by Pearl Foxx
Maxsym reached out and shook the man's hand. His skin was cold and clammy against Maxsym’s warmer flesh. "I like what you have to say."
“You're a guard," he said with a broad smile.
Maxsym nodded. "I’m assigned to Veronica Gideon."
The leader’s eyes lit up far too brightly at the mention of Veronica’s name. "In that case, I might have a use for you. I’m Jericho." He gripped Maxsym's hand hard and then dropped it with a smile.
“Good to meet you, Jericho. I’m Maxsym.”
"Good. Good. I'll find you when I need you."
Clapping Maxsym on the shoulder, Jericho wandered away without saying anything else.
Maxsym didn't feel like he had any leverage to push for more information, and if they were targeting Veronica, he certainly wanted to be the point of contact to ensure she remained safe. Were these people so dangerous that they would hurt her?
Maxsym sighed. He was serious about assassinating her father. What exactly was the difference?
He returned to find Veronica standing by the same wall, her head down so the hood hid her features.
"Did you find out what you needed?" she asked.
"Not exactly, but I think we've got a good start."
Chapter Sixteen
Veronica
After the human resistance meeting, Veronica and Maxsym made their way to his small quarters. Once in his rooms, she shut the door behind her, and he turned on the dim overhead lights, leaving off the brighter daytime illumination.
"What do we do now?" she asked.
"I don't know, but I certainly don't trust Jericho enough to tell him everything we know.”
“I agree, and I definitely don’t trust him with information on Kladuu or you," she said.
As she spoke, Maxsym approached, his dark eyes skimming down her body. She swallowed. He came close enough that she could smell his ever-present spicy scent. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you doing?"
Maxsym smirked his infuriating smile.
"I agree we don't know enough to trust these people yet, but there isn’t much that can’t wait until tomorrow to discuss." As he came even closer, he licked his lips.
She held back a smile, reminding herself she was still mad at him. “What exactly are you saying?”
He placed one hand beside her head against his door. "I’m saying," he said, his other hand drifting to her hips, "that we have some time to kill." He dipped down as if to kiss her, but Veronica placed her hand on his chest before he could make contact.
She shoved him away and ducked beneath his arm. "You should probably walk me home."
He smirked at her. “It would look too conspicuous.”
“Not at all.” She gave him an evil little grin.
"And why is that?"
She shrugged casually. " The guards are used to seeing me bring men back home."
Maxsym responded with a flash of his black eyes. "That won’t be happening anymore," he said with a feral gruffness that made Veronica's pussy clench.
"Oh, no? And why is that?"
He caught her arm and jerked her against him, taking her lips in his. They kissed, and his scent grew around her. The luscious intoxication of having his hands on her body made her lightheaded. She wanted more. She needed to feel all of him.
She pulled her top off, exposing the lace lingerie she wore. She unhooked her loose pants and dropped them around her feet, standing before him in nothing but lacy black filigree.
A rumble began in Maxsym's chest, rising and filling the room with his desire.
Veronica shoved him back on the bed and climbed on top of his lap. She ripped his shirt over his head to see the full effect of his rippling muscles and scales. She raked her nails on his flesh, feeling the flutter of the scales beneath her touch.
He closed his eyes and moaned as he leaned back, exposing his neck to her.
She shifted forward, pressing her core directly against his already hard length. She licked and nibbled on the muscle that connected shoulder to ear. Taking his earlobe into her mouth, she sucked and gripped his hair with one hand.
"Fuck, woman," Maxsym growled, thrusting up against her.
"Exactly my intention," she whispered in his ear. "But this means no more games and no more ridiculous posturing. We’re partners in whatever this is from now on. Now, I’m going to ride the fuck out of you."
Maxsym only nodded as a full body shiver went through him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even tighter, and ground his hips up against her, drawing a gasp from her throat.
The heat of him against her sent her need into overdrive. They groped like teenagers stealing a moment when her father wasn't looking, simply enjoying the feel of each other's bodies.
In one swift movement, Maxsym flipped them over. He brought his mouth to her breast, his hot breath driving her crazy through the lace bra. He licked her covered nipple and pulled it to a hard point.
She pulled her breast from the confines of the bra for him to take into his mouth.
He sucked hard, flicking the end of her nipple with his tongue.
Veronica's mind spun. Pleasure shot through her, ripping away any sense she’d had about keeping some distance between herself and him. He was unpredictable and inhuman. He was kind and inconsiderate, cruel and then sensitive. She had no idea what he wanted from her, but she knew she wanted everything he had to offer.
Maxsym moved down her body, licking a fiery trail across her belly until he reached her lace panties. He slid his thumb into one side and, with a firm tug, ripped them right off her body.
"Maxsym," Veronica squealed. The move had been so aggressive, so demanding, that all she could do was submit as he kissed his way lower across her hip bones to the crease between her pussy and her thigh. He licked her inner thigh, leaving a trail of goosebumps along her flesh. She whimpered and arched up into him. She wanted his tongue everywhere—in her mouth, on her body, at her core.
After a moment of teasing, she got her wish. Maxsym dipped his tongue down, separating the soft lips of her pussy and licking a line up the velvety slit. He paused at her clit, just long enough to have her rocking her hips up against his face, and then moved down to explore her folds more thoroughly. When he came to her opening, he thrust his tongue inside. It was wide and long, and he tongue-fucked her as she gripped his hair, begging for release.
Maxsym licked his way back up to her clit, pressing a strong flat tongue against it and rubbing mercilessly. When she saw stars, her consciousness unable to take another moment of the euphoric torture, he pulled her sensitive nub between his lips, rolling it against his tongue.
Veronica thrashed beneath his ministrations. She gripped the top of the bed as her orgasm swelled and broke her, shattering her into pieces.
She watched, panting, as Maxsym stood and wiped his mouth.
“If I knew that's all it took to shut you up, I would've done it a while ago." He smirked, and Veronica threw his pillow at him.
The sexy Draqon quickly removed the rest of his clothes before climbing on top of her. He hovered over her, his face so close all she could see were his beaming green eyes.
"Can I be in you?" he asked.
Veronica's heart melted, allowing Maxsym full access to the entirety of her being.
She nodded, and he slowly slipped the head of his cock inside her. Inch by massive inch, he stretched her, rolling his hips. She was soon gripping his back and pulling him deeper.
"I want to see them," she said, stroking the demarcations on his back.
"My room is too small."
"Then one day, soon, I want to see all of you."
She gasped as he thrust into her hard, hitting her inner walls and filling her completely. His cock left no room for even another millimeter. He stilled, seated deep inside her, his balls up against her ass. She rose to kiss the good-looking man before her.
As their tongues danced, he rocked into her, pushing her body to open and spread to his every demand. His ha
nds roamed, feeling like there was a multitude of people in the room all touching her and drawing her sensitive skin to the peak of pleasure.
Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck and placed one hand on his cheek, slowing him for a moment. She needed to catch her breath. She needed a moment to understand what was happening between them.
Maxsym grabbed her hands and held them above her head. He thrust deep and hard inside her with a growl. "Mine."
Veronica lifted her legs, pulling her knees up and wrapping her ankles around his tight waist.
“Yours," she confessed.
At the sound of her declaration, Maxsym thrust into her with more power than she could have imagined. His body held her in place as he slammed deep inside her, pulling her toward the edge of the second orgasm so quickly her body tried to reject the feeling, but Maxsym wouldn't have it. His hands released hers, and he stroked the side of her body, taking her breast in his grip and massaging it as he leaned up on his knees and let his cock stroke against that deep place inside her where mania ruled.
Despite Maxsym's insistence that he couldn't transform, his wings released, knocking over the bedside lamp. He roared into the night, throwing Veronica over the edge of her second orgasm.
The animalistic sound thrilled her, and she convulsed beneath him, riding wave after wave of inconceivable pleasure.
Maxsym shook as he collapsed on top of her.
She stroked his back, gently touching the wings that had revealed themselves as he shot his seed deep inside her.
"I'm glad you like them," he said, leaning up on one elbow but keeping his cock firmly positioned within her.
"I told you before, they’re gorgeous."
"Thinking something is beautiful and thinking something is desirable are two different things," Maxsym said with a tinge of sadness.
"I find it hard to believe no one found you desirable before." Veronica stroked the man's chiseled jaw.
"I didn’t mean me." He chuckled. "I meant you."
She was tempted to pluck a scale right off his skin, but before she could, he thrust into her one more time, making her squeal with the aftershocks of pleasure he sent through her.
"How do you sleep on this little bed?" she asked once she’d caught her breath, looking around his tiny quarters again.
He smirked. "I don’t plan on sleeping much tonight."
Chapter Seventeen
Veronica
Veronica rolled around, trying to get comfortable, but between the lumpy mattress and thin pillow, she couldn’t find a spot to sink back into sleep. She reached beside her and found Maxsym’s side of the tiny bed cold.
She glanced around the small quarters, figuring he’d gotten sick of trying to squish onto the bed and was sleeping on the floor. The room’s dim lights took adjusting to, but she couldn’t find her Draqon anywhere. Not that there were many places for him to hide, especially at his size.
She smirked in the darkness, thinking of a whole other kind of size. He certainly was … big.
After lying in bed for a few more minutes without any sign of him, she began to worry. Surely he wouldn’t have gone out to investigate on his own. It was too dangerous.
But then she remembered just how stupid men could be.
With a huff, Veronica wrapped the thin beige sheet around her body and crept to the door. It was closed, but not clasped shut. She twisted the handle and pulled it open enough to peek into the hall.
Outside, Maxsym leaned against the wall, his back to her. He spoke to someone she couldn’t recognize in the dark.
“There aren’t a lot of other options,” a reedy voice said from the other side of Maxsym. She recognized the voice but couldn’t place it.
“And your group wasn’t behind the bombing?” Maxsym’s low, rumbling voice spread through her body.
“No, certainly not. We aren’t interested in human casualties. This is about the people in power and how they are abusing it. We have to take the pin out of the top in order for the structure to collapse.”
“I don’t need your sales pitch, Jericho. I’m not stupid. I know your group was involved in the explosion.”
Jericho? The leader of the resistance group? Veronica stared hard at Maxsym’s back, trying to see through him to the long-haired fanatic. She was positive the human resistance group was behind the bombings, no matter what kind of false credo he sold about not wanting casualties. He was the same kind of man as her father, the kind who would do anything to get what they wanted.
“I can’t promise you things won’t become violent, though, and fast if we don’t act.”
“Why are you coming to me?” Maxsym asked.
“I watched you during the meeting tonight. You know Gideon is up to more than just a power grab on the station. I could see in your eyes that your anger and hate is more akin to my own than those who want more credits to buy nicer clothes. No, you and I are the same. We see evil behind his gilded facade.”
“No argument from me there.”
“Then you’ll help us? You’ll find out where he’ll be during tomorrow evening’s shift change?” The hope in Jericho’s voice was almost sickening. He sounded like he was about to get the best prize at the bottom of a box of niblets.
“I have to think about it. Assassinating the commander isn’t a small decision.”
Maxsym’s words struck right through Veronica. It was like someone had stabbed her in the ear with his voice and angled it right down to her heart.
Assassinate? They intended to kill her father? Her legs weakened, and she leaned on the wall beside the door, careful not to move it or make a noise. What her father had done to those Kladians was nothing short of evil and it had to be stopped, but killing him? There had to be another solution. Maybe if she spoke to him? Maybe if she told him about Maxsym and the Draqons and the others who deserved his respect?
Even as she thought it, though, Veronica knew it was useless. Her father wouldn’t listen to her, not about this or anything else. And even if he did, he wouldn’t care. All he wanted was more power, more control, more toy soldiers to move around the board.
“This isn’t just an assassination. This is an uprising, a revolution. This is returning the power to the people.”
“You sound like a fucking propaganda poster, man. You gotta chill and let me think this through.” Maxsym crossed his arms over his chest, and from his subtle movement, Veronica glimpsed the fiery light in Jericho’s eyes. The man was as insane as her father.
“There isn’t time. We do this now, or more people will go missing. No one’s talking about it because it’s happening slowly, but every few days, another one of us, usually a man, disappears. Single men without families to report them. Men like you.”
Veronica’s mind flinched from the image of the man with the Vilkan fur on his shoulder and the other human experiments she’d seen in her father’s secret lab. She knew where those missing people were going, and it made her sick.
Maxsym nodded and straightened off the wall. “I can get the schedule. I’ll meet with you tomorrow.”
Veronica slowly placed the door back the way it was and returned to Maxsym’s bed. She sat, shivering in just the thin sheet, but she wasn’t cold. Her father was going to die tomorrow, and there was nothing she could do about it. Worst of all, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to do anything about it.
Maxsym slipped back into his room, and his eyes immediately locked on hers.
“You’re lucky Jericho doesn’t have my hearing.” He pulled off his shirt and came to sit next to her. His purple and green scales shimmered in the dim light.
“Jericho doesn’t have much of your anything.” She didn’t look at him, even as he wrapped a strong arm around her waist.
“How much did you hear?”
“All of it. Enough of it.” A dead weight dragged at her insides. Maxsym was going to kill her father.
“Are you really going to help them kill my father?” she asked, her voice distant and small.
/> “That’s the reason I came here. They’re just making it easier. This way, maybe I won’t have to die too.”
“What?” She turned to face him, his words scrambling her already muddled brain.
“Did you really think I could assassinate your father and make it out alive? I’m flattered you think I’m that skilled, but this was a suicide mission from the beginning.”
“No.” She threw her arms around him and buried her face against his chest, breathing his spicy scent in deep. “I can’t lose you. I just found you.”
He pulled her onto his lap. “And that’s why I’m going to work with Jericho. If the human resistance can take care of Gideon, I won’t have to. Then maybe I can go home, or at least live.”
Veronica swiped her tears away and slid off his lap. She didn’t need to be held or coddled like a child, and it wasn’t like he’d said he wanted to live to be with her. Or had he? Fucking Maxsym and his twisted words, never saying what he really meant.
“There has to be another way,” she pleaded, for her father and for Maxsym. “Maybe they can do this without involving you.”
“You heard Jericho. Men are missing. We found them. They’re dying in the lab.”
“But we could find another way. Maybe we can talk to an officer or even to my father, make him see reason. Maybe if he knew who you really were …” Her words froze in her throat at the look of pure hatred that crossed Maxsym’s face.
“Ronnie, if you feel anything for me at all, you can’t tell your father what I am.”
“I won’t, I wouldn’t. I just … I’m desperate. There has to be some good left in the man who raised me. There has to be a chance for him to redeem himself and make this right. If we don’t give him that chance, aren’t we just as bad as he is?”
“I don’t kill children. I don’t kidnap and dismember my own people. I don’t wage war against a planet on the other side of the universe.” Maxsym stood, his voice rising and a puff of smoke wafting from his nostrils. “This has to end. And if you can’t see that, if you can’t stand with me to stop this horror, you aren’t who I thought you were.”
