Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

T he tension wouldn’t let him go.

Stella found a place to abandon their car and they continued on foot to a cylindrical building that she claimed was a hotel. Arest wanted to pull her back, to keep her from going inside, as his instincts screamed that they were still in danger. His trainers could come down on him at any minute, and he had little hope of fighting them off.

But he had to make sure that Stella stayed safe. If a clean up crew had been called in to deal with the tunnels, that meant that the damned android had reported that she was there. And even if she hadn’t given it her name or identification, the system would have captured her image. They’d find her and hurt her to protect the secret of what he and those like him were.

Because he wasn’t alone.

More memories surfaced, of fighting other men and women with similar claws and skin. They hadn’t all been modified the same way, but they all had been taken far from home and changed into something… wrong. Something beastly.

His tattoos burned and he rubbed the one that said his name, tracing the letters absently. Could he bargain for Stella’s freedom? Give himself in trade for her life? His entire body rebelled at placing himself back under the heavy yoke of his trainers, but if it meant her safety, he’d do in a heartbeat. Just like he’d raised the bars on the cage.

No. It wouldn’t work. As soon as they had him under control, she’d be at risk. The people who owned them didn’t keep their word. They didn’t free those who’d earned their freedom, and they didn’t care about the little people who got in the way.

His entire existence put Stella at risk. If they had him, they’d take her out to keep the secret safe. But if he was in the wind, they’d need to make a choice. They couldn’t know what he’d told her. And he was the more valuable target. If he led them on a chase, as long as she stayed quiet about what she’d seen, they’d forget about her.

He hoped. Because he never would.

The smartest move would be to walk away right now, disappear into the storm, and leave Stella be. She had her people, and they might be powerful enough to keep her safe for the moment, until the heat died down. If he left a strong enough trail, he could lure them away from this city until she was long gone.

But for the moment the teams were going to the tunnels, and it would take them a little time to find the trail. Even the car wouldn’t lead them directly to Stella. Arest couldn’t be smart. Not after he’d almost lost his woman. Not now that he knew he couldn’t stay and keep her safe.

When a piece of cloth waved from one of the hotel windows, signaling where Stella had rented her room, Arest pushed out of the shadows and made his way to the building. He could take one night. Claim her, mark her, feast on her, and use the pleasure to sustain him until he breathed his last.

Nothing was more important than making sure she stayed safe.

Besides, if he left now, she’d come looking. The safer move was to satisfy her, to spend one night with her, loving her, and then leave. She’d understand eventually, and she’d move on. After all, they’d only had a few days together. She couldn’t possibly return the intensity of what he felt. She’d survive, even if he didn’t.

She had to.

He made it to the building and found his way in, careful to stay out of sight of any of the employees or other guests. The building was fairly tall for this city, about ten floors. Arest made it up eight and let himself in. Four doors lined either side of the hall and he counted carefully, recalling exactly where the flag had waved. And when he spotted the red piece of cloth wedged under the door, he saw that she’d thought of that as well.

He knocked once and the door opened. Stella stood there in a robe, her hair damp and eyes sparkling.

The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

Arest dropped to his knees in front of her as the door slammed shut behind him. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close, satisfaction rolling through him as she gasped and grabbed onto his shoulders to steady herself, her fingers digging in to his skin.

He was still bruised, the aches and pains from the fight reminders of who—of what— he really was. But for this one night, he let himself forget. He placed kisses along the seam of the soft fabric, and made a sound in the back of his throat as he breathed in the scent of her mixed with some sort of soap that she’d found.

The robe opened under him, revealing Stella’s soft, pale skin, and it was so warm that Arest just laid his cheek against her abdomen and breathed her in. Paradise. He’d never known it before, and all the simple pleasures had long ago disappeared. But with her, right here, right now, nothing could be more perfect. He’d trade his life for the rest of this night, and as long as she stood right beside him, he wouldn’t have a single regret.

Not yet.

He kissed along her waist, tracing where her pants had left a small indent in her skin. And then he moved up, though his tongue craved to plumb the depths of her hot, wet cunt. But not yet. Not now. This had to last a lifetime and there was so much he wanted to taste.

His lips made it to her breasts and he kissed along the side of one and over, down in the valley between and on to the next, taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking, brushing his teeth gently against her sensitive skin and feeling triumph surge through his veins as she let out a throaty moan and sank down next to him.

Arest pushed her back, laying her down on the plush, carpeted floor of their room. He had no idea what the rest of it look like and he didn’t give a damn. Stella was in front of him, laid out like a feast, and she was the only thing on this—or any other—planet that mattered.

He spread his palm flat against her stomach and marveled at the difference. For a moment, he could almost remember what he’d once been, could almost envision his own tan hands before they’d grown claws and turned purple. But Stella leaned into him and placed her hand on top of his, uncaring that he could do her harm. She traced a finger over the two claws on his hand and a shiver went up his spine. He realized that it wasn’t a lack of care that left her laying there, completely unprotected.

It was trust.

Was she crazy for laying here under him, absolutely loving the way he looked at her? Those blue eyes of his were lit with a bright inner fire and she could almost hear it sizzling. But there was something else there, too, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Something he was holding back.

Stella walked her fingers up his arm, grinning as his muscles leapt under her soft touch. This man deserved some softness after everything he’d endured. And she was going to make it her life’s work to see that he learned to enjoy it. They’d figure out their tomorrows as they got there, but already they were turning into one hell of a team.

His eyes shifted and she went up in flames as he lowered himself over her, taking one of her breasts into his mouth once more, his gaze never leaving hers, even as his tongue performed its wicked magic. It was Stella who looked away, who arched up and closed her eyes, biting back a moan that threatened to rip out of her. She hoped they didn’t have neighbors in this hotel because if Arest kept using his tongue like that, she couldn’t stay quiet for long.

He played her like an instrument, his hands careful as he kept his claws in check, his mouth hungry and everywhere, tasting her until she was a pile of want and desperation who couldn’t remember her own name. All she could remember was his. “Arest!” she gasped as his lips found her sex, tongue tracing along her slick folds and teasing the stiff peak of her clit.

She splayed her legs, thrusting her hips towards him, grinding her ass down, doing anything that would give her more. But her man knew how to tease. He kissed the inside of her thigh and down, then back up, giving her one delirious lick before kissing up her mound and over her abdomen.

Languid frustration roared through her and she pushed him down and demanded more.

Arest rolled his eyes up to her and gave her a look that only a devil could muster. “What?” he asked, ever a man of few words.

“More,” she said, pressing lightly on his shoulder.

He grinned and kissed her thigh. “More what?”

She arched up, letting a leg fall to the side until she was completely bare to him. “I want your tongue on me,” she said, demanded, begged.

Arest’s eyes burned the hot blue of flame and he took his orders, laying his mouth on her and bringing her to the edge and then over as she bucked and convulsed against him, gasping out his name and making promises that she couldn’t remember. He brought her down gently, kissing her thighs again and gently rubbing his fingers over her sex, sending shivers through the overly sensitive flesh.

As he came up over her, she spotted the massive length tenting against his loose pants. And this time there were no monsters to stop them, nothing to keep her from feeling him inside her, filling her up and making her whole.

“Pants. Off,” she said, pointing lazily with limp fingers. She could get used to his way of speaking, cutting out the unimportant bits until only her true desires remained.

Arest didn’t waste any time, pushing down the flimsy material until he was bare before her. With a single kick, he tossed his trousers somewhere on the other side of the room. Stella didn’t care where they landed. She had other clothes for him. What he’d been wearing in the tunnels would probably need to be burned.

She licked her lips when she finally saw his cock all proud and hard and hers. Here she finally recognized something undeniably human in him. And yet so big . If she had any inhibitions left, she might have been worried whether he would fit inside her. But right now, she was languid and wet and well pleasured. And she needed him. Now.

She reached out a hand and took hold, stroking the thick length of him and admiring the heat. Arest groaned and fell to one hand right beside her, their heads only a hand span apart. His eyes had taken on a droopy look, half lidded with desire and focused completely on her. Stella lifted her head and swiped her lips against him, unable to resist taking a taste. He was so handsome and powerful and all hers.

He reached down between them and she could feel the blunt head of his cock teasing her entrance. She covered his hand with hers and helped him guide himself to her entrance. He filled her up, inch by full inch, and she couldn’t keep from twitching her hips, desire making her a wild beast. She could live forever in this moment, take the pleasure and the man and leave the rest of the world to rot.

Arest moved, plunging in and out of her with wicked thrusts, taking her with him as pleasure ratcheted up between them. She shuddered around him as she came, calling out his name and clinging to him in a desperate embrace. With a final yell, he buried himself deep and spurted inside of her, finding his release with her.

Stella lay back and let her fingers play along her lover’s neck as he collapsed beside her, spent. She smiled at the ceiling, happy even after the hell they’d been through. She’d found something, someone , worthwhile. Someone who could see her and accept her, and maybe one day even love her.

The best was right behind them. If she reached an arm up, she could brush her hand against the mattress that lay right on the floor on a circular box. But the carpet was plush and soft and Arest held her in his arms. He was way better than some hotel mattress.

The pleasure and the fury of the past few days crashed over her and she finally let herself drift off to sleep, satisfied that something had finally gone right and that they were almost home free.

A few hours later, she woke alone.