by S. K. Yule
He tightened his arms around her and devoured her. He’d never wanted anyone as badly as he wanted her. Right here. Right now. Her touch, her words, made him feel as though he were more than a Reaper. She made him feel like a man—a man who could be loved by a woman as precious and rare as she was.
She ran her hands up his chest and kneaded the knots in his muscles, easing the turmoil that ran wild through him. He kissed a path along her jaw to her slender neck where he nipped at her skin and then soothed it with his tongue. She leaned back, offering herself to him, surrendering. A yearning to possess her, to claim her, shot through him. He slipped a hand into her hair at the back of her head and tightened his fingers around the strands. His gentle tugging caused her to arch over his arm, and her pert breasts thrust upward, begging for his touch.
He buried his face between the soft mounds and inhaled her scent deep into his lungs. The hint of lavender that tickled his nose undoubtedly came from the soap he’d given her. While Earth, at one time, had had an abundant supply of lavender, it was rare on the other planets. Fortunately, many of the missions the Reapers took paid well and came with perks, which included things that weren’t easily attained.
He nuzzled her shirt aside along with her bra and took the rosy tip of one nipple into his mouth. He pulled it deep, laving the nub into a hard peak, and she cried out. He froze and looked up at her. Her eyes opened and met his.
“What’s wrong?” Ellie whispered breathlessly.
“I hurt you.”
“No. You didn’t.”
“You cried out. Loud.”
She blushed. “I’m sorry. I’ve never felt anything that intense before. It took me by surprise, but I assure you, you didn’t hurt me.”
He straightened, gazed at her exposed breasts, and growled low. The enlarged rosy tips beckoned, and he wanted to take them back into his mouth and drown in her scent and taste. If she hadn’t cried out, he would’ve never stopped. Good thing she did. You have to stay away from her.
With reluctance, he pulled her bra and shirt back into place, and she blushed again. She was too good for him. Yeah, and you’re in here pawing her as though she’s a whore.
After helping her regain her balance, he backed away. “I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.”
She came toward him again. “Bayden?”
“Don’t! Go back to your room and stay away from me, Ellie.” When she remained where she was, staring at him, he bellowed, “Go!”
She flinched and then turned and ran from the room, but not before he saw her tears. He’d made her cry. His fists clenched and unclenched as his breaths came quick and ragged. A tic began in his jaw, and he punched the heavy bag so hard the seam split. He continued to pummel the bag until black sand spilled on the floor.
“You know, there are other ways to work that kind of energy off.”
Bayden wished the floor would swallow him up at the moment. He didn’t need this right now. “Zaira.” He went to the fridge, retrieved some water, and drank half of the bottle. “Why are you here?”
“On my way through. Just dropping off some merchandise.”
“What kind of merchandise?”
“You know slayers? Those little things we all shoot people with. Other weapons, gear, and stuff like that.”
“So you had a good run then?”
“Yep. Surprised the fuck out of a small group of Enforcers. They were packing. They weren’t any match for me and my boys though.” She walked up behind him and ran one fingernail down his back.
His skin prickled. He turned to face her. “What do you want?”
“The same thing I’ve always wanted,” she said. “You.”
He laughed. “And here I thought you wanted Conlan. Or was it Thad? Sarek?” He tapped his chin. “No. Stryder, right?”
Her cheeks flamed red. Come to think of it, maybe she and Stryder would make a good pair. He frowned. Or maybe not. Put two short tempers like theirs together, and someone was likely to get maimed.
“That was before I had you.” She wrapped her arms around him, tilted her head, and looked up at him.
She was tall for a woman. And beautiful. No one could deny that, but the platinum-blonde hair and tight leather were only window dressings used to camouflage the lita lurking beneath.
“We had a good time, Zaira. But it’s over.”
She placed her lips against his and kissed him while running her hand down his chest, over his abdomen, and then cupping his cock. She broke the kiss and stared up at him. “I don’t know. I’m thinking you could be persuaded to be up for another round.”
He encircled her upper arms and set her away from him. “I can’t deny we share a past, but it’s over. We work well together. I consider you a valuable ally, but that’s all there is between us.” He started for the door.
“Who’s the woman?”
“She’s not your concern.”
As the doors slid open, Zaira called after him. “She won’t be able to please you the way I did. You’ll come crawling back, begging for more.”
Isn’t going to happen. Bayden continued on to his room, leaving Zaira behind.
Chapter Seven
Ellie was determined to get through to Bayden somehow. Touching the tablet with her fingertip, she scrolled from page to page, determined to keep herself occupied while Molly was, yet again, helping Sarek in the lab. Ellie hadn’t so much as glimpsed a peek of Bayden in three days, which had been the day that he’d kissed her. She’d heard him in the bathroom taking a shower at a godforsaken hour in the morning when he probably thought she was asleep, but that had been the extent of her run-ins—or rather not run-ins—with Bayden.
Lying there listening to the shower hadn’t been easy either. Her imagination had produced rather explicit images of his mouth on her while she stroked his hard body under the spray. She tapped the screen harder than necessary.
Whether she liked it or not, her feelings for Bayden were growing. She’d had a few boyfriends, but none compared to Bayden. His hulking size and daunting demeanor would probably scare the hell out of most people, but she wasn’t afraid of him. Her logical brain told her she might want to rethink that, even if only a little, but her heart wasn’t frightened of him in the least. Funny, since that was the part of her that had the potential of getting hurt worst.
She scrolled through article after article, tapping each, listening as the voice read the subject matter. After a few moments, she came across several articles she’d not seen before concerning the Reapers and Renegades. She selected the first article, but as the info was read, nothing new came to light. In fact, after listening for several minutes, the only new thing she’d learned was that the Reapers and Renegades were rumored to have tattoos of unknown design on their backs. It was suggested that the tattoos were a part of initiation, which reminded her of something a gang might do on Earth.
She never understood initiations that permanently marked an individual. Wouldn’t that kind of evidence be irrefutable if captured by law enforcement? Then again, if these men were as described, she doubted any of them would ever be taken alive.
She shivered. How did someone become that corrupted, unfeeling, maniacal, and twisted? How could anyone hurt someone who was unable to defend himself? Dread crept down her back when she thought of what would happen if someone the size of Bayden attacked her. She wouldn’t have a hope in hell.
She set the tablet down and mulled over the information of the last couple of paragraphs she’d just listened to. Enforcers were revered as honest men who upheld the law. Yet, the king of Koryan was rumored to be corrupt. If that were true, was it logical to assume that those under his orders would be good men? She made a mental note to ask Bayden about that later.
She stretched and wondered if Sarek would be going outside that afternoon. She and Molly had gone with him a couple of times, but he’d made them promise not to tell anyone. They weren’t supposed to leave the compound for any reason without Bayden’s knowledge, but she
and Molly had shamelessly pouted and begged until he’d given in to their pleas.
It’d been nice to go outside. The planet’s colors were beautiful. She’d quickly realized it was harder to breathe on their outings as the air seemed a bit denser than Earth’s, but she’d quickly acclimated to it.
Hoping for another clandestine jaunt in the open air, she made her way to Sarek’s lab. When she heard giggling, she stopped just outside the door. She peered around the corner and smiled. Sarek was helping Molly pour some kind of thick purple liquid into a test tube, and it’d bubbled up and spit droplets of goop all over their faces. Molly wore her hair in a ponytail and wore clear safety goggles that matched Sarek’s.
“What are you two up to?”
They looked up.
“She’s wrecking my lab,” Sarek said, then picked up a rag and started wiping the splatters from his face.
“Am not.” Molly’s indignant reply was followed by a laugh.
“Are you going out for samples today, Sarek?”
He looked at her, hesitation glowing in his eyes. “Yeaaah.”
“I need to get outside for a while. I need some fresh air.” Ellie knew he was going to argue before the words were all the way out of her mouth.
“I don’t know. Bayden is gone on a mission, and if something happened, he’d kill me.”
“Oh come on.”
“No. He’d literally kill me.” Sarek’s eyes widened for a moment.
“You’ve taken us before, and nothing’s happened.” Before he could protest again she said, “I promise we’ll stay close to the entrance. If anything happens, we can get back to safety within seconds.”
Molly pouted her lips and fluttered her eyelashes. “Pleaaaassse.”
Damn. That girl was going to be hell on the men when she was older, because she’d already perfected a pout at ten.
“Oh all right, but neither one of you better breathe a word of this to anyone.” He tossed Molly a cloth. “You have purple goop on your face too.”
Ellie and Molly both raised their hands and said at the same time, “Scout’s honor.”
“I don’t know what that means, but I’m going to take it as a promise.” Sarek put several glass tubes into a bag along with some other supplies, and started for the door.
Ellie waited for Molly to wipe her face clean, and then they followed Sarek.
After the short walk through the tunnel into the open air, Ellie realized she’d lost track of time and it was early evening. She looked up at the twinkling stars and red moon. The first time she’d seen it’d been one of the most terrifying and astounding moments of her life. It was beautiful, but strange compared to the white moon she’d been used to.
She lazed on a rock watching Molly and Sarek dig at the ground. The hot air of the day was quickly turning crisp, and she breathed deeply and shivered. A prickling sensation crawled over her skin. The hairs on her arms and nape stood on end. The calm that had flowed through her only milliseconds before turned to instant anxiety as her instincts screamed in warning. She sat up, but before she could utter a word, she was grabbed from behind and yanked against a hard body.
“Well, well, what have we here?” a man’s voice whispered next to her ear.
She shivered again, this time, not from the chilly air but because of the pure evil that radiated from the man who now imprisoned her. His hand tightened around her throat when she tried to turn and get a better look at him. He tsked at her.
“Ellie!” Molly cried, but as she started for Ellie, Sarek grabbed Molly around the waist, stopping her.
Ellie looked over at Sarek and Molly, who both now stood frozen, staring at her. The need to get Molly to safety coursed through her like an earthquake-born tsunami. She knew she had to do something fast. She stomped down hard on the man’s toe. He yelped, and his hold loosened and she wiggled free. “Run now, Molly!”
Sarek released Molly and gave her a firm shove toward the tunnel. The only comfort Ellie had at the moment came from the sound of Molly’s feet running to the tunnel’s entrance. Before Ellie could gain her footing and run, fingers tangled in her hair and a burning sensation radiated through her scalp. She grimaced and clawed at his hand, but her captor spun her around to face him, and she cried out. He resembled Stryder, but fiercer and deadlier, if that was possible. Cold dread slid through her veins.
“You’ll pay for that. I was going to make it nice and painless for you, but I’m thinking you’re one of those litas who like it rough.”
“Who are you?”
“You shouldn’t be worried about who I am. Now what I’m going to do to you? That’s the thing you should be worried about most.” He trailed a fingertip down her cheek, and when it reached her neck, his fingernail bit into her skin.
“Let her go.” Sarek said.
“I don’t think so,” her captor responded. “And if you come any closer, I’ll kill her.”
He bent and put his face close to her neck and inhaled. His breath singed her skin like a hot poker, and her knees nearly buckled.
“Mmmm. You smell good enough to eat.”
She scrunched her nose. “I can’t say the same for you.” Rotten egg farts didn’t make it on the list of her favorite scents. Probably not a good idea to taunt the vampire about to suck me dry. No. He’s going to eat my soul. “Please, let me go.”
He threw his head back and laughed, and she wanted to scratch his eyes out. His amber-eyed gaze scorched her, and she gasped.
“I don’t think so, lita.”
“Do you really think you’re going to get away with this, vampire?” Sarek asked. “You know very well who you’re dealing with.”
“Oh yes. I do. It makes it that much sweeter.” He bent his head toward her, mouth open, fangs exposed. She closed her eyes. His fetid breath fanned her skin again, and she kneed him in the crotch. She ran toward the tunnel, but he was too quick. He grabbed her by the arm, and she fell to her knees. She slapped at him with her free arm and struggled for freedom. Suddenly, the vampire was jerked away. She looked up to find Stryder and her attacker facing off.
“Go to the fucking compound! Now!” Stryder pointed to the entrance.
Getting to her feet proved difficult. She stumbled on her way to the entrance. Sarek hit the button and they both dived through the door as it slid open. Molly was on the other side. Ellie collapsed as the door closed behind them. While she lay on the floor trying to catch her breath, Molly ran to her.
She looked up into Sarek’s pale face, and the light purple of his skin had a green tinge to it. “Bayden’s going to kill me.”
“Are you okay?” Molly pushed the errant strands of hair from Ellie’s face.
“Yes.” She glanced up at Sarek. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“He won’t see it that way.” The door slid open again. Sarek jumped, and Stryder limped in.
Stryder grabbed Sarek by the throat and pinned him against the wall. His toes barely touched the floor. “You stupid son of a bitch. I ought to rip out your throat. You better be glad we got back when we did and that I happened to be heading outside, or she’d probably be dead now. Bayden’s in the control room. When he hears about this, he’s going to skewer you, you dumb shit.”
Molly began to sob, and Ellie sucked in a sharp breath.
“Enough!” Still trembling, Ellie got off the floor, gently pushed Molly away, and grabbed at Stryder’s arm. “Let go of him.”
Stryder let Sarek loose and turned on her so fast she fell right back to the floor on her butt with an oomph. Wincing, she glared up at him. “That hurt!”
“And you. Of all the—”
Molly jumped between them. “Leave her alone, you big meanie!”
Stryder gaped at Molly, and if Ellie hadn’t been so shaken, she might’ve laughed at his reaction. She grabbed Molly by the waist and pulled her back. “Stop. All of you.” She got up once again. Her legs were shaky, and it took a moment to get her balance. “I’ll go talk to Bayden and tell him what happened
.”
“No. I’ll do it.” Sarek said, head down.
“No.” Ellie pushed Molly toward Sarek. “Take her back to our room.”
Stryder glared at her, and she glared right back. That’s when she noticed his lip was split and his nose was bleeding. He’d gotten hurt because of her, and no matter how big of a jerk he was being, she could understand his anger.
“Thank you. I’m sorry you got hurt. A-and you don’t smell like rotten egg farts at all.”
“Probably because I fucking shower.” He glared at her and walked away.
Way to go, Ellie. Way to go.
* * * *
“He did what?” Bayden’s face turned red, and a vein throbbed in his forehead.
Ellie bit her lip. “Everything’s okay. We’re all fine.”
“Son of a bitch. I told you and him that neither you nor Molly was to leave the compound without one of us. One of us, not including Sarek.”
She’d never seen him this angry or worried. “I’m sorry Bayden. I swear, I didn’t realize the danger. We’ll never do it again.” She’d so never do it again. Maybe not even if Bayden was with her.
He hit a button on the panel in front of him. “Sarek! Get your ass in here. Now!”
“Bayden. Please.” When he pinned her with a stare, anger dancing in the depths of his lavender eyes, she took a step back. He looked fierce, scary, and…sexy as hell.
“Don’t ‘Bayden, please’ me. Sarek knew better.”
“Yes, but Molly and I both pouted until we got our way.”
He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. He knew better. You two could’ve been killed.”
“But we weren’t,” Ellie said.
“Not this time. Lucky for you Stryder showed up, or I guarantee, you’d be dead now.”
Amber eyes, fangs, and fetid breath assaulted her senses. Her hands became damp with sweat. Her scalp throbbed and her shoulder ached. She shivered. She closed her eyes for a moment, scrubbing her attacker from her brain.