“Honey! I don’t think they trust them at all!” Annette said. “You haven’t seen those things on their necks? It’s almost like a dog collar—except not an actual collar. As big as they are they could still be taken down like that.”
Niki thought that over. “So … what you’re suggesting is that they aren’t allies of the lizards at all? They’re captives—just like us?”
“Honestly, I never thought they were allies,” Beth said. “I just couldn’t figure out why they were willing to do what the lizard people wanted them to do.”
“I think … because they’re worried about their home world,” Niki said hesitantly. “Kagan said their world was gone. But … well, if the lizard people did it then they wouldn’t have anything to hold over them.”
“Unless they lied to them,” Beth agreed.
“Soooo … now they figured it out?” Jenna guessed.
“Maybe.”
“Something he said? Or something they overheard?” Annette guessed.
Niki shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure them out,” she said unhappily.
“I guess we all are.”
They were silent for a while, watching the men hammer at each other. “What do you suppose they would do with us if it was up to them?” Niki wondered aloud.
“Fuck us to death,” Amy muttered.
“Probably,” Niki agreed. “But I think we’re running out of time here, and I don’t see a lot of options for us. We can trust them and try to get them to turn on the lizards or just wait and see what they have in mind and hope they don’t flush us out the air lock when they’re done.”
“Ok. I’m voting in favor of the giants,” Jenna said promptly. “That other option just totally sucks.”
Niki nodded. “OK, so we need to convince one of them to let us look at the thing closely enough to see if we can figure out how to deactivate it. And we need our best electronics people to do it.”
* * * *
Niki was nine parts excited and ten parts terrified as soon as the idea occurred to her. Aside from the fact that it beat the hell out of trying to sneak into the men’s room to see if they could find and steal weapons they could use and taking on the lizards themselves, though, she couldn’t think of anything more terrifying.
And she couldn’t decide who to approach, who might be most amenable—least likely to react with violence toward her if she had worked everything out in her mind all wrong. That alone was paralyzing. It was something she couldn’t undo once done. She would have to be as direct as she knew how just to get the idea across and any of the four that she tried was liable to turn her over to the lizards.
Either of the duos, to her mind, would seem more approachable except for the fact that they generally did whatever the alpha of the two said. Of those, Kagan seemed best in several ways, foremost because he seemed to have learned the most English. But then again, Taurin seemed to be the leader of the giants.
She was still debating the matter when the men finished their exercise and went in to bathe. It didn’t help that she realized they would be parting ways soon and she had no idea whether she would be going back to Kagan’s quarters or Taurin’s. Either way, she would likely have to wait several days to possibly a week before she had any chance to speak to the other two.
In the end, she decided that Kagan seemed like the best one to approach and the least likely to turn her over to the lizards for plotting against them.
And then it was Taurin and Jurik who took her back to their quarters.
Well, she had thought it must be swap day when they’d met her outside the bathroom, but it had only been one day and she had been with them for several before she went to Kagan and Goran.
Wondering if she would be with them as long she had the time before—or longer—or if they would bring her back the following day she decided she could afford to wait at least that long before she did anything.
Taurin, who’d led her to the cabin as he generally led her everywhere, with one hand curled around her upper arm as if he expected her to make a break for freedom, stopped when they reached the door and leaned down, to her surprise, to brush his lips across hers. “I leabe wid Jurik. Be back.”
Niki frowned in confusion. It sounded like he’d said he was leaving her, but then Jurik settled a hand in the small of her back and urged her inside. The minute he did, her belly started jumping reflexively.
Because she knew she’d just been passed off again.
Surprise!
She shouldn’t have been, she realized as she turned to look at Jurik.
He was actually the only one of the four she hadn’t humped. Or that hadn’t humped her, more accurately.
She didn’t have a clue why, but she didn’t know what the hell was going on—like ever.
She saw when she turned to look at Jurik, though, that he was stripping.
Ok.
Watch?
Don’t watch?
Shrugging inwardly, she went to the bunk and climbed onto it and sat down to watch.
If it disconcerted him, she didn’t see a sign of it.
On the other hand, he didn’t seem to appreciate that she’d climbed on Taurin’s bunk.
They were using the same hole, but they didn’t want to share the same bunk?
Must be a weird territorial thing, she thought, scooting off the bunk.
Jurik caught her before she reached his bunk. Pulling her around her cupped her face in one hand and tipped her head back so that she had to meet his gaze.
Well, she didn’t have to. She stared at his belly—which had a dick in the middle of the picture because it was standing straight up.
But he studied her face. “What wrong?”
It was weird how somebody having enough empathy to ask that was all it took to tip the scales when you were feeling emotionally fragile. The urge to cry swamped her and she felt her eyes fill with tears just as Jurik bent down to meet the eyes she refused to show him.
He frowned, looked confused, angry, and then resigned.
Ignoring her effort to resist, he reeled her closer and wrapped both arms around her.
She thought it probably would have opened the floodgates—except for the cock—because it went down.
She abruptly felt like a total bitch. He had never hurt her in anyway and he had needs like everyone else. She might as well have punched him in the nuts.
Not that she thought, in an ordinary situation, that she would have felt any obligation whatsoever to attend his needs.
But the truth was, that was the only job she had at the moment and, apparently, the only reason she was being tolerated and fed.
She’d lost count of the number of times she’d reminded herself that her life wasn’t hers anymore, that she was a captive to aliens and didn’t know from day to day what was liable to happen to her.
All things considered, being used as a vessel for their lust seemed a relatively small price—especially when they treated her well in the process and always made sure she enjoyed it.
On top of that, Jurik was one of the candidates she’d earmarked for the only plan she’d been able to come up with to save herself and the others. She couldn’t afford to turn any of them against her.
The trouble was, she’d screwed up because she’d been disappointed that Taurin had passed her off—again—and now she didn’t know how to fix the mess she’d made.
After a moment, she lifted her arms and hugged him back.
To her relief, the pretty soldier stood up again.
Bless his heart.
Next move?
Not talking, that was for damn sure.
But maybe playing a tune on his microphone?
She hadn’t known a single man that wasn’t thrilled to death with that.
She rubbed her cheek against him and then turned her head and kissed him. Jurik tensed, but he seemed … frozen—like he couldn’t decide what to do.
She decided to keep going, nibbling at every patch of skin sh
e could reach and then she began a downward trek, just sort of drifting until it bumped her under the chin. She took a hand and grasped it then.
He jolted, let out a pained grunt as if she’d punched him in the belly and seemed to be of half a mind to pull away. She put it in her mouth—or at least tried. Backing off a little, she licked her lips in hopes that would make it easier to open wider. She tried again, sucking the flesh she could actually get in her mouth when she couldn’t get the entire head in and then licking a path along the rim of the head.
She felt the quaking inside him that told her he was enjoying it—she thought. She was so excited herself by that time, though, that she wasn’t sure about him.
Settling to her knees, she used both hands to stroke him and licked and sucked everything she could, feeling the heat surge in her in direct compliment to his rising excitement.
The tremors increased until Jurik was shaking violently.
Expecting imminent eruption, she clamped her mouth over the tip.
He snatched her off the floor and straight up so fast, she was surprised she didn’t get nosebleed.
She didn’t even know how she got on the bunk. She’d barely made the collision, though, when he snatched her panties off and started trying to shoehorn his cock into her.
And what really worried her was she was wet from sucking on his knob—really wet.
Thankfully, he wedged the head in before she met up with the wall. That helped him drive a few more inches in and after a few moments, because he was slamming his own head into the wall, he backed off and dragged her down the bunk. She caught her breath while he was trying to reengage. He plugged in, pinned her shoulders to the mattress and nearly buckled her spine.
Thankfully, he gave up on that strategy after only a half dozen attempts to dig her hole wider and shifted his hold to her hips. She curled her hips to try to give him better access, but it was a no go.
He levered himself up, panting, studying the problem.
Then he grabbed her thighs and hoisted her up and planted his mouth over her clit.
She came so fast, she lost her breath—Well, probably from screaming because he just couldn’t be convinced that she was done even though she tried to buck him loose.
It was like her channel got so hot it welded shut. When he tried again, he couldn’t make any progress beyond getting the head in—half way.
Panting for breath, he dropped onto his back on the bunk beside her.
She managed to gather herself after a moment and climbed astride his belly and leaned over to offer her breasts.
It was absolutely excruciating to have them fondled when she’d just come so hard, but she allowed him to pull at them until she felt her juices going again, then she slipped backwards across his belly and lifted up to align his cock with her body. She was wet—and it still took a whole lot of heaving and grunting to sheathe that monster.
She paused for breath and to congratulate herself when she’d managed it.
Jurik couldn’t wait. He grabbed her waist and began to jog her up and down. She caught the rhythm he needed after a moment and took control. He sat up abruptly, curled his arms around her, tightened them, and pumped his seed into her.
Chapter Twelve
“Why cry, Niki?” Jurik asked when he had gathered himself.
Niki tried to decide whether to pretend she was asleep or see if she could think of a lie that wouldn’t be offensive. “I … don’t know,” she said finally.
He squeezed her, began to rub one hand over her back soothingly. “Baby.”
It took her a moment to realize he wasn’t calling her baby. She pulled away to look at him.
He placed his palm over her belly. “Here.” He was silent for a moment. “Not me?”
Confused again, it took her a moment to realize he’d circled back to the first question. She thought about it for a moment and realized that it wasn’t him. She’d been hurt because she thought Taurin had reclaimed her and discovered he hadn’t.
Stupid.
“It didn’t feel like I wanted you?” she countered.
He tipped her face up to study her expression. She caught his face between her palms and shifted upward to press her lips to his.
Thankfully, Jurik allowed her to distract him, molding his lips to hers and then covering them. In a matter of moments, Niki had completely forgotten why she’d initiated another round of sex. She was aroused all over again and when they’d joined together, she had a deeper and far more satisfying climax.
And fell asleep.
Because she’d never been very sexually active at all and certainly not with so many men.
She was roused a little later and discovered Taurin had returned. He scooped her up and took her to his bunk. She was more than half expecting him to initiate sex. When he didn’t, she couldn’t decide whether to be hurt or not, but she fell asleep again before she could.
When she woke it was to discover both of them dressing.
She still had her T-shirt on, but no panties.
Confused for a moment, she checked Taurin’s bed.
Then she looked around in a wider circle and discovered Jurik was holding them, his coloring slightly darker than usual.
She felt her own face heat. “Thanks,” she murmured, taking them and putting them on. They walked together to the common room.
Kagan and Gorn met her when she came out of the bathroom.
She wasn’t even really surprised that time.
She was surprised, though, when they escorted her to the same table where Taurin and Jurik were sitting. Jurik smiled at her.
She turned so red she felt dizzy.
Or maybe she was just that dazzled. He was sooo handsome and she hadn’t even noticed it before—because she was so focused on Taurin. She finally managed to smile back, but he’d looked away by that time.
Dismayed, she sat down in the chair next to him and felt around until she found his arm under the table and squeezed it.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t his arm.
He sent her a startled look and she burst out laughing. “I am so sorry! I thought that was your arm.”
Three of the four looked pissed off.
Jurik turned really red and managed a half-hearted chuckle.
Niki couldn’t stop laughing when she started. She tried. But every time she looked at any of them she started laughing again.
Finally, she managed to quiet down and then she was pissed off because they were pissed off. “Well! You needn’t be pissed off at me,” she said testily. “If you guys want to play musical beds you’re just going to have to get used to me being confused about where the hell I am on the list! I forgot I did him last night,” she growled. And then she got up and stalked off.
“Their Engish is actually getting pretty good,” Amy said helpfully when she’d parked at her table.
Niki gave her a look.
Amy shrugged. “Just saying. I’m pretty sure everybody heard you.” She hesitated. “And if they didn’t they’re passing it along.”
Discomfort wafted through Niki, but she discovered when she looked around that there were more than a few pissed off guys and amused women who were trying to hide it.
She folded her arms across her chest, scowling at the floor. In a moment, though, she thought about grabbing Jurik by his dick to offer comfort and she started to snicker again. “Ok,” she muttered, “so I didn’t notice he didn’t have his hands in his lap.”
Amy bit her lip, but snorted a laugh anyway.
The guys all got up and went to get their weapons so they could try to beat each other to death.
Chastened, Niki glanced at Amy. “I shouldn’t have ….” She couldn’t even get the words out without laughing. “I think I might be hysterical.”
“Oh you are hysterical,” Amy agreed.
“No,” Niki said. “I mean hysterical. I just can’t stop.”
“Let’s get up and walk around, ok?” Amy suggested. “You just need a moment.” She snickere
d, but got up anyway and they walked around the room till Niki began to feel a little more calm. Still embarrassed as hell. But calm.
Niki released a sigh of irritation. “Well, that was a total fuck up if I’ve ever done it,” she muttered. “Now I don’t know whether any of them will be open to the idea.”
Amy’s lips thinned. “Well, there is that. On the other hand—it’s hard to maintain submissive behavior just because you know you need to when you aren’t submissive. My personal opinion, Commander, is that you’ve done a hell of a job and you’ve set a good example for everybody.”
Niki was so moved by that she felt her eyes sting. “I cried last night,” she confessed. “It wasn’t because I have anything against Jurik. I just … stupid me. I thought Taurin cared and then he just handed me off. Like I was nothing. They don’t care about us—any of us. I don’t think we could convince them to help us even if we offered to disconnect those things for them.”
Amy was silent for several moments. “Do we have any other options?”
Niki swallowed with an effort. “Not that I know of. I suppose it doesn’t really matter which one of them I approach. I’ll get killed or not. It’s … really hard to risk getting hurt, though, you know? If I thought there wasn’t a chance I’d end up …. Well, it would be easier. I guess since it looks like I’ve been passed back to Kagan I’ll talk to him—or Goran. Whoever I end up with tonight.”
Amy hugged her. “They’ve treated us well—however we got here. They’re not … monsters. I think they might refuse, but I don’t think they would turn you over to the lizards. They hate them too much.”
It was amazing how much better that made her feel. “You’re right. I’m just being stupid and hormonal.” She smiled with an effort. “Even Jurik pointed it out last night.”
“Yeah? He try that pat the belly/baby shit?” Amy growled.
“Yeah.”
She shook her head. “I guess men everywhere are the same. They just can’t grasp that they could possibly miss the damn target!”
“I hope we aren’t all knocked up,” Niki said worriedly. “That’s going to make it really hard to get away—or actually do anything in a few months. I’m not against it—or wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for our situation. I’d planned to get loaded as soon as I’d had time to get settled on the new world. But that’s the key word—settled. There’s going to be a lot of heavy lifting to start with.”
Alien Warriors: Invasion Page 11
