Deadly Star, page 3
The star returned to the ship, and she released the ships. They slotted their ships into what she could only imagine as a parking beam, and she waited her turn. It grabbed her and pulled her into the ship, guiding her into a slot for the pod.
When all seven of the ships were in place, the entryways locked, and exit tubes attached to the vessels. Nova shut down the pod, and as everything went dark, the point she had entered lit up, and she could see the ladder. Oh, great. Her limbs were numb, and this was not going to be fun.
Nova got out of the pod, and her sweat had been renewed. Her workouts had not prepared her for this. The slide down the exterior of the pod lacked dignity, but it let her clamber to the med team that swarmed her and took her vitals while an IV was run to get her fluids.
La’thet and Ke’vath crouched near her. La’thet smiled. “Well done, little cub. I have never been in such a fun fire fight.”
She smiled at him through the oxygen mask. “Glad you enjoyed it. It was... more than I expected.”
She realized something and started laughing then coughing. The medics frowned at the two pilots. “She needs to rest.”
Nova shook her head. “I need to hide.”
Ke’vath laughed.
The medic scowled. “Why did she say that?”
Ke’vath chuckled. “The overseer’s ship appeared on our scans. He will be here in the next two hours.”
A shadow fell over them, and a deep voice stated, “Or sooner.”
Nova inhaled slowly and looked up. “Aw, hell.”
Heboren looked at her with a slow smile. “Hello, pet. Have you gotten some exercise today?”
He hunkered down, and his black bat-style wings blocked the medics. Nova stared and tried to figure out what she was looking at. His skin was black but gold where the light struck it. He had a sharp nose, pointed ears, a wide and clearly cut mouth, and eyes that were black except for small artifacts in them. His body was solid muscle under smooth skin. He was wearing a dark version of the ship suit. The crew wore gold and black, and he was wearing black and gold in a sleeveless scuba-suit style.
She swallowed and bowed from her seated position. “Lord Heboren. Please, pardon my lack of formal greeting.”
He chucked and stroked a finger under her chin. He brought that finger to his lips and licked a bead of sweat. “Pardon granted. So, you can operate the hub?”
Ke’vath nodded. “Yes, Overseer. She got into position and summoned the ships into formation. The star is an impressive weapon.”
The Hmrain looked at her. “So, you can operate the hub?”
She nodded behind her mask. “Yes. There are a few things I would change, but yes, I can operate the hub.”
“Good. I have questions about the operation. Come with me.”
She tried to struggle to her feet, and the medics bobbed their heads. The senior one stated, “Pardon, Overseer, but she needs more fluids and oxygen. Her suit wasn’t equipped for life support, so she hasn’t had any supplements since she got into the hub.”
The Hmrain looked at the canine physician and blinked. “You would keep me from my consort?”
“No, Overseer, we simply need to make sure that she recovers the energy she lost while fighting for the survival of our ship.”
He paused and looked at her. “Three hours, and then Hu’oth will come for her.”
She got to her feet and nodded. La’thet caught her a moment later when she collapsed, and then they were heading to medical at a run.
Nova was pinched, poked, prodded, and the drip kept full. She showered with the tubes in and got into bed at the end of the first hour. She knew this feeling. Her body was exhausted. She would recover but needed a lot of fast energy.
Hu’oth came in with appropriate clothing for meeting the overseer. She beckoned him close and whispered her request.
He smiled. “Of course, Mistress Nova.”
He walked out, and she sighed.
The medic asked, “What is he getting?”
“I think it’s fruit? It is sweet and is in a small clear bowl with my meals.”
The medic smiled. “I can put something similar into your IV.”
“Please. It is the fastest way to get me on my feet.”
She ended up with a sugar drip, and her body felt better with every passing moment. Hu’oth brought her a platter, and she washed her fingers and then stuffed her face to shut her stomach up.
With fifteen minutes left, she could get on her feet with her knees straight, and the hydration drip was removed. Hu’oth dressed Nova in something pretty and gauzy with soft slippers. Her hair was brushed away from her face, and the butler, dresser, and attendant nodded. “Good. You are a better colour now.”
“Is it time?”
“We can just make it. Come with me, Mistress Nova.”
She nodded and followed him, the panels of her transparent skirt fluttering around her as they walked at a good clip. “I am gonna be a sweaty mess when we get there.”
He slowed. “Apologies. You are not very tall.”
“Nope.”
They made their way to the overseer’s quarters, and the guards grinned at them. “You made it.”
Nova was flushed. “He told you?”
The one on the right smirked. “He suggested we delay you, but I believe you are too quick for that.”
She nodded and hit the palm control for the door. She stepped inside, and Hu’oth went to his quarters.
The voice was her key to tracking Heboren around the room. He was next to the wardrobe and speaking in high Hmrain. He was pissed and threatening war for the attack on their ship.
He had showered and gotten into casual clothing. Mostly. An ornate gold belt held up the floor-length black silk skirt. She watched as he got wide cuffs and put them on his biceps while he spoke curtly. “You tried to take my consort, Nebel. You know what that means.”
Another husky voice muttered, “I thought I could snag one of the Terrans, but that damned star of yours took out my drones.”
“You tried to destroy the star?”
“Of course. I would have offered you compensation for any dead personnel.”
“You would have gotten a visit from Mero.”
“Why?”
“My Terran was in there. If you had managed to injure her, I would have ripped you apart to the edge of your regeneration.”
There was a lot of cursing followed by, “Why the hell did your crew let her off the ship?”
“Because she wanted to go, and the one person who could say no was on his way.” He looked at her and smiled wryly, his gaze moving over her slowly.
She wasn’t wearing his colours. Not yet. They didn’t have a contract yet. Her fashion would echo his once they came to an agreement. She was in soft orange silk that made her light brown skin glow.
“Nebel, this discussion is not over. I will contact you in a day or two.”
There was a wry tone in the voice. “She’s right there, isn’t she?”
“Shut up.”
Nebel laughed. “Enjoy your meeting.”
Heboren flicked his fingers, and there was a click.
Silence stretched in the room. Nova placed her hands on her thighs and lowered herself in a strange version of a curtsey. She held the semi-squat for over a minute until he reached out and caressed her chin.
“Very pretty.”
She remained locked until he chuckled and said, “You may rise.”
Nova stood straight, and her head was even with the bottom of his collarbone. Delightful. He was the same height as the other residents of Hebor.
Nova stared at the mark on his chest that was the equivalent of a Hmrain barcode. Whoever made him had marked him, just as they had marked all of his brothers and sisters.
“Nova is your chosen name?”
“Yes. The origin of my old name had bad connotations considering what happened.”
He moved closer to her. “What was it?”
“Cassandra. In myth, she predicted disaster and was cursed that no one would listen to her warnings. Nova was better.” She smiled slightly.
He nodded slowly and stepped toward her until her nostrils were filled with his warm and spicy scent. Since she had been speaking to Theedo, she knew that a Hmrain was probably in her future. They didn’t hurt their consorts, and a consort who had the trust of her Hmrain could do whatever they wanted as long as it didn’t endanger themselves. Like most humans, the last few years had already gotten her to do things she would have never considered. Curling up with an alien who needed pleasure or pain from her was just something to add to the pile.
“Well, Nova. May I taste you?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Uh. Yes. How?”
“Put your hands on my skin, lean in, and close your eyes.”
Nova looked up at his dark eyes and nodded, placing her fingertips against his chest. He was very warm, and there was a steady thumping of his heart against her skin. She closed her eyes, and she could feel him getting closer.
The brush of his lips against her neck made her jump. He kept his lips over the pounding pulse for a moment, occasionally flicking his tongue against her skin. She kept her eyes closed, and her body swayed close to his. He trailed small kisses on her jaw before he slid his lips across hers. She turned her head toward his and relaxed as the kiss eased her, and then he parted her lips with his, and his breath met hers.
He tasted sweet. She leaned against him, and he wrapped a hand around her back to steady her as he eased his tongue into her. He was being very careful, and she met his tongue with hers as she tried to figure out where she knew his taste from.
His free hand threaded through her hair, and she noticed that he had claws when his fingers flexed.
He pulled away from her. “Focus, pet, or I will help you keep your mind on me.”
“You have claws.”
“I do. They flex out when I find something I want to hold onto.”
“Oh.”
He chuckled. “Can we try the kissing again?”
She nodded. His mouth took charge of hers, he held her head still, and she focused on him, sliding her hands up his chest to slip her fingers under his hair. Her breasts pressed against him, and she felt heat surging through her veins. He growled softly, and she whimpered, rocking her hips against him.
He swayed her a little, and she ended up straddling one of his thighs. Her body slowly left her focus, and she moved against him, letting arousal build until her hips jerked against him, and he inhaled sharply while soft pulses ran through her sex.
He slowed his kiss and lifted his head, brushing his lips gently over her eyelids. “You are exactly what I had hoped you would be.”
She opened her eyes and saw him very close to her. Her sex was wet and throbbing, and her skirt was stuck between her thighs. “Sticky?”
“Responsive. Your file said that a requirement was that you felt safe. I am glad that it has happened so soon.”
“Theedo was a chatty guy.” She felt her face warm, and she looked down. She blinked. No sign of an erection. She could feel his relaxed physical presence but no sign of any stiffness. In a human, this would be a disappointing moment or, at least, one to make her nervous. For a Hmrain? Who knew? She flicked her gaze up.
“Until you are comfortable and settled in, we will be focusing on you, Nova.”
She felt delicate touches on her mind. He smiled.
“Oh, no.”
A thumb stroked her cheek. “Oh, yes. I also have your language, so there is no hiding from me.”
“That’s...”
He chuckled. “I believe your mind is confused between creepy and hot. I like the images of the second thought. We are heading home now, so we have to attend dinner with the captain, and he can update me as to your progress.”
“Uh. I need to change.”
“No, you don’t. And we are late.” He smiled. “No time to change.”
She stepped back and brushed at her skirt. The wet mark was unmistakable. “Oh, geez.” She flapped her skirt to dry it, and he laughed.
“Oh, pet, you will wear far worse than that in your time with me. My people are scent-sensitive, so keeping my scent on you will be a primary concern.”
The fabric was drying quickly, but there was still a stiff section. She was distressed.
Nova was still puzzling through how to fix it when an arm wrapped around her and bustled her to the door and into the hallway. She tensed, but he curled his wing around her. Crewmen and women backed up against the walls as they passed. Oh. Right. Wings.
Heboren chuckled. “You will get used to them.”
Her mind went blank, and they continued to the captain’s private dining room.
Na’ith was waiting for them and snapped to his feet when Heboren entered the room. “Overseer!”
“Captain. Have you had an interesting journey?”
The captain snorted. “You could say that. There is only one of the other Terrans that are polite and respectful. The younger ones have a pack mentality.”
Heboren sat on the chair designed for his wings and eased her onto his lap. Na’ith smiled.
The Hmrain nodded. “You know what I do to packs.”
“I look forward to watching the bond auction when they realize that they are being scattered over the globe.” Na’ith chuckled. He pressed part of the table, and the door opened. “We are ready for dinner.”
The crewman nodded and grinned.
Nova felt weird being on his lap. This wasn’t what she had anticipated.
Heboren’s hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against him. Her head leaned back as she looked up at him, and he leaned down to kiss her. Nova leaned up to firm up the contact, and there was a murmur of approval from the Hmrain.
When he lifted his head, Na’ith was smiling. “That is a relief. We had all pooled our resources to take her bond if you rejected her.”
Nova stared at him.
The captain chuckled. “What? We weren’t going to see you disappear into a noble’s estate, never to be seen again.”
Heboren squeezed her gently. “Don’t worry, Nova. We are good together. I won’t let the furries get you.”
She paused and then started giggling. “Oh, dear. That has different connotations on Terra.”
He frowned. “What?”
Na’ith leaned forward. “Yes, what?”
“Um, if my species feels drawn toward a certain animal, they get a costume with a stylized version of that animal and use the suit to live out their inner self. Furries.”
Na’ith smiled. “You have species that resemble the Hebor?”
“Yes. Feline and Canine. Tails and all, but our species are not as... uh... tall as you are.”
Heboren chuckled. “We know. We thought it was funny. You resemble a small climbing creature on Hebor. Nasat.”
She closed her eyes and tried to call up the image, but it was blank. “There was no image of it in the research.”
He laughed. “We didn’t want to offend you.”
Na’ith brought up an image of a quadruped with a primate face and paws instead of fingers.
“How big are they?”
“About the size of my palm.” Heboren chuckled. He held his right hand in front of her.
“Oh. Right. So... like rats.” She put an image of a rat in her mind.
“Smaller, but yes.”
She sat back and covered her face with her hand. I look like a monkey kitten. Great.
“Don’t worry. I still think you are cute. Remember, none of the species here are Hmrain either. They will get used to your face, just as you will get used to them.”
She sighed. “Right. I wish my scent were keener.”
There was a soft snuffling at her neck, and she squeaked. “Your scent is fine.” He stroked his tongue across her skin. “And you taste wonderful.”
Na’ith was looking at them with amusement in his gaze. “So, Overseer, what do you have to produce to continue our trade for the next few years?”
“Thirty warriors to act as guards and investigators.”
“Nice. When do they go?”
“Three weeks.”
“Random selection?”
“Volunteers. The pay is good.” Heboren kept the conversation up as he continued to lick and nip at her neck.
Food arrived, and the servers were young members of the crew.
Nova didn’t meet their eyes, but there were grins on their features as they put the food in place. Heboren lifted his head, kissed her temple, and murmured, “Oh, that looks good.”
Na’ith was grinning and looking at her. She looked at the food and then back at the captain. He flicked his glance toward Heboren.
She turned her head, and his gaze was firmly fixed on her. Oh. He had been referring to her. She pressed her thighs together, and he spoke softly, “You are hungry. Choose what you want to eat.”
A dozen blurry images washed through her mind before she whipped her head back toward the table.
Na’ith muttered. “Point, and they will portion your plate.”
She nodded and leaned forward, but Heboren held her back against him. “Just point.”
She pointed with her open hand to some shredded meat, then a different type of meat, a chewy gel, and then curled her fingers in. Heboren chuckled, wrapped his hand over her own, and pointed to the same items and then the minced vegetables and pickled items.
“You need to eat more. You still need to regain twenty percent of your body weight and condition.” He spoke softly against her ear. “I thought you would have been more recovered by now, but I guess you were busy burning calories in the gym.”
“Oh. So, no sense in gaining weight if it isn’t useful weight?”
He casually cupped her breast. “I believe a higher ratio would help you keep up with me.”
“Keep up?” She stared at platters being arranged in front of them.
“Yes, I will be the means that you use to burn energy in the future.”
Oh. She washed her hands and picked up the fork, starting her meal. The young men gasped, and she shrugged and kept eating. She was supposed to wait for the overseer, but she was sitting on his lap, and he insisted that she eat, so she did.
