Pets in Space® 4

by S. E. Smith

  His thrusts grew stronger and faster, the pressure within her built. Her blood felt like fire, her skin electrified.

  “Caitlin,” he gasped, grabbing her hips and drawing her back against him to match his near-frenzied movements.

  The energy she’d been keeping at bay exploded, flowing along her saturated nerves, melting into her muscles, drowning out all thought and reason except for this moment of perfect pleasure.

  He finally stopped, his shaft buried as deep as possible in her, chest plastered against her back, sweat-slicked bodies not even letting air between them.

  His breath fanned her neck as he lowered his head next to hers. She wasn’t sure where she began and he ended.

  This wasn’t just pleasure. It was something more. Something she’d never experienced before.

  Unity.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The universe was filled with miracles. Caitlin was absolutely one of them.

  Marq didn’t want to part from her, to end this moment of absolute and complete bliss.

  This was the first time he’d partnered with someone without using Coupling. The experience was exquisite.

  “Is this what it’s always like?” He breathed the question into her ear and kissed her neck.

  He felt a tremor ripple through her body. Felt it everywhere they touched.

  “Never,” she said. “At least, not for me.”

  He felt the truth of her words as soon as she uttered them. This wasn’t just the lack of using the Coalition drug. This was him and Caitlin.

  She shifted forward and he finally let himself fall back, parting only long enough to sit next to her on the couch and draw her into his lap. She leaned against his chest, but didn’t say anything. Didn’t even look at him.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked.

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.”

  “I’m confused.”

  “Me, too.” She twisted around so that she was straddling him, giving him ideas should she decide to couple with him again. “I want to kiss you.”

  He smiled and leaned forward. “By all means.”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips, pushing him back against the cushions. But then, she moved her hands to cradle his face and bent to kiss him. A light, lingering kiss that stirred something in his chest. A tightness whose origins he couldn’t fathom.

  When she pulled back, he said, “Now I’m even more confused.”

  She laughed. “Sorry about that.”

  “Never be sorry for kissing me.” He brought his hands to her hips, then ran them over the smoothness of her bottom.

  She pulled in a hissing breath between her teeth and leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his chest. His body began to stir again, surprising him.

  “This is crazy,” she said. “You make me crazy.”

  The tightness in his chest increased. “I… That sounds like a bad thing.”

  “I don’t know. This is so intense and fast.”

  “Should we have waited before coupling? I thought it was what you wanted.”

  “It was…is…and feels like it always will be. And that’s freaking me out.”

  He parsed through her words, trying to understand her concern. Only one theory made sense, and his heart picked up at the mere thought of it.

  “You wish to pairbond with me,” he said. “To become my bondmate.”

  It would solve so many of their problems—protect her from a mindwipe, give her the ability to be aboard his ship, give him clearance to visit her on Earth.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa.” She shook her head. “That would be absolutely insane.”

  His heart felt like it had turned to lead in his chest. He would need to visit the medbay if these vacillations continued.

  But then, she pulled her lip between her teeth and held it there.

  A slow smirk pulled on his face. He could feel it.

  She wanted the pairbond. She just didn’t want to admit it.

  “Stop looking so smug,” she said. “This isn’t just because you’re that good in bed. Even though you are.”

  “I don’t understand,” he said, though it was an idiom he actually knew. He feigned a confused expression. “We’ve only been together on the couch.”

  She let out an aggravated growl. “We have known each other for like four hours. Even I am not that impulsive.”

  “Pairbonds aren’t permanent,” he said. “They can be dissolved.”

  She looked stricken. A furrow appeared between her eyebrows and her mouth dropped open for a moment, before snapping shut.

  He hurried to reassure her. “But only if you wanted that,” he said. “I can’t imagine not wanting more of this.”

  She arched an eyebrow, but was still frowning. “I guess it was good for you, too, then.”

  “It was amazing. Like every moment with you has been.”

  At last, she smiled. “This has been the greatest adventure of my life.”

  “Then let it continue.”

  Her smile broadened, the corners of her eyes crinkling. She leaned in and kissed him. Marq wrapped his arms around her, feeling the heat of her skin against his, the warmth of her heart.

  She pulled back after a few long and wonderful moments, resting her forehead against his. “I hope we’ll still feel this way when the adrenaline wears off.”

  “I have no doubt of it.” He kissed her briefly. “Whatever lies before us, we’ll face it together. Being with you makes me feel that anything is possible.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Caitlin stretched and cast a lingering look at Marq as he slept. She wanted to check on the kittens again, and honestly, for all their super-advanced technology, the Sadirians sure couldn’t make a comfortable couch. The foam pallet he’d laid out in the other room looked worse—even if it hadn’t been occupied by Meredith and her kittens.

  Comfort didn’t seem to be that important to Marq’s people. He didn’t have any blankets and there was no oversized T-shirt for her to pull on.

  If she was going to be sticking around—and she really, really wanted to stick around—she’d talk to him about making some changes. Not just for her, but for his entire crew.

  “Blankets and sandwiches for everyone,” she whispered.

  Marq had left the door to the other room open. Caitlin stepped inside and was immediately greeted by Meredith lifting her head and letting out a trilling purr-meow.

  “There’s my happy mama,” Caitlin whispered, dropping to her knees beside the cat and her family.

  Caitlin scratched behind Meredith’s ears and petted her, feeling her ribs and stomach more out of reflex than any concern. The kittens stretched and rolled over, getting comfortable in their cozy bed.

  “At least you guys look comfy. And you, Miss Meredith—you get a lifetime of cat treats for introducing me to Marq, you little matchmaker.”

  Meredith half-rolled over, giving Caitlin better access to scratch under her chin.

  “And lots of lovin’s.”

  Caitlin laughed, trying to keep her voice low so she didn’t wake Marq. In the stillness of the rooms, she easily heard the soft shoosh of the door to Marq’s quarters opening behind her. Meredith perked up, eyes wide and pupils dilating.

  Caitlin stopped herself just in time to keep from asking aloud if this was someone Meredith knew. Something in the cat’s posture put her on alert.

  Standing as quietly as possible, Caitlin inched to the door and peered around the corner.

  “It didn’t have to come to this, Commander.”

  A man was standing between her and Marq—the repairman from the hangar bay.

  Ven?

  Ven’s right hand was fisted and pointing toward the couch as his left hand hovered over his bracer. Marq was propped up on one arm. His eyes moved to her, but the rest of him was unnaturally still.

  Caitlin started to step forward, but Marq’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She ducked back into the room where she was hiding.

  Why the heck hadn’t sh
e taken the time to get dressed before checking on Meredith?

  “The High Council will rise again,” Ven said. “And when they do, those of us who remained loyal will be rewarded.”

  Her heart started to pound. Ven was one of the bad guys?

  “Craaaap,” Caitlin mouthed, looking around the room for something to use as a weapon. Her gaze fell on her medical bag. She knelt next to it, digging through its contents as quietly as she could.

  Cat treats, deworming medicine, stethoscope… There it was!

  She lifted the vial of tranquilizer and grabbed a syringe packet. She winced at the noise it made when she ripped it open, holding her breath. Ven was still talking in the other room.

  What was the dose needed to knock out a Sadirian? Would it even have the same effect on them as a human? What if Ven had a reaction and it killed him?

  Her options were limited, and she—and Marq—were in danger.

  Caitlin filled the syringe with an amount that would incapacitate a human in seconds, but not kill them. The similarities between humans and Sadirians better be more than skin deep.

  Crouching at the door with her weapon in hand, she realized she had another problem. How to cross the room to him and inject him before he noticed her.

  Marq was still frozen in place. She remembered him holding his arm up toward Bert back on Earth, hand fisted in the exact same manner as this guy. Marq hadn’t had his uniform on then, but it had seemed a reflexive action.

  Maybe Ven’s bracer was doing something that was paralyzing Marq. Marq had said the bracers could do amazing things—things he’d disabled in her uniform for her and everyone else’s safety.

  Ven had better hope this effect was temporary. She didn’t need fancy technology to mess him up.

  “This planet has a corrupting influence on our people,” Ven said. “It will be purged and stripped of resources, along with anyone who sides with them. This is your moment to choose.”

  Ven slid a finger over his bracer. Marq shook his head, then tried to lean forward. His neck strained with effort, but no other part of his body moved.

  “What kind of stasis field is this?” Marq said.

  “One developed for the High Council’s interrogators.”

  “An interrogator?” Marq glared at him. “That wasn’t in your personnel file. How many agents of the High Council are left aboard my ship?”

  “Not your ship,” Ven shouted. “This is Teisha’s ship. And she will be restored to her place the moment we finish our work here.”

  Caitlin modified her grip on the syringe, placing her thumb on the plunger so she could inject the tranquilizer as soon as she stabbed the needle into Ven’s body. She took a deep breath, rallying her courage, and prepared to creep into the room.

  A small form darted between her legs, nearly tripping her.

  “Meredith,” she whispered.

  Luckily, Marq shouted, “Meredith!” at the same time, covering the sound of Caitlin’s voice.

  Ven jerked away from the cat as she ran up to him, yowling, hissing, and swiping at him with her claws. He turned his bracer toward her.

  “Oh, no, no, no!” Caitlin rushed out from her hiding place, holding up the hand with the syringe and roaring at him as she did. She had no idea what he had planned for Meredith, and wasn’t about to wait around to find out.

  In other circumstances, the look on Ven’s face would have been hilarious. Caitlin hoped she’d have a chance to look back on the entire ridiculous situation and laugh.

  Ven’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped open. She wasn’t sure which was freaking him out more—the yowling cat or the screaming, naked Earthling charging at him.

  There was no way Caitlin would reach him in time. He was already bringing his other hand down on his bracer’s controls and had lifted it toward her.

  For a brief instant, Caitlin was grateful that Meredith at least wasn’t in immediate danger. Then Marq slammed into Ven’s side, tackling him to the ground.

  Ven swung at Marq, his fist connecting with the side of Marq’s head. The blow didn’t faze him. With barely a pause, Marq grabbed Ven’s wrists, trying to pin them.

  Ven twisted away from Marq’s grip, elbowing Marq in the jaw hard enough that his head snapped back. As Ven pressed his advantage, Caitlin saw her chance.

  She leaped forward, grabbing a fistful of Ven’s hair. Without hesitating, she stabbed the syringe into his neck and pressed the plunger in one panic-stricken movement.

  Ven lurched to his feet, hitting Caitlin with his back and knocking her into the wall. She smacked her head on the metal, then slid to the floor, the lights flickering in her vision.

  “Caitlin!” Marq charged forward, slamming into Ven’s stomach with his shoulder and lifting him from the ground. Ven flew across the room, then landed in a tangle of limbs on the floor.

  Marq paused, his chest heaving, staring at Ven’s still form.

  “Did I kill him?” Marq said.

  “No.” Caitlin held up the syringe. “Donkey tranquilizers, remember?”

  Marq stared at her for a moment, then he laughed. A full, deep laugh.

  Caitlin joined in, but then the adrenaline hit her system. She started to shake, tears streaming down her cheeks even as she continued to laugh.

  Marq rushed to her side and dropped to his knees beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the nape of her neck.

  Meredith leaped onto his back, staring down at them from over his shoulder and making chirruping noises. She curled her feet under her body and closed her eyes as if this kind of thing was absolutely normal.

  Caitlin let out another laugh as Marq kissed her neck and held her tighter.

  They were safe—at least for now.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “The search you ordered after the attack revealed a number of explosives on the Outreach station and in Kindred colony.” Nika’s gaze remained fixed on Caitlin and Meredith sitting on the couch together while she gave her report. “There were none in the mining colony, as you expected.”

  “Of course not,” Marq said. “The Sadirians still loyal to the idea of the High Council want to use the mining colony to take Earth’s resources for their own ends. Why redo the work we’ve already done, especially with Vegan technology integrated with our own?”

  Nika arched an eyebrow at him, then crossed to the couch. There had always been an empty corner created by the positioning of the furniture in his sitting area that bothered him. He’d found a use for it now.

  Nika peered into the space and said, “This is an interesting use of Earth resources.”

  Marq had ordered that his and Caitlin’s Earth clothing be brought from the skimmer to his quarters at Caitlin’s request—after they’d donned their Sadirian uniforms once more. Soon after the Earth clothing arrived, Caitlin had piled the material in the corner beside the couch.

  Meredith had moved her kittens to the new location almost immediately. He was happy to have his pets closer, yet now they were revealed for all who visited him to see.

  It was only a matter of time.

  “The explosives were placed recently,” Nika continued. “This was a well-planned attack. Ven couldn’t have been acting alone.”

  “I never thought he was,” Marq said. “We need to search through the personnel files again.”

  Nika nodded. “Sorca can also talk to soldiers we knew were opposed to the High Council before it was destroyed. Maybe they’ve heard something.”

  “If they had, they would have come to me,” Marq said. He’d connected—very discreetly—with several Sadirians among the ranks of the Reckoning who’d also learned of some of the High Council’s reprehensible acts and shared his desire for change.

  “You sure about that?” Nika smiled at Caitlin. “You’ve been a bit…distracted lately.”

  Caitlin shook her head. “Don’t look at me. I only just got here.”

  Nika laughed. “I was talking about the cats. Does Sorca know about these? I d
on’t recall them being scanned and cleared to come aboard.”

  Caitlin snorted, then said, “We call that an import quarantine.” She must have realized her mistake, because she quickly added, “When we’re using our Earth-human words.”

  Both Nika and Marq stared at her.

  “You really need to work on your girlfriend’s vernacular if you want anyone to think she’s one of us.”

  “What?” Caitlin looked at Marq, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m Siberian. No, wait, that’s a husky…”

  “The word you’re looking for is Sadirian.” Nika reached over and scratched Meredith’s chin. “And you’re not fooling anyone.”

  Caitlin’s shoulders slumped. She stared at Meredith and stroked the cat’s fur.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Nika said. “Most people on board won’t be paying attention, especially if you stick with the Commander.”

  Caitlin cast her a weak smile.

  “Caitlin won’t be on the Reckoning much longer,” Marq said. “She’s a doctor who tends to a wide array of Earth animals. Her expertise is needed on her homeworld.”

  “Thanks.” Caitlin’s words were flat, her expression guarded. Had he offended her somehow?

  “Are you the only veterinarian on Earth?” Nika made a circle with the fingers and thumb of one hand. “Because we have zero.”

  “I’ve checked out Meredith and the kittens and they’re fine.” Caitlin stood with Meredith and crossed to Marq, handing him the cat. He held Meredith close, comforted by her presence. Caitlin wrapped her arms around his elbow and leaned against him. Warmth spread through his chest.

  This was how he was meant to exist. Caring for Meredith with Caitlin at his side. He could feel it in every fiber of his being. It was as though they were already becoming a unit. A family.

  “I have a lot to learn about all this,” Caitlin said.

  Marq nodded. “We all do.”

  “I’m just not sure I’m qualified,” Caitlin said. “I mean, I take care of animals.”

  “And I have a feeling there will be more of them on our ships and in our colonies and space stations.” Marq glanced over at Nika, who was standing on her tiptoes to get a better view of the kittens over the edge of the couch.