Intercept Read online

  Lekar did a good job, won his two fights, but when the time came to choose his female, her earlier suitor got there first.

  Maud looked up at Dihar and smiled. “Whatever passes between us will be just between us. Do you promise?”

  He gave her a dazed look as she laid a soft hand on his arm. “Of course.”

  She grinned, sent an okay flick to Lekar with her hand and wandered off with the champion of the day.

  In the room, Dihar pressed her against the wall and lifted her to face his grinning tusks.

  Maud reached into her soul and poured disinterest into him through every point of contact. The erection that he had been prodding her with faded swiftly.

  “What the hell?” Dihar dropped her as if she was on fire.

  “I won’t tell anyone that you are no longer able to sate your lust as long as you don’t tell anyone that I can do it. You will be able to say that you did any vile kind of anything to me that you wanted to do. I won’t contradict you.”

  She watched Dihar mull it over. His mind grappled with dignity versus violence and he nodded, reclining on his luxurious bunk.

  She eyed his wounds. “I can tend those if you want. I have some skills in the immediate-aid area.”

  He grunted in the affirmative and she opened some drawers in the champion’s room, finding the medical supplies that she needed.

  “How do your people mate if you kill the lust of your men?”

  She smiled. “You are quick. It isn’t all Terrans, just me as far as I am aware. I have a true mate, but I haven’t met him in person yet.”

  “Then how do you know he is your true mate?” Dihar was interested.

  “I just know. The same way that you noticed that the Brevil was going to go for your knees.” She blotted at his skin and cleaned the wounds left by that fight. “Some things you just know on instinct.”

  “Your friend…is not your mate?”

  “No. He will say it as well. We have worked together for years and were on an assignment that went bad. Now, we are here and survival is all that we will focus on. I will work for his survival and he will work for mine.”

  They kept up polite chat and she learned that Dihar had been a farmer transporting a crop when he was taken. After a light meal, they played the Alliance version of chess and then he rested on the bed while she took the floor.

  In the morning, she quickly crawled into bed with him minutes before they came to get her. Dihar quickly whispered in her ear what he would have done to her body in the darkness and when they came to get her, she was fighting involuntary arousal.

  The groomers washed, brushed and prepped her for yet another day, but this time, she wore silver that matched her eyes, her nails, skirt and shoes all matched in glowing metallic.

  A few of the higher-ranking women came to her and pried her for details about Dihar, but thanks to his emergency-prep class, none of them suspected at thing.

  Chapter Three

  Maud watched Dihar walk past her, a wink from his left eye as he passed her indicated he had something to do with her new finery. Lekar came behind him, an arched brow showed his amusement for her new conquest. He knew all about her talent, but had never experienced the effects.

  The final male out of the fighter quarters was her big surprise. She widened her eyes and watched as the familiar face of Tridell came from the doorway, his huge frame and flared wings made her mouth dry. What he was doing there, she had no idea, but her body seized in lust the moment that he met her silver gaze with his gold one.

  He moved past the other women fawning over the first Drai they had ever seen and came straight toward her. She noted his intent an instant before he grabbed her around the waist, lifted her to meet him and brought his mouth down onto hers.

  They had been engaging in a courtship of sorts for months. This tension-filled first meeting was all she needed to wrap her arms around his neck and hold him tight, welcoming his tongue and the taste of him.

  He jerked under her hands and he slowly released her. She came to the awareness that there were guards around him, hitting him with stun rods, trying to get him to release her.

  Tridell smiled and lifted her hand to his lips. “Until later, Maud.”

  She blushed and led the women to their position around the arena while Tridell was led off with the men. Several of the fighters were elbowing Dihar and jerking their heads toward Maud. He was grinning savagely, but when she met his gaze across the fight zone, he nodded.

  Tridell was wearing a thick set of ankle bracelets. Apparently, they were unaware of his true nature. Nothing stopped a shifter from taking their battle form.

  They didn’t waste Tridell on an exhibition fight. He was placed halfway through the matches for the first fight.

  He didn’t bother making it look good. The Nyal he was fighting was struck hard and skidded across the fight area before scattering the women. He was unconscious and bleeding from one ear.

  The guards and medics hauled him away while Tridell went to stand with the winners.

  Maud winced at the smug set of her soon-to-be mate’s shoulders. He was not going to make friends with his fellow fighters if he didn’t play the game that the Raiders had set up.

  Lekar was fighting a S’then and he managed to trip him and get him on the ground, his fists and claws shearing through the scaled hide.

  The S’then’s tail propelled it back to his feet and he circled Lekar quickly.

  Maud cried out, but Lekar moved to counterattack before she was even able to finish her scream.

  The frown that rippled across Tridell’s face was not good, but she ignored it in favour of watching Lekar get his opponent in a headlock and slowly suffocate the S’then into unconsciousness.

  When he was declared the winner, he took his position next to Tridell and from across the arena, Maud could see them speaking casually.

  Other fights rippled through the arena until Dihar was up against his match. While she watched her new friend from the previous night, Tridell was being restrained by Lekar. Another fighter was casually speaking to Tridell and it seemed to be upsetting him.

  Maud took a deep breath and focussed on her Drai. Stop getting pissed. Nothing happened.

  Tridell’s head came up swiftly and he met her gaze from across the crowded arena. How are you doing this?

  Enough of a connection, I suppose. That was quite a first kiss.

  It was indeed. So I am to ignore what is being said about you?

  Don’t ignore it. Just know it for a lie to save face. A guy thing. No one gets that close to me unless I wish it.

  What of your friend here?

  If you are up against him, knock him out, but don’t kill him. He tried to keep me safe and I am not letting him stick me with the paperwork from this fiasco.

  She had to watch his shoulder’s shake with amusement and not be close enough to enjoy it.

  She was able to absorb the details of his physique from that distance though and use her memory to provide the textures to go with them. He was nearly seven feet tall, if not over. His shoulders appeared close to four feet wide and his arms could wrap around her almost twice over. The heavy muscles of his pectorals were echoed by the ridges that surrounded his wings. Enough power to flap the wings that could hike his body into the sky.

  The ridges of his abs covered a flat belly and his navel was located low enough to be hidden by his trousers. She really wanted to go in search of it.

  Am I simply a piece of meat to you? The amusement in his mind was unmistakable.

  Not yet, but I can hope. She smiled shyly. I hadn’t realized that your hair was as dark as mine. It always glows dark gold in the displays.

  It has strands of gold in the black.

  The surrealism of having a conversation on hair colour while two men fought until near death was not lost on her, but when the battle was over and Dihar was standing triumphant, she had to pay attention to her surroundings again.

  It was time for the winners to sel
ect their females.

  Dihar was still breathing heavily from his fight against the cybernetically enhanced Tival. He took a few steps toward her and then was stopped by the guards. They spoke quietly to him and he looked over to Tridell. Shrugging, Dihar selected his previous favourite and wandered off with her.

  Two other winners tried to approach her before Lekar did. Each of them was told by the organizers to choose another.

  Lekar selected one of the women still wearing pale pink. He behaved in a courtly manner and Maud was so busy watching him that she didn’t see Tridell moving toward her with purpose.

  “I believe that your display of enthusiasm got someone’s attention, Maud. That I let it be known that I was looking for my mate and then greeted you with that same enthusiasm has let them know that intimacies may be theirs for the broadcasting.”

  Maud swayed in shock. “What?”

  “Just go with me on this. If nothing else, it will be something to tell the grandchildren.” He offered her his hand and despite her surprise, she took it.

  The guards took them away from the fighter quarters to a far more luxurious cell.

  Maud blushed at the knowing look on the face of the guards as they left them, but she turned back to Tridell and threw herself into his arms. With her face against his chest she mumbled, “I am really glad you are here.”

  His arms around her relaxed her. The huge expanse of his hands covered her back completely. The heat that radiated into her body from that simple touch started the surge of arousal that she had felt the moment that she saw him.

  One year ago, Maud had undergone treatment to make her a suitable mate for a Drai. It involved some changes to her body that would make her an appropriate physical match. Drai women were approximately the same size as Terrans, so Maud was fairly sure that Tridell wouldn’t hurt her with his enthusiasm.

  The only thing was that Maud had not tested her new equipment, so when he gently rubbed at the base of her spine and she felt a rush of moisture from within, she wasn’t sure if that was the change or if she had just been celibate for too long. Either way, she was willing to road test her new systems and based on the ridge of flesh pressing against her abdomen, so was he.

  Chapter Four

  The recorders were subtle, but Maud knew they were there.

  “Be easy, Maud. This is simply between you and me.” He gently placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. “Just us. No one else.”

  His kiss drove out the reality of being on an unnamed station or world without knowing where she was and how she was going to escape.

  She wasn’t alone and Tridell wasn’t going to let anything happen to her that he wasn’t responsible for himself.

  “You look lovely, Maud.” His words were like warm honey.

  She smiled up at him while her tongue flicked out to taste the residue from his kiss. “Thank you. Dihar picked the outfit.”

  His hand on her waist clenched in reaction and she laughed.

  “He was very nice to me. All I had to do was make sure he stayed flaccid with a little prolonged contact with his arm and we had a pleasant night of chatting and chess.”

  Tridell’s eyes widened. “You told me when we were chatting that you had the ability to drive men away, I didn’t realize how.”

  She snorted. “I can control it.”

  “Obviously or I would be huddled in a corner by now.” He lifted her and spun her around. “You have no idea how long I have waited to hold you in my arms.”

  She clung to his shoulders as he twirled her in the air. She squeaked and sighed as he lowered her until he was holding her face to face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and angled her head so she could inhale his scent.

  He groaned when she let her teeth graze his neck and shuddered when she wrapped her legs around his hips for stability. The skirt she was wearing did not include underwear, so the scent of her heat was glaringly obvious, even to her.

  He supported her with one hand while loosening his trousers with the other.

  She slid and rocked herself along his erection. The hard column soon became slippery with both of their contributions. Friction heated her skin and as she angled her hips, the contact with her clit built her tension to the shattering point. She gasped and froze as release swept through her.

  Tridell pinned her against the wall, lifting her so that her breasts were even with his mouth. His teeth pulled away the ribbons that bound her breasts and he licked and sucked at her flesh with a ferocity that rebuilt her arousal in moments.

  She let each sigh and murmur reach his ears and it seemed to drive him higher.

  Two fingers were fit into her, carefully stretching her and drawing forth more slick honey to ease his entry. Maud clenched around him, trying to hold him in place, but he withdrew his hand and fit the wide head of his cock against her.

  He used the wall to support her as he thrust in slow, measured movements. He kept one hand between her and the wall, fingers curled around her shoulder to hold her in place as he worked himself fully into her. When he started the heavy push and pull of fucking, they kissed intermittently when the surges brought them close enough.

  She looked forward to each kiss, nipping at his lower lip with every approach.

  He groaned at her light nibbles and encouraged her with his increased speed and the muttered words in ancient Drai.

  His wings were out for his balance, but a quick realization that he was blocking the cameras from viewing her completely increased her feeling of intimacy to the breaking point. She screamed and clawed at Tridell’s shoulders, trying to gain enough purchase to push herself down onto him all the way, but he kept thrusting steadily.

  Her orgasm became endless as his cock worked against the frantically contracting muscles inside her. When he threw his head back and roared his release, she was still shaking from her unending orgasm which spiked again as he jetted into her.

  He cuddled her against him, remaining inside her as her body slowly wound down to a slow flutter around him.

  “Thank you, Maud.”

  She blinked and looked up to see his forehead resting against the wall next to hers. “For what?”

  “For being honest in your reactions. I know that being watched threw you off, but it was fairly successful for a first time.” He pressed a soft kiss against her cheek.

  She turned her lips to meet his and they joined in a sweet kiss that took them back to all those conversations while she was travelling and he was waiting. The waiting was over, but now, they had to find a way out of there.

  Do you have a plan to get us out of here?

  Of course. I am part of the plan. We will be gone in within three days. The Sector Guard has to amass their ships and prepare to attack.

  So, we have three days while you fight for your life and then we fuck on film?

  I prefer to think of it as making love with an audience…but yes.

  She shrugged. I think that we need some food and then perhaps a slight slower coupling. There is a lot of you that I haven’t gotten to touch yet and it’s making my mouth water.

  He blushed. Under his bronze skin, he blushed. He slowly lowered her to the floor and the result of their coupling snaked down the inside of her thighs.

  Maud patted his cheek. “I am going to take a shower. You go and get us some food. This is going to be a long night.”

  In the shower, she placed trembling hands against the cold tile and let the tepid water wash over her. She exhaled slowly through pursed lips and took a personal inventory. Her back ached where the wall had rubbed and the throb between her thighs was unmistakable. The cool water eased the irritation and soon, she was ready to face Tridell again.

  Two trays of higher-protein rations were waiting for her. Tridell’s share was obvious in the triple portion. He was sitting on the one chair in the room and he patted his thigh in invitation.

  A panel in the door flicked as a guard watched her approach and settle on Tridell’s lap. With a slight n
od to him, she sat wrapped in her drying cloth and took a few pieces of food in one hand, feeding herself slowly. She nibbled, wide eyed and watched him at close range. His nose was more prominent than it had seemed when she was speaking to him in the vid chats. The dark slash of his brows gave him a serious demeanour and the clear cut of his lips, tight with tension, showed her a man who thought before he spoke. His jaw flexed as he ate his meal and she watched the cords of his neck contract and release with every move.

  She widened her eyes as he turned his head and grinned down at her. The sharp points of his canines gleamed in the moderate lighting.

  “You are staring.”

  Maud swallowed, “Just getting used to the physical you. You are very warm.”

  He winked, “As are you. Warm, soft and you smell like mine.”

  She didn’t need to ask what he meant. She felt the same. The first moment that she had gotten close enough to scent him, she had almost felt a click of rightness within.

  “I had to tell you, at first, I didn’t think that it would work.” She bit her lip and blushed at his amused smile.

  “I didn’t sense any hesitation.”

  “I am a firm believer in trying something first before denying a possibility. The alterations were not really obvious to me, but I suppose that you would have noticed at the same time that I did if things weren’t going to work.”

  His chuckle sent a ripple of warmth through her again.

  “Yes, Maud, I would have known if it wasn’t going to work. Now, eat your dinner. You look a little weak.”

  With one meal per day, she was indeed a little weak. Maud slowly ate all of her rations and sipped at the water, frowning at the peculiar chemical tang. “There is something in this water.”

  Tridell took her cup from her and sniffed, jerking his head back in reaction. “Stop drinking that. They have added a medication to your water. I am not sure of the purpose, but it can’t be good.”

  Maud nodded and sat quietly, hoping that it was a sedative. When her pulse began to race and moisture collected at her entrance, she knew that the hope was futile. Back on Earth, aphrodisiacs were hit or miss, but in space, many races had a far-better grasp of the science of stimulation.