by Ivy Barrett
“Not exactly. We use the dishwasher.” She pointed to a door inset in the bank of compartments. “If you guys bring the dishes to me, I’ll do the rest.”
That seemed more than fair, so they quickly cleared the rest of the dishes and stacked them on the counter.
“What should be done with the rest of the lasagna?” Tarlon asked. “We ate less than half of the pan.”
She pulled out drawers until she found what she wanted, then handed Tarlon a long, narrow box. “Pull out a sheet of the plastic and drape it over the top of the pan. Make sure it clings to all the edges.”
It took Tarlon several tries, but he soon held up the plastic sheet-covered pan. “And now?”
“Put it in the refrigerator.” She pointed toward a larger device with three doors, two on top and one on the bottom.
Tarlon opened one of the smaller doors and placed the pan inside the lighted compartment.
“How does that keep it from spoiling?” Sintar asked, fascinated by the strange technology.
“It keeps it cold until we’re ready to eat some more.”
“I’m ready to eat some more,” Tarlon wrapped his arm around her waist and nipped her neck. “But I’m not hungry for lasagna.”
Desire surged up through Sintar as he pictured Nikki perched on the edge of the counter, her shapely legs draped over Tarlon’s shoulders as he feasted on her pussy. “If she’s for dessert, I definitely want a serving.”
Tarlon tried to pull her away from the half done dishes, but her playful mood evaporated. “All we’ve done since I met you is have sex,” she said softly. “Can’t we watch a movie or go for a walk?”
She was right. They were doing it again, pushing her, expecting too much. “We can do whatever you like,” Sintar said firmly. “Which activity appeals to you more?”
She quickly put the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher before turning around. “I know it’s already dark, but I’d love to go outside for a little while.” She motioned toward the door leading to the back yard. “I think I saw a porch swing. Can we go out there?”
“Of course.” Sintar glanced at Tarlon, silencing any potential objections with one warning look.
She led the way onto a wooden platform that extended from the back of the house. One end of the platform was covered by a simple wooden roof, though the sides were left open. She moved immediately to a flimsy-looking wooden seat suspended from the roof on chains.
“That will never support all three of us,” he predicted.
“Then you’ll just have to wrestle for it,” she suggested with a challenging smile.
Sintar’s gaze shifted to his brother, but Tarlon swept his arm toward the ‘swing’ without argument. “It’s all yours.”
“You don’t think it will hold me,” Sintar accused.
Tarlon laughed. “The thought definitely crossed my mind.”
“Be ready to grab her if this stupid thing collapses,” he advised then gingerly lowered himself onto the wooden seat beside her. The contraption groaned for a moment, then seemed to stabilize. Nikki set the thing in motion with an energetic swing of her legs. Sintar’s eyes widened and he braced for impact, but the swing simply… swung, arching back and forth with a gentle motion.
“See, nothing to fear.” She winked at him, clearly enjoying his discomfort.
“I was not afraid. I was concerned about your safety.”
She laughed. “Sure you were.”
Tarlon sat in one of the two chairs facing the swing. They were constructed of some sort of metal and looked infinitely sturdier than the deathtrap on which Sintar sat.
“Relax.” She scooted closer to him with another smile. “This is supposed to be fun.”
The only thing about the situation that he found enjoyable was having her near him. But she seemed pleased, so he tried to relax. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer against his side. Her scent, fresh and clean yet still evocative, surrounded him, hardening his cock and making his balls ache. How long did she intend for this torture to last?
“I only heard part of what you told Sintar in the bathtub. Will you review the rest for me?” Tarlon asked, looking disgustingly at ease in the moonlight.
The night was lovely, cool while not being cold. A multitude of stars lit the sky and the moon was nearly full. “She grew up on a farm but moved to a city to continue her education.”
Tarlon glared at him. “I asked her.”
“It’s all right,” she soothed. “It really isn’t any more interesting than that.”
“What did you study?” Tarlon asked. “You never answered him.”
Her naughty smile indicated she was remembering why she hadn’t answered, but she didn’t mention it. “I realized quickly that college wasn’t for me. I tried several majors, or fields of study, before I realized it was the entire process that didn’t work for me.”
“Did you return to the farm?” Tarlon asked, looking skeptical. “I’m trying to picture you in overalls.”
She chuckled. “No, I headed in the opposite direction. I moved to New York City.”
“Is that where you were when…” Sintar wanted to punch himself in the face. What the hells was wrong with him? The entire point of this evening was to help her feel more comfortable with them.
“Yes.” She looked up at him, her gaze open and trusting. “I was staying with a dear friend and her husband. Rent in New York is outrageous. I wasn’t able to give them much, but what I did was helpful.”
“She worked at a hotel,” Tarlon told him. “She assisted the guests with whatever they needed done.” His lazy grin turned wicked. “Not what we’d want her to help us with, obviously.”
“Oh, I had plenty of requests for those sorts of things.” She shook her head and gazed out into the night. “I was just never even tempted to oblige.”
“You said you saw them die,” Tarlon said softly. “Can you tell us how it happened?”
She’d seen who die? When had she shared this with Tarlon?
Sintar didn’t think she’d answer, but then she turned her head back around and said, “They struck without warning and New York was one of the first cities they hit. They’d only arrived the day before, but they made it extremely clear to the entire planet that it was surrender or die.”
This was more than she’d ever said before. He wanted to encourage her, but wasn’t sure what to say. While he was still scrambling for the right words, she went on, “We were in the living room, talking about the invasion, trying to decide if it was an invasion or just a visitation.” Her voice grew distant and hushed, and Sintar desperately wanted to see her face. “We thought it was thunder to begin with, then an earthquake. Then a building across the street blew up. Then part of the wall—actually half the building—just got sucked away. My friend’s husband was standing in front of the wall and he just flew away into the night.” She shivered and shook her head. “Then all hell broke loose. The building shook apart. The floor pitched and the ceiling collapsed. My friend was buried by debris.” She was trembling, so Sintar rubbed her arm, resisting the urge to pull her onto his lap.
“Were you hurt?” Tarlon asked, his tone warm and compassionate. “You had to have been terrified.”
“I was numb,” she whispered. “The fear came later.”
“You were in shock,” Sintar corrected. He’d seen it a thousand times before, soldiers frozen and staring, unable to process what was going on around them.
“I walked away with a few scratches and bruises. Three fourths of the city had been leveled and I was just fine.” She shook her head, lips trembling. “It wasn’t fair. Why was I spared?”
Tarlon came up out of his chair and knelt in front of her. They’d long since stopped swinging. “I, for one, am extremely glad you were spared.” He took her face between his hands and kissed her slowly and tenderly.
“If you hadn’t been spared, we never would have met you,” Sintar reinforced when Tarlon pulled away.
She smile
d at him, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I need some space just for tonight. Can I please sleep in the spare bedroom?”
Sintar tensed. Every protective instinct he had wanted to refuse.
Tarlon looked at him expectantly, clearly ready to allow it.
“If that’s what you really need. However,” he waited until she looked at him to finish, “if you come to bed with us, we will only hold you. You have my word of honor, nothing sexual.”
She tried to smile and failed. “I really need a few hours alone.”
Frustrated, but resigned, he nodded. “Then you shall have them.”
* * *
By the time Nikki went downstairs the following morning, Sintar had already left for work. She’d put on one of the multi-colored dresses she’d found folded outside her door, another present from Amanda, no doubt. Her slip-on shoes were black, so they went with everything. She simply washed her face, tidied her hair, and went downstairs. Tarlon stood in front of the sliding glass door sipping coffee while he soaked in the sunlight and tranquil mountain setting. From the direction the door faced, the destruction of the city wasn’t visible.
“Did I sleep too long?” There hadn’t been a clock in the spare bedroom, so she was afraid she’d slept half the day away. It had taken her forever to fall asleep, but once she had, she’d sleep soundly for the first time in months.
He turned and greeted her with a smile. “Not at all, and good morning.”
“How long has Sintar been gone?”
“He always rises with the dawn. Too many years in the military.”
“Have either of you ever worked outside the military?” She poured herself a cup of coffee, thrilled to find it available and already made.
“None of us have. Well, a few had other occupations before they joined the military, but all of us were in the military when the Skarilians attacked Ventor.”
She nodded. “I read about the devastation. I’m so sorry you had to go through it too.”
He joined her at the kitchen table. “We’ve had many more years to deal with it than you have, and we’ve had many battles in which to exorcise our demons. If you think your punishment was cathartic, you should try killing Skarilians.”
The casual reminder sent a wave of heat washing over her. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could feel Sintar’s lash whipping her ass and Tarlon’s cock—she didn’t allow herself to finish the thought. A flogging was easier to accept as punishment than what Tarlon had done to her.
“Do you understand why we did it?”
She nodded without looking at him.
“Did it help?”
She glanced at him then nodded again. “But I don’t want you to do that as punishment ever again. I want our… I need sex to be special, loving.”
His dark gaze searched hers, his expression unreadable. His expressions were so intense sometimes it was almost as if he could look inside her. “I understand, and I’ll make you this promise. Unless you do something to deserve severe discipline, I will never use that form of punishment again.”
“Thank you.”
He caught her chin in a gentle grasp when she tried to look away. “And for the record, coming without permission never would have earned that punishment. It would take something very wrong indeed. I did it because you needed it.”
“I know.” She finally managed to smile. “Don’t expect me to thank you for it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He returned her smile.
“So what’s on the agenda today?”
“That’s up to us.” He refilled his coffee mug and topped off hers then returned the coffeepot to the warmer. “Some of your friends are arriving today. Maybe you and Jessica could find a way to make them feel welcome.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, though Erin and Kyla were the only two left at Protectorate Headquarters that she considered friends. “What are you going to do? And what about our mission? When are we going to El Paso?” She sounded excited, but dread had actually inspired the question. The last thing she wanted to do was return to that induction center.
“Showing up the day after Sintar was transferred would seem a little suspicious. I thought I’d let Narrn squirm for a day or two before we pay him a visit.”
She nodded. “We’re not supposed to know about the compatibility issue, so that can’t be why Sintar was transferred here.”
“Exactly. We need to see if Narrn will bring up the Rh factor connection or if he’ll simply pretend that he knows nothing about it.”
“Can we explore the compound? All I’ve seen so far is a couple of the houses and the kitchen in the school.”
Tarlon smiled. “There’s not much more to it than that. Sintar’s office, a tiny clinic, and a bunch of classrooms that have been converted into barracks for the unmated males. Oh, yeah, there’s also a multipurpose room where they serve meals and hold meetings.”
“Then what does everyone do all day?”
His smile brightened. “Whatever the hells they want.”
She suspected that wasn’t true. Without ready access to Ventori technology, there had to be construction projects and security patrols, clothing to wash and food to prepare. Unless they’d found a massive garden that miraculously survived the bombings, someone was making supply runs and who knew what else. “So what should I do? I need to feel useful.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “You just arrived. Take a day to acclimate before you put yourself to work.”
That was fair, she supposed. It just felt lazy. “Amanda said there’s an abandoned shopping center across the street from the school. Can I go see if the scavenge crews left anything interesting?”
“You can’t go anywhere by yourself, but we can go exploring together. I’m entirely at your disposal.”
His offer softened the blow, but not being allowed to go anywhere alone made her feel like she was still a prisoner. Next he insisted that she eat something before they departed so she scrounged through the kitchen for something fast and easy. There was cereal, but no milk. She finally settled for a frozen waffle and a fried egg.
They kept the conversation light and casual, both avoiding anything that would ruin the pleasant mood. Spending time with Tarlon was easy. He was friendly and funny. Sintar, on the other hand, was so intense she found him exhausting.
“How much older is Sintar than you?” They left the house and followed the sidewalk through the small subdivision instead of crossing the field.
“Six years.” Tarlon walked along at her side, hands lightly clasped behind his back. It was late morning and the sun shone brightly in the cloudless sky. Strange. She’d always thought of Colorado as cold and snowy.
“Have you two always been close?” He was being a perfect gentleman. A fact she found a bit disappointing.
“I was closer to our middle brother, Hontrigen. It was only after his loss that Sintar and I learned to complement each other rather than butting heads.”
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t have to ask what happened. The combination of hatred and pain in his expression said it all.
“It was the only time I regretted that he chose a different path.”
She didn’t want to focus on the past, but the statement confused her. “What do you mean?”
“Hont was an academic. He didn’t have a violent bone in his body, but we come from a long line of soldiers. Our father, even Sintar, was disappointed when Hontrigen refused to consider a career in the military. They called him weak and pressured him with disapproval. Hont just took it all in stride.”
She had wondered what drew someone as non-confrontational as Tarlon into a life surrounded by violence and conflict. “Did their treatment of him influence your career path?”
He glanced at her, apparently surprised by the question. “That’s frighteningly perceptive.”
“Meaning yes?”
He let go of his hands and straightened his arms, his posture more relaxed. “I admit it. I originally joined
out of obligation and despised the first few years.”
“You seem well-adjusted now. When and why did your attitude change?”
A warm chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Some would argue that I’m not well-adjusted at all. But that’s beside the point.”
Their hands brushed against each other and awareness tingled up her arm. “Go on.”
“One of my instructors pulled me aside and told me that my temperament seemed more compatible with specialized missions than standard military campaigns. He introduced me to another instructor and after an exasperating series of assessments, I was transferred to the Ventori equivalent of the CIA.”
“I’m anxious to see you in action.”
His smile flashed again and sensual promise warmed his gaze. “You’ve already seen me in action. Are you ready for another demonstration?”
“Without Sintar?” she challenged lightly. “I thought you two were a package deal.”
“You’ll belong to both of us, but that doesn’t mean we’ll only touch you when we’re together.”
“I see.” She cleared her throat, feeling oddly energized by his obvious interest. “Maybe after we explore a little.” Pretending she didn’t want him was pointless and dishonest. They both knew the attraction was mutual.
The shopping mall was farther away than Nikki thought, but they took their time and enjoyed the walk. Tarlon was attentive and flirtatious, much as he’d been at Protectorate Headquarters. But the intimacies they’d shared created a pleasant sort of tension. They didn’t talk about the past or the future. They remained in the moment and enjoyed the simple pleasure of spending time together.
The mall entrance was unlocked, which seemed odd, until they saw the condition of the stores. The scavenge crews—or whoever had come before—had totally ransacked even the smallest shop.
“It looks like the Grinch stole Christmas,” she whispered, hand pressed to her throat.
“The what?”
She laughed. “Never mind. It doesn’t look like there is anything left to explore. Did they move everything to a different location? Camp Accord hasn’t been open long enough to use up everything.”
