"I am Rhan." He said it like he didn't understand her meaning. "I have attacked you. I might have killed you. Do you not hate me? Fear me?"
"No," she said, smiling. "You attacked me out of hunger. But you've also shown me compassion. Allow me to return that compassion."
The thought formed while she spoke. He was in great pain as his body repaired the damage done by the Skarn. Perhaps, if she distracted him, it would ease his pain somewhat.
While leaning atop him, face to face, she lowered her mouth to his. He didn't react immediately to her press of lips against his. She wondered briefly if Rhan kissed in the same manner as humans.
Lightly pressing her lips to his, she opened her mouth, nibbling his lips with the soft press of hers. Her tongue darted out to touch him. And then his mouth opened. As their tongues touched, the heat that had blossomed earlier returned in full force.
She was intensely aware of every spot where her body had contact with his. Her breasts, concealed only with the thin layer of cotton from her nightie, pressed against the firm muscles of his chest.
His grip on her arm relaxed, his fingers trailing a hot path from her elbow to her back where he held her close.
Their kiss deepened. Lena's body tingled, sensations pouring into her, arousing her like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She was no timid virgin. She'd had relationships in the past. But never had she experienced such desire, such heat, need or want. Her body burned, consumed by the sensations of being wrapped in his arms.
She wanted more.
Her fingers slipped beneath the torn fabric of his shirt, running her hand along the smooth skin of his chest. He inhaled sharply, breaking their kiss.
"Lena..." His eyes were wide, filled with awe and hunger. She noticed his shaking had slowed with her contact to him, the convulsions becoming slight muscular tremors. "I've never met a creature such as you, human."
Then he cautiously lifted a hand to her face. One finger tentatively brushed along her cheek to her chin. His eyes widened at the contact. "So delicate, so vulnerable... And yet you carry a strength within you that is unparalleled. Are all humans like this?"
"I... I don't know." It was difficult to think while staring into his eyes. All she wanted to do was kiss him again. Their kiss had been so delicious, the sensations hot and powerful. Unlike anything she'd ever experienced.
"My leg has sufficiently repaired itself."
"So quickly?" She didn’t like the small sound of disappointment that crept into her voice. Her whole purpose in kissing him was to distract him from the pain of healing.
Right?
That’s all it had been.
Right?
Even as she tried desperately to convince herself, she knew it wasn’t true. She was falling for Rex. The big, blue alien made her heartbeat double. No man had ever made her feel like this.
Physical contact aside, Lena also knew that Rex was compassionate and kind. Despite being mistreated, he still had a heart. She wanted to get to know him better.
In every way.
First, they needed to get off this ship. Afterward, she wanted to take more time in exploring these sensations he stirred within her. And the feelings that were growing in her heart.
"I had to focus my energy to speed the healing process,” he said, oblivious to the feelings that were awakening within her. “I will regret this later. The more energy I use, the hungrier I become. I will become a danger to you."
"And now?"
"I hunger still, but now I've had a moment, I can control it with what you have already given me." His fingers clasped her hand upon his chest. "Your arm. It is well? Have I hurt you?"
She shook her head, biting her lip. Should she tell him how wonderful it felt when he drank from her? And when they kissed… The tingling sensations that coursed through her body. The urge she had to rip apart his torn clothes and explore his wondrous body.
He glanced at the open doorway. "You used the device to unlock the doors. How did you learn to decipher it?"
"I frantically pushed buttons." Lena shrugged. Some of her hair fell into her face. She pushed it back. "I thought you were dying. When I saw you convulsing, I was afraid my blood was poison to you."
"You might have alerted the Skarn."
“All I could think was of getting to you.”
They stared at one another. In that moment, Lena wondered if he felt as she did. If he sensed this connection growing between them. Her heart pounded. She wanted to ask him but feared his answer. What if it was just her? What if he didn’t feel the same attachment growing within?
Rex moved to sit. Lena held his arm, aiding him. He grimaced, his hand clasping his leg.
"I thought you said your leg was healed?"
"Yes, mostly."
"We need to get out of here. Will you be able to walk?"
"I will manage fine, human."
"Good." Then she stood and proffered a hand to him. His left eyebrow raised at the gesture, as if he'd never seen anyone offer a helping hand before. When he didn't move, she sighed, a small smile teasing her lips. "You're supposed to take my hand. I'm offering to help you stand."
She might need his help, too. Her knees were shaking. Was it from the heady passion of nearly making love to him on the floor or the fact that she might be a pint or two low in the blood department?
His other eyebrow raised, but he took her hand in his and she helped him to his feet.
Once he was standing, he leaned against the wall for support. He breathed heavily, exhausted.
"Do you need more blood?"
Startled, he lifted his gaze to her. "I can take no more from you, Lena."
"Well, I wasn't really offering. More worried about you, I guess. You don't look so hot." Although, it was difficult to tell with his blue skin if he was a few shades paler.
"My body temperature is consistent for a Rhan."
"No, that's not what I meant... Never mind." She waved a hand in front of her to dismiss her words. For as much English as he’d learned, there was still somewhat of a language barrier. "Do you know which way to go?"
He limped the first few steps, but by the time he reached the doorway, he was standing on his own two feet without the aid of the wall.
I guess he wasn't kidding about that rapid healing stuff.
At the doorway, he poked his head carefully into the corridor, looking both ways before reaching for Lena's hand, clasping it in his.
"Together, human?"
Lena nodded. Holding hands, they walked out of the cell and into the corridor. He took the lead, keeping her slightly behind him as if to shield her. Standing near him, Lena realized how tall he was compared to the average human. She guessed maybe seven feet, which made her 5'9'' feel like a child beside him.
The corridor walls were made with the same substance as their cells. Like never-ending snakes twining together. They passed a few doorways before reaching the end. Rex poked his head around the corner, checking for any Skarn warriors.
This time when they walked into the corridor, he tugged her to move faster, increasing their speed. She kept up until the next turn when she grew light-headed and stumbled. He turned, a worried frown on his face. Before he could speak, he suddenly shoved her aside. She fell against the wall, releasing his hand as he attacked two Skarn warriors that had appeared behind them.
Lena froze as she watched him fight. The Skarn each had weapons, but Rex reacted swiftly, taking them by surprise with swinging fists and kicks. A well-trained warrior. She'd glimpsed his abilities in that room with the liquid screen, but there had been too many Skarn then. Now, with only two opponents, he took them down with quiet efficiency.
Before she could even open her mouth to gasp, both Skarn lay unconscious and bleeding on the floor.
And then Rex was upon them. He ripped the sleeve from one warrior, clasping his mouth to the Skarn's inner arm. With fanged teeth, he tore savagely into the warrior, greedily drinking the blood of his enemy. After a moment, he repeated
his feeding on the second warrior.
Lena watched, both fascinated and horrified. This was the creature she had feared. It was difficult to combine the two sides of Rex in her mind. The monster who fed ferociously and the alien who had shown her such tenderness.
Rex didn't take time to ease the feeding with the Skarn as he did with her. He wasn't gentle, and she doubted the Skarn experienced the same pleasurable sensations Rex had gifted her with that second time. In fact, staring solemnly at the first Skarn, she doubted that Rex had even left a drop within the warrior's veins.
This side of Rex represented what she heard and feared of the Rhan. Barbaric, savage, without mercy.
He finished, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Then he stood, turning to face her.
He made to move forward but stopped short at the sight of her face.
She stared, not knowing what to say, and aware they didn't have time for this discussion. They needed to leave. Now. But she wasn't sure if she could go with him. She saw the urgency in his eyes but also recognized that he understood her sudden reluctance to accompany him.
He'd frightened her more than the Skarn had when she realized she was being held captive.
Who was Rex?
A monster, just as the Skarn had reported to her father. Or was he the victim? Held prisoner indefinitely with no hope of freedom.
Was she mistaken about her feelings for him? Would he rip into her veins at the first sign of hunger, or was she truly safe with him as she felt deep inside her heart?
Two sides warred within her. Her heart and her brain.
The seconds ticked by. She saw the fist of one hand clench at his side as though he itched to grab her and run, but somehow suspected that was entirely the wrong move to make at this moment.
"Feeling better?" She licked her suddenly dry lips. She couldn't think of anything else to say but couldn't let this silence between them continue. He must have seen the horror she felt reflected on her face. She hadn't bothered to hide her expression.
"I am Rhan, Lena." He spoke in even, careful tones. His deep, gravelly voice sent tremors through her. Was it fear or desire? "Do not mistake me for anything else."
She heard footsteps approaching in the distance. She needed to make a choice. Quickly. Trust Rex to get her to safety or trust her father to negotiate a rescue for her before the Skarn executed her.
If she went with Rex now, she was placing her life in his hands. She'd need to accept that this alien fed on the blood of others to survive. It wasn’t a moral choice. It was his biology. She could never change that.
The footsteps grew closer. Still, Rex waited patiently for her to decide. Her eyes widened as she realized that he would not force her to go with him. He'd rather get recaptured than make her do anything against her will.
At that moment, she knew her choice.
She lifted her hand to him, her fingers outstretched to grasp his.
He released a breath she hadn't realized he'd been holding. It took two steps for his long legs to reach her, and then instead of taking her hand, he scooped her into his arms, lifting her easily to cradle against his chest. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, clinging as he ran with silent feet, turning the corner at the end of the corridor just as the warriors stepped into view.
Lena peered over Rex's shoulder, glimpsing the warriors rushing to their fallen comrades.
"They know," Lena said, settling back to look at the stern features of Rex's face.
"We don't have much time." He didn't meet her gaze as he concentrated on the passages and corridors of the ship. Together, with him carrying her, he ran.
She grew dizzy with the speed in which he raced. He was far faster without her ambling behind him. She realized how much she would have held him back if he hadn't carried her. Also, she hadn't accounted for the dizziness that assailed her from loss of blood.
Lena didn't protest as he said not a word, even when she noticed him beginning to limp again. He still wasn't fully healed. Her fingers slowly clasped the fabric of his shirt, wishing there was some way to help him.
Twice, they nearly ran into a contingent of Skarn warriors. She had Rex to thank for his nimble feet. For as tall as he was, his lithe, muscular frame was well maneuverable. Even with the burden of carrying her, he moved with ease as if he were made to run.
Finally, after several long agonizing minutes, he turned a corner and there was a shuttle.
She'd seen Skarn shuttles before while accompanying her father on peaceful negotiations with the Skarn visiting their planet. The shuttle appeared simply as a miniature version of their larger ship.
No warriors guarded the shuttle bay, so Rex entered unopposed into the spacecraft. He set her on the seat near the front of the craft. Lena's eyes widened at the sight of the controls. A panel of buttons and lights spread before her. She glanced Rex hitting a switch that closed the open door to the shuttle. It shut with a solid click.
Her heart raced.
"Do you have any idea how to fly one of these?"
Rex grunted. "Much of the Skarn technology is stolen. I've operated a craft such as this before."
"Oh. Okay." Lena shifted uneasily into the peculiar leather of the seat. She faced the clear window above the controls, looking across the short section of tiled floor to the shuttle bay doors. "What about those doors?"
Rex's fingers flew across the dashboard, pushing buttons, flicking switches. "That may prove the most difficult."
A noise to her right caught her attention. It came from outside the shuttle. Suddenly, the vibration of a blast shook the small craft. Her hands gripped her seat, her heart racing wildly.
"What was that?"
"The Skarn have discovered our escape." Rex spoke calmly, but his fingers moved faster.
Another blast shook the vessel, and then a huge, mechanical whining began. Metal sliding across metal echoed loudly, and then the shuttle bay doors opened in front of them. Lena watched, horrified, as two Skarn warriors who had been firing upon the shuttle were sucked into space.
A roar filled the shuttle as the engines ignited. Rex pushed a lever and suddenly, the shuttle lifted into the air. It exited the larger spaceship; the engines pushing the craft away from the Skarn ship.
The tension on Rex's face eased somewhat. He settled into the seat beside her.
Beyond the window, Lena leaned forward to take in the blanket of black, dotted with pinpricks of light. In every direction, there was nothing but space.
"Where's Earth?" She had expected to see her planet below the Skarn ship. Surely, they hovered above her planet.
Instead of finding her home world, she spotted several planets to the right of the shuttle. None of which appeared familiar.
"We're no longer in the Terran Solar System, are we?"
"No." Rex hit a few more buttons and a liquid screen appeared in front of them. Dots cluttered the screen. It took a moment before Lena realized she was staring at a map of planets. "There," Rex said, pointing to one of the dots. "We'll go there."
The screen melted away, and the shuttle moved forward with incredible speed.
Dizziness churned Lena's stomach as the pinpricks of light turned into slashes as the shuttle darted into space. She closed her eyes, turning her face away from the window. Nausea grew, but she bit her lip, fighting it.
"Lena?" Rex's concerned voice carried over the roar of the engines.
"I'm all right." Her words were short and clipped, but she kept her face turned away from the window, not willing to take a chance just yet. The sensation of vertigo took her by surprise. She hadn't expected to experience that in space. Of course, it might be from blood loss. Or the fact that she was keenly aware that beyond the metal frame of this small craft, there was nothing but space. What if the window cracked? Or there was a leak by the door? She didn't have a spacesuit to protect her. She wasn't even sure how much oxygen this small ship contained.
Dozens of panicked scenarios played out in her head.
Suddenly, she felt Rex's hand on hers. His hand warmed her icy fingers that grasped the arm of the seat she clung to. The feel of his touch soothed her.
Whatever happened here, she wasn't alone. Rex seemed to know what he was doing. She needed to calm herself and think positively.
"Sorry," she muttered, blinking her eyes open. She only realized she'd squeezed them shut in her panic. "This is my first time in space."
"No need to apologize, human."
She smiled. For whatever reason, she'd begun to suspect when he called her human it was an endearment.
"Are the Skarn following?"
"Yes, they will follow." Rex nodded. "I have dismantled the tracking device on this shuttle, so they cannot monitor our location. We will hide since we cannot hope to outrun them. I have located a planet most inhospitable where we can hide."
"Inhospitable? That doesn't sound like such a good place to hide."
"The Skarn will expect us to choose one of the neighboring planets that are more suitable to our needs. They will focus their search there and perhaps bypass this third planet."
"Okay, I get it. Hide where they won't be tempted to look."
Rex nodded. "We will simply need to survive long enough until they've moved out of this system."
"Great. How hard can it be?"
Chapter 6
It didn't take long for Rex to locate the planet. Once he deciphered a few of the systems, the technology of the craft was similar with the Ylingo. Most likely the Skarn had stolen it from them.
Landing the shuttle was harrowing. The planet was covered mostly in ice and snow, most inhospitable to his species. He wasn't certain about the human but being that she didn't possess a thick layer of fur coating her skin, he doubted Earth was considered an ice planet.
The area where he landed had a storm circling over it. It was precisely why he picked the spot. If the Skarn investigated, he hoped they'd bypass the storm-ravaged area, assuming their captives would never risk landing there and move on.
As he lowered the shuttle, the winds pummeled the walls, shaking the ship with terrifying violence. From the corner of his eye, Lena grasped the seat tighter.
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