A twinge of embarrassment warms my cheeks. I must have looked awful. Poor Saxon has never seen me anything but rough. I’m pretty sure the all-natural Leigh I’ve been rocking would have sent any normal human male running, life-threatening situation or not.
The air compressor in the tiny space kicks on, and the tolerance I’ve managed to build up to the cold water disappears, leaving my skin covered in goosebumps. I turn it off, not wanting to waste what little Anya probably has and just as I’m about to relent and force myself to get out, a familiar pair of hands wrap around my abdomen, instantly warming me.
Saxon. And he’s very very naked.
“How’d you sneak in here like that?”
His lips are hot against my cool skin as he kisses my neck and tightens his hold. “Forgive my lack of consideration. Your beauty knows no bounds, Mu Xitall. The call of your body does things to me.”
“Everything about you does things to me.”
As he shifts his hips, his hard erection presses against my back, and I ache for him. Everything is so messed up. I just want to lose myself for a little. With one hand, I cup the back of his neck and stick out my ass, letting his cock nudge the seam of my entrance.
I want him there. No, I need him there, and I clench tight, unable to control my body’s response to him. A deep growl builds at the base of his throat, and he guides me to the shower wall. He grips my thighs, spacing my feet further apart, then drops to his knees behind me.
My clit’s throbbing, and in less than a minute, he’s managed to turn me into a wild, needy mess. Pain sings across my skin when he bites my ass cheek, and the seam burns as he spreads me apart and dives in.
Knees trembling, I struggle to keep myself up. My hands slide against the slick shower wall, seeking support, but I find nothing. It’s too much and not enough all at the same time and I feel like I’m about to burst.
The rooms spins, and a strangled yelp slips out as Saxon flips me around to face him. Without skipping a beat, he sucks my clit hard into his mouth, and the roughness of his teeth against my tender flesh has me crying out.
His muscles bulge underneath the small of my back as he rises up and lifts me with him, guiding my thighs around his waist.
Without thought, I kiss him, letting my tongue dance against his—turned on even more now that he tastes like me.
“You are more exquisite than I could have imagined. More beautiful than I could have dreamed,” he murmurs against my lips as he enters me. With nothing else to grab onto, I wrap my hands in his hair while he grips my ass and slides me up and down his length.
He holds me, thrusting in and out until I’m so jumbled up I can’t figure out where he ends and I begin. We’re all hot breath and whispered sweet nothings until he hits that special spot and I cry out, climaxing hard around his cock. He follows with his own release and then eases us both to the ground outside the shower.
My hair’s tangled in my face, so I roll over onto my back and finger comb it into something manageable. When I lean back up on my elbow, I find him staring at me.
“What?” I ask, a hint of humor in my voice.
He reaches over to grab my hand and presses it to his lips. “Come with me.”
“I kind of just did. Or didn’t you notice all the screaming and clawing …” I tug at his hands, expecting him to smile, but he doesn’t.
“No, my Leigh. Come home with me. To Revaris. I know we have spoken of my desire to take you there, but I need to know you are ready. When we locate my pod, we may not have much time to prepare for our departure.
“I need to know you are with me not only here,” he touches my forehead with the pad of his thumb, “but here as well.” His hand covers my heart. “I am not blind to the sacrifices you will make. Our lives are in danger and we have little choice. But if we had met peacefully and did not have to endure such stressful circumstances, would you still desire to go with me?”
“Yes. I want to be wherever you are. Crazed maniac chasing us or not, I want to be with you, Saxon.” The words tumble from my lips without thought, and I abandon his hands and scoot toward his open arms. He rests his head against mine and curls around me. I hold my breath, trying to decide how much to say. “I’m nervous. Before I met you, aliens were just probe-obsessed little green men. I know that’s an ignorant thing to say, but it’s the truth. The idea of jetting off into a giant vacuum in something half the size of a smart car terrifies me. But I love you, and the one thing that scares me more than the unknown is losing you.”
Little zings of pleasure spread out across my body as he gently runs his claws down my back. “Probes? That is truly how your people see us?” he asks, smirking and I roll my eyes. “My people are not green and as you have seen first-hand, we are far from little.”
“Trust me, I know. My body won’t let me forget it.”
A deep growl rattles his throat and he presses himself closer against me. “How am I to answer your questions when you tempt me in such a way?”
“In all fairness, I haven’t actually asked you anything yet. But I would like to know what’s going to happen once we get in your pod. Because we will make it out of here. You’re not the only one who’s waited their entire life to feel like this and I’m damn sure not going to let a tool like Elgin take it from me.”
“Despite their size, our travel pods are designed to accommodate a mate with no issue. Once we enter, we are sedated and only wake once it is safe to exit. I would never put you in a position to be harmed. If I believed it unfit for travel, I would find another way to keep you safe.”
Except, it already broke once didn’t it? What’s to say it won’t do it again?
Shaking off the thoughts, I turn to explore his handsome face with my fingertips. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, do you?” My words are quiet, and I try hard to keep them free from judgement because I know none of this is his fault. I’ll go either way, but for some reason I just need to hear him acknowledge it.
“I fear I cannot answer you completely, and it pains me to admit so. This process is romanticized amongst my people. Entering the black hole and coming back, mate in hand with stories of a fated meeting? That is our way, but our situation is different. Never before have I heard of an Exune facing what we have had to endure.”
“Are you calling me difficult?”
I cock a brow, and he chuckles. “Our connection burns brighter than any I’ve seen, Mu Xitall. The threat of captivity and death are nothing in comparison to my fear of losing you. You encompass everything I have ever wanted and more, and I would carve out my own heart before I would allow you to be harmed.”
“That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think? I don’t think anyone is worth that amount of pain.”
“I would do it. An existence without you is not worth living.”
“Your heart is fine right where it is, no carving necessary,” I say, patting his chest. Saxon grabs my hand and moves it lower. “Are you trying to put my hand on your dick in the middle of a life changing conversation?”
“My heart does not lie in my chest, Mu Xitall, but in my abdomen.”
“Oh.”
Well, that’s embarrassing.
Saxon lifts my chin when I drop it and look away. “A creature as enchanting as you should never drop her gaze. You will find no judgement with me.”
There is absolute truth to the way he says those words, and it leaves me devastated in the most romantic way. His devotion is heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time and it’s through him I can find the courage to face the unknown without a solid plan.
For a total control freak, the idea of letting go is insane. But I love him, and everything else is just background music.
Chapter Fifteen
Saxon
“Breathe, Mu Xitall. I can feel your discomfort.” Retracting my claws, I firmly massage the tight muscles of her neck while she leans over Anya’s machines and stares at the security camera feeds. Ever since her friend left, with the exception o
f the few moments I managed to steal with her, she has focused solely on the hope of spotting the other female.
She seeks proof of life and carries a heavy guilt that her friend is now involved in our struggle. She has failed to remember that Anya inserted herself.
My Leigh leans back, resting her head on my shoulder. Her muscles have relaxed, but her mind still reels. “Ugh, why haven’t we seen or heard from her yet? It’s been like four hours.”
“For a human, she moves in the shadows well. You are not meant to see her. I would be more concerned if we did.”
She rubs her eyes, then grabs a few pieces of dried fruit Anya scattered across her desk earlier. “I hate this and I hate Elgin. And after sitting here listening to these recordings, I hate myself for ignoring all the big ass red flags that were flying right in front of my face.”
“I do not know these red flags you speak of, but just as you are not responsible for the valiant actions of your friend, you are not responsible for that piece of trash.”
“No. I knew he was a selfish dick and I ignored it because I wanted to prove myself so badly nothing else mattered. I threw everything away—my family and friends—to work for a man I knew was unstable because no one else would hire me. He’s a creep—a dangerous one—and if anything happens to you or Anya, I’ll never forgive myself.”
The loose strands of her yellow hair tangle in my claws when I brush them away from her face. The enticing curve of her lips calls to me as lean in closer, unable to maintain my distance. Even in the direst of times, my need for her knows no bounds.
“Thinking like that solves nothing. We must move forward. No matter the outcome, we have a course of action and a clear path. I know our meeting was abrupt and chaotic. You have suffered a great loss, been made to feel small and less than the magnanimous creature that you are, and I will not stand for it.
“This planet does not deserve you. The people here, save for your friend, do not deserve you. And I swear on everything I am that I will take you from this place no matter how many lives I must destroy in the process.
“My need for you and the strength of our connection cannot be contained by the laws of your people, nor the desires of the evil beings who seek to exploit us. Pavil lives. Our blood bond remains unaltered. He may be a cocky bastard incapable of common sense, but his machinery skills are unmatched and his loyalty unwavering. We will find him and then leave this spirit-forsaken planet.”
My mate swallows hard, and my anger stirs at the pain and worry I see in her eyes. “What if we can’t? I just don’t know what I would do without you.”
Her curvy body fits perfectly against mine when I wrap my arms around her. I despise her people for making her feel like this. This Elgin will pay dearly for the joy he has taken from her. “These humans feel they are invincible because I have allowed them to believe so. Rest assured, Mu Xitall. Anyone who stands in our way will pay.”
A high pitched alarm sounds as the screen of Anya’s computer lights up. Someone has tripped the perimeter sensors. Movement detected in zones nine, fourteen, and twenty. Security breach! Security breach!
Leigh jumps to her feet and stands before the blinking screens. “Anya? Is she back?” The hope in her voice drains as six males in black come into view. “Oh, shit. They’ve found us!”
They have not. The males continue to search the area but have not encroached beyond the perimeter. We are safe for now, but it is only a matter of time before they reach the entrance to our shelter.
“What do we do?” Leigh asks. Already short, her human claws are bloodied as she chews them to the quick. I grab her trembling hands and press a kiss to each, then guide her back to the safety of the room in which we slept.
I know what I have to do, and she is not going to like it. I cannot allow them to advance on our location without consequence. They will not get close enough hurt her.
War is the same no matter the universe, no matter the race. These vile creatures—these humans—know she is my weakness, and as any cutthroat soldier would, they exploit it. They will take her. Torture her. Leave her screaming until she begs for me and I answer.
The burn of outrage builds in my chest, flowing through my veins and lengthening my claws. No one will fucking touch her.
The hinges whine when I open the heavy door of the safe room to pull her inside. “Wait, what are you doing? We can’t just sit here. What the fuck? We need to get out there and do something. Anya could come back and get ambushed!”
With a gentleness reserved only for her, I grab both sides of her face and claim her lips. I let her taste drive me, inspire me, remind me of what I am protecting, then as she begins to lean in and the scent of her arousal floods the room, I push her back and shut the door.
She is going to be so pissed, but that is preferable to dead or captured.
I cannot hear her words through the thick metal door, but her energy is wild and the scent of her outrage hangs heavy in the air.
I am going to pay for this for the rest of my existence. As long as she is there to complain, I am a luckier male for it.
Blocking my need to quell her distress, I slide my nail across my wrist and initiate my suit. A thrill of excitement builds in my chest, and almost as if my instincts were sentient, the need to hunt flares, and my mouth waters at the thought of their spilt blood.
Giving in to my baser side, I charge up the steps and stop at the entrance. The door is thick and reinforced but it cannot blunt my heightened senses. The humans remain far enough away that my exit should remain unseen. And if not, I will tear their tongues from their mouths so they cannot speak word of what they observed.
The air outside is sweet and carries with it eight separate scents. More have arrived. Splendid. The violence begging to be freed and consume my enemies will not be sated with their quick deaths. Perhaps a greater number will ease the itch to bask in their suffering.
The sound of their clumsy footsteps travels with the wind. I need to move quickly. My muscles burn as I charge at my full speed toward the largest group of scents. Earth’s sun is low in the sky, letting the shadows of the trees hide me, and I watch, waiting for my prey to get in the perfect position.
These males continue to grunt and spew crass words as they fan out, using the inefficient light sources strapped to their weapons to illuminate the ground. Foolish pricks. Chests puffed out in confidence, they fear nothing. They do not even bother to watch for threats, believing themselves untouchable.
Lazily shuffling along, one male stops a few paces in front of me and kicks at the dirt. Voices begin to pour out of the communication device strapped to his shoulder. “You’re looking a little butt hurt over there, Porzinga. Suck it up, bro.”
“Hey, fuck off. I could be balls deep in my girl right now, but no, we’re out here searching for a fuckin’ gray ghost and some lab bitch who pissed off the wrong rich tool.” He continues several steps then squats to haphazardly search through a pile of brush with the butt end of his weapon. “This is a waste of fuckin’ time. There isn’t anything out here.”
The communicator goes off again. “Stop whining and do your job. That rich tool offered us half a mil to find that so-called lab bitch. Get your head out of your ass and look.”
“You know, I gotta wonder about that. What’s this girl got? A golden pussy or something? She must give one hell of a blow—”
As soon as the filth he speaks translates, all rational thought stops. Red. All I see is red, and the smell of blood saturates my pores. Flesh wedges itself underneath my claws and I’m showered in gore as I rip out his throat, as if removing his head will remove the stain of his vile words.
By the time my vision returns, he’s nothing more than a pile of slop at my feet. What a fucking mess.
“Porzinga? Where you at, asshole?”
Grabbing the communicator I swipe off the filth and respond. “Takin’ a piss. I’ll see you fucks soon.”
And I will. With pleasure.
Returning to the
shadows the setting sun provides, I speed with precision toward where the other males have clustered. Slowly, they have moved closer to my mate. And when I see they have split into two groups of three with one lingering behind, I know what I need to do.
Faster than the human eye can detect, I yank the straggler off his feet by the neck, severing his spine, and then run back into the trees to impale him on a high hanging branch where is he mostly out of sight.
The male leading the first group turns, shining his light on the spot where his soldier once stood. “Where the fuck did Frazier go?” he asks, annoyance and concern infusing his tone. I do not give the rest enough time to answer.
Letting my instincts roar to life, I summon my energy shield and plunge myself into the middle of their formation and attack from all sides. I start with the throats, imperative to silence their screams, then slice at each major organ until I can see their insides on the ground and do not stop until they lie crumpled beneath me.
As the last heart ceases to beat, the violence-induced rage commanding my mind eases, and I claw at the ground, removing large armfuls of earth to bury the evidence of their deaths and restore some respect to those who created them.
I do not care to take life unless it is necessary, but there are parts of me that delight in the scent of fresh blood.
Using the last of my shield reserves, I focus on the remains and burn them, destroying any possible equipment that could signal their location.
Sweat drips from my brow—my own hands torn from my efforts—and gore clings to my suit. Inhaling once more to check for additional scents, one in particular reaches my nose.
Anya. She bleeds. And she is closer than I expected.
She will have seen the entire massacre first hand. Unsure of her tolerance, I approach slowly, ensuring my steps are loud.
“A little help, please?” Her voice is weary and does not contain the normal amount of defiance. She is exhausted and hurt, shielding herself from sight by hiding up in a tree. “I’ve been stuck here for two hours trying to avoid those dickheads. They started at the beach and worked their way here looking for you and Leigh. I thought I lost them, but when I reached the tree line, I saw their Jeeps and realized they were headed here.”
Saxon (Shared Survival Book 1) Page 11
