by Susan Hayes
“That’s because you’re used to getting your way, your Highness.”
He nipped her throat as he stroked his way down her body, until he reached the apex of her thighs. “I am. Now, open for me.”
She parted her legs wider and laughed, lying back so that her head was on his shoulder.
“I never thought I’d be with a pushy male. Why am I here with you again?”
“Because we’re destined for each other.” He stroked his fingers through her curls, teasing her for a moment before pushing deeper into her folds. “I never imagined my mate would have so much fire and strength.”
“Or pink hair.”
He flicked a finger over her clit. “Or such soft skin. Like sun-ripened fruit. So sweet.” He started a coordinated assault on her senses, his fingers working her clit and nipples in synch as he kissed and nibbled up and down the column of her throat. He played her like a maestro might work his favorite instrument, sensations building and building until she was vibrating with need and poised on the brink of orgasm. Instead of giving her release, he slowed his touch, softening each caress until she was acutely aware of every contact. The water swirled around them, adding another level of sensuality to the moment.
She made a soft mewl of protest and wriggled against his hand. “More.”
He gave in to her so fast she nearly came on the spot. His cock twitched between them as he started to fuck her with his fingers, stroking over her clit with every thrust. “Tell me what you want me to do to you.”
She caught the urgent need in his voice, the sex-roughened edge to his words, and started to understand what he craved.
“Make me come, Tyr. Let me ride your fingers. Two of them, no, Three. I want you to do it hard and fast, and don’t stop until I scream your name.”
He continued to fuck her with one hand while he reached down with the other, moving her legs so that they were positioned outside of his. Then he stretched his legs wider, taking her legs with him. She was totally exposed now, his fingers moving with breathtaking speed and skill as he pleasured her exactly how she’d told him to. Her hips bucked against his hand, the water sloshing up the sides of the tub. The jets below them suddenly grew much more powerful, one of them sending a turbulent wash of water hard against her clit.
“Cheater!” She managed to utter the single word as her world shattered and she went spinning into an orgasm that seemed to go on forever.
“You said hard, fast, and not to stop. I didn’t cheat, I obeyed.”
She was still dazed and trembling as he withdrew his hand and the jets died back down to a relaxing burble. He had obeyed. Quickly and eagerly. She filed that information away for further thought.
He only gave her a few moments to regain her senses before he shifted again, closing his legs and gently turning her around so she was facing him again. Her legs straddled his hips as he rotated his body in the tub so that he could brace his feet against the far wall.
“Ready for me?” he asked.
“Always.” She set her hands on his powerful shoulders and moved in to kiss him. As their mouths met, he drew her down onto the thick head of his cock, filling her with exquisite slowness until there was no room between them. He rocked his hips in a slow rolling motion that fanned the embers of her passion back into an inferno in seconds.
Skin to skin, they moved together as Tyr’s cock stroked her g-spot again and again. She gasped and tightened around him, milking his cock with every thrust.
“Slowly, mahaya. I want this to last. This is our first time alone together, and I never want to forget what it’s like to have you in my arms like this.”
“You won’t forget. Any time the memory starts to fade, we can recreate this moment.”
His blue eyes gleamed with an inner fire. “Any time? Does this mean you’ve finally accepted that we’re going to be together for the rest of our lives?”
“It means I’m starting to believe it.”
Despite what he’d said only seconds before, Tyr’s thrusts grew faster as he stared into her eyes, his hands gripping her hips hard enough she would bruise if she didn’t have medi-bots. She didn’t care. All she wanted was more. More of his words, his touch, his cock…his love.
“Yes!” she moaned as their bodies came together at the perfect angle, sending a jolt of pleasure coursing through her.
He captured her mouth with his and their kisses fell into the same mad pace as their bodies, tongues dancing in time to each penetration, breath blended, pleasure shared. His thrusts became uneven, the rhythm unraveled, then turned into a passionate claiming that pushed them both to the edge of their control. She tumbled over the brink first, but Tyran was right behind her, snapping his hips up in one last powerful thrust as he came.
They flew together, clinging to each other as they rode out the last moments of ecstasy together.
“If flying feels anything at all like that, then maybe we can try it someday,” she murmured as she finally lifted her head to look at him again.
He wrapped his arms around her and snuggled her against his big body. “Nothing feels as good as what we just did, but flying comes a close second.”
“Maybe one day.”
“We have time. To find a thermal air current, we’d have to be on a planet. I don’t see that happening yet.”
“Not yet, but it will happen.”
“When you say it like that, it’s easier to believe it will happen. But then we go back to those meetings, and I start to wonder if that’s how we’ll spend the rest of our lives – talking.”
She sighed and nodded in agreement. “I know the feeling. So many words, and most of them are being used to obscure what they’re really after. This would be so much simpler if I knew their end game.” A thought started to gel in the back of her mind. That information had to be somewhere in cyberspace. Probably buried in encrypted messages and cyphered memos, but there was no reason she couldn’t take a look around and see what she could piece together.
“I know that look, my little warrior. You’re thinking of going into that cyberspace place of yours again.”
“I might be able to find out what their real goals are. It could speed this whole stupid process up.”
“And you might get caught. You are a member of the imperial house of Varosa now. What you do reflects not only on yourself, but on Braxon, myself, and the empire.”
“Are you telling me you want me to stop—” The entire ship shook like it had been struck by a giant hammer, sending her and Tyr tumbling into the bathwater.
She came up for air, spluttering and stunned. The bathing room was full of strobing lights and screaming alarms, and somewhere in the distance she heard a sound that set her teeth on edge - the strident scream of twisting metal.
The computer started speaking in Vardarian. “Warning. Warning. Explosion proximity alert.”
“Damage report!” Tyr snapped as he stood, spread his wings and leaped from the tub. She was only a few seconds behind him, but by the time she was standing on the tile he had a towel ready for her and wrapped her in it as the computer spewed a report so full of technical information she couldn’t keep up.
“We need to go. Now.” He didn’t bother toweling off himself, he just headed for the bedroom with her following right behind.
“Go where? What the fraxx happened? Where’s Braxon?”
“Tyran? Phae? Are you alright?” Braxon’s transmission came in at full volume, making both she and Tyr wince.
“No need to yell. We’re fine. The Santar has some hull damage. We need to leave until repairs are complete. You?” Tyr replied.
“Unhurt. The shock wave rocked the area, but no damage. At least, I assume that’s what hit us.”
“The ship keeps screaming about an explosion proximity alert, so I’d say you’re right.” She said, relief that Braxon was alright hitting her like a second shock wave.
“Since I can’t come back to the ship, meet you here? It’s probably the safest place to wait for inf
ormation.” Braxon suggested.
“We’ll be there as soon as we’re dressed.” Tyr replied.
“Dressed?”
“We were in the tub. It was supposed to help me relax. It didn’t,” she said.
“I don’t think there’s a relaxed being on this entire station right now. I’ll see you both soon.” Braxon said and the link went silent.
Tyr went to the closet and grabbed clothes for both of them. She put them on as fast as she could, only registering that he’d chosen a Vardarian outfit for her as she drew the green and silver top over her head. It reminded her of what they’d been discussing before the explosion. “You are a member of the imperial house of Varosa now.”
When things settled down again, she’d need to think about that. After they’d gotten off the ship and found out what in starsfury had happened.
The computer continued to give updates as she pocketed her comm device, which was buzzing and chirping with incoming messages. She’d check in once they were clear of the ship.
She snagged her favorite pair of boots off the floor and caught up with Tyr at the door. “How bad is it?”
He grasped her hand. “The ship will be fine. The shockwave hit our underside and caused some minor damage.”
“Is that what I heard? The hull buckling?”
“I don’t think so. I think that was the station. The Santar’s hull is cracked, not buckled.”
Wonderful. “I’m really starting to miss the slow, quiet days when all I had to worry about was staying ahead of my enemies and figuring out where my next meal was coming from. Those were simpler times.”
“You are a strange female,” he muttered as the door opened and they stepped onto the station.
Chapter Fourteen
Phaedra stared at the bottom of her mug of cocoa and wondered if she should order another one. Her medi-bots kept her from feeling fatigue, but they couldn’t stop the chill that sank into her bones as night slowly changed into what passed for morning out in the darkness of space. Usually the station was quiet at this hour, but not now. Everyone was awake and sharing what little information they had about the explosion that destroyed the Bellex corporation’s cruiser, the Blitzer. The ship’s crew were killed, along with Bellex rep Nadira Finn, and her guest, Tadeus Grasi of Astek. It had also turned the docking arm around the ship into a mess of twisted metal, venting part of it to space.
The club’s kitchen staff were busy making meals for the rest of the employees, as well as the cyborgs and fighters that called the club home. Kit, and his security team were patrolling, looking for anything or anyone out of place. The doors were locked and guarded, and only a handful of beings, most of them wearing IAF or Corp-Sec uniforms, had been allowed inside. Despite the fact that there were no strangers in the club, Kit had assigned Owen Connors to watch over her. He was at the next table, chatting with Royan Watson. Well, Owen was chatting. Royan was flirting again.
At the moment, Braxon and Tyr were in one of the back rooms of the club in a meeting to discuss the future of the trade talks. Archer wasn’t there, but one of his aides was, along with some low-level employees from various corporations and governments. The meeting rooms were small, and while no one asked her to go, she had chosen to make room for someone else. She couldn’t translate for them at the moment, and as much as she wanted to know what was going on, she believed they’d tell her everything once they were together again.
So, here she was, mulling over the day’s events and trying to make sense of it all. Why blow up Nadira’s ship? Was this all the work of one group, or several taking advantage of the chaos to even old scores? She was itching to get back to cyberspace and look for answers, but her gear was still on the Santar. For now, all she could do was think.
“You look like you’re trying to find the answers to the galaxy’s problems at the bottom of that mug. I’ve stared into enough glasses to know the only things you’ll find down there are regret and a need for a hangover cure.” A familiar woman’s voice drawled.
“I’ve never gotten a hangover from a mug of cocoa before.” She set down the glass and smiled at Phylomenia Harrington, captain of the Beacon.
“Cocoa? Girl, after the day you’ve had you need something stronger than that.” The tall, muscular woman sat down and set a heavy glass of something reddish-brown and bubbling on the table between them.
She eyed the contents warily. “I thought your poison of choice was Torskian ale. What in the name of glory is that?”
“This? This is my nerve tonic. I only break it out for special occasions, like when some idiot sets off a bomb and ruins my beauty sleep.” Phyl tapped the glass. “Want some? Even with those medi-bots, I promise you’ll feel it.”
“I’m good. I need a clear head.”
Phyl snorted and ran a hand through her close-cropped black and gray hair. “For what? You planning on solving this whole fraxxing mess by yourself? I’m pretty sure Scott thinks this is his mess to fix. He always did have a bad habit of taking on too much.”
“Wait, Scott? As in Colonel bossy-brass Archer?” Phae leaned in and fixed the former smuggler with the best glare she could muster. “How are you on a first name basis with him of all people?”
“When you’ve been around as long as I have, you’ll discover the galaxy is smaller than you think it is. I’ve known Scott since he was a hot-shot flyboy who thought he was the best pilot to ever sit in a cockpit.”
“I thought that was your title?” Phae asked with a grin.
“It is. Who do you think I beat to get it?” Phyl took a drink, then glanced around to make sure they were alone. Since Phae had claimed one of the booths near the windows there wasn’t anyone else around. Apparently, everyone else wasn’t keen to be that close to open space after what had happened to the Blitzer. The explosion had damaged parts of the station and a number of ships that had been in range of the shockwave. Everyone was feeling vulnerable right now.
Phyl lowered her voice. “I only got back a few hours ago. Zura brought me up to speed, but she didn’t mention anything that explains why you’re here alone, in the wee hours of the morning looking like someone banned you from cyberspace for a year. So, what’s up?”
“It’s a long list.”
“Do I look like I have somewhere else to be right now?” Phyl pushed the glass of ‘nerve tonic’ across the table. “Drink that, then tell me what’s going on inside that highly enhanced head of yours.”
“I don’t—”
“You do. Don’t argue with me, girl. I’ve been getting my own way longer than you’ve been breathing.”
Phaedra took the mug and lifted it to her lips. She was expecting a hit of powerful liquor, but instead she got a mouthful of something fizzy, sweet, and tasting slightly of…cherries? She took a deeper drink, then another.
“Good, isn’t it?” Phyl asked with a smile that softened her normally hawkish features.
“What is it and what am I supposed to feel if it isn't alcoholic?” she asked.
“Cherry cola, or as near as I can manage to replicate. The kick comes from the sugar, and the caffeine. There’s enough in there to make a Jeskyran’s thorns quiver. When I was a kid, I loved the stuff, but every corporation that made it got wiped out in the Resource Wars.”
“If you’re willing to share, I’d like the recipe before I go.”
Phyl cocked her head. “Where you going? I thought you were sticking around here for a bit longer.”
“Zura didn’t tell you about Braxon and Tyran?”
“The new aliens? She said you were hand-picked to be their liaison and you’ve been helping them negotiate trade deals in exchange for a colony.”
“She left out the good part. They’re also my mates. Pheromones and some other chemical mojo is involved, but yeah. Mates.”
Phyl whistled. “Mates, huh? Mojo or not, they better be treating you right.”
“They’re trying. I’m trying. It’s all…trying.”
“But you think you’ll be
leaving when they do? Back to their homeworld?”
“Or to start working on the new colony. That is, if we can ever get the corporations to agree to give up one of their precious planets. They are literally killing each other for the chance to get access to Vardarian tech, but not one of them is willing to part with the real estate.” She gestured out the window to a docking spar that had been filled with ships only a few hours ago. “Now, I’m not sure we’ll ever get a deal. They’re running scared.” And as they fled, they were taking her hopes for a future for River and the others with them.
Phyl’s fingers started tapping on the tabletop, and then she chuckled. “You need a planet? As it happens, I might know someone who can help. Hang on a second, I need to check something. She dug into a pocket of her battered and worn jacket and pulled out a comm-device that looked like it had been made when Earth still had a breathable atmosphere.
“Does that still work?”
Phyl snorted. “Better than yours, I bet. You should know better than to judge something by its appearance. Old cover, shiny new insides. The circles I run in, it’s best not to flaunt things if you don’t want ‘em stolen.”
“I suspect we’ve run in some of the same circles.” While Phaedra wasn’t a full out criminal, she never claimed to be a meek, law-abiding citizen of the galaxy, either. She knew smugglers, hackers, pirates, pharma dealers and thieves. Some of them she considered friends, of a sort, anyway. She’d heard about Phyl long before the two ever met. The older woman was something of a legend. She had been running contraband for decades without getting caught, and then she’d simply given it all up one day and started working for Zura…another reformed smuggler.
“I suspect we have.” Phyl had her eyes on the screen when a server wandered past, but Phaedra caught his attention and requested two fresh mugs of the cherry cola.
He wrinkled his nose before agreeing to bring it out. “That stuff will rot your insides.”
“It was that, or Torskian ale,” she shot back.
“In that case, two carbonated, caffeinated sugar bombs, coming up.”
