by E J Darling
He ate his food in silence, but kept his eyes on the room. There were no real threats here, but that didn’t stop him from staying on alert. Old habits died hard. The captain was a dominant asshole, but that didn’t make him a threat, yet. He didn’t want to let himself get too comfortable around anyone anymore, not after the men he would’ve laid down his life for betrayed him so badly. His trust in others was gone. For all he knew, Cookie had poisoned them all. She hadn’t, his nose would have picked up anything in the delicious stew that could have killed him, and so for that fact, it was safe for the others.
Maeve tried to keep her eyes to herself, but Teak caught her looking four times already and his bowl wasn’t even halfway eaten yet. She was stunning, clean, and her star-kissed hair was pulled back in a sleek bun he wished she’d get rid of. He wanted to see it down, wanted to run his fingers through the loose strands and see if it really was as soft as it looked.
The memory of her putting herself between him and the captain crossed his mind, and he was instantly pissed at her again. Females were small and should never put themselves in danger. The Turnish were brought up to protect their females and to keep them safe at all costs. Their bodies were machines built to protect, and Teak was no different.
It didn’t matter what the captain said, she did need his body. They’d been together all of four hours and he’d saved her life twice. Where was the captain when Maevelin was in danger? When her life was almost cut short? Teak had been right there with her, but he didn’t see the captain anywhere around. He was foolish male for letting her out of his sight, but Teak would never be that stupid.
He finished his dinner, plus another bowl, before everyone else. He was hungrier than he’d realized, but he waited for Maevelin to finish. He’d listened to her talk with Roth and Keeli about the planet she was going to live on, and Keeli was excited about the whole new experience. He couldn’t understand how the female could be so happy about being a slave to a Tallek, but he wouldn’t fault her for accepting her fate and taking it in full stride. He looked back to Maeve, and studied her again, while she acted as if he didn’t exist. He was a fool and fell right into the trap of her beauty. Maybe he and Keeli weren’t so different.
Everything about her was beautiful, from the tip of her star kissed head to her little toes. She was also much too fragile. He wasn’t used to females like her. Humans were rare outside Ascena Pura. Their planet had been decimated long ago, and the ones still alive were either radiation crazed, or in bondage. Very rarely did he come across one free to make their own way in the galaxy. He couldn’t imagine her perfectly tan skin covered in boils and sores, doing all manner of things to stay alive on ancient dilapidated ships. She was too good for that. She was too good for him.
If they’d met three years ago, long before the fall of Turnix Beta, he’d have bedded her the moment he saw her, and she would have thanked him for it. He would have bought her slave her debt himself and freed her the moment he could. But it wasn’t three years ago, and she held his debt instead.
Maeve stood and grabbed everyone’s bowls. He launched his ass from his chair and tried to take them from her. He didn’t know what being a slave meant, or what she was going to allow him to do, but he had to start somewhere. “Let me take them. Please.”
“I can do it myself. They’re just bowls, Teakin.”
“Please call me Teak. I prefer it.”
She studied him for a silent moment and handed over one of the bowls. “We can do it together.”
He didn’t think that’s how it worked, but he was grateful she let him help. He allowed her to lead, not knowing where things went yet, and followed her to the kitchen where Cookie waited for them by a washing unit.
“Thank ye, dear.” The old female crooned. “You know ye don’t have to do that.”
“It’s my pleasure, Cookie. You made a fantastic meal, and this is my thanks.” He liked the way she used the cook’s language to connect with her. It was obvious Maevelin cared for those around her.
Teak handed over his bowls and thanked the cook as well. “It was the best meal I’ve eaten and I’m not just saying that because I’ve been starving for a week.” He leaned in and gave the Florch a kiss on her cheek. She touched the spot with her fingers and gave him a smile.
“Oh, you’re a charmer aren’t ye?”
“Only with the pretty ones, ma’am.”
The dialect she was using was interesting, but he figured it out well enough. The frizzy gray hair which covered her body was a dead giveaway to her Florch heritage, and Teak wondered how a female like her made it to a ship like that. They were a ragtag bunch he decided, and that was okay.
His ship had been similar, all coming from different walks of life, but his crew mates had hidden a dark side he wished he’d seen beforehand. If he had, he wouldn’t be in that situation in the first place.
Cookie smacked his arm playfully and he gave her a wink before following Maeve out of the kitchen. “So, now what?”
“Now, I go to bed, because I had a long day full of near-death experiences and getting sand where sand should never be.” She giggled and lit him up inside. “Säiph, come on.” She patted her leg and the black animal came trotting over. It gave Teak a menacing snarl and licked Maeve’s hand. Winning over the creature was on the top of his to do list. It might be easier than winning over Maeve at this point.
Only an idiot would miss the silent hostility she wore like armor. It was a mountain he felt he’d be climbing forever. If only she understood how much he wished she hadn’t traded her life for his. It’d ended already, ended the moment his planet was destroyed. He took a breath and closed his eyes. It was hard losing everyone he ever loved. Losing family and friends wasn’t the hardest part, though, surviving was. Maevelin was only prolonging his suffering with her kindness. But at least it was kindness.
Roth was already on his way out and locked eyes with Teak before turning his attention to Maeve. “We’ll be home in eighty-five hours, give or take. You get some rest, Maevie. You let me know if you need anything at all.”
“Thank you, Roth.”
Teak watched the captain eye Maeve for too long before he gave a lazy goodbye to the half Tallek. “Keeli, you take it easy.”
Keeli waved bye to the captain and slid out from behind the table. “I am so excited to get to my new home. I’m actually getting tired now, though. May I walk with you two back to the cabins?”
“Of course.” Maeve held out her arm and Keeli hooked her own with it. “Teak are you still tired?”
He wasn’t, but he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight. She was his responsibility now. “Yeah, sure. I could use some rest.” He kept his distance but followed Maeve and Keeli out of the dining area.
It didn’t take long for the lift to get them to their level and Keeli to her cabin. They were alone now, aside from Säiph who kept his eyes on Teak the entire journey. “Well, I’ll see you in a few hours.” Maeve waved and looked back to Teak. Her door slid open and Säiph walked in first.
He grabbed his entry scanner from his pocket but halted. “Maevelin?”
“Call me Maeve.”
He liked that. It was short and sweet just like her. “Can I ask you a question?”
She hesitated a moment, looking at something interesting inside her cabin, but turned back to him. “Sure.” The door slid closed on Säiph and Teak was more than happy to finally be alone with Maeve.
She didn’t smile and crossed her arms over herself. It was a defense mechanism if he ever saw one. A slave like her was probably used to having to defend herself emotionally, and something inside him needed to fix it.
In a blur, he crossed the narrow hallway to where she stood, but paused at the last moment. It surprised her, and she held her hands up to keep him back. That was what stopped him. Her hands were a physical and emotional wall she wanted to keep up, and he was going to have to take it slower if he was going to get anywhere with her. He didn’t know if he had that in him,
but he could try, even if only for her sake.
“What’s your question?” Her voice slipped, and she lowered her gaze. That was a female not used to being upfront and emotionally confrontational with a male, and it showed over her entire body. She was unnaturally rigid, made him want to bow to her every command, show her the power she held.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you give your freedom up for me? I was no one to you.” He didn’t like the fact that she was in too deep for him to pull her out of her situation and he liked it even less that he was the cause.
“Honest answer or bullshit?”
He crooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye, and he raised his eyebrows. That didn’t even warrant a verbal answer from him. “Honest. Honest to the core. I’ll just keep asking until I get the answer I want. Save us both the time and the humility of me begging.”
Maeve darted her eyes down to his lips, the action made him want to lick them slowly and invitingly. He removed his knuckle from her chin to keep himself steady.
“You saved my life, Teak.”
“Beyond that.”
“You captivated me.” She didn’t look at him anymore, but she kept her head held high. “You’re–” She cleared her throat and dared to lock eyes with him. “You’re very attractive.”
He gave her a smile and welcomed her words. They lodged themselves in his soul and he wanted to bring her closer, show her he was more than a pretty façade. “Thank you. But I don’t think my looks got me out of that hell.”
She nodded her head once and turned back toward her cabin door. “That’s my answer.”
He was on her in an instant and he spun her around to face him. She gasped but didn’t struggle when he lifted her off her feet and rested her back on the metal wall, his thigh wedged between hers to keep her at eye level. “That isn’t good enough.” He growled through his clenched jaw.
“That’s all I have.” She’d obviously tried to keep her voice even, but she’d failed. He heard the slight hitch in it.
“Damn it! Maeve please give me a better answer.” He couldn’t do it, needed a solid answer as to why she did what she did. He needed to know that she gave up her freedom for something. He didn’t know what he wanted that answer to be, didn’t know if there would ever be a good enough answer, but he needed something solid. Something that would help him sleep at night.
A tear filled her eye and she looked at him. “That’s all I have.” She whispered as her voice cracked through the emotion. He realized then he wasn’t the only one desperate for a reason. Desperate to find an answer to the madness.
“Fuck.” Teak looked at her dead in the eyes as he watched the tear fall.
Desperate to fix her, he leaned his head in and took possession of her lips. She kept her composure for a moment, before giving in, and wrapping her arms around his neck. She pressed her chest closer to his and he felt her firm breasts through the thin leather of his clothing. She parted her lips just enough for him to slide his tongue in, and he didn’t stop until they were both clawing at each other for more and panting.
He pulled back and took a ragged breath. “I’m going to fix this, Maeve. I’m going to make it all better.”
She lowered her head and rested her forehead on his. He noticed a smile cross her lips.
“What’s so funny?” She was intoxicating and her smile lit him up inside. He couldn’t help but smile when she did.
“When you gave me my first kiss–” She studied his face and he felt like an insect under a microscope.
Teak had never felt insecure about his looks but for some reason he didn’t feel good enough for that creature, didn’t feel his usual strong and smooth talking self. She did things to him she would never understand, and he would never be able to explain.
“I didn’t think I would ever see you again, or if I would ever have a second one in my life.” She touched her lips with her index finger and slightly smiled, making all the blood rush from his head and to more important parts of his body. “I told myself it was enough to last me until I had freedom to choose my own path. Freedom.” She whispered the last part and his jaw clenched. He’d unknowingly taken that from her.
Teak paled and quickly released her when he realized what she’d just told him. He stepped back two feet and gripped the back of his neck. “What?”
She cleared her throat and lost her smile. Her arms went up again in defense. “When you kissed me before, that was my first kiss.”
“You’ve never–”
“Laid with a male? No.”
Teak turned and paced the hall once, coming back to her when he got too far. He invaded her space, and the need to touch her rose, but he kept his hands to himself. “I–” he paused, not sure what to say. There were unwritten rules when it came to females and he wasn’t about to hurt or ruin this moment for her by saying something stupid. “Was it okay?”
That question must have stunned her, because she looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed, and she smiled again, encouraging his own.
“Yes. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Any time.” He meant that. Every single ounce of it. Anything she needed, or wanted, he would give to her. He couldn’t help himself. She was his. “Literally. Any time. Day, night, I don’t care what you’re doing. If my master wants kisses she’ll get them.” From me.
No one had ever touched her but him, never tasted her sweet lips but him. Something about that had his mind working furiously. Possession clogged his thoughts, gripped him tight and wouldn’t let go. She was all consuming and his insides clawed to wrap her legs around him and take his beautiful creature to his bed, and not let her out of it until he kissed every single bit of her flesh. Until he’d taken her deep and felt her body cling to him as he brought her so much pleasure she couldn’t move, couldn’t muster enough strength to feed herself. He would bury himself in her until she couldn’t walk, and then, he would allow her to go… if she wished.
“I’m going to bed now. I’ll see you in a few hours.” She turned and scanned her card. “Get some sleep.” Maeve disappeared into her cabin, leaving Teak alone in the hall, stunned silent.
He couldn’t move as the need to be near her grew. He didn’t like her being out of his sight, but knew he needed to leave it where it was at, and take it slow. He couldn’t get a good read on her and he knew time was the only thing that would tell him more.
He finally turned back to his cabin and scanned his card. He stepped in and headed straight for the bathroom. A cold shower, and a few fantasies of Maeve would keep his hands to himself.
Eight
Teak couldn’t sleep, just laid in his bed, and kept his eyes on the door, trying to convince himself not to knock on Maeve’s. But, the urge was growing, and he was getting impatient. She needed rest, he knew that, but he wanted to be near her, lay next to her, and hold her while she slept. There was no logical reason for him to want that, but he did. He needed the physical touch as much as he knew she did. Even if she wouldn’t admit it.
Maevelin Roan didn’t seem the type to lay her feelings out on the table. He could change that.
His people had always been physical. Touching was a form of love, greeting, anything and everything. It was instilled in the Turnish at an early age and it had been far too long since he’d had someone to himself. Someone to hold at night. When he’d made the decision to leave his planet and serve as liaison for Turnix Beta, he’d given up the hope to find his true match. Females from his planet didn’t do well living in space, so finding a mate was never an option for him until he finished his service. But, Turnix Beta was long gone before that could have happened.
Never did Teak expect to find that feeling blossom on a slave planet with a female who had never known a man before. He was in deep shit and there was no way out of it. He couldn’t leave even if he wanted to. Even if he wasn’t respectable, even if he hated Maeve and everyone on this ship, he couldn’t leave. He’d mad
e a promise to the Human, and he’d keep it.
Their lives were now on a collision course and they were in a nosedive until they figured their shit out and saved themselves.
Teak rolled his head back until it hit the metal headboard of his bed and he closed his eyes. He needed to take another shower, or he was going to leave this room and end up in Maeve’s. But before he could move his body off the bed and in that direction, something shook the entire cabin and Teak shot up, instantly on alert. The alarm system began to squeal and the sound pierced Teak’s ear drums. “What the hell?”
“This is Captain Roth,” the voice over the coms spoke. “We have incoming. Everyone report to the bridge. Out.”
Teak ran to the cabin door, grateful he hadn’t undressed for the sleep cycle yet, and it slid open as he approached. He ran to Maeve’s door and pounded on it. He wasn’t in a panic from the alarms going off, his body was in a desperate attempt to get and keep her near him, until he figured out if there was a real threat or not.
Her door finally slid open and he immediately grabbed her up. Säiph, the protector that he was, growled deep in his barrel chest when Teak touched her, but he didn’t give a shit. He needed to touch her. “Calm down, Teak. We need to get to the bridge.”
“I know. I want you to stay close to me though. Please.” He didn’t want to tell her why and risk pushing her away even more. He hoped she accepted his wish for now and listened. She pushed him away, physically, and emotionally by the look on her face and he winced. “I’m sorry. I just… I want to make sure you stay safe. I still have a debt to you.”
She smiled and looked up at him. “Wouldn’t that debt be null if I died though?”
He didn’t like the way she said that, like she was accusing him of thinking that way. He would never think to end her life. It wouldn’t work anyways, or slaves would just kill masters and they would be free. “You know better than I it doesn’t work that way.”
