by Vi Keeland
Damn. This was the first Ickbata she’d encountered on Garalon Five and the male’s instant response to her proximity took her by surprise. Normally, tamping down her energy was enough to keep any male’s lascivious thoughts in check. “Thanks for the offer, but how about we just share a couple of drinks and see where that takes us.” She wrapped her hand around the appendages snaking their way into her hair and firmly guided them back to the black lacquered surface of the bar.
Undeterred, the Ickbata’s gaze dropped to their joined hands, skittered to her plentiful cleavage before settling on her mouth. He inhaled deeply, absorbing her presence with all of his senses. “I think out we should go. Very happy we make us.” A lower appendage moved higher to caress her inner thigh while a third one snaked around her back to roll discreetly over her breast. “Just a faster copulation.” His rough tongue darted out to rasp along the shell of her ear and she worked not to recoil at the intimate contact.
“Extra credits for two tsk nok,” he purred.
She had no idea what that meant and Lilly had no intention of finding out. She hadn’t planned on attracting any of the locals when she’d entered the tavern. But short of kicking the Ickbata in the proverbial balls—which wouldn’t fit her working girl cover—it looked like she was going to have to escort the horny male out of the tavern before ditching him in the busy streets. “Let me just finish—”
“Hey, Babe.”
The brawny arms hauling her from the Ickbata’s grasp took Lilly by surprise. But that action was nothing compared to the crush of one set of very soft, very male and very human lips pressing urgently against hers. Lilly opened her mouth to protest and her cry was silenced by a velvet tongue sweeping in to tangle with hers and flood her mouth with the man’s sweet taste. Fighting the urge to melt against the hard wall of muscle jammed against her breasts became an impossible feat. The heat of human contact overwhelmed her senses and buckled her knees. Only his strong embrace kept Lilly on her feet.
The man’s mouth broke from hers and she nearly groaned at the loss.
“She’s waiting on me, buddy. Sorry if you thought she was available.”
Lilly ripped her gaze from the chestnut eyes staring down at her, and looked back at the Ickbata. Thankfully, with all contact broken, the alien had once again regained control over his senses and no doubt regretted his very public sexual display. “Ghec tung dksk.”
The Ickbata’s words didn’t translate, but the spittle flying with his indignation required no interpretation. Wrapping his four appendages tightly around the swollen flesh of his abdomen, the alien deflated in size and slinked away, melting into the crowd on the dance floor.
The human released her and Lilly fell clumsily back onto the stool.
“No thanks necessary.” The man shrugged absently and signaled the bartender. “Shot of gall’s blood and a Regent’s ale, heavy on the brenic.”
Even through her haze of confusion, Lilly understood this man believed she couldn’t take care of herself. “What?”
He smiled at her, a rogue dimple framing the right side of those full lips that only moments ago had wreaked havoc on her common sense. “It’s what I do.” His assessing gaze traveled down her neck, stuttering at her heaving chest before continuing its journey over the tiny black skirt to the tops of her boots. “No working woman should have to put up with unwanted advances.” Like fingers lazily roaming over her skin, his gaze dragged hotly back to her face, leaving a sparking trail of awareness in its wake. “That leather alien obviously wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
He was right of course, but it pissed her off he’d pulled the macho-hero routine and was now gloating about it. “Maybe because I hadn’t given it.” Her annoyance over extricating herself from the alien switched to anger at this man’s arrogance and Lilly let the emotion roll through her. If he thought she was a prostitute, she could play the part. “You idiot. You’ve completely ruined my chance of making a boatload of credits.” She slugged back a good portion of her ale. “Why is it that all you chivalrous types think you can come charging in to play the white knight even when the damsel isn’t in distress?”
He tipped his head to the side and shrugged. No doubt, it was his Neanderthal form of an apology. But the man’s sexy half smile and dimple couldn’t quite hide his amusement. “Because, m’ lady, ’tis the noble thing to do.” He captured her hand and feathered his lips across her knuckles. “These are dangerous times.”
Energy flowed from her and for a moment, panic gripped Lilly at the unexpected release. With her emotions jumping, she had less control over the current snapping over her synapses. But really, this situation was his fault. He’d touched her first. Granted, the guy had come to her rescue and she hated to admit that his timing couldn’t have been better. Still, it was irritating he hadn’t allowed her the opportunity to save herself.
He leaned into her, his stubbled cheek against hers, his lips a whisper from her ear. “There’s no need to thank me.” Her breasts pressed into his biceps and she felt the heat of current surge once again. But now, it was her own libido causing the flux. “I was more than happy to come to your rescue.”
He dropped her hand and turned back to the bar.
She stared at him, confusion binding her tongue. No male, human or otherwise, had ever broken contact with her first. Lilly stared at her hands. She tingled with the heat of her power, her body temperature rising with the endorphins pulsing through her blood. With her desire this high, there was no doubt the fool working to blow her off had an iron will—and an ego the size of California. She wasn’t sure what pissed her off more, the fact he could ignore the lust pumping through his body, when every muscle of hers was thrumming with need or that he thought she couldn’t take care of herself. If six months alone in deep space hadn’t given her skills, then her training back on earth would have been sufficient to keep her safe.
“Like I said, I didn’t need rescuing.” She threw back the rest of the ale and slammed the stein down on the bar. “The Ickbata and I were just discussing terms.”
The bartender set down the human’s drinks and walked away. The man tipped back the shot of gall’s blood, not even wincing as the acidic liquor slammed into his gut. “And what, besides a swift kick to his reproductive organs, were you trying to negotiate?”
Oh, ouch, right on target.
“I’ll have you know that male was ready to drop some serious credits.”
Seemingly unfazed, he took a long pull of the ale. “From where I was standing by the door it looked like you could use a little help.” He shrugged again, a motion that was beginning to annoy. “Sorry if I misinterpreted.”
“Well you did.” Her anger erupted and energy snapped unseen around them. “And now I’d like to know how you’re going to make it up to me.”
“Perhaps I can buy you another drink?”
“A drink?” Her hand came down on the bar, brushing his forearm, releasing another flare of current. So what if a little of her energy burned through his veins and revved his engines, leaving him panting and hungry. At this point she didn’t care. It would serve him right for being so self-righteous and a little full of himself. Lilly mustered up all the indignation of the whore she was trying to portray. “You think a drink is in the same league as what I was negotiating with the Ickbata?”
The bartender set down another Regent’s ale with a wink and an air kiss at Lilly from one of the heads. “This one’s on me,” he chirped. It seemed everyone except the human was feeling the effects of her power surge.
The man arched a brow at the two headed Xerick behind the bar and smiled as the male reluctantly turned back to another customer. “Looks like you could have your choice of clients at this point.”
Lilly couldn’t believe what was happening, or more accurately, what wasn’t happening with the human. She narrowed her eyes and studied the man, wondering if he had some other motive for being here. His dark complexion and sexy-as-hell day-old scruff weren’t memorable. But th
e faint trace of a scar running from his brow to his upper lip certainly were. Lilly didn’t recognize him as any of the bounty hunters on the circuit. In the last three months she’d become very aware of her competition.
Besides, it had taken three weeks of intense investigation on Reigis Alpha and another two days scoping out joints here on Garalon Five before she’d figured out her next move. There was no way in hell this guy could be another bounty hunter who’d managed to follow the same path looking for the same outlaw—all while remaining hidden. His appearance here had to be coincidental. Still, there was the issue of his ability to ignore her sexual aura. That part completely threw Lilly off her game.
“Are you seriously telling me that at this moment you’re not interested in having sex with me?” She lowered her voice. “Or are you worried you just can’t compete with the Ickbata’s sexual prowess?”
He laughed, a warm sound that shot heat through her blood. “If you’re referring to their dicks, I’ve heard rumors they have no idea what to do with them.” He drained his ale in one long gulp, swiping his hand across his mouth as he turned. His eyes locked on hers, the humor of a moment ago replaced by a hard-edged spark of lust. “I, on the other hand, have never had any complaints about how I use mine.”
She swallowed hard, her tongue unable to form words. She wasn’t sure why she’d doubted her effect on the human, but as her body thrummed with the energy coursing through her, she wanted everything his dangerous look promised. “I—”
He hauled her from the stool and unceremoniously pulled her against his chest. The hard lines of his jaw clenched with some emotion she couldn’t identify. “Fine. You want to play this through? Then let’s.” He brought his mouth down on hers, hard and demanding.
She grabbed his shirt for support, her energy flooding into his system. Guilt and sadness clashed within her over the sudden release. It’s not how she wanted to attract a man, but at times like this—when her own emotions and desires took over—Lilly had no way to stop the flux.
His tongue swept her lips and she opened for him, a low growl of desire vibrating in his chest, fueling her own need. She hadn’t been with a man since the incident on Earth over six months ago. What harm would it do if her feminine charms had coaxed him into a quick little sexual romp that could satisfy both their elevated libidos? And in her current role, this guy might just feed both her empty wallet and her desperate need for human contact.
Her fingers tangled in the caramel curls of silky hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him tighter. He changed the angle, the soft heat of his tongue brushing against hers. His hand dragged up her thigh, over her belly and stopped just below her breast. He broke the kiss, his heavy breath hot on her skin.
He scanned the tavern as if surprised he’d let his libido take him so far. “How about we take this party somewhere private?”
Yes. Even with their limited contact, her body was demanding more. One drawback of bonding someone with her energy was the backlash it had on her own need. Lust surging, Lilly wouldn’t be able to ease her sexual hunger until her orgasm broke the link she’d created to the man. Desperation and caution warred within her. Being human didn’t guarantee this man wouldn’t harm her. But she needed this human contact as badly as she needed to collect some credits. She nodded, allowing him to lead her by the elbow through the growing crowd of the tavern.
Lilly snuck a peek at her timepiece. Though she hadn’t intended on leaving the tavern, there were still a couple of hours left to enjoy herself before her proverbial spaceship docked.
Dallas Sawyer all but pushed the spunky blonde through the crowd. If she was a prostitute he was the archangel Gabriel come to save her ass. Yeah, and snowball fights were a daily occurrence in hell. Which was exactly where Dallas was headed if he acted on the lust clouding his judgment. He should be protecting her, not thinking about a sexual conquest.
When he’d first seen the woman with the long-snouted Ickbata, his radar had honed in on the thing’s appendages giving her a thorough pat down. He wasn’t jealous exactly, but it certainly was a kick in the gut to see the only human female within a hundred-click radius being mauled by an alien.
He lied when he’d told her he thought she was trying to get away from the thing. On the contrary, she’d looked like she could take care of herself and then some. Though Dallas wasn’t sure what the woman had planned for the male, he’d stepped in just to remind her she was human. Then she’d turned on the working woman thing and his pride had gotten the better of him and he’d backed off. He didn’t want her to want him as a client—he wanted her panting and hot because he—a red-blooded human man—had turned her on.
Then she’d seemed downright insulted at his feigned lack of interest. She was a definite enigma, and if he had the time, Dallas wouldn’t mind discovering the mystery surrounding this beautiful creature.
But he didn’t really have the time.
Tonight was supposed to be about business, not sexual conquests. At the moment though, with all blood in his brain migrating south, it seemed his dick had other priorities.
He maneuvered them through the growing throng of the tavern figuring he could enjoy a quick romp and get the human as far from this place as he could before all hell rained down.
“I don’t even know your name,” she said.
“My friends call me Sawyer. You can call me Dallas.”
“Like the planet? Dallas Eight?”
“No the city.” He pulled open the door and motioned her onto the street.
The woman scrunched her face in that cute habit she had. Maybe she’d never been to Earth. It wasn’t so farfetched. Since the first wave of humans left Earth nearly sixty years ago, hoping to find uninhabited planets to ease Earth’s overcrowding, they’d managed to reproduce on all dozen planets in the Nebulae Galaxy. Dallas knew there were at least two generations of humans on Reigis Alpha who had never set foot on their planet of origin.
“As in Texas?” she asked.
He stopped short just outside the tavern. “You know Earth?”
Even in the blue wash of the unnatural lights lining the bustling street he could see the color flooding her cheeks. “I’m human, aren’t I?” She planted her hands on her hips.
Yep, he’d screwed that up. The color was indignation, not embarrassment. “So you say, but even a Braugtot without training and a little makeup can impersonate a human.” He put his hand on her back, guiding her down the brick walk. “And a history-rom can download Earth memories faster than an Ickbata can wrap you in four appendages and—”
Whipping around in front of him, she curled her hand around the back of his neck. Before he could protest, she pulled him down against her hungry mouth. She bit his bottom lip then sipped it into her mouth, laving the tender spot with her tongue. Her leg slid up his thigh and she ground her pubic bone against his hardening dick. Dallas had been wrapped up in the mission plans for over eighteen Earth months. Thoughts of recreation had been left behind nearly a year ago with the flowers at President Orch’s grave on Canus Delta.
But as this very hot woman took possession of both his mouth and common sense, guiding his hand along the silken skin of her thigh and urging it under the hem of her skirt to her bare ass cheek, all thoughts of the QAL objective were lost. What was left of any logic got carried away with the blood rushing to his groin. There was only lust and heat and a human woman dry humping him in public. It had been so damn long since Dallas had allowed himself even one moment of pleasure. Cold, hard guilt had been the only thing keeping him company at night.
Here, in the lull before the storm of duty hit, he could lose himself in all her sweet softness. Of its own accord, his free hand smoothed up her torso and molded around her ample breast, the nipple beading beneath his palm. He barely registered the honking horns of luna crystal cabs or the appreciative whistles of the life forms forced to move around them.
She pulled from the kiss and dropped her thigh, but kept her body pressed to his. “That ought t
o prove I’m not some Braugtot in drag. And since you’re obviously interested,” she pressed her stomach against his erection, “why don’t we find that private party spot?”
Training had his gaze sweeping the street. Nothing seemed out of place. Not that he expected there to be. They were still a day away from the Hij’Rozhod’s arrival. The QAL may not know what he looked like or even what species he was, but there was no doubt their intel was right. The assassin, who’s title translated to “Mist of Death”, got his name not only from his uncanny ability to take out presidents and prime ministers beneath the watchful eyes of their security detail, but to escape without leaving any trace of his existence. Save for the trail of fourteen bodies left in his or her wake over the last four years, no one knew anything about the murderer. With the human ambassador’s inauguration in less than a week, QAL had no doubt the traitor was planning a move. If Hij’Rozhod didn’t change his MO, Dallas and his team were banking on it happening at the actual ceremony, in front of billions of inhabitants. If everything came together they’d have someone on the inside by then.
“Hey, Earth to Dallas.” She laid her palm on his chest. “Where are you?”
He smiled down at her. Damn she was beautiful. All that blonde hair falling in kinky little waves over the fur coat and flimsy top. A top that barely contained her breasts with their tight little nipples. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think she was as horny as him. But of course he was only projecting. She was faking her desire as obviously as the working woman persona. Whatever. He’d play this out as far as she’d let him.
“I was just looking for the perfect secluded spot,” Dallas lied. “I think I know somewhere three doors down.” This time, with his hand curved possessively around her hip, he guided her through the crowded sidewalk. He hadn’t needed to search for a quiet place to take her. Dallas had committed to memory every business, every side street and every back alley within a five-block radius of the tavern. If Hij’Rozhod tried to find a hiding place, they’d hunt him down like a pack of hungry jackals. Because at the moment that’s how Dallas felt—jumpy and ready to kill.
