Hope for the Alien Warrior (Treasured By the Alien #12)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

T wo days later Felicity paced the small cockpit, her fingers twisting together. Luxor’s wounds had healed and the ship was ready to fly but they disagreed on the destination.

“Lauren could be anywhere by now. Every day we wait makes it harder to find her.”

“I know, t’davi,” he said gently. “But my ship has advanced tracking systems, weapons, proper medical facilities?—”

“I don’t care about fancy equipment. We need to start searching now.”

The words came out sharper than she intended, but his sympathetic expression didn’t change.

“And what happens when we find her? This vessel barely fits us as it is. Where would we put her?”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Carla spoke up from the doorway.

“He’s right. Bobby and Nina need space to move around. And what if Lauren’s hurt when we find her? You’re a doctor—you know we need proper medical supplies.”

Her shoulders slumped. The rational part of her mind knew they were right, but her heart ached at the thought of Lauren alone and scared. She dropped into the co-pilot’s chair, running her hands through her hair, then sighed.

“How far is it to your ship?” she asked quietly.

“Three days to the trading post where I left it.” His expression softened. “I give you my word—as soon as we have my ship, we’ll start searching for your friend.”

His tail curved around her wrist, a gentle pressure that made her chest tight with conflicting emotions. She nodded, not trusting her voice.

He lifted her hand to his mouth, pressing his lips to her palm, and a shiver raced through her at the unexpected tenderness. His eyes met hers, full of warmth and understanding, and she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.

The three-day journey to the trading post passed far more quickly than she expected. Now that the autopilot was working, Luxor was free to move around the ship. He discovered a concealed door leading to a small cargo hold containing an odd assortment of items. Some Ruijin captain’s private stash, no doubt. She’d had a momentary attack of conscience when he started methodically searching through the contents, but he quickly talked her out of it. Given the Ruijin’s plans for all of them, it wasn’t hard.

It was even easier when he found a silk-like cargo wrap that shimmered with an iridescent sheen. Nina’s eyes lit up at the sight of it, stroking it with an awed finger. Her sewing skills were basic at best but Luxor wielded a needle with surprising dexterity for such a powerful warrior. Between them they managed to come up with a dress for the little girl. Watching Nina twirl happily in her new dress filled her with joy.

Bobby was equally pleased with a modified version of a jumpsuit that Carla made for him, strutting around and pretending to aim a blaster at everyone. She exchanged smiles with Luxor over the boy’s head. He was sitting on the floor, his tail curled around his feet as he sorted through the rest of the fabric.

“These were meant for trading,” he grumbled good naturedly. “Not playing dress-up.”

“Sometimes the best things come from unexpected places.”

She knelt beside him, admiring the various pieces of fabric. Her fingers brushed his as she reached for another piece, sending tingles up her arm. His eyes heated as he looked over at her and she knew she was blushing. Things had not progressed any further between them since the heated kisses after the predator’s attack, although given the lack of privacy, there wasn’t much they could have done. Despite that, she was constantly aware of him.

It didn’t help that whenever she was within his reach, his tail invariably ended up wrapped around some part of her body. This time it was wrapped around her foot which, since she was sitting back on her heels, made it dangerously close to her butt. She wiggled a little, settling back closer to it and saw his shoulders tense. She reached back and stroked his tail, then gave him an innocent look when he froze.

Perhaps there were other advantages to his ship—such as a private bedroom. The thought sent a pleasant shiver of arousal down her spine and his head whipped around. His eyes darkened, his tail flexing against her. Carla cleared her throat loudly and she blushed, turning her attention back to the fabrics. She heard him growl under his breath and had to bite back a smile.

The fabric provided a welcome distraction—especially when she came across a length that seemed to change from blue to green depending on the angle of the light.

“Oh my, this would make a gorgeous dress.”

“It is from the planet,” he said softly. “The color is prized by the inhabitants. They are a matriarchal race, ruled by a queen. The color suits you.”

“You saw that I’m not much good at dress-making, but I suppose I could manage something simple.”

“Maybe like this?”

Carla held up the wrap she was converting into a tunic for herself, and she nodded thoughtfully. She could probably manage that.

She smoothed out the length of fabric, trying to envision a dress made from the beautiful material. Carla hummed as she returned to work and an odd sense of contentment washed over her. The small space felt unexpectedly cozy, filled with the sounds of Bobby’s chatter and Nina’s soft footsteps as she danced. Luxor’s tail tightened around her ankle again and she looked over to find him smiling at her.

Her foolish heart skipped a beat. There couldn’t possibly be any future between them, no matter how right this felt, and yet…

They looked at each other for a long moment, and then he cleared his throat.

“I believe there are enough scraps left from Nina’s dress to make a matching doll. Do you think she would like that?”

A lump threatened to fill her throat, but she managed to nod.

“I think she would love that.”

He set to work on the doll while Carla finished her tunic. There was nowhere to hide what he was doing and Nina was soon perched at his feet, watching intently. His tail swished in concentration as he tied off tiny knots and stitched careful seams.

“Almost done,” he murmured, his deep voice gentle.

He added a final stitch to create a smiling mouth, then carefully handed the doll to Nina. She gave him a radiant smile as she clutched the doll to her chest then threw her arms around his neck. He gently patted her back, his face softer than she’d ever seen it.

By the end of the afternoon, he’d also created a horse-like creature for Bobby and Carla had finished her own outfit. She was still struggling with hers, although it was finally starting to take shape.

“I would be happy to work on your dress,” he said softly when she scowled at the fabric.

“You don’t have to spend all your time sewing.”

“There are not a wide variety of other activities available,” he said dryly and she laughed.

“How do you know how to sew anyway? You said your family was wealthy—didn’t you have servants for that?”

His face shuttered and for a moment she thought he wasn’t going to answer her.

“When I first left Ciresia I had no credits. I learned to repair my clothing to make it last as long as possible.”

A hundred questions popped into her mind but before she could ask them, he changed the subject to the evening meal.

That night they tucked Nina into bed. The little girl smiled happily at them as they bent down to kiss her good night, then curled around her new doll, holding her close.

“Night,” Nina whispered to the doll, her voice barely audible.

She froze, giving him a shocked look. It was the first time Nina had spoken. He looked as stunned as she felt, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, fighting back tears as the little girl drifted off to sleep.

His tail wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his side, and she leaned into him gratefully.

“She is healing,” he said softly.

“I think so.” She looked up at him, tears blurring her eyes. “Because of you.”

“Because of both of us.”

She nodded, then buried her face in his chest, taking comfort in the warmth of his skin and the spicy scent of his body. He didn’t try to move her away but let her lean into him as long as she needed. Finally, she wiped her eyes and gave him a watery smile.

“Thank you. I’m sorry for getting all emotional on you.”

“It is no hardship, t’davi.” His tail tugged her a little closer, and he smiled down at her. “I am happy to comfort you any time you wish.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said with a shaky laugh, but her pulse accelerated as she looked up at him.

His head lowered to hers and she swayed towards him, her lips parting. A loud snore from Bobby’s direction reminded her that they weren’t alone, and she reluctantly pushed him away. He equally reluctantly let her, giving her a rueful smile.

“Shall we play a game instead?”

He had been teaching her a game called Shalax which involved placing brightly colored pieces in intricate patterns. It was a fascinating game—although not as fascinating as his kisses—and they played several games. Carla joined them for the first two, then went to join her son in bed.

“You’re very good at this too,” she told him and he shrugged.

“You would be surprised how often a friendly game can smooth the path to a deal. Or even an unfriendly one.”

“What do you mean?”

“I made a deal on Kex Prime once,” he said, placing a tile. “The local merchant insisted on playing Shalax before any business could be conducted. The winner received an advantage in the contract.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“Let’s just say he was very motivated to offer a fair price after I won three rounds in ten minutes.” He shook his head, smiling. “Though the celebration afterward nearly killed me. Their idea of victory drinks could strip paint off a hull.”

“But who taught you to play?”

There was that closed look again.

“A… friend. We had little else to do at the time. Shall we play another round?”

She nodded, accepting the change of subject, but these tiny glimpses of his past intrigued her. She was quite sure that much of it had not been happy, but he never spoke of it.

She was still thinking about his mysterious past the next night as she stared sleeplessly up at the ceiling of the ship. They were due to arrive on Triguera the next day and she found herself tossing restless on the bed platform. She had the uneasy feeling that everything was about to change.

Nina’s warm body curled against her side, the child’s steady breathing a stark contrast to her racing thoughts. The gentle hum of the ship’s engines underlaid the silence, and she finally gave up on the attempt to sleep. She slipped free of Nina’s grasp and padded barefoot toward the cockpit.

Although they had spent the night together after the attack, he had subsequently announced that he would sleep in the cockpit. He pointed out that it was safer if someone were monitoring the ship’s systems at all times, but she had a feeling it was more because of the sleeping arrangements. While they had managed to fit together on the sleeping platform, being pressed so closely against him all night had made her want much, much more than they could accomplish in the limited privacy of the ship.

He was sitting in the pilot’s chair, his tall frame silhouetted against the endless expanse of stars. His tail draped over one armrest, the tip twitching slightly.

“Can’t sleep?” His voice was low, mindful of the others.

“Too much on my mind.” She settled into the co-pilot’s seat, drawing her knees up. “Do you enjoy trading? The freedom? All those adventures you told us about?”

His black eyes reflected pinpoints of starlight.

“Most days are routine. Haggling over prices. Dodging customs agents. Fighting off pirates.” He paused. “Space gets quiet. Empty.”

The admission hung between them. She studied his profile, noting the slight droop of his broad shoulders. For all his strength and capability, there was something vulnerable in his posture.

“I can’t imagine being out here alone,” she said softly.

“I have never minded solitude. But now… I find myself wondering what it would be like to have company.” His tail curled towards her. “It has been a long time since I wanted to share my space with someone.”

Her heart skipped a beat. He was still facing forward, looking out at the stars. It was a perfect opportunity to slip away, to avoid the inevitable heartache that would result from becoming involved with him, but she couldn’t do it.

Instead, she reached for his tail, brushing her fingers over the subtle texture. He turned to face her, and her breath caught at the intensity in his eyes.

Without giving herself a chance to second guess her decision, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. For a moment he went completely still. Then his hand came up to cradle the back of her head, and he was kissing her back with a hunger that made her dizzy.

He made a low needy sound and pulled her onto his lap. His tail coiled around her waist, pulling her closer, the stiff peaks of her nipples rubbing against his chest. His hand roamed over her body, leaving trails of heat through the thin fabric of her borrowed clothes. When his thumb brushed the underside of her breast, she moaned against his mouth

“You have to be very quiet, t’davi. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” she whispered frantically, and his hand closed around her breast, squeezing gently.

Her head fell back, exposing her throat, and he immediately took advantage, trailing hot, wet kisses up and down the sensitive flesh. She squirmed in his arms, trying to relieve the growing ache at her core, and the tip of his tail slid beneath her shirt, caressing the soft skin of her stomach before slipping lower. Each touch sparked new sensations, building a delicious tension low in her belly.

His cock jerked beneath her when he reached her panties, but then his tail slipped under them and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. The thick nubbed length slid easily across her clit and her whole body tightened. He growled softly and increased the pressure. She could feel the tension building and her breath escaped in fast, frantic pants. Her vision blurred and she clung to him as if she could somehow pull him even closer to her.

As his tail rubbed over her swollen nub again, she shattered, pulsing helplessly against him. He clamped his mouth down on hers to muffle her cry, his tail continuing to stroke her until she shuddered and collapsed against his chest. His tail withdrew and he cradled her in his arms, her face tucked against his neck as her breathing gradually slowed.

“Do you think you can sleep now?” he murmured against her hair.

“Mmm. But what about you?”

“This is not the time or the place.”

There was an odd undercurrent to his voice, but she was too drained to decipher it. She pressed a final kiss to his jaw before standing on shaky legs. She made a quick trip to the san, then curled around Nina and fell asleep immediately, a satisfied smile on her face.