by Susan Grant
Too restless to sit still, Hawk paced in front of a wall-mounted monitor. The screen displayed a placeholder image: the triangular Triad symbol. Under that was his name and rank. He was in the right place at least.
What would he see when the images came in? What would be learn? It was as if he’d been invited as the guest of honor to a function and everyone knew the reason for his presence but him.
Two observers remained close by, Terrans wearing Triad military law enforcement badges and sidearms. Why they were armed, he hadn’t a clue. It wasn’t as if he was going to try to make a run for it.
He was duty bound to be here no matter what the outcome.
His gut churned. He wished he knew what was happening with Kelly on the other side of the hallway.
He knew in a worst-case scenario, if his match wasn’t Kelly, it would set off a firestorm of conflict in him. She wasn’t beholden to Sky’s End, but he was. Would he refuse the match? Would he break his vows to his people to be with the woman he loved? To do so would be an act of disobedience of monumental proportions, bringing certain dishonor to his family and swift condemnation from his government.
Yet he couldn’t fathom walking away from Kelly.
The screen shimmered to life. He hardened his stomach muscles as if expecting a blow. He stepped closer. Then he squeezed his eyes shut for the briefest instant, blinking to reassure himself the most extraordinary sight in the galaxy was not a mirage.
“Hawk!” Kelly cried.
I knew it. Sharp relief plowed through him.
He dipped his head, his hand over his heart. “Greetings, my Sky Mate.” Then he glanced up, smirking. “Eight Ball Five, this is Raptor One.”
She grinned back. “Go ahead, Raptor One.”
“Request permission to rejoin.”
She laughed softly, extending her hand. “Permission granted.”
“I’ll be right there.”
In the hallway, he turned left and strode toward room three. There was no telling what had gone so awry with their match meeting—and they would certainly see to there never being a repeat—but with the results so glorious, how could he complain?
Kelly hugged Dee, both of them laughing with relief.
“It’s like the piña colada song,” Dee said.
“Piña colada song?”
“Yes. You know, where they think they’re meeting different people, but it turns out it’s really them.” She sang a few of the lyrics: “‘I knew her smile in an instant. It was my own lovely lady.’”
Kelly laughed, remembering the old song. “‘If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.’”
“‘I’ve got to cut through all this red tape,’” Dee chorused as Hawk appeared at the door. “‘At a bar called O’Malley’s’…”
That evening at O’Malley’s was a party to remember. At the end of the night, Hawk sent the Solos back to the inn with the van. He’d sleep over at Kelly’s. Although Sky Mates, as a matter of tradition, weren’t supposed to have physical contact until the formal blessing of the Council of Elders.
Kelly, however, knowing none of that, started undressing him at the first opportunity, shoving his T-shirt up his chest in the living room. “Finally. Sky Mate sex.”
His stomach muscles clenched as she ran the tip of her tongue from his navel to where his unzipped jeans had allowed his erection to spring free. “Actually, sex isn’t sanctioned until the Council of Elders officially approves the match.”
“Ooh. Unsanctioned Sky Mate sex. Even better. Taboo is sexy.”
He groaned as she took him into her mouth, his fingers spasming in her silky waves. Goddess, her mouth. It should be classified as a weapon.
As blasphemous as it was, he didn’t want to wait either.
He didn’t want to wait at all.
He growled, lifted her to his mouth and kissed her, a bruising kiss, his tongue stroking hers. With the denim bunched in his fists, he shoved her jeans to her ankles. She kicked them off, and he swung her against the nearest wall, lifting her to him, grinding against her, against his cock, until her muffled moans and the scent of her arousal assured him she’d do anything he asked.
And he planned to ask a lot.
He shoved aside her panties, heard fabric ripping.
“Oops.” She laughed.
“I’ll buy you a new pair.” He spread her thighs, delighted to find her wet and ready. “As many pairs as you need.” He rammed deep.
Satisfyingly breathless, she held his face between her hands. “So, apparently Sky Mate sex is rough. I like it.”
“I want you thinking of me when we’re at work tomorrow.”
Her dimple winked at him, hinting at mischief. “What am I going to be thinking of exactly? Don’t be vague.”
The little imp. His wild bird. He swept her away from the wall, pulling out only to bend her forward over the cushioned armrest of the couch. He took a moment to admire her ass in the air, her beautiful sex wet and ready and open. Ready for him. Before he was done with her tonight, by the Goddess, he vowed he’d fully mark her as his mate. He, her Sky Mate, would be imprinted on her body, in her heart, and in her soul.
Chapter Fourteen
Kelly smiled over her shoulder, throbbing inside as she waited impatiently for him. He discarded the remains of her panties, her tank top, and bra. His hands smoothed up her bare back, curving under her body to mold to her breasts. Little shocks of pleasure zinged between her nipples and her core.
Her body never ceased to respond to his every touch. Her big stern warrior, her Sky Mate, was the best of lovers. An overwhelming sense of anticipation flooded her when she felt him at her entrance. Closing her eyes, she lifted up and sheathed him fully.
His swift, thick penetration left them both panting. Her hands closed convulsively on the couch cushion.
He paused, his cock twitching, her walls squeezing him.
Slow… The thought passed between them. Slow down.
“Goddess, Kelly…” He lowered his head, his braids tickling her back, his breathing ragged. Then he grunted softly and pushed deep. Her womb clenched, and they both groaned. A few short strokes and her inner walls clamped down around his shaft, pulsing, and she almost came.
Slow… He slid his big hands to her hips, gripping her, and together they found their rhythm.
His agile body stoked the flames building inside her. His pleasure amplified hers, climbing higher and higher.
Harder, faster. She felt the sting of his teeth on her shoulder. Had he drawn blood? It felt like it. God, he was hot. “I hope you left a mark,” she gasped, grinning.
He withdrew, flipping her onto her back on the couch, only to sink back inside her without missing a beat. “Oh, I’ll be leaving a few marks, little bird.”
“Sky Mate marks?”
“Love marks.”
He brought his body down to hers and kissed his way from her collarbone to her neck, nipping and sucking as he went. Little stings. That might leave a few bruises behind.
She raked her nails down his heaving back. Would she leave marks too? No, they weren’t official Sky Mates yet, but she dared anyone to question the evidence they left on each other’s bodies. To question that she would ever belong to anyone else but Hawk.
She wound one of his thick braids around her fist. “My mate.” She loved the guttural, no-arguments, caveman sound of the statement.
He must have liked it too. When he lifted his head, she met his heated stare head-on. A lavender glow pulsed in the center of his golden-brown irises like slow-motion fireworks. A reaction of his cybernetics to her? It was mesmerizing. My Sky Mate.
She locked her legs around him to deepen their joining—physically, emotionally. He rode her hard. Each forceful thrust intensified their connection. Their hands were twined, fingers squeezed to the point of pain. Perspiration slicked their skin. Harder, faster. The sex was rough, fevered, his glowing eyes locked on hers.
She’d always pushed the boundaries; she’d lived o
n the edge, trying to fill the void she sensed inside her. Something she couldn’t name. Faster, better, higher, and somehow she never filled that empty place. But it was Hawk all along. He was what she was missing. He made her whole.
Together, they were more.
One plus one equals two and a half.
Her head fell back, her throat exposed and vulnerable, his mouth pressed to her hammering pulse. Trust.
Surrender.
Hawk groaned. His fingers slid between her folds, homing in on her clit, and her insides convulsed in waves of pleasure.
“Ah, Kelly. My love,” he said harshly, shuddering.
The force of their dual climaxes hit her in a primal surge, a mind-wiping orgasm that went on and on, leaving them both shattered.
It was pretty much the best sex of her life. They held each other close for a long time afterward, too exhausted to move. She floated on clouds of bliss in a sky of hope. Once, Webber, Texas had been her heart’s center, the constant in her life, offering intangible comfort. The one good thing. Now Hawk was that to her. Her safe harbor.
Her equal, her love.
Her future.
“I do believe you’re limping a little.” Kelly winked at Hawk the next day as they walked across the parking lot in front of the SCIF, where they’d be presented to the Council of Elders on Sky’s End.
Hawk was aware SCIF was an acronym in English meaning Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. The building was at a remote location on the opposite side of the base. Intelligence operations took place there and, when required, deep space livestreaming using Triad technology. Unlike with the equipment in his hotel room, he would not have to deal with a series of still images and a horrendous comm lag for today’s event. He could have used his Raptor for the event, but Kelly wasn’t permitted inside it. Not yet.
“Limping?” he scoffed. Amused, he snorted but didn’t deny the accusation. “My systems are designed this way. To not blunt all discomfort. It’s so we sky warriors can remain aware of injuries and avoid further damage.”
Her smile was one of victory. He’d come to know it well. She eyed him over her sunglasses. The captain’s silver bars on her flight cap glinted in the morning sun. “So what you’re saying is you’re feeling a little stiff.”
“Yes.” Stealthily, he tugged on her flight suit collar, raising it an inch. “So my love mark won’t show.”
“My hickey?” She giggled at his scandalized expression. “A new Terran word for you.”
“And you?” he asked, his voice dropping to a private tone as they neared the squadron building. “Are you sore?”
Her grin was sassy, even as a hint of color reddened her cheeks. “Let’s just say I won’t forget where you were last night anytime soon.”
“Mission accomplished.” Smiling, he opened the door for her.
Dee met them inside. She looked bright and perky. “Good morning, Sky Mates!”
“You make us sound like superheroes,” Kelly replied.
“You are—to a lot of people. Especially on Sky’s End.”
Congratulatory messages from home had been pouring in all night. Hawk knew his matching was an incredibly special circumstance. All pairings were important, but his was an even bigger deal. Thus the reason behind the very public presentation of him and Kelly to his government.
In the darkened room, many large displays covered the wall. Some staff members operated banks of comm equipment. Other military functions were going on around them. They were only guests in the facility, there to take advantage of the advanced communications.
Two observers were already there, standing quietly in the background. Dressed in suits and ties, they struck Hawk as Terran operatives of some kind.
“They’re CIA,” Dee murmured.
Other Terrans, wearing uniforms and late-model sidearms, stood guard.
“Welcome to our shotgun wedding,” Kelly said under her breath to Dee, making sure to hide her amusement.
Suddenly the grand meeting hall of the Council of Elders shimmered into view, filled with dour faces—famous faces—war heroes all.
Sky Mates, most of them over 150 years old. And behold, to his utter shock, his likeness was emblazoned on a huge banner hanging on the wall. A full-length official image of him. He’d never seen such a thing in the great hall.
“They must like you,” Kelly whispered.
Before he could make sense of the sight, his parents filed into the hall, chatting with Fleet-Commodore Ertugreth. They wore dress uniforms, their epaulets and war medals sparkling. All while his enormous likeness oversaw it all.
Perhaps the extra honor was to recognize his good work on Project Sky Mates. They would present him with a commendation for his efforts, celebrate his and Rigel’s pairings, all while privately expressing relief he wouldn’t be forever alone. Any excuse for a ceremony. Oh, the pomp and circumstance so loved by his world.
The Sky’s End anthem played, a haunting melody. As the last notes faded, the entire gathering turned to look upward, where he surmised they could see him and Kelly on-screen. Their fists began to thump against their armored chests, a thunderous sound. All the VIPs of his planet, showing him honor. His mother’s shoulders were hunched, her hand over her heart. She looked as if she was ready to cry.
There was movement on the wall to the left of his likeness. Then another enormous banner unfurled.
Dressed in a flight suit, her colorful squadron ascot tied at her neck, a bit of swagger in her posture, was Kelly. It was the full-length version of the official headshot he had gazed at for so long on his data-vis, the face he’d come to love. Her miss-nothing gaze and the faint depression of a dimple in the corner of her mouth were now displayed on a banner, side by side with his in the most important building on Sky’s End.
“Holy shit.” Kelly’s eyes were as wide as he’d ever seen them as she gaped at the banner. Then she slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oops. Are we live?”
“We are, my love.” He pressed his hand to his heart and dipped his head slowly. “Please, allow me to introduce you to my parents.”
After the ceremony had concluded, Hawk beamed at her. “They really liked you. You charmed them.”
“Did I? Whew. They’re a little intimidating, your parents, but they’re really nice.”
“They’re intimidating to even me. I think you made an excellent impression. I could tell. I know they’re eager to get to know you better.”
“I want that very much. And for you to meet my mom and stepdad.”
“A beauty queen and a general in your armed forces. My turn to feel intimidated.”
“You have nothing to worry about. They’ll love you.” She nodded at the exit. “Let’s go find the team. They’ll want to know all the details.”
Two weeks later, the day had finally come. While Kelly and Hawk had already begun training together, she’d finally won clearance to fly in a Raptor with Hawk.
There was no implant in her brain to assist, no engineered connection between them, but now that she was officially his Sky Mate, Sky’s End had consented to allow her not only inside one of their magnificent machines but to take a flight.
All five Solos and Jamie, Rigel’s Sky Mate, rode with them in the rickety, diesel-belching flight line bus to what were arguably the most advanced spacecraft known to humans with the exception of the famed Dragon ships.
They’re beautiful. Her body quaked with adrenaline as she glimpsed the six Raptors through the dirty bus window. Not only would she get to fly in one with Hawk, they’d fly as a six-ship formation with the Solos for part of the mission. It was going to be so kick-ass.
She’d promised Colonel Miller no buzzing the tower.
Hawk spent some time with her outside the Raptor, teaching her what to look for during a preflight exterior inspection. The breeze blew his braids over one broad shoulder as he stopped in front of what looked to be a solid, featureless area of the fuselage. He waved his hand, and a hatch glided open, a ladder extend
ing silently to the ground.
“Now that’s cool,” she said.
“Just wait. The features of a Raptor will astound you.” His eyes glinted with excitement. To his team, he said, “I will conduct our flight briefing from inside our craft once I familiarize Captain Ritz with a few items.”
He beckoned for Kelly to climb up ahead of him. Deep, violet-indigo illumination came up slowly. Before her was a control panel so futuristic it left her knees weak and her fingers itching to caress it.
“External view,” he commanded crisply, entering the Raptor with confidence. The entire forward windscreen switched from opaque to clear, like an eyelid snapping open, revealing the sky outside.
What a contrast, the cold gleam of an alien war machine and the puffy clouds in a Texas summer sky.
The command pilot seat looked to be molded from the same matte-black material of the rest of the cockpit, more a part of the craft than an add-on.
“I’ll power up some of the systems first,” Hawk said and hopped into the pilot seat. His legs disappeared under the dash, as in her fighter, but the entire space and his seat molded to his body in one fluid motion. A technological embrace.
She marveled as a control stick emerged from the panel, taking form before her eyes. Then the controls for the thrusters also appeared out of nowhere.
“There’s the observer’s seat, which you’ll occupy.” He pointed behind and to the side of him.
Raptors were built for only one pilot. So basically he was just taking her for a spin, and that was fine. On Sky’s End, there would be two-seat Raptors designed for training. There, she’d learn to fly Raptors before she moved on to the Dragon-class ships.
She could hardly fucking wait.
“We should see about bringing some of the two-seaters to Earth,” she said. “We could accomplish some real flight training with the Sky Mates during the first thirty days with both individuals at the controls.”