Read Cosmic Bliss Online

Authors: Stormie Kent

Cosmic Bliss (8 page)

He reached out and slid his hand from her shoulder to her
elbow. Acia raised her head and stepped closer. It was the best he’d felt all
day.

“Can we walk?” he asked.

He didn’t release her elbow, only steered her away from
where other people were congregated. Her smell enticed him to give up his
resolve, pull her against his chest and devour her mouth. She would taste as
sweet as the natural sugar- and flower-petal-infused scent of her skin. He
needed a distraction.

“What made you decide to be a spaceship captain?”

“This.” She pulled back the sleeve on her left wrist to show
the brand. “We were all taken together, my crew and I. Cheris and Berisa were
teenagers. The rest of us were younger children. You know why they want
exotics. Exotics are sex slaves. They stole us in advance of the fervor so our
master would be able to take advantage of the first one.”

His stomach rolled. What grown men had stolen little girls
waiting to rape them?

“Cheris protected us. She was our mother and big sister
rolled into one. We traveled a lot. He and his kin took us on voyages, teaching
us to run the ship. When I was fourteen, the Gastronian who owned us got
impatient and tried to take advantage of Ruvia. He was tearing at her clothes
and…I was still so small. He didn’t notice me. I pulled the blaster from his
belt and shot him in the back.”

They’d stopped and Shunyuan pulled her into an awkward
sideways embrace. Mysteriously, there were no emotions coming through the link.
The same link that was usually pulsing with her joy, her sadness, her need. She
was staring down at her hands.

“We escaped using our master’s ship. The same one the stupid
oaf had trained us to run, thinking it showed his wealth to have an all-female
slave crew. Dovians are meek by nature, more so than other species.
Unfortunately, I was the first to kill without remorse. It changed me. I took
risks and encouraged the others to do the same. We are as you see us now.
Pirates. The family of the pig Gastronian who owned us still hunts us. Zon’a
still hunts her brother’s killer.”

Her crazy search of the casino made sense now.

“You don’t kill innocents.” He made it a statement.

A sly smile graced her mouth. “No, only slavers. Mostly
Gastronian. We steal too, make no mistake. Someone has to strike at those who
buy and sell others. It is expensive to fund an uprising.”

“I was part of a fact-gathering mission to gather
information about Earth’s invaders. We were planning a rescue. I walked right
into a trap. The technology you all have is astounding.” He finally turned her
loose and resumed walking. “For what it’s worth, Acia, I would be a slave on a
distant planet by now if you hadn’t attacked the Gastronian vessel. You’re
making light of it, but what you do matters.”

Warmth flooded the link and her cheeks tinged pink. He
cleared his mind and focused on his breath to keep his feelings from floating
toward her along their connection. He was getting better at it. She squeezed
his arm, yet remained silent. He made a decision.

“I will come with you tomorrow to meet with the woman from
Earth and her husband.”

“What of the other?” she asked quietly.

“I am no one’s mate or husband. I must do as you do and work
for the freedom of my people.” He said the words even as he feared he was too
late. “I’m sorry, Acia.”

She moved away from him. “As you wish, Shunyuan. Make sure
your people have gathered their belongings and are ready. We land tonight. The
Defiant
always works under cover of dark.”

Then she simply walked away, leaving him feeling colder than
he’d ever felt in his life.

Chapter Five

 

Shunyuan was irritable. The cause of his irritation was
standing three feet from him, outwardly relaxed. Her eyes gave away vigilance
as she scanned the room constantly. Her link almost shimmered with excitement
and extreme alertness. It felt as if he was being pumped with caffeine. The
Ordanians wouldn’t catch her with her guard down.

He was aware of every breath she took as though he was
taking them with her. He bet if she got a hangnail he’d know that too. A night
spent without holding her had been worse than thousands of shocks under his
skin. He awakened many times reaching for her. Wanting her was a physical ache.
He’d sworn he’d smelled her scent everywhere, on his pillow, the sheets, even
his skin. His body had sizzled as if she’d just finished touching him. He’d
been alone in his bed in the men’s sleeping chamber hungering for her.

He wanted her now, on the floor of the storehouse they stood
in. Maybe he’d take her against the wall with her legs wrapped around his
waist. His mind strayed to the dip in her spine above her ass. He would start
there. He loved to kiss the spot. She gasped and he pulled his thoughts away
from worshiping her body and back on keeping her body safe.

Berisa stared at an electronic handheld. “Here they come.”

The women had spread themselves out strategically so no one
would be able to sneak up on them in the deserted storehouse. The location was
still too open for Shunyuan. Especially since Acia refused partial cover and he
didn’t seem to be able to do anything but guard her.

The door opened and the biggest damn male he had ever seen
strode in with his hand cautiously near his weapon. Shunyuan moved closer to
Acia. The large male was followed by four more muscle-bound hulks, all blond
and only slightly less tall than the first. The last male in surveyed the room,
grunted and then reached his hand back through the door.

A woman stepped into the room. She was stunning.
Caramel-skinned, curly-haired, bright-eyed with a tight little body, which was
just lush enough for a normal man to think of stripping her out of the fitted
bodice and bisected skirt she wore.

Except all he could think about was Acia.
Fuck.
What
the hell has she done to me?

All the blond males stiffened and the male holding the Earth
woman’s hand pushed her behind his back. He stared at Shunyuan with the eyes of
a jungle predator. Shunyuan stepped slightly in front of Acia. How was he going
to keep her safe if this turned into a cluster?

“Why are you angry?” the last male in asked crossly.

“Be at ease, Lord Huntu. My Earth mate is upset with me
because he isn’t able to be attracted to an obviously beautiful woman of his
species. The mating seems as if it is enchantment to him still.” Acia turned
her head to Shunyuan. “The Ordanians are empaths.”

In other words, control yourself.
He adjusted to the
newest freaky fact about the aliens in front of him. They sensed emotion. Maybe
he’d be more shocked if he couldn’t feel Acia’s displeasure. The Ordanian males
visibly relaxed and Shunyuan followed suit, slowly stepping from his position
in front of Acia. The wife peeked around her scowling husband’s back.

“That’s awesome, finally, a man who my husband won’t want to
break in half because he looked at me. Let me out of this muscle prison.” She
pushed around her much larger husband and looked at the female crew. “You’re beautiful.
Venn, don’t look. I don’t want to be jealous.”

“I only have eyes for you, sweet.” Lord Huntu continued to
glare daggers at Shunyuan.

“Lord Huntu, what job would you like us to perform?” Acia
asked, smiling at the giant’s wife.

“The Lady Huntu—” he began.

The lady herself interrupted, clutching her skirt and
walking toward Acia. “I want you to find my,” she paused, “female kin.”

The pause told him a lot and the wording was unusual.
Shunyuan felt no threat so he backed up and placed himself behind Acia, where
he could still see any threat. He couldn’t help himself. He could manage his
need to be near her when she wasn’t in danger. He had to see to her safety now
even as he wondered what the hell he would do to defend her against these
giants that wouldn’t lead to his maiming and possible swift death.

“When the Nestvur invaded Earth they sent out a search for
exotics.” Lady Huntu’s eyes slid to Shunyuan. “I was separated from her. She is
military trained, but I have a feeling she is in trouble. I know she would be
safer with me on Ordan. I’m guarded tighter than Fort Knox.”

“Fort Knox?” Cheris asked.

“Impenetrable fortress,” Shunyuan supplied.

“The Ordanians are as strong as the Nestvur. She would be
safer with me,” Lady Huntu stated. Then she seemed to deflate. “Even if she
doesn’t want to be safe.”

“Retrieval isn’t really what we do,” Acia said gently.

Lord Huntu spoke, “But you have the connections we need. For
now information would be enough. Fifteen thousand credits if you can find her.”

Lady Huntu went to him and hugged him. She looked up at him
with such love Shunyuan wanted to turn away. Lord Huntu picked her up and
kissed her before returning her to her feet and anchoring her to his side.

Shunyuan was almost immediately ashamed when the link between
him and Acia was flooded with wistfulness and sadness. She avoided his eyes as
she turned and looked at her crew one by one. Their nods were barely
perceptible. Then they all turned to Shunyuan. Acia said nothing.

“Please,” Lady Huntu said prettily. Her husband had her by
the waist. “Brother, you understand what this means to me.”

One of the giants sniffed the air. “He isn’t your brother,
Camryn.”

Shunyuan raised his eyebrow at Acia.

“Hyper-sensitives,” she said.

Like the Trogo.
They would be super strong and have
superhuman hearing, sight and smell. He’d never seen a Trogo as large as these
men. Shunyuan assumed it was safe to say these men were more dangerous than
he’d previously estimated. And Acia thought it was a good idea to associate
with them.

Shunyuan sighed then addressed the Ordanian’s statement.
“She’s referring to the fact that we share a common heritage. Some of us greet
each other as brother and sister since we never know if we have a common
ancestor. It’s a respect thing.”

He grimaced. He did know what having her family sold away
from her would do to her. Any family would be devastated, but this would be her
worst nightmare, ringing with the echoes and taint of the inhuman acts of human
oppressors in their now-defunct country. “I will help.”

“Oh thank you.” Once again Lady Huntu made a move toward him
and her husband held her back. “I want to hug someone.” She fairly vibrated
with energy.

“Not him,” Lord Huntu said. Lord Huntu still eyed him as
though he wished they were about to step into a boxing arena.

“What about the captain?” Lady Huntu asked.

“She’s a fierce pirate captain, Camryn,” the tallest
Ordanian said.

“Well, Rhine is a fierce giant captain and I hug him, Tor,”
she said. Exasperation was plain in her voice.

Suddenly Acia and her crew laughed.

Acia grinned at the woman. “What about a warm handshake?”
She walked toward Lady Huntu and clasped her hand and arm. The other
Dovian
Heart
crew members did the same. He saw the Lady whisper something to Acia
and Acia smiled at her then pulled away.

“Your kinswoman, what can you tell us about her?” Acia
asked.

“Her name is Niki Sawyer. I’ve been told we look as though
we are twins. She is a bit taller and her figure a bit fuller. We were
separated in Maryland. It is in the United States. On the East Coast.” Lady
Huntu plucked the edge of her bisected skirt and her husband rubbed her back.

“Most of the survivors have taken refuge in the mountains,”
Shunyuan said.

Lady Huntu’s voice was even and calm, completely at odds
with the vibrancy of her personality so far. The men around her moved closer,
allowing some part of themselves to touch her. She touched each briefly in
return. “The closest mountains are the Appalachians. Blue Ridge, I think. It
runs through Virginia. There was talk of an underground barracks, but with the
alien airships creating craters in the land, anything underground may have been
destroyed.”

“Nothing aboveground fared any better,” Shunyuan said.

Finally her calm broke as Lady Huntu’s eyes filled with
tears and for a moment he was afraid his anger at the aliens who’d invaded
their homeland would overwhelm him. A wave of calm flooded him. He acknowledged
the help from Acia with a nod.

“We will do our best to locate Niki Sawyer,” Acia said.

It looked as if Shunyuan would see Earth again after all.

 

Back on the
Dovian Heart
he followed the women onto
the bridge. They launched the craft into space before settling back to talk.

“Fifteen thousand credits,” Ruvia said. “Just to find her.”

Figia entered information into her console. “It won’t be
easy. Not at all.”

Berisa laughed. “For fifteen thousand credits we can afford
to take downtime. Not to mention he fronted five thousand for expenses.”

Acia was glad they were excited about the mission. “I liked
her.”

“I like the fact that she has gigantic men eating out of her
hands as though they were large overgrown pets,” Berisa said.

“Ladies, I’m still here.” Shunyuan was a little offended.

The women laughed uproariously. He smothered a smile. These
women could be too serious. It was nice to know they could laugh.

He wanted to see if he could make them laugh again. “Those
were the biggest damn men I’ve ever seen.”

They did.

* * * * *

For several risings Acia watched Shunyuan as he helped each
of the crew with their duties on the ship. Cheris had decided when they found
where he had the most aptitude they would let him train under the crew member
who held the position. It would keep him busy and, Acia hoped, with her on the
ship. So far he excelled under Berisa. He had a knack for security and anything
that could present itself as a weapon. Blasters, lasers, knives, multiple shot
blasters or MSBs, he mastered them all.

She was supposed to be going over a transmission with Ruvia
and Cheris, but she was distracted by the bunch of muscle under his tightly
fitted pants. She’d never noticed a man’s ass before, but he had a very nice
one. Certainly she remembered the feel of it under her hands, the way her legs
felt wrapped around him and resting against his straining muscles as he’d drove
into her pussy over and over again.

As she stared, the muscles of his fine ass tightened and he
jerked his head up from where Berisa was showing him something. Acia turned to
Ruvia and Cheris quickly, heart fluttering wildly.

“You’re as red as
savi
berries and you aren’t
listening to anything we’re saying,” Cheris whispered. She smirked at Acia.

Acia colored further and sneaked another glance at her mate.
He’d gone back to listening intently to Berisa, and Acia watched the slide of
his heavy hair along his strong neck. Were necks sexy? They were when you could
run your tongue along the veins there and use your lips and teeth to nip the
smooth flesh.

His shoulders stiffened as she watched, but he didn’t turn.
Her gaze slid down his body and she noticed the tension held in the tightening
in his spine and the clench of his fists. She just knew she could help him with
any stiffness he might have. She smiled. Shunyuan turned before she could turn
her face away. His eyes were intense and his mouth was so tight his generous bottom
lip almost disappeared.

Acia raised an eyebrow and wiggled her fingers at him. She
was surprised with herself. Not because she didn’t back down, she wasn’t a
coward, but because she was obviously baiting him. She was getting bolder every
day in direct proportion to the throbbing and longing in her pussy. Her sexual
urges had all the control and told her brain what to do. They were telling her
if she could just make him want her as much as she wanted him, she would have a
chance. Plus, she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t writhing uncontrollably, but her
pussy was continuously wet for him. And she’d been having a hard time not
squirming.

She looked down his body and was caught as his cock saluted
her. She smiled.

He turned away swiftly and she sighed. To tell the truth,
she was heartsick. Shunyuan treated her with courtesy and respect, but he never
sought her out. They never talked unless thrust by circumstance into the same
part of the ship. Surrounded by the women who had been her family for most of
her life, she was lonely.

Ruvia interrupted her thoughts by standing and moving to her
station. “Transmission coming in from the
Stealth
, Acia. Captain Vender
is hailing.”

“Put him through.” Acia perked up. Hopefully the good
captain had what they were looking for.

The screen showed the captain of the
Stealth
. Vender
lounged in his chair, in a black battlesuit that looked as though someone
poured it on him. The red-and-silver accents outlined his fluid muscles. His
boots were trimmed in silver spikes and his long black hair swung around his
face, which was more intriguing than handsome. Earrings shaped in the form of
skulls and black eyeliner around his eyes made him appear predatory and
insolent.

“Acia,” Vender drawled. He gave Acia a look that she finally
understood.

Shunyuan must have seen it as well because she felt his
irritation. He also widened his stance, crossed his arms over his chest and
frowned at the screen. Acia’s face heated.

“Vender.” She knew she sounded breathless.

Both men noticed. Vender grinned at her and Shunyuan turned
his frown her way.

She ignored him. “Do you have what I need?”

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