Helion (5 page)

Time was running out on her rumination though. Gwen finished
up quickly before scrambling to dry herself and don the clothing Verdun had
acquired for her. Thankfully they were familiar items, cotton pajama bottoms
with a long-sleeved cotton shirt, both in a pleasing shade of lavender. Thick
socks were also provided and Gwen could only marvel at Verdun’s resourcefulness.
How he had gotten these items, and so quickly, was a marvel. She made a mental
note to ask him about procuring some things for Evelyn as well, so her own
supply didn’t get wasted by this detour in captivity. She brushed her hair out
as she composed a mental list of the things she’d like to ask for, enjoying the
simple pleasure of having clean hair and a soft brush to smooth it with.

Gwen was still brushing her hair when Helion returned with
Verdun and a few other Keepers who were burdened with a large bed. Helion came
to stand right next to her and watched as Verdun arranged everything in the
corner opposite to Helion’s bed. The bed was piled high with fluffy pillows and
soft-looking blankets, which Gwen ached to test out. In short order Verdun and
his men were bowing their way back out of the tent, which unfortunately left
her alone again with his Royal Coldness, who was even now staring at Gwen with
an uncomfortable intensity.

Helion couldn’t help but stare. Now it was clean, the woman’s
hair gleamed with deep red fire. She smelled fresh now as well and now the
grime had been removed her skin was revealed to be a lovely ivory shade, pearly
and soft. Touchable. The drowsy, half-lidded gaze she turned up to him put him
to thinking of instilling passion in those eyes instead of weariness. He wanted
lust, not sleep, to soften that expression. It was foolish but he’d been
without sex for a long time. Very few Keeper females were allowed to come on
these campaigns and abstinence never had sat well with him.

It didn’t set well with his men either. When he’d left the
tent to give her privacy, his men had peppered him with questions about the
girl. His men were as curious as he was about the human females. Having a woman
and babe in the camp in the midst of a war was unheard of but these
circumstances were unique. He’d sent one of his stealthiest and most ruthless
scouts, Braith, to investigate the refugee camp a few miles away. He wanted to
know why the idea of going there had terrified the girl so. He’d get to the
bottom of it but in the meantime, Gwen and Evelyn were his to protect.

“Did you enjoy your bath, my lady?” he asked finally, aware
as always how his nearness and gaze discomfited the woman. She was fidgeting
even now, gripping the hairbrush with unnecessary force. But she met his eye
and that aroused him more.

“Very much, Commander, thank you,” she replied softly. It
was probably the influence of the woman’s fatigue but he could practically
taste her fear giving way to a drowsy sort of lust. She was staring at him
almost helplessly, as if she wanted to look away from him but could not.

“You need to rest, little mother,” Helion said finally. “You
may sleep sound tonight. Our enemies cannot find this camp, nor get through my
warriors and me.”

He gestured her toward the bed, a delicate piece. He spied
the artistic hand of Tohran in its construction, just like the cradle. For all
his seeming laziness, Tohran was a fine artist who specialized in bending wood
to his will. Back on their home planet, Tohran’s artistic furniture was much
sought after and highly prized.

The little woman stood, her legs a little wobbly from
fatigue. Standing only put her even with the bottom of his chest, which she’d
dropped her gaze to stare at. Helion would have been amused by the upsurge in
her warmer feelings but her reaction to his body only made his own respond in
kind.

“Commander, I have to thank you for what you’ve done for me
and my daughter. I know without you and your men, Evie and I would be dead now.
I owe you our lives, and more, for all the care you’ve shown us tonight. We
haven’t been warm or had a real bed to sleep in for such a long time. So
really, thank you.” Her cheeks were a bit rosy after all that, a condition that
fascinated Helion. He wondered if the color spread all over her body.

“Your thanks are appreciated but not necessary. It is a
Keeper’s duty to see to the safety and comfort of women and children, be they
Keeper, human, mage or shifter kind. But if you truly wish to show me your
gratitude, you will get into the bed quickly and fall asleep even quicker.”

Being this close to her was too much of a temptation, so
Helion strolled over to his own bed before he gave in to the urge to strip
those unattractive garments from Gwen’s body and lay her out on the table for a
little feasting. He thrust off his robe. As sensitive as his skin felt, the
gown was only an irritation and he always slept in the nude.

Helion heard Gwen choke and looked back sharply, only to
find her staring at his ass, mouth agape. Really, his little captive was so
prudish. But the flush on her cheeks and the admiration in her eyes was
flattering. He was no stranger to being lusted after; back home the Keeper
women found him very pleasing. But their interest had as much to do with his
position at the court and his military prowess as it did his looks. Gwen knew
nothing about his standing back home, so all her admiration was just for him,
and that felt good.

“See something you like?” he drawled, arching one wicked
white brow.

Gwen’s gaze jumped north immediately to lock with his,
looking abashed. Helion wasn’t embarrassed though. If she gave him permission,
he’d show her a lot more. She seemed incapable of answering his challenge,
however. He’d caught her ogling his ass and she was wise enough not to lie and
deny it. Helion loathed liars, expecting honesty from all under his command.

“S-sorry, Commander,” she stuttered, before dashing farther
away from him to the young one’s crib, which she attempted to drag across the
floor. It was quite a heavy piece and the woman was still weak from fatigue.
She pulled harder and it inched forward slowly but not even half a foot later Helion
found himself standing at her back. Standing behind her, naked as the day he
was born, was a nearly irresistible temptation.

His Gwen focused her eyes on her daughter’s sweet sleeping
face. Helion mentally dared her to turn around. He wanted her to get an eyeful
of the front of his body so she’d see what she did to him, but she remained
stubbornly still. So he moved his heat even closer, until his entire front was
molded to her back. He circled his long arms around her to cover her hands
where they gripped the sides of the crib. The long sweep of his hair drifted
forward to fall over her shoulder, caressing the side of her right cheek before
he allowed his lips to lightly touch her ear.

“What are you doing, lady?” His lips spoke softly right into
that ear, absorbing the shiver of reaction that pulsed through her body. He
desperately wanted to grind his cock into her round ass but he kept his hips pulled
back a little. No need to spook his prey.

He felt her swallow a few times before she replied, “The
cradle, I need it next to me in bed. Evie will wake in the night and need
diaper changes and more feedings.” Her voice quivered a bit but Helion knew it
wasn’t fear she felt. He could taste her lust on his tongue at this point but
she successfully resisted his silent urging to rub herself back against him.

“Allow me, my lady. Get into that bed while you still can.”
His voice rumbled now in her ear, sending shivers once again through her body. His
captive had a very responsive body and her ears were a trigger spot. He’d make
sure to remember that for the future. Her body was undeniably preparing itself
for him anyway. Odds were she was drenched and aching to be filled and all he’d
done was whisper in her ear. Once he got his lips and hands on that sweet,
rounded body, she’d be his.

But apparently, not tonight. It took her a minute but then
she did as he told her. Her hands were gently tugged out from under his much
larger ones before she gingerly pushed her way out of the circle of his arms. She
rushed over to the bed and somehow managed not to take a peek at Helion’s naked
body. Her eyes were kept firmly on the bedding as she crawled underneath the
covers and Helion could only marvel at her self-control.

“There you are, little mother. I trust you will both sleep
well this night. If you have need of me, call out and I will come to you.”

From his own bed Helion watched both females as they slept,
snug in their blankets. He indulged in a moment of regret Gwen hadn’t taken him
up on the subtle hints he’d been dropping. He knew she was interested; he could
smell the intensity of her desire, but she was exhausted. It was doubtful she
could keep up with his sexual drive even fully rested, much less completely
exhausted. Rest was something he himself needed if he was to go into battle
again in a few hours. Verdun would be left in charge of seeing to her needs but
he would also leave a shadow scout to watch her movements covertly. She’d made
it more than clear she didn’t want to be here, but if she tried to leave…well.
He’d warned her.

Gwen felt as if she was swimming through layers of sludge,
trying to get her eyes open. She heard the sound of clinking metal, the subdued
voices of men and the soft grunts of her daughter stirring for a feeding. But
it was so hard to wake. Her body still cried out for rest and the heavenly
warmth under the covers was almost impossible to leave. But Evelyn’s grunts
became increasingly irate, culminating in a short little cry, which propelled
Gwen to full wakefulness in a heartbeat.

She sprang up in bed with a moan, rubbing sleep out of her
eyes and pushing her hair off her face. Slowly everything came into focus as
she gently lifted Evie out of the cradle for a quick soothing cuddle before
looking around for their duffel bag so she could change Evie’s diaper before
she ate. But their bag was no longer where she had dropped it by the table.
What she saw instead was a perfectly groomed Helion, once again in his armor,
eating a meal with four other Keepers, conversing in a strange-sounding
language. It was beautiful, lyrical and totally foreign.

Now the blood had been washed from Helion’s hair, it had an
incandescent glow to it in the morning light streaming into the tent. Such
glorious hair, falling thick and straight down his back. It really should have
been feminine but it was entirely masculine on him. God, she’d never seen such
a hot man in her whole life. Sex on legs. So focused was she on Helion’s hair
Gwen didn’t notice all the Keepers had gone quiet and were staring at her.

“Good morning, my lady,” Helion called out, his face
impassive.

None of the previous night’s flirtatiousness echoed this
morning, if it had occurred at all. Gwen told herself she was grateful not to
have his attention in that way but knew she was lying to herself. The previous
night seemed like a dream to her. Seeing his naked body from behind,
remembering with embarrassment how she’d contemplated feeling him up…and more.
Gwen thought back and had to wonder whether her captor’s statements had really
been as heavily laden with innuendo as she imagined. Had he really been
tempting her to look at him, to touch him?

Regardless, the bed she’d been given was like a cloud, the
blankets soft and warm, the pillows plush. Her poor, tired body had sunk into
it with a sigh of pure pleasure and a moan of delight. Once she’d been assured
that Evie was slumbering deeply, so warm, safe, and content, Gwen had leaned
back into the pillows and given herself up to sleep, a pair of cold green eyes
lingering in her mind as she succumbed.

“Would you care to break your fast?”

Gwen hesitated, not wanting to be rude but one hundred
percent not willing to sit with five intimidating males while she wore only
thin pajamas and had sleep-mussed hair.

“Thank you, but I need to change Evelyn and feed her before
I have breakfast,” she replied, jerking her gaze from Helion’s with effort to
once again try to locate the bag with their supplies. “Do you know where my bag
is, Commander?”

Helion gestured to Verdun, who pulled her duffel out of one
of the intricately carved wooden chests against the far wall of the tent. He
brought it to Gwen quickly, releasing it with a small bow. She changed her girl
efficiently, trying to ignore how closely Verdun seemed to be observing the
act. As were the other Keepers. One would think they’d never seen a baby’s
diaper being changed before. Then again, maybe they hadn’t. Who knew what
differences there might be in Keeper society?

“My lady, that garment you just removed from the young lady,
will you be needing that cleansed?” Verdun asked, holding his hand out for the
small white object.

Gwen stared at him dumbly for a moment, still not totally
awake. Then she realized he was asking if he needed to wash Evie’s diaper.

“No, Verdun, these are disposable diapers. Once a baby soils
these, we throw them away.”

“I see. In that case, I assume you will be needing many more
of these ‘diapers’ for the young lady?”

Gwen hesitated in her reply. She did need more diapers. The
ones she’d filched from Walmart wouldn’t last very long but she’d much rather
go get more herself. Racking up obligations with these aliens was the last
thing she wanted to do. Gwen wanted to earn her keep and take care of her and
Evelyn’s needs.

“I will need more. I’m very low on diapers and wipes for the
baby. Perhaps, Commander, you would be willing to allow me to make a run for
supplies.” Gwen looked Helion in the eyes as she made the suggestion, so she
didn’t miss how they hardened and narrowed on her.

“You will not leave the safety of this camp, little mother.
You will supply Verdun with a list of your needs and the items will be procured
for you.”

The cold Commander stood then and walked to the bed to stare
down at her from his great height, a rather obvious attempt at physical
intimidation. Which worked, damn him.

“I am leaving with most of my men to go battle the Scourge.
Verdun will remain here to see to your needs. You may leave this tent as you
desire but you will not leave the camp. Understood?”

Gwen gathered Evie to her chest and stared up at Helion’s
implacable, absurdly handsome face. The promise of the punishment he’d warned
of lingered unspoken in the air. Now, in the company of his men, was not the
time to challenge his dictates. She knew that. So she swallowed her instinctive
rebellion at being ordered around and just nodded.

“Good. We shall return later today. Verdun, please take good
care of the lady and her daughter. And be sure she gets plenty of food and rest.
Nathal’s orders.”

Then with an elegant bow in her direction, Helion turned and
motioned his men out of the tent and was about to follow them out when he
stopped suddenly at the tent entrance. He turned and stared at Gwen intently,
his focus unnerving. He stood there in the sun, his golden armor and his
gleaming white hair catching the light. He looked like an angel—cold, detached
but so beautiful it hurt to look at him.

“Something you should know about Keepers is that we have
very enhanced senses. Compared to humans, our smell, sight, hearing and taste
are all much more developed than those of your people. We can sense lies and we
can smell emotions such as fear, anger…arousal.”

Gwen watched Helion warily, her trepidation bleeding into
total dismay. Then Helion smiled in such a way that Gwen shuddered, imagining a
wolf spotting prey.

“Just keep that in mind for when I return, Lady Gwen. You
have been warned. If I continue to smell the wet heat of your desire when I
return, I could assume you wish to be bent over that bed before I shed my
armor.”

He left the tent before Gwen could pick her jaw up from the
floor and form a reply. Her thighs trembled and her sex was slick, so he wasn’t
wrong. Just the idea of being bent over the bed pushed her desire higher. It
was so wrong but she wanted him, wanted him badly. She wanted to stroke his
long hair and feel it all over her naked body. She wanted to rub her hands all
over his incredible form and chase them closely with her mouth. It’d been so
long since she’d had a man on top of her she was nearly panting from just the
fantasy of it.

It was tempting to find some relief by her own hand but if
it was true Keepers could smell arousal, then every Keeper in the tent this
morning had known she lusted after their Commander. How embarrassing! She was
literally a universe out of his league. She needed to forget about Helion and
focus on Evie, who was practically tearing at her shirt to reach her breakfast.
Gwen smiled at her and quickly put her to the breast, stroking her soft hair as
she grunted like a little piglet. As long as she focused on Evie and their
survival, everything would work out. Gwen just needed to find a way to escape
that wouldn’t bring Helion’s wrath on her. How hard could that be?

Well…possibly a lot harder than she hoped. Gwen thought back
to the previous day as Evie ate her fill. What a chaotic day, full of such
highs and lows she hardly knew what to think about. There’d been so much fear
and so much anguish, followed by relief and hope. The Keepers had shown no
signs they intended to harm her or Evelyn. The Commander was autocratic and
annoying but even so he hadn’t harmed her even when she’d attempted to defy
him. But now…now he was adding a whole new element to her reluctant
preoccupation with him. Obviously she’d known he was good-looking, all Keepers
were. Helion was freakishly gorgeous, however, and all she’d seen of him up
until last night had been his head.

But now…it seemed like he really did desire her. And what
should she do about that? He wasn’t the monster she’d thought at first. His
statement about a Keeper’s duty still puzzled her. Why would his duty be to see
to the safety of all women and children? She’d heard nothing about this aspect
of Keepers. Well, actually she’d heard practically nothing about them at all
except rumors and suspicion. If Helion spoke true, it would be a tremendous
relief to her peace of mind. But then he’d reached his own bed last night and
without hesitation stripped off his robe, leaving him stark naked to her
stunned eyes. She’d thought his chest was stunning but the sight of his broad
back and muscled thighs, meeting at a truly spectacular ass that was skimmed by
the long fall of his beautiful white hair… Who knew such long hair on a man
could be so, well, thigh-quiveringly sexy?

If he actually returned her interest, where did that leave
her? Having an affair with the sexy Keeper couldn’t be anything but a mistake.
They were just too different. And Gwen couldn’t afford to have a booty call
when her attention needed to remain on Evie. Keeping her daughter safe was the
only thing Gwen had to live for since the invasion. She needed to find a way to
deflect Helion’s attention away from her, at least until she could think of a
way to escape. But how?

The hours passed far too quickly for Gwen’s taste and she
was no closer to a solution by evening than she was in the morning. After her
last interaction with Helion, she wasn’t looking forward to stirring things up
with him again. She’d spent the entire day resting, taking care of Evie and
eating the delicious food Verdun brought to her. She’d actually been able to
play with Evie without fear of being overheard or caught and while Evie napped
she’d been able to have a sleep as well. She hadn’t had a day this relaxing
since before Evie was born.

But of course, in the back of her mind at all times was the
problem of Helion. As sexy as she found him, sleeping with him was not on the
table. Or the bed. But how to discourage a creature that could literally smell
when she got hot? Human men couldn’t do that! Maybe if she thought about all
the things she found disgusting while in the same room with Helion, then she
could trick herself into not responding physically.

Dozens of thoughts ran through her mind then. Poopy diapers.
Spiders. Scourge. Her stretch marks from having a baby. Chihuahuas. Instead of
comparing Helion’s eyes to the deepest jade, she could picture nuclear boogers.
Instead of seeing his hair as a blanket of snowfall in winter, it could be Alfredo
sauce. Bleh. And if all that failed, she could picture herself and her pesky
extra pounds getting naked next to Helion’s completely perfect body.

Soon it became a refrain in her head. Boogers, diapers,
creepy white sauce. Boogers, diapers, creepy white sauce. She may have even
said it out loud a few times. Verdun had definitely looked at her askance once
or twice. But mostly he just observed Evelyn. It was actually sort of sweet. He
asked to learn how to change her diaper and how to change her clothes. He didn’t
try to observe her breastfeeding but he watched her give Evie little bites of
baby food. It was strange, being around this Keeper who actually seemed engaged
in everything about her daughter. Even Evelyn’s own father hadn’t wanted
anything to do with her, or Gwen herself, once she was pregnant.

Too soon though she heard the sound of commotion outside the
tent, along with the distinct whooshing sound she now knew heralded a
lightstepping Keeper. She’d asked Verdun how they did that little move, how
they were able to move so fast. His answer had been extremely vague, a
non-answer really. He just said it was a talent they had as Keepers, the ability
to cut through the air at high speeds. Just another advantage in a race
literally saturated with special gifts, it seemed.

Helion came striding into the tent just then and for a
moment Gwen froze. He looked as he had when she’d first met him, covered in gore
with a dangerous, predatory look in his eyes. It was a look that said he’d
enjoyed his work and was looking forward to going back to the office. Gwen felt
herself responding to him in a basic, primitive way, like a woman greeted her
man who’d been to war and back.

And then his gaze swung around to meets hers and the breath
literally stilled inside her lungs. That look went completely through her,
questioning, daring. It said he knew her body was responding to him and he was
ready to accommodate her. For one weak moment she wanted to throw caution to
the winds and run over and kiss his lips off. But then Helion’s eyes lit,
literally lit from within, like a demon’s. And just like that Gwen snapped
herself together again and fell back on her plan. Spiders, boogers, diapers,
white sauces!

“Hello, Commander. You’re looking very…uh… It seems you
found some Scourge today…” Her voice trailed off, not sure how to continue with
that polite attempt at chitchat. Half her brain was occupied thinking about
gross things just to tamp down her libido and the other half left over wasn’t a
scintillating conversationalist. She could only blame Helion for that. The way
he was looking at her was so intense and feral she was moments away from lying
on her back and giving him a blank check.

Well, he had been looking at her that way. Now his
expression went from hot to confused to amused. Gwen regretted the sexy look
was gone but amusement was a much safer emotion.