Chapter 15

15

T he air in the room was heavy and electric as he closed in on her, a fierce intensity in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. Her heart hammered in her chest as he backed her up against the wall. The hard planes of his chest pressed against her softer body, holding her captive between him and the wall.

He bent his head, intent written into every movement, and she caught her breath.

His lips crushed hers with a raw, desperate passion, all gentleness gone. Just hunger was left. His kisses were demanding, ravenous, as if he were starving for the taste of her. His claws scraped against her sensitive skin, sending a jolt of arousal through her so intense she thought she'd catch fire.

Spontaneous combustion is a physical impossibility for a cybernetic being, her onboard informed her. It started to list all the failsafe mechanisms built into her body in the event she found herself on fire. She put it on mute as she clutched at Covak's broad shoulders, her fingers tangling in his long hair as she pulled his mouth down to hers.

She moaned, the soft scratch of his beard against her cheeks a sensory contrast to demanding firmness of his lips. She wanted to devour him, her body aching with need.

His voice was little more than a rumble, the deep sound whispering over her skin.

"I want you," he growled against her lips. "More than I've ever wanted anything in my life. When I thought I'd lost you?—"

He broke off, leaning his forehead against hers as a shudder rolled through his big body.

Lifting her hand, she stroked his bearded cheek. "I'm okay," she whispered. "I'm here, Covak. And I'm yours… if you want me."

Even as she spoke, she still couldn't believe he did. She'd spent so many years believing herself unlovable because of what she was.

His eyes darkened as he growled low, the possessive sound sending a thrill right through her.

"Want you?" The words were almost a snarl as he lifted her, wrapping her legs around his hips as he strode toward the bed, stopping right in front of it. "Oh… I'm never letting you go, little one. You're mine."

Her breath caught in her throat as he slid her down the length of his solid form. A soft sound of pleasure escaped her lips as she slid her hands over his wide shoulders and muscular chest. He was all iron muscles and contained strength. She might have been built for war, but he was powerful. Strong enough to actually hurt her should he want to. Rather than scaring her, the thought heated her blood. They were equals. Truly equals.

He pulled her up against him, dark heat in his eyes as he teased her lips with his. His cock, still trapped by his pants, pressed against the softer curve of her belly, and she bit her lip to stifle a whimper. Her body was on fire, every nerve ending screaming for his touch. For the pleasure she knew only he could bring her.

"Well…" A playful smile curved her lips as she splayed her hand against his flat stomach and then pushed to get a little space between their bodies. "I'd say the feeling is definitely mutual."

She looked up, holding his gaze as she cupped the front of his crotch. He gasped, jerking beneath her touch.

"You seem a little… trapped there. Let me help you with that," she breathed, trying for sultry and somehow managing it.

His eyes darkened, locked on to hers as she undid his pants.

"You have no idea what you do to me, little one." His voice was like gravel, rough and strained with restraint. "Do you?"

Her gasp was echoed by his as he sprang free, thick and hard, to fill her hand. Her eyes widened. He was huge, hard as an iron bar in her hand, the thick veins throbbing beneath silken heat of his skin.

She smiled as she stroked him. "Oh, I think I have some idea."

"All of this," he rasped as he lifted a hand to cup the nape of her neck. "It's all for you. I'm going to make you take every thick inch of this Vorrtan cock."

His fingers tightened in her hair, pulling her head back as his eyes burned into hers. Then his expression softened slightly.

"Do you like the dirty talk, little one?" he checked, his voice lower.

She nodded, heat and need simmering through her veins.

"Don't stop," she whispered, her voice husky. "I like it. I want it all… I want you."

It was the truth; the dirty words in his low, rumble of a voice sent an arrow of need straight to her core.

"Good," he growled, his eyes flashing. "Because this is just the start."

With a swift move, he spun her around, his hands both rough and gentle as they tore at the fabric of her pants, yanking them down over her hips. She gasped as the cool air washed over her, every sense she had tight with anticipation. Caught between his hard body and the bed, and trapped by her own clothing, he could do whatever he wanted to her.

She couldn't wait.

He leaned forward, his large, hard body pressing against her back as he pressed his lips to the side of her throat. He trailed a scorching path of kisses along her shoulder, his teeth nipping at the sensitive skin there.

At the same time, he reached around her, parting her thighs. She bit her lip, letting him kick her feet wider apart. A soft moan escaped her as he slid clever fingers through her folds. He stroked and teased, driving her arousal higher until she bucked back against him, unable to hold still.

Then she quit breathing as he pushed two thick fingers into her needy pussy. Her hips snapped against this hand, pleasure coiling tightly within her. Shivers washed over her bared skin as she clenched around him.

She felt his breath on her neck along with the way his lips curved into a smile against her skin.

"Greedy little thing, aren't you?"

"Please," she begged, her head falling forward as he brought her to the brink again and again, only to deny her release. "I want… I need… fuck , it's never felt this good before."

With a low snarl, he ripped her pants and boots away, the fabric tearing easily in his powerful grip, and she found herself airborne. He lifted her as though she weighed nothing, her ass hitting the bed at the same moment he shoved his way between her thighs. He held them open as he knelt between them, and for a moment she frowned in confusion.

"What are yo— ohhh!"

She dropped her head back as his mouth descended on her with fierce possession.

Whimpering, she tried to stay still as his tongue stroked and teased, feasting on her with savage hunger. She had her fingers clenched tightly in his hair, holding him to her like she was never going to let him up.

Her hips bucked against his mouth as she sought the release he'd denied her, her thighs straining against his grip as he held her in place. The sensation of his mouth on her, the feel of his tongue brushing against her clit, was almost too much. Tension coiled tightly within her, almost to the breaking point, but he was ruthless, his hands holding her still and captive to his sensual torment.

"No… please," she managed somehow. "I want you in me when I come."

The world spun as he surged upright with a growl, his eyes burning with dark hunger.

The broad head of his cock pressed against her, and her breath came in short gasps as she looked up at him. With a slow, deliberate thrust, he pushed inside her… stretching her… filling her completely.

She watched, transfixed, as their bodies joined, her tender flesh parting around the thick bar of his cock. The hot slide of flesh in flesh drew a moan from her, and before she knew it, he was fully seated, his balls against her ass. Her pussy fluttered around him, nerve endings she hadn't known she even had singing.

He stilled for a moment, looking down at her as if to check she was okay before he pulled his hips back just as slowly.

She whimpered. Fuck, he felt as good sliding out as he had pushing in.

But that was the last slowness she would experience for a while.

He thrust back into her with a rhythm that stole her breath and then set up a hard and fast pace. Each thrust was a delicious friction. Her body arched, her hips rising to meet each powerful stroke as her moans filled the room.

He leaned over her, his breath hot on her skin, his voice a low, possessive rumble.

"You're mine," he growled, his words dirty and dominant. "Your body is mine. Your pleasure is mine. I'll mark you as mine so no other male will ever be able to look at you again."

His hands tightened on her hips, yanking her and impaling her onto him as he surged forward. Her eyes all but rolled back in her head as his cock delved deep. "I'll kill anyone who dares to try and take what's mine."

Reaching between them, he stroked her clit, his fingers working their magic as he fucked her hard and fast. The bed rocked with each powerful thrust, her hips snapping against his in a frantic rhythm.

"That's it, little one," he rumbled. "Take it all. Take every inch of this thick, Vorrtan cock."

The dirty words sent her spiraling into oblivion. She cried out as her release crashed over her and shattered her apart. Her vision went white, her body bowing as her inner walls clenched around him.

With a hoarse, primal shout that shook the room, he thrust into her a final time. His body tensed, his powerful muscles locking tight as he came. The thick cock buried deep inside her throbbed with his release. Each pulse bathed her inner walls with his hot seed. The feeling pushed her into another climax, her body trembling as she cried out his name.

Panting, she lay beneath him as he settled against her, sliding his arms under her neck to brace himself as he buried his face against her throat. Tenderness welled up inside her, and she stroked his back gently as they came down from their shared high.

"You're mine," he whispered as he nuzzled her neck. "Now and always, little one. And I'm never, ever letting you go."

Covak stirred, immediately aware of the warm, soft body nestled against his chest as he came out of sleep. Jesh. A soft smile curved his lips as he tightened his arms around her, nestling her more comfortably against the wide expanse of his chest. The only sound in the room was the gentle rasp of their breathing and the gentle hum of the ship's engines through the deck plates.

He took a deep breath, holding it in his lungs to savor her scent. It was soft and delicate, even though he knew she was a hardened soldier—floral with the sweetness of sun-warmed skin. Memories of last night with her filled his mind, and a low rumble of satisfaction escaped him.

He opened his eyes to look down at her. His vision was perfect in low light, so he could see her clearly. His gaze traced the outline of her delicious little figure wrapped in the sheet he'd used to carry her here when they'd finished in the medbay. He'd worn her out so much that she'd barely murmured in protest. Male triumph filled him. She was a super-soldier with an onboard power core, and he'd managed to wear her out.

He didn't need much sleep, no Vorrtan did, so he'd simply lain there with her in his arms, watching her while she slept. Not in a creepy way, though. In a he couldn't believe she was actually his sort of way. He'd spent the night memorizing every detail—the weight of her head on his biceps, the tickle of her breath against his skin, and the occasional twitch of her fingers against his chest. Like she couldn't help touching him even in sleep. That fed his male pride even more. His mate reached for him even when she was out of it.

Sounds past the door, out in the rest of the ship, told him the others were beginning to stir. Rann always took the night shift… actually Covak had no idea when the guy slept since he was always awake during the day as well.

He looked down at the precious bundle in his arms. Part of him wanted to wake her, to see her eyes light up with sleepy recognition and… hopefully, pleasure to see him. But the medic in him wanted to let her sleep. Well, some of that was actually him being greedy as he'd get to hold her longer, but she'd had a rough couple of days, and even hard-as-nails cyborg super-soldiers needed to get their rest.

Then she woke up, taking the decision out of his hands.

She didn't wake like most people, in a gradual coming to consciousness. Instead, one moment her body was lax with sleep and the next she looked at him, her eyes clear and alert. He froze. Was she awake or was this just her onboard? But then she smiled softly and relaxed against him with a soft murmur. Relief rolled through him. While he knew her onboard was a part of her, speaking to it when she was unconscious felt… odd. Wrong. Like he was delving into her brain without permission.

He grinned. "Okay, that's going to take some getting used to. Can all Zodiacs do that?"

She shrugged, the movement causing the sheet to slip slightly, revealing the soft curve of her breast. His attention latched on to it, his cock twitching slightly. "Most of us, apart from the infiltration models. They act a lot more human because that's what they're coded to do."

He nodded, curiosity rolling through him. Her kind were the same as his, created by someone else to fight their wars for them. He wanted to know all about her. But still, he was hesitant as he asked, not wanting to bring up bad memories for her. "So you all have different specialties?"

She nodded. "Twelve classes, one for each sign of the Zodiac, each with different base coding. Aries units are demolition specialists. Sagittarius models excel in heavy weapons and sniping. Gemini classes are infiltration and espionage specialists. They're usually twins and so beautiful it makes your teeth ache. Seduction is their preferred method of infiltration."

"Oh?" He couldn't help the small growl that rolled from the back of his throat. "Do you know any of these Gemini?"

She chuckled and patted his arm. "Yes, but don't worry, I prefer Leos… you'd be a Leo class if you were a Zodiac. You're certainly big enough."

His chest puffed out at her words and he smiled. It was fascinating, the level of specialization and planning that had gone into creating the Zodiacs. No one knew how the first emperor had created the Vorrtan. The method was long since lost to time.

"Vorrtan don't have specialties," he said. "We were just built as cannon fodder. Those with skills rose to the top and survived long enough to sire the next generation."

She winced, her hand coming up to cup his cheek. "Neither of us has to remain what we were designed to be," she said softly. "We are both people with our own minds, thoughts, and feelings."

Charged silence hung between them for a moment, and then her stomach rumbled loudly and shattered the tense mood.

Chuckling, he shifted her gently off him to get out of bed. "I'll get you something to eat?—"

Before he made it, though, her hand shot out. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him back down, her lips curving into a mischievous smile.

"Oh, I'm hungry for something else," she purred, her voice low and husky, the sound going straight to his cock.

He was hard in a heartbeat. Leaning in, he claimed her lips in a kiss that started softly but quickly blazed out of control. The taste of her, the feel of her body pressing against his… his need for her was all-consuming.

Gathering her into his arms, he let his hands roam her body, relearning every curve. She shivered as he touched her, her hands smoothing over his body in a way that made his cock, trapped between them, throb with need.

A growl rumbled low in his throat as the kiss deepened, their tongues dancing and twining, sliding around each other. He rolled them over, pinning her beneath him, heat hitting him hard and fast at the way she arched up against him.

He broke from the kiss, smiling against her lips as he slid his hand down under the sheet to?—

"Oi! Are you two awake?" Anson shouted, pounding on the door.

They both froze, and with a groan, he buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Fucking cockblocker," he muttered against her skin.

"I heard that!" Anson called through the door. "And as much as I hate to interrupt what I'm sure is a very important… debriefing… Davis has a lead on Jex."

Covak felt Jesh stiffen beneath him, her playful mood evaporating in an instant.

He lifted his head and met her eyes. The vulnerability he saw there, the flicker of fear quickly masked by determination, made his protective instincts roar to life. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"We'll be right there."

Anson's footsteps retreated as Covak rolled off Jesh, immediately missing the warmth of her body. Sitting on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his long blond hair, he leaned forward to grab his pants.

"You okay?" he asked softly, glancing over his shoulder as he pulled the pants on and looked for his boots. Shit, they were still in the medbay. He'd have to dig out his second pair from the closet.

"Yeah, I just didn't expect us to find him so soon," she said, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around herself as she slid from the bed. He didn't know what she had to be shy about after the night they'd just shared, but he'd long since given up trying to understand females.

"Remember, you're not alone," he murmured, reaching out and pulling her between his spread thighs. "Not anymore."

Leaning forward, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

For a moment, they stayed there, their foreheads touching as they drew strength from each other's presence. Then, with a sigh, he stood.

"We should get out there," he said, "before Anson decides to break down the door."

She chuckled. "I don't know, I wouldn't mind seeing you take him on. It might be… educational."

He grinned, flexing his muscles playfully. "Maybe later. For now, let's focus on finding out what Davis knows."

He watched as she dressed, her movements precise and graceful. Even in something so simple, a lethal beauty in her took his breath away. When she caught him staring, she raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips.

"See something you like, big guy?"

He crossed the room in two long strides, yanking her into his arms. As least he didn't need to worry about his strength when he touched her. From what he'd seen on the scans, he wouldn't break her.

"Everything," he growled, nuzzling her neck. "I see everything I like right here."

She melted into his embrace with a soft gasp and let him hold her for a moment before playfully pushing him away. "Down, boy. We have a briefing to get to. Remember?"

He sighed dramatically and released her. "I'd rather stay here and fuck all day, but Ryke would pitch a bitch fit. And much as I'd take Anson on for the fun of it, there is no way I'm fucking about with Ryke."