Images of him doing those same erotic things to her flashed before her eyes. The idea was not so revolting with him in the picture.
Despite her fear, her body responded, and an intense need grew within her. Her nipples hardened almost painfully. Moisture gathered between her thighs, and her clit throbbed, needing a man’s touch—his touch.
No! Shame rolled through her, and her temperature skyrocketed, as she experienced a full-body blush. It wasn’t her, just her system that wanted him. He was a virtual stranger, not some lover from a dream. She knew that. It was her body that didn’t understand.
Braden might be the most magnetic man she’d ever encountered, but she didn’t want him to touch her intimately. Really, she didn’t!
Her palms grew sweaty, and she quickly scanned the room, trying to figure out what to do. “You can’t—”
A sound brought her attention to the bedroom door. Two large men, even taller than Braden, stood there studying her with apparent interest. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She was going to have a coronary. Any second now. Who were they?
One had dusty blond hair. His light blue eyes looked kind, and he appeared to understand her fears. One corner of his mouth hitched up into a gentle smile.
The second man was just the opposite. With dark brown hair and extra-wide shoulders, his intense green eyes held dangerous possibilities. He made her feel sinfully naked, even while covered by the sheet.
They were both dressed in black, just like Braden.
Three men. Like the three who attacked her, but not. They’d been dressed in black too.
These men were handsome and incredibly sexy, unlike the others. But that didn’t change anything. She knew now they were all connected, and she understood what initiate meant. Rape.
A memory tapped at her mind. The woman in the cemetery hadn’t actually struggled against what happened to her. Alexa still couldn’t say for sure if what she saw was an attack or consensual.
Maybe they would just ask her if she was interested in some sort of kinky four-way. This initiation might not involve an issue of force at all.
Sex with a stranger used to be one of her favorite fantasies. Sex with three strangers she had never even imagined—oh, my! But rape definitely was not one of her fantasies.
Besides, this was reality. She needed to figure a way out of it in case they pounced.
What the hell was going on in Black Marble anyway?
A cult, maybe. Yes, that could be it. Cultists of some sort, dressed in black, going about in threes, recruiting women through sex and bizarre rituals.
Well, not her. She tried to appear calm and compliant. She didn’t want to alert them to her plans, whatever they were. She had to think up something fast.
Maybe if she didn’t get hysterical and outright fight them, she could buy some time. “Initiate? I see. Why me?” Ah, she knew. She could turn the tables. She was in the perfect position to do so.
“Your DNA is compatible.”
Okay. Whatever that means. She rubbed her nose and pretended to sniffle, then casually reached inside the nightstand drawer, hoping it appeared she was searching for nothing more than a tissue. When they didn’t immediately jump forward to stop her, she pulled out her hand, and the gun came with it.
The man with the intense green eyes chuckled.
Her hand tightened around the weapon and sudden irritation more than fear, flowed through her. She didn’t get the joke. Maybe he thought she didn’t have the guts to pull the trigger. If so, he wouldn’t be laughing for long. Her mostly-absentee father had taught her to shoot when she was eleven, right before he permanently disappeared into parts unknown. And right about now, with these three hovering, she felt justified in doing whatever necessary to keep herself safe.
“I’ll use this if I have to.”
What kind of men didn’t even flinch at the sight of a gun trained on them? She couldn’t shoot all three of them if they decided to rush her. Nor did she want to, unless given no choice. But she would protect herself.
“Get out of my house.”
She swung the gun around. She’d had the weapon aimed at Braden, who she figured was the leader, but somehow she couldn’t shoot him. He’d helped her, after all. It was easier to target the largest man of the three. The one who had laughed at her. Since two of them stood close together, her odds of hitting at least one increased. Though she hoped not to hit the one with the kind eyes. He looked so sympathetic to her cause.
Don’t make excuses for any of them, Alexa, a voice in her head chastised. But they haven’t hurt me, another voice argued back.
That voice was right. They hadn’t hurt her. But then, she didn’t intend to actually kill anyone if she didn’t have to, just wound. They’d run out. She’d call the police, and the authorities could take it from there.
“Are you going to leave?”
“I’m sorry, Alexa,” Braden replied. “We can’t do that.”
“How do you know my name?” He never had answered her the first time she’d asked.
“I’ve been tracking you for a while.”
Her heart sped up, thudding hard in her chest. Tracking. Stalking. “Okay.” She swallowed. That’s it. “I warned all of you.”
The trigger clicked, and the gun fired. Almost to its target, the bullet stopped and crumpled, hitting some sort of invisible wall. It dropped harmlessly to the floor.
Alexa’s mouth fell open. That couldn’t happen!
“Put the gun away, Alexa,” Braden ordered. “The bullets can’t penetrate our shields. If you’d taken us by surprise, perhaps. But your actions were quite predictable for a human female, so we were prepared.”
Shields? Human female? She stared down at the gun in confusion. Before she realized it, a hand covered hers. She jerked and tried to pull away. Her gaze flew to the man who was holding her, and her stare locked with his. The one with the kind eyes. He held her tightly and pried the gun from her hand. “It’s all right, Alexa.”
Braden grunted, drawing their attention. “Gentlemen, leave us. Alexa and I need to…talk.”
Alexa sat frozen. Her brain refused to process what had just happened. She stared at her empty hand, as if it wasn’t her own. She must be losing her mind. Hallucinating. None of this was real. It was impossible. Ever since she’d arrived in Black Marble, her world had changed for the worse.
After the door closed, Braden stood and approached the bed. Alexa shrank back against the pillows. “Who are you people? What are you?”
He sat beside her, his weight dipping the side of the mattress. “We’re Xylon Warriors on a mission to bring back women to our planet for breeding purposes.”
Alexa stared at him with a look of utter disbelief. “You’re crazy.”
He supposed that’s how he sounded. Blurting it out like that wasn’t the best plan of action, probably, but they didn’t have time for him to ease her into everything.
She raised her palms to ward him off. The sheet clung to the tips of her breasts, barely covering her and threatening to slide completely off. Braden’s pulse kicked up at the thought of caressing her soft, full tits again.
“This is all too much.”
His attention returned to her eyes. He ached to reach out and touch her. Comfort her. Ease her fears. Though doing so might have the opposite effect and frighten her even more.
“You three are going to rape me, aren’t you?” When he opened his mouth, she blurted, “I know you called it something else, but it’s the same thing.”
“No, it’s not, Alexa. We won’t touch you. I won’t touch you unless you agree. We’d never force ourselves on you. In fact, I’d kill anyone who tried to hurt you in any way.” His voice came out low and gruff. “You have to believe that.”
The tenseness in her body eased somewhat at his words. Good. It was a start. Her look indicated faraway thoughts, and he wondered if she was remembering the man he had killed outside the house. The second man she didn’t know about, but he was just as dead. And
if the third came after her again, or any other Egesa or Marid assassin, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.
Her focus returned. “Okay.” She cleared her throat. “Unless I agree? Fine. I don’t agree. Get out.”
“It’s not that easy, Alexa.” He hated that he couldn’t take the time to seduce her properly. He needed to explain how much the survival of The Lair of Xylon depended on her, how much her own survival rode on her decision.
Alexa clutched the sheet close, like a piece of armor that might ward him off. “But you said—”
“I know what I said. Please don’t be afraid. We’re not going to hurt you.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, studying him. Probably wondering what to do. “If you’re not going to rape me, if that’s the truth, can I put on some clothes? I’m not comfortable like this.”
Her hands fisted in the covers. She looked worried that he might strip them away. Getting dressed seemed a waste of good time to him. He wanted to initiate her here in familiar surroundings, where she’d be more comfortable. But if clothes made her feel more secure at the moment, he supposed it would be worth it. He stood and positioned himself in front of the door so she couldn’t slip away. He widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. “Go ahead. Get dressed.”
“Can I have some privacy?”
“No.” He didn’t dare leave her alone until they were safely on the Xylon ship. The Egesa might try to get to her again. And right now she was helpless, for the most part.
She looked ready to protest, then instead wrapped the sheet around herself and pushed off the bed. Watching him warily, she grabbed some gray sweats and pink underwear out of a dresser drawer.
He looked forward to slipping that pink lace off her body and tasting every inch of her soft skin. Somehow, he’d convince her to go through the Initiation. And not just because he wanted to fuck her. After spending months researching her, something about her tugged at his heart, and he wanted her heart to feel something for him in return. Shit! He gave himself a mental shake. Where had that thought come from?
She’s not mine.
When she headed for the bathroom, he cut her off, grabbing her arm. “No.”
Her eyes snapped to his. “I have to pee.” Her voice snapped just as intently as her eyes. “I can’t hold it forever. And you are not watching.”
The corner of his mouth twitched in a barely-there smile. “Hold on.” He walked over and opened the bedroom door. “Kam?”
A moment later, the man stepped inside the room. His gaze shifted from Braden to Alexa and back again. “Yeah?”
“She’s going into the bathroom. Can you stand outside the door? Monitor the area. Make sure she’s okay.” Kam would be able to pick up any air movement on his detector and be able to identify an alien presence. He felt a little uncomfortable about her being in there alone, but he understood her need for privacy. And they’d be close enough to get to her if something happened.
“Sure. She’ll be fine.”
Alexa gave them both a strange look, then disappeared into the bathroom, shut the door, and flipped the lock. There wasn’t a window in there large enough for her to get out, so Braden didn’t worry about that. And maybe the time alone would do her good.
Erik appeared at the bedroom door. “What’s going on?”
“She’s getting dressed.” Braden sat down on the bed and raked his fingers through his hair.
“Dressed? Why? You’re gonna have her ass in the air and your dick shoved up her before the day is over.”
Kam grunted. He made a few adjustments on the monitor in his hand.
“Did anyone ever tell you that you have no social skills at all?” Braden replied.
“Social skills? You’re kidding, right? We’re on Earth. Besides, I gotta be me.” He laughed. “Hey, I could have been really crude about it.” The grin on his face faded. “Did she refuse?”
“Sort of. But I haven’t explained everything yet. She thinks we want to rape her.”
“Geez.” Kam shook his head. “I hope you put her straight on that one.”
“I don’t think she quite believes me.” Braden took out his vid-cell. “I’m calling Leila.”
Erik visibly stiffened. “Why? Alexa’s fine physically. We don’t need that Healer bitch’s help.”
Kam’s eyes narrowed. “Just because she refused a public fuck with you at a Joining Party doesn’t make her a bitch. You’ve been calling her that ever since she snubbed you.”
“Why was she there, if she didn’t want to get fucked? I watched her all night. She didn’t choose anyone.”
“Did you bother to ask her? Would you rather she had picked someone else?”
“Guys,” Braden interrupted. “Enough. Alexa might be more willing to listen to a woman,” he explained. “I think it’s a good idea.” He clicked on the cell and made the transmission.
* * * * *
Alexa opened the bathroom door and peered out. Three sets of curiosity-filled male eyes swung her way. She tentatively emerged and walked into the bedroom. Funny how the room had always seemed fairly large to her, but filled with these three, even the air felt lacking.
“I’m glad you didn’t decide to stay locked in there,” Braden told her.
“I might have if I thought you couldn’t get in.” While in the bathroom, she’d decided to present a strong stance. Let them know she wasn’t some wimpy female. At least she had clothes on now, which made her feel more in control.
She looked over at the other two men, but they said nothing. That unnerved her. She always found conversation comforting. The theory being that you don’t hurt people you’ve gotten to know. Hopefully.
The tension in the room steadily grew, as everyone remained silent. They were all staring at her with too much interest. She felt like the special of the day or something. She hugged her arms below her breasts. “Um, what’s a Xylon Warrior?” she finally asked, breaking the eerie quiet.
All eyes turned to Braden.
“A specially trained soldier from our planet.”
“Planet? As in, not from Earth?”
“That’s right.”
Okay. Definitely insane. Them or her, she wasn’t sure. But someone here was cracked.
The air in the corner shimmered. A woman appeared out of nowhere. Dressed in black. Alexa blinked several times. She lowered herself into the chair Braden had sat in earlier. Her knees were too weak to remain standing. If a two-headed elephant came crashing through the bedroom window right now, she couldn’t be more surprised. Maybe they weren’t insane. Maybe this was actually for real, after all.
“Thanks for coming, Leila,” Braden greeted.
The slender woman, with extra long brown hair down to her butt, and cinnamon eyes, glanced around the room. She hesitated when her gaze fell on the man Alexa had tried to shoot. A frown marred her features. She immediately turned her head to look at Braden, and her expression softened. “Hi, Braden. How can I help?”
“Alexa needs to be initiated.”
The woman stiffened. Her gaze flew to Alexa, then snapped back to him. “You want me to be part of the Alliance?”
“Now there’s a visual,” Erik replied. “I’d pay big to see that wicked tongue of yours between her legs, licking her out.”
Alexa’s stomach clenched. No! He wasn’t serious. Was he? Her gaze met Braden’s, and their eyes locked. He seemed to be studying her reaction to the sexually charged words. Her face heated, and she tore her gaze away.
“Shut up, Erik,” Kam replied from across the room.
Leila’s eyes narrowed as she stared at him. “Always the bastard, aren’t you? You have no compassion for initiates.”
His eyes darkened, and he stormed over to her. Alexa sank back in the chair. He looked ready to kill. Amazingly, the woman stood her ground. Alexa wondered where she got the courage to go toe to toe with a man like him. He towered over her and could probably crush her with one hand.
“Careful, Leila. I don’t take shit from Clas
s 1 Warriors, so I’m certainly not going to take any from a Class 3.” A grin crossed his face. “I bet you’d love to do her.”
“Get out of my face, Erik. My opinion stands, whether you want to hear it or not.”
His smile faded. “Fine. I may not have much compassion, in your opinion, but I have enough passion to get even a frigid bitch like you hot and bothered and begging for some good, hard cock.”
Alexa gasped.
“Hey!” Braden shouted. “We don’t have time for this shit. Leila, I need you to explain the Initiation to Alexa. I think she’ll be less intimidated if you’re the one to fill her in on the details and importance of the ceremony. But I need to talk to you in private first.”
Alexa stayed huddled in the chair while Braden and Leila went into the other room. From the way he spoke, it sounded like he expected her to agree to that Initiation thing. He was in for a surprise.
She warily watched Kam and Erik pace the floor. Erik frightened her. He was so intense and aggressive. Kam somehow made her feel safe with his caring eyes and calm voice. And Braden…well, his dark and mysterious aura got her hot and bothered, to use Erik’s words, that was for sure.
Once she realized he wasn’t going to hurt her, the initial attraction she felt had grown. And somehow, she did believe he wouldn’t harm her. Regardless of what he seemed to think she would agree to.
“Why do you treat Leila like that?” Kam asked. “She’s a good woman.”
“Yeah? So why don’t you try for a hump or suck?”
Kam glanced at Alexa with an almost embarrassed look in his eyes, then turned his attention back to Erik. “Because you want her, and for more than that.”
“Like hell!”
Kam cocked an eyebrow and raised a small monitor. This one looked different from the one he had earlier.
Erik pointed a finger. “Don’t try to analyze me with that sensor piece of crap.”
“What is that?” Alexa interrupted. She hoped her question would diffuse the argument between the two men. Besides, the bluish panel caught her interest.
Initiation Page 4