Page 61 of Shielded in the Shadows

Something else caught my attention. Startled, I raised my head to look at him. “Are you still hard?”

“For you? Of course.” Jarrix smiled, flashing his fangs. “Shall I make you scream again, my lovely mate? The nebula is exceptionally beautiful tonight, and I believe I can find some dry silks to put beneath you.”

Well, I wasn’t quite ready to go to sleep yet, and it would be a shame to not make the most of our time in the arboretum after Byx had gone to so much trouble on our behalf.

I raised an eyebrow. “Or perhaps I can find some dry silks to put beneath you?”

His gaze darkened with need as if he was thinking the same thing.

“Let’s find those dry silks,” he growled.

CHAPTER 15

JARRIX

According to my new wristcomm, it was 0540 station time when I woke suddenly in the makeshift nest I’d created on the floor of my cabin.

After two more passionate matings in the arboretum—one with Keela atop me, riding my cocks, and the other with her bent over the plush bench near the window—she and I had re-dressed and almost staggered back to Bay 2406, where Byx’s night crew was working on a ship overhaul.

In an attempt to cling to shreds of dignity, we’d feigned nonchalance as we crossed the enormous bay to our vessel. Judging by the knowing grins and chortles among the night shift crew, we’d fooled no one about how we’d spent the evening and part of the night.

When the Nivilus’s cargo bay door had closed behind us, sealing us inside and away from onlookers, Keela had buried her face against my chest and giggled. Giggled. My hearts might never be the same after hearing that effervescent sound.

Then she’d scowled and ordered me to build us a nest while she took off her dress and “these ridiculous shoes.”

I’d fashioned the best nest I could manage from my bunk’s detached mattress and our combined bedding and pillows while Keela made use of the cleansing unit. Despite its woeful inadequacy, we’d collapsed into the nest naked and exhausted, leaving our clothing on the bare bunk platform in my cabin. The offending shoes now had a place of honor on my desk.

I’d fallen asleep with Keela in my arms and my nose against her hair, and I was quite certain I’d never slept more deeply or contentedly in my life. The same might be said for my mate, who’d turned during the night so I could curl around her with my arm across her middle and her perfect ass snuggled against my well-used cocks. Her light snore was one of the best sounds I’d ever heard because it meant she trusted me enough to sleep soundly.

She’d promptly commandeered my bicep for use as her pillow and dragged my wing over us as a blanket. I was quite content to be her bedding—not just because this nest was inferior in size and comfort, especially compared to the one I’d made in the arboretum, but because to not provide for her was unthinkable.

For the first time since we’d met, she’d left her lovely long hair loose and unbraided. It spilled across my arm and our makeshift nest like a lake of fire. I’d fallen asleep toying with the silky strands, letting them slide between my fingers and twirling the ends until they slipped free.

With its engines and all but a few systems shut off, the ship was silent except for the air circulators and my mate’s quiet sleeping sounds. None of the racket from the docking bay could be heard through its hull.

So what had woken me up from a much-needed sleep? I listened, ears straining to catch any hint of noise.

There.

Somewhere deep within the ship, something moved. The sound was tiny, but my entire body went from relaxed to high alert in an instant.

Beside me, Keela’s light snore cut off abruptly, as if she’d somehow felt or sensed my sudden tension and snapped awake. Her survival instincts were as strong, if not stronger, than my own.

My arm tightened around her middle. I pressed my lips to her ear. “Movement on the ship.”

“Where?” Her voice was barely audible, even to me.

“Engineering.” I heard no more sounds from below, but something was down there. Or someone.

Keela raised her wristcomm to her lips. “Siber, quiet mode,” she murmured. “Scan the ship for life forms besides Jarrix and me.”

A schematic of the ship appeared on the screen of her wristcomm. A series of colorful lines showed Siber’s scans moving through the vessel.

A green dot appeared on the engineering level in the aft section of the ship. Starboard side, near the engine.

Biological anomaly detected, the AI reported with text below the schematic. Bioscanner unable to identify species or determine level of threat.

Keela’s quiet huff mirrored my own thought. Anything hiding aboard the vessel was likely to be a threat.