by Avery Rae
Anticipation coiled inside me as he moved us toward the bed. When the back of my legs bumped against the edge, he gripped my thighs and lifted me up onto the mattress, all while never breaking our kiss. His fingers found their way to my clothes, removing each layer with increasing speed and letting out a quiet little growl.
"You wear so much clothing," he murmured against my lips.
"One of those weird human habits." I locked my legs around his waist and jerked him closer, earning a groan from his lips to mine. "But I think you like it."
"I think I'd like anything you did."
He made his point with an even harder kiss, his hands never stopping in their efforts to strip me bare. When I was left in nothing but my underwear, I pulled away, and, with a coy smile and crawled back onto the bed, leaning back against the pillows with an arched brow.
Talys watched me, eyes heavy with desire and a wicked smile slowly overtaking his expression as his eyes roamed all over my body. It was as if he was taking stock of everything he was going to do with me, and struggling with where to start.
His hand moved to the fabric knotted at his waist and he undid it with a single flick of his wrist, letting it fall to the floor. My heart raced wildly at the sight. It was amazing what a difference that scrap of fabric made. His body in all its glory, skin shimmering softly in the faint light, was a sight to behold. I was entranced as he crawled into the bed, lying down beside me, propped up on an elbow with one hand lazily tracing circles over my skin.
"You're beautiful," Talys said as he dipped his head to my neck, lips brushing at the sensitive skin as he trailed a hand along my side. He followed the curve of my body to my back, where he quickly undid my bra.
As he moved the fabric away from my breasts, he raised his head and let out a satisfied groan of approval. He trailed kisses from my shoulder to my chest, softly tracing the swell of my breasts with his fingers as he trailed his tongue around each nipple. I sank a hand into his hair and wrapped a leg around his waist, trying to pull him closer. I wanted more already, and I didn't want to wait. But he pulled away with a smile.
"Every inch, remember?"
I wasn't sure if I was frustrated or grateful as he kissed down my stomach, a hand slowly working my panties down my legs. He moved ever further downward at an agonizingly slow pace, setting my nerves alight with each kiss and brush of his fingers.
Once my underwear was gone, he slid his hand back up my leg, eliciting a shiver and he smiled against my skin. He coaxed my legs apart and moved between them, bringing his lips to my upper thigh and working his way inward, one kiss at a time.
I looked down in time to see his eyes flick up to look at me. His lips curled up at the corners when he saw me looking. I inhaled sharply as he lowered himself to my center and, eyes locked on mine, began to explore with his tongue, purposefully avoiding the spot where I needed him most.
When I arched my hips ever so slightly, he rewarded me with a swirl of his tongue that made my hips buck from the bed. Hungrily, I arched even closer and he eagerly buried his face between my thighs, pushing closer and pulling me away from the edge until my eyes rolled back into my head.
Heat coiling tight in my abdomen, I gripped the blanket with both fists and tossed my head back—only for his warmth to suddenly disappear. My breath coming out in agonized pants, I looked down. Talys gave me a sly smile as he kissed down one leg, then the other.
"Every inch," he repeated, clearly savoring the frustrated moan that fell from my lips.
And he did just that, his mouth and hands explored my body with aching precision until I was writhing in place, stuck at the very edge and desperate for release. He moved back up my body, hovering over me as he bent down to give me a slow kiss.
Through the haze of need that clouded my mind, I slid a hand between us and ran my fingers up and down and around the tip of his shaft. I smiled into our kiss, satisfied as his hips bucked in response, then again as I encircled his length and arched my hips up, positioning him at my entrance.
As he slid inside me, we both moaned so loudly our voices seemed to echo endlessly in the empty room.
Talys buried his face in my neck and moaned, "I never want this to end, Vera."
As we began to move, building to a deliciously steady rhythm, I wrapped my legs around his waist, driving him even deeper.
"It doesn't have to," I murmured back.
He groaned again, even louder. For all the control he'd had as he worked his magic on my body, he was mine now. With each careful roll of my hips, I coaxed moans from his lips and hisses from between clenched teeth. He'd lost all semblance of control, and his hands couldn't stay still. They wandered over my breasts, my neck, my hair, and my sides, greedily drinking in everything they could touch.
When he sank his lips onto mine and thrusted himself deeper, I locked my legs tight around his waist, pulling him in even closer, and something inside him broke. His hands slipped away from my chest and he gripped my hips in a vice-like grip, grinding down against me. My mouth fell open in a trembling gasp, and I sank my fingers into his back.
The heat coiled in my stomach released all at once, slamming through my veins. I went completely still as loud moans forced their way from my throat, one after another, and a sweet heat singed through my veins, my body rolling with each wave.
Talys thrusted harder, deeper, unrelenting as my body trembled beneath him, and his fingers dug into my sides. He groaned low in his throat and gave one final thrust deep inside me, his body tense as he found his own release.
Our eyes met as we both struggled to catch our breath. Talys brushed a hand along the side of my face, unsticking curls of hair from my skin. Panting, I touched a hand to his cheek. There was something hidden in his expression, something I couldn't puzzle out, and before I could look for too long, he lay down beside me. He pulled my sweat-covered body close to his and gave me the longest, sweetest kiss of my life. Everything felt so good—so good I was actually surprised when I woke the next morning and found the other side of my bed empty.
9
Life on Nexion 6 was every bit as perfect as I'd been told it would be. I should've been happy, and I was. For the most part. Aside from the fact that Talys had done what every guy before him had done to me. A couple days had passed since that one sweet night, and I hadn't heard from him since.
That one left a big, gaping wound in the ol' heart muscle. I tried to brush it off. Make jokes about it to myself. Tell myself it was nothing serious. I barely knew the guy, right? Yeah, totally. No big deal. But none of it really helped because it, unfortunately, didn't change reality. I'd really grown to like him, even the cocky side held a certain charm. Maybe I was just doomed to make the same mistake over and over again.
I was about to leave for a job interview when my tablet pinged. Well, I called it mine, but it was the one that Talys had left behind in his hurry to disappear in the middle of the night. I slid over to it, peering at the screen with a frown. I couldn't read anything on it. Not well, at least. I mostly used it by guessing. Ulyr had only taught me basic Korysti, so I had no idea what it was doing right now. I prodded at the screen until the flashing thing on it went away.
"Weird," I murmured. "It's never done that before."
"What's weird?" Talys's voice echoed back. A second later, he was projected from the screen, his image slightly grainy, but clear enough to see that he was lounging somewhere. Shirtless. As per usual.
I rolled my eyes and reached for the screen, hoping a few more presses would make him go away. As I was poking the screen, Talys sighed. "I was going to ask how mad at me you are, but I think I have my answer."
I tossed the tablet onto my bed and stalked away, but found myself hovering in the hallway, unwilling to go. I looked down at my feet accusingly. Move, you stupid things.
"Vera."
I stood there. A second ticked by.
"Vera, come back here. I know you're still there."
I walked back into my room and gave the
image of Talys a hard look. "What?"
"I want to talk to you."
"No."
"No?" He rested a hand on his hard stomach and placed the other behind his head. "That really is frustrating. I'm going to have to stop doing that to people."
"Good for you. Maybe there's hope for you yet." I tore my eyes away from the admittedly enticing image. "Goodbye now. Have fun doing whatever it is you do. Tell Korystus I'm happy to be gone."
"I'll press my lips to the ground just for you when I get there."
I paused. "You're not back yet?"
He looked off to the side, then back at me with a smile. "I haven't left Nexion 6 yet."
"Oh, cool, so you just ran from me in the middle of the night, then avoided me for days. Awesome. That makes me feel great." I threw my hands in the air and gave them a shake for good measure. "Why even bother calling me? Do you get off on torturing me?"
"I thought you might want to chat before I left."
"You already left, remember? Goodbye, Talys." My expression hardened. "Consider that a gift from me to you, because a goodbye is more than you gave me."
I didn't know how to end the call, so before he got a chance to respond, I turned the whole thing off. That was one thing I definitely did know how to do. I stared at the blank screen for a moment, wishing it could explain to me why Talys was such an asshole. That one might just be a mystery for the ages, though. I was done trying to figure it out.
The air was dry and warm, perfect as it always was on Nexion 6. I breathed in deep, eyes closed and my face tilted toward the sun, basking in its rays. I'd once read something about the sun making happy chemicals in your brain. It could be bunk science, but I was grasping at straws right now. I didn't want to go into my audition pouting.
This was my chance to sing and I couldn't blow it. I didn't know what sort of place it was, but Exora assured me I could put my talents to use there. I wasn't sure how she knew I was a singer, but she made it sound like she had sources when we first met, so whatever.
All around me people of all types were bustling and happy, content to be among our eclectic mix of aliens. I loved it. I mean, my neighbor was a woman from the planet Versix. She fled after getting in trouble for opposing the Prince of Trade. I think that was what she called him.
Either way, it was cool to hear so many different stories. It definitely made me wish mine was more exciting—not to say that fleeing a planet isn't exciting. I just wished I'd done something cool and amazing, like opposing a prince. I probably could have done some stuff like that on Korystus, helping Ulyr, but I chose to leave instead.
Well, that's a downer, isn't it? I shook off the thought, rounded my shoulders, and started for the entrance. I was reaching for the door handle when a voice called out, "Vera!"
I whipped my head around to see Artos running up to me, out of breath.
"Uh, what're you doing here?" I asked slowly.
"I was instructed not to tell you."
"By Talys, I assume?"
"Maybe."
"So, you're just here to tell me you can't tell me why you're here?"
"Don't be daft. I'm here to keep an eye on you."
"Why, exactly? I don't need anyone's help." I furrowed my brow in thought. "Besides, shouldn't you be piloting Talys's ship?"
He waved a hand dismissively. "He doesn't need me for that, he just doesn't like driving. Anyway, you do need me, because you were about to enter a brothel."
"Was not."
"You were."
"But I have an audition here."
"So I heard."
"And you're here to stop me? How do you know I don't want to go audition at a brothel?" I wrinkled my nose. What would an audition entail at a place like this?
Artos suddenly appeared very, very distraught. "I—I suppose I didn't know."
"Oh, stop, I didn't know this was a brothel. In fact, I'd rather not audition here." I deflated, my shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry for being prickly. You're not the asshole, Talys is."
Realization flashed in his eyes. "Oh, no. No, no, no. Did you sleep with him?"
"That's really not any of your business."
"You did! I thought that when he left me to keep an eye on you, it meant he still wanted to be with you, but—"
Ouch. "So that's the secret you were supposed to keep from me, huh? Talys left you to keep an eye on me?"
Artos opened his mouth to deny it, then nodded instead. "Only for a week or so, while you adjusted to life here."
"Just curious, why would you ever think he wants to be with me? I think he's shown that's not really his style."
"He left me here for you. And he called you darling."
"And?"
Artos frowned and scratched at the back of his neck. "Does that not translate? It's a term of endearment only used for those you like very much."
"I mean, I guess it translates. It's really not that big of a deal to us, though. People use it in all sorts of ways." I shrugged. "Besides, he called me that on, like, the first day he met me. No big deal."
"On the contrary, it's a very big deal, whether you want to admit it or not."
"So what? He left. He's made his position on this clear."
"No, he hasn't, because I'm fairly certain he's in love with you."
"Uhh, what?! You don't sleep with someone then disappear even if you love them."
"Talys would. If he thought there were good enough reasons . . ."
"I'm really not following, Artos. But I think you might be more lost than I am."
"I'm right, and I'm going to prove it to you."
"Good luck."
The first thing I did when I got back to my apartment was send Exora a message letting her know that my talents were a little different than what she thought. Apparently she'd been confused because Talys had told her my talents were cleaning and being sexy. I'd love to thank him for that one.
The second thing I did was try to convince Artos to stop pestering me. It wasn't working. I was sprawled on the floor, the setting sun of Nexion 6 washing the room in an orange glow, and Artos was pacing in front of me.
"Why do you even care so much about this?" I asked with a groan. "He doesn't want anything to do with me. Not in a way that can work for both of us. Trust me."
"I don't trust you on this matter. Not in the slightest."
I rolled my head up to look at him. "I'm pretty sure I'm the one he abandoned in the middle of the night. I think I'd know."
"That's expressly why I can't trust you on this. Talys is doing what he always does, only this time I know it's different. He wants you to think it's not, but it is."
"You do realize you're not making any sense, right?"
"I know I'm correct about this."
"You don't get it. He left me, just left, then he had the nerve to call me and rub it in as if—"
Artos came to a sudden stop. "He called you?"
"That's what I just said."
A smile brightened his tense expression. "Then there's even more hope than I thought. I know exactly what to do."
"Um—" Before I could ask any questions, Artos rushed out of my apartment, clearly on a mission. A mission which he didn't seem all too concerned with enlightening me about. I drew myself up into a seating position, staring at the door he'd just run through. Weird.
10
It'd been a day since Artos went running out of my apartment for reasons unknown when he inexplicably showed back up again, pounding on my door. I opened it, and the sight I saw left me in disbelief.
His clothes were rumpled and there were black smudges on his collar, neck, earlobes, and the corners of his lips. I squinted. Not just any black smudges. Lipstick, judging by the faint sheen.
"What happened to you?" I asked.
"It's a long story. Short version? I went to find Talys but he was gone. Far enough that the signal of my tablet couldn't reach him for a video link, and he never checks his messages—I have to do that—so I couldn't contact him. So, I found so
meone who had the technology to do so."
"That's the short version?"
"It's the least embarrassing version. By far."
I pointed at the various black marks on him. "Should I even ask?"
"That would be the embarrassing part, so . . . no."
"So, um, what's going on now?"
"I'll tell you on the way."
"The way where?"
"Let's just get going already," Artos said before rushing down the hallway.
Even though this all seemed a little harebrained, I darted back inside to grab my badge, then hurried after him. When we reached the main floor and went outside, there was a sleek, black vehicle awaiting us, hovering quietly above the glowing white line. It looked much, much different from the white spheres I saw darting around the city all the time.
"What's that about?"
"Get inside and find out," Artos said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Just don't get too angry."
As if on cue, the door opened on its own, the dark interior beckoning me inside.
"I don't like this." I narrowed my eyes at Artos. "Seems fishy. Very fishy."
"Oh, it is, trust me, but it's the best we've got. Get in."
He gave me a gentle push. I stumbled forward and climbed into the vehicle, taking a seat on one of the dark, plush surfaces inside. It took me exactly half a second to figure out why Artos was being so dodgy.
Stretched out and crossed at the ankle—ankles adorned with gold chains and black jewels—were a pair of long, red legs with some very distinct camel-esque feet. I followed them up to the face of Roxa, whose black lips were curled up in a smirk.
As the Korysti settled into the seat beside her, looking anywhere but at me, I let out a startled gasp. "Oh my stars, you didn't."
I was almost impressed that her lipstick was so neat and tidy, considering how much of it was on Artos.