Page 7 of The Price of Peace
With a slight nod, I pulled a small tool from my belt, unzipped the coat to access his hands, and deactivated the cuffs. “Try anything, and I’ll shoot you … again,” I warned.
Xyrox rubbed his wrists, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Understood, your highness.”
Rolling my eyes, I instructed him on what to look for. His sharp eyes soon found a dark shadow a short way up the side of the cliff that marked a medium-sized hollowed-out cavern. It was just big enough for the two of us to squeeze inside and set up the compact heating unit. The cave offered protection from the wind and blowing snow and was high enough off the ground that land predators—assuming there was life on this desolate planet—wouldn’t stumble over us.
For extra warmth, I unpacked thermal blankets and stakes from the emergency kit, pinning the blankets to the walls of iceand across the entrance to trap the heat and block the light from the heater.
Xyrox leaned against the wall, watching me work. “You’re surprisingly resourceful for a bounty hunter.”
“I told you, my zame was highly skilled. She made sure I learned how to take care of myself. Survival’s part of the job,” I responded, not looking at him. “Didn’t they teach you any survival skills in officer school these days?” I asked, unable to hide the derisive edge in my tone.
“Mostly we focus on urban warfare and survival in war-torn urban environments, as that’s where we were deployed. I can see, however, that my education has been sorely lacking. I’ll be taking up the issue with the Commandant on my return. Should I be able to clear my name.”
The last part came out under his breath, and it made me pause. I had to admit I was becoming more curious about the particulars of his case, but exhaustion was taking hold. Questions would have to wait.
“We’d better try to get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be another long day.” I snuggled into my oversized coat and shut my eyes. I didn’t expect I would actually sleep despite every cell of my body crying out in fatigue. Worry about how we would escape this planet spun my mind.
“Yeah, good night, Agent Veylora.” Despite my thoughts, his low rumble was the last thing I heard.
6
XRYOX
Avibration woke me, along with warm air against my throat. Every other part of my body was freezing. I cracked open an eye. White. Everything was white and shadows—except for a strip of tawny skin resting on my shoulder. I blinked, trying to bring everything into focus. Where was I?
After a long few seconds, my synapses began firing. I was in an ice cave. The female bounty hunter was curled up on my body, her cheek resting on my shoulder, my arms wrapped around her. She vibrated with cold despite our thick coats. I flexed my fingers. My hands were still free, and they were now clasping the fascinating female against me.
I tilted my head down to look at her. She really was beautiful—when that mouth wasn’t running. I smirked. Though I hated to admit it, I enjoyed our banter. She was tough and smart. Had we been in another situation, I would’ve liked her. By all the suns, even though I was her prisoner, I liked her anyway.
There was something about her that intrigued me. Something that stirred a feeling of protectiveness in me that made no sense. She was hunting me, and she’d proven time and again she didn’t need my protection. Yet, I couldn’t shake the unfamiliar feeling that pulsed through me.
Even as I told myself I shouldn’t, I brushed my lips across the soft skin at her temple. A shiver ran down my spine at the contact—one that had nothing to do with the cold. My lips registered the temperature of her skin well before my brain caught up a moment later. She was cold. Too cold.
Looking over her shoulder, I saw the heating unit was dim. It must’ve run out of fuel.Blast!“Agent?” I ran my hands up and down her back, trying to create some heat and wake her, hoping she wouldn’t go for my junk as soon as she realized I was touching her. “You need to wake up. We need to get warm.”
She didn’t speak but wriggled deeper into my embrace. I gulped. Both my lingams began to jerk and harden under my tight breeches with her movement. The closer she got, the stronger her earthy, spicy scent penetrated my nostrils. My tongue lashed out to taste more of her deliciousness from the air. I groaned, and all good sense fled.
Telling myself it was imperative I get her warm, I worked my hands between us and undid the fastenings of our coats so we could be closer together. While not exactly skin to skin—she still wore the thin sleeveless top from Rykantos—we were close. My hands snaked around her and under her top, rubbing circles along the silky smoothness of the lean muscles of her back. I pressed her tighter to my chest as I stroked her frigid skin willing the heat back into her.
To my shock, my entire body was aflame at the mere feel of hers. But her violent shivers put a damper on my ardor, even as my lingams grew ever harder and pushed uncomfortably against the fastenings of my pants. The lubricating fluid that is releasedfor our partner’s pleasure was starting to dampen my leather, but I ignored my mindless body’s inappropriate workings. My unruly lingams would have to wait, no matter how desperate they became. I had to get her warm.
A soft moan brought my attention back to the female in my arms.Fekk!I should have learned her first name. What was wrong with me? I only knew her surname, but it would have to do. “Um, Agent Veylora? Can you hear me? Don’t blast me, okay? I’m trying to get you warm. Our heater’s run out.”
“Mmm, warm … yes …” Her hot breath across my naked chest was nearly the end of me. My skin burned where her sweet exhale left her lips.Of all that was holy under the two suns! What was that about?
Shifting her a bit, my hands continued roaming across her skin until heat began to build within our little nest of white coats.
She stretched, sliding her arms around my neck. Her fingers crawled through my braids, and my scalp tingled from her touch. My eyelids fluttered closed, a little moan escaping my lips … until Agent Veylora’s fist tightened in my hair and pulled.
“Exactly what in all the blazing suns do you think you’re doing, fugitive?” her raspy voice growled in my ear. I froze.
Was it wrong that I thought her threatening question sounded sexy as hell? I swallowed. “You were unconscious from cold, Agent Veylora. I was warming you up. Nothing more.”
“Oh.” She tipped up her chin and those disconcerting violet eyes studied me carefully.
I couldn’t help but notice she didn’t move from my arms. And those stunning eyes were glowing from within. Her expression wasn’t as hostile as it had been either. Holding her gaze, I let my hands slide up and down her back again under her shirt, smoothing away the gooseflesh and warming the satiny skin under my palms.
“It looks like the heating unit ran out of fuel.” I helpfully informed her. “Your skin was like ice,” I said, my low voice barely above a whisper.
