth spoke in curt tones to the guards who nodded and left.

  “Come,” he said, opening the door and waiting for her to enter first.

  Alex noticed his lounge hugely surpassed hers in space and luxury. Water still dripped from both of them and she trailed wet footprints on the purple carpet. She turned just as the Yithian closed and locked the door.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. She couldn’t even beat off a fly right now, let alone this muscled specimen. Her thigh muscles twitched with cramps and spasms, her belly shook at its core from cold, pain and adrenaline. She felt too choked to even look at him. Lying, slippery piece of shit!

  Sekmeth leaned back against the door and ran a hand in his disheveled hair. “We need to talk.”

  She made a rude gesture with her shaking hand. A long shiver raced up her entire body. Nothing but walls, carpet and some chrome chairs. Only one other door in the room and if it was anything like it had been on her side, it led to a lavatory. When she looked down at it, she decided the bite mark wasn’t as bad as she’d initially thought. It’d stopped bleeding. Still, he’d bitten her just so he could win. How sick was that?

  A look of deep vexation crossed his angular face. He peeled his frame off the door and marched toward her. “There was no other way.”

  Like it would make any difference. Alex crossed her arms and stalked to the lavatory door. He preceded her there, blocking her way. Alex only noticed then the fresh ink work on his shoulder and pectoral, with the skin around it swollen and darker. He saw her looking at it.

  “This one is for your companions,” he said, pointing to his shoulder.

  She meant to punch him. Kick him a good one in the balls. But that kind of energy she didn’t have. So she just stared stunners at him.

  “And this one,” he went on, his voice becoming deeper, gentler, “is for you.”

  It wasn’t lost on her he was pointing to his heart. The tattoo resembled a messed-up black orchid with thorns coiled around its stem and made the whole thing look both fierce and soft. She lowered her gaze. Don’t let it get to you. It’s nothing but a trophy. A trophy for your head.

  “Don’t I feel special.”

  “You are.” He looked down at his ring, sighed. “This should be proof enough.”

  The strange pearl glowed as if a firefly was trapped in it. She thought she knew what it meant, but didn’t want to think about it. Did she care his stupid mood ring lit up? She didn’t care. Not one bit.

  “Move over, Sekmeth, or I swear on my life, I’ll—”

  He kissed her on the mouth. A jolt of electricity—nothing like what the inhibitor dispensed—shot through her. She staggered back a step and slapped him. Hard. Wet-on-wet skin clacked noisily. The blow must have caught him by surprise for he cringed and rubbed his cheek.

  Alex put a shaking hand in front of her. “Oh, no, you’re not doing that to me, not again.”

  “I treated you shamefully. That was a mistake. I never repeat a mistake.”

  “Not good enough. Stay away,” Alex snapped.

  He nodded.

  For the life of her, she could swear he looked serious, contrite even. What was up with that? He’d try to manipulate her again, use her then make fun when he was done. Well, this girl wasn’t going to take such crap a second time. No matter he stood in front of her, dripping wet in his barely there rubber underwear, his eyes so intense as to set her skin on fire. No matter, either, if he was currently drawing near and raising a hand to touch her face. A sweet tingle prickled the nape of her neck. It didn’t matter one bit. She could kick his ass anytime she wanted. She could take a step back, completely ignore the beautiful alien and not even feel ragged with lust. Alexandra Novona was in complete control of herself. Like Kim would say—”totally”.

  Sekmeth bent slowly until his mouth hovered an inch above hers. A drop of water hung on his chin, a blue diamond. Lips like shiny silk ribbons parted. “Jus
t tell me to stop when my debt to you is repaid.”

  Alex swallowed hard. “That’s one hell of a big debt you owe me, Yithian.”

  The tips of his teeth showed when he smiled. A real smile, nothing predatory about it. “I know.”

  His fingers brushed against her cheek, his thumb tracing the scar there. He closed his eyes and pressed his mouth against hers. Exhilaration and alarm and passion swelled over her in a tidal wave of emotions she didn’t know she’d feel for anyone, could feel for anyone. A deep sound rumbled in her chest, struggled to get free, to rise up her throat and make her a complete, lust-blinded idiot. What was wrong with her? He’d played her only a couple of days ago, for god’s sake, had she already forgotten the shame, the pain? Alex put her hands against the firm, smooth barrier of his chest and pushed him to arm’s length.

  Sekmeth pressed his hand over hers, squeezed it until she could feel the mad thumping of his heart against her palm. “My mouth can lie and cheat well, but not this.”

  Alex closed her eyes briefly to follow the rhythm. No one could fake this. The thing felt as if it would burst out of his chest. She met his gaze. “Suppose it’s true. What do you want?”

  “You.”

  Heat rose to her cheeks, made her want to scratch her head, rub her chin, anything but just stand there and stare. “Yeah—”

  Sekmeth pushed against her arm until she bent her elbow and allowed him closer. His hands felt feverish as he ran them up her arms, shoulders and neck. Driving his thumbs under her jaw, he forced her head back. Alex let out a silent “O” when the tip of his tapered tongue glanced all the way up from the space between her collarbones to her throat and over her chin. He kissed her again, this time she could feel it, the heat, the urgency. He was shaking.

  In Yithian, he said something in a loud, clear voice. The lights dimmed and the display units flickered on all at once, each showing a portion of the crowd or arena as more combatants dueled. The strangeness of it quickened Alex’s heartbeat. So many faces looking yet seeing nothing—the music, the roar of voices.

  He surrounded her with arms covered in goose bumps. His hands pressed the small of her back against him, arching her spine until their bodies clamped together from hips to chest. The force of his hunger drove deep in her belly. She feared for a moment his garment would burst. With his feet, he nudged hers apart until she stood braced. Alex stared into his darkening, narrowing eyes. It was there all right—quite different from the last time he’d held and kissed her. The fire.

  Sekmeth abandoned her back to trail his hands down over her bottom where he cupped each cheek and clutched hard. As much as she wanted to, Alex didn’t touch him. Let him do what he’d planned. Her hands ached for the touch of his skin, of his firm body, but she denied herself the pleasure, suspecting, knowing more would come if she just remained still and took it all in.

  A low growl rumbled in Sekmeth’s chest. His barrage of kisses left Alex breathless. When he parted his lips so his tongue could flick past, she rose on tiptoes to not miss a thing. His hands left her bottom and pressed on her shoulders until her heels touched ground again.

  “My debt to repay,” he murmured in her ear. He snapped his garment opened and let it slip from his legs. The might of his desire swayed with each breath.

  She sucked in air as his tongue struck out under her lobe to flick and torture it in various ways. The sharpness of his teeth raked along her neck. Abruptly, he deserted her neck to concentrate on the dawn of her breasts. His mouth felt hot and demanding. Alex groaned. She wanted to tear her clothes off, rip them all off and throw them far. His too, but he’d robbed her of the fun.

  As she reached up, he snatched her arm back down against her side and held it there, slightly behind and exposing her flank to his mouth. Sekmeth had to kneel to reach down that far. Rapid breaths rattled in his chest as he raked his teeth all over her side, enough to hurt, not enough to scare. Alex wanted to grip fistfuls of his silver hair and yank him to her. She fought the urge, bit her lips.

  Her bustier snapped open, releasing her breasts, one of which Sekmeth quickly captured with his mouth. A tongue both quick and agile soon reduced her nipple to a throbbing garnet. Alex balled her fists. Whoa. Definitely whoa.

  She yelped when he straightened and grabbed her in a bruising embrace that left her feet dangling inches off the floor. His breaths came short and quick. Sekmeth walked over to the display units and pressed Alex against one. Music blared inside the arena and reached the lounge—muffled and distorted but loud nonetheless. Light and static electricity prickled her back and hair. Cold glass and plastic screen pressed against her wet skin. Sekmeth ground himself against her and kept her feet wide enough so he could fit in the middle. His ring was blazing—enough to cast a golden glow on the rest of his hand.

  Under the dim lights and reflections from the screens behind, he looked mottled gray, black and blue, his thick tattoos seeming to come to life in undulating patterns and swirls. His hair shone as pure liquid light. Alex succumbed to the yearning tormenting her hands and reached out to stroke his dripping locks. Pleasure ripples shot up her arms. Good god, she could be like this forever.

  Sekmeth ripped the loose bustier from her and slapped her arms away. He soon had her bottom piece down around her ankles. She bent to unbuckle the boots.

  “Keep them.” He forced her wrist outward and bit the tender inside.

  The fire of his breath seared her belly as he knelt in front of her and trailed tongue-flicks down over her mons and below.

  Alex took in a deep breath. “Oh.”

  That tongue.

  She meant to help, to force away any annoyance that would keep her from the full force of his tapered tongue. But Sekmeth seemed to manage quite well on his own, thank you very much. So she let him take her there, to the place, the state where everything and everyone could go to hell and Old Earth could bust in two, and she wouldn’t care one bit. A sudden urge to hit something gripped her, and she bit her lip for fear of hurting him. The things he could do with that organ.

  Then something so hot it almost burned touched her clit, rubbed it expertly. She glanced down to watch him put his middle finger in his mouth to wet it and rub her clit with his ring, which he’d twisted so it faced inside. In circular motions he rubbed, licked, rubbed some more, until she started shaking.

  When he stood, she felt bereft and cheated without his tongue on her, his burning pearl on her. She glowered at the Yithian and was about to voice her frustration when he ground his pelvis against hers and lifted her off her feet with the sheer force of his being. His member rubbed in all the right places. Alex groaned and threw her arms around his shoulders. A violent shiver shook his lean frame.

  Suddenly feverish and shuddering as though he was a man in the fight of his life, Sekmeth parted her legs wider with his knee and scooped her up with his member. As it slid in deep, the glossy rod infused a fire that spread to Alex’s thighs and belly. Her feet left the floor as her wits left her skull.

  She snarled something even she couldn’t understand. Her vision blurred. Tattooed skin rippled in the most beautiful fashion on his chest and shoulders as he extended his legs and stood erect in every sense of the word. He planted his palms on either side of her face and stared hard.

  Then he began to move inside her. Up. Higher. Until she had to stifle a gasp.

  His stoic face registered none of the assault he put her body through. The rhythmic thump of his urgent thrusts shook and plastered her against the screens but she didn’t care and, in fact, quite enjoyed the near-brutality. Their boots rubbed together in pleasant squeaks. Gravity kept her skewered to him while he crushed her with his chest. Yet he managed to keep staring at her, and she, back at him. That was until Alex felt the telltale tightening of her inner thighs. That place—he was taking her there hard and fast!

  Alex couldn’t suppress a moan, the long cry. Inside her, Sekmeth trembled and grew still. His breathing was so fast she feared for his health. Sweat slicked his le
an body, made it appear as though his tattoos had melted to his skin, made clumps of his smooth hair. Thick strands of it spilled over his shoulders, down to his elbows.

  He licked his lips. “Alexandra Novona.”

  So strange to have this alien say her name in that manner, like the sweetest nectar he’d ever tasted. Alex couldn’t stop grinning. “Sekmeth Meroh.”

  He smiled one of his lopsided grins and nodded. “Thank you.” His eyes slowly returned to the usual gray pearl. With a long sigh, he deposited her to the floor and pulled out.

  Alex leaned back against the screens while the Yithian slumped on the floor, clearly exhausted. Though his member still flaunted its narrow head up high, Sekmeth brought his knees up so he could rest his elbows. “You humans. So much stamina in such tiny vessels.”

  Throbbing in more places than she could count, Alex plunked her behind on the carpeted floor and blew air through her teeth. She’d be sore in the morning. The thought made her smile.

  “So, what’s the deal now? You’re my boss or what?”

  Laughter made him look much younger, though she had no idea how old he was. Yithians always looked in their mid-thirties. “The transaction made me your master.” He bared his predatory grin at her. “But in truth it made me poor.”

  The thought had crossed her mind that the Hunter had paid for her. “How much?”

  “A fortune.”

  Alex turned to him, crossed her arms. “Come on, how much did you have to transfer?”

  “Two hundred and fifty thousand credits for the infinite honor of getting pummeled by you.”

  “But it cost you two hundred thousand to reel us four in,” Alex said, unsure if she should feel honored, slighted or what. Such a strange situation. He’d been paid to hunt her, succeeded, then he himself transferred even more credits to beat her up so he could get her back.

  He nodded. “Some things come before numbers.”

  Chapter Twelve