Captured: Warriors of Hir, Book 1 Read online

  His eyes went wide, his breathing quickening as she showed him how to work his finger inside her. She wet her lips and with some urging got two of his fingers against her.

  He slid both inside, groaning.

  “Anything you want to show me?” she asked with a quick meaningful glance at his crotch.

  He clearly understood but with plain reluctance withdrew his fingers from her folds.

  He undressed. The top seemed to be both jacket and shirt, since he didn’t wear anything beneath it. His skin was several shades darker than hers all over so it was clearly his natural tone, not a tan. His heavily muscled chest had only the finest of hairs, his stomach a perfect eight-pack.

  His pants came off next and Jenna’s mouth went dry.

  “Now that,” she breathed, “is a beautiful cock.”

  He was fully aroused and gorgeously formed, both shaft and balls, and for a long moment she just looked at his jutting penis. He wasn’t too different from a human; larger certainly, the skin darker and tinged red, and she could see veins under the skin. He had some natural moisture already glistening at the head and she had a craving to lick it off.

  His eyes shut, his purr deepened when she wrapped her hand around him.

  He was big enough that her fingers didn’t quite touch and he immediately pressed his cock further into her hand. His eyes opened a little, staying half shut as he watched her stroke him, his lubrication increasing a bit to make it easier.

  Suddenly he tensed and caught her hand, a fine tremble running through him, and she realized he’d stopped her just before she made him come.

  His gaze was blue fire as he shifted to lie beside her. He rumbled, brushing her nose with his before bringing his mouth to hers just as he caught her clit lightly between his fingers. Jenna groaned at the sensation as he stroked her; his rumble seemed to increase the tightening in her pussy by a factor of ten, and his tongue flicked against hers.

  Jenna was moving against him, her hands threaded through his long dark hair, trembling with how close she was to climax. He moved then to lay between her legs, poised over her, his heavy cock against the inside of her thigh.

  His eyes met hers and very, very softly he growled.

  In answer she took hold of him and placed the head of his penis against her opening; she laid her other hand at his hip and pressed him forward.

  He held her gaze and his mouth parted in a moaning purr as he sank into her folds. It was fortunate he had such natural lubrication; at his size she was already stretched tight when he filled her.

  He stayed there, his arms caging her, fully sheathed inside her, his body trembling against hers. His entrance had him pressing slow and hard against her clit and she was desperate for more. After a moment she reached down and pressed his hips back, urging him to pull out.

  He didn’t fight her but his brow creased. As soon as he was out but for the head of his cock, she urged him inside again and his expression melted to one of aroused understanding.

  He caught the rhythm quickly, his big body arched over hers. He nuzzled against her neck and with his rumbling purr it took only three thrusts of that hot cock for Jenna to come.

  She was shaking from it and her climax just seemed to drive him higher. Her toes clenched as he plunged, driving himself deeper as his speed quickened. He drummed against her as no human man could have and Jenna’s mouth parted as another climax hit her. His rumbling deepened and he thrust once more then stiffened. His fangs flashed, his face taut in pleasure, and she felt him pulse inside her as he came.

  His breath shuddering, he collapsed against her, his big body still quaking from release. Jenna wrapped her arms around him, breathing in the cinnamon-like scent of him, feeling the slickness of sweat, human and alien, between them. Jenna pushed the hair out of her eyes, struggling to catch her own breath from the strongest finish she’d ever had.

  Misinterpreting her gasps, he held his weight off her and she felt a flash of disappointment when he pulled his big cock out.

  Gingerly—worried about breaking the bed maybe?—he shifted then curled his body around hers, cradling her.

  He cupped her face and growled soft and low.

  Tears suddenly blurred her vision. “God, I really wish I could understand what you’re saying.”

  His alien eyes searched hers for a moment before he took her hand and laid it against his chest. She could feel his heart still thumping under her palm.

  “Jjjeeennnaaa,” he growled. “Rrraaa’kkuurrr.”

  This was insane. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. He wasn’t even human.

  “Ra’kur,” she whispered. “Jenna.”

  He drew her closer, kissing her lightly, her face, her mouth, her eyelids. He nuzzled her too, his face pressed to her throat to inhale deeply, and it wasn’t long before he started the rumbling-purr again . . .

  Five

  Ra’kur’s eyes snapped opened to the pale gray light of morning, his body curled around the softness of his mate. The symphony of this alien world’s scents filled his nostrils and he drew them in, seeking any threat to her.

  The forest beasts he’d encountered yesterday were in the woods nearby this rough shelter again. With those great horns and their speed they would make for an exciting hunt but startled easily. They did not seem as if they would become aggressive when not provoked so he dismissed them.

  He lay still, listening, sorting through the foreign scents, his eyes sharp to any shadow or movement, not about to endanger his mate by carelessness or inattention.

  But the shelter seemed secure.

  After a few moments Ra’kur relaxed and permitted himself the pleasure of just looking at her.

  She was tiny, even for a female; not that he’d seen many in his lifetime. The Scourge had been designed to kill the females of his kind, but she was far lovelier than even those few that had survived that disease. Her body was milk pale, and her face and form, even her bones, seemed delicate, finely crafted by the All Mother. Her eyes, closed now, were an astonishing russet color with tiny flecks of golds and greens. He had never known such softness, never even imagined it in his harsh, wandering life. Between his fingers, her hair was alight with a thousand lights of red and gold shimmering along their dark strands.

  He could still not believe his good fortune to find her unclaimed.

  Her full pink mouth was parted in sleep and shadows of care showed beneath her eyes. He traced the faint scar that ran along the underside of her left forearm, from elbow to midway to her wrist. The injury must have happened in childhood; he wondered at the wound that had caused it and how she had come to be here, in this frozen, remote place, all alone.

  He could smell the fading scent of another who had inhabited this shelter—a male, older. The tang of his illness still lingered. Ra’kur thought of the rough, flat image she’d held so lovingly the night before, the sorrow in her eyes, the grief.

  A sire, then? Or grandsire perhaps?

  Of course that didn’t explain why she would be wandering the forest alone, unprotected and still unmated. She must have scores of suitors.

  Ra’kur let his breath out. It didn’t matter now. They were fools for not capturing her and he already had. He would fight off any who sought to take her from him and it would not be long before he took her and left this world.

  He sighed, remembering damage done to his ship, the gagging smell of burnt circuitry and the emergency landing on this planet. A blast from a Zerar vessel had blown the entire directional assembly and the wormhole he’d opened hurled him to this world instead.

  He gave a faint smile as she sighed in her sleep.

  Not that he was sorry.

  Still, it meant days on this backward world to make repairs before he could take his mate back to the homeworld. He couldn’t wait to show her his house and lands, to enfold her in the protection of his clan.

  His arms tightened around her. With so very few females left Jenna would be valuable beyond imagination. He would need all
his clanbrothers’ might to keep her. Hir’s enemies had achieved their goal with the horror of the Scourge they had unleashed: his kind was dying out. He was deeply grateful to have found a lifemate at last, even if they would never have offspring.

  Jenna . . .

  Such an alien nameword! He struggled to pronounce it even though his people had spent countless millennia as traders and languages came easily to him.

  Well, usually they did, he thought, chagrined. Hers seemed to be made up of different tongues, as if her world had been invaded in waves, each conqueror adding rules and words till the whole thing was one illogical jumble.

  It was frustrating to struggle so to talk with the one person in the galaxy he most wanted to communicate with. It would be much easier when he got her back to the ship for the linguistic implant.

  He brushed his mouth against her skin, pressing his face to the spot where her neck and shoulder met to breathe in the sweetness of her, like cali flowers warmed by sunshine. She stirred, her pink-tipped breasts brushing against him, and he grinned, the mating growl starting as his penis hardened, already lubricating in anticipation of more coupling.

  Well, we will make do for now . . .

  Jenna woke to a soft rumbling purr and caught her breath at the wet heat as he caught the peak of her breast in his mouth. Automatically she softened against him, his fingers already at her clit and stroking her to readiness.

  Her eyes fluttered open as he urged her legs wider. His eyes glowed eerie blue in the faint light of morning, his black hair curtained his face as he positioned his cock at her opening and held her gaze as he entered her.

  Caught beneath him, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he slid inside her, his eyes half shut in pleasure, and his rumble-purr deepened, vibrating through her clit with every stroke.

  He held her face between his hands, gently brushing his nose against hers. His mouth touched hers and a single flick of his tongue between her lips sent her crying out as she contracted hard around him.

  He moved fast and deep then, rigid inside her. He bent his head, his mouth open and moist against her throat and big body taut. Two more deep thrusts and he was pulsing inside her.

  His body was heavy on hers as his rumbling faded, his breathing still fast as he drew back to look at her. A smile flittered across his face at she blinked up at him. He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth then moved beside her, cradling her against him again.

  “Holy cow,” she managed weakly. Between last night and this morning they’d had sex no fewer than six times and both had climaxed many more times than that. His stamina was amazing and she had the sudden thought that if she stayed here another five minutes or so, he’d be rumble-purring again.

  He tried to hold her when she pulled away but she shook her head.

  “Look, I don’t know about your people but I need something to drink. And a shower. And food. ”

  Her legs were still shaking as she stood. The cold didn’t seem to bother him as he sat up, still bare, but she was already shivering and he gave a wolfish grin at her hardened nipples.

  She pulled her knee-length robe and sheepskin boots on and headed for the bathroom while he dressed. She shut the door behind her. The lock was busted, of course, but he’d figured out she was serious about wanting privacy in here.

  She washed her hands, looking at herself in the mirror, the flush on her cheeks, the brightness in her eyes. This whole thing was absolutely crazy.

  But whatever happens I’m not sorry, damn it.

  Jenna smiled when she came out to the living room to find him already dressed and leaning against the wall, his arms crossed as he waited for her.

  “I’m starved. Are you hungry?”

  His fangs flashed with a grin. “Hhhurrrggggyyy.”

  He caught her in a hug then with a quick nose rub went into the bathroom as she headed to see what she had left in the kitchen. From his emphasis on the word and their activities last night and this morning she figured she’d better make it a big breakfast.

  She pulled the electric grill and stirred together the pancake batter. She had plenty of syrup and—since he liked it so much—decided to fry up the last of the bacon and make a pan of scrambled eggs.

  She started a pot of coffee and poured some juice for herself, already cooking when he joined her in the kitchen.

  Of course it wasn’t easy to get anything done with Ra’kur kissing and nuzzling her every time she got near him.

  She waved him off, smiling. “You want breakfast, don’t you? Hungry, right?”

  He made a snorf sound. His electric eyes were alight with humor and he very deliberately folded his massive arms as if to show her he would keep his hands off—for now.

  She was flipping a pancake when she caught him drinking her orange juice.

  “Hey!” she protested with a laugh. “That’s mine!”

  He looked from her to the glass in his hand, blinking, then offered it to her.

  “Hold on,” she said. “Let me get these flipped or they’ll burn, then I’ll get you some.”

  She topped off her own cup and handed him a glass and the jug of Tropicana since he was probably going to finish the rest of the juice off anyway.

  She warmed the maple syrup in the microwave. She had two pancakes, a piece of bacon, and some eggs and put the rest on two dinner plates in front of him.

  “Here,” she said, pouring the syrup generously over the pancakes. She cut them for him too and speared a big mouthful onto a fork to hold out to him.

  His face lit up at his first taste. He remembered the bacon from last night of course and seemed to like his eggs scrambled just as much as he liked them in omelet form.

  Jenna sipped her coffee and, plainly noticing she hadn’t served him any, he gave a curious sniff in the direction of her mug.

  “It’s coffee. Do you want to try it?” she asked, offering her cup to him. “It doesn’t have any sugar or milk.”

  He took a swallow and made such an extraordinary face that Jenna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling. He looked like he was trying not to spit it out in disgust but didn’t want to offend her.

  “Drinking it black really is an acquired taste. Hold on.”

  She poured another cup, adding a generous amount of milk and sugar as he guzzled some orange juice.

  He sniffed then took a small, cautious sip from the mug she gave him. He seemed to find it made this way a lot more palatable but it didn’t look like it was going to be a favorite either.

  He had polished off all the bacon and the nine eggs on his plate and was happily adding more maple syrup to his pancakes when his head suddenly came up and he snarled.

  Jenna jumped at the sound, her coffee sloshing over her hand.

  Ra’kur’s eyes were fixed toward the living room, his fangs bared, and in the next moment he bumped the table as he stood, already striding that way.

  Jenna put her cup down on the counter as she hurried after him. “What’s the matter?”

  He stood beside the picture window looking through the glass, using the curtains to conceal himself. His body was taut and tense, his hand resting on the weapon at his hip.

  He gave a low, menacing growl and Jenna frowned. There was nothing out there but mountains and her SUV buried beneath last night’s snowfall.

  Then she heard it too; the faint sound of an automobile coming this way.

  Her eyes widened as the sheriff’s car came into sight, heading up the curved road right for the cabin.

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered.

  Ra’kur narrowed his gaze at the approaching vehicle, his fangs bared in a snarl as he drew his weapon.

  She yanked the curtains the rest of the way shut and grabbed Ra’kur’s wrist. “You have to hide!”

  In the next moment she found herself shoved behind him.

  “Come on!” she urged, her hands on his back trying to push him toward the bedroom. She got in front of him, grabbing his wrist to pull him that way. “Oh, please, hur
ry!”

  He looked angry now, growling at her in his own language, unmovable as a rock.

  A glance through crack in the curtain revealed the car had come to a stop next to her SUV. Sheriff Riley was a peaceful man in his late fifties and a good sort. Pap and Bill’s dad had been army buddies and she knew that, while Bill Riley might never have fired his service revolver outside of the practice range, he was a crack-shot hunter.

  If he caught sight of Ra’kur, all bared fangs and alien eyes, a weapon in his hand—

  “You don’t understand! And, holy hell, he won’t either!” she cried, her voice cracking with panic. “Oh, please! He’ll kill you!”

  His face was hard and set and in desperation she grabbed his hand and put it over her pounding heart.

  “Ra’kur. Jenna. Remember?” The car was idling outside, and as the engine cut off tears stung her eyes. “Well, there isn’t going to be a Ra’kur and Jenna, if you don’t fucking hide!”

  Brow creased, he searched her face then glanced at the window.

  “Please!”

  His jaw tense, he let her lead him into the bedroom and she heard the front stairs creak just as Ra’kur stepped over the threshold.

  “Shhh,” she whispered, her finger to her lips. “Just stay here and be quiet. Quiet as a space mouse, okay?”

  On impulse she snagged her car keys off his belt. Ra’kur looked outraged, ready to protest, and she covered his mouth with her hand to hush him.

  Jenna startled at the heavy knock on the front door.

  “Just a sec!” she called.

  She held her finger to her lips again to Ra’kur, then held her palm up, praying he understood what that meant now. Ignoring his frustrated, burning alien gaze she shut the bedroom door.

  Bill knocked again, louder this time.

  Jenna drew a shaky breath and went to face the sheriff.

  Six

  “Hey there, Bill!” Jenna opened the door only part way, blocking most of what was open with her body. “Whatcha doing up this way?”

  Bill’s salt and pepper eyebrows rose. “Came to check on you. Sarah Jane said you called in a plane crash?”