Fuck! What was she thinking? This was no time for her long-neglected libido to make itself known.
He turned to look at her as if he could detect her arousal, but she kept her face calm. She had spent too many years in business meetings to let her emotions show. He studied her, his eyes drifting down over her body. If it had been anyone else, she would have been insulted, but the heat of his gaze felt almost like a caress and her arousal intensified.
Unable to help herself, her eyes flicked down below his belt, and it took all her self-control not to reveal her astonishment. The tight-fitting pants did little to conceal what she assumed was a massive erection—if that was his unaroused state, she couldn’t imagine what he would be like fully hard. As it was, his size should have discouraged her from even thinking about the possibility of having… She hastily reeled in her thoughts. He was an alien, and no matter how nice he had been so far or how helpful he was being now, or how long it had been, she only had one purpose.
“Do you not have any other clothing?” he asked, interrupting her wayward thoughts.
“No, I don’t. The Vedeckians didn’t kidnap me with a suitcase,” she snapped, pulling her cloak closed over her pitiful outfit.
The medic had provided her with what she assumed was a medical gown to cover up her torn clothes, but she was well aware that the garment was both ill-fitting and unflattering. Her fingers itched for a needle and thread. If nothing else, she would be able to make some repairs to her own clothing.
“I apologize,” he said stiffly. “I meant no insult.”
His tail withdrew, leaving her skin feeling unexpectedly cool, and she suddenly realized that it had been encircling her wrist since they first stopped.
“I know you didn’t.” She reached out to give his tail a comforting pat, and he froze. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all. That is a… friendly gesture amongst my people.”
Ah. It must be similar to a handshake. She patted his tail again and smiled up at him.
“I hope we can be friends.”
“Friends? Umm, yes. Friends would be… nice.”
He seemed oddly discomforted and she wondered if she had overstepped. “I mean, if that’s all right with you. I assumed your people were okay with humans.”
He closed his eyes briefly. “Yes, we find humans very acceptable.”
All righty then. She took another deep breath and ignored the wave of arousal that swept over her as she pulled more of his scent into her lungs.
“Shall we go to your ship?”
“I thought perhaps a short detour first.”
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
“I wish to pick up a few items to make your trip more pleasant.”
He looked so hopeful that she ignored the alarm bells ringing in her head. This place’s version of the police had entrusted her to him. Not that she had much faith in the police after what happened to Nathan and Hana, but surely that meant he was one of the good guys.
“It won’t take long, will it?”
“Not at all.”
Once again, he offered her his hand and this time, she didn’t hesitate to place her hand on his. As they descended the ramp, his tail came up to curl around her waist but she decided to ignore it.
“Hold your hood over your head and keep your cloak closed,” he ordered as they started across the landing field. “It is for your safety,” he added when she glared at him. “Females are highly desirable, especially one like you.”
Somewhat mollified, she obeyed as they reached the first of one of the many shopping streets that led away from the spaceport.
“What do you mean? One like me?”
“Soft, beautiful, fertile.”
The final word made her heart ache. If only she had been—it would have saved so much time and so much money. She didn’t care about the money, but she regretted all those years without her daughter.
“I don’t think I’m any of those things,” she snapped.
He started to respond but then the first shopkeeper—a tall grey alien who was obviously the same species as the slave auctioneer—hailed them. Her pulse started to race and she stopped dead in her tracks, but Inzen’s tail tucked her gently up beside him as he opened negotiations. To her relief, he simply began bargaining for clothing. For her.
It was immediately clear that almost nothing would fit her without extensive alterations. Inzen frowned at the latest offering—a bronze silk affair that was almost as wide as it was tall—and started to shake his head.
“Do they have sewing equipment?” she asked softly. “Needles and thread? I can alter it to fit me.”
“You are a seamstress?”
Among other things.
“Yes. I’m surprised you know that word.”
“I live with one.”
Before she could react, he turned back to the alien. The male had been watching them intently, his eyes cutting to her every time she spoke, but he smiled ingratiatingly and started selecting sewing equipment from the shelves.
Why did the knowledge that Inzen lived with a female disturb her so? Despite what she was fairly sure was a mutual attraction, she didn’t have time for complications. Pushing the curious disappointment out of her mind, she inspected the proffered supplies and made her selections. Inzen added several additional garments to the pile despite her protests before he completed the deal.
After the shopkeeper tied their purchases into a complicated arrangement of fabric, they turned to leave. A small alien suddenly darted up to them, crashing into Jade. It wasn’t the first time someone had attempted to pickpocket her in a crowded market, and she reacted on instinct, her foot sweeping out as she grasped his arm—one of four—and whirled him around, yanking one of his arms up behind his back. Inzen reacted just as quickly, his hand at the alien’s throat. He gave her an astonished look before he focused on the pickpocket.
“You dare to try and steal from my female?”
“N-no,” the small figure stuttered.
A voluminous robe of many colors covered his slender form, and even though his features were unfamiliar, she suspected he was no more than a child.
“I will report you to the market master,” Inzen said sternly.
“No, please, Honored Sir. Not that.”
“What will they do to him?” she asked quietly.
“For stealing?” The alien in the stall behind them leaned forward, his face alive with interest. “He will lose at least one of his hands.”
Inzen looked at her and then shook his head. “I cannot be responsible for that.”
“Me either. Let him go.” She dropped the arm she had been holding.
“I will as soon as he returns your ring.”
With muttered apologies, the youngster reached into his robe and pulled out her jade ring. Despite her experience, she hadn’t even realized he slipped it off her finger.
“It matches your eyes,” Inzen said as he handed it back to her.
“I know—I have my father’s eyes. And that’s why my mother named me after the stone.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you, Inzen. My grandmother gave me this ring and it means a lot to me.”
“You are most welcome.” He turned and scowled at the boy, an imposing sight. “Now go and stay out of trouble.”
“Yes, Honorable Sir.” The youngster nodded enthusiastically, muttering thanks and apologies as Inzen released him. He started to disappear into the crowd but turned back with an unexpectedly impish grin. “For at least the rest of the day.”
Then he was gone. Jade burst out laughing, and Inzen ruefully shook his head. The stall keeper sighed.
“You know he’ll be back at it within the hour.”
“Perhaps. But he will still have all four hands.”
“I’m not sure that will be much comfort to his victims,” the alien muttered, but Jade smiled up at Inzen and tucked her hand in his arm.
“You did the right thing.”
Did the skin across his che
ekbones darken? Before she could decide, his tail was once more around her waist as he led them back across the landing field.
She looked up to find him studying her.
“What is it?”
“Your eyes,” he said slowly. “Do all human children inherit their father’s eye color?”
“Not at all. They could inherit from their mother or another relative. It depends on their genes. You understand genetics, right?”
“Of course. But all Cire have black eyes.”
Now that he mentioned it, she realized that it was true, but despite the similarity in color, they were by no means identical. She already suspected that she would be able to recognize his eyes. “Why do you ask?”
“I wondered if your daughter would have green eyes.”
“No.” A lump appeared in her throat as she remembered Hana’s sweet face.
She pushed her thoughts aside as Inzen headed for a tall, sleek ship. It resembled the aerospace version of a yacht, and she nodded approvingly. It looked fast and expensive.
Unfortunately, he didn’t stop there. He led the way around the ship, and she saw another vessel. Small and squat, it had a neat paint job that did little to disguise the numerous dents that peppered the hull.
“Is that your ship?” She scanned the rest of the area hopefully. The only other ships in sight were larger cargo vessels.
“Yes. The Flower is my personal vessel.” He smiled with obvious affection at what she probably would have called an old clunker.
“Is it, uh, fast?” She also wanted to ask if it was spaceworthy, but she suspected he would be insulted.
“Fast? It made the Kessel journey in under twelve parsecs.”
“Is that good?” she asked doubtfully.
“No other ship in the squadron could match it.” He looked down at her, his expression surprisingly sad. “Do not worry, letari. We will be on Trevelor soon enough.”
Inzen wrestled with his conscience as he escorted Jade on board the Flower. Should he tell her that his daughter was one of the two unaccompanied infants she was coming to meet? No, he decided again. There was no guarantee that Lily belonged to Jade, and he did not want to cause either of them additional strain while they were in close quarters. Very close quarters, he realized as he reluctantly removed his tail from around her waist.
The Flower was designed for fast, short trips with no more than one or two passengers. A narrow cockpit at the front of the ship contained two chairs and the instrument panel. Behind it was a small multipurpose open area. A seating area that could be converted into two bunks flanked one wall, while the other wall contained minimal cooking facilities and a small sanitary unit. Other than a small cargo area beneath the floor, the engines made up the rest of the ship.
Her sweet, spicy scent had already begun to permeate the small ship, and he realized with a grimace that he was destined to spend the entire trip with a constant erection. Ever since she had caressed his tail, he had been fighting the urge to pull her closer, and when she willingly placed her hand on his arm, showing her trust in him, his heart had skipped a beat.
Jade looked around, then nodded. “It looks much better in here than it does on the outside—I mean, it’s fine on the outside. It’s just a little, umm…”
“Do not worry, my letari. I am aware that the Flower is not the most beautiful of ships. But she is fast and true.”
“What does that mean? Letari?”
“It means little warrior. I am ashamed that I let the young thief get so close to you, but I was impressed by your defensive skills.”
“I’ve been training since my daughter was taken. I wanted to be able to defend her once I had her back.”
“You should never have to defend yourself or your child.”
“That hasn’t been my experience.”
“I am truly sorry. I wish that I could return and teach everyone who hurt you a lesson.”
Her face softened, and she reached out and patted his tail again. Each touch of her hand went straight to his aching cock. Should he tell her that he had understated the matter when he said it was a friendly gesture? No, he decided. Despite his frustration, he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to have her hands on him.
By Granthar! What was he thinking? She would only be with him for a short time, and when she found her daughter—hopefully not Lily—she would no longer be a part of his life. He cleared his throat.
“If you will strap yourself into the other seat, I will prepare for takeoff.”
Chapter Seven
As soon as Jade sat in the copilot’s chair, Inzen showed her how to fasten the harness, resisting the temptation to perform the task himself. Her small frame was swamped by the large chair and he frowned down at her.
“I need to check the harness to make sure it is secure. It is designed for a larger being.”
After studying him for a moment, she nodded.
“All right.”
Although she tried to hide it with a brave face, he could tell that she was nervous. He knelt down next to the chair so that he wouldn’t loom over her. He ran his fingers lightly down the shoulder straps. Although he tried to avoid touching her, he could feel the warmth of her skin as he tested the fit. He moved to the leg straps that circled her thighs and snapped into the buckle over her stomach. He heard her breath catch and, a second later, caught the sweet scent of her arousal.
Concentrate on the task at hand, he ordered himself, but his hand almost trembled as he glided it over the junction between her legs. His hands never trembled.
“It needs to be tighter.” His voice sounded strained even to his own ears.
“All right,” she repeated, but this time she sounded breathless.
“I need to place my finger beneath the strap to make sure it is not too tight.”
“Go ahead.”
He slid a finger beneath the strap across her stomach and had to bite back a groan as he felt the heat of her skin through the thin medical gown. He wanted nothing more than to rip open the flimsy fabric and touch her. Instead, he forced himself to concentrate on adjusting the settings on the harness until the strap tightened, forcing more of his hand against her skin. He knew he should withdraw but lingered a moment longer, unable to resist looking at her.
Now that he was kneeling, his head was only slightly above hers and he could see directly into those amazing eyes. Her pupils had dilated, leaving only a ring of pale green, and those full lips were parted, her breath escaping in a soft pant. Small white teeth clamped down on a plump lower lip, and he wanted—more than he had wanted anything in a very long time—to explore that tempting little mouth. The air between them thickened, but he forced himself to his feet and in doing so, placed his cock directly in front of her face. He saw her tongue flick out to moisten those full lips, and his cock jerked as he imagined her taking him between them. The action was strictly forbidden. No Cire could afford to waste his seed in a female’s mouth, but the image could not be erased. With more haste than dignity, he shoved himself out of the cockpit.
“I am going to perform a flight check and then we will depart.”
She murmured something but he didn’t dare look back at her.
Concentrating on his tasks did very little for his aching erection, but he forced himself to ignore it. He had only ever felt like this once before—when he met his mate—but even then, he didn’t recall anything approaching the intensity of his need for her.
Mate?
The thought stopped him dead in his tracks. It was impossible. Their traditions dictated that a Cire form a mate bond only once. And yet, as he resumed his duties, he couldn’t help but think of Hrebec and Abby. Admittedly, Hrebec had not been mated before but he had formed a mate bond with a human. Was it possible that even though he had been mated once, he could form a different but no less meaningful bond with Jade?
Pushing the thought aside to examine later, he returned to the pilot’s chair and started the liftoff sequence. Jade leaned forward eagerly.
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“This is very exciting. I couldn’t see what it looked like when we left Earth.”
Earth. Of course she would want to return to her planet. Even if his mating instinct had been aroused, he could not succumb to it. He would only be asking for heartache.
You are a warrior, he reminded himself. You have the strength to resist the allure of this female.
Despite his stern reminder, he did not feel as confident as he would like.
Jade watched eagerly as their small ship rose into the air. Inzen was apparently communicating with the planetary version of air traffic control because he hovered there for a moment before he received the signal to proceed. As soon as it came through, he took off, the planet falling away behind them with astonishing speed. She expected to find herself pushed back against the seat as they accelerated, but all she felt was a slight pressure against her chest. But even that minimal impact reminded her that her nipples were hard little buds. They had been pushing against the torn remnants of her sports bra since he had knelt beside her. And when he ran his hands down the straps, even though he had been nothing but respectful, she felt a rush of damp heat between her legs. And that finger against her skin, his big hand almost covering her entire stomach, had only heightened her arousal.
When he stood up, it was obvious that the arousal wasn’t one-sided. A distant part of her brain reminded her that she was alone in a spaceship with an alien twice her size sporting a massive erection, but she felt no fear. Despite her tendency to assume that everyone had an ulterior motive, even in the brief time they had been together, something about Inzen had lowered her usual barriers.
Daughter of the Alien Warrior Page 5
