“Now that that’s out of our systems,” I say around a yawn, trying not to look at the disarray of my bedroom. The comforter and sheet hanging off the bed’s end. The trays of partially eaten food. The empty bottles of wine. I’m love soaked, alcohol soaked, and sweat soaked. It’s a dizzying combination, yet satisfying in ways I can’t explain.
Jérémie chuckles beside me, a hand over his naked, ridged abdomen. “Who says I am finished with you, beauté? I have five years to make up for.”
Stars. Five years imprisoned without a single woman to occupy his bed. Meanwhile, I’ve experienced a lot of variety, because I take what I want when I want it. I’ve never been ashamed of my sexuality, no matter what anyone else might think. But with these new facts, I feel as if I’ve betrayed the man I love.
“We have to talk,” I say, quelling the guilt coiling in my stomach.
“Now you wish to talk?” He laughs again; the sound comes easily and often tonight.
“Flux are on the ship. We have no way off. The cruise lands at it’s first destination spot in three days, but they’ll have found our room long before then. Hiding here and waiting them out is out of the question.”
Jérémie rises onto an elbow and blinks down at me. “We take their ship. It is the only way.”
It’s my turn to laugh. Most of all at his matter-of-fact tone. “The two of us overpowering an entire crew...sure, that’s easy. I’ve completed my share of impossible tasks, Beast, but not even I can take on that many Flux at the same time.”
“Who says we have to take them all at once? And I know exactly where to start.”
Exotic dancers for breakfast. Why am I not surprised?
The Gentleman’s Club has a sign in bright red letters declaring “Always open for your convenience!” And I’ll give ‘em that. It is convenient. For us. We’re pretty damn sure we’ll find one, possibly two Flux inside. Maybe a whole group, in which case my plan was designed for that too. It’ll only work once, but it won’t raise any red flags for at least a few hours and time is of the essence.
“This is a terrible idea,” Jérémie says two seconds after entering.
Sex on a box spring covered in needles is a terrible idea. This? I’d call this daring. Fun. And right up my alley.
“I thought you trusted me?”
He stares down his nose. “We are supposed to be taking them down as quietly as possible. This...seems a little over the top.”
“Hunting is your skill set. Gathering is mine.”
“I gather just fine. I got you, didn’t I?”
I smirk. “If that were true, you’d still have your ship and we’d be standing before the Flux Council right now.”
With a sigh of resignation, he rolls his shoulders inside the blazer I made him wear for the occasion. His button-down shirt is open to mid-chest, teasing his incredible pecs. And those tight pants? Well, they leave almost nothing to the imagination.
“How’s my hair?” I ask.
He reaches out and sets open hands on my skull. The bright red wig, cut short with angled tips, wiggles on my head a bit. “Ugly.”
“But you still want to fuck me.”
His heavy-lidded gaze travels south past my one-shoulder, white shift dress to my bare legs. Not quite as short as the one I wore last night, but close. I wore taller heels to make up for it.
Jérémie erases the space between us in one step, and holds me to him with a hand in the small of my back. “I don’t know whether to beg you to start wearing more clothes or less,” he whispers in my ear. “I want to fuck you senseless, but can’t stand the way others look at you.”
“They can look, but those are your hands on me, Beast. Be good and I’ll fuck you senseless before the night’s over.” I tug him deeper into the dimly lit room at roughly three-quarter capacity. “Time to get to work.”
Jérémie was right about there being Flux here. Not that I doubted; strip clubs are the main source of income on their generation ships. And fight clubs, but you won’t find those on any Intergalactic cruise vessels.
We spot three Flux almost immediately. I should probably pause here a second and reconsider. Jérémie certainly looks like he wants to. Then again, this doubtful expression has been his resting face since we exited the room. I, on the other hand, feel pretty good about our odds. Even if the plan lures all three, we can handle them quietly. Maybe.
Hesitation kills, Eden. Deep breath.
“Let’s do this,” I say.
They’re at one of the booths closest to the stage watching a blond human woman work a silver pole like the best lover she’s ever had. I’m going to have to work serious magic to draw attention away from her.
The booth I decide to occupy has a couple other males in it, but something tells me that once we get going, they won’t mind sharing their space. Jérémie takes my direction and sits with his back to the Flux. It’s kind of perfect, actually, because we’re at an angle that puts us in the eye-line of only one of them. All that we’ll have to worry about is whether or not this Flux in particular likes to share with his friends, or conquer alone.
Jérémie guides me onto his lap, helping me straddle his hips, all doubt having disappeared from his expression. Replaced with raw, sexual hunger. His deft hands skim up my outer thighs and disappear under my dress, stopping on my bare hips.
This might be the best plan I’ve ever had.
I slide my arms up past his neck and sink toward him, my breasts feeling heavy with arousal. The moment I inhale his familiar scent, half my attention takes a sharp turn toward the ache between my legs. It’s not just me, either. His gaze falls to my lips and his fingers knead painfully into my hips.
“Whoa,” I say and chuckle. “Focus on the goal.”
“Easy for you to say.”
Like hell. I’m sitting on a full blown erection with too many layers of clothing for protection, and I’m already wet and aching. But professionally, I can handle it. Will handle it. And later, I’ll handle him.
“Just pretend you’re in this to tease me rather than screw me senseless,” I tell him. “We know you’re good at both.”
He smiles. “I have no idea what you are talking about. Maybe you should teach me. You are the master, after all.”
I caress his ear, then scratch my fingernails over the unshaven growth covering his jaw. With my lips hovering over his, I flick my tongue out to tease his mouth. His tongue darts out in an effort to catch mine, and I retreat. Grin.
“Let me have it,” he says.
“Let me taste you.”
His mouth parts in acquiescence, and I carefully lick the smooth, rounded edge of his lower lip. Then I move to the other. Sucking each into my mouth, one at a time.
Beside us, the androgynous-looking Syoli clears his or her throat, reminding me that I have a job to do. A Flux to attract. One glance through my lashes over Jérémie’s head, and I see it didn’t take much. He’s already watching us, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.
Time to turn things up.
Gaze locked with the Flux, I arch against Jérémie and guide his lips to my neck. His hot tongue laves from sternum to the underside of my chin. He ends with a bite just hard enough to elicit a gasp, from both surprise and lust.
I bury my tongue deep inside Jérémie’s mouth. Not because I planned it, but because I need to. His dominance brings out something primordial in me. Instinctive and dangerous. The intensity in which he matches the kiss only makes it that much harder to resume contact with our prey. But I manage it. And we haven’t lost him. In fact, he’s gripping the end of the table so hard his knuckles have turned white.
I’ll take that as my cue.
I break out the kiss and gasp for air. Ignore the fingers digging deep groves through my hips. Cock an eyebrow toward Flux while ever-so-slightly tilting my head toward the exit.
The Flux hesitates. Glances at his companions.
Come on, baby, come to Gemini.
Finally, finally, the Flux slides out of the booth.
I stand, urging Jérémie to his feet. “He took the bait.”
“That did not take long,” he says. He’s all business despite the extra large erection making a monolith under his zipper.
“I give a compelling argument; what can I say?”
We lead the way past the exit, with me occasionally glancing back to keep the Flux engaged. And boy is he. He gains speed the nearer we get to the bank of elevators. His dark face contorts between human and animal, but never fully changes.
“Remember. Let me handle him on the elevator,” I whisper.
Jérémie’s mouth sets into a hard, thin line. “I cannot promise that.”
“You will if you want to finish what we just started.”
A final look back shows the Flux in pursuit, but also my other half. Red hair, white shift dress, spiked heels. Closing in like a predator hunting prey.
Inside the elevator, Jérémie steps aside, while I turn to seize the Flux by the waistband of his pants. He backs me into the far wall, drenched in dominance. Preparing to take control of what happens next. But I’m pretty sneaky when I need to be; he never notices my twin enter behind him.
The doors close, and Eden and I shove the Flux head first into the side glass wall. The first time surprises him enough to allow us a second try. That time ends in a smear of blood, and the Flux drops to a knee. Eden kicks him in the back of the head, and our first catch of the day lands half-unconscious on the ground.
Eden and I set identical heels to the man’s exposed throat. “I hope you took notes,” we say in stereo, then glance back to Jérémie. “That’s how you gather.”