Cosmos' Promise: Cosmos' Gateway Book 4 (2 page)

“Yes, damn you. There is something wrong,” he said hoarsely as he slid his large hands around her smaller ones in an effort to get her to stop the torture she was inflicting.

“What….?”

Cosmos didn’t give the beautiful, silver-eyed female a chance to say another word. His lips crushed hers in a savage, burning kiss. His hands let go of hers as he slid them around her narrow waist, pulling her closer to his throbbing length.

“Terra,” he groaned softly. “You are killing me with your touch. I promised your brother I would protect you with my life but I swear if you don’t stop I’ll take you right here and now.”

Terra ‘Tag Krell Manok’s soft gasp died on her lips as Cosmos once again claimed them with his own. Her body melted into his as his fingers gently kneaded her hips. Her hands slowly crept up until she could bury them in the silky brown strands of hair touching the back of his collar, pulling him even closer.

How could I have ever thought of human males as being weak?
She wondered vaguely as his strong arms pulled her close.

*.*.*

Cosmos was lost in the sensations coursing through his body. Everything in him was focused on the slender female standing in the circle of his arms. She was only a couple of inches shorter than his six feet two inches. Her long black hair hung down her back like a silky waterfall. The temptation to wind it around his fingers so he could hold her to him was too tempting to resist. He shuddered as her hands rose up to grasp his broad shoulders, her fingernails curling into his hard flesh before moving to entwine with his shaggy hair.

A soft moan escaped him as he pulled back far enough to gaze down into her dark silver eyes. His hazel eyes glittered with frustration, annoyance and desire as unfamiliar emotions crashed through the defenses he had carefully erected over a lifetime of being different.

He had created a very elaborate picture of himself to the outer world. While considered a bit of a playboy nerd to those who read the newspapers, gossip magazines, and tabloids, he was just the opposite. He might have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth but it didn’t show. His parents had made a mint off of the different patents they developed and he was just like them in that regard. He had also earned his doctorate by the time he was twenty-two. He modified the warehouse he was living in near the river and designed it as a combination lab/home so he would have a nondescript place to live that would draw little attention as he followed his true passion. The image he created fit in with what he wanted the world to believe. Even Tink, his best friend and former roommate, was unaware of ninety percent of what he did. It was safer for her or it had been before she got swept off her feet by a huge Prime warrior from Baade.

He used the carefully conceived misconception of Cosmos Raines to hide the work he did. He had begun building the outer shell he needed as a cover when he was sixteen. Now, his billion dollar companies were run by some of the smartest, deadliest men and women in the world. He had carefully selected each of them with the help of RITA over the past six years. His desire to make a difference in the world had not come from comic book heroes but from seeing the damage being done through his own experiences. He had been the target of kidnappers since he was little more than a toddler. First, by governments and madmen around the world who wanted to use his parents then later because of his own abilities. He had surpassed his parents long ago.

News and academic institutions claimed he was smarter than Einstein. Cosmos could care less if he was or not. He only knew he had been given a special gift that he planned to use for good. He was careful about the military contracts he approved. He had a top notch group of men and women overseeing that division of his corporation. Each and every one of them owed him for their life or the life of a loved one. He never asked for payment, those that he helped out volunteered. Most he accepted, a few he had declined based on the information he had about them. He swore them to loyalty and confidentiality. In return, they would never have to worry about their financial security ever again.

Cosmos pulled in a deep breath as he felt the soft hands caressing his neck. “We….,” he began before closing his eyes in frustration when he was interrupted by the only person in the world he swore was smarter than even him.

“Oh good, you’re out of your hole,” a cheerful voice chirped out in a voice way too full of merriment. “Morning, Terra, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?” The voice asked with a slightly amused tone that pulled on Cosmos’ last nerve.

Terra took a step back from Cosmos and let her hands drop to her sides before she turned to look at the tiny figure with an amused smile of her own. “Pleasant morning to you, Tilly. Is Angus awake?”

“Oh heavens, yes. He should be back from his walk any minute now. How about I fix us some breakfast? Angus loves a good breakfast in the morning. He says it gives him the energy to make it through a day with me,” Tilly said with a knowing grin. “Cosmos, go take a shower, dear. You look like you have been up all night.”

Cosmos opened his eyes and glared at Tilly with a dark frown. “I have been. I got home late and had some work to do in the lab. We had a slight problem last night. What the hell are you and Angus doing here? I thought you were on Baade still,” he growled out before flushing when Tilly raised her eyebrow at him. “Sorry,” he muttered, running his hand over the back of his neck. He glanced at Terra’s pale cheeks. “Your family is fine,” he assured her hesitantly when she looked at him with worry reflected in her eyes.

Tilly came over and placed her hand on his arm. “We were. I wanted to be here to hear about what happened. No one was telling us anything back on Baade. Go take your shower,” she urged gently. “I’ll fix us something to eat and you can tell us what happened when you get out. Angus will be back by then,” she added before turning and heading toward the small kitchen area.

Cosmos watched as Tilly disappeared into the kitchen. He turned and started walking across the spacious living area. He paused at the entrance to the hallway leading to his bedroom. He turned slightly and looked at Terra who was standing in the same spot, staring down at her left hand. With a muttered oath, he walked back to her.

Gently reaching out, he cupped her hand in his and ran his thumb over the intricate circles that were visible on her palm. He looked down at it for a moment before he cupped her lowered chin in his other hand and tilted it until she was forced to look at him. He smiled down at her before he brushed a light kiss across her lips.

“Everything will be alright,” he promised her.

She smiled up at him with a smile that reflected her uncertainty. “I know,” she whispered. “Go get refreshed. I will help Tilly with the morning meal.”

Cosmos nodded again before he turned and strode back down the hallway. His mind was going in a hundred different directions. He both appreciated and hated when it did that. It was as if all his nerve-endings were trying to work at the same time and information was being processed in exponential amounts. He really needed to lay off the caffeine. It never helped, especially when he was exhausted.

Chapter 2

Cosmos ripped the black T-shirt off over his head, balling it up and tossing it toward the hamper in the corner as he entered his room. His muscles rippled as he rolled his shoulders. The long scar across his back stretching as he rolled them forward. The scar on his side pulled, showing a long white line as he twisted around to kick off his shoes. He bent and pulled off his socks before he reached for the buttons on his black cargo pants. He pushed them and his boxers down. Stepping out of one leg, he caught the other leg with his foot and pulled it off before tossing them in the hamper behind his shirt. His body was taut from the workout last night and lack of sleep. Their mission had been successful but not without casualties. He felt each one personally. The men that were wounded or killed were a part of his responsibility. It didn’t matter that they had volunteered, he still felt responsible.

Cosmos gave the command for the shower to start at the pre-programmed temperature he liked. He ran his hand over his jaw. He wouldn’t bother shaving. He had a light coating of whiskers but he was too damn exhausted to worry about it. Stepping under the hot spray, he stretched his arms above his head, resting them on the tiled surface, and let the water fall over his tired body. His mind replayed every move that the teams made last night.

He had coordinated a mission to cover Tansy Bell, Tilly and Angus Bell’s middle daughter, who was a government operative. The mission that had covered half a world from Russia to the United States had cumulated late last night at the Canadian Ambassador’s house. Tansy and her Russian counterparts were supposed to target Craig Knapp, the Senior Director for the Collaborative Partnership against Terrorism, or CPAT. This was the group Tansy had belonged to before she found out they set her up to be killed. If that wasn’t bad enough, she had a Russian billionaire named Boris Avilov hunting her as well. It turned out Craig Knapp was lining his pocket with Avilov’s cash. Tansy found that out almost too late. If not for the help of a huge Prime warrior named Mak, she would have been dead.

Cosmos had RITA relay the information that Tansy had recovered from Avilov to his computer system so he could review the data she had stolen. In it were the details of the planned assassination of the President of the United States, Askew Thomas. What was not surprising to Cosmos was the fact that the Vice-President was working with Avilov and others, including Knapp, to see that it happened. The Vice President had his own agenda and it was not remaining in the political shadow of Thomas.

Unfortunately, Tansy, having the stubborn-headed, independent soul that was the makeup of the Bell females, was exposed by one of her former operatives who recognized her, even though she was in disguise. Now, he was missing one Prime warrior and another two who were searching for the Russian females, Natasha and Helene Baskov, who were kidnapped at the same time as Tansy. The only good thing that had come out of last night was that Craig Knapp would soon be a dead man and Mak had taken Tansy back to his world to be healed. Cosmos just hoped he kept her ass there.

He had been having RITA run the license plate numbers on every vehicle that had been heading through the intersections in the location near the Canadian Ambassador’s house. Every surveillance camera in the region had been uploaded to RITA who was enhancing and examining every clue available to help locate the women and Merrick, the huge Prime warrior who seemed to have disappeared into thin air with them.

“Cosmos?” Tilly’s voice called from his bedroom. “If you don’t get a move on, I’m sending Terra in to help get you out of there!” She threatened.

Cosmos groaned as he quickly ordered the shower off. “I’ll be out in just a minute,” he yelled out.

“My goodness, where did you get that scar from? That looks like a new one,” Tilly said from the bathroom door.

“Jesus, Tilly!” Cosmos yelped out as he kept his body turned. Hopefully, the glass was fogged up enough from the heat of the shower so maybe she couldn’t see too much. “Will you get out?” He choked back in embarrassment.

Tilly’s husky laugh echoed in the spacious room but he could tell she had turned. “It isn’t like I’ve never seen a naked male before,” she chuckled. “You should see Angus. I swear that man can….” Her voice thankfully faded as she walked away.

Cosmos’ head dropped forward as he shook his head. “Only Tilly Bell can make me feel like a twelve year old again,” he muttered with a chuckle. “And the last thing I need right now is to think of what Angus looks like naked,” he added with a shudder as he opened the glass door and reached for a towel.

“Oh!” A startled voice gasped.

Cosmos’ head jerked around at the gasp. He closed his eyes as he felt his cock react to the presence standing in his bathroom. He knew there would be no hiding his erection, even with the towel he had in front of him. He reluctantly opened his eyes to stare at the silver ones that were gazing at him with a combination of shy curiosity, wonder, and desire. A small part of him was a little annoyed that he was the only one feeling a little self-conscious right now.

“Let me guess,” he said dryly. “Tilly?”

Terra nodded, reluctantly raising her eyes to meet his. “You are built very similar to the Prime males,” she observed as her eyes followed a droplet of water as it ran down his chest. “You are paler and have more hair on your chest,” she murmured as her eyes continued to follow the drop of water as it coursed its way further down. She drew in a sharp breath and took a step forward. “What happened to you?” She demanded when she saw a jagged scar on his hip.

Cosmos jerked back a step as she came closer. If his self-control was hanging by a thread earlier, it was non-existent now. At least, it was until her words hit him like a MACK truck. A dark frown crossed his face and his fist clenched on the towel.

“What the hell do you mean ‘I’m built similar to Prime males’?” He asked darkly. “Just how many have you known?”

Terra’s hand stilled as she reached out to touch the jagged scar. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow that was so damn like Tilly’s he could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks. What the hell was wrong with him? This was worse than hitting puberty in the middle of a Physics conference with nothing but a bunch of old people and a copy of Playboy to keep you sane.

Terra pulled back and crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m a healer for my people,” she stated in a frosty tone. “It was part of my training to observe the physical attributes of the male body. How many I have known is none of your business unless you are willing to answer the same question! Just how many females have
you
known?” She snapped back.

Cosmos didn’t think his face could get any hotter. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he admitted, looking away for a moment. “Ah, hell!” He muttered with a shake of his head.

A husky chuckle escaped him when he realized he was standing there holding a towel in front of him in the hopes of retaining a slight semblance of modesty for Terra. What he had forgotten was his bathroom walls were mostly mirrors. Between the ones behind him and the ones to the side, Terra was getting almost a full view. With a shrug of his broad shoulders, he continued to wipe the water from his chest and hair before moving lower.