Tomlin (How the Aliens Were Won #8)

Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A week later, Etta looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. In many ways it had been a wonderful week. She’d been a little worried that she might grow tired of having another person in her house, but it was the opposite. She was beginning to wonder if she could be content on her own again.

Tomlin fit almost seamlessly into her life, easing it in a hundred subtle ways. There were always fresh flowers on the table and by her bed, and a hot bath waiting for her at the end of the day. She never had to worry about preparing food or washing clothes or keeping up with even her minimal housekeeping standards, leaving her free to concentrate on her work.

Admittedly her dedication to her work had suffered a little. She found herself taking more breaks, seeking him out for no other reason than because she enjoyed his company. He had traveled widely throughout Cresca and told her fascinating stories about the places he’d been, his tales spiked with dry humor. Although he’d continued to be extremely reticent about his own past, he had discovered a lot more about hers.

He knows a lot more about me than I know about him , she thought wryly.

But she didn’t just seek him out for companionship or because of his conversational skills. Her physical attraction to him had intensified to the point where she seemed to exist in a continuous state of frustrated arousal. The results of her exposure therapy suggestion had been… mixed. He could put his arm around her, or even hold her hand, but a kiss almost always escalated rapidly and she couldn’t seem to convince him that she enjoyed those hungry, possessive touches.

There always came a point where he would pull away, despite his obvious arousal - and hers. He spent a lot of time running and she’d spent a lot of time trying - unsuccessfully - to deal with her own frustration. Her breasts still ached from their latest encounter. They’d been in the lab and she’d boldly placed his hands on her breasts, placing her own hands over his to encourage him to touch her.

His hands had tightened delightfully before he pulled back.

“You don’t need to do that. Look.” Despite the heat rising to her cheeks, she unbuttoned her blouse and revealed her breasts. “I’m perfectly fine, see?”

He didn’t seem to hear her, the familiar blue glow heating his eyes as he stared at her naked upper half. Then she was on her back on the worktop, his body forcing her legs apart as he bent down over her, his mouth working hungrily at her breasts, scraping sharp teeth gently against the taut peaks. She’d done her best to encourage him as he pulled her throbbing core tightly against the massive bar of his erection.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and he growled, his mouth growing even more demanding, clamping down on her nipple, and she’d been right on the edge of climax when he pulled away, the equally familiar look of horror on his face.

“What’s wrong this time?” she demanded, her voice sharp with frustration.

“I bit you.”

She followed his gaze to her breast. Her nipple was taut and distended, and she could see the reddened circle from his mouth surrounding it.

“It felt good. Do it again.”

But he was already gone, leaving her frustrated once again as she redressed and went to wash her face. She rubbed absently at her aching nipples, sending another spike of desire down her spine, but she already knew that her own hand wouldn’t be enough.

This has to stop , she decided. If he still couldn’t bring himself to believe that he wouldn’t hurt her after all the times he’d pulled away, there was nothing she could do. Maybe some time apart would make him see things more clearly. The thought made her heart ache, but she couldn’t see any other way of getting through to him. The prospect continued to weigh on her as she returned to the lab, and she couldn’t even concentrate on her work.

She was staring absently at one of the morchev crystals when there was a knock at the door. Her heart skipped a beat before she realized that it couldn’t be Tomlin. He hadn’t knocked since he returned. She started for the door, then remembered his warning and retrieved her weapon first.

A strange man was standing on her porch. Not a man, she realized, a Vultor. The Vultori had also established colonies on Cresca, although they tended to keep to the mountains, and most humans feared and distrusted them. Still, he’d knocked politely enough and he didn’t appear particularly threatening.

“Move away from the door,” she ordered, tightening her grip on her gun.

He flashed an unexpectedly charming grin in her direction as he obeyed - a grin that showed an alarming number of very sharp teeth, bracketed by deadly looking fangs. She cautiously opened the door far enough to see him clearly. His nostrils flared briefly as the door opened, but then he nodded politely.

“I’m sorry for bothering you, ma’am. I was just wondering if you had any work that needed doing.”

“Work?”

“In exchange for a meal, and maybe a place to rest my head? I’ve been travelin’ a long time.”

He was still smiling, his voice friendly and polite, but she caught a brief glimpse of his eyes and a chill suddenly shivered down her spine. They were blue as well, but a cold, icy blue that belied his attempt to seem harmless.

Danger, her instincts whispered.

“I’m afraid I can’t offer you work or accommodation, but if you’ll wait a minute, I’ll give you some provisions to take with you.”

Her voice came out remarkably calm, even though her fingers were so tight on the handle of her weapon that they ached.

He studied her for a moment, then gave another easy nod.

“I sure do hate to take somethin’ for nothing. Isn’t there anything I can do for you?”

Another chill coursed down her spine but she shook her head politely.

“No thank you.”

“Then I’ll just wait right here.”

She closed the door firmly behind her and hurried into the kitchen, rapidly throwing an assortment of food into a box. It was awkward carrying it with one hand but she wasn’t about to let go of her weapon. He was leaning casually against the porch railing when she returned but she wasn’t stupid enough to believe he really was as relaxed as he appeared. She set the box on the ground by her feet and pushed it towards him, careful not to move past the doorway.

He grinned again as he approached her, moving with the same predatory grace as Tomlin. Another chill washed over her and she raised her weapon, aiming directly for his chest. He stopped abruptly, his smile still in place.

“That’s not very neighborly of you.”

“You’re not my neighbor.”

His eyes moved back to her face as he leaned down towards the box.

“Oh, you’d be surprised.”

Despite her caution, he moved with shocking speed, grabbing her wrist and pointing the weapon up at the ceiling.

“You didn’t really think that little thing would stop me, did you?”

Her heart was beating so rapidly she felt sick but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of an answer.

“Consider this a… friendly warning. Humans don’t belong out here. It’s too dangerous for them.” His nostrils flared again. “Especially small human females with such a delicious scent. You need to leave. Now.”

She stubbornly kept her mouth closed. He chuckled, but his eyes remained as cold and deadly as ever.

“Remember. One warning.” Then he released her arm and stepped back. “And you can keep your human food. I prefer to catch my own prey.”

His features shifted, growing more wolfish, and his fangs lengthened. He laughed again, the sound oddly distorted by the difference in his face, and then he was gone, loping across the plain with the same easy, ground-eating pace that Tomlin used.

She pulled the box back inside and quickly locked the door, her hands shaking. Who was he? And why had he shown up now? She’d been here for six months. Too upset to return to work, she paced anxiously, waiting for Tomin to return. Even though she kept watching for him, he still surprised her. She jumped when she caught sight of his big body outside the door, afraid for a moment that the Vultor had returned, then hurried over to unlock the door.

As soon as she got the door open, she threw herself into his arms, fighting back the tears.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” His arms suddenly tightened, his soothing tone disappearing beneath a growl. “Another male was here.”

“Y-yes. A Vultor.”

“What did he do? Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head, hiding her face in the softness of his shirt, breathing in the reassuring scent of him.

“No. He just threatened me.”

“What did he say?”

His voice was still harsh and guttural but he made her feel safe.

“He… he said humans didn’t belong out here. That it was too dangerous for us, especially s-small human females.”

His arms tightened around her, but then he stiffened, growling again.

“He touched you. I taste his scent on you.”

“He just grabbed my wrist,” she said quickly but he didn’t seem to hear her.

“ My female. My mate.”

His eyes blazed blue fire before his mouth descended over hers, hungry and demanding.