The Price of Discovery (19 page)

“I feel like you lied to me.”

“How did I lie? Did I ever tell you where I was from?”

“No, but—”

“Would it have made you feel better if I had told you that I wasn't from here? Would you have believed me? Or would you have thought me crazy?”

A small grin played on her soft lips. “Crazy, for sure.”

“So, what else could I have done?” Drakor let go of her hand and touched her face. Heat flooded down his arm and drenched the rest of him. He hardened instantly.

She looked up at him and he swore he saw surrender. Or something close to it.

He released his breath in a trembling sigh. He hated to do it, but it seemed that this would be the best way to distract her. “I'm haven't changed any since the other night. Have you?”

Erin's mouth opened slightly. The pace of her breathing quickened. He traced her lip with his fingertip and the pain in his groin grew to a nearly unbearable pitch. He couldn't take this much longer. If she didn't reply soon, he'd have to climb over this table and take her on the bench.

“There is something between us, Erin. You can't deny that.”

She stared at him, not moving, not answering and he wondered what was going through her head. What was she trying to determine? Why was she waiting?

Finally, she closed her eyes. “No, I can't deny it.”

Drakor released his touch on her face, breaking the connection of intense desire.
 

At least he had this. The other night had not been a stroke of luck. She yearned for him the same. Perhaps the more often she lost herself in his arms, the less likely she would be to report on their existence. It was worth a try.

Now he could focus on something other than today's date. It was the anniversary of his birth and he had lost all chance to find his
Mharai
.

Chapter Sixteen

They rode to his house in silence but she could feel the heat emanating from him. Just about every time she had been around him in some way, his body sent off waves of heat and jolts of desire. Was that part of his world too?

She had agreed to drop him off at the house. It seemed like a good excuse to get there and now she needed one to get inside. What could she do to convince him to let her in? How could she weaken his defenses?

Once she got in there and had that small electronic thing in her hands, there was no telling what she could do with it. It looked like Brundor make the spaceship disappear with it.

Drakor cleared his throat and she glanced over at him. He stared out his window, his face shining and ruddy. For the hell of it, she took a chance on asking him about John Doe. Now that there was nothing left to hide from one another, she could discover if he was connected to the other man.

“Drakor, do you know of the man who lived here before you?”

His back straightened. “I'm not clear on your question.”

“Before your family built that big Victorian, there was a small cottage out here and a man who lived in it.”

He wiped his palms on his legs. “You need information on this man?”

Erin shrugged. “He's a John Doe. I'm trying to find out his real name, that's all.”

“John Doe?”

“Nobody knew who he was, what his name was, or where he came from. Other than he lived in that cottage. But the bank held no mortgage on it. He had no savings account.” She tapped the steering wheel. “A real mystery.”

“Where is the man now?” Drakor's voice was tight, edgy.

Erin opened her mouth to reply, but then the realization slammed into her brain. Her John Doe was Drakor's missing friend. The one he asked about that first night he came to her apartment.

She couldn't tell him he was dead. Not now. She had to sort all this out first, understand how all the pieces fit together. She had to find out why Drakor and his friend came to Earth.

Oh hell, time to suck it up and deal with the fact that Drakor wasn't human. Time to be a woman and use her feminine charms to get what she wanted. Plus, she needed to change the subject from John Doe.

The dirt road to the Victorian loomed up ahead but Erin ran her fingers up Drakor's leg until she reached the hem of his shorts. He gasped, jumping in the seat.
 

“Erin…” His voice sounded low and tortured.

She bit her lip to keep from smiling. “Hmmm?”

“Your hand. P-Please move it from my leg.”

She left it there until she pulled in front of the house and she needed it to move the gear into park and yank on the brake.

Drakor reached for the door handle but she leaned across the car and put her other hand over his crotch. He shuddered, moaned, when her fingers brushed along his erection. Two could play at this game.
 

“Wh-what are you doing?”

She grinned. “I wanted to see if that something was still between us.”

His sultry eyes finally locked onto hers. “And is it?”

Erin ran her fingertip along the hardness in his shorts and his whole body tensed. She moved herself closer to him, licking her lips. “I think it is.”

She heard him catch his breath as his eyes fluttered closed. She must be torturing him. That was good. She'd get information out of him yet.

Leaning across the seats twisted her back but she couldn't let him go yet, not when she had him within her clutches. Erin scooted over the brake and landed in his lap. The very same place this all started two days ago.

Drakor groaned but didn't push her off. Erin wiped the sweat gathering on her forehead and wriggled a bit, just for good fun, rubbing her hip against him.

Suddenly, his hands captured her waist and his eyes flashed open. “You do this on purpose.”

“Shall I stop?”

“Great Sun, no, don't stop.”
 

She stared into his bottomless eyes, unable to ignore the incessant pounding of her heart. “How can you not be from Earth?”

“I do not understand your question.” His husky voice rumbled his chest.

“You look, you feel, you taste, every thing about you seems human.”

He drew in a sharp breath and his eyes narrowed. “I am
not
human.”

Erin recoiled. “You say it with disgust.”

Drakor shook his head, his hands sliding up her sides. “I did not mean for it to sound that way. But you must understand what's happened in the past…”

Despite her body's continued hunger for him, the mood had clearly been broken by his statement.

Erin reached to the seat behind her and snatched Sitora's cloth doll.

“Do not leave.” His voice was pleading. “Historically, humans have treated others with—”

“I'm going inside to give your sister her doll,” she said, deliberately interrupting him, and opened the car door.

“Erin, wait!” He reached across the seat for her but she slipped out before he could grab her. She ran up the front steps and knocked on the door. She tested the knob, but it was locked.

Footsteps sounded behind her and then Drakor had his hands on her shoulders. He swung her around.

“We need to talk.”

“Why? Because you're worried what I might do if I'm angry?” And well he should be.

He stared at her and once again she was drawn into his mysterious gaze, complete with the odd white circles in the center. “Yes,” he answered softly. “I don't want you angry. I want you to understand.”

But it was easier if she were angry. Easier to steal that PDA-looking thing from him and write the story of her career when she wasn't thinking of the next time his lips would touch her neck.

He took a step closer and she swallowed. The scent of him saturated her, just as it did in the car. Her body tingled and her nipples hardened. Even now, even when she couldn't stand him, his essence broke through to her innate sexuality.

So this is how it would be. No matter that he was an extraterrestrial, no matter that he hated humans and used her, no matter that she would expose him to further her career—she would always be attracted to him. She would always want him. She just needed to keep a clear focus on that. But under no circumstances, would she fall for him.

The door opened behind her.

“Erin!”

She turned around to see her little friend. “Look what I've brought back for you, Sitora.”

The little girl took her doll and gave it a hug. Then she rushed forward and squeezed Erin's legs. “I'm so glad you came back. Drakor said I wouldn't see you again.”

She bent down and pulled Sitora in her arms. “Well, he can't seem to keep me away, can he?”

“Uh-uh!” The girl leaned away from Erin's shoulder and stuck her tongue out at her brother. “I'm the one that got the present today, not you!”

“Present?”
 

Sitora nodded. “Today is the anniversary of Drakor's birth. But he's too mean to get any presents.”

Drakor's birthday? Erin looked over her shoulder at him. His arms were folded across his chest and his lips were set in a grim line. Instead of enjoying the day, he looked furious. As if he didn't want to be reminded of it.

“Your birthday?” She tried goading him into admitting why he fumed. “Most humans see it as a cause for celebration.”

He glared at her. “I'm not human, remember?”
 

 

 

Drakor felt the heat of anger flush his face. He left his sister and Erin on the porch and stormed down the steps. It was probably unwise to leave Erin unwatched, but he couldn't stand before her any longer.

Damn this game they played. In the vehicle he had been so close to tasting her again, to having his fingers trail over her smooth skin, to cupping his palms around her breasts.

Then she had to mention him looking human. And he was stupid enough to allow his emotions to answer her. Of course she would be defensive of her people, he should have known better.

But then she had to provoke him again with the talk of celebrating his special day. What did she know of it? How could she even begin to understand what the day meant for him? From now on he would have no one. Once he returned to Elliac, he would have to carry the shame of
Unmhar
, mate-less. The shame would only double if he allowed them to return home without completion of their mission.

Drakor heard the door shut and shook his head. Now Erin was in the house unsupervised. Ankra was in there somewhere, but she did not know of Erin's discovery. He had told no one. No sense in worrying them, in making them fear her.

He started around to the back of the house, a few raindrops sprinkling around him. But when he reached the back his stomach dropped. The shuttle appeared in full view and the plank lowered to the ground. He ran forward, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. What if Erin had a camera with her?
 

Brundor stood at the top of the plank, looking oblivious to any wrongdoing.
 

“Get out now!” Drakor said from below.

“What's the problem?”

“What if someone were to see it?”
Again
.

His brother obeyed and came down the plank. He touched the crystal pad a few times to vanish the shuttle, then he started up the hill toward the front of the house.

Drakor caught up with him. “What were you doing in there?”

Brundor shrugged. “Stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“Looking around.”
 

He reached out and grabbed his brother's shoulder to stop him. “You can't just go in and out of there whenever you want.”

Stormy, dark eyes stared back at him. The rain picked up in intensity but neither of them moved. “I am preparing for our trip home.”

Despite the plausibility of the statement, Drakor doubted its truth. He had never known his brother to plan, organize, or prepare for anything. There was some other motive behind Brundor's actions and before long Drakor would find it out.

They made their way up the stairs to the porch but Brundor stopped before going in. He sniffed the air. A red hue appeared on his cheeks and he licked his lips.

Drakor felt his chest tighten. He recognized this look and he didn't like it. He grabbed his brother's arm and leaped back from the heat. Oh no. Not now. Not yet.

Brundor looked at him with wet eyes and a feral smile. “You said you weren't going to see Erin again.”

The hair on the back of Drakor's neck stood up and he leaned closer. “She is not your business.”

Drakor watched his brother swallow as a line of sweat sprang out on Brundor's forehead. “You promised to take me to that place. To meet the females. You have to take me.”

“It's your Crossing. You've started it.”

His brother ran his hands through his hair, dampening them with the sweat from his forehead. “I smell her.” He lifted his nose again. “I know she's here. You told me you were done with her.”

An electric rush blazed through Drakor's veins. “I said I probably wouldn't see her again, not that I was done with her.”

“What's the difference?” He reached for the doorknob. “I need her.”

Drakor reached around and thrust his arm between Brundor and the door. “You won't dare touch her.”
 

“Why do you defend her? She is human.”

He didn't know the answer, other than that Erin was the only female he could have. The only place he could forget his future loneliness was in her arms.

“If she is not your
Mharai
,” Brundor continued, “then let me have her. You know how painful these urges are.”

Twice in a male Elliacian's life they went through this immense pain. First during the time of their Crossing and second when they found their
Mharai
but could not mate with her. Both times the sexual energy searched for a release and rebelled against a forced withholding.
 

But once through the Crossing, which in itself caused both agonizing restraint and rapturous release, males felt no sexual urges until they found their
Mharai
. If Brundor had had his Crossing as Drakor did, there would be no issue. But since he had not yet begun, his brother was an explosive combination of sexual pressure and stubborn immaturity.