Taking Command

by KyAnn Waters

  Something in Tarik’s determination and the fact that he hadn’t hurt her, hadn’t made demands and appeared not to have diminished capacity for reasoning, gave her an uncertain quiver in her stomach. Yet, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled. She had interviewed captives in desolate prisons in the farthest reaches of space. Warped ideas made crazed men do crazed acts. Tarik didn’t fit that profile. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t in trouble.

  Minutes later, she approached the command center, and the auto door slid open. Tarik’s fingers furiously rolled over the control panel as he talked to himself. “Watch for signatures. No, we won’t encounter patrols. Attack will come from Tri’Neith. They will pursue. You’re too valuable to them. Not to worry. I won’t let you fall into their hands again. You’re more valuable to me.”

  Or maybe he was talking to someone. How could he be more valuable to himself? “Who are you talking to?”

  Tarik lifted his gaze to hers. “Do you think you’ll need all that?” he asked, referencing her arms laden with supplies. “It’s only a flesh wound.”

  She dropped the supplies next to the captain’s chair. “You’re a…” She thought for the right word. Traitor would be the correct term, but she doubted he’d appreciate the comparison. “I wanted to be prepared. Sit down.” She indicated the chair.

  Tarik stiffened, refusing to sit.

  “What? Are you not used to taking orders?”

  “No, not anymore.”

  She rolled her eyes. “So we both understand, I’m not used to having to ask for cooperation. Since we’re both out of our usual roles, would you please sit down so I can strip you out of your clothes?” With her words, heat raced into her cheeks.

  “When you put it like that,” he said, crossing the room, “how could I resist?”

  Tarik sat in the captain’s chair, and Shon knelt on the floor beside him. The metallic stench of blood burned her nostrils. Thick, blood-soaked fabric clung to his formed muscles. She wrinkled her nose and gingerly picked at the edge of the stiffening fabric. “It’s going to hurt.” She grabbed the sharp medical shears.

  Tarik grasped her wrist. “What are you doing with those?”

  Light glinted off the long blades with a piercing tip.

  “I’m going to stab you to death, take the ship, and wander through space until I’m either rescued or die.” She smiled. “I’m going to cut your shirt. I need to get to the wound.”

  He slowly released her wrist. “Don’t try anything. I can break your arm with one snap.”

  “We should have treated you as soon as we were out of spaceport.” She motioned to the booty-bot. “I found neuron blockers.”

  “No. No blockers.”

  Shon arched a brow. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those types who enjoys pain.”

  “Pain keeps me alert.”

  “Let me know when you need a pick-me-up.” She grinned as she carefully slipped the blade of the shears beneath the fabric. “Maybe you should worry I’ll use the scissors as a weapon,” she said with a teasing tone. Anything to keep his attention off his injury, the pain that had to be ripping through his arm as she gently tugged the singed and bloody fabric away from the burns.

  Shon couldn’t help but notice the scars covering Tarik’s torso. She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. “What happened?”

  Tarik didn’t speak. His posture stiffened. At least he wasn’t pretending not to understand her question.

  She sighed and poured H2O gel over his wound. “If you don’t want to talk about you, then tell me about our mission.”

  “Our mission. You’re my hostage.”

  “Guest.” She smiled and carefully dabbed at the burned flesh. The damage wasn’t deep. She could do this. “We’re the only two people on board, so I should know our mission. Although—” Picking up the suture gun, she placed it against the flesh, pinching the singed edges together. She closed her eyes and set the first suture into place. “I think you’re going to live.” After setting several stitches, she was finished and wrapped a gauze bandage around the wound.

  He glanced at his arm. “Looks good. You make a good field medic.”

  “Shows how much you know about me. I almost threw up.” She sat back on her haunches. “You should rest.”

  “Not yet. Not until we’re safe.” He stood and strode to the com panel. Muscles flexed in his broad shoulders and tapered torso, but blood still smeared his flesh.

  “Safe from whom? The Tri’Neith? I don’t think they’ll give up that easily.”

  “You’re right. But BioOne will keep us safe enough until we make our rendezvous.”

  “And when will that be?”

  “A couple weeks?”

  Weeks? Weeks with a pirate who scared her as much as he intrigued her. She folded her hands in her lap. “Is that when you’ll let me go?”

  “I haven’t decided if I’ll let you go.”

  ****

  Fuck. He needed sleep, and he needed to eat. Hours had passed while Tarik ran through checks on BioOne. Through it all, his thoughts continued to revolve around Shon. Scenarios played through his mind, contingencies and repercussions should he risk involving her. None ended well. She was too appealing, too inquisitive and too dangerous to the long-term viability of BioOne. The outcome wouldn’t be good for him either.

  Shon sat in the captain’s chair, the damn body suit hugging every one of her seductive curves. She had drifted off to sleep a few times. Now, she watched him. Nipples prodded against the tight fabric. She’d lowered the zipper, revealing a teasing amount of cleavage. He didn’t think it intentional, but she was distracting the hell out of him.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked, turning in her direction. “I’m starving.”

  A slow innocent smile curled her lips, but beneath the appeal, he realized she could be dangerous. Both were letting down their guard. But he’d come too far, risked and lost too much to forget those sacrifices now. “You’ll eat,” he stated.

  Her brows furrowed. “I wasn’t going to argue.”

  “Take 32D to the galley.” Captain Javis wouldn’t settle for field rations. The galley would be stocked with everything from exotic delicacies to Etan local fruits. “The bot can prepare whatever you’d like.”

  Shon nodded as she stood. “What do you want?”

  “Anything. I’m not particular.”

  While she was gone, Tarik accessed the ships central database. “I want a list of every person scheduled to be on this ship. Start with Shon. Who is this woman?”

  There was no record of anyone with the name Shon. “Reconfigure. Female names.”

  Names began to scroll over the monitor. Military personnel, and according to the list, those invited by Captain Javis for entertainment purposes.

  If she wasn’t on the manifest, she shouldn’t be on board. “Who is she?”

  “Why do you talk to the ship?” Shon asked, reentering the command center.

  “Because she listens.” His lips quirked. “Unlike another woman I’ve recently met.”

  She carried a tray of food. 32D trailed in behind her, arms laden with several trays, more than a human could carry. “All ships respond to voice command.”

  “BioOne is intuitive. She’s sentient,” Tarik explained, helping her to set the food on one of the consoles.

  “That’s impossible. That would make the ship alive. It doesn’t have a life force.”

  He chuckled. “A field medic and an engineer?”

  Fruits, meats, and soft creams filled one of the trays. Tarik plucked a sweet from the tray and popped it into his mouth. Shon piled meats onto wafers. She had to be as hungry as he was the way she eagerly picked at the food, eating a bit of everything almost all at once.

  “No, I’m not gullible.” She handed him a piece of small flat bread covered with a brown paste.

  “What is it?” He sniffed the bread. Spicy with a hint of fermented meat.

  “Some type of pâté.”

  Keeping his eyes on
hers, he slowly took a bite.

  “Are you scared I might poison you?”

  The thought had crossed his mind. “You need me to fly the ship. And you’re eating it.” He took another bite. The strong taste of Etan range beast blended with the sweetness of the fruit. “I trust you not to kill me…yet.”

  “But not enough to trust me with information.” A moment of silence passed. “Like why you’ve taken this government ship.”

  He narrowed his gaze, pinning her with a stare. “The government has no right to this ship.”

  “And you do?”

  “When it comes to BioOne, you don’t have the slightest understanding. That makes you naïve.” And dangerous.

  Shon gripped Tarik’s arm. “Then make me understand. I want to be on your side. So you can’t be evasive.”

  He gently removed her fingers from his arm. He looked directly into her eyes. His heart pounded, and his gut clenched. “Believe me,” he whispered. “The less you know, the safer you’ll be.”

  Her lips pressed together. Rapid breaths caused her pulse to flutter in the column of her neck. “I don’t feel like playing safe. If you’ll be honest with me, maybe I can help you.”

  Tarik drew his finger along her cheek. She trembled beneath his touch. “You can’t help me,” he warned, staring down at her just to show her that her compassion meant something to him. Something he shouldn’t feel. Something that was more dangerous than the Tri’Neith ships seeking to kill or capture BioOne.

  “I want to try.” Her eyes focused on his, penetrating through his resolve to stay unaffected.

  “Fuck.” He closed the space between their mouths. She sucked in a quick inhale before he claimed her mouth. He wondered if she’d pull away, but her lips melted against his. Soft and full, her kiss was beyond tempting. Using every bit of demanding pressure, he parted her luscious lips and licked his way into her mouth. Hot, wet, so fucking sweet. Tarik cupped her skull and took the kiss deeper.

  She twined her arms around his neck and rocked her pelvis against his hips, inviting more. He slid his palms over the silken curves of her tight suit. She pressed closer, her breasts flattening against his bare chest. Her nails clawed his scalp as she gripped his hair and kissed him harder.

  Tarik took a step forward, pushing her against the wall. He broke the kiss. Her hot breath fanned his ear.

  “Yes,” she mewled.

  Tarik groaned and ground his cock into her pussy, growing harder and feeling cream seep from his cockhead and dampen his pants. As he slid kisses across her jaw, she whimpered. She was soft. The feminine scent of her arousal drove him crazy. Artificial pheromones couldn’t replicate an aroused woman.

  He flicked his tongue against her ear, kissed along her neck, devouring her irresistible flesh. He couldn’t touch enough, couldn’t taste enough. With a gentle tug, the fabric of her body suit parted. Her full breasts tumbled free of the confines. Tarik lifted her hot, smooth and plump flesh. With a gentle squeeze, the nipple, round and dark pink, tightened against his palm. He glided the backs of his fingers across the tip. Her chest rose, and he pinched the nipple tighter.

  Shon moaned.

  Trailing kisses across her collarbone, he licked and tasted his way to her breast. Finally, he had the hardened tip pillowed against his tongue. He moaned and sucked her deeper into his mouth, gently nipping her flesh.

  “Tarik, please.” Shon wiggled, tugging the sleeves down, stripping her suit to the waist.

  “Please? Please what?” Tarik dropped to his knees. Bracing his hands on her back, he leaned forward and breathed deeply of her scent. He tunneled his tongue into the delicate cave of her navel. Gliding his hand lower, slithering over her softness, he caught the edge of the suit and inched it past her hips.

  “Let me help you,” she said again. “Talk to me.”

  Shit. Wasn’t he smart enough to avoid this trap? A beautiful, sexy woman mixed with high risk was always a perfect concoction for disaster. He rested his forehead against her belly, taking a moment to gather his strength. This was reckless…foolish.

  Trailing his fingers around, exploring her seductive curves, he cupped her ass. Need burned like acid in him. He wanted her, wanted to taste her, to fuck her, to take possession of her the same way he took possession of the ship.

  However, she was angling for something. And whatever her motives, he wouldn’t deviate from his. Like this insane mission to gain BioOne, with Shon he’d come too far to turn back. He tightened his hold.

  Shon was an unforeseen complication. He couldn’t trust her, didn’t know her, but he wanted to because he had to have her.

  Tarik stood. “Hold her,” he commanded BioOne.

  Shon molded to the wall, a force field trapping and keeping her immobile. “Tarik!” Panic laced her voice. “What are you doing?” Her eyes widened, stricken with fear as she fought the force holding her.

  “Getting the truth. Why are you here?”

  She trembled, her respiration erratic. “Why should I tell you when you expect what you don’t give in return? Don’t do this.”

  “A minute ago, you were willing to fuck me to get information.” Now, she wanted his consideration.

  “I would’ve fucked you because, for a moment, I thought we were in this together. I wouldn’t screw you for information.”

  He heard the lie in her voice.

  “We are in this together, but that doesn’t mean we’re fighting for the same side. Who sent you?” he demanded. “I want the truth?” He inhaled long and deep. “And if you had any doubt, I’d definitely fuck you for information.”

  Her gaze narrowed as the glare in her eyes turned to loathing. “I’m not into bondage so get the booty-bot to fuck you like this. Let me go,” she seethed.

  “Why would I fuck the booty-bot? I don’t need information from it. I know why it’s here. I want to know why you’re here.”

  She closed her eyes. When she opened them, her piercing stare knifed through his heart. “You’re crazy.” She struggled, but BioOne held her in place.

  He couldn’t risk the ship, not even for a hot piece of ass. Shit. He didn’t mean that. She wasn’t a piece of ass. If all he needed was sex, he’d have the booty-bot sucking him off. But he had to know who she was. Had to know if he could trust her.

  He closed the space between them and grazed his thumb over her nipple, making it harden. She sucked in a breath.

  “What do you want?” He pinched and rolled the tip into a tight, hard bud.

  “Not you. Not anymore.” Her chest rose, pushing her breast into his hand. “I want you to let me go.”

  “I don’t believe you.” With a fingertip, he drew circles around her areola. “And you’re right, we should discuss what I want.” He wanted her naked. With a thought to BioOne, her clothing disintegrated, leaving her nude.

  “Do you expect me to grovel? Beg for you not to touch me, not to fuck me?” She bit back a moan.

  “I wouldn’t believe you if you did.”

  “If I’m a liar, why would you believe anything I have to say?”

  She was as smart as she was beautiful. The body suit may not have concealed her feminine curves, but his heartbeat spiked at the sight of her bare flesh. Trim hips flowed into long legs and a feathery soft apex between her legs. A thin strip of curls darkened the slit of her pussy. “BioOne is a lie detector. She reads heart rate, respiration, temperature. You can lie to me but she’ll know.”

  With each aggravated breath, a slight flush tinted her flesh. Dark hair fell in sexy disarray around her shoulders. Her slightly parted lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed. “Don’t touch me. I want you to let me go, and I won’t beg for anything else.”

  “Liar.”

  “You aren’t playing fair.” She whimpered, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip.

  “I never do. We both know you want to fuck me as much as I want to fuck you.” He cupped her cunt. Moist heat flooded his hand. “But, before that can happen, I want the truth. Since you stepped onto
my ship, you’ve been angling for information. I need the truth.”

  “Then a mutual exchange of information?”

  “No, my ship.” With defiant skill, he parted her slit and slid his finger through her wet folds. “My hostage.” He slowly screwed his finger into her drenched core.

  “Ahh.” She closed her eyes, and her body tightened. “Bastard,” she whispered as she attempted to arch into his hand.

  “I’ve been called worse.” He slowly withdrew and just as slowly pushed back in a little deeper. Soft inner tissues gloved to his finger. “Why are you here? The truth.” He plunged a fraction deeper, curling his finger into the wall of her passage, searching for the trigger to make her come.

  With a mental command from him, BioOne sent a vibration through Shon.

  “Oh, god.” She mewled. Still fighting the power of the force field, she rolled her hips and ground into Tarik’s palm, not to get away but seeking more. He inserted a second finger, twisting and turning, fucking her wet pussy. Tunneling deep, he used the pad of his thumb to massage her clit. She cried out. Spasms jolted her body, but BioOne kept her in place. Her hands clutched into fists. Cream slicked her passage. “I hate you.”

  “You don’t know me well enough to hate me. Give it time, you will.” Tarik bit the inside of his cheek. He wanted to feel the hot milking of her cunt sliding along his cock, to be inside her quivering channel. “This is the only torture I know.” A torture for both of them. “I’ll keep you coming until you tell me who you are.” Banding his other hand around her thigh, he lifted her knee, spreading her wider.

  “I’m not hiding who I am,” she said on a gasp. “My name is Shon Monet. I’m a journalist. Have BioOne confirm my identity.” Tarik had already searched for her identity, but she wasn’t in the system. An impossibility unless the government intentionally blocked her profile. Something still wasn’t truthful about her identity.

  Even as doubts clouded Tarik’s thoughts, he slid his fingers into her again. He no longer cared about the truth as much as he wanted to make her come again, to have her shattering around more than his fingers. Still he asked, “What do you want with my ship?”