Coalition Reckoning Read online

  She half-smiled up at him. “That’s a nice word for it. Yes, that’s what I mean.”

  “We were all treated and cleared of anything that might be harmful to Earthlings or anything on Earth that might harm us if we’re exposed to it.”

  Her smile grew. “I was so hoping you’d say that.”

  She gripped the waistband of his boxer-briefs and pulled them down to the floor. As soon as they were off, she gripped his dick firmly and slid her tongue along its length.

  “Fuck,” he gasped.

  “That’s the idea.” She grinned up at him, then wrapped her lips around his crown, drawing him deep into her mouth.

  The pleasure he’d experienced up to that point was nothing next to this. The currents of stimulation turned into a sustained blast cantering along his nerves, overloading his senses.

  Was this how Earthlings had sex? He’d thought it was more like how Sadirians coupled.

  No, that didn’t make sense. Their anatomy was too similar for this to be—

  His thoughts cut out as she slid him from her mouth almost completely, then drew him back in. Pressure built within him, a release so close he could almost touch it.

  On one of her strokes, she released him, then shifted herself back onto the bed. He stood a moment, almost paralyzed, pleasure still beating against his mind, the longing to complete what they’d started almost unbearable.

  She reached out to him and he took her hand, letting her pull him onto the bed.

  Thank the stars.

  That must have been a prelude—how Earthlings prepared their bodies for sex. What would he need to do for her?

  He’d used Coupling with and without partners many times, but the drug took care of everything for them. Tactile stimulation was unnecessary, though he only used it with people who enjoyed full contact during its use.

  This was so far beyond that.

  What Brigid had done with her mouth simulated sex. It was galaxies away from relying on biochemical controls.

  She buried her fingers in his hair, kissing him again, her tongue sliding along his lips. He met her invitation, delving deep within her mouth. Another simulation.

  He held his weight up on one arm while he ran his free hand over the gentle curve of her stomach. She was so much softer than his previous partners had been. And without using Coupling, he had time to enjoy her, to explore her. Time he could use to help prepare her body for them to join.

  He lifted one of her breasts, feeling the weight of it in his hand and squeezing its softness. Her quick intake of breath encouraged him. She had brought him so much pleasure with her touch.

  He skimmed the backs of his fingers over her stomach as he made his way to her core. Wetness and heat greeted him. His dick throbbed as he imagined what it would feel like to slide into that part of her.

  He needed to simulate the experience, as she’d done for him—to test her body for readiness and make sure she enjoyed this coupling every bit as much as he did.

  Carefully, he slid one finger along her slit, gathering moisture. She moaned against his mouth, and he deepened his kiss, thrusting in with his tongue as he pushed his finger deep into her sex.

  She clenched around his finger and arced up against his chest. He rolled slightly, putting more of his weight on her to keep her where he wanted her.

  She was still too tight. He slid his finger free, then added another. Brigid grabbed his back, clawing at him as she tried to pull him closer.

  He moved his hand against her, rubbing her clitoris with the heel of his palm as he thrust his fingers in and out. Her grip on his back tightened. His dick was throbbing, begging to take the place of his hand.

  She let out a whimper, and he quickly pulled away, staring down at her to see if he’d hurt her.

  “Please, Dane,” she said. “I need you. Now.”

  She wrapped her leg around his thigh, pulling him farther on top of him. He didn’t need more encouragement than that.

  He settled against her core, barely parting her flesh, trying to catch his breath, to remember every flicker of pleasure on her face, every sensation they were sharing. Brigid slid her hands down to his ass, fingers digging in as she writhed beneath him, trying to draw him into her.

  He couldn’t wait any longer. In a fluid stroke, he drove himself into her, felt her body welcome him and hold him tight—as if she would never let him go.

  He wanted to stay like that forever, but the need for more was too great to resist.

  Pulling himself back till they were almost parted, he savored every pulse of energy their bodies shared. He could feel her body coiling beneath him, pressure building in his abdomen.

  He crashed back into her, grabbing one of her thighs and holding it tight, using it to press himself as deep into her as he could. She let out a low, guttural, moan that called to something in him that he’d never encountered.

  All thoughts left his mind. There was only heat and slickness and movement and need as he rocked against her.

  His fingers dug into her leg even as her nails raked along his back. His thrusts became faster, almost frenzied as he slammed into her. The pressure in his abdomen increased until he thought he might explode. His body was just heat and pleasure and this union.

  The room seemed to blank out just as she arched beneath him and cried out, her head writhing against the pillows. Her core clenched his dick as he kept pounding into her, pulsing in time with the shockwaves of pleasure that coursed through his body.

  He felt himself spilling into her, his skin electrified, his muscles molten, his heart pounding in his ears. Finally, he stilled, buried deep within her, her arms and legs holding him as tightly as where they were joined.

  He nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent, and let himself be lost in her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brigid woke up feeling more relaxed than she’d ever been. She was also sore in lots of…interesting places.

  As tired as she’d thought she was the night before, she’d still had plenty of energy to introduce Dane to a wide variety of Earthly delights. She couldn’t wait to do even more today—in the kitchen.

  She looked at the clock and bolted upright as she saw the time. “Oh no.”

  “What?” Dane’s speech was slurred as he hurriedly sat up next to her. “What is it?”

  “We missed breakfast.”

  “Breakfast?” He shook his head. “Everybody has cereal for breakfast. It’s one of the few things I cooked right, apparently.”

  “So, like, oatmeal?”

  “No, like, out-of-the-box. The crunchy sweet stuff you pour milk over.”

  She tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help it. “I’m so sorry. This is just… This is the weirdest job I’ve ever had. It still kind of feels like a dream.”

  “I’m with you there.” He leaned over and kissed her.

  It was light at first, but then he brought one of his hands to the back of her neck. The feel of his warmth, his strength, lured her in and she kissed him back. Deeper.

  He was just starting to push her against the pillows when she remembered herself. She leaned away, smiling at him.

  “I have a job to do,” she said.

  “So do I.” At her questioning look, he went on. “My job is to make sure people are feeling good. And I think I can make you feel very good.”

  She laughed, but quickly slid out of the bed when he reached for her again. “I’m well aware of that fact. You can make me feel good after we have our own breakfast and make lunch.”

  Dane fell back against the pillows. “I never thought I’d appreciate nutrient bricks.”

  “What are nutrient bricks?” Brigid started going through her luggage, pulling out clothes and tugging them on.

  “They’re just what they sound like. Compressed nutrients that are easily created and consumed. Standard rations for citizens and soldiers alike.”

  Brigid scowled as she tried to imagine what that was like. “What kind of flavor do they have? Are they textured?
”

  “I’d say they’re kind of like really dense sand.”

  “Ew. Wait, texture or taste?”

  “Both.”

  She suppressed a shudder. After learning what the Coalition had done to Dane and his family, forcing all of the people in their civilization to eat dirt was completely believable.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she said, “but I really kind of want to kick the Coalition’s butt.”

  Dane arced an eyebrow at her, then let out a huge laugh. “You and me both.”

  “You need to train me on how to fight. And to shoot a ray gun.” She paused with one leg in her jeans. “I’m assuming you use ray guns.”

  All the mirth had left his expression when she glanced over at him. He slid from the bed and started to pull his own clothes on.

  She finished getting into her jeans, then hurried over to him. “Did I say something wrong? Do you not use ray guns?”

  “Yeah, we have ray guns, but I don’t want you anywhere near them. When the Reckoning arrives, you need to be long gone from here.”

  “Are you kidding?” She let out a flat laugh. “We’re in this together. I thought you understood that when we talked last night.”

  “The Coalition will erase your memory of me if they catch you—or worse.”

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Then don’t let them catch me.”

  He sighed. “I need you safe.”

  “I need you with me. Didn’t you hear what Barbara said earlier about flash-fire pair-bonds?”

  “Brigid, pair-bonds mean we’re married.”

  “Oh.” She felt her cheeks heat. “Well, that’s a little fast, but then what isn’t with you and me. This—what we’re feeling—it’s special. It’s once-in-a-lifetime. And even without that, we’re talking about my planet. I have a right to fight for it. I have a right to fight for us.”

  “Are you sure you’re a chef? Because that was a mighty fine speech.”

  She smiled, sensing his resolve weakening. “I’ll make you a deal. I teach you how to cook, you teach me how to fight.”

  “You shouldn’t need to know how to fight. The closest dropgate generator is in the Centaurus system.” He paused, then said, “Dropgates are how we travel over vast interstellar distances. From what we know, the Reckoning hasn’t even arrived through the gate in Centaurus yet. Once it does, it’ll take them three more weeks to reach Earth. Besides, when they arrive, they should only head for our Florida base.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “The lodge doesn’t have any Coalition tech they can track and target.”

  “I still don’t see the harm in teaching me how to fight,” she said. “Just in case.”

  Dane didn’t look convinced.

  “Think about it,” she said.

  He nodded. “I’ll think about it. Right now, though, all I can think about is food. You really wore me out last night.”

  She grinned, then wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. She trailed her lips to his ear, nibbling on his earlobe until she could feel the hard length of his erection pressed against her.

  “Just wait till tonight,” she whispered.

  “That’s a long way off.”

  “I’m sure we can keep ourselves busy.” She trotted back to her bag, pulling out a ponytail holder and putting up her hair. When she looked over at Dane, he had his hands on his hips and was staring at the ceiling.

  “I need a minute,” he said.

  “Oh, right. Sorry.”

  “Sure you are.” He smirked at her. “You go on ahead. I’ll catch up after checking on Barbara.” His brow furrowed. “I guess I mean Craig, since he’s the one carrying the nestling now.”

  “It’s kind of like seahorses,” she said.

  “What now?”

  “Seahorses.”

  He looked at her blankly.

  “I keep forgetting you’re not from Earth.” She shook her head. “My sister read every book about animals she could get her hands on when we were growing up. I used to read them with her. Seahorses are these adorable little animals that live in the ocean. The female puts her eggs in the male’s pouch, and he fertilizes them and then gives birth to their babies when they’re ready.”

  Dane shook his head. “I wish I had such extensive knowledge.”

  “I can ask Caitlin to recommend some books for you about marsupials. Or seahorses.”

  He smiled. “That’s kind of you. I really don’t know if any of them would help. Henry says his research tells him the closest life form on Earth to a Lyrian is something called a tardigrade.”

  “A water bear?”

  He shook his head. “No, a tardigrade.”

  She laughed. “That’s just another name for tardigrades. They’re one of Caitlin’s favorite animals, along with cuttlefish and donkeys.”

  Dane was staring at her blankly again. How could he possibly know what to make of all that? He probably didn’t even know what cuttlefish or donkeys were.

  Brigid settled on saying, “My sister is kind of weird.”

  She dredged up everything she knew about tardigrades both from her sister’s books and the sci-fi stories that drew on them. Aside from her sister finding them adorable—which Brigid did not understand—Caitlin was most impressed with how incredibly tough they were. Tardigrades were almost impossible to kill.

  Brigid made a mental note to stay on Craig and Barbara’s good side.

  “I better get to the kitchen.” She started toward him to give him a kiss, but he held up a hand to warn her off.

  “Unless you’re planning on going back to bed for a while, you better leave me be,” he said.

  She grinned, then hurried out the door. If she was going to make a lunch worthy of impressing her new boss, she didn’t have any time to waste.

  Her heart was pounding, and even with everything she’d learned, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy. She wasn’t sure she ever had been.

  Okay, sure, there was the looming threat of an alien invasion—and the fact that Earth had apparently already been colonized by an alien race of lizard people. But she still felt more hopeful about her future than ever. She was part of something bigger than herself.

  She wished she had time to make Dane a special breakfast, especially after wearing him out the night before. But cereal would have to do.

  Her cheeks hurt from her smile as she opened the cabinets in the kitchen that held the bowls. She pulled out two of them, then turned and set them on the counter.

  Unsurprisingly, there were a variety of cereals available to choose from, most of the boxes partially empty. From the sound of things, her fellow Earthlings had probably been eating a lot of it.

  She shuddered at the thought of subsisting on nutrient bricks. No wonder Dane’s cooking was so…odd. Everything must taste spectacular after only experiencing those. And he had no concept of which flavors should be alongside each other in a dish.

  The night before had been utterly amazing. Dane had been eager to try out new things and learn everything he could. She wondered how that would translate in the kitchen.

  For now, simple cereal, though. She opened a box, then rolled out the plastic bag inside as she turned toward the bowls.

  A piercing noise startled her so badly that cereal flew out of the top of the box, hitting her in the face. She wheeled around, searching the room for the source of the sound, but it seemed to come from everywhere.

  It wasn’t like Barbara’s screech, though that joined the horrible cacophony after only a few seconds. This was mechanical. It sounded like an alarm.

  Brigid dropped the box of cereal and ran to the windows that lined the kitchen wall. A group of large shadows flitted over the trees—one circular and two rectangular. They were too regular in shape to be natural.

  She couldn’t see what was causing them, but whatever it was had to be big. Bigger than Zemanni’s helicopter, that was for sure. She could only think of one t
hing.

  “Ships…”

  Spaceships.

  A bright flash of light nearly blinded her, just before she heard a high-pitched whining sound. Her stomach felt like it had turned to ice.

  The house shook as a thunderous crash sounded from somewhere below. She heard more booms and high-pitched whines, along with Barbara screeching.

  “Oh no.” She had to get to the others—to get to Dane.

  Wheeling around, she ran to the rack that held several pots, pans, and skillets. She grabbed one of the skillets, then pulled a large butcher knife from the block of knives on the counter. She was nearly to the kitchen door when someone almost barreled into her.

  She screamed and lashed out, recognizing Dane a moment too late. He leapt out of range of the knife, eyes wide.

  “Whoa there,” he said. “It’s just me.”

  “Oh my God. I’m so sorry.” She dropped the knife, but held onto the skillet, even when he pulled her into a crushing hug.

  “I’m the one that’s sorry.” He kept holding her for way too long.

  “Dane, we have to move,” she said. “We have to get to the others.”

  She felt him shake his head as he held on. Her thoughts were spinning as she tried to think of ways she could help.

  “It’s too late for that,” Dane said. “There’s nowhere we could run to in time. Nothing we can do. They’re going to take us, and if we try to fight back, they’ll kill us.” He buried his face in the nape of her neck. “I’m so sorry.”

  Brigid managed to get her hands between them and shoved him away. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking,” she shouted. “I’m not ready to give up.”

  “That’s because you don’t know what you’re up against.”

  “Neither do they.”

  “They have weapons. Ships. Trained soldiers who will just as soon disintegrate us as look at us. They’ve probably had their emotions suppressed, so they won’t even feel a damn bit of remorse.”

  “You told me last night only the elite fighters have their emotions suppressed,” she said.

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Would they send elite fighters to the lodge when all that…” she waved her hand at him, “fancy technology you mentioned last night is in Florida?”