by Lisa Medley
“Settle in, precious. It’s going to be a long night.”
***
Tessa couldn’t sleep, but she also couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. They’d sat outside in the middle of camp all night, praying the beast was gone or, better yet, dead. The first spark of yellow and orange lightened the eastern sky, then minutes later exploded in a burst of reds, pinks and lavender.
“Thank God,” Tessa said.
Cole stood slowly, his muscles clearly stiff from being at the ready for hours on end. Noah eased over closer. Having no weapons, he had been relegated to protection status with the womenfolk, although he’d spent most of the night nearby in Ela’s tent.
“How’s she doing?” Cole asked.
“Not good. Her temperature is down, but now I’m worried about pneumonia. She’s really wheezing and coughing. I’m going to need to keep an eye on her.”
“The sooner we get out of this hellhole, the better,” Cole said.
“Do you think the threat is over?” Noah asked. “Do you think you killed it?”
“I don’t know, but I do know it has four big-ass holes in it. Maybe the sunlight will finish it off. I’m surprised it came into camp.”
Noah looked at Tessa. “I’m not. I took the main fuel injector from the ship.”
Cole’s raised his eyebrows. “Clearly that pissed him off. Where is it now?”
“In my wicki,” Noah said.
“We need to get that ship running before we have to spend another night here.” Cole reached down for Tessa’s hand to pull her to her feet. “For now…let’s go to bed.”
Tessa rolled her eyes, but laughed, much to Cole’s surprise.
“How could I refuse an offer like that?” she said.
“Exactly.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cole and Tessa rested fitfully as the camp settled into a cautious optimism, going about their morning chores, including the collection and tending to of the dead and dying outside Cole and Tessa’s wicki. Now that the sun was up, they had less worry about the alien and more about the survivors of last night’s attack. They still hadn’t seen Bimisi this morning, and Cole knew Tessa grew increasingly worried by the minute. Where was that kid? He had to admit he’d grown a bit fond of the brat himself in their short stay. Surely Bimisi hadn’t been caught outside the camp by the alien. But someone’s kid had, and that probably didn’t bode well for their little trio.
They hadn’t gotten to talk with Noah since they’d been separated again after sunrise. It was nearly noon now and there was no longer a need for a fire to warm their wicki during the day. Of course, the sunlight streaming in through the vent hole in the top and filtering through their brushy walls didn’t make things all that conducive for sleeping. That and the fact Cole’s mind raced with the possibilities of what might come next had him tossing and turning. He heard Tessa across the campfire fighting the same battle and losing.
Finally, he rolled over to find her staring at him.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“I’m worried about Bimisi.”
“I think we have plenty of things to be worried about, all right.”
Tessa’s eyes pinched at the corners, and she squeezed them shut. He could tell she was fighting back tears. She was tough as nails. Not a crier. But he couldn’t blame her. Things were looking dire all around. They needed to get to that ship going, and the sooner the better.
Cole shuffled across the wicki floor, avoiding the still hot coals of the burned-down fire. “Scoot over.”
Tessa complied, and he stretched out beside her, wrapping his arms around her. He was surprised how relieved he was when she didn’t reject his comfort. It didn’t take long for him to realize the benefits went both ways. He snugged up behind her and pulled her body in close to his. Even through both of their flight suits, he could feel her heat, and damn if that didn’t get his motor running.
He curled his head in against her neck, and she pressed back against his face. Heart hammering in his chest, he calculated the odds that he was misreading her signals. She was in his arms, not cursing and not beating a hasty retreat. The lights seemed green, but he’d been burned before. Her hand snaked up behind her and curved around the back of his neck just as she turned in his arms to face him.
A slow smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. He couldn’t stop it from forming. She was beautiful, even days out in the desert, far from home and the conveniences of modern life, like showering and grooming. Cole stroked a hand down her ebony hair.
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Cole asked, hoping against hope for the answer his body demanded.
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” she said, not breaking eye contact. “But it’s what I want.”
“Me, too.”
Cole’s hand wove through her hair and cupped the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss. His lips pressed chastely to hers once, then again until she opened for him and all hell broke loose, unleashing all the pent-up frustration of the past few days and focusing it in on this one moment. The need consumed him, and when Tessa moaned into his mouth, he knew she felt the same.
Hooking a leg over hers, he pressed his most urgent need against her leg, showing her how much he wanted her. When she reached down between them to cup his erection in her hand, Cole sucked in a sharp breath. God, it had been a while. Regardless of what she thought of him, he wasn’t the player she’d made him out to be. The female cadets had pursued him, not the other way around, even though he hadn’t run away too fast. He was an All-American male after all.
Cole slid a hesitant hand up beneath her breast. Considering his erection currently resided in her firm grasp, he was reasonably confident, but still. Snakes sometimes struck unexpectedly, which tended to make a guy more cautious. When she didn’t protest, he eased his hand up higher and pinched the zipper under her neck, sliding it down toward her navel in a long, slow pull.
Tessa rubbed her check against his face and huffed into his ear, sending a rush down his spine. His hand glided up under her tank top beneath her flight suit, skin against hot skin for the first time. Less hesitant, Tessa rolled forward, pushing Cole onto his back and ripped his suit zipper downward, her hands instantly reaching for the bottom of his T-shirt and pulling it upward. Cole half rose to sit so she could pull the shirt up and over his head then pulled her tank up and off as well. Her silver crucifix necklace dangled between them briefly then settled onto Cole’s chest as she straddled him, lowering her body against his.
Cole spread his legs and grabbed her hips with both of his hands, shifting her torso until she settled just so against him, her sex pressing against his. God, she felt good there. He could imagine how good it would feel to be inside her. Tessa’s tongue explored his mouth, and her hands tangled in his hair as she began to grind against him. His heart raced both with the excitement of what was happening in broad daylight and the possibility they could be caught any moment. His cock hardened like steel and demanded release.
Tessa reached down and slid her hand beneath his thermal pants, cupping his balls. Fire filled him. She pulled his flight suit down past his hips, then folded back his thermals, freeing his erection and leaving him exposed. Her mouth quirked in an appreciative grin, which was nearly his undoing. He arched an eyebrow at her, and she laughed.
“No wonder you’re so cocky.” She smiled, then eased her own suit down as Cole watched, enraptured. Tessa straddled him, her honey golden skin glittering in the filtered sunlight. When she pulled her jogging bra over her head, exposing her breasts, Cole’s hands instinctively closed around them, his thumbs rolling over her taut nipples.
He eased his hands down her ribs, over her hips, then pushed her suit, thermal bottoms, and panties down until she was bared to him as well. She shimmied out of her clothing then shifted over him, gliding her wet sex across his erection. Cole grabbed her hips, moments before she completed the task.
“Tessa, you’re sure? I don’t have a condom.”
“I’m good. Don’t mess this up, Hudson.” She smiled again and lifted her hips, causing his erection to rise up tall and straight right before she impaled herself upon him.
Cole couldn’t suppress the moan that huffed out of him on her descent. Her sex swallowed him, so hot and tight, he knew he wouldn’t last long. Not exactly the most impressive example of his stamina, but, damn, Tessa was friggin’ amazing. His hands clung to her hips, thumbs digging in along her hip bones as she rode him. He concentrated, trying to hold out, but each stroke chipped away at his control.
“Tessa,” he ground out, both a plea and a demand. His hands closed harder on her hips and stilled her motion until the blood stopped throbbing in his groin. Sitting up, he pulled Tessa’s legs forward, and she wrapped them around his back, heels digging into his buttocks. Still firmly inside her, the change of position did nothing to help the aching of his body for its insistent release.
Cole pulled her body in tighter against his and explored her mouth with his tongue then tasted up the length of her neck as she arched backward. He ached to flip her over, mount her, and pound into her, but this seemed more mutual, more equal and completely necessary in the tight space of the wicki. Tessa’s body rocked against his, her hard nub brushing against the base of his cock with each upward thrust. He longed to run his tongue over it, taste her, pleasure her until she was just as mad with desire as he felt right now. That was a luxury that deserved much more time and space than they had. This act, in this place, under these circumstances, was about need and urgency. He hoped he’d have another chance to enjoy her at leisure.
Tessa arched again, nearing a precipice, and Cole held the small of her back with one hand, rubbing a thumb across her nub with the other. Her sex tightened around him, and, as she rose up his length, he let go inside of her, each additional stroke pure, hot ecstasy until she finally rocked to a halt.
Cole wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into the crook of her neck. The molten heat between their bodies proved nearly too much to bear. Tessa’s rapid breaths sent goose bumps down his spine, despite the heat, and he could feel her heart battering against his chest.
He slid his hands up her back and under her hair to wrap around the back of her head, holding her there. “You’re amazing, Tessa.”
“You didn’t exactly suck, either.” She eased back and looked at him, her palms resting against his chest.
“Not yet.”
Tessa rolled her eyes and shifted to disembark.
“Wait,” Cole said. “I don’t want this to end.”
“The ride is already over, cowboy. Or weren’t you paying attention?”
Tessa slid her feet back under her and stood over him briefly, her sex inches from his face, then she shifted away to re-dress. Despite completing the act, he already wanted more of her. He watched her cover every inch of skin that had been pressed against him mere seconds earlier. Her hair flipped, and she cast a shy glance over her shoulder.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, leaning back on his elbows and quickly growing to half-mast again.
“You’re naked.”
“You weren’t complaining a minute ago.”
“I wasn’t thinking a minute ago. Now I am.” She zipped her flight suit up to her chin but didn’t turn to face him, stalling by continuing to fiddle and smooth her clothing.
Cole worked to pull his thermals back into place and shrugged into his suit then crossed to her. From behind, he pressed his palms flat across her belly and pulled her in to him.
“Nothing wrong a little afternoon delight,” he teased.
“This was a mistake.” Tessa shrugged away from him.
Cole was disappointed with her reaction but not surprised. Hell, she hadn’t even capitalized on his blatant pop culture reference.
“Precious, it wasn’t a mistake. We both needed it. Nothing wrong with that.”
They both startled when the tent flap swept open. Bimisi stood in the doorway.
“Come quick. Ela and the others…very sick. Come now.”
Chapter Eighteen
Tessa dipped the corner of her only extra tank top into the carved gourd, soaking it with cool water, then handed it to Noah. He pressed it against Ela’s forehead.
The girl was beautiful. Her long, dark hair had lost the sheen of her kindred, but, even in her severe condition, she was striking. And much older than Tessa had thought. She’d assumed the chief’s daughter to be a young child, but this was a woman, most likely in her mid-twenties. Noah folded then laid the cloth across the princess’s throat.
“I thought her fever was down,” Tessa said.
“It was. It spiked again last night. I’ve given her all the meds we have. A three-day supply is all they sent with us. She doesn’t have much longer, at this rate.” Noah said, worry creasing his brow.
Bimisi stood in the doorway, banished from entering the tent for fear of contamination.
“And where have you been? I worried myself sick about you,” Tessa said.
Bimisi blushed. “Your medicines weren’t helping. Our healer sent me out for snakeweed.”
“I thought… Never mind. Bimisi, we have to get back to the ships and get out of here. Back to our time. Can you help us make that happen?”
“Chief Itza-Chu already agreed to your request and asked me to take you back to your ship. Narsimha is too ill now to join us. The chief will spare a small band of braves to protect you but says that Ela will go with you in your starship when you leave. That you must heal her in the spirit world you are from.”
Tessa nodded. No way they could take the dying girl with them, but, if that’s what the chief and tribe needed to believe, she could play along until they could leave.
“How are the men from last night?” Cole asked Noah.
“Kuruk is dead and the others… The creature projected the venom at those men. And we already knew the blood was corrosive. I think we can assume all of its body fluids are caustic. Nothing seems to stop the acid from eroding tissue once exposed. It’s just a matter of time,” Noah said.
“Then it sounds like we’d better get that ship rolling,” Cole offered.
***
Cole carried the last load of scavenged supplies from their ship toward the alien craft. The wind blasted dessert grit against him, stinging his face. Dark would come more quickly this evening as a storm built in the west. Even more disconcerting was the swirling wormhole in the sky in the gap between the mesas. He wasn’t sure, but it seemed to be shrinking. And if the wormhole was drying up, so were their chances at making it back home. His weren’t the only eyes watching that hole. Seven braves stood watch outside, assessing the quickly darkening horizon, more to make sure their “guests” didn’t leave without Ela than to protect them. After last night’s attack, Cole knew they’d rather be back guarding the camp than out here with them. Still, it was good having eyes on the outside as they inspected and investigated the ship, readying it for departure.
He climbed the stairs into the alien ship. They were all still trying to wrap their heads around the enormity of what they were attempting to do and the chances that it would work out and not end in a quick and fiery death.
Powering the thing up had been relatively easy, and it seemed that the fuel tanks were full, but the hopper that fed those tanks was nearly empty.
Every indication was that the alien fuel system was nearly identical to their own ship’s fuel system. A fact they had already puzzled over six ways to Sunday. Assuming that was the case, then takeoff would deplete the fuel they currently held in the tanks. They would need reserves to navigate and eventually land once they shot out the other side of the wormhole.
“That the last of it?” Tessa asked, avoiding eye contact. She’d spoken to him on a strictly as-needed basis since their indiscretion earlier. His cock hardened at the mere memory of their interlude. Jesus, like they had time for a repeat performance.
“Yeah. Have you gotten a look
at the wormhole lately?”
Noah called up from below deck through the open grates, “It’s shrinking. Noticed it this morning.”
“Great. An indeterminate deadline. Just the sort of stress I need right now,” Tessa muttered to herself.
“Are you making any headway with the controls?” Cole asked, peering over the back of the captain’s chair and barely resisting the urge to nuzzle his face into her hair.
“Some. I’ve figured out all of the internal/external cabin controls: lights, stabilization controls, reaction controls. Fuel sensors are here.” She pointed to a series of lights and switches. “I’m just trying to figure out which ones do what. I think it’s all here, just like in our ship. I just have to unscramble the puzzle. Unfortunately, several of the pieces, I can’t even work until we’re airborne.” She stared out the window before her. “If we ever get airborne.”
“I believe you can fly.”
“That makes one of us.”
Cole squeezed her shoulder then made a quick retreat down below to help Noah before she could retort. If he was going to put his future into anyone else’s hands, he’d put Tessa tops on that list. He rode the little platform down to the lower deck and found Noah headfirst inside the fuel hopper with his legs flailing in the air as he tried to exit.
“Whoa, you think that’s a good idea?” He grabbed Noah by the waist of his flight suit and pulled him back to solid ground.
“No, but I needed to pull some samples from the bottom.” Noah handed Cole a rock. “Look familiar?”
Cole held it up to the light then rotated it several times. “Bauxite mostly, some other metals maybe. I wasn’t able to get a very good look at them, but they might be similar to the samples the rover collected on Amun.”
“I’d say they aren’t just like those samples, but they are exactly the same. I don’t think our hitchhiker was just collecting samples like we were. I think he was refueling.”
“Like a galactic gas station?” Cole asked.
“Precisely.”
“Doesn’t look like he completed his mission,” Cole said, peering down into the hopper.
