Alien Paladin's Woman: SciFi Alien-Human Military Suspense Romance (12 page)

Her orgasm hit so suddenly Audrey almost blacked out.

She screamed his name, clamping down on him with her entire body. Her hands closed around his shoulders, letting him pound into her with reckless abandon as her pussy twitched in the throes of her release.

Tieran's breath hitched, Audrey could feel it so clearly like there were no other sounds in the world. He thrust inside her with maddening desire, making her feel like he was going to split her in two but feeling him cum too only made her own orgasm more powerful.

Audrey would definitely have simply slid off of his lap, but even seconds after his orgasm, Tieran still had the strength and presence of mind to keep her safely in his embrace.

Only when he released her gently after a long moment of coming down from their mutual high, did Audrey realize how hard they'd been holding on to each other. Her body ached where he had gripped her, but she wore those marks gladly.

It actually happened. He let loose…

Audrey smiled to herself. So the paladin commander was not all hardness – though there was plenty of that – and rigid control. Good to know.

Tieran lowered her to the bed and laid down next to her, looking at her with a different kind of gentleness. Like he couldn't believe she was really there.

Audrey figured her own gaze mirrored his because she was no longer sure she could give him up. It wasn't just the fact he'd given her the best orgasm of her life, it was so much more.

Before, Audrey had almost talked herself into it, thinking it would help them both deal with the major crises in their lives. Now, looking at Tieran smile to her with nothing short of love in his eyes, Audrey was rethinking that idea.

She had either just made the worst mistake of her life, starting a relationship that couldn't go anywhere due to Tieran being who he was…

Or
, she thought, leaning in when Tieran bent down to kiss her softly.
I have finally found something so good it's worth fighting for.

T
he beeping
of the comm link was an unwelcome reminder that they were still in the middle of a major conflict.

Tieran reached for the device, watching with regret as Audrey sat up next to him, her green eyes wide with anxious curiosity. After the events of the previous day, especially after the passion they'd shared, Tieran would have preferred to have a few moments at least alone with her, undisturbed.

He would have given anything to see Audrey happy and not worried for her life, but apparently the galaxy had other ideas.

"Report," he said, not letting his annoyance seep into his voice. "Have we caught up to the Jorcossi?"

"
Commander
," said the bridge. "
I think you should come and see this. They have caught
us
.
"

The volume level of the comm device was loud enough for Audrey to hear that too. And like time and time before, she reacted to bad news as calmly as he did. Without a word, she got up and went to search for new clothes to replace the ones he'd ripped to pieces.

“I will be there in a moment.”

Tieran assured the bridge he would be there at once and got up too.

With her back to him, he had a quiet moment to simply look at Audrey. Her rooms on the
Vehement
were hardly the ones she was used to Verien, but they were neat and tidy like her.

The crew had provided her with spare uniforms and Audrey was fitting one of them for her, making sure she took her gun along as well. From the sound of it, there was no doubt there would be battle soon.

Beautiful,
the thought rang through his mind again, even with imminent battle looming in the near future.

She was simply impossible to not focus on whenever the opportunity was provided for him.

Before she got to cover up again, Tieran had the chance to admire her beauty once more. Her long blonde hair fell over her bare back, drawing attention to the curves of her delicious body. He wanted nothing more than to go and rip the garments off her again, but she was showing more resolve than he was and that couldn't happen.

With a self-deprecating grin, Tieran thought he was shaming all paladins by letting a Terran female show greater interest in the fight. On the other hand, she was making it very hard for him to ignore her.

"Is it bad?" Audrey asked, while Tieran put on his clothes and they headed to his quarters to retrieve his armor.

"Possibly," he allowed. "My species doesn't exaggerate information. If the bridge thinks the matter requires my attention, I'd say it warrants hurrying."

She nodded. Tieran looked at her, more impressed by her every day.

In a way, it was her charming naivety that made her so alluring to him. Little signs and hints Audrey didn't think she was giving away were telling him everything. From her body language to her eyes to the way her voice changed ever so slightly, everything spoke of her true feelings.

She was afraid, but everyone in the galaxy would have been.

Right now, Audrey was doing everything not to let her natural and justified concern rule over her. There were many reasons for her to panic, but she was not. The little Terran was holding herself together by sheer will and that was something any Palian could respect.

Most of the people in galaxy, when they heard about one of those monsters, only thought of escaping. She thought of turning around and fighting it with everything she had.

A woman fit for a paladin.

* * *

A
fter retrieving his armor
, they headed for the bridge. Audrey seemed a bit hesitant to walk everywhere with him, as if she thought it compromised him in some way.

Tieran had considered that already. His paladins, Geroy for example, were like him, or at least like he had been before meeting her. He didn't deny that there might have been a few odd looks, but having relations with females wasn't necessarily against the rule. The fact that she was Terran wasn't a problem either.

It would only be an issue if he put Audrey before the greater good.

He could only be compromised if he decided to let it happen.

The bridge was quiet and expectant when they got there. Audrey stayed a bit back, not to get in the way and Tieran marched right to his command chair.

"Commander," Geroy came to report. "We have arrived at scanner range. The Jorcossi ship isn't far, but it isn't alone."

Tieran nodded.

"We knew the Fearless had made contact and received the stone. It needed a vessel to reach them in space. There aren't any planets nearby where they could have landed."

"Yes, sir," Geroy agreed and Tieran could see him glimpse at Audrey.

Problem for another time, but it still made Tieran want to lash out, something he almost never did.

Geroy is a fine paladin
, he reminded himself.

It was just that any threat to Audrey seemed personal all of a sudden, like it was his duty to protect her against everything.

"The problem is," Geroy went on. "The ship Fearless has taken."

Tieran observed him, seeing concern in the man's eyes. They both knew the truth of the matter.

The
Vehement
wasn't a warship, as such. Palians had warships, but they weren't manned by paladins, whose existence had to be covered in secrecy. Big ships drew too much attention and posed too much of a potential threat, so most of the paladin ships were smaller, meant for subterfuge, stealth and chases.

Their strength was speed, not firepower.

"Go on," Tieran said.

"It is a Brion scout ship," Geroy continued and Tieran felt the implications like a physical blow. “Closing in fast.”

While Palians were conservative with putting firepower on their ships, Brions were not. The
Vehement
wasn't defenseless by any standard, but Geroy's report was as close to a death sentence as they could get.

Brion ships weren't many, but the ones that existed were by far the most powerful in the galaxy. And they fit even their carriers and lifter ships with enough guns to be worthy of anyone else's military vessels.

The fifteen grand flagships of their generals were practically floating fortresses, rumored to be indestructible. Tieran supposed they had to be grateful the Fearless hadn't gotten its hands on one of those, but that would have meant killing a general along with their entire army.

As one of the most proficient fighters in the galaxy, that feat would be difficult, if not to say impossible, even for a Fearless.

But a scout ship, alone and too far to call the flagship for aid… that made sense.

And raised ugly possibilities in turn.

"A Brion ship," Audrey suddenly said from behind him.

Both paladins turned to look at her. Tieran saw naked surprise on her face.

"That thing will blow us to pieces," she said bluntly. "Where did the Fearless get it?"

Tieran and Geroy exchanged a dark look. The day had suddenly become a lot less promising.

"That is not the main problem," Tieran said.

"How could it not be?" Audrey asked, incredulous. "We should run, right now. The
Evela
is no army, but it can provide support and…"

"We will," Tieran said, turning to Geroy. "I assume we've already changed course?"

"Yes, sir."

Audrey stared, disbelieving.

"Alright," she said hesitantly. "That is good, I guess. What am I missing here?"

Should I?

Tieran wondered whether he should tell her, but Palians didn't like secrets when they weren't absolutely necessary. And with her courage, Audrey had earned the truth.

"The implications of the Fearless having a Brion ship are terrible, to put it gently," he said. "Most urgently, it is capable of catching us, but that is the least of our problems."

"I'm not entirely sure how our impending doom is a distant priority," Audrey said seriously. "I would think that's a pretty big fucking issue. But okay, go on."

"It is," Tieran agreed, cutting in before Geroy had a chance to open his mouth, silencing the other paladin with a look. "What we're saying is that you know Brions. They are born warriors, that is what they are down to their very core. They're not so easily ambushed, or caught.

“They had to be lured somewhere they couldn't escape the Fearless. That requires
planning
, plotting a course of events that would allow the Fearless to gain such a ship."

Understanding was dawning on Audrey's face and she was very pale.

"So you're saying," she said slowly. "That the unstoppable, evolving monster is now a tactician too."

"I think that's a bit much to assume," Tieran replied. "But what this suggests isn't good. If the Fearless is capable of planning that, who knows what else it has in store? Think of what happens if we fail.

“If the Fearless gets to the lifestone stores, it will become the most powerful creature in the galaxy bar none. The piece it has now is strong, but it will run out. With Verien, and the lifestone stores there, it doesn't have to fear anyone anymore. It can go and take a Brion flagship then. An invincible creature hiding in an indestructible ship. And even if by some lucky chance someone kills it, the next one will know all the tricks."

He realized the bridge had gone very quiet. Everyone was looking at him.

Tieran let his eyes wander over the crew and ended back with Audrey. All eyes said one thing and that made him prouder than he'd ever been before.

"This changes nothing," he said, knowing they'd understood that already. "No matter what happens, it has just become vital that this Fearless never reaches the mines of Verien."

There were nods all around. Audrey remained staunchly by his side, looking grim but determined. When Geroy moved away to check the position of the enemy ship that was now chasing them, he turned to her.

"This is all going downhill fast, isn't it?" she asked.

When he didn't instantly reply, she just shook her head and went on.

"It's fine, Tieran, it really is. But I need you to promise me something."

"Anything," he said, unthinking.

Audrey's eyes went wide for a moment, but she regained her composure.

"This," she said, lowering her voice. "Whatever it is between us, I really like it. I really like you, I'm sure you know that. If this were some other time and a place, I'd want to know where this is going, but right now… promise me you'll do your duty first."

Her words took his breath away.

Standing there, sought by the most dangerous creature in the galaxy, trying to be brave, she was the avatar of everything he'd ever looked for.

"I don't want to die," Audrey finished. "I want to live and I want you to live too, but neither one of us is worth the galaxy. Promise me, Tieran."

It was almost ridiculous in the irony. Audrey was repeating the Palian creed to him, but for the first time in his life, the words sounded hollow to Tieran. She was right, of course, but without her the world would feel empty to him.

"No," he said.

Audrey's eyes flashed with disappointment.

"You are a paladin," she said accusingly. "Don't forget that."

"
Never
," he practically growled, making her back away a step.

He stood, bringing her into his arms, not caring who saw or overheard them.

"I am what I am, always," he told her, watching her beautiful eyes look up at him with hope and passion. "I will not let you die. I will not let the Fearless succeed either. You think that I have to choose, but I refuse to. Until my dying breath, I will not stop fighting until I have done both. I can promise you
that
."

The look that she gave him was indescribable, but before she could answer, the pilot called out.

"Commander!" he bellowed over the bridge. "The Fearless. It's here!"

Turning, Tieran and Audrey both stared out of the front panel of the ship at the visual of the space around them. The Brion ship must have been burning fuel at an insane rate to have reached them so quickly. Now approaching them with the calm of a monster who knows no fear, was the Fearless and the ship it had taken hostage.

There was no way to run, even if Tieran had wanted to. They had tried that already and it had failed. He saw fighters emerge from the scout ship and head their way.

"Prepare to be boarded!" he roared.

As the paladins rushed out of the bridge, ready to meet the attackers, he turned to the pilot.

"Keep flying. Alert the
Evela
. This is going to be a long shot, but we need to reach Verien and they need to be prepared. Tell the station they need to start reinforcing."

Audrey was still looking at the ship, shaking a little.

"I can feel it," she whispered when Tieran went to her. "It's coming for me."

Over my dead body.

Tieran’s mind raced. The
Vehement
was not a massive ship, but it was still large in its own right. The Brion ship was docking with it and would be able to cut several access points into the corridors and decks of the ship. Finding the location where the Fearless would attack from could take too much time.