by Mikayla Lane
Nik gently took her hand and pulled her to her feet but didn’t stop pulling until she was close enough for him to crush her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her to hold her there and smiled when he felt her hands slide around his waist.
“You know the one thing I noticed when we were looking around is that there’s only one bed,” Nik whispered as his face descended towards hers.
BJ turned a becoming pink, and her hazel eyes held his as she tilted her lips towards him.
“It is a mating cottage. I doubt separate rooms were even considered,” she whispered as her eyes closed and his lips came closer.
Nik felt her acceptance, and he took the opportunity to take her lips in a searing kiss of possession. The heat exploded between them, and Nik took advantage of BJ’s gasp of surprise to plunge his tongue into her mouth.
It was Nik’s turn to be surprised when BJ’s tongue began to duel erotically with his, giving as good as she got until they were both breathless. She pulled away and looked up into his eyes. As much as she wanted to continue, she knew they needed to care for the horses before they forgot about them completely.
Without a word, she pulled him out of the room and down the hall to the front door. Nik quickened his step to get to the door first and opened it for her. When they both stepped outside, they were both taken aback by what they saw.
A small barn had appeared, and inside the horses were munching on fresh hay, the saddles and reins already removed and hanging neatly. The basket of food was on the ground right in front them.
Nik raised his brows in question at BJ, but she just shook her head and shrugged.
“This is way outside of anything I know of,” BJ admitted. “I’ve never seen this kind of power before. It’s definitely above our pay grade.”
Nik just nodded, grabbed the basket, and pulled her back inside the cottage. He shut the door behind them and led her back into the living room. It was decked out in cushiony couches and chairs in all patterns and colors. Pillows in all sizes were thrown haphazardly on the different couches, and a massive TV took up the center of the room.
Nik led BJ to the couch they’d kissed in front of, and he opened up the basket to pull out the leftovers from lunch. He wasn’t all that surprised to find that the leftovers had somehow been replaced with all new food.
He moved a table from the other side of the room and set it in front of BJ before piling it with the food from the basket. When he was done, he sat down beside her and grinned at her surprised expression.
“You’ve only seen the asshole side of me-which is my own fault, but I’m really a decent guy. Most of the time,” Nik admitted with a blush.
BJ snorted and leaned forward to get a sandwich.
“I’m not surprised you’re a decent guy; I’m surprised at how well you’re handling this. I grew up around what most would consider magic and the powers of the elders, but magically replenishing food, interiors in other realms . . . it’s a bit much. Why are you so calm about it?” BJ asked, curious what his thoughts were on the oddness around them.
Nik finished chewing the food in his mouth and shrugged.
“What’s not to like? We have everything we need; there’s no military, no Traze or Bess, no battles to fight, no perps to arrest. There’s no mission to prepare for or training to do. Stop and listen. Do you hear that?” he asked.
BJ cocked her head to try and hear what he was talking about, but she didn’t hear anything.
“No. What do you hear?”
“Nothing!” Nik said with a laugh. “That’s the point! It’s peaceful. The kitchen is stocked, and we’ve nothing to do but be together and get to know one another. It’s perfect.”
BJ’s heart melted at his words, and she nodded her head in agreement.
“You’re right. It’s perfect,” she whispered then leaned up to kiss his cheek.
Nik turned his head at the last minute and took her lips in another heated kiss. When he felt her relax into him, he pulled back, not wanting to push her too far too fast.
BJ sighed in disappointment that he’d stopped.
“You need to eat,” he whispered as he handed her a bunch of grapes.
BJ popped a grape in her mouth, glad for the distraction as she tried to figure out why Nik hadn’t pressed his advantage. She’d been more than willing to explore every inch of him.
“What’s your favorite color?”
BJ nearly choked on the grape she’d just eaten as she laughed at him. She saw his slight wince, and it finally hit her what he was doing-he was trying to get to know her. Her heart melted at how sweet he was being, and she decided to play along while they ate. He was right-she was starving.
“It’s blue. What’s yours?” she asked, surprising him.
“Stanafolian. Which is a Valendran word for a color that’s a mix of purple and blue,” Nik explained.
“You couldn’t just pick blue or purple? You had to be weird?” she teased and threw a grape at him.
Nik easily caught the grape and tossed it into his mouth.
“I didn’t want to lie,” he said with a shrug. “What movies?”
“Anything with action. Cop movies, of course. You?” BJ grabbed the bottle of wine from the basket and handed it to Nik to open.
“Don’t laugh,” Nik said as he popped the cork and handed the bottle back to her. “I like romantic comedies.”
BJ burst out laughing until she realized he was serious.
“I like some of them too,” she admitted, although she could only count three in her mind.
Nik didn’t look convinced at all and BJ laughed again.
“OK, this is getting painful. Let me tell you about myself. My name is Bessemiah Sue Markson. I’m called BJ because my name is a combination of both of my parents, Bess and Jeremiah,” she said with a grin. I grew up surrounded by all this craziness with my twin brother. It was a wonderful childhood. My father was killed in an accident when we were teens.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but why didn’t the demigods intervene?” Nik asked.
“They couldn’t, and we knew it. He was in the forest looking for poacher traps when a dead log crushed him. He was dead long before we found him, and that’s a line that can’t be crossed,” BJ explained. “Bringing back the dead is not their place or even within their power as far as I know.”
“I’m sorry,” Nik whispered, squeezing her hand in comfort.
“Thanks,” BJ said, wanting to be off the painful topic. “What about you? Tell me something.”
“I’m an only child. I was raised by my parents on Valendra. My best friend is an even bigger asshole than I am, but he’s awesome. His name is Balduen; his mate is Dare, and they have an adorable little boy named Lucan,” Nik said, his eyes lighting up when he mentioned the boy. “I’ve been fighting on the planet for over three years now, but you’re the most amazing and beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
It took BJ a second to realize that Nik completely went off script with his last comment. She blushed and fought to think of how to respond.
“What?” she finally asked.
“You heard me,” Nik whispered as he leaned towards her. “I’ve spent the last three days watching your sexy ass flirt with the military, endanger yourself by playing mind fuck games with them, and then charmingly see them off like it was a normal day at the office. Amazing doesn’t quite come close, does it?”
“And here I thought you weren’t paying attention,” BJ whispered back as she put her arms around his neck.
Nik pulled her close and nuzzled the soft skin at her neck. He smiled when she let out a small moan.
“It was hard not to pay attention. Do you think you could give us a chance?” Nik whispered against her neck.
BJ shivered as his warm breath tickled the sensitive spot on the curve of her neck. She was so immersed in the sensations of his hard body pressed against hers and the heat simmering between them she almost didn’t catch his question and the uncertainty in his
voice.
Thinking it was about time he got to know her a little better, BJ pushed him into the cushions and straddled his lap. She quickly unbuttoned her uniform shirt and took it off as she leaned towards his surprised face.
“I think you talk too much,” she whispered as she teased his neck with her lips and tongue.
Nik thought his head was going to explode from the heat and need that swelled up in him at her touch. He gripped her hips tightly, trying to rein himself in while he figured out if he’d heard her right or if he’d dreamed it.
He let one hand slide sensuously up her back until he gently pulled her head away from him so he could look in her eyes.
“Was that a yes?” he asked, unable to stop himself from grinding against her, his suddenly rock hard cock taut against his zipper.
BJ bit her lip, pretending to think about it until she felt him move beneath her. It was all the incentive she needed. She reached for the hem of her tank top and pulled it off, smiling when Nik’s eyes widened in surprise before he looked at her heatedly.
Nik slid his hands around her bare waist and slid them up until he cupped her breasts through her bra. His heart thumped when she leaned forward and took his lips in a searing kiss as his hands began exploring every inch of her that he could reach.
BJ’s fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt and moaned when their heated skin touched. She was on fire and needed to be naked and one with her mate. Pulling away from Nik, she sat up and unbuttoned her pants, her eyes daring Nik to do the same. It didn’t take long before they were naked.
BJ returned to his lap and Nik couldn’t stop his hands from reaching out and holding her close as he groaned at how perfect she felt in his arms.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he whispered, praying she’d say yes.
BJ pulled back and smiled down at him before kissing and licking her way down his neck to his heavily muscled chest. Nik gasped in shock and pleasure as he grabbed two nearby pillows in a bruising grip and closed his eyes as she teased a trail down his body.
He thought he’d swallowed his tongue when he felt her first tentative lick on his shaft, and he ran his fingers through her hair as he gripped her head. The kissing, licking, and the little nips took their toll on him, and he finally reached for her, panting and trembling as he pulled her back up to him.
He kissed her deeply and BJ molded her body to his as her mind begged for more. She gasped in surprise when Nik suddenly flipped her onto her back among the cushions and covered her body with his own.
“My turn,” he whispered before he took her lips again.
He left her panting and breathless before he slowly moved down her body, covering every inch of her torso with his lips and tongue until she was writhing on the couch. When he finally reached that special spot, sucking and licking, she clutched his head and cried out. Nik wasn’t satisfied with just a few quick minutes and lavished her with pleasure until she was begging him to stop.
Nik slowly made his way back up her body, leaving a trail of kisses and nips that kept her on edge until he looked down into her beautiful eyes.
“I can’t think of anything more important to me than making you mine. But I wouldn’t be a good mate if I didn’t make sure you were ready for this,” Nik whispered, barely able to keep himself from plunging into her heat.
BJ reached up and pulled his head towards her with one hand, taking his lips with hers. Her other hand reached between them, centered his hard cock at the entrance to her heat and slowly rolled her hips, taking him inch by slow inch.
Both pulled away, gasping from the pleasure and heat that began consuming them as the energy strands wove around and between them wildly. Nik sunk himself fully inside of her before he grasped her bucking hips and set a pace that began slow and gently, then quickly turned rough and wild as they both searched for release. BJ was the first to cry out, clutching Nik as the waves of pleasure rocked her. Nik quickly followed.
Nik moved his weight off of BJ, rolled to his side, and pulled her to him, unwilling to let her go now that she really was his. He watched in fascination as the ator-ma began forming on her shoulder and upper arm. He was surprised to note that she was watching his form as well.
“It’s beautiful,” BJ whispered.
“You’re beautiful,” Nik replied and kissed her lips.
“What do we do now?” BJ asked, uncertainty in her voice.
Nik smiled at her and hugged her close.
“We get to create a life and home together. Before we even get to Dillon, Grai will have a list of available homes for you to choose from. I don’t know if you want to work or not, but if you do, there are a ton of jobs to choose from. I want you to be happy,” Nik admitted.
BJ thought about it for a moment.
“What about Mojo? Where will he go?” BJ didn’t want to be too far from her brother while they tried to adapt to an environment of hybrids and a new mission.
“Hell, he can live with us. If he wants, there are apartments available to the single hybrids and some even share homes as roommates. It’s up to him,” Nik said with a shrug.
“What about my mom?” BJ saw Nik flinch before he could hide it, and she playfully slapped his shoulder. “She’s my mom!”
Nik couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I know she is. She can visit anytime, and we can visit here as well. We’re not leaving the planet,” Nik said, then thought about it. “Not yet anyway. At some point I’d like you to go to Valendra with me and meet my parents. They will adore you. But my commitment is here to this planet and its people and to you. So this is where we will build our life.”
“I’d really like that,” BJ whispered, cuddling up to his neck to hide the tears in her eyes.
Nik suddenly flipped her onto her back and covered her body with his own. He looked into her beautiful, unusual eyes.
“That’s the plan for later though. I was thinking we could spend a few more days here, maybe a week. So we can get to know each other better,” Nik whispered as his body rocked against hers.
“You’re kidding, right?” BJ asked. “I was thinking a week at least.”
“I think we could manage a week,” Nik mumbled against her neck as he left a trail of kisses behind.
“At least a week,” BJ said with a sigh.
Epilogue
Rolantro hovered by the TV in the sparse hotel room, invisible to the naked eye as he watched the unsuspecting man pace the small room. He was more disturbed than he cared to admit by what he’d seen in the man’s memories, and he wanted to be there for the moment he hoped would change his life.
He heard the quiet beep and watched the man stop short and stare towards the bed and the phone that lay on the dirty coverlet. Rolantro waited for the man to pick up the phone, and when several minutes passed, he shook his head in sadness.
Just as he was going to give up, the man slowly moved towards the phone and dropped to his knees beside the bed. Putting his forehead to the filthy cover, he reached for the phone with one shaking hand.
Rolantro’s resolve to remain hidden was nearly broken by the man’s heart-wrenching sobs. After several minutes, he watched the man sit back on his heels, the phone in one hand while he swiped at his tears with the other.
“For you, Colby and Terese,” he whispered as he looked at the phone.
Rolantro moved closer and watched the man dial the phone and put it to his ear. He heard three rings before a familiar voice answered.
“Major, I’m glad you called. I think we can help you,” Grai said.
“You’re my last hope,” Kyle said, trying to control his fear of who he was speaking to and focus only on what mattered to him.
“Who are you looking for?” Grai asked, getting to the point.
“My nephew, Colby, and my sister, Terese,” Kyle said hoarsely, praying he was doing the right thing.
“Where and when did they disappear?” Grai asked as he grabbed his pen and prepared to write.
“Eng
land, six years ago. Colby was two, Terese was 28. I have pictures . . .” Kyle said, unsure how he’d get pictures to the leader of the alien group he was supposed to be hunting.
“When we hang up, put the pictures on the phone you’re talking to me with, and we’ll pull them. Once we’ve pulled them, we’ll delete them and make sure there’s no trace. You think the military has them?” Grai asked.
“No,” Kyle croaked before controlling himself. “I would have found them by now. That’s why you’re my only hope.”
The dark prime? Grai wondered without mentioning it to the major.
“OK, I’m going to check among my people and see if they’ve been rescued by one of our teams over the years. If they have, we’ll make sure they contact you. If not, we have several other avenues we can check that you can’t. If they can be found, we’ll find them,” Grai promised, concerned for the child and woman.
“You won’t hurt them? Or use them against me?” Kyle asked, fearful for his family.
“We don’t hurt kids or females. You should know that by now. Besides, I wouldn’t have given you a way to call me if I thought you were the killer of our people that you pretend to be. If you have a backup plan to get out of that unit, take it now. Come to us, and you can help us find Terese and Colby,” Grai suggested, hoping the man would take him up on it. They didn’t need an insider bad enough to keep the hybrid in danger.
“No,” Kyle said with a shake of his head. “I have to stay where I am until they’re found. What if I leave and then they’re transferred from somewhere I don’t know about? I can’t take that chance. I’ll stay here.”
Grai nodded his head in understanding even though he was concerned for the major’s safety after what happened at Baker’s Creek.
“Hide the phone you’re using, and check it when you can. I’ll know if we have them by tomorrow and will leave you a message letting you know if we do. Contact me anytime if you need to,” Grai offered, taking a huge risk.
“Thank you,” Kyle whispered, thought he relief he felt still didn’t ease his trepidation.
“You can do that when we find them. Stay safe, major,” Grai said, then hung up the phone.
