by Anna Hackett
Feeling light and happy, she entered the infirmary. When she reached the lab, Emerson spun, her eyes wide and excited over her mask. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Early results from one of the solutions I made with your blood are very promising.” The doctor looked at all the samples on her bench. “Selena, it’s killing the Gizzida DNA.”
“That’s great.” Selena felt a leap of excitement.
Emerson paused. “You look different.”
Selena cleared her throat. “I slept well.”
“Right. Well, the other solutions haven’t worked, and I haven’t deciphered why this one did yet.”
Noah sauntered over, rolling something between his fingers. It was a metallic set of dice. Selena had noted that the man had a large collection of the small items.
“She’s mixing your blood with cineole,” Noah said.
“The solution is in here somewhere,” Emerson said. “I know it. Now, let’s do this.”
Noah leaned closer to Selena. “Nice stubble-burn on your neck.”
Selena’s hand flew up to her throat. “Um.”
Noah winked and Selena smothered a laugh.
Tane walked into the rec room with the rest of his squad. They were all showered and changed after a day of training, followed by an emergency call to bring in a group of survivors.
The small, ragged group had been malnourished, and hadn’t bathed in days. They’d escaped from some group in the mountains, where some asshole had declared himself supreme leader. When he’d started eyeing teenage girls to be his potential “wives”, a lot of people had decided to take their chances against the Gizzida.
Selena was right. There would always be bad guys, and there would always be the need for good guys to help keep them in line.
Hemi grabbed some homebrew beers from the bar and handed them around.
“I am thirsty.” Hemi chugged his back.
“Pool?” Griff called out to Dom.
The dark-haired man nodded and the pair snagged a pool table.
There was no sign of Selena. Tane was itching to see her. All day, the slightest thought of how she tasted or the sounds she’d made under his hands, had gotten him hard.
They sat in some armchairs, and a moment later, Indy appeared. Their comms officer made a beeline for Griff.
The berserker turned and Indy jumped on him. Griff cupped her ass as she wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him.
“Howdy, boys.” Cam said, as she and Arden appeared.
Arden, an elegant brunette who was Squad Nine’s comms officer, smiled and nodded to the squad. Dom appeared beside her, sliding an arm around his woman and nuzzling her cheek. He murmured something that made her smile.
Arden had lost her family in the invasion. Every time Tane had seen the comms officer, she’d often been sad and never smiled. But falling in love with an ex-Mafia enforcer who loved her completely had brought her smile back.
Cam sat on the arm of Hemi’s chair and smacked a kiss to his bearded face.
Then she shot Tane a knowing look, which told him that the cat was out of the bag about him and Selena.
Ash and Marin arrived next.
“Hey, Marin, you okay?” Cam asked.
The blonde nodded. “Fine. Some stellar nightmares, but I have a big, tattooed berserker to cuddle.”
Ash pulled her closer. “It’s my pleasure to distract you and help you get back to sleep.” His tone left no doubt as to how he did that.
Marin slapped his chest.
“I’m not talking to you!” A sharp female voice cut across the room.
“Babe.” Levi, his hair tied up at the back of his head, strode in behind an angry Chrissy.
The redhead tossed her hair over her shoulder. The fiery pair were always arguing, then making up. Sure enough, Levi lunged, lifted Chrissy off her feet, and spun her. His mouth landed on hers. Chrissy fought him, managed to slap him on the back, then she melted into the kiss. A second later, her hands were in his hair and she was kissing him back.
Tane shook his head. The pair got off on fighting.
Then, he saw Selena.
She stood in the doorway like a sexy fairy. Her hair was in a ponytail, she was wearing the jeans that drove him crazy, and that blue shirt that made her skin look like a pearl.
She spotted him and smiled.
“Here comes our pretty alien,” Hemi said. “My bro’s been very tight-lipped about their dinner.”
“I bet,” Cam drawled.
Selena arrived. “Hi.”
Tane tumbled her into his lap and swallowed her gasp of surprise with his mouth. He took his time kissing her until she was clinging to him.
He ignored the hoots and hollers of their friends.
“Hi,” he murmured.
“Hi.”
“I fucking love this.” Hemi stood, leaned over, and planted a big kiss on Selena’s mouth. “You are perfect for him.”
She blushed.
“We need more drinks,” Hemi bellowed.
Tane held her close. “Missed you today.”
She smiled. “We were so busy. Emerson thinks one of her mixtures might work on the Gizzida DNA. She used my blood—”
“Your blood?” He frowned. He hated the idea of her being a damned lab rat.
She cupped his cheek. “Emerson’s not hurting me. If it helps save us—” her gaze dropped to his lips “—save you, it’s worth it.”
It might be helpful, but he still didn’t like it.
“Anyway, she’ll run more tests overnight. We should know more in the morning. This could be it, Tane. A way to stop the Gizzida bombs.”
He ran his hand over her hair. “Good.”
She fidgeted in his lap.
He caught her hip. “If you don’t sit still, I’ll embarrass myself.”
Her tongue touched her lip and she lowered her voice. “When can we get out of here?”
Shit, she wasn’t helping his erection go down. He reached up, brushing his thumb over her lips. “You hungry, Butterfly?”
Her voice was a whisper. “Yes, starving.”
Damn. His cock throbbed. “I want to be inside you so badly.”
“Hey, Selena,” Hemi said, interrupting them. “We were talking earlier about your home world, and what you do for fun there. Like sports.”
Tane took a sip of his beer, taking the time to cool himself down, but still enjoying holding onto her.
“We don’t play sports on Florum,” Selena said.
Hemi froze. “No sports? None at all?”
She shook her head. “We aren’t a very physical species. We’re more academic. We do enjoy hiking, connecting with nature.”
“Well, you’ll have to learn rugby now,” Hemi said.
“Okay.”
The conversation moved and shifted, drifting over various topics. It was clear that everyone was trying hard not to think of the alien bombs.
Tane’s chest tightened. They could all feel the clock ticking, the sound getting louder as time passed. He looked at Selena. She was laughing at something Cam said, and her face looked happy and serene. He would do whatever he had to in order for her to survive.
“Evening, everyone.”
Tane tilted his head back and saw Manu and Kate. Manu studied Selena sitting in Tane’s lap, and caught Tane’s gaze. His brother nodded his approval.
“This is what life would be like after the Gizzida,” Selena murmured.
“Yeah.” Tane hadn’t thought much about it. He was a soldier; it was all he knew. He was always thinking of the next battle, not what it would be like if they won the war.
If they did drive the Gizzida away, he couldn’t see himself farming, or anything like that. But spending time with his brothers, his friends, Selena, yeah.
“What would you do?” she asked. “If the Gizzida were gone?”
“Not sure. I told you, I’m only good at fighting.”
Her eyes sparked. “You’re strong and protecti
ve. I’m sure you’d find a way to put those skills to good use.”
A secret wish welled up, one he never consciously acknowledged or told anyone before. One he hadn’t thought he deserved.
Her hand slid up to his cheek. “Tane?”
“I’d like to be a dad.”
She stilled. “What?”
“I had a good childhood, good parents. I want to raise a kid, keep him or her safe. Teach them. Take them climbing, hiking, teach them to play rugby.”
He saw something shift in her eyes, her happiness leaking away.
“Selena?” He tipped her chin up.
“I… We… Might not be compatible.”
He smiled and stroked her cheek. “We aren’t so different. Like you said, we have the same bits in the right places.”
Her green eyes shot open, impossibly wide. “We have ways to control conception on Florum, but I’m obviously not using any of that. Do you have some form of contraception?”
“No.”
“Oh!” She tried to scramble out of his lap. “What if…? What if…?”
Her panic was cute. Tane rose and pulled her with him. “Excuse us.”
“I knew you’d abandon us, Rahia,” Levi called out.
“I think he’s got better things to do,” Cam drawled, followed by some good-natured laughter from the assembled group.
Tane pulled Selena into the corridor.
She spun to face him. “What if I’m pregnant?” Her face was pale, voice panicked. “What if—?”
“If you’re pregnant, then we’ll make a beautiful baby.”
She stilled, staring at him.
He cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. “I want you pregnant.”
“Tane,” she breathed.
He rubbed his fingers along her temples. “I want you tied to me. I wanted to be an us, not a you and me.”
She blew out a breath. “Until we beat the Gizzida, I can’t…”
He nodded. He wanted the world to be safe for a baby to grow up in, too. “I’ll talk to Doc Emerson about getting an implant.”
Selena smiled. “Thank you.” She fidgeted for a moment. “Will that take long?”
He grinned. “Let’s go find her.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Oh, yes, Tane.”
Selena clung to Tane. He had her pinned to the wall in her quarters, hammering inside her.
She held tight to his hard shoulders, her legs clamped onto his hips. It was hot, hard, and perfect.
“Get there,” he growled.
She moaned and the look on his face made her shiver. “You feel so good inside me.”
She loved wild sex against the wall.
He kept moving inside her, each stroke filling her up. Their eyes were locked, and the way he claimed her made her feel like she was his everything.
Soon, Selena couldn’t talk. Her breathing quickened, whimpers broke free. With each thrust, a grunt broke out of him. His thrusts got faster, harder.
Her climax hit—a wild, hot rush. She buried her face into his neck, crying out his name.
Tane thrust deep, his big body shuddering, his growl long and low.
She held him tight. Right here, in Tane Rahia’s arms, she felt safe and right. Like she was where she belonged.
“Wall sex is amazing,” she murmured.
He lifted his head and gave her a sexy grin. “Glad you approve.” Then he blinked. “You’re glowing.”
Her skin was glowing. “All your fault.” She nipped his lips. “It’s when I have excess energy.”
“I made you glow.”
He looked rather pleased with himself. Happiness filled her. They’d well and truly tested out his new contraceptive implant. Both during the night, and this morning.
She nuzzled him. “I need to get to the lab. Emerson will already be working.”
“And you want to be there, in case something goes wrong.” He smoothed a hand over her hair. “My sweet Selena.”
Warmth bloomed. She’d expected rough and tough from Tane, but she loved the little pieces of sweetness as well.
They showered and dressed. She wished they had time to take longer in the shower, but they had work to do. Tane had brought a change of clothes with him, so soon they were both dressed and ready.
He held her hand as they walked to the infirmary.
Inside, the medical team was working quietly, stocking equipment and gear. Most patients were being treated down the hall in a secondary infirmary so they weren’t too close to the lab.
Selena waved at Norah, one of the head nurses. The woman shot an appreciative look at Tane before a frown formed on her face. “The doc is not happy this morning.”
“What’s happened?” Selena’s stomach clenched.
Norah waved a hand. “Go and see.”
Selena glanced at Tane. His brow furrowed.
In the small office attached to the lab, Emerson sat slumped in a chair, her mask shoved around her neck. Noah leaned against the wall nearby, wearing a ferocious scowl.
“What’s wrong?” Selena asked.
Emerson looked up. “My tests failed.”
“Failed?” Selena took a step forward.
Emerson’s blonde hair bobbed as she nodded. “The mixture that was killing the Gizzida DNA…it stopped working. Today, the samples are covered in Gizzida cells.”
Selena’s stomach dropped to her feet. No.
“Fuck,” Tane muttered.
Tears appeared on Emerson’s face and she dashed them away. “Damn pregnancy hormones.”
“We’re back to square one,” Noah said.
“And we’re running out of time,” Tane added.
“I know that,” Emerson said sharply.
“No.” Selena shook her head. “That one mixture worked, at least for a little while.” She spun to look through the window into the lab, staring at the benches where the test vials were set up. “We keep working, and we find out why. We aren’t giving up.”
Emerson swiped at her eyes again. “Selena—”
Selena moved to her friend, touching Emerson’s belly. “You have babies in here who deserve a safe world, a world where they can run in the sun, laugh and play under the trees.”
The doctor bit her lip, then set her shoulders back. “Okay, okay. I’m all right now, I’ve had my pity party.” She squeezed Selena’s hand. “Thank you.”
Tane appeared behind Selena shifting her hair to one side and kissing her neck. “Nice work.”
She smiled. They all had so much to fight for. She reached out and touched the window, her gaze on a vial of fluid. They would find a way to make it work.
Suddenly, the brown fluid inside the vial started to froth.
One of the comps beeped and Emerson spun, looking at the screen.
“Oh, my God, it’s killing the Gizzida cells again.” She looked through the window, then at Selena. “What did you do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Sit.” Emerson pushed Selena into a chair, then she reached out and grabbed a monitoring patch. She pressed the small adhesive to Selena’s temple.
Tane scowled, but Selena reached out and squeezed his hand. “I’m fine.”
“I’m just taking some scans,” Emerson said.
Noah and the doc worked together, Noah tapping furiously at one of the comps.
“I’ll do some more tests,” Emerson said. “I need to run—”
Alarms blared through the room, lights flashing overhead.
“Shit,” Tane said.
Selena gasped. It was the base’s general emergency alarm.
Tane yanked out his communicator. “Indy?”
“Tane.” Indy’s voice burst out of the communicator. “Get to the Command Center now.”
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“A large alien force was spotted. They’re coming in from Sydney airport and headed this way.”
“Oh, God,” Emerson gasped.
“They’re on a direct course with the E
nclave,” Indy added.
Tane spun, cursing. “I’ve got to go.”
Selena tore off the monitoring patch. “I’m coming, too.”
He looked like he wanted to argue, but instead, he took her hand and nodded.
The Command Center was abuzz with activity. Everyone was tense, talking in low tones or rushing between comp stations.
Holmes stood near one of the computers, his hands on his hips and his gaze glued to the feed showing on the big screen on the wall.
“Oh, no,” Selena whispered beside Tane.
Yeah, it wasn’t good. He scanned the screen. A large contingent of aliens—row upon row of marching raptors, big and rugged spiked vehicles, and huge, lumbering rexes—was headed their way. Several flying, dinosaur-like aliens moved through the sky.
All headed to the Enclave.
“What’s happening?” Hemi’s voice.
The berserkers pushed into the Command Center and Tane jerked his head at the screen.
“Oh, fuck.” Hemi scowled.
Tane slid his arm around Selena. The other squads finished arriving, filling the room.
Holmes turned. “As you can all see, we have a big problem. We have a few choices of how to handle this. We can lock down and bunker in the Enclave. We have food and resources that would last us over a year.”
Like a siege. Tane shook his head. “But then we can’t get out, and we’re potentially still screwed at the end of that year.”
The general’s eyes flashed. “Correct.”
“They must be almost ready to detonate the bombs,” Selena said. “They want us locked down. They don’t want any interference.”
The general gave a tired nod.
“We aren’t hiding,” Marcus growled. “We fight. We all have too much to live for. They won’t make us cower like rats.”
There were murmurs and shouts of agreement from the crowd.
Holmes nodded. “We’ll lock down the elderly and the children, as well as all non-essential personnel, in the heart of the Enclave. All medical and Command Center staff will need to be on duty.” His gaze scanned the room. “And I want—no, I need—all squads out there. We need to slow the aliens down, and show them that we won’t be easy targets.”
