He leaned in a little, and it brought his face very near her own. She slid her other hand up his chest to his broad shoulder, getting a better grip on him.
Then she went for his mouth.
Roth’s lips were softer than they appeared to be when she brushed his mouth with her own. He gasped, parting his lips. She took advantage by deepening the kiss. Her tongue met his, and he stilled, but that didn’t deter her. Maybe he’d never been French kissed before. She was willing to teach him.
Vera started to explore his mouth. He had fangs but they didn’t feel sharp.
He suddenly pulled back, and she opened her eyes, gazing up at him.
“Vera.” His voice came out gruff and soft. “What are you doing?”
“Kissing you.” She tugged on him. “Give me your mouth again.”
A low groan came from him. “No, Vera. You are drugged and will regret this later.”
“I won’t.”
“You will. Release me.” He tried to twist his head to get her to let go of the back of his neck.
She ducked her chin, her face closer to his chest, which gave her an idea. She licked her lips and went for one of his nipples.
Her tongue licked at the flat disk, and it beaded. She wrapped her mouth around his nipple and sucked, gently using her teeth to nip him.
A deep growl came from Roth, and his hands suddenly gripped her hips and ass. He gave her a squeeze, but it didn’t hurt; instead it encouraged her. She sucked on him a little harder, lightly raking that beaded tip of his nipple with her lower teeth. He tasted good, and she loved how he smelled. Fresh soap, clean, and all masculine. She even liked how the velvety texture of his chest felt against her chin as her mouth worked him.
“Vera,” he groaned. “Stop.”
She hooked her heels around the backs of his legs to keep him from moving away when he tried. She released his shoulder and quickly slid her hand between them, to the front of his pants. The scrubs had an elastic waist, and it was easy for her to slip her fingers between his hot skin and the material. She wanted to find out exactly what he was like at the groin—
Roth released her hips and grabbed both of her wrists. His hands were as strong as steel bands as he forced her arms away from him, and he pressed his chest against her face until she lost her balance, falling back on the bed, forcing her to release his nipple.
She opened her eyes to find him leaning over her.
“No, Vera. No!”
He looked and sounded angry. “You don’t want me?” She hated that her eyes started to tear up, but she couldn’t help it.
Roth suddenly leaned closer, his body wedged tightly between her thighs, pushing them farther apart to make room for his hips. She felt something hard press against her sex.
His golden eyes narrowed. “You are still drugged, Vera. You are not thinking rationally. You would regret this.”
“No, I won’t. I want you. You’re mine. I’m keeping you.”
He closed his eyes and turned his head, taking deep breathes. Then he lifted his upper body a few inches away from her. Her gaze ran down his chest, lower to his stomach, and she saw a thick bulge tenting the front of the scrubs he wore. His hold on her wrists eased enough that she was able to jerk them free.
She immediately reached for his shoulders to pull him closer.
Roth’s eyes snapped open the second she touched him. He grabbed her wrists again and pinned them on the bed. “No, Vera.” Then he jerked his hips away from her before releasing her hands. He slowly backed away from the bed.
She sat up, staring at the front of his pants. There was no missing the outline of that bulge. He had a human-looking cock. A big one, from the shape and size of it.
He spun and quickly fled toward the bathroom. “Stay in bed,” he ordered. “Give me a minute to recover.”
She felt tears spill over her eyelashes and down her cheeks. Roth didn’t close the bathroom door, but he stepped out of her sight. She looked down her body. The hospital gown had ridden up, exposing her lower half. She felt embarrassed—and worse, like a huge idiot.
Roth had been super kind to her, and she’d just thrown herself at him. He was a muscled alien fighter. She was a scrawny drone operator. Plus, she’d acted insane on the drugs and he’d seen her at her worst.
And she’d repaid him for all he’d done by hitting on him.
Vera tugged the gown down to cover her lap and squeezed her thighs together, before hugging her chest to hide the fact that her nipples were poking at the thin material covering them. Water came on in the bathroom, probably the sink. She wondered if he regretted ever meeting her.
The water turned off in the other room. She tucked her chin to her chest and refused to look at Roth, despite hearing him come closer.
“Are you better, Vera?”
“I’m so sorry.”
He moved behind her and gently patted her back. “None of this is your fault. The drugs are still in your system. Try to get some rest. I’m right here.”
The door to her room creaked open. “I brought you food, Mr. Roth.”
He stopped patting her back and Vera lay on her side, scrambling to cover her body with a blanket. She dared to glance over just as Roth took a large tray from the nurse, before she departed. He walked over to a counter along the far wall to put it down.
“Would you like some of this food, Vera?” His tone sounded somber. “They sent me three plates.”
“No. I’m going to rest. You’re right. I should get some sleep.”
“I’ll be here with you. I won’t leave.”
That just made her feel worse. Even after she’d thrown herself at him, Roth was staying. Taking care of her. She’d be very uncomfortable if some guy she wasn’t attracted to had physically hit on her, the way she’d just done to him. Roth was clearly too nice to abandon her. She wiped at her tears, feeling miserable.
Roth ate. She could hear him since the room was so quiet. When he was finished, he came back over and gently rubbed her back again.
“Vera, you are in distress. Please don’t be.”
She wanted to open her eyes and look at him, but she couldn’t. It would made her sob if she saw pity on his features. “I’m sorry for what I did. You’ve been so great to me.”
“You’re still suffering instability from the drug. None of that is your fault. I should have put a shirt back on after my shower. I’m aware that nudity to humans seems to translate into sex. My bared chest confused you. There is nothing to be distressed about. I am your friend.”
Ouch. She managed not to flinch away from his big hand rubbing her back. She didn’t want to be his friend. Roth was a keeper. Why couldn’t he be one of the aliens who mistakes a smile for a marriage proposal? She really had heard about that happening on some space station. That story had stuck with her. It’s why she always avoided even glancing at aliens when she happened to visit a station. Not that she’d been on many stations.
Roth wasn’t one of those aliens looking for a wife, though. Even if he was, she wouldn’t be his type.
The door creaked again. “It’s time for another blood draw. Miss Wade, I need you to lie flat on your back so the bed can do that.”
Roth pulled his hand away from her. She kept her eyes closed and rolled from her side onto her back, straightening her body. In seconds, something jabbed her ass. She gritted her teeth but didn’t protest.
“Thank you. Doctor Kane will do rounds in about an hour. She’ll give you an update on your condition. Is there anything else either of you need?”
Vera turned her head in the direction of the nurse’s voice and opened her eyes. “No thank you.”
The woman smiled, then turned toward Roth.
“We are fine,” he quietly stated.
The nurse left, keeping the door cracked open behind her.
Vera took a deep breath and tried to get her shit together as she forced herself to look at Roth. She licked her lips when their gazes met. He’d put on a shirt. It was probably so she
wouldn’t hit on him again.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I can’t say it enough. You’ve been my rock since you rescued me from the pods. I owe you so much that I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you. I’ll think of a way though. That being said, I’ve taken up enough of your time. You should go, Roth. I’m sure it’s been difficult putting your life on hold for me. I’m okay to be on my own now.”
He stepped closer to the bed. “You’re still suffering from the drug.”
“I’m not as crazy as I was. You’ve stayed with me long enough, and I owe you everything for that. I’ll be fine on my own. Please, Roth. Return to your life. You’ve truly been my hero, and I appreciate you.”
He scowled. “I would feel better staying.”
She fought back tears, wanting the same thing. He wasn’t interested in her, though, and never would be. She was very obviously getting too attached to him. “Roth, you really should go. Please. I’ll be fine. You have a life to live. I’m going to sleep now. Thank you…and goodbye.”
She rolled back onto her side and closed her eyes, pulling the blanket up to hide her face. Tears slipped out of her eyes but she tried not to make a sound.
“Vera…” His tone was husky and soft.
“I just think it’s best if you go now. Thank you.”
Long moments passed, but then she heard him sigh. “Have the humans call me if you need anything, Vera.”
“I will.”
The door creaked, and when she finally dared to peek…he was gone.
She let the sobs come then.
Chapter Eight
Vera had chosen to sit in a shadowy booth inside one of the fleet bars, waiting for a glass of wine and the appetizer platter she’d ordered. Her seating choice would hopefully dissuade anyone from wanting to talk to her.
She needed to try to figure out what her next step would be.
She had been released from medical the evening before and assigned to a guest cabin. The drug had completely left her system. The doctors said she just needed rest, plenty of food to regain the weight she’d lost, and they were confident she’d suffer no long-lasting damage.
At least to her body. Her mind was another matter. She was the sole survivor of her team. Dr. Kane had subtly recommended seeking therapy.
Vera figured she would do that at some point. The more she thought about what had happened on Biter, the guiltier she felt. Now that she knew how they’d been drugged inside the pods, there was no denying that she’d made things worse once she’d taken control of the security room. It had been Vera who’d raised the temperature in the pods to make it warmer. That meant she—and who knew how many others—had stopped wearing layers of clothing that had protected their skin.
“Fuck,” she muttered. “I didn’t know. Hindsight is perfect.”
Shaking her head, she focused back on her task.
A visitor coordinator on Defcon Red had set her up with some clothing and other necessities. The borrowed personal data device the fleet had provided her with held messages when she’d logged into her communications account. One caught her eye immediately. She tapped on the message, hoping the work protection agency had good news. She paid fees to them to represent her if anything went wrong on a job.
And it really had.
The first few lines were the typical crap they always said, assuring her that they appreciated her business. She kept reading—and anger flared. New Worlds planned to hold her pay wages until after the investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing.
She hadn’t been the one who’d sabotaged the pods, drugging everyone!
The agency representative assured her that was normal procedure, and they had faith she’d be cleared. All medical leave would be paid for if she still needed treatments beyond the length of one year. That was good to know. She was also assured that they were getting copies of her medical records, which they’d use to go after New Worlds for additional monies if they were found to be at fault.
New Worlds would also have to immediately reimburse her for any and all costs while she was a guest of the fleet, until they could arrange travel for her to be taken back home to Earth.
There was a thump of something being set down on her table.
“Thanks,” she mumbled without looking up. She blindly reached out, but her hand bumped into a thick mug instead of a wine glass.
She lifted her head. A beer had been placed in front of her. The server had also forgotten her food.
“Hey!”
The guy at the table nearest her booth turned his head, staring at her.
Vera forced a smile. “Sorry. Not you. My server brought me the wrong drink.”
He glanced at the beer. “You don’t want it?”
“I can’t stand the stuff.”
“Do you mind if I have it?”
“Go for it.” Vera motioned for him to take it.
“Thank you.” He leaned over and grabbed the beer, taking a sip.
Even if the bar billed her for it, Vera didn’t care. New Worlds would be paying.
The server didn’t come back right away with her food so she could tell them of the mistake. She sighed, returning to reading what the representative had to say.
New Worlds had sent a shuttle to connect with Defcon Red, to retrieve her. A few company representatives visiting a nearby space station would be her ride back to Earth. They would arrive within a few days.
“Great,” she muttered. “I get to fly with corporate interrogators looking to pin the blame on anyone but themselves.”
She finished reading the rest of the communication and then began to scan her other messages. Another caught her eye.
“God. What now?” She hesitated before tapping on the message.
It turned out to be a vid. Her flesh-and-blood biological father, not the hallucination, glared at her.
“You need to contact your building security. They’ve refused me entry into your apartment. I know you’re gone, and you’re not using it. I need a place to stay. I only have enough money to sleep in a hotel for a few more days.” He leaned in closer, until his face took up the screen. “Don’t fuck with me, kid. It’s not like I’m asking to live with you. I’ll be gone before you get back. You don’t want me standing in front of your building telling everyone that you left your dear old daddy homeless. I’ll fucking do it. They’ll all think you’re a horrible person. I’ll even―”
Vera ended the vid, since there were a few more minutes left. He’d just make more threats.
She opened a new document and tapped out a message to the management of her apartment building, asking them to have him arrested if he came back. He did not have her permission to be there.
She hit send and slammed the pad down. It looked like the last thing she needed was about to happen anyway. She’d have to move again.
Where was her food and wine? She really needed a drink.
Vera slid to the end of the booth to wave her server down but before she could, the man at the nearby table suddenly slumped sideways in his seat. Then he hit the floor and flailed, grabbing at his upper chest.
She was stunned, but she recovered quickly, jumping out of her seat. “Help! I think he’s having a heart attack!”
The man in the next booth shoved off his bench, bumping into her, and she watched as he crouched next to the fallen customer. More fleet people rushed over. One of them dragged the table and chairs away to make more room. She sat down again in her booth, hoping they would be able to help the poor man.
“Coming through,” a woman yelled. “Clear a path.”
Vera recognized the dark blue uniform and patches the woman wore, identifying her as someone who must work in the Med Bay. She had a kit with her.
The poor man on the floor began to convulse, still clutching his chest, and she got a glimpse of his face…his sickly pallor. His eyes were bulging wide and his mouth hung open.
She scooted deeper into the booth as more medical people arrived, shoving patrons
back. Three people worked on the man on the floor. She felt guilty for watching, but one glance proved there was no way to get out of the restaurant, since security had arrived, blocking the exit.
“I’m reading Claraseen,” a woman in the pile on the floor called out. “Give him―”
Vera didn’t hear more, since there was a lot of shouting as additional medical and security people rushed to the scene. Some of them moved to block her booth completely. She was kind of glad to not see that scene anymore.
Minutes passed before they were rushing the poor man away on one of those mobile hover gurneys, and people cleared the area around her booth. She decided she just wanted to go back to the guest cabin she’d been assigned. Her appetite was gone, especially since she didn’t know if she’d just witnessed another person die.
She grabbed the borrowed data device and slid out of the booth.
Four security guards stood by the exit door. She gave them a nod and tried to step around them. The one closest to her moved and blocked the exit. “Everyone is sequestered. Please return to the exact seat you were at.”
She frowned. “Why?”
He was in his forties, bald, and his dark brown gaze narrowed. “A fleet member was poisoned.”
Her mouth fell open.
“Return to your seat. Investigators are on their way.”
She turned and walked slowly back to the booth, retaking her seat. Other people in booths and sitting at tables within her view appeared as shellshocked as she felt. She’d always heard fleet ships were safe. A poisoning was something she expected to witness on a space station. Those bars were rumored to be deadly.
Her wine and food never got served. The patrons in the bar began to grow restless. Vera turned on her borrowed device and decided to keep reading her messages to pass the time. It would probably take a few hours before they released everyone.
None of her friends had heard about the tragic incident with her team yet. Her representative had asked her to keep quiet until the investigation ended. That was fine. She wasn’t ready to talk about what had happened.
Her mind wandered to Roth, as it often had since she’d last seen him. A fresh flood of embarrassment hit. He’d been her lifeline during the worst experience of her existence, and she’d repaid him by molesting his body. There was no way she could ever apologize enough, let alone face him. Not that she figured they’d ever see each other again. He’d be avoiding her at all costs while she remained a guest on his ship.
Mission: Planet Biter (Veslor Mates Book 4) Page 9
