Prime Target

by Monette Michaels

  Damon stood, a dark look on his face. “Borac wants to buy a house on Cejuru Prime? He never told me.”

  “Oh, I thought he might’ve mentioned it.” She touched Damon’s arm. “Don’t worry. He wants to continue to own and run the jump station with you. He merely wants a vacation home. Now that the Prime Elder Council has opened our society up once more—expatriates like Borac are welcome to return home. He told me he’d like to visit the home world from time-to-time.”

  Damon plucked Geep off her shoulder and placed him on the couch. “Guard the suite, Geep. I ordered a late snack to be delivered in about two standard hours.” The little guy geeped his thanks.

  His arm around her waist, Damon guided Susa to the door. “Do you also plan to visit Borac more often on the jump station?”

  Susa heard real interest in his voice and hoped it was the time to plant the seed of a possible future for her—and him. “Oh, yes. If it’s okay with you and my cousin, I’d like to split my time between my home on Cejuru Prime and visiting the jump station. I’d like to be very involved with him and his family. I imagine I also could find lots of things that would interest me on your station.”

  “Hmm.” Damon had her enter the elevator first and followed her in. Once he’d selected the dining level, he turned her to face him. Raising her chin with a finger, he placed a light kiss on her lips. “That sounds like an excellent plan.”

  His voice filled with pleasure gave her hope for the future. Their future.

  Chapter 19

  Day 5, Dreamcaster

  After a day filled with cooking lessons, lunch at pool side, a movie matinee, and a self-defense lesson from Damon, Susa was ready for a relaxing evening of dinner, cards, and a visit to the night club Sessions. They’d gone to the club each evening, and Susa found herself more and more fascinated with the exhibitionists sharing their sexual kinks. Maybe it was because, despite her background, she was still somewhat unschooled about sexual relations on a larger scale.

  Currently, Susa was enjoying another kind of exhibition—one only for her and one that had her blood coursing through her veins.

  From her seat on the side of the bed, Susa ogled a bare-chested Damon getting ready for the evening ahead. She inhaled deeply as he patted on cologne that evoked citrus and smoke. His torso muscles flexed as he put on his shirt and she let out a sigh.

  Susa forced herself to remain seated when what she really wanted to do was go to him and kiss her way down his chest. That way lay danger—she wouldn’t want to stop.

  Thank the One, the week was almost up. She was more than ready for Damon to make love to her. For her, it would be more than the physical act, and she suspected … prayed, it would be the same for him. His emotional aura whenever he looked at or touched her, even in a casual way, was intense.

  Yesterday, when the man assaulted her, Damon’s fear and anger had broadcasted so strongly that her bones still ached today. And he hadn’t let her out of his sight since.

  Replaying yesterday’s threat to her reminded her of another issue that had been gnawing away at the periphery of her consciousness. She was afraid of mentioning the man who’d scowled at her after the attack, because she didn’t want to spoil the lovely day they’d shared. But she couldn’t put it off any longer—she was almost positive that man was now on the Dreamcaster.

  No worry. Geep sat on the bench at the end of the bed, snacking on the fruit and cheese plate she’d ordered for her and the little guy to share. Damon protect. Geep protect.

  She shot Geep a narrow-eyed glance. Are you reading my mind?

  Geep showed his teeth and then downed some fruit. She took that as a “yes.”

  Working her way into the touchy topic, she said, “I really enjoyed the day.”

  “So did I.” Damon turned and gave her a smile. “And I’m looking forward to you cleaning up at cards again.”

  “I’ll try my best.” Susa took a fortifying sip of the pre-dinner glass of wine Damon had poured for her while she’d showered and dressed. “Lubho, I do want to mention something I noticed—just in case you hadn’t.” She didn’t want him to think she didn’t trust his powers of observation, his instincts, or his ability to protect her. “You told me to keep my eyes open for anyone that seemed too interested in us.”

  “Yeah, I did.” He frowned into the mirror as he struggled with his tie. “Fucking piece of shit.” He pulled it loose and started over.

  She had to smile. He hated formal wear and had been very vocal about it from the day they came on board. But he wore it all the same, because he hadn’t wanted to embarrass her. She could’ve cared less what he wore, or didn’t wear. In fact, a nearly naked Damon was a work of art, and she was looking forward to seeing a fully naked Damon soon.

  “Lubho, would you like me to do that?”

  Damon came to stand in front of her. She rose and took over arranging his bow tie.

  “What bothered you today?” He held her by the hips as she tended to his tie.

  His heart rate sped up to match hers. This was happening more often than not, a sign the Prime mating bond was strengthening. Susa wished Bria would get back to her and give her an answer to the question she’d posed. Although, she imagined Bria wouldn’t commit to anything solid until she’d done DNA testing. Susa was fairly certain the evidence of a bond would exist long before Bria could even begin to do her doctor-thing.

  “Susa? What did you notice?” Damon stroked a finger along her jaw and then down her neck to trace the necklace he’d given her.

  “Oh, sorry, got lost in thought.” She blushed and was thankful he couldn’t read her mind as Geep could. The few times she’d caught Damon’s thoughts had to be connected to their strong empathic connection. “Um, I noticed two men and one woman who seem extremely interested in us.”

  She’d first noticed the trio during cooking class that morning, then again at lunch, at the movie, and outside the sim room where Damon had put her through her self-defense moves.

  One of the men looked like the one who’d helped subdue her would-be kidnapper and then scowled at her, but she wasn’t one hundred percent sure. He gave off the same scary vibe as the man from yesterday, but, with Damon being so overprotective, she had to be sure before she mentioned the coincidence.

  “I think they boarded the ship at the Laguna Orgais resort,” she added, “because I hadn’t noticed them on the cruise before then.”

  “I’ve been watching them watch us. They’re not trying to hide their interest, either.” He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Glad to see you’re alert to your surroundings. Are you picking up any bad vibes from them? I trust your empathic senses more than mine.”

  Thinking about his question, Susa adjusted his bow tie until it was symmetrical and then patted his chest. “There. Perfect.”

  She adored the little things they did for one another. She looked up and her heart stuttered at the emotion in his eyes. It was more than affection; it looked a lot like love. Her day had just gotten better by a factor of ten.

  Damon pulled her closer. “Angel, did I lose you?” He brushed a kiss over her forehead.

  He did that a lot—gave her little kisses and touches. She loved that, loved him.

  “No, just thinking about your question.” She rested her head on his shoulder and placed a barely there kiss over his heart. “I must be getting some sort of vibe from the three of them since I noticed them each time they were anywhere near us. Their presence makes my skin itch. Why do you think they’re shadowing us?”

  “Maybe they’re polyamorous and want to play with us?” Damon rubbed his hands up and down her back in a comforting gesture.

  “No. They’ve been told we don’t swing. I overheard one couple at lunch tell the trio that.” Susa angled her head to look at him. He took her lips in a sensual kiss that sent a frisson of awareness down her spine.

  All too quickly, he pulled away from her mouth with a groan. His eyes smoldered with desire. “Can’t start that now, or we’ll
never make our dinner seating.”

  Damon had done that a lot lately—cutting their kisses short—as if he had to pull away or risk taking their intimacy to the next level. She liked that she tempted his self-control, because he definitely tempted hers. Every day the list of the things she’d like to ask him for in and out of bed had grown longer.

  “Damon, should I be worried about these three?” she asked. “After yesterday, it’s obvious Goldai isn’t giving up.”

  “Worried? No. Remain alert? Yes.” Damon caressed her bottom, the sensation both soothing and arousing. “I’m keeping my eye on them. As a precaution, I took their pictures and sent them to Wulf to run against Galactic Alliance databases of known criminals, mercenaries, and pirates.”

  Susa leaned back and gave him a smile. “That was a good idea.”

  Damon moved a hand and massaged the nape of her neck. “Don’t worry, Angel. After that asshole tried to grab you in broad daylight, I plan to never be more than a foot or two from your side.”

  “You can’t be glued to my side every single second.” She rested her head back on his shoulder. “Anyway, you were within eyesight and less than twenty feet away from me. The man took a very big risk.”

  In fact, he’d been sort of stupid. Had her attacker planned to fail? And, if so, why?

  “Not good enough. If I hadn’t sensed your fear—” He paused and exhaled roughly. “Not going to happen again. When I can’t be right next to you in public, Geep will be. He demonstrated the other evening he can protect you well enough for you to get away or for me to reach your side.”

  Protect Susa. Always. Geep had moved onto the bed and blinked at them. Take me tonight?

  Damon looked at her, an eyebrow elevated. “Do you want him with us? He can ride in my pocket again. No one has noticed him since we boarded.”

  Though room service must think she and Damon had bottomless stomachs as much food as they ordered.

  Susa turned within the circle of Damon’s arms and looked at the little guy. “That okay with you, Geep?”

  His answer was to jump down and sit at Damon’s feet.

  Stepping away from Susa, Damon chuckled as he shrugged on his tuxedo jacket. “Guess there’s our answer. We’ll just have to order extra dishes and sneak food to him under the cover of the tablecloth.”

  No need. Geep can wait. Eat later. In room.

  “You don’t have to wait. The dinner portions are too large for me.” Susa bent over and picked Geep up and held him so she could look him in his large purple eyes. “But no stealing food from other people’s dinners. Definitely don’t eat anything that falls on the floor. Nasty.” She scrunched her nose.

  “Really?” Damon took Geep from her and let the little guy nestle into his jacket pocket. “This guy eats dock garbage and melts metal. I’m not sure food on the floor in a cruise ship five-star restaurant is all that nasty.”

  Geep chirruped his agreement from Damon’s pocket.

  Susa frowned at Damon and then at Geep who’d poked the top of his head out and stared at her as if she’d stolen food right out of his mouth. “No food from the floor. Nasty. Ick. You’ll eat what I give you, and later I’ll get two orders of fried wings for you. Deal?”

  Geep blinked rapidly, utter joy in his eyes. Deal.

  “Let’s go, Angel. I can’t wait to see how many suckers you fleece at cards tonight.” Damon ushered her toward the door, his hand low on her naked back, the only part of her body exposed other than her hands and face. “We’ll…”

  His words were lost as overwhelming need flooded her body at the touch of his hot hands against the coolness of her exposed skin.

  The dress was one of the Damon-approved outfits. After he was more comfortable with her role in his life, and with his place in hers, they’d have to find a compromise position. Not all skin exposure was bad.

  “…bring Geep back to the suite before we hit the nightclub and order the bribe you promised him. I’m not sure he needs to see tonight’s sex play exhibition.”

  The one time they’d taken him to the night club, the little guy had snoozed in her lap or foraged for fallen food under nearby tables. She wasn’t sure Geep cared about hominid sex practices one way or another.

  “What is this evenings’ kink?” Susa whispered as they entered the half-full elevator. “It wasn’t listed earlier when I looked.”

  Damon bent over and replied against her ear. “Wait and see. The couple playing tonight is a long-time Dom/sub couple. They did this same exhibition in one of my sim rooms the last time the Dreamcaster laid over at the jump station. Despite the raucous audience and the means the Dom used, the sub achieved subspace and had multiple orgasms. It was very sexy.” He nipped then licked her ear lobe. “Can’t wait to see what you think.”

  Susa had enjoyed all the other “exhibitions” as Damon called them, and had mentally added some of the sex play to her things-she’d-ask-Damon-to-do-to-her list. “What if I don’t like tonight’s kink?”

  “Then you don’t, and we won’t do it.” He angled her face up for a lingering kiss. When she moaned, he teethed her lower lip before releasing her mouth. Anchoring her to his side with an arm around her waist, he murmured against her ear, “When we have sex—and it will be soon—I’ll never ask you to do anything you don’t like. I might ask you to try some things at least once, but even then, I’ll stop if you’re scared or hate it.”

  “That’s fair.” She snuggled against Damon, making sure not to smash Geep between their bodies.

  Damon’s arms tightened around her and he angled his body to protect hers from brushing up against others in the increasingly crowded elevator. Her overprotective man was on duty; nothing and no one would get close enough to hurt her tonight. And that thought had her soul sighing with happiness.

  Dinner over, Damon sat across from Susa as they partnered once again in Martian Doubles. She was a much better Doubles player than he was, and considering winning at cards was how he’d won his jump station, that was saying a lot. Susa’s skill and intuition—and her memory for cards played—more than made up for his shortcomings. Mostly all he had to do was follow her lead and meld when he could—such as now.

  “I meld.” Damon laid down the required points, consisting of mostly jokers, to begin the serious play in building points.

  As he arranged his cards for everyone to see, Susa’s emotions enveloped him—and as was happening more and more, he caught some of her thoughts. She was ecstatic and ready to move for the win. But no one would know it to look at her. She had the same pleasant smile of interest she’d worn since they’d sat down.

  Damon expected Susa would lay her hand down in the next round of draws.

  His role played and his trust in his partner solid, he turned his attention toward the trio stalking them. The three had not only managed to finagle seats at the table next to them at dinner, but the two men had also joined their table for cards. Their woman stood behind the male whom Susa had named the alpha in the threesome.

  Damon didn’t disagree with her conclusion. He’d observed the two men interacting during card play. There was definitely a pecking order.

  Smell bad.

  Geep had crawled out of his pocket at the beginning of the card game and was slinking around under the table when he wasn’t huddled by Susa’s feet.

  Who? Damon mind-spoke with the Ragbag.

  Geep sent images of the two men and the woman. Want me to bite?

  Not yet. Though he’d keep Geep’s offer in reserve. While Damon didn’t like the three stalking them, they hadn’t done anything—yet. Plus, if Geep bit them, the coincidence of Damon and Susa being in the vicinity again might be remarked upon. If he ever had Geep disable them—not kill—he and Susa wouldn’t be anywhere near the takedown.

  Understood.

  Damon was still a bit freaked out about how easily the Ragbag had been able to read his and Susa’s minds and how quickly the creature had picked up Galactic Standard. He’d never look at the creatures on
his docks in the same way again.

  Geep’s excitement at meeting others of his species when they reached the jump station was a happy hum in Damon’s head. Damon’s lips twisted. He had a feeling Geep would rule the docks on Jump Station Charybdis.

  “Damn me, she did it again.” Jahdi spoke with wonder in his voice. “I didn’t think you were saving Jacks.”

  The Tau Cetan had discarded and given Susa the final card she needed for a lay-down. The man was certainly a glutton for punishment since he’d lost big every evening he played cards with Susa.

  “Amazing run of luck,” one of the men in the suspicious trio said in an accusatory tone. “Or was it just luck?”

  Damon took offense. Yes, Susa had some advantages, but in all casinos in the Milky Way, psi abilities were accepted as natural gifts and not cheating. A player still needed skill and luck to win since most of the card games depended on luck of the draw. Since many sentient species had an array of psi abilities, if a card player couldn’t block his mind, then he shouldn’t have sat down to play.

  “Be calm, my friend.” Mori sent Damon a glance. Having given up on pursuing Susa, the captain had sat to play cards with them each evening and had become if not exactly a friend, then a friendly acquaintance. Mori turned his attention to the man who’d insinuated Susa had cheated. “Sir, Ms. Anghard does not win each and every time. I can attest to that. I and my partner won soundly against her and Mr. Martin just two evenings ago.”

  “I didn’t mean anything…” the man said.

  Like hell you didn’t.

  Geep mrrfed his agreement along their mental path.

  “…just commenting that it takes more than luck. Ms. Anghard is a very skilled player, of course.” The man gave her a less than sincere smile. “My apologies if my words were misconstrued.”

  “No apologies needed, Mr.—” Susa raised an elegant eyebrow. Her expression, serene.

  Fuck. Damon wanted to kiss her right now. She was all surface cool and calm, but underneath the social facade her anger burned hot. The trio bothered her more than she’d let on earlier—this man in particular seemed to trouble her. Damon planned to ask her about the strong reaction once they were alone.