Ayrie: An Auxem Novel

by Lisa Lace

  "What are you doing?" he whispered in my ear, kissing my neck and making me shiver.

  "I'm waiting for you to wake up and make love to me," I said immediately. "If you say you won't, I'm going to cut it off."

  "What?" he said, his voice deliciously growly.

  I turned towards him, but I hesitated to say anything him. I was worried he didn't share my feelings. I buried my face in his neck.

  "I need you," I whispered, wondering why the words were hard to say.

  He chuckled.

  "Why are you laughing? You're not turning me down, are you?" Despair rushed through me even as I wanted him to fill my emptiness.

  "Sam, I thought you didn't want me," he said. "Nothing's going to stop us from having each other tonight."

  His eyes were honest and truthful. I exhaled.

  "Oh good, because I was about to kill you."

  "I thought you said you were going to injure me."

  "Why were you laughing then?"

  He looked embarrassed. "Nathaniel and I had a conversation a while ago. I believed I could resist any woman in any situation. He laughed at me and said I was an idiot."

  That was not what I thought he was going to say.

  "Now I know I was an idiot."

  "Why?" I whispered, gazing into his eyes as he traced my eyebrows gently with his finger.

  "He said everything was different when you were with someone who was special to you. When I felt someone pressing a soft body up against me, begging me to take her, it would be impossible to resist. He was right."

  "About it being different or the futility of resistance?"

  "Both," he said.

  "What do you mean?" I swallowed and stopped, unwilling to voice the thoughts in my mind.

  "I do care about you, Sam. And when this silly adventure is all over, we can start over and do this properly."

  "Yes..." I felt breathless and shivered all over, but I wasn't cold anymore.

  "Tonight, you're mine. Nothing is going to come between us."

  I nodded, unable to look away from his green, burning eyes.

  Chapter Thirteen

  JORI

  "Please Jori," she moaned. "Don't make me wait any longer."

  Her voice made me lose control. I was unwilling to remain separate from her. I bent my head as she twisted up and our lips touched, setting off fireworks in my body. She was soft, and her breast fit perfectly in my hand. We kissed with desperation; we both had an urge to fuse our bodies together and be so close that nothing could separate us.

  She rolled over. She faced me, and we twined our bodies together. My skin felt hot against hers. It wasn't long before we were both slick with sweat from the fire and our passion. Her nipples were hard as pebbles against my chest. My breathing was rough and ragged with desire for her.

  I didn't know how long I could wait, but she didn't seem like she was in the mood to take her time. I pulled away from her and bent my head to suck her sweet breast into my mouth. She moaned and arched her back, encouraging me to take more, grabbing my hair and pulling me closer.

  She wrapped her legs around me. I could feel her slickness. I groaned. I wanted to plunge myself into her and forget everything except the feel of her around me. She was what I needed right now. I had to have her and give all of myself to her.

  "Jori, it's time." She rolled onto her back and spread her legs wide.

  She was begging me. I didn't want to resist. I needed her as much as she needed me. In a heartbeat, I was on top of her and pressing in at her entrance.

  "Yes," she whispered, her breathing strangled.

  Longing filled her voice. I deeply thrust into her, sheathing myself to the hilt.

  "Oh, fuck," she said, and I opened my eyes, afraid I had hurt her. She moaned and writhed beneath me. "That feels so good."

  "Samantha," I said, bending over to kiss her mouth again. "This is only the beginning."

  SAMANTHA

  Jori was inside me, on top of me, and surrounded me completely. He was all I could see, smell, hear, and taste. The feel of him everywhere was overwhelming. I thought having him make love to me would be good, but I was wrong. It was incredible. Amazing. Fucking unbelievable.

  He hadn't even moved yet. He had me pinned and kissed me for all he was worth. His tongue thrust in and out of my mouth, mimicking what I wanted him to do down below. I tore my lips away.

  "Jori," I begged. I had waited for so long. "I need you to move."

  "To what?" he asked, his green eyes staring me down.

  "To move. To make love to me. To fuck me hard. Please," I said, squirming under his weight. I needed him badly.

  "Oh, Sam," he whispered and pulled out, pushing back in so quickly and so hard that my breath left my body. He was already plunging into me again. Over and over, giving me such pleasure that I thought I would come immediately. He must have sensed it, and he slowed down.

  "Jori," I wailed.

  "It's better when it takes longer," he whispered in my ear, slowly increasing his speed again. When I was panting and getting close, he stopped moving again. He kissed me all over my face and twisted himself to suck my breasts. I tried to thrust my hips, but his weight pressed my pelvis into the ground and pinned me.

  Agonizingly slowly, he took me to the brink again, only to slow to a snail's pace. Every nerve ending in my body was on fire and screamed for release when he finally began pounding into me harder and faster. I knew this time I would have my relief.

  "You're mine, Samantha," he said as he drove into me. I felt the internal heat spreading through my body as the pleasure mounted higher and higher.

  "Yes," I panted.

  "Say it," he said. His breathing was coming quickly now.

  "I'm yours."

  "Mine," he repeated, moving faster.

  I was close. So close.

  "Yes. Faster, Jori. Harder."

  He obeyed me, and I came. The mind-shattering ecstasy of it rocked me. I cried out, my body arching and spasming because it couldn't contain the bliss. The contractions wouldn't stop. I lost all sense of who and where I was.

  Through the haze I felt Jori stiffen. His seed filled me. It felt right. I never wanted to have another man where he was. I never wanted him to touch another woman the way he had just touched me.

  When my spasms stopped, I lay completely still. I felt spent. I never wanted to move again, and I never wanted Jori to leave me.

  The thought startled me. Ashlyn was right - I had fallen for him. If he left me now, I would be hurt.

  I pushed the ideas out of my head. Right now he was here, beside me, with me. Not with any other woman. No matter what he thought, I wasn't going to let him go without a fight.

  "Jori?" I whispered. He rolled away, pulling out of me. He was so thick that he rubbed on every raw and stimulated nerve ending, making my hips buck again several times before he was out. "You're pretty wide down there."

  "But you like it? I wasn't too big for you, was I?" he said, sounding concerned. I had gently let my eyes close. I opened them again.

  "I've never had sex like that before..."

  "Never?" he said. He had a peculiar look on his face, and I couldn't recall anyone ever looking at me the way he was right now.

  "My mind is officially blown, and I'm sure it's because I've never had a guy fill me like you do."

  "So, you liked it?"

  "How many times do I need to say it," I said, rolling my eyes. "Did you miss the part where I screamed and convulsed for several minutes?"

  "No," he said, smiling.

  "I'm not epileptic," I told him.

  "No seizures?"

  "Nope."

  "That was an orgasm, then?"

  "A mind-shattering, devastatingly powerful orgasm, the likes of which I have never experienced before," I informed him. "What about you?"

  "It was amazing. About a hundred times better than I thought it would be. And I had anticipated this moment for a long time," he said, cupping his hand on my cheek.


  "You had?" I said.

  "I'd been dreaming of you, Sam," he said, looking directly at me. "If the dreams felt that good, I knew the real thing would be even better."

  "And it was?"

  "Oh, yeah," he sighed, lying back and putting his hands under his head. "It was."

  "A hundred times better?"

  "Maybe more."

  "Good," I said. "Take a rest and we'll do it again."

  His eyes bugged out, and I laughed out loud. He pulled me to him and kissed me. Maybe he wouldn't need a rest after all.

  The next day Jori found some edible plants. They tasted like crap but filled our bellies so we didn't feel hungry. We were lucky there was a spring on the island, so we had water to drink. From a certain point of view, our scenario was idyllic, and I didn't mind the island. The way Jori looked at me gave me the good kind of shivers up and down my spine.

  From another point of view, I was going to die on the island. The thought gave me the bad kind of shivers.

  There was no way we could get off. We couldn't signal anyone, and I didn't think someone would randomly drop by. I was fortunate Jori was with me. It wasn't the way I had envisioned living out the rest of my life, but it could have been worse.

  When we sat by the fire at the end of the first day, I was unable to keep my questions to myself anymore. "So," I said. "Do you think we're going to die here?"

  Jori glanced sharply at me.

  "Why would you think that?" he asked. "I'm sorry, Sam. I never thought to tell you. I thought you knew."

  "Tell me what?" I said. Why was he so apologetic?

  "I have a tracking device embedded in my body." He pointed behind his ear. "It's common on Vandwa to install them once children are able to walk and swim, usually when a kid turns one. If they get lost, their parents can find them."

  "All kids have tracking devices?"

  "Almost all the upper class. They're expensive. They function similarly to black boxes on Earth airplanes. They can be used to record everything around me."

  "Has that thing been recording us for our entire trip? You're not a pervert, are you?" I had been so noisy with Jori. My cheeks felt hot.

  "No, absolutely not. I made sure that it wasn't activated when we made love."

  "What is your tracker going to do?" I asked. My mind reeled with the implications.

  "I assume Nathaniel will be here within three days," he said.

  "Nathaniel will come and find you?" I said, flabbergasted. A minute ago I had been utterly hopeless. Now it seemed like it was only a matter of time before our ride came to pick us up.

  "I imagine he's already on his way. He would have become pretty nervous once he discovered we never returned from the party. Mrs. Morley was supposed to stop in yesterday, remember?"

  "That's right."

  "When she couldn't find us, she would have told Nathaniel. He typically works in this region. We shouldn't have to wait much longer, Sammy."

  "That knowledge is incredibly reassuring."

  "I'm sorry I let you think we were going to die here," he said. He looked contrite.

  "That's okay. What should we do in the meantime, while we wait?"

  Jori's eyes darkened.

  "I've wanted to strip that bodysuit off you since you put it on. How's that sound for a start?"

  "But what if they show up, and we're in a compromising position?"

  "We'll have to make it difficult for them to find us. Have you ever made love in the jungle, Sam?" he asked. He made it sound like a challenge.

  "Come to think of it, I haven't."

  He took my hand and led me into a tangle of vegetation.

  We ended up being stuck out there for three days, but we didn't mind. At least, I didn't mind. Jori wished we had more time together.

  I knew he was concerned about the children he could still save, trapped in a holding cell until Harrington could get them off-planet. I had to admit I was thinking about them as well. The idea of Ashlyn and Nathaniel's baby, Kathryn, possibly being taken from them and sold filled me with dread.

  If it could happen to other children, it could happen to her too. We had to stop Harrington.

  My vacation ended on the third night. We were sitting at our camp on the beach, snuggled up in front of a fire, when Nathaniel came strolling up to the flames and threw himself down on the ground beside us. He glared.

  "I'm glad to see you two are nice and cozy. You know we were out of our minds with worry trying to find you, right?"

  "Nathaniel," I gasped, getting up quickly as Jori said at the same time, "Where's the Dream?"

  "She's anchored down the beach in a cove." I knew which cove he meant. I was glad it was dark because remembering what we did in that cove three times made me blush. "I followed your tracker down the beach."

  "What else were we supposed to do until you got here?" Jori asked. He had a frown on his face. "Send up smoke signals?"

  I froze. I didn't want to believe the difference between the man talking now and the one with whom I had spent three days on the island. The mask was back and he was acting again. His face closed down, his body was rigid with tension, and he radiated irritation.

  How did he live like this?

  Nat looked exasperated. "A thank you would be nice," he said, running his hand through his hair and shaking his head.

  I looked at Jori. I wondered if I should say something, but I wasn't sure what to do.

  "Thanks," Jori said. He didn't sound like he meant it at all.

  "Of course we appreciate it, Nathaniel. We're so sorry to have worried you," I said, wanting to smooth things over with Jori's brother. I couldn't erase the pain in his eyes.

  "Speak for yourself, Sam," he said, turning and heading back down the beach.

  I watched Nathaniel trudge down the beach with his head bowed in defeat. I turned to look at Jori. For a moment, I saw a flash of helpless despair in his expression. I felt tears well up in my eyes, but I didn't let them fall.

  Jori was sacrificing his life for children he didn't know. And for Kathryn. And for Ashlyn and Nat and all the parents who wanted to keep their children close to them and not have them abducted. For the first time, I got a sense of how motivating a single goal could be. Knowing he could make a difference gave Jori the power to sacrifice his life.

  Chapter Fourteen

  JORI

  Samantha and I stood in silence on the deck of the Dream as I wrestled with my guilt and regret. I knew I was doing good saving children, but the consequences to my personal life had been devastating. Losing my brother's good opinion of me was a side effect of being undercover that I hadn't foreseen when I had taken the job.

  I could feel Samantha's eyes on me, watching my reaction. She inched a little closer and put her hand on top of mine. I didn't say anything. She pressed herself against my side and leaned her head on my arm. It was a small gesture, but it gave me comfort. How had she found her way into my heart in such a short time?

  Upon reflection, I had loved her since the first time I saw her in Nathaniel and Ashlyn's dining room. I didn't believe in love at first sight. The notion was ridiculous.

  But I distinctly remembered my feelings. I had been stunned, caught off guard, and completely head over heels within minutes. It was hard work appearing indifferent to her presence. I buried my emotions inside me because there was no chance of reciprocation. Even if she had returned them, I could never have her or an ordinary life.

  I felt like I was on the cusp of an opportunity. Things were different now; all I had to do was catch Harrington in the act. I needed to find those kids. I turned to Sam, pulling away from her, my face displaying surly disinterest.

  "We're going to Omi."

  "We are?"

  "I'm going to tell Nathaniel to correct course right now."

  "I know you're acting," she whispered.

  I looked at her, making sure my face did not betray what I felt in my heart. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then I turned away, but not bef
ore I saw a surprised and confused look on her face.

  It was likely that there were tracking and recording devices on my brother's boat. I thought a man was spying on me the night Sam arrived on Vandwa. It wasn't the first time I suspected someone was on my tail. I had also found bugs planted in my apartment.

  I hated my situation. Sam had no idea which parts of my personality were authentic and which were a facade. I didn't have time to explain everything to Nathaniel right now, and I needed to maintain my cover.

  Nathaniel steered the ship by hand. He was old-fashioned, and didn't like to rely on computers unless he had to. He couldn't see me, and I silently watched him for a few minutes. He looked free, content, and happy. I couldn't remember the last time I had carried no burdens.

  Or could I? I had experienced freedom during the past three days with Sam. Before my unexpected vacation, the last time I had felt truly joyful was when I was a child. There was an opportunity to escape right in front of me.

  Nathaniel was physically strong. More muscular than me, especially since my illness in jail which had weakened me more than I cared to admit. I had worked to build my strength up, but it had gone slowly and I felt weak compared to my big brother. He was five years older than me, and I had always looked up to him and adored him.

  He was my hero until I got old enough to realize I would never be as good as him. I wouldn't be as strong, smart, or kind as Nathaniel. I couldn't catch up and eventually, I gave up. It was a game I could never win. This type of thinking sent me into a tailspin when I was a teenager.

  Nathaniel had not said or done anything in particular to upset me. He had always been kind. My older brother and sister had taken care of me and loved me, but I preferred to remain closed. It felt sickening to watch his good opinion of me disintegrate over the past few years.

  I observed him indirectly because I didn't want to see the disappointment in his eyes when he looked at me. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer. We needed to change course before the Neeru current took the Dream. If I asked him to turn around after we were riding the current, he would be upset.