Dreamer: Planet Athion Series (Equinox Book 2)

by Lily Harlem

  We walked past a maintenance cupboard, and I remembered the faulty vent in my ceiling. “Can you help me with a ladder tomorrow?”

  “Sure, what for?”

  “Magic has been fiddling with a vent in my ceiling. I’m worried it will come loose and he’ll get into it.”

  Anki chuckled. “He’s a little rapsicle.”

  “Rapsicle?” I laughed, too. “Do you mean rascal?”

  “I guess I do.” He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me close so my hip touched his as we walked.

  “If he gets into it, he could get anywhere.”

  “Yes, lots of the vents are just big enough for his wing span.”

  “Do you think?”

  “Absolutely. Once he’s away from your quarters, which he could hop through, he’d be able to fly.”

  “He’d love that.” I grimaced. “But Hurin wouldn’t.”

  “Hurin would likely pop with anger.”

  “That wouldn’t be pretty.”

  Anki pushed open the door to the sleeper’s pod. “No, it wouldn’t be. But you are…pretty, that is.” He smiled then kissed me.

  I clung to his tunic for a moment and returned the kiss. Then I pulled away. “Right, let’s go and see this problem sleeper. Nothing will have changed, though. Hurin would have told us.”

  “I know. I just want to see him for myself.”

  I studied Anki for a moment, then turned and let myself into the sterilizing chamber. When I was done and wearing scrubs, I went into the sleeper’s pod.

  As usual the lights were dim, the amber glow reflecting on the rows of domed capsules.

  Hurin was in the distance, beside a large window showcasing the sunflower galaxy to perfection. His head was bowed, and he was studying a screen at the end of a capsule.

  “Hey,” Anki called.

  Hurin snapped his head up. “What are you doing here?” His deep voice carried over the huge room.

  “Taking a look at seventy-one,” Anki replied.

  Hurin was silent and I wondered if he was going to object. Then he raised his arm and wafted it to the left. “Go ahead.”

  I stepped past the Asian lady, who was in the same position I’d last seen her in. Then a human male, three more women, and the two Athion Space Marshalls.

  Anki pointed at them. “What’s with the red cross at the base of their capsule?”

  “They’re Space Marshalls.”

  “They are?” He appeared surprised.

  “Yes, I didn’t know we had them on board either. Hurin told me last time I was here.”

  “I guess it’s good to have backup security.”

  “But why would we need it?” I paused. “In case one of us goes mad and starts throwing stuff around?”

  He shrugged. “I suppose they’re here for the unexpected. That’s what backup means, or so I was told.”

  “Yes, you’re right.”

  He paused and stared down at the two naked aliens.

  They were both tall and strong, their pale-blue skin silky and their expressions peaceful. No doubt they were highly trained soldiers, able to spring into action when needed. They certainly looked like they could be, when they weren’t sleeping, that was.

  “Do you think they’ll be disappointed not to wake up?” I asked. “Seems a strange job to take on…you know, just sleep and then it’s over.

  “I guess in this day and age, we’re all doing jobs we wouldn’t have predicted when we were planning careers.”

  “Mmm. And the next generation are going to have even more things to consider when it comes to occupations.”

  “The next generation.” Anki rested his hand on top of one of the capsules. “It’s why all of us Athions are here, it’s why we do anything, to secure a next generation. Never has a species relied so heavily on so few.”

  “It will be okay.” I placed my hand over his. “I’m sure it will.”

  “I’m not sure, but I am hopeful.” He swallowed and looked steadily at me. “I’m hopeful Earth women will be our salvation.”

  “It’s heading in the right direction.”

  He nodded and pulled in a deep breath as if controlling his emotions. “Talking of directions, where is seventy-one?”

  “Just here.”

  Chapter Nine

  Anki and I studied sleeper seventy-one. Like before, I marveled at how handsome he was.

  He could easily have been a movie star from the old blockbusters Gavyn enjoyed so much. His features were in perfect proportion, his lips plump and kissable, and his long, strong limbs were honed so that every contour appeared made for worshipping. He had a golden tan, too, as though he’d been somewhere warm and sunny before setting off for Planet Athion.

  Some lucky Earth woman will be missing him.

  I’d put good money on that fact. There wasn’t a chance in hell Julian Huntley was single. Women would have been falling over themselves for his attention. I know I would have, back in the day…

  I suppressed a shudder, the way I always did when I thought of the close call I’d had. Thank goodness Mateo had been there to save me on that hideous night.

  “So his temperature is on the high end of normal for a human,” Anki said, releasing me from the usual web of horror when I recalled that close call. “And his pulse is low.”

  “Yes, that’s right. And usually with a fever, the pulse would be raised.”

  “True.” Anki paused. “And his REM sleep is more frequent than it should be.” He moved to the end of the capsule and studied the screen attached there.

  “I don’t think he should have any REM sleep—the cocktail of drugs being administered through the long line should prevent that.”

  “Mmm, you’re right from what I know of the protocol.”

  I racked my brain for an answer. Seventy-one’s vitals didn’t make sense to me, but I wasn’t a trained medic, not for humans anyway. But still, the principles were the same when it came to physiology.

  “It doesn’t make sense,” Anki said. “Unless he’s…”

  “What?”

  He shrugged. “Different.”

  “As in?”

  “I don’t know. Allergic to one of the drugs maybe, or his body is breaking it down too quickly because of some anomaly. Perhaps he’s super fit—hell, he looks it—and his liver is on overtime.”

  “That could be an explanation.”

  Seventy-one, like all the other sleepers, was flat on his back, arms at his sides. He lay on a special variable pressure pillow that prevented sores, and the air around him was carefully regulated to keep his skin ph at optimum levels.

  He was well endowed, his cock thick and long as it rested against his thigh. I tilted my head and studied it. He wasn’t completely flaccid. Not a full-blown hard-on, but not soft either.

  “Anki.” I nodded. “What do you make of that?”

  He followed my line of sight. “Not really my thing, Uma. Cocks.” He folded his arms. “Though I know some Athions have gone that way.”

  “I don’t mean that.” I pointed. “He’s got a semi.”

  “A semi?”

  “A semi erection, don’t you think?”

  Anki pulled a face. “Maybe he’s dreaming of something sexy.”

  “But that’s just it.” I tapped my fingers together. “He shouldn’t be dreaming at all.”

  “What’s going on?” Hurin was at my side.

  “Uma thinks this guy is getting an erection,” Anki said.

  “Well, maybe not a total one, but that’s definitely getting hard. Look.”

  Hurin stared at me, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes, then he peered into the capsule.

  I wondered if maybe I shouldn’t have been studying sleeper seventy-one’s cock, or perhaps not mentioned what I’d noticed.

  “I agree,” Hurin said, slipping to the screen and swiping over it. “And it makes sense. His sleep pattern has changed again, he’s lighter now.”

  “Lighter?” Anki said.

  “Yes, i
n a lighter sleep.”

  “Is he going to wake up?” I asked.

  “No chance, he’s got far too much sedative on board.” Hurin continued to swipe through graphs and charts. “He’d have to be super-human to be conscious with all of the chemicals going around his bloodstream.”

  “His finger,” Anki said. “It just twitched.”

  “Did it?” I hadn’t seen any movement.

  “What?” Hurin scooted to Anki’s side. “Which one?”

  “His pinkie, I’m sure of it, on his left hand.”

  Hurin frowned and rubbed his temple. “I can’t make sense of this.”

  “We’ll have to tell Captain Rivers,” Anki said. “He definitely shouldn’t be moving.”

  “But is he?” I said. “Consciously? Maybe it was just a neuron twitch or a muscle cramp.”

  “There are occasions fingers and toes spasm,” Hurin said. “Might just be that.”

  “When he’s dreaming?” Anki said. “Aren’t humans supposed to be in sleep paralysis during REM?”

  “Wow, you have been doing your studies.” Hurin raised his eyebrows at Anki.

  “Not much else to do on some nights.” Anki grinned at me suddenly. “Helps pass the time till I’m with Uma again.”

  Hurin stepped back, as if withdrawing from any conversation about Anki’s time alone with me.

  Does he ever ask Anki about it now they’re closer? Isn’t he curious?

  “I’ll highlight this observation pattern,” Hurin said, all business again. “And monitor it. And yes, I’ll let the captain know when I next see him.”

  Anki was still studying the sleeper’s left hand. His eyebrows were pulled low, and he was nibbling on the inside of his cheek.

  “I guess if we do decide to wake him it will be someone else to talk to,” I said.

  “No.” Anki snapped his head up. “We shouldn’t wake him.”

  “You’ve changed your tune.”

  “I’ve thought about it. I think it’s best if he’s in here, contained.”

  “Contained?”

  “Yes…what if it is a virus and it’s contagious? I don’t want you getting ill.”

  “I think Earth women have proved themselves to be pretty damn strong when it comes to their immune systems.”

  “That might be, but just the same, I don’t want you at risk.”

  “Okay, fair enough, and I agree, we should leave him sleeping. He’s not in any danger.” I nodded at the exit. “Come on, let’s go. I need another cup of coffee.”

  “Can I have one?”

  “Really? I didn’t think you liked it.”

  “I should try again, see if I can get that kick-up-the-ass feeling you talk about.”

  I laughed. “Okay, and Magic will be pleased to see you.”

  “If he hasn’t escaped into the vents, that is.”

  “No, he’s safely in his cage.” I made a mental note to get the faulty air vent fixed as soon as possible. Not only would I be distraught if Magic escaped into the air system—he’d be so scared and lost—my fellow crew members, Hurin and Gavyn, would not be happy.

  Anki and I wandered back to my quarters. Despite concerns over sleeper seventy-one, my thoughts turned to what Mateo had said earlier that morning.

  I did want to explore a relationship with Gavyn—see if he’d open up, let me in. There was something fascinating about our captain, and I wanted to get closer.

  And closer to his sexy body.

  “What are you thinking about?” Anki asked as I made coffee. “You’ve gone quiet.”

  Should I tell Anki about Gavyn and how my feelings for him are changing?

  “If it’s sleeper seventy-one playing on your mind, don’t worry, that’s Hurin’s job.”

  I didn’t speak.

  Would Anki be furious at the idea of sharing me with a man other than Mateo? I didn’t think he would be. But equally I couldn’t spend more time with Gavyn without telling Anki there was a different slant to our relationship.

  You’re jumping the gun here, Uma.

  “Hey.” He was behind me, his hands resting on my hips. “It’ll be okay.”

  I turned, and he drew me close.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you. No matter what happens on board Equinox.”

  I frowned. “Why do you think something is going to happen to me or on board Equinox?”

  He hesitated. “I’m not saying that.”

  “Sounds like it.” I slipped my arms around his waist and waited for him to go on.

  “I just mean I’ll always look out for you. You’re my woman. I love you.”

  I smiled. “I love you, too.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes, can’t you tell?”

  He grinned, a lovely, big sexy curve of his lips that did strange things to my stomach, between my legs, and made my heart beat faster.

  “I’ve never been in love or been loved by a woman before so I’m hardly an expert on these things.” He touched the tip of his nose to mine. “So it’s nice to hear it said aloud.”

  I breathed in his familiar scent and pushed closer to his warm, hard body. “Well, you know how it feels now,” I whispered. “To love and be loved.”

  “Yes.” He kissed me, his tongue slipping between my lips.

  I sighed and rested against him, allowing him to hold me up. He was so gorgeous and strong, and like with Mateo, I always felt safe and secure in his arms.

  “I want to fuck,” he said. “Can we?”

  “We can have some fun.” I eased back and untangled myself from his arms. “But there’s no rush, is there?”

  “No.” He freed the roped belt around his waist. “We have completed our morning tasks.”

  I slid out my desk chair and sat with my hands on my lap. “We need to talk about something first.”

  “We do?”

  “Yes.”

  “What?” He tossed the belt to the floor, and his tunic hung loose.

  “Gavyn.”

  “The captain? Why?”

  I dragged in a deep breath. “What would you say if he and I…” I struggled to find the words. They all seemed to sit heavily on my tongue, refusing to budge.

  “If you and he…” He scowled, but only for a second, then his eyes widened. “Ohh…you want to.”

  My belly tensed, and my jaw tightened. “Yes, I want to…”

  A whisper of a smile pulled the right side of his mouth. “You can’t say it, can you.”

  “Say what?”

  “That you want to fuck him.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Anki.” I shook my head. “It’s not that simple.” Sometimes I was sure Anki hadn’t grasped the correct use of the word fuck. He said it with such ease and with great frequency.

  “It’s simple,” Anki said. “He’s the handsome, intelligent human captain. You are attracted to him, and he is to you.”

  “Why do you think he is attracted to me?”

  His smile widened. “I have seen the way he looks at you.”

  “How come everyone has seen this except for me?”

  “You haven’t been watching, Uma. We have.”

  I wasn’t sure that was entirely true. “So what do you think? I mean, nothing has happened, not a kiss, not even a mention of it between us, but Mateo—”

  “That was going to be my next question. What does Mateo think? He only just tolerates sharing you with me.”

  “It was him who suggested it.”

  “It was?” Anki shook his head. “After all the trouble he gave me.” He paused. “Of course, it is because I’m an Athion.”

  “No, I really don’t think it is that.”

  He seemed doubtful and I didn’t blame him.

  “It’s because he was expecting to share me with Gavyn right from the beginning, that’s what he’d had in his head when he agreed to a non-exclusive relationship with me.”

  Anki nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

  “So it’s not a problem for Mateo, he’s g
iven me the go-ahead.”

  “Go-ahead.” Anki repeated. “So why are you asking me?”

  “Anki. Don’t you understand?”

  “I guess not.”

  “I need you to be okay with it, too. I need us to talk about it.” I huffed. “Not that I’ve even discussed it with Gavyn. He might think the whole idea is ridiculous and not be remotely attracted to me.”

  “I don’t think that for one minute. He will be a happy man to spend alone time with you.”

  Mateo didn’t have alone time planned—he wanted to join in. But that would have to wait. I needed to work things out with Anki and Gavyn first.

  I crossed and uncrossed my legs. “So what do you think? In here.” I pressed my hand over my sternum.

  “I think that in a perfect universe I would have you to myself, but that is not the universe we live in. I am not a jealous man, few Athions are, it’s not in our nature, so I have no problem with you being with other guys, as long as I still get to spend time with you.” He nodded at the door. “In and out of here, much as I like our fuck time, I also like being with you when we do other things.”

  “That’s how I feel. I like being with you, Anki. You make me happy.”

  “I’m glad.” He folded his arms and studied me. “Back home I have three brothers.”

  “Yes, you’ve told me that before.”

  “What I didn’t tell you is that Nial, my youngest brother, is also hoping to share a woman.”

  This was news to me. “An Earth woman?”

  “Yes, she came in on a ship last year. She was one of the first Earth women to arrive in our area.”

  “Okay.”

  “He met her when she moved from the processing station near Madoc to be with two new mates.”

  “Two new mates.”

  “Yes, and he has been welcomed into their group. It is the only way it can be.”

  “Otherwise Athion men will be fighting over women.”

  “Yes, the way Mateo did with me. We are brave warriors, strong, too. If we turn on each other over women, then it will be the end of our species altogether. Emperor Elrin’s chief advisor did a report on it. Most insightful.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “It’s honorable for us to be generous with our relationships. We know it would make our mothers and sisters proud.” He glanced away.