Marcus (11 page)

She cupped his cheek with one hand. “Good.
And I’m healthy, too.”

He released a breath. All the soldiers had
contraceptive implants that lasted several years, but he wasn’t
sure what would happen when they ran out. He had heard Emerson was
trying to replicate the implants, but hadn’t had any success so
far.

Then Elle moved and all sensible thoughts
rushed out of his head.

With a smile, she raised her hips, and
reached down and circled his cock. Her gaze never leaving his, she
sank down, taking every each of him inside her.

“God.” The word exploded between his gritted
teeth.

She smiled, a temptress out to seduce him.
Then she lifted her hips and began to ride him.

“Elle.” He slid his hands into her hair.
“You make everything worthwhile.”

She rode him hard with her breasts bobbing,
her breath coming in hard pants. He lifted his hips to meet her and
she kept moving until she came, her body shuddering above him. Then
he slammed her down and emptied himself inside her.

As he pulled her close and lifted the covers
over them, she curled into him and he felt something settle inside
him. Something that had been angry and eating at him for so
long.

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Sleep. I
have to head out to see Holmes soon, but I’ll be back as soon as I
can.”

She mumbled something and kissed him back,
her eyelids already closed.

The debrief with Holmes took close to two
hours. Marcus was itching to get back to Elle and, for once, he and
the general avoided their usual fireworks. Holmes had a stick up
his ass and loved the rules, but Marcus couldn’t argue that the man
didn’t have the best interests of the base’s varied inhabitants at
heart.

Marcus strode back toward his quarters,
trying not to give in to the urge to jog and get there faster. At
his door, he pressed his palm to the lock and it opened
quietly.

He crept into the room, but it only took him
a moment to realize Elle wasn’t sleeping peacefully like he’d
hoped.

The sheets were twisted around her slim legs
and she was tossing and turning.

Marcus sat on the edge of the bed and
touched her shoulder. “Elle?”

She jerked upright with a sob.

“Hey.” He gripped her shoulders. In the dim
light, he could see her eyes were confused, still fogged by her
nightmare. “Elle?”

She blinked. “Marcus?” Her voice was
jagged.

He stroked the hair off her face. “Nightmare
about the rex?”

She dragged in a jerky breath. “I wish.”

He waited her out, just stroking her
hair.

“About the invasion,” she whispered.

He frowned. “You have it a lot?”

She curled her arms around herself. “Every
night.” A toneless whisper. “I’m trapped in the dark. I can hear
the raptors coming. Their grunts, heavy footsteps, noisy
breathing.” She started shaking. “I’m so afraid. Hiding in the
closet in my room. Then I hear my mother scream.” A sob broke free
from Elle’s throat. “My father shouting.”

Marcus tugged her into his arms, she
struggled against him.

“I did nothing.” Her eyes were wild, tears
slipping down her cheeks. “I hid like a coward, too afraid and too
weak to help them.”

“Elle—”

“I heard them die, Marcus. I just looked out
for myself and I let them die.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

She shook her head. “Nothing I do can ever
make up for it. I was useless.”

He shook her a little. “You aren’t useless
and none of us are the same people we were before. And the
raptors
killed your parents, not you. What could you have
done? Would getting yourself killed really have helped?”

He saw something flicker in her eyes, but
then she pulled in on herself.

Enough
. He yanked her forward and
kissed her.

He tugged her head back with a hand tangled
in her hair. “Not your fault.” He didn’t have any soft words in
him. He could only help her with the raw desire that burned inside
him. Help her realize that she was alive and it was okay to
live.

He pushed her onto her back. “Knees up,
Elle. Spread your legs.”

She watched him intently, her gaze never
leaving his face. Thankfully, the tears had stopped.

Slowly, she pulled her knees up and let them
fall apart.

“Good girl.” God, she was all pretty and
pink and open for him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hip
bone. She shifted under his lips. “Stay still,” he warned.

He moved down and pressed his mouth to
her.

He didn’t give her time to think, just
licked and sucked. Shit, she tasted so damn good. A sweet, honey
taste he wanted to enjoy every day of his life.

“Marcus.” She tried to press up into him,
but he held her down. He used his tongue on her before finding her
clit and sucking it.

With a scream, she imploded, her husky cries
sweet sounds in his ears.

He got to his feet and jerked his clothes
off. Then he flipped her over. “On your knees.”

He wasn’t going to give her time to think
and brood. He wanted her only to feel.

She moved, thrusting the sweet curves of her
butt back against him. Marcus swallowed a groan, fisted his cock
with one hand and gripped her hip with the other, his fingers
digging into her skin.

Then he thrust forward and slid inside
her.

They both groaned. Damn, she was so hot and
wet, like a tight glove around him. He bent over her and pressed a
kiss to her neck.

“I’m going to take you hard. I can’t be
gentle right now. I need you.”

“Yes.” She pushed back against him.

He slid out and slammed back in. “I want you
to feel me long after I’m gone.” Another hard thrust.

“Marcus!”

He found a fast rhythm that had sensations
coiling at the base of his spine. “When you sit in your chair in
the control room, you’ll be sore and still feeling me.”

“Yes!”

He pressed a palm to the small of her back,
holding her in place for his relentless thrusts. She made husky
cries and moved into him.

Then she screamed and started coming. Her
body clamped down on his cock, her inner muscles tightening around
him, and he groaned. Seconds later, he came in a long, hard rush,
throwing his head back as the sensation roared through him.

She fell onto the bed in a boneless sprawl,
her dark hair in disarray. He nudged her aside and leaned over her.
Her eyelids were closed. Fast asleep.

With a smile, he lay down beside her and
tugged her close. Damn, she felt right in his arms. The perfect
fit. He thought of her having that nightmare over and over… He’d
make it his own personal mission to make sure she slept well every
night.

But as he stared at the ceiling, his smile
dissolved. He had to remember that she was still finding herself,
discovering her confidence and the new her in this crazy, changed
world.

One day, she’d wake up and wonder why she’d
ever let a rough, battle-scarred grunt like him close.

But that day wasn’t today. So for now, she
was his and he was going to enjoy the hell out of her.

***

As Elle entered the dining room at Marcus’
side, she felt like everyone was watching them.

She lifted her chin. Let them look. Gossip
in the tight confines of the base was rife. It was a fact of life.
Besides, she didn’t care if they talked about the fact she had
stubble burn on her cheeks and neck—and in a few other sensitive
places they wouldn’t get to see.

She was proud as hell she’d driven a man
like Marcus to the wild desire he’d shown her. She’d had a decent
enough love life before the invasion, or she’d thought she had.
She’d believed she’d known what sex was all about. But Marcus had
blown that all away. Making love with him had been…she drew in an
unsteady breath…
amazing
.

“There are the guys.” Marcus directed her
toward a table with a hand at the small of her back.

That slight touch made her shiver and a few
places inside her light up.

He glanced down, his lips twitching. “I just
spent all night fucking you senseless. You can’t be ready
again.”

She licked her lips. “It seems when it comes
to you, I can.”

Fire ignited in his eyes. “Later.” His voice
was thick.

As they passed a table, Elle saw Liberty
sitting with some friends. The blonde eyed her, then Marcus, then
gave Elle a thumbs-up and a wink.

All of Hell Squad sat at the end of one of
the long trestle tables lined up in the room. Noah was with them.
They were all watching as Marcus and Elle approached.

Claudia’s dark eyes shifted between the two
of them. “Thank fuck.”

Shaw grinned. “Nice work, boss.”

“About damn time.” Cruz lifted a piece of
toast and took a bite.

“Shut it,” Marcus growled as he pulled a
chair out for Elle.

Elle’s face was on fire, but she tried to
ignore it. “Claudia? Cruz? You’re okay?”

Claudia stuck her leg out to the side. “Good
as new.” She tilted her head. “Thanks for keeping that rex off
us.”

Elle felt Marcus tense beside her and
winced. “Don’t mention it.” She dipped her head toward Marcus.
“Really, don’t. Marcus is still a bit…touchy about it.”

As Claudia snorted and the guys laughed,
Marcus rattled her chair. “Sit. I’ll grab us a couple of
plates.”

She smiled her thanks and sat. Then she
watched him head over to the food tables and got caught staring the
way his cargo trousers cupped what she now knew was one tight,
muscled butt. And the way his T-shirt stretched over his chest,
leaving those heavy biceps on display. Strong arms that lifted her
so easily, and were so sturdy as they held her in place for his
thrusts—

“So, you and Marcus, huh?”

Noah’s voice intruded, startling her out of
her fantasy. She turned. “Yes.”

“Would never have pegged it.”

She smiled. “He’s the most amazing man I’ve
ever known.”

Noah studied her face, then shook his head.
“No one else ever had a chance, did they?”

She saw something in his eyes.
Oh,
God.
“Noah…I never realized—”

He shrugged. “I like you, Elle. You’re smart
and sweet. I took too long to make a move.” He shot her a wry
smile. “I’m not that great with the whole emotions thing. And
tossing you over my shoulder isn’t really my style.”

“I consider you a friend, Noah.”

“I know. Me, too.” He touched her hand.
“Friends. I’m happy for you. Marcus might be rough around the
edges, but the guy’s a goddamn hero.”

Marcus returned and set a plate down in
front of Elle. She eyed the mound of food incredulously. Marcus
might be able to pack that away but there was no chance she’d be
able to.

He sat in the chair beside her and picked up
his fork. He glanced at Noah. “Any progress on the crystal?”

“Not much. I had to rework the cradle I’d
devised to interface the crystal to our computers. It’s fascinating
technology. I still haven’t worked out how the raptors have
manipulated the crystalline structure of the…” Noah trailed off. “I
just geeked on you, didn’t I?”

“Uh-huh.” Marcus took a bite of his
substitute eggs.

“Right. Well, I finished modifying the
cradle I’m using to link the crystals into our systems. Before I
came down here to find you guys, I plugged the crystal in and
pulled off some data.” He grinned. “English and raptor.”

Elle smiled at Marcus. He smiled back.

They ate for a while and she listened to
Claudia and Shaw sniping at each other. Elle was reminded of how
close the squad was. They were like their own little family
unit.

“You know, I could use your help, Elle,”
Noah said, interrupting her musings. “You’re better at raptor than
me.”

“Sure. I can’t eat any more anyway.” She
nudged her plate away. “You want to start now?”

Noah nodded. He grabbed their plates and
headed to the wash-up area.

Elle stood and suddenly felt nervous. Marcus
hadn’t showed any overt affection in public. He probably wouldn’t
want her to make a scene. Should she touch him, though?

“Um, I’ll see you later.” She hated feeling
uncertain around him.

Marcus suddenly grabbed her, yanked her into
his lap, and kissed her.

All thoughts of etiquette flew out of her
head. She cupped his rough cheeks and kissed him back.

The catcalls and whistles faded away. There
was just Marcus and the delicious taste and feel of him.

When he set her back on her feet, she felt a
bit dazed.

“Later,” he said. “I’ll be in the gym,
sparring with Cruz, if you need me.”

She blinked, trying to get her brain to
function normally. “Right. Okay.”

He smiled at her and because she couldn’t
help herself, she traced his jaw. “Bye.” She tossed a wave at the
rest of Hell Squad who, she noticed, were all grinning like
idiots.

Elle had been staring at the screen so long
she’d given herself a headache. So many of the glowing raptor
symbols mocked her, refusing to give up their meanings. She slammed
a palm against her desk. She kept seeing the same symbols in
different combinations that made no sense.

She rubbed at her temple and shifted in her
seat. She felt some unfamiliar aches in a few intimate places. That
made her smile and her thoughts turned instantly to Marcus. Even
though he’d kept her very busy most of the night, she’d also had
the best sleep she’d had since the aliens attacked. Held tight in
his arms, she felt safe, protected.

Looking back at the screen, she focused on
what she
had
learned. The aliens called themselves the
Gizzida.

And this wasn’t the first time they’d
invaded a planet, destroyed its leadership, and then taken
everything they wanted.

If her translations were correct, they were
from the Alphard star system, part of the Hydra constellation. She
sank back in her chair. It was appropriate since Hydra was a snake.
Even the research on Alphard, an orange giant star, showed an
uncanny link to the aliens—the Arabs had called it “backbone of the
serpent.” To the Chinese it was “red bird” and one famous European
astronomer had called it “heart of the snake.” She tapped in a
command and sent her latest report through to General Holmes.