by Linda Mooney
“I’ve always been able to do this,” he confided in her. There would be no secrets between them. Not any more. “What you’ve seen me do these past two years is only half of my powers, Terrin. There is more I can do, but I’ve never revealed them to the group.”
“Why? Why not use them for the benefit of the group?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t use them. I just never let the rest know I had them. As for why, I guess it was for the same reason you’ve kept the real you hidden away from us.” He paused slightly, then added, “I need you like air, Terrin. If you won’t return to Guardian Command, neither will I.”
They flew over a cluster of small, ineffective wormholes before Star glanced back in his direction. “Where are you?”
“There’s a netherworld, a void of sorts, that I enter when I go from one place to another. It’s how I can determine where to reappear. I can see where I am before I materialize, and prevent any injury to myself by not appearing inside another person or solid object.”
For the first time since that moment on the hill, he saw a faint smile tug at the corner of her mouth, and it gave him hope. “I wondered how you were able to keep from doing that,” she murmured. “So … how long can you stay in that void of yours?”
“All night … if I want to.”
His unspoken meaning crystallized in her mind. “You’ve been in my chambers before? Watching me?”
“Yes.”
“You … you…” She tried to swallow, but she was dehydrated, and becoming more so. “After that first night … you stayed, even after I told you to leave?”
He breathed gently into the microphone. “Yes,” he admitted truthfully. “I left but I came back.”
“Why won’t you let me see you now?”
“The void is protecting me. If I materialize, the vacuum will suck me dead. I have no suit on. No oxygen helmet.”
“Then how were you able to drop me the earpiece? Was it like when you pulled me into the transport?” A thought suddenly struck her, and Star abruptly halted to peer back over her shoulder.
“They’re back on Greater Biris,” Hunter told her. “Or … they’re probably on their way back home by now. Either way, we’re too far away for our signals to reach them. As for the earpiece, I took the risk of materializing for a nanosecond to release it. It was a tricky maneuver, but I had to do it.”
She lowered her face. Hunter watched as a wide range of emotions waged war across her lovely features. “I want … to see you,” she whispered, barely audible. Ashamed of her weakness and need as she relented. “I hate speaking to nothingness.”
“We’ll have to find someplace with an atmosphere.”
There was such a place, a planet another half-parsec away. Weak, yellow rays of sunlight filtered over its desert terrain, but it was capable of sustaining life forms, if such existed on its surface. The moment Star’s booted feet touched the ground, Hunter stood before her. Before she could say another word, to either question him or beg him to leave, he swooped over her, crushing her against his chest. She sobbed his name.
Their relief and exhaustion overcame them, and Hunter pulled her down on top of him as they collapsed onto the packed earth. She didn’t cry out, but her body was like ice. Tightly, he kept her safely encircled within his embrace as he kissed her temples and forehead.
Neither of them was aware of falling asleep, nor of the fact that they clutched each other with desperate hands.
Hunter awoke first, aware of the woman still lying across his body, in his arms, forever in his heart. He closed his eyes. He was tired beyond all description. There was no way he could estimate how long it had been since they had eaten. Or had anything to drink. But he had found her. He had her with him, bound tightly to him with chains of love and flesh, and that was all that mattered.
Star stirred. Her voice simultaneously echoed in his ear and earpiece. “What do we do now, Udo?”
“What do you want, Terrin? My life is yours. Whatever you say, I’ll be there.”
He felt her snuggle against his chest. “I wish … I wish this damn HandFast was over.”
“So do I.” Immediately he felt her stiffen, and he knew why. “I don’t want every time we make love to become public knowledge,” he added, and felt her stiffness melt away.
“We can’t … we can’t go back to Guardian Command … can we?” There was finality in her voice, as if she had almost accepted the fact for truth.
Hunter stroked her hair, noticing how she curled more tightly against him with the touch. “We can always go back, if that’s what you want.”
“How?”
Taking a deep breath, Hunter first pressed a kiss to her hair. “There’s always a way. By the way, right after you left, we got a message from the Committee. Negative, my love.”
The obscenity that escaped her lips made him chuckle. Slowly, Star raised herself up on her elbows until she could look down into his face scant inches away. “I love being a Guardian,” she confessed, “but I can’t take them chewing me out for something I can’t control. Either they accept me as I am, or…” Her voice faded away, yet her eyes remained locked onto his.
Hunter reached up to caress her full lips with his fingers. They parted at his touch, prompting him to plunge his hand to the back of her head, digging into the silken curls, and pulling her to him, taking her mouth with unspoken passion.
Instantly he rolled over, until his body pinned hers against the ground. Star whimpered against his assault, then reached for him. Demanding more. Needing more. Unable to wait another minute for his love that had become as essential for her existence as air and water.
Faintly she felt him remove their earpieces, then his tongue began to taste the sensitive skin under her ear, following an invisible trail under her jaw as the rest of his body moved over hers. His erection was rigid and heavy, pushing between her legs with an insistence that was drowning her sanity in lust.
“This damn suit is burning me, Terrin. How does it come off?” he asked in a guttural voice.
She pulled a hand from where she’d unconsciously buried it underneath the back of his tunic, and reached up to where the suit flapped together at her neckline, right above her left collarbone. Once she started to peel it off, Hunter grabbed the edge of it and followed through, gliding past the side of one perfect breast, underneath her arm, down her ribs, hip, and leg, to end at her built-in boot. Getting up on his knees, he jerked off the one boot. Star sat up to pull her foot out of the other one, withdrawing her other leg from the uniform. Two seconds later, she had shimmied out of the suit.
“Now, your turn,” she ordered him. To her amazement, she watched as the tunic came off in one piece, up and over his head with a single movement. That was why she couldn’t figure out the closures—there weren’t any. The boots were calf-high, she also found out. And the buttoned pants had no pockets.
“My tunic has pockets,” Hunter laughed softly, reaching for her. Drawing her back on top of him as he stretched out on the ground.
Star kissed him, devoured him, unable to believe how hungry she was for him. His hands were on her buttocks, keeping her hard and fast against the silky rod of thick steel seeking her entrance. Sitting up, she stared down at him lying beneath her. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and a breathy giggle escaped her.
“What?” he smiled up at her.
Another soft giggle erupted, and Star slowly shook her head in disbelief. “Light of day,” she finally managed to admit.
Hunter tilted his head back a bit, then his gaze returned to her. “So it is.”
This time, she laughed out loud with delight.
His hands came up around her waist, leaving a trail of warmth as his fingers reached her breasts. Star watched as his thumbs and forefingers made little circles around her dark red nipples, then plucked them. The lance of desire that speared her made her close her eyes and moan breathlessly.
“Now I can marvel at every inch of you,” he murmured as he continued to play with he
r body. He cupped the round, full globes and tenderly massaged them. Star watched in fascination. Vaguely she wondered if the growing heat in his eyes was a reflection of hers.
“By all that is holy, Terrin, I love you.”
His declaration bathed her in a happiness she never believed possible.
As she let her soul accept him as her truth, she felt his hands grip her hips, and slowly raise her above him. Incredible heat touched her triangle of raven curls, penetrated her folds, and then a thickness of indescribable deliciousness began to spread her. Fill her. Penetrate and worship her. She couldn’t believe she could take all of him within herself without any pain.
Throwing back her head, Star let out a deep groan of satisfaction. “Udo!”
She could only weave her fingers over his warm chest as he worked her up and down over him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if this time would count as yesterday, or today, or tomorrow. But then it no longer mattered as Hunter increased the pace, ramming her faster and harder over him.
She closed her eyes and gave herself up to ecstasy, tiny cries bubbling out of her throat with every thrust. At some point she wondered why he kept her on top, when it dawned on her. He was protecting her skin from being abraded by the rough ground, taking the coarse irritation upon himself.
She took him again and again, struggling to fit him deeper into her every time her muscles closed over him. The only sounds were their panting breaths, soft grunts, and the wet, slapping noises they were creating. Her knees locked around his thighs to keep herself from flying away. Her long, thick hair bounced and flowed over them in midnight waves. Still, he took her relentlessly, and Star wished he would never stop this torment that made her weak with desire.
His explosion took her by surprise a second before her own body erupted, jerking her across his chest as his pumping slowed, and eventually came to a gradual stop. They were gasping for air in the thin atmosphere. Coated with sweat, they found themselves shuddering from the tumultuous waves washing over them, breaking over them, gradually slowing with gentler and gentler movements.
Unaware of her arms sliding around his neck, Star bent over and kissed his skin where his pulse fiercely beat near the surface. “Take me home, Udo,” she whispered, snuggling.
His answer was the feel of his arms tightening around her waist.
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Chapter 19
Arrest
“Damn them all!”
Deceiver turned to Commander who was piloting Three back to home bay. They had taken the long way back, without the benefit of any shortcuts, in the false hope they would intercept Master Hunter and StarLight along the way. It wasn’t until they’d punched through the surface of their home world that they admitted the two might not be returning any time soon. If ever.
Now, as the Guardian transport ship approached the docking station, everyone could see the half-dozen police craft and two official vehicles used exclusively by the Committee parked in the middle of the concourse.
“What are we going to do, Deceiver?” Corona asked softly. Everyone was tired. They had eaten from the supplies packed aboard the ship, but it had been a long, exhausting mission. To a man they wanted to retreat to their beds for some much needed rest once they landed. No one wanted to mess with whatever nonsense the Committee was determined to instigate the moment they were on the ground.
The Guardian leader frowned. “Nothing. There’s nothing we can do.” He sighed loudly. Whatever he said to the authorities, he knew the others would back him unflinchingly.
As they expected, the moment the outer door was opened, two uniformed police flanked them as they emerged from the craft. Overhead in normally restricted airspace, news shuttles hovered. Filming. Reporting.
A tall figure in a black tunic approached the group, stopping less than ten feet away as his eyes raked over them. They all knew who he was searching for.
“I am Serien Tark. I’m chairman representing the Committee in charge of upholding the laws and edicts of the HandFast. Where are Master Hunter and StarLight?”
“They’re not here,” Deceiver spoke out, taking a step toward the chairman, singling himself out.
Tark screwed up his face. “What do you mean, they’re not here? Where are you hiding them?”
“Not hiding them anywhere,” Deceiver answered noncommittally. “You’re welcome to check out the transport if you think we’re keeping them concealed.” To his surprise, Tark gave a nod to the two policemen standing beside the craft, who immediately disappeared inside. The action suffused him with further resentment.
“Then you know where they are,” the Chairman accused.
“I sent them on a search mission,” Deceiver lied. Well, half a lie. Behind him, the other Guardians kept straight faces. “We met with the Ombitra on Greater Biris. Because of their flying abilities, I sent Hunter and Star to tail the enemy ships, hoping to get an idea as to where they came from.”
“You realize that by doing so, you violated the edicts of the HandFast.”
“How so? I read no such edict that would prove I’m in violation,” Deceiver snapped.
“You removed their ability to report back to the Committee,” Tark replied smoothly. “You interfered with StarLight’s need to be tested. That makes you culpable and liable. Captain?” Motioning to one of the police, the chairman pointed to Deceiver. “Arrest this man and charge him violation of HandFast edicts.”
“And while you’re at it, arrest yourself,” an angry voice demanded from behind them.
“Hunter! Oh, thank the heavens!” Morning Fire spoke aloud, voicing everyone’s relief. They all stepped back in surprise when the man suddenly appeared in their midst.
Immediately the Chairman pointed toward Hunter. “Arrest that man and charge him with HandFast violation.”
“And take Chairman Tark into custody as well! He has violated the edict proper!” Hunter reiterated as two armed police approached him. A quick, fiery glance at the two officers made them stopped in their tracks. “If you think you’re going to be able to get your hands on me, better think again,” Hunter growled at them as barely visible wisps of darkness began to swirl around him.
Tark raised his hand to repeat his order, but this time the captain of the troop made him pause. “Hold and desist,” he ordered the chairman, and turned toward Hunter. “Explain yourself. You claim violation of an edict proper. That’s a very serious charge. Can you back your claim?”
“Damn right I can,” Hunter said, motioning toward the chairman. “He has deliberately prevented StarLight from being able to test and report back to the Committee.”
Tark protested with widened eyes. “You lie!”
Hunter turned on him with a darkening look. “Being chairman, it was you who ordered the installation of a testing device in her personal quarters, wasn’t it?” His eyes narrowed. “Well?”
“Yes. What of it?”
“And you also ordered a testing device installed in Guardian Transport Two, did you not?”
“You’re not making any sense!” Tark shouted. “You’ve been given every opportunity to comply with the law, and you failed!”
“Kind of hard to test and report in when the transport you’re using doesn’t have the device in it,” Provoker spoke up with a lazy drawl. Grinning mischievously, he added, “Or, at least, it would seem that way to me.”
Several seconds of silence passed by. Swiveling his head to where the chairman stood as still as stone, the captain raised an eyebrow at him. “Is this true? Do all the transports have testing and transmitting devices on them?”
“The damn thing’s on Two,” Hunter reiterated. “We took Three to Greater Biris. You know our job, Tark. You know what we do. Are you going to tell a whole planet of people that your damn laws and edicts supersede their lives?”
As they waited for the chairman’s reply, every Guardian scanned the area. StarLight’s presence was noticeably absent, and they worried that Hunter had not bee
n able to bring her back.
Suddenly, Bruiser pressed a meaty hand to the headset still on his head, and a huge grin broke over his face. He nudged Time Merchant, who tapped Deceiver on the back. Turning around, the Guardian leader saw Bruiser’s wide smile and the man pointing a finger up at the sky. He glanced upward, but the sunshine was blindingly bright.
“You still violated HandFast,” Tark finally repeated. “The facts are the facts.”
“And my orders are my orders,” the captain told the man. “Anyone found responsible for keeping any couple from performing their duties shall also be held in contempt, and brought before the courts for punishment and sentencing.” He started to grab the chairman by the arm, when an officer called out.
“Captain! Look!”
Star drifted downward as she stared at the little scene unfolding below her. Lightly her feet touched the familiar earth before she took her place directly next to Hunter. Her body suit pulsed; the flow of patterned stars moved across her figure like a free-flowing stream. The rays of their sun had done much to give her back some of her strength, but she was still weak from hunger and thirst, not to mention dead-on-her-feet tired.
“Arrest that woman,” Tark directed.
As the two officers started toward her, Hunter blocked their way, his eyes suddenly becoming black and threatening. The air around them both visibly grayed. “Touch her, and you’ll suffer nightmares for the rest of your lives,” he promised them softly. It didn’t surprise him when the two men stepped back several feet in frightened response.
“Captain!” the chairman yelled. “Do your duty!”
“Wait, wait, wait a minute.” Holding up his hands in mock supplication, Provoker stepped forward. “I think there’s a way we can come to an amiable solution here. Chairman, do you have a testing device on you, by any chance?”