An Alien To Love (17 page)

Daran groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face. If he’d known, he could have saved her from all that she’d had to witness, all she’d experienced at the hands of the demon from space.

“I’m sorry, Skylar.” Though the words would never make up for his absence.

Leaning forward, she ran her fingers across the back of his hand. “Don’t be. You didn’t know.”

Guilt, along with desire shot through his veins like a molten-hot arrow, aiming not only for his cock, but his heart as well. She needed him to protect and care for her. And he longed to have her as a lover. He wanted to show her how beautiful she was, that she had other options in life besides those forced upon her. She deserved to be the most important, the only one.
Mine
.

He yanked his hand away.
No, she’s not
. And never could be. He could never betray his friends.

But they’d betrayed her, leaving her as fodder for rich space monsters to fight over and have their way with. Never would Daran force himself upon her like the cretin would have, but if she offered herself freely, he refused to push her away any longer. Adults now, they could make their own decisions.

Brushing his thumb across her cheek, he swept away the last of her tears. “Don’t cry anymore. You’re here with me now. I won’t ever let them take you back.”

“You mean it?” She gazed at him, so vulnerable with wide blue eyes that captivated him every time he caught a glance of them.

He tried to focus on something else, only to have his attention land on the swell of her breasts peeking out from the top of the dress. With every breath she took, they lifted, teasing him, taunting him to touch. To taste.

Swallowing primal hunger, Daran trailed his fingers across the smooth line of her jaw and down her long neck. “I want you. I’ve always wanted you, Skylar.”

Her eyelids fluttered closed as if she expected. Sucking in a quick breath, he met her soft lips. But she remained hesitant and unresponsive, as if unsure what to do next.

Wrapping his arms around her, he held Skylar tight. He had her now and never wanted to let her go. Guiding her gently through their first kiss, he explored her decadent flavor. Cherries and vanilla. Heaven on Earth. Gods, she never would have survived her first encounter with Ghorkle. The beast would have destroyed her.

Fumbling with the back of the dress, he found the zipper and peeled the silvery wrapping off his prize. Daran laid her back on the blanket he’d spread out earlier, across a foam mattress, then kissed her eyelids, nose, her lips, all the way down to her breasts.
So beautiful
. And, at that moment, all his.

She writhed under him, moaning, pulling him closer. Never would he bring her any harm, but at that moment, he bit his tongue, reining in the urge to plunge inside and claim her.

With a deep breath, he tamed his need and caught a glimpse of her shy smile.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment,” she whispered. “Always wanted you to be my one and only.”

Adrenaline rushed through him, heightening his desire.
Mine
. “Oh, gods, Skylar, I wish I’d known sooner.”

Staring down at the curves and dips of her body, he growled, yearning to explore every inch. Why had the universe entrusted him with such a precious gift?

“Then stop staring and take me. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

His final thread of restraint snapped.

Skylar cried out, thrusting her hips into the air. Never had she felt so full of life, so cherished. With each tender nip and lave of his tongue, Daran sent her spiraling to new heights. Her body hummed with the most extreme pleasures, a thrill she’d never expected when taught about sex.

Daran had yet to penetrate her, concentrating on her breasts and stomach rather than between her legs. She opened to him and gripped the edge of his shirt, yanking it up.
Take me
. Daran was intent on driving her mad with desire.

Maybe that was best. He’d been with others, knew what to do. Nervousness tightened her belly. What was he waiting for?
Is he waiting for me to do something?
  That had to be it.

She pushed on his chest until he backed off of her and kneeled between her legs. Yet, she wanted to see even more. After pulling his shirt off, she trailed her fingers down his sculpted chest and over the light display of hair across his pectoral muscles. He breathed heavily, his fiery eyes fixed on her. What did he want her to do?

Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment and she turned away, focusing on the bulge in his pants. She opened his belt and unbuttoned the top of his slacks. They couldn’t have sex if he still had clothes on. With his remaining clothing around his knees, she eyed his thick sex, the organ that would unite their bodies. She closed her fingers around his shaft.

He groaned, tilting his head back and began to rock his hips. “Yes, that’s it.”

She held onto his velvet-soft skin, revealing the indigo tip from the membrane covering it. Such an odd component of the male form, yet the more he glided in and out of her hand, the more she wanted to feel his cock deep inside.

“Take me, please.”

Daran cupped her ass, pulling her to him. His touch ignited a fire within her, stealing her breath.

“Are you sure?” He kissed along her neck, up to the erogenous zone behind her ear, leaving her delirious.

She only nodded.

“Okay.” He guided her down to lie on the blanket, trailing his hands past her mons to the juncture between her legs.

Finally.

Grazing his fingers along her outer lips, he met her gaze. “I’m going to make you come first. I want to give you that.”

His ministrations along her sensitive nub sent her mind into a wondrous whirl. Such a foreign feeling, but one she never wanted to experience with anyone else. Only Daran. He leaned over her, pressing her into the mattress and drew a nipple into his hot mouth. Licking, sucking, biting, filling her with ecstasy. Heat built low in her belly until she couldn’t think, couldn’t move, only enjoy. Jolts of pleasure rocketed through her and she squirmed under him, overwhelmed by the exhilarating torture. Her clit pulsed.

She craved completion, ready to take the final step with Daran. Now and forever. “I need you. All of you.”

He straddled her waist, his thick cock resting on her belly. “I never want to cause you any pain, Skylar, but since this is your first time, it will likely sting a bit.”

“I know you’ll be gentle.” He never been anything but that to her. Ever. And exactly why she’d always imagined him as her hero. Madame Eve really had found the perfect man for her in so many ways.

He held up a small square package. “Do you know what this is for?”

With no clue, she nodded, not wanting to wait for him to explain. He tore the package open then rolled the object over his shaft.

Daran slipped a finger inside her, and she lit up, every nerve ending ignited. When he slid another into her, drawing them in and out, she clenched around the invasion.
Holy stars of the heavens!
She’d never felt so alive.

But as quickly as he entered, he removed his fingers, leaving her yearning to be filled again. “Now?”

He caressed her lips with his. The passion of the kiss stole her away to a whole other world. Positioning the tip of his cock to her folds, he held her, making her soul soar.

“I want you, forever,” he whispered, sliding inside.

Skylar turned her head, gasping for air, tears slipping down her cheeks. With the power of his words, she ignored the sting of his penetration.
He really wants me, and not just for one night
.

Keeping his movements slow, he rocked his hips, his stare never wavering from her. Running away from Rebed had been the best thing she’d ever done. And she would do it over and over again just to be with Daran.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes.”
How can I not be?
  Everything was perfect.

Spasms of pure bliss shot from her center to the tips of her limbs. She grasped his arms, pressure building in her groin. Gripping him tighter, she was ready to explode.

Daran moved even faster. Harder. Then he grunted, his cock seeming to swell inside of her. With a sudden overload of exhilarated delight, she fought for air, clutching the mattress during her racing climax. A wave of searing heat rolled through her, leaving her convulsing in tormented pleasure.

Heavy breathing filled the air. She couldn’t move. Didn’t want to. But Daran slipped out of her, and a strange sense of emptiness and uncertainty took his place.

Lying beside her, he propped his head on one hand, stroking the side of her face with the other. “Gods, you are amazing.”

Her heart grew with a sense of joy that only true love could bring. But, did he love her back? Unable to bear it if he didn’t, she settled for what they’d experienced together, and the unknowing ever after.

When Daran sat up, panic washed over her.
Is he leaving already?

He brushed his thumb along her bottom lip, soothing her worries. “I’m going to get something to wash you up. I’ll be right back.”

Within moments, he returned and wiped the fluids from between her legs, cleaning her with tender caresses. She couldn’t ask for anyone better. Stretching out beside her, he pulled a light blanket over them both then drew her against him. “Get some sleep now. We have much to discuss in the morning.”

Discuss, yes. Hopefully that meant he’d remain true to his word to protect her and ask her to stay. With a smile, Skylar let the excitement of the day flutter away and succumbed to the sleep calling her.

“Skylar, wake up!”

Turning onto her back, she slowly opened her eyes, a smile forming. After reuniting with her fantasy man and having him make sweet love to her, her life couldn’t get much better. Unless, of course, he wanted her for more than just one night. He had mentioned forever. She glanced around the room for her hero, but instead met the hard gaze of her brother, Galan.

Gasping, she pulled the blankets over her. Knots twisted deep in the pit of her stomach. “What do you want? Why are you here?”

Volan stepped in the room, swinging a pair of zip cuffs around his finger. “We’re here to take you back to Rebed. Ghorkle is not happy you decided to flee.”

“No, I’m not going.” Throat suddenly dry, she voiced her objection with no more than a hoarse whisper.

“There’ll be no arguing, Skylar.” Galan’s nose flared and he raised his brows. “You are bound by a contract and, regardless of what happened here, you are to be married to the man who bought your hand in marriage.”

“He bought me. Can’t you see how wrong that is? He’s a monster, Galan.” She rose and wrapped the blanket around her. “I am not going.”

“You are,” Volan said. “Now, you can make this easy or hard. Which is it going to be?”

“I can’t believe you’d subject me to his chauvinistic ways. I’m your sister. Doesn’t that count for anything?” What was wrong with them?

“Stepsister,” Galan corrected. “But that doesn’t matter. What’s done is done, and you must return.”

She searched the room, seeking another way out, someone to help her.
Wait!
“Where’s Daran?” He’d promised to protect her, to keep her from having to return to Rebed and Ghorkle.

A sly grin spread across Volan’s face. “We bought him a ship and he left. Couldn’t wait to get away. Likely on his way to Elatia to experience all the Adamos have to offer. Who wouldn’t want an erotic massage from someone trained in the art? They’re definitely more experienced than you.”

“No!” Knives slashed her heart, dicing it into a million pieces. After everything they’d shared, he’d up and left? So much for forever.

Tears filled her eyes, but she wiped them away. They wouldn’t help her escape. She refused to return with her brothers, hadn’t come this far to be forced back to Rebed again. Swallowing the hurt, she blinked hard and tried to focus. With Galan and Volan at the main entrance of the observatory, Skylar dashed toward the only other exit, an unmarked black door. Pushing on the belly bar, she slammed the door open. On the other side, she found a spiral metal staircase, leading up. She bounded up the stamped steel, her footsteps echoing in the stairwell. The sharp ridges of the steps dug into the bottoms of her feet, but she couldn’t stop.
I won’t marry Ghorkle!

“Not s-so fas-st.”

Her blood turned to ice at the slurred words. Except for the pounding of her heart, all of her muscles froze. She couldn’t escape the evil monster who owned her.

“Come to me, s-sweetheart.”

Her skin crawled as if thousands of tiny insects danced beneath it. Bile rose in her throat. She pushed off the next step, but a thick, cold tentacle wrapped around her ankle.

He can’t be here
.

“S-stay where you are. I would hate to have to drag you down these stairs and scratch up your pretty face.”

Large hands grabbed her from behind, Volan heaving her back to the ground. “Always causing trouble. This is exactly why we put you on Rebed in the first place.”

What?
  She hadn’t been that bad a child. No worse than her brothers.

At the bottom, Volan held her arms behind her back while Galan wrapped the zip cuffs around her wrists. She tried to wiggle free, but her brother held her too tight and the plastic threatened to break the skin if she dared strain against it.

Flinging her over his shoulder, Volan carried her through the observatory.

She stared at her other brother who followed. “Please, don’t do this to me. Let me talk to Danyka. She’ll understand.”

“Our wife has agreed to stay out of this. There is much she does not yet know about how other planets work, and she acknowledges this situation does not involve her.”

The compassion she’d wished for from Galan never appeared. How could her brothers love one woman so much, yet throw their own sister to someone so evil? What had happened to them? Had Ghorkle paid them off? Was it really just about money?

She squirmed, hoping Volan might lose his grip on her. But his hold remained firm, and the ache in Skylar’s heart returned at her helpless situation. Why had Daran abandoned her?