Atlantean's Quest Volume 2

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Atlantean's Quest Volume 2 Page 13

by Jordan Summers


  Humans were beginning to awaken. A few had stumbled onto the beach, shattering the tranquility of the moment with their huffing and puffing. Cassandra had no idea why they were running. From what she could see, no predator chased them. Obviously one of the strange behaviors they naturally displayed. Dressed in baggy clothing, a few glanced her way, eyeing her flight suit. She glanced down. She didn’t think it looked that bad.

  Feeling self-conscious, Cassandra reached into the sack and rummaged around until she’d located her deciphering unit. She needed to find a place to stay, since traffic on the beach made it not an option. She held the unit next to her head like Orion had shown her. It was similar to the communication device, yet. This device only activated when she pictured the object she wanted to locate. Cassandra concentrated.

  The device hummed, flashing the words, hotel and motel across the screen. Ah, shelter was in a hotel or motel. She hoped. Cassandra had no idea which direction to travel in, so she decided to follow the next human who ran past.

  She gazed at the shoreline, waiting, but no one appeared. Where was a human when she needed one? Cassandra glanced at the water once more, the vast openness called to her, dared her to enter its depths. She stood to ensure she was alone. A seagull squawked high above, riding the wind’s thermals. The water lapped at her bare feet. There was no sense resisting the inevitable. Stripping off her flight suit, Cassandra faced the ocean. Her naked flesh puckered under the cool morning air, relishing its cold-fingered touch. She allowed it to caress her once more, then raced into the surf with a reckless abandon that harkened back to her childhood.

  She gasped as the first wave hit. The cool water momentarily took her breath away. The sea near Atlantis had been warm year around. Not so this ocean. It took Cassandra a couple of minutes to adjust to the change, but adjust she did, then dove headfirst into the frothy brine.

  * * * * *

  Brady ‘Buzz’ Rittner jogged harder on the wet sand. Anger surged through him as he recalled his commander’s orders. You will take your leave, effective immediately. That’s an order. He figured he had to be the only Ground Training Officer at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar ever forced to take a leave.

  Well that wasn’t exactly true, he had been commanded. Unfortunately, the leave was permanent. At least that’s what the early retirement papers he’d received yesterday in the mail had said. He was too damn young to retire, even if it was with an honorable discharge. Brady had immediately phoned his sister Carrie for support. She was the only woman in his life that he trusted. He expected outrage on his behalf. Maybe even a letter writing campaign, but this time Carrie’s advice had mirrored the military’s.

  He growled in frustration and ran harder, ignoring the pain and slight weakness that now accompanied his workouts. At thirty-eight, he considered himself in prime physical shape. Just not good enough to go back into space. The radiation exposure made sure of that. It could be worse, you could be dying from it, the little voice inside his head whispered. He might as well be dead because it had been the fucking kiss of death to his career.

  Buzz knew his attitude of late hadn’t been the best. Frustration did that to a man. He knew he was a tough guy to train under, but he hadn’t thought he’d been that bad. Asking him to leave had probably tickled the commander pink. The bastards had finally gotten rid of their damaged goods.

  Screw them all!

  He pushed on, eating up miles on the sand. Malibu was gorgeous this time of the morning, no people, only sand, ocean--and the naked blonde who’d just broken through the surf in front of him.

  Naked blonde? Where in the hell had she come from?

  Buzz nearly tripped when she turned her head to stare at him with those striking blue eyes of hers. Still quite a few yards away, he knew there’d been no mistake. Her eyes were the brightest blue he’d ever seen, the color of the ocean when he’d viewed it from space.

  He glanced over his shoulder to ensure there wasn’t another runner behind him. Nope. It was just the two of them, completely alone. Every muscle in his body tightened as he neared what he could now see was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  His gaze traveled down the length of her, taking in her slim waist and perfect navel, before zeroing in on her world-class breasts. Her rose-colored nipples alone were enough to give him erotic dreams for a month.

  She didn’t have movie star looks like most of the women in Los Angeles. Hers was an earthy beauty, one that didn’t need makeup or surgery to create. She had a wide, full mouth that held a hint of color he knew instinctively had not come from a tube. Her height was impressive, damn near six feet, give or take an inch, if where the surf hit her was any indication. Buzz was suddenly glad he’d taken after his six foot four father. The closer her got, the more lush she appeared. Her curves were round and firm, made for exploring. Like a Madonna from another century, she glowed with health. No starvation diet for her. His interest spiked. The woman was the walking embodiment of sex and she looked like she was just waiting to be devoured by the right man.

  Buzz’s cock leapt to attention. Thank God for baggy sweats. He debated whether to stop as he neared, but the truth was, the last thing he needed was an entanglement. He had enough problems without adding a woman, albeit a beautiful naked woman, into the mix. But damn, he was tempted—oh, so tempted.

  “Down, boy,” he muttered to himself as he passed the woman, giving her a quick nod and a flash of a smile. “Morning.”

  Seemingly unbothered by her state of undress, the woman’s eyes lit up as she warmly returned his smile. “Morning,” she repeated.

  Buzz’s heart did a little flip in his chest. He ignored it and pressed on. She probably recognized him from his cereal box cover. He frowned. Buzz hated the fact that he missed the attention being a minor celebrity brought. He must be more desperate than he thought, if one look from her had kicked his libido into high gear. Disgusted by his behavior, he was all the more determined not to wait around for her to get out of the water.

  He prided himself on being a noble guy, but he was only human. One look at the rest of her and he knew that all bets would be off. There was only so much temptation a guy could take before his body ripped the decision out of his hands.

  It was a few moments before Buzz realized the woman he’d seen in the water was following him. Her soft footfalls were near-silent against the crash of the surf. It had been the sensation of being watched that had tipped him off. He glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, she trotted behind him. No longer naked, she was now dressed in a black skin-tight outfit with a sack thrown across her back. The fact she was easily keeping pace with him gave him pause. Buzz’s muscles tightened, his heart rate doubled. What was she super woman? She smiled again. The effect was instantaneous. He flushed with arousal. He had to get the hell away from her.

  Buzz forced his gaze away and picked up speed. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe she was crazy, most of the truly beautiful ones were. He’d encountered numerous groupies throughout the years, but hadn’t bothered dallying with any of them. He didn’t want to be on anyone’s conquest checklist.

  He jogged a mile farther, trying to pretend she wasn’t there. It was nearly impossible. She’d fallen slightly further behind, but still managed to keep pace. Definitely an athlete. He glanced at her face. Her expression…well, her expression was open, like a child when they first discover a playground.

  As much as he told himself to keep on running and not look back, Buzz couldn’t. He needed the attention as much as she longed to give it. Against his better judgment, he stopped, hands resting on his hips and he bent to catch his breath. She slowed as she neared him, moving with a natural sensuality that most women would kill for.

  Something drew him to her, something beyond primal need. Her gaze ran over the length of him. Buzz’s jaw tightened. He hadn’t had a woman look at him like that since—well since he’d been NASA’s flavor of the month pinup boy. If she was a groupie, she wasn’t like any groupie he�
��d ever encountered. They always reeked of quiet desperation. Their need to brush against fame somehow believing it would change their life, their status, had always turned him off.

  His cock twitched, beginning to grow under the woman’s heated stare. Despite her overt attention, she was in no way aggressive. Buzz liked that. He liked to be the one to choose a partner when it came to sex, and so far, it had worked out in his favor. He’d kept the sex casual and the women at a distance. It was safer that way…for everyone. Space was his mistress, always had been, and always would be, even if NASA never allowed him to visit her again.

  Buzz’s heart damn near stopped when she smiled again. He’d been smiled at by beautiful women before and never had this reaction. Strange, very strange.

  “Can I help you, darlin’? Would you like an autograph?” he asked, using his best Texas good ol’ boy drawl, the one that had worked so well on the women outside of Houston when he’d been training for a space mission at NASA.

  He swallowed hard as bitterness welled inside of him. There’d be no more missions. The solar flare he’d experienced while manning the International Space Station had made sure of that. Too much radiation they’d said. No more space flights. No more hope of being on the first manned mission to Mars. He snorted, shaking his head.

  She watched him, her soft blue eyes filled with compassion. Maybe it was her quiet countenance that brought his thoughts back from the dark place they so often traveled. He didn’t know. Didn’t care. He was just glad she had. Buzz had become so used to the despair, he now considered the dark place his second home. It occurred to him that she still hadn’t answered him. “I guess that’s a no.” Disappointment welled inside his voice, but he squelched it before it cut too deep. He stared at her. Maybe she didn’t speak English. “Are you lost?” he asked louder than he should have. Like it would somehow make a difference if she didn’t speak the language.

  Her eyes widened and she nodded her head.

  Buzz’s chest clenched. Every protective instinct he possessed, rose inside of him.

  She cleared her throat. “I-I need to find a hotel or motel.”

  Her words hit his gut like a sucker punch. Buzz blinked, that wasn’t exactly what he’d thought she’d say. Could you call the police, maybe? Or do you know where such and such street is located? Those would’ve been the logical questions to ask. It occurred to him that she might be propositioning him. Yeah, like she’d be interested in a washed up, unemployed astronaut.

  Her smile warmed. Buzz’s mind raced through the possibilities, however remote. His gaze took in her clothing. At first he’d thought it was some kind of wet suit, but up close the material didn’t look right. Whatever it was it melded to her body like a second skin. Odd choice for being on the beach, but hell, this was L.A.

  “There are several hotels right down the road in Santa Monica. I’m staying at a place called Shutters on the Beach. I could drop you off or you could walk.” He pointed further down the beach. “It’s quite a ways from here, past Gladstone’s.”

  “Gladstone’s?” she frowned, repeating his words like a child would mimic a parent.

  Something wasn’t right with this whole picture. Maybe he’d been right. Maybe English wasn’t her first language. He could tell from the blank look on her face she had no idea where he was talking about. His gut told him she wasn’t stupid, only overwhelmed. Maybe she’d been injured and dumped on the beach. He’d heard of cases where people lost all memory during a traumatic event. The trouble was she didn’t look injured. An injured person wouldn’t have kept pace with his seven-minute miles.

  At the height of his fame, he’d received mail from thirty countries. “You’re not from around here, are you?” he ventured.

  “No, my home is many galaxies away, past the Pleiades.” Her voice was clipped and strangely accented, but her words were clear enough.

  She might be foreign, but he’d called it right the first time. This chick was crazy. She didn’t need a ride. She needed professional help. Why had he offered to give her a ride? He’d never done anything so stupid in the past, especially with a crazy woman who’d probably turn out to be a groupie after all. Hell, after what she’d said, she probably thought Star Trek was real.

  Buzz chastised himself again, knowing if she accepted his offer he’d honor his word. The forced leave must have scrambled his brain. He knew she was trouble—six feet of leggy, womanly trouble that he should be trying to stay far away from, but damned if his body didn’t disagree. It wanted to get to know this woman a lot better. Crazy or not. He wouldn’t of course. He’d never take advantage of someone.

  His gaze dropped to the front of her black skin-tight suit. Her nipples, which were clearly visible through her outfit, pebbled under his regard. Because of the glimpse he’d caught earlier, Buzz didn’t need to use much imagination. His mouth watered at the thought of sucking on them, laving her with his tongue, nibbling on her flesh. His nostrils flared and he felt himself harden again. Buzz bit back a curse. What in the hell was the matter with him? He was acting like he’d never been laid.

  Her gaze locked on his face. Heat filled her aqua eyes and her lips quirked in a knowing smile. Somehow she knew exactly what he’d been thinking. Buzz stared back unabashedly. He half hoped she did know what he was thinking. Maybe she’d be smart enough to stay clear of him. From the look on her face, avoidance wasn’t on her mind.

  He imagined stripping that outfit off her body and laying her across the thick, billowy linens Shutters on the Beach was known for. He could already see those lush curves draped across the bed. Buzz knew the exact moment he’d decided to break his unwritten no groupies’ rule and fuck her. Crazy or not, foreign or not, he just knew it was going to happen. He had no doubt. Something in him roared to reaffirm his position as a vital male and stake a claim on her luscious flesh—a purely primal reaction that he’d never experienced before, but ached to act upon.

  He wanted to hear her soft moans as she came…repeatedly. Taste the salt of her skin after they’d made love for hours. He could almost imagine the rich smell of musk that would emanate from her weeping sex as she heated, waiting for his cock to fill her.

  Damn, just thinking about it made him hot. He fisted his hands, resisting the urge to throw her down on the sand and take her now. He was acting like a bull in rut. His need thrummed, the beat steady and strong in her presence. He took a step closer and without thinking reached for her.

  Only the sound of muffled voices prevented him from acting on instinct. He glanced down the beach and saw several joggers coming their way. If he were a true gentleman, he’d stop them and have them call for help. Leave her with them while he made good on his escape. His gaze dropped to her mouth as she licked her full lips. So much for good intentions. Her heated, hungry expression finally registered on his befuddled mind.

  Hungry? God, he hoped like hell she was. He was ravenous.

  Buzz cleared his throat, willing his voice to be calm as he spoke. “My car is back down the beach. It’ll take a while to get there. Do you want to come with me to get it or would you rather wait here?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the approaching people. “I want to come… with you.”

  The film broke in Buzz’s mind as he imagined an emphasis on the word come that couldn’t have been there. He didn’t wait for her to repeat herself. He reached out and grabbed her slender wrist, striding briskly down the beach as he tugged her along behind him.

  The warmth of her skin seared him, frying all reason. Even though groupies were game for almost anything, Buzz prayed his caveman act didn’t scare off this woman, because right now he teetered on the edge of feral and was quickly losing the battle for control.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Two

  Cassandra smiled as her skin heated to inferno at his touch, she couldn’t help herself. This human was exactly what she’d been searching for in her dreams, a man who could trigger her Atlantean’s heat. Oddly enough, she didn’t even know his
name.

  What she did know was he was aggressive and male. Like a true warrior, his finely developed muscles split in striated lines as he strode across the sand. She’d decided to follow him the second their eyes had met. She hadn’t missed the look of raw hunger. It was still there. Simmering just below the surface of his rigid self-control. She looked forward to shattering that control the first chance she got.

  He had lean hips, a nice ass, and long legs. She wondered if his cock was as impressive as the rest of him. She hoped so, since she planned to be fondling that particular organ soon.

  A day’s growth of stubble covered his firm, square jaw. Long, dark lashes shielded his gray-green eyes. His brown hair was short, holding hints of blond, and a smidge of gray. A welcome change from the longhaired Atlantean warriors she’d left back on Zaron.

  This was no child.

  This was a man.

  The thoughts in his head ran from dark to aggressively sexual. For a moment, she’d seen space. He’d floated above this planet in some crude manner and despite his deep-seated anger, wished to return. Her smile widened as she considered his broad back. If things worked out as she planned, she’d grant him that wish and more.

  Cassandra allowed him to pull her along, retracing the steps they’d taken only moments ago. He was going to give her a ride to a hotel called Shutters on the Beach. She needed to get her deciphering unit out to understand what his thoughts of foreign groupie and crazy meant, but couldn’t risk doing so in front of him. At least, not yet.

  A half an hour later, they reached a transportation device he’d called his car. Crude, but effective, she noted several other humans seated inside the transports as they winged down the hard gray trail that had been carved from the land. Each transport seemed to come in different shapes and colors. The man walked to one side of the transport and opened a hatch.

 

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