Found(22)

Deciding not to take a chance, Lauren took off the slippers and hid them in a small storage cabinet under the sink. Then, sighing, she went to return Xairn’s shirt.





* * * * *


Xairn was weak with relief—or possibly blood loss. He’d gotten into one last fight at the base of the support which held up the plasti-glass splicer tunnels. There had only been two splicers this time but one of them had jumped on his back before Xairn saw him. His knife had bitten deep—though thankfully not deep enough to wound his primary heart, which was what he’d no doubt been reaching for.

He looked down at his side, examining the wicked gash where the knife had cut him. Dark red blood was welling up from the slice but at least it wasn’t gushing out. Xairn pulled the waistband of his black flight pants a little higher and tightened his belt to put pressure on the wound. There was no time to deal with it any further at present. He had to get the ship powered up and moved to Slk’s parking accommodations before it got completely dark. And before the Spider’s spies found out where he was headed.

He walked stiffly to the front of the ship and settled himself in front of the controls, careful of the wound on his side. Though he didn’t want to admit it, his body was throbbing and it wasn’t just with pain. His secondary shaft, which for years had lain dormant between his legs, was so hard it was painful. It pressed against the front of his pants,snarling for release. Thank the gods, at least, that his primary shaft remained unaffected. But it was necessary only for bonding—the engorgement of his secondary shaft was more than adequate for other sexual purposes. Not that he would ever do such things to Lauren. Still, his body was urging him to, telling him to take her, to make her his.

All because of one simple, innocent hug.

She has no idea what she does to me—how she affects me, he thought as he put the engine through its warm-up sequence. For a moment he allowed himself to relive the sweet sensation of Lauren’s full breasts flush against his chest. He’d been able to feel her nipples, tight and ripe, rubbing against him through the thin material of his shirt. All her warm curves pressed against him as she came so willingly into his arms…it was almost as though she wanted to touch him. As though she wanted to be close to him despite what he was.

She wouldn’t be so eager if she knew how I felt. The things I need, Xairn thought grimly. He didn’t want the desires inside him. Didn’t want to be like the rest of his race…like his sadistic father. Closing his eyes briefly, he remembered the many perversions he’d seen the AllFather perform. He’d savaged them—the unwilling females he took to satiate his monstrous appetites. I’d rather die than hurt Lauren that way, Xairn told himself fiercely.

No, he decided as the ship rose above the skyline of O’ah and nosed toward the splicing district, he would never do that to her. Never use her that way. In fact, it would be better if he never touched her again. Gathering her into his arms had been stupid and impulsive, especially considering even such brief contact made his body react so strongly.

From now on he would have to keep his distance—it wasn’t safe to be near her again.





Chapter Eight





“What’s troubling you, my lady?” Lock’s voice was soft as he washed Kat’s back.

“I’ve sensed it too.” Deep kissed her and squeezed the sponge he was holding so that warm water ran down over her bare breasts. “Tell us what’s wrong, little Kat.”

The three of them were in the huge bathing pool in their bathroom, enjoying a relaxing soak after the stress of Sophie’s wedding. And there had been considerably more stress than Kat had expected.

“It’s Lauren,” she admitted with a sigh. “I really liked her—really felt for her. And now I’m worried.”

“I would say you have cause to be.” Deep frowned. “If what Nadiah saw was accurate she could be in trouble.”

“But that’s the thing.” Kat sat up a little straighter, splashing water. “Do you think it was?”

“Sylvan seemed to believe in her power,” Lock pointed out. “Apparently it’s a rare but recognized phenomenon on Tranq Prime. A manifestation of the goddess in a few chosen females.”

“But couldn’t she be wrong?” Kat pleaded. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to believe Nadiah had some kind of psychic ability—it was just that she didn’t want Lauren to be in danger.

“I don’t know,” Lock murmured.

“Well, she did think that Detective Rast was a Kindred,” Kat pointed out, feeling a spark of hope.