Uninhibited Fire (Alpha Colony Book 4) Read online

  “And if he turns you to ash in the meantime?”

  “The suppression collar will --”

  “The collars are hit and miss with the stronger abilities and you know it.”

  “I can always dose him again.”

  “If you can send the signal before he throws the flame.” Milo leaned closer to the transmitter, his eyes bright and beseeching. “At least let me send guards.”

  “No way. This one will dig in deep if he spots muscle.”

  “So, they’ll stay out of sight. But the fallout shelter is so isolated and primitive. There’s no way you’re doing this without backup.”

  “I’ll have the skimmer,” she objected. “All I have to do is step beyond the shields, and I can contact you. I don’t want guards listening to everything we say and watching every move we make. It would be counterproductive to the interrogation.”

  Milo’s brows disappeared beneath his drooping bangs. “Then this is sexual.”

  Denying it was pointless. Milo knew her too well. “I suspect it will become sexual, but sex is not my primary motivation for wanting to debrief him privately. He’ll either prove to be the most valuable player we’ve ever liberated, or he’s too dangerous to risk. I just need a few days to determine which.”

  A long pause followed as Milo stared her down. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  Milo’s image blinked off and Emily sighed. This is what she wanted, what she’d imagined since Cruz walked into the workshop, so why had her heart just lodged in her throat?

  Increasing altitude, she cleared the trees and set an indirect course for the fallout shelter. The only way DOMA could be following them was if someone had been watching Cruz the entire time. He was a trusted agent, one of their best, so that seemed unlikely. Even so, she wanted to be sure she didn’t have a shadow before she disappeared into the fallout shelter.

  Emily was finally satisfied she was on her own about an hour later. Cruz was growing restless, so she increased speed and made a beeline for their destination. The fallout shelter was an underground bunker designed for protection from the most severe attack or disaster.

  Her strategy was a combination of deception and coercion. She intended to make him believe they were both being punished for his careless threat. Her apparent helplessness would make her seem more approachable and create instant camaraderie. Or so she hoped.

  She secured the skimmer in the larger of the fallout shelter’s two chambers, then found a hover cart and aligned it with her unconscious passenger. After releasing his safety restraints, she guided his upper body onto the cart. Using the cart’s cloth cover to slide his body forward, she managed to get most of him onto the narrow surface. His feet and one leg draped over the side, but she counterbalanced the device until they reached the smaller of the two rooms. Then she simply let go and the cart toppled, neatly dumping him onto the bed.

  Quickly collecting what she might need from the skimmer, she verified the outer shields and locked herself in the smaller room with Cruz. He didn’t need to know she had the code that would activate the bio scanner and open the door. He needed to believe she was a prisoner just like him.

  A prisoner, or his prisoner? Why was she really doing this?

  In a moment of brutal honesty, she allowed herself to examine her motivations. Ever since she could remember she’d been haunted by images of submission, tempting glimpses of pleasures she had never been brave enough to explore. One look at Cruz had brought those longings surging to the surface.

  She was concerned about his loyalties. If he was Karah’s pet, he was a legitimate security risk. But underlying those legitimate concerns was a very personal hunger. She needed to be controlled and commanded. Cruz would either understand her curiosity and take advantage of the situation, or she’d resolve the other issues and give up on her submissive tendencies once and for all.

  The suppression collar made him as safe as any aggressive male. Danger was inherent in any sexual encounter, but she wasn’t defenseless. Besides, if she was honest with herself, danger was part of what made it all so exciting.

  She stashed the supplies in storage compartments, then paused. What should she be doing when he woke up? She couldn’t appear to have accepted this too easily, yet she didn’t want to seem pathetic either.

  As if he’d heard her thoughts, he moaned and tossed on the bed, coming nearly to a sitting position before he collapsed back against the mattress.

  That made it easy. She grabbed an analgesic out of the medkit and approached the foot of bed. “Don’t try to move. Just relax and let the fog clear.”

  “Where are we?” His voice sounded gravelly. “Why’d you collar me? What do you want?”

  “Are you ready for water, or is your stomach iffy?”

  His eyes opened and he glared at her. “Do you work for Milo, or are you a collector?”

  The accusation stung. “Collectors are despicable. I would never treat you like --”

  “An animal? You collared me, drugged me, and kidnapped me. Is that how you’d treat a human?”

  “I was sent to liberate you.”

  “Then you work for Milo.”

  She’d had enough of their mutual role-playing. The lies were exhausting. Her current objective was to earn his trust. She suspected he’d respond best to the truth, or as much of the truth as she dared tell him. “You know damn well I work for Milo, and I know you work for DOMA. Izak’s signal blinked out shortly before I reached the feline village. I have every reason to believe you were the one responsible for his death. Can we please deal with reality now?”

  “Is the prototype real?” His features were expressionless, but the flash of his dark eyes hinted at the emotions twisting inside him.

  “The prototype was bait. You were my mission.”

  “Where are we?”

  “I’m not sure exactly.” She tossed him the pain reliever and rested her hands on the foot rail of the bed. “Somewhere in sector four.”

  “Sector four?” Pushing to his elbow, he felt around for the foil packet; then opened it with his teeth and let the tablet dissolve on his tongue. “Why are we in the ass-end of the city?” He looked around as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

  She didn’t help him, wasn’t ready to get that close to him. He was recovering with remarkable speed. “Milo won’t take chances with the farm. If you’re Karah’s lap cat, as you implied, we’re both screwed.”

  He rubbed his temples for a moment, eyes tightly closed. “Why’d you tell him what I said?”

  “He doesn’t take chances with his agents either. He was monitoring us.”

  He looked at her again, his eyes clearly less bloodshot. Did he always heal this quickly? “So they don’t want me near the farm. I get that. Why are you in here with me?”

  Because I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything. Even in her mind the admission was scandalous. “They need to make sure you didn’t plant something on me. Karah has access to nanite trackers.” They could scan for nanites. She’d have to do better than that, or at least be less specific. “Mainly they’ll know how much of a risk I am once they’ve determined how big of a risk you are.”

  “And how do they intend to do that?” He ambled toward her, gaze hot and hungry on her face.

  “They’ll dig deeper into your background with more specific parameters.”

  That brought one of his dark brows up, but he didn’t quite smile. “Why go to all this trouble? What does Milo want from me?”

  “He doesn’t want anything from you. He wants to set you free.”

  Cruz scoffed. “I’m not impressed by his idea of freedom.” He indicated their surroundings.

  “Are you Karah’s pet?”

  “Who’s asking? Milo or you?”

  She ignored the provocation. This was still work. Despite her lustful agenda, she should try and determine whether or not he could be reformed. “Morphs don’t work for DOMA because they want to. If you tell us what they have on you, we can --�
�

  In an instant he was beside her. Then he was in front of her and her hips pressed against the foot rail. He didn’t touch her, just crowded her, surrounding her with his scent and his energy. “If you want to talk, release this collar -- now!”

  She pressed her lips together, then shook her head. “That would be foolish. I’d be completely at your mercy.”

  “You’re at my mercy now.” He guided her hands to the rail on either side of her hips, then released her hair and spread the waves over her shoulders. “You still reek of dog. We’re going to have to do something about that.”

  “This isn’t why Milo locked me in here.”

  “Like hell it isn’t.” He pulled her head back and kissed her, hard and deep, staking his claim with tender aggression.

  Emily trembled, overwhelmed by the raw sexuality in his kiss. This was what she’d wanted, what she’d intentionally arranged, so why was she filled with uncertainty?

  He coaxed her tongue into his mouth, then sucked it deeper. She gasped and tilted her head, fitting her mouth more closely to his. She started to wrap her arms around him, but he growled and moved her hands back to the rail.

  “Are they watching us?” he whispered against her lips.

  What should she tell him? Admitting they were alone was dangerous. He could… Were they actually alone? It hadn’t been an idle boast; Milo never took chances with his agents. If the guards weren’t in place already, they were undoubtedly on their way.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted.

  “But it’s likely?” He traced her lips with the tip of his finger as he waited for her answer.

  “He won’t sacrifice a proven agent unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

  He aligned their hips and pressed against her, rubbing his hardened shaft against her clit. “How far will they let this go? Do you have a panic button or a safe word that will bring them crashing through the door?”

  The standard abort code for any mission was “September.” All of Milo’s operatives knew what it meant. “They won’t interfere unless they think I’m in danger.”

  His head lowered, and he nipped her lip, then whispered, “You’ve been in danger since I opened my eyes.”

  Rather than draw back from the silken threat, her senses were stimulated by it. Her nipples hardened and her core ached as he continued the subtle rotation of his pelvis.

  After pressing kisses into the corners of her mouth, he eased back and looked into her eyes. “Is this place shielded? How hard will it be for DOMA to find me?”

  “Do you want them to find you?” If he still thought of DOMA as the good guys, he was further gone than she’d anticipated.

  She didn’t expect him to answer and he didn’t disappoint. His hands moved to the front of her blouse, hesitating over the first button. “I’ll only ask this once, so be sure of your answer. Are you willing?”

  Heat flooded her body and she fought back a moan. “It’s not that simple.”

  He cupped her chin, his gaze hot and penetrating. “It’s exactly that simple. No qualifications, no conditions. No future. No past. Just a simple yes or no.”

  Life had taken so much from her. It had taken so much from them all. Was it unreasonable to want a few hours of passionate oblivion? She’d feel nothing but pleasure in his arms and offer him comfort in return. An even exchange, mutually beneficial. Yes or no. It really was that simple.

  She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. “Yes.”

  Chapter Three

  Possessive hunger threatened to buckle Cruz’s knees. Emily stared up at him in expectant silence, flushed and willing, awaiting his command. Had she been trained, or was she acting on instinct? Gods, he hoped she was a natural submissive. The thought of her with anyone else heated his palms and… Unless she was a trained seductress, effortlessly extracting information with her supple body.

  Did it matter why she was willing? His handlers used sex to motivate him, like everything else. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d chosen his sexual partner. If Emily thought to interrogate him while they had sex, she’d be disappointed with the result.

  Using his suspicions to control the desire raging inside him, he deftly worked the buttons on her blouse. “Take it off.” The excited tremor that shook her body certainly seemed genuine. She pulled her arms from the sleeves and tossed the garment away from the bed. The canine scent lessened but didn’t dissipate completely. “Now the pants.”

  She had to remove her boots before her pants came off, but she soon returned to the foot of the bed and resumed her pose. Beneath the utilitarian outfit, she wore a matching bra and thong. The dark blue lacy undergarments compounded his suspicions. Why would she have worn such provocative lingerie if she hadn’t expected to be seen in it?

  It didn’t matter! His cock had hardened when he saw her standing outside the storeroom in Maddox’s workshop, and his need had been building steadily ever since.

  Her creamy breasts swelled into view above the scalloped edge of the bra, while the lace cups allowed teasing hints of her nipples to show through. The miniscule bottom barely covered her mound, and her position perfectly showcased long legs and supple hips.

  She fidgeted beneath his assessing stare. Surely a woman like this was used to a man’s gaze. Intrigued by her apparent uncertainty, he hooked his finger beneath the strap of her bra and dragged it off her shoulder. Her lips parted and her breath hitched.

  “Why’d you wear this?” He followed the undulating edge of the bra with his fingertip, barely touching her skin.

  “It matches… my eyes.” She inhaled sharply and her breast quivered.

  “Yes, it does.” He traced the lace up the other side and lowered the other strap. “Are all your bras this pretty?” She caught her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head, gaze suddenly averted. “Look at me.” It took her a moment to comply, but the heat in her gaze was worth the wait. “When did you decide to wear this one?” He continued the featherlight dance across the upper swell of her breasts, intentionally avoiding her nipples.

  “When Milo gave me your dossier.”

  He tried not to let the statement annoy him, but his control slipped a notch. “What did this dossier say about me?”

  “You can read it if you like.” She offered him a cautious smile. “There’s nothing in there you don’t already know.”

  “What was in my file that made you want me?” He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t let it go. He should kiss her and recapture the heat, but his brain wouldn’t cooperate with his body. Did he feel more than lust for this complex human, or had he lost what little was left of his social acumen?

  Releasing the rail with one hand, she hesitantly touched his face. Her fingers felt so good against his cheek so he allowed the small disobedience. “I was captivated by the conflict in your eyes. You looked angry and savage, even lethal. Yet there was such sadness, such regret. Then I read about your training and the things DOMA made you do.”

  The things DOMA made him do? Why was she acquitting him so easily? He was an assassin. He murdered on command. No one was that understanding. He grasped her wrist and brought her hand back to the foot rail. “It must have been an old image. I can’t remember the last time I felt regret.” As if to mock his statement, the emotion echoed through his heart.

  She lowered her gaze, taking the heat and the intimacy with it. He understood what she wanted and he was more than capable of giving it to her, but he needed to understand why she wanted it. Submission required trust and he wasn’t worthy of trust. Wasn’t worthy of --

  “Is Karah your lover?”

  And he had his answer. Despite Emily’s whispered words and forlorn looks, he was just another assignment. “Define lover.” A surge of determination pushed aside his disappointment. She’d almost had him going for a minute. If she liked playing with fire, she’d chosen the right morph. “Have we had sex? Of course. Karah plays with all her operatives.” Her liquid gaze collided with his and he reinforced his emo
tional shields. This was a game. Touch and retreat. Tease.

  “When was the last time she summoned you to her bed?”

  “Do you want Karah or me?”

  He couldn’t decipher the emotion that flashed in her eyes, but it was powerful. “Do you have to wait to be summoned, or are you always welcome in her bed?”

  “No one shares Karah’s bed without being summoned. Would you like me to arrange an introduction?”

  Her laughter was unexpected and annoying. “We’ve already met.”

  “You no longer have permission to speak, unless I ask you a specific question. Do you understand?”

  After a quick pause she said, “Yes, Sir.” Tension pulsed between them, escalated by the silence and all that was left unsaid. Her lower lip was between her teeth again, but she quickly realized what she was doing and released it.

  He splayed his fingers against her sides, caressing her torso with his thumbs. He started to ask if she’d been formerly trained, then thought better of it. Jealousy was smoldering inside him. There was no reason to add fuel to the fire. Besides, this wasn’t real. She was trying to extract information, and he was enjoying her attempts at interrogation.

  Brushing his fingers over her ribs, he found the back clasp of the bra and unhooked it. She lifted her hands in turn so he could rid her of the undergarment. High and full, with deep red nipples, her breasts were beyond beautiful. He cupped one while he bent to suck on the other. She arched her back, pressing into his mouth.

  The harder he sucked the louder she moaned, so he allowed her flesh to scrape against his teeth. She gasped and shivered, head thrown back as he experimented with different sensations. He watched her skin flush and her nipples pucker, learning how hard to pinch and which touches pleased her most.

  By the time he kissed his way back to her mouth, she was panting softly. “Can you come like this, with just nipple play?”

  “I never have before.”

  “Have they ever been clamped?”

  “No, Sir.”

  He brought his middle finger to her mouth. “Take the end of my glove between your teeth and don’t let go.” She skimmed his fingertip with her teeth, grasping the synth-leather without biting his flesh. “Good, girl. Now hold tight.” He tugged his hand out of the glove, leaving it dangling from her teeth. She closed her lips without letting go, the effect surprisingly erotic.