Love Uncharted

by Berinn Rae

  “What are you doing down here, human?”

  Jamila froze and slowly turned to face the last woman she wanted to see. Ann strode toward her with her hands on her hips. Where had that bitch come from? And the real question: what was she going to do now? She had no answer for Ann, and even if she did, this woman still wanted to pound on her a little bit. Or a lot.

  “Answer me. What are you doing down here without an escort?”

  Jamila’s mind scrambled for an excuse. She found none and her words tripped off her tongue. “I … I was going to the cargo bay. I left something in the shuttle. Galen allowed it.”

  The biggest lie ever. Could a cyborg detect a lie? Probably. If they paid attention even normal people could notice some of the signs.

  Ann’s eyes narrowed and she was sure she’d been caught. Then a chilling smile broke across Ann’s face that made her stomach flip over with anxiety.

  “I’m glad you’re alone. We can talk. Woman to woman. Let me be very clear. Galen is mine, and I want you to keep your hands off him.”

  Jamila flinched internally. Clearly Ann wasn’t close enough to scent him. Jamila hadn’t showered; she must still smell like him. She backed away, hoping to keep out of the range of Ann’s cyborg super nose.

  “You don’t even deserve to live. I’m going to push for your execution when your father doesn’t meet our demands, which I’m sure he won’t. No humans should survive for what they’ve done to us.”

  Jamila cleared her tight throat. “You know you’re still human, right? No matter how much you’ve been transformed. You’re sounding a little crazy.” She shook her head. Moron. Antagonize the wacky, jealous cyborg. It’s one of your better plans lately. She bumped against the opposite wall and cringed as Ann kept advancing, her hands curled into fists.

  “Be careful, bitch. We don’t need you alive to complete our mission. It makes things easier, but it shouldn’t be required.” Then she froze and her eyes narrowed. “You little whore. You’ve slept with him already!” Her lip curled. “But then, from the videos we’ve seen of you, you always were a slut.”

  She charged forward and Jamila realized she should have stunned her as soon as she’d been spotted. She was too close now, and Jamila was either going to die, or take a few nasty blows before she could take her down. If she pulled the stunner now, Ann would take it from her. She’d lose her chance to incapacitate her and end up dead. Fear quivered in her gut. Would she even survive one blow? Probably not.

  Ann backhanded her. She fell to her knees and black spots danced in front of her vision. If Ann had closed her fist it would have killed her.

  A hand tangled in her hair while the other clamped around her bicep hard enough to bruise. Her stomach turned over as Ann tossed her. She threw her arms around her head as she crashed into the wall. Her ribs lit up with pain and she cried out. She bounced off it and hit the ground on her side.

  She blinked and fought against the blackness that threatened to pull her under. She fumbled for the stunner in the back of her pants. Her trembling hands wrapped around it and her fuzzy vision cleared enough to see Ann storming toward her. She raised her weapon and fired.

  Ann collapsed five feet from her. Jamila pushed herself to her feet and leaned against the wall as a wave of dizziness swamped her. She braced her hands on her knees and took a couple of deep breaths before she stumbled to the escape pods. She couldn’t halt her shaking. She was lucky to be alive. Nausea rolled through her stomach and she wasn’t sure if it had to do with fear or a concussion.

  She stepped through the little door and glanced around. It was spacious, with enough room for several people. And each one was supposed to have enough oxygen for a month of space travel. With only one person, she could last much longer. Hopefully she wouldn’t need that long. There were supposed to be food rations somewhere in it too.

  Sitting in the pilot’s chair, she glanced around at the controls. They were much simpler than her shuttle back home. But then, navigation wasn’t a big need in an escape pod. It would head for the nearest government controlled planet or space station. If that was unavailable, it would head for the nearest habitable world.

  “Computer, prepare for launch.”

  “Negative.”

  “What? Prepare for launch now and head for the following coordinates.” She imputed the destination manually.

  “Negative.”

  Crap. She really couldn’t deal with this now. She couldn’t think straight. Her face and ribs ached and she couldn’t halt her trembling. “This ship is under attack. I need to go.”

  “Negative.”

  She groaned. What the hell was wrong with this thing? She stared at the controls. They gave no hint that it was malfunctioning. She input the command to lift off manually. The only response it gave was two loud buzzing sounds.

  She screamed and kicked the underside of the dash, cursing when her toes throbbed from the impact.

  “Computer, reason for non-compliance?”

  “Command controls have been remotely overridden.”

  A chill went down her spine. “By who?”

  “Oh, I think you know who.”

  She spun around to find Galen leaning against the shuttle’s doorway. She hadn’t even realized the damned thing hadn’t closed. She pulled the little stun gun out of her pocket and pointed it at his chest. He arched an eyebrow. “Really now?”

  “Yes, really. I’ve had enough and I’m leaving. Let me go or I’ll — ”

  “Stun me? Oooh, what a threat that is. The ship still won’t lift off without my order.” He eased closer and she tensed, ready to stun him. He froze. “How badly are you injured? Let me look at you.”

  She shook her head as tears clouded her vision. “No, stay away from me. I’m tired of being hurt by you people.”

  Her eyes narrowed. Had he hacked the other pods too? She could stun him and still get away.

  “I know what you’re thinking. The answer is yes. I’ve hacked the other pods. Even if I hadn’t, the cyborg you encountered in the lift noticed you. He mentioned that he’d spotted a human when he went past me.”

  “How did you know I’d escaped?”

  He snorted. “The more I thought about where I left the pistol, the more I worried that I was underestimating you, so I went back to remove it from my cabin. And of course you know what I found. A barely conscious, pissed, cursing Torin, trying to pull himself to the communications terminal. He was relieved to see me. I guessed where you’d gone. This was the closest evac spot. And Ann lying unconscious in the corridor was a good sign too.”

  He strode toward her and she wiggled the stunner to get his attention. He paused. “It doesn’t matter. Go ahead and shoot me. When I wake up, you’ll be locked up somewhere and I’ll be plenty pissed. Should be fun to take that frustration out on you.” More tears formed in her eyes and his widened. “Shit. Okay not the tact to take right now. Please, let me look at you.”

  She glared at him. She wanted to drop her guard. Needed a shoulder to cry on. But she wasn’t staying here one more minute.

  “What was the plan anyway? I know you’re aware there are pirates and aliens and all sorts of problems you could run in to. And you probably wouldn’t have made it far from us. They would have launched the Wingmen to disable your engines and tow you back. Those guys are good at that kind of thing. If you did get away, you’d probably get killed.”

  She bared her teeth at him. “I’m not sure I won’t end up dead if I stay here. Psycho bitch in the hallway tried to kill me. The best way to hurt my father would be to kill me if you don’t get your way. You people hate him.”

  His expression grew stern. “Stop saying ‘you people’ like that. It’s not like you to generalize. It smacks of prejudice. You don’t honestly think I’d hurt you, do you? I didn’t think I’d be able to bluff you this easily.”

  “Yes, well, maybe I’ve been mistreated enough that I’m entitled. I used to think your people were decent, and unfairly treated. Now I can’t
be sure.” And she didn’t believe him. He would likely have no problem hurting her. He’d said it. He’d told her that was the plan if her father didn’t comply. “You’re trying to confuse me.”

  He sighed and shook his head. Then he sprang forward with a burst of speed and knocked the stun gun out of her hand before she had a chance to fire. He grabbed her and hauled her out of the chair. He dragged her backward and tossed her on the floor of the shuttle, careful not to hurt her in the fall or crush her as he came down on top of her.

  “Gods, but you frustrate me. I don’t think I could ever hurt you, and damn me for the weakness. I’ll keep you safe. The threat of you being hurt will be enough to convince your father to help us. I won’t need to do more. And if he rejects our proposition then you’ll stay here. He’ll assume we killed you or are torturing you. We never have to do it, and more importantly I’ll make sure no one does. Ann will be kept far from you.”

  “I don’t trust you. You betrayed me. I don’t want to stay here forever. I want to go home.”

  He sighed and rested his forehead against hers. “You don’t understand. You’ll see why we need you when we get to the station. I can’t believe you don’t understand. You saw what the government did to that Haven district. Besides, if I hadn’t taken you, you probably would have been arrested. You’ll see.”

  She shook her head. “I still don’t believe you won’t hurt me. You’ve proved you’re a liar.”

  He reared back like she’d slapped him. “That you even think I could hurt you proves you don’t know me.”

  “How can I? You don’t tell me anything. And you know everything about me. You show no emotion.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Right.”

  His lips met hers with frenzied need. The kiss was possessive, demanding, and left her completely dazed. He grabbed the back of one of her knees and spread her thighs so he was cradled between them. She shoved at his chest and he broke the kiss.

  “Kissing me, sex, it doesn’t prove anything.”

  His lips slid over her racing pulse. “You don’t think so? It means a lot to me. I crave you. I always want to touch you. You keep surprising me in the best ways. I enjoy spending time with you. Even when you argue with me.”

  It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was almost everything but. It was touching.

  “I will never let anyone hurt you.”

  His teeth scraped across her throat and little shivers shot down her spine.

  He pulled her shirt over her head and hissed. She glanced down and saw that her right side was already starting to bruise. She didn’t feel it. Maybe she was still running on adrenaline.

  “Ann did that.”

  He growled. “I figured. I’m going to kill her.”

  Running his hand down her body, he tweaked her nipple playfully before placing his palm on her ribs. She flinched as he pressed down and he nodded. “Well, if anything was broken, that would have caused screaming. Don’t worry, when we’re done here, I’ll be taking you to medical to fix all this.”

  She shrugged. “It’s just a few bruises.”

  He snorted and kissed her throat. “It won’t feel like just a few bruises in an hour.”

  He skimmed his fingers down her belly before deftly unfastening her pants and pressing the heel of his palm against her sex. He stroked her in slow, maddening circles.

  “Stop.” She couldn’t let him keep going. If she gave into him he’d keep her here. She wanted to trust him, but he’d betrayed her, threatened her, and she’d been assaulted by Ann. And she would probably be killed by his government no matter what he wanted.

  He ran his tongue over the hollow under her ear. “No. I plan to convince you to stay and I can’t do that if I don’t put my hands all over you.”

  She gasped as he lightly pinched her clit between his fingers. “You could talk to me to try to persuade me.”

  He nipped her collarbone. “This is much easier, and more enjoyable. You can’t deny that. Besides, I’m pissed that you tried to leave, and pounding my frustration out in you definitely appeals.”

  Her pussy clenched at his words as she imagined him riding her hard.

  He chuckled. “I think you like the sound of that.”

  His hands left her pants and he seized the waistband, tugging them down. She kicked her feet to shake them off, eager to have him now, consequences be damned.

  She ran her hands up his chest, unhooking his uniform as she went before pushing it off his broad shoulders. He growled as she captured his nipple between her teeth. He shoved his suit down his hips enough that his cock sprang free into her waiting hands.

  He captured her wrists. “No, turn over. On your hands and knees. Now.”

  Her eyes narrowed at his demanding tone and she opened her mouth to argue.

  “Unless you want me to spank you, which I’m already considering, you’ll do what I say.”

  She bit her lip and tried to stifle the thrill of anticipation as she turned over and rose to her hands and knees.

  He groaned like he was being tortured and groped her ass. “This sight could not get more perfect.”

  She shuddered as he caressed her lower back and shifted her thighs farther apart.

  “Do you want me to take you?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Even if it won’t solve anything?”

  She rolled her eyes. Trust him to throw that back in her face now. “I really don’t care.” She only knew she wanted him.

  The harsh slap of flesh hitting flesh filled her ears and her ass cheek burned. Anger and arousal blended and she tried to sit up. He easily held her in place.

  “I didn’t think you were serious about that spanking.”

  “Then you still don’t understand what danger you were in if you left here.”

  He smacked her again and she yelped. “Stop that.”

  “Tell me you’ll never try to escape again.”

  She hesitated and his hand landed on her ass again.

  “Say it,” he ground out.

  Indignation sparked through her. She wasn’t a two-year-old. She knew what she was doing. It might have been dangerous but so was staying here. She opened her mouth to argue and flinched when he smacked her again.

  She nodded and gasped, “Fine. I won’t try to leave again.”

  He sighed and rested some of his weight on her. He ran his palm up her spine and tangled it in her hair before kissing the back of her neck.

  She rocked back against his hips and his erection bumped her ass. “Please screw me now, Galen.”

  He growled. “God, that’s what I love to hear.”

  He rubbed back and forth, wetting his dick on her pussy, driving her wild, before he pressed slowly into her cunt. She whimpered and rocked against him but he grabbed her hips and held her still.

  “Hard and fast, Galen.”

  He slammed into her and she moaned his name as he gave her what she wanted. His strength was almost painful, his pace punishing. He rubbed her clit in small circular motions, in time with his thrusts, and warm pleasure bloomed in her vagina. She gasped his name as her pussy clenched around him. He didn’t stop thrusting and her back bowed with the rapture of her second orgasm.

  He gave one final thrust and shouted her name as his seed jetted inside of her. He collapsed over her, taking them both to the ground. He rolled off of her before he crushed her.

  They lay side by side on the cold floor for a while. She wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually the intercom buzzed.

  Galen groaned. “Computer, broadcast audio.”

  “Galen, Alec’s ship showed. I know you’re waiting for him.”

  Galen sat up. “Dress,” he said in a low voice before raising it to speak with the person on the com. “Anyone with him?”

  “You have no idea. He had to pack them in like sardines. There were more than we expected.”

  She frowned at him. “More what?”

  He flapped his hand at her, signaling her t
o be quiet. “That’s good to hear.”

  “Ah, so you caught the little witch. You’re going to pay for stunning me, Jamila.”

  She flinched and glanced at Galen. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “She’d better worry.”

  He glared at the com. “Torin, let it go.” He glanced at her. “Come on. You’ll want to see this.”

  He grabbed her hand once she’d finished closing her pants and pulled her out of the jumper to the lift. They went down a few more levels to shuttle bay. Galen’s tension was palpable. She could even feel it in the way he held her hand.

  The elevator jolted to a halt and he dragged her out as the doors slid open. The bay was teaming with people. Their clothes were tattered. They were bruised. Most were huddled together, too afraid to explore their surroundings while others were laid out on the ground being tended by others.

  She glanced at Galen. “Who are these people? Where is your doctor? Some need medical care.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry for them. The medical staff has been summoned.”

  A deeply tanned cyborg marched around the bay, his voice booming above the din. “Get repair crews down here once we clear out the wounded. We barely made it back. Damn Galen and his persistence.”

  “Fuck you, Alec,” Galen yelled across to him, but the small smile on his face said he didn’t mean it.

  Alec waved at him.

  “Jamila?” After the first shout a chorus of voices called her name. She glanced around, releasing Galen’s hand and stepping away. She couldn’t find where the shouts were coming from, but it didn’t take her long to notice a small group of children hurdling toward her, Jackson in the lead.

  She dropped to her knees as he crashed into her followed by several other wiggling bodies.

  The chorus of voices shouted questions at her in rapid fire. She couldn’t even begin to decipher them. Alice and Darion rushed up behind the kids.