Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) (36 page)

I latched my gaze onto Fiercely because he’d shifted closer.

Close enough, I felt the heat of his body.

He would be leaving us then.

My stomach knotted. “You’re staying with us for a while? Aren’t you?”

Hearing something indefinable in my voice, he studied my expression.

“For a while,” he echoed.

The tangle in my middle came undone.

My lips curved. “So you’re going to show me around? You’re not going to hide me away?”

Fiercely remained wary, but didn’t conceal the hope that flickered across his features. “We will visit many places once you feel settled. I am honoured to be there as you experience our home world.”

Gosh, but I like him
.

I liked that he didn’t pretend he was above showing me he cared, and wanted my attention.

Working with the tentative flow we had going, I wrapped my arm around his waist.

I held both males, and it felt
right.

Shy, working through new emotions, I hid my face to speak. “How long until we land?”

Fiercely said nothing.

I felt his arm curl around my back, and another lift, so his knuckles could ever-so-softly rub my cheek.

Pushing aside uncertainty, I nudged into his hand, showing my affection, hoping he gleaned the unsaid in my display of faith.

I kept my eyes averted, but saw his chest flex as he released a breath.

I snuck a look at Venomous.

He gazed down on me with a tender expression then kissed the side of my head. “Nest mate, how long?”

Fiercely’s hand fell. “Less than a span.”

“We will be ready.”

Reluctance threaded the lines of his frame as Fiercely stepped away. “I await you on the command deck then.” With a last look at me, he spun on his heel then left
.

Blowing a breath, I peeked at my mate. “This is it.”

“My Rä’Na.” He cupped my jaw, and touched his forehead to mine. “Always do you surprise me.”

My face blanked, my tone nonchalant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You accepted him.”

Unable to hide my feelings, my gaze skittered from his. “No I didn’t. Don’t assume anything.”

“Lumen....”

Damn him and his sexy rumble of a voice
.

I shivered in pleasure even as I glowered. “It’s not like I have much choice.”

“So you accept him?”

I lobbed him a dark look.

His hands went up in the air. “What are you waiting for?

There was a jumble in my head and heart, especially when it came to the subject of how Venomous claimed me.

Fiercely’s claim dug up shit I wasn’t ready to work through.

Part of me rejoiced in being Venomous’.

An unforgiving part that was heartsick, bruised, slashed through my happiness when I least expected it; like right then. “Did you ask to be my mate?”

“What need was there to ask? You are mine. I knew it the moment I saw you. But Fiercely Comes the Night is not me.”

Thoughts untidy, feeling too much emotion to process in a healthy, meaningful way, I traced the engraved gold on his bicep.

My fingers danced from hard metal to scaled flesh. “Whatever.” I shoved hurting, less agreeable emotions deep into the recesses of my mind. “Leave it for a while, okay? It’s him I need to talk this out with, not you.”

“Poor male,” Venomous murmured speaking more to himself than me. “He does not know what to do with you, I think.”

“He’ll have to learn, won’t he? He says he cares, and deserves to be part of this clan.” My chin lifted. “Fine. He has to prove it though. I won’t accept him because his biology is forcing me to. He has to show he can love us.”

“Rä males court their female
after
the mating, my Lumen. You know this.”

“So? I’m not like the females he knows. I won’t give in just so his feelings aren’t hurt.”

“No, you most certainly are not like Rä females. Though you drive me to madness, I thank Zython for it.” Venomous urged me towards the nest. “Come. We must make ready. It is time for us to go home.”

B
attling the urge to tremble, I stood riveted on the viewing platform of the Trekker.

In front of me was
the mother haze
.

I focused on the majestic sight of Rök, on the sparkling bands of its silvery ring system.

I did this because all that separated me from the yawning vastness of outer space was a gaseous substance calibrated to turn see-through, and act as a viewing portal, evaporate completely to become a doorway, or solidify into a barrier.

Wearing a sleeveless green softsuit that swept the floor, and exposed my back to the cleft of my bottom, I wore my second choice of the gold necklaces Venomous gifted me, and one of Fiercely’s armbands doubled over on my bicep.

Upon reaching command, he’d taken one look at my gold, glowered at Venomous, and then ripped off some of his own with a gruff request I wear it.

I smiled into my shoulder at the memory.

As we approached the planet, I inched closer to
the haze
.

I couldn’t help it.

The view was magnificent.

Smaller than Earth, Rök’s curve was a fuzzy white with colourful swirls that made up the upper atmosphere.

Below that were vast stretches of green.

Because of the angle we approached all three moons were in view.

You could see one in the morning, one during the day, and the last at night.

I looked forward to seeing the Bluest Moons, when all three were in the sky together, something that happened once a solar in the North where we were to live.

My mounting excitement had me fidgeting.

Yes, there was a chance Venomous’ kindred would freak when they saw me in the flesh, a chance he’d kept his worry from me, and when we landed, I’d be detained, locked in a dungeon then fed a mouldy crust of alien substance until I perished.

But alien freaking planet!

I was Lumen Young, explorer of the cosmos.

It sounded grand, and my chest puffed up because I felt like
a boss
.

I might not have been special back on Earth, but I’d survived everything hurled at me once yanked off it.

Fuck it, I’m a rebel cosmonaut
.

A welcome presence joined me.

Brawny arms banded about my waist then tucked me into a muscular chest covered in matte black armour.

Stand up collar hugging a strong throat, the anise, etherish tang of the rubbery textile enhanced the earthy scent of the powerful male it sheltered.

Twitchy with anticipation, I twisted my head. “How hot does it get?”

Venomous’ square chin landed on my shoulder. “Very. The sand will burn your feet. I shall carry you until we find you footwear made from a material light enough.”

While the fabricator onboard the Trekker could make boots my size, it was made from a material so heavy, I couldn’t lift my feet.

Venomous nuzzled my throat.

The a’Rä monitoring communications glanced our way, a telling thing.

Its stare lingered on our entwined hands resting at my middle.

The Rä warriors hadn’t grown used to how touchy-feely Venomous and I were.

They didn’t know what to make of us, of me.

Venomous didn’t care what they thought, ignored their censorious reactions, and not once had he withheld his touch, or withdrawn from mine.

His indifferent attitude was sweetly reassuring, badass, meaning I didn’t freak when I felt eyes on me, which was all the time I was outside our quarters.

As far as I could tell, the Rä were appreciative, if not darn grateful for my assistance when they were captured by the Dei San.

The head bows and claws pressed to secondary hearts proved they at least respected me as Venomous’ Rä’Na.

What more could I ask for?

Less than a span later, Venomous and Fiercely ushered me to the landing bay and led me into one of the small, ten-seat crafts.

The a’Rä pilot, Great Voice to Roar, inclined his head to me as the doors slid shut, tasting my mounting apprehension as his tongue flickered. “Nothing to fear, honoured Rä’Na. We shall land safely.” His attention turned to his dashboard. His voice took on a commanding slant. “Base, domestic planetary vessel originating from the Trekker requesting permission to begin atmospheric entry in quarter
-
span. Please lower shields.”

I tuned out the radioed response.

Entranced, I gaped as the metal shields slid back from the nose of the bullet shaped transport in concertina folds.

Onboard the Trekker, I’d resolved not to look out the window when on the smaller craft, knowing the immensity of space would overwhelm me.

Yet as we breached the outer atmosphere, I couldn’t peel my eyes away.

The glowing curve of the planet grew larger and brought tears of joy to my eyes.

I chanced a glance at Venomous and my face crumpled.

He wasn’t looking at Rök, his beloved home world, but at me.

The black orbs of his eyes gleamed as they watched me react to what would be my home planet.

He grinned, joy suffusing his rough-hewn features.

His shuddering breath conveyed how important it was to him I be happy.

Pings echoed across the hull, and the craft shuddered with turbulent vibrations.

Jumping, I flung out my hands.

To my panicked mind, I defended against, and attacked whatever came next.

One set of clasping fingers latched onto Venomous’ groin and the other dug into Fiercely’s throat.

“What’s that?” I hissed eyes darting. “Slavers? Pirates?”

“Atmospheric drag,” Venomous wheezed prying me loose. He set my white-knuckled hand on my arm rest, but kept hold of it.

Fiercely did the same to the other. He stroked the skin. “Friction from re-entry can cause vibrations. The ship mechanics are working to offset the extreme heat. So we do not explode.”

“
Explode
.” I pressed the back of my head deeper into my seat and braced for the boom. “
We’re going to explode?
”

Venomous glared over my head.

His narrowed eyes dropped to me then softened. “No, my Lumen. He made a funny.” He grimaced. “You know our humours clash.”

I slanted him an incredulous glare. It turned into one of suspicion. “Does this look funny to you?” My head whipped around so Fiercely would see the depth of how
not funny
I found him. “Do I look amused?”

“No,” he was quick to reply stroking my hand harder as he straightened. Preparing to argue? “You look unreasonably–”

“
Unreasonably what
?”

“
Beautiful
,” Venomous barked.

He cleared his throat, and gave Fiercely a pointed look. He continued at a more modulated tone as his gaze lowered to my heated one.

“Unreasonably beautiful,” he purred caressing my cheek, shooting Fiercely another look then jerking his chin, prompting.

“So very beautiful,” Fiercely parroted.

Letting it go, I nudged Fiercely with my elbow. “You look handsome too.” A soft look at Venomous. “You both do.”

Fiercely released a strained chuckle then collapsed into his seat.

With a knowing look at my mate, I returned my attention to the spectacular display out
the haze
, which acted as a viewing portal, and, if what Fiercely said was true, a buffer from being blown to smithereens.

We descended from wispy, multihued clouds streaking pale sky.

The sun was a fiery ruby, beneath it a moon, a shadowy, hoary giant.

My hand, entwined with Fiercely’s, flew to my mouth, pressing them there. “
Oh
,
la
.
Look at that
.”

The city of the Northern province sat perched on a wind-blasted, stone plateau.

Surrounding it on either side were mountainous dunes of unblemished green sand, and a riot of pastel and rust colour streaked the highland stratums and its steep canyons.

From the gorge overhangs cascaded sheets of opaque water, the glossy liquid a vivid whorl of colours, and nestled in the canyon basins were lush jungles of blue and yellow.

I stammered, “T-The colours.”

“Not the same as Earth,” Venomous guessed.

“N-No. Our sand is white, yellow or black. Our water clear. Plants green. The sky is blue. Sun yellow. I am so freaking right now. Oh, and our clouds are white.”

Fiercely snorted. “It sounds odd.”

I spared him an incredulous look. “You have rainbow clouds and water.
Rainbow clouds and water
.”

“I heard you the first time. You did not need to speak louder and slower.”

Eyes wide, I looked back out
the haze.

Bracketing the ravine and its toothed peaks was a sprawling metropolis.

Spires and vine-wreathed roofs lidded asymmetrical buildings hewn from crystalline rock.

The constructions flowed sinuously with the land to compliment and enhance its raw beauty rather than eclipse it.

The transport flew close to the top of the spires.

So close, if I reached out, I’d touch them.

Squinting, I made out throngs of people moving below.

I spotted grazing herds tramping over tended squares that suggested cultivated fields, farming.

The blur of ground transports as they navigated traffic was unmistakable.

Stunned by its sheer beauty, I craned my neck to see behind us. “We passed it.” I wriggled in my giant-sized seat.

“We must land at the spaceport,” Fiercely explained. “By law, it is situated outside the city borders to lower levels of secondary radiation and noise pollution. It is also a preventive measure in times of conflict. By the time we reach the city proper, it will be second moon.”

Venomous smiled, gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. “And you will meet our kindred.”

“Yippee,” I cried weakly.

I wasn’t thrilled to meet the in-laws, but understood it wasn’t a reunion to be postponed, nor would I be so unfeeling as to fuss when he must be excited to see them.

Less than a span later the planetary transport docked with a faint shudder.