by Ivy Barrett
“Agreed.” He started to leave, then turned back around. “What are you going to do?”
“Watch over her. I know she needs rest, so I won’t disturb her. I just need to be near her.”
Tarlon wasn’t sure he believed Sintar, but the only alternative was to abandon their plans for tonight and crawl back in bed with her. His body was in full agreement. Still, that wasn’t what Nikki needed.
“I’ll see you in a while. A short while.”
Sintar smiled and waved him on. “If I can’t resist touching her, I’ll leave the room. You have my word as a defender.”
* * *
Nikki woke up in darkness, alone and disoriented. Where was she? The past week came back in a dizzying rush of memories. She’d been kidnapped by Mexican goons on her way to become a carnal companion. Her Ventori rescuers realized she, and the other human females with her, were genetically compatible with the Ventori. Then came Protectorate Headquarters, and finally Camp Accord. No wonder she was confused.
Feeling a little less overwhelmed, she sat up and swung her legs to the floor. The sheet slid to her waist and she realized she was naked. That explained the tenderness on, and in, her behind. She still couldn’t decide if she was grateful or enraged by the way her mates had pushed her. Her potential mates. The distinction made her smile. They hadn’t claimed her yet. And more important, when and if they did was her decision.
“Feeling better?” Sintar’s deep voice reached her out of the darkness.
She whipped her head around and could barely make out his outline across the room. He was seated in one of the upholstered chairs flanking a tiny round table. “How long have you been sitting there in the dark?” She ignored his question, not sure how to answer honestly.
“It’s only been dark for the past half hour.”
Which didn’t really answer her question either. “Do I need permission to take a shower? For some reason, I feel a little dirty right now.”
“Watch your tone.” His voice hardened and his gaze gleamed through the darkness. “Let’s take a bath. I’m sure you could use a good long soak even more than a shower.”
“I’d rather bathe alone, Sir.” She carefully kept her tone neutral even though anger still simmered inside her. They’d manipulated her, forcing her to feel things she’d worked long and hard to forget. Her protective numbness was gone and now she felt raw, exposed, as if portions of her psyche had been ripped open and left to bleed.
“No.” He stood and held out his hand. “Bathe with me or not at all.”
He never bent, never compromised. She gritted her teeth, waiting for a surge of anger. Strangely, it never came. She’d lied to herself long enough. All she’d done by burying her emotions was postpone the pain. They were offering her a safe place and their assistance, so she could battle the demons, hopefully free herself from the past once and for all. But was she brave enough to continue on down this road?
“Fine.” She ignored his outstretched hand and strode into the bathroom. The house, especially the bathroom, reminded her of her parents’ house. Not the house she’d grown up in, but the one in which her parents had retired. Her mother had been obsessed with the oversized bathtub, had talked nonstop about the silly thing until everyone was sick of hearing about it. The bittersweet memory made her smile. They’d been gone for seven years now, but she still missed them terribly.
“What are you thinking about?” Sintar closed the bathroom door and began undressing as he waited for her answer.
“Nothing important.”
“I don’t believe you. You smiled, yet your eyes were sad. What triggered that reaction?”
Jesus! Did he need to know everything? “My parents had a house sort of like this. My mother loved the oversized bathtub.”
He looked at the tub, dark brows scrunching together over his nose. “That is oversized? I was just thinking how small it was.”
She shook her head and turned on the shower. “It only looks small because you Ventori are so damn big.”
His brawny arm snaked around her waist, and his deep voice whispered into her ear. “I said we are taking a bath.”
“Well, I’m not going to stew in… everything that’s smeared all over me. I’d prefer that you shower too.”
He looked at the tiny shower stall and frowned even more fiercely. “Make it quick.”
“Of course.” She wiggled free of his light hold and escaped into the shower. She’d been dying to see him naked before they went all medieval on her. Now she wasn’t sure what she wanted. Knowing he wouldn’t give her long to clean up, she grabbed the soap and went to work.
When she pushed open the shower door a few minutes later, Sintar stood beside the tub completely naked. Her breath hitched and desire cascaded through her body, making her nipples harden and her core ache.
Damn. Just Damn. Every inch of his body was sculpted with well-defined muscles. The strange iridescent quality to his white skin was especially apparent in this light and the geometric pattern she’d noticed on his neck and forearms was on full display. The design capped his body, covering both arms and his shoulders, while leaving his chest bare.
“It’s dark blue now,” she mused, barely realizing she’d spoken out loud. “It was almost silver before. Why did your markings change color?”
“It’s called an orvatta and it’s currently in a state of flare. This is another way for us to know when we’ve found a potential mate.” He stalked toward her, his hard cock bobbing with each step. She tried not to stare, had felt how big he was when he’d fucked her earlier. Still, he was impressive. He took her hand and brought it to the flared orvatta. “My cock hardens any time I find a female pleasing, but my orvatta has only ever reacted to you.”
Despite her irritation at him, the discovery pleased her, made her feel special, unique in a good way for a change. She tried to snatch her hand back, but he held it in place. His orvatta was slightly raised and softer than the rest of his skin. The area was also several degrees hotter.
“I’m not ready for this,” she whispered. “I’m not sure of anything right now.”
He sighed and released her, motioning silently toward the tub. He’d turned on the water while she showered so the tub was already half full. Relieved by his willingness to move on, she climbed into the tub and waited to see what he’d do. She’d asked that he shower also, but her preferences didn’t seem to mean a lot to him most of the time.
He looked at the tub, then the shower, then heaved a frustrated sigh and went into the shower. She waited until he faced the showerhead to indulge in a triumphant smile. She really did think it was gross to soak in dirty bathwater, but it meant more that he was willing to please her. He might be strict and stubborn, but he’d pleased her repeatedly each time they’d touched.
After turning off the water, she closed her eyes and relaxed against the sloped back of the tub. She’d known what to expect from Tarlon, had interacted with him frequently over the past few days. Sintar, on the other hand, was somewhat of a mystery. He was stern and relentless at times, yet oddly selfless at others. She hadn’t liked him at first, but he was rapidly winning her over.
That’s just the orgasms talking, her inner voice mocked. What female didn’t like someone who loved to eat pussy?
“Scoot forward,” he instructed a few minutes later. “I’d like to squeeze in behind you.”
She did as he asked and he climbed in, settling behind her with his legs bent on either side of her hips. It was snug, but not uncomfortable. For a long moment, she sat perfectly straight, trying to minimize where their bodies touched. He simply wrapped his arm around her torso and pulled her against his chest. Her head rested near his shoulder and her entire back was plastered to his front.
“Now, tell me about your family.” It wasn’t a request.
“My parents died within a year of each other. They’d been married almost forty years and Mom didn’t want to live without him.”
“How old were you when they pass
ed beyond?” He grabbed a loofah off the tile shelf surrounding the tub and began squeezing water over her shoulders and neck. It was bribery of sorts, but it felt too good to refuse.
“I was twenty-three and had been out on my own for a couple of years.”
“It’s never easy to lose one’s parents,” he objected. It was compassionate observations like that that made her think there was much more to Sintar than his gruff exterior. “Do you have siblings?”
“I had an older brother until the Skarilians attacked.” She sighed. “I lost a lot of people during those weeks.” It had only taken six days for the Ventori to reach Earth and begin their counteroffensive, but it had been several weeks before the bombings stopped. By the time the Skarilians were on the run, two thirds of Earth’s population was dead. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Tell me about your childhood. Family is very important to the Ventori. Is it the same for humans?”
“I think it is for most. There were only four of us, so we were definitely close.”
“Were you reared in a home like this one?”
“No.” She squirmed, trying to find a position that didn’t make his erection quite so apparent.
He wrapped his arm around her torso just beneath her breasts. “If my cock is bothering you, lean forward and I’ll find a better place to put it.”
She shivered, tempted to do just that. She ached. They always made her ache, and then made her feel incredibly good. Sex with them was like a drug. The more she had, the more she wanted.
The door opened and Tarlon walked in, saving her from herself. “You two look cozy.” He smiled with his usual charm, but his gaze swept over her body before focusing on her face.
“Was your quest successful?” Sintar asked.
“Yes.”
When Tarlon said nothing more, she asked, “What quest?”
“Finish your bath and I’ll show you.” Then he casually pulled his uniform shirt off over his head.
“I don’t think you’ll fit in here, but you’re welcome to try.” She smiled at him.
“Don’t tempt me.” His gaze lowered to her breasts. “I’m headed to the shower.”
Then they’d all be squeaky clean, so they could get each other filthy again. She shouldn’t find the thought so titillating, but tingles raced over her arms then dropped down her spine.
Sintar’s arm wrapped around her again, a silent warning.
She stilled and tried to relax, but Tarlon continued to undress. He was leaner than his brother and not quite as tall, but his body was no less impressive. She enjoyed the view for several moments before focusing on his orvatta. Like Sintar’s, the pattern gradually deepened from sky to navy blue. He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath.
“Does it hurt when it flares?”
Tarlon shook his head, eyes still closed.
“Just the opposite,” Sintar told her. “It feels almost like an orgasm.”
“And it only happens with potential mates?”
“That’s right.” He cupped her breast, his thumb lightly teasing her nipple. “Only for you, love. Only for you.”
Her moan drew Tarlon’s attention and he glared at his brother. “No more of that until after dinner. We both agreed.”
To her surprise and disappointment, Sintar moved his hand. “Your childhood. You were telling me about your childhood.”
“Talk loud,” Tarlon requested. “I’d like to hear this too.”
If they wanted her to not think about sex, then they shouldn’t have taken off their clothes. “I was raised on a farm, not large, but it had been in my father’s family for generations. He was crushed when my brother showed no interest in taking it over for him.”
“What about you?” Tarlon asked. “Couldn’t you have become the next generation?”
She glanced at him, then groaned. His shoulders were broad, making his hips look even leaner. Rippling abs led her gaze naturally to his long, thick cock. She helplessly licked her lips, remembering how the hard length felt sliding over her tongue.
“Keep looking at me like that and I’ll let dinner burn.”
She smiled and dragged her gaze away again. “I’m not sure I’d mind,” she whispered.
If he heard, he ignored her as he walked into the shower.
“What sort of farm?” Sintar drew her attention back to their conversation. “Did you have livestock and rows of crops?”
“Dad always kept a few head of cattle and a dairy cow. I had a pet goat until I was twelve.”
“What happened when you turned twelve?” Sintar asked.
“I discovered boys and lost interest in animals.”
Sintar chuckled. “Most males are animals at least part of the time.”
“Present company excluded?” she teased.
“I definitely forget I’m an evolved being from time to time,” Tarlon called from the shower.
“I forget every time I touch you,” Sintar warned. His hand eased between her legs and cupped her mound. She groaned, but he nipped her earlobe and whispered, “Quiet. I don’t want our chaperone to know I’m touching you. Keep talking.”
Aroused by the naughty nature of his game, she moved her legs apart, giving him more room to play.
“You said your parents lived in a house like this one,” Sintar reminded, his fingers lightly stroking her folds. “When did they leave the farm?”
She closed her eyes and concentrated on his touch, while attempting to answer his questions. “John, my brother, got married and moved to Boston. That’s where he went to college and his wife was from there.” His middle finger sank between her folds and slid across her clit. She shivered, biting her lip to keep from moaning.
“When did you leave home?”
Already her pussy tightened with little pulses of sensation. “I went out of state to college too.” He pushed his fingers into her core, rubbing her clit with the heel of his hand. She grabbed his thighs, shaking with the effort it took to remain quiet.
“What did you study?” he prompted, amusement clear in his deep voice.
“That’s cheating,” Tarlon grumbled.
Her eyes flew open and an alarmed squeak escaped her throat. She hadn’t even heard him turn off the shower, but he knelt beside the tub now. Rather than angry, he looked amused and aroused. He pushed his hand into the back of her hair as he leaned down and kissed her.
Sintar stopped being subtle. He finger-fucked her with firm, steady strokes of his hand. Tarlon kissed her deeply, penetrating her mouth with the same rhythm that his brother used between her thighs. Together. They always worked together to heighten her enjoyment and her body was starting to crave the sorts of pleasures one male couldn’t achieve on his own.
“Come for me,” Sintar ordered, pinching her nipple to make sure she obeyed.
Her inner muscles contracted around his fingers and pleasure washed over her in pulsing waves. She moaned into Tarlon’s mouth as Sintar dragged every last ripple from her willing body.
“Very nice,” Sintar praised, squeezing her mound gently before removing his hand completely. “Now you’re ready for dinner.”
She laughed, feeling slightly dizzy. “Can we do this before every meal?”
“If you like.” Sintar didn’t sound as if he was joking. “We’ll call it the first course.”
“Ok,” she said playfully. “But I think we should take turns. I’ll make Tarlon come before breakfast, you get to come before lunch, and I’ll come before dinner.” They both laughed at her easy acceptance of something so outrageous.
Tarlon helped her from the tub and wrapped her in a fluffy towel while Sintar activated the drain and climbed out. “We’ll meet you downstairs.” He motioned his brother from the room, clearly trying to give her a moment alone to process everything.
Nikki squeezed the moisture from her hair, then rubbed the thick length with the towel. She wrapped the damp towel around her body and rummaged through the drawers until she found a wide-toothed comb. Again she w
ondered about the original owners, hoping they were safe and happy in their new lives.
She studied her reflection as she worked the tangles out of her hair. The French braid Jessica had woven was long gone and purple smudges shadowed her eyes, making her skin look almost as pale as theirs. She licked her lips, torn by the wild swings her mood had taken all day. She’d been depressed, then furious, then blissful, then angry, then blissful again. Now she just felt tired. And confused. They honestly thought that mating with her would make their lives complete. How was a rational person supposed to reconcile that with the fact that she’d known them for such a short time?
With a weary sigh, she went into the bedroom and found her outfit lying neatly on the bed. Sans the bra, of course. She smiled. Tarlon was right, she didn’t really need to wear one, so it wasn’t worth the aggravation.
She dressed quickly, then headed downstairs, more than curious about Tarlon’s quest.
Chapter Six
“Fess up,” Nikki encouraged as she slanted a challenging look at Tarlon. “You did not make the lasagna.”
Tarlon laughed, placing his napkin on the table beside his empty plate. “All right. I might have gone to the kitchen to ask for supplies and was given a pan of lasagna instead. I did put it in the oven and turn the oven on. I even set a timer. That’s more effort than I usually exert for a meal.”
“That’s more effort than he usually exerts for anything,” Sintar joked.
She looked at him and smiled. “Are you much of a cook?”
He didn’t want to disrupt their light mood, but he was growing progressively more restless as their banter continued. “You’ve been on our ships. None of us know how to cook, just operate a DoxGenator.”
“Oh, is that what you call the thing that manufactures whatever you want?”
“It’s the name of the company that manufactures the thing that manufactures whatever we want.” Tarlon grinned, clearly trying to maintain her playfulness.
Nikki flashed a quick smile then pushed back from the table and started to gather the dishes.
“Is there a recycler?” Sintar asked hopefully.
