Defiler

by Cari Silverwood

  Chapter 2

  Willow threaded the belt of her jeans through the loops. It seemed odd, and yet also normal, to be wearing human clothing after all these weeks on this orbital platform, miles above the Earth. Her brain switched back and forth. Simply being able to live here, way up in the sky, made her feel disturbed.

  Stom was due to report back to duty at the Doomslagger in Australia, and she was going to visit Ally. They’d found her in North Queensland. From what Stom had told her, the alien god Dassenze thought this could be a turning point. The Bak-lal factory queen placed great importance on capturing what it called witches and Ally seemed the most powerful of them all.

  Strange how they brought their gods with them, and had more than one.

  She needed to get down to the Earth’s surface, fast, and make sure no one harmed a hair on the head of her cousin. Telling them about her panic attacks wasn’t the same as seeing them first hand. Maybe the Igrakk didn’t register to Ally in the same way as people, but all it would take would be for a few of them to get inside her head to set off a chain reaction.

  Ally had never been off medication, until now. The results of an attack might be devastating.

  She fluffed her hair up then shook out her hands, watching the small fires puff into being at her fingertips. No longer just a bartending, waitressing nobody, she could do badass with the best of them.

  Willow grinned.

  “Stop admiring the pretty fire.”

  Stom’s hand connected with her ass with a loud smack and she whipped around to mock glare, her still unbuckled belt tinkling as it bounced on the denim. “Mister...”

  “Yes?” With a grip on her forearm, he hauled her toward him. Indulging her rebellion was one of his favorite things and they both knew it.

  “You’re playing with fire there, Sir.”

  “Am I?” Now a foot away, the clear-as-ice, blueness in his eyes mesmerized her. “Just remember who owns you while we’re apart.”

  “Oh?” She tongued her lip then let one hand meander down to open the fly of her jeans and slip inside, teasing him. “Or?”

  “This.” He dropped to his knees and managed to whip her half-zipped jeans down her legs, despite her wild grab at them. After shoving apart her thighs, he buried his face between her legs then bit down on one inner thigh while his fingers probed for her slit through the panties.

  She almost hopped away at the pain but his teeth were still holding her and the other, feeling, my oh my. Panting she alternated squeaking and gasping. “Fuck, let go. With the teeth.”

  “Please, Sir,” he said, his voice muffled by her legs.

  Willow giggled. “Please, Sir.”

  “Fine.” He pulled away yet kept his hand where it was, stroking between her legs. “I just need to see evidence of my possession one last time...after I make you all...” He looked up at her and smiled. “All wet and swollen.”

  “I think I’m that already. You’re so evil,” she choked out. “I’m going to need to change before I leave.”

  “You’re right. You are wet...and very red with my marking. The red shows through the white cloth.”

  She felt Stom pull aside the crotch of her panties then his fingers found her entrance and delved upward, wriggling up inside her by an inch or two. Willow bit back a moan, her head rocking back as she moved her legs apart some more.

  Her words came out slow. Feeling what his fingers were doing were a serious priority. “If I have to change anyway, want to do it against the wall, again?” Last time had been amazing. “We have time.” She slid her hands into his hair and tried to pull him to her. His tongue on her there would be heaven.

  “No. You keep this little red cunt ready for me. I’ll see you later today, or tomorrow. You can wait.” Then he stood, carefully slid her jeans up her legs, and zipped them up before kissing her once. “Don’t forget me.”

  “Huh. As if I could.” Long ago, when he had first mated with her, she might have been appalled at her reaction and blushed at his words, but not now. Stom was as obsessed with her as she was with him.

  “And don’t set your shuttle on fire.”

  She smiled. When they got back together there’d be more than a little combustion going on.

  *****

  “You can come in the shuttle to see your sister.”

  The unexpected booming words made Talia start. A few yards down the hallway, the humanoid with the bronze-scaled body, the one these aliens liked to call a god, had emerged from the hotel room door. Even when he ducked, the top of his head just cleared the frame.

  He beckoned. “Come. I will not hurt you. The Bak-lal is loaded on the shuttle. There is room for us all.”

  “Told you.” Brask’s accompanying smile said more than triumph at being correct, it said he wanted to do nasty sexual things to her...still. Not that he’d said nasty but she doubted he wanted to sing love songs and plait her hair.

  She resisted rolling her eyes.

  Brask stood there, straight and tall, feet apart in readiness to jump this way or that, and with that Edo period katana in his fist, sheathed and tapping at his leg. His heavy black coat, black pants, wide shoulders, and those chunky boots all said masculine. In a human, the gold flecks at the tips of his darker blond hair would’ve said narcissist too – a man who visited a hairdresser way too often.

  She doubted he dyed it then wondered, for a second, what it would feel like to be kissed by him.

  Fuck it. Stupid. He’d done something to her and it was warping her brain. Her memories of him rendering her unconscious were scary. To her shame, the shiver that ran through her wasn’t all about fear. Lust threatened on the horizon of her thoughts.

  This man...this arrogant Igrakk, never gave up. Her enhanced reaction speed was good, far better than his, but with a ‘god’, or whatever Dassenze was, a few yards away, she needed to take care. The Edo period katana Brask had offered her as a gift was looking tempting. Without a sword, her hands felt empty. Yet again she wondered why a gun didn’t even register on her list of wants.

  An edged weapon was just right.

  “I guarantee that Brask will not hurt you.”

  This god rocked her confidence. She shook off the stunned feeling. Fuck them both. Brittany was at the other end of this shuttle ride? Going with them, in a craft that had a squad of alien soldiers as well as these two? No.

  “I’d rather meet her somewhere else. In a place that’s neutral territory.”

  “You must learn to trust me.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Because you will.” The words ground from Dassenze’s throat – a sound as potent as a small avalanche.

  The answer didn’t quite make sense. It made her attitude change a fait accompli, a done deal, but for no reason at all. While she was muddling through that, he stepped past Brask, toward her. Not fast, not slow, measured.

  Back away, she told herself.

  His feet made dull thuds as they met the carpet.

  She should’ve moved but couldn’t. That sun-brilliant golden gaze didn’t waver, capturing her as thoroughly as if her feet had melted to the floor.

  Was he paralyzing her with some alien method? When he settled his large hand around her throat, using the grip to keep her gaze locked to his, she recognized why she’d reacted as she did and as she still was.

  Raw sexuality reverberated through her body. With Brask it was there, she knew it, saw it coming, could resist. This was another level of intensity entirely.

  “You’re coming.”

  It wasn’t really a question.

  She swallowed past his hold. The scales on his hand were smooth and warm on her skin. The power in his fingers was obvious even though he was being gentle.

  “Answer me.”

  Saying no seemed unwise. Not leaving with Dassenze was probably impossible.

  “Yes?” she said grudgingly.

  “Good.” His mouth curved into a restricted smile, barely denting the corners of his lips. “Brask thinks I want
you. I don’t, little human, but I am willing to make sure you become our ally. Do not think you can avoid this.”

  Mind reader, she was not. Nevertheless, his little speech prompted a refrain of liar, liar to run through her head.

  Were her instincts right? His proximity and being the absolute focus of his golden eyes made it hard for her to breathe and even harder to think straight. Were they fogging the air with male pheromones or something? She could see herself purring and wrapping herself around his tree-trunk-sized legs.

  She could resist Brask, but when this god had her throat, it was excruciating to attempt to seem unaffected.

  “Interesting...” His smile flat-lined.

  Talia blinked and willed her heart to slow down. “What is?”

  “How you’re reacting to me.”

  Shit. “I’m not.”

  “The blood flow to your breasts and lips, and the lubrication elsewhere says otherwise. I have more senses than you can imagine...Talia.” Then he released her throat.

  Though her cheeks flushed hot, her first thought was, he said my name. She staggered a little, gulping, and put her palm to the wall beside her to steady herself.

  Witty reply ASAP. “Lucky you. You’d get on well with my cat.”

  “Yes, I’m sure your pussy would like me.”

  What...did he just make a crass joke? While she stood there open-mouthed, he turned away.

  “Come.”

  This time she followed, ignoring Brask’s smirk. When she passed him, she tried to take the sword. He shook his head.

  “Uh-uh. You had your chance.”

  “Spoilsport,” she muttered.

  Having Brask behind her as she stepped from the balcony of this twentieth-floor room to the hovering chrome and sky-colored shuttle made her feel fidgety. Then he went and sat next to her in the second from the front row of seats. A corridor she’d seen, leading to the back of the shuttle, must be where the Bak-lal was being held.

  Beneath Brask’s coat, she glimpsed black armor and the butts and handles of weapons.

  The katana lay across his lap, inches away. She itched to take it.

  “Mine, until you behave.” Brask nodded, eyes slitted.

  For an intense second, snarling was highly likely but she only smiled and snuggled back into the seat upholstery.

  Dassenze said I was safe.

  So be it.

  She should’ve brought a pin to stick herself with. The shuttle looked large enough to transport a squad and heavy equipment but Dassenze was in the row ahead and his and Brask’s pheromones were making her crazy. The god was right, she was wet and horny, as well as homicidal.

  Hopefully, homicidal would win out.

  Talia sighed.

  If she drew a blood sample from herself, would it reveal anything odd? Probably not. Whatever they might use to arouse females, it was likely higher tech than anything she could detect.

  A few minutes later, the engine sounds flared into a higher pitch, the shuttle tilted, and through the still open side door, she saw forest below. The Botanical Gardens? She recognized the surroundings before they dropped below tree height.

  Neutral territory after all. Not that it helped her, seeing she was outnumbered and out-willpowered. You’ll trust me, because you will. After he’d said that, she’d just walked onboard. Idiot.

  When she disembarked, there was Brittany, waiting in the middle of a crescent of alien men.

  She choked up, tears spilling before she swiped them away with a finger. She strode to Brittany, met her halfway, and engulfed her in the hug to end all hugs. More tears, with their arms wrapped around each other and her sobbing. “You’re safe. You’re fucking safe.” It was all she could manage for ages.

  “Course I am, silly. I’m sorry I worried you.”

  She kissed her sister’s cheek then leaned away. “Are you really okay? I mean really?” She managed not to stare at Dassenze, Brask, or the warriors with their big-ass guns.

  “Yes.” Brittany smiled, then broke into a grin. “I’m married even, sort of. Bond mated, they call it.”

  Holy fuck.

  Angry, she was angry but she really shouldn’t show that.

  “Why?” she said urgently but quietly. They might hear her but this could be her only chance to say it. “Did you know they have something that they use to induce attraction to them? I’m convinced of it. Your reaction is likely false. Brittany...”

  God, how did she get her away?

  “Yes, I know.”

  “What? How...why –”

  Brittany’s forehead creased. “I know to begin with, it was maybe fake. It’s what the Preyfinders do. Nanochem, they call it.”

  Nanochem? “That’s rape, kidnapping, even. Jesus, Britt. You can’t stay with him.” Ironic, since here she was throbbing with fucking arousal herself. Difference was, she knew why and what and how, and she was strong enough to say no.

  Beyond, the alien Britt had been standing next to growled. They could hear. Damn.

  “Oh my.” Brittany took a deep breath, let it out. “Okay. Here goes. This whole war against the Bak-lal, it’s real. These men, my man too, are fighting, some are dying, have been for decades. They used us and other women on other planets for like...rewards. I know! I know it’s morally wrong but to them we were...” She shrugged. “Pets.”

  Talia managed not to swear out loud.

  “The difference is that we, earth women that is, are making them as crazy about us as we are about them. It’s nothing like they’ve seen before.” She paused, eying Talia. “They think we can help them fight this war. This may sound incredible to you, but I have powers. Ever since I mated with Jadd.” She smiled back over her shoulder at her warrior, the one with markings on his cheeks like Brask.

  “And you think that makes it right?” She tsked.

  “It makes it love.” Her eyes softened. Brittany looked away for a moment and made a rueful grin. “I love him. I do. And I’m so happy! I need you to see that. Okay? I don’t want you worrying about me. The...the powers thing doesn’t freak you?”

  What could she say? The truth. She couldn’t hold back from Britt. Besides, her partner would probably tell her.

  “No. I have powers too. They’re trying to get at me too.”

  “Oh.” Brittany’s eyes went round and bright.

  “But I won’t let them.”

  “What can you do? I mean, what powers?”

  She sighed and took Brittany’s hands in hers, squeezed them. “My sword, you know I was always good with it? Well, now I’m damn good. Freaky is definitely the right word. You?”

  “I can heal.” She lowered her voice. “I think I brought one of them back from almost death. Stom. He wasn’t quite dead but it affected me for days. Exhausted me.” She shook her head. “It was amazing, though. Jadd helped me. We’re like a team. I could never be without him. I need you to understand that. Please? Please?”

  Fuck. “I’ll try, Britt. I will. Come over here, away from this lot, and talk to me.”

  No one stopped her so she drew her sister to a low stone wall beneath a stand of weeping willows and sat next to her.

  Brittany added excitedly, “With you as well, that makes four of us with powers. There’s Ally too. And Stom, he’s the bond mate of Willow and she can control fire.” She shook her head, stirring the leaf mulch with her foot. “Ally’s odd. I’m not sure what she does but it has Dassenze puzzled.”

  Whatever else they’d done to Brittany, she looked at ease. The colors of the light dress and leggings she wore reminded Talia of the forest they were in. Her joy didn’t seem drug induced. She placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder and clasped it.

  “You sound happy, Britt. However, I want you to think about where you are. I’d prefer to take you with me when I go.”

  “Oh no. Never. I’m not going anywhere.” She shut her eyes. “There’s something else unusual about our bond mating.”

  “What?” Her stomach stirred, queasy. “What? It’s bad is
n’t it?”

  “Not really. Just that if we get separated, we get sick. Stom almost died when he went up to the orbital without Willow.”

  If true, this added a whole other dimension. Did Brask know this? If it was that two-way, the dependency, why the hell would he want this?

  “They really do want you, love you back, the same?”

  “I...I think so. Me and Jadd, yes. Willow and Stom are like crazy in love too. I know this isn’t a lie.”

  “Right. Okay.”

  It didn’t make sense. No way could she ever see this Brask in love with her. Or vice versa. It was scary to contemplate.

  “The war is real?”

  “Yes. They need us. At least here, on Earth, they need us.”

  She bet they did. The bastards had probably drawn the other bad guys down to the planet in the first place. “You ever thought that maybe these Bak-lal would’ve flown straight past Earth if the Preyfinders hadn’t been here first?”

  “No. No, no, no. No one’s told you? The Bak-lal have been hiding on Earth for twenty, thirty years, at least.”

  “Crap.”

  Absentmindedly, Brittany fingered a stray lock of Talia’s red hair where it draped over her arm. “When did you last get this cut? All these split ends. Tsk.”

  “Ohmigod. The hairdresser emerges.” She twitched her hair from Brittany’s grasp. “No. Focus. Tell me about this Brask.”

  She glanced back over her shoulder. The shuttle had been gone a few minutes, presumably taking the Bak-lal to the Preyfinders’ ship, which all the tabloids had decided was under a local lake. Secret base, not. Left behind were Brask, Dassenze, and two other Preyfinder warriors.

  “And Dassenze, tell me about him, it, the god person.”

  “Why?” Britt eyed her suspiciously then added, in an amused whisper, “Don’t tell me! Have you got the hots for one of them? You have haven’t you?”

  “No. Fuck no. Hell no. Say that again and I’ll –”

  Brittany’s giggle cut her short. Exasperated she waited, then frowned as Britt launched into another burst of laughter.

  Why did this seem like a conversation from high school or university about boyfriends?