He escorted his Chosen from the room and just as they passed by Joni, she heard him say, "I would like to know all about your favorite dessert."

Joni's face flamed. She wanted to die. If he'd heard that much of their conversation then surely the others had. Jaron patted her on the head with a brotherly tap. "Do you want to tell me what the secret is?"

As the practical joker of the bunch, there were times when Joni fully thought he understood Earth slang better than he let on.

"No, she does not," Kyele answered for her.

Torture. Taking Joni home was Kyele's own form of personal torture. She no longer looked shaken from the attack on the facility and she'd showered when she changed her clothing. A shimmering sheen of gold coated her lips, while the same matching color sparkled on her eyelids. She didn't need the cosmetic enhancements though. There wasn't much Joni needed to improve her beauty. She was one of those females with a natural sensuality. Her every gesture screamed sex appeal without effort. And it turned Kyele on.

It wasn't just the risque clothes she wore but the way she carried herself. As if daring the world to say anything to her. Her attention to her hair and the fuck me outfits were unnecessary extras. He'd be a liar if he denied admiring her looks but her inner strength was what acted as an irresistible draw for Kyele.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Her delicate scent filled the hover-car, her hands resting in her lap as she kept her gaze toward the window. The silence grated after witnessing her ease with others. Going against his better judgment, he asked the question on his mind. "What are blow jobs?"

She twisted in her seat, beautiful amber eyes wide. At first he thought she wouldn't answer. Then she laughed, the sound rich and full. The ache in his chest spread to his groin and took on a whole new meaning. "I take it that you heard the conversation."

"We did not hear everything." His voice dropped and he cleared his throat. "Is it sexual in nature?"

"What makes you think that?" Her question contained a mix of humor and genuine curiosity. She was flirting with him. A typical Joni reaction but not usually with him. His cock twitched.

When he arrived at her building, Kyele released the guiding wheel and faced her despite the warnings going off in his brain. He propped his right arm on the back rest. If he moved his fingers the slightest bit, he could reach her hair. The multi-hued strands lay about her shoulders and down her back tempting him. His jaw clenched. "I might not have enhanced senses but there was no mistaking the flush on the faces of each of you. Arousal and embarrassment."

Joni licked her plump lips and shifted toward him, her left leg sliding on the seat until she balanced on one knee and the other remained planted on the floor. His gaze dropped. The short skirt rose, providing a glimpse of her golden thighs and the shadowed valley between.

"Oh, yeah?" Another lick, this time slower as her tongue ran over her bottom lip.

The twinge in his heart turned into a slow burn. Was she teasing him with what he couldn't have? "Yes."

The heel of her shoe slid off from her change in position. The colored ink on the top of her left foot distracted him from the thoughts of ravaging that mouth. He'd noticed it before but he'd never let himself ask. Today, however, since it was the two of them, he gave himself permission to probe.

"What is this?" He leaned closer to see the detail of the blue and green image.

"A tattoo." Their heads brushed from the close proximity.

He frowned, because the word didn't translate through the language implant. "A tattoo. Is the artwork permanent?"

Joni snorted a laugh, the slight puff of air wisping over his temple. "Hell, yeah! Hurt bad enough it better not wash off in a shower."

He didn't understand her amusement but ran a finger over the delicate wings, unable to explain his fascination. Everything about Joni was colorful. Not just the artwork she'd had painted on her skin but the colors she often chose to decorate on her finger tips and toenails.

"What do you call it?" He'd never seen a similar creature but there were many things of her home world he wasn't familiar with.

She placed a hand on his thigh and his muscles tensed beneath her palm. "It's a dragonfly."

The unexpected touch almost made him miss her answer. Up close her flowery scent engulfed him. He tried to remember all his reasons for resisting. He recounted all of the ways they would not work. Kyele straightened, moving his hand from the intriguing colored design to the top of hers. "Do not."

Hurt flashed in her eyes and a similar pain stabbed at him as well. Then her chin edged up. Her look was one of nonchalance and disdain. She tossed her hair back, the red-gold waves settling about her shoulders. "Not a biggie."

He'd heard that phrase from the others enough to know the meaning. It mattered a great deal. Except he couldn't take her up on the subtle offer. He wasn't an ebo, he knew she didn't understand his reason for creating distance between them. It wasn't her fault he refused to reach out and take what he wanted. Her prior lack of interest in pushing the obvious connection they shared worked in his favor despite the hunger her presence always created within him.

Her desire now had to be motivated by the lingering fear from the attack. Her golden eyes glowed with a need he couldn't miss but it wouldn't be wise to take advantage of her emotions. Kyele knew this and yet he found himself clasping her shoulders gently and closing the distance between them as he leaned forward.

He tipped her chin up in order for her to look directly into his eyes and not miss his sincerity. "You are an amazing female, Earthling."

She shot him a withering look, the glint in her eyes fascinating him. "You do know calling me that might be considered insulting?"

His lips quirked as he allowed his hands to settle on the curve of her shoulders. A brief caress he couldn't resist. "But you know different."

She bit her bottom lip, eyes narrowing. Having Joni this close was pleasure and pain. Would it be so wrong to take one taste? His hands drifted along her bare arms, skin so soft his fingertips tingled. One kiss. He could allow himself that. A sip from her pouty lips, while he assuaged the need burning through his veins.

Gaze not breaking from hers, Kyele gripped her hips and drew her closer. She released a slight mewl, the cry full of surrender and matching need as she lunged for him in desperation.

The one small sound undid all his best intentions. Never had Kyele wanted something as bad as he wanted to claim Joni and keep her forever. He lowered his head and kissed her. Her lips softened beneath his and Kyele slid his tongue into her mouth. It started slow and gentle as he gave her ample opportunity to protest.

She tasted like berries. Sweet, tart berries. And he needed her closer to kiss her the way he wanted. To kiss her with all of the passion he'd restrained in the past in an effort to stay away. Her arms gripped his shoulders, fingers digging deep. Giving in to his body's demand, Kyele dragged Joni onto his lap, rubbing his painful thickness between the v created by her parted thighs.

And she matched his fervor, her deep throated moan music to his ears.

As she straddled Kyele's lap, Joni's fingers raked through his hair, her mouth open to his invading tongue. She'd longed for this moment and Kyele's kiss surpassed expectation.

"More," she pleaded One of his hands snapped up and locked on her wrist. "Don't pull my hair," he murmured, releasing the hold. "Please."

His hair was short, enough for her hands to glide through the black strands. She didn't imagine a man like Kyele said please often. Combined with the dark look in his eyes as he whispered the words, she loosened her fingers instantly. "I won't."

The moment passed. He gave a brisk nod and Joni took it as a sign to continue. She nipped his lips, licked and sucked, rocking along the growing hardness between her legs. His head fell back on his neck, another harsh groan escaping as he broke the kiss. Joni followed, her lips trailing along his jaw, his chin, across the jagged line of the scar on the left side of his face ending at the base of his throat.

"Joni," he rasped, fingers digging into her hips as he leaned back even further and thrust against her.

Her second shoe hit the floor of the hover-car as her toes curled. She nipped the edges of the scar and laved the rough sides with her tongue.

Kyele cursed and arched beneath her. "My beautiful, little Earthling."

A sense of power filled Joni. She licked her way back up, stopping when she reached his mouth. She hesitated and his eyes opened. The familiar green swirled with hints of something forbidden. Dark. The fine hairs at her neck rose and her nipples tightened. Wetness gathered below and Joni perched on the edge of something she couldn't name.

She pushed forward intent on taking this one thing for herself. She licked his bottom lip and angled close, her hips rising above his lap as she pressed her breasts against his rock solid chest and kissed him fully. His breath escaped on a rush and her tongue eased between his teeth.

He sucked on the tip and groaned. Joni closed her eyes and immersed herself in his touch, the musky smell of him and the warmth of the hands sliding from her hips to her butt where he squeezed and rubbed.

Before she could fully languish in the feelings he brought out, Kyele tore his mouth from hers. Those beautiful green eyes glazed with a fierce light. "We can't."

The look he sent her way was tight. Controlled. He was hanging on by a thread. Joni wanted to shatter his control. She wanted the man she glimpsed behind the mask he wore. She clasped her thighs to his hips and brushed her mouth across his jaw. The bristling edge of his stubble rasped her soft flesh. Maybe she should listen to Sylvie for once. She wanted this with him more than anything else. "Why can't we?"

"There are...things about me. Not good things."

Joni slid her hands from his hair to his jaw and lifted his head to stare into his eyes as he'd done to her. "We all have secrets."

He stiffened, yet the hands at her butt continued to knead and release. Joni grew wetter, her eyes closing on a moan. Why wouldn't he just give in? She wanted to forget the events of earlier, pretend she hadn't been scared for her life and that of her friends.

Kyele's mouth brushed her brows, her nose then nudged her face up with his chin. "Give me your secrets, little Earthling."

"I can't, Kyele," she choked out. Remorse curled about her middle. "Just let me have this one thing."

"Look at me."

She forced her lids open. He rested his forehead against hers and whispered a command that had her lower region pulsing. "Tell me what you need."

Instead of answering, Joni gave in to the building inferno and the throbbing pressure. She thrust against Kyele and kissed him again. Not gentle. Not easy. She took. Holding his face steady as her mouth devoured his, Joni gave in to the urge to grind on his lap. He groaned and slammed her hips down with his hold, bringing his thick shaft in direct contact with the fleshy bud between her folds.

The gentle atmosphere between them darkened, replaced with something dangerous in the air. Each time she rotated her hips on his lap, Kyele let out a harsh groan. His hands shoved up the bottom of her skirt and palmed the exposed round globes before gliding to her moist center. The tips of his fingers slid beneath her underwear and trailed through her wet folds.

"Kyele!"

Ecstasy exploded and Joni moved faster, blindly searching for release. In the shadowed interior of the vehicle, they became two lonely people aching for one another. No thoughts to the past or the future. One of his hands clamped around her hips and began to guide her in a back and forth swivel atop him.

"Take what you need," he ordered, his voice roughened by passion.

Joni cried out, following where he led. His other hand continued the teasing strokes between her thighs, swirling through the increased moisture.

"I'm going to come." She buried her face in his neck, mouth open as she fought for each breath.

And then it hit, Joni's legs clenched around him and she came with a muffled shout. Kyele went rigid beneath her and muttered a curse but held her until the edges of pleasure faded. As soon as she slumped against him, Kyele lifted her up and placed Joni back in her seat beside him. He'd managed the action so fast it left Joni blinking, the end of her orgasm still pulsing within her.

"You should go. I'm sorry."

Joni choked in stunned amazement. Sorry? Though dazed, she studied his closed expression. He fisted his hands on his thighs, the sound of his breathing overloud in the hover-car. The muscles in his jaw clenched tight. Her gaze dropped to his lap. The material twitched and the bulge got larger if possible. He hadn't found his release.

She took a deep breath, her senses clearing. He still wanted her, but something had changed. No longer could she feel his rampant desire. It was as if he'd turned everything off. Her throat suddenly burned with unshed tears. Hell with it. She didn't need to force herself on a guy. She knew all too well what that was like. Turning away, she shoved at the door frantically and her shoes tumbled to the ground outside.

He started as if to help, but she held up a hand. Not bothering to put the shoes on, Joni grasped the straps and got out. When she rounded the front of the hover-car, she spared him a look over her shoulder, chest on fire with pain and confusion. "Thanks for the ride."

He inclined his head and waited until she reached the building before driving away.

Chapter 12.

Kyele punched his way through a series of programs in the holo training. With each completion to the next level, his mood grew darker and darker. When the system paused to load a new cycle, he rested his forearm on his temple and the smell of Joni surrounded him. Her scent still coated his fingers.

With a snarl, he bent over at the waist, hands braced on his thighs. She'd come hard on his lap and it had been a struggle not to give in to his own need for relief. Her cheeks had been flushed a pretty shade of pink, the skirt twisted about her hips as a fine shiver racked her body while in the throes of the leftover pleasure he'd given her.

She'd looked at him, eyes begging for more, and instead he'd pushed her away despite the agony. He wanted Joni. Wanted to rip the flimsy clothing from her and plow deep and hard into her wet center. Kyele could imagine the fear in her eyes if he gave in to the clawing need.

"Are you alright?"

He spun around. Recognition flared through him at the sight of V'hor, dispelling the craving for Joni. Kyele swiped a hand over his head and nodded. "I wasn't aware you'd returned."

Vee sauntered deeper into the room at a sedate pace, eyeing Kyele as if unsure of his welcome. The Serpine moved with sinuous grace. His diamond point pupils contracted. "I returned moments ago. I wanted to unwind with a bit of exercise before meeting with Torkel."

Energy vibrated around Vee. Muscles tight and face dark, he put Kyele on his guard. He straightened to his full height. "Problem from the mission?"

Vee shook his blond head and stopped feet away from Kyele. "Nothing I can't handle."

Moving passed him, Vee reached for the long staffs from the rack. He arched a brow at Kyele. "Interested in sparring instead of going through the training modules?"

Humor overcame Kyele's wariness. "If you want."

Vee tossed one of the staffs in his direction and Kyele snagged it. Vee's green eyes dilated again before returning to their normal size. "I should warn you, I just finished a vid conference with my maternal parent. I'm...tense."

Kyele tipped his chin up in acknowledgement. Everyone understood V'hor's feelings about the woman who gave birth to him. "Consider the warning given. I'm also...tense."

They attacked each other without prompting, moving at lightning quick speed. The whack of their staffs as they made contact resounded, breaking the quiet of the room. They danced around one another without worry of harming the other. Vee could ignore a lot of injuries in the midst of a fighting frenzy. It was his greatest asset and weakness. An opponent who couldn't feel pain wouldn't realize soon enough when he was in trouble. Kyele for his part could dodge the more dangerous attempts to eviscerate him by shifting forms.

His brows furrowed and he glared at Vee over a particularly dirty move. Vee's laughter held a hint of the hypnotic quality of the serpine. The deadly notes filled Kyele's ears and he broke position to slam his fist to the side of Vee's head to break the spell.

His teammate made no effort to avoid the hit, merely nodded his thanks and continued. Kyele didn't attempt to match the supple swings and graceful hits, instead pushing under Vee's guard to counter for the serpine's fluidity of motion.

Vee's unexpected parries kept Kyele guessing and provided him with worthwhile competition. Kyele loved any time Rydak assigned him to work with the intense members of Team Three. It didn't take long for both of them to tire, their movements losing some of their coordination.

An hour later despite being evenly matched, Kyele won by clipping V'hor and the serpine rolled to his back in surrender. They both panted, sweat rolling down their faces, and chests heaving.

Vee faced him from flat on his back, lips lifted in a tired smile. "Thanks, Kyele."

Kyele could only nod while he caught his breath. "I needed the session as well."

Vee sat up, legs bent and placed his elbows on his knees. "What have I missed?"

"Not much." Kyele ran a hand across his head. "Torkel shared the results of the genetic sample you sent."

Vee grunted and tipped his head in Kyele's direction. "Has the Unit expressed concern because of his lineage?"

"No," Kyele answered firmly then recounted the attack on the facility, the females' defense and the reaction on Torkel's relation to Niko and Lothar.

"That's good. Our Unit Leader has always been a good model of what it takes to be Jutak." Vee bowed his head with a harsh exhale, the strands of blond hair spiked from sweat and his own hands.

Kyele remembered the reason Vee needed the ardent work out. "Are you being called to return home?"

"Home?" Vee cocked his head to the side, casting his tortured green gaze in Kyele's direction. "A place where I am considered flawed, humiliated whenever my presence is needed? That is not home to me. Enotia is my home."

And had been since his mother banned him. Now for some odd reason the head of his matriarchal line seemed to take great pleasure in summoning V'hor back. Whenever those rare trips occurred, he'd always return despondent or unable to maintain control over his deadly abilities.

Before Kyele could question him further, Vee leaped to his feet in a lithe maneuver that bellied his fatigue of earlier. He offered a slight bow and turned to leave. "Thanks again, Kyele."