A pink that had nothing to do with his abuse swept over her cheeks. “I wasn’t a virgin, if that’s what you’re asking. But I’m not exactly experienced.” Her lashes swept down, veiling the deep blue of her eyes. “Was it…okay?”
Fuck. Now he was making her doubt her appeal.
“Saachi, if it had been any more ‘okay,’ as you put it, I would have been rendered unconscious.”
“Oh.” A small, satisfied smile played around her lips before she looked up at him again. “You seem better. Did it help?”
“With the shifting sickness? Yes.” He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that he was now bonded to her.
“You’re cured?” she asked eagerly.
“No, saachi. I must still return to Pardor.” The same restriction that had chained him his entire adult life. “And I suspect that the sickness will return.”
“Oh no. But we will have some sothiti left. Maybe it will be enough.”
“Perhaps.”
“And if it isn’t, maybe we could try this again,” she said shyly.
“You would be willing?” Desire roared through him, and his body responded, but he forced himself not to react. Each time they were together would make it harder for him to let her go.
“Oh yes.” She reached up and touched his check, then winced again. “But I might need to take a break first.”
“Stay here,” he ordered as he went to fetch a cleansing cloth.
“It’s probably just as well that we are from two different species,” she said as he washed away the remnants of his seed. “I don’t have to worry about getting pregnant.”
His hand froze, his whole body seized with longing at the idea of her ripe with his child. The longing was immediately replaced by sorrow. It would never happen. He could never allow it to happen.
“That is not necessarily a barrier,” he said as calmly as possible. Her eyes went wide, and a look he couldn’t read flashed across her face. “But in this case, you don’t have to worry. I cannot father children.”
“Why not? Did something happen to you?”
“After I left Pardor, I had a procedure to prevent it as soon as I had enough money to cover it.”
“You mean you decided you didn’t want to have kids? Ever?”
To subject another to the pain of his childhood? The fleeting image of Hanna pregnant with his child danced across his vision again, but he shook his head.
“No,” he said firmly and pretended he didn’t see the questions in her eyes as he stood.
“Come. A shower will help to ease you.” He lifted her into his arms, glad that his strength had returned to the point where her slight weight didn’t trouble him. She didn’t protest but relaxed against him with a contented sigh. He knew that he would pay for what he had done, but for now he allowed himself to enjoy the feel of her sweet body in his arms and the pleasure of caring for his mate.
Chapter Thirteen
By the time Pardor came into sight on the ship’s viewport, Hanna could have sobbed with relief. The trip had grown increasingly stressful as Aidon’s condition deteriorated.
For a full day after they had made love, he had seemed to be his normal self. Well, as normal as a seven-foot-tall, shape-shifting alien could be. They had spent a lot of time just talking, and he had, reluctantly, told her more about Pardor. Despite his initial hesitation, the way he described the planet was not that of a male who hated the place.
He had been telling her about some of the more terrifying wildlife that occupied one of the great rivers of his world, but he sounded knowledgeable and admiring rather than concerned. He had been looking off into the distance as he described a vine-like plant that concealed most of its body beneath the water when he looked down to find her watching him.
“What is it?”
“You sound like you’re very at home on the planet.”
He shifted beneath her. She was perched in his lap—his previous warnings to stay away from him apparently forgotten—and she could see that he looked uncomfortable with her observation.
“It’s not my home.” Then he sighed. “And yet it is. I grew up there.”
“When did you leave?”
“As soon as I could change my form.”
“How old were you?”
“Too old.” At her inquiring look, he sighed again. “Pardorians naturally begin to change form in minor ways even as children. I did not. It was…difficult. Because we are forbidden from revealing our true forms, I didn’t even have the option of leaving. As soon as my abilities appeared, I took a job on the next freighter out of there.”
“Didn’t your parents object?”
“They were both gone by then.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I barely knew them. My mother…died when I was a child, and my father didn’t last long after that.”
“But who raised you? Who took care of you?”
“My grandfather. It was a…difficult relationship.”
“I understand. My aunt raised me—my great-aunt actually. She was very kind to me, but she had an old-fashioned way of looking at the world, and I always felt a little out of place with the other kids.” She fingered the hem of his shirt and gave him a rueful smile. “I’m sure she would have been shocked at my unladylike behavior recently.”
“The age difference was not the problem with my grandfather. I was simply a disappointment to him.”
“Because you couldn’t shift?”
“Among other things. I wasn’t big enough or fast enough or ruthless enough for him. I think I failed most of his tests.”
“No wonder you wanted to leave.” She gave him a quick, sympathetic hug. “What did you do then?”
“Hired on as a fighter. I may not have been good enough for my grandfather, but I won most of my matches. I stayed away for almost two years before the sickness hit me and I had to return.”
“What did your grandfather say when you came back?”
“Nothing,” he said shortly. “I didn’t talk to him. After that, I stayed in the city when I had to return until I had enough credits to build my own house. I made a lot of credits as a fighter, but I didn’t want to spend my life doing it, so I looked for alternatives. I decided I preferred less obvious challenges.”
“What kind of challenges?” she asked tentatively.
“People hire me to remove their problems.” He looked down at her, his face hard. “I am an assassin, Hanna. A very well-paid assassin.”
Given the events leading up to their presence on the ship, she wasn’t entirely surprised, but she still shivered.
“You kill people? For money?”
“Yes. I prefer to think that I act on the side of justice, but make no mistake. I am a killer.”
His face was still set in that ruthless expression, but she caught a hint of worry in his eyes. He cared, she realized. He cared what she thought of him.
“Okay,” she agreed and snuggled back into his arms.
“That’s all you have to say?”
“It wouldn’t change anything that’s happened if I objected, would it? And besides, I lo—care for you. I trust you.”
Her heart beat rapidly as she realized that she had almost blurted out that she loved him. It was ridiculous. It was too soon. But no matter how much she tried to deny it, she didn’t doubt her feelings. Yet this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement. He wouldn’t want to be saddled with a helpless human, would he?
She snuck a peek at him from under her lashes. He looked shocked at her words, but she could also see the heat growing in his eyes. She half expected him to carry her back to the bed, but instead, he brushed an all-too-brief kiss across her lips and asked her about her childhood.
When they went to bed that evening, he curled his body around her and buried his nose in her hair, but he made no attempt at anything more. The slight soreness between her legs had faded, and she wanted more of his touch, but she didn’t quite have the courage to ask him. He adjusted his position, and th
e heavy weight of his cock—his very erect cock—came to rest between her buttocks. She waited expectantly, but he didn’t move again, and eventually she drifted off to sleep.
The next few days followed the same pattern. Aidon would resist touching her until he was overcome by tremors and would finally give in—attacking her with a relentless, passionate determination that always left her satisfied, sore, and confused. As soon as their lovemaking was finished, he would be clear-eyed and oddly sad. He always treated her affectionately, holding her on his lap and wrapping himself around her as they slept, but he never initiated sex until the illness weakened his control. She tried to gather the courage to talk to him about it, but it was obvious that his condition was deteriorating. The lucid periods became shorter and shorter, and neither the few remaining drops of sothiti nor her touch helped for long. Now, as the planet finally came into view, he had been unconscious for a full shift.
She watched anxiously as Pardor grew ever larger, the surface a swirling mass of blues and greens and golds that was both close enough and different enough from Earth to cause a pang of heartache. She would never see her planet again, but right now, that seemed less important than the big male tossing restlessly in their bed.
The ship descended with astonishing speed, and she prayed that the autopilot would actually bring them in for a landing, since she didn’t have the slightest idea how to land a spaceship. To her immense relief, it did, setting the ship down on what appeared to be a large stone slab surrounded by jungle. Why had he chosen to come here? she wondered as she peeped cautiously out of the window. She had expected to land at another spaceport like the one on Hothrest, but there was nothing here. No other ships, no buildings. No people, she realized with a sinking heart. Who was going to help Aidon?
Checking on him, she found him lying quietly for a change, but he was shivering, and an endless stream of colors danced across his skin. For all the times he had mentioned the need to return to Pardor, she suddenly realized he’d never told her just what he would need to do once he arrived to cure his sickness. She had foolishly assumed that just being on the planet would be enough.
Was it something in the environment? The air, perhaps?
Returning to the main cabin, she took another peek out the window but still saw nothing but the empty jungle surrounding them. Remembering some of his more frightening tales, she hesitated for a long moment, then finally lowered the landing ramp. The scent of the jungle rushed in, rich and humid and lush with the scent of growing things. She hadn’t realized how sterile the air on board the ship was until it was replaced by the air of Pardor. She took a deep breath, savoring the difference, but when she checked, Aidon didn’t appear any different.
The next most obvious thing she could think of was water. She didn’t see any break in the jungle, but from the thick humidity of the air, water couldn’t be far away. Looking at the opaque wall of green-and-gold vegetation, she shivered, but she also had an idea. In a jungle habitat, you could often find water trapped among the leaves. Rather than actually entering the jungle, maybe she could try gathering water that way.
After strapping on her sandals, she gathered a drinking cup from the small galley and took a cautious step down the landing ramp. The air was thick with noise—rustling leaves, the small buzz and chitter of what she assumed were insects—but then a sudden shriek split the air, and everything stilled. Her hands clenched on the railing as she froze in terrified silence. A few seconds later, the normal sounds resumed.
What had made that awful noise? It sounded so close. She retreated back into the ship and started to raise the landing ramp, but then Aidon groaned. He was tossing around again, or trying to, but he didn’t seem to have the strength to move. She had to do something.
The landing field was still clear, and the edge of the jungle didn’t seem that far away. It would only take a minute to dash over there and sluice some water off the leaves…
Her feet didn’t want to move, and she cursed her fears. If only she had a weapon. She hadn’t seen anything on the ship other than the knives they used for eating—knives! What had happened to the knife that Aidon had been wearing? She dashed back inside and found it underneath the bed, the massive blade easily as long as her forearm, but it was a lot better than nothing. A long leather belt was attached to the holster, and she had to wrap it around her waist three times before it would stay on, but the heavy weight reassured her as she gathered her cup once more.
The jungle noises continued as she crept to the bottom of the ramp and looked around. Nothing seemed out of place, but what did she know about this kind of environment? Only the memory of Aidon writhing in the bed was enough to make her take the first step out from under the shadow of the ship.
The two suns beat down on her head, the air like a thick, wet blanket around her body. She could feel the heat of the stone through her thin sandals as she walked cautiously toward the jungle edge. The closer she got, the more she felt as if she was being watched. Her pulse fluttered madly in her throat, and each step was harder to take than the last, but as she approached the wall of vegetation, she could see water caught on the leaves just as she’d hoped.
Her hand shook as she reached for the closest leaf, a blue-veined oval easily as big as her thigh, and she tipped it carefully over her cup. A trickle of water flowed down, half filling the cup, and she breathed a sigh of relief. The jungle sounds hadn’t changed, but she still felt as if she was being watched. If she could just find one more big leaf, she could flee back to the ship.
She stood on tiptoes to reach the next leaf, but just as she started to tilt it toward her, a huge, clawed hand fastened around her wrist.
Chapter Fourteen
Hanna’s throat choked shut—she was too frightened even to scream—as a huge alien stepped out of the jungle. He was as big as Aidon, but he had dark green scaled skin, long green hair woven into braids, and yellow eyes that studied her as if she was some type of insect. A patterned cloth in shades of green and gold wrapped around his hips, leaving the rest of his muscular body on intimidating display.
“Who are you?” he demanded. “What are you doing here?”
“I…” The words wouldn’t come, and he shook her arm impatiently, the strength of his grip almost knocking her sideways.
“Speak, female. Where is your master?”
Frustrated indignation finally gave her the courage to speak. “I don’t have a master. I’m here with a…friend.” She hesitated, well aware that she might be making a huge mistake, but so far, the male hadn’t hurt her. Maybe he was the reason Aidon had chosen this place to land. “But my friend is sick. Can you help him, please?”
“Sick? What kind of illness do you bring to my planet?” The bright-yellow gaze burned even hotter.
“It’s not like that. He said this was the only place that could cure him.”
“Cure him? He is Pardorian?”
“Yes.”
As soon as she agreed, the male turned and strode off toward the ship. Since his hand was still fastened around her arm, she had no choice but to accompany him, almost running to keep up. She was afraid that if she fell, he would just drag her along.
As they reached the bottom of the ramp, he stopped abruptly, and his nostrils flared before he rounded on her.
“What is your friend’s name?”
“A-Aidon.”
“Damn the boy.”
With an impatient snarl, the male started up the ramp, but he moved so quickly she lost her balance. He snarled again, but he caught her and held her upright until she regained her footing, then dropped her arm and stalked up the ramp. She hurried after him, not at all sure she wanted him alone with Aidon. She arrived in time to see him lifting Aidon’s body over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
“I can’t heal him here. I need to take him with me. You stay here.”
“No! I’m not leaving him.”
“This is no place for you.” He brushed past her and started ba
ck down the ramp, Aidon’s body limp in his grip.
“No!”
She chased after him. Burdened by carrying Aidon, he wasn’t quite as fast, and she managed to dart in front of him. Finally remembering the knife, she pulled it out with a shaking hand.
“I’m not letting you take him away from me.”
The male sighed, obviously unimpressed by the weapon. “Don’t be a fool, female.”
“I’m not afraid to use this,” she warned, hoping that her voice didn’t shake.
He gave an impatient grunt, then moved almost too quickly for her to see as he wrenched the knife out of her hand and glared at her.
“I said, don’t be a—” He stopped abruptly, his eyes focusing on her shoulder.
The wide collar of Aidon’s shirt had slipped down during the brief struggle, exposing her skin from her neck down to her elbow.
“What is that?” he demanded.
“What’s what?” Confused, she put her hand to her shoulder and felt the slight ridge left by Aidon’s bite. Her cheeks heated. “It’s nothing. He just got a little enthusiastic.”
“Nothing?” he growled. “He’s as much of a fool as you are, determined to repeat his father’s mistakes. You’d better come along. Stay close.”
He thrust the knife at her and started off again while she was still gaping at him, but she shook away her stupor and followed him. Nothing he’d said made much sense, but at least he was letting her accompany him, and that was all that really mattered.
“Thank you,” she started, but he had already resumed walking. “Wait! Who are you?”
“Name’s Tanor,” he muttered without looking around.
“I’m Hanna.”
His only response was a grunt as he headed for what looked like a solid wall of jungle. She hurried after him, afraid that if he disappeared into the thick vegetation, she would lose sight of him. He pushed aside a branch, stepped over a log, and parted a curtain of leaves before emerging onto a narrow but well-kept path. Huh. She would never have known that such a well-marked trail existed behind what appeared to be an impenetrable wall of foliage.
Hanna and the Hitman: A SciFi Alien Romance (Alien Abduction Book 8) Page 9