Tesla

by Tasha Black

  “I saw you, and I knew to my bones, Raina,” he told her. “I am your mate.”

  She tried to concentrate but something about the words made her feel hazy with lust.

  Nick watched her, his eyes gleaming hungrily.

  She could feel the heat pouring off him - it was almost impossible not to touch him.

  The band around her wrist began to buzz loudly, breaking the spell.

  “What is that?” he asked, blinking.

  “BFF20,” she yelped, hopping out of bed and feeling terrible. “I forgot all about him.”

  8

  Nick

  Nick watched his mate sail out of bed and rush to the assistance of her amorous robot, her hair floating out behind her in the low gravity.

  Nick knew better than to be jealous of an origami drone. He knew the very idea was laughable, but it was hard not to let his frustration get the best of him when she was running to another admirer just as he had declared his intentions.

  And it wasn’t the only thing that was hard.

  He rolled out of bed and snagged a pair of pants from the closet to the right of the driftwood bench.

  Don’t rush her, he told himself as he pulled them on. This is a new idea to her. Whatever she thought you were going to say, it wasn’t that you wanted to be hers for life.

  But there had been something in her eyes, a spark of recognition when he’d asked if she felt it too.

  “I’m so sorry,” she was saying as he entered the living room.

  The little drone buzzed around the perimeter of the room importantly.

  “I did my duty,” BFF20 announced. “I attempted to lead the creature off course. Then, of course, I found you again.”

  “How did you find us?” Raina asked.

  “Finding you was the easy part, there’s a tracker in your wristband,” BFF20 explained. “It was getting in here that posed a problem. And of course I was very concerned for you.”

  “Don’t worry,” Raina said. “Nick had a secret weapon for fighting that thing off.”

  “I’m sure he did,” the little drone said disdainfully. “I was concerned that you would run out of oxygen. Why did it take you so long to turn on the ventilation?”

  Nick cursed himself inwardly. His own body could adapt to lower oxygen and heat, but Raina’s human form was delicate. She could survive only within a fairly narrow range of conditions. He had nearly failed his mate on the day of their meeting.

  “We were fighting off a monster,” Raina said lightly.

  “Well, it’s a good thing you thought of it, eventually,” BFF20 said. “You need oxygen and I was able to find a way in through the ductwork.”

  “That was very clever,” Raina told the droid.

  He sailed madly around the room, emitting a low whistle of happiness at the compliment.

  Raina turned her happy smile on Nick and he thought he might start whistling too.

  “Looks like we’re all back together again,” Raina said.

  Nick fought the urge to embrace her. He smiled back and nodded at her instead.

  “Wait,” BFF20 said, wheeling to a halt at the door to the bedroom. “There’s something in there.”

  Nick stepped between Raina and the door instinctively.

  “What is it?” he asked the drone.

  “I’m not sure,” BFF20 admitted. “But I’m getting a low-level reading. It’s faint enough I didn’t catch it until I got close to the door. What’s back there?”

  Nick opened his mouth and closed it again.

  “Um, a bedroom,” Raina said softly.

  “I see,” BFF20 said stiffly.

  Nick resisted the urge to tell the little robot that nothing had happened.

  Then he reprimanded himself inwardly. It’s just a drone. And she’s my mate.

  “Let’s check it out,” Raina said.

  “I’ll check it out,” Nick said. “You stay here.”

  “Like fun I will,” she retorted. “I want to see what’s back there.”

  She opened the door before he could argue.

  BFF20 hovered close to the ceiling, moving slowly across the room. He scanned from the doorway to the back wall.

  When the drone’s light hit the driftwood bench he stopped, then hovered closer.

  “I just opened the closet on the right to get these pants,” Nick said.

  Raina gave him a glare and he shrugged back at her.

  “It’s the one on the left,” BFF20 said. “It’s not a closet.”

  The little robot floated down to the knob.

  “Raina, you should wait in the other room,” he chirped.

  “I’m not getting pushed around by a chauvinistic robot,” Raina said. “Open it, or I will.”

  Nick choked back his argument. Secretly, he was proud of her bravery, even if it pained him to see her vulnerable human form exposed to danger.

  BFF20 whirred and slapped down the knob and the door hissed before opening.

  “Another seal,” Raina breathed.

  The back panel of the closet slid to one side.

  The little drone’s light illuminated a bright path into a hidden room on the other side of the closet door. All he could see from where he stood was a section of deep blue wall and carpet.

  Whatever was inside wasn’t meant to be found by just anyone.

  BFF20 flew in and Nick followed, offering Raina a hand that she brushed away as she climbed in.

  Raina took a few steps inside and gasped.

  Nick leaped in after her, whirling into a crouch, ready to shift to protect her.

  9

  Raina

  Raina blinked back tears, still unsure of what she was seeing.

  “He’s alive?” she whispered.

  “Yes,” BFF20 said.

  She could feel Nick rising to his feet behind her, looking over her shoulder at the same sight that held her riveted.

  In the darkness of the tiny room, the small stasis pod before her glowed like a beacon.

  It bore an uncanny resemblance to the one she’d spent so much unplanned time in. Except it was barely a quarter of the size.

  The amber liquid inside was occupied by a tiny baby.

  The baby floated peacefully, long lashes kissing chubby cheeks, fists clenched, toes splayed.

  Raina felt a longing, sweet as honey, heavy as a weight on her chest.

  “We have to get him out,” Nick said, his voice tense and low.

  “Disturbing the pod could be exceedingly detrimental to this tiny human,” BFF20 said calmly. “His pod appears to be connected to a discreet power source.”

  Raina was glad. She was already shivering again from the cold. The baby must have heat and regulation in his stasis tube.

  “We can’t just leave him alone in there,” Nick said, more forcefully.

  “Is there a back-up power source?” Raina asked.

  “There’s a data feed in the box next to the pod,” BFF20 said. “I could analyze it, try to figure out what’s going on.”

  Raina looked at the dim screen beside the pod. She hadn’t noticed it before.

  She also hadn’t noticed the bronze plate at the bottom of the pod itself.

  Tesla

  “Oh my god,” she breathed.

  “What?” Nick asked.

  “Look at the name plate,” she said. “This is why he’s hidden. It’s why he’s got a power source.”

  “I don’t understand,” Nick said.

  “This isn’t just any baby in stasis,” Raina said. “He must be a clone of Nikola Tesla.”

  She studied the baby in the pod. In her time, human cloning was a hot topic, on the cutting edge of technology as well as morality. Obviously, the people who put this baby on the ship had transcended both limitations. He looked like an ordinary baby, but coded into the delicate strands of his DNA was the potential to change worlds.

  Raina had always admired Nikola Tesla. He was an explorer in the world of science, an engineer and inventor of electrical and wirel
ess devices that were generations ahead of his time.

  In his own day, Tesla had struggled to fund his experiments. He had been swindled by wealthier contemporaries and died penniless.

  But this baby…

  Raina tried to imagine the resources that would be lavished on him, the lives he could change if he fulfilled his destiny.

  “Wait until Mama finds out about this,” she muttered.

  “Who?” Nick asked.

  “My captain,” she explained. “On the Stargazer.”

  “Your captain is your mother?” he asked, a puzzled look taking over his expression.

  “No,” she said with a short laugh. “We all just call her that. She’s taken in a lot of wayward souls. She rescued me and my friends from the unclaimed stasis pods. She watches out for us.”

  “I see,” he said. She could tell he wanted to ask her more, but a look of concern had replaced his bemusement.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “You’re shivering,” Nick said softly.

  “I’m f-fine,” she lied, still gazing at the baby.

  Her new-found suspicions about his genetics weren’t what kept her eyes locked on that little face. It was something else, something she didn’t have words for.

  “Your body temperature is ninety-six degrees Fahrenheit,” BFF20 announced crisply. “Is there a reason you didn’t turn on the heat when you arrived?”

  “We turned the ventilation on,” Nick said.

  “It appears that the heating is controlled separately for each suite in this wing of the craft,” BFF20 said. “There’s a thermostat in the bedroom we just came from.”

  “I’ll get it,” Nick said.

  “Go with him, Raina, and find a way to warm yourself immediately, don’t wait for the room to heat up,” BFF20 said.

  “I w-won’t leave the baby,” Raina said, her teeth chattering loudly now.

  “Get her out of here, and get her warm before she sustains permanent injury,” BFF20 said to Nick. “Raina, I will stay with the small human. I can analyze his feed and try to figure out if there is a way to remove him. It will take some time.”

  Her whole body was shuddering now. There was no use arguing. This time, when Nick offered her his arm, she took it.

  They stepped out of the little room, through the closet and back into the bedroom.

  As soon as the baby was out of her sight, Raina began to really notice how cold she was. Her feet were numb, and her scalp tingled.

  “Your lips are blue,” Nick said. “Let’s get your boots off and get you back into bed.”

  She nodded.

  He headed across the room and tapped something into the touch screen that controlled the heat.

  She bent to remove her boots, but her fingers were too numb to unstrap the toggles.

  Nick moved back to her, took her hands and his jaw clenched.

  “You’re not going to like this, but I think you should strip down so we can be skin to skin,” he told her. “I need to get you warm fast.”

  Raina clung to his hands, not caring what she had to do if it meant getting warm.

  “Do you want me to help you?” he asked.

  She nodded and closed her eyes while he slid the clasps on her jacket and pushed it off her shoulders.

  The cold of the room sank deeper into her and she moaned.

  Nick hurriedly peeled the rest of her layers off, eased her out of her boots and left only her socks on her feet.

  She crawled into the bed with his help.

  Like last time, the sheets were icy cold, but she knew relief was coming.

  Nick stripped off his pants and crawled in, pulling her to his chest.

  The heat of him was intoxicating.

  Raina pressed herself shamelessly into Nick’s big body, sliding her toes against his, sliding her hands up to rest on his chest.

  He tucked the blankets around them and pulled her closer.

  Raina sighed with pleasure and snuggled her face into the crook of his neck.

  “Better?” he asked.

  “Mmmhmmm,” she hummed in agreement.

  He stiffened slightly and chuckled.

  “Are you ticklish?” she whispered into his neck.

  “No,” he said, wiggling a little.

  “Are you sure?” she whispered against his neck.

  “Roll over,” he whispered back as he pulled away.

  “You don’t have to be embarrassed,” she said. “I’m ticklish too.”

  “No, I want you to roll over because clearly the front of you is warm enough, if you’re teasing me,” he chuckled.

  She rolled over and he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

  Raina felt the cool of the sheets against her chest contrast with the satisfying warmth of Nick’s big body curled around her back.

  “You’re ticklish too?” he whispered into her hair, sending shivers down her spine.

  “I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that,” Raina realized out loud.

  “Mmm,” he agreed, nuzzling her hair.

  His warm breath felt incredible, even as she tried to wiggle away.

  But he locked an arm around her waist and held her still.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her softly. “I’ll stop. You need to warm up.”

  She relaxed against him, pressing her buttocks backward without thinking.

  Nick gasped and his arm tightened around her waist.

  Dear god…

  He was stiff and pulsing against her. And from the feel of him, he was jaw-droppingly enormous.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Being close to you…”

  Desire shot through her like an arrow and she was unable to speak.

  Calm down, Raina, she pleaded with herself.

  But Raina’s body and emotions had had enough of her self-control. She could feel her nipples pouting, her sex growing slick with need.

  “Your heart is racing,” Nick breathed. “You feel it too. Tell me you feel our connection.”

  She slipped his hold on her waist, flipping over to face him again.

  His blue eyes were tortured.

  “I feel it,” she whispered back.

  10

  Nick

  Nick felt a wave of need wash over him. He fought to maintain control. But with his mate warm and naked against him, gazing up at him, her eyes hazy with lust, he was nearly helpless in the wake of the instinct to claim her.

  “Are you ready to accept me?” he asked her, cursing himself for his fierce growling voice. He meant only to be gentle and loving but he was already caught up in the mating thrall.

  Uncertainty marred her beautiful features.

  He fought the instinct to convince her with his body, and closed his eyes to block out temptation.

  If only he could block out the feel of her supple body and the scent of her hair.

  “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “This is all new to me.”

  Her voice was sorrowful. The note of sadness snapped other instincts into place and he was furious with himself for causing fear and confusion in the one whom he was meant to protect.

  “Of course it is,” he told her, bracing himself as he opened his eyes.

  She looked up at him with trust in her sparkling eyes, and a wave of gratitude slammed into his chest.

  “I feel something too. I have from the beginning,” she told him. “But forever is a long time. I’ve never had a long-term relationship.”

  “Me neither,” he told her, grinning.

  She smiled back and he heard stars singing.

  “Can we take it slowly?” she asked.

  “We can do whatever makes you happy,” he told her, and meant it.

  She bit her lip.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “How much could we do without… you know?” she asked.

  Oh gods, she wanted him.

  “I’m not sure,” he told her honestly.

  “You mean, you’ve never…?”

  “N
o, I have,” he told her. “Many times.”

  “Many times?” she asked, arching a brow.

  “I hope you are not disappointed,” he told her earnestly. “All creatures crave relief, even barbarians. One day I hope you will come to appreciate the skills I learned from the women who shared their pleasure with me while I waited to find you.”

  Raina’s eyes twinkled. She looked like she was trying not to smile.

  “It will be different with you, though,” he assured her. “I promise. Everything will be different with us.”

  “It won’t be my first time either,” she told him.

  He nodded solemnly, secretly glad that she wouldn’t be frightened of that physical act, at least.

  “I am glad you did not lack solace. I will wipe the memory of every other man from your mind once we are mated,” he promised her.

  She looked pleased.

  He leaned down carefully to kiss her forehead and inhaled her sweet scent. A raging fire of longing ignited in him all over again, but he felt he could control it.

  “I want to kiss you now,” he told her. “Can you be perfectly still and let me kiss you?”

  “Yes, please,” she said, tilting her chin up.

  “You’ll be good?” he asked. “You won’t touch me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, longing in her blue eyes.

  He cupped her cheek in his hand and bent slowly to brush her lips with his. Her lips were soft yet firm. The sensation was incredibly exciting.

  Raina sighed lightly but true to her word she didn’t move. He kissed her again, this time pressing his lips to hers, then taking her lower lip between his teeth and nipping lightly.

  Raina’s nipples pebbled against his chest.

  He kissed his way down her jaw to the tender place where her neck met her shoulder.

  Raina moaned lightly and arched her back.

  A sympathetic surge of desire shot through him.

  He took a deep breath and brushed his lips against the hollow of her neck, savoring her trembling response.

  He kissed his way between her beautiful breasts with their tiny nipples.

  Raina held her breath as he lashed one with his tongue.

  “Oh,” she moaned.