Lost Among the Stars (Sky Riders)

by Rebecca Lorino Pond

  “It would be best if you leave, Commander,” Jonik said as he guided his friend out of the room.

  “I will be back,” Etor threw over his shoulder as he left the room.

  What the hell just happened? One minute they were having a normal conversation then the next he was basically attacking her and calling her names. She had had enough of being scared of Mark, so she wasn’t about to let this overgrown man intimidate her and accuse her of things.

  For now though, she needed to sleep. The energy she used to shout back was gone and left her feeling like a wet a noodle. If and when he came back she would put him in his place and let him know she wasn’t going to tolerate being talked down to.

  Chapter 5

  “What the hell, Etor?” Jonik closed Maggie’s door so she couldn’t hear them.

  Etor paced back and forth in front of the window to Maggie’s room. He hadn’t the faintest idea what came over him. He had been so calm when he entered the Earth female’s room, but after hearing where she was being taken, something came over him he couldn’t explain.

  “Etor! Answer me!”

  Etor faced his longtime friend, “I don’t know, alright? I just…I saw her being abused by those filthy beasts and I lost it!”

  “You’re going into the Rage, aren’t you?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous!”

  “No, that’s what it is! You are going into the Rage because you have found your true life mate!” Jonik slapped his friend on the back and smiled brightly at him.

  Etor was frozen to the spot. He knew it was her and so did Rhaegos. So why did he yell at her like that? He should have been taking her in his arms and letting her know that everything was going to be alright. Instead, he succeeded in pissing her off and getting himself kicked out of her room. She was his mate! By the gods he would protect her and keep her away from those lecherous bastards.

  “When is she able to be moved?” he asked.

  “If things keep progressing, she can be moved to private quarters in a few days.”

  “Not good enough! I want her moved to my quarters,” he replied.

  “Etor, I don’t think….”

  Etor cut him off before he could finish. “I want her moved to my quarters by tomorrow morning. I will be by to collect her after my morning status check.”

  “Etor, please. It’s not a good idea to subject her to your Rage until you have it under control.”

  Etor said nothing more. He stood there for a few seconds then glanced into the room. His mate had turned over to face away from the open window. Her small frame was curled up into a ball with the blanket pulled up over her. Her glorious hair was sprawled out behind her trailing down her back. It was such an odd color with its browns and deep reds all mixed together. He wanted to run his hands through it to see if it was as soft as it looked lying there on the pillow. He wanted to feel it on his body as he thrust into her with his cock.

  Whoa! He shouldn’t be thinking like that. He had to take it easy with her, win her over. But, damn, his body wanted her. Every inch of him wanted to feel her moving underneath him. Wanted to hear her moan and call out his name as he brought her to her peak.

  You need to control yourself, Rhaegos called out to him.

  He stormed out of the medical unit to return to his quarters. As soon as he entered Rhaegos was in his face.

  “Not now, Rhaegos.” He tried to push pass the shrunken dragon but was stopped when a purple wing stretched out in front of him.

  Yes, now. You have to be calm, Rhaegos shouted back in his head. If you don’t calm down you will scare her off! Rhaegos pushed him back with the outstretched wing.

  He knew what his dragon said was true. Maggie was already pissed with him and she didn’t even know she was his mate yet. He needed to get her back to his quarters so he could inform her. There was no way he was about to let her slip through his fingers.

  A nice cool shower should calm him down enough to be able to get a few hours of sleep. Ever since he had rescued Maggie from her tube he had been restless and unable to sleep. Tomorrow he would have her in his arms begging for his attention.

  ******

  “What?”

  He heard her shouting before he even entered her room. Jonik must have told her he was coming to collect her. He pushed open the room and strode in full of confidence.

  “I am not going anywhere with him!” she shouted at Jonik and pointed to him.

  He walked right up to the bed and looked down at her upturned face. “You will be coming with me even if I have to carry you.”

  “Why would I want to go anywhere with you after what you called me yesterday?” she challenged him.

  She was going to be a feisty mate and it turned him on even more. He got as close to the bed as he could then leaned over until his face was almost touching hers. “You. Are. Mine. And, you are coming with me!” He took her by total surprise when he scooped her up into his arms and lifted her from the bed.

  “Put me down! Jonik!” she shrieked.

  He turned to leave the room but was partially blocked by the medic. One look from him and Jonik moved out of the way and let him pass.

  Maggie squirmed in his arms trying to get down. He tightened his grip on her just to let her know she wasn’t going to be able to get loose.

  “Put. Me. Down.”

  Gods, she smelled so good. “No.”

  As he strode down the corridors with his load, all eyes were pinned on them as they walked by. Several greeted Etor and he would grunt a response but keep walking. She stopped her struggling when he entered the lift and they were alone.

  “I don’t see why I can’t walk if you insist on taking me,” she said then folded her arms across plump breasts.

  The feel of her bare skin on his arms was making him hard. The slight contact was better than he ever dreamed it would be. She was still in the gown from the medical unit and he knew from experience how little they could cover up.

  “Would you like to walk?” he asked. He looked down into her blue eyes.

  “Yes. I would,” she answered.

  He let his arm slip out from under her legs as he placed her on the lift’s floor. As soon as her feet hit the ground he was going to let her go, but it wasn’t the case. Her knees buckled beneath her and she would have sunk to the floor if he had not held her up with the arm still touching her. He scooped her back up with a smug look on his face.

  “You can’t even stand up much less walk.”

  “Oh shut up!” She lightly slapped at his chest. She squirmed again to get a better position but it was causing some physical reactions she wasn’t aware of.

  “I would suggest you stop moving so much,” he told her.

  “Why? Am I too heavy for you?” She gave him her best fake smile.

  He had to laugh. “No, little one. Let’s just say something is rising to the occasion.”

  Her eyebrows drew in with a confused look. “What are you talking about? What is rising….” It hit her then. “Oh crap!” She turned a scarlet red when she realized what he meant.

  The look on her face was priceless. He knew he shouldn’t laugh but he couldn’t resist. His entire body shook as he laughed.

  “It’s not funny,” she whispered.

  That made him laugh even more. He was almost in tears by the time the lift’s doors opened up on his level. As he walked in the direction of his quarters he took periodic looks down at her and saw she was trying to hide a smile. One time he thought she was biting her cheek to keep from laughing.

  The open to his quarters was voice activated, so all he had to do was say, “Open,” and the door slid open. The inside of his quarters was cooler than the corridors and felt good against his flushed skin.

  “This is where you live?” she asked him.

  The farther he walked into his spacious quarters the more lights came on.

  “This is where I live when I am on the ship, but I have a home back on Qetera.” He gently placed her on the long sofa that
sat in the middle of the room. Since he often had guests in his quarters, he had put in a large U-shaped sofa to accommodate as many as he could. It was one of the more expensive luxuries but it was worth it. Many nights he was fallen asleep on it.

  He didn’t want to break the contact he had with her but he had to let her go. Her little legs rested on the cream colored cushions as she leaned back against the plump pillows.

  “Would you care for something to eat?” He sat next to her, not wanting to move away.

  She still had her arms folded as she looked at him. “Why did you bring me here?”

  Here we go, he thought to himself. “You are my true life mate and it is my responsibility to care for you.”

  Her mouth hung open as she stared at him. “I’m not your mate! I’m not anyone’s mate!”

  “Before you start to argue with me, let me fix you something to eat.” He didn’t wait for her to respond. He got up and went into the food room. Thankfully the food room was more closed off so she wouldn’t be able to see him lean against the counter and close his eyes. He was going to have a hard time staying away from her. His attachment to her was growing by the minute and if he didn’t convince her that she was his true life mate he was going to go insane.

  Just as he pushed himself away from the counter he heard her scream. Rhaegos!

  Sure enough his dragon was on the opposite side of the sofa sniffing Maggie’s hair as she tried to huddle in a corner of the sofa.

  “Rhaegos!”

  The dragon looked up. What? I’m just smelling her. She smells wonderful!

  He moved to Maggie’s side and pulled her hands away from her face. “It’s okay, he’s my dragon.”

  She looked up at him then at Rhaegos. “Your dragon?”

  “Yes, my dragon. His name is Rhaegos. I promise he won’t hurt you. Will you Rhaegos?”

  The dragon shook his head in acknowledgement.

  “He understood what you said?” She looked in awe at the purple creature he had known his whole life.

  “Yes, but he can only speak to me through a mind link.”

  Rhaegos waited for Maggie to look at him again. Etor could feel the dragon’s eagerness to be accepted by his mate. Once a bond was formed between them, Maggie would also be able to hear Rhaegos speak. It was one of the advantages of being a Sky Rider.

  “Can…can he understand me?” Her whole disposition seemed to have changed.

  “Ask him to do something,” he instructed her.

  She bit her lip as she thought for a second. “Ummm….lick his face.” She pointed to him.

  “Seriously?” he said right before he got a big, wet tongue drawn up his cheek. “By the gods, Rhaegos. Did you have to make it so wet?”

  Maggie started to giggle. It was like hearing the goddesses sing to him personally. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him as he wiped off the excess spit.

  “That is incredible! Can I touch him?” She got her reply instantly when Rhaegos lowered his head enough so she could feel his head. “Wow! I didn’t expect him to feel so soft. I would have thought the scales would have been hard and rough.” Her fingers trailed over the dragon’s narrow snout and up over the eye sockets to touch the first of the horns on his head. “Amazing.”

  I like her touch, Rhaegos commented as he closed his eyes to enjoy her soft fingers.

  Etor let out a growl to warn the dragon Maggie was his.

  “Did you just growl?” Her gazed turn back to him. “You did, didn’t you?” Her eyes grew wide in astonishment but she maintained her smile.

  “He needs to understand that you are mine!” he snapped.

  Oh man, that did it! The smile was instantly wiped off her face and replaced with a frown. Great! Just Great I succeeded in making her mad again!

  Well, if you wouldn’t be such a grouch maybe you wouldn’t make her mad. She is cute though when she is mad, Rhaegos said in reply.

  “I am not yours or anyone else’s,” she stated then looked to Rhaegos again. “Is this how big he gets? Is he a baby or something?”

  A baby! I’ll show her a baby!

  “Don’t do it, Rhaegos!”

  It was too late. Rhaegos’ size began to increase as he steady looked at his mate. The damn dragon had to go and show off! He wouldn’t be able to achieve his full height because of the ceilings in the room, but it would big enough to scare her.

  “What…what is he doing?” she stammered.

  Rhaegos’ head stretched as well as the rest of his scaly body. The horns on his head and back lengthened into sharp deadly points and his talons grew to grip the back of the sofa. When he spread his wings out, he succeeded in knocking a lamp over.

  “Damn it, Rhaegos! Stop!” He was getting angry with the dragon.

  “Holy cow!” Maggie whispered under her breath. “He is gorgeous!”

  Ha! She thinks I am gorgeous! Rhaegos taunted him.

  “How can he do that?” She leaned forward to look over the back of the sofa.

  “The dragons can shift to any size they need to. While on board the ship though, he is supposed to stay at the height you first saw him or smaller. It’s an inconvenience for him but it’s the only way he can travel with me.”

  Suddenly, and without warning, Rhaegos shifted down to the size of a small child. He flew up over the sofa and glided around the room a couple of times before he landed in Maggie’s lap.

  The smile was back on her face causing his heart to warm and his cock to stir. He wished he could keep that beautiful smile on her face. Instead, he seemed to put only frowns on it. Her blue eyes twinkled in fascination as Rhaegos leaned in close in order for her to scratch his head.

  “I think I will go fix us something to eat then you will rest,” he announced and left the room.

  He was fuming! His damn dragon had a crush on his mate. His mate! By the gods, he was jealous!

  Chapter 6

  Maggie’s hand skimmed over the tiny horns on top of the dragon sitting in her lap, but her eyes were glued to the man storming out of the room. He stirred something in her that she couldn’t understand. Each time she had seen him, he had managed to anger her and at the same time, ache for him. It had felt so natural to be in his arms as he carried her to his quarters, even if she did put up a halfhearted fight!

  Something wanted her to reach out and caress his stubbly cheek as he stared at her with those beautiful violet eyes. She had never seen anyone with those color eyes. What would their child look like with her blue eyes and his violet ones? Whoa! What the hell, Maggie! You’ve only known the man a day and you’re thinking about having a kid with him? Get a grip!

  She continued to stare at the empty door way Etor passed through and disappeared. It wasn’t until she felt her hand being nudged that she came out of her daydream.

  “You must like to be rubbed,” she asked Etor’s dragon.

  In response, Rhaegos lowered his head so she could rub his long neck.

  “Umm…Rhaegos? If you can understand me, may I touch your scales on your back?” She pulled her hand away and waited. The reply she received not only surprised her but delighted her. Rhaegos puffed out a small circle of smoke then laid down. “You can really understand me, can’t you?” Again a puff of smoke rose up from the dragon’s nostrils.

  She was in the process of running her hand up and down the dragon’s back when Etor returned with a tray of food. She eyed him suspiciously as he sat down next to her again and placed the tray on a square, marble coffee table.

  “I’m not much of a cook, so I don’t know how good this will taste.” He handed her a yellow bowl with what looked like soup in it. It was a bright orange liquid with chunks of something brown floating alongside smaller pieces of what looked like vegetables.

  She toyed with the spoon he provided and was a bit hesitate to try it. The aroma coming from the bowl made her stomach growl with anticipation of receiving food for the first time in a long time.

  “I promise I didn’t poison it if that’s what you a
re thinking,” he said before he took a big spoonful of the soup.

  “What is it though? I mean…it smells good but nothing looks familiar.” She watched him as he ate another bite.

  “It’s called pilon soup. A Pilon is a feathered bird native to my planet. They are in great abundance and reproduce at a very rapid rate. Take a bite and see if you like it.”

  He was watching her as she debated. What did she have to lose? He wouldn’t have saved her if he had plans on killing her would he? She let out a sigh then dipped the spoon into the bowl. The liquid was still too hot, so she had to blow on it then tentatively touched her tongue to the soup. It was cool enough to eat. The rich, smooth flavor slid down her throat and hit her stomach. She closed her eyes in pleasure as the warmth of the soup seemed to course through her veins.

  “Oh my God, it’s delicious!” This time she didn’t wait for the soup to cool. She shoveled her meal into her mouth like it was her last until she heard that deep laughter filling her ears.

  “Little one, you need to slow down! I have plenty more. You need to take it slow or you’ll make yourself sick. It’s been a long time since your stomach had any food it and needs time to readjust.”

  The heat of her blush covered her face and neck. God, she was acting like pig! “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  The rest of their meal was spent in silence. The clanking of the spoons on the metal bowls was the only sound that filled the room. Rhaegos had even fallen asleep in her lap and was quietly blowing smoke out of his nostrils. When she had her fill she handed the bowl back to Etor and leaned back on the sofa.

  “I’m stuffed. Thank you.” She gave him a smile. As he smiled back at her, the same urge to reach out and touch him hit her. Her fingers twitched as she consciously had to keep her hand to herself.

  His eyes roamed up and down her barely clad body. The heat of his gaze made her nipples harden as a bolt of electricity shot straight down to her core. What was wrong with her? She had never acted like this before in her life, not even with Mark. Doing the dirty with Mark had become more of a chore than a pleasure. She even started going out of her way to avoid having sex with him. The last two months before she had run off Mark hadn’t even tried to have sex with her, which was fine with her.