Tau nodded. “The groups we saw wereEml’s. We did not see any human groups.”
Ultima swallowed with an effort. “So …you think one of those that y’all killed managed to send word ofthe attack?”
Tau shrugged. “We could not findevidence that any did. But there is the suggestion that those camelooking for us.”
Chapter Nine
Ultima was dismayed to discover theguys had every intention of working around the clock to completetheir project. Certainly the hot, filling food seemed to haveenergized them, but they’d clearly been next door to depleted whenthey’d returned and they’d already put in a full day and a halfwith the hike carrying the drones.
She realized there was no arguing thesituation, though. If Tau thought it was dire, then it was and theyhad no time to spare to pamper themselves.
They didn’t want or need her help,however.
Tau made that clear and also that theysimply could not afford to lose her because she was the key to thesuccess of the entire endeavor.
Quan stayed with her—to guardher—ostensibly.
As soon as the other two had left,however, he dragged her down on the pallet and kissed her stupid.Then, while she was struggling to find her equilibrium, he exploredher body with a hunger that threw her even more out ofkilter.
And when he connected his body to hersin delightful friction of flesh scrubbing flesh, he set a pace thatcarried her swiftly to the pentacle and set off an explosion thatwas so hard it felt like it rattled the teeth in her head. Beforeshe could catch her breath, he took her again.
By the third trip to heaven, Ultimawas pure water—not even putty—her marbles floating away on a hottide of semen. And she sank beneath the sea in the pitch blackdepths as Quan staggered toward the door and went out.
It was a gathering that woke her—butonly parts of her brain. She couldn’t seem to unglue her eyelids atall, although she kept lifting her brow in an effort to.
She knew Tau, though—his taste, hisscent, his touch.
And as near dead as she felt, shedidn’t utter even so much as a grunt of objection.
These were desperate hours, sheknew.
If she died before the great battle—sobe it. She’d go down beneath the sea of her men withjoy.
She couldn’t decide if they wererotating because they all felt as she did or if they thought it wasan excellent way to keep her preoccupied, and safe fromharm.
But she only rested briefly after Tauleft before Xi joined her.
Thankfully, they either decided togive her a break or she was just unresponsive the next timearound.
Or possibly, she was comatose andslept through it?
It was daylight and then some when shefinally woke, though, rolled up in Tau.
She closed her eyes again.
As exhausted as she was, her fear ofno more tomorrows made her anxious to cuddle with him while shecould.
In time, though, with the best will inthe world, she reached the end of her rope and slept.
She had no idea how long, but she wokethoroughly rested and with Tau waving a piece of cooked fishbeneath her nose.
“I thought we ate allthat?” she murmured groggily.
He chuckled huskily. “We foundmore.”
She bit his finger very deliberatelyand sucked it when she took the offered food.
Tau had cooked. It tasted delicious.She knew it had to be him. “A little salty,” shemurmured.
