by Anna Hackett
“I’ll come with you,” Kaira’s security officer said.
“Me too.” Ian stepped forward, chin lifted.
Finley nodded. “Let’s move.”
Chapter Eleven
Pain rocketed through Sabin. He groaned.
He felt the wet slide of blood down his side. He was hanging upside-down in the vehicle, and the windshield was shattered. He turned his head and saw Kaira beside him, caught up in her own belt. She wasn’t moving. But when he strained, he heard the beat of her heart.
“Roberts?”
There was no answer from the back.
Then Sabin heard a low screech outside.
Cren.
He formed a knife on his arm but his helian was sluggish, too focused on healing his injuries. He clumsily slashed and cut the belt, and his body dropped. He shoved against the mangled door and managed to climb out.
He glanced down and saw metal sticking out of his skin. Cren. He was bleeding badly. He was about to pull the piece of debris out of his side when he detected movement.
Not far away, three stalkers eyed him, slinking closer, their antennae quivering.
Cren. He let the knife morph into a sword. He had to protect Kaira and Roberts.
The first bug leaped.
Sabin lunged and slashed with his sword across the Kantos. It hit the dirt with a spray of green blood.
The others shifted uneasily.
Where were the assassins? He couldn’t risk checking the sky, because as soon as he took his gaze off the bugs they’d attack. He hoped Finley was locked down and safe.
A second bug darted forward. He swung his sword and dodged. Its mandible snapped together.
Sabin shifted again, and pain roared through his injured side.
A stalker charged.
Sabin sidestepped, and brought his sword down.
The bug screeched and raced away. He’d hurt it, but it wasn’t a life-threatening wound. The others had disappeared into the darkness.
Wincing, he gripped the metal chunk in his side and yanked it out. He groaned, fighting to stay conscious.
The injured bug eyed him, clearly sensing his weakness. Then, he heard a noise behind him.
He glanced around and saw a third bug circling around, heading toward the vehicle. Coming after Kaira and Roberts.
“Get away!” Sabin leaped over the tangled ruin of the vehicle and slammed his sword down. He skewered the bug and it wriggled on the blade.
He reached over and wrenched the door off the side of the SUV, then stopped to fight off a wave of dizziness.
He reached in and cut Kaira free.
Gripping her arms, he pulled her out, ignoring his pain. He lifted her, gritting his teeth, and set her on top of the overturned vehicle. Next, he reached farther in and pulled an unconscious Roberts out of the back.
He glanced over and saw that the injured bug was watching, waiting for something. Probably the assassins.
Then he heard a noise in the darkness. A skittering sound.
He hefted Roberts beside Kaira.
Sabin saw the first spider. Then another. Then another. He raised his sword and gritted his teeth.
A wave of spiders marched out of the darkness.
To borrow an Earth word, fuck. He leaped up onto the vehicle.
There wasn’t enough strength in his helian right now for him to form any flames. The spiders surrounded the overturned vehicle. Sabin closed his eyes for a second, and Finley’s face filled his head. Her smile, brown eyes, the furrow in her brow when she concentrated.
Pain throbbed, and he ground his teeth together.
A spider flew at him and he sliced it with his sword.
More flew up and his sword became a blur as he fought them off. The endless wave of them kept attacking. And more rushed out of the darkness.
He couldn’t stop all of them before they’d overwhelm him.
Or before he lost too much blood.
One spider landed on his shoulder and bit.
Sabin roared at the sensation, fire burning his skin.
He slapped it away, and then sliced several more.
Suddenly, he heard the roar of an engine. He glanced over and saw light spearing through the darkness.
The vehicle sped into view, then skidded to a stop.
He saw Finley behind the wheel.
No.
He’d wanted her safe.
The doors of the vehicle opened and he watched Ian and another security officer get out. They were holding bulky weapons.
Finley climbed out, then clambered onto the hood of the vehicle. She also had one of the bulky weapons in her arms.
“Fire!” she yelled.
Flames spewed from the weapons. The mass of spiders quivered and tried to escape. Finley and the others waved the flamethrowers around, fire lighting up the night.
Earsplitting screeches filled the air. The Kantos spiders writhed and shriveled into small husks.
Finley jumped off her vehicle. Sabin saw movement behind her.
A stalker.
“Finley!”
Sabin leaped into the air. He sailed over Finley and landed, pain flaring in his chest.
The hunting bug leaped.
He swung his sword, but missed. His reflexes were slow.
The bug slammed into his chest and they hit the dirt. The bug attacked, tearing and scratching at his chest.
“Sabin, no!”
All he felt was pain. Then Finley was there, hitting the bug with a stream of fire.
It fell off Sabin, curling up into a charred crisp.
“Oh, God. Oh, God.” She dropped down beside him, gently touching his wounds.
“Fin-ley.”
“Shh. Let me help you.” She turned to the others. “Are the Kantos gone?”
“I think so,” Ian replied shakily.
“Sabin’s hurt. We need to get him back to base.”
“A-assassins,” he managed to get out.
She glanced up. “We killed one earlier.”
“More.”
She bit her lip, determination filling her face. “Guys, we need to move, there might be more assassins. Get Kaira and her officer into the vehicle.”
The men nodded and disappeared from view.
“Finley—” Sabin groaned.
“Quiet.” Her hands stroked his hair. He saw fear in her eyes as her gaze skated over his wounds. “Stay still and quiet.”
She lowered her head and pressed her lips to his. “This time, I’ll save you.”
The spider poison was burning in his veins. His helian was doing what it could, but the pain was driving him closer to unconsciousness. He groaned.
“Help me shift him,” Finley said.
He must have passed out as they moved him. He came to in the vehicle with his head resting on Finley’s lap.
“Get us back as fast as you can,” Finley called out. “Sabin said there are other assassins still out there.”
Sabin tried to move but his body wouldn’t obey.
“Stay still.” She stroked his cheek. “You’re going to be okay. I promise.”
Finley’s heart was in her throat as the security team carried the stretcher with Sabin on it into their quarters.
They lifted him onto his bed. He’d lost consciousness on the drive back.
Her stomach felt like a hard ball. He’d be okay. He had to be.
For a second, she had flashbacks to her captivity. Brent had been beaten to the point of death. He’d been so hurt and in so much pain.
She squeezed her eyes closed and took some deep breaths. She couldn’t lose it.
“I can send the medic,” a security officer said.
“No, they’re busy with Kaira and Roberts. I can take care of Sabin.”
The man gave her a quick nod. “Don’t worry, Commander Chand is as tough as steel. We’ve locked down the base, so we’re safe for now.”
Finley swallowed. “Any sign of the other assassins?”
“There’s been nothing on the secu
rity feed.”
“Thank you.”
After they left, she hurried into the adjoining bathroom, and grabbed a bowl and a cloth. She filled the basin with steaming water, and carried it back to the bedside table.
Sabin had a jagged wound on his side, and slashes from the hunting bug on his chest. There were holes all through his scale amor, and skin showed through.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She needed to get the armor off him so she could treat his wounds. She touched it. The scales were tough, but flexible under her fingers.
She felt the warmth of him.
He was alive. That was all that mattered.
She slid her hand along his arm. “Sabin, I need you to retract your armor.”
There was no response.
She touched the thick band that housed his helian. It pulsed and she stroked it. “I need his armor off so I can help him. We can help him together.”
She felt another pulse, then the black scales started to flow off his skin, retracting back into the band.
Her heart did an extra thump. Then she saw the full extent of his injuries and nausea rose in her throat.
Swallowing back the ugly taste in her mouth, she reached for him. “Sabin.” He must be in agony.
Finley got to work cleaning the blood off him. The horrible bite on his shoulder was turning black at the edges. As she washed it, he stirred.
“Shh.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead.
She went over to his large, black bag and rummaged around in it. She found a small container and pulled out a vial of havv.
She hugged the vial to her chest. “Thank God.”
She sat on the bed. She tipped havv onto the wound on his side, then the scratches, and then the bite. She smoothed the red fluid across his skin.
He stirred, his muscles tensing. She stroked the hair off his forehead. Then she rinsed out the cloth and wiped down his face.
“I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”
He was still restless. She kicked off her shoes. She was still wearing her borrowed dress—although it was looking a little worse for wear—but she didn’t want to leave him to change. She found a black shirt in his bag—made of silky Eon fabric. She quickly slipped off her dress and bra, and pulled the shirt on.
Tiredness and worry pulled at her. She ran a shaky hand across her face. She checked his wounds again and thought they maybe looked less inflamed, but they were a long way from healed.
He thrashed a little on the bed.
“It’s all right, Sabin.”
At the sound of her voice, he settled, his face turning her way.
She stroked his jaw and then climbed onto the bed beside him. She moved to his uninjured side and lay down next to him.
Warmth pumped off him. She pressed a hand to his flat abs.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt, warrior. Seeing that SUV crashed and overturned…” Her throat tightened. “Heal now.” She snuggled into his side. She wasn’t sure who needed the comfort more, him or her.
She set her watch alarm to ring in two hours, so she could check on him. Then sleep dragged her under.
It felt like seconds later when her alarm beeped, and she fought off sleep. She sat up and checked his wounds in the low light of the lamp she’d left on.
His scratches were healing well. She blew out a breath, relief a wild rush inside her. The bite mark was almost gone. The wound on his side was deeper; it looked better, but it still wasn’t healed.
She brushed her fingers over his cheek and he turned his face into her palm. With her other hand, she touched the helian band.
“Rest, Sabin.”
Finley fell asleep again, pressed against him. When she next checked him, she could barely pry her eyelids open. She was exhausted.
But the scratches on his chest were just pink marks. The Eon havv was amazing stuff.
She fell asleep once more, cocooned by his warmth.
When she woke next, it was because something was tickling her cheek. She made an annoyed noise and turned into the pillow.
But her pillow was warm, firm, and hard.
She opened her eyes.
Sabin was up on one elbow, leaning over her.
“Are you okay?” She moved to sit up, but he pushed her back down.
His face was unreadable. She scanned his chest.
And only saw pristine, bronze skin.
The air shuddered out of her.
His hands circled her throat, his thumb on her pulse point. Her pulse jumped at his caress.
“I recall telling you to get to safety, and to lock down the base,” he said, in a low voice.
He was angry with her? “I saved your life, and you’re angry?”
He leaned down closer. “Because it’s your life that matters. You raced into danger, and the Kantos could’ve killed you!”
His voice turned to a yell.
Finley’s anger ignited. “Well, your life matters to me!”
He stilled. The purple in his eyes glowed. “It’s my duty to protect you.”
“Well, I’m protecting you right back, Sabin.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t let you die.”
He growled. “Finley.”
“Be mad, but I don’t regret it. Seeing you healed and whole—” she met his gaze “—was worth every risk.”
He stilled. “You undo me.” His voice was deep, husky.
“Sabin—” Heat flooded her belly.
He lowered his head, his mouth on hers. Then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.
Chapter Twelve
Sabin drew in the taste of Finley.
By the warriors, he wanted to drown in her, imprint himself on her.
He made himself lift his head. “I need to shower.” His wounds were clean, but he still felt the gore and dirt of the fight.
Her lips curved. “I’ll join you.”
His cock throbbed. Cren.
She rose. She was wearing his shirt, her long legs bare. His hands flexed. He wanted to tear the fabric off her and put his mouth and hands on her.
With a smile, she turned and walked into the bathroom. He heard the shower turn on and he followed, his heart drumming in his chest.
In the bathroom, she pulled the shirt off. She glanced at him and lifted her chin. Almost defiant.
He remembered what she’d said, that she was too tall and too large to be beautiful here.
“You are gorgeous.” He let his gaze drift over her. “Magnificent.”
Her teeth sank into her lip. “You make me feel like that.” She stepped into the shower, her gaze on him.
He took his own clothes off until he was naked, cock hard and rising. He needed her and he could no longer fight it.
He stepped into the shower stall, and she watched him, hunger in her eyes.
They moved under the water together. Her hair was a slick fall down her back, shades darker than it was when it was dry. She reached out and squirted some soap on her hands, then rubbed it against his chest. As she touched him, he realized she was checking his now-healed wounds.
“I’m fine.” He still needed to eat, his energy was low, but his wounds were fully healed.
She pressed a kiss to his chest.
He’d never wanted or needed someone like this before. Never had someone cared for him as she did.
Her soapy hand slicked over his body. He gripped her waist, one hand shaping her curvy buttocks. Her hands circled his cock and he groaned.
She stroked him, touched him until Sabin couldn’t think past the beat of desire. He circled his arms around her and lifted her. She gasped.
“I love your strength,” she murmured. “I know you’d never hurt me.”
Her trust in him made him believe it. He pinned her to the tiles and kissed her. Then moved his mouth down her neck as she wound her long legs around his hips.
He found one breast and sucked the nipple into his mouth.
She moaned—a sweet sound. Sabin took his time as the water cascad
ed over them, locking them in their own little world.
He moved to her other breast. By the stars, she was so beautiful.
“Sabin.” Her voice was needy, her hands digging into his shoulders.
He turned off the water and carried her out. He sat on the bed, with her straddling him.
“We’re wet,” she said.
“I don’t care.” He leaned forward and licked the water off her skin.
“Oh, that feels good,” she moaned.
“I want to make it feel even better. Will you let me love you, Finley?”
Her chest hitched. “Yes.”
She reached between them and found his cock. He groaned.
“You’re so big.” She stroked him. “I’m not very experienced or good at sex.”
“This requires two people, Finley. You can’t be bad at it alone.”
He took her mouth again and their tongues tangled. He stroked a hand down her body, over her belly and into the curls at the juncture of her thighs. He stroked.
“Oh.” Her hips shimmied
“I need to check to see if you’re ready.” He wouldn’t hurt her.
“I’m ready any time I look at you.”
He felt intense satisfaction at her words. She was wet, and moved on his hand. He thumbed the small nub of her sex. “Like that?”
“Yes.” Her voice was breathless.
“Do you want my cock inside you, Finley?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you anything you want.” He wrapped his hand around hers on his cock. “Come here.”
His voice was a growl. She rested her hand on his shoulder, and together, they held his cock as she positioned herself over him.
She pressed down.
As the swollen head of his cock lodged inside her, they both groaned.
“Sabin—”
Cren. “Go slow. You’re tight.”
“It’s been a while.” She bore down, her teeth biting into her lip. “And you aren’t small.”
Slowly, her body opened and took him. Sabin was shaking, fighting the need to plunge into her.
Finley made a sound, and in one swift move, she sank down, taking the rest of his cock.
“Finley,” he growled, his hands digging into her hips.
She threw her head back.
He leaned forward and raked his teeth down her neck. “Are you all right?”
