by KD Jones
Sadly, she didn’t have very many female friends that she could talk to about such things. Her position as trainer interfered with that as well. She hadn’t realized just how lonely her life was until Liam brought Maggie on board the command ship. She saw how his family accepted her, and also how close Maggie was to her friends from the subway tunnels. Nix envied her for that, just as she envied Corey’s ease at making friends.
Even on the command ship, Corey made friends with Drastan warriors by working hard, not complaining, and always be willing to lend a hand. Other males admired him—even Liam admired him, which surprised her. Drastan males were known for their possessiveness of their mates, but Liam tolerated Corey being around Maggie with no apparent problem.
Corey waved her over as the tribe leader walked away to speak to some other humans. “What did he say?”
“They haven’t experienced many problems with the rebels. He also says that there is an apartment ready for our use. He’s asking some of his people to prepare food for us.”
“Good, I have to admit after the welcome we received and having to travel by foot, I could use a hot shower and a little sleep. You haven’t had much sleep at all.”
He shrugged that off. “Come on, let’s get going. Maybe we’ll both get to have our shower before the food arrives.”
She followed him to the U-shaped apartment buildings. Most of the lower spaces were clearly intended as shops and a trading market. The two upper levels contained the living spaces, with one, two, and three-bedroom apartments available.
“The tribe leader has a one-bedroom apartment on the second floor in the corner, room 212.”
Walking up the stairs they passed a few couples and a family. Children were playing outside in the courtyard and the sounds of their laughter made her smile. She wasn’t good with kids, but she liked them. Maybe one day, she would have a few. An image of having Corey’s baby popped into her head.
Stop that! She told herself. That was not appropriate, they had to work together. She needed to put these feelings for him on the back burner. That was easier said than done, though, especially now that they were going to be sharing the same apartment. There would be no way for her to ignore him, no where she could escape to. It would be just the two of them—and, she saw as they walked in, one bed. She gulped.
Chapter 9
Entering the dwelling, the two of them inspected the area to make sure it was secure. The apartment had a sitting area with a small sofa, with the kitchen area to the left and two doors were to the right. Opening each of the doors, they found the first was a bathing room and the second was a bedroom.
They both stared at the bed for a moment, and when Corey looked over at her there was clear desire in his eyes. She felt heat in her cheeks. Was he thinking the same thing she was? She couldn’t help but imagine them in the bed.
Clearing her throat, she told him, “You can take a shower first.”
“You can go first.”
“No, I’ll...wait.” She shivered when he brushed past her on his way out of the bedroom. He smelled so good—sweat, heat, and all male. Her nipples responded to his nearness by tightening into little hard nubs.
He paused, leaning into her a little. “You could always join me.”
She jolted. No, that was out of the question, but another part of her wondered why couldn’t she? They were both adults, both attracted to one another, and by the stars, she wanted him. “Corey…” Her voice was husky with need and he swooped in to kiss her. All resistance left her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. No more fighting, she didn’t have the energy to put up a fight, and truthfully, she wanted him. Their one night together had been great, but it wasn’t enough, she wanted more.
*****
Corey’s body was hard and tight and needy. Nix felt so damn good in his arms, she felt perfect and...right. Moving her back against the wall of the bedroom, he sucked at her bottom lip until she opened and gave him access to her.
He took advantage and plunged inside with purpose. He wanted to convince her to let things between them happen naturally. He had to show her how much he wanted her. Wow, she was all female, soft, giving, but at the same time demanding. She gave him all of her attention and he loved it.
“Corey,” she moaned as she tilted her head back.
Kissing his way down her neck, his hands pulled at her clothing. “Clothes off...now,” he growled out.
Nix must have been in agreement because she started to yank at his shirt. He helped by shrugging his arms free. He pulled her shirt off and his hands cupped her her bare breasts. Drastans didn’t wear underclothing and he thanked God for that fact as her soft flesh filled his palms.
“Gorgeous,” he whispered as he bent down to suckle a nipple.
“Corey, why are we still standing?” Nix’s voice was husky with need.
They both still had their pants and shoes on. He bent to lift her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down but instead of climbing on top of her, he moved to straddle her legs. He undid the button on her jeans and slowly slid them down her legs. Quickly he removed her boots and socks, leaving her naked. He stood up to take his own boots and jeans off and froze.
“My God, you’re beautiful.” His desire for her was also clearly reflected in the length and stiffness of his arousal.
“So are you,” she said. Her eyes were on him, taking in every inch of him just as he was with her. She licked her lips and he swore he had to fight to keep from spilling his seed right then.
Laying down next to her, he leaned forward and returned to suckling her nipples. The tips were turning a deeper red and he blew a warm breath over them, making them tighten. He released her breasts, satisfied with the results. Kissing down her body, her flat stomach and gentle hips, he stopped at her apex. Using both hands, he pulled her her thighs open and put her long legs over his shoulders.
When he swiped his tongue along her seam, she rocked against him and moaned. Looking up as he lapped at her cream, he loved how she tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting herself go to enjoy all the sensations. Corey was careful to learn what strokes and touches made her more vocal and made sure to repeat what made the most impact. He inserted a finger and started fucking her slowly. Then he added two more fingers and increased his pace with faster and deeper thrusts. Her body began to arch and soon she found her release. He kept working her with his mouth until the very last spasm. She reached down and grasped his hair, holding him to her.
“I love how responsive you are,” he said as he kissed his way back up her body.
“I can’t help but respond when you do…those things,” she said in between deep breaths.
Corey kept his hips between hers, keeping her open to him. His cock tip nudged her opening and he broke out into a light sweat holding himself back. His impulse was to plunge deep inside of her but wanted to make sure that she was ready for him. She had felt a little tight when his fingers were stroking her on the inside.
“Corey, I need you.” Nix looked at him, biting her lip.
“I need you too,” he admitted as he slowly pushed inside of her. She squeezed him like a vice, a pleasure just this side of pain.
He took her lips in a searing kiss as he thrust his heavy cock into her over and over. She scraped his back with her nails and it only served to spur his desire. His only thoughts were of getting as deep into her as he could and to hearing more of her moans of pleasure.
“By the stars!” Nix said lifting her hips higher to speed up his pace.
He growled low, making sure to keep up the pace he’d set, but at the same time angling a little differently until she gasped. That was the spot, her sweet spot. He focused on hitting that spot over and over.
They both moaned again. He finally gave into her demands and quickened his pace. He worried that he was moving too fast until she growled her demands.
“Go harder…faster!”
He drove his cock deeper insi
de of her. He didn’t let up as he took her again and again. He felt the fire racing up his and down his spine before pressing forward until his balls brushed against her. He wasn’t going to last much longer. One last push and they both fell over the cliff of their release. It was utter bliss. He felt like he had somehow lost a little piece of himself and he didn’t care. Nothing mattered but being with this woman, and he was going to do everything he could to ensure that she wanted him just as much.
As he rolled to his side, taking her with him, a memory came to him, and he finally understood what his dreams had been trying to tell him. It all made sense now.
Chapter 10
Nix laid on her side facing Corey’s sleeping form. This may have been a mistake, but she couldn’t find it in herself to regret it. She reached out to caress his face with her fingers. It had been even better than their first time months ago. This time it wasn’t clouded with alcohol. The problem was, there would be no pretending this hadn’t happened.
“How the hell could I forget that?” Corey rumbled right before he opened his eyes to look at her.
She would have asked him what he was talking about, but the knowing, almost accusing look he gave her made it clear what he referred to. Nix tried to roll away but he caught her and moved to lay on top of her to keep her in place. He glared down at her with those sharp intense eyes.
“You didn’t say anything, all these months. Why?”
“What should I have said? Hey there, Corey, we shared sex months ago, but you’ve clearly chosen to forget it. Would you have even believed me?”
He glanced away for a moment before looking back at her. “I might have thought you were pulling something over on me at first, but the dreams I’ve been having would have convinced me otherwise.”
“What dreams?”
“I would dream of making love to a woman. At first I couldn’t see the woman’s face, but then the face of the woman changed to yours.”
Some of Corey’s frustration faded as he leaned down and nuzzled her neck while his hands cupped her breasts, squeezing and kneading them. She moaned, opening her thighs, letting him wedge between them. It felt so good, he fit her perfectly. Suddenly, though, his hands stilled as he stopped to stare down into her eyes, all serious.
“I think the Drastan drinks I had that night were much stronger than anything I had ever had before. I woke up the next day and couldn’t remember anything. It took a while, but bits and pieces came back to me through my dreams.”
She didn’t say anything, just looked up into the face of the man she had liked him immediately and that like grew stronger. Corey was strong and sweet, smart and funny, and the best lover she ever had. It wasn’t just physical, though; he seemed to accept her just the way she was without demanding she change or be more feminine to appease his ego. She really liked that about him. She held her breath at the realization. He wasn’t done talking about that night, though.
“It must have hurt you when I acted like nothing ever happened.”
She tried to blink away the sudden tears in her eyes at this acknowledgment. “It did hurt.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmured as he bent forward to nuzzle her neck.
“It pissed me off, too,” she admitted.
Corey scraped his teeth over her collarbone, making her shiver with desire. “I bet you wanted to kick my ass.”
Half laughing, half groaning as his fingers tweaked her nipples, she struggled to answer him. “I did, I really did.”
“You don’t anymore?”
“No, I started to realize that you may have really drunk too much and I...oh, Corey.”
He replaced his fingers with his mouth. He sucked her nipple into his mouth. “I want to make it up to you. Let me.”
What was she supposed to say to that? Her mind went to all the delicious things he’d done to her earlier, things she wanted to repeat over and over. All she wanted was to forget the past and live in the here and now. Unfortunately, pounding on the door interrupted anything else that they would have done or said.
They both growled with frustration as they scrambled for their clothes. It was dangerous to be caught unawares...and naked. Their weapons were still on the table in the other room.
“We’re not done discussing things between us. Stay here and let me see who it is, and then we’ll finish our conversation,” Corey said, pulling his jeans on but not bothering with a shirt.
Nix shook her head, not wanting to bring up their past again. She was actually starting to feel grateful for the interruption. “I’ll go with you.”
“Without your hood on, they’ll definitely spot that you’re not human.”
She wanted to argue but he was right. They weren’t ready to reveal their presence yet. At the repeated knock on the door, she rushed to get something on, just in case. The first thing she grabbed was the shirt Corey had been wearing, which fell to her knees. Good enough. She went into the other room to grab her weapon. He raised an eyebrow at what she was wearing but she ignored him and moved to partially conceal herself at the bathroom doorway. She smiled, watching Corey grab his weapon and tuck it into his waistband behind his back. She was glad to see that he was prepared for anything.
Corey opened the door to the apartment slowly. Then he stepped back to allow someone to enter. She didn’t recognize the person because they had on some kind of long overcoat with a hood covering their head and most of their face. The figure was shorter and smaller in stature than Corey and the way the person walked, with small unsure steps, made her think it might be a female. Nix stayed where she was just in case this person turned out ot be dangerous. Corey didn’t say anything, just waited for this person to speak first.
“I heard that you were asking for information about anyone coming through here with injuries recently. Is that true?” the stranger asked, in a a voice that was definitely feminine.
“That’s right. What do you know?”
“We haven’t had any serious injuries in the tunnels except for the occasional scrapes or bruises. I heard that two tribes down, though, a man came in injured. The tribe docs weren’t able to do much, so they sent for the Drastan healers who had been passing through here at the time.”
“How long ago was this?” Corey asked glancing over at Nix. She stayed where she was, not wanting to freak the woman out by suddenly appearing. She could see the poor woman shaking in fear.
“I think the injured guy arrived yesterday, but I can’t be sure, it’s rumors mostly that I’m going by.”
“Two tribes down, you say?”
“Yes.”
“When does the subcar leave again?”
“It will be eight hours before it’s back. Right now there’s only one subcar working in this area.”
Nix could see the frustration on Corey’s face and knew what he was thinking. Waiting eight hours before they could leave and then possibly a couple more hours to reach the right tribe was just too long. The injured male could leave before they reached him. No, they needed to find a way to leave immediately. She heard Corey open the door for the woman, showing her out.
“Thanks for coming here and giving us this information.”
The woman shrugged, “I know that many humans don’t trust the Drastans, but my daughter is alive because of the treatments she is receiving. I owe them this. Good luck with your mission.”
“Be safe and thanks again.” Corey closed the door after the woman left and turned to look at Nix. “Over eight hours…”
“I know, that’s too long to wait. I have an idea,” she said as she turned around and went back into the bedroom.
He followed after her. “What is it?”
“I need to go speak with Warrior Vendy,” she told him, sliding into her jeans.
“Not alone.” Corey reached for his shirt.
“Yes, alone. It won’t take long. I’m going to ask for a Drastan travel cart. They move much faster than a subcar and are quieter. We’ll be able to get in and out without causing too m
uch interest.”
“I don’t like you going alone. How can we be sure that this Warrior Vendy is trustworthy?”
“Damn it, Corey, we don’t have time to argue about this. I know what I’m doing. The male we’re looking for could be gone in a matter of hours. I’m going to acquire the travel cart alone, and that’s an order.”
Corey glared angrily at her for using her rank against him. She’d know when she said it that it would cause strain between them. Their lovemaking had brought them closer, to an equal footing, but now she was throwing up a wall between them.
“Fine, I’ll give you twenty minutes to get this done.”
“I’ll be back in fifteen.” She finished putting on her boots and walked to the door. She paused to look back at him, he had turned to face her.
“Nix, about last night…” Corey began, but she interrupted him.
“We can talk about that later.”
“Right, later,” Corey didn’t sound like he believed her.
Nix knew that she and Corey would have to have that talk. Things needed to be cleared up about their past sexual encounter and then about their most recent. Now that she was sure Corey had not been purposely ignoring their previous encounter, she had to reconcile her feelings about it. It wasn’t right to hold that against him. Her hurt feelings had been largely appeased, but now they were being replaced with fear.
Spending time with Corey had opened her eyes to things about him that she liked. His protectiveness for his friends, his inner strength that had allowed him to survive the hardest of times, and his bravery and willingness to do anything to protect those he cared about. She was definitely falling for Corey, but she was so scared of having her heart broken. It had never really been a risk before. What if he didn’t feel the same way about her? What if this was the last time he wanted to be with her? The thought of never being with Corey again ripped her heart to shreds.
