“Sol is working on creating an identity for her as we speak. She will return with Ari after their mission is complete.”
“No. Absolutely not, Ren. Do your mind thing. Make her come back. She just doesn’t understand. She thought Ragar rejected her!” I’m angry and pissed and devastated all at once. I grip the back of Ren’s neck and shoulders, practically dying for him to listen to me. For him to understand how much I hurt for my friend. “She just needs to know he wants her.”
“I cannot interfere, my Aciana. It is not my place to tell her.”
“Then let me! Let me message her, call her—something. I know she’ll come back if I tell her what really happened…”
He sits me down on our bed and wipes the tears from my swollen cheeks. “It is not possible. We could not risk providing Ari with a communication device. His only means of contact is through the bond. He gave the human mechanic the option to return, informing her I had secured an additional ship for her transport back...” He wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his chest. “She wishes to stay gone.”
Chapter Twenty
Jayla
Resentment pulses through me. Leandra and Ari have been gone for more than a week, and Ren’s ability to check in directly with Ari frustrates me. I’m sick and tired of having to wait for second-hand knowledge about my friend, and this stupid bond thing isn’t working the way I want it to. I’ve tried to connect with Ari, to the point of making myself ill, and still nothing.
“Why won’t anything in this damn place work?” I curse, smashing my hand against the coffee dispenser on the wall. I rear back, ready to send it to hell, when Ren wraps his fingers around my wrist.
“The object has offended you, Skara?” he asks, smirking at my outburst. I pull away from his grasp.
“Not now. I’m not in the mood.” His brows stitch together as he looks at me sideways. Annoyed, I stomp toward the table but stumble as I catch my foot on the edge of the chair. So pissed I’m sweating, a dull pain shoots up my leg as I kick the chair across the room. “Ughhhhh,” I roar, hell bent on kicking it again for maximum damage. A snort draws my attention from my inanimate foe. Vora is staring at me, leaned against the wall. Whatever mild composure I’m clinging to breaks instantly.
“Who are you looking a—hey! Put me down!” I yell into Ren’s ear as he throws me over his shoulder.
“Enough, Skara. Your reign of terror ends now.”
With limited options, I reach down and pinch his ass as hard as I can. “Put me down, Ren. This is bullshit!” He grunts and smacks my butt. “You put me down this instant!” Spreading my feet on either side of our door, I kick off, preventing him from getting through. Ren curses and grabs my legs, yanking them wide to break my hold. My hips slam into his, and I gasp at the sting of pain between my thighs. He’s so hard.
“Fuck you,” I say, glaring at him as he throws me on the bed. A growl tears from his throat as he lunges forward, thrusting his tongue into my mouth. I buck my hips, raking my sensitive nub against his cock.
“Ah!” I cry, clamping down on his lip. My anger from earlier twists into crazed need as he shoves his hand down the front of my pants, his fingers thrusting deep. My muscles clench, and my world shatters on my scream. Not giving me a second to relax, Ren flips me over, slapping my ass and sending a delicious burn across my scalp as he fists my hair and yanks my head back. Then… he’s on top of me, that glorious dick stiff against my back, my muscles trembling.
“I’m not even close to done with you.” The sound of fabric ripping cuts through our heavy breaths as Ren slices through my clothes. “Spread your legs. Now,” he commands, smacking me hard on the ass again when I don’t comply fast enough.
“Do not move.”
Cold air prickles my skin, and for a moment I lose his warmth. Shivers turn into convulsions when Ren shoves his face against my sex, and I whimper as my sensitive nipples scrape against the bedding. He plunges his tongue deep inside me, and I’m flooded with sensation. The wet warmth and the roughness of his stubble grate against my slick folds. I grip the sheets, fighting my urge to crawl away from the intensity, and scream as Ren bites down on my clit.
My body is on fire. Every single nerve ending singing and screaming in a sweet burning pain. I whimper as Ren withdraws and the weight of his body once again covers mine. Rough callouses scrape the delicate skin of my throat as he wraps his hand around it.
“Every moment I yearn for you,” he whispers in my ear, guiding my legs further apart. “You possess my thoughts, my dreams…” His full lips tease the corner of my mouth as he massages my clit, readying me. Already slick, the tip of his cock teases my wet entrance, and my heart stutters in my chest as he guides my chin up to meet his gaze.
“You own my soul, my Aciana. No other female can ever take your place.” All things cease to exist as Ren slides into me, filling me completely. His strokes are softer, more tender than normal as he pushes in and out. Nothing can tear me from this moment, from my mate. I hold his gaze, letting his black orbs erase my every thought. Pulling him into a kiss, I let all my worry, frustration, and pain dissolve as Ren sends me tumbling into oblivion.
Not wanting my post-sex high to dissipate after I force myself out of bed, I search for Rhia rather than hang out downstairs. I feel like I haven’t seen her in forever, plus if I catch sight of Illaria or Vora I might be tempted to beat them to a bloody pulp. Naya is now assigned to follow the two of them around to ensure we don’t kill each other.
Shortly after Leandra left, Ren agreed to loosen the captain’s restrictions in an attempt to cheer me up. Since he’s now allowed to visit with Bryn in the common room unguarded, the children are being restricted to the top floor out of an abundance of caution. Rhia and Dreya hate it.
Rhia’s clutching Ajay, rocking and gently cooing him to sleep as he suckles. An unfamiliar yearning fills me, and for a moment, I wonder what it would be like to have a baby of my own.
“He’s always hungry. I swear, he never stops.” Rhia’s exhausted lids droop as she stares down affectionately. “And by our ancestors, you better thank Ren for finding a ship with soundproof walls. This little warrior screams day and night. “
I chuckle, reaching out to stroke the wayward hairs sticking up from his head. They’re so soft and he smells so good. I swear I’d sniff him for hours if it didn’t make me look like a complete weirdo.
Rhia eyes me for a second, shifting Ajay to the other breast. “Laugh all you want, Ajayla but soon you will see what I mean.” Her lips pull into a sweet smile before returning her attention to Ajay, who now roots in search of more milk. “I cannot wait for him to grow up and get to know his namesake.” Her eyes grow watery with emotion. “Rivan and I cannot thank you enough for what you did.”
“We’ve been over this. You owe me nothing. You did all the work, after all.” I smile, leaning back against the wall.
“Yes, I did. I have never hurt so much in all my life!” Ajay nods off to sleep. Rhia exhales in exhaustion, then carefully covers herself and puts his little body on the bed.
“I am very sorry Leandra left without saying goodbye, Ajayla. Have you heard from her or Ari?”
“Ren checked in with Ari two days ago. They’re posing as escaped slaves. A scientist onboard has taken a liking to Ari and agreed to help them hide.”
“Has he found any clues to where our females have gone?”
I shake my head.
“We will find them, Ajayla.”
I nod, then stand to stretch my legs. “Go rest while he’s sleeping, I promise to come check back in soon. And I’ll do what I can to persuade Ren to change his mind about the children, but you know how he is.”
“I know all too well.”
The door softly creaks as I sneak out of her room, careful not to disturb Ajay. Clearing the stairs, I turn toward the kitchen and stop.
Why is Ren pacing?
A stab of anxiety clenches my gut. What else could possibly go wrong right now? Leandra’s
gone. Ragar’s closed himself off and hasn’t been seen in days. We’ve learned nothing from Ari and have no clue where to go from here. The only thing worse could be…
No.
“What is it?” I ask, rushing toward him.
He scrapes his palm over the top of his head then down his face. “I am unable to reach Ari.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. Just give him a bit, he’s probably flirting it up with the science broad.” I have no idea why I just said that. It’s so not fine. I don’t mean it, and the way Ren’s eyes narrow at my words suggests he knows I’m full of shit. I just want to make him feel better.
“I have meditated.”
“And you couldn’t find him?”
Ren shakes his head and rests his forehead against the nearest wall. “It is possible he is in a deep slumber or has been given hallucinogenic drugs. Both of those can temporarily block our connection.”
“Drugs? I ask, completely confused. The Illusians are the most rigid race of warriors I’ve ever seen.
“He would not have done so willingly.”
“Did you try to reach your Life Giver again? Did you get anything else from her or the others?
His nostrils flare, and he beats his fist against the wall. “Fen and Nico remain undercover. There is no change. My Life Giver still draws breath, but I cannot connect with her. The others—nothing.”
I wrap my arms around him. He doesn’t voice it, but I know he worries for her. For them all. “Is there anything we can do? Can’t we just go get Ari and Leandra?”
“Sol cannot arrange cover for anyone else without rousing suspicion.” He squeezes my hand, then moves out of my embrace. He’s distancing himself from me, and I don’t like it. Not one damn bit. My shoulders sag, and I collapse into a chair. I just can’t wrap my head around all the shit that’s happening. Ari is strong, and Leandra can most certainly handle herself. In all the time I’ve known her, she’s never reacted as rashly as she did. Sneaking out of here like that? Without saying goodbye?
That’s not the Leandra I know, and it worries me she might not be in her right mind.
“So, what? We just sit and wait?” My knee bounces uncontrollably against the leg of the neighboring chair. The small twinge of pain where my ankle meets its metal is a welcome distraction. Ren nods and walks off towards the navigation bay. An unsettling sense of dread gnaws at me. I can’t just sit around and wait for Ari. I need to make something happen now.
I jerk up and sprint into my room, grabbing my comm watch from beside the bed. Rushing after Ren, I barrel into the nav bay, interrupting Sol and his conversation.
“Here,” I pant, shoving my comm toward Sol. “Can you download what’s on this?” Sol’s eyes cut to Ren’s and linger, almost as if asking permission to speak. Ren’s clearly on edge, and it seems Sol does have a sense of self-preservation after all.
“What is it that you wish me to do, Aciana?”
“Those.” I point to a stack of unused tablets in the corner. “Can we use those? Can you download what’s on this to them?
Sol hesitates. “Yes, but may I ask what you plan to do with them?”
“Go through the emails, of course. I’m going to give them to the females. They aren’t doing anything, and most would like to help.”
“Not an option,” Ren says.
Adrenaline courses through my veins. “I’m sorry. What did you just say?”
“The emails contain explicit images and words the unmated are not accustomed to seeing. Nor would the mated males agree to let their females be exposed to pictures of another male’s genitals.”
Oh, no he didn’t. Is he serious?
“But you didn’t have a problem with me doing it?” Oh, I can’t wait to hear this…
“We were in a different set of circumstances.” He crosses his arms, standing at full height. I roll my eyes at his pinched expression. For an elevated species, they’re living in the damn Stone Age.
“Bullshit. We have no leads. We have no clue where to go from here, and those females have spent their entire lives living in fear of being kidnapped and bred like animals. They’ve never been allowed to fight. This gives them a chance to help save their fellow females and themselves.”
“The females are thirsty for vengeance. This would maintain their safety.”
I startle, nearly jumping out of my skin at the sound of Naya’s voice behind me. She’s been so preoccupied with Urina and Injari, I’ve hardly seen her.
My skin breaks out in goosebumps as anger radiates off Ren. His jaw is rigid, clenched so tightly it trembles. “Hold your tongue, Nayanthiana. This does not concern you.”
“Don’t silence her!” I yell, jumping to her defense. The pitch in my voice rises as my frustration climbs, and tears burn my eyes. The harsh lines of Ren’s face soften, and a wave of concern rushes down the bond.
“Skara—”
“No,” I hold up a hand. “For once, just ask them. Their males too, if you must, but just let them have a choice for once in their lives. Let them decide what they can or can’t handle.”
Ren reaches out to steady me, using his free hand to cup my face. His voice is low and heavy with exhaustion. “Why must you push me so hard? Can you not see the urgency of our situation and how it hangs heavily on my shoulders?”
A wave of empathy warms me as his anxiety slips through the bond. My resolve to be angry cracks at the sight of the fatigue lines around his beautiful eyes. He’s just so tired. I cup the side of his face, just as he is doing to mine.
“It isn’t just your burden to carry, my love. I’ve left my life behind to stand beside you in yours. Let me help you. Let me share the weight of this hardship.” Pushing the cornucopia of emotions raging inside me toward him through the bond, I let him feel my intentions, feel the truth of my words.
I love him, and I’m in this until the end.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jayla
The ship is way too quiet. It’s not all that abnormal given most of the Illusians are asleep in their beds, but Amina and I have been glued to our tablets for the last six Earth hours searching for clues.
Two of the mated declined to help due to their males’ discomfort. Illaria and Vora couldn’t be bothered to care. They both continue to pout over not being chosen during the Cuelling ceremony. Good riddance. I don’t think I can stand another second of their whiney self-absorbed chattering. Dreya and Xandria helped us look for several hours, but I sent them to bed when their lids began to droop. Amina is not so easily swayed.
“How can one human engage in so many relationships, Ajayla?” Amina asks, resting her chin on her hand. She stopped shrieking in shock and diverting her eyes about a thousand naked pictures ago. A dull ache pulses in my hips from sitting in one position for too long. Amina rolls her neck, rubbing at her shoulders.
“There are a lot of males who choose to have numerous partners. Illusian males are in the minority.”
I pat her head affectionately, and she shakes my hand off. “I am not that naïve, I know about sex. I just do not understand how one person could have so much…energy.”
A loud snort escapes my lips, and we both burst out laughing.
“I am serious! I mean… look.” She scrolls down and points to a set of correspondence. “Here he emails a man and sends him pictures of his…well, you know. And not one moment later, he is arranging for transport to meet up with some scientist.”
I giggle and peer closer at the message she mentioned.
Wait, what?
“Amina, let me see that for a moment.” Grabbing the tablet, I magnify the text, nearly choking on my spit. “He’s not arranging a meetup for sex. He’s negotiating the terms of an off-the-record transport to Station U. My station. This is how he got there without UCom leadership knowing. Well, at first anyway…”
She shoots up. “What does that mean?” The excitement brimming in her eyes is infectious.
“That means you just found something huge. This could be what
we need to find the females.”
Her hand flies to her mouth. “So, I did good?”
She nearly falls over as I yank her into a giant hug. “So, good! I’ve got to go show Ren!” Jumping up, I turn at full speed and smack right into Ren’s immovable chest. I knew he felt close. I just didn’t know he was that close.
I’ve got to get him a bell or something.
“Show me what you’ve found.”
“It’s what Amina found.” I smirk, unable to resist. It would have taken me another week to get to that group of messages. “The name of a scientist who has no business signing off on a transport request. It looks like he used his own currency stick to pay for it too. That would have cost him more than six years’ salary.”
His brows draw in and he looks to Amina. “Well done. I have woken Sol. He will follow up on your lead.”
“It is like he just disappeared, Acia,” Sol complains, slamming his tablet down. “I do not know where else to look. Whoever this human was, he no longer exists.”
Ren groans, dragging the tips of his barbs down the table. “Who in the Universal Community could achieve this? Making someone completely disappear?”
His rigid muscles relax slightly as I dig my fingers in, trying to work out the knots. My male is strung so tight he’s on the verge of exploding. And not in a good way. “Anyone high enough in the chain of command. Have you bothered searching for family names?”
Sol’s scratches his temple. “What good would that do?”
I roll my eyes and stand, padding toward the cluster of data projected above him. “Most people aren’t that creative. If you’re looking for a new identity, there’s always a chance you incorporate part of your old life with it.”
“But would that not defeat the purpose? If you use something that could be tied to the identity you are trying to escape?” Sol rubs his eyes and presses on his temples. He has to be exhausted. Ren expects much from him, and he tries so hard to impress him.
Unwelcome Page 13
