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After Fanian gave them the all-clear to move around the ship, the first thing Miranda did was find the kitchen and, with Omni’s help, figured out how to work the food processor. She fed the kids real food. Or rather, synthetic food that tasted real. After a few hits and misses, she found something that didn’t make her want to vomit all over the ship’s clean floors. They ended up eating so much they left the kitchen with stomach aches.
At Fanian’s suggestion, she’d picked a cabin with adjoining rooms. There were two beds in one and a larger bed in the other. The cabins were about the same size and shared a private bathroom. She’d decided she and the kids could share the double bedroom, and the other could be used as a playroom—if they had any toys.
Now, all adventured out from a very long day, the kids were finally sleeping. Her nerves were too shot to sleep.
She knew Fanian was in the shadows of the hallway, watching as she tucked the kids in. She expected him to visit sometime tonight. Or at least hoped. She had questions she needed answers to that couldn’t be discussed around an intuitive little boy.
“So how long does it take to get to this Az’ud person?” She tucked the blanket around Lexi’s sleeping form. Adam smacked his lips and smiled in his sleep.
Fanian slipped into the room and leaned against the wall. He looked refreshed and relaxed. His hair was down and to one side. He was dressed casually in off white, loose-fitting drawstring pants and a matching shirt. She’d only seen him as a hunter; skinsuit and weapons. Now he looked oddly relaxed while she was a bundle of nerves. If he hadn’t been trying to sell her and her kids, she might find him attractive.
“Why do you want to know? Are you in a rush to get to him?”
She kissed Adam and Lexi on the foreheads and stood. “Don’t be an ass,” she whispered through clenched teeth. “Of course, I’m not in a rush to get to him. I just want to know how long I have before my life as a breeding mare officially begins.”
“Don’t worry about any of that now.”
Don’t worry about it? Really!
She curled her fingers into fists and crossed the distance between them. With a firm hand on his chest, she pushed him out the door. When they were past the threshold, the door slid closed behind her. “Listen, buddy. I want to know how many days I have to make my kids happy and give them somewhat of a normal life. Is it one day? Two? Three?” She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, going to her tiptoes to meet him at eye level. “Tell. Me.”
“I don’t know.”
What? “Why don’t you know?”
“Because I don’t think I can go through with the deal.”
She frowned. “I-I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
Fanian grabbed the back of her head with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her flush against his firm body. The hardness of his cock pressed against her stomach. The heat in his eyes made her stomach twist, and knees weaken. Her heart slammed against her chest. She let out a soft murmur, something incoherent, and didn’t know what she wanted to say anyway. Fanian groaned, and in an instant, his lips were against hers. Something she didn’t realize she’d wanted until they were there. She melted against him.
The enemy.
Miranda pressed against his muscular body. Every curve felt good against his hard lines. Fanian’s lips met hers, first tentatively. They were soft against hers, kissing her top, then bottom lip. The kisses soon turned to a nip then on a growl. His strong hands wrapped around her waist as he crushed her against him and devoured her mouth.
His tongue breached her lips to meet hers. She sighed, not realizing she’d wanted this for far too long. His kiss was feverish, but not overpowering. Need had her struggling to breathe. Her hands found his ears and cradled them. Fanian let out a moan that sent a tingling sensation firing down her spine and to the cleft between her legs.
“I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you,” he whispered into her mouth.
Her response was to rake her nails across his neck and down to his hard chest muscles. She’d wanted him when she shouldn’t have. He’d told her kids stories to occupy them and keep them from being scared. He’d rescued them from the ice pit. And she’d wanted him, even more, when she’d sat on his lap, letting him drink from her. He’d been the only constant in this hellish nightmare.
She should’ve been pushing him away, trying to figure out how to take control of the ship and guide them back to Earth, but here she was, not fighting anymore and not wanting anything else but Fanian’s arms around her.
Fanian gripped her butt with sure hands and lifted her, helping to wrap her legs around his waist. He made his way toward the end of the hall to the lone door on the far wall. It slid open automatically as they approached and closed on his back. The light flicked on, illuminating the room.
He pulled away from her mouth. “Lights at thirty-five percent.”
The lights dimmed. Fanian crossed the short distance to his bed and lowered her to her back. It was soft and big and smelled of him, spicy. He stood by the edge and looked down on her as if he couldn’t believe she was there. His bulge tented his loose pants.
“Oh, my,” she whispered. Even in dim lighting, it was impressive.
“I never reviewed the part of the file on humans regarding sexual intercourse. There wasn’t a reason to think about this beforehand. We might not be compatible.”
She pushed herself up, and grabbed his waistband. She took a deep breath, not sure of what she would see, but preparing herself for the worst. Her nerves were jittering as she pulled the front down. His cock sprung free, proudly. Besides being blue, it was almost similar to a human’s. There was a bulbous head with pronounced veins snaking his thick and long shaft. All that was missing was a sack.
She let out a pent up sigh, grateful for this miracle. “Yeah, we’re compatible.” She moved closer toward the end of the bed, and before she could think of what she was doing, she took his length into her mouth.
It was like silk across her tongue, smooth.
“Mishka,” Fanian hissed as his hands grasped her head.
Her mouth slid down, taking all she could, letting him hit the back of her throat, before working back to the underside of his head. Her pace was steady and slow. Her hands gripped his hips, guiding his rhythm. Fanian’s fingers raked across her scalp, gathering up her hair. His hips pumped into her—his moans were deep and soft at the same time.
Warm liquid met her tongue when she played with his head. It tasted sweet. “So good.”
She licked and prodded the tip, encouraging him to release more. He rewarded her efforts. More liquid gushed from the tip to fill her mouth after a few minutes. Miranda lowered her mouth as far as she could and let the rest spurt down her throat. Fanian spasmed within her grasp as she drank everything he had to offer.
When he stopped spasming, she pulled her lips back up his still hard shaft. “I thought you came?” she asked as she looked up to meet his eyes and fisted his slippery cock with her hand.
His eyes were half-cast and watching her. His hair hung loosely about his face. There was no mistaking the satisfaction written across it. “I did.”
She raised her eyebrows and nodded toward his thick shaft. “You’re still hard.”
“Human males get limp after they ejaculate?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t. It’ll take some time to go down. Will that be a problem?” he asked as if he was unsure.
Her eyes widened. “It won’t be a problem at all.”
Fanian tugged down her pants and tossed them aside. He lowered a knee to the bed, and Miranda spread her legs, giving him enough room to fit comfortably between her thighs. He rained kisses up her stomach to reach the underside of her breast. He used his tongue to follow the curvature up to her nipple. His tongue played and teased the hard bud before nipping and tugging on it. He gave the other the same attention, but as he did, his fingers stroked up the side of her thigh and found its way to her pussy.
He stroked from her clit to her slit, spreading her wetness. When his finger delved inside, she let out a long-awaited sigh and pumped against him.
“Fanian,” she whispered. “I need you.”
Fanian was quick to oblige. His finger was replaced by the tip of his cock. It was hot and needy, waiting at her entrance. He watched her through the curtain of his white hair. “Are you sure?”
She thrust her hips up in answer. His bulbous head penetrated her. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of it, hot and throbbing.
“Mishka,” Fanian groaned before sinking his length deeper.
“Oh, God!” she yelled as he stretched her fully, filling her core. Tossing her head on the pillow, she dragged her nails across his hips.
Fanian pumped into her slowly. She was losing herself with each thrust. Fanian bent low, his arms bracketed her head. One hand caressed her scalp gently. Miranda glanced up to watch. His head was tilted to the side, face strained and eyes closed. Lines of strain creased the sides of his mouth as he worked hard to restrain himself.
She didn’t want a restrained Fanian. She wanted a lethal hunter. Miranda dug her nails into his ass harder. He threw back his head on a hiss and she repeated the gesture. “Stop holding back.”
His eyes opened and he stared down at her with an intensity that left her shivering. When he pushed up to brace his hands, Miranda lifted her legs wider. They both moaned at the shift in position then Fanian thrust so hard she felt his cock in her stomach. She screamed in pleasure. This was what she wanted, what she needed.
In order to kill without remorse, she’d numbed herself. Now was the time to feel again. She needed to feel again.
“Again,” she begged.
He rocked in an aggressive surge that pushed her up the bed. At Miranda’s yelp, his lips curled in a smile. “Like that, Misha?”
“Again,” she whined.
This time when he pumped into her stars danced around her head.
“Again,” she said over and over after each glorious thrust.
Fanian pounded into her. Their bodies slickened with sweat. The sounds of their sex reverberated off the walls.
* * *
FANIAN HAD A LOCK OF her hair in one palm and used his other to stroke the strands. “It’s just as soft as I’d imagined.”
Miranda snuggled into his armpit with her head resting on his bicep. She trailed her fingers around his nipple, crossing his smooth chest to tease the other.
“It used to be softer. It’s all brittle now. I haven’t been eating right or getting enough vitamins.”
She’d done the same to him, played with his hair. His was coarse and thick, almost like a horse's tail. She’d thought he’d cut his hair in that style, but it turned out his species didn’t have hair on the sides or back of their heads. It only grew on the top. He also didn’t have any other body hair besides his eyebrows. His skin was as smooth as a baby’s bottom all over.
“Bradliix gave me a file on how to care for you. I think there may be something in it regarding your dietary needs.”
“Oh, like a pet.” She pinched his nipple playfully.
He squirmed and chuckled. “Ouch! Nothing like that. I’m sure he wanted me to know how to take care of you all.”
For how long?
She kept the question she’d already asked to herself. She didn’t want to ruin the moment. She hadn’t felt this safe in such a long time. She wanted to revel in it for a little while longer before...
The hard discussions could be left for another day. Tonight she planned to let him hold her possessively while they cuddled in a real bed, in an actual room.
His room was oddly comforting. He had paintings hanging on the walls. Almost too many. She’d asked him about them, and he’d said the pictures were the only thing he could have to spruce up his space. Anything else wouldn’t stay in place, especially during any type of invasive maneuver.
But too many pictures and all, she liked it here.
Fanian tapped his comlink and a virtual document projected above them. The words didn’t make sense to her at first, but slowly her mind began to comprehend.
“Hey! I can read that!” She glanced up to look at him. “That can’t be English. How can I read that?”
A broad smile stretched across his face. God, that smile. She didn’t have this reaction to it because of that alien mojo thing he had. His smile was genuinely pantie dropping.
“It’s your new translator. It translates both auditory and visual.”
She turned back to continue reading the document. “Wait. Is the title actually, Humans: Getting To Know Your Prey?”
He flicked his finger, and as he did the document scrolled down.
“You really don’t have to read about me. Uh, hello? I’m right here. Willing and able to tell you all about humans.”
“But I need to know what vitamins you require.”
“I need vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. I also need iron supplements...um...and I think biotin for my hair and nails too.”
“Those mean absolutely nothing to me. See.” He pointed to the document. “This tells me what you need in foods and supplements I can relate to and understand. I’m sending this to Omni so she can have these added to your food selections.”
“Ugh, is the food going to taste even nastier?”
“I’ll make sure to mask any unwanted taste as much as I can,” Omni’s voice said throughout the room.
“Well, that’s creepy,” Miranda muttered, pulling the blanket up to cover her breasts.
“Omni, boundaries,” Fanian added.
“But I always listen in, Fanian. Should I change this?”
“So, I guess your lady friends don’t mind your AI eavesdropping?” Miranda asked.
“Fanian has never brought a lady friend on the Fortitude,” Omni said.
Fanian tensed. “Omni. Goodbye.”
Miranda turned around and crawled up his body to straddle him. “You never brought anyone on your ship?”
“I never had time for such things.”
“So how does dating and such work out in space? Do you always go to your girlfriend’s house, er, planet?”
He didn’t respond. He looked over her shoulder to scroll through the document.
“Fanian. You can tell me about space dating. I know you had girlfriends or might even have one now...” Why did she even add the last statement? It made her sound like a clingy one night stand.
“I’ve never had a girlfriend,” he said so low she almost didn’t hear him.
“Lie.”
He finally looked at her. “I don’t lie.”
“Why haven’t you had a girlfriend?”
He sighed. “I left Naahrex when I was seventeen years old. I had a few interests but nothing I would call serious. I was in school to become a computer data processor before I had to leave and focused all my time on that venture.”
She laid across his chest. “Tell me about it.”
“I was five when I took the placement test. My father was ecstatic to have me in the same field as him—”
“No, not that.” She shook her head. “Even though I would love to hear about this placement test at age five. I want to hear about Naahrex.”
The atmosphere shifted. The lighthearted air about him before turned thick and sad. “It was beautiful.”
“Was?”
He lowered his hand, and the document disappeared. “The Thruul scorched it. When they invaded, some of us were able to go into hiding. They’d given us an ultimatum, join them, or lose our home planet for good. We didn’t believe they’d do something as heinous as destroying a planet, but we were wrong.”
Wow. “I was prodding. I shouldn’t have. If this is too painful for you, then we don’t have to talk about it.”
“When I was sixteen, the Thruul came to my homeworld to form an alliance. They wanted us to use our zvodny to persuade their enemies into surrendering to all their demands. We refused, of course. We’re a race of science, medicine, and technology. We aren’t fighters. The Thruul spent half the year trying to convince us to change our minds, and when they couldn’t, they came and took who they wanted.”
Miranda listened in silence. He’d told her the story of what had happened before, but he’d done it devoid of emotion. Now his voice cracked with emotion.
“The first wave of my people tried to flee in ships. My father sent my mother and little sister in that group.”
“D-d they get away?” she asked anxiously, hoping they did.
“We watched as the Thruul incinerated their ship before our eyes.” His breath hitched. Pain she wished she could shield him from radiated from him. “They wanted us to know that the only way we would leave was with them.”
“That’s when you hid,” she said in a shaky voice.
He nodded. “Anywhere we could. We abandoned our homes, taking only what we could carry. My dad, brother, and I hid in an underground research facility with other families. We had planned to stay there, thinking of waiting the Thruul out. Then the fires started.”
“How did you finally escape?”
“We worked for months on a galaxy gate. All of us. Day and night. It was unstable and unreliable. Only one person could travel at a time. But it was the only way to escape.”
“I have no clue what that is, but it sounds dangerous.”
“It was either die at the hands of the Thruul, become their tool, or try the gate. I chose the gate.”
She was almost afraid to ask. “Your brother and father?”
“My brother went through before me. I’m not sure what galaxy or planet he ended up on. I’ll find him one day when it’s safe. My father...”
Fanian turned his head away.
“Fanian...” She didn’t know why, but she needed to know what happened to his family.
“He told me right before I left that he was staying. He wanted to help as many of us as he could escape. I hope he accomplished his goal.”
She hugged him tightly, pressing the side of her face against his chest. Her tears pooled around her cheek.
His hand glided across her hair. “Girlfriends lead to strong relationships and possibly children. I already lost a family, Mishka. I can’t lose another.”
“Why would you lose another?” She sniffled.
“The last I heard, the Thruul are still hunting us down. They haven’t come to this galaxy yet, but it’s only a matter of time before they do.”
“You think they might find you one day?”
“Yes.”
She clutched him tighter.