by A. G. Wilde
She had no idea what he meant with those words.
He must have seen the question in her eyes because he continued.
“She killed the engines,” he repeated. “We are…drifting.”
The way he said it, made it sound incredibly bad.
Drifting in space for a few moments could work in their advantage, right.
It meant they were no longer blasting away from Hudo III. The trip back should be shorter.
But the look he was giving her didn’t spark any confidence within her.
Instead, there was a fear that was steadily growing along her spine and she was sure something bad was about to happen.
A surety that only grew as Ka’Cit, for the first time since she’d been around him that evening, lost that unbothered look he usually had.
He was crouching now, his shoulders tense and his entire frame alert.
“I’m sorry, ta’ii.”
16
“Wait here.”
He studied Nee-ya as he crouched once more.
Worry shone in her eyes but she nodded.
He was hesitant to leave, lest she start hyperventilating again, but he had to check something.
When her breathing didn’t start acting up, Ka’Cit turned and crawled back through the tunnel. He’d left her the light because, well, he didn’t really need it to see where he was going and he knew it would give her some comfort while she waited alone.
As he made it back through the darkness, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed—not at Herza for cutting the engine in the middle of the void, but at himself for not seeing it coming.
Most merchants were cheap, trying to wheedle their way through jobs and bargains while saving as many credits on each transport run as possible.
Herza was no different.
The most frugal merchants often cut their engines while in the void, usually so they could save on credits by purchasing fuel from passing smuggler ships.
Such fuel was usually half the price of what they’d get it for on any surface and for good reason.
The quality was hit or miss.
As he reached the opening where the tunnel met the ladder, Ka’Cit glanced behind him.
The light he’d left in the nook didn’t spread very far and the tunnel was masked in darkness.
With the engines off, it would start to get cold, very cold, and he didn’t have the heart to tell Nee-ya.
This trip up the ladder was only to check if he could get them out of their hiding spot safely…and he hoped…he really hoped he could.
But as soon as he climbed up the ladder and reached the top, he could hear the steady footfalls above.
Light leaked through the cracks above him, telling him that the crew was still busy. Herza had them working hard. Either that, or they were still looking for Nee-ya.
Possibly, they even found the Niftrill he’d tied up and locked in the supply closet.
They’d know he was on the ship too then…
Phek.
This situation was only getting worse.
As he headed back toward the nook, he wondered how he was going to break the news to the small female waiting for him there.
How could he say that they were drifting and that was cause to be alarmed?
That with the engines off, the cold would set in soon and the underbelly of the ship was the worst place to be when that happened…
That there wasn’t a way for them to go above. That they had to wait longer…
That she was going to be so cold it would hurt…
Phek. Him.
The warm glow of the light disk greeted him first then Nee-ya lifted her head.
Her eyes were wide and expectant and it only worsened the feeling in his chest.
Ka’Cit ran a hand through his hair as he crouched before her.
She studied him and glanced back toward the darkness of the tunnel.
“We can’t go…not yet. It’s too dangerous for you.” He answered her unasked question.
“Den weel wayt.” She gave him an encouraging half-smile. “Noh prohblehm.”
Ka’Cit released a heavy breath.
She had no idea.
He was already beginning to feel the cold creeping in.
In the void, it always surprised him how quickly the cold ate through any warmth.
Reaching for her cloak, he adjusted it on her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head. She tensed a little as she watched him do it.
“It’s going to get cold.”
Nee-ya nodded. “Oh-kay.”
“Very cold.”
She nodded again. She didn’t seem as concerned as she should be.
What he was trying to tell her was that it was going to get unbearably cold.
He watched as she further adjusted her cloak and pulled up her legs underneath her.
“Ai gess wee wayt.”
Ka’Cit blinked.
Either she was ignorant of just how dire their situation was…or she was putting on a courageous front.
But…he already knew she was brave, so there had to be another explanation.
She trusted him.
As the thought crossed his mind, her gaze met his and the proof was in her eyes. He didn’t see fear.
He didn’t see panic.
She did trust him, and somehow that made him…
Terrified.
17
Fuck, Ka’Cit hadn’t been kidding when he’d said it was going to get cold.
Nia breathed hot air onto her fingers and even though they were firmly within her cloak, they still felt like sticks of ice attached to her hand.
Maybe if she still had Riv’s face covering it would have helped keep at least her face warm, but she couldn’t find it anywhere.
It seemed she’d lost it in the confusion to escape.
She glanced at the alien beside her.
He was watching her intently and she was happy he hadn’t put his mask back on.
He seemed more “human” without it—more relatable.
“C-cold. Really cold.” She tried to breathe on her hands again but her breath only evaporated into a cloud before her.
“Goddamn, even my nipples are hurting.” She glanced at him, her eyes wide at the slip of her lips but his expression didn’t change. Thank God he couldn’t understand her.
“You’re freezing.” His deep voice seemed to cut through the icy air.
“A little.” She smiled.
Just then, the light disk that had been bathing the little nook in a warm glow dimmed then cut out completely.
“Phekking qrak.” His mutter would have made her chuckle if she wasn’t so cold.
“I don’t have another one.”
“It’s oh-k-kay.” Was she reassuring him or herself? For with the light gone, the cold seemed to embrace the darkness and the chill in the nook increased.
She tried blowing on her hands again and she didn’t know why she even bothered, as if the third time would be the charm or something.
“I will keep you warm,” he suddenly said and she could hear him moving.
There were some shuffling sounds and she squinted but she couldn’t see in the darkness.
“H-how will you keep me warm? Aren’t you as cold as I am?” Granted, she had noticed that the cold didn’t seem to affect him as much as it did her.
When it was hot, he hadn’t been affected either.
It must be all that muscle he was hiding underneath his clothes or something, for her bones felt utterly unprotected against the penetrating cold.
She felt him move behind her and she had to scoot forward a little as he sat.
“Wha—”
Suddenly she was being pulled backward against his chest.
A nice warmth spread across her back immediately.
“You don’t h-have to. I…”
But she couldn’t deny that it felt good.
He was warm, like he radiated heat, and she found herself leaning backward.
Hi
s arms came around her and Nia stiffened a little before relaxing.
Back on Earth, she wouldn’t have done shit like this. She’d have pushed the guy away and assumed he was out for his own gain.
But Ka’Cit seemed genuinely concerned about her.
He wasn’t trying to land in her bed or tickle her between her legs.
“Thanks. This is really kind of you.”
His arms tightened around her some more, tucking the cloak around her so she was in a little encased ball as he pulled her closer.
He grunted but didn’t say anything and for the next few minutes, every little movement she made seemed to cause his breathing to hitch a little.
“Are you okay?” She tilted her head to look up at him and it was evident just how bright that little disk he’d set up had been. She could barely make out his face, even though her eyes had adjusted to the darkness.
She saw his eyes though. They were startling green in the dark, and they were focused on her.
“It must be uncomfortable for you. I should get off you, shouldn’t I?”
She tried to move but his arms only tightened.
“Stay,” he growled, then his voice softened a little. “Don’t move.”
“I’m not making you uncomfortable?” Why was she speaking to him as if he could understand her? Maybe because it felt that way. Even though he didn’t understand a word that she said, it didn’t feel as if she was speaking to a wall.
“It’s no trouble. You’ve warmed me up a bit. I could let you move and get comfortable and I could lean back against the wall like I was doing before.” She reached out toward him and braced on his chest as she tried to stand.
That’s when her hand hit firm muscle…directly.
Nia paused and this time, her breath hitched in her throat.
Something screamed in her head that she shouldn’t move her hand but it suddenly felt remote controlled because it moved on its own.
Her fingers brushed over his skin and her breathing picked up a little as they traced the muscles embedded in his chest.
Nia’s throat went dry and it wasn’t because the cold was sucking the moisture from the air.
He’d taken off his tunic.
Her other hand fell on his thigh and she paused.
Bare flesh met her fingertips once more.
She should stop.
Don’t move your hand.
DON’T MOVE YOUR HAND.
But her hand moved a little upward along his leg.
What’s worse, he wasn’t stopping her, and now that she’d started, curiosity wouldn’t allow her to stop either.
He wasn’t even moving and when her fingers travelled up his thigh to reach that V at the juncture of his hips, her hand finally flew away from his body.
“Ka’Cit…” Nia licked her lips. “Why are you naked?”
And why wasn’t she hopping off him now that she’d realized that fact?
He made a sound in his throat but didn’t answer.
“You’re naked,” she whispered again.
“I had to remove my garments. It was the best way to stop you from freezing.”
Well, if that wasn’t a completely innocent and good answer…
So why was there a slight sizzle in her panties?
“My heat won’t transfer to you with my garments on. Don’t worry. You don’t have to remove yours.”
Nia cleared her throat.
Once again, it felt like she’d found herself in an unexpected and strange situation. Though, she didn’t really mind this one—a fact she should ponder later.
When she didn’t move away, his arms closed around her once more as he pulled her back toward him.
“You are safe with me, ta’ii.”
Nia gulped as she settled back against him trying her best not to focus on the rippling muscles she could now feel in great detail especially since she knew they were right there.
If she thought about it, his cock was right against her ass too…
Deep breath. Deep breath.
This wasn’t a human male. Aliens had different views on nakedness.
Still, the thought that his cock was right there.
Nia tried not to squirm.
Now that she thought about it, there was something hard against her ass.
Her heart thudded against her ribcage and her eyes widened in the darkness.
Completely natural, Nia.
It was completely natural.
Men got hard even when they weren’t horny. Even alien men.
She could either accept his help or jump off his lap and go freeze in the corner and when she put it like that, the choice was obvious.
All she had to do was not think about the very thick hard thing she was feeling against her.
But telling herself not to think about something only produced the opposite reaction.
Newton’s third law.
The hard, cylindrical thing twitched and had her breathing pattern changing a little.
Fuck.
Just how big was he?
He was a large guy…if he was proportional down there…
Dear God.
Just then, it twitched again.
Fuck her.
Not literally…
Or maybe literally…
Shit.
This wasn’t going to be easy.
Ka’Cit let out a breath as he glanced at his sat-watch.
He wasn’t going to be able to do the job he’d been hired to do.
There was no way he was going to find that Niftrill, get what he needed, and escape the ship on time without putting Nee-ya in danger.
He’d have to cancel and relay the bad news to his contact.
It would be a surprise. He always completed his jobs, but this time it wasn’t something he had any power over.
Plus phek him if he wasn’t an idiot.
His ears perked as he felt Nee-ya’s body rise and fall with the rhythm of sleep.
He bit down hard on his bottom lip, his fangs sinking into his skin and he tasted blood.
She’d almost realized his situation and he didn’t know how he would have survived the embarrassment.
His cock was so hard now, it was painful.
When she’d found out he was unclothed and she’d touched him, ran her fingers up along his leg, his tail had gone bone straight and his cock too.
It pulsed between his legs now, so hot it could melt the cold around them.
Heck, it was probably the major source of warmth in the room, and for that reason alone, maybe it was useful.
If he’d known he’d be able to feel her soft body through the cloak that she wore, though, he might have considered finding another way to keep her warm.
His cock twitched and strained upward again, demanding that he take something that wasn’t his. Something that could never be his in the damaged state that he was.
This wasn’t the sort of torture he would willingly put himself in.
This was the sort of torture that was going to leave him aching for days.
As he listened to her sleep, felt her body rise and fall in his arms, he knew he was taking liberties here that he shouldn’t.
These were things a mate did and a life of love and family…a gnora…had never been in the books for him from the moment he was born.
Raising his hand, he brushed his palm over his face just to remind himself of how broken, how unsuitable he was, and it dulled the ache in his groin just a little.
With a sigh, his head fell and his nose brushed against Nee-ya’s hair.
He couldn’t resist, he leaned in a little closer.
It was soft against his skin and tickled a little.
She felt so good against him…so perfect, like she was made to fit in his arms.
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
A few hours ago, he’d been living his usual life, tracking a Niftrill for a job.
Now he was in the underbelly of a ship, naked, a human in his arms, and he was
questioning his purpose in life.
Being around her in such close confinement was only highlighting one thing.
They could hardly communicate, but the few bits of understanding that passed between them made him feel…happy. It was the sort of feeling that told him that if he allowed it, they could become friends…maybe even more than friends.
Phek.
As he buried his nose a little farther into her hair, Nee-ya moaned a little and adjusted herself on him.
Ka’Cit squeezed his eyes shut, the throbbing in his cock becoming almost unbearable.
He couldn’t lie to himself.
He wasn’t doing this because he was being charitable.
This wasn’t because he was lonely.
This was because he liked the little human…and it seemed, he liked her a little too much.
His friends had human mates. He knew it was possible.
But who was he to wish for such a thing?
A mate.
Maybe even a human one?
But he wasn’t a human male. He was hardly even Merssi.
Such was his curse.
Such was his life.
He was used to it.
No hard feelings.
Yet, there was something, an ache that developed in his chest at the thought.
An ache he couldn’t ignore.
But he had to ignore it.
He had nothing to offer a female.
Nothing.
18
A deep voice tickled her ear.
“Nee-ya. It is time.”
“Hmm?” Nia blinked her eyes open.
Had she fallen asleep?
Really?
In a situation like this?
Wide eyes turned to look at the alien who was still holding her and his green gaze met hers in the darkness.
“Shit. I fell asleep?” She shot him an apologetic look she wasn’t sure he could see. “Sorry. I can’t believe…”
As she tried to ease up off him, his arms loosened from around her, and soon she was crouching in the small space, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
She could hear rustling around her and then she remembered he was naked. He was probably putting his clothes back on.
Oh.
Nia looked away even though she couldn’t see anything but memory of what she’d felt came back to her.
