Page 18 of Adtovar (The Alliance Rescue #1)
“I do not understand.” I couldn’t grasp why Maddie referred to herself as a black woman .
Her skin wasn’t black in the literal sense, but rather a stunning shade of medium brown, like the rich hue of freshly turned earth or the deep tone of a polished nut.
The depth and warmth of her complexion seemed to glow under the dim light, highlighting her natural beauty.
“Of course not. Everyone here is a different color.” Maddie let out a sudden, sharp burst of laughter, but there was little humor in the sound. “On Earth, sometimes the color of one’s skin can affect things.”
“You must be very special. Your skin is beautiful.” She was the most beautiful female that had ever graced my vision.
Maddie’s lips curled upward into a smile, her eyes glinting with warmth. “I wish there were more men like you on Earth. Don’t get me wrong, there are good men, but some of them....”
“A man hurt you.” It was not a difficult assumption.
“Adam Collumby.” She grimaced as she said the name, as though the words tasted bitter.
“He was one of the engineers on my team. He seemed nice, and we got along... or so I thought. We’d gone to the International Conference on Engineering and Natural Science in Barcelona.
My team was scheduled to present a paper on our research concerning extracellular vesicles in pathogenic infection.
As team leader, I got to present the paper. It was quite an honor.”
Although most of what she said did not translate, I knew from her expression that she’d been very proud of the achievement. Then, suddenly, her countenance transformed into one of deep betrayal, the corners of her mouth turning downward and her full lips quivering slightly.
I did not know this Adam Collumby from any other of the billions of humans still on Earth, yet I wanted to hurt him for making Maddie feel anything other than the spectacular female I knew her to be.
“The night before the presentation, we’d gone out to dinner.
I didn’t have much to drink, only one glass of wine, like the rest of them, but it hit me really hard.
Adam offered to walk me back to my room just to make sure I’d get there safely.
Right before I passed out, I heard him laughing about how easy it had been to drug me.
” A single tear fell from her thick lashes and trailed down her cheek.
My dislike of this male turned to hatred, and the need to hurt him became murderous. “Did he? Did he touch you?”
“No. That wasn’t what he wanted.” She flinched, the memories causing physical discomfort.
“By the time I woke up the next morning and made it to the conference, Adam had already spread the story of how I got drunk and came onto him, threatening to fire him if he didn’t sleep with me.
Apparently, he made sure several people saw him helping me to my room the night before.
When I tried to tell the truth, nobody believed me.
My boss removed me from the presentation, giving it to Adam, and, in no uncertain terms, told me I would face disciplinary action, probably even dismissal, upon our return to the US.
I left the conference and went straight to my aunt’s house. I got abducted a week later.”
“When we get to the Historia , I will locate this Adam Collumby and make him pay for impugning your honor.”
Maddie sighed, and her lips twitched upward, although the smile did not reach her eyes. “That’s sweet. I can only imagine what everyone at my job thinks happened to me... what my family....” Her voice trailed off, and she sighed again, heavier and sadder.
“You have not been through the Garoot healer. You can return to Earth.” The words left a hollowness in my chest as I uttered them. I wanted Maddie to remain... with me. Yet, despite knowing that a large part of my heart would go with her should she leave, I wanted her happiness.
“I don’t know if it would be worth it.” Maddie frowned, her shoulders rising and falling in a half-hearted shrug. “I got abducted over a year ago. My career is ruined, and sometimes, I wonder if my family would be happy to see me again. I’m sure they have already grieved me and moved on.”
I extended my hand slowly, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips as my palm gently cradled her cheek. “If you were mine—no matter how long you were gone from me—I would rejoice at your return.”
Maddie’s eyes sparkled as she leaned closer, her warm breath caressing my skin before her lips lightly touched my cheek, her cheeks flushed with a rosy glow.
Our eyes locked, electric tension hanging in the air between us.
After a heartbeat, she glanced away, a hint of nervousness in her shy smile as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear.
“I better get back to my room and let you rest,” she murmured, maneuvering to climb off the cot.
“Stay.” I let my hand travel from her cheek to her shoulder and down her arm in a gentle caress, stopping when my fingers wound around her wrist.
Maddie watched the trail of my hand but made no move to pull away. “You need to sleep.”
“I will sleep better with you in my arms,” I murmured. Gently tugging on her arm, I guided her down onto the soft, worn cot beside me. The mattress creaked slightly under our combined weight as she settled against me, her warmth both comforting and arousing.
“Adtovar.” There was an unspoken question in the way she said my name. Her dark eyes fixed intently on mine, as if searching for answers hidden within my gaze, as she settled herself against me.
With my heart pounding like a drum in my chest, I responded in the only way I knew how—the only way I desired. It was a pull I could no longer resist, an inevitability to which I gladly surrendered. I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.
Unlike many other species, Aljani embraced the practice of kissing—a tradition that took root when Duke Ako chose the human female Helene as his mate.
The romantic gesture became a symbol of affection and quickly gained popularity, weaving its way into the fabric of Aljani culture and setting a trend that others followed.
Strangely, though, I had kissed only one other, my mate Keela, and rarely. She did not enjoy the practice.
In contrast, Maddie seemed to enjoy kissing very much. Her arms wound around my neck, pulling me closer as she pressed against me, her soft, warm lips parting beneath mine.
We kissed. Gently at first, our lips brushing against each other almost tentatively.
But I wanted more. I shifted onto my side, allowing my weight to hover over her.
She felt so small and delicate beneath me, stirring something deep and undeniable, a primal urge to claim and protect her.
Our kisses grew more fervent, lips moving in harmony as our tongues danced and entwined with increasing passion.
My hand, as if guided by an unseen force, glided down her body.
At first tracing the delicate curve of her collarbone then moving onward in the journey of exploration, pausing momentarily to cradle the soft fullness of her breast, barely concealed by the thin fabric of her shift.
Continuing the journey, my fingers lightly skimmed across the gentle swell of her belly, drawing a soft moan as Maddie instinctively arched her hips upward.
As I kissed her deeply, I shifted my position once more, eager to find the perfect angle to heighten her pleasure.
The subtle adjustment caused the muscles in my chest to tighten sharply, sending a sudden flash of pain radiating from my wound.
A deep, involuntary grunt of discomfort escaped against my lips, causing Maddie to pull away from the kiss, her dark eyes worried.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured as her hand lay gently over the bandage. “We shouldn’t be doing this. You’re hurt."
I wanted to argue but begrudgingly had to acknowledge she had a point as pain radiated through my chest. I wanted to claim her, but properly and completely, with no hindrance between us—no lingering shadows of blood and death.
Yet, I found it impossible to let her leave my side.
“Stay with me. Let me hold you while I sleep. It gives me peace.”
Maddie gazed at me with deep affection, her eyes shimmering like stars in the dim light. “Only if you promise to rest.”
“I promise.”
She watched at me curiously as if gauging the sincerity of my promise, then gave a slow nod.
I lay on my back and slipped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close.
Her head came to rest on my chest, soft curls cascading over my skin.
Her scent, floral with a hint of spice and muskiness from her arousal, covered me like a blanket, and I sighed in utter contentment.
She fell asleep quickly, her breathing becoming slow and rhythmic, no doubt exhausted from the day’s events. I fought against the pull of slumber for as long as I could, wanting to savor every moment of her nestled in my arms.