Captured: Warriors of Hir, Book 1 (4 page)

She moved the fire gate aside, aware of how he tensed as she put the log on. She moved the gate back and straightened to find herself looking at one of the photos of her and Pap on the mantle. 

It had been taken the summer before he’d gotten sick. Pap was smiling big, his rounded cheeks ruddy with good health. He was wearing his favorite battered fishing hat and vest, holding a catch the size of a goldfish. She was next to him, a couple inches taller than he, her cheeks and nose pink from the sun, a spray of freckles across her nose, her brown hair showing bits of gold, grinning too as she held up a ten-pound bass.

A lump formed in her throat. She reached for the bird charm at her throat, the one he’d given her when she’d first come to live with him, her tears blurring his smiling face.

I miss you so much . . .

She startled when the alien touched her, his hand light as he cradled the back of her head, stroking her hair. She met his eyes and he blinked, his gaze following the progress of the tears on her face. He gently brushed away a tear from her face and rubbed the wetness between his fingers.

“That’s my Pap,” she said with a nod at the photo. “He . . . he died a little while ago. That’s why I’m sad.”

He glanced at the photo and back at her, his head tilted.  She took the frame down and pointed at her grandfather. “Pap.”

“Pppaaapp,” he growled.

She gave a short laugh and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Hey, that was pretty good.”

He pointed to the image of her.

“Well, that’s me. I mean, obviously.”

He waited, searching her face. He tapped the image of her again, more insistently this time.

She passed her hand over her eyes. “Right. Sorry. I’m an idiot. You want my name.
Jenna
.”

He jerked his chin sharply at her.

“My name is Jenna,” she said, then more slowly and pointing to herself, “Jenna.”

“Jjjeennnnaaa,” he rumbled. He leaned closer, his callused hand cupping her face. “Jjjeeennnaaaa.”

She caught herself rubbing her cheek against the warmth of his rough palm.

She cleared her throat. “What’s your name? I mean, aliens must have names too, right?”

He was looking at her mouth again as if trying to decipher the stream of words.

She pointed at the photo. “Pap.” She pointed at herself. “Jenna.” Then she touched his chest, raising her eyebrows.

“Rrraaa’kkuurrr.”

“Ra’kur?” she repeated, trying to mimic his rolling growl.

A smile flittered across his face but whether he was amused by her pronunciation or happy that she’d even come close she couldn’t tell.

“Jjjeeennnaaaa. Rrraaa’kkuurrr.” He took her hand and placed her palm against his chest, his hand over hers. She could feel his heart thumping under her palm. He growled something but whether it was a bunch of words or one really long one she couldn’t even
begin
to say.

He seemed to be expecting something back so she offered a quick smile. “Jenna. Ra’kur.”

She eased her hand out from under his and placed the photo back on the mantle. She took a shaky breath; Pap grinned back at her.

“Come on, Ra’kur.” Jenna gave the alien a watery smile. “Let’s get you a brownie.”

Four

Maybe I should have gone with Parcheesi instead . . .

She got two tiny brownies and Ra’kur got the rest of the pan. By the time he’d polished off his stack of brownies, rumbling happily again, it wasn’t even ten o’clock. He wasn’t showing any signs of sleepiness for her to even think about snagging the car keys and this time of year the sun wouldn’t rise till half past seven.

Jenna wasn’t sure when he was going to fall asleep. Maybe he only slept once a week or something.

For all she knew, he never slept at all.

Being stuck without satellite left her with a bunch of musty-smelling board games and whatever old films were around to entertain her alien guest. Jenna unpacked some DVDs from the “donate” box trying to find something they could watch. Ra’kur examined the disks, turning them this way and that in the light, seeming just as fascinated by the mirror-like side as the printed one.

She flipped past
Rocky
and—oh-no-fucking-way—
Predator
and settled on
The Gentleman Rogue
.

Ra’kur sat beside her on the big plaid sofa—she had to move the coffee table to make room for his long legs—watching the costume romantic comedy with polite attention. Not being able to understand the Gentleman Rogue, Charles, and Lady Nell’s snappy, flirty dialogue while the pair ran around Restoration England would no doubt make this film really boring but Jenna wanted him calm, maybe even sleepy, which was why she’d picked it.

Well, that and she’d forgotten all about the scene when the Rogue and Lady Nell kiss.

As soon as Charles laid one on Nell, Ra’kur sat bolt upright, his attention riveted to the screen. He leaned forward, studying as Charles and Nell fell back on the bed to get hot and heavy, their lacy, anachronistic undies flying.

When the scene cut to the next morning with the still-naked Rogue jumping out the window to escape the Duke and his men, Ra’kur turned wide, glowing eyes on her.

Jenna cringed, remembering how she’d tried to kiss him earlier.

“Yeah, listen, I . . . Hey!” she exclaimed, pushing herself up from the sofa. “How’d you like to try popcorn?”

She headed toward the kitchen but quicker than she could have believed possible Ra’kur was in front of her, blocking her way.

He reached out, lightly touching her mouth with two fingers, then he touched his own mouth, his eyes questioning.

“Yeah, sorry about that earlier,” she said, ducking her head.

He repeated the action, touching her mouth, then his own.

“Nnnnammme,” he growled.

“Oh, yeah. Right.” Of course he just wanted the name for it. His earlier shocked reaction showed he wasn’t interested in
doing
it. There were even some human cultures that found mouth kissing to be disgusting.

“It’s called a kiss.” She pointed to her own mouth then his. “Kiss.”

“Ggggrrisss,” he rumbled.

“Close enough,” she allowed, trying to move past him.

He caught her and struck the exact pose the actor had, right down to Charles’ brief, dramatic pause as the music came up, then Ra’kur brought his mouth to hers.

Even though he clearly had no idea what to do, just having his lips pressed to hers, breathing in his wonderful cinnamon scent, sent every nerve of her body alight.

She blinked up at him as he drew away.

He jerked his chin at her a little, his growl very soft. “Ggggrrisss.”

Jenna searched his vivid blue eyes then, wetting her lips, took his face in her hands and he willingly bent down. Tilting her head, she brought her mouth to his. His breath drew in sharply when she flicked her tongue at the seam between his lips.

Her tongue touched the inner part of his lip, then she deepened the kiss. His mouth had more of that sweet spice taste to it and her arms wound around his neck to bring him closer. His hands went to her waist, resting there lightly, and when she drew back to meet his gaze, his eyes were wide and stunned.

Jenna’s brow creased. He looked like he’d just been hit with a brick.

“You okay?” she asked, not surprised to find her own voice breathless.

He blinked a few times and she saw him swallow. Then he caught her face gently between his hands. “Ggggrrisss.”

He lightly rubbed his nose up one side of hers and down the other again.

That’s what he was doing earlier? Alien-style kissing me?

Any other questions, and the power to form them, fled as he rubbed his nose against hers again and made the growling-purring rumble that went right through her breasts and down her belly to tingle between her legs.

This time, when he brought his nose down the other side, he caught her in a kiss and his purr-growl against her mouth set her on fire.

He took his time kissing her, his mouth sliding over hers, taking his time as his tongue explored, the cinnamon-sweet taste of him luscious. His hands traced her body, lingering for a moment on her buttocks to press her closer, and she felt him hard against her belly.

The thought that this was crazy, that they might not even have sex the same way, flittered through her mind then stumbling, clumsy with wanting, she pulled him into her bedroom.

He never stopped kissing her and the rumbling had her ready to go right then. She was already so aroused, so wet, if he’d been human she would be riding him already.

In moments he had her sweater over her head and her jeans off, leaving her clad now only in bra and panties. They were nothing special, both just plain black cotton, but his gaze was hot as it ran over her. His fingers traced over her skin beside the bra straps, then cupped her breasts in his large hands. Her nipples hardened, her breath quickening as his thumbs flicked across the peaks.

He slid the straps over her shoulders, pulling the bra down to uncover her, and his gaze softened as he regarded her bare breasts. Gently he cupped one, seeming fascinated by the pale globe cradled in his palm.

His hands dipped to her ribs and waist and he tugged on the bra, looking frustrated that it didn’t simply come away. Jenna’s hands came up to unfasten it and felt a tug as he impatiently tore the fabric.

He sat on the bed to look at her breasts, his hands still at her waist. He gave her a hot, questioning look.

Jenna gave a quick, breathless nod. “Kiss.”

His eyes darkened and he pulled her toward him. For a moment he leaned his face in the valley between her breasts, inhaling deeply. For an instant the thought of those fangs crossed her mind then he gently caught her nipple in his mouth. Jenna caught herself against his shoulders to keep herself upright as his tongue teased, the tone of his rumbling going deeper. He traced his tongue over to her other breast and kissed there too and Jenna’s hands threaded through his hair to press him closer.

His hands were at her panties now, sliding them down, and he drew back to look at her dark thatch of hair. He caught her around the waist and swung her onto the bed, then positioned himself over her and spread her legs wider.

Jenna felt herself blush at the absorbed way he looked at her pussy. His fingers traced her slit and he glanced at her.

“Here,” she said, using her fingers to spread her folds. She wet her finger with her mouth and traced her clit with small circles while he watched and then, after a few moments, rested his forefinger over hers to learn the rhythm. Jenna slid her finger from under his and very gently he stroked her with the same circular motion. Her eyes fell shut and her mouth parted as his fingers moved against her.

She caught his hand and he blinked at her, clearly worried he had done something wrong.

“Now here.” She took his finger and pressed it to her opening, and catching hold of his hand, she helped him slide his finger inside.

His eyes went wide, his breathing quickening as she showed him how to work his finger inside her.  She wet her lips and with some urging got two of his fingers against her.

He slid both inside, groaning.

“Anything you want to show me?” she asked with a quick meaningful glance at his crotch.

He clearly understood but with plain reluctance withdrew his fingers from her folds.

He undressed. The top seemed to be both jacket and shirt, since he didn’t wear anything beneath it. His skin was several shades darker than hers all over so it was clearly his natural tone, not a tan. His heavily muscled chest had only the finest of hairs, his stomach a perfect eight-pack.

His pants came off next and Jenna’s mouth went dry.

“Now that,” she breathed, “is a beautiful cock.”

He was fully aroused and gorgeously formed, both shaft and balls, and for a long moment she just looked at his jutting penis. He wasn’t too different from a human; larger certainly, the skin darker and tinged red, and she could see veins under the skin. He had some natural moisture already glistening at the head and she had a craving to lick it off.

His eyes shut, his purr deepened when she wrapped her hand around him.

He was big enough that her fingers didn’t quite touch and he immediately pressed his cock further into her hand. His eyes opened a little, staying half shut as he watched her stroke him, his lubrication increasing a bit to make it easier.

Suddenly he tensed and caught her hand, a fine tremble running through him, and she realized he’d stopped her just before she made him come.

His gaze was blue fire as he shifted to lie beside her. He rumbled, brushing her nose with his before bringing his mouth to hers just as he caught her clit lightly between his fingers. Jenna groaned at the sensation as he stroked her; his rumble seemed to increase the tightening in her pussy by a factor of ten, and his tongue flicked against hers.

Jenna was moving against him, her hands threaded through his long dark hair, trembling with how close she was to climax. He moved then to lay between her legs, poised over her, his heavy cock against the inside of her thigh.

His eyes met hers and very, very softly he growled.

In answer she took hold of him and placed the head of his penis against her opening; she laid her other hand at his hip and pressed him forward.

He held her gaze and his mouth parted in a moaning purr as he sank into her folds. It was fortunate he had such natural lubrication; at his size she was already stretched tight when he filled her.

He stayed there, his arms caging her, fully sheathed inside her, his body trembling against hers. His entrance had him pressing slow and hard against her clit and she was desperate for more. After a moment she reached down and pressed his hips back, urging him to pull out.

He didn’t fight her but his brow creased. As soon as he was out but for the head of his cock, she urged him inside again and his expression melted to one of aroused understanding.

He caught the rhythm quickly, his big body arched over hers. He nuzzled against her neck and with his rumbling purr it took only three thrusts of that hot cock for Jenna to come.

She was shaking from it and her climax just seemed to drive him higher. Her toes clenched as he plunged, driving himself deeper as his speed quickened. He drummed against her as no human man could have and Jenna’s mouth parted as another climax hit her.  His rumbling deepened and he thrust once more then stiffened. His fangs flashed, his face taut in pleasure, and she felt him pulse inside her as he came.