Ecstasy Bound (6 page)

“Get going, people!” she ordered as she trotted toward the elevator. “This better not be some sort of facility test,” she mumbled. If so, it was unscheduled and that would piss her off because she was supposed to be informed of all such tests.

No announcement followed the alarm, which meant it had to have been generated automatically by the system.
Not a test.
They’d gotten an unauthorized or unlogged hit from deep space. Her heart rate sped up.

She punched a button on the wall, her nerves going from nonexistent to on edge in a matter of seconds. A moment later an elevator door slid open. Kirk Logan, one of her few true friends at the facility and a co-worker—the supervisor next in charge after her—stood inside.

“What the fuck is going on?” he asked. “That’s a priority.”

“Hell if I know.” She rushed inside, slapped the close button and pressed the level that would take them to the deepest and most secure part of the facility. She clicked on the intercom. “This is Spargo, report.”

“I’ve tried that. It’s still not working.”

She slapped the grating. “Piece of crap! Why can’t they get anything down here fixed?” The elevator comm system had been inoperable for weeks now. Just one thing on a list longer than her arm that needed fixing, upgrading or total replacement.

“Too many budget cuts.”

The standard government line, which she’d grown weary of hearing long ago. “I hate politics. Correction—politicians.” They always seemed to be swimming in more wealth than they needed or knew what to do with. There was plenty of money to be spent, in her opinion. It’s just that the wrong people had their hands on it.

“Hard to get funding for a nonexistent operation and facility.”

“Nonexistent, my ass. They’re cheap fuckers is all.” And that was being kind. They thought they were invincible, which was the problem. Otherwise, they’d put their funds where they should before disaster struck, rather than after.

Kirk chuckled. “You do have a way with words, boss.”

“Little good it does,” she mumbled, wishing the higher-ups would listen more closely to her words. That’s why she was here, after all. To track and to advise.

Maybe they’d made a mistake. Or she had. Maybe she never should have taken on this project. Too many of the decision-makers here seemed more interested in her breasts than in her brains anyhow. Irritating to say the least, especially since she understood the seriousness of this project. If she hadn’t been specifically chosen…

It seemed like forever before the elevator door finally slid open. The ding announcing their arrival immediately put her back into work mode. She and Kirk rushed out and into the tracking center. They both headed in different directions.

Jaeda came up on a group of men and women, huddled around the main tracking monitor and hardware system. “Fill me in. What’s going on?”

“We’ve got a K-blip in deep space.”

She frowned, suddenly confused. “That can’t be all it is.” She’d thought they had received a confirmed threat. A simple K-blip wouldn’t trigger a priority alert. K-Blips were quite common, even at long range, and came mostly from known entities. Or if not, they were generally at such a distance that they did not pose a threat or cause for concern. Something more had to be going on. The computer wouldn’t have issued the alert otherwise. “Why’d the computer key in a high-level alert on it?”

“The object is tracking beyond the normal satellite orbits and space paths. It’s not a logged known asteroid or other natural mass. It appears on a direct path and metallic in nature.”

“Metallic?” The urgency in his voice and further details piqued her interest. “No comm signal has accompanied it?” Which would indicate the blip had originated from a known civilization or friendly entity and not someone who could prove to be an enemy.

“None,” Kirk called out. “Not that the probes are picking up.”

“Something from one of the space agencies then? Ours or from one of our alien contacts who’s running a secret project we don’t know about yet?” Secret space projects were common—secret from the general population and other agencies. However, their facility had always been informed of such projects in the past because of the advanced tracking equipment and communications abilities of the center. Other than continental shuttle launches, satellite auto-repair robots, space missile tests and the normal alien supply ship route activity, all should be quiet out there right now from the intel she had.

“How secret can it be? There’s no way we wouldn’t pick up on this thing. It’s huge.

We would have been informed by the brass. There!” A technician pointed to the screen as the signal once more registered on the tracker.

That didn’t look like a K-blip to her. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the screen.

“It’s definitely large.”

“Large? It’s gigantic,” Kirk responded again from across the room. “Getting specifics now.”

“Are you sure it’s metallic, not natural?” she asked, trying to figure out the computer’s reasoning for its classification of the object.

“It’s definitely not a natural formation from what I’ve compiled so far. It’s either metallic or something of a similar grade. It’s on a direct, plotted course,” another tech chimed in.

“That’s the second time you’ve said direct, people. We don’t know that yet. I’ll need verification from the computer in my hand. Get me coordinates and a trajectory.” It sure looked like a programmed line of direction from the history she was reviewing but she wasn’t about to jump to conclusions. Yet. “Let’s make absolutely certain. Who else will be picking this up?”

“Nobody at this distance,” Kirk said. “But if it keeps up current speed and the projected course—I’m approximating from what data we do have—the space agencies will begin tracking within ninety-six hours or so.”

This underground facility was the most sophisticated on Earth, with advanced technology. Highly protected and constructed using secret alien technology. Nobody picked up deep-space tracking before they did. Not even their sister facilities. “Okay.

Transfer the data to my station.” She rushed over and sat down in front of her computer screen. To her it didn’t appear as a single object. It almost looked like two clusters of—

Shit!
Her heart rate kicked up at least three more notches. She automatically slipped on her communication headphones. She keyed in a few commands and began studying the data, frantically making notes as she went along.

“Damn it!” Kirk shouted from his station. “Boost power. Now!”

Her head snapped up.

“We’ve lost the signal. It vanished in a snap, like someone flipped an off switch.”

He punched several control pads, a grim look on his face.

She checked her own panel. Yep. Definitely gone. “Did you save what we already received?”

“Did you really need to ask me that? Transferring the remaining data to your station now.”

“Check all tracking programs for any malfunction,” she ordered. “I want a full system diagnostic. We need this verified. Keep monitoring in case it reappears. Pull resources from our other facilities if necessary. This stays with us until we’re certain that we were tracking something real and not some computer-generated ghost.”

She saved what data they had from her station and transferred a copy of the file to the network set up in her personal quarters, so she could work on the file after hours.

Even from what little they’d gathered, she knew the computer would be able to track the object or objects’ ultimate destination, provided it maintained course. And its arrival time, provided it maintained speed.

Trying to figure out where the signal could have originated from, she tapped her chin. If it was a targeted project, then the signal had been cloaked to disappear like that.

Which meant really bad news. A purposeful act to disguise an approach. And if it was headed for Earth…

She had cautioned everyone not to ignore the signs. The brass had rejected their intelligence, her theories and what others in the field knew and had warned was the inevitable. Alien invasion.

Why they even kept her around if they weren’t going to listen to her, she didn’t know. Why they kept this facility operational, she didn’t know. Just to see it coming? To wait until it was too late, then pretend surprise with the public? In this case, she prayed they were right and she was the one off base.

While she waited for answers, her stress level maximized and remained high. It wouldn’t ease off until she knew for certain what they were dealing with. And maybe not even then.

“Come on, come on,” she muttered, tapping the computer screen, eager to find out as much information about what they’d tracked as possible. The computer was working on the calculations. Too damn slowly for her satisfaction. She did not like the look of this.

Another alarm sounded. A deep comm alarm. Only the crew in this room was privy to that particular warning. She flipped a switch to check the comm channels. What the hell was going on today?

“Jaeda?” Kirk called out. “I’ve got it on DPCM Frequency 135.”

“What is it?” she asked as she switched over. “Is it coming from the blip?”

“No, but it’s definitely an incoming message. Computer is identifying—bingo! As I suspected, given the long-range frequency. It’s ACE.”

Finally.
They’d been out of contact for far too long. Her comm feed crackled, then nothing. Damn it. Her panel was down. Fucking equipment. She clicked on her headphones. “Save it, transfer the stream to me, I’m silent again, and patch me in to General Adair.” A coincidence that ACE was transmitting at the same time they’d picked up this large cluster? Doubtful.

Nav-Control Ship FSMF-36, Deep Space

Frost turned from the navigational panel when she heard the clunk of boots headed her way. Rave. She was approaching with a confident stride and a serious look.

Rave acted too secure in her position, as if she knew secrets no one else did. Frost fingered the controller dangling from the chain around her neck, making certain it still hung there, knowing the little device would secure her future. She wanted Rave out and Kam in. Soon. Having a strong male by her side would make victory all the sweeter. A male she had complete control over. A male who would turn on his own love, family and people to serve her. In bed and out. Yes. Sweet revenge.

“Daegal’s fighters are now cloaked,” Rave informed her. “I’ve cloaked our ships in response. Daegal is overly cautious, cloaking sooner than necessary. Earth’s equipment is not sophisticated enough to track us this far out.”

Frost took close heed of her words. “Maybe he suspects someone is following him.”

“I doubt it. He would have engaged in evasive maneuvers. The probe I sent out didn’t register any major space displacement.”

“Can we still mirror his ships or will we need to stay farther back and move into a new space lane to avoid detection?” She knew how to navigate many types of ships but some of the specifics of cloaking were still new to her because the ability had only recently been added to her vessels.

“As long as we continue receiving coordinates from our contact, we can safely maintain our present position.”

“The coordinates shouldn’t be a problem.” As soon as the words left her mouth, a stab of doubt pricked at her. Over the years, she’d learned caution was her friend.

Luckily she was prepared.

She knew how to think fast on her feet when she needed to. She knew Daegal’s destination. She just needed to stay a safe distance away to avoid detection, which was why she needed to know his coordinates at all times.

She didn’t want to trigger a collision alarm. Though it was a common occurrence between cloaked ships, Daegal might fire weapons instead of simply adjusting his course, as was standard procedure. Especially if he checked on their identity—again standard procedure—and suspected her ships were part of an “unfriendly” fleet.

They should simply look like supply vessels to anyone who accessed their official log. She’d ordered all their regular fleet markings removed and entered a false identity and destination into the USLM system, an automated universal monitoring station for space traffic. But Daegal wasn’t a man easily fooled.

She did have a backup plan if everything suddenly blew up in her face. Her ships were heavily armed. She was prepared to sacrifice whomever or whatever she had to in order to survive.

“How is the upgrade progressing?” Rave asked, motioning toward the remote control device around her neck.

“Slowly.” Actually, the plug-in tracker was almost complete but Rave didn’t need to know that. She’d shown too much interest in the device and Kam for her liking.

Frost knew Rave had aspirations of her own. But there was no way that Rave would ever eclipse her in power. Nor would Kam ever be under the woman’s control. That particular Warrior’s knowledge, power and cock would serve
her
…and her alone.

* * * * *

Planet Xylon

Auxiliary Underground Shelter

With his heart pounding and every muscle tensed, Briggs sat on the hard bench in the alien underground shelter. He returned the communications device to his boot and secured the small compartment. He sighed in relief. Nobody had caught him transmitting.

For some odd reason, the thing wouldn’t switch on in the central bathroom—or whatever they called it—down here, which would have been perfect and private.

Perhaps the positioning of the metal and electrical equipment had something to do with it, for he also hadn’t been able to transmit from the lower level, which housed various mechanical machinery and power sources.

He’d checked out this underground shelter as best as he could, on more than one occasion. Someone always seemed to be up and about, even at night, so he’d had to be careful not to look as if he were doing anything suspicious. This was the only really private time he’d been able to find, while almost everyone was in the meeting. At least it was done.

He had no idea if they’d confiscate the communication device if they found it on him but he didn’t want to take the chance. Every possible advantage for Earth was important, so he did not feel bad about the secrecy. He just hoped the signal and the message he’d sent had gone through unhindered.

As he’d sat there transmitting the data to the tracking center, it all had hit him at once—the monumental burden of his responsibility, of his very possible failure. All this was so much more than just another assignment. He’d been separated from his kind and sent on an alien mission to ensure Earth’s survival. “Fucking geez,” he whispered.

Part of his job was to learn whatever he could about the Xylons and report back.

Even after being here only a short while, he’d already found out quite a lot. Although alien, Xylons looked perfectly human. He’d been told that differences existed but he hadn’t seen anything of significance. When they spoke, he understood their English perfectly. His ego wasn’t so large as to rank Earth and his own native language as the foundation on which every other civilization in the universe was based, so he’d asked Brianna about it. Though some of them did indeed speak English, among other tongues, according to her, their own language auto-translated into whatever foreign ear was in range via signals sent to the brain based on known genetic markers. Quite a scientific accomplishment.

One of the other things that had greatly piqued his interest was that breeding between Xylons and humans was possible and had been taking place for centuries. In fact, for the last several years, they’d often harvested females from Earth for breeding purposes, from what Pitch and Brianna had told him. His superiors would definitely be interested in that information.

Of course, if they were snatching or impregnating women against their will, he doubted they’d inform him of that. Perhaps some of the alien abduction stories on Earth had a basis in fact after all.

After his stay in the Lair, he’d already known that sex between Xylons and humans wasn’t a problem. Since then, he’d desperately wanted a taste of an alien female. Not just any alien female of course. Only Brianna. Thoughts of her kept him warm at night and sane during the day.

He ached to see her naked, to find out what any physical differences might be and to sate his hunger for her. Then at least he’d have that special memory once they parted ways.

He shook his head, dismissing the thought that he might never see her again after they got out of here. Somehow that possibility bothered him more than he’d expected.

More than it should.

The stress of everything had exhausted him and was making him feel more compassion for these people than was prudent. His eyelids felt heavy and his chin dipped to rest on his chest.

As soon as he began to drift off, the visions came to him as they did almost every time he closed his eyes. Visions of Brianna.

He no longer tried to push the visions away as he had in the beginning. Why should he? He wasn’t some robot.

At first he’d thought the sexual visions odd, the way they repeated over and over, as if they weren’t really his own but instead were, well, implanted maybe. A strange thought, he knew. He’d watched one too many science fiction flicks in his time, he supposed. Soon enough though, he’d changed his mind about the fantasies, and though often problematic or even awkward during the day, he sought them out each night.

He wondered what Brianna’s pussy really looked like. He needed to know. Beyond his fantasies. He swore that before his mission was complete he’d find out first hand how a Xylon pussy truly looked, felt and tasted. And how deeply his cock would fit inside.

In his fantasy, she smiled enticingly at him as she slowly peeled the uniform down her body. In the visions, they never had anything on underneath their uniforms or on their feet. At the sight of her bare body, his cock hardened.

Her full, pale breasts made his mouth water. The rose-colored nipples would taste exquisite in his mouth. He knew that without a doubt. He wanted to suck them until she squirmed with as desperate need as he.

His gaze slid lower as he admired her body, doubting that he’d ever tire of the sight. Her stomach had a slight curve to it but was otherwise flat. He’d love to drag his lips across the soft-looking flesh, then ease lower and lap at her cunt until she came.

He wondered what sounds she made when she climaxed. And how loud he could make her scream in ecstasy.

Her uniform dropped to the floor and she stepped out of it. Ah, yes. She looked lusciously human in his mind. He couldn’t rip his eyes from her pussy. He saw the moisture in her dark curls. Yes. She wanted sex. She wanted him.

He wouldn’t disappoint her. He’d fuck her until she was completely sated and couldn’t move.

His gaze dipped down her body, examining the rest of her. Her legs went on forever. Even her feet looked sexy to him. Standing there naked, her long brown hair flowing over her shoulders, the bottom of the strands teasing her nipples, her piercing green eyes begging for his touch. He couldn’t resist her.

He stood and stepped forward, ready to take her. To fuck the hell out of her. She stopped him with a hand to his chest before he could drag her into his arms for the kiss he craved. He arched an eyebrow.

Brianna’s fingers slowly pulled down the zipper of his uniform. “I want you naked too,” she purred.

His cock twitched at her words. He loved her voice. Sexy. Strong, but all feminine at the same time. A woman who knew what she wanted.

He knew what he wanted as well, what he had to have.
Her.
Now
. He quickly shucked his uniform and kicked it aside.

She eyed him from head to toe. Her gaze stopped at his cock and a small smile crossed her face. She ran her tongue along her lower lip and he saw her pupils dilate slightly.

That did it. That hungry, feminine look made him feel like “hunk of the universe”.

Damn, his cock ached to be inside her pussy. When younger, he’d been quite the player.

He knew how to fuck a woman and make her beg for more. He’d been nicknamed

“Ramrod” for more than one reason.

Though a hard and fast fuck wasn’t his only skill. He liked a soft and slow seduction just as much. He wondered which one Brianna favored.

He’d grown up emotionally and settled down physically quite a bit since his wild days. Now he preferred women who affected him on a deeper level. The sex was so much more powerful, he’d learned. He reached for Brianna, yanking her into his arms.

Her startled laugh felt as good as her warm, soft flesh. Her nipples pressed against his chest and he groaned.

His lips found and covered hers and when she opened her mouth his tongue plunged inside, tasting and exploring her. Sweet and smooth as honey. Just as always.

Would her cunt taste just as good?

He felt her reach between their bodies. When her fingers circled his cock, he almost lost it. He tore his lips from hers. “If you pump me even once, I swear I’m going to come in your hand.”

“No. Not in my hand.” She cocked her head at him, then dropped to her knees in front of him. “In my mouth.” She squeezed and massaged his shaft.

“Fuck.” His balls hurt like hell. He plunged his fingers into her hair, barely able to control himself. If that’s what she wanted, he would comply. With pleasure. “You want my cum down your throat? Then suck me. Now.”

Her mouth drew closer and he thought he’d die from the anticipation or spurt right on her face if she didn’t take him inside her soon. Her tongue darted out to slowly lick the beads of moisture from his flesh.

“Ah, hell.” Exquisite feeling, but too damn slow. She was torturing him. His fingers tightened in her hair. When her mouth slid over the tip of his cock, then farther to engulf the entire head, he groaned.
Finally.

“Mmm.”

“Brianna…” He’d never felt anything so sexually powerful. “Suck,” he encouraged, barely able to keep his voice from sounding like a command. Her submissive position, on her knees in front of him, made him feel dominant. In control. But at her mercy at the same time. The pure ecstasy of her mouth around his cock made his whole body tremble.

She sucked him strong and deep. Her hands slid around to his ass and her nails grazed his skin, making him tremble. His climax was in her hands. Well, in her mouth.

Knowing she’d be swallowing his cum almost sent him over the edge.

“Ah, yeah, harder. I’m just about there.” Past there, truthfully but he was determined to hold out. When she sucked and bobbed, he gritted his teeth, needing to come but not allowing himself to. He wanted to draw out the ecstasy as long as possible. Forever, if he could.

* * * * *

“Earth? Why is Earth so important?” Brianna asked, growing more confused by the moment. “I mean we already know that the Egesa want to control Earth’s people and resources. They would have accomplished that long ago if we hadn’t stopped them. But what does that have to do with actual survival? Marid can survive on its own resources indefinitely.”

She suddenly squirmed uncomfortably. Visions flickered through her mind.

Blurred. Familiar and definitely sexual. Damn. Her pussy throbbed. She needed to come badly.

“I speak of Daegal himself,” Laszlo explained. “Not the Egesa. Please, let Colonel Briggs know he can come in now and I’ll explain what’s happening and what has been
in the works
, as the Earthlings say. Brianna?”

Her attention snapped back to Laszlo. “Oh. Yes. Sorry.” She felt an embarrassing warmth on her face. Hoping nobody else noticed, she cleared her throat, then stood and walked to the door.