What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (81 page)

“Thaegan’s right and you know it. You did your best and you survived.” Dallas said the words his partner had repeated
ad nauseam
. But finally they made sense. This woman had been put in his path not to bring him harm, but to help exorcise the demons that had been living in his nightmares. It was suddenly all very clear.

“It seems there’s a reason you’re here now, Lilly. You may not have been able to stop that scum of an alien, it appears there’s another asshole you may be able to help bring to justice—if you’re willing.”

“Of course I want to help. But how?”

Dallas looked at Thaegan and the Ka’al nodded. The silent exchange of expressions and subtle body language that happens between partners took only a moment, but what they decided was monumental. Thaegan shrugged, retrieved the chairs Lilly and he had used and rearranged them back at the table.

“Why don’t we sit? This could take a little time.”

Less than forty-five minutes later, Lilly fell back against the chair, her fists clenched in rage against the monster they’d dubbed
Hij’Rozhod
, mist of death. She had no idea if the hologram of the Braugtot she’d seen was the mastermind behind all fourteen deaths, but if he’d somehow orchestrated this whole mess, including the disaster on Canus Delta that had nearly killed Dallas, she’d do anything she could to bring him down.

“Wow, you’re sure all those assassinations are linked to one person?” she asked.

“We’re operating on that assumption,” Dallas replied.

“And no one got a look at him or her on Canus Delta?”

Thaegan exchanged another furtive glance with Dallas. There was definitely something they weren’t telling her about that operation. Their details of the botched mission had been sketchy at best as they described the mayhem that had left President Orch and several of his team dead and Dallas severely wounded.

“I mean no description at all?” she asked.

“We were counting on you to fill in that missing piece,” said Thaegan.

“Assuming Grebetz hasn’t been scared off by the chaos at the tavern last night,” continued Dallas. “We have a man who’s been working undercover in hopes of being hired on to
Hij’Rozhod’s
team. We have an interview set up with the Znedu and his boss tonight. Last night was supposed to be a dry run.”

“That’s why we couldn’t let you take him,” Thaegan finished.

“Just give us a description. We’ll feed it into our software and it’ll spit out a likeness. We can take him down the minute he enters the tavern.” Dallas sounded so hopeful.

“But it’s a male Braugtot,” Lilly said slowly, giving them time to assimilate that information. “I only saw him in his natural form.”

Dallas’ fist slammed down on the table. “Can this get any more fucked up?” He pushed out of the chair and stalked to the front window. “And you couldn’t have told us that an hour ago?
Before
we filled you in on
classified
information.”

“That’s enough, Dallas. Lilly needed to know what she was getting herself into before she signed on. She’s done nothing wrong.”

“Except forget to mention the alien was a Braugtot.” Dallas turned away from the window. Bruised skin of exhaustion sat below his eyes, the emotional weariness of the night curving the expanse of his shoulders. The man was definitely slogging around some additional burden Lilly wasn’t privy to.

“With millions of them in the galaxy all those tattoos blur together. They’re nearly impossible to distinguish with just one look,” said Dallas.

“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it,” Thaegan said. “Lilly’s a detective trained to pick up on the smallest nuances of behavior. Every tattoo is unique in some way. I have no doubt she’d recognize it regardless of what form the Braugtot was in.”

“Thaegan’s right,” she said, lilting her voice to sound more hopeful than she felt. Identifying a Braugtot by his tattoo required attention to detail or complicated software. “I might not be able to describe him enough for your software to create a 3-D likeness, but surely I could distinguish major swirls on his face regardless of what form he took.” Lilly smiled, trying to crack the tough exterior Dallas had erected as he’d spoken of
Hij’Rozhod
. She suspected Thaegan had contacted his superiors while he was out, which meant they didn’t have much time before they would have to bring her back to QAL Headquarters for an official interrogation. “I don’t see a problem. I’ve been a regular at the tavern for the last week or so. I’ll simply go back there tonight with the rest of your team. I doubt my presence will even spook Grebetz.”

“You’re not going anywhere near that tavern tonight,” Dallas said, his determination emphasizing his statement. “We’ll figure another way for you to get a look at the tattoo.”

“I think she’s right, Dallas. Like Lilly said, without her we’re flying blind.”

“Then we’ll go in like friggin’ bats.” Dallas’ angry strides carried him back to them. “I’m not going to allow Lilly to put herself in danger like that. As team leader,
I
make those decisions.”

Indignation had her pushing back from the table and standing toe-to-toe with Dallas. “I haven’t had a boss since being kidnapped from Earth over six months ago.” Her finger poked into his sternum. “And you, you arrogant asshole, aren’t going to tell me where I can and can’t go on Garalon Five.”
Poke. Poke
. “You’re not taking me to QAL headquarters.”
Poke
. “You’re not keeping me from that tavern.”
Poke.
“And you’re sure as hell not going to stop me from helping you.”
Poke. Poke.

Dallas wrapped his hand around her fingers, his touch possessive. His eyes, dark and hard, locked on hers. The smile curving the corner of his full mouth communicated only the stubborn determination to have his way. Lilly had to fight the urge to swallow against the wave of desire his obstinate stare created in her. Energy snapped along her nerves and she worked to tamp it down. Whatever they decided, she didn’t want it to be skewed by overly charged male hormones.

“When we go to the tavern tonight,” Dallas said finally. “You will be safely tucked away at home, doing whatever it is you do at night that
doesn’t
involve bounty hunting.”

“No, I—”

He silenced her with a finger to her lips. “It’s not because I don’t trust you, Lilly…I do. And I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself. You’ve proved it several times already tonight.” Dallas shot a look over her shoulder and smiled, this time with genuine amusement that brought out his dimple and softened his eyes. “Hell, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone best Thaegan.”

She heard the Ka’al’s mumbled curse behind her.

“Then let me help.”

“The problem is the location. It’s always bothered me. I suspect this thing with Grebetz has long arms that could snag innocent bystanders. I’ll have enough to worry about tonight, keeping the patrons of the tavern out of harm’s way and my team safe. I’m afraid if you were there, I couldn’t concentrate. You’d be the only thing I could focus on.” His lips brushed hers, touching off a wave of desire that seared straight down her core. “And I don’t think you want to be responsible for one of my men getting hurt because I wasn’t one hundred percent focused.”

Wasn’t that just like a man to turn a compliment into a guilt trip? “You’ll hardly know I’m there.”

“I’m
very
aware of where you are, Lilly.”

“You’re not going to change my mind on this one, Dallas.”

“What makes you think I’m trying to? My boss would be very unhappy if I didn’t do a thorough interrogation of a suspect.” Dallas slid his hand around the back of her neck and brushed his lips whisper-soft against hers. “We’ve got another couple of hours before we’re expected back at headquarters.” His teeth nipped at her bottom lip and his tongue swept out to soothe. “And since you have no intention of going back with us, I’ve got to have some excuse as to how an unarmed streetwalker got away from two well-trained QAL operatives.” Velvet soft and hot, his mouth teased and aroused. “Overpowered by a Seraphelium seems likely.”

His hands slid up her ribs, curving seductively around the outside of her breasts. His thumbs teased her nipples into to taut points, sending fire scorching through her veins and igniting her energy. Lilly wanted to tamp it down, to enjoy what Dallas could do to her without affecting him, but that wasn’t possible. Her hormones controlled the energy and with the man’s talented hands stroking her flesh, she couldn’t slow her libido.

“What about Thaegan?”

The Ka’al stepped up behind her, the solid muscle of his chest, sandwiching her between the men. Butterflies took flight in her belly as confusion warred with intrigue. She wasn’t sure she wanted this and her body tensed at the contact. Lilly’s focus had been on Dallas and her desire for
him
. But having the heat of Thaegan’s body pressed against her back certainly kicked her heart rate up another notch.

“I was hoping to join you.” Thaegan’s words came out as if he’d dragged them over a burning road of molten lust.

“I don’t know. I…” Her body thrummed with energy and need and Lilly wasn’t sure how to respond.

Thaegan’s tongue rasped the shell of her ear, his warm breath caressing her throat and sending aching shivers of lust straight to her clenching womb. “You know how much you make me want.”

She did. And that was the crux of her dilemma.

But then sex for her had always come down to that—desire and need. Lilly wanted to be
desired
, to be craved with a ravenous hunger so overwhelming that a man would wither away without her intimate touch. What she had instead were males whose bodies were overloaded by hormones and needed—no,
demanded
—mindless rutting.

Thaegan ran his hands up her arms, gently massaging her shoulders, reminding Lilly she hadn’t responded. That had to mean something. Neither of them was taking without first making sure it’s what she wanted.

“The decision is all yours, Lilly,” Dallas said before sucking her beaded nipple into his mouth, dampening the comfortable fabric of his shirt. “I think it’s obvious how much we
both
want you.”

The orgasm earlier had only taken the edge off the energy flowing through her. With just a few deft strokes of their hands and mouths, these men had made her body quiver with need. It would be foolish to deny all three of them the pleasures their bodies demanded just because her heart wanted something unattainable.

As if confirming her thoughts, Thaegan buried his face in her hair, filling his lungs with her scent. His body trembled as her energy flowed through him. A rumble of sexual need vibrated against her back, quivering over her sensitive nerves, stoking the greedy fires of lust.

No, she didn’t want them to stop. Didn’t want them to leave her with this burning urgency. But the words wouldn’t come and all she could do was nod and moan out her approval. Her restless hands glided around Thaegan’s hips, squeezing the firm muscles of the Ka’al’s ass, pulling his growing erection tight against her back, confirming her decision.

The men moved in synchronized rhythm, stroking her body in a masterful dance of hands and mouths until she was trembling with need. Their moves, choreographed without words, were meant only for her pleasure. Lilly suspected she wasn’t the first women these partners had shared. But it was most definitely her first experience with multiple partners. In all her wildest fantasies, she couldn’t have imagined the security and thrill of being pressed between the heat of two men whose sole focus at the moment was her satisfaction.

“Yeah, this is definitely okay,” she managed to pant.

The Ka’al inhaled again, the soft ridges of his nose nuzzling behind her ear. “Good because I’d have had a hell of a time stopping now if you said no.” His soft purr rumbled in her ear, sending a hot flush of liquid from her core. “Do you know what you do to me?”

“To both of us, Lilly,” Dallas whispered. With the carelessness of a thirsty man who’s just found water, he grabbed the lapels of the shirt and ripped it off her shoulders. Buttons bounced on the floor. Lilly was used to the madness of males under her control, but the flames of passion sparking greedily in Dallas’ human eyes as his salacious gaze raked down her torso held a different kind of urgency. But perhaps she was just projecting a fantasy onto this man.

As Thaegan’s hands surrounded her breasts, pinching her nipples between his large fingers, Lilly didn’t have the focus to ponder it. There was only the tiny shockwaves of energy zinging along her nerves, clenching her internal muscles and making her wet with the desperate need to join with these males. As her energy crackled in the air, more honey leaked from her folds until it once again coated the inside of her trembling thighs. Thaegan’s and Dallas’ movements became more frenzied and desperate with each wave vibrating through her body.

Dallas dropped to his knees, lifting Lilly’s leg over his shoulder. The erotic scent of her arousal filled the air, cloaking them in its velvet aroma. The Ka’al’s tongue rasped up her chin as Dallas’ eager mouth teased her sensitive flesh. Lilly turned her head and Thaegan’s lips crushed hers, his tongue hungrily taking possession of her mouth. She sucked in the silken heat, sweeping her tongue over the unfamiliar contours of his mouth. The rough surface added a thrilling dimension to the cinnamon flavor of him.

Dallas’ fingers parted her folds, his tongue caressing her slit. His moans of satisfaction pitched her to another level of bliss. Her hands found their way to his hair, tangling in the curls and anchoring her against the onslaught of sensations boiling within her.

Thaegan broke from their kiss to dig his teeth into the flesh of her shoulder, the pain just another layer of eroticism for her to enjoy. Lilly worked to catch her breath, but the hiccupping moans of rapture ripping from her throat made it impossible.

As Dallas’ tongue flicked and suckled, Thaegan’s hand skimmed along her raised thigh, sliding beneath the thigh-high boot and tickling the underside of her knee. There was something primal and wanton about being partially dressed while these men ravaged her. Their desperate need hadn’t allowed time to strip her naked. Lilly reveled in that lascivious thought. For them, her need seemed to be their only focus—and that was what she chose to hold on to.