I gently pushed Captain Mill’s arm down, out of my way, as the doctor gave our commander the summary. I patted his shoulder in silent thanks and gave my friend, Erica, a quick hug when she gasped. Guess the ‘she’s dying from poison’news was a shock to more than just me. Erica was awesome, human like me, and one of my best friends out here in space.
Avoiding the worry in her gaze, I stepped around her to stand in front of Mikos. If I closed my eyes, I could still feel the sharp end of the Hive Soldier’s weapon piercing my torso, my heart struggling to beat, recall the shock I’d felt looking down to see the blade protruding from my chest. I’d believed I was dead in that moment. Dead and gone. Done.
I stared up into the palest, most beautiful grey eyes I’d ever seen, the color slightly darker than a full moon back home andtook a deep breath. “Thank you. No matter what happens, you saved my life.”
With a gentleness that made me melt into a puddle in my combat boots, he lifted one hand to cup my cheek. “I could not allow anything to happen to you.”
Was Ileaninginto his touch? When did I close my eyes?
What the actual hell was I doing?
Maybe my behavior was caused by whatever he injected into me. Maybe it was going to kill meandturn me into a woman with zero self-control. None.
This wasn’t like me. At all. What did this alien do to me? Why was my entire being consumed with the need to strip naked and beg him to fuck me?
4
Mikos
My mate’seyes drifted closed and I stepped closer, breathing her in. My cock grew painfully hard in the thin, green pants the doctor had supplied. Thank the gods I wasn’t in my armor.
“Commander Karter, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention.” Doctor Moor’s tone caused Breanna’s eyes to flicker open, but she didn’t pull away from my touch. I wondered if her nipples were hard peaks beneath her Coalition armor.
I glanced up to find the doctor watching Breanna lean into me with concern in her gaze. She was about to speak things my mate did not need to hear. I interrupted before the doctor could continue. “Commander Karter, I need to speak with Breanna. Alone.” I wasn’t asking.
Commander Karter took one look at the two of us and dipped his chin, acknowledging what I would not say. He knew the signs. Every male on this ship would know she was mine the moment they scented her blood. I was already inside her, my essence changing her very cells. She was my mate, my match,the one female in the universe I would die for, kill for. She was coming with me to Rogue 5 whether she wanted to or not. The only person in the room not aware of this fact was the female whose full breasts rose and fell with increasing speed, her breathing fast and shallow, her gaze locked on my lips.
Gods help me, she was beautiful. Her skin smooth and dark. Her expressive eyes a rich brown I could drown in. The short, black curls that covered her delicate head made me wonder if she would have similar curls covering her sex. The scent of her wet pussy called to me. Would she allow me to taste her feminine heat, fill her with my cock, make her scream her release? Desire was there, in her gaze. Languid. Submissive.
Mine.
Fuck. She was mine, but I could not keep her. The moment I set foot on Rogue 5, the hunt would begin. The demands for justice, for my execution, would not cease. I would not be able to stay with her, protect her. I had a plan, but no guarantee of success. No assurance I could give her that I would survive, especially if forced to modify my strategy and face my enemy on Rogue 5 rather than on Xerima, where I could have ambushed him, set my trap. On Rogue 5, he held the advantage. Facing him there was a risk I had not accounted for.
None of that mattered now. She was my mate. My essence circulated in her delicate, feminine body. I could get her to Astra, to the antidote. I could still save her life. Breanna Parks was the only thing that mattered. My life was inconsequential. I should have died on that Hive ship, would have, if she had not found me and set me free. Every moment I spent with her now was a gift I was not worthy to receive.
Worthy or not, I was going to take every moment, every look, every touch, and every soft sigh and savor it like the merciless, greedy fucker I knew myself to be.
If she’d have me like this. No promises. No commitment. No formal claiming.
I would save her life, and should I die on Rogue 5, Astra would return her to her people. My mate would never suffer, never know what she was to me. Never learn what I sacrificed to save her.
She could never know. As her mate, I would protect her in all things, including this. Neither my life, nor my death, would be her burden to bear.
“Everyone out.” Commander Karter glared at everyone in the room as they slowly shuffled toward the exit. He turned to the doctor. “Note in her record I am granting thirty days medical leave.” He looked at me. “You bringing her back?”
I choked on the words, hated speaking them. “If I cannot, our leader, Astra, will assure her safe return. You have my word.”
“Bree?” Henry hadn’t budged, not an inch. My head still ached from his blaster. If he tried to interfere, I would eliminate him. No one would prevent me from saving my female.
Luckily for the small human male, Breanna did not move away from me when she responded to the human. “I’m good, Henry. I promise. Go ahead.”
Relief flooded my system, and I nearly smiled. She was not afraid to be alone with me. It was a start.
“You sure?” Captain Mills spoke this time. She smiled. Her human friends were loyal, a quality I appreciated. The other human, Collins, held his position at the door, presumably so they could all make a quick exit. Intelligent strategy. Gods knew they would not be able to stop me, not even with their armor and blasters. I did not require weapons, nor armor, to tear every single one of them in half.
“I’m sure.” Breanna’s soft whisper saved all their lives.
Commander Karter’s gaze caught mine. “You have an hour, then I expect both of you in transport. I’ll see what I can do about getting you a decent ship.”
