Hunting Their Mate

by Stone, Piper

  The second the climax erupted from deep within, I drove even harder, almost tossing the Harley. The way her pussy constricted was beautiful, powerful in a freeing manner. I was thrown, every nerve standing on end.

  When her body slumped, I eased over her, cradling her as her breathing continued to be ragged. The warmth was exceptional and we molded together as one.

  Two animals coupled, their bodies entwined.

  I had difficulty focusing as my own needs increased. “You hungry for more?”

  “Hell... yes.” Her shoulders heaved but she pushed against me, leaning her head on my shoulder. “I want everything.”

  “Good, ‘cause that’s what you’re going to get.” The growl was almost inaudible, coming from the very depths of my soul. I shoved my cock between her rounded cheeks, finding her dark hole.

  Tensing, she shuddered visibly as I slid in an inch.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  “Goddamn!” she exclaimed. “Jesus. Oh...”

  “Tight. So fucking tight.” I closed my eyes, thrusting the rest of my shaft deep inside. “Fuck. Yes!” The roar floated up toward the trees, a damn beautiful sound. I was unable to stop, plunging over and over again. The warmth and tightness were far too good, electrifying my blood to the point I had hot flashes skating down every inch of my body.

  As I fucked her, I smacked my hand against her bottom, the stinging sensations rocketing straight into my cells. When she squeezed, chuckling in an almost demonic manner, I lost it, erupting inside. “Fuck!”

  This wasn’t about romance. Even though I’d witnessed a certain amount of happiness in the various couplings of Cenzans and humans, I certainly didn’t believe in love. How was it even possible any longer? Times were difficult at best, certain factions of humans ready to fight the aliens with any crude weapon they could get their hands on.

  Yet they could be just as easily exterminated for their actions by the increasing numbers of law enforcement, trained soldiers who acted more like mercenaries. The rumble within the underground indicated increasing discord. There would be a damning disruption at some point.

  I was the king’s protector, only my station remained on Earth. Information I’d provided months ago had been vital to destroying a vile operation headed by Logan and his cronies. So many scientists and doctors had bought into his line of bullshit, making the Earth stronger and more viable against the Cenzans. Only I knew the truth. Humans were the true enemy. I knew where to sniff out danger, enemies hell bent on disrupting the various good deeds the Cenzans had been able to accomplish.

  Yeah, I’d seen the power of their world and what they’d been able to provide on several occasions. That had included saving human lives that in my opinion deserved to rot in hell. Was I jaded as fuck? Without a doubt.

  Kristina climbed off the bike first, flipping her hands through her long braids and moving away from me.

  I studied her as she dressed, her exquisite beauty and tough demeanor exuding from every pore. She was a true mystery, a rough and tumble girl with hatred lacing her eyes. She’d obviously experienced a heightened level of shit in her life, much like what I had. I couldn’t offer her solace. I had no choice words, other than what I’d already said. If she really believed she was capable of causing a difference, killing a few Cenzans during a moment of seduction, she would have a rude awakening.

  By all rights, I should drag her to the mother ship, allowing King Drateq to decide her fate, but I had the distinct feeling that she was the strength for many. Besides, Shandar had other matters to attend to that were much more important. As the leader of the Cenzans, he was responsible for making and keeping vital political connections on the planet. After all, they had nowhere else to go to, their planet destroyed in order to keep it out of their enemy’s hands.

  When she yanked the blade from the tree, she eyed the sharp point, testing it against her finger before folding the knife into the sheath.

  A part of me wanted to ask questions. Another had no desire to learn any more. She was a respite and nothing more. To act any differently wouldn’t serve in either of our interests.

  She finally turned, adjusting the cuffs on her pants then holding out her hand. “I’ll take my knife and my panties.” She was all business once again, her expression rivaling one of mine.

  Cold as fuck.

  “And what makes you think you deserve to get your weapon back? The panties are mine. Call them a souvenir.”

  She snorted, cocking her head. “I don’t think you really want to fuck with me.”

  I eased off the bike, moving around her and grabbing my shirt. “And I told you that you don’t want to fuck with the Cenzans.”

  “Are you their lackey?”

  I gave her a harsh look before yanking on the shirt. “You don’t follow rules very well.”

  “I’m American and very human. I don’t need to.”

  There was no answer that would do anything but create yet another harsh vibe. I’d once been a very proud American, serving my country for years blindly as Lieutenant Drake Michaelson. Only once I’d been betrayed did I no longer honor my name or respect the Marines. Now, I was merely the killer needed to keep the peace, a hired gun of sorts.

  That suited me just fine.

  “Is your name really Killer?” she asked, inching closer.

  “Is yours Kristina?”

  “My given name but everyone calls me Bellona.”

  “The Goddess of War. Fascinating.”

  She opened her eyes wide, giving me a nod of respect. “An educated man. I thought of you as more of a brute, incapable of thinking. With the exception of with your dick.”

  The crude remark was meant to set me off. I wasn’t taking the bait. “I am many things, Kristina, but I suggest you don’t want to find out.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “Take it for what you will. Heed my advice or don’t. No skin off my teeth.” After yanking the keys from my pocket, I climbed back on the bike, shoving the metal into the ignition. I pulled her panties from my pocket, taking a deep whiff. The scent I would remember for a long time. “Take care, Kristina. There are many wild animals in the forest. It would be a shame if you were suddenly taken.” I revved the engine and reversed, pulling out of the space.

  She glared at me for a few seconds before breaking into a smile.

  As I roared the bike past her, a slight pang shifted in my heart. Somehow the luscious woman had gotten to me, which was a feat in itself. Time to regroup.

  Time to push her out of my mind.

  The drive was freeing even in the darkness, the rarely traveled roads allowing for solace as well as peace. I craved alone time, allowed to keep some sort of perspective regarding my life. The colony I protected was far enough removed from the political strife or the larger cities, allowing a group of Cenzans to enjoy life on Earth.

  There were times I felt like an outcast, even hated by certain aliens who didn’t believe I should be allowed into the inner sanctum. However, I was a loner, needing no one.

  As I sped along the road, careful to watch for any curious wild animals, I couldn’t help but laugh. Had the taste of her somehow changed me, breaking the chains from so long ago? That wasn’t in my best interest, the darkness far too consuming. Any woman who dared enter my world would find herself damaged goods very quickly. I was no one’s prize.

  While the colony wasn’t enclosed, the beautiful but quaint group of houses leftover from the Great War, there were guards posted in various locations. Trust was difficult for the Cenzans, especially since there’d been several upheavals and reported attacks during the last few months. Marauders were murderous vipers. It would take years before we could all live peacefully together.

  If ever.

  I wasn’t a true believer, especially with a new president about to take office. Once a rambling idiot regarding the Cenzan species, Jonas Bradford had finally seen the light, likely winning the election with a huge margin. I refused to buy h
is bullshit.

  Still, King Shandar Drateq was in continued talks with every government leader, a poster boy of peace amongst the species and he was damn good at his job. I’d heard rumors he was back on his Comstar ship and the reasons for his arrival. If they were true, the king was concerned about an uprising of some kind.

  As I rolled into the colony, heading immediately for the house I’d been given, a sense of longing slithered back into my system. There’d been so many nights years before I’d yearned for what I could no longer have. The experience tonight had been far too jarring, the reminder painful.

  Now, Kristina’s sweet taste had turned to vinegar, her panties a guilty reminder.

  There was no sense of urgency or trouble as I drove through, only a quietness surrounding the colony, lights on in various buildings. There was even music floating into the streets. Everything was almost normal.

  Too normal and far too quiet in an entirely different manner.

  My boots seemed heavier as I walked onto the porch, stopping briefly to take a look at the sky. If you looked closely enough, you could see the lights from the various ships orbiting Earth. Or maybe I simply knew where to look for them. I often wondered if King Drateq had told the truth to the Earth leaders about the number of Comstars that had arrived, bringing what was left of their kind. Every one of them seemed hopeful, even eager to find a new home.

  Desperation.

  Much like the human race.

  If only the world knew just how close they’d come to total and complete annihilation from nuclear bombs and various forms of gas. While the Great War had destroyed so much, it had also allowed for the world to continue in a different manner.

  Some electricity.

  Some running water.

  Governments mandating order.

  Food sources returning to what they’d once been.

  Medical supplies and scientific achievements on par with what they should have been.

  But there was a foreboding sense hanging over everyone, as if another war was about to begin. If Captain Logan Hicks and the others had gotten their way, there would have been. That wasn’t going to become public knowledge ever, everyone involved forbidden from speaking of the incident.

  Hicks had almost killed the then-prince mere hours before the destruction of their home planet. For the few who knew what had occurred months past, I was considered a hero. I was nobody’s hero and never would be.

  What Shandar and the others didn’t know is that there were more underground bunkers keeping people alive, lying in wait for the right opportunity. This was something I couldn’t prove, but I knew enough to terrify even me.

  I walked inside, dropping my keys and turning on the small light. Sensing a presence, I immediately drew my weapon, only it turned out to be Kristina’s knife. I turned off the light, taking a few seconds to allow my eyes to get used to the darkness.

  Except a light was coming from the kitchen.

  I crept down the hallway, heading in the direction of my visitor, my hackles raised. Whoever would dare enter my home would find themselves in harm’s way. When I walked inside, I shook my head. “What are you doing here?”

  Captain Khrelan Jajenar turned in my direction, grinning in only a manner the Cenzans could do. We’d become friends in recent months. I’d introduced him to real liquor while he engaged me with stories from his world, and the battles he’d won. However, I had a feeling his presence held a more substantial meaning.

  He held up his glass in a salute. “I was in the area.”

  “Bullshit.” I walked around the island, grabbing a clean glass and pouring from the same bottle he’d selected. “Bourbon tonight. Your taste buds are changing.”

  “You’re entirely responsible.”

  I took a sip, studying his attire. He was in his captain’s uniform. Another surprise. “Spill it.”

  “The drink?” Khrelan teased, finally having learned certain American lingo.

  “What’s going on?”

  He poured another glass for himself before speaking. “Have you spoken with Shandar recently?”

  “Not in a month or so. Should I?”

  “There are issues.”

  “There are always issues.” When he didn’t expound, I rubbed my eyes. “It’s been a long night, Khrelan. What do you need to tell me?”

  “You are aware of the various humans who have banded together in order to fight the colonization.”

  “They’ve been around since the very beginning. This is old news. They only believe they are dangerous.”

  He exhaled. “There is one faction that the king is worried about. They’ve grown in numbers over the last few months and from what he’s heard, are capable of causing significant damage.”

  I’d heard this before, twice in fact, the fear turning me into nothing but a hunter. Perhaps I was weary of chasing ghosts. “Who is their leader, some ancient dude with political aspirations?”

  Khrelan shook his head, taking another sip. He swirled the glass, obviously happy with his choice. “No, from what we’ve heard a well-educated and highly respected individual who has knowledge of the forests and locations of our camps. There is significant fear that one of them will be attacked. I don’t have to tell you what that will mean, the requirements that the king will have to undertake.”

  Cenzan laws were strict, much more so than any with the United States and certainly the majority of other countries. Khrelan was right. If these humans decided to attack the Cenzan people, there would be a cry for a full-scale war by every Cenzan already living on Earth as well as remaining in the ships orbiting the planet. “Do you know his identity?”

  “That’s what we don’t know, although there are rumors, but you know how Shandar operates by now.”

  Yes, I certainly did. Shandar was a fair leader, kind and generous as well as highly skilled in the methods of battle. “There are always rumors, Khrelan. We can’t initiate a battle plan of our own on rumors.”

  “True enough, my friend. That is why I’m here, to ask you to keep your eyes and ears open. If you even gather a hint of a possible assault in any manner, you must promise to contact Shandar.”

  Nodding, I accepted his command. This wasn’t anything different than my usual requirements. “That I can do.”

  He polished off his drink, giving a guttural noise in appreciation before setting down the glass. “Thank you as always for your hospitality. I’ll see myself out.” He walked by, tipping his head slightly. “You smell of a woman, Killer, and I can almost envision her beauty. Long legs and sparkling eyes. Amazing curves. A warm, sweet pussy. Are you ready to settle down and to create a family of your own?”

  I snorted, trying to wash away the memories of the very formidable woman. “Not in this lifetime. I’m a warrior and nothing more.” Visions of her flashed into my mind, her voluptuous body and seductive mannerisms. My cock ached just thinking about her, but we were nothing but gasoline, ready to explode.

  A far too dangerous combination.

  He cocked his head. “You forget that I know you far too well. The darkness inside of you will eventually destroy all that is good. Life is short, my friend. That much I’ve learned. I’m blessed from the gods above to have a wife.”

  Yeah, sharing her with two other men, a culture that I couldn’t comprehend. I was far too jealous of any man pawing after my woman. “I appreciate the advice.” The darkness had already corrupted my soul, stealing away a portion of my heart that could never be returned.

  Sex.

  That was powerful enough.

  Khrelan laughed as he moved toward the door.

  “What else is worrying the king? There’s more to this, isn’t there?”

  Khrelan turned slightly, his brow furrowed. I always knew when a Cenzan was hiding something by the changing color of their eyes and his were pools of black.

  “There are things that always concern the king.”

  Uh-huh, which meant his fears were very political. Shandar was a powerful warri
or in his own right, and while fair, he could also be brutal.

  “You don’t anything about this leader at all? No name? No rank? Nothing?”

  He shot me a look. “Only that he’s known as the God of War. Also known as the Annihilator for his brutal tactics.”

  My instincts kicked into another level, a knowing that sent a slight hint of anger into my pulse. “Interesting. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”

  After Khrelan left, I poured another drink to the rim, holding up the glass.

  And I knew in my gut what we were facing.

  The attack would come soon.

  Many would die.

  Others imprisoned.

  Our world would change again.

  And this time, who would be responsible?

  A powerful warrior that had every intent on dying if necessary in order to carry out her dark plan.

  Only she was Bellona, the Goddess of War, and she was all woman.

  Chapter Three

  Kristina

  A ploy. I knew there was something going on with the American government. For all the posturing that the presidential candidate had done, rumors of his continued aggression toward the Cenzan race had become a focus of my interest early on. Lately, there’d been more posts from underground sources, the information terrifying in its own right.

  My thoughts drifted to a man who served as my self-proclaimed second in command. Damen Solomon was brutal, very dangerous, and I’d gathered he was unhappy that we hadn’t initiated a full-scale attack on one of the Cenzan villages. There’d been plenty of whispers of secret meetings, but I’d never caught him in the act and given everyone’s fear of the man, they definitely wouldn’t divulge anything of that nature.

  If what I suspected was true, I wondered whether he was connected in some manner to this underground operation, infiltrating our group as a cover of some kind. I certainly wouldn’t put that past the man or the government. If so, I would strangle him with my bare hands. I hadn’t considered the possibility that Damen was nothing more than a plant, but given his actions, I was beginning to believe. In fact, my instincts were kicking in overdrive.