Precious Starlight (Quads of Galafrax Book 3)

by Angela Castle

  Bex was open and explained about the food replication as he made her a drink called Purrt. It tasted like a sugary caramel latte. Soon, she was in love with the drink, cradling the hot beverage and cocking an eyebrow at the sexy soldier, who behaved more like an excited five-year-old boy at times––well, other than his blatant flirting and clear seduction attempts––while she felt like his new toy.

  “Oh, all right…you’re far too small and pale to fit in.”

  “Thank you, Mr Obvious!”

  He chuckled. “Well, I don’t know how else to show you the ship, without getting caught.” He sighed and sat down on the huge bed of the even larger quarters she’d been escorted to.

  “And I’m not allowed out because…?” she prompted, rolling her hand in a circle.

  “Because my brother ‘has orders’.”

  He mimicked the deeper, authoritative tone of Commander Loz. Wow, it was kind of freaky. For a moment Loz could almost have been standing in the room. She set down her newly beloved drink and went to join Bex on the high bed, but struggled to get up onto it. He reached down, grabbed her arm and helped her up with utter ease.

  Daisy fought not to melt like butter at his casual show of strength. Or let the drool run out the side of her mouth when she gazed for too long at him. When she did, it would send her into a 'sexy man trance' and her body would start to burn from the inside out.

  Focus, Daisy: what did you want to ask again? Oh, yes…

  “Orders? Which are?”

  “That the human females are to have limited contact with male crewmembers.”

  She shook her head. “Yeah, like that makes any sense to me.”

  He turned, gesturing at her. “Look at you, all soft and pretty. Nothing like our females. And fun, so not like our females. You don’t demand or order, or expect us to scrape and bow for your needs. Any set of quads including a ship full of soldiers would pay any price to have someone like you belong to them.”

  Daisy tried to wrap her brain around what he was trying to tell her. “Okay,” she started slowly, “could you maybe cut it down into one sentence I can understand? Clearly, we won’t be like Demos women, but still…”

  “Simply put, moonbeam, human women are highly desirable and rare. My brother is under orders from the High Councillors to deliver you untouched, so the rich and powerful can have a chance you will become theirs.”

  She thought on it for a moment, figuring it all out in her mind. “I get several things from what you’ve just said. One: your women sound worse than Peta and Stacy. Two: we’re being locked up, only to be sold off in a nicer way?”

  Bex shook his head. He reached out, sweeping back the locks of her white hair, which had fallen forward. “You’re so smart as well as lovely. You have––what was your Earth saying? Hit the neel on the head.”

  “Nail.” She smiled. Teaching Bex Earth idioms was fun, in the short time he’d been ‘on guard duty' with her.

  Apparently, Bex was an utter wiz at advanced Galafrax computer technology, or so he’d said when she’d asked what he did on board the ship. She asked why he was here with her instead of out doing his job, and learned he’d swapped shifts so he could be her guard. Being a quad brother to the ship's commander had its perks.

  “On Galafrax, we don’t talk like this to our females. They’re not interested in talking or having fun with us…only what we can provide them. However best we meet their needs.”

  “Now that’s plain sad. But why is it like that, why do they get to rule the roost? My parents always had an equal partnership when it came to marriage.”

  He opened his mouth, and she could see his golden eyes brimming with curiosity, but she held up her hand to stop his questions and continued to explain.

  “Not equal in the way you may think. Yes, my father was a man, physically different and stronger, so there was no equality there at all. And it didn’t matter: it was great they were so different because their differences worked. What I’m talking about is equality of mind, a partnership of working things through together.”

  “Your Earth sounds such an amazing place. As angry as I am at the Jorval for taking you, I am also happy they did, or I would have never been able to meet one as wonderful as you.”

  Well, if that didn’t make her feel all gooey and good inside.

  “Thank you, Bex. I guess our planet, along with many, has good mixed with the bad. Human society is in no way perfect, but I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. As long as the man, or need I say men I end up with treat me with due respect, I will do the same with them.”

  “Be our sheraz, Daisy, I beg of you!” Bex suddenly blurted out, making her blink in surprise.

  Before she could open her mouth to respond, the door whooshed open.

  “Bex, your shift is over and Roy and Bra are now outside. We’ve just rescued four more human females. I’ll need to tend to them. And for mother sake, don’t let our big brothers see you like this. Tos wants you down in advanced tech. The external bio scanners need re-calibrating scans. They’re not working properly.”

  Daisy folded her arms as Bex sighed heavily and stood up. “Another set of quads will guard you. I’ll be back once their shift is over.”

  Daisy nodded. “Thanks for the company, Bex––and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

  Bex nodded sadly, casting her a longing glance before walking out the door.

  “Are you all right, Miss Daisy?”

  She studied Cir’s worried eyes. “Fine Cir, just fine. Is there anything I can do to help with the new arrivals?”

  Cir shook his head and a slice of pain shot through her. She swallowed it down, hiding it behind a bright smile. “Go do what you need to do.”

  Like Bex, Cir’s eyes saddened slightly and, apart from it hurting somewhat, it also angered her. Why were they sorry for her? With a nod, he turned and left.

  For the first time since waking up from her abduction, Daisy was utterly alone.

  The weight of the emotion crashed down on her. Being taken from her home, her family…she’d never see them again. Now these Demos were treating her like precious tradeable goods, sold off to be some rich set of quads' pet.

  She sniffed, trying to hold back the threat of tears. She glanced around the empty room. Bex’s presence had eased her worries––he’d been fun, and sweet. So had Cir.

  But now what did she have? Nothing. With a hollow feeling residing in her chest and no one here to witness her weakness, she crawled up onto the soft bed, put her head down and let the tears fall as silent sobs racked her body.

  Chapter Four

  Second in command, Tos halted before the two guards standing outside the quarters of the human female, Daisy. Bex had taken a keen interest in her, and it wasn’t hard to notice his brother and commander's uncomfortable walk from their aroused states.

  Was this human really so special?

  “You are dismissed. I’ll finish your shift…I have questions for the human.”

  Roy and Bra nodded, saluting before marching off. Tos hesitated, reaching for the door panel. What am I doing?

  He’d yet to lay eyes on this female. From all reports flowing out of medical, all the other human females were proving difficult. Once it was explained no harm would ever come to them and Demos men were at their beck and call, the demands started flowing thick and fast. Other than pale skin and a shorter stature, Tos saw no difference between them and Demos females.

  Yet, not a peep from this one. She was quiet: too quiet for his liking. Was she hiding something? Was she a threat to his brother or Galafrax?

  The thought was utter foolishness. How could a little human be any threat to my brothers and me? He slapped his hand over the panel, granting him entrance to the quarters.

  The lights were dimmed and, with stealth, he moved into the room. The door slid shut. Soft sobbing sounds caught his attention.

  He gazed down at astonishingly white hair standing out against the darker red pillow. Under the smooth sheets, he
made out the curves of her body, which trembled as she quietly wept.

  Tos swallowed, unprepared to meet a teary female. He was used to them being upfront and demanding. Unable to stop himself, Tos found himself leaning over the bed, reaching out to stroke her hair.

  The strands slid though his fingers, so soft. Would the rest of her be like this? Startled, she turned, her watery eyes opened and her pale pink lips parted in surprise.

  Tos was utterly unprepared for the gut punch, as he stood staring down in to her lovely tear-streaked face. He sucked in a sharp breath, trying to shake the sensations assaulting him.

  “Sorry, I…Bex?” Her soft, throaty utterance only made things worse. His body hardened with a will of its own, his rod lengthened and started secreting oils in preparation for sliding deep into the female.

  Gods, no wonder his brothers were so enthralled. She was more beautiful than a moon goddess.

  “Shhh, it’s all right. I’m Tos.” He leaned further down, inhaling her uniquely feminie scent.

  She stared at him. “Would you hold me, Tos? I’m feeling very… alone, right now.”

  Her words broke the thin thread of his self-restraint and reason. Heated blood roared through his body, pounding in his head, blocking out all common sense. Tos crawled over her, allowing his larger body to press against her softness. He revelled in the way she fit so perfectly against him. She gasped, tilting her head back, her little mouth open in shock. It was all he needed. He dipped his head. The desperate need to feel the heat of her body against his and taste her overrode everything else.

  Soft lips under his yielded so sweetly, and his head spun further out of control as he plundered, her parted lips allowing him access to the silken cavern of her mouth. The sweet flavour of her made him groan, his rod throbbing with the need to sink into her hot depths. She arched under him, her moan spurring him on to slide his hands down and cup the fullness of her breast. Nothing like a Demos female. He hungered for more, so much more and he would take, possess his little star.

  MINE, ours.

  He growled as raw possessiveness roared through him. He wanted her, always, like this, soft and surrendered, at his mercy.

  Her whimpers reached his ears, everything blocked out except the feel of her writhing under him. He would make her scream his name, over and over.

  “Tos, are you out of your cold loving mind?” Suddenly she was gone, Tos sailing backwards, gripped by his older and younger brothers.

  “Mine!” he growled, struggling against his brothers. On the bed, he saw Daisy’s eyes wide with shock as Tos was dragged further back. “Mine!” he roared louder, but the door slid shut and pain shot up his spine as his brother slammed him hard against the bulkhead.

  “What the fuck do you think you were doing?” Loz’s face twisted in utter rage, his fingers digging into Tos’s shoulder. To his left, Cir stared with concern, studying them both.

  “Of all Demos men, I thought you had better damn control than to attack a helpless human female!” Loz continued his tirade.

  “I… didn’t… she... wasn’t…” Oh, fuck the ice plains. Reality hit home as he realised he had taken advantage of her emotional state, but he’d felt powerless to stop himself. “I didn’t attack her, it was just a kiss.” Damn the Ice Demons, he sounded like a whiny fourth child.

  Where was his legendary control? His cool-headedness under pressure? Hadn’t he come to just talk and see what had pulled his brothers in? However, he had been utterly blindsided by her beauty and his heart melted at seeing her tears.

  “I’ll go see if she’s alright. This human has not behaved like the others. She is different, she is...”

  “Special.”

  All three of them groaned as Bex strode up to them. “Don’t do that, I’m not the utter twit you think I am.”

  “Twit?” Cir turned more fully to study the youngest.

  “Daisy’s words. I like her human expressions. So, what did I miss, for biggest brother to have big brother pinned like this?” He gestured to where Loz still had a hold of Tos. “Something happened?”

  “Tos kissed Daisy,” Cir helpfully supplied, making Tos growl. Bex’s black eyebrows hit his hairline in surprise.

  “Calm and in control Tos, lost control? I mean you used to get out of control, temper-wise… but now? Wow.”

  “It was a… I didn’t mean...” Tos spluttered, angered at his own stupidity.

  “Gee, relax, it’s understandable. The fact is Daisy is special – more than special – and we all want her. But the question is, what are we going to do about it?”

  “Nothing.” Loz let go of Tos, taking a step back.

  Bex folded his arms and pinned Loz with a hard stare Tos had no idea Bex was capable of. There were a lot of things going on here… emotions and sexual tension were running high, and all due to one little, soft, starlight female. “We’re under orders to hand them over to the High Councillors in the Third City on Galafrax.”

  Bex snorted. “And you call me the irresponsible one? You’re really going to let something this rare and special slip through your fingers?”

  Loz’s jaw tightened. Tos cleared his throat. “I lost my head around her, and couldn’t think clearly. I think she’s dangerous.”

  “And you’re an idiot,” Bex shot back at him. Tos growled at the insult, advancing on his youngest brother. There were few who could stand against Tos when it came to a fight. He would knock his brother down to size if needed.

  “Brothers, please, this is not the place to have such discussions.” Cir intervened, indicating the other quads gathering in the corridor to watch the commotion.

  Bex hit the wall panel sliding open the door to Daisy’s quarters. “Let’s move this into here, I think she would like to know why you want to reject her based on orders and why he thinks she’s dangerous.” Bex pointed at Tos.

  It was utterly ridiculous how he and Loz peered into her room, both hardened warriors vibrating with a new sense of fear over what they would find. Their shoulders sagged in relief to find the room empty.

  “I think she’s in the wash chamber.” Cir helpfully stated the obvious. There was nowhere else for her to go, and she hadn’t slipped past them during their impromptu family meeting in the corridor.

  All four of them quickly moved in and the door slid closed, preventing the other quads from overhearing.

  Bex casually strode to the bed and sat on the end, as if he belonged there. Tos eyed the bed, in sudden remembrance of how soft and compliant she was under him. Fuck an ice demon, if his rod got any harder, he could join the space repair crew to drive rivets.

  “And before you start,” Bex glared up at Loz, who sucked air into his lungs as if preparing to bark his usual commands, “I already asked her to become our sheraz.”

  “Bex, you had no right. We’ve only just met this female!” Loz stated.

  “Yeah, and sometimes it’s all it takes. Talk to the Fire Bond brothers or the High Lords about their human females. I’ve learned from them, all it takes is one look to know she belongs with us.”

  “You’ve talked with them?” Cir sat down on one of the table seats.

  “I do my research. I'm not as stupid as you like to think.”

  Tos cocked an eyebrow at Bex. “We never believed you were stupid, Bex, just a little irresponsible. You are, after all, the youngest.”

  “And you’re all a bunch of stiff rods, and not in the good way... well, apart from Cir.”

  “Gee, thanks, brother.”

  Bex grinned at Cir. “You’re welcome. Look, Loz, we’ve got six other human females to satisfy the High Councillors' demands, so if we take Daisy as ours, your orders will still be fulfilled. Or do you want some other Demos quads to court Daisy, kiss her, and have their hands running over her soft skin?”

  “Fuck, no!” Tos blurted out. He winced, but couldn’t push back the stranglehold of utter possessiveness towards the little human female.

  “I want her too,” Cir chimed in. “I know I’l
l be able to care for her health and I don’t want anyone else touching her.”

  “Bex is right!" Tos added. "For once in my life, I’m going to say, fuck orders. I want her.”

  “Praise the Fire Gods!” Bex saluted Tos.

  “Orders are orders,” Loz persisted, folding his arms, remaining utterly stubborn.

  “So you won’t even give me a choice?”

  Daisy’s soft voice made them all turn.

  Tos almost choked on his own saliva. Fuck driving space rivets, his hard rod could mine whole damn asteroids. Her pale skin stood out against the black top stretched over her generous curves. Her damp hair hung loose around her shoulders, framing her sweet face, blue eyes wide as they darted between each quad brother. The pink lips he’d tasted were slightly parted as she drew in air, making her ample chest rise and fall.

  Clearly, she’d bathed away the evidence of her tears, but the sadness still hung in the air about her. It broke his fucking heart and he wanted to tear the offending organ out and offer it to her on a plate.

  She took a small step into the room towards Loz. Her head tilted slightly to the side as she met his gaze.

  Tos struggled to remain still and not swoop in and pull her into his arms, to comfort her, kiss and fuck her.

  Stay in control of your mind and rod, damn it.

  “Bex told me why you’re not letting us out of our quarters. You're keeping us locked away, to be sold off to the rich of your planet. It’s just as wrong as what the Jorval did in abducting us in the first place.”

  “I’m under orders, Daisy.” Loz’s tone was weak, unconvincing. The commanding officer was starting to waver. Good.

  “And so that’s just it, you’ll follow orders." Daisy cocked a questioning eyebrow at Loz. “All the human women are stuck with that, and don’t get any say in the matter? I personally don’t think one set of quads is as good as the other.”

  “Daisy, sweet. Come here, please.” Bex opened his arms, beckoning her to come to him.

  Tos swallowed at how obediently she padded past them to Bex, who pulled her into his arms, giving her a simple hug, before settling her on his lap. It showed just how their youngest brother was already deeply invested in her.