HeartStorm (HeartFast Series Book 3) (22 page)

            Her other hand slid upward between his thighs to find his silky sacs. Gathering them in her palm, she rolled them around with her fingers. Her nails scratched their surface, making his erection bob against her teeth. She steadied it with her tongue, then she began to suckle it. Drawing on it, pulling on it, until it slid almost to the back of her throat. With her middle finger, she found the sweet spot behind the scrotum, and pressed it, still keeping the vacuum on his member.

            "Gods... Terrin..." His voice cracked. His hips jerked with his build-up.

            She reached around his waist and clutched his buttocks with both hands. As his fingers held her head, he began to pump into her mouth, shoving himself inside her as he gasped. Star held on, letting her teeth scratch the taut skin until he cried out, and he found his release.

            His knees buckled, but he somehow managed to remain standing. Slowly, Star let his member slide from between her lips, adding one last lick to the end as she pulled away.

            For several moments, he trembled. Removing his hands, he leaned down to take her by the elbows and bring her to her feet. Before Star could say anything, he glided her around and onto the bed, lifting her knees to prop her feet on the edge.

            "I've been wanting to do this," he murmured, and bent over her, supporting himself on his elbows as he took one turgid nipple into his mouth.

            The sensation rocked her to her core as he drew hard on her milk. She could hear his throat as he swallowed, his tongue like fire on her skin. His teeth gently raked over the areola the way she had teased and bit him. She was barely aware when he released her nipple and slid his tongue across her chest. There, he latched onto the other breast, and she soared.

            She felt a fumbling between her lower lips. Reaching down, she encountered his hand as he wrapped her folds around his erection. Holding himself there, he started to move, rubbing her around his hardening shaft. Titillating her clit. Mimicking intercourse while keeping himself outside her channel. He worked her, pushed her, drank of her, and she reveled in the intimacy. This was new. This was different. It felt wonderful, but she would not be able to orgasm. The want was there, but her body was not yet ready for full penetration. Regardless, this sensation was deeply satisfying.

            Before long, Hunter grunted. His mouth left her breast, and in the moonslight she could see his face hovering above hers, his eyes squeezed shut, his expression one of pure fulfillment as a warmth spread between her thighs.

            He paused as he calmed. His breath became more regular. After another moment, he climbed upon the bed, bringing her with him, until they reached the pillows. There, together, they drifted off to sleep with their arms around each other.

* * *

            Sometime in the wee hours of the night, something woke her. Star peeled her eyes open to a still dark room, but she could tell her husband was awake. He was propped up on one elbow as he focused his powers, his gaze directed at the door.

            "What? What's wrong?"

            "Shh. Nothing's wrong. Go back to sleep." Dropping back onto the bed, he cuddled next to her where she lay on her back.

            "Then what woke you?" she whispered, knowing it was his alertness that roused her.

            "
Transport Three
just docked," he confessed, adding a kiss to her shoulder.

            Smiling, she turned onto her side to face him, and drifted once again into unconsciousness.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Deception

            Every Guardian waited and watched as the Stellar Police Force auxiliary craft downloaded from the main ship, which hovered a thousand meters above them, and descended toward its designated landing pad outside the main perimeter. At the front of the group, Hunter, StarLight, and Deceiver were prepared to accept custody of DiMackerlyn. Commander stood beside them with his own version of a Brotean Field, open and ready.

            The day was typically sunny, with temperatures in the upper range as the weathermakers forecasted cloud cover and rain that evening. A slight wind gusted from the east, bringing with it a hint of cooler weather to come. Star glanced over at her husband to find him on the verge of his power in the event their prisoner tried to make another run for it. Turning her head, she looked back at Animator, who gave her a quick smile. The woman was also prepared to do her part, just in case, as were all the others. There could be no goof-ups.

            The auxiliary shuttle touched down. Its engines decreased power without shutting off. This would be a short visit.

            One uniformed officer emerged from the ship and strode over to them, stopping in front of Deceiver. He gave the Guardian leader a quick salute, purely as an honorary gesture.

            "Sergeant Burgamy. Honored to meet you, Deceiver. We've come to deliver two special packages."

            "We've been anxiously awaiting them," Deceiver replied.

            "I need to ask how long they will remain in your custody."

            "For the man, not long. Enough to glean a little information from him before we hand him over to the justice tribunal. As for the little lady..." He ventured a quick glance and a grin at Hunter and StarLight. "You can report that her stay will be permanent."

            The sergeant produced a tablet, which Deceiver thumbprinted to verify transference of the prisoner. Nodding his thanks, Burgamy gestured at the craft where a second officer could be seen waiting at the entrance of the airlock. That officer then proceeded to exit the vessel, along with DiMackerlyn and another officer.

            Star smiled to herself as the men advanced. Her father was encased from throat to knees within a banded force field. The second officer held the palm-sized controls, as the third provided backup, his service pistol at ready and set on stun.

            By the look on DiMackerlyn's face, everyone could tell the man was totally pissed. Yet there was something else about the man's demeanor that didn't sit well with her. Something felt...off, and a thread of irritation wove through her when she couldn't pinpoint what was bothering her. Hunter sensed her uneasiness, and murmured softly to her.

            "He can't hurt you anymore, Terrin."

            "That's not what's bothering me," she whispered in return.

            "Then what is?"

            "I...don't...know. Look at his face. What do you see?"

            "I see an angry prisoner."

            "What else?"

            Hunter didn't reply as the three men halted before them. Commander stepped forward with his net and tossed it over DiMackerlyn, then secured the ends around the man's ankles. With that done, the officer with the hand-held controls shut off the bands as Commander took over guarding the prisoner.

            "That net will hold him more securely," Burgamy commented in admiration.

            Hunter stuck out his hand at the officer. "You have our gratitude," he offered.

            The men shook. "It was our pleasure, considering how often you guys have come to our aide in the past," the sergeant replied with a wide grin, and glanced back at the ship. "And here comes our little guest."

            At the sight of the tiny bundle being carried by one female officer, Star broke rank and rushed to her, to gather the infant to her chest.

            "Callie! My Callie!"

            The moment her arms went around the swaddled child, a coldness enflamed her throat and quickly spread through her body. Stunned, Star gasped for air as the HeartCrystal screamed silently. The female officer gave her a concerned look.

            "Are you all right, StarLight?"

            Star turned to face her husband, who remained where he stood several meters away. The expression on his face matched hers—disbelief and overwhelming dread.

            Slowly, she looked down at the baby sleeping in her arms. Someone had draped the edge of the white blanket over her daughter's face to prevent the sunlight from waking her. Her hand shaking, Star reached over to lift the triangular corner. The baby stirred, and opened her eyes to stare back at her.

            Wide, brown eyes banded in orange.

            "Oh, gods. Oh, gods!" Her voice rose with her rising terror. Passing the infant into the officer's arms, she whirled on DiMackerlyn and started toward him. Her anger flared around her with a rainbow of colors as she screamed at the man. "That's not my baby!
That's not my baby, you sick degenerate! Where is my daughter?
"

            Without warning, DiMackerlyn threw himself against Commander. Unbalanced, the Guardian fell sideways. The prisoner dropped heavily on top of him and quickly rolled to the side. Commander tried to grab him, but DiMackerlyn shrugged him off. He struggled to get to his feet when the ground closed around his boots. The prisoner jerked free, when the tiles threw more liquefied strips below the man's ankles and instantly solidified.

            "Keep it up, crag hole," Animator taunted. "I can do this all day. Can you?" Twisting her hand, she made another motion, when Commander yelled at her.

            "Don't block the web! Don't restrict—"

            Too late, she realized her mistake. As the floor tried to swallow him, net and all, the Brotean Field crackled. There was a high-pitched whine, and suddenly the field collapsed. DiMackerlyn began to wriggle out of the now ineffective net when a voice yelled, "I got him!" and Wooly made a flying tackle from behind. Hitting DiMackerlyn at hip level, both men landed on the ground with a loud grunt. An instant later, Provoker and Bruiser pounced upon the couple. Animator, Seeker, and Condemner quickly added their weight to the pile.

            "Take us all with you, you insignificant pog turd!" Provoker challenged. "Bet you can't vibrate yourself out of here with all of us holding on, can you?"

            For a brief second, DiMackerlyn ceased struggling, and he smiled up at Star, whom he could see through a small gap between the bodies holding him down. She glared at him as she stood there with fists raised, ready to fight him if he dared to break free again.

            Incredulous, Star watched as the man's face shimmered like a reflection on water. Suddenly, the Guardians lying on top of the man let out blood-curdling screams They released the man and rolled away, to curl up into painful balls as they felt the cells in their bodies threaten to explode.

            Almost casually, DiMackerlyn stood as the injured Guardians lay in hunched agony and moaned in pain. He gave his daughter another self-satisfied smirk, and his image began to waver.

            "
No!
” She launched herself at the man, unaware of Hunter yelling at her. Her hands found two fistfuls of the man's shirt, and a bolt of pure agony shot up her spine, where it exploded at the base of her skull like miniature meteorites hitting the upper atmosphere. Fire swept over her nerve endings...

            ...and quickly faded until it died altogether.

            She blinked. She could feel again. She could see and hear again. The pain was over.

            And DiMackerlyn gawked at her in shock.

            She didn't need to look around to know he had vanished from the others' sight. And she didn't need to be told that she had vanished along with him.

            Tightening her grip on his shirt, she returned the smug smile he'd given her. "Why so surprised, Dahdee," she murmured, using the name she'd called him all those years ago when she had been young and innocent and trusting. "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm your daughter, remember? Which means I'm part of you. I may not be able to vibrate my own cells to walk through solid objects, but I can come along for the ride, now, can't I? The same way you took Callie with you. Now, tell me where she is, or by all the stars in the heavens, I will rip you apart from the inside out and throw your entrails into the sun."

            Angrily, she jerked on his clothing. Forced to be this close to him, she could smell his sweat, his body odor, and her stomach roiled in protest. Vaguely from the corners of her eyes, she could distinguish doors and other obstacles floating past as they drifted through them like two breaths of air.

            Without warning, DiMackerlyn grabbed her wrists and tore himself from her grasp. "If you weren't such an ungrateful, spoiled, disobedient, and spiteful little slut, I'd tell you," he taunted her. "But you've made it quite apparent you no longer consider me to be your father. All right. I'll accept that...just as soon as you accept the fact that you'll never see your little girl again."

            Star started to reply when he literally tossed her away. The wavy, surreal outer world refocused into clarity a split-second before she hit the edge of a communications board with the back of her head. The last thing she was aware of before she lost consciousness was DiMackerlyn standing over her and waving goodbye, then disappearing as the room went dark.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Traces

            "Star, speak to me."

            The back of her head hurt like the seven hells as she slowly gained consciousness. She could tell she was sprawled on her left side, probably on the floor. Gradually, she grew aware of others surrounding her, when a second voice intruded.

            "Here. Give me some room to examine her more closely."

            "She's waking up." Hunter's voice. Relieved. Worried. Anxious.

            "Star? Come on, girl. Let me see those pretty purple eyes of yours," Doctor Perlakian asked.

            She managed to lift her eyelids to see her husband's visage hovering over her. It was soon replaced by the physician's.

            "How do you feel?" Devorah inquired.