by Lee Savino
He grins. “Yes, Chief Officer.”
The refugee colony is still in danger. First is a huge threat. But right now, nothing can bring me down. Mirak is alive, and he loves me, and together, we can do anything. Everything is going to be okay.
34
Diana
The next hour is controlled chaos.
We get back on the Mahala. Odrien is at the flight deck, stretcher at the ready. Ignoring Mirak’s protests, Krep and Azeer load him on it, and wheel him to the sickbay. I grab the healer’s elbow as he sets out to follow them. “Will he be okay?”
“He shouldn’t even be standing, Diana. So, yes. I think he’ll be just fine.”
Thel pulls me aside once I’m done talking to Odrien. “I had a talk with Zabek,” he says. “I’ve told him he needs to leave. As soon as we’re done in Hetov, we’ll drop him off in the Ciras Exchange.”
His face is stoic, but I know he has to be hurting. I hug him tight. “I’m sorry, Thel,” I murmur. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this.”
“And I do too, Diana. But Zabek brought this upon himself.” He smiles down at me. “Don’t look so heartbroken, child. We stop at the Ciras Exchange almost every month. I will get plenty of opportunities to visit him. And there’s no reason I can’t retire in the Exchange as well.”
After fifteen minutes in a healing tank, Mirak gets the all-clear from our healer. “I might have locked the nav computer to keep you from heading to Hetov,” he says to me as we walk to the bridge.
My lips twitch. “If I know Soren, he’s fixed it already.”
“No doubt.” He gives me a sidelong look. “I’d still prefer not to involve you in this.”
“I know.” Now more than ever, I understand how Mirak feels. When I thought he was dead, when the defibrillator didn’t work, the moments of complete, mind-numbing panic were the worst moments of my life. I don’t blame him for wanting to protect me from First. “But First blew up the Isad, so the Mahala is the only long-range ship we have, and we need to head to Hetov as quickly as we can.”
“We could warn the Draekon colony by comm,” he suggests.
“The Rebellion would have already done that,” I point out. “If there is a traitor there, he or she might have intercepted the message and destroyed it. There’s a chance he or she will do the same thing again.” I put my hand on his arm. “You can’t evacuate ten thousand people and fight off First, Mirak. You need help. We’re a well-trained crew. Let us do our part.”
“I intend to,” he says, giving me a bleak smile. “There is no other choice, not unless I’m willing to risk the lives of ten thousand people. And I’m not. But I don’t have to like it.”
I assign Soren the task of calling the colony’s leader to warn her about a possible traitor in their midst. “See if you can figure out who it is,” I tell him. “If the Draekons evacuate, I don’t want First knowing where they are going next.”
The Rebellion would have warned the refugees as well. Hopefully, the messages get through.
“Where are they going to evacuate?” Soren asks dubiously. “They don’t have a colony ship stationed in Hetov. All they have are short-haul shuttles. Each of them can only carry two hundred and fifty, max.”
Shit. That’s a problem. I chew on my lower lip, and then the solution hits me. “Neiptiun.”
He looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “Chief Officer, I don’t know if you remember, but Fourth blew up Neiptiun.”
Mirak glances over from the nav computer at the mention of his name. “Sorry about that,” he says. “It seemed a good idea at the time. Get rid of the evidence, you know.”
He’s so gorgeous. And he loves me. I still can’t quite believe it. It hasn’t fully sunk in. “Yes, but colony ships aren’t easy to blow up. You planted your explosives in the lower levels, right? You wanted to take out the communications and the mechanicals?”
Mirak nods.
“Well,” I say, turning toward Soren. “That’s our answer. There’s an above-average chance that the higher levels are still structurally sound. We don’t need it to be self-sustaining. All we need is temporary shelter. Two days of life support, max.”
Soren leans forward, his eyes narrowed in thought. “We can power that from the Mahala.” His fingers start to fly over his controls. “I’ll work on a plan.”
I glance over at Mirak. “How fast can we get to Hetov?”
“Nine hours,” he replies. “One jump. It’s a simple route.”
Nine hours. We got lucky. Hopefully, we’ll beat First there. Because if he gets to the refugee colony before we do… My mind shies away from the thought.
“If it’s a straightforward route, one of the others can keep an eye on it,” I tell Mirak. “You should get some rest.” Mirak is our best defense if we run into First.
“Yes, Chief Officer,” he says agreeably.
“And so should you, Diana.”
I jump. I hadn’t heard Thel come in. “Captain?”
“Get some rest,” he repeats. “I’ll take over here.”
I open my mouth to argue, remember that Thel outranks me, and close it. “Yes, Captain.”
I follow Mirak out. We walk down the passageway toward the crew quarters. “Want to sleep over?” I ask him.
He gives me a heated look. “I thought you’d never ask.”
“I’m not propositioning you.” Okay, that’s a lie. “You nearly died today. Even big fearsome dragons need oxygen. You should sleep.”
“Do I look like I need rest, spitfire?” He waits impatiently while I open the door to my quarters, and then pushes me in, and against the wall. He drags his lips over mine. “I need you, Diana,” he whispers. “Your sweet body, your soft sighs, your face contorted with lust when I push into you. That’s what I need.”
Desire rises in me, swift and sharp.
Oh, what the hell. Odrien gave him a clean bill of health. “I need you too.”
He slides his hands up my back, under my shirt. I arch, pressing into the heat of his palm. Between my legs, my body starts to hum.
I tug off my shirt and toss it aside. He does as well. He settles on my bed, leaning back against the headboard, obviously savoring the show. I shrug off my bra, enjoying the fire rising in his eyes.
“No weapons?” he murmurs.
I raise my hands to show him I’m unarmed. “Not today. Gotta nurse you back to health before I threaten you again.”
He looks amused. “Is that what you’re doing, nursing me back to health?” His eyes darken as I shimmy out of my pants, and he inhales sharply. “Caeron, you’re beautiful.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing.” I eye the thick erection tenting his pants. “Is it working?”
“You tell me, spitfire.”
I undo his waistband. He helps me, losing his clothing in a hurry. I wrap my hand around the long, hard length of him, hot and pulsing.
“Very healthy,” I purr.
He raises a hand and tugs at my panties. I rise up to help him strip them down my legs, but don’t let go of his erection. He’s so beautiful, ripped and golden and perfect. “Looks like a full recovery to me. But I advise plenty of bed rest.” I straddle one of his legs and start to fist his length.
“Bed rest,” he repeats, his voice hoarse. He reaches out and cups my cheek, his thumb rubbing over my lower lip. His eyes stay locked on my face, but his breathing is labored, and when I squeeze his thickness, his cock jumps in my hand. “I don’t know about staying in bed much longer.”
“I’m sure we can think of something for you to do.”
He hooks a hand around my neck and tugs me closer. Not much could convince me to let go of his erection, but I’ll never pass up a chance to kiss him. Our lips meet, softly at first, then insistent. He teases the seam of my mouth with his tongue and sucks my lip between his. My toes curl, and goosebumps erupt on my skin. My insides tighten. His scent—smoke and spice—fills my nostrils. The rumbling in his chest makes my fingers vibrate when I touch him.
My body is pulsing, needy. There is an ache between my legs that won’t go away.
His hands cup my buttocks lightly. Not directing, just holding me. Other than drawing me into his kiss, he’s letting me lead. I pull away to study his eyes.
I see it then, in the fathoms of his gaze. He’s not entirely sure of himself. He’s not entirely sure of me.
Because of what he said? Screw that, I don’t care about that anymore. That’s in the past. He’s alive and in my bed, and I need my dragon.
I don’t want him cautious. I want him wild and demanding. There’s a predator inside him, but he would never hurt me. I revel in that. I want to unlock the cage he’s forced himself to inhabit and let his real nature come out to play.
He’s dangerous. So what? I like danger.
“Are you still hurt?” I sit back, pretending not to notice how he checks himself from grabbing me. “We don’t have to do this now.”
“Is that what you want?” So careful. But I’ve already seen the need in his eyes.
Silly dragon. “I want you.” I palm his cock again. “I love you.” I run my hand up and down his length. His skin is hot to the touch. “Don’t worry, Mirak, I’ll be gentle.”
And I lower my head to take him in my mouth.
35
Mirak
My hands grip the blanket as she sucks my cock. Lights burst behind my eyes. “Diana—”
“Yes?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer. Her throat hums and every muscle in my body tenses, fighting not to climax.
“Give it to me,” she demands. “I want it all.” Her fingernails scratch lightly at my thighs. “I want you.” She looks up at me from under the curtain of her dark hair. There’s a challenge in her eyes.
And it finally sinks in that she’s truly here. With me. My mate. I love her, and she loves me, and we’re together. My orgasm rises like a storm. I knife upright, tugging her up by her hair. She grumbles in protest, but there’s a fierce smile on her face.
She wants me? She’s got me. All of me.
I flip her to the bed and shackle her wrists, pinning her with my body. She knows several moves to free herself. She abstains from them all, allowing me to stretch over her. Laughter shimmers just under the surface of her smile.
She’s so beautiful.
“I want you.” My voice is hard and jagged. “When a Draekon takes a mate—it’s forever.”
“Yes,” she hisses.
I lock both of her wrists with my left hand. My right is free to skim down between us, to cup her mound. I hold her in the palm of my hand. “You are mine. For all time.” I dip my fingers into her wet heat. “You are the only one for me.”
She frees a hand and places it on my chest. Her thumb strokes one of my scars. “If I am yours, then you are mine. Forever.”
Her words resonate like a vow. My chest rumbles, an earthquake under my skin. The dragon agrees.
I stroke her soft folds. If this is a vow, I’ll seal it with her pleasure. I caress her, rubbing one silky petal between my fingers, then the other. My thumb finds her clit. I circle it lightly. She strains taut against me for an instant, not fighting but not giving in either.
A thousand years, and I will never meet another like her. It is impossible for me not to love her.
Her sighs come faster now, and her hips move against mine.
“Let go,” I whisper. “I’ve got you.”
36
Diana
I let the climax take me, then I use my legs to lever him off me. In one move, I have our positions reversed. Him flipped, me on top. I mimic what he did to me earlier and grab his wrists, holding them above his head. A laughable move—my pale arms are like thin twigs against his giant bronzed ones.
But he lets me pin him. He can’t fight when he’s laughing so hard. “Only you,” he chortles. “Caeron, I love you, Diana.”
I straddle his chest, my grin stretching my face. “Now I’ve got you,” I crow.
“Mmm.” He frees his right hand so he can lick my wetness off his fingers. “Dangerous little human.”
I lean back to take him in. His golden skin shimmers in the dim light, and he’s muscled, male, and mine. All mine. “What are you going to do about it?” I’m breathless, my hips rocking slightly over his hard abs.
He notices my movement, and his smile turns wicked. “Eat you,” he growls. His large hands slide me up to his face, and then his mouth is hot on my pussy, his tongue licking the length of my slit, circling my hot, aching clit, licking me over and over until I’m delirious, moaning, gasping his name… I grind down, grabbing his hair. I ride his face hard, pleasure whipping through me like lightning. The intensity builds and builds, and I surrender to it, and then it’s too much. I explode, shaking and quivering as I come apart.
He rolls me off and rises over me. His fingers slide into my wet heat, and I writhe on the bed. He’s about to spark another orgasm, and he hasn’t even had one. Damn. I have to catch up.
And then his finger probes my ass.
I stiffen instinctively. “What are you doing?” I yelp.
“Touching you,” he rumbles. “Everywhere.” He circles my tight hole with his finger, teasing the delicate flesh until I relax. He slowly eases his finger in. “Should I stop?”
Sensation strums through me. My insides clench. It’s an odd feeling, his finger in my ass. Not pain. Something that mostly resembles pleasure. A little spasm jolts through my pussy.
I don’t reply. He stops what he’s doing and rests his hazel eyes on me. “Do you trust me, spitfire?”
37
Mirak
“Yes,” she says slowly.
“Should I stop?” I ask again. “If you don’t like it, you can gut me with one of your knives.”
“I might do that anyway,” she grumbles. “No, don’t stop.”
I chuckle. The ring of muscle is tight, clenched to keep me out, but her pussy is soaked, and she shivers in pleasure. I wait for her to relax and then slide my finger a little deeper. “Do you like that?”
“Mmm.” Her moan is a flame tossed on my smoldering arousal. She’s so hot and tight. If I slide my cock in there, the pleasure would make me blind.
Perhaps later. Right now, I want to push inside her pussy, feel her clench on my cock. There’s plenty of time to do all the things I want to do with Diana.
She’s mine. Forever.
I remove my finger and position myself over her. My cock is desperate for this, hard enough to burst. I ease inside her tight warmth. Her satisfied sigh settles around me like a balm.
The rathr is gone. It will never dig its claws in me again. Instead, Diana clutches me. She clings to my shoulders, her lithe body pressing close to mine as I pump deep inside her body, and I am drenched in pleasure.
I’m shaking with the need to shoot my seed deep inside her when I roll to my back, guiding her on top of me. I roll my hips and let her ride me hard. Her breath catches as she grinds down on my cock, and I know she’s close. I slip my finger between the cleft of her cheeks again.
She shatters. Her muscles quiver with the orgasm I give her, and when they clench around my cock, I can’t hold on anymore. I fall apart. I come deep inside her with a shout. I soar in pure pleasure.
She nuzzles her face against my chest before dropping beside me onto the bed. I wrap an arm around her, drawing her close. I just came harder than I’ve ever come in my life, and already I want back inside her. I’ll never get enough of this woman.
“You can put your finger in my butt again sometime,” she mutters. “It wasn’t so bad.”
I’d laugh, but I’m already full to the brim with joy. My capacity for happiness will be stretched in the coming days—Diana will make sure of it. “I'm glad. I’ll live another day.”
She raises her head to spear me with a warning. “Of course, one day I might do the same to you. See how you like it.”
“I don’t doubt it.” I drag her over me, lift her face to my kiss. “There is no one like you, spitfire. Not
in all the universe. I’ll never find another, not in a thousand years.”
She kisses me back, hot and passionate. “You don’t have to find another. I’m right here.”
Diana. My mate.
I want forever with her. But first, I’ll have to keep her alive.
38
Diana
A few hours later, we land on Hetov.
Not all of us. Hani’vi, Sina, and Axion take a flier and head to Neiptiun KZP-71. The three of them will work with the Draekon refugees to get a portion of the colony ship ready for habitation. I also insist that Thel, Lisa, and Zabek accompany them. Okay, I don’t insist, I ask nicely. Thel and Lisa will be a lot safer on Neiptiun than on Hetov, and I want to keep Zabek at a distance so that he doesn’t get a chance to cause trouble.
The rest of us continue down to the planet’s surface. Thanks to Mirak’s navigation skills, we’ve beaten First here. Now, if all goes well, we’ll evacuate all ten thousand Draekons to safety before he arrives.
Hetov is dying. Each year brings increasingly unpredictable weather. Massive ice storms rage in the middle of summer. Hot acid rain falls in the spring, scarring the very land it’s supposed to heal. The planet’s once robust farms have been ravaged. Groundwater has all but disappeared. Anyone wealthy enough to leave has already fled. The poor huddle together in underground warrens, and the only thing keeping them alive is the High Empire’s fleet of supply ships.
Docarro Corporation won the contract to get the refugees off-world and settled elsewhere, and they abused the hell out of it. In the chaos of everything else going on, I’ve barely had time to register it, but the news of their wrongdoing broke a few days ago. The head of the Corporation, his two sons and his daughter, her husband, the rest of their inner circle, all complicit in the abuse of the Hetov refugees, have been arrested. Good. What they did was unforgivable. I hope they spend the rest of their lives in prison.
