Page 13 of Saved By the Alien Mercenary

Eventually,even he had to concede that he had done as much as he could for now. I was a little achy, but that was all, and the baby was fine. That was not what I could say about Brace. He was still covered in blood, and I wasn’t convinced that some of it wasn’t his own. When I reached out to touch him, he began to back away. Frustration burst through me. Not this again, weren’t we past the avoiding stage by now? Didn’t he know how much I had begun to care for him? And that he didn’t scare me? Not one bit? Why could he take care of me, but wouldn’t let me do the same for him?

“I am covered in blood,” he said. Then his expression went bleak—beyond bleak—and I knew he’d gone to a very dark place inside his head. I feared that I couldn’t follow him there, but when he backed up another step, hehad reached the end of the available space. Putting his back against a wall didn’t make him feel better;that was clear. Suddenly,my room aboard theFinixwas achingly small, a cage around my big, scarred Hoxiam.

Moving slowly was the only way to reach him; it felt like I was trying to get to a wounded animal. He snarled, his fur fluffing up along his shoulders, the mane of vibrant cobalt around his head rising, and his maw opening to bare far too many teeth down to a bottomless well. I didn’t falter, ignoring any twinges of pain my hip or elbow gave me. Holding out my hand,I told him to take it, that it was okay. At this point, I wasn’t even sure if he could hear me, but he wasn’t attacking,justlike I knew he wouldn’t.

Beneath the pelt on his legs and abdomen, his muscles twitched and quivered with tension. Either he was restraining the urge to flee, or he was holding back the desire to lash out. I still didn’t fear him. “Come on, take my hand,Brace. You took care of me, now it’s my turn. Let’s wash that blood offyou, okay?” I felt like I’d aged ten years by the time he lifted one of his paws and curled his fingers around mine. My hand trembled from holding it out that long, butallthat faded away when we touched. He trusted me. “Come on, this way,” I said, and I began leading him from my far-too-small bedroom down the hall to the shared head. It was an even tinier space, but I was pretty sure I’d be able to distract him from that fact.

He came slowly, his growl fading away, his eyes wounded and wild as he began to come back from wherever he’d gone. I smiled at him.“That’s it. That’s right. I’m here with you, Ruby. Come on, Brace. You’re safe,and I’ll take good care of you, I promise.”

Chapter 11

Brace

My thick pelt was soaked—a feeling I hated. Water sluiceddown my spine, plastering my mane to my head and dribbling into one of my sensitive ears. I couldn’t remember how I’d gotten into the tight shower stall, but there I was, my shoulders wedged between the wall and the transparent side panel. I blinked water from my eyes, trying to make sense of it all.

Then, everything made even lesssense. There was my Ruby, standing in the open stall doorway,water streaming down her silky braids. Her round bellywasoutlined by the wet jumpsuit she wore, and her breasts… Ah, stars, those too. Big, lush, the nipples perked. My cock leaped inside the wet, snug confines of my loincloth. I glanceddown. Loincloth? Why was I dressed inside the shower stall?

The water running off my body and down into the drain was rust red. Blood, I had been coated in it, and now it was all washing away. I wished that it would wash away the darkness and the holes inside my memory too, but it couldn’t. When I raised my head again to look at my mate, there was nothing but warmth and sympathy in her eyes. “It’s okay. It’s almost gone. Then I’ll take care of that nasty cut. You’re going to be fine.” Ruby’s singsong tone was as warm and kind as always, and I felt doubly like I did not deserve it. I couldn’t remember what I’d done to those burglars, but it was bad. Had to be, for there to be this much blood on me. It had gotten on her too, smeared along her side from when I’d carried her. Some was smudged on her face.

My arousal had dampened with the surge of guilt, and my hand trembledasI raised a finger to brush her silky skin. The blood was wet from the shower water, but it had dried before andnow clungstubbornly. “I’m a mess, Ruby,” I said. “I’m not safe, look what I did…” I shrugged helplessly, but the motion barely translated,stuck as I was inside the tiny shower. Indicating the blood still washing from my pelt, I tried to make it clear to her that she should back away.

The stubborn female just smiled at me, all bright and warm. I knew she understood me, she was smart. Yet instead of backing away,she did the opposite, pressing forward into the tiny space. Now our bodies were pressed together under the stream of water, and I thanked the stars that the water had begun to run clear.

“You did that to protect me, Brace. How could I object to that? You kept me safe.” I wanted to believe that was all this was, but I didn’t remember what I’d done to the maleswhohad invaded her ship, her domain. The last I truly remembered was the Rummicaron with Ruby’s favorite drink in his grubby palm. I could also vaguely recall an Asrai male and the sense of imminent danger to my mate. For all I knew, I’d eaten the males I’d defeated. I didn’t feel any hunger now, and that was rare, and a very bad sign.

When she began running her fingers through the fur on my chest, I could no longer concentrate on the negative. Her fingers felt divine;I could not recall the last time anyone had touched me like that. This close together, I could no longer smell the blood either, all I smelled was her. How was it that she smelledso fresh and sweet, after all that had happened today?

Groaning, I gave in to the temptation to hold her, to please her. My mind filled with smoke and flames as it recalled an instance that was crystal clear: that kiss, and the way she’d pressed against me, searching for her pleasure. The beautiful expression on her face as she came—came because she was inmyarms and no one else’s. She was gliding her hands up, but it was awkward in the tight space, and she could not reach all the way to my shoulders. I hunched forward, meeting her halfway, and when her mouth met mine, lightning sparked inside my brain.

I hauled her up, careful of her pregnant belly, and cradled her high against my chest as I continued to taste her lips. Stay away? That was impossible, it wasn’t even a thought in my brain once I had her inside of me. Her taste was everything: delicate, sweet, unique, and so very addictive. When she parted her lips and let me fill her with my tongue, it was as if she had let me between her thighs,and my cock surged and pulsed, aching with need for her. She did nothing to stop me, did not seem in the least bothered by our differences.

My size compared to hers, her soft, furless skin, and especially our mouths. I could not understand why she’d want to be with me after I’d come to her covered in blood. Blood from slain foes I’dlost control with. But all that mattered was that she was here with me, my beautiful, tempting mate. Turning offthe water spray with a flick of one hand, I held my female against me with the other. She was easily cradled in the crook of my arm, and I never had to raise my mouth from hers.

She whimpered as the warm water receded, and I felt how she began to shiver against me. Even wet, my pelt kept me warm, dual-layered as it was. My mate had no such protections;she was not made for cold climates. I could have turned on the dryer function inside the stall, but it was far more delightful to dry her myself. With my claws, I cut through the wet fabric of her jumpsuit, taking extra care—and delight—when I pulled the fabric from her lush breasts.

Her skin was the same light brownall over, slightlypaler over her breasts,thoughthose were tipped with darknipples that tempted me. When I raised her in my arms and closed my mouth over one, she shouted and writhed in my grip. Her hands gripped the mane on my head, tugging as she rodethe wave of pleasure I hadunleashed. “Yes,” I growled when I raised my head and looked into her face. She was glowing pink along her cheeks, her long black lashes draped low over her pretty brown eyes.

Striding from the bathroom, Icarriedher through the cold hallway. A smear of blood there reminded me of theearliercarnage, and I quickly turned bothof usso we wouldn’t have to see what I’d done. Inside her bedroom, I pulledbackthe sheets, then gently laid her down. “Don’t move!” I warned her as I tucked the blanket over her.Then I hurried away to dry myself and fetch what I needed to take care of my mate.

***

Ruby

When Brace ripped my wet clothing from my body, I thought he’d make love to me right thenand there. Inside that tiny shower stall. Of course, that made no sense, he barely fit, let alone the two of us together. He was far too much of a caring gentleman,beneath that wild-man exterior. Now I found myself still damp, tucked into my bed, while he ran off—but I didn’t fear that he’d changehis mind. This was different from last time, very different. I felt like I’d gotten to see a part of him that he fought to hide from the world, and somehow I’d gotten through to him. After this, everything was going to be different.I was sure of it.

Tingling, a little cold, and a whole lot excited, I waited for him to return, my mind already picturing all the things I wanted to do with him. After that kiss—after the way he’d sucked my sensitive nipples until I saw stars—I knew he’d be back for more. What would it be like to have sex with him? Would we even fit?I was trying to figure that part out, and beginning to grow a little uncertain, when the door to my room opened again.

Brace ducked through the portal, hunchingdown to fit inside theFinix’s tiny, economicalspaces. His blue pelt was shiny and dry again, and he was carrying a brush in his large paw. His blue eyes were gleaming with heat, and when he grinned at me, his mouth split, too wide to be human. It only turned me on to know that I was about to dance with a beast, with a male as feral, but more than that, as sweet as hewas.

He came to kneel beside my bed and gently began stroking my wet hair with that brush until it was dry and tangle-free. Then he used his hands to assault my senses with tender strokes along my flesh. First, he cupped my shoulders, warming me as they glided down my arms, engulfing my limbsandheating my fingers. He did the same with my legs, starting at my feet, and he spent extra time stroking my distended belly,with something close to a purr rumbling from his chest.

I thought it all felt good, but he was moving too slowly, and I was getting impatient. From the gleam in his eyes, I knew he knew it.The devilish man had found the playful side of himself, and now he was ready to tease. “You are so tiny, female,” he said. I could only wordlessly agree with him, nodding my head.Itwas nothing but the truth; I was tiny next to him, even with a belly the size of a beach ball. “You can’t take me,” he added, and his tone turned dark. My body clenched with heat at that phrase, not a fear response, but arousal. He was that big? I couldn’t wait to find out.

“I’ll stretch,” I said through dry lips, and I darted out my tongue to wet them, swallowing roughly. “Humans are very stretchy,” I added. That made him grin again,hislarge mouth spreading wide, hinting at the danger that laybehind that maw—the rows of sharp teeth. He cupped my thighs with both hands and pulled them apart, then ducked his head and peered at my glistening folds. I heard him suck in a deep breath and knew he was inhaling my scent. The deep,satisfied growl told me he liked what he smelled, very much.

“You think you’ll stretch to fit this?” he snarled, the sound almost furious,but I knew it was impatience. Rising to his feet, he snatched the loincloth from his hips,and finally, I got my first proper look at what he was packing. Oh god… Now,I wasn’t sure, but I wanted to say yes very desperately. He was thicker than my wrist and as long as my forearm, definitely in proportion to the rest of his hulking size. He was also very veiny, ridged almost by the thick network of vessels. The tipwasa dark blue that bordered on black,whilethe rest of his bulky shaftwasa rich cobalt.

I bared my teeth at him—something I knew he tookas a sign of aggression.“Yes.” A challenge,maybe, but I simply couldn’t help myself. Everything about Brace appealed, every time, all the time. I had never been as attracted to a guy before as I was to him, scars,feral moodswings,and all. How could I not adore the tender heart inside him? My answer made him growl again, and then he took two hulking steps across the room before passingback to me, his heavy cock swaying above a pair of deep blue balls as big as my fist. Nervous energy, excitement, all of it was making him feel wild, but he was trying to control it, for me.

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