Alien Warrior’s Treasure by Sue Mercury
Chapter 4
Molly tried to stand up,but Gavvin blocked her from rising. He settled his hands on her thighs, holding her in place, startled by the idea of her leaving so soon. But damn if the feel of her struggling didn’t incite his desires.
Fluxx, he needed to remain in control.
Regret settled over him. He shouldn’t have snapped at her. He also shouldn’t have insulted her by saying she talked too much. The truth was, he liked hearing her talk.
“I apologize for the insult and my harsh tone,” he said, still keeping a firm hold on her legs. “You are correct. I am not friends with your guardian.”
She ceased struggling and stared at him with a questioning look. He knew she wanted him to elaborate, but pride kept him silent. Once Molly learned of his past, she might regard him with distrust, just as many of his fellow warriors still did.
“I accept your apology,” she replied in a cautious tone. “I don’t suppose you want to tell me why you aren’t friends with Khann?”
He sighed. She was the boldest, most curious human female he’d ever met. Not that he’d interacted with many human women before. But he found her directness admirable, even if her questions pushed him outside his comfort zone.
I won’t mate with her or any other human female. What does it matter if I tell her my secrets? What does it matter if I tell her of my disgrace?
Since she wasn’t a prospective mate, there was no harm in explaining the nature of his conflict with Khann. Not counting his pride, he had no reason to impress this unmated human female named Molly.
“Khann and his brothers, as well as many other Vaxxlian warriors, believe that I am a traitor. During the war, when I was suspected of passing classified information to the Irrcons, Khann and his brothers attempted to capture me. It didn’t go very well for them. I damaged their ships and escaped, gathered the evidence I needed to prove my innocence, and eventually turned myself in to our leaders to face trial.” He felt the darkness gathering around him as he spoke. Rage heated his blood. The real traitor, his own flesh and blood, had attempted to frame him, and the pain of the very personal betrayal still cut deep. It was a wound that would never heal.
“But if you proved your innocence, how can Khann and the other warriors still believe you’re a traitor?”
He finished healing her knees and moved to run the regenerator over her palms, then up and down her arms. “It is complicated,” he eventually replied. His heart was heavy, but he was careful to keep his expression neutral, lest Molly discern the depths of his pain. It was a private pain, one he didn’t speak of easily. But for a reason he couldn’t fathom, he found himself wanting to open up to this human female whose skin was as soft as ugulian silk beneath his fingers.
“Well, maybe you should tell me more about what happened. I’m pretty good friends with Khann and his brothers. In fact, during the month I’ve lived with them, they’ve become like family to me. Perhaps I can help.”
He doubted she could help in any way, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her so. “The real traitor was Stivv, my twin brother, and there are many who believe I must have known about my brother’s traitorous activities. Furthermore, Khann and his brothers did not take kindly to me disabling their ships. Before I escaped, I hacked their systems and locked their computers down for three full rotations, leaving them temporarily stranded in a faraway sector during the height of the war. They hold a grudge against me, and I cannot say I blame them.”
“You said you brought evidence back to your leaders that proved your innocence. So, you really didn’t do it, right? You are entirely innocent?”
He gave a slight nod and continued moving the regenerator over her arms, watching as the scratches healed. It brought him great satisfaction to take care of her like this, to heal her wounds. The thought of Khann or any other male doing so in his place filled him with jealousy, though he supposed if Khann was her guardian, he must have already taken a mate and therefore wouldn’t be a rival when it came to claiming Molly. Not that Gavvin was considering claiming her for himself…
Sweet human. Why did he keep calling her that?
“Well, then Khann and his brothers holding a grudge against you is just silly. I will have a word with them first thing in the morning and set them straight,” she said in an enthusiastic tone, as if she were certain a simple conversation with the warriors would resolve the myriad issues Gavvin had with his people.
“While I appreciate your offer, I prefer to fight my own battles, and as I said before, this situation is complicated. No one holds a grudge like a Vaxxlian warrior, nor are we quick to forgive those we suspect of treason and betrayal.” He studied the dark flecks in her blue eyes. Star God, she was mesmerizing. Her voice, her smile, the way her forehead crinkled just before she spoke. Everything about her drew him in and made him want to lock her in his home and keep her just for himself, his stolen treasure.
A look of understanding sparked in her eyes. “That’s why you live here in the forest, all alone. It’s not because you used to live in a compound in the woods on Vaxxlia and that’s what you prefer. It’s because you’re…” Her voice trailed off as she appeared to struggle for the proper word, even as she gave him an odd look of understanding and solidarity.
“An outcast,” he supplied for her, and she nodded wordlessly. “But I truly do enjoy living in the forest. Even if I were never falsely accused of treason, I would likely still live here.” Except I wouldn’t be alone, he thought. I would have a mate and offspring, a family of my own.
His chest ached with all that might have been, if not for Stivv’s traitorous actions. He stared at Molly, wishing he could get to know her better, wishing he could rightfully claim her. He sensed the sweetness inside her, her pureness of heart. She would make an excellent mate and a wonderful mother, he felt this in the depths of his soul, a sudden knowing that stole his breath.
“Hold still for this part, please.” He shifted closer and ran the regenerator over the scratches on her face.
Even after her face was fully healed, he pretended she had more scratches, giving him an excuse to remain close to her for longer than necessary.
His gaze kept falling to her sensuous pink lips and he couldn’t stop wondering what it would be like to kiss her. First, he would take her in his arms, then he would reach up to brush errant strands of hair behind her ears. Finally, he would cup her face tenderly before pressing his lips to hers. But eventually, the gentle kiss would turn more fervent, as the passion between them flared.
Would she moan into his mouth as he kissed her? He liked to think she would. He also liked to think they would press their bodies close, until his hardness pulsed against her stomach. Maybe she would arch her hips into him as she sought relief for the aching in her nether region, the quickening pulses of warmth that only he could assuage.
Abruptly, he rose to his feet and backed away from Molly. He turned around to hide his rigid cock, hoping she hadn’t glimpsed the bulge in his pants when he’d stood up. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her, this precious little human whose soul felt like pure sunshine.
“Is something wrong, Gavvin?” she asked, and hearing her speak his name aloud sent more waves of heat through him.
He gripped the dermal regenerator in his hand, then made a show of picking the proper cabinet to put it away in. He cleared his throat. “You should be getting back home soon. If Khann discovers you’re missing, he’ll likely assemble a search party to look for you.” After a few deep breaths, he felt his blood cooling, his cock softening enough that he could soon turn around. “I take it you snuck out without telling anyone in your household where you were going?”
When he finally faced her, he couldn’t help but thrill at the sight of her cheeks going pink. She was blushing and fluxx if he didn’t want to make her blush again and again. He lifted an eyebrow at her in question.
“Well? Did you or did you not sneak out? I highly doubt Khann, or any other guardian of an unmated human female, would approve of a nighttime excursion in the forest.” He fought the urge to smile, because he very much liked watching her squirm as she battled with herself over how much to confess.
“If you must know, yes, I did in fact sneak out. But I had a very good reason for doing so.” She lifted her chin with an air of defiance that reminded him of the brave stance she’d taken while facing off with the bear.
“And that reason is?” He wasn’t sure what he expected her to say, but the answer that escaped her lips took him by surprise.
“I-I felt trapped. I needed to get out, by myself. Even if maybe it was foolish and I was risking my life—well, in my defense, bears don’t usually venture so close to Starrzia, and in any case I did bring a weapon, never mind the fact that it didn’t work—but I desperately needed a night of freedom. A night where I might walk amongst the beauty of the forest alone while I gathered my thoughts and made a plan for my future.” She paused and the light in her eyes dimmed, and she gazed out the window above the bathtub with a look of immense longing.
“By seeking refuge on this planet,” she continued, returning her gaze to his, “I basically agreed that I would soon take a Vaxxlian mate. As I’m sure you know, all the unmated human females who arrive on New Vaxx are expected to visit Vaxxlian Matchmakers and mate with whomever Heather or Carmen decree is their best match. But I’ve been dragging my feet because the idea of mating with a complete stranger is a bit intimidating.”
Her honesty resonated with him, and he moved forward and knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. The urge to comfort her surged through him, as well as the need to protect her. Why did the thought of her visiting Vaxxlian Matchmakers unsettle him? He’d just met her, and he still had no plans to take a mate. Yet the possessiveness he felt for Molly was more than a bit unnerving.
“I’m not sure why I’m telling you all this,” Molly said with a brief smile and a shake of her head. “I suppose I needed to talk to someone. I mean, I guess I could talk to Skylar or Macy—they’re also unmated and they live with us—but it’s difficult because the more time passes that I haven’t taken a mate, the more I’m starting to feel like a burden to those I live with. Sometimes Khann or Myadd or Axall are forced to chase away unmated warriors who linger outside my bedroom window.”
He gave her hands a gentle squeeze and tried to think of a way to comfort her. The right words. But having lived alone in this house for nearly a year, he was out of practice. Aside from Commander Vensinn, he typically only spoke to vendors when he was forced to visit Starrzia for supplies. He peered into her eyes, such a deep and vibrant blue, and longed to calm the worries that plagued her.
“You shouldn’t visit Vaxxlian Matchmakers before you feel ready.” Jealousy ripped through him at the prospect of her mating with another male, and he had to draw in a slow, steadying breath to calm himself.
“What if I never feel ready?” She sighed. “Tonight, during my walk, before Mr. Bear came after me, I’d decided that I would visit Vaxxlian Matchmakers soon and just get it over with. Mating with a Vaxxlian warrior is inevitable, so maybe I ought to do it now. Heather and Carmen are said to possess psychic abilities and that’s why they are so good at matching human-Vaxxlian couples. Do you think it’s true?”
Mr. Bear. Star God, she was adorable, and he wanted to keep her all to himself. His little human treasure. Unable to resist, he reached up and brushed an errant lock of golden hair behind her ear. His heart rate increased, and he watched as she shivered.
Her eyes dilated as he touched her, and a moment later, the scent of her feminine arousal hit his nostrils.
Fluxx. He took a long inhale, savoring the aroma of her desire.
Her lips parted on a rapid inhale. “Maybe-maybe I should go now,” she said with a tremble in her voice.
He cupped her face with both hands. “I don’t want you to leave.”