Page 170 of Pets in Space 10
Standing in the bedchamber door, clad in naught but briefs, he set her heart racing. Every fantasy she had ever entertained flooded her mind. His expression turned heated, as if he could read her every thought. He held out his hand.
Unable and unwilling to resist the magnetic pull, she placed her hand in his.
His free hand rose to cup her head. “You are so very lovely.”
His lips found hers, swamping her senses and turning her muscles liquid.
She was clinging to his shoulders when he ended the kiss.
He cupped her buttocks, lifting her with strength that should not have surprised her.
Senses flooding with excitement, she wrapped her legs around his waist. He hummed with approval, carrying her the few short steps to the bed.
He lowered her to her back with her legs yet around his waist.
Leaning over her, he caged her with his arms and torso. “I promised you our first time together would be in comfort.”
“I never doubted you.” Unable to resist, she pressed her lips to his chest, tracing the contours of satin flesh over hard muscles. When she tongued one flat nipple, he groaned. His pelvis pressed her into the bed, the hard length of his shaft tight to her aching cleft.
Pulling back, he braced on one hand while the other grasped the hem of her camisole and tugged it above her breasts.
His breath hitched and fire flared in his gaze.
His lips grazed one taut peak, and then his tongue.
When his teeth closed gently over the tip, the erotic play had her crying out.
With a dark chuckle, he released her breast, his fingers hooking into the waistband of her briefs and tugging them down her legs.
She whimpered as he moved away, dragging the scrap of cotton over her feet.
His hands manacled her ankles, lifting and opening her legs, exposing her to his gaze.
With a soft guttural sound, he crawled forward, pushing his shoulders between her thighs.
The rough velvet of his beard teased her inner thighs.
With ruthless skill, lips, teeth, and tongue explored her slit and tormented her sensitive jewel into aching need.
Abandoning her cleft, he nibbled his way up her torso, tongue and teeth grazing her breasts and then throat. Gripping his shoulders, eager for greater contact, she rolled her hips, seeking and finding his hot, hard length.
With a fierce grin, Lochan pressed his knees between her thighs, spreading her legs. His eyes locked with hers. He pressed the tip of his shaft to her entrance.
“Yes, Lochan. Please.”
His penetration was slow and deliberate, allowing her time to adjust, to experience every exquisite sensation as he filled her. Nothing had ever felt so right. So perfect. Tightening delicate muscles, she reveled in the blissful sensations.
His eyelids lowered, “Shades of the Five Warriors. Woman, you feel incredible.”
He rocked his hips, grinding against her jewel, and her vision flashed gold.
With a passionate sound, he slid out and thrust again, rotating his hips to strike that perfect spot deep inside.
And again—until he was driving deep and fast, each penetration pushing her closer to the peak until, with a hard thrust, she was over it.
Hurtling through a cloud of bliss, she was aware of convulsing on his pleasure-giving length, and his cry of release.
Sevenday 42, Day 6
Adele woke to the sensations of warm lips trailing along her spine.
She had no notion of the bell, but she suspected it must be close to morning.
After her passionate union with Lochan, she dozed for a while, waking at the touch of questing fingers.
Their second interlude had been slower, taking time to explore and discover.
Rolling onto her back, she met his inquiring gray eyes.
Feeling replete and eager at once, she raised her lips and brushed his. She felt his lips curve as he pressed her against the pillow. In a leisurely sweep, his lips trailed along her throat and teased a spot below her ear that had her shivering in delight.
A staccato chirp broke her from the sensuous haze. Lochan moved away with a grumbled curse that was more entertaining than profane. She had to ask, “Troll spit?”
He shrugged, reaching for his slate. “Nasty creatures.”
Drawing her knees up, she shook her head. “I would not have expected you to enjoy children’s fables.”
“Not that type of troll.” He looked up from his slate.
“Fanged bipedal predators that live in the icy reaches of Socraide Deuce. Every now and then, some lackwit adventurer gets too close and ends up dinner.” He shuddered.
“Then the militia is sent in for search-and-destroy. Their dens are beyond vile.”
“I had no notion. Bright Star Prime tigers are rather appealing by comparison.”
He flashed a smile. “That they are.” A moment later, his smile faded. “We need to dress. The captain wants a full review at eighth bell.”
“What is it now?”
“A few minutes shy of seventh.”
***
The captain’s conference chamber adjacent to the command bridge was as impressive as everything else about the Nightingale.
Each place at the twelve-seat table had an embedded console slate.
Across from a wall-length window was an expansive reviewer.
Adele expected the reviewer could be segmented into a half dozen separate visuals.
At the head of the table, Raleigh waited with Bran, Nickolas, Imogen, a woman in the uniform of a militia commander, and to Adele’s surprise, Adriana. At their entrance, Adriana left Bran’s side with Blue trotting at her heels.
At the sight of the other dog, Rogue leapt forward, the two terriers greeting each other with enough enthusiasm that Adele asked, “Could they know each other?”
Adriana considered the two happy creatures.
“It is probable. Rogue appears to be six or seven months, and we have only had Blue for two.” She crouched down by the puppy, letting it get her scent before gently running her fingers along his shoulders.
“He does not have a tracker. I did not recall implanting any young terriers.”
“Does he need one?”
She shook her head. “They helped me identify the pack’s territory, understand their movements.
I doubt Rogue will be returning to the pack.
” Adriana rose. “I would like to take Rogue for an examination. After that, with your permission, I will take him with Blue to the hydroponic gardens for some exercise.”
“Thank you. Rogue appears fully recovered, but it would be nice to know for certain.” She glanced at Lochan. “I do not know how long the captain will require me.”
Lochan smiled at Adriana. “If you need to return Rogue before the briefing is ended, you can leave him in my quarters. He has been fed and has plenty of water.”
With that, Adriana led Blue out into the corridor, Rogue following blithely. At least Adele need not worry that Rogue would be lonely or frightened.
“Lochan,” Raleigh’s deep bass rumbled. “Your refugees from Prime will join us in a half period. Before then, we need to review arrangements for both the despoilers and their captives.”
Leading Adele to a place next to Imogen, Lochan said, “When I retired last eve, the plans were to shuttle the five surviving despoilers to the Second System spear patrolling the border.”
The captain nodded. “Which we will do, but the captain will not leave his patrol route until the Serengeti spear can take over while they collect the prisoners.”
Lochan gestured, “And the Serengeti Spear will not leave Deuce orbit and the vistrite until the spear carrying the vistrite seigneur arrives in another ten days. Could we incarcerate them on the Serengeti spear until then?”
“That would be my preference,” the captain said. “If we keep them in their encampment, I need to have at least six militia to guard them.”
Bran lifted his chin. “It would make interrogations more efficient if they were on the Serengeti spear.”
“Very well.” Raleigh tapped at the embedded console. “I have alerted the spear’s captain.” He turned to the militia woman. “Coordinate with him about transferring the despoilers. I would like them off the planet within a day.”
***
Lochan was surprised to find that the clean-shaven version of Samson was closer to thirty than forty. Lace showed hints of the loveliness that would be hers once she fully regained her health. Her coffee skin tones had bronze highlights, and her cleaned and trimmed ebony locks held a bit of luster.
Both former captives eyed their surroundings with more concern than awe. That they had been well fed and were not bound should have reassured the pair. He wondered what dire expectations were bedeviling them. Even Raleigh’s gracious welcome did not put them at ease.
Ignoring protocol, Adele asked, “What is amiss? You are safe here.”
Samson’s eyes went from the militia captain to Raleigh. “We’re not despoilers. By the Five Warriors we’re not.”
Nonplussed by the outburst, Raleigh replied. “We know that.”
“You do? But—” Samson exchanged a glance with Lace and visibly gathered himself. “Those despoilers told us that since we were on the freighter, we’d be taken as despoilers.”
Lochan shook his head. “I told you, the survivors on the freighter were taken to Fortuna so the despoilers could be sorted from innocent colonists.”
Lace leaned forward. “My brothers?”
“Enter their information on the console. I will contact Fortuna this day.”
Bran cleared his throat. “For the record, Mrs. Lace and Mr. Samson, we need you to tell us how you came to be on Bright Star Prime and how it happened you were able to aid Commander Lochan and Mistress Adele.”
At Bran’s courteous phrasing, both former captives visibly relaxed. While Lace entered the information that would help locate her brothers, Samson repeated his tale. When he was done, Lace once again relayed how she had come to be in the hands of the despoilers.