Page 71 of Alien Guardian's Vow
A reluctant smile touched my lips. "You forgot annoying."
"That too," he conceded, a ghost of a smile in his own eyes.
The space between us vanished. His other hand found my waist, pulling me against his solid warmth. I tilted my head back, meeting his descending kiss. It wasn't hesitant or exploratory; it was a reunion, a reaffirmation. His lips were firm, demanding, yet held an underlying tenderness that made my knees weak.
My hands slid up his chest, feeling the hard muscle beneath his tunic, the steady beat of his heart against my palm. Our markings flared, silver and gold light mingling where we touched. The bond hummed, amplifying sensation, erasing the memory of pain and fear, replacing it with immediate, urgent need.
He deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with mine, tasting, claiming. A low growl rumbled in his chest, a primal sound that sent heat pooling low in my belly. I pressed against him, needing more, needing all of him.
His hand slid down my back, cupping my ass, lifting me slightly. I wrapped my legs around his waist instinctively, locking myself against him. He backed me into the dwelling, kicking the door membrane closed with his foot without breaking the kiss.
The air crackled with shared desire. He lowered me onto the sleeping platform, his body covering mine. His weight felt solid, reassuring. His golden eyes burned down at me, filled with an intensity that stole my breath.
"Becca," he rasped, his hand sliding between my thighs, finding me already wet.
"Varek," I answered, arching into his touch.
His fingers slipped inside me, stretching me, preparing me. I gasped, my markings flaring brightly. His tail, that unexpected, prehensile appendage, curled around my calf, its tip tracing teasing circles against the sensitive skin behind my knee. The alien sensation sent shockwaves of pleasure through me.
"Tell me what you want," he commanded, his voice thick with desire.
"You," I choked out. "Now."
He needed no further encouragement. He positioned himself, the thick ridges of his arousal pressing against my entrance. I lifted my hips, guiding him, taking him deep in one smooth motion. I cried out as he filled me, the sensation overwhelming, stretching me, completing me.
He began to move, slow, deep thrusts that made the world dissolve into pure sensation. His tail tightened around my calf, then slid higher, wrapping around my thigh, pulling my leg up to allow for a deeper angle. The change was electric, hitting a spot deep inside that made me see stars.
"Like that?" he growled, sensing my reaction through the bond.
"Yes," I gasped, clinging to his shoulders.
His pace increased, each thrust driving me harder against the furs. His tail moved, the tip finding the bundle of nerves at my entrance, circling, pressing, adding another layer to the building pressure. My markings blazed, silver light pulsing in rhythm with his thrusts, illuminating the chamber.
I felt his control slipping, his movements becoming more primal, more demanding. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin of my neck, not painfully, but possessively. The feral edge ignited something reciprocal within me. I raked my nails down his back, rewarded by his sharp intake of breath and the flare of golden light from his lifelines.
"Varek!" His name was a plea, a demand, as release coiled tight within me.
His tail pressed harder against my clit as he drove deep one final time. Pleasure exploded through me, blinding, shattering. My climax ripped through me, my body convulsing around him. My release triggered his own—a guttural roar tore from his throat as he pulsed inside me, hot and heavy, our shared pleasure echoing through the bond in overwhelming waves.
Afterward, we lay tangled together, slick with sweat, our breathing harsh in the quiet room. His tail remained curled around my thigh, a possessive anchor. Our markings pulsed with a soft, synchronized silver-gold light.
He rolled onto his side, pulling me against his chest, his hand stroking my hair. "Better?" he asked, his voice returning to its normal rumble.
"Much," I admitted, tracing the healed energy burn scar on his side. "You?"
"Considerably." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Rest now. You've earned it."
Curled against him, listening to the steady beat of his heart, I finally felt the tension of the past weeks begin to ease. We had survived. We had found each other again. Outside, the settlement hummed with activity—Nyxari and humans working together, building something new from the wreckage of the old. Challenges remained—Hammond's uncertain fate, Claire's recovery, the mystery of the ruins and the markings. But since the crash, looking forward didn't feel quite so terrifying. It felt like possibility.
EPILOGUE: HAMMOND
The taste of dust and blood. Awareness returned slowly, reluctantly. I forced my eyes open, blinking against the grit. Dim emergency lights flickered somewhere above, revealing twisted metal and shattered rock—the remnants of my command center.
I tried to move, but agony shot through my left side. Broken ribs, at least. Possibly internal damage. Doesn't matter. Assess. Survive. Rebuild.
With monumental effort, I pushed aside a chunk of debris pinning my leg. Survival instincts, honed through years of military service, took over. Scan surroundings. Identify resources. Neutralize threats.
The lab was obliterated. The explosion—triggered by the unstable alien tech interfacing with Subject C, undoubtedly exacerbated by Nyxari sabotage—had brought down most of the upper levels. My guards... gone. The artifacts we'd secured... likely buried or destroyed. Claire... escaped with the aliens. A catastrophic failure.
