CodenameAutumn (4 page)

“I won’t hurt you.”

The growl in his voice made the words hard to believe, but
she summoned her courage and met his gaze. “I know.” She combed her fingers
through his hair, fascinated by the multicolored strands. They’d both lost so
much and had been forced to do things that were unthinkable before the
Gathosians entered their lives. Becoming an ambassador was mild compared to
some of the things she’d done in the last four years. She’d stolen food and
supplies meant for those just as needful as the people she was trying to keep
alive. She’d lied and cheated then stood back like a coward as others were
punished for her misdeeds.

Ra’jen was right. She had no reason to judge him. He had
been under Gathosian control far longer, and his role in their conquests was
larger, but their situations weren’t that different. They were both just trying
to survive.

His hand descended with obvious intent, pressing over her
mound then slipping between her thighs. She opened for him, leaning against the
wall as his fingers explored her pussy. He traced her slit, pausing to circle
her clit before pushing into her passage.

“Fuck, you’re tight.” His finger pumped and then his thumb
settled over her clit. “How long is ‘a really long time’?”

“Before the invasion.”

He withdrew his finger and moved his hand to her hip. “You
haven’t had sex in four years?”

His obvious bewilderment made her smile. “Closer to five. I
was pretty gun-shy even before this all started.”

“Then this isn’t going to work.” He turned off the water and
pushed open the shower door.

“You don’t want to… I don’t understand.”

He guided her hand to his cock, curving her fingers against
the hardened shaft. “Does this feel like I don’t want you anymore?” Her gaze
descended and she sucked in a ragged breath. They’d been pressed against each
other since she stepped into the shower, and she’d only glanced at him before.
His cock was thick and long, and blue! The tip had darkened to a smoky shade
between royal and navy while the shaft remained the same light gray-blue as the
rest of his body. “I’m not going to fuck you against the wall.” He pulled her
hand away and nudged her toward the opening. “I promised not to hurt you, and I
intend to keep that promise.”

Desire swirled through her abdomen as she stepped out into
the steamy bathroom. Her core ached for the promised fullness and anticipation
made her restless. Returning to the embassy held no appeal to her now, a fact
she would have to deal with eventually. But for now she was going to enjoy this
encounter, savor every minute of their stolen pleasure.

“Activate warm air,” he commanded the computer as he slid
the shower door shut. Soothing currents swirled around them, and Ra’jen pulled
her back into his arms. His hair tickled her ribs and she wiggled against him,
giggling helplessly. Sadness tinged his smile as he said, “I like your laugh.
It’s a sound I seldom hear anymore.”

As his hair dried the ticklish flutter became a caress. She
snuggled against his chest, content just to be held, but he was far less
patient. Pulling her leg up to his hip, he rubbed his cock against her belly
and whispered something under his breath. She was about to ask him what he’d
said when she noticed a hazy pattern on his chest. At first glance she’d
thought the gray-blue lines were blood vessels, but the lines curved and
intersected at regular intervals. The pattern faded as it trailed across his
shoulders and down his arms until there was nothing but smooth pale skin.

The air cycled off and Ra’jen swept her up into his arms.
She laughed and wrapped an arm around his neck. “I am capable of walking, you
know.”

“I like the feel of you in my arms.” He carried her out of
the bathroom and made a beeline for the bed.

“I wasn’t complaining,” she assured him with a smile. “I
just thought you should know there is an alternative.”

He chuckled and placed her on the bed. She scooted over,
making more room for him beside her, then lay down on her back. Stretching out
on his side, he slipped one arm beneath her neck and cupped her breast with his
other hand. “Your skin is amazing.” He brushed his thumb back and forth across
her nipple. “And these beg for my lips.”

She couldn’t argue with that. He bent to her breast and
sucked firmly. Pleasure spiraled from her breast to her clit, making the nub
twitch within her folds. She buried her hands in his hair, holding him close
while he licked and nibbled. It was exciting yet intimidating. She hadn’t been
intimate in so long. And who Ra’jen was, the power he wielded, hovered at the
back of her mind.

Drifting from one breast to the other, he built the pressure
between her thighs. The connection was surreal yet undeniable. Her pussy ached
more with each strong pull. She pressed her thighs together and tightened her
hands in his hair.

His hand skated down over her belly then detoured toward her
hip. She murmured a protest and parted her thighs. He brushed her curls as he
shifted to the other side, but avoided her slit and the needy little nub hidden
there.

“Touch me, Ra’jen. Please.”

He raised his head and looked into her eyes, his gaze
searching hers. “No one uses my name. For a split second, I thought you were
talking to someone else.”

“I’m sorry—Sir.”

His lips parted, displaying even white teeth. “I wasn’t
complaining.” He covered her mound with his hand and eased his middle finger
between her folds. “Say it again.”

“Ra’jen.” She moved restlessly.

He slid up to her clit and circled, drawing the sensations
tighter. “Again.”

“Ra’jen.” She gasped and shivered, rocking her hips as the
pleasure built. A floodgate opened and sensations gushed, sweeping her along in
their powerful current. “I’m going to… Is it okay if I… Ohh!” The orgasm
gripped her, bowing her back and contracting her inner muscles. She stared into
his eyes, thrilled by the approval she found there.

Before the last spasm passed, he pushed two fingers into her
tight channel. She was wet and giving as he shuttled in and out. “Can you come
again?”

“I don’t know.” She’d never come this easily before. In fact
everything about this was vastly different from anything she’d experienced
before. He was exotic and self-assured with an air of command. The combination
devastated her senses.

He pulled his arm from beneath her neck and urged her legs
apart so he could kneel between them. Then his gaze focused on her sex as he continued
the steady slide of his fingers. She lifted against his hand, wanting more than
this teasing preview.

His warm breath stirred her curls and then his tongue pushed
between her folds, lightly rubbing her clit. The soft caress was both
stimulating and frustrating. She needed a firmer touch, wanted his body
covering hers, pressing her down into the mattress.

He held her open with one hand and fucked her with the
other, and then his lips closed around her clit and he sucked. Pleasure spiked,
drawing a startled cry from her throat. She dug in her heels and pressed
against his mouth, relishing each distinct pull of his persistent lips.

He pulled his fingers out, focusing her attention on the
movement of his mouth. Then he released her clit and drove his tongue into her
cunt. She cried out again, grasping the backs of her knees and holding herself
open. She was right there on the verge, wanting to come yet unable to let go.

With a low growl, he surged up along her body and found her
opening with his cock. His big body pressed her down and his thick cock drove
steadily inward. She took just the tip, spreading wide to accommodate him. His
mouth covered hers, the taste of her pleasure strong on his tongue. Rather than
unpleasant, she found the discovery exciting and curled her tongue around his.

He pushed deeper, the fullness racing toward pain. “Relax,”
he whispered against her mouth. “You’re tensing up.”

“I don’t mean to.” She panted. “You’re just too damn big.”

“You can do this. I promise.” He shifted to his knees and
lifted his weight off her. “Better?”

It was confusing. Without his weight immobilizing her, the
invasion of his cock was more pronounced. “No, I need you close. Come back
down.”

He slipped his arm beneath her neck and met her halfway.
They pressed together skin to skin, but he supported a good deal of his weight
on his forearm and his knees. His mouth settled over hers again, the kiss slow
and coaxing. She buried her hands in his hair, loving the silky thickness
sliding through her fingers.

He pulled his hips back then pushed his cock deeper.
Repositioning spread her cream and allowed him to slide more easily. “Yes.” She
sighed into his mouth.

“I agree.” He pulled back and filled her completely. “See. I
fit just fine.”

She dragged his mouth back to hers and raised her legs high
against his sides. He thrust slowly for several minutes, allowing her to accept
the steady rhythm before he increased the tempo and depth.

His body slid against hers and drove into hers, igniting new
sensations with each long thrust. She clutched his back and squeezed his sides,
lost to everything but the pleasure. Her tongue clung to his as they mingled
breath, taste and bodies.

He drove into her one last time, her mouth muffling his
sharp cry. Hot and pulsing, his seed burst within her, triggering another
orgasm. Her core squeezed and squeezed, greedily milking his cock.

Their mouths drifted apart and his gaze bore into hers, hot
and possessive. She traced his lips with her fingertip, unsure of his mood.
Keeping his cock deep inside her, he rocked back onto his knees. His chest
lifted and she gasped. The faint lines she’d noticed in the bathroom were now
bright blue.

The intricate pattern twisted across his chest, capped his
shoulders, circled his biceps and then tapered down his forearms.

“Does this always happen?” She lightly touched his chest and
he shivered.

“No.” He offered no further information as he separated
their bodies and crawled off the side of the bed.

Ra’jen ducked into the bathroom and snatched his pants off
the floor. After tossing Autumn the shirt she’d borrowed, he pulled on his
pants. “I’m going to the mess hall. Do you want something?”

“Sex makes you hungry?” She held the shirt in front of her,
mesmerized by the fluid movements of her companion.

“Healing you made me hungry.” He paused at the foot of the
bed, his gaze searching hers. “I’ll only be gone a few minutes. Will you be
here when I get back?”

Chapter Four

Ra’jen knew Autumn couldn’t leave until they came to some
sort of arrangement, but he wasn’t supposed to know about her predicament. Even
so, his pulse sped and his skin burned as he waited for her answer.

“I’ll stay.” She quickly pulled on his shirt, giving him a
delightful glimpse of her plump white breasts. “The embassy is the last place I
want to be right now.”

“We’ll talk about your options when I return.” He opened the
closet and grabbed a clean shirt then retrieved his boots from the bathroom.
How long would she string him along, preying on his protective nature?

The question dominated his thoughts as he made his way to
the mess hall. Honesty was in short supply these days. It would have been nice
if she had confided in him, but that wasn’t realistic. She had no reason to
trust him. He worked for the enemy.

He rubbed his chest and lengthened his stride. It had been
decades since he flared during sex. Any strong emotion could deepen the color
of his
tellimon
, but anger was far more likely to cause the reaction.
Before tonight, the only female to elicit the change had been his intended
mate. But Leyandra had been Pryett, like him. How had a human female aroused
him so deeply? It didn’t make sense.

The mess hall was deserted as he’d expected, so he quickly
scrounged together a light meal then headed back to his quarters. He’d give her
one last opportunity to confess the truth. Then he’d confront her with what he
knew.

She sat on the sofa in the living room running a comb
through her damp hair. “I took another shower. I hope you don’t mind.”

He didn’t care that she’d used his facilities, but it
bothered him that she’d wanted to rid her body of his scent. The possessiveness
made no more sense than his physical reaction to their lovemaking. He could not
become emotionally entangled with this woman. It would put them both in danger.

“Not at all.” He put the tray on the coffee table and sat
facing her. “Are you sure you don’t want something? I brought plenty in case
you changed your mind.”

“I wouldn’t mind a glass of…whatever that is.” She motioned
toward the pitcher on the tray.

“Sweet tea.”

“Perfect.” Her smile was hesitant and she wouldn’t hold his
gaze.

“Are you all right?” He poured tea into the glasses and
handed her one. “You seem tense.”

“I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

He fought back a smile, pleased by her decision. “In what
regard?”

“I really am reluctant to return to the embassy, but Rebecca
isn’t the cause.”

“Go on.” He set his glass on the small table beside his
chair and balanced the plate on his lap.

“Belietta, the madam, expects me to seduce you.”

Concealing his smile behind a sandwich half, he intentionally
took a bite before responding. “Her interest is financial, so what we just did
won’t qualify?”

“Exactly.”

He munched for a few moments in silence, not yet ready to
let her off the hook. “I told you I don’t pay for sex.”

“I know, and I don’t expect you to change your mind.”
Adopting his stall tactic, she paused for a slow sip of tea. “You mentioned
options. Are you aware of any that don’t involve… I don’t want to be a pleasure
ambassador. My emotions run too close to the surface. I don’t think I’d survive.”

“Even if I were your only client?”

Her brow furrowed and she set down her tea. “But you won’t
pay for sex.”

“I’m offering you my protection. If it becomes known that
you are mine, no one in the Protectorate will touch you.”

Hope brightened her gaze but worry still thinned her lips.
“What about Belietta?”

“I have absolutely no interest in that worn-out whore.”

She smiled then shook her head. “If I don’t make money for
her, I won’t be allowed to stay at the embassy.”

“If she harms you in any way, I’ll forbid any of my men from
visiting her establishment.” He thought for a moment then changed his mind. “On
second thought, I’ll have her transferred, and you can take her place.”

“You want me to run the central embassy? It’s the most
prestigious and profitable brothel in North America. The other madams will—”

“No one will harm you, or they’ll deal with me.” He set the
plate aside and stood. “The embassies are there to serve the Protectorate.”

“And you head the Protectorate.”

“That’s right.”

She curled her legs to the side and arranged the shirttails
to cover as much skin as possible. “Why would you do this for me? You can have
any woman you want.”

“Good, because I want you.” After a short pause he added,
“And I need your help.”

Her sky-blue gaze locked with his. That was obviously not
the answer she’d expected. “I’m listening.”

“Before I explain, I need to know more about you. Don’t
bother lying because I’ll verify anything you tell me.”

“All right.”

“Why did it take so long for you to cycle out of the
training center? The average stay is six months for an adult female. We’ve been
here four and a half years.”

She fingered the hem of his shirt and lowered her gaze to
her lap. “My brother had autism. No one was sure why the first virus didn’t
kill him, but the Gathosians found out about his ability and wanted him
studied.”

“His ability?”

“He was mostly nonverbal, but he had an unusually high
aptitude for math. The contradiction fascinated them. They couldn’t understand
how someone who was so…damaged could excel at anything.”

“So they kept you in the training center to care for your
brother?”

“We were both moved to a research facility, but that’s the
basic idea. He could be quite violent. His bad days were really bad. Even on
his good days, he wouldn’t respond to anyone but me and required a very strict
routine. They couldn’t rely on sedatives. The drugs distorted the results of
their tests.”

He dreaded the answer to the next question. Knowing the
Gathosians as he did, there was only one ending for this story. Still, he felt
obliged to ask. “What happened to him?”

“I tucked him into bed one night, and the next morning he
was gone. No warning, no explanation. Their only interest in me was my ability
to control my brother, so I was loaded into a skimmer and returned to the
training center where an orderly told me I was scheduled for release.”

“I’m sorry. You must have been devastated.”

“Devastated and infuriated, but helpless to do anything
about it.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and sighed. “I sat down with one
of their ‘councilors’, and he explained my options. I could live the rest of my
life in a lab gestating their science experiments, I could join the workforce,
or I could become an ambassador.”

“Why did you choose the embassy over a work complex or the
lab?”

Rubbing her upper arms with her opposite hands she shivered.
“You haven’t spent a lot of time in their labs, I take it. Humane treatment of
test subjects is not a priority. I don’t know how much you know about Earth’s
history, but Dr. Mengele had nothing on the Gathosians.”

He was aware of the Nazi doctor who had experimented on
prisoners of war, so he didn’t press for details. “And a refinery?”

“That would have been just as bad or maybe worse. Female
workers are generally raped by different men every night. The overseers do
nothing to prevent it. I figured if I was going to be forced to share my body,
the relative safety of an embassy was a better alternative.”

“I’m not sure the situation is as dangerous as you were
told, but I understand your reasoning.”

Her gaze flew back to his, alight with anger. “When is the
last time you visited a refinery or interviewed a female worker?”

It felt odd to be openly confronted. Few people dared to
make eye contact with him much less challenge anything he said. After a flash
of anger, the novelty intrigued him, so he allowed the small rebellion. “Point
taken. My impression of the situation is based largely on reports from the
overseers.”

“Several of the ambassadors sought protection in the embassy
after being horribly abused in one of the refineries. And theirs was not an
isolated incident. It happens all the time.”

Day-to-day operation of the refineries fell under Ulrick
Brant’s responsibility. Even so, Ra’jen couldn’t let this information pass
without some reaction. “I’ll look into it.”

“Thank you.” Autumn picked up her tea, wrapping both hands
around the cool glass. There were so many things she wanted to know about
Ra’jen, but his reaction had been instantaneous and negative when she mentioned
his past before. “Am I allowed to know more about you?”

A smile curved the corners of his mouth. “What would you
like to know?”

“How long have you served the Gathosians?”

The smile vanished and his features tensed. “I was chosen
for the Protectorate eleven years ago. I have commanded the military division
for the past two.”

Then he hadn’t been the one to unleash the viruses on Earth.
She wasn’t sure why that mattered, but it felt better knowing his lips had not
issued the order that annihilated three-fourths of her species.

“Every person in the Protectorate is addicted to the
compound. You realize that, don’t you?” His gaze narrowed on her face, the
changeable color suddenly steel gray. “Each of our worlds was visited by the
Gathosians. Most had their resources stripped, much as they’re doing to Earth.
Many were left uninhabitable.”

She wanted to know the specifics of his world and his life
but chose a more general direction. “Is sodium always what they take from all
these worlds? Do you know why they need it so badly?”

He returned his dishes to the tray before he answered.
Despite his terse tone, he offered more information than she had expected.
“There’s a lot of speculation. I’m no scientist, but from what I understand
they return the salt to their home world, or dimension, and it is somehow vital
to their existence. And no, sodium is not the only element they steal. It’s
simply the most common.”

She scooted to the edge of the sofa and set down her glass.
“Have you actually seen one of them? A lot of people think they don’t exist,
that the Protectorate uses these vile phantoms to justify their actions.”

His smile returned but it was shaped by bitter irony. “Many
within the Protectorate hold the same view. They believe they’re being enslaved
by cowards who hide behind a myth. I’ll admit I had doubts of my own until I
was promoted. The Gathosians are real, and they are remorseless. They value
humanoid life far less than the minerals they pillage from our planets. We are
beasts of burden, a disposable means to an end.”

“Then they are not humanoid?”

“No, they’re like nothing you’ve ever seen. They’re visible,
yet I’m not sure they’re corporeal. I’ve never attempted to touch one. They
communicate telepathically and move from place to place at will. They’re almost
beautiful if you disregard their actions.” She started to ask another question
but he waved it away. “Enough about our tormentors. We must solidify our
plans.”

More than happy to abandon the topic, she tried to
encapsulate what he’d told her. “I’ll make myself available to you exclusively,
and in return you’ll protect me and allow me to run the central embassy as I
see fit.”

“You’re making yourself sound like a whore and that wasn’t
what I had in mind.”

“Regardless of how we view our arrangement, that is how
others will perceive my role. A madam is no better than the prostitutes she
manages. I will still be part of the sex industry.”

He sighed, frustration clear in his expression. “I would set
you up in a private residence, but that would be counterproductive to my
needs.”

“Which are?”

“I need a courier, someone who can move about without being
questioned or drawing too much attention.”

She was quiet for a moment as she searched his gaze. “These
messages cannot be sent through official channels?”

He smiled, relaxing back in the chair. “The less you know
about the specifics of my operation, the safer it will be for both of us.”

“Will I be breaking the law?”

His brow arched and the sparkle returned to his
smoke-colored eyes. “Who enforces the law on Earth?”

“The Protectorate.” How could she ask the next question
without requesting details? She was intrigued, yet intimidated by all the
secrecy. “Would my actions assist or hinder the Gathosians?”

“Hinder, but that’s all I’ll say. It really is better if you
don’t know the details.”

“That way if I’m caught and interrogated, I’ll have nothing
to reveal?”

“Who would catch and interrogate you?”

She smiled. “The Protectorate.”

“Rank has its advantages, but it has also created some
unforeseen complications. It’s impossible for me to do anything anonymously
anymore. Ultimately, I would like to utilize a select few of your employees
rather than you personally, but we will start out small and see if it works as
well as I expect.”

“Are you a spy, General Noirte?” The concept thrilled her
more than anything she could have imagined. It freed her to embrace her
unexpected feelings for this man, liberated her from the guilt of desiring the
enemy.

“I’m your one and only lover. That’s all you need to know.”
He pushed to his feet and skirted the coffee table, standing in front of her.
“It’s all anyone needs to know.”

“I understand.”

He wrapped his hands around her upper arms and pulled her up
against him. “A large part of my success has been built on reputation.
Speculation and rumors run rampant about why I was promoted and what I’m
willing to do to remain in control. Most believe I’m a cold-blooded killer, and
it suits my purposes to encourage the misconception.”

She wasn’t sure what he expected her to say so she just
nodded.