Authors: Angela Castle
Destroy the engine.
The strong thought popped into her brain, but how? She glanced it over but
figured it was too smooth. Her eyes went back to the glittering wall panels.
Now that she could do some damage to. She took three steps forward, then
paused.
What if I damage their life support?
Two choices, stand
here and do nothing or take the chance and start smashing. There was nothing
really to lose. With a grunt, she swung her weapon and brought it down with a
heavy wham. Parts and sparks flew everywhere. Oh it felt good. She swung again
and again, not missing one inch of the controls as she moved. All her pent-up
anguish came pouring out as hit it over and over.
“
No more, no more, no more!”
Red lights now flashed
and loud claxon bells rang, but she didn’t care, even when some of the hot
sparks landed on her skin, singeing it.
Oh, crap on a stick!
She wobbled on her feet as the
whole ship suddenly shuddered violently, before careening wildly, throwing her
against one of the panels.
The door slid
open, and wide eyed aliens with panic stricken expressions barrelled into the
room.
“
Take that, you stupid fuckers! Teach you to abduct
humans!” She emphasized her words by waving the spanner at them.
“
You destroyed our navigation and thrusters! You’re
going to get us all killed, foolish Earthling!” Enraged bellows filled the air
as they charged her. She swung wildly, but the ship suddenly turned, flinging
all the battling occupants in the room against the panelling. More sparks flew
as a fire broke out. Black smoke filled the air.
Celeste fell back,
tripping on her makeshift clothing, and pain exploded across the back of her
head, just before she blacked out.
****
Celeste blinked, bringing Kue’s thoughtful face into
focus. Her story now over, she held her breath with her heart in her throat,
waiting for his condemnation. She expected his rejection and to be cast out and
put back onto the harsh, alien planet.
What she didn’t expect was to be pulled from the med
bed and into his arms, held tightly and cradled as one would a child. Unable to
handle his kindness she again broke down, her body wracked with sobs.
His deep rumbling voice vibrated from his chest as he
spoke. “You are brave as well as beautiful, risking your life in such an
action. No one in their right mind wants to be enslaved. I can’t say what you
did was right or wrong. If it had been me or one of my brothers, we, too, would
have rather faced death than an uncertain future.”
The lack of condemnation only renewed her tears.
“
B-but I ... don’t deserve your kindness.”
“
I will not accept that. I do not like seeing this
burden of guilt you carry. Try to let it go. No matter what, my brothers and I
are here for you.”
“
Why, why do you care?” Her tears slowly subsided, and
the sobs calmed. He plucked a cloth from somewhere to let her wipe her tears
and blow her nose.
“
Why shouldn’t I want to care? It’s not hard to see
what a tender heart you are on the inside, and someone who’s been very hurt. I
also get a sense there is more to your story.”
Did he really see her that clearly, even after a short
time of knowing her? She wanted to talk more, but mental and physical fatigue
weighed her down, making her eyes droop and her mind start to cloud. It was
hard to think clearly. Her head bobbed in a yes, but she couldn’t find the
strength to talk anymore.
She realized it hadn’t passed Kue’s notice. “We’ll
talk about this again later. I made a vow to take care of you. So bath before
bed. Trust me to take care of you?” She nodded her permission, and in another
display of strength, gripping her tightly, he stood with her in his arms.
****
Kue, deep in thought, didn’t notice Raz’s entrance
into the meal room until he was nudged. A lot of things troubled him about
their new guest. His chest tightened at the torment in her pale blue eyes, so
weighed down with sorrow and guilt.
Once he’d managed to clean her up, her pale skin
gleamed, and her shoulder length hair was soft and shiny. With all the dirt
gone, she was even lovelier than he’d first thought. Even he struggled to keep
things professional and simply care for her, when all he wanted to do was kiss
her full, pink lips, and explore all her pillowy softness, and protect her from
the universe.
He was yet unsure of how
his other brothers would feel, but he most certainly wanted to get to know her
better, inside and out. Life experience had taught Kue nothing was ever as
simple as it seemed.
Kue glanced up from his plate at Raz, bringing him out
of his thoughts of Celeste. He studied his brother’s downturned frown.
“
Where is she?” Raz glanced around as if expecting her
to be there.
“
Sleeping, she was exhausted. The poor beauty fell
asleep in the tub. She would have drowned herself if I hadn’t been there. I
tucked her into my bed.”
“
Why your bed?”
Kue rolled his eyes at Raz. “It was my wash chamber.”
“
What does she look like naked?”
Kue folded his arms. Typical Raz, always thinking of
his rod. “Appealing, soft, but I didn’t touch her other than to assist in
cleaning her. I’m not you, brother. She needed care, not to be fucked.”
Raz nodded taking a seat to his left. “What are your
thoughts over persuading her to be ours?”
Straight to the point, Kue had known this would come
sooner or later from his older brother, at least which answered his initial
worry. Raz wanted to keep her, and so did he. Two down, two to go.
“
I’m on board. I’m very drawn to her. She told me what
happened to cause the Jorval ship to crash, but I fear there’s more. If we want
Celeste to be ours, we’re going to have to tread with care. Have you talked to
Loc or Zeb about this yet?”
As if on cue, Loc, looking clean for a change, walked
in, his gaze, too, searching out the female, the same question in his eyes.
“
She’s exhausted and sleeping, so don’t bother,” Kue
stated before Loc could ask.
“
Is this a family meeting then to decide how we are
going to court her?” Hopeful anticipation gleamed in Loc’s gaze.
Kue couldn’t help his smile. Three out of four.
“
You could say that.” He focused back on Raz as Loc
took the right side seat. “Have you talked to Zeb?”
Raz’s tight jaw and the anger rolling from him said
more than words could. He had, and it hadn’t gone well.
“
Commander ice-for-brains is against it. But I don’t
care. If I have to break with him and tradition, and take first rank, then so
be it. It also means I take her first. He can keep the damn sex droid for
company for all I care.”
“
He is that set against Celeste?” Loc stared at Raz.
“But she’s so … so small, soft, and pretty.”
“
Zeb’s being a controlling rod, and kept referencing
Nazzara. As if our Celeste would ever be the same as she was.” Raz sat back
folding his arms, irritation in his scowling face.
Ah, Nazzara, their now ex
sheraz
. Zeb, more than the rest of them, had thought her the best
choice for their attention. They’d followed his lead and done everything
expected of young successful quad brothers. Won the battles, pleasured her to
satisfaction, given into her every whim, every demand. It was blind devotion on
Zeb’s part. All of them had done their best to make things work, but the rest
of them had seen far too many unstable cracks in Nazzara’s personality to ever
fully commit their heart as fully as Zeb had.
Kue felt something very different when he looked at
and held Celeste, her body soft and pliant in his arms as she clung to him and
wept. He knew he never wanted her let her go. He wanted to bring only smiles to
her face, and wipe away her pain. He was confident the four—well, the three of
them could do that.
Nazzara had been far too quick to go running into
other quads’ arms, while he and his brothers were away on missions. Her
disgraceful actions had angered them. But nothing they said or did changed her
disloyal, selfish behaviour. In the end she’d stood in front of them and told
them she’d only chosen them for their rising position in the Galafrax military
and that she’d never really desired them. It had cut deep, but in hindsight Kue
was grateful it had ended before they’d been able make Nazzara conceive, as Zeb
had wanted. He had been convinced it would have helped her settle down. No, if
they had become parents, it would have become very messy.
Afterward, they’d thrown themselves into work, Zeb
leading them into every deadly mission offered. Fighting for no one’s cause and
neglecting what truly mattered, their brotherhood bond. Clearly Zeb had yet to
move on, like his brothers had.
“
I advise we not move too fast, until I’m certain.” Kue
pulled himself from the past to address his brothers again.
“
Of what?” Raz beat Loc to the question, but both
stared at him with expectation. He’d spent the most time with her so far.
“
She’s in pain.”
“
Did you not heal her properly?” Loc growled, his gaze
narrowing on him.
“
No, she’s more like Zeb. The pain is inside.” Kue
touched his chest for emphasis. “If she was a Demos male, I would say she’d
suffered a great loss and was broken from her brothers.”
His brothers nodded in understanding. There was
nothing worse than the internal pain of losing a brother and being broken. “She
has been torn away from everything she has ever known, and survived on this
fucked up planet. I feel if we can learn the source of her pain then we can
help in her healing. The best thing I can think of is just keep giving her the
very best of care. Show her she matters to us.”
Raz’s eyes moved to his with sudden uncertainty and a
touch of fear. “What if it doesn’t work? What if she does reject us?”
The question hung in the air for a moment. Loc’s chest
moved with a deep breath before answering. “Every mission we’ve ever been on
has been riddled with risk. Some have come within a hair’s-breadth of killing
some of us. Even if this mission is more personal, we can’t just give up before
even trying. I will treat this as a mission and give it more than my best
effort.”
Raz nodded at Loc’s display of wisdom, for being the
youngest of them. Kue agreed one hundred and ten percent. “Count me in on
winning our Celestial beauty.”
Raz’s lips curved up into a grin. “I like that, our
Celestial beauty. Even Zeb can’t deny she is a beauty, and we don’t need his
approval for our mission. For now it is agreed the three of us work together to
court and win her.”
They all nodded their approval. “Now.” Raz gaze moved
from Kue to Loc. “How do we court and win our human female?”
Chapter Four
Hunger pains in Celeste’s stomach roused her from a
deep, blessedly dreamless sleep. She rolled from her side onto her back,
rubbing her eyes before focusing on the ceiling above her. Light grey, hatched
metal stared back. She sat up in momentary confusion, glancing around the
comfortable looking room. The sheet slid down revealing her pink naked skin.
Heat infused her cheeks as fuzzy memories surfaced of Kue bathing her and
carrying her to this room. She didn’t remember past his soothing voice and
comforting arms around her.
Rescued? Or was this a gilded cage? One way to find
out if she was truly a prisoner or not. Spotting some clothing hanging over the
end of the bed, she snatched it up, fingering the soft material before
realizing it was a black top, just like the quads wore, but this one had longer
sleeves. It was far better than the cargo coverings, which she’d used to make
her clothes. They were hard, stiff, and scratched her skin, but it was all she
had. The top swamped her smaller frame. She’d dropped quite a bit of weight
since being stranded on this alien planet. The shirt fell to just above her
knees.
Remembering a trick she’d seen on the internet, she
pulled her arms out of the sleeves so the neck of the shirt sat just above her
breast. Then she pulled tight the sleeves and tucked it around her body before
tying it at the back. She smiled down at her handiwork. Now it looked just like
a little black cotton dress, and it also made her feel more comfortable, more
human.
With only her fingers for a comb she ran them through
her hair before approaching the door. She had to reach up to hit the little lit
up knobs with her hand, but she was pleased it opened with a small hiss. At
this point in time her stomach was now controlling her actions. Salivating at
the mere thought of food, with a left turn or right to choose from, she chose
right and followed it down passing other doors until she hit a dead end.
Okay, I should
have gone left.
Turning around she went to
head back when another door opened. She froze at the sight of one of the quads.
He didn’t seem to see her, and his hand held some kind of flat square device.
From his shorter hair and scowl she realized it was the commander.
“
Uh, Commander Zeb?”
His head whipped up, and she stumbled back slightly at
his hard glare. It softened, his golden gaze sweeping her from head to toe,
only to turn back into a frown.
“
Where did you get those clothes?”
“
I … I think Kue left the shirt for me,” she stammered,
feeling very uncertain around the big tall male. He was like a big hawk and she
a little mouse. It was an odd sensation, never had she felt like this around
human men before, but then never had she come across a six foot five, muscle
bound human with sex appeal so dangerous it put her brain into a tailspin. Here
the commander stood, muscular arms bunched, staring down at her, and it was
very intimidating. She took another step back, feeling like he took up all the
air around her, so she struggled to simply breathe.
“
That’s one of our shirts?” His tone suggested he
didn’t believe her.
“
I uh, changed it, see?” She turned to show him where
the arms were tied around her back, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“
Clever.”
She turned back, as more heat rose into her cheeks.
“Thank you, I really am sorry for what I did earlier.”
He waved his hand. “Forget it. What are you doing out
here in the corridors? I thought Kue was taking care of you?”
Okay, so clearly Commander Zeb didn’t want her
wandering around his ship. She shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.
“
Oh, he did. I’m sorry I just woke up and am kind of
hungry. I’m sorry for bothering you. If just point me in the right direction,
I’ll find my way.” Her stomach growled again, and she winced in pain.
“
I’ll take you to the meal room, this way.” He turned
and marched down the corridor. She had to jog just to keep up with his wide
strides.
“
I was wondering, Commander, uh, what are you going to
do with me? You said there were other humans?”
“
There are a few human females on Galafrax. Don’t
worry. We will deposit you at the next Demos outpost, once we get our ship
repaired, and they will take you to Galafrax.”
Yes, it was becoming clearer. He wanted her off his
ship.
“
I can’t go home?”
He stopped so suddenly she almost slammed into his
back. Inches from him, she breathed in his spicy male aroma. She hastily took a
few more steps back. “Galafrax and the Demos people will welcome you. There are
new laws that all human females are granted automatic citizenship. You may
never be able to return to Earth, but my people will make sure you have a good
life there.”
She had kind of figured there would be no going back
to Earth, but it still hurt to hear it. She clamped her lips tight, but was
puffing from Zeb’s fast pace by the time he opened the door to a huge room, fit
with black metallic tables and chairs, as well as other things that looked like
computerized pinball machines.
“
I have work to do, excuse me.”
She watched Zeb’s powerful strides as he walked back
down the corridor.
“
Celeste, my lovely, you’re awake!” The enthusiastic
greeting of Raz startled her. It wasn’t hard to spot the quad’s differences.
Raz’s hair was roguishly swept back, as if he raked his fingers through it.
Raz’s handsome smile was a complete opposite to Zeb’s scowling face. Raz’s grin
lit his face, taking him from handsome to drool-worthy. He bounded up from the
chair walking over to her. He took both her hands and drawing her into the
room.
“
Now this is breathtaking…” He pulled her into a kind
of a dance spin as he inspected her customized outfit. “Is it one of our
shirts? It is far better on you than Kue.” Her vision wobbled as he turned her
back to face him. “But enough of this, you must be starving. Kue did say you
were so tired from your ordeal that he neglected to feed you.”
Heat infused her cheeks, at his flattery and at
hunger. “I, uh, could eat.” A whole horse, then chase the jockey, if she could
lay her hands on one. She gasped as he bent, gripped her hips and lifted her
onto the chair. The height of it made for six foot five red man, would have
made it awkward for her to climb on.
“
Have my drink. It’s called
purrt
. I’ll go modulate you some food. What do you like, sweet,
salty, something which burns the tongue?”
“
Nothing burning please, salty is good.” She couldn’t
help but be infected by Raz’s vibrant personality. He grinned wide. “As my
lovely Celeste commands.” He bowed with a majestic sweep of his arm. Unable to
help it, a giggle bubbled up with his cheeky display. It was the first time she
smiled, let alone laughed in … she’d forgotten how long.
She picked up the large cup and sniffed at the contents.
It smelt sweet, and when she took a sip, oh wow. She quickly let the rest of
the creamy caramel flavour slide over her tongue and swallowed it down, letting
out a low moan of pleasure. All too quickly the rest vanished into her stomach.
Wafting mouth-watering smells assaulted her as Raz set
down a large plate piled high with different foods she didn’t recognize, but
didn’t care. Her hand shaking, she picked up the five pronged fork type
utensil.
“
Thank you,” she managed, spearing something long, fleshy,
and yellow. Lifting it to her lips, she took a dainty bite, moaning at the full
salty bacon banana flavour. All hope of acting like a lady and eating with more
delicacy, so Raz wouldn’t think her a pig, was abandoned. She tore in to the
meat, chewing and swallowing as fast as she could manage, trying to appease the
burning hunger.
“
Easy, you’ll make yourself sick. Take a drink between
bites.” He placed a tall cup, clearly made for their larger hands, in front of
her.
Celeste forced herself to take his advice and slow
down, but trying to wrap a single hand around the cup, she almost dropped it.
“
No, this won’t do.” Raz place himself down next to
her. She would have gasped if her mouth wasn’t still full of food, when he
lifted her into his lap and pulled the fork from her hand. “Better if I help
you, Kue will tear strips from my skin if I let you become ill.”
She was too stunned from shock to protest, and he cut
up her food and fed her from the fork he’d taken from her hand. Before she knew
it, she’d finished half the plate before her stomach was finally appeased.
She pushed his hand away when he tried to feed her
more. “I’m full, thank you.” Unaccustomed to sitting in a man’s lap, let alone
a sexy alien man, she didn’t quite know what to do. “Um, you can put me down
now. I’m sure I can manage from here on in.”
“
Are you
uncomfortable?”
She assessed it, his arm gently stroking up and down
in a comforting manner. She wasn’t uncomfortable. It just felt weird.
“
No, but I’m not used to sitting like this?”
“
Would it help to say I like you just as you are? Soft
and sweet in my arms?”
The statement again startled her, and she glanced up
to study his face, suspicion creeping in. “Why would you say that?”
“
Why wouldn’t I? Not once have I not spoken what is not
true. I like you here, I like the way you feel, and I like the way I feel when
I’m with you.”
“
But you don’t know me, and I don’t know you.”
“
What would you like to know about my brothers and me?
Ask anything, and we’ll answer in all truth. We would really like to get to
know you, Celeste.”
Still confused she wiggled off his lap, finding her
own ground from which to face him, her mind a tornado of confusion.
“
I am grateful you rescued me, and I know I’ll probably
never see my home again, but be honest, what is it you really want from me?”
She opened her arms. “I’m just a plain human and no one of any consequence.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of, I’m sure Kue already told you that. Anyway,
Commander Zeb told me you were going to hand me over to the nearest Demos outpost.”
He lost his smile, and his gaze met hers. She could
see his mind ticking over, processing all she’d told him.
“
First, don’t listen to anything the commander says.”
Celeste swallowed at the hard edge of his tone and wrapped her arms around
herself. “Second, is that what you believe about yourself, that you are no
one?” He shook his head.
“
Human females are rare and more treasured on our
planet than even our own females. It makes you the most valuable person in all
of the
Hellious
Galaxy
.”
“
No, I … they…” Emotions and memories swamped her.
I am worthless, nothing but a fat slut,
someone to be used. I should have died on this planet, alone
. Stinging
tears pricked the back of her eyes. “I
am
just a commodity to you.”
“
Lovely, no.” He snatched her hands before she could
put any further distance between them.
“
The moment I saw your lovely face I was lost. You have
captivated my brothers and me. We want you to stay with us, get to know us, and
give us a chance to get to know you.”
The warmth of his hand covering hers, the utter
sincerity on his face baffled her and made her defensive. “Stop saying crap
like that. I’m not beautiful or lovely. I’m just—”
“
Enough!” The growl from his throat startled her as
much as his sudden tug on her arm, sending her tumbling against him, her hands
on his biceps, and his hand spearing into her hair holding her tight as he took
possession of her mouth.
Her mouth opened in utter shock, which allowed his
lips to mould over her, easing off the pressure as he touched and tested, lifting,
and pressing, his tongue sliding smoothly, along her bottom lip as he tasted
her.
Oh, sweet mercy!
Celeste’s mind spun at the decadent heat of his
mouth, and everything melted away but the touch and feel of his mouth gliding
against hers. Her hands seemed to have their own mind, as her fingers curled
into the hot skin of his bare arms.
His big hands threaded in her hair, angling her head
to give him better access, and with a low rumble, Raz deepened the kiss, his
big arms wrapping around her to pull her tighter against him. His tongue swept
inside, and the masculine taste of him sent her spiralling further down the
rabbit hole. Wild fire of heat swept through her body, unlike anything she’d
ever experienced, instantly addictive. All too quickly she wanted and craved
more of this rushing racing through her. She was so swept away by Raz, she
scarcely heard the door open or the low rumble of voices.