by Keri Kruspe
Sherri had never responded to anyone as she did to this enigmatic man. How she let things go so far was beyond her, but right now, all she wanted to do was bask in the warm-and-fuzzy afterglow, secure in his arms.
Yes! He will make an excellent TrueBond. That accented voice purred.
Sherri agreed with the sentiment, even if she had no idea what the voice meant.
His hot breath departed as the restraining straps popped. In a quick move, Ki shifted her until they faced each other.
She gazed into dilated eyes before their mouths joined. Closing her eyes, she savored his taste. She moaned and straddled him, flush against his narrow hips. Cradled by his wide palm, her head stayed in place while Ki burrowed deeper into the recesses of her mouth. Desire rose, sharp and insistent, as if she hadn’t just experienced fulfilling pleasure. She wanted him again. She plunged her fingers into the thick hair at the back of his head as she ground her groin into his. A small portion of his mahogany hair tightened around her fingers and held her immobile. Startled, she whimpered.
He eased off their kiss as his eyes narrowed.
It was tough to read his expression because his green and blue irises were dilated to such a degree the iridescent green pupils overtook them.
His face was darker than usual, and deep breaths made his solid chest rise and fall.
Clasping fingers pulled her closer.
“You…” His lips were set in a grim line.
A shiver slithered across her spine. She refused to let him belittle what just happened between them. Taking the coward’s way out, she captured his full lips to stop him from saying something she didn’t want to hear.
He was stiff at first before massive arms roped around her and returned her embrace. After a few, brief heated moments, he broke away. “Female, you and I…”
“Ki, sweetheart! Oh, thank the Goddess I’ve finally found you!” Elemi’s voice quivered between the exclamations.
The big man shut his eyes and hugged her close.
A surge of satisfaction went through Sherri. Yeah, good to see he wasn’t as unaffected by their passion as he might pretend.
“Yes, Elemi.” Those sexy orbs opened and placed a steady gaze on her. The blue and green rings of his irises contracted. “Please transport Sherri and me to your coordinates.”
“Oh, right away, darling!”
Sherri didn’t get a chance to roll her eyes at the ship’s endearment before they were pulled through the ship’s transportation. Never mind. There’d be plenty of opportunities later.
* * *
KI
No doubt in Ki’s mind, he was the biggest idiot in the galaxy. One whiff of her alluring, citrus scent and all higher brain functions ceased. The supple sensation of her body combined with her complete abandon swept him away. The irresistible taste of her exotic response was burned forever into his memory.
TrueBond… yess… Grirryrth was smug.
He wasn’t going to dignify that statement with a response. Even if it was true, he did not intend to pursue a personal relationship with her. Determined to keep an iron control on his careening emotions, he ignored the painful squeeze in his chest.
Ah, my little hatchling…
Great. Just what he needed, a condescending badass dragon treating him like a child. Hard to believe the twenty-foot reign-of-terror was a romantic softy at heart. It was enough to make any sane Zerin grit his teeth in exasperation.
You cannot deny the whims of fate, my young one. My mate is growing and becoming. She will soon need her mate to complete her. The dragon’s deep voice took on a sharp edge never used against Ki before. And I intend to be there when she is ready. So, either Cheithe and I will finish the TrueBond or you and your female will before that happens. Know this, you will not jeopardize my female’s life due to your stubborn belief you are flawed and cannot have offspring.
For the first time since bonding with his Solaherra dragon, Ki felt his friend and mentor withdraw from his conscious mind. It was as if a heavy door slammed between them. At a loss, he blinked.
Once again they were seated in Elemi’s control room. A movement to the side caught his attention.
With a trembling hand, Sherri attempted to straighten her bunched tunic to tame the wrinkles he’d made.
As her hands pressed and stroked her lush body, Ki’s dick swelled. When she brushed something off the shelf of her generous breasts, it caused the orbs to bounce with those nipples poking in hard points. At the same time, her aroused musk filled his sense. His breath lurched. Fruk! The way her supple body moved caused him to spill in his suit like an untried youth. By the father of everything. His teeth and fists clenched in reaction. Sweat beaded along the side of his face. Good thing Grirryrth’s bio-suit took care of the mess without a thought. Ki refused to go forward with a large, wet stain on his lap.
At least Sherri didn’t know how she affected him. The problem was, her scent covered him. The strongest came from the hand he’d used to bring her pleasure. It was a struggle not to bring his fingers close to inhale her heady aroma. Better yet, reach out with his tongue to lick the taste clean. Instead, he made a fist and dug his nails into the flesh of his palm.
“Ki, are you alright?” Thank the nine systems for Elemi’s interruption. “When I saw the huge Friebbigh armada approaching Ganymede. I feared the worse!”
“Your concern is appreciated, Elemi.” Ki turned his attention to the front panel of the cockpit.
The black obsidian console flickered readouts in the Zerin language along with multiple vids showing the exterior of the ship. His heart raced at the sight of more than twenty vessels surrounding Ganymede.
They were in the “M” shape of the sleek 10-15s, a new type of fighting ships for warriors. Each was capable of intergalactic missions, not needing a mothership to house and maintain them. The ships boasted a construction of a thin, pliable, material that made them a maneuverable dream. So far, none of the Federation Consortium systems could penetrate their cloaking ability, whether they were in folded or regular space. The firepower they used was one of the best in the civilized galaxy. Impervious to blaster fire, their hulls absorbed the shock and converted the energy into viable fuel for the craft.
Too bad blasting them out of existence wasn’t an option.
Good thing Elemi was a step above those vessels. While she had the same basic design of a 10-15, she had all of their benefits plus some unique to her. She had the ability to create her own wormhole to travel faster than any other ship. And, her phasing-out ability kept her from detection. Her hull absorbed outside stimulation and adjusted to any environment to blend in, mimicking other ships. The most impressive thing about Elemi was her sentient status. As an interactive AI, she could integrate into any ship's database without getting caught. A perfect spy.
“What are those?” Sherri’s single-colored brown eyes widened as she pointed to the larger main vid. Five of the 10-15s lined up and faced the Jupiter moon.
“Trouble.” Son of a sacrilegious slug. “Elemi, analyze and report.”
“Completed,” came the quick answer. “All ships are under the command of the Friebbigh High Council with Erkeks in various positions of authority. They’ve taken control of the Geidonn research base and they are holding eighty-five percent of the personnel captive.”
“Any update on the lead researcher, Wapho?”
“Unknown. Individual identities are not available.”
Ki sat back. “Are the scientists in mortal danger?”
“Undetermined.”
“Can you determine the intent of the takeover?”
“Yes, they are awaiting further orders from Chancellor U’unk from the Federation Consortium.”
Ki blinked. A sudden cold squeezed deep inside. “The Chancellor is on the way to the Geidonn base?”
“Yes, Ki dear. The Friebbigh are in a holding pattern until then.”
Ki ignored her dulcet tone and his mind raced. Why would the wily Chancellor leave the comfort
of the palatial space station to come to this backward planet at the edge of the galaxy?
“Elemi, is there any way you can put me through on a secure channel to Prince Qay at the royal Zerin headquarters?”
“Easy enough once I infiltrate and use the Friebbigh signals.” A disdainful sniff. “I assure you, no one can access my systems until I let them.”
Ki glanced around after hearing Sherri’s feminine chuckle.
The corners of her mouth quirked as her eyes twinkled. “About time this ship turned her snarky comments on you and not me.”
She folded her arms under her chest and made her breasts plump in a tempting lift. Mussed from their earlier play, her auburn hair framed her flushed cheeks in wild abandon.
He swallowed dryly and had to tighten his jaw and fists against the urge to haul her to the sleeping area in the back. There he’d make sure her rumpled appearance included more than just hair.
Something in his expression must have alerted her to his thoughts. Her exotic eyes widened as a pink tongue licked those full lips, making them shiny.
That woke his cock up. At an internal snicker from Grirryrth, Ki tore his attention away and concentrated on the floating ships. Watching that deadly threat was safer than concentrating on the tempting female.
“Ki, Prince Qay is available.” Elemi’s voice broke into his disturbing thoughts.
“Thank you, Elemi.”
The 10-15s on the main viewer were replaced by the face of his closest friend, Prince Qayyum E’etu.
By the father of all, Ki was glad to see him again. The first time they’d met, Ki was busy getting his ass handed to him by a horde of Friebbigh determined to separate his head from his body. The slimy little puntneji maggots had gotten the best of him, all because he’d disagreed with Grirryrth earlier and left the suit back at his quarters. Fortunately for Ki, Qay plowed right in just as the Friebbigh started to gain the upper hand. Without Qay’s help, he wouldn’t have survived.
To be honest, gratitude wasn’t the only reason he vowed an allegiance to Qay. A not-so-gentle nudge from Grirryrth convinced him to bind to the wayward prince. And after five solar-years, he’d never regretted that decision. If there were regrets, it was that he’d never shared the truth about his dragon companion with his friend. The need for secrecy about his Crart heritage with the Solaherra dragon had been ingrained into him from birth.
“Okay, tell me everything.” Qay’s forehead puckered, his eyes narrowed.
Ki raised his eyebrows in return. Why the suspicious expression? He scrutinized his friend for any signs of additional stress.
Qay’s black hair was pulled back in its normal braid, prominently displaying his widow’s peak. He kept his warrior’s braid tightly woven on the right side of his face, exposing the TrueBond mark, the MalDerVon Scroll. The dark green crystal in the intricate scroll announced Qay’s son nestled within his pregnant TrueBond. While Ki had always admired the younger male, the level of calm maturity was new. It was rewarding that the weight of a new family and resuming the mantle of the crown prince sat well with Qay.
Here was the male his friend was destined to be. Ki relaxed. The Zerin people were in good hands. He didn’t like giving Qay bad news, but there was an upcoming threat to the life of his people and to the foundation of the known galaxy. Now was the time to get the male’s advice on what should be done next. Ki gave a quick glance at Sherri.
She leaned toward the vid with her lips pressed together, her full attention on the screen.
Dread knotted his stomach. He’d brought her into this dangerous mess and it was up to him to make sure she stayed safe. “I’m afraid there is an unexpected complication.” Ki turned back to the monitor. “Not only is the Geidonn research base overrun by Friebbigh, but they’re waiting for the Chancellor to arrive before they move on to Earth. Elemi,” Ki directed the ship, “please display the armada around us for Qay.”
Qay’s eyes widened before a low growl crawled out of his throat, the tips of his sharp canines exposed. “Goddess damn it! I just knew when the Special Triad Council got involved it would spook that puntneji bastard.”
Ki tilted his head and gave Qay a blank stare.
Qay sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, a sure sign of frustration. “Councilman Aine called the Special Triad Council into session because of rumored allegations against the Chancellor working with the Erkeks and the outlawed Friebbigh.” He pulled his hand away while a corner of his mouth lifted. “Complaints have come in across several systems about those aliens selling human women from Earth into slavery. And guess whose name crops up more than once along with those slavers?”
Ki grunted. U’unk had been a careless fool.
Qay continued. “So Aine gets this a brilliant idea to question the Chancellor about his involvement.” The snort of disgust was clear. “Instead of gathering needed information beforehand, he and his duo of clowns traipsed over to the Palatial Space Station to talk to him. Idiots. It doesn’t surprise me in the least U’unk was smart enough to leave as soon as they left, to speed up his plans concerning Earth.”
The Prince of Zerin sat back and tapped a forefinger on the top of his rare, dark wood desk. His gaze unfocused as if he was contemplating what to say.
Ki had been with him long enough to let the silence stretch while his friend formulated his next statement.
The tapping finger stopped. Qay’s attention focused on Sherri. “What about the Dread Pirate Maynwaring?”
Ki sat forward with an eyebrow quirked up. “I can assure you, that is one thing we don’t have to worry about.” He jerked his head toward Sherri. “She got rid of him.” At least he hoped so. “That fruking piece of eztli shit is gone forever.”
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sherri nod and lower her arms. Which made her chest available for his unobstructed view. Fruk! When had he become so enamored of a female’s form he couldn’t concentrate on more important matters? Ki swallowed the urge to watch her.
“Really?” Qay drawled. His left eyebrow rose, mirroring Ki’s expression. He leaned back to steeple his fingers. “I’d love to hear how that happened.”
Ki focused on his friend. “I’ll tell you all about it later.” By then he’d have a better idea on how it happened. “There are more important things to discuss.”
Qay’s face tightened with an emerald stare. He nodded. “Okay, but you and I will have that conversation when this is all over.” His jaw clenched. “I warn you, I’m not going to let this and other matters drop.” He leaned forward. “Not this time.”
Ki sent his friend a sardonic smirk. This wasn’t the first time Qay hinted at wanting to know Ki’s secrets. Maybe it was time to inform the royal family about his Crart heritage, which included the Solaherra dragon. With Qay’s renewed status as the crown prince, his friend would be in the perfect position to help protect Grirryrth if something happened to Ki.
“We’ll see.” It was the only concession he’d give for the moment. Best to discuss it with Grirryrth first. “How do you want us to proceed?” He nodded toward Sherri, who focused on the conversation.
With clasped hands, she stared at the vid.
Ki couldn’t begin to guess what had her complete attention.
“Can you escape your little friends and reach Earth before they do? Undetected?”
“Oh, please!” Elemi’s exasperated voice interrupted.
Qay’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Can I assume that’s a yes?” He cleared his throat. “The Federation Consortium forces are on their way, but we’re at least a solar cycle behind him and won’t reach Earth before he does.”
Ki gave a rare chuckle. “Yes, I assure you getting to Earth without the Friebbigh or the Chancellor detecting us will not be a problem.” The chair creaked as he relaxed. It was necessary to maintain the illusion of being relaxed when he was anything but. The deeper they got into this situation, the more he didn’t like Sherri being involved. She was an untrained civilian, for Goddess’ sake. She had
no business being anywhere near this whole mess, especially now that the pirate was gone.
He had every intention to start that conversation but Sherri interrupted.
“Why not start with the United Nations Secretary-General like we discussed before?”
For some reason, it was irritating she focused on Qay and didn’t give him a second glance.
“While the UN has no real authority on the planet, it would be better to try there.”
“If you’re sure…” Ki experienced a strange satisfaction when her intriguing brown eyes glanced at him, no matter how brief.
“Like Lora and I tried to explain, Earth is home to some extreme, xenophobic, patriarchal societies who are fanatical in their own separate superiority.”
Her strong snort startled Ki.
“They don’t tolerate different humans, so how do you expect they’ll react when they take a good look at you?” Sherri pointed a thumb in Ki’s direction.
Heat crept up his neck. What was that supposed to mean?
“Not very well, I assure you.” She turned back to Qay. “We’ve had decades of scary movies and bad alien PR to whip the billions of humans in a frenzy of terror if anyone saw one of you. The best way is for me to go to the UN and try to warn them before the Chancellor and his armada arrives.” A sheepish smile. “Just let me know how much I can say.”
Now the flush crawling up his neck had nothing to do with embarrassment. If she thought she was going by herself, she’d better think again. Especially if the humans were as dangerous as she claimed. He had to be by her side to protect her.
Yes—protect our TrueBond at all costs!
For once, he and Grirryrth were in complete agreement about the female.
Qay sat back and covered his lips with a forefinger as he stared at Sherri.
Ki recognized that look. The pit of his stomach rolled. Ki was sure Qay had decided something he wouldn’t like.
“Will you be in any danger?” Qay dropped his hand to his lap.
Sherri shrugged and wrinkled her nose. “I don’t see why I would be. Unless your guys on the StarChance didn’t do their jobs and erase my existence from Earth’s files.”
