Telepathic Cravings

by Melissa Schroeder

“Is there a problem here, babe?” he asked, his accent purely pegging him from Earth.

  “Just a small disagreement. I wanted to leave; Deras objected.”

  Her finely tuned senses picked up on the scent of male aggression, some of it from the Gorgons, but primarily from the new arrival. And, unlike so many times before, the whiff of male hormones warmed her blood.

  Deras studied the man, and his grip on her wrist slackened enough for her to slip her hand out of his reach. Before she could slide out of the booth and make her escape, Deras grabbed her by the hair, pulling her back against him, and held a laser pistol to her head. Activity around the bar came to a standstill. The band’s out-of-tune music dissolved as deadly silence filtered through the room.

  “Ya know—Deras, is it? I really don’t like anyone manhandling my woman.”

  “She’s not your woman. You don’t even know her name,” Deras spat out.

  The newcomer’s sharp gaze studied her face, then looked straight into her eyes. Heat spread up her neck and into her face. Without breaking eye contact, he said, “Genoa.”

  The sound of her name in his earthly accent should’ve repulsed her. Instead, a warm wave of arousal slid through her. She felt her nipples tighten.

  And just how the hell does he know my name?

  Before she could process that thought, another popped into her mind. Deras had to be wondering the same thing, and his feeble mind couldn’t handle detaining her and thinking at the same time. She rammed her elbow into his ribs. His grip slackened. The human reached across the table, grabbed her hand, and yanked her past the stunned warriors who had just caught on to what was happening.

  She stumbled, almost falling flat on her face, but gained her balance within seconds and followed him to the door. She had little choice, since he still had her wrist in a death grip. The angry shouts of the Gorgons sounded behind them as he weaved his way through the crowd of stunned onlookers. A moment later, they were outside; the heavy, polluted air of Rilah City almost made her choke as she followed him, keeping pace with his long strides. He turned right at the corner and headed straight for the Intergalactic Port Station.

  She dug in her heels and almost stumbled when he continued running. When he finally realized she wasn’t following, he turned around and glared.

  “Princess, I don’t have time to dick around. I don’t mind beating the shit out of your buddy, Deras, but I really don’t feel up to taking on his entourage.”

  “Listen up, space ranger, I appreciate your help back there, but really, I have other plans tonight.”

  He stepped closer, blotting out the brilliant green streetlight. He loomed over her, and she realized he was much bigger than she had first thought. Broad-shouldered, lean and muscular, every inch of him was revealed by the microfiber of his black flight suit. He placed his hands on either side of her head, against the brick wall behind her, and leaned closer. The masculine scent of him surrounded her. Aggression and something else, something close to arousal, emanated from him. Her own body responded in kind. Her heart flip-flopped, her skin heated, and liquid wet the lips of her sex.

  “I’ve been looking for you for a long time.” His voice vibrated along her nerve endings. “Six months going from region to region, and every time I got close, you slipped away. I’m not in the mood to discuss the situation. You are going to park your cute little ass in my craft and shut the hell up.”

  For a second, she was speechless. Men didn’t talk to her like that, or, at least, they didn’t do it more than once. She bit back the anger rising in her throat. More than anything, she wanted to punch the bastard for trying to use his physical strength against her.

  “What’s your name? And what the hell do you mean that you’ve been looking for me for six months?”

  “David Adams. Marcus Carlyle sent me looking for you when you didn’t answer his transmissions this last December. He thought you were dead.”

  “Bullshit. He wouldn’t have sent you looking for me if he really thought I was dead. Carlyle is a politician at heart. He wouldn’t waste the money.”

  His lips twitched and she relaxed slightly. David knew Marcus if he could find humor in that.

  “All right. Everyone else said you were dead. Marcus didn’t believe them. He sent me to look for you and bring you home.”

  “Home? Earth?” She snorted. “I don’t call Earth my home.”

  She’d rather screw Deras than go back to Earth. Deras’ image rose in her mind. Okay, not that, but she still wasn’t going.

  “I don’t have time to debate this with you. I’m taking you back to Earth. You are coming. If not, I will give you back to Deras and his friends.”

  Irritation crawled through her. Dammit, he had her. Even now, Genoa knew they were drawing closer. She could smell their scent. She’d figure something out, but for now, he was her alternative. Her breasts grazed his chest as she shifted from one foot to the other. She knew he could probably feel her hardened nipples through the sheer fabric of her blouse.

  The annoyance shining in his eyes shifted to something altogether different. They darkened to burnished gold as he leaned an inch closer to her. The predatory gleam caused every ounce of moisture to dry up in her mouth. For the life of her, she couldn’t stop thinking about reaching out and running her hand through his hair. Arousal tugged at her belly. His excitement drifted between them, sharpening hers. Before she could react, he grabbed her arm and started dragging her toward the station again.

  This time, Genoa followed him as she tried to sort through the emotions swirling in her. A human. Although half-human, she had nothing but disdain for the race that had sent her mother running from her family and her home. For now, she would let Space Ranger Adams here get her ass off the planet, then she’d figure a way out of his custody.

  They entered the station and he headed for the biggest private vehicle in the bay. Figures he’d have to have the biggest. They all had to compensate. She snorted and David shot her a mean look over his shoulder. Without a word, he punched in his security code, the ramp descended, and he tugged her behind him as he ascended into the craft. The moment they entered the cockpit, he shoved her into the navigator’s chair. She landed with an, “Oomph.”

  “Buckle up, princess.”

  Without giving her so much as a glance, he began his preparations for departure. Silently, she called him every horrible, loathsome name she knew. At the same time, her eyes kept drifting to his ass, well defined by the clinging fabric of his flight suit. Oh, Lord, there had to be something wrong with her. Every nerve ending in her body tingled with anticipation. For her kidnapper. She was sick. No. Correct that. She was sick and horny. It had to be the only explanation.

  He settled in his captain’s chair and received clearance from the tower. As he started up the engines, a commotion sounded outside the craft. Raised voices, lasers being shot.

  “You will cease departure and leave the aircraft,” the computer-generated tower voice announced. Her heart dropped to her knees. Oh, seven suns. She couldn’t go back.

  She glanced over at her savior-slash-kidnapper, but he didn’t stop his preparations.

  “Hold on to your seat, this is going to be one helluva bumpy departure.”

  He flipped a few more switches and the engines roared, drowning out the sounds of the Gorgons who had come to stop them. The craft elevated, then surged forward, twisting to the left as he just cleared the closing port doors. Silence descended as he pushed the buttons that sent the craft into warp speed.

  Without looking up from his task, he said, “Stop shooting daggers at me. I saved your ass from Deras, and you know it. Sit back and enjoy the ride.”

  She crossed her arms over her breasts because, God help her, she wished he were referring to a different type of ride. She sighed. Somehow, she had to get out of this situation, transmit her info to Carlyle, and disappear for the next millennium. She glanced over at her captor.

  She watched his face for some hint of his feelings, but
he ignored her, concentrating on his task, instead. All that focus, all the virility. Genoa sighed. She would love to know what it was like to have all that concentration centered on her. To know what it was like to have a man want her, need her. There had only been one, but both of them had been too emotionally damaged to make a go of it.

  Arousal tugged at her stomach again. She knew she was close to her mating season. That had to be the reason her body heated each time he drew near. Desire so strong that it left her speechless blazed through her. She shifted in her seat, trying to ease the ache between her legs. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. She had to get away from the man. Unfortunately, something told her escape wouldn’t be that easy.

  Chapter 2

  Damn, this really was turning out to be a shit assignment. If Marcus wasn’t his brother-in-law, David would never have taken the job. First those six months he spent chasing after the wench, and now this.

  Every emotion she felt, from her fear to her arousal—and anything in between—he felt. From the moment he crowded her against the wall outside, his dick had been harder than steel. He’d been unable to fight the rising desire emitting from her. With the way the material of his flight suit clung to his skin, there was no hiding his arousal, so he’d kept his back to her while preparing to leave. That hadn’t helped a bit, because her heated feelings had kicked it up a few notches, and he’d felt every one of them.

  David’s hands shook as he reached to flip a switch on the control board. He cursed when he realized he’d hit the wrong one. He turned it off and flipped the right one. It had to be the lack of blood in his brain. Every ounce of it had drained and headed straight for his cock as Genoa’s emotions washed over him, through him. His blood hummed with her arousal, and his.

  He glanced over at her as she stared out the front portal. Her looks alone were a problem. Long, dark-red hair, some hanging loose, the rest in dreadlocks. All of it well past her waist. The sheer fabric of her shirt and pants left little to the imagination. It should, since it was loose-fitting. But every time she moved, it caressed another curve of her anatomy.

  He swallowed. He’d thought a woman who spied on some of the most dangerous scum of the universe would dress the part. No. Not her. She wore near-transparent clothing and ballet slippers.

  And her skin. Smooth, pale ivory. He wanted to trail his fingers along the curve of her jaw, just to see if it was as soft as it appeared.

  David sighed, and she turned her head to look at him, her eyes roving over him as if she were judging him. Then her gaze caught his. The moment he looked into her pale green eyes, all thought vanished. It just wasn’t possible to think when she looked directly at him. The unusual color was enough of a distraction, but they turned up at the corners and were surrounded by a thick set of black lashes.

  He swallowed again and broke eye contact. The problem was, his gaze traveled down her body. It was a long trip. She stood only a couple inches shorter than he did. She was slim and lean but with curves enough to interest any hot-blooded male. Including her buddy, Deras.

  Just thinking the man’s name angered him. So his voice was a little more forceful than he intended. “What the hell was going on back there with those Gorgons?”

  She raised one sculpted eyebrow, apparently not happy with his tone.

  “I was on my way back to my place. I had some info for Marcus, and I was going to transmit it and get the hell outta here. Deras caught me and dragged me into that bar.”

  “How do you know him?”

  She blinked and hesitated, just enough to raise his hackles.

  “You know I’m here for Marcus, so you can tell me.”

  “I answer only to Marcus.” Her voice sounded as if she expected no argument. He ignored that and steamed right ahead.

  “Princess, whatever you tell Marcus, he’ll tell me.”

  She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and narrowed her eyes. “David, is it? I have no reason to believe you. I’ve arrived at the ripe old age of twenty-five because I don’t trust anyone. If my own mother was here, I’d question her motives, so you can drop the space-ranger-in-charge routine and get me to Marcus Carlyle.” Irritation threaded her words.

  For a second, he didn’t react. He just couldn’t. He was used to giving orders and people jumping. Having a cool drink of water like Genoa tell him no just didn’t seem to register for a few moments. Agitation tingled along his skin, along with a fair share of arousal.

  Damn. It wasn’t only his irritation, but hers. And the arousal. Shit, he’d never felt anything so damn strong in his life. He felt the heat of her desire as if she were skimming her fingers down his chest. What the hell was going on with him?

  “I thought you were against going to Earth?”

  She crossed her arms. “I don’t want to go to Earth. I hate that place. But if that’s my only option, then that’s what I’ll do.”

  What she had couldn’t be any more important than what David was privy to as Marcus’ right hand. “If you hate the place, why not give me the info, then I’ll tell Marcus?”

  She shook her head. Her long tresses spilled over her shoulders and across her chest. He had a vision of the same curls against the smooth ivory skin of her breasts, her nipples peeking through the strands. The hum of arousal he had been fighting was turning into a freaking chorus, singing through his blood. He felt hers, too, just under the hostility she emitted. He shifted in his seat, trying to ease the ache in his balls. Drawing in a deep breath, he concentrated on what she was saying.

  “You can drop me off on Langilia. I can transmit the information.” She shifted in her seat to look out the port view.

  He thought of the planet—desolate desert on one side, frigid icecaps on the other. The extreme temperatures kept the population to a minimum. His gaze traveled down her long body and then back up again. She wasn’t one for roughing it.

  “Marcus didn’t mention you were from there.” He hadn’t even stopped there on his way through the sector.

  She turned to look at him. Damn if the defiant tilt of her chin and her mocking smile didn’t turn him on more. “I didn’t say I was from there.”

  Even her smart-assed tone lit a fire in his blood.

  “Well, you can forget it. Marcus wants you in the flesh. I don’t plan on disappointing him.”

  She laughed, her eyes sparkling with her amusement. “Take it from me—you’re cute, but you’re not Marcus’ type.”

  “What?”

  “Marcus is into women. Human women, at that.” She touched the top of her blouse, slipping her fingers through the sheer purple fabric. He curled his fingers into his palm to keep from joining her. Then her words registered.

  “You think I’m interested in Marcus?”

  Her lips curved into an evil smile as a wave of fear intermingled with something that felt almost like panic washed over him. “I just figured you were so intent on making him happy…”

  Her voice trailed off as he stood. His anger and pride matched the anxiety she was letting off. Never in his life had he been accused of being interested in men. David saw it for what it was. She was trying to put him in his place, build a wall between them. It didn’t matter. He’d passed reason the moment he’d seen her in the club.

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Even in her ridiculous little slippers, she stood almost eye-to-eye with him. She blinked once. The color of her eyes deepened. He dropped his gaze to her mouth and almost groaned aloud when her tongue licked her pouty lower lip. Every thought cleared out of his mind, except one. He had to have a taste.

  David yanked her closer, enjoying the surprise in her eyes and the angry flush in her face. Anticipation, annoyance, and a dash of fear lashed from her to him. Her body fell against his, and he wrapped one arm around her waist. Before she could protest, he took hold of her chin, bent his head, and touched his lips to hers.

  At first, she didn’t respond. He could almost feel her quivering, standing on the edge of surrender. He pressed close
r, tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue. Her soft curves molded to his body, the hardened tips of her nipples against his chest. His hands slid down to cup her ass and pull her tighter against his groin. One more second of resistance, then her mouth opened and he dove inside.

  The first thing David thought of was wild strawberries. His favorite fruit. She was sweet and tart and just like the taste of them when picked off the stem. He’d never sampled anything so innocent and sinful at the same time. Possessiveness lanced through him. The need to conquer, to have this woman for his own, caused him to deepen the kiss. Genoa moaned. Her tongue tangled with his, and he was lost.

  He could no longer control any of his emotions or hers. They swept through him, racing through his blood. He dug his fingers into her rounded cheeks, rubbing his erection against her mons. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed closer, joining in his rhythm. Oh, God. He could feel her damp heat through their clothing. He wanted to drag her down on the floor and rip through those layers of clothing and sink his cock into her.

  David pulled back from her. Her legs were still around his waist, her eyes half-closed and filled with unrelieved desire. Right then, he knew he couldn’t stop. He knew what she wanted, what she needed. He could feel it thrumming in him, striking a familiar cord.

  In two steps, he made it to the conference couch. They tumbled onto it without much ceremony. The next instant, his lips were on hers, tasting, devouring, loving every minute of it. Her arousal took a swift turn upward, biting through him, edging him so close to coming in his pants, he was almost embarrassed. Almost, because it just felt so damn good. Being on the edge of a free fall into ecstasy was one of his favorite feelings. And this woman was pushing all the right buttons, from her smart-ass mouth, to her defiance, and the overwhelming maelstrom of emotions rolling off her.

  David broke from her mouth, and trailed kisses down her neck. As he nipped and licked her skin, he reveled in the feel of it—soft and sweet. Her unique scent rose and mixed with her emotions, sending every available drop of blood to his dick. He ground his groin against hers. She moaned in response. The sound sent another wave of need through him. He grabbed hold of the top of her blouse and pulled it down, revealing the most beautiful pair of breasts he’d ever seen. Ivory skin, small, but bottom-heavy, and tipped with rosy nipples. Every bit of moisture in his mouth dried up, as he watched them pucker tighter.