Unwelcome

by Annalise Alexis

  She turns to Ren. “Put him back in.”

  My mouth drops open. Oh, I like her.

  “I will collect these scoundrels in a moment, but not yet. Do it again.”

  “No, Anju. Stop it. You don’t mean—ah!” He once again clamps down his jaws and grunts at the pain.

  Anju shakes her head with her hands in the why me position. Despite her husband’s piss poor judgment and the way he was ready to steal our ship out from under us, I feel bad for her. She clearly had no idea what he was planning.

  “Your husband is an idiot. But I have a lot of your things, and we need the space. Would you like us to get some of them for you?”

  Anju’s eyes widen. “You would do that? Even after he threatened your lives?”

  Ren’s irritation zings through the bond. This is taking too long. He’s ready to end it.

  “Yes. But you won’t be allowed on board. You tell me where the tracker is, and we’ll get your things. Deal?”

  “Deal. I’m going to need them to barter for a divorce if this one doesn’t get his shit together.” The anger fades from her oblong orange eyes, and genuine love flickers through. “Once you have secured your people on your ship, will he agree to release them?” she asks, looking to Ren. “My Zaru may be a fool, but he is a fool for me. And when he is not being a flaming idiot, he is a good male.”

  “I think we can manage that.” I try to brace myself on Leandra’s arm, but Ren shakes his head and picks me up.

  Anju grabs an overturned chair and swipes off the blood, taking a seat. “I’ll wait here. It isn’t often he is put in his place. I want to enjoy it while it lasts.”

  Ren

  The weight of responsibility settles heavily on my shoulders. I lost myself to my rage. Destroying all but the first male to spark my anger. I clawed and sliced until there was nothing left. No neurons or synapses to latch onto. No memories intact to rip away. Just a sopping mess of blood and bone to stain the floor.

  “Stop worrying. We’ll find who did this. We have the females back, that’s what’s important right now.” My mate’s voice is slurred by exhaustion. Still so deeply embedded in our connection, she does not realize she is addressing my thoughts out loud.

  “Rest. Do not take heed to my thoughts. They remain scrambled. They will clear in time.”

  She feels light in my arms—her fingers like ice as they move from gash to bruise, tracing my every wound. She is unsettled. The interaction with my Life Giver plays over and over in her mind, and I wish to take her fear and illogical feelings of inadequacy away.

  Burn them to ash along with all those that lie in pieces in my wake.

  She saved our females. Delivered them from fire when I was consumed by my grief over losing her. She was gone. I felt the ache and despair of her life ripped away. A growl tears through my throat, and I strengthen my grip.

  “Easy, Ren, I can barely breathe as it is. I’m right here.” She nuzzles closer to my chest. Her sweet breath wraps around me, masking the scent of blood and ash. The speed of my strides increase. I need to taste her, run my hands over her naked skin.

  “I will heal your body once we return.” I lower my voice, “Every single inch.”

  She stirs in my arms. The musk of her arousal teases my nose with each shift of her hips. My cock hardens, and despite the sorrow and fear still lingering in the air, I want her. And after I have shed my clothes and cleansed myself of all signs of battle, I am going to take her like my life depends on it.

  It does. She and I, we are forever.

  The small open area between the station and the air tube connecting to our ship is filled with sobbing, distraught females. I head for our room, anxious to have my mate to myself, but take pause as Jayla’s empathy weaves through the bond.

  My mate’s sagging eyes open, and she wraps her hand around my neck to sit up.

  “There are so many.” Her whisper hints of her sadness. I do not like it. She has shed enough tears for a hundred lifecycles.

  “Yes. Sol is taking their names. The ones he can understand—their last known planetary residence also. Ragar has searched the station. All those involved in the auction have retreated or died. The fire has been snuffed out. We are fine to stay a short while longer to notify their people.”

  “And the ones that don’t have anywhere to go?”

  “Do not worry yourself, my Aciana. I will not allow them to go uncared for. If we are unable to contact someone for them, we will find another way.”

  I study her face as she stares into the crowd of females and do not move, letting her take her time. She has earned my patience. Despite the residual anger I feel at her closing off the bond, I cannot fault her because it was not her intent.

  “Where’s the captain?” she asks, focusing on a withering blond female in the crowd. She is frail, underweight—disconnected from reality.

  On last check, Ragar had forced the captain back to the ship after he nearly revealed us. I instruct Rivan to unlock his room and bring him down the tube. My mate sighs—a sign of her impatience.

  “Is he coming?”

  I jerk my head toward his sagging shoulders as Rivan pulls him down the angled walkway. His defeat leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Instead of anger for those taken from him, he feels desolate, weak. My fist clenches at my side, and I fight the urge to crush his nuts to remind him of their existence. A look of disapproval from the otherworldly creature in my arms suggests my decision to refrain is the more calculated choice.

  Jayla wiggles, and I ease her down to her feet, intertwining my fingers with hers. I do not desire to be separated from her. Not yet. Perhaps, not ever.

  The captain scans the crowd. I escort my mate forward, bracing her so her injured ankle does not pain her further.

  “Why did you force me to come out here and see this? It’s bad enough my Jordie girl isn’t here, now you want to torture me by showing me the type of shit they do to them?”

  “Just—” My mate attempts to speak, but the human interrupts. A growl rumbles in my chest. I will tolerate no disrespect.

  “No. Look, I know I messed up forcing my hand, and you suffered for it, but I did what I had to do.” He jerks his thumb toward me. “He’d have done the same. Just leave me here. I’ll find my Jordie. You have what you need.”

  Not a bad idea. The male has served his purpose. I have no desire to deal with his blubbering any longer.

  “Seriously, just shut the hell up and look!”

  The captain’s eyes follow my mate’s finger as she points into the crowd. His knees give out, and he drops to the floor, then quickly rights himself and stumbles forward. The small blond human’s eyes stare aimlessly ahead, unseeing. He kneels in front of her, clutching her face. I look to my mate, brows creased in confusion. He knows this human?

  “His granddaughter. That’s her.”

  My mate’s cheeks grow wet at the sight of the captain embracing the girl. Jayla squeezes my hand, and I return her to my arms. With Sol sorting out the remaining and Naya already fussing over the Asha and the newly acquired females, there is little to be done before meeting to formulate a new plan.

  I resume my steps.

  “Wait, I want to see if anyone needs help.” I strengthen my grip and grunt as she flails against my hold.

  “No.”

  “Ren, I—”

  Slapping her ass, I shove my way through the entrance of our ship and force her to meet my gaze.

  “I lived fifteen Earth minutes without you, believing you dead. I lost you. Suffered the deep ache of our connection being ripped from my grasp. You are mine. And I will be damned if I do not peel the clothes from your worn body and fuck you until the lingering ache in my chest is sated.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Jayla

  A thousand images of skin on skin flood my mind as Ren carries me to our room. The bare angles of Ren’s jaw working in tandem with his tongue between my thighs. The hard muscles of his ass clenching as he drives his cock deep in
side me. Lust cascades through our connection. Both his and mine, banding together to create not only raw need but a compulsion to claim and explore. I swear I’d crawl inside his body if I could.

  Unable to look away from the all-consuming blackness of his gaze, everything else passes by in a blur. People are calling to us. First, Naya, then Linara. Sol follows behind a few steps babbling about the videos he found, only giving up when Leandra reaches out to halt his steps. There are questions and issues that need to be addressed, but not this second.

  For now, there is only us.

  Heat simmers across my body. The pain and terror of the day falls away as Ren glides over the threshold and sets me on the edge of our bed. My throat tightens, and I’m afraid to look away. Worried that if I do, he’ll disappear, and I’ll be back in that burning room.

  Dying without him.

  His blood-stained shirt hits the floor, then his pants, and fuck if I get any wetter I’ll be drowning for him.

  “Ren…” I whisper, desperate to end the ache of emptiness raging inside me.

  He’s trembling, the tip of his cock glistening with desire for me. I lick my lips, and like a damn breaking free, he’s on me, ripping off my clothes.

  “I need you,” I manage between panting breaths. White hot lust explodes down our bond, and my vision blurs as he grips my ass and shoves his face between my thighs. I claw at him, raking my hands across his scalp in an effort to get closer to him, and when his teeth scrape across my clit, I almost come.

  I should care about the fact that I haven’t showered in a day and am drenched in sweat but I don’t give a flying fuck. We’re both filthy and covered in soot and dirt, and all I can think about is how to get his massive dick inside of me before I die without it. Without him.

  He kisses me hard and grips his girth, rubbing it on the outside of my slick entrance. I buck my hips, trying to coax it in, but he stills.

  “Never leave me again,” he growls into my ear.

  My legs quiver and shake as he holds my thighs and, with one long stroke, rams his cock so deep, pain sings up my spine.

  Ren tenses and slows. “I have hurt you.” He tries to withdraw, but I grind against him, squeezing his cock with my channel until he groans and slams into me again.

  “Don’t. You. Dare. Stop,” I command, matching his greedy thrusts with my own. The sweat dripping down my brow stings the superficial burns, and I grimace, wiping it away.

  Ren slows his rhythm to stare at the angry red marks covering my body. Minor burns from the heat of the fire.

  “You can keep going, I’ll be fine,” I say, still desperate for his touch. His lip curls into a cocky grin, and he lowers his tongue to the first of my burns.

  “Patience, my Aciana, by the time I am finished with you, you will be begging for rest.”

  Oh damn. I hope so.

  The cool feeling of Ren’s gifts slides down my spine as he takes away my pain and begins to heal my wounds. He slides two fingers inside me, pumping them in and out, easing my need until he is satisfied my wounds are mostly closed. No longer willing to wait, I grab his face and yank his lips to mine.

  “So eager, my Aciana.”

  Hell, yeah, I am. And when he scoops me up and we collapse into the middle of the bed, I spread my legs wide, beyond ready for him.

  “Mine,” he whispers, almost reverently.

  “Yours. Always yours. Now give me that dick before I take it myself.” Ren’s brow lifts, and a wave of desire spikes through the bond.

  “You wish to take what is already yours?” A glint of amusement flickers through his black gaze as he lowers himself onto his back, putting that beautiful cock on display.

  Oh, challenge accepted.

  He growls as I shove his hands over his head, taking complete control, and slide myself slowly down his length. No amount of teasing is going to keep me from what’s mine.

  Epilogue

  Jayla

  “So, wait. Tell me who that is again?” I ask, pointing to a dainty human brunette hiding in Ari’s shadow. She showed up right around the time Ren and I finally forced ourselves out of bed. I guess she’d been holed up in Ari’s room, terrified of the other females.

  Can’t say I blame her. As with humans, it isn’t the men you have to look out for.

  “That’s Dena. She’s the scientist who helped us through some real messed up shit on the transport station. Her and Ari are a thing.”

  “Ari and Dena, huh? Has a certain ring to it. So, I guess she’s staying with us now?”

  “No. She’s too involved in the human science community to stay. He’s leaving with her as soon as Ren gives them the okay.”

  I turn to pour several more scoops of sugar into my coffee and pause.

  An Illusian male? Leaving?

  Almost as if she read my mind, Leandra nods. “I know. Crazy, right? He seemed really worried about it. He really loves her.”

  “You guys seem to have gotten…close.”

  Leandra snorts. “Yeah, well. Almost dying together will do that to you.”

  I resume stirring my coffee, and Leandra’s lip curls up in disgust as a clump of sugar rises to the top. “Hey, don’t judge me, I’m exhausted. I’ve got to stay awake somehow. Between assessing all the new Illusians and helping them get settled in, I’m freaking beat. Plus, now I have to stay awake and wait for Ren to hold a briefing about your little impromptu adventure.”

  “There’s a cost to riding that dick. He is their leader…”

  I throw my spoon at her head. “Shut up, I know. What happened anyway?”

  Leandra shakes her head, kicking her feet up on the table. “You already know the gist. We went, found some crazy shit, almost died, got a tip about the auction, and met up with you.”

  My eyes nearly roll back in my head. “Seriously? That’s the worst explanation ever. Thanks for the details, jerk.”

  “It’s complicated. Plus, Ari’s the one that knows all the important stuff. I spent most of the time pouting and playing cards with an old man named Stryker.”

  “I’m sorry, what?” I nearly spit out my drink.

  “Look, it’s not important. What matters is we’re all safe—for now.”

  “Yeah. For now.” As I take another sip, I feel a familiar tingle through the bond. “Ah, hell. I can feel Ren looking for me. I gotta go.”

  Forcing myself to get up, I pad into the main room, throwing one last look over my shoulder at Leandra. There’s dull pain in her eyes that wasn’t there before. From what she’s told me, she has yet to see Ragar. It seems he’s avoiding her like the plague. I don’t have the heart to correct her misconceptions. I’m pretty sure if I told her he actually chose her during the ceremony, it would completely crush her. Something tells me if I leave it alone, the two of them will eventually get it together. If not, I’ll lock them in a room until they figure it out.

  Letting the light tug pull me in his direction, I find Ren in the nav bay. He and Sol are once again huddled around his tablet. Still hobbling on my ankle, I lean against the edge of the table to relieve some of the pain.

  “What’s up? Did you need me?” The edge of my nail snags on the bottom of my shirt, and I nibble at it, trying to smooth it down. What I wouldn’t do for a damn mani-machine.

  “Sol has managed to crack the encryption on the hidden files but is unsure of what to make of them.”

  “Okay, so what’s the problem? Why do you need me?”

  “Well, the man in them seems to be speaking in Earth English. The Acia could use your connection to translate but given the amount of energy you two have eh…exerted recently, we thought it better to contact you directly for a translation.”

  Ren saunters over and wraps his arm around my waist, helping to support my weight. I sink down into one of the chairs and use a nearby shell of one of Sol’s contraptions as a foot rest.

  Sol’s eyes nervously flutter between the thing and my foot. “Relax, I’m just elevating my ankle on it. I’ll be careful.”
r />   “Of course, Aciana. Here.” Sol hands me the projection key and clicks it on. The screen of his tablet shimmers above me. “You may have to smack it a few times. It tends to flicker in and out, and the sound doesn’t always work.”

  Oh, great. Translating this should be fun.

  I lift my hand to take a sip of my coffee only to realize I left it on the table in front of Leandra. What a waste. But wait—I look at Ren, shoving the image of my coffee at him.

  His eyes narrow, and he grunts. “You should not be wasting your energy on such things. Your mind needs to rest. And yes, my Aciana. I will retrieve your brown drink.”

  A small wave of triumph flutters through me. When you’re constantly fighting for your life, it’s the little things that count. Like not having to walk all the way into the kitchen and not having to explain where something is.

  Sol smacks his tablet a few times before pressing an additional button. “Here that should work. Restart the key and see if it will play.”

  I do as he says and the space directly above me flickers to life. The image isn’t there but the sound begins to play.

  “Patient zero has—well, it has taken a turn for the worse. The anti-microbial injections provided have not neutralized the virus but morphed it. It now remains resistant to any known anti-infection agent…” The sound of his voice stirs something inside of me. There’s a familiarity to it. His accent, patterns of speech, everything about him sounds so safe. So comfortable.

  “Sol? The picture…it isn’t working.” Clenching the small projector in my hand, I bang it on the side of the chair a few times, eliciting a very strange look from Ren.

  “It has made you angry?”

  I roll my eyes and grab my cup. “No, Sol said it works better if you beat it up a little. So, that was me. Beating it up.”

  The sound suddenly cuts out with that last smack. “Aw, shit. I think I broke it.”

  Ren directs my attention upward. “The screen now plays, just no sound.” I grab his chin, pulling him in for a kiss to thank him, then look up.