An enormous explosion boomed through his ears, echoing for long moments afterward. The Torgon ship detonated into a white fireball. Flecks of purple flared within the body of white as they flashed past.
“He-haw!” Hinekiri threw back her head, her right hand held up in the air as she rode the bumps caused by the Torgon craft’s explosion. “Africa, here we come!” She let the rounded nose of the ship dip into a steep dive.
Richard had an instant to take in the dark black of space and pinprick shine of distant stars before the ship went down. He gripped Killer with one hand and the seat with his other. “Is the ship okay? Have we been hit?” God, don’t say they were going to crash. The bands of tension around his chest tighten until he could scarcely breathe.
Killer yipped deep in her throat. “Steep dive into atmosphere easier on ship. Less wear and tear to body.”
“Oh.” Hell, it was sad when even the dog knew more than he did.
“We’re fine, Richard. The good news is we’ll arrive in Africa much quicker since the new trajectory is closer.”
Richard didn’t release his grasp on the seat until the ship leveled again and fluffy clouds sailed in front of his eyes. A different time zone meant daylight approached.
“Let down,” Killer demanded.
Richard loosened his grip and the purple dog leapt from his lap. Slowly, his heart rate returned to normal. A thin film of sweat coated every inch of his skin and he could smell lingering traces of fear on his body. He needed to wash and sleep in that order.
“Hinekiri, where can I wash? And sleep?”
“It should be okay to put the ship back on autopilot.” Hinekiri flicked several switches then released the controls. She leaned back, popped her restraints open and stood. She stretched but Richard was so wound up he couldn’t even appreciate the picture she presented. “You can use my chamber. I’ll show you.”
Richard stood and followed Hinekiri from the bridge. They walked down the same passage they’d used before, but instead of turning into the chamber where he’d woken, Hinekiri kept moving. At the end of passage, Hinekiri hit a green button on the wall. The door slid silently across and she stood back, indicating he should enter.
Instantly, he guessed it was Hinekiri’s room. The floral scent was a big giveaway. He stepped inside, studying the contents with curiosity. A large bed, complete with restraints was the focal point. It reminded him of an old-fashioned, four-poster bed with gauzy silver curtains and a dark gray cover. Tiny green and red embroidered flowers decorated the cover. A foldaway desk and a set of drawers filled an entire wall while a large porthole took up most of another.
Hinekiri stepped across to the porthole and pushed a button. A screen whirred across, blocking his view of the clouds.
“I’ll show you how to use the vac-shower and to operate my bed then leave you to it. I’d like to stay on the bridge in case we come across another Torgon craft.” She pushed another button and a door he hadn’t noticed slid across. “The vac-shower is in here. Stand within the square, hit the button on your right and the cleansing starts. We don’t use the same system as Earth. Pity really. There’s no better sensation than water sluicing down a body.”
Oh yeah. Richard received the vision, picturing Hinekiri naked beneath his shower with water rushing over her breasts and trickling down her pelvis before creeping between her folds. He shuddered before clearing his throat. “A vac-shower will work fine. It looks simple enough.” Something else new and strange to add to his day. He’d never thought he’d miss normal and settled. Old dog…
“You’d better use the bed restraints just in case we fly through turbulence. The controls for the restraints are on the wall above the bed. Fasten them around your arms and legs or your waist if you prefer, click on the control button and you’re set. When you want to get out of bed, hit the control button again and that will turn the gravity controls back on.” She grinned, tipped him a wink and sauntered from her chamber with a very feminine roll to her hips. Although her rainbow-colored robe was loose, it seemed to accentuate her ass.
Richard pursed his lips and blew a soundless whistle. Hot Mama. Her life might contain more excitement than his, but his libido busily ignored every warning issued by his brain. He wanted to lie horizontal with her and engage in rumpy-pumpy until she needed to leave for her job. Did that make him some sort of hypocrite? Richard rubbed his chin, noting absently he needed a shave. Hell, he was so confused he didn’t know what to think. He sighed, headed for the vac-shower and decided to sleep first and worry about his confusion later.
* * * * *
Hinekiri’s head jerked up when she heard footsteps behind her. “Hi, sailor. Feel better now?”
“Yeah. Much better.” Richard walked right up to her, swept Hinekiri from her chair in front of the control panel and kissed her. He growled deep in his throat and explored the moist interior of her mouth, swirling his tongue across her teeth and soft inner cheek. He drew back a fraction to nibble at her bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth and then releasing it with a smacking sound. Breathless and very aroused, she stared at him. What was that about?
“Um…we’ve arrived. I’ll put the privacy cloaks on and go down lower so we can follow the migrating beasts for a while. I’ve spotted them on the micro radar system. With the porthole screens down, we’ll get good views of the gnu.”
Hinekiri slipped from Richard’s embrace, instantly feeling bereft. She wanted to ask him to go with her on the next mapping assignment but each time she opened her mouth to utter the suggestion, fear paralyzed her tongue. The marriage sorcerer on Dalcon had read her charts when she’d become of age to mate. He’d declared she’d have many relationships with none of them lasting or successful. A courtesan. Although he hadn’t uttered the damning word outright to her family, they’d understood his insinuation without difficulty. Her father had stormed off at that stage, her mother shortly after to placate her father’s anger. Only Hinekiri had stayed to hear everything the sorcerer had to say. She would write her own destiny, the sorcerer had told her in a tired, musty voice she recalled to this day.
The voice of doom.
The voice that had changed her destiny.
Hinekiri remembered walking back to their hilltop home, the tiring trek up the winding, dusty road to the top. One glance at her father’s face had spoken of his fury. His disappointment. His daughter wasn’t fated to mate. A courtesan. Nothing could bring him greater shame.
Hinekiri had left that day determined to prove her family wrong. She had created her destiny, shaped it and done everything her way. These days she owned fame. Torgon mercenaries hunted her to steal valuable galaxy charts because she was good at her job. But for all her fame, she was still alone. Her parents had died without speaking to her again and she hadn’t met anyone who tempted her to consider changing her lifestyle.
That was until Richard.
Richard was different. From the first moment she’d woken in bed with him, she’d wanted to know more, to learn more and spend private time with him. He didn’t treat her like the little lady who required help at every turn nor treat her with awe because of her renowned achievements. The Kiwi cop respected her. He rubbed away the raw edges of pain and filled the gaps she hadn’t fully understood until now.
“Hurry,” Killer barked, wriggling with clear impatience. “I wanna see a gnu. Dumb name. Wanna see if they look as bad as name.”
“Take it easy,” Richard said in a lazy tone as he turned away from the porthole. “You won’t see them clearly yet. Hinekiri needs to check the privacy screens are working after the run-in with the Torgon. We don’t want anyone to see us.” His brown eyes twinkled when his gaze scanned her body, making her tingle from head to the end of her toes. With her favorite rainbow gown clinging to her curves, Hinekiri knew she showed to advantage. She certainly felt sexy and desirable.
Warm heat appeared in his expression. The twinkle in his eyes and the way his gaze skimmed up and down made her suspect he knew she was nak
ed beneath the gown, and even if he hadn’t, her nipples broadcasted the fact loud and clear. Suddenly, she wasn’t too bothered about watching the wildebeest. She could always come back another time, but Richard might not be free during the next visit. Her pussy moistened at the thought of another vigorous loving. Maybe she could introduce a little kink to the equation…
“Will the ship scare the wildebeests?” he asked.
Hinekiri sighed and realigned her thoughts. She moved away from Richard to avoid temptation and depressed a button on her control panel. A drawer opened. She unbolted the safety catch used to keep her image machine from rumbling about the drawer and lifted it free. Richard was right. It didn’t seem like the time to play right now. Back to business.
“The ship isn’t noisy but I intend to turn the silencer on as a precautionary measure. I want to take as many images of the creatures as I can to store in my knowledge banks.”
Hinekiri gestured at her image machine. It fitted in the palm of her hand and was useful when it came to recording images of the landmasses and unexplored planets for the charts she drew.
Richard crossed the distance between them. His hands closed over her shoulders and he squeezed lightly. His eyes lingered on her mouth. The heat inside Hinekiri intensified and she squirmed, trying to ease the ache that had sprung to life.
She tried to concentrate on the panel of instruments between them, the glowing lights and the glossy black surrounds. Difficult when every sense screamed for him. She reached out to tap the shield control button and noticed her hand trembled.
“Where are we staying?” Richard murmured. “I’m looking forward to loving you in a soft bed where I don’t have to concentrate on avoiding the ceiling.” He rubbed his backside and gave a rueful smile. “I think I’m minus a layer of skin.”
Killer pushed between them with a disparaging yap. “No sex talk. Not polite.”
Richard chuckled, two charming lines bracketing his mouth. “Later,” he mouthed at her, closing one eye in a wink.
Hinekiri melted inside, but this time when she operated the controls, her hand was rock steady. He wanted her and that was good enough to cement her confidence back in place.
The privacy screens slid across without a hitch. According to the control panel, the silencer was working correctly. It seemed as though her temporary repairs were holding. The covers across the portholes widened, allowing a sweeping panoramic view of the savannah lands below. Hinekiri sighed at the beauty. Grasslands as far as the eye could see with a sprinkling of flat-topped trees, knolls and kopjes to break the monotony. To her delight, she recognized many of the animals. Herds grazed the plains—zebra, wildebeest and a sprinkling of gazelles. The grasslands appeared green with lots of vegetation instead of the dust and brown patches she’d expected. It seemed as though the rains had arrived earlier than her research indicated.
Richard, Hinekiri and Killer crowded around the porthole to take in the scenery.
“Whatz that funny animal?” Killer barked, her furry head darting from side to side as she tried to take in everything. “Lots of them.”
“That’s a wildebeest!” Hinekiri chirped in excitement, seconds before firing off her image machine.
Richard stared out the porthole while the ship passed over the savannah at cruising speed. “It’s beautiful.” His brown eyes glowed full of emotion. “Thanks for suggesting I visit with you. It’s amazing. I can’t wait to tell Luke about everything I’ve seen.”
“That’s great. I’m glad you’re enjoying the trip.” Hinekiri forced a carefree note even though a sudden melancholy hit her square in the ribs. There was no future for them. She had to remember that. It was obvious Richard believed this holiday was a temporary situation. They wouldn’t have the luxury of reminiscing together once they returned home since she needed to leave Earth to complete her assignment. Once again, the marriage sorcerer’s predictions had proved right—Hinekiri had bed partners but not a true mate. Why should this time be any different?
“Whatz that one with the long nose?” Killer barked.
“An elephant.” Richard turned to share a grin with Hinekiri but sobered when he noticed her expression. “Hinekiri, is something wrong?”
“No, nothing at all. Just a little tired.” This feeling sorry for herself had to stop. She was going to spoil their vacation if she didn’t snap out of this mood. In that moment, Hinekiri made a promise to herself. She would take each day one at a time and squeeze every bit of joy out of their time together.
Chapter Seven
Richard wanted to laugh at the purple dog because she was grabbing up visual souvenirs like a pro. Amusement flickered across his face in the form of a smile—he could feel it dig into his cheeks. If he were going for honesty, he wasn’t much better than Killer, trying to see all the sights at once. An elephant here. A giraffe there. “Oh my god. It’s a lion!”
Killer yipped, quivering with eagerness. “Where? Where lion?”
“Where? I can’t see it either.” Hinekiri grabbed Richard’s arm, demonstrating matching excitement.
“See the pile of gray rocks at two o’clock?” Richard gestured the lion’s direction with his left hand. “The lion is sitting on top of a rock.”
“I see. I see.” Killer barked right next to his ear. “More than one.”
Richard jerked away and rubbed his ears to clear the ringing. “Do you see the lion?”
“Oh Killer’s right,” Hinekiri chirped. “There are more lions sitting in front of rocks in the sun.”
“Where are we going to park the spaceship?” Richard decided he’d enjoy standing on firm ground again. His bones ached from their acrobatic loving, his butt was sore and the patch on his arm where the Torgon goo had hit was itchy. A soak in a bath sounded good about now. They could see more animals tomorrow.
“Lion move,” Killer said. “They go hunting soon.”
“I chose a lodge near the water so we could see the wildebeest crossing the river. It’s called the Sunset Lodge.”
Richard frowned, seeing all sorts of difficulties. “Why didn’t you make the spaceship your base? It would be cheaper for a start. Isn’t the management going to wonder which hole you’ve popped from if you turn up without any visible transport?”
Hinekiri turned to face Richard, closing one violet eye in a suggestive wink. “I adore mixing with the locals when I’m on holiday. It’s fun.”
Richard’s body went on hyperalert, his aches and pains forgotten while he chewed on the concept of mixing with locals. Hinekiri had done that all right. “As long as you don’t mix with every local,” he growled before he could stop the incriminating words.
A light gurgle escaped Hinekiri. “Don’t you worry, sailor. I haven’t done a ceiling rumba with a male for a long time. Haven’t found anyone I wanted to dirty dance with,” she added. “Until you.”
Another wink accompanied her words, creating a predictable reaction in Richard. Oh man. Get ready to rumba. He couldn’t help it since her words rang with truth.
“I don’t usually have problems with people wondering where I popped up from. They see my money and matching luggage, assume I’m eccentric and leave it at that. Besides, I have transport.”
He was almost too frightened to ask. Richard glanced out the porthole again and noted the sun was on its descent. An adventure. He’d look upon this as an adventure before he settled back down to being Richard Morgan—Sloan cop, father and board member—again. Settled being the operative word.
Killer remained glued to the porthole, eager to see everything. Richard scratched her behind the ears. Killer let out a blissful groan and leaned into him in a silent demand for more. “Wonder if animals talk? You know?”
“I’ve no idea. You should take care,” Richard cautioned. “They eat each other.”
“Talking wildebeest. Wouldn’t that be a hoot.” Hinekiri chuckled. “There’s a flat place over there and it’s near the road. Looks like a good landing spot to me.” She moved over to the pilot’
s seat and buckled in. “You guys should buckle up too. Sometimes things get a little bumpy.”
Richard strapped in and grabbed Killer away from the porthole. There were wet nose prints all over the bottom portion. Hinekiri’s fingers darted over buttons on the control panel. Competent. Strange. Normally he preferred to sit in the driver’s seat but he didn’t mind Hinekiri taking control. Even the bedroom rumba hadn’t been that bad. Ah man! Who was he kidding? His cock did an impromptu dance beneath the red portion of his robe. The dance had been spectacular.
Richard didn’t need to hold on to anything during the landing procedure and the ship settled onto the chosen landing site without drama. He unbuckled and set Killer on the floor before standing to stretch his hands above his head, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment.
Hinekiri unbuckled and stood too. “The cloaking screen is working properly now.”
“Wow! Look at that!” Killer barked.
Richard’s eyes popped open, and he peered out the porthole to see what all the fuss was about.
Hinekiri sighed. “Pretty spectacular, huh?”
“Where? I can’t see anything.”
“Can’t see own behind,” Killer yipped. She barked and sounded like a rusty chainsaw.
Hinekiri bit her bottom lip. Richard took a moment to think about doing some biting himself before he realized the wretched woman was laughing, or trying not to, and it was something to do with him. The bloody dog was cackling as well. Richard attempted to look behind and when that didn’t work, he twisted his neck and yanked on his robe. “What the hell?”
“It’s the latest fashion on Dalcon,” Hinekiri chirped. “It looks good on you.”
“Hurt my eyes,” Killer barked. “Too much white.”
“It’s see-through. My butt is on display.” Richard advanced on Hinekiri, unsure whether to throttle her or kiss the merriment from those pouty pink lips. “Woman, I dress strictly for comfort. I am not an arbiter of fashion.”
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