MERCILESS : Alien Sci fi Romance (Invasive Species Control Unit Book 1)

by Kelly Goode

  He was naked and she was mortified.

  ‘You good for nothing son of a bitch – you wanker. You attacked me.’

  Her mouth continued to spew curses while her fists pummelled his chest. Blake tried to catch her hands but as they were slick with mud, she was able to pull them away and hit him again.

  ‘You nearly broke my arm,’ she continued. ‘How did you get to me so quickly?’

  ‘I ran,’ he replied, and his voice sounded deep and throaty, which made her stomach tighten with sexual awareness.

  ‘You ran? You ran? Don’t give me that bullshit. You can’t run that fast.’

  Carson didn’t get a chance to say anything else, as Blake’s mouth crushed against hers and sent a pulse of longing direct to her very core. His hands tangled briefly in her short hair, before he cupped her arse and pulled her tightly against his groin. He was hot and hard, and pressed against the place she wanted him most.

  ‘Nothing is going on between me and Blake.’

  Her own words echoed through her mind. She’d been adamant that they were strictly professional partners, but as the blood pounded in her head and the fire burned between her legs, it was easy to forget everything but the sensation of his lips against hers. The intensity was the same as when he’d kissed her in her bathroom, but unlike that time, there were no phone calls to stop them fulfilling their desire and that scared her as much as it excited her.

  Blake’s stubble was coarse as it scraped against her chin with an almost pleasurable amount of pain. Carson opened her mouth and his tongue slipped inside. He caressed her tongue with his own and she groaned. The sound seemed to drive him wild and he moved his lips across her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin over her pulse with his teeth. The sting caused her to gasp and she hoped he hadn’t left her with a love-bite as that would be hard to explain to Tom.

  Blake slid his hand beneath her right knee and then hooked her leg around his hips. He was so much taller than her that the position forced her onto tip toes. Carson let her hands once again wander over those lean muscles that she’d watched dance. Blake kissed across her collar bone and she arched her spine, giving him access to her breasts. He caressed her through the cold, wet cotton of her top and she cried out when he bit down on one of her nipples. Her clothes were the only barrier between them and she wished she could feel his skin against hers. Blake must have felt the same way as without warning, he grabbed the front of her shirt and ripped it open with a guttural growl.

  The ferocity of his actions should have scared her but it just added to the tempestuous excitement building between them. Blake was usually so controlled, but Carson felt the turbulent energy coming from him as if he was acting purely on primal instinct. He kissed her like a man possessed and the sensation of his warm mouth against her cold skin had her writhing against him in a rhythm that she wanted to replicate without the barrier of her trousers.

  As if reading her mind, he swept her off her feet and then lowered her to the ground. The mud felt slick against her back but she barely had time to worry about how she was going to get the stains out of her clothes, before he unzipped her trousers and pulled them off, along with her knickers. He then released her breasts from the confinements of her bra and relegated that and the remains of her tattered shirt to the pile of wet, muddy clothing behind him. Blake covered her small body with his much larger one, once again sheltering her from the rain. When he took her nipple in his mouth, Carson lifted her hips and moaned softly. The intensity was proving too much. She needed to feel him inside her and she scraped her nails against his arse, urging him closer.

  Blake gently lowered his weight on top of her, causing her to sink deeper into the mud. Carson tangled her hands in his hair and pulled it free from its band. She loved his long hair and she tugged insistently, encouraging him to move to her other breast, which was aching for attention. He obliged, as his hands caressed the side of her hip and then between her legs. She was so hot and wet, that his fingers slid easily inside her. She cried out his name when he increased the tempo, begging him for more.

  Carson kissed his chest and then used her teeth to graze against his flat nipple. Blake snarled, or at least it sounded like some sort of choked sound, and pressed his hand harder between her legs. As she chased the beginnings of an orgasm, he murmured something against her ear. It might have been an endearment or a moment of regret, but as she had no brain cells left to compute the information, she only sighed. Blake took that as permission, and he replaced his hand with his cock. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he filled her completely and wholly. She bit down on his shoulder, as he pressed his hips against hers.

  ‘Carson.’

  Blake groaned her name with reverence and she met his next thrust with just as much passion. Maybe it was the rain from above or the mud cradling her from below, but she felt connected to him on an intrinsic level. As if they were two creatures, fulfilling a deep-rooted primal ritual. Outdoor sex was definitely liberating and she didn’t hold back her cries of pleasure or encouragement. As their eyes connected, his irises appeared golden but then he blinked and they returned to their normal shade of green.

  Blake changed angle and Carson felt that welcome tingle start at her toes and travel up her legs. She felt her entire body tighten around him as she gave into the sensation and the pleasure.

  ‘Yes, Blake, please, I’m almost there.’

  ‘Me too.’

  His thrusts escalated with renewed urgency and determination, until the sound of skin slapping against skin gave way to groans of satisfaction as they both reached their peak and tumbled over the edge.

  47

  ‘I thought we were going to talk before we did that.’

  Carson’s breath tickled against Blake’s earlobe as she spoke. He inhaled deeply against her hair, absorbing her scent before he rolled off her and onto his back. The rain had stopped and he stared up at the clouds as they moved across the sky.

  ‘Talking is overrated,’ he replied, his lips reluctantly tugging into a small smile as she propped herself up onto her elbow and stared down at him. ‘You’re beautiful, Carson.’

  ‘Are you trying to distract me?’

  Blake gently took her face in his hands and pulled her towards him. He swept his lips over hers.

  ‘Is it working?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good.’

  Carson opened her mouth and flicked her tongue against his, sending a jolt of lust through his body. He’d tried to resist this, tried to resist her, but now that he’d claimed her, he couldn’t remember why it was such a bad idea. His hand glided over the swell of her breasts and she pressed herself against his palm. With his other hand, he caressed the rough scarring across her shoulders and she tensed.

  ‘Don’t do that. I see you, Carson - all of you – and you’re perfect.’

  ‘I’m damaged. Scarred. Inside and out.’

  ‘We’re all damaged. Don’t you think I have my own scars and my own issues that I’m working through?’

  He kissed her again, hard and fast. There was so much more he needed to tell her, but his desire to mate again pushed all logical thoughts aside. She’d arrived at his home at either the worst possible moment or the best depending on how he looked at things. He’d only just shifted back to his human form after securing the perimeter and was completing his usual ritual of tai-chi in order to reclaim his headspace from the beast that still lurked dangerously close to the surface, but it was the fact that the beast was still marginally in control that meant he finally crossed the line and took their relationship from friends to lovers.

  ‘I need you, Carson. So fucking much.’

  ‘I need you too,’ she sighed. ‘But after that we really do need to talk.’

  He silenced her with another kiss, which she returned with just as much enthusiasm. He lifted her up and manoeuvred her so she was straddling his hips. He inhaled sharply as he guided her down onto his cock and felt her warmth enclose him.


  ‘Show me, Carson. Show me how much you need me.’

  She arched her back and slowly rolled her hips. His eyes briefly narrowed as he noticed the large plaster across her stomach, but then she slammed her arse against his thighs and he was lost to everything apart from the sensation of being inside her. She set a languid pace at first, using his body for her pleasure and he savoured every moan and sigh that slipped past her lips. She closed her eyes when he gipped her waist and lifted his hips to increase the momentum. He built his rhythm and soon felt her tense around him. The pressure and heat was too much and Blake climaxed with a growl. He slid his hand between her legs and helped her reach her peak before she collapsed onto his chest. Their skin was sticky with sweat and mud, but he’d never felt such a state of contentment.

  ‘Blake, I can’t feel my legs,’ she groaned and he laughed as he helped her clamber off him. She lay down beside him and rested her head against his shoulder. He felt her relax as her breathing grew deeper.

  ‘Should I be flattered or concerned that you’re falling asleep on me?’

  ‘Both,’ she replied with a yawn. ‘I didn’t sleep much last night.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Not your fault.’

  But it was. She’d probably been dealing with the mess he’d left in Chief Melman’s office all night. The urge to confess hit him hard in the chest.

  ‘Carson, I need to tell you something.’

  ‘Sure, ok.’

  She nestled her head deeper into the crook of his armpit and unease churned inside his gut as he knew that he was about to ruin whatever chance he had to replicate this moment of happiness in the near future.

  ‘We’ve been friends a while now, right?’

  ‘Mmmm.’

  ‘And you know I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you.’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘But sometimes people don’t tell each other the truth because they think it might upset the other person.’

  ‘I guess so.’

  ‘I lied to you.’

  Carson yawned as she sat up. She didn’t try to shield her naked body from him as she rubbed her eyes, and he felt his cock begin to thicken again against his thigh. Now he knew how good they were together, would he ever be able to abstain from touching her? From wanting her?

  ‘What did you lie about?’ she asked.

  Blake inhaled deeply, knowing this was the point of no return. He sat up too and took her hand in his. He stared at the woman he loved and struggled to find the right words, words that wouldn’t crush their relationship before it even had a chance to start. Carson had grass tangled in her hair and her skin was spotted with mud, but she’d never looked more beautiful.

  ‘I’m not who you think I am,’ he said, as he watched the confusion cross her face, but then it gave way to acceptance as her brow furrowed and her lips compressed into a thin line.

  ‘Oh, I get it,’ she said, pulling her hand away. ‘This is the part where you tell me this was only sex. Save your breath, Blake – I wasn’t about to start confessing my undying love for you. You don’t need to worry. I know how things are between us.’

  ‘No, wait, that’s not it.’

  Carson scrambled to her feet and tried to grab her wet clothing, but he pulled her down onto his lap.

  48

  Blake’s hand closed over Carson’s mouth, cutting off what she’d been about to say. She tried to ignore the feel of his hard thighs beneath her bare arse and his broad chest against her back, but her traitorous body squirmed in delight. The man had successfully broken through her barricades and given her the best sex of her life, and now he wanted her to listen to how he’d lied to her. She shook her head in protest. Not going to happen.

  ‘Let me go,’ she mumbled behind his hand.

  ‘Shhh,’ he replied.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Carson, be quiet.’

  She looked over her shoulder and found that he had his eyes closed, as if straining to hear something in the distance.

  ‘Blake, what’s wrong?’

  She whispered this time and he slowly released his hand from her mouth.

  ‘Something is coming,’ he replied.

  Carson stilled and tried to isolate any unusual sounds. The rain had given way to brilliant sunshine and yet she couldn’t hear any birds or insects, which was unusual considering they were in the countryside.

  ‘I don’t hear anything.’

  No sooner had she said that then a low growl seemed to float on the wind. Blake opened his eyes and clenched his jaw. He jumped to his feet, taking her with him, and the movement was so quick, that she felt a little giddy afterwards.

  ‘You need to go,’ he said. ‘You need to go now.’

  ‘I’m not leaving you.’

  Blake looked up at the sky. ‘I’m not messing around. You know what you heard and it was close – too close – I thought I’d have more time before they arrived.’

  ‘Before who arrived?’

  ‘The jaktten council.’

  ‘You invited the aliens here, are you crazy?’

  ‘Yes, I am crazy, which is why you need to go. I don’t want them seeing you here…with me…like this. They won’t understand.’

  He seemed agitated and kept rubbing the skin on his arms, as if it had unexpectedly started to itch.

  ‘You’re not making sense, Blake. Does the chief know about this clandestine meeting?’

  Blake grabbed her shoulders, as if he wanted to shake some sense into her.

  ‘Don’t breathe a word of this to anyone,’ he said.

  Carson opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off.

  ‘That wasn’t up for discussion. It was an order. Understand?’

  She nodded.

  ‘How did you get here?’

  ‘I drove.’

  ‘Good,’ he said. ‘Your car will help mask your scent from them. Go home and don’t come back for me. No matter what you hear.’

  Carson pulled on her ragged clothes. Her shirt was ripped beyond repair and she slipped it over her arms and held the front together across her chest.

  ‘I could stay,’ she said. ‘I could keep guard.’

  ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘You’re unarmed and naked.’

  A howl pierced the sky, much closer this time and a sense of frustration welled inside Carson as she realised she was half-naked and unarmed too, which didn’t bode well for a fight.

  ‘Go home,’ Blake repeated. ‘I said the jaktten are usually a peaceful species, but it’s coming to a volatile moon cycle so they’re more unpredictable.’

  ‘What if there’s more than one?’

  ‘I’ll handle it. Now please get inside your car and drive away. I can’t worry about you during this meeting.’

  She shook her head, as she stared up at the man she was falling in love with. ‘I won’t go. You’re my partner.’

  ‘I just fucked you senseless on the floor. I think we’ve gone way past the partner stage of our relationship.’

  ‘Don’t push me away, Blake. Not now.’

  He shoved his hands through his shaggy hair. ‘I’m pushing you away for your own safety, not because I regret what we did. You’re the best thing on this damn planet. Please just give me a little more time to sort some things out, and then I’ll explain everything.’

  Carson sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to win the argument.

  ‘If you really want me to go, I will.’

  Blake pressed his lips against hers. ‘I’ll find you. Once this is sorted out, I’ll find you and we’ll talk about the future. Our future. I promise. I love you.’

  49

  ‘I found Blake.’

  Carson was glad she’d decided to ring Tom rather than speaking to him in person, as he would’ve had a fit if he’d seen the state of her. Her hair was full of leaves and her skin was smeared with mud. Her car was in a similar state, but she was far too tired to worry about the mess she’d made of the interior.

 
‘Where?’

  ‘At his farmhouse.’

  ‘And what did he have to say for himself?’

  ‘Not much.’

  ‘Did he know about the break in? What did he say about Ted?’

  ‘I forgot to ask.’

  ‘You forgot to ask,’ Tom repeated incredulously. ‘What exactly did you two talk about?’

  Once again, she was thankful he couldn’t see her face otherwise the flush on her cheeks would’ve given her away. She swallowed deeply and switched the phone to her other ear.

  ‘Not much. He didn’t…want to talk.’

  ‘Being difficult, was he? Do I need to kick his arse?’

  Carson felt a reluctant smile tug at her lips.

  ‘Is that my chief talking?’ she asked. ‘Or my guardian?’

  ‘Both. Blake is in a lot of trouble for not responding to the security breach.’

  ‘His property is pretty remote. Maybe he couldn’t get a signal.’

  ‘I should go check on him.’

  ‘No,’ Carson blurted, as she thought about Tom unexpectedly turning up at Blake’s and finding him with the jaktten council. Any other day, she would’ve grabbed her gun and headed straight back to the farmhouse to stand by his side, but she got the feeling he didn’t want anyone at ISCU to know what he was doing.

  Her mind briefly wandered back to their final exchange - I love you. Part of her thought she’d imagined hearing those three words; words no other man had ever said to her apart from Tom and his were in a paternal way. She wished she’d had the courage to say it back, but Blake hadn’t given her a chance. He’d bundled her into her car and sent her away.

  ‘Carson, is something wrong?’