Alien Sentinel’s Mate by Mina Carter

9

This was her room?

Gracie stood in a large bedroom, sumptuously decorated with hangings on the walls and dominated by a large, four-poster bed in the middle. It faced a huge window framing what could only be described as a picture right from history. Sweeping green valleys lay below the settlement, bisected by the silver ribbon of a small river and then the forests beyond. She didn’t even need to squint to imagine herself back on Earth in the past, sometime before it had become overcrowded and ruined with pollution, before the expansion into the stars had begun.

More than that, it was a window into not the past of her own species but Seren’s. Now more than ever she believed that humanity had in fact descended from the Lathar. Viking aliens? Possibly certain things had remained in the genetic memory of the Lathar who had landed on Earth and influenced the cultures they had become through the years.

“This can’t be a guest room,” she said, half-turning to look over her shoulder at him.

“Why do you think that?” He leaned in the doorway, his arms folded over his broad chest as he watched her.

He’d always watched her, she’d gotten used to that, but now his attention seemed more focused and dangerous. Like a predator with its prey. Her. A thrill stole down her spine and she moved closer to the huge bed. His gaze sharpened and she kicked herself. She knew better than to show fear to a predator but somehow the feminine instincts guiding her reactions, the ones totally at odds with her training, weren’t listening.

She lifted a hand to run it down the drapes of the bed lightly, watching him around the edge of the airy fabric.

“It’s too nice. And this room fills the entire back of the long hall. It’s not a guest room. Is it?” she guessed. “It’s yours… or rather, the khaaitan’s. Am I right?”

He held her gaze for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, it is.”

Tension hung in the air between them. She tilted her head to the side as she walked toward him. She’d never been a fan of hiding behind anything, even something so insubstantial as curtains. She much preferred a full-frontal approach.

“So by putting me in here, you’re either making a statement to the rest of your people, or you’re so sure of yourself that you expect to join me in here.”

His eyes darkened, and his head tilted back as he watched her approach.

“Can’t it be a little of both?” His voice was low as he reached out to snag her around the waist. She didn’t argue as she settled against him. He had saved her from the B’Kaar and stopped her from making a fool of herself earlier. If she didn’t miss her guess, a situation with his younger brother could have gone sideways as well, but he’d stepped in. Plus, this was his home, and he appeared to be whatever passed for the boss here, which meant she needed him.

Which was… all bullshit, she admitted to herself as she nestled in his arms. She wanted… no, she needed to touch him. That need had been simmering away since they’d met, but since that kiss in the corridor, it had escaped its box in the back of her mind and she couldn’t shove it back inside.

“Perhaps,” she murmured, fanning her fingers out over his broad chest and nudging beneath his leather combat jacket to touch the satin over steel skin beneath. He was solid and muscled, the glimpses she’d gotten of him during training more than proving Miisan’s assertion he was virile and in his prime. “It all depends on why you want to do that.”

“Why do you think?” He drew her closer, lifting a hand to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She shivered, fighting the need to get closer as she looked up at him, studying his expression.

“Because you have no women,” she said badly. “So I’m your only option.”

His expression didn’t falter as he looked down at her, his hand spreading out over her lower back. The light pressure made her more than aware of the state of his body, of the thick ridge of his cock pressed up against her softer belly.

She pushed down the shimmer of heat that rolled up her spine and arched an eyebrow. “You’re aware that kind of proves my point? Typical man.”

“It proves nothing,” his voice was a growled rasp. “Other than how you affect me. When you’re close, all I can think about is you. I’m trained for combat and have been in more battles than I can remember. I’ve given blood, tears…” Gaze trained on hers, he stroked metal fingers gently against her cheek. “Even body parts for the glory of the empire. But I look at you and I can’t think straight. I would take on anyone, even my own kin, for you. Does that sound like you are the ‘only option’?”

She froze, her lips parted in a startled little gasp. He growled, the edge of his lip curling to reveal an edge of fang. “Do not judge me by the standards of human males. I am not human, nor will I ever be.”

Her eyes were wide as he leaned down slowly, telegraphing his intention so she could move away. She didn’t even think about it, her hand curling as far as she could around his solid upper arm. At first her hand skittered away on contact with the metal and then she frowned.

“It’s warm,” she said in surprise, her lips almost bumping his as he tried to kiss her.

He gave a small, aborted chuckle and slid his hand into her hair.

“Are we really talking about this now? Of course it’s warm. It’s part of me,” he whispered against her lips, brushing his mouth against hers.

She practically melted against him, a deep ache rolling through her to lodge between her thighs. How long had it been since she’d actually had sex? Long enough that everyone she’d met since leaving a human colony had shacked up with someone else, even the robot chick. That was a sobering thought, that even the AI had gotten some action and she hadn’t.

“Just because I like kissing you doesn’t mean we’re married or anything. Understand?” she said, her hand in the middle of his chest as she studied his face. “Seren? Is that clear?”

He growled at her but with a smile in his eyes. “If I say yes, can I kiss you again?”

She searched his eyes and then nodded finally with a small movement of her head. He growled as he moved in, the sound a soft one of triumph like a whisper over her skin. A tiny shiver hit her as his hand clenched into her hair and he leaned forward to claim her mouth.

His first kiss had been hard and demanding, so she steeled herself for more of the same. Steeled herself for a passionate battle of lips and tongue, something that would inflame the tension between them to almost breaking point and have her wanting to tear his clothes off.

That wasn’t what she got.

Instead, he eased his lips over hers, the kiss a soft and gentle exploration that found every chink in her armor against him. Her eyes fluttered shut as she relaxed and kissed him back, savoring each brush of his lips against hers. He didn’t try and push for more.

Instead, he just held her. Surrounded her with warmth and the security of his embrace. One hand swept up her back as the other slid through her hair.

It was so different to how he’d been before that her head spun, and she felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her feet. Just when she thought she knew how he would react and how to handle him, everything changed. She couldn’t work him out… but that fascinated her all the same.

Her fingers found the defined line between his pecs and he growled again in the back of his throat. The low, intimate sound hit her on a primal level, everything feminine in her needing to get closer. Needing more.

Parting her lips, she slid her hand up to brush against his jaw. His stubble abraded her fingertips, sending another little quake through her. He took her invitation, his tongue sliding into her mouth as he turned her in a swift move to pin her against the doorframe.

A small whimper escaped her as he pressed into her, his bigger harder body urgent against hers. The kiss turned from slow and gentle to passionate as he explored her with his lips, strong hands sliding down her curves. His kiss demanded her response and she gave it to him, sliding her tongue against his while teasing and tempting him as she smoothed her hands under his leather jacket.

It was heavenly, and she allowed herself to sink into the sensation as she relaxed against him. His large hands swept over her curves, molding her to the harder plains of his body. She was into the kiss so much that she whimpered in disappointment when he eased his lips from hers.

“We should make an appearance,” he said gruffly and then chuckled. “Either that or we’ll have an invasion.”

“Invasion?” She blinked and then became aware of the noise in the main hall beyond the dividers that separated these rooms from the hall. The sound of loud voices and heavy feet reached them. “Sounds like the worst kind of staff meeting or briefing out there.”

“Yeah.” Seren sighed, stroking his thumb along the line of her lower lip. “And it’s all your fault.”

“Huh? How is it my fault?”

He straightened up, reluctance on his handsome face as he released her. “Most haven’t seen a female that looks like us for years. Some never have. You’re already a bit of a celebrity around here.”

Her eyes widened and he chuckled before swooping in for another, lingering kiss. He broke it to rest his forehead against hers.

“While I don’t want to share you, not with anyone, we’d better appease them before they tear this place apart.”

* * *

Seren’s peoplewere not what Gracie expected.

She’d seen warriors on their ships, all disciplined and soldier-like despite the leather uniforms. That one she still had trouble with, even though Seren and others had explained the fabric was as hardy and weatherproof as the BDUs she and Jay were used to. It still seemed wrong somehow, and she still expected them to bust out the alien equivalent of motorcycles. Perhaps a few death-head tattoos and some chains.

But Seren’s people were… rougher. Despite her first impressions of the Vorr, it had quickly become apparent that these were not trained imperial soldiers. They were farmers and workers. None of them wore the leathers she was so used to seeing. Instead rougher cargo pants and work wear seemed to be the order of the day.

Like imperial warriors, though, they seemed to have the same aversion to shirts. Most of them were stripped bare to the waist, and she was sure the big guy Seren spoke to was sucking his breath in to show off his abs. He might as well have not bothered, not if he was trying to impress her anyway. She only had eyes for Seren.

She hid her smile and waited for him to be done. The conversation was about crop rotations or something. Born and bred in a city, it was far beyond her.

“Everything okay?” she asked as he returned to her side, walking beside him as they made their way through the small village clustered around the long hall like chicks around a mother hen. “He seemed a little… stressed?”

Seren nodded. “Doorn is a worrier. He has sentaris planted near the forest border. It’s a delicate crop and susceptible to waterlogging… I’ve told him before to plant on a better drained area, but he says the shade by the trees makes for a better crop. We’re nowhere near the rainy season but he’s panicking already.”

His lips compressed as he paused by a stile over a wall, holding his hand out to help her over and into the fields outside the village. The first was empty with packed dirt and the same kind of circle markings she’d seen in the training halls on Latharian ships.

“Oh? So what was he asking you to do?”

She took his hand, feeling like a grand lady as she climbed the stile. She was about to climb down the other side but he vaulted the stone wall in an easy motion and reached up, his hands around her waist to lift her down.

“Oh… Lathar can jump much higher than humans can,” she managed as he slid her down the front of his body, a hard arm around her waist holding her to him, just on her tiptoes. His eyes had gone dark again, his breathing short and his cock hard against her softer belly as his gaze latched on to her lips.

“Vorr,” he corrected. “We don’t call ourselves Lathar.”

“Tomatoes, tomahtoes,” she murmured with a smile, hardly able to think when he looked at her like that. It was humbling. She had always prided herself on sticking to the mission no matter what. Of not allowing anything to distract her. That, and the sacrifices she’d made, things she’d given up—like family and friends—had allowed her to become what she was.

A nomad.

Nomads were specters whispered about in the special operations community. Blacker than black, they were special agents who answered to no one. They were trained to operate alone, with only the equipment and resources they could gather in the field. They were said to be able infiltrate anything and anywhere for their mission, whether that be intelligence gathering or assassination. If a nomad wanted in, nothing would stop them. The name was whispered with fear and reverence, drawn in parallel to Earth legends of the grim reaper. Nomads were assumed to be a myth, something everyone hoped were a myth.

No one wanted to face a nomad. Ever.

Nomads should not get distracted. Should not allow a pretty face, male or female, to sway them from their course. They were agents of Earth, defenders of humanity and…

Fuckit, she had to kiss him.

Her thoughts scattered to the wind as she lifted on her tiptoes, sliding her arms around his neck and plastering herself against his hard, solid body as she raised her lips to his. He didn’t pass up on the invitation, his mouth crashing down over hers as he backed her up against the wall.

Lust and need hit her hard and fast, a low moan in the back of her throat. She needed this, needed him—

“Oh for draanth’s sake,” a deep growl broke through her sensual haze. “Would you two get a room?”

Seren lifted his head with a chuckle, keeping her corralled against the sun-warmed stone with his body as he looked over his shoulder. Three big farmers leaned on scythes, matching grins on their faces. Of the three, only one had fangs like Seren’s.

“You’re just jealous,” he shot at them with an easy smile and allowed her to come out from behind him. “Kelarris, let me introduce Vaix, Tecc and Iaanto.”

“Hi,” she said with a small wave.

All three were huge, like man mountains. Iaanto even looked like he had a bird’s nest in his bushy beard. He nodded to her, grunting in what may or may not have been a greeting while the other two smiled broadly.

“Pleasure to meet you, my lady.” Vaix nodded, while Tecc offered an easy smile, still leaning on his scythe.

At least she thought it was a scythe. With double blades and a twisted shaft, it could easily be a torture device or a weapon of war. The only thing was it would need the impressive build of the Vorr to wield it. Anyone else would struggle to swing the damn thing.

“These three reprobates are responsible for our xairath harvest,” Seren told her. “It’s a pain in the ass to cultivate, so it’s highly sought after. Iaanto managed to engineer a semi-stable variety.”

She looked at the man-mountain with a little more respect.

“Agri-genetics?” she asked, keeping the surprise out of her voice as best she could. The Lathar genetically engineered everything else, so why she was surprised they did it with their food, she didn’t know.

“Aye,” Iaanto nodded, his voice like a rockslide as he turned to look out over a field of delicate powder-blue flowers. “This year’s ’ave been the best yet. Good crop.”

“The oil is used in the medical fields and in cosmetics, perfumes,” Seren told her. “We’re the only planet to offer this variety and it accounts for eighty percent of our income. Keeps us from starving.”

She shot him a sideways glance as they moved on, waving goodbye to the three big Vorr as they headed back into their fields. “You’re Lathar. Surely the empire wouldn’t allow you to starve?”

Seren’s chuckle was dry and bitter as he guided her forward. “You’d think that. Wouldn’t you?”