by Tracy Lauren
“Come. It is time to go,” Vast tells me, his protective hand on my shoulder.
“Go? I can’t go without them!” I shout, pointing to my people in the pit.
“Then we will get them.”
Chapter 31
Mel
We’re racing toward the entrance to the gladiator stalls. The Sovolians have guns drawn and across the pit I see the angry mob bring down part of the fencing that separates the audience from the fights. Kellan grips Reagan’s hand and Gile and Mire flank them as they hurry toward the gate. We’re separated by a fence, but Mire’s eyes meet mine just before we duck down a flight of stairs.
He looks more like himself already. Whatever weird metamorphosis he and Gile went through must have been short-lived…adrenaline fueled perhaps? Rival leads us through dimly lit catacombs and I have to push myself to keep their pace. Without warning, a larger room opens up, with cages on one side and benches on the other. This must be the gladiator stalls. We turn a corner and run headfirst into Gile and Mire. Relief washes over me.
I let out a squeal of delight and push past Helix to embrace my Sovolians. Their strong, golden arms wrap around me and they fill my senses. Their bodies are hot and slick with sweat and their veins still seem dark and thick, cording down their arms and over their shoulders. I breathe them in, fight stink and all—I’m just so grateful they’re here. Then I remember Reagan.
“Reagan!” I wriggle free and she dives into my arms.
“Mel! I fucked up, I’m so sorry!” she sobs.
“No! Don’t be sorry,” I tell her, squeezing her tightly, needing to prove she’s really here.
“Save the reunion, we must get you to your ship,” Vast insists.
“He is right, we need to leave now,” Mire agrees.
No arguments there. Then we’re all running again and the echo of the angry mob follows us as we go.
“What the fuck? Do all fights end like this?” I pant.
“They are angry because the terms of the fight were changed after bets were closed.” Okay, that makes sense. There’s a space station filled with pirates that feel like they just got ripped the fuck off.
Helix pushes open a door and we exit the catacombs, stepping out into a main corridor of the station. My eyes go wide as I take in the scene. There’s an all-out riot going on. Fights are breaking out all around us and I even see the flash of laser guns being fired. Kellan takes one look at the situation and flings Reagan over his shoulder.
“Oh hell no!” she protests, but we’re all running too hard to do anything about it.
I see the docks up ahead and it gives me an extra burst of energy. We’re almost off this godforsaken space station. There’s loads of other aliens rushing to escape, having about as much interest in staying for the riot as we do. Ahead of us I see a hard-looking male raise his gun at the dock master, the one we met when we arrived. There’s a flash of light and he falls to the floor, smoke rising from a hole in his head. I skid to a halt as the shooter looks up and sees us. But the Sovolians raise their weapons in unnatural unison and the guy is blown backward, collapsing against a metal wall.
My eyes are wide and I’m trembling from head to toe, but there’s no time to stop. There’s shouting behind us and the pounding of feet is heading our way. I hear the cutting sound a laser blast makes as it splits the air.
“We’ll throw down cover!” Vast shouts.
“No!” I scream desperately. “Come with us!” But Mire has to throw his body over mine as more shots come hurtling toward us. I’m still screaming as he rips me away from the others, carrying me towards our ship. I can’t help but look over his shoulder, watching as the three Sovolians who helped us disappear in the distance. It isn’t right. They deserve freedom as much as Gile and Mire do. But we’re at the docks and it’s time to go.
Our ship’s to the left, Kellan’s to the right and he’s still got Reagan tossed over one shoulder. Mire sees the worry on my face as Kellan veers away from us. “We rendezvous!” he barks, and though Kellan looks angry, he nods his assent. Then we split up.
Everything after that is a blur. We’re anxious as the ship’s hatch slowly opens. Another vessel explodes nearby in a fiery crash. We duck into our ship and there’s more running, then I’m fumbling to get strapped in as Gile and Mire power up our ship. I watch the view screen as we turn, our ship facing the freedom of outer space. Then, warp kicks in and we slingshot away.
The pull of warp speed seems to go on forever, and when Gile finally tells us he’s taking us out of it I’m grateful. The stars stop dragging and turn back into little pinpoints of light. Everything goes still.
“Reagan! Where’s Reagan?” I demand, scanning space. A second later, their ship pops into view and I exhale, falling back into my seat. “Oh thank God!” A sense of relief washes over me.
Chapter 32
Mel
I’m still angry at Kellan for taking off without us and I worry he might decide to take off again, only this time with Reagan in tow. So I demand she comes aboard our ship. Gile and Mire seem to be on the same page and within minutes the ships are linked and I’m rushing to the portal to let Reagan in.
The airlock opens and we fall into each other’s arms once more. I’m sobbing, she’s sobbing, and damned if this isn’t the reunion we needed. Behind her Kellan lingers, the sooty war paint is still smeared all over him, and his arm—it’s definitely wounded.
“You should go to medical,” I tell him, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. Kellan nods, not meeting my gaze. He looks hollow, like a ghost of a man, and it softens me, if only a little. “Gile, why don’t you give him a hand?” Gile bounds forward at my suggestion, moving to Kellan’s side, and I pull Reagan toward the captain’s quarters.
“Two mugs of ceata please,” I say into the synthesizer, and my requested items materialize before me. “And that is the extent of my food synthesizer knowledge,” I tell her proudly.
“You and me both,” she says, taking the mug that I hand her. She’s seated at a kitchenette-type table that’s a little too large to be made for humans and I slide into a seat across from her. She looks strange like this, dressed to the nines but with her hair and makeup disheveled from our harried escape.
“Are you okay?”
She scoffs and wipes a tear as she stares into her mug. “Fuck no. I’m even worse than ever.”
I reach across the table and grab her hand. “I’m so sorry, Reagan. I should have been there for you. You needed me and I flaked—”
“What are you talking about? Mel, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“If I had gone with you to talk to Kate none of this would have happened.”
“Yes. It would have,” she insists. “I’m just sorry that I fucked it up in the first five minutes. I was trying to run away and I barely even made it to the end of our star system. I put all of you in danger.”
“What happened, Reagan?”
“I got locked in a tractor beam and didn’t know how to get out of it on voice commands alone.”
“No, I mean…why leave?” I ask, and she sighs, rubbing her forehead.
“Honestly? It’s time for me to grow up, Mel. I want to live my own life, experience the world—or the galaxy in this case. But it’s a moot point now. As much as I want to be on my own, I’ve already proved how incompetent I am at surviving.”
“Okay, I get it. You need a change of pace. We can make that happen. Gile and Mire have ships, I’m sure they’d take us exploring—”
“No, Mel, you’re not hearing me!” Her voice becomes strained, but she immediately looks remorseful and shakes away her tension. “Sorry…it’s just, this was something I needed to do on my own. And now I’ll never have the chance.”
“Oh.”
“No one’s going to let me leave Elysia after this. Hell, and they’d be right not to. I can’t make it on my own. I’m not strong or smart like the rest of you.”
“That’s not true, Reagan.”
“It is what it is.”
I feel so damned helpless. I don’t know what to tell Reagan to make her feel better. I want her to be able to find herself, but she probably shouldn’t be out here alone.
“I’m glad you’re not dead,” I tell her. And she cracks a smile at that, peeking up at me.
“Yeah, ditto…” The spark returns to Reagan’s eyes and some of the sadness in them eases. “Man, did you see Kellan kill that Null monster? Fucking grossest shit I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Do you mean Kellan, or The Beast?” I say, and we can’t help but laugh. Even though I know Reagan’s heart’s still broken, it’s good to see her smile.
Beep beep.
The door chimes.
“Come in!” I call out, but my smile fades when I see it’s Kellan. He’s wiped off most of the paint, but his eyes still look rimmed with black. I notice his arm is freshly bandaged as well.
“You feeling better?” I ask, motioning to his arm.
“I am,” he says, sounding shy. He keeps his eyes on the ground as if embarrassed to look at us. He should be, I think to myself. Sure, he had good intentions, but he could have caused a lot of damage. “Your mate helped me bandage it.”
Oh Lordy.
Reagan lets out a long, slow whistle. “Which mate?” she mutters into her ceata, casting me an amused glance.
“Can we help you with something, Kellan?” I ask, annoyed.
“I wish to speak with Reagan,” he tells us, and though we stare at him expectantly, he doesn’t continue.
“Alone…” he adds.
I raise my brow at Reagan, a question in my eyes. It’s up to her, really.
She sighs heavily. “Yeah, fuck it. He did save my life.”
“Okay, comm if you need me,” I tell her, giving her hand a squeeze before I leave the pair alone.
The second I step out into the hall I know I’ve done all that I can. Reagan is safe. We made it out alive. We’re on our way home. So…why don’t I feel a sense of completion?
I guess because Reagan didn’t get her wish. She wanted to charge out into space and have some kind of life-altering adventure. Instead she nearly died and 24 hours later she’s being sent home with her tail between her legs.
Then there were the other Sovolians. We had to leave them behind. Without their help we would have never gotten Reagan back, nor would we have been able to escape. I can’t help but wonder if they survived that terrible riot. The possibility that they didn’t makes me sick to my stomach. It isn’t fair that they didn’t get to come back with us. All these people are going out of their way to save human women…but who’s saving the Sovolians? An entire race, relegated to slavery and it seems like no one cares. Poor Vast and his brothers, they reminded me way too much of my own Gile and Mire. I gasp, chiding myself for that thought…my Gile and Mire. They aren’t mine.
But that doesn’t sit well with me. As much as I’ve been trying to fighting it, the bond there is undeniable. What I feel for the brothers goes far beyond what I ever felt for Gary. When I watched them fighting in that terrible arena tonight… God, I don’t think I’ve ever been more frightened in my life. I was so scared that I might lose one of them—or both. Scared that we’d never have the chance to give this crazy thing a go. So, I walk the dark halls of the banged up spaceship, contemplating all my feeble protests about why this strange relationship can’t work.
Chapter 33
Mel
“Hey,” I say quietly as I step out onto the bridge. The guys have the lights turned down low, and though they are vigilant of the scanners, their eyes look heavy and tired.
“Mel.” Gile reaches for me wistfully from his seat. It makes me smile. “Come sit with us.”
“You guys look so tired,” I tell them, crossing the room. When I get close enough, Gile pulls me into his lap.
“You’re our ray of sunshine, come to wake us up.”
“I do what I can,” I say playfully, but when Gile hugs me against him, he seems all the more tired. It’s like now that I’m in his arms he could snuggle down for a long rest. But I have other plans. The three of us need to talk.
“How are you holding up?” I ask Mire, toeing him with my boot. He grabs my foot, with look of warning on his face.
“That is a question we should be asking you,” he scolds, pulling my boot off my foot and tossing it aside. He holds his hand out for the other one, snapping his fingers when I don’t produce it fast enough. And when I do, he tugs that boot off as well. A part of me is surprised when he starts to rub my feet. I’ve never once had a foot massage in my entire life. I mean, I’ve never really had anyone taking care of me before. But I guess I shouldn’t be shocked. I mean this is Mire. As menacing as he appears on the outside, on the inside he’s selfless and loving.
“Mmmm, that feels wonderful,” I sigh, resting my head on Gile’s shoulder. He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“How is Reagan?” he asks.
“She’s alive.”
“But not happy?” he guesses.
I nod dolefully. “I don’t know what to do.”
“It is not your job to do anything, sweet Mel,” Mire tells me, rubbing my feet.
“I suppose that’s the whole point, huh?” I say unhappily.
“We all have our own journey to trek,” Gile agrees.
“We do.” And mine starts here. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “Guys, I’ve been thinking and we need to talk.”
“Are you ready to beg us to be your mates?” Gile teases sleepily. Mire scoffs good-naturedly, not looking up from his ministrations to the arches of my feet.
“Um…yes?”
The massage on my feet comes to an abrupt halt and Gile’s head pops up with interest. Though he swore this day was coming, Gile is still shocked into silence.
“You wish to be our mate?” Mire asks, sounding like he’s choking on the words.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about it and I’m curious. To be honest, I still have some reservations. I just can’t imagine how a relationship with three people is going to work, but I’m willing to try. I thought that maybe we could do something like a trial run? Give it a few weeks and see how things go…”
“I thought we were already doing that,” Gile points out, and I can’t help but laugh. I guess I have had sex with both of them—sort of seems like the relationship began without me noticing.
“Okay, yeah. Maybe we have been. But right now it’s just us, no one else knows. We’re in a safe little bubble. Things are going to be different in Beacon. Gabby will be there, talking her shit. We’ll be gossip fodder for the entire village. But most importantly, we’ll be home. Life will go on, settle into normalcy, only now with the three of us. If we’re going to give this a try we might want to consider…I don’t know, sharing a space together to see how this is all going to work.”
“Are you asking us to move in with you, Mel?” Gile asks, his smile gaining that cocky air to it.
“Maybe.” I can’t help but return his grin. I’m nervous, but I also feel excited about taking this chance.
“This is a big step. We should celebrate,” he says, dipping in to kiss my neck. I gasp, noticing his cock hardening beneath me. Seems like I’m not the only one who’s excited.
My gaze shoots to Mire as Gile continues to nibble at my neck. So far I’ve only kissed the guys once in front of each other and that was in a life-or-death situation. This feels different…so much more intimate. I worry that I might see hurt in Mire’s eyes, but when I look at him all I see is a certain intensity that can only be attributed to lust. He lifts my leg up and delivers kisses to my ankle. I nearly melt.
“I do not like the idea of a trial run,” he complains. “I want to be with you always.”
“Do not scare our mate away,” Gile scolds, nipping at my collar bone. It feels utterly delicious.
“Scared doesn’t really describe what I’m feeling at the moment,” I admit breathily, wondering where all these lig
ht kisses might be leading. Then Gile moves my hair aside for better access to my earlobe and a moan escapes my lips. Mire growls in response to it.
He sets my foot down and drops to his knees before Gile and me. And While Gile sucks and licks at my ear, Mire takes my arm and presses kisses all the way up to my shoulder. My heart races in my chest. This is the wildest, most erotic moment of my life. It feels simultaneously taboo and deliciously right.
Mire palms my cheek, steering my face to his and he takes my lips in a ravenous kiss. There’s a hand on my thigh, one buried in my hair, and another wrapped tightly around my waist. I revel in the feel of these touches—they’re all for me. It seems terribly gluttonous to have so many hands on my body. Add in the sensation of the hard cock pressed against my ass and I start to think that gluttony might be a transgression worth sinning over.
It isn’t long before my breaths are coming out ragged against Mire’s hard mouth and one of those alluring hands steals between my legs. I gasp and rock against it as one of my men roughly teases my pussy through the fabric of my pants.
I pull away from Mire just long enough to beg the question, “What are we doing?”
“Showing you what it will be like to be our mate and all the pleasure we can bring you…together.”
“Are you ready for us, Mel?” Gile asks me, one of his big hands slipping up under the hem of my shirt. His touch sends shivers over my body. But I can’t find the courage to speak my desire, so I nod instead. Thankfully that’s enough and Mire takes my hand, guiding me to my feet.
“How do we do this?” I ask, feeling unsure about my role. I mean, I’ve seen porn with three people, but porn isn’t exactly romance and what I have with Gile and Mire definitely involves love and tenderness. It isn’t all animalistic pleasure…it’s only partially animalistic pleasure.
Mire is the one to answer. “We will take care of you, Mel. All you have to do is let us know what you like. Do you think you can do that for us?”
