S he loved the way he said her name with his lilting accent. As though it was a light musical tone with the deep bass of his voice. A delicious shiver washed through her. It had been such a long time since a man had affected her like he did. As though he’d awoken that feminine side of her that wanted to be desired sexually. A part that had died long ago.
She didn’t think she missed it, but now, standing him front of him, she realised that it hadn’t died. She had never experienced it. Until now. Until Jo’Aquin reminded her that she did have a sexual side that now raised its head, ready to make up lost time.
Not a great time for it to do that. Not a great time at all.
This was unlike she’d ever felt with Mike. She absorbed the guilty twang, but she didn’t know if it was because Mike was dead, or because she’d never felt anything like–this –with him. Mike was gentle. Mike needed her help. Mike had relied on her so much that she’d lost herself in doctors and hospitals and treatments and impending death, and their relationship had suffered along the way. But how else could their marriage have gone with those circumstances? Neither of them had had much choice about it.
But, even at the start of their marriage, before Mike’s diagnosis, she’d never felt quite like this. Maybe it was because she’d been pushed so far out of her comfort zone, she’d had no choice but to change. God knew, all of that time since Mike’s death, she hadn’t been able to move on.
Maybe this was the best thing that had happened to her. She was so scared at the moment that her mind threw up anything to keep her alive. Survival instinct. That if she didn’t live now, deep down, she knew this would be the last time she might be free to experience her needs. Her sexuality. Her newly awakened desires . And did she ever have them.
The flickering firelight from the torch danced across one side of his face, leaving the other side in deep shadow. He looked so haunted that she reached out and cupped his cheek with her palm. Whiskers prickled her palm and rasped as she soothed her thumb over his skin. “What do you mean I can survive? What choice could I possibly have?”
His face tightened, pain etching the small lines around his mouth. In that moment, he looked well beyond his age. “Just know, if I had my way, you wouldn’t be in this position at all.”
A smile touched her lips. His gaze dropped there for a moment, and she felt a tingle as surely as if he’d kissed her. “I wouldn’t be in this position if I wasn’t abducted by Reptiles. Whatever is happening to me, it isn’t your fault.”
He looked as though he going to disagree for a moment before he thought better of it. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Goosebumps danced over her flesh at his shivery touch. So gentle. Tender. There was so much to this alien–this man. She’d come to think of him as more than something she’d never knew existed. So much more–that pulled her to him like no other.
Funny how death had forced them together. Her life really hadn’t changed that much, if she thought about it. Death was still a constant force in her life. It was also the thing that would rip them apart, just as it had with Mike. All she had were possibilities. Then again, possibilities were more than she’d ever had before. That was something to grasp, even if it was just a reprieve.
But she still had a little time. The Reptiles hadn’t taken her mind just yet, and he’d told her there was a way to survive this. Jo’Aquin was so tall that he towered over her. She drank in the massive width of his shoulders, the powerful size of his arms, his darkly masculine features. “Then tell me how do I survive the unsurvivable, Joe? What do I have to do?”
“It’s…complicated.”
“Then start at the beginning. I don’t have anywhere else to be.” She gave him a weak smile he didn’t return.
He clenched his mouth as though he didn’t want to tell her, then seemed to come to a decision. He stood straight and hooked her with a penetrating look. “We need to go to the Reptile hive. They control all minds on this planet from a central device, deep in the city,” Jo’Aquin said.
“Into the occupied, enslaved city?” No wonder he looked so serious. So bleak. “That sounds really…”
“Dangerous.”
She was going to say stupid. Futile. Suicidal. Instead, she nodded. “Dangerous. Yes.”
“It’s the way they work on all planets they occupy. Each planet is set up with a central control centre where a mastermind controls all other minds. Until now, we haven’t been able to infiltrate a planet to take a mastermind out. No-one has,” Jo’Aquin said.
Lauren took a moment to digest the information. “Never before? No-one?”
Jo’Aquin shook his head. “Not even close. The Reptiles light a detection net around the occupied planet, which is impenetrable to any others except for the Reptiles and the DNA signatures of the enslaved. With the population enslaved, they have a ready army to fight. The Galactic Federation was willing to sacrifice their lives only once before...” His voice trailed off, his mind taking him away for several moments.
“I take it, that didn’t end well,” Lauren said.
“Millions of lives lost and the planet still remains under Reptile control. All we did was kill innocent people. It will not happen again. It’s better to let people live, even enslaved.”
She could understand that. “So we really are in a unique position. But what did MalCom mean when he said I was the only one that could help? What on Earth can I do?”
Jo’Aquin ran his fingers through his hair. The ends spiked up in disarray. She stifled the urge to run her fingers through his silky hair and smooth it down again. “The only way to free minds from the mastermind is to damage it with a virus.”
“A virus? How?” She imaged some sort of USB device that she’d have to find a plug for. It gave ‘plug and play’ a new meaning. “What is the virus?”
“It’s your blood,” Jo’Aquin said.
“My…blood?”
“While you still have your free will, your blood will act as a virus. It’s not quite hive-mind and not quite free. The mixed DNA will infect the mastermind. It will die,” Jo’Aquin said.
She quickly joined the dots. “And when I lose my mind, it will be too late. I will be infected, and I will become part of the mastermind. That’s why I’m the only one that can help.” She offered her arm, prodding the vein. “Let’s do this. Take some now.”
Jo’Aquin shook his head. “Once out of your body, separate from your mind, your blood turns. It needs to be fresh blood. Straight from your vein, transferred directly into the mastermind.”
Dawning horror reared through her. Now she understood. She could help, but only while she still had control of her mind, and only with fresh blood directly from her vein. “Then we’ll go there, and I’ll put a drop or two in it.”
“It will take more than a drop or two, Lauren.”
Her body grew numb as she spoke. “How much blood will it take?”
A muscle ticked at his temple, and she knew the answer with the terrible look on his face. Her breath rushed out. She spoke more to herself than him. “All of it.”
Her heart jerked as reason crystallised. She was literally their last hope for this world in the short time while she had control of her mind.
And she would die.
The alternative was that she would become a mindless slave and possibly pave the way for the Reptiles to invade the Earth and all those on it.
And she would die.
Both scenarios scared the living crap out of her. She jerked away from him, pacing one way, then the next. Blindly tripping over stones and nearly twisting her ankle. It was so unfair. So. Unfair. She’d survived the worst trauma of her life watching Mike die. She’d become a shell of who she’d once been. She’d managed to pick herself up only to have it ripped away from her. She spoke under her breath, using every curse word she could think of. All the really filthy ones.
“Lauren.”
She spun about, kicking stones across the ground with so much force they bounced off the walls. She was caught
in a powerful grip as hands on her shoulders stopped her. “Lauren!”
Her head snapped back, chest heaving, “You said I had a chance? But only if I survive having all the blood taken out of my body? I have news for you, Joe. I don’t know about your physiology, but humans can’t survive without blood. We die pretty quickly, actually. So tell me, did you just tell me I had a chance to survive this mind-control thing but only if I was brought back from the dead ? Yeah, you had a plan alright, but your plan sucks! Big time!”
The muscle twitched at his temple. “There is a way.”
“Oh yeah? I’m all ears. Tell me!” She was angry. Angry at life. Angry at the situation and that anger fed over to her words. The itching began again. The filth. The dirt. Ants clawed. She scratched them, trying to get them out.
He stopped her hands from scratching her arms and took her hands in his. “I’ll give you my blood.”
“What?” The itching gave way to numbness. She stared up at him as heat washed over her body. He was so serious, so adamant that she thought maybe she’d heard him wrong. “You’ll give me what ?”
“You will survive, Lauren. I promise.”
“You said you will give me your blood,” she whispered.
“Hexonian blood is fully compatible with humans. You won’t die with my blood in your system,” he said.
“Yes…but…you need your blood, too, Joe. You can’t live without blood just like humans can’t live without blood.”
His chest filled with a deep breath and he repeated. “You will survive, Lauren.” There was something deep and dangerous going on in that brain of his.
She reached up, pressed her palm to his cheek, whispered the pad of her thumb over his whiskers. “Why do you care what happens to me, Joe? Why is this so important to you?”
His pupils widened until his eyes were all black. His handsome face hardened until it was all planes and angles. Tension throbbed through him, a war raging within his mind. He stood, as still and unmoving as a statue, until he moved, too fast for her shattered senses to react.
One arm banded about her waist, the other tangled in her hair. He almost lifted her off her feet as she crashed against his body and his mouth descended to hers. He wasn’t gentle. His lips pressed against hers until they opened and his tongue trailed over the seam of her lips, leaving a scalding wet heat in its wake.
Heat. Passion. Desire raced through her. Helplessly, she opened her mouth, opening herself into the kiss. His tongue dove and plundered and all she could do was let him. A deep groan vibrated in his chest, serving to ignite the same response within her.
She clung to him, a limpet in a storm as he raided her resistance. But really, what resistance would she have offered?
She wanted this. Wanted him. Had craved it from the moment she’d woken to see his concerned face hovering over hers. Resistance? None. She was going to take what he offered.
What else had she left?
14
H e was helpless to stop himself. His whole body vibrated with his need and with his first taste, his self-control disappeared. Her silky hair fell in soft waves over his arm as he wound one arm around her slight waist and the other to cup the back of her head.
She stepped willingly into his arms, pressing herself against his body, each soft curve melding against him just like she was meant to be there.
Gods, everything about her felt so good to his touch. Her smooth, flushed skin. The weighted press of her breasts against his chest, the taste of her lips even the light, floral scent of her.
She moaned softly, and that small sound had his arms strengthening around her, caging her as though to never let her go. She tilted her head a little, and her little tongue darted past his lips and into his mouth. She used her lips, pressing, massaging, cajoling, teasing and, Gods help him, he loved every move she made.
Her tongue slid along his, a sensual assault, but he needed…more. He caged her head in his palm, holding her steady while he plundered her mouth and deepened the kiss. She trembled and sunk against him.
Her arms wound around his neck, her delicate fingers worked their way along his nape and into his hair. She moved a little, adjusting her weight. Her thighs parted, capturing his leg between hers. He pressed his leg against the juncture of her thighs so that she almost rode him.
The fire of her inner heat blasted his thigh, singeing nerve endings and pooling a heat of his own right into his groin. He stiffened immediately, helpless but to haul her against him to relieve the tight pressure in his shaft. She canted her hips, rubbing along his leg, using him to stoke her own desire.
He tensed his muscles and moved with her, urging her to ride him. She sank onto his thigh with little breathless sounds that were quickly undoing him. He splayed his hand over her lower back, helping her find her release as he used his tongue in a manner he wanted his shaft to do.
She’d undone him so quickly, barely any coherent thought stuck inside his mind. Her presence was inside him. Outside him. Undoing him. Teasing, delighting, building, burning.
Never before had he reacted so readily, so instantly , with a woman. That hollowed-out ‘something’ inside him simply clicked from black to multicolour. His life was no longer about the never-ending strain of guilt, the making up for a wrong past deed, the constant seeking for revenge.
Lauren had sparked something in him that had never existed before. There was a new element to his existence that was awakened. Whatever it was, that had lain dormant inside him, never before noticed, had now come alive.
She moaned, a deeper throaty sound. Her head lolled back. She sucked a glistening bottom lip between her teeth as her hips undulated. She tilted on the edge. His male pride surged, knowing he’d made her feel like this.
He held her steady with his arm about her waist while his other hand sought that special nub. He adjusted the height on his leg, at the same time pressing his thumb around the bundle of nerves he knew would break her.
Her mouth dropped open. Her body tensed. He drank from her mouth, working her with his thumb, as he swept his tongue inside her mouth.
Her sweetness intensified. She stilled before he captured a deep moan in his mouth. He kissed her fervently as she found her release. She sagged against him. He nipped her mouth, delighting in the tremors that rocked her body and the little breathless sounds that escaped her mouth.
She stuttered a breathy laugh. “Wow. I didn’t think I’d react like that.”
“Take all you need, sweetheart. I’m here to give it to you,” he said.
A small hand pressed against his erection, tentative strokes moving up and down his shaft. He groaned, and her hand firmed, sliding up and down. It took all his willpower not to thrust into her hand and lose himself in his clothing. She gazed up at him, eyes half-lidded and glazed over. So damn sexy.
So vulnerable.
Gods, what was he doing? Lauren had just learned she was in a life-threatening situation, and he was going to have sex with her! Frek. Pull yourself together Commander! Reluctantly, he moved slightly so that her hand fell away. She looked up at him, confusion ion her face. “Joe?”
“Lauren. I…this isn’t the time or place.” His voice sounded so fractured. Heavy. Just like he was on the edge. Which he was.
Her brows drew close. “What do you mean?”
He traced her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I mean, I’m not going to take advantage of you.” He thought too much of her for that to happen.
She huffed a laugh. “I think I took advantage of you first, if you didn’t notice.” She went to touch him, and he held her wrist. Her frown crinkled further.
“Lauren, I…”
“You’re not taking advantage of me. I actually do want this as much as you seem to.” He kept her wrist immobile when she tried to move towards him again. She was such a temptation. All he needed to do would be to let her wrist go. He knew if he did that, they would make love. He gritted his teeth, concentrating on the grip on her wrist.
“You’r
e vulnerable.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Gone was that sexy haze in her eyes, replaced with something more stricken. Her gaze flicked across his face, confused. He was confused too. What he wouldn’t give to see the desire back on her face. But no. He had to remain strong. For both of them.
“We can’t. Not like this. Not here.” He wasn’t going to take advantage of her weakened state. Wasn’t going to let her do something she would later regret because of her emotional burden.
“I’m not worried, Joe. Hell, if you haven’t noticed, I think this is the perfect time to do something like this.” An edge was in her voice. Good. He had to make her angry enough so that she’d see the reason for his actions.
“You’re not thinking straight right now.”
She yanked her wrist from his grip and stepped away. The loss was immediate. “How the hell would you know what I’m thinking, Joe? If you’re wondering, I’ll tell you. I’m thinking I’d like some comfort. I’m thinking I’d like to experience something I’ve never experienced in my life before it ends. I’m thinking I’d like some time out from when I didn’t have to think…or when I’m…I’m not able…to think about anything else at all.” She swiped an angry hand through her hair, eyes shimmering.
“Lauren…”
Her voice rose in pitch and was loud. Very loud. “Well, Commander, looks like you know best. Must be hard, having to think for other people all the time. The thing is, when you think for other people, you’d best know what’s really on their mind, because buddy, you couldn’t have been more wrong with me. But that’s okay, you go back to thinking you know best, that you always do the right thing, read situations the right way. It’ll sit very well with always being the martyr.”
A tear slid down her cheek, but she brushed it aside as though she was angry with it. Eyes blazing, she turned heel and strode back down the tunnel. He watched her until she’d disappeared into the darkness and the silence had become oppressive.
Was that what she thought of him. He was a martyr? The way she’d said it, she sounded like she thought he was more of a victim–of his own doing.
JoAquin_An Alien Abduction Paranormal Romance Page 9
