Marauder Page 5

  “Yes, sir.”

  Kage just shook his head. This would clearly take some work. “As I’m sure you’ve heard, strange armored cat creatures keep attacking our perimeter guards.”

  Xorran nodded. “I’ve heard about the attacks.”

  “I’ve had scouts hunting for the cats, but none have turned up anything useful.”

  “You want me to hunt cats?” Clearly the possibility didn’t appeal to Xorran.

  Kage had just chided Xorran for not asking questions, so he didn’t criticize the interruption. “It’s a little more complicated now. Arton just had a vision, swears he saw the being who controls the cats. I’ve asked Torak to rescan the planet, make sure the science teams didn’t miss anything.”

  “Arton believes there are other beings on the planet?” Xorran’s skepticism was understandable. Even Kage wasn’t sure what to believe.

  “Arton is adamant that the beings are real and hiding somewhere on our planet. He describes them as elves, long colored hair and crystal eyes. I don’t remember if he said her ears were pointed or not.”

  “Her?” Xorran finally smiled. “Were they all female?”

  The hopeful catch in Xorran’s tone made Kage laugh. “Just the one controlling the cats.”

  “That’s fitting.”

  “Report to the Relentless and see if you and Torak can find Arton’s mystery elf.”

  “Understood. I’m on my way.”

  CAREFULLY SPEAKING in English so his head of security could understand, Rex said, “Proktar, this is Thea.” He motioned toward his potential mate, watching her reaction closely. At first glance, Proktar appeared Rodyte, but his green-tinged skin gradually flushed, deepening to leaf green across his cheeks and along the sides of his neck. “Thea, meet Proktar, my head of security. He just uploaded English to his com-bots, so his speech might be garbled until it fully integrates.”

  “And how long does that take?” she asked.

  Rex shrugged. “A few minutes to an hour. Depends on the tech.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.” She enunciated each word carefully and automatically stuck out her hand.

  Proktar just stared at it curiously, as if to determine what she was offering him. Proktar seldom left the ship. It was his job to ensure the safety of the other crewmembers, so there was seldom a reason. Rex was relatively sure this was Proktar’s first interaction with a human.

  “Humans greet each other by ‘shaking’ hands,” Rex explained. “Like this.” He lightly clasped Thea’s hand and moved it up and down. It really was a strange custom.

  “Ah.” Proktar proffered his hand with obvious reluctance. Even the back of his hand was vivid green now. Thea really had him rattled. Was it because she was human, or because she was female? “It is very nice acquainting you also.” Awkwardly, they shook hands.

  “The food was just delivered, so let’s eat while it’s hot,” Rex suggested.

  The three made their way to the table and sat. Thea sank onto a chair before Rex had time to pull it out for her. He shook his head. Independent Americans. She couldn’t help herself.

  “Did you order something your nutri-gen doesn’t make?” Thea nodded toward the small device inset in the wall nearby.

  “Nutri-gens are Rodyte technology,” Rex told her. “This ship is Linusian. That only dispenses beverages.”

  “Linusians consider rudeness the eating alone.” Proktar paused and sighed. “Please translate for me. This is more difficult than I expected,” he said in Rodyte.

  “No problem,” Rex assured him. “What do you want to say?”

  “Explain that Linusians feel food is meant to be shared. If a person prepares a meal, even a snack, and doesn’t offer a portion of it to someone else, Linusians consider that person selfish and miserly.”

  Rex translated for them.

  “Good thing Rex invited you to dinner,” she returned with a teasing smile. “I don’t want you thinking we’re rude.”

  “I would never think you rude.” He managed the simple sentence, but switched to Rodyte as he said, “Now Rex, I think rudeness is one of his nicer qualities.”

  Rex laughed and told Thea what Proktar had said. “Such insubordination. I don’t know why I put up with you.”

  “Because it would break my mother’s heart. Regardless of what you think of me, you really like my parents.”

  “True.” He responded, then caught Thea up on the lighthearted exchange. He uncovered the serving dishes and motioned toward the food. “Dig in. We don’t stand on ceremony around here.” When Thea still hesitated, he asked, “This is cyatta. It’s the most common protein on Rodymia. I thought for certain you would have eaten it before.”

  “I have, but it wasn’t quite so...orange.”

  He chuckled. “The montar sauce is less common, but it’s Proktar’s favorite.”

  “It’s safe,” Proktar assured her with a playful wink. “Rodyte food.” He waved his hand in front of his mouth. “Too spicy.”

  Apparently embolden by the new information, she forked a small piece of the meat and put it on her plate. She cut off a small morsel and placed it in her mouth. After chewing up the bite and swallowing it, she nodded. “It’s nice. Just enough seasoning without burning my lips off.”

  “The other dish is Bilarrian, so it’s not spicy at all,” Rex told her.

  Both males waited until Thea had made her selections before filling their plates. Rex offered Thea a glass of blish, an Ontarian favorite, and she accepted. Proktar was drinking ale, so Rex filled his own glass with wine, then set the decanters aside.

  “How did you two meet? You’re obviously friends as well as coworkers.”

  Rex had been hoping Proktar’s easy charm would help loosen up Thea’s tongue, not the other way around. Still, she seemed at ease with their visitor. “I met his parents, helped them smuggle some of their crops to their more creative customers. Proktar was still a rebellious teen at the time.”

  “Very rebellious,” Proktar stressed. With Rex’s assistance, he added, “I was horrible to my parents. I still feel guilty whenever I think about everything I put them through.”

  “You had valid reasons for your rebellion,” Rex said, more for Thea’s benefit than Proktar’s. “You just needed someone mean enough to whip you into shape.”

  “Literally,” Proktar grumbled.

  Thea’s jaw dropped, a forkful of food halfway to her mouth. She slowly lowered the fork to her plate, then glared at Rex. “You whipped him, as in literally took a whip to his flesh?”

  “I didn’t.” He gave her a moment to exhale before he added, “His predecessor did. It’s the responsibility of the head of security to punish anyone who breaks the rules. I try to keep rules to a minimum, but there are severe consequences for those who disobey.”

  Challenge arched Proktar’s brows. “Do I get to punish you for bringing a passenger onboard, a female passenger no less? Several of the crewmembers asked me about it.”

  Luckily he’d asked the question in Rodyte. Rex wasn’t sure he’d share this exchange with Thea. “I’m not just the commander, pup, I own the Marauder. That allows me an indiscretion from time to time.” Proktar didn’t seem impressed with his defense, so Rex added, “Besides, I pay your salary.”

  Proktar took a long swig of ale and the momentary hostility in his expression mellowed as he switched back to English. “She is your mate after all, so I will—”

  Rex shut him up with an urgent glare, but it was too late.

  “What did you say?” Thea’s features froze in a look of utter surprise. “I’m his...” She shifted her gaze to Rex, surprise gradually giving way to fury. “You bastard!” She stood so fast her knee banged the underside of the table. It didn’t even slow her down. “You didn’t help me escape. You hid me from your competition. Didn’t you?”

  He didn’t deny it. What was the point?

  With apparent calm, she turned to Proktar. “I’m afraid we’ll have to reschedule this dinner. I need to speak with yo
ur commander alone.”

  Proktar mouthed the words “I’m sorry” as he slowly stood. He risked one last look at Thea. “I not mean upsetting of you.”

  “I understand that.”

  When she said nothing else, Proktar left the cabin.

  “How long have you known about this?” She crossed her arms over her chest, dark eyes flashing. Clearly she wasn’t as composed as she appeared.

  “Arton told me this morning,” he admitted, keeping his voice calm, expression compassionate. She’d been deceived by so many, tricked and manipulated. Unfortunately, he was among those who had intentionally misled her. It was small consolation, but he finally offered the unvarnished truth. “Kage asked me to set the trap so he could determine if the apparent truce could be trusted. I had no idea who would stumble into the trap. The rest developed naturally.”

  “Naturally?” she sneered. “There is nothing natural about any of this! There should be more to finding a mate than genetic compatibility.” Her volume grew with each sentence and a wild look crept into her eyes. “I have no intention of having more children, so matching you or anyone else means nothing to me.” Her gaze kept darting to the table as if she was searching for something.

  Rex spotted the carving knife balanced on the edge of the serving dish. Surly she wouldn’t—

  “I will not bond with you! I will not be forced into sexual servitude no matter how much I like your smile.” She lunged for the table and snatched up the knife half a second before Rex could intercept her. She spun toward him, knife clasped in her trembling hand. “Now take me to...” Tears filled her eyes and her lips quivered. “I don’t know where I want to go.” A harsh sob tore from her and the tears began to flow. “I have nowhere to go.” The realization was harsh yet plaintive.

  Not wanting her to escalate again, he easily caught her wrist and took the knife out of her unresisting hand. Without letting go of her arm, he threw the knife across the room. It lodged in the bulkhead with a resounding thunk. He ignored her halfhearted attempt to resist him and pulled her into his arms.

  Thea placed both hands on Rex’s chest and tried to shove him away. He didn’t tighten his grip, nor did he allow her to put more distance between them. “You’re just like all the others, dishonest and selfish.” She punched him in the shoulder hard enough to make her hand sting. He barely registered the blow. “You have no right to...”

  “You asked for some time away from the Outcast planet. I gave it to you.” His voice was even, almost light, but emotions smoldered in his black-velvet gaze. “This wasn’t planned, wasn’t some premeditated scheme to have you all to myself.”

  Her breaths were coming too fast and each time she inhaled his scent filled her nose. She’d caught hints of it in the past hours, teasing wisps that made her want more. Now the spicy, clean smell perfumed each breath, making her restless and dizzy.

  She unclenched her fists and pushed her hands up until they curved over his broad shoulders. If she didn’t want him touching her, she shouldn’t put her hands on him. But he was warm and solid, obviously strong, yet undemanding. In a word, supportive. He made her feel protected.

  She couldn’t remember the last time a man made her feel safe. Lenore Fermont, a matronly stranger had taken pity on her, offered her a shoulder to cry on and a place to stay while she sorted through the broken fragments of her life. But men were different. Men used and deceived, lied and manipulated. Even Rex had been dishonest. He hadn’t actually said things that weren’t true. Instead he’d omitted crucial information. Wasn’t that just as bad?

  Unable to take his penetrating stare, she rested her head on his shoulder and shifted her hands to his back—his wide, muscular back. She wasn’t plastered against him exactly, just snuggled in awfully close. Why couldn’t she pull away? He was an alien, for God’s sake.

  He didn’t say a word, but one of his hands started stroking along her spine, relaxing her, comforting her.

  She should move, step back and twist out of his embrace. She was being the worst sort of hypocrite. Instead she whispered, “I was starting to like you. I thought I’d finally found a decent male among the enemy.”

  “I’m not your enemy, Thea.” His deep, warm tone played over her senses, creating a tingling sort of tension that wasn’t entirely unwelcome. “Your conflict with the Outcasts has nothing to do with me.”

  Irritation sparked, allowing her to raise her head. “How did Arton know we were compatible if you didn’t submit your DNA for testing?”

  A patient smile curved his lips. That sexy almost-smirk never failed to send heat spiraling through her abdomen. “I cut myself and they patched me up in one of their clinics. Cataloging DNA is standard procedure on any of the Outcast ships. They need to know who and what they’re dealing with.”

  “Then Arton took it upon himself to test you? Why would he do that?” That freaking harbinger. This all traced back to him.

  “Why do harbingers do anything?” He ran his fingers down the side of her face, easing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “He saw us together in one of his visions.”

  Yeah right. Did Rex actually believe Arton could see the future? “Did you verify what he told you? This could all be Arton playing games with us. For all we know, he could...” The argument unraveled in her mind. The harbinger gained nothing by throwing them together. He had no reason to make this up. At least no reason that she knew about. “If you want a mate, why didn’t you submit your DNA for testing?”

  His phitons gleamed as his eyes narrowed. Was he annoyed by the question or curious? His expressions could be surprisingly hard to read. He seemed laid back and transparent, but in reality he only revealed what he wanted others to see. “I’m not an Outcast. I just work for them. The Outcasts intend to make a home on that planet. I’m not ready to settle down.” Yet something shifted in his gaze, making him look almost sad.

  “Are you having too much fun playing pirate?” Challenge rippled through the question, her voice sharper than she’d intended.

  In a flash, the gleam in his eyes turned predatory and he lowered his face toward hers. “Pirates take what they want, whenever they want it.” His lips brushed over hers for a fraction of a second before he whispered, “If I were a pirate, baby doll, you’d be naked and in my bed.”

  A shiver dropped down her spine and she impulsively licked her lips. She hadn’t meant it as an invitation, but he pushed his hands into her hair and covered her lips with his. She froze. Awareness expanded until all she could feel was the warmth of his breath and the featherlight pressure of his lips. He didn’t rush her, gave her every opportunity to turn away. But she didn’t want the kiss to end. It felt too good, too exciting. She’d been alone for so long, struggling through an existence that wasn’t worth the effort most of the time. She ached for affection and passion, any sensation powerful enough to penetrate her perpetual numbness.

  Stubbornly ignoring the nagging guilt trying to pull her back into misery, she gradually relaxed and allowed her lips to part. Rex closed his fingers into a light fist and responded to her surrender. His lips brushed back and forth, caressing her mouth. It felt strange, new, so very different from how her husb— No. The past had no place in the present. She would not allow a ghost to slam the door on this possibility.

  She was restless and needy by the time he sealed his mouth over hers. She opened for him, wanting his tongue sliding against hers. He hesitated and she understood why. Scent triggered the pull in males, but most females didn’t feel the urgency until they tasted their potential mate. As soon their tastes mingled, it would trigger the pull in her and intensify the need in him.

  Some women could spend their entire lives alone and remain perfectly content. Thea was honest enough to admit that she was happiest when she was in a committed relationship. Well, relationships didn’t come any more committed than soul bonding. True mates could hear each other’s thoughts and feel each other’s emotions. She was curious, and so lonely. She wanted to experience the differenc
e for herself. The link wouldn’t solidify, eventually becoming permanent, until after he claimed her, so she could still tell him no even if they had sex a time or two. This was a test, a temporary visit to see if being bonded with Rex was something she’d enjoy, or even consider.

  She touched her tongue to his lower lip and he groaned deep in his throat. Finally his tongue stroked over hers, pushing just inside her mouth. She echoed the needful sound as heat and tingles coursed through her body. Her response was all it took to overcome the forces holding him back. He tilted his head, his mouth fitting more securely over hers. His tongue grew bolder, pushing deeper into her mouth and exploring at will.

  His taste spread through her mouth, growing more distinct with each movement of his tongue. She arched against him, rubbing her breasts against his chest, wishing they were naked. A deep, consuming ache gathered in her core. The desire was familiar yet unique, separate from anything she’d felt before.

  Without separating their mouths, he picked her up and carried her to the sofa. She tensed when her feet left the deck, but relaxed when she realized his destination. As usual, he took nothing for granted. He sat and arranged her on her knees, facing him, straddling his legs. She lowered her hips and arched her back, making the angle of her neck more natural. They kissed and kissed, breathing each other’s breath, savoring each other’s taste.

  The hunger grew, building from a distant ache to a driving need. His hands moved boldly over her body. He squeezed her butt, pulling her lower body more closely against his. After tugging her uniform top out from inside her pants, he skillfully found the trigger tucked inside the standup collar and activated the switch. She heard a subtle hiss and the invisible seam down the front of her shirt parted. She expected him to part the sides and expose her breasts, but his hands moved down to her hips and his gaze locked with hers.

  “I want to see.” His gaze shot to her breasts so there was no mistaking his meaning. “Show me.”