Devoured: Brides of the Kindred 11 (5 page)

All
the things you wish you could have done with Nella,
whispered the voice of guilt in his head. Garron pushed
it away with some difficulty.

“I want you,” he told the Puppet thickly.
“No, I
need
you.
Now.”

“Oh, I…” The puppet blushed even redder,
if that was possible and tried to take a step back. “Perhaps another model,
warrior. I am…still so new.”

“No,” Garron growled, his lust and her
sweet scent overcoming his inhibitions and even his guilt. “You. I must have
you.
Come.” He reached out a hand for
her and in a moment, the Pairing Puppet put her hand in his obediently.

“My…I have a room upstairs,” she said
hesitantly.

But a quick encounter wasn’t what Garron
had in mind. He needed to take his time, to explore the hidden urges he’d been
suppressing for years. And he needed to take her someplace private, just in
case his
dr’gin
came out at last.

“No.” He shook his head firmly. “I need
you to come with me.”

“I…but I…” She shook her head, her big,
dark eyes wide with what honestly looked like fear.

Garron frowned. “Aren’t you programmed to
serve?”

“Of…of course I am.” She cleared her
throat. “I’m just…I mean, forgive me, warrior.”

Abruptly the fear in her eyes got to him.
Even though he knew it was a simulated emotion, he couldn’t help reacting to
it.

“Hey…” He turned and cupped her cheek,
lifting her chin to make her meet his eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he
said softly. “I just want…I just need to…I need a release. That’s all.” And in
that moment, he really meant it. Though he had felt his blood boiling and the
beast within him growing closer to the surface, for some reason just being near
this little Pairing Puppet seemed to cool him down. His need was just as strong
but as he touched her, he found that his blood no longer boiled until he felt
he might explode.

I can
do this,
he told himself.
I can take her without hurting her. I can appease the dr’gin within and
not let it out. I’m sure of it. As long as I can touch her…as long as I can
taste her, I’ll be all right.

The girl—
no puppet, she’s only a puppet,
he reminded himself—stared at him,
wide eyed and trembling for a long moment. Then, slowly, she nodded her head.

“All right. I…I’ll come with you.”

“Good.” Garron knew he would have been
within his rights to pick her up and carry her off by force. She was, after
all, just a mechanical puppet, built to ease the needs of the unmated Kindred
aboard the ship. But he didn’t like to treat a female like that—not even an
artificial one. “Come,” he told her, tugging gently at her hand.

After a moment, she followed him.

Chapter
Seven

Oh my
God, are you crazy? What are you doing? Are you actually
going
with him?
The little voice in Tess’s
head was screaming and yet somehow she felt powerless to do anything but let
the big Kindred who had picked her lead her along the narrow streets of the
Unmated Males area. Other Kindred went about their business, walking to and
fro, talking and arguing and laughing—none of them seemed to notice that she
was being taken away to who knows where to do who knows what with a strange
man.

Of
course they don’t notice—it’s no big deal because they think you’re a freaking
Pairing Puppet!
the little voice yelled.
And don’t kid yourself with all this ‘going who knows where to do who
knows what’ crap! You know
exactly
where
you’re going and what you’re going to be expected to do once you get there.

Yes, that was true enough. There had been
hunger in his brilliant turquoise eyes when the big Kindred looked at her. No,
not just hunger—he looked like he was
starving
and he thought Tess was the one who could finally satiate his appetite.
There was no doubt what he was going to want to do the minute they got back to
his room. Just the memory of that hot look sent a shiver through Tess’s entire
body.

How long had it been since anyone had
stared at her like that? She’d been with Pierce for so long it was hard to
remember if one of the two guys she’d dated before him had ever wanted her as
badly as the big warrior seemed to. Pierce himself, of course, had just taken
her for granted—she had never been allowed to deny him or to take pleasure from
their relations so sex had become a mechanical act—just another chore to be
done in order to keep her husband happy. To keep him from “punishing” her.

And now, here was this Kindred—a big,
handsome, muscular warrior with spiky black hair and the most flat out gorgeous
eyes Tess had ever seen—saying that he needed her. He had even chosen her
specifically over every other girl in the room. True, she was the only real one
there but he didn’t know that. He could have had Blondie or one of the puppets
shaped like Barbie with a tiny wasp waist, legs up to her ears and big E cup
boobs. Instead he had chosen, short, plump Tess. Why?

It
doesn’t matter why. And it doesn’t matter that he chose you out of everyone
else. You can’t just go with him and let him…let him do whatever he wants.

Tess nibbled her lower lip indecisively.
Should she run? But that would alert the big Kindred that she wasn’t who—or
rather what—she’d claimed to be. That, in turn, could bring her to the
attention of the other Kindred. And if they found out she was hiding out on the
Mother Ship illegally she could get into a lot of trouble. Not to mention she’d
be deported back to Earth where Pierce would probably find her within
twenty-four hours.

But
are you seriously going to have sex with him, just to avoid getting into
trouble?
the little voice demanded.
I mean, honestly Tess—is it worth it? You
don’t even know him!

Tess knew the little voice was right. She
couldn’t just go have sex with a stranger—no matter how gorgeous he was. But
how could she get away without arousing his suspicion?

As she was wavering uncertainly, the big
Kindred turned down another narrow street that was more like an alley and
stopped in front of a sliding metal door which had been painted green.

“This is my room,” he rumbled, his deep
voice sending a shiver through Tess’s entire body.

Before she could respond in any way, the
green metal panel slid open and he stepped inside, pulling her along with him.

Tess felt like her heart had jumped into
her throat when the green door slid silently into place behind them.
Okay, it’s okay. You’re going to think of a
way out of this. Take it easy,
she told herself frantically. Trying to
still her racing pulse, she looked around and saw what looked like an
efficiency apartment.

It was bachelor neat with a kitchenette in
one corner and a small study desk in another. The third corner held a large,
comfortable armchair and, to Tess’s surprise, a small collection of the same
old-fashioned books that were available back at the Pairing House.

But when she turned to the fourth corner
her heart, which had begun to slow, started racing again. There was a huge bed,
neatly made up with a dark blue coverlet and several thick pillows arranged
against the headboard.

Oh my
God, the bed—that’s his bed,
yammered the little
voice inside her head.
And holy crap,
Tess—he’s already undressing!

Indeed, he was. Tess fought to keep her
emotions from showing on her face as the big warrior unbuttoned his royal blue
uniform shirt and shrugged it off his massive shoulders. She watched, her mouth
dry, as the broad planes of his muscular chest were revealed. He had smooth,
tan skin and his shoulders were fully twice as broad as hers. He threw the
shirt carelessly on the bed and his big hands dropped to his belt.

Not
that it looks like he needs a belt to hold those trousers up,
the little voice in Tess’s head pointed out.
They’re tight enough to stay up with no help
at all—especially in the crotch!

It was true. Though she tried not to look,
she couldn’t help seeing the absolutely massive bulge in the tight black
leather trousers.
Geeze, is he smuggling
a python in his pants or is he just happy to see me?
She had a feeling she
was about to find out. He was already starting to unbuckle his belt and any
minute his ginormous trouser snake was going to come popping out and she, Tess,
was going to have to deal with it.

Time
to make a decision,
the little voice
said.
Are you going to stay here and
actually have sex with a guy who looks big enough to literally split you in two
or are you going to blow your cover and make a run for it?

Tess had absolutely no idea. Her heart was
racing faster and faster, pumping so hard she could feel it shaking her entire
body. Her mouth was dry with fear and her palms were damp. She watched, frozen
to the spot, as the warrior’s large, well formed hands unbuckled his belt.

What
am I going to do? Oh, God—what am I going to do?

But when the belt was unbuckled, he made
no move to open his trousers. Instead he motioned to Tess.

“Come here.” His voice was deep with need
but soft…almost coaxing.

“Why?” Tess blurted out before she
realized it was a very un-robotic thing to say.

He frowned. “Not going to hurt you, little
one. I just need to hold you before…”

Before
what?
Tess wanted to ask but she was already pushing
the limit of what a Pairing Puppet would do and say. Even though she had the
big Kindred convinced she was a new prototype, he was going to get suspicious
if she kept questioning everything he said and refusing to obey orders.

“Come here,” he said again and Tess found
herself taking a step forward.

Are
you crazy? Don’t go! Run!
the little voice
screamed. But she took another step toward him anyway. Maybe it was the soft
way he spoke to her in that deep, rumbling baritone voice. Or maybe it was the
way he’d called her “little one” but she found herself unable to turn away,
unable to run.

The warrior took one long stride towards
her and suddenly Tess found herself enfolded in his arms. She stiffened at
first as he drew her to him, wrapping those long, muscular arms around her
shivering shoulders and pulling her close to his broad chest. He was so tall
she barely came up to his pecs and so big she felt completely surrounded by his
large form.

Danger,
shouted the little voice in her head.
Get away, get out, he’s going to hurt you!

Except, the big Kindred didn’t seem to
want to do anything of the kind. In fact, it seemed like he just wanted to…hold
her.

Well
this is weird,
Tess thought after a
minute as he held her close.
Weird but
also…kind of nice.

It
was
nice. As they just stood there and the warrior didn’t try to do anything
sexual, Tess found herself relaxing. When was the last time she’d been hugged
like this? Maybe back when she and Pierce were dating but her ex had never been
much of a snuggler. He seemed to think that sex was the only expression of
physical affection that really counted. Everything else was stupid girly crap
and completely unnecessary.

The Kindred warrior who was holding her
didn’t seem to feel that way. In fact, he seemed to really be enjoying just
being close to her. At least, if the way he was running his big, warm hands up
and down her back, stroking her spine and caressing her hair was any
indication, he did.

Against her better judgment, Tess found
herself melting against him. She didn’t know him—had never seen him before
today. And yet…there was something strangely familiar about this man. His arms
around her were comforting and his broad, hard chest against her cheek felt
warm and good. Tess could hear his heartbeat, even and slow. Also, being this
close to him she couldn’t help noticing that he smelled absolutely
amazing.

God,
what is that scent? Some kind of alien aftershave?
But the warm, rich aroma wasn’t like any aftershave or
cologne Tess had ever smelled. There was nothing artificial about it —it was
just a warm, clean musk that was dark and spicy and somehow completely
masculine.
Like someone managed to bottle
the basic male essence or something,
Tess thought dreamily.
They should call it Ode de Hunk or Essence
of Hottie or something like that…

The warrior pulled her even closer and
lowered his head to bury his face in her hair.

“Gods, you smell good,” he rumbled in her
ear, his warm breath caressing the sensitive side of her neck. “And you feel
good in my arms.” He sighed deeply, his broad chest expanding with the gesture.
“I’m so glad I found you before it was too late. My blood was boiling but
you…you sooth it, little one.”

I do?
How? We haven’t even done anything yet.

Almost as though he’d heard her thoughts,
the big warrior pulled back a little and looked down into her eyes.

“Come,” he growled softly. Keeping an arm
around her shoulders, he led her the few short steps to the bed.

Oh my
God! Okay, here we go…

Tess’s heart, which had almost slowed down
to normal, started pounding again and she felt her entire body go tense. Was he
done cuddling now? Was he going to turn mean? Strip off her clothing and throw
her on the bed and—

But the big Kindred simply sat down on the
side of the big bed and pulled Tess between his legs. She stood there stiffly,
facing him, uncertain of what he wanted.

“Closer,” he murmured, pulling her into
his arms again. He was so tall they were almost face to face, even with him
sitting and her standing but he ducked his head and pressed his cheek to her
chest, just above her cleavage.

Now
what?
Tess thought. But his gesture tugged at
her heart somehow. It was almost as though the big warrior was asking for
comfort, even though he didn’t say it out loud. Without meaning to, she found
she was carding her fingers through his thick, black spiky hair and humming
softly. His cheek against her chest was slightly rough with stubble but Tess
found she didn’t mind—she liked the scratchy sensation and the warmth of his
skin against hers.

She had the strangest feeling she knew him
from somewhere but that was crazy—she’d never seen him before in her life, she
was sure of it. After all, it wasn’t like he was someone you could forget. With
his huge, muscular physique and those pure, deep turquoise eyes fringed with inky
black lashes, he would stand out anywhere.

“Gods, I can hear your heart,” he murmured
at last.

Tess stiffed in his arms, her hands frozen
in his hair.

“I…uh…”

“It’s truly amazing, this Kindred
technology,” he continued, nuzzling against her. “If we had such things on
Rai’ku, perhaps…” He trailed off with a sigh.

Perhaps
what?
Tess was relieved that he’d put her very
real heartbeat down to amazing artificial technology but this one-sided conversation
was becoming extremely frustrating. Where was Rai’ku? Was he not really
Kindred? He certainly
looked
Kindred
although she hadn’t seen any other warrior with such extraordinary eyes before.
Also, what was his name? She found herself wanting to ask but she was afraid a
real Pairing Puppet wouldn’t do that. From what she’d seen, they acted very
mechanically—wanting to know their client’s name probably wasn’t in their
programming.

“If only you were real,” he murmured,
breaking her train of thought.

If you
only knew…
Tess wondered if she
ought to say something. Maybe if she explained her situation he would
understand. Maybe…