by Rose, Renee
He breathes in and lodges his cock between my parted legs. “If you want this”—he thrusts a little, making me moan— “you better behave.”
“Teach me how to tap out veck you and I’ll squeeze around your cock so tight your horns will blow off.”
He roars out a laugh. “Oh little vipn, I’ll spank you for that.”
“Not unless you teach me the sign for it first.” I bite his horn when he bends his head down.
Later though, after we’re relaxing, I go back to the code. “I want to learn all the words. Teach me.”
Lanz blinks. “It takes time.”
“Which we have. Plenty.”
“Okay, every night we’ll teach you one. In return, you suck our cocks.”
“You know I’ll suck your cock regardless. So be nice.”
He laughs. “Here’s one you could use.” He taps it out on my leg.
“What does that mean?”
It’s more complicated, and it takes a few tries for me to remember it. “Is it an attack code?”
He smiles. “It says, vipns around, be careful.”
“Oh.” I bite my lip. “I see.”
“But it could be an attack code, if you plan it that way. Anything can mean anything, as long as you agree on the meaning.”
I nod. “I suppose you’re right.”
“So this one”—he taps out a really long one that I can’t catch—“which means ‘when you see me move my right hand, attack,’ could really mean that I just like you.”
“Good thing you told me. Otherwise I’d have to watch my back.”
“As long as we’re here, we’ll help watch it for you.” He pulls me to him. “I mean that.”
And because right now I’m happy Mirelle, the one who plans to be here forever, tears come to my eyes. “I’ll do that for you too.” I squeeze his hand. “Both of you.”
* * *
Mirelle
“Craft 7Yv23, cleared to land on run X-3. Proceed.”
“Veck it.” I frown and run my hand over my secret scanner. Lately it’s been getting mostly static, and I only have small pockets of time here and there to listen. Naturally when I do have time, I hear junk—mostly air tower chatter from local planets, only a few hundred light years away.
I switch channels, and suddenly stop. “…avoid Midrian belt…Ocretions…plan attack…”
I hold my breath and then tap the enhance feature, hoping to make it clearer.
“Change path…course setting to outside…the…”
“Come on,” I mutter. “The most interesting thing I’ve heard in weeks. Don’t fail me now.”
I don’t know why the pilots of this craft are speaking on an open channel, but I’ll use it.
I tap the button, and then the voices come again. “Rumor they’re…near Jesel…”
I sit up straight, heart pounding. “What?” I ask, as if he could hear me. Which he can’t. This is a one-way listening device, picking up stray signals that aren’t masked or hidden. Messages from across the galaxy.
“…raids…” comes through, and then the signal dissolves into static. No amount of channel-hopping gets me anything, so I turn the device off and hide it at the back of my storage cupboard, underneath my clothing. My mates have never checked my things, as far as I am aware. Because they trust me now.
This makes me feel sick, but not as awful as the sensation of being helpless and trapped here, so far from home.
I need to get to Jesel.
Chapter 14
Lanz
Despite our best efforts to keep her amused, Mirelle has been low lately, lacking energy. I watch her at the window, and frown at the expression on her face. I’ve been arguing more with Domm because neither of us know what to do. Right now we’re in a truce which is good. I can’t stand arguing with my best friend, my brother.
“Why can’t she just cheer up?” I scowl. “We do so much for her.”
“Have you ever seen the Grand Menagerie on Liberty-3?” Domm’s voice is low.
I shake my head. “Heard about it. Why? What does that have to do with anything?”
“All the craziest, most exotic creatures from the galaxy are on display. There’s a thing called a tiger, barely as big as a vipn, but just as fierce. Striped with orange and black. It could kill a being with one swipe of its paw.”
“I’ve seen it on holograms. Never live.” I raise my eyebrows.
He looks straight ahead. “A thing called a Mer’ax. It floats in the air, shifting colors, humming. More like an energy field than a being.”
I grunt. “What are you getting at?”
“If you watch holograms of these creatures in their own habitat, you see how majestic they are. In the menagerie? You look at their faces, you see the glaze of death.”
A sense of unease stirs in my stomach.
He gestures at Mirelle. “It’s like they no longer contain the spark that made them unique.”
We watch her stare out the window, her body slumped forward.
He clears his throat. “We thought it was going to be fun. Instead, I feel more of a criminal than she is.”
Mirelle is as motionless as a stone. Her chest barely moves with her inhalations. For a second, I want to touch her, make sure she’s not paralyzed.
“She likes part of her time with us.” I think to the way we made her cry out in pleasure, over and over.
“Is that enough?” He raises a brow.
“You’re right.” I sigh. “But what do we do?” I don’t like the tone of uncertainty in my voice.
“Well, we need to give her more freedom.”
“Maybe we can take her out to fly her craft.”
We look at each other for a second. Neither of us have cleared this with our superiors.
“Really? You, the ultimate rule follower, are suggesting that?”
He scowls. “I think…”
I put up my hand to forestall another argument. “Veck, let’s do it.”
“We can watch her the entire time. Make sure she doesn’t…try anything.”
“She wouldn’t. Not to us. Not now.” I’m nearly 100 percent sure this is true.
* * *
Domm
“Open your eyes.”
I remove the blindfold, untying the cloth from behind her head.
She’s silent for a second, then her whole body reacts.
“My craft!” she screams, a sound that reverberates into the bones of my skill, and runs forward. “Oh, sweet Mother Earth. You fixed it? It’s whole again. It’s here. How did you even?”
She whirls to look at us, then turns back to her craft and runs her hand over the hull. “What is this? It’s reinforced? This is the newest titanium spider silk. Stronger than steel. Oh, stars.”
She jumps up and down, literally. “And a new transponder? This must have taken forever.”
Her voice trembles as she raises her hand. “The door. Will it still…”
I come up and touch her cuff, enter a sequence of digits. “A temporary code that allows you access.”
This makes her go still for a second, then she raises her hand and rushes up the steps that descend, and we hear her exclaiming over the updated flight panels.
“There’s Level 1 cloaking, so the craft can at least get past the rough pirates,” Lanz says. “No weapons, but we put an enhanced engine in. Fixed the gyro issues.”
“This is incredible.” She runs both hands over the panels, soft, closes her eyes. “You did this for me?” Then she deflates. “But I—when will I even have permission to fly it?” She blinks a few times.
“Well.” I take a breath. “That is unclear. But—” I hold up a hand and raise an eyebrow. “Right now, you may take it for a short test drive within our atmosphere, with Domm and me.”
She immediately sits at the panel. “Take your seats, warriors,” she announces.” Then she turns to look at me. “This is cleared with the air tower here?”
“I’ll officially be piloting it.” Lanz tou
ches her shoulder. “But once we’re up, we’ll let you take over.”
She rolls her eyes. “Like a child learning to play.”
“Do you want this chance or not?”
“Yes.” She nods. “I do.”
She get up and moves to the secondary chair, although her body language isn’t at ease.
Lanz gets into the control seat, communicates with our air launch system. Gets permission to enter our airspace.
Mirelle’s a little sulky, but still, once we’re above the clouds, she can’t contain her exuberance. When Lanz gets up and gestures to the seat, she immediately gets in and starts working the control panel, her fingers dancing over the buttons and screens.
“Testing the cloaking.” She taps. “Going to max speed.”
She takes the craft through a series of twists and dives that have me whistling in appreciation. “Stars, Mirelle, how did you learn to do that?”
“Necessity.” She does a turn so tight that I swear she’s a magician. “When you have no weapons, you learn to evade.”
Watching her do this is incredible. She’s like a new being, one I’ve never seen before. The confidence and grace with which she moves—it’s like she’s something out of a dream. Her eyes flash with light, and I know it’s joy, because just in case we didn’t fully grasp her mood, she shouts, “I’m so happy!”
* * *
Mirelle
Finally—finally—it’s like the two Mirelles came together. I’m with my mates and also flying my craft. All this time, I’ve suspected they understood me, but they’ve refused to take off my cuffs, refused to discuss my return to my old life. Sometimes I’ve feared I’m making it up. That I only choose to believe they understand me to make this life easier.
But no. They care. They know me. They see.
The fact that they repaired my craft means everything to me. Gratitude swims through me in waves, affection for my mates is so heightened, I’m one touch from an orgasm. I dance back into our domicile, turning backward to enter with my hands on Lanz’ tunic, dragging him through the doorway.
My mates laugh, knowing I’m about to show my gratitude in all the ways they’ve taught me.
And more.
I drop to my knees in the middle of our living area and bite Lanz’ erection through his flight pants. He growls and fists my hair, creating pinpricks of pain across my scalp. As always, the pain only heightens my excitement. My mates have taught me this well. It’s hard to believe it’s something all human females like, but it suits me perfectly.
My body is my fighting instrument. I enjoy challenging it in bed as much as in a battle.
I work Lanz’ cock free from his pants as Domm strides around behind me. He works his sword belt off and flicks it over my ass a few times as I lick around the crown of Lanz’ large purple member. A rainbow-hued bead of pre-cum leaks out, sweet as lemonberries.
Lanz tugs my mouth down his length at the same time Domm drops to his knees behind me and tears off my panties.
I moan around Lanz’ length and he tightens his hold on my hair, shoving in and out in short thrusts, using me like a veck-toy.
My pussy contracts, excitement at his satisfaction making moisture drip between my thighs.
Domm rubs a thick digit over my folds, igniting the sparks of desire into a bonfire. I arch my back to offer my pussy to him. He grips my hips and lines the head of his thick member up with my entrance. I moan my encouragement again, which must enhance Lanz’ pleasure, because he shoves his cock down my throat.
I gag, eyes watering, but he draws back and strokes my cheek lovingly, letting me bob my lips over his head a few times before plunging deep again.
Domm slaps my ass twice before he eases into me, stretching me wide with his thick, member. I grip Lanz’ hips for stability as Domm thrusts into me, deep.
Pleasure swirls through me—physical, and emotional. I’m filled by both males, giving and receiving, trusting them to care for me, even as they dominate my body.
Domm picks up his pace, and I can’t focus on a rhythm for Lanz, so he holds my ears and thrusts into my mouth. I hollow out my cheeks, suck hard as Domm pounds me from behind.
“I’m going to come,” Lanz warns.
I dig my nails into his ass and suck harder until he releases down my throat, streams of his hot, iridescent cum.
The moment Lanz pulls out, I drop to my hands and spread my knees wide.
“That’s it, little warrior,” Domm encourages. “Take me deep.”
I moan, need tightly coiled, ready to burst.
Lanz crouches and plays with my nipples, squeezing and pinching them until I scream for release.
“Come, Mirelle,” Domm shouts as he slams into me once, two times, three. He comes. I come.
My screams rise up over his roar and we both shudder and squeeze with our release.
And then I’m up, carried to the hoverdisk by both males, laid out and stroked, petted, praised until my eyes close and I slip into dreams of flying.
Chapter 15
Mirelle
I just get out of the washtube when my cuffs begin to blink blue. I smile, my body reacting immediately, knowing my mates are on their way. They must be within a few miles, and it will be only minutes before they enter the home.
“Good planet rotation?” Domm asks, stepping through the door with Lanz.
I jump up and leap into Lanz’ arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him, making him laugh and stumble.
“Yes!” I’m so eager to tell him about my planet rotation that the words rush out. “I updated the comm units and Mykl said they’re twenty percent more effective in range now. And the training class is fantastic. The Zandians actually listen to me now and I taught the class my twist kick. You know.” I bite his neck. “The one I used to drop you that first time we met.”
“Oof,” he grunts, but his arms go around me, too, and his hands find my ass. “Missed you. And I let you drop me.”
“You did not. Please.” I lean in and close my lips around his horn. “I’ll get you to admit the truth.”
He slides me down his body. “I’ll admit anything you want. But let me clean up first. I’m full of dirt.”
“I like you dirty.” I bite his neck.
He growls. “I know you do.” He scoops me up and hands me to Domm. “Occupy her, please, while I get ready. She’s clearly insatiable.” But his fond smile and the hunger in his eyes tell me he’s just as ready for playtime.
When night falls, the three of us go to the roof of the domicile, which is fitted with a hoverbench, to look at the stars.
I snuggle between the two of them, our bodies intertwining comfortably.
“Will you tell us what you meant, the time we talked about predators on Jesel?” Lanz squeezes my hand.
For some reason, the words are not locked as deeply as usual. “Human males can be just as vicious and predatory as any Ocretion.” I look straight out at the sky. “You can guess what happens if sexually deprived males, ones who’ve learned nothing from their slave masters but violence and cruelty, have access to a young female.” I take a deep breath. “I was…attacked. He did what he wanted. I didn’t like it.” My eyes burn. “After that, I got stronger. Nobody ever hurt me again.”
“I would kill him for you.” Lanz growls and squeezes my hand so hard it hurts.
“I killed him myself.”
“Of course you did.” Domm sounds proud.
I hesitate. “And anyway, the ones who are dangerous now are on Jesel. With human women. And my father.” I hold my breath. I’ve never before told them, or anyone, what Jesel means to me. I guess I’m afraid that if I tell them my heart, and still don’t get permission to go back there, it will kill me all over again.
They both go still.
* * *
Lanz
Her father’s on Jesel. Her family. All this time I’ve harbored this dread she will return there—leave and never come back, and this little nugget she’s been holding back confir
ms my fear.
I can’t lose Mirelle—I can’t. Not after losing everyone I knew and loved as a child.
“Do you remember your father?” she asks, her melodic voice low. “Or your mother?”
“I barely remember my parents.” Domm answers first. “We were both evacuated as young when Zandia was under attack by the Finn. We were raised on a pod in Ocretion airspace, in a small group of Zandians, who all looked out for the communal young.”
“That’s probably why the two of us”—I lift my hand from her leg to gesture to myself and Domm—“are so close. We’re brothers where it counts.” I tap his chest. “Family can be made.” I say it too loud, like I can make her believe it. Make her forget her real family and keep us.
It’s not fair. It’s wrong. And I know I’m a selfish asshole for wanting to keep her here, away from her father. But I can’t let her go. We can’t let her go.
“It’s so dark at night. I feel like I could touch the stars.” She reaches up, her small fingers pale against the inky black of the sky. Then the warrior returns. “I have touched them. Lots of them.” She turns to me. “When will you let me fly again? Or take me to Jesel yourselves?”
My chest crowds with stones—blocks moving and jockeying for position. The desire to please my mate—to make her happy, at war with my selfish need to keep her. To want her safe.
I look away. “Mirelle, let’s not do this.”
“When?” she persists.
I stiffen. “When the time is right.” It’s an excrement answer, but I don’t have a better one. Hell, if I knew how to do this for her and still believe she’d come back to us, I’d do it in a heartbeat, orders from my superiors be damned.
“But when will that be?” Frustration clouds her voice. “In a week? A solar cycle? Ten?” She raises her wrists, which still bear the cuffs. “When will you take these off?”
I wince.
“When you prove you’re one of us.” Domm touches her neck. “When we trust you.”
