Helion (6 page)

“Yes, we took down many Scourge today, little mother. I’m
eager to get cleaned up but first, Healer Nathal wanted me to ask if you were
willing to allow him to do another scan of you and your daughter.”

Gwen immediately wanted to protest but stopped herself.
Helion wasn’t ordering her to get more scans, he was essentially asking. And
the previous scan Nathal had done hadn’t caused them any harm. Considering all
the Keepers had done for them, protesting some harmless scans would be petty.
And by the look on Helion’s face, he was waiting to see if she was that petty
or if she could be reasonable. Gwen lifted her chin higher and gave Helion a
challenging look.

“I’m willing to get more scans done. Thank you for asking
this time.” She paused for that to sink in, though judging by his smirk he wasn’t
insulted. “When does he want to see us?”

“Now would work, Lady Gwen. As you see, I need to bathe. You
may stay of course, that offer to help me wash is still open. And you can be
sure I’d return the favor.”

Helion’s eyes were once again challenging and a hint of that
feral intensity was back. Damn. Spiders, boogers, white sauces!

“Ah, thank you, Commander, but going to do the scans now
suits me fine.”

As Gwen went to pick up Evie, she refused to feel let down
by her own lack of daring. Having an affair would be bad, bad, bad! Wouldn’t
it? Of course it would. She didn’t need an intergalactic lover. She need a safe
home for Evelyn, a job, food on the table. She needed safety and security. And
what if they weren’t even compatible sexually? He could have a weirdly shaped
penis that didn’t connect with her own parts—how awkward would that be?

“Very well. Verdun, please escort the ladies to Nathal and
bring them back once he’s done. We’ll dine together after I bathe.”

Gwen nodded and rushed out of the tent ahead of Verdun. This
opportunity to leave the tent was really a godsend as there was no way she
could watch Helion undress and bathe again and not think X-rated thoughts about
him. There were really not enough dirty diapers in the world to remain cold
toward a naked, wet Helion. As Gwen arrived at Nathal’s hut and allowed the
scans he wanted, her thoughts were consumed with the giant disaster waiting to
happen back at the tent.

Helion had found it difficult to concentrate the first few
hours after leaving the camp. Battling Scourge while walking around with a
massive erection was distracting, to say the least. Not that any Scourge came
close to ending his life. He was just modest enough to acknowledge he’d need
one arm tied behind him plus an amputated leg to even be injured by Scourge
scum.

But to lust after this human female…it wasn’t like him.
Keeper women were the most beautiful women in the galaxy and they knew how to
handle a male’s passion. Even if Gwen could take his shaft, could she handle
the ferocity of his lovemaking? Keeper women were bigger and stronger than
humans. If he got rough with Gwen during sex, he could injure her. Though it
was clear to his senses her body wanted him, he wasn’t sure about acting on it,
even if he did want her beneath him so badly his cock literally ached.

In any case they’d had a job to do. The sooner the Scourge
were eradicated, the sooner he’d be able to return to his home and see to his
responsibilities there. His infatuation with the human needed to be put behind
him while he was going into battle. She stirred him, without a doubt, but there
couldn’t be anything serious between them. An affair wasn’t out of the realm of
possibility however…if it was possible. He sent a request to Nathal via their
link. It couldn’t hurt to see, could it?

Tempting though it was to linger and let the woman find him
still bathing, Helion took care of himself quickly, eager to be cleansed of
Scourge filth and into clean clothing. In truth he was strangely weary today.
They’d tracked down and killed hundreds more Scourge but there were always
more, and more. In his darker moments, Helion wondered if their taint could
ever be erased from existence entirely. There had to be a way but the Keepers
just hadn’t found it yet.

Once Helion was dressed, he sat at the table to wait for the
source of unexpected amusement in his current situation. At first he’d seen the
human as nothing but a nuisance, but she’d very quickly become a point of
fascination for him. He wanted to possess her. Utterly. In every possible way.
And she wanted him in return, his senses told him that strongly.

Although…she’d done something today, something to
temporarily negate her reaction to him. It was sporadic at best but still
amusing nonetheless. She was a very clever young lady, not to mention extremely
sexy. He could only hope that the scans he’d asked Nathal to do bore out the
results he wanted. Because he knew he was going to take this woman to his bed,
one way or another. If she couldn’t take his cock, he’d find another way, but
he fully intended to taste this woman. Something had clicked inside him when he’d
rescued her. He didn’t know where this journey would end but he was eager to
start down the path.

“
Commander, I have completed my scans. The woman’s health
is improving and the child is flourishing.
”

Nathal’s voice played through their mind link, calm and
confident as always. His voice betrayed no curiosity about why Helion had asked
for these extra scans. Of course he also hadn’t told Helion what he wanted to
know.

“
Cut line, Healer Nathal,
” Helion replied through the
link. “
Can her body take my cock or not?
”

There was a brief pause, as if Nathal didn’t want to answer.
But finally he replied, “
Yes, Commander. Her sex is built smaller than
Keeper females’ but expands to accommodate males. It would be a tight fit but
it’s possible. The lady is on her way back to your tent now.
”

Helion smiled wolfishly, thanking Nathal for the
information. There was only one barrier now to what he wanted and that was the
lady herself. Rather, the way the lady seemed determined to deny them what they
both wanted. This was a hunt he had to conduct very carefully. He didn’t want
to spook his prey. He’d start out slowly and seduce her by inches. There was
plenty of time. And the reward for his patience would be sweet indeed.

When Gwen reentered the tent with her daughter, Helion was
lounging back in a chair at the table, decently garbed in another of his robes.
He didn’t want to scare the girl with an explosion of lust, so he sat with a
chilled glass of wine in one hand while resting the other on the arm of the
chair. There was nothing at all threatening about his body language but he saw
Gwen go on high alert anyway. Smart girl.

Helion’s expression was kept carefully impassive, though the
onslaught of lust in his veins made that extremely difficult. Now he knew he
could safely lie with Gwen, he wanted to pounce on her like a beast of prey,
tempting and stroking and sucking until she was powerless to resist him. His
eyes, unlike his expression, he couldn’t control. And when Gwen looked into
them, she definitely knew what he was thinking. That, for all his outward
civility, the predator inside him had her in its sights.

“Come, have a seat, Lady Gwen. Dinner will be served
shortly.”

He stood with those words and held out the chair next to him
at the table, compelling her to come instead of flee. His prey moved forward
with caution, moving to seat herself rather slowly. She sat down where he
indicated, even though he could tell she’d have preferred to sit on the opposite
side of the table. Being this close to him, he was sure she could feel his body
heat and smell his skin, freshly scrubbed from the bath. And she liked that, if
her dilating pupils were any indication.

“And how is my lady Evelyn today?” he asked, resuming his
seat.

Before she could answer, he shocked the hell out of her by
reaching out and deftly removing Evelyn from her arms. Her lips opened to
protest that high-handed move, but he handled her so gently Gwen reluctantly allowed
him to have his way. Evelyn seemed to revel in his attention as well, if her
windmilling hands and legs were any indication. Helion hadn’t held a child in
centuries and he’d forgotten how soft and delicate they were.

“She’s wonderful. She’s warm, clean, well-fed and slept
great in that beautiful cradle. I really can’t thank you enough for what you
and your men have done for us.” Gwen meant every word of that statement, her
sincerity there in the open for Helion to see.

“I don’t want to be thanked for doing what any honorable Keeper
would do, little mother,” he replied, his eyes briefly lifting from observing
Evie to meet hers in reprimand.

“Then what do you want? Why did you bring us here and why
are you being so kind? I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth but all
things considered these are all very extravagant gifts. And I know having us
here can only inconvenience you. So what is it you do want, Commander?”

Helion looked up from the baby at this interrogation,
staring at Gwen silently. He wasn’t angry but her questions did require some thought.
His hands continued to gently stroke Evie’s soft cap of curls as he considered
how to answer. Based on her questions, it seemed obvious Gwen had never met a
real man before. Why else would she expect some payment was due for the basic,
necessary kindnesses Helion had provided?

There wasn’t time to formulate an appropriate response
though. Verdun entered the room, followed by other Keepers with trays of food.
As soon as they left, Helion’s lieutenants came inside the tent, and Helion
turned his attention to them and ignored Gwen. He didn’t offer to give Evie
back, so she was free to sit and eat quietly, observing his men interacting
together, listening to their conversation. They spoke in English so she would
understand, though occasionally they would switch to their own language. All in
all, it was a very comfortable dinner, until he noticed Gwen grow quite somber.

“That’s a very serious expression, Lady Gwen,” Helion said. “What
are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking of how I might make myself useful around the
camp. I thought maybe I could wash dishes, or cook, something like that. I was
a pretty decent cook before the invasion…” Gwen’s voice trailed off when she
noticed the expression on the Keepers’ faces. To a man, each one looked varying
degrees of outraged and incredulous, Helion more so than all the others.

“Are you suggesting that we put you to work doing menial
labor?” Helion’s voice was soft, but his eyes were not. He was warning her not
to continue in that line but of course she didn’t listen.

“I wouldn’t call it menial labor, Commander. It’s only
polite to repay some of the kindnesses the Keepers have shown me and Evelyn by
trying to help in some way.”

Helion gritted his teeth slightly before turning to his men.

“Please excuse us, men. Verdun, if you would, take the lady
Evelyn for a nice stroll around the camp as well.”

The room cleared in record time. Gwen didn’t even have a
chance to protest Verdun taking Evie away, because he had her out of Helion’s
arms and out of the tent before she could open her mouth. And with the mass
exodus, a terrible silence was left behind. Gwen stared at Helion without
speaking, as though waiting to see just how bad of a mistake she had made.

“Little mother, you are not familiar with our ways. So let
me explain things to you. You are a new mother. New mothers in our world do not
do menial labor. You rest, you take care of your young. You will not wash
dishes and cook for the men of this camp. They are all mature males, fully
capable of caring for themselves.”

Gwen just stared at Helion, an incredulous expression on her
face. She’d known she’d committed some sort of faux pas when all the Keepers
had stared at her as if she’d grown another head. Verdun, normally so nice to
her, had frozen in his seat, looking appalled. But what Helion was saying made
no sense to her. And that clearly made no sense to him. This had to be some
kind of misunderstanding.

“Commander, we don’t see things that way here. Women go back
to working full time very quickly, usually within six weeks of having our
babies, if that long. I assure you, I’m more than capable of handling a few
small chores and I’d be happy to do them. I’d feel like I was earning my keep
if I at least did something around here. I can’t just eat your food and sleep
safely in this tent and do nothing to repay you.”

Clearly this was the wrong thing to say, as Helion’s lips tightened,
his face grim. Why he appeared annoyed by her insistence on taking on some
chores in recompense for her and Evie’s keep was beyond her, though. The alien
acted like she was volunteering to deep-sea drill for oil or clean out septic
tanks.

“Your repayment is ensuring you and your daughter recover
from your ordeal and get heathy. Eventually you and Evelyn will be on your own
again and you need to be one hundred percent before that happens. While you’re
here, you will rest and care for your daughter and yourself. No Keeper would
ever allow you to wash after him or do his chores.”

Gwen huffed visibly in frustration.

“Commander, I need something to do during the day. I’ve been
working full-time since I was a teenager. Having a baby doesn’t make me an
invalid. I can still work. I want to do something…” Gwen watched as the
frustration faded from Helion’s face. Too bad it was replaced by heat, by lust.

“If you want a job, I can give you one. Take off your
clothes and lie on my bed. I can keep you quite busy through the night and into
the morning.”

He was entirely serious with this. If she gave him the
slightest encouragement, he’d be on her in a moment, she could tell. If she
gave him her consent, by word or deed, there’d be no turning back. He’d possess
her, body and soul. She was beginning to think that was inevitable. Like going
to that office and being captured by this Keeper had been inevitable.

Gwen wanted to be shocked, even outraged, but she was not.
She was panicked, however. As soon as he spoke of getting her into bed, she had
to fight not to show just how much she wanted to give in. Her body felt electrified,
her nipples hard and her sex wet. That this Keeper wanted her, and so badly,
was a shock and a pleasure. She was so tempted to just give in. Who knew how
long she’d be here? Could she really fight this attraction? For sure she couldn’t
if he did this at every turn, tempting and tempting.

So what to do? She wasn’t ready to be taken by him. He would
consume her. She knew that in her bones. And when he eventually left, he’d
leave nothing but a husk behind him. Perhaps there was a way she could satisfy
him, at least temporarily, without giving all of herself. If she could deflect
his lust away from actually getting inside her, she could at least delay her
total destruction.

“How about we make a deal then, Commander? Clearly you’re a
bit…obsessed with the physical. You know I’m attracted to you; I can’t deny it.
But I don’t want to sleep with you. I don’t,” she repeated sharply, seeing one
of this white eyebrows winging up sharply.

“If you’re not willing to cede your body to me, what is this
bargain you are offering?” he queried with attempted nonchalance. But she could
tell he wasn’t nearly as calm as his tone suggested. His eyes were so hot she
felt almost singed.

“I’m offering… Okay. If you promise not to…take things to
the next level, I’ll give you a blowjob,” she replied, her face on fire. She’d
never made such an explicit carnal offer in her entire life. And the focused,
intense look that came into Helion’s face nearly reduced her into a puddle on
the floor.

“You’re offering to pleasure me with your mouth, my lady? I
must say, I’m surprised.” He didn’t look surprised though. He looked predatory,
as if he could pounce at any moment.

“I can’t—I can’t have sex with you. But I can see our
presence in your tent is making things difficult for you. I’m willing to
release some of that tension for you tonight.” Gwen swallowed, trying to find
the nerve to continue. “Just for tonight, mind you. That isn’t a standing offer
of a blowjob whenever you’re feeling lecherous.”

Helion stared at her for a few moments, as if he was
weighing her offer. Gwen imagined he was debating whether to press her for more
than she was offering. He had to know she was just a slight pressure away from
tossing all her inhibitions and giving him whatever he wanted. And he hadn’t
even touched her—he’d only given her those heated looks. Never in her whole
life had just one look from a man been enough to make her hot.

“Am I allowed to return the favor in this offer of yours?
That seems only fair.”

Gwen didn’t trust that look in his eyes. She had the feeling
if she let him return the favor, they’d be going all the way. Not because he’d
insist on it, but because she wouldn’t be able to resist once he touched her
intimately.

“No, Commander, this offer I’m making applies exclusively to
you. I don’t really like it when a man goes down on me. It’s just… It feels
awkward, uncomfortable. But if I can help relieve your tension, I’ll feel
satisfied with our bargain.”

Once again she was subjected to his penetrating stare,
resisting the urge to squirm. Her answer displeased him, that was easy to see.
Both those brows came slashing down and his mouth tightened into a thin line.
But she spoke the truth, the couple of times her ex had tried that maneuver,
she’d spent the entire time counting the minutes until it was over.

“Very well, Lady Gwen. I accept your offer as it stands…for
now. I make you no promises for the future.”

Gwen nodded, reluctantly. She didn’t want to concede the
point but knew it would be pointless to argue. That battle would be fought at a
later date; she’d gotten what she wanted for now. And now…how to begin?

Helion seemed amused by her hesitation. She’d been so bold
in making her offer but in reality had little experience to back it up. How
hard could it be though? He certainly hadn’t tried to turn her down. Men did
love their blowjobs. He’d been annoyed when she’d refused to allow him to touch
her in return but in the end had willingly taken what she was offering.

As she hesitated, sure her face was revealing she had little
idea on where to begin, Helion took the initiative, slouching back in his chair
a little, pushing his hips to the edge. Holding her gaze, one eyebrow raised, he
unbuttoned his robe. Unbuttoned it all the way, until the sides opened and fell
away from him. His cock was already hard, thrusting up from his body almost
obscenely, begging for Gwen’s attention.

And oh, he definitely had her attention. Her gaze skated
down his body and locked on his cock, lust and trepidation mixing inside her.
He was so large. She licked her lips and opened her mouth as if to speak, but
no words came out. Her ex hadn’t been nearly this big so could she really
handle this? Other than the size, it didn’t seem so very different than a human
penis. Surely it worked the same as well.

“Take off your shirt for me, beautiful Gwen. Let me see your
lovely breasts while you touch me.”

His words provoked a heated blush across her skin but she
didn’t protest. She removed her shirt, her hands lingering on her bra before
accepting it needed to go. She took it off without prompting and watched his
eyes feast on her bared breasts. Gwen had always been self-conscious about her
body, but her breasts…she’d always been fine with those. They were pale and
full, with rose-colored nipples currently begging for Helion’s tongue. And
judging by the heated looks he gave them, he wanted to accommodate them.

Instead, Gwen slipped from the chair and onto her knees, relished
what an erotic picture she presented to Helion. Her hands reached out, shaking
a little as they met his thighs. Then she rose up higher, allowing the tips of
her breasts to graze his calves, watching as he got impossibly larger still.
His cock looked huge and red and she hadn’t even yet touched it.

That touch came just moments later. Gwen rose up on her
knees and wrapped one hand around his cock while the other stroked his balls.
She experimented for a moment, testing his hardness, stroking his length. Then she
leaned forward until her lips gently kissed the head of his cock, feeling the
jolt of Helion’s hips as he reacted to her touch.

Gwen felt all-powerful in that moment. This virile, gorgeous
male was putty in her hands and mouth right now. His gaze at her breasts had
been hot and admiring, giving her the courage to follow through and take him in
her hands and mouth. And he loved what she did, his whole body vibrating with
tension and desire. She had such little experience with this. She’d avoided
giving her ex head as much as possible and it had been a distasteful experience
at best.

But this with Helion was entirely different, and amazing.
His cock was so big she knew she’d never fit much into her mouth, so she took
her time stroking him, then put her lips on the tip, licking and sucking gently.
She used her tongue to trace the pulsing veins down his length, pulling gently
on his balls at the same time. With this Helion could no longer keep his hands
to himself and, quick as a blink, his hands were tangled in her hair, clenching
and pulling.

Gwen knew what he wanted, so she allowed him to guide her
lips back to the tip and take him inside her mouth. She worked her way down,
easing his cock in as far as she could take him. She couldn’t fit even half his
length inside, though, so she fisted the rest of his cock in her hand and
firmly stroked him in time with her sucking. She became consumed by her task,
observing the smell and taste of him, loving the feel of his masterful hands
gripping her as he lost control over his body. Everything was a delight to her
senses and she relished the act, relished knowing he was at her mercy.

Before long Gwen felt the signs of Helion’s imminent release—the
tension in his thighs, the almost painful grip on her hair, the ragged edge to his
breathing. His hips thrust involuntarily now, no restraint left in him. Now was
the time she’d pull away from her ex and finish him off with her hand. But with
Helion she wanted everything, wanted to stroke and suck, to nip with her teeth
and swirl her tongue around and around his cock.

And then Helion growled her name breathlessly as his release
hit her tongue in a heated rush of surprising sweetness. Not bitter and salty
at all but thick and sweet and somehow energizing. Gwen took everything, every
last drop he offered, until he lay slumped back in his chair, drained. She
released him then and tried to back away but Helion still had a death grip on
her hair. He used that grip to force her slightly embarrassed gaze up to meet
his.

If she’d been expecting any softness, she would have been
disappointed. Though he’d just had what seemed to be a very satisfying orgasm,
Helion’s eyes were glowing, fierce and possessive. And Gwen knew in that moment
no matter how good her intentions had been, what she’d just done had only
increased Helion’s desires, not assuaged them. She had a feeling her days of
avoiding his bed were numbered…and that number wasn’t high. Not at all.