Hunted

by Grace Goodwin

  I leaned back in my chair. “As a mated male, what would you do if you were me?”

  He studied me closely before raising his wrist comm to his mouth. “Security code Nial, Prillon Prime…” He rattled off a string of Prillon code words and phrases before some kind of computer system answered his call.

  “This is the Central Core, Prime Nial. How may I be of assistance?”

  He looked at me. “Last chance to change your mind.”

  “Not happening. She’s mine.”

  He was grinning as he spoke. “Elite Hunter Quinn of the planet Everis is hereby enlisted as lieutenant in the Coalition Fleet and shall serve in that capacity until further notice. His security level clearance is to be matched to that of Vice Admiral Niobe of the Coalition Academy on Zioria. He is assigned to her personal security detail until further notice and reports only to the vice admiral or myself.”

  No lowly officer to order me about as I’d originally assumed.

  “Understood, Prime Nial. The lieutenant will be contacted at once to set up clearance codes and access to Coalition assets. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

  “No, that will be all.”

  “Yes, Prime. Have a good evening, sir.”

  His comm went dead and less than a second later, my wrist comm pinged. I glanced down, shocked to see the access codes and links to my new position in the Coalition Fleet already in my comm system. I was a lieutenant now. I would go where my mate went. Protect her. Forever.

  “You will owe me a favor, Elite Hunter Quinn. An off-the-record favor.”

  I nodded. “Anything you need, just ask.”

  Satisfied, he slapped his hands on his huge knees just as a loud bang sounded on the door. “Nial? What is going on in there?”

  Ander. It had to be, and he sounded less than pleased. And then I heard the female voice, and the scent of a human female, so similar to Niobe’s, came to my attention. I’d been so focused on my discussion with Prime Nial that I’d been ignoring my surroundings, counting on the closed door to keep out the rest of the world.

  “Nial? Are you all right? Who’s here? I want to meet him.” The female laughed, the sound bringing a soft smile to the Prime’s face as she continued. “Whoever he is, he’s a badass. He took down the entire perimeter guard on the north side of the house and both guards outside the kitchen.”

  The door opened and there stood the ugliest Prillon warrior I’d ever seen, a huge scar marring more than half of his face and neck. His size, even for a Prillon, was impressive. He was larger than Prime Nial, and his mate’s hand rested on his arm with a tender familiarity I missed. I followed that feminine hand to see a gorgeous female stood next to him. She had long silken hair and a mischievous sparkle in her eyes I had become all too familiar with the last few days.

  Earth, apparently, had a healthy supply of feisty, independent females.

  I remained seated as she entered, sure the position would put both of her overly protective mates more at ease. As she approached, Nial leaned back in his chair, signaling his second that I was not a threat.

  Not that their lovely mate gave the possibility a second thought as she came close and perched on the arm of Nial’s chair to look me over.

  I grinned at her. I couldn’t help it. She reminded me of my mate, of Niobe, with her sass and obvious confidence. “Lady Deston, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Oh, and you are handsome, too.”

  Ander growled. Nial chuckled. “Jessica, taunt Ander any further with your appreciation for this Hunter—lieutenant now—and he may spank your ass later to remind you who you belong to.”

  She smiled at her scarred mate where he hovered near me, keeping me within arm’s reach… just in case. Him, I understood. Lady Deston, however, was completely unrepentant as she focused her attention on me. “So, who are you and why are you here? Nothing this exciting has happened in ages.” She glanced at Ander, then back to me. “How many warriors did you take out?”

  “Nine.”

  “Nice.” She looked over her shoulder and down at her primary mate, the leader of the entire Coalition, the military commander in charge of the entire war effort. “You need to work on security around here, I guess.” She chuckled. “He took down Hart and Tarzan.”

  “His name is Torzon.”

  “Whatever. He totally needs to change it. He’s got Tarzan vibes all over the place.”

  Who the fuck was Tarzan, and why was Lady Deston acting so strangely? As if she knew me well, as if I were part of her inner circle. Trusted.

  “Mate.” The Prime’s warning fell on deaf ears and I assumed it was the loving glide of his hand up and down her back that encouraged her to ignore his rumbled warning. I also realized that her treatment of me would change drastically if her mates were not present to keep her safe. She treated me as a friend because she was safe to do so.

  And Ander’s massive hulk standing so close reminded me of that fact every time I dared adjust in the chair.

  Lady Deston looked to me. “Well? Who are you? Why are you here? I want details.”

  “I am Lieutenant Quinn of the Coalition Fleet, personal attaché to Vice Admiral Niobe.”

  “Oh, she’s a hard case. I like her. She reminds me of Warden Egara on Earth.”

  “Who?” I had no idea who this Warden Egara might be, but if she was anything like my Niobe, she had to be an amazing, desirable female.

  “Never mind. So, Lieutenant, why did you sneak in here?”

  “Because your mate refused my more polite request for an audience.”

  “So you took out nine guards and ambushed him at home?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  That made her smile widen with understanding. “Let me guess, this is about your mate.”

  When I nodded, she leaned into Nial’s touch. “All you alpha males are so predictable. So, who is the lucky lady?”

  I wasn’t sure she was lucky in her fate to be stuck with me, but she would be loved. Protected. “Vice Admiral Niobe.”

  She froze. “Oh my god. Yes! Finally. I have to call her.” She leaped up from her perch and moved to me, leaned down, kissed me on the cheek. Before Ander could protest too much, she moved into his side, cradled there like a treasure… which she was. “I am so excited. I love her. We’ll have to come visit. Right, Nial? We can go to the Academy and visit them soon, right?”

  “Of course, love. Anything to keep you happy.”

  Ander led her away, and I grinned as I watched them go. When I turned to Prime Nial, it was to find him watching me. Understanding passed between us.

  “The vice admiral was raised on Earth,” he said, but I knew what went unsaid. His mate was from Earth. Passionate. Intelligent. Strong-willed.

  “Yes, and her father was an Elite Hunter. She is fast. Strong. Wild.”

  He chuckled. “Go. Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.” He shifted in his seat, his hand going to his cock to adjust it in his pants. “Leave, Hunter. Ander is busy reminding our mate who she belongs to, and I would join them.”

  It was my turn to laugh as I placed the transport beacon back onto my chest and pressed the button that would take me home. Home. To her.

  Niobe.

  14

  Niobe, Coalition Academy, Ziorian Forest

  * * *

  Hunt for me.

  The three word challenge I’d left for my mate should have been delivered to him by now. The transport system had notified me the moment he left Prillon Prime. The moment he’d left the Prime to return to me.

  I knew what he’d done. The Coalition’s core computer system had alerted me to Quinn’s new status as a lieutenant in the Coalition Fleet, to his incredibly high level I.C. clearance, and his status as my personal bodyguard.

  He would answer to me now. Me and Prime Nial. No one else. Which meant he would escort me from now on. Every mission. Every meeting. He’d be by my side, protecting me, keeping me safe. And when the meetings were done?

  Then I�
��d take off this uniform and submit to him. He would be in command.

  The thought made me shiver with anticipation. Need. Somehow, he’d figured out a way to make this work between us without asking me to sacrifice who I was.

  It made me love him more.

  I was several miles from the Academy. Several miles from anyone. I knew I was alone in the forest. I would hear others if they approached. I would smell them. Being with Quinn had encouraged me to embrace the wild side of my nature, the Everian side. And it felt normal. Good.

  That, and I knew no one would dare enter these woods because I’d given strict orders that this section of the forest grounds was forbidden until I gave the all clear.

  Which meant it was off limits until tomorrow, after Quinn and I were finished with the night air, the fresh scent of dirt and leaves and sex.

  Sitting upon a fallen log, I waited. I knew the transport tech would give Quinn my note. Those three words would set off the Hunter in him. Knowing he would come for me set something off in me as well. Arousal.

  I ached for Quinn. Longed for him. But to say our mating had been easy so far was laughable. Did Kira and Angh have this much trouble? Had there been the Hive and intense battles and possessiveness to deal with?

  I was possessive of Quinn. He was mine. The idea of some other female having him, knowing him the way I did—obeying his darkest and naughtiest commands—made my hands clench into fists. I’d pop her in the nose and have her exiled to the outer reaches of the galaxy. I’d send her to a mining asteroid or banish her to Antarctica.

  I laughed, the sound absorbed by the forest around me. I wasn’t worried about Quinn returning safely from any future missions. Okay, I did worry, a little. But I knew he was skilled, that wherever he went, he would be part of a team surrounded by highly trained fighters. Bad things could happen. Hell, I’d found him in a cell half integrated. But perhaps it was because of my rank that I accepted the possibility of something happening to him. I didn’t like the thought, of course, but I accepted it, as Quinn had accepted me and my role in this war.

  I picked at the rough bark on the log with my fingernail. Pulled a piece free and tossed it to the ground in irritation. Sure, he accepted it, but that didn’t mean he liked it. In fact, he hated that I was ever in danger. His protectiveness irked me because it scraped against my very human, very feminist sensibilities when he doubted that I could take care of myself. Did he think I’d made it to vice admiral because of a pretty face or blind luck? Hell no. I could fight. I could strategize. I could command. My responsibilities were the one thing I could not compromise on because it wouldn’t truly be me doing the compromising; it would be the Coalition Fleet and Prime Nial, the cadets and the warriors out on the battleships fighting this war. I was doing my job to protect what I loved. Earth. Everis. Life.

  And Prime Nial was not a Neanderthal. His mate was human, from Earth. And like me, she had a mind of her own, a mind the Prime and his scary second, Ander, respected. Prime Nial couldn’t—wouldn’t—diminish one of his top leaders, male or female, just to please their mate.

  Which meant Quinn had to bend or break. There was no bend in me, not when it came to my job.

  Surely, Quinn didn’t doubt my abilities. He’d witnessed them before he even knew I was his mate. But he was an alpha through and through. It was in his nature, in his very DNA, to be in charge. To control. Protect. Possess. He couldn’t handle the possibility of me being hurt because it would be his fault, his weakness, if anything happened to me. I was his job. Which had left us in a bit of a bind. Until today.

  I plucked up a little yellow flower, began pulling off the petals. He loves me. He loves me not.

  He loves me. I knew it even when he was being so damned stubborn. But going to Prime Nial? Being stripped of his autonomy, accepting a commission and rank in the Coalition Fleet to be with me? That was something I had never expected, nor was it something I would ever have asked of him. He had sacrificed his future and his freedom to be with me. He chose me. He loved me. There was no other explanation.

  And I loved him.

  “Mate.”

  The one word startled me, had me almost falling off the log. There, standing in front of me, arms crossed and looking all big and brawny, was Quinn in his brand new lieutenant’s uniform. The new look caught me by surprise.

  God, I loved a man in uniform.

  I raised my hand to my chest, tried to settle my out-of-control heart.

  “Should I be concerned I was able to get this close to you without notice?”

  I bit my lip to stifle a smile as I looked up at him. The forest was humid, the heat caught beneath the canopy of leaves overhead. It was almost… sultry. Or maybe it was just that my very virile, very hot mate was before me. I knew what was beneath the uniform. All hard muscle, and other hard things.

  He’d come to me. I may have issued the challenge for him to hunt for me, but my mate had found me. Here. Anywhere. And while he came to me, I would now go the few feet to him.

  I stood, tugged up the bottom of my shirt and lifted it over my head as I closed the distance between us. I had my pants undone as I stood before him.

  “I was thinking of you,” I said.

  “Oh? And what were you thinking?” The corner of his mouth tipped up, the only change in his serious demeanor. His stance was still rigid, his chin tipped up.

  “Of what you’ve done.”

  His pale brow winged up. “And what is that?”

  “You gave up your job for me.”

  His gaze softened and I saw something there I’d never seen before, barely dared to hope for. “You are my job, Niobe. My job is you.”

  I sucked in a breath, for he’d said the exact words I’d been thinking.

  It wasn’t all that sexy, but I reached down and tugged off one boot, then the other. When I stood back up, I looked him in the eye. “And like you said, without my uniform, when I’m not vice admiral, I’m yours.” I pushed down my pants, took my panties with them. He watched as I toed them off.

  “That’s right.” He still didn’t move, only tipped his chin farther to inspect me head to toe. “All of it.”

  I was still in my bra. In seconds, I had that off and added to the pile on the soft forest floor.

  I watched as his pupils dilated and his gaze roved over every inch of my body. I remained still. Waited. He was in charge now. God, the feel of him taking over, of shedding all of my responsibilities like I did my uniform, was exhilarating. I could be more than just the vice admiral. I could just be Niobe, or more importantly, Quinn’s mate.

  And what he’d done for me… my heart burst and I could no longer remain still. I needed to run, my entire being bursting with joy.

  Using my Hunter speed, the gift from my father, I raced naked through the forest, moving so quickly the trees were nothing more than a blur.

  He called my name, the sound an agony of arousal. Need.

  Hunger.

  He’d already hunted me down, found me in the forest. Now I challenged him yet again, roused his mating instincts, urged the Elite Hunter within him to track and capture and claim his mate.

  I raced with everything in me, not wanting to be caught too soon, needing to run, to enjoy the thrill of being chased. This was fun. Play, even naked. And as much as I needed Quinn’s strong arms around me, his cock filling me, stretching me wide, I needed this, too. So much.

  As hard and fast as I moved, I sensed him closing in on me, his nearness like a buzz of electricity over my skin. He was toying with me now, letting me stay just out of reach, playing. Teasing. Making me burn.

  His scent filled the forest and I circled around in a wide arc back to my original trail so I could track his scent, breathe him in with the night and the forest and the singing insects. This was who I was now, with him. Only with him. I was as wild as the animals, as free as the wind that blew my hair from my head in long streaks of darkness behind me.

  I felt him seconds before he tackled me, rolling us to
the ground, using his body to break my fall.

  He was naked as well, and I realized he must have taken the time to remove his clothes, that sexy lieutenant’s uniform, to give me a head start.

  I flung myself at him, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

  After a second of being stunned by my enthusiastic welcome, his hands settled on my ass, held me to him and rolled me beneath him in the soft leaves, his cock thrusting inside my wet core as we moved.

  His cock thrust inside me, making me his, making him mine, and he gave over to the kiss, to the need.

  He tasted like… Quinn. Hot, spicy, dangerous. Mine. We were both ravenous. Wild. I didn’t remember lifting my legs and wrapping them around his waist. His cock was pressed deep inside my pussy. I wanted to whimper and buck beneath him, touch my clit, get myself off. It wouldn’t be hard to do, but I resisted. I would let Quinn decide the when and how of my pleasure. That idea alone had me craving him even more.

  Our movements slowed to something gentle, tender, and when he lifted his head, our gazes locked. Held.

  “Why?” I whispered, studying his face. “Why did you go to Prime Nial?”

  “Because I might be part Atlan.” He jerked his hips forward, hitting something dark and needy inside my pussy and I gasped. Groaned. Clung to him.

  I frowned. Atlan? That didn’t make any sense and I was having a hard time thinking straight with his cock stretching me open. Wide. Full. “What?”

  Shifting again, he rubbed his rock-hard abs against my abdomen, shifting his body so that he rubbed my clit as he rode me, plunged deep. “I swear I have an inner beast where you are concerned. I never doubted your abilities. Never. I am proud of who you are, mate. Proud that you are mine.”

  He couldn’t stop, his groan of pleasure matching mine as my pussy clenched down on his cock like a fist. I raised my hands over my head and kept them there, arched my back, surrendered.

  “By the gods, Niobe.” He buried his face in the hollow of my neck, used his hands to lift my hips off the ground, angle me for deeper thrusts. I cried out, lost. I didn’t care if he was Everian or Atlan or a monster; he was mine and I needed him.