by Susan Hayes
“You can tell me who is Commander Denza is on the way to medical.” Lisa eased her hand away from his brow and then sighed. “That’s not fully clotted yet. Try not to reopen it when you stand up.”
“You’re taking this all very well.” He eased himself into a sitting position and tried to ignore the grinding pain that flared every time he moved.
Lisa got to her knees and moved in closer. She wrapped a steadying arm around his shoulders and then laughed. “Which part? The fact you’re bleeding, that you’re an alien, or the bit where you kidnapped me, and I ended up sticking around to help you anyway?”
“All of it.” he gave in to the need tearing through him and turned his head, capturing her mouth with his. She tensed, and for a second he thought she might push him away again, but then she uttered a soft moan and kissed him back. The fire he’d been fighting to control became an inferno, burning away everything but the need to have her.
Their mouths crashed together in a heated claiming that branded it onto his soul. This was the female he’d been destined for, and he wanted her like he had never wanted another.
Until this moment, he hadn’t wanted this. The lifelong bond forming between them was something he’d hoped to never find. But the Gods, as usual, had ignored his plans.
He kissed her again, savoring the sweet taste of her lips. He could get lost in her body for a month at least, learning every pleasurable curve and line.
“Vee, we should stop. You need to get fixed up.”
“No.” His response was more growl than an actual word, a sure sign the Scorching was taking over. It wouldn’t be long before he would be a slave to the need to claim her, and judging by her ardent response, the Scorching was affecting her, too. That thought gave him the strength to stop. He had to tell her what was to come before it was too late.
He tore his lips from hers with a frustrated curse. “We’re running out of time.”
“You keep saying that, but you don’t explain what happens when our time’s up. What happens then? Oh, shit. Is this going to be like one of those movies where the heroine finds an alien, and she has to go on the run to keep him safe from government scientists?”
Part of his short but intense education into Earth’s cultures included viewing a number of films and television programs. They were an imaginative species. It was a shame they were as destructive as they were creative. “I’ve seen those films. They don’t make any sense. If a species has the technology to cross the galaxy, wouldn’t it make sense they can hide from your primitive detection devices? We’re safe from discovery. There’s no need to leave the ship.”
“Fair point, but now is not the time to get into a conversation about plot holes and creative licence. I’m not too sure I agree with your assessment about being safe, though. You’re the one who kidnapped me, remember?”
“I remember. Then you slugged me, and we crashed. I’d say we’re almost even.”
He got to his feet, which wasn’t easy considering the ship was listing to one side. “Cas, why are we sitting at this angle? And respond in English while Lisa is onboard.”
“You told me to prioritize repairs on communications.”
“I spent half a billion galactic cred on you, and you can’t multitask? I’ll get to medical a lot faster if you level the flaming ship.”
A shudder passed through the ship, and it began to right itself, finally stopping when the floor was level again.
“Much better.”
Lisa had flattened herself against the nearest wall when the ship started to move and didn’t move or speak until it was quiet again.
“You still haven’t told me why we’re running out of time.
“It’s the Scorching.” He started to make his way down the corridor, and Lisa appeared at his side, slipping an arm around his waist and holding him steady. He ached all over, but it was his head that was going to kill him. Stabbing pain accompanied each step, and the dizziness and nausea made it difficult to walk.
“You keep using that word. What does it mean?”
“It means that you and I were destined for each other. The first time you touched me, there was a Spark. That heralded the beginning of what my people call the Scorching. A mating fever consumes both mates. We’re in the thrall of it, now, and it’s only going to get stronger.”
Lisa froze. “What if I don’t want this? I agreed to go out to dinner, not this.”
“I never expected this, either. You’re not Pyrosian. This shouldn’t be possible.” He turned to brush a light kiss to the crown of her head. “There’s no stopping this, tani. At least, not if you feel what I am.”
“You mean the flashes of heat and the fact I don’t want to leave your side?”
“And the need. Flames and fury, I need you so badly it hurts more than my head does.”
She tensed. “Promise me you didn’t do this. Swear to me on whatever you hold dear that you didn’t give me something or pull some weird alien mind trick to make me agree to fly away with you. ”
The edge of fear in her voice cut him deeply. His mate was afraid, and it was his fault. He spoke from his heart and hoped that it would be enough. “I swear on the graves of my parents that I did not do this to you. My people believe it’s the Gods that select the perfect match for each of us and reveal them to us when the time is right.”
“And what do you believe?”
Vadir felt like he was standing at the edge of a cliff, and the ground was crumbling beneath his feet. He had stopped trusting the Gods the day his father had chosen to follow his mate into death instead of staying to raise his young son. He’d been on his own since then, making his own choices and building a life for himself with no help from anyone. At least, that’s what he’d chosen to believe until now.
Staring into Lisa’s lovely face, he couldn’t deny the truth. “I believe that we are supposed to be together. That our meeting was the will of the Gods. It has to be. How else can any of this be possible?”
“The will of the Gods, huh?” She drew in a slow breath and then kissed his cheek. “They showed me what you looked like months ago. So I guess I’m going to have to trust them—and you.”
“They showed you?”
She started forward again. The medical bay was only six meters away now, and he pointed out the location to her as she continued to explain.
“I was inspired one day and started to sketch a face. Yours.”
On his world, only a rare few were gifted with communications from the Gods. Only female Pyrosians manifested the ability, and with the slow decline of female births, many of the bloodlines that carried the gift had been lost.
“I even made your eyes gold, which I didn’t understand at the time. That’s part of this Scorching thing, too, right?”
“After we have consummated our mating, my eyes will be that colour forever. At least, I think they will. It would indicate that my full powers have been unlocked, but I have no idea if that will happen. I think its likely, though.”
He waved his hand over a door panel and a doorway opened in the wall. Inside was an advanced medical bay. Given the amount of time he travelled alone, it had been a good investment, though one he had hoped to never need to use.
“Cas, where do you want your patient?” Lisa asked in a take-charge tone that made his cock surge to attention. He’d spent his life thinking he liked quiet, docile females, so why did her confidence turn him on so much?
“What are you laughing about?” she asked as she helped him onto the bed.
“I was just thinking that it took getting punched by a female from another planet for me to understand what I really wanted. Apparently, I’m as thick-skulled as my critics have always claimed.”
“If that’s true, then we are going to have some spectacular arguments, Vee. Even my friends say I’m stubborn.” She smoothed his hair with a gentle hand and frowned. “I can’t believe I’m already talking about a future with you. This Scorching thing is powerful. It’s messing with my head. Ho
w long does this last?”
“About two of your solar-cycles.”
“Two days? What are we going to do for two days? Sit in this broken ship and wait for your buddy Kash to rescue us?”
“No, tani. Once Cas has healed my injuries, I am going to take you to my quarters and spend the next two cycles making love to you.”
Desire kindled in her eyes. “You’re making big promises for a man in a hospital bed.”
“I won’t be here for long.”
“In that case, I should leave so that Cas can get started.”
“I don’t want you to go.” He took her hand and interlocked their fingers. “Stay with me, please.”
Her answering smile was brighter than any star in the cosmos. “I’ll stay because you asked me to instead of making it a demand. Try doing that more often. You’ll be amazed how well it works.”
“I’m not used to asking for things, so.” He grinned and tugged at her hand. “I’d better start practicing. Would you please kiss me?”
She laughed and leaned over him, her hair spilling across his chest and throat as she kissed him for the first time. “See how well that works?”
6
Lisa had expected a gleaming, high tech medical bay stuffed full of wondrous gizmos and gadgets. Instead, the room was so nondescript she would have never guessed its purpose. The walls were a soothing shade of pale blue, and there was a simple counter with what looked like a sink near the head of the bed. That was it.
It wasn’t until Vadir lay down that anything interesting happened. A nimbus of golden light appeared around the bed and quickly filled with streams of data as the patient was scanned and assessed. Cas made his diagnosis in Pyrosian, but Vadir translated the gist for her. He had a concussion, contusions, and what he called some ‘minor internal damage.’
She kept waiting for robotic arms to appear and start working on Vadir’s injuries, but instead, the field around him glowed brighter, and the streams of data started to scroll by faster. As she watched, the cut on his head slowly closed over and began to heal. She should have been fascinated by all she was witnessing, but her focus was all on Vadir. She still had his hand in hers, and every time either one of them shifted so much as a finger, an erotic current flowed through her.
Adding to her distraction, Cas had made Vadir’s shirt vanish, and judging by the way Vee had cursed about it, she assumed it had been destroyed in the process. Seeing him half naked was making it almost impossible to focus on what was happening. All she wanted to do was to explore his body and commit every inch of it to memory. Her skin had become so sensitive that even the soft cloth of her dress was an irritant. She couldn’t keep a thought in her head for more than two seconds before she’d be back to thinking about Vadir and all the things she wanted to do with him.
“Hurry this up, Cas,” Vadir said through gritted teeth.
“Your recovery would be expedited if your blood pressure was lower and your heart rate was slowed by twenty percent.”
“That is not going to happen. Do what you can and let me up.”
“Wait. You can’t move right now?” Lisa asked.
“No. There’s a force field holding me in place. Cas is making sure I stay still until I’m finished treatment.” Vadir sounded entirely unimpressed.
“Cas. Can I touch Vadir? I mean, is it safe for me to reach into this glowing field?”
“You are already touching Vadir.” The computer pointed out, and a pulse of light flared around their joined hands. “If you move further into the field, I will be able to treat you, as well. You have minor bruising and contusions that I can heal.”
“So, that’s a yes.” Lisa stepped into the field and placed her free hand in the center of Vadir’s broad chest. His skin was hot under her fingers, and she could feel his heartbeat racing against his ribs.
“What are you doing? And why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” he demanded.
“I’m distracting you. And I’m just a little bruised, mostly from the harness. You risked your life to make sure I was secured. I won’t forget that.” Nor would she ever forget the look on his face in the second before impact. He’d put her life ahead of his own, risking everything to protect her as best he could. There were only two other people in the universe who might have done that for her, and they were her closest friends.
She let her fingertips wander over his bare skin, following the lines of muscle down to his sculpted abs. She had expected to feel something from the field, but all she sensed was slight warmth and a sense of wellness that defied description.
“I did what I had to, to keep you safe.” He raised his head a fraction to watch as her fingers moved lower. You’re playing with fire, tani.”
“No, I’m playing with you. And what does tani, mean?”
“It means you are my treasure. It’s a term of endearment in my language.”
She moved her hand further down his body, and he groaned. “I should tell you. Once we’ve mated. You…” his words trailed off as she reached his navel and circled it with her fingertip.
“I’ll what?”
“You will be playing with fire. The powers I spoke of before. I will be able to summon flames.”
“You’re joking. Please, tell me you’re kidding. I’m coping with the fact you’re an alien, and we’re on a spaceship. I might even be accepting the fact that we’re supposed to be together, considering I can’t keep my hands off of you and I…I ache.” The confession slipped out before she could stop herself.
“I’m serious.” His hand tightened around hers. “There’s more I need to tell you, but we’re out of time.”
“Cas isn’t finished yet.”
“Finished or not, I can’t wait any longer.” Vadir’s eyes glowed like molten gold as he turned to look at her and spoke a few words in his language.
The nimbus of light faded away, Vadir sat up, and the next thing she knew she was in his arms, his mouth slanted across hers. Hunger tore through her, fueled by needs and desires too powerful to fight. She parted her lips, inviting him to take the kiss deeper. He uttered a low groan that rolled up from his chest and drove his tongue into her mouth.
There was a sharp tearing noise as he tore her dress down the back, the fabric parting like tissue paper.
She shrugged out of the tattered remains and let it fall to her feet. “I thought we were going to your quarters for this part.”
He kissed her again, sucking her lower lip into his mouth before finally lifting his head to answer. “That plan went out the airlock once you put your hands on me, mate. I need to have you. Here. Now.”
The buttoned up, in control, corporate suit she’d met for dinner tonight was gone, replaced by a cocky, charming, rogue who made her hotter than any man she’d ever been with. The next step was easy. Her choice was already made.
“Then take me before I remember all the reasons I should be running away from you.”
He tangled his hand into her hair and tugged her head up so that she was staring into his eyes. “I will make sure you never have reason to run from me again. You’re mine, Lisa. From now until we return to the Flame that birthed us. I swear by the Flames of the First one that I will protect you with my dying breath and cherish you above all others.”
“There better not be any others, Vee. If we have any chance of being real, then you have to promise me two things. You won't cheat on me, and you’ll never hurt me.”
“After tonight, no other female in the universe will interest me. I will never cheat on you.” He kissed her again, tenderly this time. “And I swear that I will never hurt you. I’m not a barbarian.”
She laughed. “Says the man who abducted me before we even got through our first date. You have to admit, that’s a little barbaric.”
Her teasing laughter pushed him to the edge of his control and then blew right past it at light speed. The time for talking was over.
He rose from the bed and drew her into his arms, stripping away the last of her clothin
g as his mouth plundered hers. Finally.
Dressed, she was beautiful. Naked and in his arms, she was breathtaking. Later, he’d take the time to enjoy the view she offered, but for now, he needed her too much to take his time.
Torn between getting out of his pants quickly or letting go of Lisa, he struggled one-handed until she reached between them to help.
“You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know.” She eased his pants over his hips and down his thighs, letting her hands stroke over his skin as she did it.
“That’s going to take a little getting used to.”
He toed off his shoes and kicked away the last of his clothes, placed his hands on her hips, and turned her so that she was facing the bed. “Hands on the bed, tani, and don’t move.”
“The bed is not where I want my hands to be right now.”
He moved in behind her, letting his aching cock rest in the cleft of her ass cheeks as he guided her into the position he had in mind. Legs spread, leaning forward, her breasts hanging free and her hair spilling over her shoulders.
“You are stunning,” he whispered in her ear.
“And you’re talking too much. I feel like I’m losing my mind right now. Make it stop.”
“I can’t make it stop, but I can make it better. For both of us.”
He dropped to his knees and moved between her legs, kissing each soft globe of her ass before lowering himself so he could see the folds of her pussy. She rose up onto her toes as he reached to part her labia and expose the swollen bundle of nerves hidden within. She was already slick with need, her soft skin glistening with the evidence of her arousal. He sucked in a breath, drawing the sweet scent of her deep into his lungs. He blew a puff of air over her skin, and she gasped in surprised pleasure. It was a sound he intended to hear her make over and over again.
Burying his face deep into her pussy, he used his tongue and fingers to tease her honey-slick flesh. She shivered and ground herself against him, uttering a low, breathless moan that made his cock harden to the point of pain. She spread her legs wider, rocking her pussy against his mouth. He drew her clit deeper and lashed it with his tongue as he slid two fingers into her channel and started pumping them in and out in time to the flicking of his tongue.