HeartFast

by Linda Mooney

  Tark threw the man a scathing look. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, it seems to me that this whole shouting match boils down to the fact that, a, Star never tested and reported in like she should have, but, b, she couldn’t because of a small technical glitch.”

  Lowering his eyebrows at the Guardian’s negotiator, he asked, “What kind of glitch?”

  “A faulty connection between the seat and the communications board,” Provoker dryly responded.

  Several Guardians, including police, fought to contain their laughter as the chairman stared uncomprehending back at Provoker.

  Shrugging, Provoker continued. “What if Star goes ahead and tests now? Would that satisfy both the Committee and the police? At least, until you get a testing device installed in the other two transports?”

  “She broke the law,” Tark reiterated.

  “Yeah, and you gave her no choice,” Provoker reiterated. “Sounds to me like a stalemate.”

  Pivoting back around to face the chairman, the captain had to agree. “If you insist on us taking StarLight in, we’ll be forced to include you as well. It’s your decision, sir.”

  Another full minute went by as the chairman glanced up at the media swarming overhead, and at the man and woman giving him heated stares. Not to mention the other fourteen Guardians looking like they were also ready to take him to task. There was no way he would be able to talk himself out of this predicament, not after he had made such a to-do about putting a testing plate in the Guardian transport. It had never occurred to him to put one in the other two ships. His oversight was damning.

  Throwing out his chin, he conceded. “Test her now. We’ll wait here for results before we proceed any further.” He tossed a hand out at one of the police officers, who dutifully went over to the chairman’s vehicle and pulled out a small briefcase from the back seat. He walked back over to where the Committee representative stood and placed it on the ground, opening it.

  Star’s eyes dropped to where the familiar silver plate twinkled in the sunlight, and her face burned red. Silently, she walked over to the case and knelt before it. Throwing another hateful look at Tark, she turned on the device and slammed her hand on the disk. It hummed and grew warm. Seconds later it was all over. Getting to her feet, she moved toward the chairman until she stood less than a yard away from the man.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” she accused him, barely able to contain her anger. “You thrive on seeing others humiliated, don’t you?”

  The last thing she expected to see was the smirk that came over the chairman’s face. “You realize, of course, that if the test proves you and Master Hunter have not performed your duty, I’m off the hook.”

  Star’s temper flared to the point where she almost raised her hand to strike him. It took every ounce of willpower for her to turn her back on him and walk back to stand beside Hunter.

  A minute ticked by. Then two. Then three. Before the fourth minute had elapsed, the briefcase beeped, and a red communications light blinked. Smiling, Tark leaned over and flicked on the viewscreen to read the message.

  When he didn’t straighten up, the captain went over to see why. A smile came over the officer’s face. “Well, what do you know? Duty performed. It’s your call now, Chairman. Do you still want to press charges for failure to report in as required? Because if you do, my offer still stands.”

  Looking soundly defeated, Tark shook his head. “No. I won’t press charges.” Pivoting around to glare at the couple, he added, “Not this time. All right, Captain, tell your men to pull out.”

  “Don’t forget to order the news shuttles out of our airspace,” Deceiver pointed upward with a forefinger.

  They watched as the Committee representative and his entourage pulled out, escorted by the six police units. Overhead the news media finally flitted away, having gotten enough fodder to fill several broadcasts. Once every trespasser had evacuated Guardian Command, the group descended upon the weary couple. Star sagged heavily against Hunter, who wrapped a protective arm about her waist. The cloud of protectiveness he had used to envelope them in dissipated. Lifting her easily into his arms, he carried her into the dining hall where Morning Fire hurried to get them something to drink.

  “Heavens, we never thought we’d be seeing you again!” Disaster admitted as they watched Hunter place her on a bench just inside the doorway before dropping next to her.

  “How are you feeling?” Corona asked. They all could see the two were suffering from total exhaustion.

  Pouring some water into her hand, Star wet her face. She cuddled, unashamed, next to Hunter, snuggling against his side. “Forgive me, Deceiver. I’m a fool.”

  “Yeah, but you’re a cute fool,” Hunter teased her, eyeing her over his water bottle.

  Cutting her eyes at him, Star burst into laughter. At her response, all tension seemed to drain out of the room, and the group huddled closer to the couple in comfortable companionship.

  “How far out did you go?” Seeker inquired tentatively.

  Hunter ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t honestly know,” he admitted. “I’m not that familiar with that section of the universe. But it was at least thirty, maybe thirty-two parsecs distance.”

  “You two need to eat something,” Animator suggested. “At least we ate aboard the ship.”

  It was Star who managed to shake her head. “I’m too tired to eat. I just want to rest. Please.”

  “I ditto that,” Hunter said softly. Wearily. It was difficult even to think.

  “We’re all tired. Let me check the boards and see if there’s any emergencies out there,” Deceiver told them. “If not, I’m declaring tomorrow time off. Sleep in, guys. You deserve it. Oh, and, Star?” He bent down over her, keeping his voice low.

  Bleary-eyed, Star raised her head from where she had been resting it upon Hunter’s shoulder. “Yeah, Deceiver?”

  “Next time you decide to go gallivanting all over the universe, try to keep it closer to home, would you, please? For the sake of all our sanities?”

  To his astonishment, the woman leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Yeah. All right. Goodnight, Deceiver. Can we go to bed now, Hunter?”

  Several around them who had seen and heard her response stared slack-jawed as Hunter slowly got to his feet and drew his arms around Star. The last thing they heard before the couple popped out of sight was his murmured warning.

  “You might feel a little dizzy, but don’t worry. I have a tight hold on you.”

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Subterfuge 5

  One and four slammed into two’s office in red-faced fury.

  “Dammit, Tark! What the hell were you thinking, accosting Master Hunter and StarLight like that? Plus you took the media with you!” Four roared.

  “Everything we’ve been working for, and you almost ruined it! Ruined it, you arrogant asshole!” one yelled with equal ferocity.

  Throwing an arm at the black vidscreen mounted on the wall behind him, four demanded, “Have you been watching the news? Have you watched the little play enacted for the benefit of the populace? You looked like a total idiot! You even sounded like a total idiot!”

  One snorted. “Provoker even crawled a good one up your ass, and you never caught it,” he sneered.

  Tark rose to his feet, white-faced from their initial charge. “I held up my end,” he defended hotly.

  “Oh, yeah. Like a real professional,” one replied sarcastically. “Glitch between the chair and the communications board. He was talking about you, you worthless piece of dung!”

  Four leaned over two’s desk, resting his hands on the edge as he moved his upper body closer to the man still standing behind the length of furniture. “If you weren’t so far deep into this thing with us, I’d have my men come over and plow a new haircut in that pretty skull of yours.”

  “Look. I know you’re mad at the moment,” Tark tried to placate with a soothing tone. The other two would have non
e of it, knowing the man too well to be affected.

  “We’re not mad,” one denied. “We’re about ready to have your balls for breakfast!”

  “In one fell swoop you’ve managed to turn public opinion completely against the Committee,” four announced. “You’ve ratcheted up the masses, and now they’re almost ready to pick up arms and protect their beloved Guardians against incompetents like you. Please tell me you aren’t rated superior, so I can at least have some piece of mind there won’t be any further generations of your kind in the future!”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Tark told them. “It won’t matter once StarLight becomes pregnant, and we can proceed with our plans. Everything else is in place and waiting. Gentlemen! Calm down and get a fresh perspective on things. All right, so I inadvertently took us back a couple of steps—”

  “A couple of steps?” one snorted derisively.

  “The damage has been done, but it’s not permanent. Speaking of, have you made your own arrangements for where you’ll be when the attack begins?”

  One and four nodded silently.

  “How about—”

  “You don’t worry about us,” four interrupted. “We’ll be safe and ready to take over once the Ombitra have had their fill.”

  Tark smiled. “Good. Soon, gentlemen. Soon. You see … I had another reason for why I did what I did today.” As the other two gave him doubtful looks, two’s smile broadened. “Normal testing plates only register the two secreted hormones. But the device I had with me tests for a third hormone.”

  “Third hormone?” one questioned.

  Nodding, Tark told them, “The hormone that tests for fertility. StarLight is ovulating. Any time now we’ll get the answer we’ve risked everything for. And when it comes, you’d better be prepared, because there will never be another chance.”

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter 20

  Strategy

  The room slowly came into focus, letting Star know she was back in her quarters at Guardian Command. Sunlight poured through her open wall window, bathing everything in warm whiteness. At first she wondered if the past dozen hours had been a nightmarish dream, or if they had really happened, until a familiar tingling sensation crept over her skin, leaving behind large swaths of goose pimples. A tiny shiver ran through her, and she smiled into her pillow.

  He was behind her. Sharing her bed. It was daylight, and he had stayed through the night, until the morning.

  Rising up onto her elbows, she turned her head to look at him. He was lying on his stomach, arms buried underneath the pillow that supported his head. He was facing toward her, his eyes closed in sleep. After he had brought her over, they had shucked their uniforms and crawled under the sheets, barely managing a goodnight kiss before letting unconsciousness take over.

  Glancing over at the communications panel, Star checked the chronometer. According to it, they had slept the through the rest of yesterday and all of last night. Their twenty-five hour cycle would be up in another hour and a half, but for some reason the thought didn’t bother her.

  Slowly, she slid out of bed and padded into the cleansing chamber to use the facilities. Next, she turned on the shower to remove the residue she had accumulated on her flight. That was the only bad thing she detested about space. There was so much detritus floating around out there, it was almost like maneuvering through a soup of negative ions and atoms. The stuff clung to her suit with a vengeance, and sometimes it permeated through to adhere to her skin.

  As the cleansing rays stripped the invisible filth from her, the stinging bath also masked his approach until a pair of hands circled her waist, startling her. Star whirled around, and was crushed against a warm chest as a pair of lips descended upon hers. She could only hold on for dear life as her body surrendered.

  “You left me alone in bed.” He caressed the words against her mouth.

  Opening her eyes, she smiled into his sparkling blue gaze. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “And deny me the chance to enjoy sharing a shower with you?”

  Star laughed. Was it possible to be this happy? Raising her arms to encircle his neck, she gave herself up to his kisses. His mouth was gentle but demanding, leaving her dizzy from the heat they were generating between them. Gradually, Hunter lifted her off her feet and pressed her back along the stall’s rear wall, out of direct contact with the spray.

  “What are you doing?” she asked with a hitch in her throat. His body was a blanket of incredible warmth. His engorged rod had already managed to part her thighs, and now only needed permission to slide into her inner recesses.

  His mouth had found her ticklish spot along her neck as his thumbs did their incredible dance over her nipples. Heavens, he could melt her without even having to make love to her. She groaned and wiggled her hips.

  Silently answering her unspoken demand, Hunter lifted her knees and tugged her legs around his waist. Pulling back slightly, Star felt him positioning himself, and then a massive length of sheer pleasure speared her, stretched her, invaded her. Star jerked at the invasion and cried out. The wall behind her was unforgiving, keeping her solidly in place as her body took his assault.

  Hands twisted in his hair, she tried to match him stroke for pounding stroke, but her hips were kept absolutely still in his iron grasp. Her breath came in gulps as her mind tried to assimilate the barrage of sensations pouring over her. Their bodies were melding as surely as if their flesh was melting and reforming into one being.

  She could feel her body stretching, forcing itself to accept all of him. She hadn’t been completely wet for him. Not at the beginning. But when he’d begun to move inside her, it was like her juices had gone into overdrive. There was barely time to breathe within his driving rhythm.

  At some point he whispered something to her, but her brain no longer registered anything other than the most incredible feelings building inside her. She heard his dark, animalistic voice, but she had no idea what he said. But her body did. And her body responded. She was on fire, burning brighter and hotter than she could ever imagine becoming.

  He was Master Hunter. He was her master, and she was his. He had claimed her heart and her body, and now he had total dominion over her. Dominion over her senses, her mind, and every scrap of feeling that she was capable of. As her soul began to ascend into the outer stratosphere, his hands gripped her hard, forcing her to accept his control. Forcing her body to succumb to his hungry demands. Keeping her own hunger acutely attuned to his. So that when she climaxed, her soul took off like a comet, blazing with unrestrained power and beauty.

  Hunter’s grip kept her body earthbound as he came with almost volcanic force. He had lost control of his instincts long ago, and allowed his own body free rein with hers as he buried his face in her luxurious, black hair.

  Their bodies slowed, their minds flowing back to grasp some comprehension of normalcy. Carefully, Hunter lowered her legs from around his waist as he withdrew and stepped back. Star trembled when he gave her a long, tender kiss before he released her.

  Eyes slitted, she watched him step into the cleansing spray to wash away yesterday’s grime. Leaning against the back wall where he’d left her, she studied him without embarrassment, from the dark, curly, brown head of hair he kept short, over his undeniably handsome face, down over his broad shoulders and wide chest, across his ribs and stomach, to his semi-erect penis, and past those long, lean thighs and legs. The man is perfect. She smiled.

  They were still very tired, but once they got something into their stomachs, the day would perk up considerably.

  “Udo?”

  “What, my love?”

  “When was the last time you made love to a woman?”

  He glanced over his shoulder at her. He’d turned his back to her, and Star grinned as she gazed at his rear. Damn fine ass, too. Just ripe for a nibble.

  “About a minute and a half ago, if my feeble memory serves,” he answered.

  “No. I meant … before me.
”

  This time he stopped rubbing down to turn back around to look at her. “Three years ago,” he told her truthfully.

  “Have you … made love … to many women?”

  “Depends upon your definition of many,” he said softly. “More than a handful? More than two handfuls?”

  “Udo.”

  Reaching out, Hunter cupped her chin in his hand. His eyes caught hers and trapped them within his jeweled blue depths. “I’ve never made love to a woman unless I was certain about my feelings for her. When I was sure it was love between us. Of course, I was wrong back then, but even so, I’ve never regretted my actions. All my life I’ve trusted my heart. I knew that one day it would let me know when I had finally found the one person who would be my eternity. You are the only woman I’ve taken to bed where my feelings weren’t allowed to be part of the criteria. But when I think back on it now, I think I may have already fallen in love with you from the first day I was introduced to you. Back when we were forced to go through those damn timed trials during our initiation.” He shook his head. “I just never knew it for what it was until our first night together.”

  “What made you certain?” He had finished and moved to the side to let her have her turn underneath the cleansing spray.

  “When you told me to leave you when we were finished, but you were crying inside for me to stay.”

  Star blinked at him. Hunter laughed softly at her violet-eyed astonishment. “Another one of those powers you told me about?” she asked. “The ones no one else knows about?”

  “As a hunter, I need to know what my prey is feeling. I need to know if she’s frightened, and prepared to run. Or if she’s angry, and ready to face me and fight. I know your emotions, my heart. I know your sadness and your happiness, and I know some of what you’re keeping locked deep inside yourself, away from me. I hope, maybe someday, you’ll trust me enough to tell me everything.”

  I hope, maybe someday … Her eyes grew rounder. Was he implying what she prayed he would? Before she could ask, Hunter turned and stepped out of the stall.