Zane: Alien Adoption Agency #4

by Tasha Black

  Sarah blinked up at him from her position across Caldwell’s chest, as if surprised herself at what she had done.

  Under his grip, Caldwell made a choking sound and struggled weakly.

  “Let him breathe, Zane,” Sarah said softly, scrambling off the villain.

  “He could have run,” Zane roared, tightening his grip. “He could have gotten into that thing and just driven away.”

  Caldwell’s eyes were bugging out beneath him. If he thought he was going to get kinder treatment from the man than the beast, he was sadly mistaken. His Sarah might not be made for such violence, but he was.

  “But he didn’t run,” Zane went on, the words harsh with so much rage he almost didn’t recognize his own voice. “He tried to kill you.”

  “Zane,” Sarah murmured.

  “You were right,” Zane snapped. “He’s the fox in the story. He’s never going to change his ways. But I can end it right now. I can make sure he never hurts anyone else again.”

  Caldwell began to struggle again in earnest as Zane’s intent became clear.

  “No,” Sarah pleaded.

  “No?” Zane asked, looking up at her. “What do you mean no?”

  “He is the fox,” she said. “But I’m not a killer. And neither are you. We are about to start a new life together with our son. We can’t begin that on a foundation of death and revenge.”

  Our son…

  His white-hot rage retreated slightly, making room for hope.

  We are about to start a new life together…

  He removed his hand from Caldwell’s neck and grabbed the man’s wrists, hauling him shakily to his feet as Slade came into view, leading two handcuffed prisoners of his own.

  “You got one, eh?” Slade’s cocky tone didn’t seem as obnoxious as usual to Zane.

  “He nearly killed us,” Sarah explained.

  “But he didn’t,” Slade pointed out. “And after that little pyrotechnic display, I expected to find him nothing more than a pile of ashes and bad decisions.”

  “We want him alive,” Sarah said. “We want him to answer for his crimes in court, and live with the consequences of his actions. Can you promise me you’ll do your best to see to it that he isn’t let off?”

  “I promise you, ma’am,” Slade said solemnly. “He will not leave my sight until he’s behind bars.”

  Sarah nodded, clearly satisfied with his assurance.

  Zane watched her closely as Slade cuffed Caldwell and read him his rights.

  There was no trace of regret on her face. She seemed to be at peace.

  “There’s another mule tied up in the trees,” Sarah said. “We should bring it, too.”

  Slade nodded and urged his prisoners forward in front of him.

  “What made you change your mind?” Zane asked Sarah when there was enough distance between them for privacy.

  “You were right all along,” she told him. “What I was planning was vengeance.”

  He nodded, not wanting to agree, but knowing she was right.

  “But what I really wanted was justice,” she said. “Seeing how Slade treats his job makes me think it is possible to get justice on Lachesis.”

  “True,” Zane said begrudgingly. Whatever else he might think about the marshal, the man was fair, and good at his job.

  “And I’d rather spend the rest of my life trying to find justice in the courts, than become a killer myself,” she said. “It was one thing when it seemed like vengeance was all I had, but I have too much to live for now.”

  Zane stopped in his tracks.

  Even though it was cold, and they were both covered in bog mud, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed his lips to hers.

  Sarah went up on her toes, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back in an embrace that was hungry, passionate, and filled with promise.

  32

  Sarah

  A few hours later, Sarah and Zane watched from the lawn in front of the farmhouse, as Slade greeted the other marshal he’d called in for backup.

  The journey back through the wetlands with their prisoners had been arduous, but it felt good to be this close to Bowen and a good night’s sleep.

  Caldwell and the others were still cuffed and compliant, but Sarah was glad that Slade had someone else on hand to get them safely to the town jail.

  She hadn’t been looking forward to traveling with her son and her father’s killer all the way back to town. Now Slade didn’t need Zane along to keep things under control.

  Not that Slade would have admitted he needed help in the first place. The marshal was nothing if not confident.

  Slade looked up at her as if she had called to him, and waved, then began jogging her way.

  “Sarah,” he said with a smile as soon as he reached them. “You have my word that I’ll see him brought to justice.”

  “I know that’s not in your power, Slade,” she told him gently. “But thank you for doing all you can.”

  She pulled her pouch from her pocket and handed it to him. “There are two thousand credits in there. Count it.”

  “Don’t have to,” he said, slipping it into his breast pocket and patting it in a satisfied way. “Thank you.”

  “Thank you,” she told him. “Your tracking skills got us our man.”

  “When we get back to town, I’ll send word to Terra-7,” he said. “They’ll send evidence. And maybe you’ll testify?”

  “Of course I will,” Sarah said. “About what happened at the bank, and about last night.”

  “So will I,” Zane said, his deep voice solemn.

  “Much obliged to both of you,” Slade said, tipping his cap. “Maybe see you in town sometime?”

  He gave Sarah an appraising glance, as if maybe he was asking more than he seemed to be asking.

  She could feel Zane bristle through their bond.

  “Maybe we will,” she told him, emphasizing the we ever so slightly.

  Slade gave her a warm smile of understanding.

  “You’re a lucky fella,” he told Zane. “Don’t mess it up.”

  Zane only glared at him.

  Slade laughed and thumped him on the shoulder. “You’re alright, dragon man.”

  He headed back down to his partner and the prisoner, clearly excited about bringing in his quarry, plus the two bonus arrests that came along with it.

  “Cocky bastard,” Zane muttered.

  “Zane, are you… jealous?” she asked.

  He snorted, but his golden cheeks blushed a burnished copper.

  “Let’s go get our son,” she told him.

  He wrapped his hand around hers and they went to the house.

  Sarah knocked on the door with trembling hands.

  “Oh, thank heavens,” Frylla cried, pulling Sarah into a warm embrace.

  “There they are,” Bryxx’s voice rang out from the dining room.

  He appeared a moment later with Bowen in his arms.

  The little one reached for Zane, and for a moment, Sarah’s feelings were just a little bit hurt.

  Then she saw the smile on her mate’s handsome face, and all was forgotten.

  “Bah,” Bowen cried and smacked Zane on the chest.

  “Hello, little one,” Zane said.

  Bowen squeaked back at him and then reached for Sarah.

  She came close and let him take her face in his small hands.

  For once, he was very gentle, his fingers soft against her face, his eyes wide. He leaned close and touched his forehead to hers as Zane held him with one arm and wrapped the other around her.

  Bowen’s sweet scent filled her senses and Sarah felt something akin to euphoria settle over her in the embrace of the two people she loved most.

  She forgot they were in someone else’s living room, covered in mud and completely exhausted. She forgot all the sadness and struggle that had brought them together. Sarah Flynn breathed in the love of her family and felt like a princess.

  “Now, it’s late,” Bryxx said. �
�And you’ve had quite a day. Frylla had a thought.”

  “We’ve already got Pyr’s old crib set up for your wee one,” Frylla said. “And there’s no one in the guest house. Why don’t you stay a few days? We’ll look after the little one.”

  “A few days?” Sarah echoed.

  “We know the beginning of a relationship can be… intense with Zane’s kind,” Frylla said, studying her shoes very carefully as she spoke.

  “Intense?” Sarah repeated, looking to Zane.

  “Surely you told her,” Frylla said to Zane in a shocked way.

  “I’ll explain on the way to the guest house,” Zane told her. “If you’d like to stay?”

  “Sure,” she said, still trying to understand.

  “We took the liberty of stocking the pantry over there,” Frylla said with a smile. “But let us know if you need anything.”

  Bowen let out a mighty yawn.

  “Yes, sweet boy,” Frylla crooned. “Come with Auntie Frylla. It’s time for sleeping.”

  Bowen went to her happily, without even a backward glance.

  “Let’s go,” Zane growled.

  “Have fun, you two,” Bryxx said, stepping forward to drop a key in her hand.

  “Thank you,” she said, closing her hand around the little fob.

  Then she was being swept up into Zane’s powerful arms and carried out the door.

  33

  Zane

  Zane placed Sarah down on the floor of the cottage and looked around.

  He realized there must be better money in tumbler flower farming than he had previously thought.

  Though the farmhouse had been a sprawling old-fashioned construction, meant to mimic the farmhouses of old Earth, this little cottage had some top of the line technological amenities.

  The LED ceiling was currently displaying a starry sky, similar to the real one outside, only without the cloud cover. A top of the line scentillator made the space smell like a meadow in springtime, but it could not cover the sweet scent of his mate.

  “You smell so good,” he murmured.

  “I need a bath,” she whispered back.

  He laughed and she smiled up at him. He wouldn’t have cared if she had just crawled through crab-duck manure to get here, he would have taken her just as she was.

  But he wanted her to be comfortable. They were going to be here a while.

  “Why don’t I start you a bath and explain about everything?” he offered.

  “I’d like that,” she agreed.

  The bathroom was nearly filled by a giant tub. A tiny stall shower and the other necessaries seemed to be there as an afterthought. He rummaged through the linen closet, hoping to find a bottle of bubbly stuff for the bath.

  “That tub looks amazing,” Sarah sighed. “But maybe I’d better shower off the worst of it first.”

  He shrugged.

  “Turn your back, please,” she said, suddenly demure.

  He grinned at her and turned his back, shaking his head.

  Soon, she wouldn’t cover herself from him. He would make her see how beautiful she was to him. She would preen and strut by the end of this night.

  He could hear the shower water turn on and couldn’t resist sneaking a quick peek.

  The sight of clean rivulets of water uncovering her tender flesh from under a coating of mud was satisfying and strangely sexy.

  He turned back to the bath, hoping she hadn’t caught him looking.

  “Ahh,” she moaned.

  He clenched his fists by his sides. “You doing okay over there?” he asked. “Need any help?”

  “Nope, almost done,” she said. “It just feels so good not to be caked in mud.”

  That did sound pretty good.

  He began stripping off his clothes, too. No reason to ruin a nice bubble bath with a layer of mud.

  “Oh,” she said.

  He turned to find that she had stepped out of the shower. She was perfectly naked and absolutely ravishing.

  “I, uh, was going to shower off too,” he told her.

  She nodded, staring at his abs and then allowing her eyes to drop lower.

  He felt his body respond to her gaze, throbbing for her.

  Her lips parted and he very nearly lost control.

  But he would not claim her until she begged.

  “Okay for me to step in there?” he asked, indicating the shower.

  She stepped out of the way, still looking a little dazed, and he stepped past her into the heat of the shower.

  The hot water felt incredible against his skin. He lathered up soap and ran it all over his body and hair, then stood under the hot spray to rinse. He’d been on plenty of worlds where water was scarce, and a shower like this would have been impossible. He was glad water was plentiful on this little frontier moon.

  When he opened his eyes, he saw Sarah was still standing in front of the shower, watching him.

  Claim her. Now, the dragon roared in his chest.

  He froze in place, fighting for control.

  “Zane,” Sarah murmured. “I need you.”

  He was out of the shower in a flash, lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom.

  She didn’t protest, not even when he threw her on the bed and climbed in after her, caging her head in his arms, pinning her naked body to the mattress with his own.

  She lifted her face for a kiss, with an impetuous air that made him wild.

  Yes, you are mine. Yes, you will have my kiss. But not yet, the dragon crooned.

  “Wait,” Zane managed, through gritted teeth. “I need to explain.”

  “Please hurry,” she whispered.

  He pressed his forehead to hers, praying for strength.

  “When a dragon claims his mate, the joining can go on for days,” he told her.

  “For days?”

  “We won’t want to leave this cottage,” he told her. “Maybe we won’t even want to leave the bed. It’s going to be intense. And once we’re joined, it’s forever.”

  “I understand,” she said softly.

  He pulled back to meet her eyes.

  “I’m ready,” she assured him.

  “Ready for days in bed together?” he asked. “Or ready for forever?”

  “Both,” she said with a sly smile.

  The word sent a lightning bolt of joy through his heart and he bent to kiss her sweet lips.

  34

  Sarah

  Sarah’s heart pounded as he kissed her, thundering so loudly she was afraid it would leave her chest.

  There was a feeling just under her skin, a restlessness that demanded him, demanded something… something beyond the indulgent satisfaction she had tasted with him before.

  This time she craved the darkness of the bond, and the needs of his body as well as her own.

  He pulled back slightly, and she tried to lift herself to meet his mouth again.

  But he tangled his hand in her hair and held her firm.

  “Zane,” she murmured.

  But he held her fast, pressing his lips to her neck, and then lower to nuzzle her breasts.

  The pleasure was building in her already. She clung to the sheets as though she might be swept away.

  Zane licked one nipple into his mouth and stroked the other lightly with his fingers.

  Sarah moaned and arched her back.

  He growled against her breast and fed on her desperately.

  She could feel him, rigid against her thigh, and her insides clenched, even as she wondered how she could possibly take him in.

  “Zane,” she moaned.

  He pressed kisses against her belly, rubbing his rough jaw against the tender flesh, moving slowly, so slowly.

  Sarah felt as if her whole body was on fire and Zane’s touch was the only thing that would bring her peace. She wanted him to touch every part of her at once, to fill her pores and occupy her mind.

  Instead, he brushed her trembling flesh with his lips and scraped her with his teeth, giving her just
enough teasing contact to stop her from dying, but not enough to fill her needs.

  She whimpered as he pressed kisses to her inner thighs.

  “Easy, my love,” he whispered, his hot breath moving through her curls to tease her needy sex.

  She nearly screamed, but then he was parting her with his fingers, flooding her with shivers of desire.

  The first touch of his tongue sent a shock of almost unbearable pleasure through her.

  Then he set to work, licking her slowly, each firm stroke of his tongue ending with a tiny flick against her most sensitive spot.

  Sarah wailed and lifted her hips, but he only slowed his movements, pushing her closer and closer.

  “Please,” she moaned. “Please, Zane, please…”

  He pulled back and then he was crawling up to her, pinning her to the bed once more.

  This time the magnificent throbbing of his cock against her belly didn’t frighten her.

  She ached for him, needed him more than she needed her next breath. There was nothing he could do to her that would hurt more than his absence from her body hurt her right now.

  “Are you ready, Sarah?” he asked her, fixing her with his blue eyes, which she swore shimmered now with iridescent gold. “Will you accept me as your mate?”

  “Yes,” she moaned.

  “Mine,” he growled, plunging his length inside her.

  She felt her body stretch to accommodate him. Pain quickly gave way to yawning pleasure.

  “Please,” she moaned, tilting her hips to urge him on.

  “Gods, Sarah,” he murmured through his clenched jaw. “You feel so good, too good.”

  “Please, please, please,” she whined shamelessly wiggling her hips frantically.

  “Fuck,” he groaned and plunged again.

  She clung to him, as the pleasure nearly sent her out of her mind.

  He thrust again and again, as if he had abandoned his quest to tease her to distraction, as if he were chasing his own pleasure now.

  She could feel it through their bond, his need was rough and desperate, the perfect counterpoint to her own.