Leaving Earth (7 page)

59

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

"You can't fight me, baby. This is the way it's meant to be," he whispered in her ear, but she didn't really hear it, didn't register it. She was flying apart, coming so hard she was afraid her mind and body would shatter. That she would never be whole again. It seemed to last forever. His steady plunging in and out of her cunt, the heady scent of sex in the air, her cries. Begging for it to stop. Begging for more. Her eyes hurt from the sparks exploding behind them and with one last grunt, one last explosion, it was over. She lay limp on the bed, her limbs like noodles, her energy completely depleted. Replete and exhausted. He fell over, lay next to her breathing hard.

"It'll be the death of me, woman," he said softly, but she heard the satisfaction in his voice, "keeping you satisfied." If she'd had the energy, she would have punched him in the arm for that comment, but she was grinning. How had they gone from last night to this moment? He rolled to his side and lifted his arm above his head. She didn't even try to follow the movement with her eyes to see what he was doing. After a few seconds, she didn't need to. Over her head, panels slid open exposing the dark sky above them. It was still starry, but purple and she knew the sun would rise soon. She sighed. It had been an exhilarating, sometimes scary night and she'd be sad to see it end. What would happen now? Despite all the talk of
der'lans
and bonds she wondered where they went from here? Their separate ways or on to something else?

He squeezed her hip. Hard. "No Kendall. This is it. Forever."

60

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

He'd read her thoughts again. "That's fucking weird," she complained. "You know what I'm thinking and I don't have a clue what's going on your head."

He released her hip, lay on his back, and took her hand in his, lacing his fingers between hers. For some reason the action made her stomach somersault. He pillowed his head with his other arm and stared up into the windows. Into the night.

"You would know if you opened your mind. If you accepted."

Would she? If she let herself go, let herself believe, would she share that connection? But no. It was impossible. She was human and a perfectly ordinary one at that. She wasn't psychic. Couldn't read minds and had never been able to do so.

"I don't have those kinds of abilities." He smiled, but didn't move. "You don't have to, my
der'lan
. The bond is something else. Something you've never seen before. There is a psychic element to it, but it's not limited by psychic gifts."

She frowned. That didn't make any sense. You had the gift or didn't, right? He chuckled.

"You're a scientist, right?"

"Well, yeah." She practiced medicine but could just have easily had gone into research.

"Just accept that there are things in the universe you haven't encountered yet. Keep an open mind.
Open
your mind, Kendall."

61

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

Could she? Did she dare? There was an instinct, a knowing in her. He wasn't asking for an open mind as much as an open heart. Could she risk that? She rolled to her side and studied his profile. Could she live with herself if she didn't? If she didn't give this a chance? But seriously, despite the curiosity, despite the vague allusions and promises of the previous night, what happened when it was time to go home?

When the chemistry, the newness, wore off? Did she take this chance, this opportunity, and experience everything she could?

Because to do so meant risking her heart. She'd felt safe and protected through the night. Rare commodities on Earth even after the peace treaty. She could learn to miss that real quick. No. Better to harden her heart. To accept what he offered in the moment, learn what she could, and return to Earth as soon as Laney's baby was born. Forever wasn't for her. Happily ever after had never been in her cards. Before she could consider it further, she was on her back, a furious Delroi warrior leaning over her, glaring down at her.

"You aren't going anywhere," he bit out. "We already covered this."

She shoved at his shoulders. "You don't get to just decide for me Daggar! Who I marry. Where I live. You don't get to make those choices, to run my life."

"You weren't complaining last night," he growled.

"That was
sex
." Couldn't he make the distinction? "This is
my life
you're talking about! My career. My future."

"You can have those things here." 62

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

He didn't get it. Totally didn't get it. "You're ordering me to leave my job. My home. My family and friends. You're not even asking, Daggar. You're just ... assuming I'll follow your lead. Like one of your soldiers. Like I don't have an opinion, or options, that matter to me. Like I'm just going to fall in line, no big deal. That's not going to happen. That's not who I am." She struggled to get free, to leave the bed. "If that's how you want me, I don't want to be here." He moved, rolled onto his back pulling her on top of him.

"Wait. Baby, wait. Listen." She was so startled to hear the new note in his tone, almost pleading, that she quit resisting him. He took a deep breath.

* * * *

Daggar couldn't believe he was going to try to explain himself like this. To his
der'lan
. Did warriors do this? Had his father? His brother? Alrik must have. Laney understood the Delroi pretty damned well for a newcomer. And their mother, well, she'd been Delroi to begin with. There'd been nothing to explain to her.

He held Kendall close, kept her face pressed close to his chest as he stared up into the dawn. He hadn't thought of his parents, his mother, in years. Hadn't let himself remember in years. He didn't want to, but what choice did he have? He thought now he might understand how his father had felt that last time he'd seen him, going after rebels that had killed his mate, his
der'lan
. Daggar's mother, but his father's life. He got that now. The woman in his arms meant more than 63

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

anything. He may not really know her for a year or five or fifty, but she was everything. She was his entire world. She'd never believe him if he told her that. If he said he loved her strength. If he said he loved her ability to trust, to give herself to him. If he said he loved ... her. He couldn't believe he was thinking that, was glad she refused to use the bond between them to read his thoughts and emotions. She wasn't ready for it. He wasn't sure he was ready for it. But he knew he couldn't let her get away. Knew the best way to tie her to him was sex. He wasn't above using every weapon at his disposal. His communicator beeped and he repressed a groan. Sometimes duty was a real pain in the ass.

He wanted Kendall again. He wanted to try to explain. But he didn't have time. She didn't budge as he rolled out of bed and walked to his toy cabinet. He opened a drawer and rummaged around before he found what he wanted. Two balls connected by a long string, used to pull them free of whichever cavity they'd been inserted in. He slipped a small black box in his pocket. They balls looked innocuous enough. Kendall wouldn't realize he controlled them until it was too late.

She sat up as he approached the bed. "What?" He held out his closed fist and dropped the balls into her palm when she lifted it. His comm. unit beeped again and he checked the read out screen. Trace. The spymaster probably wanted to discuss yesterday's murder. He sighed. He'd much rather spend his time investigating every curve and hollow of 64

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

his mate or delving into her mind, her history, figuring out what made her tick as the Earthlings would say. The damned thing beeped again and he caught Kendall trying to hide a grin as he looked at the name flashing across the screen. Laney. She'd probably been informed about the murder by now. His efforts to keep it quiet would be futile, but he'd had to try anyway. Rumors flew in army camps and despite its hard walls that's exactly what the Royal Palace was.

He sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring both calls, and stroked Kendall's cheek. Smiling, closing her eyes, she leaned into the touch with a low hum. So responsive. So damned perfect. The lust grew between them and he withdrew, took a calming breath. He stood.

"I better go now or I never will," he muttered. "Don't let Laney do anything today. She's been overdoing it lately." Kendall stood also and raised an eyebrow. "You should have noticed by now that Laney doesn't follow orders well." He shrugged. Fuck yeah, he'd noticed. Had enjoyed ribbing his brother about it. But Alrik wasn't here to rein her in so he had to give it a shot. He really didn't want her sticking her nose into the murder investigation. The Earth contingent kept her running as it was. If she kept going in her usual way, she'd collapse under the strain of the exhaustion and Alrik would have his head.

"She won't follow her healer's orders to rest?" Kendall shook her head. "I don't know. I doubt it."

"If nothing else, you outrank her here. As my
der'lan
you're the most senior Lady in the Palace." 65

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

He'd brought her belongings into the room while she'd slept and she moved towards one of the cases. Opening it, she pulled out garments for the day and tossed them on the bed before facing him again. She shoved hair out of her face and met his gaze.

"What does that mean exactly?"

He shook his head and growled as the damned communicator chimed again. "I'll explain later. Just remember you can order her to rest and you have the authority to back it up as a healer and my
der'lan
."

"Right," she answered ruefully. He pointed to the balls lying on the bed near her clothes.

"Wear those this morning." He leaned over the bed and kissed her lightly on the lips. Tenderly. "I have to go, but I'll see you at lunch. Alone, baby."

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66

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

Kendall reluctantly left the room a few minutes after Daggar. She could feel the balls moving inside her, keeping her on a keen edge of desire as she moved towards the living room where she could hear Laney and Britt talking. Kendall flushed. Would they know? Would they suspect she'd given up so much control to Daggar and look at her differently?

Straightening her shoulders, she entered the room. No one looked at her funny, thank God.

"Coffee on the counter," Britt said, nodding towards the other side of the room.

Kendall took a deep breath, inhaling the scent into her lungs. Most soldiers looked on coffee as the elixir of life. She wasn't any different. Maybe after a cup or four she'd start to feel like herself again. She walked to the counter and the balls moved inside her. Or maybe not. She nearly groaned aloud. After pouring a cup, she returned to the couches and sat next to Britt. Laney was stretched out over the other and Kendall knew without asking she was in a foul mood. She asked anyway, her doctor's empathy not allowing her to sit in silence. "How are you feeling today?" She kept her tone soft, soothing, but found it hard to repress a grin when Laney glared at her.

"My feet are swollen, I have heartburn from hell, my husband is gone, and my brother-in-law left this morning without speaking to me first. What do you think?" Kendall bit her bottom lip and Britt burst out laughing. 67

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

"Didn't we all make a pact, years ago? No husbands and no babies?" Britt joked. "Serves you right for breaking it."

"I don't think a pact made in the aftermath of a battle when we were twenty-three counts for much anymore," Laney grumbled.

"No," Britt said turning serious. "I don't think any of us really meant it then either." She shuddered. "It was just ... that place."

Kendall shared her revulsion. They'd been on the South American continent, new friends without any history between them yet. The rebels there had been brutal and vicious. They'd heard rumors of refugees who needed aid in a nearby village and Kendall had gone with Laney and Britt's squad to check it out and offer medical help.

They'd known as soon as they arrived something was very wrong. It was eerily quiet, eerily intact. Like a ghost town. It wasn't until they began to enter homes that they discovered how true that assessment was.

Kendall still woke in the night, reliving the horrors of that place. Some kind of gas agent had been used, she'd never discovered what, but the bodies were horribly disfigured, big open blisters covered in dried puss and blood. It was a horrible way to die. The worst were the children, curled into fetal positions, their skin raw in death. That evening she, Laney and Britt made their pact. The promise to each other had been half in jest. They'd known even then that one day one or all of them would marry, would have children. She met the gazes of her friends, saw they were remembering it all too. No. The pact was broken as it had always been intended 68

Leaving Earth

by Loribelle Hunt

to be. But the bonds of friendship that had been forged over the horror of that event would never snap. Laney sat up, swinging her legs over the seat of the couch and placing her hands behind her as if to leverage herself up.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" Kendall asked in her best
don't mess with me, I'm the doctor tone
. Laney answered with her best
don't get in my way
glare. Ah, just like old times. Weren't they great? Kendall was starting to remember what a pain in the ass patient her old friend was.

"One of the research doctors in the Earth contingent was killed last night. That's why I needed to talk to Daggar before he left. But did he cooperate? Hell, no. So now I have to go over there and smooth all the ruffled feathers and paranoid hysteria."

She started to stand. "Sit!" Kendall barked. "Britt and I will handle it. That's why we're here, remember?" She was surprised when Laney obeyed. Judging by her expression so was she. Her eyes narrowed and her tone was mulish. "I need to be there."