His fingers and palm were rough over the sensitive skin of his shaft. It was almost unbearable, but the flare of pleasure beneath that discomfort was undeniable, and it sent a shiver up his spine that shook water from his fur. He released a low growl.
In Drakkal’s imagination, the terran smiled. She pumped her hand back down over the still-swelling knot near the base of his shaft, sending another jolt through him, this one more pleasant than painful. His hand mimicked her pace, sliding up and down his throbbing cock with increasing speed. The terran’s full breasts swayed over her rounded belly as she moved.
Drakkal’s knees threatened to buckle as the waves of pleasure grew in power and frequency, forcing the pressure inside him to build accordingly. Without breaking his pace, he staggered forward and thrust out his left arm, slapping his cybernetic hand against the wall to brace himself.
“Fuck,” he rasped, tightening his grip on his shaft. He was on the verge of exploding, but he couldn’t help wondering what her hand would really feel like—warm and soft, but also strong and confident?
What would hersexfeel like, clamped around his cock, hot and slick with her desire?
The imagined terran’s smile widened into a sultry, knowing grin.
Drakkal’s hips bucked. For an instant, the pressure held at a level so great that he knew it would be his undoing; there could be nothing but oblivion after this. His muscles tensed, and—with a growled curse—Drakkal exploded.
His seed pumped out of him in a powerful spray, some of itsplattering his hand and coating his shaft as he pumped his fist with erratic movements. His hips gyrated with each stroke, but nothing more came out after the initial burst; it wouldn’t unless he was fully seated in a female with his knot buried in her heat.
He leaned his forehead against the wall and drew in a shuddering breath. The imagined terran was gone, leaving only darkness behind his eyelids.
Drakkal released his shaft. His knotted cock pulsed and twitched, refusing to ease. It felt as though he’d been brought to the verge of orgasm and abandoned, as though he’d managed only to tease himself rather than relieve the pressure.
He still needed more, still needed her—and he had the sense that his body would accept nothing less.
“Kraasz ka’val,” he grumbled, “this is going to be a long night.”
SIX
Shay absently stirred the unappealing slop in the food tray. The brown, gravy-like substance contained chunks of unidentifiable gray meat. She shifted in her chair, which creaked and wobbled slightly beneath her weight; it was in only slightly worse shape than the dinged-up table she was sitting at. As hungry as she was, she didn’t have much of an appetite—at least not for this crap. But it was all she had on hand.
Wrinkling her nose, she scooped up a spoonful of the food and shoved it in her mouth. She forced herself to chew and swallow the bitter, gelatinous substance, struggling to hold back the threatening rise of bile. She nearly lost the battle.
“Ugh!” She tossed the spoon down and shoved the tray forward as a shudder swept through her entire body. “Sorry, Baby, but even for you, I don’t think I can tolerate that garbage.”
Shay leaned back in the chair. There were places with decent food within walking distance, but she was trying to stretch her credits as far as possible, and her feet were still sorefrom working and running from the azhera the day before. At this point, she wasn’t even sure if she had a job to go back to. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back, releasing a groan.
What the hell am I going to do?
The sudden, insistent sound of the door buzzer startled her from her thoughts.
“What now?” Shay muttered, pushing herself up to her feet. She grabbed the blaster from her belt, which was draped over the other chair, and made her way to the door. Once she was there, she raised her voice and said, “I already paid your goddamned rent, Vrisk. Go away!”
The buzzer sounded again.
Guess I’m shooting my landlord today.
Rolling her eyes, she slapped the control button. The door slid open with a whoosh. “I said go—oh fuck!”
Shay’s eyes rounded, and she took a step backward, lifting the blaster to aim it at the big azhera standing in front of her. She’d known he was dangerous. He’d made short work of Nostrus back at Murgen’s and hadn’t seemed concerned by the possibility of running into more guards on their way out, and he’d looked terrifying while he’d chased her yesterday. But he was also the last person she’d expected to be standing there when she opened the door.
How the hell had he found her?
The azhera raised his hands, displaying his empty palms—one flesh and the other black metal. “Don’t shoot, terran.”
Shay’s eyebrows dipped lower over her narrowed eyes as she took the blaster in a sturdy two-handed grip. “Why the hell not?”
“For starters, it’s rude.”
The azhera’s dry tone and neutral expression left her unable to tell if he was joking or being serious.
Shay tipped her chin down to give him a droll look. “That’s cute coming from you, kitty.”