Ship Called Malice: A Wings of Artemis novella

by Rebecca Royce

  His tongue came into my mouth, and I pressed mine against it. Our mouths danced. He tasted sweet, and I lost myself in the caresses. He pulled back to look at me. In his gaze, I saw warring emotions—he was hot and also sad.

  “What?” I caressed down the side of his cheek.

  “I almost lost you.”

  I shook my head. “I almost lost you.”

  “‘Cilla…”

  I kissed him to stop whatever he would have said. “Out of your own head. Here with me.”

  “Yes.”

  Like my telling him to switch gears made him do so, he dove back into kissing me. He moved his hand, his fingers traveling down the outside of my shirt to squeeze my breasts. I ground against him. My little bit of experience was going to go a long way this evening. Whether he knew it or not, he wanted me to lead him through the beginning of this.

  I threw my shirt off, exposing my breasts. I didn’t have a bra on, having been ready to stay in bed for the rest of my time on Malice. Why bother? His eyes widened. “They’re even more beautiful than I thought they’d be.”

  I forced myself not to laugh. He was being entirely sincere, and his utter awestruck expression was a real turn on. Only a foolish woman would take for granted how wonderful it was to be so completely attractive to the man in her life. Or in my case, men. I wasn’t going to be stupid about how I loved them.

  I took his hand and placed it over my nipple. He squeezed it, and when I shuddered, River’s cat-like smile appeared. Yes, he knew what he was doing. Whatever insecurity still rode him earlier fled in that moment. I didn’t have to be a mind reader to know that. The self-confidence reappeared in his blue eyes.

  He dropped his head, and rather than squeeze my nipple, he sucked on it. I fell back on the bed. Okay, yes. This was happening, and it was so hot.

  “You taste like honey, ‘Cilla.”

  “I love how you say my name, River.”

  He was hard, I could feel how much so even through his pants. He flared his nostrils. “Hard and fast this time? Then next time, I swear, slow and all about you.”

  “Never has to be all about me. It has to be about us. I want your pleasure, too. And, yes, sounds good.”

  River’s gaze held steady on my face. “You are real. I have to keep reminding myself I didn’t dream you up.”

  He threw his shirt off then followed with his pants. I caressed him through his underwear, wanting to feel his hard, throbbing cock in my hand for just a second. He moaned, his neck arching backward. “So good.”

  “More?” I pulled him out of the slit of his briefs and stroked him again, hard.

  He winced. “Not too much more, or I’m going to come in your hand.”

  “You could.” In fact, my mouth watered with the thought.

  River shook his head. “Not the first time.”

  He tugged his underwear off then undressed me the rest of the way. I didn’t help. He had such a concentrated expression, I kind of wanted to see what River would do without my interference. He did like to execute plans.

  “Flip.” He took my hips and did that for me even after he gave me the direction. “Hands on the wall. When we get to our farm, I’m getting a headboard put into your bedroom so you can hold onto it.”

  River ran a finger on one of my ass cheeks. “River?” I had to question him. I’d never done it this way before, and I was all for new things, but exactly what were we doing?

  He bit down lightly on my shoulder. “Just taking you from behind, darling. Nothing to worry about. I’m going to make you come. I promise you that.” He slipped a finger inside of me, and we both moaned. “You’re hot and wet. You do want me as much as I want you.”

  I leaned my head back against him. “Always needing proof, love?”

  “Consider it my own lack of self-confidence. I’ll pull it together after I make you come about a hundred times. Then I’ll start to believe it.”

  I shook my head. I did love the sound of his voice. “Liar. You don’t have a confidence problem. You just want to hear me tell you that I want you.”

  He kissed the top of my temple. “Well, that, too.”

  River played with my clit. Stroked it, pinched it, swirled his finger around it until I panted for more. But he didn’t let me come. When I was close, he stopped. I laughed, unable to help myself. “Torture?”

  “You’re going to come around my cock this time.”

  That sounded incredible. He pushed inside of me from behind. I cried out. I’d not been taken this way before. He was deeper than I could have imagined him being. My head fell forward but not my body. He held me against him, his strong arm circling my front to act as a support. I held onto the wall as he moved in and out of me, one of his hands on my stomach, the other on my hip. This level of penetration was new but completely stimulating.

  My body clenched and throbbed around him. Soon, we were moaning together, each of us ready for the completion that would take us over. I could feel the way he was learning my body. If I really reacted to a particular movement, he did it again. And again.

  I could feel that I was about to shatter, and then I did. Into a million floating pieces. River cried out my name while he emptied himself inside of me.

  I saw stars, colors, the movement of the universe. I was safe in his arm.

  Later, as we lay tucked in my sheets, River rambled. I’d never seen him like this before, and I hoped he did this every time we made love. It would be a private thing, that only I knew about him.

  “And then I was thinking that it would make sense to use the blue one. It just fits better into that compartment. And I love you. I’ve told you that right?” I nodded at him. He’d been saying it pretty consistently since we’d snuggled. I’d never hear it enough. If he wanted to say it a million times, he could.

  I was getting tired. I bent an elbow to stare down at him before I kissed him, which effectively stopped him from talking. He sighed. “Love you, ‘Cilla.”

  “Let’s go to sleep, River.”

  He nodded. “Sounds good.”

  Three months later

  * * *

  “That’s everything.” Bo jumped off the side of the ship as he addressed not me but the ship broker he’d sold Malice to. He tugged me against him, and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

  “It’s a good ship,” the old man answered. “I never thought I’d see the like again.”

  Jordan, who stood on my other side, turned to ask him. “What do you mean?”

  “I was born on the other side of that black hole by Mars Station.”

  What black hole? I’d ask the guys later. I hated showing how little I understood the universe in front of strangers.

  “This ship came from there. My grandfather used to build them. He had pictures of them that I used to look at. “I’ve heard of only one other on this side of the galaxy. That one is called Artemis. No one will ever be selling her. The family that has her keeps to themselves. But this one, Malice, she came from the same shipping yard. They don’t make them like that anymore. They should. But they don’t.”

  River squatted down on the ground right in front of me. “Maybe we should have charged more.”

  “River,” both Jordan and I said at the same time, and he grinned at me.

  We left, turning from the ship in the direction of the transport that would take us to the nearest town by our farm. We’d then walk a few hours home. My father had run for his life when we showed up. He had taken my mother and snuck away as fast as he could. They’d never even gotten to offer him any money. Cowardice did what it did, I supposed.

  “You okay, Bo?” I kissed his cheek, twice. That had been his father’s ship, and the only home he’d had for twenty years.

  He nodded. “It’s fine. Time moves on, and so must I. Besides, as you once said, it wouldn’t have been a good place to raise a baby. I’d rather be on the farm.”

  “Baby?” Jordan rounded on me, and River stumbled before he caught himself.

  “How did
you know?” I rolled my eyes. So much for keeping a secret. “I didn’t plan it.” I held up my arm. “The slavers turned off my fertility chip. I didn’t know.”

  Bo shook his head. “The secret puking in the bathroom the last three mornings was a tip off.”

  “I’m so clueless.” Jordan scooped me in his arms. “We’re going to have a baby.”

  River shouted. “Put her down. If you drop her, she’ll get hurt and now so will the baby.”

  I had to laugh. We lived on my family’s farm, which Jordan had gotten working so well we might turn a profit from the wheat alone. River had taken to trading in town, and now, more and more merchants were coming to our area. He thought if it kept up, in a year we’d be a center for commerce in the district. Bo knew how to make things grow. My six sisters were so relieved at their futures. They were helping and going to school.

  I was in my element. Every day was more than full and content in a way I’d never expected to be. Now there would be a baby.

  All because fate rolled down on me like dominoes and knocked me to the floor. I’d woken up on a ship called Malice.

  Also by Rebecca Royce

  Wings of Artemis

  Kidnapped By Her Husbands

  Rescued by Their Wife

  Crashing Into Destiny

  Meeting Them

  Reclaiming Their Love

  Loving Them

  Ship Called Malice (found in the Married. Wait! What? Anthology)

  Saving Them (October 2017)

  Dark Demise (coming soon)

  * * *

  Last Hope

  Tradition Be Damned

  Past Be Damned

  Destiny Be Damned (September 2017)

  Compassion Be Damned (coming soon)

  * * *

  Dragon Wars

  Forever

  Eternal

  Always

  Evermore

  Endless (coming November 2017)

  * * *

  Wards and Wands

  Hexed and Vexed (December 2017)

  Curse Reversed (coming soon)

  * * *

  Safe Haven

  Everywhere and Nowhere

  More coming soon….

  * * *

  Soul Bound

  Prisoner of the Dragons

  More coming soon….

  * * *

  Shadow Promised

  Strange Days

  Weird Nights

  Bizarre Years

  More coming soon…

  * * *

  The Warrior

  Initiation

  Driven

  Subversive

  Redemption

  Justice

  * * *

  Warrior World

  Deacon

  Micah (coming soon)

  * * *

  The Westervelt Wolves

  Her Wolf

  Summer’s Wolf

  Wolf Reborn

  Wolf’s Valentine

  Wolf’s Magic

  Alpha Wolf

  Angel’s Wolf

  Darkest Wolf

  Lone Wolf

  * * *

  Fallen Alpha

  Alpha Rising

  Alpha’s Strength

  Alpha’s Sacrifice

  Alpha’s Truth

  Alpha Enticing

  Hidden Alpha (coming soon)

  * * *

  The Capes

  Seductive Powers

  Adrenaline Rush

  Last Ascension

  * * *

  The Conditioned

  Eye Contact

  Embraced

  More coming soon…

  * * *

  The Outsiders

  Love Beyond Time

  Love Beyond Sanity

  Love Beyond Loyalty

  Love Beyond Sight

  Love Beyond Expectations

  Love Beyond Oceans

  Love Beyond Flames

  Love Beyond Lies (coming soon)

  * * *

  Cascade

  Haunted Redemption

  Phoenix Everlasting

  Fragility Unearthed

  Persuasion Enraptured

  * * *

  Under The Lights

  No Quitting Allowed

  Mr. Wrong

  Bite Marks

  Bitten Surrender

  The Vampire and The Virgin

  Demon Within

  About the Author

  As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.

  I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. I live in Austin Texas where I am determined to eat all the barbecue in town.

  I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I've been told I'm a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

  In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

  * * *

  Follow Rebecca on Social Media

  www.rebeccaroyce.com

  www.twitter.com/rebeccaroyce

  https://www.facebook.com/authorrebeccaroyce/?fref=ts

  Note From the Publisher

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