Tempted

by Presley Hall

  He throws his head back, the corded muscles of his neck standing out.

  “You feel so deshing good,” he groans, his thumb moving faster over my clit as he begins to thrust. “I’m going to come, Brooke. You’re going to make me come, I can’t hold back—”

  It’s all so much.

  Too much.

  His words, combined with the feeling of him thrusting inside my ass, claiming me there for the first time, and his thumb relentlessly working over my clit, push me over the edge.

  I grip the bedspread, my nails digging into it as my body shudders from head to toe. My core clenches rhythmically, and I know I’m squeezing Zhori’s cock too, because he lets out a savage grunt. He leans over me, his hips driving forward one last time before he spills himself inside me.

  I’ve never felt anything like it. I’ve surrendered to him completely, and I can feel him doing the same to me. His cock throbs and pulses for what feels like an eternity as he comes in waves, the heat of him filling me. At last, he slides out and collapses to the bed beside me, rolling onto his back as we both pant for breath.

  “I thought that was going to kill me,” he says, laughing and looking over at me. “Gods, I’ve never felt anything like that. I’m so glad I found you.”

  “Me too,” I tell him, laughing in return as I roll onto my side to face him. “Seriously, though,” I add, reaching up to push a lock of hair out of his face. “Thank you for coming back for me. Thank you for—for everything.”

  “I’ll always come for you,” he murmurs, his eyes locking onto mine with an expression so tender that it makes my heart clench in my chest. “I’ll always protect you, Brooke. It is the greatest honor of my life to be your mate.”

  “I love you, you know,” I whisper. “I know it seems fast to say it, but that time we spent together on Nierra feels like a lifetime. And I know it all the way down to my soul. I love you with my whole heart.”

  He reaches for me, pulling my mouth down to his and kissing me softly.

  “I love you too.” He chuckles against my lips. “Honestly, I think I started falling in love with you from the moment you kneed me in the balls and ran away.”

  I laugh, a giddy sort of joy filling my chest. “Oh, really?”

  “You’re a fighter. Of course that would make me love you.” He grins before his expression turns more serious. “Or maybe it was even before that. Maybe I loved you since the failed rescue. Maybe I knew somehow, even in all that chaos, that the fierce and beautiful woman being dragged away from our ship was my Irisa. And I had to go back for her.”

  26

  Zhori

  The next weeks of travel back to Kalix are the most perfect ones that I can ever remember having.

  It’s much like the time Brooke and I spent in that inn on Nierra waiting to go to Vortax’s ship, except without the constant threat of danger hanging over us. We’re on our way home, on our way to our future together, and there are nothing but good things in front of us. We’ve escaped, against all odds, and now we can begin to chart the next part of our lives.

  I remain wary for the first several days after we depart Nierra, but it becomes apparent after a while that no one is coming after us. Once I feel secure in that belief, no longer feeling as if I have to keep watch or sleep with one eye open in case of an attack, I’m able to give in entirely and enjoy my Irisa without hesitation.

  One night, as Brooke is lying in my arms, both of us sweaty and sated, she starts to hum softly.

  I close my eyes, feeling my heart warm in my chest as emotions swell up inside of me. I love this woman so much, and I love that she can be vulnerable with me now. I love that she’s opening herself to me, that she trusts me so completely. She’s so beautiful, brave, and talented. I’m lucky to have her as my mate.

  She hums for a while, her cheek pressed against my chest. Then, to my surprise, she begins to sing. I stay very still and quiet, because I know how monumental this is. I know what this means to her, to sing in front of me, with no barriers between us at all.

  And as I listen to her, I understand why she was so shy about it for so long, more shy about her singing than her accidental nudity. It’s because it sounds as if her soul is shining through when she sings, every emotion she’s feeling revealed in the sweet sound of her voice, her very essence laid bare before me.

  After a long time, Brooke’s voice finally fades away, and she looks up at me shyly. Her eyes lock with mine, and I feel suddenly overwhelmed with love for her, the emotion so powerful that there are no words I can think of that feel right.

  So I do the only thing that does feel right—I reach down, cupping her face in my hands, and kiss her.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, my lips still pressed softly to hers. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”

  I kiss her again, harder this time, the fierce love turning to desire as she kisses me back. Her arms wrap around my neck as her body arches against me. I’m hard all over again, even though it’s been only minutes since I came inside of her.

  Her beautiful voice filled me with an entirely new kind of need, and I groan as I slide inside her, joining us as closely two people can ever be.

  I’ll never get tired of this.

  I never could.

  When we’re near Kalix, I turn on the hologram on the comms device and reach out to announce our arrival. The last thing I want is for anyone on Kalix to think that an enemy is approaching. The warrior who responds is shocked to hear from me, and happy too—happier than I expected, honestly, considering I broke rank to go back to Nierra.

  He tells me to wait for a moment while he locates Druxik, and my heart thuds heavily in my chest with nervousness. I’m glad Brooke is standing silently next to me, her hand on my arm for support. Even if my superiors are angry with me, even if there are consequences when we return to the planet, I know I did the right thing. I saved her, and I can never regret that. With my mate beside me, it was all worth it, no matter what.

  When Druxik comes onto the hologram, I see to my surprise that instead of anger or censure, he has a smile on his face. He glances at Brooke, at her hand on my arm, and his eyes widen with further surprise. “Is she—did you—?”

  “We’re mated,” I confirm. “The bond took hold while we were on Nierra. Brooke is my Irisa.”

  “That’s wonderful news,” Druxik says, and relief washes over me. “I explained things to Khrelan,” he continues. “I told him that although you did disobey orders, you put no one else in danger with your decision. All you were trying to do was carry out your mission in full, and all of the danger was your own.”

  “And he wasn’t angry?”

  “He was understanding,” Druxik says. “You won’t face harsh punishment when you reach Kalix. Maybe a few weeks of duty cleaning the barracks,” he adds with a chuckle. “But nothing worse than that. We’re proud of you for your bravery and commitment to the mission, Zhori.”

  Relief fills me. I was willing to face any consequences, knowing that I made the right choice to save Brooke. But I’m glad that Druxik, Khrelan, and the other superior officers recognized my intent. The Alpha Force are my brothers, and I would never wish to be in bad standing with them.

  It takes us another couple of days to reach Kalix, and I grow more and more excited the closer we get.

  Brooke’s eyes widen as we come into the atmosphere, taking in the lush greenery, jungles and mountains of the wild terrain. The capital city of Jocia springs up out of the middle of it all, a modern oasis in the wild clutch of nature, and as we come down onto the docking bay, I look at her with a smile.

  “Are you ready?” I ask her.

  “Yes,” she replies confidently, taking my hand. “I can’t wait.”

  Druxik is there on the dock to greet us, along with several other members of the squadron who were part of the initial rescue team with me. Cora stands next to him, and the moment she sees Brooke, she steps forward to greet my mate.

  “I’m so glad Zhori was
able to find you,” she murmurs as I take in the rest of the crowd. Several other Terran women came to greet us as well, including a pretty woman with dark skin who I vaguely remember being called Sophie. They all look relieved to see Brooke.

  Druxik steps forward, smiling at us both.

  “Welcome to Kalix,” he says in his deep voice, holding out a hand to her. “We’re glad that Zhori was able to bring you back to us. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to go back for you myself.”

  “No, I understand,” my mate says quickly, and I can tell she means it. “You couldn’t put everyone else at risk. I’m glad you didn’t. They’re safe now too, because of that choice.”

  I put my arm around her as she speaks, pride and love swelling in my chest.

  “Malav and Khrelan would like to meet with you,” Druxik tells me, and I wince. He chuckles. “Not because you’re in trouble. Just for a report.”

  “Not Tordax?” I ask curiously. As Commander of the Alpha Force, I would expect him to be a part of any debriefing.

  Druxik’s face splits into a wide grin.

  “Not Tordax.” he confirms. Before I can ask why, he breaks into a broad smile. “He’s needed elsewhere today. Rose is having their baby.”

  27

  Brooke

  As excited as I was to reach Kalix, part of me was a little afraid that assimilating into life on a new planet would be difficult.

  After all, it’s an entirely new place where I barely know anyone other than Zhori. But as the first few weeks pass, I realize to my surprise that it’s not hard at all.

  It’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since we arrived. We had to find a home, since the Alpha Force warriors who are unmated live in the barracks. It took time to decorate our new dwelling and get everything set up, and I’ve spent many hours learning my way around the city and familiarizing myself with the customs.

  But doing this with my mate, the love of my life, just feels right.

  It doesn’t feel strange or nerve-wracking.

  It feels like I’m home.

  Even the moments of culture shock and adjustment to a new way of life have been made easier by the feeling of being in the place I’m meant to be. And I couldn’t have found a more incredible city to call my own. Jocia is glorious, mild and temperate and beautiful, and everyone has been welcoming. I’ve been getting to know the other human women, and although they come from a wide range of backgrounds, a closeness has sprung up among all of us.

  All in all, I’m very happy to be living on Kalix. But today, as I get ready to go to the ceremony to welcome Rose and Tordax’s new child into the world, I feel so nervous that I think I might throw up.

  Because I’ve agreed to sing in public for the first time in years.

  God, what were you thinking, Brooke?

  It seemed like a good idea when I offered—a way to give something back to my new home, my new people.

  Now? Now I’m terrified.

  I’m getting dressed in one of the outfits I’ve bought for myself here, a blue wrap dress made of a soft wool and belted with an intricately carved leather belt, when Zhori walks into our bedroom.

  “You look lovely,” he says, his gaze skimming over me with familiar desire as he crosses the room to where I’m standing and takes me into his arms. He drops his head to press his lips to mine, but breaks the kiss and furrows his brows as he sees how nervous I am.

  “You don’t have to do this, my Irisa,” he tells me softly. “Not if you don’t want to.”

  I know he means it, and that in and of itself helps me calm down a little.

  “I want to.” I nod decisively, feeling a bit more confident as I say the words. “It’s time. There’s nothing to hide anymore, and I need to stop holding myself back. I can do this.”

  Zhori smiles down at me, running his hands through my hair before tucking a strand behind my ear. “If you get nervous, just look into the audience and find me. Pretend that you’re singing just for me.”

  My heart warms. This might be my first time singing in public again, but since I’ve come to Kalix, our house has often been filled with song. I’m no longer afraid to sing in front of Zhori, and I adore how much he loves to hear it. It feels like a special bond between us, and my mate’s enthusiastic enjoyment of my singing has given me the confidence to embrace this part of myself again.

  “Thank you,” I whisper, kissing him again, more deeply this time.

  His arms go around my waist, pulling me to him, but before it can get too heated, we both break away with a laugh. We know all too well how easy it is to get lost in each other, and if we’re not careful, we’ll miss the ceremony because we’ve fallen into bed. There’s always the option of a quickie—but I prefer when Zhori can take his time, making me come over and over again before finally giving in to his own pleasure.

  We head toward the palace, which I still find a little overwhelming. Queen Emma and King Khrelan are hosting the celebration there, and I remember how impressive I found it when I was first introduced to the queen as the newest citizen of Kalix.

  She’s human too, another woman rescued by the Kalixians, and when I found out her story, it was every bit as romantic as I might have expected. Honestly, all the stories the mated women have are romantic. I can’t help but think how lucky we all are to have found love where we never would’ve expected it.

  I’ve been to the palace a few more times since that first meeting, but it still seems so huge and grand, more lavish than anything I’ve ever seen, especially coming from my small town back on Earth.

  A massive crowd has gathered for the celebration. Everyone is overjoyed—this is the first child born on Kalix in over sixteen years, and both the baby and Rose are healthy, proving that offspring between Kalixians and humans are truly viable.

  Rose glows with happiness as she sits on the dais with Tordax, her mate and the Alpha Force commander. She’s cradling the baby in her arms, and as I approach the front of the crowd with Zhori, I get a better glimpse of the little girl. She’s adorable, with a silver sheen to her skin and tiny, nubby horns at the top of her skull, her head lightly fuzzed with blonde hair. Her eyes don’t seem to shift colors like the Kalixians’ do, but they’re beautiful anyway—the same brilliant blue as her mother’s.

  I give Zhori a quick kiss before splitting off to go to the side of the dais where I’m meant to wait for my part in the ceremony. One of the elders approaches the dais as the crowd goes quiet, and Rose and Tordax both stand with solemn faces, despite the joy shining in their eyes.

  The elder, Tetri, is holding a small clay jar in one hand. She uncaps it, then gently lays her palm on the top of the baby’s head.

  “Tordax, Rose, have you chosen a name for your daughter?”

  “Sana,” Rose says, her voice clear and bright. “After Tordax’s mother.”

  Tordax’s eyes gleam with adoration as he looks down at his Irisa and daughter, and it makes my heart squeeze in my chest. They may be fierce warriors capable of brutal violence, but they love just as hard as they fight.

  “Sana. A beautiful name for a beautiful child.” Tetri pours out a fragrant oil on her fingertips and gently rubs it over the baby’s forehead. “Then let me welcome you to our world, Sana. May the sun always shine above you, the earth always be steady under your feet, and may the universe welcome you as one of her own.”

  As the elder completes her benediction, Rose and Tordax turn to face the crowd, and a great cheer goes up. I catch the king and queen sharing a happy look between them and grin to myself. Zhori told me that Emma is pregnant too, and with Harper and Malav’s baby due soon, there will be a whole new generation on Kalix soon. Sana will have other kids to grow up with.

  A little flutter goes through my stomach that has nothing to do with my nerves over singing. I picture myself and Zhori one day welcoming our own child into the world, and a thrill of excitement runs through me. I always thought I would love to have a baby one day, but it seemed like a distant dream.

  With Zhori,
it feels real. Possible. I want that with him. Want to build a family of our own. A whole life, here on this planet that I already love.

  As the joyful cheers finally begin to die out, Tetri gestures me forward, and I step up onto the dais. The whole crowd is looking at me, and my heart races as I lick my lips. I can feel stage fright fluttering through me, but I do what Zhori suggested.

  I search for him in the crowd, our gazes locking as I find him beaming at me. The connection between us flares like it always does, steadying me and calming my wild pulse.

  Taking a breath, I begin to sing. It’s a love song, one I chose especially for today.

  And as I look at Zhori, I mean every single word.

  Epilogue

  Sophie

  One week after arriving on Kalix

  I don’t know how to feel about this new place yet.

  Everyone here has been kind and welcoming, considerate of the rescued women and our trauma, making sure we’re acclimating and that our health is looked after. We’ve been given small pods of our own in a building near the center of the city, and all of us were given translator implants so that we could speak to the other Kalixians freely and be understood. All of this has been given freely and without any sort of hesitation, and I’m very grateful for it.

  But still, I don’t feel entirely comfortable yet.

  I feel slightly adrift, a little out of place, which I suppose is normal. I often felt that way back on Earth. Maybe it’s just my state of being now, wherever I am.

  Honestly, there’s only one place I’ve felt drawn to since my arrival on this planet.

  One person.

  Slipping out of the building where we’re all staying, I make my way through the streets of Jocia, the quiet twilight closing in around me. I’ve barely gotten to know the city yet, but I do know where one particular place is—the holding area where the feral alien is being kept for the time being.