by Lynn Hagen
Thoran’s cock pulsed in his pants.
When Logan entered the galley, Thoran quickly moved away, heading for the door. He cursed himself for craving the softness he could see in Eaton. But even more, he cursed the longing for a mate that had begun to fill him.
* * * *
Eaton slowed his breathing so he wouldn’t be heard. He didn’t move a single muscle as he stood just outside the sickbay, listening to Kayden lecture Thoran about the wound in his leg.
What wound?
It had been two days since the Assassins rescued Eaton, and he’d had no clue that Thoran had been hurt. Eaton wanted to go in there and check on Thoran, but the man’s sour disposition kept him outside the sickbay doors. He still didn’t understand why Thoran had come to rescue him then gave him the cold shoulder.
It didn’t make any sense.
“Next time don’t wait so long to be treated,” Kayden said with a slight growl in his tone. “Are you trying to lose your damn leg?”
“I had more important things to take care of,” Thoran argued.
Eaton had come down here in hopes that he could get the shackle off his ankle. He’d had no clue Thoran would be here. He stood there listening to the man try and come up with an excuse for putting off the treatment of his wound.
All Eaton could do was stand there and listen to the deep melodic tone. Why was Thoran being so stubborn about his injury? The man’s anger confused Eaton.
“Like what?” Kayden asked.
“Like minding my own damn business. Now just hand me the salve and I’ll take care of this myself.”
“You know, ever since you went after Eaton, you’ve been impossible.” There was coldness in Kayden’s tone. “I’m not your enemy so stop acting like it.”
When he heard heavy footsteps heading his way, Eaton glanced around but there was nowhere to hide. Kayden paused outside the sickbay door and stared at Eaton before moving on.
“Eavesdropping isn’t very polite,” Thoran said from inside the sickbay.
Eaton froze.
“Get in here.”
Thoran’s tone wasn’t as harsh as it had been with Kayden. Eaton pulled at the long shirt he was wearing to make sure everything was covered before he stepped inside the brightly lit room. Thoran was lying on his stomach, the jar of salve by his thigh. The back of his pant leg held a scorched hole, right in the middle of his thigh.
There was no way Thoran was going to be able to rub the salve on by himself. Why had he sent Kayden away?
Gathering his courage, Eaton crossed the room and grabbed the jar of salve.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping you.”
Eaton ripped the hole in Thoran’s pants wider, exposing the ugly wound. The burn had already scabbed over, but it was still red and Eaton knew it had to be tender. He opened the jar and scooped a large amount of the white substance into his hand.
Thoran didn’t say a word. He lay there with his head turned sideways, watching Eaton with those piercing green eyes.
“This would have healed a lot better if you’d taken care of it sooner.”
Thoran turned his head away from Eaton and laid it on his folded arms. “I’m not trying to win any beauty pageants.”
He could have fooled Eaton. The man was built in perfect proportions, lean and ripped. Power and strength bled from this man. He was so damn handsome that Eaton wanted to take a bite out of the guy.
Eaton kept his eyes trained on what he was doing as he smeared white cream over the burn. To Thoran’s credit, the man didn’t even flinch. Eaton would have been crying like a baby right now.
His hands lingered longer than they should have. Aside from wanting to make sure the wound was completely covered with salve, Eaton liked feeling the powerful thigh beneath his fingers. There was no way he’d ever get a chance to touch Thoran again, so why not take advantage of the moment? His eyes strayed to Thoran’s tightly honed backside. The twin mounds flared as if the Assassin did a hundred squats a day. The battle suit he was wearing showed Eaton every line and every luscious dip.
“Is it that bad?”
Eaton looked up to see Thoran frowning at him.
“Is what that bad?”
“My wound. You’ve been rubbing that cream in for five minutes now.”
Had he?
“I know I was hit, but I don’t think it takes that much attention.” Thoran’s grin was charming, even boyish. Why did Eaton have a feeling that Thoran didn’t smile too often?
Eaton jerked his hand away and then rummaged around the room for a towel. He kept his back to Thoran to hide the erection that was currently tenting his shirt. He wanted to turn around to see if Thoran was watching him, but Eaton didn’t want to embarrass himself.
He managed to make it to the door and slipped out before practically running to his quarters.
* * * *
Thoran lay there, his dick so hard it hurt. No one’s touch had ever affected him like that before. Just the swipe of fingers and Thoran was ready to pound his cock deep into Eaton’s ass. He rested his chin on his folded arms, staring at the wall as he tried to pull his body back under control.
I need to get laid…
That was part of the problem. It had been too long since Thoran had taken a lover. Maybe he could talk Logan into finding the closest planet where he could release his tension. Thoran had thought he could play it cool around Eaton, ignore the man until they dropped the cat shifter off somewhere.
But that decision was proving harder to stick to than he thought.
His skin still tingled where Eaton had touched him. Then again, it could be the damn burn that was seared into his leg. Regardless of what he’d felt when he had first seen Eaton in those harlot clothes, Thoran wouldn’t take advantage of the guy. He hadn’t rescued Eaton to make him his whore.
Pushing from the table, Thoran used the monitor on the wall to signal the bridge. It was Logan who appeared. “What’s up?”
“What’s the closest planet where I can…” Thoran shook his head. He’d never had a problem talking about getting laid before. “…take care of some business.”
“You can chart a course to Eaton’s quarters.”
Thoran ground his teeth. “Damn it, Logan. I’m serious.”
I need to get Eaton out of my system before the man sinks too deep under my skin.
Logan’s steel-grey eyes darkened. “I’ll look it up and let you know.” And then the man sighed. “I could use a little downtime myself. We’ll hit the brothel together.”
Thoran nodded his appreciation as he ended the transmission. No matter the unit’s opinion of the situation between him and Eaton, they were his brethren and would always stick by his side.
And that was why they would forever be his brothers.
Thoran went to his quarters and showered. If he knew Logan, the man was already plotting out a course. Twenty minutes later, Thoran’s wall monitor was beeping.
“Yeah?”
It was Logan. “Solarion II is the closest place we can land. We’ll be there in an hour.”
An hour.
Thoran hoped like hell he could last that long. He was still hard as hell from earlier. The discomfort of having an erection for so long hadn’t eased. He opted for looser pants to hide his arousal and pulled on a form-fitting shirt. Not that he had to try very hard to get a guy, but the quicker he could fuck, the better.
Thoran headed out of his room and down toward the shuttle bay. He ran into the last person he wanted to see right now. Eaton was coming down the corridor, still wearing Logan’s oversized shirt.
His wolf growled.
“We’ll be landing on Solarion II soon. Why don’t you ask Nyk to take you shopping to get some clothes?”
Because seeing you half-dressed is killing me.
“But I don’t have any credits.”
Thoran dug his wallet from his back pocket and handed Eaton one of his cards. “Get what you need.”
Eaton hesitated, staring at the piece
of plastic like Thoran was trying to hand him a snake. Most people would jump at the chance to spend someone else’s money. But Eaton still hadn’t taken the card. “What’s wrong?”
Eaton’s pale-blue eyes lifted and Thoran couldn’t make out the emotions swimming in them. He shifted his weight to his other foot as the need to get away from Eaton grew stronger.
“I don’t know how to use one of those.”
Thoran was shocked. Who didn’t know how to charge things to a credit card? It only brought home the fact that Eaton had lived such a poor life in Crossover. His guard slipped slightly as he pressed the card into Eaton’s hand. “Nyk will show you, petit chat. Just remember to stay at his side. Don’t wander the marketplace on your own.”
Eaton cocked his head to the side. “Why are you doing this for me?”
Thoran hadn’t a clue. He could have just picked up a few items while he was planetside. There was no need to give Eaton the card. “Get what you need.”
Thoran skirted around Eaton and moved a little too quickly toward the shuttle bay. If he didn’t, he just might turn back around and haul Eaton to his bed. The man was more than likely a skilled lover from being at the brothel. Thoran was pretty sure the man could please him.
Images of Eaton naked, sucking Thoran off had his cock pulsing wildly in his pants.
He really did need to get away from Eaton before Thoran did something he knew he’d regret.
Chapter Four
They landed on Solarion II and checked in with the Bay Captain. Kayden had elected to stay behind to take a call from his mate, Jade. Logan, Dax, and Nyk were with him, along with Thoran. Logan registered the shuttle they’d used to come down here and then secured them a ride.
Two rides.
Eaton frowned as Thoran and Logan climbed into one taxi and took off. It was none of his business what they were going to do, but Eaton had damn near drooled over himself when he saw how good Thoran looked in something other than a battle suit. His shirt stretched across a nicely shaped chest and arms. Although his pants were a bit loose, Thoran still had the nicest backside Eaton had ever seen.
And he’d smelled wonderful.
The scent of Thoran’s cologne still lingered in the bay area as the three of them climbed into the remaining taxi and headed off to shop. Eaton had always gotten his clothes from the secondhand store in Crossover. He’d never owned anything brand new before. Thoran hadn’t told him how much to get either.
Eaton’s eyes grew so wide when they entered the outer perimeter of the marketplace that they nearly popped from his skull. He’d never been off of Colossus. This place was…amazing! The music was festive, crowds gathered around exotic dancers. The women wore snug, colorful clothing, their hips swaying wildly to the tune. There was stall after stall of vendors. Eaton could even see displays of food and smell the delicious scent permeating the air.
The three got out of the taxi and Nyk turned to him. “Well, where do you want to start?”
Eaton walked over to a table that displayed seven different kinds of delicacies. The treats were decorated in pastel colors, some on dishes while others were in large glasses with white cream on top. He stuck his finger into one of the glasses and then shoved it into his mouth. The sugary delight exploded on his tongue.
His eyes rolled back at the taste.
“Damn,” Dax said as he chuckled. “You look like you’re having an orgasm.”
Never having had one before, Eaton couldn’t agree to the comparison.
“You’ll have to buy that now,” the man behind the table said. “Can’t sell that to anyone with a fingerprint on it.”
“Did Thoran give you any method of payment?” Nyk asked as he grabbed a small square treat from the table and tossed it into his mouth.
“He gave me his card.”
Both Dax and Nyk gaped at Eaton.
Eaton took a step back. “I didn’t steal it!”
Nyk dropped a few coins into the vendor’s hand and thanked the man. Dax pulled Eaton to the side. “No one is accusing you of theft, Eaton. It’s just that—”
“Thoran is a fucking tightwad,” Nyk finished as he joined them. “It’s rare that he breaks that card out to use for himself. Did he give you a limit?”
Eaton shook his head.
Dax gave a low whistle before a devious smile appeared on his handsome face. “Then I say we put some mileage on that card.”
Both men were grinning.
Eaton grasped the card in a firm hold. His grip was so fierce that he could feel the edges biting into his hand. He was afraid of losing what Thoran had entrusted to him. “What does that even mean?”
Nyk laughed so hard he had to lean on Dax’s shoulder for support. “Boy, are we about to have some fun.”
Eaton caught the way Dax gave Nyk a gentle smile.
“Come on.” Nyk pulled on Eaton’s arm. “Let’s get you some clothes. Those pants look like they’re about to fall off of you.”
Eaton glanced down at the pants Dax had loaned him. Nyk was right. While Eaton was a mere one hundred and forty pounds, Dax was well over six foot five and muscular as hell. He’d had to fold the bottom of the pants so many times that they looked like tires on their sides around Eaton’s ankles.
At least they covered the shackle on his leg.
Today Dax wore his long black hair in tiny braids that were secured in a rubber band. With his hair pulled back from his face, Eaton had to admit the guy was simply gorgeous. The braids traveled over his shoulder, ending at his waist. His eyes were a deep purple and—although Eaton knew the man to be a Breed Assassin—his face was kind.
Nyk was a good five inches shorter than Dax. The man had eyes the color of emeralds. His hair was short, brown, and stylish. He was still muscular, but a hell of a lot slimmer than any of the other men onboard the ship.
Maybe he should have borrowed a pair of Nyk’s pants.
They spent the better part of the day sifting through clothes from one vendor after another. Eaton had said “no” so many times that the word was starting to come out automatically. The two were trying to make him buy the entire marketplace.
Eaton settled for three pairs of pants, three shirts, some underclothes, socks, and shoes. Nyk had also talked him into purchasing two battle suits and a pair of shiny black boots.
“They’ll help you fit in when we’re out somewhere.”
Throughout the day, Eaton observed the subtle touches that were exchanged between the men. It wasn’t anything over the top. Once, Dax had placed his hand on the small of Nyk’s back. Other times, Nyk chuckled, leaning on Dax’s shoulder.
He did that a lot.
Eaton wasn’t sure if the two were sleeping together, but they were definitely close. From what his father had told Eaton about the Breed Assassins, they’d trained together their entire lives. One could only assume they’d formed a tight-knit bond.
Eaton wished he was that close to someone. It had been just him and his father. On Colossus, blacksmiths weren’t highly regarded. Business was okay, but there had been many nights Eaton had gone to bed hungry.
Growing up, other children hadn’t wanted to play with him. Eaton had always been dirty from working in the shop, forging weapons or anything else someone paid for. He’d grown up lonely and that hadn’t changed since becoming an adult.
What would it be like to have a best friend, someone he could confide in, someone who gave a rat’s ass about him?
“Hey, here you go.” Dax held up a small device that fit into the palm of the man’s hand.
“What is it?” Eaton asked.
“It’s an mPod. It plays music. You can get some headsets and lose yourself for hours.” Nyk winked at him. “I do.”
The mPod was a frivolous luxury. Eaton was against spending Thoran’s hard-earned credits so carelessly. But what would it be like to have something so small, so precious? Aside from the tavern in Crossover, Eaton had been denied the simple pleasure of listening to catchy tunes and soft melodies. “I
can’t.”
“Sure you can,” Dax said. “All you’ve bought were a handful of clothes.”
Eaton turned, suppressing the urge to give in. He wanted that mPod badly, but he wasn’t going to waste Thoran’s credits. “Are you guys hungry?”
Changing the subject always worked. Before they could answer him, Eaton strolled away, leaving the temptation behind. He stopped in front of a vendor who was selling the most delicious-looking meat. Eaton turned to ask if Dax and Nyk wanted any.
They were nowhere in sight.
There was a large crowd of people behind him, preventing Eaton from seeing the vendor he’d just left.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
Eaton’s blood went cold at the sound of Trakin’s voice. He turned to see the lumbering man standing behind him, his arms crossed and three of his guards to his left. “Thought you could get away from me?”
How in the hell had Trakin found him?
Trakin grabbed Eaton by the roots of his hair and yanked him behind the row of stalls. “That shackle you wear has a tracking chip embedded in it. Do you fucking think for one second I was going to let a virgin go? Do you know how much I can fetch for you?” Trakin’s eyes narrowed as his gripped tightened, making Eaton cry out in pain. “Have you fucked anyone?”
Eaton tried to twist sideways, to get away from Trakin and his men, but Trakin’s hold was fierce. “You better still be a virgin or I swear to—” The man’s eyes grew round as he was jerked back and slammed into the brick wall of the building behind them.
Eaton gasped when he gazed up at Thoran. There was absolutely no mercy in the man’s green eyes, but there was an abundance of fury. Eaton shrank back at the cold and lethal expression on Thoran’s face.
Breed Assassin.
Thoran didn’t say a word as he slugged Trakin so hard that the man slumped against the wall. Within seconds, Logan, Nyk, and Dax were there, beating the crap out of Trakin’s men. Eaton shivered as he watched Thoran pummel Trakin.
The man lay on the ground, unmoving. Eaton feared the man was dead. Not that he cared about Trakin, but Thoran could be arrested for murder if anyone witnessed the fight and ran for the authorities.
