Alien Lover (Zerconian Warriors Book 2) (3 page)

“You bought a sex slave. What do you wish me to say?”

“I guess it’s too much to ask that you might understand why I did it?”

He stopped pacing. Thank God. She rubbed her aching neck.

“There is one obvious use for a sex slave, is there not?”

“Dex! I am not going to use him for sex. You know that.”

“How do I know that? You went to a slave auction. You bought a sex slave. I found you in our quarters, touching him!”

“Right. Because we were just about to get down and dirty with Macon, Jaxan, and Racar watching on. Thought we might have an orgy, you know? Why not? Because I’ll just throw myself at any man!”

“Down and dirty? Orgy?” he asked, looking confused.

Zoey stood, scowling at him. “Arguing with you is so annoying! I brought him back to our quarters because I didn’t want to overwhelm him with a whole lot of people. And I grabbed his hand not his cock for God’s sake.”

Dex still glared at her, but his eyes were fading back to his normal dark brown color. “You should never have bought him.”

“I bought him to free him.”

“Why? Why him?”

“I felt sorry for him. I couldn’t stand by and let that awful auctioneer touch him that way. When I saw that female being auctioned, well, I—,” She swallowed heavily, that memory was going to haunt her, “—I turned to leave. Then I saw him and I don’t know … I couldn’t save them all, but I could save him, you know?”

Dex watched her for a long moment then he sighed, running his hand over his face.

“Dex? Are you okay?”

“No. I am not sure that I am.”

He sat on the closest chair and leaned his head against the back of the seat, closing his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll get rid of him. I’ll give him some credits and put him on a transporter like Macon suggested.”

He sighed.

She couldn’t believe she was about to say this. “You can spank me if you want.”

Dex opened his eyes and looked at her. “Come here, my own.”

She moved towards him, but instead of drawing her facedown over his lap, he picked her up and plopped her down in his lap. He placed his arms around her and hugged her tight.

“Why should I spank you, my own?”

“I didn’t say you
should
spank me, I said you could.” Something she was starting to regret. Had she gotten too much sun today? It must have messed with her mind.

“I bought a sex slave and then you found him in our quarters.”

“You bought him to save him and you were not alone in our quarters. I overreacted.”

She held her thumb and forefinger apart. “Just a little.”

“I apologize.”

“No, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t like it if you bought a naked female from an auction.” Zoey leaned her head against his chest. “What were you doing there?”

“I received information that some of my warriors were to be auctioned today.”

She sat up. “Oh God, did you buy them?”

“Yes. Three of them.”

“That’s fantastic!” She hugged him tight. “Are they okay? Do they know where any of the other warriors are?”

“They appear well. I have not had the chance to discuss their experiences yet.”

“Then what are you doing here? You should go. They might know something about the last five who are still missing.”

Dex ran his hand over her hair. “I had other, more pressing matters.”

Guilt filled her and she bit her lip. “I really am sorry I upset you, Dex. I didn’t know you were there. You should have told me what you were doing.”

“I thought if I told you then you would insist on attending the auction, which would have resulted in having to restrict you to the ship, under guard, to keep you here.”

Yeah, that sounded about right.

“I have been neglecting you lately. When I saw how excited you were about the market, I allowed you to attend. I wanted to make you smile. But I never expected you to end up at the auction. Jaxan and Macon were under orders to return you to the ship prior to the auction beginning.”

“It wasn’t their fault,” she said quickly. “We met this troll and he was really insistent on buying Giz. Macon got rid of him the first time, but as we were turning to go back to the ship, I saw him heading towards me. So I moved into the crowd to avoid him and ended up at the auction. I promise that I intended to get back to the ship on time.”

“Did he threaten you?” Dex sat up straighter, his face filling with thunder.

“No, no.” Zoey frantically patted his chest. “He was just annoying. And smelly.”

“I see.” He frowned.

“Dex, you haven’t been neglecting me. Why would you think that?”

“My attention has been diverted from you while I have been tracking down my warriors. I should have been the one to escort you to the market today.”

“Oh, Dex. Locating your warriors is much more important that carrying my shopping bags for me. Once you’ve rescued all your men, then we can have some serious one-on-one time together.” She winked at him. “Until then, I promise I will behave.”

“Uh-huh.” He gave her a skeptical look.

“Hey, I can be good. Or bad. Depends on what you want.” A wicked grin crossed her face as she slid off his lap and knelt between his spread legs. “You look kind of tense, babe. I might just have a way to help you relax.”

With his help, she slid his pants down, revealing his thick, hard cock. Part of her couldn’t believe how brazen she was being. Before Dex, her sexual experience had been pretty pitiful.

Zoey glanced up at Dex as she grabbed the base of his shaft, squeezing. A low moan erupted from his mouth and he leaned his head back against the chair. She took the tip of him into her mouth, sucking strongly.

“Zoey. I shouldn’t—”

“Shh,” she murmured around his shaft. She drew more of him into her mouth then slowly moved up and down his cock. Faster and faster.

“My own, I need you.”

Arousal rushed through her, causing her head to spin. Sometimes she wondered if this buzz would fade. Would touching him become commonplace?

Lord, she hoped not.

His body grew taut and he let out a loud shout. “Zoey!”

She swallowed him down, smiling as he came. It was still a bit of a surprise that she was the one he wanted. This gorgeous hunk of alien was devoted to her.

Just like she was devoted to him.

She’d never been this obsessed with her ex-fiancée. This eager for his touch. This needy for his attention.

But then he’d been a self-serving jerk. So, you know, not much of a comparison, really.

Moving back slightly, Zoey grinned up at him. “Bet that took your mind off your worries for a while.”

“A warrior does not worry,” he stated arrogantly.

Zoey rolled her eyes. Taking the hand he offered, she let him help her stand. He drew her onto his lap so she was straddling him.

“Have you got any worries you would like my help to forget?”

“I’m sure if I don’t I can make some up,” she replied with a grin.

The communicator located on the wall beside the door buzzed. Both of them ignored it as Dex pulled her in for a deep, soul-shattering kiss.

The noise stopped. Dex kissed his way down her neck.

“Dex, oh God. Please don’t stop.” It felt like forever since he’d taken her—when it had actually just been yesterday. Whether that was due to the newness of their bond or because sex with him was just that amazing, she didn’t know.

All she knew was that she needed him.

Dex slipped a hand between their bodies, beneath her skirt, cupping her heated mound. Zoey rubbed her mound against his hand, aching to find some release for the need overwhelming her.

Zerconian females didn’t wear underwear, something she’d been totally opposed to—until she had realized just how convenient going pantyless could be.

Slowly, he pushed a long, thick finger deep inside her passage. He rubbed his thumb against her clit. Fire raced across her nerve endings, slamming into her senses.

“Dex. Please. More.”

The communicator sounded again and she growled in annoyance.

“Ignore it,” he murmured, erotic hunger filling his face.

He didn’t need to tell her twice. The fact that he was willing to ignore his duty told her that he was just as desperate as she was.

He slid another finger inside her, stretching her. Circling her clit with his thumb, he nibbled at her lips, spreading the heat through her body. Teasing her with each touch.

A knock on the door made her groan with frustration.

“What is it?” Dex yelled. He pinched her taut, swollen nipple, and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying out.

Zoey shuddered as pleasure rippled through her. Small and centralized at first, it spread throughout her body, licking at her skin, sliding over her nerves until there wasn’t an inch of her that didn’t need this, want it, crave it.

“Dex? You are needed on the bridge.”

Even Koran’s voice wasn’t enough to halt her need. The first small surge of orgasm hit her. It was just the prelude. The deluge was coming.

“I will be there shortly.” Dex’s voice was strained as thrust his fingers in and out of her passage.

Oh hell yes.

“Dex,” Koran insisted. “It’s important.”

“Soon!”

“Are you well?” Koran asked.

“Go away, Koran!” she yelled.

She probably should have been embarrassed. But she was too far gone to care. Dex withdrew his fingers. Clasping her hips, he raised her then slowly lowered her onto his thick cock.

Her pussy clenched down on him.

“Stars. It feels like you are sucking me inside you. If I could stay here forever, I would.”

“Might make meeting your family a bit awkward, but I am so there with you.”

Their breath mingled, sweat coating their bodies. Limbs worked in perfect harmony as they moved against one another. Dex thumbed her clit and Zoey shuddered in delight.

Almost instantly, she was there, right on the edge, ready for him.

“Dex! Dex!” she screamed as she came. Dex sped up, making her gasp, her breath coming in short, sharp pants.

He clasped her close as he came, shuddering against her. Zoey rested against him, spent and exhausted.

“I don’t want to move,” she mumbled.

His communicator beeped again and with a groan of annoyance, Dex picked her up and stood. Turning, he placed her back in the seat and gave her a brief kiss.

“I must go. Before they break the door in.”

“You’d kill them if they did that.” Possessive didn’t even touch the sides when it came to describing how protective he was of her.

Hastily, he cleaned himself up then righted his clothing as Zoey watched him with a satisfied smile.

“My own?” He turned just before the door to stare back at her, his eyes purple.

“Yes?”

“I needed that.” Walking back to her, he leaned down and kissed her.

With a soft smile, Zoey nodded. “Me too.”

“What am I going to do with him, Giz?”

Giz tilted his head to one side as he stared up at her. Then he dug back into his food. Giz had amazingly good manners. Better than her ex-fiancée had anyway. He’d chewed with his mouth open. A cow made less noise.

What had she ever seen in him?

Giz, Zoey, and the silent male were all seated in the large dining area of the ship as Zoey once again tried to convince the male to eat. The dining area was deserted at this time of the day as everyone else had eaten hours ago. One of the cooks onboard had quickly whipped something up for them. She had no idea what the big guy ate, so she’d asked the cook to make him a selection.

He was staring at the food like he’d never seen it before.

Jaxan hovered behind her while Macon stood behind the dark-skinned male. She wasn’t usually closely watched while onboard the ship, but when she had asked them why the hell they were following her around neither had replied.

She didn’t know what had put the two of them in a foul mood, but right now she had bigger issues. One thing at a time.

Zoey hadn’t expected their ship to depart Musin until tomorrow. But she didn’t want to contact Dex to find out what the hell was going on.

See? She could be patient. Sure, she was dying to know, but like a good Zerconian mate she would keep her questions to herself.

Until she got him alone.

It was much harder than it sounded, though. Zoey wasn’t used to just standing back and letting someone else take charge. It didn’t come naturally. She’d been taking care of herself for a long time.

“I know the food tastes crap, but this is the best they’ve got, big guy.”

The male didn’t glance down at the food. Instead, he watched Macon and Jaxan. His face betrayed none of his feelings. Was he anxious? Afraid?

She got nothing from him. Why was he so calm? She’d be, hell, she didn’t know what she would be. Angry, relieved, scared.

Something. Anything.

“I can’t keep calling you big guy. Want to tell me your name?”

Frustrated, she placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. He didn’t even attempt to communicate with her. Perhaps he didn’t speak Standard, but surely he could at least try to respond.

“Come on, tell me your name. Unless you want me to make one up for you?”

He just stared at her.

“Fine, then. What about Arnold? Or Reginald?” Zoey spouted off the worst names she could think of. “Clarence? Howie?”

Nothing. Seriously? Surely he didn’t want her going around calling him Howie?

“Nigel? Gaylord? Elmo?”

Didn’t even flick an eyelid. Mind you, for all she knew, back on his home planet Elmo could be a popular name.

Zoey clicked her fingers. “I’ve got it. Boris. I’m going to call you Boris. Really? Nothing? I’ve changed my mind, Giz. He obviously doesn’t understand a word I’m saying.”

Giz snuffled and slipped his long tongue out to lick his plate clean. Okay, so his table manners weren’t perfect.

Still, at least he didn’t burp afterward and tell her it was a compliment. Yep, her fiancée, had been a real keeper. Her next-door neighbor was welcome to him. Best thing Marcus had ever done was cheat on her. Sure, it had messed her up a bit. She had a teensy fear of being abandoned. Particularly as her father had left when she was just a kid. She’d never seen him again.

“Here, see these ownership papers? I’m going to rip them up. I do not own you.” She waved the papers in the air then, in an appropriately dramatic move, stood up to rip them to pieces.

“What the hell? I thought this was paper? Shouldn’t it just rip?” She strained, trying to tear the document into pieces. It didn’t even crinkle.

“Guess I’ll just have to burn them.” She glanced over at Jaxan. “Have you got something I can burn these with?”

Jaxan stared at Macon and then at her. “It’s Lankan, milady. It’s indestructible.”

“It can’t be indestructible! That’s crazy.” Zoey dropped the papers on the ground and stomped on them. Grabbing a glass filled with Sola, a sweet, pink-colored drink she was fond of, she tipped it on the papers.

Didn’t even smear the ink.

Giz jumped onto the ground and growled at the document. Grabbing it up in his teeth, he shook it.

“I did not believe he had it in him,” Macon commented.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“The killer instinct.”

“As long as he sticks to stupid, indestructible paper that’s all right.” Dex tolerated Giz because he was harmless. He generally ignored everyone except her. And Koran. For some reason, he had taken a disliking to Koran.

Two days ago, Giz had left a chewed-up piece of meat in his boot. She had no idea how he’d even got into Koran’s room.

She’d waited until Koran had left after delivering his complaint before bursting into laughter.

Killer instinct wasn’t exactly going to work in Giz’s favor.

“I could throw the document out of an airlock,” she suggested.

“I am not sure that is a good idea, milady,” Jaxan countered. “If I were enslaved I would rather my ownership papers weren’t floating around in space.”

“Good point. What am I going to do with them?”

“Give them to him,” Macon told her before moving back to his former position close to the door.

Oh. That was a simple solution.

Zoey picked up the document and, wiping off the Giz slobber with a grimace, placed it on the table in front of the big guy.

“There you go, Boris.”

The male glanced down at the document then up at her.

“All yours. See? I don’t want to own you.”

He made no move to take it.

“This is so frustrating! How am I meant to figure out where you’re from if you can’t talk? What the hell am I going to do with you?”

Giz stood on his chair and moved closer, rubbing his furry face against hers. With a sigh, she placed her arm around Giz and cuddled him.

“I guess you’ll just have to come with us until I can work out where you came from and return you back there.”

The door to the dining area opened and Thor stepped in. “Zoey, I have been trying to contact you.”

She frowned. “My communicator hasn’t gone off.” Dex had given her a personal communicator that looked like a ring with a large, red jewel in the middle

“Drat. It’s slipped into silent again. I swear it does it on its own.” She turned it on.

“Did you need me for something?” she asked.

“No. Just looking for your, ahh, friend here.”

“Oh.” Silly to wish he might need
her
for something.

A stab of loneliness hit her. Most of Dex’s warriors, while polite, were standoffish. Giz was a good distraction and a fantastic listener, but he didn’t have the best advice to offer.

“Zoey? Dex wants me to conduct a medical examination of your, uhh, what do I call him?” Thor gestured at the big guy.

“Boris. He wants to be called Boris.”

“He told you that?” Thor appeared startled.

“No. But he didn’t
not
tell me.”

Thor frowned in puzzlement. “Do I need to understand what you just said?”

Zoey sighed. “No, I’m used to being misunderstood.”

“Do not look so dejected. What did you inform Koran a while ago? That the wind might blow and leave him with that appearance permanently?”

“He was glaring at me so I told him to be careful that the wind didn’t change and leave him looking that way permanently. Of course, with Koran I probably wouldn’t notice any difference. He’s always frowning.”

“That is why you named him Grumpy?”

“Yep. And you’re Happy because you’re always smiling.”

Thor just shook his head. “Shall we take Boris to medical so I can examine him?”

She nodded.

“Do you know where Dex is?” she asked as they moved towards medical.

“He is debriefing the warriors we rescued. Dex is determined to find them all. It is taking up a lot of his time.” There was a hint of sympathy in his gaze and Zoey straightened her shoulders. She didn’t like anyone feeling sorry for her. Particularly when she was just being foolish. “Dex takes his duty seriously. He is a good leader.”

“I know,” she said. “I wasn’t complaining.”

“I know you weren’t.”

“I just need to talk to him.”

Zoey had decided that she should talk to Dex about her fears of the bond breaking and him leaving her. And she’d prefer to do it sooner rather than later. Before her worries got on top of her.

She didn’t want to appear needy, but she needed Dex to reassure her that no matter what, he wanted her. Zoey. Just her. Even if she never managed to learn every bit of Zerconian history or recite the name of every Zerconian ruler since the beginning of time.

“Zoey, there is Dex.” Thor pointed toward the end of the corridor just as Dex and Koran disappeared around the corner.

Zoey took off. “Thanks! I’ll come for Boris later. Giz, you stay with Boris.”

She glanced over her shoulder, noticing that Jaxan kept pace just behind her. Macon had remained with Boris.

“Is there a reason you’re following me around?” she asked Jaxan.

“The Crown Prince’s orders, milady.”

She’d ask Dex about that too. But as she turned the corner, she saw he’d disappeared. “Where’d he go?”

“Perhaps he went into the senior warrior’s area, milady. We should head back—milady!” He jumped forward as she opened the door to the area where the most senior warriors liked to congregate.

“We can’t go in there, milady,” Jaxan hissed as she stepped inside.

“So stay out in the corridor. I’m going in.” It would be pretty empty at this time of day, anyway. Especially as they’d just left Musin. Everyone would have duties to attend to.

I wonder what Koran and Dex are up to?

Zoey crept forward on her tiptoes, peering over a partition. The large room was filled with a number of seating areas surrounding a raised stage.

“Milady? What are you doing?”

So Jaxan had decided to be brave and follow her in.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she whispered back. “I’m trying to find Dex.”

And she was doing a little snooping as well.

“Why are you walking like that?”

Zoey glanced down at where she was perched on her tiptoes. “So I don’t make as much noise.”

“Walking on your toes helps you make less noise?”

“Just hush,” she ordered. “You’ll give us away.” But she lowered her feet so she was walking properly.

“Milady, why not call out for him?”

Because she didn’t want anyone to know she was here. Yeah, she could yell out but where was the fun in that?

A proper Zerconian mate acts with decorum and grace.

Oh, stuff it. She couldn’t be good all the time.

She could hear hushed voices from another room. Moving as silently as she could, she made her way towards the open doorway.

“Are we going to Edreinia?” Koran asked.

“We have no choice. If that is where my warriors are, then we have to rescue them.”

“Targos isn’t going to let them go. Not after you gave refuge to Dante. He is furious that you gave his cousin shelter.”

“I know. Which is why we’ll need to conduct this mission without Targos knowing we’re on Edreinia.”

“How do we do that?” Koran asked. “Targos is aware of everything that happens on Edreinia. It has become his little kingdom. He has turned Dante’s palace into a casino and the games he holds for his guests’ enjoyment are sick and twisted.”

Dex sighed. “Dante was aware that Targos has no morals. He still bet his kingdom and lost. He enslaved his people to his cousin.”

Koran growled. “I would have taken Targos out.”

“Dante could not do that. Not without going back on his word. You know how much honor means to Edreinians. Targos always coveted what Dante had, even as a young boy. They may have been raised as brothers, but Targos was always jealous that Dante was the true heir while he was a poor cousin.”

“Targos would never have honored his word. He is the most corrupt being I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Targos could be using our warriors to lure you to Edreinia.”

“There is always that possibility.”

“Then you should not be involved. Not if it is a trap. Let me lead our warriors in to rescue them.”

“They are my warriors. My responsibility.”

“I did not mean to insult you,” Koran replied with a hint of irritation. Koran had been Dex’s best friend since they were young; only he or Thor would dare speak to him that way. “But you have a mate to think of now.”

“Zoey will remain safely on the ship, nowhere near Edreinia.”

“But she does need you. If the worst were to happen—”