Upon the Threshold (7 page)

“We should continue, Elisabeth. Darkening approaches,” Lukkis said quietly at her back.

“Thank you for doing that, for saving me,” Eli said and nodded. “Okay.” She slipped her hand into Kraven’s and gave it a squeeze before releasing it. She moved so that she was between the two men and gifted Lukkis with a smile. “I’m ready. Let’s get to safety before who knows what else happens.”

“A very good plan.” He nodded, throwing Kraven a look she couldn’t quite understand. Then he turned and began to lead the way once more.

It took a bit of time, but eventually they broke free from the trees and brush onto a grassy hillside. The Droushanian camp was in sight, with a small piece of her own town just visible past it. Lukkis set a quick pace, one that his long legs could easily handle but had her shorter ones in a near jog the entire time to keep up.

When they finally reached the Droushanian camp, Eli was panting and bent over at the middle. “Heavens, I haven’t had that much exercise in, well, ever,” she said with a grin. She looked up to both men and asked, “Will I be able to use your communications unit to call for a team to come get me?” She didn’t think that they would want her to remain in their camp, that much she was pretty positive of.

“If that’s what you wish, yes.” Kraven nodded. “But you are welcome to remain for a time if you would like. Or we can escort you back if you prefer to return immediately.” He was watching her, closely, for… She had no idea what.

“I…” She paused and looked up at both men and swallowed hard. “Can I remain? At least until morning? I just want to ensure that you are both okay and not injured. I also would like to contact my camp just so they know I’m okay. If you don’t mind?”

“I did already say you were welcome to remain, Elisabeth. Come, you can report to your camp the happenings and alert them to add extra men to the watch. I will show your quarters where you may relax until it is time for the evening meal.” Then he put his hand on her back.

Eli leaned into the touch of the man at her back and bit her lower lip. These feelings were surreal and, she knew, not reciprocated, so she shouldn’t lust over a man she could never have. She looked to Lukkis and reached out to take his hand as well.

“I’m fine, Elisabeth,” he said, adjusting his pace so he was walking beside her. “I was in no danger at any time. But if you will feel more at ease, you may take a look under better lighting to see just that.” She could see the teasing in Lukkis’s eyes as he spoke to her.

“I would like that. For both of you,” she said as she looked to Kraven as well. “I just need to ensure that you are all right. I’m not a nurse or doctor of medicine, but I can work a field first-aid kit pretty well.” She was trying to tease, “trying” being the key word, and failing miserably.

“It won’t be necessary,” Kraven said quietly. “Neither of us was even scratched, Elisabeth. But you will see for yourself soon enough.” He looked to her then. And his hand slid lower, sitting just at the small of her spine where the curve of her ass met her back.

By the stars, this man made her think things that she should never think. Both of them did. They made her hope and dream of things, need and ache for things that no natural woman would dream of. Right? Multiple partners were not something that her people necessarily looked favorably upon, yet in that moment, she wanted them both. At once. Often.

Kraven guided her along the edge of the camp to the ships. Lukkis did what was needed to get them inside, and Kraven herded her right on in. She didn’t protest, not once, as he lightly pushed her to the lift. Inside, he and Lukkis seemed to crowd her, or it might have been her imagination. The lift was small and they were definitely not small.

She looked up at the men, and at the moment she was going to ask them a question, the doors slid open. Shelving her question for later, she let them lead her through the halls and noted that there really weren’t any people in the hall they were in. She frowned and asked, “I would have assumed there would be many people here, especially with you both being bloody. Why aren’t they here?” Now she was demanding. She was angry because their people weren’t ensuring they were okay.

“Because they know we are fine. And this is the officers’ level. The only support staff permitted up here are messengers,” Lukkis told her. “Or anyone who is requested to this level. Other than that, no one’s permitted here. And most of the staff are on the ground. The only ones on the ship are those monitoring the sensors and keeping watch.”

Stopping before a doorway, Kraven put his hand on a scanner and the door slid open with a small displacement of air. He then urged her inside. His quarters. She knew it instantly. Not that there were any personal touches beyond a hardcover book, a rarity left out next to a chair with a lamp on the table next to it. There was a jacket over the back of another chair, and beyond that, it could have been anyone’s room. But the scent of him was heavy in the air. For it to be so strong, he would have to spend a lot of time here.

Eli closed her eyes and breathed in the scent that was all Kraven. She found herself sighing and leaning into him. “This room smells amazing,” she confessed quietly. Opening her eyes, she looked up at the two large men and smiled. “Okay, now. Let’s get the two of you cleaned up and let me look you over to ensure for myself that you are okay. I know that you say you are, and I believe you, but I need to see as well. I know, silly.”

Sighing, Kraven shot her a look, one that said he was willing to play along, but only so far. “I will bathe first and then you may look me over. Lukkis can clean up while you are inspecting me for the nonexistent wounds and then you can check him over. Does this satisfy your need to ensure our health?”

“Yes, thank you.” Eli let out a breath of pure relief. “I’m annoying, but when people I care about seemingly are hurt or take on wild beasts to save my life, I kind of want to check to make that they are okay. I’m completely crazy,” she said with a frown.

“You are not crazy,” Kraven said. “There are drinks in the cooler unit. Lukkis can show you where it is if you are thirsty. Otherwise, sit and try to relax. You are much too tense, Elisabeth. We are safe here, and none of those creatures can get to us or you.”

She nodded and licked her lips. “Thank you, by the way. I’m sure that I said it, but in case I didn’t, thank you for saving my life. I don’t think that I can ever, ever repay you for that. You did something that no one has ever done for me before and no one likely ever will again. Mostly because I plan on being more cautious, but also because I don’t think that anyone from my camp would ever put their lives on the line for me. With the exception of my dad, of course.” She was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. “Right, a drink would be nice. Thank you.”

Lukkis was shaking his head and pointed through an archway. “In there,” he told her, following on her heels as she raced off. She heard Lukkis come into the room. She saw him walk to the wall, where he pushed a button, and a portion of the wall slid out of the way. “There is some juice and other drinks. You can take your pick,” he said, stepping out of her way.

“Thank you.” She peered into the cooler and grabbed what looked to be an orange juice of some kind. She doubted it was like the oranges that they were growing in the greenhouses, but she was going to try it all the same. “I have no idea what kind of drink this is. Is it good?” she asked before opening it. She didn’t want to open it and not like it. She refused to be wasteful.

“It is. It’s one of Kraven’s favorites. If you hadn’t guessed from the multitude of bottles of the stuff in there. It’s slightly tangy, but is very smooth without any aftertaste to it. It’s extremely thirst satisfying, unlike some beverages. You should enjoy it,” he told her. Leaning over, he grabbed a different bottle and closed the panel. Then he walked back into the sitting area of Kraven’s quarters and sat on a long, sofa-like piece of furniture.

Eli moved to the sofa and took a seat beside Lukkis. “I was worried for the both of you. Kraven especially. No one should ever face off alone against things that want to kill them. While I’m grateful, I feel horrible that he had to kill for me.”

“I am perfectly healthy and whole, no harm at all. You need to understand something, Elisabeth. The Droushanian people are, by nature, warriors. We are quite advanced technologically, but some things, like our views on war and battle, can be seen as a bit backward. We prefer fighting face-to-face with the enemy with a blade in hand. We have weapons to shoot long distance, but that isn’t our way. It helps to temper our inner nature, at least for the males of our race.”

“I didn’t offend you, did I?” She realized now that the “mothering” she had been doing to these two men might actually be offensive to them. “I just…” She bit her lower lip and shook her head. “I don’t understand what’s happening.” Okay, confession time. “I would feel far better discussing this with both of you here. Can we all three talk when Kraven has finished cleaning himself?”

“Of course we can,” he said. “And no, you haven’t offended me. I doubt you could, Elisabeth.” He took a drink from his bottle, his gaze on her, watching her closely as he drank. Lowering the bottle to rest on his thigh, he licked his lips and smiled, ever so slightly. It was a knowing look. She’d been getting those a lot from these two males.

“As long as you are okay,” Eli said quietly. She took a drink of what she had chosen, and her eyes widened. “Oh, this is quite good,” she whispered in shock. “It’s unique, flavorful, and yummy.”

“As I said.” He shrugged.

A door opened and Kraven came back out. He was wearing loose pants, no shoes, and no shirt. Holy hell, he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and there was a lot of flesh for her to see. A lot of flesh.

“You found something acceptable to drink, I see,” he commented. And then walked right through the room into what she would consider the kitchenette.

She licked her lips, literally, when she saw all that beautiful flesh bare to her eyes. It was like a feast, and she was more than happy to partake. “Uh.” She forgot how to speak. For a moment, she totally and completely forgot how to speak. “Good heavens, you are a beautiful, stunning man. And you most certainly are not hurt.” Goddess help her, but she wanted to go to him and lick him, touch him, feel him. Everything!

Stopping before her, he lifted an eyebrow. “I told you I wasn’t harmed, that the blood was from those creatures and not me. You need to learn that we Droushanians do not lie, for any reason. It is completely pointless to do so. As for my appearance, it is who I am. I have no control over it.”

She felt her face go red and sighed. Yeah, talking wasn’t going to work. Leaning back in the sofa, she looked to Lukkis and gave a sad smile. “You should likely get cleaned up too, and then someone should show me where I will be sleeping tonight?” It was really very clear that Kraven didn’t want anything to do with her, so saying anything at this point would only hurt her more. No, it was best to let it go.

Lukkis was frowning at her, one of the strongest emotions that she’d ever seen from a Droushanian. His gaze darted to Kraven and then back to her again. Standing, he moved to Kraven and leaned in. All she caught was a low murmur, and Kraven began to frown slightly. Then he gave a jerky nod before Lukkis stepped back and went into the other room.

Kraven moved toward her and sat down on a low ottoman before her. “You are upset because of how I speak. Why?” he asked, staring at her in a pointed manner.

“It’s nothing that you did, Kraven. It’s me,” Eli admitted to him. “I feel things. Odd things around you and Lukkis, and I had begun to feel as if it is something it is not, and when you speak, it reminds me exactly where I stand. I’m an unknown. An unwanted, and I understand that now more than ever.” As if the first ten times getting turned away weren’t enough. She got it. Finally. She was seriously stupid, and she was just realizing it. She felt things for these males that they didn’t for her.

He was staring at her, unblinking, in an eerie manner that had her shifting in her seat. Then in the next instant, he had a hand wrapped around the back of her neck and his mouth was on hers. She was practically sprawled out in his lap as he feasted—the only word for it—on her mouth.

Eli didn’t move to begin with. She was far too shocked. However, it only took her a space of half a breath to begin to participate in the kissing. She touched him all over, squeezing his shoulders and then letting her blunt, short nails scrape over his chest lightly. Her body began to move on his, a dance as old as time built into the sensual being that seemed to have morphed from the backward and uncertain scientist who had sat there moments earlier. Now it was all about feeling, and by the Goddess did she feel!

He pulled her onto his lap to straddle his thighs. One hand, the one from her neck, was in her hair and held her head just so. The other was sliding over her back and up her ribs, his thumb brushing to the curve of her breast. And then he let out a growl, one that vibrated through every inch of her body, but seemed to center right at her core.

Eli pulled back from him and gasped. Goddess help her, but that growl had her coming, her pants-clad pussy rubbing roughly and eagerly against the evidence of this man’s desire. She couldn’t have stopped her orgasm had she wanted to try, and she sure hadn’t wanted to. After her keening sob, she went back to kissing and touching him.

He caught both her hands in his and pulled them up from the ties holding his pants closed. And he gentled the kiss, soothing her into a state of sexual bliss with just his mouth. “I was perhaps a little too forward,” he said, his voice husky and a lot deeper than before. “But you seemed to not understand just what you do to me, Elisabeth. You make me want more than I thought I could potentially have in my life.”

“You make me want as well. Both you and Lukkis do, and I don’t understand it.” She leaned in so that her forehead touched his, and panted. “I don’t say that to make you upset or angry or whatever. I’m just being honest. I’ve never, ever felt anything like this before, and I feel it for you and Lukkis. I don’t understand what’s happening, but I feel so drawn to you both. I feel as if I finally belong when I’m between you, and that’s the dumbest thing to say after the amazing kiss you just gave me.” He had made her come with just a kiss, and she was talking about his best friend too. She had seriously lost her ever-loving mind.