Zekke tightened his grip on her legs and smacked her ass again. Since she couldn’t understand his words, maybe she would understand that he just spanked her like a youngling. It didn’t work.
“Good. I will…” he stopped mid-sentence and pursed his lips. “We will be in my quarters. Send the healer with a translator.”
“Yes, Commander.” Rhett finally burst out laughing. Zekke glared and then headed out of the cargo bay.
He carried his mate down the corridor. At least she had stopped pounding on his back. She placed her hands on his ass and lifted her head to get a good look around.
When the door to his quarters slid open, he stepped inside and lowered her to her feet. It was a stare-off. She’s not afraid. Not that he ever believed she was, not with all the threats she yelled at him. Zekke could smell only anger wafting off her, which was understandable. She stood with her hands on her hips while he crossed his arms. Neither one moved.
She finally huffed out a frustrated breath and looked around. His quarters were standard with a few non-standard features. The living area held a small black couch and two black chairs that sat opposite each other, a small table in the middle. A half wall separated the living area from the sleeping chambers. A very large bed dominated the space. Off to the right was a door that lead to the bathing area.
He watched her intently, glancing at everything she looked at. She spotted the small wooden table that held a decanter of Fire’s Breath. Zekke watched with fascination when she headed over, sniffed the contents, and then poured some in the mug. His eyes zeroed in on the way she held her arm. It was injured.
He raised one eyebrow in surprise when she drank down the Fire’s Breath and poured a little more. He still didn’t know what she looked like, but that would soon change.
The door chimed. “Enter,” he called out.
The healer came in, carrying a small black medical bag. Zekke absently glanced at him before turning back to his mate.
“You wished to see me, Commander?” Cannin asked, his eyes darting between him and the female.
“The female needs a translator.”
“Yes, Commander.” Cannin reached into the small medical bag and took out the injector. “We need to remove the covering from her head.”
The female held the mug of Fire’s Breath as she watched them intently, scrutinizing their every move. She took a sip, and when he and Cannin advanced while holding the injector up, she said, “Oh, hell no,” in a low, dangerous voice.
They took another step closer. With her eyes locked on them, she set down the mug, slowly bent forward, and pulled two knives from her boots, one in each hand. She took a fighting stance and pointed one at him and the other at Cannin.
“Commander?” Cannin questioned. He wasn’t a fighter, he was a healer.
“Just stay back for now, Cannin. I will take care of this.”
With a mischievous grin, Zekke advanced. He liked her courage and defiance. He respected her for them. Some males might like a compliant female, but he was quickly finding out that he did not. She was a challenge that he was determined to conquer.
He held his hands up, palms forward as he stepped closer. Still pointing the knife at him, she cocked her head to the side, watching every move he made. When he got close enough, he lunged at her. She quickly spun under his arms, and kicked his leg in the shin. “Sish, that hurt!” he grumbled. She kept aiming at the same spot every time, and it was sure to eventually leave a mark.
“Are you all right, Commander?” Zekke glanced at the healer, annoyed, but didn’t respond. Of course he was all right! When he tried again, she ducked under his arms. Cannin couldn’t keep his comments to himself. “Commander, are you sure you want her on board?”
“Silence!” His whip-crack voice froze Cannin in his tracks. Even the female stood still.
He lunged at her again. She took off toward the sleeping chambers, and Zekke gave chase. He was close, and when she dove across the bed to get away, his hand closed around her ankle. With her arms outstretched over her head, she dropped the knives and fell face first onto the bed. She twisted quickly onto her back, but he crawled up her body before she could land a kick, her legs now trapped between his thighs.
She froze. So did Zekke. The feel of her underneath him was almost more than he could handle. He lowered his face close to hers and said, “Female, no one will hurt you.”
He could smell her desire, could see it in the darkening of her blue eyes. Her lips parted slightly and her breath hitched. His gaze locked onto her small pink tongue as it slowly licked her lips.
“Commander, are you ready?” Cannin asked with hesitation.
Zekke closed his eyes in frustration. He had forgotten all about Cannin and the translator. “Yes,” he blew out.
Maintaining eye contact with the female, Zekke slowly removed her helmet and tossed it to the side of the bed. A little weary, she let him do it without a fight. Next, he went for the hem of her face covering. Ever so slowly, he peeled it away, giving him his first look at his true mate.
Short light-yellow hair and creamy smooth skin met his surprised gaze. His shaft hardened even more as he fought the urge to rip her clothes off. He had seen her eyes many times, at least in his dreams, but she was delicate and breathtakingly beautiful. And he wanted her. Wanted to feel her tighten around him as he thrust inside her moist channel. And with the smell of desire, Zekke had no doubt she was dripping wet for him.
“Commander?”
Zekke closed his eyes in frustration. Getting his emotions under control was harder than he expected. When he finally opened them again, he said, “Go ahead, Cannin.” Turning back to the female, he said, “Hold still.” Of course, she didn’t understand him.
When she spotted the healer with the injector, her eyes widened in fear, but she didn’t scream. Trapped under his heavy body and unable to fight, her face took on a defiant look. When the healer came closer, she tried to thrash her head from side to side, but he injected the translator behind her ear anyway, and then she passed out.
Zekke wasn’t worried. He knew that the other earth females had reacted in the same way.
“Is that all, Commander?”
“No. She is protective of her arm. I want you to have a look at it before you leave.”
Zekke pulled out a knife and sliced her sleeve from wrist to shoulder. The material fell away, revealing the injury. He carefully removed the gauze and let out a low growl at the site. She’d been hit with phaser fire, and the wound looked red and angry.
“Let me, Commander.” Cannin retrieved his handheld medi scanner and held it over the wound. It didn’t take long until the wound disappeared before his very eyes. Not even a trace was visible.
“Thank you, Cannin. You are dismissed.” Cannin gathered his things and placed them back in the bag.
Zekke heard him leave, but his eyes never left the female. Not knowing how long she would be unconscious, he flicked the buttons of her jacket open. Body armor covered her chest. A grin split his face. He should have known.
Taking his time, he released the straps under her arms that secured it and then tossed the body armor aside. Her shapeless body transformed into a delicate female right before his very eyes. Using his knife, he sliced her shirt down the middle and then did the same with her pants, letting them fall away. Starting with the short yellow hair, delicate skin, and luscious lips, her slender neck led the way to the curve of high, perky breasts covered with a lacy garment. They weren’t large, but they would fill his hand.
He tore his gaze from her breasts, letting it travel to her slender waist. His eyes caressed every inch of her. A triangle of matching lace cloth covered the junction between her thighs, and he desperately wanted to tear it off, to see what treasures hid behind it, but he wasn’t that kind of male. He never took what wasn’t offered; he didn’t have to. Females threw themselves at him all the time.
“Sish!” His shaft strained painfully against his pants. Needing relief again, he he
aded to the bathing area. Zekke couldn’t remember a time when he had to take care of his own needs so often. As he palmed his large shaft, working his hand up and down, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He thought about all the things he wanted to do to the beautiful female lying on his bed. As one image replaced another, he worked his shaft harder until he jetted his release.
After cleaning up the mess he’d made, Zekke quickly dressed and headed out of his quarters. Never had he felt so out of control. This mating fever was taking over his life and it angered him. After the door closed behind him, he ordered, “Computer, seal the door. Authorization code 11218756.”
When he stepped onto the bridge, Rhett looked surprised to see him. “Is everything all right, Commander?”
“Yes,” he said in clipped tones. But it wasn’t. He was aggravated that he needed the female near. Aggravated at his lack of control and needing to relieve himself so often. His fangs grew, but he didn’t know if it was from the anger or the mating fever.
Chapter Seven
Ava
Ava slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, bringing everything into focus. She felt behind her ear. They had injected something, but she didn’t know what.
Goosebumps made her shiver. Rising up, she cursed. The big alien guy had stripped her down to her bra and panties. What the hell? Ava wanted—needed—to know what was going on. Why did he kidnap her?
Noticing that the pain in her arm was gone, she glanced at the wound and found it completely healed. “Wow, that’s some technology,” she murmured to herself. “We could definitely use that on Earth.”
Quietly slipping off the bed, she tiptoed to the edge of the half wall and peeked around the corner. The living area was empty. She checked the bathroom, which was also empty. Alone in the apartment, or whatever it was called, she looked for her gear and weapons. She let out a big sigh. Someone had taken everything.
Looking through drawers and even his closet, she examined every nook and cranny. In one particular drawer, she found a small rectangular box covered with blue, green, and red jewels. They looked rare and expensive. With a hesitant hand, she scooped it up and removed the lid. She frowned. It was a plain knife. Why was it in such an opulent case? Turning it one way and then the other, she couldn’t find anything unusual about it. “Huh...” she said and then carefully placed the knife back in the case, put it back where she found it, and shut the drawer. Just knowing the knife was there would come in useful, that she was sure of.
Not wanting to be dressed only in her bra and panties when he came back, she headed to the closet and grabbed one of the black jumpsuits. When it conformed to her body, she gasped in surprise.
She stood in front of the door, but it refused to open. There was no button, no control panel. With nothing else to do, she spun around and headed for one of the chairs in the living area and waited for her captor. Spotting the alcohol, she decided a good stiff drink would be useful right about now. With the mug half full, she headed back to the chair, leaned back, and sipped her liquid courage.
****
The door swooshed open, and her captor filled the entrance. Her breath hitched as power radiated from him. His presence was overwhelming yet addictive. Desire flooded her body as her core creamed. Ava clenched her thighs in response and swallowed hard. She should be terrified of him, what his plans were for her, but oddly she wasn’t. Not at all. He eyed her, taking everything in until he casually strolled over and took a seat opposite her.
Even though her body quivered with desire, she regained some semblance of control. Hoping to pull off the charade, she quirked an eyebrow and asked, “Well, you went to a lot of trouble to kidnap me and bring me to your ship. Why?”
Zekke eyed her for a moment. She didn’t think he understood until he answered. “It is… complicated.”
His voice was deep… husky. A jolt shot through her body at the sound. And, she understood his words! Ava wanted to grin, throw herself into his arms, but she acted nonchalant about the entire situation. That explained the injection behind her ear.
“Give it a try. Neither one of us is busy at the moment. I have time.” She took another sip. “Nice liquor by the way. It tastes like a mixture of scotch and moonshine.” She hoped that she sounded confident, because she felt anything but. She knew his type. Being a woman in the military, you had to stand up to the alpha males to earn their respect, a lesson she’d learned a long time ago.
“It is called Fire’s Breath,” he supplied.
Neither one was willing to break eye contact. In the wild, the one that looked away first was the less dominant, and Ava wasn’t giving up that easily.
“Fine,” he finally said in a low, leisurely tone. “On my planet, there is one female made specifically for each male. A true mate. When we first encounter them, it triggers the mating fever. If affects some more than others and can eventually drive a male mad.” He took a sip and casually added, “Or so I’ve heard.”
Oh, shit! Was he saying what she thought he was saying? No way was she some alien’s mate! Was that the reason she didn’t fear him? At over seven feet tall, he would make any normal person tremble. Images of him and her together swirled through her mind, the air now thick with sexual tension. She closed her eyes and pushed the images of him and her together out of her head. “Go on,” she choked out.
The door chimed, and without breaking eye contact, he called out, “Enter!” A large man walked in carrying a tray. “Just put it here,” Zekke said, pointing to the table between them.
As the man set the tray down, he stared at Ava and then sniffed. In a whip-crack voice, her captor said, “Leave, now!” Ava watched as he scrambled quickly from the room. Looking at her, he said, “I thought you might be hungry.”
“Thank you.” When he lifted the lid, Ava picked up something long purple cylinder shaped and tried a little bite. “This is good, although the taste is odd. A little salty.”
Zekke nodded and then took a deep breath and started again. “Like I said before, there is one female created for each male. A true mate, and you are mine.” Her eyes popped open at the tone of his voice.
She cocked her head to the side and studied him, his actions. The sexual tension drained away as realization hit. “But you don’t like it,” she said. It was a statement.
“No. I neither want nor need a mate.”
“And yet you kidnapped me.” She pursed her lips. His words hurt, which was stupid. No alien could make her his mate. It was her choice.
“It makes me feel better to have you near,” he shrugged.
She laughed humorlessly. “Well, as long as you feel better.” She swallowed another bite of food and washed it down with a sip of the Fire’s Breath. She tried to speak again without sarcasm. “So, what are you?”
“I am Zekke, commander of this vessel and prince of Azziar.” Pride laced his sexy voice.
“And the gray aliens on our planet?”
“Tureis. Enemies to almost everyone in the galaxy.” The Tureis. At least now she had a name for the ones that had killed her family and destroyed her planet.
She set her empty mug down and said sarcastically, “Look, this has been fun and all, but I need to get back to my team.”
“No.” His voice was absolute. Stubborn.
“What do you mean, no?” she asked incredulously.
He shrugged. “You heard me. I feel better when you are near.”
She took a couple of deep breaths. How could this alien elicit so many emotions from her at once? The sexual energy coated the air and made her want to jump his bones and pleasure herself. Run her hands over his bare chest, caress his muscles. But she also wanted to punch him as hard as she could. He had basically told her that she was his mate and that he didn’t want her.
She jumped up and stomped angrily to the table and refilled her mug, needing a lot of alcohol to put up with him. She glanced over her shoulder at him and gritted her teeth. Why was he so unreasonable? There had to be a way to make
him understand. Surely, she could somehow make him see reason. After a couple of drinks, she strolled back to the chair.
Staring at him, she started with the only thing she thought he would understand. “Look, you’re a military man. You must understand that my squad will be worried. They don’t know what happened, and I can’t just abandon them.”
“I understand.” Relief washed over her. Maybe she’d gotten through to him. “But it’s of no consequence to me. Every instinct I have demands that I keep you safe, and there is nothing safe on that planet.” He grimaced. “I do not understand why you even want to go back. The ground is covered with something that prevents foliage from growing. Why would humans do such a thing?”
She bristled on the inside. He didn’t want her, but he didn’t want her to leave. Not only that, he was a military man but thought nothing of kidnapping her from her unit. They were her family and one way or another, she’d find a way back to them. They deserved to know what had happened. It was clear, however, that nothing would change his mind.
Ava took another sip and let her eyes slide to his. Somehow, some way, she’d find a way off this ship. Until then…. she took another sip and answered his other questions.
“I want to go back because it’s my home. I may not care for the city, but that’s where we made our headquarters. There is a high Turei presence there. Probably because it’s the capital.”
“The capital of what?”
“Of the United States.”
“I still don’t understand.” When she started to explain, he waved her away and changed the subject. “Why do you cover everything?” At her confused look, he continued, “The ground is covered.”
“You mean concrete and pavement.” He shrugged. “It’s mostly just in the cities. We have plenty of parks, national forest, and so on.” She could tell he didn’t understand, so she tried changing the subject. “So, what are you all doing here?”
Zekke leaned back in his chair, taking a more comfortable position. He studied her briefly and then answered. “A few of my brothers have humans for mates. Their mates were worried about their planet, so we agreed to help Earth fight the Tureis.”
Zekke: A Scifi Alien Romance (The Azziarin Series Book 5) Page 6
