Maia wrapped her legs around Taylor’s waist and rocked her hips forward. This time, bare flesh met her own. She gasped when Taylor pushed back against her with just as much need. Her body ached for more, for something that she knew Taylor was not yet doing. None of the educational vids or fleeting glances at pornographic images could have prepared her for this, an empty feeling that made her throb with desperation, enough to let Taylor do whatever she wanted. "Please," she whimpered again. "I need…something, anything."
Taylor's hand ran up along the sensitive skin of her inner thigh before pressing between her legs. "Oh God," she whispered. Maia shuddered as she felt warmth spill from deep inside her, spreading over Taylor's exploring fingers. At first, she was embarrassed, but when she looked up into Taylor's face, she saw only desire reflected back at her. She shivered as Taylor spread her folds with two fingers, obviously examining her. Maia wondered just how different her own body was from a human's, but she knew it would not be a problem when a confident smile spread across Taylor's face. "I was right," Taylor murmured as she looked down between their bodies. "Not too different at all."
Maia gasped as Taylor's fingers found the curved ridge of her clit, rubbing it in slow circles, coaxing it out of its delicate hood. She dug her nails into Taylor’s back, trying to draw her closer. She had no idea how Taylor knew just how to touch her, but it made her feel like her heart was about to batter its way out of her chest. Sounds that she barely recognized tore from her throat, and she pushed against Taylor’s hand, quivering every time those magical fingers rolled over her. She spread her legs even wider, well past caring that they should not be doing this.
Taylor's fingertips began to glide down, and Maia stiffened as they tested the tight ring of muscle at her entrance. Soon, she forgot her hesitation and began rocking against Taylor's hand, pleading for more with each push of her hips. Taking that as permission, Taylor slid forward, and Maia clamped down tight around her fingers, adjusting to the new fullness. The stretch burned a little, but it was also blissfully wonderful, and she wanted more. When she let out a low groan of encouragement and spread her legs wider, Taylor added a second finger and curled forward, catching against a ridged, sensitive spot along the inner wall.
Maia bucked in response to the pressure as Taylor’s mouth found her shoulder, and lights swam in front of her eyes. Her thighs pressed together around Taylor's wrist, desperate to keep the human deep inside of her. The hand between her legs tried to adjust, but Maia could only cling to Taylor’s broad shoulders and beg her to keep going. Nothing had ever felt more blissful than those fingers rubbing against her. Her body burned with need, and pressure pounded inside of her until she was close to spilling over, but something held her back. She needed more.
"Please," she gasped, unable to form the words she needed. "I need to…"
"I know. I’m working on that." Taylor redoubled her efforts, causing Maia to cry out again and lose all concentration. She tried to speak, but she could not warn Taylor as the last of her control shattered. Maia rocked against Taylor’s hand, taking her fingers as deep as she could. When the pleasure grew almost unbearable, Taylor's thumb pressed hard against her clit, curling against her inner wall at the same time.
The sensation started out as a faint throb, but soon, Maia was overwhelmed with powerful contractions. Her core fluttered around Taylor’s fingers, and she tilted her head back. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream as pleasure ripped through her. Slick heat spilled from deep inside of her, slipping into Taylor's hand with each heavy pulse. If she had known it would feel like this, Maia thought, before she was swept away by a fresh round of pulses, she would not have agreed to do it only once.
The tremors soon faded, growing weaker each time they shuddered through her body. Taylor kissed along Maia’s shoulder and up her neck, whispering soft words of comfort as she came down from the spike of pleasure. "I’m here," she murmured. "I’m right here." For some reason, that fact comforted Maia more than anything else Taylor had just provided her.
Afterwards, they lay together for a few heartbeats, limbs intertwined and bodies covered in sweat. Both of them panted from exertion, but Maia could still feel how tense Taylor's body was beside hers. Taylor's lips caught her cheek, and she withdrew her wet, glistening fingers, bringing them between her own legs instead.
Maia felt herself twitch with aftershocks as she watched, and her eyes widened with surprise and renewed arousal. She had been so wrapped up in her own pleasure and release that she had completely forgotten about Taylor’s. Quickly, she shifted onto her side and cupped her palm over the back of Taylor’s hand. "No," she murmured, moving it aside and replacing Taylor’s fingers with her own. "Let me."
"You don’t…" But Taylor did not finish the sentence as Maia began exploring with her fingers, hoping she could find the right places. Taylor let out a low groan and shifted her hips forward and spread her thighs to give Maia more room to maneuver. "Oh God, more," she muttered, grinding against the heel of Maia’s palm.
Maia’s eyes grew even larger as she explored, and she smiled when she felt Taylor’s wetness coat her hand. She pressed hard against the hot flesh, encouraged by Taylor’s moans. The way Taylor’s face contorted with pleasure was an intoxicating sight, and knowing she was the cause made her feel strangely wonderful. Taylor’s body spasmed under her touch, and Maia raised her free hand, raking her nails down along the human's flat stomach. She still wanted to taste that flesh with her mouth, but she put that desire aside for later.
Instead, she brought her hand to Taylor’s hip and gripped hard as she slid two fingers inside of her, pressing deep into the velvety smooth flesh. She moaned along with Taylor as the human's muscles contracted around her fingers. "So wet," she murmured, entranced by what she was doing.
Taylor rocked forward on her fingers, causing them to slide in and out as she worked herself closer and closer to release. But it was not enough, and soon, Maia noticed the hard, pink little bud standing out above her entrance. Hoping that Taylor’s body would respond the same way hers did, she swiped her thumb over it. The tight bundle twitched at her touch.
Taylor went rigid after the first pass, her hips pushing forward into Maia’s hand. "Fuck. I…I’m coming." A second later, Maia felt contractions ripple through Taylor's body. Slick, silken heat clutched at her fingers, and wetness trailed over her wrist. She kept her hand in place while Taylor pulsed against her, drawing out every moment of her orgasm.
Finally, Taylor went slack. She collapsed back onto the mattress, breathing deeply as she recovered from the intensity of her release. Maia felt a surge of pride, and a slow smile spread across her face. Taylor smiled back, but her eyes drooped as she suppressed a yawn. "Are you tired already?" Maia asked, reaching out to cup the square shape of Taylor's jaw.
Her stomach fluttered as Taylor nuzzled into her palm. "Just a bit." Maia settled against the human's side, sighing happily as one of Taylor's arms wrapped around her. "We shouldn’t have done that," Taylor said, her words thick with sleep. "But it was…so much better than…"
As Taylor fell asleep in her arms, Maia's smile receded. Reality began to set back in. She had just had sex with a human. Not just any human, but the one assigned to guard her. She had probably just made the worst mistake of her life. Still, as she studied Taylor's closed eyes and peaceful expression, Maia could not bring herself to regret what they had done. As impossible as it seemed, being with Taylor had meant something to her.
Maia rested her head against Taylor's shoulder, lying on her chest and listening to the steady thud of her heartbeat. Just for tonight, she would try to forget that Taylor was holding her captive. They would fall asleep together, not as a guard and a prisoner, but as two people who had just experienced an intense connection. There would be plenty of time to return to their usual roles tomorrow.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Taylor woke with a start. Her eyes flew open, and she had to swallow down a surprised gasp. She was pressed
against Maia's back again, and this time, both of them were completely naked. Everything that had happened the night before came back to her in a rush. Had it been pheromones? Had Maia discovered some way to use her powers even while she was wearing the collar? No, she decided after a long moment of thought. Her attraction to Maia was genuine, no matter how ill-advised it was. The ikthian had not forced her. If it was about escape, Maia would have made an attempt last night. Instead, they had fallen asleep after a short but intense round of sex.
Taylor untangled herself from Maia's sleeping form as quickly and quietly as she could. She gave the ikthian a hesitant glance, debating whether to wake her or not. Maia looked so innocent and peaceful with her cheek resting against the pillow that Taylor could not bear to disturb her. Instead, she hurried to pull on the clothes she had abandoned last night.
Her undershirt was beneath the bed, and her pants were in a crumpled heap next to the side table. Once she had thrown them on, she squeezed her feet into her boots, not bothering to bend down and unlace them properly. She needed time to think, and maybe even some advice. Unfortunately, there were very few people on base that she trusted. Commander Roberts was her direct superior, not to mention something of a father figure to her. There was no way Rachel would understand. Finally, Taylor settled on Andrew. At least he would be able to understand her attraction to Maia without immediately assuming it was some kind of trick.
Maia’s scent still lingered around her even when she retreated to the hallway. She felt stifled in the enclosed space, especially during the elevator ride down to the main floor. As soon as the doors opened, she wasted no time in escaping the building. Once she stepped outside, she took in a deep breath, trying to expel the memory of the ikthian from her mind. Being with Maia had been good. Way too good, and not just for the physical release it had provided her. Taylor could have handled it better if it was just a matter of pure physical attraction, but something else lingered under the surface.
She had to find Andrew and talk this through like a rational person. Unfortunately, she had no idea where her friend was assigned to work. She did not know the soldier’s schedule, but she could guess that he might be near the bunkers or the mess hall, depending on the time of day. She decided to try the mess hall first, glancing nervously at soldiers who passed her on the way.
Luckily, Andrew was running paperwork from the clerk’s office to one of the general’s quarters, and the mess hall happened to be on the way. Taylor spotted him talking to one of the other soldiers, waving the sheaf of papers around with little regard for their condition. "Andrew," she called out, trying to get his attention.
Andrew looked over at her. His eyes widened. "Lieutenant!" He turned away from the man he was speaking with and jogged over to her. "Hey, I’m really sorry about the way Sergeant Bower acted the other day. I taught him a lesson after you left, I swear."
It took Taylor a moment to recall what had happened several days ago. She had too many other things on her mind. "Oh, yeah. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about a related matter…but not here."
Andrew nodded. "Okay. So, where to?"
Taylor thought for a moment. The mess hall definitely was not private enough, and Andrew did not have a bunk to himself. Going back to the captain’s quarters was definitely out, since Maia was still asleep. She finally came up with a solution. "My old bunk," she said, turning to head back the way she had come.
"Works for me," Andrew said. "It’s kind of on my way, and another minute won’t hurt. I’m not in any hurry to get back to the clerk’s office. Not exactly my kind of mission. I don’t know why the brass even bothers keeping hard copies of their paperwork anymore. No one ever uses them."
The two of them walked in silence, returning to the officers’ barracks. Although she looked outwardly calm, inwardly, Taylor was still panicking. She had no idea how she was going to explain to her friend that she had just had sex with an ikthian—even worse, one that she was supposed to be guarding—but she knew that she had to talk to someone. Andrew was the most logical choice.
They arrived at Taylor's old bunk more quickly than she would have liked, and she opened the door. Thankfully, a new officer was not relocated to the space yet. It looked the same as when she had left it.
"So, what’s up, Taylor?" Andrew asked, making himself right at home despite the room’s barren appearance and plopping down on the bed. His bulk made the frame groan beneath him. "You looked pretty upset when you found me. Don’t worry, I only noticed because I’m your friend. No one else would have." He patted the space next to him, and Taylor took it. She sighed and hung her head between her slumped shoulders, resting her elbows on her knees. "Come on, it can’t be that bad," Andrew said cheerfully. "It’s not like you got into trouble with your prisoner, right?" Taylor did not look at him, and he did a double take. "Tell me what happened. Now."
Taylor heaved a long, low sigh. "We…had sex." She was still barely able to believe what she and Maia had done, even as the memories kept replaying in her mind.
A moment of silence stretched between them before Andrew adjusted his position on the bed, forcing several squeaks from the spring mattress. "Wait, you mean she seduced you? Used her pheromones on you?"
Taylor shook her head no and buried her face in her hands. The room suddenly felt too hot. "Oh God, Andrew," she groaned. "Those stupid vids are all propaganda. The ikthians might as well be humans…or, this one is, anyways."
"Whoa, really? You mean, like, they have all the same parts down there?" Taylor shot him a glare. "Right, sorry. Not the point...you sure she wasn’t trying to brainwash you or anything?"
"I…no. It was…I mean, over the last few days…she’s just a person, and Rachel was getting mad at me for wanting to treat her with a little respect, and then Maia and I talked, and we decided to have sex just once to get rid of the tension." The rambling words that spilled from her mouth made little sense, but now that she had started telling the story, Taylor could not seem to stop the rest of it from bubbling out.
"And so you came to me because…"
"It didn’t work. I want to be with her again. Badly. It was the best sex I’ve ever had, and it only lasted a few minutes."
Andrew laughed. "You sure she didn’t drug you up? Sure sounds like that from the way you’re gushing about her."
"I’m sure," Taylor insisted, more certain of the fact than ever. "I wanted to be with her, she didn't force me. But I have no idea what I’m going to do now. I’m supposed to be guarding her, not fucking her. What if we, you know, get attached?"
"That good, huh?"
Taylor paused, considering how much she wanted to reveal about her encounter with Maia. Andrew was her friend, but he was also something of a pervert. Of course, she wasn’t much better, since she was having sex with an alien. "Better than good. I wish I hadn’t rushed through it so much, but something about her just drove me crazy. I told myself it would just be the one time, but..."
"Stop and think about it for a minute," Andrew said. He did not seem nearly as concerned about the situation as Taylor was. "If you wanted to be with her, what’s wrong with doing it again? She’s hot and wants you. Not exactly a bad situation to be in, Taylor."
"She’s my prisoner. I shouldn’t be spending time getting to know her."
"So? From what you’ve said, it sounds like your parts match up."
Taylor blushed as she remembered how good Maia had felt against her fingers. She felt Andrew was missing an important piece she was trying to tell him. She was terrified she had feelings for Maia. That was going to do more harm than any amount of physical contact between them.
"So, what’s the problem? Aside from the generals finding out that you’re fucking her and possibly demoting you, I mean."
Taylor groaned. "You want a list?"
"No, but if you want to tell me about how you fucked her, I wouldn’t say no to a play-by-play…Ow! Hey, watch the guns," he complained as Taylor’s fist collided with his shoulder. He rubbed the area e
ven though the blow had not hurt that much, shifting further away on the bed. "All right, all right, I get it. Damn, I thought finally getting laid might mellow you out."
Taylor glared at him to let him know the crude humor was not appreciated. She wished Maia was human, or that Rachel was not so anti-ikthian. That way, she could go to her friend for some proper comfort. "I just wish I knew what to do," Taylor sighed. She ignored Andrew’s exaggerated pouting. Although the apartment where Maia was imprisoned had felt stifling before, she wanted to return there as fast as possible. She felt drawn to Maia in ways that frightened her.
"That’s up to you. But if it were me? I’d go for it. You only get so many chances to do crazy, stupid, awesome things in your life, especially in the military."
Taylor pushed herself off the bed, standing in front of Andrew as he continued to sit. "Well, this definitely qualifies as crazy and stupid." She studied Andrew for a minute as she considered her earlier thought. "Speaking of crazy and stupid, thank you for actually hearing me out. There aren’t many people around…wait, there is no one else around I would have talked to about this."
Andrew grinned. "Aw, thanks, Lieutenant. I should probably get this pile on its way, actually, though I appreciated our discussion. We should talk about this kind of thing all the time." Taylor whacked him on the arm again. "I mean it. I’m just trying to be a good friend."
Taylor rolled her eyes and opened the door, gesturing to the hall. "Sure you are," she said, though she knew Andrew was just teasing her. He acted like a lecherous ass, but she knew it was mostly for show. "I’ll see you later, okay?"
"Sure, Taylor," Andrew said. "Maybe you can invite me into your swanky new pad sometime." He gave her a wink as he stepped out into the hall.
"Yeah, you keep thinking that."
Andrew waved at her before turning and walking off to finally deliver his papers. He would make a good officer one day, Taylor thought, though his talents were wasted on base. He belonged out in the field where he could do some serious damage, but his division had yet to be rotated out.
Dark Horizons Page 9
