Gigi (19 page)

“Don’t stop…that’s it, champion. Show me your strength.”

Briq devoured her plea with a kiss so intense heat radiated from her chest. He swallowed her pleasure-filled scream and shafted her at a frantic pace. In and out he pounded her channel, the beast demanding absolute surrender.

His cock was now swollen to an impossible size. The bumps reached out to caress her trembling pussy. She jerked every time he rubbed her engorged clit. The beast responded by clamping his teeth on her neck, asserting his dominance.

“Mine, mine.”

“Yes, yours. Harder, fuck me harder. It feels so good. You feel so good. Don’t stop.”

“Mine, you’re mine forever, Mor’u.”

The pressure of his seed pouring out was so intense Briq fell to his knees. They came in a surge of light so bright it rivaled a supernova. Their combined orgasm was so powerful he threw his head back and screamed. Her voice faded, and his respiration returned to normal. Goddess helped him, but he could become addicted to this sexy connection.

Chapter Fifteen

Drifting

“Jid’rahal, we’re receiving a distress signal coming from one of the Kreeh-nosh colonies.” The comm officer’s voice interrupted Briq and Zaaq-niq’s combat session.

Briq had to admit his brother was a skilled warrior. His little brother matched his every move, making it hard to teach him a well-deserved lesson. He was trying to get even for teasing him about math lessons.

A visual of the Kreeh-nosh colony was on the holoscreen once they reached the bridge. They’d caught up with the colony sooner than expected. One of the pack members had confessed during interrogation that the message to the council had been set to transmit two days after the attack. No one knew who’d activated the signal sooner, but whoever it was had given them the advantage.

“Are you seeing this, Jid’rahal?” Dru-lah asked from the
Q’alor II
. He’d been waiting for them to arrive.

“Yes, First Commander Dru-lah. We have a full visual.”

“Do you think it’s a trick?” Briq asked, voicing their thoughts. They remembered the original
Q’alor
and how it’d been lured by a false distress signal.

“I don’t know, but the readings indicate an explosion of some sort in their main engines. There’s debris scattered everywhere.” Dru-lah transmitted the data they’d collected.

The Kreeh-nosh ship seemed to be damaged. The interesting part was the explosion seemed to have originated from within.

“Jid’rahal, permission to investigate.” Briq made his formal request following Pendo’rahn protocols. He hated rules, but he was now on board one of their ships.

“I was about to propose the same. I’ll go with you. There’s something funky about this.”

“Funky?” Briq asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Never mind. Let’s go. We’ll take my shuttle.”

“You mean the shuttle you took from me?”

“No, the one I received as payment for rescuing your mate. I risked my life and put my reputation on the line, you know.”

“Really? That’s not what I heard.” Zaaq-niq snorted, sounding just like his mate.

“I’ll meet you there whenever you two are done arguing.” Dru-lah sounded exasperated.

Briq looked at Zaaq-niq, who appeared rather guilty. They knew how important this mission was for their friend and brother. Frackk, it was important for all of them. Mah’yanna’s life was at stake.

“No, you’ll stay on board
Q’alor II
and monitor any suspicious activity. That’s an order, first commander.”

“With respect, Jid’rahal, my place is there searching for my future mate,” Dru-lah said, appearing to barely contain his anger.

“The jid’rahal is right, first commander. We need you in charge of both ships. We’ll maintain open commlink at all times.” Briq knew how it felt to have a mate in danger. He’d killed many to rescue Mor’u. The difference was his sister was a trained warrior, one of the best tactical officers in the armada.

She could handle the Kreeh-nosh, even if they tortured her. He didn’t want to think about it, because he knew firsthand how evil T’zaal could be. A low rumble escaped his lips before he had a chance to hold it back. Thoughts and images flashed through his mind, threatening to drown him in a flood of pain and anger.

“Just practice those breathing exercises I taught you. If you feel your control slipping, contact me immediately. Your armor is equipped with a scent diffuser I designed. Use it in an extreme case. It isn’t tested yet and it might be a little too potent.”

Briq allowed Ju’nii to hover over him, adjusting his armor and checking his systems. It was the compromise he’d made for Gigi’s sake, because he needed to keep his rage at bay.

Nodding, Briq pushed the negative thoughts back. He felt the eyes of every warrior stationed on the bridge. They didn’t trust him. Some even feared him, thinking he might snap at any moment. Good, let them think that. He didn’t care what any of them felt, nor care for the surreptitious looks they gave him when he walked by.

Frackk them. None of them had what he had. He had the love of a branded mate. He was the lucky one. His mate not only loved him, she craved his touch. Whenever they looked at him as if he were unworthy, he remembered her. None of them would ever experience the joy of a woman screaming their names in ecstasy.

“Attention, everyone. This is the jid’rahal. We’ve received a distress signal from the Kreeh-noshian colony ship. I’ll be heading the response team with Briq. First Commander Dru-lah is now in charge of both
Q’alor II
and
Toq’ma’lal
. I don’t have to remind you we’re under high alert. If there’s any indication of a trap, don’t hesitate to fire on that ship. That’s an order. Jid’rahal out.”

The trip to the colony ship was silent. Everyone knew the risks. Briq was sure his brother connected briefly with his mate just as he did. The contact only lasted a few seconds, just to reassure her.

His brother told him about the time he’d tried to block his mate to protect her. It’d backfired with unexpected consequences. Never pull away from a mate without warning her first. He’d hated to become violent with bloodlust with her as a witness. Gigi possessed a strength that both amazed and humbled him.

The cruiser docked with the colony without firing a single shot. Both shields and engines on the massive vessel were offline. The Kreeh-nosh colony was in fact drifting in space.

“My lords, I’m detecting three hundred and eleven life forms inside the ship.” Rag’mar had monitored the colony since departure.

“Scan again, Rag’mar. This can’t be right. A colony that size should have a least ten thousand Kreeh-nosh and as many unfortunate beings for their consumption.” Briq had no reason to trust them. They were soulless creatures without morals.

“Aye, my lord. Beginning new scan.”

“What’s on your mind, Briq?” Zaaq-niq asked, eying him curiously.

His brother didn’t know the enemy the way Briq did. They were masters of deception who didn’t follow the traditional rules of engagement.

“Just being thorough. I don’t want any surprises. The Kreeh-nosh have tricked us one too many times. I want to be prepared, that’s all.”

“Scan completed. I’ve detected three hundred and ten Kreeh-noshians and a Pendo’rahn female.”

“Rag’mar, can you pinpoint the Pendo’rahn’s exact location?” Dru-lah’s voice sounded strained. Briq knew it took all his strength to stay put knowing Mah’yanna was on board. Trust among warriors was one of the most sacred rules. Without it the entire mission would fail.

Dru-lah’s self-control was admirable, a sign of a well-trained leader. Briq, on the other hand, didn’t have those constraints. He’d kill everyone standing in his way. Maybe he should try the scent diffuser Ju’nii had mentioned.

“The female is in one of the cargo bays, deck fourteen near the rear. She’s with a Kreeh-nosh. Her breathing is fast, and her pulse is accelerated.”

“I’m coming over.” Dru-lah’s fear was evident “Even if you toss me into the brig. She’s in danger and I’ll not stand by while they torture her.”

“First commander,” Briq tried to appease his friend. The other option was knocking him out until it was over. He was prepared to do it, even if it cost the friendship he valued so much. “I know it’s hard for you to stay calm, but you must follow orders. We need you on board to coordinate both ships. I give you my word when we get her back, the right of swift justice will be yours.”

“You have two hours. If you’re not back by then, I’ll go in after her.” Dru-lah conceded, albeit still disagreeing

* * * *

The outer hatch opened with a loud hiss. The warriors entered the colony two at a time and assembled in two rows by the time Briq and Zaaq-niq had entered the ship. Most of the warriors were part of Mah’yanna’s elite force. Highly trained, precise and deadly, they had no match. Each one had pledged their life to her rescue and wouldn’t stop until they found her.

No one would ever forget the sight that greeted them once they reached the upper decks. Hundreds of Kreeh-noshians lay strewn all over. Their bodies mutilated, limbs ripped off. It looked as if a power struggle had occurred. It wasn’t uncommon among the Kreeh-nosh to have them inside a colony. The males fought to the death to achieve power. They had no honor or loyalties. Only the strongest survived.

“Take the lift to deck eleven. The distress signal originates from within.” The elite warriors moved as one, heading to the lift. “I want updates every ten minutes. Rag’mar, can you access their holovids?” Briq asked.

“I have anticipated your request. The entire team should have visual…now.”

He didn’t want to go in blind. Their enemy could be masking their signals, appearing less in number. He thought of Mor’u and what she always told him, remember history…

“Twenty Kreeh-noshians located in the main engine room. One is in
the main cargo bay with the Pendo’rah
and the rest are on deck eleven.”

“Your thoughts, Briq?” His brother asked, following closely. “Why are you asking for a holo-link?” Rag’mar was top of the line, but still a machine. Briq relied on no one but his gut instincts. Right now it told him to be on high alert.

“Mor’u told me a story once. She tells one to me when I can’t sleep. Her voice soothes me.”

He still remembered the time she’d told it to him. After the explosion on outpost 0255, he’d had trouble sleeping. The beast was so agitated it’d refused to rest. It was a simple story, but the lesson was that things might not be as they appear. His brother listened intently as Briq repeated the story.

“Long ago two rival countries spent many years at war with great loss on both sides. One day one of the kings surrendered, offering the victor a magnificent effigy as a gift. The winning king accepted their gift. That night they held a celebration with food, drinks, dance and sex. Everybody drank until they fell into an intoxicated stupor. At that moment, the enemy warriors came out of the hollowed effigy and then opened the gates to the city. The armies swarmed the unsuspecting rivals, torching the city and killing hundreds.”

“Ingenious, but without honor. They should’ve continued the fight until their last warrior,” Zaaq-niq said with contempt.

His brother would never resort to tricks or deception to win the war. Duplicity wasn’t his nature.

“Right, but they relied on a trick to win the war, and they did.” Bah-Troy the warrior would’ve agreed with his brother. He wasn’t that person anymore. Briq had learned to trick, lie and deceive in order to survive. When Mor’u told him the tale of the Trojan War, he was fascinated by their ingenuity.

“You think the Kreeh-nosh are tricking us? It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I’m not certain, but we must be prepared for anything. As Mor’u likes to say, those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” They decided to go their separate ways.

Zaaq-niq went to the cargo bay were they thought Mah’yanna was being held. Since she wouldn’t recognize him after his change, he thought it prudent to wait. Briq decided to join the elite force on deck eleven.

Their way there wasn’t without surprises. The floor was littered with bodies badly mangled. Briq was now certain this was an inside power struggle. The remaining forces were concentrated on the breeders’ deck. Every colony had one designated as their lair. No outsiders were ever allowed on it.

Common knowledge was, the more powerful a colony the more breeders they had. Sometimes they’d attack each other to steal them, especially if their own were considered too old. A young female could potentially produce six eggs in a year.

Briq exited the lift first, looking around the perimeter. It was clear, but the floor was littered with twice as many bodies as the others. He knew this was the breeders’ lair. The complicated locking mechanism on the door was designed to keep intruders out.

He signaled for the warriors to fan out in standard defense pattern. The men split up in groups of five, each checking the bodies for any life signs. The locks on the doors were broken, raising even more questions. Using his tail as leverage, he brought up both legs and kicked the doors wide open. The warriors ran past him, their ro’traals ready for combat.

Eerie silence greeted them. More mutilated bodies laid about. Briq caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Instinctively he struck out with his ro’traal. The figure jumped out of the way but stayed close by.

“There’s no need for weapons. We’ll not fight you.”

Briq turned around at the sound of the voice. He couldn’t believe his eyes. She wasn’t what he thought a breeder should look like.

No one had ever seen one since they were kept virtually prisoners. Even his time as a Kreeh-nosh captive didn’t afforded a glimpse of the creatures. She was smaller than her counterparts, more colorful also. It was the collar that disturbed him the most. Did the Kreeh-nosh keep all females collared?

“We’re taking this vessel and all remaining occupants under Protectorate custody. Stand down and offer no resistance.” He finally regained enough sense to remember the fact they were still the enemy.