Sex, Love, and Aliens 2 (25 page)

By this time it was clear to Kory that they were evenly matched in tactics, so the fight became more of a punching and kicking match than knife play. The warrior spun under one of Kory’s solid punches and managed to kick out with a leg. The shot caught Kory sideways in his ribs and sent him to the ground in a groan of pain. He rolled inward, putting one arm around his middle to protect his injured side.

But the warrior didn’t go in for the kill. He stood looking down at him.

“My orders are not to kill you. I am to capture you for deprograming.”

Kory looked up, his face twisted with pain. “Go to hell,” he spat.

The skittering of rocks had them both turning to the outcropping of boulders. Kory pushed himself up on one elbow and followed the TEV’s line of vision. Freya stood there, brandishing the warrior’s discarded blaster. Even in the moonlight he could see she was terrified. The weapon wobbled in her hand.

“No,” Kory whispered. His heart sunk. Why didn’t she stay hidden? Stay safe? “Get down, Freya!”

The warrior looked back at him and cocked his head. Kory was afraid of what the TEV warrior saw in his face in that instant. In the blink of an eye, the TEV warrior brought his knife back and let it fly. Freya fell out of sight with a cry of pain.

Kory let out a bellow of rage and sank both his knives into the warrior’s stomach. The TEV gasped and collapsed. Kory scrambled to his feet, ignoring the bruised twinge in his ribs, and hurried over to Freya. Fear and rage poured through him, and his heart almost stopped as he saw her supine body lying completely still.

“No,” he muttered. “No! Freya!”

As soon as he reached her side, she sat up.

“Did you get him?”

Kory had the distinct feeling of his jaw dropping, but all his thoughts scattered in the wind. All he could do was look at her, check her over to make sure she wasn’t hurt, and then haul her into his arms to crush her to his chest.

“Kory, I’m fine,” she said in a muffled voice.

“I thought his blade had hurt you.”

“You don’t live as long as I have in this world without learning how to duck,” she replied as she pushed away from him. “Is he dead?”

“Very soon he will be,” Kory promised. “The TEV have cybernetic brains, but the rest of them is organic.”

“Let’s make sure. I don’t relish the thought of having him survive to hunt us again.”

Kory helped her up but kept her hand firmly entrenched in his. They made their way back to the fallen TEV warrior who stared at them in a mixture of pain and confusion.

“I knew she was your reason,” the warrior whispered. Blood poured from his wounds like an inky black river.

“She is my woman,” Kory told him coldly. “I will
always
fight for her.”

The warrior tried to nod, but it seemed the effort was too much. He stared at them until the life in his eyes faded. Kory bent, removed his knives, and wiped them clean on the dead warrior’s clothing before he sheathed them.

“I know you’re probably tired,” Kory said. “But we should get as far away from here as possible.”

“I couldn’t sleep now if my life depended on it,” Freya murmured. “You lead, and I’ll follow.”

Chapter 6

They walked through the night, not stopping even though Freya’s feet ached and she desperately needed to sit down. The TEV warrior had scared her. Not for herself, but for Kory.

Watching them battle, despair had sliced through her when she saw the warrior standing over Kory and she thought he was ready for the kill. She had been desperate to help Kory. In that moment she had realized her need to fight back, so she’d picked up the blaster and had stared down the warrior who could end her in the blink of an eye.

The knife had missed her by a hair, and she’d stared up at the star-filled night, heart thundering in relief. When Kory had cried her name, full of pain and despair, something clicked in her heart, as if it recognized the person who held the other half. It was tremendously stupid to believe the alien, to get her hopes up that Kory had somehow found his way back to her side, but all her hesitation and disbelief abruptly melted away. The revelation startled her.

Freya hadn’t said anything to him. She simply pushed on, once again following him, and took comfort in the fact that they were together. As dawn crested the horizon and strands of gold bathed over the land, Kory halted. He pointed to a cave that sat back a distance.

“Are we stopping?” she asked, slightly out of breath.

“I think it best,” he replied. “Stay here, and let me make sure there aren’t any animals claiming it.”

Freya did as he ordered, because she was exhausted and doubted she had the energy to fight off anything more ferocious than a butterfly. He had let her keep the TEV blaster, but truthfully she hadn’t had that much practice with it and felt awkward holding it. No way would she be able to actually hit a target.

Moments later Kory came out of the cave and beckoned for her to join him. The dark interior was dank and chilly, but all she cared about was sleeping. Her stomach rumbled, and although she wanted to ignore it, Kory raised an eyebrow.

“You should have told me you were hungry,” he admonished.

“I’m more tired than anything.”

He pointed to her chest. “I have a few more protein bars in my tunic pocket.”

Freya patted herself down and discovered a few thin bars in the inner lining. She pulled them out and handed one to Kory. “I’m observant, aren’t I?” she replied sarcastically. “I didn’t even know these were in here.”

She opened one and took a bite. Kory ate his without much regard.

“How come you’re the one out here, and not this Niah you mentioned?”

“Niah is our leader,” Kory said after he swallowed the last of his bar. He’d eaten it in two bites. Freya was only half-finished. “He is too valuable to risk on minor missions.”

“You said he was the first.”

Kory nodded. “There are fifty-two of us in all, all hybrid scientific experiments that survived the death period.”

“Death period?”

“You were right about the process. The body dies for three days and then…we are resurrected. Mainly through TEV technology, but also by an unusual enzyme in Niah’s blood, as I mentioned.”

Freya couldn’t contain her shiver. “I don’t like the fact that you died.”

“I don’t either, because I was reborn as this,” he said, and pointed to his face. “If I could be the Kory you once knew, the Kory you once cared about, then I wouldn’t hesitate to go through the change again. Reverse what’s been done. I’d die all over again.”

She placed a finger against his lips. “Don’t say that.”

He captured her hand and entwined their fingers. “The love I had for you, Freya, wasn’t that of a boy, but of a man. I know I’m not the person you remember, a man that you could possibly love in return. But I want you to stay with me. I vow to always protect you. Provide for you.”

She shut him up the only way she knew how to...with a kiss. The rest of the protein bar forgotten, she leaned over and placed her mouth over his, feeling slightly awkward at taking the initiative. The kiss was brief, almost stagnant, and she pulled back in uncertainty when he didn’t respond. They stared at one another for a moment. His eyes darkened, and he stared at her mouth for a long time before shifting closer. Suddenly, he loomed over her. Hunger and longing set her nerves tingling with anticipation.

Just when she thought it may be too unbearable any longer, he collected her hair in one hand and yanked her head back, not causing pain but allowing him better access to slide his tongue up her neck, taking nibbling bites along the way until his mouth met hers. His tongue swept in to duel with hers, as if he were trying to exert some type of dominance. But Freya was more than happy to surrender to such bliss.

When he broke the kiss, they were breathing hard.

“Do you believe me, Freya? Because this can’t happen unless you believe me. I won’t use you like that.”

“There’s only been one person who ever made me feel like this.” She cupped his face and stroked her fingertips over his cheeks. “My Kory.”

He closed his eyes, bent his head, and rested his forehead against hers. Freya breathed in his scent, an intoxicating blend of male and raw sexuality, which brought back so many memories that she almost cried. Yes, this was her Kory. The desolation that had practically overwhelmed her began to drain away. Her parents were still gone, but she had her first love. Her arms encircled his neck, allowing his body to press into hers.

“I want you, Freya,” he murmured next to her ear as he nuzzled the hairs at her temple. “I want you in all the ways a man can want a woman.”

“I’ve never done this before, Kory,” she admitted.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Neither have I.”

Her eyes widened. “But we’ve been apart thirteen years—”

“I never wanted anyone else.” He flashed a small, chagrinned smile. “I’m not saying I didn’t take care of certain needs myself, but I never had the desire to settle for second best. And anyone else would have been just that.”

While staring into her eyes, one of his hands moved down to cup her breast. Like before, he squeezed it through the shirt. Rubbed her nipple. She bit her lip as pleasure coursed through her body and chased all her previous tiredness away. Over and over he touched her through her clothes, and she soon grew impatient at the material that kept them apart.

“Kory,” she moaned.

His name upon her lips seemed to stimulate him, because it only took a moment for him to undo her pants and ease his calloused fingers inside, sliding through the curls and into her wet heat. His finger dipped inside her pussy, and for a second she tensed, but when he found a rhythm, the fire in her blood quickly escalated. Kory gave no mercy. He traced the moist path of her clit as his palm applied just enough pressure to make her writhe. In and out his finger moved, and before she knew it, an orgasm flushed over her, robbing her of breath for a few moments. Freya rode it out, humping his hand that still teased, desperate for more.

“I want you, Kory,” she said, when she was able to speak.

“Oh, Freya. I want you too.” He kissed her lips. A lingering mesh of lips and tongues that pierced her heart. “But if we take each other, we’ll belong to each other. I will lay down my life for you.”

Tears flooded her eyes. Her body just experienced something soul shattering, but his words were a benediction. A marriage vow.

Freya cupped his face, stared in his eyes, and pledged her own vows. “And I will lay down my life for you,” she said.

They hadn’t seen each other in thirteen years, but their young love had morphed into something deeper. Stronger. They were adults now with adult needs.

Their mouths met, then the kiss deepened. His tongue swept into her mouth to possess her, and the change between them was immediate. There wasn’t any hesitation, no coy reserve left at all. He wanted her and she wanted him, so Freya opened for him, her tongue meeting and twirling with his. He withdrew and plunged, nibbled and devoured, until they were breathless. They sealed their promises to each other, their love, with their bodies.

They tore at their clothing, taking everything off as fast as possible. Freya needed to feel his skin against hers, needed to feel her own softness pressed against his hardness. His beautiful body—all muscle, hard angles, and copper skin—covered hers with urgency. Kory positioned himself between her thighs and draped her calves over his arms. The position thrust her hips up, and all she could do was stare at his large cock as he slid the tip up and down her folds, glistening with a mixture of hers and his juices.

Kory angled his hips and pushed forward. Pain overshadowed everything for a moment, and he held still as she adjusted to the new sensation of being filled and stretched.

Kory stopped. “I’m so sorry, Freya.”

He pulled back, and she saw his intention to leave her body shining on his face, but she grabbed hold of his shoulders. “No. Stay.”

He shook his head. “I won’t hurt you any more.”

“Please, Kory. I…I love you.”

Happiness blazed in his wide, dark eyes. She took a deep breath and tried to relax her body. The pain eased somewhat, but she was still a little uncomfortable.

Slowly, Kory pulled out, only to push back in again. She kept staring at him, because she felt like she was going to float up to the sky, and he was the only thing keeping her tethered to the ground. In a matter of minutes, Kory threw back his head, the cords of his neck bulging as he reached that plateau she had reached moments earlier. His face, which had once frightened her, now was a thing of beauty. He collapsed onto her and her arms crept around his neck, holding him close.

“I’m so sorry, Freya,” Kory muttered as he shifted to lay on his side, facing her.

“For what?” she asked as she soothed her hands over his muscles. His body was big and hard, but that only seemed to add to her addiction of him because she couldn’t stop touching him.

“Damn it.” He groaned and closed his eyes. “That was like a minute long.”

She giggled. He peeked at her through one lid.

“Great. You’re laughing at me.”

She shook her head. Her fingers traced his pec, over one taut nipple, and down his rippled abdomen. Just when she began to dip lower, he caught her hand in his.

“No,” she breathed and lightly kissed him on the lips. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m so happy I could burst. You, Kory, have made me the happiest woman on the planet.”

Turnabout was fair play, she guessed, when he touched her nipples like she touched his. Desire coiled through her belly, hot and demanding. Freya bent her head and licked a section of his neck. He growled, and a second later, she found herself set astride him, looking down into his lustful, dark gaze. His cock had flared to life, and she rotated her hips enough to have the slick, steel shaft rub through her wet folds.

“I want you again,” he gasped. “But I don’t want to hurt you if you’re sore.”

“I want you too.”

He reached between them and took hold of his dick to guide it into her body. In one swift thrust, he buried himself deep. She arched her back in sweet bliss.