The Covenant (6 page)

colony with some rare disease in an effort to keep one man from spotting a

single, almost invisible circuit in a harmless energy station?”

“I think it’s possible.” Trey crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“What if the contamination is a diversion? Notice how the governor said

thousands
could
have died. As far as we know, no one really did.”

“Except the infected ones that brought in the disease, I’d guess,

otherwise there wouldn’t be such a panic.” Aspen wandered back into the

galley and deposited her plate, thinking furiously. She turned around.

“We’re just guessing. A bunch of what-ifs.”

“We could talk to the governor.”

No, they couldn’t. The minute they did Governor Halden would know

they slipped into the colony system or they couldn’t have the information.

“That would be quite a risk,” she pointed out, trying to be the voice of

reason. “We need to see the actual station, test your theory about the extra

circuit. You think we’re imprisoned now? The real thing would not include

decent beds and food rations.”

Larik leaned back, raking his hand through his hair.

34

Annabel Wolfe

Damn, it was distracting. She still remembered how it felt to run her

fingers through those soft strands as he moved over her and in her. Deep in

her as she sighed in pleasure…

And why the hell was she even thinking about that? The last thing the

two of them needed was encouragement.

A light flashed and they all three glanced up.

“Time to get our daily check up,” York said sardonically. “I’ve got to

say I hope no one deliberately infected me to kill off genius boy here.”

* * * *

The box was claustrophobic and he’d always had a problem with close

spaces. Trey stepped in, let the laser run down his body as he held his

breath, registering the screen readouts. Normal temperature, vital statistics

all in line, and he stepped out. He’d been essentially kidding about his worry

over being infected, but then again, what the hell might be going on?

Armada went next, standing in the small space built into the wall, his

face impassive as the scan ran in less than a minute. He also left the cubicle

quickly, and the beautiful lieutenant took his place.

They really
were
prisoners, Trey thought in grim realization. Not able to

leave, having their bodies monitored, forced to eat rations, wear the clothes

selected by their captors…it was more than a little disconcerting.

Of course, Aspen Thorne was the one consolation of the whole entire

thing. He always enjoyed females, but she was different somehow. He

wasn’t sure why he felt that way, but he’d been drawn in the first time he

saw her, and now that he’d had her, he was hungry for more. She had an

intriguing mix of poise and intelligence, coupled with an undeniable

sensuality that sent him past the stars. All regulations aside, he’d have done

whatever it took to get her into bed.

She liked romance. Soft, sweet persuasive kisses, tender touches…

She’d liked sex, too. Even innocent she’d been responsive, and he

couldn’t wait until the next time he had her beneath him, his cock buried

deep.

Or her on top of him. That idea had merit.

Well, hell, he hardened just thinking about it and the uniform issued by

their Rapt One captors didn’t hide much. Trey reached down and adjusted

The Covenant: The Starlight Chronicles 2

35

his stiffening cock as casually as possible and watched her and Armada head

right back to the screen.

Engineers, he thought with an amused inner sigh.

“I probably shouldn’t stay on too long,” Armada finally admitted, his

nimble fingers flashing across the board panel in front of him. “They can’t

trace it back here, but if there is something going on with the station, they

might have safeguards in place to tell them if someone spends too much

time looking over the site.”

Aspen looked relieved, but a frown still creased her smooth brow. “I

still can’t see the point of it.”

The screen went blank but Larik still stared at it for a moment, his

sapphire eyes unblinking. Then he glanced up and smiled ruefully. “Neither

can I, for now.”

Then she did it. She licked her lower lip in an absent thoughtful

mannerism as she pondered the discussion at hand, but Trey really could not

help the rush of blood to his crotch.

Great, now he had a full blown erection.

It was the close quarters, he excused himself. A gorgeous available

female and a very small space, nothing to do but think about how luscious

her breasts looked under the thin shirt she wore, eight weeks of inactivity

looming ahead. Since the day he’d been certified he hadn’t gone that long

without flying and he really needed a distraction from thinking about
that

aspect of their stay. To him being a pilot was like breathing and being

grounded against his will rankled.

“Lieutenant?”

Aspen turned and her remarkable violet eyes widened as she took in him

lounging against the doorjamb into their sleeping quarters, trying to look

nonchalant but with a considerable bulge in his pants.

There wasn’t much question what he wanted.

To his relief, she didn’t look anything but a little surprised. Maybe

even…pleased? It was hard to read her expression, but she didn’t seem

resistant to the idea, and that was all he cared about. Her ebony brows lifted.

“Yes?”

“I’d really love to make this go away.” He gestured at the stiff ridge

clearly visible through the thin material between his legs, aware of

36

Annabel Wolfe

Armada’s chuckle. “You’re too close,” he explained briefly, his arousal

throbbing even harder. “Too female, too tempting, too beautiful.”

“How can any woman be too female?” she asked dryly, but actually

took a step forward.

“You somehow manage,” he told her. From the first moment he’d met

her, the only thing he could think about was the fact she was a female and he

was a male. It wasn’t just her striking beauty, because he’d known plenty of

gorgeous females in his lifetime and never been so drawn.

Never. It gave him pause.

However, his raging hard-on was in control at the moment so he’d just

have to ponder that later.

“I just took a shower,” she murmured as she walked toward him.

“Take another. You have a busy day planned?” He couldn’t keep the

slight sarcastic edge from the question.

“Very funny, Pilot.”

Another step. Two more and she’d be close enough to touch. Trey

realized with a start she
wanted
it. Wanted him. He knew enough about

females to recognize that heavy look in a woman’s eyes. Though he knew

she’d very much enjoyed the night before, he was still a little astonished he

didn’t have to work harder to get her back in bed.

Who was he to argue with such easy success?

She stopped in front of him, her lacy lashes drifting downward,

obviously expectant. Underneath the thin shirt her nipples stood already

erect and prominent, leaving sharp points under the fabric.

Slow, he reminded himself with a swift intake of breath. She’d admitted

to being a little tender from the night before. Trey reached out and ran his

hands lightly down her arms as he bent his head to kiss her and she

immediately leaned in to him, her body pressed suggestively against his

erection.

And she moaned into his mouth.

It was a small sound but his already throbbing cock didn’t really need

more encouragement. In a flash he lifted her in his arms and took her into

the sleeping area, depositing her on the bed. Dark silken hair spilled

everywhere and the gorgeous lieutenant eagerly tugged off her shirt as he

fumbled to get off her pants, his hands lacking their usual dexterity in his

haste.

The Covenant: The Starlight Chronicles 2

37

It did not help a bit when she said in breathless command, “Hurry.”

Yes, ma’am
.

He jerked off his own clothing in record time. One thing he could say

for the garments provided by the Rapt One military for their quarantine

prisoners, they were easy to get on and off. The pants slid down and he

stepped free, his erection high and pulsing with the racing beat of his heart.

Definitely one of his fantasies, he acknowledged silently, as he forced

himself to stop and take a deep breath. Aspen Thorne lusciously naked, that

needy look in her lovely violet eyes as she spread those long, gorgeous legs

for him…

Which is exactly what happened. As he stood by the side of the bed,

fighting for control so he could have at a modicum of finesse, she gazed up

at him and opened her thighs. She was wet, damn wet, the lips of her labia

glistening in carnal invitation.

He didn’t need to be asked twice.

To hell with finesse, she wanted to be fucked. Fine, perfect, because he

wanted to fuck her. The night before he’d thought of as more gentle

initiation, but that didn’t appear to be how she wanted it now.

He lowered his body on top of her supplicant one, positioning himself

between her pale thighs. The head of his eager cock rubbed her slick folds

and found her small opening. So small. Their disparate size came slamming

home and he paused. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he managed to say in a

voice that barely even sounded like his.

“I don’t care…I don’t think you will…just please, Trey.” Full breasts

quivered with her uneven breathing and her hands went to the small of his

back.

“Tell me if I need to stop.” He sure as hell hoped he could after making

that outlandish offer.

Entering her was like being led through the gates of paradise, that is if

paradise was hot, wet, and sublimely tight. He managed—a miracle because

of the frantic push of her hands—to work in slowly, bit by excruciatingly

wonderful bit, making her body accept his thick length until he finally fully

sheathed his entire cock. He could feel the softness of her cervix against the

tip of his shaft and see the flutter of her pulse in the slender column of her

neck as he lowered his mouth to nuzzle just under her ear. “Okay?”

38

Annabel Wolfe

“Yes.” The throaty quality of her response was matched by the slight

arch of her back so he sank in a fraction more and she quivered. “Oh…oh.”

He began to move, slowly at first, in measured withdrawal and cautious

penetration, but it was obvious enough from her reaction she wanted it

faster, more intense, and he was an obliging lover. As restrained as she

normally appeared, she certainly wasn’t at the moment he thought with male

satisfaction. Lieutenant Thorne was all tumbled ebony hair, the flush of

rising orgasmic pleasure on her skin, those striking eyes closed, her soft lips

parted as she panted and met each of his thrusts with the lift of her pelvis.

Though he could normally put off climax until his partner achieved it,

Trey wasn’t at all sure that it would happen this time. Her unexpected

eagerness aroused him above the normal level, and the pleasure of being

inside her gripped him with unusual fierceness. A bead of sweat trailed

down his jaw and he clenched his teeth, trying to hold on long enough for

her to come.

It happened fairly swiftly considering how new she was to the game.

Aspen began to shudder, those exquisitely responsive inner muscles starting

to milk his plunging cock, and he lost it in a feverish response, a low groan

erupting from his throat as he pumped sperm into her vaginal passage in a

hot, fierce rush.

Panting and entwined, they both lay silent in the aftermath, but he

stayed where he was, buried deep, his sated body humming in contentment.

just holding her slender form in his arms.

It was a little jarring when she finally did speak, her face slightly

averted. “What just happened?”

Trey rose up on one elbow, peering at her profile. She was embarrassed,

he could see it even with the flush of post-orgasmic blood still under her

smooth skin. Her cheeks were scarlet. “What do you mean?” he asked

cautiously. Females occasionally had the most unusual reactions to certain

situations and it seemed like she’d just asked one of those dangerous

questions no male should venture to answer.

“I can’t believe I acted that way.”

Should he comment? Probably not, but the situation seemed to demand

it. “Are we talking about the fact you apparently like sex? I, for one, think

that’s about the best news I’ve ever heard in my life.”

The Covenant: The Starlight Chronicles 2

39

* * * *

Aspen stared at the male S-species still cradling her in an intimate

embrace, his all-too handsome face holding a faint expression of

amusement, no doubt over how easily she’d been persuaded to fall right

back into bed with him.

Hell, she realized in consternation, she hadn’t even needed persuasion.

It seemed like when she turned around and noticed his arousal, a switch

flipped somewhere in her. That long cock was even now still in her,

deliciously stretching her vaginal passage.

It felt...well, good, she had to acknowledge. The night before had been