by S. E. Smith
“I should have ripped his throat out,” K-Nine muttered under his breath.
“You and me both, partner,” Matrix agreed in a grim voice as he tenderly stroked Jana’s trembling form.
Eleven
Matrix turned when he saw Jana step out of the house again. She had gone back inside to wash her face after her tears had finally subsided. Once again, he wished that he had just killed the human male.
“How do you feel?” He asked when she walked toward him.
“Okay, I guess,” she replied with a sigh as she came to a stop and looked around. “What are you and K-Nine doing?”
Matrix drew in a deep breath and looked over to where K-Nine was slowly moving around the perimeter, pausing every few feet to check the sensors they had set out. He silently debated how much he should tell her before deciding it would be safer if she knew what could happen. If they survived this, it would be just the beginning of a new life for her. He had been thinking about his conversation with K-Nine. There was no way now that he could leave Jana behind.
Turning toward her, he rested his hands on her hips and drew her close. One thing he was fast learning, he loved the feel of her in his arms. Pulling her even closer, he silently held her.
“He is checking the sensors,” Matrix finally murmured.
Jana pulled back and looked up at him with a puzzled frown. “Is this about that thing you’ve been talking about?” She asked in a husky voice.
“Yes,” Matrix responded, releasing her and taking several steps away. “The Crawler is very dangerous, Jana. If we don’t kill it, it could mean the end of the world for your people.”
Jana swallowed. Her eyes were wide, but she stared up at him with complete faith. His sense of pride and astonishment at her inner strength continued to grow. A slight smile curved his lips when he heard her quiet response.
“You’ll kick that thing’s ass,” she whispered with unwavering conviction.
“Yes, we will,” Matrix replied, stepping back toward her. “Jana, when we leave….”
Jana’s hand rose and she pressed her fingers against his lips, shaking her head. She blinked rapidly several times before she released a soft, strained laugh. His gaze remained locked on her expressive face, watching a wide variety of emotions cross it.
“This has been a magical day,” she said in a husky voice. “I knocked out a gorgeous alien, found out my new pet can talk, had the pleasure of beating up my landlord with a fly swatter before said alien and talking dog scared the piss right out of him, and….”
“And?” He asked against her fingers, his eyebrow rose at her long-winded recitation.
“And I got to kiss a gorgeous hunk of an alien,” she finished, lowering her hand to his chest. “I’d like to do it again if he doesn’t mind.”
“Jana,” Matrix muttered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her roughly to him. “I swear when you knocked me out, you did something to my heart as well.”
“That has got to be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” she laughed, rising up on her toes. “Now, kiss me.”
“Bossy, little thing,” Matrix softly retorted before he captured her lips.
Once again, the rush of warmth struck him as both strange, yet natural. A wave of protectiveness rose up. In the course of a single day, he was discovering that life had a way of making things happen when you least expected it. He vaguely remembered his mother warning him about that when he was a young boy.
Later that evening, Jana nervously straightened the kitchen and living room again before heading toward her bedroom to get ready for bed. It was almost midnight and instead of being exhausted, she was full of energy. Matrix and K-Nine were doing another perimeter check.
It was hard to believe that she had only met Matrix this morning. So much had happened, that her mind was running around in circles trying to process it all. Moaning softly, she buried her head in her hands. She didn’t understand any of this. Yes, she had dreamed of love at first sight, but she hadn’t really believed it was real – until now.
“What if it’s just lust?” She whispered, as she watched the kittens fighting over which one was going to sleep on top. “What if it is just my imagination and I don’t really feel what I’m feeling – I just want to feel it. Argh! That doesn’t even make sense to me!” She groaned, falling back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. “I could be making the biggest mistake of my life or the best decision ever.”
“My vote is for the best decision ever,” K-Nine offered from the door.
Jana sat up and stared at the wolfhound. “How can you know that it is the best decision ever?” She asked, scooting back and pulling her legs up onto the bed.
K-Nine took a step into the room and sat down in front of her. “I have never seen him behave this way. He wants you, but does not want to hurt you. He has never thought about a female like that in the past. You make him feel things he has never felt before in his life.”
Jana released a long sigh and shook her head. “Yeah, but how do you know? I mean, it could be just shock and awe, because I’m as alien to him as he is to me,” she argued in frustration.
“Jana, a Zion warrior recognizes his life mate when he finds her. When you look at Matrix, do you see him as an alien or as a man?” K-Nine asked, tilting his head to the side.
“As a man,” Jana admitted without any hesitation before she buried her head in her knees. “I can’t believe I’m talking to a dog about my personal life.”
She raised her head when she felt his nose nudge her arm. She stared down into the dark gray eyes. It took a minute before the humor of the situation sank in and she shook her head again, this time in self-derision.
“I am more than a dog, Jana. I am your friend. Trust in your instincts,” K-Nine counseled before standing and padding to the door.
Jana glanced up as another shadow appeared. This time it was Matrix. He stood staring at her, waiting. Jana drew in a deep breath and released it while she stretched out her hand to Matrix.
Hell, all those romance books have to have some kind of facts behind them to make them so believable, she thought as he stepped forward.
Matrix paused outside and stared up at the stars. He and K-Nine had completed their check of the area. Earlier, they had scattered sensors around the perimeter. These sensors were linked to K-Nine’s internal computer system and he would monitor them for any changes. If the Crawler made an appearance, they would know.
Fear twisted Matrix’s stomach. It was a new and disturbing feeling. He knew he would have to become accustomed to it. The fear wasn’t for K-Nine or himself, it was for Jana. His first instinct was to load her and the kittens onto the transport and send her to their spaceship on the far side of the moon.
He watched as a meteorite flashed across the sky. Tomorrow – he would send them tomorrow. Then, he wouldn’t be distracted and could focus on their mission. Turning, he glanced back at the house. There was a faint light shining on the far side. He knew it was where Jana’s bedroom was located.
Walking over to the broken flower pot, he bent and picked up the pieces. A rueful smile curved his lips. The broken pieces were another reminder that things could change at a moment’s notice.
It didn’t take him long to clean up the fragments and replant the drooping plant in a nearby pot. He tossed the broken pieces into the trash can next to the house and entered through the back door. He washed his hands in the kitchen sink before securing both the porch door and the back door. Next, he walked through the living room and checked the front door and windows.
Matrix had just stepped into the hallway again when he heard Jana’s soft voice as she talked to K-Nine. Unable to resist eavesdropping, he leaned against the wall. His lips curved when the sound of his partner’s gruff voice changed. K-Nine really did care about Jana.
“Jana, a Zion warrior recognizes his life mate when he finds her. When you look at Matrix, do you see him as an alien or as a man?” K-Nine was asking.
“As
a man…. I can’t believe I’m talking to a dog about my personal life,” Jana answered.
The curve on Matrix’s lips grew into a huge smile. His body hummed with excitement and he knew that tonight his life would change forever. Well, technically, that had already happened, but tonight he was going to claim his life mate. A slight chuckle escaped him. He honestly couldn’t believe how hard and how fast the certainty had come to him. Still, he knew himself well enough to realize that this wasn’t just a passing fancy or a one night stand – this was forever.
Straightening, he quietly walked down the hallway, staying to the side so he didn’t step on the loose board. He knew K-Nine was aware that he standing outside. The sounds of K-Nine’s nails against the wood floor alerted him that his friend was giving him his opening.
He stepped through the door and paused, leaving enough room for K-Nine to slip by him. His gaze remained locked on Jana. The tender smile on his lips grew when she held out her hand to him. He didn’t hesitate to grasp the slender thread of hope for their future.
Matrix’s hand tightened on Jana’s when he felt the slight tremble in it. A soft groan escaped him when he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. If he was any type of a gentleman, he would tuck her into bed and return to the couch in the living room. He had never been one and never would be worried about that title. Instead, he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with his in a fierce kiss guaranteed to erase any doubts about his desire for her.
“Lights,” Jana whispered as she frantically pulled at his shirt.
“Yes, they are on,” Matrix murmured, pressing a line of hot kisses along her jaw as his hands pulled at the tie of her robe.
“I mean, shouldn’t they be off?” Jana asked in concern.
“Why?” Matrix asked. “I want to see you,” he said, pulling back to look down at her. “Is it a custom of yours that you can only mate in the dark?”
Jana blushed and shook her head. “No, it’s just, I can’t remember if the man and the woman make love with the lights on or with them off. I’ve never really paid any attention to whether the authors said you should or shouldn’t.”
Matrix frowned down at her. It took several long seconds for him to process what she was saying. He carefully brushed her hair back from her face before holding it still.
“Jana, how many men have you been with before?” He asked in a quiet voice.
“Lots… Well, in my dreams,” she murmured, looking up at him with an uneasy smile. “You’ll be the first real one.”
“I’ll be…,” Matrix groaned and bowed his head. He pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder. This changed everything. This was not going to be a hot and heavy flash of fire. Tonight was going to be a slow and very painful lesson in self-restraint... for him. Lifting his head, he once again stared down at her. “Will you trust me?”
Jana’s eyes softened and she shyly nodded. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Then, the lights stay on,” he murmured, leaning down to take her lips in a hard, possessive kiss.
His mind raced as he thought of all the ways he could make this memorable for her. He drew his fingers down along the smooth skin of her collarbone, tracing it. Goosebumps rose under his touch and her breathing increased. He took his time releasing her robe and pushing it open.
He was thankful they were in her large bed instead of the narrow bunk aboard the transport. Rising, he pulled his shirt off and unbuckled the belt around his waist. He had removed his boots earlier when he had entered the back porch area. Sliding off the bed, he pushed off his pants and kicked them aside.
“You aren’t wearing any underwear!” Jana squeaked, her eyes glued to his throbbing cock.
He released a soft, husky chuckle. He swore when he felt the blood rush to his cock. The first of the four thick bands was already beginning to swell and pulse with need. He drew in a deep breath and held it for several seconds before he released it.
“No, I’m not,” he stated, pulling her up so he could slip the robe off of her. “Clothes are highly overrated, especially right now.”
“I have to agree with that,” Jana whispered, lifting her arms so he could pull her short, cotton nightgown over her head.
“Oh, yes, definitely overrated,” Matrix muttered, lifting Jana’s full breasts in his hands. “I am going to enjoy these.”
Jana’s loud cry echoed through the house when Matrix clamped down on one swollen nipple with his mouth and began to suck on it. She slowly melted back against the pillows, pulling him down with her. Her legs parted when he nudged them with his knee.
He continued kneading and sucking on each nipple, taking turns until they were both a rosy red. His hands moved down along her side, pausing when he touched her soft silk panties.
“Lift up,” he ordered hoarsely against her left breast.
Jana complied with his demand, sending a wave of desire coursing through him. He was looking forward to seeing just how far she would let him push her. He quickly changed position so that he could pull the delicate peach-colored fabric off. He tossed it to the side and resumed his position between her legs. With this being her first time, he needed to have her begging for release to make it as pleasurable as possible for her.
Bending forward, he nipped at the tender skin on the inside of her right thigh. He was rewarded with another loud cry and the warm scent of her arousal. His hand ran along her leg until he could tangle his fingers in the moist, dark brown curls covering her mound. Her hips rocked, pushing impatiently against his palm.
He gently tugged on the soft curls while his gaze remained locked on her large breasts and rosy nipples. They would need to go shopping once they reached one of the Spaceports. He knew exactly what he wanted to attach to those plump peaks. He groaned softly at the thought and he felt the remaining bands along his cock swell.
His gaze dropped down to the small patch of glistening curls. This was the first time he had ever been with a female that had hair between her legs. He realized that he liked it.
His fingers caressed the soft, swollen folds hidden within the curls. She was wet. Matrix slid his left hand under Jana’s buttocks, lifting them as he inserted first, one, and then a second finger into her hot vaginal channel. Her legs fell further apart and her panting breaths caused her breasts to sway back and forth.
“Do you like this?” Matrix whispered, allowing his hot breath to brush over her soft curls while his fingers created a rhythm that was driving her insane.
“Yes, but… but… I want… more,” she groaned, shifting wildly against the covers. “Matrix.”
Matrix understood the driving ache that pushed him to claim her. It was tearing at him. He wanted – needed – Jana in a way that was as primitive as time. Pulling free, he slid up her body.
“Wrap your legs around me, Jana,” Matrix ordered in a hoarse voice.
Matrix gritted his teeth when he felt Jana’s silky flesh slide against his. His entire body was on fire. He held himself up with his right arm while he reached for his cock with his left hand.
“Let me,” Jana whispered, breaking through his feverish thoughts.
Matrix’s gaze locked with Jana’s and he nodded. She gently wrapped her hand around his cock. He covered her hand with his and squeezed it. Her eyes widened and she nodded, squeezing him as she began moving her hand up and down along the thick ridges.
“Guide me…,” he pleaded in a thick voice. “I need you.”
He saw her swallow and carefully guide him to her slick entrance. Her lips parted and a soft breath escaped her as he slowly sank into her. He paused when he felt a thin barrier. Balancing his heavier weight on his elbows, he wrapped his arms around her and covered her mouth with his at the same time as he rocked his hips forward, breaking the barrier and joining them as one.
A shudder ran through Jana, but she didn’t push him away. Instead, she dug her heels into his buttocks and began to rock. They both groaned softly when the first band on his cock pulsed against her sensitive channel.
He swore he could feel every sweet inch of her caressing him. The more he moved, the more the other three bands swelled as well, until he knew he would not be able to pull out of her until he was completely spent.
“Yessss,” he hissed, tightening his arms around her and beginning to move with more force.
Jana’s hot tongue swept across the heated skin of his neck. Her small bites and hot kisses pushed him over the edge. He slid his left hand down and squeezed her ass. She erupted under him, stiffening, before a long cry escaped her. Her body held his in a tight grip, squeezing him as she came. The extra pressure proved to be his undoing, and he felt his cock pulse inside her, releasing the pent up desire in wave after wave of endless pleasure as the second and third bands released with his climax. The waves of his pleasure sent Jana’s own pleasure spiraling upward while her orgasm consumed her.
“Matrix!” Jana cried out again gripping him tightly to her as he came deep inside her.
“My Jana,” Matrix muttered, bowing his head and pressing his lips against her damp skin. He moved his hips, feeling the last band stoke the fire inside her once again. “I claim you as my life mate, Jana Dixon. You are mine.”
Twelve
“Matrix, wake up,” K-Nine ordered, coming into the room.
Matrix woke immediately and sat up. Jana groaned and tried to snuggle closer to him. He glanced down at her flushed face and tangled hair. He tenderly brushed the silky strands back before he turned to look at K-Nine.
“What is it?” He asked.
“The sensor on the far side of the house behind Jana’s transport has detected movement heading this way,” K-Nine stated, picking up Matrix’s clothes with his mouth and tossing them on the bed. “It’s the Crawler. I can feel it.”
“Galactic Balls!” Matrix hissed. Turning, he gently shook Jana. “Jana, wake up.”
