Alex

ALEX

W hatever happened, it can't be good. My lungs are full of the dust from the explosion, and even with the water and the gentle care from Sylas, I'm still struggling. I had mild asthma when I was on Earth, usually brought on by dusty environments, and although I've had a few wheezes since I was abducted, mostly I've been okay.

Until now.

Sylas doesn't exactly seem with it either, although I don't think it's down to any sort of illness. He's one hundred percent fitter than fit, a fact I'm very much reminded of as he pads alongside me like a predator, one step to every two of mine. I'm already running out of breath, but he seems as serene as a sailboat with his huge wings.

Unlike he was earlier. As if he was somewhere else entirely, calling out for warriors, talking about his enemy.

We get some curious glances from a couple of Oykig, and I take a sharp right turn.

"Where are we going, ?" Sylas asks me in his deeper than sin voice, which now has a greater rasp to it with all the dust.

"I have a…friend. I hope she can help."

"Not your master?" he queries as I find us some quieter streets, narrow and hung with clothing. It'll take us longer, but no one around here will say anything.

His mention of Ixor chills my blood, and my eyes immediately go to the cuff on my wrist.

Only it's no longer on my wrist. The skin is bare. Somehow, in all the confusion, it's come off.

My heart sings out with a mixture of joy and trepidation.

"No, he wanted to use you and me. I'm not going back to him. Not now, not ever." I curl my fists up and shove them in my pockets.

Being nearly blown to smithereens will galvanize a girl.

I find myself lifted off my feet, and I have no option other than to wrap my legs around Sylas' hard torso as he gazes into my eyes.

"Did he hurt you?" he growls.

I contemplate my answer.

"Did he?"

"Yes…but he doesn't matter, not now," I say rapidly as Sylas' eyes go glassy with a rage I feel through the vibrations in his body. "What matters is not getting caught by him."

"I don't care. I will rip his arms off and make him eat them," Sylas snarls.

Not that I don't want something unpleasant to happen to the Habosu who has been the demise of many a most likely innocent party and my main torturer for the past nova-year, but I'd rather there was no further bloodshed.

"Erm…that won't be necessary."

"You belong to me, little feather, and no one touches you. Ever," He adds with an odd flourish.

"Okay…" I contemplate the weird juxtaposition of his words. "We might need to talk about that once we're off the streets." I gaze at him. Sylas stares back, a soft expression on his chiseled face. "And you'll need to put me down."

He doesn't move until there is a slight drop of his head where he seems to take in the fact I'm wrapped around him like a spider monkey. The corner of his mouth hitches up, making his handsome face look utterly wicked.

"And what if I like this position?" He pushes my back up against the wall.

I feel his hips circle. My core responds with a throb.

Oh god, what if I like this position too?

Nope, nope, nope. This can't be happening!

"Then we'll both get caught, and I'll be returned to my master and you to the dome."

"Not going to happen." He dips his head, and before I can stop him, those bad, bad lips are on mine.

This powerful creature is as gentle as can be, and all the while, he turns my body to jelly and my head to mush. Each touch of his lips is like fire and ice, hot and perfect, his tongue tangling with mine and I never ever…

"Oh!" I'm released for air.

"I need to mate you, little feather. I need to plunder your body, fill you, worship you." He growls in a way which almost sounds like it's not something he is saying, but something far more primal.

And while my head is one hundred percent not on board with this plan of action, my body has other ideas, and they involve acquiescing to Sylas who is trailing his lips down my throat. Heat pools between my legs.

"We can't stay here," I pant, one hand on the back of his thick, muscular neck, the other wrapped around his massive bicep.

"No, we cannot," Sylas says, pulling me back off the wall and casually slamming against a small door, bursting it open and ducking us both inside.

He slams it shut with his foot.

"We can stay here," he growls in my ear. "It is safe."

I'm guessing anyone who was inside has exited swiftly with the arrival of a massive gladiator as there are no sounds to suggest the place is inhabited.

"You want it to be, you mean." I attempt to huff, but I can feel what Sylas is packing down there, and the part of me which hasn't had any action since long before I was abducted is ridiculously intrigued.

His mouth hitches into that gorgeous grin, the one which would melt hearts the universe over.

"Anywhere I am, you are safe," he says, dropping me onto the alien version of a couch and descending on top of me like an avenging angel.

I am caged by him.

I think I like it.

"We're filthy, we're on the run, and this is such a bad idea." I gasp as he applies his mouth to the skin behind my ear and makes me see stars.

"We're only filthy on the outside." Sylas lifts above me, as if doing such a press up is quite commonplace.

To add to his show of strength, he lifts one arm and casually plucks at my clothing.

"Without this, I'm sure you're absolutely perfect."

"Are you trying to get me naked?" I query, staring straight up at him.

"Not trying," Sylas rasps. "Intending."