The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,122
his blood.
Taelon held nothing back, burying himself deep inside her with every hard thrust and driving her to a second climax.
He covered her lips with his, softening her cries.
Her warm sheath fluttered around his cock, squeezing and releasing, spurring on his own orgasm. So good. He wanted it to never end.
At last he collapsed, bracing his forearms on the bed to keep the bulk of his weight off her. Resting his head on her chest, he listened to the racing of her heart as his own threatened to crash through his chest.
How he loved her.
A knock sounded on the door.
Lisa stiffened beneath him. “Shit. Do you think they heard us?”
Definitely. But Taelon didn’t know why that would lead them to knock on the door. Swearing, he left the bed and—keeping his lower body out of sight—opened the door just enough to poke his head out.
Ari’k stared back, little Abby in his arms. “Yihrus has detected a ship headed our way.” He held out the baby.
Taelon quickly took her. “Friend or foe?”
“Undetermined.” He spun and strode away.
Taelon slammed the door and turned to Lisa. “Hurry and get dressed.” He placed Abby in the center of the bed, then grabbed a couple of cleansing cloths. He handed one to Lisa, then used the other himself before dragging on his pants.
“Do you think it’s the Gathendiens?” she asked as she swiftly dressed while keeping an eye on Abby to make sure she didn’t tumble off the bed.
“I don’t know.” He shoved his feet into his boots and dragged his shirt over his head. “As soon as you’re dressed, join us up front.” Leaning down, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
“Always.”
Lisa’s hands shook as she finger-combed her hair back from her face. Her mind raced as she stuffed her feet into her shoes and made cooing responses to Abby’s baby babble. Who was coming?
Not Lasarans. Taelon was certain of that. They were too far away to have reached them so quickly and might not even know what had happened yet.
Gathendiens?
It seemed the most likely, but she hoped not. Only two of the three weapons systems were functioning.
Think positively, she lectured herself. Things could be worse, after all. They could’ve been stranded out here with only a day’s supply of food and water and no functioning weapons systems. That would’ve been beyond fucked up. So maybe it wasn’t the Gathendiens or—hell—someone else out to harm them. Maybe it was one of the escape pods.
She perked up at that possibility. Maybe it was Eliana or one of the others.
Grabbing Abby, she kissed her cheek and headed to the front.
Kuxa still lay on the floor, his torso hanging down inside the second roungkrup. But his efforts to repair the damaged weapons station had acquired a new urgency.
Yihrus and Sodu were in the cockpit. Yihrus piloted the craft while Sodu manned the comms station, listening intently with one hand on his ear. Taelon and Ari’k stood beside the table viewscreen in what she had come to think of as the family room. Both leaned down, hands braced on the shiny surface, and studied it intently.
“Is it one of the escape pods?” she asked hopefully as she joined them.
Taelon shook his head without looking up. “It’s way too big.”
Ari’k magnified the area that interested them. “And moving too quickly. I don’t think even the Kandovar could match its speed.”
Her heart sank as she stared at the screen. The image it projected resembled radar, showing their current position and that of the approaching craft. Lisa watched the glowing red dot shoot toward them. “Is it the Gathendiens?”
“I think it likely,” Ari’k murmured.
“Prince Taelon,” Sodu said, his voice almost irritatingly calm compared to the turmoil that made her heart race. “We are being hailed.”
Taelon straightened, his face grim. “Let me hear it.”
Sodu touched his screen. “Repeat communication.”
A deep male voice filled the room. “In trouble again, are you? What the drek have you done now?”
Taelon’s face lit with a smile. “Janwar? What are you doing way the srul out here?”
“Looking for your spoiled royal ass.”
Taelon laughed. “Then don’t keep me waiting.”
An expletive carried across the line.
Taelon monitored the swift approach on the viewscreen. “Looks like you’ve been busy while I was away. Acquired a new ship, have you?”
“Yes, I have. And it’s a thing of beauty. Permission to bring you aboard?”
“Permission granted.”
The communication ended.
“Who is it?” Lisa asked, relieved by Taelon’s reaction.
Ari’k straightened. “The Akselian rebel.”
Taelon nodded as he turned to her. “He’s a friend.”