Magnet (4 page)

The men got to their feet, and Loesh hauled her up with them. “We are getting a call. We will be briefed on the way.”

Wren and Beryl said their goodbyes and returned to their meal.

Loesh and Polly were wearing their suits, so it was up to the others to put some proper clothing on for the mission.

Polly strapped into a seat, and she waited for the briefing.

Loesh pulled the file up and he grimaced. “We are being called to the spaceport. Some of the visiting dignitaries don’t want to leave and their visas have expired.”

“So, we have to get them into their ships and get them off world.”

“Into their ships will be fine. Currently, they are attacking the security staff.”

Drovin and Toyo piled in and they replayed the mission briefing.

Polly brought up the details on the screen and worked out the best placement for her without full exposure to any direct violence.

She had combat training, but she wasn’t up to a lot of one-on-one fighting.

Toyo began barking out orders. “Loesh, keep track of Polly. If she is in danger, move her. Drovin, move them back toward their ships; Polly, move their ships into an open space. They can hide far too easily in the spaceport docks.”

She nodded. “Right. Ships for me, people for you.”

Toyo gave her a thumbs-up.

She checked on the shuttles and ships that needed to be moved and wrinkled her nose. She was going to have to get out in the open. She hated getting out in the open.

She wove her fingers together and held tight until they landed. When she unbuckled her harness, she stilled her mind to do what had to be done.

She got out of the skimmer with the other Guardians and went to work.

The weapons fire was her first clue that they were in the right place. With Loesh next to her, she pointed to her target space and she sprinted along the tarmac with him at her side.

“Tell me where you need to be and I will get you there.” Loesh’s voice was low in her ear.

“Lined up with that ship. I need to get near that pylon.”

Before she could say another word, he picked her up and she had been whooshed to her destination.

He set her down on her feet, and she beckoned to the ship, pulling it along the ground on a repulsion field. It glided toward her silently, and she pushed it into a launch position.

She heard shouts of alarm as the ship moved, but she focussed on putting it down and finding her next target.

Loesh muttered something and grabbed her, spinning her out of the way when shots were fired in their direction.

She gasped for air when they stopped in front of her next target. Polly pulled it out of its bay and walked it down to a second launch zone.

Men broke out like roaches when she moved the ship. Their cover was being shifted and they were unhappy. She would have felt better if they were unhappy without the guns.

A blast skimmed along her arm, searing her and making her hiss.

Loesh grabbed her and carried her up into the nearest gallery.

With her out of the way, he was free to attack the aggressors and stuff them into their respective ships.

She looked at the men around him and made it a fair fight. All the weapons were pulled into the air and wadded together.

She could see just enough of the second group to do the same thing. Weaponless, they would be far less dangerous.

Loesh was magnificent. Loesh threw the men around like they weighed nothing and was able to locate the most creative of hiding opponents. Her heart beat a little harder watching him, but this time, when she was targeted, she saw the attacker before they got off a shot.

The man was surprised to be jerked off his feet, disarmed and stuck to the side of his ship.

Loesh sprang at him, and the man was ripped from his perch and dropped to the ground with some broken bones.

Loesh returned to her side and he scooped her up again. “Now, for the briefing with the peacekeepers and we can return to base.”

“Can you put me down for the briefing?”

He snorted. “I suppose so, but I will be disappointed.”

“I can live with that.”

He grinned and set her on her feet.

Toyo led them all to the peacekeepers and introduced Polly. “Gentlemen, this is our newest Guardian, Polly. She is one of the Terran talents and is new to the Imperium.”

The captain grinned and came over to kiss her hand. “Welcome to W’lyn. If you need anyone to show you around the city, do not hesitate to call on me.”

The other peacekeepers made similar offers, but she merely smiled politely. None of them sparked even a tenth of the reaction she felt with Loesh. It was tepid water versus a full boil.

Whether or not she and Loesh decided to mate permanently, she was more compatible with Loesh than any of the W’lyn she had met so far. It was definitely worth an experiment.

She was exhausted by the time they returned to the base. She wanted a shower and a nap before she tried to force her affections on Loesh. The idea that she wanted to do it sooner rather than later might have had something to do with the cooing couples around them as they returned.

Polly grabbed a shower, and it revitalized her to the point where she felt confident that she could seek Loesh out for a heart to heart.

Wearing a robe, she left the safety of her room and went in search of Loesh. He wasn’t in his quarters; the door was wide open.

She thought about where he could be and pattered through the common room before heading to the gym.

“Bingo.” Polly watched as he strained in the machines, his readout truly impressive.

Loesh inhaled sharply and he put the bar back in place. “Good evening, Polly.”

She moved toward him as he sat up. “Good evening, Loesh. Getting in a good workout?”

“Working off some tension.”

“May I offer you an alternative? No strings attached.” She stood between his knees and pressed a hand to his shoulder.

“What if I want strings?”

“We can discuss them tomorrow. Tonight, no strings. Just you and me.”

He touched her neck and slid his fingers down the edge of her robe, caressing her skin and parting the fabric.

“Are you sure?”

She quirked a smile. “Pretty sure.”

His hair was back in a ponytail, and she reached behind him to remove it, placing her cleavage in his face.

His lips tasted the skin between her breasts and she heard him inhale deeply. His hands came around her back and held her against his lips as he pushed her robe aside and fed at her nipples with sharp tugs that sent answering quakes into her pussy.

She gasped and threaded her fingers through his hair; the pale blue strands felt like cool silk against her skin. He opened her robe and pressed his hands to her hips, cupping them and pulling her to him so that she straddled his hips on the weight bench.

His hands pressed her to him with a strong rhythm, his lips and tongue pulled and plucked at her nipples as he rocked her clit against the ridge of his erection under his suit.

Polly gasped and closed her eyes as pleasure mounted rapidly, and she moaned long and low as her body spasmed and shook.

He released her nipple from his mouth with a soft pop, tilting his head up to kiss her. A moment before he made contact, he whispered, “I think that is enough for tonight.”

When he leaned back from the kiss, he licked his lips. She blushed and tremors quaked inside as he rocked her against him one more time. “But you didn’t…”

“Who says I didn’t?” He grinned, showing his extended canines. He nuzzled her neck and she felt his teeth graze her skin.

She wasn’t sure if it was arousal or fear that ran through her, but suddenly, the idea of being bitten during sex wasn’t as frightening as it had been. It might have had something to do with her being on top, but she felt curls of heat moving throughout her body from the portion of her neck he was nibbling.

Polly moaned and tilted her head, enjoying the heat he was generating. When he pulled away, she blinked in disappointment.

“I do believe that I will walk you to your quarters now before we get carried away.” Loesh stood up, setting her on her feet as he did so.

She blushed at the wet stain on his suit the smelled unmistakably of her.

“Don’t worry about it. I have another suit for the morning.”

Polly tied her robe with shaking hands. “That didn’t turn out the way I thought.”

He chuckled. “It is the beginning of your time here. Make sure that you only interact with those you choose.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. She had chosen him, but it seemed that he wasn’t as interested in her. Embarrassed, she left the gym as quickly as she could, heading back to her quarters. If Loesh was following behind her, he didn’t catch up before she closed and sealed her door.

Sex didn’t used to be so confusing.

* * * *

Wren opened her eyes and checked the palm scanner she kept bedside. Drovin sat up next to her.

“What is it?”

“Loesh sent her to bed alone. That was not a good move.” Wren sighed and cuddled against her mate.

“Why not?” Drovin tucked her against him and ran his hands over her body, worshipping her, inch by inch.

“She is insecure and her talent is running her hormones at full bore. She wants, and if she doesn’t find what she needs here, she will have no choice but to seek it elsewhere. I have seen her records, and she is careful, but she has a history of an active sex life. The Volunteer Project interrupted that life and now that she is settling, she needs it to return.”

Drovin nuzzled her cheek and whispered, “Why?”

Wren let his drowsy voice make her sleepy, “Opposites attract and with no opposite, she will lose control of her talent.”

He nodded slowly and his breath evened into the slow pattern of sleep.

Wren let his breathing lead her body into rest.

* * * *

Drovin turned to his brother on the astral plane. “Did you hear that?”

“I did. Damn. I thought I was being so clever.”

“Do you think she is interested in you?”

“I think so, but now, I am going to have to make sure that she knows it is reciprocated. That may have been lost in translation.”

Drovin groaned. “Don’t tell me that you insulted her.”

“No, but I aroused her and then told her I wouldn’t take it further. That may have been an error in judgement.”

“You should have done what I did.”

“No, sneaking up on a woman is not for me. I am happy for you and Wren, but there is a different plan of attack that I need to carry out with Polly and it will involve a lot of grovelling.”

“Good luck.”

“See you in the morning, brother.”

* * * *

What have I done wrong? Doesn’t Loesh like women who are direct?
She kicked herself for not playing hard to get, but that had never been her style and she would have lost her concentration halfway through the indirect seduction.

Polly stared at the ceiling until dawn snuck through the window. She turned and fell asleep, willing herself to manage to cram enough rest into whatever time she had before Wren demanded her presence at breakfast.

Suited up, Polly knew she looked exhausted when she joined the others for breakfast.

Wren patted her shoulder. “Rand has asked us to visit if there is time today.”

Polly yawned. “That sounds like fun.”

Beryl cocked her head. “Trouble sleeping in a new bed?”

“Something like that.” Polly mechanically ate the pancakes and fruit in front of her.

She could see Loesh’s hand on the table, and it was clenched in a fist. She finished her breakfast as quickly as she could, and then, she put her plate and cutlery in the washer and said, “Call me when it is time to go.”

She went outside and stretched before heading down the path at a light jog to continue her exploration of the island.

The island was divided into several small environments that each had their own charm. She paused on a hilltop and looked out over the island; the base was a few kilometres away, but she could see it clearly from her vantage point. She could also see Loesh moving at an astonishing speed toward her.

Running wasn’t an option, there was no way she could outpace him.

Loesh ran right up to her and stopped short. “Polly, you don’t seem well this morning.”

She stared at her toes. “It is just lack of sleep. I will be fine tomorrow. Why are you here?”

“To correct a mistake.”

To her surprise, he slid his hand into her hair and lifted her head with a light tug. He didn’t say anything, simply kissed her.

His fingers in her hair held her head as his tongue slipped inside and teased hers. She tasted the morning caf and the fruit that he had consumed. Her hands went from tightly curled fists to relaxed palms as she held tight to his neck.

The fabric of his suit was smooth under her fingers and his hair tangled around her fingers.

His hand finally released her hair and she blinked warily.

“Are you going to tell me to go look for other guys right now, because I have to say that you are giving me mixed messages?”

He smiled and stroked her cheek. “No more messages. I think my talking has gotten me into trouble. From now on, actions will speak.”

She curved her lips in a shy smile. “I do better with action.”

“I have noticed that. I worked it over and decided that if you choose me, I will accept your decision.”

“And if I change my mind?”

“I will try to manipulate you into changing it back.”

“Manipulate sounds bad.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Seduce?”

She giggled, “Better.”

She was pulling him in close for another kiss when her transponder went off in her ear.

“Polly, can you and Loesh get back here? We have a call.” Beryl’s voice came through loud and clear.

Polly sighed. “Did you hear that?”

Respect flared in his eyes for her acknowledgement of his enhanced hearing. “I did.”