by Ava York
“To your credit, that was a fine punch.” He nodded with approval. “If I were a human, that would’ve knocked me back a step.”
“I don’t expect I’ll be fighting many humans.”
“No, I’m just trying to make you feel better.”
“Since my fists are essentially useless, can I move onto weapons?”
“I think that’s wise.” He jerked his head toward the weapon wall. “Pick your favorite.”
“You’re going to regret giving me that much freedom,” I taunted as I approached the wall with a critical eye.
There was a wide array of guns and blaster-type weapons I didn’t recognize. My father taught my sisters and me how to shoot rifles and shotguns, but we didn’t have any firearms imbued with alien tech.
There were also rows of knives in all shapes and sizes. I was tempted to pick one, just because they were familiar.
When working on the farm, I always had my handy pocketknife tucked into my boot. I used it for everything. I hadn’t been allowed to take it with me to the testing facility. It was probably still on my nightstand beside my bed.
I reached for a knife with a pearly blade when something mounted at the far end of the wall caught my eye.
At first, I thought it was a pitchfork. It certainly looked like one. As I approached, I realized it was much more than that.
The weapon consisted of a long, retractable staff. At the top of the staff were three prongs surrounded by a faint, pulsing energy that rippled iridescently through the air like a muted aurora borealis.
I pointed. “I want that one.”
“That one?” Rekker looked at me, wide-eyed. “Are you sure? It packs a punch.”
“Good. Since apparently I don’t.”
Rekker approached the wall and carefully removed the staff.
“See that?” He pointed to the shimmering energy cloak around the prongs. “That delivers an electrical charge strong enough to stop the hearts of fifty Mahdfel.”
“Then why do you leave it powered on?” I exclaimed.
“Because it takes forever and a day to power up. I prefer this heavy hitter to be ready whenever we might need it.”
“It sounds like you’re playing with fire or, in your case, a dangerous amount of voltage.”
“What can I say?” He fixed me with a smoldering stare. “I like to live on the edge.”
“Oh, do you?” I arched a brow and smile.
“Yes.” He leaned closer to me. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. I closed my eyes, ready to feel the gentle pressure of his lips against mine, but the sensation I craved never came. I opened my eyes when I felt his presence shift away from me. He looked at me with a smug grin.
“For training purposes, I’m going to power this off.” He flipped a switch on the trident. The shimmering waves of energy faded away.
“Tease,” I mumbled under my breath.
“What was that?”
“Train me, please,” I said loudly.
Rekker let out another full belly laugh. It was a lovely sound. It was impossible not to smile when I heard it. He tossed the trident back to me and looked surprised when I caught it.
“What?” I asked. “I’ve wielded similar weapons before.” I purposefully left out the fact that my weapons were used for hoisting hay, not impaling enemies.
“Oh, really?” His eyes lit up playfully. “Block me.”
Without warning, he charged at me. I leaped out of the way with a squeal.
He chuckled. “Is that your usual tactic?”
“I’ve never had a giant horned alien charge at me before!”
“You have cattle, do you not? They have horns. What do you do when they charge at you?”
“They know better than to try.”
“Ah, you use intimidation. I want to see that.” Rekker backed up a few paces. I realized he meant to charge at me again.
“I don’t see how this is going to help me defend myself against Suhliks,” I pointed out.
“Don’t question my methods.” He lunged toward me. This time, I swung the trident just before he got too close. I didn’t want to actually hit him, I just wanted to make him think I was going to. Apparently, Rekker didn’t have an ounce of fear in his entire damn body. He didn’t even flinch! Instead, he swerved around my swing and grabbed me by the waist.
In my efforts to avoid hurting him, I dropped the trident just as he threw me over his shoulder.
“Not this again,” I giggled.
“Don’t worry, I’m not locking you in a room this time.”
He started to spin me around. I laughed uncontrollably like I used to when I was a little girl running through the dandelion field behind our house.
“Stop!” I cried through my uncontrollable laughter. I beat against his back until he set me down again. I was dizzy as hell. I tried to take a step but stumbled, and kept stumbling until I was lying on the training room floor, alternating between bouts of uncontrollable giggles and gasping for air.
Rekker’s face appeared above mine. He hovered over me, not yet touching any part of my body.
“Is this your usual training curriculum?” I asked through my laughter.
“No. I designed this one just for you.”
“What’s the next step?”
I was suddenly aware of how close he was. I wanted him closer. I arched up beneath him and slid my arms around his back. His eyes watched my face with such a deep intensity I grew hot all over.
He dipped his head and pressed his lips against mine.
His kisses started out gentle but quickly grew into something frantic and ravenous as our desire for each other climbed higher and higher.
I tore the shirt from his body. He lifted my torso to remove my top.
He kissed from my belly button, over my breasts, up my neck, and back to my lips.
By that point, I was dizzy with desire, fevered, and panting to touch him, to have him touch me.
The rest of our clothing was quickly shed in a flurry of tangled arms and clumsy fingers. I lay naked on the training room floor with his hips wedged between my legs. I felt the broad tip of his cock tease my entrance. A shudder rippled through me.
I still hadn’t seen him naked, and something way in the back of my brain thought I should see Rekker first, know what he was like down there.
But right now, I didn’t care, couldn’t care.
“Please,” I begged.
“Are you sure?” His eyes were glassy with desire.
“Yes,” I gasped. “Please, I need you, I want you.”
He entered me slowly, allowing me to savor the sensation of his thick cock slowly claiming me. My eyes rolled back as I allowed myself to give in to the new pleasure, as swollen knots running down his cock hit my clit over and over until, finally, he was all the way in me.
I ran my hands over his back, tracing his tattoos with my fingers. Each time I brushed one, he shuddered.
“My tattoos are sensitive to the touch,” he groaned between thrusts.
“Oh, really?” I purred. I traced lazy patterns over his tattoos until Rekker let out a guttural moan.
A primal urge seemed to grip him as he slid out of me, grabbed me by the hips, and flipped me over. Excitement fluttered in my belly when he pulled me onto all fours.
He positioned himself behind me before entering me once again. This time, he wasn’t gentle and I was glad for it, crying out as he thrust into my heat.
“This is how a Vaznik claims his mate,” he growled in my ear. The sound of his voice was almost enough to drive me over the edge.
He looped an arm around my belly, helping me to stay up as he ravaged me. His chest flattened against my back. I tossed my hair to one side so I could look at him over my shoulder.
“Look straight ahead,” he urged me, his cock plunging into my depths.
I did as I was told.
Our eyes met in the reflection of the mirror. I let out a gasp as I took in the sight of us.
We
were wild, crazed with lust, drunk on each other.
And it was right.
Perfect.
Rekker straightened up and gripped my hips with both hands. I watched his face as he took in the sight of me presented beneath him. Every stroke of his cock pushed me closer and closer to my climax.
Then Rekker reached underneath me, slowly circling my most sensitive place with the pad of his thumb. I shattered beneath him. Every limb trembled until I couldn’t hold myself up any longer. He supported my body as I gave in to wave after wave of pleasure.
He brought me against his chest when he reached his peak, his arms around my body and his mouth pressed against my neck, biting gently. With a shudder, we slowly collapsed onto the floor.
Rekker pulled me against him. He stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head.
“Wow,” I gasped. “You’re a good trainer.” I snuggled into him. “As soon as I catch my breath, I think I’m going to need another session.”
Rekker
It was hard to get any sleep.
Lying in bed, hands folded behind my head, I stared at the ceiling while Lila slept peacefully next to me.
Her head lay on my chest, one arm draped over my torso. Locks of stray hair covered her face, framing her delicate features, accentuating her beauty.
After our session in the training room, we’d moved back to our room.
Ours.
And I’d claimed her again, until the walls rang with her cries of pleasure.
Gently, I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand and smiled. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around her fragility.
She looked so delicate and tender. And yet, there was a certain fierceness about her. It was a perfect blend—in a way, all those conflicting traits were in perfect harmony.
I warned myself not to think too far ahead. What happened in the training room was one of the best experiences of my life, but I knew it didn’t mean Lila was determined to stay by my side of her own volition. Yes, she said she cared for me, but I knew she’d return to her family if she had the option.
She was my mate, of that I was certain. She brought up a good point during our earlier argument, even though she apologized for it later. Just because she was my mate, it didn’t mean I was hers.
She had no tattoos that would reveal her inner workings. This mess would’ve been much easier to figure out if she had some sort of indicator like I had.
Until she processed her feelings and made her choices, she was an enigma.
Suddenly, my comms unit started blinking, its pale light flooding the room. Moving as quietly as I could, I pushed Lila off me and swung my legs off the bed. Turning the knob on the unit, I lowered its volume and only then did I accept the incoming transmission.
“Captain, you awake?” Cedroc’s voice crackled through the comms.
“Go on.”
“Javik thinks we’ve found the Suhlik supply base.”
“Good. Are they aware of our presence?”
“Negative. We’ve lowered our energy signature as much as we could, and I’m trying to keep a small asteroid field between us. They seem to be stationary, so we’re good for now.”
“Alright.” Getting to my feet, I raked one hand over my face. “Keep an eye on them. Two minutes and I’ll be there.”
I was halfway through getting inside my pants when I heard Lila stir in her sleep. Seconds later she was sitting up, the bedsheet bunched up against her chest as she looked at me.
“What’s going on?” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “Did something happen?”
“We found the Suhlik,” I replied, and my stomach dropped as she jumped out of bed. Part of me still wished I had left her back on Silva. She would’ve hated it, of course, but at least she’d be safe. “Listen, you can go back to sleep. We’ve got this covered, so I think that—”
“Are you trying to sideline me?” Crossing her arms, she looked me straight in the eye as she tapped her foot on the floor. She didn’t look too happy. I didn’t want to have this argument again.
I sighed. “Very well. If you want to come, then come.” It’d be much better to sideline her, as she had put it, but I knew I’d never be able to convince her. Lila wanted to be a part of it, and she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
At least if she was by my side, I’d know she wasn’t sneaking off, trying to rescue the prisoners by herself.
My stomach knotted, imagining her roaming the halls of a Suhlik station alone.
Void knew, if Lila thought it was the right thing, my fierce little mate would do it.
Smiling, she dressed swiftly, and we left our quarters at a hurried pace.
When we finally got to the bridge, Cedroc and Javik were arguing over the precise location of the station while Derrix tried to come up with an attack plan.
“I don’t know how we’re going to have a reasonable strategy going in blind,” he muttered.
“Because we’re not,” I answered. “Javik, from your readings, what would you estimate the mass of that station to be?”
“I’m unable to be entirely certain,” he started. “The gravitational anomalies would suggest, however, a range of–”
“Just a mass,” I snapped. “Your guess is as good as a reading.”
He blinked rapidly. “Between four and five Tharinan tons.”
“Great. Now, all of you.” The bridge was silent, and I hoped to the black this would work. “High Command has blueprints of all known Suhlik craft, right? And they’re not exactly engineering innovators?”
Cedroc nodded slowly, then pulled up a dizzying array of blueprints.
“Narrow it down to hubs—either mobile or orbital. No ships,” I commanded.
Half the screens disappeared.
“Filter it again for anything outside of the mass Javik estimated.”
“Captain,” Javik interrupted, “I must insist that—”
“Insist in a minute.”
Slowly, screen after screen went black, until only one remained.
“Alright, now.” I waved to Javik. “See if that matches your readings.”
A tense hush fell over the bridge.
“Perfectly, Captain,” he admitted after a few moments’ scrutiny. “But while they are cloaked, I’m unable to tell you where we can best force an entry, even knowing the blueprint.”
“We’re not going to attack it, are we?” Standing behind me, Lila stared at Cedroc’s screen with wide eyes. “That thing is huge.”
“A frontal attack would have been a bad idea, anyway,” I said. “If that ship is carrying everyone they kidnapped from Silva, we’d be risking the prisoners’ lives with an attack. We need to think of something else.”
“To go all out against the Suhlik might be a bad idea, but the Calliope is still faster than them.” Leaving his console, Kyre joined our impromptu war cabinet and tapped the screen with one finger. “You see those engines at the rear? The hub is designed for endurance and stealth, not maneuverability. We can just harass them for a while.”
“Great.” Derrix smirked. “Let’s annoy them. What good does that do?”
“No,” Lila spoke up. “It’s not just about annoying them. The Calliope can distract them while someone else goes in and looks for the prisoners.”
“You want to board a Suhlik hub?” Laughing, Derrix slapped his knee so hard that some of the other crewmen turned around to look at him. “For such a small creature, you sure have a lot of heart!”
“She’s right, though.” Still eyeing the image of the Suhlik war vessel, I did my best to come up with a workable strategy.
We’d have to be careful and fast.
“But how do we know where to board them?” Lila wondered.
Cedroc grinned. “I’ve been thinking about that.”
“Why am I suddenly worried?”
“They’ll have to decloak to fire, right?”
“True . . . ” I didn’t like where this was going.
“I stay here an
d harass them, and when they decloak to return fire, you find a docking bay. Easy.”
Easy.
Not exactly.
But . . . I thought it through. It might work.
“If that’s the case, I volunteer for the boarding team,” Kyre said, already cracking his knuckles. “I’ve got an idea from that blueprint where they might be holding prisoners.”
“I want to volunteer, too,” Lila said, and my stomach dropped for the second time that day.
To have her aboard the Calliope was one thing, but there was no way I’d make her a part of the boarding team.
Taking her hand, I dragged her away from the guys and into a more private corner of the bridge.
“There’s absolutely no way I’m going to take you.” Putting on a serious expression, I looked straight into her eyes. She held my gaze without even blinking, all her fierceness on display. “It’s going to be dangerous, and you don’t have any experience—”
“I’m your mate, right?” she cut me short. Sighing, I nodded. “Then, just as long as I’m standing next to you, I have nothing to fear. That’s what you told me, right?”
“Yes, but I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Look, I get it. You don’t want to have a human rookie on a mission like this, but I can help. You said yourself that the Suhlik are brutal, so a lot of those prisoners will need medical assistance right away. I might not be a trained fighter, but I can help ensure the prisoners get out of there alive.”
“We have Javik for that,” I said, even though I felt like I was already losing the battle once again. Whenever Lila set her mind to something, she didn’t stop until she got exactly what she wanted.
Like how much she wanted to go back to her family.
And not stay with me.
“From everything you’ve said, there’ll be far too many wounded for just one medic to handle,” she threw right back at me. “Javik needs me there or you’re going to be bogged down trying to carry them out. You need me there. I mean, we’re trying to save people here, right?”
“When I allowed you to come along, I imagined you’d treat people here, not on the Suhlik ship.”
“That’s not a viable option,” she argued. “We won’t know until we board the ship how many will need assistance. I’m going.”
