Pale Stars in Her Eyes (11 page)

"Whoa. None of that. You aren't leaving, got it? Tell me, what do you see for our lovely Jerra? Surely you've had visions? Come on, stay here and we'll talk about it."

"She looks even more beautiful pregnant, but who knows if it is mine. I've been having some problems seeing clearly lately and we all know she is supposed to be bred."

"It's yours.” Ian fought the tightness in his throat. “I feel it like I felt the ominous repercussions of this fucking misguided mission."

"Right now ... she's frightened."

"I would guess. They've been blasting at the ship, but once we were clear and their main defenses eradicated, it should be quiet up there. Plus, Kia is with her."

"Kia is as frightened as she is."

Ian felt his mouth tighten. He said gruffly, “That isn't possible, Ran. She's a soldier. Trained, hardened, and experienced."

"She's in love. It changes the chemistry ... of ... everything."

Damned insight. Ian was infinitely glad he didn't have it. “We're here. Everything is going to be fine now."

"Is it?"

Ian said firmly, “Yes."

The doors opened and the first medical staff poured in. Ian saw them check visibly as they registered the severity of the injuries of the occupants of the craft, and he told the nearest doctor briefly, “Bomb."

The man nodded and dropped to his knees next to Kartel, shouting for assistance. Ian was shouldered out of the way and he reluctantly left his friend in more competent hands.

Moments later, he was glanced over by a young female doctor who apologetically pronounced his wounds superficial and left him for someone who needed her more. Unfortunately, there were plenty of those. Regardless of his rank, he handed over bandages, carried stretchers, and did whatever he could for his men.

When he first spotted Jerra, he thought perhaps he was hallucinating. She was bent over a fallen man, her small hands busy at work with what looked like professional competence as she dressed a wound, her long unbound hair like a golden curtain. Despite his injuries, the fallen solider was smiling and Ian really couldn't quite blame the young male. Considering the low cut front of her almost translucent dress, he probably had one hell of a wonderful view of her spectacular breasts.

If Jerra was there...

"You're bleeding, Ian.” Liale spoke gruffly as she strode toward him, but her face was pale. Her eyes glittered as she scanned his myriad of cuts and scrapes. “Why aren't you being treated?"

"I'm told it is insignificant and I agree."

"It looks bad.” She gestured at the blood dripping from his fingers.

"Take my word, it's just a few flesh wounds and forget it."

She muttered something about a stubborn male and he grinned for the first time since the explosion and crash, feeling a moment of light-hearted relief. “You have no idea,” he informed her, just barely resisting the urge to throw his arms around her to kiss her soundly despite the melee of milling medical personnel.

"What went wrong?” She took the other end of a stretcher, lifting it with ease, her tall athletic body moving fluidly.

As they took the unconscious soldier toward the open bay of the ship, Ian told her, “Everything. They didn't exactly welcome us with open arms but hit the transport and we crashed. Then they began a full assault. Luckily, both Kartel and I expected trouble.” He shrugged. “The craft behind us was full of the soldiers in your command, Kia. They are very well-trained men. My compliments, for they got us out quickly and efficiently."

She nodded, shouldering her way through the door. “They work well together. What of Septinium?"

"I would guess they now understand that when S-species send a request for peace negotiations, they should behave like civilized creatures. That last explosion was fall out from our retaliation."

"Where's Kartel?"

Ian had expected her to ask, for the tall ambassador was hard to miss. “On one of these stretchers somewhere, hopefully with a very competent physician in attendance. He's lost a lot of blood, I'm afraid."

"Jerra won't handle that well."

He lifted his brows. “You care how she feels?"

Kia scowled. “I didn't say I cared. I merely know how your beautiful little human feels about him."

"I told you if you gave it a chance, you might actually like her."

"I wish you'd never touched her, but you're right, she can stand up for herself, despite the fact she's a captive. I can perhaps understand why Kartel is so obsessed with her.” Liale grimaced as they carefully deposited the stretcher on a nearby bench in the medical area. “Besides the obvious reasons, of course."

"She is beautiful.” He couldn't resist making the comment for he loved Kia's combative possessiveness. It matched his own fierce desires.

"She says you haven't touched her in a long time.” His lover immediately bristled and put her hands on her hips. “Was she lying to me?"

"No. In my experience, Jerra does not lie. It isn't her nature to be dishonest."

"Stop complimenting her."

"Is that an order? Let's not forget I am your superior officer, Captain."

She was predictably unfazed by the reminder. “I am your female. That means I am the only one you want in your bed. Forget your pretty little human, Ian. Besides, as far as I can tell, she belongs to Kartel."

Ian felt all urge to tease her melt away. “I only want you, Kia, you know that. As for Jerra and Ran, well, let's hope he lives so we can see what happens next."

Everything was a haze. The pain, the sound, the coppery smell of blood, none of it made sense.

Except one thing.

A hand. One small hand, dwarfed by his much larger one, clasping his fingers.

Ran turned his head a fraction and his nostrils flared as he drank in her scent over the combination of other impressions assaulting his senses. He knew that fragrance better than anything in his universe.

Jerra.

He tried to whisper her name, but it came out instead as a low croak, and immediately someone slipped an ice chip into his mouth. She bent closer for he could feel the silky brush of her hair on his cheek.

"Hush, Ran. Stay quiet. The doctor took enough metal out of you to build a second ship."

It certainly felt like it, so maybe she was right.

Cool fingers touched his cheek. “Sleep and heal. That's another advantage of being S-species they tell me. You'll recover twice as fast as an ordinary human."

Recovery was an abstract concept. The only solid thing was the brush of her fingertips on his burning skin and the musical sound of her voice.

"Stay,” he managed to mumble.

"As if I would ever leave,” she said in tremulous whisper.

Contented, he drifted off.

She really could not believe it, but the man had an erection.

Jerra said forcefully, “No."

"You're a very cruel nurse.” Ran smiled at her from the bed, all lounging persuasive male. His bare torso still covered with bandages, but his long cock was decidedly erect beneath the sheet casually drawn to his waist. “I obviously need you. Can't you help me out?"

In exasperation, she shook her head. “You are hardly recovered enough for gymnastic sex, no matter what you think."

His green eyes held an undeniable smoldering heat. “I'll happily let you do all the work. Besides, I know for a fact they are still giving you the injections because you are scheduled to breed. I also know Larik and Ian leave you entirely to me, so you are as celibate as I have been lying in this damned bed. Tell me you don't want it, too."

He was right. She wanted him. But above all else, she wanted him
well
. It had been weeks since they started their return journey to Minoa and his recuperation coming along nicely, but whether or not he was ready to make love to her still hung in the balance. “I think it is a bad idea, no matter what I want."

"Aha. So you do admit you want this.” He brushed down the sheet and touched himself, his graceful long-fingered hand running up the length of his impressive erection to the tip. Semen beaded on his finger.

"Yes.” She wasn't going to deny it, but neither would she encourage him to do something that might impair his already miraculous recovery. “Desire should be separate from something that could be a damned bad idea, Ran."

"Sit on me. I won't even move if you insist."

She eyed him uncertainly, tempted but unsure. “If I hurt you, I won't forgive myself."

Triumph gleamed in his gaze. “You are less than half my size. How could you hurt me? Besides, you cannot let me lie here in this state all day. My balls actually hurt. Come on, take off your clothes and bring that glorious body over here. I'm going to bet you're already wet."

She
was
wet and hot between her legs, her pussy throbbing at the sight of his engorged penis. “Ran,” she said in reproach, but did slip her dress over her head. Her nipples were already stiff with desire as she approached the bed. When she reached him, she consciously stayed just out of reach. “I still think this is a bad idea."

"
I
think it is a marvelous idea. Step closer."

His heavy-lidded gaze seemed to hold her prisoner and she did what he said, the command in his voice hard to deny. Immediately, he slid his fingers up her inner thigh and slipped two into her pussy, gently exploring and stretching.

She almost came right then.

Those damned shots. He was right. Taking the injections without any sexual relief was difficult. Jerra moaned and Ran laughed lightly. He thumbed her clit and she quivered violently.

"Climb up,” he invited, removing his soaked fingers. “It's all yours."

She was careful as she got on the bed and straddled his hips. She grasped his cock and positioned the tip at her slit. As always, she had to gradually absorb the large width and length of his shaft, her body opening to accept it, her breathing shifting into a rapid pattern as she filled her vagina inch by inch.

It felt so good. So right. She loved him beyond what she believed was possible.

Ran's gaze was riveted on the joining of their bodies, watching as his cock slowly disappeared inside her. “Yeah, sweetheart, just like that."

When the tip nudged her womb, she began to climax. It was beyond her control, the pleasure so intense and so denied during his weeks of recuperation she shuddered uncontrollably and cried out in abandoned satisfaction. In return, Ran growled, “Yes."

His hands spanned her hips, pushing her downward and forcing himself deeper as he ejaculated. The copious amount of sperm seemed to pour into her forever, each flex of his release a hot spurt she could feel with amazing, vivid sensation.

"I needed that.” He said the words with a dazzling smile, still firmly holding her in place impaled on his stiff penis. “Don't bother to get off because I'll want you right back here again in a moment. We'll slow things down this time if you don't mind."

It was encouraging to know he felt well enough to have his sex drive back, but she still worried over tiring him too much. “I want to please you, you know that, but promise me you won't overdo it."

"You do please me.” His hands slid upward to her breasts. He began to stroke and fondle her, rubbing her nipples with his thumbs, cradling her flesh in his palms. “More than any female I have ever known."

As he had never said he loved her in return, desire was probably as close to that sentiment as she would ever get. She'd had plenty of time to think about the situation while she cared for him in the days since the failed mission. He was an important individual and it was demonstrated by how his injuries and possible death had caused a furor not just on the ship, Larik told her, but on their home planet.

A powerful S-species male did not become permanently attached to a human female slave, she needed to face it. However, if he enjoyed her enough, maybe he would ask to keep her for sexual service and she would be content.

Anything to stay with him.

"You please me, also.” Her voice was soft and she looked into his emerald eyes.

"I like the idea of being your only lover.” He rolled a taut nipple between his fingers with delicate precision.

Larik and Ian had also given her pleasure many times, but Ran was the one she truly loved. “I like it, too."

"The doctor told me this morning he has reprogrammed your chip so you will ovulate."

"Yes.” The idea of his child growing inside her made her feel both joy and despair over the inevitable separation.

"Then we need to make a concentrated effort to impregnate you.” Ran dropped one hand and with one skillful fingertip stimulated her clit. Almost immediately, she felt the flutter of orgasmic sensation deep in the pit of her stomach. He watched her face as he applied just the right amount of pressure, and beyond her will, her entire body began to tremble.

Jerra moaned her pleasure, her open thighs tightening around his hips, his cock stretching her deliciously wide. At his urging, she began to ride him, lifting up and sinking down on his shaft, the lubrication of her arousal and his discharge making the motion easy. True to his word, he did not move, except to encourage her with his hands.

When she climaxed again it was wild and abandoned, her throat arched back as the rapture of it slammed through her body. She felt his response as he pumped into her, his breath escaping in a long hiss of satisfaction.

"That's enough,” she told him sternly when he protested as she climbed off his lean body. “You still need rest, Ran."

"You are a very bossy nurse, have I mentioned that?” The grumble was pure male. “Last I knew, I was the one with the authority."

"No one could force me to do anything to harm you no matter who they are."

"For someone who looks like an angel, you can be very fierce, sweet Jerra, and not just in bed.” His laugh rang out, low and mellow.

It was all too easy to recall the heart-stopping moment when she had first seen him on the stretcher, covered in blood, his flayed skin and gaping wounds a horrifying sight.

"I love you,” she said simply and reached for her discarded dress.