Though Andrew had only been two years old when his father passed, he’d taken Billy’s death hard. Crying himself to sleep had become a nightly ritual.
Andrew had eventually stopped asking about his dad, instead focusing all of his attention on his mother. Fiona understood his need to stay close to her; she’d needed him too.
Fiona’s brother was the only man that Andrew had opened up to since his father’s death. And even then, the child seemed to hold back a part of himself.
Brant had encouraged Fiona to accept the government’s offer to liaise with the Bracadytes. Not only did he feel it a great honor to be chosen for the job, but he felt the time away would do Andrew some good. It would also give Brant a chance to bond with his nephew.
Fiona glanced over her shoulder at her son’s smiling face. It had been good for him to stay with Brant in the weeks that she was away. But in all the years since Billy’s death, Fiona had never seen her son bond with anyone the way he bonded with Gryke.
“Dinner is ready,” she announced, dipping Andrew a plate.
“What about Brant?” Gryke murmured, suddenly standing behind her.
The heat from his body turned Fiona’s insides to mush. She stood perfectly still, afraid if she moved, she’d do something stupid, like throw herself into his arms.
“I’ll go check on him.” Fiona skirted Gryke’s giant form and escaped to the bedroom.
Brant lay on his side, softly snoring, giving Fiona a chance to catch her breath. She leaned against the wall, taking in great gulps of air.
“Is everything all right?”
The soft sound of Gryke’s voice startled her. She pushed away from the wall, nearly running into him in her haste to return to the kitchen.
“He’s still sleeping,” she threw over her shoulder, grabbing a plate and filling it for Gryke.
“It is not necessary for you to wait on me.”
Fiona turned and handed him a heaping plate of everything she’d cooked. “You’re a guest.”
“Humans have strange customs.” Gryke took her offering and sat in one of the chairs at the table. “I think you should stay in Aukrabah. At least for a few more weeks.”
Fiona’s stomach tightened. She glanced toward the bedroom where Brant lay sleeping. “It looks like I’ll have to. Brant’s not ready to travel yet.”
“You do not appear as if you are sleeping well,” Gryke pointed out. “I will have your brother moved to his own apartment. You will rest much better if you are not sharing your bed with two other people.”
Surprised by his observation, Fiona finished making her plate, joining Andrew and Gryke at the table. “You don’t have to do that. He needs someone to look after him.”
“I will have one of our females tend to him until he is recovered.”
“But—”
“It is settled,” Gryke interrupted, taking a bite of his macaroni and cheese. His eyes slid shut and a soft groan escaped his lips. “I have never tasted anything so delicious. Other than the human hamburger and French fries.”
Fiona laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Macaroni and cheese is Andrew’s favorite food.”
Andrew grinned, showing partially orange teeth.
“Eat with your mouth closed,” Fiona gently scolded, winking to remove some of the sting.
The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, with Fiona keeping her eyes downcast. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Gryke, afraid he would see the desire burning in her eyes.
His knee brushed against hers, sending butterflies scattering throughout her stomach.
Fiona went still, her chest tight with anxiety. She wanted him to move in closer, to caress her knee with his. She didn’t have long to wait.
The pressure was subtle but unmistakable. Gryke was purposely touching her.
Raising her gaze, Fiona’s breath caught at the look of desire swimming in his emerald-green eyes. He wanted her. That much was obvious.
She glanced away before she embarrassed herself. “How did you like swimming, Andrew?”
“I thought you said I wasn’t supposed to talk with food in my mouth.”
Fiona laughed. “I did say that, didn’t I? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a mouth full.”
Andrew took a drink of the water that Fiona had set next to him when she’d made his plate. “I love swimming with Mister Gryke. He’s big enough that I can’t drown.”
“He is big, isn’t he?” Fiona repeated, hoping to lighten the mood. But one glance in Gryke’s direction told her his mood hadn’t lightened one bit.
Fiona knew she was in trouble.
Gryke abruptly stood. “Thank you for the meal, Fiona.”
“Where are you going?” Andrew asked, disappointment evident on his face.
“I have something to take care of. I will check in on you later, little one.” He spun around and left without further explanation.
Fiona watched him go with a feeling of foreboding. Other than the safety of her son and brother, she feared very little in life. But Gryke scared her. For he possessed the power to break her heart.
With her appetite suddenly gone, Fiona stood and took her plate over to the stone countertop of her makeshift kitchen.
Several of the apartments had been fashioned with makeshift kitchens since Abbie’s arrival over a year ago. And for that, Fiona was grateful.
She glanced around her temporary home, taking in the mastery that went into creating the odd-shaped apartment. Everything from the moonstones positioned around the room to the sand-filled bed she slept on had a warm and cozy feel about it.
Come to think of it, Fiona mused, Aukrabah was stunningly beautiful. Different colored stones were embedded into the halls, each one serving a purpose. To Fiona, they resembled jewels and gave the place an ethereal appearance.
She wandered over to the door and dragged her fingertips along the smooth arch. Aukrabah was an underground paradise. It didn’t need air conditioning or heat; the temperature stayed at a comfortable seventy degrees at all times.
Freshwater pools were staggered throughout with several of them naturally heated like the bathhouse Fiona had used earlier. The food source was plentiful, and what the Bracadytes didn’t have, Vaulcron brought back from Cuba. Or he did before Oz took up residence in Aukrabah.
They even have school, Fiona thought, turning to peer at Andrew. A school that teaches their children to speak many languages, including English.
Aukrabah had a peaceful feel about it. It was a place of refuge…a home.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gryke studied the apartment some of the Bracadyte males had readied for Brant. Satisfied that Fiona’s brother would be comfortable there, he turned toward the females that had gathered in the foyer. “The land walker male will need to be cared for in the coming moons.”
“I will tend to him,” Caurmella offered, a blush staining her cheeks.
Staring intently at her, Gryke nodded. “He will need help with his meals, his trips to the bathroom, as well as bathing. Perhaps you should speak with your father before a commitment is made.”
Caurmella crossed her arms over her chest. “I am old enough to make my own decisions. I do not need my father’s permission to care for the human male.”
“Very well,” Gryke conceded. “I will go and retrieve the land walker now.”
Brant’s apartment would be fairly close to Fiona’s, yet far enough away to give her some privacy. And she would need privacy, Gryke decided, striding off down the hall. Especially on the nights he planned on being alone with her.
“I have your brother’s apartment ready,” Gryke announced from Fiona’s doorway.
She jumped as if startled and spun to face him. “He’s actually happy about having his own space. I guess he’s tired of me hovering.”
“Where is Andrew?”
Fiona nodded toward the bedroom. “He just went to sleep.”
Gryke took a step forward and stopped. “May I enter?”
“Of c
ourse.”
Stepping inside, Gryke stared down into Fiona’s beautiful face. “I gave him an apartment that is near yours, so that you can visit him often. Caurmella has agreed to tend to his needs until he is strong enough to care for himself.”
“Caurmella?”
“She is an unmated female who is familiar with the land walker ways. She will take good care of your brother.”
Fiona attempted a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “How is she familiar with our ways?”
Was that jealousy Gryke sensed in Fiona? “Abbie held a class for all who wanted to attend. She taught us how to cook some of your human foods as well as other things, like how to use the human razor.”
“About that. How come you are the only Bracadyte male I’ve seen so far that has facial hair?”
“My mother was human.” Gryke wasn’t sure why he was telling Fiona about his mother. Aside from Braum, Oz was the only other person that knew of Gryke’s past.
Fiona’s mouth opened on a small gasp. “You’re human?”
“No,” Gryke growled, angry to be referred to as a land walker. “My father is Bracadyte.”
“But your mother is human.”
“Was. My mother was human. She died before I was barely off the breast.”
“How?” Fiona asked quietly, her eyes huge in her face.
“Shot down by her own people.”
“Oh, my God. Why?”
Gryke shrugged, attempting to hide the emotion welling up inside. “Her family found out that she had conceived a child with a Bracadyte. Some of the males followed her to the water one morning to find her playing in the waves with my father and me. They began shooting at us with their human weapons. My mother threw herself in front of us to protect us and was hit by one of the land walker’s bullets. She died instantly.”
Fiona stared up at Gryke through horror-filled eyes. “No wonder you hate humans.”
“I do not hate all humans,” Gryke admitted, taking a step closer to her.
Fiona visibly swallowed, her gaze straying to the rose tattoo on his arm.
“It is a symbol of my mother,” Gryke murmured, seeing the question in Fiona’s eyes. “Her name was Rose.”
“I’m sorry about your mother, Gryke. I know how it feels to lose a parent. I lost both of mine.”
Gryke took another step closer. “How did your parents die?”
“My father died of a heart attack when I was a teenager, and my mother passed away a few years later of pneumonia. I joined the Marines when Brant graduated high school, and he joined shortly after.”
That surprised Gryke. “Your brother is in the military as well?”
Fiona nodded. “He was. After serving his time, he went back to school and got his bachelor’s degree in architecture.”
“I understand the word architect.”
“A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to seven years. Depending on institution and academic discipline.”
Gryke inched closer. “Your brother has intelligence.”
“Yes,” Fiona whispered, holding Gryke’s stare.
Closing the gap between them, Gryke slowly lowered his head, his gaze locked on Fiona’s mouth.
“Fiona?”
The spell surrounding Gryke and Fiona was instantly broken by Brant’s voice.
Gryke quickly stepped back, allowing Fiona to precede him into the bedroom.
Brant sat on the side of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. “I overheard about the apartment,” he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. “Point me in the right direction, and I’ll get out of your way.”
“You don’t have to go right this minute,” Fiona interjected. “There’s no rush.”
Giving her an exasperated look, Brant shook his head. “There’s too much noise in here. I’ll sleep better in my own space.”
Gryke didn’t need to read the guy’s thoughts to understand what he attempted to do. Brant only wanted to give them some time alone.
“I will take you there.” Moving to Brant’s side, Gryke lifted the man’s arm and draped it around his shoulder.
Brant’s lips peeled back over his teeth as Gryke helped him stand.
Fiona immediately shouldered her brother’s weight on his other side.
“I can make it,” Brant insisted, shrugging off his sister’s help. “You should stay here in case Andrew wakes up.”
Taking the brunt of Brant’s weight, Gryke slowly escorted him from the room, eager to get him in his apartment and return to Fiona.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Fiona blew out a breath she’d been holding and trailed quietly to the foyer to finishing cleaning up the mess from dinner.
“May I come in?” Maria asked from the door.
Drying her hands on a towel, Fiona nodded. “Of course. How are you doing?”
“Much better.” Maria stepped inside the foyer and wrapped Fiona in a hug. “I never really got a chance to thank you for all your help.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Fiona argued, tossing the towel on the back of a chair. “Oz is the real hero.”
Maria smiled, trailing farther into the room. “Had you not taken out that boat of rebels, we’d all be dead right now.”
Uncomfortable with Maria’s praise, Fiona changed the subject. “Was there something that you needed?”
“I came to sit with Andrew. I figured you could use some alone time.”
Fiona glanced toward the bedroom where Andrew lay sleeping. “I don’t know. I’m not sure how he would react, waking up without his mama here.”
“He’ll be fine,” Maria insisted. “I’ll come find you if there’s a problem.”
Fiona did want to take a bath. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Now scat.”
Fiona strode to her room and grabbed her bag. “Oz won’t miss you?”
Maria shook her head. “He and Vaulcron went to the surface to gather supplies.”
Fiona paused in sifting through her clothes. “They went to Cuba?”
“No,” Maria responded with a chuckle. “President Pratt has ordered the military to assist the Bracadytes with any supplies they might need. Oz and Vaulcron took the four-wheelers and the cart you brought your brother in on. It will not only save them a lot of time, but the cart will hold way more than they could carry by themselves.”
“That’s wonderful. And thank you, Maria. I have been dying to take a bath.”
After checking in on Andrew once more, Fiona grabbed up her clean clothes, thanked Maria again, and strode off toward the bathhouse.
Two Bracadyte females were just climbing from the pool when Fiona arrived at the bathhouse. She waited for them to leave before undressing and climbing into the steamy warmth of the water.
It felt good to soak in the heated pool without worrying about Andrew. Fiona would do something nice for Maria to repay her for her generosity.
Fiona grabbed up the shampoo and washed her hair before leisurely bathing with the strawberry cake of soap.
“Do not run from me,” Gryke rumbled, suddenly standing next to the pool.
Fiona’s body came alive at the look of desire swirling in his emerald-green eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Something I should have done days ago.” Gryke peeled out of his clothes, never taking his heated gaze from Fiona.
Her breath caught as she took in his now nude form. “Someone will see—”
“I have a guard outside the entrance,” he assured her, stepping into the pool. “We will not be disturbed.”
He stopped in front of her, his chest level with her face. “I do not understand what is happening to me. I only know that I will go mad if I do not taste you on this night.”
Fiona’s insides turned into a bundle of excited nerves. Heat formed at the juncture of her thighs, and her breasts tingled with awareness.
She had to tilt her head back to look into his amazi
ng eyes. “I want you too.”
A growl escaped Gryke’s parted lips. His hands spanned her waist, and he lifted her to eye level with him. “Put your legs around me.”
Fiona didn’t hesitate. She wrapped her legs around him, locking her ankles behind his muscular ass.
His mouth slanted across hers, taking her breath and any thought that remained in her head.
She could feel his huge erection throbbing against her aching center.
He lowered his hands to her ass, pulled her closer, and ground his sex against hers.
Nerves exploded to life, racing through the place their bodies touched to erupt inside her abdomen. Fiona shuddered against him, kissing him back with all the pent-up passion she’d had bottled inside since the moment she’d first laid eyes on him.
Gryke walked to the side of the pool and sat Fiona on a folded towel resting on its edge. “There is something I wish to try. Something I have craved to do from the moment we met.”
He gently unhooked her legs from around his waist and draped them over his shoulders, keeping one arm around her back to prevent her from falling.
Fiona’s heart began to slam against her ribs. She had no doubt of his intentions, and God help her, but she wanted it just as much as he did.
Flattening her palms on the floor’s surface, Fiona leaned back to give him better access.
Gryke dropped his gaze to her achingly wet center, slid his arm from around her back, and lowered his head.
A moan of pure, unimaginable pleasure slipped from Fiona’s lips with the first swipe of his tongue.
She could feel his mouth vibrating against her with every growl that rumbled from his throat.
Fiona was on fire. She wanted nothing more than to lie back and open herself fully to him. To give herself to him in every way. But she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from his lips and tongue as he devoured her like a man starved.
“Gryke,” she gasped, tightening her thighs around his shoulders and lifting herself more firmly against his mouth.
Locking her elbows, Fiona swirled her hips, keeping in time with the lashing of his tongue.
Her body began to seize with the rush of an orgasm so intense, spots danced behind her eyes and a cry wrenched from her to echo off the walls of the bathhouse.
Gryke: A SciFi Alien Romance (Enigma Series Book 6) Page 8
