Chapter 17

Monte

 

 

I didn’t want to leave Ryn, or my bed to go to another briefing. Theano and I were leaving early the next morning to teleport to a few different places then to Vegas so we couldn’t be tracked as coming in for Circe.

But that only gave me so much time with Ryn, so little time.

“Monte, Oh God, Monte,” she moaned, squirming against the sheets as I continued devouring her sensitive flesh in long strokes, my head buried between her legs.

This was the one thing I had done with other women and knew I was good at using my tongue and fingers to caress, but Ryn was nothing like those other women, and I couldn’t get enough of tasting her and having her scream my name.

“Monte, you’re going to be late. Your phone keeps buzzing,” she panted, but that didn’t stop her body from humming.

“One more,” I breathed into her before flattening my tongue against her mound and feeling her shiver around my fingers, her head rolled back in ecstasy.

She whimpered as I slowly inched up her body, hovering just above her face.

“If sex is connecting, then what do Caltians call that?” she whispered in labored pants.

I smiled. “That’s called making you come.”

Her cheeks flushed, and I didn’t give her a chance to respond, pressing my mouth to hers then grabbed her hips rolling us over.

She sat on top of me, pulling back with a frown. “As much as I want to continue to distract you, I know you have to go to that meeting.”

I sighed. “That’s very hard to do when you’re sitting on me and naked.”

“It’s hard for me to think about you leaving too,” she whispered.

I put my hand to her face, wanting nothing more than to reassure her that everything would be okay. But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t promise her I’d be back when I didn’t know the answer myself. It was why I didn’t regret the connection one bit.

At least I knew, no matter what, I could make everything right for her whether I was around or not.

My phone buzzed again, this time not with a message but a hologram popped up.

“Monte, I know you’re ignoring your meeting but tell your girlfriend I forwarded some stuff to your tablet for her to look over, and I’ll be by to keep her company later if you both have clothes on,” Alex’s voice rang through the room.

“Now I understand what humans call a cock block,” I grumbled, already hearing the knock at the door I knew was Alex.

Ryn laughed, and I kissed her once more before sliding out from under her then grabbing my clothes, zipping them up as fast as I could.

“Want me to send her away?” I asked, turning to see Ryn with her suit half-way zipped up.

Ryn shook her head. “No, I could probably use some girl time.”

I nodded, kissing her again before we headed to the front door, opening it as Alex was again mid-knock.

“You’re both here and dressed! Huzzah!” Alex held her fist in the air.

“Behave, Alex,” I warned, letting her inside.

“Always,” she said with a smile.

I raised my eyebrows at Ryn who squeezed my hand in return before letting go. A silent gesture, letting me know she was okay.

I closed the door behind me, still hearing Alex talk a mile minute before I turned down the hallway and headed to the officer’s quarters.

The soldiers, Ace, Vince, and Nerses, were all seated around the large white table as expected, but my eyes widened when I saw the chair at the end occupied by Theano.

“I thought I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow,” I said, coolly taking the chair next to hers.

“Apparently I’m the only one who shows up on time to meetings. And what is that smell? Is that human feelings…?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“There’s a more vulgar term I could use, but it’s probably what you’re thinking,” I said, trying not to clench my jaw.

“So what is this? How many human wives have you taken here? Does the sanctity of connection mean nothing to you now?” she quipped, narrowing her eyes.

“I’ve only connected with one woman and it’s Ryn,” I growled. “So watch it.”

Theano blinked hard. “The one you were sharing your energy with, the hand transfer… She’s your…mate?”

“I guess that’s what you’d call her. We rescued her from our sister’s trafficking ring. She’d had her for five months, making Ryn live in a hovel, drinking nothing but tainted water, so she was drugged all the time. Then she’d have to go in these mirrored rooms, wearing next to nothing while aliens bid on her.” Each word I said was filled with more malice, my teeth clenching just thinking how badly I wanted to hurt every single being that would do that to Ryn.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t know…” Theano said softly.

“There’s a lot I guess we didn’t know about each other or Iris,” I stated with a grimace.

Theano nodded. “I didn’t know what she’d been doing until The Caltian empire called to come in.”

“The empire?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. “Since you left, I’ve been mainly doing security jobs around Andromeda. The Andromedan Prime Minister is how I was able to get us an invite to what Iris calls ‘The auction.'”

I shivered just at the mention of it.

“Do you think we’re going to be able to stop her?” I asked.

Theano’s lips formed a thin line. “Iris has always been the strongest in our family, and from what Circe intelligence tells me, she now has an army with her. We’re supposed to be the distraction then subdue her and her top men, but I don’t know. I don’t know where her head is right now.”

I let out a deep breath. “We have to stop this, Theano. All of us together. No human or alien should have to go through that.”

She nodded. “I agree, Monte. I just don’t know if we’ll survive if she’s really as powerful as everyone here is making her out to be.”

“That’s a chance I’m willing to make if we can save everyone else,” I said, making sure my voice was low enough that no one else in the room could hear me, even though they were distracted with their own conversations before the meeting would be called to order.

Theano’s eyes widened. “You don’t need to make that sacrifice, Monte. They’re arming us well.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“Is this why you connected with the human girl? So if something did happen, she’d be protected?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation

Theano finally smiled. “I hope she knows how lucky she is to have a Caltian like you to take care of her.”

“I think I’m the lucky one,” I replied.

Vince’s throat clearing huff boomed through the room. “Okay, now that everyone’s here. Are we ready to get started?”

And just like that, the air hung thicker in the air as we all turned toward the gray-haired man in his blue uniform.

We all knew what we were getting into, and even as Vince went over the details, none of us faltered. We were all there for the same thing: to protect earth and the people in it. And nothing was going to stop us.