Shifter’s Station 2: Pilot’s Heart Read online

  The whip came down. She screamed but managed to hold still, letting Kirlos be her lifeline. He projected calm and coolness into her mind. Yet, she felt the edge of his pain which only served to fuel her need. Devlin hit her again. She made a strangled sound this time, trying to hold back like Kirlos did.

  Stop fighting. Let it out. Kirlos spoke directly into her mind.

  “But --”

  “Scream for me, Larissa.” Devlin’s tone brooked no disobedience. When the last blow came, she screamed long and loud. Kirlos squeezed her hand, acting as her living anchor. Without him, she might have flown right out of her body to escape the storm of sensation.

  “Table, release them.”

  The instant her hips were free, Larissa bucked against the table, grinding herself into the fabric. She couldn’t think of anything but getting relief for the lust that throbbed throughout her entire body.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” Devlin pulled her back and scooped her up in his arms.

  “Please.” The word was barely audible.

  Devlin laid her on the table. The smooth fabric caressed her back, and she moaned. “You’ll get what you need, when I say you need it.”

  “Gods, please.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm herself. Devlin had pushed her before, but never this hard. The call from Ragland must have gotten to him as deeply as she’d suspected.

  When Devlin didn’t climb up on top of her, she opened her eyes. He took Kirlos’s arms and steered him toward the table. The Cerian looked as dazed and passion-drugged as she felt.

  “Get on your hands and knees. Use your mouth on her. But don’t let her come until I give permission.” Kirlos positioned himself as he was told. Larissa tensed, waiting for him to touch her, knowing if he licked her clit she’d go over. She had no control left.

  Kirlos must have sensed how close she was, because he started licking and nibbling the tender skin of her inner thighs.

  “Table, fuck both her entrances.”

  Immediately, tentacles pressed for entry. The sudden, intense fullness brought her right to the edge. Her mouth hung open as she struggled for breath.

  Kirlos licked at the skin of her perineum. She focused on his touch, trying to distract herself from the tentacles working themselves deeper into her.

  Suddenly, Kirlos stiffened. She opened her eyes. Devlin was positioned behind him, ready to fuck his ass. She could only imagine how sore and tender Kirlos’s flesh was after the beating he’d taken. Her ass burned and ached as it rubbed against the velvet-covered table, and Devlin had whipped Kirlos twice as hard as he had her.

  She watched as Devlin flexed his hips and surged forward, pushing Kirlos against her. Kirlos’s hands bit into her thighs as he struggled to hold himself in place.

  Devlin pulled back and surged in again. Kirlos gasped, his breath hot against Larissa’s skin.

  Devlin growled. “Make her come now. I want her to go over when you do.” She thought Devlin reached around to grip Kirlos’s cock, but her brain ceased to function when Kirlos sucked her clit into his mouth.

  “Table, expand and fuck her harder.” The tentacles inside her grew in girth and length and increased their pace. Kirlos swiped his tongue across the head of her clit. She literally saw stars. She heard Kirlos groan as Devlin shoved him against her. Gods, Devlin was brutal today.

  Then Kirlos sucked, bit down on her clit, and she went over. Kirlos cried out at the same time she did. Her eyes fluttered open even as her body convulsed.

  Devlin smiled at her. She saw Kirlos’s hips pumping wildly. Then, his hot, sticky seed splashed her legs.

  Devlin’s eyes widened. She watched him come as the last of her own orgasm shook her. Never had he looked more beautiful or more vulnerable.

  * * *

  After a long hot shower during which Kirlos had to remind them several times that they had a meeting to attend and no more time for fooling around, Larissa got dressed and joined the men at the bar in their kitchenette.

  Kirlos handed her a strong, black cup of coffee. She breathed deeply over the steam and sighed. Real coffee was definitely one of the best perks of living in the captain’s quarters.

  Devlin picked up his jacket from where he’d tossed it on the back of the sofa. He slipped it on and settled next to her at the bar. He glanced down at his wrist unit and gulped down several huge sips of coffee despite its heat. “We need to go.”

  Larissa looked longingly at the coffee she’d barely started to drink, sat it on the counter, and slipped off her stool.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  She frowned at him. “To the meeting,”

  “Under no circumstances are you to leave these quarters.”

  She took a deep breath to slow the rush of anger. “How many times do I have to remind you that I chose to stay on this station of my own free will?”

  “I warned you that if you stayed you would serve out your contract.”

  “And I told you that was bullshit. You’d already released me.”

  Devlin started to speak, but she was angry enough to risk interrupting him. “Before I worked for Lukas, I was part of a merc company. I’ve got high-level combat training, and I’m familiar with Ragland’s tactics. You need all the help you can get to prepare for this attack.”

  The color drained from Devlin’s face, and he choked on his coffee.

  Kirlos smiled. “I think the words combat training left him speechless. Probably best not to mention it again.”

  Larissa scowled. “Look, I appreciate that you two care enough about me to want to protect me. But as much as you might want me to be, I’m not some delicate little bed slave who spends all day pampering herself so she can be ready to receive your attentions. I’m a pilot, a damned good one or I never would have gotten mixed up with Lukas in the first place.”

  Devlin stood and grabbed her upper arms, jerking her against his body. “You’re mine no matter what you say, and I won’t have you risking your life.”

  She struggled, knowing it was pointless. If he wanted to, he could snap both her arms off. “Let me go.”

  “Not until you agree to stay in these quarters.”

  “You’re making a mistake. I could help you.”

  “No.”

  She took a deep breath and glanced at Kirlos. He shook his head, warning her not to push Devlin any further. But she was fucking sick of having to tiptoe around him. “I’m going with you.”

  Devlin closed his eyes. For a fraction of a second, the grip on her arms tightened. Then he relaxed and let her go. When he opened his eyes, they’d gone wolfish. “You will do what I say one way or another.”

  “I --”

  He scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. After releasing the Cerian sex table from its berth in the wall, he tossed her down on it. “Table on. Tether her wrist. Give her enough slack to walk to the kitchen and bath.”

  A tentacle immediately wrapped her left wrist.

  Devlin turned and exited without another word. “Bastard,” she called after him.

  Kirlos shook his head. “That he is, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “You could let me go.”

  Kirlos pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly. “I’m not suicidal. We’ll be back soon.” Kirlos exited. The door whooshed shut behind him.

  Chapter 3

  Larissa took another sip of her wine. She was surprised Devlin couldn’t see steam rising from her head. She’d never met a more obstinate man in her life, nor one more assured of his right to give orders to everyone around him. “I’ve accepted that you aren’t going to let me out in a fighter. I’m only asking to participate in strategy meetings. Talking about combat isn’t dangerous.”

  “Marc, she’s --”

  Devlin silenced Kirlos with a look before turning back to her. “We’ve already been over this. Until Ragland plays his hand, I don’t want you leaving quarters.”

  “I’m not a prisoner.”

  “You are i
f that’s how I can best protect you. Our random inspections have already uncovered a vial of poison so strong it could stop your heart in seconds. And a man carrying a weapon known to be favored by Ragland’s assassins was arrested last night for disorderly conduct.”

  “And all charges were dropped after we investigated further.”

  Devlin narrowed his eyes at Kirlos. “That doesn’t mean we weren’t deceived. All parties are still under surveillance.”

  Larissa smirked. “Of course they are. I know firsthand how justice works on this station.”

  Devlin snarled. “So now you want to complain about the hours of pleasure we’ve given you?”

  Larissa sighed. “No, I want to complain about not being allowed to help save a station I’ve come to love and for being treated like a weakling and a prisoner when I’m anything but.”

  “She has a point. I think you’re overreacting.”

  Devlin glared at Kirlos. “So you think I should give Ragland’s men an easy target?”

  “Kirlos is just as likely a target as me, but you’re letting him wander the station.”

  “Only because he’s the commander. And, as a Cerian, he’s nearly as strong as the human shifters.”

  “I only want to attend some meetings and go over plans for outside defense.”

  “No.” Devlin brushed his hand across his short hair. “I’m done with this argument. Let’s go to bed.”

  “You think I want to sleep with you now?”

  “Sleep on the sofa then. You’re not going to change my mind.”

  Devlin stomped into the bedroom. A few seconds later, Larissa thought she heard something break.

  Kirlos sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. “He’s scared.”

  She nodded, knowing if she spoke she’d likely say something she’d later regret.

  “I’ll try to reason with him. I’m no happier than he is about the prospect of you in battle. But you would be a valuable asset as a strategist.”

  “Just see if you can get him to let me out of here. I’m getting claustrophobic, and it’s only been two days.”

  Kirlos kissed her lightly. “I’ll do everything I can.”

  “Yeah, I know. No promises. Devlin doesn’t listen to anyone.”

  Kirlos gave a wry laugh. “Occasionally, he listens to me. We’ll see.”

  “Okay.”

  “Come to bed with us.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not sure whether to give into her need to have their arms around her.

  Kirlos stroked her hair. “I’m scared, too. I don’t want to go to bed without you.”

  Larissa snuggled against him. “All right.” Angry as she was, she couldn’t bear to be alone.

  * * *

  Larissa wasn’t sure what Kirlos said to Devlin the next morning while she showered and dressed. But Devlin softened his attitude enough to allow her to accompany him to the command center. Claire, the chief operations officer, had been giving her lessons in station protocols. In a few more weeks, she would be ready to assist Claire in the day-to-day running of the station.

  Larissa was more than delighted to serve Devlin’s kinky interests in bed, but she needed more to do while he was working during the day. After only a few weeks on the station, she was going out of her mind lying around waiting for Devlin and Kirlos to need a fuck. Both her lovers had amazing stamina, but still, there were a lot of free hours in her day. She noticed how overworked Claire was and knew she’d enjoy the challenge of pulling together all the pieces needed to run a station.

  As soon as they reached the command center, a security officer paged Kirlos requesting assistance with a dispute in one of the docking bays. Kirlos kissed Larissa and departed as she settled herself at the workstation next to Claire.

  Devlin leaned over Larissa. She breathed deeply of his musky scent, and her body reacted immediately. In no time at all, she was fighting the urge to squirm in her seat. His heat positively surrounded her. No matter how frustrated she got with Devlin’s high-handedness, her body never stopped responding to even the smallest touch from him.

  She knew he could smell her arousal, but he pretended to be oblivious. “Have you two covered all the databases yet?”

  “Claire was going to show me the last of them today, and --”

  A beep from Devlin’s wrist unit cut her off before she could finish her answer.

  “It’s Kirlos. He needs me. Stay with Claire.”

  Larissa rolled her chair back and stood. “I’m coming with you.”

  “Do I need to cuff you to Claire’s chair?”

  She heard Claire snicker and would have laughed herself if she hadn’t been so annoyed. Devlin’s pig-headedness was funny when it wasn’t directed at her.

  “Wouldn’t I be safer by your side? Or are you admitting that someone can protect me as well as you?”

  Devlin growled. “Let’s go.”

  Claire clamped her hand to her mouth, trying to hold in her laughter. Devlin turned toward her, scowling. “Any more out of you and you’ll face disciplinary action.”

  Claire hung her head and tried to look contrite, but Larissa saw the gleam in her eye. Maybe Claire should be teaching her how to deal with Devlin rather than showing her the intricacies of station management.

  Larissa glanced back at the other woman and smiled before she followed Devlin out of the room.

  Devlin didn’t speak as they rode in the lift, but when they exited on the docking bay level, he handed her a weapon. “Heat it up. Stay behind me and shoot anything that looks like a threat.”

  “Aye, aye, sir.”

  He scowled at her but said nothing. They entered a docking bay where Kirlos and a security guard stood arguing with a human in a flight suit.

  “What’s the problem here?” Devlin asked as they approached the small huddle.

  Suddenly, Larissa froze. Movement from the entryway of the angry human’s ship caught her eye. A man leaned around the door and aimed a rifle at Kirlos’s back.

  Larissa raised her gun and shot him through the head before he’d steadied his aim.

  The man rolled down the exit ramp and landed in a lifeless heap at the bottom. The high-ceilinged chamber echoed as the ramp continued to shake. Larissa kept her weapon out and ready as she approached him, but when she saw his head up close, she knew he couldn’t have survived. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat.

  Devlin shoved the pilot to the ground and jerked his arms behind his back. “Who hired you?”

  The man didn’t speak. Devlin twisted his arms hard enough to break them. “Who the fuck sent you?”

  Kirlos shook his head. “He’s dead.”

  Devlin bent to check for a pulse. “What the fuck? I didn’t even hit him.”

  Larissa glanced their way. “Suicide tablet. Lukas used to order us to carry them so we could take ourselves out rather than risk exposing his scams. I refused, but one of his other pilots killed himself rather than come home after a failed run. Think about it. If you were Ragland’s assassin, would you want to tell him you’d fucked up your hit?”

  Devlin kicked the dead man’s body. “Fucking bastard.”

  Devlin marched toward Larissa, grabbed her arm, and pushed her toward the door. “To my quarters. Now.” He glanced at Kirlos. “Both of you. I’ll handle clean up.”

  This was just fucking great. She’d proven herself a crack shot who could easily defend herself, but now she’d be lucky if she left the captain’s quarters any time in the next month. “I just saved your life, and now I have to run home and hide?”

  Devlin didn’t respond, but Kirlos took her hand and brought it to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. “Thank you.”

  She smiled.

  “Quarters, now, or I’ll carry you myself.”

  She rolled her eyes at Kirlos, and he smiled back. “I think we’d better go.”

  * * *

  Three days later, Larissa paced the sitting area of the captain’
s quarters, which she hadn’t left since she’d killed Ragland’s assassin. Devlin had posted guards by the door. And she wasn’t sure whether they were there to keep potential assassins out or to keep her in.

  Devlin had become even more dictatorial in the last few days, something she wouldn’t have thought possible. She kept telling herself he was under enormous pressure to anticipate Ragland’s next move. And, as always, the more nervous or uncomfortable he got, the more he asserted his dominance. She’d learned that pattern within a few days of meeting him.

  As frustrating as it was, she could deal with his arrogance. What she couldn’t accept from him was coldness. She doubted he’d expressed emotions easily even before he was put through hell by Terra Gov, but he’d always done a good job of using his body to demonstrate his feelings for her.

  Since she’d arrived on the station, they’d had sex every day, usually more than once. The first week her body had ached so much she’d wished for a respite. But now, the loss of his touch made her ache much deeper inside, right in the center of her heart. She’d convinced herself that Devlin truly loved her, but now she wasn’t as sure. Did he want her for the woman she was, or was she simply property he needed to protect?

  She heard Kirlos speaking to the guards outside. He’d stopped by whenever he had a free moment, wanting to do what he could to relieve her boredom and ease her fears. At least one of her lovers was capable of tenderness. She squeezed her eyes shut against an uncharacteristic flood of tears.

  The main door whooshed open. “Larissa, are you all right?”

  She wiped her eyes and forced herself to smile as she looked up. “No worse than yesterday.”

  He sat next to her and pulled her into his arms.

  “How do you put up with Devlin when he’s such a bastard?”

  He rubbed her back in soothing circles. “I use the god-like patience I learned at the Cerian court. If you think the captain’s infuriating, you should be in the presence of a Cerian prince. No one believes more firmly in their own rightness.”

  “No thank you. If they’re worse than Devlin, I can’t imagine how anyone suffers them.”

  Kirlos chuckled. “Not so surprising I chose to stay here, is it?”