by Mima
Malla was average height. She had a round face, with a nose that flared at the end. She had a curvy mouth, and those eyes, so big and deep. Her body was mostly fit, tending toward soft in the belly, hip, and thigh area. Just the way he liked it. Her breasts were lovely, full.
One peeked out of the opening in the vest. It was pink tipped. She’d demurely tucked her legs together off to the side. Her arms held her middle, framing her breasts.
Grady’s voice boomed down the hall, “Malla! Chicken or beef!”
“Chicken, thanks, Grady!”
Shon waited, and then shouted, “I’ll have beef, thanks for asking!”
Laughter erupted from the mess. He sighed.
“You’re like a band of brothers, aren’t you?”
“Naw. We’re closer than that.”
She tipped her head. Her hair cascaded over one shoulder, covering her breast. It was glossy and silky. He wanted to touch it, to rub it over the nipple it hid.
“Are you lovers?” she asked.
“No.” He swallowed when she licked her lips. Hunger twisted in his belly. It was more bitter from having almost been banished, even though it was a lesser pull than it had been.
“Malla, did you read our file?”
“Yes. I read it all, and I hacked into it a bit deeper later on, when I needed some codes.”
He blinked at her. “They teach hacking in server training now?”
“No. That’s a life skill from med school.”
He remembered that about her. He was ashamed he hadn’t read her file in return. He barely knew anything about her. “As well as piloting fighters and solo navigation?”
“That was taught at server training.”
“Huh.” He recalled his purpose. “Did you see much of what just happened here? With Bea?”
“I woke up when you were fighting. I watched them bring you down, and I watched
you fight Bea’s service. I saw them keep her from crashing, and I saw you fight the hunger.”
Well, that about covered everything. His gut clenched in shame. “Yeah, I guess you saw it. Do you understand my gift?”
“You’re a berzerker.”
“Yeah. Do you know the triggers? What to do if I’ve gone under?”
“Stay still. Be submissive. Be calm.”
He sighed. “Yes. Good. It sounds easier than it is. Anya never really got the hang of it, and she’s not the only one.”
“I’m not afraid of you. And I won’t be.”
He looked at her serious gaze, the little furrow between her brows. “I know you’ll try.
But I don’t expect you not to fear me. I just want you to be prepared. To be safe.”
They watched each other, and she nodded slowly. “You don’t trust yourself, but you should. I just watched you master yourself twice, for love of those around you.”
“Yeah. And when you were watching Grady’s ass walk away, did you also notice the bloody welts I’d carved into his back?”
“I did. You didn’t cut into him. He’ll be fine before I even have to feed him again.”
The hunger leaped and twisted in his gut. Oh, he wanted her. He wanted this woman bad, and it had nothing to do with her ability to feed him energy. He wanted that open spirit who looked at him so calmly and offered all of herself. He recalled her words at the hangar, as she emerged from the fighter. I came here for you. They’d gone right to his gut, echoing like prophecy. He should tell her. She needed to be afraid. She needed to understand how he was a walking bomb. But his throat sealed, imprisoning the warning. Her brown eyes were warm, boldly holding his. She was as rare as Stardust. He clasped his hands together against the need to reach out and take her.
Grady came in bearing trays. Vel brought steaming bowls. Malla stood to help and they all shushed her down. Shon went and brought back the drinks. Vel fell on his food like a hyena. Grady always ate like he’d fallen in love with his bowl, steady and focused. Malla asked about setting some aside for Kor and they all laughed. Kor didn’t believe in anyone’s cooking but his own. He would sneer at the simply heated food they ate.
The food settled him a little more, and he found he couldn’t decide what made him happier, Malla or the lifemates. Malla watched Grady with fondness, Vel with amazement.
She shot Shon looks under her lashes, and he knew she was thinking of fucking him. She sat partially dressed in med scrubs in total comfort, smiling as Vel and Grady traded touches constantly. Vel was awake, alert, whole. Grady went the whole meal without cursing once.
Eventually, they finished the food, and they all helped take it to the mess.
“Leave the dishes,” Grady ordered Malla. “I’ll do them later.” He looked over at Shon.
“Kor is due in four hours. I’ve got next watch.”
Shon considered, nodded. “I’m going to go check on Bea.”
Vel took Grady’s hand and put it on his dick, which clearly stood up straight under his loose pants. “I’m going to go check on Grady, in the shower.”
Vel spun the large man hard against the wall, both of them struggling for control of the kiss.
“You came for me. I knew you’d come for me.” Vel nipped at Grady’s neck.
“You held on. It hurt so bad, and you never stopped fighting. I’m so proud of you.”
Grady tipped his head back.
Shon sighed, walked out. Malla came out behind him, but he saw how she lingered in the doorway.
“Malla.”
She blinked at him, looking dazed as she wrenched her gaze from the kitchen. “Yes?”
“I need to tell you that I’m disappointed you initiated the ritual without preparation or backup. You have a larger responsibility than just to one person. You are now our sole source. Without you, we all shut down. Do you understand?”
“I understand it was my duty to bring Vel back. What did it matter if I brought him back today or three days from now? Why wait to string out the stress on all three of you?”
He ground his teeth. She was as bad as Grady.
She looked back into the mess as he heard the clatter of a chair. “You know, they’re really beautiful together.”
“Yeah.”
She looked at him. “I’m going to get some sleep. And when I wake up, I’ll be ready for you.”
His dick stirred, thickened. “We’ll see.” He swallowed, then let himself hunger. “I hope so. I’m looking forward to it.”
Oh. Her lungs were suddenly too small. “Me, too,” she whispered.
Spirit, her eyes couldn’t get much bigger. He nodded to her and left before he
borrowed Vel’s move and spun her into the wall.
He went down to Bea’s room. He sat on her bed and sighed. The servers that came into his team’s care always seemed so fragile. There were a few who were tough, but the team’s raids got to them. The team's needs got to them. There were a few who were powerful, but they weren’t always good matches out of bed. Bea stirred after awhile, and jumped when she saw him.
“Shhhh. You’re safe.”
She looked at him, her hair glinting gold. “Shon…”
“How do you feel?”
“Awful. Empty. So tired. Too tired.”
“Yeah. I know the feeling.” He still felt that way, but it would be cruel to say so when she'd just bottomed out to help him. “Thank you for helping me. I’m thinking clearer now.
You can rest.” He tucked the covers around her.
“Shon…”
“Yeah?”
“I want to go. To be released. I want to go back.”
His gut clenched. Usually, the four men had three women to focus on, to share. Now, they’d only have Malla. She was damn powerful. She’d seen them through this crisis, but he didn’t know her long-term abilities, to sustain a whole team of gifted warriors on active duty.
But with this mess with the Duke unresolved, he couldn’t bring himself to call for another server. She’d become an instant target.
“Sure, Bea. If
that’s what you want. I understand.”
And he did. Frankly, he’d be gearing up to ask her to leave if they were simply finishing out their R & R. She wasn’t right for them, even though she was a damn fine server.
Her eyes filled up with tears that made her eyes glow. “I’m sorry.”
He sighed. Awww, shit. “Bea, we both knew this was coming, without this mess. Don’t be sorry. You kept Grady going when we needed you to. You did real good.”
She nodded, beautiful bow-lips quivering. She swallowed, trying not to cry. “I’ll call it in.”
He thought about that. About the Duke getting this piece of information. He worked it into his hunt for the Duke’s head. “Thanks.” He patted her shoulder, stood to go.
“Shon?”
“Yeah?”
“How soon do you think I could go?” Her voice was very small, ashamed.
“As soon as a guarded transport can be arranged, Bea. If you want to line that up with High Post when you call in your contract’s release, go for it.”
“Really? What if the new server… Malla?”
He nodded.
“What if she’s still out by next shift?”
“She’s up. She’s going to be all right.”
“Oh! Yeah, that’s good, then.” The utter relief was hard to hear.
He felt like an ogre for accepting her service. She’d always been too damned timid for him. “Bea, thank you. For all you’ve done for us. I’m really, really glad I didn’t crash you tonight. You were very brave to come to me.”
She held out her arms, her eyes filling again. He went and hugged her, carefully. When he left her room, he sighed with relief. He could hear the shower running in Grady’s room, and some serious loving going on. He went past Malla’s room and paused. Feeling his hunger twist, he continued on, and lay down on his bed.
His thigh was a distant throb, and he realized he was still not fully healed. Spirit, thank you for Vel’s return. Thank you for delivering Malla. Thank you for getting us through these last days. But he knew it wasn’t over. His contacts were working at getting information, but Duke Lester Harris was still free, still oozing his muck everywhere. They weren’t safe yet.
Spirit, help me nail the Duke’s head to the fucking wall. He slept.
Chapter Five
Malla woke up smiling. Her team was almost hers. She’d done it, pulling Vel out of his coma, stabilizing him for Grady. With Grady and Vel healed and at full ability, and Kor fed, only Shon remained.
Shon held one of the deadliest of Luo gifts tightly in his control. Body aggression specialist. Malla snorted. What a euphemism for “destroyer of flesh.” Shon’s gift, once unleashed, would only be stopped by a powerful ion blast, and even then, his advanced Luo armor combined with his berzerker density might carry him through. Malla stretched, rubbing her thighs together. She had never been a woman drawn to dangerous men. But since her safe, academic world had literally been shredded by a handful of over-sized bug pincers, having danger on her side had become highly attractive.
Shrugging into her robe, Malla pattered into the lav, turned on the shower. She smiled at the sink counter, remembering Grady. An image came from her memory as she stepped into the warm cleansing mist. Grady on his knees in the med bay, his massive, honed warrior’s body shaking as he knelt where Vel lay, being scanned. Vel, unwilling to take his eyes off Grady as the med techs swept him, his face aching with a hunger Malla could never feed.
Malla soaped her hair, feeling the tug as the waterlogged mass pulled on her neck. She remembered watching the shocking service they'd forced on Shon. Despite their desire to be alone and reconnect, the first thing they’d done upon returning had been to help Shon, to try to quell his hunger. It had been so sexy, the two powerful men holding him down, their bare torsos rippling with muscle. Bea's tiny, golden presence at his crotch, as she writhed in pleasure from sucking him off, fingering herself, watching Vel and Grady drown in each other.
But her heart had ached to see Shon fight away the energy then lose the fight. And in the end, Bea didn't have enough for him, and he'd hurt. He'd hurt so bad, animal sounds escaping his throat as he ripped at himself. Grady had stepped in when Vel took Bea away and Shon had ripped into Grady instead. Grady hadn't even blinked. She remembered the bitterness in Shon’s eyes as he spoke of the slight damage he’d dealt Grady, damage fainter than what Luo exchanged when they trained.
Shon resented his moment of weakness. She’d go into this first time with him quick.
Would he be as raw as Kor, diving on her and glorying in her body? Malla shivered, running her hands softly over her breasts. As ferocious and passionate as Kor was, Shon was harder, colder. Vel had been cold, when he demanded her energy. He’d demanded everything from her. There was no coddling there, no concerned hesitation as with Grady. Would Shon command her?
Malla sent her hands between her legs, cleaning her bare folds gently. Yes, she’d take him hard and fast. He was already worried about her, but she wouldn’t give him time. She couldn’t wait to see him explode in his orgasm. Her breath hitched as her fingers brushed her throbbing clit. Would he go wild? Would she taste the powerful, dominant protector bottled up inside him? Shon, so dark, so troubled. She’d be his refuge. She’d serve him. She’d make him hers. A wave of pleasure rode her from her nape to her thighs in glorious expectation.
Spirit, just thinking about this man could almost make her come.
Malla turned off the water with trembling hands, then dried herself quickly. Pulling on her robe, she stepped into the hall. Vel was there, hair rumpled.
“Malla.” His eyes seemed to swirl with intent as they swept down her body, clearly visible in the untied robe.
She froze, taking in his nude length that reeked of sex. This man was a prince.
“You’re going to Shon now.”
It wasn’t a question, but she nodded, heart beating as he stared at her belly. He reached out a hand and casually flicked the robe so that it fell away from one breast, exposing a rapidly expanding nipple.
“You’re magnificent.”
“Thank you…Vel.” She wasn’t sure what to call him, but decided she’d earned the right to use his intimate name.
“Inside and out.” His gray eyes suddenly pinned hers, pinning her lungs as well.
When his gaze drifted down her neck to her breast again, she breathed, “Thank you.”
“Shon is not like us. If you need us, just call. We’ll be listening.”
Malla frowned. “What do you mean?”
“If he loses control, you’ll need us. We’ll be there. You’ll never really be alone with him.”
It sounded like a reassurance he’d issued before, a soothing platitude for skittish servers. She stiffened. “We’ll be fine. Shon would never hurt me.”
Vel nodded. “Shon would die if he hurt you.”
Malla’s bared breast throbbed as she squared her shoulders even more, thrusting it out farther. She didn’t miss how he’d side-stepped her comment. Vel moved toward her, drifting around her with a measured drag of his chest across hers. He hummed.
Her frown cleared as her body erupted with fire. Her lids drifted down at the heat of his smooth chest flattening her nipple. “Ohhh.”
“Go on, Malla. He needs service badly. I’m here, and you’ll do fine.”
He spoke as if she was to serve a rabid animal. Malla’s eyes snapped open, but the lav door was already closing behind him. Huffing, Malla hurried to Shon’s room.
She walked into his room already wet with excitement. Finally, Shon. She was shaking with anticipation. The door closed behind her silently.
He stood from the comlink, then walked up to her. “I thought you were dead, you
know.”
“Before I came in on the fighter?” Malla shrugged out of her robe. It whispered to her feet.
“Yeah.” His eyes went to her breasts.
“I sent my medallion with Krevnoy as a decoy. I had no idea they would destro
y his ship. I was worried they might actually arrest him.”
“More death on the Duke’s hands. I mourned you. We all did. We didn't know you yet, and you still touched us.”
With another gliding step forward, he lowered his face to hers. Shon's lips drifted over her skin, breathing her, nibbling her. He trembled. His hands settled lightly around her upper arms.
“Shon, you still hunger. Let me serve you. Don't wait.”
“I…want to. I want to savor this.” His voice was so low. Grady’s was a rumbling bass, but Shon’s throbbed with intensity.
“I'm not going anywhere. You can savor me next time.” Malla stretched up on tiptoe and kissed him, her lips and tongue working with skill and interest. Her arms locked around his strong neck. She poured her desire through her lips, her curiosity, her yearning for him.
He kissed her back. He had skills, too, and interest. It was good and sweet and soon they were wrapped up tight. He sat on the bed, and fell back, pulling her down onto him.
Her hands tried to drift down his body to his erection but never got any farther than the fascination of his beautiful neck, with its strips of muscle and beating pulse.
“When I saw you in the hangar doorway, I thought you were a trick. When you took off your cape and stepped into Grady's arms, trusting us to protect you, I thought you were a dream. When you looked at me, wrapped up in him, and you told me you were here for us, I…felt it. I felt it, like it was a realization of a promise, a memory I'd forgotten.”
She straddled him, working to open his shirt. “Shon. Shut up. Let me heal you.”
He rolled, taking her power position away, and kissed her. If their prior kisses before had been good and sweet, this one was a tornado that sucked away her breath and drowned her in lust. Here. Finally, she began to touch Shon’s passion. Cream trickled between her legs. He lifted his body up, and lowered one hand to fumble at his pants. His eyes were so dark as they stared down at her. Then he pushed her legs open with his and shoved inside her. His flesh in hers was thick and shockingly hot.
