Chapter 8

Vaarn didn't answer. He couldn't take his focus off the console in front of him. The holographic displays casting multicolored lights over his face showed the status of the B'kaar stealth tech, and he made a few adjustments to the signal jammers and electronic countermeasures, fine-tuning the algorithms to keep them looking like the pig transporter they were supposed to be.

The ship had two types of engines, regular ones for flying in-system, and a Rac'tiv drive for faster-than-light travel. But it was the proximity systems that were more important. He'd retro-fitted B'Kaar stealth tech and made additions of his own that made the ship effectively invisible to most sensors.

Every time the station or a passing ship pinged them with an automated identification request, the module responded with a data packet full of false information. The proximity sensors were programmed to pulse at the same time, creating an electronic ‘hull' that matched the data packet, making them appear to be exactly what they claimed to be. It only worked thanks to a little addition he"d added to the ship"s mainframe, breaking the usual loop and allowing him to modify the pulse modulation.

Still, it wasn"t without its limits. It was an illusion, a digital one, and it was paper-thin. Success relied on traffic volume and the in-attentiveness of local operators. His jaw tightened. If anyone actually looked out of a window, then they would see that the sleek little vessel bore no resemblance to a bulky livestock transporter.

"Control has given us permission to depart," he said, keeping up a running commentary for her. The skin between his shoulder blades was tight with tension as he disengaged the docking clamps and nudged the engines to move them out of dock.

With each second that passed, he expected their ruse to be discovered, for someone to actually look out of the window and see them making a break for it. He hadn"t missed the small horde of pirate vessels docked on the upper ring above them. Big, brutish vessels, they were all armor plating and guns, and they relied on their sensors. Which meant all they had to do was get out of visual range.

"Edge of the system coming up in ten… nine… eight…" he counted down, ready to boost the engines and get them the hell out of there. It was a fine balancing act. They couldn"t race out of the system, it would attract attention, but at the same time every second they stayed was a risk.

The tension crept up in the small cockpit, so thick he could practically taste it. They couldn"t afford for the pirates to come after them. LM15-V was a small, tough little ship, but she was all about speed. There was no way she could stand up to pirates in a down-and-out fight.

He hit the engines, pushing the ship past the edge of the system. The stars blurred into streaks of light as he engaged the drive, hurtling them into the safety of interstellar space. He breathed a sigh of relief, the tension slowly easing from his shoulders as he sat back. They were safe now.

Turning to Sadie, who was watching him with wide eyes, he saw the worry etched on her face. "Can they track us?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. "The pirates I mean?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"No, they can"t," he reassured her. "I"ve made sure of it. Even if they could track us, I"ve already switched our disguise. They"ll be looking for a pig transporter, not a water hauler."

Her expression relaxed. "Thank you, Vaarn," she said, her voice filled with relief.

He inclined his head in acknowledgment. "It"s my duty to keep us safe," he replied, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. He turned back to the console, making minor adjustments to the ship"s systems to ensure their continued safety.

He caught her eye. She still looked terrified. "We should be clear of any potential threats for now. You should get some rest. It"s been a long day."

She looked at him, an odd look crossing over her face but then nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, I think I"ll do that. Goodnight."

He watched her slide out of the seat, each movement delicate and graceful. All he wanted to do was reach out and grab her, pull her into his arms. She"d kissed him in the closet, and those moments with her pressed against him… he would never forget them. But, tensions had been high, and one kiss under pressure didn"t mean that she wanted to be tied to him for the rest of her life.

"Why haven"t you signed up for the Mate Program?" he asked suddenly, his words stopping her before she could slide between the seats.

She turned and looked down at him. Even with her standing and him sitting, they were nearly the same height.

That odd look washed over her expression again, the one he couldn"t work out.

"I"d heard that it"s not always needed," she said in a soft voice. "That sometimes a Latharian guy will claim a woman anyway, without needing to be matched by a machine. I was kind of hoping that one would."

She shrugged, and he recognized the sadness in her eyes this time. "But I guess I"m only good for hiding in closets with."

He blinked as she walked to the back of the cockpit, leaving him looking at the console in front of him blankly. Did she mean…

His mind raced. He"d been so focused on keeping them safe, on getting them out of the station before they were discovered, that he hadn"t allowed himself to think about what had happened in the supply closet. But now her words echoed in his mind.

She wanted him to claim her.

He couldn"t believe it. He"d been trying to keep his distance, to protect himself from the pain of wanting something he couldn"t have. But now, it seemed that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

He couldn"t let her walk away, not now. Not when he finally had a chance to make her his.

Catching her arm, he spun her around and pulled her towards him. She gasped in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. He saw the confusion in her gaze, but there was something else there too. Desire.

Without giving her a chance to protest, he leaned down and claimed her lips in a hard, demanding kiss. He poured all of his pent-up longing and frustration into it, letting her know without a doubt that she belonged to him.

She hesitated for a moment, her body stiff in his arms. But then, she relaxed and melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she returned his kiss with equal passion.

He groaned, his hands roaming over her body as he deepened the kiss. Her heart raced where she was pressed against his chest, her breath short gasps as she clung to him.

He pulled away from her, his breathing ragged as he looked down into her eyes.

"You"re mine," he growled, his voice low and possessive. "Do you understand?"

She stared up at him, her eyes wide and filled with heat and desire. Then she nodded, her lips parted as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Yours," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

It was all he needed to hear and triumph rolled through him. She"d accepted his claim… he couldn"t hold back any longer. He had to touch her, had to feel her skin against his more than he needed his next breath.

With a groan, he claimed her lips again, his fingers finding the zipper of her ship suit to yank it down with impatience. If it wasn"t the only one she"d brought with her, he"d have torn the draanthing thing right off her.

Her moan was soft and lost under his lips as he pushed the suit off her shoulders, baring her to him. She shivered as he touched her, and he marveled at the softness of her skin. His hands were rough and calloused from his work as an engineer and, for a moment he worried about that, but then she gasped at his touch. Her eyes fluttered closed as she arched her back, and pressed herself closer to him.

Heat and need rolled through his body, his cock hard and aching as it pressed against his leathers. He was so hard he was ready to burst. She affected him so much that he felt like a youth with his first female, and he pulled back to try and gain some control.

She was so beautiful, watching him with half-lidded eyes as he stripped the rest of the ship suit from her. Her delicate little hand rested on his shoulder as he helped her step out of it, leaving her clad in just a tank top and her panties.

His breath caught as he held her hand, just looking down at her. Compared to the bulk and muscle of his Latharian warrior"s frame, she was tiny. So delicate he was scared he would hurt her if he wasn"t careful. But that wouldn"t stop him, she was his…

Pulling her close, he slid his hand into her hair, holding her head still as he claimed her mouth again. She tasted so sweet, that he couldn"t get enough of her, and the way her small hands smoothed over his chest elicited a deep growl right from his soul.

Shrugging out of his jacket without taking his lips from hers, he gave her access to his body, delighted beyond measure that she wanted to touch him. Wanted to explore him as much as he wanted to explore her.

His hands shook as he peeled the tank top from her, revealing her body to him. She bit her lip as he looked at her, her breath coming in a stuttering gasp as he pulled her closer, his free hand cupping her breast.

"You are so beautiful." He slid his thumb over her nipple. It beaded beneath his touch, her lips parting on a gasp. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, to feel her heat surrounding him.

But first… gods, he had to taste her.

Leaning down, he kissed her again, his lips moving over hers with desperate need. She responded eagerly, her tongue darting out to meet his own. Her hands moved over his chest, nails digging into the skin of his shoulders as she pulled him closer.

Closer was good. He was all for closer.

He trailed his lips down her neck, nipping and sucking at her skin as he went. She trembled beneath his touch as he reached her nipple.

He closed his lips around it and suckled, hard. Her hands drove into his hair as he ran the blade of his tongue over the tight bud. The sudden tug on his scalp sent a jolt of pleasure through him right down to his cock. He was so draanthing hard that it physically hurt, his cock throbbing, his balls tight and aching, but he couldn"t bring himself to stop what he was doing. Not even to readjust himself in his pants to try to get a little relief. He"d get his relief when he buried himself balls deep inside her.

Right now, he"d found a new addiction… her.

He needed to taste her, to feel her against his tongue. Moving to her other breast, his hands slid over her hips, around to her backside to pull her up hard against him. She moaned, arching into him as his fingers dug into the soft flesh.

She was so curvy and warm, so unlike him that he wanted to devour her. To brand her soul and claim her as his own. But he couldn"t do that if she wasn"t ready for him. She was too small for him to just ram into her.

Another growl tumbled from him as he slid a hand down her body. The soft satin of her panties stopped him reaching his goal so he tore them free, smiling against her skin at her gasp of surprise. They needed to be gone, he needed to touch her.

"Part your legs, kelarris," he said, sliding his hand between her inner thighs at the same time. He didn"t give her much choice, but she wasn"t fighting him, her hands still in his hair to hold him to her. He rewarded her when she obeyed him with a soft nip against her nipple. Her moan and the reflex tightening of her fingers in his hair told him his little kelarris liked a tiny bit of pain with her pleasure.

His fingers slid between her pussy lips and he found her wet and ready for him. A groan escaped him as his fingers slid through her slickness to reach her clit. He found it, and she gasped, her hips jerking as he began to circle it gently.

He wanted… no, he needed to make her come. He needed to feel her shuddering around his fingers and to watch her face as she climaxed, to see the pleasure he gave her.

He teased her, circling and stroking her clit as she clung to him. Then he found the entrance to her body, biting back his smile at her gasp of pleasure when he circled it gently. He slid a finger deep, almost losing himself at the feel of her tight grip around him, then another. He moved, fingers sliding in and out of her as he used his thumb to rub her clit.

Her breath came in short gasps as she rocked against his hand. She tightened around him, her body tensing up as she neared her release.

"That"s it, kelarris. You"re so beautiful." He claimed her lips again as his fingers slid in and out of her slick heat, his thumb rubbing circles over her clit. She moaned louder as she neared her release.

"Come for me," he said, the words hard. A order. "Come over my fingers... give me your pleasure."

Her pussy clenched and tightened around him in an iron grip. She broke from his kiss, a soft keen in the back of her throat as she came in a wave of liquid heat over his hand. He didn"t let up his touch, and pushed her into a hard, second orgasm that ripped a small scream from her lips.

He"d never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

His cock throbbed as he watched her writhe on his hand, her eyes closed as she shuddered with pleasure. A wave of possessive heat crashed through him. He needed to be inside her, to claim her as his own. Now.

With her limp from her releases, he laid her down on the bed at the back of the cockpit and stripped off his clothes with a speed born of sheer need. They"d barely hit the deck plating before he joined her, his knee making the sleeping pad move as he crawled over her.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with trust, and something in his chest tightened. She trusted him, and he would do anything to protect that trust.

"Are you ready for me, kelarris?" he asked, as he braced himself over her, parting her thighs with a hard knee to settle between them.

She nodded. "Yes."

He gripped his cock, sliding it between her slick pussy lips to coat the shaft in the evidence of her releases. Her head fell back on a soft moan as the broad head brushed against her sensitive clit. The look on her face, and the heat and wetness against his cock almost undid him there and then. It took every ounce of his willpower not to fit himself against her and drive home in one hard thrust. She was a mother, so he knew she wasn"t inexperienced in the bed chamber… but she"d never taken a Latharian before.

So he fit himself against her and eased forward, inch by slow inch. It was both heaven and hell at the same time as she stretched around him, impossibly tight even with the two orgasms he"d wrung from her. It was like nothing he"d ever experienced before.

"Draanth…" he stopped and hissed, his eyes squeezing shut as he fought for control. Her tightness would be his undoing. He would not lose control and embarrass himself by coming before he was halfway inside her.

"Is… is everything okay?" The soft query made him glance up and he found her looking at him in concern. "Does it feel okay? For you I mean?"

He cursed himself for seven types of idiot. His reactions had caused her to question herself. He claimed her lips in a quick, hard kiss.

"You"re perfect, kelarris," he murmured. "So perfect I nearly lost it as soon as I got inside you." The admission was soft. "I need to count backwards so I don"t blow in the next few seconds."

"Oh!" Her cheeks flushed pink, but the worried look faded from her eyes. "I was… I thought we might not be compatible. Like that… I mean. That I might be too small."

"Oh, you"re small," he rumbled between kisses as he pulled back a fraction. When he slid back into her, he sank a little deeper. "But the fit is perfect, and believe me, you"re going to take all of me. Every. Single. Inch."

She shivered, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her lips eager under his as he worked his way into her, thrust by thrust, inch by inch. Finally, he bottomed out, his face buried into the curve of her neck.

He was balls deep in her, and it felt like coming home.