Coletti Warlords: Just Desserts (7 page)

Soulet hissed at Hank.
“The Tai-Kok are dead, are they not?”

“Only because of my expert sniper skills.”
Hank brushed a mangled Tai-Kok finger off his shoulder.

“Hiding in the rocks and shooting the enemy is not the act of a warrior.”

“It is where I come from, kitten,”
Hank retorted.

My gaze bounced from Hank to Soulet. Her tentacles were turning an odd red color. What was up with that?

“Lust,”
Zarek supplied.

“Get out of here. There’s no way.”

A touch of amusement in his voice, Zarek added,
“It seems Soulet’s breeding cycle has started.”

Holy moly. An Askole female lost in a mating frenzy could seriously damage her partner.
“Should I stun her?”

“No. She’s already marked him.”
Zarek tugged on my mind.
“You need to step back.”

“Why?”

“In case she goes into hyperspeed.”

“They can have sex while whirling around like an angry tornado?”

“Yes, but in some cases, it doesn’t end well,”
Zarek answered.

Ugh. I could only imagine.

Soulet’s tentacles abruptly wrapped around Hank’s skull.

With a low moan, Hank thrust a hand between Soulet’s legs and fondled her through the battle suit.

“Oh my God. He’s…he’s totally into it. Is it even possible?”

Zarek answered,
“Hank is now Coletti and a suitable partner.”

“You sneaky bastard. You planned this.”

“The Queen Mother’s actions created this situation, not mine, but the High Commander’s daughter would make a suitable addition to our family.”

Hank’s penis snaked out of his unsealed battle suit.

“Aw, shit. Hank, put it away. You don’t want to do this.”

Haki and Thor queried in unison,
“What they doing?”

“They’re, uh, playing.”

Haki squealed.
“Want play too.”

“Absolutely not! This play isn’t for babies, only adults.”

“Momma plays with Daddy like that?”

“Maybe. Sometimes. I’ll explain later.” Like when you’re twenty.

Soulet peeled off her battle suit.

Yikes. I turned my back.
“Time for a nap, kids.”

“Wanna watch,”
Haki whined.

“Children, you will sleep now,”
Zarek commanded.

And just like that, the kids were in slumberland. Neat trick.

Soulet roared.

I glanced over my shoulder.

Gripping Soulet’s ass, Hank pounded into her and sucked greedily at her right breast. The Askole’s tentacles wildly caressed his face and neck.

God, it was like watching a really hot porn movie. I wanted to turn away, but Zarek wouldn’t let me.

A throaty mewl escaped from Soulet as her body shivered and shook. She spun violently. When the spinning stopped, Hank had his cock rammed up Soulet’s butt while he finger fucked her weeping pussy.

Good God Almighty, I was getting turned on.
“Aren’t we kinda violating their privacy, sir?”

Zarek shot back,
“Do you wish Hank to die?”

“No.”

“Then we watch,”
the Overlord growled.

Soulet went into hyperspeed again. I caught fleeting glimpses of Hank’s bare ass, his tentacles disappearing down Soulet’s throat, and his face buried in her crotch.

“I’m surprised as hell he can still get it up.”

“He is Coletti,”
Zarek huffed.

“Right. What was I thinking?”

Soulet came to an abrupt stop on top of Hank, riding him as his hips pistoned madly, their bodies meeting in the sweaty slap of skin against skin.

Suckers sprouted at the end of Soulet’s tentacles.

My eyes widened.
“What are those?”

“They’re used to create a mate bond.”
Was there a note of concern in Zarek’s voice?

The suckers attached to Hank’s forehead.

I gasped.
“She’s claiming him?”

“It would seem so.”

“Will her Askole DNA override the Coletti?”

Every inch the Overlord of the Coletti clans, Zarek stated,
“That I will not allow.”

“He is newly made,”
I countered.

“Hank is blood of my blood. I have the ability to influence or correct any change to his DNA.”

“Will the High Commander be okay with them mating?”

“No, he has promised Soulet to Kall.”

A memory of an elderly Askole with dozens of medals adorning his uniform flashed across my mind.
“He’s a diplomat, right?”

“A very good one. He settled the dispute between Sariel and myself.”

“Isn’t he kind of old for Soulet?”

“Yes, but he’s wanted her since she was a child.”

Creepy old pervert. “
Soulet actually agreed to mate with him?”

“She had no choice. A mating agreement was signed.”

Hank groaned, a deep, shattered sound, and shuddered in release.

Soulet threw her head back and howled.
“Mine.”

“That agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on now.”

“A valid point,”
Zarek drawled grimly.

“Mine!”
Soulet cried again and collapsed on Hank.

Thank God they were finally done.
“How upset will Kall be?”

“He will demand Soulet’s death.”

Outrage shot through me.
“He can do that?”

“It’s within his rights, but she’s mine now. I will not allow Kall to harm her,”
Zarek responded.

“You know, sometimes I really like you.”

“I’m speechless at the honor,”
Zarek said drily.

Hank rudely dumped Soulet on the ground.
“What the hell just happened?”

“We are mated,”
Soulet exclaimed in obvious satisfaction.

“The hell we are.”

I handed Hank his battle suit.
“I’m afraid it’s true.”

Hank squawked,
“What? I didn’t agree to it.”

“Welcome to my world,”
I said sarcastically.

Baring her teeth in a snarl, Soulet growled,
“Being my mate is a great honor.”

“One I didn’t want or ask for,”
Hank retorted.

Zarek interrupted, his voice soft and menacing,
“Enough! Have you forgotten your mission? Keeping Kaylee and her son safe?”

Hank paled and dropped to one knee.
“My apologies, my lord.”

Soulet flinched and scrambled into her battle suit.

“Kaylee gave birth alone and unguarded,”
Zarek said, his tone lethal.

“But, the Tai-Kok attacked us,”
Soulet protested.

“A fight you could have simply avoided by teleporting away,”
Zarek answered coldly.

Hank shot Soulet an “I told you so” look.

“Everything turned out okay, sir,” I inserted quickly.

With a steely authority, the Overlord snapped,
“Did I ask for your input?”

“No, sir.”
I gulped.

Zarek turned his attention back to my bodyguards.
“I’m needed back at the battle zone. If you let anything happen to Kaylee or my grandson, you will not like the consequences. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, my lord,”
Soulet and Hank said in unison.

“Good.”

I let out a breath of relief when Zarek vanished from my mind.
“He’s gone. You’re safe.”

Hank snorted.
“Safe? Hardly.”
He grabbed his laser rifle.
“I’m going on patrol.”

Soulet scowled crossly.
“We need to talk.”

“No. We don’t.”
Buck naked, he started for the entrance.

I held up his battle suit. “Uh, Hank, you might need this.”

He turned, sighed, and marched back to me. “Thanks.”

Flashing him a mental picture of Grandpa Gargoyle, I added, “Be careful. He’s very fast and a tad bit pissed off.”

“Good. I need something to kill.” He vanished.

Soulet calmed herself with a visible effort and blurted out,
“Are all Coletti penises like his?”

“Say what?”

“Are all Coletti penises like his?”

Oh my God, she did want to discuss Hank’s man-parts.
“Pretty much.”

“They are small but surprisingly effective.”

Huh? I guess since her brother, Tihar, was hung like a bull elephant, that was what she was used to seeing.
“Whatever you do, never ever tell Hank he’s too small.”

Soulet’s shoulders sagged.
“Hank is very angry with me.”

“You did spring the whole ‘you’re my mate’ thing on him. Coletti warriors don’t like surprises.”

“He will adjust to being Askole.”

Oh, crap.
“Have you thought that it might be the other way around? The Coletti DNA would overcome the Askole DNA, and presto pop. You’re Coletti, like me.”

Her eyes widened in horror.
“I would become puny?”

A laugh broke from me.
“No. You will never be pint-size, but look on the bright side. You’d be able to teleport. Plus, that old creep, Kall, will never be able to lay a finger on you.”

Soulet shuddered.
“His touch made me want to slit my own throat.”

I caught fleeting memories of sagging gray skin and oozing open sores on his private parts. Ugh. Kall was downright puke worthy. I’d slit my own throat before I let him touch me too.
“You planned this, didn’t you?”

Her tentacles danced madly around her head.
“When I transported you onto my ship, I knew instantly Hank was my mate. I could not let him go.”

I nodded.
“If he is the other half of your soul, then it was meant to be. Now all you have to do is convince Hank.”

“A difficult task.”

“But not an impossible one.”

“Kall will demand my death.”

“Don’t worry about him. You’re under the Overlord’s protection now.”

Soulet’s eyes lit up with an unholy glow.
“I wish I could see my father’s and Kall’s faces when they find out.”

“Me too.”

Chapter Seven

I put Thor on my shoulder and patted his back. He burped loudly.
“That was a good one, little man.”

“Love Momma.”
He snuggled into my neck and closed his eyes.

“Love you too.”
I pressed a kiss on his head.

Haki was suddenly perched on my nose.
“Love me?”

“Yes, very much. Now, get off my face.”

“’Kay.”
He crawled down and cuddled with Thor.

Soulet gestured to Haki. “It’s hard to believe such small creatures are deadly warriors.”

“Haki is just a baby.”
I stroked his silky fur.
“The adults are as big as one of your dinner platters. They’re the best SWAT team in the galaxy. It took them less than five minutes to capture a Tai-Kok ship.”

“Impressive. How did this alliance come about?”

“Well, it’s a quite story.”

“One that I’m eager to hear.”
Soulet settled back against the rock wall.

“Okay. You know Talree and I were captured by the Rodan?”

“Yes, and you escaped.”

“We did, but our fighter was damaged, and we crash-landed on Jabal, the armpit of the galaxy.”

“It is said the insects can penetrate even our armor.”

“They’re utterly merciless. A biting, stinging horde intent on draining you dry.”
I rubbed my arms at the sudden itching sensation.
“But that wasn’t the worst of it. The heat and humidity smothered me, making it difficult to breathe.”

“You hadn’t converted yet?”

“No. I was still very human.”
I opened my mind and allowed Soulet to see and feel what I had.
“Welcome to hell.”

Thick clouds hung over the swamp. Rackety croaks and echoes of alien birdsong filled the air. The stench of rotting vegetation was nauseating. Glimmering white trunks of sausage-like trees poked out of the gray water.

Soulet cut in. “A most unpleasant planet.”

“It was purgatory. Here we were, stuck in the middle of nowhere without a boat or any other mode of transportation. The Rodan had doused Talree with Drakash, and he could only teleport two clicks at a time.”

“How far was it to the nearest spaceport?”

“A little over two hundred clicks.”

Soulet shook her head in disbelief.
“It’s a miracle you survived.”

“‘Defeat’ isn’t in Talree’s vocabulary.”

“Where did you meet the Tabors?”

“It’s easier if I show you. Is it okay if I do my version of a mind meld with you?”

There was a brief hesitation before Soulet answered,
“Yes.”

I linked minds with Soulet and focused on my memories of the swamp. Images flashed through my head. There. Our story started here…

Talree teleported us. Poof. We were knee-deep in sluggish gray water. Well, I was, anyway. The big guy not so much. What was up with the weird clumps of splotchy red slime clotting the surface? Larvae? Or something else?

The stench of death was overwhelming. “Ugh, what stinks?”

“Impossible to know.”

My gaze caught on the carcass of a dead whatever protruding from the muck. “Shit! Look at the size of that thing.”

Talree carefully surveyed the area. “Jaykals are hard to kill.”

My Siren senses had been on overload since we crashed. Every living creature in the quagmire wanted to eat us. “You think whatever did that is coming back?”

A horrible hissing rattle sounded from a nearby pile of rotting trees.

My radar shrieked a warning. “Get us out of here. Now!”

I caught a fleeting glimpse of a monstrous, toothy face a second before we teleported.

Right into a lake of stagnant green ooze. The nasty stuff clung to my jeans and leaked into my combat boots. Sweat stung my eyes and rolled down my face.

The heat and humidity didn’t seem to affect Talree. The lucky bastard. All I wanted was a cold beer and some serious time in a freezer.

Poof. Off we went again and again and again. Daylight and blackness flared like a malfunctioning strobe light. Slightly dizzy from being teleported a zillion times, I hung on to Talree for dear life.