by Tana Stone
Focus, he told himself fiercely. The faster you get the job done, the faster you can get her away from him and out of here.
“What was that?”
Brok jerked his head up at the question, realizing that he’d grunted impatiently.
“What was what?” Madeleine cooed and turned the Spartosian’s head back to her. “There’s no one else here but you and me.”
The alien didn’t look convinced, his gaze darting to the seemingly empty space Brok occupied. “I heard something.”
“Probably one of those funny machines of yours,” Madeleine said. “Don’t they make noises?”
“Well, yes,” he admitted, allowing his gaze to return to her.
Brok forced himself to look down at the screen, but tapped it as quietly as possible as Madeleine giggled on the other side of the room. Even as her voice became more sultry, he did not look up, riveting his gaze to the flashing symbols until he was able to decipher their meaning. The layout was not so different from a Drexian communication system, and once he determined that, it did not take long for him to deactivate the various satellites. Once he’d started the process of powering them all down, he glanced up.
Grek. His hands tightened into fists as he saw that Madeleine had hopped up onto one of the consoles and pulled the Spartosian male so that he stood between her legs. He knew she was doing this to distract the male so Brok could finish his task, but he didn’t care. The sight of the alien’s hand resting on her thigh made the blood pound in his ears. He swallowed the growl that was building in his throat.
“So, what is this for?” Madeleine asked, touching a finger to a colorful patch on the alien’s uniform.
He threw back his shoulders slightly. “For victory in the sirenatos.”
“Sirenatos? What’s that?”
His expression faltered. “It is an ancient tradition on Spartos, but one we do not share with outsiders.”
Madeleine walked her fingers up his chest. “You can’t even tell me?” She crisscrossed the bare flesh over her breast. “I promise I won’t tell a soul.”
His eyes drifted to her skimpy, beaded halter top, and he licked his lips. “You’ll get to see for yourself soon.”
Madeleine put her bottom lip out in a pout. “Pretty please.”
Brok ripped his gaze from her, even though his hands were squeezed into such tight fists they ached. He confirmed that the satellites were disabled, and then tapped in commands to power the entire system down. Even when they realized that their communications were offline, it would take a considerable amount of time to restart the entire system.
Especially if I can encrypt them, he thought to himself. He knew Vekron could do it faster, but he had learned enough from his security chief to get the job done. He stole a glance at Madeleine, who was now leaning back as the Spartosian pressed up against her. The question was, could he do it before he succumbed to the urge to throw the alien out of the window?
“So, you won’t tell me?” Madeleine asked, her sexy voice now tinged with irritation.
“What will you give me if I do?”
Even though the male’s voice was low and spoken into her ear, Brok could hear it. He clenched his jaw and moved his fingers expertly across the screen. He’d almost set up the encryption that would prevent the Spartosians from restarting the system without jumping through considerable hoops.
“What do you want?” Madeleine teased.
Whatever the male murmured into her ear was too soft for Brok to hear, but her peal of manufactured, shocked laughter left little doubt as to what the alien had suggested.
“You are a very bad boy.” She swatted at him.
“Not on Spartos.” He grasped her legs and tugged her body to him so that her legs went around his waist. “Here we believe that pleasure is the most important part of life. No Spartosian ever declines a chance to experience ecstasy.”
“What about the prince?” Madeleine asked, trying to wiggle away from him.
“He enjoys sharing his toys.” The alien leered at her. “We all do.”
With a final tap to the console, Brok powered down the systems and the low hum of static in the room disappeared.
The Spartosian looked up suddenly and dropped Madeleine’s legs. “What happened?”
She pushed him back and twisted out of his reach. “No idea. I was over here with you the whole time, remember?”
He backed away, panic flitting across his face as he scanned the now-dark consoles. He lunged for Madeleine’s arm. “You need to come with me.”
She danced out of the way. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t touch a thing.”
The Spartosian let out a menacing growl and reached for her again, but Brok stepped in front and planted an invisible fist squarely in the male’s face. The alien flew back and hit the wall, crumpling to the floor.
Madeleine gaped at the motionless body. “Don’t you think that was a bit much?”
Brok took her by the hand. He was still shaking with fury as he thought about the male’s hands on her bare flesh. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“I was playing a role,” she said, as he rushed her out of the room and toward the elevator. “So, you could do your thing without him catching on. You’re welcome, by the way.”
The doors to the elevator swished open, and he jerked her into the empty compartment. “You wish me to thank you for letting that creature put his hands all over you?”
“You think I liked it?”
“If you did not, then I think you are a better actress than I imagined,” he spat out.
Her eyes flashed, as she tugged her hand away from his. “Then I guess you don’t know as much as you think you do, Captain.”
Brok backed her up against the wall of the elevator. “I know no male will ever touch you again except for me.”
She opened her mouth to argue back, but he silenced her by crushing his mouth to hers, pouring all his fear and frustration and longing into the punishing, desperate kiss.
Chapter Twenty-Four
When he tore his mouth from hers, Maddie heaved in a breath. “What was that?”
Brok moved his hand from where he cupped her face and dragged it down her neck. “I told you. You are mine.”
“I thought that whole possessive-caveman thing was sex play.” She blinked up, her legs weak beneath her.
“I am not playing about this, Madeleine, and I cannot share you with any other male. I won’t.”
She couldn’t see him, but she felt his body tremble as he pressed against her. “I didn’t say anything about sharing me, but I didn’t know that you were serious about…”
“You thought I was not serious when I claimed you?” He stroked a finger down the hollow of her throat. “I meant every word I said when I was inside you. Did you not mean what you said to me?”
She had meant what she said, but it was hard to talk about what she felt. It had been so long since she’d felt anything like this, much less talked it out. “It’s not that I didn’t mean it, but it was the heat of the moment and all that.”
“A Drexian would never say something he didn’t mean or give a promise he didn’t intend to keep. It would not be honorable.”
She may not have been thrilled to be taken from Earth by the Drexians, but she had to admit they had a lot of qualities most women would kill for. From what Serge had told her and what she’d seen from Brok, they were honest, loyal, and brave. Add the fact that they were all tall, dark, and gorgeous, and it was a pretty irresistible combination. Yep, she was definitely falling hard for the guy, which was too damn bad for her, considering her strict “love ‘em and leave ‘em” policy. Maddie guessed that was shot to hell.
“I thought us being together was some sort of honor violation,” she said.
He let out a breath, and it fluttered her hair. “I will gladly take whatever punishment I deserve, but I will not give you up.”
Her pulse trilled. As independent and tough as she’d had to be most of her
life, it felt good to have a guy who would put everything on the line for her, and it was making her fall even harder for him. She reached one hand up and found his face, rubbing her fingertips across the scruff on one cheek and his scar. “So, you’re telling me you don’t agree with the Spartosian philosophy?”
A dark rumble emanated from his chest. “Not if that philosophy means another male touching you.”
“Hey, I didn’t like that either. Blonds aren’t my jam.”
“No?” His voice held a hint of amusement.
“Definitely not. The guys here are too pretty for my taste.” She scraped her nails down his scratchy neck. “I like mine rough.”
He growled and leaned closer, his swollen cock pressing into her stomach. At that moment, the elevator doors swished open, and a Spartosian stepped inside.
Maddie glanced down. Brok had leaned so close to her she’d been absorbed into his cloaking bubble. He wrapped his arms around her back and, lifting her off the floor, moved quickly out of the elevator compartment only moments before the doors closed again.
“That was close,” she whispered, as he hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, moving on silent feet across the spacious lobby.
They did not wait to slip out with anyone, but instead, Brok pushed open the transparent doors and strode out toward the gates.
“We do not want to be here when they discover the male that I attacked,” he told her as they quickly approached the guarded gates.
She twisted to look at the two Spartosians posted on the other side with their spiky tridents at their sides. “I don’t think we can open this gate without the guards noticing.”
Brok hesitated as they reached the fencing, but they both turned at the commotion coming from the building behind them. A pair of Spartosian males rushed out, yelling and waving at the guards. Brok stepped aside as they drew closer.
“There has been a breach,” one of the breathless males shouted to the guards.
“Impossible.” A guard shook his head. “No one has entered without our authorization.”
“Then you let in someone who carried out an attack.” The other Spartosian waved an arm. “I need one of you to bring your weapon and help us in our search for the offender.”
The guards pushed open the gates and one came inside while Brok sidled out of the narrow space, moving swiftly past the remaining guard and away from the building. When he paused, Maddie realized she’d been holding her breath.
“Shit,” she whispered. “That was close.”
“We need to get to my ship before they realize the extent of my attack. I do not want them to have communications up and running when they discover that you and Serge are gone.”
Maddie craned her neck around at the narrow streets that wound away from the gated building. There were more residents moving about now, but it was not yet crowded. “Where is Serge? I thought we left him right over there.”
Brok walked to the twisting passageway where they’d last seen Serge, but there was no sign of the Gatazoid.
Maddie’s stomach did an uncomfortable somersault. “You don’t think he was taken, do you?”
Brok was silent, and she suspected he didn’t want to tell her the truth. There was a very good chance the Spartosians had located Serge and taken him back to the palace. It wasn’t like the pint-sized, purple-haired alien blended in with a species that looked like it had stepped straight out of a book on Norse mythology.
“Pssst.”
Maddie spun her head at the sharp sound. A flash of pink poked above a pile of weathered, wooden crates. “Serge?”
He stuck his head out and then his entire body emerged. He stomped over in their direction, his hands on his hips. “And where have you two been?”
“It took longer to disable the systems than we expected,” Brok said.
Serge swiveled his head as he tried to locate their voices. “Well, I’ve been out here, cowering behind smelly piles of garbage and getting quite a few dirty looks. I’ll have you know, I had to change my hiding place three times and chase off what I think was some kind of dog, although it could have been a poorly groomed child.” He threw his arms in the air. “Who knows?”
Maddie suppressed the urge to laugh. “We’re really sorry.”
The vivid pink of his hair started to fade. “I hope the mission was a success.”
“It was,” Brok said. “Now we need to get to my ship and get out of here.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Serge muttered, throwing his arm out and snapping his fingers. “Let’s go.”
His arm made contact with the captain, and Maddie heard a sharp clattering noise as something hit the ground. When she looked down, she and Brok were both visible.
“The cloaking device.” He released her and glanced around wildly for the small device that had been hooked on his waist and knocked off.
She scanned the ground, but was distracted by the sounds of yelling as the Spartosian guard spotted them.
“Oh, no.” Serge had his hands on his cheeks, his round eyes wide with horror.
The guard was running toward them, his trident extended and his expression deadly. Maddie knew Brok was bigger than him, but he was also unarmed, and she guessed the Spartosians were skilled with their weapon. The other guard emerged from the building and started running toward them, as well.
Maddie dropped to her knees and searched for the device. She had to find it so they could disappear again. Once they were invisible, they’d be safe. This time, Serge would have to put up with being carried or riding on Brok’s shoulders. Reaching under the stack of crates Serge had been hiding behind, her fingers closed around the hard, metal device.
She stood up and spun around to face Brok, who was several steps away. “I got it!”
His face was grim, as he pulled the other device off his waist and tossed it to her. “Take Serge and go.”
Before Maddie could argue with him, the Spartosian guard reached him, jabbing him with the tip of the trident. Brok went rigid for a moment and then sank to the ground. Despite her shock, Maddie pulled Serge to her and pressed the device so they both vanished. When the guard turned his attention to them, all he saw was empty space.
“Where are the others?” the second guard asked as he ran up and flicked his gaze over Brok laying on the ground.
“Gone. They must have run.” The first guard poked Brok with the stick end of the trident. “It doesn’t matter. This one will be perfect for the sirenatos.”
Maddie held her hand over Serge’s mouth as she backed them away. They wouldn’t be able to help Brok if they were captured, too.
When she’d moved them down the narrow street and around a corner, she released Serge, who immediately began sniffling. “This is all my fault. I’m never going to forgive myself.”
“You didn’t mean to knock the device off,” she told him, keeping her voice hushed. “And we can’t dwell on that now.”
“You’re right. What can we do?”
Maddie took a deep breath, her resolve strengthening. “Exactly what the captain would do. We’re going to save him.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Brok came to slowly, sitting up and placing a hand on his aching head. The last thing he remembered was looking at Madeleine and telling her to run. Then he’d felt a flash of pain and the world had gone black.
He opened his eyes and let them adjust to the dim lighting. He clearly wasn’t outside anymore—the smell of damp and the wet, stone walls surrounding him told him that he was underground. The bars across the arched opening looking out into a wide corridor told him he was in some sort of dungeon.
What sort of species still used dungeons? For a planet that obviously possessed advanced technology, Spartos continued to surprise him with its use of antiquated designs and systems.
Leaning his elbows on his knees, Brok tried to not notice the sounds of scurrying feet or the dankness that permeated the air. At least Madeleine wasn’t with him. She had gotte
n away, hadn’t she?
Panic rose in his throat as he stood and walked unsteadily toward the bars, gripping the cold metal in his hands as he peered out into the corridor. There was no one in the cell across from him, and no one being held in any that he could see.
“Madeleine?” he called out, his voice reverberating against the arched stone of the ceiling.
There was no answer, just the sound of dripping water and his own heavy breaths. Brok felt both relief and regret. He was pleased Madeleine had not been taken captive with him—at least not that he could see—but his heart ached that he might not see her again.
He squeezed the bars tightly. As long as she was safe. That was all that mattered. He’d given her everything she needed to find his ship and get back to the Inferno Force battleship. Once she was there, his crew would take care of her and get her back to the Boat. No matter what happened to him, his warriors would carry out the mission.
Brok almost laughed as he thought about how dedicated he’d been to the mission and how easily he’d pushed it aside to be with Madeleine. Now he’d never know what it would have been like to really be with her. Not unless his crew violated the ban on interacting with the planet of Spartos, which he’d forbidden them to do.
Leaning his forehead against the bars, the chill of the hard steel felt almost comforting. He closed his eyes and tried to push thoughts of Madeleine from his mind. If he thought about how perfect she felt in his arms—how perfect she was for him—he might go mad.
“It can’t be that bad.” The cool, female voice made him jerk his head up.
The Spartosian female seemed to glide toward him, her white-blonde hair long and her pale skin shimmering. He did not know who she was, but it was clear she was of great importance.
Brok straightened, although the movement made his shoulders throb and he flinched from the pain.
She cocked her head at him. “I hope our guards didn’t damage you.” Her gaze slid down his body. “It would certainly be a shame.”
