Star Fire (6 page)

“It’s not possession. You are two bonded halves.” He leant back, settling more comfortably in the chair and waved at the console. He located the restraint and fashioned it, making sure the contraption was secure. “I’ve never had the opportunity to return as a pilot, since technology is all but banned. You’ll have to take the controls.”

Sasha laughed again. This time the sound was better, relieved. Hope he’d been holding back rose in his chest. His plan would work. He just needed patience for these new versions of themselves to find a common ground.

Sasha cast him a coy glance through ginger lashes, a look that had never been Tasha’s. Her hand hovered over the ignition. “Two thousand years of post-apocalyptic recovery and you never found a pilot to possess? Bummer.” Sasha slammed her hand down on the button and the small ship flew straight up the exit shaft, the force shoving him deep into the chair.

Her parted lips, the deep inhalation that pushed her breasts out, and the keen excitement of hurling through the atmosphere and beyond was primal. Meeting his eyes again, her look turned hungry, reminding him of the last time Tasha piloted him between bases. With his advanced training in computer and communications, he was desperately trying to keep emergency services online. Atmos was one natural disaster after another, with refugees pouring into every government installation. Those trips had been the only private time they had managed to squeeze from their all-consuming jobs. Even now he could close his eyes and recall that last trip with acute clarity.

Dirrel didn’t know how much longer he could hold off asking ‘The Big Question’. He was nervous. For weeks, Tasha had been cool and Dirrel had thought she meant to end their relationship. Then as mysteriously as her mood had begun, she embraced every moment they could steal, going so far as to volunteer to pilot him personally to the critical need bases.

Dirrell didn’t believe in luck or signs, but he knew she was committing to their relationship. Whatever private doubts Tasha had, she’d obviously worked through them. So, before he blurted out the question, he kissed her. Tasha, tasted like the finest delicacy. He teased her lips apart as his groin became painfully hard, his tongue mimicking what he wanted to do with her body.

Since she didn’t push him away, he picked her up, carrying her to the passenger bench, before setting her down.

He stripped out of the bland scientist uniform, before discarding the garment as he dropped down beside her. He figured twisting and contorting in the small bench would dampen his lust. But no, breathing hard, he helped Tasha pull the last of her own form-fitting uniform off. Every curve he’d previously tried not to stare at all day was revealed. In his opinion, her large and full breasts were the perfect representatives of breasts planet-wide. He bent, tasting the tight nub of one nipple as he caused her to moan in pleasure. Dirrel wanted to explore every bit of her body, but she wrapped her legs around him and moist heat found his cock.

Stopping to find some composure, he realised he was lost when she growled and bucked underneath him. “Tasha,” he ground out, his hands pressing her back against the bench. Her eyes opened, unfocused, as she frowned up at him. “I need you.”

He was already aroused and if she moved against him again, he’d come all over her stomach. “Then let’s do this.” She smiled, full of her feminine power. “You’re wasting our twenty minutes. Once we land—”

“Who knows when we will find time together again,” he finished, grasping her flared hips. Dirrel’s cock slid inside her heated channel. His brain shut down at the amazing feel of her hot body around him. His cock was in heaven. No, he was in heaven. He sucked in a breath, straining for control. Finding none, he gathered her in his arms and devoured her mouth, instinct driving his hips forward, deeper into her liquid heat.

Tasha moaned into the kiss, her heels tight against his ass. He thrust again as her pussy clenched and shuddered around his cock. The tension that built in his gut and balls fought to be free. Tasha keened, the sound ripping a roar from inside Dirrel as his climax surged through him. Pounding harder, he felt the bite of her grip on his arms as the universe imploded.

Coming down to reality, his arms shook with the effort. Dirrel eased down, and not wanting to lose the connection, he drew her against him. “Hmmm. I think you melted my brain.”

“My poor brilliant scientist. What will you do now?” Tasha stroked her fingers down his arm, drawing teasing circles along his biceps, as he eased into an easier position. Her hip nestled perfectly against him as he curled around her, content for the moment.

Dirrel chuckled. At times like this, he could almost pretend that they were a normal couple. “Since you melted my brain, I suppose I’ll have to pull duty elsewhere.” He gave her a lopsided leer as the five minute alarm beeped in the cockpit. “I could be your personal relaxation unit.” He leant down, capturing her mouth in a thorough kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. The alarm shrilled louder, breaking them apart and they started gathering uniforms. He paused, sucking in a breath. “Marry me.”

Chapter Four

Consider your choices, then remember that at the end of the day you will have to face them and yourself in the mirror.

Choose wisely. Free will trumps fate.

The ship flew like a dream in Sasha’s hands. The advancement of the Arosan technology versus what she was used to punctuated just how much these people had lost. At a touch of her fingertips, departure commands opened up the network of chutes and tunnels that housed what was left of the Arosan government headquarters. The tomblike compound should have been filled with thousands of busy workers.

The sudden panorama of the blue sky filling the cockpit video display took her breath away. Sasha’s love of flying was deepened by the addition of Tasha’s same love of soaring through the skies and up through space at the controls of these small but powerful ships. If only she could manage a squirren ride before she left for good. That would be amazing.

Out of the corner of her screen, Sasha watched the gigantic flying squirren jump from the top of a towering nettle tree and ride the wind currents. Back in the day, squirren races had been the rage. Illegal as hell, but what a ride! Tasha had won a tidy sum on the side. She’d planned to invest the money and retire, become a civilian again. Poor Dirrel had been motion sick the one time she’d caved to her wild side and invited him along. She’d never forget his green-tinged determination to stick with her over the finish line. And the lecture he’d given her once he’d realised it was a wager! Dirrel and his love of rules. It was a wonder she hadn’t given the poor man heart failure.

Seeing her ship zooming close, the creature flicked its tail and adjusted course, then clung to another leafless tree. A small sound from Kiev made her turn her head. As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, he nodded at the animal. “They are used as defensive mounts now. Shepherds tag and maintain small packs.” Kiev leant forward. She watched him stare at the rapidly changing scenery, with more animation and intensity than he had ever shown as Dirrel.

For a moment, the what-ifs danced in Sasha’s head, only to be squashed. Because, whether she wanted a fling or a happily-ever-after with him, the fact was that her mother was the only family Sasha or Tasha had in the entire universe. She had to go home. She had to accept her responsibility and report the theft of
Fortune
. Of course, no reputable company would ever hire her again as a pilot.
Maybe learning to weld would be fun
, she thought sarcastically.
Yeah, and maybe things will be different this time around. Maybe I could have my own happy-ever-after with Prince Charming here.

Understanding the ship’s controls came to her easily. If only steadying her own emotions was as simple. Believing in happy-ever-afters was for naïve fools and little girls. Sasha cross-referenced the onboard maps and programmed the computer to land near the ocean, in the remains of the Atmos capitol city. Her stomach lurched sickeningly as she realised the true devastation both their people had wrought.

A small alarm chimed, alerting her to the presence of ion emissions and subspace communications unfamiliar to the ship’s computer. Her breath caught. Sasha did a quick scan of Aros’ perimeter. She found nothing to indicate that
Fortune
was still in orbit.

With the emissions, she might have believed that they were long gone. But subspace communications? Were they long range communications or short range, which would indicate more than one ship in the area? And why? She’d already determined that the populations of both planets were too primitive and not exotic enough to have anything worth the risk of extending a trade contract.

A touch of her fingertips lit up a map of the system in front of her. A ship could be hiding anywhere in this section of space. She conceded defeat for the moment, at least until she was more familiar with this ship’s abilities.

Scenery whizzed by the screen. Their origin was now only a red blip of light on the map. She paused. “What city did we…just come from?”

What did it matter? She was leaving anyway.
Ugh
. Sasha stood up before he could answer. “Ship’s computer estimates a five-hour trip to landing. You might as well get some sleep.”

With that last comment, she fled the cockpit.

* * * *

“Ferrin Stand.” An hour and a half later, Kiev’s voice shattered the composure she’d found in the single barracks room.

She turned, holding the black unitard to her bare chest, covering the important bits. “Do you mind?” The booty of supplies she’d discovered was spread out on the bunk behind her. Sasha lifted her chin, very aware of his rising erection against the fabric around his waist. Kiev’s gaze took in the naked line of her from shoulder to leg. Men were so predictable. Show them a naked chick, and bam, they were ready.

Not for a minute did she believe his hard-on was for her pale, freckled body in particular. As Dirrel, he’d been partial to Tasha’s gorgeous curves and double-D breasts.

“Fennin—uhhh.” Kiev cleared his throat and dragged his gaze to her face. “The city. I, as Kiev, am from Ferrin Stand.”

Sasha’s pulse jumped into hyperdrive as he walked into the room. His presence, big and all male, seemed to suck the air right out of the surrounding area. When he crowded her against the bunk, his dark eyes met and held hers. His cock prodded at her waist. The old Sasha would have given him a dressing down for presuming he had the right to pit her own sexuality against her. She had a reputation as a hard-assed bitch, but had never cared. Sacrifices had to be made for success.

“Ferrin Stand is named after a fool who took on gods and men alike. The earthquakes ripped Aros apart, reducing the survivors to little more than starving cave dwellers. Fear of both technology and the gods’ notice turned them into starving nomadic tribes.

“One day Ferrintarin had a great revelation—he believed that he could make a difference. He wanted to become a farmer. The tools were not hard to make. The knowledge was easy to find and learn.” Kiev’s voice was like warm milk on her skin. Soothing. Hypnotic with each simple statement. She made her own stand against the brush of his fingers over the wild edges of her hair, suppressing a shiver of pleasure. “He wanted to stay and put down roots. To prove to the gods that he was not afraid.”

“But?” Sasha’s brain refused to work. Her body was on fire from his close proximity. All she had to do was let go of the stretchy unitard and have her way with him. She licked her lips, her heart stuttering as he focused on the wetness. He leaned in as if to kiss her.

“But?” she prompted again. Desire whispered along her nerve endings. A different kind of wetness dampened her labia. Her vagina ached to be filled by the rod pressing against her. She was sure Arosans didn’t wear underwear. If she were taller, she could just wrap a leg around him and slide over his cock. She whimpered and pulled him even closer. Anticipation danced over her skin.

“The tribes came to sacrifice Ferrintarin for his presumption.” Kiev closed his fingers over the material in a vice-like grip. Sexual energy tingled between them, darkening his eyes with more than the usual shadows. “Legend says that the farmer held out for months, proving to man and gods alike his right to settle. To use tools. To make a better life.”

“How long did Ferrin hold out, Kiev?” Her question twisted his mouth into a wry parody of a smile. “How did he die?”

“How am I supposed to know the truth behind the legend, my Star Fire?” His expression shut down, telling her without words that he didn’t want to relive that time any more than necessary. How would it feel to endure two thousand years of living, and dying, and living, and dying again? It was the reason Tasha had stayed in stasis, where she belonged.

He sighed. “Don’t pull away.” Emotions and old pain flickered in his eyes. Kiev played with her hair, as if fascinated. “Ferrin didn’t have much to hold out on or a reason to think he needed to. A sturdy wood hut and a little vegetable plot.”

“How did he die?” The question was like a horrible accident. She didn’t want to know, but she did. She needed to know what had happened to him over the years. How many times had he come back? Why?

He shrugged, leaning in to inhale her scent. “The gods destroyed their world in fire. A sacrifice of the same kind had to be made.”

Tears pricked her eyes. Sasha let go of the unitard. Screw it—he was so much more than Dirrel and Kiev. She let her eyes close as she leaned into his warm embrace. His lips brushed against her temple.

“
Cold eternity, your heart is my stars’ gaseous fire.

Forever searching, burning comet, the light that guides the way.

A map, infinite gems, scattered across the night sky.

My soul, my star fire light, never to part, never to die.
”

Opening her eyes, Sasha touched her fingertips to the rough, day-old beard on his cheeks. “That is the lousiest and most beautiful poem ever,” she whispered, smothering a teary smile. It was time she accepted that Fate’s twisted plan involved throwing them together again.