by KD Jones
“I appreciate that,” he told her.
She shivered again and it pulled at him to do something for her. He should take his coat off and have her put it on anyway but he didn’t want to take even that much time to stop paddling. Getting her to safety was his priority. The sooner they reached the last island the sooner he would be able to take her in his arms and warm her with his body.
He felt a little relief seeing the small island where the shuttle and his team would be awaiting. Just in time, since the suns were now rising, illuminating the ocean despite the fog. They would soon be visible to their enemies.
“We’re almost there. I’m going to get out ten feet from the shore to pull the boat the rest of the way.
“I can help,” Tera offered.
“No. Don’t get out of the boat until I tell you to. I want to make sure it is safe first.”
He listened for voices as they approached the shore, but there wasn’t a lot of noise. However, he felt eyes on him but he couldn’t see anyone on shore. CristOF jumped out into the water, pulling the boat with him.
“CristOF, someone’s in the woods over there,” Tera whispered.
He glanced in the direction she was staring and also noticed movement. CristOF pulled the boat far enough onto land to keep her from floating back out into the water as he looked in the direction she was pointing. He had to make sure whoever was in the woods wasn’t the enemy.
“Stay by the boat,” he told her without taking his eyes off the wooded area.
He ignored the throbbing from his wound as he walked forward. It had started to bleed again and needed to have a new bandage. The nanos had helped start repairs, but all the rowing had aggravated the wound and slowed down the healing process.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to sneak up on whoever was watching him so he stood out in the open, his blade in his hand, which, he kept hidden behind his back. CristOF didn’t call out, just waited. A few seconds later, a familiar figure appeared. Warrior RusEN came out of the trees.
“You’ve been gone a while,” RusEN commented.
CristOF sighed in relief and tucked his blade into his boot. Leaning down like that made sharp pain shoot up his stomach and ribs. “Kitana!”
Tera jumped out of the boat and was at his side in a flash. “Are you okay? Oh no, you’re bleeding again. Help him please!”
His friend was quickly there on his other side. “What happened CristOF? Who is this female?”
“She is mine.” It was all he could get out at the moment while another shot of pain nearly knocked him on his ass.
“Could we talk later and fix him now?” Tera growled out in anger.
RusEN reached inside his own coat and pulled out a syringe with nanos. Tera helped remove her now-ruined shirt from his waist exposing the wound.
Tera rambled a little as she tried to explain what had happened to CristOF. “I can’t believe it. He fought two men and one of them stabbed him. I freaked a little. On the boat he used his nanos but he insisted on rowing the boat himself but that made his wound open back up. He’s so stubborn. I should have insisted that he let me take over but no. He refused to let me do it, because he is stubborn!” Tera finished with tears.
“Tera…” he tried to reassure her but it hurt to talk. He looked over at RusEN for assistance.
CristOF watched RusEN’s expression go from a frown to helplessness at what to do with a female breaking down in front of him. RusEN cleared his throat.
“Uh female, please calm yourself. CristOF is strong and will be fine. Look, the nanos are already healing him.”
Tera looked down and lightly touched his skin, which was sealing closed under her fingertips. “Amazing. CristOF, are you in pain?”
He was still savoring the feel of her fingers on his skin. He couldn’t feel anything but that gentle touch. “I’m fine.”
Sitting up, he looked at his friend. “The last island is a rebel training camp. We need to send for assistance. There’s too many of them”
“We can have the entire island obliterated in just seconds,” his friend said as he helped CristOF stand up.
Tera gasped. “You can’t do that! Half the men on that island are there against their will. They were taken from their homes, and their families’ lives were threatened to gain their compliance. They need to be rescued!”
RusEN snorted looking at Tera’s barely covered chest and asked, “Who are you female and how was it that you were on that island?”
CristOF didn’t like the flare of desire he saw in his friend’s eyes. He shrugged out of his coat and placed it over Tera’s shoulders making sure to stand between them to defend Tera. He didn’t have to defend her though; she stood up for herself. She shrugged his coat on, pulled her shoulders back and glared up at his friend.
“Look buddy. I was kidnapped, hit, tied up, dragged into a cabin with prisoners and at least one of them was dead, had to hold on for dear life climbing down from a freaking tree, watched someone I care about get stabbed, and now you stand there and question me like I’m an escapee from the loony bin?” Her tone took on almost a screeching sound.
She was heaving in deep breaths and looked fierce and beautiful. CristOF wrapped an arm around her and she turned into his chest and burst out in tears. He held her tight against him hoping to soothe her.
“Shhh...It’s okay beautiful. No one here is questioning your sanity.”
Tera hiccupped and wiped her tears from her eyes. “Those poor men don’t deserve to be killed when it wasn’t their fault.”
His other teammates came out of their hidden positions now feeling that Tera posed no danger to them. He waited for them to be closer so that he could tell them what he discovered on the island.
“Tera is correct. At least half or more of the males on that island were taken against their wills. I met the elders of their group in the cabin Tera has described adeptly. One of them was tortured until he died. It was done to keep the others in line. I freed them and they are trying as we speak to get their males free to fight against the rebel leader and his followers. We can’t kill them or leave them to fend for themselves. I will make the call from the shuttle for Commander TylOR to send reinforcements, but, we’ll need to help those males. They had their freedom taken from them.”
He kept his arm around Tera as they made their way through the trees to where the shuttle was hidden. “Come inside, there’s a medical kit. I know you’re arms must still hurt.”
“Why do her arms hurt?” Warrior SimON asked following them into the shuttle. The two other warriors RusEN and TorIS followed as well. He wondered where Warrior FinlEY was.
“She was tied up when she was taken and then she had to row the boat some when I was passed out.” Admitting that part did hurt his pride a little. He didn’t like the way the others looked at her admiringly, especially the younger male—SimON.
Tera’s cheeks had a lovely tint of pink to them. “I wish I could have done more.”
Cupping her cheek with his hand he leaned close and whispered. “You’re the bravest female I have ever met.”
A throat clearing reminded him that they weren’t alone. “Sit down and let me get the medical kit.”
“Sir, I can take care of the medical kit. I’ve had a lot of training as a field medic,” SimON told him.”
Reluctantly he allowed the younger warrior to take care of Tera while he went to the communications console and sent a request to speak with Commander TylOR. It didn’t take long before the commander’s voice came over the speaker.
“Warrior CristOF, what do you have to report?”
“There is a rebel training camp on one of the islands we searched. The camp is low in technology; I believe it is designed that way to help evade detection. However, half of the trainees were abducted from a mining colony, their families threatened if they did not comply. Action should be taken swiftly if we hope to save the unwilling males and capture the rebel leader.”
“Do you think there could be other camps
like this?” Commander TylOR asked.
He paused to think about what he had seen. “There weren’t enough men on that island to do battle on their own, which is what they were training for. They were preparing for a war. I would say there have to be other camps training soldiers either here or on Katiera or even the Colony.”
“So their intent is a civil war?” TylOR’s voice sounded angry and at the same time...resigned.
“Yes, I believe that is their goal.”
None of them wanted to fight their own kind. Their species had nearly died out when the Morins had attacked them inflicting the virus that was meant to annihilate them. However, such diabolical unrest could not go unchecked. Laws would be broken and their culture, beliefs, everything they held dear as a nation and as a people would be destroyed.
“I have warships on standby. We’ll be at your location within twenty minutes to pick up your team.”
“We will be ready. There’s one more thing Commander. Miss Tera Kincaid was kidnapped and brought to the island. They had seen me with her and thought she had knowledge of my mission. She and I escaped and returned to the rendezvous point.”
“Those bastards! Did they hurt her?”
“She has a few bruises, and they scared her a bit, but she’s otherwise fine.” He didn’t want to think about what would have happened to her had he not seen them bring her to the island. They would have tortured her and even worse than that he would have not known about the males who were prisoners and would have ordered the entire island wiped out.
“I have several medics on standby. I will assign one to stay with her and see to her while we take care of this mess.”
“Thank you.” He stood as he ended communications and went over to where Tera was sitting, telling her story to the others. She had the men’s full attention and of course, she had no idea just how vulnerable and beautiful she was.
“The commander is sending warships. They will be here in twenty minutes,” he told them.
Tera looked up warily. “Are they going to bomb the island?”
“We’ll do everything we can to save the imprisoned males, but they will still have to be taken in for questioning before we release them. They may have vital information we need.”
She nodded her understanding. He watched as her eyes slid down his naked chest. Everywhere she looked felt like flames licking his skin. CristOF wanted to strip and let her see just how much she affected him.
“Give us a few minutes alone,” he told his team. The warriors left the shuttle quickly.
He knelt down in front of her. “Tera, I’m sorry you had to go through all of this because of me.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
CristOF didn’t agree with her on that. “They took you because you were seen with me. If not for spending time with me, you would have never had to go through any of this.”
“Those assholes hate humans. They kept me alive to get answers about you. Otherwise, they would have simply ended my life, based solely on the fact that I am a different species. They have hate in their hearts. Their actions are their own and they’re the ones to be held responsible. Not you.”
Reaching out to cup her face with his hand he growled, “This isn’t how I wanted to spend time with you.”
“Then let’s change that,” she whispered, leaning forward and touching her lips to his.
Chapter 13
Tera could see how guilt filled him over what was done to her and it wasn’t his fault, she couldn’t let him think that for one more second.
“CristOF, you saved me.”
“But…” he started to protest, but she kissed him.
The moment their lips touched, sizzling heat spread throughout her entire body. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her against him. Tera practically climbed onto his lap to get as close to him as she could.
His tongue entered her mouth and hers met it with a fierce need. They both groaned when she writhed her lower body against his. He surprised her when he turned her over onto her back and spread his body over hers right there on the floor of the shuttle. Nothing else mattered in that moment except for the two of them.
Every fantasy she had of him seemed to pale in comparison to feeling him above her, on top of her. It would have only been better if they had no clothing on. God, she really wanted to get him naked—like soon.
He placed kisses on her cheek and her neck. CristOF unbuttoned the coat that he had given her, parting it. CristOF’s eyes darkened with desire and she swore her whole body lit up with heat. His hands reached up and cupped her bra-covered breasts, gently squeezing and plucking her nipples. His mouth moved down to claim the cloth-covered nipple of one breast.
As he sucked her nipple she couldn’t help but groan and arch her back wanting him to take more of her in his mouth. Yes...this is what she wanted with him. Touching tasting and more skin contact. Maybe she should take off her clothes, and then he would do the same.
“CristOF…”
Sounds from outside the shuttle made him growl and pull away with frustration. He quickly buttoned the coat covering her up again.
“I wish I had more time to do all the things I want to do to you. That will have to wait until I get back.”
“Has it been twenty minutes already?” My God had she been making out with him while his friends were only a few feet away? What was she thinking? Well, she knew what she was thinking but should have showed more restraint. When it came to CristOF, she tossed her inhibitions out the window.
Sitting up she took his offered hand and let him help her to stand up. Her hand rested on his bare chest and his eyes darkened as they looked into hers. Tera wanted him more than anything.
“CristOF,” she whispered his name as her hands ran over his chest.
“When this is over, I am taking you...” he stopped talking to groan at the feel of her touching him. She liked how she could affect him with her touch. He affected her too.
She tilted her head to the side. “Where will you take me?”
He growled low. “We’ll find a nice quiet private place, then I am going to be taking you, over and over. You will scream my name and your God’s name in pleasure.”
Tera’s knees felt weak, like she was going to turn into a puddle of hormones at his feet. Damn he was good at sexy talk. “When we are finally alone, I’ll let you do anything to me that you want.”
That got her another deep, passionate kiss where she found herself bent over a seat. He growled, pulling away from her again with a sexy, fierce look on his face. It made her shiver all over.
“You are a dangerous and sexy female.”
No one had ever said that about her. She took a step toward him, but he moved back. A heady feeling of feminine power surged through her. Never had she had such an influence on a man before. She could get used to it. If he only knew how much she wanted to rip the rest of his clothes off of him so that she could run her mouth and hands all over his sleek, finely muscled body, he would have her back on the floor again in a heartbeat. As tempting as that was, she knew they didn’t have the time and this was certainly not the place.
“I think we should go outside and get some fresh air.”
He nodded. “You first, I have to adjust myself.”
That made her look down at the front of his pants. There was definitely a large bulge pressing against the fabric. A smile played at her lips as she walked past him and lightly brushed the front of him with her hands.
He growled, “Goddess help me.”
Outside the shuttle she walked over to the three men who had surrounded her earlier. There was another man now, one she hadn’t seen before. “I guess I should at least introduce myself properly.”
“I’m Tera Kincaid. I’m helping coordinate the new school program on Katiera and Kiljor.”
The youngest man, probably about nineteen or twenty, smiled at her brightly. “I’m Warrior SimON.”
She went to offer to her hand forgetting that usuall
y women on this world didn’t touch men other than their mates or family members. She pulled her hand back and turned to the other three men.
The quiet one introduced himself as Warrior TorIS. The oldest man—the one who’d given her a hard time earlier—said his name was Warrior RusEN, and the new man she hadn’t seen before introduced himself as Warrior FinlEY. FinlEY explained that he had been keeping watch, making sure that no one had followed her and CristOF to the island.
“I wasn’t here when your story was explained. Could you tell me how you came to be on an island full of traitors?” FinlEY asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Tera told how she had gone to the park alone and that two men had cornered her, asking questions about CristOF and his mission. Then she relayed how they kidnapped her from the Kiljor prime city, and told him about the elders she’d met.
She’d felt uncomfortable until CristOF came out of the shuttle wearing a new shirt. He sat down next to her and took her hand in his possessively.
“You never met the men who took you before?” FinlEY asked looking into her eyes.
CristOF growled at him. “She is not to be interrogated by you or anyone else. She has suffered enough.”
FinlEY glared back at CristOF. “She might have valuable information or she might have given the rebels information. It is my job to find that out.”
“She was struck by those bastards. Who knows what they would have done to her had I not seen her being brought in.”
“Warrior CristOF, I’m not trying to be an asshole. She is the only person who has seen this new rebel leader up close and can positively identify him. I need to question her for every bit of information I can get out of her!”
The two of them were standing inches from each other glaring each other down. Tera had to do something to defuse the situation. She didn’t want to see CristOF fighting with his own teammates.
She placed a hand on CristOF’s bare chest. “It’s okay CristOF. I’m happy to tell what I know, which isn’t that much.” She turned to face FinlEY. “What do you want to know?”